[The cobalt Mountains] I Won’t Go Easy on You, Kid [Athaera]

[Billie]

‘The beauty makes up for the danger’ huh? Maybe she was right. There was a lot to see out in the wild, much more than any city could offer. Still, she knew she wouldn’t do well living out there: Especially with no hunting skill. That would have to be amended. Obviously the kid had understood what her comment had given away, but luckily she didn’t ask. Billie wouldn’t have answered her anyway. Her past was her business. Anyone she decided to tell would have to be a good friend of hers. And even then, she wouldn’t let it come up unless it was necessary for her to talk about it. Necessary meaning that it would help her, or someone else.

The kid’s attacks came the first time and she no longer had time to ponder. She noticed how the teen got frustrated, which wasn’t a good start. Billie used to get frustrated easily too. Just like Athaera, she used to figure if she could get worked up enough she’d eventually connect a strike, but that only hindered her, a point which Sadie drilled into her by force.

The second time Athaera attacked she was notably calmer, which was good. Billie smiled as she blocked the same as before, happy to note that the teen had learned and snatched her wrist back before she could be toppled again. “Not bad” She said “Now it your turn.” She looked at the kids stance and raised an eyebrow “But first you need the correct stance.” Billie tapped at the inside of her knee with her foot “Keep your legs slightly bent so you can move easily. You can’t be stiff. Keep your center of gravity low so you are more balanced” She moved on to assess where her hand were “Your hands are right.” She began “But try leaving one hand close to your face, and the other further out, makes attacking easier and faster.”

Billie got into her own stance and nodded “Okay, I’m going to punch you like you punched me, and you’re going to try to block.” She told her “Are you ready?” She asked, which was far too nice of her. You should always be ready. She really didn’t have enough of Sadie in her, did she? Still, she hoped the kid knew that she wouldn’t pull her punches, just soften them. She didn’t want to knock the teen out if she failed at the block. When Athaera said she was ready, she would first aim a punch at her gut, and then one at her head.

[Athaera]

Athaera listened as Billie gave a few more pointers, and felt accomplished when Billie said 'Not bad,' even though it was probably just an empty comment. But her stomach dropped when Billie said it was her turn to block. She was afraid she would punch too hard... and she'd pass out and get injured and not be able to hunt... Then she'd be stuck in the city for longer than planned.

These thoughts rushed through her head as Billie corrected her stance, and she realized how inaccurately she had set it up. Her hands were almost correct, but she put one out a bit more, and put her legs the way she was told, slightly apart, and concentrated on her center of gravity. "Like this?" Athaera was a bit frustrated that she'd set up her stance so wrong, but recalled what she had been told "Yes, I'm ready."

As Billie threw her first punch, Athaera attempted to block it, but it hit her in the stomach. "Oof!" Billie hadn't hit her hard, but it still took it's toll. Her breath had been slightly knocked out of her, but she regained it after a few seconds. Athaera was more ready for the second punch, but her hand still only grazed it, and most of the force still struck her in the head, though it wasn't much. Preparing for BIllie to strike her again, Athaera breathed in and out, relaxing, but still maintaining the position the woman had shown her. One hand by my face, another farther out. Legs apart, stay loose, relax, but be alert. Pay attention to the enemy.

She took another deep breath, and threw a punch at Billie in an attempt to catch her off guard, just to see if she could actually manage to get past her impenetrable wall of amazing reflexes. Besides, enemies tend to fight back, as far as Athaera could tell.

OOCSorry it's so short

[Billie]

oocDon’t worry bout it

The slight accomplished look in the teens eyes when Billie comented on her efforts was enough to tell Billie that it was definitely positive reinforcement that would work best here. All thoughts of their previous conversation was gone. She wasn’t going to let up now until the kid had succeeded in blocking her strikes. It gave her a kind of rush, being a teacher. Made her feel more powerful, more powerful than she probably was. She shook the thought away and went back to concentrating.

She didn’t block either strike well enough, and it was a good thing Billie had been punching so lightly. She didn’t want to knock the girl out, after all. When Athaera hit back, it surprised her more than it probably should have. Billie was still able to block the attack, but she grinned “That's good, but when you attack, try throwing multiple different attacks at a time. That way there’s more chance one will make it’s mark.” She instructed her, looking impressed at her initiative.

Billie punched again, once, twice then she stepped back with her fists up waiting for the teenager to retaliate. The ‘fight’ was slow and choppy, but it was a slight improvement on the ‘You punch, I block, I punch, you block’ tactic she’d have before. The girl’s stance had improved, and she did look frustrated, but Billie was impressed with her resilience. “Keep at it, and maybe you’ll hit me eventually” Billie prompted her, trying to leave weak spots in her own guard on purpose to see if the girl would notice them and attack.

[Athaera]

Athaera was happy she was finally learning to fight, and by her facial expression, Billie seemed to feel the same with teaching. It was fun, and Athaera enjoyed it, even though she was terrible at it. Athaera could feel her mind wandering again, and attempted to bring her thoughts back to concentrating. You won't get any better if you don't pay any attentiion to what your doing, she corrected herself. Fighting was an art, in Athaera's eyes, and it took practice, plenty of practice, and plenty of concentration.

When she saw Billie's smile at Athaera's unexpected attack, she was happy even though Billie had managed to block it. it was obvious that Billie had been surprised, and Athaera listened as she eplained some more techniques. "So... like an punch and a kick at the same time?" she asked, just to clarify. Athaera's eyes had turned to a bright green, a sign of hapiness. She was happy that the woman looked so impressed.

Billie threw two more punches, and the first Athaera missed again. But on the next one she had a stoke of luck. She watched Billie's fist, and when it got close, she attempted to use her palm to guide it, and managed to movie it over. She wasn't fast enough to guide it completely past her, but it hit her shoulder, rather than her chest. A smile tickled at her lips, and she let it spread into a grin, as gthey continued the... Athaera wouldn't quite call it a fight, but she threw another punch, and remembered what Billie had told her about multiple attacks at the same time, and threw a kick in too. She attempted to quell her frustration as best she could, trying to maintain a rythmic breathing pattern to help her relax. In through her nose, out through her mouth. She made sure to concentrate on her posture too, making sure her hands were by her face. She scanned Billie for weak spots, though she wasn't sure what exactly she was looking for. Maybe an error in her posture? As the slow punch-kick-block "fight" continued, she concentrated more, maintaining her posture and breathing.

[Billie]

“No, not a punch and a kick t the same time, I mean string your attacks together, one after the other, aiming for different places.” Billie amended, though she could feel her temporary student improving. Billie notice the girl’s eyes change colour to shine a beautiful emerald green. Seeing as the teenager was smiling, she figured this meant some form of exhilaration, a reaction to the adrenaline. She was beginning to get better at blocking, which was good, and bad news. Because the better she got, the harder Billie was going to fight.

The punch wasn’t quite guided past her, but it had missed its intended mark “Good. You’ll get faster with time.” Billie said just to spur her on. She wished Sadie could see her now. Because THIS is how teaching was done. Not the barbaric methods she’d suffered through. Keep focused, Billie that little nagging voice in her head chirped up, and she went back to the fight.

Now it was the kid’s turn to an attack. She threw a punch, following it up closely with a kick. Both were easy to stop, and so Billie shut them down instantly, and, out of instinct more than anything, grabbed Athaera’s leg and yanked her forward to unbalance her, and probably take her off her feet and to the ground. Grinning, Billie let her go to see weather she’d keep her cool, or get too frustrated “Don’t leave yourself only one foot firmly on the ground for too long, kid.” She said, stepping back once more to allow the girl to get to her feet once more.

She made a beckoning motion with her hands “Come on, what are you doing down there slacking off! Get up!” She said smirking and bouncing lightly in place “Is that all ya got girl? I’m barely breaking a sweat here!” As a sort of test, Billie left her head and chest wide open, pushing her fists too far down. This was because not resetting the guard after blocking a kick was a common mistake, one that she might encounter when dealing with other un-experienced fighters. Would she pick up on it and target Billie’s weak spot? It depended on how clear a head she was able to keep after Billie’s taunting.

[Athaera]

Athaera nodded. That made a bit more sense. "Okay." She thought that over a bit. A punch to the head, then a kick to the leg, or something like that. She enjoyed learning this, and wondered what had kept her from learning things before. Athaera was glad that Billie was going easy on her right now, but hoped she would go harder as time passed, because this would be easy for a more experienced person.

When Bille said she would get better, Athaera smiled. "I hope." But with such a good teacher, she knew she would. When athaera threw her punch and kick, both lingered for a little too long, and the woman took advantage of this, yanking Athaera forward and pulling her off balance. She yelped, and landed on the ground. A stinging sensation appeared on her knee, but it was probably just a little cut, and would stop bleeding in a few minutes. Grunting, she got up, brushing the dirt off her legs and arms. Though she was a bit frustrated, she knew it was just another thing that she would learn to fix. Athaera remembered to be a bit faster with her attacks, and made sure she would do this next time. She tried to clear her head, but was unsuccessful. She attempted her counting down technique.
Ten.
As Athaera saw Billie's smirk, she quickly got back into fighting position, as the practice "fight" commenced.
Nine.
Athaera scrutinized Billie's body, to try to copy her, but saw that her arms were a bit low, and she left her chest vulnerable.
Eight.
Athaera threw a punch, pulling her fist back quickly, following it with a kick to the leg, and pulled back as fast as possible so she wouldn't be caught off balance. She didn't want another scratch on her knee, maybe worse than the first one. She hoped it would stop stinging soon, but pushed the thoughts out of her head, ignoring it, and trying to keep her head clear. She'd stopped counting, because she was more relaxed, and continued to listen to Billie's tips.

[Orion Michaels]

Yousa

Wantsa

GRADE?!

 

Billie

Experience

Unarmed Combat	+1
Endurance	+1
Observation	+2
Socialization	+2
Rhetoric	+1
Teaching	+2

Lores.

• Athaera: Awkard, Apologetic Teen
• Teaching Technique: Demonstrate and Perform
• Athaera: Improving Student

 

Athaera

Experience

Observation	+3
Socialization	+2
Unarmed Combat	+2
Philosophy	+1
Endurance	+2

Lores.

• Billie: Martial Arts Woman
• Defense before Offense
• Guiding a punch away with your palm

 

Notes

Nice thread, you two. I thought it had a pretty decent flow which can be difficult to achieve when writing combat. Billie, a note for you. Make sure you don't overplay your teaching. Prior to this grade, she had 0 in teaching. Diving right into a lesson and executing it without any issue is pretty difficult for someone without some talent in teaching, trained or otherwise. Just keep it in mind.

Thanks for the thread, and PM me if you have any questions.