Hand-to-Hand/Self Defense [Indigo, Earako, Chath, Anoki]

[Turner Herrick]

One extremely large room, actually, two, with a wall thrown down, has been turned into a fitting area for what this young woman wants to teach. Combat. The room contains a large sandpit, a forest terrain, what appears to be a rather good recreation of an alleyway, along with an area covered with mats. Various cupboards and cabinets holding food, overflowing with random objects and weapons, line the wall closest to the door, just behind a large desk, with a cushion on top of it. Also adorning the desk are stacks of books, papers, pencils, cups, packaged food, sketches, and a few trinkets from her travels. Along the walls are countless hand-drawn maps, along with diagrams of combat stances and framed pictures of strange places [Perhaps places that Turner has been to?]

Standing barefoot on the matted section of the room, Turner had several colors of hand and foot wrappings, several striking pads and helmets, on the floor in front of her. Behind her on the wall was tacked an extremely large poster with several diagrams showing throws and self-defense moves. No weapons in sight now. She was already smoking. This time, she'd read the files in advance, and noted that she had one two-time student. Chath, the newt-boy/hero-wannabe. Now, where were those kids?

"'Bout time t'start."  

[DivineSaturn]

Anoki wasn't going to be late to another class, no sir. He was there on time, in his usual relaxed attire. The blue shirt peeking through his unzipped red sweatshirt was even clean, as were his cargo pants. As much as it pained Anoki to do so, he'd stayed out of the dirt all day, so he would make a good impression on the teacher. He wanted to do well, as well as he could. His last battle class hadn't exactly ended fantastically, so a self defence class was the obvious choice. But even though Anoki knew that, he was nervous entering the room.

Far less nervous than his partner, Myung-Ki sauntered in behind Anoki. The only reason he was going behind his human, the dragon reasoned, was so that if there was anything dangerous, Anoki would find it first. Yes, that had to be the reason. Otherwise he wouldn't be allowed to lag behind in such an unseemly manner. His human knew better than that.
 

[jayoku]

Chath was past the point of excitement he was on cloud nine. He was finally going to seriously learn hand to hand combat. Basically up until now he had basically amde up everything. Observed martial arts and the like but was basicaly going from instinct. He hoped that his practice with Keir would prove useful.

Though....when practicing with his dragon it was mainly defense he ws working on. His reflexes were getting pretty good, which made him proud. Keir trotted after the boy wondering just where his head was. The boy was in his own world and Keir had to nudge him several times to avoid him walking intot he corner of a wall. Soon his stopped bothering, and when Chath basically ran full tilt into a corner that he tried to dash around he finally slowed down.

Chath rubbed his shoulder that was paining him terribly. Great way to start his class, already bruised. He knew the pain would ease eventually it was still embaressing to come into class with a blue and black shoulder though. Rubbing it he lowered his hand as he came into the class. he could see Turner and he hurried over to her. He looked up to her his eyes showing his eagerness for the class to start.

"Hello, " he greeted his teacher rolling his shoulder to shake off the needles and pins running through his shoulder.  

[Coronaviridae]

Aside from watching her mom punch Anoki's at a tender age, Indigo's brushes with violence had been mercifully brief.

Which didn't mean she wasn't interested in learning how to protect herself, quite the opposite. There'd been too many whispers and rumors about things that had happened to her classmates--violent things, horrible things--to make her feel entirely easy about her current untutored lifestyle. So here she was, half at her own request and half because Mom had told her to go, dressed down in shorts and a loosely tied top, with her hair bound back out of her face. She paused a moment in the doorway, taking stock of who-all was already in the room--before Citrine butted the back of her legs impatiently.

"C'mon!" "All right, all right, jeez, Citri! Don't have a cow or anything!" "Not (h)aving a cow. Had a cow for lunch." With that, the terrible two made their way into the room, Indi waving at Chath and Anoki as she did.

"Hey guys!"  

[lithle]

And then there were four.

Earako was almost late, having spent too much time time debating her outfit for the class, instead of actually getting ready. Still, she arrived, and dressed for battle, or at least, more so than usual. Pants of softest black leather, detailed with red swirling embroidery and a long sleeved shirt in that same red, these were her choices for todays class. There were hints, of her usual tastes, the embroidery, the black ribbons in her hair, but she was doing her best.

She was going to do this.

Maybe she would never be a good fighter. She was, after all, delicate and slight. Besides which, she lacked any desire for violence, being more of a peace maker by nature. But she was going to learn to defend herself, every way she could. So she practiced the bow fanatically. So here she was.

No stranger to violence, the batling. And she wasn't about to be a victim.

With one hand on Vimber's neck as a way to keep the dragon calm, she scanned the room and smiled slightly when she found the occupants familiar. "Hello, everyone."  

[Turner Herrick]

"Ello, class. I'm Turner, as... Well, Chath may know," A slight nod to the boy in greeting, as she grinned at all of the preteens before continuing. "And, as we all know, this is a hand-to-hand course. I'm not gonna be choosin' y'partners, as this is gonna be a lil' close for comfort. Y'll be choosin' 'em. If y'know someone here, an' y'trust them a reasonable amount, do that. "

Rolling her shoulders, the young woman took off her over-shirt, revealing the somewhat inappropriate tank-top beneath ["EAT IT RAW <3"], and tossed it aside, tapping the wrappings on the mat with a foot.

"Either way, I'll be askin' fer a volunteer or two to let me demonstrate on them. In this first day o'class, we're gonna mainly be workin' on self-defense, that includes releases, and throws."

Unfortunately, dragons weren't involved in the combat courses Turner taught, not until her advanced ones, anyways.

[Class will end approximately 2 weeks from today, most like a bit longer. You need 7 posts total to pass. <3 They must be worthwhile posts as well, to gain a B- rather than a C.  

[jayoku]

Chath of course was extactic and recognizing his fellow students he couldn't wait to get started. This was his forte, his comfort zone of knowledge the one thing he had been practicing so much with Keir. He really hoped it would pay off.
Watching Turner take off her over-shirt and then move towards a mat he couldn't help but raise a hand after she mentioned needing volunteers.

"Miss Turner I would be more than happy to help you if you need volunteers." He started enthused his eyes shining despite his sore shoulder. He wanted to go on about how he had already taken one defense class with a substitute teacher but didn't want to sound like he was boasting.

Besides he only learned blocking, not releases or throws. This should prove very useful. Not...that he could practice throwing very well with Keir...more like the dragon would toss him on his rear. This of course didn't discourage him, he would just have to practice with someone else. Maybe Zyan.....no that was a terrible idea.  

[DivineSaturn]

The sight of the other students brought a smile to Anoki's face. It was all people he knew- Indi, Earako, and the other boy at the manner's dinner whose name he didn't remember. A class with just people he liked was bound to be nice, even if it was a class like fighting. Maybe the class wouldn't turn out too badly after all.

Not being able to have Myung-Ki with him was a bit worrisome, but with friends around, he was sure to be okay. Emboldened slightly, he grabbed some of the wrappings from the mat when the teacher tapped them- blue ones, of course- and started to wrap them around his hands. He'd had some practice with that at least; it was similar to wrapping the bandages he'd worn when his arm was sprained.

Choosing a partner was less simple. All of the people there were people Anoki liked, and didn't want to hurt (or get hurt by). He had to try to find someone who wouldn't mind if he accidentally hurt them, and someone who probably wouldn't hurt him much. The other boy's enthusiasm didn't help Anoki's insecurity, and he backed away from the middle of the mat. Maybe he didn't need a partner. He could fight a tree or something.
 

[lithle]

They were supposed to pick a partner? Oh, my. She wished the teacher would just assign one. It didn't seem very polite to just pick between her friends. She knew everyone in the room, and she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings! Of course, they'd understand right? She would just be doing what the teacher said, and that couldn't be wrong.

Shifting restlessly from foot to foot, Earako sized up her options. There was Chath. She knew him well enough to recognize him by sight and name, but they hadn't spent a lot of time together. Anoki, who always brought a smile to her face, and who had a red dragon just like her. Anoki was cool, and she still loved his horns. And Indigo, who still brought up warm memories from young childhood, and more recently seemed to keep showing up in her classes. And Indigo had such beautiful coloring. She probably knew Indigo the least, though.

Well, what better time to cement a friendship, right? At least, Earako hoped so. Taking a quick breath, she closed the gap between herself and the other girl. "I would very much like it if you would be my partner." She spoke in the same half whisper she always used, her breathy voice delicate but controlled. "That is, if you wouldn't mind."

She curtsied, then, difficult as it was without the proper clothes. Because it never hurt to curtsy.  

[Coronaviridae]

No dragons, huh? Citrine pouted a moment, before retreating across the mat to take a place by the wall, curling up on herself in sudden sleep.

Indigo scarcely noticed, more interested in getting herself a partner--and getting her hands wrapped, which (being as she had four of them) was going to be a bigger job than it looked like at outset. Earako ended up intercepting her before the velvet worm could volunteer herself for demonstration--which sounded like fun, albeit the kind likely to end in bruises--and Indigo smiled warmly at the bat.

"Sure! I'd love to." She'd never learned how to curtsy, and froze a moment in indecision. Her clothing was definitely improper for the elegant maneuver, and... Oh, well. Making up her mind, she returned the curtsy with a passably elegant bow of her own, her grin widening with amusement at herself.  

[DivineSaturn]

It looked like the girls had decided to partner up. If nothing else, that made Anoki's life easier. They were partners, and the other boy was with the teacher, and he didn't have to do anything! But no, that wouldn't work. He was in the class because he wanted to learn how to fight, or more importantly, how to protect himself. That wouldn't work if he did nothing but hide.

So, choking down his anxiety, Anoki tiptoed over to the other boy. "W-would you b-be my p-p-partner p-please?"
 

[jayoku]

Chath looked over as words had been spoken to him, hey didn't he meet this boy before? he looked different...but he was sure he had seen him before somewhere.
"Hey wasn't i sitting across from you at the manners class?" he asked trying to put his memory to test. "It was Anoki right?" He continued not waiting for a response and then his smile grew larger and he nodded his head.

"Yah, I can be your partner. As long as the teacher doesn't need me."He grinned and then looked back to the teacher hoping he wasn't being a bit too....uh...expectant.  

[lithle]

Gender worked a bit differently in the mind of the albino bat. While she was well aware of which of her friends were boys and which were girls, what she cared about was whether they were gentlemen or ladies. Ligeia, for example, was a boy and a Lady. Indigo, with her polite bow, had just nudged herself toward the label of gentleman.

Charmed by this development (because some people were neither, and that wasn't nearly as fun), Earako smothered a tiny giggle behind her hand and bounced briefly up to her toes. "Thank you. I... well, I don't think I'll be very good at this."  

[Coronaviridae]

Wouldn't Indigo be amused if she heard that classification!

Straightening from her bow, the velvet worm finished assorting the various wrappings on her many hands, tucking them down as best she could before dropping all of her hands to her sides. "I, uh," she said, then lowered her voice. "...I dunno if I'll be very good either. This is the first time I've took a fighting class," she confessed, her grin turning a little sheepish.

Then her eyes darted toward the teacher, and one of her uppers snuck up to rub at the back of her neck. "D'you know how we're s'posed to start? Or do we need to wait for her to tell us what to do?"  

[jayoku]

Chath had figured that this was a good a time as any to look Anoki over. "So....do you know much about hand to hand combat?" he asked feeling his own pride in the subject well in his chest. He couldn't wait to get started this would be a lot of fun!

Of course he wouldn't just beat on the kid...no he wanted to help him learn too! So Chath felt himself getting antsy and wondering when they were going to begin. He looked over his other classmates before his gaze went back to the teacher.