All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

In the few days that the Gravedigger had existed, it had done what Vargas had commanded it to do - learn. It learned more speaking words, it learned about the Forge, it learned how to hunt. But now it needed to do the second half of his command - train. One day, he had said, the Gravedigger would be unleashed to destroy and sow chaos and...destroy. It liked the sound of that. It had already amused itself by munching on the walls of the Womb (which it was reprimanded for) and kicking around bones and broken shards of chrysalis and gemstones (which it was allowed to do, freely).

But now it craved more.

It was not ready to erupt, just yet. Something small. But Vargas had already hammered in the important rule, to NOT hurt other Forge members, even through spars. So no problems there. But it also didn't know how to go about asking for a fight - what, was it supposed to go up to one of the 10 foot tall valkhound monstrosities and demand a fistfight?

It wasn't going to do that. Instead, it stomped around the main are of Draco, pacing in a vague circular pattern, rumbling in its deep voice, "Spar? Spar? I want to spar. The Gravedigger wants to spar."

buried under broken bones

@V-Chaos-Eleven

Thoughts were circling like vultures in V-Chaos-Eleven's skull, and none of them were the kind that brought her any answers. They just kept on coming back, as if it was their mission to be a nuisance to her, the one who needed more obstacles the least.

The stubbornest one was that stupid meadow deer she bit once and never saw again. She wanted to finish the job, and for Aethril to see it. Maybe she could lift her higher, and Eleven imagined sitting above Master Vargas in the hierarchy for a brief, strangely beautiful moment - before the rest of her brain caught up with her, and she realised the dream was ridiculous. Like a sky with no ceiling, and a world without walls.

She was in a similar predicament to The Gravedigger, in that its really hard to just... break the ice and ask for someone to beat you up. Incredibly convenient that they'd meet in the exact same position, holding the solution to both of their problems.

"SPAR." Eleven echoed, calling for the other Valkhound's attention. "I can spar. We can spar. Let's fuckin' spar." Her quills bristled along her spine as she set her stance wide, her pre-emptive defense an invitation. Hit me.

@Gravedigger

All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

The answering call stopped the beast in his pacing track, turning to see who it was that had accepted his request. Eyes narrowed, trying to see through the blur of distance, and then lumbered forward to get a closer look. Ah, better. He recognized this one, in passing. Didn't know the name or designation. "Do you have a number too?" He rumbled. "Some don't. I'm...fifteen? Gravedigger. Gravedigger Fifteen." Apparently that was his name now.

His body shivered a bit from the sudden excitement. He was going to get to spar. He looked over them - they were smaller, not full-grown (did that mean he wasn't full grown either? He was going to get bigger?), but much more lithe. He did not really know what to make of that, or what it would mean. This was his first fight, after all.

"Yes YES. We spar!" And that was that on that. Excited that he was to fight, he swung his head forward in a sweeping motion, as if to knock Eleven onto her side, but, unfortunately, he still hadn't quite figured out depth perception. And completely missed.

buried under broken bones

ROUND 1/8

ATTEMPT: head sweep
DEFENSE: chonky, heavily plated
INJURIES: none

@V-Chaos-Eleven

She stiffened at the approach, not familiar enough with this one to know about his sight. Eleven returned the squint, as if it were some kind of test she hadn't been made privy too. Just in case.

"I'm Eleven. You're new, then - and you were born an adult too, I think." Gravedigger Fifteen was one big baby if that wasn't the case. It was comforting to know they shared the inexperience - it felt like everyone she'd met so far were all so far ahead of her already. Other than Agate. But Agate's an asshole.

Actually, she and Gravedigger looked vaguely similar. They glowed the same colour, and were roughly the same size... If Nidhogg just had another kid I'm gonna bite him. (And she'd tell Agate, so it could bite him too.)

V-Chaos-Eleven didn't repeat him this time, instead flinching at the sudden movement. Exposed neck! Barked a voice in her brain. But she didn't want to actually HURT the guy. That was against the rules.

She surged forward, jaw snapped open as she whirled, hoping to push the Gravedigger over instead. Despite having the depth perception he lacked, she also missed, miscalculating the trajectory of his head somewhere along the way - or maybe she hesitated out of concern. Whichever is less embarrassing.

ROUND 1/?

ATTEMPT: head sweep (teeth included this time)
DEFENSE: Spikey! yeowch!
INJURIES: none

@Gravedigger

All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

Two recently-hatched valkhounds ran at each other with gusto, excited for a spar, and both missed each other, barrelling past. It was awkward, it was perhaps a little embarrassing, but what could be said - they were both children.

The Gravedigger, at least, wasn't put off. Instead, he took the opportunity having eleven so close to him to sweep again. With her closer, he could see better, right?

That didn't help, apparently, as he misjudged the distance. Again. The head sweep went just short of the valkhound, and he found himself staring right at her, bewildered. Confused. Maybe he wasn't very good at this.

buried under broken bones

ROUND 2/8

ATTEMPT: head sweep...two!
DEFENSE: chonky, heavily plated
INJURIES: none

@V-Chaos-Eleven

Ok, thank Rrevalk that Aethril wasn't here to see this actually. This was miserable - but the shame of being bad at something was drowned out by the sheer fun Eleven was having at her own expense. Maybe this was it! Maybe they could just... wiggle at each other. Forever.

This was registering less as training and more like play, which wasn't a problem unless you hated fun. Like some people.

At some point they'd collide, right? It was a matter of time.

Just not this round. The wiggling continues!

@Gravedigger

ROUND 2/?

ATTEMPT: head sweep. Again
DEFENSE: Spikey! yeowch!
INJURIES: none

All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

The inherit silliness that came with the continued failures of these two giant, intimidating beasts occurred to Gravedigger just before he tried attacking again. There was a pause as he watched eleven stumble his way, missing her own attack again, and a deep laugh rumbled from his chest. Not at eleven's expense, but at both of theirs.

This was kind of fun! In a deeply embarrassing way.

No, no this was just fun. Forget about sparring, the ridiculousness had put him into a state of play and his next "attack", which went wide once again, no longer felt like an embarrassment but rather another move in some weird game they were playing.

What a strange sight this must be.

buried under broken bones

ROUND 3/8

ATTEMPT: head sweep...three!
DEFENSE: chonky, heavily plated
INJURIES: none

@V-Chaos-Eleven

At this point, Eleven was only kind of trying to fight Gravedigger. Like, she was absolutely trying to hit him, and she was absolutely fucking it up every single time. That was not a consciously deliberate choice. But she WAS doing the same thing, over and over again, and not really expecting a different result at this point.

Her own laugh was more hyena-ish, her frustration at her inability to do the one thing she was trying to do surfacing. Finally, regrettably, her aim was true - and her teeth surged towards The Gravedigger's meaty neck. The blow would be a little lighter than it needed to be.

ROUND 3/?

ATTEMPT: pushing him over with the power of Mouth
DEFENSE: Spikey! yeowch!
INJURIES: none

@Gravedigger

All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

It went on for a little but, but then at last, Eleven got a strike in - a proper strike - and the Gravedigger remembered that this wasn't playtime. This was a spar. You know, training and stuff. So that he could one day wreak havoc on the surface. Needed to keep that goal in mind.

It was still a little surprising, when he weight suddenly slammed against the side of his neck. It didn't push him over, but it did cause him to stumble back, and in his stumble, one of his heavy feet - the one closest to eleven - kicked up, right at the underside of her chest. It was more of a reaction then a deliberate move, and it was extremely awkward, but it was better then aimlessly swinging his head around.

buried under broken bones

ROUND 4/8

ATTEMPT: uppercut kick to the chest
DEFENSE: chonky, heavily plated
INJURIES: none

@V-Chaos-Eleven

Eleven felt her jaws push against Gravedigger's neck, and the voice cried again: Crush! Crush! Crush! It was easy to ignore, but it was still there, in the back of her mind. One day she'd listen to it again, she promised.

A stray leg pushed roughly at her chest, the at the end blunt rather than sharp. She made no effort to dodge, confident that she could tank the hit - she couldn't.

With a woof at the impact, she stumbled backward, losing her grip on her opponent. Considering how visibly chunky the Gravedigger was, maybe Eleven shouldn't have been so shocked by his strength.

ROUND 4/?

ATTEMPT: attempt to tank the hit and continue to shove
DEFENSE: Spikey! yeowch!
INJURIES: none

@Gravedigger