Jungle Gym without the Trio [Archie and Gnarly]

[Ball]

"My Speaking"

My Thoughts

86th of Spring, 515.

Ball turned his attention to Garland and bowed slightly, “Whenever you are ready my friend. Shall we go fist to fist or blade to blade?” Ball held up his rapier tipping the thin blade’s tip towards his fellow squire. Returning the blade to a downward position in a more innocent and neutral format. There was zero more effort in antagonizing or offering of the live steel. There was no reason to show the squire his inability to fight with the rapier as well as his own hands.

[b] “I say we spar blade to blade.” Ball nodded, knowing he might as well use everyone he can to learn to spar with the weapon in his hand. It was not a matter of knowing he was good with it, it was knowing that he could improve with it. One never stops learning. Isn’t that a lesson we learn as squires? Without another word Ball shifted his body into a more combat form, shifting his right foot back and his left foot forward, turning his body to the side so that his front was facing away from Garland. His right hand rose up to protect his chest, his palm empty and tipped towards his opponent. His left hand came up, gripping the rapier’s hilt tightly between thumb and first finger. The other fingers of his holding the weapon securely, but not tightly. With the light grip the blade tipped forward slightly, stopping at the angle his finger and thumb gave resistance to it.

“When you are ready, we can start.” He smiled and nodded one final time before he fell silent and still watching Garland.

Credit :

Created goes to Raus for aiding in the photo manipulation, Myself for color and transparency manipulation as well as box code. Character is accredited below

[Garland]

Garland looked at Ball with a small grin. "A fight with Ball? Solo? Sounds fantastic!" Ball was one of the few squires he admired.

Sure he looked up to Arch's skill and tactics, Alex Faircroft's quick learning, Ferrin's tenacity, but Ball was the one that brought him into the fold. He saw his fight during the shield games one Fall, Ball was quite a sight.

Garland was always on the fence when it was about becoming a squire. On one hand he was always a free-spirit, and to him, laws were necessary evils, not goods. He had always thought that the squires of Syliras were nothing but brats that outnumber the gems that work hard and have talent.

Ball changed that for him. Even though Syliras had been hard on him, it was home. The hardships that were forced on him here shaped him to what he is today.

He drew his blade and looked over to Ball. "Try not to break my bones, okay?" Garland said jokingly and got into position. He held his blade tightly and had his shield to the side rather than facing the front. His experience from fighting with Nivel and Arch taught him that it was better to keep an eye on your opponent rather than keeping up an ineffective defense.

Though he was a bit more cautious with Ball. He was a little bit slower than Arch, but twice as strong. That's not counting the flux, Garland wasn't sure how far Ball had progressed with his fluxyness but his base strength alone would be something to watch out for.

He decided that he should be careful, but keep Ball on his toes. He rushed forward, his step wasn't as light as other squires, but he was still quick. His time spent in his armor throughout the seasons had made him get use to the weight and the restrictions.

He didn't put much force or momentum with his movements, and simply just gave a quick thrust at Ball's form. A simple but effective move.

[Ball]

Ball didn’t even try to play around with Garland, the sword was a formidable weapon and this squire is one he did not want to be skewered by, the weight of that plate mail and the squire wearing it was a lethal weapon. So a quick slap against the blade’s flat was fast enough to remove the blade from bodily harm. “C’mon squire. If you are going to strike me. Use something more effective than a simple forward thrust. Swing at me.”

Ball never stepped forward, he was not going to injury Garland. Ball had zero reason to step forward, Garland was scared of Ball, and this the three inch squire knew. “I will not break your bones. That would be too easy for me to do. Instead I am going to use you as another training dummy. One that thinks and moves. One that can fight back.” Ball stopped hiding what he was capable of doing, too many squires knew him for being a violent little squire that is deadly in his own right. Just focus on your future Ball. Weapons Master. Ball waved his head in a come at me sort of way and Ball prepped himself against the weaponry before him. Sharp blade, at least four feet in length, weighs slightly more than I do. Swung by a squire that stands about six foot taller than I, weighs probably twenty times my weight minimally, the armour alone another eighty pounds… Yeah I am not going to let him fall on to me or hit me with that sword, that’s a lot of weight and power right there.

“I am going to give you the same boundaries I have given another squire, Alexander Faircroft. You must keep me away from your body. If I get within reach its game over.” Ball nodded, “That seems fair. You have reach, height, and weight against me. Use your advantages. Use your surroundings. I am not your enemy, but I want you to act as if I am. Swing at me like your life depends on it.”

[Garland]

Ball wasn't playing around. Garland nodded and attacked with a strong swing aimed at Ball's chest. He knew that Ball had plenty of experience fighting people bigger than him, height and weight weren't really advantages against someone who has fought those advantages all their lives.

As Garland's swing echoed through the air, he made sure that his footing was good, there had been many times where he threw a swing and simply just feel over because he didn't have proper footing.

If the blade hit, it would have been over. Ball would be out for the count, no matter how tough he was, he couldn't stop a blade.

Garland chuckled to himself silently, Ball had beaten the blade more times than he had swung it. It would miss or be blocked, that was for certain. He would step back after the swing and put some distance away from Ball.

The criteria he had given him was the same as Alex, and no doubt Alex did well enough to keep Ball at bay for a few ticks. He was hoping to go at least a chime or two against Ball.

Even though the fight had started already, he couldn't help but think of Ball and Arch, squires sure, but he had no doubt that these two would be strong enough and clever enough to beat even veteran knights.

It was a wonder why they were still squires. Ball had shown excellent leadership during the Yukmen hunt last winter, and Arch had shown cunning and good judgement during the Kriital hunt.

That brief moment of thought may be what Ball needed to get in close and quickly finish Garland. If not he would quickly snap out of it and step back, hoping Ball would leave openings for him to exploit.

[Ball]

"My Speaking"

My Thoughts

Garland’s swing was true to its target, swinging down right on target at the smaller target known as Ball. Yet this was what Ball wanted. He held his position as the blade swung down. Maybe Garland wasn’t aware of Ball being a master yet or maybe the squire forget – children will do that after all Ball heard. As soon as the blade’s edge was within reach the Pycon shifted his body so it corkscrewed to the left, just inside of the blade and his right hand pressed hard against the flat of the sword. A heavy handed push to the right as he pushed off the ground in the opposite direction.

It was this pushing off that Ball used to redirect his body away from Garland, forcing the larger opponent to have to shift his body’s placement and footing to keep the fight up. Ball was attempting to get Garland’s endurance down before he went for the winning blow. Ball didn’t have to do much against Garland to do that, just keep the sword from cleaving him in half. Hopefully with each push away from his body Ball would be able to tire out the larger squire’s arm making it harder for him to swing at him.

Sometimes it sucks being so large doesn’t it? Ball almost smirked with his thoughts.

OOCAck, short. =( Also, I do believe that Archie is no longer on site. Judging from the last time he was on, so let’s just finish this up and get the XP from it?

Credit :

Created goes to Raus for aiding in the photo manipulation, Myself for color and transparency manipulation as well as box code. Character is accredited below

[Garland]

Garland mentally cursed at this fight, he knew Ball was a certified badass, even without his flux, and he was holding back, yet he couldn't even land one attack on him.

He tried calming himself down, but that smug clay smile, just ticked him off. He had nothing against Pycons, but they're just the most infuriating people to fight against in Garland's opinion.

Garland swung his blade downward, hoping to catch Ball off guard, but each attack he did, no matter how quick he tried to move, what feint he used, he would either block it, dodge it, or counter it.

Fighting Pycons are like fighting super strong mice. "Stand still so I can hit you!"

Catherine piped up from the sides, enjoying the show. "That doesn't work, you idiot! Try saying please next time." She then turned to other knights who choose to watch. "There's really no competition here."

Garland wasted most of his energy, striking, swinging, thrusting towards Ball, not one was hitting, just when he thought he was close, Ball would jump out of the way easily, redirect it with ease, or parry it just enough so Garland would lose balance.

By the end of the fight, Garland barely had enough energy to keep his sword up, but his sheer determination kept him standing at least, but he had no way to defend himself now.

He was open on all sides, any parry, block or dodge he could do would be easily countered by Ball. There was a time limit wasn't there? Did he at least pass that? He was too tired to even think about that.

[Samuel Longwell]

Grading Complete Please edit your grade request thread so that it's obvious that it's been graded. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/problems with your grade. Name: Ball XP Award: Philosophy 1 Tactics 2 Teaching 1 Acrobatics 1 Lore: One never stops learning Rewards: +1 Shield point for training Name: Garland XP Award: Weapon: Bastard Sword 3 Tactics 1 Endurance 1 Lore: Pycons: Like super strong mice Rewards:+1 Shield point for training Notes: This could have been a really interesting training thread, I think you should have carried on without the other pycons! Enjoy your grades.