Salle, post-Assembly

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

By the time Zuko made it to the salle, his clothes were completely dry. He hastily wrote a 'KAUTION FIRE' sign, his handwriting very wobbly, and hung it on the door.

Kicking off his shoes, Zuko started going through the advanced firebending sets his uncle had taught him.

Comments

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

See the "Kaution" sign, the Jamie are smart enough to leave the cans of lysol out side the room.

They then begin to scrub all the surfaces of the room throughly.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko paused and blinked at the guys. "Do you have to do that now?"

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"It'll just be a minute," One of the Jamie's replied seriously. "Otherwise you might get cooties."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko blinked. "Cooties? Like from a girl?"

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Germs. Bacteria. Whatever," Jamie said waving his hand. "They're all bad for you. See? It's all about keeping you healthy."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

People here were weird. "Just hurry so I can continue practicing."

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

The Jamies quickly finished up. "There you go. There's a couple of wet spots. Be careful not to slip."

The Jamies then marched out slapping a "Cootie Free!" sticker on the door as they left.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko stared after Jamie and went over to read the sticker.

Maybe he needed to revise his building an army theory. Unless this was psychological warfare. Hrm.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter had run upstairs to change clothes after getting soaked at the assembly. With his hair still wet, he carried his shield back down to the salle, intent upon doing some training with it. He paused at the sign, not sure if it was from Luke, Zuko, or someone else and knocked carefully.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

This so wasn't his day. "What?" he called to the door as if he owned the room.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter frowned at the tone. "It's Peter," he called back. "Mind if I come in and train or should I come back later."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

If he were anyone else, he might have apologised. He wasn't, though, so there wasn't much remorse in his voice as he responded. "You can enter. It is clear."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," Peter remarked dryly as he pushed open the door, shield slung over his back. He nodded at Zuko and started over to the weapons locker to get his sword. "How do you do?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"I believe earning detention means it is not going well," he remarked.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter glanced at Zuko sympathetically. "Is that what happened? All I really saw were the sprinklers going off then a bit of a commotion. Hopefully the detention's not too bad."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Belthazor and I were bored. I wasn't aware you could set off water inside a room like that," he shrugged. "How do they treat prisoners here?"

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

He shrugged and unsheathed his sword, inspecting it closely. "Depends on the teacher who's running it. Usually they just set you a series of strange tasks to fulfill. One time we had to pick locks with lipstick and dress in costume. Last time, Dean the Tick made me fight a cow then convince someone not to bomb a building. It's not too bad."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko frowned, his shoulders sagging just a bit as he relaxed. "That is all?"

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"That's it," Peter agreed. He glanced up at Zuko, noting his posture. "I was a bit worried when I first got here that it'd be something worse," he said casually.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Detention is not always as pleasent," Zuko agreed, his gaze moving to Peter's sword. Of course, that had to do because he was relating it to prison mostly.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter nodded shortly, picked up on the implication. He hefted the sword, satisfied with the inspection then looked at Zuko. "Want to spar?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko's eyes glinted as he apparently welcomed competition today. "I'm up for it," he agreed, already moving to grab his sword from the locker.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter grinned. "Brilliant." He started to unsling his shield then paused. "Do you train against sword and shield ever?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko shook his head. "Not yet."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Want to try?" Peter asked. "I don't mind either way, but it could be interesting."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"It's probably a good idea to try and get familiar with as many fighting styles as you can," Zuko replied, drawing out his sword and seperating the blades. "Besides, it might prove to be more of a balanced fight."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter shook his head in amusement as he stood up to buckle the shield on his arm and then drawing his sword. "One touch each is the way I remember it. Though I don't deny that you would have won best out of three."

He assumed a ready position with a bow to Zuko. "Ready when you are."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko briefly returned the bow, before quickly stepping sideways and striking towards Peter's sword.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter pivoted so the blow struck off the side of his shield then lifted it slightly to allow his own attack to be sent towards Zuko.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko caught Peter's strike with one sword, while turning sharply to strike out at Peter's side.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Lowering his shield to allow Zuko's sword to deflect off of it, Peter disentangled his sword from Zuko's second and whipped it back towards Zuko's shoulder.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko jumped back, avoiding the blow. He moved to his left, trying to get a strike in at Peter's sword-hand.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter turned with him, keeping the shield between them for a bit before dropping it to try and overhand strike towards Zuko.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Their spar turned out to be evenly matched and both fell silent as they concentrated on their fighting. There was a clashing of sword against sword and sword against shield and they moved around the salle.

At long last, Peter lowered his shield just enough. Zuko moved forward, using the opening it created to strike.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter took the touch to his shoulder and smiled ruefully. He stepped back then bowed to Zuko. "Nice hit."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko returned the bow. "Good fight."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"It was indeed," Peter said with a smile as he started to unbuckle the shield and shake his arm out. "I've not fought with the shield for far too long. My weaponsmaster would be unhappy with me."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"There is only one way to fix that," Zuko remarked, sliding the swords back in their sheath.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Avoid them until I've practiced more?" Peter joked.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Unless they are here on the island that shouldn't be too hard," Zuko said. "They still seem to have a way of knowing."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter nodded ruefully. "Yours do too then? Must be something that they learn when they start instructing."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Possibly. It is safest to just practice as they asked," Zuko sighed and with some regret returned his sword to the weapons locker.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"You're not wrong," Peter agreed. He frowned as he put his sword back in the locker as well. "We'll have to spar again so we both stay ready for our armsmasters."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko frowned, not looking at Peter. "That sounds like a plan," he said."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Good then," he said. He noticed the frown and hesitated before asking. "All is well?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Everything is fine," Zuko assured Peter, not wanting to get into anything.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter nodded, not questioning. "If it's ever not," he said. "You'd have my sword."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko looked at Peter, not used to getting an offer like this. "Thanks," he said, " but some things you need to do alone."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter wasn't entirely sure that was the case. "As you say. But the offer remains." He stood up to leave, slinging his shield over his back. "I'll leave you to your fire practice."