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]

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?

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid is happy when his friend agrees. He settles into a ready position and nods at Cu Chulainn.]

Start on the the count of three. One. Two. Three!

[beforetights]

One. Two. Three!

[He does the move, but probably due to the excitement of having his friend at his side, he trips himself up again and crashes into Diarmuid.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid lets out a surprised sound when his friend crashes into him, but he manages to keep them both upright after quite a bit of wobbling. Once he is sure they aren't going to fall, he helps Cu Chulainn stand back up.]

I think you are a little too excited! Take a deep breath and then we can try again.

[beforetights]

[He has to take a second to have his head become less dizzy before replying.]

Okay. Thanks for catching me.

[smallspot]

You're my friend! Of course I caught you!

[Diarmuid gives Cu Chulainn a hug before settling into his ready stance again.]

You do the countdown this time. That way we will go when you are ready!

[beforetights]

[He gets back into position.]

Ready, set, go!

[This time, he handles the move rather well, even if he still spins twice at the end.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid follows along, doing the move as well. He wobbles a little, but that is more because he is watching how his friend does, than because he screws up. Once they are both done, he claps, jumping up and down happily.]

You did much better that time! Lets try it again to see if you can get it just right this time!

[beforetights]

[He nods eagerly.]

And you were great too! I'm sure we'll succeed completely this time!

[And he tries to do it again, but trips and falls on his face.]

...But I think I have to stop being dizzy first.

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid nods and sits down next to where his friend has fallen.]

It makes me dizzy sometimes too! That is why I have to stop and rest. But it's a fun move. Spinning, spinning! I wonder what Suzaku will teach me next!

[beforetights]

Maybe it will be more spinning! With different weapons. Just imagine being some sort of sword tornado!

[smallspot]

Will I be a sword tornado when I can use both of my swords together?

[There is an excited twinkle in Diarmuid's eyes.]

Just think what that move would be like with two swords!

[beforetights]

It would be really cool! Spinning and spinning and hacking up your enemies!

[smallspot]

Yes, but you would get dizzy after a while...

[Diarmuid falls quiet, thinking for a moment.]

I should ask Suzaku if there is a trick to keep you from getting dizzy!

[beforetights]

And I'll ask Sir Wing and Sir Deadlock. Once we know, we'll never have to be scared of getting dizzy ever again.