tampered | log; ongoing

When; May 11th, late morning
Rating; PG-13?
Characters; Riou

i_themagician
Summary; After this, Clow and Riou spend the early morning hours stalking each other... until they finally meet for an EPIC BATTORU. (This takes place right before Clow finally decides to show up to work, for anyone wondering.)
Log;

The sun was rising higher in the sky; he had been stalking his quarry since the early hours of the morning and although it didn't seem that he was getting anywhere, it helped that his prey was also stalking him. Clow could sense Riou's presence growing ever closer, though he still could not see the other man. Still, he waited, crouched in the underbrush somewhere in the northern wild, having forseen that this was the area where they would finally catch sight of one another.

'I never do this,' Clow found himself observing, and it was true. Not once did he ever remember stalking someone with intent to kill, or even having any active desire to murder anyone - although he of course couldn't recall right now that even the concept of homicide usually made him feel uneasy. As much as he was enjoying this little game right now one would think he'd have played it more frequently, yet he feels no regret at not having done so. In fact, he feels no emotion at all about it - it's just a simple observation in his head that this is not normal behavior for him and Clow doesn't even think to wonder what is.

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Clow elects not to heal himself immediately - if he defeats Riou at all, it will likely be a quick and easy affair and there will be plenty of time for figuratively licking his wounds later. Deciding that it will be much easier if Riou can't use magic at all (hmm, maybe he should consider building that into the handcuffs when they are built), Clow silently tosses a sleeping spell towards him. To be honest, even Clow thinks that fighting from behind the man is more than a bit cowardly, especially when he's bound, but he was not exactly trying to win any awards for sportsmanship. The whole City deserved to die, so if he has to kill the citizens one by one he might as well get it done and over with as quickly as possible.

Still trying to twist in his bindings, Riou faintly senses something, and then suddenly a pulse of heat shoots up from his right hand, burning a trail of fire up his arm, through his chest, and to his heart. He didn't know what it's reacting to or blocking, but even from behind his eyelids he can feel that power. The dazzling crimson and gold shield appearing in the air behind him, the symbol for the protective side of war and creation.

He's really going to end up paying for that.

But what the hell was that?! And he-- oh, screw this! Without releasing it, he calls upon the power of his true rune once more. The healing light around him churns and twists, sharpening and inverting just like it's bearer.

"Shining Light!"

And the scalding light explodes outward from him in an ever-expanding circle.

Clow isn't even going to wait for that to touch him. He throws up another shield - this one a shadowy-looking one to counteract Riou's light spell. This is getting ridiculous - it seems that Riou's magic is strong on exactly the scale where Clow's is weakest. Smaller-scale spells for one-on-one duels were always harder for Clow, and for some reason the magician has been finding throughout this fight that he's just generally not good at using magic to hurt people. Hence, he is seriously considering cutting and running as soon as Riou is finished attacking. After all, if the arrogant fool hasn't gotten out of his bindings yet it's not likely that he's going to, and wasting away in a standing position out all alone in the middle of the forest is a far, far worse fate than simply being strangled to death.

With a gasp the sphere of scalding light disappears as well. The rune on the back of his right hand pulses in time with his heart, and at the edges of his consciousness he can feel the weakness creeping in with each beat. The reason he had been so hesitant to resort to Bright Shield in the first place. Damn!

And still the older mage was somewhere behind him. And what was he to do, flail around blindly with his own powers until he exhausted himself and was completely vulnerable to the other? And to think, he was the one who asked for this thing he was trapped in to be built!

Riou bites back a growl, holds his breath, and simply listens for any indication of what his enemy was doing.

Clow droppe his shield and moved a step closer to inspect Riou. The younger man appeared to be more worn out but even if Clow would eventually emerge the victor, how long would that take? Clow had other things to be doing, and he didn't think that all the power the boy could muster would possibly break that spell - he'd faint from exhaustion first, surely. Yes, it was time for Clow to turn tail and leave to get on with his day.

He didn't even say anything when he left, either - he figured that it would be more psychologically torturous to just try and walk away as quietly as possible.

Perfectly still, with his eyes closed, he doesn't know if he senses it more than hears it. Footsteps. Towards him. He tenses. Away from him. The other wasn't seriously just going to-- If only he could just bloody turn around!

His tone is properly mocking, but there's more hoarseness in it than he'd like. "Can't finish the job, can you?"

"This one has promised Miss Lyra that he would try to come into work today." As if to cement his point, Clow pulls out his pocket watch and checks it. "He is already a little late."

"Lyra? If you hurt her..."

Riou blinks a bit, wondering where that came from exactly. He tries to unsuccessfully shift around again, but the other magic-user still remains out of sight. Somehow he finds this sudden turn of events even more... aggravating? Disturbing? He grits his teeth.

"So you're really going to just wander off like that and leave me here? You goddamned coward! Not only can't you face me, but you can't even finish what you started?!"

Clow doesn't say anything in response - he merely sighs quite audibly, as though genuinely hurt by Riou's words. However, he doesn't have enough pride to want to fight back, so he will just continue on his way~.

"CLOW! You craven bastard! Forget honor, you have all the endurance of a chicken with its head on the block!!"

No answer is forthcoming. And he doesn't exactly expect one.

Riou slumps slightly in his bindings once again. All right, then. So the other is gone. Perhaps it's just as well. Now he can fully concentrate on breaking free of these magic chains without worrying about a fireball coming at his head or a pair of hands at his throat.

He calls out to Bright Shield once again, ignoring the pangs of weakness that come from using even more of its power, trying to nullify the spell, or whatever the hell it is, that's binding him. Nothing.

"Motherfu---!!!"

It's going to be a long day.

log; ongoing

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