[Open] + Catchall

[yokunaru]

who: Yuuri and anyone!
what: Training and exploring the city
when: Early May
where: All around the city
warnings: None so far



A. Perimeter Guard Barracks

[Anyone training in the late morning will notice an unfamiliar face in the area. Though Yuuri does his best to keep out of everyone's way, he doesn't realize he's probably drawing attention to himself just by being there and not going with the flow of things. He's not holding a weapon, for one, nor does he seem inclined to find one to practice with. Instead of approaching anyone, he opts to study people's forms as they practice instead. Feel that prickling sensation at the back of your neck? If you turn around, you'll probably find Yuuri standing a little ways off, watching you intently.

Once he realizes you're actually looking back, his eyes will widen and he'll stammer out an apology.]

I-I'm so sorry! I'm not bothering you, am I?


B. Community Center, Ice Skating Rink

[As always, the ice is a familiar haven to him, a place where he can skate some of his anxious thoughts away. After weeks in the city, Yuuri's managed to figure out the center's schedule and find a perfect time to practice. It's just a break between the classes, and while the rink is still open to the public, he's found that it's usually not very crowded at this time of the day.

Yuuri glides across, alternating between skating some compulsory figures and practicing a jump or two. While all this is normal for him, what isn't normal is the thing that comes rushing out toward him suddenly, making him squeak in surprise, flail his arms, and then go crashing onto the ice. He rubs at his hip with a groan.]

You really have to stop doing that... [Who is he talking to? There's no one there, but if you squint hard enough, you might catch a metallic glint out of the corner of your eye, accompanied by a hollow sounding snicker.]

C. Library

[Ever since picking up his first aid lessons with Dr. McCoy again, Yuuri's tried to stop by the library's medical section to brush up on his knowledge. He vaguely remembers a few things from the mandatory biology courses he'd taken in university, but that's nowhere near what he needs to know if he isn't going to be a burden on the doctor.

Even with his determination to learn, Yuuri finds himself drifting off during one such library run. At first, it's quiet for a while, Yuuri simply dozing at the table. Then, it all happens in a chain. The book he's reading slips out of his hand, falling to the floor with a loud thump. Yuuri jerks awake, startled by the noise, and his elbow just happens to catch the pile of books next to him. Though he tries his best to catch them, the books all go tumbling down to the ground, one loud noise after another, until most of the people around the tables are staring at him.

Turning a brilliant red, Yuuri sinks down in his chair a little before deciding the best way to escape is to slip onto the floor and start picking up the books he's knocked over. Hopefully nobody was reading those!]

Comments

[anotheroldsoldier]

Personally, I always learned better by doing instead of watching. [Watching would only get someone so far, especially in combat or self-defense.] 'Trying' to learn, do you have a trainer? I know the Guard has at least one instructor on payroll.

[yokunaru]

[He nods easily, agreeing with him completely.] Oh, I know--I was just...trying to get ideas. I know how to train as an athlete, but combat is completely different.

And yeah, I have a trainer. She's been teaching me how to use stun batons. [Not that it's done much good for him so far.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

It's hard to train for combat alone. Without a sparring partner, all you can do is go through the motions on a dummy that won't fight back. [This is why he'd had a programmable robot in his home gym back home. Or, well, in Steve's apartment. It had already been there, but he found it useful.

He quirks an eyebrow skeptically.] Stun batons? Not something a little more long-distance?

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri pauses, eyes widening when he realizes Bucky's right.] I guess it would be. [That's a flaw in his plan that he hadn't even considered.] I'm so used to being able to train for my sport alone--having to spar with a partner is new to me.

[He exhales with a soft whoosh of air.] Long distance like what?

[anotheroldsoldier]

The only way to get better at fighting is to fight. You can train your body by yourself, cardio and strength training, all that, but you have to drill combat skills to develop the instinct you need. [He sets down his water bottle and towels the sweat off his face.] What sport do you do?

[And then a look like it should be obvious.] Like a gun. Stun-gun, at least.

[yokunaru]

[He nods slowly--that makes sense to him when he thinks about it.] Ah, I'm a figure skater. We train by drilling the jumps and techniques over and over, but I guess that wouldn't work as well with combat.

[The answer's one that doesn't surprise him, judging by his lack of reaction.] You're...not the first person to recommend a gun. [He exhales.] I don't know how comfortable I'd be using something like that.

[anotheroldsoldier]

I know a little bit about figure skating. [Literally just what he's learned from Yuri though. And now he's wondering who this guy is, if he's one of the people from Yuri's world.] This is a bit different from that. The beginner trainees usually meet here in the mornings, you could probably find some sparring partners then.

[He looks him up and down for a brief moment.] I wouldn't suggest it if I thought you'd be comfortable with it. You shouldn't be comfortable with the thought of taking a life. But if you're that opposed, I'd recommend a stun-gun, as long as you can point and aim. Something that won't have you in the thick of things until you're skilled enough.

[yokunaru]

Oh. [A pause, and then Yuuri's expression brightens.] Beginners would definitely be easier to work with. [He laughs a little.] Everyone here, like you, is at a much higher level than I'd be able to keep up with.

A stun gun... [This time he looks more thoughtful than opposed. Bucky reassuring him that he doesn't have to aim to kill is all it takes to get him to let go of some of the tension he's been holding in his shoulders.] You said they're long distance. How do they work?

[anotheroldsoldier]

Early mornings are your best bet. Find some dedicated partners, and when you've improved, try your hand with a bunch of different people. [Both methods are good for learning how to face a real opponent in their own ways.] Not everyone, necessarily, but yeah, a lot of people who come through the portal are professionals.

[Bucky goes over to the wall laden with practice weapons, and scans over the firearms until he pulls out one marked with a stripe of color. It isn't loaded, but he tests the weight of it in his hand, checks his aim.] I'm fond of these for beginners. You can get more distance than with an Earth taser, and no wires to mess with. It fires off a pronged cartridge, which sticks into the creature and delivers a hefty shock. Easy to load, no fuss.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri remains attentive, soaking in all the advice he's being offered without protest.] I don't know if the portal can choose who to bring through, but at least having more fighters means the city will be safer. [Especially when monsters like the giant lizards manage to get closer to the city proper instead of staying outside the fence like they're supposed to.]

So these stun guns...they're all marked with color like this one?

[anotheroldsoldier]

No, they can't control it. It's random, I guess, but there are still patterns. [It seems to hit on Bucky's Earth and various other timelines of it a hell of a lot - and he's definitely noticed a lot of fighters.]

Far as I've seen, most of them are marked so other people know they're delivering shocks instead of bullets. That said, the shock cartridges you'd use on huge creatures can still be lethal to people.

Why are you tryin' to learn combat? What's your goal?