To Spar or Not to Spar, That is the Question

[Ashla]

Closed to my alt Green Gwendolyn. All bunnies and stuff approved on both ends.

With the sound of another girl complaining behind her, Ashla stomped into the Citadel dragging another person behind her. The heavily armed teenager hated that she was drawn to this... but she was.

The Citadel was busy today, multiple people racing around and following monks to their next arenas. Ashla walked up to one monk and smiled for moment, but feeling a force tugging behind her, Ashla briefly turned around to growl at her companion. She then turned back to the monk and smiled more nervously.

"A simple arena, please? Nothing life threatening." Ashla asked him politely.

The monk titled his head at the two people standing in front of him and then nodded strangely. The motioned them to follow.

Ashla turned back to her companion and scowled, "You're behaving like a three year old!"

[Green Gwendolyn]

Gwendolyn Stormhollow had been tugging stubbornly at Ashla's firmly gripped hand for a while now. All the way into the Citadel. Gwen did not want to go back there! - Or 'here' now...

Ashla approached a monk and asked for whatever arena she wanted. Gwen still tugged. After she caught the monk motioning them to follow, Ashla suddenly turned to Gwendolyn, apparently humiliated, "You're behaving like a three year old!"

With one, strong pull, Gwen yanked her hand away from Ashla's hand. "Well, it's your fault for dragging me here!"

The girl in front of her rolled her eyes. Gwen couldn't help but smirk. Her cousin was being way too strict and serious. But of course, having been born into a... stricter... family, she must have just been brought up this way. Gwen preferred to do things loosely, to do what she wanted when she liked. However, Ashla was beginning to bring more 'order' and 'control' to her life. Ashla had suggested she use the Citadel once... terrible idea. Gwen did not like it here and she was not going to stay here!

[Ashla]

Ashla hated how resilient Gwen was in situations like this. Gwen had the perfect makings for a great fighter, but she was applying all her skills at the wrong moments... Ashla sighed and jerked her head towards the monk, her arms crossed, "Just follow me..."

In reality, Ashla hated these arguments with her only flesh and blood not to be an Icebreaker she had ever met. But Gwen insisted of not simply adapting to the ways of this beautiful construction and group of monks here in Corone. Ashla of course, couldn't help but remember the first time she had come here. She was never completely gotten what the Citadel's magics actually were - and in turn she never got that there was no real death in the Citadel as well... which now she looked back and was slightly embarrassed about it. Ashla chuckled though, she enjoyed this place now though... as long as she wasn't losing.

Ashla was happy to hear the footsteps of her cousin Gwen behind her. She looked back with a smug smile on her face to make sure it really was her. When she saw that it was, she turned back to the monk just in time to come up to an oak door.

Ashla thanked the monk then turned to her cousin, "Ready?"

[Green Gwendolyn]

Gwen just eyed Ashla with sarcasm at her question once they had reached the door. "Nope." However, she still was the first to walk through the door.

Gwen, once again, was in awe at the scenery around her. The first time, the map had been wide and vast. This time, it was much more simple - but still astonishing none the less. It was a very simple arena: an oval shaped, very large, wooden floor with a red carpet running across it. It almost felt like a massive table with no dishes.

The atmosphere was actually very warm - it wasn't humid though! It was enough to make the young elf fall asleep. However, Gwen was popped out of her moment of tiredness by the feeling of something pointy against her back, a knife.

[Ashla]

Ashla smirked as Gwen reacted to her putting her steel knife against her back. Gwen's posture was suddenly straight, and she also seemed to have jumped a bit. The Icebreaker chuckled, "Remember what I told you..."

Ashla made the same mistake as her cousin all the time, being caught up in the sites and liveliness of the arena and even forgetting that this was a place to fight, not have tea parties... Ashla, with Gwen present, had been able to surpass that field quite well. Ashla knew she and Gwen had a lot in common... minus their fighting styles. Ashla categorized herself herself as a speed fighter, depending more on her agility and what speed she had to evade and attack her opponent. Meanwhile, Gwen was more of a sniper, a much better bowman than herself. However, Gwen lacked the capabilities to fight one up close during the needed situation. She had her assassin knives, yes, but she hardly knew how to use them. And Ashla would never admit it - but she was as bad at missile combat as she was good at melee.

And that was why they were here, to exchange fighting tactics and techniques. Ashla had requested a simple arena so nothing could distract them... But actually, this place seemed too simple... The world around them was dark and cold outside the platform. On the platform, it was so warm, it was making Ashla feel sleepy. It was like someone lit a fire and the warmth was spreading around - but there were no fires in sight.

Which is why, Ashla thought cheekily, It's up to us to start the fire!

[Green Gwendolyn]

Gwen smirked when Ashla began to smirk. Ashla was going to have fun here. Gwen considered, she should join in. The dark world they were in was causing Gwen to feel a bit drowsy, but she would not give up that quickly. Gwen took several steps away from Ashla and her knife, then pulled out her yew longbow and arrow. In the ways she knew best, Gwen was able to pull the string to her bow back with a yew arrow perfectly. She aimed at Ashla with her smirk still there.

"As long as I'm here, might as well extract my revenge!" And she let it loose at her cousin.

Gwen and Ashla's relationship wasn't quite that shaky. They simply enjoyed playing around with each other an this was one of those times. As 'grown up' Ashla would try to be, they were still two teenage girls who happened to both be trouble-makers and reckless choice makers... this form of playfulness was inevitable. So far, Gwen was actually coming to enjoy her visit to the Citadel this time around.

[Ashla]

Ashla scoffed in a burst of amusement to Gwen's logic. She held her free hand up though, "Hang on! I'm not ready yet" And with that, Ashla bent down to change some of her equipment. Ashla placed her steel knife in its old sheath located on the small belt strapped to Ashla's black leggings. After the sheathed the weapon, Ashla began to pull her leather gloves off -'

- *Twang*.

An arrow found itself sticking up from the ground next to Ashla. The yew weapon had ripped the rug, but it had only slightly impaled itself in the wooden floor. Ashla knew where it had come from, "Gwen..."

A familiar sounding and quite eager voice came from across the room, "Ready yet??"

Ashla chuckled, "Not yet..." She left the gloves on the ground then pulled a pair of sturdy leather gauntlets from her belt. She slipped them onto her hand and briefly raised her eyebrow at the feeling of the strong plates on her palms. She then stood back up again, "Now I'm ready!"

[Green Gwendolyn]

A smirk erupted from the Gwen's eager face when her cousin gave her the sign she was ready.

Gwen pulled another yew arrow from her quiver and slid it through her longbow. She pulled it back and glanced at Ashla.

"Here we go!"

And she let the arrow fly loose! Ashla quickly dodged it, sharing Gwen's smirk. Gwen pulled another arrow into place and aimed briefly before letting go. Ashla dodged that too.

The blond elf eyed her half-blood relative. "You going to keep dodging forever?" Gwen pulled another arrow back and fired once again.

[Ashla]

Ashla sighed at Gwen's taunt and pulled her head back, missing the next shot.

"Depends..." the Icebreaker stated, "Are you going to keep shooting at me forever or actually fight me?"

Gwen sighed and lowered her bow, "Ashla, I-I just can't fight with a weapon up close..."

Ashla smiled, "Then I'll teach you." She walked up to her blond cousin with a smile on her face, "What do you got for a blade?" As she asked the question, she pulled her steel longknife out. It was between the size of a dirk and short sword, mostly usable as a minor back up weapon of surprise. However, she felt it would the most appropriate training tool against Gwendolyn, who was expertise at missile combat, but not melee.