(Pov: Kenzo)
He didn't really want to fight anymore.
Not out of fear... he'd refer to it as caution.
The kid had a bad physical mutation, a sensory quirk and now...this?
'These Mutants really are busted.'
Riku had not just grown in size. He had grown ...bigger. More muscular. Not absolutely shredded, but just enough to know when someone works out.
Just that he didn't work out for it. Only thing that happened was that wheel which turned.
'His arms and hands are big enough to block my strikes now...'
Another thing he noticed, was that the kid grinned. The kind of grin which served as a premonition for an ass beating.
'...does he think he'll beat me just because of a little Power-up?'
He didn't really understand the kids quirk. He had always thought it was simply a sensory quirk.
Then, during the fight, he had noticed the strange power in his punches along with his solid defense. He did not have much time to figure it out... and frankly, thinking about these kind of things was more for Genzo.
'Too bad for him. He's got my blood boiling.'
Literally.
...
His chest throbbed, each beat hotter than the last, as if his heart was stoking a fire.
'..He may be bigger but... he's still just a kid.'
Steam slipped from his mouth as he exhaled little, trying to keep his quirk form running wild.
His body temperature rescinded.
"Haahh... Alright."
His gaze shifted over to Genzo whose gaze carried a clear message. 'Does he really think i'll use my quirk on a 5 year old?'
A little bit irritated, he turned his attention back to the kid who... was clearly keen on continuing the fight.
He had a stance similar to that of a grappler and a shit eating grin. 'God...'
He seemed to think he could win. '...this is annoying.'
His quirk was more than ready but he couldn't use it on the kid. Like the urge to scratch but you know it won't get away if you do.
"Looks like we'll keep going for a bit."
He raised his stance.
Riku, now tall enough to reach his chin immediately dashed forward and threw his fist towards Kenzo's face. His eyes widened at the speed and instinct took over.
The punch was promptly dodged and he sent out a knee to meet the kids stomach which was in turn intercepted by riku's forearm.
'He ... improved in strength and speed...but.'
He did not have time to finish the thought. A wild flurry of hits ensued, sent out by Riku who had fully stopped hesitating when it came to offense. While he dodged and blocked most, some managed to pierce his defense.
'Shit... I'm ...'
His arms and chest felt as if they were filled with fire where Riku had hit him. The heat propagated through his body.
'...my quirk.'
The next jab he sent out, for him felt like every other he threw before. A simple jab meant to pressure an opponent.
But for Riku, the punch moved like lightning.
It only glanced off his forearm, but the impact sent him tumbling across the mat. He rolled to a stop and froze, clearly stunned by the sudden spike in force. He hadn't expected that.
Kenzo didn't press. He held his stance… but didn't follow up.
He felt it now, stronger than before. His chest throbbed as a steady pressure build up in his veins and arteries. His heart, thumped harder with every beat as the temperature rose even more.
'We should stop here.'
Steam emanated from his shoulders as his sweat hissed and evaporated under the heat of his blood.
His thoughts began to fog and while his vision did not tunnel, everything in the cage seemed much closer.
'He..He'll get hurt.'
...
...
(Pov: Riku)
He did not have any time to react. His opponent had been standing out of his range after Riku's attacks for a moment. The next moment, Kenzo had simply appeared closer and his fist had crashed into Riku's guard.
The punch had sent him flying and although he immediately regained his bearings, he clearly felt the painful throb where the fist had met his arm.
'...it's warm.'
Like being hit with a bottle of boiling water.
His CE focused on his opponent and...
'Holy crap. He's heating up.'
Not just physically, but emotionally too. His entire emotional state felt like a pot at the edge of boiling over.
Hesitation and restraint were the two dominating emotions and like a lid, they barely kept in check the sheer Adrenaline, instinct and Aggression.
'... should we stop?'
He didn't say that out of fear, but rather consideration.
Kenzo felt like he was about to lose it.
While Riku could clearly feel the sheer aggression pouring out of him, he also sensed the pain which his quirk seemed to inflict upon his body.
At the same time... he clearly felt the wheel. Just a little more and he could make it turn again.
This time consciously. He was short of skill. He couldn't read his opponents movements and he was so close to changing that. His perception would increase and so would his reaction speed.
'I don't think i have a say in that.'
The lid on his opponent's emotions had shrunk. They boiled over as Hesitation and restraint nearly disappeared. Riku raised his guard in time.
VLAM. He was sent crashing against the edge of the cage.
He immediately rushed forward, shrugging off the searing pain in his arms and sent out a punch, but...
BAM, a fist crashed into his sides.
'The guy is barely holding back...'
He didn't believe that the match would keep going. Surely someone would intervene.
His CE spread a little wider as he felt Masaki's worry and... strangely enough did not feel much from Genzo. But he felt enough to know he was about to break up the match.
BAAM, another fist crashed into his face. Kenzo had dodged Riku's tail which had sneak up on him from the side and immediately retaliated.
Genzo's intent was clearer now. He was about to end the match.
'Come on... i.. i haven't adapted!'
The wheel on his head felt heavy... but he kept his attention on it as he poured in his efforts to make it move. He just knew, this was the best time for him to adapt again!
BAM! Another fist closed in on him and Riku made no efforts to dodge, his CE simply pouring into defense.
The fist met his face and another was already winding up.
...
Thwap! An arm was wrapped around Kenzo as he was immediately pulled into a Hold by Genzo who appeared behind him. He was quiet, his gaze cold and his movement calculated.
Kenzo's body steamed like a kettle at full boil. Genzo's presence, however, exhaled cold vapor which spilled from his shoulders and mouth.
For a moment, steam and frost collided, swirling violently in the narrow space between them. Then, slowly, the steam began to thin, hissing away into the air as Kenzo's body temperature dropped under Genzo's grip.
Kenzo's steam and Genzo's frosty vapor clashed for just a moment before the steam seemed to lessen as Kenzo's body temperature cooled.
Genzo said something. Riku couldn't hear it but... he was distracted by something else anyway.
'...i can barely sense him.'
Kenzo, as the fight progressed had become like a beacon of wild emotions, impossible to miss.
Genzo however, was steadily disappearing as emotions dimmed. His presence was like a cloud of smoke which steadily became more pure, until indistinguishable from air.
But Riku's attention immediately returned to the entire point of this match.
'...no... the wheel!'
He focused on it. He pushed it. It was so close to turning.
His head hurt as he focused CE and raw will into it, slowly forcing it to turn.
'Move!'
Click!
Barely a turn. It moved a little and Riku felt a change.
The first change, was in his CE. The emotions were clearer and it simply seemed easier to sense.
The other one? It was barely noticeable, but... he thought the speed of his brain had increased. He noticed more details while sensing his surroundings, Kenzo's ragged breath, his dad's restless fidgeting. He also thought that Genzo's presence was clearer.
'HAaaahh. That was barely a turn... but.'
The grin on his face was wide despite his exhaustion.
'But a breakthrough nevertheless.'
...
...
(Pov: Kenzo)
BAM!
His fist into the kids face whose head snapped back from the impact. A solid hit.
He winded up for another when...
COLD.
He sensed a familiar presence behind him.
Freezing arms wrapped around him and he felt his arm which was about to make contact with the kid's face be pulled into an Armlock.
Instinct prevailed and his body immediately released a burst of Steam which found itself countered by icy vapor.
"That's enough."
Genzo's tone was cold and his grip iron tight.
Kenzo's first instinct was to thrash but the searing heat he felt rescinded.
Shame was the first thing he felt as his eyes fell on the kid who was sitting against the edge of the cage.
"Sorry."
He didn't know what else to say, he wasn't even sure who the apology was addressed to. Probably the kid. Or maybe even Masaki and Genzo?
Genzo let go. He was about to check on the kid, when...
Click! The wheel turned again. Not a lot but it did nevertheless.
And the kid, who had just received the first beating of his Life, broke out in an exhausted grin.
'Huh?' x3
...
...
(Pov: Masaki)
"GENZO, STOP THE DAMN FIGHT!"
He would have done it himself but...there wasn't much he could do.
Genzo moved in rather quickly and Kenzo was immediately subdued... which Masaki would have marveled at, if it wasn't for his son laying on the edge of the cage.
He quickly rushed in and was about to head past Genzo and the apparently-rabid-dog which was Kenzo when...
Click! The weird wheel turned again.
Then, Riku grinned as if he received the greatest birthday present of his Life.
'Huh?'
Did he hurt his head? Probably given the pounding he received.
The kid stood up. He was a bit shaky but he stood. Held out his closed fist.... and a thumb suddenly emerged from it and pointed upwards.
'What the hell.'
Is he saying he's okay???
It then hit him. His entire tirade earlier about him calling his son a weirdo was dumb.
'...that's right. He may be my son but he's also a weirdo. I forgot these things aren't mutually exclusive.'
His son who trained when he had nothing to do. His son who not only trained... but seemingly enjoyed training legs. His son who had agreed to a beating with a smile on his face.
That's right...Riku... was a Masochist.
...
Nevertheless, Genzo still sat the kid down and held his hand against the kid's bruises. He apparently had some kind of Ice quirk, while Kenzo aka rabid-dog had a fire quirk.
Tch. He shot Kenzo a disdainful look. Despite the guy's repeated apologies for what had happened and his kids easy forgiveness, Masaki couldn't bring himself to forgive the guy.
He did not get how his son, who had been pounded repeatedly simply sent out emotions of fun and excitement in response. The only possible answer he had... was a possibility he rather denied.
"Listen Masaki, i really am sorry.."
"Yeah yeah. I get it. It's your quirk."
Kenzo must have apologized at least 4 times now.
And Masaki would gladly have him apologize 4 times more. This kind of stunt easily warranted 8 apologies. Probably more if his son wasn't such a weirdo.
Kenzo rubbed his neck. His eyes shifted over to Riku, clearly confused why the kid seemed so ecstatic.
'...These two 44 year olds are too old to understand the concept of Masochism.'
He was still "young" (32) so he knew. But no need to embarrass the kid by explaining.
Riku was currently sitting on a bench and chilling. There had been a small crowd watching the fight at a certain point but they soon dispersed again.
Masaki was about to ask him about the weird ass wheel, when Riku suddenly jolted.
The wheel... slowly turned back. Not much, but Riku slowly shrunk along with the wheel and so did the muscles he had acquired. Nevertheless, he was still 1.30m (4.2). About 10cm bigger than his original size.
The three adults stared at the freak who wore a strange expression before breaking out into a loud howl..
"RÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄGH."
Masaki, a professional interpret when it came to understanding his son quickly translated for Genzo and Kenzo.
"He's pissed."
...
...
Soon, Masaki and Riku found themselves on the way home.
Kenzo had managed to fill the quota of apologies for the whole situation, Genzo had acted as a doctor with and seemed to have a weird personality shift and the old brick-eating and stone-shitting dude had walked over to criticize Riku's moves. Then proceeded to speak about how he would have done it. (Better of course)
Masaki and his son soon escaped and found themselves walking home.
He finally took his son's hand and asked the question.
"What the hell was that?"
Riku sent him confusion. Masaki's brow twitched.
"Why did you grow and get all buff? How?"
Riku simply pointed at the wheel floating above his head.
'...oh, because of a wheel. Makes sense.'
It didn't.
"Do you really not know?"
Riku shrugged before signing back.
"I think i can adapt to things."
'Talk about vague.'
Masaki simply nodded. He wasn't about to pry.
Nevertheless, he didn't let go of his son's hand as they headed home.
...
...
...
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED???"
'I'm dead.'
...
(Pov: Riku)
This entire situation was technically his fault.
He watched as Masaki tried to talk his way out of it.
It should be mentioned that he was currently laying in bed, his mother treating him as if he was about to die.
It should also be mentioned that the entire situation which was his fault, had been blamed onto Masaki.
And no, not because of him. His mother did so.
Some people might think it unfair... but the thing is, she wasn't angry because Masaki didn't stop the fight. No. She was angry that the fight even started.
And that, was entirely on Masaki.
He brought him to the gym. He didn't stop Genzo and Kenzo. And he didn't stop his 5 year old son from entering a cage to fight and adult.
So now, he was on trial. Responding to accusations and doing his best to defend himself.
His mother was standing behind the kitchen counter, cutting an apple into pieces and making pancakes. And no, these weren't for Masaki.
'They're for me!'
He had not been yelled at, not reprimanded and not criticised. Just checked for injuries and put into the bed.
Which was nice... although he was a bit sorry for his dad. So he aligned his part of the story with that of his dad's in order for him to justify himself.
The reason he did so was partly out of kindness...and also because this entire situation was technically his fault.
Soon, after a flurry of question, mother's rage was soothed and his dad's only confirmed fault laid with the fact that he allowed the fight to start. (Even though Riku wanted to.)
...
'This has to be the best day of my Life.'
His excitement resurfaced. He had managed to turn the Wheel!
The way his fear disappeared.
The way his body and muscles grew.
The way the world seemed to slow.
It was an intoxicating feeling. A feeling he wanted to experience again.
And the best thing about it?
'I'm the one who made it move.'
It wasn't an automatic feature. The Wheel was his. He controlled it.
'All i have to do is train it and learn.'
Earlier, when his adaptation rescinded, he had kept small aspects of what he had gained.
He was taller. He was faster.
His fear was likely still there but he felt more confident in overcoming it.
His thoughts... he couldn't really feel much of a difference, but they were probably faster or more efficient as well. And reading people's emotions was easy as well.
'I'll get permanently stronger each time i adapt.'
This was his ticket to power. Not an easy way but it definitely still qualified as a cheat code.
'...do i even have a ceiling?'
Would there be a point at which adapting would become impossible?
'...when there's nothing to adapt to anymore?'
An outlandish statement. But once he'd figure out the full application of the wheel, then...
'I'll become the strongest.'
..
..
End of chapter
Quick mention. In the chapter prior, Genzo's personality is very different. It's on purpose. Genzo and Kenzo's quirks affect their personalities.
And ..uhh, something else i might write later. Depends on your comments.