I know it's a shame
Oct. 30th, 2013 01:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gracefuldahlia posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
spira_rpIt 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.
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.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-01 10:33 pm (UTC)Lumi upped his attack slightly. A worn-down opponent often had the ability to dredge the limits of their power more effectively when the going was getting tougher. He wondered if Marluxia was one of them.
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Date: 2014-01-01 11:58 pm (UTC)Ordinarily he'd have gone all out at an opponent before he got this dangerously low on resources. Now that he was this low, it was increasingly difficult to maintain the fight. Lumi didn't seem about to relent either; he was staying true to Marluxia's request and pushing him, even now.
Marluxia turned one blow with Graceful Dahlia's blade, and blocked another with the shaft, but he could feel the scythe frittering away in his hands. He grit his teeth at the impact of Lumi's sword against it, and then felt Graceful Dahlia give way as the sword cut through.
He reared back quickly, wanting to avoid being cut, as the scythe returned to petals once more which swirled past Lumi as they dissipated, and in his weakened state, lost his footing, going too far back and hitting the ground with a thud.
For a moment he was ready to get up, but he didn't have the chakra reserves to form the scythe again, and his body ached with that and the exertion. He rested back, muscles relaxing in defeat, and looked at Lumi.
"I no longer have the strength to form my weapon," he admitted, closing his eyes as he spoke, and then opening them once he'd finished to regard the sky above. He needed a second before he could move again, let alone form the scythe once more, and he was out of breath as well as everything else.
He was spent.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-02 11:34 pm (UTC)There was something strange about seeing Marluxia like that, and hearing him admit that he was too weak to continue. He nodded his response and sheathed his sword without a word. He left him for a few moments, allowing him to catch his breath.
When he thought he'd had enough time to gather himself, he offered him a hand.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-02 11:46 pm (UTC)Lumi offering him a hand. That was progress of a sort, he knew. They'd both learned more about each other through this; perhaps enough to be more effective a partnership in future.
"That was harder on my chakra than I'd like," he said, softly, "I need to better master the formation and maintenance before I attempt combining it with magic." He could not, after all, afford to end up as weak as this in a real fight.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-07 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-13 10:28 pm (UTC)