you can; [ closed ]

[reuser]

Who: Captain Abe no Sousei ( deontology ) and Pyrrha Nikos ( reuser )
When: IC: Forward dated to 12/26.
Where: A dojo that may or may not be reserved for Sousei's private use.
What: Sparring and friendship!
Rating/Warning: Nah. Unless you count Sousei's ponytail as a trigger.

[ Sousei and Pyrrha’s sparring sessions have been erratic, snatched up on the rare event both of them could find time. In them, Pyrrha has demonstrably held back with her semblance. He had already been astute enough to observe her odd interactions with the CERES-provided robot custodians. Pyrrha likes Sousei well enough, yes, but that is a far cry from trusting him with the secret of her success - a goddess of victory doesn’t remain such by revealing herself to every acquaintance, after all. Without it, their spars are economical, almost restrained; she may be happy to let him believe her ability a reflection of that restraint but it’s been clear from his past remarks that he does not buy it.

It’s not underperformance. She’d never do Sousei the discourtesy of weakening herself. No, her restraint has been far more precise, this movement traded out for that movement, with all the subtlety of a knife’s edge.

It doesn’t take her long to get bored of it.

This time, Pyrrha’s decided, she’s going to let loose with the full breadth of her techniques. The secret to her success is a lot wilier than he might expect from her but she’s thinking - hoping, even - that he’ll notice regardless of whatever pre-conceived notions he may hold.

That’s for then, though. Right now, she hovers outside the gym doors, breathing misting up the cold air as she waits. Although wrapped in a thick coat for the weather, her javelin and shield peak out behind it. ]

Comments

[deontology]

[Sparring with Pyrrha is a curious experience.

He doesn't know why she does, but he can tell that her techniques are different from what he saw before--though he is not sure what he saw before, he trusts his gut enough to know that that is the case.

There is a lot here, but even so, he's not expecting anything particularly different in this match-up. It's not his business anyway, until she decides that it is (if she ever does); he is here to provide her with a challenge and motivation to improve, as she's not getting that with Jaune or the others from her world. She's an incredible athlete and fighter, poised, sharp, clever and quick, but Sousei's older, with all of the experience and practice that extra years of combat can bring.

At the very least, he can provide her with things to improve upon.

For now, though, he simply strides up a few moments later (it's strange for him to be late, but alas, Tenka can be an excuse all on his own), and he nods to her as he approaches the doors.]

Nikos. Good day.

[reuser]

[ She straightens the moment he comes into view, her rather casual lean against the wall traded for the discipline expected of a warrior’s shoulders. If there’s one thing Pyrrha has been very careful not to do, it is to get too lax or take any aspect of this world for granted. There are far worse things, she knows, than to spar with someone who had begun with minimal expectations, who was still willing to correct her and push her. -- One day, she’ll tell him about Celebrity Athlete Pyrrha Nikos. Not today, and likely not tomorrow, but. Some day. ]

Hello, Captain.

[ He’s greeted with a smile to punctuate the show of respect, as ever. ]

Shall we? [ Indicating the doors. If he moves to go in, she’ll follow obediently. ]

[deontology]

[Truly, being around Pyrrha is reminiscent of being home. The respectful title, but also the smile--he misses Kiiko, and Ashiya, and Takamine.

It's strange to be without the squad he's been living around and with for what has been basically his entire life. But Pyrrha...she's similar to them.

He does push open the doors, nodding to her in response but not feeling much of a need to waste words in response. They're here to practice, and practice and spar they will. And when they are inside, where it is warm and at least passingly familiar (at least to Sousei, this being a dojo of sorts), he tilts his head at her.]

Have you warmed up? [If not, they can properly warm up together, he doesn't mind.]

[reuser]

Oh, sort of.

[ The breath of warm air that hits her upon entering the gym proper is a moment of relief. She’s already tugging her gloves off and fitting them neatly into her coat pockets. ]

I ran here, [ she admits. It’s more difficult to tell now, with the flush of exertion gone from her cheeks and her breathing normal. She regularly runs twenty plus miles so this journey had been only a smidgen of her usual exercise.

Besides, it doesn’t take her much to step into combat mode. Her muscles are perpetually limber. ]

So I should be fine, but thank you.

[ She catches the door, holding it open behind him for a moment longer. It would be terrible if it swung back and hit him, okay. ]

[deontology]

I see. Then that is acceptable.

[Sousei nods, because he trusts her to at least know the limits of her body and whether or not that was enough warm-up for her. Instead, as he walks in, removing his shoes respectfully as he does (this may not be a dojo exactly like home, but it is still a dojo), he moves on towards the practice swords.]

In that case, I am ready to begin when you are.

[If she wants to do other sparring things first, that's fine, but for now he's fine to just jump right into it, too.]

[reuser]

[ She considers the practice swords. She’s used them enough times before, although admittedly finding them rather boring. His world, it seems, didn’t have such a wide variety of weapons and intrinsic dependence accordingly, but Pyrrha’s found it difficult to get used to leaving Miló and Akoúo̱ behind.

As he slips off his shoes, she does the same. Her coat is shed and hung neatly beside. ]

Um, actually—

[ Somewhat shyly, her hands end up clasped behind her back. ]

I thought we could make things a little more interesting this time.

[deontology]

[He's been waiting for her to make this suggestion. Granted, he has no idea what that suggestion may actually be, but he has been waiting for this polite, mild-mannered young woman to finally bring up what she wants to practice and how. After all, it is clear that she is skilled in combat that they haven't even truly begun to attempt.

So there's not even a moment of surprise, as he turns his attention full on her and nods.]

I'm listening.

[It's said mildly, because he's rather certain that he's going to agree to whatever she suggests (Sousei, too, can get so very bored.)]

[reuser]

[ And Pyrrha is tired of holding back, she misses the adrenaline that came from several opponents at once, her mind and her body working in tandem. She’s bored, perhaps much in the same way he is, plainly and simply, which is why - ]

Why don’t we use our weapons from home?

[ A smile sneaks in, equal parts arrogant and hopeful. ]

Instead of calling it halfway, we can see who gets tired first.

[deontology]

[Weapons from home, huh. He's not really concerned about getting hurt, or in hurting her--if nothing else, they both have that fine-tuned sense of control that comes of so much practice, and focus. It characterizes them.

Sousei reaches for his proper sword, the heirloom that has seen him through so much, and suspects that even so, there is more to it even than this.]

...Very well then. I am willing to try that.

[reuser]

[ Now, the threat of a smile blossoms into something whole and unquestionable. Her eyes skim the edge of his blade, too quick to be rude, and then she heads over to the sparring mats proper. Her battle effort hasn’t been worn much since arriving in Cerealia and this is no exception, but she’s properly dressed for ease of movement regardless. Finding herself growing excited for true exertion, a real match, she bows lightly - his habit, something she’s adopted out of respect - and then moves into a beginning position.

With a flick of her wrist, her weapons are in her hands.

Come at me, bro. ]

[deontology]

[Technically as the challenger, it is Pyrrha's job to come at him--but he doesn't intend to nitpick at customs that she may not even know. So instead, he inspects her weapons thoughtfully, and then he does neatly take two strides forward, unsheathing his sword with a neat flick of his wrist and then lashing out with a quick, easy overhand strike.

This isn't even his proper fighting style, but he knows how to fight for a spar for certain.

He's sparred with the Yamainu every single day since their formation, and here he gets the opportunity to spar again with Tenka (though he is considerably less nice to Tenka, it's true).]

That was player error, orz

[reuser]

[ Immediately, Pyrrha is responding to his first strike with a deflecting parry. There’s force behind it, the swing to her arm light and quick rather than focusing on a surfeit of strength. With it is a burst of her Semblance; a pulse, small and almost imperceptible, intended to send his blade swinging a few extra beats back. If executed correctly, he should find his equilibrium disrupted.

She follows up with another strike, spinning inward to kick out toward his ankles.

Turns out, she's pretty ruthless in battle! ]

oh psh you're fine, kouhai

[deontology]

[It's...odd.

He knows by now what sort of force she exerts with her parries. He's experienced them for himself enough times that even the change in weaponry shouldn't cause such a large gap.

And yet his blade swings far further than her parry should have taken it, and he is indeed off-balance.

He compensates.

To fight against the way she pushed her sword (and how? The same way as that robot before? He's not sure) would just be silly, and would put him right in the way of her strike; instead, he lunges forward with it, stumbling forward in an admittedly inelegant, quick movement--but it does take him out of the range of her kick, if nothing else.

Neatly, in control of his sword again, he swings both it and himself around to face her again, tilting his head mildly. That was interesting. But for a moment, he doesn't move, analyzing what had just happened with as calm an expression as ever.]

[reuser]

[ He might wish to take a moment and analyse, but Pyrrha has no intention of giving it to him. He’s not any less guarded with his stance than usual but neither is he moving. Without hesitating, she takes full advantage.

Moving inward, she crowds him, refusing him space. Her shield is as much an offensive weapon as her shortsword now, and both come down without mercy. Again and again, skilfully trying to wear him out as soon as possible.

It’s unlikely, and Pyrrha well knows it, but it’s a decent enough strategy for the moment. ]

[deontology]

[It's a decent enough strategy.

But Sousei's quick on his feet, and even quicker at thinking up countermeasures; for the moment, he doesn't use his sword, sheathing it again even, and crossing his arms behind his back as if to add insult to injury. It's with neat, careful, quick movements that he avoids her strikes with her shield and her sword.

It has always been his method, after all, to fight like this. As someone who has never been physically strong compared to the other Yamainu, he learned other methods to become the strongest fighter they had--including this. And after a short period of time, he's rather certain. So when he finally does choose to strike back, it's with his sword--sheathed and all. The sheath of his sword, like most every Japanese sword, is made of a lightweight wood, not metal; it's with that that he finally strikes, ducking around a blow of her shield and swinging his sheathed sword neatly towards her back.

Either way, he'll get confirmation--that's good enough for him.]

[reuser]

[ Pyrrha is observant enough to notice the change in the way he holds his weapon. Even tucked inside its sheath, she would still be able to manipulate the momentum of the metal blade to turn it away from her. However, it would require significantly more effort; she’s less confident, even if only by a small amount, of her ability to concentrate and deflect the blow simultaneously. And, besides, it’s fairly clear he has an expectation of her next move and, perhaps contrarily, she decides to play into it. One lost match won’t kill her.

She pivots gracefully on one foot, catching the strike on the curve of her shield. It slides away smoothly, back toward him without any undue force.

Confirmation, there.

Sliding back, she regains equilibrium and power in her stance by dividing her weight more evenly between her feet. Sliding in, Pyrrha does her best to crowd him; her blows are quick and lightning fast. She’s keeping him on the defensive as best she can, not offering even a moment to catch his breath or consider his moves. ]

[deontology]

[Confirmation indeed--or, well, he's assuming it is, even if one action in a fight is hardly conclusive evidence.

For now, it seems like confirmation, and he'll take it. But he's more on edge than he was before--unexpected abilities must be treated respectfully and with care.

Which is why as she crowds him, launching blow after blow upon him, Sousei simply neatly ducks away from each, only using his sword to parry the blows when absolutely necessary--which is rare, as speed is his only major strength in battle.

Well. Speed and precision.

It's with that precision now that he ducks under a blow of her shield, closer to her and right into her personal space, and strikes in a neat, quick movement forward at her wrist with his still-sheathed blade, aiming for the joint.]