Action -- Training Center

[birdwhoseeks.livejournal.com]

[As is the case with most weekends, Gwendolyn is honing her recently learned skills in the Training Center. This time, however, there's more in her mind than how to take out a group of Grats.

Despite the school gossip that seemed to garner more attention from people, the newsletter has never hidden that they're in a world on the brink of war - maybe not a war to determine who gets to survive the end of the world like in Erion, but war all the same. Not to mention how mere rumors of clandestine missile tests were enough to call Nina out of her teaching position and back into the field.

Gwendolyn knows sooner or later war will break out here, and she needs to be ready for it. Since she's already on her third quarter, she figures she should look into the other requirements for making SeeD... and she knows, from that one fateful visit last year, one such requirement resides in the Fire Cavern...

As she mulls things over, she hears some noises in the distance. Good, she thinks, a chance to unwind already.]

Comments

[shops-a-lot.livejournal.com]

[Bulla charges in, crouching and lifting the T-rexaur up on its belly before she uses both her upper and lower body strength to send it flying.]

INCOMING T-REXAUR!

[She's tossing it away from Gwendolyn, but she wants to make sure she doesn't hit someone with a T-rexaur that's going to be really pissed off once it gets over being stunned from Gwendolyn's Blizzara spell and her making it airborne. It goes through the air for about fifty feet before hitting the ground with a loud 'thud'.]

[queenmercedes.livejournal.com]

[Mercedes did not lie around for long, and after the shock of her fall was gone, she was gathering arrows. The skittering of the Grat nearby got her attention soon after she picked up a handful of arrows, and with a quick glance she saw it closing in on her. With a gasp she tumbles out of it's path and begins to scramble up to her feet, and soon leaps backward to lift herself into the air as she watches the monster turn and redirect itself to follow after her.

This time she succeeds in putting herself out of swatting range, and once she is at a safe height, she aims one of the arrows she managed to retrieve. It wouldn't kill the creature, but it would buy her enough time to look off toward the other noises she heard to make sure that the other Grat was not sneaking up behind her.

And she sees the Grat flailing about on fire, screeching in pain before it falls over limp and dies.]

...

[Her own monster yards beneath her is forgotten as she stares in confusion, glancing around to find an explanation for the demise of it's kin]

?

[birdwhoseeks.livejournal.com]

[Gwendolyn takes this moment to rush in straight at the remaining Grat, who's not so wounded as to lash out at her. She's quick to parry the strikes, leaving the Grat undefended for, say, an arrow to the back.]

[queenmercedes.livejournal.com]

[From above, Mercedes stares for a few moments after Gwendolyn appears, and it wasn't until the Grat was about to attempt striking back that the fairy reaches for an arrow to fire.

With a clear shot, she sends the arrow straight into the creatures back and it acts as the finishing blow that sent the Grat to it's death.

Mercedes flutters over and lands several steps away from Gwendolyn, watching her a few moments before her eyebrows arch downward into an unpleasant expression. She did not like feeling as if she owned the Valkyrie any sort of gratitude. She may not harbor any ill-will toward the other girl, but she felt conflicted over being helped by an Aesir. Or former Aesir. Whatever. Either way it brought on emotions that Mercedes was not comfortable with and it causes her to act rudely when her silence ends.]

Your assistance was not needed. I had the situation well in hand.

[birdwhoseeks.livejournal.com]

[Gwendolyn has the grace to look sheepish, if only because she would react the same in her situation.]

I apologize for the misjudgement.

[queenmercedes.livejournal.com]

[Mercedes nods after the apology and turns away to finish picking up the rest of the arrows that she had dropped earlier.]

I suppose that you did save me some time.

[That's the closest she will get to thanking her.]

Are you just out here to practice?

[birdwhoseeks.livejournal.com]

[She nods at the not-thanks.]

Not merely to practice, no. I find it easier to ponder things here. Some days I have need of this place beyond honing my skills.

[queenmercedes.livejournal.com]

[That answer seems to puzzle Mercedes.]

You come here in order to clear your mind? How can you fight when your thoughts are elsewhere and not completely focused on what you are doing?