Weapon Arts.

[Su Mei Lin]

Mei Lin was writing to her master about an upcoming competition she will be competing in a couple months from now. Not only she was demonstrating her skillset, but also to represent her school. It was her initial concern that the campers aren't familiar with the weapons her martial arts use but to her surprise, some of the Hephaestus children decided to take up on the challenge to provide for her what she needed on the condition that it stays on the armory. She had no problem with that and made visits to the metal shed whenever she wanted to practice on a specific weapon for the competition. There are other students who could use the same weapon or her classmate couldn't show up, she'd be there to demonstrate. Her master knew she can pick up weapons quick but he'd set aside his biases when chosen to be a judge. Either way, she wanted to see how much she has improved. Once she finished with her letter, she left her cabin for her usual routine at the arena - her mind at ease knowing that she has it to herself for the next hour. After picking up a double broadsword from the armory, she paraded towards her destination. It was an amphitheater with a somewhat calm presence if it weren't for those currently vacant dummies that bear Greek armor and other dummies that serve combat purposes.

The student chose to spot before examining the wide area she could occupy for her form. Once she took a deep breath, she closed her eyes for the moment. In the next, she began. (For your imagination, except a bit more slower.) @ Azrael Blackburn

[Azrael Blackburn Rare Rare]

Azrael was busily fitting the some new dummies into the area, they looked like they were padded to allow for some strikes from blades and were in some of the more dented cast off Greek armor that was used around the camp. He had a good selection of weaponry out and was running through the basic steps of seeing how easily they could connect, either against the breast plate or into the padded sides of the dummy.

It did not take long for him to notice the steps the Ares camper was taking, he knew they were fierce and ruthless in combat as he had seen over the years, combined with acrobatic training and rigorous muscle memory would allow that to excel. He could also see that these were the kind of students that would be difficult to find inroads to teach. He knew he would have to find methods of training those where raw skill would only get him so far. His mind raced through strike training, weapon theory, variation of blades as he watched the sword kata play out.

Still for now he was just preparing his elements of the arena before he worked out how his new role would work. As Mei Lin ran through her routine Azrael took note of the steps but made no actions to interrupt and kept working through the task at hand.

[Su Mei Lin]

The daughter of Ares continued her dance as she performed swift strikes and maneuvers that can be done with years of fundamental training. It was part of her master's teaching style to constantly get her to do the basics until they are of second nature. After that, everything else will feel like a piece cake but he never said they will be easy. And it was not. She remained calm the entire time because it should not be anger that drives her movements but a clear mind. It is true that emotions are the driving force for her ferocity but she will end up getting hurt if she goes overboard.

Mei Lin did not mind the one-man audience but she welcomed the company with a few words. Entering her routine into a close, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes to see a robust man but his face felt different from his body. Kind eyes and perhaps the same person has made difficult decisions in his life. If he told her that he became a soldier, she would believe it. After a moment of glance, she approached him with a cordial tone. "I appreciate you not interrupting me. If you did, I might actually attack you out of habit." An awkward chuckle parted her lips. She was still learning how to withhold her attacks at the split-second like those people in martial arts media.

Looking over to what he has set up so far, her eyebrows were raised for the moment. "Are you going to teach class here," She glanced over to the selection of weapons. "With those?"

[Azrael Blackburn Rare Rare]

Azrael nodded as the ares camper finished up her routine. "That is kind of the idea. Fixed movements to keep training routines and to build muscle memory, learning moves that you can flow into and out of. The trick is looking ahead of the blade once those moves sink into your reflexes." 

She seemed to be a professional at the style and the movement so he avoided giving too many pointers as much as analyzing the style itself. He took the time to recall as much as he could of the steps... "Lets see.. two weapon style, specializing in movement and bladed motion over strong defenses and looking for opportunity strikes in transit over forced killing blows."

It was impressive, flourishing and very frantic and a tough as hell one to fight alongside in the field - he chose not to add these insights into the conversation as much though, it was a good solid workout and built a lot on active strike maneuvers.

As the conversation moved to the plans for classes he nodded as she mentioned the plans. "Hoping to get there soon enough. I am taking the time to build up to it, both in the tools" he said tapping a knuckle against the front plate of armor as well as looking over the weapons selection "and also the plans for teaching. The campers have a good variety of skills even within a cabin - seems like it will take a lot to make sure they gel."

He looked over at her and realized it was a good opportunity to gauge the campers current routines "So how often do you go through your training?"

[Su Mei Lin]

From the way he hinted at his intended curriculum, she thought the man was in the right path. It mirrored very much the way she was trained and it required a tremendous amount of patience. Sometimes she wonders how she got this far, only to convince herself that it was those martial arts flicks that she wanted to mimic. However, there were more or less a ton of other reasons she persevered and she just chose to gloss over them. "Correct. Once the grunt work is done, all you have to do is look ahead but that is easier said than done. You never know what your opponent might do so you'd have to prepare not your mind, but your body for the next move. A good example might be that you... deflected a punch and threw an uppercut at the same time they wouldn't know what hit them."

"I do like dual wielding if I'm being honest. Two of the same weapons, twice the attack damage. Priority over offense and speed rather than defense... but of course I can defend myself if an attack is coming. I just don't have a shield or heavy protection but you would not find me with a pair of the same armaments every day. I like to rotate. Be sort of unpredictable." Mei Lin helped herself to a giggle. It was not often she found herself talking about her combat style but it felt pleasant to talk to someone who knows their stuff. She does take combat classes and integrated their moves but she would always wind up relying on what she already invested years in.

"Fantastic. I do think it is a good idea for us to have another weapons teacher. The more, the merrier, right?" She proceeded to place her two broadswords together before fitting them into one thick sheath. To the outside observer, it seemed like it can only hold one sword but they'd be surprised to see her routine making that two. "Hmm... I train up to 2 hours per day, sometimes more if I am feeling motivated or I just wanted to vent my emotions. You would not find me training on weekends but if you do, it's a rare sight." Though there are times when she does slack off, but she wouldn't tell him that. "What about you, mister?"