Lessons in fighting

[mindofathief]

Who: Duster, Open
What: Duster is giving out hand-to-hand combat training
Where: Aqures Ixen, Hero Training Facility
When: June 16
Warnings: None for now

[Duster wakes up surprisingly early this morning. The recent battles he went on and the news yesterday about the murders must have messed up his sleep cycle, and now he's waking up in the morning like a normal person. Huh. He finds that his shoulders are too tense and his mind unfocused to go out and earn money through battles, so today has to be a resting day. For a moment, he thinks of practicing the double bass all day, but a letter he forgot to clean off of his desk grabs his attention.

Ah. That's right. He promised Chrom to teach some lessons at the training center. Now that's something he can focus on instead.

Anyone arriving at the training center will find a handwritten sign by the entrance, words written neatly and spaced out like a poem:]

Self Defense Classes
Learn martial arts from Duster
Taught here all day today.

[There's an extra syllable at the end, but no one on the Nowhere Islands can write a proper haiku.

Duster can be found in one corner of the grounds, kicking a leather dummy. Each of his strikes hits the target in a regular, focused fashion, as if Duster is making sure he keeps a steady beat.]

Comments

[shepherd_prince]

[Chrom shakes his head.]

I can't say I've heard of PSI before.

[It makes him feel like he should apologize for this somehow, even if it's not really something he has control over in his world.]

You're able to sense this in enemies here?

[mindofathief]

[That explains a lot. It's an ability even non-magic users have, so it's difficult to imagine a world without musical combos.]

Not so much, unfortunately. I can get several hits in each turn, but I can't seem to get it just right. Maybe it is unique to the Nowhere Islands.

[shepherd_prince]

Ah, it becomes clear, then. The ability is native to your world, as this one cuts off our previous techniques and powers. I lost access to several sword techniques this way as well.

[He chuckles, his shoulders shaking with his mirth.]

I was worried perhaps that there was something my former teachers and fellow Shepherds neglected to tell me.

[mindofathief]

You forgot how to use your sword? ...I guess I never thought about that. The Monk Job is really close to how I fought back home, only it made me weaker.

...I wonder what would happen if I switched that out with Dragoon?

[shepherd_prince]

Forget my sword?! No! Never that.

[He laughs.]

But there were certain techniques that I could command, strikes that could inflict a great deal of damage, or replenish my strength. I had thought them simply to be advanced, rather than supernatural. I quickly learned that was not the case.

[mindofathief]

[Chrom laughs, which lightens the mood enough so Duster smiles.]

Oh, I get it. Like how I can't hear the beat of the battle, but I still remember the best way to kick an enemy during a fight, or teach all these people about self-defense.

I guess the Ancients didn't want to take away too many of our abilities.

[shepherd_prince]

I'm not sure they could, without robbing us of our mobility, memories, and innate talents.

[Chrom smiles right back. It seems like he's almost always in a pretty good mood.]

In any case, I think we can move forward assuming that I'll continue to be tone deaf to the heartbeat of my enemies. Think you can still teach me a thing or two?

[mindofathief]

Definitely!

[Duster rolls his shoulders.]

You can always fight without combos. It's harder, but not impossible.

[shepherd_prince]

Very well.

[Chrom's already fairly warmed up, both from his training and from throwing a few punches for the sake of the display. Without his weapon, Duster certainly had the upper hand, but Chrom was willing to be patient and learn what he could. If Palitutu could take away their jobs, suppose she could rob them of their weapons as well? He wanted to be prepared.]