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Chase walked into the base. He had promised Riley only a week earlier he'd start training with him regularly; however, when he looked around the base for Riley all he saw was Ivan polishing his sword. Had Riley forgotten they were supposed to start training together?
"Hey mate, you seen Riley?" Chase said looking around.
"Sorry my good fellow, it would seem Riley may be running a bit late, he told me of your prior engagement and I figured I could fill the roll of training partner."
Chase nodded then started to stretch his limbs, loosening his muscles. He swung his sword from side-to-side in preparation.
"None of that will be necessary," Ivan scoffed, "this will be a short-lived training session."
Chase's eye brows furrowed, and a cocky smirk crossed his face. "Oh really?"
"Of course, after all, Sir Riley trains with me. You my good sir," Ivan said pointing the tip of his sword at Chase, he closed one eye, and lined up Chase in his sight, "are no match for me."
Of course not. That's why Chase was training, but there was no way Chase would let Ivan condescend him. He was the "hot shot" after all, you don't get a nick name like that by letting people mock you.
"Well Riley isn't as competitive as me," Chase said confidently, "you've seen my trophies mate?"
Ivan rested the broad side of his sword on his shoulder, and feigned a yawn. "Are you quite done gloating Sir Chase?" He then smiled proudly, narrowed his eyes, and pointed his sword at Chase again.
Chase drew his sword and swung it down from overhead, but Ivan deflected the downward swing by striking upward. The two met eyes as they held their swords in place, then both of them jumped backward, retreating their crossed swords.
The two measured each other, walking in a circle; Ivan held his sword overhead, and Chase held his low with both hands. They both then closed measures and brought their swords crashing down against one another. After several swings Chase attempted to feint, only to have Ivan see through the maneuver, and swing at an unprepared Chase. He tried to parry the blow, but the force of Ivan's strike launched Chase's sword out of his hands, spinning into the air.
"Your tricks won't work with me Sir Chase," Ivan said as he lowered his sword, and smirked smugly at Chase, "especially if you cannot even see what is right in front of you."
Chase retrieved his sword, his face flushed. He was getting frustrated, and all of Ivan's scornful banter was irritating him.
"You would do well to heed Sir Riley's lessons."
"Alright bro, enough talkin', let's go," Chase said in a readied stance.
Another series of exchanges before Ivan caught Chase by crossing his sword over Chase's, bringing both swords to Chase's chest, as he stood behind him.
"Pity, you show a lot of promise, but you're too blind to the things right in front of you," Ivan said as he threw Chase off and readied another combination.
"What're you goin' on about mate?" Chase returned quizzically.
"Sometimes the most decisive strike," Ivan lunged at Chase, prompting a parry, that he then turned inside out, throwing the sword out of Chase's hand again. "Is made long before the sword is even swung."
Chase narrowed his eyes, and let out a confused smile. "What?"
"You would rather be in the moment, think in the moment, it makes sense why they call you the 'hot shot', it doesn't take much planning to shoot a gun, but a sword is a much more delicate tool." Ivan said as he cradled his sword with both hands, looking along the blade's edge. "A sword takes planning, you have to understand a sword, it is an extension of your body, not just a mere tool, it is your heart. When you fight with a sword, you fight with your heart."
"Whatever you say bro," Chase responded incredulously as he grabbed up his sword again. "Now are you goin' to keep talkin' or are you goin' to fight me?"
"Fight you," Ivan said with a boastful smile, "Sir Chase, I'm not fighting you, I'm defeating you."
They crossed blades again and stared into each others eyes, "I don't know why Sir Riley thinks you're even worth it!" Ivan muttered as he looked into Chase's eyes.
"What?"
The two then broke their hold, and retreated backwards.
"You, I don't know why Sir Riley bothers with you, you might as well train a gun to behave eloquently, but you cannot train a gun to behave like a blade," Ivan continued.
Chase got angry, his face turned red, so he charged at Ivan, jumping into the air, and bringing the blade down on him from overhead. They crossed blades again. "Because Riley knows who I am!"
Ivan kicked Chase off of him, sending the boy backward, "does he? I feel he doesn't know you at all, merely the facade you present, he'd as well train a gun to shoot itself!"
Chase was livid. Why was Ivan so aggressive with him. His stomach ached from where Ivan had kicked him, and he was bewildered as to why Ivan was insulting him.
"Forget it, I'm done for today," Chase said standing down and beginning to walk away.
"Tell me Sir Chase, did you win all those trophies by shrugging when things got hard?" Ivan coaxed Chase's spirit with venomous words, "that would explain why they're all so small."
Chase looked at Ivan puzzled. "What's this about mate? What's your problem with me?"
"My problem is you do not see the forest for the trees, instead preferring short term gratification to long term satisfaction. You will never win the heart of the sword as long as you fight like that, without a plan in mind, you can't woo the blade firing from the hip, it is not that kind of weapon!"
Was Ivan still talking about swords... or something else?
"Swords a weapon, like any weapon, every time someone picks it up, they bring something new to the table, whether they use it like a gun, or use it like a chess piece," Chase returned, almost as if he was reading through Ivan's metaphors. "The point is the sword decides who will wield it, even if they don't wield it the best, the sword doesn't distinguish."
"Oh! Then let the one who wields the sword less effectively become the grand loser!"
"Doesn't matter how they wield it mate," Chase shrugged off, "you can't take the sword away from them. You can disarm them, even hurt them- it's still their sword."
Ivan's face soured with rage. "What good is a sword," Ivan said as he composed himself and stood tall and vain, "if you don't even know how to use it."
Chase wouldn't let Ivan's arrogance stand any longer. "Alright mate," he declared, "one more time."
Ivan smiled and readied his sword. The two once again met swords in a clambering series of assaults, but Chase had a trick up his sleeve. "Heed Sir Riley's lessons?" Chase thought to himself. He jumped into the air, spinning 360 degrees, landing behind Ivan. Ivan's eyes widened, he hadn't prepared himself to counter any tricks. He had greatly underestimated Chase. Chase swung and hit Ivan's sword out of his hands. He then stood firmly and smiled at Ivan who looked back at him stunned before instinctively bowing courteously.
"Here here, sir Chase, well done."
Chase went and grabbed his skateboard and put his sword down on the table.
"I've got to go meet up with Kaylee, tell Riley I came by," Chase said as he walked off.
Ivan watched as Chase left. Next time he would be ready for that trick. Ivan sighed heavily.
What was this feeling? Jealousy? Ivan threw his sword down angrily. He was still getting used to modern society, and he was struggling with something he had never felt before... a strange attraction to Riley. He didn't know whether it was a protective kinship, or something...more. He did know one thing though, although he didn't understand it. Chase preoccupied a large part of Riley's mind for some reason, and Ivan hated that... but he also envied it.