Roll With The Punches [Ball || Antinous Training Grounds]

[Septimus]

8th Day of Summer, 513AV

Some people say that training is simply that... training. For Septimus, training was beginning to become the difference between failure and success; death or life. It was becoming a factor that would determine her future in fights as well as missions. The more she had, the better her chances of survival were at.

This is why she was making her way up towards the training grounds reserved for the Knights and Squires. The Antinous Training Grounds, to be exact. She was hoping that this time, maybe the weapons wouldn't be so dinged up. With this thought in her mind, she chuckled. It wasn't so bad. Just a bit... in need of an upgrade.

Shaking that thought from her mind, she continued up the path towards the grounds, ready to hit what was next... literally. Her six and a half foot tall frame traversing into the location's perimeter was a sight that few had seen but only a few had turned away to glance at. Septimus' training dummy had been put back together with the very rope that she had used to carry it. It was a temporary fix and if she didn't find a sparring partner, she would use it instead. She came here to train and wouldn't leave empty handed.

Her observant eyes looked around but failed to notice a sculpture about five feet from her. Many questions flooded her mind, including the question of why someone would sculpt something like this and just leave it there. Then she thought about who it may belong to. Just to be on the safe side, she guessed she would turn it in to be a samaritan and hope that maybe someone would claim it. Septimus approached the sculpture, with her eyes examining it carefully. It was practically a sphere with tentacles.

"Wonder who left this behind."

Her training could wait so she could go ahead and get this out of the way.

[Ball]

Unlike most people who would’ve just ignored the clay ‘statue’ Septimus was apparently not one of those people. A rarity in this case was that Ball was actually holding onto Thorn, he was heading towards the Antinous Training Grounds and as he had never been there got lost. Having tried to ask several people were they were, most ignored his diminutive stature and left him be, it was during this time frame that Ball’s faithful mount got moved along with the current known as the citizens of Syliras.

The dog did make it back in time to see it’s faithful owner Ball being picked up by someone. And Ball wasn’t really sure who she was. No one he knew, clearly she didn’t know him either.

No one left anything behind! He huffed, causing his body to expand a bit with the filling up of oxygen, and it was with this huffing that Ball curled the tentacle holding Thorn even tighter around the metal sliver and arched it towards the offending party. It was clear to anyone that Ball had no clue how to use the miniaturized lance as he swung it like a club, even if he was holding it correctly.

[i]If only I used it more![/u] He growled at himself, trying to swat off the hand that was Septimus’ so he would land back on the ground once more and be able to mount his furry dog mount.

OOCSorry for the last response. >.<

[Septimus]

oocNot a problem.

Not even a second after she had picked it up, it was like it was breathing and expanded; Septimus almost threw it to the ground! The thing was alive! Instead of screaming like a little girl, however, her eyes grew wide and she bent down, only to then gently drop it on the ground. She almost chuckled at it's tiny method of defense seeming as how she was six and a half feet tall. Instead, another emotion came into play; suspense.

Never had she seen any creature like it nor did she think she could ever comprehend the magic to animate objects. When the dog came beside it, Septimus withdrew her large broadsword and narrowed her eyes. Several possibilities arose but she Is it a spy? Is that dog a Kelvic providing for an escape route?

With what had been occurring as of late, how could she ever be sure? Wasn't it better to be safe than sorry? Afterall, if this duo did turn out to be a spy or whatever the heck, wouldn't it indeed prevent some source from receiving information that could in turn harm her beloved city? If not, it would be a mistake and her deepest sincere apology would more than likely still not do it for her. Either way, she would need to get over it.

It was apparent she did not trust the creatures in front of her and with that, she spoke in quite a husky voice that had grown slightly hoarseNo pun intended.."Whom might you and your accomplice be, then, since you are no statue?" Her broadsword was not pointing at them, but rather extending towards the ground with a firm grip from her rough yet feminine hands. Her sapphire, almost ethereal, eyes were scrutinizing their every square inch.

[Ball]

What is it with every bloody knight and squire with the petching sword! Gods bestow me some understanding of this! It appeared that everyone just loved to pull a weapon out on Ball and his mount. Luckily for Ball, this one didn’t want to kill him… Just yet. When she spoke those, her voice sounded rather… Throaty, like she was ill.

Her question was a simple one, and Ball knew the answer to that, “I. Ball. Dis. Maw.Ow.Ta.” [‘I Ball, this mount.’] He seemed to nod and then waddled towards the mount and pointed at the banner that was tied to his dog’s rump. The small squire had yet to have time, or the will, to return the banner to the office, or see if they would give him the permission and honor to plant it in the Stone Garden as a reminder of his liege lord’s sacrifice to this city. With a tug on the rope Ball allowed the tattered banner to unfurl for the person questioning’s him own look. It was a knight’s banner, tattered, beaten, worn, and dirty. There appeared to be dirt, blood, grim, salt water stains, burn marks, even black inky stains.

“Blu. Py.Con. Law.Aust. In.Bat.Tull.” [‘Blue Pycon lost in battle.’] And as far as Ball was concerned that was the truth, he never knew if Imass was alive or not, or if he made it off that undead petch hole known as Sahova.

When he felt she had a good enough look at the banner of a fallen knight Ball rolled it back up and tied it in place, a feat that involved several rapidly executed rolls, tucks, jumps, and tugs on the rope to secure it into place.

Once finished Ball turned to face Septimus, his little lance known as Thorn pointed up towards her, but she could clearly see the point quivering.

[Septimus]

The more he spoke the more it made sense. Septimus sheathed her sword at the sight of the banner. It was covered in grime and dirt and even what she thought was some blood. She heaved a sigh. Another fallen knight? Were things really getting this bad? But then again, have they always been this bad? Have they been like this and Septimus had just not been aware of it?

She tried to piece together what he was saying. His name was Ball? That would explain his shape, she supposed? Maw-ow-ta. Maowta. Mouta. Mount! This dog is his mount so, not a Kelvic. Ball's a Pycon! But blue pycon? Akalak maybe? She had heard of Pycon's one time and had never been able to even see one. All she had heard was that they were like tiny statues.

Septimus looked at his wobbling 'sword'. He needed practice and his Knight was gone. "It's nice to meet you, Ball. I apologize for jumping to conclusions. Just with all that's going on, you really have to dig into things. I'm Septimus, also a Squire. You look like you could use some help with that there, bud." She was hinting at his sword.

"I was actually on my way up to train. Perhaps you would like to train with me? I'm not specialized in small weapons but uh, I suppose I could try to help?"

Septimus actually had no clue as to what she was doing. Ball was not even half a foot in diameter and she was 6'5"!

"Talk"

[Ball]

Ball just nodded when the larger squire mentioned training together, he didn’t have much more to say on that point, his poor tentacle was achy from the day before, but that is okay, no pain no gain… He was a squire and training was a part of life. Right now it was his whole life. Ball was determined to prove to the gods and his former Patron that he was going to become a knight, even if it killed him to get there.

Placing himself back on top of his dog the pycon squire turned towards Septimus and wriggled a tentacle before him, as if saying that she should lead the way. He could feel the poor dog trying to remove himself from this predicament; it was obvious that the dog wasn’t exactly a combat-orientated canine at all. Ball had managed thus far to keep his dog in check, reining in the dog’s feeble attempt to flee with a rather sharp tug with his tentacles to correct the behavior.

Once Septimus started taking the lead he followed with a grace only a long haired dog and his clay being rider could manage.

OOCSorry for the poor response >.<

Created goes to Arandolya

[Septimus]

As Ball mounted his dog, Septimus began to walk in the direction of where she aimed to go. He kept up quite well but the sight of a clay ball with tentacles riding a dog was quite the sight for any and all to see. Not only we're they small, but they were making it work quite well in a shape and way that only these two could manage. Needless to say, the pair was quite mighty and Septimus chuckled at them both.

Reminiscent thoughts began to purge into her mind and Septimus began to analyze each and every one while walking. Every ridiculous action she had ever done in these thoughts made her cringe. Quite folly, indeed. However, she reminded herself that everyone made mistakes and these mistakes could be learned from or discarded. She would choose knowledge.

They had a little ways to go before they would get there so Septimus decided to try and make conversation. She was hoping it wouldn't be much of a struggle for the Pycon to speak. His words were somewhat spaced out and Septimus wasn't sure if that was because he was a just a Pycon or if he was just not fluent in speaking common.

"So how does being a Pycon work? Does body building increase your strength or is what you see what you get?" If body building worked, then more strength would project the small lance harder and deeper. If what you seen is what you got, then they would have to figure out Ball's limit and work with that.

Septimus could see where they would be training up ahead and was trying to formulate a training plan that could perhaps accommodate both of them. Otherwise, perhaps this 'spar' would end up being more of a training session that progressed to metal to metal contact.

OOCApologies for the wait and the fail post! :/

"Talk"

[Ball]

Ball had followed the lady squire as far as she seemed to have wanted to go. The smaller squire could see the massive crowd of knights and squires alike, all clad in various types of armour and arms, whacking away at each other like it was the end of the world or something. When she finally spoke up again it was a set of questions that came towards the pycon… Questions he honestly didn’t have much understanding on how to answer them.

Ball shrugged, he knew he did some sort of exercises with Liege Lord a year ago, prior to their trip to Sahova, but he couldn’t tell what good it may have done him. A tilt of his body towards Septimus was the start of him looking up at her, really sizing her up and taking in her weaponry, armour, height, and several other key details he might have to file away for later use…

Know thy enemy…

Ball remained silent, not speaking as they trotted into the crowd, trying to weave himself around their flailing legs and such Ball and his dog were having quite a bit of trouble getting through, the dog had to scurry backwards to dodge sets of metal cladded legs to remain standing.

Said backwards scurrying was always accompanied with a mix of a growl and a whimper... It was as if the dog was frightened yet angry at the metallic armor the people surrounding them wore.

Created goes to Arandolya

[Septimus]

Headed to a more cleared out area, Septimus steadied to a halt in a decently open place. She looked back to see him shrug and with this, she entered a deep state of thinking. How exactly it would be possible to get this little pycon evolved into a warrior fit to fight was an epic strugglefor her half-equine mind. She wasn't a easily troubled person but this had her stumped.

She tapped her foot and then began to unpack all of her necessary equipment for right now. She undid her shield first, then her broadsword. She wrapped the rope up with her hands and then tucked it into her belt for safe keeping. Septimus bent down, and placed it on the ground then looked around at all the commotion and then tried to find something she desired for the next step.

She grabbed a training dummy from the side and set it up just as she had been showed my her own mentor. Septimus stood back and looked at it, then looked back at Ball and his lance. The lance wasn't overly big and proportionate with Ball. She had to scroll through the things that she had been taught and how she had been measured up. Then, she needed to apply it to this.

"If it's difficult for you to communicate, then maybe we could come up with a 'shortcut'... a code. For yes, raise one tentacle and for no raise two? If it's easier on you that way, I uh?" Septimus scratched her head trying to come up with something that would be easiest on Ball. "I don't know. Is that okay for you?" Septimus searched for either a negative or an affirmative from Ball.

She wasn't too sure how one would train against a large opponent with such a small lance. She looked at him then finally decided she needed to know what he already knew. "How comfortable are you with your lance? Can you display what you know for me on this dummy, please?" Septimus shook her head 'My Gods, what am I turning into?

"Talk"

[Ball]

Ball turned towards the practice dummy, its size was massive and gigantic compared to the clay squire. Tentacle tightening around the thick end of Thorn Ball centered his poor dog to face the makeshift enemy, it wasn't as small as his target the day prior, but this one would make it so his dog had to keep charging forward. The dog was clearly quivering in fear, obviously frightened to be charging at something it couldn't very well dodge around.

Bringing the sliver of metal up to point at what could only be considered the man's shin, Ball had to deal with the quivering mount's motions before he could place it in position. Imass had taught him before how to do this, but he never did it until now. Once Ball felt he had a good grasp and positioning in his current form the pycon pushed his dog into a gallop.

The furry mount became a flourish of fur, teeth, claws, clay and metal as it ran towards the dummy... Unfortunately this form wasn't able to keep a good grasp on the mini-lance and it clattered to the ground, sadly the dog couldn't stop instantly and kept going, shifting his positioning to fly past the sparring target. Ball had other plans though, as his dog took a sharp change in alignment Ball pushed his mass of the mount's body, pulling and twisting in his momentum the pycon had to force and twist and lengthy and such all in a matter of seconds.

It was barely enough time to get into a semi-cylindrical form from his body, it was a long narrow formed rod shape, the end facing the dummy was rather pointed, almost as if Ball had pushed a cone to form on the top.

Impact was imminent and the poor dummy was immobile, being just a dummy as it was, and the tip of clay at the end of Ball's form was backed by enough forceful weight and pressure to pierce the fabric outside, through the seedy and dying material that gave the being shape, and out the other side with a loud tearing sound.

The impact slowed Ball down terribly and in the results Ball only continued in his current trajectory for a few more inches, just enough to get outside of the sparring target's mass and drop to the ground. His body fattening out and tentacles reforming before the Pycon landed with a heavy thud on the ground.

Created goes to Arandolya