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+--- Thread: Stavanger Bay rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed (/showthread.php?tid=16809)
rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - July 22, 2016
He retired to the seaside eventually, dragging heel to some extent because his injuries had begun to manifest again. The pain was tolerable; it was the fog within his mind that perplexed him, perhaps vexed him, which would explain the boorish manner he took when trudging across the sand. He sought out his lord @Skellige without making a sound (save for the crunch of grains and grass beneath him) and only because it was his duty as a bushido; not even now, injured and weary from his escapades afield, would Tetsubo rest.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - July 22, 2016
hope you don't mind me!
Lag was new to the group of wolves that called Stavanger Bay home and hadn't yet sought out the other members who lived here. She found herself drawn to the beach, it reminded her of home. No matter how little she missed her family it was Kattegat she missed truly.
Her head turned to take in the male that appeared, noting how he drug himself along in an injured matter. He smelt of the others, similar to smell that clung to Skellige and Doe. Lagertha moved to come closer, not yet getting too close but within speaking range.
"Hallo," she called out, tone colored with concern. "Ya alright there?"
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - July 22, 2016
It was utterly baffling that the wolves of this foreign place be so concerned with his well-being. From the healers, to the strangers outside of the bounds of Skellige's claim, to Skellige's own wolves; Tetsubo did not understand this in the slightest. He knew he was injured so they were not passing new information to him. He knew, too, that it was some sort of ritual performed by some beings just to make themselves feel better (as he had learned from Chase). Yet it would forever confuse him. The only reason to be concerned for his wellfare was to ascertain his strength, his usefulness, and so he chose this as the explanation above all. When a new voice spread through the brine-filled air towards him, voicing concern and all manner of strangeness, Tetsubo told himself, she is concerned for my usefulness, and left it at that. Thinking further upon this topic would only confuse him.
I am injured,he explained dully, his voice a deep drone,
but I can still function.So there would be no need to question his body's capabilities further, nor any reason to confront him about his inability to take deep breaths. At the very least Tetsubo's eyes had adjusted back to their normal appearance, so he no longer had the look of an oxygen-starved maniac. He sucked in a slow breath through his nose, felt it rattle in his lungs, and then let it whisper out from between his teeth, which he grit for the pain. Then, sizing up his current company, he remarked,
You smell strongly.. Of the sea. And Skellige.Such an observation was his attempt at small talk, one of his least favorite behaviors, but he knew he needed to learn more about the beasts that followed his lord.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - July 22, 2016
He seemed...odd. Lag could think of no other word for him. His voice was emotionless, toneless. The male was so detached that the Viking could have been speaking with a rock. She made no move to get closer to him nor did she move away, uncertain if that would be rude or not.
Nodding, the Valkyrie looked away out towards the sea as if it held the answers. Her slate eyes moved back to him as he mentioned her scent, curious how all of Skellige's followers made some comment on it. Lagertha was certain she smelt like any female.
"I was with him recently and Doe too, the little woman," she explained, smiling a small bit in an attempt at civilry. "I'm Lagertha," she kept it simple this time, recalling Skellige's disapproval of her nicknames.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - July 23, 2016
The only name which he had learned was Skellige's, and it was all that mattered to him. His lord needed his protection, loyalty, and humble servitude - the others, Tetsubo cared little about. He heard the woman speak another name, and briefly the boy wondered if one of the doctors who tended his wounds had been one of them. It was a fitting name for the white girl, for she was small and delicate, but he had witnessed her presence and did not suspect her to be a flighty sort, like the deer of such a namesake. Perhaps the other one then? He had been in her presence shortly, and she had escaped from tending him for a chunk of time, which coincided with his theory.
Lagertha,he droned her name. There was a small lilt to his words, perhaps an accent, which sounded asiatic and foreign. But it made no difference really, just accentuated his own strangeness within this place.
I am called Tetsubo,the boy drawled an introduction, but it was more like he was comparing the sounds of his title to those of her's, not so much trying to share his name or greet her in any way. It was very clinical.
Do you serve lord Skellige as well?
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - July 23, 2016
"A pleasure to meet ya," she nodded, wondering if it could be considered a lie. The man made her uncomfortable with his lack of emotion but she was glad to have met another member. Even if it was only to see what the others were like, she had her answer.
The Shield-maiden had not a clue what else she could say to this man, falling silent awkwardly until he brought up Skellige. "Yes," she supposed it was the easiest answer, given that she hadn't seen Skellige since her acceptance. Whether or not she served him depended on your point of view.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - July 23, 2016
It was good of her to answer, and even better that her answer coincided with his own. If she had said anything else, made any indication that Skellige was not her lord or was in fact an enemy, then he would have to put her down. It was not that Tetsubo enjoyed his job - he was not entertained by killing, or death, or blood, like some - but he was loyal, and he was also eager to prove his loyalty.
She answered and he, contorting his face in to what must have been a practiced smile, nodded and intoned,
Then we are allies. I hope to serve Skellige for many days, through many battles. Perhaps we shall die for him one day - together, with honor.Although as far as Tetsubo was concerned, he had less value in the concept of honor, and more interest in facing strong opponents. This gave him another idea.
Are you well versed in battle?His shoulders went rigid as he spoke, and he lifted his head slightly, as if to look over a set of spectacles as he asked this; it was an expression that many of the adults carried when they asked him questions in his youth, so he emulated that, as it seemed fitting.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - July 23, 2016
Lagertha had not considered that Skellige would have such loyal followers that they would kill for him, perhaps it was wrong of her but she found she could not commit to the idea of killing someone for Skellige with no questions asked. She knew little of him, he hadn't seemed to care for her very much upon meeting her, and was more loyal to her new friend Doe than any.
"Perhaps someday," she agreed with a small smile, for that was the purest death to a Viking. Lag wanted to die in battle, to rise to Valhalla with Odin in honor, not as a feeble old woman.
"I suppose I am, I haven't yet had a chance to compare to it anyone else's skill," she admitted. Lag had been a Shield-maiden in Kattegat but it was possible that the foreign wolves around her were better.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - July 28, 2016
Wanna spree a spar?
Someday, yes.
But he was curious of her abilities. Her admittance made him smile; or what passed as a smile, something well contoured across his face, and he ducked his head as if to nod thoughtfully. If she were truly a warrior then she would be eager to prove it, and as Skellige had yet to give either of them true duties - aside from guarding the sand upon which they had made their camp - there was time for sport and competition.
This was what he would propose, but he did not do it with words.
The boy chose instead to slip close to her, his spine bristling, and snapped his teeth very close to her; not grabbing as he perhaps could have, but purposefully missing, and then ducking his shoulders and head down as if in a play bow, as he had seen many children do while he had been growing up. It was not something he had ever been given instruction nor permission to do, but it was the only natural way he could think of to invite her to spar, lest she take his sudden assault as a true attack. He lurched to one side then, wincing slightly from the pressure of his bones as they took the brunt of his oddly angular positioning, and nipped at the air again, this time closer to her.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - July 28, 2016
Lagertha hadn't expected him to respond with actions, rather words. Thus when he snapped his teeth at her, Lagertha curled into an almost C shape with her fangs bared in anger and confusion. She wasn't sure what led from them talking pleasantly to fighting but she wasn't about to wait around and find out.
Just as Lagertha was about to retaliate, or attempt to, she halted in surprise as he dipped his head almost playfully. Realization flicked through her eyes and a competitive glint filled them.
Feinting as if she would go left, the Shield-maiden then darted to the right with the intention of nipping him on the shoulder.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - August 10, 2016
He did not know play, but he tried. He mimicked the actions of the children he had once protected, moved as they did, tried to remember all that they were in those moments of innocence; yet his own movements were more fluid and his occasional jolts towards his opponent - his target - more brisk. Tetsubo did not ease back with his power when he dove in to snap at her, or to bump her with a shoulder, and should any of his attacks connect, they would likely bruise her - or bleed. The actions of diving and twisting away from her, or moving in to attack on his own accord, made his own blood boil with the familiar warmth of battle; and soon Tetsubo would be consumed by it, leaving behind the game for the harsh reality he had always known.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - August 12, 2016
His movements were rough, surely the Viking woman would be bruised and maybe bleeding from superficial cuts at the end. Nevertheless, she played with him. Lagertha would never admit it but she was a usually lonely girl. Childhood had been rough with her Da' forcing her to train constantly and then as a young woman she had fled home to live alone.
Sleeping Dragon, Drageda, whatever it was had been a fail. They were all just so superior. As if being a Viking wasn't as good as being whatever they called themselves. She wasn't even sure Doe would be her friend anymore with Syzmon's warnings. Despite Tetsubo's emotionless behavior and his rough playing, Laggy was determine to make a friend of him.
The Valkyrie yipped softly, tail beating her hips as she was exuberant with energy. She was young and it had been forever since she had played this way. Darting around and amongst him, she pawed at him playfully before striking up a play bow.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - August 16, 2016
Friendship was not something he had been taught. It was not something he could understand to any extent. What she sought from him would be one-sided, but as an ally he would be devoted in a different way to her; a brother-at-arms, a defender, a warrior. He knew nothing else. Tetsubo naturally sorted individuals in to categories based on their usefulness; it was why he tended to avoid Doe lest he needed her attention for his wounds, and why he did not see fit to meet the rest of the wolves of the depths. They held no value to him. Skellige was valuable above all else because he was the master — he controlled the beast, the weapon. Without him Tetsubo would lead an aimless existence.
He could not be a friend. But he could be a tool, and a useful one.
Still, the beast did not think of these things as the two played together. He continued to duck and weave, or snap, or bludgeon with his shoulder, and with each blow he became more aggressive and more brutal. The game was already quite a harsh thing, but it became more and more like a real spar, and then like a fight, and Tetsubo could not prevent this; he only knew how to draw blood and to kill, not to dance and make false swipes or careful, peaceful nips. If she could not handle it then he would know, and then she would become obsolete to him. More importantly, she would show her true colors, her strengths and weaknesses, and Tetsubo would know if she was worthy to serve Skellige.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - August 16, 2016
His play grew rougher and rougher to the point where Lagertha's tail lost its wag and her smile fell flat. Still, she did not stop engaging him. It had lost the air of mirth, more as if she had something to prove to him. Even if the Viking was unsure just what her point was, she would prove it.
Some part of her rationalized that he could not truly hurt her, maim her in some incomprehensible manner. Skellige needed able bodied wolves and for them to go about permanently injuring the other would go against that need. Tetsubo would recognize this somewhere inside, she told herself. And whether or not it was true, Lagertha believed.
Despite the actions turning more violent by the second, Lagertha did not growl at him nor did she snap or hurt him. Her actions remained collected, gentle sparring nips and taps. The Valkyrie would not hurt a comrade, no matter how rough he treated her.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Tetsubō - August 17, 2016
He judged her to be weak right off the bat, which did not bode well for her; it was her sympathy that Tetsubo found to be out of place, though, and not her skill. She was swift and practiced with her movement, precise in her assaults, but for each touch of her teeth upon his fur or bash of his shoulder upon her body, there was something lacking. It was right for them not to kill one another during this dance — it was a game of experimentation and learning, not a real battle, no matter how desperate Tetsubo was to spill her blood. Gradually his own attacks lessened in their voracity, until he stood by her flank with the rhythm of his heavy breathing to punctuate the quiet.
Then, having decided he had seen enough of her abilities, he commented in his empty way,
You are strong, but I can make you stronger,the beat of his heart was maddening in his ears; Tetsubo licked the salt from his lips and swallowed the odd metallic taste at the back of his throat, and with it went the ache of his longing for blood, for the most part.
Skellige is wise, and must have seen the power in you.It was a justified observation, and probably the closest thing he'd ever get to a heartwarming compliment, dry as he sounded.
RE: rather have been killed by that beast than be saved by a half-breed - Lagertha - August 17, 2016
He slowed, his attacks losing their tenacity until Tetsubo came to a stop. Her breath was as ragged as his, maybe more so for she could no longer tell. Lagertha could feel bleeding wounds, most hidden by the coal smattered coat she possessed. In some places blood shined through, but the Viking pretended that she didn't notice.
"Weakness is a trait you can't afford."
His words fell limp, tonelessly as ever. Lagertha nodded either way, unsure of what else to say to that. "Ya, uh, ya fight gut," Lagertha finally settled for before you nodding once more in a half hearted way of farewell. Slipping away, the Viking left with clouded eyes and heavy thoughts.
mulan flash backs lol