station72 | [training log] once you find your center

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[training log] once you find your center

CHARACTERS: All
WHERE: Station 72
WHEN: Day :153-155
SUMMARY: Get ready to sweat.
WARNINGS: None; will edit if necessary.

EARLY ON DAY 153 after you have had some time to rest, quiet your minds, get used to the feeling of other people in your head and start to know them better than you anticipated or possibly wished to, there is a call.

Unlike before, when you first awoke, it is not warm and sweet and coaxing. It is instead almost devoid of emotion. Nearly as impersonal as a phone call or a person speaking to you across the length of a desk. For those of you who have met him, it is instantly recognizable as Prince, the words fit themselves into whatever language is most comfortable to you, but his tone is the same, the deep, level sound of his voice almost the same as if it were in your ear.

What he says is this:

'New hosts are expected in the Training Wing within --' and here the voice doesn’t falter, but it seems less like words, more like a concept, tapping into the part of your mind with a far clearer understanding of time than you once had. It’s about an earth hour, either way, 'to begin training for your first assignment. Attendance is recommended.'

And with that his voice is gone, leaving behind only the clear impression of a place, how to get there, and your own thoughts. Well, your own and everybody else’s.

IF YOU CHOSE to heed his advice and go to the Training Wing, you will find upon your arrival Prince: taller than average, broad, with warm brown skin and a serious expression across his face. The cape he usually wears is elsewhere, for the moment, and beside him is a stack of dark grey jumpsuits that look very much like the ones both he and Cathaway wear.

If you’ve been to the Training Wing before it seems slightly changed, although it is difficult to say how. Certainly it was this large before, and certainly there were as many chambers. When you approach Prince won’t have much to say at first, but he will hand you your uniform and point you towards the single locker room, and if you ask for clarification he will only say that he will tell you more when you are dressed and the rest have gathered.

You can take this time to talk to your fellow hosts and get used to the slightly honeycomb textured space spandex that you will find fits you to a tee.

When the allotted time has passed, Prince will request you all gather in a single area, and will explain the situation. Your first assignment will be in three day’s time. It isn’t expected to be dangerous, however most of you are completely unprepared. You don’t know your own strength, you don’t know your own skill, and you haven’t had much time to learn.

What follows is a rudimentary explanation of Iota and Rho symbiotic types ((as outlined in the setting)) as well as an explanation of specialized skills. He doesn’t tell you what yours is, and most of his words are a warning- yes, you are stronger than you were before, but you’re not as strong as you could be. Yes, you are faster, but that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to use it. Yes, you can see and hear better than you could before but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to look and you don’t know what you’re listening for. He suggests that you set yourself to learning, although he only teaches the willing.

And then the Training Wing is yours.

((OOC Notes: Welcome to the training log!

The Training Wing is large- bigger than the biggest gym, and it contains a number of specialized spaces for Host’s use. What follows is an (incomplete) list of amenities. Have an idea for another space? Drop us a line in the questions section of the OOC info post! The training wing itself is a central hub-type area with a number of hallways that branch out in a vaguely spiraling fashion spanning multiple levels. Below are a list of locations key to this log:

• Lockers - The aforementioned locker space. Features (open) cubbies, shower spaces, a bathroom, towels, and sets of shoes for those of you without proper footwear.

• Track - Centrally located there is a large track, multiple lanes wide, the ground coated in some sort of slightly rubbery, gripping substance. It’s big, it’s open, it’s white, and if you just want to go fast here’s your chance.

• Gym - Located not far from the lockers is an almost traditional gym space, with a number of pieces of exercise equipment, some of which is familiar and some of which is not. There are instructions that will read in a pleasant voice if you seem lost. You will find both strength and cardio equipment arranged in a somewhat sensible manner.

• Training Hall - A large open space with a number of pads on the floors and walls and a wide variety of dummies and protective gear. You’ll also find melee practice weapons ranging from swords and pikes to slightly more exotic weaponry here as well as room for a little good ol’ fashioned wrasslin’.

• Range - Lying closest to the Flight Hangar, this room features a number of targets and projectile training weapons. Here you will find everything from bows and arrows to laser guns. Nothing is capable of doing real damage, but it feels and reacts in a way that’s very real. Handy readouts will tell you exactly how accurate (or inaccurate) you are.

• Pool - It’s a pool, there are lanes, so swim free. Please don’t drown. There is no sauna.

If you have any questions drop us a line at the OOC post

Let's get physical!))

NAVIGATION • SETTING • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

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[ It's something she understands, fighting doesn't end, fighting never ends, whether that's here, or on some wasteland plain of Pandora, or on a planet a hundred years away. She's died screaming and choking on purple stained blood, she might die like that again. Doesn't change anything, not really.

But she can change how she meets it, this time. Not through machinations. She's done with it - she'll burn this time. She wants to be bright, not a cold girl and shell of a body. One day she won't just look with envy, she can been seen as something other than pathetic.

For now, she gives herself over to Lexa's teaching, to her keeping. Her attention is rapt, given completely to observing and storing away. In that manner, her mind is exact, controlled and regimented so that everything has a place. Like she's build a folio just around Lexa herself. No detail left spared. ]

This one's a little heavy so far, but I think that's just practise. I've never really used these muscles before. [ But Prince had already said there was nothing for that but training. ]

[ It's under currents, death like deep water, where the surface sparkles clear and brilliant. Smoothing over stones that leave no jagged actions, just acceptance. But she is careful to smile, to encourage, to be pleasant.

Seems they wore such things differently, though. ]

You'll never even see a good sniper, until the shot fires. [ A smile pulls, again, adding the complimentary details, because she can talk about these things calmly and with confidence. ] Did you want to try? They've got a very high caliber, so the recoil can be difficult, something smaller might be easier the first time.

[ Depends what she herself feels like, for all this tenuous feed. How best to address the wearing of death then, to not just watching others, letting Gods destroy the land, but to do it themselves. ]

[ She's silent, mulling over the thought. They will assuredly need to fight again. But how much could you truly prepare? To Ilde, each fight is more a display of will than of skill. If you wished to live strongly enough, you would. If the universe's chaos was stronger than you, you died. Simple. Anarchic. She has never truly known any better, been at the whims of a cruel world a long time, where either you survived... or you did not. She supposes in a better world one could prepare... but she isn't convinced that this one is it. ]

That's admirable.

[ Is what she can think to say to that, although her incredulity is not completely hidden. ]

[ Something smaller might be easier... Hm. ]

No. [ She is not interested in what is easiest. If she is to be expected to this training, she will not waste it with platitudes. ] I will learn it.

[ The precise deadliness is appealing to her, an efficient use of her time. ]

[The surprise doesn't surprise her. Even Clarke's people had wondered why they wouldn't do that, and it's what led to the suggestion that maybe they should. She doesn't offer an explanation, though. Explaining the nuances of her culture to a stranger (no matter how much they can feel one another's emotions) isn't something that interests her.]

Good. But first, what should I call you? [Familiarity is important. Those she trains are meant to go on to become commanders like herself. That will be different here, where training is only a matter of survival. But just the same, she believes that here, their lives should be valued.

(Even if the value is largely so that they can fight, so that they can return to their worlds. And even then, she knows there will be some necessary losses along the way.)]

You'll want to find weights to train with, as well. [There are none in here, but Lexa assumes she's seen the thorough arrangements elsewhere. If, for some reason, she didn't take in what was available, she'll only supply that information then.] Working with a blade will do a great deal for the strength in your arms, but you'll need more than that. Either way, there is a good chance that you'll be sore early on in your training. Get used to it.

[Not just from blows, but from adjusting to the repetitive motion. Bruising of the muscle will come into play with the pain at hand, but there will be much to change.]

But so long as you practice, you'll adjust. If you trade down for a smaller weapon, I advise you to keep up the practice with something larger. [But that's a bridge to cross later. This is all rather preemptive, as it's only the beginning.

Still, showing that there's some flexibility to it is important.]

Alright. [ She settles back then, eyes turning over all the parts for the weapon. Briefly taking inventory, so to speak. ] Give me a moment, I can run over all the parts with you.

[ She sets the gun flat on the table for assembly. She collects the parts piece by piece, the strap for carrying, the sight to be added across the top. Her marks hum faintly with light where they can just be see on her hand. There's a business like matter as she compares the numbers on different weapons, the optimisation of this to that, how it would effect a shot. Ammunition just in case. There is still that lingers on each movement, and maybe if she were alone, there would be more, but she's aware she's with company ( something she has to repeat over and over again. Here, and Ilde is with her ), but she touches everything with a very particular care, the pads of her fingers against metal and plastic, the rough strong material of the strap rubbed between forefinger and thumb. The crackle like life that settles in her once all the pieces are there, pleased with drawing it all together. A pleased smile on her face to be working with something she knows, head bent over with attentiveness, all trusting exposed line back of her neck where her hair is raked rather ceremoniously to one side.

Looks back up, raking her hair back where it fell forward in her face. The exposed metal plates glinting in the sterilized white light of the ship. ]

I think that's everything. It seems like a lot, but you'll find variations of the same systems on all of these.

No. [ through the sudden concern, anakin manages to sound the tiniest bit affronted. "galaxy's best master" mug recipient, he taught you everything you needed, how dare you. B(

however, if there had been one thing that could distract him, unexplainable happenings with ahsoka is effectively it. as she does his, he seeks out her mind. her presence in the force remains unmistakeable. she is there —

she has not moved through the wall. his organic hand went through her, but maybe… hesitating once, he lays his mechanical hand carefully on her shoulder. ]

[ She doesn't understand this affection for inanimate things. She can see the edges of it, the parallels in their nature to hearts and lungs, but cannot herself imagine feeling that emotion. Why would she, when she had her plants? She wonders if that feeling is comparable, but is not willing to ask it aloud, but of it all that thought softens her most, ]

Thank you, you have been very thorough.

[ Hours later, she'll have to remind herself that she asked for this. For the sore muscles and the ache to her limbs. It was the price of this freedom and the choice to do something with it.

But at the time she doesn't say so much after that, only questions as to this stance, or that hold. It's tiring, she's exhausted much quicker than she can ever remember - but it's a different tired. Her muscles not used to working this way, and the blade quickly becomes heavy.

Still, she does as she's asked, for as long as she is told to. Not that she's a perfect student, she gets distracted quickly, mind prone to wandering across planets, and the repetitive motions make it easy to trail off from what she's doing. Still eventually, she mostly remembers to stick with what she's doing, what she's asked to. Accepting the corrections when they come with stiff little nods, swallowing her pride when she'd had a lifetime of things coming easy.

Because there was no magic drug to fix her this time. Just what Lexa and Prince had both said, hard work, to work at it. That's what being free means, she realizes.

So she'll take whatever small consolation of this will be worth it later that she can get when she falls asleep in a pile at an odd time. Exhausted but satisfied with herself and the training, and so very, very grateful for the patience showed to her. ]

[ It's not her wisdom that she gives now, but it's the one that Prince will give her and every other fight that lives gives, so it's easy to pass on with the weight of her thousand-eyed observation: ] You need to be, always, with weapons. If you mistreat them, you'll pay for it, one way or another. [ and so faintly, there's a faint warmth that comes with feeling appreciated. Didn't take much, she liked being useful. ]

Now: [ and then she begins her instruction more earnestly, she looks over each part, how it works, and for all she insists she's never fought before, she disassembles with quickly. Explaining how it fits together, how each part works in the weapon overall, holding it up to Ilde to help her get a feeling for herself of each piece. The cleaning, maintenance and the effect it has over all. This type of sniper against that. Ones that could be adapted, how to measure distance and values, and that in comparison to other types, the particular fragility of the weapon itself.

It takes some time, and she makes sure to leave space each time for questions, somewhat comfortable with this sort of back and forth. ]

Whatever floats your boat. [Some people didn't want to deal with shirking society and breaking rules. Nathaniel was fine with that. He's not going to judge - in a way, he realizes his take on things can be rather reckless, and it doesn't surprise him that people don't want to deal with that.]

[He sets the gun down in the rack, looking over the others - he doesn't know when, if ever, he'll be using this kind of stuff.]

Strict gun laws? [He tilts his head, frowning.] Where do you come from?

[ If Nathan would rather be reckless, Aoba isn't one to judge either. He was friends with members of the yakuza back home after all, and he never judged them either. He looks from the rack to Nathan, delicately tucking a lock of bright blue behind his ear with a tiny wince. ]

The Old Resident District in Midorijima. It's a small island off the mainland, Japan.

[ And then, remembering not everyone he'd encountered so far was from the same planet, he sheepishly adds- ]

Uh... that's on Earth, in case you're not familiar. Are you?

[ He'd also been surprised a few times. Is Earth popular or something? ]

[She's only teasing you, Mister Paper Skin. (She has to, or she might go insane from the sudden revelation that she is phasing through people.)

He reaches with his metal hand, and she almost tells him not to -- the sensation of his hand passing through her the first time was almost unbearable, and she doesn't want a repeat -- but it doesn't pass. Unlike his organic hand, it finds her shoulder solidly, enough that she twitches underneath him in surprise.

Is she dead? Is this what its like to be a Force Ghost? She reaches up to press her hands against her cheek, only to find that she is unable.

She pales another shade.]

--I don't like this. Whatever this is.

Show me, huh.

[Alright. Alright, he can try it.

He closes his eye, falls silent, and... isn't really sure where to go from there to 'feel'. Trying to focus too hard, which he leans toward first, just gives him the warning twinges of a headache-- but if he doesn't do something then how's he supposed to actually search for- whatever this is? Is he just supposed to not think at all?

Trying that helps, the tension in his shoulders and furrowed brow easing, and it's not as hard to see what Prince meant. There is something, like he'd said. It feels like it'd be easy to just go along with it, let himself be pulled in-

That's what makes him back off from it abruptly, exhaling an uneasy breath, but his recovery's almost immediate; he covers it with a shake of his head and a huffed laugh.]

-hah, guess it's harder than it sounds! Is it supposed to take very long to do that?

[That sounds fake but okay, whatever-- it doesn't seem like Aoba is lying, and there's definitely other weird stuff here. He's just filing it away as yet another one of those things- and also as a problem. He folds his arms as he frowns up at Aoba.]

Well, you're not gonna be able to do much if you don't do something with it. Isn't it easier for people to touch it if you just leave it like that?

[And if he's going to be sharing that pain... ugh. Yeah, it's a problem. Just to make his point, he braces himself for it (now that he knows it can hurt him, too) and quickly leans in to flick at Aoba's hair.]

[And that's an answer he didn't really expect, both because of her appearance and because-]

You know all of that but you can't pick a place to start here?

[His brow's raised at that, expression hard to read; hard to say whether he's goading her from his face and tone on their own, but the flicker of something like anticipation that can be felt from him says he's likely waiting for a reaction.]

[Hard to say if he's lying or not; he doesn't show any signs of pain as he takes a moment to stretch his arms out, rolling his shoulders before he straightens again, but he could still just be good at faking it. (It's a little of both, honestly.)]

Sure I will.

[Ares' reassurance comes with an easy smile, still not actually raising his own weapon.]

So swing like you're actually trying to hurt me this time, 'kay?

[It doesn't take peering into the boys mind to see his reluctance. He makes the attempt but the pull away is almost as physical as it is mental. He finds himself unsurprised. Even the brave feared some things. Even the reckless had limits.]

That depends on the Host. If you truly need it you will likely find it at hand.

[It was easy to jump when the choice was that or certain death, even for one afraid of heights.]

If you are not yet ready, there are other skills you could set yourself to. Unfamiliar weapons. New technology. You will find it easier if you force yourself to learn them now rather than waiting.

[ Huh.

Maybe for other folks the difference would be negligible at first. But for Steve, it's a lot to take in - almost more than his arrival. He'd come out of the pod with ten fingers and ten toes, no physical signs that he could find to prove that he was carrying another living creature in his body. Even now he looks down at his hand, twisting it around. Sees the same blue veins running along his wrist. But now that he knows what he's looking for, it's easier to pinpoint what's different.

The world's in sharper focus. Was this what Erskine's serum was meant to do?

He glances back up at the Prince, at the equipment around the room. There's the temptation to see just what his body is capable of right now, burning at his core with that need for purpose. But he looks to the Prince again: ] Where do you figure I should start?

[ He's known that fight too, in smaller ways. His will has always been stronger than the body he lives in. ]

You really think so? [ A wry look, eyebrow raised. Calling her out - but then he tips his head to the side. ] I've gotta figure out what I'm good at.

[ Simple enough, and frustratingly difficult for someone with a purposely limited scope of 'useful'. He doubts the Prince was talking about Steve's technical drawing skills when he asked that question the other day. ]

[ Hmm. She doesn't quite understand, ]

I do not see how they are skills that be practiced.

[ Ah... well... ]

Yes.

[ She says that with a little more conviction. How was she meant to look down on him for trying, merely because she was not interested in it? ]

It is... rewarding to contribute.

[ The garden flourishes in her thoughts, all its smells and all of her affection for those plants that grow hearty and strong, her thankfulness for those she harvests from. ]

[For Prince the change had been minimal, at first, his own strength had been honed before he arrived and the good work the symbiote had done, to make him better than he had been, had paled in comparison to he violation he saw it as. To the shame of having his emotions, his thought broadcast to strangers who had no right to them.

It had taken him time to appreciate what he had gained, but he had not ever been weak or helpless. He'd had to learn that. His experience had not even everyone's.]

You said you had training. Do you know how much you could lift?

[His eyes trail thoughtful over to one of the nearer pieces of equipment, a certain universal constance in the shape. It would be a gage for him, a clarifying.]

If I end up really needing whatever it is, I might be kinda screwed anyway.

[He shrugs a shoulder-- sure, it's better than nothing, but having something you don't know how to use still leaves you at a disadvantage. It can be pulled off, he's pretty sure he could manage, but that's not really something to rely on.]

I'll figure it out.

[Maybe it's just the same principle as needing to have enough strength to swing it before you can use a weapon right. Maybe he just needs to get used enough to that feeling first, try it a few more times. For now, though-]

So what other weapons are good, huh? I can use stuff besides a sword, but I've never seen some of these things before.

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[training log] once you find your center

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