A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

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The westernmost tip of Kalea, Wind Reach is home to an amazing group of people and their giant eagle mounts. [Lore]

A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Sira on February 6th, 2011, 7:51 pm

Timestamp: 20th of Winter, 510 AV

Sira stood just inside the door to one of the training areas watching the children, most of them probably older than her actually, practicing with their weapons. Swordsmanship wasn't the most important skill in Wind Reach, though it was still widely taught, and Sira had always found the blade fascinating. Boredom had driven her there, having been grounded for nearly ten days due to the massive storm going on outside. Sira watched silently as the Yasi practiced their technique against each other, swinging their wooden swords back and forth, thrusting, swiping, and blocking. It hadn't been so long ago that she herself had been one of the students, learning to wield a sword for the first time.. yet even then she still seemed an adult to the other children.

Sira sighed.. it always made her sad when she thought of her own childhood, as short as it was. She had grown up very fast... literally, being a kelvic. Even after only a year of age she towered over the other children, and now.. only eight, she was a fully grown woman. What she would have given to have been born a normal child, rather than a kelvic. She could have grown up at a normal pace, learned everything a child was supposed to learn, play for longer, keep her innocence longer... but she could not deny, she would not be in the happy place she was found herself now had she been born a regular Inarta.

The class ended, and the children moved on to their next task down the hall. The instructor nodded to Sira with indifference before moving on to his own duties, but still Sira did not leave from her place at the door. She stared across the room at the wooden practice dummy, her fingers idly caressing the pommel of her own Talon Sword. She took a few hesitant steps toward the dummy before pausing, then shook her head and laughed. She walked up to the wooden figure, a vague shape of a man, and examined the many dents left in it from the wooden swords.
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Sira found herself drawing her own sword, placing it against the wood and taking aim. She drew back her arm and, deciding to add a little flair to the move, spun around and chopped at the dummy across its midsection. The sharp blade dug into the wood cutting deep, and Sira pulled hard against it but it wouldn't budge. She laughed, "Smart, Sira... real smart." She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching, then pulled again hard on the sword. It moved barely, and she laughed again with frustration. Bracing a foot again the wooden dummy and gripping the sword with both hands, she pulled back as hard as she could. The sword popped free and Sira tumbled onto her back, the sound of metal clattering against the stone floor as she dropped the sword beside her.

Sira lie there for a moment before grabbing her weapon and climbing back to her feet, re-sheathing her sword as she did so. "Maybe a wooden sword would be better," she mumbled as she walked over to the weapon rack and removed a training sword that matched her own. Soon after the sound of wood on wood rung out as Sira struck against the wooden dummy again, performing the same move only this time with more success. She continued to practice, letting out all her pent up energy from being trapped inside out. Up and down the halls the sound of her wooden sword could be heard beating the poor dummy senseless, as Sira finally found something to stave off the boredom.
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Yarrin on February 7th, 2011, 2:41 am

Ah, being done with work for the rest of the day was supposed to be exciting. It usually felt good. But there was a blizzard outside for one thing, and Yarrin had just almost been trampled by a herd of small, loud, sniffling children for another. The gang of mini Inarta-in-training had burst forth from one of the training areas, all shouting and riled up about sharp objects. While it could have been endearing, the bowyer had just delivered an order to another instructor and was not expecting the sudden flood of younglings.

Looking for a way out of the surge, he quickly shimmied down the hall and dipped into the closest entryway. He paused to quietly watch the straggling Yasi meander by, one hand straying upwards to fiddle with some of the glass baubles tied into his strawberry blond braids.

Ah, he didn’t miss that at all.

Well, mostly.

The hand fell downward from his hair to the twisted burnt scar that traced its way upward from underneath the embroidered waistband of his bryda to just under his ribs as if he was suddenly itchy, memories of his rough-housing youth spent fighting his way up the social ladder still more fresh then he preferred to always admit.

He was snapped out of his moment of nostalgia by the loud crack of wood hitting wood. Suddenly afraid he’d wandered into an even more dangerous den of armed Yasi hungry for blood, Yarrin slowly turned toward the source of the sound.

Oh.

It was only one person. A woman. Alone.

He breathed a sigh of relief. It might have been a bit loud, a sort of non-committal way of being noticed. Hey, it was better than whistling, right?

“I believe there are moving targets in the hall if you’d prefer.” The bowyer grinned with a bit of mischief in his blue eyes.
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Sira on February 8th, 2011, 12:29 am

Sira struck the practice dummy with fury reserved only for the most hated of inanimate wooden opponents, landing blow after blow, but the dummy did not relent. This was not a battle that would be won by brute force, Sira determined, her imagination flying as she fought not the stationary practice dummy before her but a great beast intent on making her it's next meal. Sira would be nobody's meal, and her sword would be her greatest ally in ensuring that goal. She would have to be quick, strike the beast where it couldn't get at her with it's huge claws and acid-dripping fangs. Yes, acid.. the beast's saliva sizzled on the ground as it dripped from it's gaping maw, and Sira dove to the side as the beast swept it's massive fiery.. yes fiery claws at her. Sira sliced at one of the claws, the sound of her sword hitting it's body very much like the sound of a wooden practice sword hitting a wodden practice dummy.

The beast was mighty, it's eyes glowing red.. no not red, but orange like the molten lava flowing beneath the city. It had row after row of sharp teeth protruding from it's mouth which, if knocked out regrew in seconds. The beast had a long scaly tail with a spikey end much like the ball of a mace. It stood on two legs, towering ten feet tall and when it roared it filled one with such terror that they could barely contain their lunch. The beast could not be slain by simple steel, or any weapon made in this day an age.

But Sira wielded the magical Sword of the Inarta, created at the birth of her people to protect them from the evil beast, which she had taken from it's lair. All she had to do was slay the beast and bring the sword home, and she would be proclaimed the greatest Endal to ever fly the skies around Mount Skyinarta. Sira knew she could do it, she knew she could defeat the massive beast and earn the respect she so deserved. Her blade sung out, slashing the creature across the chest and it's blood poured onto the ground.. it's blood was also acidic by the way, and melted holes in the ground. But Sira did not panic, she struck again and again, tearing the creature apart. Finally the time came, and she swung the killing blow...

"I believe there are moving targets in the hall if you'd prefer."

What a peculiar thing for a monster to say, Sira thought as she struck. But so startled was she by it's words that she dropped her sword when it collided with the... practice dummy? Her eyes widened and she spun around, spotting the strawberry-blond avora standing across the room watching her. ..how long had he been there? She must have looked such a fool, diving and rolling and fighting for her life against the might.. practice dummy. Sira struggled to regain composure, bending to grab up the wooden practice sword she had dropped.

"Oh, I didn't see you there.. I didn't realize this room was scheduled for another class or.. um.. what are you doing here," she asked, her voice taking on an authoritative tone at the end. It didn't really matter what he was doing there, she knew. He was free to wander if he pleased, but Sira had to save face in front of the man.
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Yarrin on February 8th, 2011, 3:43 am

“Uh ... stampede?”

Yarrin blinked, answering awkwardly. The hint of strength in the woman’s voice threw him a bit, but it also kept him from asking too many questions about her imaginary epic that he’d just been an unexpected witness to. At least he was not the only one caught off-guard and left chagrined. Here he was hiding from a flood of Yasi, who could now finally be heard loudly rumbling past outside, laughing and joking and threatening each other. For a moment, the bowyer stood and let them wash by, their voices filling the training room with a nostalgic sort of echo.

It wasn’t until the mass of younglings faded from hearing that he offered a more collected smile, letting his blue eyes drift to the dummy briefly before returning to Sira,

“I’m not here for anything scheduled.” He was far too old for the usual instruction, and far too irresponsible to be instructing littles anyway, “I was just avoiding maiming by Inarta half my size. It’d be a terrible end to my day.”

He felt like an idiot, running from children.

Still, he was a Yasi once and he was (or perhaps had been) on the dangerous side of things. Volatile, even. You never knew what a whole herd of them could do, really.

A bit of color rose unbidden to his lightly freckled cheeks and he shoved his thumbs into the ties of his embroidered charcoal-colored bryda for lack of anything less embarrassing to do. It allowed him to shift his stance and make a short-statured attempt at looking purposefully nonchalant. It only half-way worked, but he was hardly self-conscious enough to notice. Huffing a stray pale ginger braid from his face, he tilted his head in the direction of the woman’s wooden weapon,

“Are you a teacher here, then?”
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Sira on February 13th, 2011, 12:42 am

Sira chuckled, nodding her head in understanding about the children. "Yeah, you have to be careful around them or they'll run you down." Sira was a bit embarrassed that he'd walked in on her imaginary battle, but luckily he didn't ask her any questions about it and so she didn't have to explain it. At least, not directly. She shook her head when he asked if she was a teacher, almost laughing at the thought of it. Sira didn't have nearly enough patience, much less any skill with a sword, to teach a class of Yasi.

"No, no.. definitely not a teacher. I'd probably kill them all before the class was over," she chuckled at the thought, "I was just bored. Haven't been able to get in the sky because of this storm, so I was just looking for something to do.. thought I'd take my frustrations out on this practice dummy here." Sira motioned at the dummy with her sword, tapping it lightly with the end of the blade. "He doesn't put up much of a fight though..."

Sira trailed off for a moment, glancing at the dummy and then at Yarrin. Perhaps she could have a bit more fun, if the man was interested. It was all too rare she had a chance to test her skill against a real opponent, even if it was just with wooden swords, but there was no point not asking. "Say.. you wouldn't happen to have any skill with a blade, would you? I could use a sparring partner. ..if you're not busy, that is. I wouldn't want to keep you from your duties." Sira picked up a second practice sword, ready to hand it over if Yarrin was interested. "I'm Sira, by the way."

OOCSorry for the short post.. and for taking so long. Just started at a new job and still trying to figure out how to work Mizahar into my new schedule..
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Yarrin on February 14th, 2011, 5:25 am

(No worries. I understand all about new jobs and new schedules. This week has been ridiculously busy for me, too. How does one make OOC text like that?))

Oh. She was an Endal ...?

He’d run into more than his usual share of those lately, well, at least outside of his normal work-related activities. Sira didn’t quite seem to fit the expected mold, however. He blinked for a long moment before returning the introduction,

“Name’s Yarrin.” He accepted the wooden blade with a lopsided sort of grin, testing its weight in one calloused hand, “Well, I’m a bowyer by trade, but I can’t say I haven’t done a bit of fighting now and then ... just, uh, not always with a sword.” The slight off angle of his nose was a possible confirmation of his blatantly unashamed admission. The Avora seemed satisfied with both the practice weapon and the invitation, “I’ve made my last bow for the day.”

There was always something for him to do back at the shop, but he wasn’t opposed to a diversion. Fighting? And ladies? Well, lady. Yes, this was a far, far better ending to a day than sweeping up wood chips or drying more bowstrings. He wasn’t about to turn down a potentially entertaining opportunity, even if he was willing to swing a stick at it. Er. A sword. At her.

“I’m fairly certain the least I could offer would be a bit more challenging than the practice dummy’s usual fair.” Yarrin laughed, hardly self-depreciating, though he would be the first to admit there were other things he was better at than close combat. Sadly, it just wasn’t the weather for archery.
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Sira on February 21st, 2011, 8:00 pm

“I’m fairly certain the least I could offer would be a bit more challenging than the practice dummy’s usual fair.”

Sira laughed, lifting the practice sword in her hand. It's weight felt familiar in her hand, modeled after the talon sword which most Inarta were practiced in. Sira took a few steps back, raising the sword and pointing it toward Yarrin. "Well lets hope so. I would hate to trade one dummy for another." With a mischievous grin Sira darted forward and attacked with a simple overhand strike. It was a fairly predictable attack, not particularly difficult to block, but was a good opener to a friendly duel.

Sira was more than grateful for Yarrin's presence. She had been born out of her mind, and Addy was busy with her sister so she had no one to entertain her. The practice dummy was fun enough, but it was nothing compared to the thrill of sparring with a real person. And while her imagination might have been enough to make the dummy seem a monstrous beast... it was all imaginary. The real thing was always better... not to say Yarrin was a beast, but he was a live opponent that could fight back. And Sira intended to make it a fight for the ages! ...or at least one they would remember for a few hours.

Following her initial strike Sira pressed on, trying to keep her opponent on the defensive. She wasn't the most skilled fighter out there, but she tried her best to give Yarrin a challenge. Her second attack was from the right side, heading for his ribcage. It would be harder to block, but certainly not impossible. "Let me know if I need to take it easy on you, alright." Her jibe was followed by another overhand strike.

OOCTo do the OOC thing, simply type {ooc=OOC or some other title}Text goes here, then type{/ooc} and instead of these: { } use these [ ]
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A Sparring Partner Would Be Better (OPEN)

Postby Mercury on April 29th, 2011, 1:56 am

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Sira

Skill(s)
  • Weapon: Talon Sword + 4 XP
  • Socialization +2 XP

Lore(s)
  • Foiled by a (Wooden) Dummy
  • Staving off Boredom with Violence
  • Imagination (Basic)
  • Getting Caught Being Silly
  • Getting Defensive
  • Recruiting a (semi) willing Sparring Partner
  • Sparring With Control

Method to my Madness: I like how your write Sira in awkward situations, preventing a Mary Sue complex. I was sad to see this end before some major sparring could occur, but overall a great read. Sorry your partner bailed on you.

Yarrin

Skill(s)
  • Socializing +2 XP

Lore(s)
  • Running From Children
  • Dealing With a Defensive Woman
  • Realizing You're Outranked

Method to my Madness: I would have preferred longer posts with more description. I found it a little hard to award XP awards. Hope to see you back some time.


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