markofthewise | Appointments Post

[Okay, the clacking of swords was honestly kind of a weird feeling. But she'll pull the sword back and try to swing in from the side.]

[Again, he deflects it.]

Better. But try getting a better hold of your sword, like this. [He has both hands on his as he demonstrates a nice clean slicing motion.] You'll be able to guide it better.

With both hands? [Though, now that he mentions it, that girl who was always hanging around Senel seemed to use both hands when she was using her sword. She turns to one side and tries it a couple of times in the air -- tentatively the first time, but a little more firmly the second after she readjusts her hands to be closer to what he'd shown. It still feels a little awkward, but maybe a little less.]

So like this? [She turns back towards him and swings with both hands at the other side from her last attempt, this time too intent on copying him to be hesitant. Concentrating on her hands, she moves her opposite foot forward without thinking about it to add momentum to her swing -- something that leaked over from her younger self's training during Luceti Valley.

The movement's not exactly fluid, though. There's only so much the memory of ten days can do, especially when she's not exactly the same size as she had been.]

[It's a marked improvement and though feeling mischievous, he blocks it. Much as he wants to let her score a hit and pretend like she seriously injured him, it took way too much work to get her this far. He won't spoil it by being a jerk now.]

Exactly like that. You're starting to get it.

[His reward for that restraint is that instead of having Fenimore flip out, she looks a little pleased at being told that she's making progress, even if that's tempered by the lack of progress on actually scoring a hit.]

Well, I wouldn't want you to think I was a slow learner. Though...I think you're expecting a little much if you want me to actually land a hit on you.

[He lowers his sword for the moment to answer.]

You've still got a ways to go before you land a hit on me. I'm just giving you a better target than a tree stump.

I can thank you for not making me use a stump, at least.

[She pauses for a second and glances down at his lowered sword. Her unpracticed movements are probably going to announce her intentions way in advance, but she's going to attempt to sneak in a strike while he's not in a defensive position.]

Well you-

[WHOA incoming. He does see it coming, but not fast enough to do anything with his sword. Fortunately he's able to dodge it, but only just close enough that if it were real, he'd be getting some clothing damage right now.]

Hey!

[Okay, now she really is pleased with herself and she looks it. That might have been cheating, but it was entertaining to see him caught off guard like that. She does lower her sword, though -- probably shouldn't try that again.]

What, is that not allowed this time? You seemed fine with me catching you off guard when you were trying to get me to punch you.

What? Well... in here sure. But if we were practicing with real weapons, you could have really hurt me. [And a lot more than just with punching! So he has to be strict.

... but not too strict.]

But in a real fight, that'd be good thinking. Sometimes you have to fight dirty.

I wouldn't use a real weapon on you anyway. That's way too dangerous. [She's not mentally prepared for the idea of sparring with live weapons.]

...I doubt anyone would drop their guard to talk in a real fight, though.

Not in a real fight, no. But in a spar? You never know, it could happen.

[Still, he puts himself back on the defensive, not going to let her get another shot like that in.]

But if you see an opening like that, you take it. There are no rules in a real fight. Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to win, because it isn't a game.

[Fenimore's lips thin into a line for a moment, her expression a little uncomfortable. She had been kind of having fun, but now that she was being reminded of the more serious side to it, she wasn't entirely comfortable with it. ...But she agreed to it, so she'll keep going anyway.]

Right.... [She takes a deep breath and hesitates before readjusting her grip on the sword for another try. This time, she tries to pull back after he blocks it to strike again from another direction, though she's not used to using a sword, so she's very awkward about it.]

[It's still not difficult for him to dodge, but he gives an approving nod when she keeps attacking. On her second blow, he pushes back against her weapon, then goes for a weak and slow (for him) attack directly towards her. Just about anyone could dodge it.]

[Her stance falters as he pushes against her sword and she has to take a half-step back to keep her balance. She wasn't expecting the counterattack, so even if it is as weak and slow as it is, she nearly doesn't manage to avoid it. But, instead of trying to dodge, she lets go of her sword with one hand so that she can twist the other arm around to bring it in the path of his attack.

...But it's such an awkward position that, if he puts much force into the contact, chances are split about evenly between her dropping the sword or hitting herself with it.]

H-hey!

[Well he's got enough precision by now that he doesn't have to let that happen. He quickly pulls his weapon back and goes back on the defensive.]

Hey, you managed, didn't you?

Barely. [She has to take a moment to get herself untangled from herself. She shakes out her shoulders and settles her feet in a somewhat more stable position.

She sounds less accusatory as she continues:] You never said that you were going to attack back.

[He lowers his weapon, but this time he's staying on guard in case she attempts to get the better of him again.]

It was just a small counter attack. I wanted to test your reflexes. It wouldn't have been the same if you knew it was coming, right?

[...Okay, it probably won't work twice, so she'll not try it this time. Though she did consider it for a second.]

...Maybe not. So I'll have to be more careful now, I guess.

[He nods at that, then resumes a stance, waiting for her to attack again.

They'll go on like this for awhile longer, probably when he sees she's getting tired or it's been about a half hour. Either way, it was a pretty decent session, though Sokka is far from being a great teacher.]

Well, I think you're getting it.

[She's breathing a bit heavily by this point and a little flushed and sweaty -- she's not exactly out of shape, but it's a completely different kind of exercise than she's used to -- so she rather gratefully lowers her sword.]

Maybe. [Even she can tell she's improved since she first picked up the sword, but there's only so far she can go in a half hour with an inexperienced teacher, even with vague memories of a little Luceti Valley training in the Kyoshi Warrior stuff. She was expecting not to be able to get anywhere near landing a blow on him, but she had half-hoped to get a little closer than that.] Though...I guess you'd know better than I would.

[To his credit, Sokka isn't all that tired out. This was pretty relaxing compared to what Souji usually puts him through, but for the most part it got his mind off things.]

You should've seen me on my first day with Master Piandao. Or actually, with his butler. I spent most of my time getting chased by a wooden sword and I already knew how to fight! Kind of.

[...]

And that helped you?

Well I learned to not let him knock the sword out of my hand.

So it happened a few times. [She sounds amused.] But it sounds like an important lesson to learn.

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