hisapprentice | [Puzzle 016]

[Fifteen.

Contrary to his nature, Luke rises early, gets himself ready, even tidies up his room - which is hardly messy to begin with. The last thing he does is place his stuffed penguin at the head of the bed, against his pillows, and hold down a sigh.

Hearing no other noise in the house, he puts on his hat and coat and heads for the stables. Best to use this early start to do something, and the horses are good company all around. He notices with some surprise that certain things, hanging on the stable walls, are easier for him to reach now than the last time he remembers struggling for them.

Once that's done, Luke considers and discards several now-too-lonely places: the bakery, the library, even the school. He spends a while in the tea shop, reading but not puzzling, and frowning at his tea. When that is too much of a strain he ambles to the bakery anyway, for a cupcake. Just one cupcake.

Which he promptly leaves in its bakery box on the edge of the fountain while he spends the afternoon trying to build a snow fort. There are already some odd half-finished sculptures around that he thinks he can use. Beside the box is his open journal; he stands over it for a while thinking about a message, before writing one (messy, because he wears mittens and the ink in the pen is cold too):]

Come play in the snow by the fountain. I'm making a fortress.

[[ooc: Pretend this is dated the 12th ok yes. Luke's arbitrary canonless birthday! /throws confetti. This is the part where I have no idea how to play a growing-up young man, but I promise to do my best.]]

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[Well, it will be sometime under a minute that Lee reaches the area, through a series of speedy leaps through the air. Stopping at the sight of the snow creation, he quickly scans the area for Luke.]

Luke-kun, I have arrived! Please tell me my time.

[Whoosh! There goes a snowball, precariously aimed for Lee's chest!]

[That sure is a snowball alright! One which Lee... will deftly punch out of the air as it nears him.]

Is this an ambush? A delightful challenge of youth!

[Wow. He wasn't expecting that kind of defense. Luke pokes his head out from his half-finished fort, grinning.]

It's a snowball fight.

[And Lee smiles cheekily back.]

Then please - allow me to fight back!

[And he's swiftly scooping up a pair of snowballs to throw at the younger boy in rapid succession. At least he's not throwing them particularly hard at least for his strength.]

Whoa-!

[Luke ducks, hearing the snow thud against his makeshift wall. Whew, that was close.]

You're very spirited!

[But he has two more snowballs at the ready soon enough, and he makes a dramatic roll around the wall - ready to pelt the first Luke-shaped figure that he sees.]

[The first Luke-shaped figure is indeed Luke, who goes right down backwards under the assault.]

Hey! [Amid 'oof's.]

[Quickly on his feet, Lee raises a victorious fist bump.]

Are you alright? [He will reach over to help Luke up need it.] Remember that from defeat you can only grow stronger!

[Oh, sure, celebrate victory before helping Luke.]

I'm fine. That's not really how you do it.

Oh? Then what is the correct method?

You're supposed to take up sides and...and, you know, play by the rules.

I have not heard the official rules! I would like to study them. As for sides... When there's only two of us, such a thing seems to decide itself!

You know, you each take cover in your forts and try to get the people on the other team!

[Nobody really ends up "out" because the whole point is throwing more snowballs more of the time.]

If that's the case, I have been doing this incorrectly! So... I should create my own fort and gather my own allies? Then we will have a competition of youthly rivalry!

Do you have a lot of...friends like you? Er, from your world, I mean?

I do, in fact! A large number of ninjas from my village in particular are currently present here. I have both of my teammates! Just not my beloved mentor...

Well, you can't have them all on your team if I've got no one. [Luke can't even match one Lee.]

Of course! Perhaps we can even split the people from my world between our two teams!

[As Luke is in Luceti by himself, they'll have to do something. He tries to smile.]

Won't they go easy on you?

Heh... Don't worry about that! We shinobi are used to being competitive. They certainly do not go easy on me in spars, so I doubt that such a game will be different!

We should remember to leave room for people from your world as well, however!