Morning Training Log!

[awokentospring]

Characters: Everyone!
Location: Training Ground, Shibusen
Rating: PG-13 for violence of the training sort
Time: 6am to 9am
Description: Training takes place every morning in the park to prepare the guests of the city for the ongoing war. It's handwaved most days, but approximately once a month this gets played out in a log. This log takes place on May 27th.

Official areas:

FAQ: In need of help or answers? Come here! Staffed by Neji.
Breakfast: The incentive for coming to Morning Training for those who actually don't care about Death City. All food providers are given funds to buy/prepare the food and are then paid for the time they spent cooking/preparing. Provided by Saya and Fabiola
Cake Stand: A place for delicious treats; only the best cakes by Betty Crocker! Staffed by Condesce
Combat Instruction: One can learn and improve on fighting techniques! Staffed by Cloud, Genesis, and Sion
Sparring: A bunch of people are there. You show up and pick one to fight. Staffed by Fon (beginners), Fabiola (intermediate), Amaterasu and Cloud (advanced)
Weapon Transformation: New Weapon? Unsure on how to transform into a weapon (or how to transform back)? Go here! Staffed by Bakura, Aqua, and Gray
Soul Perception: Find out more about your soul, what they are, and what they potentially may do. Staffed by Shibusen
Partner Training: Learn how to work as a partner! Staffed by Azusa
Weapons Handling Training: Learn how to handle sharp things and not so sharp things! Staffed by Auron
Shooting Range: Learn to shoot a gun, not at quail though, so expect your face to come out of this just fine. Staffed by Naoto, Giroro, and Duo Maxwell
Meister Ability Helpers: Learn about your Meister ability and how to use it. Staffed by Edgeworth
Finding a Partner: Unpartnered Weapons and Meisters meet each other here! Additional help by Liz
Medics: A place for medics to hang out, recruit and aid the injured - especially if they get shot in the face by accident. Staffed by Rosalia
Watch: This is where members of the watch meet up, chill, recruit and train! People interested in the watch welcome!
SEES: This is where SEES members hang out, and recruit!
Hug Brigade: A begrudgingly still opened squad dedicated to hugs of encouragement. Thank Lee for this! Staffed by Lee and his brigaders!
Novelty Class: This month we have Dual Resonance and Resonance Attacks! Learn how to effectively wield two weapons, or unlock your resonance attack from Kanji!

And of course, as always, feel free to make your own threads!

Open Character threads (Bear with me as I try to catch them all ;;):
Sephiroth
Ange
Edgeworth
Yuri Lowell
Naoto Shirogane
Valentine
Meenah
Cupid
Bumblebee
Yami Bakura
Joshua
Akiha
Matt
The Disciple
The Condesce
Saya
Genesis

Comments

[itsfondue]

[He grips Bruce's hand, but not too tight, he's made that mistake before with Zelos. It's a firm grip as he looks at his teammate with a focused and serious expression. Steve notices the contradictory emotions of determination and resignation, so he tries to amplify the former. He feels Bruce's pulse and heartbeat in return, reaffirming some things that he knew about the doctor. Intelligent. Fundamentally good, but conflicted.]

[hulky]

[if Bruce does sense any "pulsing" not his own he initially stiffens, but attempts to FOOL HIMSELF shrug/reason it away as a figment of his imagination - an insight so keen it feels real - and instead of spooking like last time accept it, focus on it, temper a spiked heart rate into its rhythm/frequency. Constructive interference. Amplification, because he's supposed to be the weapon amplifier, right? Yet without input, there's no output. The physicist opens himself up a crack, lowering a few blast doors defenses with a pronounced sigh and a noticeable shift in posture. That sigh? It's also cleansing, purging, a cleaning-house before unwanted guests arrive. Bruce is good at clearing his mind - he knows the techniques, has had lots of practice - but the soul? Instruction in those techniques often referenced the soul, but Bruce is pretty sure this isn't what they had in mind. So have at it, Steve, if you're so determined why is he so sure of that determination, that stubbornness?, enjoy your peek inside the freak show's main attraction. Bruce's grip goes tighter, bracing for rejection... Intelligent? Sharply. Conflicted? Understatement of the year. Bruce's soul is an VERY angry burr, a prickly-in-more-ways-than-one husk with a kernel, a promise, of that fundamental goodness]

[itsfondue]

[Steve notices when Bruce lowers a few of his defenses, his posture changing a little as the amplification becomes stronger. He tries to maintain an air of calmness, but with stubborn determination still in it. He's patient in these things, when it comes to helping teammates at least.

He becomes encouraging, still gripping his hand even when Bruce tightens his own hold on him. Steve wants to show acceptance, maybe something he didn't fully have back at the Helicarrier. But after New York, things have changed, hopefully for the better.]

MATCHING ICONS GET

[hulky]

[he's very much aware of his body, has to be, and doesn't need to glance at his watch to know he's maintaining his cool, relatively speaking. Does Bruce let himself know he's likely getting some help there, that the calm Steve is working at is being echoed within his own soul? Certainly not >.> The physicist risks a glance up Steve's body. The soldier is still standing there, stance and grip unchanged, taking what comes, accepting it. Bruce isn't picking up on any signs of rejection, physical or, ah, otherwise?... and that's the problem. This lonely - insulating isolating - camaraderie, this friendly overture of the humble to the humbled, it's a bit too much for Bruce to take. He pulls his hand away, breaking contact]

I-i-i think that's enough, don't you? [steps back abruptly, left hand rubbing right] I-i should... ah, go [half-turn, and a vague gesture, away] make myself scarce change. [flashes Steve another pointed, knowing, glance. Another chance to change your mind, call this off]

[itsfondue]

[Steve lowers his hand when Bruce pulls his away, a little surprised by the sudden stop. It seems that their attempt at resonance is going a little better this time. They've made progress and he's glad about that.]

If you feel so. [Steve seems to believe in Bruce's judgment about this. It's not like he's the one transforming or anything like that. He doesn't know what it's like to transform into a 'weapon.'] I trust that it's enough.

[He doesn't look like he'll change his mind.]

[hulky]

[Bruce glances back at Steve when he speaks, but doesn't respond verbally, and any gestured acknowledgement is swallowed by movement as he puts some distance between himself and the person he just resonated with. Bruce appears preoccupied, focused, and he is. Just as a swiftly-flowing stream can almost appear still, pouring yourself into a task at hand can afford you some peace of mind, as well as stop you from questioning said task, or the catch-22 decisions which brought you to it.

The physicist removes his shoes, blazer, shirt, wasting taking time so that the clothing looks slightly more folded than piled and removing, then replacing, his glasses from said pile, opening/closing them in the process. He's seen other "weapons" transforming today, and none of them destroyed their clothes in the process, that he could see, but odds are none were dragging their feet arrived here with one already lurking inside them. Better safer than sorry, which is also why Bruce walks until he's roughly equidistant from his stuff and Steve before taking a seat on the grass. This party trick doesn't require any special staging, not anymore, but it never hurts to prepare that stage, especially when faced with some unknowns, BIG ones. If the "other guy" does rear his ugly head, the time it took him to extricate himself from a meditative position could give Steve the head start he needed to stop a bad situation from turning into something much worse. Then again, there's always the chance nothing would happen, that he would find himself still sitting there a few moments from now, barefoot and barechested, staring awkwardly at Steve.

Bruce meets Steve's eyes.

Here's to not hoping]

[itsfondue]

[He watches as Bruce moves away from him. Steve still remembers Bruce's words to him not too long ago, "I'm always angry" and the quick transformation into the Hulk soon after. Banner obviously has some control over it, so he waits while he gets ready to transform. There's no rush, really.

As Bruce takes off some of his clothing, Steve continues to stand and stay focused, just in case. Supposedly, this place strips people of all unusual powers, but he's gonna be ready for either scenario. Steve isn't against taking extra precautions and if this makes Bruce feel comfortable, he's okay with it. He meets Bruce's eyes and gives him a small nod, showing that he's ready as well.]

[hulky]

[living with this... condition, it's more about managing than management, though Bruce isn't against the latter. Relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, exercise - he knows all the gimmicks. But if you keep hitting a bar, the answer isn't to play a perpetual game of limbo, it's to raise the bar. It's learning to be angry without BEING angry, to accept the new abnormal. Yeah, easier said than done. Thing is, once you get the hang of lifting that bar, have a good grip on it, well, you now have the option of just letting go.

Bruce feels the familiar rush, the kick in his chest as catecholamines flood his system. He focuses his mind, simple thoughts, aiming the gun he just fired. No foes. No fight. Trust Steve. When the pain he is more than half expecting to come does, he almost welcomes it, almost, because he's losing control. He's losing himself. He's boiling over, water in a vacuum, conscious thought evaporating into so much steam.

In a literal flash it all ends, and instead of the Hulk there's a patinated flail in the grass, but in many ways the damage has already been done. The trauma his newfound weapon ability saved him from echoes sharply within the confines of his less organic, less forgiving, form. Painful reverberations that lash a raw, exposed, nerve. And that nerve, it tries to lash back. It roars, in pain, in rage. Which begs the question, does a weapon roaring in the grass actually make a sound?]

[itsfondue]

[There's a small flash as Steve watches his teammate transform into a weapon, landing quietly on the ground. So, a flail. That's definitely a unique one, not something he's used before. Closest thing would be a meteor hammer, but even that is pretty different. Still, he needs to be confident and show support of this. If he stops or backs away now, it's over.

Without further ado, Steve walks up to the silent appearing flail and picks it up. Well, this is unexpected. His eyes widen as he metaphorically hears the roaring, similar to the roaring of the Hulk. Except along with the rage, there's pain. Guess the big guy doesn't enjoy being stuck in a small form or just in a form different than what he's used to. Steve still holds onto the weapon, trying to be supportive. Calming.]

Dr. Banner? ...Hulk?

[hulky]

[you hit that nail largely on the head, Steve. Unfortunately, that's not going to save any digits that happen to be in the way when said nail slips out of control alignment. When Steve speaks there's an ever so brief pause in the metallic/mental roaring. The thing about aiming? The very act paints a target, and just as with paintings of the more artistic variety, they can become art for art's sake - or more appropriately, a bull's eye for bull's eye sake - any and all intended context or meaning easily falling by the wayside. So the next roar is entirely, mind-splittingly, focused on Steve. As for that flail, it's got some heft to it, and suddenly gets MUCH heavier. Watch your back, Steve, REMEMBER TO LIFT WITH YOUR KNEES]

[itsfondue]

[Steve can't stop himself from cringing a little when Bruce (Hulk?) roars again, the sound bellowing through his mind. Okay so he's never had experience with something like this before. However, he's gonna keep at it still.]

Bruce, Hulk. You'll be okay- [Steve strains a little when the flail suddenly becomes much heavier. Doesn't help that the darn serum of his is weaker as well.] You're um, doing fine...

[hulky]

[the next yell is still psychically focused on Steve, a fair portion of it a harsh objection to his last statement - because NOTHING about this, and ESPECIALLY not feeling trapped in new and unfamiliar skin, is fine - so still intense, but kicked down a notch. The Other Guy huffs Bruce-like, then "sniffs", that focus shifting in a pacing sort of way, fist-etched ball swaying/swinging a little, like a pendulum. The subsequent bellow is louder than the last but directed outward, more beyond/around Steve than Steve. The line between us and them, foe and friend, is being drawn, the wagons circled, and lucky for Steve, he's landing on our side of that divide]

[itsfondue]

[His grip on the flail tightens more as the yell crashes through his mind. He's not going to let go now, but Steve still tightly closes his eyes for a moment, trying to endure the ringing in his mind. He's got to hand it to the Hulk, his voice is still loud and clear even as a flail.

Steve reopens his eyes as the Hulk sniffs, watching as the ball sway a little from the chain. Maybe he's getting familiar with the- oh, well, that's another yell, but it feels less painful than the last one. Almost like it's directed outward.]

Hulk? How do you feel?

[hulky]

[how do you THINK he feels, Steve :| flail!Hulk makes a noise in Steve's mind akin to an exhale across neutral vocal cords - somewhere between a groan and a growl, yet with a hint of vocalization - while that ball swings towards Steve's gripping fingers, aiming to knock them smartly. If the Other Guy had been towering next to Steve rather than in his hand, it would have been a rumble from a big, green chest angled away from him and a light for Hulk punch to the shoulders - enough to knock Steve into a stumble or off his feet, but not hurt him, not really. It's a pointed answer, though not really an aggressive one, considering the source. When you're sort of dealing with aggression incarnate, you really need to interpret shows of force on a sliding scale, as well as take them with a grain of salt]

[itsfondue]

Ow- [Okay, that was sorta of a dumb question. But Hulk seems to have some control over his weapon form. The blow to his fingers could have been much worse.]

Gonna take that as a negative. [But he's not upset, just trying to remain a calm presence around him.]

[hulky]

[have an answering, affirmative-sounding, grunt. The fist!ball goes back to swaying/moving as it had before, a little reminiscent of how the Hulk, or one of his fists, might if he was standing beside Steve, so much pent-up potential energy wanting/needing to SMASH go kinetic. And yes, standing beside you, Steve, with you - in your isolation, your staunchness, your own burning brand of ferocity. Hulk's acceptance is pure, transparent, all or nothing, but also like his nature, rather volatile. Yet just as Steve's hand is anchoring us physically, his firm-yet-giving nature is capable/doing a bit of the same, for there is a certain rapport developing, though it's still, ah, VERY green]

[itsfondue]

[Steve notices when the ball starts to sway again, and thankfully away from his fingers. Guess Hulk is satisfied in giving his point to him. Steve isn't about to complain about that. Besides, he's beginning to feel acceptance through the wavelength and Steve tries to amplify it.]

Wanna smash something, Hulk?

[hulky]

[the answer comes in the form of another throaty exhale, but this one pitched a bit higher - not trapped in the chest but escaping through a partially-opened mouth, maybe modulated by teeth yet not lips, like a smile. Any amplification Steve is trying to do or sense takes hold and increases with the resonance bump because NOW you're speaking our language]

[itsfondue]

[Steve hears the affirmation in Hulk's voice, so he looks around and spots a punching bag out in the open. It's always good to have one nearby anyway, especially during morning training. The blow will probably cause a bit of a mess, but he didn't mind cleaning it up afterward.

Gripping the handle, Steve readies himself and swings the ball at the punching bag, not really using all of his strength.]

[hulky]

[STEVE IS ALWAYS SO PREPARED the fist!ball impacts with the bag, sending it swinging rather violently, but not really causing much damage, or at least not enough for our tastes. The flail in Steve's grasp gets resonance-slip-heavier with a noise like a growl/grunt/huff all in one. We can smell that serum know you can do better, blood half-brother Steve. Come on, get ANGRY at it]

[itsfondue]

[Maybe because he's resonating with Hulk or that he is normally angry when hitting punch bags, Steve starts to swing the flail with more strength, definitely not holding back as much as before.

With each strike, some anger from Steve starts to bleed into the link.]

[hulky]

[anger? it's a cycle that can build, can feed itself. As they step closer to becoming one in that rage the flail gets lighter and lighter, while the damage being caused to the punching bag keeps brutal pace]

[itsfondue]

[Steve usually has better control than this, a tight leash on his emotions, his anger. But thoughts of waking up in the future, then waking up here, being be brought into one war after another... the frustration flows into their link.

As their rage intensifies, the punching bag starts to weaken until it finally breaks, sand flying across the ground.]

WE WILL FINISH THIS I SWEAR!!!!

[hulky]

[when it comes to control, Hulk is pretty much defined by a decided lack thereof. So sorry, Steve, you're not getting any help there from us. Actually, if anything, you might be getting some of the exact opposite as someone accustomed to being fueled and refueled by mounting ire amplifies more than just soul wavelength.

After the punching bag finally succumbs to the onslaught in a spray of sand Hulk looses a gruff yell in its direction AND STAY DOWN before he turns on the tree which harbored it with what sounds like a sneery exhale YEAH YOU'RE GOING DOWN TOO]

8D

[itsfondue]

[Once the punching bag goes down, Steve starts to breathe in and out, trying to calm himself again. It's harder than normal though, mostly due to Hulk's influence, and hitting the tree with the flail looks more appealing than it should be.

Besides, it's not like he normally stops at just one broken punching bag. So without much warning, he swings the flail at the tree too.]