Evolution.

"Well now that you can see your mistakes, it's time to show you the proper way to do it. I will now try to knock you down and you will try to defend. Are you ready?"

"Yea, ready." At least Katie hoped she was. Zaria seemed to know her stuff, but trail by fire as they say.

Zaria stares down Katie before moving in and striking with her right fist. She notices that Katie is dodging to the left, so she switches to a left jab. Katie blocks in time, but Zaria quickly does a sweep kick to trip her. Zaria then helps Katie up. "So what did you learn from that quick exchange?"

"That I suck at defending sweeps." Katie commented. "I guess one lesson to take away from this is to try read your opponent better and anticipate incoming attacks, instead of always reacting after the fact."


(ooc: fyi forgive me if I missed the point of that exchange entire, 1am normally isn't late for me but damn do I feel tired)

"Yes that's one. The other to be adaptable. If your first attack fails and your opponent counterattacks, you have to be able to make a move on the fly. Remember when you started to dodge my attack, I changed it to be more effective. Now that we have established that, I now know what we need to work on the most. You need to increase your speed and not just movement speed, but reaction speed. So let's go again."

(to avoid wasting space on this, I would like to skip ahead a couple of days to a point where your character is better as a means of moving on to the next stage of training.)

(I'd be fine with a jump)

They get started on a video first. Hannah almost didn't want to, but decided to include live concert video of the shooting after she recorded herself saying "This world is plagued by corruption and fear" in the video.

The morning sun rises on the fifth day since Zaria started training Katie. Zaria is already up and goes into Katie's room. She is still sleeping, so Zaria tries to wake her up. She does this by fliping the mattress over. This forces Katie onto the floor. "I thought that I told you that you need to be up by first light."

(I'm fine with the skip.)

Katie was jarred awake when she was flipped out of bed and hit the floor.   "Ouch!" she exclaimed followed shortly by "damnit".   She stands up and dusts the dirt off herself.   "I guess my body still hasn't adopted to being up so early" she explained to Zaria.    Zaria training hasn't exactly been easy, but Katie had felt that she come a long way in a short time, so she really couldn't complain to much.   It was rough but effective going.

Once Katie is ready, Zaria takes her to the field. She takes a deep breath. "Ok I have got some good news for you. Today marks you graduation from the beginner's training. As of today you will be doing the intermediate training."

Hannah is preparing for the first of many concerts with the band. They decided she shouldn't wear the maid costume until after a break. Meanwhile, the video is ready, just not on the internet yet.

Katie was surprised she had passed the basics already, training so far wasn't easy but she had managed. She could only wonder what intermediate level held in store for her. "I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be, so... what's next? Katie inquired.

"First off, I'm going to try harder and will be fighting you using my weapons. Second, you will have to fend me off with your powers. This stage of training is ment to help you learn how to use your powers in close combat and to deal with your most common foe which are non gifted soldiers that are armed with weapons. Before we begin, I have a gift for you."

Zaria throws a gourd at Katie. "That is for you to hold water in so that you will always be armed."

"Thank you Zaria. I will keep it on me and full at all times." Katie realized she could really use something like this, it'd give her a end in dry environments.

Zaria pulls out her kunai. "Ready yourself. Remember this is a close combat situation so big attacks that take time to prepare aren't going to work. Also I am armed so it won't just bruises that you will get if you get hit, but much worse."

They get going to the music venue. This place is already getting fairly packed as they push through the crowds to get backstage, some fans recognizing Hannah even without her maid outfit and her hair down. At the door, hired security, who are big former wrestlers in suits, are guarding the entrance, not even letting cops in, or people without tickets. Everybody is getting checked too, and any cell phones and walkie talkies are taken away, but cameras are allowed.

"I'm ready" Katie said, preparing for her opponent. Katie actually knew a proper stance now and awaited Zaria attack. Katie seemed more focused and was watching Zaria carefully.

Zaria rushed at Katie. Upon closing in, she used her kunai to slash at her several times.

Katie carefully and smoothly parry the slashes until finding a opening, Katie throws a strike of her own which Zaria evades, only for Katie to try trip her with a sweep.

Zaria is knocked over, but as she falls she throws one of her kunai at Katie. While she dodges that, Zaria is able to recover and go for a slash at Katie's abdomen. Katie is able act fast enough to avoid a fatal injury, but Zaria still manages to make a small cut on her side. "You are getting better, but you need to show me how you can use your powers in close combat." Zaria puts her kunai away and pulls out her black blade katana. Now she charges forward, sword in hand.

Katie ducks under Zaria initial sword slash. Katie keeps up the defense avoiding fatal injuries, although getting a few more minor slashes on her. Katie finally spots the opening she'd been looking for, creating a layer of think ice in the palm of her hand Katie is able to deflect a overhead slash from Zaria. Katie kicks Zaria in the back of the knee causing that knee to give and Zaria to drop. Katie pulls water from her gourd blasting Zaria downed knee to soak it, and quickly freeze it to the ground. Katie then approaches to lay the knock out kick to Zaria head.

The blow knocks Zaria down hard. She gets up but slowly. She then breaks her knee free and cracks her neck. "I am truly impressed. You have improved so much and we only just started incorporating your powers. You must have been practicing when I wasn't looking. Of course, this doesn't mean your ready for my full power just yet."

"I feel I already had pretty decent control of my powers, it was lack of skill and knowledge in the art of fighting that I felt I really lacked. I just combined what I knew with what you've been teaching me. However I'm not a overconfident person. I don't doubt for one second that there is still much I can learn beyond my current capabilities." Katie felt good, she had learned a lot the past number of days and knew there was still much to go. It felt great starting to finally understand how to incorporate her power into a fight effectively. Seeing she never knew how to really fight before, it prevented her from using her powers in ways she could now.

"I am glad to hear that. Now as a reward for your hard work, I will give you a taste of what's to come at the next stage of training. The next stage is known as the advanced training and deals with powered on powered combat. So you think your ready for your taste?"

"If you would say I've succeeded in intermediate, then I suppose I am ready" Katie responded back.

Zaria takes a deep breath. Then her whole body is covered in a dark aura. The aura seems to be moving to her will. It wraps around her katana. "Just try and block this attack!" She blitzes forward and slashes at Katie with immense force leaving a trail of darkness behind.