(no subject)

[outstandingbalance]

Who: Natasha Romanoff
Broadcast: Text
Action: Iskaulit
When: Now-ish or tomorrow morning

W4MW4Friendly Fight

Woman seeking sparring partner for morning workout. Call it cabin fever, but looking for new challenges. Normal human to moderately enhanced welcome. High skill level preferred, but beginners welcome if they're interested in a lesson.

Reply here if interested, or see Natasha Romanoff in the gym, tomorrow morning 8am.

[True to her word, Natasha can be found at the gym on the Iskaulit in the morning. She's already dressed and warmed up. She looks like she means business, but less angry or troubled—not like some of her other recent turns at the gym—but she's serious enough to give someone second thoughts if they weren't entirely sure in the first place.

Who's up for a few rounds?]

Comments

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[outstandingbalance]

[There's a brief pause, followed by a shrug.]

Sure. We'll call that moderately enhanced.

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[foxpas]

Then I would be honored for the chance to spar. My unarmed fighting ability will rust if I do not practice soon.

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[outstandingbalance]

Goes both ways. I'm glad for the chance to mix things up.

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[foxpas]

Would you like to meet to test my strength now?

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[outstandingbalance]

Sure. Let's have a look at it. Meet on the Iskaulit, or did you have somewhere else in mind?

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[foxpas]

I will meet you at the Iskaulit. There is something there I must check, anyway.

I will be there with all haste.

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[outstandingbalance]

[True to her word, Natasha will be waiting. She's not exactly sure how this is going to play out, so she came prepared for a spar.

They'll have to see how it goes, though.]

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[foxpas]

[As promised, Aria arrives not long after. An incredibly large claymore is strapped to her back, positioned and held in place with a sling very carefully so as to not cut her tail. Which is probably not what was expected, but.

When she approaches, she raises an arm over her chest in a salute.]

Good morning, miss.

[outstandingbalance]

[It's true, this isn't what Natasha was expecting. She isn't even sure what she was expecting, but this is still not it.

But she doesn't faze easily. She can work with this.]

Morning. Natasha is fine.

[foxpas]

[The medieval-style tunic is probably also a bit weird.]

Natasha, then. I am called Aria. It is a pleasure to meet you.

Where shall we train?

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha jerks her head toward the gym.]

Figured the mat is good enough. I don't know that'll work with that sword, though. I might have to think over that one a little more.

[foxpas]

Ah...

[Her ears lower in embarrassment.]

I do not intend to use it, fear not. I simply do not feel comfortable going without it. I will leave it aside.

[outstandingbalance]

Probably for the best. That would make it a very different fight.

[foxpas]

It would. I wish to train, not harm you.

[outstandingbalance]

I appreciate the thought, but don't get hung up on it. I'll let you know if I end up in over my head.

[foxpas]

As you wish. We may start out easy, as well.

[She's unstrapping the sling on her shoulders to pull it and the sword off at once and set them aside somewhere.]

[outstandingbalance]

Sounds practical.

[Natasha steps to the mat, stretching one of her shoulders thoughtfully.]

Let's see what we can do.

[foxpas]

[She nods and salutes, stretching out herself before she takes a low stance.

She starts by stepping forward, and moving into a light leg sweep- it's fast, but she hasn't put her weight behind it. It's more a test of Natasha's responses than anything else.]

[outstandingbalance]

[That's a good start. Natasha can tell it's a test, probing to get started. Fast, yes. Fast enough that Natasha can see she won't have an advantage on that count.

Strength isn't going to be on her side either. That wasn't often on her side anyway; she was used to it.

Which leaves experience and training, which luckily Natasha has a great deal of. She's quick to read the move and whether or not she can take it, how best to redirect it, how to counter—but for now she stays on the defensive, dodging away.]

[foxpas]

[When it comes to experience and training, Aria is no slouch either- As a knight who became hailed as a war hero, she is quick on her feet, literally and metaphorically.

But there's advantages and disadvantages to fighting pureblood humans for her, and she wants to test Natasha. Her tail is an extra limb, an extra point that can be grappled, but it can also be used in many ways.

She twists, throwing her tail's weight to one side to spin her around quickly. Rather than being left off-balance from her sweep and having to recover, she's spun back upright almost immediately, before lunging forward with a surprisingly high kick- again, more speed than power, but it's aimed for her shoulder.

(She has her arms raised in a stance that seems like she should be using them, but she doesn't seem to have any intention of using her fists right now.)]