(no subject)

[jonny_talbain]

Who: Jon Talbain and his Martial Arts students
What: Martial Arts class! Which has been happening weekly I promise.
Where: The Stadium.
When: Monday afternoon.
Warnings: Errybody was Kung Fu fighting.


Jon had everyone meet at the stadium and do all their standard drills. Five minutes silent meditation to contemplate life, the universe and Kung Fu. Stretches to get everyone limber. Then running, to get the heart rate up. Push ups, to invigorate the arms. Standing kicks to invigorate the legs.

Then came the fun part.

"Alright, class. I've a choice of two assignments for you today. You're to pick the one that corresponds best to your level of achievement. Keeping in mind that I've a fairly accurate idea of what each of you can do, so, picking your assignment is a test of character. Character is important in the martial arts."

Meaning: Pick the easier option just to slack off and he'd know about it.

"Option number one is simple. Pair up with an individual you think sits around your ability level and spar. No facial contact and no kicks below the belt. Body blows only and be advised that I will be watching you like a hawk. I want to see form, technique, adaptation and consideration of your opponent's skills. We are here to learn, not to injure one another. I will be providing pointers as we go. If you cannot find a partner, I will assign you a partner. If someone still has no partner, your partner will be Me."

So. Find a partner quickly.

"Our second option... is not for the faint of heart or those lacking in skill."

He pushed a few buttons and the stadium changed.

"This is something special. A cursed training ground."

He leapt to the nearest bamboo pole and stood there on one foot, arms crossed.

"Some of you are amazingly agile and I feel as though I've not tested you to the best of my capabilities. This training ground requires skill, yes, but most of all it requires balance. To spar here is to dance with the very real possibility that you may be cursed by the waters below, should you fall. Each pool has water I've imported from... elsewhere and is cursed. Land in a pool and you will transform into something else. What? I can't say. You've been warned. If you chose to spar up here, you can do so with a partner or against me. Your choice. Be also warned that I will not tolerate attacks against the poles themselves - try to knock anyone down by attacking the poles and you will be... disciplined."

He waited to be asked any questions before calling "Begin!"

[[OOC: So, yes, I did blantantly steal this idea from Ranma 1/2 but don't judge me. I'll fight you. Anyway, to add a little Smash Academy flare to it, I've changed the curses you can contract to something a little more Video Gamey.

Springs include but are not necessarily limited to: Spring of drowned Girl (Nyannīchuan), Spring of drowned Man (Nannīchuan), Spring of drowned Piglet (Tepignīchuan), Spring of drowned Cat (Bubsynīchuan), Spring of drowned Duck ( Pinnīchuan), Spring of drowned Panda (Pandarennīchuan), Spring of drowned Sasquatch riding buffamoo holding swanna and tynamo (OhgodwhattheheckevenisthatIdunnonichuan)

But you can take some liberties with your character's cursed appearance, of course! And if there's a spring you would rather use, this list is by no means exhaustive. Just try to keep with the theme and go nuts!

As per the standard for Smash Academy curses, they should wear off in about seven days. If you want it to last for less time or for longer, I'll leave that up to your discretion!]]

Comments

ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[jonny_talbain]

Check in here and chat amongst yourselves.

Alternatively, do you have concerns over this assignment? You probably should. Those can go here, too!

[crystal_ballin]

Why is Hagakure in this class. He has absolutely no fighting skills.

"Sensei!" Hagakure says, raising his hand. "What if we have no ability level?"

[jonny_talbain]

Yes.

Well.


Quite.


"In that case, which do you think you would gain more benefit from? Sparring with a... slightly more skilled student, or sparring with me?"

He wasn't about to suggest that Hagakure even get within the splash zone of the pools.

Assuming she was took the last class or two and picked up some basics....

[lovesclearlakes]

Here's someone who's not afraid of Jon. In fact, she was rather chipper in the class because Jon was teaching it. Jon, her new trainer! Just thinking about her new trainer brought many smiles to her face.

In the class she worked hard and diligently, making sure never to slack off on anything. Meditation, stretching and running. A cinch. Push ups and kicks? A little more tricky as she wasn't accustomed to using her limbs in such a way. But she'd eventually get used to it and worked herself up to 15 push ups and kicking less awkwardly.

After all the instructions, she went up to Jon like an eager little puppy.

"Jon, if I can't find a partner, will you spar with me? On the cursed grounds?"

Sounds good!

[jonny_talbain]

The training grounds he'd created in here might be a little outside of her ability - leaping to and from bamboo poles sticking out of the water was a pretty difficult task for even a seasoned martial artist like him. But he didn't want her to think that he wasn't supportive.

"Let's see if you can find yourself a partner, first." he replied. "If not, I'll be happy to let you try your hand against me up there."

And if she fell, he could jump down, grab her and hopefully pull off a curse-less landing.

[bunnyfears]

Yarne, being a Taguel, had strength and agility beyond that of the average human. Despite his cowardly ways, he was still a powerful and skilled fighter. Jon surely must have noticed this by now, which means Yarne was guaranteed to end up in the second group.

Naturally, he's not the slightest bit happy about that. "Any chance I could just head home early today?"

[jonny_talbain]

"No, Yarne. No you may not."

He worried for this boy. He really, really did.

"The curses aren't lethal. There's no real danger, here. You've nothing to be afraid of."

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[monotreme_101]

Knuckles was here and enthusiastic as always.

He was going to totally freakin' OWN this cursed training ground!

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[jonny_talbain]

Short guy with clown shoes. Duly noted.

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[punchtheflute]

Sonny was snacking, but he was still happy to be here.

He actually really enjoyed this class, even if he was kind of terrible at it for the most part.

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[jonny_talbain]

And the Snorlax. Also duly noted.

Maybe an adequate partner for Hagakure. Or Chiyo, being as she was new.

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[flamejock]

Hello, it is J O C K the G R E A T E S T F I G H T E R.

He is doge. He is friend. He is friend doge.

"Teacher! Teacher! Teacher!" His hand is waving in the air. "Do we have to fight as people or can we fight as pokemon?"

For those students who are also pokemons.

Re: ATTENDANCE. QUESTIONS!?

[jonny_talbain]

"For this class, we fight as Humans." Jon replied. "Or at least, we use forms that are bipedal and with hands."

As good of a fighter as Jock probably was in his four legged form, Jon doubted his ability to perform certain moves when stuck on four paws.

[vela_nova]

Ready to learn some martial arts and have probably awkward conversations.

[jonny_talbain]

If there was one thing Jon could be, it was professional. Today, this was his Dojo and he felt at home, here. At home enough to leave any awkwardness outside.

"Blaze. Good to see you, Lu--Ah. Good to see you."

Well. Most of his awkwardness.

"You've enough agility to take on the second exercise offered. I hope you'll consider it."

[magicdancer]

Shantae learned some martial arts from Bolo, and after her conversation with Ziio before, she was ready to load up on classes that would make her a better fighter. So you better believe you had one feisty genie girl in your ranks.

SPARRING.

[jonny_talbain]

Find yourself a partner and FIGHT!

Expect Jon to butt in every so often to offer helpful advice.

If you'd like to spar with him specifically, feel free to make that known.

Chiyo enters battle with Shantae.

[almost_a_mermaid]

After having a relatively decent warm up spar on the cursed grounds with Jon, Chiyo felt it best to go back to the basics and return to the normal fighting area. Getting cursed seemed likely without Jon beside her, so she chose to avoid it for the rest of the day. It'd also worry him if she did, so she wanted to avoid that too. It would probably help her focus more on honing her skills if she didn't have to worry about the terrain either.

So, here she was roaming around looking for a partner. Jon had pointed out a girl with a ponytail - Shantae, as she recalled her name - and Chiyo decided to approach her.

"Um...." She meekly tapped Shantae on the shoulder. "Hi. My name's Chiyo. Would you like to spar with me?"

Summer Mo get in here

[crystal_ballin]

Hagakure walks over to the Snorlax. "Uh, hey, dude, I'm your, uh, conversation partner."

Not sparring. Conversation partners only.

CURSED TRAINING GROUND.

[jonny_talbain]

Fight with a partner, fight with Jon, shadow box, mess around, go for a swim if you just want to get your curse on.

Again, expect Jon to pop in every so often to offer encouragement or pointers.

A battle for the ages; Two sole survivors duke it out!

[bunnyfears]

He'd already agreed to fight- there wasn't any backing out of it now, as Yarne heads towards the water, being very careful to not slip and fall into any of the pools. "So, uh. Anyone else gonna be fighting up here with me?"

Waiting for Jock

[vela_nova]

Blaze knew Jock already. She'd never fought him, but she knew he was... exuberant. Excitable. Maybe a bit off. But she was going to give him a challenge, to be sure.

CURSES!?

[jonny_talbain]

Did you get cursed? Want to fool around with your cursed self and cursed friends? Here's a spot for that.

Bonus points for students who get cursed and keep fighting anyway! Way to show your spirit!

LURKERS/STAFF/...ANTICS!?

[jonny_talbain]

Are you a lurker? Or an otherwise interested party? Do you want to check stuff out? Here's where you do that.

AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS

[vela_nova]

When they had a moment, Blaze came up to Jon. "We should probably talk," she told him. After all that had happened, she owed him that much.