Advanced Flogging

[duke_of_illusions]

It's an early evening, back in the club. Barma has sent Al on his own, to make friends, to try something new.

Dodo is a breath away.

Comments

[duke_of_illusions]

"Been doing it a long time."

He reminds him, before nodding around at the mess of toys.

"I'm going to show you a few more things, just so you get a sense of the scope of movement."

He'll be buckling on protective knee pads, in the mean time.

[al_truism]

"Thank you."

He lights up a little, still shy.

[duke_of_illusions]

Gerard stands up, heaving a flogger as big around as Al's thigh- as long down as his leg, too.

"This was half an elk of leather. I made it myself, with an aircraft bolt to pin the head to the handle."

[al_truism]

"Can anyone take that...?"

[duke_of_illusions]

"I've seen you play. You could."

He informs him, then lifts it.

"This one is a good exercise in understanding a few things- one, that force is a combination of two factors; mass and velocity. Two, the way a body should move when you're using a flogger. I pretty much have to use every muscle to wield this proper, so pay attention to how it goes- from the ground and up. Good flogging starts from the ankles."

[al_truism]

"... yes sir."

Al bites his lip eager to watch. Perhaps terribly, it makes him want to see if he can take that monster.

[duke_of_illusions]

His ankles twist, knee pivoting slightly, whole back and shoulders twisting almost like he's doing the hammer throw, hands grasping the pummel. The flogger picks up slow speed on the first loop, then raises over his head, flying in a wide circle above his head. His entire body twists with it, it slams into the beam of the suspension frame, and the entire wooden structure hops about an inch to the left from the sheer concussive force.

The tails bend. Keep going. He flies it in another circle and brings it downwards, going up into the air on one leg and slamming it forwards, up over his shoulder so it snaps against the wood, like it's hitting someone in the shoulders and dragging down their whole back, vertically, before hitting the ground.

Gerard ends up on one knee, thus the protective gear.

[al_truism]

Al curses, very softly, gritting his teeth, wanting.

"And..." he wets his lips. "Those movements, every flogger-?"

[duke_of_illusions]

"Exactly. Look at the difference."

Straightening up, with a more modest sized one in hand. He shows him three quick strikes from the wrist.

Then three with just his arm, shoulder and down.

Then three with his body, powerful and concussive and beautifully fluid.

[al_truism]

"Good."

He sounds surprised, putting it all together. Mechanical, scientific, fluid, organic.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Now that you've seen what you're going for, we have to show you how to get there."

He decides, dropping the toy, reaching for, of all things, a sheet of leather. He twists it into a cone, grabbing the narrow end, flexing his hand, then offers it out to Al.

"This will give you a sense of aim, without the variables of all the tails."

[al_truism]

Al takes it, carefully, trying to get a sense of the weight. He's held and used a flogger before, but this is almost more awkward.

"All right."

[duke_of_illusions]

"First thing you want to do is think about raising your bottom up. I mean the person. See if you can get them standing up, think about where your easiest range is- this will get hard on your back, fast.

Go. Learn how close you need to stand to get the kind of impact you want on the fabric."

Nodding at their makeshift wall of cloth.

[al_truism]

Al nods, and walks closer, thinking about the muscles, the movements, visualizing it all.

Wrist movements first. Then his arm.

[duke_of_illusions]

Gerard steps back, watching, ready to apply a gentle correction or two as needed.

"You'll want to learn to do this two handed."

[al_truism]

"Two-handed?"

He takes the corrections well. There's no self-consciousness, no apologies, just an eagerness to do well.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Ambidexterous."

Picking up another small flogger, left handed.

[al_truism]

Al nods, swapping hands. He's not quite ambidextrous himself, but close enough, with as much practice as he's had with polearms.

He tries, and it's nearly as fluid.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Good work. Keep at it like that."

He instructs him, happily.

[al_truism]

Al adjusts his aim, switching between his hands every ten or so strikes, making sure to keep a certain amount of distance. After a few repetitions, he pulls back to put his entire body into the blows.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Try it with a flogger now."

He urges, nodding.

"You've really got it."

[al_truism]

It doesn't take him long to gain a bit of confidence with it. Body movement, control and applied strength have always been an area he's excelled at.

It doesn't take a terribly long amount of time to get him sweaty and breathing hard.

[duke_of_illusions]

And Gerard can comfortably admire the view.

That's really nice.

"The tails hurt most. Ever had a flogger wrap around you? That's when you hit them too far up the tails, causing the ends to snap into a smaller circle, gain velocity as they curl, clip stomach or hipbone- or crotch, if you're coming up from between the legs."

[al_truism]

Al winces at the thought and fumbles a strike, looking back at Gerard.

"... show me?"

[duke_of_illusions]

"Like this."

Striking the post. They curl, just as he'd mentioned, momentum carrying around it.