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]

[His eyes go wide.]

That's awesome! I wanna see him fight too! And you'll teach me what you learn from him, right?

[smallspot]

Of course! Of course!

[The boy rocks back and forth on his heels happily.]

That is part of the fun of learning! Being able to teach you!

[beforetights]

Yay!

[He gives a little squeal of joy before wrapping his arms around Diarmuid for a big hug. Such a big hug, in fact, that he lifts Diarmuid off the ground a little bit.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid makes a soft excited sound that is almost lost in his giggling when he realizes he's up in the air.]

I'm flying! You're so strong! How did you get so strong?

[beforetights]

[Once again, he can't hold Diarmuid up for more than a few seconds without wobbling.]

It's because you taught me how to fight and made me strong!

[smallspot]

[It's okay. Even a few seconds is a long time for a little boy. Once Diarmuid is down on the ground again, he gives his friend another hug.]

I think you were strong before I taught you to fight! But I am helping! Yay!

[beforetights]

Teach me more and I'll get even stronger. Maybe I'll even be strong enough to give you an entire piggyback ride.

[Of course, neither of them will ever run out of energy at this rate.]

[smallspot]

That would be so much fun! I like piggyback rides!

[Diarmuid's expression saddens slightly.]

Do you think I'll ever be strong enough to give you a piggyback ride back?

[beforetights]

[He holds out his hand to measure their difference in height.]

I think so. You're taller than me. I bet if you train every day, you'll get strong enough to carry me!

[smallspot]

I am going to try! I will practice everyday!

[Diarmuid walks over to his friend and tries to pick him up. Despite his best efforts, he fails miserably.]

And I will try again tomorrow! And again. And again. Until I can do it! Knights don't give up!

[beforetights]

[He laughs and pats Diarmuid on the head again.]

I'm sure you'll be able to do it! You'll get very strong!

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid giggles and shakes his head.]

I bet you will always be stronger than me. That is okay. I don't mind. I am proud of my friend!

[beforetights]

Yay! I'm glad you're proud of me. It's the first time I've had a friend who's been proud of me.

[The boys at home weren't really proud of him. And the adults, of course, saw him as a child still, no matter how old he was.]

[smallspot]

We need to fix that!

[Diarmuid gives his friend a confident nod.]

You need to have lots of friends who are proud of you! You are going to be a hero, remember?

[beforetights]

Yeah, but most of my friends are gonna be heroes right alongside me. So they don't really have time to be proud of other heroes.

[smallspot]

It doesn't take that long to be proud of someone!

[Diarmuid shakes his head.]

Heroes should be proud of other heroes. Especially the ones who are their friends!

[beforetights]

I'll tell that to the Boy Troops then. If I ever see them.

[He giggles.]

I bet they'll be proud of me for being smart!

[smallspot]

For being smart and for being a good fighter! Because you are both!

[Diarmuid points at his sword.]

Do you want to practice some more?

[beforetights]

Yes, I would.

[He goes to pick up the sword.]

I think I remember a move that I saw that one lady do. Do you want me to try to show you?

[smallspot]

Yes! Yes! Show me, please!

[Diarmuid jumps up and down excitedly.]

And if you can't remember it all, I might be able to help!

[beforetights]

Alright, watch!

[With his tongue stuck out of his mouth in concentration, he does a diagonal slash from the above left to the lower right, then raises the sword to do a horizontal slash from right to left. And finally caps it off with a thrust.]

Now you can try.

[He offers the sword to Diarmuid.]

[smallspot]

Wow! That is really neat. My turn!

[Diarmuid excitedly takes the sword from Cu Chulainn. He plays the move over in his head before giving it a try himself. The strike isn't as clean his friend's, but he does remember all three slashes in the right order.]

How was that? What can I do better?

[beforetights]

[He claps his hands as he watches Diarmuid finish.]

Faster! Faster! You can go faster!

[smallspot]

I can! I just have to practice it a few more times first.

[Diarmuid runs through the strike several more times before grinning widely at his friend.]

Okay! Now I will go faster. Watch!

[And so he does. It's almost as fast and as smooth as his friend's version of it.]

How was that? Will the lady who showed you think I did good?

[beforetights]

I think she'll say you did very good. Especially since you learned from me and not her.

[He picks up the stick.]

Let's practice together!