deercountry | (open) miyagi-do gathering for new & existing students!

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(open) miyagi-do gathering for new & existing students!

Who: You, you, and you!
What: For members of Miyagi-do, those interested in Miyagi-do, and whoever else might end up there! (Visiting a friend, etc)
When: Some time first half of month.
Where: At Miyagi-do Dojo in Crenshaw!

MIYAGI-DO: A NEW DAY (AN APRIL LOG)

Miyagi-do has seen some unexpected activity in the last few weeks, but has also--fortunately--seen a return to normality. An upgrade, even, where the damage sustained after a student's accidental explosion caught parts of the dojo in the ensuing chaos now gone after hard work hired, with thanks to the builders and those who helped with funds.

Even the sensei of the dojo has recovered from his own injuries, welcoming students--old and potentials--to classes. Along with a few touch-ups to the dojo, there are other changes, new and old, that should be addressed:

1. A (SEMI-)NEW SENSEI

He's been around for a month now, but here's your formal introduction to Miyagi-do's second sensei, Sensei Toguchi. Sensei LaRusso would have introduced him as a...not old, but dear friend from back home who has also learned from the school of Miyagi-do back in Okinawa. Skilled in the use of sais, you may find Sensei Toguchi a different kind of sensei from Daniel LaRusso. But we'll let you see that for yourself.

2. YOUR VERY OWN SNACK PROVIDER

Truthfully, this is a figure who's been around the dojo since the start, doing exactly what he does now...but Daniel LaRusso would not be himself if he didn't take some time to introduce Hakkai to the class as the person who makes their snacks and refreshments. Because Hakkai deserves his thanks, and you cannot escape a dad man like Daniel.

3. ICE BRACELETS: A NEW FORM OF PROTECTION

Miyagi-do has always worked to help individuals with what it is they want out of the dojo. Sometimes, this can just mean having somewhere to meditate and to find comfort in your own body than to focus on the fighting aspect. But Miyagi-do always leans towards protection, and learning how to respond and to engage with danger. It works to help individuals learn how they can use their own powers in ways that they prefer.

And in his announcement for the start of April's lessons, Sensei LaRusso has a bracelet to share to those who want one, after he's explained what they are. They're ice-powered bracelets--not super powerful, but with proper training they can be used as a means of defence. Spread ice over the ground, freeze certain limbs to surfaces, or even use it to shroud an enemy's face just long enough to distract them.

Sensei LaRusso will show how to use the bracelets to manifest the ice, and Robby Keene will also help in demonstrations, as well as with students individually. Dummies and can be used as stationary targets, and are a great way to learn how to disappear the ice, too--especially if you want to focus on using them for actual living targets, which either Sensei LaRusso or Robby can help with (or, if you're really that into getting iced...!).

ENDING NOTES

This log covers the first lesson of April, as well as continuing forward if you want to add extra days and lessons! Please familiarise yourself with what Miyagi-do teaches. Newcomers are welcomed, and there will always be a place to get food and drink...thank you, Hakkai.

Feel free to make your own toplevels on this log, it's meant as a mingle for existing students and those interested in checking out Miyagi-do! You can hang around the snack table, practice some karate, meet the teachers (and food provider...), maybe try out the new fun ice bracelets or.. you know, you can always just hang out with Daniel's Omen. He's a good boy who will stop to get belly rubs from everyone. You can't reject him. Sorry if you sat down for three seconds and are now stuck with a dog on your lap. He will not move.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Where the conversation starts does make Robby's brows pinch together momentarily.

"No, he wasn't in--we talked later," Robby answers. The truth, but his conversation with Mister LaRusso's omen is still on his mind, that need for caution; what people might think, start to assume. So: "I heard he was doing better, so it wasn't important. I'd been doing some thinking anyway."

Thinking. As you do.

"Right."

Daniel knows Robby isn't lying with what he's saying here, at least. Of course he did talk to Mob later, or he wouldn't have had that talk with him that Sunny told him about, the one that still makes absolutely no sense to Daniel.

And though he believes Sunny either way, one thing about what Robby is saying here stands out to Daniel enough to know Sunny was right. There is something off about Robby.

The boy who desperately told him they had to check up on Mob would never suddenly make an 180 turn out of nowhere and say it wasn't important. It makes no sense. It only makes the worry surge through Daniel even more, and the man tightly presses his lips together, glancing over at Sunny for a moment before his gaze returns to the other teen.

"Sunny told me he thinks you might have talked that time with the woman who lives with them. Makima?"

Look, these are clearly innocent questions. Not an overly worried sensei who is heading somewhere with this. Obviously.

Yes, the more Sunny sees of Robby the more he thinks that there was something wrong. With how much Robby seemed to care about Mob it didn't make sense that he just wouldn't think it was important all of a sudden.

His expression remains as impassive as usual for the moment.

"To hear he was doing better you must have spoken to someone in the house when you tried to visit. And it wasn't me or Ritsu." Which, obviously, left only Makima. There was little doubt in Sunny's mind that this had happened, now.

What--? Why was Miss Makima coming up? The fact the questioning leads to her in the first place, and then Sunny playing the part of a daytime show detective was just making this line of questioning all the more baffling.

"Okay, so you two wanna get to the point you're building to? What's this about?"

And Robby doesn't want to play, looking between the two of them with an annoyance in the frown now creasing his features.

That defensiveness on the other's part is something Daniel hasn't seen in a while. It feels almost strange at this point - to an extent where he might think twice about pushing any harder if it wasn't a serious matter.

.. but it is. If something might really be wrong with Robby, then Daniel can't idly stand by. Not when he's supposed to be the kid's dad. Sometimes parents have to do the hard things too.

"Don't you see it yourself, Robby..?"

At least Daniel doesn't sound strict as he's saying it. He knows at this point that that sort of thing only makes Robby push back even harder if he's ready to get all annoyed or defensive.

No, instead he attempts a route that feels better. One that's still honest too, considering how much his heart aches at the thought of all this - the openly worried ~~dad~~ sensei route.

"You go visit someone who apparently has.. mysterious powers." Look, Sunny told him that he also had no idea what exactly Makima was capable of, but if he believes she could've done something to Robby, Daniel is willing to believe the boy. He's willing to back Sunny up on this one. "And then you come back, and you're not acting like yourself at all anymore in some ways. I mean.. you really upset Shigeo, Robby. And you're not like that."

Especially not to Mob.

".. we're just worried about you."

He feels confident enough about that 'we.' It's not like Sunny is doing this out of malice either. He's scared too, he told Daniel. He must be worried about his friends.

It's good that Daniel is here, because Sunny feels irritated with Robby's response and could easily see himself getting snippy. Daniel is dealing with it much better, being patient and calm with what he was saying.

Sunny takes a breath. Daniel had nailed all of it. It was suspicious, extremely suspicious. And... he really was worried about Robby. Even if things had been tense ever since he'd been mean to Mob, it wasn't as though he didn't care about the other teen. He considered him a friend and didn't want him getting hurt, either.

Robby was a victim in this, if Sunny was correct about Makima.

"We are," Sunny agrees, glancing to the side. "It's just all... really strange."

Robby shifts on his spot, rolling his eyes upward as he takes in a breath through his nose. He returns his gaze onto the pair with the most unimpressed look.

"You're worried about me?" He gestures to himself, then to them. "You're the ones coming to me with some story about someone-- what, messing with my head? Making me say something to Mob you don't like? Is that it? How does that make any sense?"

His attention turns onto Mister LaRusso in particular.

"And since when have I been off? I've been with you every day, but now you think I've been brainwashed? And why're you judging someone for their powers when you don't even know them?"

It's the last thing Robby would expect from Mister LaRusso, especially when it doesn't even sound like he knows Miss Makima. But this entire accusation--it's baffling, out of nowhere. It doesn't make any sense, and it's so stupid if he's actually managing to follow this right.

That Sunny's decided Miss Makima did something to him, and Mister LaRusso's just...going along with it?

Dear god. Maybe he should've expected this sort of reaction from Robby, given the teenager's reaction from a moment ago and past experience, but this sort of thing has been so rare for so long now that Daniel didn't expect this exact level of pushback. It's like Robby isn't even willing to consider what they're saying for a moment, despite the emphasis they're worried. Sunny even agreed on that out loud.

.. it sure does feed into the latter's logic though, doesn't it. It's not like Robby himself would be able to notice if his head really had been messed with, even though that also makes this infinitely more complicated.

"Robby, we're just asking."

Daniel's tone is thankfully still not confrontational, even if his words kind of get turned that way by nature of this very conversation. But he tries to keep his tone calm, like he's trying to meet the teen in the middle - or like he's trying to talk Robby down before this further explodes. Because he doesn't want Robby's feelings to be hurt here, but neither does he wants Sunny's feelings to be hurt.

It might be why Daniel is shifting just a touch more in the direction that makes him stand in front of Sunny more. Daniel still remembers what the boy told him a few moments ago.

All of this does scare me.

He doesn't want Sunny to have more reason to be scared when all of this must already be overwhelming.

"I may not have noticed anything so far," though, you know, Robby's reaction here is.. definitely odd, "but I had no idea any of this was even going on. Doesn't it seem strange to you too..?"

Please, Robby. Just think about it for a few moments. Just reflect, rather than escalate. That's all Daniel is asking here.

Hurt feelings were probably the only outcome of this talk. Sunny has to brace himself for that. He doesn't want to hurt Robby's feelings and he's trying to keep himself calm, but the other teen is reacting so intensely to all of that it's hard not to get worked up himself.

He takes a breath, noticing Daniel shifting in front of a little and easing ever so slightly. This conversation was important. Even if it didn't go well. It was still something that had to be discussed.

"But I do know her," Sunny says quietly, "Better than you do. I've lived with her since I got here. It's been months." He knows Makima. He knows what she's done to Mob. He knows that she's capable of things that he may not fully understand but knew were terrible.

There's nowhere for his feelings to go but towards hurt. The lead-in to this conversation, Sunny's backing on each point. He's right, Robby's wrong, and Mister LaRusso says he's only asking questions, but he's already sure that something is up. He thinks this is reasonable to ask, to ask Robby to consider without anything but some half-baked accusation.

Robby looks between the pair, but more so Mister LaRusso. Not speechless, but not saying anything immediate, chewing on the words he immediately wants to throw out, but the draw of his brow slanted, heavy. What the hell is he supposed to say? How's this a normal conversation to anyone?

"Sounds to me you two already decided what's happening," Robby says, finally. "Doesn't matter what I think--I'm just being screwed with."

He could say more, wants to, eyes lingering on Mister LaRusso and his lips rolling together, pinching. About how he thought he trusted him better than this by now, would've actually talked to him; and at least Sunny knows Miss Makima better than he does him. But this was never about him, Robby knows. It's just about Mob, isn't it?

Robby spreads out his hands in a mimic of a shrug.

"You gonna tell Mob about your idea? He should hear it. I'll even explain it myself."

There's a rise at the end in the offer, in his voice. Not a haughtiness, but something sarcastic.

For a few moments there's just staring.

Daniel knows Robby is looking at him, but he's looking right back at the boy. He's not avoiding the gaze, but instead purposefully meeting it, trying to search in there for-- for something, anything.

Parts of this are so painfully reminiscent of the past, after all. Of standing there in front of Robby, of desperately trying to convince the other of something for his own good, and just being ignored, being met with the equivalent of a brick wall. In the mart, at the tournament - and now again. It'd be one thing if Robby was doubting, but still trying to meet him halfway. That's what Daniel expected would happen here.

After all, they grew closer again. Robby said he had forgiven him, and that he wanted Daniel to forgive himself too. He'd even called him 'dad', though jokingly.

Shouldn't it be different with all of that in mind? What does any of that still matter when the boy still repels him the moment Daniel questions him on something?

It could be a part of some possible brainwashing too, he knows. But it still hurts more than he expected, and Daniel finally lowers his gaze for a moment when Robby speaks, especially when he says that last part, seemingly aimed a little more at Sunny than directly at him.

How is he supposed to forgive himself like this, Robby?

Daniel does what he always does. Even though it feels like his heart has been thrown right into the crusher at a garbage dump, he swallows, pushes the feeling down as far as he can. He breathes in, trying to keep it out of his voice that way, but it does haunt his eyes.

"Why would Sunny lie?" Because that's just something that even objectively wouldn't make sense to Daniel. He briefly glances at Sunny after saying it, that same sad look still in Daniel's eyes. "He wouldn't say this unless he was just worried too. Both of your feelings are important here."

Because a Robby that doesn't consider other people's feelings-- that isn't the Robby Daniel has seen over the past few months. The Robby who was so good to all the younger kids here, basically the big brother of the dojo.

"That's why I just want us to talk about this together, to figure out whether there might be something going on. Don't you trust us? Don't you trust me..?"

Do you really think he'd say this without reason, Robby? Don't you know how he worries?

Boy Sunny is trying to keep himself from snapping at Robby here because he knows it's not going to help any. He really doesn't want to hurt Robby's feelings here. He's trying so hard to be as nice as possible about all of this, even though he rankles when he brings up Mob.

Of course he had to bring up Mob. But this wasn't just about Mob anymore, Mob was just an example of the things that Makima could do to someone.

He takes a long breath, looks at Daniel's sad eyes when he glances back at him, and manages to stay his tongue. Sunny manages to swallow the bitter words that want to come out of him like how Robby is supposed to be staying out of Mob's business, anyway. Why would he be telling him anything?

"This isn't only about Mob anymore," he says, "I really am worried about you, too." Even if they weren't talking and even if there were bad feelings between them right now, he still cared about Robby. Robby, who had always been kind to him, who had shown him how to skateboard, who'd helped him in that Winter Mourning, who'd taken him to the entertainment feed just to hang out, who'd protected him while trying to get to an out of control Mob. Robby was a good person, he definitely was. He just... was being taken in by Makima.

Robby doesn't believe Sunny. At least, not when he speaks, a glance given in his direction when he speaks and nothing more. It's not a disbelief that really hurts, or gnaws at him: he'd been willing to take the younger boy's ire since the day he showed up at the dojo to speak to him.

It's Mister LaRusso's words that dig in deeper. Bringing up trust, like Robby hasn't trusted in Mister LaRusso longer than the man was willing to trust him. A distrust he deserved, that Robby came into their relationship offering; because he was here out of deceit, a pettiness, spite. But Robby hates hearing it now, here, being asked if he doesn't trust Mister LaRusso.

When the one not being trusted is him. Not being given a real chance to explain anything.

He swallows against the hurt. The fact he can see how his reaction is being read as unreasonable, and Robby hates it. He sucks on his inner lip, fingers clenching and unclenching from fists.

"No one told me to say what I did to Mob. I did that. I wasn't coming up with anything that was helping him, and I didn't need him wasting time trying to make me feel better. He was my responsibility--I knew."

He knew. He knew everything, didn't he? How badly this could go, how serious this was. He knew. He knew, and he didn't do better.

Robby's looking to the side by then, a shake in one of his fists, tapped once against the side of his leg. But he looks back at them, frown deep, but his anger isn't painted on the way it could be, was in his disbelief.

"All she did was tell me about the contract and asked me to help keep an eye on Mob, but give him time to get adjusted. That's it."

The man has no idea of some of the things going on here. Sunny's impulses that he's surpressing right now, for one. It's not like Daniel has ever seen the boy being mean, after all, so it means he just believes that everything Sunny is saying out loud to Robby right now is the same stuff he'd be telling the other teen if it was just the two of them, without Daniel there.

Things on Robby's end are just as unclear to him, but for different reasons entirely. The explantion he's providing sounds reasonable, but it still clashes with the impression Daniel got before, not to mention that Robby is now also bringing up the contract.

The same thing Sunny told him about a few moments ago. The thing that still sends Daniel's mind spinning when he dares to do as much as approach the very thought of it.

"You didn't think that contract sounded strange in any way..?"

He instead asks that. Maybe Daniel is hoping it'll pull the heat off Robby in a personal way for a moment, because there's no way he could as-is suggest the idea of going to see someone who could check up if there's something wrong with Robby right now without all of this fully blowing up.

Wait, hold on, Robby knew about the contract? He knew and he didn't think that it was absolutely the most wretched thing in existence? How? How could he not be afraid for Mob? How could he not think that Mob was being cheated and taken advantage of? Sunny didn't understand.

Or, maybe he did. It cements in his head that Makima absolutely had to have done something to Robby. If she hadn't there was no possible way he would have thought this was alright. There was no way.

"...Did she tell you all of the terms?" he asks, tone going even more bland to suppress the horror he was feeling in his heart. He was scared for Mob. He had been worried for Robby but truthfully now he was scared for him, too. This wasn't right. This wasn't okay.

There's a restlessness in Robby, in his skin, even though the questioning is maybe the least offensive it's been. But it doesn't make him feel better; he kind of wants this to be over, chewing on what this has been, worse than what he'd already been prepared for.

He would have rather had a talking down about how he treated Mob than any of this.

"What's wrong with the contract," is what Robby will ask, voice not even lifting with inflection to the question. They seem to have some idea about this, too, so.

Daniel isn't the one who answers.

There's multiple reasons for it. The foremost reason being that Sunny is the one who told him about the contract and its terms in the first place, so if Daniel were the one to answer the question, he'd basically be talking for Sunny, repeating secondhand details when Sunny is right there to tell Robby directly what he heard from Mob.

(Because Robby can't have heard the full story, right? He can't have heard the same thing as Daniel, because surely it would have given him the same reaction. Especially when Mob is involved.)

.. there is, of course, also the smaller reason that the entire idea of this contract blasts Daniel's mind right back into a past he doesn't want to think about. A past of an adult with seemingly good intentions and promises of making everything better, only to manipulate you, to change you, to own you.

Daniel swallows, glances over at Sunny with a slight nod as if to tell the boy to tell Robby what he knows. There's a bit of a troubled expression in his eyes, but Daniel still looks over at Robby afterwards, like he has to see the boy's reaction for himself once Sunny speaks. Like he has to know Robby is still there.

Robby's question and Daniel's nod are enough to spur Sunny into answering. There was so much wrong with the contract. He had to do a good job of explaining himself.

"She probably told you what Mob gets out of it," he says. That's what he assumes, because that part of the contract isn't the problem in the slightest. "But what she gets in return is... Mob. All of Mob. Everything about him."

The idea still makes his heart race. As Sunny had told Daniel a few minutes before this scared him. "She owns him now, Robby. It's not... fair. It's not right."

What that explanation gets out of Robby is confusion: on his face, internally. Brows dipping low as he stares at Sunny, only a flicker of a look Mister LaRusso's way, but it's Sunny now who has more of his attention.

"What are you talking about? What does that mean?" How can she or anyone own someone? Mob was still going around the place, seemingly himself--which is exactly what Miss Makima told Robby she wanted Mob to be. To continue being. Himself.

He's going to need some more details, here.

Well, at least confusion-- it isn't bad. At least Robby isn't rejecting the idea of this being a thing that's happening outright. It just seems like he's trying to dig for more information, which means he's still got to be concerned about Mob. About the boy's safety.

(Or maybe it's just Daniel actually shutting up that's helping things here, who knows.)

Either way, the latter does remain valid for now, since Daniel will continue to let Sunny explain. The only thing he does is raise his hand to give Sunny a light reassuring pat on the back, since he knows none of these thoughts can be easy on him either.

Sunny wishes he understood more about what Makima could do, he really did. If he had a more detailed explanation ready to go maybe he'd be more convincing. As of now he just felt more frustrated than anything, trying to think of the words to say that would make everything make sense.

He furrows his brow. "It has to do with her powers," Sunny says, "I... don't know exactly how it works, but she has free access to Mob's powers now. And, I assume, Mob himself. He trusts her, so he's fine with all of this but... it's just too much of yourself to give to someone. Those powers are him."

Not his. Him. The powers were part of Mob, they were a part of him.

It's not really information he doesn't know. That was--always clear, right? That she'd be able to control them, make them do what Mob can't do, what none of them can. Robby can understand the concern, even if it doesn't put aside his own frustration. He doesn't want to grit his teeth and be kind; when this is starting to sound like a person's distrust over another than anything to do with him.

He's just a way to add to the suspicion.

"...You should be talking to Mob and Miss Makima about this and finding out what she can actually do instead of making up ideas in your head. You don't like her? Then give me a better reason why. Give Mob a better answer to what he's going through so he doesn't need her power."

He lifts his chin. "You could be doing a lot more to help Mob than doing any of this. I can't help him."

"Robby," Daniel says, the name escaping his mouth almost instinctively. It's a name that escapes him with a dual purpose, even. Because Daniel is a little disappointed to hear what he says first, telling Sunny to talk to Makima even though Sunny is obviously terrified due to this situation - from Daniel's point of view, anyway.

But then Robby continues with those last four words, and those just soften up Daniel's heart instead, making the name slip into something a little more worried at the end.

"If anyone should be helping Shigeo here, it should be me." Daniel is the teacher, after all. Sure, Sunny and Robby are both Mob's friends, but-- he doesn't want this burden on their shoulders.

Even less so when Daniel doesn't disbelieve in Makima's potential powers the way Robby does.

"But you were helping him. You both were." Daniel first glances at Sunny when he says it, but then looks at Robby instead. ".. you shouldn't put Sunny down." Something that's a little bit closer to scolding, though the angle is partially taken out by his gaze softening as he adds: ".. nor yourself."

Please, Robby. This is a dad pleading with you.

Sunny clenches his teeth, frustrated that Robby wasn't understanding him. Or wasn't believing him. He was believing some woman he'd just met over Sunny, who he'd known for several months now. Over Daniel, even.

He didn't get it and the agitation is seriously starting to bubble in his chest. He wasn't good at this kind of thing, confrontation. Sunny didn't want to be mean. He didn't like to be mean, but he was only human and he was on the brink of saying some things he might regret.

Without Daniel here he definitely already would have. His presence is the only thing that's seriously grounding him. There was someone here who believed him. Daniel was taking him seriously and wasn't dismissing his worries.

"I'm scared for him, Robby," Sunny says, a desperate tinge to his tone that overrides its usual impassivity, "It isn't about me liking or not liking Makima. Yes, I don't trust her, but I used to. I only don't trust her now because of what she's doing. I'm not making things up to get people to turn against her." Please listen!

He breathes out, exasperated.

"Then do something about it, both of you! Don't try and turn this around on me when you came saying I was brainwashed. Go to Toguchi sensei, I'm sick of hearing about this."

Because his emotions are only flaring, and he hates this guilt trip being pushed on him now. Robby turns in the direction of the indoor dojo, intent on leaving, if not with a last look on Mister LaRusso--the man who says he's his dad, the one who he chews on parting words for, the one he expected better of. This time. Now.

To know him better, or to give him a chance to explain before jumping to crazy ideas. But Robby keeps the words in his throat, doesn't let them go--and walks instead to leave them there and cool off.

(open) miyagi-do gathering for new & existing students!

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