tampered | (no subject)

When; December 27, early morning
Rating; PG-13 (ish. Violence and language expected.)
Characters; Niko Leandros

cal_sitter and Kuwabara Kazuma

senseandsword
Summary; Under the influence of a curse, Niko begins fighting. Kuwabara becomes the unwitting first of his victims.
Log;

Back at home, it wasn't unusual for Kuwabara to spend extended amounts of time away from his house. Anything from friends to demon battles for the good of humanity could keep him out, and it had become common habit. For the past couple of years, his venue had been largely libraries and campuses. It wasn't too different here, especially now that he attended classes. Even with a loose curriculum and less to lose, he still studied overtime when he needed to, so it wasn't weird when he left the library at nearly one in the morning with his school-bag slung over one shoulder.

What was weird about this walk home was coming across a body or two in an alley. It was weird enough so that he walked past it without thinking and had to double-take, suddenly startled into being more awake. "What the..?"

Kuwabara frowned and made his way over to the sprawled-out figures, looking around carefully. He couldn't see or hear anything, though, and that was the best he had now. After a moment of hesitation, he poked the toe of a boot into the ribs of one of the downed beings. It didn't move or anything.

He stood staring down at it, exhaled heavily, and started digging in his coat pocket for change. He'd find a pay-phone and try to call the police.

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The Auphe kept coming, not legion as they once had been, but one-by-one, their harsh language spilling between pale lips. Niko caught the flash of whisper-fine hair in the alley and shook the blood from his katana. The monster had already seen him. An open attack was the only option that remained. He stalked forward, mouth set in a grim line.

A sound. Kuwabara looked up from his search with an unassuming glance, but his eyes soon narrowed in confusion at the figure of a man. It was confusing because this guy had a sword. This guy with a sword was coming at him, looking pretty unhappy. What?

Something in his mind attempted to push outwards almost, to feel forward for what might be coming, but it fell short before it began. He looked human enough. His intentions, though? Was he seriously just going to attack him? "Uh."

Moving probably would've been the thing to do. Still a little dumbfounded, though, Kuwabara met the approaching man with. "Hey. What're you doing?"

Whatever the Auphe had to say, Niko wasn't interested in hearing it. They wouldn't reach Cal through him. That was all that mattered. "You should have stayed in Tumulus," Niko told the creature, and then he attacked.

"Whe--? HEY!" The first impulse was for Kuwabara to throw his arms up to stop himself from getting any organs cut out, and he bit back on the shout that earning a gash like that produced from him. This was turning out to be a great month! The large boy reached forward to grab his assailant while he was still close. He had to throw this guy down, or something.

"Fuck's your problem?!" Well, duh. This was probably what had happened to the bodies in the alley. He'd run into a psychopath or something.

One problem with the Auphe was that they were strong, stronger than they should have been at their size, and the hand that grabbed Niko was implacable. That was all right. He knew enough ways to break a hold to escape from this one, and if he happened to break a few fingers in the process, so much the better. He lifted his sword-arm and brought the hilt down with jarring force.

It was like he could see it coming in slow-motion before the hilt of the sword actually hit, and he yelped when it did, grip slacking. Then, he got an idea. Kuwabara lurched forward again, grabbing for his opponent again with the fingers that could still grab.

In the absence of a proper weapon, he had to improvise. He slipped his bag from his shoulder to clutch the strap in his right hand (officially his good hand right now, despite the cut in the arm). With an angry shout this time, he brought his arm forward in an attempt to pummel this kook with a heavy sack of books. Not all that promising, considering the guy had a freakin' katana, but that's why Kuwabara was already trying to look around for something else to hit him with.

There was no need to bring the katana to bear. Niko simply stepped out of the way as soon as he felt the air stir. That was interesting. Auphe usually depended on their natural weapons, eschewing tools of any sort.

Frowning in displeasure, he kicked out, aiming for his opponent's stomach.

Kuwabara had unbalanced himself and nearly fallen forward on his swing. The kick, then, hit him in the shoulder and pushed him backwards. His sore hand lost its grip. Shit. "Screw this," he muttered sharply, and he sprung back up as best he could and threw his bag at the swordsman. And now, into the alley, where he began to search frantically for a weapon.

Hello, metal piping! The things some people throw away! "Do not come closer!," he attempted to warn in a stern voice, and in English to boot. "Okay?"

Whatever the Auphe had thrown hit Niko in the shoulder, and hit hard enough to make him lose his grip on his sword. He abandoned the katana for the time being, not wanting to lose the Auphe. Two knives in hand, he bolted after it. Careful of the piping the Auphe had hefted, Niko feinted to one side, hoping to create an opening for him to attack.

Kuwabara, predictably, swung heavily at the charge. The feint did its job, and he missed, but he kept moving. Stepping forward and pivoting, he swung again.

This Auphe isn't as quick as its brethren. Niko manages to duck, but catches a glancing blow on the arm, just enough to leave the limb throbbing. He doesn't try to give himself more room, instead pressing in close so there's no room for the Auphe to swing that bar, and driving his knee up at the Auphe's gut.

Oh, shit. The blow hit square, and Kuwabara doubled over, the breath knocked out of him. The length of pipe fell from his hands in the movement. This wasn't going so well for him, really. He sucked in a breath when he was able, right arm reaching up to shove the guy away, but his movements were getting feeble. That cut might've been deeper than he thought.

This time Niko brings his arm down on the back of the Auphe's neck. The blow might break it, or might simply be excruciating. He'd prefer the former, but the latter will do.

He can quite distinctly remember having his neck nearly broken, and this was close the same feeling. The blow was a different kind, though, and that was the only thing really different. It hurt badly and froze him, and he fell down as he went limp from it. The best he could do was curse under his breath, breathing heavily.

Niko delivered another kick, then spun away to deal with a new attack that came from behind.

[OOC: Eep, sorry for tense changes. I blame jumping between logs that are using different ones. ♥]

Kuwabara just shifted to try and look around when another hit didn't immediately come. Ouch. Fuckin' ow, and he didn't have a bit of reiki to spare getting better quick. With a grunt of frustration, he knocked his own head against the pavement. He'd get up eventually. At least it was still snowing.