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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 14, 2013 18:03:04 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 14, 2013 18:03:04 GMT -5
"I swear she's trying to kill me."
Dutch growled as he collapsed back onto the cold cavern ground. His head and chest glistened with sweat from effort. He lay there, arms raised above his head to stretch his burning abdomen with labored breath. There was a time that the young man was able to do sit ups all day every day. But that was before the war. Before the coma. Frakkin idiot... Dutch still hadn't quite forgiven himself for what lead to the crash, and refused to touch a drop of the drink since waking. Dutch sat up slowly with a groan, the warm up complete. Nom, Grizzelda and Bosco had come together to draft a routine to get him back to fighting shape asap. Bosco planned it, Nom monitored him during it, and Grizz made his life hell during it.
His grey eyes scanned the large community cavern, the room rumbled with the chatter of refugees and families of the DLA. Some noticed him and waved cheerfully, or raised a mug to toast him. He wearily waved back, and tried to smile. Dutch was simply too tired to perform this feat. Instead he nodded and collapsed back onto his bare back. It had been nearly an hour, an hour of push ups, sit ups, stretches and other 'warm ups' that Grizz demanded he do. She would show soon, always did around the same time after his warm ups. He turned his head to gaze at the jug of water that stood. Just out of reach. With another grown Dutch rolled over onto his stomach, the floor chilling his chest. The voritor lizard tattoo on his back stretched as he reached for the jug.
"Almost... there..."
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Fire cannot kill a dragon.
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last online Oct 30, 2014 9:41:46 GMT -5
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Apr 14, 2013 20:00:14 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 14, 2013 20:00:14 GMT -5
Grizzelda did indeed saunter in at her customary time, in loose grey cargo pants, a black tank top and a dark green linen shirt, undone expect for the bottom two buttons. Just as Dutch's fingers brushed the jug, she bent and lifted it and took a long draw.
"Pick your lazy ass up, you've got work to do," she said pleasantly.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 14, 2013 20:20:05 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 14, 2013 20:20:05 GMT -5
"Almost got it..."
Dutch mumbled as his prize was nearly at hand. Only for Grizzelda to stroll up and take what was his. He rolled over onto his back to stare up at the woman with an exasperated expression. With a grunt he tightened his abs to sit up and braced his hands on the ground to stand. Dutch brushed the bits of rock on his hands off on his shorts, ignoring the sweat that tickled as it beaded down his brow and body.
"That is mine."
He wheezed as his calloused hand would brush over the top of Grizz' to snatch back the jug. With his head canted back Dutch drank deep of the water, eyes closed as the water ran down his face and down his throat.
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 14, 2013 20:29:23 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 14, 2013 20:29:23 GMT -5
Grizzelda relinquished the jug with a wave of her wrist, and put her hands on her hips to wait for Dutch's indignity. Unsatisfied, she cuffed him in the stomach with her forearm hard enough to smart.
"Never let your guard down, that's what got you into this mess."
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 14, 2013 20:32:34 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 14, 2013 20:32:34 GMT -5
Water burst from his lips to spatter all over the front of the man. The jug dropped as Dutch coughed and sputtered as his last gulp decided to go into his lungs instead. He rammed his fist into his chest a couple times until the fit subsided, and turned wild eyes to Grizzelda.
"Dammit woman! Trying to kill me!"
He spat as he stared at the woman. Dutch really should have seen that coming, it wasn't the first time she had pulled a stunt like that. Once the initial shock wore off, Dutch turned his gray gaze away from her.
"And it wasn't letting my guard down that caused this..."
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 14, 2013 21:11:14 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 14, 2013 21:11:14 GMT -5
"Hah. Dutch, I'm going to tell you something and I'm only going to tell you once so listen close. Everything in this world is going to try to screw you over. Everything. You always have to be on the look out. But the thing that's the worse, the thing that's going to come the closest to killing you, every time," she stepped closer, "Is your own stupidity. Never. Let your guard down." She pressed a finger against his sternum. Grizzelda grinned, she did like getting to be dramatic. She gave Dutch a light shove, and drew two wooden sparring blades, dagger length, from her pockets and twisted them in her fingers.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 14, 2013 21:22:42 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 14, 2013 21:22:42 GMT -5
Dutch couldn't help but grin at Grizzelda. He didn't resist as she pressed her finger into him. His skin flushed slightly at her touch, and couldn't bring himself to look at her, a rare shyness filling him. Even after she pushed him he stepped back twice, but did not look. Until he heard the clack of wood, and his eyes slid closed with a pained expression.
"...Not a dagger day... frak me runnin'..."
His gaze turned back to a grinning Grizz with an exasperated expression.
"I don't use a dagger, can't we just wrestle?"
Dutch groaned, a light laugh escaping his lips despite himself. He rotated his right arm and gripped its shoulder with his left, the joint popping loudly. His eyebrow would raise as he tilted his head to stretch the muscle, still sore and aching from yesterday's session.
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 15, 2013 0:43:11 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 0:43:11 GMT -5
"Oh sure." Wood clattered against the ground, but if Dutch looked closely -- and he very rarely did -- he'd only see one blade. They went through the normal steps, Dutch was falling back into things, a cautious cuff, a grab and twist, until Dutch found the wooden dagger across his neck and Grizzelda's voice in his year.
"You wrestle and your enemy fights, they live, you die."
She let him go with a shove to the small of his back. "Hm, I'm in a bad mood today, you're in for a treat."
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 15, 2013 0:57:30 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 0:57:30 GMT -5
If there was ever a time that clarified how inexperienced in actual combat Dutch was, it was when Grizz and him sparred. The man knew how to fight, knew how to throw a punch. Did he know how to kill without a firearm? Not so much. She moved with a fluid grace that he could never hope to achieve, and before the young man knew it, she was behind him. The wooden dagger lay right across his jugular, had that been steel his throat would have been cut.
"They ain't killed me yet. Figure I been doin' something right."
Dutch said in response. He stepped forward to pivot on his left food, fists raised in a classic boxing stance. However, that was not correct. The man exhaled slowly and loosened his stance to shake his arms out. He hopped back and forth to try and stay light on his feet, but could feel his knees knock in protest at the strain. There was still so much more work to do.
"Why? Did Bosco cook something spicy for breakfast? I tell ya, we should just send him against the Sith. Chemical warfare, y'know?"
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 15, 2013 1:20:20 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 1:20:20 GMT -5
Grizzelda huffed a laugh. "You know what, you killed you. And whatever gods there are gave you a second chance, and I shall take great pleasure in ensuring that you don't f-ck it up. A lot of people are depending on your surviving, that should scare the crap out of you." She rapped him across the lower stomach with her blade.
"Chemical warfare, that reminds me, I should have Bosco pull out some pepper spray and nerve gas so you can be properly prepared for those."
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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last online Apr 30, 2020 12:47:50 GMT -5
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Apr 15, 2013 1:33:35 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 1:33:35 GMT -5
Dutch blushed but bit down on a less than kind response. He exhaled with an 'oof!' as the practice blade smacked his stomach. His abs clenched in response and he shifted to the right to launch a quick jab combo towards Grizz, bobbing and weaving as he did.
"I know." Growled the man, frustration clear in his voice. "And it does. More than you'll ever know."
His last word was punctuated with a right cross that sailed clear past Grizz, exposing his back for a moment before he spun on his heel. Only to trip and collapse onto the ground when his still weakened legs gave out. He landed with a grunt and rolled onto his back. Dutch peered up at Grizz with a near horrified expression.
"What the- when the hell did we get that?"
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 15, 2013 1:38:33 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 1:38:33 GMT -5
"Hm?" She extended a hand and pulled Dutch back to his feet, honest help this time. She couldn't kill him quite yet. "My treat." She shrugged. "You're trying to fight a war, Dutch, you should be prepared." She picked up the wooden blade and tossed it to Dutch. "Now you use a dagger."
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 15, 2013 1:52:22 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 1:52:22 GMT -5
He grasped her hand with a word of thanks and awkwardly shifted to his feet. Dutch rotated that same shoulder as before, again making the joint pop audibly. Damn this...
"Thanks. Though I don't think anything could have prepared me for what happened."
Dutch said, his expression far off for a second. It was true, even with his father's training, the same training that was taught to all members of the DLA. Not nearly enough to stand up to the menace though. He cursed as the other blade was sent at him. It smacked against his chest with a thud and clattered back to the floor as Dutch juggled it in a failed attempt at catching it.
He groaned and picked up the stick, incredulous eyes looking at it.
"Y'know. Me and my baby brother used to play Jedi with sticks. Didn't mean it prepared us either..."
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 15, 2013 2:28:11 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 2:28:11 GMT -5
"Yeah, well, there aren't many ways to prepare a seven year old for being abandoned by her mother or an eighteen year old for the galaxy, alone, but. One makes do."
She let that hang in the air a moment, then her eyes twinkled. "You actually believed me there, didn't you! Get your head on straight, Dutch, I am not a child and we are not playing Jedi,, I am a Sith and I'm going to kill you if you don't kill me first."
Grizzelda stepped forward with a jab at his side. "I'm going to kill everyone you care about. Everyone you love. Al. Si'bul. Mo." She swiped her blade at his face while her off-hand snapped towards his wrist.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
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Apr 15, 2013 2:40:09 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 2:40:09 GMT -5
"What? Psh, no. I didn't believe you for a moment."
He totally did buy it hook line and sinker. Dutch furrowed his brows and held the wooden blade firmly. Too firmly, as he remembered, and loosened his grip on the handle as Grizzelda had once instructed.
With a grunt he twisted his arm and the blade to block Grizzelda's strike, the wooden instruments clacking audibly. He jabbed with his free hand to hit air, a mistake as Grizz' blade smacked his cheek loudly. Dutch could feel his blood boil after the woman ticked off names, his jaw clenching at Mo's name.
"That won't happen. Ever."
His arm twisted to jab at the incoming wrist, a jump back clearing himself from her for a moment. Even he didn't think that those words had much conviction behind them. It was an unfortunate truth. The Sith had proven that time and again. They were gunning for his loved ones. And they had a horrible campaign of destroying everything he loved. Dutch hated them for it, and channeled that hate into a lung from the training blade followed by a large fist sent towards the woman.
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Kella
Fire and Blood
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Apr 15, 2013 3:20:24 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 3:20:24 GMT -5
"Why's that? You gonna stop me?" She dodged the blade and in the same movement grabbed Dutch's wrist and nudged him in the direction of his momentum. "By hating me? You think that's going to help you?" She rapped him on the back of the neck with the butt of her dagger. "When you're balking and can't hold a blade straight, let alone your wits? Hate doesn't kill people, Dutch, wanting doesn't kill people. Blades do. Guns do. So if you want those Sith bastards to die you've got to learn how to use a blade and a gun."
As Dutch came around again, Grizzelda dropped the blade and caught Dutch's head in her hands, one at the chin, the other steadying his skull, the pressure on his neck ever so slightly uncomfortable. "Unless you're me," she whispered in his ear, then stepped away and gave Dutch a moment to recover while she picked up her blade.
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Dutch
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Apr 15, 2013 3:44:33 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 3:44:33 GMT -5
The crack to his neck had left a throbbing at the back of his skull, but it didn't smart nearly as much as her words. She was right, Erle himself always said that going into a fight angry was as bad as going in drunk. And he did know better, but between his inability get straight back into the fighting, and the fact that his own body seemed to still fight his every motion.
When Grizzelda grabbed his head in a couple swift motions, he stood there panting and sweating. The feel of her breath on his ear as she talked caused a chill to run down his spine, and Dutch growled. He looked Grizz up and down quickly as she stepped away. As she dipped low to pick the blade up he would pivot on his heel only to suddenly lunge forward, arms wide and ready to lock Grizzelda in a hold.
"Never let your guard down!"
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Kella
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Apr 15, 2013 4:18:10 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 4:18:10 GMT -5
Grizzelda tucked into a roll and as soon as her feet hit the ground again she had her balance and spun around again, a foot under his shin ensured he hit the ground. Grizzelda straddled Dutch and twisted the blade backwards and out of his hand, one in her left, one in her right, both pressed to his throat and crossing each other.
"I never do."
This time, she let the blades linger. "Have you ever killed a man, Dutch?"
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Dutch
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Apr 15, 2013 4:34:09 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 15, 2013 4:34:09 GMT -5
"W-wait what?"
Dutch stammered as his world spun and up-ended. Where once he was a sure footed predator ready to strike, he was suddenly on his back facing up with Grizzelda straddling him. Grizzelda straddling him while he was barely dressed. He had no idea where his dagger went, and no idea how suddenly his own dagger was twisted to be placed on his throat.
His breath shuddered as it left his chest, sweat freely pooling down him. From afar he could here some people laughing. Oh no... Mo is gonna find out... He thought as he cringed with one eye closed. It slid open again as Grizz asked her question, still straddling him. He nodded and gulped. Dutch had killed, he had killed a lot in the time since the Sith had arrived. The man still didn't know how exactly process it.
"...How many have you?"
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Kella
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Apr 15, 2013 4:44:40 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Apr 15, 2013 4:44:40 GMT -5
"Forty five," she said, releasing Dutch, careful to keep her feet out of reach. It was so easy to make the man squirm. Too easy. She'd fix that. "Because that question is much like the 'how many men have you been with' question in that men always prefer the fractional answer." She twisted a dagger in each hand as she waited for Dutch to get up.
"Never announce your charge. Don't grunt, don't growl, it makes you predictable. Save the snarky comments until they're dead." Grizzelda considered her own advice a moment. "Again, unless you're me."
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