Take a Chance On Me

[Zesiro]

While she could tell he was disappointed, he really didn't react to the news as bad as she expected. He just shook his head at her. Her face lit up at his next comment and she stood up quickly.

"Yes, of course. I need to learn more and I promise I'll make a real effort to practice more."

There was no way they could spend all their time together, so she needed to know how to get herself out if she got into another situation where she had to fight.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

The Sith's face broke into an eager grin. He was secretly hoping she would accept his offer. Good.

"Excellent! Come with me outside. Bring your lightsaber, too. Do you remember how to lower the energy level to stun on it?"

With that, the two exited the tent. Milo glanced around the area. The ruins would make a fine place to train at, even to get a few sparring sessions in. This was good. If anything, he wanted to make sure that Zesiro had the knowledge necessary to defend herself.

"We'll go over some of the basics first, just as a refresher, then we'll move on to some more advanced techniques. Ready?"

The former Ren was excited now, once again in the role of teacher.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Returning his grin as she grabbed her lightsaber and followed him outside the tent. Looking at her saber hilt and it's settings, she turned the strength down. With a mischievous look at [member="Milo Ren"] she asked a question.

"You mean there is one?"

With the she ignited her saber and would move to slap him on the rear playfully. If it hit, it would barely cause a pain, but more like a shock to him.

 

[Milo Ren]

The Sith felt a zap across his bottom. Slightly surprised, he turned around and looked at Zesiro's mischievous grin and chuckled.

"Ha ha. Yes, that one. However, on a serious note, if you have any questions about how a saber works, please ask me. I'd rather you don't cut your own hand off or something along those effects."

Drawing his own saber, he turned the settings down to stun and activated it. The weapon glowed with a weaker buzz, the red hue more opaque due to the emitter lens of the weapon narrowing, drawing less of the crystal's power.

"You're going to regret taking a cheap shot on me by the end of the day, you know..."

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

She laughed a genuine laugh when her slap connected, a laugh with Milo but not at him. Turning her mind back to learning and what he said, she looked down at her hilt and shrugged a little.

"I built this years ago so really don't have a clue to how it works. It just does."

Her dead master had arranged all the parts out on a table and watched as she put it together, after that it just worked. She's never really even used it, a time or two and that was it.

"Ha, I'm sure I will, but it'll be fun."

Zesiro raised her saber, facing Milo and waiting for him to begin.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

"Right. Hmm, I already see a flaw in your form. It's a common one, but it can easily be exploited if you know what you're doing. You overcompensate on your right side with your guard, leaving your left side open for attack."

With that, Milo stepped forward and feinted to Zesiro's right, instead striking to the left. His blade shocked the woman's side as it made contact, and a slightly smug appearance came to the Sith's face.

"It's a beginner's mistake. You just have to keep in mind that you must guard all parts of your body at all times. You never know when a strike will come from nowhere."

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

[member="Milo Ren"] saw she was standing wrong, pointed it out and then used it to his advantage. Lucky for her, the sabers were set low powered and it only stung a little on her side. Rubbing it slightly and giving him a dirty look, Zesiro got into a better position to cover that formerly exposed area.

"Well, as you know I am a beginner."

He gained a smug look, but he had just given her a blow that in a real fight would have caused serious issue.

 

[Milo Ren]

"Good. That's better. Now, let's go through some of the basics."

Milo took a Shii-Cho stance, holding his blade in a simple way.

"Form I is the simplest form, useful against multiple opponents, yet weak against a single one, as a single opponent using a more aggressive form could easily find a weakness in your bladework due to their relative mobility. Still, it does have it's uses. Parrying, blocking, side-stepping: all fundamentals essential to master before the more advanced forms can be utilized properly. Come, strike at me."

The Sith readied himself, prepared to show Zesiro the ancient form.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

"Granted I have barely held my saber, but if this form is poor against a single opponent, why show me?"

Zesiro saw he was waiting for an attack from her and she brought her saber up in a diagonal slash from her lower left to her upper right.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo parried the slash with a strong block and swirled his blade around in an impressive flourish, the sheer momentum of the two lightsabers sending Zesiro's hilt flying from her grasp and to the ground. The Sith gave his companion a slightly superior look, as she had just downplayed the importance of the basics.

"Even the most simple of things can surprise you, my dear. Go get your saber."

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

With a touch of surprise, Zesiro watched as her saber went skittering away out of her hands. She looked between it and [member="Milo Ren"] and back at her saber again. Shaking her head, she went and picked up her saber again. Of course, the superior look would come from him. He had more practice and she was the learner here.

"So what did I do wrong?"

 

[Milo Ren]

"Your grip. You need to clamp down on the hilt like your life depends on it, because it does. Simple basics like this will determine whether you live or die in a fight."

Without warning, Milo swung in the same manner that Zesiro had attacked him in. If she was learning, she'd block in the same manner he had and perhaps even try to replicate his disarming flourish.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

"My grip? I would assume a lighter hold would be better for easier movement of my hands."

Zesiro saw [member="Milo Ren"] move in almost the same way she had, but it was far smoother and very much faster. While she didn't block the same way he had, she instead brought her saber down on top of his and stopped his slash. She then slid her blade down closer to his hilt slightly and brought hers up to aim a hit at his shoulder. Almost like she trying to hit him with a baseball bat.

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo blocked the blow again with a classic Shii-Cho technique, then counter attacked with a thrust that would strike to impale Zesiro.

"You can't just swing the lightsaber like a bludgeon! It takes skill, finesse! Strike with it like it's a sword!"

The Sith was getting slightly frustrated. Why wouldn't she learn quicker? He had picked this up without a problem when he was learning. Why hasn't she?

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Growling at irritation at her lack of skill, Zesiro tried to block his stab, but only was able to keep it from going into her stomach. She twisted her body more than using her saber and the blade connected with her side.

The shock was more this time since the blow was stronger, but not debilitating. Taking a breath, she looked at [member="Milo Ren"], her irritation clearly showing on her face.

"Finesse? That is what I DO!"

 

[Milo Ren]

The Sith's eyes glowered with anger. She was yelling at him now? How dare she? He was trying to help her and this is what he got back in return?

Milo got straight in her face, as if he was going to kiss her, but he stopped centimeters away. His voice was like thunder, and his eyes radiated death.

"THEN YOU MUST LEARN!"

His lightsaber flew in a streak of red, and in a fit of rage, he lashed out with multiple blows, each as fast as light. One went for her side, the other for her neck. These were clearly kill shots, and if that had been a real duel and had their lightsabers been at full power, she would've been dead. The former Ren was serious now. He wasn't pulling any punches at the moment, using his superior training to his advantage as he seeks to, quite simply, pummel his companion into submission so she could really see how necessary skill with a blade is.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

While her training with her old master had been different, Zesiro knew that's what this was. He had trained her to use the Force and call on its power, that is what she did now. While only able to block about half of the blows, her frustration filled her and now it turning to more anger. Both at herself and [member="Milo Ren"]. He wasn't guiding her anymore, more beating on her.

She had had enough, lashing out between one of his strikes, she aimed a flawless jab at his stomach.

"Is that more like what you are looking for?!?"

 

[Milo Ren]

Zesiro threw a punch at his abs, and while it wasn't deabilitating, it did hurt. Good. She was getting mad. This anger would serve her well. Now it was a matter of goading her even further.

Milo taunted his companion, downplaying the blow he had just received.

"You call that a hit? I've seen flipdarts with more sting than you! Show me a real hit with that weapon you're holding! Well, it's more like a stick in your hands..."

The Sith prepared himself, drawing upon a bit of his own rage to sustain him for what would come next.

@Zeriso

 

[Zesiro]

So he didn't think that was a hard hit? Growling, she raised her blade, trying to be as graceful and fast as he wanted and failing. She did get better though with her grip.

She pulled back and started making more precise aims for his shoulder, hip and stomach, hoping something would connect.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

With graceful swings of his blade, Milo deflected her blows with a casualness that he hoped would infuriate Zesiro. Counterattacking in a flurry of red, the Sith would strike at Zesiro's neck before attempting a sweep at her long legs, hoping on knocking her to the floor.

"Watch your footwork!"

[member="Zesiro"]