Training in an old gym (open)

[Delilah A. Black]

((OOC: Please correct me if I misread))

Her elbow strike connected, but his jaw didn't shift at all as he pivoted to roll with the strike. Shrewd. Again, immensely similar to what she was taught. Levi seemed to understand momentum and the power generated by it as well as she did.

Which was why the shuto-ken (knife hand) was able to find its mark so easily. She took it full on, wincing as her arm spasmed from having the ganglion smashed. Her arm didn't deaden thankfully, but it the pain was jarring.

Yet another surprise from the young man! He knew shuto-ken? This was getting better and better.

As he struck, her other hand would clamp down in his wrist. One handed, she would turn his wrist into "omote gyaku" (outside wrist lock) to take the balance of the spine before attempting an axe kick (crane kick) to slam her heel down on his solar plexus. As soon as her heel connected (if it did at all), she would release the wrist lock.

If he tried to get out of the lock before she delivered the kick, she would instead move quickly behind him to put him in a choke. Nothing deadly, but certainly uncomfortable and difficult to breathe.

[Levi Kayamei]

OOC: Just an Fyi so there are no worries... I'm applying updates to my stats on my profile, so the stats for this fight are the same as they were when I first changed: Str: 43 Dex: 40 Con: 40 Int: 25 Win: 35 Cha: 12 )

"Ah!"

Levi winced from pain as his wrist was pulled over and out, he was locked in place by a technique he was proficient with himself. The simlarities between their fighting styles was uncanny.

Damn, I didn't expect that from someone else.....foolish...

Levi began to fall over as he saw the axe kick incoming. He exhaled to avoid having his breath taken away as the kick connected, finishing his descent and cracking a couple floor boards as he landed, immediately grabbing her ankle with his right hand.

A well executed counter attack, this woman was full of surprises and Levi was throroughly enjoying himself as a result.

Holding onto her ankle, Levi threw a hammer blow at her knee with enough power to hurt but not injure, letting go afterwards and rolling backwards, onto his feet, and rushing forward to press the advantage. As he got within striking range, Levi threw a wide ridge hand (Outside strike with the insideof a knifehand) aimed at the side of Delilah's head with his left, keeping his right up by his chin.

[Delilah A. Black]

The hammer fist to the side of her knee wasn't much of a surprise, considering that was something she would do as well, but it still hurt like hell. The blow rolled her knee to the outside and she was forced to roll, coming up ready on her feet just as he did.

Let's see what else he knows.

They connected again quickly as they rushed towards eachother. His ridge hand was another nice surprise, but easily dealt with if one knew what they were doing. Moving just slightly off his center line, Delilah's right arm would snake around his left as the blow came around, scooping underneath his elbow to pop the joint up and lock it. She would step forward, and his arm, if he hadn't retracted it, would bend. Her left arm would snake over top of his forearm to clasp with her right, which was positioned just behind his elbow. Stepping to his outside would torque the elbow up to lock the shoulder and the spine in a technique known as "oni kidaki" or "the demon destroyed".

Normally used to dislocate or destroy the shoulder joint, Delilah would be much kinder and only provide a little pressure compared with what she used to.

[Levi Kayamei]

(OCC: if I misread, let me know.)

Levi more on guard for Delilah's next maneuver, another joint lock. He was not about let her lock his arm and possibly force him to submit.

Not this time...

As soon as her hand began to snake around his, he turned his hand and grabbed her arm about half way between the elbow and wrist, pulling her forward while attempting to step on her forward foot to hinder her balance. If successful, Levi would send a palm strike upwards, tight to her body to make it harder to guard against, at her chin, redirecting her field of vision. He would then send a sidekick towards her chest to create distance between them.

[Delilah A. Black]

Levi caught on fast, another point in his favour. He also dealt with the joint lock before she could cinch, something she could appreciate.

Everything he did worked in his favour, the foot trap, the grasp to her elbow, the palm strike to her chin (which rocked her head backwards). The kick finished her, sending her balance over its point.

She lashed out to grasp his leg by the ankle as he drew the kick back, pulling her upright again. Before he could put his foot down, she pivoted her body so that she was on the outside of his leg with her back facing his. With a casual tweak, she would bring his ankle up to her shoulder level and perform what was essentially a guillotine choke on his ankle, a lock designed to snap the neck, or ankle in this case. Lifting him this way would force his balance into an awkward position.

[Levi Kayamei]

(OCC: correct me if I misread)

Levi was surprised by the ankle lock as he had thought his kick would ensure distance between them. This Delilah was something else, using moves he hadn't had to deal with in quite some time.

"Hrrg!"

The ankle lock was perfect and Levi's teeth were gritted as he prepared to counter, summoning all of his pain tolerance, knowing he might not get a second chance. Before she got too far in the lift, Levi pushed off of the ground with his right, rising into the air and temporarily relieving some of the pressure on his already sore ankle, he then sent a toe kick directed to the bicep around his foot, bending his leg to close the distance sufficiently. If successful, he would use any loosening of her grip to free his ankle, if not, he would possibly have to submit.

[Delilah A. Black]

She gave him the kick to her bicep, letting the shock jar her arm as she released her grip, throwing his leg back over her shoulder to let him free himself. She would turn back around to face him, grinning wildly. This was awesome! Why would she want to stop now?

Besides, she had had him, wicked toe kick aside.

She turned settling back into a formless stance, hands loose at her sides but ready.

"Better than a heavy bag?"

[Levi Kayamei]

(Occ: If her blades aren't visible I can edit)

Levi smiled hanging his foot in the air, just off the ground, rotating the ankle as the pain started to subside. he planted his foot after a moment...no serious damage. Levi looked at Delilah, chuckling lightly at her question, nodding in response.

"Indeed, though I don't think many people would be able to fight back the way you do. This was certainly an unexpected pleasure.....question though..."

Levi looked at the hilt sticking out of her boot, smiling. A knife user as well, if she accepted, this would be a memorable fight indeed. He drew his knife from his pocket, a butterfly knife made of a dulled black steel. He flipped it over his hand, unfolding it and releasing the blade before closing the handle, holding the knife on it's side. The black and silver edged blade glinted dimly in the light pouring in from the windows as he spoke, a look of anticipation on Levi's face.

"I haven't had a good knife match in a while....think you could oblige me?"

[Delilah A. Black]

"Indeed, though I don't think many people would be able to fight back the way you do. This was certainly an unexpected pleasure.....question though..."

Her eyes widened slightly as Levi drew his butterfly knife. Was he going to...?

"I haven't had a good knife match in a while....think you could oblige me?"

...it seemed he was! She laughed softly with a hint of glee. So, he was a knife fighter too! This was almost creepy by this point, for the amount of similarities they had. She drew two of her knives: the bowie and the tanto, holding the tanto in an underhand grip against her arm and the bowie in a spear grip. The flat of the blade would be facing up with the back of her hand facing down as she held the blade tightly against her body's centre while her other hand came up in a close guard past her chin, the edge of the tanto flashing wickedly. She rose up slightly on the balls of her feet, remaining completely grounded and still.

"Happy to. I don't meet other knife fighters very often."

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi stood on the balls of his feet as he smiled, excitment whethering his patience. The Ex-Pillar stepped in quickly, switching to a reverse grip and making a cross stroke across her mid section, a simple attack, but it's purpose was speed so it was a test of her agility more than anything. His other amr was turned towards her, somewhat inside her guard to make his own guard more effective.

Let's see what you can do.

[Delilah A. Black]

His flip over to a reverse grip surprised her greatly; a reverse grip was effective in certain situations, such as up and close fighting (which was why she held her guard knife in a reverse grip). But actually attacking with it was a whole other matter: it forces an extension of reach and allows the opponent to deal with the arm rather than the knife.

Before he could complete his cross stroke, Delilah stepped inside the arch of his arm as it came across. By stepping inside the arm, she would prevent him from completing the slash while blocking his arm to keep him from pulling back. From here, she would simply come in for a stab to his guts that would stop just short of actually hitting him. Her guard hand at this time would come up for a rising diagonal slash across his throat.

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi watched as Delilah stepped inside his swing, the smile on his face returning as he saw an opportunity created by the opening he had left.

Fast...insightful, but this time I was a step ahead.

As soon as she was inside his guard, he stepped around to the left, maneuvering behind her and staying tight to her body while delivering a kick to the back of her right knee once as he moved into place to remove her balance. He had also switched to a standard grip with the knife in his left hand, and if the kick was successful, would bring the blade back and upwards towards her throat while placing a hand on her shoulder and pressing downwards to ensure she stay inbalanced, ready to pull her back should she not stop the strike.

[Delilah A. Black]

The blow to his stomach not having connected (or at least as connected as she was willing to allow), Delilah kept her guard hand close to her upper body. But he moved quickly, and as his kick connected, it did take her balance. As she felt herself losing it, however, he placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her down. The stability of this hand helped her regain her balance as she shifted her hips back to take the brunt of her weight. On her still planted leg, she would pivot by turning her hips with his hand, which would require her to duck as she moved her opposite shoulder underneath his arm and his knife, now positioned lower than he was with a deep bend in her knees.

Checking his knife hand with the hand that retained her bowie knife by placing the flat of the blade along the inside of his arm to prevent him from doing anything with it, her guard hand (still holding her recon tanto in reverse grip,) would aim to slide the edge up his arm to flay it as she rose to a standing position, which it would if she was trying to kill him but, if it connected, would simply skim over his arm. Once and if the blade passed his shoulder it would be resting against his neck, whereupon she would push the knife up against his neck in what would have been a slice to the arteries supplying blood to his brain....if she were trying to kill him. Which she wasn't. Just reiterating.

[Levi Kayamei]

(OCC: Sorry for the late post!! )

Levi was surpised by this counter and it was indeed possible that she was more skillful than he was with a knife, but he wasn't ready to concede that just yet. As she rolled under his arm and went for the check, he bent down with her, moving his right arm inside her right bicep, flexing his arm and peeling the arm outward to removed the check.

He bent his elbow and brought his blade back to guard himself, switching it to a reverse grip and parrying the strike towards his throat. He took a few steps back to create some distance as he smiled. He was having the time of his life, having never been challenged so uniquely before.

"I never thought I'd meet someone with a skill set so close to mine. Guess I need to do something about my lack of a second knife."

He reached into his waistband and retrieved a second butterfly knife, flipping it a few times before switching it to a reverse grip as he switched to a standard grip in his left. Their stances now looked very similar as he gazed at Delilah expectantly, choosing to remain defensive for the next bout.

[Delilah A. Black]

((OOC: LIKEWISE D: ))

He stripped away her check and maneuvered out of the way of her kill shot with a neatly timed parry of his blade. She couldn't help but grin back at him as he disengaged. He was very skilled for a knife user: neither of them had been 'cut' so far and that was usually unheard of, especially against two people who knew what they were doing with a blade in their hands.

"I never thought I'd meet someone with a skill set so close to mine. Guess I need to do something about my lack of a second knife."

She raised her eyebrows as he drew a second knife and her grin widened further. A second knife wasn't surprising, but very few people could wield two at the same time successfully. So, let's see if he can dual wield then. This oughta be fun~.

But there was a small problem. As far as their skill sets went, they seemed to be mostly evenly matched, though he seemed to be stronger and faster than she was (he would have to be to divert the attack she had made for his neck; Delilah didn't play around). Maybe she would need an edge of her own. Or so to speak.

[QI ACTIVATED.]

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats with Dangerous Level Qi + Items (as of this thread, increases to Wis. stat not applied as that happened after the start of this thread)

Str: 38 + 17
Dex: 51 + 3
Con: 47 + 20
Int: 51 -7
Wis: 24
Cha: 26 - 10

Str: 55
Dex: 54
Con: 67
Int: 44
Wis: 24
Cha: 16

As he settled into a stance similar to hers, she would minutely flick her wrist, launching her tanto knife straight at him. The second the knife was out of her hands, she closed the distance between them in a few steps, drawing her third knife as she did so (her pocket knife) with her newly freed hand, coming in with a simple flick towards the outside of his wrist with the flat of the blade. Just to test the waters.