undyingcourt | training grounds [open]

Entry tags:

trilla suduri

training grounds [open]

Who: Trilla & Open

What: Practicing some mysterious new fighting styles

Where: Outdoors, Castle training grounds.

Warnings Trilla's entire personality; actual warnings to come as they appear.

Trilla had tried to be circumspect with her newfound knowledge, but the fact of the matter was that it was just too difficult to test the limits of her own abilities in the confines of a small room. Besides which, she's been in a foul mood ever since Lady Whisperfangs' rumors had incurred Vader's disapproval. It's her own fault, but that doesn't mean she won't be taking it out on everybody else.

At present, Trilla can be found running through a distinctly unusual series of moves with a wooden staff rather than her preferred training sword, having given up on the latter after she found it ill-suited to the style she'd somehow stumbled into understanding. There's a distinct fire and grace to her practice even as she appears confused by her own intent and occasionally seems to falter, pausing to shake her head as if clearing it of an unwanted thought or sensation.

She isn't looking particularly approachable, but perhaps an offer of a sparring partner will not be immediately refused.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It probably wasn't uncommon to find any of the novices in Vader's combat class out practicing, especially with how some days he could pick on them more than usual. All for different reasons as well. It wasn't so uncommon for Eden that she'd be treating herself or another novice by the end of the class. So she'd gotten familiar with Trilla's style and sword, just like she expected most were familiar with the fact that disarming had to be done with leverage instead of risking injuries to the hand, because Eden held onto the twin swords tighter in those times.

Curious, for a short period of time, she watched as Trilla went through the various moves. Until there seemed to be a bit of a break again, which is when she approaches.

"You usually don't work with a staff," was noted with a small smile as the scabbard for her blades was getting tied into place. "I don't suppose you'd be open for practicing with a partner?"

After all, it seemed that a few of them would have to be more warmed up than usual for class.

Trilla was aware of Eden watching her, but didn't allow herself to break focus until she'd made it through one full round of a training form she still didn't understand the source of. She acknowledges Eden with a nod, though there's a set to her features that reveals a level of dissatisfaction -- or perhaps merely confusion. Trilla isn't used to literally not knowing what she's doing, or how.

"It pays to be adaptable. I thought I'd try something new."

She settles upon a half-truth, not yet ready to reveal the source of her newfound knowledge to a classmate. There's a moment of uncharacteristic hesitation in which she weighs the likelihood of embarrassing herself in some way, but ultimately she shrugs it off.

"If you think you can match me, let's go."

"Ah, I see. It's something new to try."

Maybe it was really all an assumption based off of Trilla's expression, but she had the small hope that other people were suddenly waking up with skills they didn't have before. However, trying something new to be adaptable for a fight did sound like the fellow novice.

"Even if I couldn't, it's better for you developing a baseline to work off of," she pointed out. "You're used to something different, after all."

Not that Eden was unskilled in class. While having no combat experience prior to the season, she proved to catch on quickly, thanks to doing so well in Vader's first season course. That, and most of the others weren't used to someone working with two weapons. ~~Obviously Trilla wasn't part of that group.~~ Pulling out the practice blades, she must've gotten more comfortable or confident with them, because she didn't even slip the loops around her wrists, and seemed more fluid in how they moved one of the twins into the other hand.

Though it's going to seem that Eden really will be starting off helping establish a baseline. It was hard to tell how much was on purpose, and how much was because she normally took the initially defensive position, but the attacks were more basic than she had proven to know.

Trilla has always preferred single weapons herself, but Vader being who he is, she's been forced to practice defending against all manner of attacks, with more or less success depending on how much he felt like challenging her on any given day. Early sessions had left more than just her ego bruised, but she'd survived.

Compared to those sessions, this should be a breeze. Trilla moves more cautiously than is characteristic for her to begin with, however; whether because Eden also seems to be starting off a bit more gently than Trilla knows she's capable of, or because she doesn't quite trust herself with this new weapon is anyone's guess.

"You've gotten comfortable with those quickly. It's good to see someone else who takes their lessons seriously."

"Sometimes it doesn't feel that quick."

Combat was different from hunting, which was the side of Black Court classes that she excelled in. While more comfortable, she was also dealing with a new instinct, or skill, that she didn't fully know enough to trust. Even her steps, which used to be more direct in approach and less about keeping balance was different. Still direct, but more fluid. Even some starting strikes were different as while there was more flourish, that acted more like a deception for which blade was ready for attack and which was for defense.

She definitely wasn't known for misdirection in her offense, so much as working with the speed the style could give. It's just more like there's an actual style behind it all, instead of figuring it out with each challenge and practice. Vader's challenges taught a lot, but they weren't meant to be as much of a guiding hand.

"Despite sometimes being too ready to patch people up, I take all my lessons seriously. Black court's especially. I'm just a stickler for abating potential infections."

"Speed is relative. I imagine the changes that vampire blood induces in us have helped."

It's the only thing Trilla can think of to explain her sudden swift knowledge; perhaps she'd seen this style used in passing before when she was accompanying her mother to a private tutoring session somewhere. She'd gotten most of her education alongside the incredibly privileged; surely someone had studied a similar style where she might've seen.

She's contemplating the matter a touch too hard and missteps slightly, shaking her head sharply to clear it when she blocks a strike a touch too awkwardly for comfort.

"You really have improved. Does it ever seem strange to you?"

It's as close as she will get to implying that there's something odd afoot with her own knowledge.

"Perhaps that's it," or, at least, it was the easiest reason to put behind it all. Though it certainly wasn't blood alone, as they weren't all learning and adapting quickly, so much as enduring however much could be taken in class. There was something of a gap between those that 'learned quickly,' and those where 'introductory combat' was still relevant. Maybe there were more reasons as to why Vader treated some of his students differently...

Except there was plenty to back up those comments, as Eden was slowly increasing how dynamic her fighting was getting the longer they exchanged hits.

"Why, because it seems like I woke up and was suddenly better at this?" She was also improving with blocking with the flat of the sword against the back of her arm, to push the directions a little for further adjustment in stances. "Because at first I thought it was just dancing, back when I was watching people skating. It took a while before someone suggested to use swords with the moves."

In other words, she had literally woken up with the skill.

"Fascinating. You hadn't seen it done before, then?"

Eden's style is different enough from Trilla's own that it's providing a real challenge, though for whatever reason Trilla's newfound style seems to suit her more readily than the one that had previously earned her Vader's praise. She's eager to bring this one to him, but not without practice. And preferably not without a solid idea of how to adapt it to using an actually edged weapon.

"I wonder if it's something to do with the blood of our Makers? Perhaps we're picking up on things they know."

"It would be a good theory," she said, pausing to dodge over another strike. While still not big on offensive moves, Eden had a strong sense of defense and aversion. Which was probably going to get annoying quickly. Just wait until there's a chance for one of the swords to get knocked up into the air or something. She knows how to catch that with acrobatic style, even if it's only been exercised in demonstrations so far.

"Except I woke up with medical knowledge and treatments that were never heard of before. It'll be getting reviewed before we start testing on it."

Writing so that others could read it is time consuming and, after a while, painful. It's one of those things she can only do after practicing everything else, because it's one of the last things done each evening.

"It'll be good for your progression in Silver if it turns out to be solid knowledge," Trilla allows, sounding almost actually impressed. It's good to know the memories can potentially be worth something around here.

Trilla remains the aggressor in the demonstration, and she'll give Eden that chance for a fancy catch as she strikes out hard enough to potentially disarm Eden of one of her blades.

"At the very least, I'll feel-"

And that's when Trilla manages to disarm and send her blades off. There's a moment that could be seen where Eden's tracking it before kicking away to momentarily disengage. Which is a little low, but when flipping over, her foot hits it enough that her hand can reach over and catch it. Not the smoothest (nothing's as smooth as a controlled practice,) Eden lands in a low enough stance with both blades in hand again.

"I'll feel less under the shadow of my predecessors. You might've actually hurt my hand that time," she said with the exact same tone as the lighter conversation. Mostly because they both knew it was Eden's fault, for being the type that rather wreck their hand than lost their weapon. Obviously it didn't mean that she was going to stop, given the stance and her still holding onto the swords all the same.

Far be it for Cal to find himself on the grounds, practicing on his own. Vader had taken an interest in him in his classes and the result was him leaving the class beat up and bloody, needing to get patched up. Today he left with a gash on his right leg and a nicely developing bruise on his knee.

If there was one thing he hated being, it was a failure. But there's been a lot of that lately and quite frankly, he's getting tired of it. Hence deciding to take some time to practice.

He was trying to keep his distance, after his argument with Trilla not too long ago. Cal saw her in classes but didn't bother engaging. So of course who would he happen upon when he happened onto his training spot? Having seen her in class often enough, he was familiar with her fighting style and movements. This was not that. It was different, but no less lethal. The staff was also an unusual weapon for her. Curious, Cal tried to stay close enough to see what she was doing but far enough back that (hopefully) he would remain unseen.

Edited 2024-02-17 15:19 (UTC)

Unfortunately for them both, Cal is a familiar enough presence to her by now that she becomes aware of him far too soon for anyone's liking. Her strikes turn more decidedly aggressive until one awkward transition results in a flurry of curses when the staff strikes the side of her head. She flings it away in a fury and turns to glare in the direction she can not-quite see Cal.

"Well? Come out and gloat if you're going to. Standing there is a waste of everyone's time."

Cal doesn't smile as she smacks herself, or gloat though it's tempting enough. Instead he steps forward with a wince as the soreness in his still healing leg makes itself known. Putting the sword he'd been practicing with down, he eyes her staff before moving to pick it up. Giving it an experimental twirl and nearly whacking himself with it in the process. It's lighter than he'd been expecting.

And ... this is awkward. He'd ask if she was alright if he knew she wasn't going to snap at him (she probably was going to anyways). "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

Edited 2024-02-18 06:40 (UTC)

Trilla's never been good at lying; she finds it offensive to her sensibilities, and would prefer to snap at someone in a manner that silences an unwanted inquiry rather than tell a falsehoood. Cal's question gets a shrug, meant as a dismissal -- but also the absolute truth. She has no idea, and it troubles her more than a little.

She eyes the way Cal favors his injured leg with a pang of something she doesn't want to acknowledge. He'll learn, just as she had. And they'll both be better for it.

"It's not weighted correctly, anyway. Probably a waste of time."

"So what, you just woke up one morning and knew -- all of this?" It seems a bit too advanced to be something made up on the fly, which is not an insult to her skills but it's not like anything they've learned or anything she's done in class. If it were built off of it, that would be a whole other thing entirely.

Cal tries to follow one of the moves he'd witnessed her doing earlier, abet slowly. Definitely not sure what he's doing. The weight is not what he's used to. He shrugs and tosses the staff back to Trilla.

Maybe he's pushing his luck here, but Cal picks up his own weapon.

"Think you can show me?"

Even if Trilla thought he'd believe her, the fact that she doesn't know has deeply unsettled her. It's a fascinating skill, to be sure, and there's a great deal of satisfaction in being able to wield a new weapon so skillfully. There's something comfortingly familiar about it, and that's unsettling, too. She can't quite decide whether this fresh discovery is a good thing or not, but it's certainly nothing she's going to waste.

She catches the staff with ease and considers for a moment; she ought to turn Cal away, considering the scrutiny her Maker had turned upon them both. But training is training, and friend or no, she would like to see the both of them succeed.

"Fine. I'll slow it down for you just once. See what you can follow."

She brings her staff back around to the ready position in which she'd started from before and goes through the sequence again more deliberately. She wears an expression of supreme indifference the entire time, though she watches Cal nonetheless carefully.

It's not the Go away he'd been expecting, telling him to leave her alone after they'd had their argument only a short time before. And Cal would do it, if she told him to leave despite the fact that it would hurt and he doesn't want to - despite her efforts, he still considers her a friend and hopes that she will come to see that it's not such a bad thing, and that Vader is highly overreacting.

Despite this, he's always been curious and this is no exception. With a nod of thanks, Cal gets into the same position as she does, though he's not as smooth and moves slowly in the way of someone trying something out for the first time. It's not an easy form and he stumbles or finds himself overcorrecting at some points but it reminds him slightly of the technique he'd somehow known in that dream they'd been stuck in.

Edited 2024-03-17 04:09 (UTC)

It's hardly unusual for Shadowheart to be seen at the training grounds; she dedicates a large portion of her time outside of classes to perfecting her form, and of course, she and Trilla have crossed paths there countless times before— though given their respective inclinations, they've largely kept to themselves. Shadowheart has always watched, however, always been an observer, and on this particular evening, there's something notably different about the novice's training regiment.

Despite the fact that Trilla doesn't look especially approachable at the moment, Shadowheart heads in her direction and pauses a few yards from where she's currently running through a series of unfamiliar attack maneuvers, dropping a hand against her hip.

"Moved on from the sword, have we?"

Trilla wouldn't call Shadowheart a friend -- largely because she won't call anyone a friend. But she respects her, which is worth a great deal more than friendship, in Trilla's opinion. So she's more amenable to pausing -- or at least slowing down -- for a chat.

She twirls the staff smoothly into an elegant finishing move and walks over to meet Shadowheart where she stands.

"Testing out a new approach. It pays to be flexible."

They have a similar approach to social niceties, as it so happens, and as such, Trilla has Shadowheart's degree to a certain extent, as well. Though she may be the novice's senior going by seasons, it's plain to see that Trilla has dedicated herself to her studies and training, that she is determined to achieve, just as Shadowheart herself was.

There's some kinship to be found there, perhaps, if either of them were the sort to seek such things out.

"You're not wrong about that." Shadowheart's response is cool, but she gives a carefully measured smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "The more tools we have at our disposal, the better. You handle that staff as though you've been working with it for some time."

Trilla considers the weapon in question, idly passing it back and forth from one hand to the other as though testing its weight. It's so familiar when it should be anything but. She wonders, not for the first time, what might happen to one's memories after some time in this place.

"It did come rather more naturally to me than I had anticipated," she hedges carefully, testing the waters a bit. Shadowheart was Black Court; Trilla ought to be able to trust her a bit more readily, at least, if there are secrets to be kept.

If he's going to fail any class, Reyson knows damn well which one. This isn't going to stop him from trying. Learning and practicing the skill for its own sake is just as valuable as court approval... Maybe not entirely. You do need a certain amount of cross court approval to get through the year intact. Nevertheless, he's out on the training grounds enough to cross paths with Trilla.

"That's not your usual routine. How does it work in practice?"

If he waited for one of them to start looking approachable, they'd never talk at all. He has his usual blunted blade at his side.

Reyson isn't much of a challenge to Trilla in their required sparring sessions, but she could almost give him points for persistence if she were prone to anything resembling generosity.

Since she's not, she barely suppresses a scoff at his inquiry. She's fairly certain she isn't up to teaching a skill to someone who she's reasonably sure can't keep up, even if she did have any idea how she learned it herself.

"You wouldn't be able to match me even if I showed you."

Reyson suppresses no scoffs. All of his willpower is held in reserve for getting up again after he inevitably breaks something.

"What, are you afraid I'd be better at it than you?"

He's not even trying to bait her into showing him how to do it, he's legitimately that arrogant. Or that optimistic, as he'd prefer to think. There has to be a fighting style that suits him out there somewhere.

That declaration earns a short, sharp laugh of disbelief. She would genuinely love to see Reyson somehow have woken up with similar skills to her current ones; it would mean something provably magical is afoot, and she could probably stop wasting time trying to sort out what, if anything, it meant. If anyone could do it, it just meant another thing she'd have to be the best at.

"Please. If you really think you can follow me, there are plenty of extra weapons about."

She's making do with a training staff that she fully intends to take away and modify in some way to make it feel closer to how she "remembers" a similar weapon feeling. There'd been a different grip in the middle, and the ends were lighter. Almost weightless, though she has no idea how. But that's a problem for future Trilla. Current Trilla just wants to show off, and if Reyson wants to get his ass handed to him in the process, so be it.

All right, he'll take an identical staff. He's not expecting miracles. Most of his outward confidence in this class is a hollow front, which everyone should know by now but what's the alternative here, lying down and sniveling about it? He would just really like something to click. Would also really like to give Trilla a bloody nose as repayment for what she's going to take out of his hide.

If she gets some practice in then good for her but there is no room for altruism here. He holds his staff up defensively. His actual stance isn't that bad. He has his eyes fixed on Trilla, just waiting for her to make a move.

Not that bad is hardly enough for Trilla to deliver anything resembling praise, but she doesn't have any immediately cutting remarks regarding his starting stance, at least. Reyson's unfounded confidence is annoying, but it's better than some of the alternatives. And it makes him a very appealing target for a good ass-kicking.

She doesn't start off quite as aggressive as her usual, but her first strike is still fast and graceful as ever, a downward blow that Reyson ought to have a decent shot at blocking. She's not trying to be fancy yet or trick him; this is the warmup, a chance for him to learn the move so she can test her own defenses once he's got it.

Ha - all right, he caught that one!

He does have a trick he's better at than your average Black Court novice - and which he will not admit to using - and that's mind reading. When he's calm and able to focus, he can predict moves before they happen, compensating for his poorer reflexes.

Thus, he's confident she's not going to pull anything tricky just yet. He'll let her whack at him and block it to get the feel of it before he has a go at whacking her back with the same downward strike. Not as fast, similar in grace.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

training grounds [open]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject