069. For Your Life

[samson]

[Well, it's been a month. Slightly over a month, actually, but Brock can't help that. He's not in charge of when the castle decides to wig out. If he were, it'd happen a whole lot less, rest assured.

So, he's dictating to the pages in his usual hyper-blasé tone.]

Alright, that was a load of fun.

Look -- for those of you who don't me, I'm Brock. I've been here an extra long time, and I've seen a lot of bull happen, and I'm getting kinda bored of just letting it happen, you know what I mean?

A real long time ago, we had this thing called 'Peace Patrol'... if any of you guys remember it, don't worry. It was dumb as all hell and I'm not real keen on repeating that embarrassing mistake. But I think it's about time we formed some kind of defense force, right? Peace Patrol was all about policing each other, which is dumb for a lot of reasons, but long story short -- we need to start protecting each other from the castle and all the crap it throws at us on a, like, monthly basis.

[There is a brief pause. That was a lot of words. In the silence, there's the clink of a metal lighter and then an audible exhale.]

So. I ain't offering to be, like, 'Supreme Commander' or anything stupid like that. If you got more military training than me, freakin' go for it. I am offering to teach you guys non-lethal takedown methods in case your best friend tries to eat your face or something. Self-defense, how to analyze a threat, how to barricade, how to throw a punch -- whatever you want.

I don't do guns. So you'll need to get somebody else for that.

I've had a couple students before, but I'm thinking large-scale, here. So if you know any kind of offensive or defensive skill, let me know and I'll see if I can hook you up with somebody.

[A pause.] Uh, I guess I should mention if you wanna learn stuff just to hurt people, I'll probably just kill you. So. There's that.

- - -

[And, for people who want to run into Brock in person, he's presently walking up and down the castle walls, checking out the changes in scenery. He might occasionally give the edge of the wall a little kick to see how sturdy it is. He's dressed in civilian clothes, a light denim jacket and jeans that are slightly too tight, but he's got a crossbow slung across his back all the same.]

Comments

[indirectcause]

[Little bit there, yep.]

It's okay, Tess has been looking out for me with that.

[samson]

Tess, huh.

[indirectcause]

Yeah, have you met her?

[samson]

Yeah, we know each other. [She is rude as heck but she keeps talking to him? Unsure if she's just naturally abrasive...]

[indirectcause]

[Ben's pretty sure she is.]

Her world's a...lot like mine. If she's ever talked about that.

[samson]

Uhhh. I know she's from somewhere that it's like... militarized...

[indirectcause]

That's putting it pretty lightly.

[samson]

[Well it's some kind of apocalypse-y deal, he knows that much. Societal collapse or some such. So if Ben's from someplace like that...]

Well, you must be a tough little dude if you can survive in a world like that.

[indirectcause]

[Brock no that's not how you talk to teenagers who aren't weird Scooby Doo rejects.]

...Tough little dude?

[samson]

[WHOOPS.... bad habit....]

...or whatever. You know what I'm saying.

[indirectcause]

...Not really. Are you from like, the sixties or something?

[samson]

2010...

[indirectcause]

...Oh.

Okay then.

[samson]

[Look, Ben, just chalk it up to Brock being old.]

Anyway... I'll see if I can't help you out.

[indirectcause]

Okay, well, thanks. I do appreciate it.

[samson]

You bet.