Spring, April 24th - A Wild Ayame (Re)Appears!

[zenoh]

Action - Genessia City Garden Park

[ Ayame had been keeping to herself, feeling drained of socializing energy. It's been over a month since she showed her face in the network, and she's just been keeping busy with training Mirai in tailoring and saving up money. She haven't been keeping touch with her friends and hasn't even been showing up to bars and casinos like she tends to do, opting to practice her skills in baking, cooking, singing, and playing the guitar instead. But today seems like the day she feels rested and ready to mingle again. Ayame enjoys the spring weather with a picnic mat set up on the park's lawn, where a full-grown tiger is sleeping on the side, and a Gardevoir with a cherry blossom hairclip is quietly watching over the assorted foods that's way too much for one or even three individuals.

Not far from the picnic set-up, are over a dozen students clad in sparring gear and the gym uniform of Second Honnouji Academy. The students train and spar with trainer weapons, based on historical swords from longswords, messer, katana, sabres, rapiers, & bucklers. Among them is Ayame, who is wearing something not very well-suited for sparring. But despite the nylon sabre in her hand she's not here to fight, but to instruct. Ayame isn't an official faculty member of the Academy, but some of the students know her enough from her frequent visits there to train kyudo with Satsuki in the mornings. Ayame uses the training sword as a teacher's pointer stick as she watches the students spar with different weapons. Ayame calmly instructs a pair with a katana going against a messer and buckler ]

You are doing good by keeping the point of the katana forward, you are keeping him at bay and making him think high. But you need to improve on your footwork. You had a lot of chances of slipping your sword around his buckler and get a good cut across his torso, but you are too far to strike whenever the opening presents itself. Move those feet.

[ Ayame lightly taps on the student's leg before turning her attention to the next pair, with a longsword against another ]

Remember, a sword isn't just a cleaver or a poker, use your halfswording techniques when he gets within grappling range.

[ Ayame pats one of the tired student's shoulder as she continues to walk away to her picnic mat, handing the nylon sabre to another student. The students comply to Ayame's instructions without question, and helping each other out by correcting each other's mistakes. Right before she makes herself comfortable on the mat, she looks at any on-looker with a kind wave and a nod. Anybody close enough for her to speak to, she says: ]

Come to watch them practice or simply enjoying the beautiful spring weather?

Video - Public

[ While still at the park and enjoying her homemade foods with Gardevoir and her cat-temporarily-turned-tiger Hibiki, Ayame fiddles with her comm device while using Hibiki as a backrest. She thinks of how long it's been she talked to people outside of her job, and quietly sighs at her difficulties in socialization. She figures it's worth a shot to go out of her comfort zone, so after some internal pep talking, Ayame starts the video. ]

Hello. How are you all this beautiful spring day? To those who I have yet to meet, my name is Ayame. I quite enjoy this season, and it's a perfect time to try something I've been wanting to, which is to go camping deep in the forest. Although, it's difficult to find a perfect place to do this that isn't Fayren, with the outbreak of the Chimera infection, I don't see this being a pleasant experience to magic-wielders. Are there any good secondary options for a good camping spot? I would appreciate any good suggestions.

If not, well, I figured now that we're here we might as well get to know each other. Maybe over some drinks sometime? I know a good bar.

Comments

[zenoh]

I'm not. At least not officially. But I'm a friend to the Academy's founder, and they know me as such.

[ Ayame gives a small bow in greeting ]

Ayame Sasaki. A pleasure.

[superficially_busy]

Alice Margatroid.

[She bows her head in greeting while her two dolls do full curtsies.]

I came here for a specific reason. I wish to fine-tune my dolls here. Hopefully you or your founding friend have no problems with that?

[zenoh]

[ Ayame repeats the name in her mind. While her memory is accurate, it was only out of habit that she does. Her eyes momentarily took interest in the two dolls with Alice, but Ayame turns to their master ]

In the park?

[ "Fine-tune" gives off the meaning of a tune-up, like with mechanical objects getting maintenance, but also the meaning of a field test. The term made Ayame narrow her eyes for a second ]

I can't speak for Satsuki. I'm only her friend, not her secretary. If you wish to do any "fine-tuning", I can only suggest that you should speak to her about it.

[superficially_busy]

Satsuki, is it? I'll ask her, then.

[If she's not allowed to freely use the spot along with the students, she won't be a jerk and defy it. As if it was second nature and completely natural, the woman began to lift into the air, her feet leaving the firm ground.]

I'll leave you to your day, Ayame. Take care.

[She won't leave immediately though, just staying for just a moment longer to give Ayame a chance to say whatever.]