Bones and Savio have another lesson with the Gladius
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Known as the Celestial Seat, Nyka is a religious city in Northern Sylira. Ruled by four demigods and traversed by a large crevice, the monk-city is both mystical and dangerous. [Lore]
Savio gulped as Bones walked over and examined the damage, but relaxed instantly once Bones clarified that it wasn’t that big of a problem. Savio still intended to pay Ximal back. If it wasn’t that big of a problem, then it shouldn’t been too expensive. But Bones’ tone and words confused Savio. Did he not understand that it was just a figure of speech? What other phrases did he not understand?
Savio shook his head from those thoughts and was once again focused on his teacher. When Bones motioned for him to move closer, Savio obeyed and then answered the teacher’s question.
“I am only a little better at fighting without weapons than I am with them. As for a style, I don’t have one. I have never been taught one. I haven’t even started my training with Ximal just yet. “ He was eger to learn though.
Bones nodded, not at all surprised Savio did not know a lot about fighting without weapons. Many a person did one or the other, learning only weapons, or only fist... Those people, Bones called fools. Since all it took was getting a weapon knocked from your hand, or to face a foe with armor or with a weapon with decent reach, to make one useless.
"Good, ssen you are in fine company, sssince I have never had formal training eisser. I ssink mossst of sse teachersss of ssisss ssschool had no formal training, and inssstead learned by fighting and ssstaying alive. Perhapsss we are sse better for it."
Bones readied himself, dropping into his opening stance, knees slightly bent, along with elbows bent slightly, pulled into his sides with the bend touching his chest. He stared Savio down, facing him directly, and motioned for him to come at him.
"Learn by doing. Come, and try and lay a fissst on me. or a foot, or whatever you choossse. I will defend myssself asss I sssee fit. And perhapsss ssen I will ssshow you my rule of defenssse, for when I attack you. I break down all defensssive movesss into ssree categoriesss. You would be sssurprisssed how universssally ssey work in combat. Perhapsss you will recall ssem from our weaponsss lesssson? What are ssey?"
Bones would ask his question, and then motion for Savio to come at him, ready to fight.
speech :
"Good, then you are in fine company, since I have never had formal training either. I think most of the teachers of this school had no formal training, and instead learned by fighting and staying alive. Perhaps we are the better for it."
"Learn by doing. Come, and try and lay a fist on me. or a foot, or whatever you choose. I will defend myself as I see fit. And perhaps then I will show you my rule of defense, for when I attack you. I break down all defensive moves into three categories. You would be surprised how universally they work in combat. Perhaps you will recall them from our weapons lesson? What are they?"
Bones is a Constrictor Dhani. He likes to eat meat. He also has some speech problems.
When he speaks, a double s (ss) means a [th] sound, that he cannot say.
A triple s (sss) means just an [s], but it is extended in his speech.
Savio gave a small smile as he mimicked Bones’ stance in front of him, like how they normally started off when training with swords. Savio raised his fists in front of his face, like he had seen some of the monks do when they spared out in the streets of Nyka.
Savio stepped forward into Bones’ space and swung a hard right, except it had no real power to it since most of the strength was based off of his arms. As he attacked, he answered Bones’ question. “The first one is block”
If it hit, he would follow up with another punch but from the left “The next one is direct”, and then he would attempt to knee his teacher in the gut. “And the third one is dodge.” His strikes were slow and unbalanced, and he hadn’t learned yet how to move his body so that it added more power.
Savio came at him, perhaps breaking his own concentration by speaking and doing at the same time. Perhaps not. But Bones felt it was better to focus on one thing, and to not split oneself. He came in withe the first blow, a right fist aimed at him, to which Bones took a step backward out of range of, not even letting it get close.
Then he slipped in a left, to which Bones guided wide with his palm on Savio's wrist, pushing it so the blow went wide and missed him, but still gave him control. For if he wanted he could turn the open palmed push into a grab, and yank on his arm to mess him up. Or not. But it was good for leaving his own options open.
He twinned this with a knee coming up to slam into his gut, or at least trying to. By this time Bones had pushed the second punch wide with his palm, so it well missed, and saw the ascension of the knee.
In response to this, Bones did a series of movements. He gripped with his right hand, trying to catch Savio's left wrist and take control of the limb, the one he had moments before been pushing with his palm. His empty left hand came down at the same time to Savio's kneecap and pushed against its motion slowing it, so it barely bumped into his chest.
Then Bones did one more pair of moves, he yanked forward with his right hand, if it had managed to get a grip on Savio's wrist as he had attempted, and also kicked at Savio's ankle with the nearest foot. For Savio had made one fatal mistake, he had given up his footing. If Bones succeeded he would have taken control of one arm with one of his hands, along with caught the knee and its leg with his other arm. Which left Savio with only one foot on the ground. Easy for Bones to swipe it out from under him and send him tumbling forward onto his chest, if it all worked. Especially since all these motions were made close together, in pairs quickly in succession.
If it worked, Savio would end up as a heap in front of Bones, laying out on his stomach.
Bones is a Constrictor Dhani. He likes to eat meat. He also has some speech problems.
When he speaks, a double s (ss) means a [th] sound, that he cannot say.
A triple s (sss) means just an [s], but it is extended in his speech.
Bones manhandled Savio just as well in unarmed combat as he did in armed. When Savio punched, it missed completely when Bones simply stepped backwards. Savio was thrown slightly off balance and when he struck out with another punch, it was guided away like it was a strong as a child’s punch.
Savio found himself getting frustrated by the time he attempted kneeing Bones’ in the stomach, but his mind quickly changed when the man easily slowed the attack with just his open hand and then gripped Savio’s wrist. The young student yelped slightly when the man kicked out Savio’s foot, causing him to fall flat on his stomach.
Savio groaned slightly from the floor. Savio rolled over onto his back so he could sit up and look up at his teacher. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you learn to move so fast?”
What would likely seem to Savio as an amazing response, or even difficult, was to Bones mind quite simple and straightforward when you broke it down.
Guiding his one punch that might have hit, so that it whizzed by, was quite easy, and Savio could likely even do the same to Bones if he tried. A punch was all about forward motion, and when you unexpectedly applied motion to the side by forcing it wide, it was easy to guide the punch were you wanted.
As for the knee, this was a combination of stopping the motion by force, while also stopping it before it could pick up to much speed. Bones intercepted it and pushed back before it could get fully moving, and with his full strength it was quite easy for him at least to stop the motion. Albeit that one might have been harder for a normal human to do.
Then his next move used a combination of brawling and unarmed to unseat the man when he gave up his footing. Perhaps even with a bit of the leverage so used and taught in wrestling. With a point of contact and having captured one arm and a leg, it only left him one arm and a foot to react. And by both pulling him forward by the wrist with one motion, while at the same time kicking out his foot to slide it back, it sent him landing in a heap forward onto his belly.
If you broke it down and thought it out, it was all very straightforward and simple, mostly all things anyone could do with some skill and training.
Bones looked down as he rolled over to pop back up and look back at him, a groan emanating. When Savio asked his question, he just shrugged and answered back.
"I didn't move fassster. I jussst did not keep pausssing like you do. I wasss ssstreamlined and fluid, moving from one ssing to anosser wissout pausssing for ssinking. You however, kept ssinking and hesssitating, consssidering optionsss and movementsss and recourssse. In time you will be able to do likewise, when sse movesss become practiced and sssecond nature, and you no longer need to paussse and ssink ssem ssrough, but sssimply do ssem."
"In a fight, it isss not alwaysss sse fassstessst or ssstrongessst who winsss, but sse one who doesss not paussse. I am no fassster ssan you, yet I move wiss conviction and trussst myssself ssat my movesss will work. You need to ssstop holding back ssso much, being ssso concerned. Eisser it will work or not, but pausssing will only hinder you. Your movesss must become fluid and trained, ssso you do not need to ssink and invent and consssider, but sssimply do."
Bones gave Savio a hand up, and took a few steps back.
What he said was true, and Bones had been fighting so long he felt as natural punching and kicking and breaking bones, as he did standing or walking or breathing. Perhaps more so.
"Ssso, once more? Or are you ready to ssstop?"
speech :
"I didn't move faster. I just did not keep pausing like you do. I was streamlined and fluid, moving from one thing to another without pausing for thinking. You however, kept thinking and hesitating, considering options and movements and recourse. In time you will be able to do likewise, when the moves become practiced and second nature, and you no longer need to pause and think them through, but simply do them."
"In a fight, it is not always the fastest or strongest who wins, but the one who does not pause. I am no faster than you, yet I move with conviction and trust myself that my moves will work. You need to stop holding back so much, being so concerned. Either it will work or not, but pausing will only hinder you. Your moves must become fluid and trained, so you do not need to think and invent and consider, but simply do."
"So, once more? Or are you ready to stop?"
Bones is a Constrictor Dhani. He likes to eat meat. He also has some speech problems.
When he speaks, a double s (ss) means a [th] sound, that he cannot say.
A triple s (sss) means just an [s], but it is extended in his speech.
Savio listened to his teacher’s words closely. Now that he thought about it, he had in fact hesitated before each move. He needed to stop hesitating, and his movements needed to become second nature. He wasn’t sure how to do that exactly other than constantly practice, which he was more than willing to do. And perhaps his determination was evident in his stone grey eyes.
Savio accepted the hand up and got back into a fighting stance. “I would like to give it one more try, if you don’t mind.” Savio said. He really and truly wanted to get the defensive portion down pact before moving on to offensive attacks. He wanted to become better and get stronger, so he could meet the next challenge.
Bones nodded as Savio said he wanted one more go, and went back to his read position facing Savio, knees and elbows slightly bent, eyes glaring at him, studying him. His breathing was nice and even, his body full of potential motion, potential attacks and avenues of approach. And then it was no longer just potential.
Bones burst forward, coming at Savio, relegating himself back to normal human strength, not showing off his above normal abilities, nor needing to for a simple spar. Especially with him on the offensive.
He started off with a left kick aimed at Savio's right knee, and then dropped his foot back to use it as a anchor point as he pushed forward and aimed a punch right at his gut. He jumped back out of range, gave himself and Savio a moment to compose themselves, but not long enough for Savio to attack, and then thrust himself back at him into the flow of combat.
He made several open palm strikes aimed at Savio, a few to the side of his head, one to his chest, and another to his left shoulder. None would do more than sting if they landed, but that was the point.
Then he would finish off while they were still close in punching range, by bringing it in to grappling range, and suddenly lurching forward to try and tackle Savio about the waist, and bring him to the ground with Bones on top, a simple enough take down, if a bit brute force a wrestling maneuver.
Bones is a Constrictor Dhani. He likes to eat meat. He also has some speech problems.
When he speaks, a double s (ss) means a [th] sound, that he cannot say.
A triple s (sss) means just an [s], but it is extended in his speech.
Savio watched closely as Bones shifted back into his fighting stance. Savio took slow, even breaths to calm himself so that he could keep a clear mind. His muscles tensed with potential energy, ready to strike out against Bones at any given moment. He didn’t want to disappoint his teacher. He wanted to show Bones that what he had been teaching the young acrobat had not been in vain.
Bones then quickly stepped into Savio’s space with trained grace and precision, and aimed a kick right at Savio’s knee. He didn’t have time to think, he had to react instantly. The young man quickly stepped back to avoid the attack all together, trying his best to uphold his stance. But Bones didn’t stop his assault, and continued to rush Savio with a punch to the gut. Savio used his open hand to quickly direct the attack away from his body like Bones had showed him.
The teacher then stepped back for just long enough for the two of them to readjust themselves before coming at Savio again with a fierce attack of open handed strikes. Savio was only able to block two of them, the ones aimed for his head and shoulder. The one aimed for his chest struck and made the young man take a step back due to the light force.
Bones then surprised Savio back attempting to get even closer and try to tackle him by aiming around his waist. Savio fell back on his training as an acrobat and was able to react in just enough time to twist his body out of the way of the attack, leaving Bones’ back open to attack. Without thinking, Savio gripped a hold of the teacher’s shirt and push the man past him, using Bones’ strength and momentum against him to fling him away.
Bones first kick was easily avoided similarly to one he had aimed at himself earlier, by stepping out of range. He also managed to use the palm push technique Bones had showed him to make the punch to the gut go wide and miss.
Then there was a flurry of his open handed strikes with both hands, barely himself even registering were they were aimed, just doing. Some were blocked or redirected, avoided, but not all, and several caught Savio in the chest. A decent number really, though if they had been a more fatal form of attack it might have been much worse than a light stinging feeling for a few chimes.
Then there was a tackle, an odd move a mix between brawling and wrestling, admittedly fighting skills he was not as trained in as his more formal and structured unarmed. Savio twisted out of the way, and used Bones own forward motion against him, making him land in a heap on the ground just past Savio.
Bones rolled onto his back, facing Savio.
"Not bad. You are getting better. Ssough you ssstill have much to learn. But in time, I ssink you will become a proper fighter."
Bones got back to his feet, and made the motions of dusting himself off from the landing, before facing Savio.
"I sssuppossse ssat isss asss good a place asss any to end. Perhapsss next time I will have you teach me a ssing or two about your moving ssing you use, I know you mentioned it asss a ssskill prior."
Bones paused for a moment, not being able to recall the proper word for acrobatics in common tongue. But he did his best to describe it so that Savio would know what he meant.
speech :
"Not bad. You are getting better. Though you still have much to learn. But in time, I think you will become a proper fighter."
"I suppose that is as good a place as any to end. Perhaps next time I will have you teach me a thing or two about your moving thing you use, I know you mentioned it as a skill prior."
Bones is a Constrictor Dhani. He likes to eat meat. He also has some speech problems.
When he speaks, a double s (ss) means a [th] sound, that he cannot say.
A triple s (sss) means just an [s], but it is extended in his speech.
