it's gonna take more than a hand [closed]

[rideme]

WHO: The Iron Bull & Canada Kaneda
WHERE: Outside Nonah's Ark -- the backyard.
WHEN: Early Morning.
WHAT: Training Kaneda to actually fight and defend himself.
WARNINGS: Language probably? Maybe Kaneda's Problems.

[The sun isn't even up at the time the Iron Bull is. It's somewhere around 5:30 in the morning. It's about as late as he's willing to let the kid sleep. This is all part of the 'training' -- a strict schedule. Up before the sun, warm up, run drills, then let the day do whatever else needs doing.]

[With all the kid's gone through lately, with all that might be coming, this is really all Bull can do for the kid, short of becoming his personal bodyguard. And that would probably go over about as well as a brick wall. Being thrown. At Kaneda's head. It galls him more than he'll admit to anyone, that there isn't anything he can do right now to wrangle the one responsible for all these issues, make them both sit down and talk things out like rational people. That would take a miracle. And he's been fresh out of those since that day on the Storm Coast.]

[Since the day he'd made the call. Turned his back on everything for a handful of people who meant everything more.]

[One of the cats -- dark brown, slender, wild orange eyes, Skinner -- goes tearing down the hall and through his legs before he has a chance to dwell on that further. Heh. Good cat.]

[He doesn't have proper weapons for this. Hell, he doesn't have proper weapons in general. So two heavy sticks hacked down to the proper length will have to do. If the kid complains, he'll spray him with the hose. A great invention, that hose.]

[Looking remarkably chipper for this hour, Bull quietly makes his way to Kaneda's room -- there had been a light on in there earlier. No footsteps toward the door, no careful rustle of moving windows. Kid should still be inside. At least for now. So...]

[Whack!]

[No knocking. Just shouldering the door open, slapping the light on.]

Up and on your feet, Canada.

Comments

[rassera]

[In a way, it reminds him of Joker. He was always a heavy hitter back home too--Kaneda always the scrappy underdog. His fingers brace the sides, digging his heels into the ground as he feels himself pushed back, although his arms strain against it. Softening the blow ever so slightly.

A little off form? Yes. But did it perfectly define Kaneda? Definitely.

You're looking at a boy who gets things done, just not as polished. Self taught.]

[rideme]

Good! Again!

[And, just like he said, he'll do it again. The same way, too. For now, he's not going for fancy. Or to trick him. Once Kaneda gets the motion down, he'll switch it up.]

[But for now, they'll just repeat this drill for a bit longer. While he watches for signs Kaneda's tiring.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda's feet dig in again, readying himself at Bull's words and tilting the shield slightly, to better handle the blow now that he's got an idea of what's coming.

And the more it happens, the more comfortable he gets with it, improvising a little when the blows come, there's maybe a tiny push back.

Using the 'shield' as not only defense, but in getting some distance between him and the 'opponent'.]

[rideme]

Hah! Good one! Good plan.

[That laugh is definitely approving. As is the thump on the shield with a meaty fist. He takes a few steps back. Judging distance.]

Ready to see if you an stop a real hit?

[rassera]

[Bull's words seem to be doing wonders for Kaneda's confidence, a smile brimming beneath that shield as he steps back, watching as Bull lays off for a few moments. Granted his confidence was already through the roof before, but maybe...just maybe he wants to prove himself.

There's no hesitation as he readies himself, fingers gripping the sides of the 'shield' tightly and readying himself.]

You got it, Old man!

[rideme]

All right. Not pulling this one.

[That's not entirely true. If he really went all out, the little bit of wood couldn't stand a chance. It'd shatter. And then they'd be out of a prop. But Kaneda doesn't need to know that.]

[He lunges forward. Aiming first for one side, in a feint, to try and shove him over from the opposite angle.]

[rassera]

[Honestly, he kind of figured if Bull went all out, that little piece of wood would be nothing but splinters. But he'll see what Bull means in a second.

The feint--he recognizes that, quickly pivoting his feet and moving the shield towards where he thinks Bull's going to -really- end up. The blow is--wow.

He has to strain to not straight up fall over at this. His feet dig in, and his muscles tense as he puts his all into it, although he's still skidded back a small distance away.

Shit.]

Dammit...

[rideme]

Hah!

[Despite the fact Kaneda didn't deflect it entirely, he steps back before the full weight of his rush hits the boy. And he beams at him.]

Good! Krem can't catch that one, half the time.

[rassera]

[Even so, he has to shake his wrists to get the life back into him. He deflected most of it, sure, but there was no way he could do that twice. Not just yet. What side of the coin is it today? Probably heads.]

Not bad yourself, cow. Joker could never go that fast, the oversized blimp.

[He flips his hair out of his eyes, hand going to his wrist.]

You smart like a bitch.

[And he means that in the best way.]

[rideme]

Joker?

[That doesn't describe the guy he knows -- the one who wouldn't let himself get a back slap for fear of broken bones. But still.]

[Still, he's proud of the kid, and he lets it show on his face.]

Try to roll with it a bit more. Don't take the full force -- you'll break your arm.

[rassera]

[Give him a moment to roll that shoulder. Even with the durability softening the blow, Bull hit like a tank.]

Fatass back home. I led the Capsules, he led the Clowns. Sometimes fought on the roads...and sometimes off em.

[The only real threat to the Clowns, too. Not that he took pride in that.]

Roll with it...

[Like you do when you get knocked back, Kaneda. Your fighting can apply to more than one thing if you think it through.]

[rideme]

Oh, huh.

[Sounds familiar, sort of.]

... I led the Chargers, back home. Fought a lot of assholes, too. Whoever we got paid to.

[And that's why he feels like sharing that little bit of information. While he lets Kaneda's wrists and shoulders recover.]

[rassera]

[He listens, picking up that 'shield' and inspecting it as he looks towards Bull, thinking a moment.]

...

The cats. That's them, right?

[rideme]

Yeah.

Named them after my guys. Ended up fitting a lot better than expected.

[They'll start again in a minute. This is heart-to-heart moment, apparently.]

[rassera]

Figured that was it. You said 'Krem can't catch that one half the time.' Didn't think you meant the damn cat, you know?

[Kaneda props that piece of wood upright on the ground, leaning on it with his elbows.]

Kai. Yamagata.

[His members. Well..member. Yamagata had already died. And something shows in the way he bites his lip, holding back that exhale.]

So, we gonna spar or what?

[rideme]

Heh! He's going to give me so much shit for naming the cat after him.

[... or he hopes so, anyway. He really, really hopes so. Stupid Vint kid. Stupid assholes, all of them.]

[That bit of emotion doesn't go unnoticed. He could drag it out, or...]

Hell of a name. Ever get your tongue tied up with that one?

[Or he could act dumb and carry on, nodding, and readying his "shield" again.]

[rassera]

Wouldn't you? If someone named a cat after you?

[That shield bounces in his hands, a small smirk in his lips as he looks at it. It's just wood, but there's the feeling that his mind is miles away at that last sentence.]

Not as tough as 'Bull'. [You can see his accent coming through that one.]

If you think his name was hard to say, you should've seen him in person. Biggest pain in the ass.

[rideme]

Depends on the cat.

[Because if it was some badass giant wildcat, he'd be pretty okay with it. More than okay with it, really.]

[He snorts.]

You'd probably like Qunari titles better then. More vowels.

[but wowee we're not getting into Hisrad right now. Nope never.]

Yeah? Bigger than you?

[rassera]

[He thinks on that a moment, then shakes his head.]

Nah, Yamagata's just stupid and impulsive.

[Sound familiar? No wonder they're friends in the same gang.]

[rideme]

... Uh huh.

[Look at the look on his face. It says "it sounds like you".]

[rassera]

[He seems lost for a moment, before shaking his head and snapping back to reality.]

So. We gonna get back to what we're doing?

Shields are fun and all but...

[He nods to the knives.]

[rideme]

You think you're warmed up enough?

[He nods at them too.]

Once we start, we don't stop until I say so.

[rassera]

More than warmed up.

[If there's anything that's pouring out of Kaneda, it's confidence. He pulls on those gloves again, making sure they're secured on his fingers.

He's never been more ready.]

Right back at ya.

[rideme]

All right.

We're starting with grip.

[He passes Kaneda one of the knives -- hilt first. Holding the blade in a massive palm.]

Show me how you think you're going to hold it.

[rassera]

[Kaneda takes it, studying it for a moment. It wasn't like the knives he was used to--a pocket knife or a switchblade. This was more rustic. More...ancient. It didn't fit his hands the way he was currently holding it. He fiddles around with it in his palm, trying a few different positions.

None of them seem to really stick.

Eventually, he settles on what feels right, the hilt in the palm of his hand still, but the blade lying flush with his wrist, pointing diagonally backwards.]

...

[And he looks to Bull for approval.]