MCYT Oneshots And Other Random Stuff

Do It For Him

"All right," Technoblade advised as he faced Ranboo, tucking escaped wisps of pale pink hair back into his bun. "Everything begins with your stance."

Ranboo nodded, but Techno could still see hints of uncertainty in his eyes. An unwillingness to learn how to fight— to hurt people.

And that was a good thing. The more uneasy he was about battle, the less likely it was that he'd lose himself to it.

"Remember," Techno reminded as he handed Ranboo a stick of bamboo to use as a training weapon, "you do it for him, and you would do it again."

And there it was. The reason they were even here. Because Ranboo wanted to learn how to fight, because he wanted to protect Tubbo.

He saw the words hit home, saw his friend straightening up as he accepted the "weapon."

Techno circled him, assessing his stance and grip. "Keep your stance wide," he advised. "Keep your body lower. As you're moving forward, balance is the key. Right foot, left foot." He demonstrated.

"Now go even faster." He gestured for Ranboo to swing the bamboo. And the swipe came, but Techno merely sidestepped. "And as you're moving backwards," he added, sweeping a foot under his friend's and causing him to fall to the ground, "keep your eyes on me."

Techno smiled graciously, pulling Ranboo back onto his feet. And he could see new resolve in the boy's mismatched eyes.

Ranboo picked up the bamboo, determined to get it right this time. "Keep my stance wide," he said aloud as he adjusted his posture.

"Good."

Ranboo swung out with the bamboo. "Keep my body lower."

"Right."

"And as I'm moving forward..." Ranboo muttered to himself as he advanced on his mentor, who dodged every blow with a trained dancer's grace.

He swung the bamboo downwards— and right into Techno's hand, which instantly grabbed on and snatched the stick from his hands.

"Concentrate!" Techno ordered, tossing the bamboo back. "Don't you want him to live?"

The words sent a new resolve rippling through him, making Ranboo grip onto the bamboo and try again with new energy. "Right foot, left foot..."

Techno stopped him there. "Yes, but put your whole body into it. Everything you have, everything you are, you've got to give."

Techno stopped when he saw the new discouragement that sprung up in his trainee's eyes, and decided that he needed something better. "On the battlefield, when everything is chaos, and you have nothing but the way you feel, your strategy and a sword..."

He thought of the many battles he'd been in, what usually made him go on.

Do it for him.

For Techno, that "him" was always Phil.

"...You just think about the life you'll have together after the war," he finished. "And you do it for him. That's how you know you can win."

Ranboo nodded, but Techno could still tell he was tired, so he let him go for a break.

Ranboo sat down, leaning against the cabin wall with a sigh. This training thing wasn't going as well as he'd envisioned. It feels like every step I take is the wrong one.

Techno took a break himself, undoing his low bun and letting his long pink hair fan out around his shoulders as he sat next to Ranboo.

"Deep down, you know you weren't built for fighting," Techno said suddenly, and Ranboo's head snapped up. He hadn't expected the blood god to understand.

"But," Techno continued, "that doesn't mean you're not prepared to try." He placed his hand on Ranboo's shoulder with a smile. "What they don't know is your real advantage. When you live for someone, you're prepared to die."

As Techno squeezed Ranboo's hand then let go, he couldn't help wondering who it was that Technoblade lived for.

But in the moment, it didn't matter, because Ranboo Beloved knew who he lived for, and he was going to do this for him.

Ranboo got to his feet. "Deep down, I know that I'm just a human."

"True."

"But I know that I can draw my sword and fight." Before he could stop himself, Ranboo reached for his usual gear, picking up his netherite sword and abandoning the bamboo.

Techno smiled back at him as he drew his own blade and they both swung, metal hitting metal.

Ranboo ducked under a slash at his head. "With my short existence—"

"Good!"

" — I can make a difference." Ranboo parried a blow, swiping for Techno's throat.

Techno deflected with a grin. "Yes, excellent!"

"I can be there for him." Ranboo sized up his opponent, remembering how Techno had originally knocked him down without using a weapon.

Feinting, he did the same— a sweep and hook of his right foot, and Techno's legs collapsed and he was on the ground, sword at throat, smiling up at Ranboo, prouder than he'd ever seen him.

"I can be his knight," Ranboo finished, feeling more confident than he had since... he couldn't even remember. "I can do it for him."

He reached out a hand and helped his friend up.

"Okay, now do that again!" Techno commanded.

"Yes, sir!" Ranboo smiled.

"And now you say..."

Ranboo smiled, for once proud and sure of himself. "I'll do it for him."

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when it's late on a school night but you rewatch Wolfy's animatic (posted at the top of the page) and just can't not write it out because like. TRAINING ARC AMIRITE??????