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Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by EliteCommander
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Tarentek held the packages he was given close under his arm. He did not know what they contained, though he doubted they could be too important if Harp'la was willing to entrust them to an outsider, even while in the presence of Onyx. Even so, he would make sure to take care of them just the same. After Onyx started speaking to Harp'la, Tarentek stood by silently while they conversed. After yesterday, he had to remind himself that not all of the Elissics were as friendly as the merchants, or young adults. Most likely, he would be spending a lot of time silently listening as others spoke.

Tarentek mimicked Onyx's farewells as they left, then followed her out the building. Since he hadn't the faintest idea of where to go, he simply made conversation as he followed Onyx. "She seemed...well, she didn't yell at me, so she couldn't have disliked me too much." He said with a laugh. "So, I gather you told her about your experience last night? Will you be getting a new name or something, or will I always be able to call you Onyx?"
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Vesuvius00
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Onyx smiled before answering. "Yea, I told her. I figured that if I introduced you to her along with some good news, she wouldn't react too badly." Onyx had to think for a moment about his next question. "Well, I'm not sure if you should be calling me Onyx now. Yes, once I come of age anyone who is younger than me or of a lower status than me, who isn't a friend or family, will call me by Bri'nx. Anyone who is of a higher status or is an elder, along with my friends and family, would still call me Onyx." Onyx paused a moment and looked at the horizon to the west, away from the sun. "As an Outsider I suppose no one really minds whether or not you follow this rule. Depending on how old you are you could call me either name, I'd answer to both."
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Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I'm not really part of your social structure, so I can call you whatever you want me to. I don't know what the new name means to you, but from a purely phonetic standpoint, I really do like the name 'Onyx.' I believe it sounds nice. Though, if my age is important for making the distinction, I am twenty-three years of age, currently."

Tarentek glanced off in the same direction as Onyx for a moment, then focused his attention back on her. "So, how do you go about coming of age? Does it involve a ritual or something? What would that entail?" He asked.
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Onyx looked at Tarentek, confused. "You think Onyx sounds better? I've never thought of distinguishing the names like that. I've always thought of Bri'nx as better because it would show more respect when someone called me that than if they were to simply call me Onyx. I suppose most people's First names would sound better than the contraction of the two." Onyx started walking to the bridge to the east. "Come on, we can't just stand here."

Onyx explained about the coming of age ritual as simply as she could as they walked over to the bridge. "The easiest way to explain it is to say that it is a ritual, but the largest player in it is the people and Olias. All those who are ready are in the center of a circle made up of everyone in the nest who was able to attend and witness. The ritual is lead by the leader of the tribe, and it involves the reintroduction of the person into the tribe with their second name and path, sealed by a bond of blood with your greatest rival in the tribe."

When they got to the bridge, Onyx paused to finish explaining. "After that point the ritual turns into a sort of test of skills between all those who were just reintroduced, intending to show the ability they already have to fulfill the role that is their path. Depending on the role, the test is very different to each person."
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"Oh, Bri'nx. Bright, Onyx. I understand now." Tarentek commented, chuckling to himself as they walked along. Her explanation of the ritual did not seem too strange compared to any other ritual he had heard of from other places. His own people did not practice what others would generally call rituals, but he had heard explanations of why others did. Of course, those explanations varied significantly from place to place.

"Hmm, so this ritual is a social event, but also a very personal one? My people do not really have rituals, so I am pretty unfamiliar with them. The closest thing I would say we have is customary celebrations for important life events. Marriages, hatchings, starting a career, those sorts of things. But, they aren't really the same. This sounds like a large event for the whole tribe, or at least a good portion of it. Though, I am curious about how you determine who is who's rival. Do you know who your rival is?" Tarentek asked. He glanced around at the people around him, not that he actually knew who it was these packages were supposed to be delivered to. For now, he had to rely on Onyx to show him the way. He was just there to carry some of the burden and provide conversation.
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Onyx kept leading Tarentek while they talked. "Yes, it is very personal, but it is more special because of the presence of so many in the tribe. As for my rival, I believe I know who it might be." Onyx paused for a moment. "The rivals have to agree to the bond as well, because they may see someone else as their rival. The point of the bond of blood is to tie those two together with a promise that no matter the affairs between them, they will always work together for the good of the tribe."

They got to the end of the bridges, and now only had to find the scouting group. As Onyx looked around, she asked Tarentek a question. "You say you have celebrations for many different things, what are they like? Most of our rituals have a set purpose, so they follow a strict pattern and tradition that we rarely ever change."
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Tarentek looked around along with Onyx after they reached the end of the bridges. There only seemed to be one, reasonably large group of people nearby, so he assumed they were the ones they were looking for. Since he was not sure, however, he stayed at Onyx's side to follow her lead. He thought it was an interesting idea for their rituals to involve bonding together two people who could be considered rivals. Thinking about it, he guessed that a custom like that could lead to less in-fighting among the village, though he doubted that was always the case.

"I don't think our celebrations are too much like your rituals. There are very few that involve our gods at all. They are more of...social events, not formal like your rituals. Well, some of them are formal, but not strictly structured, I mean. Often times, these celebrations are private gatherings of friends and family members, but there are some that involve more of the community. For instance, there is a public celebration nearly every year for the students of the University who complete their studies. It is a festival, of sorts, with music, dancing, and if resources permit, a feast. Those who completed their training to be soldiers get special honors at the celebration, and luckily for me, it was a good year when I completed my studies. Plenty of food and drink to go around. My squad had a contest to see who could drink the most wine; I...don't think any of us 'won,' really." He said with a chuckle.
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Onyx was a little confused at what he said, but she was distracted from answering him by finally locating the leader of the group of scouts gathered nearby. The group was surrounded by another group of those who were saying goodbye to them for now, and standing slightly apart from all them was the leader. Onyx motioned for Tarentek to follow her as walked up to them.

"Greetings Mox'lin. Harp'la sent Tarentek and I with rations for your mission." Onyx bowed slightly as he noticed her and he nodded in response. She watched him for a moment, but if he had any reaction to Tarentek, she didn't see it. He called out an order to the scouts in his group and they all lined up. Onyx looked at Tarentek for a moment and told him what to do. "Start passing out your bundles to each of them, and I'll follow with mine. Remember to save one for Mox'lin, the leader receives rations last."
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As instructed, Tarentek put one package aside for the leader, then began distributing the rest to the line of scouts. If any of them had any thoughts or opinions on Tarentek, they all kept them to themselves. The scouts all seemed regimented and professional, much like Tarentek's own squad had been...when they were on duty, at least.

Tarentek passed out each of the packages he had to the scouts, then, once all of the others had received theirs, handed over the one he had set aside to the leader, Mox'lin. Being in the presence of soldiers, or the equivalent of soldiers, almost unconsciously caused Tarentek to shift back into the mannerisms his years of training had given him. He stood with completely proper posture, as if at attention, as he waited for Onyx to finish whatever else she might need to do. For anyone looking at Tarentek, it would be hard to miss the evidence of the years of drills and training that had driven themselves into the core of his mind.
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As they were passing out the rations, Onyx sensed a change in Tarentek. He seemed less aloof, but also almost seemed like he was acting out of habit as he stood off to the side after they had finished passing out the rations. Onyx put it out of her mind for a moment as she spoke with Mox'lin. There had been no extra rations, but there weren't any extra people either, that bugged Onyx.

She and Mox'lin said goodbye, as they had to leave soon, so Onyx went back to talking to Tarentek. "Tarentek? We're done here. Are you ok? You seem..." Onyx trailed off, unable to really describe the strange feeling she got when she looked at him. "Nevermind. I think the lack of people here is just making me nervous."
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Tarentek has barely noticed any change in himself, so he did not quite know what was bothering her. As they were walking along, his posture gradually began to relax. "No, I'm fine. I suppose I might be a little nervous meeting new Elissics, but they seemed professional. Soldiers are like that, the good ones at least. I knew soldiers that hated each other to the very core, but the moment it came to a fight, I had no doubt they would risk their lives for each other. I think there is something quite admirable about that, though I admit, I might be a bit biased." He laughed.

By this point, Tarentek was back to his normal demeanor. "So the lack of people makes you nervous? I take it you like crowds, then? I know I was certainly used to them back in Amman, though being a scout also got me used to being alone. Usually I had my team, but there were times I had to be completely alone for whatever reason."
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"You didn't seem nervous to me..." Onyx said under her breath before actually speaking. "They weren't being soldiers just then though, they were... subdued. It's also a lack of specific people that put me on edge just now. Usually, there are people who were not assigned the mission who will attempt to go with them, however this time there were no extras in the lineup. That means that all those scouts were actually assigned the mission, and they didn't want to be going either."

Onyx let out a sigh. "I hate to say it, but they might be scared. They must be going to the east to find the extent of the empire." After she said it, she knew it was true. "I actually prefer solitude most of the time. Yes, I'm fine in a crowd, as you saw yesterday at the market. I just- There's a reason I live in a den separate from my family."

Onyx shook herself and hoped to change the subject. "Well, would you still like to go to the training area?"
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"Oh, I see. I understand. If you're right about their mission...well, I can't say I blame anyone for not volunteering. What they're being asked to do is quite a lot, but it is a duty someone has to fulfill. Depending on what happens, I may find myself in their position eventually. I am a scout, after all, and a soldier. I don't intend to avoid our enemy forever." Tarentek explained, his tone just as serious as Onyx's.

Tarentek was glad when Onyx changed the subject. The threat they faced was not a reality they could avoid, but they could at least distract themselves from it, and in the process, perhaps prepare for it as well. "Certainly, now is a good time for training. I can teach you how to use that pistol, as long as my fix actually worked. Just get some 9mm ammo, and I'll teach you everything you need to know. I might even be able to do something more than that; I'm feeling better than before, and could definitely use some exercise. Sparring can be a good way to train, if there is anyone who would actually be willing to spar with me."
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"Any ammo for it would be in the storehouse at the training grounds, and I would appreciate if you would show me how to use it." Onyx was relieved that her change of subject had worked. She started walking towards another group of bridges. "We aren't too far from there right now, we'll be there soon."

"As for sparring with anyone, I'd spar with you if you wish. Anyone else would probably use your fear of flight against you, as that is part of our fighting style, but I'll try to remember not to if we were to spar." Onyx paused a moment, thinking. "Actually, now that I think about it, along with trying to lose your fear of flight I could teach you how to get out of an Elissic's grip without either of you getting hurt."
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Tarentek nodded. "I'll appreciate any knowledge you can give me of course, but...I don't know if I'm up for flying today. Perhaps...tomorrow? You can help me with controlling my fear in flight, then I can help you in the water. For now, I will just appreciate the exercise. After your lessons of course."

It was not long before the pair reached the training area, which, of course, had others training as well. He did not know where the storeroom was, but at least this time he could pick out a spot on their shooting range for them to use. "I'll go pick us out a spot while you get the ammo. Remember, get the rounds labeled 9mm; it's what your pistol is chambered for. It's a smaller bullet that isn't as powerful, but it also doesn't kick as much as bigger rounds, so it should be easier to start with. Did you remember to get something for hearing protection? I'm not exaggerating when I say these things are loud. I'll hold my hands over your ears if I have to."
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"Ok, flying tomorrow, and I suppose water also... I remember about the ammo, but what would you recommend for protecting my ears? I'd rather if you not touch them, that's just weird." Onyx laughed a little at her comment. "What am I saying? None of what's happened the past few days has been normal!"
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"Anything that will block out sound will work. Some kind of earplug, or just something to go over them. It is hard to get an appreciation for how loud these things are without firing one for yourself. The reason I am as persistent as I am about it is that you can lose your hearing if you're unlucky, or worse. Some people get this constant ringing in their ear; I've experienced it before myself. And for races that don't regenerate like mine, I've heard it can even be permanent. Just see if you can find something in the storeroom along with the ammo, or I'll have to prove to you that I'm serious about just using my hands." Tarentek explained with a smile.
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"Ok, I'll be right back. Go ahead and pick out a target." Onyx said before going over to the storehouse that was connected to the training area. It didn't take long to find a box of the ammo, she put it off to the side while she looked around for something to put over her ears. After a minute she found a thick square of cloth that she figured she could just tie over her head like a bandanna and press her ears closed. Testing her idea, she sang a song as she tied the cloth around her head.

By the time it was on, she was only aware of the sound of her voice because she could still hear herself before the sound left her body, but it was just that. She pulled the bandanna off as she finished the song and decided to test it again with Tarentek to see if it would truly work with the relic. She found him quickly and walked over. "I think I found something that will work to block out sound, and I have the ammo too."
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It had not taken long for Tarentek to locate a target to shoot. He did notice that he got a few looks as he was waiting, but no one approached him before Onyx returned. He looked over what she had gathered, then nodded to her. "Ah, I see. Tie that over your ears, I guess? It should block enough sound. You'll still hear it, but it shouldn't hurt you. The ammo looks right, so I'll show you what you need to know, then let you try it yourself.

There were no tables nearby Tarentek could use, so he took the pistol and sat down on the ground, motioning for Onyx to take a seat beside him. "First, I'll show you how to load it. This is the magazine release." He said, pointing to a small button on the grip before pressing it to remove the magazine. He then started to take rounds from the box and load them into the magazine. "Loading the magazine is easy, just push them in one at a time. However, with a loaded gun, you have to be careful. Really, it's good to be careful with any gun, at any time. Make sure not to point it at anything you don't want to shoot, and keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to fire. I've seen too many accidents from people not being safe.

Once Tarentek had filled the magazine, he reloaded it back into the handgun. Since it was empty, you have to pull back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber. Once that is done, and the safety is off, it will be ready to fire." He explained, pointing out the safety to her as he mentioned it.

"Now, as for how to actually shoot, I will demonstrate. Grab it with your dominant hand as high on the grip as you can, then place your other hand over it as so. When you aim at the target, make sure not to lock your elbows, then look down the sights. You want the rear sights to be in line with the front sight. When you're firing, either hold your breath very briefly when you pull the trigger, or fire between breaths. It will help keep you steady. The latter is more effective, but the former can be easier for beginners." Tarentek explained, demonstrating each part of the technique in sequence. Before firing, however, he paused a moment and reached into the pouch on his waist. He had been wearing it when Amman was attacked, and while it had no useful supplies, there was one thing he always kept with him. From the pouch, he produced two small, tightly wrapped pieces of cotton fabric which he used as earplugs.

"Okay, cover your ears." He warned before switching off the safety and taking aim with the technique he described. With a few pulls of the trigger, he put three rounds downrange, showing that the pistol did indeed work. The range to the target was not too long, so Tarentek hit accurately, with a tight spread. He was a marksman in his squad, after all, so hitting a stationary target was nothing too difficult.

"Alright, your turn. Take a few shots and get used to the recoil. You might not be too accurate at first, but you'll get used to it." He said, flipping on the safety, than handing it back to her.
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Well, the cloth worked. Onyx heard three loud bangs as Tarentek fired at the target, and barely made out the next words he had said to her as he handed the relic to her. She nodded because she didn't know if he would be able to hear her either, and tried to copy what she'd seen him do.

She started aiming, but it didn't work when she tried to fire until she remembered that she hadn't turned the safety off yet. pressing the button, she aimed again and held her breath for a second as she pulled the trigger. She heard the bang, but couldn't see where the bullet went. "I missed..." She mumbled to herself before re-aiming and trying again a few times.

One finally hit the target, really close to the edge, but it still hit. Onyx turned the safety back on and turned to Tarentek with a smile. "I think you overestimated my accuracy with this thing." She spoke with a joking tone, but she did worry again for a second that he wouldn't be able to hear her.
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