faderift | I don't know, I just wanna rp~!

WHO: Walker and all of y'all
WHAT: Training and preoccupying himself and others.
WHEN: Cloudreach...here...and there
WHERE: Training grounds, the place with the dummies.
NOTES: Eh, violence against human-shaped dummies? Maybe some language.

He had caught on rather quickly with how to use the resources that were made available to him. Yes Walker would much rather have a gun with him, or even a pair of walkie-talkies; the kind that you can buy for your kids at Walmart or some other store for a few bucks. But even so he's dealt with less, and was currently building on his skills with the tools at his disposal.

The man had quickly picked up on the spear, the king of the battlefield and used in just about every conflict imaginable. Even in his own time, he had the similar bayonet that he could fix on the end of a rifle if he really needed it. He was no stranger to knives or hand to hand either, and could regularly be seen practicing them with ease.

No, what he needed improvement on the most was his abilities to wield both a sword and bow. Though he was fairly used to using the bow and arrow (along with the crossbow), especially by now, he still needed to improve upon it. The same could be said with the sword. An outdated weapon without much use on a modern battlefield.

But it has a use here, and so he often found himself training alongside the other recruits, learning what he could with them, while also teaching the things that he knows.

However Walker still looked a bit awkward with the blade in hand and could probably use a few pointers.

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Maker preserve him, that man was going to stab someone's eye out if he wasn't careful.

Norrington was heading across the training field to talk to some of the captains about further instruction in fighting demons when he spotted a man ... not like the other soldiers, awkwardly holding a sword in a grip that was far too loose and a stance that meant he was probably going to trip and accidentally stab someone.

He frowned, waving off the other soldiers around him, as he stated firmly, "Your stance is terrible, and your grip is striking fear in my heart. Are you new here?"

His stance was good, spectacular even.

But how he gripped the blade, used and moved with it, that was terrible. Walker's grip was clumsy as he adjusted for the length. To him it didn't feel like a part of his body like a spear, rifle, knife or even bow does. Hm...perhaps he should start thinking about introducing firearms... no, even so he needs to get used to these people's weapons.

As outdated as many of them might be. In fact, Walker seemed to have been so focused on what he was doing that he didn't notice the other man until a few extra seconds after he was addressed.

"No, and you are?"

Yes, for a polearm. Not for a sword.

"I am Knight Commander James Norrington, and I am one of the finest sword-hands there are."

He sighed, deeply, before he moved forward and held out his hand. He gestured for the sword, and when Martin Walker finally handed it to him (because Norrington is Norrington), Norrington gripped the sword tightly in his hand. He showed him the swing, the proper swing, of the sword, and a thrust besides.

"You need to tighten your fingers and loosen your body."

Well now doesn't he sound important.

"Captain Martin Walker."

Who says he's going to hand it to the guy right off the bat? Norrington might be Norrington, but Walker is also Walker and is therefore not a dog. He also seems quite absorbed in what he was doing, so until Mr. Norrington actually asked for it, Walker kept it.

When that happened, he goes ahead and watches how the other man held the blade closely, committing the movements to memory. Of course he won't learn anything from just watching, he should hand that sword back and walk him through it.

Because get it, walk, and he's Walker?

That's because he is.

However, a Captain is nothing to sneeze at, so.

"Your sword, if you would, Captain?"

Is the still semi-polite way of asking for it. After Norrington demonstrates, he hands back the sword and then gestures to Walker.

"Just try swinging from the shoulder first."

Well this strange, Norrington man is most certainly more polite than most people out there. Well either way, he goes ahead and swings it as per command, the other guys is a Commander after all. Or so he says, but the good Captain had been observing him for a few moments, and he seems to garner some sort of authority over the others. Plus the name is slightly familiar.

Just be glad that Martin isn't the pranking type.

"How long have you been here?"

Merchant family bred in good old Tantervale, which did tend to be a little stuffy. For, well, the Free Marches. The other soldiers are watching with interest, and yes, a respectful distance

"Around six months. If you haven't noticed, I train the soldiers to deal with demons on the field."

"That so?" He does a few swings of the blade once it was back in his hands. He was visibly getting more used to it. Slowly but surely, perhaps faster than most. But he has been practicing it on and off since he had arrived in Skyhold six months ago as well.

"How's that coming along?"

James nodded his head briefly and with approval. "That is so."

He walked around the other man, observing his form. Much better, much faster. Very nice. He really do enjoy watching people pick up sword play.

"Very well ... if it continues to go well, we shall start with abominations soon."

"But do you feel like they're disciplined enough for the task?"

He gives a few more swings of the sword, it was starting to feel a bit more natural in his hands. Still not really something that he would probably use on instinct. But handy if he needs something to fall back on.

"Not quite yet - or I would have pressed the issue with the Advisors. As I said, they are getting there."

He looked at the men who were going through their own stances broodingly, arching one eyebrow at one or two of them.

"They're good men. They have the stomach to stand up to - well - just about anything. But demons are 'just about anything', so training must also come with an education."

"You'll never be ready until you find yourself in a real situation."

He grunted before shifting his own gaze towards the recruits as well. His eyes were grey, keen and judging. Were they pouting because their instructor doesn't think they're ready yet? How cute, he wondered how that would hold up in the face of danger.

"That is quite true."

James paused, looking thoughtfully at the men, then back at Captain Walker. "My own men and I were about to look into some local incidents of blood mages, over the next few weeks. If you like, you and some of your men can come along. See what it is like to fight a true demon."

"You're going to want to have a firmer grasp on the grip, or that blade will not stay in your hand for a very long time. It won't break with a bit of pressure, I can assure you." The voice comes to his left, as Aveline happened by the recruits on her way towards the dummies, herself. She wasn't going to leave him to it, not if she could offer a hand.

"Have you ever used a sword before?"

Edited 2016-04-17 04:56 (UTC)

He had been practicing it for quite some time today, something that would be rather evident from the sweat starting to pool down on his forehead. The moment that Walker had away from the recruits that he had been stuck training, was the moment that he immediately went to start his own training.

He had improved-- somewhat since he first started out. But as Aveline can probably tell, he isn't used to using a sword.

"Only for ceremonial purposes." He grunted back, after realizing that she was addressing him. His grip is fine, stance is fine, but his movements were rather clumsy and inexperienced.

Help a brother out?

She gives him a small nod. "Alright. Using it in a fight is a bit different than it would be for show. You're going to want to be sure of it, like it's an extension of your arm."

Aveline looks his form up and down. "If you second guess yourself, an enemy will see it and take advantage of that. See that dummy? Hit the left arm."

Walker listened, letting her words sink in.

When the woman mentioned the dummy he stares at it for a few moments before shrugging and lining up his shot with his eyes. For a moment he imagined an actual person there, faceless and open for attack.

He hesitates for a moment before swinging the blade down. Those large muscles of his weren't just for show either, and the blade forces itself deep into arm. Though his movements were still stiff and showing general discomfort in using something with a blade that was three times bigger than what he was used to.

With a grunt, he rips the blade out. "And?"

I don't know, I just wanna rp~!

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