No one really.

This time you feel like giving Yvette a good showing of yourself. Standing with your right foot behind you you wait with your longsword held back and the shortsword in front of you. Yvette charges forward slashing her sword downwards. You step to the side as you parry her blow. Holding out your foot slightly you catch Yvette's foot making her fall forward. Remarkably she uses her shield to roll through the fall springing back onto her feet. She quickly spins around, but her eyes widen as she sees you've already closed the distance between the two of you. You make a roundhouse swing with your longsword which loudly smacks into her shield. She takes a jump backwards, and you watch her shake her shield arm. You assume the blow didn't feel all that great even with the shield. You can certainly feel the tingle in your hand from the hit.

Yvette begins to circle to your left with a smirk on her face. Was she happy you weren't holding back you wonder for a second. You stepped to your right to counter her movement and keep her in front of you. Keeping your senses aware of your surroundings you note Jane stepping up to the wall and selecting her own weapon for her turn. You don't get a good look at what she picks though as your path puts her behind you. Yvette stops circling in that moment and the hairs on the back of your neck prickle. Yvette's eyes ever so slightly look behind you right before she charges, and you sense danger from behind. Time slows down. Turning your head slightly you see in your peripheral vision Jane charging you from behind and already bringing her shortsword to bear on you.

The corners of your mouth slowly curve into a smirk as you turn sideways. At the same time you reverse your grip on your shortsword to intercept Jane's swing, and with your longsword you intercept Yvette's overhand chop at you. Both looked shocked as their attacks are stopped dead in their tracks. Before they can recover you slam the guard of your shortsword down into Jane's blade which causes her to lose her balance and stumble slightly forward as you spin around behind her bringing your foot up to gently kick her in the rear. The effect is Jane stumbling into Yvette's path stopping her from continuing her attack. Jane quickly recovers and takes a spot next to Yvette.

"Good try you two. Working together like that can give you a big advantage in a fight. It didn't work this time, but it might next time" you tell them both.

"Wasn't it a little...I don't know...dishonorable" Jane asks sounding a little ashamed.

"There is nothing honorable about killing someone. If you are fighting for your life or the life of a loved one you do what you must to win. If you lose your gun then draw your sword. If you lose your sword then grab a rock or something. If a rock isn't available use your fists. If your fists are broken use your teeth. Point being, you take your advantages where you can get them, and you use anything you can to make sure your opponent can't fight anymore, because in a fight where you are trying to kill each other your opponent is going to be doing anything and everything they can as well. I'm sure there are plenty of stories where two people square off against each other, both allowing the other to prepare themselves, but that is not how it works most of the time. Sometimes you might kill someone who hasn't even had the opportunity to draw their weapon. Especially if we start ambushing slavers with these guns" you explain pointing your sword at one of the boxes of guns.

"Don't for a second think you have to give your opponent the the opportunity to get ready for you to attack them. You both did good just now. I don't know if you planned this out previously, or just intuitively knew how to work together like that, but I'm impressed either way. Keep it up...um" you pause for a second "why are my feet getting cold" you ask confused, and you look down at your feet. You see that you are standing on a small patch of ice. You tilt your head in confusion, and then it dawns on you. You snap your attention to Nadine who is grinning and gives you a cheeky wave.

Seeing your guard down both Yvette and Jane charge forward together at you. Unable to gain any traction with your feet you barely manage to parry Jane's thrust to the side, but the action spins you sideways and off balance. Yvette slams her shield into your shoulder causing you to fly forward onto your stomach. Slightly dazed you roll over onto your back to see the tips of their swords a few inches from your neck, and big grins on their faces. You smile, drop your swords, and hold your hands up in defeat.

"That was a good lesson, thank you" Yvette says smiling. Looking past Yvette and Jane you see Nadine, Dawn, Rene, and Annabel trying to hold back laughter. They don't seem to be trying too hard though.

"A good lesson for all of us really" you chuckle as Yvette and Jane help you back up onto your feet. "Clearly I need to ready myself for anything" you say bending over to pick up your swords.

Getting back into the grove of sparing your group spends several hours sparing with each other or with you. By the end of it you are all sweaty, tired, and hungry. Exhausted, you all went and ate a nice meal Dawn had been preparing, and retired to your rooms. Shortly after you finished your shower you heard a knock on your door.