Late Kazoo sparring

[lanxichen]

Who: Lan Xichen and open
Where: Gym car
When: Second half of Kazoo
What: Xichen is training a little too hard and is open to sparring
Warnings: Potential controlled violence, potential mo dao zu shi / the untamed spoilers

Lan Xichen... has not been doing well after Meng Yao's broadcasted question. He is aware that it was not meant in any way badly, but that doesn't mean it didn't hit in all the wrong ways, all things that he has leaned about the man Meng Yao grew into considered.

And then, when they talked...

Xichen would be a fool to misunderstand. And he is not sure what is more complicated - that he can't outright cut those desires off while being honest, or than he knows he can't properly return them, either, and that might lead to Meng Yao sliding down a bad path all over again.

He knows nothing.

And he is just angry enough that the usual quiet - or music-accompanied - meditation just doesn't do. So he end sup in the gym car often enough, with one of the wooden practice swords, training for probably far longer than seems reasonable. It's very different from when he was reduced in age, too - though he is more skilled, too. He can definitely make sure nobody is seriously hurt in sparring.

Comments

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre had, after considering his conversation with Della, been thinking that he should try to practice more so that he was a bit more of a capable fighter. He was not the best, at least hand-to-hand. He could fire a gun and he could fence (but really, how often was fencing itself going to be useful).

So he had been trying to go to the gym car more often. So it was inevitable that he was going to run into Xichen at some point. Despite that he had been there to train, he couldn't help but stop and watch as Xichen practiced with the wooden sword. Quatre knew that WangJi carried a sword with him on missions but rarely had he actually seen him use it... and when he had, it wasn't exactly the right condition to watch for a while.

So he couldn't help but watch as Xichen practiced.

[lanxichen]

Xichen being Xichen... even on his own, with only a wooden sword, he was rather spectacular. For a while, he kept working, not registering that he was observed, but then even as distracted as he was, that could not last long.

He finished a series of motions, before turning to the youth and cupping his hands in greeting.

"Were you looking to use the practice area? I would not be in your way."

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre smiled, giving him a bow back, having seen that's how someone on the train tended to greet people. Even if he had been intending to use the practice area, he wasn't going to say that. They were all here together and he didn't want to push someone else out and he had been planning to practice something different anyway.

"I was just watching. I hope that's alright. It is very impressive. I don't think I've seen someone fight with a sword quite like that before."

[lanxichen]

"Ah... different sects have different styles of swordsmanship, so it would not be difficult to not have seen quite his. And..." Xichen gave a small head-shake, the edges of his forehead ribbon fluttering lightly along with his hair. Even though it had been weeks since he'd regained it, the feeling of it was comfort.

"I have not used my sword to fight since arriving here. It just felt good to practice it for a little while."

After a moment's consideration.

"Do you fight?"

Better than assuming either way.

[gundamofthedesert]

"I see. I suppose it would be if you have practiced for a while."

He nodded. "Well, sort of. I know how to fence. It's a different style than that. Less slashing and more stabbing and a much thinner blade. It's usually used more for sport than serious fighting now..."

Except for the one time he actually was fighting someone and got stabbed in the side, but that was something else.

"I'd be interested in learning at some point."

[lanxichen]

Xichen hummed softly.

"I can teach the forms without trouble, but there is an element to them which comes from spiritual energy, and it might not be possible to master them without it. Teaching that... would require more of a commitment than the swordwork, although the two of them can complement each other..."

The young man was not nearly young enough for this to be likely to be easy, but Xichen had come to realize that few things were impossible. But the young man was also more than old enough to make his own choices, with enough information.

[gundamofthedesert]

"Learning the forms is fine. I don't know that I need to be able to use spiritual energy. Just knowing more techniques would be good. If you think I should try, I certainly would. Never hurts to try, right?"

He's fairly easygoing at least. He was going to expect miracles, but knowing more would be nice.

[lanxichen]

"Of course, so long as you are aware the potential will not be reached like this." And he could always change his mind, but Xichen was not going to bring that up.

"Could you show me a few moves - a few series of actions from the style that you are already familiar with? Fencing, you called it?"

For all Xichen made it look light and effortless, the Lan style was rather demanding, and he wanted to know where they were starting from.

[gundamofthedesert]

"I understand," Quatre said with a smile. He had a feeling if he decided to try and train with spiritual energy, he always could later.

"Oh sure. I'd be happy to show you."

And Quatre would pick the closest sword to what a fencing saber would be, which is still way off for and begins to run through the moves. It is certainly not what Xichen would be used to in terms of swordsmanship.

[lanxichen]

Xichen watched carefully, trying to understand the underlying principle rather than decide it was one thing or another, though it did not take too long for his eyebrows to twitch slightly. He could... see why the youth had called it used more for sport than fighting.

"You have done well in learning the moves, though... they do not seem created with the thought of taking on an enemy much stronger than yourself. But I think we can work with the speed inherent in your art, to fortify and extend it." Beat. "Unless you would prefer to start from the very beginning?"

He was not saying that lightly. The differences were great enough that it would truly be back to building the foundation.

[gundamofthedesert]

"Thank you. Yeah... it might make more sense if there was someone was doing it with me, but there are probably far more rules than traditional sword fighting." And a lot more armor so you didn't stab your opponent in the face or something like that.

"I'd be fine with starting from the beginning. Learn this to the best of my abilities. That way I know I am doing it right."

[lanxichen]

Xichen blinked, then huffed a soft sound that was actual surprised amusement at the idea of 'more rules' than the 4019 of his sect. Of course not all of those, or even most, were about the swordwork, but...

They still had to comply with all of them while fighting.

"Of course. Then... this is the first move, look carefully." For all his familiarity, Xichen knew how to break it down, but the first time had to be demonstrated it motion.

[gundamofthedesert]

Don't worry. Quatre will learn. Also given the rules of advancing and retreating, it probably seemed like there were more at the moment.

Quatre watched with great interest observing everything that Xichen was doing. "Oh, I see." And after observing, he was going to try it too with the sword that he had.

[azurebichen]

In the gym on the other end of the sparring session, his opponent is his younger brother. Trained in the same sword fighting style of their clan, using a wooden sword, Wangji has to be mindful of his youkai enhanced physical strength to make sure the wooden sword doesn't get battered and break under duress.

Wangji is a calm fighter, used to battle, both in the inner mind and on the battlefield. Each pars and blocks absorbed his brother's blows when they connect and absorbed the stress. If only his cat ears on his head and tail isn't distracting enough.

After a while, he stepped back, letting his brother take a breather and a break. "Brother. You're fatigued. Are you well?"

[lanxichen]

Xichen shakes his head slightly. It is not even that he is panting or gasping, but his brother is not exactly wrong, either.

And he would not lie to him.

"As well as I can be, Wangji. It... my mind has been in chaos, that is all."

[azurebichen]

Guessing their Lan routine and habits, meditation didn't work to settle the chaos.

Sensing his stress, he lowers his sword down. "I know we can have a break for tea if you wish. Or we can continue." Until the chaos is settled.

[lanxichen]

"I--" don't know, he wanted to say, but the words refused to cross his lips, decades of habit making it difficult to admit to weakness, even if it was so very obvious.

He swallowed, then tilted his chin up. "I think maybe a little more." With honesty, "it helps when you would exchange blows with me. A peace in the balance of the exchange."

[azurebichen]

He waited patiently, unhurried. While he can sense something is bothering him, but he wanted his brother to take his time to process and speak on his own.

"All right then, we'll continue." He slowly raised his wooden sword and in offense stance. "After this, we shall have tea?"

[lanxichen]

The saddest part is that he has trained, both sword and restraint, for so long that despite all the violence of it, he's too much in control to let the anger make him make mistakes.

They finish a bout, and disengage, and Xichen's face just tightens, then he spins, throwing the sword at the far wall, high enough that he wouldn't hit anyone who might have been accidentally there. The wooden weapon has no blade to sink into the side of the car, instead shattering against the metal and Xichen closes his eyes, shoulders slumping very slightly.

"I - I am sorry, Wangji. And thank you, for indulging me." Deep breath.

"Let me... gather the shards and then we can seek out tea."

[azurebichen]

It's a good thing no kids are around to see. Another bout of wood clashing against wood and as soon they disengaged Lan Wangji watches as his brother, a rare sight to see, is loosing his self-restraint and temper and he stood back, and watches the wooden sword that he threw becomes shattered upon impact.

His brother is not all right. He felt the intensity of his anger. With a heavy sigh, as he goes to collect the shards and cleans up the mess. He puts his wooden sword back to the rack neatly and help tidying things up up.

"Something is bothering you. You have to tell me what happened. And...I'm here to help. But if it still hurts, there's punching bags and gloves. If you want to punch and try boxing."