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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The urge to complain is TREMENDOUS, but he promised he wouldn't, so he just bites his tongue and holds back whatever he was going to say. Instead, he nods slowly, then shuts his eyes to try again. Deep breath, Luke. Calm down and focus. What would Tear say if she saw you acting like this?

The light that forms in Luke's hands is more stable, a little bigger, and lasts much longer, although it's still not nearly like the one Asch was using to play with Star. He mostly added his own fonons to that, giving the external ones strength and energy.]

[...Hm. That's an agreeable step up at least. Asch nods in slight approval, arms crossing. Now how long can he keep it up?]

[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.]

[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.

[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?

...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?

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