Summer Training!

[steelguarded]

Who: Snow and aspiring STUDENT ATHLETES
What: It's nice out, let's get training
When: Throughout June
Where: The Arena of Trials
Warnings: Relentless optimism and sweating

With the weather getting nicer, even in the Alps, Snow wasn't about to waste the opportunity. Booking out a solid chunk of time in the Arena of Trials throughout the month, Snow had set up a huge obstacle course including climbing walls, ropes, weights, and an arena full of training golems. Under his supervision, students are able to attempt a number of physical activities and combat trials. The purpose here is twofold, not that Snow's really making a big deal about it. One: help students get in shape and blow off steam. Two: make sure they're in good condition so he can give his recommendation to the board as to who should be permitted to take on the Herald. The secondary duty isn't particularly nice, but Snow takes it seriously although he might not show it. He wants all his kids back home alive, after all.

Activity List:
General Combat Training Golems (blow these things up with your strongest powers)
Duelist and Technique Training Golems (multiple settings available to train in more formal arts such as swordplay and combat spellcraft)
Climbing Wall with Power Suppression
Weight Area with weights available for those with super strength
Open Track with Power Suppression available on request
Targeting Dummies (these don't fight back when you blow them up)

Comments

[strings_theory]

Hey, a physical activity thing when she's bored as hell? Sounded like something she needed to tackle and, of course, she's just eyeing the golems for a moment before casually summoning Stone Free. "Fuck yeah." Shut up, Jolyne.

Not that it's taking her much time to immediately start trying to punch these fucking things to death both by herself and with her familiar's help. Of course not, physical shit is her specialty at this point.

The climbing wall also isn't something she's particularly bothered by, just attacking it and scrambling up as quickly as possible.

What does cause her to chill out a bit is the open track where she's just taking her sweet time after about a lap or so. Just... just ignore her familiar returning to jog along with her. What the hell.

Golem Brawling

[steelguarded]

[Snow watches Jolyne go to town on the golems, watching her stance carefully. During a break, he approaches.]

Not bad! You got some good swings in there!

[strings_theory]

[Not bad? She's frowning a little to herself and at least giving him the time of day with her arms crossed over her chest. Her familiar's doing about the same behind her, jeeze.]

Kinda the point, get as many hits in as you can to overwhelm. Not graceful, I guess, but it fuckin' works at least?

[steelguarded]

Usually, yeah. Most lesser daemons'll not really be able to counter that.

[Snow is nothing if not positive and affirming. Just. Very specifically so.]

[strings_theory]

You sayin' I can't take on something bigger than a lesser daemon?

[Oh no, she took that as a challenge. Snow, what have you done, this is not good.]

Because there's no way in hell I can't.

[marmoron]

[Right. Combat training. Keith's here for this, especially if it means destroying some training golems. At first, it looks like he's going for more tor a more mixed martial arts style approach, and he's pretty obviously light on his feet and fairly advanced in his ability to zone well enough to throw out a few jump kicks.

And theeeeeen you can tell he's gotten bored because he activates his Flame, bringing his fists together to draw a sword. A second later, the blade lights on fire.... and it's looking like the golem does not like it hot.]

[steelguarded]

[ Snow will let Keith demolish the golems without complaint. That's what they're here for, after all! Somebody will take care of repairs. He assumes. Once Keith is done, he'll approach ]

That's some pretty fancy swordwork you've got there.

[marmoron]

[He stops, glancing over towards Snow at the comment. As with a lot of the faculty here, he's really not sure what to expect.]

Could always use more refining.

[It would be nice, for example, if he could better incorporate the fire.]

[steelguarded]

Oh for sure. I'm not a sword man myself, but I know some people. You prefer fists though? I noticed it took you some time to draw.

[marmoron]

Had my fists my whole life.

[He's decidedly staying a little guarded, but after a moment he does offer more helpfully.]

Only figured out my Flame was a sword a year ago.

[As he speaks, the fire on his blade extinguishes.]

[buddinghopes]

[Training! Always a good time, honestly, and Lia's definitely not about to turn down a chance to keep her skills sharp.

The climbing wall is something she hasn't really attempted before, but that's not about to stop her from trying, and occasionally, she'll be caught doing a lap around the open track.

Where she ends up spending most of her time, is with the targeting dummies, where she spends a lot of her time practicing with her preferred weapons--summoned handguns.

... This isn't to say she's ignoring the combat training golems though. Have fun watching the magical girl teleport around and shoot at things?]

Climbing Wall

[steelguarded]

[ Snow is keeping pretty busy making sure all the students are doing well and observing everyone's actions. Seeing Lia is an obvious climbing wall novice, he makes sure to swing by while she's on the wall and shout encouragement ]]

You're doing great! Remember, firm holds, move when you feel steady!

[buddinghopes]

Right! Firm holds, move when steady... firm holds, move when steady...

[She keeps muttering it to herself as she makes progress.]

I've never tried anything like this before, this is more fun than I thought it'd be!

[steelguarded]

Oh, just wait. The real fun starts when you can recognize the paths and go around them.

[buddinghopes]

That does sound fun!

[A little more progress, before she pauses to let herself get a little steadier.]

You do this sort of thing a lot, then?

[infestedcouncilpresident]

Kohaku did the climbing wall twice. The first time she did it properly, scrambling her way up with the commendable proficiency of someone who was in good shape. The second time she was using some special gear: an elaborate full arm gauntlet with a built in grappling hook. On one hand, it was kind of cheating, but on the other a grappling hook was the kind of equipment you wanted to practice with.

In the dueling ring, she was equally capable. Her swordplay against the golems had an elegant brutality about it. She parried and dodge attacks with a clearance of a few millimeters on a regular basis, showing perfect confidence as if she'd practiced that particular move a hundred times. Her attacks were similarly fluid and confident, sliding through the tiniest gaps in her opponent's guard. She wasn't any faster or stronger than a normal human, but her ability to perfectly exploit any mistake made it not seem to matter.

She also spent some time with the weights and on the track, but there wasn't anything unusual here. Just the general keen attitude of someone who wants to stay in shape.

[steelguarded]

[ Snow always makes a point to watch students hitting the weights - many of them have frankly bad form and are more liable to hurt themselves than anything else. Kohaku, he notes, seems to be doing pretty well. ]

You seem pretty at home with those. You lift often?

[infestedcouncilpresident]

Yeah.

[She speaks between reps.]

Can't shoot lightning from my eyes like a mage or glow in the dark like a candle. So I do what I can to keep up.

[steelguarded]

Hey, you can do some major damage with a sword or gun, just gotta stay in shape and keep on your toes. My crew fought monsters for years with whatever weapons we could find.

[infestedcouncilpresident]

I've honestly thought about seeing if I could get a gun...It's kind of a scary thought, though.

[Okay enough lifting weights for now, since she was apparently having a conversation.]

So you're from a hunter guild?

[descolation]

[A combat course is right up the small daemon's alley. This isn't exactly her first real fight, but it is the first time she's ever really fought an opponent this big and strong. For most of the fight against the golem, Desco tries to use her small size and relatively fast mobility to outmaneuver it, blasting it with her eye beams and casting what few spells she knows. However, daemon or not, her endurance isn't exactly the best. Just dodging attacks and striking it every so often isn't exactly enough to bring the golem down. Eventually she slows and pays for it, blocking a hit that still hurt her arms.

It goes for another blow, but Desco extends her tail to trip the golem and knock it onto its face. With its back exposed, Desco lunges forward and punches it several times, groaning in pain before its tough body finally starts to crack. Opening her eyes wide, she shoots a beam out of her eyes, one slightly bigger than she ones she's been shooting until now, finally damaging it enough that the golem stops moving.

She almost falls, but manages to catch herself. Between heavy breaths, she starts to realize what just happened.]

Desco did it! Desco really did it! Fuahahahaha! Cower, you mean old golem, at the awesome might of DESCO!

[She lets out a hearty laugh as she kicks its now unmoving body, almost falling over in the process.]

[steelguarded]

[ Snow will offer some sincere clapping at that display ]

Good job, kid.

[ Daemon or not, still a kid as far as he can tell. ]

[descolation]

[Desco lets out another laugh, though this time it just comes out as a cheerful giggle.]

Thanks, Coach! Desco feels really tired, but she's glad she did a good job! Do you have any advice for Desco on how she can improve?

[steelguarded]

Hmmm... how long have you been training like this? That seemed like it was a lot for you.

[descolation]

Do you mean against an actual opponent? Not often. Desco wanted to hone her powers first, but she thought this kind of training would be good for her.