[Closed - Imass][Stone Garden]Communication is Key

[Ball]

"Talk. Dun." Again the words were acceted with popping sounds. Then the ball of clay fell silent and once more still. There apprently wasn't more the pycon could say currently.

Then Ball rolled around in a small circle and then good off towards his furry mount. Once more mounting it and nudged it to enter the Stone Garden.

"Dog. Lon. Lee."

[Imass]

Imass almost flipped in amazement as he listened to Ball speak. The pycon had a strange way of speaking. His words were filled with a popping sound that intrigued the sweaty Akalak. He wondered if Ball was doing this on purpose or perhaps this was the only way he could communicated. Regardless, the sight of a 3 inch ball of pure awesomeness talking was a sight to behold.

The Akalak wore a smile from ear to ear. He face was beaming with joy and delight. It was almost as if the ball was his own child, because the Akalak was so happy to train this pycon. It was at this moment, for some strange reason, that he felt the urge to take up the task of helping this ball become more aware.

Ball then took off and mounted his dog again, but Imass was quick to jump to his feet.

"Hey Ball! We are not done here!" Imass yelped, still smiling.

The Akalak walked over to the dog and knelt by it, "Dog. Lon. Lee? Ball I do not understand....but...We are not done at all! Come on get off the dog!"

Imass waited for Ball to dismount then laid down on his side so that his face was parallel to the clay awesomeness.

He pointed at the round clay, "You are Ball!"

"Ball!" Imass repeated.

"Ball! Ball! Ball!" he said over and over. He made sure to enunciate as much as possible and move his lips and tongue in a way that made sure Ball could see. Imass had no doubt that the clay pycon would be able to learn his name very quickly. His progress was so fast he had no doubt about it.

Imass said the word Ball until the pycon got it down, then he took it to the next level, "I AM BALL!! I AM BALL!! I AM BALL!"

Hopefully the pycon would take his leadership and keep repeating the words!

OOC- Sorry for the wait. You deserved a faster response.

[Ball]

Ball knew what the man meant when he kept saying Ball. It was obvious as no one else was around that could be called such. "Dog. Lon. Lee." The Pycon repeated as he slipped off the back of the dog and watched as the larger of the crowd laid down on the ground.

When he started to repeat over and over the words 'I AM BALL!' The pycon rolled it's body left to right a few times and then split his mouth open once more, "No. I. Ball. You... You." Seeing as Ball didn't know the Akalaks's name.

The pycon repeatedly responded with you, "You... You." Everytime that Imass said 'I AM BALL'.

After several minutes of that Ball said, "I. Tyrud. Dog. Tired. You. St. Eenk." As before all words that the Pycon ball spoke was followed by a popping sound.

[Imass]

Ball totally understood what Imass was getting at, but the Knight was not as smart as he looked. He did not comprehend that the clay pycon was actually an intelligent being. Ball tried to explain to Imass that he already understood that his own name was Ball, but the blue Akalak continued to repeat 'ball' over and over in attempt to get the clay awesomeness to respond. The only response he could get though was 'you'.

Finally, the Akalak gave up and rolled on his side, hands on head. That is when he realized that this whole process would be very frustrating. Taking several long, deep, breaths, Imass was ready to try again, but Ball was tired. Speaking up in a popping noise Ball commented on the Knight's stench.

"I... stink?" Imass said in a confused tone, "Non-sense! Rubbish! We haven't even started yet. You’re not tired yet; you just think you’re tired! Let's do another round!"

The blue pycon stood to his feet and bolted to the end of the stone garden were hundreds of loose stones laid. Grabbing and armful, he returned to Ball and built a "giant" pile in front of him. It was maybe three feet tall and towered over the pycon, no doubt an intimidating sight.

"Climb Ball, climb!" Imass said, "I believe in you! You can do it!"

The Akalak got in the plank position next to ball. His face was lit up and full of enthusiasm, "Dig deep Ball! In order to condition your body you must push yourself beyond your comfort zone! This is how you will get better!"

[Ball]

Ball was starting to get annoyed by the Knight's attempt to get him to climb mounds of rocks or push rocks. He just sat there and looked at the blue one, "No."

It was a single word, but it held so much behind it that the intention of the Pycon's meaning couldn't be truly denied. He was outright refusing to climb a mount of rubble before him. Didn't the Blue Pycon known that every little stubby appendage and mouth tearing hurt Ball?

Apparently not. Because the Knight was still there trying to urge him on.

"No. No. No." Ball spit out before he quivered and turned a half circle with half his spherical body and then quickly released the elastic tension he created and brought that half across the inch and a half space his body should preoccupy before finishing the arching motion towards The Knight's face.

If the Pycon's body smacked into Imass's face it would probably feel like being struck by a five pound mass of dense clay laden down with a fairly large amount of miniature pieces of equipment that even the Knight would normally own.

[Imass]

Smack! His head was dizzy.

The blue Knight got snapped in the face by Ball. Imass raised grimy hands to his face. His face was burning. His nostrils where flaring. His ears popped. Sheen of cold sweat went down his shoulders. Blood was splatered everywhere. He spat a mouthful of blood. A tooth lay on the floor.

The Akalak knight got up and stumbled towards the edge of the Stone Garden where his sword and scabbard lay. His mind was numb now, no thoughts. He was blacking out into rage so he remembered very little. The details were much unclear. He acted on instinct this whole time. He drew his sword and approached ball sword drawn. He spat blood. His face bloody.

"Have you no honor Ball? Why do you dishonor me? I am a Knight! Bloody me never unless you mean to fight. Let's go Ball." Imass said in rage.

[Ball]

Uh oh. Was all the ball of clay could manage to think as the Knight went and fetched his blade and brought it back, naked in all it's shiny glory. What was the pycon going to do? He was no match for the knight's apparent rage, the large sharp pointy sword, and the sheer size.

Wait a second. I'm a smaller target! He rolled away from the dog, who was cowering and growling at the Blue Pycon's show of anger. The dog wasn't much help in that way. Stupid dog. The Pycon stopped, several yard behind the knight and inside of the Garden.

"Sac. Red. La.And." Ball managed to state, it was an all out ditch effort to get the knight to stop what would appear to be the pycon's death. Hopifully there was enough of a pause for the ball of clay to find someplace to hide away until the Blue Pycon's anger dispersed and he wasn't so angry. Please be enough.

[Imass]

Imass fumed in anger as the round pycon scrambled. He waited longer than usual for a response, but it was apparent know that the clay ball was in fact a sentinant being. If it could understand Imass enough to go through physical training, it would be able to understand honor. Or at least that was the instinctive thought going through the Knight's head. That being said though, the Akalak would not strike the small creature. There was no honor in killing such a weak opponent. The Knight's hesitation was what angered him now.

Not only was Imass' restraint a matter of personal honor, but also Syliran honor. Blood had already been splattered on the sacred memorial. The Akalak glanced over this fact until Ball himself had reminded him. The Knight lowered his gleaming steel and chuckled; a splurt of pink mist escaped his mouth. Sheathing his sword he sat down on the floor and ripped off his shirt to stop the bleeding from his tooth.

With a mouthful of cloth he called Ball over, "Come here Ball. We need to talk." The Knight gave out a chuckle again, but it sounded more like a wet cough. Once the pycon had gathered enough courage to face him, the Knight would kneel down so that he could get closer.

"Never strike me like that again Ball. If you ever do that again I will kill you..." Imass said with a grime face. Moments later his tone changed slightly so he could explain to Ball why, "I know you are but a mind of a child, but I see room for growth. Thus... I will give you another chance, but you must promise me to learn the ways of the Syliran Knights and train hard under the guidance of Yahal, Tyveth, and Sylir. I will train you and it WILL be hard. I will make you a strong knight, but hardship and duty will come first."

The Knight spat again, this time it was mostly salvia, "What say you?" Anger still trailed in his voice, but he did not mean to harm or frighten the pycon.

[Ball]

After a few more minutes after Imass seemed to have cooled down Ball rolled himself out from his hiding place. After the Knight rambled on about training and learning and gods. All of which Ball was lost about the clay being just sort of bounced up and down a few times and then settled still. He was tired and couldn't muster up enough energy to render himself a mouth once again and speak.

Besides, the quivering mass of clay was clearly still shakened by the sword wielding knight. It was going to take some time. Yet, once the pycon stopped quivering he rolled back and forth a bit in front of the Blue Pycon before he rolled over to his furry companion and mounted it. After a few more minutes Ball got his mount to walk over to the knight.

"Red.ee?" The Pycon managed to sputter out before falling silent and then could be seen looking like he was chewing on himself from the inside. Clay is quite good, well at least for Ball it was.

[Imass]

Imass drew his hand to his face in humurous disappointment. He covered his eyes for a moment and shaked his head at Ball. Imass realized that it would take a some time to teach him. The pycon looked scared enough though. At least Ball would understand that what he did was wrong.

The bloody Knight stood up, swooped his tooth, and released a roar of laughter, "Alright Ball. I hereby name you squire of me. We will get everything squared away with your paperwork later, but to me your my new squire. You will learn!"

Imass stood up and walked to the entrance of the Stone Garden with Ball. He turned to a squire who was passing, "Page! Boy! Here! Clean this mess. Ill be back after dressing my wounds, make sure it is spotless." The boy hesitated for a moment of anguish, then agreed to clean it. Ball was way to tired to do it.

Thus ended the first training session that ended with a broken tooth and a new Squire.