Zhao Tianyou (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
essenceofdeadlybeasts) wrote2021-09-03 09:55 pm
essenceofdeadlybeasts) wrote2021-09-03 09:55 pmEntry tags:
[ximilia] ic inbox
// mafioso
TEXT • AUDIO • VIDEO • ACTION
XIMILIA
essenceofdeadlybeasts) wrote2021-09-03 09:55 pm
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[ It was stupid, but it also made it so thrilling. A show of bravado, in a sense. And while he didn't consciously make it into a test, he realized it still would be telling about his opponent— just how much this is going to be a fight, and just how much it's going to be a dance.
Majima unsheathed the tanto first, for a warm-up with a few moves— rolling and twirling the blade— ]
This been my recent go-to friend for slicin'— [ It's tiny compared to the blade Zhao wields with grace, but it's reliable, familiar, known. In a real fight, it would be a better choice— but here on these testing grounds? He could give it rest, keep hidden, and instead— he whipped out the metal fan, still folded. It couldn't cut in this form, but it could be used both as a stabbing weapon, or for heavier strikes meant to utilize the blunt force, either on the opponent or their weapon. Not this time though he has no intention of doing harm to the prized sword. ] —but I'm all for tryin' new toys
[ With a flick of his hand, he revealed the fan, its intricate and deadly design. Too pretty to be a weapon, and yet here it is. For a moment he used it as if one used a simple fan, hiding part of his face with it, adding an air of mystery... nah, just goofing around ]
Come at me, dragon boy.
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A metal fan made for fighting. Elegant and yet deadly in the right hands. Zhao had no doubt that Majima could make it a deadly weapon if he wanted. Even if it was a new toy to the man as he claimed. But it did mean Zhao had the advantage here since his opponent was still getting the feel for his new weapon.
On the other hand, Zhao knew that if Majima had any instinct for it or any knowledge in how to use it at all that he was concealing, the fan gave Majima a distinct advantage against his sword. The fan wasn't just an elegant item meant purely for show when wielded as a weapon; it had plenty going for it as both a defensive unit as well as offensive, and a good artist knew how to use deception and redirection with it for all the more power in a fight, too.]
Careful with that, Majima-kun, lest you get yourself hurt.
[All grand talk... but he did offer the man a small bow to kick off the match between them. He stepped forward with a careful eye on Majima as he gave the other what he wanted: the first attack, a simple downward slash to test the waters, see how Majima used the weapon--or his body--in reaction. A simple follow-up left him room to breath, hopefully, as he switched the direction of the blade and swept it back in the opposite direction before backing off for the moment.]
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So it made sense to play around— Even if he risked indeed, getting hurt ]
Can't learn to be a good dancer, without missin' the beat a few times—hah! [ The answer was planned to be longer, but Zhao was fast, so witty banter has been forgone for defense. Just as he noticed the guards in Gyeongje used the open fan to expertly catch the claws and blades and misdirect them or used the fans as a shield— he can't use it to cast spells as they did, but everything else? Oh, he was so going to still those vibes.
Then there was also that guy in Camellia's Grove that fought with two fans— plenty of sources to pull the inspiration from.
He dodged the downward slash, almost reflexively but the follow-up was when metal met metal. The fan was good at blocking, catching a blade like a sai— but then go from defense to offense? Majima lets the breathing moment happen, that's how the sparring is supposed to look like, right? Testing moves, trying a different approach, not really hurting each other, that looks bad on the file. But with how Zhao moved, carried himself Majima was wanting to test themselves against each other for real.
Wonder how long could he keep up being polite? ]
Nice start. And fast— [ It was his turn, a spin around to change his position, like in a breaker fight that launched into a butterfly kick full of flourish and followed up by wide swing with the fan, not even meant to actually connect with the defensive sword, but to obscure the low kick that followed ]
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[Zhao partially muttered as he was too busy dodging Majima's counter and follow-up to reply to the banter properly. Least not yet.
The spin was quick, the butterfly kick a beauty, and the swing of the fan a perfect accompaniment. It was like watching a dance of deadly precision. Zhao had little time to think much less get out of the way.
Which proved to be a better tactic than parrying as the low kick came in next. That he did end up blocking because the reaction was so last minute he had no other choice. It hit his knee as he brought up a leg to block and sent him stumbling backwards.
But while he was knocked off balance he didn't let that mean the next attack would be easy to get off. Zhao kept his eyes on his opponent, carefully gazing everywhere at once rather than focusing on one part. That was a good way to get caught off guard again. The sweeping fan made it harder. Zhao admired Majima for the deceptive attack hidden by the fans sweeping blow. It was a good use of the weapon.]
Have you been practicing?
[With the fan, he meant, specifically. He had to wonder.
In the meantime, he eventually found his footing and spun around to get out of attack range for a second. Nothing more as he was moving forward once again on the attack. No point in letting Majima have the upper hand so early on.
He stepped forward with a flourish of his sword but the quick flickers were meant as distraction as his opposite hand pushed outward from the chest into a hard palm strike. He followed that up with a diagonal slash of the sword and some quick foot-work that immediately performed a spin of his own as he flourished another slash, this one with some bite from the kinetic potential of the spin.]