Looking For Group--- I mean partner... I mean Meister... what do I mean?

Well, seeing as how he's been patched up and all, Tare realizes that the one time he was actually fully transformed, without someone compatible to wield him, he's not anywhere near the same league as everyone else.  I mean, he's new here, but if Lord Death is going to keeping personally sending him on those bizarre field trips, let's just say he doesn't want to be Krillin... or worse, Yamcha.

So, picking one of the training grounds more or less at random, Tare walked up and pushed open the left double door, and slunk in, grabbing it so it didn't slam too loudly behind him.  Not that it would have mattered, the din was incredible and coming from everywhere.  Swords (both transformed people and not) clanging, spears, gunshots, if it's a weapon noise, it was there.  There was just a huge open courtyard, with various fenced in areas and some shooting alleys for all the projectile weapons.  Picking a path that would take him far away from all the aforementioned projectiles, he started walking past the various training areas, looking to find either Meisters looking for weapons or a general shield area (of which there didn't seem to be one immediately apparent).

Ah the training grounds... If Marju wasn't in the science wing or in his room or in class he was here as training was a big part of his life ever since his grandfather started training him in his dojo when marju was very young. Marju felt alive here and wasn’t afraid to show his true colors. After he did some warm up exercises Marju saw that kid from the mission. Oh what was his name again … … aha
“TARE!!! Over here.” Marju shouted as he could tell that tare wasn’t the like to just go and mindlessly train he was obviously here looking for a partner or at least someone compatible as Marju remembers on the mission.
Marju had to admit without a partner missions are exceedingly hard and as Marju was a meister and Tare was a weapon marju decided to see if they were compatible. Marju would usually never engage in shouting and being obviously noticed but it was to his benefit to look for a partner.

Hearing his name being called, Tare stopped walking and looking and just looking around for whoever just called his name.  He heard an "OVER HERE" as well, but he couldn't quite tell where it was coming from.  Looking over his shoulder, he sees a face he remembers from the mission, but he never found out the name of its owner.

Of course, people calling out for him specifically in a crowd is quite new to him, so Tare just kind of stands there, dumbfounded, pointing at himself and mouthing, "Wait, me?" at a volume far too soft to be heard over the din.

Well obviously this Tare guy is going to need help. For a second Marju thinks about reconsidering his thoughts about having this guy as his partner then thinks of the saying never judge a book by its cover. So Marju continues with the idea. "Well I can at least give him a shot." Besides he might end up being a valuable friend. I started towards him so I might be able to get his attention a little better.
Walking up I give a friendly "Hey Tare, Its Marju from the mission." I then went on with "I remember from the mission that you are a weapon but I was wondering why your meister didn't come along".  As I stand waiting for Tare’s response I extend a hand out for him to shake. “I was hoping that we might be able to be friends.”  I say as I extend my hand to Tare.

I look at his hand like it's a snake poised to bite me.  I think look at this guy, Marju.  Then at his hand.  Then at him.  Finally I shake his hand, look him square in the foot, and start off at a normal volume "Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Tare, but you already seem to know that", gradually decreasing in volume until after my name is almost silent.

"I... uh... I don't have a Meister.  I barely know anyone, not even my roommates.  I don't even see any shields around here besides myself.  I... uh... I've never even had a friend before."  I look up hopefully.  "Do you really mean it?"

Sweating as I look down at the hand shake. I cringe at the contact but endure it because I have a strong motive. I jerk my hand back quickly before the handshake is finished.
 
"Sorry nothing personal I just hate germs." I say hastily as I wipe my hand repeatedly and think to myself that it will be ok. I am able to shake it off because not only did I ready myself but it wasn't that long and we are standing a good ways apart and it’s not like he seemed to want to touch me in the first place as he was quite hesitant and ... ok ok ok I got to calm down a bit. I breathe in and out. I had been so preoccupied that I forgot I was talking with someone. As I come back to reality I hear "Do you really mean it"
 
"Of course" I say as I think he is probably talking about my friends comment because that is the only thing I said that could have gotten that response. "How about we go and train together?"

"Of course."

"Of course." 

"Of course."

"Do you mean it?"  "Of course."

Well, those were words he'd never heard before, and was rather dumbfounded by it.  Usually after the first days of school, when everyone found out how far away he was (definitely by the time the first field trips rolled around), everyone had given up trying to be friends with Tare because they'd never get to spend time outside of school with him.  While changing that was one of the POINTS of Tare coming here, he wasn't exactly prepared to deal with it.  

Then, all of a sudden, memory hits me.

"Wait, you're the one who used me as a springboard before I want scooting across the desert, aren't you?  With the ability to make leaps and stuff like that, what are you training for?  I mean, I trip over my own feet more often than not if I try stunts like that.

" And what do you DO here to train if you don't have a Meister?  I mean, you probably train with your weapon, but what would I do?  Everyone here is working together, and I'm just... alone... ya know?

"Weapon? You mean this plain Jane combat knife? No I do not have a partner." Marju explains as he shows Tare his ordinary knife though it was well kept and very sharp.

“Oh and I do not apologize, I did what anyone would do on a mission you had witches coming at you I provided back up and distraction.” 

“More importantly training.” Marju gestures for Tare to follow him as he explains that you need good reflexes in combat and that it’s something he should be learning from one of the teachers like Sid or Professor Stein.

However, Marju tells Tare that he could just start with some basics. Marju shows Tare a few exercises that he had learned over the years of training that he went through living in his grandfather’s dojo. It might have taken just a few minutes for Marju to show Tare what he knew about training.

"Apolo--- Apologize?  No, not at all, I wasn't... I didn't..."

Tare is taken aback by that.  He found someone who wanted to be a friend and he already offended them.  Of course, this Marju character starts talking about reflexes and tries to follow his motions, but he's so worried, he's got not just two left feet, but two left hands too.  Reflexes?  He might as well be muddling through molasses.  Of course, he can't really articulate it at all, as Marju is still trying to move him onto simpler and simpler exercises, and Tare just CANNOT bring himself to change the subject on his own initiative.  Of course, after about ten minutes of tripping over his own feet, faceplanting, and sprawling out onto his back instead of rolling, he's afraid that he's wearing Marju's patience thing.  Sitting up to caught his breath, he starts to stammer an apology for being so bad at what Marju is trying to teach him.

Ok so I may have pushed Tare a bit too far I just can’t help myself I mean I never really thought training was difficult since I’ve pretty much done it since I was born. Sometimes I can get wrapped up in my training. Marju stops Tare in the middle of his stammering and explains that it’s not his fault. Then Marju’s determination kicks in and he tells Tare that he will help him find what ever he can do. Marju then ask Tare, “So since my methods aren’t right for you what do you think you are good at?”
Marju helps Tare up but then just turns around with arms crossed and gives him a joking “You’re a piece of work you know.” After a slight pause Marju says, “Although you didn’t do to bad with all the extensive training I showed you, you may actually have some talent.”

Walking down to the training grounds, Dakota took a look around watching as the other's trained with their partners and on their own. She wondered about her groups weapons. It seemed for the most part everyone was specialized in close combat. The mission in the desert proved that to her. So she had been wondering about if there was anything she could do to improve their combat ranges. Reading through books about various weapons that might be good to look into.

Seeing Marju and... Tare she believed he said his name was. It was a little awkward first being introduced. She hadn't met someone so shy before. Figuring it'd be worth a shot to try and be sociable she walked over to them seeing the two take a break from their training. "Hey, how's training going you two?" she asked looking them over. She was interested to hear how the two of them training together was working out. Tilting her head curiously to the side a little.

Dakota took another glance around to see if any of the others she knew were there as well. So far it didn't seem that way though. So she turned her attention back to the two in front of her.

Well, at least Marju didn't seem to be mad at how bad he was, Tare thought to himself.  That, and his relaxed pose brought Tare back a little bit to reality.  

"What do you think you are good at?"  echoed in his head.  

After Marju was done speaking, he opened his mouth to talk, and got one line.  "I love to run, I was going to be in the football team and the cross country if I'd gone to a regular high.."

But right then a girl walked right over and asked how training was going.  He recognized her... she was the one he had piledriven into the sand right as they landed during the field trip/ mission/ thing.  Of course, this temporarily clammed Tare right up.  He then looked over at her, heard her question.  He opened his mouth and started to stammer "I, uh... we... uh, uhm, we were just..."  He quickly looked back at Marju, then returned his head to... Da-something... Dakona?  Datoka?  Dakota, that was it, she'd put her name in his phone.  Took the phone right out of his hands even.

Clearing his throat rather conspicuously, he managed to stutter out, "We, uh, we were taking a break.  I have two left... uh... two left feet for all this fancy... fancy footwork Marju is t-trying to show me..." and as he said this, he was doing a very poor imitation of one of the easiest things Marju had tried to show him.  He continued, "But... uh... but you kinda know I'm clumsy from when I was... uh... from when I, you know, knocked you into the sand."  At this he looked up with a very earnest expression.  "I'm really really sorry, you know?  I..."  at that point, Tare's voice just cracks and squeaks out, and he stares at his feet, hoping Marju winds up taking over the conversation.

"Hey, how's training going you two?" as Marju heard Dakota say this he jumped straight into telling her how it was great and not even noticing Tare muttering his response. "Ha ya I was just helping Tare out he seemed kind of out of place so I decided I would help him out." Looking at Tare he still hadn't notice that I had taken over the conversation and he was kind of in his own little world doing one of the exercises and then he looked up. At that point I wasn't really saying much and then Tare for some reason burst into an apology. I was confused and the look that Tare gave me as if he really longed for me to do something I just couldn't get the message his eyes expressed. Well anyway I'm sure he'll be fine. "So Dakota what brings you here? You don't seem like you need to train much your so laid back and fit."

Listening to the two boys respond. She watched Tare start to stumble over his words as he spoke about the training. She traded her gaze between the two. Marju seemed pretty confident about the training that they were doing. Giving a small smile at the imitation that the weapon did of the exercise.

"I'm really really sorry, you know?  I..." Blinking some at when Tare started to apologize to her. She was a bit surprised when his voice faded out on him.

"Hey, no worries, honest. Being buried....I've had worse happen," she admitted rubbing the back of her head slightly. "But seriously, lets put it behind us, I wouldn't want you to worry bout it. And I wasn't hurt, so its all fine," Dakota reassured the now voiceless one, gently patting the back of his shoulder some and smiling.

"You don't seem like you need to train much your so laid back and fit."

"Oh, no I'm not all that fit," Dakota stated with a playful laugh. "Also, I was coming down to look at some of the practicing weapons. A bit of personal research honestly," she admitted with a slight shrug. "But it never hurts to do some work outs as well. So maybe I'll join you if you want," she added with a nod watching them to see what would they would reply.

"Well," Tare thought to himself, "that didn't go nearly as poorly as I was expecting.", feeling her patting his shoulder.  He looked up just in time to see her start laughing at Marju's statement, and talk about practicing weapons.

"We were just figuring out something that I... uh... that might work better for me and my two left feet.  The only thing I've really liked to do is run.  This all," making an encompassing gesture with both his arms, Tare continued, "seems a lot more like fighting training and the like, and I have no clue where I would even begin.  Nor do I know simple things like if there's a need for me to practice being wielded, except if someone could, they might be my partner, and I don't even know where to start looking for one of those.  You've been here longer than I have, either of you have any ideas?"

Marju scratched his head and in agreement he realized that he himself felt that there was always room for working out. He did it as a pastime so why not anyone else Marju half spoke to himself well I guess that makes sense.

Marju perked up at the word research but then realized she was talking about combat research he enjoyed learning new combat techniques but he usually preferred to stick with his grandfather’s training from back in his village.

Marju listened as Tare filled Dakota in on what has been happening and how he liked to run.

"... You've been here longer than I have, either of you have any ideas?"

Well Marju didn't expect that I mean he himself just came here from his village. "No Tare I'm kind of new here too I'm also without a partner." Marju said nochalantly to Tare. "Well Dakota looks like we all have a sorta need to research why not lead the way then."