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[swordfucker]

Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[swordfucker]

[Guren sighs like it's a big problem, even if something like this is harmless and honestly more fun than it should be. He's learning that Damian has strengths above what a normal kid his age probably should have, his own post-apocalyptic world not counted, and he's learning that his fierce attitude doesn't stop at all.

It almost seems like he's not even going to dodge. One hand stays in his pocket, and he's looking dully at Damian. Honestly, he's trying to guess whether Bruce seemed like the type of father to get pissed if his kid comes home with a bruise or two, or just understand that his kid is a walking troublemaker.

Well. It'll have to be fine, either way.

He doesn't call on his demon, since he's strong enough without those extra powers to fight a human child, even with intense training. He himself has been training since he was 5 and possibly sooner, so they can both share that serious childhood thing. But he doesn't hold back, this time, either. His speed is faster than a normal human's, and he times it well enough. Right when Damian swings, Guren is there one minute, and then the obscured vision of him behind two sticks leaves him gone, behind him, instead.

He brings his fist harshly against the back of his head, and if that's not enough to knock him out, then he follows up with a kick to his back that's enough to send anyone normal flying into a tree.]

[bittybat]

[Even here, Damian is prepared for metahuman. He's a Wayne, a Bat. He's always prepared for the worst possible outcome. The only problem--he doesn't know what exactly to be prepared for other that "vampire hunter," and that's not a lot to go on.

He swings expertly, and then Guren is gone. Damian already realizes that Guren is going to be behind him. He flips the stick over his shoulder to hit Guren's attack, but the fist is so powerful it breaks it like it's sugar glass, and Damian's head gets a majority brunt of the blow.

White light explodes behind his eyes, and his first instinct is to stumble forward to get out of the way of any kind of follow-up from his backside. But the white is replaced by darkness, and he starts going down. The kick jump-starts him. Haphazardly, he goes flying several feet over and across the ground to roll to a stop where he lies motionless for a few moments. But he's as stubborn as he as trained, and one palm comes to rest on the ground like he might try to pick himself up.

Behind Guren, Ace lets out an angry growl before pressing forward. It doesn't seem like he wants to attack so much as back Guren out of the way to get by.]

[swordfucker]

Take it easy.

[Guren glances back at the dog, stepping to the side as if to show that he's not following up. Ace can get by, and Guren stays where he is, several feet away. It's impressive that Damian is still going to get up after that, but—]

That's my strength without relying on my demon at all. If I call on power from that, then it's not just a small boost. It's not something you can just stand up to at your level right now.

It's admirable that you can still push yourself to try and stand after that, but it's a fool's move to go against an opponent you can't beat. If this were a real battle, you should be retreating to think about how to come at me differently. You do know that, right? Mr. Strategist.

[bittybat]

[For now, he doesn't actually make it up. Ace churls, but dodges Guren with a wide berth and heads around to Damian. The boy's head is given a handful of rousing licks, and Damian brushes the dog's muzzle away while turning his face. His head swims, and it's hard not to retch when he finally manages to push his upper half up.] Shut up.

You're not human. That's practically cheating. [Ace attempts another string of licking along the forehead and the cheek. He has to pet the dog's neck and shoulder to try to get it to lay off.] But that just means you have weaknesses. [Looping his arm around Ace's neck, he uses the dog to stand unsteadily up to his feet. Once he's on them, he's actually quite balanced for the most part.

It's fine. This was simply all a way for him to get to learn what Guren is capable of in power.] If I can stand up to myself, I can stand up to anything. [He doesn't elaborate on what that means.]

[swordfucker]

I am human.

[He believes that firmly, and he's quick to correct him, eyes sharp.] I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but everyone has weaknesses. That means you, too. So quit trying to make enemies when you could be making friends.

If you want to know more about me, ask anyone here. But I only take people on my team if they're willing to work on a team.

[bittybat]

[Whatever Damian takes of the assertion, he doesn't show it on his face when he peers across at Guren.]

I don't need friends.

[And it sounds as if he honestly believes this; the words are given to genuinely, without pomp or air. He gives Guren a sour look, and he gives Ace a few strokes along the neck.] I lead my own team. [Well, not here.] Who says I want to be in yours?

[swordfucker]

Your endless questioning does.

[But still, he points accusingly at Damian.] You need friends. If you're on a team and you can't even call them friends, then they're not a team at all. Hate to break it to you.

On your own, in a place like this that thrives on connections between us, then you're going to fail every step you take. Maybe I'll have to talk to your daddy, after all.

[bittybat]

Tt. I don't have to be their friend to do the job. Being friends gets in the way. You make idiotic choices, and it puts others in danger. [Thankfully, it's a little bit of bullshit. They're not as close friends to him as Jon, but they're still... friends, he guesses.] Father doesn't have any say in whether I win or fail.

I won't fail. I can do whatever it takes.

[GUREN WILL NEVER KNOW HE'S ALREADY MADE ONE OR TWO "FRIENDS."]

[swordfucker]

You're wrong. They give you something to care about, and believe in. Something you can fight for. They're your family. That's what the defense force is.

[He will absolutely see Damian making friends, he has eyes all over!! And when he does, boy is he going to tease him.]

Don't act like such a hardass when you're like, ten. [He knows he must be a teen because of "Teen Titans" and yet he still chooses to tease.]

[bittybat]

[fucK]

I'm thirteen. I'm not a child. [He looks as offended as he can muster after being pummeled in the back of the head and the spine. Guess who is going to be starving and sore during the event? DAMIAN.] My team isn't my family. I already have a family.

[Like Guren about being human, he sounds intensely offended by the notion. Mostly because his father means a great deal to him. Dick and Alfred, Pennyworth, Ace, Titus. Those are his family.]

[swordfucker]

It's a different type of family. I had a regular family, too.

[But he's talking NAKAMA over here. He hopes Damian is sore for days, that brat!! Anyway... "had." So shush.]

Do you have a real weapon here?

[bittybat]

[Both brows pinch together in the middle of his forever, but he doesn't say anything about the family. Trying to question Guren right now would just cause Guren to question him back.]

I don't need a weapon to fight. [It's a half-assed way of saying no. Is his suit a weapon? Technically? It has some shit on it that he can use, look.] If you can't fight without a weapon, you don't deserve to have one.

[swordfucker]

[Guren rolls his eyes.]

I wasn't asking you if you could fight without one, brat. I saw that for myself just now.

[Although, the way he looks Damian over is a rude comment on that... He does actually recognize his ability. He just refuses to do so aloud with that attitude.] I have extra knives. Good sized ones. If you're interested in one of those, you can earn it.

Sticks won't work against harpies, jorogumo or anything else.

[bittybat]

[For a long moment, Damian doesn't say anything. Honestly, he's quite fond of swords and knives. For obvious Traumatic Past reasons. But...]

I don't use knives. I don't use anything that can kill.

[Harpies and jorogumo, though. His father would still count them, wouldn't he? He thinks Bruce would.]

[swordfucker]

You think your fists and that stick can't kill?

[He's making a point here. It's fine to not want to kill, he can admire that (even if he doesn't follow it at all), but... blaming it on the weapons is another thing.]

[bittybat]

I'm not stupid. I know they can kill. [He can slaughter a man with his bare hands, and it's awful.] But killing with them requires a great deal of skill. They aren't like knives, or swords, or guns.

There's no temptation.

[swordfucker]

[Temptation, huh... He has a number of opinions on all of that, but he won't bother with it.]

Alright. Well, if you ever change your mind, the offer's there. You'd be a lot more useful with something like a blade.

[bittybat]

I'm just as useful without it. [It's said with a lot of conviction, though without venom.] I don't need a blade to do what I have to do.

If I had wanted to kill something, I would find a way to do it even without a blade. [Using Ace as a guide, he starts walking the way they had come from the town. But when he gets to Guren, he stops.] If you need a blade to be strong, you're already weak.

[swordfucker]

Did you forget that I just handed your ass to you with one hand?

[He's just SAYING] It's not about needing it. If we were fighting vampires, that'd be one thing. You can't kill them without a demon weapon like mine, solely because the curse is required to make the wounds last.

[His hand is still by his sword, and he taps it now.] But you're going back and forth, saying you don't use something that could kill, but that you can kill without it. Which is it? Are you fine with killing, or not? You better decide fast, or you'll be the one who winds up dead.

It doesn't matter which way you choose, as long as you stick to one of them. Kill or not, use a weapon or not, I don't care.

[bittybat]

[The one hand thing was probably in Guren's benefit to earn Damian's respect, despite the fact Damian still thinks that Guren is probably not entirely human in a human sense. He won't be sure unless further testing of some kind is done.] It's strange how defensive you are when I didn't specify whether I was talking about you or not.

[He doesn't look away from Guren. He's too stubborn and prideful.] I can kill without a weapon.

I simply choose not to do it. If I did, I would just be a murderer. [Or, well... he'd be a murderer again.............] It doesn't matter who or what you're killing. You're still killing.

[Look, it's something he's struggling with. Saying it how Bruce would say it helps him believe its how it should be.]

[swordfucker]

So you don't kill. But you're tempted to?

[Hmmmm. Well. Guren eyes him a little more, from up here at 6' tall, not bothering to lean down or anything.]

I don't disagree with you. I'm a murderer in that respect, and you can see me as one. I'm not the only one here who is, either. That's what happens in war, and plenty of other things.

If you can avoid it no matter what, that'll make you even stronger.

[bittybat]

...

[Damian refuses to clarify whether that is or isn't true. Guren can make the assumptions. This boy is tight-lipped on the things people would talk about, but loose-lipped when it comes to boasting. Hm.]

I'm aware. I live by a code of conduct most people couldn't ever understand much less follow. [Even at six foot, Damian doesn't look away or back down. One of his pupils is just a touch bigger than the other, and when he finally does look away, it's slow. He keeps a hand on Ace's back.] Damian Wayne.

Don't forget it.

[swordfucker]

Damian Wayne, the kid who thought he could take me on by jumping from a tree.

[Guren laughs, but it's short, and he waves him off.] I don't forget anyone in this small little town. Go make some friends, kiddo. I'll catch you later.

[bittybat]

High ground is always a good strategy. [He doesn't need to be waved off!!! But he takes it, pretending that's not why.] I said I don't need friends. [He's insistent about this also!]

Come on, Ace.