Lesson Three: Try Not To Kill Me (Solo)

[Blythe]

Spring 9, 511 AV Blythe placed her shoes by the side of the matt, before she crossed its expanse to where her teacher was waiting. As soon as she was standing no more than three feet before Kariha, the katana mistress, Blythe put her palms together, and then bowed her head respectfully. Kariha bowed her head as well, before the two women straightened themselves up. Kariha had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, today, Blythe wore her hair in the same fashion. A katana was strapped to the right side of her teacher's body. While Blythe remained unarmed. Soon enough, however, Blythe found her teacher holding a wooden practice blade out to her. There was no scabbard. Blythe took the wooden blade, and placed it in her right hand. "Thank you Kariha, and how are you today?" she asked. "Well and good," her teacher replied, before she took up the fighting stance. "Today, my dear, is your last true lesson. For today, you learn the art of attacking." Blythe smiled. Kariha unsheathed her weapon, and raised it so that it hovered menacingly before her. Blythe made sure to match her stance. "Now my dear, there are a few types of attacks. The first, is the lunge, as I am sure you have already seen." Blythe nodded, even so, her teacher demonstrated by stepping forward with her right foot, raising her left a bit, and then sliding it forward as her right knee bent, and her whole body leaned into it. While this was happening, Kariha had extended her right hand, and the blade as well, if Blythe hadn't moved out of the way, she would have been struck in the heart. As soon as her teacher had finished demonstrating, Kariha straightened herself back up, and resumed the starting position. "The next is the classic two-handed slice," Kariha explained as she placed her left hand on the sword, and her feet no more than eight inches apart. Each of them was pointing towards Blythe. Slowly, Kariha raised her blade over her head, and then it came crashing down; slicing violently through the air. "This is really only a good move if you are fighting someone who is already down... or really, really short." Blythe giggled. Kariha flashed a shy smile, and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Next, Kariha twisted her blade in her hands so that it was pointed down at the floor. She smashed it into the floor. There was a loud crack. "The finishing blow, which hopefully, you never need to use." Blythe nodded as her teacher assumed the fighting stance. "Then of course, there is just the average swipe," with that, Kariha began to cut her blade left and right through the air. "The most common move, the most simplistic. It often wares your opponent out and makes them more susceptible to falling victim to one of your attacks." Blythe nodded. She still looks like a darn ballerina with a blade. "So Blythe, why don't you try now? Anything you have just seen, or picked up from a previous lesson is now at your disposal." There was a slight pause. "All you have to do is attack, attack, attack, and hopefully, you will land a few hits. But be careful, for if you spend too much time in the defensive, I will try and strike you with my blade." Blythe nodded. "Fair enough." "Are you ready Blythe?" Kariha asked. Blythe nodded. "Ready." "Good, now lets fight," her teacher replied, as her eyes narrowed as if in concentration. OOCThis should be the last private lesson. From now on, Blythe will more than likely spar with other students to keep on learning.

[Blythe]

"Ready?" Blythe asked as she stepped forward and swung her wooden sword in a downward arc towards her teacher. Kariha easily swung her sword, and pushed Blythe's away. Blythe twirled to the right, bringing the sword around with her body in a wide circle. The move made her feel oddly like her teacher. Clack! their swords met again. Blythe turned to face her teacher head on, and then swiped her sword upwards. Kariha dodged her by side-stepping to the left. "Good, very good Blythe, keep it up," Kariha said. Blythe nodded as she twisted to the left, her ponytail swinging wildly around her as she fought alongside her teacher. Click! Blythe turned in the opposite direction and tried again. Click. Blythe's heart was beginning to pick up the pace as the two Konti women twirled around and the sound of their blades clicking together echoed through the pavilion. Blythe was always advancing, as her teacher remained on the defensive. She wanted to strike her teacher so badly, but the woman was far more experienced than Blythe, and she just didn't seem capable of getting her. Don't be so hard on yourself, she's had far more practice, after all, and the day is still young, there is plenty of time. Blythe sliced the sword upwards again. Nothing. The two were standing squarely, facing one another. Blythe stepped forward with her right foot. She leaned into it, pressing all of her weight into her foot. Her skin stuck to the matt as she leaned into it with her knee, and her left foot lagged behind. Her right arm extended outwards and towards her teacher; her sword was merely an extension of her arm. The blade was headed directly towards her teacher's neck. As it inched closer and closer, Blythe became more and more aware of how she was feeling. Her heart was pounding, her breath seemed caught in her throat. Her palms were sweaty, and several beads of sweat were trickling down the sides of her cheeks from her forehead. At the last second, just before Blythe's wooden katana made contact with her teacher's skin, Kariha took a half a step back, and swiped the sword away. You were so close that time. You almost had her. Quickly, Blythe pulled herself out of the lunge, and began to swipe wildly around with her sword. Up and down, left and right. Diagonally, vertically, horizontally. Over and over. Clack Clack Clack! She never could get her teacher. Starting to grow tired far more rapidly than she would like, Blythe decided she should try a different approach in order to finally strike her teacher. Her right foot was in front of the left, and Blythe pulled it back. Now, each of her feet were pointing towards her teacher. Neither was ahead of the other, and they remained no more than eight inches apart. Blythe moved her right foot back again, so that it was behind her left, and it appeared as though she were taking up the fighting stance; but her sword had fallen into the wrong hand. Perhaps if she thinks you're retreating, you can catch her off guard. Blythe smiled shyly, as she moved her right foot back into the space it had inhabited only seconds before. With her step came her arm, swinging around in a small circle. The blade remained pointed outwards, away from Blythe's body and toward her teacher. It was headed right towards the place where Kariha's right arm and shoulder met. As Blythe's wooden blade inched closer and closer, her blade caught again. Kariha began to back up and lift the blade to block when Blythe felt her practice sword make contact with bone. She had struck her teacher. Kariha smiled. "Very good Blythe, now do it again" she said as she resumed the starting position. Blythe did the same. Her body was feeling heavy and she was starting to grow tired. She didn't know if she'd be successful in striking her teacher again, but she'd sure as heck try. OOCMy internet cut out and my original post was deleted. =( I liked the first one better >.<

[Blythe]

Blythe stepped forward with her right foot. The left inched closer, only a moment behind. Her right arm moved forward, the wooden blade slicing through the air in a downward arc. Clack, her teacher easily swiped the wooden blade away. Blythe tried again by twirling the blade around and slicing in the opposite direction. Clack. Blythe inched forward while her teacher moved back. Their swords twisted from left to right, always clicking against each other in the middle of their movement. The area that lingered directly in front of the center of their eyes; right before their noses. As their blades clicked together once more, Blythe twirled around the area of impact, whipping her sword around, trying to swipe her teacher's shoulder. Kariha took a half step back, and positioned her sword diagonally across her body, blocking Blythe's attack. Click. Frustrated, the Konti stepped back, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she looked for her teacher's weakness. Her right hand was circling the hilt of her wooden sword, twisting the blade around as her palms continued to sweat. Both of Blythe's arms were dangling at her side as she and her teacher began to side-step to the left. Right foot would cross in front of the left. A slight bend at the knee, before left foot came out from behind the right, uncrossing the legs. The feet rested only seven inches away from each other between steps. The two Konti would stare at each other as they waited; then stepped again, perpetuating the dance. Circling each other like two sharks in a tank. Kariha's blade was still raised towards Blythe. She obviously expected the other woman to attack. Suddenly, Kariha lunged forward, extending her arm and her sword towards her student. Startled, Blythe staggered out of the way, before raising her own sword and attempting to bring it back down on Kariha's arm. Deftly, the teacher twirled out of the way. Blythe watched her go. She is getting away, and you should be attacking. Remember what she told you: attack, attack, attack! Blythe gave a slight nod as she leapt forward and swung her sword at her teacher. Click, Click, Clack! Up, down, left, right, their swords clashed together, over and over again. Finally, their swords locked together. The wooden blades were crossed, each of the women's hands brushing up against the other's as they held the hilt. They could see each other clearly through the cross of their blades. Each was pushing their blade towards the other. At times, it would inch closer and closer to Blythe's face, at others, it would linger between them, dead in the center. The blades seemed to shiver. Rarely, Blythe would inch the blades closer to Kariha's side. She could see her teacher sweating, feel the salty drops on her own skin. Their eyes flashing, locked in combat. Until, finally, Kariha pressed her right foot lightly into Blythe's knee and pushed off against it. The fighters stumbled apart. "That is enough for one day Blythe," Kariha called from across the matt. Blythe nodded, and gave a slight bow to her teacher with her head. "You are definitely improving," Kariha said as she gave a slight bow. "Thank you," Blythe replied as she crossed the matt to her teacher and handed back the wooden practice sword. "You should come back soon and practice with some of the other students," Kariha said. "Now that you have learned the basics." Blythe nodded. "Sounds good Kariha," she said, before turning around and walking back out of the doors that led into the pavilion. It was time for her to go home and check on Keyta.

[Alice]

Blythe

Experience: 3 Katana
Lores: How to Attack in Four Ways, Faking a Retreat, Using the Moment of Surprise, Locking Blades

Comments

Nice thread. I think you could get more xp if you tried to describe your moves more realistically, for example through mentioning things like pain from previous strikes, a slippery grip because of sweat or exhaustion. Just my 2 cents, okay?