Scene #1272: Yet More Lessons

Owner	Pose
Toph Beifong	There's an upside to waking up early from nightmares now and then, as it allows Toph to start her days early and get her lessons done with, leaving the rest of the day free. As such, it's still early in the morning in Malibu, not even 9 am. The sun is shining overhead though, and the city is bustling with life. Luckily it's far quieter out by the Stark estate where it rests by the ocean, and the home appears quiet and serene this time of day. Toph herself is busy munching down on a sloppy looking sandwich where she is seated in the kitchen, waiting for the half vampire to show up for even more lessons. But this is different from reading and swimming, and it ought to be at least a break from the other stuff she's been doing this morning. And Jarvis can't complain when this is technically not goofing off, right? Still, she can't help but wonder why D offered to teach her how to use a sword in the first place... Said sword is resting on the kitchen counter next to her, even as the blind girl pops the final remnants of the sandwich into her mouth before she reaches for her large glass of fruit smoothie. "Aren't you going to meet your new tutor outside, Miss Beifong?" Jarvis asks, earning a shake of her head from Toph. "I thought being inside would be easier considering it's probably way too sunny for D. Not to mention I will be able to see better if we practice in the training room." Jarvis doesn't hesitate. "Very well. I do warn you that some of the equipment there is expensive." "Yeah, because Goldie is soooo strapped for cash," Toph snorts. "Relax, we won't break it." Most likely not, anyway. How tough can an introductory class to swordsmanship be anyway?
D	That depends on the teacher, doesn't it? D arrives as expected: astride his cyborg horse, dressed in an outfit unsuited to his current environment. Malibu is far from overheated at this time of year, of course, but that doesn't mean the Hunter's black uniform is appropriate; who in their right mind wears a heavy cape to a sunny paradise known for its palm trees and beaches? There's a gate, isn't there? Either Toph or Jarvis will have to let the morose Hunter onto the grounds. After his admittance is granted, he rides his horse all the way to the estate's front door, and there dismounts to await Toph. As he waits, D removes his sword, his cape, his hat, his scarf, and leaves all but the first draped over the horse's saddle for safekeeping. The orange-eyed steed emits a chuffing-like sound and moves away to sample Stark's lawn. Without his signature adornments, D takes on an almost casual appearance. If he could manage a smile, he might even look approachable. Toph is at least greeted by a polite (if slight) nod, and the usual disaffected murmur. "Greetings. Where shall we practice?" Right to business. Of course.
Toph Beifong	"Welcome, Mister D," Jarvis intones at the hunter's arrival, opening the gates. "Miss Beifong is awaiting you inside. Please make your way to the front door, your mount is safe on the premises." As long as it stays away from Cuddles, anyway. Though the chocobo mounts are kept in their own area and unable to roam on their own. It does seem like the butler has let Toph know that D has arrived considering she appears in the hallway inside, the glass doors opening and she grins in greeting, the sword she was given in one hand. Wearing shorts and an oversized t-shirt herself she is a bit more appropriately dressed for the weather, and well, she always wears clothes that are easy to move around in, so that won't be an issue for any training. "Yeah yeah, happy new year to you too, buddy," she chuckles, waving him on to come inside. "We can practice in the gym, it might be a bit too warm out for you, right? It's nice and cool in the gym, plus the floor is easier for me to see through than on the beach." Once D follows her inside Toph doesn't waste time and heads on down the hallways leading to the gym. It is far more comfortable inside, considering there's air condition and no harsh sunlight. And while most of the house is quiet, there is one other inhabitant of the house that notices the guest, slinking down the stairs and watches D with a pair of yellow, intent eyes as he lets out a soft 'meow'. Buster even is intent on following the two into the gym, and Toph doesn't seem to mind as she walks past the boxing ring and to the open area past it. "So... why did you give me a sword anyway?" she asks, not unsheathing it just yet.
D	"You have had a desire to spend time with me," D answers. "You've invited me mutiple times to join you for ice cream. As I receive no benefit from eating anything other than what my diet requires, and as I do not enjoy large social gatherings, I decided to seek another method for spending time together." He finds the gym suitable. Training outdoors would have been uncomfortable for him, and yet the spaciousness would have been of benefit, so he is pleased to find the indoor facility provides a viable alternative. "Swordplay has the benefit of requiring finesse and discipline -- two traits which could only enhance your Earthbending." His sword makes no sound but the faintest scrape as he draws it from its scabbard. Toph will not appreciate the light running down its edge -- a pure gleam comparable to moonlight -- but to his eyes, there are few sights more beloved. He carries the sword in his right hand, and its scabbard in his left. "Perhaps you will not agree it is necessary to learn such things; to that I can only say that despite your beliefs, the benefits will show themselves in time. If you wish to be stubborn, I will further say I enjoy teaching, and hope that is enough to convince you. Now, then. Show me what you can do." He stands ready.
Toph Beifong	"Well, we are allies, aren't we? I try to spend some with everybody in the Union. Besides..." Toph shrugs a bit. "You don't seem to hang much with anybody, honestly. Wouldn't do to ignore that, you know? You might go crazy or something if you only have Lefty to talk with." Even if she thought that the Carbuncle was a fun conversation partner, it might get boring just talking to the same person, or thing, forever. As for the traits he describes, she can't help but smirk. "Oh yeah, because earthbending doesn't require those two things at all." Her tone is a bit sarcastic, though then again she doesn't expect people with no bending to know just what it requires. It might just look like chucking big heaps of earth around, at least when it's beginners who do the bending. But it's so much more. Then again, D does take swordsmanship really seriously, doesn't he? The way he draws the sword isn't lost on her, and it wouldn't surprise her if it was as important to him as her bending is to her. Those swordfighters talk about the art of the sword and lots of philosophy anyway, right? When Toph draws the sword it's clear she lacks the skill and experience with blades, as it's not as elegant as when D did it. Her grip is firm, and she keeps the scabbard in her left hand as well. "At least I know enough to at least humour you when you get me a gift, right? And I'm stubborn all the time, it's part of being an earthbender." So he enjoys teaching, huh? That makes her grin a bit. "That's a start, right?" Since he tells her to show him, she supposes that she ought to try swinging the blade. So she tries a vertical strike first before doing a horizontal one. "I really have no clue about this besides knocking swords out of people's hands," she admits with a shrug, then turns towards D. "Is it a specific way I'm supposed to swing it or something?"
D	"I do not mean to slight your own arts. As with any task requiring willpower, I imagine Earthbending does have its own style of discipline, and I have seen your finesse in battle." D watches the awkward way she chops the sword at the air. It's about what he expected. "But swordplay requires a different approach I think you will enjoy. I am certain you have a more innate connection to the earth than most Earthbenders do, given your blindness, but in teaching you to use a sword, I will show you how to extend that awareness to the world around you." He steps toward her until the very tip of his sword rests against the end of her own. He presses lightly, letting her feel the pressure and the way her sword moves in response to his actions. "Your sword will eventually become an extension of your senses. It will become part of you, if you dedicate yourself to training. I have met blind sword masters who, like you, never wanted for anything as a result of their craft; however, none of these men required contact with the ground to sense and react to their enemies." He lowers his sword, and steps closer, then nods at the girl. "Attack me. You do not need to know the right way, yet. I will teach you, but first I want you to try your hardest with your raw instinct."
Toph Beifong	It's kinda what she expected. Lots and lots of talk. There's always lots and lots of talk, but if they get this over with then they might get to any fun stuff sooner, right? "Discipline is important to most things, isn't it?" But she does nod her head at the comment regarding her connection with the earth. Though it doesn't seem he really understands it, which should be clear as Toph frowns, not moving her sword as she feels the weight of it pressing down. "So you're saying that instead of letting the earth be an extension of my senses and the way I interact with the whole word, I now have to learn how to make a small piece of metal, also forged from the earth, become an extension of my senses?" she asks, unable to keep the sarcastic tone from reaching her voice. "I can /sense/ how the blade reacts. And us blind people often see more than you seeing people do if you ask me..." Maybe these blind swordsmen had sharp ears, maybe they were like the air nomads who would sense the air around them change, like Aang talks about... But very well, she's asked to attack him. And it's not like she thinks he will be unable to block it. So she nods, shifting her feet apart to give herself better balance, and then she swings her blade diagonally towards D, trying to put enough strength into the blade without making her swing unsteady.
D	"You misunderstand me." D parries the strike, but does not attempt to disarm, overbalance, or otherwise throw off the girl's attempt at rhythm. Recognizing impatience, he doesn't bother attempting to explain further; instead, he focuses on meeting Toph's next attacks. The swings and slashes may lack grace, but she does have a physical strength he finds remarkable in a human child her age, and a stubbornness of spirit he can't help admiring. More than once, he uses his scabbard to keep Toph at bay. He backs off, and slides his sword back into its sheath. The two together are slung back into the swordbelt strapped across his back. "A moment, and I shall show you." From one of his pockets, he takes out a cloth, something like a bandana; he ties this around his eyes, effectively blinding himself. Unarmed, he presents himself to Toph again. "Attack. Use every advantage you have. Earthbend, if it will aid you, but try all you can to land a blow." He's kind of showing off, isn't he? At least he doesn't have a bragging tone. "Your sword has an edge, though you shouldn't fear -- I will not be easy to injure." Will she like the challenge?
Toph Beifong	Is she really misunderstanding him? Toph doesn't believe so, but for now she's focused on actually trying to do her best here with a sword. It feels weird... for her it's more natural to use the earth as an extension of her senses, even if the sword is made of metal. For her it's far more natural to move, using her arms and legs to will the earth to move with her. The metal clashes, and she can't help but feel the vibrations travel up her arms. And even if she is no weakling and she has managed to regain the weight she lost during the two weeks she had a spirit feeding off of her, she is still just a teenage girl who's unfamiliar with using swords. Fortunately her will is strong, and she does her best to strike. When he backs off she doesn't pursue, recognizing that he isn't doing so because he's afraid of getting hit, and she lowers the sword so she can roll her shoulders. Though she can't help but look confused at first when he blinds himself. "You're going to just dodge...?" she asks, then huffs. He isn't lying though, and he doesn't seem worried. Then again, he's not the one who has to deal with Pepper if she discovers blood on the floor. It's bad enough if there's dirt all over! Yet from what she can hear... Toph has the feeling that D doesn't think she can land a strike. "Fine," Toph nods, then kicks off, swinging her blade in a sweeping motion right towards D's torso.
D	"That's the spirit." D slides backwards; the sword's edge sweeps through the air mere inches from his chest. Nimble and reactive, he stays just ahead of Toph's next few attacks, too, as if his body is made of water, and she is nothing but the rocks in his path. "I can hear the way your breathing changes right before you attack. I can hear the way your feet scrape across the floor, too. The wind shifts around your sword as it moves, and tells me where to go. You may be an inexperienced swordsman, but I know enough of the art to predict your strikes from what my senses tell me." D bends back, barely dodging the next slash. "Good!" He lifts his hand to call for a halt. "I am no master at fighting blind; you will quickly outpace me." He removes his improvised blindfold, and tucks it away into his pocket again. "Shall I teach you something 'real', now?"
Toph Beifong	It's easy enough for the blind girl to know that D is speaking the truth, and she can tell that he reacts to her movements even if both of them are unable to see what the other is doing in a visual sense. Which makes this easier for Toph to do when she knows that the chances of her actually hurting D is low. A fierce fighter she might be, but she's not bloodthirsty. "Yeah, yeah," Toph says, "I can tell you know where I'm attacking from." Ugh, swinging a sword around uses some other muscles than she is used to using when she's fighting. But still, it seems she is close to striking him, and if she were fighting another amateur, then she would certainly be the one who was better off fighting blind. When D raises his hand Toph isn't slow to back down, lowering her blade as she lets out a snort. "I don't expect others to be able to fight as well as I do without seeing," she admits. Well, any students of hers ought to know at least. But then again, D isn't an earthbender, unfortunately for him. When he offers to teach her something 'real', whatever that means, she nods. "Sure thing. Beats teaching me anything false, you know?" she offers with a shrug. She's worked up some sweat from this, so she's at least /trying/ and not goofing off.
D	'Real' doesn't equate to 'fun'. The first lesson is the most basic, and therefore the least interesting. D circles Toph, reaching out to move her arms and guide her legs into a proper stance. "Balance your weight like so. Hold yourself like this." He takes her sheath away, too, to free up her hand. "Carry your sword using both hands -- yes. Now, lift the sword up over your head, and swing down in a straight chop until your arms have straightened." He demonstrates this once, then positions himself in front of her with his sword drawn and held out to the point Toph should be hitting whenever she stops. "Do this fifty times." What? He's got an eternity to spend on this, you know!
Toph Beifong	Okay. Toph lets D assist her, moving into the stance as he instructs her. Balance is important, she gets that. Grab the sword hilt with both hands, raise it over her head... and then swing down! That is simple enough. It feels like she did it correctly too, her arms feel straight, and... The blind girl halts, not raising the sword just yet. Blinking slowly, she turns her head, as if she isn't sure he heard him correctly. "... /fifty/ times?" she asks incredulously. "What for? I'm not hitting anything! Isn't the point of swords to, you know... hit stuff?" If he wanted her to swing a sword aimlessly he could have just told her on the radio or something. "Miss Beifong, do as your tutor states," Jarvis speaks up, which causes the girl to groan in annoyance. "Now don't get started as well, you're my reading teacher," the earthbender protests and raises the sword above her head, swinging it down again. Then she halts and turns her head towards D slightly. "Why does it have to be /fifty/ times?"
D	D doesn't answer Toph's questions, and regards her in expectant silence -- at least until she gives up and starts swinging the sword. "Swordplay requires discipline and technique; patient practice teaches both. Today, you are strengthening your arms, learning the importance of form and precision, and learning what it feels like to use a weapon aside from what the ground gives you." D's voice is as calm as it ever is; he doesn't seem to mind standing there doing nothing while Toph completes the exercise. "Imagine how you will surprise your enemies whenever you not only Metalbend a sword into existence, but also know how to use it." If she reaches the fiftieth repetition without incident, he will instruct her in a diagonal strike from the hip into the air -- also to be repeated fifty times -- and then in a forward thrust. Only after she endures these boring lessons does he combine the three into her first basic maneuver: the overhand chop twists into the diagonal upward slash, then descends in a defensive arc, only to and finish with the thrust. Each maneuver is concluded with a proper 'reset' returning the sword to the 'readied' stance he taught her to take. This routine, he'll perform alongside her for awhile.
Toph Beifong	Ugh, he /can't/ be serious...! It looks like she wants to complain, a pleading look on her face as he explains discipline... to the her. And patience. "I'm patient!" she protests as she does another swing of the sword. She is patient with stuff that makes sense. And urgh, why does she need to do this like /this/? It's not like she's aiming to become a swordsman or anything! She's an earthbender! How will she surprise her opponents if her arms fall off from all this senseless sword swinging? But with some muttering and frowning Toph does eventually finish with the fifty strikes, and she's sure worked up a sweat from this, and she's about to let out a sigh of relief. At least until she learns that there are even more strikes waiting her, causing her hopeful expression to fall into a deadpan look. If it wasn't for the fact that she's so stubborn, then she might not have finished the hundred and fifty strikes. When it's time for the combined attack she stands there next to D, a tired look on her face. Fine, this ought to be the last part for now. Even so, as they start going through the routine, Toph lets out a heavy sigh... and then throws the sword up into the air. Except it doesn't fall down as Toph reaches out with her hands, bending the metal in the sword as she makes the sword continue the routine. She's still swinging it, just... differently. After all, she is far more comfortable with bending, and she has been swinging the sword for what feels like forever.
D	D's answer to this is to end his participation. He steps aside, returns his sword to its scabbard, and watches Toph work for a few rounds. After seven or eight repetitions, he steps in, and plucks Toph's sword from the air. "I can see I'll need to alter my lesson plans. That's all for today, Miss Beifong; you have done well." He turns to her and offers the sword hilt-first. "If you wish to continue another day, I will return, but if it is not to your liking...I will not be offended if you choose to decline further offers. I will let you consider it awhile; you need not answer now."
Toph Beifong	"Hey!" Toph blinks when D picks up the sword just as she finishes a downward strike. "My arms feel like they are going to fall off at this rate, and I have far better control of the sword like this anyway," she protests, taking the sword back as she pouts slightly. Does she wish to continue? "Are you going to ask me to swing the sword over and over without striking anything...?" "Might I suggest you do those exercises on your own to build further arm strength, Miss Beifong?" The offer from Jarvis is only half-teasing. "That way any further sword lessons ought to be far more rewarding." Another sigh leaves the girl, and she nods her head slightly. "I... think it would be more fun to combine it into my bending somehow," she admits truthfully.
D	"You shall have to help me explore the possibilities, then. I have little understanding of the way your Earthbending functions, but together, we may be able to combine our schools into something new. Perhaps the practice will help refine your Metalbending, too." D looks aside in contemplation; then, he returns his gaze to Toph, and nods. "I think it can work, if you are patient about experimentation." "As to the exercises -- Jarvis is correct. Practicing on your own will build your strength and sharpen your technique. If you are serious about making our experiment work, then you must train when you have the stamina for it, or we will be stuck focusing on only these basic maneuvers. To capitalize on your aggression and flair, we will need to elevate your skill beyond the basics." D doesn't quite smile, but his expression lightens up a tad. "I admit I am interested to discover what our partnership can create."
Toph Beifong	"You must be sleeping when I talk on the radio then," Toph offers, then sheathes the sword again. "I can sense the earth, even when it's been refined into metal." The sword is gestured to. "Over the last year I have managed to hone my senses to where I can sense metal the same way I sense earth. If somebody throws metal at me and it's a metal I'm familiar with, it's easy to work with. And as you saw, I can move metal that's in the air." It would be far easier to be patient with swordsmanship if she can incorporate her bending into it, really. And if it's something that makes sense to her. Even if it means practicing all those strikes over and over and over and over... Another groan leaves Toph, and she reaches her left hand up to rub at her right shoulder and the sore muscles there. "Yeah yeah, I will do that." Now her arms are going to be sore from sword fighting, and her fingertips will be sore from guqin lessons. Just great. It's a good thing that he sounds less stoic and actually like he's smiling if only a little. "Oh, bending can be useful for many things. And I'm sure we could work up some decent moves and combination with this," she admits. "Gotta keep those Feds on their toes, after all. Now... if you're heading off, I think I will get changed and relax before my arms fall off."