InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You had to borrow my socks"

zaria (bravely) wrote in mirage_rpg,
@ 2008-07-04 10:30:00

Entry tags:

complete, day 6, katara, xena

Day 6
Who: Xena & Katara
What: Training
When: Morning
Where: Training Room
Rating: PG
Status: Complete

Xena had risen early, as was her habit. She showered and dressed, grabbed some light breakfast from the kitchen and headed for a room she had seen during her exploration of the resort. It was a big room, with several weapons on racks along the walls. There was a thick pad on the floor, and she assumed it was for sparring. If someone fell, they wouldn't get hurt too badly.

She entered the room and shut the door behind her. It was mirrored, as well, so that you could watch yourself as you trained. She looked around her for a moment, noting that the room was void of any other persons. She unstrapped her scabbard from her back and leaned her sword against the wall. She also unhooked her whip and chakram and set them next to the sword on the ground. She wanted to warm up before she started practicing with her sword.

While she and Gabrielle had been in India, they had discovered yoga. Gabrielle had been more into it than Xena had been, but Xena still did it sometimes to appease her friend. She was doing it now because some of the positions were good stretches and she had to admit, however reluctantly, that it was kind of relaxing.

She went through a few positions, watching herself in the mirrors. She'd grown used to mirrors. They hadn't existed in her time. The only thing she could rely on for a good reflection was some highly polished metal, or a still pond. When she felt sufficiently loose, she returned to the wall and pulled her sword from its scabbard. She turned and found a sparring dummy in the middle of the room. It hadn't been there before and it was slightly eerie. But, since no one else was still in the room, and she would know if there was, she chalked it up to a quirk of the planet.

She began her dance, because that's what it was. It was an elegant display of her skill. She slammed her sword into the dummy time and time again, stabbing and sweeping the blade through the air. The dummy never seemed to display any damage, but a thin red line would appear each time she struck it somewhere. By the time she finished, she was slightly out of breath and the dummy was covered in thin red lines.

She smiled, satisfied. But her smile vanished when she heard the door creak open.

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k_waterbender
2008-07-05 10:45 pm UTC (link)

Katara’s head nodded slowly at Xena’s question. How would this woman take it that the younger could manipulate water? Her brother used to tease her and tell her she was only playing with “magick water.” Maybe this woman wouldn’t be too shocked, though. She seemed intelligent, and the waterbender got the feeling she might also be well traveled. Maybe in this one’s world things like that weren’t so strange. After all, she didn’t dress anything like anyone she had met so far. Just because none other had witnessed bending before didn’t mean the warrior woman hadn’t. “Yes. I’m a master waterbender.”

To eliminate the need for the question of ‘what is waterbending,’ she plucked out the stopper on her water skin and drew the water out of the container in a clear stream with a smooth motion of her arm. With a movement from her other hand the water swirled into a sphere that distorted anything a person saw through it. “I’m hoping having some battle skills like this will help me with other weapons.” In one more fluid motion the water returned to the water skin and the plug was in place once more.

Silvery-sapphire eyes lit up with delight, and a broad smile spread over Katara’s lips as Xena accepted the challenge of teaching the waterbender how to use a weapon. Katara stepped forth onto the mat the woman had motioned toward. “I’m a fairly quick learner. I just hope I don’t let you down.”

Katara listened with rapt fascination as her new instructor explained the necessary stance needed on the weapon and the reasons behind it. It always helped to have a teacher who could explain the whys and hows of something like this. Understanding was key. The waterbender’s hands slid down the staff to grip it as Xena did, then she moved her body into the same position. This was easy for her. Bending was all about the proper forms and stances and movements a person made, along with the spiritual energies involved. At this point, though, the training in stances she had helped a lot. This one was even familiar.

She watched Xena’s movements, and the motions of the staff carefully. It was strange how flexible the staff actually was, as it seemed far sturdier in her hands. Katara felt she had chosen well, though. Killing was not a sport of which she was fond, but disabling an opponent was okay in her mind. Her eyes watched the muscles move as the older woman smashed the staff into the durable mat. It was good to know that despite it’s apparent flexibility, the staff was still a strong weapon. Yes, she had chosen well.

Katara nodded as Xena showed her the stance again. “Yes. I’ve got it. I was taught this stance by the master waterbender I learned from.” Even if she was learning things over that she already knew, it wasn’t really the exact same deal. This time she had a solid weapon to be held right in her hands at all times. It would be strange to have to have the same sort of grip and movements, though. That would be a challenge- one for which she was ready and excited.

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bravely
2008-07-05 11:20 pm UTC (link)

Xena watched the waterbending with fascination. This girl had powers she had only seen one other person use before. Person was a term used lightly as it had actually been Poseidon, the God. She didn't know that a mere human could manipulate water that way. She had already decided that the girl couldn't have been from Xena's own world. She had to have come from somewhere else to have powers like that.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine." Xena got over her shock at the waterbending, mostly because the girl seemed so adept and unfazed by it herself. She watched as Katara once more stoppered her waterskin and then took the proper stance, as Xena had instructed, holding the staff properly as well.

"Good, that makes this training a little easier." She wasn't aware that magic took any particular training in stances, but she supposed anything was possible. She moved herself back into position and held the staff out.

"The space on the staff between your hands is for defending yourself as well. Keeping it held out from your body, parallel with the ground will help you ward off other attacks. Although, it does not stand up as well to a sharp sword. It also takes some time to get used to the vibrations that spread through it after a strong blow."

She pulled the staff back, pointing it at the ground slightly. "The shorter end here is for reenforcement. It lays flat against the underside of your forearm and gives a little added leverage. You may have bruising there for some time while you practice, but your body will get used to it eventually."

"Let me see you practice the defensive stance." She demonstrated for her; moving from the ready stance, with her staff pointed slightly down, to held straight out in front of her, both arms parallel with each other, and the staff parallel to the ground. Her legs were in the same place, though her right knee was slightly bent.

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