He shouldn't be indulging her like this, especially since he's not...
Still, does that matter? When has that ever mattered? Though, something still itches at the back of his mind, with that strange face skin. What is that? He had noticed it before, but, well. ]
I can entertain you for a little while...Yuri.
Show me your frustration, your pain, your anger. Take it out on me...all of it!
[ Blade advances on her first, making a stabbing motion towards her with his blade. At least it's in the simulation room; what better place for a spar? ]
[ The entire place is so decrepit. It is very much like the underground corporation that Blade had seen in Yuri's memory when he had to escape. Dried blood everywhere on the floor, human corpses here and there who have long since departed...
Yuri holds her sword up and charges right at Blade despite how he's coming for her. She attempts to use opportunistic slash (just a few seconds of the video) on him. ]
Blade is taking in every detail he can with a sharpness. His blade meets it in the midst of its strike, metal meeting, and something like a clash between weapons happening again.
A mutual non-hit. Despite everything, despite the surroundings that are familiar to his own eyes due to that memory, there is the excitement of battle. But, Blade hasn't lost his head, nor his edge.
He aims instead to swing in a horizontal slash next towards her chest. Even with the strain beginning to come in, though he is trying to make his movements minimal if he can help it. Nothing pulled back here, though well-tuned in observing her response... ]
[ Her eye is hidden behind that weird flesh that's currently over her face. Despite it having eye holes, it's hard to see through them with it's slit-like eyes. Perhaps it's mocking you. Perhaps it's just shy.
What will today's expression be...?
Yuri blocks the horizontal slash and tries to hit it off the attempted path as she spins the handle to go right for Blade's neck with a sword thrust. ]
Jokes aside, Blade pulls back the sword enough, and begins to move out of the way of the sword thrust. But, his current state make him unable to evade the sword thrust from at least catching part of his shoulder even if the main target is missed.
If he were more sane, he'd be adequately worried. Instead, the pain fuels his excitement.
Though, it doesn't stop him from trying to kick her in the stomach afterwards. ]
[ Yeah, she cannot dodge that since it's basically point blank range for kicks. She gets kicked in the stomach and doesn't make a sound as she keeps standing. However, she attempts to swing the sword in an effort to cut one of his arms off as she backs up and springs forward into action again. ]
This time he doesn't necessarily have to do wild maneuvers for this. Blade times a wide and quick enough step out of the trajectory, before bringing his sword down upon her sword-hand in an attempt to disarm her in turn. ]
[ Yuri shakily breathes out, flinching when her sword is knocked out of her hand.
But it's a simulation room and her mind feels calm yet not. She manifests a weapon in her other hand and swings it at Blade's side. It will feel like a blunt weapon if the attack connects. ]
[ Blade definitely is...not prepared for that as his current state is beginning to slow him down now. Anyway, it hits like a blunt weapon into his side.
He doesn't even make a sound, but will definitely need to add an extra hour onto the pod he was going to following trial (which I can say now that trial is over) because internal wounds and bones are...yeah.
Anyway, he reaches out with his non-dominant hand and tries to grab her wrist so he can twist it behind her back (including whatever movements are necessary to attempt to make her drop the weapon.) ]
[ Oof. Blade is successful with that, twisting her arm behind her back. The weapon drops, disappearing after it's no longer held and there's not much Yuri can do in this state but struggle. ]
[ Blade holds her still. Yuri would never normally struggle like this.
With the battle having ended, his own battle fervor has dispersed, even if his mind is still swimming.
There is still something crystal clear that breaks through the surface, even if those previous events in that place still try to drag him under, and suffocate him. He refuses to let it. ]
[ Ugh. The flesh mask peels off and has faded away upon touching the ground. Before it disappears fully, Blade might have caught a glimpse of it twisting into the far right face here.
Yuri's face seems... frustrated and exhausted. Nothing as twisted as the mask. ]
[ Irrespective of his condition, that is true. Blade does not speak empty words. Seeing the disgusting little thing peel off, he feels something like triumph. Damn, he never wants to see that ever again.
Or perhaps, there is relief, but like hell he'd admit to feeling anything like that. ]
[ She knows that Blade doesn't say things just for the sake of saying them. It makes her shoulders visibly relax and she no longer struggles in his hold. The decrepit former laboratory disappears and now they're in this blank, white room. The sword is gone, the mask is gone, Yuri's stressor seems... gone? ]
...
[ She doesn't say anything though. Her eye is fine. No rust pain sharing because she has gloves and everything. ]
[ Good. Only upon the setting changing back to its blank state does he finally relax.
He doubts the stressor has dispersed in its entirety since emotions can't be easily swept away, even with a powerful and destructive tide, but the motivation seems to have at least died down.
Blade finally lets her go, and, keeping an eye on her, puts away his sword. ]
When did you start to feel the urge to lash out, Yuri?
I remember you mentioning about wishing to cultivate your strength before. When you had sent out that invitation out for a fight, weeks ago.
[ Blade folds his arms. He is not one to say it means nothing to try to gather up that much more, considering the circumstances. But, honestly, something about it seemed different; intuition, which he doesn't ignore even if his mind isn't exactly a pleasant place. ]
Though, this seemed different than before. [ ... ] Your desire to overcome your opponent did appear to be far stronger.
If I can win against you... I would definitely be stronger.
[ Blade, someone with so many years of experience, and far more combat-full years than year, is like a distant roadmark that she can't reach--not allowed to reach. But she wants to, so, so badly right now. ]
I am a goal post far beyond your reach at the moment.
[ Blade doesn't mince words, as usual seeing no need to.
It is clear as day; if she defeats him, she will have achieved quite an accomplishment. All things considered, it could just be a natural borne desire to achieve that. Though, he thinks there is still a subtle difference. ]
Blade watches her expression carefully with consideration. ]
...You're referring to when you fought Dion.
[ The kind of helplessness she felt during that time...he doesn't think of the words 'unable to imagine it'. But, regardless of there being a difference in her attitude from last time they faced out, or an unusual difference, this emotion must exist sincerely beneath. ]
[ Which is obvious, right? Yuri should have made it out of the corporation burial attempt that Blade experienced. ]
But Gregor and Rodya are from a further point in time than I am, and they have most likely experienced my death. I saw it myself from Gregor's point of view in his memories on that week on the ship.
[ Quite so. Blade remembers them discussing that this was her 'second chance' at some point...among other things that felt like so long ago that he wouldn't be surprised if his terrible memory recall forgot some things.
Even so... ]
And it has something to do with an 'apple' of some sort?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He shouldn't be indulging her like this, especially since he's not...
Still, does that matter? When has that ever mattered? Though, something still itches at the back of his mind, with that strange face skin. What is that? He had noticed it before, but, well. ]
I can entertain you for a little while...Yuri.
Show me your frustration, your pain, your anger. Take it out on me...all of it!
[ Blade advances on her first, making a stabbing motion towards her with his blade. At least it's in the simulation room; what better place for a spar? ]
no subject
Yuri holds her sword up and charges right at Blade despite how he's coming for her. She attempts to use opportunistic slash (just a few seconds of the video) on him. ]
no subject
Blade is taking in every detail he can with a sharpness. His blade meets it in the midst of its strike, metal meeting, and something like a clash between weapons happening again.
A mutual non-hit. Despite everything, despite the surroundings that are familiar to his own eyes due to that memory, there is the excitement of battle. But, Blade hasn't lost his head, nor his edge.
He aims instead to swing in a horizontal slash next towards her chest. Even with the strain beginning to come in, though he is trying to make his movements minimal if he can help it. Nothing pulled back here, though well-tuned in observing her response... ]
no subject
What will today's expression be...?
Yuri blocks the horizontal slash and tries to hit it off the attempted path as she spins the handle to go right for Blade's neck with a sword thrust. ]
no subject
Jokes aside, Blade pulls back the sword enough, and begins to move out of the way of the sword thrust. But, his current state make him unable to evade the sword thrust from at least catching part of his shoulder even if the main target is missed.
If he were more sane, he'd be adequately worried. Instead, the pain fuels his excitement.
Though, it doesn't stop him from trying to kick her in the stomach afterwards. ]
no subject
no subject
This time he doesn't necessarily have to do wild maneuvers for this. Blade times a wide and quick enough step out of the trajectory, before bringing his sword down upon her sword-hand in an attempt to disarm her in turn. ]
no subject
But it's a simulation room and her mind feels calm yet not. She manifests a weapon in her other hand and swings it at Blade's side. It will feel like a blunt weapon if the attack connects. ]
no subject
He doesn't even make a sound, but will definitely need to add an extra hour onto the pod he was going to following trial (which I can say now that trial is over) because internal wounds and bones are...yeah.
Anyway, he reaches out with his non-dominant hand and tries to grab her wrist so he can twist it behind her back (including whatever movements are necessary to attempt to make her drop the weapon.) ]
no subject
no subject
[ Blade holds her still. Yuri would never normally struggle like this.
With the battle having ended, his own battle fervor has dispersed, even if his mind is still swimming.
There is still something crystal clear that breaks through the surface, even if those previous events in that place still try to drag him under, and suffocate him. He refuses to let it. ]
This battle is over. This isn't like you.
no subject
[ Ugh. The flesh mask peels off and has faded away upon touching the ground. Before it disappears fully, Blade might have caught a glimpse of it twisting into the far right face here.
Yuri's face seems... frustrated and exhausted. Nothing as twisted as the mask. ]
no subject
You fought hard.
[ Irrespective of his condition, that is true. Blade does not speak empty words. Seeing the disgusting little thing peel off, he feels something like triumph. Damn, he never wants to see that ever again.
Or perhaps, there is relief, but like hell he'd admit to feeling anything like that. ]
no subject
...
[ She doesn't say anything though. Her eye is fine. No rust pain sharing because she has gloves and everything. ]
no subject
He doubts the stressor has dispersed in its entirety since emotions can't be easily swept away, even with a powerful and destructive tide, but the motivation seems to have at least died down.
Blade finally lets her go, and, keeping an eye on her, puts away his sword. ]
When did you start to feel the urge to lash out, Yuri?
no subject
[ She shakily breathes out. ]
no subject
[ Blade folds his arms. He is not one to say it means nothing to try to gather up that much more, considering the circumstances. But, honestly, something about it seemed different; intuition, which he doesn't ignore even if his mind isn't exactly a pleasant place. ]
Though, this seemed different than before. [ ... ] Your desire to overcome your opponent did appear to be far stronger.
no subject
[ Blade, someone with so many years of experience, and far more combat-full years than year, is like a distant roadmark that she can't reach--not allowed to reach. But she wants to, so, so badly right now. ]
no subject
I am a goal post far beyond your reach at the moment.
[ Blade doesn't mince words, as usual seeing no need to.
It is clear as day; if she defeats him, she will have achieved quite an accomplishment. All things considered, it could just be a natural borne desire to achieve that. Though, he thinks there is still a subtle difference. ]
no subject
[ Yuri loses her strength to resist with her gaze cast downward. ]
I wouldn't... die in front of everyone...
no subject
Blade watches her expression carefully with consideration. ]
...You're referring to when you fought Dion.
[ The kind of helplessness she felt during that time...he doesn't think of the words 'unable to imagine it'. But, regardless of there being a difference in her attitude from last time they faced out, or an unusual difference, this emotion must exist sincerely beneath. ]
no subject
... All I have are excuses when I died while fighting Dion. For me, if I was stronger, then... I wouldn't have died. To the apple.
no subject
...What do you mean? To the apple?
[ Blade has definitely context for Dion, but not whatever this apple is. Is he going to regret asking...oh well, he is unafraid in doing so. ]
no subject
[ Which is obvious, right? Yuri should have made it out of the corporation burial attempt that Blade experienced. ]
But Gregor and Rodya are from a further point in time than I am, and they have most likely experienced my death. I saw it myself from Gregor's point of view in his memories on that week on the ship.
no subject
[ Quite so. Blade remembers them discussing that this was her 'second chance' at some point...among other things that felt like so long ago that he wouldn't be surprised if his terrible memory recall forgot some things.
Even so... ]
And it has something to do with an 'apple' of some sort?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)