Scene #353: A Thorough Belkan Education

Owner	Pose
Hannah Steiner	With summer vacation, the more workman like club rooms tend to be emptier than normal. Especially so at half past eleven, in what passes for a combination woodworking and small fab shop. Trager des Bleaur Greif has chosen this spot for both utility and tranquility given the ritual she's about to go through. Device in hand, her massive Guide Lizard sitting beside her at a large work bench, she lets the eponemous Device float above the table briefly. "In the Sankt King's name, thine will ever done!" Starts Hannah, before the area goes awash in brief blues, golds, and blacks before stabalizing the extradimensional pocket she's shunted the fab shop into with her Barrier. The thing is even tagged with a rather polite, but also very /threatening/ type of 'Please keep out' for other Device users to not bother her. Whether this will work on a backwater like Earth? Well, it's deniability if she has to punch someone or start an honor Duel. Of course, those with the power to enter but without the ability to 'read' the warning? Still not a thing Hannah has fully gotten to terms with. Time to fix that.
Naru Osaka	The Art room is not so far down the hall, and that's yet another club room that tends to have people in it at weird times and hours. There's a surprising amount of mechanical bits in that art room, and Naru has spent the last half hour swearing at a sewing machine. It is now in pieces, and it deserved it! But one of those pieces is in Naru's hand as she absently mindedly turns it over and heads towards the shop room to fetch a screwdriver to further take it apart. It'll deserve that TOO. Naru doesn't wholly recognize Barriers, and is no longer particularly affected by them. She also has no clue whatsoever about warnings, or keep outs, or other such warnings to Device users. She has a device in her hand, rather than a Device, after all. Naru pauses, just inside the door, as something feels Not Quite Right and she blinks a moment. "Er."
Hannah Steiner	As soon as Naru enters that doorframe? It's like everything is...off. The colors are all wrong, but they're not like a Witch's Labyrinth. There's nothing disturbing about it, and everything seems to be in place, but there's this distinct feeling of being somewhere else at the same time. Also, there's a magical girl sitting at a table, in distinctly knightly garb with an impressive cloak behind her, as well as a very large...it's blue, it's feathered, its' claws look like very large knives, and it's hissing directly at Naru. Tipping her bowler hat, and then frowning at the sound of Naru's voice, the young woman suddenly leans on the cane that's floating in the air before her. "By the Sankt's dirty socks! Grant me strength! I do so love those in this beautiful city, HOWEVER!" Her voice suddenly is carrying directly at Naru as she uses her oratory skill to leave no uncertainty that she's talking about her new friend. "The utter lack of /literacy/ und manners is rather dissappointing!" She's smiling now. Her voice is friendly, but also kind of growling and Lyra is peering directly at Naru. "...We can start with a name while I decide how magnanimous I am feeling currently mein freund!"
Naru Osaka	Naru doesn't take any more steps into the room, but insteads puts up a finger as if 'please hold'. "I am going to guess that I just took an inadvertant step to the left." She replies, blinking a moment at the hissing critter and the monologuing girl. "I am also going to guess that I was supposed to notice some sort of do not disturb?" She offers, not quite so certain on that point. "Some sort of mystical sock on the door knob?" Naru hunhs softly, still processing aloud. "Sorry about that. I'm Naru Osaka.. and you are? If you're willing to pass me a flat head screw driver, I can leave again."
Hannah Steiner	Suddenly, well, the Belkan doesn't so much deflate as stand up and sigh. "Nein, nein! Your lack of knowledge is...acht, forgive me! When you are used to certain things you do not always think, nacht?" The threat bleeds out of her, but that smile doesn't dip, offering Naru a ten-thousand watt smile. Heels clack against the other, she bends at her waist, and gives a deep formal bow. "Mein cognomen is 'Trager des Blauer Grief'. Or as mein freund under moonlight so loves, 'Ms. Trager-chan'. Frau Osaka, it is mein great pleasure to meet you. Und that is Lyra." Comes Hannah. The lizard-dogg hiss-borks at Naru, suddenly seeming a lot more friendly. "What can I do to make it up to you, hm? I should hate for misunderstanding to sour any relationship." She starts to tap her way over to Naru, one arm offered by the tall space german.
Naru Osaka	"I mean.. I'm the one who barged in.." Naru's smile is gently apologetic. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Trager-chan.. and Lyra. Hello to you as well." She is utterly unphased by lizard-dogg being as much of the conversation as Hannah herself. "I mean.. if you could show me what to look for so I don't barge in another time as well." She glances around a little. "I've always found the ... bubbles? Dimensional shifts? I'm not sure what to call them properly.. but they are /so cool/."
Hannah Steiner	"Then let us start this over, hm, as freunds? Ah, I should be delighted frau Osaka!" Suddenly, her brow rises. "Of course, to properly help you, I would require...context. I assume you are not a Device User? No...talking weapons?" She holds up her cane. <Guten aben, frau Osaka. I am Blauer Grief> Comes the weapon in a feminine monotone tinged with age. "Brave of you to just enter without a henshin." Or foolish, but she's not going to insult a potential friend. She walks out of the door, the area shimmering. Lesson time!
Naru Osaka	"Okay.. I have heard of Devices!" Naru's voice indicates that she's delighted to put one puzzle piece into place. It's rare! "Right." Naru takes a little bit of a breath, letting it out in a bit of a sigh. "Nope. Not a Device user. Not a magical one at all, just a mundane who knows what's going on. So less brave and more.." she trails off and gestures a little vaguely. "Nice to meet you as well, Blauer Grief." Naru is polite enough to greet the Device too.
Hannah Steiner	She rubs her chin, and a little whistle escapes her. "Entirely in over your head und helpless. By the Sankt, that must be frustrating. Und very rare. Intriguing! I have half a mind to scan you und see if you have a Linker Core. Perhaps you have not found the proper Device." Considers Hannah, but then waves a hand. Then she points her Device at the edge of the Barrier. "Right, lessons. Now..." she gives it a light tap. The skein of the thing writhes, and one can see several words with just a little magic put into the tap. It's all in Belkan. "Next time I should perhaps add Japanese. But admittedly you need magic to be able to properly /see/ it. You...uniquely make both warning und purpose somewhat useless." Comes Hannah rather dissappointingly. "The whole reason I set this up was for maintenance on mein Device. I am what is known as a Device Meister. Given the right tools und parts, I can both repair und with some effort, create new Devices. Are you perhaps interested in learning more? Perhaps Sankt Olivie blesses our meeting." A raised brow.
Naru Osaka	"Wouldn't I know? If I had a Linker Core?" Naru blinks in surprise at the potential. "Interesting." She hunhs, leaving that aside for the moment. "I'm not entirely helpless, just .. not exactly ideal in combat. It can be frustrating, yes." Naru can't argue that point. Naru watches the flickering of the Barrier and ahhs softly. "Right.. yeah, you probably should add Japanese. I.. yeah sorry. I'm jsut exactly the wrong sort of exception on all levels. I can sometimes sense stuff, but not really.. I most sense that something's /off/ but not quite what, and I can't see the words if you don't add your magic." Naru smiles a little. "I am absolutely interested in learning more. I am fascinated by magical theories, there's so many different flavours of magic and they are often so different. Devices are /fascinating/."
Hannah Steiner	Trager tilts her head. "Not necessarily. A full scan, well...we lack the equipment you see. Und mein Device is combat oriented rather than medical, so our data would be conjecture at best." A shrug. "But let us keep that in mind." Comes Hannah, curiousity in her voice. Then, she pulls out a small card. On it? A burner number for just such situations. "Then, I shall work you up a proper explaination. Perhaps you go to frau Inai's 'self defense class?'. Approach me. I shall give you a most thorough education. Bring a weapon." Suggests Hannah, with a very, very big grin.
Hannah Steiner	True to her word, at the next Fight Club? Trager-chan is waiting with a smile, Blauer Greif in her lap as she oh-so-casually floats in the air on her back, the big dino-lizard Lyra being currently used as a mobile pillow and back-rest slash couch! She has brought her favorite crystal goblet, and is casually sipping sparkling cider while exuding pure noble decadence as she does so! All the while, she hums a small ditty as she awaits her new magical tutoring-slash-sparring partner. The distraction from her troubles is a grand thing, and her smile is set about ten lumens higher than normal as she awaits her new freund!
Naru Osaka	Equally true to her word, Naru is at the next Fight Club. Dressed to work out, and the workout gear does not look like it got purchased between her last meeting with Hannah and now. Naru has a perfectly ordinary practice staff over her shoulder, and while it's not as exciting as well.. basically anything Hannah does, she did bring a weapon as promised! Naru smiles as she heads over to where Hannah is lounging. "You look comfortable."
Hannah Steiner	Lyra gives a warm hiss-bork to Naru, and Blauer Greif gives Hannah a helpful inload even as her ears identify that particular voice! A quick Focus Scan, and the young mahou is grinning! She raises her glass in a toast. "Mein freund, when you perform dangerous und uncertain occupations, it is best to take /every/ opportunity when not bettering yourself, to indulge in enjoyment of life und pleasures myriad that you may live the most fulfilling life as may be done. For it is oft cut tragically short." The Trager then tosses the glass into the air, which stops as gravity catches it, and then floats back over to the bleachers to land neatly without a single crack. Both Lyra and Hannah float to the earth, and Naru is treated to one of her noble bows. "Now then! Blauer Greif informs me you are come prepared! Longstaff, hm? Good! Despite mein height advantage, that may even out the difference in leverage. Now then..." She nods, and draws her blade with a duelist's salute that sends her cape fluttering! "I promised you lessons. However, you shall earn them frau Osaka! Strike at me with your best und I shall take your measure! Impress me und I shall answer each question as your blows come! Worry naught, despite stereotypes of certain Mid-Childan cowards, I am more than skilled enough to modulate mein strength." Comes Hannah cheerily, and with teasing disdain for her opposites in magical system! Lyra hiss-barks, and she makes a 'come get me' gesture!
Naru Osaka	"When one is as tiny as I am, I appreciate every extension to my reach I might get." Naru comments as she waits for Hannah to send her glass over to the bleachers. "I am fond of taking what comfort I may, although perhaps not quite at every opportunity." Naru settles in, holding her staff defensively. Naru takes a breath, and rather than protest that she is pretty much a beginner in most ways that aren't 'blind panic and adrenaline fueled freak out', she demonstrates. Enthusiastic, joyful even, it is clear that Naru is enjoying herself, but also that she's had only a few lesosns so far, and a lot of 'figure things out on the fly'. Her moves have potential, but lack finesse that come with deep muscle memory.
Hannah Steiner	If there were to be any doubts that a Belkan might consider going easy on Naru? Well, that's all nicely shattered as - while dialing down her strength to vaguely human levels - she does not mess around or compromise on expectations. Blows come in, and Hannah counters each one with brutal elegance. Two are contemptuously stepped aside from, the young woman barely moving, and the final two are met with the flat of her blade. Naru quickly learns that for all her apparent indulgence, she knows what she's doing. It's clear she's well trained even to a novice, extensively so, and her blows even while holding back are enough to make a wrist ache and an elbow shudder from the impact of simply being parried. Her grin has slipped down to a scowl, as if to indicate her mood. The last blow is again caught by the flat of her blade, and just before the tip of that staff wiffs by her? She catches it with her free hand, and shoves the entire staff back at its' owner, right in the stomach. Belkans have no chill in training it seems. "Hm! Points for enthusiasm, however, I expect to be /impressed/, frau Osaka! Legs farther apart! A staff is both spear und club, grip tighter! When you thrust, put your whole body into it! /Both/ legs into the blow, und then you back away! To let your enemy catch you is an invitation to retribution, as you now know. UP! AGAIN!" Comes the noble, her words commanding like a proper ruler. But she's not entirely without heart in her training, and so this time, her Device speaks. <Turmschild> On her free hand, gravitic magic flares into life, forming a rather hefty looking 'shield', which Hannah chooses to attach to said arm. She holds it before Naru! "A basic Shield spell. Any Device User is capable of it. I do not think I need to explain what it does. Belkan ones, of course, given our honorable front line combat role, are far superior to weak und fragile Mid-Childan ones! Come! Strike, und try to not collapse." How odd. Naru would find it's not just to stop attacks, but gravity seems to try to actively slide her off of the side of the thing, further bleeding strength from blows into the already large defensive spell.
Naru Osaka	There's no protest about the fact that Naru is getting her arse handed to her. On a silver platter, probably with a side of cider. Instead, Naru oofs soflty at that final hard blow, when she doesn't quite manage to get out of the way of her staff getting shoved into her stomach. Hard. A few moments to breathe, and that she does, heavily. Naru nods at the direction, changing her stance and her grip on the staff. There's something to be said for Naru's stamina, and she is back at it again. There's no collapsing here. At least not until later. There will be collapsing later. Naru frowns a little as she sorts out how to manipulate her staff blows around the shield, taking a few strikes to figure out how it all works. With some success. It's unclear if she can put that combination together again on purpose, but she can be taught!
Hannah Steiner	That smile is slowly returning to her face as Naru shows resilience and stamina, nor any complaints! She's clearly trying to make Naru really stretch herself, and as Naru finally starts to actually hit the thing without stumbling down? Hannah gives an approving noise! Blauer Greif not only records that particular series of strikes for both her User's and Naru's reference, but even the Device seems to see potential in the sprightly-if-humble young woman. "Acht, finally! Getting there frau Osaka! Instinct on the battlefield shall serve you well!" Praises Hannah lightly, only to perhaps undercut that by Turmschild-Bashing Naru in the everything in order to get her to Sit Down. "Time for learning! Now then! Where would you like to start? History lesson? Or Device Magical Theory? I expect equal effort in your questions, frau Osaka!" Prompts Hannah!
Naru Osaka	Shield-bash is a great way to convince Naru to stop for a pause. She holds up a hand with just a finger raised to give her a couple moments to just breathe. Or try and remember how to breathe, her hands on her knees. It's not long before Naru's caught her breath enough to actually get to the questions part of this. "Device Magical Theory is absolute on the list. History is not unwelcome." She huffs and puffs a little more. "How autonomous is the intellegence? That combination of you AND your device is fascinating, and probalby part of the theory."
Hannah Steiner	Hannah dismisses the shield, and sheaths her blade, leaning on her Device as a cane easily with one heel before the other. As the duo of them gets praised, she openly preens at the compliment, never one to turn down praise at the worst of times! And frankly, she's warming up quickly to Naru! "Close to the truth, mein freund. I am blessed with /three/ companions." Lyra hiss-borks warmly! Those glasses are tossed off like her goblet to land on the bleacher, and she makes a show of waving her free hand across her deep blue eyes, which don't so much as react. "Mein life would be much harder without Bleaur Greif und Lyra, particularly when fighting. We are partners, family, und Blauer Greif in particular is an heirloom." Comes Hannah vaguely, then finally turns to the actual question. BG beats her to it. <Guten aben, frau Osaka. I am classified as an Armed Device, Ancient Belkan origin-pattern crafted year -Error Data Redacted- by Master Belkan Meister - Error Data Redacted - on planet -Error Redacted by OpSec Security Level 1-. Mein AI core is approximately twenty-five percent less efficient than modern Mid-Childan Intelligent Devices> Answers the Device bluntly, the feminine overtone and monotone alike bringing to mind something /old/ despite all the redactions going on. "What she means is while many would call her less 'intelligent', she is far sturdier, finer crafted for honorable combat und glory, as well as not about to snap in half like a twig just because a minor Anti-Barrier Spell is thrown in her face!" Comes Hannah proudly, with the additional Belkan propaganda without a hint of shame! Naru may want to find a 'Mid-Childan' to balance out this openly biased magical girl.
Naru Osaka	Naru leans on her staff as they get to chatting rather than attempting to break the mundane. She's still breathing heavily, but doens't actually sound like she's about to die. "She seems pretty intelligent." Naru points out as she listens to Bleaur Grief. The demonstration of Hannah's lack of vision is met with a nod and an audible "mm mmm." "Lyra and Bleaur Greif act as your eyes, as often as not, I can presume?" She mmms softly. "Okay, define Belkan versus Mid-Childan for me?" Naru spends a lot of time in these conversations without a glossery of terms.
Hannah Steiner	Hannah nods firmly as Naru understands! "One must ever be aware of strengths und weaknesses in battle, und take steps to mitigate the latter!" Comes the Trager, clearly thankful to have her compatriots! She then knits her brow, and then realizes belatedly she's making quite a few assumptions! "Acht, yes, context. Ask for illumination when it arises. It is...these things are /cultural/ to me und mein you see." Comes Hannah, clearly approving of Naru wanting to know more. "Mid-Childan magic relies on...are you familiar with the term 'Fire Support'? Blauer Greif!" <Mein Herrin> Suddenly the Device is emitting a little visual chosen from the primitive information net. It's....a clip of a mecha anime where the giant robot is firing off a honking big laser and then a bunch of long range missiles at a target very, very far away! "In other words, mein freund, weaker shields. Preference for long range combat, an array of support spells. There is more nuance of course. Some may be support mages, und /all/ Device Users may be 'Aerial Aces' - flying types or 'Ground Support' -foot sloggers." Then Hannah shrugs. "Belkan magic is for direct personal combat. We revel in the glory of clashing blade to blade! Of reaching out with our hands und Devices to claim righteous victory in the name of our saviour, Saint Olivie Sagebrecht!" Pride and then pure religious reverence for this 'Saint Olivie' floods into her voice, the passionate mahou happy to grant this much to Naru! Then she coughs. "In other words, we have the honor und good grace to meet our opponents face to face rather than cowering in the back lines!" Huff! "Und as you may suspect, every Mage regardless of type trends towards a specific brand of magic. Be it pure force projection...lasers and the like...or things such as fire or wind." Then Hannah's floating again. "I shall give you a single guess as to where mein own specialty resides." Smiiile! She's teasing here.
Naru Osaka	"Ever aware." Naru ruefully agrees as the mundane in this world. "Mitigations.. well.. we do what we can." Naru leans in a little to watch the visual explination, with giant robots and .. right. "Ahh.. alright. Yes, that makes sense." She nods, mostly understanding, at least enough to smile a touch at the reverence for the Saintly figure. "Sure.. every mage has their own spin on things, I'm determining. No matter if they have a common origin, people are unique." Naru flickers a smile as Hannah starts to float and her voice teases right back. "I can see you're deeply devoted to earth magic."
Hannah Steiner	Smiiiiile. After that teasing? Hannah simply whistles! Oh. Oh no. /Oh no/! There is a big Space German Lizard Thing charging Naru!!! And in the most vicious attack known to man on this or any other planet!? Suddenly Naru's world is a full assault of pure Lizard Licks! Happy, big, slobbery affection is the counter attack, Hannah laughing, before finally Lyra is no longer getting vengeance for her master! Naru's still getting tail-bapped though. "Right then! Break over! I expect your strongest strike, und then, I shall entertain one more question for the night!" Clearly this is to be an ongoing education, because by her big grin, she rather likes Naru for her curiosity and willingness to put her back into things. This is someone she can actually help mold! She simply grips her cane, taps the center of her chest, and doesn't bother with a shield. Given how strong that armor looks and her previous explaination of Belkans? It's clear she intends to judge the full might of Naru Osaka quite bluntly.
Naru Osaka	"Ack!" Naru is glommed by a big Space Lizard and licked. Half to death and than Naru is also laughing and trying to bat Lyra away from all that much tongue. And then tail bapping. Naru nudges Lyra off and takes up her staff again. A breath, and another before she just charges Hannah. She's hardly concerned that she's going to /hurt/ the other girl, quite the opposite. She's far more concerned that she, and her staff strike, are just going to bounce off utterly. Still, she's willing to throw herself into it. Naru is going to feel this in the morning.
Hannah Steiner	Charging straight into magical plate-mail with a staff, well. It produces expected results, but its not like Hannah is looking to get ran through by Naru. No, the fact that a very loud /clang/ sounds out for all to hear has the young woman nodding, only to basically lean into her toes and knock away her attacker without so much as a budge or even scratching the magical paint job on her armor. Naru should probably get a wrist massage after all that battering at the wall of pure Belkan Pride that is one Trager des Blauer Greif. "Hah! Had you /magic/ behind such a blow, I would needs be on mein toes, frau Osaka! Finely done mein freund! The fates curse you to not lay out a destiny. I know naught whether you are a Device Mage in waiting. However you fight fiercely, und should Fate be cruel? May the Sankt Kaiser curse such witlessness for wasting your talents!" Someone has formed a strong opinion already. She leans in, and helps steady naru, before /clapping/ her on the back fondly. Yet another thing that' going to hurt in the morning. "Now then. What shall your curious mind tease from mein proud one, hm?" Beeeam! Yes Naru. You've /passed/.
Naru Osaka	It wasn't the brightest move, but so far 'good life choices' has not been a large part of Naru's combat strategy to this point. "I don't.. gah." Naru rocks as she's clapped on the back, and she stumbles a moment. "I don't think that's super likely, but I'll do what I can." Someone is resigned to her reality, or at least to the current reality. "Phew." Naru mmms softly. "I clearly need to work on being able to think while every bit of me is complaining about my choices." She takes a couple more moments to breathe. "How flexible are your devices? Clearly you are well suited to hand to hand combat, and that you've specialized that way, but can you tweak to some degree?"
Hannah Steiner	Hannah turns her cheek, and just snorts at Naru's words! "Mein freund, you should have been born a Belkan!" Comes the mahou with a snarl, and yet, it's clearly a compliment of the highest order! "Something only gained with /practice/, frau Osaka. I look forward to straining your mind und body many times over!" The amount of /relish/ in those words may or may not be pleasing. But the Trager considers the question. "Mmm! You ask an intriguing question!" Ponders the young woman. And then, BG and Hannah have a silent conversation in their collective 'heads', the Trager leaning on her Device's wealth of experience. "Each Device is of course, largely unique und are creations of circumstance. Particularly when it comes to Armed und Intelligent Devices. One may, for example, should a skilled Meister be present...optimize an Intelligent Device towards melee combat while undercutting its' ability to provide Fire Support. Und I have no doubt some Sankt Kaiserless heathen of a meister has dared to adjust a proud und noble Belkan Armed Device towards a more supportive role. Or." Shudder. "Nein, we shall not speak of pure blasphemy! /However/. Devices are also capable of an alternate form to make use of battlefield exigencies. This is known as a 'Form Shift'. For example...were an Armed Device in the form of a mace, to shift towards..." She hunts for a term that isn't treaty-shattering. "Mmm. By local mass-weaponry nomenclature? A 'shotgun' to fill a small space with magical shot to take down a more multitudinous foe!" Seems that 'sometimes Belkans do a ranged attack' weighs heavy on this particular Noble!
Naru Osaka	Naru very slowly catches her breath back. She clearly has stamina beyond a couch potato, even if her combat skills are rudimentary. Clearly her fondness for long runs is serving her well. "Thank you?" Naru isn't wholly sure being born a Belkan is a compliment, but she's willing to accept it in the spirit in which its offered. "Alright, so shifts within the combat realm are not out of the realm of potential. Even if distasteful." Naru muses aloud as she parses Hannah's words. "But a shift from mace to say.. microscope is not realistic?"
Hannah Steiner	Both Hannah and Blauer Greif wrack their memories. One is still too inexperienced to really speak to the pure depth of Device forms, and BG is simply too old and lacking in the more high-speed calculation ability of some newer Device, or even Storage ones to work out the complexities of such a simple yet elegant question. And so, patting her Device, the Trager simply shrugs. "A sparring partner of mein...elsewhere...wielded a club twice his height und in shifting form? A cut-stock rifle measuring from mein elbow to fingertip. I cannot say such works are impossible! Particularly amongst Support-oriented users. I would, however, question the efficacy of a microcope in combat." Pause. Her brow knits. "Then again, should one's magic lean towards the photonic, well, Belkan or Mid-Childan, creativity reigns I must admit." She answers as best she can. The lesson is clear. 'Expect the unexpected in the Device Kingdom of Madness'. Then, suddenly, she has an arm around Naru's small shoulders. "Class is nigh over, mein freund. Ice cream?" The most true mahou reward!
Naru Osaka	"Right right." Naru gets the information she was curious about and there's a flash of a smile. "Creativity reigns, eternally." Naru manages not to fall over as she suddenly gets an arm over her mostly exhausted shoulders. "Ice cream sounds /amazing/. Thank you for the workout, and for the answers. I appreciate both very much."