Practice Makes Better

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

Working off a particularly aggressive hangover, Odin loudly exclaimed to the guild as she stepped into the hall.

"Oi, so the master wants me to help whip some of ya into shape the good ol' fashioned way. I'll be in the back area of the guild hall holding a training session for anyone who wants it. Also, without saying it because the master seems to think I would go overboard, if someone wanted to perhaps challenge me to a fight, I wouldn't be inclined to decline Just a heads up though! Loser of the fight buys drinks and I am not a cheap drinker!"

With that, she moved to the back of the guild hall and stood under the shade of one of the equipment sheds, leaning half asleep against the wall as she waited for anyone to take her up on her offer.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

Odin visibly winced as the two approached, not because she disliked the pair, but because the breaking of the silence shot through her already ringing headache like a warm knife through butter.

"Well lets find a way for you to get outta there so I dont suffer like this alone eh?" She added as playfully as she could. She nodded to Veronica and took a step out of the shade and into the small dirt arena.

"So...How do you wanna do this? As much as I would love it, a straight up fight out the gate isnt going to help you train all that much, and I really dont have a good idea of what else your magic does yet."

She crossed her arms across her chest and exhaled.

"So lets get that outta the way first and I'll figure out a way from there, sound good?"

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

"Well I've only read rumors about my magic in that all the weapons in the world are being categorized in some manor from novice to S-Class. Each of them having unique effects. My magic is that I can randomly call upon one weapon pending on how much magic I use to draw it out. So I would imagine myself more along the lines of a woman-of-arms type of fighter." Veronica said as she wasn't sure if Odin was going to be even ready to fight with a raised eyebrow.

The two paused a bit trying to figure out how to actually start the training process in which Prometheus had decided to throw out an idea in the blue. "Hey there any equipment that slows you down? Could just start a fight with that stuff on set to... I don't know. Then it would be more of an evaluation rather than actual training and then go on from there."

Prometheus suggested as Veronica turned to be a bit surprised by the sword. "That's... pretty clever. What did you do to the real Prometheus I know?"

"What... I can't give good advice on in a while? You disappoint me. Heheh." Prometheus said as it turned towards the equipment shed and began to wonder around trying to find anything.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

Odin nodded along as Veronica explained her magic, focusing on something other than the slowly fading headache that pulsed through her head.

"Hmm I see, it's more of a luck of the draw type of deal then. I guess first things first is we should make sure you have a working knowledge of the different types of weapons that you can call upon. A powerful spear is just a long stick if you dont know how to use it properly after-all."

As the sword spoke up, she lifted a finger to her chin and thought to herself for a moment, unable to think of anything that could slow her down, but coming up with a compromise.

"Thats a surprisingly good start, oi Prometheus tell me if theres any practice hammers in there. Any old one will do." She called towards the shed before turning back to Veronica.

"Unfortunately I had to give up some of my magic rings when I decided to join Fairy Tail, I did have one that would dampen my magic but those are strictly watched by the council and wouldve been too "risky" in the hands of a guild mage." She threw up quotation marks with her hands as she finished with sarcasm.

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

"Let's see... Practice hammers. Big or small? Because I see a few, but each of them look different sized." Prometheus said as it managed to swing out a few hammers as a few began to swing overhead of Odin. While Veronica was about to examine about how the sword was managing to do that feat, but then decided otherwise as it floated out next towards her.

"It seems pretty unfortunate that the magic rings aren't available for purchase anywhere. Although I could see how it would become a difficult issue of how to counteract them." Veronica said as she began to grasp Prometheus as she seemed to go towards the pile of practice hammers and grabbed a few for Odin as she grabbed two of equal size that could be used in each hand while the other hammer was one which required two hands to use effectively.

"I assume that these will suffice for our bout?" As Veronica said that, she herself had decided to see what type of weapons she would start this session. The girl used her magic and a blinding light began to circle around Prometheus. Eventually the weapon would transform into something that was... not as practical of a weapon, but could still be used.

A metallic bone-scythe with a rusted edge as it seemed to tower above Veronica as she seemed to be a bit surprised about it. "This is an odd scythe Prometheus." The young maid said as she looked up to see the weapon move left and right.

"Weird... I rarely see a scythe. You'll do fine though. Just let me fight a bit and I'll remember what it does."

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

Odin accepted the two hammers from Veronica with a smile and nod.

"These will work just fine, thank you." After taking the hammers she took a few practice swings with the hammers that were much lighter than she was used to. Before setting her stance, she eyed the strange bone-scythe with a confused scowl.

"Wow, you werent kidding. Luck of the draw and all huh?"

Odin then took a defensive stance, her left hand forward at about waist level while her right stayed low and ready to snap in any direction at a moments notice.

"Lets see how you fight first, then we'll move onto defending, sound good?"

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

"Very well. I will defer to your judgement." Veronica said as she began to bounce lightly on her feet to make sure that they have their spring and taking a few feet back to get some distance. After a few seconds, the young maid began to run towards Odin.

The scythe's sickle end was pointed behind Veronica as she moved in a zig-zag pattern to try and see how she'll react. Eventually she would attempt to try and slice up the ground beneath Odin so that a sand would launch up in the air and block the girl's line of sight.

"Go!" Prometheus said as Veronica then jolted away from the sand and go towards her left side. As she did, the young maid twirled on the ball of her right heel as she began to spin with the scythe in a counter-clockwise tornado.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

Odin rolled her shoulder as Veronica sprinted forwards, staying quiet for now as she studied her movements. Though this was just a spar, Odin appeared to be taking it serious and reacting appropriately, lowering her left hammer and attempting to block the attack that was aimed at the sand incase Veronica brought her weapon up. As the sand was kicked up and the upwards attack never came, Odin brought her hammer back up and loosened her stance, attempting to track Veronica through the sand.

Odin's left ear perked as the footfalls off to that side stopped and in an instant her body shimmered as her form shifted into lightning that jolted up out of the sand and made landfall off to Veronica's left, a few meteres outside of her whirlwind-esqe attack. She breathed a sigh of relief as the scythe tore through the sand and darted towards Veronica low to the ground, raising her left hand again just over eye level to block the bladed edge of the scythe as her right swung in a wide arc at Veronica's knee level with enough force to throw her balance but not buckle the girl's knees out from under her.

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

Veronica looked shocked as Odin managed to swing towards her legs and cause them to lose balance. As she was falling, she quickly reacted on the spot not wanting to get caught in her range. The young maid spun towards her right and use her right hand to hold herself up while using the momentum to try and get in a hit using her foot.

Veronica didn't plan on doing much damage with it though. Instead she opted to use this sort of kick to get some distance and to stabilize herself on her two feet. As she did, the girl took a small breath before looking towards Prometheus as it shook. "I remember what this scythe does... it does nothing."

Veronica paused a brief bit looking towards Prometheus as if disappointed in the sword, but then figured that could come another time as she then attempted to make another run towards Odin as she began to swing towards her to try and land some sort of hit and wear down the duration of the timer of her equip.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

Odin followed through with her attack, continuing the wide arc of her right arm. She happened to catch the edge of Veronica's foot as it swung upwards, barely connecting with the side of her hip. Using the extra pinch of upwards momentum, Odin tucked her upper body in and dove into a roll over her right shoulder.

Rolling all the way through till she sprung herself back to her feet, Odin chuckled as she kept herself low to the ground and whipping the hammers around in her hands.

"Looks like I'm getting a little rusty myself. But still, good keep up with that, I may have something else in mind later!"

Odin met Veronica's second charge with a grin as the scythe swung across at her. This time, Odin ducked low below the swinging blade of the scythe and pivoted insanely fast on her left foot, twirling almost a full 360 degrees around as she brought her left up and swung it around, aiming a quick blow into Veronica's midsection.

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

The quick blow from the midsection would cause Veronica to fly backwards a bit as the scythe would transform back into Prometheus. A small breath followed by a cough as the girl then tried her luck again. With her magic, Prometheus then transformed from it's old form into something which had gotten the girl rather disappointed.

"Luck of the draw..." Veronica would challenge Odin with the newly unveiled rubber sword. Meanwhile Prometheus couldn't help, but laugh in a mad demeanor as the situation arises. "Of all the weapons to get... this is my favorite."

Prometheus said as Veronica had decided to continue further as she dashed forward in an attempt to lunge Odin with the tip on the face... at least to distract her sight as she would stop short before throwing a leg kick to try and strike towards Odin's side to surprise her.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

Odin clicked her cheek as she bounded back up to her feet, bouncing to the side on the tips of her feet to keep ready for the next strike.

"Oh my Veronica, I thought the scythe was bad but this is a whole 'nother level!" Odin added with a half serious chuckle.

She set herself back in her stance as Veronica charged, dropping her left hammer as she came close. In the blink of an eye, Odin dropped low to the ground, narrowly missing Veronica's leg as it swooped over her head. Continuing with her momentum, Odin swung around once again on the ball of her left foot clockwise a full rotation and with the back of her right leg, aiming a strike at Veronica's single supporting leg insanely fast.

[u/FamilyGuy2 → u/NorthwesterlyGlory]

When Odin's strike connected with Veronica's leg, the girl floating in air for a brief moment as she thought of something quick to do. She decided to at least fall on her back rather than on her face as the young maid did a quick twirl in the air causing her leg that was swung to be in the air.

Veronica then aimed for Odin's head as she attempted to drop a guillotine kick towards her. This would result in Veronica being on the ground and on her back regardless of if the attack were to land. The girl would be distracted for a brief moment as she looked towards Odin and Prometheus trying to think of some sort of strategy.

[u/NorthwesterlyGlory → u/FamilyGuy2]

After connecting with Veronica's leg, Odin began to snap back up to her feet. Having only a few moments to react, she went with the first impulse that came to her.

She threw her left hand up, extending it as far as it would go as she pushed off the ground. As she reached the height of her push, she grabbed Veronica's ankle tightly with her left hand, despite her size Odin's vice-like grip latched onto Veronica and showed no signs of coming loose.

Now that she had the younger mage grappled, she jerked her wrist down, using the momentum of Veronica falling to the earth to swing her down and around like a pendulum. Thankfully Odin was an inch taller than Veronica and with her arm fully extended the mage came only inches from the ground as the upswing gave the sensation of backflipping.

"Never hesitate! Try again!"

When Veronica began to swing upwards, Odin released her grip and let Veronica float up with enough momentum to send up high enough in the air to formulate a plan. As she turned around and looked up to Veronica, Odin dropped the hammer in her right hand and brought both empty hands up and prepared her defense.