[open] because i can only be me

[simulatio]

Who: Goro Akechi and YOU
What: catch-all for august
Where: heavenly blanc, wall market; others tbd
When: yes
Content Warnings: threads with p5r spoilers will be tagged as such! please toss a comment on my spoiler opt-out post if you'd like me to avoid mentioning any p5/p5r spoilers in tags with your character.

Comments

[simulatio]

[Right for the face, huh? Tifa doesn't mess around, and honestly, Akechi appreciates it for the bare second he's allowed. It means she isn't starting by underestimating him.

And while his stance isn't good for taking a punch, it's not meant to. He'd been intending to dodge her first punch, bending his knees and leaning slightly to the left, but she moves much faster than he'd anticipated. Shadows as a whole make it obvious when they're about to attack -- Tifa, not so much. To his credit, he doesn't flinch upon taking the hit, catching it on his forearm as he ducks his head with a grunt more of surprise than pain.

The unexpected hit leaves him off-balance, but it doesn't stop him from trying to use that to swing around, aiming a punch with his left hand toward her sternum.]

[starshower]

[Tifa grabs hold of his wrist just moments before it grazes her, his knuckles almost pressed right to her chest, grip tight.]

Not bad!

[She uses the opportunity to wrap his arm around her neck so that she can swing around into a low kick meant to sweep him off balance.]

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Put your all of your weight into your knees when you brace them.

[Is this a spar or a lesson? ... Why not both?]

[simulatio]

[The noise that emerges from between his lips as she sweeps him is a weird one, an aborted curse trapped behind clenched teeth as he hits the ground hard. It's been some time since he's had to fake nice while fighting, after all, and it shows for a moment in the ugly expression on his face as he pushes himself back to his feet before he managing to mask it behind something much more neutral.]

I'll remember that.

[And then he charges in again, trying to fake with his left before attempting to snap a kick with his leg. Uniform slacks aren't the greatest pants for fighting, but he manages well enough. To a trained fighter, though, the fake is obvious, his weight such that it's clear he's going to kick. Unlike people, Shadows don't care how much a move is telegraphed before its executed.]

[starshower]

[She certainly notices that odd shift in his expression but pays no mind to it in the end. Maybe he just doesn't take too well to getting his ass kicked? She did say she wasn't going to go too easy on him, but she doesn't want to injure him either.

When he charges, Tifa can sense the fake out, watching how he carries his weight in his feet, and how the punch doesn't have quite the same weight as his knee does. Observation was an early part of her training, and she's fought enough Shinra grunts to know how to spot one.

She doesn't knock him off of his feet this time, but instead blocks the kick with her forearm, and then goes in for a high punch with her other hand, and as soon as he lowers his leg, she'll alternate fists, between left and right, high and low, with one aimed in the middle there somewhere.]

Next lesson, [she says between breaths.] A trained fighter will always spot a fake punch before it hits.

Use the momentum in your fist to land the kick instead.

[And then, she demonstrates exactly that.]

[simulatio]

[He's evasive, at least, though he doesn't have nearly the same level of grace as he possesses in the Metaverse. He tries to dodge her punches, though more hit him than he manages to block when he can't quite dodge. This is rapidly getting out of hand, but -- and he has to remind himself as her punch slips through his guard and smacks him in the sternum with a harsh whuff of air -- it's not a life-or-death situation. It's a learning opportunity.

At least her words warn him about the kick, and with breath coming harshly through parted lips, he twists to dodge it, dancing away and bringing his hands back up.]

So you're saying not to bother with a fake, but simply attack with everything you have?

[His eyes are narrowed as he tries to take what she's saying to heart, attempting to mimic that same flurry of blows, though he doesn't have near the speed she does, and obviously none of the stamina.]

[starshower]

I'm not saying that.

[She blocks his blows, one after the other, alternating between hands and even a leg at one point. Her breathing remains steady, eyes focused on his own, rather than where he lands his punches. When there's a break in their movements, she pauses to wipe the beads of sweat from her temple, and to explain.]

If you're gonna go for the fake out, use the force of your entire body. When you're throwing the fake punch, make sure that you use that momentum to swing your leg instead. And vice-versa.

[She demonstrates again: her right foot sweeps around but before she can hit him and knock him off his feet, her fist comes at him in a fast uppercut, stopping right at his chin before she slams a hand on his shoulder.]

Make sense?

[i have no idea what i'm talking about]

[simulatio]

Guh!

[It's several impacts in quick succession, and his eyes go wide and wild for a moment at the idea that she can beat him, and so easily. His eyes flick past her shoulder to his sword before he forces himself to reign it in, gritting his teeth as he inclines his head.]

I... yes. This has been... a valuable lesson, Tifa-san.

[A bruising for his pride, no doubt, but valuable nonetheless.]

...I suppose I should thank you.

[starshower]

[Sometimes people need a little bruising to their pride to improve, Akechi!!

Tifa slows her roll, a sheepish smile parting the enthusiasm in her expression, and she lowers her fists, relaxing her pose. She knows her strengths, and she can be a little hard on people sometimes, but going easy on someone never went well, either. It at least helps her to know where they're at.

Slowly, she glances over her shoulder to his sword.]

No need to thank me. Just remember what I said, and we'll call it even. But next time... I want you to spar with your sword.