Skill Training: Patterns[Open]

OOC: Transitioning from  Garden

Kirkka enters the arena, taking note that nobody is present at the time. She is wearing her standard groundskeeper clothing, with the exception of a large belt with many pouches attached to it all the way around. Her staff is held in her hands. Upon entering, she turns around to speak with Mao, following her. "Nobody is here currently. So we can begin with you showing me what you are able to do." She motions with her arm for Mao to take the lead and proceed to the center of the arena, where there is plenty of free space, following him at a slight distance.

Mao glanced at the pouches curiously wondering what could be in them. Dust perhaps? He shrugged it off. "Alrighty then," he said as he weaved a sign in the air (?) and a pattern appeared underneath him. He hopped into the air only going a foot or two higher than normal of 2-3 feet. He then ran around a little bit, and, to an unaware observer, it would seem like a pretty normal, maybe a little faster running speed for someone of his class type. "Like I said, not particularly effective".

"Hmm... the way you use your weapon suggests you focus on close range, high speed attacks and agility to avoid danger. So naturally, focusing on those aspects will be best." She walks up to Mao, and grabs his arm lightly, concentrating for a few moments, before releasing him. "How well can you control your Aura? Can you block attacks well with it?"

"Well, about that". Mao hesitated for a second. "I've never been able to control my aura well, so in terms of defensive ability, I basically possess none. I just try my best to simply not get hit which hasn't really been working recently". He poked at the bandage around his head.

"Hmm, I see... strong Aura control is what will let you easily draw effective patterns. Strengthing your control will help you more than anything else, and that just comes through practicing using it in a variety of ways. You can also use your Scroll to measure Aura strength of yourself and teammates. Its quite useful. You seem to kjnow the pattern basics for boosting speed with white dust though. So I can't really teach you much unless you want a demonstration or something. Sparring would be a good way to build up strength if you practice in battle. Battle is the fastest way to learn things... in my opinion at least." That's how I learned, anyway. It's probably true. Probably. She thinks to herself, looking off to the side of Mao, recalling various memories.

"I see. So my lack of control over my aura is due to my inexperience? I suppose that makes sense". Mao thought back for a moment realizing that he actually had very little combat experience. Signal had more or less just taught him how to utilize his weapon as well as other basics things. He did fight a few thugs since arriving in Vale, but they had been easily dispatched. He did spar with Johnny on occasions , though, but it didn't seem too help much.

"Perhaps we could spar right now. No dust, no aura of course. I don't feel like getting hospitalized." Mao grinned. Again...

No Aura, he says? "Ah, limiting the use of my Aura would make this fight very one sided in your favor, not to mention make this exercise in Aura and patterns less effective. How about this... you come at me with everything you have, and I will only fight defensively. How does that sound?" It was Kirkka's preferred style, anyway. If I conserve my strength, hell likely tire himself out before I will, unless he is deceptively stronger than suggested based on his combat with Leonius. Then again, fighting against a giant monstrously powerful cybernetic man can be quite intimidating. Guess we'll see what he thinks...

Mao shrugged. "I guess that will work". But I don't think I'll be able to do anything to her even if I am trying. Doesn't hurt to try, I guess. He unsheathed his blades and began to emit a faint white glow. He weaved the same sign as before and a white pattern appeared under him. "Ready whenever you are."

Kirkka expertly handles her staff, separating it into 3 sections and combining them in a different order multiple times, all the while loading various dust cartridges into its many ports. She then takes a defensive stance, with her staff fully assembled. "Remember, I will only attack you in defense, so you don't have to worry about defending yourself unless its from a counter attack. The attacks will be swift so you must be ready when they come." She nods to him, signalling she is ready.

Mao simply nodded to Kirkka's words as he watched her separate her staff and do something seemingly intricate with it. Well then. We'll see how well this goes. He took a deep breath before darting forward. I need to figure out what exactly she can do first. Mao shot his right blade toward Kirkka.

As he was not being fueled by any particular emotion this time, Mao's head remained clear. He watched as the blade flew harmlessly past her before digging his right foot into the ground and kicking himself slightly to the left. He shot his left blade off to the side before bringing his left arm across his body making the blade head towards Kirkka. At the same time, brought his right arm across his body as well while retracting the blade.

(OOC: For clarification, one blade is approaching Kirkka's right while the other is approaching from behind her and to the left)

Kirkka makes only a slight movement with her hand, not even fully releasing her staff. A pattern forms instantly under her and she jumps, leaping high into the air and backward slightly, before landing softly on another pattern. The distance between the two is now twice as far, and her stance is the same. "Certainly you can strike faster than that!" She rotates her staff sections quickly, changing their order and making a wide sweep with it in front of her. A wall of flame about 10 feet high and 15 feet wide appears between the two of them, blocking Mao's view and line of sight. Perhaps some obstacles and danger will motivate him.

Pad walks into the arena. Hearing the noise from outside, he had collected his weapon and came in, either hoping to watch a fight, or train.
Seeing the two in the arena, he decided to sit down and watch.

Mao's arms dropped to his sides as a wall of flame was erected before him. So what actually does she want me to do with this? Mao brought out his dagger and poked at the wall a little before returning it. Going around is too predictable, and I'm not skilled enough to jump over yet. He signed as he stepped away from the wall. Mao removed his jacket and made it into something more like a cloak. After putting up the hood, he then started running to the wall, and before he reached it, he jumped into the wall, back first, in a tucked position while trying his best to cover his face.

(OOC: Autohit enabled)

Mao, having decided to be a man about the wall of fire, runs toward it with the intent of going straight through. As he leaps through, the flames burn at his Aura, which manages to protect him from damage as he comes through the other side, but he's likely tired as the flames were fairly powerful. Kirkka sees this and just stands there, dropping her defensive stance. "Or... you can do that. That wasn't really the point of the firewall. You okay...?" She takes a few steps closer to him, her defensive stance lowered. Does he have any combat experience? Perhaps I should have confirmed that before hand...

Having felt like some of his energy had been drained, Mao tumbled onto the ground. He noticed that he had no burns anywhere. What? This shouldn't be unless... He looked at himself. No glow? It would seem that my body did something I didn't want to, but at least it did I have never been able to before, I guess. Mao, after having taken a breather, stood up. "I'm fine. I was hoping that I could go fast enough through that the flame wall would affect me minimally, but...apparently that wasn't the case."

"I think we should be able to continue, though!" Mao declared noticing that Kirkka had lowered her guard. I won't be able to use my aura and patterns thanks to that stunt, but I should still have enough energy at least check out how she handles close combat. He was still breathing heavily.

"Very well." That stunt weakened him a lot. He needs strengthen his control over his aura and study tactics that don't involve reckless things. She stands in front of Mao, one end of her staff resting on the ground as she holds it slightly to her right side. "It is your move, then."

Mao nodded. He decided to take out his dagger and place it in his right hand. The blade pointed towards the right. He ran towards her again and fired his right blade similarly to how he started the battle.

Kirkka stands there as the blade flies at her. Shes a simple gesture as it reaches her, raising her hand out in front of it, palm open, and blocks the blade with her Aura. It deflects off her hand weakly. "You are tired already and your Aura is weakened. We do not have to continue if you do not wish to..." I wonder what it was that got this kid into Beacon. I can't tell what his strength is. He doesn't seem well suited for battle, let alone becoming a Huntsman.

Sensing the doubt in her voice, Mao responded. "I wish to continue". If this is going to help me strengthen my aura, then I will gladly continue. He reeled in his right blade, and when he got close enough, Mao swung his left hand across his body in an attempt to slash Kirkka. At the same time, he pivoted his foot which allowed him to spin in the direction of his slash.

As Mao approached Kirkka, she took one step back, preparing to evade the attack. When it came, she leaned back and stepped out of the way, the tip of the dagger avoiding her by just a few inches. "Your Aura can make you faster if you try. It is weakened but it can probably still help you."

Utilizing her weapon's distance advantage, she immediately sweeps her staff in front of her, trying to pull Mao's feet out from under him.

While turning, the movement Kirkka's staff caught his eye. Utilizing his spinning motion, he rolled off to the side and away. "If you say so." He tried to focus his aura to do so, though he wasn't sure if it was working or not. He gave his blades 2 feet of wire and locked it. Still holding the dagger, he went again, this time swinging his left gauntlet above him.

"Go faster!" Kirkka yells as she ducks under the blade, her staff seperating into two segments. Her hands on each segment already, she slams the short one to the ground, causing ice to erupt out of the ground in front of her, heading towards Mao. The ice threatens to trap him, but otherwise doesn't appear to be an actual attack. As the ice travels, Kirkka rolls backward several feet and is up and back into a defensive stance, but this time with a four foot staff in her right hand, and a two foot staff in her left.

Mao jumped back and to the side. He just barely escaped the wave of ice that had been coming towards him. I can't anymore...sadly.. He looked towards Kirkka and saw that she had split her weapon. He retracted in his right blade and waited for it to click in before flipping over the dagger. Approaching Kirkka, he threw the knife at her head before firing the blade at her legs. If/when Mao gets in range, he will/would also swing his the left blade at Kirkka.