[training log] june training sessions

[darkinferno]

WHO: Anybody on the network
WHERE: Utsuki Dojo in Tisse
WHEN: Sunday, June 18 and Sunday, June 25, 6pm - midnight
WHAT: FIGHT CLUB Weapon/self-defense training sessions! Plus the potential beginning of a secret society...
WARNINGS: None expected; will edit if they become necessary

training sessions - June

i. Introductions.

Just after 6:00, the dojo is theirs. Come in, warm up, stretch out, or mingle--it's your choice. Nothing will really begin until about 6:15, when Dante Rantanen hops up on a small chair he's produced from somewhere, giving him enough height to see over all of those assembled.

"Thanks for coming," he says, scanning the group. "Most of you have probably already heard the warnings, but for any of you that haven't, listen up." A pause. "We're meeting here tonight because a lot of us have either been sent weapons by Retrospec or had them turn up somehow, or have memories of fighting in whatever you believe these visions are, memories or hallucinations or visions of the future.

"Some of you might already know how to fight. Some of you might have remembered how to. Some of you might be completely clueless and want to learn. That's all right. All of us are here to practice--this isn't some chance to punch each other as hard as you can and beat the other guy into the ground. If you're here because that's what you want to do, the door's right there." He points toward the door of the dojo.

"For the rest of you, before we start doing anything, the prof--Professor Izunia--helped draft up a waiver to cover all our asses. Apparently training to use unregistered weapons isn't looked on kindly by the law; who knew?" A small smirk comes to Dante's face, but he moves on quickly. "Do us all a favor and sign it so we can keep this whole thing legal and not get shut down.

"That all being said, we've got a bunch of training weapons available and people who know how to use them. I'll let those people go ahead and introduce themselves."

Once those with experience fighting have introduced themselves and the weapons they can help teach, Dante nods to himself. "All right. I think that's everything. Any questions, come and see me. Aside from that, don't do anything stupid."


ii. Master & Student.

Thanks to Tatsuo and Dante's efforts, there are plenty of practice weapons available for people to use. There are wooden swords, with or without crossguards, thick, thin, shaped in various styles as might be found around the world. Fencing foils lie beyond those, all carefully tipped with practice buttons so that they can't do any damage to an opponent--again, in a variety of different styles. Some have quillions, some shiny bell guards, but all sit ready to be used.

There are staves and polearms, spears and a couple of small wooden shields (are those borrowed props...?). As many possibilities are represented as could be reasonably expected--what will you try out?

Once you've selected your weapon of choice, it's time to get to work! There are a number of people that have offered their time and skills to help teach, but perhaps you'd rather learn via trial by fire? Are you teaching your skills to willing "students?" One of those learning? There's a lot of time for training tonight, so make the most of it!


iii. A Secret Society.

Six hours is a long time! Nobody is expected to fight for six hours straight, so there's plenty of time for breaks. And where there are breaks, there's socializing. Sit and chat, mingle amongst yourselves, but wait...

There are some papers being passed around the dojo, very faintly numbered if anyone cares to look hard enough. Perhaps it was left behind by someone else, or somebody's handing it off to you with a "shhh" gesture (or perhaps you're the one handing it off?). Whatever the case, the message is the same:

Don't talk about this on the Retrospec network
(or anywhere else their "surveillance" might overhear)

Sundays, Utsuki Dojo, 8:00pm
Retrospec info briefings

Learning how to fight is a useful skill, given everything that's been going on the past few months. Figuring out what Retrospec's really up to and pooling our information might be even more important. We know they're keeping tabs on us through our electronics, so the next thing to try is meeting in private without giving them any way to find out about it.

It's doing what Jim wanted us to do, but at this point it's more important to start working together to figure out what's going on.

No cell phones. Leave them with your stuff and come join us outside if you want in.

Will you go? Or will you choose to stay inside and keep fighting? Someone's gotta keep up the illusion that they're still training, after all...

[[June training logs! Feel free to use this as a log for both Sunday, June 18th, and Sunday, June 25th. Info-sharing will be going on at both meetings! And of course, treat this as a mingle log and have fun :) Any questions, concerns, or additions can either be PM'd to me here or PP me at journeys.]]

Comments

Training - June 18

[megabond]

[Augustine is not much of a fighter and his other self from his visions seemed to be seen much more as a researcher. But learning about the training sessions from the network, he feels that he might try to get some fighting experience. Besides, after the shrinking incident, he feels that he might try to find a way to defend himself since he can't rely on Modeste's strange abilities forever.

For his training outfit, he wears a simple white T-shirt and blue jogging pants (which are gray for obvious reasons) while he's holding a wooden sword as his training weapon.

Although as he approaches Chloe, you can see that he's embarrassed for some reason.]

Why yes. I was hoping I could try to learn some self-defense skills. To be honest, I was a little conflicted when I learned about the training sessions.

[true_noir]

Oh? Why conflicted?

[She looked at him quietly while going to pick up a pair of shinai from the stands. The kendo practice swords came with lathes that cracked loudly when they struck each other. Right now, if this was what he was wanting, she had a feeling that it might be best to use the kendo tools first.

Admittedly, if he was wanting hand-to-hand, she could teach him the basics, but her style... was definitely not defensive.]

[megabond]

Well, I'm not much of a fighter and I'm not really confident in my physical abilities.

[Of course, his recent visions didn't show him really fighting with his bare hands. Not to mention that he doesn't do very well when it comes to physical activities. Makes you wonder how he managed to graduate with his low score on PE.]

[true_noir]

Ah, I see. I would be happy to give you some pointers. If you want lessons, regular lessons beyond just these, stop by for the self defense courses. They're supposed to be good.

But, let's see... why don't we start by showing you how to break a hold on your hand. [Ok, she could do this. She knew a few arm holds and the like, after all. It wasn't all stabby stabby.]

[megabond]

Alright. I'll try to check them when I have the chance.

[He then puts the wooden sword down to prepare to learn about what she knows.]

So how do I start then?

[true_noir]

[She reached out and took hold of his wrist gently at first and looked at him while she did so. The grasp was firm at the wrist and forearm and she nodded to him.] What I want you to do is to try and draw your arm up towards your chest, cross-ways, twisting it a little, and give a quick kick towards my shins.

Don't worry, I can dodge. I just want you to get the feel of the motions.

[megabond]

[After listening to her instructions after letting her hold his wrist and forearm for this demonstration, Augustine attempts to do them before he tries a quick kick on his intended target. However, due to the movement and position he has to do, his form might be a little rusty.]

[true_noir]

[She nodded as he did it. As soon as he did, she had a better idea what she was dealing with, stepping aside from the kick and releasing his hand. Her hand had turned a little with the process of his pull, giving an idea of how that motion could force her to let go.

Stepping back, she moved to face to his side and took up a stance.] Ok. Let's start with the absolute basics. Watch as I make a quick snap kick, and do the same thing. We're going to do kick after kick, so you can get used to the motion, yes?

[megabond]

[Kick after kick, huh? That might be little more difficult, yet he decides to continue for his own sake.]

I understand.

[Then after he takes a stance like Chloe, he then attempts to quickly kick several times. And like before, his form is somehow not straight as with his stance.]

[true_noir]

Every day in practice, we have to do this sort of thing over and over again. The more you do it, the more your body gets used to the motion, the stronger your legs get.

[She was patient with him, at the very least. Each time he kicked, she watched as she did the same. It was first the right leg, and then the left, then the right, then the left. Over and over again until the calves were going to start burning a little, all of the kicks right about the shin-level. Quick snap kicks to force someone away or aid in a trip.]

[megabond]

[She is right. The more kicks he did, the more he is able to get used to it's movements. And despite his poor stance, he manages to straighten it as well with his kicks.

Whether if Chloe asks him to stop or not, he will stop kicking after 30 minutes as he tries to catch his breath.]

[true_noir]

[She did stop them a little before that, to move onto punches, showing him basic, straightforward ways to move so that he could see the self defense motions, one at a time.]

What you want to do, in self-defense, is to take the momentum away from your attacker. If you make them off balance, most will disengage rather than fight.

[megabond]

I understand. But what about in a case when a punch could be dodged or blocked?

[Well, he is learning self-defense. But that doesn't mean he can't ask a few questions about it.]

[true_noir]

It isn't always the case, but usually if they're attacking you with anything but a gun, they're in close. Dodging or blocking is hard. Their hands are in use... but let's try this.

[She set herself up in front of him.]

Now, if I grab your hand it's easy to use that hand to turn mine, yes? If you turn it enough, I can't move my head away from a blow can I?

[megabond]

[Makes sense. If there is a case of a fistfight, there may have a chance they will do dodge or block it.]

Hmm... Let me try.

[If she tries to grab his hand after he prepared himself, he might try to turn it to see if she's right regarding this.]