video; u/n lynx

[jadedlynx]

Once I get the space together, I'm starting a self-defense class.

[ The video starts showing Ash in front of a simple apartment wall. ]

Shouldn't need a lot of explanation. You pay me, I'll teach you how to fight. It doesn't matter how big or small you are, if you're a man or a woman. There'll be handgun lessons, too. Not at the same time; if you can roundhouse while firing a gun, you're not there for the class.

Payment can be chroma or demichroma. If it's chroma, it has to be transferred through our hands. If you know what you're doing and looking for a place to pass that along, I'll take on a few more teachers and a nurse or two. I'll have to see your stuff first.

Comments

[jadedlynx]

[ Ah. That makes a lot more sense. 44 kilos is still far too thin to be healthy unless she's very petite, but it's less drastic than losing 44 kilos. Even losing 21 kilos is a lot. ]

The business won't be officially open for a while, and you're right: it's good to know how to fight at any weight. But if you're not healthy, it's gonna screw with any kind of physical training you try.

[ He really did only plan to teach hand-to-hand combat skills. Getting their bodies in shape is meant to be their responsibility, but... ]

If you want to pay, we'll work on some pre-training stuff with you. Adding some healthy weight, building muscle mass.

[ Because comas aren't known to be good for the muscles.

Certain people would call Ash a hypocrite for working with someone else on their weight, but it's always easier when it's someone else, isn't it? ]

[purifyings]

[There will be a light chuckle.]

It'd explain the reason I lost my balance after jumping off a small field hill. Usually, I would land on my feet then roll down the hill, but...

[Guess who lost their balance entirely and just literally roll down the hill. Nodding her head, happily.]

If you don't mind! It'd be nice to return to my original weight. Plus it'll keep me from snacking too much... [WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DELICIOUS FOOD IN THIS ERA!?] When do you want to start?

[jadedlynx]

Sure it's not just bad balance?

[ He's teasing a bit now. Ash can certainly be serious when the time calls for it, but it doesn't have to be an overly-serious conversation. ]

Snacking's okay, if you're snacking on the right stuff.

Breakfast is the best place to start. You wanna pay with chroma or demichroma?

[purifyings]

...............

[That.

That response was unexpected.

Really unexpected.

Her expression was clearly giving her thoughts away at being caught completely off guard, realizing.]

....ah, I can almost say the same about you. [More like.] You actually have a funny bone in you, huh?

[And with that, Nike will perk up at the mention of breakfast because yes, please!!! She likes food and eating with others is more fun than doing it alone.]

Chroma! If you don't mind, that is. I have demichroma but not much... [More like she has never wasted the bit given to her by the government. Needless to say, she is squirreling it.]

[jadedlynx]

I have great balance but no funny bone. Expect me to always be serious.

[ Only he's not even serious as he says that. He'll be straightforward about business, but once the plan's created, Ash can fall back into his more natural sarcastic personality. ]

Chroma's more effective, anyway so that's fine with me. It's kind of a win-win payment since when you're giving chroma, you're getting it, too.

[ Which means you're getting a service and getting paid while paying someone else. ]

What foods are off-limits?

[purifyings]

[The most dubious expression will be given at that statement.]

Somehow I believe more the former statement as true while the latter one as semi-true. You're definitely giving me deja vu vibes when I was first recruited for training.

[By her spartan tsundere grandmother, no less. She'll have to keep on eye on him. Somehow it feels like he is teasing her already, but it's tough to tell. His teasing is different compare to Livi's or anyone else bold enough to do so.

....at least, she doesn't dislike it. Humor is very much welcomed in her books.]

None. I'll eat anything and everything. As long as you don't force me to eat like....tiny grams of food or something.

[She still has nightmares about the tiny pieces of food they'll feed her when she was forced to lose weight.]

[jadedlynx]

I never thought sarcasm would be a thing unique to my world, but it's not something I'm finding here very often.

[ Nike is close. The former is true, but the latter isn't even semi-true, not really. Ash can be serious, and when coming from the violent streets of New York, often has to be, but sarcasm and teasing are his defaults. ]

Not force. There's not gonna be any force.

[ It's very important to disconnect that word from anything they do. Ash will give his opinion, Nike can take it or leave it. If she leaves it, it might impact their training, but she's less likely to have good results if she thinks of anything they do as forced. ]

Small serving sizes would be counterproductive. We want you to gain weight.

[ In a controlled, healthy way. ]

Hope you like protein. It's' going to be your best friend. For breakfast, grab a piece of toast, add an avocado spread, two eggs, two strips of bacon. If you can't finish everything, focus on the bacon and eggs. I'll send you something more detailed before lunch.

[ It's something he'll have to do more search on. For one, protein shakes will be incredibly useful, but Ash doesn't know if there's protein powder here and if not, what can be substituted. What he does know comes from his knowledge of science and his own desire to keep his weight within a certain range. He's not a cook. ]

[purifyings]

Which is odd to think about. You'd think it'd be the go-to response to most questions. Or to less serious ones, anyway.

[It's nice to find a lot of kind people always willing to help. Nike is used to kindness except with discipline involved. Then again, she does have a tendency of disappearing for long periods of time as well. Especially for lessons that bore her.

In this case, however, Ash's words will catch her attention. For a number of reasons. She won't be forced into anything? That was definitely new! For the past year, Nike was so used to the idea of forcing herself to adapt and change for others that the idea of not being forced into anything was so......out of place. An impossible possibility before arriving in this new world. The idea of freedom hasn't really register until now. It was more than enough to get a small smile without meaning to.

It'll turn into a bright smile at the mention of food. YES! THAT SOUNDS DELICIOUS!]

Can't finish? What you just described sounds so delicious! I never thought of mixing avocado, bacon, and eggs with bread!

[And right now, she's thinking it'll be more delicious with freshly baked bread. Which you know she'll desperately find a bakery willing to tell her their schedule concerning it!]

Also, does it have to be regular toast bread? Or can I use a croissant?

[jadedlynx]

Toast bread. It's important to the avocado, and a lot easier to regulate the butter intake. You can fall back into a normal diet when it's over, but if you're going to be eating a lot, it's gonna matter what you're eating. If we focus more on proteins and less on fats, you'll develop the weight back in muscle and then you can kick the ass of anybody who tries to take your next croissant.