Bulk up! Skill up! [For Liesmith]

Cecilia was caught by surprise soon as Alica bucked up and tried to roll them like that...the Swede had no objections to this really as she kept her arms around that leg, tightly hugging that shin of Alica's as she was soon enough rolled with the busty redhead.

Once they were rolled over, Cecilia would scoot down a bit to a more comfortable position by Alicia's leg and attempt to start pulling and extending that leg, trying to hyper extend the joints and ligaments at the powerful redheads knee with a knee-bar submission. With a bit of jostling she'd try and get in position so she could attempt to bring her legs up and around Alicia's leg to try and also lock her into a leg scissor hold.

" Alright...phew." Cecilia let out as she'd try and clinch down on that knee a bit, " How long do you want to keep going ?" The Swede spoke out as she'd try and make sure the hold was tight and painful...but not too painful of course, this was still a spar and the Swede didn't want to hurt her young trainee. She wanted to try and prove a bit of a point though, based on what she had observed and felt she was trying to make a solid point which could probably come to help Alicia in her matches if she took heed. Of course Cecilia wouldn't make it as easy as just telling her the point, she kinda wanted Alicia to figure it out.

So, to keep score, the idea of rolling Cecilia off her had mixed results.

She’d got the blonde off her back.

She wasn’t having her spine curved into a ‘c’ shape anymore.

All positive results.

On the downside, she hadn’t got her leg free and Cecilia was proving pretty damn tenacious in how she worked Alicia’s lower body.

This time, it was a kneebar. The transition had been way too smooth for Alicia to do much about it and, while her tutor was pretty obviously not torqueing the move as much as she could, it was still pulling things in ways they really weren’t meant to go. Kneebars were something she knew pretty well herself and this was locked in good and tight.

Well, there was the leg scissors too, Cecilia’s own mighty thighs putting a hefty squeeze on the one of hers trapped between them as the Valkyrie showed off her own power. It hurt, there was no doubt about that. By itself, she’d bet on being able to take the pain but she’d also bet she could outscissor the blonde. As it was, that leg was basically a write-off – she could feel the muscles starting to numb where they weren’t screaming in pain.

Between that and the pain in her hip and back, Alicia was pretty much done at this point. Oh, she could struggle; probably get to the ropes and get the hold broken. Or she could end up getting herself off the active roster because she’d been too stupid to tap when she had the chance.

How long did she want to keep going? Up until now sounded good to her. There was a brief pause, then Alicia’s hand tapped three times on the legs crushing hers like a tube of toothpaste.

”You got me,” Those were the first words to pass the redhead’s lips since they started fighting – now she just had to hope she’d be let go soon. And that she’d acquitted herself well into the bargain.

It was without a doubt a struggle Alica was far from anything but a competent fighter and she'd probably get fairly far here in AFW. Still, she would only get there faster if Cecilia actually showed her the ropes which was just what Cecilia was doing. Smooth transitions between holds and working away at that great strength that Alica had in order to tear it down.

The second people learn that your greatness relies heavily on one aspect then it's very likely that they will do all they can to take that greatness away. Sure, Cecilia could scarcely remember a time when she'd been in such a painful waist scissor, even her amazingly well toned abs felt as if they were going to be outright crushed by those strong thighs.

However, Cecilia her her way out of the hold and then some. She also had strong as hell thighs and a fine sense for technical moves and hold transitions, if she didn't she wouldn't have gotten as far as she had or have the record she did.

Once Alica tapped against her strong thigh, Cecilia was quick to let the redhead go, unwrapping her legs from her and unhooking that leg from her armpit. She'd scoot back a foot before rising up to her feet where she'd offer her right hand to Alicia to help her up. " Good spar. Now...can you tell me what I was trying to teach you there ?"  

Much to Alicia’s relief, her tap was almost immediately followed by Cecilia releasing her. She hadn’t expected anything else, had no reason not to expect the blond to let her go, but there was always that slight worry in a situation like this. When there was a ref in the ring, there was a safety valve. In a sparring match, that wasn’t there. So it was definitely reassuring how fast the grasp around her leg unravelled.

The redhead promptly slumped onto her back, staring up at the lights and taking deep, deep breaths as she just enjoyed not having her lower body twisted, wrenched or otherwise abused. Her back and the leg the blonde had been working over definitely weren’t feeling great but she’d been through worse.

That didn’t mean she was unhappy with how things had gone. Well, she’d have liked the spar to go on a bit longer – fighting someone of Cecilia’s skill was awesome - but she was pretty sure there’d be a next time. If she’d got anything to say about it, there would definitely be a next time.

She wasn’t given long to reflect on what had gone down though before she found a calloused hand being offered along with a question.

”Thanks,”

The big kickboxer sat up with a groan, taking Cecilia’s hand in her own.

”Why you’re teaching me and not the other way around?” She joked, using the help to pull herself to her feet although she remained careful about how much weight she put on her wounded leg. She’d been through worse – Valley had worked her leg over pretty well in their match and Cecilia had been holding back – but that didn’t make the nagging pain in her back anything fun.

Pressing one hand into the small of her back, the red-haired amazon arched her back with a groan, trying to relieve some of the pain.

”You were doing the same thing Valley did in our match. Going for my legs and back, neutralising my kicks and scissors. Good strategy.”

Cecilia smirked a little bit when Alicia took her hand and let out that joke of hers, she couldn't help but admire this young girl's spunk and will, she was pretty much a spitting image of a younger version of herself....well...perhaps a bit less conceited and a bit more friendly, but Cecilia did see quite a bit of herself in Alicia, perhaps that was why she had offered to train the the kick-boxer, though that didn't really explain why she was training Janet....oh well, there perhaps was no reason to her methods.

The blond soon enough got to hear the answer she wanted and would nod her head. " That's correct, but more than that." The blond let out as she would pull her arms up and fold them behind her head to lean it back against them. " I used my strengths to overcome yours." Cecilia let out with a wide grin on her face as she'd then take a step back and turn around, walking over towards the corner to pick up a bottle of water and a towel, she'd toss one after the other to Alica as she'd then lean her back against the corner.

" Never let your strength be turned into a weakness, make sure you use your own strengths to overcome others." Cecilia let out...perhaps trying to sound philosophical about that and probably failing a fair bit at it. " You did good, until I started to get going. You're gonna go far kid, especially when I'm the one training you." Cecilia let out with her smirk growing wider on her face.

The redhead raised her eyebrows when the blonde amazon said yes but there was more to it than that. She thought she’d covered it but no, that was a fair point. It wasn’t just what Cecilia had actually done, which she’d got, it was the theory of it all.

Snagging the water bottle out of the air, Alicia had to move fast to grab the towel as well but she just managed it. Nodding her thanks, she wiped the sweat off her brow before draping it over a shoulder and cracking the water open to take a deep gulp. As far as combat teachings went, Cecilia’s point was basic, something she already knew and still something she could stand to be reminded of. Legs were an obvious target anyway and, given Alicia used them for a lot of her offence as well as mobility, she was going to have to get used to people targeting them.

Though that didn’t mean she had to like it.

”I didn’t expect you to be able to lift me up,” She confessed, taking another gulp of water, ”I mean, once I wrap people up, that’s usually it unless they get a rope break.  Most people I fight aren’t strong enough to pull that off while I’m squeezing them.”

Most people weren’t as strong as Cecilia, period. The blonde was a powerhouse, no way around it. Alicia raised her bottle in a toast.

”But, if you’ve got to learn from someone, might as well be the best, right? Here’s to the Northern Queen.”

She tilted it slightly.

”And thanks for taking me on. So, what’s next? More strategy or…?”

Cecilia would nod her head as she heard Alicia kinda compliment her a bit and explain her surprise that the blond had been able to break out of that hold. The tall and powerful Swede would straighten up a bit and tilt her head to the side, she would grin and then finally let out a light chuckle before turning her attention back to Alicia.

" Well...Like I said, don't let that happen next time. Okay ? Make sure that no one ever makes those legs of yours a weakness. If people think they can exploit them as your only strength, make sure they know they can't. Your strength should be just that, not a weakness or an exploit for people to make use of. " Cecilia spoke out as she'd place her hands on her hips.

" Haha. I mean, thanks. Though like I don't think so hard about it. You seemed fun and I hate to be bored so it kinda felt like a good thing to do." Cecilia spoke out before finally hearing that Alicia wanted to do something else perhaps. "I mean we can talk strategy, or we can train more...or like...I guess we can just talk ? " The blond would walk up and place a hand upon Alicia's shoulder, patting it lightly, " So how goes everything for you here in AFW ? Must be a big change right ? "

”Got it,” Alicia acknowledged with a nod, ”Though next time, I’m making you tap. I’ve got my reputation to consider.”

Maybe she was being optimistic there but, if she got Cecilia flat, the redhead was confident she could do it. Of course, getting Cecilia flat on her back and in her bodyscissors was another matter. But that was part of the fun of it. The challenge.

And meanwhile, she got to refine her skills.

The kickboxer laughed slightly at the explanation for why Cecilia was doing this before shrugging slightly. She was happy with any of those but, if they were going on, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to let her leg and back rest from all that abuse.

”A change?” Alicia frowned thoughtfully, as much at the unexpected (but not unwelcome) hand on her shoulder as the question, ”Well, sure. I mean, before this, I was just fighting locally – you know, uni students, the local leagues and clubs, that sort of thing. So yeah, this is a bit different.”

She flashed a grin.

”Pays better too. Better opponents, mostly at least,” Thinking of Gallium, her lips twisted irritably before she rallied, ”And I’ve made some great friends already, even if the culture shock is real.”

In Alicia’s mind at least, that included Cecilia herself – the Swede could put it however she liked but, the way Alicia saw it, they were definitely friends. The blonde could take it however she liked.

The question about how things were going had reminded her of something though and she adopted a more serious look, taking another sip of water before closing the bottle up.

”I was hoping to pick your brains about something though. You’ve probably heard I’m going to be fighting Adrian Kytes at the upcoming pay per view. Seeing as you’ve been hardcore champion, got any advice?”

"Please....don't make silly jokes. The day any of my students get me to tap, that's the day when I need to stop drinking, and honey... that day ain't coming." Cecilia responded with a wide grin towards her redheaded student.

The blond nodded her head as she listened on at Alicia explain how it was to be here in AFW. Cecilia could get a bit of it, it was how she felt before she started in the big leagues, and when she moved to AFW after that. She couldn't help but let out a light chuckle as she heard the comment about making friends.

" Oh ? Any advice ?....hmmm..." Cecilia thought a bit about it. " Well I know Adrian, I was about to beat Adrian for the title before Sermis jumped me....and well, let's say that she's a good wrestler. A she's grown a lot, as have I since our last [i]official match[i]." Cecilia spoke out, adding quotation marks with her fingers on the official part. Since she had beaten Adrian under the guise of Bullet Ant.

" Keep on her, wear her down as much as she can, don't get reckless and most of all. Be as brutal as you like. Fight as if fighting is all you live for. That's what I think a great hardcore champ should be like." Cecilia answered with a grin as she'd nod to Alicia, she would take a few steps back, " Also ain't nothing wrong with a punch to the throat." The Swede teased as she would swing a mock punch towards Alica, of course stopping short of hitting the woman.

”Guess we’ll just have to see,” Alicia’s lips were split in a matching grin – she certainly didn’t think it was going to be an easy proposition. But, equally, that wasn’t going to stop her trying. It was a goal she could set herself, something to work towards – a challenge to beat. And she liked to remind Cecilia that, while she was learning from her, the redhead wasn’t some fresh in the doors newbie who didn’t know the first thing about fighting.

She might not be on the blonde’s level but she refused to be underestimated or be treated like an amateur by anyone.

And, clichéd as it might be and as much as she respected the other wrestler, that included the Hardcore Queen.

Still, the kickboxer waited patiently, letting Cecilia consider what she was going to offer. Since her run in with Adrian, she’d watched some of the champion’s matches – including the ones with Cecilia herself. That last finish had her more than a little frustrated, even just watching. Cecilia and Adrian had put on a pretty awesome fight, even if it wasn’t really Alicia’s idea of fun, and to see some interloper ruin it had definitely put a damper on things.

She couldn’t imagine how frustrated Cecilia had to be.

Well, either way, she knew the blonde would be a good person to ask anyway. Though she wasn’t quite sure what the official match bit meant. Had they been fighting outside AFW? Was that a thing?

Shaking off the thought, the redhead refocused.

Keep on her. Wear her down. Don’t do anything stupid. And be brutal.

Yeah, Alicia thought she could manage all of the above.

”Oh, I like being brutal,” The British amazon threw back, refusing to flinch as Cecilia’s fist came her way, ”I mean, if whoever they put in the ring with me can’t cope, they shouldn’t be here. That’s my view.”

She stretched a bit, rolling her shoulders back and finishing off her water bottle.

”Got it. Anything else I should remember? Otherwise, I’m good for another round now, teach.”