Cosmic Love

Lovers' Spat

     That was really bad...

     Noki spun his bamboo shoot about in front of him, wielding it like a bo staff in a Chinatown B-movie. He looked like a traditional rice farmer, wearing a set of modernized farming garb with small armored pieces scattered across important areas like his arms and chest. The hat was almost hilarious, taking a stereotypical rice-farmer's cone hat plating it in studded metal. It looks pretty cool though... "Casanova...? Is that an American movie or something? I don't get it..." And I thought the worst he could do was laugh at me, that stung. Matthew figured saying anything further was going to make him look even dumber, so he just opted to start the fight. Charging Noki, Matthew assumed he was going to try and play distance with his range and planned accordingly.

     Noki swung his bamboo, and he instantly drew a blank on how to react. Barely blocking it with his forearm out of instinct, Matthew swung under his guard and landed a punch squarely on Noki's gut. He activated his quirk, placing it where he punched him before backing off and refocusing. I landed a pretty square hit, and he shouldn't know that I have my quirk placed on him... What the hell is wrong with me? Drawing blanks like that, get your head in the game Matt! The punch didn't seem to do much though, Noki recovered fairly quickly as he squared up again. The two circled each other in the center of the street, which Matthew figured was where Noki wanted to fight; out in the open where Matthew couldn't use his quirk on things. For the time being Matthew had to figure out how exactly Noki's quirk worked. He knew he could sprout bamboo shoots from things he touched, but that was about it.

     "So, Noki. Wanna tell me how your quirk works?"

     "...no?"

     "Eh, it was worth a try." Using his quirk, Matthew launched himself towards Noki, trying to catch him off guard. He threw another punch, which Noki cleanly deflected with his bamboo. Shit, I'm off balance! He swung for Matthew's exposed chest, landing another blow where he was knocked down earlier. That's gonna bruise really bad... In a panic he grabbed the bamboo before Noki could pull it back, planting his feet and starting a tug-of-war match. Just as Noki began to raise his foot to kick him, Matthew activated his quirk where he had placed it on Noki's gut to interrupt him. The blast caught him off guard enough to lighten his grip on the bamboo, which Matthew used to rip it out of his grip and swing it at him. Noki blocked it with both of his forearms, where Matthew tried using his quirk on impact to break his guard. He was ready for it this time, as he hadn't budged even through the explosion. Once again the two backed off and resumed circling each other, though Matthew had the clear advantage at the moment .

     "Damn dude, your quirk hurts like hell." Noki shook his arms off, trying to shake off the pain.

     "Sorry man, I'm trying to win though."

     "Fair 'nuff, I'd be right mad if you was going easy on me."

     "I'd never."

     "I'd hope not." Noki crouched down, placing his hand on the ground and creating another bamboo shoot. Readying it, he took a moment to stare Matthew down before charging him again. He had way more practice with his weapon of choice, leaving Matthew to try and defend from his onslaught. In that moment it was like Matthew couldn't focus, all he could do was try and react to Noki's attacks in time. Come on Matthew, think! What can you do right now to get him off of you? Noki took a moment to wind up a stronger attack above his head, the fatigue from laying into Matthew like that visibly setting in. Matthew took his chance and jabbed his pseudo-staff into Noki's exposed chest, using his quirk to blast him across the street. Matthew felt himself taking deeper breaths, the use of his quirk beginning to set in slightly.