fandomhigh | Entries tagged with tactics

When they came into the classroom that day, the students would find not only a bunch of boxes stacked up on the desk at the front of the classroom, but also, as was often the case when the lesson was going to be handling something with a bit more of a visual element, an assistant in the form of Prompto. And Ignis, as usual, waited until precisely the time to start class, and then he began.

"As we bring our semester to a close," he said, "I was contemplating some of the ways in which you can put the things you've learned in this class to good use and display the insights and knowledge you've gained in an interesting way. Of course, exams and presentations are a common feature, but one thing we should have learned during out time together was that battle tactics and strategy are quite often dependent on a great many factors that can change and make the topic a rather subjective one. Two different people could look at the same scenario and think of completely different approaches, and there is value in examining that, but that has been what most of this class has been about. We've even had the opportunity to experience a few things first hand. So now, I'd like to take things a little more to the abstract, and get you all thinking in strategy in even more different ways.

"We touched, very briefly, on war and strategy games when we covered chess, but chess is a very simple and straightforward version of a war game. There exists an almost impressive amount of other strategic games of war and conquest out there. Unfortunately, most of them," *coughTwilightImperiumcough*, not only take a great deal of time to learn the rules, but will also demand more time than we have to complete a fulfilling game. But we won't be playing them today."

He gave a faint smirk as he finally got around to the point.

"We will be examining them, considering them, contemplating their structure and their rules and purpose, and using that to develop your own thoughts on a war game you might construct that will demonstrate your own personal values and ideas when it comes to battle tactics and strategies. Today will be research, then, to get ideas from currently existing games, bouncing ideas off your classmates, perhaps even testing a few things out here and there. Feel free to ask questions if the objective is unclear, but I'd like you to, next week, for our final class, have a concept prepared enough to present to the class on what your idea of a challenging and entertaining war game might be.

"And, with that, I'll leave you to it."

chef_chocobro

"Sometimes," said Ignis, starting right in on the lecture without a moment to spare at the beginning of the class period, "the key to war is not in weapons or troops, but in what you have with regards to supplies. Now, weapons and troops do indeed fall into this category as well, but what about the other things to keep your side running: food, water, electricity, and other resources are vital not only to ensuring a strong battle force, but also keeping the citizens and the people you're protecting well and safe. And that is what I wish to discuss today."

And discuss, indeed, he shall, launching into the sort of exhaustive breakdown of the various aspects of supply and logistics as a whole in the matters of war, and why they were important, including various types and classes, methods of procurement and distribution, and, as he made very evident, all the things to consider when actually obtaining and sending out supplies, to both military and civilian outfits alike.

And, if everyone was still awake and following after all of that, he offered a small nod to indicate it was time for someone else to do the talking, and to pursue the activity of the lesson, which was...more talking.

"And so," he said, "with all that ~~handwavey goodness~~ in mind, I'd like to propose a few thought exercises and scenarios for us to consider. You will be presented with a limited list of supplies, and will need to work with each other to decide how best to distribute them, determine whether or not they are sufficient, and consider options for procuring more if necessary. Let's see what we can do to make sure that those who support us in battle also have support."

chef_chocobro

Naturally, Ignis liked to have a solid strategy and plan for each of his classes, but something teaching at Fandom had taught him over the years was that there was some merit in a certain flexibility. His intention for his lesson today had taken many forms over the past week, and had even been in back-and-forth deliberations pretty much up to the moment he walked into the classroom. Not his preferred method, but that just highlighted why his decision to stick with his original intention bouncing off of last week's lesson was the correct one.

Even if now it did feel perhaps slightly pointed.

"Last week," he said, and, my, how the mastery over his facial expressions had slipped considerably these last few months, as the faint hint of a smirk surfaced quite unbidden, "I propose the idea that an important aspect of battle tactics and strategy is knowing which battles are worth fighting and which are not. Now, clearly, this can be a rather subjective matter: what one deems as something worth fighting for may not be worth it in the perspective of another. There are, of course, countless philosophies on the matter, which we could easily fill an entire class period focusing on, but, instead, I would much rather be interested in the words and motivations of those in this classroom than the dusty musings of those we may never meet.

"Simple as that," he said, with a nearly careless wave of his hand, "or is it? Let's hear your thoughts. What is worth fighting for for you? Is it different, if we are talking about war compared to your own personal battles? What are those differences, and how do they change things? Challenge each other, try to open your mind to other perspectives. Unless, of course," he chuckled, just faintly, "you feel that challenging your classmates is something not worth fighting for, at which point I simply must ask, well, why not? Where do you draw your lines? How do you pick you battles? Let's discuss."

chef_chocobro

Ignis had already been planning on canceling class today, pretty much from the moment he realized what was actually going on this week, more from the increasing catalogue of his own idiosyncrasies than anything else. Dropping pastries and caring not a whit about them? Distraction to the point of bumping into things he should know to stay clear of? Not even a whisper of a nagging internal monologue about shirking menial tasks to laze about? (Well, it could hardly be called lazing about, anyway). And it didn't take much to confirm that there were other factors at play here, and so his plan for his class was pretty much set from the beginning.

This was made even more firm by the appearance of a certain pie. He had considered, in defiance, of going against his original plan and holding class after all, but a different strategy was playing in his head, and, well, it would appear that at least one of his students was getting a very private lesson in the matter.

The others would certainly have to fend for themselves, and appropriate messages were sent out and set up on classroom doors so that those who were considering still making the attempt would be caught up to speed:

An important aspect of strategy is knowing which battles are worth fighting and which are not.
I quite suspect we all have engagements far worthier of our time and attention this week.
Enjoy the free period; use it wisely.

He knew he certainly would.

chef_chocobro

Class that week was held again in a boring old classroom, because, quite frankly, the logistics of setting up elaborate sims when you couldn't even see how they turned out was a little bit exhausting and Ignis, personally, found these sort of mental theater of the mind exercises personally more enriching, anyway.

And so he was at the front of the classroom, leaning on the desk with his arms folded in front of him as the class come in, and, when the little alarm on phone chimed to let him know the top of the period, he began without much preamble or waiting to ensure everyone was present, especially not this late in the semester.

"So far in this class," he said, "we've gone over various aspects of warfare, everything from typical units and how they function, to various methods of combat, both physical as well as intellectual. Today's class will involve two aspects: one, for you to consider what we've covered thus far and see if you feel there are any inherent gaps in knowledge or approaches that have not been covered yet, and two, to consider a few scenarios and use the knowledge you've obtained so far to discuss with the class as a whole what strategies are best applied to those scenarios. I'd also like to encourage you all to submit your own scenarios, should you think of them, to add a little more challenge and perspective.

"Just that." He nodded. "Our last classes were a bit more directly engaging, but having the time to analyze and consider a situation with like-minded individuals is quite often a rare luxury in a war, and getting the chance to take advantage of it now is one that should not be ignored. And so, if anyone has any thoughts on combat or strategy we've not explored to the extent as you would like, we'll start with that, and then we'll get into a few scenarios."

chef_chocobro

The danger shop was once against set up with a very heavily Niflheim-inspired fortress, only, this time, there were Magitek soldiers and cybersuits milling around outside. The class itself was stationed a good distance away, where Ignis stood looking thoughtful and reflective, while Prompto bounced around him, organizing and sorting through a variety of firearms, interesting looking machinery, assault weapons, missle launchers....and, yes, of course, at least one catapult and trebuchet and ballista each.

So if you hadn't figured out what today's topic was going to be, well, you were going to find out indefinitely.

"Last week," Ignis began, while Prompto, whistling softly, continued setting things up, and perhaps getting a little distracted by the weapons of his own design for the sim because, look, he liked what he liked, okay?, "we discussed combat in very close proximity, and, this week, we're leaning into the complete opposite of the spectrum." There was a faint touch of a smile there, having nothing to do with the fact that he had a feeling certain students might find this approach to combat much more...applicable to their preferred battle methods, really. "Long-range weapons, assault weapons, missile launchers, your basic bows and arrows and your siege weapons. Good for when you want to make a hopefully strategic attack without getting too close. Now, of course, there is a certain safety in attacking from a distance, but one can only assume that your enemies are also equally well equipped and may just volley an attack back, but we're not necessarily speaking on defenses against long-range attacks today, so much as the offense of them, though we can certain start delving into that if the conversation leads us there. And while I can do well enough with the application of a weapon as a long range one, such as throwing a dagger or an axe or a lance, the long range expert on our team was, of course," he cocked his head toward Prompto, who lifted a hand from a pistol he was holding to wave and grin, "Mr. Argentum here. So he will be giving the rundown on the application of the various long-range weapons he's prepared for us today. I'll turn it over to him, then, and then we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of these weapons and hopefully give you the chance to try a few of them out on the field to get used to the idea of using them and thinking of them strategically..."

There seemed to be something pointed in the way he said that, directly specifically at the blonde with the beard and the guns behind him, who rolled his eyes.

"Prompto?"

"Right!" said Prompto. "So! Let's talk guns! Big guns, little guns, massive guns, laser guns...there's a lot more to it than just point and shoot, and different situations are going to call for a different weapon, so let's get into it...."

chef_chocobro

"Now that we've had a little bit of a break," said Ignis, as he got the class started for the day; he was not alone at the front of the class, either, with Gladio towering next to him, arms folded across his broad chest, with a faint smirk on his face as he let Ignis do most of the talking for the moment, "and have not only gone over some of the broader aspects of battles, especially when it comes to strategy and tactics, and even had the opportunity to enact a little bit of them ourselves in either simulation or via comparable games, we will now turn our attention toward something more specific, immediate, and perhaps even personal. Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at different styles of fighting, practicing them, learning more about them, and hopefully therefor expanding our understanding not only of the broader picture, but the finer details of the inner working of battle, as well.

"Of course," he continued, with a vague wave of his hand, "the type of combat required for a battle will depend heavily on what kind of battle it is, the classic 'you don't bring a knife to a gun fight,' although, as a knife fighter myself, I find a good deal of error with a thought like that, and what sort of skills you may already possess. We have had the opportunity to put a few of your less martial-focused talents into good use with our reconnaissance missions, but I'd like to turn our attention toward the combat itself a little more specifically, and, with that, I feel our experiences may be significantly more varied. However, this is not a class about fighting itself, but rather fighting efficiently, so while Mr. Amicitia will be instructing us on a few basic hand-to-hand combat skills, our focus will actually be on then applying them strategically.

"For example," he continued, "how might one approach a hand-to-hand fight with someone such as myself, compared to someone like Mr. Amicitia? For me, you would do well to take into to account speed and swiftness. If you've done your research, you'd know that I likely depend very heavily on my hearing in a fight, so an attack that complicates that perception would be beneficial. Meanwhile, one might try to find ways to make Mr. Amicitia's size count against him, especially if you yourself are smaller. You might not be able to match him in strength, but where else might you use that disparity to your advantage?

"These are the things I'd like you to think about in today's exercise. Not so much the technical prowess of the combat itself, but rather ways to make it work to your tactical advantage, based on your opponent or situation. There's more to a brawl than simply who can swing their fist the hardest."

He gave a tight smile.

"Or at least there should be. And, with that? Gladio?"

With that, Gladio grinned and stepped forward, pounding a fist into his palm and grinning as he went to crack his knuckles as he stepped forward. "Alright, everyone. Now we get to the good stuff..."

chef_chocobro

"There are a few principles," Ignis, as usual, wasted no time in getting things started, once everyone arrived at the Danger Shop, where they were set up in front of a large, fairly nondescript fortress that, fittingly enough, seemed to share more in common with an unassuming warehouse than anything else, "I'd like to delve into next, but they'll be in several parts, and so, instead of having the school trip next week break up the retaining of that knowledge, I figured today might be a good day to try and put some of our tactical minds to work by applying them to an actual scenario.

"This," he now gestured to his guest for the day, standing beside him and bouncing a little on his feet as he lifted a hand and waved, "if you don't already know him, is my friend and colleague Prompto Argrentum, who helped me out today with creating a replication of an enemy fortress. Our reconnaissance," the word was emphasized as a way to jog memories regarding last week's topic, "has informed us that our enemies are in the process of developing a secret weapon inside these fortress walls. And it is up to you all to formulate a plan on how to retrieve that weapon from their hands, into ours, where we can either destroy it or perhaps use it to our benefit.

"Normally," he continued, "we would brief you on the information we know that may assist in this extraction. However, since this is a learning experience, I want to know what questions you believe would be important. What information do you feel would be necessary in crafting a plan of attack in this instance? We will have a Q&A session to reveal the facts of the matter, and then you will work together to enact it. Or at the very least attempt to. We will," he nodded to Prompto, who then started to hand out papers, "provide you with a schematic of the base's design and structure as a good jumping off point, and then, it's all entirely in your hands to figure out our next steps."

chef_chocobro

"This week," said Ignis, once everyone had gathered into the classroom, where he was leaning against the desk at the front , "I would like to discuss reconnaissance, and it's importance on accessing both a military battlefield as well as broader intelligence regarding one's enemy's resources, motivations, movements, and other helpful information. This is an incredibly broad topic, but an incredibly important one in securing success in any operation. After all, iterations of 'Know thine enemy' surface in military strategy guides all across the board, and it is often the side which manages to keep its operations under wraps that has the greater advantage in an encounter.

"But how does one go about uncovering their enemy's secrets? How does one go about maintaining their own? That is where reconnaissance will come into place. From scouting an area to sending in spies to recover information, there are a wide variety of methods that we will go over and discuss today, with a focus being heavily on three types: terrain-oriented, force-oriented, and civil-oriented. Or, in other words: learning more about the field in which your battles will take place, what type of enemies you're likely to face, and the general resources and other structural and societal elements that might come into play. We'll discuss various methods of going about obtaining such knowledge, as well as ways of preventing others from obtaining such knowledge from you, with a little discussion on how these can be applied to interactions off the battlefield, as well. We will then engage in a discussion, where I hope you can share your own experiences with reconnaissance, ask questions to improve your understanding of it, and perhaps even engage in a bit of a theater of the mind in setting up scenarios for each other in which we can determine how to best deploy our reconnaissance resources to extract the information we need to know.

"Sounds simple enough, does it not? So let's begin by breaking it down by way of types, starting with a focus on area..."

Your instructor had just returned from nearly a week of relaxation and rumination. You had better believe he was ready to wax intellectual and ramble on about what had always been one of his most engaging aspect of his former occupation...

chef_chocobro

"Well, then," said Ignis, not one to waste time, especially when there was plenty to go over in a class and only so much time to do it in, "now that we're all hopefully feeling a bit more like ourselves again, we can get back to our lessons as planned," way to make being a horse for a day sound like a personal and direct insult there, Igs, "and discuss terrain, and specifically....how it can influence a battle, how you can use it to your advantage, and how it might be used against you."

And, if anyone was surprised by the rather lengthy dicsection of the concepts of terrain in battle and how they should be considered....one that someone definitely did not have the time to actually write out at the moment so there will be many waving of hands, and not just because Ignis was the type to gesture for emphasis when speaking....then where have you even been in this class? But, as he came out of breaking down various different types of terrain, as well as structures and other strategic methods of creating a terrain for the benefit of battle, he finally came around to his conclusion, and gestured at the reason why they were in the danger shop for this week's lesson, which involved several holographic 3D models or maps and terrain.

"So what we'll be doing today," he said, "is considering various ways in which terrain can be used. I'd like everyone to partner up and find a map to consider. Together, you can discuss various different ideas on how to best use the terrain to your advantage. Try to think of ways to counter the other person's suggestions or offer options that might improve upon them, until you feel you've come up with a strategy worth pursuing, examined from all angles and consideration. The goal is to think about how terrain can be just as crucial, helpful, or perhaps detrimental as your weapons or troops themselves, and, hopefully, to be able to open your strategy up to new perspectives and considerations. Any further questions before we begin?"

chef_chocobro

While waking up that morning, after the long and grueling day that had been yesterday, as a winged pony had left Ignis even more irritable than usual, he figured it would be no excuse not to hold his class, especially since Liliana hadn't let any of it sway her from her own class. There was a part of him that was quite convinced that decision had only been made because it was a good distraction, but anyway....He had until all afternoon to figure out how to manage class in his current form and to recover from at least the physical portion of yesterday's events, which left him, really, with no excuse.

And so he was there, floating into the classroom, right on time and beginning with a sigh.

"Now, obviously," he said, settling down and folding his wings in front of the class and pacing a little, as he spoke, tail flicking as a sign of his irritability, "I can't quite tell how many of you have been afflicted by Fandom's current bout of whimsy, but it does lend itself to an interesting topic of discussion for this class, doesn't it? And today will be mostly discussion-based. Today's class was actually going to cover terrain, a...remarkably topical subject, all things considered, but let's save that for when I actually have the ability to bring in maps in ways a bit more dignified than what might be currently available. And, as I said, it does open itself up to an interesting topic of discussion, one that I don't imagine will be as prescient as something like terrain, but, as you can see, is not entirely out of the realm of possibility:

"How can you adapt in unexpected, and perhaps even quite ridiculous, circumstances? As it so happens, transformations in battle are not entirely unheard of, where I"m from. Some creatures have the ability to omit a gas that can turn one temporarily into a frog, actually. Oddly specific, I know, and rather inconvenient, but there is a remedy for it called a Maiden's Kiss that handles the problem rather quickly. If anyone knows what the pony equivalent to a Maiden's Kiss might be, I would be all ears."

Another sigh, as his pony ears twitched helpfully with that thought.

"Our current scenario is, thankfully, slightly more useful than an entire army turning into frogs. How would you account, then, for a battlefield where bipedal solders now find themselves in an equine state? What other experiences with unexpected transformations might you encounter, and, more importantly, how would you prepare for such a thing? Is it a valuable endeavor, to be prepared for something like this, or do you suppose it's something that could be easily dismissed, as it's clearly just a one-off quirk of the island and not something you would ever have to deal with beyond your experiences here? And what if it turns out to not just be a little spot of weirdness on the island's behalf and it does not, in fact, go back to normal in due time?

"Let's just see where our thoughts take us, then," he said, with another sigh, as he would have liked nothing more than to stride over to his desk and pick up a thermos of coffee to drink from, but, clearly, he was not exactly equipped to be holding much of anything in the tradition sense, "since there really isn't that much more we can do at the moment. Except, perhaps, race around the island while a particularly moving and inspirational piece of music plays in the background...."

Please note, this was not an actual suggestion, but if that was what moves you today, then who is Ignis to judge?

(Well, he was Ignis, he couldn't help but judge).

chef_chocobro

Walking into the classroom that week, the students should be able to quickly discern what the lesson would be about just by looking at how it was set up, and, if not, then perhaps you may be needing this class far more than Ignis believed he could help you with.

Because the desks were arranged in a way that they were paired up with a chess board on each one. He did wait a moment, right after the bell went off, for everyone to decide if they were just going to claim a spot at one of the table straight away, or just wait a moment before relegating them to the fate of probably having to combat whoever ended up across from them, and then he began.

"Anyone even slightly familiar with the game of chess," he stated, "should know that it is, indeed, an incredibly logical follow-up to a discussion about order of battle. It is, after all, an abstract game almost entirely build to strategy and planning and moving units with particular roles and specifications across a field with one ultimate goal: to capture the king. And while chess seems to have a remarkably impressive influence across the multiverse, we will take a moment to go over how to play the game and discuss the various pieces and perhaps a few common tactics to employ, which will hopefully serve as a refresher for those of you already familiar with the game, and a point of inspiration and instruction for those who may be learning of it for the first time or have only a passing exposure to the game. Then, of course, you will find yourself a worthy opponent or two, time permitting, and face off.

"I'd like," he added, "for you all to pay particular attention to the ways in which your opponent is playing, as well as being mindful of what strategies you employ yourself. There is a good chance it will be a topic of heavy discussion next week, but today? It's all just about the game."

His smile suggested, of course, that nothing was ever all about just the game, and it lingered, for just a moment, before he began to divulge the lesson.

chef_chocobro

Ignis wasted very little time getting right into the lesson for the day, because he had a lot of information to cover and only so much time to cover it in, so he certainly hoped his students were ready to dive straight into learning, although, if they were not, well, then, they would soon find out that they might not be a good fit for his class after all.

"One of the major difficulties one faces in teaching a class on battle tactics and strategies here, in particular," he began, "is that so many of us are coming from a vastly different place of experience, perhaps even in technology and military advancements, which makes a general catch-all overview quite the challenge. However, for the most part, one can find in the majority of situations, that a certain order of battle can be reflected in most campaigns, skirmishes, wars, and encounters, and that is, for the most part, what we will be discussing today.

"I will admit," he continued, "though I come from a background heavily entrenched in a war that had seen a good deal of technological advances that somewhat altered the traditional orders of war, as such things often do, and we will discuss that as well, I have little experience on a actual battlefield. Most of my battles were fought on a much smaller scale, reconnaissance and small strike forces and mitigating small patrol units, rather than a full-on clashing of factions. You'll see, as we go over the development of military technology, that such encounters tend to be fewer and far between, as weapons move from more up-close-and-personal, general on horseback directing soldiers on foot, to more distant, removed, with the development of firearms and all the way into drones and missiles and air strikes that remove the individual from the combat, be it for better or for worse.

"But we're not here today, not yet, anyway," there was, perhaps, a tight smile there, "to discuss the morality of battle. Today, we are focusing entirely on the various moving pieces of them, their placement, and how to effectively strategize based on the circumstances of the battle. In its most simple form, Order of Battle is simply the order in which troops were positioned relative to the position of the army commander. Today, we'll talk about the typical units at play here, relative to their situations, their technology, and their goals, how various advancements might alter the order of battle and have change it through various steps along history, and, ultimately, I hope we come out of it with a discussion on how you, as a commander, might choose your order of battle effectively in various situations.

"Now," he cleared his throat a little, taking a moment to sip some water, because he had only just begun in his breakdown of the lesson, "let us get started with the most basic units, and build our way through rank and time, and, please, if you have any questions, remember that simply raising your hand will be most ineffective, so do not hesitate to interrupt more vocally. And with that, traditionally...."

Settle in, folks, there was a lot of ground to cover with this one!

chef_chocobro

Ignis was rather hoping that his glasses would serve an extra purpose today beyond their usual buffer of comfort, in that they would also help hide just how tired he was at the moment. He had been able to sneak in a quick catnap just before the lesson, but it (and the coffee he was clinging to as if his life depended on it) did little to eradicate the effects of a truly sleepless night followed by far too many hours of training. He knew he probably shouldn't have gone that hard, but sometimes, the only way to keep the mind of overworking itself was to overwork the body, instead.

And, given the choice, he'd choose to save his mind over his body any day of the week.

But. Anyway. That was neither here nor there, because he had a class to teach, and he was dedicated to giving that class his full, albeit sleepy, attention today.

"Welcome," he said, when his phone gave a helpful little chime to alert him to the fact that it was the start of the period exactly, and he wasted no time in forging forward, and those who might have been late to the party would just have to catch up, "to Battle Tactics and Strategy. As most of you already know, my name is Ignis Scientia, and I will be your instructor in this topic. I have studied the arts of strategy and war almost my entire life, as well as had a great deal of field experience, and, hopefully, I can impart some of that knowledge to you in a helpful way, and, in turn, I hope that your own expertise and experience can inform my own knowledge as well."

He gave a tight smile there, the smile of a very tired, strict, an dstiff man attempting some semblance of warmth and approachability, and probably not getting to terribly close.

"Of course," he said, "this week is our first week, which I know traditionally focuses on introductions. However, efficiency in strategy, battle, and in life as well, is something we should always strive for, so let's up the stakes a little more than just getting to know each other on a surface level. Let us get to know each other on a strategic level. One thing to always keep in mind, especially when it comes to tactics and strategy, is that what we perceive as strengths can also be turned into weaknesses, and what some might consider a weakness, we can turn into a strength.

"For example, one of my strengths is speed, which isn't much use in a slow, meticulous sort of strike, and one of my weaknesses is my visual impairment, which actually puts me at an advantage of not having a disadvantage when fighting in the dark.

"Another thing to keep in mind, of course," he added, "is that when we choose to reveal our strengths and weaknesses, we are putting out that information to perhaps one day be used against us. So what you decide not to make known may be as significant as what you do.

"Now, then," there was a nod of conclusiveness as he came around to the end of the introduction, "simple enough, correct?" The smile now was much more natural, though small, tucked only in the corner of his mouth, an eager sort of smile, intrigued to see what might come out of the exercise. "Who would like to go first?"

sake_shinigami

For their final class, a request had been sent out to the students to kindly meet Shunsui in the Danger Shop, where they would find themselves in at the center of a (much reduced in size and spread) fortress, surrounded by sturdy walls and buildings. They gathered in the central tower, on a wide balcony overlooking the scene, with, of course, a low table with offerings of tea and cocoa surrounded by cushions around which they could all sit and speak.

"And so," Shunsui began, "welcome to our final class, ducklings, where we shall hopefully have the chance to put to use some of the little tips and tricks picked up in this course and put them into action ♥. Here we sit in the center of a city about to be seiged by our enemies, approaching from all sides on the horizon, and it is up to you all to determine how we proceed from here ♥. Work with you cohorts...or against them, if you feel so inclined...in figuring out a strategy, utilizing your resources and strengths, compensating for your weaknesses, and whatever else have you ♥. I shall be here to guide you along and provide information, but, for the most part, this battle shall fall entirely in your hands. What..." He paused dramatically with a slow sip of his tea, "do you wish to do ♥?"

Shunsui certainly knew what he would do, but he had a feeling that none of the students in this lot were likely to suggest it.

And, really, good on them for that!

sake_shinigami

Hopefully, no one got too used to that extra hour before having to traipse off and discuss battle tactics the laziest captain in the history of the Gotei 13, because they were back on their usual schedule, though Shunsui would hardly blame anyone if they skipped right through into BABSG again. Especially if they were using that time to sleep more; if they'd been using it to be more productive, or other such nonsense, then, clearly, he had failed them as a teacher.

Not that they were going to miss too much, either, because Shunsui sat in the circle of cushions at the center of the room with a pack of playing cards in his large, slender hands, shuffling through them idly as he spoke.

"War," he said. "What is it good for ♥?"

There was a pause as if something was expectantly filling in the next part before he continued.

"Naturally, war at the center of the concept of this class, which has hoped to inform you all of things to do in a battle to make you more likely to claim victory. And while one can find a great deal of success in a well-executed stategy, there is one element that is quite out of our control that has the potential to bring all of our best-laid plans to ruin, and that element....is luck ♥."

With that, the shuffling stopped, and, with a flick of his wrist, a Joker card appeared briefly, and he flicked it dramatically ot the side.

"Today we play a game of war ♥. Not with soldiers, not with tokens, not even with maps or guns, but with cards ♥. The rules are simple: choose an opponant, and the deck is split, 26 cards to each. The goal is to have all 52 cards by the end of the game, and the game is played by each player laying down a card: whichever card has the higher value is the victory, and the player with that card now possesses both cards. Aces are high. Should there be a tie when both values are even, then a battle begins. Each combatant lays two more cards face down and then plays a third card. Whichever value is higher then gets the whole pot. Should the next played cards also match, then the battle is repeated.

"Is there strategy to be had here, in a game that favors nothing but the turn of a card?" He smiled. "Perhaps. It should be interesting to try, wouldn't it? Or is it all just pure dumb luck, and is that really any different to an actual battle? Are we just pawns to chance to who has the biggest number ♥?

"Let's play, and find out ♥."

sake_shinigami

Even though Rosa was still out and Summer could technically take BABSG back since it was her class to begin with (this semester, at least), Shunsui had planned to be covering for at least two weeks, so he already had a plan, and as a favor to both lovely ladies, he would, again, let his AoBT class know to meet a period later than usual, and let them all know that their class would be held, once more, in the gym.

And he was back to full-robes and haori, if only because it made the thing being taught today look much cooler.

"Good morning, all my battle and badass ducklings ♥!" he greeted, surrounded, once again, by many mats. "Today, we will be learning more about defense, this time in the form of a Japanese martial art known as Aikido. Loosely translated, Aikido can mean 'the Way of unifying with life energy' or 'the Way of harmonious spirit' ♥. The whole concept behind Aikido is that a person may defend themselves against an attacker without actually harming the attacker in the process. One takes the motion of the attacker and redirects the force of it, rather than meeting it head-on; this does not even require much physical strength, because you are using the attacker's own strength and energy against him, with entering and turning movements &heaerts;. Various joint locks and throws will complete the process ♥.

Shusnui smiled a bit there, tilting his head as he looked over the class. "Allow me to demonstrate. Once again, I will be calling upon the lovely Astrid-chan," he nodded to her and she stepped forward with a shake of her head, still a little surprised that she'd agreed to do all this, she was pretty sure it definitely wasn't in her job description at Turtle & Canary to be a class assistant in martial arts she barely knew, but she actually didn't mind. In a way? It was kind of exhillerating. And it was good to have the refresher; she'd taken some of his Aikido lessons in previous classes, too.

They had even planned for it, that Shunsui would not know exactly how Astrid would attack, and she chose what would have been a combination attack of two alternating hooks and a nice classic kick to the groin (because how often did you get the chance to kick your teacher/boss in the groin?), but after Shunsui deftly avoided the first two punches, he executed a few moves that deflected and turned away each subsequent move on Astrid's part after that, without even losing his hat, until she was down on the mat.

"Like poetry in motion ♥!" Shunsui beamed, offering out a hand to help Astrid back to her feet. "Now, to break it down for you all...." He nodded to Astrid to see if she was good to continue, and, using her as an example, he walked the students through the implemantations of Aikido.

"And now," he smiled again as he settled into another loose stance, "the reverse ♥. Astrid-chan will now demonstrate, so you can see that, even though she is quite smaller than myself, with less experience, she can also use the same moves effortlessly with the right application. It is not always a matter of the bigger combatant winning ♥."

It was now Shunsui who rushed at Astrid, perhaps not as expertly as he may have when he did this class demonstration with Rosa in the past, especially sine he could feel the nervousness radiating off of Astrid, but she went to the task of executing the movements herself, not nearly as assured or graceful, but, eventually, it was now Shunsui who had his back to the mat....

Though he still kept his hat.

He chuckled, pushing himself back up to his feet. "Now, there are some criticisms for Aikido, as there are with many things. Some say the attacks done in practise or training are not entirely realistic. But it is also a spiritual thing, and some feel not enough emphasis is placed on that spiritual aspect, that it becomes too much about competition and defense. It is a philosophy that acknowledges that, yes, there are bad people in the world and to ignore that is dangerous. There are more shades to the spectrum than to just destroy something on one hand and just lying back and letting it destroy you on the other ♥. Aikido recognizes these other options in between and embraces them &heartsl.

"If hawks have always had that same nature, why should you pretend that mankind change theirs?'

"'Your duty is not to see that you get killed, but to take care that you don't.'"

Shunsui smiled again, bobbing his head in a nod. "So let us think about these things as I'll teach you a few more Aikido moves, and then I would like you to pair up and practise with each other. Remember, we are just diverting energy and the point is to avoiding harming the other person, even if they may intend to harm you ♥. Please ask any questions you may have, and allow me to demonstrate more should you feel you need a bit more guidance on the moves ♥."

sake_shinigami

And it would seem that Shunsui's Art of Battle Tactics class would have a little treat that Monday: a little extra time that morning before they were expected in class! They were to meet during second period instead today, in a message sent out to all of them at some point in time, and the second period class would join them in the gym, thanks to a note left on both classroom doors.

There they would find Shunsui waiting for them, the floor layered with mats and the instructor himself rather unlayers, in just his black Shinigai robes for the lesson, for better instructional purposes. And he waited a moment before he got started.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, ducklings ♥!" he greeted. "And welcome to this exciting merger of classes! For those of you who I have not yet me, my name is Shunsui Kyōraku, I teach the first period class, and, well, since your lovely Diaz-sensei could not make it for a few class and there rather is a thread of connection between her class and mine at times, she has ask me to graciously step in for a few lessons to teach both of our motley herd of ducklings the Art of Self-Defense ♥. Now, the scope of my own class is a bit broader than hand-to-hand combat, but it does play rather well into my ideals of avoiding harm when possible ♥. And Diaz-sensei would perhaps be a bit less reluctant to avoid causing harm in a situation, but today's class is all about manuevers to help detain an assailant to best escape a situatuion."

He nodded to the students, which was Astrid's cue to step forward, feeling mildly anxious about this, but, well, they had ~~oh so handwavily~~ pracitces, so it would be fine.

"Astrid-chan here will demonstrate some basic self-defense moves and then we will break them down a little further, including some body throws. While we demonstrate, take care to pay attention and perhaps take some time to stretch out and warm up, because when we are finished, excepting any questions, we will split up and pair off so that you can practice amongst yourselves.

"Well, then, Astrid-chan ♥? Shall we begin? This first one will be what's called a hammer strike..."

sake_shinigami

Settled as usual in the classroom of comfy cushions and warm beverages, Shunsui also had another stack of boxes with him this week and the usual sleepy smile.

"I'm sure you've all heard," he began, "of the idea that if something is broken, there's no point in fixing it ♥. And while a certain level of innovation and cleverness can be useful in the battlefield, there is also something to be said about tried and true practices. Which is why I have decided, based on last week's roaring success, we might try our hands at another game to help us sharpen our tactical skills ♥."

And because it was literally one of the easiest things he could do for a class, short of watching movies.

"The game today?" he said. "Something called Battleship ♥. Now, I assure you, I am no naval officer myself, but I do not believe such experience is required to enjoy the game ♥! The premise is as such: each of you sets up your armada on your little private grids, unbenowest to your opponant, and then? You take shots at their fleet by choosing a number on the grid to attack. For example, let us say that I wish to fire at Astrid-chan," a nod to his intrepid little manager ~~who was definitely there~~, "at spot A-1, for example. If she had a ship in that spot, it is a hit. If she does not, it is a miss, and the turn becomes hers. Each of the ship is a different length, requiring a different amount of hits to sink, as it were, so the strategy comes in with trying to figure out where to attack based on previous hits and misses. You start out blind, but as you attempt to sink your enemy's battleship, you slow begin to see ♥.

"And, of course, there's the defensive side of it, as well, knowing where to cleverly position your troops in a way that might make it more difficult for your opponant to know where to aim. If there are any questions, please let me know; there are also instruction sheets included ♥. But if not, please, come grab your boxes, find a partner, and let's begin ♥. If there's time, perhaps we can even squeeze in a few encounters, which is quite possibly the only time I will ever encourage more battles ♥!"

sake_shinigami

"Konnichiwa, ducklings ♥!" Back in their usual classroom with the usual set-up and the usual teacher, Shunsui held the usual sleepiness in his smile, although it seemed to have had an extra layer of what seemed almost like jet lag. "My apologies for missing last week, but, alas, duty calls. No doubt you were in good hands with Blackstone-sensei and were able to learn far more from her about various weapons in the like from someone who would have been far more knowledgable and charitable about the subject han myself ♥. Obviously," he gestured a hand to his side, where his two ever-present blades rested there with his also ever-present sake jug, "I am not entirely adverse to weapons, but when given a choice, I much prefer a battle of the mind over a battle of the blade ♥.

"And," he continued, his smile growing a little brighter, "just like any other weapon, one must keep the blade sharp and fine-tuned, and must practice to keep their skills sharp and quick and effective ♥! And there are many ways one might do that. Some say meditation may help. Pouring over books and poetry to introduce new ideas and appreciation for different perspectives. Lively philosophical debate or arguments, good-natured or otherwise, over...tea ♥."

He gave them a smile, a duck of his head, and a lift of his tea cup in salute.

"And there are, of course, games, which not only engage the mind in all-important training, to consider possibilities, strategies, attempt to predict outcomes and think quickly at moment of dire distress. And so today," he turned to reach behind him and produce a small stack of boxes, "we will be engaging in one such game to hone our strategic thinking skills ♥. The rules are simple; find yourself a partner, and engage in friendly combat. Each person has a color; you shall each take turns placing a color token into the grid between you, and the first person to line up four of their color tokens in a row, be it horizonal, vertical, or diagonal, wins the round. Release the latch at the bottom of the grid to clear the field, and you are ready to go again ♥.

"Try to 'battle' with as many of your classmates as you can," Shunsui advised. "Even with the most intense and drawn out battles, we should have plenty of time for multiple rounds, and seeing different playing styles and strategies can be very helpful. I will also be willing to take up the challenge against any of you, should you be so inclined ♥. But, unless there are any questions, let's arrange ourselves comfortably, and let the battles begins ♥!"

special_rabbit

There was a note on the classroom door instructing students to meet in the Danger Shop that morning, which was the first hint that today's class was going to be a bit different, and the second hint came when they actually arrived to find a different teacher waiting for them once they got there, the shop itself set up on a grassy knoll surrounded by woods, with the walls of some great fortress (it was only a model) not too far off in the distance.

"Good morning," Amaya greeted them all with a nod. "As you can see, Mr. Kyōraku couldn't make it in this week. Allegedly, this time of year's supposedly a bit busy in his other field of work, but I'd be willing to put down a good amount of shiny gold coins that it has much more to do with the..."

She pantomined drinking deep from a very large cup.

And that was a bet that Amaya would absolutely lose, but go off.

"For those of you who don't know me," she continued, "my name is Amaya Blackstone, and I usually teach shop class and weaponry here at Fandom High, and, considering the class, it's the latter that we're concerning ourselves with today, especially since I doubt you've covered much like it so far. Odds are, you've had fifteen lesson 'til Sunday on how to flirt or nap your way out of a situation, and haven't even touched a weapon once, for a battle tactics class!...so we're going to take the chance to fix that today!

"Now! When it comes to weaponry in battle, you've got three basic types, or, at least, three basic types that we'll be discussing today. You've got your seige weapons," and, since it was the danger shop, there were now many fine examples of such there in the field with them, "such as your catapults and seige towers and battering rams and ballista, meant for...well, sieging, big heavy damage dealers to help break down the walls of your enemy and get through them. Then, you have your ranged weapons," and again, the range weapons were now there on tables and racks, and the next category as well, "which allow one to attack on a more personal level from a distance, the most common of which will probably be your bows, your crossbows, and nowadays, guns, although, I'll admit, I'm still a little rusty when it comes to the latter. And, finally, that brings us to probably the most varied category, your melee weapons, when you get up there all nice and personal with yours swords and axes, daggers and spears, maces and flails. These are the types of weapons I specialize in the most, so if you've got any particular questions about 'em, I'll likely have answers, but today, we're also going to focus a little on using them.

"More specifically, since this is a tactics class, when one might choose to employ certain weapons at certain times. If you've already got some knowledge on these kinds of things, great! You can share that with the class! But, for the most part, I'd like us all to think about the weapons you see here, and in what sort of situation would you want to use, say, a trebuchet over a catapult," because always, "or what benefits a crossbow has over a longbow, or vice versa, and in which situation you might prefer a nice hefty broadsword, or would you think a sleek and swift katana would be more useful? Generally speaking, we say a lot that all it takes with a weapon is knowing where to stick the pointy end, but there's a lot more to it than that, when you get down into the knitty-gritty of it all.

"And after that," she assured them with a nod and a grin, "you'll get the chance to put some of those ideas into practice, and I'll let you give a go at some of these here weapons to really get a feel for battle tactics in action!"

sake_shinigami

""'All warfare is based in deception'," said Shunsui, starting the class out straight away once every one was settled in the circle with their cushions and their cups. "So says the great stategist Sun Tzu in his ubiquitous Art of War ♥. 'Hence,' he continues...

"'when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe was are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near'.

"Of course, deception can prove useful in many other things outside of the battleground, as well ♥. When playing cards, do we not bluff our cards to give our hand a better shot? In the game of love, do we not often attempt to present ourselves as better than we perhaps are? Perhaps deception, in some cases, is more effective than in others, and, after all, it can only be so long until the people at the table learn your tells, your paramour begins to see your flaws, and there is no choice but to reveal your true power to your enemies ♥.

"So....," Shunsui took a thoughtful sip of his tea. "It should be of no surprise to you, at this point, that I should like to discuss this thought. Deception on the battlefield. Deception in the battles of day-to-day life. Is it effective? Do you believe it in yourself? Is all fair in love and war, or has one who has fallen to deception already lost in the greater picture of honor and goodness? Can such things exist, on the battlefield?

"I would love to hear your thoughts, ducklings ♥."

And not just because he got up that morning and didn't really feel like going through the effort of the fighting class he had originally intended to today's lesson, either.

But mostly because of that, yes.

sake_shinigami

"Good morning, ducklings ♥." Everything, it seemed, was back to normal, and Shunsui a lazy, self-indulgant captain rather than a hardened special ops soldier lurking around stealthily in a box all day because memes. The classroom had its ring of cushions, its offering of tea, its instructor who looked like he was on the brink of slipping into a blissful nap at any moment...

And boxes.

A lot of large, empty boxes, stacked against one wall with some of the desks.

One nice thing about owning a store like Turtle & Canary was that there was never any shortage of boxes when one needed them!

"I hope you're all feeling quite yourselves again today ♥," he continued. "I myself just so happened to have been stuck in a box all weekend, quite by choice, apparently, and not even the first time this has happened to me! This time, however, it did get me thinking, and that is on defenses. Now, as someone who makes the attempt to approach battle from a pascifist's perspective, defense is a very key componant, and there are many aspects of it that we will explore, but today, we are focusing specifically on walls. Barriers. Fortresses and the like. A box," he gestured a hand toward the wall of them to one side, "is sort of fortress. I can't imagine it actually being effective in any sort of real combat situation," though it was just the sort of thing he might actual try!, "however, they do work well for a sort of...illustrative metaphor, wouldn't you say ♥? A box is like the walls we can put up around ourselves, be they physical, spiritual, emotional, or whatever else have you ♥.

"Let us, then, discuss walls ♥. Do you think they are an effective defense? The ancient Chinese seemed to think so, when they build their Great Wall against the Mongol hordes, and their efforts still stand today, although less as an actual defense and more now as a reminder. And in that vein, what of the use of walls in a modern world, where technology can be used to send an attack with soldiers armed by computer rahter than guns? And what about our personal walls? When we build them up around ourselves in an effort to protect ourselves, our emotions, who we are....what makes a wall effective? What are the best ways to get past a wall? What do we do, once our walls have finally crumbled?"

He took a long sip of his tea, and then smiled around the circle.

"Who would like to share their thoughts ♥? And once we've discussed, I have a little bit of an activity, were we may perhaps put some of these thoughts into actions ♥."

sake_shinigami

"Fittingly enough," Shunsui said, smiling at his students once they'd all settled into the circle and helped themselves to their beverages if so desired, "I actually had quite a different topic in mind for today, but conversations had this weekend," his smile grew just a slight bit, "inspired me to move in a new direction, which is exactly the direction in which I have moved ♥: changing one's tactics willingly and cleverly based on new information that may present itself. There are many who believe in stubbornly staying a course once a strategy is planned, but you will find that most effective tacticians are far more flexible in their pursuits. As Confucius said, 'the grass must bend, when the wind grows across it,' and also 'the green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks.' And from Lao Tzu: 'An army that cannot yield will be defeated. A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind. The hard and stiff will be broken; the soft and supple will prevail.' ♥.

"So, that shall be our topic today: flexibility. Adaptability. The ability...and importance...of being able to bend with the wind, to know when to yield, or...perhaps...to simply come up with a new plan ♥.

"And so I would like for us to have two discussions today. First, I'm sure it won't take much for us each to conjure up an image of a strong oak that refuses to bend in the wind, and the more perspectives one has, the more flexible they may be ♥. So what are your strategies when dealing with someone, a commander, a parent, a friend...who is determined to stay the course despite the fact that things have changedand a new tactic may be needed?

"And second: a bit of role-play. Put yourselves in the shoes of the person in charge. Your fellow classmates are your soldiers, ready at your command ♥. Imagine a scenario of your choice and decide on a plan of actions. And soldiers, I would like you to come up with new information about that scenerio to throw your commander's plan through a loop. Commander, what do you now do with this information? How will you change your plan? Will you change your plan? Why or why not? Let us see if we can challenge ourselves to see in just which ways we're willing...or unwilling....to bend ♥."

sake_shinigami

"Good morning, ducklings ♥." It was yet another far-too-early Monday morning in the classroom with all the desks shoved aside to make way for pillows and tea, and Shunsui doing his sleepy best, pouring his own tea as he waited for the students to get settled and comfortable as they were hopefully now quite used to for this class, and then passing the pot along to whichever student might be looking to indulge themselves next. "So far in this class, we've dabbled briefly in a particular scenario where one might attempt to avoid a confrontation on a smaller scale, and we will, slowly but surely, march our way to exploring tactics in bigger conflicts, and, more particularly, how to reduce or even avoid the damage done in such situations. But before we can know how to be more efficient in knowing how to approach our battles, we must consider why we fight them in the first place.

"There are, of course, many reasons why some may choose to fight. When it comes to war, it is most often a matter of power or territory. Some fight for freedom; others fight to oppress. A great many wars have been fought for hatred; some have even been fought for love ♥." He took a thoughtful sip of his tea. "Whether or not any of these are good reasons to fight is a matter I'm sure could spark much debate; perhaps that in itself could lead to quite the battle....a battle we may or may not be having today in this very class, because that is what I would like to discuss with you all today, ducklings ♥. Before we can start looking at what tactics we can use in battle, we must first know why the battle is being fought in the first place ♥.

"Tell me, then: what is it that you find worth fighting for? What is something you find absurd to fight for? Why? And why not? Has there been anything you've encountered that you find to be particularly noble, or have you exampeles of a battle you can only consider pointless? Let us explore all the different angles and approaches one may have, so that when it comes time to determine why our enemies fight for what they fight for, we may better understand them, because with that understanding may be the exact tactic you need."

Another sip of his tea, and he passed his lazy smile around the circle. "Who's got something to get us started ♥?"

sake_shinigami

"Hello, hello, my little ducklings ♥." Shunsui, once again, greeted the students with his always present sleepy smile and a gesture of his hand to encourage them to come join him in the circle of comfortable cushions and comforting beverages, as they were probably coming to expect from their Monday mornings. "Ohayō gozaimasu~~ ♥ ♥. I hope you all had a wonderful and exciting weekend, but now it is time, I'm afraid, to return to our theatre of the mind and our discussion of battle tactics.

"I'm sure you'll all recall," he continued, pouring himself some tea and then offering the pot toward whoever may have wound up on the cushion to his right side, "last week's discussion, wherein we considered how one might defend oneself against a hostile enemy seeking to get past you, was called Enemy at the Gates, Part One. And where there is a Part One, there is usually a Part Two ♥. So today! Enemy at the Gates, Part Two: A Role Reversal ♥. Wherein we are the enemy at the gates, attempting to find our way in past a wall defended by a guard with a sowrd ready and a taste for blood.

"So, first off, let us discuss ♥. How might you decided to approach this a particular scenario, now that you are the one trying to breech enemy lines? Do you leap straight into violence, assured you can take on but a single measly guard? Do you attempt to charm them in some way, use a sort of bargaining to gain your entrance? Perhaps stealth is more your style? Distraction? Perhaps you're exceptionally good at digging undetected tunnels ♥?

"Let us brainstorm a bit ♥," he said, "share ideas, get our creative minds going, maybe on tactics you may not have thought of otherwise had you not challenged yourself to think beyond a fight or the familiar ♥. And when we're finished with that? A bit of role-play. Find a partner and one of you be the guard, one of you be the enemy, and see what you can do working together to encorperate both today's lesson and last week's. ♥!

"So!" Shunsui lifted his cup as if in a toast. "Who has some thoughts to start us out, mmmm ♥?"

sake_shinigami

"Welcome back, ducklings ♥." Once again, the class would be meeting in the classroom, remodeled, to accomodate for comfortable sitting (and napping, should anyone need to!), discussing, and sipping tea and cocoa. "Have a seat, get yourself situated, pour yourself something to drink, and we'll just get started, because the sooner we begin, the sooner we can be finished, neh ♥?"

Shunsui gave evreryone a few minutes to do just that, sipping on his own tea all the while, and when it looked like they were ready, he gave them a soft smile.

"Now that we're in our second week," he said, "I suppose it's time we started delving into the actual subject of our class ♥. Battle Tactics. Strategies for war, although this class will be focusing on perhaps strategies to avoid war, or at least to lessen the damage as much as possible. While there is a lot to be said about an effective strategy deployed in decimating your enemies, especially if you can do so swiftly and efficiently, the real challenge lies, I believe, in doing as little damage as possible, in fighting as little as possible, when possible, and knowing exactly when it is not possible at all.

"We'll start out small ♥," he said with another smile. "I'll call today's scenario 'Enemy at the Gates, Part One,' wherein you have been assigned to guard a gate with the express order not to let anyone in. BUt the enemy is there, and he is determined by any means necessary to get past you. Since you are under seige, you know that many of the others will be engaged in their own entanglements; you might not have backup should you choose to engage. There are, of course, ways to engage in battle with minimal damage in mind, as well, but that is a topic for a future class. So, what other strategies might we employ? What would you do? Let's discuss ♥."

And, with that, he sipped again from his tea and his sleepy gaze passed around the circle to see who might be willing to offer something up first.

sake_shinigami

A first period class on a Monday morning was the absolute worst, but Shunsui was trying to make the best of it, even if 'making the best of it' had consisted of a significant consideration for how to turn 'taking a nap' into the pinnacle of basic battle tactic strategy. And, of course, he had found a way...this was a man who had slept on battlefields in the middle of an active fight, after all...but he ultimately decided to keep that one in his pocket for when it was really needed, especially since the first class on the first week of an entirely new semester could only mean one thing, and it would be a shame for him to not take advantage of having the honor of being the first to do an introductions class well before it started to get old and tedius by the end of the week.

And so there they were in their classroom, with all the desks and chairs shoved aside and some comfy cushions brought in and arranged in a circle at the center of the room, and there was Shunsui sitting there, quite possibly napping where he sat until he heard the first shuffle of feet outside the door, and he waiting until more of them had arrived before opening his eyes and giving them a soft, lazy smile.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, ducklings ♥," he greeted, and then made a gesture toward the comfy circle. "Come, come, have a seat, get yourself settled ♥. It's our very first class, so let us enjoy the peace and camaraderie while we can, as who knows what bonds may be forged or broken in the weeks to come ♥. There's tea, as well as hot cocoa, if you prefer, so come have a cup if you'd like and we'll get started ♥."

He sat in an almost meditative (quite possibly half-sleeping) state for the students to do just that, and, once it seemed they were settled, he smiled at them again. "Welcome," he said, "to the Art of Battle Tactics, a class where we will discuss war and peace and when to strive for one over the other. My name is Shunsui Kyōraku, and I am the Captain of the Eighth Division of the Gotei 13 of the Seireitei, and if that means absolutely nothing to you, just know that I have held this position for...ohhh, what is it now, well over a thousand years?" He chuckled faintly, took a sip of his tea. "Who can even really keep track anymore ♥? Either way, I have seen my fair share of battles over the centuries, and I've avoided my fair share of them as well, and I have every intention of continuing to do so," one significantly more than the other!, "more many more centuries to come ♥. And if all those centuries of fighting and war have led to anything, perhaps at the very least it will allow me to impart of little bit of knowledge your way to ease your own struggles, whether it be on the battlefield or off of it ♥.

"But enough about me ♥!" The low tone he'd adopted brightened significantly, as did his smile, as his attention turned toward the students. "This is our very first class of the semester ♥! It's the very first class of the semeester as a whole ♥! Which means we have plenty of room to get to know each other, neh ♥? As a great tactician once said, after all, 'Know thy enemy,' although in this case, I should hope 'know thy friends' is more fitting ♥. So let's go around, shall we, and we'll embark on our introductions. Tell us who you are, perhaps what experience you might have in battle when applicable, what you're hoping to get from this class, and I suppose anything else you might like to add or any questions you may have for me right out the gate ♥. And when we're finished with that, we'll engage in our first bit of battle strategy to get our feet wet, as it were, but more on that later. Now...who would like to begin ♥?"

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