( open ) practice makes perfect

[winscenario]

Who: Jim Kirk & YOU!
What: Jim wants to learn how to wield a sword (and some other weapons)
When: Now-ish
Where: Temjask arena
Rating: PG-13 for possible mild violence, fighting and minor injuries


While not unfamiliar with using weapons, it's fair to say that Jim's well out of his depth here. Barring the use of magic, there's nothing even remotely resembling energy weapons, and even projectile weapons are nonexistent. He's checked out what's on offer but some of them he doesn't even recognize, and those that he does...

Well, he can't really remember ever holding a sword in his life, for instance. But he's definitely curious. He goes to the arena to train, keep his body in shape and possibly look for someone willing to spar with him, and after he's worked up some sweat, he heads out to where all those weapons are on display, looking over the selection with interest.

He picks up a sword at one point, a smaller and lighter-looking one, but not knowing what to do with it, he'll put it back down unless someone approaches or cuts in. He also walks around the training grounds, watching others use those same weapons, admiring from a safe distance at how skilled they are.

A more elaborate or showy move will no doubt get an impressed sound from him, and he tips his head at them. "That was brilliant. You're really good."

Not that he'd know the first thing, it just looked impressive.

Comments

[ikols]

Away from the sword-toting crowd, Loki uses a target for his own practice and lays in ten daggers on the wooden model at various places; eyes, throat, groin. Groin again, and ... well, there are three goals in mind down there. He plucks the knives free and tosses them around like sticks when idly watching others train, going back to his own routine with a casualness that radiates complete comfort with his weapons. He's not one to sniff at a fancy sword (his own Gram is beautiful, after all) but one blade isn't as useful as a dozen. Ever.

His attention cocks to Jim when complimented and he offers a dagger, turning the handle around with a flip.

"Want a go?"

[winscenario]

The offer comes as a bit of a surprise, Jim's eyebrows lifting. He's smiling a little, standing more upright as he steps closer, taking the dagger carefully though not immediately preparing to throw it.

"I'm good at darts," he admits. "But I have a feeling this won't be as easy as that."

[ikols]

"Same goal, different technique. Here, let me show you ..."

Stepping to one side of Jim, Loki shows him how to straighten his arm so that the blade points forward from the right angle, lightly patting here and there to adjust Jim's stance, reticent to let his touch linger. He guides him to stand barely two arms' lengths away from the target.

"Finger laid over the top of the blade to guide it, you want to aim downwards to begin. That's the easiest angle to aim from because gravity will always be pulling your shot low. Use a slicing motion to throw it."

[winscenario]

Jim follows Loki's instructions, adjusting his stance here and there in response to the touches and light pats. He nods once Loki seems satisfied, listening to the explanation before he even tries to aim.

He takes a few good seconds to make sure he's got the grip right, and the aim. It's not perfect when he throws, a little too low and too slow, but it doesn't spin across the air nor does in land on the ground.

Instead the tip sinks into the target, near the very edge of it, maybe half an inch shy of missing entirely.

Jim shrugs, grinning at Loki. "Well, at least I hit the target."