The Knights Next Door

[+Sorana]

4 minutes ago, Aragorn said:

"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

Shana nodded. She knew the theory, but obviously she had messed something up while lying on the ground, trying to get at Nym. She dropped to the ground again, tried to resume the position and then kicked again. "I see what you mean." She nodded and moved her hip a little. "Actually it depends on the type of kick if your toes will break or not. If you want to add the additional inches to your reach, you can always hit your target with the ball of your foot and pull the toes back."

Jumping back to her feet she demonstrated a kick aiming at a target standing in front of her. "In that case, using the heel might result in the kick itself being a little slower." Happy to have someone who obviously understood what she was talking about she lifted her hands and shifted her weight a little to her back foot in an easy combat stance. "My favourite one, although it's hard to really bring it to bear in a fight with another Radiant, is that one." She spun on her leg closer to Nym, her back foot drawing a beautiful line into the air. "But if you manage to use it, then it's usually devastating."

"Did you train some kind of martial arts?"

 

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

7 hours ago, Sorana said:

Shana nodded. She knew the theory, but obviously she had messed something up while lying on the ground, trying to get at Nym. She dropped to the ground again, tried to resume the position and then kicked again. "I see what you mean." She nodded and moved her hip a little. "Actually it depends on the type of kick if your toes will break or not. If you want to add the additional inches to your reach, you can always hit your target with the ball of your foot and pull the toes back."

Jumping back to her feet she demonstrated a kick aiming at a target standing in front of her. "In that case, using the heel might result in the kick itself being a little slower." Happy to have someone who obviously understood what she was talking about she lifted her hands and shifted her weight a little to her back foot in an easy combat stance. "My favourite one, although it's hard to really bring it to bear in a fight with another Radiant, is that one." She spun on her leg closer to Nym, her back foot drawing a beautiful line into the air. "But if you manage to use it, then it's usually devastating."

"Did you train some kind of martial arts?"

 

Nym nodded.  That was logical.  As for the kick Shana did, Nym's eyes widened.  That would be devastating.  Nym replied to Shana's question, "I did a type of fencing where you used real rapiers, my coach also taught self defense, and other stuff, so I would stay after class and he would teach me."  Nym said.  She didn't want to say anything more, lest she bring back the memories she had hidden in the back of her sub-conscious. @Sorana

[Bookish Ocelot]

19 hours ago, AonEne said:

“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. 

Leona passed the ziploc of cake to Cassie. "I'm glad you like it. I'd be happy to teach you to bake sometime."

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, BookishOcelot said:

Leona passed the ziploc of cake to Cassie. "I'm glad you like it. I'd be happy to teach you to bake sometime."

Cassie tried a sample and handed the bag back, savoring the bite of cake. “You are scarily good at this,” she said when she had swallowed, pointing at Leona. “And...” Her earlier thoughts returned to her: why do something when she knew she wouldn’t be good at it? She had tried baking once or twice as a kid and not found much pleasure in it. There was no reason to waste her time. 

But she’d never done it with someone else before. And she’d never tried to bake a cake. And this was later on in her life. And...wasn’t being a Willshaper about trying new things? Continuing forward into new places, even when the quest seemed doomed? “Sure, thanks. That’d be fun.” 

[Eluvianii]

The battle had ended abruptly. Edwin thought it was a little soon but as soon as he relaxed it felt as if he wouldn't be able to lift a finger. Right, there had been a battle before, hopefully he wouldn't sleep in tomorrow, there was school.

Shana and Nym offered to give him advice with fighting. "Yes, please, that would be awesome." Nym made a comment about how he should loosen himself. Was he tense? He didn't notice. Maybe that was the problem. They started talking about the fight themselves and Edwin couldn't help but listen intently. It was somehow fascinating listening to people with experience.

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Eluvianii

[+Sorana]

"I've started training martial arts and weapon training shortly after I bonded my spren." Shana told them and reached over for Edwin's staff moved it into a slightly different position. "At first, it seemed like a game. I was a super hero, so I have to fight."

"Keep it like that. This way, you can react with both sides instead of one. You have one blade, but don't forget, that the other half of your staff call be painfull as well. Especially if your opponent focusses on the balde you might be able to surprise him, by striking from the other direction." She showed Edwin what she meant, then resumed her explanation.

"Ever since I'm training. Daily. Not everything every day, but at least a part. I am here to fight. If I am too weak, if I am not good enough, someone will die." It had become something she couldn't even imagine missing. She needed to train in the morning and then in the evening again. School helped, the sport there allowed her to keep her condition, so that she oculd focus on other things at home.

@Eluvianii @Aragorn

[I think I am here.]

On 14/11/2019 at 2:51 PM, Sorana said:

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."

“That’s a good idea,” Cup said, nodded. She stopped her painting, took a little bit of time to adjust when Mahad curled around her feet, but when he turned into a cloud of ash it was the most scary. The only thing keeping Cup from running was the knowledge that it was Mahad, and Mahad would never hurt her. She thought. Well, he hadn’t hurt her so far, so it was probably good to assume that.

“I will tell you, then,” she said and smiled, when she had a plan now. What to do when Robert became all silent again. She could make him happy again, even if he never showed it on his face. She knew when he was happy. She could feel it in his soul.

“If you ever have to paint something, he likes cats,” she said and beamed at the little secret. A secret. Immediately her eyes widened, and her glow reduced to almost nothing.

“Oh, I’m not supposed to say that... it’s a secret.” Hopefully she looked up to Mahad. “Please don’t tell anyone?”

[Bookish Ocelot]

13 hours ago, AonEne said:

Cassie tried a sample and handed the bag back, savoring the bite of cake. “You are scarily good at this,” she said when she had swallowed, pointing at Leona. “And...” Her earlier thoughts returned to her: why do something when she knew she wouldn’t be good at it? She had tried baking once or twice as a kid and not found much pleasure in it. There was no reason to waste her time. 

But she’d never done it with someone else before. And she’d never tried to bake a cake. And this was later on in her life. And...wasn’t being a Willshaper about trying new things? Continuing forward into new places, even when the quest seemed doomed? “Sure, thanks. That’d be fun.” 

"Awesome!" Leona replied, smiling. "I'm glad you like it. I will admit that half the secret is in convincing the cake to be cake in the first place."

[+Sorana]

1 hour ago, I think I am here. said:

“That’s a good idea,” Cup said, nodded. She stopped her painting, took a little bit of time to adjust when Mahad curled around her feet, but when he turned into a cloud of ash it was the most scary. The only thing keeping Cup from running was the knowledge that it was Mahad, and Mahad would never hurt her. She thought. Well, he hadn’t hurt her so far, so it was probably good to assume that.

“I will tell you, then,” she said and smiled, when she had a plan now. What to do when Robert became all silent again. She could make him happy again, even if he never showed it on his face. She knew when he was happy. She could feel it in his soul.

“If you ever have to paint something, he likes cats,” she said and beamed at the little secret. A secret. Immediately her eyes widened, and her glow reduced to almost nothing.

“Oh, I’m not supposed to say that... it’s a secret.” Hopefully she looked up to Mahad. “Please don’t tell anyone?”

It took some effort to reform his body, but Mahad managed, when he saw her smile. She had agreed. If something was wrong with Rob, hopefully they would be able to help. "I won't tell anybody." he assured her and finally managed to be a dragon again, wrapped around her feet. Only his wings and the tip of his tail leaked some smoke.

"I will only use it, if you tell me, that something is wrong and it seems like the only thing we can do, to give someone else a chance to help him." he used a claw to add something else to their drawing, a figure, that, with some imagination could be identified as Cup. He hadn't really drawn before, and the figure was crude, but she was standing next to him and smiled in what he hoped was a happy way.

"If we take care of our partners, then we can steer them into a good direction." Mahad was convinced that they could, Shana listened to him and he figured that the other Radiants listened to their spren as well.

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

5 hours ago, Sorana said:

"I've started training martial arts and weapon training shortly after I bonded my spren." Shana told them and reached over for Edwin's staff moved it into a slightly different position. "At first, it seemed like a game. I was a super hero, so I have to fight."

"Keep it like that. This way, you can react with both sides instead of one. You have one blade, but don't forget, that the other half of your staff call be painfull as well. Especially if your opponent focusses on the balde you might be able to surprise him, by striking from the other direction." She showed Edwin what she meant, then resumed her explanation.

"Ever since I'm training. Daily. Not everything every day, but at least a part. I am here to fight. If I am too weak, if I am not good enough, someone will die." It had become something she couldn't even imagine missing. She needed to train in the morning and then in the evening again. School helped, the sport there allowed her to keep her condition, so that she oculd focus on other things at home.

@Eluvianii @Aragorn

Aanym nodded as Shana explained how she got that good.  She pushed back all the thoughts of death, her family, and everything before they could fully form.  She suddenly realized that she was really thirsty, and asked both Shana and Edwin if they would like to go get a drink of water. @Sorana @Eluvianii

[AonEne]

10 hours ago, BookishOcelot said:

"Awesome!" Leona replied, smiling. "I'm glad you like it. I will admit that half the secret is in convincing the cake to be cake in the first place."

“Well, I won’t be able to do that,” Cassie said with a chuckle. 

[I think I am here.]

18 hours ago, Sorana said:

“If we take care of our partners, then we can steer them into a good direction." Mahad was convinced that they could, Shana listened to him and he figured that the other Radiants listened to their spren as well.

Cup nodded.

“It seems so hard. They are big, and I am small. But, I still remembered when Robert was younger. When I first Bonded him.” She had been able to steer him in a good direction then. He had been good, she had been able to talk to him without running away, unlike the other spren. Fond memories. Looking at Mahad’s addition to the painting she pointed a small finger at the figure.

“That is... me?”

[+Sorana]

18 hours ago, Aragorn said:

Aanym nodded as Shana explained how she got that good.  She pushed back all the thoughts of death, her family, and everything before they could fully form.  She suddenly realized that she was really thirsty, and asked both Shana and Edwin if they would like to go get a drink of water. @Sorana @Eluvianii

"Sure." Shana smiled at Nym and put on her shoes again. "Let's head into the kitchen. We can grab something to drink, and maybe eat a piece of cake. Leona was in charge of the wedding cake and that means it will be fantastic."

She walked upstairs and poured them three glasses of water, pensively looking out of the window. Another Radiant who knew how to fight. Good. They needed fighters, and at the same time, the thought frightened her. If Nym was better, if she outshone Shana - but Shana had been living here for so long, there was no reason why Nym would take her place, would remove her to the backseat. Sie tried to push her fear of loosing this home, of loosing this family as well away, as far away as possible, and yet it remained a nagging thought in the back of mind. What if Ben liked the new ones? Someone more stable than herself, someone who understood maths and physics and who yould discuss all the scientific stuff with him. Someone older, more mature than herself. She hissed at herself, at her brain for making up these scenarios. Everything was fine. There was no reason to worry.

1 hour ago, I think I am here. said:

Cup nodded.

“It seems so hard. They are big, and I am small. But, I still remembered when Robert was younger. When I first Bonded him.” She had been able to steer him in a good direction then. He had been good, she had been able to talk to him without running away, unlike the other spren. Fond memories. Looking at Mahad’s addition to the painting she pointed a small finger at the figure.

“That is... me?”

"It is." Mahad, looked at his attempt to draw her again. "At least it's what I tried."

He stayed here he was, glad that he had someone to talk to. "Sometimes I wish Shana would use her brain, instead of rushing off into the craziest situations. She starts thinking all these weird thoughts and then as if someone pressed on a switch she goes from happy to angry or sad an I never understand way. And before I even understand what caused the change, she is running off again, focused on something completely different."

With what resembled a sigh he rested his head on her feet. "When I bonded her she was sitting on the roof of a building, around her was nothing but water. She was crying, and I was drawn to her, drawn to her guilt, to her pain." His voice changed a little, grew darker. "I only know that I wanted to stay close and so I did, while she sat there, crying, freezing, alone. At first I couldn't understand why I even was there, but then she saw me and thought I was some kind of ghost, I think? I'm not really sure anymore. She seemed so small to me." He fell silent lost in his memories of that night in the middle of a storm. His little girl, his Radiant. He wouldn't exchange her for anybody else.

[AonEne]

Quote

Where’s Sahar right now? 

@WannabeWorldhopper 

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

23 hours ago, Sorana said:

"Sure." Shana smiled at Nym and put on her shoes again. "Let's head into the kitchen. We can grab something to drink, and maybe eat a piece of cake. Leona was in charge of the wedding cake and that means it will be fantastic."

She walked upstairs and poured them three glasses of water, pensively looking out of the window. Another Radiant who knew how to fight. Good. They needed fighters, and at the same time, the thought frightened her. If Nym was better, if she outshone Shana - but Shana had been living here for so long, there was no reason why Nym would take her place, would remove her to the backseat. Sie tried to push her fear of loosing this home, of loosing this family as well away, as far away as possible, and yet it remained a nagging thought in the back of mind. What if Ben liked the new ones? Someone more stable than herself, someone who understood maths and physics and who yould discuss all the scientific stuff with him. Someone older, more mature than herself. She hissed at herself, at her brain for making up these scenarios. Everything was fine. There was no reason to worry.

Nym went upstairs with Shana, the mention of cake, the food of the gods, went with her.  Also, another name.. Leona?  She decided to voice this question.  "Whose Leona?"  She saw Cassie and another girl, who happened to be Leona, with a huge cake. @AonEne @BookishOcelot @Eluvianii @Sorana

[AonEne]

Quote

Hey by the way, we now have a TKNDM () on Discord, so if anyone wants in, send a friend request to AonEne so I can add you! 

Edit: Nym only has one hand, correct? 

@Aragorn 

Edited November 18, 2019 by AonEne

[+Sorana]

Quote

Do we want to slowly wrap the scenes up and move to the school day?

 

[AonEne]

Quote

Sure. I think Leona was looking for Jace and Ax? Other than that the only threads I can think of that need to be finished are Rob picking up what Sheln dropped and us deciding what to do with Sheln. (We could just leave him in the garage, but we should probably talk about it IC.) 

“This is Leona,” Cassie said, nodding at the girl beside her. “Hi, it was Nym, right?” Spotting Shana, she added, “By the way, we’ve got a Voidbringer tied up in the garage. All out of Voidlight, but this one can use Transportation, so we need to be careful. We were going to try and bring one back, though?” 

[+Sorana]

10 minutes ago, AonEne said:

Sure. I think Leona was looking for Jace and Ax? Other than that the only threads I can think of that need to be finished are Rob picking up what Sheln dropped and us deciding what to do with Sheln. (We could just leave him in the garage, but we should probably talk about it IC.) 

Quote

If it's alright with Itiah, Rob could pick up something else Voidbringer related.

@I think I am here.

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

11 minutes ago, AonEne said:

“This is Leona,” Cassie said, nodding at the girl beside her. “Hi, it was Nym, right?” Spotting Shana, she added, “By the way, we’ve got a Voidbringer tied up in the garage. All out of Voidlight, but this one can use Transportation, so we need to be careful. We were going to try and bring one back, though?” 

"Yes, we wanted to." Shana agreed and emptied her glass. The glass. You could look through it, if you held it up, it caught the light.

"So brittle." She whispered and tapped a nail against it,  made it ring a little. Just like her, just like humans. So easy destroyed. Hastily she placed the glass down again, covered her discomfort by adjusting her shirt. She'd burned a Voidbringer. She had thought that Nym was in danger and she turned him to ash. With nothing more than a thought. A thought ending a live. Again. She had killed so many, she wasn't even sure of the number. Maybe some had survived. But no, she knew that they hadn't.

"We really should find a way to save them." She stated and started to wash her hands although they were clean. She felt filthy, as if the blood still clung to her, as if she had an arrow pointing at her screaming "murderer". Ahe rubbed at her skin until it was red, until scrubbing started to hurt, but she didn't stop, welcomed the pain. A thought. It had taken nothing but a thought.

Quote

We could state, that they leave it to Doc, to avoid any godmodding of Sheln here? Logical IC, and we could go on.

 

[AonEne]

13 minutes ago, Sorana said:

"We really should find a way to save them." She stated and started to wash her hands although they were clean. 

If we can, Cassie though pessimistically, but didn’t speak. “Why don’t we let Doc take care of it?” He was the adult; she didn’t want Shana to have to do anything about this herself. Everyone in this house had so much responsibility for their age, so much in their chest. Even herself. 

Quote

I’m fine with both those things. 

@BookishOcelot 

Edited November 18, 2019 by AonEne

[Bookish Ocelot]

4 hours ago, AonEne said:

If we can, Cassie though pessimistically, but didn’t speak. “Why don’t we let Doc take care of it?” He was the adult; she didn’t want Shana to have to do anything about this herself. Everyone in this house had so much responsibility for their age, so much in their chest. Even herself. 

@BookishOcelot 

"Yeah," Leona replied. "I'm not really sure what to do here. Only that we have it contained. Ish."

[I think I am here.]

On 17/11/2019 at 10:26 PM, Sorana said:

"It is." Mahad, looked at his attempt to draw her again. "At least it's what I tried."

He stayed here he was, glad that he had someone to talk to. "Sometimes I wish Shana would use her brain, instead of rushing off into the craziest situations. She starts thinking all these weird thoughts and then as if someone pressed on a switch she goes from happy to angry or sad an I never understand way. And before I even understand what caused the change, she is running off again, focused on something completely different."

With what resembled a sigh he rested his head on her feet. "When I bonded her she was sitting on the roof of a building, around her was nothing but water. She was crying, and I was drawn to her, drawn to her guilt, to her pain." His voice changed a little, grew darker. "I only know that I wanted to stay close and so I did, while she sat there, crying, freezing, alone. At first I couldn't understand why I even was there, but then she saw me and thought I was some kind of ghost, I think? I'm not really sure anymore. She seemed so small to me." He fell silent lost in his memories of that night in the middle of a storm. His little girl, his Radiant. He wouldn't exchange her for anybody else.

“They all seem small, at first,” Cup said, remembering Robert. Poor Robert. “But that’s why we come, right? To help them grow, grow big and strong. Even if they already seem strong out here,”

She held her arms up in a pose mimicking body-builders with their poses showing off muscles.

“They won’t be strong here,” she tapped her chest once. “Without us.”

Turning her focus to the drawing she smiled, when Mahad told her the figure was supposed to be her. Quickly she added some additions to the painting, a small dress, some shoes. Mahad was resting against her feet, but she had got used to it. Last she added a smiley to her face.

“I think it’s complete now,” she said happily.

Quote

Yeah, Xino said Sheln would drop a sphere for Rob to pick up?

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by I think I am here.

[King Aragorn of Gondor]

8 hours ago, AonEne said:

“This is Leona,” Cassie said, nodding at the girl beside her. “Hi, it was Nym, right?” Spotting Shana, she added, “By the way, we’ve got a Voidbringer tied up in the garage. All out of Voidlight, but this one can use Transportation, so we need to be careful. We were going to try and bring one back, though?” 

Nym nodded confirmation and cringed at the mention of the voidbringer.  She glanced at her watch and started.  It was 10:45.  She shrugged, if people were going to turn in, she would do so, but if they weren't that was fine by her.  @Sorana @AonEne @BookishOcelot @Eluvianii

Quote

Nym used to only have one hand, but it grew back once she swore the second ideal.

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Aragorn

[AonEne]

“Great, glad we’ve got that semi-figured out,” Cassie said, smothering a yawn. How late was it? She texted Doc. Hey, there’s a Voidbringer in the garage, dunno what you want to do with him but I am done adulting for the day. Good night! After a moment, she sent a second text. Love you  She didn’t tell him that enough. While her phone was out, she checked the time and winced, then looked up at everyone. “It’s about time to sleep. Nym, has anyone shown you the bedrooms yet?” 

Quote

Cassie also doesn’t know about Sahar - I don’t think anyone else does - so it might be a good idea to warn them before someone gets startled and thinks she’s invading or something. Unless we want to have that scene in the middle of the night, which could be humorous, but which would also stall us even more. And our characters need sleep. 

@Aragorn @Sorana @BookishOcelot @Dr. Dapper @WannabeWorldhopper 

Edited November 19, 2019 by AonEne

[+Sorana]

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

“They all seem small, at first,” Cup said, remembering Robert. Poor Robert. “But that’s why we come, right? To help them grow, grow big and strong. Even if they already seem strong out here,”

She held her arms up in a pose mimicking body-builders with their poses showing off muscles.

“They won’t be strong here,” she tapped her chest once. “Without us.”

Turning her focus to the drawing she smiled, when Mahad told her the figure was supposed to be her. Quickly she added some additions to the painting, a small dress, some shoes. Mahad was resting against her feet, but she had got used to it. Last she added a smiley to her face.

“I think it’s complete now,” she said happily.

"It is." He admired her work. "You can draw really well." Slowly he unfurled his body, some of the motions slightly off and in the end he simply reshaped himself standing next to her. "Do you want to take a picture. Then you can have Rob hang it on your wall." He suggested and felt for Shana. She could take the picture for them, and then maybe he could hang one on their wall as well.

"They need us." Mahad agreed and smiled at her. "Without us, they were like helpless children, but when we are there, they grow up, beautiful and strong. Robert can be lucky to have you." Gently he touched his nose to her arm. "I like you."

Quote

Yes, that's what Xino suggested. So maybe it's lying somewhere on the ground.

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

Shana continued to wash her hands. She rubbed at another spot, then another, her lips tightly pressed together. It took some effort to stop, to turn off the water, and to dry her hands, her skin red and tingly. "That's a good idea, Cass." She agreed and shook her head. "If someone can figure this out, it's Doc. And he can tell us, and then we know what we're facing, what we have to do."

She smiled at the other. "I'm going to say goodnight to Ben, then head to sleep. See you all in the morning. There should be a spare room on the first floor, right side, the third door from left. Nobody is using that one at the moment, if you need a room Nym."

Waving at her friends she quickly turned around, made sure to hide her hands. Walking up the stairs, she called out for Ben, hoped he was still awake.

@Lunamor