summerdude | It's Parent-Teacher Midafternoon At The Ol' Secret Training Grounds [closed]

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It's Parent-Teacher Midafternoon At The Ol' Secret Training Grounds [closed]

Magnus, who now definitely knows that many mansion residents keep specific daily schedules (thanks Galahad!), can reliably find Hanguang-jun whenever he needs him. (Unless it's the part of the schedule when Hanguang-jun is alone with Wei Wuxian, in which case Magnus can find him but, for the sake of his own mental peace, elects to never ever do that unless it's a genuine emergency.) He can also reliably find Galahad, Sunny, at least one of their shared fathers, Tress, and sometimes Claudius, except Claudius's unpredictability is genuinely unpredictable, as opposed to, say, Tally's unpredictability, which is predictably unpredictable.

Lancelot is definitely a regular schedule kind of guy, but outside of their training sessions, Magnus has no idea what it is. Magnus asks Galahad since Galahad is his go-to calendar and schedules guy; Galahad's brow wrinkles infinitesimally in the way that, on someone else, would be an incredulous, laughing 'what are you up to?' and his lips quirk when Magnus clarifies that he has really reasonable regular normal reasons for wanting to know. (Then Galahad tells him Susan's schedule, which is helpful, because Magnus is generally interested in avoiding her.)

All of this to say that Magnus doesn't actually manage to track Lancelot down and give him a heads up on the same morning he non-randomly encounters Hanguang-jun after dropping Sunny back with their dads, and impulsively asks "So, wanna do parent-teacher conference day? Me and Lancelot train after lunch in that clearing way out past Dads' house."

Whatever. He'd cleared that it was okay with Lancelot at, like, some point, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

So in the end, Lancelot gets about thirty seconds' warning that Hanguang-jun will be joining, between when Magnus rocks up, practice sword in one hand, shield in the other, and Jack flying around behind him, calling, "How's it going, Swordmaster Dickface^*? We've got company today," and when Hanguang-jun alights from Bichen.

*He's still workshopping appropriate nicknames

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Lancelot, who is somewhat preoccupied with his usual gear check prior to training, says, mostly jovially, "Swordmaster Dickface? Really, Magn--"

He looks up sharply as Lan Wangji arrives, and his expression is caught somewhere between amused, mildly aggrieved, and faintly surprised.

Lan Wangji, the soles of his boots having barely a moment ago made soft contact with the earth, looks at Lancelot's expression with faint surprise of his own. Sheer force of habit has his hands meeting and his body folding into a polite bow.

"Hey, Hanguang-jun," Magnus says. He's familiar with Lancelot's gear-checking routine -- and has asked enough questions, over the months, that he actually gets why Lancelot does it by this point, and he's used to waiting mostly-patiently and entertaining himself with a stream of witty banter. So he bow to Hanguang-jun, shoos Jack up to his now-usual vantage point high above the clearing, and asks, "Would you prefer something different? Swordmaster Asshat? Um, Swordmaster... Big Ear? Swordmaster... oh, by the way," as he remembers a conversation from earlier that morning, "Sunny wants a lesson soon. Well, specifically she said she wants to play swords. So... basically a lesson."

Lancelot recovers and bows to Lan Wangji, saying, "Hanguang-jun, good day."

Then when he straightens he says to Magnus, "Very well. Bring her along, next time, if she is free."

Edited 2024-12-13 14:20 (UTC)

"Good afternoon," Lan Wangji returns, remaining calmly polite. He is not certain of the shape of Magnus' hopes for this lesson -- whether he wants Lan Wangji to observe, to participate, or something else. He does, however, frown lightly at Magnus as Bichen sweeps through the air after him and its hilt lands familiarly in his palm. "Are you always this rude to your teacher?"

Magnus blinks at Hanguang-jun, clearly perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"Yes," Lancelot says calmly, smiling a little. "Magnus is Magnus."

Magnus is Magnus, and apparently Magnus is always this rude to his teacher. Lan Wangji files that away without comment. "Mn." He slips Bichen into its scabbard, then. Presumably he ought to at least begin by observing.

Magnus is -- nervous? Magnus is nervous. He settles his shield into place and grips his sword and tries to shake it off, rolling his shoulders back, bouncing once or twice on the balls of his feet, and settling into a loose posture, ready for whatever Lancelot decides comes first. "Okay," he says, and waits.

"You're ready?" Lancelot asks Magnus, the smile brightening a little. He moves to his usual starting point and eases into his stance, shield up. He looks comfortable, relaxed.

Sincerely interested to see this, Lan Wangji positions himself at the edge of their makeshift training yard. His hands tuck themselves neatly behind his back, and his eyes are sharp on both of them.

Magnus has learned a lot over the past eightish months. Even with his nerves, Hanguang-jun will see that he advances with more confidence than the few times they sparred upon his arrival, fast and focused and with a good economy of movement. He and Lancelot have been working on his openings lately, and he tries a new feint right off the bat.

Edited 2024-12-13 23:29 (UTC)

Lancelot slips quickly to the side, turning to swing his blade in a counter with the goal of putting Magnus a little off-balance.

It does, and Magnus dances to the side, bringing his shield up as he tries to center himself again. He's getting steadily better at his recoveries, and it's only a moment or two before he's twisting to change the angle of his next attack.

This, Lancelot bats away with his own shield, even as he brings his blade up inside the area of Magnus' guard.

Magnus grins and brings his arm down, knocking his wrist against Lancelot's. There's probably something better he could be doing with the sword he's holding, but it's still hard for him to redirect it in a useful way when they're in close quarters like this. He still counts the move as a success: the edge of Lancelot's blade manages to nick his t-shirt, but nothing else.

"Aha!" Lancelot laughs, backing off for a moment. "'Tis good we are not fencing -- a touch for both, in that case."

"I don't get the point of fencing," Magnus says, mostly to be obstinate, "unless the fencing we're talking about involves stolen goods. Hey, Teach, I bet I could pickpocket you and you'd never even know." As he's talking, he's settling back into position...

...and remembering that Hanguang-jun is there. He glances over, again a little nervous.

Edited 2024-12-20 03:27 (UTC)

Lan Wangji, of course, is observing with a perfectly expressionless expression in place. He notes all the ways in which Magnus has improved: his increased confidence, the concision of his movement, the way he has learned to inhabit his own body with greater comfort. If this is the unchanging body he is to have for the rest of his days, that comfort will serve him well.

He meets Magnus' gaze with a little warmth, nearly invisible to the average observer. "The use of the shield remains novel to me," he remarks; normally he would say nothing at all here, but he has the sense that Magnus wants to be assured of him. He doesn't raise his voice at all, but it still carries.

"If we were fencing, we'd have no shields-- but Magnus requested this style of fighting, and I was glad to oblige."

He returns to his spot, taking up his stance again and saying to Magnus, "The point of fencing is, of course, to practice one's skills but it is also for sport and enjoyment."

"The swords are so skinny they can't even do anything. They have Fencing To the Death in Valhalla and it always takes forever because they can barely stab." Magnus wrinkles his nose. "Usually the fencers end up bludgeoning each other with their helmets to get the job done." This time he's going to let Lancelot start, so he makes a come at me, bro sort of gesture around the hilt. (The gesture? Is Magnus flipping Lancelot the bird. Whatever, he knows what Magnus means by that.)

Edited 2024-12-21 00:04 (UTC)

Lan Wangji could comment on the obvious fact that an activity intended for practice and sportsmanship should not need death as its aim. He could also comment on the dismal brutality of Valhalla. But, of course, he makes no comment at all, and he schools his expression to bland neutrality as he prepares to observe their second round.

"Magnus," Lancelot says, level and nearly as dryly as Galahad can often be, "I am not fencing Laertes to the death."

Then he launches himself toward Magnus, fairly aggressively, testing whether he thinks to deflect without creating a larger opening.

"Wait. Fencing is—" Don't say foreplay, don't say foreplay. "—flirting????" Magnus demands, but he's not so distracted that he forgets to block, which he does by dropping into a low-to-the-ground-crouch, bringing his shield up, so Lancelot will have to adjust; he's banking on the strength in his legs and his general sprightliness to be able to get the upper (lower?) hand.

It's effective, and if this were something more like melee training Lancelot might seek to make Magnus fall and force him to yield. Instead, he adjusts his swing and uses his momentum to turn and bring the blade in toward Magnus' side.

"Think about it," is all he says.

"Think about flirting?" Magnus demands. He's not as distracted as he sounds, and he shifts, knocking Lancelot's sword aside with the flat of his blade and trying to bring his own up under Lancelot's arm. "You? Flirting? With Laerdad?" He gags theatrically, twisting his blade and surging forward. "--Oh, by the way, I told him about your secret juggling-fu. You're welcome."

Edited 2024-12-21 22:51 (UTC)

Lan Wangji remains quiet, so as not to interrupt them, but he does think with some well-worn satisfaction of the night he met Wei Ying: the moonlight, Wei Ying's irrepressible smile, and the perfect match between their swordsmanship as they danced across the Cloud Recesses walls. He knows precisely what Lancelot means.

Lancelot's face sets in an expression that probably looks somewhat dire, but in actuality is him stifling a confused outburst at both Laerdad and juggling-fu. He forces himself to focus, narrowly dodging Magnus' blade and twisting a bit to slam his shield down into Magnus'.

"Oh, nice one," says Magnus, who is finally — finally — letting himself forget that Hanguang-jun is right there and have fun. His arm is totally ringing with the force of Lancelot's shield-slam, and he tries to use that leverage to shove him back.

Edited 2024-12-24 01:41 (UTC)

Because Lan Wangji has never fought with a shield, his interest in its use is wholly sincere. His gaze sharpens on the push and pull of their two shields -- although hopefully it is an intangible sharpening, for Magnus' benefit.

Lancelot lets himself be shoved back, shifting his weight so as to keep his footing; his hope is that this will make Magnus overbold, make him think he has an opening.

Unfortunately, he's actually a good teacher, and Magnus scrambles back into a better position, circling, looking for an actual opening.

Fortunately, then, this little flash of clear insight from Magnus does not escape Lan Wangji, and if someone who were skilled at reading his expressions glanced his way, that person might notice his fond approval.

"Oh, very good," Lancelot says, breathless and grinning, even as he resets his stance, moving to keep facing Magnus.

Magnus grins back, some of his hair in his teeth and a joyous light in his eyes, and then comes at Lancelot like a whirlwind, angling so that Lancelot will have to keep turning to face him head-on, aiming for a spot under Lancelot's arm that he hopes will be awkward to block. He's not looking at Hanguang-jun at all, so he misses the approval; he's now totally focused on the fight.

Edited 2024-12-28 17:33 (UTC)

That is just as well, and perhaps even likelier to fan the spark of that approval into something more robust. Lan Wangji continues to observe with sincere fascination; he is more attentive to Magnus, interested by the way he has changed since the last time they fought side by side nearly a year ago, but his eyes often light on Lancelot, the more proficient of the two, as well.

Lancelot's advantages are: decades of rigorous training and drilling; actual battle experience (in which dying is definitely to be avoided); and a not-insignificant amount of natural aptitude and endurance. Of these, two give him an edge over Magnus and his einherjar enhancements. But now that Magnus has been training with him for a while, and taking things seriously to boot, Lancelot is finding that it's rather difficult to keep up with him. He finds that he has, of late, been tempted now and then to pull the sorts of stunts he would in a real melee tourney back at court. To take what might feel to Magnus like a cheap shot, or to disarm him; to go hard enough to push Magnus back and eventually put him on the ground. He doesn't ever do this, though.

Magnus still has things to learn, refinements to make -- everyone does. But he is terribly fast, and Lancelot has to put in real work to deflect or block his whirlwind of strikes. He manages to do this, though it's a near thing, and then he shifts enough to twist and snake around to hit Magnus' thigh with the flat of his blade.

Magnus is halfway into autopiloting his usual reaction when Lancelot gets a hit whenever someone else has joined them -- clapping his hand to the spot, letting out an almighty wail, and shouting, 'he got me! avenge me!' (usually their visitors are Sunny -- who likes Playing Swords and who Magnus doesn't want to worry and also it's really cute when she goes raaaaa and does her little chubby-leg toddler run at him, sometimes with her little wooden practice sword in hand and but more often with just her teeth bared -- or Alex, who sometimes sides with Lancelot, sometimes shouts totally unhelpful things like 'sigma delta offensive!' or 'fourth down!', and on one very notable occasion, kissed the boo-boo as soon as they were done) -- when he remembers that it's Hanguang-jun with them, and Hanguang-jun probably won't react in that way. He gets as far as the wail, then pulls up short, replays Lancelot's movements in his mind, and tries to recreate the twist.

"Like that?" he asks, running through the motions twice more.

Edited 2024-12-29 18:47 (UTC)

"Aye, just so," Lancelot looks pleased with him. He lowers his blade and shield. "You've been sparring with Alex, now and then, haven't you?"

"Ummmmmmmm," says Magnus, and turns bright red. "Sort of?"

At this, Lan Wangji makes nearly involuntary eye contact with Magnus, who appears to have erred in his efforts to look at anything or anyone other than Lancelot. His eyebrows twitch upward, an expression of very, very subtle amusement on his face.

Lancelot's own eyebrows are rather raised; he glances over at Lan Wangji. Is it the sparring as flirting thing, or something more?

He certainly is not going to share any details of his own sparring-as-~~foreplay~~flirting sessions with Magnus or Lan Wangji, and his own urge to tease Magnus seems mean-spirited in general, given present company. So instead he says, "That's well. Our sessions alone would not be enough practice to truly build your skills. I am glad that Alex is a help to you."

"Yeah," says Magnus, loudly, directing the full force of his attention up to Jack. "Yeah, Alex is helpful."

Jack, a traitor of a blade, pipes up, "Wait, you mean like when he turned into a bear and started--"

"REALLY HELPFUL," Magnus says, even more loudly. Someone -- not him -- might describe him as yelling over the sound of Jack's voice. "I ALSO PLAY SWORDS WITH SUNNY TOO BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY TRAINING."

Helpfully or not, Lan Wangji does manage to calmly interject: "You are still welcome to join Galahad and me any morning you see fit."

Edited 2024-12-31 02:10 (UTC)

Lancelot winces a bit at the yelling. "A bear," he says, to himself, with a thoughtful frown. But he brushes that off. "I think that spending time learning what Hanguang-jun has to show you, sparring or training with Galahad... that would be beneficial, as well. It is good to spend time at such things with those close to you, and to learn as many styles and methods as one can."

"I can't do morning practices, that's when I have Sunny Time. So Dadgramore and Laerdad can sleep in." Everyone here definitely knows 'sleep in' is probably a euphemism, and Magnus refuses to blush about it. "Unless..." he glances at Hanguang-jun. He doesn't want anyone to think his continuing array of flimsy excuses are flimsy excuses! "She could play swords with you too. If it's not too disruptive."

Edited 2024-12-31 04:05 (UTC)

"I am not easily distracted, but that is for Galahad to decide." Their training is for Galahad's benefit, not his own -- although he does enjoy and appreciate the chance to have a student, to keep to a routine with him, and to watch his strength and skill grow.

"I think, if he is open to it, that you should. There is only so much I can teach you, unless you wish to start doing other sorts of practice... without the shield, or with some other sort of blade."

Magnus blinks at Lancelot. "I'm not married to the shield," he says. "Or this sword. I am in a lifelong committed platonic relationship with Jack--"

"You better believe it!" Jack interjects, swooping closer now that he's been mentioned specifically by name.

"--but, like, you know."

Naturally, the topic of whether Magnus ought to join them or not at their morning training is, for better or worse, a slightly fraught one, but he has always been welcome. "I will ask Galahad about Sunny, if you like."

That's Magnus's bluff called! "Cool," he says.

Unaware that he was calling a bluff at all, Lan Wangji only gives him a fond look, the corners of his eyes just crinkling in the suggestion of a smile.

"Well, then," Lancelot says, briskly. "Thou'rt free to ask me to continue as we have, to request something new, and to visit with Hanguang-jun and Galahad. As thou likest."

"Whatever you think is best," Magnus says, managing to make his tone sound brazen instead of, like, uncertain or deferential or whatever.

Addressing Lancelot now, Lan Wangji asks, "How may I assist here, today? Is there anything?"

"I think not-- I only wish for you to enjoy yourself and Magnus' progress. He has applied himself dutifully."

"Aw, shucks," says Magnus, just as embarrassed as when Alex came up. And then, since he's ready for the attention to be off him: "You guys should show off, though."

Lan Wangji glances at Lancelot. He is willing, but he waits to see if the same is true of Lancelot before he indicates any answer.

"We can certainly spar," he says easily. "Though in a contest of blades, I believe Hanguang-jun will best me."

"Yeah, and it'll give me top tips for kicking your ass, dude."

"Learning is the objective," Lan Wangji notes, giving him a bit of a perturbed look. "Lancelot is your teacher."

"Mmn," Lancelot responds, with theatrical thoughtfulness. "He has a certain point, Magnus."

"You're being weird, teach," Magnus says, and widens his dead-inside eyes. "I thought learning to kick your ass was the point???"

"Magnus," Lan Wangji says mildly, presuming he will need to say nothing more to make the point of the reproach.

Lancelot only laughs at Magnus' expression, "You know well that that's not so. No matter. Hanguang-jun, if you would enjoy sparring I will put the shield aside."

"I would." Lan Wangji does not need to straighten, not from his already-perfect posture, but that posture does seem to shift slightly, a slide into readiness for a more active role in the afternoon's events. He puts a hand to his hip where Bichen sits.

"Excellent," he says. He then works to unbuckle the shield and set it carefully aside, a process which takes a few minutes. Once that's done, he moves into position and gives a polite little bow to indicate that he's ready to begin, then draws his blade and settles into a two-handed stance.

Magnus scoots out of the way, watching avidly.

Thus prompted, Lan Wangji draws Bichen. It gleams coldly as he lifts it, the intangible sense of frostiness that always accompanies the sight of its blade. He nods at Lancelot, polite in turn, and then he takes the offensive, descending on Lancelot with a clean slice of his sword.

Lancelot does have a moment to think about the fact that he possibly should not have forsaken the shield, given that he's spent so much time with it lately. But wielding his blade in this fashion has been his favorite, his most comfortable method, since he was a teenager -- and it is the way he drills each morning. It's easy to tell his mind to step back and let his senses and training take over.

He deflects Lan Wangji's swing fairly easily, though he is always impressed by his power and precision, and very quickly shifts his momentum to swing his own blade around in an arc to try for a touch on Lan Wangji's right hip.

Magnus's eyes dart between them, tracking their every move.

For the purposes of sparring with Lancelot, Lan Wangji means, generally, to avoid anything that Gideon might accusingly call cheating. Bichen's blade gleams, but he will not release its qi; he will not wield it without the use of his hands. That said, there is a certain lightness of movement that he cannot avoid as he whirls away from Lancelot's attempted blow, gravity's hold on him laxer than its hold on most. Without missing a beat, he ducks into a lower stance, Bichen's next arc through the air aimed toward Lancelot's legs.

Lan Wangji's fluidity of movement is impressive; it's not quite telegraphing his next move, but there's something dancelike about it that makes Lancelot think they could easily get into the flow of sparring. They've sparred several times now, and Lancelot is starting to think he might understand Lan Wangji's forms and how they may differ from those he has learned. Bichen's sweeping arc does make him have to recalibrate and dodge backward, chuckling a little as he puts some space between them to reset his own stance.

"Yeah!" Magnus cheers, fully expecting them both to ignore him. "Fuck him up, Hanguang-jun!"

Edited 2025-01-14 22:33 (UTC)

As anticipated, Lan Wangji ignores Magnus, which might be for the best. Magnus might not have enjoyed his quelling expression at the use of profanity around his teacher, who is, so far as Lan Wangji can tell, a perfectly competent one.

Since they are sparring, and Lan Wangji is not attempting to defeat Lancelot in any meaningful way, he gives him the space to recover. Once he can see that he has his feet back under him, though, he descends on him anew, this time in a whirl of robes from the outset, Bichen's swing bringing it from low, near the ground, up toward Lancelot through the air.

Lancelot does cast the quickest glance at Magnus -- it's much closer to the expression he used to wear when Magnus was contrary with him in ways he didn't understand. But he's not so easily distracted. He is starting to learn, better, how to track Lan Wangji's blade among the movement of his robes. They have the advantage, as well, of throwing off Lancelot's read of Lan Wangji's stance, but he's learning to compensate for that as well.

He shifts to the side, away from the direction of Lan Wangji's swing, and deflects Bichen neatly.

Magnus leans forward, falling silent, captivated. Obviously Hanguang-jun and Lancelot are still getting a sense of each other's moves, but they're both good. Sometimes Magnus forgets just how good they both are at this. He wonders if maybe he should ask to watch them spar again, here and there -- he's already putting together new ideas of things to try during his next lesson.

The tidiness of Lancelot's parry prompts a single glance of understated appreciation from Lan Wangji, whose response is to backflip, with equal tidiness, away from him to regain his footing and to find a moment to consider strategy. The landing is soft, muffled footfalls on the grass. When he swoops back in, he does it more quickly, with a more precise flick of his blade, testing Lancelot's speed.

Speed is one of Lancelot's strong suits, and his own gaze is keenly sharp on Lan Wangji's movements. He parries Bichen with what deceptively looks like ease. Then he switches his grip, shifting to one hand in order to bring his blade rapidly around and strike at Lan Wangji's legs.

Whoa. That was actually so fluid. It looked almost like dancing? Enthused, and to his own surprise, Magnus hollers, "Yeah! School him, teach!"

Lan Wangji executes another neat backwards flip, a flurry of robes and a brief defiance of gravity in it, to avoid Lancelot's sword. Rather than giving Magnus the satisfaction of reacting to his heckling, Lan Wangji meets Lancelot's gaze with a little well done nod. He wastes no further time before pressing back in on him with Bichen, a flurry of crisp swings of the blade to match those voluminous robes of his.

As it happens -- as Lancelot probably should have guessed -- it is much easier for him to keep pace with Lan Wangji when wielding his blade one-handed. It also gives him more opportunity to attempt to telegraph his own moves less clearly. He does not have the sort of maneuverability that Lan Wangji's cultivation allows, but he certainly can act with a little less of the expected discipline and more creativity.

It is a very rewarding challenge.

He parries several of those swings, then twists to present his unarmed side while bringing his own blade in with a swing from above.

Magnus is definitely enthralled, by now. He feels like he should be taking notes or something. Mental notes will have to do. Hanguang-jun and Lancelot are moving really fast, but even as he's watching them, he's running what he can understand of their moves through his mind, step by step, trying to figure out how he could replicate them or counter them.

The rhythm of their sparring is a satisfying one, at once predictable and intermittently surprising. This is not a battle; it is a conversation, and perhaps an easier conversation than any he and Lancelot have ever tried to have with their words. They don't know one another well, but Lan Wangji has seen the glimpses of their surprising commonalities.

He nearly takes the bait, and it is only through a practiced twist of his own blade, upward rather than sideways, that he meets Lancelot's swing to block it.

"Christ, I could wish for a shield," Lancelot breathes, laughing as he backs up enough to reset his stance.

For a brief, thrilling second, Magnus considers what would happen if he flung a shield at Lancelot's face in that moment. Ultimately, though, he decides to just sit and watch.

"You may have a shield if I may use my cultivation more heavily," Lan Wangji suggests, lightly. It is difficult to tell whether he is or is not serious.

Lancelot grins, "I hesitate to agree to that, as I've seen some of what thou'rt capable of. I doubt I am a match for thee, under those circumstances."

"You should both go ham," Magnus suggests from the sidelines. "And throw Jack in the mix, too. He could use a workout."

"That is a very bad idea," Lan Wangji says, although he still sounds relatively lighthearted by his standards.

"I would agree," fairly jovially.

"Suit yourselves," with an exaggerated eyeroll.

Lan Wangji is too polite to say outright that, no matter how disrespectfully he speaks to his teacher, he doubts Magnus wants to see Lancelot so utterly defeated. And thus he merely bows to Lancelot, who was nonetheless a worthy opponent and partner in this. "Thank you."

Lancelot returns the bow with one of his own, more formal bows. "As I thank thee. I would gladly spare again."

Magnus looks between the two of them. "Wait, you're done? Who won?"

"Neither of us. As I said: learning was the objective."

"Aye," agreeably. He turns to Magnus, "And didst thou learn anything?"

"Yeah," says Magnus promptly, pulled back from asking who won at learning by Lancelot's question. "First of all, you should both fight each other and Jack at the same time. Second of all, I need robes. It was easier to track Lancelot's moves," and this is probably not just because they're more familiar to him after their months of dedicated training? "And harder to tell what Hanguang-jun was doing underneath them." He squints at Lancelot. "That's the times he surprised you, right? When his clothes were, like, billowing?"

Lan Wangji appears faintly surprised, but genuinely intrigued, by this takeaway. He is of course used to sparring with other cultivators, who are often wearing clothing just as loose as his own. He glances at Lancelot, interested to hear the answer.

Lancelot smiles, not so much surprised as pleased that Magnus is actually thinking through this. "Yes, some of the time. It is true that the robes make it more difficult for one used to either clothing like this," plucking at his own shirt, "or armor. But also, his sword is different and thus the techniques differ. I am not well familiar with how one best wields a blade such as his, and so less able to understand what his intentions may be."

"She's a jian," Magnus says, promptly, with an expression on his face like he's puzzling out the differences in techniques. "Double-edged, and can accommodate one- or two-handed fighting. No shields, traditionally. And yours is a longsword, which can also accommodate one- or two-handed fighting, but the shortest longswords are generally still longer than the longest jian. I think maybe that's part of the difference. Even though Bichen is pretty long for a jian, I bet when you train with one there's an expectation of closer quarters than training with a longsword. And both of those are different from Norse swords like Jack... like, Norse swords are still double-edged... and a little longer than most jian, but still in the same blade-length ballpark... but they're specifically meant to be used with a round shield and against non-sword weapons like axes. Longswords and jian both can be used in more ways than most," with a strong emphasis, "Viking swords, because most Viking swords aren't the strongest sword in the world and can't fly themselves around." He's definitely making direct eye contact (hilt contact?) with Jack as he says this, but then he blinks and looks away, as if something new has occurred to him.

"Hanguang-jun, was the backflip a way of building space in close combat? ...when you're fighting other cultivators, does that open you up to attacks that you can't block, or does it serve as a kind of block because you're moving so fast? Does it even work? I think Lancelot could probably interrupt one next time, and it would probably knock you off-balance." It's a very Magnus-Chase-during-Battle-Practice-type move, which is to say it's not very economical of movement, and sometimes someone might drop a chunk of masonry on your head halfway through if you're not careful about it.

Pleased by Magnus' apparent attentiveness to the details of differing swords, Lan Wangji listens with his hands now folded behind his back. He pauses for a moment to be sure Magnus is finished asking questions, and talking, before he answers. "It works, or I would not do it. It builds space and introduces an additional direction in which my body can move. Lancelot could try knocking me off-balance, but he might find it more difficult than he anticipates."

"I think," Lancelot says, clearly working through the logistics of this, "that I would need to see or sense that he was about to do this. If I had a shield, I might then try to close the gap and force him into a different stance or attempt to disrupt the motion. I do not think, however, that with one such as Hanguang-jun it would be a simple matter, or likely to succeed."

"I dunno, I think you could figure it out," Magnus insists. "It's -- no offense, Hanguang-jun, but it doesn't seem to be very economical, movement-wise."

Lan Wangji gives Magnus a mild sort of look, trying to determine whether this is a sincere concern or an effort to ruffle him. If the latter, it won't prove effective. "None taken."

"Perhaps not for us," thoughtfully, "though maybe moreso for thee than for myself. Hanguang-jun has abilities and power far beyond mine own. That may make such expenditures more effective and less costly."

Magnus isn't convinced of that -- for all his ribbing of Lancelot for all those months that he could defeat him effortlessly (and he might be able to, if he were playing for keeps, but... maybe not, actually?), Lancelot is good. Hanguang-jun is good, too. He can't imagine they're not at the very least evenly matched.

"I wouldn't flip," he says, thoughtfully. "And definitely not back home. Even if I'm fast, everyone else there is, too, and it would make me a bigger target..." Of his hallmates back in Valhalla, Alex was really the only one to ever kill him with any regularity -- flirting, she called it -- but he's pretty sure that even if he practiced a lot, Halfborn could fling one one of his axes or Mallory could hurtle one of her knives in such a way that he'd end up impaled. (They wouldn't. The einherjar of Floor 63 absolutely would, though.)

Which does raise a certain question. "Hanguang-jun, do you mostly fight people who also have swords, or is it more... mixed combat?"

Any minor misgivings aside, Lan Wangji is pleased to have captured Magnus' attention to this extent. "When I was at war, most of my opponents, fellow cultivators, were armed with swords. Some preferred the bow. In other situations, it varies. I have fought fierce corpses and monsters ten times my size."

Lancelot's eyebrows go up -- this very much has his interest, so he lets Magnus and Lan Wangji discuss while he starts setting things to rights.

"And they're all, like, Hulk Smash vibes, right? The monster and the corpses? They don't really go for weapons?"

Lan Wangji doesn't know what Hulk Smash vibes are, necessarily, but he can make a guess. "No. Fierce corpses and monsters do not wield swords."

Lancelot chuckles to himself, with another amused glance in their direction.

"And for you," rounding on Lancelot, "there was mixed weaponry when it counted, right? More often than swords-only?"

"Yes, just so-- both in tournament and on the battlefield."

Magnus is pretty sure Hanguang-jun would somersault through midair less if he had more fights against axe-wielding berserkers. And on some level -- a very, very secret level, beknownst only to himself (and, eventually, Alex) -- he's glad he asked the guy more used to melees to teach him. Even if he does never return to Valhalla, even if he never has to fight for real ever again, he likes knowing that the education he's getting is applicable to the experiences he's used to.

"Okay," he nods. "The acrobatics make sense."

"Thank you," Lan Wangji says dryly, as if he had been waiting with bated breath for Magnus' approval regarding the way he fights. "Gideon calls it cheating."

"Gideon is not opposed to using her own strategies, particular to her," Lancelot says with a chuckle. "That's hardly cheating-- she should not say it is so."

"I should use strategies particular to me," Magnus jokes, gesturing up at Jack.

"I am willing to spar with Jack again," Lan Wangji says, truthfully enough. He would rather spar than converse with Jack.

In a tone that might not be perceived as joking by anyone else here, Lancelot says, "I have never sparred with Jack-- but I was speaking of the particular strategies of one's own power."

"I was talking about having Jack attack you from behind while we were sparring."

"During sparring, I would still call that cheating. During combat with your life at stake, I would be glad you had that particular strategy of your own power."

"Aye," nodding. After putting his blade away he sits, looking fairly relaxed. "As I have said. Sparring is sport -- or it is training, such that in battle one has no need to think. Anything that saves one's life in battle is a worthy strategy."

"I think that Jack should count as a strategy specific to me during sparring, too. If Gideon and Hanguang-jun both get their personal strategies."

"Is your enhanced strength and speed not already a strategy specific to you?"

"This is my thinking, yes."

"Most of the people I've, um, sparred with to date have been enhanced, though," Magnus points out. "Plus it's only recently that I've gotten less clumsy when I'm faster than I expect." Thanks, Lancelot!

"An additional and autonomous weapon is not like an enhancement to one's body," Lan Wangji counters.

"Again, I agree. Jack is-- Jack is himself. Allied to thee."

"Okay, but I don't see how using Jack is, like, meaningfully different than Gideon kicking a guy in the nuts," Magnus argues, and then flushes and glances at Hanguang-jun. "Um. Sorry for saying nuts. Sir."

Lan Wangji, who is not, in fact, offended, only nods in acknowledgement of the apology. "Anyone can use that particular weak spot. The same is not true of an additional blade without a wielder."

Lightly, Lancelot says, "Anyone can, provided their opponent is not wearing plate."

"Anyone could wield Jack, too, if he was pissed off at me or if they were also doubly-descended from Frey* or if they were, um, Surt," Magnus points out.

*This is foreshadowing.

"Those would constitute exceptional circumstances. We are debating the parameters of a respectful sparring match."

"Aye, and what fair sport may be. If we are solely discussing sparring, then I am in agreement with Hanguang-jun."

"Kicking someone in the balls — sorry, sir — is a respectful sparring match???" Wow. Magnus really has been fighting wrong all along.

Edited 2025-06-08 00:25 (UTC)

"No," Lan Wangji says, with the faintest overlay of amusement. "But if you can stop Gideon from doing so, I will be amazed."

"Aye, Hanguang-Jun makes a good point," with a quirked smile. "And, where I am from, it depends greatly on the sort of friendly match we are discussing. Practice and sparring, particularly sparring for sport or pleasure, is one thing. What goes on in a tourney is something else entirely."

"I see how it is," Magnus says, mock-glumly. "I'm being held to different standards than Gideon because..."

Because why? Because he's being taught by people with balls? Maybe. Because he's a fine young man who listens to his elders? Definitely not. Because he's learning to fight with discipline instead of fighting dirty for survival? ...yeah, that last one sounds right.

His expression shifts into something more serious. "Okay," he says. "I think I get it now."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's Parent-Teacher Midafternoon At The Ol' Secret Training Grounds [closed]

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