[ it's no pants time ]

[powerisyours]

[ continued from here ]

Anything Shan Shan wants.

Comments

[ridestherider]

[Just trying to relax as much as she can, although she's definitely still a little tense.]

[powerisyours]

[ Tense can be fixed, though, because that's when girl will be somewhat awkwardly rearranged so he can drop his hands underwater and run his hands down her back, thumbs pressing lightly at either side of her lower spine ]

[ridestherider]

[Sitting up very straight, a little confused.]

What're you up to?

[powerisyours]

Natsumi Relaxation Method Number Seventy-Eight.

[ridestherider]

Just how many of those do you have?

[powerisyours]

Well, only a handful, but it sounds cooler with bigger numbers, right?

[ You, miss, are getting a back rub ]

[ridestherider]

[I want to argue, but I also just want to lean into this, so ... that's gonna win for now.]

[powerisyours]

[ shhhh, don't argue with my sweet logic, just let the hands work tired muscles ]

[ridestherider]

Where did you learn how to do this?

[powerisyours]

Takeru.

[ridestherider]

I didn't think he knew, either. He doesn't seem like the type.

[powerisyours]

Training is painful. Sometimes you need to learn.

[ridestherider]

I suppose so. I guess I got a little spoiled; Retsu was always coddling me at least a little bit.

[powerisyours]

Natsumi needs it sometimes, too.

[ridestherider]

Not for training. I'm grateful, but he probably should have been a lot rougher on me. Monsters don't care if I'm a beginner.

[powerisyours]

It worked out. Natsumi is one of the strongest people I know.

[ridestherider]

I could be better.

[powerisyours]

So could I, and that's why we keep training, isn't it?

[ridestherider]

I dunno, I feel like I've hit a wall if I'm honest. I just do the same things Retsu had me do and I'm not learning anything new.

[powerisyours]

Maybe we need to get you a new mentor.

[ridestherider]

Probably. I was thinking of asking Percy or Jason to teach me to use a sword, since I do have one ... but they left.

[powerisyours]

What about Kotoha or Chiaki?

[ridestherider]

I don't think I've spoken to Chiaki at all since he came back the first time and when he was here to begin with, he didn't seem to like me much. Kotoha ... I love her, but she's a bit traditional. I don't know that I'd work well with her as a teacher because Riders don't really follow a code, you know?

[powerisyours]

Hmmm ... I suppose you're right. What if I did it? I'm not perfect, but they taught me some, back then. The basics, at the very least.

[ridestherider]

Could you hit me like you meant it?