bravenewworld | A Training Date

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A Training Date

Who: Mami and Yosuke
Where: Outside of Union
When: Week 76
What: Technically training, even though he wanted this for an excuse to see Mami again.

His failures with other girls so far haven't slowed him down, not one bit. Wanna know why? Because he somehow, by some miracle, managed to befriend Mami Tomoe. Thankfully, he's managed to calm himself down enough that he doesn't fanboy all over anymore, though there are times where he still can't believe he's getting to hang out with her.

And she was kind of a cool person. You'd think someone like that would be really high up on themselves, but Mami didn't ever talk down to him or treat him badly. He's honestly more excited about this than he was to go out with Yukiko to the theater. And hesitant to just ask her out, like out of everything, he really didn't want to screw it up with her. The timing had to be just right. He's not sure if she's even interested in him at all, but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. And he's not going to give up just because he isn't sure yet! Going to keep an eye out for the signs.

So he calls her up, anxiously waiting for her to pick up.

"Yo, Mami, it's Yosuke! You busy?"

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Mami wasn't particularly busy, thankfully. She had a hotel room in Union -- a rather nice one, because she had her family's money and her earnings as a Valkyrie -- and a long-term arrangement. It was closer to an apartment, with a kitchenette. She had helped herself to some tea and then realized that she was drinking it alone. Some things didn't change.

She looked up from sipping said tea when her Warp Band buzzed. She picked it up -- it took a moment of fumbling to remember how to answer -- and then managed to affect that usual calm.

Strange foreign technology, she thought.

"Oh, Yosuke," she said with that usual calm cheer she always had. "It's wonderful to hear from you. I'm not particularly busy, no."

"Great!" That was good to hear, he had been afraid that maybe she'd be busy with whatever Valkyrie business she had in Union, but it turns out it's his lucky day. Trying to keep himself from sounding anxious, he continues on.

"Hey, I managed to get the rest of the day off from work. I...was wondering if you wanted to come out with me, you know, like we talked about before." He wonders how often she gets requests like this, because the first time around he definitely hadn't been thinking about that.

"Oh, for training?"

She didn't forget that idea of his. She had been thinking about it recently; she was also helping Yukiko Amagi, and that meant planning out how to train someone to defend themselves. It didn't come easily to her; she cared for people, but she also tried to do everything herself. Mami had to stop and think about the best way to help someone train, but she could do precisely that.

She didn't consider that it might be a date, but it was a chance to see him. She didn't mind that in the slightest.

"Certainly," she answered her own question, perhaps before he could. She hadn't decided on the details, such as where to meet or how to start. She would have to wing some of this. "We could use the forest or one of the facilities that Union has for it."

Luckily, he'd thought of at least where to go prior to calling Mami, somewhere that Makie had made him go when she'd demanded they go out and do some work after she had healed up thanks to Yukiko. His Scyther is a demanding one in that aspect, and now he's silently thanking her for making this part easier.

"There's a part of the woods right outside of Union where I've been going. The only place I've heard of in town costs way too much money." Of course, he's not sure if there's other places, because he's still fairly new here.

"I certainly don't want to pay for training," Mami said. "That would be absurd." This may be an exceedingly Citadelian sentiment of hers. Valkyries train all of the time; they might as well put a price on the library.

She rubbed her chin, before she nodded. If he was doing his research before they started, that boded well. "Let's use the place you found," she said. "We can meet at one of the gates, and then you can show me where it is?"

He smiles, happy to hear her say that. "Okay, how about the west gate. It's closest to there, so we can meet up." Even as he speaks, he's getting up and moving about. He'd left his things ready on the table, in expectation of going out with her today.

His weapons, and a small box.

"How's that sound?"

"Perfect. I'll meet you there."

True to her word, she was waiting for him. Mami could traverse Union quickly; the compact city of towers was practically made for her style of flight. With ribbons and the flight Moves that she had as a Child of the Howling Gale, she could whip from tower to tower with no trouble. She left from the balcony of her hotel room and glided on those golden ribbons until she dropped down at the west gate.

She took a position up near the gate itself, standing just to the side of a stack of wooden crates. The young woman wanted a view of the people passing in the street -- and she kept her arms folded. She had the garb she often wore as a Valkyrie on: her small black hat, ruffled white shirt, brown and golden corset, and the ruffled skirt that she wore. She adjusted her feather idly, and was in the middle of that, when she thought she caught him approaching.

She waved lightly, before she smiled. "Yosuke!" she called out. "Over here."

Unfortunately for him, traveling the city isn't quite as easy- he hasn't discovered his own abilities yet, so he's taken to the streets, walking as fast as he can towards the west gate. Knowing he might get a little dirty, he'd worn some pants, and older pair of red cargo pants that he didn't care if he stained or not, with an older v-neck t-shirt he'd had for ages. All something that if he ruined, he wouldn't be concerned with.

At his sides hung a pair of kunai, larger than what one would normally expect, the ones he'd gotten from Sanctuary. He jogs lightly up to her, greeting her with his own wave.

"Hey! Mami! Sorry if I kept you waiting. C'mon, follow me, this way. It's only a five minute walk or so."

He starts to lead outside of the gates, a short walk through the forest to a secluded area that offered a little bit of an opening. Trees lined it in a jagged circle, but it was obvious it had been used before. The ground had been stomped down and there was a part of the earth that had been flung up, like something had slammed into it a little harder than normal.

Mami took a good look at those kunai. They came from Sanctuary, if she remembered what he said correctly. Much like the gem she acquired, to enhance her own abilities. She smiled, approving silently of his clothing. She could stand to be in uniform; she expected to put him through a few exercises. After all, the training she knew was that used by Valkyries, and she could adapt that to someone who wasn't a Windblessed.

She followed after and stopped when they got to the clearing. She took a good look around, before she turned to look at him. Mami's head tilted to the side, curiously. "It looks as if there was a stampede here. Or... something else. The earthquakes, perhaps?"

He turns, and laughs at the prospect of there being a stampede here.

"Try a couple of pokémon going at it. I've got a Scyther that doesn't ever let up on the training, and she was giving my Bibarel a run for it. She caught wind I was gunna be out here today, and I'm gunna hear it from her when I get back because I told her she had to stay home. Now I gotta make it up to her some other way..."

It was hard insisting that he goes alone for this to her, and was scolded for chasing girls over and over. Especially when this was important training time, he should be focusing on that instead of going on dates!

"But we're here! I don't really know how this all works, because you know. This...really isn't my thing." He'd never fought against another person before. Chased down by a Scyther yes, but he has no idea how this goes otherwise. Would she make him do pushups, or worse?

"Well..." Mami took a long look at the packed down, well-worked earth, and then turned to look at Yosuke. She laughed, a little sheepish, before she nodded at him. "I can commend for their spirit."

She stretched her arms out, though, and she took a look around the clearing. She didn't want to admit that she also wasn't quite sure where to start; Valkyries would often take immediately to the skies, but that wouldn't work with him. Still, she had some ideas. She held a hand out, and with a flash of golden light, one of her guns appeared. She pointed it upward and fired to discharge the already loaded round. (It was for effect, but also for safety; accidentally shooting him would be bad.) Mami didn't flinch with the bang.

Then she turned, gripping the long percussion lock rifle like a staff. She looked at Yosuke for a moment, sizing him up. "I should see where you are and what you've learned," she said. "We can build from there. So..."

She nodded. "Come at me."

"Come at you?"

A question that made it clear that he wasn't quite ready for that. Maybe a few exercises, critiquing his fighting posture (which is horrible) or something, but no. She just summoned her gun and fire off a shot, something he'd jumped at and wasn't expecting. And now she's standing there with it, asking him to just run at her and attack? With his fists, right?

"Uh, are you sure this is such a good idea?"

His hands ball into loose fists, unsure if that's what she wanted. Not that he was scared of hurting her- rather, he was scared of her beating the living hell out of him.

She cut him a look at that; to his credit, she didn't think he might be hesitating because he was worried he would hurt her. She had too much confidence in her skills as a Valkyrie to entertain that concern. She nodded, a little more firmly than before.

"I'm certain," she said. "It will let me see how you move and what you're doing."

What he was doing wrong, she thought, but she didn't say that. She didn't need to hurt his confidence. She hefted her gun up, then motioned at him with a hand. "We'll figure out what to work on, from that. And, I assure you..."

She winked. By reflex, a few sparkles of light shone from her eyes when she did. "I would never hurt you, Yosuke."

He still seems hesitant, and gulps. Well, here goes nothing... Not entirely sure how to approach this, he puts his fists up, stands awkwardly with a fake look of determination on his face, trying to convince himself that he's going to be alright.

"Please let me come out of this in one piece-!"

And without another moment passing by, he takes off, coming in at her with a punch. He doesn't even know where he's trying to punch her, nor does he feel that he can even follow through with it because he really doesn't want to hit her.

Mami moved like, fittingly, the wind. She stepped back from the punch, so it didn't come anywhere near her. Then she swung her rifle up to catch under his arm and shove it into the air, still with a fluid motion. She turned when she did that, and grabbed him with her other hand. Then, she pushed him down towards the ground, but stopped short of actually dropping him onto his face. She kept a hand gripped on his shoulder to do that.

He needed some work, she thought.

"Right, then," Mami said. She pulled him back to his feet, and then stepped back. Her rifle spun 'round in her hand, before she plunked the stock into the ground. "We have some things to work on."

"Waaaaaaah!" It all happens so fast. One moment, he's coming at her, and the next he's feeling his body get twisted around and suddenly he's almost eating dirt for lunch. He only gets the chance to blink as he stares at the ground, before he's yanked back up and onto his feet once more.

It takes a second for him to adjust and realize that he'd easily been taken out in one fluid motion, but a little embarrassed nonetheless. He's questioning if this was ever a good idea to begin with. Maybe he shoulda just taken her out for dinner instead.

"Man, it's really that bad isn't it..."

"Most people can't fight without training," Mami says. There is a practiced gentleness in her tone; she has given this speech before, but often to younger Valkyries. "When I first started, I didn't know what I was doing. But I learned, and so can you. So first..."

She doesn't give him much warning. She puts her hands on his shoulders. "Relax. If you're tense, you won't have the freedom of movement that you need. You want your knees and elbows loose. And--"

She reaches out with her foot, nudging at his calves. "Have your feet further apart. You want to be solidly grounded. If you don't, one hit and you'll topple over."

"Ah..." He does as he's told, trying to let his shoulders relax. But it's hard, because of the combination that he's being instructed by an ace Valkyrie that before Union, he never thought he'd even speak to. And, well, cute girl. That's always a factor. Really cute girl that could rip his face off if she wanted. His leg moves out to an appropriate distance to give himself better balance.

"Like...this?" He tries to put himself into a good stance, but he's completely unsure of what to do with his hands. They go up in front of him, don't they?

"Like that," she agrees. "Except for your arms."

But she hadn't shown him what to do, there. There isn't any incrimination in her voice. She takes his wrist in both her hands, and then moves his arms in closer to his chest. "You want them near you," she says. "If you're punching, you won't have much reach. Your arms are for blocking a swing that someone takes at you. But your elbows and wrists need to be loose, too."

She taps his elbow with a finger, before she pulls back. "How does that feel? It should become second nature. It's a form that you'll want to learn to hold, when you can."

He looks down at where she's placed his hands, trying his best to not get too excited about her doing all this. Yosuke can't help but think about how cool and cute Mami is, even while she's being serious like this, so he vows to himself that he isn't going to mess this up and he'll at least try. Even if he's not nearly as serious about becoming a great fighter like her.

Standing like this feels awkward to him, but knows she's right- he'll have to do it a lot more to make it second nature.

"I'll have this down in no time." He says, trying to sound cool. He grins back at her, holding himself with more confidence. He bounces on his feet a few times, knowing the only thing he's got going for him is a little bit of speed, more than what he even thought he should have. Still, it's not something a Windblessed couldn't handle, but he'll take anything he can get at this point.

"You said I can block from here, why don't you come at me now?" Another thing he immediately regrets saying. He's gunna get it...

"If it takes time, that isn't out of the ordinary," she says, with a knowing smile. She refrains from mentioning how long it took her to learn the right stance.

She tilts her head at him, though, and raises an eyebrow. Then, Mami nods. "Very well, then."

She doesn't ask if he's sure -- it seems insulting to her, to see if he really meant it -- but there is a moment of hesitation while she studies up on his stance. She doesn't want to risk hurting him too badly. In the end, she decides not use a melee weapon, but her fists. While Mami is a powerful Windblessed, and hardly weak, her punches and kicks aren't the strongest thing that she has. She still moves fast, though.

But not as fast as she could. She wants him to see the punch, and that means she has to pull it. She jabs with her left hand, aimed directly for his chin.

Maybe the only thing that's helping him here is that he's expecting her to punch him. But even still, the punch comes quickly and he's not used to people actually attacking him straight on like this. He freezes up, panics a little, arm coming up to try to block the punch. He cries out and jumps backwards, feeling it connect with his arm which in turn smacks himself in the jaw.

"Owww! That seriously hurt!" He rubs his jaw, unhappy with the entire scene that played out. He'd almost feel more comfortable using his weapons, only because last week he'd gotten practice in with them running away from a Scyther.

That didn't work the way she hoped at all.

Mami stares for a moment, uncertain of what to do. Most of the younger trainees didn't freeze up that way, but girls who wanted to be Valkyries were different. They expected to get in fights. She remembers, though, what it was like for her. "I apologize," she says. She lowers her hand, rubbing at her knuckles. "Perhaps I put too much force into it."

She sighs, then she gives him a sidelong look. "Yosuke," she says. There are a couple of moments of hesitation. "Are you frightened of being hurt?"

"No! I mean, sort of. Maybe." He sighs, rubbing the back of his head in frustration. "I know I'm gunna get hurt, but c'mon Mami, you know how it is. Guys just aren't really cut out for this sort of thing. I've never gotten into a real fist fight before."

It hurts to admit it, but it shows on his features that it's a reality he's had to accept in their culture.

"But even so, I won't let it stop me. Even if I am a little scared of getting hurt. Besides," he adds with a smile, "with a teacher like you, where can I go wrong?"

There is a brief, momentary pause. How could he go wrong with a teacher like her? Several answers come to Mami's mind immediately; several truths that she is aware of, but rarely shares with herself, much less others. A distant look flickers across her face for a moment. But, it is gone again, and replaced by that smile she wears when she has to put one on.

"Everyone is scared, sometimes," she says, gently. "But... you have the right spirit. Part of training is making it so that you don't flinch. Before, when I hit you..."

She lifts her chin, considering him. "The reason wasn't that you're a man. Citadel's views are what they are, but we only have to look at Union, Caldera, and Sanctuary to see that men can fight. Your reaction is why I managed to hit you. When you flinch, you risk being struck, because you freeze up." Her eyes become distant again, for a moment. "You have to put that fear to more useful ends."

She hesitates, then she adds: "You can learn. There isn't anything to stop that."

Edited (i decided to add things oh no) 2015-06-27 15:08 (UTC)

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