[ phoenix probably gets as far as "up for it" before nico's already walking to open the door to the private room and trotting ahead to grab a practice sword.
[ it's been a long day, but somehow this brings a slight smile back to their face. they follow to pick up a second practice sword, giving it a test swing. ]
I always liked training with real blades, too, but these do well enough. Whenever you're ready, Nico.
I don't think I've ever used a practice sword to be honest. Even at camp we always used real weapons. [ there's a few test swings of his own, just for weight and balance. once he's got that down though, he does not bother asking if phoenix is ready before he just kind of dashes forward for a quick strike.
you do not have a whole training room if you don't know how to fight, he thinks. phoenix should be fine. ]
[ oh good. a worthy opponent. he's twisting around to bring his sword up to block before jumping back out of the way to readjust his stance. ]
People like us are kind of born for this. And I haven't trained for a few days. [ since coming here, he means, as he lunges with a side swipe. i suddenly remembered fight scenes are the bane of my existence sometimes. ]
[ the thing is that now that he's in motion he's relaxing bit by bit, unwinding from the tension of earlier. he's keeping his eyes on their form, and the jab catches him off-guard and he wobbles back and turns enough to take the brunt of the jab to his side instead. ]
A while as in six months? Or even longer? [ he shifts, moving back in with an upper slash. ]
[ the block is effective, and there's something in what phoenix says that kind of makes nico internally wince because oh boy, does he know it. it's enough that he lets his guard slip, blade going slack briefly. ]
I asked Goat about them. Before I realized perhaps I shouldn't have. [ because goat seems pretty damn normie and nico knows he can be a bit too matter-of-fact about matters of life and death. ] They mentioned they were all pretty good in a fight, too, but it felt wrong to press for more about them when it obviously was hurting them.
[ he says that but he's also going for a straight jab of his own. ]
[ there he go. phoenix holds their stance, waiting for his next attack. ]
I think Cobalt Ox would have wanted to be there no matter what. [ their teammate being the victim. ] And they are close with the other three, so they went for support.
I get that. It...kind of always feels terrible losing someone without being able to help them somehow. I think I'd rather try until the end even with these results.
[ he doesn't comment on the support, but he makes note of it. that makes sense. normies hanging with normies. no idea if they're normies, this is what nico's deciding as he dives forward for another swipe but this time more at phoenix's legs to try and trip them up and sweep them out from under them. ]
[ the slash clips their leg as phoenix jumps back, just out of reach, and just as quickly launches themselves forward again into a strong downward slash. ]
[ the strong downward slash does land its mark, striking down on nico's shoulder and there's an indignant noise. he adjusts the blade in his hand, using the leverage to push phoenix off and go for another jab.
sometimes you just continue to fight even if you take hits. that is what you do. ]
[ this one hits square in the side, making phoenix grunt and fall back a step. but, similarly to nico, they don't pause for a second. they merely swap to a two-handed grip on the practice sword before swiftly moving into a side slash.
[ weheheh. the good thing about this is that phoenix really does know what they're doing, and he continues to meet them strike for strike. he's more of a one-handed sword user but he does note the adjustment of phoenix's grip before barely dodging the side slash. ]
Switching styles on me? [ unfortunately he is still a teenager and he can see that phoenix seems to be enjoying this which makes him...happy? which is like. dumb. it shouldn't matter that someone's enjoying doing stuff with him but all things considered this world is still very new and very weird and today was very stressful. if this helps, it helps. ]
We are. But a lot of people still don't have any idea what balance means. [ which is maybe a somewhat too solemn thing to say, but sparring is a good backdrop for this. so he doesn't actually hesitate for long with the change of style, still going onehanded to charge for another slash at the side. ]
[ they agree. they try to move out of the way, not quite fast enough to avoid the hit on their arm, but they use to go for another jab while nico's close. ]
[ phoenix catches the strike on their sword, holding it steady in a block. ]
Having to learn the hard way isn't easy, but it can help you appreciate what you have and what you've lost even more. Isn't that right, Nico di Angelo?
[ he doesn't move. their swords are kind of locked together and he's staring at phoenix head-on, trying to keep his expression neutral and also kind of failing miserably because at the end of the day...
...they lost rocket and mika. there's nothing that can be done. even if he's going to attempt a jailbreak with a bunch of people later, realistically, he knows nothing can be done. that's balance. that's what it's always meant, a life for a life, a soul for a soul. this wasn't the way he wanted things to go.
but phoenix is also right. losing these people...losing everyone he has lost prior to this, his mother, bianca, jason...they made him appreciate that he's managed to survive through the hardships. those losses made him appreciate the impact those people had in his life. those losses made him appreciate will and his new life at camp and trying to move forward and no longer carry his demons close but allow them to live with him instead of weigh him down.
he doesn't really blink for a moment, but then he lowers his sword. ]
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I have time for a few rounds. [ wait. ] If you want.
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fight him!!! ]
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I always liked training with real blades, too, but these do well enough. Whenever you're ready, Nico.
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you do not have a whole training room if you don't know how to fight, he thinks. phoenix should be fine. ]
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[ nico is right; they don't seem bothered at all. their smile becomes more genuine, in fact, as they dodge to the side and swing toward nico's back. ]
Eager one, aren't you? Not bad.
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People like us are kind of born for this. And I haven't trained for a few days. [ since coming here, he means, as he lunges with a side swipe. i suddenly remembered fight scenes are the bane of my existence sometimes. ]
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[ this one hits their arm as they move to dodge, a little slower than they'd like. ]
And it's been a while since I've had a partner.
[ but they recover quickly and go for a straightforward jab. ]
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A while as in six months? Or even longer? [ he shifts, moving back in with an upper slash. ]
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[ they'll meet this slash with a head on block. ]
...Some of the others were good fighters, but even the best may not survive every battle.
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I asked Goat about them. Before I realized perhaps I shouldn't have. [ because goat seems pretty damn normie and nico knows he can be a bit too matter-of-fact about matters of life and death. ] They mentioned they were all pretty good in a fight, too, but it felt wrong to press for more about them when it obviously was hurting them.
[ he says that but he's also going for a straight jab of his own. ]
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The four who were with you today are the more sensitive ones. Most of them aren't used to these sorts of things, so they took it much harder.
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Seems a little harsh to send them to oversee that joke of a trial then. [ like. why them. that is actually very mean. ]
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I think Cobalt Ox would have wanted to be there no matter what. [ their teammate being the victim. ] And they are close with the other three, so they went for support.
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[ he doesn't comment on the support, but he makes note of it. that makes sense. normies hanging with normies. no idea if they're normies, this is what nico's deciding as he dives forward for another swipe but this time more at phoenix's legs to try and trip them up and sweep them out from under them. ]
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[ the slash clips their leg as phoenix jumps back, just out of reach, and just as quickly launches themselves forward again into a strong downward slash. ]
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sometimes you just continue to fight even if you take hits. that is what you do. ]
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this is fun. they're smiling. ]
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Switching styles on me? [ unfortunately he is still a teenager and he can see that phoenix seems to be enjoying this which makes him...happy? which is like. dumb. it shouldn't matter that someone's enjoying doing stuff with him but all things considered this world is still very new and very weird and today was very stressful. if this helps, it helps. ]
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[ it feels nice to get in a spar, and it seems to be doing nico some good, too. so they'll wait to see how he approaches the change of style. ]
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We are. But a lot of people still don't have any idea what balance means. [ which is maybe a somewhat too solemn thing to say, but sparring is a good backdrop for this. so he doesn't actually hesitate for long with the change of style, still going onehanded to charge for another slash at the side. ]
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[ they agree. they try to move out of the way, not quite fast enough to avoid the hit on their arm, but they use to go for another jab while nico's close. ]
But you do.
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I suppose you can say I've had to learn. [ but he will go in for a finishing overhead strike. ]
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Having to learn the hard way isn't easy, but it can help you appreciate what you have and what you've lost even more. Isn't that right, Nico di Angelo?
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...they lost rocket and mika. there's nothing that can be done. even if he's going to attempt a jailbreak with a bunch of people later, realistically, he knows nothing can be done. that's balance. that's what it's always meant, a life for a life, a soul for a soul. this wasn't the way he wanted things to go.
but phoenix is also right. losing these people...losing everyone he has lost prior to this, his mother, bianca, jason...they made him appreciate that he's managed to survive through the hardships. those losses made him appreciate the impact those people had in his life. those losses made him appreciate will and his new life at camp and trying to move forward and no longer carry his demons close but allow them to live with him instead of weigh him down.
he doesn't really blink for a moment, but then he lowers his sword. ]
...yes. More than anything.
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