exsiliumlogs | (open)

Date & Time: Early afternoon, January 7th.
Location: The Hold; training facilities.
Characters: Allen Walker (

debtor) and YOU
Summary: Allen Walker levels up! Also another training facility log, if you feel like doing some training.
Warnings: PUNCHING INANIMATE OBJECTS and shounen. And training. And character death (the punching bag.)

[From opening until lunch (and oftentimes after lunch, sometimes until closing), six days a week (sometimes seven), some kid with white hair and a bizarre facial scar can be found in the Hold's gymnasium, kicking and punching various objects and performing series of acrobatic feats. Like many in Exsilium, he comes from a world where his training keeps him alive; here, it keeps him grounded. Gives him something to work towards and focus on, in a life that's become abruptly, and painfully, directionless.

For some time, he tried training in private with his weapon from home, but lately, he's begun splitting his attention between that and the weapon he'd received from the Initiative. A month ago, he'd picked the pair of armored gauntlets from the armory because they had appeared non-lethal, but they'd also appeared unwieldy. Which was fine, because he didn't think he'd really use them. But now that he is using them, he's finding they seem to somehow fit more comfortably with each passing day, and punches are thrown more easily.

Today, dressed in a black long sleeve shirt and sweatpants, with a leather glove over his left hand and a gauntlet on his right, he's focusing his attention on a punching bag, knocking it back with quick, powerful strikes. (For anyone who might notice these things, it's obvious that he's had a lot of practice, but it's also obvious that he hasn't had any actual formal training in any particular style of fighting. He's just kinda whaling on it.)

And then his right fist smacks into the bag and rips it right off its chains and sends it flying back into the opposite wall with a heavy, resounding crash. It bursts open upon impact, spilling its sandy innards all over the floor.]

Ah...

[Whoops.

Hopefully no one was standing in the way!]

--

[Or, alternately, you could run into him at any point during his training routine; or come by later and find a kid, possibly with sand in his hair and dusting his shirt, sitting cross-legged in the corner of the facilities, eating a sandwich and making a face at it. If you'd just like to chat.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He blinks in surprise.]

Nothing?

I thought we had to...

You don't have to pick their artillery.

[ She told them back then all she needed was herself.

And now she's transforming into some kind of weapon. It's freaking her out deep down. ]

[And he's thinking back to what the woman had told him, when he'd first arrived. They'd offered to bestow 'sentience' upon something he already had; he hadn't been willing, but...]

So you chose something of your own, then?

Something like that.

Ah. [He's curious, but he won't pry.]

Well, I suppose they all must evolve differently. They're meant to respond to us, I think...

It's strange to think about. Weapons being... alive.

It's... better, isn't it? Other weapons can't become stronger.

Is it weapons that need to become stronger or the people? [ She knows how important it is for people to become efficient themselves. ]

It's both, this way... They can become stronger alongside each other.

[He's thinking of his Innocence now; it's a partnership, in his mind.]

[ It does occur to her it sounds like that. ]

So our weapons are our allies.

If people choose for them to be, yes. That's how I see it.

It's... a bit of a brand new concept for me.

[He pauses, debating what he should say.]

There's-- something similar to it, in my world. Weapons that can respond. The Initiative's are still very different, but...

[ That's interesting. ]

But?

...It's a familiar feeling.

[He shakes his head.]

May I ask you... what you think of the Initiative?

[ Loaded question. She doesn't even get to ask him more about his weapon when he asks her that. She frowns and rests a hand on her hips, looking around the gym as if the answer lies in here somewhere. ]

It's complicated.

[Abrupt topic changes make good deflections.

Although it is related, in Allen's mind. He trusts his Innocence implicitly, but not the weapons here. They're the Initiative's, and if the organization isn't trustworthy, then neither are their gifts. And he isn't sure what to think of them...

He looks down at his right hand, moving the fingers, the metal creaking.]

I feel that way, as well.

I don't agree with their methods. [ Nor does she fully believe them on their claim that they can't choose who they bring here. The Transporter can accurately send and retrieve people to and from missions. Specific timelines.

It doesn't add up in her head. What could they possibly want with the people who aren't fit for this war? The ones who squirm under pressure too easily or have never been able to live on their own? ]

But the people from this world... it wouldn't be right to not help them any way we can.

Mm. [He looks back up at her.]

So you... agree with their intentions? You believe they're really helping the people of this world?

If winning this war means these people can live a better life here, then I'll do my best.

[ But she has her own reasons: duty. She might not have known what would happen when she decided all those years ago she wanted to be a soldier like her parents, but it shouldn't change just because she's elsewhere, right? ]

[His expression is soft, but his jaw is set as he nods.]

I agree. [And it's comforting to know others who feel that way. His fellow Transports are as close to comrades as he can get in this place.] If I can fight to make this world a better place, then I'll do whatever it takes. And if that truly is their goal, then I think the Initiative is worth working alongside.

[He's not bound by duty, not to this war. But if there are people around him in need, he can never overlook them.]

I want to believe we can make a difference here.

[ It's so odd to hear that from a boy's mouth. He might have been some sort of soldier back home, and sure, her world has plenty of teenage heroes but she's never really dealt with them.

Just Bette and she's conflicted on that.

She nods slowly. ]

But... I do want the Initiative to be more forthcoming with us.

I would like that as well.

If they want our trust, I'd think it might be in their best interest.

[But yet this isn't the first organization he's encountered that likes to distance those in power from the people they've uprooted to fight in their name.]

[ Kate looks around. ] I should let you get back to training.

[His expression turns sheepish.] Ah? It's fine!

Sorry, I hadn't meant to keep you. [He steps back.]

(no subject)

gevurah - 2013-01-31 02:51 (UTC) - Expand