expiationlogs | [training mingle] Let's get down the business!

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[training mingle] Let's get down the business!

Who: Everyone out there!
Where: Outskirts of the Aldrip - Training Grounds
What: It's time for the Boot(y) Camp! The Chosen of Aldrip have all been invited to train, learn and spar!
Warnings: Other than the general violence? TBA..!

It is early morning on the 9th of September. The sun is shining, the air is fresh and nicely brisk, which means that it is just perfect time for Aldrip's first ever group training! How did you find your way there? Who knows! Maybe you were one of the people who saw the original announcement on the network, or noticed posters about it around Adlrip. Or maybe you were brought here by friendly white boar. Well, whatever the reason is what matters is that you are here. Welcome.

The empty field near the outskirts of the City has been transformed into a makeshift training camp. There are couple of tents set up around the camp. Some of them work as rather simplified armories containing pretty limited amount of blades, axes, armors, firearms, bows and arrows and what have you. Feel free to pick your poison, so to speak, but be sure to return what you borrow. Richard is keeping an eye on the weapons and will notice if something goes missing. Of course, characters are more than welcomed to use their own weapons and armors etc. Other tents are for resting, ER practice and dining. The lunch is sponsored by the Sandwich Hut.

The official training areas and their respective teachers/staff are the following:

Spiritual training/magic: Kurama, Douman, Kakashi
First-aid: Ethlyn, Morph, Bones
Rescue training: Morph, Bones
Hand-to-hand combat: ~~Jirk~~ Jim & Spock, Kakashi
Tech support: ~~Jirk~~ Jim & Spock
Fire arms: Caitlyn, Levi
Swords & Melee: Richard, Hiei
Archery: Richard
Survival skills: Richard, Kurama
Military training: Jim & Spock, Miller, Richard
Endurance training: Bones
Lunch: Junpei (and Whitey the Albino Boar)

If there is an activity a character would like to do that isn't included in the list that's no problem. Feel free to create your own top-level with said activity or you know! Just the usual stuff that varies from silly hang-out to whatever your heart desires.

Also for references sake: here is the OG ooc info post about regarding the mingle

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[......

This feels like the exact opposite of what Douman just said to him-- although he is also saying that contents and everything else also matters. It's still enough of a switch, at least to Scott, that he pays more attention to the youkai. The way that his eye peers at him from behind the mask only adds to it, with Scott clearly considering his words and letting his hands slide out of his pockets.]

Is this your long winded way of saying that I should judge you by your appearance and actions and the way you've been addressing me? [He's not going to walk up and sniff him though--]

It's important to get some sort of reading from the person you're dealing with, right?

Exactly. Keeping your mind on who you're dealing with and your surroundings is the first step to getting out of a situation.

['Longwinded', huh? Looks like Douman will have to cut his explanations short in that case.]

As for your question, mine is just another rerun of the good old "divine punishment" story.

[That's not terrible advice. It feels like something that should be obvious, but guess it's nice having that reminder. Scott's not going to give Douman any sass about it at least, the mutant nodding with that more serious demeanor now. Really, he did come here to train and get better; he knows that he can't just give attitude left and right the entire time.]

You got punished and became a youkai. [...] So, you were pretty bad in the past.

[That's a bold assumption, Summers. And maybe he doesn't look as bothered about this as he should. Honestly, it's all Dazai's fault.]

One god or another must have certainly felt that way.

[He chuckles and shakes his head. "Sinner" could be a pretty broad term to the divine, especially way back then. Maybe you were a notorious pickpocket. Maybe you walked past their shrine without giving reverence or ate a sacrifice token because you were starving. Maybe you were a monk who kept falling asleep during his prayers. Or you killed one of their human darlings, like he had done. But eh, he'd probably not had many fans in that corner even before he'd done that.]

Turning you into a 'creature' was one of their favorite ways to weed out undesirables from the human gene pool for a while. Unfortunately for them that backfired by creating several new species instead.

['Undesirables,' huh? He really doesn't like that phrasing. It seems like a 50/50 chance that the gods in Douman's world suck or he's actually kind of shitty. Maybe both? Yeah, both is probably the correct answer.]

Yeah, well, now they have a new species to deal with. And everyone just needs to accept that.

[Just like how people back home (and other timelines) need to accept that mutants are around. So, yeah, he'll accept Douman too. He doesn't care if he's a youkai, as long as he's actually serious about helping him and he isn't an entirely crappy person.] If you don't care that you're training a mutant, then we'll probably be fine.

[Both is the safest bet in most of those cases, that's for sure. If asked directly, Douman would never claim to be a good person, either. All he'll maintain is that he isn't like all those stories about him and Seimei make describe him nowadays.]

Exactly.

[There is a hint of glinting teeth as he smiles a sharp smile. Douman is pretty pleased in the part he played in that one.]

I honestly don't care what you are, as long as you can keep to a few base rules. I won't expect you to be a good or loyal student, for instance, but I will demand that you behave yourself in a half-way decent way. No bullying, no stealing, no back-stabbing, no pointless fighting,... all of those obvious things. I won't outright prohibit you from doing that, but you will have to deal with me treating you accordingly if you do. That's the deal.

[Usually he'd also add 'no trying to eat your teachers or fellow students', but he doubts that that's something to worry about with a mutant.]

[Well... he can work with those expectations. Not like they're unreasonable or anything. Long ago, he might've given some attitude about it, but even then, he wouldn't do any of that crap. And now? He's just going to nod while carrying that more serious countenance, showing that he's sincere about Douman's terms.]

Okay, I agree.

[He'll be a great student... but no he's willing to listen to what he has to say. He truly wants to keep on improving, get better with his powers. After a year and a half, he still can't control them and he's mostly accepted that, but he'll take any opportunity to possibly change that.] Is this where I start calling you professor?

[He's mostly joking but.]

[Douman's thoughts are already busy with thinking up what could be some goodfirst training exorcises with his potential new student, so it takes him a moment to catch up with Scott's question. Startling lightly, he tuts and gently shakes his head with a gentle laugh while he crosses his hands behind his back.]

A 'professor'? Goodness, no, I never even studied at any academy. It was all still temples that housed the wisdom and spread it back in my day. Anyway, I'm usually referred to as "principal" back at our school, since that's what I am. But since we aren't there and any student I'll be taking here will be a very special case, just calling me by my name will suffice. Which is Nurarihyon.

[It's both a very casual lie and a honest truth at this point, since his youkai name really is Nurarihyon. The nurarihyon, since he's the only one of his particular youkai stype, which in turn made it very easy for other supernatural folks to simply accept it as species and indentity both. Just like the youkai lords of old that he, Ashiya Douman, one of Japan's most notorious 'evil' sorcerers to ever have lived, once used to subjugate and fight.]

Are you up for a light first exercise to help us get an idea of each other's skills?

[Scott almost wants to call him 'professor' just because he said not to. What? It's totally necessary. Maybe 'Professor Nurarihyon' if he's feeling in a particular mood that day, but he'll save it for that time. For now, he nods. If he didn't give his name earlier, Scott would've introduced himself now, but they're officially done with all that. So, onto the good and important stuff!]

Alright, Nurarihyon. [He might've said his name a couple more times to get used to it, sounding out the syllables and trying to get it right. Look, he's not that kind of dick.]

Sure, yeah. [Scott's ready!! He can definitely be agreeable and eager to hop on board things if he thinks it will help with the whole control bit. One may call him just a little excited right now, if his smile is anything to go by.] Just explain what we're going to do.

[If he did, he'd get the most obvious grimaces a man wearing a mask has ever given him in response. It's bad enough that Izuna-kun has taken to calling him "Principal Ashiya" when they are alone. He doesn't need some title that's going to get him questioned by anybody who knows him on top of that.]

Good. [he takes a couple of steps back and then stands in front of Scott, arms lightly spread in a 'come & get me' way] I am going to try and touch your glasses, and I want you to try everything you can do to stop me. Just treat me like a potential enemy.

[There's a slow blink behind those glasses, clearly showing that Scott is processing the first round of training that Nurarihyon has given him. Not quite what he expected. He's... okay with it, he can see that this is probably something related to self-defense.

But before they start...]

You really mean everything? Even using the full strength of my powers against you? [He's just making sure! He's pretty adamant about not hurting people with his optic blasts. Even if this guy is a youkai, Scott doesn't consider his blasts to be something to toy with.]

Edited 2024-10-27 20:11 (UTC)

Of course. I still need to prove myself to you, don't I? Not to mention that a real enemy won't let you hold back and play it safe, either.

[Of course, that doesn't mean that the teen should hurt or endanger any of the other people or objects around them. But that much is common sense, isn't it? Douman's eyes sparkle dangerously behind the mask as he subtly shifts his balance and raises two of his fingers in front of his face in a tell-tale gesture that implies that he's about to chant.]

Catch me, young man! Catch me ....if you can!

...Okay.

[Scott still finds himself hesitating ever so slightly, but as his new mentor raises two fingers up to his chin, he squares himself and brings a hand up to his glasses. Look, anyone that does something like that is probably a cause for concern. He said he was going to try and touch his glasses, something that he's about to remove soon, but he figures that if Nurarihyon gets close to him at all, that'd still count as a 'win' for the youkai.

So with a sharp breath, he pulls off his shades. Those two bright red beams emit through the air, the sound breaking through the atmosphere and towards Douman with incredible speed.]

[Douman's eyes turn wide behind the mask because that's a lot more undridled power than he expected, but thankfully his natural youkai trait holds true.

Being a nurarihyon has blessed him with zero means of offense and a defense that's not much better than an average human's if he's made to actually take a hit... But that's a big if. A ridiculously broken big IF, since all of his youkai powers revolve over one simple trait: a nurarihyon is incredibly slippery. So much that he can even dodge around perception and being hit, which is what's happening right now. Douman might not have the physical reflexes to evade Scott's beams, but that isn't necessary. His body simply dissolves around the area that'd be hit, leaving a gaping hole where Scott can see what's actually getting hit behind the youkai before it puts itself back together again.]

Remarkable power output.

[Douman makes an appreciating noise in the back of his throat before his body sinks into the ground as if it were water. Seconds later a grit of white-hot power comes at Scott from the blind spot to his back and left.]

Useful if it hits. But a big potential danger if it doesn't.

[If the grit hits, it will simply burn with a notion of getting zapped by an electric fence while it's also sucking down on Scott's vital energy. The true challenge will be that Douman is aiming to reappear at the other side of the teen and make a grab for those glasses.]

[His vision is always far more restricted when he continuously uses his powers like this. He can see pretty much anything direct on, but it's a narrow tunnel, with his peripheral vision blocked by the red of his optic blasts. So, while he notices that Douman is somehow avoiding getting by his powers, it's hard to see much else. How is he even doing that in the first place...? It isn't something he's seen before and it makes Scott curious, but that's something he'll have to ask later.

Because Douman's sinking into the ground and what the hell? Scott's about to follow his movement, maybe try and strike him underground, but he suddenly hears a voice behind him, signaling the youkai's actual location and he just barely dodges the grit of power with a sudden side step. His eyes are closed, unable to place his sunglasses back on, and it leaves him open while he tries to track his movements through sound alone. A little hard, as he's only practiced with this sort of thing briefly, not to mention that he can feel his heart thump in his chest as he tries to listen for him.

Suffice to say, Douman will probably grab his sunglasses that are gripped in his hand still without too much trouble.]

[Douman cuts the magical energy that was fueling the grit the moment that it's clear that his attack misses, letting it fizzle out while he is already directing his attention fully back on his next move. Getting into the real action of fights still gets his blood pumping, and it shows when he instinctively aims for the next hit the moment Scott's distracted.

Meaning that rather than just making a grab for those glasses, he is aiming a ~~gag manga style~~ low kick that's aimed at the teen's rear.]

Over here~ ♫

H-Hey!

[He stumbles forward a little when he feels that kick to his behind, clearly caught off-guard and not expecting that sort of attack from Douman. Sure, yeah, blind right now, but he thought that he'd do some regular blow, not that! A rush of indignation flares up in the young mutant, Scott almost letting that fuel him as he quickly turns towards the voice taunting him and reopening his eyes once more to try and hit the youkai with his blasts.

Hopefully that was the right direction--]

[Score! Enemy's mind has been throws into a mess and his dignity has been shattered! Douman preens for a moment as he purposely strides over with the intention of picking up the glasses if Scott let go of them in his surprise - and promptly finds himself stopping in surprise when he ends up running right into an attack instead.

This time it's a direct hit. One that would have hurt a damn lot, if his youkai trait hadn't activated in time. Once more the searing red light hits and yet misses a target that simply seems to thaw away before it can touch it like snow from a heat ray.]

Ah! That was a pretty good one. I ran right into it!

[ .... ]

So, hm. How about this? What will you do if I do this now?

[Rather than dissolving fully and reappearing somewhere else again, Douman simply takes another step toward Scott. And then another.]

[Whatever triumph feeling Scott may have is immediately dashed upon seeing the lack of effect his powers has on Douman. It doesn't help that he sounds positively cheerful about all this. So, what does one do when your party trick doesn't work? He backs up a couple of steps as the youkai draws close, trying to at least keep that distance between them even if it's clear that his beams are doing nothing. It's best if he keeps away, right? Or should he just charge at him??

He does his best to ignore his taunting words, trying to think of a plan.

For the time being, he starts aiming his powers downward, hitting the ground in front of Douman. Probably a long shot, but he hopes that some of the debris can actually hit him. Maybe he can only block one certain type of attack at a time?]

[Douman doesn't enjoy the way the hopeful expression crumbles from the young man's face. It's a look he has seen plenty of times already, each time when one who considered themselves on top of the food chain ended up realizing that what they had thought an easy target might be a number too big for them. No, scratch that, it's when they know.

This is the insidious power of the Nurarihyon, something that suited the former reviled Onmyoji and admitting sadist to a T... But it should be reserved for those who truly deserve it.

He shoos the unnecessary emotion away with a quick jerk of his head, just to stop and raise and cautiously take a step back when Scott changes his tactics. The ground? What effect are the red rays going to have on that? If it does something like melt it and turn it into lava, it'll- Oh. Ahhhh.]

....what an ingenious young man you are. Very good. It is important to not lose hope and keep searching for new ways when your initial plan doesn't work.

[The praise in his words rings true - freezing up now would have been a death sentence for an aspiring warrior. But so would have charging in blindly. (Several pieces of small debris end up hitting his pants and bouncing harmlessly of the fabric.)]

[He hears the praise, but it's difficult to really accept those words when it's clear that his secondary plan is having no effect on Nurarihyon. There's that return of that frustration, but Scott does his best to push that feeling down and focus on figuring out what else he can possibly do. Maybe if they weren't in an open field, he'd try to blast some trees down on him, but the arena doesn't give much to work with.

...

With his eyes straining to keep them open, Scott decides to shut them once more, hand still gripped around his glasses and listening for the youkai's approach. If he had a spare set of glasses, he'd consider just breaking them to 'win' against his challenge, but it's not worth it.]

Everyone calls me a stubborn asshole.

[He has to say something okay--]

They say the same about me.

[A cool hand wraps around Scott's wrist, Douman's voice an ethereal purr right next to his ear. He is cheating again, having used the divine magic of Diving Step to cross the distance between him and the teen in less than a breath, and layering the presence-concealing effect of his own youkai magic at full power on top of it. The end result is hopefully something that makes him seem like an all-powerful ghost - an entity who can break the laws of the normal world as he pleases, so overwhelmingly powerful that the very idea of messing with him seems ridiculous. It's all a mere bluff, of course. Just a psychological warfare meant to get away with audacity and cheap street magician's tricks, shrouded in tons of bluster and plunder.

If one were to know what Douman does, they'd easily see that it's all just basic moves, exercised with centuries of experience in fighting smart rather than hard. All that just to impress a single potential pupil and make him seem a good choice for an ally.]

Tag. [a single finger taps against the frame of Scott's glasses before he pulls back]

[Maybe he shouldn't be surprised that his new mentor is right next to him once more. Did he sink into the ground again? It felt so fast, quicker than last time even, and he barely stops himself from flinching when his grip curls around his wrist before tapping his glasses, signaling the end of their training session. Or at least, the end of this 'spar.'

Damn...

Scott frowns a little, somewhat frustrated with himself that he lost. He thought he's improved a lot over the past few months, but he's been proven just right now that he still has a lot to learn. If the other really wanted him dead, if they were in a real fight, he'd be toast. He swallows back those upset feelings, doing his best to remain calm as he slowly puts his glasses back on.]

Okay, so there's a lot I can learn from you.

[He can admit that much without sounding too sour, although it's clear that Scott is sulking in his own way.]

Mhn. Would it upset you to know that I've only used a couple of basic skills against you right now?

[Which is the truth. But it's also the truth that Douman had gone the full monty and then some in order to make as much of an impression as possible, including several small psychological tricks and some plain out unfair plays. This whole setup had been as rigged as asking somebody to be colder than a Yuki Onna to begin with.

And the young man has dealt with all he'd tossed at him with a remarkable calm mind and some very clever ideas that could have easily worked against anybody except him.]

You held up well against me. Way better than many of my students would have. Hitting the ground in order to test my ability and see if you could throw my movements off was a good move that many wouldn't have thought of.

[He tenses upon hearing that comment. Yeah that's fucking upsetting--]

It's fine.

[Asshole. Scott manages to hold back that particular comment, because he's still on the whole 'trying not to be super upset' mindset. Plus, if this guy is going to be a possible mentor, then he wants him to continue training him so that he can get better and protect his friends and hold his own. He can control his feelings, repression is just one important future step to being Cyclops--

But some genuine tension leaves Scott when he hears Douman's compliments. He doesn't sound condescending and the mutant would like to think he'd know when he's being like that. He's heard it a few times by now. So, he nods, swallowing back his irritation so he can respond in a way an actual interested student might.]

...I only have one set of powers, so I have to be creative with them.

[training mingle] Let's get down the business!

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