[Session: The Training of Shiho] [Scene: Shiho has just realized that Alric was serious about chasing him.] [Session Start] You'll have to be faster than that if you want to catch me! * Shiho runs after Alric, gasping for breath. * Alric sprints into the forest. * Alric ducks under a low branch. * Shiho follows, leaping over it. * Alric leaps across a small chasm, a few feet across. Gotta run faster. * Shiho does to, nearly missing. Watch out for that first step! ... It's a doozy! * Alric vaults over the root of an enormous tree. Don't... Believe this... * Shiho nearly trips over it, but catches her balance. Fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me!!! * Alric is nearly out of sight. * Shiho frowns and tries to push herself harder. ~You're supposed to be training me in archery~ * Alric slows down a little to let Shiho catch up. You gotta be faster if you want to run with me! * Shiho just keeps on running at this point, barely paying attention. * Alric drops back until he is just within Shiho's reach. Aw, so silent... * Shiho lunges! * Alric bounces just out of Shiho's reach. Nice try! You'll never catch me at this rate! * Shiho falls on the ground and just sorta stays there. * Alric skids to a stop. Woah. * Alric runs back to where Shiho fell. * Alric prods Shiho with a stick. * Shiho smirks, leaps up and grabs him. * Alric dances once again just outside Shiho's reach. Nice try! * Alric takes off again! @_@ Gotta remember, I've got a good two hundred years on you! You'll have to get up pretty early to fool me! * Shiho sighs and starts running again. Faster, faster! * Alric runs backwards, just in front of Shiho. You're almost there! * Shiho grumbles something about not being able to go any faster :P You can always go faster! Take my hand, but don't stop running. * Alric holds out his hand. * Shiho frowns, but does it. We're just about there. * Alric turns to run beside Shiho. And now all we gotta do is JUMP! @_@ * Alric leaps forward, tugging Shiho along. * Shiho is tugged along @_@ * Alric jumps off a fifty foot cliff, diving down with Shiho in his arms into a deep and exceptionally cold pool of water. O.o * Alric surfaces and shouts happily! Woohoo! * Shiho tries to swim to the surface before she runs out of air (seeing as how she almost has anyhow) * Alric tugs Shiho back to the surface. * Shiho starts gasping when she reaches the surface. * Alric drags Shiho over to the side of the pool. * Shiho kneels on the shore, gasping for air. Ah, I love a good dive after a good run. * Shiho shakes her head, but doesn't have the energy to actually say anything. Relax, it will get easier as time goes on. If you want to run the forest, you've got to be fast like a deer. * Shiho looks up at him once her strength returns. "You... must... be... kidding..." Kidding? Me? ^_^ come on, up up! Time for another short jog. * Shiho shakes her head. "Don't... Think I... can.." Of course you can! * Alric tugs Shiho to her feet. @_@ * Alric starts tugging Shiho along. Come one, run, run! You'll never know if you can until you do! * Shiho tries to run, and gets as far as about 3 steps before falling down again. Oh no, you're not that weak. * Alric tugs Shiho back to her feet. Come on. Keep walking. * Shiho moans and staggers forwards. Faster, faster! Can't. If you don't run, you'll never find your limit. ...I... Think I've... found it. No way! We'll break that limit,right now! * Shiho staggers forward faster :P * Alric swats Shiho on her posterior. I said faster! * Shiho turns around and [GLARES] at him. * Alric stops. * Alric looks puzzled. Oi, I said run, not stop. You have no right... No right to what? * Shiho turns around again and moves into a weak jog. * Alric starts running again, and jogs along beside Shiho. Hey, what's your problem? No different... You're just as lecherous as those men back at town, aren't you? Eh? Lecherous? What makes you think that? They way you acted when I came to you for help... and just minutes ago... And you're probably just making me run to tire me out. * Alric gets out in front of Shiho and stops dead in his tracks. * Shiho comes to a halt. just minutes ago? Back there, when you... you know. * Shiho blushes a bit. When I what? ... Nevermind. * Shiho starts jogging again. Nonono. You're gonna tell me. * Alric jogs right out in front of Shiho, facing her. What did I do? You hit me. So? It's training. It was rude. Where I come from, you'd get in big trouble for that. When you want an animal to run faster, you swat it on the hindquarters. It works the same way with people, I've found. ... Big trouble, huh? Glad I'm not there. Why were you blushing, anyway? ... Aw, now you've gone all silent... I'll never understand you humans. ... Would it help if I apologized? It's a start. Okay, I'm sorry. Now could you tell me what I'm apologizing for? I think it's an otherworldly sort of thing, am I right? Maybe. * Shiho grins a bit. "Or maybe you just don't spend much time around girls." * Shiho takes off. Oho! * Alric speeds up, getting back out in front of Shiho. Much better, student! I have underestimated you! [Fast Forward] [Scene: Several weeks later. Shiho has been practicing with a borrowed bow, while the wood for her own is conditioned. She has been working on basic archery for weeks, things she _thought_ she knew already.] It's time for you to start with the difficult lessons. Get your bow, and a full quiver of arrows. Actually, get two. You're going to need it. ... So I finally get to learn something I don't already know? Something like that. * Alric smirks. * Shiho gathers up the equipment. Time for a run to the practice grounds for this. * Alric takes off at a good clip. * Shiho follows, presumably doing a much better job this time. [Indeed. Shiho's endurance and speed have both improved greatly.] * Alric arrives in an immense clearing and stops on the other side. * Alric motions for Shiho to stop as soon as she enters the clearing. * Shiho does :P You're going to thank me for the extra training in the basics is done. You know how to fire at a moving target. Now you have to learn to do it while you're moving. * Shiho blinks at that. Never thought of that. You're going to fire every arrow in that quiver at me, while I am in a dead sprint. You will be firing while running as fast as you can. If you stop to fire, you lose. Wait a sec. Isn't that dangerous? What, you think you can hit me? * Alric wags his tongue at Shiho. ... Now begin! * Shiho notches an arrow to the bow. "Forget I said anything." * Alric takes off at a dead run across the clearing. * Shiho follows, aiming, and firing, probably not even coming close. * Alric dodges handily, jumping over arrows that come too close, doubling back occasionally, and making crazy zigzags. * Shiho keeps after, not hitting, not stopping. Getting better. * Alric runs backward,lecturing as he runs. Least I haven't been tripping over anything. You've got to learn to use your arms to compensate for the way your body moves. You'll do it instinctivly, once you've done it enough. That's the point of all this endless repetition. I rather figured as much. * Shiho hasn't stopped firing. * Soon, Shiho is down to a single arrow. Last shot, then you get to hunt for all the arrows you've fired. * Alric looks down at the knee high grass. @_@ That's gonna be fun! ^_^ * Shiho mutters something under her breath and fires the last bloody arrow, making careful note of where it lands. :P * It's easy to see where this arrow lands. * Alric stumbles as the arrow catches him in the left bicep. * Alric falls over. * Shiho drops the bow as her eyes go wide in shock. Then she hurries over to him. Aw, damn. This really, really hurts, luv. Dammit! I told you this wasn't a good idea! Bah! It's how I was trained. * Shiho inspects the wound, presumably having some knowledge of how to treat arrow wounds :P I put four arrows into my teacher before he decided he was ready. You've still got three to go. * The wound is clean. That isn't funny. You could be killed! * Alric pushes the arrow through, breaks it off,and pulls both halves out. * Alric winks at Shiho. Death is, at best, a temporary condition. Er... What? Nothing, nothing at all. ^_^ ... Here, tie up the wound. * Alric hands Shiho a small bandage. * Shiho does so. There, nothing to it. It'll be okay in a few days. Now, you get to finding those arrows. Damn. I was hoping you forgot about that. Remember, just reach out with your senses. The arrows will tell you where they are, if you know how to listen. * Shiho goes lookin' for arrows (remembering to pick the bow back up_ * Several hours later, Shiho has finally found the last arrow. Excellent. Time for a nice run home! * Alric takes off at a quick jog. * Shiho follows. [End Training Session]