voidtreckernet | working on it [video/action if desired]

...for anyone who ran into me in the luggage car on platform day, I apologize. I've been dealing with a personal matter. It's resolved now. But tangentially related to that, I'm going to hop on the self defense train.

[ Ugh. Puns. He rolls his eyes at himself. ]

It's been an unusually long time since our last real mission, and call me paranoid, but I believe that means the next one is likely to be difficult. As in: we're being given the extra time to prepare.

I'm not a trained soldier myself, and I know my powers will be inaccessible at the worst possible times, but I want to prepare for the worst case scenarios. Evacuation disabled, cornered, no one stronger in range. Building up an armory and strategizing to avoid that scenario in the first place is preferable, but...if there's one thing I've learned, it's that things can always get worse.

So I'll be in the training gym today, alternating between powered and non-powered practice. If you require payment for training services, that can be arranged as well.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Somewhat. You'll get better in time.

[He crouches down so he's not towering over Seto on the floor.]

This takes time. You've got to get it into muscle memory. You're going to have to pace yourself and find your limits. By all means, break through them - but don't forget that Rome wasn't built in a day.

I'd know, I was there.

[He chuckles and sits on the floor, letting Seto get his bearings back after being tossed around.]

That's the hardest part.

[ Seto's still winded, so it comes out as a whisper. He forces himself up onto his elbows. ]

...in that you were a beginner once, or in that you literally built Rome?

It is.

And... both. Though I'm exaggerating a little, I didn't really help build Rome. I did live there though, one of my lives. Ancient Rome, not modern day Italy Rome.

How many lives ago was that?

Literal millennia of experience, huh. Who better to be beaten up by.

[He chuckles.]

Oh, you lose count after a while. I have a normal human lifespan - however long that ends up being - I just... don't forget when I reincarnate like everyone else does. I've been doing this for well over five and a half thousand years.

[ Well. He supposes Atem wasn't conscious for most of the years from his death to meeting Yugi. ]

And you're able to contain that many memories and lifetimes without cracking?

[Naoya just blinks and starts laughing.]

Hardly! I've cracked more than one lifetime. And only an insane person would come up with using the internet to power a demon summoning program. But I manage - I don't get a choice. This is a curse, after all.

You seem like a well-read person. Does the story of Cain and Abel mean anything to you? With so many different worlds, I can't really assume.

Religious traditions from that text aren't as common in my area of the world, but I've heard the fable, yes.

{ He finally folds his legs under him and sits up, ready to listen. ]

[He spreads his arms wide in a ‘ta-dah!’ gesture.]

Well, it’s less of a fable in my world. Misconstrued and written down incorrectly, but real. I’m Cain. Inventor of murder to some - though I’m not - and general byword for evil. Which I’m also not.

[Misunderstood, misquoted, and ruthless when he has to be? Yes. But evil? No.]

...I only remember the vaguest details of the story, so I wouldn't have assumed you were either. But that must be exhausting.

... It is. Heh. But despite everything I may have cracked, but I haven't broken.

[He'll never submit to God. It's totally out of the question. His pride is one of the few things that's kept him going.]

I've seen many things - unfathomable kindness and unimaginable cruelty. The whole spectrum of humanity's actions, from medicine that does wonders to weapons that wipe out cities in an instant.

On the whole we're a terribly mixed bag, and I tend to look at the glass half empty.

But I'm glad you still find things to do.

To be fair, plotting to kill God takes a lot of time and setup.

[... He should explain.]

It's the one way to break my curse I haven't been able to try yet.

...mmm, killing god is tough, in that you usually need to amass the power of one first.

Surely there are ways.

Well, one option failed. Fortunately I've made allies with some people who are known for killing gods.

... Once we can get out of here, that is.

[He leans back and hums for a moment.]

Which is turning out to be trickier than I thought, with this whole tether nonsense.

I'm not sure we're even going back. Our essences might be divided, not transferred....

I don't know what I'll do if that's the case. But maybe you're already working on the problem.

There should be a way to reverse the process. If we can get our hands on some documentation... I'll have to look up some things in the library.

[He stretches and stands, offering a hand to Seto.]

Ready to get your ass handed to you again?

[ Seto takes a steadying breath and hauls himself up with some help. He's a little tired, but enemies won't care about that. He needs to put his all into surviving as long as he can. ]

I'll try not to make it quite so easy.

[ He knows to expect a swift attack this time, and tries to expand his awareness. but he knows the best he can do is stall. That's fine. He skids across the floor a few more times, earns a few more bruises. All in the name of learning. ]

[He pulls his punches, trying to avoid hitting anything that's too vital. Sure he'll send Seto scooting across the floor, but having to drag him to the healers would be annoying.]

[After a few rounds of Seto getting beaten up, he holds a hand up and pulls out his COMP again, casting another healing spell.]

I think that's enough for today. You need to build up muscle memory, and that takes time.

... Besides, even with healing spells you're going to kind of look like shit, and I don't want the people who care about you on my ass.

[ Seto lays there for a little while longer, breathing. In and out. He's still sore and tired, but he has other work to do. He grunts softly, rolling onto his back. Well, this was educational. ]

I'll see about buying a makeup kit.

[ Dryly. He's kidding. Probably. ]

How many days do I need to wait?

[He snorts. Makeup only hides so much.]

Right now? At least a few. You're going to be sore tomorrow - you used muscles in ways you're not used to. That's going to be painful in the morning.

I know it's frustrating, but you're going to damage yourself if you push too hard too fast.

Ugh. I should've started months ago.

[ Seto heaves another heavy sigh and sits up. He manages it with nothing more than a wince. ]

Thanks. I'll be back soon, depending on what the train throws at us.

Heh. It's not a problem.

[He watches Seto carefully. At least he's moving all right...]

Better you started now than later, right?

working on it [video/action if desired]

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