003 - A Body in Motion Stays in Motion

[purplexing]

There's always room for improvement. This isn't any new realization so much as a long established fact. It seems that with ever mission and undertaking that Donnie goes through, he finds there's just so much more he doesn't know, or that he can get better at.

Truthfully the past month's left him a bit strained, or at least that's how he's felt. Maybe it's because of the raid, maybe the mission. Maybe the encounter with that horrible duchess. He doesn't know. The previous month had been busier than he'd expected, leaving him no time to go and see if his family was still where he knew them to be, but then he'd been reluctant to check after the address from the Emperor.

He's been restless, always seeking distractions, and with the Corsairs there at least never seems to be a lack for things to do. Repairs to be seen to, new ideas to be drafted and crafted. Upgrades to apply.

I. Armory A
The Armory's a normal haunt for him. He's made progress on the repairs for the Armor he'd scavenged some months back and he's eager to test it out. While he can't do any flying inside, he can at least run through movements, and with the lighter build, it makes it a bit easier to execute more natural moves.

While typically a Feder isn't armed with a polearm, for mobility testing purposes, Donnie's borrowed a spear from a Lanze. It's difficult to pull off the same maneuvers he would with his own staff, but sticking to more basic motions, he tests response times and range of movement, putting the sleek armor through a few drills.


II. Armory B
Perhaps you come across the turtlekin when he's at a workbench, carefully crafting the settings for some very small ether stones. His ENC bracer's currently being used as a paperweight atop one of many schematics he's drawn up, and off to one side his staff rests in its separate sections, along with its normally hidden internal mechanisms. Is that a grappling hook? And the slim knife is certainly a new edition.

As usual he's caught up in his work, not at all meaning to be rude towards any visitors, but you'll have to excuse him for not noticing you there. He also tends to wear his earmuffs tight when in the Armory since it gets loud.


III. Training Rooms
The training dummy before him has seen better days. Unfortunately, as a training dummy, it doesn't have much options for better days, and the rooms have seen plenty more use of late. Today's no exception, and the green lad in the purple mask isn't holding back on his strikes.

A dull metal ring echoes with each hit he makes with his staff, leaving indentations on the dummy between each spin and thrust. He's not sure how long he's been beating up on the thing, but it's a quick way to expend some restless energy. Maybe he's been at it too long, or maybe he just hit the thing too hard, but there's a clang as the titanium staff's slipped from his hands and fallen to the floor, rolling off some ways.


IV. Free Play
((OOC: Need him for anything else or want to do something elsewhere in the Vault? Insert option here!))

Comments

[purplexing]

At least it seems Donnie's not shy about taking the first move. He looks at Link as he walks, keeping the distance between them the same. His stance gives nothing away, but then if there's a weapon Donnie knows like the back of his hand, it's a staff.

His movement is sudden, a quick step forward and a jab paired with it. It's nothing fancy, but opening moves shouldn't be, especially not when you were fighting someone for the first time.

[newmemorywhodis]

The fact that Donnie's stance doesn't give anything away is a sign that he's good, and he knows what he's doing.

Link approves, and he repays back the opening movement with a quick block.

He circles for a moment, before deciding to go on the attack. He darts forward, making a quick series of forward jabs. It's a movement that's very much more like one would expect from a spear than a staff.

It's a sign that perhaps this particular weapon isn't actually Link's forte. At least, not compared to other weapons.

[purplexing]

It may have been hard to tell when all he'd been doing earlier was whaling on a practice dummy, but Donnie has excellent control of his weapon as he pulls back, twisting the staff around between his hands to block each of Link's strikes as he goes on the offensive.

The moment he finds an opening he swings the staff outwards, intending to drive Link back as he presses the offense again. He spins it in hand, the dark metal a blur as he brings the reverse-end forward first in a quick, upwards strike, already prepared to respond around a parry if Link brings his staff to block.

[newmemorywhodis]

Blocking is probably what Link should do. But Link's wielding the broom handle like a spear, not a quarterstaff - and instead of blocking, he hops backwards, putting more distance between them.

Once again, Link waits - letting Donnie make the next aggressive approach. But Link is watching him closely - the way he moves, the timing of his strikes. Perhaps if Link can learn him quickly enough, he can find an advantage.

[purplexing]

The thing is, Donnie's response is more reaction-based. He's constantly calculating, adjusting his movements to be as precise and effective as possible.

He doesn't give Link much space when the other jumps back, having noticed the lack of attempts to block. His staff is kept in motion, making use of both ends depending on distances and angles.

Maybe it might not be realized as a distraction until the moment the turtlekin suddenly breaks off his whirlwind of attacks to duck down, sweeping his foot at Link's feet.

[newmemorywhodis]

Donnie's fast, and quick; and right now he's got Link on the back foot. But Link's fast and quick too - and he practically somersaults out of the way to dodge some of Donnie's strikes.

It's only through sheer reflexes and years of experience that he manages to - barely - dodge that unexpected kick towards his feet, twisting to one side.

Link's tactics need to change. He shifts away from the defensive, moving to aggressively swing down his brook handle to strike at Donnie while he's still down low.

Except, the moment Donnie blocks - the moment titanium steel meets wood - Link's broom handle shatters.

And Link is very suddenly left without any weapon at all.

[purplexing]

Given Link's mobility, the potential of him avoiding a fall is well within Donnie's anticipated maneuvers from him. He's tracking the other, and even while he's still close to the floor, he twists his upper body around, staff brought over his head and braced with his other hand to deflect.

Breaking the 'staff' that Link was using had also been within a realm of possibilities, except with Link having been using it so boldly, Donnie had also been inclined to assume that perhaps the wood was of sturdier origin. It's still a surprise then, that he hears the crack and splintering of the thing, and he's showered by fragments of wood.

But his own staff continues to move, body already committed to a follow up as he brings the weapon more on level with him and thrusts the end towards Link's gut while he's shifting his feet into position to stand again.

[newmemorywhodis]

Perhaps if Link still had a weapon, he'd be able to block. Perhaps if there weren't shattered pieces of wood flying into his face, he'd have been able to react fast enough to dodge.

But those weren't options, and instead Link gets a solid piece of titanium to the stomach.

As Donnie stands up, Link does down. He hits the ground with a dull thud - and for a moment Link just lies there, catching his breath.

Then he raises his hands; a clear sign that Link is conceding this round.

[purplexing]

"Link!"

As soon as he's up on his feet, Donnie turns to hurry over beside him, whatever mask of calm concentration he'd donned for the fight immediately slipping. He sets his staff down as he tries to check on the other.

"You okay? Sorry, I..." He winces. "Maybe we don't use broomsticks next time."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods, and one of the raised hands shifts into a thumbs up. He's good! He's not hurt; just bested.

Perhaps things would have gone differently, if this were a fight with an enemy; then, Link wouldn't be limiting himself to a broom handle. He wouldn't just accept the defeat; he'd keep fighting, no matter what.

But Donnie wasn't an enemy. He was a friend, and an ally. Link didn't begrudge him his victory.

"You're good," he says as he sits up, giving a nod towards Donnie's boomstick.

[purplexing]

Donnie looks relieved at that. He laughs faintly, offering Link a hand up.

"I had a good teacher," he says, smiling proudly.

Once Link's up on his feet again, the turtlekin hooks his toes under the staff to flip it up high enough for him to catch in hand.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link tilts his head to one side; an unspoken question in his inquisitive look.

Who was Donnie's teacher? Would he tell Link about them?

[purplexing]

"Mm? Oh, my father. Well, the man who raised my brothers and I." Still his father, even if not one related by blood. Donnie still smiles fondly, wistfully.

"He's really strong and can use anything as a weapon. He taught all of us how to fight and protect ourselves."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link makes an affirmative hum. He can relate to learning from your father...or at least, he thinks he can. He knows his own father must have taught him something of how to be a knight...but he can't actually remember it.

Those memories were some of the ones that never fully returned.

But Donnie's father sounds interesting.

"Anything?" Link likes the sound of that; it fits with his own particular ethos.

[purplexing]

Donnie grins. "Anything," he says with an emphatic nod. "Ladders, some weird shellfish that were on the beach... I suspect that he used to be a gladiator at the Fields of Blood over in Elysium, once," he says, undoubtedly proud of his father. "He says he retired but I'm not sure they ever let people do that, so he probably just escaped."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link could immediately see how ladders could be used as a weapon - but shellfish?

So he pulls a crab out of his pack. Not really a shellfish, but the closest Link's got. He looks at it with a considering expression - clearly pondering how one might fight with a drab, as it's pincers snap uselessly in the air.

Something to try out one day, maybe.

"He a Corsair?" He sounds like he should be. And maybe if he was, Link could meet him and ask for tips on battling with shellfish...?

[purplexing]

He probably should have expected that, but clearly he isn't as he sputters upon the revelation of a crab being part of Link's inventory. It's so ridiculous, and yet so Link. Donnie laughs, but the release feels good. He feels like it's been a while since he's had a good laugh.

The turtlekin's laughter subsides, sobering slightly with the question. He shakes his head. "No."

[newmemorywhodis]

"...Oh," Link says. Even the crab's pincers seem to droop.

Maybe he can't meet Donnie's father then. Even though he'd like to.

"Does he know...?" That Donnie is a Corsair, that he's fighting this war? Is it something that Donnie and his father wouldn't agree on?

[purplexing]

"...."

Donnie rubs at his arm awkwardly. "I don't know if he knows. "I'm not even sure if they know I'm still alive, or where I am...or...anything," he admits, looking down.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link falls silent for a moment.

"...You can't tell him?"

Because surely, there must be a reason. Link can't imagine Donnie would neglect to do so otherwise.

[purplexing]

"I haven't gone home ever since the Corsairs saved me. I'm not sure if maybe the Imperials went and found them or...or if maybe Father took my brothers elsewhere when they thought they'd lost me."

And while it hurts that it might be the latter, he'd rather hope that than the possibility of the Empire's involvement. But it still eats at him, not knowing. And it's the fear of finding out that keeps him at bay.

Donnie collapses his staff, sliding it back into its holster. "I know I should go check, see if they're still there, but after the Emperor made his address, I don't want to risk it."

[newmemorywhodis]

Link understands how it can eat at you. Not knowing. He still doesn't know what happened to his own family during the Calamity. Whether they survived it.

"...Could look for you," Link suggests. The Empire might be looking to see if Donnie would come home, but might not take notice of someone else checking in on them.

[purplexing]

It's such a simple offer, but it's one no one else has offered. Donnie looks almost startled of it, surprised as he is to hear it.

"I-it's dumb. I should just go myself," he says, feeling his eyes burn as his vision gets misty. "But if you really want to..." Link had no problem with traversing difficult terrains, and from Elysium it was a lot of forests and cliffs unless you stuck to the northernmost coastline.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link nods. Yes, he wants to. And really, if it involved travelling lots of wild terrain...that was a bonus, as far as he was concerned.

"Where do I look for them?"

[purplexing]

Donnie lifts his left arm to flip open the cover on his ENC bracer. He pulls up the map of Innistis, pointing at the northernmost coast.

"This doesn't detail it very much, but it's all wilderness outside of Elysium. The easiest way not to get lost is to start from the city and head out towards the coastline. The woods are dense and there's a ravine when you go deep enough."

He points at the river. "Once you get to the river, it's about an hour's walk to the area of the coastline where we live. The area there's rocky, but along the cliffs there's a narrow opening. It's easy to miss because it blends in with the rest of the cliffs, depending on the angle you look at it from. But that's where home is."