savetheearth | Video/Audio

[Ever since discovering that his number worked on more than just his small chalkboard, Luke has been scrawling, typing, and tapping it into or onto every surface he could thing of. As long as no one was looking of course. Unfortunately for Luke, the only computer in his house resides in his Grandfather's study. It's old and slow and "not for playing around on", so to do anything more than handwriting on the network he's had to get a bit creative. As for right now, the video feed shows a somewhat sparsely furnished but nice living room. There's a couch, a coffee table, a few family photos on the walls in the distance, and a few half unpacked boxes around the edge of the room. In the center is Luke. He's looking intently at a chalkboard in one hand, verifying that the video is working properly. When he sees himself standing there he smiles and puts it down, then leans in closer to the camera and speaks in a quiet voice.]

Okay I wasn't sure how this one was going to work, but this works. I'm connecting with my TV [He holds up the remote and waves it for a moment.] cause I needed to show you guys something and I'm not a very good drawer.

[He leaves the frame and comes back holding up a sword with a huge smile on his face. His voice remains quiet, but the bounce in his step implies that that's taking some effort.]

I got a sword. Isn't it cool?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Grumpy and bossy is a pretty accurate description. He's pretty much okay with this.]

Little more than a month ago, yeah. And I got the skill with one way before that. These pulses are pretty stupid for doing things in any order other than that, if you ask me.

Then you can teach me 'n stuff, right?

[Luke is getting kind of tired of being told he's going to hurt himself, but figures the easiest way to get it to stop is to learn how to be good. His smile is back in full force, but now with an expectant sort of tinge to it.]

[Look on the bright side: Toushirou isn't freaking out over the mere fact that you have one, like most other people are. Having a sword isn't the problem; being careless with it is.]

Well, if you're going to have one, it only makes sense that you should learn how to use it properly.

[A few seconds and a couple of muted sounds later, he switches to video, which is something he doesn't usually do on the network. And wouldn't you know it, Luke? He's a small blond kid about your age. The blade he holds is slimmer than the one you have, but balanced expertly in his hand. He turns his wrist to show how he's holding it.] Your grip isn't secure. Do it more like this.

[And he's in no danger of you telling him he's too young for it.

When the video flickers on, Luke looks a bit surprised. He could tell the boy was young, but what with his tone and general knowledgeable air he was still expecting someone a bit older. Once he gets past the initial shock he relaxes quite a bit. It's really very comforting knowing that not EVERYONE on here is way older than him.

At the instruction, Luke perks up. He brings the sword up again, and adjusts his left hand on the grip accordingly.]

Oh, mhm.

[He peers at the screen, and rechecks his own hand. When he's positive he's got it right he looks up, waiting for more instruction.]

[No danger of that at all. He's had people tell him that multiple times, and he hates it so very much. The others can not like kids their age being involved all they want -- but they can keep it to themselves. It won't change reality.

[And Toushirou does tend to sound and act older than he is, which often weirds out a lot of kids his age. As far as the knowledgeable air goes . . . well he's been at this almost from the beginning; he's got a certain comfort level with it.]

Better. That way, you won't wind up knocking the sword out of your own hand when you hit something with it. But where you grip it is important, too. You need to find the balance point. It's gonna feel different on every kind of sword, so you need to find the place where you can hold it that feels the least awkward when you move it around. Don't swing it. Just move it around until you find what's most comfortable.

[This is probably the most he's ever said all at once on the network. But he wants you to get this right. Because it's important.]

[Luke listens eagerly, and nods in silence when the instruction is over. His face takes on a frown of concentration as he slowly and deliberately moves the sword through the air, occasionally using his second hand to adjust his grip before trying again. Luke can hear the emphasis in his tutor's voice and knows that this is important. Luckily for him however, the blade and grip are both fitted for a child his size, and even going as slowly and carefully as he is it doesn't take too long for him to find the best place to grip.

When he thinks he's found it, he gives just one swing with a bit more gusto, just to make sure the position still works at higher speeds. When everything still feels secure and natural he beams. And looks to Toushirou for what to do next.]

[He can hear some of the fuss about the fact that he's about the same age and teaching bladework. And he rolls his eyes at it. Geez, people. He's been nothing but responsible with weapons. He's just teaching this kid how to handle it without accidentally hurting anyone, not shoving him off to war.

[Like half of them have any room to talk about responsible pulse usage, anyway. He feels like a babysitter sometimes.]

Not much else to do over the network. [And he slides his own sword back into the scabbard.] You want actual practice, we'd need to find a way to do it in person. But it's not exactly like we can just stuff these things in our backpacks and take them to school.

[Luke thinks they're all being silly. The sword can't be that much more dangerous than Colton's bb gun they had played with last summer. Well technically it was his older brother's. And they weren't supposed to be playing with it. And Colton got in a lot of trouble. But nobody had gotten THAT hurt was the point that mattered here. Luke can totally handle this. Especially with a cool kid to show him the ropes.

Luke mirror's Toushiro's action, first grabbing a sheath from off the floor before clumsily slotting his sword back into it. Luke looks at the floor, trying to think of a way for them to practice together.]

There's a little park not too far from my house? If we meet up at night there shouldn't be anybody else around?

[His homesickness surges up again when he considers how easy it would have been to just practice in the woods or one of the abandoned barns back in his old town. But here there's so many people and houses and hardly any empty space.]

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