Caitlin Windancer's Form One (Shii-Cho) Training

[Caitlin Windancer]

Cait chuckles. Thanks for the vote of confidence Gus. But why do I feel like a youngling going up against the Grandmaster in this? When he says:

I want you to attack first. He will defend, then I want you to attack in a combo strike, ok?

She nods. Alright Gus. Will do. She takes a deep breath and releases it in preparation while she thinks of how she wants to start this.

When she is ready she steps with a smooth, gliding step forward and to the left pivoting on her right foot and stepping on her left foot while raising the blade up and to the right so the tip is over her right shoulder. She swings the blade from the shoulder in a horizontal strike toward the Proxy Gus's left side at waist level. Her left hand on top and right on the bottom of the hilt her wrists making a snapping motion as she completes the swing.

She then shifts her weight to the right foot as she recovers from her swing. She moves the blade up and to the left so the tip is now over her left shoulder, her right wrist rolls over so it now on top with the left one on the bottom as she completes this move. Her right elbow is level with her shoulder and left elbow perpendicular to it pointing down.

She lifts up her left foot in preparation for her next step. She then immediately steps smoothly back on her left foot. She shifts her weight to her right foot with the toes and the ball of the left foot touching the ground. While she makes a diagonal strike downward at his left arm above the elbow moving the blade from left to right. She then immediately follows that with another horizontal strike this time at his upper chest from right to left she rolls her wrists so the right one is now on the bottom. Her wrists make a snapping motion as she completes the swing and as she shifts her weight to the left foot. She then steps back on her right foot and takes another step back on her left foot as she backs smoothly away. She raises her blade back into the guard position as she waits the Proxy Gus's response.

[Zanear the Edge]

Her first attack comes in swiftly, her movements graceful but the attack obvious. The Proxy slides his left foot back to use as a brace and then snaps out his training saber, thumbing the activation switch and swinging the weapon over to the left and bringing it up in a vertical motion, stopping her first attack before it gets too far past the mid-way point.

Her next two attacks are nicely performed, but again she 'telegraphs' it, by moving her body back into a starting stance. Maintaining his own stance, he draws his arms back to his chest, keeping the blade up and then swings his right foot back, switching places and moving just out of the way of her first attack, then immediately extending his arms back out and down, moving to his right to meet her slash halfway.

Her footwork excellent, she glides back and away. Gus look sat the exchange closely, and nods his head. Well done, excellent footwork. Just try not to telegraph your attacks. Make them flow from one to the next, always trying to catch your foe off guard.

Now, try again, making combo attacks. My Proxy will defend, then counter attack. You defend his strikes and counter attack again, ok?

[Caitlin Windancer]

Thank you Gus. Telegraph my attacks? *looks puzzled* How did I do that? Make them flow from one to the next? Wasn't I doing that? She nods at his good advice at the end of his comment. Yes, Gus of course.

Alright, Gus. Do you want me to do three like before or more? Attack, counter attack, defend and counter attack again. Got it.

She thinks a moment on what she wants to do.

[Zanear the Edge]

Yes, I know it may sound confusing, but you'll get it. Make your attacks...when I say combo, I mean make three attacks. The Proxy will defend, then he will attack three times. The Force Ghost laughs. Wash, rinse, repeat. You do that until you defeat your enemy or time runs out. That is what I mean. When attacked, defend first, then you make your attacks.

[Caitlin Windancer]

I hope so. She mutters under her breath then says louder. Confusing about covers it Gus but I trust you if you say I will get it then I will.

Okay thanks Gus for clarifying that for me. Three attacks and then defend. Got it.

*laughs at Gus' joke* Oh cute Gus. Shampooing I know how to do. *pointing to her long hair now braided up and out of the way.*

Okay, I guess I'm ready. *nods* When attacked defend first the counter attack.

She takes a deep breath and releases it while she thinks about how to start.

She takes a step forward on her right foot while at the same time lifting her saber to shoulder height with tip of the blade held over her left shoulder. She leans forward as if to strike at his left side instead pivots on her right foot and steps to the left transferring her weight to that foot as she strikes horizontally across at his left shin while moving the blade from left to right then turning her wrists so the right one rolls onto top.

She then moves fluidly into her next attack pulling back her hands to her right shoulder and without pausing makes a quick horizontal strike at the middle of his upper chest. Then she moves to the right in an attempt to get behind him while trying to make diagonal strike from right to left to the right side of his head from temple to cheek.

She then circles around him to the right while she backs up slightly to get ready to defend against his attacks. Her blade held in front of her face at an angle with the tip of the blade to the left.

[Zanear the Edge]

This time Cate's movements are much more fluid, her attention to detail all the more focused. She starts this time with a feint, although her real attack is only a little lower. The Proxy extends his right arm at mid chest level, and angles the blade out and down at about a 120 degree angle, sliding it over to the left the bat away her shin strike. It's then that Cate draws back and strikes out again, making a slash at his chest, which the proxy simply brought his weapon back up to a 35 degree angle and swung inside, batting away her strike, although it came close. She then moved, and made a rather decent attack, slashing at his face! He moved his blade upward, but just a hair too slow, and a thin red line appeared from his chin to the top of his jawbone as he batted the strike away before it dug deep.

The faux Jedi took his left hand and touched his face, With an almost eerie resemblance to the dead Master's voice, he frowned before he spoke. My face Cate? Really?! And then he went into action.

He crouched slightly, and twirled his blade in his right hand, spinning it in a ever increasing figure eight pattern, building up speed as he began to stalk her, slowly circling Cate as he moved. When he was directly behind her, he lashed out, springing forward with a two handed slash from his right to left, seeking to cut her in half at the waist! And then without any wasted motion pulled the weapon up and slashed at a diagonal from her left hip to her right shoulder. With that attack ending, he kicked out at her left shin with his right foot.

[Caitlin Windancer]

When the Proxy Gus bats away her first two attacks she not too surprised having expected that he would. But she is as surprised as he is when her third strike actually hits him.

When he says. "My face Cate? Really?!"

Sorry Gus, I didn't think that I would actually hit you.

She knows now it is his turn and he will be on the offensive.

Oh, great what did I get myself into this time? She thinks.

As he starts to stalk her, circling around her, Cait tries to match his movements to try and keep him within her sight. She ignores his fancy blade twirling and watches his eyes and body movements to give her a clue on what he is going to do next. As he goes behind her Cait turns rapidly to her right as she pivots on her left foot in a smooth, flowing motion. She lifts her blade in a fluid, diagonal upward motion from her left to right in defense barely batting the strike at her waist away in time. Her natural swiftness just saving her. Without pausing she twists her hands rolling her wrists to the right trying to bat away the second diagonal strike from her left hip to the right shoulder in a swift, fluid motion. She pushes his blade with her blade to try and keep it away from her. She backs up on her left foot has she moves her blade to defend against his strike. She is again barely able to keep his blade from her skin though he cuts through the fabric the top of her pants and the bottom of the tunic. She can feel the heat of blade as it comes close to her skin.

Hey! Those were new. Oh, great I now have air conditioning. Dot2 is going have a fit when she sees this.

As she was already moving when he lashes out with his kick to her left shin she doesn't take the full brunt of the attack. But she still grunts with pain when his foot makes a glancing blow to the top of the shin. She grits her teeth ignoring the pain her healer training helping her control the pain as she moves to her right in preparation for her next attack as she circles to the right. Watching her move you would not even know she had been injured at all. Her movements are swift and controlled.

She attempts another feint to his left side at waist level moving the blade in a swift, fluid stroke, downward then horizontally from her right to left to his right knee. Her wrists rolling over from her left to right as she changes the direction of the blade in a swift, decisive flowing motion. Without stopping she then makes a swift, horizontal strike to his left thigh. She then pivots back on her right foot as moves quickly without stopping into the next attack making another feint vertically upward to the left side of his head. The blade attack is just a diversion, while she stamps down hard with her left foot to the top of his right foot.
Then she immediately retreats stepping back on her left foot. She circles around to the right watching for his next move or attack. Her natural movements are swift and fluid.

[Zanear the Edge]

She had begun to move defensively, and managed to block out the pain of the hit on her leg. A good sign indeed. Yet now she was on the attack, and the proxy was prepared. She feints at the waist on his left, and the droid swings his blade downward at an angle covering his left side, so when her actual attack came at his right knee, he simply stepped his right leg back and turned slightly, blocking the attack. Rolling her wrists, continuing to move the blade, she slashes horizontally at his left thigh. Again, he simply moves the blade back to his left, blocking the move once again. Her next strike appears to move upward, and he moves his blade up also, but notices only too late that she was stomping on his foot! Her boot lands on his toes as he quickly attempts to draw it back. Hey, that smarts! he calls out. But instead of backing up, he presses the attack, swinging his now upward weapon from right to left, aiming for her left shoulder, then front kicking at her right knee with his left foot. He then swung his blade down and at her left knee, seeking to clip it.

[Caitlin Windancer]

She tries not to make sounds of frustration when he easily blocks her attacks except the last one. Though she expected that he would.

At least one got through she thinks as the last one works. She watches for what he will do next.

She is slightly suprised when instead of retreating from her last attack Proxy Gus presses his own attack.

When he swings his weapon right to left aiming for her left shoulder. Since her weapon was already moving upwards she without thinking automatically blocks the strike batting it away down and to her right.

She continues to move to her right trying to circle around him when he kicks at her right knee with his left foot. She grunts with pain when he makes another glancing blow this time to her knee. She grits her teeth blocking the pain again.

When he swings his blade down seeking to strike her at her left knee she quickly counters it with a sweeping downward swipe from her right to the left then continues the swing of her blade upwards then a horiztonal swing left to right across his mid-section while continuing to her right.
She tries to make a horizontal stab to his back on his left side. While she makes an attempt to kick the back of his left knee.

All the while she is moving to her right.