PIPE WRENCH FIGHT [Open]

[unrecovered]

Who: Wash and anyone who wants to join
Where: Network and fighting ring
When: Early November, a few days before the Akvos world jump
Rating: TBD depending on thread content
What: Wash starts the Circle's first fight club. Kind of.

[This will be poster's choice - I'll put the network invitation in Wash's toplevel, but the long and short of it is, he'll be holding combat training for those who want to learn how to fight, and those who want to help teach are open as well. Feel free to make toplevels learning and/or teaching, and let me know if you need anything more or want prompt ideas!]

Comments

[dipolar]

I didn't invite you to listen to my criticisms, I came to watch.

("a bit stern" is hei's bread and butter. beating around the bush never got anyone anywhere they wanted to be in conversation or in life.

he doesn't fault lucina for believing in them, not everyone shares his pessimism, but he won't be joining her.)

There's no merit in being "willing" to do anything, if they really want to learn then they'll do it with or without my presence here. If they don't, then they're already too weak to bother with.

[rightfully]

[ The unbridled pessimism causes her shoulders to bristle somewhat, rising just so - defensively, perhaps. She certainly doesn't wish to argue with anyone, she just can't help being blunt and peace (or "peace") has hardly dulled her combative tendencies. ]

If that's how you wish to regard the effort, so be it.

[ She's going to leave it now. Really! Truly!!

...

Nope. Actually, she's going to continue to hover annoyingly and ask questions because she's Nosy AF. ]

Is it not dull for you, simply observing a practice you find no value in?

[dipolar]

I've already searched the Temple grounds and took a walk in the forest. That was before I came here. More than that, I've had my meals for the day and cleaned up more of the rat droppings I keep finding in my room.

...

There's nothing else for me to do.

(he actually said it.)

[rightfully]

[ This is going to go poorly for her (probably) - but she's always been an optimist, so - ]

In that case, why not a bout? I'm not untrained.

[ An understatement. ]

[dipolar]

No. (an immediate reply, tilting his bottle of wine back with a hard stare down into the ring.) I don't want to.

(honestly, hei's bone tired but that's not something he can just come out and say to people he doesn't trust. that this runs deeper than just a physical exhaustion, mentally and spiritually wrung dry. it's almost too much to even be talking right now, feeling his jaw weighing each word like it's the most difficult thing he's had to say.

no, not today.)

Neither of us would benefit from it. (a glance over at her, amending his statement:) You should find someone who'll give you their full attention.

[rightfully]

Very well.

[ Her stubbornness is built into the silt - that is, every fibre and sinew of her being - but also is the wisdom of knowing when to pick her battles. (Pun not intended.) It's too bad, he looks fit (if dressed in a deliberately misleading manner) and speaks more eloquently than the bottle perched by his feet would imply. ]

I will leave you be, only - [ Hm. ] May I have your name?

I am Lucina.

[ Sometimes, she even admits it. ]

[dipolar]

Hei.

(normally he'd let her go, because that sounds like the end to their conversation.

but it seems he still has questions to ask, finally turning a shoulder towards her. facing her, it's far easier to gauge her expressions and that's exactly what he wants to see when he finally speaks after a prolonged stare up at her.)

How long have you been here? How many missions?

[rightfully]

[ She hadn't quite been about to step away, no, but Lucina's mouth is open to bring the conversation to a polite close - and then he speaks up, surprising her into a brief pause. Well, then. ]

I have been here for approximately two months. [ As for the second question - ] And no missions, so far. It seems I was brought in right before an extended period of recovery.

[ It galls her a little. Her hands aren't meant to be idle ones. She wants to move, wants to work, wants to do what she's good at (what little there is).

If Hei is particularly observant, he may notice that much. The fickle creases on a face that only wounded pride can create. ]

[dipolar]

So you've been stagnating. (yeah, he feels you.

even a week seems excessive to him, but hei knows he needs the rest after all that's happened to him. now that he's allowed his lethargy to drag him into inertia, all it does is breed a stronger desire to do nothing. he'd rather just sink into these stands and—

blinks, eyes dragging up to stare at the sky.)

What do you think about it? Is any of this worthwhile?

[rightfully]

If we can truly help, then yes. It always is.

[ Astoria clearly has great power, to bring her here, and Lucina consistently errs on giving goddesses - or witches, as some have called her - the respect they deserve. That doesn't mean she's without questions or skepticism, but that doesn't mean her underlying nature has differed in any way. ]

At present, all I can do is hope we'll be put in the action soon and keep my skills from deteriorating in the mean time.

[ Easier said then done, although right now her greatest obstacle is not tripping over Hei.

She's totally going to trip over Hei. Any tag now. ]

[dipolar]

(LUCINA, HONEY, CHECK YOUR BALANCE)

It's impossible to tell that that's the case. (he adds, because if no one will play devil's advocate then he will — if only for the hell of it.) If it comes out that we're doing something that's damaging the universe, then what will you do?

(but she did say "if", which is enough doubt to go off of.)

None of us know what we're doing. Helping some random god with their shit — (when no god helped him.) — isn't on my agenda.

[rightfully]

[ -5 to Lucina's BAL Stat, probably. ]

I don't know.

[ As an answer to his question. She can say that much — admit it freely, even. There's a lot Lucina doesn't know. She's very tired most of the time, and resigned to both her ignorance and the fact that the universe just keeps its own council, its secrets, and she is unworthy of them. ]

For now, all I can do is act with good faith and try to accumulate as much information as possible about our situation.

[ She's stumbling around in the dark, as usual. ...At least she's aware of it? ]

[dipolar]

Blind faith. (hei corrects her almost immediately, tucking his hands into his pocket.

damn, he wants a cigarette.)

You'll act with blind faith. That's understandable if you've got nothing to lose, but you don't look the type.

[rightfully]

[ That, Lucina believes, is entirely untrue. Her frown only grows in its severity. ]

Why do you say that?

[dipolar]

You won't press your own opinion and you speak well, like you've been taught to be coherent and uptight. Seems like you, of all people, would have a life you'd hate to lose.

(but that's none of his business. kermit-with-tea.gif.)

If you're the type of woman with prospects, don't stupidly follow whomever. Even if— especially if they claim to be gods.

[rightfully]

[ By the end of his first sentence, Lucina is visibly tensing. By the end of his sentence sentence, her back is unnecessarily straight, her shoulders high and defensive. Everything he says after that, it— it's just static on the line. The damage has been done, so to speak.

He can't know any of it. Not really. He's reading into surface observations, her words and the cadence that carries them. He doesn't see that it's all window dressing on nothing - which, coincidentally, is how she would describe her prospects.

Stung, Lucina attempts to gather herself. There isn't much she feels particularly inclined to tell him right now. ]

Perhaps I don't share your degree of cynicism. [ Or - worse, Lucina thinks - she doesn't know either way. It's nothing like she's ever heard before, save from her family's enemies. ] You're welcome to your point of view, but I would prefer you didn't make presumptions about my life and then judge me according to those presumptions. [ In the back of her mind, she wonders if she's being too harsh again - but the words are said regardless, and she can't take them back once spoken. ]

[dipolar]

(there it is. her backbone. she seems reluctant to expand on why he's gotten her so wrong, but he can't blame her for that. this isn't an information sharing event; they're both gauging each other in their own ways.

hei, reclined, offers a tilt of his head for her explanation and the barest quirk of a brow. this is a face that doesn't do much emoting.)

No, I guess you don't. (he concedes, but—) I won't do as you say, but rest assured: I won't have many questions for you. We can avoid one another, which I what I presume you'll prefer. In time.

1/2

[rightfully]

[ Severa would be rolling her eyes right about now. For a brief moment, Lucina misses her desperately, imagining what sort of caustic remark she'd have in the face of this. It may not be much, but there's friction enough to rile, and no temper is too even. Lucina's backbone, such as it is, settles back into the contours of her back, tension dissipating. ]

I couldn't say as of yet.

Are you truly as disagreeable as you present yourself?

[ She doesn't mean it as an insult, but no one could fault him for taking it as one. (Her tone is more catiously curious.) If he doesn't, if he feels like answering honestly, well - it could be a telling question, except— ]

2/2

[rightfully]

[ Except - the thing I promised a few tags ago - it's finally happening.

Lucina takes a step in some inconsequential direction (away, likely, or with the intention of away) and somehow trips over his feet, or his stupid legs, or... or whatever.

She comes crashing down on her chin. ]

[dipolar]

(it doesn't insult him — and not because most things tend to strike a very thick wall he's built up. he truly is that disagreeable, in poor spirits and a sour mood most of the time. stints of merciful behaviour crop up from time to time but his soul rotted many years ago.

which is why hei does nothing but stare as lucina trips over herself.

though he really should've moved and let her run splinters up the length of her chin... he just didn't expect, uh, whatever this is. so her chin is coming down on the bone of his knee. ouch. the audible impact actually forces him to straighten his spine, sitting up and forward so that he can eye her at his feet like she's just made a fucking mess.)

...

Are you stupid?

(SQUINTS)

[rightfully]

[ Well, this is hardly ideal! Lucina's teeth feel like they're vibrating from the force of the impact. For a moment, her face flushes a mighty swell of crimson - there, ruddy and angry, and then gone, fading back into her characteristic pale Ylissean tone. She can't imagine anywhere she'd like to be less than sprawled over this miserable man's legs, except maybe inside Grima's maw.

She scrambles awkwardly to regain purchase. It's hard to be dignified when you basically have to crawl your way upward. Lucina isn't sure she manages.

And then... His remark. Oh boy. ]

I hardly think my alleged stupidity is responsible for where you leave your legs!

[ (But yes, she is.)

Noticing that her cloak has tangled around her somewhat, she bats at it irritably. ]

[dipolar]

How— (no, man, it's not even worth it.

he told connor that women don't like to be told that they're wrong and that's his own lesson to live by, shutting up until she's made it back to her feet. his legs do not shift once, as though his feet are glued to the stands.)

Do you want me to ask if you're okay or something?

(mmmmmno, he won't do that either.)

You seem fine. It'll only be as embarrassing as want, so get over it.