thebastion | Day 246 [Open]

Entry tags:

zuko

Day 246 [Open]

Who: Zuko and anyone
Open: Open!
When: Day 246
Where: Around the Bastion
What: Daily Zuko stuffs
Format: I'll match
Warnings: Honor

Zuko keeps herself pretty busy around the Bastion. She likes to get involved in whatever's going on--not because she's a social butterfly, as anyone who talks to her can figure out, but because she feels it's important. Even if there isn't anything special going on, she's unlikely ever to be found lazing around. Her typical mornings have developed a certain routine to them.

A) Pool
This is one of the closest things Zuko has to a hobby, and she still approaches it entirely too seriously. Well, aside from the fact that she has yet to obtain a swimsuit and is in fact swimming laps in pants and a halter top. She's not remarkably fast or doing any fancy strokes, but she can make quite a few laps before stopping to rest, unless someone wants to interrupt her.

B) Training Building
Somehow, Zuko seems to keep picking up students. At the moment, it's just Rin and Rob whom she trains with any regularity, and she makes herself available at the training building for part of the morning if they or anyone else is interest in practice.

Personally, she prefers to train out of doors, so until anyone shows up, she can be found outside the building running through firebending forms (sans any actual fire).

C) Lake
Around midday, Zuko picks up some food from the distillery and makes her way over to the lake. There, she sits down crosslegged to eat, tossing crumbs of her bread out to the turtle ducks. It's about as relaxed and leisurely as Zuko gets doing anything, and a good time to grab her before she sets some other task for herself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well it certainly doesn't hurt having a nice strong man around, does it?"

She doesn't need to, but Takamura is pretty arrogant.

"Oh yeah, I've run into a few challenges here and there. I was just able to overcome them.

So, what's your name?"

"It doesn't necessarily help either."

Actually, she's pretty sure it can hurt if said 'strong man' is stupid enough. Also she may have missed what he was trying to say with that.

"It's Zuko."

"I can be lots of help around here. From what I've heard, you people need all the muscle you can get. I just provide a lot."

He gives a nod before giving a bit of a smirk.

"Well, Zuko...why don't you show me a bit more of what you can do?"

"If you're looking for a show, then look someplace else. I'm here to train. Unless training is what you're interested in."

Maybe his question didn't warrant that degree of defensiveness, but she's not keen on people viewing her efforts as entertainment. It's one thing to know your allies' skills, it's another to treat them like performers.

"What am I supposed to call you anyway?"

"You can call me Takamura."

His smirk actually grew a bit in spite of what could be perceived as defensiveness. He took it as a sign that she took what she was doing seriously.

"I'm always training. Wouldn't mind a sparring partner though, if you're up for it."

Of course she takes it seriously. Zuko takes everything seriously.

"I'm up for it." There's no hesitation in her reply; she's clearly not intimidated by his bragging or his muscle.

The lack of hesitation's also a good sign.

"Does the training place over there have boxing gloves?"

"Boxing gloves?" She's a little thrown by the question, but it doesn't take her long to figure out what he means. "There should be some in Ippo's gym. Do you always wear those when you fight?"

"I do when I'm fighting another person. These fists are too dangerous to use otherwise."

He actually sounds serious this time rather than all the loud boasting he'd been doing earlier.

"I'll be back soon."

Whatever his tone, he's talking to someone who literally wanted lightning to strike her so she could practice redirecting it. The concept of protective equipment is a little far removed from how Zuko's mind works.

"If you insist."

"Thanks."

He runs off and, after maybe ten minutes, he returns with the gloves dangling from his neck. He's already wrapped his fists so all he has to do is slip the gloves on and tightens the lacing.

Hitting them together, he seems to like the feel.

"Any sort of rules? Time limits?"

"For a sparring match?" She shakes her head. "We don't actually try to kill each other."

Ippo did mention boxing was more of a sport, but what other rules do you really need?

"Alright." He gives a roll of his shoulders then lifts his fists and gets into a traditional boxing stance. Seeing what Zuko was doing before, he knows that all of her will be a potential weapon, not just her hands.

"Ready."

Likewise Zuko has some idea of what to expect from having seen Ippo fight, and her first move is a low sweeping kick, something that might have thrown the other boxer off balance and at least keeps her from being directly in the path of his fists.

She has speed on her side, but any blows she lands won't have the force Takamura is probably used to. Although most of her moves are adapted from firebending, her style is less aggressive and more reactive than when she's using her bending. She relies more on being able to use her opponent's actions against them.

It's certainly not a bad move and suggests that she knows at least a little about boxing, probably from Ippo. It makes sense to target the legs of fighters who usually don't have to worry about defending them. Unfortunately, Takamura was a fighter long before he was a boxer.

Giving a bit of a smirk, Takamura crouches as he sees Zuko going down until he's kneeling when the kick lands. The much sturdier position keeps him from being put on his back and he openly grins.

"Don't underestimate boxers." He then leans forward, attempting to throw an overhand right now that they're on the same level. Of course, not being on his feet means he can't give the punch the speed or power he usually could. It's also a big, easily telegraphed swing.

"Just making sure you're not all talk."

His punch is a slower one, and it gives her time to shift her weight to the leg she extended for the kick, pulling her body out of the way. She straightens her stance in the same motion and tries for a downward strike with the side of her hand while he's still crouched.

Pulling back his right arm, he brings it up to block the downward strike while he rises upto his own feet. That fact that he's a good bit taller than Zuko has him pushing the defended attack up and away when he stands thn he goes to his original stance.

Rocking steadily to a silent rhythm, Takamura begins to advance towards Zuko.

He forces her back a few steps when he deflects her attack. She brings her arms up, ready and waiting this time to see what he's going to do. It's a neutral jing moment; Toph would be proud.

The height advantage also gives Takamura a noticeable advantage in reach as well, lets see how Zuko handles that.

The moment he gets into range, his left fist snaps out with lightning quickness, Takamura aiming two quick jabs right for Zuko's chin.

Zuko was expecting a strike, but not for him to move as quickly as that. She's lucky it came from her right side, because that lets her see it clearly enough to dodge to the inside; Takamura might notice over the course of the fight that her vision is poorer on her left.

Also, apparently her way of dealing with the reach disadvantage is to use her legs instead. She kicks up with her right, though it might be something he can still block easily with his other hand.

She is correct as Takamura brings his other arm to bear and blocks the incoming kick. It's a good solid blow that he feels all through his arm and into his shoulder. Rather than wait for Zuko to pull her leg back, Takamura takes the moment to dash forward and literally use his body to run into her. In the ring, this would be used to close distance to possibly clinch or initiate an in-fight but Takamura is looking to try and knock her off balance.

Maybe Zuko should start anticipating people tackling her; using your body that way is just not something that makes that much sense in bending.

Not even being on both her feet when he plows into her, Takamura's definitely successful at destroying her balance. Zuko stumbles backwards, just barely managing not to fall over and certainly in no position to attack.

Takamura's expression is stern, but he's inwardly impressed with Zuko's balance as she manages to keep from ending up on the ground. Moving in after her as she staggers back, the next attack would come from her left side as Takamura attacks with a right hook.

For a moment, he considers aiming for her temple on the side of her head but he changes his mind and shifts the angle, going for her chin instead.

Zuko doesn't have enough control of her stance to dodge it, even if she had seen it coming a little sooner. The best she can do is roll with it to lessen the impact, but taking the hit at all means she can't keep her feet.

She hits the ground with a grunt, but doesn't stay there. Her instincts tell her that an opponent isn't going to wait for her to get up. She shifts her weight onto her arms and whips both legs around to kick out more where she remembers Takamura being than seeing him. It should at least keep him back until she's back on her feet.

This time, her instincts are right on as Takamura was moving in to try and pin her down and get her to submit. Instead, he's stopped as Zuko's feet hit him in the gut. He's taken enough shots there to not be doubled over, but he does end up backing up a couple steps from the force and Zuko heard the loud 'oof' that came with the blow landing.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

She's so hardcore!

Or possibly a little nuts

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject