[closed] "getting three gorgeous men to protect you during training is impressive..."

[gotyourbach]

Who: kaede akamatsu (gotyourbach), qrow branwen (blodsvorr), goro akechi (grakraka), gundam tanaka (gundamned), ryuji sakamoto (ryuji)

Where: the dojo!

When: pre-Candlenights log

What: Nervous about taking a weapons class for the first time, Kaede invited several of her friends to come with her. Like, half of them are there for entirely different reasons, though.

Content Warning: Ryuji is a vulgar boy, also Akechi is here? So who knows, really. Possible spoilers for DRV3 I guess.

[Welcome to the dojo! While this particular room might be soundproofed from the outside, the inside is anything but restful and contemplative. The high ceilings and slightly-springy mats reflect the sound back inside, the crack of wood against wood and metal against metal as others train inside really creating the atmosphere that this is a place to learn how to fight. Or wallflower. Or watch out for weird perverts. Hey, whatever you're here for!]

Comments

[blodsvorr]

[Sure, Gundam. Qrow definitely believes you.]

Someone sure would have. You sticking around now that that's done?

[gundamned]

[What you weren't ridiculous impressed with him hitting himself in the head when Kaede got too close or him using his staff to etch weird symbols into a soft floor mat?]

The use of weapons are the great equalizer of the weak in this world. It is of little interest to one as powerful as myself.

[It seems more humane than hand to hand combat, given how he can kill with a mere touch... but Gundam really just doesn't look too gung-ho about beating people with a stick.]

[blodsvorr]

[Honestly, he half blames himself for the first one. Bad Luck Charm etc etc. Registering the genuine concern about it, he has an instinct to try to help a child work through problems with combat and weapon choice. He was a teacher, once upon a time. But normally, it'd be easy to pry into the issue at hand.

Gundam does not make prying easy. He answers things readily, sure. But Qrow has yet to develop a mental cypher for the things Gundam says.]

That so? I'm curious what works for you, then, Your Dark Eminence.

1/2

[gundamned]

[The honest answer to that question is: hamsters.]

2/2

[gundamned]

[What Gundam says however:]

I prefer to utilize demon beasts for my dark bidding.

[But this is a hamster-less purgatory. And bear-less. Devoid of anything really.]

[blodsvorr]

Interesting strategy.

[not implausible? there are summoners on Remnant, kinda

but also]

You got any of those demon beasts with you?

[gundamned]

No.

[He will always be bitter about this.]

[blodsvorr]

Sorry to hear it.

[Because it sucks, and it sounds like it especially sucks for Gundam, and also Qrow would have loved to see it.

But his attention has shifted from the more careless and casual attitude Gundam has gotten before now to a much sharper focus. Qrow Branwen was once a teacher, and there is very little he takes more seriously than ensuring that kids are prepared for combat they're going to face.]

What did they class you as, kid?

1/2

[gundamned]

[Gundam would have liked to have shown literally anyone. He loves-- loved -- his Four Dark Devas of Destruction more than he had loved anything in the world.

...

He's still... maybe a little hung up on the whole situation.]

2/2

[gundamned]

[He's clearly not the type to truthfully bare his soul about anything though, so he shelves it away again.]

Their class is meaningless, just a reaffirmation of my status!

I am the warlock, Gundam Tanaka! Heroes, lords of darkness, and even the gods themselves flee from me!

[blodsvorr]

[Filtering out 90% of that (not the sad face, he is registering that, but he can't do anything about it) to go:]

Warlock, huh? Well, you can probably get away with not learning a weapon and sticking to magecraft. If you don't want to achieve your full potential as a Supreme Overlord, that is.

[gundamned]

[Gck--!!]

You dare to presume the limits of my power?!

[blodsvorr]

Hey, you're the one limiting yourself here. I'm just saying, you could get more power if you wanted.

[S H R U G]

[gundamned]

[Gundam could just admit that he's not really as cruel as he implies he is and that while he's actually quite capable as a fighter, it's not something he actively seeks out.

He absolutely will not, but he definitely could have.]

I could destroy you if I so willed it!

[blodsvorr]

Sure. Do you so will?

[Like, he will do an illustrative match against Gundam if necessary, but Qrow doesn't think Gundam is actually one of those students that's too arrogant to be willing to learn until they get their ass handed to them. He is reasonably confident it is something else. But if Gundam wants to, then okay?

He's really at a loss here because he is not able to fully read Gundam, so he can't determine what, if anything, he needs.]

[gundamned]

[He doesn't tell the truth, but it's not often that Gundam flat out lies when he speaks. There's something that he's not saying beneath such an over the top threat.

Qrow's most likely not taking him seriously and perhaps antagonizing a man who expressed his personal value on his own life as "kinda fifty-fifty on it," was not Gundam's best move in this situation. It's not like he's been privy to any of the things Gundam has done.

...But that reply just really agitates him.]

Is your grasp on the desire to live truly so flimsy?

Fine.

[blodsvorr]

[The thing is, Qrow isn't a pain-in-the-ass seventeen year old anymore. Oh, sure, he acts like it sometimes (often). He definitely went for that fight with Schimmy partly out of that same shitty attitude he had as a kid. But he's an adult now. He's measured and controlled, or at least he tries to be. He is as responsible as he can pull off being. He knows that if it's him and a kid, it's his job to be the calmer party and think things through.

So Qrow folds his arms, and he looks at Gundam.]

Look. Gundam. I'm not interested in a pointless contest of strength. Your old teacher is taking a sabbatical right now, so for the moment, I'm stepping in. That means my job is to help you with whatever you need help with.

Thing is, I don't know what that is, because I don't know you. I've been trying to work things out, but you've got me at a loss at this point. Hell, I can't even tell if you need any help with anything. So just give me a break and tell me if there's anything you need, alright? I'm trying, but you've gotta meet me half way.

1/2

[gundamned]

[Gundam bristles at the abrupt shift. He bristles even more when Qrow uses his actual name for once and proceeds to carry on the conversation so bluntly. The whole exchange throws him off and it takes him a moment to adjust.]

...

[gundamned]

[Did this man really just expect him to draw back the veil of obfuscation simply because he asked? As if it was something so easy. How arrogant.

No one asked this man to martyr himself on that girl's behalf or take on a burdensome role as his instructor. He doesn't owe him anything.]

Give you a break? Tch. Nothing worth anything is easy to obtain in this world. If you are not up to the challenge of tutelage, recognize the limits of your own abilities. Do not place your burdens on me, take responsibility for your own actions.

All I need in this world is indifference and solitude.

1/2, just for you

[blodsvorr]

Yeah, genius, that's what I'm doing.

[A little sarcastic, but nonetheless patient. He bothers with an explanation, because he assumes that behind everything, there's a kid who can understand what he's saying, and Qrow wants to be clear about what he's doing here.]

Like I said, I don't get you, and that's a problem for trying to do anything for you, on account of not being able to figure out if there's anything you even want or need. So I'm saying that if you won't meet me in the middle, I'm not the right teacher for you.

[That was his problem with Schimmrigk: Schimmrigk tried to enforce his style of education on all of his students and assume it was the best. But that isn't how it works. Students are people, and people learn differently. If a teacher can't answer those learning needs, they aren't the right teacher for the job. You have to be able to own up to that and step back.]

[blodsvorr]

[Then, Qrow grins. It is, by its nature, an annoying grin. Crows are annoying birds.]

Not that I'm handing you indifference and solitude, either. Sorry, Your Eminence, but nothing worth anything is easy to obtain in this world. Bad luck for you.

#blessed 1/3

[gundamned]

["Genius?!"

Fool. FOOL.

Gundam Tanaka never meets anyone in the middle! ...then again. That's not really a proposition that's been offered to him by many people either. It's just so much easier for them to not get involved.]

...

[Although surely he can't imagine the day would ever come where Qrow would understand why he is the way he is, this wasn't a dismissal.]

2/3

[gundamned]

[The grin is truly unsettling though.]

In truth, there's no way I’d ever associate with someone like you!

3/3

[gundamned]

Fine. I guess... I shall accept you for the time being.

[He shifts his weapon around in his hands with a face that's some mixture of thought and uncertainty in how to proceed.]

How do I phrase this.

[Half way. The middle.]

I would never turn from a challenge yet if I show my serious side, things will not end with mere child's play.

I do not yearn for the meaningless deaths of all those inferior to my power.

[blodsvorr]

[Ignoring that nonsense off the top, he realizes that Gundam is making an effort here. So, okay. Qrow has to try to figure out the rest. The kid is genuinely skilled in combat. He's... worried about controlling that, maybe? That sounds like what he's saying. Okay. Qrow will work from that idea and adjust as they go.]

Alright, got it. [...he thinks.] I'm not exactly a fan of see meaningless deaths myself, so sure, we can avoid anything serious. Is going at it less seriously off the table?