OTA;

[a_noble_flame]

[What comes first through the flung open door of Alice's communion is warmth. To some a warm spring day, to others an inviting hearth banked to a low, slow fire. Or maybe it's a campfire, a ring of bright light against the encroaching darkness. However it is viewed it's inviting, calling for rest and calm.

She's nudged her way into several communions by now but she's never opened herself up at large and it shows. Or maybe it's just that Alice is never one to hide much save the emotions she keeps buried away beyond the light of her fire and warmth.

Alice herself ... well, her image of herself is fuzzy. Ever present fire eats at her heels and in times of passion might silhouette her. She herself though is only as sharp as her mental image of herself and she's obviously not that great at conjuring it up.

At least she still feels warm though? And her tone of voice is the same even if her words are quite business-like.]

I apologize if I'm doing this wrong in some way.

[Apology given, she dives in.]

I would like to find someone to commission a sword from. I wish to be prepared for future fighting and in order to do so I really do need to keep up my training with my other weapons as well. My current weaponry can only offer so much in terms of weight and distance.

[... Should she give an example of what she wants to commission? She's drawn up something by hand, exact specifications given from memory and years of handling this particular weapon of hers.

Amusingly -- or maybe not -- Alice's mental image of the Mähne is much clearer than her mental image of herself. It's a good six foot in length, two longswords butted end to end with grips between them.]

I have saved up some for this and am willing to work off the extra should what I have not cover the cost fully.

[... How do you close these out? Just ... leave it open for communication? There's a sweep of heat as Alice flusters just a touch.]

Th-thank you. I appreciate any assistance that can be offered.

Comments

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri's communion - as she might know from their brief talks - is one of warmth as well, although his is much more the warmth of a fire on a cold winter day or sunlight through a window. And all about him is a touch of winter's chill. But that is neither here nor there. Instead there's a friendly sort of enthusiasm when she mentions weaponry. ]

There are some smiths among the Legionaries who might be able to help you with such a project, although I myself sadly have no skill in the art.

[ He's a little less tired than he was during the whole fight. Steadier, in a way. But still there's a sense of weariness there - long days and nights and so much time spent thinking. ]

It should be no surprise that I favor the lance or the spear, but swords are useful in of themselves, I find.

[a_noble_flame]

[Ah, friendly enthusiasm, that she can well understand. Her warmth is quickly bolstered by it, no window to close off her particular brand of sunlight.]

I'll be sure to check with them then.

[She can only imagine what her attempts at smithing might bring. Her mind's eye can quickly conjure up an image of the man who did the smithing for her armor at home, a hulking fellow of bandages and muscles.

No, definitely no smithing for her.]

I suppose my family's cavalry background makes us more inclined to bladed weapons. I've never practiced with a lance or spear before.

[Though truth be told she's used her Mähne as a spear. She can still hear the crackling of glass and feel the way it shifted and bent against the window of that tank.]

[hauntedking]

It's what I've mainly trained for my whole life.

[ Dimitri offers a low little laugh. ]

Although swords are something I've practice with as well.

[ It's been a long few years for him. War and fighting and death... but he's still glad that he has his skills. ]

I'd be happy to offer some lessons or a sparring session, when we have time.

[a_noble_flame]

[Mmh, time. There's a vague sense of tiredness but it's gone as quick as it's there, blowing through and banished to the darkness. The vague outline that is Alice in her own mental space rubs at the back of it's neck.]

Yes, of course. I didn't meant to ask for the services of others in terms of sparring or lessons. I do welcome them of course but as you say, time is a commodity. As is energy.

[And fighting spirit and a hundred other things she enjoys yammering about at length.]

The Mähne is simply a particular weapon in that sense. I need to keep up my strength with it.

[hauntedking]

Training with others is a good way to learn, isn't it? And keep yourself sharp for whatever comes next.

[ Dimitri seems quite enthusiastic about that, honestly. ]

I also find it helps you get to know the people you'll be fighting alongside in the future.

[a_noble_flame]

[The enthusiasm isn't so much surprising as it is intriguing. Goodness knew Alice got enthusiastic about a whole host of things so it's kind of nice to find someone equally as enthusiastic about their own thing.]

Fighting is a very good way of getting to know someone. In some instances it's been my preferred way.

[She laughs sheepishly then.]

I'm far more versed in fighting than many other things. [She makes a little amused sound there, some warmth mixed in.] Much to my sisters' chagrin I'm afraid.

[And like her grandfather Alice's fondness for her sisters is always clear. That said though she has to admit:]

It's been some time since I've sparred with anyone however. At home I had a set regiment of training I did try to adhere to. Sparring wasn't quite on the list though.

[Chiefly because well ... she's a noble. And as her grandfather said nobles ultimately stand alone. So she's always trained with such in mind.]

[warmare]

That is a strange blade.

[Which... might sound rude, or harsh, just words-wise, but.

It is said more in the "... I give you the opportunity to explain why it is not strange" sort of way.]

[a_noble_flame]

[Alice is happy to oblige!]

The Mähne is traditionally a weapon used by cavalry knights. Using a sword on horseback comes with the problem of leaving one side unguarded. Likewise there is the problem of the horse's neck potentially being in the way of swings or switching weapon hands. With the Mähne a knight could defend themselves and their mount on both sides.

It's a weapon one must keep in constant practice with or you risk not being able to handle it's weight after a while.

[warmare]

[Hmm.]

You hold it with you on the saddle, then, and simply lean left or right to attack enemies at either flank with it as needed?

[a_noble_flame]

Exactly. You can be a bit more fancy with it if you like but the idea is to minimize how often you need to try to avoid your mount themselves.

I've typically used it off of a mount however.

[warmare]

[Foreign as it looked, the idea seemed... sound enough. On a mount. Off of one??]

What possible reason would there be then to use it unmounted?

[bakedapple]

Hey, Alice.

[ A quiet greeting, with the impression of a similarly slight raise of Link's hand, waving at her. Seeing as how Dimitri has already stepped up to answer her question, he takes this opportunity for something that's become overdue. ]

...I got back alright.

[ He doesn't specify it aloud, knowing that others could be eavesdropping, but he hopes she can read between the lines and see the Thank you behind his words. ]

How have you been? I hope you've been safe since the last time I saw you?

[a_noble_flame]

[There's a wave of relief that washes through Alice's communion. The hazy visage Alice can conjure up for herself gives a similar raise of it's hand.]

I'm very glad to hear that.

[The relief is more than enough to tell him that. She might not know him well but she had thought a man who had managed such an escape surely wouldn't be cut down half so easily.]

I have been, thank you. The streets might be busy but I am happy to be useful in clearing them.

[She's tired perhaps and has a lot on her mind but her body is thankful for the work to wear it out.]

[bakedapple]

[ Link had assumed, or maybe more accurately hoped, that the fighting out have stopped by now... but perhaps not. There were so many monsters on the loose from Kowloon that it might take a while to completely take them all out. The thought of everyone in Springstar still struggling while he's been safely recuperating in Highstorm makes him frown. They might technically be enemies, but that doesn't mean Link wishes them any unnecessary harm. ]

That's an interesting weapon you're looking for. I've never seen anything like that before. What's it called?

[a_noble_flame]

The Mähne.

[Literally 'mane' in German. Which is better explained as she continues.]

It's designed to be used my cavalry knights on horseback. The dual blades gripped in the middle allow a mounted knight to protect themselves from both sides without risking injury to their mount.

[Her fuzzy mental image gives the impressions of a light smile here.]

My family has a history of service in the cavalry.

[bakedapple]

Cavalry...

[ The single word is echoed with a feeling of Link putting heavy weight on it. ]

You're a soldier, then? No... a knight?

[sheezit]

[ Shez's communion is mostly the same as when they did an initial test run: a dark, comfortable warmth, the sound of water an octave lower, more distant and practically imperceptible underneath his laugh. ]

Hey, you're really getting the hang of this, huh!

[ Since she can communicate a mental image that well and all-- and he is, of course, always excited to see a cool blade. Swords!! ]

That's a real nice blade, you know. I can probably recommend a handful of blacksmiths you could commission it from, but I have a spare if you're in a pinch. It's not like I really need it now that I can summon my own again.

[a_noble_flame]

[There's a pulse of warmth at Shez's greeting, a heartbeat in the darkness around the firelight of her own communion. They've only know each other briefly but it's clear she appreciates hearing from him again.]

I've been able to get some practice in. Thank you for showing me how to do this to begin with.

[There's an echo of her own laugh.]

I've been borrowing a sword since I arrived. Unfortunately none can quite compare to the weight of my Mähne. I need it for practicing as much as I need it for combat.

[That said though there's a feeling of keen interest now, genuine and open.]

You can summon your sword? Is this something to do with magic?

[... Okay, now she's interested in magic for real.]

[sheezit]

[ He acknowledges her thanks with a smile and quick nod, or at least that's the feeling that crosses over. Always ready to help a fellow Meri! As for her question though: ]

If I had to guess, yeah, that's gotta be some kind of magic. It's something I've been able to do way before coming to Kenos, but even the person who first shared those powers with me didn't know much about them. Gotta say, it's pretty handy that I'm never unarmed, especially with these Oracle trials just whisking us away without warning.

[ This is probably something else a newcomer like Alice should keep in mind: always be prepared for trials! ]

As for your sword, maybe you'll get lucky and it'll be pulled from the Timestream at some point. My friends and I have had some of our stuff delivered to us like that before, and I hear it happens on occasion. Wouldn't hurt to get a good replacement just in case, though...

[a_noble_flame]

[The advice on always being prepared is perhaps the best she's gotten thus far. Watch Alice sleep with a sword strapped to her from now on!]

That does sound very handy indeed. I would have liked that ability when I first arrived.

[That said she sighs gently.]

So I've heard from others. I would be willing to wait but I'm afraid I would be too out of condition with it by then. I need something of similar size and weight to keep up my strength with.

[sheezit]

[ That's... actually not a bad idea at all. That's the kind of advice he got prior to his first trial and it was pretty helpful! ]

Yeah, in that case, a good ol' commission would be your best shot, but it should be easy enough to do. Unless your sword got any special skills or powers?

[umurice]

[He doesn't recognize the face, but he recognizes her aura. It was something he was trained to pay attention to back home, to identify attackers before he can see them. Here, he just pays attention because it's calming to feel a familiar presence.]

Malvin! It is nice to hear from you.

[Hiiro might have turned into a temporary nomad during the time he hadn't decided on a faction. Not a concern now in Meridian.]

I have never seen a weapon like that before. How do you use it?

[a_noble_flame]

[Alice does seem pleased to hear from him too, at least judging by that aura of hers.]

It's chiefly meant to be used in mounted combat. With traditional weapons it's difficult for a mounted combatant to keep both sides of themselves guarded. Switching sides can be clumsy and may injure the horse if their neck is in the way.

With this sword both sides of a mounted combatant are covered and it reduces the chances of injury to one's mount.

[umurice]

I see. It seems very useful, especially if you are used to being on a horse when fighting. I suppose it is not something you can simply improvise either?

[Like, you know, sticking two swords together or something. That mental image might unintentionally make its way to her.]

[a_noble_flame]

Not really. Most weapons need to be properly weighted after all. In this case too much on either end could make it heavier on one side than the other and too much in the middle could lead to one compensating for the weight different on the ends.