Porcelain Child/VanaNumber05

<onine> Malthuesa collects two light straight bladed swords from a small selection of weapons that are resting on some fabric. He holds one, grip-out, to you. "We will cover that when the time comes."
* Vana looks at the weapon worriedly, but doesn't take it.
<onine> "It does not bite..."
<Vana> "It... it did before, sir." She looks up at him, fear evident on her face.
<onine> "It did and you fear that. But you must learn to face that fear, Teresu Sou Vana, or in life you may be bitten again. Pain is part of life, as is accepting and facing it."
* Vana looks at the weapon again, then very carefully reaches out and takes it.
<onine> "Good." he takes his in hand as well. "For the next few months I will teach you the basics of four styles, secret styles that only a few are privelidged to know. I am one. And by the end, you shall be another. After you have completed the basics, and tasted what each style has to offer, you will choose the style that suits you."
<onine> "Then the intensive training will begin."
<Vana> "... yes, sir." She sounds defeated.
<onine> "Step one...."
<onine> And so begins your training, he begins with simple blocks, always defensive first, before teaching offense. After a few hours, you are almost completely worn out. You are dismissed as the other young exalts arrive for their sparring session. Viers nods a greeting as you pass, and oddly, so do Barton and Gren.
* Vana just stands there, looking at them with exhausted confusion. The training was horrible... she's never felt so useless in her life.
<onine> Before you leave Malthuesa insists that you are there tomorrow at daybreak for your next session.
* Vana agrees, if reluctantly.
<onine> It does give you a respite to have some food and rest before the next class of the morning, which is thankfully one where you are sittign down.
<onine> As the instructor rambles on about historical battles, what wone them, why Lookshy is so grand and whatnot, something light hits you on the shoulder from behind.
* Vana flinches, then rubs her shoulder, peering over her it whilst trying not to seem as if she is doing so.
<onine> You see out of the corner of your eye, at the back, the three are chattering amongst themselves quietly and waving at you.
* Vana waves back slightly, then looks forward again.
<onine> Another hits you. This time Barton points down at the ground where the scrunched pieces of paper lay. Makes you kind of glad Looksy doesn't use writing tablets...
* Vana looks at them uncomprehendingly.
<onine> Barton makes a writing motion in the air and gestures at the paper. Gren buries his face in his hands to try and suppress the giggling.
* Vana blinks, now understanding, then picks up the pieces of paper, reading them quickly.
<onine> <Where were you this morning?>
<onine> The handwriting is sloppy... incredibly sloppy.
<onine> You notice several misplaced strokes and spelling mistakes, but the basic message is clear anyway...
* Vana writes back quickly, in her neatly calligraphed script. <Training with Maltheusa.> Then, after looking to make sure the teacher isn't watching, throws the paper back.
<onine> The note brings some comotion and discussion from the three, Barton, and Gren seem to be debating something with Viers swapping sides at will, then Barton starts writing again whilst Gren and Viers look on telling him to write this or that and Barton, his brow furrowed in concentration at the effort of spelling correctly.
* Vana can't help but look at them occasionally, worrying about what they think of her.
<onine> The next one comes sailing in, but misses, and hits another girl, who turns. The Three do a comically poor job at looking innocent before Barton gets to writing a second copy.
<onine> The next is a little more accurate, scoring you directly in the back of the head. Upon looking back, Viers winces and winks and apology.
* Vana offers a small smile, picking up the paper and reading it.
<onine> <Will you be at regular training tomorrow?>
<Vana> Note in reply: <Yes, Maltheusa said this is in addition to normal training.>
<onine> Another debate arises within the group, louder this time as Gren and Barton try and convince eachother of their thoughts on the matter, whilst Viers takes random sides. This time they are not as quiet as before and are scolded by the instructor.
<onine> "Do you find the defeat at Lightning Rift terribly amusing Barton, Gren and Viers?"
<onine> All three shoot up straight as arrows in turn when their names are called.
* Vana watches with the rest of the class, unable to feel like this is anything but her fault.
<onine> "Um ah... um" Barton offers.
<onine> "Why no sir," Gren fields "I was just discussing the value of adequate supply lines with my learned collegue here." He elbows the bigger Barton in the ribs
<onine> "He's ah, quite correct Sir, I suggested that General Crowell could have used rafts on the rivers to the south, but ah, Viers here says that they would have needed the scarce wood they had for uh... uh..."
<onine> "Siege engines!" Viers pipes up.
<onine> Each smiles brightly like movie stars at the Instructor who spears them with disbelieving glances.
<onine> "Save it for *after* class, this is a History lesson, not strategic theory..."
<onine> The three now debate whether they *could* have used the river if they had been General Crowell...
<onine> Quietly this time...
<onine> Anyway, the day ends and most are chatting in the barracks and getting ready for sleep.
* Vana returns to her learning.
* Vana is rubbing her shoulder as she sits on her bunk, still sore from the morning. She starts to turn down her sheets for sleep.
<onine> "Yo!" A bass voice says from above and behind you.
* Vana flinches again, then looks at the source of the voice.
<onine> It's Barton, a big grin on his coffee brown face. You can see Viers and Gren snaking through the bunks to join in the conversation.
<onine> The other two offer various greetings as they approach.
* Vana looks at them worriedly, of course. She's still not used to being in sleeping clothes when others are around.
<onine> Barton eases himself down on the bunk across from you, and Viers pops up onto an upper bunk above him. Gren remains leaning against one of the bedposts.
<onine> "So ah, we gotta know..." Barton begins. "You weren't at training this morning with the rest, and now you're taking extra classes with the swordmaster, so uh, whats the deal?"
<Vana> "I... he says he wants to train me, for some reason..." She looks nervous.
<onine> "You see Gren, I told you, protege," Barton says.
<onine> "I still say its catch-up." Gren replies. Viers just shrugs non-commitally
<onine> "Well uh, can you give us the solution to our little debate?" Barton asks.
<Vana> "He... says he's training me specially. Only one swordsman of each generation does this." She doesn't feel especially proud of this, and it shows.
<onine> "Yes! Haha! I was right Gren, in your face! No cough up those grain bars!"
<onine> Gren grumbles. "Fine, here. He hands the two 'muslea bar' style rations to Barton, who promptly starts wolfing them down whilst grinning triumphantly. He stops short when he sees your distinct lack of pride. Uh *munch* sorry. You awright Vana?"
<onine> "Yeah," Viers adds. "You dont look all that happy about it."
* Vana hugs herself self-consciously. "I don't want to be singled out... and soon, everyone will be noticing me."
<onine> Viers waves a 'dont bother' hand at Gren who was about to ask 'why'.
<onine> "Dont worry about it then." Barton says. "We just wont tell anyone. It really was too bad Vana missed training this morning..."
<onine> "Yeah, darn shame," Viers adds. "That hole Old Malthuesa put in her belly got a bit infected..."
<onine> "I certainly wouldnt want to swing a sword around with a fever, those shakes are bad bad bad." Gren offers.
* Vana looks at them, unsure. "You'd... do that for me?"
<onine> "Sure." Gren says with a thumbs up. "It'll cost you though..."
<Vana> "C-Cost me...?" She looks scared.
<onine> "Hey, I lost two grain bars today to that oaf, that investment is gonna pay off."
<onine> "It already is." Barton rubs his stomach satisfied.
<onine> "No, dimwit, we're gonna make her the best swordsman in Lookshy."
<onine> Another exalt walking past who caught the remark asks "Who's gonna be the best swordsman in Lookshy?"
<onine> Gren turns hot-headedly and remarks egotistically, "Me! Whod'you think? Vana?!"
<onine> The other exalt laughs and walks away. Gren turns back. "See Vana, easy."
* Vana smiles a little. "Thank you."
<onine> "A vast conspiracy of lies and mutual coverups? My boys, I smell a shennanigans afoot." Viers says grinning.
<onine> "Yeah..." Gren smiles with mock evil.
<onine> "Think nothing of it" Barton says.
<onine> "Noooo... you just concentrate on becoming good."
* Vana seems to have relaxed a little. "I will..."
<onine> "Hey, look at it this way," Viers says. "If Barton here can make that opposable thumb of his wrap around a sword-grip, you can *easily* become a good swordsman."
<onine> "Shuttup Viers..."
<onine> Barton turns to you. "Don't pay any attention to their shameless propaganda, they are merely jealous and intimidated by my superb physical prowess."
<onine> He puffs out his chest.
* Vana giggles. "Yes, you're very... you." A joke! Sort of. Amazing, anyway.
<onine> "I will take that as a compliment!" Barton beams.
<onine> "I wouldn't...." Viers mutters sarcastically.

<onine> Over the course of the next couple of days, you notice that through some acts of guile, blackmail and bravado, the three manage to ease themselves into bunks nearer to yours, and the three begin to easily deflect questions regarding your absence in the early mornings and why you're always early to Malthuesa's sparring sessions.
* Vana sleeps a little better than usual... not to say that she doesn't wake up some nights, crying, but it happens less often.
<onine> Occasionally on the practice sparring sessions (they're still using spears) you manage to get a chance to spar with each of the three. Gren would easily be the best, Viers in the middle, and poor Barton worse-off. It doesn't worry him though, he excells in martial arts class.
<onine> On the nights you wake up, the three deflect and otherwise make others leave you be. Sometimes Gren and Barton have mock fist fights, which have on occasion turned into brawls with many other young exalts...
<onine> At times you begin to wonder whether Barton and Gren *enjoy* kitchen duty, despite their skill in respective fields, they get it. A lot.
<onine> Viers is a little smarter, his crime tends to be sneakier and less obvious to observers.
<onine> His pranks run rampant both on the three, occasionally you, and especially other young exalts.
* Vana is exceedingly grateful to all of them.
<onine> One evening you are shaken awake....
* Vana wakes in utter fear, as she usually does on occasions like this.
<onine> A hand clamps quickly over your mouth, but a reassuring voice whispers quickly in your ears. "Dont scream dont scream, its okay Vana, its me."
<onine> Viers... or Gren, probably Viers though.
* Vana shudders violently as the fear drains away suddenly, leaving her jittery and nervous.
<onine> Viers puts his finger to his mouth "Shhhhhhhhhh. Get something warm on and meet me outside." He scampers away, but as an afterthought he adds "Be quiet..."
<onine> Its still the dead of the night, middle of Ascending Air, so in other words, very cold.
<Vana> "But..." Gone. She sits there for a moment, then reaches underneath her bunk, finding an old, baggy shirt and pants. She puts them on and tiptoes outside after him.
<onine> Viers waves you over to where he is waiting in the shadows between two of the barracks.
* Vana moves over. "Viers? What's wrong...?"
<onine> "Nothing... no shoes? Oh well... come on." He hefts a smallish bundle on his shoulder and creeps quickly down the rows of buildings.
<Vana> "I..." Gone again. She pads silently after him.
<onine> Eventually he leads you to the 'wall' of the compound. There isnt a grand fortified wall surrounding the Teresu complex, there is little need for it, but around the barracks where the 'new recruits' are 'kept' there is a presentable fence. A stone wall around 12 feet high.
<onine> Viers moves along it untill he reaches a bit of scrub, which he pulls back and dumps the bundle inside. He ushers you to it. "Go through, its a tight squeeze but you're small."
<onine> In the wall, a portion of the stones are missing, creating a amall hidden exit.
* Vana looks at him worriedly for a moment, then moves through the gap.
<onine> It is a tight squeeze, but you fit through fairly easily. Viers has slight difficulties, but makes it through.
<onine> "The three of us have been pirating a stone each per day from here since the start. Impressed?"
* Vana nods a little. "I guess... but what for?"
<onine> "Fun" He says, you can see his teeth flash a smile in the starlight. "Heard of it?"
<Vana> "Y-Yes... of course." She frowns in confusion, missing the joke. "Viers, what's going on?"
<onine> "Come on, I'll tell you later!" He grabs your hand and pulls you along through the city. If you know your city layout, and you do, Viers is taking you towards the city gate closest to the Teresu Manse.
* Vana runs along with him; all she can do, really. She gets more worried by the minute.
<onine> Luckily, he doesn't take you outside the city (how would you get past the guard this time of night anyway), he does take you to a havily wooded park, he leads you into the center of the 'mini' forest. This one is sometimes used as a practice ground for stealth and climbing training.
<onine> The mossy ground crunches moistly under your bare feet, and a heavy mist hangs between the trunks. The poor moonlight casts long beams of light and shadow across the fog, giving a haunting feeling, coupled with the cold and the strange windy noise of the city around you that you can no longer see.
<onine> "Here we are." Viers comments reverently, his breath condensing into puffs as he speaks.
* Vana shivers, wrapping her arms about herself. "O-Oh..."
<onine> He qucikly unwraps the fabric coated bundle. "I had a cousin in the legion sneak these in for me..." He produces two light straightswords. They glint coldly in the light.
<onine> "Here," he hands one to you.
<Vana> "W-What? What for?" She looks worried, again, as she takes the sword from him.
<onine> "Dont panic, they're blunt." He runs the blade down his arm to show you.
<Vana> "But what do we need them for?"
<onine> "I want to see what you've learnt."
<onine> He tests the weight a little clumsily, he has only just begun sword instruction.
<Vana> "Why...? You see me at practice..."
<onine> "I want to see you fight without everyone watching you, I want to see you when you're not so concious of everyone's eyes being on you. Out here, it's only you, me and these trees."
<Vana> "I-I guess..."
<onine> "Thank you. Well?" He raises the sword in a ready position. "En guarde."
* Vana takes a deep, not to mention freezing, breath, and gets into a stance she recently learned.
<onine> "First to land three hits..."
<Vana> "Ok..." She looks a little shaky from the cold, but otherwise prepared.
* Vana steps in quickly, remembering what Maltheusa (rather bluntly) said: if you can hit your opponent first, then you don't have to worry about getting hit yourself. She swings her sword in a low arc, aiming to bring the flat of it straight into Viers' ribs.
<onine> Viers makes a clumsy attempt to block, but your blade slides along his with a loud scrape before bouncing off into his ribs. "Uff!"
* Vana draws her blade back quickly. "Are you okay?"
<onine> Wise words indeed, after guaging an opponent's skill, determine the safest strike in regards to your own defense.
<onine> "Yeah *cough*. Nice hit, that's one."
<Vana> "Viers, I don't want to do anymore... please."
<onine> "Why not?" He rubs his ribs
<Vana> "You've seen what I can do... and that's what you wanted, right?"
<onine> "Its only one hit! Whats the matter, dont think you can beat me?" He chuckles.
* Vana frowns worriedly. "Viers..."
<onine> "What?"
<Vana> "I-It's nothing... let's just continue, if that's what you want." It's quite clearly not what she wants, though.
<onine> He raises his sword again. "I'm going to get one hit on you tonight."
* Vana smiles. "You can try."
<onine> "I intend to... en guarde."
* Vana decides to just defend, giving him a chance to get his hit. She plants her feet out wide, holding her blade perfectly straight in front of her.
<onine> Viers nods a slight appreciation, and darts forward, he's quick but unskilled. Most of his fine movement comes from natural wood aspect grace. He does two light double swings against your arms, avoiding thrusts that could still potentially wound.
<onine> The mossy ground crunches under his feet as he slides forward on it, his left arm behind him for balance.
* Vana flicks each strike to the side with almost no effort, concentrating on each stroke.
<onine> Viers bites his lip and steps back, his weapon pointed slightly downwards defensively as you both pause in the harshly cut moonlight.
<onine> "This from the girl who couldn't even lift a spear a few weeks ago."
* Vana lowers hers as well. "I still don't like it, Viers."
<onine> "But you're so good at it!"
<Vana> "I don't want to be..." She shakes her head, looking down. "Are you sure we can't stop?"
<onine> "You really want to stop?"
<Vana> "I just don't like fighting with... with my friends."
<onine> "Oh... okay..." He lowers his blade a little disappointed. "I can understand that I guess."
<Vana> "Mmm..." She holds her weapon loosely now. "I'm sorry..."
<onine> "Its alright... Gren is a bit of a jerk, would you fight him?" Viers grins
<Vana> "He's not a jerk... he just doesn't know when to stop sometimes." She looks up again. "I couldn't fight any of you, I think."
<onine> In some ways he is a jerk, Gren is immensely egotistical, and his rise to the top of the 'normal' pile in melee hasn't really helped his attitude. He's still a decent person at least, if a little full of himself... :P
<onine> Viers holds out his hand for the 'toy' sword.
* Vana passes it back. "I really am sorry..."
<onine> "Its alright, I did learn something tonight though..." He bundles it up with its partner as he speaks.
<Vana> "Oh...?" She goes back to being cold, shivering again.
<onine> "You're a very special and talented young woman Vana. You've come so far in a matter of weeks. You've outstripped every one of your peers. You've even passed Gren in style and expertise. Maybe its destiny for you?"
<Vana> "I hope not..." She leans against a nearby tree.
<onine> "Why?"
<onine> Viers finishes bundling up the weapons and rests the package on his shoulder.
<Vana> "Because... because I don't like being special. I don't want to be the one that others look up to."
<onine> "Because you dont think you deserve the honour?"
* Vana nods silently.
<onine> "I wouldn't worry about that... one day if it is destiny, you will earn the right, I think. Hmmm, we better get going if you want to get any sleep before your morning practice..."
<Vana> "I never sleep anyway... you know that." She walks beside him as they head back towards the compound.
<onine> "Yeah..."
<onine> Soon you are back inside bundled up in your bunk. You are just dozing off when you hear Gren's voice.
<onine> "Well?"
<onine> "Well what?" Viers responds.
<onine> "Well how did she do you dimwit."
<onine> "Very well, she had me on the first move, and she swatted my sword away as if I were a little kid."
<onine> Gren grunts. "Well that's not hard to see why, you're a pretty sad swordsman Viers. I should have been the one to guage her progress."
<onine> "First of all Gren, you're too big to fit through the hole, second, you lack a special skill."
<onine> "Oh?" Gren asks sceptically.
<onine> "Tact." Viers says. "You're too controntational and violent."
<onine> Gren sounds a little hurt. "Violent? Call me violent again and I'll come over there and pop your pretty face inside out."
<onine> Barton's voice comes out of the gloom, "If you dont *both* shut-up and sleep I'll pop *both* of your faces inside out."
<onine> No one speaks after that, and soon everyone is sleeping at least somewhat peacefully.
* Vana smiles to herself, before slowly falling into sleep.