aterat | Down an unknown road

Entry tags:

Down an unknown road

Who; Nida

areasontohope
What; Sword fighting
Where; Near the Gullwings office
When; Mid June?
Warnings; None

There had been an idea in the back of his mind for a month or so, probably for longer if he thought it over. And it really hit home when he saw Mono and thought of his younger cousins Kisa and Momiji. What if somehow they showed up here? It had bugged him and the thought stayed in the back of his mind that he couldn't be a casualty like Jacob had been or even Caelan if some demon should appear again. Of course the more he tumbled it around in his mind, the more he recalled Miss Yuna being out there fighting too that night. And he'd done nothing but stayed in his little apartment, hoping nothing bad happened.

But what if children had gotten hurt? While he certainly wasn't Miss Honda, he was sure she would've been out there too that night, trying to save as many kids as she possibly could while that demon thing roamed the streets. After all, she'd gone after Kyo when he'd transformed into that awful monstrosity after his bracelet had been taken off by Shishou. And while he could fight Kyo all day long and win, that wasn't the point here. Their little petty fights were child's play compared to this place.

He had to be more useful than just growing flowers and medicinal plants.

As he'd accused Kyo, saying 'maybe it's not like a hero's supernatural power' but to 'get a clue and realize that there's only things you can do.' Right. And that included wanting to keep the kids safe. Maybe not for himself, but for adults who couldn't fight at all. Maybe they couldn't protect their kids.

What if he'd been stronger and had been able to protect his friends that night from their cruel fates?

So this made him get dressed and head out to find the one person that knew Jacob too. The man he sought had trained his boyfriend and had always been so proud to display the moves he'd learned. So it couldn't hurt to at least ask. Standing in front of the Red apartment now, he raised his hand to knock on the door. But as he went to do so, a lady came by and told him that Mister Nomura had moved to the Green apartments.

Informing Yuki as to which particular unit Nida was currently occupying, the silver haired man felt his nerves gnawing at his insides. But he couldn't fail people anymore. He couldn't run away like he'd accused Kyo of doing when the orange haired boy had said he had 'failed to protect' Miss Honda. No, he had to do this.

He stood in front of the correct green door and sighed, looking at it with a stern face. He had to do this, so he raised his hand and knocked.

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Yuki hadn't felt his fists or kicks would've helped the demon situation. The undead would've been a bad thing to take on too, but then again maybe if he had tried, Jacob and Caelan wouldn't have been casualties.

He supposed he would never know now.

But it felt as if Nida was debating something and he hadn't heard the word no yet, so maybe there was still hope. And then the question came out which left him a little bit surprised.

So there was the slightest bow in an almost sort of apology. "I don't know what to do with one, as I'm used to fighting with my hands and legs along with a katana. But I would be willing to learn if you would teach me." And have patience with him, that went without being said.

"I don't know how to use a katana," Nida answered, quite honest with himself in that. "It's a very different sort of technique to a longsword."

Not, of course, that he liked the blade. But he thought he could understand Yuki's sentiment, his desire. That was something Nida could respect, even if he felt this wasn't the wisest choice the young man could make.

He nodded. "If I can get my hands on a second one, that might be something we could learn more of together." Plus if Nida really wanted, Yuki could show him what he knew as far as his martial arts training went.

But he was resolved on not being helpless which was the worst feeling for him when his friends had passed away and he hadn't done anything. So in some ways he felt like his plants, that he had more growing to do but he was making the effort, and Nida was the only man he could think to ask for help from that he knew.

"I would prefer not to. I am content with the weapons I already use," Nida assures him. He continued to stroke Julia and considers him carefully. There could be someone else that he could turn the training over to if the man wanted katanas. Probably.

"I could try and find you a tutor for a katana. If not that, what would you want trained with? As a question."

The silver head nodded. He'd offered and that was all he could do. He knew he was no warrior, not hell bent on it as the stupid cat had been. But neither could he just keep excusing himself with doing nothing when he could protect someone even if that someone was just a little boy wearing a paper bag or a small blue chocobo chick who liked to follow them around.

"A trainer for a katana would be much appreciated. But I am willing to learn whatever you're willing to teach. If a polearm is something you're more comfortable with, I would like to learn that."

"I only work with polearms, tanbo, and long swords."

He could try among the guard but... But Jacob would want him to do it himself. So Nida thought.

Yuki felt his nerves act up but he knew he had to be useful. Childs play with stupid cats was over, and since he was in a completely different world and had to be more responsible. This wasn't to be a hero or superhero or try and achieve supernatural powers. Being here was simply his new reality and he had to adjust accordingly.

"I've heard of the tanbo, so I would be open to that. And training with either of the other weapons couldn't hurt."

"Alright," Nida said at last, lifting Julia from his lap and setting her aside.

"Give me your arm," he said, reaching for Yuki.

Yuki wasn't sure what to do when Nida suddenly removed the cat from his lap but he stood still. He wasn't going to back down or change his mind because he simply couldn't. Standing still, he lifted his arm as the other instructed, curious as to what was going to go on.

Did Jacob have to go through all of this too? Was that a thing that would happen?

Oh Jacob went through other things. He looks at that arm and then started to measure along it with his fingers. It was a basis.

"Alright, that will give me a starting point for making you a pair of tanbo. I'll have to go to the carpenter and get a few dowels of a bit more than the length we want. Come on."

He leaves his coffee behind and moves to the door to pull down a harness and leash.

It was a weird thing, feeling Nida's fingers on his arm, but he remained patient and waited.

Grey eyes looked up at the man when he made his pronouncement about the tanbo and tried to remain calm. This was nerve wracking but it had to be done. Even if Jacob was here, Yuki would have to protect him because he was foolish and reckless at times.

He then watched as the other grabbed the harness and leash, figuring this was his queue to get going and leave the man to do what he was planning on, so he made ready to leave as well.

"Come on, we're going to the carpenter," Nida said. Hibiscus had already run to his legs and Nida hesitated.

He really hesitated, this strong warrior, over the little bird at his feet. It took a while before he moved to start strapping the harness on.

"If you're free."

Yuki watched the little red bird scurry after Nida and he wondered at the other hesitation. Was it because he was considering bringing the bird with him? But in any case, he smiled when the man offered to have him come along.

"Yes I am."

No, it was fear. And Nida was working to squash it.

"You'll have to be willing to live with a strange schedule for training," Nida said as he crouched down to work on the harness. He got his fingers pecked a few times as a thank you. And he bit his lip to not curse.

"Of course." Yuki replied with a shake of his head. If he had to do a weird schedule, he was up for it. He needed this to happen, needed the training. And if that meant a few sacrifices, well he would do that too.

And from his standpoint it was adorable to see the chick be so eager for the man's attention. It reminded him of how his own little blue bird seemed to be the same way. The little creature just never seemed to tire of his attention and it was adorable.

So somehow he figured Nida was the same way.

Well, at least one of them sees it as love. Nida sees it as a problem. Once the chicobo is in the harness and its leash is on, Nida clips it to his belt and then reaches for a harness by the door for his weapons. It takes some shimmying to get his polearm harness on. Then he puts the weapons in place and opens the door.

He doesn't go out at all without weapons.

"Alright then, we're going to start with trying to get you armed."

He was going to have to go to the chocobo breeder and ask about a harness himself. If the little chocobo chick could be walked at night or on the way home without Yuki worrying that he was going to lose it.

His eyes widened again with seeing the polearm, but he might as well get used to it now he supposed. He had to deal with this and learn how to fight just in case it would matter to someone someday.

This was what he'd asked for.

So he nodded decisively. "Alright."

For Nida the harness had been suggested by the breeder when he saw the fear that Nida had for his new charge, but his insistence that he wanted to love his new pet and grow up into a situation to work together. And he did his best to do it too.

"Alright, come on. If she tries to jump on you, then we're supposed to tell her 'relax'. It's the word I'm training her with."

He smothered a smile because he wasn't sure that a chocobo jumping on someone was such a bad thing. Yuki was just happy to see this lovely little creature out and about and made him think he should do the same with his little lost bird.

"Okay."

And then he went out the door so that Nida could lock up behind them. He looked over at the empty hall ahead of him and silently vowed to Jacob that he would make him proud of him.

Clearly Nida had different opinions on the whole situation. Once he was through and the space was locked, he smiled.

"So, your training in the past, have you ever dealt with polearms or tanbo at all?"

The silver head shook. "No. Shishou taught us hand to hand and he also taught us a little bit with a katana." And he knew he needed to expand on that knowledge so that was why he'd had one commissioned.

"But I'm looking forward to learning more about the polearms or tanbo."

How interesting. Nida keeps walking, and he keeps his speed to manageable for Hibiscus.

"Tanbo are short items, not longer than the forearm to the fingers, best for elbow to wrist actually. They are for quick, focused strikes. They may not pair well with your martial arts style or the katana."

Yuki listened as Nida went on about the weapons. But he wasn't in a hurry to discount anything either. "Would this be a case of wait and see then?" He had to try.

He then looked over at the little chocobo chick and just smiled. It was almost like walking a very very small dog and he was just highly amused.

"Indeed, but with your size and build, I'd default to tanbo. Especially if you prove to be fast enough."

They reached the stairs and Nida stepped down one step at a time, pausing for Hibiscus to hop down that step to join him. It's slow going, but it's the best he can do.

He knew he was pretty fast but maybe Nida was faster than Kyo. So he just nodded and started to really look forward to these lessons. Yuki knew that Jacob had trained under this man and had always complimented the man, until there was that one time in the Mage Library.

"I look forward to trying."

And Hibiscus was being simply adorable.

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