Problem Child

*Odysseus* · 06-04-2019, 07:23 PM

Upon hearing the reasons for Noir's interest Odysseus nodded thoughtfully to himself, hmmm'ed and then lapsed into silence as he considered how best to address the boy's answer. It didn't surprise him. After all, he was asking a child. It would be silly for him to expect something more sophisticated than a child's answer from a child. Was a well thought out response out of the question? No, of course not. But to expect something more was unreasonable.

"Sometimes I wish that was all there was to fighting," he mused after a beat. "Life would be simpler if it were. And I hope for you it is. Pray you never find yourself on a battlefield because things happen there that aren't easy to forget."

Odysseus slowed to a halt and then turned to face Noir. "I think I should be upfront about how I train my apprentices. My goal isn't to make you the best fighter there is. It is to give you the skills you need to navigate a world made to break you down." One side of his mouth lifted in a display of gentle amusement that was out of sync with the topic at hand. "Perhaps you are thinking that isn't what you want, that you should find a teacher who will let you have fun and teach you to be the best, but I think that would be unwise."

"You see, someday soon you will find that the world doesn't think that way. It is terrible thing and a mirror; it will reflect back your worst qualities and use them to crush you. My goal is to teach you to face your weaknesses so that they can't be used against you."

Odysseus studied Noir thoughtfully. "So if you are agreeable, your first lesson is to list your weaknesses. Not now, I want you to think about it, but I want to hear them when we meet next. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to be honest so we can teach you properly, do I?" Hopefully that would prompt him to assess his weaknesses honestly although when it came down to it, it didn't truly matter what Noir said his weaknesses were because Odysseus would be paying attention.

"I realize it is uncomfortable to think about yourself that way and to tell someone what is essentially your secrets so I will tell you my weaknesses first. Does that sound fair?"

"Odysseus" and "Olafur"

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