Questing, sparring, training, living [closed log catch-all]

[youwillbeunequaled]

Who: Tonbokiri, Yaoyorozu, Arisato, Emma, Cairngorm, Ochako, Midoriya
What: Questing, sparring, training, living (not in that particular order.)
When: March 22 to April 8-ish (Dates in top threads)
Where: Tonbokiri's place in Flavo (Unless otherwise noted)
Warning: Violence in the training/sparring threads.

Top-threads below! ↓
[*I prefer prose, especially for action-based threads like sparring. But if you want to do action brackets instead, please reply in that format and I'll follow.]

Comments

[youwillbeunequaled]

"I see. Do not worry! You are not being difficult!" He sets his hand heavily on Arisato's shoulder in an encouraging pat. "I asked you to do this so that I could find out more about you. Which I did."

Propping his spear in one hand he smiles down at the boy kindly, but his tone is serious. "You took up that sword to protect yourself and your friends, but perhaps it was only because you felt you had to. Those backed into a corner can fight ferociously in order to escape with their lives. But once free, that power fades.

"So now, Arisato-dono, the question is: Do you wish to revive and hone that power? Because if you do, you know that this situation is not the same as when you fought monsters. You may have to turn your sword against a human, this time.

"There is strength in knowing what you are, or believe yourself, capable of."

He pauses for a moment, then pats him again. "Take your time to think about it. For however long you need. But once you have an answer, I shall be here to teach you, if you wish it."

[messianic]

Tonbokiri is right, of course. Minato only ever really fought to protect himself and his friends. That's how it always was. And he'd reached the end of his battle, after giving it his all, so that his friends and the world could be safe.

But now...

It's different, isn't it? Tonbokiri tells him to take his time to think it over, but Minato already knows his answer. He shakes his head simply, but firmly, meeting Tonbokiri's eyes.

"I want to learn. I want to improve, and do what I can to get stronger. Because I want to protect the people around me."

Minato draws a slow breath in, squaring his shoulders. It may be that, like with Strega, he'll have to deal with facing actual human beings. But... when that time comes... he won't kill them, no matter what. But doesn't that mean he has to get even stronger? So that... no matter what, he can protect the people around him and avoid killing or seriously harming anyone who might come his way.

"I'm sorry. I'll work harder... but this is what I want."

Decisive like a true protagonist!

[youwillbeunequaled]

Tonbokiri meets Arisato's eyes and nods back. He is a little surprised, but pleased, that he decided so quickly. Smiling broadly he gives the boy a strong clap on the shoulder.

"Very well, then. That is your decision, and I shall support you."

Now it comes to it. Time to teach him some technique.

"You will have to work very hard, Arisato-dono! Mm. Let's start with some drills then. Physical strength is important as well!"

Laying down his spear, he then takes up a particular posture that he has observed many times, but does not often do himself- right hand over the left as if holding a sword hilt, one foot in front of the other as if ready to step forward*.

"Show me this stance with your sword. And just stay like that for a moment."

Because even holding a wooden sword, it can be surprisingly tiring to hold that posture. How will Arisato-dono do holding his own sword?

it's his one good trait!

[messianic]

Tonbokiri really is a good teacher; Minato's grateful at the encouragement and the easy acceptance, and relaxes a little in return, nodding quietly.

He will absolutely have to work hard--but he's not allergic to hard work. He'll put in the work if that's what it takes--and at least this time, he can learn from someone who knows what they're doing, instead of trying to teach himself constantly.

So obediently, he lifts his sword, inspecting Tonbokiri carefully to try to mimic the stance as best he can. He'll probably need some tweaking and adjusting--he really has very little proper technique to speak of--but he's at least pretty strong after all of that physical activity in Tartarus, that nest of Shadows. So he can hold what he has in place, brow furrowed ever-so-slightly in focus.

Re: it's his one good trait!

[youwillbeunequaled]

Tonbokiri gives one small hum of approval, and walks around Arisato. He adjusts his stance with a firm but gentle hand, pushing out his shoulders, setting his feet, tweaking his elbows and wrists.

"There. Continue to hold that stance. See how it feels. Take it in. It is the fundamental stance from which to defend and attack. I wish to see how long you can hold this for."

One to show that he can do what he expects of his students, Tonbokiri takes back up his spear and takes the similar stance meant for polearms. His form, of course, is solid and unmoving.

And they stand there. Just keep standing there.

Tonbokiri is watching the tip of Arisato's sword carefully, waiting for it to waver.

[messianic]

Minato does his best; he moves with each of those tweaks, trying to commit it to memory properly. This sort of stance...

(Maybe if he had taken kendo in school he'd be a bit better at this, but alas.)

... He can at least do his best, and practice it on his own too. With that promise to himself, he settles in to focus on just this. The fundamentals are exactly what he'd been lacking, so this can only help.

Tonbokiri is, of course, a reassuring presence to his side, a solid and neat form for Minato to try to draw some sort of inspiration from--but despite his determination, it is difficult to remain in place like this with his sword in his hands, and after a short period of time of holding that stance in place, the tip of his sword does dip and waver a bit before he resettles again, brow furrowed a little.

[youwillbeunequaled]

The edge of Tonbokiri's mouth turns up in a smile when Arisato resettles into the stance. He was going to tell him to stop, but if he is so determined, he'll see how much further he can go.


But when the tip of his sword eventually wavers again, he says firmly, "That's enough. Relax for a moment, take a deep breath, take note of your physical condition, and then return to that stance. Then I shall give you something to practice until we meet again. Perhaps it feels like a short lesson, but in regards to fundamental techniques, there are some things that you simply have to practice over and over." Until the weapon becomes your body like a part of your body.

[messianic]

Right.

Minato lowers his sword with what's honestly a soft sigh of relief. That was more work than he was expecting it to be somehow... so he just obeys, taking a deep breath and trying to relax a bit. Right... okay.

Back to the stance.

He can definitely feel it in his arms, his shoulders, the strain of holding an unfamiliar posture with a sword in his hands--but it's definitely in a good way.

"Okay..." he murmurs that softly, eyes focused on his sword. "Thank you for helping me with this... I'll practice this too."

Until he's much, much better than this--until he's steady like Tonbokiri.

[youwillbeunequaled]

It's amazing how tiring just standing there can be! He nods to acknowledge Minato's promise, then sets down his spear again.

"Good. Besides the stance, also practice this movement." He sets himself into the stance, then steps forward with his right foot while arcing his pretend sword back behind his head. Slowly he swings down, bringing his left foot forward. And then he does the same in reverse, stepping back*. The fact that he does it slowly is not only for Minato's benefit, so that he can study the movement, but for himself. Although he's seen the movement many times, he's not done it with a sword. Yet he is reasonably sure he has it correct. It feels unusual, but not wrong.

Repeating the movement over as he speaks he explains, "This is a fundamental movement. From here you will learn how to defend or attack. But if the root of the motion isn't good, then the rest won't be either." Pausing, he arches an eyebrow knowingly at the boy. "I know you will practice hard, but do not overdo it either. Patience is also necessary for proper growth."

Stopping his demonstration he encourages, "Give it a try. I will correct your form." Because that will be far more accurate than him demonstrating it!

[messianic]

There's something honestly incredibly engaging about this. Minato's never gotten the chance to learn proper technique like this--he's learned by mimicking, or doing his best and hoping for the best, when it comes to weapons. So all of this... it's new, and it's worthwhile, and that makes it really interesting.

(It's interesting, too, that after everything, he can come here and be in a place like this and learn something new. It makes him...really happy.)

So he focuses, brow furrowed ever so slightly as he watches Tonbokiri's movements. It's familiar enough, in the sense that he's watched the kendo team practice a very similar movement. But it's unfamiliar in that he's never done it himself.

"... Right. Okay." Make a strong, solid base, so the rest can be good. Makes sense to him. As for that last knowing statement... he dips his head a little, both in sheepishness and acknowledgement. "Ah... I understand. I won't overdo it, either."

At least, he'll try not to. Rest is good too... he knows that. As eager as he is to learn, he'll try to take it easy, too. For now? He'll try, lifting his sword to try to mimic Tonbokiri's movements as best he can. It's harder than it looks, especially since he's already getting tired from the earlier holding of that stance... but he's determined to get it right at least once.

[youwillbeunequaled]

In calm moments like this Tonbokiri can have the sense to realize that it's a bit of 'the pot calling the kettle black'-- it's not as if he doesn't have his own moments of going too far. But when you're caught up in something, you just do what feels right, right?

As Arisato starts trying out the movement he circles the boy, sometimes guiding his hands, pulling on his wrists and arms, and even poking at his feet to get everything lined up correctly.

"It may feel strange, as you have been self-taught. But continue on like this and you will surely see the benefits."

After a few minutes of that Tonbokiri calls for him to stop and instructs him to stretch out and cool down properly. As they do that, they can discuss future lessons.


[[ooc: we can sort the details later on plurk about those future lessons, but unless Minato has more to do here, we can tie this one up?]]