Weapon Lesson [Closed and Backdated to before the Soulcatcher Plot]

[lionesschampion.livejournal.com]

Alanna arrived at the Sensoriums promptly at the time that she'd agreed to meet Elisa, rather excited by the prospect of what was to come. Her friend had agreed to give her a lesson in how to operate the odd weapon that she wielded and while the knight very much doubted that she'd be turning in her sword any time soon, it would be good to have another possible option available just in case. After all, it was impossible to plan for every eventuality and having more options would always be better than having less. And, of course, if Elisa was interested then Alanna would be happy to return the favor. She might not have known much about the strange weapon from Elisa's world, but she had been trained in a number of others ranging from close combat weapons like the sword that she currently carried to long distance ones like bows.

She surveyed the area, searching for the other woman, but she failed to spot any sign of her. Although a bit disappointed, the Lioness quickly shrugged it off and focused her mind on finding something to do while she waited for her friend to arrive. More than likely she was just early anyway. She'd had far too much time on her hands recently and after having so many years of being consistently busy, it was disconcerting to have so much free time.

Deciding to put this opportunity with a large empty room to good use, she summoned up an image of the training grounds that she'd first learned to fight on, not so much because she needed it for what she planned but rather because the familiar sight gave her some measure of comfort and allowed her to relax better. Pulling her sword out, she ran through the exercises that she knew so well. Her movements appeared smooth and natural as though she'd been born with a sword in her hand, although that couldn't have been farther from the truth. Long hours of practice with a sword far heavier than the one she currently carried followed by the intensive instruction offered by Duke Gareth had helped her learn the weapon in a way that she'd doubted possible when she first began her training.

She continued on, swapping the sword from one hand to the other whenever necessary to assure proper conditioning, although she also tried to keep a careful eye on the surrounding area for Elisa's arrival.

Comments

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

“That depends on what you’re trying to do,” Elisa answered honestly, watching Alanna carefully. As she’d suspected, the other woman was more than capable and adapted quickly. She didn’t need many corrections. “If you want to slow someone down, aim for the foot or the shins. If you need to take them out, aim for the chest or the head.”

[lionesschampion.livejournal.com]

"So, similar to how I might direct an arrow?" Alanna asked, seeking confirmation as she continued to aim the weapon at the target. "It feels rather strange in my hand. Is there a better way to hold it or is this simply a matter of getting used to the feel?" She suspected that it was the latter as that was usually true when learning just about any truly new weapon.

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

Elisa nodded. That was a good analogy and Alanna’s experience with bows and arrows – as well as her obvious proficiency when it came to weapons in general – put her in good stead when it came to using guns.

“You’ll get used to it,” she promised, “It does feel strange at first, but it’ll start to feel more natural with practice.”

[lionesschampion.livejournal.com]

Alanna tightened her fingers around the gun's grip, careful not to touch the trigger just yet. Not until Elisa gave the signal. The weapon still felt odd in her hand, but it was easier when she thought of it in those more familiar terms. It gave her something to compare the experience to at least.

She nodded gratefully to Elisa. The reassurances were nice and not something that was necessarily accustomed to, depending on the instructor. "Thank you. I've no doubt that you're right."

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

"Try aiming it at the target," Elisa suggested, gesturing at the crude cardboard figure at the far end of the range. They were vaguely human shaped and just like she remembered from her own lessons. That seemed like a long time ago now. Her old instructors wouldn't believe where she'd ended up and how she'd found herself applying her knowledge. "When you've had a few practices, I'll take the safety off and let you fire."