USER: #A5211F - Combat training and spars

[swordfucker]

[USER: #A5211F]

This is Lt. Colonel Guren Ichinose of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. I don't expect that to mean anything to any of you, but if it can make anyone take me a little more seriously, then I'll take it.

I'm sure you all saw the illustration of those apparent shadow monsters. If there are dangers, it means we should be ready for them, and somehow I've run into a surprising few people who have enough experience in combat. Some of them don't have any at all.

Would any of you be interested in learning how to fight? To defend yourselves? What about the capable out there— are you willing to teach, or spar to improve yourselves? Let me know, and I can set something up for regular practicing.

That's all.

(OOC: Basically, I thought it might be fun to encourage more random CR with both characters who would like to learn how to fight, and characters who already know how and are willing to teach or spar! If there's enough interest, I can throw up an ooc post with match up sort of things that can provide a semi-regular chance for new CR (via threading or handwaving). Let me know in your tag, or via PM if your character won't tag the post!

Edit: I put up an ooc sign up! Please remember to sign up there if you'd like your character to be included in some fighting (and friendship) styled pair ups!)

Comments

[swordfucker]

[Oh, both names he knows.]

Joshua replied to my forum post. I met Noctis the first day we got here, too. [Good choices, he thinks. He has no idea about Joshua, but he seemed so serious and to the point. That worked well. Noctis was a nice guy, kind and casual. They were probably good to hang around each other.]

A bird... like from home? I've seen a fair number of people get a little something extra from home in their houses. We almost missed mine, too.

[passio]

I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s really big.

[ dextera likes the chocobo... there’s no telling why he feels such an affinity with it, and he probably couldn’t explain it if asked. ]

I got the Angelic Rifle. What did you get from your world?

[ he nods to the gun when he types its name, and then looks to guren when he addresses him. it must have been something small—a weapon, maybe? ]

[swordfucker]

[The things that catch his interest in this just keep coming. A big bird? But wait— angelic rifle? Guren looks to the gun even as he answers the question he just read.]

Drugs.

[But more importantly—] It's called the Angelic Rifle? Why?

[passio]

[ ‘drugs’ is nondescript enough that dextera honestly doesn’t think to question it, although he should. he’s injected and swallowed so many things in his short memory that he takes the comment in stride.

but he does look at the angelic rifle again, with some concern, when guren questions the name. ]

I don’t know. The Archangel named it.

The Archangel is my

[ he hesitates, shakes his head, and backspaces before he finishes that thought. guren might see it anyway, but he doesn’t really know how he wanted to end that. ]

[swordfucker]

[He does see that, because he's staring back at the laptop once he hears typing. The backspacing, the shake of his head... But Guren waits a few seconds before he decides to try a finisher to the sentence on his own.]

...your crush?

[He's messing with him just to try and pull a real answer out, come on. He doesn't know that he likes the sound of The Archangel after everything else he's heard.]

[passio]

[ that is not what he expected guren to guess!!

the answer is a firm no, anyway, and he doesn’t need to type that when his expression says it all. it doesn’t change the fact that dextera doesn’t know what the archangel is to him, anymore. ]

He’s my

He’s the only person

He’s the one who

[ more backspacing, until finally: ]

He’s the leader of the Order of Malkuth. I’m a member as well.

[swordfucker]

[He kind of wants to tease him about all of that, because it's not helping— but he knows better, and he's too focused. The only person... who what? There have been countless questions about what Dextera must have dealt with, or what he's even doing, and it seems like he never ends up giving any answers.

All of this, with Guren half asleep against a wall, trying not to give in to exhaustion because this is too important.]

What's the Order of Malkuth? Is that the military you were talking about before?

[passio]

[ listen, it’s not his fault that he and the archangel have a messy relationship that looks like lifestyle BDSM. ]

Yes. We’re a religious order.

[ technically he was excommunicated for treason but the archangel had a purpose for him so, hey! life finds a way! ]

The Archangel leads us. The False Angels.

[swordfucker]

[Religious order, false angels... Guren covers his mouth with a hand as he thinks. How can so much sound similar to what he knows, and yet so much sound so foreign?]

False angels. [He says it himself, quiet, like a mutter.] What do you believe?

[Maybe that's wider than asking what the group stands for. He wants to know what Dextera thinks in all of this, along with what sort of goals there might be for a group like that. He remembers the God comment from before, of course, but details...? Opinions?]

[passio]

[ that’s not an easy question. what malkuth stands for is simple—the protection and healing of god. even fractured as the order is, that’s all anyone wants.

what dextera believes... that’s more complicated. ]

It doesn’t matter now.

[ his fingers hover over the keyboard, as he wonders how much he should reveal. if the archangel comes here... ]

I believe in the Archangel.

[swordfucker]

[Though he reads both sentences, his eyes focus more on those fingers. He doesn't have to share any of this. Guren isn't even sure if he wants to, with how easily he listens to commands. Really, is it right for him to keep asking things of someone who gives it up like that?

But he needs all the information he can get. Even if it doesn't seem like it applies, if it means someone can be useful, even if he'd rather think of them as a friend— he has to keep it in mind. It's how he has to get by.

He wonders what believing in the Archangel means, but despite his own thoughts trying to convince himself how cold and down to business is, he doesn't follow it up with a question. Exhaustion is reaching his eyes again, and he's thinking too much on his own. He doesn't feel like watching those fingers try so hard anymore.]

[passio]

[ dextera was nearing his limit, anyway. not enough to kick guren out, when he looks so tired, but enough to close the laptop for now—so he does, and sets it aside, then draws his knees up to his chest.

what does he believe? the archangel is convinced that if dextera can purify god, all will be well—but he did it, and nothing changed, and the world started over once again.

now he’s here, with his pure water and no answers. he sighs, but other than making himself into a little ball, he doesn’t move from guren’s side. what a sad pair they make... ]

[swordfucker]

[ Curling up like that earns a glance, but Guren won’t shove him or anything like it. He takes note of the laptop closing, and it means he can close his eyes, to him. If Dextera is putting a stop on that conversation, then he doesn’t have to watch him... Ah, but he doesn’t know what to do at all. Hypocritically, he wants to tell him he can talk to his friends. No, that he should talk to them. ...but he’ll see what he can do with his little sign ups later, instead.

His head leans back against the wall and a little to one side, and he crosses his arms over his chest. ]

You really need to learn how to tell people to back off, if it’s making you that uncomfortable. [ Finally, he manages some quiet words, but his eyes are still closed. ]

[passio]

[ too bad! dextera has never told anyone in his life to back off—because he’s a coward. so he’s been told. the archangel has spelled his life out for him, and he’s not allowed to dwell on the person he used to be unless it’s to ruminate on the weight of his sin.

guren is nothing like that, and dextera prefers his instructions, but the archangel still has sway. ]

...

[ he peeks over at guren, whose eyes are closed, and instead of taking his hand, he just decides to write his answer on guren’s arm. he doesn’t know if it’ll come across as well, but he tries:

S-O-R-R-Y ]

[swordfucker]

[ Ah. He wasn’t expecting that, but he gets enough of the word to make it out. Without opening his eyes, he moves the hand of that arm to push lightly at the side of Dextera’s face. Just a scolding push... ]

What the hell are you apologizing for? I’m the one who came over here and gave you a hard time. [ so sorry is his line!! But he already said it once, that was enough ]

[passio]

[ guren is lucky that he can't speak, or else he'd be sorry for being sorry! but the hand at his face, however light, is enough to discourage him from going in for apology round two.

before guren can get his hand away entirely, however, dextera takes his palm and writes a more proper message this time.

O-K
S-L-E-E-P

the okay could be just about anything, but his command to sleep comes across as straightforward as possible. maybe guren will be less cranky after a nap!!! ]

[swordfucker]

[ He’s not sure he gets the “ok”. Was it him saying he won’t apologize? Or just brushing off the subject? Or saying it’s okay Guren came over like a selfish ass? It’s enough to get Guren to open his eyes and peek at him, which is the opposite of sleeping... ]

...Yeah. It’s impossible to get any with my housemates. [ A lame excuse for why he’s tired that’s not true at all. Maybe he shouldn’t stay up all night thinking about how he’s going to continue the human experimentation from here and bring back everyone??? Or how Yuu might be in trouble, or his friends, if he’s not there to give the drugs or if someone is snooping around. They hid everything, but—

With that train of thought, his eyes close eventually, and he crosses his arms again, slouching against the wall. This won’t be very comfortable, but he doesn’t think lying on the ground would be any better anyway. Soon enough... he actually does fall asleep! Deceptively peaceful expression and all. He’ll wake up a while later... ]

[passio]

[ all three! guren is so smart.

the sleep is well-deserved, and dextera has the decency not to watch him—at least not until he hears guren's breathing even out into sleep, and then dextera turns his head to look at him for a little while. he's got nothing better to do, and although he doesn't remember it entirely, the first seven years of his life were spent watching someone sleep and waiting for them to wake up. the action feels familiar and painful, the scar at his side throbbing, and dextera sighs, wiping at his eyes before he shifts away so he can strip his coat and drape it over guren.

he'll sit here until guren gets his rest, and maybe try to collect his thoughts on his laptop.

the archangel... if time is still moving in his own world, who knows how angry the archangel will be when dextera finally returns? ]

[swordfucker]

[At least it's warm. Even though he really needs a whole night of sleep, his nap only lasts a few hours. It's not really good sleep. He's warm, with extra thanks to Dextera, but his mind won't stop moving, his demon is still there and he has things he has to do later. He planned something with Izuku, too. Way later, but still.

When he wakes up, it's uneventful. His eyes open slowly, and he stares at the space before him for a good minute before he lifts his head and turns it to Dextera. Dextera who's... still there. The slight way Guren shifts his sitting position gets the coat to slip off of him a little, and he looks down at it, noticing it for the first time. Huh.

Deciding not to comment on it, he busies himself with stretching and yawning, instead. He's... tired still.]

Have you been there the whole time? [Guren takes the coat gently, offering it back.]

[passio]

[ dextera never really did get his thoughts together, so when guren stirs, he stops uselessly refreshing the forum and closes his laptop. he’s surprised to see guren awake again so soon—but he supposes it’s not too comfortable to fall asleep like that.

taking his coat back, he nods, and tilts his head. how did guren sleep? it sounded—and looked—peaceful. good. ]

[swordfucker]

[Hm. Guren's eyes linger on the closed laptop for a moment before they flick back to Dextera's face. His own expression is distant, considering that tilt of Dextera's face for a moment too long.]

I'm fine. [That's the gist of an answer, he figures, running a hand through his hair with a light sigh.] Wish I had a bed that wasn't falling apart, though.

[Oh well. He drops his hand away. After that, it's silence. It's not awkward, it's nothing close, but it's not necessarily comfortable, either. Guren is just staring at Dextera, trying to figure things out. He's not shaking from being upset anymore? So that's good. But Guren isn't sure how long before that sort of thing can't be helped again.

He had admitted they were friends, which is something that he never usually says aloud, but he already wonders if it would be better that he leave him alone.

The answer is, of course, that he can't. He's useful in that way, and Guren needs anyone who's useful, but beyond that is that he's just fond of him already. He gets attached too easily. Kureto would be calling him weak right now, saying that his demonic personality was better suited for this.

He's been staring a little while, now.]

Is there anything interesting on there?

[passio]

[ dextera isn’t used to being stared at—or rather, the action makes him uncomfortable, as he remembers the horned girl’s blank gaze as she effortlessly spits his thoughts and fears to the world around him.

although guren isn’t trying to read his mind, dextera’s shoulders tense like he’s trying to prevent it from happening anyway. luckily, he’s able to distract himself with the question about his laptop.

...though he shakes his head. there are just people trying to organize themselves, which is only a little interesting. quickly, this time angling his laptop away so guren can’t read it, he opens the computer and erases his musings from the document so he has a clean slate once again.

then, he’s willing to show guren. ]

Everyone seems to be settling down.

[swordfucker]

[He wonders what he had on there. But if he's hiding it from him, it was personal in some way, and after just demanding something so difficult of him, Guren won't go on to harass him for his secrets. (Right now, at least, he won't snoop...)]

Right. It's all we can do, right now. [He'd seen the forum posts. Leaving doesn't work, and it would be stupid to wander off on his own, anyway.] What about you?

[He's stopped staring, at least, but the question earns a look so he can get his answer. He'd be walking away to grant Dextera his privacy if it weren't for the whole... speech thing. He's captive at this too close for bros distance.]

[passio]

[ this time, dextera’s pause isn’t because of any great emotional weight. he’s just genuinely thinking about the question, since he hasn’t stopped to examine how worried he is to be separated from his home until today. ]

It’s peaceful here, but I have to go back eventually. For now, if it stays like this, I don’t mind it.

It sounds like your roommates are less peaceful.

[swordfucker]

[Peaceful. He doesn't know that he'd call this place peaceful, and hearing it applied to Yata and Akira is even funnier. He cracks a smile.]

They're not at all. [The noisiness, the backtalk, the dragging other people into his space. He prefers it this way.]

Makes it almost feel like home. [Almost.] But I have to go back, too. Everything is too foreign for me to even begin thinking about how we could do that, here. [So many different worlds, and now in a colorless one? What does it mean... why are there shadows. He doesn't know.]