(D9-EM-Gym) Self Defense

[Tanaki]

(Communication [Awareness] roll TN20 to convey your teaching to Anna - let's see how effective you are!)

D9 Teach Anna Comm/Awareness Edge TN 20: 7d10o10k5 32

[GM Yuusha]

Tanaki gradually feels out what terms Anna does and doesn't understand. She's a very visual and hands on learner. If he had someone else experienced who could demonstrate things with him then she'd likely pick things up quicker. Even so, he manages to convey some of the basic theory until her attention starts to wane when three quarters of an hour have passed.

"I want to learn a move." Anna complains. "What's a good punch?"

[Tanaki]

He claps his hand and smiles, "Ok get your stance, and put your arms down at your side, bending your elbows 90 degrees, and putting your palms up out in front of you," He demonstrates, "Now curl your fingers, and like a hydraulic piston, pull your elbow back as far as you can, in slow motion, like a mech would." He does so, "Then, still in slow motion move your arm forward, but as you do cork screw your wrist like this, " He shows her again, spinning so his palm up becomes palm down, and his fingers stay curled but lift to make the palm the striking surface. "extending your arm all the way out toward your target."

[GM Yuusha]

The demonstration helps a lot more than the description. Tanaki found it helped even more when he physically adjusts her body to the right stance or movement.

"Okay. Erm, like this?"

She makes a passable go at it. A little too low and bending her wrist too much at the end, but it was improvement.

[Tanaki]

He shows her again, giving her a few pointers to correct her technique then says, "Good....now for homework, I want you to, any time your bored, or have nothing to do, just practice that punch, practice it on walls, on the air, on your dad, on the foot of his battle-mech, whatever. Do it fast, do it slow, just keep doing it, over and over again, until you can do it in your sleep. Do you think you can try that?"

[GM Yuusha]

"... I'm not punching his battlemech. It'd hurt." She gives Tanaki a doubtful look. "But, ok, I'll practice. I'll punch him and say you told me to." She immediately flashes a big grin as she performs another punch. "Hyah! Like that."

The real danger was the height of her punches...

[Tanaki]

He nods, "Remember doing them slow is just as good as doing them fast when practicing, the point is to build up muscle memory so that eventually you can do the motion without even thinking about it. It's also good practice for later, muscle memory is how most mech pilots survive."

[GM Yuusha]

"Yea!" She raises her fist above her head. "Soon I'll be able to punch people out. Wapow!"

[Tanaki]

He frowns "Who exactly do you plan on starting fights with?"

[GM Yuusha]

"Monique and Steffen. They give me homework and they don't let me stay up late." These were clearly terrible crimes. "Steffen at least lets me have sweets, but Monique is sooo strict! It's not fair."

[Tanaki]

"I just gave you homework too, does that put me on the list?"

[GM Yuusha]

Anna shakes her head. "It's not writing stuff." She bounds over to give Tanaki a hug. "Thanks for teaching me! Hey, when will you teach me more?"

[Tanaki]

He smiles, returning the hug, "anytime you want, as long as I am not digging in the dirt for damaged mech parts or something already."

[GM Yuusha]

"Okay!" Anna is all smiles and happiness as it comes time for Tanaki to return her. She had likely forgotten that studying awaited...