Open; October

[hatejakku]

CHARACTERS: Finn & You
LOCATION: Various places on the station
DATE: All of October
CONTENT: Finn's got his eye sight back! Also, come take his gun safety/self-defense courses.
WARNINGS: fighting and guns and things?



I. Seeing for the First Time, a Second Time

[ Finn's got a headache that slowly wants to transition into a migraine but it's like the best migraine ever if there is such a thing. It's caused by the sudden amount of light and information and everything that his eyes are suddenly getting. Because he can see now. After being blind for a few weeks, he can see.

In a way, it's almost like just became blind all over again considering how much it's knocked him off-balance. He'd just managed to get used to navigating with the Force and now--

Well, now he's kind of gawking. Finn's already gotten Blue and James seen to in the infirmary, and now he's just sort of wandering around. (He's going to go back soon, though, since he didn't really want to leave them in the first place.) What Finn should maybe do is go to his room, rest his eyes, slowly crawl back into the world, but that's obviously not what he's doing.

It's just. Everything. Everything is so pretty and shiny, and how did he forget all of these little things? The floor is so polished that it's practically reflective. There are tiny little lights on the doors that blink bright colors when they sense movement. And don't even get him started on the view outside the windows.

He spends a lot of time in the sunlight room for the next few days and can be found squinting at the fake flowers and fake trees and fake sky. There's a dopey grin on his face, even if he's trying to find tells that prove these aren't real.

During the station's evening hours, however, he's usually in the common living area. Finn's found a window with a couch in front of it and usually just sits there in the dark, watching the outside. There's not much to see if you've seen this view a million times like he has, but it reminds him of the rare glimpses of space he'd get during his childhood. Weirdly, it took all this to remember why he treasured those sights so much.

... For anyone that argued with him back in Braccia, though, this is absolutely not proof that he wasn't fine being blind. Because he was. It was fine. Everything was fine. This is just... better. ]

II. /plays that one mulan song

[ True to his word, Finn can be found in the training room during the station's morning hours. This is where he goes for his own training, anyway, so it's not like he's going out of his way to wait on someone that may not appear.

But if they do appear, they'll be met with a bright smile and a lot of questions. After the whole "how are you? how was your morning? did you sleep okay?" since he's in such good spirits lately, he'll actually ask the real questions. What do you want to learn? What do you already know? Have you ever been in a fight before? Have you ever used a weapon before? Etc.

If you're a seasoned fighter and just here to spar, he's down with that, too. Everyone needs to keep their skills sharp.

Want to learn self-defense? Well, the first lesson is to know how to fall properly, because you're going to fall a lot. You should also know how to take a punch, how to give a good punch, how to break defenses, how to disarm your opponent, how to handle the weapon you just disarmed them of, all of that good stuff.

Want to learn how to use a firearm? Be prepared for a lecture before you even so much as see a gun. Don't point it at people, always assume it's ready to fire, don't point it at people, keep your finger off the trigger unless you're shooting it, and, for Force sake, don't point it at people. If he trusts you enough after The Lecture, then he'll let you give it a go with every single safety precaution he can think of, but don't expect to use one on your first day with him.

>> ooc. He'll be doing this for the entirety of their downtime, so feel free to start a thread at any point of the learning process you prefer. ]

III. Wildcard

[ ooc. Want to do something else? Go for it! PM me if you want to plot something. ♥ ]

Comments

i.

[firstroar]

Finn...?

[it's just a faint, distant-sounding thought at first. some time (days?) after returning, there's enough of him cognizant to be not just lucid, but aware of others outside of himself. he'd just been about to confirm that yes, he was alone, no others like him were around, buuuut...

Finn.

he's not Mu, but the similarities are strong. strong enough to pull recognition and draw attention toward the wave of wonderment passing by the infirmary.]

[hatejakku]

[ Finn's head whips around when he hears the voice, but it only takes him a second until he realizes what it actually is. He backpedals back into the infirmary, poking his head in with a smile and walking forward to Blue's bed. ​]

Blue? Hey, how are you feeling?

[ Lo and behold, he's looking right at him with his much more natural brown eyes. ]

[firstroar]

[Blue's eyes open, but he doesn't lift his head yet.]

So that is you... [for a bit there, Blue was worried it was a figment of his mind trying to muddle things further for him. can he really be blamed? Finn's state of mind is so much more joyful than the last time he was conscious!]

This is...the station, then?

[hatejakku]

[ Oh, yeah. Finn's just delighted lately. ]

Yeah, we got back not long ago. Everyone's safe, injuries have been seen to, and the Orb's secure.

i - sunlight room

[chronosynthesis]

[Finn has been staring at that flower for... a while?

An illusion room is still a little off putting, but it's the closest to sunlight Syrlya has on this ship, so that's where he'd seated himself with some book that tumbled through the last shipment.

But Finn. It seems like an excessive amount of time to be staring at a flower, so after a moment Syrlya gets up to approach.] Are you all right?

[Might as well make sure he has the ability to pay attention, first.]

[hatejakku]

[ Finn's decided, after some long hours of doing this, that he doesn't really care that the simulation is... a simulation. It doesn't matter if it's not real, not in this case. This flower is a bright pink with a deep purple at its certain and, fake or real, is beautiful in its own right.

He's been observing the little thing, checking it out at all angles, wondering what it's called, but then Syrlya approaches. Finn had spied him earlier reading a book not too far away and didn't want to bother him. But now that he's stopped by, Finn's smile goes up a few watts. ]

Hi! Yeah, I'm okay. Why? Something wrong?

[chronosynthesis]

That's what I was wondering. [He tucks the book under his arm.] You just seemed... oddly transfixed on that flower.

i

[winscenario]

[ Finn can't meet him at the infirmary if Jim isn't there, though. Not that he's sneaking out, by the way, but Erik's taken care of his injury, he's checked himself out because there's no one on the station that can truly force him to stay there, and after making sure that Blue and others are doing alright, he's crossing the station to go to the living quarters, where he plans on changing back to his usual clothes, and out of the makeshift shirt that they got him at the infirmary.

He comes across Finn about halfway there, steps slowing. Brief though it was, he'd noticed Finn's eyes having gone back to normal when they arrived at the station, though with the mess at the infirmary and the limited space to see to everyone, they hadn't exactly gotten the time to talk about it before Finn was ushered out. There's a moment of apprehension (just because Finn might yet tell him he's an idiot for being up and about already), but it quickly dissipates into a smile as he approaches, expecting Finn to turn around at the sound of his footsteps— or his voice. ]

Finn?

[hatejakku]

[ There's a few things that alert him to Jim's presence. The footsteps and the voice, yes, but something told him before hearing anything that James was getting near. Of course, he ignored that. James had been shot, he was in the infirmary, he couldn't be here.

Regardless, he forgets that bout of confusion when he turns and sees him. Really sees him. He got to see everyone when they arrived, James included, but it's quieter now, they're alone, and he can just look if he wanted to.

Apparently he... doesn't? Because after looking him in the eye, Finn grows a huge smile and practically launches himself at him, wrapping his arms around his neck in a hug. Then he remembers why he's so surprised to see him. Finn pulls back with a gasp, looking at his shoulder. ]

Are you okay? Does it still hurt?

[winscenario]

[ Jim was expecting that, actually, so he's more or less prepared for it when Finn leaps at him in a hug. Still, being prepared doesn't change the fact that he's sore as hell, and the pressure against his neck makes him let out a huff, not quite pained but... okay it's maybe due to a little pain, but at least he's not doubling over. ]

No— not quite. It's just sore, mostly? I'm alright, though, the injury's healed now.

[ He lifts his other hand to cup Finn's face, thumb brushing under his eye. ]

What about you? Your sight's completely back now?

i - common living area

[bijective]

Ah, pardon me.

[Hermann doesn't know Finn all too well other than coming to his aid in Gyeongje…and then Braccia. He seems none too different from most of the jaeger pilots back on Earth. Sure, they had their own quirks about them, but they mostly kept to themselves until duty calls.

He doesn’t want to be intrusive, opting to sit on the far end of the couch. So close that he is practically hugging the armrest. With a tea mug in hand, Hermann offers a polite glance and a nod.]

You, um… Is everything alright with your ah — [He uses a free hand to gesture at his own eyes.]?

[hatejakku]

[ Finn had given a big smile when he realized that he had company, despite being pulled away from the view. Any interruption there might have been doesn't appear to bother him. ]

Oh! Yes, everything's okay. I can see again. Thank you.

[ He doesn't know Hermann all that well either. It's a shame, really, considering how fond Finn's become of Newton and how often Newton rants about Hermann (translation: seems to care for him). But what Finn does know, he likes. Hermann's a fighter that knows his strengths and builds on them but is also daring enough to try something new if the situation calls for it. Hence that... broom-knife thing.

Point is, Finn already knows he likes him. ]

What about you? Newton let slip that you were injured...

[bijective]

Yes, well — um, I’d hardly call it an injury. [His right hand reaches to massage his left shoulder.] A bullet nicked my shoulder. Though nothing a few stitches and a handful of antibiotics can handle. But it was hardly anything serious.

[Hermann’s hand slips down from his shoulder to reunite with his warm mug.]

Nothing like you or the rest of the crew had to endure.

I

[coordination]

Good to see you're back to normal.

[ Yzak speaks from behind him in the common area, noting his focus on outside. Something he's far more used to ... but he still kind of misses the specific view he gets at home. ]

[hatejakku]

[ Finn whips his head around and smiles when he sees Yzak. ]

Thank you. I'm... sorry for worrying you. [ Actually, he should apologize to a few people about that... ] I didn't see you during the battle. Did you make it out okay?

[coordination]

It's fine. As long as you don't try to do it again if something similar happens. Which it better not. [ It was less his condition and more his pushing away concern and aid that was concerning, really. ]

And, of course I did.

[ Mainly just a few bumps and bruises from some scuffling on the "imagining enemies effect" floor. ]

As bullshittingly wild as things went in the end, there. [ Seriously, it was an action movie with traps and crumbling buildings in the midst of those final moments before they obtained the orb. ]

ii

[bindsthedead]

[Among Sabriel's purchases in Braccia had been a magitech revolver- fairly easily concealed, and magical enough that she didn't need to worry about breaking it, and could, in theory, enchant ammunition for it.

But before that, she needs to learn to use it, and Sabriel is a quick study. She knows to treat weapons as weapons, not toys or curiosities, and she adheres strictly to what Finn tells her.]

So if I hold it this way, the recoil won't be as bad?

[Safety is easy to remember. And all you really need to fire a weapon is to pull the trigger- far easier than firing a bow, and much quicker to reload than a crossbow.]

[hatejakku]

That's right. Or it'll be easier to handle, at least.

[ Sabriel has been an excellent student, one of the better ones he's ever taught this stuff to. Plus, Finn's been enjoying it. Helping her now makes him feel like he's giving back for how she helped him earlier. ]

If you keep your arms like this- [ He gently guides her, bending a little at the elbows, keeping both hands on the weapon. ] -it'll provide better resistance while you still keep your aim. Help you keep a hold of it, too, if someone tries to disarm you, but we'll go through that later.

[bindsthedead]

I see.

[And when Finn steps away, Sabriel tries again- it is easier, and she's able to fire off a few shots in a tighter grouping this time.]

You're right, that does work better. And I can see how it makes it easier to keep a hold on the gun.

I

[bossily]

[Ever since returning, Clara's taken to finding nice quiet spaces to tuck away and and think. The issue with living with so many people in a space with finite space is it's hard to find places where you can really be alone. So she takes to enjoying late nights far more than she used to. Sleep doesn't feel as important as it once was.

She heads to the communal living area to sit quietly and read a book. Sure, she could do that in her room. But there's something about reading while being able to catch a glimpse out the nearby windows that has her drawn to the space.

And apparently she's not the only one that feels that way. She's partially surprised to see Finn there, watching the stars outside. A smile crosses her face as she moves to curl up on a nearby chair. Her book is opened and she starts to read, but she quickly abandons it on the arm of the chair as she looks over his way.]

It's beautiful, isn't it? No matter how many times you see the stars, they're still breathtaking.

[hatejakku]

[ Finn noticed Clara come in, of course, but she didn't seem to be in the mood to talk. He was fine with that. A companionable silence is so much better than a regular silence. He still smiles back when she speaks, though. ]

Yeah, they are. It wasn't often, but I think I've taken the view for granted sometimes.

[bossily]

When you see it so often, it's easy to do. [She shrugs as she says it, almost sounding a little guilty. Like maybe she's taken it all for granted on more than one occasion.]

Is that why you're up this late? To appreciate the view?

II; we gonna defeat some huns

[blackfire]

（ with wakefulness, with consciousness, with life comes work. his, it seems, did not die with him. he remains unconvinced any of this place is real, but he can't afford to assume the possibility it isn't — of all the regrets in his life, the opportunity to undo that first, worst betrayal is worth whatever hope he may yet cleave to.

he gives himself time and space for recovery, even then marred by breathing exercises, meditation and the willful application of chakra to various tenketsu. a man unaccustomed to weakness and driven by will, the two days he takes are the closest thing to luxury he's known in years.

still, when he arrives at the training room — dressed simply and carrying nothing of note — he doesn't look out of place, merely pale. he moves like a man assured of what his body can do, and while he is still quite damaged there is none of the self-consciousness that generally accompanies pain, nothing grimaced at or guarded.

his eyes are dyed that unnatural, catherine wheel-red of the sharingan as he observes the instructor go through the ropes with a trainee from the doorway. the man has the air of a natural teacher, patient warmth he recognizes all too easily, and while there is no suggestion of chakra to anything he does, any motion he makes, he is not unskilled.

rather than interfere, or risk offering distraction, itachi satisfies himself with a polite nod to the teacher before taking up residence near the farther wall, going through the motions of base taijutsu in slow, measured patterns. he keeps track of the man and his student only peripherally, in the same way he has been taught since birth to be aware of anything that may be a threat, but it does not surprise him that the man approaches him after the student has departed.

he stops halfway through the ninth pattern, lowers his hands, settles easily and waits for the man to address him. ）

[hatejakku]

[ Finn's been trying to keep track of the new arrivals to the station as of late. With how things have been lately, he's trying to make a point to get to know just about everyone even a little bit. Trust is a serious issue on this station. He's trying very very hard to make it easier.

But despite how friendly and welcoming he is, Finn's no fool. He likes a lot of people here, trusts maybe three of them. It's a work in progress.

Anyway, he'd usually leave people to their own devices in the training room. Honestly, it's hard to find privacy or quiet on the station on a good day. He knows how valuable it is. But he won't keep the guy long if his company's unwanted. ]

Hi, sorry. I haven't seen forms like that before. They look like they take skill.

[ Unclear how long, but Finn can already get the idea that he's a good fighter. He moves with too much purpose and the pattern seems too memorized not to be. ]

I'm Finn.

[blackfire]

（ it was customary, once upon a time, for shinobi to grip each other's forearms in greeting. a way to show there were no weapons, no ill intent. there is no sense of hesitation, but it isn't until a heartbeat after the introduction that he holds out his hand.

he hasn't introduced himself in so long — his reputation tended to precede him, and the resultant reaction was fear, generally, and not an apology for interruption — that it is only his painstaking manners that inform him, instinct rather than recent experience. he's shaking off the rust. stepping outside yourself is never difficult for a spy, the ability to lie and conceal is second nature now, existing somewhere between skin and sinew in him, but there is a difference between being someone you have breathed into being to serve a purpose and remembering who you once were before war forged you. ）

Thank you, but they're quite simple if properly taught.

（ these are the first words he's spoken aloud since his arrival. his voice is — disused, if evenly pitched — and the comment is born of a deferral of his own skill, not of finn's observation. whether the man shakes his hand or not, he'll return it to his side after a moment. ）

Itachi. You're an instructor here?