second; text

[eyeforaneye]

Who: Uchiha Sasuke+YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS Huntress
When: Jan. 31

A few things.

There are a good number of fighters here or people otherwise trained in combat. I'm interested in observing people's abilities or training, or at least discussing what they can do. Spars could also be arranged if you want some exercise.

Secondly, I'll take recommendations for good literature available around here.

Finally, if you know how to knit or crochet then I'll offer you up to ten credits to watch you create something.

[ Yeah, this isn't weird. For anyone interested in action he'll be holed up in his room on the Huntress! ]

Comments

[eyeforaneye]

[ ... ]

Adopt your best fight stance. Unarmed.

[theshabbiestofmen]

Oh-- now? We're-- all right.

[He tugs out his wand and sets it on one of the books-- Merlin forbid he breaks it, after all. Then, a little uncertainly, he widens his stance to a sturdier one, his arms coming up in terribly tentative fists.]

1/3

[eyeforaneye]

[ . . . ]

2/3

[eyeforaneye]

3/3

[eyeforaneye]

[ Right, okay, don't mind as Sasuke follows suit in setting down that book in order to free his hand up to grab at one of Remus's forearms and then the other, forcibly raising them into better positions. ]

Wrong. [ And then shamelessly nudges a foot against the inside of his right calf to force his legs further apart, hand now finding purchase on his shoulder to push down and also urge him to bend his knees. ]

Also wrong. Chin up.

[theshabbiestofmen]

I did say I wasn't used to this--

[But he's nothing if not a good pupil. He moves as Sasuke bullies him into the right position, legs spreading, knees bent, arms raising, and doesn't straighten even as the other boy moves away. He's entirely untaught, but even he can feel the changes-- he's sturdier like this, less of his body is exposed.]

Now what?

[eyeforaneye]

[ Sasuke rolls his own shoulders before squaring them, eyeing Remus up. ]

Isn't that obvious?

Now you hit me. [ I am so sorry about your life right now. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Don't be rude, Sasuke. Remus scowls for a moment, eyes darting up and down Sasuke. He's a slender thing, and missing an arm-- Remus isn't stupid enough to think he could actually beat the other boy, no, but he presents a very unassuming figure. And it isn't that Remus has never fought; he's fought plenty-- but with magic.

He's never punched anyone before.

But-- well, Sasuke will surely block it. Surely. God, he hopes he'll block it; he'll feel like an utter prick if he ends up breaking his nose--

But that's the point. It's to learn to fight, not to be nice, Merlin, and he tells himself that with an internal huff. Right. So. Hit him, he tells himself, and finally actually swings his right fist, aiming for Sasuke's face. It's a punch with an effort behind it, even if it's not the greatest punch in the world. He's trying.]

[eyeforaneye]

[ Remus's internal dialogue translates to nothing for Sasuke beyond a drawn out pause in which he wonders if he'll actually do it, in no way feeling a fraction of the same inner conflict even when that fist finally raises. The anticipated -- or optimistically hoped for -- block doesn't come either, that punch making direct contact and forcing his head to turn with the weight thrown behind it. ]

... [ His own fingers graze over his jaw near the point of impact, one eyebrow lifting when he turns to fully face him again. ]

I've gauged how well you can punch. I should probably also gauge how well you can take one. Are you ready?

[ Uhhh. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He yelps when Sasuke doesn't block, just fucking takes it, and immediately pulls out of his position to take a few steps forward.]

Jesus, are you-- hang on, are you all right! Why the hell didn't you block it!

[eyeforaneye]

[ Now it's Sasuke's turn to move, taking one step back to avoid any physical contact that isn't strictly combative. ]

... why the hell would I block it when I was trying to measure your natural punch?

[theshabbiestofmen]

Because I could have hit your bloody hand and shown you that! My god, are you all right?

[Sure, he's not bleeding, and obviously the punch wasn't so good that he's stunned-- but still, Remus isn't exactly weak, and it's a punch to the bloody jaw.]

[eyeforaneye]

[ He's actually trying to figure out for a split second if he should be offended or not. ]

Of course I am. I'd hardly be bold enough to call myself capable in combat if I couldn't take a single flawed punch.

Aren't you giving yourself too much credit?

[theshabbiestofmen]

I know I'm not that weak, thank you.

[Not nearly as strong as Sasuke or what he's used to (not that Remus knows that)-- but still. Anyway. He finally accepts he hasn't actually done any harm and takes a step back, huffing a little, his heart still hammering. Spreading his legs and crouching a little, he replicates Sasuke's stance as best he can and braces himself.]

All right.

[Pain is, at least, something he can take well.]

[eyeforaneye]

You're that weak. [ Sasuke's quick enough to disagree, voice wholly devoid of emotion. This is really the only training tactic he knows because it's the only one he himself was ever exposed to -- harsh critiques and tough evaluations. ]

Have you ever actually punched someone or been punched before? [ A question to get out of the way first, taking his time looking Remus over more slowly in order to choose just where to hit him. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

No. I've gone through . . . pain, worse pain than a punch, but no, not that.

[He notices that stare, and so doesn't relax, because he's a little afraid Sasuke is just going to do it out of nowhere.]

[eyeforaneye]

That explains some of it. [ Like the lengthy pause, the awkward movement of his body, the -- in Sasuke's warped mind -- overreaction to actually possibly hurting someone... ]

Sounds like a story worth listening to. [ But definitely not one that Remus will be capable of telling right away, not when Sasuke's casual stance shifts in the barest blink of an eye, nearly impossible to see, and bony knuckles are driven with considerable force right into his midsection. He restrains himself from actually sending him backward but not from sinking that fist in with precise enough aim to stun him and drive air from his body, hitting considerably harder in return.

That's going to leave a nasty bruise later. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He drops to his knees like a stone, losing his breath. He doesn't try and get to his feet again, just stays down and gasps for air. It's a far harder punch than Remus had given, and Sasuke is far too slender for such a punch-- he's got hidden strength, clearly, or perhaps it's just a ninja thing.

He's got a bit of time to think about all this, gasping for air-- but soon he staggers up, his mouth set in determination.]

Well. There you go, then.

[eyeforaneye]

[ Sasuke just looks down at him as he struggles in his bid for air, finally actually reaching for his collar when he starts to get his bearings in order to aid him in standing back up. ]

... it's similar to what I expected. Adjust to shallow breaths before forcing deeper ones; I doubt you have any diaphragmatic rupturing but it's likely bruised. [ And he sounds so incredibly calm while saying it, too. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

Fortunate we have a doctor on board, isn't it? [A beat, and he grins, albeit still wheezing.] Ah, no, we don't, do we?

[Still, he obeys the advice: shallow breaths, and slowly it feels as though his stomach isn't trying to claw its way out of his torso.]

Any-- ah-- any hope at all to be taught, then?

[eyeforaneye]

[ It would be amazingly cruel of him to hit Remus and then refuse and leave, honestly, and he's trying to move away from that behavior. ]

... it'll be difficult considering the shape you're in, but I can make you less inept. [ ... okay, he's moving away from that behavior with incredibly tiny baby steps. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

That's all I've ever aspired to be. [Cheerful sarcasm: probably the only way he'll get through this. God, but his stomach hurts.]

What shall we start with, then, beyond trading punches near my books? Is there some kind of training regimen you use?

[eyeforaneye]

[ Sasuke actually eyes him for a beat or two whilst trying to determine if his first statement had been a joke. Probably. ]

Many. [ As if that's any surprise. ]

If what you want is to gain physical strength then you'll have to learn more than just proper stances and techniques. You'll have to gain endurance as well.

What's your current workout routine?

[theshabbiestofmen]

Beyond what I do on full moons? Nothing, frankly.

[He reaches for his wand and waves it. A small notebook and a pen come flying from out of his room; he grabs them and goes to sit, ready to write all this down. He's never going to remember it on his own.]

1/2

[eyeforaneye]

... nothing.

[ He repeats it just to be sure that he did in fact hear him correctly. Right. Okay. ]