genessia | 18th Campaign [Action] Backdated to Late January

Don't even, Ted.

While 'excited' may not be a word that matches Satsuki's feelings, she is most certainly interested in seeing how this experiment goes. And once he arrives, her brows furrow. Dammit, Nui, this is why she requested specific attire.

Oh well.

"Good afternoon. I believe you will find it quite worthwhile, so let us get head to the gymnasium." With a nod, she turns to lead the way, and reveals that she's holding a white box- likely with the material she was speaking of, in the process. "And have you? What subject matter did you have in mind to teach?"

"English. Or literature. One of those. What do you think it means when this world draws from many others, and assigns that as the universal tongue? It's almost enough to make one take education seriously." Maybe Ted's head, filled as it is with romantic stories, could be put to good use. He'd settle for indoctrinating children with the western canon, if nothing else.

As their shoes squeaked against the waxed floors, Ted continued to chatter. "I confess I did not guess gym to be your specialty."

".. That is a good question," Satsuki replies, "I suppose we could iron out the details on that at a later date, but Literature is quite the tempting offer."

She's seen the literature club of her home, but she's interested in not only seeing Ted's take on it, but also suspects the ability drawn out from him may end up being related to that rather than his spiritual faith. Only time will tell, of course. "It is not for myself, it is for the first part of your test. I want there to be no room for doubt in what I have promised."

And so once they arrive to the gym, she heads straight toward the weights section, and waiting right at the mats is a barbell with 100 lbs worth of weights on each side. "Do you know how to perform deadlifts?"

Uh oh. Ted was thinking of teaching in Everglade, actually. But he could talk about Clark Kent'ing later, unless Satsuki's massive school had teleporting technology.

Ted definitely knew that Chihiro did nothing like this. He sees the sex discrimination at play. A weary chuckle escaped him as he observed yet another burden in his way. "Would you believe this is not the first two-hundred pound weight I've seen lately?" He thought about his knowledge of proper weightlifting form. Funnily enough, he didn't do much formal exercising. Vyers and Ike taught him much more visceral practices and spars that a gym membership seemed superfluous. Still, he had considered it at some point.

"I think I do. Let me check my materials, just to make sure." A moment of bag-digging later, he produced a booklet detailing a few exercises. "Bench press...squats...ah, here we are. Looks simple enough. All right, how many reps do you require?"

Satsuki wouldn't deny that Chihiro did take a different kind of test, though the conclusion would be a bit puzzling. As Ted flips through his booklet, she glances to the bag. Had.. She seen that before? She can't recall. "I would believe it, though I do wonder what the circumstances were that led to it."

'Looks simple enough' he says. This she's got to see. "Just one will be sufficient. I suggest you warm up a bit before you do so, it would be annoying if you end up pulling something this soon." Beat "I should clarify that this is not a test you 'pass' or 'fail'. It will make sense soon enough."

Edited 2016-02-18 01:25 (UTC)

"Looks" being the key word; so much information about proper form, where to put your feet, keeping your lower back neutral, and so on. Ted perused this while in the middle of various stretches to prepare his glutes and hips. Being an abstract person, Ted wasn't used to just how mindful of the body these workouts required. And people say jocks are crude!

Once he warmed up enough, Ted approached the bar, shins meeting the metal. He bent over, keeping his back straight. Both hands faced inward as he tested a pull, confirming that two-hundred pounds is as heavy at it sounded. Or was it? He remembered how merely visualizing something as easy can make it so. He closed his eyes and took a breath, summoning confidence. He bent his knees, straightened his chest, took and held his breath, then pulled...

The average, untrained individual deadlifts less than their own body weight. But a novice can do almost twice that much; such is the difference made with passing familiarity. Ted was disadvantaged in having never done one before. However, three factors pushed him into 'novice' category: the impromptu study, the training and toughening his body had gained through his masters, and of course, the desire to meet a challenge.

Miraculously, the bar moved. It was shaky, and a better lifter would have held it steadily against one's legs. Still, Ted stood tall, relaxing his shoulders and holding the bar one moment before sending it down from whence it came. He took another breath, surprised at himself for this no doubt Herculean feat of strength.

"Hoo! How do you like that?"

Satsuki merely watches in silence, though is prepared to intervene is something goes horribly, horribly wrong. Thankfully no such even happens. There are a couple of things that do impress her, though, as she wasn't expecting him to perform overall as decently as he had- Decent positioning, decent breathing, and he managed to do the lift.

"That will do." she replies as she hands the box over to him. Inside is the material that she promised. (The right side shirt, with two black stars along the right sleeve. "Before the next test, change into this. I apologize in advance for its appearance- I asked for something more.. neutral, but the seamstress can be difficult to compromise with when it comes to 'artistic license'."

He laughed at her apology. "You're always giving gifts, Kiryuin. You've no idea how much I appreciate and admire that. Pray don't diminish that light by hiding it under the bushel called 'neutral'. Pass my thanks along to the seamstress, too. I'll thank yourself properly when I know its full meaning. Don't worry, I know how to be patient." He was curious, but by now he trusted fate in general, and Satsuki in particular, to reveal things in their proper time. Now he just needed to find a private spot. If none made themselves available, he'd just hide behind a bleacher or something, and dip into his bag if absolutely necessary, before emerging in black and white.

"Neutral? I would do no such thing; though I would say that my modus operandi relates to granting opportunities rather than something so simple as a gift." Satsuki murmurs. "Holidays do tend to be the exception in some cases, but at this point I am just rambling on about myself. And yes, I shall do just that."

She gestures him off to the bleachers; maybe a bit out of character for her, but she wanted him to stay in the general area for a reason- to leave no doubt that she had been messing with the weights. When Ted places the garment on himself, it may take a moment but he should feel a difference in his body, a feeling that he's gradually gaining energy, perhaps like a new man!

Once he returns, her brows raise a bit. Not bad. Not bad at all. "All right, now I would like you to lift the weight again. This time I want you to try to hold up the barbell for as long as you can."

She says try, however this time it should be ridiculously simple for him, it should feel no heavier to him than a cinderblock, if even that.

Edited 2016-02-19 00:20 (UTC)

Rambling, eh? The disease spreads!

Ted was aglow as the suit began to work its magic. Magic, in fact, was the first avenue Ted thought of. This he confirmed when picked up the massive weight, smiling wide as the nature of the garment was revealed. Naturally, praise found its way into his mouth.

"Amazing! I feel like Samson, though I promise I'm not out to bring down temples or kill Philistines. What on earth is this shirt made of?" He could hold a cinder block for some time, apparently not too fatigued to ask a dozen questions.

"I.. Cannot say the thought crossed my mind." She's pleased that Ted is pleased but she didn't figure Ted the type to celebrate by slaying a hundred men with a jawbone. Just saying.

"The garment is made of your usual material with life fibers weaved in. So long as the life fibers are touching your skin, it can alter your DNA in a manner that allows you to unlock your potential at an exponential rate. Your strength, agility, resilience, and reaction speed has all increased, but said increase increases from person to person."

"For Fujisaki, her ability to process, record and input data was effected the greatest- You could say that is her 'defining trait' per se; her greatest passion. Unfortunately I was unable to witness the additional ability that defining trait granted her."

Ted almost blushed at the skeevy nature of the suit; nothing could be worn underneath, apparently. "These life fibers...well, I assume they're alive. A symbiosis, then? How do they feel about the arrangement? I hope it's mutual." The suit was a performance-enhancement, which set off even Ted's few alarm bells. "Any observed long-term effects? Working that deep has to have consequences."

"Ah, a computer whiz. So whatever you are, so the more you become..." Ted's expression turned grim for a moment. On the one hand, this meant that Satsuki wasn't omniscient. There's a good chance he could hide himself from her, or so he thought. Who knows, maybe Ted's true potential was something that would be very different from what he dreaded. Couldn't hurt to keep babbling more questions, all the while still holding the weight indefinitely. "So how does that whole process all work? Finding out about this untapped potential and so on."

Edited 2016-02-20 07:48 (UTC)

As Ted professes his.. Uh.. What is he displaying, discomfort? She supposes maybe she should have brought it up earlier then. Noted. Anyway his reaction doesn't seem to have been expected so she simply stares at him for a moment.

"I am afraid I cannot answer most of those questions. At home I am not the one in charge of researching life fibers, and I had not thought to ask if a tool has feelings." Satsuki isn't being completely honest there, but being truthful would only further complicate things for her. "You may recall I had mentioned that we had attempted to adorn a volunteer in a uniform made of fifty percent life fibers. However their body could not control it and they were consumed by its effects."

"So you could say that the effects are dependent on whether you can control the life fibers or not. As you can see, you were able to do so without much effort- However you likely have only reached more than half of the fibers' full potential, therefore I suggest you increase whatever training regime you currently practice to build your resistance."

"As for your final question, this is something a little different- I normally issue uniforms to those of talent that I am already aware of. In those instances it is simply developing their talents to become a weapon- For example Jakuzure's talent lies in her musical ability and thus has a manner of control over sonic waves. For your physical ability, it is as simple as continuing to train your body. But keep in mind that, like Fujisaki, it may turn out that physical abilities may not be your strongest trait."

That's disturbing, even if whoever it was was a volunteer. "A deadly dominance game, then. Thank goodness I wasn't swallowed by it." He was chilled a little at Satsuki's demeanor. In the interim he'd looked up the identities of her supporters, and recognized her describe the overzealous, pink-haired girl: Nonon. She talked about the lost so easily.

"And yet I can hardly refuse." He'd said, way back when, then he'd give his life for the sake of his city. He couldn't reasonably turn down a risk like this. He comforted himself by a moral allegory. The flesh would undoubtedly destroy if not mastered and self-denial practiced. These life fibers, perhaps, were not far removed from that principle.

Getting slain by thing wasn't his main worry, anyway. There's she goes about his "strongest trait" again. He hoped it was something different than what he feared, and yet the smallness of that hope argued the other thing. On the other hand, there was a small glimmer of hope that Satsuki might believe him to be a mere athlete or marksman. Maybe it would weaponize his verbosity, like Levy's solid script magic, but aural.

"Very well, I'll maintain the course." Judging by the way he still absent-mindedly held the weight, Ted seemed to mean it. "If you really mean to give me this opportunity, then I mean to take it. So long as it won't corrupt my soul, I can't object to destroying my body." Even if he was a little unclear on the specifics. Would she give such a suit to him, no strings attached? When? How would we know when he was ready? When would they meet again? And so on. If only Ted were a detail-oriented person. Alas...

Edited 2016-02-23 04:20 (UTC)

Um.

"You may set the weight down now." She can understand him being in awe, but.. "And while I am pleased you stand by your words, I would not have granted you the clothing if I believed you were unable to control it. That would go against my interests, after all."

If that is how Ted feels, however, that is most certainly what Satsuki had been spending her months trying to get across- She, under any circumstances, wants to avoid appearing weak. Of course this conflicts with a particular sun tzu philosophy, but contradictions don't really appear to be an issue for her either, do they?

As for what she expects of him; Ted did surprise her with his interest in becoming a teacher in literature, but she expects something closer related to performing arts. It doesn't matter in the end, though. "Allow me a moment to discuss weaknesses. Life fibers do not appear to hold up well against magic. Without my science staff, I have no manner of researching further," she notes. "The other is surpassing your uniforms limit. While it is doubtful it will happen anytime soon, should you push your abilities beyond what the fibers can handle, it will overheat and disintegrate. The good news is that you would be capable of adorning a uniform made of thirty percent fibers."

"That said, you need not fear any danger to your soul and I indeed mean to give you this opportunity, though you may also view this as an investment of sorts. As you may suspect there is something I would like in return." Beat. "However you cannot grant it to me until you reach 30 percent capability."

She lets that all sink in before she'll continue responding to other details.

That could pose a problem; Magic had a strong showing in Everglade. Then again, he had Marie's Nundu cloak, said to be impervious to the stuff. Then there's the Rabbit's Foot, which had a few odds and ends for the purpose. Seems Satsuki's distaste for the supernatural carried over to her vestments.

"Oh, yes right of course." He dropped the bar with a clang. Boy were his arms tired! "Hah, am I to run this rag ragged? Given its...nearness, would I be scorched along with it or...um, left indecent? Not to grumble, just wondering whether its destruction is the only worthy proof of advancement. You're not the kind to suffer waste lightly." And now the part Ted didn't like; the exchange. He'd have hoped this would be something given gracefully; may this not be a Faustian bargain.

"What happens then? What would you have of me?"

Satsuki is confident that Ted will come up with a clever way of covering his weakness. It's all about using resources, after all.

"For the most part, yes," she then agrees. "I would be rather pleased if you managed to push it to its limits, contrary to what you might expect. And yes, everything will disintegrate, for lack of a better word. You should not have to worry about bursting into flames, but if the breakdown happens in the middle of a conflict it could be harmful for that reason. And yes there is another worthy proof of advancement. In fact, it is the same as what I would want of you:"

What would she want?

"A duel, in a competition of your choosing." Which, in a way, is a hint. Ted may or may not notice that Koishi, Nonon, and Gamagoori all sport three stars on their uniform. At some point he may (or may not) make the connection that the amount of fibers relate to the number of stars.

~~EXCEPT NONON IS DEAD HAHAHA~~

Ted probably wouldn't notice anything, unless someone pointed it out to him. His interest piqued at the mention of a duel. "Any competition, with anybody? I can certainly handle that." Why on earth she wanted such a thing is beyond him. Maybe it's that "let's you and him fight" cajoling women are so fond of. "Would you want to observe? Should I make ticket arrangements? Need it involve the suit? What's the percentage of life fibers in this incarnation, anyway? Do I have to actually win this duel? It's just the shirt, correct? No other pieces?" Questions, questions.

~~Everyone in the Elite Four died, Gamagoori's the only one that came back~~

"Not exactly," she replies as she crosses her arms, "The competition may be of your choosing while your opponent will be of mine. I would like to observe and if you wish to make arrangements that is acceptable by me, but not advised. It would prove difficult to obtain a 30 percent uniform without use your own, but certainly not impossible- Your own made of twenty percent. In theory, your goal is not to win, but to prove that you have outgrown your current equipment, and yes it is just the shirt. However if you would like to obtain a different outfit that would be possible." Beat. "Just keep in mind that the seamstress is not exactly dependable on creating the exact design you would desire, so I recommend not getting too attached to whatever you have in mind."

Really, Satsuki doesn't mind answering questions. It's being questioned that tends to annoy her.

"

"No, the shirt will do, thank you. So it will need to play a part in the competition...suppose that rules out a spelling bee. Hmm, what else is there besides some sport or contest? Just to know my options."

"To be frank, I would consider it far too early for you to consider any option- the only thing I know is that your physical strength has increased. And even when the time comes it is not for me to say other than that you are limited only by your imagination- In Honnouji Academy sport and contests are, essentially, all that we know."

"Which brings us to another subject. You may choose to train yourself, or I could assist you where I can." She has the free time, after all.

Well, if he chooses a theology quiz, Theodore here will have everyone whipped.

Ted's eyes lit up at the mention of training. "Ah, you mean it? That would be wonderful!" Vyers and Krillin were handling his martial arts nonsense, with left Ike with sword duty. If she helped him out on that department, his stabbies would be equal once again to his fisties. Or so he assumed. His puppy-dog eyes were begging for a 'yes'. "I'm sure my pokemon would love that too. I fear they might be getting a little slack now that their usual opponents have strayed."

"Hmn. Your exuberance is somewhat suspicious."

Someone excited by the prospect of training? While it is the preferred response, Satsuki can't say she expected that. Actually, that isn't the only thing that surprises her.

".. Pokémon?" she repeats. Ugh, she couldn't deny that her own would probably enjoy that very much but.. That's what she hired Hikari for! Will she have to train him to become a 2-Star Pokémon Trainer? Could she even pull that off?

Crazy how that works.

Edited 2016-02-26 04:17 (UTC)

Ted was only excited because he forgot how grueling the sessions were at lightning speeds. From Vyers kicking his rear to Krillin breaking his back, Ted somehow figured Satsuki for a kinder, gentler sensei. Woe is he.

"Uh oh. Now I think you have cause to expect a more plaintive response. Still, you are the most knowledgeable about these life fibers." He plucks at his shirt. "You'd probably help me burn this one faster than anybody. And yes, pokemon! I'd be lying if the thought of kicking Justice's tail didn't give me satisfaction. If there's a spare pokeball around, I might even catch him. But they too could help me on my quest."

"You see, it was the exact opposite of Triton's. So I had suspected you possessed a trick of some sort up your sleeve." she replies, attempting to clarify. "Anyhow I must confess that as a coach, I am not so confident the experience would be the fastest- my sword is created specifically to sever life fibers."

She furrows her brows afterward, "Really. 'Justice' would not happen to be 'Mewtwo', would it?" She had fought him before and it did not go as well as she would have liked. But she isn't going to stop Ted if that's his goal either.

He chuckled. "One day I will figure how everyone suspects me for being thrice as crafty as I am. Goodness, what strange wrong I must have done to arouse these conspiracies. Then again, I don't suppose I blame Luke. Being taught by you runs counter to his nature, the nature of teenage boys, and the nature of the relation between yourselves. But I'm not so proud as all that."

"Ah, yes, that is how I christened him, though you may wish to keep that to yourself. It gets him mysteriously yet magnificently wrathful."

Her comment about the sword piqued his curiosity further. "Oh? There's some pressing need to cut these threads to the quick, eh? What sort of trouble are these increasingly mischievous fibers up to?"

"While often associated with negativity, cunning is not a negative adjective by default." Satsuki replies, though her frown increases as she, for the moment, breaks eye contact with Ted. Luke is a greater handful for her than she had anticipated. "And.. Yes, that is true about him; keeping those words between ourselves would be for the best."

"You view it from an interesting angle; but for a melee combatant cutting through the armor is often the most efficient way of reaching the person under it. A regular blade would be useless; unless enchanted with flame magic I suppose, but that does not exist in my world."

"And what combination of pokemon do you possess to combat 'Justice'?"

He laughed again at her correction. "Innocent as doves, wise as serpents. I'm so glad you agree. Ah, that makes sense. There must have been many so armored in your world, so a blade such as that seems only natural. Rather puts me at your mercy, should we ever duel." He's joking! Dueling a girl is disgraceful.

"Combination? Goodness, no. As if I'd drub him with a mob. It would have to be a duel. Yes, even a dualism. A clash of two opposite forces. One who takes himself far too seriously, versus one for whom the whole world is a joke. Mind against spirit. Man-made opposing the supernatural. A shut mouth struggling with a large and loose tongue. A constant frown contrasted with an eternal smile. Justice, at war with one who flouts justice at every turn. Why, it's practically black and white! Yes, let his defeat come not at the hands of a gang, but a Gengar!"

Edited 2016-02-29 03:13 (UTC)

Satsuki doesn't bother confirming or denying Ted's thoughts about the availability of the life fibers in the manner she uses them; she figures it would just raise his curiosity further and she'd prefer to avoid doing that for the time being. "I would think that to be the most likely conclusion as well, though it is possible you may show me something new. For now I would like you to take several days to adjust and try things out. Then we can meet again and work out a starting routine. You do not need to wear the shirt at all times, but there is no danger in doing so if you prefer."

As for his rather poetic rambling, the most important that gathers her interest is, ".. Gengar?" Her expression falls thoughtful. "I am uncertain which pokemon I expected to keep in your possession but it certainly was not a ghost-type. How did that come to pass?"

Don't get him started, Satsuki. Ted's one of those incredible bores who talks at length about his pets. More than his usual talking, anyway. But first he'll celebrate.

"Ah, thank you! I'll make you proud. Er, pleased." Pride's a sin. "But should I train without the suit, in order to surpass its limits, or with the suit, to grow accustomed?" Decisions, decisions. Ted wanted a 3-star the moment he heard about it. Would anything else serve Everglade's second-darkest hour? Time, for all he knew, might be running out for his city.

"Hah, well I'm glad to be surmounting expectations already. It's funny, I don't entirely know his origins myself. Back in my Guardian days--" A pause, for a moment, as he comes dangerously close to his painful nostalgia. "--anyway, a few months ago Porrim and I tasked ourselves with exorcising a haunted house just full of the little imps. Gastly's, that is, a younger, more primitive Gengar. With the power of pokemon and vacuums we made an end of their little haunt, and I got a stumpy little ghost for my troubles. I refer, of course, to Trevenant. Or the sproutling he was then.

As fate would have it, one week later I was approached by two sprightly reporters hosting a game show. About ghost pokemon, no less! My run-in with those ghouls were more than enough to allow me passage through all their questions with flying colors. With each successful answer, my spoils grew, until at last they offered me a doll. Not the most grown-up of gifts, but I resolved to take it graciously all the same. At that precise moment, the doll revealed itself to be possessed! It scared the wits out of my interlocutors, then turned its spirited eyes towards me.

Ready to do battle with something craven enough to inhabit a toy, I fought fire with fire, and brought out my stump. My whole being was primed for honorable combat, and then something bizarre happened. They exchanged a few words, the Gastly laughed, and then joined my side without so much as a passing bruise. I could hardly believe it! That was the first pokemon I ever captured through sheer congeniality. I swear he was one of those troublemakers making mischief at the mansion. How else did he and Trevenant get along so amicably, unless they knew each other from the start? We've been fast friends ever since. Well, mostly. He's not the most well-behaved, in spite of my efforts."

Well clearly it's far too late for that. And Satsuki thought she liked listening to herself talk! .. Actually she still does, but still. "It is difficult to say, but I have reason to believe it is dependent on your latent skill. For example if you can handle firearms, in theory your uniform could allow you to hold an orbital laser and use it as a sniper rifle. In that instance, it would be extremely difficult to attain without."

An exaggeration, but she has to get her point across. Not that he needed it, as it seems the provided carrot is already good enough to keep him even more motivated. Following the tale of Gastly to Gengar, it may surprise Ted that the end result is an amused smirk upon her features. "Quite curious events, it is nice to hear that you had such a pleasant experience." And maybe, just maybe she'll remember Trevenant when she runs into poor Anastasia at the auction. "I almost regret that I do not have nearly as exciting a tale for Oki, my Furfrou."

Hey, he doesn't like to listen to himself talk! Ted just likes to talk. It's a significant difference!

Ted's go to thinking about orbital lasers in immaculate detail. A satisfied smile adorned his closed eyes as he completed the fantasy. "These life fibers...they're very immodest, hah, aren't they?" It's fitting, given the colorful getup he's in most of the time anyway. Still, even he couldn't hide a wince of discomfort as he thought about latent abilities.

As far as things that took practice, Ted was getting used to social cues and hints that he thought Satsuki was dropping. It'd be bad manners to talk about his without getting regaled in kind. "Hah, you're fond of little dogs too? I'd have thought you'd prefer something more like a houndoom. Go ahead with your tale."

Frankly, Satsuki can't figure out what's going on with those winces, but she decides not to delve into that for the time being. "They can be." she replies. Boy. He has no idea.

If she dropped a social cue, apparently she wasn't aware of it because when he encourages her, her brows raise and her neutral expression is broken once more. Her mouth opens and closes, then she crosses her arms as a bit of color forms in her cheeks. "I.. Was hunting for pokemon then captured her."

Crickets chirp.

"That aside it is not so much holding fondness specifically for small dogs, but- Actually, allow me to show you." She reaches behind herself for her pokeball, which releases her beloved poodle-pokemon currently in its red and white kabuki trim. Upon seeing Ted, she snorts in disinterest and looks away. Which apparently Satsuki thinks is the cutest thing since her stoic-expression completely melts, wanting so much to just smother the cutie with hugs. "Her name is Oki. Historically, in their home world, Furfrou were designated guardians of The King. Such an elegant, yet powerful creature."

Edited 2016-03-02 22:47 (UTC)

He chuckled at the anticlimax, then again at the contrast between the snobbishness of the animal and the love of the owner. Even Ted could notice when Ms. Austere broke face. "Haughty bitch, isn't she? I had no idea Pokemon hailed from monarchical lands." And how unexpectedly feminine, Ted thought, for Satsuki to like a poodle. Better than a white cat to stroke while plotting world domination, anyway.

"Well, that's two mutual interests I'm glad to have discovered today: pokemon and these fibers, both of which I can't wait to get the better of. What times work best for you?" Out comes the planner app. Between Vyers, Ike, (maybe) Krillin & 18, all this exercise might almost excuse his joblessness.

Satsuki's heart is pretty doki doki right now, that's for sure. And no, she never did catch a Meowth that month. Alas. So, wait, is Ted talking about her, or Oki just then?

"Pardon?" Beat. "I was not aware either, actually. The world the pokemon hail from must be a truly unusual place. Or.. Well, perhaps it is a place like Genessia come to think of it." Satsuki could ask Mewtwo for details, but she doesn't quite care that much. All right, time to put her game face back on, so she clears her throat. "That has worked out rather well, hasn't it? I am in a transitional period so I cannot dedicate as much time as I would like until further notice. But for now I could set aside meeting twice a week; say Monday and Thursday. When do you normally exercise?"

They do say pets come to resemble their owners...

"Oh, it's usually [insert schedule the mun is too lazy to think of here]. Thankfully Ike has no steady work and Vyers is a Guardian, which is yet more shiftless. It should pose no trouble meeting you both times!" Once the logistics were out of the way, Ted took that as a cue to pack up and get back to his turtle shell. Don't ask.

But before that, he felt like saying something. ~~doesn't he always~~

"I'm really glad you lost your job." Wait,no, that came out wrong.

"Er, that is...Nova City always seemed like it didn't have a soul. A lurching mass of machines which made cogwheels of men. The best you could say about it is that it's efficient; which, without any superlative, is a nice way of saying it goes nowhere very quickly. It's tragic that it lost a purposeful person like you, and yet I can't help but note the correction of the incongruity. Like the two of you didn't belong, in the best way possible. In my estimation, you've always done your best work outside its borders. Goodness, if I could only find a way to say you were too good for it without tempting egoism.

It's just...whenever I despaired for my own city, you've always been there to provide, if not an answer, a means of getting one. And you don't ask for anything in return. With this armor, you've ignited a hope that perhaps some good can be done for Everglade after all. It's so much plainer to see without the dreary backdrop of Nova City against you. You're as bright and significant to me as the Stars on this uniform. Under your astral auspice, I know I can burn it into the light of three. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Hm." Vyers, is it. While Satsuki was not aware Ted has other teachers, she certainly wasn't expecting that demon's name to come up. She's seen the madness Laharl had performed. How in the world would he survive that kind of power without life fibers? Curiouser and curiouser. She'll ask the Guardian at another time.

That said, his poor-wording doesn't get an immediate reaction from her. While there are some people that annoy her pretty quickly, she's gotten used to his 'quirk'. And, really, it's surprising as it has some overlap with what Weiss had told her. It.. Couldn't be a coincidence. Perhaps she really has been focused on the wrong thing all this time? (And ,unknowns to her, her February political plan is going to get completely toppled and push her in another direction as well. Thanks, Nui.) That said, she believes the things she does 'of the goodness of her heart' are few and far between.

Despite her feelings, her answer is simple. "You're welcome."

Ted came out of these paeans feeling a little bashful, as though he woke from a trance, but her curtness set him towards laughing it off. "I'm looking forward to our next encounter. Maybe I'll get to see that sword of yours come out of its sheathe. I'm sure I'll learn something in this gigantic school. Until we meet again." He waved, then squeaked out of the waxed gymnasium floor. His collection of teachers was growing steadily; at this rate he'd have one for every day of the week.

18th Campaign [Action] Backdated to Late January

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