animus_network | Video; Mourn the Past, Strengthen the Present

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Video; Mourn the Past, Strengthen the Present

Last month, I posted to the Network asking for those who would be willing teach others how to fight--both with and without powers--to contact me. Many of you were willing to share your talents with those who needed them, and I thank you very much for that.

[Diarmuid smiles and bows his head for a moment before continuing.]

However, aside from a few people who I have already helped find teachers, I haven't really heard from anyone who would like to take advantage of the skills that have been offered. I understand that many of you have probably already found teachers amongst those who you know. For those who still might be looking, I thought that I would post a list of those who offered their services so you can take advantage of them should you ever wish to.

I will warn you, though, that most of these people are battle-hardened warriors and do not pull their punches. If you take them up on their offers, please be prepared to work your hardest. They will expect no less and those who you are fighting for deserve no less.

Here is the list. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Since I know most of the people on the list, if you are unsure who you should contact, I will be glad to direct you to a teacher.

Teacher List:

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne: Teaches armed and unarmed combat. Spear and sword focused. Duel-wield specialty. Can teach all levels of fighters.
Mayu: Armed Combat. Axe focus.
Cerberus: Teaches armed and unarmed combat. Knowledgeable with almost all weapons. Specialty in modern weapons.
Saber of White: Teaches armed and unarmed combat. Sword specialty.
Aleph: Teaches armed combat. Knows melee weapons. Sword specialty.
Sir Lancelot du Lac: Teaches armed and unarmed combat. Specialty in non-traditional weapons.
Ken Amada: Teaches armed combat. Specialty in spears and improvising weapons.
Enoch: Skilled in the use of slings. Also skilled in making them.

If anyone would like to be added to the list, please feel free to let me know. Also, let me know if you would like the information listed by your names altered in anyway or wish to be removed from the list. This list isn't a static thing by any means.

On a sadder note, for any of you who knew Mami Tomoe, it has come to my attention that she has been sent home. I know she was close to many people. She left me a cookie recipe and since Riki has given us such a good selection of food this month, I can think of no better way to honor her memory than to bake some of the sweets she made so well. Anyone who would like to join me is welcome, though, I cannot guarantee my cookies will be anywhere near as good as the ones she made. I--

[For a moment it seems like Diarmuid will continue, but after a few seconds, he just shakes his head and ends the feed.]

----

(OOC: If anyone would like to meet up with Diarmuid in the kitchen to try making those cookies, feel free to tag your response with Action, Kitchen and cooking shenanigans can be had!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, no it's not.

[Diarmuid laughs lightly himself.]

Well, considering the great things we all did during our first lives, perhaps we all deserve a little ego, but Archer...

[He shrugs.]

Is there something I might be able to help clear up for you?

There are more than just you two?

[Consider her intrigue pushed to max.]

Well, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne- I'm Asagi and I've got a lot of questions, but what I want to know most is... what does a girl have to do to get in the ring with a legendary hero- so to speak?

Oh yes, there are several servants in the Tower from a variety of classes. Not so many as there once were, but it is still a respectable number.

[Diarmuid can't help but grin at her next comment.]

That is very simple, Lady Asagi. All you need to do is ask. While I cannot speak for everyone, I am always glad for the chance to spar against other skilled warriors.

Mind telling me who's who? I've gotta say, you guys might just be the most interesting thing I've learned about here.

[She blinks, and then chuckles, shaking her head.]

Oh man, 'Lady' Asagi... that's cute. That's hilariously cute. But just Asagi's fine, believe me. Not much of a lady.

[But she does look enthused by his response. Very, very enthused.]

Really? Wicked. In that case, you up for a dance, Diarmuid?

Forgive me, I cannot tell you all of that. While I know most of their true identities, not every servant in the Tower wishes their true identity to be known. There may be no war here, but identity is still something that is very important to us. What I will tell you is that there is one of the Saber class here, one Berserker, one Archer whom you have already met, and three who belong to the Lancer class--myself, my brother, and one another. There are also two who belong to special classes unique only to their war, Ruler and Avenger.

If you wish to know more about them personally, it is they who will need to tell you, not me.

[Diarmuid bows his head slightly in apology. When he had first arrived here, he had been too free with information because he was sick of the secrecy of the war. Now, while he may not always see the purpose of keeping certain secrets like identity, he does respect the right of those who wish to keep them.]

'Lady' is merely a sign of respect where I am from, but if you prefer to just be called Asagi, then that is what I will call you.

[He smiles widely at her choice of words.]

Dance. Yes, that is a very good way to describe it. Shall we meet in the gym?

Huh, weird- but alright. I'll take it.

[She frowns thoughtfully though, considering.]

...Don't recall you having a brother in what I read though.

[But it's been a while. She cracks another smile though, shaking her head.]

Don't worry about it- I was mostly teasing anyway.

[She shrugs then, shoulders tensing and mouth curving into a smile again.]

Sure. We can wreck that place up some, right?

Y-you've read my legend?

[Diarmuid really shouldn't still be startled by something like this, but he is.]

I had a half-brother back then, but....it's complicated. In the versions of my legend the Grail has given me, his is all but forgotten. They just remember him as the boar. Even I didn't know he was my half-brother until I was brought back, since my memory of events was altered...

[He trails off and then shakes his head.]

I'm sorry. That doesn't really answer your question. The brother I speak of here is not a brother of blood, but one of heart. One of the other Lancers is the Heroic Spirit, Cu Chulainn. I think if you know my legend, then you surely know his as well.

[Her question about wrecking the gym makes him laugh.]

I don't think it would be fair of us to totally wreck it, but considering the condition of a lot of the equipment in there, people might not even notice it if we do.

I've read a lot of legends, what can I say?

[She's terribly amused by how surprised he is over it though, yes she is.]

Interesting though...

[But her face gets that sharp-eyed look again, brows rising.]

Whoa. Cu Chulainn? [She cannot even with you guys.] Next thing I know you'll be telling me Scáthach is around too in case I want to learn to spear people properly.

[Teasing a bit, but she's reeeeally interested now, oh yes she is.]

But alright, I'll behave and try not to break anything too badly.

[Diarmuid laughs and shakes his head.]

No, Scáthach is not here. I expect if she were, you would hear my brother screaming in pain clear across the Tower.

[He raises an eyebrow at her, a joking twinkle in his eyes.]

I may be no Scáthach, but I could help you improve your spear-wielding skills. I have defeated my brother more than once and that is only with one spear. My specialty is two.

If you wish to meet and spar with my brother sometime, though, I would be glad to ask him. He and I share a room, so we see each other quite often. Just be warned. He is as much like his legend as he isn't.

[In other words, he's going to hit on you. A lot.]

Shall we meet at the gym then? It won't take me long to arrive thanks to my speed.

I recall the legend mentioning something about her being tough on him...

[Just a bit, you know. But she looks at him curiously before-]

Gáe Derg and Gáe Buide, right? Both spears at once has to take some doing- but I've never taken to spears well, I gotta admit.

[Hahaha, Asagi would not. Understand getting hit on whoops. Not at first, at least.]

Sure- I'll even race you there.

Tough may be something of an understatement, but he would not have been the hero he was without her. I know he looks back on his time with her happily if also...painfully.

[Diarmuid laughs for a moment, before his expression saddens.]

Yes, Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe. Unfortunately, I was forced to sacrifice Gae Buidhe during the War and she was not returned to me when I came here. However, it was sacrificing her or allowing hundreds if not thousands of innocent people die. There was really no choice to be made.

[Her challenge makes his smile return.]

I am not sure if racing one such as I is fair, but if you so wish, then it will be.

[He doesn't wait for a response. Instead, Diarmuid just takes off for the gym. Whatever she may wish to say, she can say to him there since he will be there in only a few short minutes.

It's good being superhumanly fast sometimes.]

Wh-

[Oh, cheater- but Asagi surprisingly just laughs and takes off from her own seat as well. To her credit, she doesn't take terribly long to arrive either- she's not as fast as him admittedly, but being able to basically jump from level to level along the staircase is a decent handicap. She doesn't even look winded when she hops out of the staircase, very much bluer than she was before, and runs a hand idly through suddenly snow-white hair.]

Cheater!

[-she says with a laugh, hands settling on her hips.]

But man, you're fast, huh?

[She licks her lips idly, eyes gleaming.]

Great.

Sorry, I got a little caught in in the heat of the moment. Usually I'm racing my brother. A moment hesitation and I would likely lose. However, speed is what the Lancer class is known fo--

[Diarmuid's words cut off as he turns to face her and sees how much she has changed.]

Asagi? What happened?

Oh. Hah sorry- should've warned you about how that whole cloneblade transformation thing works, huh?

[And how much skin is visible under what there is of her 'armor'- even if it is blue. She spreads her arms out, chuckling.]

This is how it works though. Freaky, I know- but the perks are totally worth it.

[Diarmuid shakes his head.]

Not freaky--I grew up in Ancient Ireland, remember? It was just unexpected.

[Though he has to admit, of all the questions he probably should be asking, only one actually makes it out of his mouth, and Diarmuid can't help but blush when he realizes what he's actually asked.]

That can't be comfortable...can it?

[Asks the guy wearing skintight armor made out of who knows what...]

Oh, cool then.

[She does arch a brow at the question, cocking a hip and motioning at him with her mouth pulling into a smile.]

It looks a lot more comfortable than... well, whatever that is. Looks constricting.

[Diarmuid smiles sheepishly and pulls at the material of his armor.]

I have no idea why my armor of old was recreated like this. It's not constricting, but...I suppose it is better than fighting in the nude as some of our brothers in the past did.

Uh-huh.

[Asagi shrugs and taps at the metal of a bit of armor.]

Well, it's not much, but at least I'm not naked either.

[A pause, considering.]

I mean, probably could be, but that would be difficult.

The advantage to charging into battle naked is the fact no one expects it, so you get that mental advantage, but a mental advantage does little against guns, spears, and other thrown weapons.

[Diarmuid shrugs.]

As long as it's protective I suppose it doesn't really matter what it looks like. The oddest looking armor can provide the best protection if made in the right way.

[Spells, protective fields and other things like that can make even the lightest armor stronger than any weapon.]

I guess there is that. But it's too cumbersome to bother, in my case.

[Completely lacking in any kind of propriety, whoops.]

I'll give you that- and believe me, I'm a lot more protected than I look.

[She holds an arm out to the side, and the violet protrusion on the outside of her arm lengthens and sharpens into a short blade. She bows with an overly-dramatic flourish, and looks up at him from her bow, a smirk growing on her face.]

In any case... may I have this dance?

[The way her weapon appears causes Diarmuid to raise a curious eyebrow, but he doesn't ask for now. There will be plenty of time for questions later. He flips backward to place some distance between them and then raises his spear into a ready position.]

Usually, it's the gentleman who leads the dance, but this particular gentleman owes you for taking off so quickly during our race. The first move is yours, Asagi.

[A smirk crosses his face.]

Make good use of it. A dance is no fun when too many advantages are given, and so I will give no more.

[She watches him move away, eyes narrowing, and can't help the way her fingers twitch and then curl into fists.

He's strong, she can sense that much. Way stronger than any of the I-weapons she'd taken down. The thought sends an excited shiver up her spine, and she brings her arm up, blade lengthening.]

I wouldn't dream of asking for it.

[Her first attack is fast and brutal, bringing her arm across and down as if she means to slice him apart diagonally.]

Excellent.

[Fast as she is, he's easily able to dodge the attack, though he does more than just dodge it. Diarmuid's leap takes him up and over her head in less than the blink of an eye. His feet barely hit the ground before he is pushing himself forward, spear point aimed at her back. However, the blow is a feint and as soon as he gets a little closer, he spins his spear around and drops lower, swinging the spear's weighted butt at her knees.]

Not bad!

[She jumps over the incoming thrust, which is fortunate because the sweep at her knees misses as she jams her sword into the floor, extending it so she can twist and bring her leg down at him, heel extending into another blade as it swings down.]

[Multiple blades that can change at will. While Diarmuid doesn't express his appreciation in words, it gleams in his eyes. He might not speak much during battle, but that doesn't mean that an observant person won't be able to tell just how he feels.

He blocks her blow with the shaft of his spear, pushing back with inhuman force, hoping that between that and him kicking out at the blade she has dug into the floor, he can throw her off balance.]

Video; Mourn the Past, Strengthen the Present

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