Complete ✪ Finweald Winging It 101

[Toko]

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There was an initial reaction of concern when she heard the larger Felis grunt as he tanked her kick, a part of the Lepus fearing that maybe she'd taken things too far, but Toko pushed pass through it as she finished the move's motion. After all Alonso had told her to not hold back, she had to trust that her new teacher could handle himself as he claimed... and the mountain of a man proved her initial worry to be unnecessary after all.

"H-Hai!

A momentary pause was taken as Alonso informed Toko he was stepping up difficulty a notch, the Lepus nodding before granting him time to warm up his muscles while she pondered on what else could she try out now that she had a willing combat partner. "Hmm... maybe it's time for that then." The fighter mused quietly to herself, nodding as she decided on her next move—she'd have to thank Solaria later for having helped her think outside the box with her skills.

Upon noticing that Alonso was ready once more the Lepus quickly shifted back to a combat stance, shifting her weight from one foot to the other Toko took a moment to visually study the new movements from the Felis. It was amazing how good his guard was, even when also moving around, but any admiration would have to take a back seat for the time being.

"Ikimass!"

Again she launched herself forth, returning back to a mix of punches and kicks as the fighter tried to predict the movements of Alonso—with varying degrees of success and also failure. Honestly a part of her hadn't expected all the mental stimulus—trying to think of what moves to hit Alonso with, while also trying to predict where he'd move to next, was already quite the challenge... and then she had also added in concentrating on her magic once more to the mix.

She wasn't a one trick pony though and, while Alonso might've realized she was planning on unleashing something again from the way Toko's brows furrowed, the Lepus hoped he wouldn't be able to see through her plan. A kick was delivered, followed by another, as the Lepus tried to slowly edge the bigger opponent closer to a specific patch of dirt and grass, and once Alonso was as close as Toko could manage she let loose the Nature magic that had been built up. It caused a mass of vines to suddenly spring forth, though Toko wasn't able to see if they had successfully latched on to the Felis' foot as she went in for a third kick.

@Alonso Thorlion

 

[Alonso Thorlion]

The bottoms of his feet were growing more and more dirty as he slid and bounced around, grass on occasion resting on top before being cast off to the winds. But this was good. It may seem odd, but the constant friction against his feet will help for other, stranger terrain. Alonso made efforts to see any patterns made during this 'moving target' segment, and although a few strikes slammed into his guard, he managed to hop to the side and bend back to avoid some of the blows coming at him. It became a chess match, one that he created through not only creating stimuli for Toko, but also himself.

He did not notice the other's plan while continuing his present task. If anything, he expected the lepus to continue doing her mixture of punches and kicks mixed in with empowered attacks with other masteries. But the man grew careless. Alonso kept up his bobs, weaves, and dodges until he was placed in he desire patch of dirt. Soon after, his eyes widened and ears perked up as the mass of vines grabbed his foot! It did not help that his massive upper body prevented some view of down there on top of his more focused state.

"DAMNIT," he growled, hunkering down and spreading his stance. He raised his forearms to block anymore oncoming attacks, moving them to knock away the attacks. "Didn't expect you to take what I said about finding your style as seriously as you did," he said. Now his evasion was limited, as he did not want to move his foot in case the vines attempted to trip up in the process.

But he knew he can always change the pace of these exercises. Nodding, he warned, "Be ready, cause now you're going to deal with actual attacks too!" With that, one he had an opening, Alonso began to throw a few punches out in order to throw Toku off. He reverted to his defensive stance each time to keep up with his own safety, but his main goal was to try and remove the concentration on those damn vines. Shaking his head with teeth bared, he also forced back another part of himself, as this was not the time or place to unleash his fiercer mode of combat.

@Toko

 

[Toko]

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At first the animalistic legs had been harder to adjust to than her normal legs back in the real world, making it harder for Toko to adjust and keep her balance when sudden movements were concerned. However as their practice progressed the rabbitfolk found herself finding a steady grove and rhythm to them too... and the usefulness they also provided.

"Gotcha!"

It had worked holy shit it actually worked! Excitement coursed through the Lepus' veins as she watched Alonso be surprised by the implementation of her Nature Magic, though he was quick to block the incoming strikes with those massive forearms of his. "H-Hai!" Well then, seemed she'd also earned a difficulty increase too thanks to that stunt—though Toko wasn't about to complain about that in the slightest. After all if she wanted to jump from her copper tags all the way to golden ones then the Lepus was going to need all the training she could get.

That said... blocking Alonso was like trying to stop an incoming truck, and the first few punches of the man quickly decimated what little earth covering Toko had still held on her own forearms, her concentration focused more on the vines at the Felis' feet. Did she expect to win this bout? Hell fucking no, but Toko was determined to give the older man everything she had and then some more before going down.

A particular grunt of his went unnoticed by the rabbitfolk, unaware of the ferocious beast that laid dormant within her new mentor, and perhaps it was unsurprising... Toko was already stretching her mind keeping her vines casted while also trying to duck and dodge from any incoming punches Alonso threw her way—and she also needed to keep attacking him too! She was at an incredible disadvantage, especially given the size and muscle differenc—

'That's it!'

Of course, their sizes! Why didn't she think of that sooner... a grin tugged at the Lepus' lips, ignoring the sweat that rolled down her temples, before she focused on figuring out a pattern for Alonso's punches. 'There!' She an opening at last, small as it was, which allowed the rabbitfolk to dodge a particular strike before moving into a sliding motion as she ducked in between the bigger man's legs to land on his other side. Not one to waste time Toko quickly sprung back up, attempting another strike at the man from her new position.

"Aiyaaah!"

@Alonso Thorlion

 

[Alonso Thorlion]

Keeping the strength of his own swings in check was a main concern, as the breaking of his student's earthen layering to help shield blows did not require his full intensity. In truth the Felis did not know any real aspects, nor did he ever want to encounter such, of player versus player, as the damage some players outputted was insane. But so far everything seemed to be going well. The colliding of attacks against each other did make noise, but was not ear shattering akin to someone breaking glass or throwing kitchenware every which way against the walls.

Most of the world around him at the moment was silence, which helped his concentration at least.

But that did not mean he cannot treat this spar with no care for his own well-being. In a sudden twist, his widened stance allowed his partner to slide underneath him and attack from behind! With no time for much else, he crouched forward and tensed up so the strike his hit massive back, his frame giving out a quick surge of his blue, spiritual energy upon impacting before evaporating away. His teeth clenched, knowing he accidentally released a sign of his Battle Spirit form wanting to activate.

Huffing, Alonso bent down with one one, grasping at the vine before rotating his entangled foot so he faced the lepus. If she tried to trip him up he can at least show a hefty mode of resistance during repositioning. Even then, his other arm did not drop his guard. "Getting too smart for my liking," the man said, his stoic visage still remaining, but it was otherwise a light jab. "Just means I can add in more of what I do."

Letting loose some swifter punches, at one point he attempted to mix it up and grab at one of Toko's arms and throw her to the side and towards the ground to get her off balance. Going for a true grapple was a one way ticket to causing actual harm.

@Toko

 

[Toko]

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She was spreading herself too thin, a thought that continuously bugged the Lepus while she continued her sparring match with the bigger Felis. Eventually the time for an executive decision was reached, and Toko opted to allow the Nature magic holding onto Alonso's leg to finally dissipate in favor of reinforcing herself.

"Arigatoo Alonso, don't think I would've gotten this far today without your help~"

His comment about her quick adaptations earned a chuckle from the Lepus, deciding she might as well prove him right once more as Toko summoned the Nature magic once more... this time combining it with her Geomancy in order to further strengthen her defenses further. Bark formed around her forearms and shins, and to that surface the earth and stone adhered themselves once more, Toko could only hope this would actually hold out a bit longer against the man's blows.

If this was the man in a sparring mode the Lepus didn't want to imagine the actual damage Alonso was probably able to inflict on an opponent if he got serious. That said that was twice now that she had seen blue flames (where they flames though? they hadn't felt hot...) flicker from the man, which was something that caught Toko's curious nature... it probably meant Alonso still had plenty of other tricks hidden away that she hadn't even seen!

For a moment it looked like this new combination was working out, something that lulled the fighter into a false sense of security... until she was surprised by a hand reaching out and grabbing Toko's arm. "... eeh?" She had gotten so accustomed to either dodging or parrying that for a moment the Lepus forgot grappling was also a valid strategy—it just wasn't one she could feasibly use right now against Alonso's much bigger and thicker build, but the Felis didn't have that same handicap when it came to getting handsy with the hare.

"W-Whoa...! Ack!" She was slammed hard against the ground, a loud groan leaving the beastfolk before Toko scrambled back onto her feet and quickly put some distance between herself and Alonso. "Itaiii..."

Man she was gonna feel that slam in the following morning... Toko only hoped the sensation didn't stretch over to the real world too, though the grin on the Lepus' face clearly showed she was having a hell of a good time right now.

She had really missed this feeling...

@Alonso Thorlion

 

[Alonso Thorlion]

The release of the plant life from his ankle provided a relief. Even better were the reinforcements of both Nature and Geomancy helping to protect his student. Yet, he needed to be more cautious than before. His instinctual side was starting to act up far more than he preferred. Sure, it was better to take down enemies as quickly as possible with the amount of force Alonso can dish out, but using it against another player? That was ripe from an accident happening and the Felis being accused of player killing without remorse. In his more combat oriented mode, he reveled in the violence.

His small feints were successful, his throw on the lighter end, but enough to get a point across. As bad as it may seems, the small bit of pain was useful to learn a mistake was made. "See? This is why mixing it up is always a good idea. Provides a few options, and I'm not necessarily just throwing out punches all day," he said.

Once Toko was ready, he started moving around again. Every so often he changed how he attacked: sometimes a punch was a feint, other times his grabs were meant to hide his real intentions, and the rest ended up being a combination of punches and kicks trying to get the better of his student's guard. Perhaps he was going too fast. Then again Terrasphere did not give a damn how much of a beginner someone was. He just hoped he did not have to witness any new player suffer the worst of consequences for even a small mistake.

While his sliding feet and constantly moving body continued to pressure, his deeper truth began to rise. Each swing he threw started to have a more reckless nature to it, jaw parted slightly with snarls. Soon enough, his shoulders rose and fell, the man breathing heavy as the spiritual energy shot out around his body, eyes becoming nothing more than the same magic dancing around akin to fire. In a swift roar, his body increased in size, hair and beard expanding into a majestic mane of sorts.

But his next punch forced itself to a halt, massive arm shaking as Alonso forced it back. Eyes shut, the titanic Felis shaking his head to get back to his senses. "We're done," he said, sonorous voice mixed with bestial growls. The man took a few steps back, looking upwards as he calmed himself down and returned to his normal size and appearance before the change. He looked away and rubbed his hand up and down his face. "Fuckin' hell. Didn't mean to go that far, sorry kid," he said, starting to pace around.

@Toko

 

[Toko]

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"Well yeah... but I certainly can't throw you around like that."

There was no bitterness to her words however, just a normal statement of a fact, and by the grin on the Lepus' face it was clear she was enjoying this sparring session very much... and also learning invaluable lessons in the process. Just because she couldn't manhandle the giant Felis it didn't meant Toko was out of options.

Alonso increased the difficulty once more, causing the Lepus to focus her eyes on his movements and her ears in his breathing. Carefully she tried to find small patterns that might betray what the man was up to, and on an occasion or two she even managed to use an open palm to smack away a grab or a forearm to stop a kick. Nowhere near the Felis' level of course, but enough to ensure she wasn't getting outright overwhelmed by the man either.

"... whoaaa."

She couldn't help but be mesmerized upon realizing the change that was happening, the pressure of the spirit energy surrounding the Felis easily felt even as he hulked out tremendously. Toko's eyes glimmered for a moment with a childlike fascination, before she suddenly noticed the incoming punch and squeaked. "Shimatta!" Her forearms were quickly brought up as the Lepus braced for what she believed was gonna be a truck of a punch, her eyes closing as she looked away... only to reopen when the hit never arrived.

"We're done."
"O-Oh..."

Right... maybe that was enough sparring for one afternoon. Slowly she allowed the Nature and Geomancy magic to ebb away from her arms and legs, Toko's own hand scratching the back of her neck as she wondered how to break the sudden awkward silence that had settled in. It was then Alonso spoke first, the Felis keeping his face away from the rabbit.

"Ah, i-iie! It's alright, r-really!" She waved her hands frantically while speaking, before scratching at her cheek softly as Toko wondered how to better phrase her next words. "Actually, it was k-kinda cool... how did you do that, Alonso?"

@Alonso Thorlion

 

[Alonso Thorlion]

Both hands reached back up to his face, rubbing his palms furiously against it before dropping one. The other remained in the air before slapping himself in the forehead. "Stupid!" He ran that hand through his hair a moment, returning it to his hip. Even after it was all said and done the Felis kept kicking himself mentally for getting out of hand. He was better than that!

Soon enough he became distracted by his student's curiosity. It was easy to figure she was trying to be polite about the incident, Alonso letting out a sigh. "I'd rather be sure you're alright first, but it'll probably just be more going in circles about it," he said.

The man shook his head and faced Toko. "As for what I did? It's one of my abilities called Battle Spirits. Effectively just gives me an powered up mode so to speak in combat that enhances my attacks. I tend to ... erm ... be more of a berserker when I do that. You can probably guess why I stopped myself at this point." He looked around, checking for anyone else that might be nearby. Sure, it was a mistake he managed to fix before anything worse happened, but somebody might have gotten the wrong idea. Especially given the fact Alonso looked a tad more monstrous and obvious when in that state.

He paced around some more. By now his mind was becoming clearer, the guilt diminishing at least somewhat. Perhaps it was better to change the subject. Clearing his throat, Alonso spoke up, "So, uh, did I at least manage to help with your issue? I'm not a teacher for my professional work, unless it was for some tech stuff helping out a new employee."

@Toko

 

[Toko]

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She flinched slightly when Alonso called himself stupid while slapping his forehead, although it was more due to the fact Toko had been suddenly surprised by the action rather than any actual fear of the man. However she was perceptive enough to understand when to keep quiet, allowing Alonso to work through whatever was running through his mind until he eventually seemed to calm down.

"Hai! I'm perfectly fine, I swear!"

Almost as if to prove her point the Lepus gave a little twirl before sticking her arms out to show him she wasn't grievously harmed anywhere, an old habit of her childhood whenever her grandma had asked the same questions of a very rambunctious Nao.

"Uwaaah...!" She listened intently as Alonso talked more about this Battle Spirits mastery, the rabbit's eyes almost sparkling in excitement an admiration. "Is that... do you think that's something I could do too, Alonso?" She was very interested in this new skill, but to Toko's credit she did manage to respond when the man asked if their bout had been useful at all. "Uun! I definitely feel like I understood a lot of things thanks to your guidance, sensee!"

@Alonso Thorlion

 

[Alonso Thorlion]

The energy his student had was exhausting. It had been years since he dealt with a hyperactive youth, and that was about managing his daughters' well being. Maybe it was the rabbit part of Toko's Beastfolk traits that allowed for it. But then, she could have been this way out of game and just brought that energy into the game world. Either way the man knew he needed to calm down. "Okay, I'm fine, I'm fine," he thought to himself.

He grew silent as he considered Toko's question. It seemed like an obvious answer, but there were not any proper guides for the game anyways. Or rather, if any showed up the VSRA will gladly tear those down without hesitation. "All you'd need to do is take the Battle Spirits mastery and train it up like the other ones. Now, as for how you'll turn out using it I can't say. For all I know growing bigger might be just personal to me when mine turns on. Other than that I don't have any real advice." Alonso found it unfortunate that he was not all that helpful in regards to his berserker state. Terrasphere really did promote unique characters to such an intense degree.

But then he had stuck around for long enough. "Anyways, it's good you learned something at least. Really it's about practicing what you got in, er, hopefully a better environment than just a tree," he said. The Felis looked out towards the wilds he will eventually head towards once again. "I know we haven't done this for long, but I think it's about time I started heading out. Get back into town or something and rest up. If ya really need me I can always be contacted, though whether or not I'll respond is up in the air. Might have a schedule I can change on a whim, but I still gotta work and pay bills."

@Toko

 

[Toko]

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"Battle Spirits, huh…?"

There was a pensive stare on the Lepus’ face as she thought of it, her hands quickly flitting through the air as she interacted with her UI. She still had a bit to go before her last two mastery slots unlocked, but after seeing a glimpse into the mastery Alonso possessed the Lepus was pretty sure she’d love to try it too.

"Ahahahaaa… yeah, I’ll see if next time I can find a sparring buddy at the Guild~" After all the larger Felis certainly brought up a perfectly valid point, one that he’d proven today with the rabbit in their little sparring match. "Its really easier learning how to fight with others to help."

Speaking of… a side glance was given to the Lion as he’d begun to get ready for departure, the hare wondering if Alonso would mind sharing contact information—before her face lit up as the man himself offered that she should contact him in the future, though him answering depended on what was going on in his Real Life of course.

"Haaai~ I look forwards to the next time we can spar together." The request was sent before the Lepus properly stood, giving Alonso a keirei bow before she spoke again. "Arigatooh gozaimass, Alonso!"

Notice

Toko sent you a friend request!

@Alonso Thorlion