Kuoh Academy

[Apollymi]

With all three groups busy taking care of themselves. Eira was left to sort through the things which she'd been leaving undone while her Peerage recovered from their last couple of weeks activities. She came across several requests for her own presence from several people who had contracts with her, as well as reviewed recent contract completions by all of the members of her Peerage who had contracts going. Everyone seemed to be making good progress, and if the low murmurs and sounds of this building presently were any indication they were still busy with the activities they had going. 'Everyone's coming along well. Even our participation in Rating Games seems to be well on track...' she thought to herself as she allowed her Peerage to mentor and befriend each other.

Youmu after delivering a brief history of the Underworld, explained to Takumi how devils were ranked, the types of jobs he may have to complete, and why making himself stronger for Rating Games was the best option for potential progress. And as such was why Eira had chosen to participate. Now she sat atop her own desk with an empty tea cup beside her and had but a single suggestion for the lad. "Takkun, a devil's life, is potentially very long. It would be good to give yourself some goals, either long term or short term to help you manage it," she said with a nod, advice she'd once gotten from Eira herself. "It doesn't matter how simple or complex, but something you could potentially do will go a long way in focusing your attention, and helping with your adjustment." Surprisingly enough, through this session, the apathetic and normally quiet Youmu had been fairly talkative, and at least she'd hoped a bit engaging.

[Bloodedge]

Takumi took in more information than he expected to receive in a single sitting. Much to his instructor's credit, though, even concepts and history that were foreign to him were made easy enough to grasp mentally. He now knew enough about the Underworld's history that he understood at least things like the purpose of the Rating Games and Devil Reincarnation. Following the history lesson, Youmu started explaining the approach to hierarchy among Devils. She recommended that he keep goals in mind for the future, but in truth, Takumi had already done this long ago. Only during the Rating Game two weeks ago did he come to realize the promise he'd made to the world in the past. Now that he had it in mind, though, he was content to pursue it. "Eto. I... I already have goals..."

[Apollymi]

Youmu's suggestion that this young man get himself a goal, was countered by the idea that he already had one. For the first time since her match with Serde, Youmu managed to look surprised by that information. Though she was a now a bit curious, she wasn't nearly as pushy about this as some of her fellow members of this Peerage. "Sou ka, that's good..." she said, finding his resolve to be quite different. When she considered herself, she'd not had a goal for a very long time after her past, and it took her a while to figure out her own goal was still attainable. There was also the fact that in addition to her own goals, she decided it to be her best course of action to help with Eira's goals. "Unless you have any questions. I am sure I've given you more than enough information for a single day." This was the completion of Takumi's lesson, as she'd told him everything he'd need to know about his potential climb in the Underworld.

[Bloodedge]

"Hai," Takumi said. His goals were in mind at present, and the lesson seemed to be wrapping up. He rose from the desk he'd been sitting at, but paused his movements when Youmu offered to answer whatever questions he had. Takumi gave this much thought, wondering if he should even ask what he had in mind. Youmu was a very interesting individual who never seemed much for talking, but she had spoken quite a bit in teaching him today. Perhaps, then... it was worth asking his question after all. "Senpai... do you have goals as a Devil? You seem more disinterested than everyone else. All the others are so hyper, but you... You've been different somehow."

[Apollymi]

Takumi seemed content enough with his lessons and this was fine with Youmu. Surprisingly the lad did have a question and strangely it wasn't one directly related to the lesson. It was instead about Youmu's goals as a Devil, complete with an explanation of why he'd decided to ask the question. Apparently, he found her different from everyone else, less hyper and disinterested. A small smile came to her face in this moment, because it wasn't often that her disposition was pointed out to her. "I am different from the others, it is probably a matter of age," she said, knowing that she'd already lived an almost full life by the time she met Eira in the first place, though she maintained the appearance of someone in their late teens. "I decided I want to cut everything..." she said knowing it would likely need an explanation she continued. "That goal, isn't particularly noble, but I've trained with swords my entire life, and that has been longer than six of yours..." she mentioned, casually alluding to the fact that she was over ninety years old. "When I met Eira, I was at a low point in my life. I thought, I had nothing left to accomplish. I was hunted and detached from my life and everyone else's," she finished. "But, she let me see I could still have goals... that life didn't have to be exclusive to the way I'd been raised, or what I'd been doing before," she said with a small smile. "Youth is strange that way, it burns. I've never envied life, nor properly considered death. This makes me an excellent swordsman, because regardless of the situation... I can calmly see it through. But there is a fire here..." she said pointing to her heart. "And a desire to find all things I can cut. So with this Devil life I will do that. And while I serve Eira, I'll help her with the skills I develop... that was the first decision, I'd made on my own, in my life," she said. The explanation of her goal, was also the overarching story of her service to Eira, but these two things were entwined. She strove to cut everything, and her membership in Eira's Peerage allowed her to do this, while lending her insight to someone young and so full of ideas she might need a bit more direction. It was a beneficial coexistence.

[Bloodedge]

"To cut... everything," Takumi repeated when Youmu first mentioned her ultimate goal. He didn't immediately understand what she meant, or how this could be a lifetime achievement at all, but an explanation was to come from the ashen-haired Devil. Takumi kept an open ear to listen just as intently as he had to Youmu's teachings. The more she spoke, the more engrossed he became in the story. Takumi couldn't possibly pretend he understood the exact nature of Youmu's life before reincarnation, nor the life she had afterwards, and yet... there were many parallels to be drawn at every corner. In some small, yet simultaneously massive way, Takumi himself could relate to everything he was being told by the Knight. "Sou desu... ka..." he muttered. There was one significant hiccup in the intentions of Youmu. Once he was past the comparisons between Youmu's story and his own, he began to think about this. Her drive, while true, had a very solid end. It may have been an improbable thing to achieve in a lifetime, but Youmu did mention how long Devils could live. This issue was what he found separated his own drive from Youmu's, but what also kept him from properly pursuing his path. "So... what then? If you cut everything... What do you do when there's nothing left to cut? Do you just let that fire you mentioned burn out?"

[Apollymi]

Youmu explained her goal to this lad, and got to watch as he processed the information. It seemed that her story, like her earlier explanations were easy enough to follow. But there was one glaring truth that even Takumi grasped at such an early juncture. If her goal was reached what kind of person would she become? What of her goal? The small smile on the normally stoic knights face widened just a bit. She too knew what it was to wonder about this, and so she decided to answer. "Reaching the goal doesn't diminish the fire," she stated calmly. "It simply means it's time to find new kindling." What was to come next was an important explanation. "The goal is the device which lets you know what you are capable of," she explained casually. "So reaching the threshold is just a reason to run to the next one. Even if you don't know what it is initially," she said calmly. In theory there could be a long time between the start of a goal and the end of it. But, the goal itself isn't ever important, it this case it is more about finding the drive to act which was important. "If I cut everything, and come to embody the idea of that which cuts. I'll probably go on to try find something worth cutting." Youmu chose to see her life as new challenges, which was strange considering she once saw no potential challenges to face. But with the length of her life extended and her knowledge of the challenges of devils, angels and fallen angels, and beings of lore, she knew that she could always shift her focus and find something new to reach for. The goals weren't important, the ability, the drive to move forward even when the answer wasn't obvious... that was what Youmu was trying to impart.

[Bloodedge]

"Sou ka. I guess you've got it all figured out then." Takumi was surprised to hear that Youmu had thought things through to such an extent. He did suppose though, that she had plenty of time to do so during such an extensive life. With this in mind, he knew much more thought and conviction had to be put toward his own goals before he saw either of them through to the end. His fists clenched subconsciously, and his teeth gritted just the same. There was much he could do, much he wanted to do deep inside, but he had not yet found the drive to chase the end of the railroad. "How do you do it? How do you push yourself toward something like that without worrying about the obstacles and how it affects the people around you?"

[Apollymi]

The ashen haired lass did have a great many ideas about what she wanted to do, but she'd also had a very long time to think about it. She watched absently as the lad struggled, subconsciously clinching his fist and grinding his teeth. It was obvious to her, that he wished to be the same way she was, and that was likely harder for him to achieve given both his immaturity and whatever complications his life contained. Youmu couldn't pretend to relate on any level, she could only relay the information she had in the best way she could, and hope the lad would understand it in his own way. "The things that cause other people to worry, I don't possess. It is a unique case... for one such as you, I would say something else," she said knowing the state of mind she possessed was a completely unique one. Strange even among her people who trained warriors, hunters and killers for entire human life times. "Obstacles are placed before you, to test your resolve. If your will is strong enough, the obstacles you face will eventually crumble regardless. Even if you have to spend a hundred years slashing them away," she said, though that was the easier part of the explanation to deal with. Youmu was not an emotional being, because of this, she could easily see the sorts of struggles others went through, and Takumi's while not obvious was also the same sort young warriors used to face after their first kills. Were they monsters because they killed? Did everyone hate them because of what they had to do? It wasn't uncommon in Youmu's time for young warriors to falter because of how they felt they were being perceived. But Youmu's advice to Takumi in this moment, would be the same as the bit she gave to another individual she could only hope, he'd take to a bit faster than her. "How people around you perceive your actions, your powers and anything else about you is only a matter of confidence. If you trust people to accept you as you are, then they will not turn against you for the steps you take for their sake. And if they do..." she paused knowing the more straight forward way would likely be best. "Then they probably weren't worrying about in the first place."

[Bloodedge]

Youmu revealed herself to be a rather strong-willed individual. It seemed to be the case that such will was necessary for even chasing one's goals when they are so extensive as what she strove for. Could he do it himself though? To further his own goals, could he resolve himself to find that strength for himself? Only time would tell how things would work out. For now though, Takumi was content to follow Youmu's example by at least trying to steel himself. As he figured, it was the only way to even begin making any sort of progress toward a reasonable end. His brows furrowed, and the fists he held tightened further as he looked toward the white-haired woman. "Hai! I'll do my best. Arigatou gozaimasu!" he said, feeling somehow rejuvenated by the superior Devil's words. The more Youmu spoke, the more solidly he could think, as if every word from her mouth produced new purpose for the lad to take in.