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Clang!
The rhythmic sounds of steel clashing against steel echoed through the secluded training grounds of the Central Starskiff Haven, where March 7th had recently honed her swordsmanship under the watchful eyes of her masters, Yanqing and Yunli. Following the wardance ceremony and her triumphant victory over Scott, a humiliating experience for the latter, March had officially completed her training and embarked on a well-deserved celebration with friends. She had extended an invitation to join her, but you had declined, opting for solitude. While you were typically adept at social interactions, you found solace in avoiding such engagements whenever possible, seeking distractions to maintain your inner peace.
Shing!
The absence of trash cans in Xianzhou Luofu dashed any hopes of a treasure hunt. Instead, you found yourself locked in a duel with an unyielding automated dummy, your borrowed sword from Yanqing glinting in the sunlight. Your chest heaved with exertion as you wiped away the sweat beading on your brow, your muscles screaming for a reprieve.
Cling! Clang!
The birds scattered like startled butterflies, their chirps lost in the cacophony of steel on steel. Your reflexes, honed through countless hours, kicked in just in time, deflecting the dummy's incoming blow. The weight of your borrowed sword now felt lighter in your hands. You'd grown accustomed to the heft of your greatsword, but in this moment, the lighter blade felt more nimble, more agile. A grin tugged at your lips as you parried another strike. The baseball bat, once your go-to weapon, seemed almost quaint in comparison. For now, the sword would do. Sorry, big guy.
The automated dummy, a sturdy metal construct, remained standing and unyielding before you. Its eyes, cold and unblinking, seemed to challenge you again despite countless defeats. You lunged forward, the blade slicing through the air with a hiss.
Shing!
The dummy’s metal skin clanged against the steal, sending vibrations up your arm.
“Hya!” You shout with a big release of exhale as your lifeless enemy’s sword gets thrown in the air a lot higher than you expected. Well, you thought as you looked up to the sky, bringing a hand up to shade your eyes from the brightness of the artificial sky, maybe I should’ve been a little easier.
As the sword plummeted back toward the ground, your instincts kicked in. You darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly blade. But after a few moments, the sword hadn't landed with a clang; instead…
“…oh, a lucky catch…”
As you turned to assess the situation, your heart pounded in your chest. There, standing nonchalantly with the dummy's sword in hand, was the pink-haired Yaoqing foxian. His eyebrows raised in amusement.
“Jiaoqiu?”
The foxian's ears twitched in response to his name, his eyes remaining closed as a playful smile tugged at the corners of his lips. How he had managed to catch the sword like that remained a mystery.
“I heard some metal noises and thought Miss March was training again despite the wardance ceremony being over. Turns out it was just you,” he said as your shoulders relaxed, you didn’t even know it was tense in the first place. “Are you taking after Miss March? Swordplay training?
You shook your head. “Just bored, wanted to test out one of my friends’ collection of sword.” You shrugged as you raised the sword in question.
“Shouldn’t you be celebrating? I passed by Miss March in Aurum Alley on my way here from an errand,”
“Preferred to be alone, I’m… not really into crowded places,” you confessed with a nervous laugh, causing the foxian to tilt his head slightly.
“You both contrast each other yet get along quite well,” he mused and stared down the sword still within his grasp. “But fighting by yourself out here can be a little lonely, don’t you think?”
He tested his sword with a slash in the air and raised it against her, catching her off guard and confused. “How about a spar?”
Your eyes widened for a moment before relaxing. “You know how to fight with a sword, too?”
“Being bored sometimes has its benefits too, though… I can’t say I’m as capable with weapons as you are, so… go easy on my tail a little?”
Your smirk and the swing of your sword as you prepared in a stance confirmed your agreement to a sparring session with the foxian, and your eyes lit up with excitement. “No promises,” you answered with a wink, and he only chuckled.
The air once again gots thick with the scent of sweat and anticipation as the two figures faced off, their blades glinting in the fading light.
“Ready when you are, trailblazer.” You nod.
Cling! Clang!
With a flourish, you lunged forward, your sword a blur of motion. Jiaoqiu parried the attack with each, his sword deflecting the blow. You both danced around each other, your blades clashing and sparks flying.
You feinted a strike to the left, then darted to the right, your sword flashing like lightning. He responded with a powerful overhead swing, forcing you to backstep. But you were quick, and you countered with a flurry of jabs, your blade finding its mark on the wall eerily close to his face.
Jiaoqiu grunted in mock annoyance. “You’re fast,” he admitted.
“And you’re slow,” you retorted, your laughter carrying on the wind.
As the minutes ticked by, the pace of the duel intensified. Your agility allowed you to evade his attacks, while his brute force pushed you back. The clash of your weapons echoed through the area.
Suddenly, you feinted a strike to the left, drawing Jiaoqiu’s attention. Then, with lightning speed, you lunged to the right, your sword aimed at his chest. He reacted instinctively, but he was too slow. Your blade was almost very close to his chest, sending him stumbling backward.
He lost his balance and fell to the ground with you following suit. You, with your face flushed with excitement, toppled over him, your sword poised. He looked up at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and admiration as his cheeks flushed in defeat. With a triumphant laugh, you extended your hand to help him up.
A moment of stunned silence passed as he held your gaze. Then, with a swift, decisive movement, he took your hand and pulled you close. A gasp escaped your lips as the warmth of his lips enveloped your, your eyes fluttering shut instinctively.
Your mind raced with questions, a whirlwind of thoughts swirling in your head. Yet, the urge to push him away was nowhere to be found. Instead, you felt a strange sense of peace, a contentment that was unfamiliar and intoxicating.
His gloved hand lingered on your arm, then drifted down to your waist, his touch sending shivers down your spine. His warmth slowly faded, leaving you breathless and dazed.
You couldn't resist. You lunged forward, capturing his lips in another passionate kiss, your heart pounding in your chest. He responded with equal fervor, his arms tightening around you.
As the kiss deepened, you felt a surge of emotion, a whirlwind of sensations that swept you away. Time seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the moment.
Finally, you pulled away, gasping for breath. Your eyes met his, a silent understanding passing between you. The tension in the air dissipated, replaced by a shared sense of exhilaration from
the thrumming of your hearts in your chests.
“I’d like to consider this a win on my side,” he chimed, his mouth perking back up to that cunning smile as you widened your eyes.
“Excuse me? I made you drop your sword first! You lost, pretty boy.”
“...you think I’m pretty?”
“!!!”