Therapeutic violence [Action, WTR classrooms]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

[A grinning Snow is casually pummeling a training dummy in the classrooms. Whatever oddity of time compression has stripped off his brand and replaced it with some other power, he doesn't know, but after some of the earlier adventures he's endured through its questionable charity, he intends to just ride this out.]

[So now he's playing with this new power: density control. And frankly doing quite well at it. The punch he hurls at the dummy starts off light and fast, barely dense enough to engender any resistance even from the air; then, a moment before it lands, his body coalesces into a far more dense form. The punch hits with alarming force, sending the dummy flying.]

Huh.

I think I might've overdone it.

Comments

[spareglasses]

[Yukio's just passing by in the halls when he hears a rather loud crash, so he hurries over to the classroom and looks in. Nothing looks terribly out of order--aside from one dummy that's all the way on the other side of the room.

He turns to look at the lone individual in the room.]

Is everything okay, instructor?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Pretty good. Time Compression's decided to make life interesting for me, that's all.

[He heads over to pick up the dummy.]

[spareglasses]

You too?

[He steps inside.]

May I ask what sort of skills you've been given?

[After all, the guy doesn't exactly look like he needs any additional help in the "I can punch things really hard" department.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

I can weigh more. Or less. A lot more in either direction...

[He becomes, abruptly, tenuous and transparent, demonstrating just how less he can weight by putting his arm directly through the training dummy without effort or apparent impact.]

[spareglasses]

[Yukio nods appreciatively and offers Snow a smile.]

That's impressive. Was it difficult to master?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

It was hard to get under control. I kept going through things I didn't want to. Think I put some footprints into a floor or two. But I've got some experience in getting used to weird new powers fast.

[He looked down at his bare left forearm, then slapped it lightly with a grin.]

It probably won't last, but why not get good at it while it does?

[spareglasses]

I suppose it would be useful. If nothing else, it'd probably be good to at least control it enough to make normal life livable.

[Which is about as much work as Yukio's put into his own abilities. He's not, admittedly, too fond of his own new powers.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

So far so good. But it's not just enough to make it livable. I've gotta be able to use it well enough to make sure I can do what needs to be done. The hero business can be hard work sometimes!

[spareglasses]

Hero business?

[Yukio's bringing up thoughts of shounen manga heroes.]

Is that your profession in your home world?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Well, before a lot of trouble came down the road, I was part of a group called NORA. We kept monsters from attacking our city, generally did heroic and good things whenever possible. But hero isn't a job, it's a state of being!

[spareglasses]

State of... being?

[Sorry, Snow, but Yukio doesn't look all that convinced. Unless...]

Do you mean that you believe in upholding the laws and justice at all times?

[Though, the guy didn't really look to be that type of person--he seemed a bit too carefree, really.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Being a hero is all about doing the right thing. That means breaking the laws when they're wrong, too.

[spareglasses]

But... how do you determine what's right?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Protecting a village from monsters? Fighting a government-sponsored mass murder? Saving the girl instead of abandoning her? It's all pretty obvious sometimes. [He grins.]

[spareglasses]

And when it's not so obvious?

[Considering the expression Yukio's wearing, it's pretty obvious that he's asking this in all seriousness.]

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it's not. Then, you make the best choice you possibly can.

[spareglasses]

The best choice for the people or for what you think is right?

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

When are the two not the same?

[It's his own serious question. He's been wrong at times so far, but what he'd done he'd always tried to do for the best.]

[spareglasses]

[The real answer here is "always" in Yukio's life, but he'll offer up something else for now.]

More often than I wish.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

I can't say I've never made a mistake. I've made some big ones in my time. All you can do is... admit it, and do your best to make it right.

[spareglasses]

...Right.

[Yukio forces a smile onto his face.]

I guess that's what separates a hero from the rest of us.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Hey, more people are heroes than you'd think. Just saying it isn't enough, and not saying it doesn't mean you're not one.

[spareglasses]

I'll keep that in mind.

[A pause and then...]

I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name earlier. I'm Yukio Okumura.

[haha-steelguard.livejournal.com]

Snow Villiers. Martial Arts Instructor. [He offers a hand and a smile.]

[spareglasses]

[Yukio takes Snow's hand and gives it a firm shake before offering another smile of his own.]

I... kind of figured as much.

[He jerks his head toward the dummy.]