DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Modern/Historical DUC: Durham University Campus DUC: An the excitement builds..

An hour or so later, everyone has gathered in the gym. Everyone had eaten, the competitors maybe more lightly than the others. Emma and Ian had been to collect belongings at the pool and had arrived back with Emma's bag being a little fuller than before as she now carried Skye's and Levon's clothes. That had given the competitors time to get changed into their gear and assemble onto the mats in the centre of the room. Along one long wall there was tiered bench seating, mostly empty.

Looking at the seating apart from all of you, Guy (one of your team from York), Sarah, Tony and Mr Harding with Miss Beech, there was another slim auburn haired young woman that you recognise from the fancy dress as Tina, Ben's girlfriend. Then the door opens and Geoff & Sam, guy's friends wander in. Guy goes up to them and they high five. Ben straightens and moves to the mats.

"Right."

He claps for attention.

"Let's have our first practice - Miranda v Skye. But first all four competitors on the mat for a warm up. We'll go through our routine."

He stands at the front to lead the warm up so that the team can copy him.

Levon

He takes his spot, close to Skye, and got ready for the warm up, already stretching. When it was announced that Skye would be sparring first he said to her, "you got this."

{Skye}

She'd powered up with food that gave a good level of protein and carbs, without being too heavy. And a good amount of Nuun-prepped water drink. One last stop in the loo before changing and she had her fight face on. When Levon leaned in, she fished a wicked smile. "I'll take her down just like I did you."

Entering across from Miranda on the mat, Skye gave her opponent the proper acknowledgement in all seriousness. A moment of stillness passed — then, in unison, they performed the Keirei.

Their upper bodies dipped forward in a respectful thirty-degree bow, spines aligned in a straight line from the crown of the head to the lower back. Eyes cast downward, they focused on a spot just a few feet in front of their toes—an invisible point of humility and discipline.

The bow was not merely a gesture; it was a declaration of mutual respect. In the dojo, it might greet classmates, in life, a superior—but here, it marked the solemn beginning of the match: an acknowledgment of the art, the opponent, and the shared spirit of the discipline.

Skye waited for the combat to begin.

Henri

After a light lunch with Miranda and the others, he sits with the others sipping on a bottled water as he watches the fighters warm up. When Ben announces who the first two are going to spar, he lets out a whoop and shouts just before the two get set to do the Keirei, "You got this Miranda!"

Unsure just how hard they go at each other during a practice fight he silently hopes that neither injure themselves as he waits for them to start.

[OOC OK lionhawke I need three rolls, each a d4 to which I add your rank (4) and then I will roll for Miranda.. unless Dugan would like to? ]

Levon

He took a cross-legged seat on the edge of the mat and waited for the match to begin. He watched these sparring contests with a discerning eye. While others might marvel at a maneuver, he was more likely to identify a flaw or admire the expertise in each move. He couldn't help but evaluate every move for technique and weakness. He was also curious how Skye would do. She w as cocky and while he liked that in her, he hoped, for her, that it wasn't overconfidence.

[OOC: Go ahead Gypsy. DL's dice roller for me has never been great. ]

[OK Skye first ]

Skye Skye v Miranda
Lionhawke rolled 1d4,1d4,1d4 and got 3, 3, 3

[OOC Consistent! ]

Miranda is a little nervous at the start and as a result is a little tentative, though she defended well. Skye is very much on form and wins the first bout 7-4.

Miranda rallies, trying harder in round 2 and manages a good hold but is still outclassed by Skye who wins 7-5.

In the third round, Miranda is either tired or demoralised, maybe a little of both and Skye has an easy victory at 7-3.

Miranda smiles at Skye.

"Well fought, maybe you could give me some lessons sometime?"

Ben moves up to them both.

"Good clean fight both of you. You did well to hold your own as much as you did Miranda but you must keep your energy and confidence high all the way through. Nice going Skye. It'll be great if you can give us a repeat performance on Monday in the start rounds."

Sarah and Tony applaud both contestants as they leave the mats.

Ben signals Levon and Guy.

"OK you two next."

Levon

He stands, serene and focused and moves to the mat, passing Skye on the way there. "Good job," he whispers as they pass each other. She had done well. It was now his turn. Standing there opposite Guy on the mat he did as Skye did, bowing respectfully towards his opponent. He really didn't know what to expect from Guy as a fighter but he had an inkling that this wasn't going to be an easy bout.

He waited for the signal to begin the bout.

[OOC Can I have 3 rolls, a d4 each? ]

{Skye}

She gave Miranda a little hugs after they formally ended the practice match. "Of course, hon. Let's get one of the boys to record us sometime - and we can "review the tape" as my Dad always did with football."

As Levon gave his praise as they passed each other, she simply winked back. Skye had all the confidence he was on top of his game. So to speak.


She sat next to Miranda and the rest of the team to watch the next sparring round.

As the two men take their place on the mats, Sarah points out the guy from Teeside (the one arguing in the alley last night), who opened the door as if to come in, sees the gym is occupied and turns smartly on his heel and exits.

"Who is that guy, he gives me the creeps?"

She grimaces.

Tony comments.

"I think he dropped something by the door."

Guy is a good fighter. Levon had fought him before in a practice bout at York. He didn't seem to be on his game though today and Levon took the first 2 rounds easily. However he rallied on the last round and narrowly beat Levon. At the end he nods, almost to himself, and grabs his towel before walking off the mats.

Ben is waiting.

"Good session you two. Maybe a bit more of a warm up Guy? Though if you both fight that well, we should do well on monday.

His endorsement is backed up by enthusiastic applause from the audience. They had winessed a good bout, especially the last round where both competitors had worked hard.

Ben smiles at the both of them before calling Skye and Miranda back, putiing all four of them back in their pairings and running thhrough a series of moves, watching carefully, making suggestions for minor corrections for each competitor in order to improve their performance.

Ian

Having missed the first part of practice due to the side trip to the pool, Ian was able to catch the last part of Skye's and Miranda's match.

Glancing over to Emma, "I hope we didn't miss too much."

Looking up into the stands he sees Tony and Sarah among the watchers."Look. Tony and Sarah. Guess we can join them." he says as he takes the gear to where Tony and Sarah were sitting.

Setting things down to take a seat he briefly catches their conversation and looks towards the door as the man ducks out.

"I'm already up. I'll see what it is," he says as he starts walking to the door where Tony and Sarah just saw the man.

There is a piece of crumpled paper on the floor. Ian picks it up and opens it out. Turning it around it seems that he is holding a roughly drawn plan of the gym, including the changing rooms and showers. There is a big cross in the middle of the area where everyone is sitting.

Emma

"I hope not, but it does not look like too much has gone on so far," she says as she follows him towards Tony and Sarah, giving them a quick wave and smile.