Nightshift 36 - M35 (Clinic)

[the_clown_king]

Tonight, Tamaki was determined not to get called away from his clinic duties! Or any of his other duties, for that matter! Not even the bombshell drop of running into Elena - older and with no memory of him - could sway him this evening

Comments

[in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

[From above.]

The center of the hallway looked spacious enough; they'd have to keep an eye out for people coming through, but that shouldn't be an issue.

"Ready?" Raine asked. She was already holding her improvised staff at an angle, half expecting Tamaki to attack as soon as she gave the word; Lloyd always did, and Zelos usually didn't hold back for long either. She'd be easy on Tamaki, though, and just stay on the defensive--at least until she knew what he was capable of.

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

Tamaki nodded. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing. He held the rod randomly, hunched back and in on himself in an already defensive position.

"How should we start?" he asked, to let her know that he was indeed ready to begin.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

Raine shook her head at how he was gripping his weapon. "Hold it like a sword--or a baseball bat, I suppose, if that doesn't work--since that's what you have experience with. And don't bend over like that; you need to guard yourself, but that's not an effective stance.

"I won't strike back for a while, until you've gotten used to the weight and balance of the rod. Now come at me." She could see that he was nervous and uncertain, but physically he did have the advantage; knowing that should give him enough confidence to attack. She had training he didn't, but hopefully he trusted her not to hurt him.

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

Tamaki nodded again and tried to adjust his grip on the rod. It wasn't like anything he was used to, but at the suggestion of 'hold it like a bat', he did as he was told. And came forward, swinging it with little skill or delicacy, simply striking weakly at Raine as he had been instructed.

He couldn't muster up the strength to strike in earnest - she was a woman! He couldn't strike at a woman! Even to spar, he'd never be able to live with himself!

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

If she had been doing this with Lloyd, Raine would have snapped at him to take this more seriously; since Tamaki wouldn't react well to that, she tried the sort of approach she would have used with Colette. "This isn't the time to be chivralous. Don't worry about hurting me; I can block it."

There was no sharpness in her voice, but she meant it; she wanted to see how well he could fight, and that meant he had to really try.

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

But she was a woman! How on earth was he supposed to attack her in earnest when she was a woman? It went against everything that he believed in! Even if it was just sparring....

But he'd try. Tamaki lunged forward with a bit more force, eyes screwed shut so he didn't have to be reminded that he was brandishing a giant stick a t a girl.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

For the love of... Raine had said she wouldn't strike back right away, but he wasn't even trying. She stepped forward and smacked Tamaki's weapon with her own, hard enough to make it go flying if he wasn't gripping it tightly enough.

"Look at me, and don't worry about hurting me." No, he should worry more about making angering her. He needed to know how to defend himself, and he couldn't learn if he didn't put in some effort. "Try again."

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

"I can't hit you if I'm looking at you!" Tamaki wailed. "I'm sorry! I'm not trying to be chivalrous, it's just not something it's easy to make myself do!"

He managed to hang on to his 'staff' at least. But he could try. He grit his teeth and put his back into it - which wasn't saying very much, he wasn't all that strong - as he swung his weapon once more.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

Raine still blocked it easily, but told him "Good." It was progress; she could see Tamaki was actually making an effort now.

"I understand if you've been taught not to hit girls, but consider some of the monsters here. How would you react if something resembling a woman was attacking you and you had no choice but to fight back?"

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

It wasn't just 'taught'. It was an ingrained way of life for Tamaki. Women were something special, and had to be treated as such. As to what he'd do, well, he'd probably just run away.

"That's why I stay in the clinic," was what he said, as he attempted another swipe at Raine. This would be so much easier if a man were teaching him, he decided. He wouldn't have to fight against his natural inclinations so very hard.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

"So do I," Raine pointed out. "That hasn't stopped me from getting injured." She blocked the hit and added, "Don't project so much--you make it too easy to block when you put the rod up before coming at me."

She understood a little of where he was coming from, but this environment was drastically different than his own, and she worried about him. "Things happen that you can't always see coming; you still need to be prepared for them."

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

Training continued until Tamaki was responding with more force and precision - as much as he could possibly muster, at least. He tried to listen to what Raine was telling him, to ignore she was a woman, and just focus on learning how to protect himself.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

Raine actually smiled when Tamaki hit her on the arm. "Excellent." They didn't have much time, so while she would have liked to give him a break, he hadn't asked for one and he looked like he could go on for a while longer.

"Now I'll start fighting back. Ready?" She gave him a moment, and then attacked, aiming at his legs. She knew better than to project what she was doing, but it was a move she found difficult to pull off without getting hit herself.

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

Tamaki stumbled backwards, desperately bringing up his own weapon to try and counter the move. He managed to stay on his feet and avoid tripping completely, at the very least. He supposed he should be proud of that.

At least there was some improvement.

Re: [in the hallway]

[per_ardua]

Raine had been holding back, but as they fought she did that less and less; she was intentionally using moves she found very difficult, and so pulling them off was hard enough. There was a reason they were fighting--she needed the practice too.

Finally, she tripped him from behind, knocking him to his knees (she'd been trying to make him fall down completely, but--good enough) and grabbed him with one arm, holding him against her forcefully; she wasn't trying to be rough, but he was a full-human teenager and she wasn't strong for a half-elf. If she tried to be gentle, he would probably break away easily. From there, she brought her makeshift staff around and pressed it lightly against his throat.

[Finishing move pre-approved, as it was the entire point of this fight!]

Re: [in the hallway]

[the_clown_king]

Tamaki had been doing alright up until Raine got him in a lock.

Then he lost it. The sensation of being held, of being pinned, of being grabbed like that. It brought everything back to him and his mind acted without thought.

"No!" he exclaimed, jerking his body forcefully away, almost shaking with the force of the memories. He'd been doing so well, shoving them down and away and ignoring them.

"Let go of me!"