gracefuldahlia: (Default)
gracefuldahlia ([personal profile] gracefuldahlia) wrote in [community profile] spira_rp2013-10-30 01:13 am

I know it's a shame

It had not been hard to see how long it would have taken to devise a way to call on his scythe without Zexion's assistance. Marluxia had been better placed than others to learn, since mist manipulation and chakra control were already a part of his repertoire, but the process had still been slow at times, and frustrating. Zexion had guided where he could, and Marluxia had made sure not to let his frustration with the rate of progress show.

The first time he'd succeeded, and Graceful Dahlia had taken her familiar form and weight in his hand, there had been... comfort. It had felt as though a missing item had been returned to its proper place.

It had lasted a frustratingly short spell, and further practice had lengthened the time Marluxia could maintain the weapon by mere seconds. He required, according to Zexion, a sparring partner. Someone Marluxia could trust to push him in a fight, and help Marluxia train his control of the scythe under more trying circumstances.

He'd known the moment would come, of course, and it made Marluxia wary. The only person he could consider for such a role was Lumi, and Lumi was....

Marluxia did not like admitting his own weaknesses, but Lumi was in a league somewhat above Marluxia when it came to physical combat. They acted as partners, and Lumi was the closest thing to a partner that Marluxia had on Spira, but Lumi was the stronger. In some ways it was like having Larxene assist; Lumi was very much his own agent, who worked with Marluxia for his own purposes, but Lumi was more dangerous than Larxene because Larxene had been simple. Simple was not something that applied to Lumi, and Marluxia afforded Lumi the careful respect adopted by one who swims with sharks, which anyone who associated with Khamja did.

When it came time to bite the bullet, Marluxia ensured they were not in the Palace, or otherwise in range of anyone from Khamja. Though he was distantly aware that L likely had spies no matter where they went, L was not a problem. Aizen, Gin, and even Kuja, however, were not to become aware that Marluxia was currently at a disadvantage compared to the Order's members, or that he currently bore any difficulties. He was too strong to acknowledge a weakness, unlike Kadaj, who was too weak to be a real problem. Khamja was a dangerous place to occupy any of the intervening ground between those two points, and so Marluxia did not want the fact he was training in something to become public knowledge.

They'd gone on a journey to deal with a mark which, for them at least, would pose no real danger. It was in the Travel Agency, away from civilisation centres, and the Palace, that Marluxia had made mention of his need of a sparring partner to Lumi. Lumi could, if the mood so took him, erase Marluxia when he was vulnerable in such a session. Marluxia knew that, and yet Lumi was the only one Marluxia even trusted halfway. He was, at least, reasonably sure that Lumi would not take the opportunity to end him.

"It would require you to hold back," he said, knowing that holding back was something Lumi was more than capable of, but it was something Marluxia thought needed to be stressed. He wasn't sure if Lumi might realise how much he may have to hold back, although the possibility of sustaining injury was something Marluxia had made his peace with. "When it comes to combat prowess, I am good, but you are better," though he wasn't fond of admitting that, either, but Marluxia's advantage, up to now, had been in the magical aspects of combat, "and I require you to push me, but likely not yourself."

He hadn't told Lumi what ability he was trying to practice, as yet. That information need only come if Lumi seemed amenable to the idea of helping Marluxia train at all.
thesilentstorm: Battle: Liekki - Drawing I (Additional three)

[personal profile] thesilentstorm 2013-12-18 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
The limits of Marluxia's fighting style were showing. Being at too much of a distance meant that he didn't have a hope of hitting an enemy with his scythe, variable reach or not. However, if he was too close he could certainly suffer under these circumstances.

A gun would take him out, as would a quick move and a small amount of effort to get close enough to slide a knife between his ribs. Such observations would be useless against his usual methods of fighting, however.

The situation would be different with his magic to back up what he could achieve with the weapon. He could force an opponent back with any number of spells and counter with them. It would make his fighting style more unpredictable and infinitely more dangerous. Lumi wondered if, once Marluxia had learned to keep his scythe in play for an indefinite amount of time, he would be called upon to fight him using his magic also, to see how he did with the scythe and that new drain on his Chakra.

That would prove interesting.

Lumi watched him jump back and put himself well out of his reach. Marluxia had started using Chakra enhanced moves, a sign that he was getting used to how much Chakra Graceful Dahlia typically used up in combat. He took up a more defensive pose as he came at him, wanting to see Marluxia's attack patterns as well as drive him back to put a strain on his ability. Both should have an effect on the Chakra amount used and both should be beneficial to Marluxia's training.
thesilentstorm: Battle: General Movement (Battle Nineteen)

[personal profile] thesilentstorm 2013-12-28 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
Marluxia was, quite clearly, growing more and more comfortable with his scythe. He was skillfully and forcefully attacking and, Lumi noted, getting more and more into the learned groove he must have perfected back before he lost his powers.

Lumi kept to a distance, looking for an opening as Marluxia used attacks with a consistently wide reach to keep him at bay. Then he saw it; the Scythe was beginning to fray. He took a chance and leapt forward, aiming his own attack at Marluxia's weakening blade.

thesilentstorm: Battle: Liekki - Stay (Battle Seventeen)

[personal profile] thesilentstorm 2013-12-31 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Lumi didn't miss his more on-the-ball reaction to his scythe's destruction. Last time he had floundered, allowing Lumi to get into a place where he could feasibly deliver a killing blow. This time, however, he got out of the way as fast as possible and Lumi could tell that he was trying to recreate his scythe again.

Good.

He waited, adjusting his grip on his sword, for the Graceful Dahlia to burst back into being.