Renoku's training, Raoul's first fight

[Renoku]

Laying down, and closing his eyes Raoul felt slight pain in the back of his head as he was connected. He opened his eyes as the pain stop. He found him self is a dojo sparing room. He had different clothes on, as well as a new look. He knelt down in a little disbelief. He hadn't appeared this way since just before he was unplugged.

[Proteus]

((I see a couple of grammar mistakes, but nothing a good proofreading wouldn't fix. Try to make your posts a little longer in the future. Overall though, it's a good start. Keep it up.))

Proteus glanced around the dojo from behind his sleek mirrored sunglasses. He ran a hand through the long blond dreadlocks that were kept out of the way by a length of rough cord, and looked the new recruit up and down. The hilts of the jambiyas in their twin sheaths concealed within the wide sleeves of his black trench coat were pressed into his wrists by the weight of his arms as they rested easily against his hips. It reminded Proteus that they were there; that he was armed, although he still felt a bit exposed without his huge .45 caliber P226 pistols and two TMP machine pistols. Across the sizable room from him, Raoul had knelt down and was staring at himself in disbelief. Proteus cleared his throat so as not to startle the obviously preoccupied man.

"I see you're a bit surprised by your RSI. It can be a bit startling to find yourself suddenly exactly as you remember yourself. I remember what it was like to realize that I had hair, real long hair, again," Proteus said, again running his fingers through his well kept mass of blond, thin dreadlocks. "But you aren't here to listen to me reminisce about days gone by. You came here to prove to me that you have what it takes to serve Zion. You must show that you are both physically and mentally prepared for the task before you. First, answer me this one question. What is the Matrix?" He loosened the saffron colored cotton scarf around his neck and waited patiently for the new recruit's answer.

[Renoku]

Raoul looked up at a man before him. With being asked what is the Matrix he began to ponder this thought. After a short time of thinking, he stood up and prepared to answer. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "The Matrix," started Raoul, "is an alternate reality. It seems to be a programed world reflecting on the world that once was. A place where civilization was at it's peak. A time where we didn't really focus too much on the thought of surviving the day." With that said, Raoul turned around and looked at the dojo around him, as well as the weapons on the wall. He took a deep breath and reflected on the days when he was in that time.

[Proteus]

((Still a bit short, maybe that won't be a problem once we actually get to sparring. If it is, just throw in more description to lengthen things out a little and give me something to respond to.))

Proteus smiled wryly as the hulk of a man turned away. Perhaps he'd better ask Zion Command to keep an eye on this one. He almost seemed nostalgic for the time he'd been enslaved by the machines. The thought that he had lived a lie for twenty three years while the life was sucked from his body still made him nauseous. He kept his eyes focused clearly on the man's back, making sure to keep his hips visible in his peripheral vision so that he could quickly gauge and respond to any sudden movements the man might make.

"Our ancestors darkened the sky in a last ditch effort to cut the machines off from the rays of the sun that powered them. Needless to say, it didn’t work as they planned. The machines completed the enslavement of the human race under the newly darkened skies. In the aftermath of the war, the machines found a new power source, the human body. The machines plugged their human slaves into huge generators and used their natural energy as power. However, it soon became evident that the stress and pain of their new purpose shortened their life spans and made their use as a power source unviable," he said, slowly and deliberately to ensure that the full seriousness of the words carried forth by his gravelly voice was apparent to the man before him.

"The Machines created the Matrix as a virtual reality in which to keep their human power sources happy so that they would live longer and produce more power. For those that are trapped within it, it may as well be reality. It is the only semblance of reality they have ever known, but it's not reality. Whether or not they realize it, the reality of those still trapped in the Matrix consists of having their life slowly sucked away to power those who enslaved their progenitors. And when they are no longer useful, their tissue is rendered into a thick goo, which is used to nourish those who still are. Living a lie in which one doesn't have to focus too much on the thought of surviving the day is still living a lie. You'd best remember that, Renoku," he finished, letting his words stretch into silence and allowing the other man to continue his silent contemplation for a few seconds longer.

"One must know the form and function of the Matrix in order to bend it to one's will. I am confident that the gaps in your knowledge will be filled in time, though. We will spar. Now it is time to see how well you can put your knowledge of the Matrix to use. I suggest you use this time to prepare yourself and study your surroundings. I will give you as long as you need, but once it has begun, it will go until I decide to end it," he said, a vulpine smile twisting its way sinuously across his thin lips.

((Hooray for post recycling! I'm too lazy to think of a new explanation of the Matrix, so I'm pulling the one I posted in my own training thread way back when. I liked it anyways.))

[Renoku]

Finding disbelief in what Renoku just heard, he put his hands on the wall. He could still feel things. He jumped up and down, and found gravity still applied. These rules still seemed to apply in the Matrix, just as it may in reality.

As Renoku continued to ponder his thoughts on what applied to reality and what applied to the Matrix, he wanted to learn more. How could this be? It was a question stuck in his head. Thoughts of pain and misery ran through his veins. He became a little tense. Slowly but surely, Renoku loosened up. He stood up, and turned around. He tried to observe as much as he could. He saw wooden pillars, walls, and weapons. Glancing around, he found a sense of isolation. This was because he could not find any doors. It seemed the only way in and out was through being plugged in or connected. Renoku faced Proteus and raised his arms to the ready.
"Let's just see how this goes, " he said

[Proteus]

((Both length and grammar appear to be a bit better. Keep improving at this rate and you'll be RPing with the best of 'em in no time.))

Proteus had to stifle his own disbelief. The man across the room from him was clearly on the edge of shock. What puzzled Proteus was how he could have come this far without gaining knowledge of the true form of the Matrix. Surely what he hadn't been able to piece together as his pale, emaciated form lay on the table aboard the hovercraft that had rescued him had been told to him when he arrived here in Zion. He pushed the thoughts from his mind as the hulk of a man Trigg had called him Renoku as she loaded the Training Construct began to survey the room, no doubt searching out every detail that he might use against Proteus.

The bass rumble of Proteus' heart thundering in his ears provided a slow, steady beat over which he began to run through one of the many kata from one of the many styles of karate which he had been uploaded years ago. Allowing muscle memory to carry him lithely through the forms, Proteus cleared his mind and slowly but steadily worked his way toward a state of complete relaxation. Soon enough, his movements were as fluid as running water. He came to as stop, wiping a single bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of a hand and straightened his sleek, mirrored sunglasses.

Across the room, Renoku squared off, dropping into a combat stance and raising his arms to the ready. Proteus quickly settled into his own with his legs comfortable staggered and his front knee bent. He raised his arms with a slight flourish, showing Renoku a basic karate stance that could at any moment be changed to one from any of the score of martial arts they had both been uploaded. He intended to make Renoku work and keep him guessing.

"We shall see indeed," he rumbled, his deep voice barely loud enough to carry the distance to the other man. He crooked the fingers of his outstretched right hand in the classic beckoning gesture and waited for Renoku to make his attack.

[Renoku]

Renoku slowly walked forward. He was unsure about what he should do exactly. He didn’t know the man’s skill or what he expected. All He knew of sparing was it was basically fighting. Renoku had to try. He shook his head to get some hair out of the way, and took a deep breath.

As Renoku came closer to Proteus, he swung two short art fake punches. When he got closer, he decided to go for it. He first through a quick jab Proteus’ upper chest and shoulders with his right arm. He hoped it would make Proteus dodge and go into an awkward stance. The benefit of which would set up his next throw, and hopefully get him to the floor, or at least off balance some more.

That next punch would be coming from below. Renoku hoped to have a hooked throw almost like an uppercut hit Proteus in the side of his hip or lower chest. After which Renoku pulled back slightly to see proteus’ reaction and decide where to go from there

[Proteus]

Proteus watched the hulk of a man slowly advance across the room, appearing hesitant and unsure. As Renoku took a deep breath and tried to shake his hair away from his eyes, Proteus watched him. Normally, he wouldn’t have allowed another combatant to get this close without a challenge, but he had said he would wait until the man was ready. Proteus watched as the man entered striking distance and threw a few fakes. Neither of them appeared quite realistic enough to cause him to make an attempt to block them.

Then the man threw a jab at his upper chest. The blow was knocked aside by the outside of Proteus’ wrist as it snapped across the path of the punch. He saw the other punch coming and instead of trying to block it too, he took a step forward and to his left, moving inside Renoku’s guard where he was still unprotected by his blocked right arm and removing himself from the track of the second punch. Proteus was almost chest to chest with the other man, much to close to land an effective punch, but even as he stepped his elbow was swinging toward the man’s throat with enough power to put Renoku on the floor struggling to take a breath if it landed.

[Renoku]

Renoku notice Proteus’ elbow was coming toward him. He tried to duck out of the way and step back. As he ducked, his right cheek was caught by Proteus’ elbow. Renoku spun and hit the floor with one knee. As he got up, he put his hand to his cheek. He could fell the sting and it hurt.

Renoku got up and turned around. He looked at Proteus and raised his arms. He sidestepped to the left, circling around. Renoku decided to give another try at attacking. As he ran in to meet Proteus, he decided to hit him where it may get him an edge. He came in close and started his throws. He first swung a fake at Proteus’ right side with his left. Then he swung for his head with his right. He hoped he could somehow get an edge on him. He still had another idea ready to use next.

[Proteus]

((Terribly sorry. I got very busy very fast. But I'm available now and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.))

Proteus felt his elbow connect with the side of Renoku’s face, sending the other man spinning to the ground. He almost cracked a smile before he caught himself and fell back into a loose stance again. This time he adopted the unpredictable dance-like three dimensional motions of the basic stance of Capoeira.

When the man rose and circled, Proteus followed suit while maintaining the unpredictable motions. When the man ran forward to launch his next attack, Proteus watched closely and prepared to evade it. Renoku threw a handful of fakes and then swung for Proteus’ head with his right hand. Instead of blocking, Proteus bent his knees and back, allowing Renoku’s fist to pass through the empty air above his face.

In the same fluid motion, he threw his hands over his head, pushing off with his legs and clearing the ground heading away from his opponent. As his hands touched the ground three feet behind the spot he’d been standing, he aimed a two footed kick at Renoku’s chest. He hoped the kick would knock the man back and give him additional momentum with which to slip into the balanced handstand he would be using as his next defensive stance.

[Renoku]

Renoku saw Proteus preform a kick. He grabbed for the legs, but the kick still hit him. Renoku moved back as he watched Proteus come to the floor. He quickly rolled back to where he was and started throwing punches at Proteus.

Renoku soon got up and kicked at Proteus. He kept an eye on Proteus to see if he changed stances at all. Renoku wanted to react as soon as he began to change stances.

[Proteus]

The momentum from the kick did lend Proteus enough momentum to get into a balanced handstand and the step back the man took in its immediate aftermath lent him the time. The handstand made him an unusual target and allowed him freer use of his legs. However, before he had time to launch another attack, Renoku had stepped forward and was launching a series of punches. Proteus rolled gracefully out of the handstand after several kick fakes, hugging the ground while remaining in constant motion by way of a series of acrobatic round kicks.

[Renoku]

Renoku was upright and watching Proteus. He noticed proteus began to spin and kick. When Proteus’ feet came close to Renoku, he jumped and evaded them. He backed up and jumped above Proteus. He hoped to land on him feet first.

[Proteus]

Proteus' kicks were easily being avoided, so he decided to launch give more conventional tactics a try. He launched a few more cursory attacks and fakes before making his retreat. A quick backflip took him from his crouched position to a balanced karate stance.

He raised his guard with a flourish and advanced on Renoku again, his face a serene mask of quiet concentration. When he got within striking distance, he began throwing a series of straight punches at Renoku's upper body. He hoped the other man would make a mistake that would give him an opening in which to perform more powerful offensive maneuvers.

[Renoku]

Renoku blocked Proteus’ attacks and through some punches back at him. He noticed proteus jumped back, so Renoku advanced continuing to throw punches. Then he noticed that Proteus was coming back hard throwing direct punches at him. He stepped back as he did his best to block the punches.

The first punches caught Renoku off-guard. They nearly hit him and left him. In an awkward stance. Renoku soon regained his stance and blocked the punches. They were hard and wore him and his arm out. The last punched him to the ground. As Renoku fell, he kicked at Proteus’ face and upper body hoping to get him time.