bowfaire: (A wounded deer - leaps highest)
Claude von Riegan ([personal profile] bowfaire) wrote in [community profile] elibe2021-04-15 04:58 pm
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bestswordmaster: (preskip nnggghhh)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-02 08:10 am (UTC)(link)
Tch.

[So Claude's going to be like that, huh? Fine with Felix. He prefers not to hang back too much anyway; he's not surprised that the archer would.

His advance is swift and steady, but measured; this is no headfirst charge. Claude will find him a relentless, highly focused, and vicious fighter, not at all averse to stepping outside the standard forms to land a hit or break a standoff. He dodges and parries in equal measure, but his dodging never takes him too far from where he was if he can help it. He can switch hands relatively effectively, which helps him be unpredictable, and perhaps most importantly, he's fast. Which is good, because Claude is, too.

Felix can't tell which of them has the advantage in raw strength - at least, until his Crest activates to put much more weight behind a blow. And it's a Major Crest, so it activates often. But Felix doesn't count on his Crest in his technique; it's just gravy.]
bestswordmaster: (swordmaster)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-03 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[Felix was prepared to be bored by this match, but it becomes apparent quickly that Claude actually does know what he's doing. Interesting... Felix doesn't think much of his hit-and-run tactics--in a real battle, drawing a close-quarters fight out like that just gives you more opportunities to die, a lesson most archers never learn because they don't have to--but he's quick, he fights intelligently, and he's not afraid to do whatever it takes to win.

Maybe there's something worthwhile in pairing up with Claude after all.

Still, Felix has the advantage in both strength and stamina, and he wields his sword like it's an extension of his arm. He's not prone to lowering his guard just because he thinks he's close to victory, but he does expect this to be the end of the match. It takes him by surprise when a sharp pain shoots up his leg and drives him stumbling to one knee with a clipped, wordless shout; instinctively, he lifts his sword to parry whatever might be following that kick.

He looks up at Claude between their crossed blades and gives him a smirk.]


So you do have some fight in you after all, Riegan.

[This is a bad position to be in, though, so Felix simultaneously shoves upward with his sword and swings a leg out in an attempt to sweep Claude's feet out from under him in return.]
bestswordmaster: (postskip >:D)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-03 03:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[The instant Felix feels the pressure against his blade give way, he's shifting his weight onto the leg he tried to sweep with and pushing forward. This practice sword doesn't have enough heft to it to do what Felix needs to do before Claude regains his footing, so he turns his lunge into a tackle, throwing his entire weight behind it to bear Claude down to the floor. As soon as they land, Felix whips his sword around to hold the blade to Claude's throat, as though it were steel.

It's Felix looking down this time, and his smirk turns self-satisfied.]


Do you yield?
bestswordmaster: (postskip really)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-03 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[Felix rarely makes eye contact with anyone when he's talking to them, but here in the training grounds with a sword in hand, he doesn't hesitate to meet Claude's gaze. He sees the flash there, the unwillingness to lose - very familiar, and very much not what he expected from Claude.

...and then he's complaining, back to his usual ridiculous self, but Felix isn't quite as fooled anymore. There's more to Claude than meets the eye, he's sure of it.

He pulls his sword back and gets to his feet, instinct telling him not to turn his back on Claude despite the spar having ended. Never turn your back on an opponent. Especially not one as clever as this one. Instead, he just steps back and gives Claude an unimpressed look.]


Stop whining. I told you I wasn't going to go easy on you.
bestswordmaster: (preskip is that so)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-05 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
What? That's exactly what it means. I always go all out. Neither of us learns anything otherwise. You'd better not have been holding back.

[He shrugs at this talk of his Crest. It does nothing if he isn't skilled enough to put it to good use. It's a secondary concern for him, although he does acknowledge that his foes have to contend with it. That's just another reason for Claude to train harder.

Felix listens carefully to Byleth's critiques, and perhaps surprisingly, doesn't protest or even look disgruntled when she assigns them to regular training together. He just nods.]


Agreed.

[He turns to Claude, then.]

You like to pretend you're a beginner, but you're not. And you like to complain about training, but I saw it in your eyes. You wanted to keep going. To win.
bestswordmaster: (postskip ugh)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-11 07:26 am (UTC)(link)
Hmph. Maybe you should calculate less and train more, then.

[Felix doesn't know what he means by 'miscalculated,' but he doesn't particularly care, either. He's more interested in coaxing that other Claude back out again. Next time won't be experimental, on Felix's part - next time, he'll know what to expect, and put Claude down faster.

(Felix doesn't know yet that Claude is much too unpredictable for that kind of certainty.)

He gives Claude a flat look and then turns to put his practice sword away.]


Playing stupid doesn't suit you any more than it suits Sylvain. You have a hunger to fight, there's no point in denying it. I'll find out what it is.
bestswordmaster: (preskip felix explains it all)

[personal profile] bestswordmaster 2021-06-16 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
That's fine in practice. But in the middle of battle, you won't always have time to calculate everything. You need the ingrained muscle memory, too, or you'll be caught off-guard.

[Felix arches a brow at all this pointless dissembling, and then blinks.]

If you're telling me to learn more about our classmates, I assume the Professor will tell me anything I need to know about them. But if 'someone' would be happy to explain, then be that someone. If there's something you want me to know, just tell me. I'm not doing research for your amusement.
Edited 2021-06-16 05:54 (UTC)