Fic: Instinct and Self-Improvement (MSLN, #22 - don't think, just do it)
Title: Instinct and Self-Improvement
Fandom: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Challenge: #22 - don't think, just do it
Characters: all of the Takamachi siblings (Nanoha, Miyuki, and Kyouya)
Notes: Takes place between episodes 3 and 4 of the first season, when Nanoha is still young.
Rating: PG for mild violence
Word Count: 628
"Are you sure you don't want to back out of this now?" Miyuki asked as Kyouya helped Nanoha get into her kendo armor.
Nanoha braced herself and prepared for combat. The armor felt tight on her, and wasn't as easy to move around in as the Barrier Jacket she had worn during her first battle as a Mage, but she felt that she would have to learn to get used to close-quarters combat as well as long-range fighting if she wanted to be at her absolute best. "Yes," she said. "I'm absolutely sure. Let's do this!"
"Okay, then. Kyouya, would you do the honors?"
Their brother stood between the two of them and examined their armor a second time to make sure they were both adequately protected. He was especially worried about his youngest sister, who hadn't ever set foot inside the Takamachis' private dojo until tonight.
"Will do," he said. "Are you ready, Miyuki?"
Miyuki nodded.
"Are you ready, Nanoha?"
"Uh-huh," she said.
"Good. Let's begin!"
Miyuki took a quick dash-step forward and hit Nanoha over the head with her shinai before Nanoha could react.
"Ouch!" Nanoha cried. "That one hurt!"
"You're going to have to move a little quicker than that," said Miyuki.
As Kyouya signaled for a point for Miyuki, she helped her sister get back onto her feet, and they returned to their starting positions. Miyuki came at Nanoha again, but this time, Nanoha was ready for the overhead strike and raised her sword up quickly to block it, almost as if she were readying a Protection spell. Miyuki regained her footing and attacked an opening in Nanoha's defense, aiming for her left shoulder and knocking her to the floor.
"You did well that time...but don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're my sister."
Melee combat wasn't something Nanoha was accustomed to yet. Miyuki, having trained alongside Kyouya for years, knew most of the ins and outs of sword fighting, and was able to match her opponent step for step. Her quick strikes and feints were too much for a young girl like Nanoha to overcome. No matter how many strikes she was able to block, the youngest Takamachi couldn't find an optimal moment to mount an offensive. Rather than stand still and analyze Miyuki's striking patterns, Nanoha decided to retaliate by using her own small stature and quickness to her advantage, parrying one of Miyuki's attacks and countering with a thrust to Miyuki's chest.
"All right! I did it!" Nanoha cheered. "Did you see that, big brother?"
"That was pretty impressive, Nanoha," said Kyouya, raising his right hand to award her a point. "I didn't expect you to get one up on your sister on your first try."
Nanoha, feeling a confidence boost after scoring her first hit, tried to get another quick attack on Miyuki. In doing so, she left her head exposed, allowing Miyuki to land a clean strike and seal the match.
"And the winner is...Miyuki!" said Kyouya. "Congratulations."
Miyuki and Nanoha, both exhausted after their exhibition bout, removed their head gear and bowed toward each other.
"Are you okay, Nanoha?" asked Miyuki. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"
"No, I'm fine," said Nanoha, smiling innocently and deliberately ignoring her pounding headache.
"You showed great promise today. Why, with some regular training, I think you'd be ready for the professional ranks in a few years."
"Thanks...but I don't think I'd be ready to reach your level yet. Maybe I should try taking this a little slower next time."
Kyouya ruffled his youngest sister's hair with both hands, but stopped after he heard her groan. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll take good care of you...but first, let's get an ice pack for that head of yours."
Fandom: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Challenge: #22 - don't think, just do it
Characters: all of the Takamachi siblings (Nanoha, Miyuki, and Kyouya)
Notes: Takes place between episodes 3 and 4 of the first season, when Nanoha is still young.
Rating: PG for mild violence
Word Count: 628
"Are you sure you don't want to back out of this now?" Miyuki asked as Kyouya helped Nanoha get into her kendo armor.
Nanoha braced herself and prepared for combat. The armor felt tight on her, and wasn't as easy to move around in as the Barrier Jacket she had worn during her first battle as a Mage, but she felt that she would have to learn to get used to close-quarters combat as well as long-range fighting if she wanted to be at her absolute best. "Yes," she said. "I'm absolutely sure. Let's do this!"
"Okay, then. Kyouya, would you do the honors?"
Their brother stood between the two of them and examined their armor a second time to make sure they were both adequately protected. He was especially worried about his youngest sister, who hadn't ever set foot inside the Takamachis' private dojo until tonight.
"Will do," he said. "Are you ready, Miyuki?"
Miyuki nodded.
"Are you ready, Nanoha?"
"Uh-huh," she said.
"Good. Let's begin!"
Miyuki took a quick dash-step forward and hit Nanoha over the head with her shinai before Nanoha could react.
"Ouch!" Nanoha cried. "That one hurt!"
"You're going to have to move a little quicker than that," said Miyuki.
As Kyouya signaled for a point for Miyuki, she helped her sister get back onto her feet, and they returned to their starting positions. Miyuki came at Nanoha again, but this time, Nanoha was ready for the overhead strike and raised her sword up quickly to block it, almost as if she were readying a Protection spell. Miyuki regained her footing and attacked an opening in Nanoha's defense, aiming for her left shoulder and knocking her to the floor.
"You did well that time...but don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're my sister."
Melee combat wasn't something Nanoha was accustomed to yet. Miyuki, having trained alongside Kyouya for years, knew most of the ins and outs of sword fighting, and was able to match her opponent step for step. Her quick strikes and feints were too much for a young girl like Nanoha to overcome. No matter how many strikes she was able to block, the youngest Takamachi couldn't find an optimal moment to mount an offensive. Rather than stand still and analyze Miyuki's striking patterns, Nanoha decided to retaliate by using her own small stature and quickness to her advantage, parrying one of Miyuki's attacks and countering with a thrust to Miyuki's chest.
"All right! I did it!" Nanoha cheered. "Did you see that, big brother?"
"That was pretty impressive, Nanoha," said Kyouya, raising his right hand to award her a point. "I didn't expect you to get one up on your sister on your first try."
Nanoha, feeling a confidence boost after scoring her first hit, tried to get another quick attack on Miyuki. In doing so, she left her head exposed, allowing Miyuki to land a clean strike and seal the match.
"And the winner is...Miyuki!" said Kyouya. "Congratulations."
Miyuki and Nanoha, both exhausted after their exhibition bout, removed their head gear and bowed toward each other.
"Are you okay, Nanoha?" asked Miyuki. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"
"No, I'm fine," said Nanoha, smiling innocently and deliberately ignoring her pounding headache.
"You showed great promise today. Why, with some regular training, I think you'd be ready for the professional ranks in a few years."
"Thanks...but I don't think I'd be ready to reach your level yet. Maybe I should try taking this a little slower next time."
Kyouya ruffled his youngest sister's hair with both hands, but stopped after he heard her groan. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll take good care of you...but first, let's get an ice pack for that head of yours."