( 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

[captainmaterial]

Finn has been practicing with his staff as of late, having gotten tired of using his usual weapon combination of mace and shield. And it's almost kind of cute how he's unknowingly mimicking Rey and how she practiced with her staff on Ahch-To. Using precise control to stop just before striking the dummy in front of him. Part of him as noticed Jim's idle wandering, but doesn't quite know it's him yet, just that there's a body moving about.

He pauses just after completing a strike, maintaining his pose as he looks over at his fellow space traveler. He straightens up, leaning on the staff after planting it in the ground and realizes he's worked up a sweat. Wiping off his face as he speaks, "Not as good as someone from my home."

Finn's tone here is kinda sad, but a buried sort of sad, he hasn't...quite dealt with Rey's leaving Asgard. "She was good. Really good. I...do well enough." Don't listen to his modesty, he was top of his class pretty much in everything. "What brings you out this way?"

[ragnarsson]

Ivar is there, of course. Where else would the little nutcase be? He's in his wheelchair and practicing with a bow and arrows. He's always been better at using long-range weapons then those that are up close for the obvious reason of the limited mobility he had. He's got a keen eye and fantastic upper-body strength, so his shots are all in a neat cluster around the bulls-eye.

He's facing one target when he suddenly turns to the side, shooting off at one he barely had time to aim for. Humans don't stay still on the battlefield, so shooting at multiple targets is the next-best thing to being in actual battle conditions. He turns when he hears the compliment from Kirk. There's sharp, fierce grin that's actually genuine. "Thank you. If I wasn't, I'd be dead by now."

[hikikomori_king]

Turgon tips his head in a bow as he finishes the exercise, the longsword in his hands coming to a neat rest.

"Thank you for saying so. Are you a swordsman yourself?"

[needsnoheadsman]

Ser Rodrik isn't here to yell at Robb for going for the impressive, flashy move rather than the practical one, so that's what he does: he feints like he's about to strike from the right, then twists around to strike from the left. It's definitely flashy, and in a real fight against a real person instead of a dummy it would get him killed, but he already did die, so.

Then he hears someone else, and turns to nod to Kirk. "I was taught well," he says. "Were you waiting to use this?" And he jerks a thumb over to said dummy, which looks pretty banged up at this point.

[demonicbeauty]

For Ariadne, seeing swords and training equipment was actually a little piece of home. True, she'd never actually used a sword, but she'd spent plenty of time watching the knights drill in the courtyard. It was a somewhat soothing hobby--counter-intuitive though that might seem. She liked the idea of seeing noble men and women prepare themselves to fight for Valeria, to fight for the little bastion of freedom left in the realm.

So she was right at home in the arena.

The real reason she was there, though, was to test the limits of her new abilities.

Ariadne couldn't explain it, but when she woke up in the morning, she felt more...like herself. Somehow. After some experimenting, she realized what it was. Somehow, in some way, she'd regained her ability to shapeshift. It was exhilarating to realize it. She didn't have to cover her skin any more, didn't have to hide under blankets and cloaks. She could hide in plain sight.

But, of course, it wasn't that simple.

After ten minutes or so, she found herself exhausted, her body reverting back to its natural state. Clearly, whatever power she possessed, it wasn't the one that she had had since her childhood. She was going to have to feel her way through it. And it was only after a few hours of isolated practice that she felt ready to try it out around people. The arena felt like good training grounds. People were easily distracted. She could easily slip away, if she needed to.

What she hadn't counted on was someone taking up her old hobby of watching.

He didn't seem to know a lot about swords. That much became clear to her as she observed. But he seemed to want to learn. And so, Ariadne decided to test herself for real. She changed her form, shapeshifting into a Human body. And slowly, she approached him, coming up to his elbow, her head canted to one side. "If you're hoping to learn, I don't think watching is the way to go."

[channellings]

Having discovered his telekinesis earlier in the month, Klaus has been doing everything he can to hone his skills. A new arena to practice in has certainly helped, he's used it to his advantage whenever possible (like the days he isn't working on the house in Honir with his friends), bringing along the dagger he'd picked up during the weird items-are-falling-from-the-sky shenanigans and picking out three of the smallest knives from the weapon stands.

So far, one of his main problems has been concentration. He finds the focus but always seems to lose it a split second before the bulls-eye on the target and the blade veers hard in a different direction. Never too far away from its intended target, yet just enough it's starting to become slightly frustrating. This time, it's because he feels someone watching him throw, doesn't acknowledge it right away, as he figures they'll keep on moving. One of the smaller knives hovers above his tattooed palm, the slightest tremble rattling it until he steels himself and flings forward— Oh, Jesus, he's saying something!

Fwump!

He cracks an eye toward the target, lifts the same eyebrow and instantly opens the opposite eye, mouth falling open with surprise. Huh, that's an absolute direct hit. “...thanks,” comes out in a breathless laugh then Klaus turns to face Jim, mouth curved mirthfully. “But honestly, I think that was a lucky shot.”

[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?"

/Arrives 15 minutes late with Starbucks

[momsboy]

[ Peter trains every week too but that's not the reason why he came to the arena. Watching others and learning how they fight and move teach you about their strengths and weakness, it's something Peter learned a long time ago while growing up with the Ravagers. So every now and then he comes not to train but to observe.

Seeing Finn and Ivar around doesn't surprise him, there are others he doesn't recognize and then his eyes land on Jim. Oh, he's not someone Peter sees every day here. ]

More used to guns too, uh? [ Peter says amicable, watching Jim pick up a sword with a look of casual confusion in his face. Sandy isn't visible at first glance but it the blond man pays attention, he might spot a white and grey hamster pocking her tiny head out of the front pocket of Peter's jacket. ]