combat training mingle log

[policier]

characters: everyone
location: the village gymnasium
date/time: every monday, wednesday & friday throughout april, before the floods
content: beacon's residents gather together to teach each other how to fight, spar, and learn basic field medicine
warnings: violence, injury

What began as a conversation between Javert and Soldat, about what the latter man could do to make himself feel more useful, has now led to thrice a week training. The training itself begins as it often does, seven o'clock in the evening, right on the dot, because Javert does not tolerate tardiness. It ends just as punctually at nine, with a session of first aid training following thereafter.

The gymnasium itself is still in a state of disrepair, with creaky floors and a broken ceiling, but it's serviceable enough for their purpose. There are two torches lit on either side, illuminating the room, and exercise mats scattered across the floor. Against the wall, near the door, is a trunk full of swords of various quality, fencing equipment and training handbooks, several first aid kits, medical supplies, and cpr equipment.

Those who wish to learn how to fight are paired with someone willing to teach. Those who do not are encouraged to spar among themselves, to keep their skills sharp and work to better their technique. There will be a lesson in first aid afterward, should anyone require it. The lesson itself also serves as something of a makeshift clinic, allowing those who have been hurt during training, or those who are still recovering from old wounds, to be tended to and healed. It's a cooperative effort. Anyone who wishes to help out with combat training or first aid may do so.

Comments

[unwieldy]

Having seen the bulletin posting, Haein finds himself at one of the combat training classes. He's not sure what exactly he's there for. Maybe to sate his curiosity, maybe to linger off to the side, or maybe to actually start working on not being completely useless. He's heard the stories, after all, and the hefty amount of warnings that other people had to offer. As much as he doesn't want to face the potential dangers in store, they've sounded more and more inevitable.

Upon entering the gym, he catches sight of a couple of familiar faces, and it's Soldat that he eventually approaches. He's not sure what to think of the other person just yet, but their first interaction hadn't left a sour taste in his mouth or left him with a bad impression, so... so it's where Haein starts.

"Hey," he mutters in some attempt at a greeting once he gets close enough.

[worthallthis]

Haein gets a little smile as Soldat resheaths the knife they'd been using to show Sora (or someone) a new move to practice. Safe to leave him be, and deal with the new person. "Hi. Here to learn?"

They might actually sound... hopeful. Soldat loves students.

[unwieldy]

Haein eyes the knife as it's sheathed, a small part of wondering what the hell he's doing here when all of this is so far outside of his element. Soldat's question snaps him out of it, though, and then he's quiet for a stretch of time as he carefully deliberates a response.

The slight nod that follows after is his answer. He's gone through the trouble of coming here... Might as well make the trip worth it.

"I don't have any experience with this sort of thing," Haein admits reluctantly.

[worthallthis]

"That's okay. A lot of people don't." Why would they? Most people don't go through their lives getting attacked, and even some of those who do prefer to run, hide, or use magic if their world has it. "I've started a few people who don't know anything at all. At least that means there's nothing to unlearn."

[unwieldy]

That... makes sense. Haein's never thought of it that way, and it's kind of reassuring.

Not that he'd ever say.

"Alright." He still can't help the hesitant tone that his voice takes, but he's more on-board with this than he'd initially been. "What do I have to do?"

[worthallthis]

"Simple things first," Soldat says, motioning for Haein to join them over on the actual mat, for hand to hand rather than knifework like Sora was doing. "How to fall without hurting yourself. Move your body comfortably. Break a hold so you can run. Falling first. Have you ever done any sports? Tumbling?" A pause. "Any dancing?"

It's a question to give them some idea of whether Haein has any real kinetic understanding-- maybe not of fighting and falling, but of any kind of increased feeling for how his body works.

[unwieldy]

Haein follows Soldat to the mat, listening carefully as they list off the basics. It all sounds like something he could benefit to learn from.

He makes a face at the mention of dancing. On absolutely no planet would he ever be found dancing.

"Does swimming count?" He's at least done that every chance he can get.

[worthallthis]

Aw, c'mon, dancing is great, Haein. Your creepy assassin friend loves it. They look kind of amused at the expression, but slides it back off into amiably polite at his answer, nodding. "It counts. You have to regulate strokes, focus on your breathing, control your body. Gives you a baseline familiarity with how you move, yeah? This kind of training will use that, same way learning to swim did."

[unwieldy]

On absolutely no planet would he have a friend either!!

"Okay..." Haein says, not sounding entirely convinced. He doesn't really have the experience with self-defense or combat to compare it to swimming, but he can kind of see where they align. "I'll keep that in mind."

[worthallthis]

"Good. All right. Watch what I do, first."

The next twenty minutes are examples of falling, and then walking Haein through how to move his body to approximate the best ways to fall: forwards, backwards, to the side, with momentum and without. "I'll be right there to catch you if you're going to hurt yourself," they say each time. Haein might trust them, might not, but if he wants to learn how to fall he's going to have to start learning to.

[unwieldy]

And watch he does.

The way Soldat moves tells Haein that they know what they're doing, and that's somewhat encouraging. He pays close attention during the lesson, making mental notes as they go from one method of falling to another. Haein's always been studious, but he's mostly applied that part of himself to books and inside classroom settings. Learning to fall... That's uncharted waters.

It takes a while for Haein to agree to fall each time, though he grows a bit more confident with it as they progress. His form is crude and it's obvious that he's a beginner, but the determined set to his jaw tells that he isn't willing to give up. He's not being hasty with it, having learned long ago that improvement is gradual.

[worthallthis]

It's not the worst start Soldat has seen. Haein isn't naturally clumsy, and does in fact know his body fairly well from swimming, so his control isn't bad. It's just unpracticed, and once he knows what to do, practice is pretty easy to get. By the time the class time is over, they're pretty pleased. "You're doing good," they say with a smile. "I think next time I can start you on breaking some holds."

Especially since next time they'll be healed up a little more, and it won't be so bad to have somebody stomping on their feet and twisting at their wrists and things.

"You can come here and practice whenever you like, too. I come on days there's no class just to practice." And to bleed of tension. Beating up on dummies or punching bags is good for that.

[unwieldy]

It's not until class is over that Haein realizes just how exhausted he is, the physical strain finally catching up with him. He rubs at a sore spot on his upper arm, gaze darting off to the side at the compliment. "Thanks..." he says in reply, at least having the smallest traces of decency to reply.

Haein's always been... rather obsessive when it comes to figuring out a task or completing a goal, so practice is absolutely on his agenda. He's started this with the intent to see it through, and Soldat's first lesson had been easy enough to follow. So far so good.

"I'll swing through when I can." Maybe poke his head in to check for emptier days. He's never done well around too many others.

[worthallthis]

So long as he doesn't hurt himself. Though if he shows up when Soldat is working, too, they can keep an eye on him. "You're welcome." Thanks is, in fact, more than Soldat regularly expect. "Get some dinner and sleep, yeah? And a hot bath. So you don't get too stiff in the morning."

[unwieldy]

It's good advice, but again, something Haein isn't used to hearing. People don't... look out for him, and he's grown used to it, even convinced himself he likes it that way, so the uncomfortable feeling creeps back up.

He nods once, hesitating for a moment like he's not sure what to say next, then opts not to say anything at all. They're done here, that much is obvious. No need for goodbyes, and Haein heads out.

[worthallthis]

Better get used to it. Lots of people look out for each other around here, Haein. Soldat is one of them (for certain definitions of "person" anyway), particularly when you're their student. Making sure he doesn't hurt himself practicing or working too hard on the skills they teach is as much a part of the lesson as the actual moves are, thank you.

Soldat watches him go with a thoughtful expression, then goes to collect Sora and get things picked up in here, before going to go get dinner themselves.