The Knights Next Door

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

6 hours ago, Sorana said:

Shana felt Nym press tighter on her leg and she continued to pull, freeing her leg rather easily due to her surge. Still it took up some time and when she reached over, touched Nym's weapon lying on the ground next to them, she felt Edwin's staff connect with her arm. Pain lanced though her arm, but she still clomped her arm down on the rapier, ripped it apart. She had paid a larger price for this, than she'd expected, but at least now, the weapon was gone. Now it depended on the question wether Nym had trained without a weapon as well. She moved her leg in an arch, aimed a kick at Nym's head, unable to try to get at Edwin from her current position.

@Aragorn @Eluvianii

Nym gritted her teeth when Shana destroyed the rapier.  Not able to do anything more, she ducked.  She had little in ways of self defense lessons, even so, she knew the basics.  She tapped Shanas leg, two can play that game, and lashed Shana to the ground.  @Eluvianii @Sorana

[I think I am here.]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:59 PM, Sorana said:

Of course." happily Mahad lost his shape for a moment, nothing but a cloud of ash for a moment, whirling around in excitement. "What kind of painting do you like?" He asked and thought of something he could make. "Like with colours or pencils, or..." he stopped himself, when he realized that his style of painting wasn't available to her. "What is your favorite animal?"

“Um,” Cup paused, looking at Mahad’s new form. Most animals were scary.

“Little, rabbits,” she said finally, smiling slightly at the thought and looked up at him. “Baby rabbits. I, don’t know how to paint with pencils, or any of that...” she trailed off, made herself small and looked down again. “Sometimes I just draw in the snow. Or in the sand. Small pictures.” Sometimes a child would see the drawing and wonder how it had gotten there. Sometimes no one saw.

[+Sorana]

8 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“Um,” Cup paused, looking at Mahad’s new form. Most animals were scary.

“Little, rabbits,” she said finally, smiling slightly at the thought and looked up at him. “Baby rabbits. I, don’t know how to paint with pencils, or any of that...” she trailed off, made herself small and looked down again. “Sometimes I just draw in the snow. Or in the sand. Small pictures.” Sometimes a child would see the drawing and wonder how it had gotten there. Sometimes no one saw.

Little rabbits. Mahad flew over to the wall, shaped himself like a flat version of a little rabbit and pressed his body again the wall, burning its surface. When he flew away he left the shape of a little rabbit behind. Proudly he turned to Cup, to see how she reacted, hoped that she would like it. "Don't tell Shana." he flew in a quick circle, remembered that she couldn't fly and landed on the ground. "She doesn't like it, when I paint."

Looking around he noticed a patch or earth close by and moved over, waited for Cup to join him.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Sorana

[I think I am here.]

5 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Little rabbits. Mahad flew over to the wall, shaped himself like a flat version of a little rabbit and pressed his body again the wall, burning its surface. When he flew away he left the shape of a little rabbit behind. Proudly he turned to Cup, to see how she reacted, hoped that she would like it. "Don't tell Shana." he flew in a quick circle, remembered that she couldn't fly and landed on the ground. "She doesn't like it, when I paint."

Looking around he noticed a patch or earth close by and moved over, waited for Cup to join him.

“Wow,” Cup whispered, walked as close to the wall as she could and lifted up her arm. Rabbits on the wall, it looked much better this way. Cup couldn’t understand why Shana wouldn’t like Mahad painting. He painted very well. Smiling shyly Cup walked towards the earth patch and Mahad, still turning to look at the rabbits.

“They look very nice,” she said quietly and put a finger in the dirt, focused and moved it around, drew in it. She made a few swirls, before looking up to Mahad. “Do you have a favourite animal?” She asked, suddenly hoping she wasn’t prying too much. She didn’t want to lose a friend, especially so soon.

[+Sorana]

6 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“They look very nice,” she said quietly and put a finger in the dirt, focused and moved it around, drew in it. She made a few swirls, before looking up to Mahad. “Do you have a favourite animal?” She asked, suddenly hoping she wasn’t prying too much. She didn’t want to lose a friend, especially so soon.

Mahad changed back into the little winged dragon and walked over, looked at what Cup was drawing in the dirt. "A dragon." He replied and streched his wings. "They are strong, and they can breathe fire." Sitting down he folded his wings on his back snd used his snout the add another swirl to her picture.

"And humans are delighted when they see a little dragon." He added, paused and looked at her, added quietly "Shana likes dragons, so I try to be a dragon. She tries to save them all, takes too much on her shoulders and if she smiles because I am a dragon, then a dragon is good. I don't know what else to do." The grass beneath him started to smolder and he quickly moved aside, moved to the dirt. "I want for her to be happy, and she sometimes is. When she fights or talks to your human, or when she is with Glint's, or sometimes with the one who bonded her. She's so afraid, and then covers it with anger, and I tell her, that it's fine if she needs help, but she doesn't accept it."

Straightening he added another swirl to the painting. "So I'm a dragon, hopefully a cute one. And I don't paint, unless it's something special. And I don't break things to look inside. Because when I do she is sad, and I don't want for her to be sad."

[I think I am here.]

11 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Straightening he added another swirl to the painting. "So I'm a dragon, hopefully a cute one. And I don't paint, unless it's something special. And I don't break things to look inside. Because when I do she is sad, and I don't want for her to be sad."

Cup looked to Mahad. The dragon. A cute dragon, he said, not a scary one. Lifting her arm she hesitated, quickly patted Mahad where she thought his shoulders would be. It was hard to tell when he was a dragon.

“You are a cute dragon. And I’m sure you make her very happy, and not sad. She always seems happy when you are there.”

A dragon. Moving her finger between the swirls they created, Cup connected some of them, made a large circle be the body, slowly started mapping out the scales and long tail, that stretched around. She kept some swirls as they were. They could be the fire, maybe.

“I don’t want Robert to be sad either,” she said quietly, hummed a little bit as she drew. “Sometimes I can feel his soul. We’re bonded. And I can feel if he’s happy. But sometimes, I can’t. Sometimes, I have no idea how he feels. And that scares me, more than anything else.” Which was really saying something.

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, BookishOcelot said:

“That’s probably a logical conclusion.” Leona said, facepalming internally. “Do you know where they are?” 

Cassie shrugged. "Living room, maybe?" 

Quote

This spren conversation is adorable and sweet and I love every minute of it. She calls him Robert!  

 

[Wyndlerunner]

Quote

Ditto on the sheer adorableness of the spren conversation- it's just pure,undiluted goodness.

 

[Bookish Ocelot]

7 hours ago, AonEne said:

Cassie shrugged. "Living room, maybe?" 

 

"I guess," Leona said. "I can't imagine what it would be like to have my wedding ruined like that."

bold of you to assume someone will marry you, Onyx interjected.

"Now's not the time for sarcasm!" she hissed back at Onyx. Turning to Cassie, she asked "Did you see them in the fighting at all? Do you know if they're like, okay?"

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, BookishOcelot said:

"Now's not the time for sarcasm!" she hissed back at Onyx. Turning to Cassie, she asked "Did you see them in the fighting at all? Do you know if they're like, okay?"

Leona muttered something to her spren, and Cass felt a pang of loneliness. Pushing it firmly aside, she answered, “I didn’t see either of them fighting, but I think Jace was doing some Lightweaving.” 

[Bookish Ocelot]

1 hour ago, AonEne said:

Leona muttered something to her spren, and Cass felt a pang of loneliness. Pushing it firmly aside, she answered, “I didn’t see either of them fighting, but I think Jace was doing some Lightweaving.” 

Quote

I have no idea where they are. Last I saw was something about tacos

"Wanna check the kitchen? I can show you the cake if you want."

@ShadowLord_Lith

[AonEne]

Quote

Pretty sure they’re in the living room, or one of the living rooms, or something but who knows really 

“Okay!” Cassie agreed, perking up a bit. “I bet it’s awesome.” 

[+Sorana]

17 hours ago, Aragorn said:

Nym gritted her teeth when Shana destroyed the rapier.  Not able to do anything more, she ducked.  She had little in ways of self defense lessons, even so, she knew the basics.  She tapped Shanas leg, two can play that game, and lashed Shana to the ground.  @Eluvianii @Sorana

Shana grit her teeth against the lashing, wondered why it worked, wasn't there something about Investiture resisting Investiture? She had covered her legs in stormlight - Ben would know. She closed her eyes, tried to tell herself, that it was only a surge, that there was nothing bad here. It was fun, training. Wide eyed she stared at Nym while she tried to breathe but even breathing was difficult. He chest didn't really move and she gasped, the motion too familiar and she had to ball her fists to brace herself. She chould breathe. It was only a surge. Still the fear lingered and she focused, reached out for Nym's body. It was easy, connection, touch worked in both directions and she mentally touched Nym's skin. Just a little burn and - no. Shana shook her head, exhaled and covered her whole body in stormlight. A little push against Nym's hand was enough to send her slittering over the floor, still sticking to it, but at least she was out of reach for the moment.

She shook her head, tried to get rid of the thoughts in her minds, tried to move past the mindset, that allowed her to burn. Shana wanted to curl up when she realized what she had been about to do, again. Wasn't it enough that she could do it, that she that incinerated Voidbringers today? Why did she resort to it - because she had been afraid.

Quote

A little side note: your post was a bit godmoddy. It would have been better to word it like "she reached out for Shana's leg, intended to lash her to the ground" your something like that. That allows me to have Shana react to the attack. The way you worded it, you indirectly assumed that she can't evade.

================

16 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Cup looked to Mahad. The dragon. A cute dragon, he said, not a scary one. Lifting her arm she hesitated, quickly patted Mahad where she thought his shoulders would be. It was hard to tell when he was a dragon.

“You are a cute dragon. And I’m sure you make her very happy, and not sad. She always seems happy when you are there.”

A dragon. Moving her finger between the swirls they created, Cup connected some of them, made a large circle be the body, slowly started mapping out the scales and long tail, that stretched around. She kept some swirls as they were. They could be the fire, maybe.

“I don’t want Robert to be sad either,” she said quietly, hummed a little bit as she drew. “Sometimes I can feel his soul. We’re bonded. And I can feel if he’s happy. But sometimes, I can’t. Sometimes, I have no idea how he feels. And that scares me, more than anything else.” Which was really saying something.

Mahad hummed when she touched his shoulder and moved closer, watched her draw. "A dragon." He whispered in awe. "It's so beautiful!"

Gently he curled up around her feet, made sure she could step out of his try at an embrace. "Humans are so complicated." He agreed, wondered if there was something he could do for her. "When you have no idea the next time, I can have Shana come by and check on him?" He offered. "She could make sure, that he's alright and stay with him, until we know for sure."

Fear made him loose his shape, when he remembered Joy, and he was nothing more than a dark cloud of an ash-like structure "Or you tell me and I try to talk to him. I can paint messages on his wall." He added urgently. "Just tell me, before he does something stupid."

Edited November 14, 2019 by Sorana

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

19 hours ago, Sorana said:

Shana grit her teeth against the lashing, wondered why it worked, wasn't there something about Investiture resisting Investiture? She had covered her legs in stormlight - Ben would know. She closed her eyes, tried to tell herself, that it was only a surge, that there was nothing bad here. It was fun, training. Wide eyed she stared at Nym while she tried to breathe but even breathing was difficult. He chest didn't really move and she gasped, the motion too familiar and she had to ball her fists to brace herself. She chould breathe. It was only a surge. Still the fear lingered and she focused, reached out for Nym's body. It was easy, connection, touch worked in both directions and she mentally touched Nym's skin. Just a little burn and - no. Shana shook her head, exhaled and covered her whole body in stormlight. A little push against Nym's hand was enough to send her slittering over the floor, still sticking to it, but at least she was out of reach for the moment.

She shook her head, tried to get rid of the thoughts in her minds, tried to move past the mindset, that allowed her to burn. Shana wanted to curl up when she realized what she had been about to do, again. Wasn't it enough that she could do it, that she that incinerated Voidbringers today? Why did she resort to it - because she had been afraid.

================

Mahad hummed when she touched his shoulder and moved closer, watched her draw. "A dragon." He whispered in awe. "It's so beautiful!"

Gently he curled up around her feet, made sure she could step out of his try at an embrace. "Humans are so complicated." He agreed, wondered if there was something he could do for her. "When you have no idea the next time, I can have Shana come by and check on him?" He offered. "She could make sure, that he's alright and stay with him, until we know for sure."

Fear made him loose his shape, when he remembered Joy, and he was nothing more than a dark cloud of an ash-like structure "Or you tell me and I try to talk to him. I can paint messages on his wall." He added urgently. "Just tell me, before he does something stupid."

Quote

Ok, thank you.

Nym was sent skittering to the floor.  Hitting her shoulder yet again.  Storms, that shoulder hurt.  She tried to get up, but was stuck to the ground.  She made a little growl in the back of the throat, she was NOT going to loose.  All the same she was sweating, panting, and tired. @Sorana @Eluvianii

Edited November 15, 2019 by Aragorn

[Bookish Ocelot]

19 hours ago, AonEne said:

“Okay!” Cassie agreed, perking up a bit. “I bet it’s awesome.” 

Quote

Three feet is about a meter. Yes, that's a lot of cake. Do our poor characters need that much cake? Also yes. 

"Yeah! I spent several hours working on it. I've got samples if you wanna preview," Leona replied, holding up a bag of suspicious-looking cake she had removed from her apron. "I've also got frosting, fondant, gum paste, 50/50, and rice cake!" She realized how excited she was getting, and tried to tone it down. "Anyways," she said, doing a dramatic bow, "the cake." The cake had to be at least three feet tall, and was on a wheeled cart. The icing was forest green with brushed gold accents and white flowers. She thought the flowers were probably a bit much, but would it be a wedding without flowers? No. Also, they tasted good. And were fun to make. But even better to eat. 

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, BookishOcelot said:

"Yeah! I spent several hours working on it. I've got samples if you wanna preview," Leona replied, holding up a bag of suspicious-looking cake she had removed from her apron. "I've also got frosting, fondant, gum paste, 50/50, and rice cake!" She realized how excited she was getting, and tried to tone it down. "Anyways," she said, doing a dramatic bow, "the cake." The cake had to be at least three feet tall, and was on a wheeled cart. The icing was forest green with brushed gold accents and white flowers. 

“Sure, I’ll try some,” Cassie said amiably, trying to hide the fact that she didn’t know what half those terms were. Seeing the cake, she let out an involuntary Wow; it was huge and complicated and purely awesome. “That is huge and complicated and purely awesome,” she whispered to Leona. 

Her eyes flitted up to the top of the cake, automatically expecting to see Joy inspecting the decorations, but she wasn’t there. 

[Eluvianii]

14 hours ago, Aragorn said:

Nym was sent skittering to the floor.  Hitting her shoulder yet again.  Storms, that shoulder hurt.  She tried to get up, but was stuck to the ground.  She made a little growl in the back of the throat, she was NOT going to loose.  All the same she was sweating, panting, and tired. @Sorana @Eluvianii

Edwin saw Nym sliding to the floor and, staying there for some reason. She looked like she was struggling, maybe she couldn't get up? Edwin rushed to Nym, knelt by her side and inhaled Stormlight as he placed a hand on the ground, trying to melt the floor just beneath her, only the surface. It was easier each time. If she really was stuck, then, by melting the ground there would be nothing to be stuck to, he hoped.

"You'll feel a slight bump." he told her.

@Sorana @Aragorn

Edited November 15, 2019 by Eluvianii

[+Sorana]

18 hours ago, Aragorn said:

Nym was sent skittering to the floor.  Hitting her shoulder yet again.  Storms, that shoulder hurt.  She tried to get up, but was stuck to the ground.  She made a little growl in the back of the throat, she was NOT going to loose.  All the same she was sweating, panting, and tired. @Sorana @Eluvianii

Quote

May I ask, why you are stuck as well? Just curious

Shana slowly pushed herself up, groaned when her body protested the movement, but she didn't give up. Lashing was about gravity, if she managed to straighten, then she still would have trouble moving, but at least she stood. Everything was better than lying on the ground. And she was tired of lying around. She looked at Nym's face saw the expression there and had to take a breath. At one point this had become personal for Nym. Maybe she wanted to proove that she was good, that she could be a worthy addition to their team. Maybe she simply liked to win.

Shana hesitated, unsure what to do with it. The attitude somehow made the duel different from the ones with Rob, where it was about skill, about endurance, but not about winning. It was easy to put aside her pride against Rob, but against Nym. Could she loose against the new girl? She grit her teeth when her pride surged, made her keep quiet and look at the two. If she lost, then she was old, then there was someone better than herself. And she couldn't accept that. Not after Ashlyn was here. If she lost, then Nym would take her place and she was useless. Nothing more than a remnant of the past, a thing long forgotten. It was her place to fight for them. She had to. If she didn't - she lost her reason to be here.

Edited November 15, 2019 by Sorana

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

7 hours ago, Sorana said:

Shana slowly pushed herself up, groaned when her body protested the movement, but she didn't give up. Lashing was about gravity, if she managed to straighten, then she still would have trouble moving, but at least she stood. Everything was better than lying on the ground. And she was tired of lying around. She looked at Nym's face saw the expression there and had to take a breath. At one point this had become personal for Nym. Maybe she wanted to proove that she was good, that she could be a worthy addition to their team. Maybe she simply liked to win.

Shana hesitated, unsure what to do with it. The attitude somehow made the duel different from the ones with Rob, where it was about skill, about endurance, but not about winning. It was easy to put aside her pride against Rob, but against Nym. Could she loose against the new girl? She grit her teeth when her pride surged, made her keep quiet and look at the two. If she lost, then she was old, then there was someone better than herself. And she couldn't accept that. Not after Ashlyn was here. If she lost, then Nym would take her place and she was useless. Nothing more than a remnant of the past, a thing long forgotten. It was her place to fight for them. She had to. If she didn't - she lost her reason to be here.

 

9 hours ago, Eluvianii said:

Edwin saw Nym sliding to the floor and, staying there for some reason. She looked like she was struggling, maybe she couldn't get up? Edwin rushed to Nym, knelt by her side and inhaled Stormlight as he placed a hand on the ground, trying to melt the floor just beneath her, only the surface. It was easier each time. If she really was stuck, then, by melting the ground there would be nothing to be stuck to, he hoped.

"You'll feel a slight bump." he told her.

@Sorana @Aragorn

Nym straightened.  "I'm fine."  She wasn't stuck to the floor.  Her brain was just messing with her.  She saw Shana hesitate and realized just how tired she was.  She bit back a groan.  Sure, she wanted to win, but this was just training.  It wasn't the real thing.  She stood.  And said, "Are we done?"  To Shana. @Sorana @Eluvianii

[+Sorana]

2 minutes ago, Aragorn said:

 

Nym straightened.  "I'm fine."  She wasn't stuck to the floor.  Her brain was just messing with her.  She saw Shana hesitate and realized just how tired she was.  She bit back a groan.  Sure, she wanted to win, but this was just training.  It wasn't the real thing.  She stood.  And said, "Are we done?"  To Shana. @Sorana @Eluvianii

Relief crossed Shana's face when Nym stood up, offered to finished the whole thing. She nodded and walked over to her, offered her her hand. "You are good. I really enjoyed this." Honestly coloured her words and she tried to show Nym that she meant it. She had enjoyed it. "We need to do this again." Laughing a little she touched her shoulder and grimaced. "But maybe tomorrow. Or the day after."

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

22 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Relief crossed Shana's face when Nym stood up, offered to finished the whole thing. She nodded and walked over to her, offered her her hand. "You are good. I really enjoyed this." Honestly coloured her words and she tried to show Nym that she meant it. She had enjoyed it. "We need to do this again." Laughing a little she touched her shoulder and grimaced. "But maybe tomorrow. Or the day after."

Nym smiled at Shana and, took her hand.  This had been fun.  "You're really good.  I also really enjoyed this."  She was really sore.  "Let's do it the day after." @Sorana @Eluvianii

Edited November 15, 2019 by Aragorn

[+Sorana]

Just now, Aragorn said:

Nym smiled at Shana.  This had been fun.  "You're really good.  I also really enjoyed this."  She was really sore.  "Let's do it the day after." @Sorana @Eluvianii

Shana nodded and then sighed. "I've got school tomorrow. We get the results from our math exam last week." She bent forward, picked her weapon up and put it back on the rack.

"If you have a few minutes, Ediwn, maybe we could give you some advice on how to move, where to keep your balance." She offered and looked over at Nym. "If you are interested of course. Otherwise I can do it on my own, I simply noticed a few things you could optimize to move more surely during a fight."

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

4 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Shana nodded and then sighed. "I've got school tomorrow. We get the results from our math exam last week." She bent forward, picked her weapon up and put it back on the rack.

"If you have a few minutes, Ediwn, maybe we could give you some advice on how to move, where to keep your balance." She offered and looked over at Nym. "If you are interested of course. Otherwise I can do it on my own, I simply noticed a few things you could optimize to move more surely during a fight."

"Sure."  She pondered for a moment what Shana had said about school.  She would probably have to go, ugg.  Nym turned to edwin saying, "You're a little too tense, maybe loosen up a bit." To Shana she asked, "What can I do, to get better?" @Sorana @Eluvianii

Edited November 15, 2019 by Aragorn

[+Sorana]

2 minutes ago, Aragorn said:

"Sure."  She pondered for a moment what Shana had said about school.  She would probably have to go, ugg.  Nym turned to edwin saying, "You're a little too tense, maybe loosen up a bit." To Shana she asked, "What can I do, to get better?" @Sorana @Eluvianii

Shana grinned at Nym's advice. Most beginners were tense, the advice was sound, but she would have started with the way he held his weapon.

"I would train unarmed combat." She turned to Nym. "I am not too proficient with a rapier, so I can't really advice on that, but I learned the hard way, that it is good to have an alternative, in case of loosing one's weapon." Pensively she looked her up and down. "I could teach you some of that, and Rob is really good when it comes to unarmed combat as well. A little better than I am, actually. Or last spar ended in a -" hesitating she looked for a nice description for nearly killing each other. "tie." That sounded harmless.

"What about me? Did you notice anything?"

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

12 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Shana grinned at Nym's advice. Most beginners were tense, the advice was sound, but she would have started with the way he held his weapon.

"I would train unarmed combat." She turned to Nym. "I am not too proficient with a rapier, so I can't really advice on that, but I learned the hard way, that it is good to have an alternative, in case of loosing one's weapon." Pensively she looked her up and down. "I could teach you some of that, and Rob is really good when it comes to unarmed combat as well. A little better than I am, actually. Or last spar ended in a -" hesitating she looked for a nice description for nearly killing each other. "tie." That sounded harmless.

"What about me? Did you notice anything?"

"Okay, If you're up for it, I'd love to train unarmed."  That advice was sound. "Umm.. well, that kick you did when I was on the floor wasn't right."  Nym let out a breath.  "That kick was fine, I guess, but it could have held more power."  Nym demonstrated a kick that was like the one Shana did, but held a lot more power.  "First, you go up, so your knee is above your other one, then strike out with your heel, your toes won't do anything but break.  Then you pull your kick back to the first position and then, resume standing."  Nym knew this from a training session, a very long, and grueling training session. @Sorana @Eluvianii