semaphoring | Voice Testing

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voice testing: trench

Voice Testing | Setting: Trench

In The City-- a general prompt for anyone at the beach

He didn't know what 'home' was any longer.

Tenya Iida had resided in Trench long enough for the seasons to change-- the heat and coastal humidity of summer had slowed into a brisk fall that had Tenya instinctively looking towards starting a new semester at UA, a continuation of his life, his duties, and his ongoing education to become the Hero that his brother was. Yet, in Trench, Tenya found himself in a rare situation where he could exist by his own terms... as Tenya, not the man who was to become Turbo Hero: Ingenium when he attained his licensure.

It was strange. He wasn't sure how he felt. The only matter he was certain of was that Trench needed more help than was available within the city itself.

... Oh, how his classmates at UA would hardly be surprised if they could see him now.

The little cat that had appeared by his side when he arrived, a calico he had taken to calling Tama after an old Shinto deity of the subways, was curled in the hood of his jacket while he jogged over the shoreline that brisk morning and mused over what had become of his life.

Although his world still needed 'Ingenium'... Trench needed anyone with the will and heart to be a Hero.

Needing A Hero-- A fighting prompt

The Moon Presence was the only sign of hope amid the desolation of the Beast attack that had befallen Trenchwood. Corruption ran rampant through trench, and at times it felt as if the surges rose and fell with the ebb of the tide. Having grown up on an island nation, Tenya was no stranger to the power of the tides-- and it was chilling how chaos rose and fell within that pattern. Speed may have been his gift, but not even he was fast enough to help the architects and agriculture workers from saving their fields.

Fires ate through the crops, and Tenya was taking one last lap around in search of any stragglers. Food was important-- but survival was moreso. Spotting a figure at the far end of the field, he skid to a stop, heels kicking up dust and ash, and frantically sought to get the individual's attention.

"Hey, let's keep moving! It's not worth it to stay any longer!"

He'd carry them out if he had to. No one was going to get left behind

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Ryan wasn't much of a morning person even before Trench. Now though? This is basically late in the evening for him. Being paleblooded has really allowed him to just let go of old societal norms and be somewhat nocturnal.

That didn't mean he didn't still get the occasional bit of insomnia though. It just...happened at weirder times of day, that's all. Totally fine.

So, early in the morning, as what little sun they get starts to rise for the day, Ryan sits on the edge of the boardwalk facing the shore, dangling his legs back and forth. His outfit is practical but striking, but the thing that really stands out is the electric guitar in his hands. Iida might be able to hear a soft song drifting over the beach, carrying a strange nostalgia with it. Ryan didn't feel like bringing his equipment, so instead of being a loud disturbance first thing in the morning it's a soothing, unplugged sound.

Edited 2021-07-21 04:46 (UTC)

Finding others out on the beach in time for the sun was rare, no matter what world Tenya found himself in. Back in his home, no one was surprised to find any of the Iida siblings out for a jog in the mornings or evenings. Even his older brother Tensei was well known in certain circles for scouting out jogging partners from anyone he encountered-- and, should he recover from his injuries enough to jog again, Tenya had no doubt that the tradition would continue.

Tenya strode toward the same ideal... even if he had to admit that it was somewhat freeing to no longer be bound by the social laws and norms that he had grown up with.

In a way, he had no idea what to do.

He usually was content to listen to the birds and the waves while he jogged, but the subtle sounds of a melody on strings drew his attention. Like how he sometimes heard Jiro playing an unplugged guitar in the dorms during the quiet hours when they were supposed to be sleeping, he couldn't help but be enthralled.

The running slowed to a jog, which then further slowed to a brisk walk. Keeping quiet, Iida circled around the stretch of boardwalk and relaxed into the tune-- eventually the jogging itself ceased, and he removed his jacket for a round of cool-down stretches.

...It was a haunting melody, not too unlike the sea. As much as he wanted to approach the musician, he didn't want to risk breaking the spell.

Oh, it's far too late. The spell was broken the second someone entered Ryan's field of vision. He doesn't stop playing though - he just repeats a couple of chords and watches the guy go about his exercise, thinking for a moment.

(From afar, he was actually reminded of Min-Gi for just a second - but one, this guy is a brick and two, he's pretty sure Min-Gi would never be caught dead jogging for fun. Buuuut that doesn't mean Ryan can't appreciate the view, especially once the jacket comes off.)

The song changes pretty abruptly while he does his stretches - to something fairly distinctive and perhaps more appropriate for what Iida's doing. Without all of his gear it's still a much quieter cover, but it gets the job done. This time, Ryan sings along - grinning the whole time.

"Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chaaances. Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet. Just a man and his will to surviiive!"

If Iida catches him glancing his way, Ryan will wink at him. Yes, handsome ripped fellow on the beach, this is absolutely for you.

That... sure was a wink from the musician that left Tenya more than slightly confused. He paused in his stretches as the lithe stranger approached-- and, from what he knew of folklore, he realized there was something decidedly bardic about the change in tempo and lyrics. It was as if he were being encouraged to continue his training...

Tenya abruptly flushed once he realized that this was all directed at him. The familiar cool-down motions came to an equally abrupt halt-- where he stood with his arms raised above his head to stretch out his tight shoulders while he stared dumbfounded.

"...I can't say I'm familiar with that classic," he uttered without greeting, his thoughts already whirling to analyze and categorize this data. The rhythms and strumming patterns were indicative of something rock, but not even Kyouka Jirou had the likes of this in her repitoir.

It was something New.

Ryan's fingers don't stop, but he laughs at the look on his face. It's always fun to fluster somebody. There's people from all over in Trench though, so not knowing the song doesn't surprise him - this guy just gets to find out for the first time.

"It's Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor," he says, as he continues to play. "It was in Rocky III, as this like, training montage song for this boxer? Anyway, it's more of these chords, and then the part everyone knows goes--"

With a twist of his wrist, he slips right into the chorus, with a lot more enthusiasm than the first verse. In fairness, it's a much more fun part of the song to sing.

"It's the! Eye of the tiiiiger, it's the thrill of the fight! Rising up! To the challenge of our rival! And the last! Known survivor stalks his prey in the night! And he's watching us all with the eyeeeeeeeee! Of the tiger..."

Then he slips right back into the basic chords, a sort of musical cool-down in the middle of the song - more structured and rhythmic, and perfect for training.

Edited 2021-07-22 02:35 (UTC)

...It was an inspiring song.

Tenya lowered his arms and reflexively adjusted his glasses to get a better view of both instrument and player-- an intrigued smile lighting his face as he was drawn into the lyrics and melody. As much as he believed that the Wild, Wild Pussycats would adore this song, he suspected that the tiger in this case was a metaphor. A boxer would have no reason to meet an actual tiger, after all.

"So it sounds like it's from a movie, then."

He stated, partly for his own need for clarification. "Rocky... III?"

The title wasn't familiar, but that was no matter. Tenya had far more things to focus on than to be able to pay much attention to Literature. It wasn't that he disliked it; he simply had Goals that took priority.

Goals which ultimately did not matter in this city called Trench-- even if he didn't yet know what to do with that knowledge.

"We may need to watch it. Anyone's journey to better themselves is worth paying attention to."

Edited 2021-07-22 03:06 (UTC)

"Yeah, III. I think they're actually on the 4th one now?" Ryan shrugged. "I haven't seen it."

He was still picking at chords as he spoke, something that came easily to him even in the middle of a conversation. The guy was so earnest about wanting to watch the movie, he couldn't help but laugh a little - though not unkindly.

"Sounds like it's right up your alley though!" he said. "I don't remember a ton of it outside the music, but Rocky started out as a nobody and wound up a heavyweight boxing champion. So...yeah! An entire franchise about bettering himself. Totally."

That was probably right? Most of what he retained from the movie was the soundtrack and pecs so tight you could bounce a quarter off them. He didn't plan on taking any responsibility if the movies wound up not actually being that great.

"So, is that what you're doing out here?" he asked, making a seamless pivot back to gentle flirting. "Going on a journey to better yourself?"

"I haven't spent much time watching older movies..."

He admitted, oblivious to the flirtations. Even if the highlights were Sly Stallone's tight af pecs, Tenya wanted to believe it was a worthwhile film to watch for more than just the eye candy. He was earnest and a tad naïve like that.

"Much of my time in recent years has been spent studying and preparing for the school entrance exams. Enjoying cinema was, unfortunately, pushed aside. Here, though..."

Without school, Tenya had no idea what to do. Perhaps expanding his horizons was a good place to start.

"It might be interesting to watch a few of them. For the change of pace, of course!"

"Yeah, totally," Ryan agreed. "Might as well let loose a little now that you can, right?"

But then a thought started to sink in, one that he processed in slow motion. He tilted his head, peeking at this person up and down.

"Wait. School entrance exams?" Those weren't really a thing where Ryan lives, aside from just applying to uni, but he knew enough to know they're the norm in Japan. He squinted at him. "...How old are you?"

There was no way this guy was under 18. It could not be possible, and yet there was now a growing fear in Ryan.

"Sixteen-- as of recently. Time is different here, but it was late summer back home when I arrived. My birthday is late August."

He explained this matter-of-fact-- not even realize the problem here, and that Ryan had been flirting.

"People in my family tend to be athletic-- for good reason. Perhaps that is cause for some confusion?"

Ugh. Ughhhhhh. Cool, cool, cool.

"Ha. ...Never would have guessed!" he laughs uncomfortably. "Anyone ever tell you you look a lot older? You are like, seriously ripped for a high school kid."

He says that, but the flirting stops immediately - no more playful looks and winks, though he does seem just a little more embarrassed now.

The question earns a baffled look.

He knew he was tall and athletic, but...

"My older brother always did say I was both smarter and faster than him when he was my age. I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about, though?"

"Nah, but it's alright," he said, waving a hand. "You'll understand when you're older."

Maybe. Ryan was pretty sure he would have picked up on it when he was sixteen, but then again not everyone thought about these things in high school.

"I'm Ryan, by the way," he grinned, and pivoted the conversation to an actual introduction. "Ryan Akagi. You?"

"But, that...?"

He trailed, lips pressed firmly together and hands already prepared to start waving in protest before the conversation was immediately guided in a different direction. Puzzled-- yet maintaining his academic cool-- he found himself somewhat relieved.

It was a more natural kind of conversation.

"Tenya Iida." He said with a smile. "Ryan... I can't say that I've heard that name very often in Japan. Your family travelled elsewhere, didn't they?"

"Yeah! I'm from Canada. I've been to Japan like, once or twice to visit Baachan and Jiichan, but that's pretty much it," he explained, while addressing his grandparents way too casually. "Dad's first-gen Canadian, Mom immigrated from Japan."

Typically he would get more annoyed about the assumption but...eh, it was different when it came from someone who's actually Japanese. There was more built-in solidarity there.

"You must live there though, if you've got entrance exams to worry about."

Perhaps it was rude to assume-- but, even in his time, the world had not become as homogenized as people expected. The advent of quirks had set everything back while society adapted and people were stratified differently.

People who travelled to or came from abroad were still something of a novelty.

"I do, in a coastal town a couple hours away from Tokyo." Tenya clarified, curiosity growing with every word exchanged. He had multiple friends and contacts who had a more than casual fondness for the United States of America, yet also tended to ignore that country's northern and southern neighbors.

He simply had never had reason to learn.

"Life in Canada must be somewhat freeing, if you don't need to worry about entrance exams at every school level. I... must admit, though. You have me at a disadvantage; all I know about Canada, besides what is mentioned in class, are stories of kids making candies out of maple syrup in the snow.. and that moose make for a very challenging encounter."

Ryan couldn't help but laugh a little, especially once Iida got to moose encounters. "Yeah, that's honestly about what I'd expect."

That had been pretty much the reaction any time he stepped out of Canada anyway.

"Soooo, that stuff's more on the other side of the country. Canada's a pretty big place? I mean, if you go farther north there's more moose, but it just doesn't get cold enough for the maple syrup thing where I live."

He was very aware of the stereotypes though, enough so to pick on Min-Gi for getting cold or to be teased back for not recognizing a maple tree. It wasn't something he was about to get bent out of shape about, and he seemed to be taking it in stride.

"I'm actually from a coastal town too," he said. "It's got a huge lake on one side and a gulf on the other, so if we wanna go anywhere else we have to take a ferry."

Or the train, but he wasn't about to open that can of worms.

That was a fine enough answer for Iida, and he already felt himself relaxing with the feeling that they had something a little bit alike.

"We'll have to teach each other someday," He said with certainty, a bright and eager look in his eyes over the prospect of learning. "I can teach you about the Japan I know, and you can teach me about the Canada you know."

The differences between their worlds surely made little impact on the overall cultural dynamics of those regions. With one of his friends consistently calling out attacks like 'DETROIT SMASH', he wondered if he shouldn't learn a SASKETCHEWAN KICK' just to add to the dynamic.

"Totally," Ryan agreed. "I'm basically a Canada expert by now anyway - I've been all over the place."

What better education in Canada could someone possibly get than driving around it in an old beat up van for a year? He would be a great Canada teacher!

"And I mean, my family's from Japan, sooo. It'd be cool to hear more about that too?"

"Of course!"

Tenya beamed.

"I'll answer any questions you have-- it's only fair, yes?"

He was no expert, but he believed that he was a reasonable enough resource on general information. Someone with more roots in tradition like Todoroki might be a better resource, but they had to make do with the resources they had available.

"Canada... is quite big, if I'm recalling the maps correctly. How did you travel 'all over the place' in a country that meets two oceans and reaches the North Pole?"

Ryan laughed at that.

"In a beat-up van?" he said. "That and, I didn't really go that far north. I was on tour, so I kinda needed to be in places that have a lot of people, or at least gigs I could book."

Granted, that wasn't always the easiest thing to do and sometimes those gigs were just bingo halls or sad parties, but Iida didn't need to know that part.

"What about you? You like Japan?"

It was a pretty broad question, but Ryan didn't really have any specific ones. He'd rather just hear Iida talk about what he enjoys.

"'On tour'?"

Tenya beamed, immediately putting the clues together and realizing that some of his friends and classmates would be extremely excited if they were in town as well.

"You must be a very ambitious musician if you toured around Canada. People don't just do that unless they're confident in their skill and feel like a wider audience would appreciate their work!"

Given what he had heard in just their short acquaintance, Tenya had no doubt that this hypothetical had to be the truth. Jirou would kill him for not being cooler.

"Of course I like Japan," he added. "It is the country I live and grew up in. Although it might be nice seeing other parts of the world and continuing my education abroad after graduation... but a lot of people probably think that way."

Ryan grinned at that description.

"I guess you could say that! I'm probably our band's biggest fan."

They weren't very big yet, but they were getting there! One gig at a time, step by step, enjoying the journey.

"Yeah, but it's totally worth it if you do," he said. "I mean, that's what I did, kinda? My dad gave me his van and I just took off in it right after graduation."

Maybe most of it had been a terrible idea, but there were things about leaving right after high school that were good too! Enough that he could easily recommend it to someone who seemed like they had their shit together much more than he did at the time.

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Voice Testing | Setting: Trench

In the city

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puts this thread BACK IN PAST TENSE WHERE IT BELONGS

/whams into past tense!

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