<strong>Name:</strong>Izzy<br/><strong>Time:</strong>10:00 AM<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Celeste's Villa, Training Grounds<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Rein, Celeste (m), Onyx (m), open<br/><hr/><hr/><br/>The initial trio of strikes did exactly what she wanted them to do, with an unexpected twit.  Izzy herself wasn't used to carrying full-blown melee weapons into combat, preferring to fight with her claws and trick-armaments.  As such, she had to wrap her mind around a willingness to let a weapon leave the hand if it suited her.  Rein had no such problems, letting the club fall from his hand easily while he was falling, planting his arm in the ground, and sending a kick whizzing by her nose.  It was a good recovery, and if he'd really meant to connect with that counter attack, he could have done it before she could bring the spear up to defend herself.  Wily thing, she thought, stepping back a little and firming up her defensive stance.  She'd have to remember that little trick.<br/><br/>Again, Rein liked to talk, and began going over an obvious sounding but worthwhile lesson in being willing to use every aspect of the body, not just the current tool, as a weapon.  He challenged her to make it 'truly unpredictable.'  And, even as he said that, he proceeded to charge forward with his shield raised: the very definition of a predictable tactic.  Izzy smirked a little, enjoying this.  The wolf's optimism and adaptability was something to be envied, but she also appreciated they casual way he gave challenges and warnings.  Obviously, trying to predict the direction of his charge was playing right into his hand.  And so, she resolved to follow his advice.<br/><br/>She vaulted backwards slightly, her spear whipping around her as she did so.  Izzy's agile form and lighter build meant she could gather a precious little bit of distance between herself and the charging wolf, even though she wouldn't be able to escape him by doing so.  The goal there was simply to keep him charging, as spinning off to the side wouldn't allow him to catch her.<br/><br/>With a spin she whirled her spear and brought it down in an over-head strike.  With the momentum behind it, the blow was a strong one.  But again, the goal was completely different.  All she wanted was for him to raise his shield and block over-head.  Izzy abandoned her spear at the moment of impact, bouncing from her backward direction and moving forward with a whip-crack charge.  If he'd taken the bait, she'd attempt to get inside his range, turning her shoulders as one hand pushed the shield aside and the other arm drove an elbow into his abdomen.<br/><br/>There were so many variables.  If she managed to connect exactly as intended, her close combat specialization would come into play.  She'd move a foot behind his leg as the hand on the shield delivered a palm strike.  Her arms would then weave outward to open his defense from inside his guard.  And then she'd spin and put a foot in his chest, not full strength, but knocking him away.  And only after would she retrieve her spear.<br/><br/>Of course, if he dodged this, she might be forced to roll to the side, using rising kicks to gain distance so she could lay a flurry of spear strikes on his flank.  Or perhaps he had an even more unpredictable trick in mind.  Whatever the case, she focused on the battle, and not on the fact that both Onyx and Celeste were watching them.