Swole City

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho's expression widened, as if awakening from a stupor. With a light grunt, he dropped from his seat to the floor, where he bent his body like a bow before turning to the person who'd called him.

"Hmm. Ask away, young man." He smiled roughly, years beyond his appearance imbued in his faint cheer.

[yinsukin]

Roman

"This is-"

He was cut off by a man screaming as he lifted an insane amount of weight off the ground.  Roman stared for a moment before returning his attention to the man.  "Why would you mediate here of all places, in a park gym?  I mean how do you even concentrate?"

"ONE MORE REP! CMON MAN!"

[YOLF]

Yusho

"It's noisy, right? But if you can concentrate like this, then your focus has got to be praiseworthy!" He bellowed with laughter, cheerfully striking himself, but winced deeply when he slapped his belly.

His wounds were the other reason for it. Yusho hadn''t fully recovered, but he wasn't fond of the ambience of hospitals, and so long as he could move around, there were people who needed the bed and effort more. As it was, he was going to be fine. And now, sensing something else behind the question, he leaned towards the young man.

"So, what else can I do for ya?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman couldn't help but think of Mira's words, that idea of training the right way, able to keep up.  He had heard that meditation was good for you, but he wasn't exactly sure how.  After all, when getting stronger, all that matters is building one's body right?  How was not moving and focusing thoughts going to help obtain strength?

"If you can concentrate?  What the hell are you concentrating on?"

[YOLF]

Yusho

"My latest defeat," he answered. Crossing his arms, Yusho leveled a look like an unmoving grey cloud at the young man. "What has you so cranky with a stranger though? I haven't even heard your name and I gotta bear with questions in that tone?"

His eyes narrowed at the lad as he smoothed out the hair under his chin. "Is there something you need to concentrate on?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman raised a finger to answer the question, but paused just as it was came up to eye level.  It was at this moment the powerless averagely built man realized he made a terrible mistake.  This old dude retorted in a tone that sounded like a war vet ready to throw down with a petty teenage convenience store mugger.  "Last defeat."  That echoed in his mind.  The way he saw it he had three options.

1) Apologize and back off

2) Double down like a dumbass

3) DO NUMBER 1 FOOL

"I want to get strong so I can kick someone's ass," he responded honestly.  "Why the hell would you concentrate on defeat?"

SHUT.... THE FUCK..... UP! he screamed in his mind.  He was going to die today.

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho raised an eyebrow and regarded the young man bottom to top, then noisly stifled a laugh behind his hand. "... Ah, that right?! So you weren't bugging me for no reason!"

The seasoned martial artist stepped within an inch of him and smacked his back lightly enough that his average frame wouldn't topple. Like he thought, there wasn't much of anything there yet. "You see..." He began, speaking not with pride but experience. "The thing is, no matter how strong you get, there's no guarantee you won't meet someone stronger. Then you have to be realistic. There's a crucial difference between fixating on defeat, and reflecting on what you're going to do about it."

"My name is Yusho, a humble former monk." He set his mouth into a thin curve. "Are you going to tell me whose ass you want to knock into the dirt?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Just as Roman could feel his heartbeat blast its way out of his ribcage, he felt a hand slam into his back.  Staggering a bit, he looked up as he listened to the older man's surprisingly jovial words.  Despite the tone there was weight to the way he spoke, the kind that made a small man like himself feel pressed into the dirt, even while standing with his back straight and head held high.

At least i'm not going to get into a fight...

"But that's depressing," he said, slumping his shoulders.  "You saying no matter how strong I get, i'll always get my ass kicked?  Now I almost don't want to tell you.  Truth be told, its a girl I just met.  She was so beautiful... and powerful.  She said she started from a place even weaker than I am now.  I want to be special like that too.  I want power like that too."

For a split second, he smiled as he said, "Then I want to grind that pretty face of hers into the dirt."

[YOLF]

Yusho

Yusho made a face like he was chewing on something particularly mistifying. At first, his expression was contemplative, but it shifted to awkward as he punctuated that final note. "I don't quite get those tastes, but I hope the miss you have in mind is of one mind with you."

Before he continued, he clapped the younger man on the shoulder and began to lead him into the park. "Chance and luck aren't anything to get depressed about. And there isn't anything wrong with starting from admiration, if you're going to pursue strength at all."

"Now then, what's your name?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

"The name's Roman," he said, trying to make that sound as confident as possible.  It sort of worked.

Roman wasn't entirely sure what that face was.  Truth be told that man's expressions were far beyond what he could read at the moment.  At the very least, he seemed... not mad? 

[YOLF]

Yusho

The more Yusho looked at Roman, the more he felt that this man was out of place here, and doing his best to not seem that way. Granted, he himself was a touch atypical in these surroundings, perhaps that was why Roman had approached him. Considering the conversation until now, Yusho was quite sure he knew what the younger man really wanted from it. But he wasn't gonna offer - some things needed to be asked.

"Roman," he said, drawing them to the side, in the shade between the trees where they weren't in the way of runners or bodybuilders. "How much can you fight?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman turned away, scratching the back of his head.  "I.... have never actually been in a fight before.  Unless you count getting your ass kicked by someone way stronger...."

[YOLF]

Yusho

Dragons, they were starting from there? It couldn't be worse than teaching children, but the truly young didn't have the burdens that men and women did. Was Roman's as simple as he said, for one who had visibly not strained himself for might before, or was there more?

"And how did that make you feel?" Yusho asked. "Are you just rancorous to make up for bullying and aching to prove yourself to a lass better than you?"

[yinsukin]

Roman

Roman's eyes softened.  Remembering that experience made his eyes feel watery.  Although his normal reaction would be to turn away, he was feeling oddly bold.  He looked the man in the eye, a single tear rolling down his cheek and said, "It made me feel weak.  It feels like a person is only worth something in this city if they have special powers.  If... if I can kick her ass, I can prove a stupid regular guy like me can do whatever he puts his mind to!  But more than that, I want to be strong!"

Roman's face became red as a wave of self-consciousness took hold of him.  The resolute stare gave way to wide eyes as he realized how much he had just spilled his heart out to a stranger.  "Look... can you just..."

[YOLF]

Yusho

He beheld this suddenly vulnerable man with calm befitting an ascetic, but his gaze softened ever slightly.

Yusho had struggled with his duties for a long time, but in the end he cared and would always care about acting first, and having the power to succeed second. And looking back, he had been blessed with the talent to live through it all. Even when the world was ashen and good melted into evil, there was no barrier between the grace of the Dragons and what he had accomplished. Not all were gifted the same, but they fought against the pains of living anyway.

"There's something you want to ask of me." He said, making a patient, winded gesture with his hand. "Go on."