A Story and a Song...

[smallspot]

Who: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (smallspot ) and anyone who wants to run into a cute little kid.
Where:  An open grassy area near Building One.
When:  8-19, in the afternoon
Format: Starting in prose, but please use whatever you want to reply!
Summary:   There are a lot of fun ways to spend a warm afternoon, though, for a bitty knight the best way to spend it is...training!  Oh, and sometimes stopping to sing songs to his 'family.'
Warnings: Cuteness?

For once Diarmuid is using his cloak as something other than a blanket.  Right now, he is carefully spreading it out on the grass so that he can set his new toys on it.  With him are three small stuffed animals he got at the end of the festival--two adult swans and a baby one.

"Here is the father swan," Diarmuid carefully sets the first of the adult swans onto the cloak--the one he has picked to represent his foster father, Aengus.  He then sets the other adult swan next to the first, this one representing his foster mother, Caer, "And here is the mother swan!  And here is the baby swan who isn't lost anymore!"  The boy sets the baby swan in front of the two adults and then jumps up and claps his hands happily.

"Now the whole family is together again!  Watch me, Father!  Watch me, Mother!  I'll show you what everyone has been teaching me while I've been away!"  The boy bows to the toys and then picks his practice sword up off the ground.  He takes a few steps away before starting to practice the new sword moves he's been taught by Suzaku and some of the others who have offered to train him.

He knows that the toys aren't really his family, of course, but over the last few days he's been more homesick than usual and talking to them like they are helps for some reason.  Once he's practiced for a while, Diarmuid will sit down by the toys for a rest and to sing some happy songs to his 'family.'  After a few songs, he will jump up and start practicing again.  Diarmuid isn't really paying attention to anything going on around him, but he will be happy to talk to anyone who approaches him and be even happier should anyone decide they want to train along with him.

Comments

[beforetights]

[During Diarmuid's second practice session, Cu Chulainn, holding his pig doll, spots his friend next to the building. Without saying anything, he walks up next to the swans and puts the little pig down next to the baby swan. Then, he sits down and waits for his friend to finish practicing.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid is focusing hard on the move he's currently doing because it's the spinning kick Suzaku taught him last month. While he has been working on it, he still gets wobbly sometimes. As a result, he doesn't notice his friend's arrival right away. Once he finishes the move and looks up, though, he smiles widely and waves at Cu Chulainn.]

Did you see? I didn't even wobble that time! Suzaku will be proud! Do you want me to teach it to you?

[beforetights]

[He nods eagerly.]

Oh yes! Please teach me! It looks great. Is Sir Suzaku truly so strong?

[smallspot]

He is! This is just one of the moves he showed me!

[Diarmuid runs over to his friend and sets his practice sword down on his cloak before patting Cu Chulainn's stuffed pig on he head in greeting. He then reaches out to grab his friend's hand to pull him out toward where he was practicing.]

I have to show you in more than one part. It's easier to learn that way!

[beforetights]

[He bounces up and down as Diarmuid drags him over.]

Okay, what's the first step?

[smallspot]

We will practice the kick first. Watch me!

[Diarmuid steps away and then demonstrates the spin kick as slowly as he can so his friend can see what he is doing.]

How was that? Do you need me to show you again?

[beforetights]

Let me try! Let me try!

[He goes to do the spin kick, but trips and falls halfway through the spin.]

...I'm okay!

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid nods and reaches out to help his friend up.]

Don't feel bad! I had to try a lot too. Go slower this time.

[beforetights]

[He slowly repeats the move. This time he just wobbles instead of falls.]

Look! I've got it!

[smallspot]

Good job!

[Diarmuid claps excitedly for him.]

Try it a little faster now. Once you can do that, I can show you how to add the sword swing in!

[beforetights]

[He tries it again. This time, he wobbles and barely keeps from falling, but remains standing.]

How's that?

[smallspot]

I think that was a little too fast. Here! Stand next to me and lets do it together.

[Diarmuid stands right next to his friend and prepares to do the kick.]

Okay! Ready! Go!

[He then does the kick and hopes his friend can follow along.]

[beforetights]

[He follows along, this time perfectly. He just wobbles a tiny bit on the landing.]

How did you get so good at it?

[smallspot]

I practiced a lot! You did good that time!

[Diarmuid runs over and picks his sword up from the ground and carefully hands it to his friend.]

Make sure you keep a good hold on the sword! When you do the kick, you move your arm and the sword like this.

[He swings his arm to demonstrate the swing along and then puts the two together.]

Do you think you can do that?

[beforetights]

Let me try!

[On his first try, the kick is smooth enough, but trying to do the swing gets him tangled up, so he just spins around aimlessly and falls on his butt.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid giggles quietly and runs over to help his friend up.]

Maybe you need to try the swing a few times by itself? I practiced them both apart. It's kind of hard to do the swing right without the kick. A lot of power comes from the kick!

[beforetights]

Hm...yeah. Let me try.

[Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he practices the swing. To his credit, this time, the sword doesn't fly out of his hands.]

See? I held on to the sword! Just like you taught me.

[smallspot]

Yay! Good job! You are the best student!

[Diarmuid jumps up and down happily.]

Do you want to try them together again now?

[beforetights]

That's because you're a good teacher. And yes, watch me do it.

[He tries it again. This time he still spins around aimlessly a few times after the kick, but at least he has the basic gist of the maneuver down.]

[smallspot]

You got it! And you didn't even drop the sword like I did the first time!

[Diarmuid rushes over to stand next to his friend.]

Now lets do it together!

[And maybe that would help his friend deal with some of that extra spinning.]

[beforetights]

Wait. If I'm holding the sword, what'll you use?

[smallspot]

Umm...I will...

[Diarmuid looks around and then runs over and grabs a stick like he's seen Suzaku do more than once.]

I will use this stick and my imagination. That will make it a good sword!

[beforetights]

[He stares at Diarmuid for a moment, and then holds the sword out to him.]

I can't let you use that. It's your sword. So let me use the stick.

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid shakes his head and holds his stick close to him.]

No! I want you to use it. The teacher uses the stick! When Suzaku teaches me, he uses the stick and I use the sword. I am teaching you so I use the stick and you use the sword!

[beforetights]

Okay then.

[He holds the sword in position.]

When do we start?