013 | Down To Business

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Training
When: Morning June 16
Where: Bishamon's temple
Summary: Training sessions for everyone to learn more about their abilities and jobs!



Many people have been wanting to know more about their abilities and what they are required to do here in the Far Shore. So, in conjunction with Bishamonten, the Heavens have seen fit to offer an open training session for everyone to participate in. Here you will be able to learn anything and everything about what you should be able to do and what is expected of you in your new positions.

Bishamon's temple is sweeping and gorgeous, having previously been home to hundreds of shinki. She has graciously offered to hold this training session and will be available to help anyone who needs it.



Equipment

Various kinds of mannequins and dummies have been provided for practice, as well as targets that are either stationary or move, depending on your will. Punching bags, jumping blocks, and a large pool area have also been provided for your use, so that you can find a tool for pretty much anything that you might need to practice. Plenty of practice weapons of various weights, sizes, and shapes are also available upon request from any of the many white-clad shinki that are also attending today.

God Training

Bishamon herself will be the foremost source of information regarding being a god and what is expected of you. It is also encouraged that gods group up together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies. Random groupings can be provided by the mods or you may come up with your own groupings together.

Shinki Training

Various shinki are available to help with shinki training, including Kazuma and all of Bishamon's shinki. Additionally, the white-clad shinki will be more than happy to train you on using the borderline and some of the basics of what is expected of a shinki. It is also encouraged that shinki group up together to practice what they've learned and discuss their ideologies. Random groupings can be provided by the mods or you may come up with your own groupings together.

Refreshments

There is a refreshments table provided. It is covered with light snacks and various kinds of hydrating drinks. There is a little sitting area set up for people to relax in after they have finished their training or if they're even just taking a quick break to cool down. The Heavens want you to stay in good condition!

In Summary:

• Use the state of the art equipment
• Learn about your job
• Form groups to practice
• Don't get dehydrated
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[declamando]

[The offer seems to come as somewhat of a surprise to Maria, and she blinks a little before her expression settles into one more of interest. Though she has experience in combat already, learning from a literal god of the battlefield definitely couldn't hurt.]

I'd be honoured to learn from someone with so much experience.

[nibelungvalesti]

It is my duty. [Simple as all that. While technically Maria SHOULD be honored, Lenneth had not Chosen her, so the actual worthiness is in question...]

[But, the Valkyrie admits, she SOUNDS as if she ought to be Chosen. She has no qualms.]

[declamando]

[Maria simply nods in acceptance of that sentiment, since it's one she's familiar with herself. She still considers it an honour, but she's not going to argue the point with the valkyrie if, to her, it's simply duty.

Turning the sword in her hand once more, she flicks it back into a reverse grip.]

Where would you suggest we start, then?

[nibelungvalesti]

The ideal way is to learn by doing... but in absence of any ayakashi to fight, I would prefer to see your abilities as they stand now.

[Without the relic, which Lenneth assumes is implied.]</small

[declamando]

[Without the relic is certainly how Maria is taking it, not least because the relic is too much of a risk to warrant just for practice purposes. So without hesitation, she takes a few steps back to give herself a good distance from the valkyrie, her stance shifting into something more balanced and battle-ready.

She's still holding the sword with that backwards grip, more like what one might usually hold a dagger with.]

Then I'm ready whenever you are.

[nibelungvalesti]

[The style is unusual, but the balance and weighting of that sword will serve for that grip if she favors it. Lenneth draws her own sword with a ringing sound and the faint waver of light behind her back -- but she has no Einherjar to summon, and so that energy subsides.]

[Two shields coalesce out of the ether, one floating before her and one behind.]

Try to strike through my guard.

[declamando]

[There's a short nod from Maria to indicate she understands before she darts forward, obviously used to combat at a moment's notice. Interestingly, she doesn't actually hit the shield first with the sword. Instead, she drives the fist holding the sword into the shield, seemingly testing its resistance and resilience, before twisting her hand sharply and driving the blade into the side of the shield.

Normally, she's used to doing this with energy shields, but she sees no reason not to at least try it on a more literal one.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[Lenneth lifts one arm at an angle, her typical guard posture, as Maria strikes her foremost shield. Said shield has practically no give to it at all, nor does it so much as dent.]

[Mild surprise shows on the Valkyrie's face at this technique.]

Were you attempting to destroy the shield?

[declamando]

[At the very least, Maria isn't going to continue using a technique that clearly isn't working, so she draws back a bit to consider going at it a little differently.]

Sort of. I'm more used to going against energy shields, which can have exploitable weak points to that kind of move.

[And since there's absolutely no give happening there, Maria figures it's time to try getting around it. Coming from below this time, Maria drives her sword up at an angle towards an area that's less protected by the shield as it's positioned right now.]

[nibelungvalesti]

I see.

[Lenneth dodges backwards almost like she's gliding, though she forgoes the counterattack opportunity that presents itself.]

Better. My shields do not break unless I do. Even those without an ether coating -- if you can break them, you are better off breaking your opponent instead.

[declamando]

I'll keep that in mind. [Though Maria prefers not to think about her opponents in terms of breaking them, it's still a sound point.

Since Lenneth seems to be a rather fast opponent, Maria figures it's time to gauge exactly how fast. With a short run-up, she leaps upwards into a forward flip, this time simply driving a heel towards the valkyrie's head from above.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The Valkyrie is a swift opponent to be sure, but in many ways she relies more on the fantastic durability of an Aesir, or her materialized body, to win through fights. The blow knocks her backwards and down to a knee, but she is on her feet almost immediately once more.]

An excellent blow!

[declamando]

[So bypassing the shields through agility is a valid option, which Maria will definitely be keeping in mind as well. There is a limit to how many ways she can do that, though.

With a short, professional nod in acceptance of the compliment as she lands, Maria surveys the locations of the shields briefly before moving sharply to one side, executing a quick, low turn and driving her dagger backwards and up towards the torso this time instead. It's an attempt to create an unpredictable enough move that the shields don't move in time to stop it, though as experimental as it is, she's not expecting it to go smoothly.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[Here is a lesson Maria ought to learn: she is focusing on the shields, even in trying to avoid them. As she steps to the side, Lenneth smoothly turns, swinging her own sword to intercept Maria in a sweeping arc that would be dangerous had she not turned it to strike with the flat. Nor is she putting the full strength of her back and legs into the blow as well; it is meant to demonstrate, not to punish.]

[declamando]

[Well, that's one way for it to not go smoothly. The movement has Maria forced to change the trajectory of her sword at the last minute - even though it's only the flat that's being swung, she still has no interest in letting it hit. It's a close thing, but Maria does barely manage to deflect the strike.]

Sloppy. [She remarks quietly on her own technique before Lenneth has the chance to, flipping backwards to give herself the space to straighten up. She's definitely focused more on the torso (and the sword) this time, and when she darts to one side, it's for a more glancing, testing strike to see how well that sword might be able to intercept in closer quarters.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The Valkyrie all but ignores this blow. Why should she not? Her torso is armored, and the plate deflects the glancing strike as it is intended to.]

[At the same time, she lunges forward, lashing out with a half-sliding kick towards Maria's legs.]

[declamando]

[Not quite what Maria was hoping for, but at least it gives her an impression of the strength of the valkyrie's body armour. She feels like she'd probably be using her bladed whip for this kind of battle if she was wielding her Symphogear, but she can't always have a weapon that adaptive, so she'll need to adjust.

The low kick is the kind of thing Maria's much more used to, at least, and she pushes herself into a leap forward and over the kick, landing on her hands and flipping over until she's back on her feet, wheeling back to face Lenneth.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[This is normally where the Valkyrie's Einherjar would charge in, taking advantage of her movements to break Maria's patterns and take advantage of her motion. But she isn't using them, so Lenneth hops sidelong to retake her guard at a fair distance from Maria.]

Your moves are dexterous, but you must improve their efficiency. Wasted movement is wasted effort. [Her words are without warmth, but that is simply how the Valkyrie is.]

[declamando]

It depends what you call a waste. [It's definitely not a rebuttal, and Maria's tone is entirely calm when saying it. But given how her shinki's vessel form works, relying on extraneous movement to build energy, it's safe to say purely efficient combat won't always serve her here.

For now, though, she can be more straightforward. Flipping the sword into a grip more akin to how a normal one might be held, she steps forward again and tries to get another, harder slash in past the guard of the shields.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[Edge-on-edge parries are bad swordsmanship -- unless both the swords involved are unbreakable. The Valkyrie meets Maria's slash aggressively, testing the woman's grip to see if she has the proper hold on her sword, or if it can be easily knocked free.]

[declamando]

[If there's one thing about swordfighting Maria is absolutely used to, it's coming into contact with unbreakable resistance. Her grip is firm, only becoming firmer with the testing strength, and she pushes back as much as she can without sacrificing her balance too much for it to be worthwhile.]

[nibelungvalesti]

You are stronger than you appear. [Says the goddess half a foot shorter who is not putting her full effort into this spar, because that would be brutal. She disengages with a sharp ring of metal on metal, dodging backwards once again to retake a guard position.]

[declamando]

My circumstances back home meant I needed to be. [As soon as Lenneth disengages, Maria hops backwards herself, landing in a ready position in case Lenneth was going to choose to follow up rather than guard. As an idol in public and a warrior in private, being stronger than she appears had been vital to Maria's position.

Once it becomes obvious Lenneth has returned to guarding, Maria darts forward again, going for a heavier side shot than the glancing blow she'd done earlier.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The shield attempts to intercept her path, but not swiftly enough -- the blow strikes past it and slams into the Valkyrie's armor, forcing a hiss of breath from between her teeth as she recoils from it. The sword in Maria's hands might as well be diamond; the ether coating makes it truly unbreakable.]

[declamando]

[Having gotten a successful hit in, Maria attempts to follow up, changing the angle of the sword and striking out again in pursuit of the recoil. Perhaps pushing her advantage isn't the cautious move, but she tends not to be as much like that in combat.]