Sept. Catch-All; I was dead when I woke up this morning/And I'll be dead before the day is done...

[survivalthroughhate]

Who: survivalthroughhate and YOU!
What: September catch-all
When: All throughout September and possibly October
Where: All over Trench

Content Warnings: TDM and event warnings, mentions of food deprivation of both as a child and as an adult, cannibalism

Prompts in the comments!

Comments

[survivalthroughhate]

Rather like his father when Maul first fought Johnny, Robby is about to discover the very painful fact that Maul’s legs are made up of pure metal when he tries a more offensive move. All that happens when he makes contact with Maul’s inner leg is a very loud Clang! sound. He’ll be feeling the pain after that move. As for Maul himself, he doesn’t even flinch. Instead, he uses the opportunity to wait for an opening to present itself to bring this sparring session to a close. Being a full fifty percent made of metal means he’s got a much more solid center of balance, making it hard to knock him down in fights.

Once he sees the opportunity he’s been waiting for, he uses the opening to get under the staff Robby is holding and knocks it aside, so the teen will find himself with the sharp end being pointed at his throat. Maul is breathing a little harder than when they had started the session but not by much. “A good effort on the initiative taken but not quite satisfactory.” That’s a high compliment to be receiving from Maul, for he usually has nothing but criticisms when it comes to talking about the combat skills of others.

He stays in the same position for a few moments, the sharp end still pointed at Robby’s throat, his intense gaze unblinking, before he finally relents and pulls the weapon back. “That went about as well as I expected for your first time sparring. Still, there is plenty of time and room for improvement.”

[strongroots]

When his foot hits as sharply as it does against metal, Robby doesn't have time for regret. He's rather too busy in the middle of a "Fuck--" that takes up all focus--because fuck. fuck, fuck. It's exactly the opening Maul wants, when even Robby's hold of his staff slackens at his elbows, a single step taken back in the same instance his hands are emptied of his weapon.

It's over before he manages to realise it, though his eyes regaining focus on the end pointed directly at his throat gives him a pretty good idea. Chin lifting instinctively when it comes together, the pursed mouth and the swallow he takes as much for the pain as the conclusion of this bout. It's strange, exposing in a way he's not used to, to have been holding and weapon and then not.

Robby doesn't take the remark personally, but he chews on the result between his teeth: it was sloppy. He can do better--no, he wants to do better. It's in the furrowed brow, the hold of his eyes that flick between the staff and then Maul. A pride swallowed down where it belongs, but an expression hardly disheartened; there's some apprehension behind his eyes, but he never lets his gaze falter.

He's breathing harder than Maul - more from exertion, but some for his position - and his hands are still up where they were before the staff removed. They only come down once the weapon pointed at him does, after he lets his shoulders sag, exhaling out a long breath, and he rubs at the crook of his neck. He's never started learning from off a spar before -- it's different.

"If you teach me moves, I'll practice moves, every day. I can do better."

He'll be sure about that. When he wants something, he'll train for it, and he picks up the staff, ready even, should Maul be to show him more.

[survivalthroughhate]

"A good rule for both combat and life: always know who and what you are going up against before you start any fights or endeavors." Maul reaches down and folds up his right pant leg, revealing the entire thing is a prosthetic. Then he lets the fabric drop back down. "But I don't let most people know that ahead of time. It's always an advantage when someone tricks a kick and ends up with pain for their troubles." And he's gotten kicks aimed at both his legs and crotch quite frequently given the amount of times

He doesn't quite smile but his eyes light up with something like excitement and approval both running through them when Robby continues to show interest in learning. "That is what I was hoping you would say." He slides his foot under the staff Robby dropped and kicks it upwards in the air for him to catch.

After he does, he turns to the side, letting Robby copy his profile and the stance he's in. "Let us begin..." Then he starts to show Robby a series of moves, slow and steady, but which altogether make up a series of offensive and defensive moves. Like Maul said earlier, it truly is rather like a dance once all of them are put together in a pattern.