|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 6:34 pm
He had agreed to this, so Saturday found Antony standing in the park, wearing his usual workout outfit of think judo pants and a white wifebeater. It was astonishing how white the wifebeater was, because he had been wearing it for every workout he had had since becoming a teenager. It spoke of how a**l he was... about... well, everything.
He half expected that no one would show up. He was positive that Chris wouldn't, if Chris even knew about it. It wasn't as if Chris needed the self defense training to begin with, so that didn't matter. Who else was there, though? Rory? Wisp?
He didn't have a clue who else was involved in the crazy super hero idea. He hoped not many.
To waste time while he waited he started practicing one of the "katas" his father had taught him. They wouldn't be found in any book, or any Earth bound fighting style, but they were good enough for him.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 10:36 pm
About the time the older by was into his katas, someone did show up: Rory. This had been her idea, so why would she miss it? Her mama even agreed that learning self defense would be a good thing. (Of course, Ze didn't know this was for the superhero thing.)
She was dressed in sweat-shorts and a tee. Her running shoes were always on, since they were useful when she wanted to run places. The traction they provided was wonderful!
"Hey, Antony," she greeted him, watching him work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:04 am
He glanced up, pulling out of his kata with a smooth motion and smiling slightly. "At least you showed up," he said. "We might as well get started, though. I've got some homework I want to get done today, and Father expects me to make dinner tonight." Which would consist of sandwiches and soup warmed up in the microwave, since neither of them could cook... still.
"You remember what I taught you last time?" he asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:45 pm
"I do," she replied, looking up at him with a smile. This was going to be so much fun! There it had been fun when he taught her before, and she was interested in learning more.
Then she looked around. "Shouldn't we wait for others, though?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:31 pm
"There's no harm in warming up while we're waiting," he told her. "Father makes you warm up in gym class, right? It's the same thing. We'll start with stretching," he told her, reaching down to touch his toes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 7:52 pm
"Sure!" she answered, knowing these warn ups well. Shade did this with the class, in school, after all. "So, your dad taught you all this?" she asked him, making conversation as they waited.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 9:34 am
"Yeah," he said, changing to the next stretch easily. "He's good at teaching this sort of thing, I guess." He stood once the stretching was finished, and looked at her for a long moment. "You're fast, right? I've seen you in gym before. With that speed we need to work on accuracy instead of strength," he told her.
He looked around, eyeing the park thoughtfully for a long moment before his eyes landed on the tire swing. "Come over here," he said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 9:46 am
She had finished her stretches while he spoke, watching him intently. So, his dad was good at teaching this sort of thing, so the Antony would be good as well. And if no one else showed up, at least she would learn something interesting!
And maybe Chris wouldn't worry, too.
"I took dancing lessons," she said, following him to the tire swing. "That's helped me out, with control and stuff. I don't fall on my face, or butt, or hit that many walls any more." Which was a big point in pride for her. The less she hit, the better she was getting!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 9:50 am
He eyed the tire for a moment. "At this time having Wisp here would be useful," he admitted. "But give me a moment," he told her, heading for his bag and digging through his things. He grabbed a bright blue highlighter and headed back.
"We're going to work on your accuracy with a moving target," he told her, drawing an X at the top of the hanging tire, one on the left side, one on the right, and one at the bottom. "See these?" he asked her as he stepped back. "You're going to hit them, and only them. You can hit, kick, slap, elbow, knee, even headbutt if you want. But you're aiming for theses X's."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:15 am
She nodded, looking at the little x's on the tire. "Okay, so, I just work at hitting those, while it's moving." Not that it was going to be so easy. Jumping onto a moving swing wasn't easy either, but she was willing to give it a shot.
"Okay then!" she grinned at him, getting ready to start.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:19 am
"Oooh, kinky foreplay!" Thanatos said behind him. "That or you're just plain strange, boy. What's with teaching her to fight when there's so many other things to do with her? Considering your special... tastes?"
"I'm going to swing it," Antony said, pulling the tire back slightly so it swung back and forth. "So aim as well as you can and try not to break anything."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:22 am
"Okay!" Rory answered, completely oblivious to the presence of Thanatos. She couldn't see, nor hear him. Which was probably a good thing, for Antony's sake. For both their sakes, actually.
But she geared up, watching it swing for a bit before she struck out at it with a palm (like she had seen in movies - movies and tv were so educational!). Hit hit missed just a bit, being a little too slow. She didn't give up, how ever and continued to try and get it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:26 am
"If you're going to hit it like that," he said, interrupting her play to take her hand. "Curl your fingers in and bend your hand at the wrist so the palm is flat. Keep your elbows close to your side and make sure you pull back fast enough they can't grab the arm. Which shouldn't be a problem."
"Ahhh, now I see the plan!" Thanatos said. "You're taking a chance to get close to her."
"Go ahead and try again," Antony said. Thanatos wouldn't be talking like this if he had ever seen Rory's boyfriend, that was for sure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:36 am
She took a moment to study, and getting the feel of this position and how to move correctly like this. it did take a moment, but once she was ready again, she grinned back at Antony. Seriously, she didn't see why Chris wasn't as nice to the older boy. He was nice! When he wasn't trying to be stuffy.
She, again, went to hit at one point on the tire. She didn't try for the other ones till she got the hang of this one. As it went, and she was hitting the blue x, a sudden dose of over confidence hit her, and she kicked at one of the marks now.
Her foot, however, was faster and missed it's mark, but it wasn't drawn back fast enough. Her leg was caught in the doughnut hole of the tire, tripping her up. She landed on her backside with a yelp.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 10:43 am
"Controlling your speed is a problem, isn't it?" Antony asked as he offered her a hand up. "You'll just have to keep practicing."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
