Unusual is the New Usual [Closed]

[Andy]

As he sat upon the benches of the Warder Yards, his attention split between the training happening below him and his new hobby, he was beginning to see the truest value of the words Natlya had told him what seemed like years ago now. She had told him of using his reflexes, his dexterity and his mindset, of applying transferable skills. He hadn't taken her seriously until now, or perhaps he had just not had the time. Either way he was making up for it quickly and with dedication. He had revived his art of rolling coins across his knuckles, his dagger stabbing game and a few other things. It had helped, he had felt the difference in his body - his balance improving, he accuracy and speed marginally better. Funny though, ho they keep looking up to stare. If only they knew. Perhaps I should hold a class on it all, just to see their faces he told himself, a grin creeping across his face. The reason for their current stares was obvious to anyone who could see him. He had told them to practise their forms, had gone over the routine, one he knew by memory by now, and had then retreated - to juggle. He had managed to get himself up to four balls so far and he'd keep it up until he could do at least five. He wondered, as they balls flew in their arcs and his arms moved, whether they'd lend it more credence if he were using daggers. Even the Gaidin were looking at him every so often, though he felt sure they knew why he was doing what he was doing - they each had their own strange ways of improving. "Round and round I go, where I stop....Light if I know" he muttered to himself, another true sentiment. He could believe he'd end up doing anything after the past few weeks. Still, if it meant he was a better Warder one day and it helped him stay alive to kill just one extra minion of the Dark One he would call it a success. So focused on his juggling and his own affairs was he that he didn't sense anyone creep up on him. He was going so well, just introducing a more complex element that involved the balls looping directly over his head, when the tap to his shoulder came and his focus snapped. The balls fell upon his head, each in their turn, there to set of a jingling that was surely comical to the mischief maker. It didn't help that they hit him one by one either. his cheeks burned as he heard the giggling from down below and he saw, perhaps, the virtue of doing his special exercises alone from then onward. "I really hope this is important because I don't need help to be a laughing stock" he told whoever it was, shaking his head and waiting for them to introduce themselves.

[Roan]

Paks Ji'Val

Paks wore the darker grey of the Ji’Val uniform for her first full day after getting raised. The ordeal of the Raising Test still hung on her like a heavy burden. She and Jesi both had their own burdens to bare after their tests, but they were now Ji’Val and Accepted. With their new rank came a new found freedom that both intended to take advantage of to some degree or another.

The Ji’Val walked to the Yards, smirking as those who knew her (and everyone at least knew of her) gasped at what they saw. No one thought she’d ever get raised, she along with them. Off to the side, she caught a glimpse of someone juggling. It was an odd sight, but she could see the benefits of juggling in the bigger scheme of things.

As she grew closer, Paks realized it was her friend, Alrim. Her smirk grew and she tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. She laughed hard as each of the balls fell on his head, and harder still when he sounded a bit annoyed as he turned around. “Oh the look on your face, Alrim Gaidin. Unfortunately, it is not important at all. Just a friend seeking out a friend. So you’re adding juggling to your training regimen?”

[Andy]

It took a few moments to fully take in and then recognise the newcomer, it certainly wasn't someone he had been expecting. The first thing he noted was the shade that denoted the rank of Ji'val and the thought that he was about to be summoned for something by the Gaidin Captain flickered inside his head before quickly dying. The Gaidin Captain had told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to take a break from adventures for at least a week or two. Apparently there was such a thing as too much. Then his rueful scowl swept up to see the face and the association didn't link for another few moments. His jaw was open and there were a few things that vied for his attention. The first was that he had been right and everyone else had been wrong, and with that a small sense of smug satisfaction brought a slow grin to his face. The second was that he hoped her Test hadn't been as gruelling as his had been, and if it had then she likely needed a friend. The last was pure happiness as he pushed up, turned and picked her up in a laughing hug before setting her down again. "Paks Ji'val! I knew it. I told you, told you so," he laughed a bit more before it subsided and he clapped her on the shoulder, "well done my friend. I wondered why I hadn't seen you around of late. How does it feel? Mixed I bet" he sat down and gestured to the seat next to him for her to join him. And I thought good things were rare he told himself wryly. "Bet you're having fun rubbing it in some faces, no? You won me a bet, by the way, so drinks are on me next time we go," he leaned down to collect his fallen balls into a pile between his boots, "I hope this won't completely erase the renegade who likes to sing in taverns. This place need less stone and more heart these days"

[Roan]

Paks Liard Ji'Val

Paks laughed as she found herself in the midst of a hug where her feet were off the ground for a moment. Instead of the eternal smirk, there was a broad grin as she listened to him excitedly congratulate her. She was happy, yes, but there was something less than happy underlying it all. She wasn’t willing to let memories of the raising test spoil the moment.

With a casual shrug, the grin slipped back to a smirk, “I am not actively gloating, but I am taking a bit of satisfaction in the slack jaws that tend to come unhinged as I walk by. Truth be told, I’m perhaps a bit as surprised as they are.

“As far as the renegade. . .she’s still me, though I admit I may not be quite as flippant as I have been in the past. There’s this lass that I’m pretty sure stole my heart, and if one’s to believe her, I apparently stole hers. Doesn’t mean the tavern singing can’t happen. . .in fact, I am pretty sure it will happen. There’ll just be a little less skirt chasin’, if you know what I mean,” Paks smirked

[Andy]

"Stolen hearts and new rank? It must be the start of your rise to the top indeed. I fully expect you to be Mistress of Arms within the year. I should make that bet don't you think?" he grinned, "and I'm not surprised at all, by the way" He looked out at those practising before them and pointed at each small group in turn. It was easy to see that a lot of them were either new or found learning how to be a Gaidin was much harder than anyone could ever truly imagine. He was quiet for a while to see if she picked up on it, She was smart, even if she gave herself the worst opinion of herself that could exist she should still see the difference - she was better. "Try as they might they don't have half of what you have and that's not even counting character. Besides you should be glad, if it hadn't happened soon I'd have been forced to do something about it" he snorted. "So who is this love of yours then? She must be quite stunning to turn our Paks from the chase. I bet she is a princess and you'll end up in a palace somewhere, to the envy of us all" he posed the scenario. Having known Fiona it was not as far-fetched as some might believe.

[Roan]

Paks Liard

Paks’ smirk broadened, “She’s an Accepted. Her name’s Jesi, and she is stunning. She would likely set you ablaze if she heard you refer to her as a princess, which suits me just fine.” She wouldn’t tell him she was counting the minutes until she next saw Jesi. . .no need to let him know she was that head over heals.

She snorted, “And thanks but no thanks on the entire Mistress of Arms business. I have no desire to have that much responsibility tied to me, thank you very much. Besides, I have a long way to go to get there. I mean. . .just consider how long it took me to get to Ji’Val?” There was still a great deal of doubt in the back of her mind.

A conversation she’d had with Jesi after their raising tests only added to that doubt, but she wasn’t about to share it with Alrim. Part of her wondered, though, if it would be so bad if she left as a Ji’Val. Would the Tower come after her? Would the Magistrate know or even care? Was the man still alive?

Pushing all of the random thoughts aside, she wiggled her brows, “But none of that is worth stressin’ over now. I’ve proved myself enough that they won’t give me grief for a night at a tavern, not that it’s ever stopped me in the past.” She smirked.

[Andy]

"I have had quite enough of being set on fire for one lifetime, thank you very much," he shook off the memory of that damned Dedicated with a slight shudder before returning to his company, "and alas, the administration will have to do their best without your guidance. For now" he said with a chuckle. He was happy for her, that she had found someone with whom she felt so close and who clearly felt it back despite the words not directly spelling it out. Now that he had had some time to look at her he could see a slight change to the cast of her face, to her stance. It spoke of the confidence and self-assurance that something more than a roll in the hay brought you. It was especially well timed as he knew how harrowing the Test of Honour could be. It forced you to live through things no one should have had to. "But if you doubt yourself then you should not. I know what it takes to get as far as you have Believe me, if you survived this far the next step is easier. Not easy...but easier. Ever want my help just knock on my door, and that should be proof enough. I don't go out of my way to waste my own time. When it comes to serious things anyway" He nodded at her words about the tavern, it seemed a good time for a celebration and given that they were now Ji'val and Gaidin it was not as if they would be stopped. Besides which any mutterings would be directed at him over her and that suited him just fine, the whisperers needed a good ruffling now and then. He pushed himself up and stuffed the balls into his various pockets. "I think we could make a day of it if you're up to the task. It is a celebration day after all. Love and promotion, I could think of worse reasons"

[Roan]

Paks Ji'Val

Paks watched as Alrim stuffed his juggling balls into different pockets, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Do you realize you look like you’ve got growths occurring in the most unusual places with where you’ve put the balls away?” She slapped him on the back as the pair turned and started to head towards the Tower gates. “When have I not been up to making a day of an escape to the city?

“I have a bit of a reprieve since I only passed the test late yesterday. I don’t think we celebrated your raising to full on Gaidin, so let’s make it a double celebration. The first round is on me since I think I owe you one or two after the scrap with the Whitecloaks,” Paks frowned. “Nasty business that.”

In the end, she’d been sent to raise the alarm with the likes of Ria’s extended family. Not everyone who’d been on the exercise escaped unscathed. Paks didn’t know the details, but she knew Riahana Gaidin and Gareth Asha’man had been captured by the Whitecloaks, and promptly moved from the area where the Gaidin and learning ranks had been camped. She’d not only raised the alarm, but insisted on returning with the ‘rescue party.’ She hadn’t been badly injured, and part of her felt like she needed to be a part of the rescue efforts. . .it was the right thing to do.

[Andy]

"I know but with how ugly I am half the time I thought I'd just commit and go for all of the time. Might as well make people laugh where I can" he returned with amusement. It was as they slowly made their way out of the Yards that the spectre of memory confronted them both. Perhaps, he reasoned, she needed to talk about it. He would not have been surprised. If he hadn't spent a lot of the time when he was aloe with his thoughts talking it through with himself he would likely have gone quite mad with what he had witnessed since arriving at the Tower. Then again he had talked to himself so perhaps he was. Amusing thought he told himself as he looked at Paks and wondered how well she really was underneath the bluff exterior. "It was difficult to find time to celebrate. There were...other things to do. But you owe me nothing over the Whitecloaks. Family is family as far as I am concerned. Besides, if you hadn't been as fast as you were I probably would not even be here. And from what I heard you were quite quick and people just got out of your way...mostly" he nudged her as they walked to emphasis the point. "Nothing is ever simple, it seems. Hopefully we won't encounter a Trolloc army whilst trying to forage for drinks" he said as they crossed the gate and into the town proper, his tone not quite as joking as he would have liked. "You were brave and you didn't have to be. There is a reason you are liked by many"

[Roan]

Paks Ji'Val

The Ji’Val gave Alrim a ‘friendly’ punch to the shoulder, “You are not ugly, despite what you might think. Novices and Accepted don’t stare at ugly Gaidin, and you have more than your share of Novices and Accepted who stare after you. So enough of that talk!” She smirked as she carried on walking through the streets of Hama Valon.

“I think had people not gotten out of my way, I would have physically moved them out of my way. Gareth Asha’man stuck his neck out to make sure the likes of me and the other learning ranks made it back while Riahana Gaidin and the likes of you made sure to keep the bastards from cutting us down. I wasn’t going to tarry. . .I knew too much was at stake. What kind of person would I have been if I didn’t rush?” Paks countered.

She furrowed her brows and cast a sidelong glance back to her friend, “I don’t know if I call what I did being brave. I’d call it doing what needed to be done. Being brave would have been staying back like you did, I think. I did the next best thing. . .get help from those who were stronger, and better equipped than I to counter the likes of the Whitecloak bastards.”

The pair came to the tavern they tended to frequent together, and Paks stepped in, pausing a moment to let her eyes adjust from bright daylight to the somewhat dimly lit room. “Well I’ll be. . .Paks did they finally see sense to raise you?” the barkeep asked.

Paks snorted, “I’m not sure I’d call it sense. Not sure I would have done the same in their shoes.” The smirk was out in full ‘I do not care’ force as she moved to ‘her table.’

The barkeep followed the pair over, setting down a bottle of mead and two glasses, “Well I am not sure about all that, but this is on the house, as is your meal. I figure it’s something worht celebrating.”

Is it really, though? Paks found herself thinking. Pushing the thought aside, she looked to Alrim, “Seems the first round is on the tavern.” Her smirk never faltered, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She took the bottle and filled both mugs just below the brim. Raising her glass, she toasted, “To friends through thick and thin, and to greater adventures ahead!”