Training Saya Leads To Other Opportunities

*Twang, Whoosh*

"Fuck!"

Roman nodded and kept his face expressionless and neutral as Saya's shot missed the target... again. "Miss," he called out.

"I know," Saya grumbled. "You don't have to call it out everytime."

He shook his head. "I do. This isn't about keeping score or anything. This is training... And a large part of that is safety." He said looking down the improvised shooting range they'd made on the beach. "Sure it's just the four of us now but practice of proper range safety is important. Best to cultivate good habits especially now." He checked that it was her last crossbow bolt and loudly said, "Clear! Weapons down!"

Saya sighed and nodded setting aside the crossbow as Roman rose and fetched her bolts. She sat down glumly but sighed to herself. "He's right... and he means well. He's not trying to be a jerk. I just-"

"Here Saya!" Knives said walking over and passing her a canteen filled with fresh water. "How's it going?"

Saya gladly took a drink and sighed. "Not good. I'm just... not getting the hang of archery I'm afraid."

"Oh," Knives said not sure what to say to her friend. Saya was a just a novice... but she hadn't shown any aptitude or raw talent for hand to hand or melee combat so far. Everyone had been secretly hoping that maybe ranged combat might go a bit better for her. But... "Well don't get discouraged! You just started." She set down some sliced fruit she'd brought over. "Have a snack! Maybe that'll help. We're all cheering for you!" She added before walking away.

"Thanks," Saya said trying not to sound discouraged until Knives was out of earshot. "Thanks a lot," she muttered then sighed and nibbled at a piece of fruit. "Maybe. I have burned a lot of calories getting my butt handed to me today... but maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

Roman had brought back the crossbow bolts and sat next to her hearing that last bit. "Maybe not... but it's far too early to tell. Most things take practice to get good at. Just because you aren't good at your current level that's no reason to get discouraged. That's all it means," he said helping himself to a bite of fruit. "Take five and we'll go again."

Saya rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say," she glumly retorted. "You guys are all on another level from me. I feel like dead weight. Risty's built for this stuff and Knives is a fighting machine... and then there's you!"

Roman shrugged. "Risty's background is fighting and living wild. Knives? Well she has had a surprising amount of training and I'm starting to think that she's a prodigy of sorts. As for me? I've had a lot of training all my life too... but my real talent is the same as yours."

Saya snorted disbelieving. "Yeah? You suck out loud too? Is that a so called "talent"? You could fool me! I think you're the best fighter here!" He sparred with Knives daily and almost always won. Usually without giving up a point. And today Risty had joined in that as well to similar results... and then he'd fought them both together. Saya had expected that big a handicap to sway the outcome... instead it had seemingly made it easier for him! He'd use them trip up and get in each other's way and take his advantages that way... and when he used his illusions it only became easier for him. The more he fought them, the easier he picked apart their styles...

... but it also worked the other way around. He readily offered insights into their strengths and weaknesses. Practicing and honing different skills, techniques and tactics. Risty had been irritated at first but quickly changed her attitude as she fought better... and Knives was always happy to spar with Roman. Roman was a good teacher in his own way.

Roman chuckled and shook his head. "No," he said then paused holding up his finger to take a mouthful of food before swallowing and then took off his hat and tapped his temple. "This. This is my talent. I use my head. Always. Fighting, combat or any skill or technique really can be analyzed, studied and then applied mentally as well as physically. It's the difference between a tactician, like yourself, and a brute. Strength alone without intelligence to back it up will usually always be at a disadvantage compared to the opposite. Find and sieze every advantage. Exploit every weakness. Fight every battle within your mind ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred times and more before you start. Then, when you've explored every outcome you can perceive of, choose the one to victory and act upon it."

Saya stared at him. "Is that what it's like for you?" And seeing him nod as he chewed another bite she thought about that. Then about the thought that Roman apparently believed- "I could never do that."

Roman shrugged. "Well not with that attitude you won't. You might... or you might not. You are a genius, Saya. Apply it to fighting. You'll never know until you try... want to give it a shot?"

Saya was quiet a moment then nodded and Roman did too. "Alright. Dont pick up the crossbow yet. Think it through first. Take your time. Calculate the distance from here to your target. Think about the physics involved. The kinetic **** behind the shot. The drop to the target from the weight of the bolt itself as it loses momentum. The direction and speed of the wind it'll be traveling through and how that'll affect your accuracy. Your own strength and then the weight of the crossbow in your hands before you pick it up. The timing and rhythm of your breathing. You should exhale before taking your shot at the target. Think of all the variables, calculate the potential outcomes and then visualize it in your head. Take your time. There's no need to rush it here."

Saya did. She cleared her mind and thought about all of those things. She watched how the wind blew her pigtails. She calculated the distance between her and the target. She picked up one of the bolts and considered it's weight on her hand... then thought about how the crossbow itself felt in her hands.

Roman smiled slightly as he watched Saya throughly take her time. Thinking things through. Watched her run her hands over the crossbow, feeling it, before adjusting her glasses and looking at the target intently. He could tell. She was visualizing the shot. Shaking her head or nodding to herself ever so slightly as she envisioned both bad and good outcomes. Intentionally keeping her breathing steadily. Her finger twitched... and he saw her smile slightly, calmly revealing her cute little fang. "Ready?" He asked knowing.

"Ready," she replied steadily, calmly.

Roman nodded. "Range clear!" He said loudly even though he knew both Knives and Risty were well away and nowhere near. It was the principle of the basics. "When you're ready take your shot," he told her quieter.

Saya Takagi nodded and then slowly pulled back the crossbow string, loaded a bolt and then lifted up the crossbow. She sighted the target while measuring her breathing and the wind and then...

*Twang! Whoosh! Thunk!*

The bolt struck the target. "Did that...?" Saya asked in a hushed whisper.

Roman nodded looking through his spyglass at the rough targets he'd made. "Hit. Left of center three inches. Again."

Saya tellingly didn't even snap or give a sarcastic response. She devoted herself fully to focusing on the process of shooting again. Slowly. Methodically.

*Twang! Woosh! Thunk!*

"Hit. Right of center two inches. Again."

*Twang! Woosh! Thunk!*

"Hit. Just below Center. Again."

*Twang! Woosh! Thunk!*

"Hit. Center of target. Again."

Roman made her shoot again and again, calling out more hits than misses. Then made her repeat it faster and then again faster still. Then moved the target further back and ran the drill again... and again... and again.

After some time Roman smiled and passed her the canteen. "Not bad, Saya."

"Thanks," she said drinking the refreshing water. She did feel good. Like she was actually showing improvement. "For a beginner though, right?"

Roman nodded taking back the canteen and a drink for himself. "That's right. You've got the basic idea down but there's more training to do. Prone shooting, standing shooting, moving target shooting, advancing on targets shooting, etcetera. But you're starting to show some basic proficiency... and it looks like you're getting comfortable with the crossbow."

Saya actually smiled without any sarcasm. "I am. I never figured I'd be a good archer. I owe it all to an excellent teacher. All those things you told me? They weren't useless after all! Er, I mean..." she paused and screwed up her courage to be honest and thank him. Roman deserved that. "They really helped... so thank you!"

Roman smiled. "Youre very welcome, Saya! Crossbows are generally a bit easier to pickup than bow and arrow archery, just like the basics of firearms shooting is easier to teach and learn then archery is... and credit where credit is due. I have a good student. Seriously though. You have a bit of a knack for shooting. Keep working on practicing it and you'll have a fine new skill to add to your repertoire."

He stood to fetch her bolts again and she went with him. His praise actually made her happy. "Do you... do you really fight the way that you described?" She asked inwardly cursing herself for not having the guts to continue being honest and ask what she really wanted too. *Do you like me? Is that so hard to ask?*

Roman nodded. "Yeah. That's exactly how I "fight". My father is... well, he's kind of a legend. And my mother is an expert at turning battles against her opponents. But some of my siblings have greater aptitudes for it than I do. Stronger, faster, more raw talent and natural ability... but none of them think like I do. My mind isn't just a weapon. It's my fortress. A bastion of strength. Every cell a soldier, every neuron an officer and synapse an strategist. An entire army under my control. I use that strength to offset the difference and then Marshall that will to improve myself physically so that my body can follow suit." He shrugged. "Still it has weaknesses. Opponents who are simply brute forces of nature-"

"Like the bear?" She asked and when he raised his eyebrow she smirked. "Risty told us about it."

Roman shrugged nodded. "Yes. Like the bear. Opponents like that are hard to think your way around. No amount of Cunning, trickery or deceit would help me in that situation where we were face to face. So I had to gamble. It paid off nicely but it was perhaps a bit close. But that's a digression from the point," he said smirking holding out the crossbow bolt he'd just picked up.

Saya rolled her eyes but was smiling as she took it from him and they started their way back. "Ah let me guess. The point is my brains are my strong suit too so you think I should try to utilize them the same way as you do?"

Roman took off his hat and placed it upon her head with a grin. "My greatest lesson for you. Well done!"

Saya snorted but smiled. The stupid gesture made her happy and she unconsciously started to skip along. "But I can't do what you do."

Roman shrugged. "Can't you? Knives and Risty both told me how quickly you made a plan for subduing the threat the other day... And neither could I in the beginning. It's like any other skill one possess. You have to work at it. Forge it, refine it, hone it like any other tool in one's arsenal. I believe that you have that potential within you... and..."

"And?" Saya asked but seeing him give her a sideways smirk she thought it through for herself. "You... believe in me?"

"Precisely," he said with a grin.

Saya rolled her eyes. "That's so cheesy." But she saw him stick out his elbow and she slipped her hand into it to grasp his arm as they strolled across the beach. *Like a date,* her mind latched onto the idea... and it made her happy. Roman was spending time with her... and he seemed to be enjoying just that. He treated her like an equal, because he chose to do so. Because he Wanted too. Valued her opinions and judgements. He noticed her and thought highly of her when he wasn't teasing her. And even when he did tease, it was never mean spirited... like playing a game between them. Their game.

And that made her happy too. Very happy. To have his attention and praise. That he played along with her waspish behavior. Didn't easily get irritated with her... infact teasingly gave her more things to be like that about. She tilted his hat upon her head and looked up at him. "Well? How does it look?"

Roman looked down at her face looking up at him, her cutely mischievous fanged smile, sweetheart face and her keenly intelligent orange eyes that could be playful like now and other times fierce. So full of dpirit and life. Saya had a stunningly attractive body but her face was- "Lovely," he said patting her hand she had placed on his other arm.

Saya blushed as her heart skipped a beat looking up into his mismatched eyes. She looked away. "You don't have to tease-"

Roman stopped and grabbed her chin to turn her gently back and up to look at him. "I'm not. You are lovely Saya."

"You fool," she said but did so softly and without her usual vitriol. "What? Do you like me or some-"

"I do," Roman said cutting her off. "I like you, Saya. Very much."

"You w-what?!" She stammered startled.

"I like you," he repeated simply like he was stating some fact. "I like the way you speak your mind. I like your honesty. I like your strength. I like the surprising sweet side you try to conceal. I like your cute smile and the way you laugh when you're genuinely pleased. I like your concern for others around you. I like-"

Saya covered his mouth with her free hand before he could continue... and tried not to think about how surprisingly soft his lips felt. His words were embarrassing in their directness... and they had an effect on her. She wasn't sure exactly what kind of a face she was making right now... but she felt hot! "You..."

Roman, when he wasn't playing their little teasing game with her, was always like that. He looked at her directly. Spoke to her directly. "... you..."

And she liked that. It was how she'd wished so many others would be with her but never or rarely were. Liked that about him. It was one of many things she liked about him actually if she was being honest. And that was the hardest part. Being honest. Saya knew that was what she wanted, craved, but it was hard for her to be honest as well. And then here was Roman who did it so easily! "... fool..."

"Wha?" Roman mumbled into her hand.

"I said you're a fool, you dummy!" She said finding her words by being dishonest and saying all the things she didn't really want to say. "You're a cocky jerk! Mister Know-it-all!" She fell back on her bad habit like she always did. He liked her 'honesty'? She couldn't even be honest right now! "You don't know anything!" She wasn't strong. She was weak! "You don't know anything about me! I'm not special-!"

Roman had pulled her into his arms and her heart jumped thinking he was going to kiss her! But he held her instead. Stroking her head gently. "You know that's not right. You are. And not only to me. That makes you special, Saya. To all of us. Myself included. So I won't let you run yourself down. I don't know everything about you but even a "dummy" like me knows enough to see that very plainly. You may not be perfect, no one is including me, but I like and accept you the way you are, for who you are Saya. You're special to me."

She started to cry her face buried in his chest. Holding him tightly just as he held her. This was what she really wanted. Had always wanted... and rarely ever gotten. Even from her friends acceptance had come hard, not easily. But not Roman. He accepted her the way she was. As a messed up individual... and encouraged her to be her best self. More he had brought Knives into her life and she realized that she was different but the same way. Even that musclehead Risty was accepting of her in her own way. What did that say about Roman? That he attracted and brought that out in all of them? That... he attracted her? And he did.

She could hear his heartbeat. Felt his hard muscles pressed against her soft curves. He was tall, very fit and attractively masculine and if there was any doubt... "You, uh... You're "poking" me, you know?"

Roman licked his lips and chuckled nervously averting his gaze upward. "Ah... Sorry," he said trying not think about how sexy she was. Her big soft breasts, tiny waist and full hips pushed up against him. He tried to will his erection to go down and think unsexy thoughts and ignore how warm she felt or how good she smelled or... "It's not intentional," he said starting to pull away as he realized that he was unlikely to be able to calm down.

Saya couldn't believe how hard he was! How hot his throbbing erection was pressed up against her. How excited he was because of her... and how excited that made her! "It's hot- er, fine!" She corrected herself as she tightened her hold on him so he wouldn't pull away. "You're umm... fine."

And he was! He was just her type actually! Smarter than Kohta Hirano, more of a handsome and manly "bad boy" then Takashi Komuro... and more guts then the two of them put together! And he was attracted to her, liked her! And wasn't afraid to admit it! Made her feel special. Good! Supportive, constructive, witty, charming, playful and H-O-T? Made her feel sexy and like a woman? And was 'it' getting even bigger?! "You uhm... really "like" me, huh?"

"Yeah," Roman admitted. "Of course, I do."

"Well? How's it going?" Risty asked.

"Shush," Knives said repressing her own giggles looking at the inpatient Risty. She went back to peering from their hiding place. "Oh! Really good! They're embracing now! Good for you, Saya!"

"What? I don't belive it!" Risty said then demanding, "Okay switch!"

Knives shrugged and switched places with the bandit in their hiding spot. "Sure! But Don't give our position away!"

"Whoa! You weren't kidding!" Risty said then smirked. "She's really got guts!"

Knives nodded flashing her a peace sign while grinning. "I told you so!"

"Yeah, yeah," Risty said jokingly... but then gave Knives a serious look. "I know this was your idea and I'm definitely looking forward to my turn but... Are You really okay with this? Because if not now is the time to say something."

Knives took a deep breath and held it before nodding and letting it out. "I am... but just barely. But that's about my issues and hang ups and no one else! If I don't learn to overcome that? It'll just keep haunting me. I know this the right thing to do... but that doesn't mean I'm not still scared," she said giving a weak smile.

Risty patted her shoulder. "You've got a lot of guts too... And you're right! I bet nothing will change Romans feelings... but If we ever run into that Scott guy? Remind me to break his bones!" She said grinning and hefting her heavy Morningstar. "Just on general principles!"

Knives giggled but shook her head. "No. I need to keep moving past him without looking back. Roman and now this? That's me doing that! In my own way and for myself! And I get to share that, something special, with my new friends? In a healthy way that reinforces our bonds? That just makes it better!"

Risty smirked. "You know... you'd make quite the strong bandit yourself!" She looked back at the action. "Ooooo! They're making long intense looks at each other now! Come on get to the good stuff!"

Knives giggled but- "Remember what we agreed on! We're supposed to come up with a good excuse to give them some space before it gets to that! Saya's probably too shy for her first time if we're hang around."

Risty sighed. "Yeah, yeah! I remember! Hmmmm," she hummed in thought. "How should we do this?"

Knives joined her in thinking and looked around until she saw something and snapped her fingers. "I think I just got an idea!"

They grinned and started conspiratorially whispering and making plans.

"I, Uhmmm... I really like you, Saya," Roman said.

Both he and Saya were blushing. "I-" They both started to say together when-

"Oh no!" Knives announced loudly pointing to something bobbing in the water. "Our coconuts!"

"Looks like they're drifting away," Risty also said over loudly. "We should go get them! Good thing I was just about to go out fishing with one of the boats!"

"Oh good timing!" Knives loudly and animatedly over acting declared. "I should go with you! Together! For who knows how long!"

"What do those two idiots think they're doing?" Saya muttered watching them making a show of leaving and pushing the outrigger out to sea.

Roman chuckled. "Knives is over doing it."

Saya snorted... but she was smiling. "And Risty is about as subtle as her Morningstar. Their acting is terrible," she agreed. It was completely obvious what they were both up to. The net sack holding the coconuts hadn't been stored anywhere near the water. They were making a show of leaving intentionally. Leaving them alone. Just her and Roman. Together. Alone. "Soooo... we should probably get back to-!"

"Nah," Roman said tightening his hold of her and delicately brushing away a strand of hair from her face. "I mean we can... if you want to? But I'm happy like this and you've made good progress. Do you... maybe want to take a break?"

[Roman Stark - Knives Chau - Saya Takagi and Risty

Will Return In

Saya & Roman

Coming Soon]