She isn't the one running this class

You notice that all of Stephanie's other students are looking a bit haggard when you gather on the sand. Aside from Asune and Vatarie that, they both look as excited at the prospect of this class as ever.

It takes a moment before Stephanie arrives and she does so in company. Walking along side her is Mary and behind them Mary's Guard. The two of the stand in front of the line and eye everyone, both seeming to avoid looking at you. The Guard form ranks around the left side of the arena, getting a side view of all of you.

"You've done well so far." Mary says, all of the students manage to get a little straighter at her words. "My Guard tells me you are all improving with each fight." There is a feeling of a lot of puffed egos from your right. "However, since you are going to be dueling them on Friday for your position in Lady Stephanie's class you are not improving enough. So today you'll be sparing with me." Those puffed egos were instantly deflated. "If I beat you, you'll be sparing with your guard counterpart until the sun goes down. If you win, I'll be impressed." She turns and walked around to stand in front of her guard. "Last is first." She announced.

All but Eleven peeled off to sit and that stands and watch. As Stephanie handed last place their training sword they seemed very aware of their position and the likely result of this fight. Taking the sword in a worried hand they ready a combat stance. Mary is offered her sword by Stephanie and enters her own combat stance.

Eleven immediately fell over. Landing on her ass with a 'ow' she looked confused. You'd seen it coming but the speed stunned you. Mary had sent a burst of magic against Eleven, it was the size of her body and not very strong but it was more than enough to knock over someone not prepared for it.

"You have gotten used to not fighting with and against magic." She waved at her Guard and the one training Eleven stepped forwards. "If you can't break her of that habit by tonight her failing will be on you."

The Guard bowed and walked over to Eleven, picking them off the ground they seemed very jovial as they took her aside to discuss.

"Next." Mary said and Ten took to field.

Each fight went largely the same. Mary, rather than attacking directly, took a novel approach, launched magic on curved trajectories to hit people in the sides, or threw sand into faces. The first time her sword was used was against Six who hesitated to block, her aura told you it was because of who Mary was and that earned her a spank on the bottom with the training sword. Each person received short explanations of a limit and told her guard to train it out of the woman.

When it was Vatarie's turn and she rejected the sword Mary had a quickly covered smile. The two squared off but the moment the fight started Vatarie, as ever, charged forwards. Mary's pointed sword stabbed Vatarie's fist knocking her charge off course and seeming to hurt her hand even through the magic reinforcement.

Vatarie recovered jumping out of the swords reach to get stable and launched herself once more. Again Mary poked Vatarie's fist. Vatarie was ready for it and it didn't hurt her but the sudden inclusion of the immovable object that is Mary on one part of her body made it impossible to move to where she'd wanted and once more had to jump back.

Vatarie landed and watched. Mary hadn't moved more than as needed to poke Vatarie and Vatarie had managed to position herself to the Princess's side. Launching once more when Mary's sword diverted Vatarie she used it as a pivot. Tilting her attack from Mary's side to her back. A fist neared Mary's back and there was the sound of impact but it was too soon to be from Vatarie.

Mary had turned. Perfectly aware of what Vatarie had been doing and using it to her advantage. Vatarie's attack hadn't been a one sided exposure. Mary's hand lifted from Vatare's ass after having delivered a resounded spank. Vatarie seemed frozen for a second before recovering. She was in close now so even if she'd lost that moment she'd beaten Mary's reach with her sword.

Turning to try and land a punch her fist was caught. Mary had dropped her sword and reinforced her fist just as Vatarie had, though hers was much more advanced. More focused, less waste, and a small magic bubble over each knuckle to reduce any risk of harm breaking through the magic. Vatarie had enough time to see the magical reinforcement and recognise it before that reinforcement was brought down onto her other cheek.

Vatarie bit her lip to not make a noise and tried to pull her caught fist free but was unable. Mary spanked her again and Vatarie had to let a gasp out.

That seemed to signal the end of the fight and Mary let her go. Vatarie rubbed her butt to try and soothe the pain as her magic healed the damage. "You are too reliant on your opponent being thrown by your style. Not many will have seen that style of reinforcement but if they have they will also know how to counter it." Vatarie's guard approached and took her away at Mary's gesture.

Nika was next and her fight was very short lived, ended with Mary using the flat of her sword against Nika's bottom while holding both of her hands making her bend slightly into the spanking. "Just because you are out matched does not mean you shouldn't try. In real combat your opponent may find it an insult and want to punish you for it." Nika was sent away with her guard and now it was Asune's turn.

The two women stared at each other for a long time. Mary was waiting for Asune's gold thread wires, if she even knew what they were. Asune was waiting for Mary to enter her range, or she wasn't using her threads and was waiting for Mary to attack first. Even knowing what you are looking for when it came to her threads you still couldn't see them.

Mary moved first, leading with her sword it stopped just before Asune who ducked around Mary and raised her hand to deliver a spank only to be knocked backwards and onto her ass.

Everyone looked utterly dumbfounded by the fact Asune had just lost. The only person she'd lost to had been you, and even then she'd won more often than lost. "You shouldn't bring **** to a fight, it gives you tunnel vision." Mary helped Asune stand back up and looked at Vatarie who was going through some basics of sword fighting with her guard. Asune nodded and met her guard counterpart.

"Christopher." Mary said looking at you. You stood up, with Clare and Delilah giving you good lucks. You took the training sword from Stephanie and looked at Mary getting ready to fight.

Your skin felt hot, and you could smell something burning. You looked around but couldn't see a reason for the feel and smell. Looking back at Mary the feeling only grew. The heat on your skin feeling more like burning, and the burning smell was getting clearer, kinda like hair. You looked at Mary and saw black cracks spreading out on her skin from her eyes.