http://profcharisma.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] profcharisma.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] tvklogs2011-11-25 11:15 pm

and in the mirror, all midnight eyes [closed]

Who: Issei, Shadow!Waver
Where: The streets of Prospero.
When: The Dark Hour, November 26
Summary:  In which Waver's Shadow teaches us all how to do the creep.
Rating: PG-13ish?



The Dark Hour was often a dangerous time, even without the threat of doppelgangers.  Shadows were dangerous in their own right, and it was never wise to go out into it alone, or at least without someone knowing that you were leaving.

Those who knew Issei Ryudo might think him a cautious and sensible sort of person, and therefore might be terribly surprised to know that he made the mistake of going out during the Dark Hour alone.  They might be less surprised to know that the reason he was doing something so foolish was to look for others who might have done the same as he was. 

Everyone else in the town, though, had one particular advantage over him—they were not being followed by a Shadow that wasn’t their own.  Issei, on the other hand, was very much being watched by the Shadow of a certain magus, whether he was aware of it or not.

This Shadow was not patient, but he was cautious, and even though he wanted to confront his quarry now-- that bastard, that bastard who was trying to take his Rider away, who the hell did he think he was, taking the attention of his King from him? – he would wait until he was far away from anyone who could come to help him.  He didn’t want Issei calling for help before he had finished crushing the fucking life out of him, after all.

For the sin of stealing Rider from him, Issei Ryudo deserved death. 

And that was exactly what he was going to get. 

[identity profile] unknownrival.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
Issei was - well, not blissfully unaware. He knew well that Shadows could be dangerous, but he was banking on the dopplegangers' desires being mostly to defeat or convince their other selves. He hadn't had much problem with the normal Shadows lately, but he was still cautious.

Not paranoid, though. He was unaware that anyone would have issue with him enough that their Shadow would single him out. And so he traveled further and further away from the hotel without noticing his company.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
At nineteen, Waver had hardly been anything of a fighter-- he was too small, too thin, didn't have the muscle for it or the stomach for it. As a Shadow, he had magecraft, but it was obvious that in a fair fight, Issei would be able to overpower him.

That simply meant that the fight couldn't be fair.

He found a few Shadows lurking around in a side street nearby, and the ideas for a quick plan fell into place; if he fell behind in the physical aspect of things, then he would make up the ground by exploiting every one of Issei's weaknesses that he could.

A few scrapes to the hands and a little dirt on his clothes to make things a little more believable, a few fake tears and flushed cheeks and a pair of Maya chasing after him-- Shadows really weren't fond of being shot at, even by other Shadows-- and he was the picture of fear and panic when he ran out of the side street only a few yards away from Issei.

[identity profile] unknownrival.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
Someone in panic overwhelmed by Shadows? Target acquired.

Issei immediately changed course to directly towards Waver. Jikokuten loomed up behind him, shooting ice at the Maya. He didn't need to get a good look at the 'victim' before interposing himself between him and the Shadows, sword drawn in case any of them could get through the wave of ice.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
Some people were simply too predictable.

He would let Issei take care of the Maya; it wasn't as though they were particularly strong. While he was busy, it would give Waver the time he needed to prepare for a little magecraft.

[identity profile] unknownrival.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 12:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Being predictably a nice person wasn't a bad thing. Stupid Shadow.

Indeed, it wouldn't take more than a Bufu here and there before Issei was turning back to Waver with concern in his eyes. "Are you all right?"

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 08:56 pm (UTC)(link)
It was when you were dealing with a yandere Shadow who wants to kill you.

But it worked out very well for Waver-- if Issei hadn't been such a bleeding heart, it might've been a lot more difficult to get within a few feet of him and be able to use magecraft without him noticing.

"I am now."

He was pointing at Issei's stomach with two fingers. A moment later, there was a burst of prana heading straight for him.

[identity profile] unknownrival.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Issei had not been expecting that in the slightest, and the wound wasn't something to sneeze at - but he could heal. A quick Dia after he regained his bearings, and he was able to properly shout.

"What was that for?!"

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Tch, you aren't going to have the decency to go down quietly, are you?"

Clearly that meant that he would have to apply more concussive shots, to more vulnerable areas. Like Issei's face.

There would be something very satisfying about caving his face in, anyway.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Dear merciful Buddha-

Despite having essentially taken a blast to the face, Issei was more than capable of defending himself, like grabbing at his wrists and keeping those fingers from pointing at him.

"At least have the decency to explain why you're attacking me." Gritted out with blood running down his face.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Fine--!"

He was struggling against Issei's grip, to little avail.

"You're trying to take him from me. You're taking him from me, making him look at you and care about you and you don't deserve to have that! He's mine, he's my Servant and my King and I'll kill you before you can take him from me!"

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-26 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Huh?"

This Shadow - must have been Waver Velvet, then. He could see the resemblance, if barely.

"Is that what you really think? That I could be any competition for someone he was thinking of even before you arrived?"

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
"You're replacing me!"

He yanked against Issei with all of his bodyweight.

"You're my replacement, because I'm not Rider's little Master anymore. Because I-- he-- has been cutting out pieces of me ever since he became Lord El-Melloi. Denying me! He's not going to be able to deny me forever!"

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
Hm, no. In terms of physically ability, Issei had the clear advantage from prior training and months of fighting Shadows hand-to-hand. He twisted the Shadow's wrists back painfully.

"This isn't a conversation I need to have with you. This is a conversation you need to have with yourself. But if you like I can ask your other self about it."

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
The Shadow yelped when his wrists were twisted, his arms buckling and turning to try to relieve the torque on his joints.

Right now, he didn't have the strength to resist-- but he wasn't going to give in. He couldn't let him go and have him go back to Rider and keep taking him away.

It was times like these that reinforcement magecraft made all the difference.

The wrists in Issei's hands were suddenly resisting that twist with a lot more force than they'd been able to exert before.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 01:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Eh?

Okay, so the wrists weren't doing much. What about a punch in the face?

See, magi couldn't reinforce everything all at once...

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Punching him in the face meant that Issei had to let go of one of his wrists. He was stunned for a moment or two from the impact, but after that, Issei was going to get another round of prana bursts-- the first aimed for his other arm, so that he would let go of him.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ugh-"

Arm injury, successful. Magi were a pain to deal with.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
If they weren't, you wouldn't need people like Kiritsugu to specialize in killing them.

Another prana blast, this time aimed at the knees.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ghhhh - Bufu!"

Enjoy that ice right in your face while he dealt with being knocked down.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-27 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Fuck!"

Unfortunately for Issei, ice was not Waver's weakness, though it did distract him for a few moments. This whole situation was not quite going as he had planned it.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-28 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
Now was the time to run while he could still run.

[identity profile] tsunstalker.livejournal.com 2011-11-28 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
He fired a few bursts toward Issei's retreating back, but they weren't particularly well-aimed.

[identity profile] stripping.livejournal.com 2011-11-28 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
And Issei again had the advantage of having been avoiding Shadow's attacks for ages. He was bloody and casting Dia only did so much, but he was getting the heck out of dodge.