Backdated to event...

[bear_necessities]

Who: Senri and Aoi and whoever wants to encounter them
Where: Aoi's house and somewhere in the park respectively.
When: During the faerie event
Summary: Senri and Aoi have wound up switching places in their sleep. Leaving him to wake up in her nice comfy bed and her to enjoy some outdoor camping. Fun.
Warnings: None

[Due to some fairy mischief, Senri and Aoi have woken up in each other's beds. Well, that was the plan anyway. But Senri often camps out in the park, so he may have gotten the better end of this deal.]

{{OOC: We'll both be commenting to start with. Respond to whichever top level comment you like, Aoi or Senri.}}

Comments

[halberdaxe]

No need. [For the appreciation, he forgets to add. Instead he moves onto the question.]

Not usually. I had only happened to have some time to train this early today. Normally I train during the day.

[eyewillprotect]

You're really dedicated to that, aren't you?

[It's an admirable trait as far as Aoi is concerned. Going out of his way to keep up on his technique even without anyone else to practice with...

Even Aoi couldn't exactly boast that.]

[halberdaxe]

Being a combat member in the battlefront was how I proved myself useful, and I will continue to do so in this world. To do that, I must train.

[After all, Yuri was in this world now. He made a promise (to himself) that he would help her out in anyway he could.]

[eyewillprotect]

...I'm sure you're very reliable at that.

[He's clearly quite strong. Fighting on the front lines was definitely suited to him. She can't help but be slightly envious.]

[halberdaxe]

[He gives a proud smile in response. Nothing beats a compliment!]

And I will continue to be as such.

[eyewillprotect]

[...]

By any chance... do you need a sparring partner?

[halberdaxe]

[It may be nice to have a sparring partner, Noda noted quietly then, but that required talking to someone and having them spend time with him. He had passed on once, but that didn't mean he was comfortable to ask anyone.

He stays quiet for a bit, playing with the thought.]

That is a thought I have not considered. [Mainly because he would prefer to be out on his own rather than tag along with a group unless it was necessary to do so while on missions.]

[eyewillprotect]

In my world, my friends and I often sparred together to hone our technique. [...Or learn how technique wasn't the answer to everything, in Aoi's case.]

I don't really have any partners here, though. Maybe we could practice together every so often?

[halberdaxe]

......You are offering to spar with me?

[Noda clearly looks surprised at all this. No one ever really offered to spar with him, although that was mainly because he never listened to or associated with others in the battlefront.]

[eyewillprotect]

Mm! I have a naginata, myself. I think those two weapons would be good to spar together with, don't you?

[halberdaxe]

[Surprise turns into curiosity at the mentioning of her choice of weapon. Come to think of it, has he seen her fight with a weapon before? All this time, he thought she resorted to her strange powers as well as her Persona...]

I was not aware you are skilled with such weapon.

[Now the next question: was he willing to take up on it? He still had some tolerance towards interacting with other people due to his complexity of burdening anyone with his troubles...

It ends with Noda making an unsure face, scratching the back of his head.]

[eyewillprotect]

You said you normally train during the day, right? As long as it doesn't conflict with my classes, I should be able to drop by, no problem.

[halberdaxe]

[He keeps quiet, looking over at Aoi for a while before looking off to the side and responding.]

I train alone. There is no need.

[He quickens his step, putting a little more distance between the two as he stuffs his hands into his pockets. He wasn't used to have people offer their time to him and he could only react by closing up, if given the choice. Of course, the After Life had forced him to become more social, but even with that old habits were hard to break.]

[eyewillprotect]

[...That was abrupt. She hurries to catch up, rather grateful that the pain in her back has died down by now.]

Ah, wait-!

[Did she say something wrong...? That conversation seemed to have been going well for once.]

[halberdaxe]

[Sorry, Aoi. Perhaps things would be so much easier to understand if Noda spoke about himself. But he almost never spoke about himself, even to the other SSS members. For now, he was going to stay quiet while he continued to walk.]

[eyewillprotect]

[She allows for some silence, if only because she's still trying to figure out where all of that went badly.]

...I'm sorry. I hope I wasn't too forward.

[halberdaxe]

[He knows he shouldn't give the silence in response. Realizing he had tensed up from this topic, he gives a little sigh to let himself relax to look over at Aoi.]

Why the apology? You have done nothing wrong. [He gives a little pause, unsure whether to really say this.]

...I am not used to training with another person. [And with a girl, at that. He was already so stubborn to ask for help in general...]

[eyewillprotect]

[Oh...! She's a little relieved to hear that, actually, and it shows in how she too relaxes.

Although the second part is a little...]

You don't normally train with others? But I thought you were part of a large group...?

[halberdaxe]

Indeed, I am a member of the battlefront, but I only take part in it for Yurippe and no one else.

[Which was still true, in a way. But with how he had, in a sense, let go of the feelings when he passed on, he's a little unsure whether it's a good idea to latch onto that again. Just a tiny bit.]

Nevertheless, if you are looking for someone to train with, go look elsewhere.

[eyewillprotect]

I see...

[She sounds a little disappointed, but understanding nonetheless.]

Well... If you ever change your mind, please let me know. I normally train by myself, but it's much different when you have an actual opponent. I'd be grateful for the practice.