allthenotes | late night 28

[ For a long, long time he stares at the blank, open pages of his journal, tapping the end of his pencil against the paper, cheek resting against the backs of his fingers. Is this a good idea, he wonders? Will it be any more successful than his previous attempts to get into the martial arts? He's already stretching himself thin juggling magic, work, and survival and he's fumbled even the most basic attempts at self-defence. What's to say learning to wield a weapon won't waste even more time?

He scrubs a hand through his hair and heaves a quiet, dejected sigh. This will be the third time he's opened the journal. Does he want it to be the third time he closes the book without writing a single word? He glances around the storage room nervously, suddenly paranoid that someone will emerge from the stairs or the corridor and ask what he's doing.

This is stupid...

Kaito leans back against the wall and bites his lip. Eventually, he starts to scratch out his request. ]

Hey, everyone. I dunno who still reads these, but is there anyone who'd be able to teach me how to fight? I'm dexterous, good at dodging, and I think I have decent arm strength.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He was taken aback by the ferocity of her moves. True, he had seen Walter fight before, an elegant dance of man and high-tensile wires, but her flashing steel was more aggressive. It hit home the fact that what he was asking was to learn was how to hurt others. Perhaps even kill them.

Kaito was of course familiar with tales of ninja and shinobi from his homeland. It was actually surprising to hear her call herself one since he assumed she came from a foreign world. Perhaps that was for the best, however; it meant there was a small connection to his roots and he found comfort in it.

"I know how to do sleight of hand already. I'm magician." He demonstrated by holding up his hand, wriggling his fingers. Between the clench of his fist and it opening, a playing card somehow appeared between his fingers. "I don't see what that has to do with being a shinobi though."

"A shinobi's greatest ally is stealth an' moving quickly and sneakily. We move in the darkmans--night and darkness--and it's our job to hit the enemy with surprise. It minimalizes the amount of 'urt. Stun, silence, whatever. The more 'armless you seem, the more dangerous you can become at the drop of a pin."

She's hoping that makes sense. Disguise, stealth, that's her bread and butter.

"For example, lookin' like yer browsin' a busy marketplace while yer followin' someone for information. Or even comin' in as one o' their guards an' they'll get a stabber through the 'eart that way. But it also means our 'ands have to be fast an' good at what they do."

Kaito nodded slowly. "I see..." It wasn't that different to what he did as Kid. The difference was he would be stabbing people rather than pickpocketing them.

"We have shinobi where I'm from as well," he admitted. "They don't exist any more but they kinda do the same thing. And I...I already know how to do those other things you mentioned. The non-knife things."

"That's good." So it'll mostly be knife skills. That much is going to be a lot easier. She's going to have to teach him how to whip one around without hurting himself especially.

"Shinobi come from across th' sea. Othard. Refugees. I got lucky, had a spark they liked."

Thancred would claim it was just accidental reflex that he slipped into the ballroom leaning on stealth himself, but the truth had more to do with a mix of nerves about the Castle lately, and his lifelong game of 'where did you come from'.

"It doesn't hurt that our homeland has a similar tradition, either."

Kaito nearly jumped out of his skin with fright. He hadn't heard Thancred enter. He had been expecting the man to show up, but still...

He quickly straightened, hoping his rapidly beating heart didn't show too plainly on his face. "Uh, if I remember... You were more like a thief than a ninja," Kaito said uncertainly.

Syhrgeim stares for a few moments, at Thancred's arrival, then starts laughing heartily.

"He's a rogue, an' a bloody good 'un. I know 'im, don't worry. The rogue's guild--the Upright Thieves afore at one point. So ye aren't that far off. Long story what they do."

She's going to walk over and pat Thancred on the shoulder.

"Well come, Magpie. It's good t' see ye."

late night 28

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