A Tyrant's End (For jasmac)

[Archangel99]

"I'm Jacob. And this is my brother, Jason." A dog-morph at the end of the line says, tilting his head to his brother, who looks to be about a year younger than him.
The cat morph smiles and nods to them before looking at the others.
"Moira." A female cat morph says.
"Poggle..." A male shark morph mutters, earning a few snickers.
"Jaska." A male boar morph says, grinning.
"Meliora." A male human says.
"U-um... Re- Reava." A human girl stutters nervously.
"Dak." A tall male laquine says.
"Dexter. Just call me Dex." A male wolf morph says, shrugging.
The names slowly continue down the line until they reach her, and the Master fixes her eyes on her, waiting for her name.

 

[jasmac]

"Sadie." She answers, running each name through her mind in the hopes of remembering. Jason, Poggle, and Dak especially catch her eye, and though she keeps her gaze on the master, she tries to keep Reava in her sights too. The anxious kind always stood out for her, and Sadie decides she's willing to lend a hand if she needs it.

 

[Archangel99]

The rest of them give their names, and Kalina nods. "Very well.... Now for the first order of business... Everyone drop your weapons and take those." She says, grinning and pointing to a rack that has wooden versions of their weapons on the stands. Some of the recruits groan before going to exchange their weapons, which earns a chuckle from Kalina.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie sets her weapons with all the rest, stepping towards the rack and waiting in line to get her wooden spear. She laughs a bit at Kalina's antics and the cadets reactions, before simmering down and sobering up.

 

[Archangel99]

Once she reaches the rack and takes a wooden version of her spear, she notices it's much heavier than the actual thing, by at least a few kilos. Once she's back in line, Kalina speaks.
"Now, I'm sure you've all noticed the marked difference between the real weapons and the wooden ones. Can anyone tell me why?" She asks with a hopeful smile that grows slightly less bright as some of them shrug and shake their heads.

 

[jasmac]

As much as she dislikes being the smartass to answer, Sadie speaks up, giving her reply quickly as she hefts the polearm in her hands. "The wooden ones are heavier."

 

[Archangel99]

"Yes... We know. I was asking if anyone knew why that is." Kalina says, smiling kindly at her despite the few snorts of laughter around the room. She probably thinks she's one of the dumb ones now...
"U-Um... Because... Because once w-we train wi-with these, i-it will b e-easier to handle the r-real ones, right?" Reava says.
"Indeed, Reava, was it? Yes. You're right. We train with these until you are just as fast as you would be with a regular one, which just makes you able to wield the real ones even better, and you're much faster than before." Kalina says, nodding to Reava, who ducks her head at being the momentary center of attention.
"Now... Time for the training. Jacob, you spar with... Dak. Jason with... Reava. Poggle with... Sadie. Moira with... Dexter, and Meliora with Jaska. All of you come forward in your respective pairs." She says.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie's ears twitch in dissatisfaction. For the size of them, she think she would be able to hear and distinguish between "why" and "what." Regardless, she tries to shake off the embarrassment as she seeks out Poggle, her mood and expression sour.

 

[Archangel99]

He walks up to her with a double edged sword. "Uh... Hi." He says, holding his hand out to shake, his eyes running cursorily up and down her form, staying on her ass for a moment.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie's eyes follow his gaze, staying on her own ass for a moment as she narrows her eyes at him knowingly. Still bitter, she meets his handshake with a firm grip. "Hi, Poggle." She says, a bit of extra vitriol in her tone.

 

[Archangel99]

He smirks a bit, but doesn't say anything else, instead turning to Kalina. Once the others have completed their introductions, Kalina calls the Jacob-Dax pair forward. "Alright. Fight. Show me what I'm dealing with." She says, sitting back down on the floor a fair distance away after making the others move back to give the combatants some space.

[Want me to detail the fights?]

 

[jasmac]

[Not if you don't want to.]

 

[Archangel99]

[Okidoke. Also, this is my last post for tonight. I gotta sleep.]

Jacob and Dak bow to each other before facing off, Dak standing with his body turned to the side and staff pointed downwards, and Jacob standing facing him, his staff held up across his chest. He was clearly the less experienced, judging by his stance, but he could probably make up for it in raw strength.
Dak is the first to move, lunging forward with a stab at his gut, which Jacob quickly bats aside. Dak doesn't stop, however, and carries the movement through, dropping and spinning his leg, which drops Jacob to the floor with a loud thud. The dog was quite heavy, it seems...
Jacob rolls over, batting away another strike from Dak, and pressing his own attacks, short, powerful swings of the staff, which Dak has a little trouble fending off. Then, he tries to copy Dak's move and jabs at his gut, but Dak dances out of the way, swinging the staff at his head like a sword, which Jacob barely manages to avoid by ducking and stabbing at his feet. It connects, and Dak hops back with a yelp of pain, glaring at Jacob as he grins.
Kalina holds up her hand. "Dak, kneel on the foot you got hit on." Dak looks at her before kneeling, his staff still raised. "Jacob, continue." She says, nodding.
Jacob nods as Dak's eyes widen. "Hey, that's not-!" He says, but is interrupted by Jacob's staff almost thwacking into his head. He quickly bats it off, then swings at Jacob's legs, which misses horribly as Jacob just jumps back.
Jacob keeps up his assault till Dak just wears out, after which he taps him none-too-gently on the head with the staff, at which Dak grumbles.
"And the winner is... Jacob." Kalina says, her right hand going up to gesture to Jacob, who grins and offers a hand to Dak, who stands without taking it.

 

[jasmac]

[Night}

Sadie watches raptly, eyes darting from one figure to the next as the battle ensues. Kalina's training tactics make way too much sense, and she can't help but feel like there's going to be a catch or trick question coming to screw her chances over more than she already has on her own. Her focus returns to the fight, with Dak kneeling, and Jacob's victory. She wasn't exactly rooting for the underdog, though watching him win makes her dread her coming spar.

 

[Archangel99]

"And next.... Jason with Reava. Please come forward, both of you." Master Kalina says, beckoning them forward.

Jason and Reava walk forward, Reava stumbling at first, and Jason almost chuckles at her clumsiness, thinking that this was going to be an easy win.

The face off, and Sadie hears one of the cadets next to her mutter something to another about why Reava was even there. She clearly wasn't cut out to be guard! She probably would have done better as a mage or something. They were all like that...

Jason decides to strike the first blow, and swings at Reava's arm. With a yelp, she deflects it, earning sniggers from the group as she stumbles backwards. Jason almost looks like he doesn't want to fight her, and grins weakly at her before making a laughably slow swipe at her legs. She hops back and then steps forward, jabbing the staff at his head and missing by a long shot. "Wow... You aren't good at this, are you?" Jason murmurs, dodging another clumsy swipe of the staff. He keeps her on the hook for a minute or two more, before batting a weak swing aside and poking her in the chest. Reava looks down at the tip of the staff poking into her chest, and her shoulders slump.

"And the winner is Jason. Reava, dear, I think we'll have to pay special attention to you." Kalina says, smiling kindly. Reava hangs her head in shame as she starts to walk back, but Jason puts an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, no sweat, girl. It's not the real world yet. You'll do better. I believe in you." He says with a smile. Reava blinks at him a few times before muttering a quick thanks and rushing back to her place as Jason goes back to sit with his brother.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie tries to flash her a slight smile in empathy as Reava steps down. She secretly hoped she would pull some master judo out of nowhere and surprise them all, but regardless, she sets the loss of the girl aside, looking to Poggle as they await their names to be called.

 

[Archangel99]

"Now... Poggle and Sadie, please come forwards." Kalina says, nodding to each. Poggle gets up first and moves to stand in front of Kalina, looking at Sadie and waiting for her to make her move.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie walks up, standing opposite Poggle in front of Kalina. She holds the boar spear on her left side, perpendicular to the ground, with her right and dominant hand higher on the shaft than the left. When the match is declared, she's going to wait for Poggle to make the first move.

 

[Archangel99]

Apparently, he's had the same thought, as they both wind up standing there looking at each other for nearly two full minutes. Finally, he rolls his eyes and jabs quickly at her feet.

 

[jasmac]

She takes a quick hop backwards and to the left, trying to evade his jab, before hefting her spear staff and swinging it towards his right midsection.

 

[Archangel99]

He backs up and deflects the staff, before dropping to his knees and attempting to trip her by sweeping his legs under her before hopping up on one leg and stabbing at her gut.
[3 + 12 = 15]

 

[jasmac]

Sadie braces herself, hopping up high and inclined to the left, swiftly turning her body in the hopes of evading both his low sweep and his stab. She has her spear staff at the ready, and relying on its length, she tries to take a quick attack of opportunity while he's on one leg with a stab to his right abdomen. If the length isn't enough, she hopes that the sudden jab is enough to spook him, maybe even knocking him off balance.

 

[Archangel99]

[13+11=24]

The staff connects with a solid thump, sending him to the ground with a groan of pain. "Ow! That huuuurts..." He groans, rolling over and getting to his feet.
"Well that was quick. And he lost to a girl." Jacob says, chuckling.
"A skilled one, I'll admit. Or lucky..." Poggle grunts, getting to his feet and holding out his hand for her to shake.

 

[jasmac]

Sadie takes it, shaking it with the same firmness as when they met, but smiling kindly with a sure hint of self satisfied smugness in her eyes and tone. "Good fight." She says placidly, pretending to be oblivious to the spectators down below as she steps away to join them.

 

[Archangel99]

"And the winner is, of course, Sadie." Kalina says, chuckling.
After the rest of the pairs finish their fights, Kalina stands. "Well..." She takes a breath. "The only one I found to be of concern was Reava. Really need to work on your confidence, my dear." She says, smiling.
Reava reddens and ducks her head again, almost curling into herself.
"Ahem... Anyway... We can start the training programmes tomorrow. For now, you're all dismissed." She says, nodding to them.

 

[jasmac]

As mild as Kalina's words to Reava are, Sadie can't help but feel a little secondhand embarrassed by the callout. She goes out on a limb, scooting closer towards the nervous human the moment they're dismissed. Not wanting to startle her, she clears her throat, pacifies her tone, and speaks before tapping her on the shoulder. "Hey, Reava was it? I think you did fine."

 

[Archangel99]

She nearly jumps out of her skin when Sadie touches her, before blinking at her with large, baby blue eyes. "Wh-what? But... I- I lost, didn't I? Losing is not good..." She murmurs as they walk back out.

 

[jasmac]

"You put up a good fight, and besides, this is only training. In a week or so, you think anyone will remember who wins and who loses? The answer to that is no." The initial tap turns into Sadie putting a hand on Reava's shoulder. "It probably doesn't seem like it right now, but Kalina is right about one thing. You have to get more comfortable holding your weapon. Was this your first fight?"

 

[Archangel99]

"U-Um... Yes... Yes i-it was..." She mutters, shying away from her touch a little.

 

[jasmac]

It isn't hard to sense her discomfort, so Sadie lifts her hand and smiles sagely instead. "Sorry, I can see you don't like that... but you show prowess. For a first fight, you did just fine. And next time, after a bit of weapon and confidence training, you'll do even finer. This place is taxing, but stick with the training, and someday you'll be ready for the real thing."