Axe over Dagger

It was a little quiet around the Colosseum today. it being mid morning and all, the hardcore had done their morning routines already. the evening crew wouldn't be for awhile yet, and there were no fights scheduled for the day, thus, there were a few stragglers. One of said Stragglers, Straggling Straggily, was Ous. standing roughly 20 feet from a target dummy, he goes through a cycle of throwing axes, retrieving axes, and repeating. the dull *Thunk* *Thunk* of axe on wood ringing through the area.

Arriving somewhat later, a middle aged eldanar man comes through the Colosseum gates, a box in his hands, with each step giving a soft metallic clank as he goes. He's bereft of armor, and the only other implement he has upon him is a longsword strapped to his back with a grey overcoat unbuttoned.

Spying Ous, he turns to head towards the axe chucking maven. "Ous," he greets simply, setting the box down. In it is a bunch of simple throwing knives. "I take it you're getting in some practice after the other day?"

Simony arrives a little while after Warrick, as a few more stragglers leave for the Fire Lodge.

She comes bearing her warhammer, and is dressed in a white gi, with wooden sandals that announce her impending arrival with a click-clackety sound.

Both Ous and Warrick are spotted, and her path deviates, heading now right towards the two men. With the warhammer over her shoulder, she comes to a stop by them, waiting to see what Ous' reply is to Warrick.

Pausing as Warrick approaches, Ous grins to the man. "War-rick." Letting his second axe fly, Ous nods. "Aye should 'ave hit tha' shot. Near' took Rune's face off. Aye Dinnae plan fer tha' tae be happenin' again." Reaching down to pull the flask from his boot, the ranger takes a pull from it, then offers it to the former guard. "Ye too?"

Seeing Simony, the ranger nods once more. "'lo Simony. Come tae give yer 'ammer some exercisin'?"

Warrick doffs his overcoat, him in a simple tunic, scarred left arm shown that cuts through a holy symbol of Serriel tattooed on it. He folds the coat and sets it aside as he picks up a handful of throwing knives. "Ah. I didn't see that throw, a tree was in the way."

He looks at the flask, recalling the conversation about tea before taking it and bobbing his head in thanks. He doesn't imbibe much, just enough to wet his lips before passing it back. "Somewhat. As much as I use the crossbow, I need to ensure I can use other things well if that is not possible. The... method I learned here some time ago with shooting was rather effective, if difficult to get a handle on."

He passes a knife off to one hand, him looking back to spy the Navosian approaching. He nods once, "Simony."

"Ous, hey, how's the back?", she wonders of the ranger, before glancing to Warrick. "'Lo Rick. How're you doing?"

The Goblin eyes one of the training dummies, and steps over to line up with it. Setting her hammer down head first, Simony begins to punch at the dummy, starting off slowly, but working up a speedy rhythm.

"That was well fought yesterday, you both did very well."

Alcohol in the flask was strong enough to burn the eyes with the fumes, If you were to rol a green apple in cinnamon and light it on fire, you would have the rough sensory profile of that particular vintage. Taking another swig himself as he takes the flask back, Ous nods. "Ye pulled off some amazin' shots there War-rick."

Turning to look at Simony again and holding the flask out to her, he adds. "th' back is fine. Ye dis a good job o work on that. did aye thank ye for it?" At the mention of a good fight he adds. "Yeah. Ye were seomthin tae watch too. tha' spayder dinnae have a chance in the hells."

Warrick watches Simony start to punch one of the dummies with a raised brow, but he doesn't comment on it, him fanning out the daggers in his off hand as the other is spun around to be held by the blade. "Doing alright. Yesterday went very well. If I was administrating a test, I'd give it a pass."

The once-guard flinches at the taste, but he shakes his head and gets the little bit down. The complements get a ghost of a smile on his face. "Thank you. I was worried I was going to miss, holding it strangely. Was a little worried near the end, but it worked out."

Simony's hand is shaking when she takes the flask, but swallows a couple of times before handing it back. Her expression is sour. "Goodness this stuff... I don't know how you continue to stomach it." She hakes her head, "You were unconscious the moment I touched the first bolt. Your survival is more than thanks enough, however." A shudder goes through her... "I... I felt like I was going to freeze up. And then I felt so mad, how dare these things... consider me dinner. Then it just... splattered."

The flask is handed back to Ous, and she nods to Warrick, though she raises an eyebrow at him. "A passing grade is adequate." Her hammer is grasped, and she steps forward to swing at the target. It thuds heavily into the wood, followed by a second, and a third... the Gobbo grasps the hammer in both hands now, and begins to smash at the target in rapid succession.

Nodding to Warrick, Ous grunts softly. "Repetititition will 'elp ye there. even by th' end o' th' fight, ye were improvin'."

Flask retrieved from Simony again, the ranger shrugs. "It's what Aye drinks." Watching her for a moment, Ous steps forward, side stepping the hammer as he points to her feet. "Ye're fightin' like ye really wants tae run away Simony. square yer stance a bit. Yer feet is too wide fer ye tae move quickly when ye needs tae."

Warrick cocks a hand back and throws one of the knives, it sailing and sinking in center mass to a dummy. He looks a bit worried to Simony, but then nods firmly. "It is better to use anger in a fight than freeze up."

He chuckles to Ous. "Yes. Repetition will get it there. I am surprised I managed to land such shots, to be honest." Warrick takes another knife, watching Ous instruct Simony. "He's right, Simony."

Another dagger tossed, this one underhand.

The Gobbo grunts as she reigns in her swing, with Ous stepping in, and she eyes the both of them for a moment before she adjusts her stance accordingly. She inhales and exhales, then begins hammering away again, starting slowly and increasing in speed. Splinters of wood begin to drop down from the dummy, as repeated blows take their toll.

"Ous, how did you run into those men, the other night, hmm?" Her hammer crashes into the target with a heavy blow, the Goblin putting all she can into the particular blow. "And you need to inform me of your wounds first, instead of sitting there a while and talking."

Watching Simony training, Ous calls over to Warrick. "Nice throw War-rick. knives are handy in a pinch." still watching Simony, he adds. "Aye've been hunting them. it were the company what killed Da an my company under a truce. Guess they thought tae finish the job 'fore Aye could cause them a probelm. They dinnae realize though that Aye am really hard tae kill. Like Aye said before. Aye might be imm...that one what means Aye'll live forever." Tapping her on the shoulder, he adds. "Yer power comes from yer knees an yer hips first. Yer shoulders third. Ye've got the jist of it though. No yer first time swingin' tha' Spayder masher."

Warrick grabs two more knives, another tossed overhand, another sideways. He keeps glancing at Simony's stance. But he looks up to Ous. "Ah, yes, thanks. They're very helpful, especially when you've got your hands full and can't reload. Done it several times."

He listens as the two speak of Ous's ambush and injuries, the once-guard alternating hands and throwing with his left. "Sounds like you have unfinished business then, Ous." There's a beat. "If... you need someone to back you up, just let me know," he offers.

Another couple throws with his left. Some miss, most stick or cut. "Heh. Spider masher. But yes, think of it like your fist, just an extension of it."

The hammer continues its assault on the target, and though she seems a bit sullen about it, she does listen and take advice from those who've fought longer than she has. The hammer blows reach a crescendo then, her cheeks beet red, and her breaths coming in heavy pants. She stops then, letting the hammer fall out of her hands. "I would go as well. Someone has to keep your insides where they belong, INSIDE you."

The Gobbo settles onto the ground then, hugging at her knees and resting her head there.

considering for a moment, Ous unstops his flask once more taking a pull, he replaces it in the boot again and watches the pair. "Aye'd no say no...bet ye both need tae understand. The people Aye'm after. They's going tae die. It's a whole company of soldiers. They dinnae all need tae die, but them Donkey wallopers what run me Da down. I'll 'ave 'em all. Their leaders too. It's no exactly le-gal what Aye'm plannin' tae do. An aye know there will be some tha' had nae part in it what dies. them what come after me the other night being some of them. Aye'll no kill any soldier what leaves their ranks an leaves his insignia on th' ground. but Aye plan tae end tha' organization. If ye're keen, Aye'm glad tae have ye."

Watching Simony as she sits down, Ous slips his own axes from his belt. sizing up the target, he begins to tap away at it. the axes weren't swinging hard, more working on his speed and form. "an Aye'll try tae remember not tae be havin' conversations wit' ye when Aye'm bleedin' Ye jes' looked like ye needed someat tae talk at."

Warrick regards Ous for a beat, him giving a light sigh. "I know its not legal, and I do not condone it, but if their cause is nefarious, and they plan on assassinating you in broad daylight, then they do not seem well. A chance, yes, but sometimes chances go away."

He watches Simony yell and drop to the ground, hugging herself. With somewhat widened eyes, he shoots Ous a preplexed expression. "... perchance you realize that 'talk at' is /now/?" he huffs, incredulous as he drops the knives into a box and knees beside Simony.

He puts a hand on her back. "... be... sure to breathe," he murmurs, conflicted on how to handle this.

"You can talk, but you start with, 'I'm bleeding out...'. You could have died, you ass. And, you let me drink, too. If you weren't already most of the way there, I would have killed you, I was so mad." Simony huffs noisily. "It is a fine line you walk, and I find myself willing to walk it with you. But please..." The Gobbo looks up at Ous. "Have some care for yourself."

Her expression does a few flipflops as Warrick speaks, her mouth opening and closing a few times. She looks lost. His advice to breathe is taken, however. "If you're doing this, the both of you, you're doing it right or not at all. I know you have more sense, Warrick. But Ous, you cannot just run in with wild abandon... you have to plan this. Your Da would even tell you, revenge does not have to happen today, right now, this instant. Think this through, please?"

Her glance takes in Warrick more. Something is left unsaid, she stands and nods to him. "Thank you."

Blinking at Simony as she gives him crap, Ous tilts his head looking perplexed. slipping the axes back into his belt, he nods. "Aye'll no be rushing in. It's a lot of men....no' a raid. The plannin will come first." Looking at the pair for a moment, the ranger clears his throat. "Aye need tae apologize. I dinnae know what tae say about it

Warrick frowns at a bit at this information, him looking up to Ous. Bit of blatant disregard for one's wellbeing isn't something he likes, it seems. He shakes his head. "I'll help conditionally, and assess as needed. I don't like ending life without just cause. But assassins? Sure."

He simply nods to Simony in acknowledgement before patting her back once more and standing up. "Saying sorry is a start. Simony isn't as... seasoned to the bad as we are, to put it bluntly. Regardless, we'll strategize. We have axes and knives to throw."

-End Scene-