How Aerith Got Her Groove Back, Part 2

How Aerith Got Her Groove Back, Part 2
Date of Scene:	11 December 2012
Location:	Chocobo Fields
Synopsis:	Aertih discovers that when Pixi said training with her would not be easy, she meant it. The difficult process of learning how to truly defend herself however merely makes her look at it like a puzzle to be solved. A very intricate and long-winded one.
Thanks to:	No one yet, scene's still in progress.
Cast of Characters:	Aerith Gainsborough, Pixi, Kaydin

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Pixi wrote:
Pixi had kept her promise to Aerith. The next day, Pixi was up early and she headed out. The irony was that Pixi travelled light, and carried little more than a backpack of food and such, but did not carry very much. She didn't even carry this much when she left Rabanastre to head to Goug. However, once there, she set her pack down and started to stretch her arms out. "I think this'll do. Just becareful of Chocobos while you're out here. We don't want to harm them while we're out here..."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith however had packed for a few days, and didn't expect to end up so close to the city. But this didn't confuse her. In fact, as long as they had a place to sleep nearby, it would be decent enough. She didn't doubt they'd probably return to the city now and then from this distance, though. Still, just in case, the suitcase was a good idea. She'd have to change sooner or later.

Aerith stretched her arms above her head until her elbows popped, and with a sigh, she turned toward the Viera. "Well then, how do we start? I'm ready to unlearn everything I know!" Hell, even she knew she'd have to. This was the real thing, not just the basics.

Pixi wrote:
Looking behind her, Pixi snickered at Aerith. "Unlearning everything you know would be somewhat counterproductive in this case, Aerith." She says with a chuckle. However, Pixi's flexibility is shown as soon as she steps to the side and slides herself alllll the way to the ground, tucking her loincloth under her. She then rests her elbows on the ground. "We start by stretching, Aerith. Always start by stretching."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith chuckled and started her stretches, the ones that Tifa had taught her anyway. She was certain there were others, but these were the ones she knew. It wasn't long before she'd finished the full set, knowing she'd have to do it again at the end. "By the way... where's Kaydin at?" He said he'd be there with them.

Kaydin wrote:
The sound of a Wark is heard as Kaydin comes in with a yellow chocobo with black armor on it. He had several bags set along the Chocobo and he moves to them. "Got some extra supplies, We could probably spend a week or two before needing more, based on your diet resistance." He says as he gets off the chocobo. He then wraps the chain about the sword sheathed along the chocobo's saddle.

Pixi wrote:
"I'd rather he stayed..." and before Pixi can finish saying the sentence, Kaydin steps out. "Aerith. Why haven't you asked him to train you? He follows you everywhere like a lost puppy." She then shakes her head. "Well.....I guess I should've expected this anyways."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith pouted for a moment. This wasn't the way she wanted to start this. "I'm not keen on swords. The only way I'll spar against him is when I know my weapon back and forth." That or when he starts using wooden practice weapons, which she didn't think he'd be inclined to. "So then, let's get started." Pixi would then notice that Aerith hadn't picked up her staff yet...

Kaydin wrote:
"Away? I leave my nation and everything I know and your still under the impression I am going to kill you. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside." Kaydin says as he begins to undo the armor off of the chocobo. When he finally gets to the helmet, the chocobo warks and moves it's head back. "He likes that thing for some reason..." He says as he would then look to them. "Would practice with you but none of your practice weapons have a chain on the end of it." He says with a sarcastic tone.

Pixi wrote:
"Who said we were going to use practice weapons?" Pixi says as she stands up, and begins to practice her own balance drills. "We're using your staff and I'm using my spear. I'm going to show you just how serious what you're asking is."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith's head tilted to the right a bit. Was she practicing her balance? Well of course she was, Tifa said it was important. So she began to mimic the Viera's movements, finding them a tad... difficult.

Okay, that wasn't the word for it. Frustrating was more like it, because she fell down twice during one of them. "Okay, stop. I need to learn those, I think."

Kaydin wrote:
Kaydin whistles. "Sounds like the instructor who trained me to be a dark knight. Said only children play with toys." Kaydin says as he pulls the sword off his chocobo's saddle and just inspects the sheathed weapon. He watches them and tilts his head at Pixi. "You must be pretty good with balance and stretching, doing that in high heels."

Pixi wrote:
"We have to be in heels. Because of the structure of our feet, we either have to stand on our toes, or relax a little with the heels. I chose the heels." Of course, the position in which she said it, standing on one leg and her other held against her chest, made it seem easy. "You'll see the reason for needing balance in a minute or two, Aerith. And to do this, it'll take a while. Even I fell on my face the first few times I did it."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith sighed and made her best attempt to follow Pixi's lead. Only this time she wouldn't stumble. This one was pretty easy, and she'd done it before. "Oh trust me, I know about that. Tifa's drilled that concept into me more than enough times... and shown me that mine's not good enough."

Kaydin wrote:
"Ah so it isnt so much a fashion statement just your type of shoe." He says as he looks to his own feet. Without his armor, he wore only a black sleeveless tunic and trousers so his bare feet could be seen. Course with how scrawny his arms is, one wonders how he can move in that heavy armor so easily.

Pixi wrote:
Pixi looks to Aerith and puts her leg down, after stretching out the other one. "You'll get better in time, Aerith." However, then the stick off of her arm. "Time to get serious though." She gives the stick a twist, and slides her hands apart......making the spear extend from that mundane little stick. "You may want to pick up your staff now."

Aerith wrote:
And indeed, she can sense the shift in the air, a tension of sorts. Aerith finishes the combination of balance act and stretching technique, and heads toward her staff. She treats it kinda like a soccer ball, rolling it onto the top of her right foot before kicking it upward into her left hand. "Right, so then. How are we gonna go about this?"

Pixi wrote:
"Simple....I won't kill you. On purpose." Pixi then rushes at her, and aims the butt of her spear at Aerith's stomach with every bit of speed she has to close the distance. This one plays hardball.

Kaydin wrote:
"You wont kill her accidently either." Kaydin says as he watches them. " So we camping here or simply just using the field for training purposes?" He asks as he watches the women spar.

Aerith wrote:
Aerith's senses kicked in, but that didn't mean she had the reaction time to act on what the Voice told her. Within a fraction of a second, she had a focused and determined Viera rushing at her, and only at the last moment did she parry, eyes wide with shock. Yet she wasted no time in returning the favor, sending an overhead strike toward the top of Pixi's head.

Pixi wrote:
Pixi even moves her ears out of the way to take the hit on the top of the head, but her hand swiped at Aerith's face even as the staff clonked onto her head....with claws extended. Then her leg comes around to kick her in the side, followed by a spin kick to her middle and lastly a swing of her spear at Aerith as well.

Aerith wrote:
All right, she--

Aerith stumbled back as the claw swipe hit home, then the roundhouse kick rammed into her right side, making her gasp out what breath she had left. The heel kick forces her back even further...

But just as the wide circle of the spear starts, the flower girl decides she's had enough. Aerith lowers her stance, letting the spear pass right over her head, and tries to take the Viera down by the ankles with a sweep of her staff.

Kaydin wrote:
Kaydin just watches the goings on before pulling his sword out and unwrapping it to look the black blade over. He then reaches within a bag and pulls out a sharpening stone and begins to work on sharpening the weapon.

Pixi wrote:
Aerith DOES catch Pixi's legs, but the fact that Pixi has metallic greaves protects her ankles from such attacks. It knocks her only slightly off balance, even with the sheer amound of force behind it that Aerith could muster, but Aerith then sees just how much balance comes into play. Pixi is able to step backwards to keep her balance and resume her attack upon Aerith, not letting her catch her breath, aiming a kick at Aerith's side again, with the greave shin guards leading the way.

Aerith wrote:
No, not this time.
The backward step is an opening, and Aerith intends to capitalize. As she rises from her crouch, she pulls the staff back just enough, then takes a step forward and tries to thrust into Pixi's middle in an attempt to get that balance of hers off-kilter. She intended to actually survive this first day of training...

Kaydin
Kaydin continues to sharpen the sword. "So does anyone mind if I make some food for us?" He asks as he would continue to sharpen the sword. His chocobo just watches everyone, the chocobo's face hidden by the black helmet. It is now... Bat-chocobo.

Pixi wrote:
Aerith was quick, Pixi admitted that... but Pixi was quicker. She spun to deflect

the staff away from her middle, which is somewhat effective, but the staff still stings. Getting closer,

she wastes no time in trying to grab Aerith... and suplex her into the ground.

Aerith wrote:
Heaven and Earth, but she's fast! Aerith doesn't have time to answer Kaydin as she spins out of the way, turning her staff above her head as she does so. A split second later, she sends a horizontal reverse strike into the small of Pixi's back, trying to make her overstep. For the first time since the fight began, she had a slight advantage.

Pixi wrote:
Holding out her hand, Pixi grabs her staff... and tilts her head. "If you can do all of this, since when did you need training?" She says quite bluntly. "It took me the better part of a decade learning all of that, even how to take a hit when I am hit... and you're getting all of it on the first try." She then collapses her spear and puts it back on her forearm. "You don't need training."

Kaydin wrote:
Kaydin shrugs and begins to go about setting things up for a campfire and before long he has one going and he pulls a sack off his chocobo and begins to open it, pulling out a large metal pot and begins to put things back. "Because she is doing all that on impulse and reaction." He says as he cooks.

Aerith wrote:
Aerith nods, short on breath. "He's right... I'm not judging distance, timing, reactions... I'm just trying to get out of your way. It's just luck." She swallows. "I don't want to rely on luck. I do need training, and you're good enough to teach me. More than good enough, I barely got out of your way!"

Pixi wrote:
"Sometimes luck is better than skill, Aerith." Pixi says with a sigh, but she turns to Kaydin. "Did you speak for others in baron too? I'm pretty sure Aerith can speak for herself, Kaydin." She then looks to Aerith. "It seems Luck is one of your best attributes. Unfortunately, it's going to keep you from getting formally trained..."

Aerith wrote:
Aerith shook her head. "I'm not about to take that for an answer." She rests her staff against her right shoulder. "Luck can only last so long." If you could call what she had luck. It wasn't, not really. But for Pixi to understand, at least now, would take too long to explain. "You're going to have to trust me on this. Please, help me get better, any way you can."

Pixi wrote:
Turning her head away from Aerith, Pixi thinks about it for a few moments. "I'll admit I'm fast, Aerith. I can outrun a Chocobo at a brisk jogging speed, and I was the fastest of my clan in the Golmore Jungle." She then looks to Aerith. "I even rescued a pair of children from heartless inside of a few minutes, what should've been a four hour hike into the mountains. You avoided most of my attacks even when I was moving at my fastest, Aerith, even my Meteor Strike. You can't teach that, Aerith."

Kaydin wrote:
Kaydin shrugged. "Just offering another warrior's opinion." Kaydin says as he would go back to cooking. He had kept looking at Pixi while she spoke and after a few minutes he goes to cook something else and just focuses on that.