[video]

[sincleavers]

[Alphen has to fiddle with the charm a bit -- look, tech has never been his strong point. But after the video finally starts, he flashes a quick smile before getting right to the point.]

Hi everyone. With everything that happened last month, I think it might be a good idea to start a training group for people who'd like to learn to fight, or defend themselves. As much as I'd like to hope something like that won't happen again, it's better to be prepared, right?

[A quick shrug. He's trying to keep it light, but he does have a feeling it won't be the last time something like that happens.]

Anyway, if there's enough interest, I can find a place to set something up. A weekly meet-up, maybe. And don't think this'll be only for beginners -- anyone who wants to improve their skills will be welcome.

Let me know, alright?

[Okay, so how do you end something like this? You don't sign it...right? Uh. ... He finishes the post with an awkward little wave, because he's an idiot.]

Comments

voice

[usarinpa]

[ The feed clicks on, but nothing can be seen. Mizuki hesitates for a moment, and almost hangs up, because as capable as she is, she is probably the least qualified to teach. Not that he was asking for that, mind you, so she manages to convince herself to speak.

She could use sparring partners that can take hits. ]

Hey. I'd come.

[ ......Straight and to the point, right? ]

You okay?

[sincleavers]

[He thinks something is wrong, at first, either with the video or with the person recording it...so he's certainly glad to hear her after that initial moment.]

I'd be happy to have you there, Mizuki.

[He certainly sounds genuine enough. At her question, he breathes out a soft chuckle.]

About as okay as anyone, given the last few weeks. What about you? How are you holding up?

[usarinpa]

[ Well, that makes one of them, but she's not ready to have that conversation. She is fine, everything is fine. If he could see her, she's even smiling at that! But the voice function is simply easier for her. ]

Same. I've had my break, but I'm ready to beat things up again.

Er, even if it's just training.

voice

[baldrshand]

I think that's an excellent idea--especially for those of us who have little experience fighting with creatures like that. It was like nothing I've ever seen in my life.

[sincleavers]

Don't get me wrong -- we're not going to be tackling larger-than-life creatures right from the start. I thought we'd start small, with self-defense and fighting off some of the smaller creatures in the area.

[baldrshand]

I would hope not! Imagine the size of the training dummies you'd need. But I'd be pleased for more practice in dealing with the animals--such aggressive beasts were rare at home, so I don't have as much experience as I'd like.

voice;

[laserguy]

[If there's anyone that he doesn't have super mixed feelings about, when it comes to his powers at least, it's Alphen. He's really the only one that he helped during the fight and so Scott's feeling just slightly more attached. Don't worry, it's probably fine.]

You think I could learn to improve my powers, Alphen?

[Or his control at least.]

[sincleavers]

[He hopes he's not steering Scott wrong. Whatever his powers are, they seem totally different from astral energy, and even that is something he's not very familiar with. But he has to have hope, right? It's the same for himself, for his role as the Sovereign. He's already messed it up once. Maybe all either of them needs is time -- time enough to work on it.]

I'd like to think so. Whether it's a sword or a power, it takes a lot of time and work to learn to use any tool well. Besides. I can't think of any downside to getting in some practice, as long as we set up a safe area for it.

[laserguy]

[Not a promise, but Scott hasn't quite placed such expectations on him. At least he's willing to help in some manner.]

Most things tend to... get destroyed really quickly. You think you could still set up a safe area?

[Maybe he just needs to just stare at the sky while trying to figure out how to control his optic blasts. But other than that, maybe that asshole from a while back is right and he truly needs to know the extent of his power and find out what can stop them.]

voice;

[midlifecryseas]

[ Alphen can probably hear the doubt dripping from Ed's voice because there's an ocean of it. ]

Train a bunch of people, who can't even defend themselves against other human people, how to fight giant tentacled stone-tree monsters? Yeah, good luck with that, mate.

[sincleavers]

[Oh yeah, he can sure hear that doubt. Good thing he's seemingly immune --or oblivious-- to the judging.]

To be honest, I'd rather start with the small stuff -- the human people, and things like that. [Less judgey on his part, more good-natured ribbing.] Since I don't exactly have a bunch of giant tentacle creatures hanging around to use for practice.

[midlifecryseas]

Probably could find someone around here who could conjure one up just by thinking too loudly about it.

[ Not saying all the magic-users around are scary weirdos but also he's not not saying it. ]

Point is, teaching people to run at a thing they're outmatched by? It's just inviting them to be slaughtered.

[superstring]

You cannot train others to be beyond their power. If they're weak, they will die anyway.

[sincleavers]

You're wrong about that. If they put in hard work and take time to learn, people can only get stronger!

[superstring]

People are born with power. It makes up who they are. No amount of training will give someone strength they aren't born with.

video

[feintofhart]

I'd be happy to join in. I think everyone could use a little sharpening up, when it comes to their combat skills. But to be honest, I think it'd be even more valuable for people to train together so we're not stuck acting on our own the next time something like that happens. Some organization would do us a world of good.

Re: video

[sincleavers]

That's how I've been feeling too, honestly -- at least about sharpening up.

[SIGH. He's been so used to having the Blazing Sword at hand, it's been hard to get used to trying to fight without it.]

And I agree. Fighting with a large group has never been my specialty, so the more we can all learn about getting organized, the better.

video

[feintofhart]

I'm good at it. Leading, I mean. Organizing an army. That's what I did back home. Not that I'm volunteering here, not when I'm still getting used to things, but I can at least help draw up some general strategies and run drills. How many people are interested, anyway?

[text]

[alethiological]

[ People wave on video messages now??? Kids are wild. Note: consider addition for future interpersonal relations. ]

Interest enough, I think. Could even throw something for the civilian types. Basic first aid, field sutures, such.

Question. Weapons only, or anything? I don't need self-defence courses, but unarmed combat needs adjusting.

[sincleavers]

Good point. Maybe I'll see if some of the people who work the clinic would be interested in giving first aid lessons at the same time. [... Might be good to have someone on hand anyway, in case someone gets hurt.]

I'd say anything. Some people might want to sharpen their skills with a weapon, but some might not. I could use some work in hand-to-hand combat, myself.

[alethiological]

Smart. Some of the newbies might be picking up swords for the first time.

[ And, come on, the Narrative knows how that goes. So do you, Observer. We all know that someone, somewhere, is going to brain themselves with the wooden training swords. It's a rite of passage.

That said, there's a weirdly long pause, debating some mundanity offscreen, before the follow-up. ] If you have two arms and another body, I can help. Mostly takedowns and joint dislocations. Last resort when you're disarmed sortof thing. Just don't make me teach.

voice

[dialetheism]

[ So they're still not... quite comfortable enough with this whole charm business to try video, but voice feels less silly then text. ]

...I dread to think of something like that happening so often that we'd need to prepare for it in advance, if I'm being honest.

[ Which means it'll certainly be the case, whether they like it or not. Ssssigh. ]

But that doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea. [ There's a slight pause, and then- ] ...Especially for those of us from places that, ah... may not have had any reason to learn these sorts of things before.

[sincleavers]

[A sympathetic chuckle.] I can't help but agree. I'd prefer to think it was a one-time thing, personally.

[Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.] And that's exactly what I had in mind. There's no bad time to learn how to defend yourself -- just in case.

text

[suicideprototype]

It would be remiss of me to discourage you from showing initiative, but there is no guarantee that everyone will be fighting on your side the next time something like that happens.

[sincleavers]

You're right about that. Even this most recent time, we weren't all on the same side... [He can't help thinking of Kisara.]

I still think it's worth it. There's no telling what this place has in store for us, so we have to do the best we can to be prepared for anything.