Training (Open)

by **Sam Hawthorn** Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:40 pm

Sam walked toward the sparring room she didn't look like herself, Sam's face was slightly sunken in and she had dark circles under her eye's and she looked like she hadn't eaten or slept in days, her skin was much paler than it used to be.

Sam sighed as she wore sweat pants and a tank top she put her hair in a braid and she put on some fingerless gloves and pulled a dummie over to her and Sam started to train.

Sam needed to get her mind off of everything that has happened, she couldn't understand anything that was going on, Sam sighed and continued to train.

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:43 pm

She knew she should be practicing, after all it was expected after being an apprentice for dueling. So here she found herself, staring at the doors of the sparring room with a pout on her face. It was funny, it seemed so out of character for her to even try to do something so...violent.

"Times are a changin'" she muttered to herself.

Wartime was not a time to be soft, it was a time to fight, to man up, and to fight until you were either successful or dead. She hoped the first. Pushing the door, she popped her head in to see a Gryffindor there. Had she met her before? She didn't know; but she didn't want to interrupt. So she walked in and noticed she was wearing something not too dissimilar to hers.

She was wearing a pair of shorts comfortable to let her movements flow, she used to use them for dancing and gymnastics, as well as a matching tank that allowed her comfortable quick movements. She had gloves on, because she was asked to study more martial arts, and had her rapier in her bag, and her dagger in her holster.

She didn't want to bother, so she simply stayed back waiting to be noticed.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:52 pm

Sam continued to train when she heard the door open, Sam stopped training and she noticed it was a Slytherin, Sam sighed and gave her a smile.

"Hello" Sam said looking at her she waited to see if the girl was going to run from being scared because of how Sam looked now, Sam sighed and she grabbed her rapier and she slashed at the dummie, than she grabbed the dummie and threw it in the air Sam jumped in the air and she accidentally slashed the dummie in half.

Sam sighed and landed on her feet.

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:58 pm

My did the girl look tired. She wondered if it was the stress of training. She was younger, she realized this because...well she knew everyone in her year. Xander would probably know her, and made a mental note to ask him later.

" 'ello" she replied with a small smile.

She knew the girl looked a little miffed about her either being there or being a Slytherin and she tried not to pout. After all it was a free country and she had pride in her Slytherin colors. Nonetheless she put her things down and stretched. The girl seemed frustrated, a lot of anger and while her movements were strong, she noticed they lacked finesse. Aggression was not always best, but technique made it stronger.

She soon conjured up a few dummies for herself and began to do kick movements. She had been reading up on muggle acts of physical fighting and kickboxing seemed more like her style. She was already flexible, through dance and gymnastics, but now she used it as a way to gracefully render something to a useless junk.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:04 pm

Sam put her rapier back in her bag and she watched the Slytherin girl train, Sam wasn't miffed at all because she was a Slytherin Sam was just tired and hated that she needed to study.

Sam watched the girl train, sure you needed technique but sometimes technique could get you killed, Sam rubbed her eye's as she watched the girl train.

Sam blinked and conjured up another dummie Sam popped her back and she did a backflip while using her right foot to kick the dummie in the air Sam watched it fly across the room and hit the wall. " Oops" Sam said with a small laugh.

by **Tess McCartney** Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:13 pm

Tess really didn't like an audience, it made her uncomfortable. And as much as she found herself to act confident around people, like Parker for example to make them be more outgoing, she was just shy. Still, she knew that this was the only sparring room and she needed to use her free time doing something that made her stronger and not waste the day away.

She was breathing heavily as she moved towards the dummy using physical fighting. She knew the rapier was just waiting for her to use, but she wanted to exercise her body, let it warm up and feel the adrenaline. She usually felt this during archery, but not having any archery areas on Hogwarts grounds, it limited her.

The dummies she had conjured were similar to the ones she'd had in Dueling this year, they felt as if they were human, and reacted as if it was a human. It bothered her a bit, but she knew that she'd eventually had to either defend herself, or defend others through the use of physical actions.

She was in the midst of doing a jump kick, when a dummy went flying her way. She arched her back, but the dummy ended up brushing her side before hitting the wall. She found herself not being miffed, but surprised at how she wasn't too careful. She moved the dummy to the side and laid on the ground breathing heavily.

She knew the rapier was teasing her, asking her to fight with it, but not with the second year around. Not yet, she had just started the apprenticeship and while she was a natural as Headmistress had said, she wasn't up to par with others.

Looking at the girl she really noticed the dark shadows under her eyes and raised a brow.

"Tired?"

by **Sam Hawthorn** Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:23 pm

Sam gasped as it hit the girl " I'm so sorry I didn't mean for it to hit you" Sam said she really hadn't Sam walked over to the girl and smiled when she asked if Sam was tired she shook her head.

" No I'm not all that tired just the studying and such" Sam said as she looked at the girl Sam put her hand out.

" Sam Hawthorn" Sam said to the girl kindly " And you are?" Sam asked Sam had seen her around but not much.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:01 am

Tess forced herself not to complain. She was more surprised than in pain and then felt foolish for getting hit by the dummy.

She didn't blame the girl so takin her hand, she used it to get up and smirked at her. She couldn't help it, it was a Slytherin thing.

"Tess McCartney" she replied.

The girl seemed friendly enough, but she'd learn that most Gryffibdors usually were. She was surprised that the girl said she wasn't tired for her expression while friendly looked forced as if she was fighting sleep.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:48 am

Sam returned the girls smirk, " I've seen you around but you probably haven't seen me around much lately" Sam said with a small laugh.

" And it's nice to meet you, Tess" Sam said she than looked at Tess's rapier and smiled.

" Ah so you have a rapier to I see" Sam said while looking at it Sam pulled her rapier out and smiled slightly.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:19 am

Tess shrugged a bit. It was true she hadn’t actually seen the girl, and she wasn’t going to pretend either. She figured she was a second year, simply because Xander would complain about the amount of girls in his year and how little boys there were.

“Second year right?” she asked.

But the mention of her rapier she smiled and nodded.

“Hm…yes but I’m only training on it for a while, moving up soon I think” she said.

She liked it a lot, but she knew that she might not have a chance at keeping the weapon perhaps she would be moved up to sword. Still it was light and thin and something she could easily maneuver.

“Self-taught or tutored?” she asked.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:36 am

Sam smiled she knew Tess hadn't seen her around, no one had lately mainly because Sam was either in the Gryffindor common room or in the library, Sam nodded.

" Yep I'm a second year" Sam said happily she was glad she was a second year but the studying was getting more stressful, or it was to Sam she smiled lightly when Tess asked if she was self taught or some one taught her.

" I'm self taught, no one would train me so I decided to train myself the rapier I have a friend's dad made it for me so it has magic in it" Sam said with. a small smile she couldn't help but love her rapier she wasn't about to let someone take her rapier away " What about you? Self taught or tutored?" Sam asked.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:32 am

Tess shook her head.

"Oh no, I'm tutored" she said. "Apprentice to the Headmistress"

She looked at the rapier and noticed that once she said it was infused with magic it made sense. After all rapier's were not used to cut "dummies" in half or rather humans as well but rather to make quick and sharp cuts but maintaining distance.

"I started a bit ago. Honestly I used to do hand combat prior to starting the use of weapons but I figure might as well train for anything, you never know"

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:42 am

Sam smiled and nodded, she loved her rapier and she alway's used it when she could.

" I do prefer hand to hand combat, but using a sword isn't all that bad" Sam said with a small smiled she grabbed the dummie and she put her rapier away and she kicked the dummie all the way across the room.

" But I don't know which I'm better at" Sam laughed she thought she was better at hand to hand combat but she wasn't sure.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:55 am

Tess nodded. For her a sword or rapier was foreign, something she was getting used to. She knew that it was getting to be simpler, but it was not actually something that she would naturally get unless she was pushed towards it. Her movements were natural that was true, but as for other cases it was better to be nurtured into it.

She hid a grin at the girl's comment. It seemed that all of the Gryffindors she had met had a lot of self confidence. She figured perhaps it was a normal trait in the house. Still she held nothing against the girl but rather she found her to be nice enough. She never really held anything against anyone, but it was mostly her blasé sort of mood that helped her along with interacting with people. She ran her fingers through her hair absentmindedly and nodded.

"I'm best at hand combat, I'm more graceful and have more control than a weapon"

She knew that the only reason she was good at hand to hand combat was because of her previous training, interestingly enough none of them actually had anything to do with fighting. Her gymnastics gave her the flexibility and strength, while her dancing lessons taught her gracefulness and lightness on her feet. They worked well once she added the idea of violence into the setting.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:42 pm

Sam laughed slightly she nodded " Yes hand to hand combat though if you're not careful can get you killed" Sam said seriously she popped her knuckles and sighed.

" Want to train with me, it doesn't matter if it's sword or hand to hand combat" Sam said with a small smile.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:15 pm

Tess felt a little uncomfortable at fighting with her pupils, but in Sam's enthusiasm she shrugged. Getting up she stretched and looked at her.

"I suppose we can, which would you prefer to practice?" she asked softly.

She didn't want to choose one that benefited only her but to both of them. She looked at her curiously; she didn't want to underestimate her, but then again she wondered if Sam was either overestimating her own strength or underestimating Tess because of her demeanor.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:28 pm

Sam paced and snapped her fingers " Hand to hand combat" Sam said she could tell Tess was thinking Sam was cocky which Sam could be but Sam just wanted to see if Tess was as strong as Sam thought she was.

Sam walked into the middle of the room and placed mats all over the room " Okay tell me when you're ready" Sam said smiling.

by **Tess McCartney** Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:43 pm

She looked at the mats tentatively and walked towards them. She was a bit nervous, not necessarily fighting Sam, but at fighting in general. She'd never done it in combat, she'd only relied on her wits and the end of her wand. It hadn't failed her yet, but now, now it was time.

Age didn't really seem to matter considering they were about the same stature and around the same, but still she wondered how it was going to happen. She was not going to attack first, that she knew, she was never one to strike, but rather bide her time.

"Ready" she whispered eyes bright.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:12 pm

Sam smirked and did a low chuckle " Okay" Sam said and she ran at Tess and jumped over her, Sam tapped Tess's shoulder and punched her very softly in the face.

Sam didn't want to hurt Tess Sam just needed to get her mind off studies, Sam blinked slightly as her eye's tried to focus on Tess.

by **Tess McCartney** Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:46 am

(OOC: If you are going to post a fighting post, remember not to say that you "punched" someone but rather you attempted to punch the other rper decides whether or not they were hit, or else it can be considered godmodding okay? Smile

)

Tess winced as she felt the brush of her knuckles on her face. She wasn't expecting to be hit on the face, after all she wanted to come out without any obvious marks.

"Watch the face yeah?" she grumbled out rubbing her cheek. "I'm not ruining my looks for this practice"

While she wasn't vain, she wasn't stupid and she cared about her looks. Oh she wasn't going to hear the end of it from Victoria and Xander. They would baby her...great. She huffed at the thought.

She turned her body in a graceful manner in return, and swung her leg towards the other girl's waist. She figured she wasn't going to hurt her face, she didn't want to leave any clear marks on faces. Thought she might be the only one with a bruise mark. A glamour charm would hopefully fix that.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:21 am

(OOC: I wasn't trying to god mod her I was just saying she tried to punch Tess and okay)

Sam shook her head at Tess " Well you might want to tell your opponent that" Sam said seriously " Because your opponent will aim at your face" Sam added.

Sam was knocked side ways but just barely, Sam let out a small chuckle and she attempted to knock Tess's feet out from under her

(OOC: If you're not cool with fighting scenes than tell me and we can skip and say like neither one of them won or anything like that)

by **Tess McCartney** Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:25 am

(OOC: It's fine actually I don't mind, just the tenses were confusing )

Tess pouted and as she felt her legs buckle under her, she arched her back and landed on her hands, back flipping to get some leverage and gain her footing once more.

Thank you gymnastics she thought breathing a little heavier.

Her blood was pounding and she felt her adrenaline pumping.

"Well I'm telling you now" she said.

She flipped forward and aimed once more towards her abdomen. She didn't want to hit her too hard after all it was a light sparring match and she felt bad considering she was older.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:21 pm

(OOC: Sorry about that I'll try to get the tenses right)

Sam jumped back and smirked " You're good" Sam said than she did and back flip and landed on the other side of the room.

Sam had never taken gymnastics or anything like that, she was just alway's flexible. Sam smiled and waited for Tess to attack, Sam walked toward her and attempted to do a body shot.

by **Tess McCartney** Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:58 pm

(OOC: It's fine.)

Tess found herself sharing a smirk back at her. While she wasn't the violent sort of person, she found it nice that she was able to defend herself. If only the Headmistress could see her now.

She back flipped towards Sam, for the first time trying offensive and instead of hitting her forwards, she swung around gracefully avoiding the punch and instead of punching her in return, she nudged her forward, more towards the center teasingly. She didn't want to get too violent, but she needed to avoid certain punches. She tried to kick her lightly behind the legs for her to buckle and pulled back.

by **Sam Hawthorn** Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:21 pm

Sam felt the body punch and she clencthed her teeth, Sam smirked slightly and moved just in time so Tess didn't buckle her legs Sam flipped and attempted to knock Tess's legs out from under her again.

Sam couldn't wait to be a third Year so she could learn all the things they were Sam had been reading a lot but it still didn't help her in combat, Sam sighed and wiped what little sweat she had on her forehead