A new blue outline appeared in his mind, leaping back. Alan tried to leap backwards but tripped over his feet, falling to the ground.

Kitana raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t you want to attack me?” she asked.

“Um, yeah, wait a second.”

Why’d you change the outline mid-attack? Alan sent.

You had an approximate 0% chance of landing a successful blow from that position.

Oh. Well, I can’t respond instantaneously to the actions you want me to take, can you try to incorporate some sort of lag time?

Calculating… Please follow the shown blue outline as best as you are able to, so I may form a basis on how well you react.

The blue outline appeared once more, but this time chose to jog around Kitana. Alan hurried, trying to follow it as best he could. It occasionally stuck out a foot, a hand gesture or made a jump. Alan imitated as best he could. Soon, Eve finished her calibrations and Alan was smoothly following the outline, maybe a tenth of a second behind it.

Kitana stood, watching him with a glint of mirth in her eyes.

Suddenly, the blue outline darted towards her. Alan followed it. Kitana turned, the outline stepped right. Alan stepped right. The outline stabbed at her, pulling back halfway through. Alan did so as well. When Alan made his feint, Kitana moved her sword a fraction, but otherwise didn’t move at all.

The outline suddenly made a series of attacks that Alan tried to follow as best he could. All of his attacks were met by Kitana’s blade, perfectly stopping the thrusts and stabs with the minimum required movement.

Alan learned not to commit too strongly to the blue outline, just use it as a sort of guideline, as it would usually change as soon as Kitana moved. He also learned to trust the outline, as Eve was able to remember and use the environment better than he ever could. Eve began to show Alan the likely path that Kitana’s sword would take, allowing him to anticipate her actions before she made them.

Kitana began grinning, and Alan found himself smiling as well. Even as sweat began to drip down his brow and his body began to tire he paid no attention to it; this was fun.

Midway through one slice, the blue outline’s right hand opened, dropping the knife. Unconsciously, Alan did so as well. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the outline’s left hand dart forward, grabbing the knife, stabbing forward. He followed through, not even marveling at his ability to catch a falling knife midair perfectly, instead focusing on another outline showing that Kitana’s blade would knock the knife out of his weak grip.

As he lunged forward into the stab, the blue outline used the momentum to pivot onto its left foot, letting the knife fly away. The outline instead focused on kicking Kitana, trying to knock her legs out from under her.

Alan could see that Kitana was focusing on the knife, but as soon as the sword met with his knife, knocking it out of his hands, he began the kick at her legs. Kitana shifted focus onto Alan himself, but it was too late to avoid the blow. Alan watched as an outline of the katana started a motion to cut off his leg. It stopped and reverted, allowing Kitana to be swept off her feet. To his surprise, his kick connected as the outline's did. Kitana absorbed the blow, making a forwards somersault while holding her katana with apparent ease, not reacting to how painful it must have been to be kicked right in the shins.