[Open] Morning Training! - February 25th

[spandexisyouth]

Characters: Everyone!

Location: Training Grounds, Shibusen

Rating: PG-13 for violence

Time: 6am to 9am

Description: Every morning in the city, Morning Training takes place to prepare the guests of the city for the war. It's handwaved most days, but approximately once a month this gets played out in a log. This log takes place on February 25th.

Official Areas:


FAQ: Questions answered by Maito Gai
Breakfast: Run by Cinderella, Katakura Kojurou, Saya Tagaki, Yugo
Batch One: Beginners under the age of 15. Run by Auron, Steve Rogers, Deryn.
Batch Two: Adult beginners. Run by Maito Gai, Tifa Lockhart, Cloud.
Batch Three: Intermediate fighters. Overseen by Hyuuga Neji and Ling Yao. Please see list of random sparrers.
Batch Four: Experienced fighters, for sparring with each other. Overseen by Haruka.
Weapon Transformation: How to find your form. Run by Yuuri, Spirit.
Soul Perception: If someone doesn’t know by now. Run by Azusa.
Partner Training: How to work together as partners. Run by Tassadar; Maka and Soul; Shizuo; Eve; Crona and Ragnarok.
Weapons Handling Training: Run by Genesis Rhapsodos, Tenten, Kerrigan.
Shooting Range: How to Shoot. Run by Leon, Naoto.
Meister Ability Helpers: How to find it out. Run by Death the Kid, Edgeworth.
Finding a Partner: For unpartnered Meisters and Weapons to mingle and find each other. Overseen by Sasame.
Fighting Witches: Speak to an actual Witch and find out some of what you're facing. Run by Cybele.
First Aid Training: Training run by Naomi Kimishima, Megumi, Kira Izuru.
Medics: A place for the medics to get to know each other and mingle.
Watch: For Watch people (and prospective new members) to gather, talk, and train.

Hug Brigade: Come get hugs!

For training via sparring:
Katakura Koujurou
Hyuuga Neji
Steve Rogers
Crona
Maito Gai
(Various NPCs available upon request)
Partner vs Partner sparring is also good!

Feel free to make your own open threads!



Breakfast
Ryoki [Open]
Bakura [Open]
Yami Bakura [Open]

Batch Two
Flora [Open]
Santana [Open]
Mitsuba [Open]


Batch Three
Takuto [Open]
Mithos [Open]

Batch Four
Amateresu [Open]
Raidou [Open]
Lili [Open]

Shooting Range
Death The Kid [Open]
Yami Bakura [Open]
Bakura [Open]

Finding a Partner
Stripperella - Meister [Open]
Ryoki - Weapon [Open]
Amateresu - Meister [Open]
Demona - Meister [Open]
Bakura - Weapon [Open]
Flora - Weapon [Open]
Londo - Weapon [Open]
Yami Bakura - Meister [Open]
Leo - Meister [Open]
Hades - Weapon [Open]
Yako - Weapon [Open]
Jules - Weapon [Open]
Kei - Weapon [Open]

Watch
Stripperella [Open]
Takuto [Open]
Duke [Open]
Neji [Open]
Mithos [Open]
Aion [Open]

General
Saya [Open]
Stripperella [Open]
Darcia [Open]
Ryoki [Open]
Gai [Open]
Demona [Open]
Takuto [Open]
Bakura [Open]
Kanji [Open]
Amateresu [Open]
Naoto [Open]
Raidou [Open]
Auron [Open]
Flora [Open]
Yami Bakura [Open]
Junpei [Open]
Leo [Open]
Aion [Open]
Hades [Open]
Itou, Qilby, Megumi, castmates [Closed]
Spirit [Open]
Hanabi [Open]
Qilby [Open]
Ed Elric [Open]

Comments

open.

[dissenter]

[training, over! time for millennia-old eliatropes to do what they do best and just be plumb tuckered-out.

but you wouldn't think it, looking at qilby. this morning, something's seem to have got a hold of him -- inspiration, or insight, or something -- and he's writing fixedly in a small notebook balanced on one knee, as if someone's going to swoop down and take it from him if he doesn't get whatever idea he has down on paper fast enough. he occasionally glances up at a sparring pair or diligently training guest, but otherwise seems completely oblivious to everything else around him.

potential company, included.]

[pmsgargoyle]

[and here is the blue gargoyle.

She noticed Qilby from atop of her tree, and moved to the ground, approaching him] Good morning, Qilby.

[dissenter]

[aghlfk-- he jumps in his seat and looks up, startled.]

Good morning? [qilby appears bewildered by the greeting, as if he's only just noticed that it is indeed morning, and that it is indeed a good one.] Er, I mean-- yes, good morning.

[he smiles sheepishly and, laying his pen in the gutter of his notebook, massages his temples. the page is covered in a scrawl of a foreign text, alphabet totally alien.] My apologies, I didn't even notice you. How's training coming along?

[pmsgargoyle]

Well enough. [she is, however, curious at what is doing]

Won't you be training today?

[dissenter]

[the corner of his mouth twists wryly, and he tilts his neck to show off an excellent bruise on his collarbone.]

I've just finished receiving my daily share of pummeling, if that's what you mean, yes.

[despite the aches, he does look pretty cheerful about something. not pleasant and polite, as is his default setting, but... really alive.] Other endeavors, though, have been... Quite fruitful. Even if it took nearly a month to accomplish.

[pmsgargoyle]

I see. It seems you are quite set on getting better, however. That is good. [because even if old, that's no excuse for trying to fight, right? At least that was the gargoyle way, warriors until death]

Oh? You made me curious now. [her wings wrap around her shoulders, glancing at his book]

[dissenter]

[sure, that's what he is -- a warrior until death, and the next life after that, and the one after that, and the one after that....

he notices the glance, and his smile widens. but instead of holding out his notes, he holds out his hand, palm out. it's not as intuitive as it once was, doing this, but a second later he conjures a small, faintly-glowing blue ring between him and demona.] They said our abilities here might be similar to those we had back on the worlds we came from. When I witnessed my brother making his portals, I knew I had to be capable of it as well.

[the days of anguish over being beaten to the discovery -- by a barely-teenaged brat, no less -- needs no mentioning. but his smile slips a bit as he shifts his hand slightly, drawing forth another portal a yard away to his side. he reaches forward, towards the first one he conjured, but his hand passes through as if it was simply air.] Though-- they don't yet appear to do as much as they should. [le frown.] I'm weak, here.

[pmsgargoyle]

[Demona's eyes watched the ring with interest; if she hadn't known better, she'd say it was sorcery - and would have been REALLY pleased - but after listening to Qilby, she figured it'd be his Meister ability]

What could you do before, with such powers?

[dissenter]

[the look on his face makes it clear that the next few sentences out of his mouth aren't going to be the most humble ones demona's ever heard him speak.]

Anything. [that really sums it up, but hey, he'll elaborate since he likes to talk.] My kind had complete mastery over the life force that suffused our universe. Our ability to create these portals -- doorways between two points in space -- was only one facet of that greater power.

With our portals, travel to other dimensions was a triviality. [but even as he says that, the weakened portals wink out, and he sighs -- it clearly takes some effort to maintain.] And it's how I believe I came to be here in the first place.

[toukakoukan]

[It really isn't difficult to spot Qilby, even from a distance. Ed, who's been sparring and practicing per usual, decides it's a fine time for a little break as he makes his way over to Qilby, a bit excited to be able to talk to him in person for the first time.]

Hey! [He stops right in front of him, more or less demanding attention from his tone and position.] You're Qilby, right?

[dissenter]

[no duh he's easy to spot. his hat practically demands as much attention as ed's demanding now -- which is to say, a lot. but even so, it's only at the sound of his name that qilby looks up.

he's initially surprised that someone's come looking specifically for him, and not a little annoyed that they had to do it now, but he cracks a warm smile when he finally recognizes the kid.]

The young man I spoke to a few weeks ago, correct? [only now, he realises they never exchanged names. how careless of him; this one actually had some interesting things to say.] My, it's certainly been too long since we last talked. I'll have to ask you to forgive me for that.

[toukakoukan]

[Ed shrugs a little, not bothered by that fact since he never made any moves to talk to Qilby either.]

Yeah, Edward Elric. Enough happens in this city so it's fine.

[His eyes dart to what Qilby is working on though, a gleam of curiosity in them as he keeps in mind what he was told about writing whole libraries, and the promise of researching together. He's pretty much itching to ask what Qilby's doing, but he can hold himself back for a few more moments.]

Do you usually come to the trainings?

[dissenter]

I do -- quite often, in fact. But to say I train at them is perhaps too generous. [a small, pleasant laugh.] More like I humble myself at them. But it's good to remind myself of my... Weaker points. [the sleeves of his tunic are long and loose, but it's not hard to notice the left one has no arm to fill it.]

Aah, in any case, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Things must be busy between training, studying, and... [le smile.] The Watch, was it?

[toukakoukan]

Ah, yeah-- [Ed cuts himself off as his eyes fall upon Qilby's empty left sleeve, eyebrows raising. From the video feed, he hadn't noticed it but there's a little stir of comradery from him when he sees it now.]

[He continues, slower now.] I'm on the Watch, yeah. [He shrugs though about things being busy; he's used to life being more hectic so this doesn't feel like much.] It's okay, I guess.

You're keeping busy too though? [At this, he gestures a little to what Qilby's writing.]

[dissenter]

[hahaha, qilby just has to marvel a little at how this boy can sound like someone decades his senior when he gets to theorizing, and yet still make such typically-teenaged responses like that at other times. what a strange child.]

My days aren't as busy as they once were... Which is a bit of a blessing, for someone my age. [he's mastered the art of self-deprecation without sounding pitiful.] It's mostly waiting for flashes of insight-- bursts of inspiration...

[he's noticed the glances, the curiosity -- it's hard not to. he smiles and makes some room on his bench.] Have you given much thought to where our abilities come from? The ones we were granted here, I mean.

[toukakoukan]

[Ed goes to sit next to him, taking his thoughts away from Qilby's missing arm to think about his question a bit.]

I was told they're generally similar to ones that we have in our own world. But a lot of people here come from places where they don't have anything like powers at all, so it has to be something innate within someone. Something that makes us who we are.

[It's how he's tried to think about it, at least. With alchemy, it's not just something that he could do back home, it was a part of him, what helped him feel connected not just to his brother but to the world.]

[dissenter]

[he nods. that's quite the good start -- certainly much better than the sort of answer he'd get from most of the city's rabble.]

I'm sure there're many theories as to what makes us who we are. The most sentimental among us would say it's our actions, but-- [a light chuckle] I think we're looking for something a bit more quantitative to answer this particular question.

So if these powers didn't manifest themselves for some people on their own worlds, it's not a stretch to say that it's something about this world that grants them their abilities. Whether it's some magic about this place that's unlocked their potential, or -- more simply -- something they received upon coming here. [it's probably pretty obvious by now that he knows exactly what he's trying to get at -- he just wants ed to say it.] Perhaps something we all received?

[braidedwonder]

[ It doesn't take Duo very long to spot Qilby, even in the crowd, and he makes his way over, picking a path through all the people. Morning training wasn't particularly the worst thing he's ever attended, but at the same time, shooting and physical training were things he was pretty much used to doing himself, and so he'd pretty much only been looking forward to this training session of sorts with the other man.

He waves as he approaches, grinning. ]

Hey, Qilby!

[dissenter]

[either qilby's already got the whole zen thing going, or he's just that focused on what he's doing, since it takes full seconds for him to look up and notice the greeting. for the record -- it's the latter.

when he recognizes the young man, however, any trace of chagrin at being interrupted vanishes (from his face, at least) and he shuts his book and sets it respectfully aside before getting to his feet.]

Aah, Duo. Good morning. [a pleasant smile, one which should be pretty familiar by now.] Forgive me for not seeking you out earlier... I'm afraid I got caught up in some training of my own. But it's as good thing you're here -- I could use a bit of calm, after that.

[braidedwonder]

Sorry to interrupt your reading.. [ The teenager approaches close enough to not seem as though he's standing awkwardly far away, hands tucked in his jean pockets. To say he was a little nervous about trying this whole focusing and meditating thing is an understatement. It's a natural gundam pilot thing to not like to fail. ]

It's fine, I was at the shooting range and getting some exercise in. Hopefully it wasn't too bad for you, though?

[dissenter]

Not at all, not at all. [he waves his hand reassuringly -- the kid looks tense enough without having to worry about having interrupted him. even if qilby was a bit sour over it.

but another part of him's curious to get to know the boy with his tales of space and wars among the stars, so it's not as bad as all that.] And no-- quite the contrary, today's efforts have been rather fruitful for me. [he does his best to look encouraging.] Which bodes well for us.

That is... Assuming you're still interested in learning about the more spiritual side of things?

[braidedwonder]

Well that's good news! For a second there I thought things hadn't gone so well.. [ Another slightly nervous laugh, but he seems put enough at ease. He's still not quite thrilled about trying this, considering his stunning failures at this a long time ago, but he gives a nod anyway. ]

Yeah... Let's see if I can manage it this time, eh?

[dissenter]

[a scrutinizing look -- that wasn't the most enthusiastic reply in the world -- but qilby deigns not to comment, instead turning to scoop up his notes and beckoning duo to follow him.]

As you might imagine, meditation is best done away from the sight and sound of several dozens of people sparring and whatnot.

[the grounds are quite large, however, and a nearby sunny clearing in a copse of trees is quiet enough for their purposes. the old eliatrope takes a seat right on the grass, crossing his long legs and resting his good hand on one knee.] There. A far better place to clear one's mind.

[he smiles as he waits for the boy to pull up a patch of grass of his own.] I assume you've heard that mantra Shibusen's constantly repeating to its students?

[braidedwonder]

[ He follows after, pushing aside the thought that he wasn't quite sure how this might go. Now wasn't the time for doubts, at least that's what he told himself as he followed after him, looking around at the scenery. Earth scenery was a lot different than the planned lay out of colonies, and he was still getting used to this whole 'in the desert on Earth' thing. ]

Yeah, I'm pretty distracted just by little noises, so.. [ More like jumpy, but he wasn't about to tell Qilby all about his issues of forgetting 'soldier' for a little while. He takes a seat across from him, legs criss-crossed and elbows rested on his knees. ]

Mmhmm. I've been trying to absorb as much about this place as I can, but there's just.. a whole lot to absorb, you know?

[dissenter]

[he laughs good-naturedly.] I think I do. Luckily you're not yet at the age where it becomes difficult to absorb anything at all.

But for now, I'd like you to forget all about absorption of any kind. Hear my words, but don't don't cling to them. Meditation is ultimately about clearing your mind -- although you'll need my instruction, it'll end up distracting you if you lean on it.

And, speaking of leaning-- [the corner of his mouth twitches, despite his effort to not smile.] --you'll want to sit up straight.