dissonates | [Voice / Action]

Hey- Buffy. I need to talk to you.

...Or Yuri, I don't really care who it is.

[After Guy's rather uneventful kidnapping right under their noses, Asch is feeling suitably irritated and downight volatile. He's trying to channel his temper into a more productive use, however; early in the day, he can be found stretched out on the lawn behind House 5, lying on his stomach and facing Star, the yellow cheagle. From the look of things, he's playing a rather bizarre game of fire Ping Pong with it- Star spits a fireball at him, and he uses his palm to either dissolve it or bat it back at the cheagle, who dodges deftly. Each time, Asch flicks a little treat in Star's direction, who munches it down before starting the cycle over again.

If one were to look closely, they might see a little flicker of light on Asch's palm right before the fire touches it. At his side are two swords, both sheathed; one, the Maestro sword, the other an unfamiliar katana. If caught in the moment he might actually look... relaxed, despite the situation. It's not going to last long, though.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[....ffff.]

They're only weird because you're not from Auldrant. Your world sounds just as strange.

That doctor? He's a friend of yours? [He only knows the man in passing.]

I live with him. He's...a friend, yeah. A very good one. [A small smile. A shrug.] He's not really the fighting kind and I really don't like the thought of him getting all locked up again.

I will.... thank you.

[Luke manages to make it last for full thirty seconds before his frown twitches, and the light flickers as if it's a candle in the wind before it disperses again. The corners of his lips stretch down a bit in irritation, but he's still pretty proud of himself for getting that far.

Now... for judgment.]

H-How was that?

[...Well he's far from being ready to do that in combat, but Asch's expectations had never been that high for Luke. He makes a mental note of the timing of it, then shrugs his shoulders.]

Any improvement is better than none, I guess. I expect you to make it last ten seconds longer next time.

[That counts as encouragement, right? Ha, he is so a great teacher.]

Hm. [Asch nods in vague agreement, though he doesn't particularly care about anyone on the list besides Guy. Maybe that's why he hadn't been picked after all. Selective heroism isn't heroism at all.]

[Ten seconds longer? Just thirty seconds was hard enough! But still, he promised not to complain, even though it's so. SO HARD. Not to do it. Instead, Luke focuses on the first thing he said. Asch told him he improved! In a mean way, but hey, can't win them all! Besides, it'd just be weird if Asch clapped him on the back and told him he did well.

Once Luke pays more attention to the improvement rather than the expectation, his look goes from mildly annoyed and exasperated to happy and excited.]

I... I will! Thanks, Asch. [He blinks, then bows his head. Isn't that what students do to their instructors? Bow in some way?] I learned a lot.

[Asch blinks at the sudden shift in mood, eyes widening a fraction. He really hadn't expected that. He'd barely done a thing! Surely Tear had offered more substantial lessons than that. Maybe Luke really was just pathetically out of practice.

Best to play it cool, then.] ...Good. And make sure you practice on your own time too, or you won't improve at all.

It's only strange because most of it is tainted... If everyone believed in the gods like we poncles do, then the gods would regain their strength and banish the evil from the world. I'm sure that was exactly what Amaterasu and Issun were doing before I came here.

[Hey, if it weren't for Asch, Luke would probably never be able to pull even a hint of a hyperresonance in Luceti. Plus, sitting around the manor doing nothing but moping really does throw you out of practice.

Luke nods, keeping that information in mind. He'd have to practice outside or something - it'd be disastrous if he accidentally created a big one inside some place...]

Can I ask you for more lessons later on, too?

At least...at least those going are getting that barcode mod, right? I think it means they'll be somewhat safer.

[Cold comfort, but there it was.]

You can't banish evil from a world. It's in human nature to be evil just as much as good.

...You can ask. [NO PROMISES ABOUT THE ANSWER.

Though it would be awfully pointless to give him one lesson and leave it at that, so-]

I just told you to improve before next time, didn't I?

[Not terribly comforting, but Asch nods anyway.] And it's not for long.

Yeah--they'll spent, what? Two nights there? Tops. Maybe less. And maybe we can put an end to the kidnappings altogether.

[Optimistic. Buffy more realistically believes just for a while.]

I doubt it. We're not that lucky.

[brb raining on your parade.]

Last week, you could've said we'd never be so lucky as to actually figure out what the hell is happening, or where they take us. And look how that's changed.

[Sigh. Buffy. This doesn't actually constitute as luck.]

You think this is going to happen again?

I don't know. [A shrug.] With this place? I think anything's possible.

...Probably better not to think about it.

Oh? So what do you do to help you not think about it.

Mm... [She has to think on that one for a second. He was right, after all. Her time as an adult that one time taught her that - she should have known better.]

You're right. I've been taught that the evil beings of Nippon get banished when the gods' power is restored, but...I think it's more like they're controlled. Not too much good, not too much bad.

Everything stays in balance.

I never said I'm not thinking about it. But it's better if you could.

I find chocolate helps. [A beat.] And I don't mean that in a crass way--I'm not saying we should go and raid the Hershey's factor 'cause some friends are in trouble and we basically have to sit tight and wait to be told how and when we can help. Just...it doesn't hurt to have a bar or two at the back of the cupboard for times like this.

[She waffles on this next bit of conversation. She doesn't know Asch that well at all. But...maybe there's something to be said for being just as candid with him as she is with Guy.] It's okay to take the here-and-there moment for yourself, y'know. I know he's there and that's probably just about up there ranking with some of the worst feelings but...but letting it take you over doesn't help.

[And then her words trail off; after all, the advice probably isn't appreciated from someone who is almost a stranger.]

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