On the other side of a large ivy hedge at the back of the grounds is the schools athletic complex. It includes specialized areas for sword training, including practice dummies. There appears to be a larger set of stone steps going to a sunken field. These steps form the colosseum style seating for a very well kept ball field with a scoreboard that reads "Knights of Grimmaria".

Quinten gave his comrades their marching orders with a smile.  To CK he gave the additional warning not to "cause too much trouble" and a look that said that "too much" was measured entirely by what he could get away with without being caught.   He and his also took a moment to spread the wealth as it were; handing out some of their pilfered pastries to those students still milling about the dorms.  He took care to remove the head for the gingerbread man he passed to Pharasma with a wink.

Glancing at his "roomie" he smirked.  "Well I'm off to see what passes in this place for a challenge field in this place.  You coming? Or you want to lay down and see how soft you can get lounging on their fluffy pillows," he needled the pirate.

Not waiting for an answer Quinn headed off.  Arriving at the athletics field he immediately began to inspect the sparring area.  Poking a dummy with his finger he laughed.  "Please.  Probably never even train against something that can hit back," he chuckled derisively.  "Might break a nail..."

At that moment an arrow flew past Quins head, so close he felt is whiz through his hair, and embed in the practice dummy. "Are you STUPID?! Don't just walk on the pitch, you could get killed!" he heard a woman shout from behind him. He is approached by a thin, muscular Asian girl in breeches instead of a dress. Her hair is pulled up in a bun and a bow has been slung over her shoulder. "Are you new here?"

Quinten pivoted to look back at the approaching young woman and smiled slowly.  Rather than reply he leisurely fished a death-stick from his pocket, placed it between his lips and lit it.  Taking a few puffs he chuckled as he reached up to pull the arrow free from it's target. "There's a lot of things that could kill me," he quipped bemusedidly.  "I'll worry about the thing that does," he adds with cocky self-assuredness.

"But I apologize," Quinn smiled as he walked over and offered the young woman her arrow back.  "I got in the way of your shot.  That's impolite," he bowed (very) slightly in penance.  "I am new here.  Quinten.  Sorry about that.  Didn't get much of a tour and no one explained the rules out here," he offered by way of explanation.  "Personally I blame the headmistress," he quipped as he smirked at the young girl.  "Good help and all that I suppose.  And what would your name be?"

The girl wore an impressive poker face under a furrowed brow. "You're forgiven," she proclaimed as she took back the arrow and tucked it behind her back in her quiver. "Li Meifeng. Call me Mei." She looked around as if searching for other people. "You're one of those island kids, aren't you?"

Quinn's smile grew.  "Awwww.  What gave it away," he asked with that devious smile.  "No manicure right, he inquired raising a hand.  "Or am I missing enough ruffles and doilies," he continued as he adjusted his jacket.  Pausing for a second the young man chuckled.  "That doesn't make you nervous, does it?"

She wore no expression, staring him down. "If you're asking if I'm afraid of you, the answer is no." She folded her arms and shrugged. "Fear is for cowards and cowards are without honor. You don't look honorable... but you also don't look afraid of anything. Most people around here have been afraid of their shadow since they found out you lot were coming over. I chose to train."

Quinn's grin radiated a sort of sheer joy as the young woman spoke. "Oh come now.  Be honest," he politely chided the Mei. "Most of your fellow Princesses and Princelings were scared of their shadows long before that.  It's just easier to pretend you aren't afraid when the monsters are locked in the closet; when you don't think they can get at you," he added with a smile that displaced his teeth.

Taking a few more puffs on his death stick the young heart blew some some slowly as his eyes moved from the young woman to the rack of training weapons nearby.  "Hmmm.  We should probably make this formal," he stated after a moment. "Which one do you belong to again?  I have my suspicions but assuming would just be rude," he declared.

"Where are my manners?" she says drily as she gives him a formal bow. "I represent the Li and the Fa family. My father, Li Shang and my mother, Fa Mulan, are both great warriors and leaders. Perhaps you've heard of them?"

"Of course," Quinn smiled as delight danced in his eyes.  The young man returned the other's formal bow with one of his own; leg extended, hand flat, though it didn't cut as deep as others might.  "Quinten Heart, at your service," he declared with a dangerous grin.  "Son of a not so renown leader, but premier lunatic bar none," he chuckled as he began walking a circle around Mei, sizing her up.

"You know," the young man began as he took a step back stroking his chin, "I'm surprised to find anyone out here, thought you all had classes.  You know, embroidery, tea tasting, how to talk to fluffy bunnies- got to say that last one isn't all it's cracked up to be."    Sidling over to the training weapons the young man picked up a quarterstaff and examined it's balance.  "But you're out here training.  Because you heard the boogiemen were coming," Quinn continued amusedly.  Spinning on he heel suddenly, he tossed the weapon at the young woman, firmly but easy enough to catch.

"Want to see if it was enough," Quinten offered with a smirk.

Mei chortled and gave the quarterstaff an impressive flurry of spins. "As much as I'd like to hurt you, his Majesty wouldn't have it. We're supposed to play nice."

She shrugged and tossed it back to Quinten. "I'm not afraid of much. Fear does little good. A well placed arrow? Well that can change the tide of war. Besides, I'm not much of a tea parties and bunnies girl."

Quin smiled.  Not a warm smile.  A strange, pleasantly menacing one.  "Do you really think you can hurt me," he goaded with a chuckle.  "Besides.  I'm not asking you to try and crack my skull.  Just a friendly spar between fellow students.  Training to test our skills," the young man reasoned away.  "Not sure the headmistress can complain about that?  Oh, and I don't care how big her ego is, I'm not calling her 'Her Majesty' any time soon," he laughed.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:48, Sun 19 Sept 2021.

Mei scrunched up her mouth and seemed to be considering this. "I could take you," she asserted. "You aren't afraid of much, are you?"

"What's the point," Quinn asked pointedly.  "We all gotta check out at some point, only thing you get to choose is whether you're on your feet or on your knees when you do."   Taking a last drag on his deathstick he flicked the remains away, absentmindedly.  "I mean, if you had the choice to check out years from now having cowered from every challenge or before your next birthday spitting in fear's eye; which do you choose?  I know what I choose."

Taking a step away the young man smirked.  "Oh. And you only think you can take me.  You haven't tried.  Don't worry, not everyone does.  I mean, Shan's kid has on a few occasions, but you don't need to prove anything to anyone."

Mei chortled in amusement. "The son of Shan Yu. I've heard he's very full of himself too. You two must get on swimmingly."