Advent of the Valkyrie

stand tall my friend

Selene was not one to slack on any task given to her. Much like Josh, she grew up knowing what it was like to work hard. Through her adolesence, she trained under the local post man and eventually took over his route. She knew how to pace herself. She had stamina. Selene was nimble already, but she had perhaps neglected any work with her arms. Her mother did not force her to tend to their garden. Clock Town was not known for having livestock, save for the ocassional loose cuccoo. And after all that running around, dungeon diving and fighting monsters... She still felt inadequate.

While thankful that Josh had given her a place to stay, she was also not going to seem like she was taking advantage of his kindness. She trusted that the work he made her do would help her grow, even if she was sweaty by the mid-afternoon. Even if her arms ached and her back hurt. This was the life of a rancher, and while it wasn't her calling, she would still do what she could to help.

The day came that Selene finally felt a bit more comfortable with rigorous activity. Yet, swinging an axe to chop firewood was a lot different than swinging a sword. Dressed in a loose-fitting tunic and comfortable shoes, Selene came 'round from the barn with her heirloom in her hand. Her grip was tight, but not so tight that it made her hand ache. She was comfortable holding a sword, yet she always felt a bit awkward wielding one... She had to trust that Josh would help her through this.

With a sheepish smile, she approached her newfound mentor. Her eyes scanned the sword he held in his hand, and his skills at sharpening it and maintaining it.. "I thought it was just training, not time to skewer Selene," she feigned a laugh, but her nerves were apparent in her slightly cracked voice.

Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

The change in his mood did not go unnoticed by Selene. When he finally stood and their blades touched to signal the start, Selene gulped. Her nerves were stuck in her throat. It felt like she could not swallow her air. But a deep breath in, and a quick one at that, seemed to steady herself long enough for the first blow.

She planted her feet and held her sword out before her with both hands. Her grip was far too tight, mostly because of her nervousness. It wasn't something she'd be able to keep up for long, for her arms would grow weakened soon. After her defensive maneuver, Selene took a step forward and, clumsily, jutted her sword toward Josh. However, the tip slowly dipped downward, for she lacked the strength to keep it held high and aimed at her target.

Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

Though Selene saw his strike coming, she knew she wasn't going to be able to have the same amount of power this time. Her arms were already weakened from the heavy sword. She at least still had her speed. She was able to dodge her body away, at least a little, but the sword dragged at her side, almost weighing her down. An attempt was still made to at least block some of the attack. But when the swords made contact, the reverberation from his powerful strike made her arms go limp. The tip of the sword fell to the ground and dragged behind her as she jumped back. Already breathing heavily, her mouth was agape in surprise. "You've gotten a lot better," she commented, huffing as she reached down to pick up her sword. "Definitely a lot better than when we were back home in Termina." With her free hand, she swiped at her brow. "At least I know I am in good hands. As if I ever doubted that." Selene smirked, doing her best to remain light hearted, even if she was feeling pretty worthless at the moment.

Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

Dare she admit it? That she had performance anxiety? She had been practicing every day. She had the physical strength to do so. She felt her cheeks grow warm with the creeping embarrassment. "I, uh... I was just holding it too tightly. I think I'm just... nervous." When she handed her sword to him, she fiddled with a strand of her hair. Her sword was more like a family heirloom, surely not up to par with how it should be.



Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

He was right, there was no reason to be nervous about this. She had fought with him plenty of times before; it wasn't as if anything she did would be a total surprise. Part of her just didn't want to disappoint him, or embarrass herself because she was so rusty. But that wasn't like him, and deep down she knew he wouldn't judge her. His little teasing comment made her blush slightly, and it didn't really help the situation. But he carried on, and that helped her collect her cool again.

Selene nodded in response to his advice as she took up her sword once more. "Right." Calm. Relax. Selene breathed deep and held both hands on the handle of her sword. Her arms weren't as tense as they were before. She'd simply think of this as one of the tools she used for doing work on the ranch. It wasn't a sword anymore. Just a simple scythe meant for trimming the fields! Or maybe the axe for wood chopping. Selene closed her eyes and tried to purge those random, silly thoughts. Her only focus should be on the spar. When her eyes opened, there was a glimmer of fire in them. She was ready.



Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

As he moved around her, Selene made sure that her back was never to him. The moment she took her eyes off him could mean the end of the spar. She began to lift her sword, readying it for whatever thrust he was about to send. One foot crossed over the other, gracefully, and never stumbling. If Selene had a skill, it would definitely be her speed and agility. Working long days running around the entire town made for some toned legs. Her gaze never faltered from his being, her eyes quickly flickered from his face to his sword. And then she saw the slightest ripple of movement. He was about to strike.

The blow aimed at her side. Selene quickly hopped back to get a bit of distance. Her sword angled downward, aimed toward her side, and she heard metal connect with metal. Before his sword could slip away, she used her strength to push against his sword, swinging hers upward in an attempt to parry. But still, no matter how much power she put into her sword, his was even larger, and she could still feel the force against her. It was like using a toothpick to fight a knife.

When she hopped back once again, she regained a defensive stance. At least she hadn't gone down in one round this time.

Josh Dragelion

stand tall my friend

Her first attempt at defending herself had worked, but could she keep up the pace? She was easily able to keep him in her sights as she repositioned her sword to a neutral spot. Again, she was able to see the moment that his muscles flinched, and her reaction had to be just as quick. This time, her swordsmanship was a bit clumsier. Though she was able to dodge his strike well enough with a side step, she had been so focused on her footing that her strike did not hold enough power. The swords clanked together, and while the first strike seemed to parry, it was his second strike that ultimately made her lose her grip.

Selene jumped back to relieve some of the pressure of his blow, but the attack had made her lose her grip with one of her hands. Her sword flew almost uselessly in the air in an attempt to block his attack, but it was just too light of a weapon to withstand the brute force. Her sword came swinging down and the tip grazed the dirt. Selene stumbled back a bit, knowing she needed to gain a good footing if she was to withstand another blow. Though she might not have parried his second attack so nicely, she quickly readied herself for more.

Josh Dragelion