The Art of War [CLOSED]

Today was the day she had found another prospective student. How many would that make now? There was Riku, Saori, and the stubborn Hyousuke (even if he didn't think he was a student of hers). Even if she wasn't the best at teaching the practical ways of the other normal teachers of UA, she had her own personal way of doing things and so far that was alright. The email she had received earlier in the week had been from one of the first years: Chiura Yutsuko. She was an interesting student from her file as she had the body of a snake and an interesting quirk. The email in question was one regarding training with Tsubame, to which the vice headmaster would not turn down anyone willing to learn. If their mind was open, she would welcome them into her classes. Of course, most sought her out for her shinobi skills since being a shinobi in these modern ages was something of a 'otaku' sort of thing with all the cartoons and anime about. If only they knew that the shinobi of old were nothing like those of the cartoons and anime. They were skilled killers who worked for whoever sought their power for their own purposes. Her father and the previous generations of the Takade family were not naive to this, they knew from which dark past they came. However, the Takade family always used their skills and power to help those that couldn't help themselves, and brought that sort of thinking with them in each generation. It was that line that the Takada danced along each time they were trained. There were bad apples within her family, sure, but they were quickly snuffed out as soon as they became...a problem. 

Tsubame was dressed in her usual training gear of sweat pants and a tight tank top that allowed or easy movements. She was barefoot for her comfort since she didn't really feel like it was a hand to hand combat type of day. She had pulled her long hair into a high ponytail with her bangs coming down to frame her face. Her classroom for the time being was one that was filled with multiple weapons and support gear. However, what Tsubame was mostly interested in using at the moment was her throwing weapons. She was good at  a wide variety, but her main ones she used on a daily bases were shurikan, throwing needles, kunai, and standard knife throwing. The last one was more of an entertainment factor for her, but she did use it in combat from time to time. Kenjutsu was also part of her skill set as it let her use blades of all sorts in her battles. As she brought out more of the throwing weapons on the tables in side of the room, she thought back to her full time pro-hero days. 

The people would call her a shinobi for the people, which made her father and mother proud, but the villains she faced thought she was wasting her skills with being a hero. She was able to take a beating and come back for more. She fought many people who fell prey to her blades and fists just for being a villain. The vice headmaster couldn't help but feel that perhaps in their eyes she was the villain instead. It made sense, she was a shinobi, and the good and bad would follow her for all of her life. Dragging herself out of her thoughts, Tsubame looked over at the door when she heard a knock on it. The voice called her 'Gatekeeper', which made her smile sadly at the game. She hadn't picked it out, it was given to her by the people due to her quirk. She kept a good defense and they noticed that. She wasn't sure if it was a good name or a bad name, but it was her hero name either way. Standing up fully from setting down one last throwing weapon case, she walked over to the door and opened it with a welcoming smile. 

"Welcome, Yotsuko, come on in!" Tsubame moved to let the girl in, and when she did come into the classroom, Tsubame closed the door so they could speak privately. "I got the gist of your email, but what is you are wanting to learn in combat?" 

Bowing respectfully back at the young student, Tsubame followed her back to the teachers desk to sit behind it with her right leg crossed over her left in a relaxed posture. Despite being the vice headmaster, she tended to be herself and relaxed around those of her school as well as close friends and family. She could count on one hand those that would see her even more relaxed, but that was a thought for another time. She listened as the girl spoke about her quirk and how it effected her fighting. Tsubame could empathize with her since her own quirk was mostly just a boosts of the physical kind and nothing actually for a weapon in combat. Though a blow from her bone dense fists or a kick from her bone dense legs and feet could send a good shockwave through most and maybe stop them in their tracks. She was strong, but nothing more than the average trained athlete. Since Tsubame trained from a very young age and had to learn to hone her body and mind to suit her quirk, she could control (for the most part) how she fought and moved in battle with ease. Tsubame's eyes kept easily with the young teen as she thought about what she could do to help her. Obviously hand to hand combat was out, but that didn't stop Tsubame from thinking about showing the girl how to block with just her hands and arms. Even though Tsubame didn't have a tail like Chiura, she could slightly show and explain to her how to block with such things. 

The girl seemed earnest and willing to learn. My my, I seem to be attaining students left and right it seems. Perhaps I should just have my own classes like the other staff. Tsubame thought with a small smile on her lips as she still listened to the girl. When Chiura had bowed again to her and told Tsubame that she wanted to be like her, Tsubame had blushed in surprise over that. She knew she had fans of her work, but she wasn't sure just how they really thought of her. As the vice headmaster still beheld the girl before her, she did notice that the girl seemed very honest and open about what it was that she wanted. Traits Tsubame loved in others because she held them up to high standards herself. For Tsubame, it was better to be honest than to beat around the bush. Tsubame waved her hand in the air as if to say 'no no, please don't bow' because she was slightly embarrassed at having someone think so highly of her. Tsubame wasn't the type of person to draw attention to herself. In her pro hero days, it was usually her partner that took the brunt of that labor for her. She was okay with just sitting in the back even though she did have fans. Despite being a part time hero when she is called to by those above, she still retained a fan circle surprisingly. or rather, it was surprising to only Tsubame. 

"I see, Yutsuko, I would be happy to help you find yourself and train with you." Tsubame said with a gentle and friendly smile. She adored those who were eager to learn and find their own path. "We can do whatever you wish to do since I am skilled in many things. Is there any weapon or perhaps skill you are looking to attain that I can help you with?" Tsubame stood up as she walked towards the door on the other side of the room and opened it up, motioning for Chiura to follow her through. "But first, I always ask my students a question that both I and they should know. However, you did a good job of explaining to me why you sought me out. All I want to know now is this: What is your aim in becoming a hero? What drives you?" It wasn't the same question, but it was almost the same. Tsubame liked questioning her students since it also got them thinking as well. You have to know yourself before you can grow. All knowledge is good knowledge. Tsubame stood by the door waiting for the girl to go first into the large expansive room on the other side. It had more weapons lining the walls as well as targets and straw and wood mannequins in one corner of the room. The cieling was very high to accommodate most training exercises, but otherwise it looked very simple. The whole left side of the room was all windows that let in the most light for ease of seeing. In essence, it was Tsubame's favorite training classroom.  

Tsubame smiled at the girl in front of her. Indeed such an eager want for lessons was music to her ears. When it came to most higher end subjects like math and sciences, she was average at teaching when she had notes to help her along, but when it came to training and teaching, she excelled. Before she became a vice headmaster and after her full time pro-hero days she taught at UA, working with students to help them to learn to fight and use their quirks to the best of their abilities. She'd like to think she did a pretty good job of helping along her students, especially when they were eager to learn. Chiura was definitely one of her students that had that fire, and so she would help stoke the fire in the girls soul to help her reach further. After all, Tsubame's whole goal at UA as a teacher and now as Vice Headmaster was to help her students reach further and become better than she was, to be the best hero or even just person they could be. Silently she searched for something that went along with what the girl wanted to learn. She had a wide variety, and some of it was from different countries. While not as proficient in the foreign ones, Tsubame could teach basics and from that could go from there to gain mastery. 

At the comment of being torched from an emitter quirk, Tsubame sighed in what was meant to be an understanding one. She too had the same problem with her quirk. While she could take a beating and be smashed without worry, she had a hard time defending against those types as well. Can't break bones, but she could still be hit with any sort of blade or elemental quirk. It was a pain to fight a villain that had a mainly emitter quirk, but what could she do about it. "I understand about that, I have that problem as well. My quirk isn't exactly made for long range combat." A small chuckle came and went as she then continued on. "What matters is how to grow with your quirk and how you can try to use the strengths of your quirk to your advantage, as well as know your weaknesses, which you know already." Tsubame then listened as the girl went on to answer her question. A smile couldn't help but grow on her face as she heard the answer. What a find this girl was! She had the attitude and drive and would make for a wonderful hero. At the mention of the weird quirks and people with them, Tsubame nodded. She didn't have a quirk that showed, but hers did show when she ran low on energy or even when she needed to top up with a sandwich or something. Not quite the same, but Tsubame understood where the girl was coming from. "Merveilleux, Yutsuko! I like the fire and drive. I'm sure you will make an excellent hero." Grinning at the girl, Tsubame then turned to look at her weapons around her. Throwing stars were out, though if she did train Chiura how to throw, she could wield just about any throwing weapon with at least some skill. 

"I never thought any quirk was weird, then again, I am pretty weird myself. I put your Headmaster through some serious dinner bills when we have meetings." Tsubame laughed in her amusement as she traced a finger over a couple weapons that would work for the young student. However, it depended upon Chiura what she wanted to wield. Tsubame had her favorites, but she needed to make sure what she taught Chiura would be something she would want rather than what Tsubame was well versed in. "Take a look around, Yutsuko, and let me know what catches your eyes. Along the wall are more dual use weapons that are good for close and long range combat. There are different types from all different countries. When you have made your choice, let me know and face me in the middle of the room." Tsubame motioned to the three inner walls of the training room that held the weapons of all sorts, bladed and non. She went to grab her own weapon which was her favorite katana. It had been given to her by her father on her graduation from UA and so became her prized possession. She tucked it into her specialized belt that was originally on her hero suit, but she needed it to hold her katana in place today. 

Tsubame waited patiently for the girl to finish picking out her weapons. Due to having a purely physical quirk that only effects her body, she had to learn to utilize that in order to effectively become a hero. Her father did not hesitate to train her in various weapons, even some that were not part of the shinobi culture and were from parts of the world that Tsubame had not been to. The first weapon would always be the most special to the person. For Tsubame she started out with Kenjutsu, the Art of the Blade. She received her first blade upon her graduation from UA academy and kept it with her for the past 11 years to be used for training and her hero work. There were also strict rules she kept in order to never use her blade for wrong doings (unless absolutely necessary due to circumstances). Nobody was perfect, and thus she did not hold herself or others to that expectations; sometimes things just happened.



Closing her eyes, Tsubame thought on her own time at UA when she trained in weapons with her teacher mentor that became close with budding hero over time. She held a lot of respect for her old teacher and still visits them to this day at their home within their retirement. Her mentor was a known pro hero that ended up retiring from the hero life due to some events. Tsubame never pried into her life, but she heard that a villain had tried to break her mentally. Due to the mental damage inflicted, her mentor just went to teach instead of battling villains. Thinking on the woman made the Vice Headmaster want to go visit her once more this week outside of her normal. Perhaps some snacks and good tea will cheer her old mentor up in her seclusion. When she heard the girl speak once more, breaking Tsubame out of her own thoughts, she glanced over to where she was with her hand hovered over the twin blades of the kodachi. An interesting choice...



"It is up to you. I am able to teach you either Kenjutsu or throwing weapons. However, if you do want to choose both then that is alright to." Tsubame's voice was calm, but a small smile spread across her face at just watching the girl pick her own weapons for the first time. "It is your choice, so when you have picked what you wish, face me in the middle of the room." Tsubame's left hand rested on the hilt of her katana that hung from her hero belt on her left side. "The blade, in my training and my own teachings, is used to defend and should never be drawn to intimidate others or gain power over another unless absolutely necessary. The blade from the tip to the end of the hilt is an extension of yourself and thus you have to be familiar with it before you can truly use it to it's full potential." Slowly Tsubame's right hand pulled her katana, which was named "Zireal". An odd name that Tsubame wasn't quite sure of the meaning, but Hideki had ended up naming her sword when she wasn't quite sure what to have named it. Since the name came from him, she was happy to have kept it in place and fight with it. She held it with just her right as she held it in front of her, her left hand on her hilt. The serious look in her eyes was the same one she had when she donned her old name of Gatekeeper, the playful and rather sly member of the Lupin (Walter) and Gatekeeper pair that were pro heroes together. "Feel the weight of the blade and get to know it so you can be familiar with it."