working on it [video/action if desired]

[blue_ice]

...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.

Comments

[crouching_sin]

I’m no soldier, but I remember a good deal of training. I can be on hand.

And now that I have my COMP charger I can be a more effective sparring partner.

[blue_ice]

I'd appreciate anything I can get.

I can handle a beating, I need to be prepared for that.

[crouching_sin]

Oh, can you? We'll see. I'm not going to go easy on you, I hope you know.

[blue_ice]

Of course. Our enemies won't.

I'm in the training car.

[ And he is. He's had a long day of running, wailing on the training dummy, traversing obstacles...

He's ready to be tested, or so he thinks. ]

Good evening.

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya grins as he enters the car, rolling his shoulders as the door slides closed.]

And a good evening to you, too.

[It's tempting to transform, but no. Start the boy off simple enough. He reaches into his pocket and presses a button.]

Remember, you literally asked for this.

[With a surprising amount of speed Naoya dashes towards Seto, going for a solid gut punch that has far more power behind it than his thin frame might suggest.]

[blue_ice]

So I did.

[ Kaiba crouches into position---they hadn't agreed on using powers, so he doesn't think of it. And he instinctively moves to block, but the power is so great that he's thrown, pain exploding in his abdomen and down his arms---damn. He hits the ground, rolls---ugh, can he use a flare-up of lightning as a fence to give him a second to get up? His head's spinning, but he'll try that, and attempt to dodge long enough to get a read. Kaiba's decently fast, but only humanly so.

So...this isn't going great.]

[crouching_sin]

[The lightning gets him to dodge, but he's back in no time with a grab towards the other's shoulder in an attempt to spin him and catch him off-balance in order to trip him.]

[All the while he's grinning as if he's just playing a game. Frankly, with this sort of matchup? He is.]

[blue_ice]

Agh---

[ Being tall has one critical disadvantage---unstable center of gravity. Seto tries to counter that with a crouch, but it leaves him too open to tripping. He tries to strike back every time Naoya is close, but his human strength is no match. There's one brief second where he manages to space out, every cell crying out in protest...and Naoya charges him so easily from an unexpected angle.

He slams into the ground and screams---it seems his pain tolerance has hit a limit.

Damnit. He's so pathetically weak, he'll be dead in an instant against any serious foe. Which means he needs to improve, and fast....]

[crouching_sin]

[It's pathetically easy. Naoya is stronger and faster, able to duck in and out of Seto's range and deliver brutal attacks of his own. The instant the younger man hits the floor though he stops and moves over to check for broken bones.]

[... None, good. He pulls out his COMP and flips it open, pressing a button - and a warm energy flows over Seto, healing most of his wounds.]

Lesson one: never assume your opponent has the same advantages or disadvantages as you do.

[blue_ice]

[ Seto doesn't move much as he's prodded, his lip worried as he bites down on it. His burning anger and humiliation look a lot like pouting. But the tightness in his chest eases soon enough, and he's at least able to stand, face set grimly. ]

I'm ready for lesson two.

[crouching_sin]

Good.

[He grins as he watches Seto get up. Stubborn idiot... but in a good way. Excellent.]

And now I'm going to knock you over a few times. Second lesson of the day is falling in a way you won't hurt yourself as badly. You're not ending up on your face, which is good - but you need to stop being embarrassed at falling. It makes you stiffen up, which is going to end up in some cracked or broken bones.

[blue_ice]

Okay.

[ This is almost harder. Trying to tense up is instinctive, he needs a better way of bracing for impact...it takes a few tries and a few yelps for him to adjust, but the stubborn idiot eventually does. After a few throws and a few thuds: ]

Any better?

[He's just getting thrown around the gym, attempting to roll with the punches, no big deal. He has to believe this will help him in the end. ]

[crouching_sin]

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.]

[blue_ice]

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?

[crouching_sin]

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.

[blue_ice]

How many lives ago was that?

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

[crouching_sin]

[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.

[blue_ice]

[ 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?

[crouching_sin]

[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.

[blue_ice]

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. ]

[crouching_sin]

[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.]

action +1 guri

[blitzcheer]

[ Seto's message reminds Tidus of a discussion had with Guri a while ago, along with the recent talk about protections and preparing. He finds the android lady in question, invites her to come to the gym with him to see Seto.

In whatever state he currently is. But they'll find that out as they come in, Tidus searching for the other guy with Guri in tow. ]

Hey! Seto!

[ heey heyyy seto, you've got company. ]

just scene setting here, guri go ahead and resume normal tagging order next tag?

[blue_ice]

[ The two of them will find a tired Seto lounging on the floor in a black tank top and khakis. He looks a little rumpled and sweaty, but he's otherwise fine.

Oh...oh, people! He scrambles to stand and brush himself off. ]

Tidus. And...I don't think I caught your name. Hello.

[ He inclines his head politely, directed at her first. ]

Works!

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She stands, hands clasped behind her back, looking, well. Calm and collected. which is, really, her default state. She inclines her head back, precisely.]

I am known as Guri. Greetings, Seto Kaiba.

[blue_ice]

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

[crouching_sin]

... 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.

[blue_ice]

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.

[crouching_sin]

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.

[blue_ice]

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

Surely there are ways.

[crouching_sin]

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.

[blitzcheer]

'Suup. [ Tidus is the more relaxed of the trio, and why would he be, when Seto's half a mess already. But that's fine, no biggy. ]

Heard you talking about building up an armoury. Reminded me of a talk me 'n' Guri had a while back. [ He looks to her, nodding briefly before turning back. ] Figured you'd take a break eventually.

[ Then, he gestures to his company. ] Soo, she's got a bunch of blueprints in her for weapons and all sorts! She's a, uhh... You use the word android? Droid?

[ Eh. He taps his own head. ] --She swiped data of how to make stuff and stuck it in her brain!

[ There we go! We call that being smart. ]

[blue_ice]

It's good to finally meet you, Guri.

[ Seto stretches, shaking out some of the tension in his wrists. His hands are ready to get back to work. ]

And with enough scrapping, we can build them? We can focus on things the train's armory can't provide for us, but we also need extras for people who aren't accumulating as many points for whatever reason.

[marvelous_murderbot]

[She nods as Tidus introduces her, as it were - looking at him.]

Human Replica Droid. But my friends have encouraged me to insist on my own personhood. But you are indeed correct - part of my early programming was combat and assassination protocols, which included field-stripping and repair of weapons and defensive equipment. Fairly basic, of course, I cannot exactly create a hyperdrive from scratch or anything.

[As for the latter.]

Oh, that won't be a problem, I don't think - most of the shielding components, for instance, are meant as basic, durable machinery - our biggest problem will be fabricating housings and finding power sources.

[blitzcheer]

If we can get the rest from scraps, buying good batteries shouldn't be a problem, right? 'Specially if it's something we can make more of.

[ Tidus folds his arms. Does he have a solution? Nope! But he can speak from an ordinary person point of view. ]

[blue_ice]

I'll put what I can toward a battery.

For basic testing, I suppose I could be the battery.

[ He flexes his fist and a lightning bolt shoots straight up from it to prove his point. ]

I'm working on storage gloves that will unleash a controlled charge. If I could reliably charge us up in the meantime...that'd be less wasteful point spending.

[blue_ice]

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.

[crouching_sin]

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?

[blue_ice]

[ 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. ]

[crouching_sin]

[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.

[blue_ice]

[ 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?

[crouching_sin]

[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.

[blue_ice]

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.

[crouching_sin]

Heh. It's not a problem.

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

Better you started now than later, right?

[marvelous_murderbot]

I will point out, there is also a possibility we will encounter a hostile species or group, given our mission profiles - and we can obtain equipment from them in decent quantity.

[That's the quickest way, as far as she is concerned. Stealing from enemies isn't really stealing. Especially as they probably won't be living ones, after.]

That would work, on a functional level.

[death_from_above]

"So you're going to train while on the train to make sure you're not on the wrong track?"

[blitzcheer]

We've been looking out for that for missions. You've been on a few - the chances we get to take anything are low, save scraps and a few here and there. We even have guns - but it isn't many. Knives, the stuff the sali gave us...

[ Then again, maybe not enough people really think about it grabbing despite the calls. He wasn't on that mission anyway. ]

But speaking of charging - those guns we've got in supplies are some kind of laser-powered. You think you could look at them and see we can't charge them some easy way? Tobes took them missions back - we can fill 'em with arms band, but that takes a lot of energy.

[ Replenishing ammo through those wasn't easy. ]