faderift | [ OPEN ] Do you believe in magic?

WHO: Jim Kirk & Anyone
WHAT: Catchall through Harvestmere (October)
WHEN: Timing (backdated, covering a span, etc.)
WHERE: Location
NOTES: Content warnings, OOC notes, links to other relevant posts, etc.

A - The Magic Man's Come and He's Here to Stay
The morning that changed it all had not begun like he'd expected, obviously. It had been rather embarrassing actually (not that he would be recounting that particular part of the story, especially when he would be apologizing for it for the rest of the month most likely). But ever since the change had happened, he began to make regular trips outside of the walls of Skyhold and out into the forests, away from the immediate eyes and ears of the general masses.

After all, he didn't need everyone looking in on him as he pointed his shard-embedded hand at a tree, waiting for something to happen. He felt terribly foolish, but he knew he had shot a beam from his shard - several times, in fact. Whatever was happening, it wasn't a fluke, and he had better learn to control it less it get away from him in a critical moment.

"On!" Pause. "Fire!" Another pause. "Damn it, do something!"

Pew!

"Please don't let that be my trigger phrase...."

B - Listen Up, I Never Say Anything Twice (Classes)
Currently, Kirk run three classes, all at varying times. It made for an interesting schedule, but it kept him busy, and he enjoyed it. All three classes were open to anyone who wished to join, which meant his classes often had mixed skill levels.

Mathematics had Kirk walking between the students, grouping them according to kill level and doing mini-sessions. With the smallest ones or those with no knowledge he focused on the basics, patiently pointing out how to handle the equations. The groups went up from there, and after a bit Kirk clapped his hands to get their attention.

"All right, who wants to play a game?"

--

Once math was over, he moved on to the sciences. His focus for right now was an understanding of the human body (he was not comfortable enough in the physiology of the other races to teach it), and overall health, along with natural science such as how weather worked. Really it varied, and every lesson could get easily derailed as students asked questions and he expanded.

"All right, all right - anything else before I move on?"

--

And of course there was self defense classes, focusing on hand-to-hand combat. Like his other classes, he paired skill level with skill level. Unlike his other two, he was far more strict here, walking between partners, critiquing and demonstrating.

"Come on, go at it for real!" he called. "This is practice for a real life situation, so better treat it like one!"

C - The Man About Town
When not practicing with his shard or teaching his classes, Kirk was running errands around Skyhold, acting as a sort of courier for businesses. It wasn't the best pay, but it saw him through the days. It meant he ran between businesses in the market and even around the medical tents.

He spent time at the stables as well, working on his horsemanship, or visiting with Boggie. He could often be seen talking to him and petting the bog unicorn, sometimes with his cats, Leonard and Nikita, in tow.

Of course he would make appearances at the tavern, happy to sit and enjoy an evening of music and song with drink in hand. Some nights he could convinced to sing of his strange, other-worldly songs too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's a Squire, he's not exactly helpless... but he's not great, either. And when things were hand-to-hand, Kif stands at a disadvantage. Literally. 4'8" is not a great height to attack from, in his opinion, so when Kirk tells him to go at it, Kif gives him a rather flat look.

"I'm going to break if I go at it for real. I'm going to break if he," he gestures at his opponent, a human with a definite height advantage if lacking in coordination advantage, "goes at it for real. I prefer not breaking."

"Your opponent in a real fight is going to be looking to break you," Kirk reminded Kif. "Better to learn how to avoid it in a controlled setting. That's why you're here isn't it?"

He motioned for Kif's partner to join a group, stepping in to take his place in front of his student.

"I'm going to come at you now. Do what I've shown you - redirect the attacks, got it?" He asked, relaxing into a neutral starting pose.

He's here because he's not very smart, he decides. But that's not something to dwell on as he gets into a position in return.

"Redirect, don't absorb them as if you have a shield, try not to get broken," Kif lists. It's exhausting, trying to better one's self. It would be so easy to just go back and find out what list of chores Zapp currently has for him... but he wants to see if there's something more out here.

"I'm ready." He exhales and braces, watching Kirk.

Kirk waits, letting the tension build. A real opponent was hardly going to tell you when they were going to attack, after all. After a few more heartbeats, he stepped in and swung. It was a series his students would know well - the first ones he taught them to work against each other as well as attackers. They were broadly broadcast so Kiff could see them coming, no tricks.

"Just like I taught you!" he ordered as he swung.

The first part, at least, he's used to. His time with Zapp is all anticipation, all waiting for the next idiotic move. The second part, surprisingly, he's also a bit ready for thanks to Kirk's preparation beforehand. With something that's far more mechanical than graceful but is still successful, Kif moves to the right spot to redirect the blow to the side.

For a moment, his expression brightens. He got one. But more swings follow, and each blow gets only barely dealt with at the last moment until he gets slammed by the final swing and Kif stumbles backward. If this had been a real fight, he'd be down. It's not a comforting thought.

"I was meant to be a leatherworker," he says to Kirk. "I have to learn this and I have to be better but I wasn't made for it."

Edited 2016-11-02 04:11 (UTC)

Kirk pushed through the series, not stopping until Kif stumbled back, which was good as being down at Kif's level. He relaxed, giving the other a comforting look as he came closer, reaching out to take Kif's arms and adjust them back into a proper place for a beginning, defensive stance.

"No one is meant for fighting," Kirk told him gently. "It's the type of world we live in that it makes it necessary to learn. And that's what you're doing Kif. You're learning. Failure in your lessons isn't a bad thing - we learn from failure, and turn them into victories later. But it comes at the cost of sweat and hard work. If you're willing to pay that price, you'll get better, I promise."

He gripped his shoulder and squeezed.

"You felt it, didn't you? Those couple of beginning exchanges? You redirected my attacks - you got them right, and that's progress from when you first started. So you are getting better."

A pat now and he moved back a few steps.

"Now, I'm going to attack again, but slower, then we'll do an assessment."

"I'm good at sweat and hard work," he says mournfully. It's about all he does and he could really go for less sweat, but that's not about to happen. At least Kirk's being nice. Kind. Teaching and encouraging. For that, Kif can take a breath and straighten his back while nodding.

"I felt it." There's a little hope in his voice now. "You're nicer than my Chevalier." Who, technically, probably should have been seeing to Kif's training, except there was no way Kif would ever progress past Squire. This was his life.

"I'm ready when you are," he says, actually feeling a little more like he's ready. Maybe this time he'll block them all.

"Just remember, if I throw you to the dirt, it's to help you," he reminded him. "That's all part of learning." He looked around to the rest of the group. "This goes for all of you too. You are here to learn. Learning is not a perfect thing. You will fail. You will fall. But if you come back and try again, the next time you won't. You will only truly fail if you stop trying to learn."

His gaze returned to Kiff, nodding to him.

"Here I come." He wasted no time in stepping in, striking out in the same pattern that he had before, though he was doing slower, giving Kiff a fraction of a second more to think about how to counter. In the next few rounds he would pick up the pace as if they were in a real battle, but for now this was necessary for the lesson.

This is, in his experience, the only time in his life a human has been trying to throw him to the dirt to help him. Much of the time it's followed by kicks and a frantic scramble to just cover his head.

The difference is nice. It's also nice to not be afraid. It's even more nice that Kirk is moving more slowly, and Kif can follow the pattern, keep up with each swing and even meet them.

By the time that round is done there's the start of a small smile on his face. He hadn't failed this round. He'd learned and it's satisfying.

"I got it that time," he told Kirk excitedly, as if the man hadn't noticed.

Seeing the excitement on Kiff's face was enough to make Kirk smile too, to have that warmth blossom in his chest that came from the pride in seeing a student learn and do well. He had felt it when he helped train others at the Academy, felt it when his men and women had done well on the Enterprise or performed above and beyond.

"Good," he praised, moving back and resuming his start position. "I'm going to go faster this time, like in a more realistic fight. Do your best, and we'll call it a day after we stretch out. Then it's rest. Here I come." He breathed and lunged in, repeating the same pattern, but sped up to fighting speed.

He tries to remember the pattern, knowing that in a real fight there's no cheating by knowing what an opponent is going to do ahead of time but he wants every advantage he can get. Kif catches some of the moves, but not all. That Kirk gets a couple strikes in has him swallowing after, but nodding, not feeling beaten down this time. Kirk had said good. He's not failing or disappointing entirely, and maybe this means he'll do better next time.

No. It means he'll do better this time, he decides.

"Thank you," Kif says quietly after. "I'll do better next lesson, sir."

[ OPEN ] Do you believe in magic?

B.

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