[Crystal 01] Iris Message - Open to Action

[serenesuccessor]

[It's a strange sight to see Naomi in the arena. Most of the time she avoids it like the plague. 

Today day though she's standing the the center, shifting uneasily from foot to foot with her dagger at her waist and a wooden bo staff in her hands. She's been twirling it, occasionally, to relieve her nerves. Now that she's started the Iris Message though? Now she feels frozen.

Okay. Deep breath.]

Um, hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me... I donno, get better at fighting?

[Because she wants to get stronger. She wants to be able to protect everyone.]

Comments

[shylyintrepid]

...you want to fight, petite?

[He's not sure how he feels about this]

[serenesuccessor]

Mm-Mmhmm... I want to be able to protect everybody 'nd myself!

[She's not too sure either, but she's determined.]

[shylyintrepid]

You don't have to protect everyone, you know.

[serenesuccessor]

But I wanna protect you 'nd Anna 'nd Kou 'nd Mama 'nd Daddy 'nd Dave 'nd John 'nd Gabriel 'nd Ven 'nd Dany 'nd Derek 'nd Percy 'nd Sky 'nd -

[She pauses to take a big breath.]

'nd everyone.

[shylyintrepid]

We can protect ourselves, you know. You can help! But you don't need to protect everyone.

[serenesuccessor]

But...

[She hesitates, looking down.]

I gotta learn how to protect myself too so you guys don't have to worry if the Red Room comes back...

[There has been an awful lot of talk about them lately...]

[shylyintrepid]

Oh, petite, we'd worry about you even if you knew how to protect yourself! That's what family does!

[serenesuccessor]

I know! 'nd that's why I wanna be able to protect everybody.

[She lets out a frustrated puff of air. Maybe she wasn't explaining herself properly?]

[shylyintrepid]

[Jehan sighs a little]

And I'm saying you don't need to worry about protecting everyone. We want to protect you, too.

[serenesuccessor]

Can't we protect each other though?

[shylyintrepid]

Yes, of course! But just focus on making yourself stronger, not on protecting everyone.

[serenesuccessor]

But!

[Another frustrated huff. She gives up though, nodding instead.]

Okay.

[shylyintrepid]

Now, I can teach you how to use vines as a weapon if you'd like.

[serenesuccessor]

Really? That would be so cool!

I-I mean, yes please!

[shylyintrepid]

Of course, petite. We'll start lessons in a few days, okay?

IM

[somatophylax]

I'll help you, if you'd like.

[he spends too much time in the arena as it is, but teaching is something he really enjoys]

Re: IM

[serenesuccessor]

Really?!

[Her eyes light up, and she practically bounces. She really has a long way to go in becoming a warrior.]

[somatophylax]

Of course. I think it's really admirable that you want to become a better fighter. I'll help however I can.

[serenesuccessor]

[She ducks her head, bashful.]

I just want to make sure I can protect everyone like they protect me...

[somatophylax]

You'll learn to protect them in your own way. Just let me know when you want my help, and I'll do whatever I can.

[serenesuccessor]

You think so?

[somatophylax]

I know so! Learning your own special way of taking care of things is the same reason any of us train. So I'll help you learn so that you can help others next time. Sound good?

[angeliaforos]

So as your official 'other older brother' I'm pretty much required to do this.

[serenesuccessor]

When did you become my "other older brother"?

[Not that she's complaining, she's just curious as to when that was made official.]

[angeliaforos]

Um, since yesterday? Kind of figured Jehan told you, kiddo.

[serenesuccessor]

No he didn't!

[And she starts bouncing again, eyes lighting up.]

Oh man! That's awesome! Oh! That means you need to meet Kou! I mean I wanted you to meet Kou anyways but! Now you really, really have too meet him!

[angeliaforos]

Wait, wait, wait.

[He holds up a hand to her.]

What the hell is a Kou?

[serenesuccessor]

A Kou is my big brother.

[She giggles behind her hands.]

I mean, he's not a demigod like us! He's still back home, but he 'nd me talk through Iris Messages eeeevery Sunday afternoon! Tai says it has something to do with him being able to see through the Mist?

[angeliaforos]

My kid cousins can, too. I don't know what's up with it, 'cause as far as I know, they're not demigods either. But it is what it is.

[he shrugs a little.]

He good to you, Naomi?

[serenesuccessor]

Yes?

[She blinks, confused by why he would even ask that and suddenly wonders if she should be defending Kou.]

I mean, sometimes he's a butt, but he's still really good! 'nd he's always been protecting me. Like this one time I wanted to go feed some pigeons, or at least I thought they were pigeons. [They were actually stymphalian birds.] But um, anyways, I wanted to pet them 'nd I don't really know what happened but Kou took one look at them and had scooped me up and ran into a crowd and didn't let me go until we were all the way home! 'nd that was like... Five miles?

[Two blocks, actually, but she'd been small so it had seemed like longer.]

So he's like the best, best, best brother... Ah! Be-besides Jehan cause he's also the best, best, best brother 'nd...

[Now she's rambling, talking in circles really with wide eyes.]

[angeliaforos]

I get you, kiddo. Breathe, breathe.

[He can tell she's rambling in circles and excited about her family, and he laughs a little, too.]

I live with my kid cousins at home. I get you.

[he has older brothers, but even though he loves them...he can't bear to be around them. Which is why he tries to be a good brother here.]

[serenesuccessor]

[She pauses to breath, blinking widely at him.]

You have cousins? Are they nice? 'Cause my cousins like to pull my hair...

[angeliaforos]

[He gives her a little nod.]

Yeah. They're okay - I treat them like my siblings, I guess.

[serenesuccessor]

What're they like? They aren't demigods are they? O-Oh. 'course not. They would be here if they were...

[angeliaforos]

They're good. Two guys and a girl - girl's about the same age as me. The boys are younger. Far as I know, they're not demigods. But I've talked to them on the IM a few times.

[arracht]

[ Oops this is his doing, isn't it. ]

That was fast, chipmunk.

[serenesuccessor]

[Partially, but it really has been a long time coming. Derek and the recent talk about the Red Room just gave her the final push.

She holds up her fist, striking a fighting stance that is anything but intimidating.]

Bad guys don't wait! Right?

[arracht]

[ He's proud of her for wanting to take action, regardless. ]

No, bad guys usually don't wait. So neither should the heroes.

You got any idea where you want to start?

[serenesuccessor]

Ummm, well I know how to kinda use a dagger? I mean that's the weapon Gabriel helped me pick out.

[She fidgets, twirling the staff again. To be honest she likes that a lot more, but in a fight a staff won't do her any good.]

I don't really know. Umm, 'm not good at this stuff so I don't even know where to start?

[arracht]

Well, that means getting up close and personal with somebody. And since you're small, you're faster than the bigger people you'd go up against. Get in and out pretty quick.

[ He's watching that staff as she twirls it, thinking over it. ]

What about that? [ He inclines his head, indicating the staff. ]

[serenesuccessor]

Yeah, that's what Gabriel says when we picked it out! 'nd also said I have to keep it with me at all times!

[Even if she lost her original one during the Red Room fiasco.

The inclination makes her pause. She blinks, stops her spinning to look at the staff, then at him.]

What about it...?

[arracht]

That's a good idea. Having something to defend yourself in the event of something happening...

[ In his case he technically doesn't need to carry weapons on himself, but he can see the merits of it regardless. ]

You move pretty easily with it. A staff's a pretty damn good weapon if you want to keep people away from you.

[serenesuccessor]

[Thankfully she's getting a lot better at carrying the dagger with her.

The question causes her to almost hit herself in the face with the staff. She blinks, looks at it, then at Derek.]

Really? But don't weapons have to be sharp and pointy?

[arracht]

Not all weapons have to be sharp to be considered weapons. Something blunt like a club or a staff can do just as much damage.

[ He refrains from commenting on her nearly hitting herself with it. ]

Besides, some staffs have blades on them. Spears, glaives.

[serenesuccessor]

Oh! Oh like a, um, uh... Oh what's it called...

[She frowns.]

My Daddy had one, I wasn't allowed to touch it 'cause it was sharp 'nd it was a family heirloom... Ummmm Nagitaka? Nooo that's not it...

[The word she's thinking of is naginata, so she was kind of close there.]

I'll ask Kou next time I talk to him, 'cause he'll know.

[arracht]

[ Eyebrows raising, he tries to think of what she's getting at. But he doesn't have too much knowledge of Japanese weapons, so his own grab at the word falls short. ]

You could take after your dad, then. Ask your brother what it is and see if you can't get one of your own, maybe.