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 Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:30 am
It had been quite a while since they had met, since Tambrey had first expressed an interest in learning, but in the time since that mission against Team Galactic, she had found her desire to learn grow quite a bit.
Basic training was well and good, but it didn't quite cover everything; it didn't leave her confident in the things she'd found herself doing.
On the mission, she'd seen Aulus wield his staff and her mind had played on the that and upon their first meeting. It had also replayed much of the engagements and she'd been disgusted with how often she'd used Lasi and Palu to confuse or blind while the one successful moment of combat she'd managed had nearly led to her being on the receiving end of an angry Abomasnow's attack.
There was quite the scar now, upon her once broken arm, to remind her of that encounter.
So, after a few weeks of healing, debating with herself and focusing on some pokemon training, she'd sent a request and hoped that Aulus would pick it up.
She wanted to learn; how to defend herself, how to fight without such a reliance on pokemon, how to move and anticipate another's move when she needed to.
Once arranged she'd worried over the appointment and arrived at the training room quite a bit too early after rather too little sleep, but still she looked forward to this.
It was a good first step; she only needed to look at any of the scars she now had, or feel the phantom aches they carried, to remind herself of such.
She warmed up while she waited; honestly, she had no idea what this would entail, but basic training and any exercise always involved a warm up, so she went through the routine of stretches she was used to using for a work out.
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:23 am
It was long enough now since the mission that he wasn't limping anymore, and that the burns he'd acquired were faded to fresh pink skin by and large with a couple of little patches that had scarred up. Not bad on the whole, and he was very grateful to be able to exercise again, he'd felt like he was going nuts being so inactive. Any excuse to do a bit more was a good one in his book right now, as was a bit of variety which this afternoon promised to be. Plus of course it would be good practice for him; he was drawing up plans for a class and it would be good to try out the start of the progression just one on one.
When he entered the training room his student was already there, which was good as he really hated waiting. "Good to see you here already Tam," he nodded as he kicked off his sandals and put them out of the way against the wall. "Feeling fit and ready to get started, I hope?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:21 am
Her own sandals were already near the door and she was wearing what she'd thought to be appropriate. It wasn't exactly a dojo uniform but, in trousers and a work-out top, hair tied back into her ponytail and contacts instead of glasses, she looked prepared enough.
A glance by her shoes would reveal that she'd brought a towel and a bottle of water with her too- clearly expecting a work out.
"Erm. As ready as I can be without really knowing what to expect." Tambrey admitted with a slight nervous smile, before adding "So... Do I call you, er, Sensei for this?"
She'd assume so, but she felt it would probably be better to ask in case it was something he didn't like the idea of.
The grunt rose slowly out of her stretch and walked a few steps toward Aulus, then waited for direction.
"You're looking well by the way. 'S good." After the mission, she meant, but it seemed unnecessary to specify that.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:15 am
"Oh," Aulus blinked, "Hadn't thought of that. I suppose so, to be official and that.... And thanks. Good to be back on my feet. How much have you warmed up already?" He should probably have something like a lesson plan. He didn't. Abruptly he felt a little nervous, and wondered if he actually knew what the hell he was doing here. Where should he start? Where had his first Sensei started with him? He couldn't remember. Wank. Well he'd just have to make it up as he went along he supposed, how badly wrong could this go? No problem. He'd wanted to do this. Definitely good that he got to practice teaching on just one person before he asked if he could take a class.
"Oh, and are there any particular weapons you're interested in learning to use in the future, if we keep this up for a fair while? If it's not one of my usuals I'll need to buff up on it, I don't mind doing that just so long as you don't chop and change your mind about what you're interested in." There, good, thinking ahead. He could introduce her to weapons sooner than he had been allowed at them he thought; part of the reason they were introduced later in the belts was a trust thing, and it wasn't as if he had to trust her not to use the skills she learned to beat the crap out of people because beating the crap out of people was kind of the point in their line of work.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:22 pm
"I know what you mean, a bit. I hated when my arm was broken. I mean, sure, I could move around, but, well, any injury- you know- kind o' limits your freedom." She rubbed, self-consciously, over the scars left there and found herself, perhaps a tiny bit rudely, catching her eyes on some of Aulus' scars as she looked back to him. With a slight tick of her jaw, she quickly moved on.
"Ah. Uh. I was wondering about that. I thought I was probably right, but I didn'a want start calling you Sensei if it was something you didn't like. Sensei." Mentally she cursed herself; that had sounded so stupid; she'd chosen to add 'Sensei' on the end after hearing that he didn't mind- that it was correct- but now it just sounded awkward.
Two things she didn't mean to do already.
Well. Perhaps she could make up for that.
"I'm actually... kind of interested in, uh, that stick you use; it seems like the sort of thing that'd be easy t' get ahold of in different situations and so, y'know, that'd be useful. Also... It doesn't /seem/ quite like it's as, um, fatal, as something like a gun could be so easily." She explained, feeling ever more awkward, but feeling like it was important to justify her choice and the reasoning she had beyond 'I saw you do it and was impressed'.
She pushed on just a little, making an effort to add the last.
"I, uh... Well, you know- I want to be able to fight, but..." Even making the effort, she still left off for him to finish that sentence on his own.
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:49 am
"Mmh. Yea. Injuries are no fun." Aulus was rather gruff on those words, wholeheartedly agreeing with Tambery but not knowing or trusting her well enough to discuss how he'd hated the long period of forced inactivity caused by the deep cut to his leg. It still wasn't right of course even now as evidenced by how he'd managed to bugger it up on the raid, but at least he'd knocked himself out and nobody had seen him unable to walk.... Damn he must have a massive and fragile pride to be thankful for being knocked out and nearly falling to his death over having to lean on somebody for support.
"I'm sure we'll both get used to the Sensei thing, but if it gets too weird we can drop it; this is sort of an experiment," Aulus said with a shrug, and though he still sounded a trifle gruff his tones at least weren't actually unfriendly. Breaking eye contact, he started to stretch. "It's a bo staff," he informed his student as he carefully tested his left leg, "and it's not easy to just get hold of; might look like just a stick but it's a precision tool... guess you could apply the skills to something makeshift but a bo is much much much stronger than, I dunno, a branch you might find lying around not to mention the balance. Still," he looked back up at Tambery briefly before going on with his stretches, "It's a good weapon defensively and offensively and as you say it's not like a gun or even a knife, can knock people out rather than kill or risk killing."
If you knew what you were doing you could that was; a high speed blow with a large piece of wood (or metal, he was thinking a lot about that telescopic staff he'd seen Tethys with) could easily crack a skull in the wrong place or with just a bit too much force. No need to go into that right now though because despite that fact the bo was amongst the best he knew the whole 'not killing' thing; there was no comparing it to a bladed weapon.
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:03 pm
"Aaand /now/ I feel like a lab Ratata..." Tambrey joked, though found herself making a mental note that, after so much time spent around the science department, the comment didn't quite leave her mouth with the humour she'd intended it to carry. Eh. Well. "I'm sure it's fine; 's not weird so far. I don't really think I'll end up finding it weird."
"Bo staff, right." She repeated. The temptation was a little too great and, cringingly, she found herself adding "I knew that" in somewhat an unconvincing tone. She fell silent, taking mental notes and listening to what Aulus said of the bo staff, making a few nods and noises of understanding as he explained its role as a precision tool. Ah... So, there went her 'broom handle' idea. Then again, actually, on the last two missions she'd been on, there'd not been a broom in sight anyway- branches though, yes. Hrm. Well, this was still very useful anyway.
"Right, see. That's what I mean and kind o' what I wanted; I don't... like.." She paused and changed her mind on her wording "Well, it's not that I don't like them, but I don't like what it's easy to do with a sharp blade or... even more so wi' a bullet. I guess I should probably learn to shoot at some point or something but I want something that doesn't have to... stab or y'know." She explained. "Defensive is good. And... I know it /could/ be used /that/ way, but.. Y'know. I don't want to do that."
The grunt stopped and gave a half-hearted attempt at continuing her stretches and warm-up.
"Oh, uh." Right, he had asked, but she'd been so eager to answer and ask about things herself and getting caught up looking at scars... "Sorry, I have warmed up a bit. Sort of... skipped over that just then. Wasn't sure if there was something specific I was supposed to be doing though?"
There. And that was a useful thing to ask, too, she was sure.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:12 am
Aulus raised an eyebrow. "You are here to learn, you don't have to pretend to know stuff you don't. I get it though, yea, killing when you don't have to is unpleasant... presumably." He'd never killed anyone at all and the idea of doing so was not pleasant in the least. He might have to some day but... well he'd rather not think about it, if it came down to it he'd deal with it at the time.
"Right, anyway, if you've done your stretches we'll run a couple of laps. No need to sprint, a jog will do fine." Rolling his shoulders a couple of times Aulus set off himself, keeping up a fairly easy pace. He felt slightly... aware or the scar on his leg as he moved; it wasn't painful or even really uncomfortable just making its presence subtly felt. Well, he was the sensei, he could decide to stop running whenever he wanted if it did start to get sore.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:22 am
Tambrey gave a little nod.
She /had/ known of calling the stick a 'bo staff' and yet, she actually had found herself unsure, wondering if there was some specialist term that she didn't know. She rather regretted saying 'stick' about the weapon- clearly it was a staff after all- but Aulus was right; she'd come there to learn and this was learning after all.
She glad, and nodded quickly, to hear that Aulus understood, if perhaps understated, what she meant about using weapons that were less than lethal and not wishing to kill anyone.
"Presumably." She repeated in agreement, going over a similar vein of thought, though -not- expecting she'd ever have to actually kill. She'd avoid it as best that she could until the last possible option.
"A jog. Okay." That was fine; she was warmed up enough and jogging wasn't taxing at all. It would be good to get started.
She hadn't exactly expected his first order as a sensei would be to jog around but still, it was the start of the lesson and the 'first step', she supposed.
"So, I guess there's no... um.. specific agenda to what we get to today? 'S just finding out what we can both do and want to do? I mean, unless there is a goal today; that's fine by me too."
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:58 am
Uuuuuuh. Bugger. What was he going to do? "I'll start off showing you the basic ready stance," yes, good, that made sense, "And we'll go on to... a simple punch and kick. Depending on how you go we can look at maybe one or two more things if you want, but it's better to start getting to grips with a few things thank to just bombard you with loads so you get mixed up or whatever." That had sounded alright he thought, though he had paused for a moment or two....
Punches.
Pads.
Damnit.
"Do one more lap for me," Aulus instructed, breaking off and moving towards the bench where his things rested, "Forgotten something." Picking up one of the pokeballs that sat beside his 'dex and bottle of water, Aulus released the occupant who greeted him with a soft 'Charrrrr.' "Alright Char? Need you to head up to my room and fetch down my pads, just bring all of them okay?" Instructions given (and understood judging by the nod) Aulus passed over his card key and then turned to watch Tambery finishing off her jog.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:24 pm
"Ready stance, punch, kick... Right." Tambrey gave a nod; that sounded more like the sort of thing she'd been expecting. She understood the jogging, but her brain had rather been scuttling ahead a little bit, wondering after what the actual lesson might be about. "Basics are good; I can understand that."
She was a little surprised as he broke from the jogging and mentioned forgetting something, but continued to jog around to complete the lap as requested. "Okay! One more lap..." The grunt confirmed.
She did have a glance or two over, to see what was going on and smiled as the Charizard appeared.
Fire type, third stage of a starter, unusual markings... From what she could see, very obedient. Tambrey tried not to increase her speed, and the reptilian pokemon had gone before she came in, finishing her last lap.
"Did you find what you forgot... or.. I guess your Charizard's, ah, looking for it?" She asked, slowing down to a halt just in front of Aulus, though apparently tempted to continue jogging, on the spot- she actually did for a few seconds before realising.
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Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:14 am
"Yea," Aulus nodded, "he's gone for my pads. I've been practising alone so long they slipped my mind, but they're kind of necessary for working together. Right, anyway, while he's on his way back.... Actually I guess we can start with a bow, that's a good idea." This might be Team Rocket but there was no harm putting in some formalities from the world where you were supposed to use these skills for sport and to defend yourself rather than to beat the ever loving crap out of people.
"Right then," Aulus nodded, "Quite simple. Feet together," he placed his feet together, "one fist into the other palm held out in front of you a bit, gesture towards your Sensei - or sparring opponent when we get that far - and relax." Aulus demonstrated the whole move again and then nodded to Tam. "It's just a respect thing," he explained, "mutual respect that is, I'll make the bow just as you do to me. Start and end of every class, and start and end of every match. There are other styles of bow but this is the one my Sensei used so we'll go with that."
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:26 am
"Oh! Those... hitty-cushion things. Pads." Right. Pads was a far superior name for them than 'hitty-cushion things' and one that she really ought to have... well, just /known/. They /were/ pads, so it was a sensible name... And now she'd just said 'hitty-cushion things' out loud, hadn't she?
Alright.. That was a little embarrassing again.
Moving on.
"Bow for respect... Right." She'd seen this sort of thing done before- nothing complicated. The grunt watched Aulus, taking note of each step.
Perhaps a little too determined to get it right, she performed the act of respect in little too robotic a fashion; each bit step-by-step. muttering the steps to herself to get it right.
"Feet together." She ended up looking down to make sure they were and then shuffling because she didn't think they were straight.
"Fist to palm- hold out..." Well, it was awkward, but more or less right.
"Relax." This she managed to get.
"Okay..." She thought she had it, though the robotic pace would clearly need to be dispelled with a couple more run-throughs. "I've seen this sort of thing done before but... I didn't realise that there were different styles."
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:16 am
"Ha, there are quite a lot," Aulus replied with a grin. "There's simple ones like this," he placed his feet together, arms at his sides, and gave a short bow, "right through to crap where you pretty much kowtow."
Right, so they'd done the bow. Now what?
"Okay, with formalities out of the way we can move on to a basic ready stance, which is called Hachiji dachi. Don't laugh, I did first time, but then I was seven." It was amazing the sorts of things that you thought were funny when you were seven. Come to that it was amazing the sorts of things he still found funny. "For the stance you stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes open at about 45 degrees like this," Aulus demonstrated, "your knees should be slightly bent, see? Knees are bent in pretty well all the stances. Get your feet in place and we'll move on to the arms then, okay?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:44 am
Well that one certainly seemed easy enough for a bow.
She found herself, without meaning to, just slightly mimicking what she saw Aulus do.
Tambrey caught herself doing so and stopped but didn't feel too embarrassed about that; it was probably an aid to learning how to perform things, this mimicking such immediately after.
She listened to Aulus move on to explain the stance and bit her lip as he said the name; she was trying not to laugh... Some laughter got out anyway thanks to Aulus telling her not to.
"... It would be easier not to if you hadn't said don't..." She grinned. "That's a fun name; 'Hatchy Chee Datchy'." She mispronounced, shook her head and started to copy the stance.
"Okay. Like this?" Tambrey had it more or less right, though the stance was a little unsure and, of course, she didn't know what to with her arms yet.
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