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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 16:48:33 GMT -5
... this is your fault, Shizukiri Naia.Xue wasn't so irrational that he didn't know what he was doing was his own decision, not the Japanese man's. He was hardly serious about it, though; it was an almost comforting standby for everything that made his life difficult. Xiao's swollen face? Naia's fault. The cold weather? Naia's fault. The uncooked dinner he was served last night? Naia's fault. The war? Well, that was everyone's doing, he guessed, but Naia could accept the blame on behalf of east Asia. At least this way, he felt better about hitting something that couldn't defend itself. He'd asked several recruits to spar with him, but most were too antsy to hit an "injured" man. So here he was, sauntering through the woods and trying to pick out a likely victim among the trees. As he came upon an already-maimed tree, with long grooves in the wood, he grimaced. Guess someone got to this one first. Either way, it would have to do. Centering himself, he unsheated his sword and swung as hard as he could at the trunk. Wincing, he immeadiately dropped his sword to clutch his right shoulder in pain, certain that he'd pulled something. It took him a few moments to notice that he didn't hear his weapon fall, and as he looked back to the tree, he realized it was embedded deep in the wood. With a sigh, he grabbed the hilt with both hands, pushing against the tree with his foot and pulling as hard as he could. This is completely your fault, Shizukiri Naia.[[Someone come play with me?  ]]
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 17:10:29 GMT -5
Jiaming noticed a rather sullen-looking Xue traisping on towards the woods from her usual spot, the oak she'd picked out and flogged day in and day out. She shifted herself in a way that allowed her to watch him keep moving around till he picked a target. Eyebrow raised, she flinched a bit at the strike. Oof.
No doubt he wasn't exactly in a focused state of mind. She wondered if it was a good idea to even bother asking. He was probably not in the mood for sarcasm.
Well, he's just gonna have to deal with it or go mope alone, she thought as she swung her legs over, letting them dangle from the branch, kicking them a bit.
"Y'should try that left-handed," she called out lightly.
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 19:00:12 GMT -5
"Huh?" Xue looked up, his usual chill of foreboding at Jiaming's appearance overshadowed by confusion. "Left-handed? Well... I always use my right hand." It wasn't defensive; his inquisitive tone gave her the opening to go on.
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 19:34:12 GMT -5
"Mm, well, you act like it hurt to use the right," she said pointedly. "Besides, doesn't it make sense to build up on your weaknesses as well? Wouldn't expect you to be all...ambi..whatever. Two-handed. At the least, if you get hurt on the right, you can make a decent left swing, right?"
Jiaming slid off the branch a bit, turning and grabbing it with her arms till she dangled, and dropped to the ground, wobbling a bit on impact. She tossed her head, huffing, and walking over.
"If you swing in with your right, learn to swing out with the left, at the least. So you can make someone back off and you can get away."
She was going to ask for the sword but noticed it lodged in the tree and blinked, then smirked. "..And you all tease me for beatin' up on trees."
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 20:04:37 GMT -5
"It doesn't hurt, really." Xue rolled his right shoulder, popping it with a grimace. "Just a little sore. But I'll give the left arm a try... I should really learn to use it, just in case." As he tugged fruitlessly on his sword, he turned to Jiaming with an awkward smile. "Thanks, by the way. For not acting like I'm trying to practice on my deathbed."
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 20:16:37 GMT -5
"Hey, what you do with your time is your business," Jiaming said with a shrug, pushing him aside lightly. She took her leather whip out and tied the end of it to the hilt of the sword and, wrapping the bulk of the whip around her wrists, began to tug until the sword started to give way and jerked out of the bark, sending her back a couple steps.
"Got a little angry with the tree, don't you think? To lodge it in that hard." She laughed a little, picking the sword up and untying the whip. She tossed it, catching the flat of the blade and offering the hilt back to Xue.
"Try again, with the left, yeah?"
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 20:43:38 GMT -5
"Thanks..." Xue took the sword from Jiaming, flexing his left arm before curling his fingers around the hilt. "Well, I figured the tree could take it, after everything you put it through." He drew the sword back, took a breath, and swung it forward, only to lose his grip. He jumped back, pulling Jiaming with him, as it bounced off the abused tree and to the ground.
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 20:53:33 GMT -5
Jiaming squeaked, taking a couple light steps back when being pulled back, covering her mouth to smother the mousey sound of her laugh, shaking her head.
"It wants revenge!" she remarked, muffled by her hand until she could clear her throat and stop laughing.
Stepping back over and picking up the sword with her right hand--the weaker of the two, she swung it a couple times in the air while she moved closer to the tree.
"If it's your bad arm, don't swing it like you would with your good arm. Swing out, so that your opponent jumps away." She swung the blade up and out, kind of lightly, not really leaving a mark. "If you really stink with that arm, no sense in trying to continue the fight and get your butt whipped."
She handed the sword back and took a step away. "Try again; let's see if the tree really has it out for your blood."
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 21:35:26 GMT -5
"Sorry! Sorry about that!" Xue cringed, picking up his sword from the ground. He readjusted his grip, steadying his left arm with his right. Slowly, he imitated Jiaming's motions. He improved a little each time, but still looked slightly clumsy; the sword was a bit too bulky for him to wield easily.
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 21:47:35 GMT -5
"See? Not too bad!" Jiaming smiled, folding her arms. "If you can get those stroke somehow hitting the same place, you'll be in good shape. Just something to consider if you're ever in a pinch and can't use the good arm. And at least this'll keep you busy till your other arm isn't so sore."
She tilted her head, watching the swings. The sword seemed to be working him more than the other way around. Probably inexperience, probably because he was still a little off-key from the wound.
"How come you're in the army?" she asked quietly. He didn't really...fit the soldier-type idea. The possible circumstances for his signing up intrigued her.
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 21:57:01 GMT -5
"Hmm?" Xue looked up at her, resting his sword against the dirt and trying to hide his somewhat labored breathing. "I've always wanted to be in the army. Not so much for the fighting and all..." He fidgeted. "I mean... people always respect a soldier, right?" Offering a nervous, self-deprecating laugh, he swung at the tree again.
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 22:05:30 GMT -5
Jiaming raised an eyebrow. "So you think getting cut up or killed is worth a few people's opinions?"
She clicked her tongue and shrugged, rocking back on her heels a bit. "Well, eh, whatever helps you sleep at night. Though your opinion might change once we start having to gut out enemies and hack them to pieces and all that."
Honor. What a stupid idea. No wonder men love it. 'If I get wounded or die in battle, people'll think highly of me!' Some good that'll do in the sickbed or six feet under.
"You're swinging a bit too hard. Ease up a little; the tree's not going anywhere."
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 22:11:45 GMT -5
"Maybe so, but I'm the oldest son," Xue said with a shrug. "I always knew this would happen at some point, so I might as well find something good about it. It's better for me in the long run, anyway." His swing grew a bit less fevered. "If there is a long run, y'know?"
He glanced over at Jiaming, as if just remembering something. "I don't know if I thanked you for the other night yet... I mean, I know I apologized..."
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Post by Huang Jiaming on Oct 15, 2006 22:20:28 GMT -5
Jiaming made a face at the 'oldest son' talk, but didn't say anything about it. It didn't matter what she thought about it, honestly. She had her back half-turned, just kind of moving this way and that idly, when he went on about thanking her, and she turned back, tilting her head.
"What do you mean?" she asked blankly. "About dragging you over to the medic? Don't worry about it. It's not like I was gonna let the general have to drag you there. It isn't a big deal."
Being thanked wasn't something she was real familiar with, so, naturally, she blew it off, shrugging.
"Just don't make a habit out of it," she added on with a smirk. "You're heavier than you look."
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Post by Zhong Xue on Oct 15, 2006 22:32:56 GMT -5
"Ah, but I shouldn't have bothered anyone with it at all," Xue said sheepishly, twisting the gauze around in his fingers. "It really looks a lot worse than it is. I should've gone to the medic myself," he sighed. "I haven't even explained myself to General Sze yet. He probably thinks I'm so weak."
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