fandomhighdorms | The Salle, Monday Morning (before classes)

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The Salle, Monday Morning (before classes)

After several months, there were few things as comforting as the Monday morning routine of heading into the salle for practice, if Arthur was going to be brutally honest. While he was in here, with his students, he could sort of pretend the world was working the way the world usually did back home; and back home was troubling enough.

So the first Monday morning of the new term found him back there, same as always, going through his drills while Merlin did his chores and kept an eye on things from his corner of the room. Normal.

Although Arthur was contemplating sending him another text message. Or two.

[[ open salle is open as per usual! ]]

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"If they met, it'd be like staring into a mirror. Weird," Zack decided. "And I was kinda here-and-there, on the trip. I went for a 'thopter ride with Leto and Lady Irulan, and I was there for the sandworm ride."

A pause.

"Which was just about the coolest thing I've ever done, I think."

"I stayed inside most of the time. I did find an interesting instrument to send to my brother, though."

"Oh, yeah? Something native to Arrakis, huh?" There was a grin and a bit of a bounce to go with that. "I bet he'll like it. What kind of instrument is it?"

She blushed a little.

"I don't remember the name, but it had strings and-- did I mention I'm not particularly musically inclined?"

Fiona shrugged.

"He said he liked it when he got it the other day. You're making me sorry I missed the thopter ride, though."

"Heh. I'm not really a pro when it comes to music, either. The only time I can find a rhythm is when I'm working with my sword, I think."

And so he was more than willing to let the topic of the instrument drop. Easy!

"Leto was the one flying, and I think he was going out of his way to scare the tar out of Lady Irulan," Zack laughed. "Dives and flips and flying waaaay too close to the ground. That kind of thing!"

She grinned.

"Sounds a little like Robert on his bike," she admitted before dismissing the Driver from her thoughts. That was... not something to focus on.

"I did come over to talk with a bit of a purpose, though. Arthur said I should start practicing with someone else and he suggested you. Would you mind, terribly?"

"Oh, not at all! What did you need to work with?"

Zack was totally fine with mixing up the sparring partners. It meant that there was a possibility that he wouldn't get thoroughly trounced by Arthur all of the time.

That got a small smile out of her. Zack was always so kind and he seemed determined to make her day every time he talked to her. She didn't know why and part of her wanted to be suspicious, but the rest of her promptly squashed the minority and just enjoyed it.

"He just said to spar. Oh, and working in some defense, I think. My drills this morning involved pulling back between strikes."

"A spar, we can do," Zack agreed, nodding. "I'm going to need to see what level you're at before we really get into it, you know?"

He could go all-out with Arthur without actually going all out, and he could go totally nuts with Deadpool if the whim arose, but he wouldn't do anything of the sort with anyone else until he knew where his limits were.

She was happy to oblige.

"What would you like me to do?"

Zack considered for a moment, and then he shrugged and smiled.

"You have a sword? Hit me with it. I won't attack right off the bat, and I'll let you know before I start. But I will parry and dodge. I'm not going to make it easy, you know?"

He pulled his sword from his back and gave it a twirl, grinning.

"Whenever you're ready."

She looked at his sword for a moment before pursing her lips.

"Could you, um... use one of the practice swords?"

She really really really didn't want to chance slicing through his sword. She was pretty sure she had things under control, but not sure enough to risk someone else's property.

Zack blinked at his sword, and then shrugged and put it onto his back again.

"Not a problem," he decided. Even if the practise swords were significantly shorter than he was used to. "Gimmie a moment, and I'll be right back with one!"

This whole 'practise sword' notion was still shiny and new to him. They just used their usual ones, back home. Which usually resulted in a few broken weapons, yes.

He bounced off, and was back a moment later with one in hand.

"Okay! Ready now?"

Edited 2009-07-06 16:14 (UTC)

She breathed out in relief.

"Thanks."

Then she settled down into a low, aggressive stance and lifted her sword. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on him entirely, how he was standing, how he held his sword. Then she moved, quick, going for a jab at his side.

Her ease with the sword, the way she moved, spoke to a great deal more experience with the blade than she had any right to, but that's how she was.

Whoa. Okay, that wasn't how he'd been expecting a relative beginner to move at all, and Zack found himself ducking to the side, realizing even after that one motion that he was going to have to throw some more focus into this.

Zack's expression went serious as he lifted his sword in front of himself again, ready to parry or to avoid the next move, as well.

She pulled back, as Arthur had mentioned earlier, and used the space to pivot and go for a different attack. Thus she swept down, at his knees.

Zack was somewhat fond of his knees, even if they were using practise weapons, and so his own sword moved downward to parry. He narrowly avoided missing his mark, there, far too used to his own longer weapon.

Oooh yeah. Arthur had just tossed him a challenge.

"You don't really move like a beginner," he noted, smiling. Hey, just because it was more than he'd expected didn't mean he didn't appreciate the challenge.

She had already drawn back, so she just gave him a little grin.

"Arthur kept asking me about that but really, I am. I think..."

She quirked her lips to one side, then the other.

"My brother, when he picked up a violin for the first time, he could play it within a few minutes. When I pick up a weapon, I kind of hear it, in my head. Or-- no, that's not right. But it feels right or wrong and if it feels right" like a sword, though nothing was as 'right' as her yo-yo "then it feels natural."

"It just settles right, when you've got the hang of it, huh?" Zack nodded, his sword in front of himself again, waiting for the next move. "Kind of like riding a bicycle. Only... probably more useful on the battlefield."

She tilted her head with a little grin.

"Yeah, something like that."

Zack smiled, grinning back a little more at the sight of her own. He couldn't help it. It was almost infectious, every time he managed to wriggle a smile out of her.

He also nodded toward her sword.

"You stopped."

"You were talking," she pointed out in reply. Besides, she had something to explain.

"There's one last thing: I might slice your sword in half. Maybe. If I get frustrated."

Which was something he should know, and might explain her insistence on the practice sword.

"But I won't cut you because I don't want to hurt you." EVER. "Figured you should know, though."

Zack looked at her sword, and then shrugged, still smiling lightly.

"Considering your skill with that thing, I've got a hard time seeing you getting frustrated with it. And feel free to take swings at me while I talk, too." He laughed a little. "It's usually pretty difficult to get me to shut up, even while I'm sparring."

The little shrug and the small smile did wonders to relax her and she settled back down into her stance.

"I don't talk while I fight," she admitted, eyes sharp if not hard.

"But I'm listening."

Then she launched herself at him again, this time going for a higher blow at his shoulder.

"Listening's good," Zack decided. Most people didn't bother with that much, really.

He stepped backward again, lifting his sword to smack hers downward and away from his shoulder, keeping an eye open for any follow-up attack that she might have.

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