Log1. Video

[citytraveler]

[ Anyone who knows Kyrii by now knows that he isn't much of a talker. He's a listener. Well, he's more of a 'stare-er' actually.

But being trapped in a cave and trying to keep everyone relatively safe, even if it meant being stabbed by tree-creatures to do so... He's realizing that not everyone is very capable in taking care of themselves in a fight.

He might as well do something useful with everyone's time and open up a little. ]

Does everyone here... know how to protect themselves?

[ He's sure he's probably the hundredth person to offer what he's about to.

Oh well. ]

If you don't...

Let me know.

Comments

[naw]

Mmh... [thinking it over. she never had the need to use weapons or her fists, being what she is, but her dragonstone is finite and acquiring another one would likely be difficult after it eventually breaks. well, as long as the opportunity is presenting itself...]

I'd like to train with weapons. Just weapons. I'm afraid my fists would be rather useless by themselves.

[citytraveler]

Mn.

[ He can't see her body type in the video to decide if she should get even the basics of hand-to-hand, but weapon training will be better than nothing. ]

Which weapon?

[naw]

Swords, lances, axes, daggers... anything with a blade should suffice, I'd wager. [blunt weapons could also work, but sharp objects are generally more effective in her experience.]

Maybe daggers, to start. They would be easier to carry.

[citytraveler]

[ A subtle nod. Smaller blades are much faster in his opinion. He prefers his own knife compared to larger weapons. ]

When?

[naw]

Anytime. My current schedule is depressingly bare. [she's been spending the majority of her time in the library, even if there isn't anything very useful in there.]

I get the feeling you don't talk much. Can I have your name, at least? Mine's Nah.

[citytraveler]

[ On the nose with that assumption! Right to business with this dude. ]

Kyrii.

[ It's a good thing he also keeps an exceptionally open schedule. ]

Come to the park. You'll use my knife.

[naw]

[meeting up with a stranger who has a knife would normally fall under the category of Things One Probably Shouldn't Do, but Nah senses no ill intentions behind his words. plus, if things go bad, plan B is to turn into a dragon and fly away.]

Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes.

→action

[citytraveler]

[ He nods before shutting the video off. He's already there, sitting at the edge of the water. Feeling the grass beneath him.

His knife is on the back of his belt. Some sort of gun on his thigh. ]

[naw]

[it takes her a while to remember the way back to the park, but she makes it in less than half an hour. of course, it would've been faster to just fly, but she's being careful about transforming here.

this guy... looks more intimidating in person than he did on that tiny phone screen. but she swallows her childish fear and approaches him.]

Hello... Kyrii?

[citytraveler]

[ He doesn't move at first. Only looks over his shoulder at her. A non-human marker on his HUD.

And she's small. Which makes more sense that she would rather learn a weapon than close combat. Unfortunately, she'll need to know both to fight effectively.

Kyrii stands, naturally taller than her. When he reaches behind his back for his knife, he turns the blade into his palm and holds it out to her. ]

Get familiar... Weight. Length. Balance.

[naw]

[wew. right to it, huh. she can appreciate that, but it also just makes him seem that much more scary. Nah slowly takes the knife from him, weighing and turning it in her hands.]

There have been times when I needed to improvise and use whatever was nearby. I've used things like mops and branches as bludgeons, but I suppose that hardly counts as proper fighting.

[citytraveler]

Proper doesn't matter. You lived.

[ Kyrii watches closely as she handles the blade. ]

Living things... are sensitive to piercing and slicing. It startles them. Or enrages them. Or both.

[ He reaches forward to guide her grip, bringing her arms forward in front of her body with a gentle bent at the elbows. Loose enough to give her any movement she'll need. ]

You're smaller. Faster than most of them. Stay light on your feet. When they move forward, you move away. The end of their momentum will open them up. Strike them, then wait for them to do it again. Keep your breathing. Keep them moving. Wear them out one hit at a time.

[naw]

[she listens attentively, nodding. she never had a need to fight like this, what with her ability to turn into a large dragon, but being here without any source for new Dragonstones has her worried about a time when she may not be able to transform. what then? she can't just helplessly be killed by whatever attacks her when that time comes.

so learning how to do this gives her some peace of mind. maybe she won't be able to incinerate things with fire breath, but she could at least slash and stab with a knife.]

Using my size to my advantage, of course. Especially if I'm up against someone twice my size... which probably won't be too uncommon.

[citytraveler]

[ It's the most Kyrii has said all in the same go in a long time. Usually not something he wastes time with. So from there he goes on to showing:

He shows her the stance to take with her legs, loose at the knees so she can easily feel her weight shift in any direction she needs. And takes his time to demonstrate how to use the open hand for grabbing or deflecting and the knife to land a hit. As well as ducking and shifting to the sides for dodging.

With the concepts in place, it's time for the more tedious part of the lesson— implementation. ]

Breathe. Strike.

[naw]

[she can imitate his movements well enough, but execution in a real scenario is a different matter. oh, well, as long as she can get the basics down it's a good start, isn't it? it isn't as though Nah is expecting to become a master assassin in one lesson. this stuff takes time and practice, after all.]

Alright, I think I got it... [she breathes in.] Haaah— [and lunges.

just a tad too slow, though.]

[citytraveler]

[ For having a heavy synthetic body, Kyrii has to hold himself back. He moves the moment she begins to move.

In the lunge he reaches to grip her arm. He pulls her froward as he moves around her, the extra tug likely to throw her off balance and toward the ground. ]

Faster.

[naw]

Ow— [faceplanted. nice. but she quickly gets back on her feet, dusting herself off.]

Okay, I think I got it this time! Hah—!

[this time, she tries a feint to the left before suddenly ducking low to the right. at that height, she could stab at someone's knees like a real nuisance.]

[citytraveler]

[ She's much quicker the second time.

But he sees her jolt to the right. He pushes away, nearly missing where the knife would connect with his knee. He can see that height at that speed would be her best tactic. He takes a few steps around her after she passes. ]

One more time...

[ He glances at the way she holds the blade in her hand. ]

And hit me.

[naw]

[she straightens up and pauses, her grip on the knife visibly slackening.]

Er... with this? Shouldn't I use a practice blade instead?

[citytraveler]

[ He doesn't seem to appreciate the hesitation, though his expression doesn't change to show it. He just pauses a little too long. ]

When you hesitate... it means they'll be able to kill you first.

Do not trust anyone.

[naw]

That's a rather cynical way of thinking... [she wouldn't say she distrusts Kyrii, but it isn't like she entirely trusts him either. they only just met, after all.]

What about allies? People you fight alongside with? If you don't trust even them, you're only spreading yourself thin by focusing on both the enemies in front of you and those who stand behind you.

[citytraveler]

Trust them, if you want. But anyone can turn on you.

[ He shifts, like he wants to turn and leave but stops.]

You're worried about hurting me... Don't. I wouldn't give you that weapon... if I thought you could kill me with it.

[naw]

... Fair enough. [to both points. anyone could have stabbed her in the back during any of the battles they've been through. but they didn't.

and yeah, she really isn't much of a serious threat with the knife right now.]

Okay, okay, let me try again. I'll take it more seriously, honest.

[she exhales and dashes forward, this time waiting for the last possible second before feinting in a different direction, trying for a slash out at his leg.]

[citytraveler]

[ He waits until she shifts the second time to move away from it, only a step in the other direction as the blade skims the edge of his pantleg. She's quick. She's honest. She needs to be.

Rinse-repeat.

He keeps the close calls coming the next few times to frustrate her and push her further. And she gets to the point where he needs to think about which way to move instead of being able to predict her movement. The blade slices through the cloth and slits open the side of his knee. Not horribly deep, but enough for blood to decorate the fine edge of the blade. It doesn't seem to bother him other than a small wince. ]

[naw]

[finally— but she instantly recoils the moment she sees the blood, hastily stepping back and breathing hard. she isn't even sure why. she's seen people sustain worse injuries from training, but they always used blunt training swords instead of actual blades.]

That's... [not nearly enough in an actual fight, she knows. a cut like that only just annoy her opponent.] A start? Right? I just have to cut deeper or aim somewhere vital.