&& don't stop. [[axel]]

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Jasik
District Mayor

[M:-3775]

792 POSTS
last seen Mar 6, 2020 17:24:40 GMT -5

When in doubt, just flail about

&& don't stop. [[axel]] Jun 28, 2013 20:10:56 GMT -5

Post by Jasik on Jun 28, 2013 20:10:56 GMT -5

// Sebastian Riccardi ..

His opponent was struggling. Sebastian could see that much, even with the mesh covering his opponent's face. The way he was tripping over his own feet, panting in his mask, occasionally stepping back to rotate his shoulder; all signs of weakness. Sebastian's sparring partner had been launching attack after attack with his foil for close to ten minutes. He had foolishly spent all of his energy early in the duel, trying to end the fight quickly, and when that strategy had failed, had continued his offensive without slowing down. Now, he was at the end of his fuse, sweating in his armor and struggling to keep thrusting his sword. Sebastian, meanwhile, was just as fresh as he had been going into the duel.

With an almost lazy flick of his wrist he pushed the tip of his opponent's weapon away from his chest, eyes narrowing. He knew that there would be an opening soon, that this kid was too tired to keep pushing himself this hard for much longer. Sebastian paused as the boy's arm visibly twitched, but it wasn't the start of an attack, but a small muscle spasm. A smile worked at the corners of Sebastian's mouth as he took a quick step forward, just as, yes, the boy stepped back to breathe; his hunch had been right.

The other boy realized what Sebastian was doing a second too late; he tried to bring up his foil again to parry Sebastian's attack, but was too slow. Sebastian hit the blade away, and with an unexpected burst of aggressiveness, lunged forward, planting the tip of his weapon firmly on his opponent's chest.

They held the position for a moment, the boy panting heavily, Sebastian utterly motionless. Then, as if a spell had been broken, Sebastian stepped back, lowering his foil to his side and pulling his mask away from his face. His hair was a little ruffled, but other than that he looked perfectly fine; not even a bead of sweat clung to his brow. With a smile -- not condescending, but friendly -- he tucked his mask under his arm and reached out his free hand to shake. "Good fight," he said in an amiable, if slightly superior tone.

Glaring, the defeated boy reached out, slapped his hand without even bothering to shake it, and turned and stalked off. Sebastian shrugged and dropped his own hand, walking back over to his fencing bag. Guess some people just can't lose gracefully, he thought idly, a slightly dark flicker in his eye, imperceptible but still noticeable to him. Then again, nobody really can.

From his bag he withdrew a large water bottle. Before heading to the changing room, he sat to watch one more match between two other aspiring Careers. He sipped at his water, an interested expression on his face, but inwardly feeling a little disappointed as he watched the two attack each other. They were all explosive energy, no technique, probably more adjusted to heavy axes and polearms than the finer weapons they wielded now. Enough maybe to take on each other in a fencing match, but nowhere near Sebastian's own caliber.

Sebastian sighed a little and took another swig of his water. This is a waste of time, he thought bitterly. He had been doing this for several weeks now: staying after his own training ended to watch a couple of duels between other students, hoping to find a suitable training partner. But he had watched almost everyone who attended this rather large training program, and each one he thought showed potential ended up being a pushover. Maybe I should try a different weapon, he mused. He had long since mastered rapiers, sabers, and foils; maybe it was time for him to try his hand at a fighting style he was not as accustomed to. At least it would give him something to do beyond felling any halfway-decent fencer in this establishment.

Entertaining the idea a little, he slipped his water bottle back into his bag and made his way to the changing rooms. Of course, I'll have to find someone who's willing to take on a newbie to whatever weapon I decide to pick up, he thought. But there were plenty of students who studied here, and quite a few were still at the other training stations. He ducked into the empty changing room, quickly shed his training gear and donned his street clothes, and emerged once again, making his way over to some of the other dueling areas. Now was as good a time as any to scope out some possible training partners, while the idea was still fresh in his mind.

ooc; This is pretty sloppy, I know, but hey, it's my first real post in over a year, and my first one ever with Sebastian. Be nice :3

Last Edit: Jun 29, 2013 1:25:44 GMT -5 by Jasik

Anna Banana
Capitol Resident

[M:-4150]

1,208 POSTS

last seen Jul 4, 2014 7:39:41 GMT -5

Making things happen one day at a time

&& don't stop. [[axel]] Jun 30, 2013 15:48:17 GMT -5

Post by Anna Banana on Jun 30, 2013 15:48:17 GMT -5

[atrb=background,http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg608/meghanpawolfe/XanderBackground_zpse7a70624.png][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=style,width:500px;]

Consumed by rage and sorrow, a life of pain and toil, once more there was nothing in my life but this senseless fighting. How many times could I run myself through these exercises, how many times could I perfect the use of a weapon, and move on to the next as if this was all there was to my life. Before her, this had been my life, a life dedicated to becoming the best there was, it was so senseless and foolish, and without a purpose. She had given me a purpose though, a driving force behind all this senseless fighting, she was the reason for me to be the best, so that I could keep her safe. I had failed her though, in a moment that should have been one of the greatest of our lives...she had died...I had failed her. She had died in childbirth, giving birth to the daughter that should have been a gift to the both of us.

Instead she would never meet our daughter, and our daughter would never have anything more than a brute as a father. Here I was running drill after drill in the training center, hoping that the harder I swung my sword or jabbed my rapier that I would just collapse from exhaustion. No one here could know what it was like, no one here even knew that I was a father, father to a child born from the belief we could escape this and start a family. I was still here though, my daughter was still here, we were still at the mercy of the Capitol, still at the mercy of...the Hunger Games. I had escaped this year though, but for how long could I avoid the noose, how much longer could I escape the inevitable death that loomed before me? That's why I trained again, I couldn't die in the Games, I couldn't leave my daughter alone...never to know who either of her parents were.

I had reached the training center early today, I had picked up one of the swords and ran my basic drills, waiting for the other Careers to file into the facility. Today would mark my re-entry into sparring with some of the other trainees here, but chances were none of them would be able to defeat me. I had been in training since before I can remember, day in and day out, hacking, slashing, and stabbing. My first opponent today was foolish, under trained and pitiful. His moves were as easy to detect as the beads of sweat that began to run down his forehead as I toyed with him. It was all too easy to finish him off, I didn't bother to offer him my hand after the battle was over, instead choosing to walk away and find another, more worthy, opponent. Everyone here was so shallow though, so pitiful, they didn't have any elegance or grace, there was so much more to fighting than pure strength and power.

Typical of a Career to think that brute force was all it took to win a fight, I had been no better than them not that long ago. Now there was a new element to my fighting, something new, it was still a game to me though, a game where I had to watch my opponent and learn their habits, and when I was ready...strike at them and leave them weaponless and at my mercy. None of the fights here ever lasted that long though, all I had to do was block their first blow and use their momentum against them, leaving them on their backs with my sword point pressed against the soft skin of their necks. Was it so hard to ask for a worthy opponent, someone who didn't make me think that I was wasting my life away here with these fools. I began to pace around the facility, more like stalk actually, searching for someone who was worthy of my time. Sadly though it was impossible to find anyone that reached my high standards.

Instead I restorted to going back to a corner of the facility that held many memories for me. It was a place that should have torn me apart, but it made me feel closer to her being here, running my drills with the precision and skill that had impressed so many people before. Perhaps, instead of trying to find someone who was worthy of my time, I should make them come to me, let them think they have what it takes to topple me from my tower. Let their inflated heads believe they have what it takes to fight me, Xander Thrash, and possibly hope to win.

[/size][/blockquote][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

Credit to the amazing Meghan for the table <3

Start Reply for Kate
Metisi Temoris Allade Bio
12yr old Birch twin with Meghan bio
Finish bio for PK "Bulletproof plot"
Bio for Tom's plot
Django Bio
Bastilla Shan Bio
Ivashkov bio

Jasik
District Mayor

[M:-3775]

792 POSTS
last seen Mar 6, 2020 17:24:40 GMT -5

When in doubt, just flail about

&& don't stop. [[axel]] Jul 3, 2013 22:52:01 GMT -5

Post by Jasik on Jul 3, 2013 22:52:01 GMT -5

// Sebastian Riccardi ..

Sebastian's eyes flicked back and forth from mat to mat, taking in each pair of fighters before him as he sipped at his water. The majority of them were fairly unremarkable; while they seemed to have a decent amount of skill with the weapons they wielded, none of them projected enough confidence as they sparred to hint at much deeper talent. If there was one among them who was gifted enough in the art of combat to make a good tutor for Sebastian, that one was not at any of these training stations.

He sighed and lowered his water bottle, disappointment weighing down the pit of his stomach once more. Guess I'll call it a night, he decided, turning to cast one last glance over the room before making for the exit. But as he was starting towards the front door, something he could not quite identify stopped him. He halted, frowning, and turned back to the room once more, looking more closely this time, unable to shake the feeling that he had missed something.

And missed something he had. His gaze landed on a distant mat almost instantly, his focus homing in on the far side of the room, where a boy -- or maybe even a man, by the look of him -- was sparring with another, both holding shortswords. Sebastian stepped closer, his curiosity piqued; watching the scene unfold was like watching a video of Sebastian's entire night. The first boy, the one who looked like he was in his twenties but was most likely around Sebastian's age, stepped with surprising nimbleness away from each of his opponent's jabs and slashes, knocking blows away with almost lazy swings of his own blade. Even with a bored expression on his sweat-free face, he projected an air of sheer power and dormant aggression as he parried attacks thrown by his panting, shaking partner. As Sebastian watched, the first boy's face transformed briefly into an image of unprecedented rage, and he lunged forward with the first offensive move Sebastian had seen him make, disarming his opponent and pressing the tip of his own sword against his throat.

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the fire burned out, and an annoyed, superior expression replaced the fury that had possessed the boy a second before. Sebastian cocked an eyebrow as the boy spun on his heel and stalked off, not even bothering to offer a simple handshake. What a dick, Sebastian thought, chuckling a little to himself. He had seen this sort of behavior in many, many Careers-in-training before, but never had any of them displayed this kind of talent -- besides Sebastian himself. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the boy sit down on a bench in an abandoned corner of the training center. He was still holding his sword, which was strictly against the facility's rules; unsheathed weapons outside the specifically designated sparring grounds were prohibited, maybe because the operators feared an unstable Career would run someone through with it. But curiously enough, no instructors snapped at him to put his weapon away as they usually did. I think I've found my new sparring partner.

As Sebastian began to approach, he carefully took in all of the information that he could sense from the boy. He took up a lot of space on the bench, sprawling but not exactly slouching -- designating his territory, and projecting the confidence to guard it. Defensive, possibly aggressive and territorial. He thought back to the boy's fight, how he had walked away as if his partner was not even there. So he's exceptionally arrogant, likely temperamental. But he's got the skill to back up his swagger, too. Sebastian knew exactly how to handle this.

Carefully, he stopped a respectful distance away, so as not to intrude on the other boy's space. He smiled, letting it be awkward, and cleared his throat lightly. "Hey," he said in a shy but quietly awed voice. Feed the ego. "I, uh, saw your fight. It was really impressive, and I, well, I was kind of hoping that I could, you know, spar with you a bit, so I could, er, learn some of your moves." The words came out in a bit of a rush, exactly how he wanted them to. He held himself upward, somewhat dignified and bold, but also flustered and uncomfortable, as if nervous to be standing so close to someone so powerful. He cracked another anxious smile, but did not back away. There was a fine line between submissive and weak, and Sebastian was careful not to cross it.

ooc; Okay, this'll probably be my last post until Sunday or Monday, so take your time with replying. Sorry mine was so late, work's been crazy :/