horseshoe 22, voice

[blitzcheer]

Okay, so, favour. Last time before the storm we got one of those info briefs, it was about the voidsickness, right? And it said it gave it to us because a bunch of us asked.

Can people take a minute to ask on the feedback option for info telling us why we get called to the conductor, and why those people end up getting to leave. See if it works? It put the stupid clocks up for polling, so...

[ There's a muttering here before an exhale. ]

That's it. If anyone wants something else asked about a bunch, share it I guess.

Comments

[blitzcheer]

[ Now reformed, Gibbers hops and skips back to them, sliding as well on the wet residue left behind in its ride. While Tidus's cool is being teste by that hand that comes to rest reassuringly, confidently on his shoulder; the point that Roland is trying to make secondary to the stir of emotions that rise up onto his face. As a frown, wobbly as it is.

But then Roland speaks a language he can understand, moving out his dominant right hand, his brotherhood blade being brought out, bubbling inside and out. ]

I can use it with physical moves. My blade's all water! [ Yeah!! Please don't mind how twitchy Tidus suddenly is, like he needs to move a lot!! ] I can show you right now, in a fight! What do you say? Wanna take me on!?

[ YEAH YEAH LET'S GO! Gibbers is squeaking in approval, coming up on the pair --

and when he gets close enough, he'll jump into the blade, more the azure of its blue that much more so. ]

[adregem]

[ Uh oh. Now this is something Roland didn't think of. He takes a step back, only because he's not sure where this sudden surge of energy comes from. But seeing as he's done exactly as was advised - the combination of water on water making things so much bluer than they used to be - Roland knows he's going to have to help him train now. He shakes his head, slightly amused but mostly a little apprehensive, summoning his own sword; dark in contrast.

Thank goodness they're already at the gym. ]

Something tells me you're going to be walking out of here with some pretty impressive moves. All right, let's do it. I'll be your moving training dummy. Come on.

[ Roland falls into stance. Where he's steady and waiting for movement, Tidus is already light and bouncing on the balls of his feet. If anything, this is bound to get interesting. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ He's bouncing alright, giving his legs and back the stretch they need and then righting himself, getting his footwork ready. ]

Lemme show you what a legendary guardian looks like! [ He's allowed to call himself that, right.

He's doing it anyway.

And someone may want to check elsewhere in the rulebook of 'Is that allowed?' when Tidus puts to work his connection with Gibbers to a quick test, the spell of a water sphere shaped like a certain blitzball circulating and forming in his left hand, pulling back for a throw in the few seconds it needs to be deployed. A cheap shot, not a very hard-hitting thing, a move more to distract Roland while Tidus comes in with a leap following it: defying physics as he swings his body to change his angle from being direct on, but then coming with his body and blade swinging for Roland in a full-circular assault, leg kicked out too.

Think fast, Roland - or block fast. ]

[adregem]

Here we go.

[ So much for a second water slide, right? But this is still something he'll put his heart into, a version of Roland that's mostly present during missions; brow furrowed and eyes locked on to his sparring partner. Thankfully this is Roland's first instinct anyway, because whatever advice he gives Tidus about combining his power with Gibbs is catapulting into a move executed so quickly, Roland was this close to missing that block. The sphere of water does exactly what it was intended to do, but he recoils just enough to block, block, block! His sword is raised close to his chest, his face, bracing his arms as Tidus commits to a flurry of moves. It pushes him back somewhat, but rather than roll or evade, Roland absorbs as much as he can before he pushes on the ball of his foot, parrying as soon as Tidus halts. It's enough momentum to hopefully, throw Tidus off-balance somewhat so he can disarm from a sweeping vertical slash to the side. But it's a conservative movement, wanting him to get a feel of the tide of the fight more than wanting to win. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus doesn't have the confidence to fight a parry when it meets him, not at this stage, not when he might know how better at them Roland is than him. Better to back off and to remove fancy sword work from the equation, be prepared for the counter-blow that comes and use the fuller of his blade than have a smarter answer.

A pause, but not inactive. Tidus jumps diagonally, sprinting on the tips of his feet, an art to how he moves. Swift, confidently; keep Roland on his toes too, or not--when he sweeps like he's gliding, dashing in with his feet aimed to knock Roland off his. ]

[adregem]

[ He's reading every move carefully. Tidus is indeed, fast. Quick on the draw, but a bit too proactive and not reactive where it would count. Roland's face is stony as he moves to evade that sliding kick to get him to fall, would have forced him into a surrender. The barrel roll is well-timed, and he pivots right away to slash and meet Tidus's sword from beneath. Where Tidus is attempting to disarm Roland with maneuvers that are sprightly and jumpy, Roland is more steady, not moving unless he has to block, evade, or counterattack.

Right now, he's too busy on Tidus's form and how he's faring on a one-on-one. If he'll use the power of a higgledy to do more stunts, and to begin with, Roland doesn't even know the full extent of Tidus's moves and skillset apart from what he's seen in Irivar, or in the gym...

He's cautious, keen. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ The contact may not go as intended, but the blade keeps Tidus protected, and he has a way of getting back onto his feet: with a spring that's aided by the tip of his blade on the flooring, for no more than a second before he's up.

But that higgledy in his blade is getting animated, and Tidus can sense it: a gleeful impatience in his heart, inspiring a laugh that might tell Roland something is up -- if the obvious aqua-gleam of Tidus's aquatic weaponry didn't in the moment before he readies it. A preparation that might be too early, too showing of what he's about to do since he needs to run in, except--

Tidus slashes the air, and in the motions, strips of water in the shape of those strikes come out, firing at Roland from that distance. And when Tidus is so agile, does a guy like him need to continue to assault straight forward, when he can jump up, send more strikes like shots at Roland from above, and break out into a run to send more from other directions? ]

[adregem]

[ It's good he was paying attention like this; if he had been one second too late to the draw, Roland would have gotten hit with the blades of water without a doubt. The first wave of crescents hit the edge of his sword in defense, but to absorb more than that would mean he would be pushed too far back. Blocking didn't protect him from getting hurt, after all; only deflecting it, cushioning the blows.

He moves as fast he can, but he's being rushed. Tidus's strategy was clearer than ever: rather than face Roland head on, he was attempting to force his hand by overwhelming him. And Tidus certainly had the energy to do so; to keep this up until Roland would be forced into a corner. No, he isn't that easily flustered. Tidus's jumping reminds him of a creature they often fight in the second world, relying mostly on the same strategy of jumps and quick moves to catch opponents off their guard.

But all he needs is that split second the magic runs out. There's always a cooldown, there's always an end to it. It can't last forever. When he is granted it - that gap, that pause, however short it is - Roland moves with purpose. Pushes himself, burn in his thighs, as he performs a basic combination that focuses every slash, strike, and thrust only on Tidus and nowhere else. It's a string of five, six, seven attacks, not letting up the form. ]

Defense up, Tidus. Let's go.

[ He says, neither encouraging nor condescending. Roland is spurring him own too, almost like lending advice. Whether or not he'd take it, is a completely different matter altogether. Regardless. ]