Tranquil as a Forest, But on Fire! ...Just on fire.

[shepherd_prince]

WHO: Chrom, his new band of 'Shepherds', OPEN
WHAT: Now that there's a new team working together for the sake of the greater good, their first task is to beat the shit out of each other gather and spar, to better learn the skills, strengths, and weaknesses of their future allies on the battlefield. There may be shenanigans, there may not. But there will definitely be friendships of at least C-Rank by the end of this session.
WHEN: October 18th, 8 a.m.
WHERE: Training Hall
NOTES: Feel free to tag as many (or as few) sparring partners as you like. Chrom will be watching to take note of which people work best together for future reference. If you want him to come by and give feedback after a session, feel free to say so at the end of the spar!


The largest room of the training center had been specially reserved for Chrom and his assembled team. Kulevi was hovering just outside the front doors to direct Heroes to the proper location, advising them to stop by the armory if they needed to pick up any equipment for the training session. There weren't any refreshments, not yet, but Kulevi hinted that there might be sandwiches and punch once they concluded their sparring with one another.

Once everyone had arrived, Chrom greeted them with a smile. "I'm glad so many of you were able to attend. Given the warning we received a few days ago, I plan to have us conclude well before the appointed time if you wish to act upon that anonymous tip. In the meantime, let us begin." He produced a small tin can that rattled in his hand. "Inside are pairs of marbles with matching colors. Draw a marble, and find the person whose marble matches yours. This will be your first sparring partner. After ten minutes, the bell will ring and you will switch to someone new. Please take some time to introduce yourselves, and decide if you wish to spar with real weapons and spells, or if you would rather make use of the blunted and wooden practice weapons.

"We'll take a fifteen-minute break after three rounds. It is my hope that, by the end of our training regimen, we will all have a better understanding and appreciation of one another." He walked down the line, holding out the can to allow each person to draw a marble. When everyone had drawn, Chrom himself took the last one. He was not exempt from this exercise either.

Comments

SPARRING

[shepherd_prince]

[Use this thread to post your character's top-level, and others will tag in to spar with your character. Make sure to tag out too!]

Chrom

[shepherd_prince]

[Chrom's got his Crystal Knight job equipped, which means he's sporting the stab-you-in-the-face crystal armor, but wielding Falchion his trusty blade.]

[dammit_yuri]

Hai-yah!

[Flynn goes for the final blow, but Chrom's skillful swordsmanship had successfully deflected Flynn's blade and sent it flying across the training hall, leaving Flynn without his weapon.]

Well fought, Sir Chrom.

[shepherd_prince]

Thank you. You're no novice yourself.

[He salutes with his blade before going to retrieve Flynn's, and holds it out to him.]

It's been a long time since I've had an opportunity to match blades with anyone, much less someone who knows what they're doing. Shall we go again?

[dammit_yuri]

Really? You managed to finish me off in less than five minutes. Either I've gotten rusty, or your world is leaps and bounds ahead of mine in the art of swordplay.

[Flynn gratefully accepts his blade back.]

I am honored by your words. I would be even more honored if I were given a second chance.

[He takes on a fighting stance.]

Flynn Scifo

[dammit_yuri]

[Flynn has Magitek Knight and Paladin equipped, which have been mastered.]

[zodiac_brave]

[Ramza, as always, has only Freelancer equipped. He holds his broadsword with skill, though, so do not expect this to be an easy round. He bows to his opponent.]

If you are ready, let us begin.

[He holds his weapon in a defensive position.]

[dammit_yuri]

[Bowing in return, Flynn wastes no time taking the initiative. Jab, slash, prepare to parry at a moment's notice, and strike from angles you see any openings in. This man obviously had skill that was tempered in real combat, and Flynn was prepared to meet his blade with everything he had.]

[zodiac_brave]

[Ramza is prepared for the strike, so he is able to block it. Flynn is no novice, he can see. Ramza parries and takes a step forward to launch a counterattack. He trusts that Flynn will be able to block the move. The objective is to hone their skills and get to know their allies' capabilities, not to 'win' the battle. For now, he will stick to the basics.]

[pot_head]

[Donnel has Warrior + Chocobo Knight! His Chocobo is standing nearby, more of an audience member than a participant.]

[shepherd_prince]

Are you ready?

[Chrom is aware he might need to tone it down a bit, unless Donnel happens to be using a spear. But if he's got a sword, then Chrom will go a bit easier on him to help him learn.]

You can make the first blow. Don't worry about holding back.

[pot_head]

If you say so, Your Highness.

[Old habits die hard - he'll be holding into that spear for a while. He nods politely, before rushing forward, intending to use his weapon to sweep the leg!]

[shepherd_prince]

[Chrom's armor is bulkier than what he's accustomed to wearing, so vaulting into the air and spinning around like a big showoff is out of the question. But he can still jump a little, opting to pivot himself to Donnel's left before quickly closing the distance between them. A spear has the advantage of a longer reach than a sword, but if he can get in close, he's hoping that will make attacking more difficult and awkward for his opponent.]

[He attacks with two quick, light strokes of Falchion, crossing from shoulder to the opposite hip each time as he tests Donnel's defenses.]

Pyrrha

[pole_position]

[Pyrrha has her Custom Job equipped alongside Gunner at the moment, and is equipped with a shield and a weapon that can switch between javelin, short sword, and rifle forms in the blink of an eye.]

[shepherd_prince]

[Chrom's aware he might be at a disadvantage against Pyrrha if she elects to keep her long-range weapons. She's a skilled fighter as well, and he's not 100% sure what she's capable of just at the moment. This training exercise will be good for him as well as the others.]

Let us begin.

[Rather than move to attack, he actually plays it smart for a change, casting Protect to bolster his defenses.]

[pole_position]

[Likewise, Pyrrha spends some time sizing up her opponent. She knows that in a contest between skilled warriors, the one to make the first move is often at a strategic disadvantage. The only indication that she's doing anything at all is a brief red glow around her body.]

[shepherd_prince]

[He isn't sure what that scarlet light means. There's truly only one way to find out. He circles the Huntress slowly, wanting to make sure she's fully prepared before moving against her. She seems ready, so with a light spin of his sword, he takes the initiative and pushes himself forward. His strikes are light at first, testing her reflexes as well as her strength before revealing his own.]

Selphie

[boomchucka]

[Selphie is equipped with her combo of Red Mage and Warrior which has blessed her with some pretty potent magic. She's brought both her sword and her nunchaku for a little variety so she'll take on anyone with either weapon. She may or may not have a surprise for her teachers but they'd have to wait and see.]

[shepherd_prince]

[Chrom and Selphie have sparred a few times before. He knows she has more versatility with her jobs than he does. Most of the skills he's got aren't really suitable for a fight, since he wouldn't dare break out Doom or Death, nor would he try to petrify any one of them. But it's not going to do either of them any good if he holds back too much either. He'll have to test her, and push a little harder when she meets his challenges.]

Are you ready?

[Once she confirms she is, Chrom doesn't mind moving first. His crystal armor flashes as he moves forward, quickly covering the distance between them as his blade lashes out. He's not moving at full strength or speed; he wants to help her warm up first before he really presses her defenses.]

[boomchucka]

As I'll ever be! You better not poke me with that armor while we're at it, Chrom.

[Selphie waits for Chrom to make the first move, bringing sword and shield into a defensive position. If she was lucky, she may be able to parry his first strike and push him off balance with her buckler. She widens her stance to take the blow, grateful she opted her armor that morning. Her teacher looks like he wants to go all out for this sparring session.

Her eyes are observing his movements, looking for an opportunity to strike.]

[red_planet_blues]

[Sparks would sure like to spar. Looks like fun. But this month, he's got the awkward combo of Time Mage and Ghostbuster equipped, since he's so close to Onion Knight and those are the closest Jobs he has to maxed. Lacking in melee weapons leaves him feeling useless.]

Does anyone wanna...?

Um.

Yeah, no, I guess not.

[zodiac_brave]

[While it might not be a smart move to spar with his boss, Ramza is a firm believer in training one's skills. He approaches the Marshal.]

I can do nothing with your...'proton pack', but perhaps we can hone your time magicks, if you wish. I will attack, and you use your spells to evade.

[It was better than just watching the fray, at least?]

[red_planet_blues]

[He doesn't look too enthused, but he figures it's better than just standing here.]

Uh, sure. I mean. I don't have all of the spells yet, but I can do Stop, Haste, Slow, uh... that Flashy one, the one that drains yer health and the one that banishes ya to the Interdimensional Rift. But I ain't usin' that one.

[Not after visiting the Rift personally.]

[shepherd_prince]

What's the matter?

[Chrom approaches, holding his marble. Does it match? Does it not? Either way, he's not about to let Sparks miss out on the fun and turn into the group wallflower.]

[He notes the proton pack then smiles.]

You can dial it down to a lower frequency if you're worried about property damage. The beams are dangerous to those who are not dead, but not lethal.

[red_planet_blues]

Yeah, it just... it don't pack the same kinda punch as a sword or a gun. Or fists. Shoulda brought my robot fists.

And the other Job I'm workin' with is Time Mage. [He can barely keep from rolling his eyes.] Reckon spell slingin' is fine for some folks, but I don't think I'm cut out for it. It's a little too... static for my tastes, I guess.