Tin Man Grand Prix fic #6: Finding a Weakness
Title: Finding a Weakness
Rating: PG
Summary: A stick fighting lesson doesn’t go as planned.
^^
DG turned out to be a natural with the long, single fighting stick. The pair of smaller sticks required the user to split their attention and keep track of both hands at once. With only one weapon, something that Glitch had called a cudgel but DG thought was more like a staff, she felt she had more control.
Though she didn’t have the grace and agility of her teacher, she made up for it in speed and strength.
Watching from where he sat on a low garden wall, Cain kept track of the lightning-fast dance taking place on the section of flat ground in front of him. He felt a pang of jealously at the ease with which the two fell into the rhythm of combat.
DG crouched and spun, whirling the stick in her hands ahead of her movement and just missing her opponent’s legs. Grinning as she stood, she saw Glitch give her a nod of approval before he countered her attack with one of his own.
Easily dodging the carefully calculated strike, DG let her body flow naturally with the motion and let her left hand slide further down the smooth wood. The change in position gave her more power for her next hit.
Too late, she noticed that Glitch was not evading the assault and the end of her stick caught him in the abdomen. He doubled over and dropped to his knees, his own weapon falling with a sharp clatter.
“Glitch!” DG threw her cudgel aside and knelt beside him, seeing movement out of the corner of her eye as Cain jumped down from the wall and hurried over to join them on the ground.
Glitch coughed, one hand pressed to the cold dirt and the other wrapped around his stomach. “I’m fine,” he wheezed, not raising his head.
“What happened? You didn’t defend yourself,” DG said anxiously, one hand resting uncertainly on Glitch’s back. “You didn’t tell me you were going to stop!”
Glitch shook his head minutely, but it was Cain that answered. “I don’t think he meant to,” he explained softly, his own hand joining DG’s on Glitch’s back. “He froze up.”
“A glitch?” she mouthed, wincing.
Cain nodded silently.
“Sorry, DG,” Glitch spoke up, sitting back on his heels. He gave a smile that was more of a grimace. “You were doing really well, if that helps.”
DG shook her head. “But I didn’t see you in time to stop the hit. I could have really hurt you.”
Glitch gave her a sheepish grin. “That wasn’t your fault, you were just finishing the move like you were supposed to. It was my fault for glitching like that.”
“First, it’s never your fault when that happens,” DG shook his shoulder to emphasize her point. “Second, all I did was take advantage of the situation.”
“Guys, I think you’re both missing something important here,” Cain cut in. “You both identified the weakness in your opponent. Glitch’s weakness is pretty clear and I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before.”
“Probably because I usually take down the enemy before I have a problem,” Glitch replied smugly. “But DG didn’t do anything wrong. She beat me.”
“Yes, but she didn’t notice the change in your responses,” Cain nodded toward the Princess. “For all you knew, DG, he could have pulled a gun on you and you never would have seen it. You were so fixed in your routine that you missed a significant departure from the pattern.”
DG nodded slowly, eyes drifting in thought. “I guess the lesson’s over for today,” she gave Glitch a half-smile.
“Not necessarily,” Glitch crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at his friends thoughtfully. “Now that you know what needs improvement, I think it’s about time you took on a new, unpredictable challenger.”
Cain’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no. I’m no good at this kind of thing.”
Glitch braced his hand on DG’s shoulder as he stood, taking up his cudgel and handing it to Cain. “Makes you the perfect test. Go, have fun. Don’t let her kick your butt too quickly.”
DG grinned and picked up her own stick. “Come on, Mr. Cain. You’re not scared of a Princess, are you?”
With a sigh of defeat, Cain tossed his hat to Glitch and stepped into the arena.
^^
End.
Rating: PG
Summary: A stick fighting lesson doesn’t go as planned.
^^
DG turned out to be a natural with the long, single fighting stick. The pair of smaller sticks required the user to split their attention and keep track of both hands at once. With only one weapon, something that Glitch had called a cudgel but DG thought was more like a staff, she felt she had more control.
Though she didn’t have the grace and agility of her teacher, she made up for it in speed and strength.
Watching from where he sat on a low garden wall, Cain kept track of the lightning-fast dance taking place on the section of flat ground in front of him. He felt a pang of jealously at the ease with which the two fell into the rhythm of combat.
DG crouched and spun, whirling the stick in her hands ahead of her movement and just missing her opponent’s legs. Grinning as she stood, she saw Glitch give her a nod of approval before he countered her attack with one of his own.
Easily dodging the carefully calculated strike, DG let her body flow naturally with the motion and let her left hand slide further down the smooth wood. The change in position gave her more power for her next hit.
Too late, she noticed that Glitch was not evading the assault and the end of her stick caught him in the abdomen. He doubled over and dropped to his knees, his own weapon falling with a sharp clatter.
“Glitch!” DG threw her cudgel aside and knelt beside him, seeing movement out of the corner of her eye as Cain jumped down from the wall and hurried over to join them on the ground.
Glitch coughed, one hand pressed to the cold dirt and the other wrapped around his stomach. “I’m fine,” he wheezed, not raising his head.
“What happened? You didn’t defend yourself,” DG said anxiously, one hand resting uncertainly on Glitch’s back. “You didn’t tell me you were going to stop!”
Glitch shook his head minutely, but it was Cain that answered. “I don’t think he meant to,” he explained softly, his own hand joining DG’s on Glitch’s back. “He froze up.”
“A glitch?” she mouthed, wincing.
Cain nodded silently.
“Sorry, DG,” Glitch spoke up, sitting back on his heels. He gave a smile that was more of a grimace. “You were doing really well, if that helps.”
DG shook her head. “But I didn’t see you in time to stop the hit. I could have really hurt you.”
Glitch gave her a sheepish grin. “That wasn’t your fault, you were just finishing the move like you were supposed to. It was my fault for glitching like that.”
“First, it’s never your fault when that happens,” DG shook his shoulder to emphasize her point. “Second, all I did was take advantage of the situation.”
“Guys, I think you’re both missing something important here,” Cain cut in. “You both identified the weakness in your opponent. Glitch’s weakness is pretty clear and I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before.”
“Probably because I usually take down the enemy before I have a problem,” Glitch replied smugly. “But DG didn’t do anything wrong. She beat me.”
“Yes, but she didn’t notice the change in your responses,” Cain nodded toward the Princess. “For all you knew, DG, he could have pulled a gun on you and you never would have seen it. You were so fixed in your routine that you missed a significant departure from the pattern.”
DG nodded slowly, eyes drifting in thought. “I guess the lesson’s over for today,” she gave Glitch a half-smile.
“Not necessarily,” Glitch crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at his friends thoughtfully. “Now that you know what needs improvement, I think it’s about time you took on a new, unpredictable challenger.”
Cain’s eyes went wide. “Oh, no. I’m no good at this kind of thing.”
Glitch braced his hand on DG’s shoulder as he stood, taking up his cudgel and handing it to Cain. “Makes you the perfect test. Go, have fun. Don’t let her kick your butt too quickly.”
DG grinned and picked up her own stick. “Come on, Mr. Cain. You’re not scared of a Princess, are you?”
With a sigh of defeat, Cain tossed his hat to Glitch and stepped into the arena.
^^
End.