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[swordfucker]

Guren Ichinose | Red | #A5211F

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[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.