As swift as the coursing river, with all the strength of a great typhoon

[all_wound_up]

Who: Nano Shinonome & Xion (OU)
Where: Knight Academy, Aquarius District
When: Backdated to June 8th
Summary: Nano becomes an honorary keybitty by getting her first keyblade lesson. Shenanigans ensue.
Warnings: Who likes action brackets? I like action brackets.

[Nano had heard people talking about the Knight Academy before, but never had much of a reason to go there herself.  But then again, she never thought she'd be learning to fight with a sword.  The building is abandoned now, its previous owners having departed the city, so it's the perfect place to get her first swordsmanship lesson from Xion without being disturbed.  She has a metal replica keyblade with her courtesy of Namine, and is currently waiting in the main hall for her teacher to arrive, occupying herself by taking a few practice swings in midair.]

Comments

[poppetstrings]

It'll work, I guess. There's enough space to move around.

[But she won't be able to just throw Nano at the heartless like what had happened to her when she was first under training.]

What do you want to start with?

[all_wound_up]

[She spent the better part of a week and a half stalking them all over the city anyway, so at the very least she's already learned how to tail her quarry effectively.]

I don't know. I've never trained at something like this before. How did you start out?

[poppetstrings]

They... kind of just threw me at the heartless.

[And all she had back then was magic to use.]

I guess if you want to learn that way, I can just start attacking you.

[all_wound_up]

That sounds dangerous, but you do know more about this than I do...

[poppetstrings]

Well... I'm not going to kill you like I would the heartless, so there won't be any finishing blows.

[all_wound_up]

All right. I trust you.

[Nano nods, striking a combat pose identical to the one Xion herself uses.]

I'm ready.

[poppetstrings]

[Xion's keyblade appears in her hand in an instant, and she immediately lunges forward in a strike for Nano's middle.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano swings her own keyblade around in an attempt to block. It's an admirable effort, and certainly one more skilled than a total rank beginner, but residual memories are nothing against a literal lifetime of training. Her reflexes are sadly too slow, and she takes the hit right to the stomach.]

Oooomph!

[Doubling over and holding a hand over her midsection, Nano stumbles back a few steps. She manages to keep hold of her own weapon, but just barely.]

[poppetstrings]

[Xion strikes again, this time aiming at Nano's back to send her to the ground. She's not pulling her punches at all, and honestly, she wouldn't even think to do such a thing.

Definitely one of the easiest fights she's ever had, to be honest.]

[all_wound_up]

[Well, that's it, she's pretty much done for. That combination of blows would have likely knocked out a normal girl - thank goodness for that robotic construction underneath.

But while she's technically conscious, that still hurt a lot, and it takes her a good minute or so to get her body moving. Once she pushes herself up off the floor, she gets into a sitting position.]

M-maybe we should start a little slower than that...

[poppetstrings]

[When Nano can finally manage to bring herself into a sitting position, Xion points her keyblade at her again, though this time not to attack.]

Heal.

[And with that, Xion hopes that her cure spell will work on Nano.]

I don't really understand what you mean by that.

[all_wound_up]

[And it does, somehow! Persona magic is able to heal Nano, and this seems to work the same. She's still exhausted, but at least the physical damage is repaired.]

You're too fast for me to block. I don't know how long I can keep going if you're coming at me at full strength.

[poppetstrings]

You had my memories, right? Do you remember anything about limit breaks?

[She can help Nano activate hers!]

[all_wound_up]

It's all really hazy now... what were they again?

[poppetstrings]

It's- well, It's sort of an all out desperation attack.

[all_wound_up]

Oh... so it's something I can only use when I'm in trouble?

[Nano thinks that over.]

Do you think I have one? I've never done anything like that before, except for when my Persona came out.

[poppetstrings]

Yeah. If you want, we can try to get you to use one.

[Xion's leaning on her keyblade slightly as she watches Nano, awaiting her answer. To her, she doesn't see why Nano wouldn't be able to have one. She does Axel does, Roxas does, and she's sure that all of the other members do, even Xemnas.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano... continues thinking it over, before finally nodding back at Xion. She's feeling stubborn today, and is also depressingly naive. It's a rather unfortunate combination, given the circumstances.]

Okay. Let's try it.

[poppetstrings]

Alright.

[Xion raises her keyblade again, and brings it down hard on Nano's head. Do you hear the HP warning bells yet?]

[all_wound_up]

[Once again, Nano is too slow to block, and Xion's blade travels rapidly toward her robotic skull. And while it's not a limit break that happens next, it is something extraordinary and unexpected all the same. Her free hand moving of its own accord, Nano calls out in her mind for her Persona, Pinocchio.

There is a bright flash of light between Nano and Xion, and the Persona that emerges is not Pinocchio, but rather what appears to be a life-sized mechanical doll. There are obvious seams along its joints, and it's dressed in a dazzling blue and white dress.]

I am thou and thou art I. I am Coppelia, the dancing doll. Let us set each other free, that no strings may ever bind us.

[The figure floats between the two, arms outstretched as if to signal the end of the training battle. And though her face is clearly artificial, there is an inexplicably warm smile painted across it as she regards both Nano and Xion in turn.]

[poppetstrings]

[Xion just.

Sort of stares dumbfoundedly.

She's never seen a limit break like this, so she'll just sort of... you know, stand like a deer in the headlights. It doesn't seem threatening, but she's not about to let go of her keyblade just in case.

... Yeah she's never even called her own persona yet. What a champ.]

[all_wound_up]

[Normally this kind of thing only happens when both people have called their Personas and are fighting together, but apparently the training battle and the lingering connection of their Destiny Strings was enough to call the Persona out. Nano blinks back at the Persona before turning to Xion and waving a hand.]

It's all right, Xion-san! She's not here to hurt us. This is our Persona.

[poppetstrings]

... No?

[Well, her hand with the keyblade drops to her side passively. What do they do now? Can they still do training with this thing- persona in the way?

And what was this 'our' persona? Xion knows she has one (apparently, so she's been told), but she didn't think they could be shared.]

[all_wound_up]

Sometimes two people with a deep connection can share a Persona. Maybe we're still linked together from before...?

[Coppelia turns to Nano and nods. That's more or less the size of it.]

Coppelia belongs to both of us. I don't completely understand how it works, but I've had this happen a few other times with people I've become friends with.

[poppetstrings]

Oh.

[Yeah no she's still dumbfounded. Sorry, Nano.]

Okay.