Back in game morning has come and the party is all logged back in. Rosha claps her hands to get everyone's attention, “Ok guys, time to get some skills! I did some research so I know what I want. Hopefully you two weren’t lazy last night.” and with that she bounces out of the room. Jason and James both glance at each other before following.

Soon they arrive at the Guild and for the first time Jason gets a look into the training hall. The place actually shocked him as he was expecting just a hall with people standing around. In reality, though it is almost more of a hallway as each instructor has walls around their area. At the moment most of the instructors are just standing around chatting. Rosha looks around before striding forward and getting on a nearby box of equipment. Most people in the room at this point are looking at her. Soon though the whole room is paying attention as she starts to speak, “Now I have a weapon here” and she holds up the bow in one hand and her daggers in the other. “This is one weapon” then she assembles it, “and I would like to know if any of you can train me in the skill for it and its various forms.”

Her announcement gets everyone arguing. The warrior types want to just have her train in each form separately and aim for a weapon master style skill. All the magic types seem to think she should ignore the basic skills and go for empowering the weapon as then the form won't matter. However in the end a group of rangers come forward and admit they know a way to get a skill specifically for the weapon. The option will however take all her free beginner skills. Despite having wanted some other things Rosha has to admit what is basically 3 or 4 separate weapon skills is probably worth it.

As everyone calms down from that nonsense Jason and James head towards the people likely to have what they want. James finds the trainer for himself easily enough just needing some weapons training. Turns out he uses a whip and shield. After these two skills though the trainers cut him off commenting on how he shouldn’t be greedy.

On the other hand Jason has some trouble finding the trainers he needs. While his current armor is leather, that might not be a permanent thing and it isn’t like he is using a shield. That, weapons, and magic covers most what people are teaching for free in this area. Not exactly helpful in this instance.

Eventually he works his way over to the rogue style trainers. Since Rosha’s tactic worked so well Jason decides to try it on a smaller scale here. Just heading towards the shady looking types in the corner gets their attention though most don’t show it. When he is close enough that he can easily be heard by all of them without shouting, Jason starts talking.

Not having any fancy weapon to show off it takes a bit more of a preamble to describe his problem but eventually Jason gets to his point, “I don’t need the normal starting skills. In fact I likely need nothing from most of you either. While I don’t want to be too cocky or at least more so than I already have been, could some of you explain what you have to offer me?”

As if on prior agreement a pale man with a rough tan suit steps forward and addresses Jason, “You can call me John and if I don’t miss the mark, you aren’t talking about the more thief flavored stuff.”

“True, I am a martial artist, not one of the sneaky types either.”

John nods, “We won’t just give you a list of skills and you very well know why but how about a selection of a few movement skills and maybe a little extra if you show some talent in what you choose. I don’t personally care if you are okay with this. Either you agree and follow me into a more secluded training area or just go somewhere else for all I care.” and with that John starts walking away into one of the nearby enclosed areas.

It doesn’t take Jason that long to think before he follows. Once he enters the walled off area though he stops in shock. What looked like a small empty training yard from the outside has changed. Instead there is a relatively large yard which appears to be made of all the adjacent areas connected. In the center is a mass of poles stuck in the ground. Starting on one side with decent size logs of a uniform shape though quickly shrinking to willow bamboo shoots of varying heights.

John is standing on the opposite side of the room in a dark corner with his hands behind his back. In the time he was out of sight his suit has changed to a mottled black armor that seems to bleed into the surrounding shadows. He gestures at the poles and explains, “Whatever movement skill you choose we will use this field. Now because I am feeling a bit lazy, I will only tell you the names of the three skills. Your options are ‘Winding Snake of the Forest’, ‘Desolate Traversal Technique’, and ‘Swift Footed Passthrough’. Take your pick, they are all about the same.”

Jason resists the urge to smirk. As he was planning on getting some skills he had already looked into what was available. While the System restricted things like the details of skills, the general descriptions for such common skills were easy to find. The Snake one was a movement skill but focused more on dodging through trees or a crowd of people. Swift Footed Passthrough was a short range movement skill that focused ongoing through the enemies space quickly to set up for something like a backstab or running away. The last one, Desolate Traversal Technique though was the one for him. If he had to compare it to anything, the skill would be like an enhanced parkour which uses a person's energy to allow for normally impossible things. Stuff like running on the ceiling and such though that was admittedly quite a high level. Speaking up Jason tells him that, “I want to learn the Desolate Traversal Technique.”

John nods, “Now I am not going to describe the skill, if you didn’t do your homework on what skills are available then that's not my problem. Anyway I know I said we would use this”, and he gestures at the poles, “but that isn’t quite true. For this skill we need to change things, like so” and he steps to the side revealing what is clearly a control panel. With the press of a few buttons the field begins to change.

First the bigger poles start to shrink until everything is of a uniform size. Next several poles create pairs and boards form between them before raising above the others. Finally several normal poles lean over at odd angles to the rest. After a quick check of the field John nods his head before continuing with, “This is the field we will be using. If you had chosen either of the other skills, I wouldn’t have had to change anything. This field isn’t quite a secret but I would prefer if you told no one about it. Anyway I want you to jump around on top a bit so I can get a feel for your ability to move around like a monkey.”

Shrugging his shoulders Jason heads over to what looks like the starting area. After a couple of simple stretches he hops up a group of poles set up like stairs and onto the only horizontal platform. Even with most poles being the width it is clear when up this close that these are much stiffer than those farther away. A deep breath and Jason hops onto the closest pole. Seeing no reason to try to impress he decides to slowly ramp it up. A hop to the next pole and then wait to be steady. Taking a deep breath and then onto the next. Slowly he makes his way down the field. While not speeding up he doesn’t slow down either as the poles flex, bend, and tilt from his momentum. Soon he reaches one of the vertical platforms. After steading himself next to it Jason gives it a shove. This one doesn’t bend and stays straight.

Nodding, Jason continues and is quickly at some tilted poles. Now he is forced to slow down as the slanted poles don’t just stabilize. Soon however this doesn’t work. The poles are now flexible enough and at odd enough angles that if he tries to stay on one too long he will fall off. At this point he is almost seeming to walk around from pole to pole. Finally however he can’t keep it up and a pole almost seems to collapse under him causing a quick trip to the floor.

John is standing next to Jason looking down at him, “Decent skills if a little below what I would require for me to personally train someone. Luckily I don’t have to personally train you, not technically. To get the skill will be simple enough sounding though of course these things are always more difficult in implementation rather than planning.” and he goes back over to the control panel and turns back, “I will set it so the poles light up in a pattern. Your task will be to only ever stop on a lit spot. Your current location will flash twice before disappearing so don’t linger because if you aren’t on a spot the pole will become like a wet noodle. Then of course you will have to start over.” Turning back to the panel his hand suddenly blurs into action. Presumably he is pressing buttons but Jason can’t make heads or tails but to take long enough for him to even notice it happens shows how many presses it takes. John finishes with, “Start when you want, I will be back when you're done.” and with a wave of his hand Jason loses sight of him.

Shaking his head Jason heads back to the starting platform. Farther than the pole he started with last time has a pole with the top lit up. Jumping to it is easy enough but right away another which is back a little bit glows. Deciding to test it he decides to just stay where he is and within a handful of seconds the light under him flashes. Then it flashes again before going dark. The pole just falls out from under him. Being prepared this time he lands a bit more gracefully and looks back at the pole in time to see it right itself. Sighing that this wasn’t going to be one of those limited chances sort of deals. Then it is back to the starting platform. However when he gets there a different pole is lit up. Seems this won't be a simple memorization of the path.

Deciding that was enough testing Jason starts a serious try. From pole to pole he jumps. Slow at first but soon he isn’t allowed to stop as the light starts to flash even before he gets to the next pole. Then he falls. Not because he couldn’t reach the next pole but because one didn’t light up right away and his momentum caused him to slip off.

Back to the start and a completely new course of lights. This time he is prepared and doesn’t get thrown by the delay of the next light. Then he falls again. Instead of the top of the pole, one of the leaning poles lit up on the side and went limp when he didn’t land there. Start over but he falls for the delayed light after being distracted by the side light.

This goes on and on. New tricks getting him or not over and over but soon he can’t even remember them all. Soon it all falls away and he continues. Back and forth across the field as if he was walking on a flat path. Even when the vertical panels light up it doesn’t phase him and he simply bounces off of them. But all things must come to an end and this time it happens because the lit pole is too far to jump to.

Back to the start but this time the lights start off at the higher level and Jason is soon back into the groove. Again a light too far and he falls. Rinse and repeat a few more times but eventually he gets it. The light only matters when he stops on it. This time through when the light is too far away he doesn’t just try to jump to it. Instead he bounces off the poles in the way. They might fall limp but not before he uses them to push off and he makes it.

Now the light just appears at the various edges of the field forcing him to criss cross the place. But still he falls. Simply put Jason was using too many poles. They just didn’t recover quick enough and he got trapped with no poles nearby. Not giving up he continues. Falling less and less as time goes on.

Then something changes. Jason doesn’t notice it but his last jump brought him to a vertical platform. The next pole didn’t light up right away and so on pure instincts he just stayed on his current spot. Then a light appeared elsewhere and he was off. Over in the shadows John lets a hint of amazement leak onto his face. Jason had finally achieved the first step.