One, she really really liked tall good looking martial artist type boys. She was making the acquaintance of one right now. After the sparring match she really really really wanted to get better acquainted.
Two, he seemed a little clumsy or something. He had sufficient strength. As for hitting him, Makoto thought she'd hit walls that weren't THAT solid. Still there were hesitations and movements that didn't quite jibe. He was holding back a lot, that much she was sure of - but was that all that was?
Three, what she DID see of his strength and what she'd felt in those contacts indicated to her that it was a very good thing he WAS holding back. When she tried a flip of him, he merely centered himself in such a way that it seemed she was trying to flip a mountain. When he decided to move fast though, she could barely move away in time.
She blocked an openhand strike and slid backward in the sand. Okay, it was time to pull out special manuevers. She found a rock underfoot, moved her foot back and under it, then kicked out. It was just to buy her a little time.
She saw when it was airborne that it was one of the five pound iron weights that had been on the barbell earlier.
She saw Ranma reach out and slap it away, and she saw the metal deform at impact.
Okay, wrestling manuevers went right out the window. This was NOT an opponent to try close-in with. Anything Goes was a system of adaptation though. So -
He came in, rushing forward, his expression unreadable.
There was a quick exchange of blocks and punches, and things clicked together as she leapt backward to end that exchange. His punches had been harder at first, and now - they were roughly of the same impact strength as she was doing herself. He was adapting to HER level of combat.
"Break," called out Genma, slicing the air in front of him. He'd noticed several things in the fight - and the bent weight sitting in the sand confirmed more.
Ranma stood down almost immediately, then smiled and bowed to his opponent.
That smile almost did what his punch had failed to do. Makoto felt weak at the knees on seeing it.
"Let's break for lunch," suggested Genma.
"Oh I've got some sandwiches," said Makoto, heading for a backpack she'd brought along.
Genma hmmed as he considered a few things. The boy's Ironskin and strength training looked to be considerable, yet... "He doesn't spar very often, does he?"
"No," agreed Hotaru, heading for her own basket of goodies. Wow, relationships between martial arts couples seemed very violent.
Genma hmmmed again.
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(Posted Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:45)
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