tushanshu | Aux armes, citoyens (Video)

[Enjolras has looked better, certainly, though he's about as polished and as formal as he usually is, clad in his new light grey linen coat and waistcoat, even a loose cravat despite the heat. He's certainly sweating for the effort, all the same, his hair showing definite curled frizz that escapes its braid. There's also something about him that looks tireder than usual, but still, his expression is friendly enough as the vid feed starts.]

A great number of things have lately come to my attention, but among the most important is the fact that I must, that it is imperative for me to find activities of a less solitary nature than I've had since our return from...our return from war.

For a long time, it occurred to me that putting aside all reminders of it were the better way but I think, instead, that something active, some way of keeping my most relevant skills fresh, perhaps bettering, them, will be of more benefit here in the long run, and could help me socially as well. If I might train with...

That is to say, I wish to improve my ability with a blade. I fence in the foil discipline, and trained a little in it here, before the war, and can pick up an epee as needed, provided you are not freakishly tall [There's a wink to show it's a joke]. Is there anyone here who might be willing to go a few rounds with me, either for simple exercise, or, perhaps, if we suit and you find that you have things to teach me, for lessons of a sort?

Do please let me know, it may be nice to find action that I might do something with and about again, action I can control I... [That's enough for now, he realizes, breaking off with a little abrupt wave of his hand.]

Anyway, please do let me know.

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[China does not have a problem with an audience. What she may -- potentially -- have a problem with is Skulduggery. China arrives slightly after he does, at first looks past him simply because she's not accustomed to looking for a man rather than a skeleton.]

[She does not see the dojo's tetchy proprietor yet, either, which is for the best. In a moment she makes her way over to Skulduggery, nods a greeting but doesn't actually say anything.]

[Enjolras had been over, getting some work in before the practice, or bout, or whatever they were going to call it, and when he spots the pair of them, he makes his way over, smiling as he comes.]

Ah, good afternoon, both of you.

Good afternoon. [He nearly, very nearly, forgets to smile. Damn having muscles.] I hope they have some spare swords for us to borrow. I seem to have misplaced mine.

[Or are they called 'foils'? He can't remember. All Skulduggery knows is he never had one to begin with.]

[All the greetings have been said, so China simply inclines her head to Enjolras.]

The dojo keeps weapons on hand, I believe. The proprietor is... thorough.

[She makes no move for them, though.]

It will be simpler if we begin with two.

[They do indeed have some weapons here. Enjolras has been taking the time to look through them a bit while doing the accounts.]

There ARE some suitable, yes. I can lead the way.

And that is an excellent point. Better to see each other's styles that way. Who shall begin, then?

How about the two of you?

[Partly because Skulduggery still doesn't quite trust his own coordination, and would prefer the chance to see what he's up against before taking the plunge. It's not trepidation, he'd argue, so much as it's perfectly reasonable precaution.

(It's a little bit trepidation.)]

[This does get a smile from China, though it's not the kindest variant of that expression.]

Why, Skulduggery, are you so out of practice you need the advantage?

[She doesn't disagree, though, and goes to the racks of weapons set aside for such things, lifting a few carefully before settling on one like an épée. When she returns she favors Enjolras with a lifted brow, a challenge in her expression.]

Or would you prefer something... smaller, my dear?

[Enjolras has to admit that a smile like that could give most anyone chills, however, the choice of weapon is, at least, something he's familiar with to a degree. He fenced with an absolutely insane épéeist a few times, when pushed toward a challenge. Granted, he's more familiar with foil, but this is about stretching his limits, not being comfortable, so he follows with a smile of his own, and a small salute, retrieving his own weapon there.]

Provided sabers are not entering into things just yet, [Perhaps, if he's lucky, ever; he was not really a fan] I believe that will suffice. I am told it can be less about the size and more about the motion.

[His cheeks are flushing as he says it, but Enjolras has been here long enough that the implication neither passes him by, or embarrasses him as it had when he'd first discovered innuendo.]

Ready to begin when you are.

['Motion' is new. Skulduggery was almost expecting to hear the word 'skill'.

He chooses not to respond to China's fairly obvious bait, and instead moves over to the wall for something to lean against while he watches. He's seen China fence; his initial reaction, if he were a betting man, is to put all of his money on her. But he hasn't seen Enjolras, so he's reserving judgement for the moment. This might be interesting.]

[Especially now that she's not focused on Skulduggery, China looks downright pleased. She salutes, shifts her left foot back into a ready stance, carrying her weight toward the balls of her feet.]

No, I don't think we need to escalate to sabers just yet.

But by all means, demonstrate that motion.

[She gives it the same emphasis he did, and begins simply, slowly, testing Enjolras' response.]

[Enjolras spent too much time around Courfeyrac for too many years for some things NOT to come to mind, when the moment seems to call for it. Well, and he's loosened up a LOT, admittedly. He's still likely to be blushing and gaping if things go on too much longer, and he can probably even admit to that, but, you know. For now. It felt almost like a CHALLENGE, actually.

For now, he's surveying the situation himself, considering. If he launches straightaway into a lunge, he's more than likely to end up caught, so he takes his time, looking for an unguarded opening, and provided she doesn't notice, and shift, he may manage. It's a decent shot at it, anyway, he decides, stepping forward quickly, and though he lacks finesse right now, it still feels good to be back at this, less...useless anyway.

Maybe that's not an auspicious start but it's something.]

[Most of the time, Skulduggery can ignore when a person he recognises from unexpected places is involved in anything. He's friends with Pepper Potts, after all. But it's difficult not to realise just how beautifully absurd this situation is, probably because Enjolras is one of the few who might be a perfect replica.

Or, of course, the original.

This is why Skulduggery usually tries not to think about it.

For now, he just watches. A master swordsman might already be able to pick out the winner. Skulduggery isn't a master swordsman, and he doesn't like counting his chickens before they hatch in any case.]

[China's taking more or less a passive role, at least initially: responding, watching Enjolras to counter, but her moves in his direction are fewer, farther between. When she does strike at him it's a decisive sort of movement, but she's not taking a great deal of risks.]

[It's not that she's out of practice, really, but she doesn't know Enjolras and Skulduggery... keeps throwing her off, and as things progress, that may be more and more clear in her form and attitude.]

[when it becomes apparent that she IS a bit off today, Enjolras debates being a gentleman here, for a moment, but...nah. She wouldn't appreciate it, would she? Instead, he's going in for a more direct hit, blade angling under hers, and then in closer.]

Aux armes, citoyens (Video)

action, aye!

Re: action, aye!

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I am so sorry for the delay orz

<3

:D!

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