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fandomweekly2016-02-07 08:09 pm
kalineh) wrote in fandomweekly2016-02-07 08:09 pm
Entry tags:
[#002] Sigh No More (Original Canon)
Theme Prompt: Practice Makes Perfect
Title: Sigh No More
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: None
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 985
Summary: Fledgling Archangels are not the best of students
“Hit me,” Valdis said, turning to face him and the startled look on his face was, in her opinion, priceless.
“I don’t really feel comfortable with striking a woman,” Malachi replied, scratching his head.
Valdis rolled her eyes. “Please,” She said, running her fingers through her hair. “I doubt you’d be able to lay a finger on me.”
“I’m battle trained,” Malachi said stubbornly.
“I’m sure that you are...” She flashed him one of her perfect smiles, “competent.”
He scratched his head again, but not out of nervousness. She could see that her slight had done its work, but she pushed it a bit further, “Your dear father must be disappointed.”
Malachi lashed out with more speed than she expected, but she was faster and caught his punch in her hand. She was pleased by the surprise reflected in his eyes, but even more pleased by how his eyes hardened. He struck out up with his knee, meaning to catch her in the stomach, but she stepped back out of his range and he stumbled when he met no resistance.
“Is that all you’ve got?” She taunted.
Malachi’s face flushed and the speed of his movements increased. But Valdis could see his intention and ducked and dodged every attempt to strike her, always by a breath. Malachi’s features twisted as she moved always one step ahead of him and in his frustration, his swings, kicks and punches became wilder and more predictable than they already were. Finally, he fell to the ground, exhausted and sweating. Valdis looked down at him, arms crossed, hip cocked and one eyebrow raised.
“Well,” she said, “It’s a start.”
As they trained over the next several days, Valdis dodged Malachi’s futile attempts to hit her. She refused to be discouraged by his lack of progress in patience. But the boy’s movements were becoming faster, his attacks more fierce, with a weapon he might be able to destroy a level one demon or hold a level two at bay, but he was too predictable. He had skill, but it was too ordered and every movement seemed choreographed. Her forehead wrinkled as she watched, trying to pinpoint the weakness that held the fledgling back. Malachi bent his knees and jumped up into a kick, but a gust of wind rustled through the trees and the punching bag he was trying to hit, swayed sideways. Instead of altering his attack and balance, he caught the bag at the wrong point, was unable to check his footing as he landed, slipped and fell onto his back. Valdis allowed a grin to cross her face. The boy lacked flexibility in his fighting style and awareness of his surroundings. But while she couldn’t teach him how to react, she could teach him how to be aware.
“That’s enough for today,” She called to him. He scowled at her, stood up, brushed himself off and headed back toward the cabin. Valdis shook her head, amused by the fledgling’s antics. “Where are you going?” She asked.
“Back to the cabin,” He replied, pausing with one foot in the air.
“Nope.” Valdis grinned, “We aren’t done training.”
“You just said,” he began.
“I said that we were done with the physical activity for today.” Valdis sat down on the pine needled ground and crossed her legs, “Come here,” She said, closing her eyes.
The soft sound of Malachi’s footsteps grew louder as he approached.
“Sit,” She ordered when she felt and heard him stop. She took a deep breath and extended her senses. Malachi’s heartbeat became clear, as did the rustling of his clothing as he crossed his legs and sat. She felt the vibration of his body settling to the ground and smiled softly.“Close your eyes and listen to your surroundings.” He sighed, but she knew that he had done as she wanted, because his breathing slowed and his heartbeat steadied.
“Expand your senses, focus on what you hear. Try to feel the movement in the ground, the air.” Valdis heard the rustle of wings and the creak of branches as a large bird took flight from a tree. The snapping of small twigs and the crunch of pine needles as a deer walked tentatively through the wooded surroundings. Malachi coughed and Valdis flinched from the trance, losing the extended awareness of her surroundings. He sneezed. She opened her eyes to see that Malachi’s were still closed, but he was rubbing his nose with irritation.
“You need to relax,” She said softly, “this is not something that you can force.”
Malachi snorted and opened his eyes, “This is dumb.”
Valdis’ eyes narrowed, and her voice hardened, “It is an important technique that will help you survive.”
“How?” Malachi threw his hands up in the air in frustration, “I need to learn fighting skills, not how to hear a bird three miles away.”
“Meditation is an important part of focus,” Valdis growled, her pupils growing and green irises shifting to a deep blood red. “Without an expanded awareness of your surroundings you will not be able to predict or feel your opponent’s movements. You will fall prey to your own blindness.”
Feeling the rising fury, Valdis closed her eyes to take a deep breath and, after slowly releasing it, she said, “I want to you sit out here and meditate for two hours every day, twice a day.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest, “I don’t care about your opinions, mine are the only ones that matter. Everything I tell you to do is for your own sake. If you want to live, then you will listen.”
He shut his mouth, his wide eyes betraying his youth. Valdis carefully kept her glee from showing on her face, she enjoyed scaring the boy, but at the same time, every word uttered was true. His life depended upon his willingness to listen and learn.
Title: Sigh No More
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: None
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 985
Summary: Fledgling Archangels are not the best of students
“Hit me,” Valdis said, turning to face him and the startled look on his face was, in her opinion, priceless.
“I don’t really feel comfortable with striking a woman,” Malachi replied, scratching his head.
Valdis rolled her eyes. “Please,” She said, running her fingers through her hair. “I doubt you’d be able to lay a finger on me.”
“I’m battle trained,” Malachi said stubbornly.
“I’m sure that you are...” She flashed him one of her perfect smiles, “competent.”
He scratched his head again, but not out of nervousness. She could see that her slight had done its work, but she pushed it a bit further, “Your dear father must be disappointed.”
Malachi lashed out with more speed than she expected, but she was faster and caught his punch in her hand. She was pleased by the surprise reflected in his eyes, but even more pleased by how his eyes hardened. He struck out up with his knee, meaning to catch her in the stomach, but she stepped back out of his range and he stumbled when he met no resistance.
“Is that all you’ve got?” She taunted.
Malachi’s face flushed and the speed of his movements increased. But Valdis could see his intention and ducked and dodged every attempt to strike her, always by a breath. Malachi’s features twisted as she moved always one step ahead of him and in his frustration, his swings, kicks and punches became wilder and more predictable than they already were. Finally, he fell to the ground, exhausted and sweating. Valdis looked down at him, arms crossed, hip cocked and one eyebrow raised.
“Well,” she said, “It’s a start.”
As they trained over the next several days, Valdis dodged Malachi’s futile attempts to hit her. She refused to be discouraged by his lack of progress in patience. But the boy’s movements were becoming faster, his attacks more fierce, with a weapon he might be able to destroy a level one demon or hold a level two at bay, but he was too predictable. He had skill, but it was too ordered and every movement seemed choreographed. Her forehead wrinkled as she watched, trying to pinpoint the weakness that held the fledgling back. Malachi bent his knees and jumped up into a kick, but a gust of wind rustled through the trees and the punching bag he was trying to hit, swayed sideways. Instead of altering his attack and balance, he caught the bag at the wrong point, was unable to check his footing as he landed, slipped and fell onto his back. Valdis allowed a grin to cross her face. The boy lacked flexibility in his fighting style and awareness of his surroundings. But while she couldn’t teach him how to react, she could teach him how to be aware.
“That’s enough for today,” She called to him. He scowled at her, stood up, brushed himself off and headed back toward the cabin. Valdis shook her head, amused by the fledgling’s antics. “Where are you going?” She asked.
“Back to the cabin,” He replied, pausing with one foot in the air.
“Nope.” Valdis grinned, “We aren’t done training.”
“You just said,” he began.
“I said that we were done with the physical activity for today.” Valdis sat down on the pine needled ground and crossed her legs, “Come here,” She said, closing her eyes.
The soft sound of Malachi’s footsteps grew louder as he approached.
“Sit,” She ordered when she felt and heard him stop. She took a deep breath and extended her senses. Malachi’s heartbeat became clear, as did the rustling of his clothing as he crossed his legs and sat. She felt the vibration of his body settling to the ground and smiled softly.“Close your eyes and listen to your surroundings.” He sighed, but she knew that he had done as she wanted, because his breathing slowed and his heartbeat steadied.
“Expand your senses, focus on what you hear. Try to feel the movement in the ground, the air.” Valdis heard the rustle of wings and the creak of branches as a large bird took flight from a tree. The snapping of small twigs and the crunch of pine needles as a deer walked tentatively through the wooded surroundings. Malachi coughed and Valdis flinched from the trance, losing the extended awareness of her surroundings. He sneezed. She opened her eyes to see that Malachi’s were still closed, but he was rubbing his nose with irritation.
“You need to relax,” She said softly, “this is not something that you can force.”
Malachi snorted and opened his eyes, “This is dumb.”
Valdis’ eyes narrowed, and her voice hardened, “It is an important technique that will help you survive.”
“How?” Malachi threw his hands up in the air in frustration, “I need to learn fighting skills, not how to hear a bird three miles away.”
“Meditation is an important part of focus,” Valdis growled, her pupils growing and green irises shifting to a deep blood red. “Without an expanded awareness of your surroundings you will not be able to predict or feel your opponent’s movements. You will fall prey to your own blindness.”
Feeling the rising fury, Valdis closed her eyes to take a deep breath and, after slowly releasing it, she said, “I want to you sit out here and meditate for two hours every day, twice a day.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest, “I don’t care about your opinions, mine are the only ones that matter. Everything I tell you to do is for your own sake. If you want to live, then you will listen.”
He shut his mouth, his wide eyes betraying his youth. Valdis carefully kept her glee from showing on her face, she enjoyed scaring the boy, but at the same time, every word uttered was true. His life depended upon his willingness to listen and learn.
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