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meanspirited) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
wizardmanor2024-03-14 05:07 pm
meanspirited) wrote in wizardmanor2024-03-14 05:07 pmfloor 5, room 5
lazuli
meanspirited) wrote in wizardmanor2024-03-14 05:07 pm
no subject
[The thing is... he's actually more in tune with hand-to-hand, if you get right down to it. But there's a certain aesthetic about the sword he can't deny, and therefore it's a big part of his repertoire. It's not so much about winning as it is about what is the coolest way to lose? and other such considerations.
And look at that? He's already learning things?? Cid examines the green gem and feather charm for a moment (nice to know his thoughts about Wanderer and jewelry are correct (are they)), before sliding into a stance of his own, sword raised perpendicularly next to his face at the ready. Since he's "Cid Kagenou", it's only right that he use the traditional Bushin style.]
So that's what a focus is. I assume destroying it just means you'll summon another one... what a pain.
[And he moves right into attacking, aiming to disrupt Wanderer's connection to the gem regardless; it's not a bad distraction no matter what. He's fast and precise enough, since he's trained, but it's not anything particularly special compared to your regular ol' swordfighter with a year or so of experience.]
no subject
Disarming your opponent should be the least of your worries.
[With the way he moves out of the way of Cid's attack, it's clear that he's got his own experience in fighting behind him. While swords haven't been his weapon of choice for centuries, now, he's more than familiar with them and dodging those that rely on blades. What Cid is using seems more in line with the blades that come out of Mondstadt and Fontaine than those he's forged himself, with the fighting style to match, but the kid is still several centuries too inexperienced for it to make much of a difference.]
You should try getting a hit in, first.
[He can just dodge all day! It'll be a fun test to see if Cid will get frustrated or try to rub his lacking braincells together.]
no subject
It's just interesting to see one being used--
[They're in shounen time now -- which means he can totally carry on a conversation while doing all of this (he could do this in his sleep, and probably has, but that's a different order of MacTunald's altogether) and also try to scout his opponent's movements.
First order of business: attempting to concentrate magic in his eyes to sharpen his senses; it doesn't work here as well as he's used to, but perhaps that's just a matter of not having tried it enough yet. He's really very curious to see where and how this fellow employs magic in his fighting, if any... movements? Self-fortification? It's hard to figure out traces and tendencies of magic off the cuff without reference or knowledge of the world or anything, so he's really just taking the time to satisfy his curiosity. The way Wanderer reacts to blades despite being barehanded tells him that this is someone used to facing opponents with stabby implements. Nice.
Of course, he doesn't forget to take a few swings to try and close the gap.]
--since it's all new and besides, magic is shaped all different here...
[In a lot of ways, it's like being a little kid again, with a body new to magic and mostly unable to channel it properly. But what if...?
On the next pass, he tries a sneaky little maneuver involving extending his sword to see if transformation magic will get him a little closer to the stated objective. Can't be too hopeless, since teach is so impatient.]
no subject
Try again.
[And then he's gone, as if using his focus to launch his body up and away, using it to propel himself up so he can come back down with a heavy kick aimed right at Cid's head. Time to put that burst animation to good use...]
no subject
[Ah, so the focus can move near-instantaneously... He can at least see the flash out of the corner of his eye, even if he can't tell exactly where the focus has moved to. But if the focus is moving, then maybe--
There, so the master is following the tool...... Cid squawks as he overbalances with his now-longer sword (launches himself slightly forward on purpose, lowers his center of gravity in the midst of the deliberate tripping exercise, because some kind of attack is coming from above) and tries his best not to skewer himself while falling over.]
Wah-wah-wah! No fair! Where did you--
[All that means that his sword ends up pointed vaguely upward as he faceplants; it won't be a real attack against Wanderer's kick, but between the fall and the blade maybe it'll mitigate the damage???? Also known as: Hidden Normie Technique! Grand Crashland, Ungraceful Counter!]
no subject
For a split second, he considers just taking the hit and letting the sword gouge him—it's not like it'll do any permanent damage, and the pain won't bother him. Still, he can't play all of his cards yet and look like a reckless maniac, can he? So the sword is enough to get him to shift, landing on the ground next to Cid instead of crushing his head or something.]
Shut up.
[Which is all the warning Cid gets before a gust of wind sweep through the arena at the wanderer's incantation, enough to buffet the kid and drag him along the ground. So long idiot edgelord...]
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Honestly, Cid was 50-50 on getting crushed with just a flimsy sword between him and however much magic Wanderer is wielding (what a pain that he can't even accurately sense that much at this juncture, this really is baby kindergarten magic all over again), so hearing his opponent land elsewhere causes his head to pop up despite himself.
He does a little limp-wristed wave.]
I can't help it...... it just comes busting out....
[The screaming and screeching, he means. Mostly he just likes the drama.
And also, he is definitely yelping when Wanderer suddenly decides he needs paving-burn. Cobblestone-burn?? Dirt-burn??? Who knows, maybe all three. Yowch. Well, this probably isn't the worst he's ever gotten beaten up, but he is going to have prints on his face for ages.
All of this flashes through his head as he finally k-kk-kkkkkkkrunches to a stop, ass in the air and sword flopped to the side.]
Ow..... Don't tell me I have to pull a broom out just to fight you, it's not like anybody else can fly without one.
no subject
It'll be a good lesson. Learning how to multitask.
[So, yes, he does expect Cid to learn how to fight and ride a broom at the same time? It can't be that difficult... Or he can just get good.
Both are valid options.]
You're going to have to rely on every trick you can manage if you want to amount to anything.
[He waits for Cid's next move, since he probably shouldn't just continue to paste the kid.]
no subject
So it's time to get up! It's time to sweep and get swept.
But first:]
Isn't the amount of multitasking in this world kind of unreasonable? There's incantations, focuses, brooms, weapons, potions, stones... And now I have to work out my thigh muscles too???
[We have no idea what he's imagining but it is probably a small (small!) mercy that he doesn't have to literally do leg day on brooms. With a small pop! Cid's broom jumps into existence -- it's kind of a ridiculous affair since the end is made up of an entire bouquet of knives instead of bristles. It's like a flying hazard. Maybe this is why he doesn't want to use it.........]
I wouldn't say I'm really tricky type...
[So actually. Instead of getting on the broom he just starts running at Wanderer with both broom and sword in hand. He normally uses the sword two-handed but y'know what. Can he try transforming the broom's size a bit too to see if that helps.
It's not really a weapon but maybe he can whack the focus if he dual-wields.]
no subject
At least he can summon a broom, but using it as a weapon? Really? He can't even admire the creativity because it just looks so absurd.]
This is hardly the most demanding sort of magic out there.
[It's not like it's going to cause your body to burn internally from the inside out for untold centuries! That's only a temporary, localized problem. Shylock got out much better than Signora did.
He doesn't move to defend his focus, though. He knows that's Cid's target, and it'll be an important lesson for him. He manages to smack the Vision, and the gem bobs in the air and flips a few times, but... it's metal and gemstone. A broom isn't going to destroy it outright.
And while the Vision spins, the wanderer darts in to grab Cid's wrists so he can toss the boy. He's already much stronger than a normal human his size would be, but using magic to further augment his strength means Cid is about to have a nice trip.]
no subject
It's pretty demanding!!
[It's not demanding, it's just clunky. He misses his pared down and nicely streamlined, incantation-less, super-efficient-super-polished variety of magic. It's more aesthetic. He actually even misses just directly whacking things with swords-and-various-implements, with his slime out of commission. Actually, he even misses some of the old magic-blocking techniques. So much would be preferable to having the entire system up-ended.
But it's not all bad.
For one, as "Cid" he gets to do whole-new-and-heretofore-untold varieties of slapstick, such as for example slapping fruitlessly at an unknowable thingamabob in the air that is presumably magic-shaped while awaiting getting summarily yeeted. He should give this a name and number in Normie Technique parlance.]
WhOAAAGYAAHGHHHCKKUGHHYAAAN!!!
[........ while he's thinking deeply about Normie Techniques, the following things also occur:
1. Cid curls up a bit when his wrists get snatched. It's important, as always, to have proper falling technique.
2. He's still got his hands full. He makes sure to yeet his sword first, because sometimes multitasking gets a little hairy. Off it goes! Goodbye, sword.
3. He really was serious about that thigh workout, actually. While he's getting tossed in the air by the equivalent of a tiny angry pomeranian on speed, he grabs and grips his broom with his legs; so he can't somehow get impaled on it (intriguing, but messy, maybe another time when he doesn't have other things to do) and because if he was going to get impaled he might as well fall on his own sword much more dramatically.
4. With a series of noises much like a balloon that's somehow deflating and exploding at the same time, boy, broom and all go bouncing away in increasingly unhinged trajectories until everything ends up in a fountain on the grounds. This is going GREAT.]