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Workin' Out! - Paging Irian(
aehallh), but OTA
Merlin was at the gym again, just having finished a run, and stretching out through various exercises to relax as he stood on a section of mats to one side of the room. As his muscles relaxed and calmed, it was only natural to flow from relaxation stretches to forms of the martial arts he knew. Specifically one lost to time he had learned when he was young. Though he had been sure to learn more as time went on and new ones were introduced, he still found this old discipline was his favorite.
He moved through the paces and steps with exactitude and confidence, his poise and positioning flowing from one form to another. A soft smile crossed his face as he worked, remembering those old times, and some new ones. As he kept moving, he made his way to the side of the rooms, and stopped only briefly to request and receive a blunted but properly balanced blade. Back to the forms he went, and this time, he moved faster.
He moved through the paces and steps with exactitude and confidence, his poise and positioning flowing from one form to another. A soft smile crossed his face as he worked, remembering those old times, and some new ones. As he kept moving, he made his way to the side of the rooms, and stopped only briefly to request and receive a blunted but properly balanced blade. Back to the forms he went, and this time, he moved faster.
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Usually there were few people there at this time of day, and so Irian was a little surprised to see someone else already making use of the facilities. She recognized him — this man had approached her in the lounge, not so long ago, and had been courteous enough to her as such things went. Not intending to be noticed, she stepped to one side and leaned against the wall, watching him.
He moved like someone who knew what he was doing, that was certain — the forms he used were not ones she recognized, she had expected they would not be, but he moved with confidence and strength, like someone fully aware of his own body and what he could do with it. Her curiosity was only truly piqued, though, when he introduced the sword. The use of bladed weapons as a primary form of combat had long since been considered outmoded among humans — or so Irian had thought.
Then again, from what little she knew of him, she doubted he was precisely human in the way she understood it.
"You are the first I've seen to use a sword here," she commented, finally making herself heard and her presence known — at least, if she was lucky. For all she knew he might have heard her come in and chosen not to say anything. She stepped away from the wall, moving toward him, pausing once she was within a comfortable distance for conversation. "I had not thought many humans studied the art."
Swordplay for sport was one thing; swordfighting as a method of combat was something else entirely. In the old Empire, Rihannsu who entered the Colleges of the Great Art as a preface to formal training in the Imperial War College were taught the sword as part of compulsory hand-to-hand combat lessons... but Irian was some forty years out of practice where that was concerned. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to change that.
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He had not survived as long as he had without sensing the approach of a predator and he had known for some time that he was not alone. But when she spoke, he allowed his forms to flow to an end, and to turn to her and bow as he moved to place the sword to one side.
"I am not like most humans." A blatant and true enough statement, as much because of his age as because of his actual race. "I was born long ago in a time when Swords were used far more often than these modern peoples would do. I learned it as much as I learned to breathe, and walk, and toss magic." And there was that, too.
"The sword is an art I have not yielded up as time passed, for I chose and choose to be true to who I was." His smile was warm, and yet mischievous as he faced her. "Greetings, milady, and welcome. How does the day find you?"
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Then again, with how much this man seemed to have surprised her already, perhaps such a thing from him ought to have been expected.
His courtesy, at least, was unlike any human's she had yet met, and as someone raised in an old House where proper behavior was expected, it pleased her. "Well enough," she answered, inclining her head to him in what was not quite a bow, but a more noncommittal gesture. "This place has a tendency to leave one somewhat restless after a time. I didn't expect to find anyone else here."
Not that Irian was disappointed that the gym was occupied — on the contrary, now that she'd seen him with the sword, she was curious.
"Among my people, we were required to learn the art of the sword as part of our military training — though I'm afraid I cannot say I have kept up with it over the years."
The past tense was certainly conspicuous, and might perhaps have seemed a little unusual, but she didn't seem in any rush to clarify it.
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He listened, then smiled. "Then will you grace me with a round of learning? I would learn of the style of your people, and of how it makes the blades sing." His eyes were full of respectful interest then, for he had been a warrior mage from early age and to him, such learning was as fundamental as breathing. And in fact, perhaps more so.
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A very slight, dry smile turned one corner of her mouth. "If you would like," she said, easily enough. Enterprise had plenty of martial arts equipment on board ship, but none of the sort she was used to; and while the replicator here could not produce weapons that could do real harm, a practice blade would not be out of the question.
"Computer, inventory of Romulan close-combat weapons available for sparring purposes."
"Please specify preferred era."
Irian's brow furrowed slightly, in thought rather than confusion — as might have been expected among a martial people, there were many eras in Rihannsu history famous for the quality of their weapons — before she eventually responded. "Late Ehsadai or early Ahaeri eras, please."
"Single- and double-edged swords, spear, longstaff, or fighting knife."
"Double-edged straight sword," she requested, and a moment later the weapon shimmered into being via the gym's replicator. Irian picked it up, somewhat gingerly at first; she still did not quite know how to feel about replicas like this. But the sword felt solid in her hand, and looked considerably like the practice sword she'd used all those years ago at the Colleges, with its pattern-welded steel blade and the rough grip on the stone hilt — all the easier for the wielder to avoid letting the weapon slip out of their grip.
She grounded the point of the sword on the mat, looking back to Merlin, watching him a little more sharply now — assessing him like she would any opponent, real or otherwise.
"I shall warn you—" Irian's very slight smile grew a bit of an edge. "Rihannsu are considerably stronger than most humans, and we are not inclined to — what is the phrase in Standard? 'Take things easy'?" Her brows arched. "I would understand if you felt it prudent to change your mind."
Understand, that she would — but she would also be extraordinarily disappointed. It had been a long time since she'd run into anyone who even remotely seemed as if they knew their way around a sword, Rihannsu or not.
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He bowed to her again, sword shifting to a two-handed hold, point down before him, and his grin was wilder, more intent, yet. "Prudent? If I did everything that was prudent, madame, I would have rather less fun, and far less interesting times." His grin was warm and full of mischief, and he lifted his sword back to one hand and to a ready position as he shifted into stance.
"I have rarely backed down from such a challenge. Win or lose, I learn, and there is no shame in that."
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Then again, she was not expecting to lose here. Short-sighted? Possibly — she was still treating him like a normal human, despite indications otherwise, and perhaps to her detriment.
Irian took the point of her blade off the mat, lifting the sword easily in one hand; it was double-edged, slim and very slightly curved, deadly-looking regardless of the fact that it wasn't sharpened. He was ready to defend himself and didn't need her to warn him — which was why she simply went for him without preamble, sword aimed right for his throat.
She could have pulled back before contacting him if he was too slow to match her — but what a disappointment that would have been.
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He had been taught to use everything in a fight.
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He was starting to function more and more like a human. Wasn't that a laugh.
The need for food and sleep was in itself enough to form some sort of routine. Expanding on that helped pass the days, the wraith found. Exercise was something that was quickly added to the schedule, somewhere between a shift in the sickbay and finding dinner. Visits to the ship's gym became a regular occurrence
And so he came to be watching a man run through forms, first unarmed and then with a blade. Typically, a Wraith was faster and certainly stronger than a human, but this old one was not stupid enough to equate that with a won battle. And this man, he certainly looked like he knew what he was doing. It grabbed the Wraith's interest.
He watched and waited for a natural pause in the man's routine before speaking up. "Would you like an opponent?"
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And for him, this was true. Once a warrior-mage, he was not nearly as practiced as when he was battling demons and dragons nearly all the time, in order to bring the land of the Isles out of darkness.
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"Would you consider an unarmed fight?" If not, he would make due with whichever weapon chosen. One did not live for over ten-thousand years without amassing a fair deal of experience, even if some of those years had been spent in hibernation. And, even with his love of and affinity for science, he was a blade, a warrior. Not a scientist.
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Merlin moved to the center of the mat, and bowed. "Do you have formal training, or are you self-taught?" he is always curious about opponents, whether in training or combat. The more you know, the more you understand.
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"Do you wish to set up any rules before we begin?" He inquired, standing with his bare feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. At ease, but ready.
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Maybe.
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When he stared to move faster she smiled walking up towards him with a light skip to her step. She stopped just on the edge of the mat with a wide smiled.
"Want a partner?" She knew just by looking that he would probably beat her but then he might not hold back if she asked.
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"Have you practiced with a blade muchly?"
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"I have some practice. Most of it's in battle though." She hadn't really practice to practice when it came to a lot of her skills.
Yuna brought her hands up striking a defensive pose waiting to see his moments. "Ready?"
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"Begin."
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Yuna didn't waist any time. She moved forward bringing one blade across his torso while the other followed along the movements he would take to dodge her attack. She was quick and precise, her whole body moving in a fluid motion as she sliced.
She didn't wait after her swing dropping to the ground and sweeping his feet with her leg. She wasn't holding back and she expected him not to either.
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As her sweep came toward him, he slid one leg in and the other out and attempted to turn her sweep against her by capturing her leg and then yanking it toward him.
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He was fast and skilled but she wasn't about to back down.
Yuna swung again this time letting her blades ring against his as she pushed forward with a flurry of attacks. Her movements were fluid switching in between stances as the blades flowed together.
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As they moved, he did what Blaise had always told him, changed things up, and slashing in toward her blades, spun and kicked under her blades toward her sternum to give a light tap.
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It was almost like a dance as they quickly moved together, greeting each others blades with their own. If she gotten a cut from his blade she wasn't sure she would notice.
Yuna staggers backwards as he changes trying to keep her blades in hand as his foot slams against her. She shifted her weight sending the force of his kick to the side.
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"You have an elegant style."
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She felt like he might be holding back. This time she waited to see what he would do and how he would step forward to attack. She stayed light on her feet while trying to keep her heels planted firmly on the ground. There was a balance between speed and strength that Yuna liked and she fell into that now.
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She couldn't help but smile as they moved feeling giddy as they clashed.
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Even as she voices her protest to his taps it's clear she is enjoying herself. She brought her blades down hoping to finally catch him off guard.
The next time he goes to tap her she was going to let a blade vanish and catch his hand.
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She wasn't sure if they were dancing or fighting but it was fun and for the moment she was lost in the swift movements as they moved together.
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He had always found that dancing and fighting were two sides of the same coin, and as he met her hands with his own, and her body with his, he knew it to be true, even here.
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Yuna's voice was close as she listened to the fast beat song that met their steps. She lost track of time pushing herself to move faster and meet Merlin's motions. It wasn't so hard to keep up except one misstep and...
She fell forward her hands reaching for Merlin as she tumbled against him. A surprised laugh left her lips feeling air rush by as she fell.
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Merlin smirked as he danced with her, every time they moved faster the music met them and carried them along, until finally she was tumbling into him.
He caught her, and the music stopped as he slid to a halt to steady her, and grin, eyes dancing.
"Whoah, there. Easy. You did very well, milady. Very well indeed." Merlin's smile was easy and warm.
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"Sorry about that. That was fun." She smiled brightly feeling the adrenaline from their dance coursing through her small frame.
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"You're pretty amazing." She felt like she had barely been able to keep up with him.
"But," Yuna smiled. "Thank you for the compliment."
She wasn't used to fighting like that and while she enjoyed combat it was something completely different and new. It was a lot of fun.
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He bowed to her, and nodded. "You're welcome. I'll gladly spar with you, any day."
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She blinked looking around. "Do you practice here often?" She wasn't even sure how much time had past since they started.
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"Aye, I do." He smiled at her. "We could meet her another time, when you are ready."
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"I mean I'd like that. Just let me know when your free. I try to practice every day." Though some days she gets distracted and missing her usual practice.
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She hadn't brought anything with her though she wanted to change before leaving. She placed a palm on her chest and her clothing glowed shifting over her form changing into T-shirt and shorts that she had kept in her sphere grid for such an occasion. Really she should have changed before starting.
"See you then." Her smile was wide and she turned to the door to head back to her room for a shower.
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