You're The Best Around : Karate War Training Montage Log

[strikefirster]

The All-Trench Karate War | Training Log!

Who: Combat instructors, students, and anyone caught in the crossfire.
What: Training for the Karate War!
Where: Throughout Trench
When: Throughout April

[ Welcome to the catch-all log for the Karate War player plot! Please find your instructor's header below and feel free to start your own toplevels under that header. You can specify "OTA," "OTA to teammates," or "For [Character]" etc in the subject line.

Or jump down to the miscellaneous mingle and start your own toplevels there! Enjoy! ]

Comments

Johnny Lawrence's Cobra Kai

[strikefirster]

Training day Prompt 1

[strikefirster]

[Sensei Johnny Lawrence's training methods ranged varied from day to day. Whether it's practicing forward strikes and actual techniques in the abandoned warehouse turned Dojo that he called home, ...to rather bizarre field trips.

Today was certainly the second option. He had gathered up all of students who had come for training and brought them into the woods near gaze. With the help of some animated skeletons he had borrowed from Jod he covered each of his students in honey.

Then he stepped back.]

Alright nerds,
I bet you think you're hot shit, right?
Well you're wrong!
The path to becoming a badass is long and hard-
Your enemies aren't going to go easy on you in the battles to come.
You have to be ready for that.
So to get you to your best, I'm going to show you my worst.
And to do that- We're going to fight at the level our enemies are-
I got some intel that one of the other sensei's is strong enough to take on a bear.
So you're going to learn to do the same thing and for that reason.

...Well bring 'em Skelebros!

[And Johnny raises a fist into the air. And in the distance there's a sound of rattling bones as a handful of skeletons covered in honey lead a sleuth of bears toward the students.]

Alright Cobra's! Show me what you got!

[And as if to make it worse. There is another handful of skeletons that pop out from the trees. Each with a bees nest in it's hand. They all throw them up into the air and kick them toward his students to get them "motivated to move."]

[Whether this is means fight the bears or run is completely open up to interpretation.]

Paul Atreides | Open

[terriblepurpose]

[Keeping an open mind is an important part of studying under Sensei Lawrence, whose training methodology often challenges his student's preconceptions about the predictability of potential threats.

Coated in honey and staring down an ursine delegation and swarms of stinging insects, Paul contemplates the lesson being offered.]

Any ideas?

[He asks whoever is standing closest, casually, pulling his shoulders back and shifting his weight into his toes, a creature on the verge of flight.]

[nothinglikea]

[surely this must be the strangest thing she's experienced here, even stranger than beasthood, which was something unwanted, but not uncommon.

sShe can feel the honey dripping down from the tight bun she'd piled her red curls into, slowly slipping down her neck, honey on just about every visible surface and it was terribly uncomfortable. but, she told herself that if it made her stronger, then it could only be a good thing. she trusted sensei Lawrence and she supposed that she ought to trust her fellow students]

Perhaps try to find a stream to wash ourselves off? But it can't be that easy.

[and the insects were getting closer]

[strikefirster]

[Trusting Sensei Lawrence was probably not always the best move. Some people were under the impression he was insane, but that really depended on who you asked.

He had retreated up onto a little hill to watch his students from a distance but could be there quickly if needed.]

Come on ladies!
Let's get moving!
There's nothing to fear except fear itself.
...That and getting stung or clawed to shit so don't do that!

[fabrications]

[ Open mind or not, Akechi is pretty sure this is just about the dumbest thing Johnny's ever asked them to do. He doesn't usually favor one professor over another, but today he really wishes he'd just gone to Ozpin's instead.

But, here he is. Covered in honey and facing down a bunch of bears because Johhny is the way he is. Paul's question has him sliding a foot back, bracing himself for whatever move he's about to make next. ]

I suggest we run, and perhaps find something we can climb that they can't.

[ Which is a tall task when they're dealing with bears, which are skilled climbers, and bees which can fly. It might be there only option. In a light tone, Akechi also adds: ]

It's against the spirit of the thing, but we could also try just killing them.

[terriblepurpose]

They haven't done anything to us. I'd prefer not to.

[There's also the small matter of them being bears, and Paul having chosen to come armed with only his pale blade in a hidden sheath under his training gear. Still: the way he says it suggests he's prepared for the possibility.

The bears continue to close on them. Paul decides he also prefers observing them from a height.]

They're faster than we are. But there's a saying where I come from - you don't have to be faster than the cat.

[He grins at Akechi, a playful, reckless challenge.]

You just have to be faster than everyone else. Run and climb it is.

[As is his habit, Paul assessed the area on the way. There's a half-fallen hillside some meters back from their position, surrounded by dense, thorny bushes on all sides but the scree-covered slump. He points in its direction, obscured by the trees between them and it, and takes off without another word. He needs his breath for the sprint.]

Uraraka Ochako | OTA

[floatsaway]

[...He can't be serious.

Ochako, in her full Hero Costume expected some weird as hell training, but this isn't weird, it's goddamn insane!! She'd have no problem fighting various opponents, or training dummies, or her other classmates, but these poor bears were forced into this because they were hungry - they don't deserve to be bullied to make a point. That's just plain cruel!! There is no damn way Ochako's going to not fight to protect herself, but she's also...going to have to break the rules a little bit.

Meaning, if she gets an opening, she's going to absolutely float these poor animals up and out of harm's way. They can struggle and writhe in Zero Gravity, tucker themselves out, and then she'll release and hopefully scare them away. No dumb tournament, or dojo master's senseless pride, is worth a sweet animal getting hurt or even killed...what kind of Hero would she be if she didn't take all lives into account?!]

Don't hurt the bears!! It's easier to scare them off than to fight them! [Seriously. Most predators won't fucking bother if the fight isn't worth it. Expending too much energy when it could be used to hunt, or forage...they're smarter than they appear.] Take out the hives first!!

[Since those're gonna be the most problematic and difficult to "fight". It's real fucking hard to punch a bee, after all. Aiming her wrist guard at one of the incoming ones, Ochako fires off one of her wired grappling hooks into one and jerks it hard so it crashes into another. The hives explode, and of course the swarms are agitated, but...they begin to rage and buzz and attack each other instead of going for the humans. A pity, but some things really can't be helped.]

[strikefirster]

[He's absolutely serious.

Honestly Johnny couldn't even be upset at the use of Ochako's powers in this case. It was kind of cheating but this wasn't the tournament itself. This was training and he wasn't putting the same rules on that. Plus she had to get in there, up close and personal and strike first to take down these bears. It might not be a hard strike but she was still taking his lessons into account.]

That's the fucking way, Miss Uraraka! Keep at it!

[Johnny's just watching from his hill top and not helping. But he's still happy to see go at his challenge with gusto.]

Just remember when a cobra gets caught, it slithers! Don't let these things catch you off guard.

the walking disaster that is Kyle Broflovski - OTA

[kyley_b]

[He should have known something terrible was going to happen the second the honey came out.

Still, it's not the worst substance he's ever bene drenched in - not by a long shot - and although it's fucking weird this is also Sensei Johnny Lawrence, who Kyle has mentally compared to one Randy Marsh. Covering students in honey and yelling at them would have been right up Randy's alley. So Kyle frowns (mostly because getting the honey out of his hair is going to be a nightmare) but accepts the sticky coating and the 'pep talk' without bitching.

But then.

Bears.

Kyle immediately looks for Johnny so he can screech at him.]

WHAT THE FUCK?!

[Real potential, here. But he stays where he is, trying to see what kind of bears they are, because that makes a huge difference.]

If it's black fight back, if it's brown lay down. [Muttered quickly and quietly. It's hard to tell at this distance, but he's PRETTY sure they're black bears. Which means...]

Make yourself look bigger and make a lot of noise! They might run off if we--

[Aaaaaaaaaaand then there's bees. Lots and lots of angry bees. Boy, Kyle can really scream. And run. Because yeah, that's apparently the new strategy, just screaming and running and flailing because BEES.]

GAAAAAAHHHH! SENSEI, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!

[strikefirster]

[And Johnny?

He just has a shit eating grin on his face the entire time. Because he definitely could not tell the difference between a black or brown bear. He just knew he had gotten bears and that's all that mattered.

Johnny brings his hands up to his mouth to project his voice better as Kyle starts screaming.]

Come on! Move that ass, princess!
The bees and bear claws can only hurt you if they catch you!

[detonating]

[Katsuki still isn't sure how he got roped into coming to Johnny's school, but... he sure as fuck did.

Honestly? He isn't sure if he fucking HATES this speech, or if it hits all of the right spots for him. It's both, honestly, and his confliction with the entire thing shows on his perpetually twisted up face. Disgust and awe simultaneously, the teen is kinda... fucking mesmerized by this disaster of an old man.

It's the mention of bears, the following 'Well bring em, Skelebros' that interrupts the near trance. Has him frowning hard, eyes moving from Johnny to the first skeleton there is to spot. And holy fucking SHIT, those are real fucking bears.

This fucking crazy asshole! Katsuki would almost be impressed, if it weren't for the fact that there are also beehives getting kicked into the scene. Angry bees, hungry bears, there ain't time to appreciate this psycho's methods. And he definitely doesn't give a shit about playing by the rules anymore, all things considered. The teen is up and moving fast, rushing to the center of it all where he brings his gloved hands out on either side and releases to heavy explosions out of his hands. The smoke is meant to disperse the bees before they have the chance to swarm the class angrily, and the noise and flash is meant to deter the bears from coming in any closer.

It works for a couple of them, at least has them trying to turn and get out of dodge, but the bear closest to Katsuki, definitely within striking distance in a matter of seconds after it chooses to charge, seemingly has a defiant streak and an attitude problem. It straightens up and bellows out at him before taking a swipe at the pesky blond interrupting it's chance at a meal. The teen uses another explosion to propel himself to the side, narrowly dodging the dangerous claws coming down at his face.

Anyone in their right mind would be scared shitless to square up to a bear, probably. Not Katsuki, he's grinning up at his furry opponent like a fucking maniac. Goading it, like he's having the time of his life.]

Hah, c'mon you fuckin' teddy bear! Ain't got shit on me!

Note

[strikefirster]

[There are two to three days that Johnny will not be at the Dojo. Because he is getting murdered by two people in event. He'll back after that like nothing happened at all.]

Training Day Prompt 2

[strikefirster]

[On days when Johnny isn't trying to get his students murdered. They'll be at the dojo. He is once again flanked by terrifying skeletons that are practicing forward strikes the entire time. It's odd but their form is actually on point and that's saying something.

For a demonstration he'll approach a skeleton standing perfectly still.]

The cobra strike is composed of two parts. The lunge-

[He presses forward to the skeleton to demonstrate.]

Which requires the whole body. And the bite-

[He drives his fist into the skeleton. Slowly for demonstration purposes not to cause damage.]

Which is everything after you make contact.

You don't stop here where knuckle meets the bone. You strike through it like the guy you really want to hit is behind this asshole.

[He then steps back and repeats the process with another strength to actually break skeleton bone this time.]

Any questions?

Oh so late training montage

[alternia_strength]

[Equius was watching the demonstration, nodding along. The action actually made perfect sense. Admittedly, his concept of punching through might have included literally intending to punch through one monster to get to the actual asshole behind it, but he remembered that he couldn't just go all out in this.]

So, the focus is on speed, precision and ensuring that there is no retaliation, as opposed to defense?

Training Day - Sayo's Class

[forwantofahorse]

[On days that Johnny is... otherwise occupied (such as being dead), one of his more experienced students—"team captains," for lack of a better term—takes the lead for the class. A naive few of the students might believe that they'll get a break from Johnny's bonkers training methods. And sure, Sayo led the warmups as normal, went through the routine technique exercises without yelling or calling any of the students names. A perfectly polite, pleasant substitute teacher, a breath of fresh air in the usually beer-and-spit smelling atmosphere of Cobra Kai.

If you know Sayo, you're already aware that this is the first warning sign.

After the first twenty minutes of class proceed in a blessedly normal fashion, Sayo orders everyone into a group at the back of the warehouse, and calls a single student forward. You, perhaps.]

As I'm sure Lawrence-sensei has drilled into your skull by now, in Cobra Kai, the best defense is a good offense. Don't just strike first, strike first-er. Et cetera. [She pronounces it properly like a huge nerd.] However, that doesn't mean you can charge in mindlessly and expect to get anything but your ass chopped, sliced, sautée'd, garnished, and served to you on a silver platter. You need to be aware of your opponent, react to where and how they'll strike and dodge.

Some senseis will tell you this is a matter of concentration, focus, insight. That's, as Lawrence-sensei would put it, bullshit. It's not a matter of perfect clarity. It's a matter of learning how certain muscles move, perceiving every inch of your enemy, seeing where they tense and where they relax before they strike. Of course the specifics vary with style, practitioner, and individual technique, but there are a few general principles you can learn to watch for if you practice enough with this in mind.

The tricky thing is, of course, doing that without relenting for a single second. And teaching how to maintain that b-word, [since Johnny isn't here Sayo is free to make fun of his aversion to the concept of "balance" in martial arts,] is the purpose of today's exercise.

You're going to want to hold still.

[Without any further warning, the unlucky student is lifted by a mysterious force accompanied by an unearthly scream, up to one of the creaking catwalks of the warehouse. A strange creature swoops from behind them to hover at Sayo's shoulder with a cackling screech.]

Speaking of paying attention, you should notice several details about this arrangement that should deeply concern you! [Sayo shouts from below as she... pulls a kiddie pool full of foam blocks out of who knows where she'd been hiding it and slides it under the catwalk?] The first is an abominable lack of workplace safety standards or general architectural sense in the construction of this warehouse. This catwalk is, for some ungodly reason, entirely disconnected from the rest of the network. I think the shoddy craftsmanship is part of the reason why this warehouse was abandoned in the first place.

The second is that directly behind you, there is a hole in the catwalk, going all the way to the back wall. A similar segment is missing from the other end of the catwalk. Don't worry, if you fall through you should land safely. I made an oath to not murder anyone in Trench, and I've managed to keep to my promise so far.

The third is that there is a large goat demon currently lumbering down the catwalk in your direction. [Dressed in an extra-large Cobra Kai gi as it whuffles nervously and looks side to side, no less.] And of course, there's the harness currently attached to your torso.

[Sayo strides over to the wall of the dojo, where a winch wrapped in rope connects upward to the back of the harness, and to a hefty-looking weight on a different catwalk, poised on the edge and only kept from falling off thanks to the taut rope attached.]

This exercise is simple, [she says, having constructed a fucking SAW trap.] When I activate this device, one of the gears inside the trap will begin moving, pulled by the weight on the other catwalk as it descends due to gravity. The gear will release the rope's slack as it turns, so it won't directly pull you off the catwalk... at first.

However, it will eventually run out of extra rope, and will start pulling on you instead. Due to the weight's mass and the way this contraption is balanced, you will very quickly fly backward, fall through that hole, and land in nice, soft foam. Hypothetically. I haven't tested it myself. [That part is a lie, but fear is a good motivator.] If you don't want the honor of being the first test subject of this contraption, there is a way to escape.

Moving forward will pull on a different gear from your side, which, while it motion, will push a ratchet into the first gear, preventing it from turning, thereby preventing the weight from descending. But! [She snaps her fingers.] The moment that you stop or get pushed back, the ratchet will recede, and the weight will begin falling once more.

Of course, there is Goat-kun standing in your way. [The giant goat demon stands tall when he hears his name, taking up a fighting stance. Determination and conviction shine in his eyes!] And he will make every effort to prevent you from moving forward, including attacking you with his incredible strength and equally incredible lack of speed. Fortunately, he is as dumb as a brick and doesn't know any particular style, which means it's easy to read his movements once you observe him for enough time. [Goat-kun deflates slightly.] The narrowness of the catwalk means you will have little time or space to react late, so you will need to learn how to read his tells, which are fairly universal among fighters so knowing them should prove useful for the tournament, and conserve as much movement as possible while evading or blocking so you can focus on driving him back.

[Goat-kun is also narratively inclined to lose fights to opponents that are hypothetically much weaker than him, making this a far less daunting prospect than how it may appear at first. Sayo isn't letting that part slip, though.]

Once Goat-kun falls through the hole on his side of the catwalk, his weight will activate a mechanism that will release you from your harness. That is your goal.

Oh, and also. [She smiles devilishly.] If I judge your performance to be exemplary, you will face a human opponent capable of more than just basic thought and who knows the rules of this little contest inside and out.

Clear? Crystal! [Sayo didn't even pause.] Then five, four, three-

GO!

[And the device activates. The clock is ticking.]

((OOC: You can take part in this ridiculous exercise, take Sayo on after beating poor Goat-kun offscreen if you think your character is skilled enough, or badger Sayo about how insane this is from the sidelines. Your choice!))

[floatsaway]

[So much is happening all at once. Ochako's genuinely not sure why in hell she's here a second time - Johnny sort of gave her a very sour impression when he forced a bunch of poor bears to fight against a bunch of potentially superpowered and armed individuals. But, she's a bitt too nice for her on good perhaps...and gave the old man the benefit of the doubt. The fact that he is teaching good martial arts, and maybe reminds her a little bit of Bakugou doesn't help either...sigh.

Anyway, he's not here today, and his apprentice seems to be taking over in a way that Ochako is more familiar with - a training regime she'd equate to that of Gunhead's dojo from when she first interned with him so, so long ago. Her stretches are done, a few katas learned and exercised, and then...ah. Yes. Chaos.

Ochako is swept up into the flurry of EVERYTHING and has to absorb a shitload of information while her mind buzzes with the fear and adrenaline of her very intense phobia making the world spin. That...that ghost thing alone made her let out the worst, blood-curdling scream, and she comes far too close to throwing up over the side of the catwalk when she catches sight of that fucking...satanic looking goat demon thing. It's no nomu, but it's still startling scary regardless, and if not for her Hero Costume and the nausea suppressors in various parts of it...she could have simply doubled over from her fears making her literally sick to her stomach. Hah...haha, yeah no. After today, probably not going to come back. There's a fine line between training and trauma so. Yup!

Thank god Ochako's instincts have been finetuned to hell and back by UA's equally hardass teachers and Pro Heroes, and she barely even thinks when the explanation is over with. Instead of running forward, like anyone would expect her to do, she about faces and rushes to where the weight that makes up the truly harrowing part of his trap is. Honestly...choosing something like gravity against the girl that can negate it completely...they'd have probably done a better job of knocking her on her ass if they made her fight the big goat guy by himself. Either way, all she needs to do is touch the weight to render it totally useless by activating Zero Gravity on it.]

[forwantofahorse]

[Sayo just watches, not lifting a single finger as Ochako dives for the weight slowly descending toward the floor. Something almost demonic sparkles in her eyes, her mouth curls upward- and when Ochako finally makes contact with the weight, nothing happens.

She can feel her Quirk activating. She can feel it affecting the bulky weight, working its "magic" (both for lack of a better term and because that's exactly what this was from Sayo's point of view) on gravity, but somehow the rock is still descending. If she looks closely, there's a single, lead bullet lodged a crack in the weight.

As Sayo looks closer at Ochako's face, her evil grin fades, then falls, then disappears entirely. There was a fine line between flight response and absolute fear. She knew that from experience. Some terrors could be help a person ascend with their height, almost acting like a staircase.

Some, though, were impassable barriers. Judging from the look on Ochako's face as she reeled from the ascent...

(A not-insignificant part of Sayo insists that she needs to keep going, that she's already committed to this course, that she should make an example of Ochako for the rest of the students. But the last time that Sayo had listened to that venomous whisper, she caused the deaths everyone she'd ever loved and many more people besides, and with the promises she's made she's disinclined to repeat that mistake.)

She closes her eyes, sighs, and pulls once more on the level of the nonlethal death trap she spent so long constructing. Sayo hated to break her kayfabe like this, but she was trying to be a good witch now. Not a monster.]

Stop, [she says with the distinct inflection of a Japanese person saying an English word.] Goat-kun, stand down. [The goat demon, incredibly relieved, awkwardly backs away from Ochako.] Everyone else, take five to spar. You'll need the warm up for this exercise, if Uraraka-san's reaction was any indication.

I'll speak with her.

[Sayo scurries up the ladder and to Ochako's side quickly, kneeling next to her.]

This is the part where I would normally chide you for attempting to use your powers when the point of the upcoming tourney is to put all students on a level playing field... but that seems in poor taste.

Are you well? Here, let me help you take that off... [There's a genuine gentleness in Sayo's voice as she reaches forward, making sure to get a sign that it's okay for her to lend a hand before helping Ochako remove the harness.]

I, um. I'm sorry for going overboard. I didn't realize that touched a nerve until too late.

Izuku "Deku" Midoriya | My Hero Academia | ask for a tagin because RIP my thread load

[wannasmash]

Know Your Enemy cw: scar mentions, past injury mentions, teens in danger mentions

Midoriya, known to some by his hero name Deku, doesn't even go to this school, but his friends do, and he's already decided to shuffle his practices around. He's been lent a karategi by Johnny Lawrence, who optimistically tries to poach Ozpin's students. A map of scars peeks out of his sleeves or around the dip of his collar, especially on his right hand.

At the moment, he's taking a break with a notebook in his lap. He's got his eyes on someone going to town on a training dummy. He remembers his own training to be a Pro Hero, defender of those in need. He notes the similarities and differences between that and the classes here, talking to himself as he writes:

"Here we're sticking to focused fighting styles, ending matches with just a certain number of successful hits... I've been in a tournament before too, but the win conditions were either incapacitating an opponent or pushing them out of the ring..."

He's becoming fixated and quickly descends into a fast mutter, as is his habit,

"I'll have to modify my moves, not only to fight Quirkless, but to make sure I don't break the rules. Some of my usual methods of incapacitation are illegal moves and will get me thrown out of the match. In a way, a three-point system is similar to my Provisional Licensing exam, but it's also very different, because we're not using balls but kicks and strikes with our bodies, and the targets aren't placed..."

Someone shut this nerd up.

"I'll be the bears." cw: a bit of rough fighting with a teen, past injury mentions, teens in danger mentions

He didn't think it fair on the bears to be involved in karate training, told Johnny Lawrence so, and was shut down. Midoriya is here anyway, ready to be bears. He's only been at mixed martial arts seriously for about a year, plus another year of trying things out while bulking up a scrawny frame. It's been less than a year since he switched to mainly kicks to be careful of the worn ligaments in his arms. Most of his experience has been to use moves with his super strength, which will not be in play in the tournament. He's creative, but he doesn't have a lot in his repertoire.

Midoriya is polite, kind, encouraging, and a good team player. He knows when to hold back, stop and show someone a move, complete with nerdy spiel. His smiles are shy around those he doesn't know well. He's businesslike around anyone who approaches this with a discipline that comes from experience. Sometimes he does break into genuinely enthusiastic compliments:

"Amazing... Can you show me that again?"

Or sometimes, faced with someone around or above his ability in a longer series of bouts, things get heated, and a controlled sort of hell breaks loose.

Whump! The blow to his head should have stunned him into defeat. Instead, he rounds on his opponent with teeth bared in a snarl, blood starting to seep from his green hair, heedless of all the bruises he's already received. What he lacks in mastery he makes up for in endurance. He's used to a practice environment where a fight isn't over until his opponent is incapacitated. It can get brutal.

He jumps and spins a roundhouse kick towards his opponent. Without his super strength turned on, he's not as fast or strong as a bear, but he is more focused and relentless.

ooc: i can't match format to save my life, but you don't have to match mine! if you want powers, say the word, and prepare for major spoilers. i'm also open to doing the training prompts. deku will also be around ozpin's clockhouse academy.

Know Your Enemy

[floatsaway]

That person going ham on a training dummy? Well, it's pretty obvious who it is, given the full Hero Costume Ochako decided to up with. Her fighting style, even without her quirk, is best suited for close quarters, and the support gear is helpful, too. Not quite weapons, but extremely useful tools nonetheless. Not that she really needs them right now, though, not against a dummy...which is mainly just a warmup - Ochako needs to get her blood pumping if she wants to actually spar against some of the other students here.

She doesn't have the same brute strength as her male classmates, but the resounding crack of her fist hitting the dummy is nothing to sneeze at - Ochako is strong in her own right, and she's getting tougher and tougher by the day. There's a decent build up of muscle starting to form on her arms from various workout routines that she's maintained in both worlds, though most of that muscle has gone to her legs (they need it for taking the brunt of landing from up high, and kicking off to get airborne) and parts of her abdomen... Still a bit on the round side, but...getting there!! If she keeps it up, surely she can at least have a bit of a good flex.

As she's going in for another flurry of sharp jabs and kicks, Ochako hears the telltale sound that she's all too familiar with, and her sweeping motions slow to a halt as her focus dwindles more and more. Izuku...she adores you, you're one of her best friends, but that sound...it's like rubbing styrofoam together. Sighing, her concentration lost, Ochako rubs her flushed face and stops. Maybe it is time from a breather - grab some water and let someone else have a go.

[detonating]

Katsuki, due for a break himself, has made his way over to the sidelines. Dropping into a crouch just a few feet away from his green haired rival, he unscrews the cap to his canteen to take a long drink as he watches (not at ALL with any kind of fondness in his face, fuck you) Ochako land hard blows on the dummy just a stones throw away. Having been on the receiving end of her hits a couple of times now, the loud impact each time one lands is something he oddly (or maybe not, considering who he is) appreciates. Respects. She ain't anything to scoff at.

There's a familiar, annoying sound to his left though, and it's really fucking taking away from that appreciation. Some things never change, huh?

He snaps his head in Deku's direction, teeth bared and eyes angry in Katsuki's typical fashion. Voice raised, of course, as he picks up a stick and whips it at the other teen. If he's paying attention, maybe Midoriya will catch it before it smacks the side of his head. That shit is on him, if he's too distracted with his fucking ramblings to stop it from happening. "Shut the FUCK up, Deku! No one wants to listen to your weird, creepy little ass mumble about shit when they're trying to focus!"

He ain't wrong, and the evidence is right there. Ochako has stopped entirely. Katsuki's scowl just pulls harder at his features as he watches her rub her face, annoyed because it was actually a decent way to spend his own brief break. Now he ain't got shit to enjoy watching, and he is 99% sure it's for the exact reason he shouted at their friend about.

Well, not... nothing. Still the target of his surly gaze, with Ochako stopped, her back to him, it's uh... well. Come on. Her costume is form fitting, to say the least, and no matter how much he tries to fucking pretend like it's not there, facts are facts. Katsuki likes her. Like THAT. He's only fucking human, and man. Man. She's not only impressive in training or work, Ochako's got some fucking assets. The blond tries not to look generally, tries not to ever be about objectifying his best friend in his head like some kind of fucking pig, but sometimes it's harder than he'd like it to be, alright?

The second she starts to turn to them, he's snapping his head away. To the left, without thinking.

Where fucking Deku is. Deku, who may or may not have just fucking busted him checking out Ochako's ass.

1

[alternia_strength]

Important to modify the moves. I wish to test the bracelet I've produced today as well. It should not impact my durability, so you can use our last strife as a guide. I want to test how much my fistkinds are reduced in the course of sparring.

You and I have a considerable amount more care, after all, to follow, do we not?

[And, frankly? He felt like this one was more of a clear head on his shoulders than many when it came to this kind and type of training. They wouldn't need to spar long, but it would be a way for both to test out how they managed to keep their powers in control.]

Re: 1

[wannasmash]

"--Ah! Zahhak-kun, I didn't see you--I mean, it's nice to see you!"

It is nice to see him, truly, but Midoriya was caught off guard during one of his muttering fixations. Again.

"No, give it your best shot. No point testing under anything but the conditions they'll be under for your match. This is why I'm perfect for this."

Even if he gets hurt, he's not afraid. He stands and leaves his notebook with his backpack. But first:

"Cool..." This nerd can't resist ogling a piece of tech someone has crafted with their two hands.

I'll be the bears CW: Mentions of child endangerment

[strikefirster]

If there was a part of Johnny who felt bad about shooting Izuku down about using him as a stand in for the bears, he didn't show it. He had never been particularly light on his students back in his own world and he felt the kids here not only needed the rougher touch but they were more than capable of overcoming it. He had seen Izuku fight against the Leviathan and he had even picked a fight with the kid while training for it. He knew the kid could handle rough.

Plus a kid in a bear costume was not as scary as running from actual bears, even if the kid was actually way scarier than a bear.

What does impress Johnny is the way Izuku takes to the challenge and embraces the sport of it. It gives him more hope that the kids will embrace the tournament rather than write it off as something stupid as a few have. The spirit of competition is high and invigorates Johnny to try harder too.

So here he is sparring against Izuku to help him prepare for what this tournament has to offer. He eyes the kid's form as he launches into the roundhouse kick and while defense isn't exactly Johnny's style, he does his hand up to perform a high outside block to prevent it from making contact.

"Good. Good. You've got power behind that and you threw your weight into it. You might be over extending a little but you know what you're doing."

[wannasmash]

When presented with his first ever tournament, he, too, didn't see much point in competing with his half-baked Quirk competence (or lack thereof), and when he already had an illustrious mentor in the form of All Might. All Might himself told him that the UA Sports Festival would be a way to show the world what he was made of. Yet, Midoriya was still not wholly convinced until he saw Bakugou's drive for the top. Didn't they both want to become the greatest heroes?

"Right!" he growls under his breath as he skates back. Overextending because he tends to overdo it a little in the heat of it. Focus... control... He probably needs to come up with another visualization for this, but now isn't the time.

He darts in and aims a standing kick at his side. He suspects there might be another block, and if he can, he'll go for a grab and whirl Johnny towards the floor, trying to get behind his line of sight.