Fighting Bird

[vincent]

Vincent was having quite a bit of fun testing the girl as he made his attacks. She was doing fairly well to defend herself, he kept making subtle shifts in his body's position, moving with the impacts to keep his balance. Anya was taking to this very well.
"I certainly have a fair amount, but I would never turn down a student who wished to participate." He said as he noticed her following up with an attack at his tendon.

He grinned as he lifted his leg up, letting the attack pass under his foot, glad to see that Anya was experimenting with linking the counters that he was having her practice. He would be very interested in seeing how she progressed.
"Of course there is the option of one on one training on a regular basis." He said as he let his next attack only go halfway out before he retracted the arm to mix things up slightly and sending his other arm in instead.

"In fact you pick up things quick enough I think it might be more beneficial for more private training such as this." He added as he sent out the attack, hoping that she would adjust quickly. If not, the blow would still be very light. He was still making sure to be exceptionally careful with her, not only was she a student and this was a spar, her bones was another factor to consider.

[kiipcha]

She nodded at the mention on one on one training. It was fun sparring like this and even made for a good work out, she definately wouldn't mind taking his class. Anya was about to block his next punched but noticed he suddenly shifted hands. She stepped back slightly out of surprise but still managed to block the attack with her opposite hand before pushing it away and kneeing him to the ribs. She managed to utter out a response before continuing, "I agree." The Russian girl had to admit that he was doing a good job at keeping her on her toes and was helping her stay focused.

Anya felt like perhaps she should change it up a bit and considered doing a different counter attack but didn't want to accidentally do something that could hurt him like the knee to the thigh that he had shone her. So instead she kept up with her usual knee and heel strikes while sometimes changing it up and performing one after the other. As he directed another strike to her pelvis she blocked it with the usual parry but instead of kneeing him to the ribs she aimed for his stomach like what he had shown in the original counter attack.

[vincent]

He smiled as Anya managed to defend herself. He would have to pick up the pace before long. Grinning at her reply he noticed the shift in her counter, she used her knee but targeted his stomach instead. She was adapting fairly fast. Swinging his hand down, he let her knee connect with his palm and pushed her back, making sure to catch her in a gravity well to keep her from falling due to the quick shift of the push.

"Excellent, we'll stop for now." He said as he let the gravity well fade gradually, letting her regain balance.
"Already you shifted to a slightly different counter and your timing is commendable. We'll have to look over your schedule and work out a training regime for you." He said before giving a slight bow at the waist.

"I would like you to practice the other two strikes until you don't even have to think about the precision. Muscle memory is key and the first few lessons will be rather minimal, though there is plenty you'll be learning later." He said, glad to find someone who took so quickly to what he was teaching. He was sure the students in his class would do well too, but Anya's specific limitations made it so she would need a more direct form of training. Through that they could also find the limits of what her bones could handle, and possibly be able to go further and have her learn more.

"You've got promise, and if you have the drive. I will be happy to help you reach your limits. Martial arts is excellent for self-defense and focus. One of the reasons I became skilled in it and fencing. Not to mention it's an excellent workout when you start going into the advanced things." He said as he clasped his hands behind his back and gave her a wide smile.

[kiipcha]

At her knee to his stomach she felt herself pushed back and was about to put her foot down to catch her balance but could feel herself caught in a gravity well, instantly informing her of Vincent's power. She started to wonder if she would ever be able to incorporate her flying into martial arts but determined that she would only try to do that once she got better at it.

"Already you shifted to a slightly different counter and your timing is commendable. We'll have to look over your schedule and work out a training regime for you." She blushed slightly, thankful for the praise. Anya assumed she picking it up fast as it was similar to learning a piece of choreography. You would have to learn it fast so that you may perform it. In her head she thanked her mother for pushing her into ballet training.

She mimicked his bow which was a bit strange as she was used to curtsying but went along with it anyway. "I'd be happy to train with you. You're a great teacher." Anya smiled, her small Russian accent slipping into her words. She had never had a teacher so focused on meeting her specific needs and was sure that someday he would be able to even incorporate her power into their training regiments.

[vincent]

"Well thank you Anya, I'm trying to do well. Having been a student here. I tend to know what it's like to be in the situation of the students here. I like to think that helps a little." He replied as he sat cross-legged on the ground as he had when he first started talking with the girl. He motioned for her to have a seat with him.

Once she was seated he gave a warm smile.
"So the thing we need to really work on is just what you will focus on. You seem to have a natural aptitude for the counter moves, which is very good, and you clearly already have a grasp on adapting to the flow of motions. With what I plan to teach you, that is very good and will keep this from being too difficult.

"Between now and our next lesson, I am going to form a kata for you to run through, it will consist of several types of attacks and other motions you will employ. They can be practiced on your own once you've learned them and once you get the kata memorized I will have a new one devised. I recommend practicing on our dummy over there for working on accuracy, and I will also make a point of introducing you to students in the martial arts class to spar with if you do not end up attending those as well." He said and paused for a second, keeping the warm smile in place.

"Though even if you join, I still would like to keep the one on one training up. You have a knack for this and I can sense a similar force of will that I cultivated when I started. Your powers limit the field of martial arts you can work in, but we can both fly. I can also teach you some techniques that those who are stuck on the ground cannot learn." He said before giving a chuckle.
"So what do you say? Would you like to become my protege?" He asked.

[kiipcha]

Anya sat down across from in the same crosslegged position. "Between now and our next lesson, I am going to form a kata for you to run through, it will consist of several types of attacks and other motions you will employ. They can be practiced on your own once you've learned them and once you get the kata memorized I will have a new one devised. I recommend practicing on our dummy over there for working on accuracy, and I will also make a point of introducing you to students in the martial arts class to spar with if you do not end up attending those as well." The Russian girl had never heard of a kata before but assumed that it was a list of things to practice. She liked the idea of getting to practice more with the dummy and eventually getting to spar with some of his students. Though she probably wouldn't join his actual class as she didn't want people to see her getting special treatment because of her bones but she was fine with taking on one of his students outside of the class.

"Your powers limit the field of martial arts you can work in, but we can both fly. I can also teach you some techniques that those who are stuck on the ground cannot learn." She smiled, happy to get a chance to learn how to turn her flying to the offensive side. And grinned even more at his offer for her to become his protege. She had never become someone's protege, although the dance classes she had taken weren't comprised of many students she normally didn't get the private lessons so sought out for. And even though this wasn't dance it was still fun to get to learn something new. "I'd be glad to become your protege."

[vincent]

Vincent's smile widened as she accepted his offer. It would actually be fairly new to him as well. He had never taken on a personal student in anything. It would be a learning experience for the both of them.
"Wonderful. I have the feeling that you'll more than justify my confidence in you. From what I've seen just now, you have everything it takes to go very far." He said. His only real concern was that Anya would get hurt, but with a more personal style of training the likelihood was very slim.

"Now a couple of things, I'm not going to make this easy. You won't progress that way. However, I will also not be unfair or harsh on you either. I'm going to expect you to also train on your own when I set lessons for you. Your academic studies come first and I will keep an eye on your grades, if they slip we'll need to talk. This doesn't mean I don't want you to have a social life. Some big event or party, comes up that collides with our schedule, just let me know and we'll work around it." He said, wanting her to understand how he was going to have this work.

"Other than that I simply want you to strive to progress, something I don't think I have to worry about, well honestly I don't think any of those things are something I need to worry about, but it wouldn't be fair to not be upfront about this. If you can agree to all that, then things will go smoothly and we'll get on just famously." He said in conclusion, offering a hand to give a shake on the arrangement, a much more friendly and personal way to seal a deal than any signature.

[kiipcha]

"Now a couple of things, I'm not going to make this easy. You won't progress that way. However, I will also not be unfair or harsh on you either." Anya laughed softly. "Don't worry, I wasn't expecting it to be easy. Ballet sure wasn't easy and I wouldn't expect any different from martial arts."

Anya listened closely as he explained that he didn't want her to neglect her studies and that he would notice if her grades started slipping. The sixteen year old wasn't worried about this as she was already a dedicated student and sometimes even put her studies before she hung out with friends. That was one of her flaws and often ended up with her having a small number of friends. But that was okay, because even if she did have a small number of friends she tended to have strong relationships with them. She figured that her friends wouldn't mind her taking out a little more of the time she spent with them so that she could practice martial arts for she knew that even they wouldn't pass up an oportunity like this.

She listened to the rest of his speech, and was able to find no problem with his conditions as it could fit quite comfortably with her schedule. "That all works for me." On that note she shook his hand, therefore sealing the deal.

[vincent]

He chuckled at her comment about the ballet classes she had taken. Not at the dancing itself, but as he had once been involved with a woman in the dance style and knew the work they did.
"Then you certainly will take well to this." He commented. Once they had shaken hands he got to his feet.

"Well it has been wonderful meeting you Anya. I'll contact you when things are situated, until then just work on those techniques. i know it's a limited start, but you'll find yourself using much of what I will teach you is based on those moves, and I'm sure you know it's best to get the basics down." He said before heading the the door.

Once there he stopped and gave a small wave.
"I look forward to seeing your progress my friend." He said, making it clear that he was going to make sure to not only see her as a pupil, but as an equal, much like he did with most students, though a master/student relation of the level they were going into was different. He recalled his fencing master, a man he saw as extended family. The kind of rapport was important. Flashing one last smile he headed out of the gym and to his home where he would get changed and ready for the rest of his day.