[VOICE | Backdated Pre-Event] Survey

[anything_it_takes]

[You wanna play it this say, Raph? Taking surveys to prove a point? Fine. Let's play.

It's not about who cares - well okay, to be fair, that's the MAIN reason they developed such fine-tuned stealth skills in the first place. But that's not the only reason a ninja should stay hidden. With enemies who would probably not announce themselves first, who would see him and his brothers on the Network and then proceed to silently hunt them down one by one...

The last time the team faced Shredder, he nearly killed them all, starting with Leonardo himself; the memory of seeing the intent in Oruku's eyes while facing down his blade remained a deeply chilling moment. But now Leo's team is down by one, they're not always together and they can't just stay underground here. If Shredder found one of them out in Keeliai, alone, with no way to contact the others for help...]

How many people have had their enemies show up.

[A question with the cadence of a statement. That's how you know he's serious, apparently.

If this survey turns up zilch? Leo will have to concede the point completely. But he doesn't really suppose that'll be the case. Let's find out.]

Comments

I woke up thoroughly amused XDDD

[neoguardian]

[No ninja icon for Lara-Su, but here, but there's always this, the Echidna equivalent of a ninja.]

Oh...well what if your knuckle spikes are part of your fists...does that double the dangerous? [Taking her gloves off she breaks out her retractable knuckle spikes, they seem to be very much a part of who she is...like having a weapon built into her body. She's a little preoccupied with the idea that this could be the equivalent of a sword in terms of being a weapon.

Though, just as soon as Leo takes a more serious tone, he has Lara's full attention, she might be a trainee still...but she's studious and empathetic as well. This is something that, apparently, means a great deal to him which is a concept that she can respect because being a Guardian means a lot to her as well...and it took a lot of begging and convincing to get her father to even think about training her.]

I understand, being responsible for the power that you wield is important, I wouldn't expect you to hand it down pell-mell. [Not that she could teach someone to use Chaos Energy without a Chaos Emerald anyway, but even still it was important to use caution.] Without a deep level of trust you never know what someone could do with what you teach, your good intentions could easily be corrupted. I can respect and admire that.

[Lightening up a little bit, Lara crack's a smile.]

I appreciate pointers and advice though, it'll go a long way when I'm training.

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week

[anything_it_takes]

[Any lingering reservations about taking Lara Su under his tutelage are dispelled when she makes the astute observation about responsibility. Of course, he already knows that the echidna starts from a place of wielding great power and striving to do good with it, as well as her pre-existing attitudes towards fair play; both are important (although not entirely conscious) factors in his judgment call.

Leaning forwards to get a better look at her natural arsenal, Leo is reminded of his enemy Dog Pound. However, the mutant dog-man's spikes were jagged, sharpened (and permanent rather than retractable) bone, his left fist the size of Leonardo's entire body. Lara doesn't have that particular mutation, but Leo does wonder how much force her knuckles (so to speak) can deliver. Her hands are surprisingly non-tiny next to his own gargantuan flippers, which – although he knows this more from instinct than from a systematic knowledge of the physics – probably means they sling around a lot of weight in comparison to her body size.]

Well, Sensei says that any weapon is an extension of your own body – but yours actually are… So yeah, I'd say it gives you a head start. Not very many people were born with brass knuckles. [And here we go with yet more alliteration. A grin of good-natured pride flickers across his face, but the frivolity is passing, because they're getting to the good stuff now.

Leo loves martial arts. They are his heritage, the path to his father's approval, the foundation of his daily survival skills and thoroughly intertwined with his self-identity. He's beginning to find that he loves to talk shop in front of an eager and attentive audience; it reminds him of time spent in the dojo, of Splinter walking one of them through a particularly challenging maneuver, and how it feels to fully master and understand a move himself.

In other words, fun and serious are now one and the same, and the light in his eyes reflects a lifelong passion.]

But. They're only dangerous if you can hit your target. And to deal with something like these [Leo gestures with one oversized thumb towards the red-wrapped hilts jutting over his shoulder] you have to have a lot more than just good aim.