14497/Establishing a Baseline

Establishing a Baseline
Date of Scene:	02 August 2022
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Diana and Koriand'r have a first sparring session just to learn each other's skill levels.
Cast of Characters:	Wonder Woman, Starfire

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Wonder Woman has posed:
It had been a few days since Koriand'r came to ask Diana about training to be a better heroine. Diana wasn't entirely certain that it was needed in the sense that Koriand'r had asked it, however she was not unwilling to help the young heroine find ways to improve her fighting abilities at the very least. If anyone was capable of offering such training it would likely be the Champion of the Amazons.

Standing in the converted ballroom of the Themysciran Embassy, Diana was dressed simply. A sports bra and loose flowing linen pants. She was barefoot. But for her bracers she could just be any other woman looking to work out. A smile was offered to Kori. "I thought we might begin with a little sparing? Just so that I can see the Tamaranian style of combat and where I might be able to help you, if that is agreeable?"

Starfire has posed:
Despite showing up for training, Koriand'r is still in her superheroine costume with the collar, the purple and red one-piece swimsuit consisting of crisscrossing boob straps up top attached to bikini bottoms, the matching colored knee-high boots and bracers, and not really anything else. Does she even have any other clothing?

Star nods earnestly at Diana's request to a spar, "O-of course, ma'am." Again falling back into formality. "Tamaranean martial arts heavily favor redirection of motion so as to gain an aerial advantage, as we can all fly." She is hovering about a foot or two off the ground, her basic resting state as flying takes pretty much no effort for her.
Starfire brings her hands up in a style vaguely reminiscent of Aikido but positioned more for what someone who could fly would adopt. Likewise, her legs are positioned in an unusual setup that lets her use them to max aerial combat effectiveness. The effect is a little like Neo in the Matrix preparing for Agent Smith. She does not advance first, being too goodnatured and lacking the killer instinct to go for the jugular, something Black Canary has been working with her on in their League cross-training.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince tilts her head, "Koriand'r? I am just Diana. You may call me that please. I would like it." Certainly more than being called ma'am." She gestures, "When you are ready."

She steps back and assumes a ready stance as well, hands raised. Her eyes are focused. "This is just light sparing to learn how each other fights. We are not looking to destroy the room. This time" she teases lightly. Then she nods, ready for the encounter.

Starfire has posed:
Koriand'r's cheeks pink up when Diana asks to be called by name rather than any formal title. As much as Kory wants to be more familiar with her superheroine mentor, she finds that difficult. "Yes ma- I-I mean, alright...Diana"

Kory appreciates Diana's gentle but no-nonsense manner, and seeks to emulate it, firming up her spine and getting ready to do battle... a very formalized, non-lethal and care-for-her-surroundings battle.

Keeping Black Canary's lessons in mind, and seeing that Diana expects her to make the first move, Kory flies forward, beginning with a series of lightning fast palm and edge-of-hand strikes intended more for putting her opponent off balance and rotated into an inferior fighting stance than they are intended to do much damage.

Of course, as much faster as Kory was than Canary, if there is anyone who could outspeed her reflexes as well as best her in skill, even against the Tamaranean style which Koriand'r is a master of, it would be Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince wasn't here to test her own skills, she was here to test Kori's and so she let the other heroine attack and assumed a defensive stnace. As Kori flew foward, her eyes show intense focus as the myriad attacks are leveled at her.

Fists and forearms flash as she moves to block or counter the strikes from Kori. The blur of her movements are certainly faster than any "mere mortal" could attain. Soon she is pushing the blows away with her palms. She steps back, "You a lot of speed." A smile and she holds her right hand up, palm toward Kori. "If you please, land a single punch to my palm."

Starfire has posed:
Koriand'r was a bit awestruck at how Diana seemed to effortlessly frustrate all of Kory's best upper body moves. Fighting Diana was like... well like fighting the Amazonian Champion of the Gods. Swift. Strong. Sure. Graceful... and very beautiful. Kory couldn't help noticing Diana's loveliness and it was affecting her focus a little.

She had been intending to switch things up and swap to leg strikes as those are also heavily featured in her homeworld's martial art. Kory once defeated numerous Gordanian soldiers while her upper body was bound.

But Diana wanted to see something else, and so Kory obliged. She closes her eyes to center herself, then opens them. Focusing her energy to flow at her top speed. A single closed fist punch with all her superstrength - which hasn't been fully tested but she is sure Wonder Woman is stronger and tougher - with her best form instilled in her by the Tamaran Warmaster, using shoulders, hips and whole body to land that punch.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince did not seem to notice any affect she may be having on Kori's focus. She was, herself, focused on countering those blows. She was learning with every attack. It was a sort of education on the fly and it was beneficial.

A nod and smile as she waits for Kori to land the blow. When she does, the sound of the impact fills the room. Diana's palm snaps back from the strike. It turns her body halfway as well; if it didn't she likely would have been injured in all likelihood. A smile and a nod. "You have perfect form, Kori. And you're very strong. I should not care to feel any blows from you I think."

Starfire has posed:
Koriand'r goes from intent focus to worried apology on an emotional dime as she sees Diana have to snap back from her hit. Not even really hearing the praise from the Amazon in her concern. "D-Diana! I am so sorry! You said to punch your hand, I was just trying my b-best and I didn't mean to hurt you I mean how could I hurt you you're Wonder Woman and I hope you are okay areyouokaypleasebeokay!"

She wrings her hands worriedly, her combat stance lost. That tendency to lose focus as she lived in the now was always her trainer's biggest critique back home on Tamaran.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince looks confused. "Yes, I did ask you to. I expected it to smart. You are stronger than a human. But so am I" she smiles. "Just because it stings does not mean I am upset. I am an Amazon. Training is supposed to hurt or you are not training hard enough." It might be a curious philosophy but it makes sense to her.

She then begins to deliver a series of half strength blows toward Kori, "Focus. We are here to train. Do not get caught up in that which does not matter. Distractions are simply that." The blows are within range to be blocked but not close enough to land on Kori's body.

Starfire has posed:
Starfire lives up to her name, as her gaze holds two starry-eyed pools of fire after hearing the Amazon just shrug off the pain and expound on her way of training, her way of life. Kory has never been so enraptured and admiring as she is in this moment. How was her mentor so... so strong, so capable? She internally vows to follow in Diana's footsteps wherever they will take her.
At first the half-strength attacks catch Kory off guard, fantasizing as she is. But her training pulls her through, bringing arms up to deflect, redirect, and where that wasn't possible to block, though even her blocks get caught on the curve of her bracers so as to slide hits away at an angle. With Diana once more closing in melee with her, even if not all the way, Kory's eyes are drawn to the graceful slope of Wonder Woman's neck, the smoothness of her bare shoulders...the swell of the Amazon's breasts. She tries to focus as she is told, she really does. It gets harder to comply when Diana is just so... perfect.

Kory tries to distract herself from the irrelevancy of how sexy the woman sparring with her is, by speeding up and going on the offensive, attempting to use Diana's momentum to her own advantage. And this time she does remember to add in the lower body kicks and sweeps. Koriand'r agility, flexibility and balance is incredibly good. She suddenly kickflips her entire body in a vertical upside down flying spinning arc over Diana's position, the motion using precise aerial placement to attempt to confuse and put the opponent off-center and turned the wrong way as Kory's attacks never ceased.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince keeps her strikes at a brisk but measured pace. It isn't that she is trying to win, she is testing Kori's abilities. As the blocks begin to succeed, she increases the speed and changes up to other forms of attacks. Body blows. Upper cuts. None enough to hurt. All fast enough to be a distinct challenge.

Then Kori turns to the attack and Diana shifts fluidly to defending. She blocks the arm and leg attacks with her own grace and speed. At the point where Kori goes airborne, Diana did not seem to expect it as the blow lands between her shoulderblades, staggering her forward several steps.

She turns - and there is a wide smile on her features, "Good. That." She wants more of that from the aerial heroine.

As the attacks continue, Diana seems to speed up. And then she slips inside one of Kori's strikes, her shoulder placed against the golden heroine's sternum, her hand on Kori's wrist and she throws the younger woman, an arc over her shoulder to the padded mats on the floor. In a fluid motion she ends straddling Kori's waist, pinning her. A elbow blow toward the face is pulled at the last moment.

Diana is breathing heavy, the sparring having proved to be a good workout. "Very good, Koriand'r. You have amazing skill and prowess alredy." She eases off and moves to stand, offering her hand. "I will begin to formulate a trainng regimine to help you extend your abilities even farther."

Starfire has posed:
Starfire is so in the moment and movements of their combat, almost having managed to distract herself from her crushing on the heroine, that when the end comes, it comes as a shock. Diana is so fast!

With a whoomph sound and a startled "Oof!" Kory has the breath knocked out of her when she is caught and thrown down onto the padding in the middle of one of her sequences, though she is quick to recover by mortal reckoning, only needing a few seconds to be able to breathe again with her regeneration easing away all the pains of their spar, though she still is also breathing deeply.

Then she looks up to see Diana straddling her waist... Diana was straddling her waist!!... Kory's thoughts blanked out as a terrific blush lights up her face.

The Amazon was quick to get up and Kory took the hand she offered to stand, but was the damage done? Did Diana see her reaction?

Starfire this time hears the praise from her mentor and it brings back the blush. Curse her fair complexion making her embarrassment so obvious! She doesn't feel like her skill and prowess was all that good... but if the gods' Champion said so, she would believe her. She wasn't surprised that she lost the fight, though. This was *Wonder Woman*.

"T-Thank you Diana! I cannot wait! You have already taught me so much just in this spar! I will be ready when you call on me next!"