finn vs nines

Then it was Nines's turn, with his vibro-axe and shield, and if FN-2187 had thought Zeroes was angry when he'd lost, Nines seemed to start out that way. Nines began with a swipe straight at FN-2187's head, and the next thing 2187 knew Nines had rammed into him, body to body, their armor clattering as he was pushed back along the training floor. It took all his strength to keep his feet, to keep from giving Nines another opening with his axe, and finally FN-2187 dropped his shield altogether and used his free hand to take control of Nines's wrist. They spun in place, and FN-2187 slammed his shoulder into Nines's chest, sending him off balance long enough to create distance between them. Before he could recover his discarded shield, though, Nines was launching at him again, and FN-2187 was using his mace with both hands, knocking away Nines's attacks as quickly as they came. He could feel his heart pounding inside the armor, the echo of his breathing as it grew labored. The thought occurred to him, unexpected and shocking, that Nines thought this was *real*, not an exercise, not training.
The vibro-axe fell again, slashing at his arm, and FN-2187 skipped back. The two of them began to circle. Nines feinted with the axe, then swung the shield and nearly caught him in the side, but FN-2187 managed to get the mace up to parry just in time. He saw the follow-up coming before Nines launched it, knew the axe was slashing in again, and that time, instead of stepping away from it, FN-2187 stepped *forward* and under Nines's guard. The mace was in the wrong position, its heavy head toward the floor, so FN-2187 used its pommel instead, smashing it into Nines's helmet. The other trooper went sailing onto his back. He laid still, dazed for a moment.

Before the Awakening, pg. 35-36