Jack Puts Me Through My Paces [open post]

[summerdude]

"Señor, you really should practice more," Jack says, as Magnus rearranges his mental notes and sighs.

(Anyone else might think Magnus is just lying back on a bench on the grounds, staring at the sky, lost in thought. And technically, he is. But he's working hard!!! He's trying to sort out everyone he's encountered so far!!!)

"You're right," Magnus groans. Being in a weird Mansion with no way out, no established Battle Practice, and no pressing quests to go on is not an excuse to let his limited fighting skills fall by the wayside. He hauls himself upright and shoves his (still largely blank) notebook into his backpack.

Twenty minutes later, he's secured a practice sword from some random closet or another in the Mansion. It's dull steel, not sentient, and heavy in his hands.

"Perfect," Jack decides, so Magnus tramps back out to the spacious lawn, one sword in each hand. Checking to make sure no one is directly in harm's way, he releases Jack and brings the dull training sword up, ready to parry whatever attack Jack decides to throw at him.

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[sagramore]

Sagramore hasn't used his sword much since he arrived. When he practices with Laertes, as he occasionally does, he uses one of the practice foils; his own greatsword is heavier and more unwieldy, all the wrong style. When he sees Magnus practicing, it makes him suddenly realize that he misses the heft of that sword in his hand.

"Would you mind a third?"

[summerdude]

"Hey!" Magnus says, casting back through his memory to affix a name to this face. "Sagramore, right? The more the merrier, dude." He grins, and jokes^*, "I promise I won't try to kill you."

*It's not really a joke. He has to remind himself that here, people can die.

[sagramore]

"I'd appreciate that, actually. My sword's upstairs, give me a moment."

He's back shortly with the scabbard belted on, though he immediately undoes the buckle when he's close enough (it's unwieldy to wear for practice).

[summerdude]

"Oh, cool sword," Magnus says, looking at it. "And sword... holder." He doesn't know much about scabbards, given that Jack takes the shape of a necklace pendant when Magnus isn't using him. "Do you wanna go one on one, or two on one --" here, he gestures at Jack -- "or more of a free for all? One on one on one, I guess."

[sagramore]

"Thank you. It was my father's," lightly. "We can do melee."

[summerdude]

"Sick," Magnus says. "Jack is training me to do better at fighting without relying on him to do most of the work. I think I've gotten pretty good at it?"

"Passable," Jack observes. He tilts his blade toward Sagramore, taking in Sagramore's sword at the same time. "Oh, I bet this beauty can fight," he says, happily, and takes what can only be described as a very... flirtatious swing at Sagramore's sword.

[sagramore]

That's new! But as an inveterate flirt himself, Sagramore feels he should take it in stride.

His sword is a two-handed, doubled-edged blade, so it takes more effort to wield and swing, but he's been keeping his upper body strength relatively trained and he blocks smoothly.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji stops in his own pursuits (a dutiful patrol of the perimeter of the woods, primarily) to observe Magnus and Jack at their work. He watches from a moderate distance, sincerely interested in the techniques that Magnus and his talking sword may choose to use.

Bichen is, of course, at his side, a steady spiritual presence. Lan Wangji curls his fingers around the hilt as he takes in the scene before him.

[summerdude]

"Oh!" Magnus says, when he catches sight of Lan Wangji. What was it that Shen Qingqiu had called him? A title. It meant Light-Bearing Lord.

He parries Jack's next attack, then tells him to hold on, quietly. Then he gives Lan Wangji a cheery wave. On second thought, though -- he follows it up with an awkward bow. "Hanguang-jun," he tries. That was the it, right? That was the name Shen Qingqiu had given. "Hello! What's up?"

[lightbearinglord]

Admittedly, Lan Wangji is lightly startled to hear his title from the mouth of a teenager who is so clearly not from his own world. Here, he has grown nearly accustomed to hearing it from no one but Wei Ying, who is biting back a laugh half of the time that he says it.

"Young master Chase," he greets him. He nods toward Jack, an indication of his interest in their practice.

[summerdude]

"Oh, please call me Magnus," Magnus says. If Alex heard anyone call him young master Chase, he'd definitely laugh so hard he'd fall over. "It's gorgeous out, right? Jack has reminded me of the importance of staying in practice."

[lightbearinglord]

Briefly, Lan Wangji glances skyward. It is indeed lovely, and to be appreciated.

"Will you show me your techniques?" he asks, deciding on plainness of intent.

[summerdude]

"Sure," Magnus says. "Hey Jack. Wanna show off for Bichen?"

"Do I ever," Jack says, doing a little swoop in the air.

And then Jack attacks Magnus in earnest. Magnus parries, carefully and effectively, striking back when he can. It's weird, to fight an opponent without a body. Usually during Battle Practice it's so easy to tell what to do -- you can read it in their body language, or sic sword at them while you try and hide, or take someone out of the equation by stabbing them. With Jack, all he can do is protect his own body and try and knock Jack off-balance. And Jack is one of the best swords in the world, so this is no mean feat.

So Magnus is very pleased to be able to hold his own, even if it does involve taking a few... unconventional stances and moves.

[timebethine]

Laertes hears the clash of steel on steel, and he looks up from the board he's bending to shape by the boat shed. He shoves it into place around the last peg of the frame, then swiftly belts his sword back on and jogs over toward Magnus. "Art well?" he calls, unsure whether the flying sword is friend or foe. Magnus doesn't seem frightened of it, so Laertes doesn't immediately leap to his defense.

[summerdude]

"Art?" Magnus asks, pausing in his practice and wiping the faintest trace of sweat off his brow. "I guess some people would consider it art. I mostly just think of it as practice. But thanks!"

[timebethine]

Laertes laughs. "I mean, art thou well," he says. "But I see thou art both well and good--thou hast a quick hand with a blade. What's this thing you fight? An enchanted sword?"

[summerdude]

"Oh, yeah, this is Jack, he's my sword," Magnus says. He knows better than to reach out and take Jack in hand to bring him closer -- they've been sparring long enough that the exertion will probably hit Magnus hard and fast, and he'll get very worn out very quickly. "Actually -- maybe you've heard his original name before. Sumarbrander?"

[timebethine]

"Summer fire?" Laertes grins, and makes a quick salute with his own sword. "A good name. Does he prefer Jack?"

[summerdude]

"I sure do," Jack says. "Sumarbrander is way too long for a sword like me! Plus," he adds, with a note of betrayal to his voice, "Frey gave me that first name."

Magnus gives Laertes a crooked smile. "What he said."

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad isn't sure that he wants to talk to Magnus, exactly, but he does feel he owes him something, and he should make some sort of overture.

In practice, he just ends up finding a quiet spot where he can watch Magnus spar with his sword, sitting in the grass with his knees drawn up to his chest.

[summerdude]

It takes Magnus a good few minutes to realize Galahad is sitting there -- his situational awareness is not the best, especially when he's zeroed in on fighting practice. When he does, though, he ducks Jack's next swing, drops the practice sword onto the grass, and wanders over, hands in his pockets.

He stops about five paces away. "Hey man," he says, pulling one hand out of his pocket to wave. "How's, um." He means to ask 'the hand,' but he's worried that might be a touchy subject. "Things?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"My hand is well. Thank you."

[summerdude]

"Oh good!" Magnus says, greatly cheered. With a good deal less hesitance, he asks, "Is the scar gnarly enough for you?"

[onthewillowsthere]

He glances down at it. "It's good."

[summerdude]

"Phew," Magnus says. He's not sure what else to say, after that. The first thing that comes to mind is 'you look cleaner,' but that's so rude. He settles on, "I've been training, like, all day. My sword is a real taskmaster, you know?"