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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Finn's hand took Isaac's, and with that he knew it was time. He accepted the help of a future mentor to be, shooting him a smile equal parts thankful and confident. "Told ya I'd sneak up on ya," he teased. With that, he took his position closer to the Gyarados' forehead, ceding the back of the head to Finn so that he could prepare for the fight.[break][break]

Much to Isaac's surprise, his preparation was not arm up, but instead to arm down. He handed his blade to his Pokemon, then called both of them away. "Wait, what are you-" he started, only for understanding to light up in his eyes as Finn sunk into a fighting stance.[break][break]

"Reverb, Luck & Pluck, that's your cue," he said. He handed Luck & Pluck to Reverb, the little Ralts toddling around under his weight before finally teleporting back to dry land. He nestled under Regulus' blades, the Ceruledge glowering but accepting it, while Luck & Pluck flew to his Doublade protege's side.[break][break]

With them accounted for, Isaac sank into a fighting stance of his own. "Honestly, the fact that I even came this far feels kinda wild," Isaac admitted. The darkened skies, the clashing thunder overhead, the raging beast below them . . . somehow, this exhibition training match felt like the biggest battle of Isaac's life. "But that's just all the more reason to give you my best."[break][break]

Of course, "their best" would have to be graded on a curve. This wasn't exactly a safe place for an all-out brawl. The two fighters had barely a sumo ring's worth of space to fight atop, and one wrong move could leave them hurtling to the ground below. For this reason, Isaac dialed down the pace from his usual, the showdown on Gyarados' head less an explosion of speed and more a tense, careful back and forth.[break][break]

The onus was on Isaac to advance. Finn could win this engagement simply by standing still. Probing strikes were met with cautious blocks. Feints were scouted and maneuvered around to the best of their ability. Bit by bit, Isaac felt himself pressured, moving from their neutral ground on the Gyarados' scalp to its proud, ridge-like crest. Isaac was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the metaphorical blade would soon be at his throat.[break][break]

He feinted a desperate rush forward. However, when Finn went to parry, he instead shifted to the right. For all the world, it looked like he was about to leap right off the Gyarados' head.[break][break]

His feet found purchase on the ridges that lined the Gyarados' jawline instead. He sprang off of this makeshift foothold to land in the space behind Finn, quickly pressing himself up to the other man's back. His wrist snagged Finn's. His knee sank into the space between his leg. His daring maneuver had allowed him to steal an unexpected armbar, the crown sitting perfectly within the locked-up arm.[break][break]

From their current position, an armbar escape could get either of them in quite the dangerous situation. For this reason, instead of putting any actual force into the armbar, Isaac just shot Finn a grin. "So! How's that?"

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]At the start of the day, Isaac's approach was excited yet somewhat nervous. He was entering a new, unfamiliar place, a stranger amongst disciples. He was arriving on the recommendation of a man who he knew wouldn't take his training in good faith, and once it set in would likely try to subvert it. He was already working from the back foot in order to make a good impression on a man who had already been burned once, yet was bound by honor to hold his tongue.[break][break][break][break]

Zev Harcourt wouldn't take his training in good faith. He'd take it seriously, because Zev took everything seriously and put lots of stock in acts of might. However, Isaac knew the philosophy behind it would be taken with lip service and fingers crossed behind his back. For all Isaac knew, he was in the crowd at this very moment, planning how to leverage this little demonstration.[break][break]

Isaac wanted to say that he didn't understand martial arts philosophy either. But was that really true? Whenever he and his Pokemon trained, becoming closer with each other through shared struggle, was that not learning? As he took on the gym challenges, pushing himself to his limits to both face their leaders and understand the lessons they sought to impart, was that not learning? When his thoughts haunted him at night, and instead of pushing them away he invited them in to be better understood, was that not learning?[break][break]

Perhaps this, too, was another thing he was on the cusp of understanding, limited only by how he held himself back.[break][break]

The atmosphere here was like the atmosphere when he trained his Pokemon, but seamless and organized instead of his usual ball of chaos. The crowd, his own Pokemon mixed among hordes of perfect strangers, was already so warmly and eagerly accepting him. The hard-won trust and pride in Finns eyes was a feeling he had only felt once before, when annalise henderson of all people told him to never stop being good.[break][break]

Now, after their hearts connected in a dramatic first lesson, all of that nervousness felt like a distant memory Instead, Isaac proudly took Finn's hand, giving it a strong, proud shake. "Thank you, Master Flying Sword!" he called, his voice now taking its place among the many that bellowed throughout the dojo.

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