Solo [Tall Johnny's]A First Lesson

[Ssafirsotibones]

2 Winter 514 The next day, Bones returned to Tall Johnny’s for his first real day of work. The first day had been more of a test of sorts, and a finding of a job. He’d had to prove he had the needed skill to fight which was required to teach others to fight. After all if his own level of fighting was low, how would he ever bring the others up to a reasonable level of skill? Bones had apparently passed, and was now on his way of working out a new job at a new place. Sunberth it seemed did have a need for fighting, those skilled in it, and in becoming more skilled in fighting. Perhaps not in the same ways as Nyka, but it was still valued all the same. Heading back inside, it was earlier in the day than his last visit. This time there were fewer people, though the tables still had a few hard core gamblers sipping at drinks and playing games. He assumed that their busiest time would be night, when those with legitimate jobs were off work, and could spend their freshly earned mizas. If nothing else the main fights were then, later in the day or deep into the night. It made sense then why he’d been called to instruct early in the day. His instruction area was less than ideal, made more for two men to beat each other to a bloody pulp, more so than to be a conductive learning environment. The fighting area was a fifteen foot by fifteen foot squared area of packed dirt. Judging by the state of it, and the amount of redness to it, many a person had bled there, wetting the dirt which had in turn then dried out, leaving an odd crust in places. It was hard to call dirt dirty, but this certainly qualified. The fighting area was recessed into the ground, with a seating area all around it consisting of tiered seating slowly growing higher the further back one got. Currently there were a few people in the stands, by the looks of them drunk’s sleeping off a nights drink, and possibly one man that was dead. When after a chime or two he shifted slightly, and let out a loud cough, Bones realized he was still alive. Though judging by the amount of his skin that was normal looking, and not bruised, swollen, or in varying states of off colored healing, he was only just alive. Perhaps he was a fighter from the night before? Though if he had won his fight or lost Bones could not fathom. About the fighting area consisting of the dirt floor, was a metal fence. It was a good ten feet high, and completely encircled the fighting area. There was a door in the metal fence off to a side, a gate, which was currently open. Likely when a fight was going on the door would be shut and barred. These were what Bones had to work with. Now he just needed students.

[Ssafirsotibones]

After another few chimes, Bones students of sorts showed up. Three for now. One looked too young to be fighting. He didn’t even have hair on his chin, and didn’t look like he’d be able to grow any there for another few years. He looked human, not quite as tall as Bones, with blonde hair on his head and a slim build. However it was also clear he was not weak. He had a ropy strength about him, and though he had several large bruises on his bared chest, and a black eye, he stared back at Bones with a heat, unflinching in nothing but a pair of shorts. The second was an older man, though not elderly even by human standards. Not quite middle aged or going to seed either. Dark black hair, he had only a few bruises on his arms, and from the look of them they were defensive wounds. By the way he held himself, his stance, his arms, and his wounds, it seemed he might be a decent fighter, at least compared to the well worked over youth. Last was a somewhat shorter human, perhaps five and a half feet. It took Bones a moment, unfamiliar as he was with human anatomy, to realize that this was a woman. An easy mistake considering how solidly built she was. Her arms were solid and muscular, at least as big as the youth’s legs. She had bright red hair, blue eyes, and a clear desire to prove herself. Bones, having come from a female led race, didn’t think any less of her or her fighting skill based on her gender. It didn’t occur to Bones that others might not think similarly. He still had much to learn of humans though and their ways, even after the decades spent living amongst them. Slapping his hands together once for attention, Bones indicated for them to meet him just outside of the gate to the cage. He himself would go inside, and then would one by one call them inside to face him. The first was the youth. Bones stared at him for a moment, how he stood, how he held his weight, and handled himself. “Punch me.” A simple command. After a confused moment the youth understood, and came at Bones as a charging bull, cocking back an arm as he neared and flinging it at Bones. As he came at him Bones Simply stepped to the side and bent away. His speed carrying him, the boy missed Bones and kept on charging past. As he wheeled about and came back to face Bones, he spoke a single word to the boy. “Dodge.” Motioning for him again to attack, Bones allowed him to grow closer to him. This time as he attacked in a series of punches, a few high aimed at his face, some low aimed at his chest, Bones came in under his guard and diverted them. While appearing to do little, and using a seemingly simple technique, Bones diverted the attacks. Each time a punch came at him Bones pushed the blow wide so as to miss him. With the higher punches Bones aimed his open palm at the youth’s wrist and pushed. Each in turn missed, breezing by with a huff of air. Bones used the boy’s own energy against him, and chose a new direction for it using a minimum of his own force. With the lower blows Bones used some two handed thrusts, pushing at two points, the wrist and forearm, and some one-handed, aimed at the side of the fist and the wrist. As the youth finished his blustering frenzy of blows, Bones once more spoke one word. “Redirect.”

[Ssafirsotibones]

Redirection was a simple technique in theory and principle, but was deceivingly tricky to do in practice. One had to pay attention to a foes movements, and react before the attack reached them, almost predicting their motions before they were fully performed by the body’s signs and tells. It was also a very fluid technique, requiring the user to be able to react and alter his plan on a moment’s notice. If a punch turned into a feint, then a redirect would need to be changed greatly. Along with that directionality was important. One had to figure out where to apply pressure, which way the blow was moving, which direction it was desired for the blows to go, and where they should put themselves and their own body so as to cause that end result. It was especially useful for smaller weaker foes against bigger or stronger ones, as it allowed then to use their foes energy and momentum against them, while using little of their own strength. They could then tire out their foe with little effort, and then come in at the end of the fight fresh. At this point the youth was getting quite aggravated, at Bones casual dismissal and avoidance of his blows. Anger was growing in his eyes, and his breathing was quickening as he worked himself into a frenzy. Once more he came at Bones, one arm cocked back ready to strike, the other held outward across him in a half defensive gesture. Bones stood his ground and let him come right at him, ready to instruct his students in his last defensive technique. As he reached Bones and swung his arm around, Bones spoke another word, and brought his own hand up to meet the boys. He held out his open palm and let his foe drop into it with his own fist, stopping the motion before it was fully committed, and could gain full momentum, pushing back the way the fist had come. If it had been a full strength punch, one fully enacted, Bones likely could not have done as such, at least not without revealing his full Dhani strength. But by arresting its motion and meeting it halfway, he had stopped it. Using an equal pressure in the opposite direction of the punch coming at him, he had halted it. Bones met his eyes as he said his third word of the day. “Block.” With that Bones yanked on the man’s hand, pulling him off balance and forward. With his second hand he grabbed at the back of his neck and tossed the boy forward in a flip. One moment he was coming at Bones, the next his punch had been stopped, the next Bones had taken possession of his limb and used it against him to flip him head first over himself. The next he had landed in a heap, lying flat out on his back. Grappling and flips and such applications of leverage was more of a wrestling move, but when tied in properly with unarmed combat it worked well as a finisher. The youth now at Bones feet let out a groan, and slowly rose over a few chimes to standing, rubbing at his back. Bones spoke again, this time more than loud enough for all to hear. “Dodge, redirect, and block. All to not be hit. Learn it, and you will do well.” Bones smiled to himself for a moment, having managed to pronounce every word he’d used properly. But then he’d also planned out his words specifically so he wouldn’t have any issues with tricky S’s or Th sounds. With such a physical skill talking wasn’t necessarily a large part of training it, and so perhaps he could get away without revealing his speech issues.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Having invited the others inside of the cage, Bones had paired up the fighters to go over in turn his three techniques. One would come at the other, and the defender would use the three to not be hit. Then the other would go. At the other end of the cage was the youth and the female fighter. While she was strong for her size, she was not much more skilled than the boy, and so they were more or less evenly matched. The older male paired with Bones was better than either of the other two, and was quick to pick up the techniques. Since Bones already knew them he attacked in steps, giving the other ample time to learn and go over each of the three defensive techniques, while pausing between each bit for him to reassess and reengage. Better for learning to break it into chunks, instead of one great big fighting session. First Bones came at him straight, a punch aimed right at his head, followed quickly by a left at his chest, which was a feint aimed at his gut. He managed to deflect the punch at his head easily enough, sending the blow over his head, but the feint caught him off guard. He’d reached for the chest punch with an open hand, but did not react in time to the change in direction of Bones’ blow. As the gut hit struck he let out an “oof” of air. Bones stepped back for a moment to let him catch his breath and gather himself, before coming at him again. This time he made a bunch of quick jabs, something Bones had picked up in boxing, individually weak but tough to deal with in large numbers. Unlike a stronger more full force blow by the time he had started to react to it, the blow was over and the next was coming. After getting hit by three or four of these he finally brought both his arms up in a defensive posture, trying to ward off Bones’ blows. If it had been with the other two he would have kept things simple, but with this one’s better fighting skills he needed a challenge, and to really be pushed. Mixing up fighting styles was a good way of doing that, of keeping him on his toes. After pressing on with this for a few more moments, Bones switched back to simpler but stronger punches, forcing him to un-turtle and react once more. Bones made this a bit simpler, giving him a chance to win for a bit, deflecting and dodging Bones’ attacks in equal measure. It was all just a test to Bones, a feeling out, a reading. Once he had caught on to his defenses, it was the next step to defeat them. As he cocked his arm back to block he left his left side open. Bones made another blow, a feint, coming in on the right side. However it was a feint, and seizing the opening Bones caught him a blow to the side of his head, knocking him to the side in a stumble. After a moment he shook his head and stared back at Bones, letting out a short back of laughter, before launching into an attack of his own, bringing the attack back at Bones. Bones smiled at the human, and at his tenacity. If this one had made it to such an age in a place such as this, he clearly had skills. Perhaps then this teaching job wouldn’t be so bad…

[Matthew]

Bones

Experience Points:

• 1 Boxing
• 2 Observation
• 1 Socialization
• 3 Teaching
• 2 Unarmed Combat

Lores:

• Teaching Basic Unarmed Combat Defensive Techniques
• Effectively Combining Combat Styles

If you have any questions or concerns relevant to your grade, don't be afraid to send me a private message so that we can work it all out! Please remember to mark your Grading Request as Graded.

A shout-out to Ollic Rimesage, who was kind enough to make this template for me.