Wandering the school a certain hydra had heard of a fencing club, among other things, and with three heads at least one of them was likely to be interested in the possibility. Maverick shrugged off the idea of playing with a foil, he'd rather be staring down a scope at a shooting gallery, but the other two were keen on something more "close range" as they put it. Considering the things they'd already seen and experienced maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all, but they'd end up as one of the biggest targets ever.

Luke was being his typical bookish self as they were walking, staring at all the various rules. From what he could tell there wasn't a problem with the three of them enjoying the sport, they might have a hard time getting all their moves properly coordinated but when they did their natural enhanced reflexes should prove a very nice advantage. "Right, now we need the proper equipment and we'll be all set Rod."

They walked into a new room of the gym, mats set out on the floor in long straight lines. There were a few racks set up too, and a teacher finishing up putting out practice gear for everyone. She turned and gave a wave, but it wasn't to the hydra, it was someone behind him. A hybrid, interesting, and this one looked ready for a challenge. "Are we the first students here for a bit of fencing or what?"

Having woke up late for the first time since shi had come here, Tanshin was running late to hir fencing class and almost ran into the back of another student. Seeing the instructor waving to hir, Tanshin smiled and waved back as shi quickly twirled to the side, with a dancers grace, to avoid a collision to help.
"Not many students practice fencing, and those that do have already graduated."
Shi replied as shi dragged out a couple fencing dummies, both of considerable weight yet shi moved them around with little effort.
"Over all, yes we're the first to get here.."
Hir words trailed off as shi finished setting up the dummies and turned to look at the hydra. The hybrid had seen two headed hydras but this was the first to see a three headed hydra.
Looking the other student up and down, Tanshin was awed and could not help hir next actions. Without even thinking, Tanshin scurried over to the hydra and circled around him several times as the creature was just amazed. Shi kept hmming to hirself and suddenly realized shi was being watched the entire time and jumped back as hir poofed up a little.
"Hehe sorry, can't help myself sometimes.."
Shi gave a grimaced smile as shi backed up a little bit more.
There were times shi had a little bit too much curiousity.

Ohhh great, someone Roderick was doubtlessly going to find interesting. He was already staring at the strange hybrid circling around them and grinning. So much for his interest in fencing, now he'd only want to participate so he could watch this stranger. "We're here to give it a try, see if we're cut out for actually joining or not. It's sort of been our running joke that we're taking every single class the school has to offer among the three of us. So uh, how do we start?"

"Well hello there, it's quite alright. I'm Roderick, you can call me Rod. This fella here is Maverick, aka Middle head, and over there's Luke. Nice to meet you, and I'm sure it'll eventually be an honor to practice with you."

Luke set the rulebook down for them and glanced at the dummies and the practice gear, smiling. "I think I can handle this guys, just give me the lead and I'll get us dancing circles around opponents in no time." He was almost completely oblivious to the stranger until his attention turned to the instructor, then this other student. Hmm... and, oh, well, Rod was already trying to move in, figures.

As Tanshin observed each head as they were each introduced, shi couldn't help but notice that Roderick was already eyeballing hir. Shi didn't mind, but somehow a little unsettling.
"Nice to meet all three of you, I'm Tanshin."
Shi bowed hir head slightly and motioned for them to follow hir, smirking at the comment made by Luke.
"Well, to get started, we're going to have to find some gear for you guys to wear, masks and... gloves definately. As far as dancing around opponents, you'll have to be quick to get through me."
Shi gave a playful wink to all three as shi rummaged through the training gear. It took hir a minute to find some sizes that might fit him, but shi managed. Pulling out two protective suits, gloves and masks.
"Here, try these on, see which you like the feel of better."
Tanshin handed them the vests first. At this point a few other students were starting to fumble in and the teacher made them help set up the rest of the equipment.

Luke was glad to try on the gear and managed to find a good mask for each of them, though Mavvy and Rod were a little less enthusiastic about it and Rod was still constantly staring at the other student. The vest was a little snug but it was passable for now. "Think I'm just about ready. You two try to pay attention? And if I totally screw up... you'll know what not to do at least."

"Don't get your hopes up too much Luke, you'd never be able to hit someone as graceful as... oh my apologies, I never got your name, how terrible of me."

"You'll excuse him, Rod wants to try and show off his manners and his charm, Luke wants to show off his apparent agility and skill after simply reading a rule book NOT a strategy guide. We'll do our best and if we fall completely short this might be our only trip through here."

Smirking, Tanshin moved behind the hydra and double checked the ties on the vest. Loosening slightly here, tightening there.
"Tanshin. It's ok, you get used to others trying to show off a little bit. How's that? Easier for you to move around?"
The hybrid asked as shi finished fastening things ups and backed away and moved to put hir own gear on.
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you guys, besides, I can always give you a few lessons after class. Who knows, you may end up liking this class more than you think. Now, if your ready, I'll show you some stretches before we get started."

Stretches? Ohh yeah Rod wasn't going to miss that. He'd do the staring, the others could focus on stretching. "Feels good. We'll definitely stick around especially if we get to spar with you. Bet you're almost as good a teacher as the teacher." Okay so sometimes when he was focusing on trying to be flirty he wasn't exactly the most sophisticated or anything but he got his point across.

"Just do me a favor and when Luke gets beat, and Rod stumbles over his words too much, don't hold it against me okay? I'll let them make fools of themselves first, then if I think I can salvage our reputation I'll do it." Until then fencing wasn't his idea and flirting with anyone they passed wasn't either. Oh well, maybe it'd turn out to be more fun than he expected. And from the looks of the other students they wouldn't be the worst one here.

Regardless of his lack of witty flirt lines, it made a soft chuckle and a smile come from Tanshin as shi led them to a more open area. The other students that had shown up were still yawning and complaining that they had to be up so early, but Tan loved getting up early.
"Okay, first you want to start off stretching your back muscles like this..."
Tanshin stood with both of hir legs together as shi bent forwards and touched the ground with the palms of hir hands.
"Doing this helps stretch the back muscles and the calf muscles as well. If you can't bend all the way down like this stretch to the point it burns the most."
Boy shi was lucky that the vest shi had on had already been buttoned up and that it was made of leather. It was unusually chilly in hir room this morning.
Watching the hydra stretch, shi could not help but notice Roderick was still staring at hir.
"Would you like some help to stretch a little further down or do you think you can handle it?"
Shi asked as shi straightened back up and popped hir back a little.

Being built rather wide to accomodate the three long necks and heads, the hydra wasn't exactly the best at stretching. They nearly fell over trying to do all the stretching. "I certainly wouldn't complain about a little help thanks." Rod could hear a few pops in their back, and one or two in his neck, definitely needing help to loosen up. They were built more like a wall than anything else.

"This is probably going to be the hardest part for us, heh. Don't worry after we're stretched out we'll be fine, little aches and pains never bother us for long." Which was lucky in Luke's mind, considering all the times Rod had flirted with people and had it backfire on them. More than one had decided to give the hydra a slap, punch, or get a boyfriend... hell even once a girlfriend... to beat them up.

After finishing popping hir back, the hybrid went behind the hydra and pushed their knees to be slightly bent and pushed their feet together.
"This will probably take a little getting used to, but once you get it down it'll be no sweat. Now, bend down like this and I'll help you bend further. Try to keep your knees bent at the same angle as they are now. If you don't feel a burn then you aren't doing it right."
Shi chuckled at hir own joke. Of course, everytime Tanshin did stretches shi tried to make hir body burn each and every time, though hir body was near its limits of being completely flexible in any direction shi bent in.
After more or less making them bend for a minute, shi helped them up and sat on the floor to the right of them and motioned for them to sit down as well.
"Next, we're going to stretch the indivisual sides, plus leg muscles. Allows room for tension in the muscles for your first day and keeps you from having really bad cramps during the duels."
Shi showed them with hir left leg and motioned for them to start with their right so shi could help in the body placement without hurting themselves. Shi kept smirking here and there as they seemed to be getting into it a little more.

Rod felt a chill run up his neck as Tanshin was helping them stretch, quite enjoying himself already and trying to figure out a way to ask this person out. He was still watching every stretch with glee, and making them try harder to get everything right. "Works for me. You're a really good instructor, don't think I can say that enough."

"Rod, cut the flirting for just a minute please? Bombarding someone with compliments doesn't always work, in fact it's almost never worked for you. So how about we try another angle and actually do a decent job in practice?"

Oh the face Tanshin was making could have been described as being humored but stoic and serious. The hybrid didn't know if shi should laugh or scold the other for his antics that seemed to annoy one of the counter parts.
"Hmm.. you do know stretching is good for other things too besides the muscles."
Shi smirked slightly, trying to stifle a laugh from Roderick and Luke bickering.
Originally when Tanshin first got up today, shi had no idea that shi would be helping ready a new students for Fencing class. And because shi was one of the better students in class, the teacher was more than appreciative in allowing hir to help. Naturally, thye other students were jealous of hir for being like the teachers pet, but shi cared very little either way. Fencing was just something that shi absolutely loved since shi had lost hir wings. Being a teachers pet was more like an unwanted title than anything else.
After they finished stretching, Tanshin stood up, brushed hirself off and stood to watch the hydra finish stretching before moving to get the rest of the gear.
"All we have to do now is wait for the others to get ready and you can begin your first day of fencing."
Tanshin smiled as shi offered a hand to help them up, the other hand holding the rapiers.

The look on Rod's face was priceless to the other two. For all his flirting he really wasn't too great when someone made a few flirts back, regardless of whether they were obvious or little innuendos. The hydra gladly accepted Tanshin's help getting up, a little less graceful than they'd want to be but they were built more like a wall than a serpent. They could be flexible with a bit of effort but their body had to be more cumbersome to allow for three heads after all.

Luke took a moment to look around and compare the rest of the students while they were waiting for everyone to be ready. A few seemed just as new as they were, a few looked like seasoned veterans but they probably just looked that way because they brought their own expensive custom gear. A few seemed like they'd be quick, and one or two might be even bulkier than the hydra was, a nice mix overall. Maybe they wouldn't be the worst fencer today after all. "Ready when you are."

This was priceless indeed. The creature could not help but laugh softly when shi saw Rod's expression as shi helped them up. Tanshin could not resist what shi had said earlier, it was just too good of an opening to leave untouched. Besides, it wasn't exactly like Tanshin was getting flirted with either. However shi needed to be careful, shi had no idea how others would react to finding out shi was different with no physical contact of any kind. Most shi would go is a brief hug or a hand shake or slight bumping in the halls to classes.
Sure some issues could rise in the future, but Tanshin always considered that to be a long shot idea seeing as most were almost repulsed by the idea to begin with.

Returning hir attention back to the soon-to-be task at hand, Tanshin looked over the students as well, deciphering those who've had experience and those who were greener than the grass and carelessly waved the rapiers around. At that same moment, the teacher instructed for the students to pair up with experienced fencers and learn the basics before learning to duel.
"Guess that's the que. Want to pair up with me or would you prefer someone who won't be much of a challenge?"
Shi asked with humor within hir words, knowing very well that if Roderick has his way they'd stay with hir... so to speak.

"Oh you bet I don't want to be leaving your side right now. So let's pair up before anyone else can try and say they're your partner, I want that honor." And just like that Rod was back in his little game of trying to get someone to sleep with. What would he actually do if Tanshin suddenly offered anyway? Probably go back into a dumbstruck mode and the other two would have to clean up his mess.

"A good challenge is the best way to start, someone to really measure up against. Doesn't make any sense to pair against someone you think you can beat hands down, that's for teaching mostly, not for learning. Which makes me wonder why you're so eager to beat us down."

"Because there's a third reason to do it you're not considering Luke. It's a good laugh to put someone in their place sometimes, especially if they start to throw a tantrum or if they think the clearly better person just got lucky. and once in a while the surprising yet still funny moment when they look terribly embarrassed and admit defeat to a greater opponent. Depends on the specific kind of personality you're facing. Come on you're supposed to be the psych major Luke not me."