#thread: bork bork bork look i'm a dog

[raijintosworn]

“Of course not, I’m not saying you’re weak or incapable.” Ryoma knows looks can be deceiving. He’s no fool; he’s been betrayed before by what he thought he saw. He won’t burden the boy with his thoughts. Yet as Ryoma looks at Kurthnaga, familiar red eyes look back at him. It makes his heart twist. He can’t explain it, and he won’t - he refuses to think further on it.

If he does, he might note the similarities, the differences, and his own wishes for how things had gone.

“My point, instead, is that wolves are like dogs.” He thinks. “They are natural hunters; they’ll find the stick. It will have your scent on it.” As Ryoma speaks, there’s one puppy with a stick in its mouth, looking rather triumphant. Yes, there is always a winner, and always a loser.

“I see.” He nods. “We do have quite a few princes this year in the Academy, do we not.” It’s not quite a question. “Though, I’ve realised there is only so much you can learn about ruling through books and mock exercises. There’s no true preparation for the crown.” That’s a weight that was too heavy for Ryoma’s head, it seems.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[evilblot]

I'm here to ask some characters!! Sadly I know very few of them only the ones you have posted about So, for Drummlyn Thaar: what would you change in your current way of living? For Mr. Karnaukhov: was there an event in your life that permanently changed you/mentally scarred you? For Dino Truffaul: what's your biggest ambition? Do you see yourself reaching that goal? For Shisa: what's your first thought during a fight? For Alchemilla Winn: Biggest fear? For Serhiy Hurenko: Fave ABBA song and why?

Don’t be sad, I’m the only one responsible fro not letting y’all know about my children lol Also forgive the long wait, but every damn time I try to do these kinda asks something happens and I take ages to reply because of it 🙄😭

Anyway, without further ado let’s answer your awesome questions at once!

for Drummlyn Thaar: what would you change in your current way of living?

It’s quite the rare event to see hesitation painted on the lived face of an orc who has spent most of his life on the battlefield, yet that question so vague and at the same time so personal took Thaar off guard.

“I wish I could have been closer to my daughter when she needed me. I know we orcs aren’t made for magic but maybe if I had tried to understand, if I had kept her with me instead of letting her go to that school for magicians or whatever maybe now he would still be here...” He says, nervously clutching the cup of freshly brewed herbal tea between his fingers.

“But above all, I wish I'd never let her keep that book.” he finally murmurs with a bitter grimace drowning his regrets in the tea, silently cursing the maker of his pain.

For Mr. Karnaukhov: was there an event in your life that permanently changed you/mentally scarred you? 

The man takes a drag on the cigar which he holds tightly between his fingers, contemplating the question for a long intense moment. A slow and vicious thread of smoke slithers from his lips as he hints at an emotionless laugh.

“My პატარა იხვის ჭუკი (transl. “little duckling”), if I told you then I would have to kill you.”

For Dino Truffaul: what's your biggest ambition? Do you see yourself reaching that goal?

The bartender lazily stretches out on the table, casting a look of nostalgic sentimentality on the autographed T-shirt, jealously kept in a dusty frame on the wall next to the counter.

“At de cost of soundin' banal, I'd like tuh see my team finally win de Champions League, those guys deserve it. Yuh got me so fahr?.. And yuh know what, or what? I'd like tuh be dere tuh celebrate wit' dem, and what de heck, I'd even sell dat dopey sistuh of mine tuh grab a ticket fawh de game. Right?”

He holds his tongue, frowning for a second as if something didn’t add up, then he continues with a shrug

“Sure, I’d sell huh fawh much less, but it was just tuh give yuh de idea of what I'm willin' tuh do. Okay?”

For Shisa: what's your first thought during a fight?

The Foo Dog sits with sophisticated royalty on the porch of her owner, with her forelegs crossed on top of each other and her head slightly raised as her eyes, vigilant and fierce, scan a horizon far beyond the visible one. Her massive structure and muscular body give her an intimidating look but her pose is relaxed and graceful, with no hint of  hostility as she ponders over the question asked.

“Rrrwooff! Bork bork, arf grroowr. Woof.” Shisa barks with a shake of her majestic mane followed by a discreet sneeze, as if she wants to emphasize a part of the speech just delivered, before laying her head back down with a content sigh.

Clearly it’s enough chitchat for the day.

For Alchemilla Winn: Biggest fear?

“I don't appreciate this kind of question from strangers.”

Alchemilla growls clutching her staff to her chest, but her reaction only conceals the grim thoughts that have been gnawing at the back of her mind for days, and her anger quickly gives way to a peaceful sadness.

The girl gently caresses the gnarled trunk of the tree that offers her refuge and that for years she calls home as she obliges herself to answer the question.

“Oberon is dying and I'm afraid that everything I'm doing, everything I've sacrificed to save my world is useless. I'm afraid of a dry and dead world where nothing grows anymore.”

For Serhiy Hurenko: Fave ABBA song and why?

“Ah, asking myself this question is like asking a hedgehog what his favorite sting is.” 

Serhiy laughs, leaning against the wall behind him, careful not to accidentally ruin the mural he’s working on.

“But if I really have to choose...” He says massaging his jaw thoughtfully “I would say that my favorite song is Rock Me, for two reasons mainly.” He adds smiling

“The first is because it's the type of song that makes you get out of your seat. Either sway or dance and sing to the song, even if you are sad it always manages to cheer you up. And the second reason is that this is the first song I heard when I arrived in America and, y’know, it just sorta became my theme, basically. Aaaand that’s it, be sure to stay cheeki breeki friend, nägemist! (transl. bye)”

Thanks again from the bottom of my heart, you really made my week I swear 🖤💜🖤💜 

[raijintosworn]

“Well, unless you’re particularly strong, I can’t see them losing the stick.” At least, he hopes not. All that Ryoma knows of wolves is based on what he knows of dogs. He’s hoping they’re not that different - or at least not so different that it would cause issues. “Are you strong enough to throw the stick so far?” Ryoma would very much like to see that.

Kurthnaga - or Kurth, Ryoma supposes - seems far too trusting. He barely knows Ryoma, and sees him as a friend. It’s all the more reason not to let them down. Kurth seems very sweet.

“Ah, one of the Golden Deer,” Ryoma says. The only house that has a prey animal, instead of a predator, as its mascot. Ryoma finds that interesting, but he can’t put his finger on why. “Why did you come to Garreg Mach?” Ryoma looks at him. “I do hope you aren’t pursuing the path of a mercenary.” Kurthnaga wouldn’t last a day.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[raijintosworn]

The wolves flee, thrilled by the chase. They’re fast; they’ll make fine mounts, Ryoma thinks. What an odd thought, riding a wolf. Vaguely, he wonders what that would be like. It can’t be comfortable, surely. He watches them hunt for the stick, and another petty squabble breaks out between the wolves as they fight for the stick.

They have much bigger fights in their future. They will fight for their lives. He hopes they’ll be prepared.

“It was far,” he says, “but you could always throw it further. Wolves are hunters; their instincts can find much quicker and much smaller than a stick.” At least, he thinks so. He speaks with so much conviction that even Ryoma believes he could be right. That’s what being a leader - and now a professor - is all about, he thinks. It’s all confidence, and hoping that you’re right.

Though, these days, he wonders how right he really is. He shakes off the thought.

“Ah, I’ve just realised I’ve never given you my name.” He felt so comfortable with them that he’d forgotten completely about introductions. “My name is Ryoma. I’m the sword instructor.” Should he shake hands with the student? He doesn’t know, really, and a handshake feels weirdly formal. He smiles at them instead.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[raijintosworn]

Siblings. Of course he knows the puppies are all siblings; they were all born of the same mother and father. No clear oldest, no clear youngest. It’s strange to think about. Perhaps he’s applying too much humanity to wolves, but he can’t help but think of his own family. His youngest sibling is eleven years apart from him. The distance that created between them is a huge rift. Even with Hinoka, the couple of years or between them feels like an eternity.

He’d have liked it if they could have all grown up like this; carefree and happy. Life isn’t so simple, not for any of them. At least Sakura is here; at least he can fix that rift. He doesn’t know if he deserves to have that relationship, after all he had done, after leaving Hoshido. His exile feels futile if his family is here regardless.

“Ah, of course.” He tries to pull the stick from the puppy’s mouth, who growls impotently at him. He yanks, and it pulls back with all the might in its little body. “Drop it,” he says. The young wolf does not drop it. “Drop it,” he tries again, more insistent. It doesn’t let go. “Very well, then.” Ryoma pulls it in a way to surprise the pup into letting go. It yips at him.

All the other puppies have gathered now, staring at the stick. Ryoma has a captive audience, even if it isn’t him they’re interested in. He looks at the boy, before holding the stick to him.

“Would you like to throw it this time?” he asks. “Throw it as far as you can.”

He likes this boy; distantly, he can’t help but feel like he’s familiar. Ryoma can’t explain why.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[raijintosworn]

Ryoma nods, listening to the boy speak. “There is a fine line between harsh and fair, and simply cruelty.” He doesn’t know if he would define his own past as cruel. It was certainly harsh, yes. The loss of not one, but three parents. He had grown up far too quickly at such a young age, and it wasn’t fair.

He looks on at the puppies. That sense of harshness in the world, that heaviness, he doesn’t wish it upon the young. Children and young adults should be allowed to stay innocent for as long as possible. He thinks of Shiro - his son and yet not his own son. He wonders if his Ryoma has the same thought process. He wonders if Shiro could live a gentler life, far from worries and the responsibility of the crown on his head.

None of it is fair - for humans, and for anyone else. Let the poor pups play, before they see untold horrors.

His thoughts are jostled back into happier times when the boy giggles.

“Well,” Ryoma says, quickly scrambling for an answer, “I suppose teamwork isn’t the right word. Competition is what I meant. Some healthy competition.” He watches as two puppies scrap over a stick, before a third one hops in and steals it. The wolf beelines straight back to them before its siblings can steal the stick.

“There, you see? Healthy competition.” More like he pulled it out of his behind successfully. He crouches down and strokes the proud puppy’s head, before taking the stick. “Young animals learn better through play than by strict training.” The same applies to people, he thinks. Though, perhaps he’s biased.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[raijintosworn]

Ryoma puts down the little wolf, who runs off, undisciplined and excitable. The boy is right, they do need to be trained. However, Ryoma can’t imagine they’ll be of much use to the wolves beyond getting them used to bonding with humans. And really, what better way to bond with them than the way one would bond with human children?

Perhaps Ryoma is making things up just to spend time with puppies, but, well…

“Discipline can take many forms.” His tone is serious now. “They’re young, but they aren’t too young to begin learning.” He looks around for something, and when he does, he picks it up. “For example, they need to learn how to obey their human masters.”

He looks down at the object in his hand - a stick. He approaches the litter of puppies, who watch him intently. Good; they know what’s coming. He moves the stick to the left, and their eyes follow. He moves it to the right, and their eyes follow that, too. Excellent. He pulls his arm back, and the puppies all stand.

The stick is thrown. They all run for it.

“There,” Ryoma says as the puppies run off, chasing the stick, “that will teach them the importance of teamwork.” He says it so seriously, so confidently, that even Ryoma might believe that a game of fetch is anything more than a game.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1

[raijintosworn]

Of course Ryoma volunteered the moment he’d heard there were puppies to take care of. Wolves are simply another, larger form of dogs. Ryoma loves dogs. So, there was no question when volunteers were called.

He wonders what he can get away with. Wolves need to be trained before they go into battle, surely. They need to be taught how to run fast, to fetch items, and- who is he kidding? He’s going to play with those puppies for as long as he’s alone and isn’t caught.

Alas, there’s someone else there before him. He will be the model professor, and actually be serious about this. Such a shame; he was quite looking forward to playing with the puppies. He takes a deep breath and walks over, before he hears the boy speak.

He’s baby talking the puppies. Ryoma takes a furtive glance around. It’s just them. Excellent.

“Hold it a bit more carefully,” Ryoma says, before bending over. “You’ll want to cup your arm like this under the puppy, giving its ribs proper support as you lift.” He demonstrates, before holding the wolf close to him. It’s perfectly docile against him. “Like this. I know wolves are sturdier than dogs, but if we treat them with more love and kindness, they’ll reward us.”

He pets the puppy’s head. “They are cute, aren’t they? What was it you said? Ah yes - the cutest little guy ever.” He can’t help but tease a little. He wants the boy to know that Ryoma won’t tell anyone, and they’re probably thinking the same thing with these dogs.

Bork Bork Bork. Look I'm a Dog

Anniversary | Riding +1