Training with Naigus chapter 2

The two meisters and the weapon had been sitting in the library for about an hour looking through the piles of books that Maka and Crona had picked out for Gwen. Maka with her love of books had picked out stacks of books each as tall as her arms are long. Crona on the other hand picked out more specific books.

It had taken him a while to learn how to deal with all the books in the library when he first came back to the DWMA. It got easier once Kid Death had told him the way to deal with the books was to read them one by one. After that the library became his second home outside of his 'Cro'ner in his room. He has now read about half of the contents of the library, he had to make a deal with Ragnorock to keep him quite when he was in the library. The deal was every time he went to the library he would buy Ragnarock a slice of a triple layer dark chocolate cake.

Maka's stacks of books had everything to do with every time period, of course this included what they were looking for, the different fighting styles but it also included every bit of useless info including different recipes from the time periods. Crona' stack consisted of books on the different fighting styles.

"Ugh this is taking forever." Gwen slammed her head into the book on ancient Greek warriors she had been reading. Maka had the idea to start as far in the past as they could go and work their way forward.
"Just give it a little while longer Gwen you can't expect for the answer to fall from the sky and land in your hands" Maka answered not looking up from her book on Roman salad recipes.
Crona had made it farther into history than the other two because of his condensed more focused stack. "Umm w-why don't y-you try this b-book Gwen" Crona timidly slides her book he was reading.
"Fine but if I don't find anything in this book I am giving up for today." Gwen lets out an exasperated sigh taking the book sliding it closer to her face.

On the cover was a blood splattered medieval knight holding a flag up and looking all kinds of superior. Gwen raised an eyebrow glancing at the timid boy. He did not seem to be the kind of person into these kinds of books. Shrugging Gwen turns back to her reading. Skimming through half of it the book was going fast. Too much text and way too many thy and thou for her taste. Half way through the end she happened upon some diagrams.

Gwen's eyes shot open as she saw the figures that showed her what the hundreds of pages tried to explain in words. The diagrams showed every level that knights went through from page to full on king's personal guard. She didn't bother looking past page knowing that there was too advanced for her to try… for now. Before she was a weapon Gwen was an athlete by trade. She learned to tell when she needed more training before she could even attempt it.

To her the pages looked beautiful in their fighting stances their shielded arm facing forward sword arm hidden behind the shield keeping whoever they would face from being able to tell how they were going to strike. It did look a bit awkward the way they were standing, but some of the strikes the diagrams showed looked like the way she and Ches already fought. Using quick spins, flicks, or flips to bring more force into their blows despite their lack of muscle mass.

She would have to do something about the legwork. That kind of movement would have worked way back when but it just wasn't going to cut it in a fight nowadays. Quickly Gwen scanned the spines of the two different stacks of books that the two had brought to her, grinning she snatched what she was looking for causing the stack of books to create an avalanche. It was a diagram book for the martial arts. Skimming through the book several times looking for some type of legwork that she thought she could do she slammed her finger down on the book yelling out causing Maka to jump looking up from her cookbook.

Gwen brought the knight book closer to the martial arts book comparing the two stances. Maka and Crona came over looking over the excited girl's shoulders. Gwen was quickly analyzing the two diagrams looking for weaknesses and strengths. With a shout of triumph she snapped the two books shut, and brought them to the snoozing librarian. (He was about to leave for his home and warm bed before the three came in.)

Dropping the books in front of him startling him awake she asked. "Could I please check these two books out?"
"Of course you can." The librarian sleepily replied. He was smiling because he knew this meant that he was now going to be able to go to bed. He quickly did the necessary steps to let the girl take the books home and told her good night. He turned to leave, but didn't get to take a single step. He fell asleep on the spot falling to the ground.
Gwen started for the exit turning to Crona and Maka the two still looking confused. "Bye guys I think I have got something. Thanks for all the help." She did a quick turn and ran out the exit heading home.
"Do you have any idea what it was she figured out?" Crona quietly asked Maka.
"I have no idea." The scythe meister answered. The books were just too different for her to connect them together. Shaking her head she turned to Crona. "Let's just go to bed."
Crona went back to his dungeon and Maka started the long walk back to her apartment with Soul.

On the way home Gwen had been looking at the two books, planning how to combine the two styles of fighting together. By the time she got to the door of her and Ches's apartment she had figured it all out. When she opened the door she was greeted with a loud outburst.

"Die! Die! Die! What? You stupid cheater you can't do that!"
Gwen walked to the living room knowing what she will find. Ches was sitting on the couch playing their PS3. As she turned the corner she was greeted with the sight of Ches's character getting dealt a deathblow. He let out a giant huff and turned to face his partner.
"Hey Gwen you want to play co-op?" The boy picked up a second controller and was waving it in the air. Frowning Gwen answered. "Co-op no." Ches lowered his head in disappointment.
Gwen then let a giant toothy grin fight its way to her face. "But I would happily play VS."
Ches replied to her grin with one of his own. "Be prepared to lose."

For the three straight hours the two fought each feeling the excitement of winning and the sting of defeat. Ches needless to say felt the sting more often than not.