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Description
"No, see, you're doing it again," Sally said as the blade smacked against its mate, positioned lengthwise to intercept the swipe.

"What, I blocked it!" O'Connor said, his posture frozen in his defensive stance.

Sally didn't move the training sword as she studied the Human. "You made the same mistake you did last time."

"Care to fill me in on that, sensei?"

"Your eyes. You're watching the blade!"

"Well yeah. That blade was going to take my arm off!"

Sally groaned and removed the sword, walking to the bench that lay just outside of the training circle. "I'm going to explain it as many times as I need to and you're going to listen. Aurora help me you're going to get through this set. You never watch the sword. When you do that you take your eyes off your opponent," She raised it and pointed it away from them both. "The tip of the blade is only going to go one way. There isn't much I can do to change the direction once I've begun my swing," she demonstrated by making a slight swipe. "All of the mass is shifting from my hand to the tip. I can't stop it. You're wasting milliseconds watching it."

O'Connor "So, what, I watch you? Eye contact?"

Sally's hand went to her face. "Oh man he hasn't listened to a thing I said. No, watching my face is a problem. My eyes can trick you. I can telegraph that I'm going to aim for your gut when I actually want to cut your legs off at the knees. You aren't going to have enough time to change your stance," she said, grabbing a water bottle, popping the lid, and downing a large gulp. Sighing, she placed it back on the bench and stared at the Human. "You want to try to stare at your opponent's center of mass. I know you know what that is."

"Center mass." the Marine repeated, quickly mulling it over. "You mean I have to stare at your chest."

"You watch my torso." Sally corrected, pointing for emphasis.

"I have to stare at your chest," O'Connor repeated.

"Well, yeah." Sally said. "I can fake with my eyes, fake with my arms and legs, but I can't fake with my core. When I make a movement, everything flows from the core outwards."

"I have to stare at your chest," O'Connor repeated, this time, with a stupid half-smile on his face.

Sally's eyes narrowed. "If I was any closer I'd smack you with this," she said, pointing the training blade at her. "Yes, you have to stare at my chest you big ape. Think of it as an exercise in self-control in more than one way.

She rose, walking back to the Human. "You know, it's funny. What did you shoot on the range your last qual?"

"Expert," O'Connor said without missing a beat.

"What did you score on your mixed martial arts course?"

"Three years ago almost?" he thought, pursing his lips. "I passed."

Now it was Sally's turn to smirk. "Something is missing...!"

He groaned, "On the second attempt. Listen, I keep forgetting you've read my file."

"They teach you to shoot and not to fight. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to help make you into a real warrior."

"You know most engagements take place at a hundred and fifty meters or more."

"You haven't been on Mobius long enough then, Human,"

She playfully swung the sword at his legs, knocking the safety blade against him lightly. "Come on. We're finishing that set."

The man shook his head and looked at the training sword again. "Three hours of sword training today, three yesterday, and probably three tomorrow."

Sally shrugged. "Beat me in a fight one day and maybe I'll let you swing the Sword of Acorns around."

He started, "Really?"

"Let's start with this set," she winked.

"At least I have to watch at your chest."

Sally shook her head softly, stiffened her posture. "Let's take it from the top. Center mass, Human. Left side slash! Ready? Begin!"

Description
"No, see, you're doing it again," Sally said as the blade smacked against its mate, positioned lengthwise to intercept the swipe.

"What, I blocked it!" O'Connor said, his posture frozen in his defensive stance.

Sally didn't move the training sword as she studied the Human. "You made the same mistake you did last time."

"Care to fill me in on that, sensei?"

"Your eyes. You're watching the blade!"

"Well yeah. That blade was going to take my arm off!"

Sally groaned and removed the sword, walking to the bench that lay just outside of the training circle. "I'm going to explain it as many times as I need to and you're going to listen. Aurora help me you're going to get through this set. You never watch the sword. When you do that you take your eyes off your opponent," She raised it and pointed it away from them both. "The tip of the blade is only going to go one way. There isn't much I can do to change the direction once I've begun my swing," she demonstrated by making a slight swipe. "All of the mass is shifting from my hand to the tip. I can't stop it. You're wasting milliseconds watching it."

O'Connor "So, what, I watch you? Eye contact?"

Sally's hand went to her face. "Oh man he hasn't listened to a thing I said. No, watching my face is a problem. My eyes can trick you. I can telegraph that I'm going to aim for your gut when I actually want to cut your legs off at the knees. You aren't going to have enough time to change your stance," she said, grabbing a water bottle, popping the lid, and downing a large gulp. Sighing, she placed it back on the bench and stared at the Human. "You want to try to stare at your opponent's center of mass. I know you know what that is."

"Center mass." the Marine repeated, quickly mulling it over. "You mean I have to stare at your chest."

"You watch my torso." Sally corrected, pointing for emphasis.

"I have to stare at your chest," O'Connor repeated.

"Well, yeah." Sally said. "I can fake with my eyes, fake with my arms and legs, but I can't fake with my core. When I make a movement, everything flows from the core outwards."

"I have to stare at your chest," O'Connor repeated, this time, with a stupid half-smile on his face.

Sally's eyes narrowed. "If I was any closer I'd smack you with this," she said, pointing the training blade at her. "Yes, you have to stare at my chest you big ape. Think of it as an exercise in self-control in more than one way.

She rose, walking back to the Human. "You know, it's funny. What did you shoot on the range your last qual?"

"Expert," O'Connor said without missing a beat.

"What did you score on your mixed martial arts course?"

"Three years ago almost?" he thought, pursing his lips. "I passed."

Now it was Sally's turn to smirk. "Something is missing...!"

He groaned, "On the second attempt. Listen, I keep forgetting you've read my file."

"They teach you to shoot and not to fight. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to help make you into a real warrior."

"You know most engagements take place at a hundred and fifty meters or more."

"You haven't been on Mobius long enough then, Human,"

She playfully swung the sword at his legs, knocking the safety blade against him lightly. "Come on. We're finishing that set."

The man shook his head and looked at the training sword again. "Three hours of sword training today, three yesterday, and probably three tomorrow."

Sally shrugged. "Beat me in a fight one day and maybe I'll let you swing the Sword of Acorns around."

He started, "Really?"

"Let's start with this set," she winked.

"At least I have to watch at your chest."

Sally shook her head softly, stiffened her posture. "Let's take it from the top. Center mass, Human. Left side slash! Ready? Begin!"