[ sweet merciful buddha, please tell him the other f-word is 'food-eating', because doppo probably wouldn't be able to properly process anything else. at any rate, this is actually his very first time alone with him; that sunshiny cheerfulness is clearly a mask for something else -- sensei had hesitated to put a real name to what it is, but he's not stupid -- the tension between them during the battle had been so palpable you could cut it with a knife, and you don't just feel things like that for a person all of a sudden.

he can see hints of it now, specially-wired to be super-sensitive to just about anything in case trouble comes for him like the grim reaper to a hapless animal caught in a snare (and it does, it always does, ramuda's presence is proof enough). his lighthearted comment of his boldness sends a chill of mild terror down his spine, and he fights the urge to cringe. sensei must be a sore point for ramuda, as well. ]

I'm not -- I don't -- I just... I was... worried? I'm sorry if it sounded rude or if I assumed you were fighting a lot -- ! [ wait, haven't fought a lot? that means they have... nope, that way lies danger, he needs to ask less prickly things: ] Anyway, how many of us are here?