003 Strike [Written/Action for Shepherds]

[curries]

[WRITTEN]
what does strength mean to you? and how does a person become stronger?

[ACTION]
[Asbel sits quietly on one of the crates abovedeck. It's not really clear if he's in some sort of "time out" or if he's here for his own reasons, but what's plain is he doesn't have any intention of moving. A few hours have passed, and he hasn't so much as gotten up to stretch or even gotten up to his usual antics. Instead, the eleven-year-old appears to be thinking hard about something.]

[He said he wanted to become a knight someday; he still does. But what does being a knight really mean? How can he serve a king and protect a whole country full of people when he can't even protect his friends or his own little brother from danger?]

Comments

[Written]

[delicate_maiden]

Strength means being able to take on anything in a fight, but it also means not letting anything get you down and being someone other people can rely on. The most important thing is never giving up, though! If you want to be stronger, never ever give up. Train and train and train and practice and practice and find stronger and stronger and stronger people to take on until you're the strongest there is.

[Written]

[curries]

[Never giving up and becoming the strongest there is! Boy, that's gonna take some serious work. There must be a ton of skilled warriors around.]

being someone other people can rely on...

but there's a lot more to that than just fighting, isn't there? that's what my parents are always saying. something about thinking more about those around me.

[Written]

[delicate_maiden]

I guess some people would lump that in with being strong, but you can be really strong and be a total inconsiderate jerk. Now, if you want to be a proper warrior, that IS something you need to think about. You have to be mindful of your friends and allies and how you can support them and not just think about your own glory.

[Written]

[curries]

yeah, i guess you're right about that. besides, i'd rather not be a total jerk if i can help it. then i'd never get into the academy.

huh. i wonder how i'm supposed to support them, though.

what would you do?

[voice]

[yourotherleft]

[man, that question. It's like a magnet to draw Zoro]

Strength is up to each person to decide for themselves. But getting stronger...that requires dedication. Training. Not giving up. Finding your limits and forcing yourself past them.

[Voice]

[curries]

So, uh, how exactly do you do that?

Force yourself past your limits, I mean. Isn't that why they're called "limits"?

[Voice]

[yourotherleft]

Limits are blocks you put before yourself. Your own mind and body can lie to you, you can make yourself think you can't do any more, but it's not true. You can always go one more step.

[Voice]

[curries]

Then the only person stopping me, is me?

[Asbel thinks on this for a second.]

Does that mean I should keep practicing, even when it feels like my arms are gonna fall right off? And eat another plate of curry at dinner, even when I'm full already?

written:

[hostclubshadowking]

I have a friend who once said true strength was being unafraid to be yourself.

I think it's something that means a different thing to every person.

written:

[curries]

uh. i'm not really sure what that even means.

i've never been afraid of being who i am, you know? at least, i don't think i have. that'd be kind of silly.

written:

[hostclubshadowking]

Unfortunately, he knew several people who were. I would take it to mean that everyone has to find their own version of strength, their own understanding of how to be strong.

written:

[curries]

i guess that makes a little more sense. it makes me wonder what my own version is like.

so, how come they were scared in the first place? did other people pick on them or something?

action;

[wantsarobotgarden]

[Finnian for once had managed to not cause problems since the stormed the fortress. So keeping it up he was on the deck, carrying something that needed to be placed elsewhere, but as he was making his way to place it down he spotted the young boy, someone he hadn't really talked to much sitting there alone.

Not really understanding why he was there, he put down the create he had been carrying before and walked over.]

Are you okay? Is something wrong?

action;

[curries]

[At the sound, Asbel looks up curiously. He's seen the guy around before, but he doesn't actually know too much about him at all. Regardless, he smiles in a friendly way, even if the cheerfulness is a bit too obviously faked.]

Oh. Yeah, I'm okay! Just... [He makes a wide gesture with one arm before letting it drop back.] Thinking about stuff.

action;

[wantsarobotgarden]

[While he is wondering what about, he knows never to ask. It seemed rude in a way.]

Okay, though don't think too hard. I find that sometimes thinking to hard doesn't mean a plan will work out.

action;

[curries]

[Asbel shakes his head.] I'll try.

My plans don't always work even when I come up with them on the spot, though. And I'd really rather not make a mess of things next time.

[And for a change of pace, he cranes his neck to look around at the abandoned crate.] So, what's in all of these boxes anyway? Supplies to take care of the ship?

voice;

[gokai_red]

Strength is...

The power to protect what's most important to you. To obtain your dream.

It's pretty simple, but what those things may be can get a lot more complicated.

voice;

[curries]

The power to protect.

[He likes the sound of that.]

How's it get more complicated, though? I mean, I know there's an awful lot of work involved, and training and all that, but it doesn't sound too bad...

voice;

[gokai_red]

Sometimes it's figuring out what is most important. Or how to protect it.

It's not always that simple.

action;

[conntego]

[jaune is walking on the deck as well, doing his own thing and minding his own business. of course that is until he sees asbel just sitting there. thinking. thinking real hard it seems.

huh.

jaune walks over to the kid, smiling sheepishly.]

Hiya! Uh... y'know my mom always told me if I concentrate that hard on something my head would explode.

action;

[curries]

[Asbel tilts his head up as Jaune approaches, trying to look friendly at least, even if he's been feeling sort of lousy ever since...well, let's just say it's been a little while.]

Uh--really?! I've never heard of anything like that happening before! But maybe your mom should go talk to mine. Then I wouldn't have to study so much.

action;

[conntego]

Wait- study? What does studying have to do with anything?

[he was talking about something entirely different, boy!!]

[written]

[failguardian]

[Okay, fine, so technically they're on the same ship and Anise could just walk over and talk to him, but it's warm in her bunk and she doesn't feel like moving, especially when she's still getting used to being at sea. This ship is way different from the Tartarus and not a good kind of different.]

Strength is having the power to do whatever you want!

[How to develop it is a bit harder, and she's still learning herself, but she'll answer the best she can. Asbel is still a kid, a pretty nice one too from what she's seen; she doesn't want him to get pushed around.]

You've gotta be able to defend yourself, and you need to be able to say no to people so you don't get swindled! It can be pretty hard to get strong, but you've gotta keep trying! ♥

[And she'll add a little doodle of her giving him a thumbs up sign.]

[written]

[curries]

[Wow, a heart? Seriously? Seems like something Cheria would do. The drawing isn't too bad, though. Asbel isn't much of an artist, so he'll focus on keeping his letters straight.]

[Fortunately for Anise, she doesn't have to worry too much about this kid being pushed around. Hubert maybe, but definitely not Asbel.]

is that really all there is to it, though? i mean, i already pretty much do whatever i want, no matter what other people say. and it usually just gets me into a ton of trouble.

[written]

[failguardian]

[Hmm, interesting! She's going to assume he means parent trouble which...she can't entirely sympathize with, since she can't really remember the last time she got into trouble with her parents aside from a few scolding words when she was too upset and angry at the world and let all that frustration come tumbling out. She's pretty sure she's in the right during those times, and getting out of trouble is always an important skill to master, so she quickly scribbles:]

You've gotta be strong enough to get out of trouble too!

[Although if Asbel was the one in the wrong...]

But you need to have qualities other than strength too. Like being clever! And doing the right thing!