redcladidealist | 17th Combo

Entry tags:

#video,
*ace,
*colette,
*death the kid,
*hungary,
*jade curtiss,
*karkat,
*kyou sohma,
*riku,
*tifa,
*vriska,
*yamamoto takeshi,
guardian,
saving the world,
this's why eridan can't have nice things,
training,
won't let you die

17th Combo - [Video]

There! I-

[Locked from Eridan]

-did it! Good. That'll keep him from listening in on this. Thanks, Genis. I owe you one.

[Yup, somebody begged his best friend to show him how to lock. That done, he turns his attention on the Dreamberry - and Somarium in general by extension. His expression is very serious, and perhaps a little chagrined.]

Hey, everyone. I... kind of need some help. I need to get stronger, so I need to train, but I also need help learning how to fight magic users. [He makes a face.] Especially magic users that can fly.

[No, he's not talking about anyone in specific. What makes you think that?]

Does anyone want to spar? Or have any advice?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yeah, Lloyd can feel the cold chill, and it's all he can do not to shiver. His heart is pounding. If that had been a real fight...

When Ace pulls back, he takes a deep breath, then laughs sheepishly, lowering his swords.]

I shouldn't have tried that last attack. Man, you're really good.

Haha, thanks. I wouldn't be a Knight of Hearts if I couldn't even fight properly.

But your attack wasn't completely flawed. Against someone as skilled as me it would have been trouble, but against some more of your level, it would have been all right. Most would probably just block rather than evade.

I can't count on the guy I'm fighting being worse than me, though.

[Lloyd ponders this for a moment.]

What would you have done?

If I were in your position? Just keep moving. It would have been close, but if you kept up with the momentum of your attack, you could have at least dodged the initial strike long enough to bring your swords back around to either counter or parry my sword to push me back.

Of course, I was aiming for your neck, so if I had gone for your chest that might have been a little more difficult.

If you wanted to still try for a double attack, you should take advantage of the fact you have two swords. Instead of having both go toward the same target, you should try having one go to one location and the other aim for another, but still free to maneuver in case something like that happens.

[He considers the advice for a moment, playing out the suggestions in his head. Then he lifts his swords, going through the last few moves of their fight. Parry, dodge, twist, then strike. This time, though, he angles one sword lower than the other when he attacks his invisible opponent, and once the attack is finished, he keeps moving, turning in preparation to block a possible counterattack. Only then does he stop, glancing at Ace for confirmation.]

Something like that?

Yeah, something like that!

Here, we can try doing it slowly to see if it would work in practice.

Yeah!

[He takes up position again, waiting only long enough for Ace to do the same, then he starts again, slower this time, but still following a natural rhythm. Parry, dodge, twist and... here comes the altered double-strike.]

[Ace follows, moving with the flow. he still evades, but he's also forced to bring his sword up to deflect the blade, angling it so that he's also covered in case the second comes at him.]

[Lloyd follows through with the motion of the attack, twisting and preparing to attack or defend. Then he pauses, evaluating the effectiveness of the moves as a whole.]

You're right. I think that works a lot better.

You wanna go at it again?

Sure. I don't really have much else to do.

[Lloyd smiles, genuinely pleased at the response. Yeah, Ace is probably better than him, but that makes it fun and a challenge!]

Okay, let's start over and see what happens!

[Now... let's see if I can surprise him.]

Edited 2011-09-13 11:05 (UTC)

Okay!

[and getting into position.]

Why do you fight with two swords, anyway?

It's simple math, right?

[Lloyd shifts into position, lifting one sword first.]

If one sword has a power of one hundred, then two swords...

[The other one comes up.]

That's twice as much!

[blinks before laughing.]

I guess that could be true. But it won't mean much if you can't fight with them. What if you lose one? Do you know how to fight with one sword?

I can, but I'm not as good as if I have two.

[He exhales, grimacing slightly. Never fun admitting weakness.]

You'd probably wipe the floor with me.

[laughs.]

Most likely. But that's what this training is for, right?

So you think I should practice with just one sword?

[If he sounds a little reluctant, that's because he is. He much prefers fighting in a style he's used to, where he actually feels competent.

Unfortunately, Ace has a point. Ugh, he's really not good at fighting with just one sword.]

It wouldn't hurt. At least know how to fend for yourself until you can escape.

[Lloyd nods, though he's really tempted to grimace. He had a feeling he's about to get really sore pretty soon.]

You wanna go another round with me? This time with just one sword?

If you feel up to it.

How about I'll stay on the defense and you just try some various attacks. I'll counter every now and then, however, just to keep things interesting.

We haven't been sparring that long. I think I can handle another round.

[Outclassed or not, he's not about to just roll over and turn that challenge down.]

Don't underestimate me, Ace.

[Already sheathing one sword and unbuckling the belt from his waist.]

You ready?

[just chuckles as he gets into a stance, casually holding up his sword.]

Whenever you are.

Then let's do this.

[Once he's put his other sword aside, Lloyd takes up position as well. He feels so awkward with only one sword in his hand, like he's off balance or out of position-

-and he is. Someone who's using only one weapon shouldn't be in a stance like that when they're about to attack. And when he lunges, striking out to test Ace's defense, there's a hole in his guard a mile wide.]

[...yeah that's. pretty sad, dude.

in fact, Ace doesn't even bother to try and block it. he just shifts slightly to evade and brings up his sword to lightly tap Lloyd's side with the side of his blade.]

Maybe we should work on how you actually hold and use the sword first, haha.

[Lloyd winces at the tap, not so much in pain but at the fact that he'd been tapped at all, with the full knowledge that that could have been a lethal attack if this had been real. Still, it doesn't stop him from flushing defensively.]

H-hey, I know how to hold a sword. I was using them just fine when I was using two, right?

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