Miscommunication ((OPEN!))

[Stryker]

Ah, another day, another dollar.
Well, in this case it was more along the lines of another day, another book to read.

Let's see now, what hadn't she devoured yet? The Art of War by Brigadier Winston Thymes? Not quite her cup of tea at the moment, but she certainly wouldn't mind picking that up later. The haremaid was looking for something with a bit more of a...plot, not a potential reference book or anything of that sort. Something about adventure – and romance, definitely romance! How about—


”There he is, see I told you! He comes in here every day, isn't he cute?”

”Looks a little short to me...are you sure he isn't a cadet?”

”No no, he's definitely an officer – he's wearing an officer's uniform, obviously.”

”Well then why don't you ask him to come over?”

”NO! How could I? Well...do you really think he'll come over?”

”Won't know until we find out, eh?”

”Excuse me,”

Lyrielle Nightfur turned around as a young haremaid tapped her on the shoulder, her friend standing behind her and giving a thumbs up of encouragement. ”Er...yes?” Asked Lyra, staring at the haremaid with a wide, bewildered expression, as if she couldn't quite figure out why this hare she'd never spoken to before would be talking to her.
And ouch her throat! She sounded absolutely terrible; a recent battle with a cold, plus a bit of singing lessons from her mother had left poor Lyra with a deep, scratchy sounding voice. An obvious sign of a cold, but the haremaid and her friend didn't seem at all bothered by it.
The haremaid giggled nervously. ”My name is Layla, my friend and I were wondering if you'd care to sit and chat with us? We can't help but notice you come in here almost every day!”

”More like SHE can't help but notice!” chimed the friend, grinning mischievously, much to the embarrassment of Layla. ”That's Margaret, anyways, what's your name?”

Lyra blinked. Okay, apparently she had the ability to suddenly make friends without introducing herself first? Well that was new, Lyra couldn't argue though; she always liked gaining new friends. ”Corporal Nightfur, my first name's Lyr—“

”Ooh a Corporal! See Margaret, I told you he was an officer!”

Whoa whoa whoa, WAIT. Did that haremaid just call her a he? Oh crap. Layla had mistaken her for a young buck, hadn't she? The obvious downside to dressing like a boy, I guess. Puzzled over how to break it to the young haremaid that she wasn't who she thought she was, the answer suddenly came to her.
”Oh...er...I have to meet my girlfriend for lunch...excuse me ladies.” Lyra purposefully tried to make her voice as deep as possible, and after bowing politely – and making sure her hat stayed on – Lyra turned and headed for the side exit, intending to hide out in the back of the library until Layla and her friend Margaret left. Somebody who knew her would probably tell those two she was really a girl and realize Lyra hadn't wanted to embarrass them, but until then, it was best to...stay out of sight for a bit.

[Romulus]

Corporal Dorchester was just entering the library through the same side door as Corporal Nightfur was leaving. He had come to return a book, but it fell from his paw as he bumped into the smaller hare quite painfully. Bracing himself on the doorframe, he managed to catch Nightfur with one paw before she fell flat on her scut. It was only his quick reflexes that kept them both upright.

"I say, sorry about that, friend," Cordin exclaimed, setting the smaller hare back on her feet. It took him a moment to recognize the familiar dark fur, but he saw this girl every day. "Wasn't jolly well watchin' where I was goin'. Hope I didn't bloody well dent yore specs. Didn't mean t'grab ye so suddenly, but didn't want t' flippin' see ye drop so hard." He knelt down and picked up his book, flashing his famous grin up at Nightfur.

Standing up again, he noticed the two pretty hare maids further in the library. One of them, (Margret he thought her name was) sat giggling uncontrollably, as her friend (Laya?) scolded her, obviously put off for some reason. Cordin glanced down at Nightfur, offering another smile. He knew the younger hare maid often dressed in baggy uniforms, giving the appearance that she was a he. That could lead to some . . . woman trouble at times.

His golden eyes flashed with mirth as he turned back to Lyra. "Need t' jolly well disappear for a bit?" he asked with a wink. "I've been bloody itchin' t'spar with somebeast today. Wot say ye t' a quick session, me gel?"

He liked spending time with the tomboyish Lyrielle Nightfur. She was utterly adorable, but not in the girlish, giggling way as many of the other Long Patrol hare maids he knew. No, Lyra had a mind as bright as a star and a pretty set of bright violet eyes. Yet Cordin rarely flirted with her much. If he did, it was usually only to tease her about how many girls had mistaken her for a boy. All in good humor, of course. He'd only seen her in nice dress on one or two occasions. He wished she would dress like that more often. She was hiding a lovely set of curves under that baggy uniform. A crime to those with eyes, that was.

[Stryker]

Lyra was jolted from her hurried walk towards the door by none other than Corporal Cordin Fuzthrite Liztine Harlington Dorchester -- aka, Fuzzy Lizard, and it was his quickness that had kept her from falling on her behind like a fool. "Thanks," she blurted, smiling sheepishly as she straightened her uniform (though it didn't help much, it was still impossibly baggy) -- oh shoot, she was wearing her glasses again, wasn't she?

"I say, sorry about that, friend," Cordin exclaimed, setting the smaller hare back on her feet. It took him a moment to recognize the familiar dark fur, but he saw this girl every day. "Wasn't jolly well watchin' where I was goin'. Hope I didn't bloody well dent yore specs. Didn't mean t'grab ye so suddenly, but didn't want t' flippin' see ye drop so hard." He knelt down and picked up his book, flashing his famous grin up at Nightfur.

A bit embarrassed by how nerdy they made her look, the haremaid removed them immediately, tucking them away quickly, grateful for Cordin's consideration -- even if he was a bit of a softy when it came to haremaids. Hah, he was actually just the sort of young buck that made her purposefully dress like a male -- he seemed like the kind of guy who'd go easy on her just because she was a maid, regardless of the fact that she could whoop his scut from here to next Tuesday if she felt like it. She followed his eyes as he glanced to the two maids behind her, Layla scolding Margaret for her obviously highly amused laughter, probably at her friend's polite rejection from yours truly.

His golden eyes flashed with mirth as he turned back to Lyra. "Need t' jolly well disappear for a bit?" he asked with a wink. "I've been bloody itchin' t'spar with somebeast today. Wot say ye t' a quick session, me gel?"

Lyra grimaced. Oh he'd caught that, had he? Not about to let his invitation go to waste, Lyrielle nodded quickly. "I'll say yes to anythin', Fuzzy Lizard, let's just get outta this library!" Turning Cordin back towards the door, Lyra began pushing him towards the door -- which looked a bit comical, considering she was so much shorter than him, it was almost like watching Cordin's little brother try and shove him somewhere (if he'd had one, that is), despite there being an obvious difference in physical strength. Lyra wasn't being particularly rough, it was more like sending him a message that the sooner she got out of here, the better.
"I hope they're gone by the time lunch starts, maybe I'll be able to pop in for a quick browse if I eat fast enough." Murmured the haremaid, already scheming how she could possibly get back into that library and not be disturbed, because anyone who knew Lyra would know that a day without a book was definitely a day without sunshine.

[Romulus]

"I'll say yes to anythin', Fuzzy Lizard, let's just get outta this library!"

Cordin laughed as Lyra desperately shoved him out the door. He complied readily, eager to be on their way to the training grounds. Once they were out in the corridor, he looped a friendly arm around her shoulders. It was a gesture that said, 'I'm comfortable with you, but I don't want to look like I'm holding hands with a boy.' Because he had considered linking his arm with hers or some such, but that might have been awkward, both for her and passersby.

"Jolly nice a' ye t' join me, Nightfur," he chatted amiably as they walked along. "Bloody nice day for a spar, but nobeast seems to have a flippin' free moment, wot? But this gives me the perfect blinkin' chance to practice me swordplay, doncha know? Haven't been able to spar with ye since . . ." He tilted both ears in thought. "Well, not for a bloody long time, wot?"

He grinned, releasing her shoulders as they entered the training grounds. Surprisingly, it was empty. Every beast must be getting ready for lunch or something. Ah, well. Cordin walked over to a rack of training weapons and selected a sturdy saber. "Haven't spoken with ye for a jolly while, either, Nightfur," he remarked, testing the balance of the blade. "How've ye been?"

Running a paw along the blade's true edge, he made sure to keep the sharp edge away from the bandages on his wrist. Black's scalpel had cut him deeper than he'd first thought. It didn't hurt anymore, but it was inconvenient. At least he was used to wearing that black twine around his paws and wrists, anyway.

[Lyrielle]

Ah, well. Cordin walked over to a rack of training weapons and selected a sturdy saber. "Haven't spoken with ye for a jolly while, either, Nightfur," he remarked, testing the balance of the blade. "How've ye been?"

Lyrielle smiled at the jovial young Corporal's light conversation, watching him remove a saber from the wall of weapons while she herself pulled a handsome claymore from off her back. Because of her petite stature, the sword was too long to carry at her hip, so honestly the only way of actually carrying it was over the shoulder, with the little haremaid didn't mind too much anymore. In her younger days, it had been a humongous pain trying to walk around with it strapped to her back, but after building up her strength a bit, her body had eventually adjusted to the extra weight. Removing her messenger's cap, Lyra set it down nearby, kicking it to the nearest wall as she fell into a ready stance and answered Cordin's friendly questions.

"Oh I've been busy, which is how I prefer things -- I can't stand sitting around doing nothing, unless, of course, I can curl up and read for a bit." Lyrielle smiled. Oh yes, her two favorite things to do were work and read; it might seem dull or boring to some of the other haremaids, but Lyrielle had always been a bit...odd. "Are you sure you want to fight with that big ol' saber, Cordin? I thought you were always partial to the halberd?" Obviously she couldn't fault him for wanting to practice with other weapons, but she had figured he'd use his own weapon first as a warm up.

[Romulus]

"Oh I've been busy, which is how I prefer things -- I can't stand sitting around doing nothing, unless, of course, I can curl up and read for a bit." Lyrielle smiled.

Cordin chuckled, fully aware of Lyra's favorite pastimes. "Aye, stayin' busy keeps ye active," he agreed. "Though I'm not particu'ly sold on books, personally. Much prefer a good old-fashioned blade in me paws, wot?" He twirled the saber, visibly dissatisfied with its balance. But Cordin was the kind of fighter who could make almost any weapon work for him, whether it wanted to or not.

"Are you sure you want to fight with that big ol' saber, Cordin? I thought you were always partial to the halberd?"

The older corporal tilted his ears in her direction and smiled as he tried a different blade. That one was off, as well, and so was the next one. "Aye, Nightfur," he replied finally. "I most certainly am bloody well fond of my halberd. And none of these bloomin' swords are flippin' well suited for fighting, either. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." With that he darted off back to his rooms to retrieve his halberd. . .

"There we are, me gel," he announced, returning to the training area with the big weapon in paw. "Swordplay can bloody well wait for later, eh, wot?" Twirling the spear-length haft like a stave, Cordin flashed Lyra another cheeky grin, settling into a ready position. "Ladies first!" The comment was meant as a good-humored jest and was accompanied by a roguish wink.

[Lyrielle]

"Aye, Nightfur," he replied finally. "I most certainly am bloody well fond of my halberd. And none of these bloomin' swords are flippin' well suited for fighting, either. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." With that he darted off back to his rooms to retrieve his halberd. . .

Oh drat. Why did she have to open her big mouth? Lyrielle wasn't the best when it came to fighting opponents who used polearms. The length of the spear/javelin/halberd really kept her on her toes, and while she was light and speedy, she didn't have have the strength to break through their guard like she could with another sword. Her skills were truly secluded to just swordsmanship. Waiting for him to return, the haremaid did a few warm-up stretches, a few experimental swings, and basically adjusted her body as necessary to lifting the somewhat heavy claymore in her paws. Haha, I wonder if I bulked up a bit, I'd look even more like a buck? Well, probably not...just a really muscular haremaid. The imagery made her wrinkle her nose, and she almost laughed. Oh my. There really was no easy way to do this, was there? She couldn't really keep wearing oversized clothes, could she?

When I make it to something above a Corporal I promise to wear properly fitted uniforms. After all, what kind of a Sergeant or Captain wore oversized garments? It certainly wouldn't be doing her family name any favors. At least she could get away with still wearing the cap; after adding it to her uniform a few years ago, Lyra was rather fond of it.

"There we are, me gel," he announced, returning to the training area with the big weapon in paw. "Swordplay can bloody well wait for later, eh, wot?" Twirling the spear-length haft like a stave, Cordin flashed Lyra another cheeky grin, settling into a ready position. "Ladies first!" The comment was meant as a good-humored jest and was accompanied by a roguish wink.

Lyra snorted. "Someone fancies himself a comedian, eh? Fine Cordin ol' pal, just be aware that the joke's on you!" She flashed her own sort of grin, her very white teeth standing out terrifically against the darkness of her fur, and she gave the claymore a twirl, striking from the left in a sharp, quick, slicing maneuver.

[Romulus]

Cordin laughed, swinging his weapon up to block the strike. He crouched back, taking the full shock of the blow, and then he lunged back up, shoving his halberd shaft against the claymore to throw her off balance. Using the momentum from his lunge, he spun around once, gripping the halberd right below the blade and slicing at Lyra.

But he'd either shoved her too far, or she'd dodged out of the way, because he sliced empty air. Dropping the blade against the floor, he let it slide through his fingers to grip it at a lower point, picking it back up and holding it out before him like a staff.

"Oh, no m'gel," he chuckled. "I dare say the jolly ol' egg is on yore face, wot?" He twirled the halberd over one shoulder and swung again, aiming for her right side.

((Kinda short, but fighting/sparring scenes tend to be that way.))

[Lyrielle]

"Oh, no m'gel," he chuckled. "I dare say the jolly ol' egg is on yore face, wot?" He twirled the halberd over one shoulder and swung again, aiming for her right side.

Lyrielle grimaced as Cordin was able to shove her back with the halberd, his superior weight and strength making it quite easy to toss her around like a ragdoll -- however, Lyrielle stood her ground on the second strike, this time aiming for her right side. Bringing the claymore up, the black hare blocked, the muscles in her arms put to good use stopping the brunt of Cordin's attack. Twirling the heavy claymore, Lyrielle twisted her wrist around, pinning Dorchester's polearm to the training hall floor. She allowed herself a grin of triumph -- even if that had been hard work.

She really didn't like fighting against polearms. With other swordbeasts it was so much easier, she just had to make sure she had the superior skills and fight style, but with a beast who used a polearm or a dagger or something, Lyra wasn't the best at predicting movements or coming up with counterstrokes.

"Say Cordin," asked the haremaid suddenly. "Aren't you ever worried yore halberd could get snapped in half by a blinkin' sword or somethin'?" It was an honest question.

[Romulus]

"Say Cordin," asked the haremaid suddenly. "Aren't you ever worried yore halberd could get snapped in half by a blinkin' sword or somethin'?" It was an honest question.

Cordin didn't answer right away. With his paws still gripping the shaft of his halberd, he swung one leg around and caught Lyra in the flank. He then straightened into a ready stance, his halberd released from being pinned to the floor. One ear tilted in thought as he recalled her question.

"I s'pose I may worry if'n the jolly ol' shaft weren't made a' bloody metal," he replied. "Or, at least, reinforced with metal." He twirled the spear-length weapon deftly, preparing for her next attack. "T'weren't no idiot who designed these bolly things, doncha know? Thing's outfitted t'cross with swords an' the like, wot?"

((I seriously just looked that up, lol. Halberds are outfitted with metal rims to protect the shaft against swords and axes.))

[Lyrielle]

(( xD LOL, I didn't, which is why what I thought was a good question turned out to be a dumb one. Oops. Aha.))

"I s'pose I may worry if'n the jolly ol' shaft weren't made a' bloody metal," he replied. "Or, at least, reinforced with metal." He twirled the spear-length weapon deftly, preparing for her next attack. "T'weren't no idiot who designed these bolly things, doncha know? Thing's outfitted t'cross with swords an' the like, wot?"

Lyrielle's face momentarily bore an expression of annoyance at being kicked in the flank, but while it was there a second, it was gone the next -- as though she remembered it was all just part of fighting. "Well that's very true, Cordin, I guess what I'm tryin' to say is I wouldn't feel too comfortable with a weapon that's more wood than metal." There was safety and surety in a solid-metal weapon, that was for sure. For starters, it would take a heck of a lot more to break it than it would to shatter Cordin's halberd... Not to mention what if they were fighting on a ship, and it was on fire? While yes, the metal would get hot, but Cordin's polearm could bloody well catch on fire!
The cadet-sized haremaid gave her head a shake. Ah well, she was sure Cordin had thought of all this when he'd chosen it as his main weapon.

Alright think Lyra girl, think! A polearm was used so that the wielder could put a decent bit of range between himself and the enemy, however, it would be tough to adjust the length of the halberd if the enemy was way too close for comfort. Man, it was times like these that she really wished she could use twin claymores like her father -- she could use one to distract and the other for the winning strike! But that would certainly take more skill than she currently possessed. Intending to apply her on-the-spot strategy, Lyrielle advanced, deftly raising her sword to counter any incoming blows, the edge of the blade knocking against the tip of the halberd. The haremaid abruptly spun clockwise on the balls of her footpaws to bring the sword towards his unprotected side. Aha! Gotcha!

((XD yeah I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm gonna go watch some violent medieval movies and hope to pick up something from that. LOTR here I come! ))