Solo [Antinous Training Grounds] Let's Begin, Shall We?

[Asen]

20th of Summer
515 AV

Asen strode confidently into the Training Grounds. She'd been feeling much better the last few days because suddenly, thanks to her new patron, she had purpose. She had places to be and things to do and she wasn't going to be a lump of meat that hung around the taverns -- at least, not all day.

Marissa was there to greet her with a huge grin plastered on her face and something large hidden behind her back. Her squire attempted to peer around her but she turned to continue hiding it. "I got you something."

"Yeah, no shyke. What is it?"

A halfspear was produced and held out to the half-Dhani, whose brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before understanding dawned on her. She looked at the spear, then at Marissa, then back to the spear before she found her words. "You're telling me that's for me?"

"Mhm. Yes, I've only known you a little while but you're my squire. I'm not going to let my squires practice with the shyke-y borrowed weapons. I got it from the Ironworks. It's a good thing I have a fantastic memory. It's the right length and it's balanced perfectly. Here, take it."

Asen lifted the halfspear from her patron's hands almost reverently. The last time she'd gotten a gift was when she left for Syliras, and tha- Okay, no. That's wrong. Orin gave her the silver necklace, which she'd worn almost every day since then. She'd worn it so much she'd forgotten about it, but there it was around her neck.

She looked at Marissa suddenly, staring hard at her. "How much was it?"

"It was only one gold Miza. Hey- Asen, no. You don't have to pay me back. It's a gift, just accept it."

But Asen refused to 'just accept it'. She dug a gold Miza out of her pocket and pushed it into Marissa's palm. It didn't feel right if she didn't give back. It felt selfish to take something without returning the favor. Her patron snorted and tucked the money away, putting a hand on her hip.

"Fine, fine. But we're not practicing with a halfspear today. We're going to do some workouts to get those muscles of your bigger and stronger, 'kay? Set down the spear for now and sit."

The blonde obeyed and laid the spear at her feet, sitting cross-legged beside it. Her patron sat across from her with a grunt and a sigh. "I'm going to go ahead and assume you can talk and walk at the same time. Not literally, but the idea. I think now's a good chance to get to know you," she said.

Ledger-1 GM for Halfspear

Asen is speaking | Marissa is speaking

[Asen]

Before Marissa began assaulting Asen with questions, however, she pointed at a pair of knights who were doing a bit of bodybuilding. One was doing sit-ups while the other held their feet. "You're going to be doing that while I ask you stuff. Oh, we should hit the stables sometime soon. Riding plus working out'll give you some serious muscles."

Marissa grabbed her squire's hand and pressed it to her abdomen. The half-Dhani could feel the hard wall of muscle that years of training had given the knight. Marissa calmly allowed her squire to marvel at her body for a few ticks, then cleared her throat.

"Alright, kid. That's enough. On your back, knees propped up. Cross your arms over your chest. Putting them behind your head is too easy."

The blonde obeyed in silence, shifting position slightly to get situated. Her shoulders were held at an awkward angle and her back arched uncomfortably off the ground. She felt Marissa spread her feet about shoulder-width apart and plant her hands firmly on the tops of them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"-and up, and back down. And up, and down. And up, and down." For almost ten chimes they'd been doing sit-ups, slow and steady, and the burn had quickly turned into an agony that ate through her abdomen and sat in the cavity it created. Despite this, Marissa forced her to continue. She may have been a fighter, but her stomach muscles had gone unused for some time and as such were weaker than her arms and legs.

"Keep going, you're almost done. Five more."

That tiny number five brought unexpected relief to the tortured half-Dhani and renewed her strength enough to finish the exercise. When her patron gave her the 'okay' she lay sprawled across the ground with a heaving chest. She didn't realize how exhausting workouts could be.

Just as she was about to sit up a sharp pain exploded into existence between her navel and her hipbone, adding to the stitch that was already in her ribs. She sucked in air through her teeth and pressed her hands to the cramping muscle as she writhed against the ground.

"Aw, shyke. Kid, it's okay. It's just a cramp. Power through it. It'll pass in a couple ticks. Breathe slowly and steadily, try to stretch out that muscle."

Marissa's advice was followed and the lanky blonde arched her back and twisted around in an attempt to stretch out the contracting muscle. The pain passed in approximately fifteen ticks and her body relaxed.

"I might've overworked you a bit," said her patron in an apologetic tone.

"Might've!? A bit!? I feel like someone petchin' lit a petchin' fire in my belly, Marissa!" she exclaimed. Her outburst was received in silence and she rubbed her face, trying to rid herself of the fatigue.

"A'ight, so what did you wanna ask me?"

Asen is speaking | Marissa is speaking