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

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

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.]

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Oh.

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

Okay.

We'll be able to use her to fight from now on, but only when we're both there.

[And seeing as how she's not actually needed to fight anything for them right now, Coppelia curtsies and disappears back into the sea of their souls with a flourish and another flash of light.]

Um... we can try again if you want, but I'm not sure if it'll work. Maybe if I took out my other Persona? It blocks attacks that aren't magic, so at least you won't knock me out if I can't block them myself. And then I can work on my speed.

But if you do that then we won't be able to work on your limit break.

[Which is fine by her, really. It's all up to Nano. Xion just wants to make sure Nano understands what she's missing out on. Sort of.]

Maybe we can work on the limit break later on. I think I should learn more about the basics first.

[Looking a little sheepish over here.]

If that's what you want to do instead then, that's fine. Would you rather me hitting you until you can block, or you trying to hit me?

I think I should learn how to block first.

[Nano concentrates for a moment, calling out her Velvet Room Persona and getting back into a battle stance.]

Alright.

[She waits for a moment after the Persona has been summoned, before speaking up again.]

You ready?

[Nano nods, R.O.B. floating protectively behind her.]

Ready.

[And Xion swings her keyblade for Nano again, in the same manner as before, thrusting the weapon forward at her middle.]

[Between her residual memories and having just seen an identical attack in this same training session, Nano actually manages to get her keyblade up in time to block this time - though just barely. Unfortunately, she's not really sure how to go about a proper counterattack, so for now she's just holding her ground and trying to push Xion back.]

[Xion does know, however to properly execute a counter attack. She doesn't, however. Instead trying to use brute strength to push Nano down to the ground. It'll give her a better vantage to strike again.]

[Nano's not as skilled, but she makes up for it with her robotic construction. There's a lot of back and forth going on, and eventually Nano decides to try to push sideways instead to try to knock Xion's hand away.]

[It works, and Xion's blade is pushed away, for about two seconds as she brings it in for a sideways swing to Nano's side to counter attack.]

[Nano's not ready for such a swift follow-up, having been going for another overhead strike herself. Fortunately, with R.O.B. out, Xion's attack doesn't deal any damage, but there is enough of an impact that Nano's rhythm is thrown off and she misses with her own attack.]

[There's very little reprieve for Nano. Now that Xion can't get her down through pain alone, she has to hit harder so that she can knock her down with brute force.

She goes in for another swing.]

[Nano once again brings her keyblade up to block, but this time Xion's got so much force behind it that it sends her sprawling to the floor. She keeps the blade held horizontally in front of her to protect from the inevitable follow-up.]

[Surprisingly, she doesn't follow up with an attack. But she does however thrust her keyblade into the ground, offering a hand to help Nano back up.]

Your stance is too narrow. You'll get knocked down faster that way.

[Nano's already wincing in anticipation, but when she hears the sound of the keyblade piercing through the wood floor next to her, she opens an eye.]

Huh?

[She glances at Xion's hand for a moment before nodding back with a smile.]

Oh! Thank you, Xion-san!

[Picking up her keyblade with her free hand, she accepts the hand up and gets back into a combat stance, placing her feet farther away from one another this time.]

Should it look more like this...?

Yeah. Turn sideways a bit too. It makes you a smaller target, and makes it easier for you to strike.

[Not that she herself does it that way, but that's because she has her own unique combat style. Nano should learn the proper way, at least.]

Sideways... okay.

[Nano nods, repositioning herself and then spreading her feet out again, presenting her side to Xion as she holds her keyblade behind her.]

Is this right? Where should the keyblade be?

Keep your keyblade in your dominant hand and in front of you. Like this.

[Xion mimics the posture, trying to show Nano just what to do. Of course, she's sort of ambidextrous when it comes to fighting, so it doesn't quite matter for her.]

Right...

[Nano shifts the keyblade into her right hand, holding it out the way Xion has demonstrated.]

How's this?

Good. You should be able to block and parry easier.

[Xion raises her keyblade, prepared to strike. This time she gives Nano a little more time to ready herself before she does, but she still hits hard and fast all the same.]

[And just like Xion said, Nano is able to bring her own keyblade up to parry the blow much more easily. She once again shifts her momentum to the side to try to knock Xion's attack away before following up with a strike of her own, aimed toward the midsection this time.]

[Her attack is knocked away, though she manages to whirl around enough to bring up her keyblade to block. Nano seems to be a fast learner, but Xion has the experience to go with it.

She jumps backwards after her guard before rushing her again, this time trying to low sweep Nano off her feet.]

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