[ she hops down from the wall into the sparring pit itself, landing lightly. she's small, but it's clear from the way she lands and then the way she walks toward the far wall, poised but relaxed, that this is indeed someone who knows very well how to control her body. ]
Did you have anything in particular in mind for today? I can likely match you in whatever you prefer. Or we can start by taking measure of each other.
[She's quite small, but Diluc has seen enough battles that he knows better than to underestimate anyone for their size. There's something in her posture, the way she holds herself that reads to him like a warrior.]
Let's take each other's measure, shall we? Shall we start with hand to hand or weapons?
[His best is swords, but he'll work with anything.]
Taking each other's measure seems a good idea. We can start with swords. I'll limit my speed to match yours and absorb blows as I need to, so don't worry about hitting me.
[ instead of picking up or finding a weapon, a sword of bone simply grows from sophie's hand and her fingers wrap around it. the edge doesn't look honed, because this is practice to her. she settles into a guard stance and waits for him to show his weapon and come for her. ]
[Diluc reaches back and his sword is abruptly in his hand -- a claymore nearly as tall as he is. Where did it come from? Video game logic, so who knows. But he has it now.]
Swords alone, yes? I'll save the fire for after we meet blades.
[He takes a moment to appreciate the sword that she's... just grown? From herself?]
[ sophie blinks, surprised. then she studies the weapon, clearly impressed by the blade itself and not its sudden appearance. ]
It's a beautiful weapon. And yes, blades alone to begin.
[ sophie's blade adjusts slightly as he studies it, mostly to be able to meet the strength of a claymore. it remains a sword, though, clearly meant for speed and finesse instead of brute strength. ]
You attack first, so I can adapt to meet you equally.
[Diluc nods his head in agreement. Blades only is a good start. He wields the large sword with surprising ease, for the size and weight of the blade. It's clearly comfortable in his hands.
He watches Sophie's weapon change -- and that is quite a trick really.]
Very well.
[He will not hold back, given their previous conversation, knowing she isn't concerned about unintended injury. He wraps both hands around the sword, squares his stance, and then all at once is in motion. He's faster than one would expect for someone wielding such a large weapon, and the arc he swings the sword in his controlled and tight a blow that should cause her to need to bring her own weapon to block it from slicing into her.
Diluc expects her to be quicker than him, faster, and he's fought enemies who have him beat in speed before. What he probably has not guessed correctly is her strength.]
[ sophie is as quick as he expects, her blade snapping up to meet his strike. perhaps surprisingly, she doesn't give any ground, stopping his claymore in place and using her own blade to slide it away.
it gives her an opening to strike, a sweep across his side that presses without cutting as she moves forward, crowding into his space to try and force him into giving ground.
it's clear from her expression that she enjoys a challenge and fully expects him to respond. ]
[Diluc isn't one to back down from a challenge either, and there's a clear flash of enjoyment in his eyes. He sees her move, but she's quick. He turns in the same direction as her blow.
His sword comes around quickly, refusing to give the ground she's looking to take.]
[ sophie's eyes light, and one side of her mouth quirks in a smile. a real opponent where she's not fighting for her life? that's fun.
his pivot forces her to turn as well to free her sword, stepping to the side but not away as she attempts to counter his parry. it's impressive, how quickly he can move that huge blade. ]
[Diluc shifts his weight, moving to keep her in his sight, his stance only half defensive even as he lets his sword slip along hers deflected -- the reason for this becomes clear a moment later when he is attacking once more blade sweeping up. In another battle, it would be accompanied by a wave of fire, but for now his flames are kept tucked away and it's only the blade that slashes towards her.
There's a smile on his face, subtle and small, but unmistakably there. He's enjoying himself.]
[ sophie laughs as she's forced to move with unnatural speed to counter the attack, leaping backward as she does. then she immediately drives forward again with a series of quick slashes that will be difficult to deflect with such a large blade. ]
[Diluc brings his blade to meet the blows, but she's too fast, and now he does find himself ceding ground in order to avoid her blade.]
You're better.
[It's a compliment and an excited admission. She's fast, and strong, and Diluc certainly doesn't mind being bested by someone who outmatches him. It means the chance to learn, to improve his own skills.]
[ since he's clearly enjoying the challenge, she keeps coming, moving from side to side to exploit any sudden openings in his guard. sophie isn't going to stop until she actually scores a hit, but will land it with a sudden twist so that the flat of the weapon connects and not the honed edge, though she won't blunt the force of it in any way. ]
[Definitely faster, and Diluc gets an odd sense that this isn't her pushed to her limit at all.
Diluc keeps up with the onslaught for the most part until he doesn't. The blade impacts his side, blunt side but still quite the hit. A quiet off and he steps back, sword still lifted.]
Good hit.
[It'll bruise, but that's how sparring goes. It feels good.]
[ not even close to her limit; she's only just over the edge of skilled human ability. but it's not fun if there's no balance, and she's here to match skills. not checking her hit is a sign of respect--he has the skills to take a blow.
when he steps back she does as well, clearly signaling a pause. ]
Well fought. Do you want to continue as we are or change things up? If you can manage that much speed and precision with a heavy blade, you must be quite fast without.
[ sophie's blade vanishes as though it had never been, leaving her with empty hands loosely held at her sides. her stance this time is completely different, her weight more on the balls of her feet than centered and her knees slightly bent, one foot a bit in front of the other in a way that turns her so she's not quite facing him. ]
All right, let's see how you move when you don't have to counterbalance your weapon. Don't check your strikes, not committing changes how you move just as much here as with a sword.
[ she bounces a few times, waiting for him to come at her. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darknighted) wrote2022-07-13 10:50 pm
no subject
[ she hops down from the wall into the sparring pit itself, landing lightly. she's small, but it's clear from the way she lands and then the way she walks toward the far wall, poised but relaxed, that this is indeed someone who knows very well how to control her body. ]
Did you have anything in particular in mind for today? I can likely match you in whatever you prefer. Or we can start by taking measure of each other.
no subject
Let's take each other's measure, shall we? Shall we start with hand to hand or weapons?
[His best is swords, but he'll work with anything.]
no subject
[ instead of picking up or finding a weapon, a sword of bone simply grows from sophie's hand and her fingers wrap around it. the edge doesn't look honed, because this is practice to her. she settles into a guard stance and waits for him to show his weapon and come for her. ]
no subject
[Diluc reaches back and his sword is abruptly in his hand -- a claymore nearly as tall as he is. Where did it come from? Video game logic, so who knows. But he has it now.]
Swords alone, yes? I'll save the fire for after we meet blades.
[He takes a moment to appreciate the sword that she's... just grown? From herself?]
no subject
It's a beautiful weapon. And yes, blades alone to begin.
[ sophie's blade adjusts slightly as he studies it, mostly to be able to meet the strength of a claymore. it remains a sword, though, clearly meant for speed and finesse instead of brute strength. ]
You attack first, so I can adapt to meet you equally.
no subject
[Diluc nods his head in agreement. Blades only is a good start. He wields the large sword with surprising ease, for the size and weight of the blade. It's clearly comfortable in his hands.
He watches Sophie's weapon change -- and that is quite a trick really.]
Very well.
[He will not hold back, given their previous conversation, knowing she isn't concerned about unintended injury. He wraps both hands around the sword, squares his stance, and then all at once is in motion. He's faster than one would expect for someone wielding such a large weapon, and the arc he swings the sword in his controlled and tight a blow that should cause her to need to bring her own weapon to block it from slicing into her.
Diluc expects her to be quicker than him, faster, and he's fought enemies who have him beat in speed before. What he probably has not guessed correctly is her strength.]
no subject
it gives her an opening to strike, a sweep across his side that presses without cutting as she moves forward, crowding into his space to try and force him into giving ground.
it's clear from her expression that she enjoys a challenge and fully expects him to respond. ]
no subject
His sword comes around quickly, refusing to give the ground she's looking to take.]
no subject
his pivot forces her to turn as well to free her sword, stepping to the side but not away as she attempts to counter his parry. it's impressive, how quickly he can move that huge blade. ]
no subject
There's a smile on his face, subtle and small, but unmistakably there. He's enjoying himself.]
no subject
You're quite good.
no subject
You're better.
[It's a compliment and an excited admission. She's fast, and strong, and Diluc certainly doesn't mind being bested by someone who outmatches him. It means the chance to learn, to improve his own skills.]
no subject
[ since he's clearly enjoying the challenge, she keeps coming, moving from side to side to exploit any sudden openings in his guard. sophie isn't going to stop until she actually scores a hit, but will land it with a sudden twist so that the flat of the weapon connects and not the honed edge, though she won't blunt the force of it in any way. ]
no subject
Diluc keeps up with the onslaught for the most part until he doesn't. The blade impacts his side, blunt side but still quite the hit. A quiet off and he steps back, sword still lifted.]
Good hit.
[It'll bruise, but that's how sparring goes. It feels good.]
no subject
when he steps back she does as well, clearly signaling a pause. ]
Well fought. Do you want to continue as we are or change things up? If you can manage that much speed and precision with a heavy blade, you must be quite fast without.
no subject
[He can admit that at least. He smiles though, pleased.] Should we try hand to hand?
[Diluc is fully aware that he is going to have his ass handed to him in hand to hand combat, but that's an area he very much wants to improve on.]
no subject
[ sophie's blade vanishes as though it had never been, leaving her with empty hands loosely held at her sides. her stance this time is completely different, her weight more on the balls of her feet than centered and her knees slightly bent, one foot a bit in front of the other in a way that turns her so she's not quite facing him. ]
All right, let's see how you move when you don't have to counterbalance your weapon. Don't check your strikes, not committing changes how you move just as much here as with a sword.
[ she bounces a few times, waiting for him to come at her. ]