Video | Unseelie locked

[gracedprince]

[Po's sitting quietly at a table, dagger in hand and the tip sitting against the wood as he idly turns it. Liam is in wolf form nearby, laying beside a fire where it's most comfortable for him at the moment but never far from Po. His mismatched eyes seem focused on the dagger, they're at least directed towards it but it's his locket he speaks to, carefully propped against a small pile of books.]

How many people among us can say that they can fight?

[He lets that question hang.]

Now how many of you could fight blind?

Winter is on us and that, where I come from, can mean some very erratic weather. At least there we had the benefit of Graceling that could predict such weather and we'd know. We don't have that here. So what do we do if we find ourselves in battle but snowfall makes it hard to see, stings at your eyes? Retreat?

Granted, I doubt we may end up needing to fight a great deal if the weather turns to harsh. It's a skill that may save you though, during any season. And I'd be glad to train others in how to fight if you can't see.

Katsa and I have done it plenty of times. She will help. [Sorry not sorry, Katsa, for volunteering you.]

Comments

Video.

[lusiphur]

[this response shows a surly Elf with a cigarette between his lips]

I've have some practice with fighting blind, but a refresher wouldn't hurt.

Video.

[gracedprince]

It never hurts. Especially when two of the Seven Kingdoms greatest Graceling fighters are offering to do the training.

Video.

[lusiphur]

I don't have the context that makes your titles sound impressive, but I'll take you up on the training. If you're as good as you're trying to convince me you are, even if you're only showing me things I already know, at least you'll be good competition.

[survivra]

Po—

[ probably said a little louder than necessary. okay, a lot necessary. katsa you're in the same castle chill out!! ]

And how are you going to explain—

[ there's an indignant slam of a door off to the side somewhere. wait, this video conversation isn't locked to be private—katsa quickly changes her question. ]

—if I'm busy? Since we're volunteering each other. Maybe I'll volunteer you to be my target model in any further lessons I give to anyone.

[ since... of course she'll help po. she'd help him in anything and especially with something like this, but she has to be properly indignant about it first. ]

[gracedprince]

[He could stand to look a bit more abashed but it's hard. He really likes seeing Katsa all fired up.]

Would you really refuse th-

Have you been volunteering me for something??

[survivra]

No, not—

[ realizing too late she could have teased him with that since she has no idea the range of his Grace on her thoughts in the castle. trying anyway? ]

I might have. I might yet. [ huffs ] Maybe you'll see.

video » locked.

[atoned]

How can you fight if you can't see?

[ if uncle was here, he'd tell zuko his nephew had fought for many years before he had been able to see. his own eyes hadn't been pried open until only a few months back when he had seen his true purpose. but uncle isn't here to give him such humbling wisdom. ]

video » locked.

[gracedprince]

You use your other senses. Your hearing or feeling. Even the lightest breeze or sound can save your life.

[Po couldn't quite say he fights blind but he's close. When his Grace disorients him, he might as well be. And he absolutely is when he goes to the monarchs audiences.]

video » locked.

[atoned]

[ has zuko ever relied on anything else but his bending? he pauses, thoughtful. when he had been camping with sokka — without it — he had to rely on this little thing called instinct. though it's not the same; he often remained alert at the sound of things. when he thinks about it, he feels like the answer would be no. ]

But wouldn't harsh weather render everything pointless? You can't concentrate. I've been to the North Pole. I couldn't focus on anything other than trying not to shake. [ but he had been fractured then, uncertain of who he even was as he had only believed the avatar could restore his honour. ]

video;

[tacticalturtleneck]

You know, they made this awesome invention for that kind of thing.

Lifehack: If it's snowing and you want to be able to see, wear some goddamned goggles!

video;

[gracedprince]

[Po scowls, a rather rare expressions for him really and the wolf growls from his place by the fire. Katsa would have snapped at the man. He takes a breath though and calms.]

I used snow as an example. More than just snow can blind someone and clearly that won't always be an option. If you don't want to learn then don't attend the lessons.

video;

[tacticalturtleneck]

Serious question. Have you ever heard of night vision goggles or infrared vision?

[He just has to put that out there.]

video

[wipedclean]

[It takes him a while to decide to respond, partly because though he knows he can do it, he can't remember actually doing it. Not at first anyway. Once he does, he's a little hesitant if only because he's still wary about sharing the extent of his abilities with strangers. Furthermore, there's other... concerning flashes of memories that make him hesitate.

Still, none of it is enough to really prevent him from responding at all, and though he has no care for the war in general, he wants to be able to help Ariadne, and he certainly will defend himself when he needs to.]

I have. It's... useful to know.

video

[gracedprince]

[Po isn't the biggest fan of war either but when it comes to fighting, he's the best in Lienid. And he wants to get home, back to Katsa and seeing for himself that Bitterblue is really safe. That King Leck is dead.]

It really is. Katsa and I trained quite a bit back in the Seven Kingdoms, blindfolding ourselves or fighting after the sun has set to improve our skills.

[wipedclean]

[He nods once. That's a good way to practice. He doesn't recall how he trained, but he can guess it was probably in a similar fashion.]

Good.

[...and here's the part where he falters because what are conversations and how do you keep them going.]

video

[erythristic]

...That sounds like a skill it'd be more than good to have.

[without her glasses, she might as well be blind, and she doesn't doubt that sometime in the future, someone else will knock them off her face in the heat of the moment.

busy month it's turning out to be.]

I'd be grateful if I could take advantage of your offer, sir.

video

[gracedprince]

I'm glad to hear some agreement on the matter. I've found it also helps with improving balance and reflexes.

[He knows that feel, Grell. Sort of.]

We'll be glad to have you. My name is Greening Grandemalion though, since we'll be fighting together, you can call me Po.

[erythristic]

And I'm Grell Sutcliffe, though if you'd prefer to dispense with formalities, you can simply call me Grell.

I hope that this is not the sort of offer that has a time limit attached to it -- lately, my schedule has seen to send me here and there, but I would keep this in mind, for when it is not so busy.

video;

[boutant]

[ There's a wolf with Ariadne, as well -- another of Morla's. Her attention had been caught by the wolf more than what Po was saying at first, but after a bit... ]

Or if the smoke blinds you, [ she says, and then, more quietly- ] or any debris.

[ Her shadow form has no eyelids; House had used it against her. She remembers. ]

I'd like to learn.

video;

[gracedprince]

Right. [He nods with a faint smile.] There's any number of things that can blind you.

We'll be glad to teach you.

video;

[boutant]

I would prefer not to go far from La Llorona at the moment, if that's at all possible.

[andallbite]

[ Call him dubious, yet... intrigued. ]

Can you really fight as effectively without being able to see?

[gracedprince]

You can. Katsa and I have done it plenty of times. We would blindfold each other and wait until dark, even fight on uneven ground at the same time.

Video

[liven]

Sight is but one sense. If I fight blind, I've a nose still. And ears. It isn't so difficult as all that.

[ says the cat. ]

Video

[gracedprince]

It is. [He agrees easily.] But some people can't rely on their other senses so easily without practice.