middaeg | The Room where it happens (open catch all!)

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The Room where it happens (open catch all!)

Who: Sokie and you!
When: All month
Where: All over the city and on the outskirts
What: Open starters for Sokie as she tries to be productive!
Warnings: TBA

I: Parliament

[There was a lot of listening on Sokie's part, which may have seemed unusual for those who Kew her. Usually she was chatty, filled with charm and wit- but in Parliament, she dressed in a formal business suit and took notes (and also doodled). In exiting a meeting, she paused outside of the building and took a few moments to stretch. Her butt felt sore for sitting still so long.]

My butt hurts. I guess this is why I've always turned down a desk job.

[She needed to do some yoga and have a run. And a bath.]

II: Radio Hour

[Anyone and everyone could call or text in, but Sokie would stay on voice since...well, she was on the morning hour with her radio advice show. Which was on right now, live.]

Hello dear listener, welcome to An Undertaking with Undertown. What question can I answer today?

III: Teaching Magic

[She left a notice on te boards again. It wasn't good last month, by this time...maybe She could help some of the newbies learn their magic or how to counter it.

She asked them to meet at the entry of Haven, and after some introductions, things would move on from there. Well. She got to the point really.]

So, what do you want to learn today?

IV: A different kind of practice

[It was true she had a baton, but it was the kidnapping and speaking to Sephiroth that was a wake up call. Heck, she might have even been denying it, since the snow storm.

But she found a smithy and was going through the weapons, one by one, trying to find which would suit her best. So far, nothing really caught her eye but...she found one, and lightly twirled tin in one hand.]

It feels nicer but I think I need to put this through its paces.

...hey. You wouldn't mind going for a round, right?

[Sorry curious customer and or passerby. Sokie wants a smol fite.]

V: A moment of quiet

[She was in a corner of a cafe, or maybe just in Diplomatea. As usual, there were books around her, papers of various formulae, but she seemed more interested in her tea or coffee then she was in her work. Seeing someone nearby, she made a beckoning motion with her hand.]

Don't worry, I can move my stuff. Why don't you come sit?

VI: Wildcard

All other options, including hunting outside of the city can be done here! Any questions, comments, can be directed to my discord or at my plurk!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And in many fights, people come armed to the teeth.

[Yeah She looks like a big ol' statue. Sokie. Cocks an eyebrow.]

Yes ma'am.

[A deep breath and- the look in her eyes changes as she focuses on the fight. And here she goes in with a textbook thrust, pushing into the parry so she won't get knocked away. Yup, this is going to go fantastic.

Good thing she works out, else Maria could have sent the sword flying.]

I do have a gun, as well. [And plenty of reason and will to use it. She does not, however, use it for parrying this time. She could, that's what it's mostly there for, and the parrying dagger on the back end of the Rakuyo, but she does none of the above, and instead just sort of goes along with it.

Maria has plenty of advantages here: Height, weight, arm reach, probably general strength, and she uses them to her advantage, though not immediately with much aggression. This isn't about immediately laying Sokie out on the ground without trying, this is about letting her get a little warmed up and remember how to use a weapon.

But that also doesn't mean Maria needs to try that hard to keep deflecting, parrying, or slapping the flat of her blade on vulnerable or places Sokie leaves herself open to bruise.]

Yeah, let's not have you shooting me, even if you might want want to. I like not being shot at.

[Because gunshot wounds are really tricky to deal with. And it's big enough that Maria can loom over her like a giant and way too strong in comparsion. Well...she's used to the idea of being an underdog at least.

It didn't mean Sokie wasn't trying. She was trying to parry, to strike, and block, but Maria just had way too much reach, she though. Which is why she made a noise when she got a smack on the side.]

Ow. My ribs.

[Just bruises, but it still hurts.]

[Maria doesn't quite smile, but she does look rather satisfied with that exclamation as she withdraws her sword.] Your guard's too far open. Tighten up.

[Phrasing again, Maria.

She's just going to let this continue on for a little while longer. Why yes, she is playing with her food.

Phrasing.

But she's doing it for a while longer, at least. This is her bit of revenge before she goes in for the real coup de grace.]

It'd be more tight if you didn't keep pushing me wide open.

[Yeah that's bad phrasing.

Really bad. And while Sokie is trying her best, she is not anywhere near Maria's skill level with blades.

She's going to end up all over blue and purple for being annoying isn't she.]

[She makes a huff of a noise - it's almost a laugh.

Yes, actually, this is exactly what Sokie gets for being annoying. And then, after this, maybe Maria will be more friendly to her. Well, 50/50 shot there, but it's worth a shot after she's gotten a few extra potshots in for how Sokie's been to her to this point.

But after she's tagged a few more spots on Sokie and left a few more bruises, Maria steps back; she's getting a little tired, herself, so she might as well end this before she starts making mistakes. And she does that by... opening her guard up, nice and wide, almost as though on mistake. Let Sokie take one final shot so she can end on a high note?

Or... Maria will grapple her, throw her on the ground, and step on her chest to hold her there?

Yeah, it's the latter more than the former.]

Edited 2020-02-21 02:24 (UTC)

[Here's Sokie all black and blue. And she tried to slide her blade between them but...nope.

Down goes Sokie like a tossed down doll, and with a boot on her chest to boot.

For a few moments, Sokie was still, her mood possibly going any which way-

Then she laughed. She let her weapon fall, and kept her hands loose. She was not about to invite a serious rib stomp.]

Feel better? Or do you need an encore?

I think you need more practice. [She does dig her toe in, just a little, as a parting shot, before she pulls back, and away. For a moment, she honestly looks like she's going to just walk away, but then she thinks better of it, and offers a hand up.

One she braces, in case her opponent gets any bright ideas about getting revenge for being manhandled.]

[She grunted, and her smile widened briefly, showing teeth. Oh. Oh, this was fun. Ah...if only Maria wasn't as sensuous as a telephone pole.

But she at least reaches up and takes her hand to pull herself up. No pettiness here. How is that possible, who knows.]

Maybe I could use a teacher. Know anyone?

[Cheeky. But also just...giving Maria an out? Sort of?]

[Ah... well, Sokie hasn't had the opportunity to actually see that side of Maria, because Maria is uninterested in showing it. She'd probably totally kinkshame if she knew that being stepped on was a thing people really enjoyed though.]

Unfortunately, my mentor is not in this place. He could make a Hunter out of you, yet.

[Or Sokie'd die in the process, which Maria isn't too affected by the idea of. But... yes, actually, Maria does know one. Just not in this world.]

[Yeah She wasn't going to tell Maria about kinks yet since that'd ruin the funky flow.]

Oh, you are a tease. So mean.

[She brushed herself off, her smile widening.]

But I think we both know I'd make a shitty hunter. Too much of an academic.

[Hey, guess what, that does bring a bit of an amused look to Maria's face - she might even be smiling a little bit. How weird.] Oh, how little you know. We all started as academics. How else are you to delve into the most ancient and cursed of places, if you can't kill a few things to get down there?

Or the things your compatriots may turn into because of what you find down there.

[This is... not the kind of thing to be happy about, Maria.]

Ah yes, I see what you mean. Foolish, I suppose to limit academics to books.

[Especially since she's a world traveler herself.]

Still might make a shitty hunter, but now you're just teasing me. Cruel. Utterly, utterly cruel.

[How dare you not let her become cursed into a nasty flesh blob???]

Teasing you? With what? I've never considered myself to be a very good teacher. [Well, she doesn't consider it, but that doesn't mean she isn't actually somewhat apt at it.]

They don't even have the proper kind of catacombs here. And the Cwyld is a blight I wouldn't want to just casually go exploring in.

You could give it a try if you wanted. Give you a way to get back at me for being a brat.

[She may be modest, or she may be a good teacher. She'll take a chance.]

I wouldn't either. I've explored once or twice, but always with backup. Is there a space you'd want to explore, given the chance?

I think I've taken my revenge for now. [She won't say that she's done, of course. Who knows what other little acts of annoyance Sokie might get up to, but for now, she is done.]

What, here? I'd enjoy some delving into what was left behind after the devestation of the blight. I suppose that may be what keeps me going outside the walls, here.

Ah, good to know.

[For now being the key phrase. She may need to kick Sokie's ass later, because...Sokie gets into trouble, that's what she does.]

You're a witch, right? You know it is possible to make a shield that keeps the blight from getting in.

Which may be difficult to maintain for all of it but...it's possible. Even probable if you just want to go out into the wild for a day or two.

That is not a school I've spent much time studying. Unless the "shield" is to burn it all to cinders before you even set foot in the area. [Spending time and mana to cast shields isn't as useful to her as just to be so fast to not be hit to begin with, but that doesn't work as well with the Cwyld.]

I'll just stay with aiding the Wilders as necessary. Let them spend the money and resources to put together the expeditions. I've felt this whole time that some day... we'll know the truth. Whether we want to, or not.

I think that's the proactive vigorous defense that I've heard about.

[Sokie likes shields. It's a good thing for people to focus on while you stab them in the side.]

With the ways that people are investigating and looking for answers...we may find out sooner then later.

Hell, we may already know something of the truth, thanks to the dreams.

But the Wilders-have you invested in them then?

Yes. People are very curious, and they've stumbled upon some interesting information. [She's talked to Eren a little; he's one of the ones who's stuck his nose furthest into things, she thinks. Outside of what she's discovered on her own.]

Well, perhaps, but there is a question I would still like answered about the Cwyld, regardless of the True Fae's hand in starting it.

[A pause.] As for the Wilders, yes, of course. I have not formally joined them, but I lend my aid to them quite often. Hopefully they see me as a steadfast ally, even if not one of their own ranks. [She hasn't really joined any of the groups here; not even the Mirrorbound, really. That was assigned arbitrarily upon arrival, but she rarely gets involved in the larger dealings.]

Mmm. People are curious. People don't like to be left unknowing.

Like about the Cwyld. That could be important for everyone.

And their organization could be key to finding more. Since you're an ally...and you've had your share of hunting in dangerous territory...

How would you improve the Wilders and their practices?

You'd think they would've put more effort into investigating it long ago, but it seems before we came along, they were mostly content to simply peer at it through binoculars and pretend it wasn't about to kick down their door.

[She has a lot of harsh criticisms about Aefenglom as a whole... but really, part of that had to be the government's fault.]

I'd increase recruitment to bolster their numbers, and strengthen the bonds with the Coven so that more expeditions deeper into the Wildes are possible. They need to reclaim territory around Aefenglom and buy the city more breathing room, and time, to figure out what to do with the blight as a whole. But their numbers are few, and it's not like Aefenglom has much of a standing military to aid them.

Mm...did you know? There's a world where they've made this experiment with dogs. They were able to train the dog to think that every time the bell was rung, it'd be fed- and so it'd start to drool.

They've trained themselves not to venture outside. They're safe in their cozy walls, and if the other cities fall, the expeditions fail, oh too bad, it has nothing to do with them.

[Sokie's voice is light, amused even, but she's with Maria in the harsh criticums.]

Do you think the Coven would be willing to go out into the Wildes? This is a rather small city in a whole, and if we wanted their to be a true militaristic push, it'd take a few months to be useful. Years to be great.

What else would be the point of studying any kind of offensive magic at all? The Cwyld makes conventional warfare all but impossible in this world, so even if there was a war, it would be a complicated affair. It's a bit excessive for petty criminals, and even more extreme criminals are so rare it doesn't justify having a whole school dedicated to the study of it.

[She waves her hand.] Unless you plan on using it. There's so few practical applications for half of their magical classes in the cities that aren't in strange or unusual circumstances.

But... the Coven also seems to be moderately more helpful on the whole, and they want to keep their good standing with the city. It would be practical for them to want to help out with the Cwyld.

That's why I've been dabbling a bit. Practical magic classes, outside of a traditional classroom environment.

[Sokie brushed a hand over a forming bruise. Owch.]

They also want to make the most use of us, and as semi citizen status, we're useful for going through loopholes.

So, do you think we could truly get the Coven's help with the Cwyld and expansion? And moreover- would you attempt to assist in the matter?

The Room where it happens (open catch all!)

Show us Maria show us

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