make the choice to choose

[connatural]

WHO: Ashley Magnus
WHERE: South Village, by the water
WHEN: random Mornings throughout the month
OPEN TO: Everyone
WARNINGS: Updated as needed

---

un: magnus

One more day of this normal routine and I'm going to fucking lose it. South Village. By the mill. Sparring partners needed before I go fucking nuts without work. Any morning from dawn until lunchish.

Ashley never thought about how much of her life was spent constantly on the go. Even in her downtime, she realized she wasn't likely to sit around long, coming up with reasons to get out and move. It's a restlessness that she took for granted when she had the Sanctuary work to do, and an entire city to traverse. Not to mention abnormals to contain, especially with the uptick because of the Cabal before this place.

Now if this place is Cabal or not, she doesn't know, but if it is, they already know what she's capable of so there's reason to hide it.

Mornings start with a run, heading out further each day, taking new routes, trying to not only learn this place but learn every path she might need for any reason. Not to mention the creatures, the resources, anything to keep her on her toes and know what she might need no matter what happens.

By the mill she practices with the few weapons she's gathered, using them in various ways so she knows the heft and weight of them in case. Everything is in case, even if here she has no idea in case of what. There's only so much a person can practice alone, so she hopes sending out that message will draw a few people to practice against. Will keep her on point, not to mention meaning she could get a chance to know more of those here. It's already been eye opening, and she's curious what else this place holds.

Comments

[connatural]

"Better for your health, yeah," she says, nodding as she moves to settle her stance, giving a wide smile. She can't hide how happy she is to have partners to train with. Being an only child she finds great joy in the company of others.

Still smiling, she makes a quick dart in, feinting for a strike to the midsection.

[to_defend]

In response to Ashley's stance, 7 crouches low to the ground; her own stance a little more primal. She sidesteps the feint and strikes out at Ashley's shoulder. She's more used to fighting with a weapon, using it as an extension and incorporating her whole body into the attack - but then again she was also used to the environment and enemies being several times bigger than herself.

Something a little more hand-to-hand and even, like this, is going to be a learning experience. She learns quick, though,

[connatural]

Taking the hit to the shoulder, Ashley uses it to push her to the side and spins into a low kick towards the calf. While not pulling punches, she's not aiming for the knee and taking that chance of that kind of damage.

"You learn through professional training, or on the streets?"

[to_defend]

The kick knocks her off balance, and she lets herself take the fall. She redirects the motion in a tumble and pops up in a crouch, pausing for a moment.

"Streets. You?"

She leaps in a straight tackle attempt to her midsection.

[connatural]

Smiling at the recovery, Ashley waggles her hand back and forth. "Some professional training, but everything adapted for the streets," she says, smile widening as 7 came at her.

Ashley didn't duck or dodge, instead moving with it, falling back to try and draw the other woman in, trying to get her off her feet and toss her back and over her as she went down to the ground.

[to_defend]

She goes down, doesn't fight against the motion, but wraps her arms around Ashley's waist and clamps her hands over her wrists for a strong tether. If she's going down she's taking Ashley with her, and tries to twist in the air like a cat in an attempt to land on her feet.

[connatural]

The motion sends Ashley, landing with a thud that leaves a scuff in the grass. Pushing her fingers into the soil, using it to continue the motion so that she comes to in a low crouch, grinning widely.

"I knew they brought a lot of us from fighting backgrounds, but you're fun," she admits, entirely meaning it as a compliment. "Most fight clean. Soldier fighting, you know?"

[to_defend]

She doesn't quite end up on her feet this time, pushing back to put some space between herself and Ashley and breathe for a moment.

"No, I don't, soldier fighting?" It certainly wasn't clean; it's all over her clothes and hair and exposed skin and even in her socks, she thinks. "- you're fun, too. This is fun. I wouldn't mind doing more of this."

The fight, the movement, it's the thrill without the threat of death.

[connatural]

Panting, Ashley brushed the stray strands of hair off her brow, running her hand over her hair to try and tuck it back against her head and out of her eyes.

"It's not street fighting. I learned on the streets mixed with martial arts. Not everyone does the same. Though there's a lot of combatants here," she admits, figuring it's a good thing to be aware of.

"I love it," she admits. "It keeps the heart beating, and let's us have something to work towards. Besides being ready. You know, in case."

[to_defend]

"Yeah, in case." She speaks that language, that silence was just moments between the chaos, and you never really stop anticipating the next blow. She crouches low to the ground in the pause between bouts. Most of her out and out fighting she'd learned from tracking and engaging with the Beast, and for as much as there was little natural about them, they inhabited certain animalistic nuances that she'd mimicked into her own fighting style.