Chapter 16

…

"Hyaaa!" She cried out. Her fist chasing him down, but he blocked it. With his face, and then delivered back a brutal punch to her gut. She doubled over, spit handing loosely just underneath her lip, and he tried to follow up with an elbow square to her back, but she barely got out of the way.

Wiping her lip clean, she mustered a fake, brave grin.

"Getting hasty, eh?"

"More like just using every opportunity I get," He answered. His smile hiding the pain he felt.

"I guess that works as well," She said, her silhouette blurring and she was quick in his face. Letting herself loose and unleashing every punch and kick that she knew. At times, even managing something so ridiculous it most certainly couldn't be found in any textbook.

In the meantime, he fended the best he could, and wasn't graceful at all as he did. He just guarded himself with a block, and absorbed the incoming damage. However, he was also waiting. For an opportunity to strike back, and his patience paid off when he noticed her rush slowing down. Right on the moment, he used the chance that he had, and arched his arm in a hook.

Unfortunately, he only hit air. Moreover, she completely disappeared from his sight, and all of the sudden, he was staring at the vast blue sky. Completely flat on his back with his limbs splayed out.

What the hell happened?

First thing he asked himself when the gears in his mind were grinding in the right order.

"I ducked under your hook and upper-cut your ass," She said, seemingly able to read his mind.

"Well, that explains the swelling under my chin."

She moved to his side and offered him a hand.

He accepted it, and was helped to be fixed in a sitting position. "By the way, is it just me or am I starting to fall behind you?"

"You mean in fighting?"

"Yea."

"You are," She said bluntly. "Sorry Jaune, but unlike you, I at least used to be a damn good fighter. It's much easier for me to improve just through the muscle memory alone..." She said, as her voice trailed off for a moment, and then she made a grim smile. "I mean, even if some of that muscle memory is obviously missing, because, you know..."

"I get it," He said, his own lips decorated with an awkward, forced smile.

She continued. "So, there you have it, Jaune. I have plenty of fighting skill to fall back on, while you, on the other hand, don't. Besides, you still haven't used your shield and your sword during any of our spars. That too makes a lot of difference since that's your natural fighting style, right?"

He sighed. "Suppose it is, but honestly, I'm not too sure if I'd fare any better if I were to use them. Especially so if you were to use your Ember Celica. I have a sinking feeling my ass would be grass regardless of how I'd fight you."

She stabbed her finger into his shoulder. "You've got yourself a strong, durable body. And plenty of aura. You're not hopeless in combat. In fact, if you'd be able to utilize your strengths and iron-out your weaknesses, you could be quite a capable fighter. Of course, it'll take some time and tons of practice, but it'd be totally worth it, right?"

"I...thanks. And I guess you're right. There has to be something I can do to best improve my combat skill. Maybe if I had some actual confidence in the things I can do or could do..." He started to wonder, but then, as his gaze was still fixed on her, he noticed her arm was trembling. Ever so slightly, but it was none the less.

She noticed him staring, and clenched her fist in response. Her look downcast and troubled. "I'm…I'm scared a little. To fight. Not terrified mind you, but I'm…I am scared," She admitted with heavy tone, and then noticed he looked somewhat surprised.

"I didn't know that," He said, and to be fair, it's not like she was shaking terribly. Of course, he was well aware she was deeply troubled by her right stump, but he didn't know that she was affected in such a way as well. Even if they had fought each other a couple of times at this point, he figured she was simply good at hiding her fear of fighting. Which means that..."This isn't exactly easy for you either, is it? Fighting, I mean."

She hesitated before answering. "I guess not," She said, and then followed a moment of silence. During which she managed to stop her hand's trembling, while he with a nod of his head rose to his feet. Even though his body screamed him no to.

"…I see. Shall we continue?" He asked, and she casted him a curious look.

"I thought we were done for today," She said, and in response, he lifted his fists close to his face. A determined blue now peering from behind a guard.

"But you're still fighting, right?"

"Fighting what?"

"Your fear," He said simply, and she partially parted her lips. Before she closed them shut, and then mustered a daring, minuscule smile.

"I am." Her voice just above a whisper, she let out an even breath, and then raised her fist close to her face. A determined lilac now peering from behind a guard.

"Therefor, I'll be fighting as well."

Yang heard him say, and a moment later, she shut down her thoughts the best she could. Focused solely on him, and threw herself into the heat of combat.