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Post by Sentinel Prime on Apr 25, 2011 19:49:20 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime is caught by the ankle and yanked up, which metaphorically throws off his entire train of thought. He shouts, inarticulately, "Hey!"
Blast, Sentinel Prime's upside-down and dangling. What does he do now? This is so stupid and undignified. Is Ultra Magnus leering cruelly? A Decepticon would be right now, just before playing wishbone with Sentinel Prime as the turkey.
Slag slag slag. Not thinking creatively enough is one of Sentinel Prime's weaknesses. His response now amounts to 'ineffectual flailing', and any pretense of a being a collected, professional soldier is stripped from him.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on Apr 29, 2011 13:15:09 GMT -5
Magnus is neither smiling nor frowning; his expression is largely one of concentration – and quickly shattered when one flailing blue foot catches him full in the jaw. He grimaces and at the last second reminds himself not to drop Sentinel in surprise. He slowly lowers his arm instead, which should give Sentinel ample time to prepare for a feather-fall landing.
"…Good one," Magnus says. "I can see why you'd be an unwelcome sight with a pair of those stasis cuffs in hand." Sentinel is quick, and agile, and aggressive. And eager to prove himself without Optimus interfering, for which Magnus can hardly blame him. "Remind me to take some lessons in safely using those things," he adds. "Now, your thoughts so far?"
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Post by Sentinel Prime on Apr 29, 2011 13:47:43 GMT -5
Hmm, foot to the face works; Sentinel Prime will have to remember that when he's not falling. He lets his arms hit first - legs would have been better, but those were up in the air - then his legs, shielding his torso. Immediately, Sentinel Prime rolls over and comes back up.
He doesn't have long to soak in the praise, before he's forced to admit, "I think you could stomp me flat if I didn't get my shield out in time." That hurts to say, but he's already implicitly said he thinks Ultra Magnus is better, if Sentinel Prime is willing to grovel and ask him for training. Might as well go all in, no matter how much he wants to choke on the words and go sulk in fan room. "You see me coming, you protect your core, and you keep me from getting in close enough to actually do anything to you. I'd have better luck with my lance."
They'll need stasis cuffs before they can practise with them, unless they want to borrow some of Farlane's toys as a mock-up.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 2, 2011 20:15:26 GMT -5
While Magnus doesn't look visibly discomfited by Sentinel's appraisal, neither does he seem to take it to heart. Paeans to his skill have always fallen on deaf and humble ears.
"What about you?" he prompts. Sentinel likes talking about himself, after all, and what he says will tell Magnus how he might best proceed. "Not compared to me. What do you think of your performance? Your ability to actually benefit from these lessons?" Magnus finds him promising, but he keeps that opinion quiet for now.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 2, 2011 20:46:39 GMT -5
Ultra Magnus makes Sentinel Prime actually think, when here he was thinking that he'd just get thrown onto his skidplate until his servo memory learns enough to prevent such ignominy.
His ability to actually benefit from these lessons? Buzwha? Sentinel Prime stares at Ultra Magnus. What does that even mean? He goes to the lessons. He does what the teacher says. At some point, learning enters his thick cranial plating. This is how things go.
For a moment, Sentinel Prime looks surly and bristling. Is Ultra Magnus implying that he just isn't cut out for this? Sure, Sentinel Prime will never be a cyber-ninja, he doesn't have the focus or the Zen or the stillness or the inner tranquility, but... he can do this, if spite is the only thing that gets him through. Sentinel Prime has a lot of spite.
Spite doesn't work all that well on Ultra Magnus, though. So Sentinel Prime tries, "I want to give this a go, even if it takes me a while to get it," inflexible mind and all, "because I won't always have my lance and shield, and the more techniques I know, the more likely I'll have one that fits the situation."
Does that technique work on this situation? That's the question.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 3, 2011 22:37:05 GMT -5
It isn't quite the sort of answer Magnus expected, but it's hardly a bad answer. In a way, better than he'd hoped. At least Sentinel seems willing to accept that he may not immediately click.
"All right," Magnus says, nodding. It isn't gushing praise, but he deliberately avoids a discouraging tone, too. "Then you'll be giving it a go. First," and unless Sentinel tries to stop him, Magnus will approach – not to resume sparring, but for instruction – "the box." He pantomimes one in the air in front of him, one that encompasses the full width of his torso. "Your box is your strike zone. Your opponent has one as well. You want to stay out of his while keeping him in yours as much as possible." Simplistic, yes, but he's found with thought and use that it's the easiest way to set the framework.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 4, 2011 8:22:55 GMT -5
Ultra Magnus has not kicked him out yet. Success!
"Okay. I have a box," Sentinel Prime says, mimicking Ultra Magnus's pantomime. Yeah, what Ultra Magnus says makes sense... for Ultra Magnus. Sentinel Prime has a much smaller box than Ultra Magnus! The only way that Sentinel Prime can put Ultra Magnus's box in his box is if he puts his box in Ultra Magnus's box first.
His face crumples a moment in thought. Er, okay, if he climbs up on the ceiling somehow, like a spider or someone with grapplers, and he dropped down on Ultra Magnus's back from behind, Sentinel Prime thinks he could put Ultra Magnus in his box without putting himself in Ultra Magnus's box first. That would be sneaky and treacherous and require a very different ceiling, one with more handholds, however!
Box sounds weird when he thinks about it too much.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 5, 2011 12:24:43 GMT -5
"Is something the matter?" asks Magnus, taking in that look of contemplation on Sentinel's face with some bemusement of his own. "And if you have any questions, ask them." He makes an effort to keep his words sounding like the encouragement they are, not any sort of order. He adds wryly, trying for a little leavening humour, "I can twist Decepticon tank barrels back on themselves, but I can't read minds."
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 5, 2011 12:41:46 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime is utterly baffled when when Ultra Magnus encourages him to ask questions, and he says as much, "I thought I just listen and do what you say? Interrupting to ask questions seems... wrong."
He shifts uncomfortably from one foot to another, giving Ultra Magnus a queer look. Sentinel Prime is entirely serious, and this may drive home just how much protocol matters to him.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 5, 2011 12:54:08 GMT -5
Magnus suppresses a wince of sympathy; as many aeons as he's put behind him, he still remembers the days when he refused to ask questions for fear his instructors would think him out of line. That understanding doesn't entirely escape his voice.
"It isn't interrupting if I stop for them," he says gently. Maybe he can establish his own sort of protocol. "If you ask, I'll know how to proceed." And that means a lesson tailored entirely to Sentinel's requirements.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 5, 2011 13:07:32 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime looks wary almost to the point of skittish, but he forces himself to bluster on and ask a question, because he doesn't want to look cowardly, "Okay. Since you've stopped." Only on that sufferance. "How do I put you in my box without putting myself in your box? Aside from maybe jumping you from behind..."
That, like many things he says, sounded better in his head.
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 5, 2011 13:40:17 GMT -5
Magnus smiles a genuine smile and nods. It's an excellent question to ask.
"Coming from behind is an option if you can get to your opponent's back," he says. "But since I haven't met many Decepticons who attack by throwing themselves into it back-first and my methods usually focus on diverting attacks, I tend to sidestep instead. Did you notice how when you came at me, I blocked and moved aside – out of your strike zone?"
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 5, 2011 13:53:53 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime is not going to talk about ambushing helpless Decepticons in front of Ultra Magnus. That seems in poor taste.
Sentinel Prime thinks back to that moment and frowns. Since Ultra Magnus asked him a question, he answers, "Yeah." After a pause, he forces himself to add, "But you have a longer stride length and a longer reach. You can step away and keep me in your box."
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Ultra Magnus
Major
Disappointing Fellow Autobots Since the Age of Internment
Posts: 565
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Post by Ultra Magnus on May 6, 2011 9:18:20 GMT -5
"Your effective strike zone is the box," Magnus says patiently. He has to remember that he's been doing this for millions of years where most of his students haven't. These problems will keep resurfacing. "As is mine. If I were to come at you in a frontal attack and you were to pivot to the outside of my strike zone and, for example, try for an arm lock throw, how well do you think I would be able to counter? Keeping in mind that I have momentum working against me." He rather likes seeing Sentinel think. It's good for him.
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Post by Sentinel Prime on May 6, 2011 10:08:32 GMT -5
Sentinel Prime is not particularly enjoying this thinking business! Ultra Magnus is getting short answer essay questions all up in Sentinel Prime's head busting. It's keeping him off-balance.
There is a sullen moment where he processes all that. His cynicism says it wouldn't matter - Ultra Magnus is still bigger and stronger. He shouldn't bother. He shouldn't try. His ego says something different - of course it would work! He's Sentinel Prime.
He settles on a diffident, "That might work. So just... dodge attacks, and attack back with things they can't dodge?"
That seems overly optimistic and idealistic.
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