Of course, considering how the boy was looking rather confused about the site that he had chosen for the initial training, it was clear that he would have to really use all the time that he had on this. "What is the problem?"
"This is where ya wanna train me?" Ranma asked.
"Nothing wrong with it. Nice, flat and open, so that ya'll have plenty of a chance to see how I can pile stuff onta ya more than anythin' else 'round."
"Hmmm.... Ya gonna spar with me then?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Pop always did that. He'd show me a technique, and then expect me ta use it in a fight with him."
"Let me show ya somethin'. Attack me," Gnorrsh told him.
"What? Now?"
"Yes, now. Ain't like your enemies'll stop ta ask ya if you're ready. Now, c'mon!"
The human child blinked back at him for a moment, and then visibly tried to prepare himself. It was rather like watching one of the more pompous elves try to get into what they thought would be a proper 'look', but this boy was at least simply trying to imitate what he'd been taught. When he attacked, it was rather quick for someone of his age, but it wasn't fast enough. The troll merely grabbed the outstretched arm, and used it to toss the boy to the ground. That didn't stop the kid, as he came back up again, and tried to deliver another punch. But that was caught as well, with the human landing in the dirt again. And the following time even had the boy held by both arms, as he got flicked in the head by the troll's third arm.
Yet, the next attack wasn't the simple one that was expected, as Ranma darted around the 'living mountain', and leapt up to land on his back. Only a quick twist allowed the instructor to get out of the way, and the relatively gentle swat that the troll gave flung the boy to the ground, to roll over and over several times.
Sighing to himself, Gnorrsh feared that he'd be forever picking his student up off the ground.
Instead, Ranma pulled himself to his feet with a grin on his face, even with the blood lightly trickling from his mouth.
"What are ya thinkin' now, eh?" the troll asked.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Ranma met his instructor's eyes levelly. "That if I'd just managed ta get onta your back, I'd have a chance."
"Oh really?"
"Yup. Ya got more arms than me, but they don't bend backwards, and if I'd had a way ta hit ya good, ya'd be taken down. Ya still got insides, and your head's right there, so...."
"Ya thought of that by yourself?"
"Sure did. Bein' strong's better if ya fight smart, right?"
"Well then, I suppose that ya'd better listen ta me, 'cause ya are gonna learn a lot."
"Here?"
"Hell no. This is only where we're gonna start out. Plenty of places for ya ta be the best that ya can be."
"Cool!"
This was something that Gnorrsh knew that he could work with. The boy might be a bit delicate, and naive, but he saw that he could do something with the kid. Perhaps there was really something to this idea, after all. He'd just have to see, while:
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(Posted Sat, 03 Dec 2005 07:22)
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