Day 172

[gianthobo]

Who: AZ and open.
Open: Open
When: Day 172
Where: Near the ranch and then the training hall.
What: Having breakfast near the ranch, and failing at the training hall.
Format: idk whatever.
Warnings: A giant man cursing in several languages but that's about it.


AZ eats a lot. He knows this, and tries to stick to foods that most other people don't want. Still, sometimes you just want eggs.

… Which is why AZ is sitting near his bedding area next to the ranch, with a piece of metal bent into a rough pan shape and perched carefully on Torkoal's back, eggs simmering inside.



Later in the day, AZ wanders over to the training hall, poking around the various weapons. He picks out the biggest staff he can find, and takes a few swings with it. It doesn't reach the ground or even get close to it, and he takes a few more swings.

… He promptly drops it on his foot, and pulls his leg up and holds his toes, hopping around and cursing a bit. He wavers unsteadily and then crashes to the ground, spraying sand everywhere. He blinks a little and spits out sand, trying to pull himself up. Help.

Comments

[followsthevoice]

[Raile was out and about today, the sun was shining in the sky, the wind was nice, and with his limbs finally back to proper working order he was just content to enjoy his freedom of movement once more. As he passed the training hall, he heard from inside the sounds of someone trying to practice something or other...and not exactly having a good time of it. Once he heard the person hit the floor, he sighed and went inside to find his large friend on the floor trying to get up; to which he held out a hand to AZ. Raile was small, but if he could lift the Cael Hammer up, he could help the large man to his feet.]

Need some help gettin' yer feet wet with a weapon?

[gianthobo]

[AZ just blinked for a moment before he took the Kid's hand. No sense in turning down help, and all of that...]

Yes. ... I don't like the idea of fighting, but I should know how to defend myself.

[He was quiet for a stretch, before shaking his head.]

I feel a little like I shouldn't be allowed around weapons, though.

Training Hall

[notduchess]

The knight got there in time to see the last couple of swings before AZ falls, shaking a last few drops of water from long hair before tying it up and back as usual. Lets pick up that staff before he tries getting up again. Just in case it tries tangling with his feet.

"Do you have something in mind for after you get basics down? Spears are a little different from halberds and both are different from just a staff." Duke steps back, holding it in a somewhat practiced way - at least, the arm spacing looks purposeful, before studying AZ for a moment again. "... It looks like I got the height of the place more or less right, but not the things inside it..."

[gianthobo]

AZ sighs a bit, carefully pulling himself up to a sitting position. He's still more than tall enough to converse comfortably at this height. "I... I don't know." He looks down a little, somewhat embarrassed.

"I wanted to... try to figure something out on my own. I don't want to be a burden here by not... being able to fight." His voice is hesitant, even a bit shy. He feels as if he's ten again, caught in a section of the palace he really shouldn't be in.

[notduchess]

"I'd rather help you learn than have you learn in a way that hurts yourself."

Duke shifts the staff. "Well, if I remember right... Spears are mostly stabbing, with a bit of slashing.... while halberds are mostly slashing with a bit of stabbing, depending on the kind you get." And then a thin grin at AZ. "And obviously if it doesn't have anything sharp on it, it's bludgeon it until it doesn't move. I think, with your height, any of those would work."

[gianthobo]

"I'd... prefer not to handle blades." If he can knock something out rather than kill it, he'll feel a lot better than if he kills something.

[notduchess]

"They aren't for everyone." They get messy. Duke shrugs, holding the staff out in both hands, trying to size how it ought to be.

"Hold this out, arms just straight out from your shoulders. I think we can work with this one for now, but you'll need to get one... two to three feet longer than you are tall." At least, the knight was a few inches shy of six foot, and an eight or so foot one seemed to be the right idea.*

*((OOC: I am looking up things about quarterstaffs >.>

[gianthobo]

"So about eleven or twelve feet... I'm wondering if it's possible to find one that's intact enough for using like a weapon." He takes the staff carefully, holding it out in what he thinks is a proper grip.

... It isn't even close.

[superdrowningskills]

[If there is any surefire way to attract the attention of the resident dhampire, it's cooking food anywhere where he can smell it. Naturally, he's there within a few minutes of AZ beginning to cook his eggs. Not one to initiate conversations though, he sort of lingers around the perimeter of the giant's camp, not entirely unlike a scavenger who's discovered a potential easy meal.]

[gianthobo]

[AZ looks up at the other, nodding slightly. He doesn't mind company.]

It'll take a little bit for them to cook properly. It's more like cooking on embers than over an open flame.

[He knows he's given people the same look over the years.]

[superdrowningskills]

[A slow blink, weighing his options. ...Nope, nevermind, there's nothing to consider. Food and company that probably won't mind if he speaks little is good enough reason to make his way over and settle in opposite the giant.]

...'Tis fine. I have little else but time.

[gianthobo]

[Torkoal looks up, but then lowers his head. If this is someone AZ trusts, then he'll trust him too.]

... How are you?

[superdrowningskills]

...Well enough, I suppose.

[gianthobo]

That's good.

[He gets the sense the other doesn't really want to talk, so he just pokes the eggs to see if they're ready. ... Almost. He settles back and waits.]

[ourlegends]

[ It was morning, and Hilda wasn't sure why she was awake. Actually, no, she knew why she was. She was kept awake by Zorua all last night. Little one didn't want to stay asleep ... it was like caring for a human baby, she supposed. Zorua just wanted to be awake at all hours of the night, it seemed.

It was fitting, she thought, with Zorua being a dark type pokemon ... even if the night cycle in this place wasn't completely dark.

She looked a little disheveled as she wandered around today, coming across AZ pretty quickly. She had to stare into space for a moment before she realized that AZ and Torkoal were over there, and realized what AZ was doing.

Huh. Torkoal stove. How clever.

Excuse Hilda, she's a bit spacey this morning. ]

[gianthobo]

... Hilda?

[Okay, now he's concerned. Eevee is curled up inside his hat still, so he doesn't have to watch her as closely right now, but he has a feeling he knows what this is about.]

You can sit with me if you want.

[ourlegends]

Hm?

[ Zorua is back at the apartment. She finally fell asleep after keeping Mama up all night. Hilda takes a moment in her state of lack of sleep to realize what AZ is offering, but she does nod and take him up on that offer after she does. She walks over and sits next to him. ]

Does Torkoal make a good stove?

[gianthobo]

[He puts a hand on her back, trying to be comforting. He's... not the best at it.]

He does. I like cooking like this. You have to know just how helpful Torkoal is going to be on any given day, and he has to know just how much heat to give it. We worked it out a while ago, but this new pan gave us a little trouble at first.

[Several eggs were sacrificed. Their noble deeds will not be forgotten. Torkoal turns to look at her, a grin on his face.]

Koal torkoal.

[He lets out a puff of steam from his mouth, and AZ chuckles.]

He's only showing off because he wants you to think he's still young. He is the youngest of my Pokemon aside from Eevee, but he's not as young as he wants you to think he is.

[ourlegends]

[ She giggles a little, leaning forward. ]

It's okay, Torkoal. You look really good for your age! I would have never thought you were all that old.

[ And that there was a wave of dizziness from lack of sleep. She sits back again, against AZ's hand. It is comforting, don't worry. ]

[gianthobo]

[AZ makes a slightly alarmed noise, and pulls her gently so she can rest on his side.]

You need to rest. We'll take care of breakfast for you, all right?

[dragonform]

Need a hand?

[Ryu offers a hand, having just come in shortly before AZ began to practice. He saw the whole affair, and winced when the large man came tumbling down. He needed a bit of work, that was for sure. Fortunately, Ryu isn't very bad at the whole training thing.]

You should be a bit careful. Have you had any training?

[gianthobo]

[He takes Ryu's hand and pulls himself up, shaking his head.]

I'm... not a fighter. At all, really.

[dragonform]

If things were safer, you wouldn't have to be.

[He glances at the staff for a moment, eying at it up and down.]

Did you want to learn?

[gianthobo]

I... I'd like to. I don't want to be a burden, and my Pokemon can't do all of my fighting for me. ... I know they're happy to protect me but I feel as if I should know how to take care of things myself, here. It's not like at home.

[Still, as he picks up the staff he can't help but look uneasy.]

[dragonform]

You're not a burden, AZ. Nobody is.

[Ryu shakes his head.]

Still... If you want to learn how to fight, I'll be happy to teach you my way.

[Ryu steps back a slight distance, maybe no more than four feet, and draws his sword.]

Come at me however you'd like. I need to see how you fight before I can offer any advice.