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(no subject)

WHO: Kidou, whoever else
WHERE: Anywhere
WHEN: This month
WHAT: Open ~~belated~~ log
WARNINGS: Not unless being needlessly dramatic counts

The tire
Heropa, dated to when Endou left/before swear-in

[To look around the park close to the ImPort government housing, there’s barely any signs of winter at all; some trees lost their leaves, others seem convinced it’s fall, still others never got the memo and insist on displaying green leaves in blatant defiance of seasonal change. Those out and about tend to prefer tshirts and jeans; there’s no sign of scarves, and only a few have jackets or sweaters.

All this makes the diminutive red-cloaked figure on the hill stand out all the more.

It’s a fantastic spot, rising just high enough to look out over the treetops to the housing beyond. Someone, a long time ago, planted an oak tree here. Someone else, far more recently, affixed a tire to one of its branches with rope. Next to this stands Kidou, completely still save for his cloak fluttering in the occasional breeze.

He’s been here since a little after school let out, once he confirmed that Endou wasn’t coming back. He’ll be here for a good while more, at least if he’s left to his own devices.]

Location scouting
Any city but Maurtia Falls, between feb 6-10, late afternoons

[Kidou’s got one single mission in mind. When he’s not at soccer practice or school, he’s out exploring, looking for lesser populated areas that don’t immediately scream ‘dangerous area, keep away’. You might see him wandering the street, poking his head into the occasional alley, walking down trails through parks. At one point he explores some of Heropa’s beach, keeping an eye out towards the land to check for visibility.

But mostly you’ll see him walking around abandoned lots, unused stretches of forest inbetween housing and roads, standing at the edge of ditches; anywhere that looks like people won’t immediately see. He doesn't stray too far from the Porter in any city - accessibility is important.

Of course, a middle schooler heading deliberately out into lesser traveled or forgotten areas might look a little bit suspicious. Especially the way he stops and looks around now and then, surveying the area before moving on again.]

Intense Soccer Pong, Nonah or Maurtia Falls, either after school or on a weekend.

[There aren’t training facilities like he’s used to anymore around here, but that’s no excuse to let his own skills rust; it just means he's been creative about his methods. Today’s individual practice is going to consist of beating up one specifically chosen spot of concrete wall with a soccer ball until he either misses or a half hour passes, whichever comes first.

Until then, his additional (ridiculous) challenge for himself today is this ball is never going to hit the ground. He can't waste any time that way; every motion has to be precise and exactly controlled.

He’s picked a spot to the side of an abandoned gas station, where there’s a decent amount of space to run, and a wide stretch of wall to tackle. The abandoned property has not gone unnoticed to local gangs, who have taken it upon themselves to gleefully redecorate the walls with vaguely legible scribbles and random symbols.

Kidou’s picked a spot directly in the middle of a wide loop at the end of one of those messages, and has set one goal; no matter what, hit the exact same spot. Just like all the other times, the ball hits inside the graffiti right on target, rebounding at a slight angle away from him.

He’s ready for it. As soon as Kidou’s sent the ball back, he’s rapidly calculating where it will be in a second. By the time it bounces, Kidou’s already running, and doesn’t stop as much as plant one foot firmly on the ground to let his momentum swing his body around. It conserves energy while powering his return kick, sending the ball towards the wall at a wider rebound angle.

It's almost too wide. He just barely makes it to catch the ball again this time, and then he’s running off in the opposite direction all over again, angling for a better angle this kick. And so this goes on - interrupt him? Join in? Wait until he finally is forced to call it quits and retrieves a water bottle he’d stashed against the building?]

Wildcard
[Got something else? Go for it or hit me up at

crobatman to request a starter.]

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[For a few moments, Josuke watches Kidou intently and says nothing, unsure of whether or not he believes the other boy is asking purely for curiosity's sake. Back at the school in Nonah, he had seemed a lot more purposeful in his way of thinking. Josuke hadn't imagined that.

So he's leaning now towards Kidou's questions having been asked for a very specific reason...albeit, maybe one Kidou doesn't want to tell him about? It's possible, Josuke realizes, the other boy might not trust him quite as much as Josuke's been willing to trust him.]

Mm...you know.

[He leans forward and props his chin on his hand, his stare still unwavering.]

Back home, and even here, I think...there's an unspoken rule about Stands. Seems the users are drawn together like it's fate or something. I don't know if I believe it, but the number of times I've found myself thrown into situations against and with other Stand users makes me think it's not totally baseless.

So...telling someone else what your Stand can do, it's something people avoid doing unless they really trust each other. Which is fine, but I wanna know just to be clear...is that why you haven't said anything yet about what you can do?

[Through most of this, Higashikata was watching Kidou just about as closely as Kidou was watching him. Though as he continues his thought, it's clear that he's willing to bring that to a direct point.

And... Kidou can't say he's wrong. He hadn't volunteered any information about himself; by habit now, he never did anymore, not even as an overview. But he'd let first curiosity, and then a deeper need to understand and plan guide his questioning. Being called on it makes him beyond uneasy, but that's exactly the point.

His eyes narrow behind his goggles, head tilting down just a bit as he mulls that over.]

My soccer. That's the power you're wondering about.

[Another smaller, but nonetheless dramatic pause. He considers this one more time before deciding to take the calculated risk. Either he refuses to tell him and puts a wall between them, or... he lets him in, and puts himself in a potentially very dangerous position. In the end, he finds that he really does find it easy to trust him. He's not only seen his ability and the explanation behind it - to heal and fix things being part of his nature - but he's seen what he's willing to do for a school he's not part of, and people he's never met. It doesn't make it any less nervewracking to say this now.

It was so odd, really. He'd been willing to talk about this in the first while he'd been here. Soccer was something to share with others, not to hide away. But necessity had hardened him back to a state of sad paranoia. It's not surprising to him, but it's really harsh to be faced with the fact of what he's slowly let himself become here. And now he's given the choice: what kind of person is he, really?

It's no choice at all. He starts in.]

Hissatsu techniques and Stands are not the same thing, but it's similar enough that you could describe them in the same terms. They're a way of putting yourself and your team directly into your plays. One reason that you wouldn't have seen me use anything is all but one of mine are combination plays.

[Which is something he doesn't like admitting at all. It makes him incredibly vulnerable to flat out tell someone that, alone, he's pretty close to defanged. Normally, talking with other ImPorts meant that you're always dealing with an unknown variable; maybe they did nothing, or maybe they were capable of a lot of things. Kidou was both at the same time.

But it meant that he's admitting he'd gone into that school, faced down Josuke, and then two hardened criminals with nothing but his nerves, training and his reflexes.]

I guess we were both pretty fortunate we ran into each other when we did, huh?

[His power wasn't dependent on the participation of others, but his plans always seemed to run more smoothly when he had help. In fact, he's fairly certain that if he hadn't befriended at least half of the Stand users he'd encountered as enemies first, he wouldn't have been left in one piece to track Kira down back in Morioh.

Which isn't to say he doesn't recognize the risk Kidou took, because despite there being similarities between them, it's indisputable that the younger boy was the most in danger. But Josuke doesn't believe in being overprotective of his friends or family. People don't get stronger by being sheltered. They need to be given room to grow on their own. Making his rightful place at the side of people like that. Supporting them, not slowing them down.]

Still, I never really thought of using a power like that for soccer, or any sport, really. Does that mean everyone who plays soccer where you're from has.......

[Wait a minute. Wait a minute! He brings his hands down hard upon the tabletop, eyes wide with a certain realization.]

Oi, Yuuto! Are you and Koujirou from the same place?

[He means Genda, but in the midst of his eureka moment, the proper name slips out instead.]

[It can't be helped, can it. Higashikata's just going to call Kidou 'Yuuto' and it's now awkward to correct him about it. Because no sooner has he said Kidou's given name than he uses another name that cuts out any chance at saying anything.

The slam on the table gets his eyebrows to raise up in surprise, and then his mouth to drop open for a few moments.]

Kouji-

[It's a rare moment. Kidou stops in mid-sentence. And stares.]

Genda Koujirou?

[He speaks slowly, eyes never leaving Josuke. It has to be Genda that he's referring to; this guy's already shown his preference for referring to people by their given names. If anything, it's trained Kidou to just introduce himself by surname only. That was a final straw of sorts.

But more importantly, that begs another question - How does this guy know about Genda? Unlike Kidou, Genda's been keeping to the shadows completely. And to know to connect them through this... that'd mean he'd have seen something from Genda.

What does he know?

After a pause, Kidou confirms that, even though simply knowing the name would be a pretty strong hint.]

... Yeah, we are.

[The emphasis Kidou administers to Genda's surname stalls Josuke's answer. He recalls Genda's preference that he not be addressed by his given name, a not altogether uncommon thing in Japan, but certainly not a practice Josuke and his circle of friends ever seemed to follow back in Morioh. Or, in many cases, even here on this side of the Porter.

He has to wonder, if Kidou and Genda are from the same world and probably even the same school, would the boy sitting across from him be just as uncomfortable with Josuke calling him Yuuto like he's been doing? They both seem to exhibit a militant sense of propriety, and while Kidou was definitely the less rigid between the two, Josuke saw the same determination to be perfect in both of them. The way Genda had approached playing a simple game and the way he'd performed...wasn't very different from the way Kidou had been practicing soccer outside that old gas station.

It explains a lot.]

Genda, right.

[Calmer now, he sits back in his seat again.]

He had some cool moves up his sleeve when we went to an arcade in Nonah, said he was a goalie. I didn't think much about it at the time, but after seeing how you played and hearing about hissatsu...it's starting to make more sense. You guys aren't your average players at all.

[Which may sound cool, but even Josuke can put two and two together.]

I don't imagine there's a lot of people who can keep up with...your soccer, was it?

[It's difficult to not jump to conclusions, though that's exactly what Kidou already knows he shouldn't do. Could it be that Genda's done something? But that wouldn't make sense. He couldn't see Genda being reckless. Unless, perhaps, there's been incidents he doesn't know about already-

But all that guessing is just him trying to figure out the answer before he gets it. None of it's spoken aloud, and there's no reaction from Kidou as Josuke continues. Kidou's too busy listening. He's surprised to hear that Genda would be in an arcade of all things - what manner of arcade could attract his attention, he wonders? How exactly did that hapoen? There's a good chance there's a story behind that revelation, and an even better chance it's not one Kidou will ever hear.

It won't stop him from wondering, but he won't wonder about it aloud.

The last question does finally get more reaction out of him. Some of Kidou's intensity ebbs away from his expression, and his voice loses a little of its volume.]

No. Even among ImPorts, I haven't found many.

[He reaches for his water again.]

But you have found some.

[Josuke wouldn't call himself an optimist, but he is. His never-give-up, always sunny attitude has helped him endure a lot, including how startling it was to go from being surrounded by friends who knew what Stands were and could see Crazy Diamond, to only having a small handful of people be capable of grasping their nature and abilities.]

That's a start, right?

[He smiles a little, a gentle expression that doesn't fade when he keeps talking.]

You know, Kidou...you could scout for people who play or would like to learn. ImPort sports isn't something I've seen here and it'd be pretty awesome to have.

Mm.

[There's not an easy way to say this, really. The thought's occurred before, of course. It hadn't been him scouting or trying to assemble this at the time, admittedly, but.... well.

If Endou failed at this, what possible chance would he have?

Kidou doesn't let himself hesitate to answer longer than the time it takes to set his water back down and look back up to Josuke.]

It's been tried before with little success.

Hmm...

[While Josuke makes a grand show of thinking about what he'll say next, he stirs his straw around in his milkshake. Thing is, though, he already knows the point he wants to make. And after a moment of letting Kidou (who, interestingly enough, didn't seem to make any constipated faces when his family name was used this time) sit in wait, he finally says...]

And that's any reason to give up? If you're either good at something or you're not, a success or a failure, I can't imagine why you'd need to practice playing soccer.

[In other words, someone else's failures aren't your own, and even if you don't succeed yourself the first time, that's no reason to give up. Learn from your mistakes and try again.]

[Josuke takes a moment to mull this over, and Kidou follows suit, sinking back into his own thoughts.

Deep down, he wants that to be the answer. He wants to be able to take control of at least some small corner of his life and turn it into something better. He wants to be able to ... well... he just wants friends to play soccer with without having to worry about whether or not he's using too much force. He wants people capable of countering shoots made from midair reliably. It feels like years ago now, remembering him and Gran watching a match together, both letting the difference sink in between their world and this one.

The professional soccer of this world was beneath the level that Kidou was used to playing at. He'd started to genuinely worry that he'd lose his skill at the game by lack of use. Even with a mild sprain at one point, he could still keep up with his team. He was glad to play soccer. He's even found he can be proud of his team's growth. But he knows, deep down, that there's a limit cap on their potential. There's only so much growth possible.

It will always be below where he is right now.

ImPorts were the only answer if he ever wanted to experience something like the soccer he knew again. He'd been happy to play with Gran or Genda, but that wasn't a team against another team. More than anything, he wanted to be able to have at least that much. But even for his effort earlier in finding who might be interested, and Endou taking up a mission to get people to come play, it felt like that wasn't an attainable goal. It didn't match anyone's priorities. No matter what, nothing ever happened. He was good enough with pattern recognition to know what a lost cause was.

Josuke finishes playing with his milkshake, putting words to his thoughts.

Kidou doesn't answer him verbally, but the look on his face says volumes. His mouth parts slightly, eyebrows raising back up. The way he put that, Kidou couldn't argue. Josuke had expertly phrased it from a point of view that exactly aligned with Kidou's. Kidou hadn't thought about this problem that way, but even his defeatist pessimism couldn't deny the logic behind those words.]

[With just a look, Josuke confirms Kidou's understanding. Of course, all the optimism in the world can't provide prospective players where they don't exist. Kidou will be lucky if he can find enough to put together one team let alone two or three that can compete against each other. Probably, enough to man a whole league will be impossible.

But that doesn't mean it's not worth trying, so Josuke doesn't think to mention that fact at all. Sometimes, people could surprise you. Not unlike the way Kidou surprised him when they first met.]

So, the ball is literally in your field. What're you gonna do?

[Kidou'll have time to think about his answer as Patty finally returns with their orders. Or in Josuke's case, a portion of his. She lets slip before she hurries off to greet some newcomers that 'the boss' isn't gonna waste food because his eyes are bigger than his stomach. "Eat that and we'll check back just before you're done to see if you're even still hungry!"

He can't say he blames them for that. He ordered enough to feed an entire soccer team. At least...one that doesn't have Endou or Kabeyama on it.]

[It's a very dim hope. He'll need eleven people just for one team, and if he ever wants a real match, he'll need to source twenty-two ImPorts who not only have the abilities to handle true soccer, but also the inclination. It doesn't seem all that realistic a goal.

But... it can be a goal. There's hope there.

Of course, none of this means that Kidou has any chance of having an answer to that question yet. Now that he's had some time to sit here and let the scents of various cooked meats and fried things sink in, he's confirmed that food sounds pretty amazing right now... but that's not the only reason Kidou's grateful when Patty reappears with a platter, sets it down, and starts divvying out orders.

He's only started to get used to portion sizes in America. For all that Josuke ordered, Kidou had managed to underestimate the sheer size of the plates being put on their table. From the sounds of things (and Kidou's count - he'd been paying attention enough to remember), this is about a fourth of it. He ends up watching them, bemused, completely unable to imagine being able to stomach all this. Patty has the right idea, testing this much first...

But he won't say that out loud. Instead, he turns his attention down to his own plate when it's set in front of him. Along with his burger, he's been given a pickle and french fries in large wedges thicker than his finger. The fries are left to wait, just in case they're too hot to handle yet, so that leaves the burger. And with that, any chance of him answering that question anytime soon is lost. He's not hesitating to start in.

He'll still be thinking about that question, though.]

[Meanwhile, Josuke is content to think aloud while he picks at some of his food and sips his shake.]

You know, back home I was pretty used to being surrounded by a lot of other Stand users, but here...not a lot of people can see Crazy Diamond. I never really realized how much it mattered to me to be able to share my Stand with others until the people I was closest to couldn't even see it.

[Or were hurt by it rather than healed, something that will probably never cease to trouble him.]

I think if I was in your shoes, I'd be eager to try and start something up. But that's me...and I've always liked doing things with other people as opposed to going it alone. They don't say 'there's strength in numbers' or 'the more the merrier' for nothing, you know?

[He points a deep fried pickle at Kidou.]

If you're worried about not having enough people, I'll help you scout if you want. Hell, I'll even play, but I'll be honest, I don't know much about the sport besides kicking the ball and scoring goals.

[Not to mention that he's four years older than Kidou, and turning nineteen in June...]

[Kidou swallows his current mouthful as Josuke mentions the possibility of helping scout, waiting for a pause to reply. He's glad for that even more in a few seconds - the potential of another player already is too much to let sit. Josuke's entirely right - he is eager; just... the hopelessness of the situation had set in a long while ago.]

I could teach you.

[As if proving Josuke's words, the reply is almost immediate. He doesn't even have to think about it at all. Josuke is taller than him, bigger, physically stronger. But there's so few out there at all that there's no luxury of picking teams by age or physical ability. Anyone willing, Kidou will accept. It's far more important to have a chance to share his soccer with others. Besides, he's played against adults before. He's played against illegally modified teams. It isn't remotely as daunting a concept as it might have once been.

But he can't just offer to teach him, even though part of the underlying reason why he feels a need to has already been hinted at by Josuke's own personal experience. Politeness practically demands that he both offer an immediate alternative, and therefore a graceful out. He can't simply place someone older than him into a position where he'd need to take orders from him. Especially not when there's no urgency to the situation.]

If you'd prefer, I know of someone older I could refer you to. There are some options if you'd be interested in learning the sport.

[And now he returns to his food.]

[Someone older?

That fried pickle hangs in the air in between them, still pointed in Kidou's direction as Josuke mulls over that offer.

Why on earth should he care about learning from somebody older? Talent wasn't strictly determined by age, and at least learning from Kidou would mean learning more about his hissatsu and being able to share more about his Stand. Could the same be said for whoever else Kidou had in mind? Would they even be able to see Crazy Diamond?

He lowers his hand and tugs his shake closer to draw another sip from it before, wincing a little through a pang of brain freeze (and the awful aftertaste of ice cream and pickle doing a lethal flavor tango all over his taste buds) he shakes his head.]

You think I'd have discussed it this far if I didn't think you'd be great?

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