Abilities Inspection

[Dylan Cooper]

Dylan had awoken as early as normal that morning, but instead of remaining in bed and viewing the scenery that the grounds provided as was per usual, he'd gotten up immediately and prepared for the day. After taking a quick shower and emerging, dripping, with a towel covering his lower half and not much else, he'd gotten dressed in some training pants and a simple t-shirt. Nothing fancy, evidently.

Descending the stairs into the common room he remembered the previous night and wondered how D'rorah was. Finding the peace associated with the circular room in the mornings, he took a moment to gaze out of the window, seeing the sun about to begin rising over the horizon. Apparantly, he'd gotten up a bit earlier than usual. He'd had a relatively restless night, not getting much sleep at all. The sleep that was still evident in him when he'd woken up, however, had been severly diminished by the very hot water of his shower.

Planning on visiting the fable Room of Requirement today, having pushed aside his Quidditch training for a more important matter, he found that he was actually quite nervous. Wishing Dee would come with him, he shook his head at the glossed window, feeling childish and seeing the first rays of light rise over the horizon.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah had woken early, as per usual, intent on putting in additional time in the practice room. After a quick shower, she had dressed in her usual, rather severe robes. Deciding that, for the time being, she was not particularly concerned with how the Headmistress would view her dress, she dressed in a set of altered robes, making certain to don a long sleeved oxford shirt and wide-legged woolen culotte-style pants so she would have freedom of movement while she practiced.

She tied her hair up, looping over and over again the waist length mass until not a free strand flowed from her head. Finally, judging herself ready, she secured her swords beneath her robes. She wondered briefly what sort of weapon Dylan might wish to train on, but decided that, whatever he chose, the room would provide a suitable item for training.

She descended the stairs to the common room and found him already awake, dressed in rather simple workout clothes and gazing out the window. "Well then Mister Cooper," she said, assuming a somewhat more formal tone than usual with him as she prepared herself for training, "I suppose we should begin." As she approached, she could sense that he was a bit nervous and softened a bit, kissing his cheek. "Good morning, Dylan," she added with a smile. "You like a bit concerned." She kissed him softly and smiled. "I promise, I will not allow any harm to befall you while we train this morning." She wrapped her arms over his shoulders and, gazing into his eyes for a moment, kissed him deeply. His words and actions the night before had touched her; her kiss was a silent thank you, for being there to support her, for seeing in her something that no one before had ever bothered to look for, for finding a part of her that she had not even known existed. All these things were in her eyes as she pulled back, smiling at him before resuming her more formal posture and stoically indiscernible facial expression.

[Dylan Cooper]

He heard the faint footsteps of someone on the stairs and continued to watch the steadily rising sun, spreading its' warmth and light to all areas. He soon heard the voice of D'rorah and didn't particularly appreciate her normal, cold tone being used with him. Forcing it from his mind wasn't too difficult as she approached him and planted a small kiss onto his cheek. Brightening up considerably, he returned her friendlier greeting. "Good morning, Dee," he said with a faint smile as she noticed his tension and commented on it.

Receiving another light kiss he relaxed considerably, not worrying too much about getting hurt, but more about the possibility that maybe he wasn't the Elemental Master. Maybe he'd just gotten carried away to the wrong conclusion last night; he had been rather tired. Feeling only slightly reassured that D'rorah had thought the same, he was significantly happier when he felt her arms around his shoulders and his eyes found hers. Moving into the kiss somewhat, Dylan felt an undescribable kind of passion behind it and upon release he looked into her eyes once more.

He noted that she had on her normal robes once more and her hair was tightly done up as usual. "I was planning on going to the Room of Requirement," he said, stating the oh-so-slightly obvious. Placing his arms around her waist he stepped slightly closer to D'rorah and smiled lightly, giving her a soft kiss. "Are you ready?" he said in a quiet voice, a beam of light hitting the corner of his eyes and lighting them up.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah watched Dylan's eyes as the light caught them and smiled brightly. "Yes, my intention was to go to the Room of Requirement as well. Come, we should go quickly, before the others wake," she added, not wanting to have to excuse their mutual departure at such an early hour to their housemates. Pulling back, she turned to head towards the door, prepared to lead the way to the Room of Requirement. She didn't say anything, being accustomed to silence in the morning. She was using the time walking to gather her thoughts, to focus on the hours ahead. Even if Dylan proved not to be an Elemental Master, she intended to begin training him to fight.

As they headed up the last flight of stairs, she had Dylan wait at the end of the hall while she walked past the door the requisite three times, waiting for the door to appear. When it finally emerged, she gestured for him to join her and lead the way through. They emerged into a circular room, surrounded by five doors. Each door was inscribed with the symbol of a different Element. She gestured to the door marked by the symbol of earth.

"And here," she remarked, "we arrive at the moment of truth."

[Dylan Cooper]

Following D'rorah out of the common room, he wondered at her last smile. It had seemed rather enthusiastic for her and made him, in turn, smile. Making their way through the corridors and finally ascending the staircase to the sixth floor, Dee indicated for him to stop and stop he did, waiting where he was. Looking around at the nearby portraits, one seemed to mirror his current anxiety, having very minimal hair on his head, and quite a lot in his hand. Raising his eyebrow slightly and grimacing at the irony, he was beckoned forth once more and found a door that had not been there previously.

Walking into the circular room behind D'rorah, she indicated another door, this one marked with a symbol that he presumed represented earth. Swallowing hard, his hand hesitated before the doorknob. "Dee... What if i'm not?" he asked quietly, wishing a second later that he hadn't.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

"If you are not, Mister Cooper, then I have much work to do with your training nonetheless. So, the sooner you find out, the sooner we may begin." She smiled reassuringly. "Go on then, Dylan. Whatever happens, we have much to do tonight." She glanced briefly toward the door marked with the symbol of wind, thinking she herself might embrace her element for a bit if things went well this morning. Though she was no Elemental Master, she did find that Wind strengthened her, that it had an internally restorative effect.

She had never seen the room for the Element of Earth and wondered what might lie behind the door. She shifted slightly, moving towards the door. "I will think no less of you if you prove not to be an Elemental Master. And I could think no more of you if you prove to be one," she added. "Whatever you are, Dylan Cooper, you are still a very remarkable person."

[Dylan Cooper]

Noting that her second to last comment gave him a rather flattering comment, he was finally reassured, extending his hand forward a fraction and landing it on the doorknob. Turning it slowly, he wished more than anything for it to open, no matter what D'rorah said. As the door slowly opened, he released a large breath that he had not realised he'd been holding.

Pushing the door to the chamber of Earth open even more, it revealed a rather spectacular sight. The ground was covered in what appeared to be a mixture of dirt and soil, rocks and plants covering the large surface in a scattered, unpredictable manner. He stepped inside and his boots tread on the soft ground, filling him with a kind of unperceived strength. He walked through and touched things here and there, getting a feel for the room and eventually finding a smile rising onto his face.

While still having only a slight comprehension of what this now meant, he was waiting for it to sink in, not expecting it any time soon. Turning back to D'rorah, a bright smile still on his face, he went to her and planted a solid kiss on her lips. "Dee..." he began, his voice above its usual quiet tone. He didn't finish that sentence, didn't think he needed to. Kissing her once more, his arms found their way around her waist and he held her gently, intensifying their shared kiss.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah watched as Dylan slowly opened the door, her eyes taking in the sights of the room beyond. She smiled slightly as his excitement. The room really was quite amazing, lush and and filled with rich earth. She followed a bit, moving into the doorway as Dylan explored his new realm, walking around touching things here and there. The happiness in his face was evident as he moved through the room and his smile was infectious. She soon found herself smiling in return as she watched him.

She found herself soon rewarded by a kiss and his arms wrapping around her waist. It seemed now that nearly every occasion warranted a kiss in response, not that she was complaining at the moment. When she pulled back she smiled. "Well, now that you have had your fun, it is time to do a bit of work, Mister Cooper. Shall we begin with weapons training, hand to hand sparring, or shall I wait while you commune with your element for a bit?" All three were equally good choices, as even communing with his Element would strengthen him and give him an opportunity to begin exploring his abilities.

[Dylan Cooper]

A small laugh escaping his lips, he thought for a moment about what he'd like to do first. "How about... hand to hand?" he suggested, a small smile encroaching onto the corner of his mouth. He reasoning that it could be a good base for battling with weapons; you had to start somewhere, afterall. Feeling himself quite curious as to D'rorah's abilities in combat, he also felt slightly apprehensious.

Not quite done with having fun yet, he took the opportunity to kiss her once more. "You know, Dee," he began, smiling. "You really are a rather good kisser." His expression was one of teasing joy, extremely close to hers. "I just can't seem to get enough of you," he concluded sincerely, gazing into those captivating eyes of hers.

Pulling away, he turned from her and walked further into the room, his hands feeling the broad, flat leaves of a shrub while passing. Feeling completely comfortable, completely at ease, he turned to face her once more, the gap inbetween littered with rocks and smaller pebbles. "So... Where do we begin?" he said, his face taking on a serious yet calm expression, focused on the task ahead.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah nodded as Dylan suggested hand to hand combat, feeling it was likely the most appropriate place to begin. She herself had begun her training so many years about with hand to hand combat, eventually working her way up through the teachers of the Order until she had at last come under the tutelage of Master Xiu himself. She was anxious to see how quickly Dylan would progress... and how well she would be able to train him.

She responded as he kissed her, allowing her own arms to briefly settle around Dylan's waist. As he complimented her kissing, a look of slight bewilderment crosses her face. It had never really occurred to her that it was the sort of thing one could possess varying degrees of success at. At his second statement, she smirked. "Exercise caution Mister Cooper, I am not certain how much of me there is to be had," she teased. "And, I suppose, upon reflection, that you are rather adept at kissing as well."

As he pulled away and examined a nearby shrub, D'rorah took the opportunity to remove her over-robe and swords. For this sort of practice, she would need freedom of movement. Clad in her long-sleeved oxford blouse and long woolen culottes, she stepped into a clearing close to the middle of the room. "First we begin with a few basic forms... once you have begun to understand them, we will apply them to combat."

Focusing her mind and her breathing, she began demonstrating the first set of forms for Dylan, repeating them several times as she gave him an opportunity to join and try the forms for himself.

[Dylan Cooper]

Laughing at her statement, his eyes lit up, lighting the rest of his face with them. "My, what a tease you're proving to be, Miss Philosophy," he said with an uplifted eyebrow and a sly grin. She removed her robe and he smiled, eager for the training to begin. He hadn't done anything this exciting in years.

D'rorah expressed that they were to begin with the basics; an apt place to start, in his opinion. He took a step forward and found himself in the same little clearing as her, noticing her movements and actions and setting to imitate them in his own way. Taking a deep breath, he set himself, his posture and stance indicating total concentration. His eyes were upon her, taking in her movements, and at the same time were off on their own, travelling to nowhere in particular as his mind set itself on the current task.

Perceiving the forms to begin with, he absorbed them, learning them. The second time around he began to copy them from his mind and express them with his body, making no mistakes with the simple forms. As he continued, he began to learn them off by heart, knowing he would need to practice everything he learnt today again tomorrow, and then in a weeks time to ensure they were firmly fixed in his memory. To ensure that, eventually, they would become subconscious movements.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

As they worked through the first set of forms, D'rorah nodded to herself, pleased with Dylan's progress. She found that he paid such close attention this time around, that she actually had nothing to correct. She had noticed some slight errors his first time through, but he corrected them quickly, soon moving to learn the movements so that they progressed in one fluid series of motions.

"Now then," she began, facing him, "use what you have just learned to defend yourself against my attack." She bowed before assuming an offensive position. She adjusted her own skill to his level, wishing for him to have an opportunity to practice what he had just learned. She had no need to prove herself here, this exercise was for the sole purpose of training Dylan.

Her movements, though fast, were made at a speed which would not prohibit his response. She offered advice as she attacked. "Careful, you leave an opening on your left side when you defend there. Watch your balance on that block. Do not step quite so far into your sweep." The remarks were made calmly as she continued her attack, expecting him to make the recommended improvements as they went along.

[Dylan Cooper]

Stopping with the previous set of movements for the moment, he listened intently, set on getting everything right, perfecting every detail. Preparing himself for attack, he set up a typical defensive stance as D'rorah turned to face him, and bowed in response to her. Running through the movements in his head quickly, he repeated the process as she began to attack. Her movements were fast, but he sensed she was holding back for the sake of his learning, a fact for which he was grateful.

Finding it was one thing to learn them uninhibited, and quite another to use them in a practical situation, Dylan took her comments on board, adjusting the way he did things according to them. Eventually he learned to defend every aspect of his body as much as possible from any attack, his movements responding to those made by D'rorah. He came to the realisation that perhaps if they were not in this room, his reflexes and strength, though typically at a high level, would not be as great.

He found himself incredibly glad that he was relatively in shape, the effects of last years' Quidditch season not completely lost as of yet. He would be much happier once the season started up again; his muscles would tone up and his fitness level would increase once more, both of which would evidently aid him in his training. Being a Keeper, his reflexes were excellent but his strength lacked a bit, and he made a note to improve upon it in any way he saw fit.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah found herself quite pleased with Dylan's progress as they continued along. After some time, she pulled back and bowed. "Well done," she said simply. "Now, I will show you one more set of forms. Once you have demonstrated sufficient ability to follow my movements, it will be your turn to attack me. If you manage to hit me," she added with a small smile, "we may finally cease for the morning."

Lining up beside Dylan, she began showing him a more advanced set of forms. She found herself enjoying the spar; even if it was a bit simplistic for her, it was a good opportunity to check her own form and focus on basic movements. She hoped that when it came time for him to switch to the offensive position, he would not hold back. She progressed through the second set of forms more slowly. They were slightly more complicated and took a bit longer for her to be satisfied with. She wondered what her own master would think of her performance and training methods today. She found that they mirrored his quite closely, actually.

Finally, she stepped back and bowed, assuming a defensive posture and awaiting Dylan's attack. She brought her focus in even closer, being certain to use all of her senses to anticipate the moves of her opponent. Even though they were nowhere near the same level at the moment, Xiu had always been careful to warn her that practice habits would carry into her fighting. So, relaxing was not an option. "Begin," she said simply, awaiting his first move.

[Dylan Cooper]

He received a brief compliment from D'rorah as they finished their first spar and nodded, hearing that it would soon be his turn to attack. Noticing a slight challenge, a small grin formed on his face as she began to demonstrate the second set of forms and, taking his position once more, he imitated her actions. Finding these forms slightly more complicated, he started slowly to begin with, increasing in speed and fluidity as he became accustomed to the movements.

Getting the hang of them and making a few adjustments to his actions in practicing, he saw D'rorah take a defensive posture and complimented her, assuming an attacking position. She indicated to begin, and he set his breathing to an even pace. This must have been the first time that she'd ever seen him like this; focused intently on the task ahead. His eyes were set, his breathing deep and slow, his jaw tense.

Flicking his eyes up to her face, he wondered briefly if he would be able to go at her without holding back. Putting aside his personal feelings, however, was easier than he'd expected as he considered her now as only an opponent. Lashing out with his first movement, he began his attack. His movements were fast but not quite as strong as he felt they should be. Deciding that, if he needed to, he would stay here all day working on his strength, he continued his onslaught, his breathing increasing in voice.