retrospec | 1 ★ [text]

[There's a wry smile that comes to Dante's face. He never said straight-out that he wanted to see if he could trigger anything by swordfighting, but it's not like he was exactly subtle about it either. It's not surprising that Sorey's figured it out already.]

How about you try attacking me? In the flash that made me want to try this, I was on the defensive a lot.

[Sorey might look like a dork who rarely ever thinks outside the box, but he is a scholar too. If anything, he's driven even more to understand the meaning of the memories given to him. He is easygoing, content to roll with most things-- but that doesn't mean he'll sit by idly either.

The fact that the flashbacks might be triggered by something isn't totally new to him. He's sure Mikleo mentioned that before. Still, purposely seeking the memories is something he hasn't done before. He's fine with taking a proactive role in this though.]

Okay!

[He charges forward, sword swinging. It's not so fast that Dante can't block it, and it's not too hard if it hits. In fact, Sorey's yelling hints?]

Left side! [And if that one gets parried--] Above!

[Even if it's not at full speed, it's still more than Dante was expecting. He was expecting a single strike! But instinctively he shifts the sword to follow Sorey's shouted hints, the two swords meeting with a clack as they hit. There's a part of him that wants to stand his ground and strike back, but he can't help the step back he takes, retreating even as he shifts the sword up to block Sorey's next attack.

Can he attack too? Is there an opening? How does he spot an opening? But he can't just stand and defend over and over and over, right? He needs to take a shot of his own!

So after he blocks Sorey's strike from above, he's trying to swing his sword around toward Sorey's left side. It's not quite a wild swing, but it's certainly not a controlled one, easy to deflect for someone with a little bit of experience.

He's also leaving the rest of his body wide open.]

[Sorey is obviously holding back, but he has quite a few reasons to. This isn't like a real spar, and Dante has no idea what he's doing. It'd be unfair. Even so, Dante gives it his all and Sorey's actually impressed. His blond classmate gives off the air of a guy who really doesn't bother helping unless he has some personal stake in it. Sorey kinda figured he'd complain or whine or something after a minute, but so far he's doing pretty well.

Sorey grins a bit as he blocks that swing toward his left side.]

Not bad! Left side!

[If he succeeds with this next swing-- towards Dante's left shoulder-- it's more like a tap, not much worse than being poked.]

Edited 2017-03-23 04:07 (UTC)

[Apparently Sorey's got Dante down pat. He does have a personal stake in this, and so he's not about to half-ass it. If he's going to chase after this possibility, he's going to give it the effort it deserves.

Unfortunately, so far there's nothing coming back to him, and while Sorey announces his intent Dante's not fast enough to get the sword back to protect his left side. Too late he realizes he could have jumped back and disengaged, but the sword taps against his left shoulder. It's not painful, but there's definitely enough contact that Dante knows he's been bested.]

Damn.

[But he's not going to let that rattle him! So what if he missed one block? Surely his counterpart missed blocking every once in a while, right? It doesn't mean anything.

Except if his counterpart had stopped when he missed a block, like he has, he would've been in a lot more trouble. Dante's arm snaps back up to guard, just in case he's wrong and their practice hasn't halted with the first good attack, glancing at Sorey.]

Let's keep going.

[Sorey isn't the kind of person to jump on someone when it's obvious they're defenseless. Dante pauses in a very telling way and Sorey stops for a minute, letting his sword down. He's grinning, obviously enjoying this even if Dante... maybe... isn't...]

Okay, wait, hold on. [Dante should be having fun. Sorey steps forward, free hand hovering in the air.] Do you mind if I-- uh, correct you a little bit? You're having trouble swinging and it's because your balance is off.

You totally have potential. I got like ten bruises the first time I did this.

[Don't get him wrong; in spite of his very serious expression, Dante isn't not having fun! He's just very Focused on what he's trying to do, and that focus tends to manifest itself in frowns and scowls of determination. When Sorey steps forward, hand outstretched, Dante gives a nod, keeping his arm up.]

Yeah, do what you think will help.

Potential's nice, but I'm hoping I can skip over that part. If these flashes we're having are memories, then I think I used to fight a lot. If I can remember how to fight too, then we know that these aren't visions from our future, like Yuuko suggested, and we've got reason to believe this isn't just Retrospec trying to mess with our heads. It means there's a reason behind all of this.

[He doesn't know what that reason might be. Hell, maybe it's just to give them the memories of their "past lives." But it won't be a memory that they're getting at random.]

[Sorey will learn that soon enough. He doesn't have very much experience with the stoic type. Mikleo is tsundere, sure, but Sorey can always tell when he's smiling. It's something in the crinkle of his eyes.]

So you'll need practice. You know Luke, right? The bartender? He's a good teacher. [He gently nudges Dante's foot back, then begins adjusting his stance with the slightest bit of pressure from his free hand. Elbow down, back straight, shoulders back...] Mikleo and I have already talked about it, and we're both pretty sure they're memories. But Mikleo thinks he wasn't human. You can't say it's a past life if you were something that doesn't exist, right?

[When he's done, he pulls his hand back.] ... Okay, that looks better. The number one thing you don't wanna do is put all your weight on one foot. The second thing is putting your weight on your heels. That's why I pushed your leg in a bit.

Take a practice swing. [Sorey holds up his sword in a defensive position.]

Edited 2017-03-26 02:26 (UTC)

He thinks he wasn't human? [Unfortunately, that comment gets Dante to twist a tiny bit, looking at Sorey to see his expression. A moment later he remembers what he's doing and turns back, trying to go back to the stance he'd been holding before.] But if he wasn't human, then what was he?

Okay. [Now that Sorey's adjusted his stance, Dante takes a moment to settle into it, testing how it feels. Weight slightly more forward on the balls of his feet, a little bit more upright... yeah, this feels better than before. Maybe still not quite right, but he'll develop the feel for it, right?] Got it.

[And once Sorey's back in position as well, Dante will take that practice swing, swords clacking together again.]

I see what you mean. That helps, thanks.

[His brow furrows.] I don't know. In the memory, we were talking about me leaving the village to be with humans. Mikleo looked pretty human to me, so the difference must've been something I couldn't see. Or it's just something to do with eye and hair color...

[Dante's new swing is definitely better. Sorey almost has to work to block it.]

Much better. Wanna try coming at me this time?

It seems like a lot of people had strange hair or eye colors. That doesn't mean they weren't human.

[Why would strange physical characteristics mark you out as not being human? He could understand if it was something like pointed elf ears, but something as plain as hair or eye color...? That's just dumb.]

All right, here goes.

[Dante starts slowly, mimicking Sorey's movements when he attacked just a couple minutes ago. He tries a strike from above first, still at that slow practice speed, then takes the momentum from the block to curve around for an attack on Sorey's right side. But here he diverges from the forms they've been working in, as his left hand comes off the hilt. He holds it in his right hand, whipping the sword around Sorey's wrist to free his blade, then continuing the swing in a circle so that the next attack is coming up from below.

It's almost instinctive, though his motions are still telling enough that Sorey can probably block it if he tries. But it's obvious on Dante's face that this move isn't one he'd thought about, and that he's not entirely certain where it came from.]

That's true, but if Mikleo insists he wasn't human then I believe him. [Must be nice to have that kind of loyalty, huh.

He parries the first hit and doesn't take the bait that might otherwise get him to lean into the block and throw off his balance. He's had a few years to do this and he's not bad, though he's never bothered entering into competitions. He could never be as good as someone like Kiyomitsu, even if he doesn't do kendo anymore.

It's when Dante breaks away from standard form that Sorey has to improvise. The one-handed grip is a surprise, since he'd been doing so well up to this point--

-- but he finds himself blocking the new attack, too. His right hand clenched around the hilt, left hand pressing against the back of the wooden blade to keep from breaking the parry.]

What the-- that's not--

[He pulls back after a moment, visibly shaken.]

I... I don't remember learning that.

[For a heartbeat's time they're frozen like that--and Dante pulls back as Sorey does, staring at the sword in his hands.]

I think that's because you haven't. At least, not in this lifetime.

[He hadn't thought it would actually work. He'd wondered, he'd theorized, but to actually have something happen...

This changes everything.]

[He lowers his sword and holds it in his own one-handed grip, weighing it. The grip feels right. The sword feels wrong, though. The new knowledge wars with what he was taught, which isn't helping anything and only serves to make him more confused.

He touches his temple.]

I thought it might work for you, but me?

[Why was Alisha so important? Why would he leave the place of his birth to chase someone he didn't know? He has so many questions and no answers. He looks at the crest on the back of the beaded white glove on his hand, and he wonders just what kind of trouble his past self got into.]

... I'm not some kind of fantasy hero who goes out and fights dragons. The scariest thing I've ever faced down was a yellow light.

[A breath. He's freaking out a little, and he knows it, so he tries to shove it down.]

Do you actually remember anything? Should we-- should we keep going?

[Dante's more than willing to wait while Sorey adjusts--it's a big shift, one he's had to come to terms with himself already. He came into this practice session with the knowledge that something like this was entirely possible. Sorey, on the other hand, was just doing him a favor.

But Sorey's freaking out, and Dante can recognize that. So when asked if they should continue, he shakes his head.]

Let's take a break first. You look like you're about to shake right out of your skin. The last thing you need to do is trigger something else and wind up having a full-fledged panic attack on me.

[Crap, Dante just read him like a book. Sorey's used to repressing stuff in order to move forward; the one time he couldn't meant he almost flunked out of school, and that brought a whole other set of problems. But Dante isn't forceful about calling him out on it. He's so matter-of-fact that Sorey can't really say no. It reminds him of Mikleo and he's sure his best friend would insist on taking this slowly.

He lowers his sword... and ducks his head.]

Y-yeah, sorry. I'm just a little rattled is all.

[He's just some nerdy kid who likes science and video games and swinging around fake swords. He never asked for this.

He runs his hand through his bangs, trying to calm himself. When it doesn't totally work he just sits on the grass where he is. It's cold owing to it still being spring, but today isn't wet. Thankfully.]

What about you? Are you feeling okay?

You're fine. Don't worry about it.

[As Sorey sits, Dante frowns, swinging the sword one-handed back and forth a few times. Yeah. For some reason, holding it in one hand feels better than the two-handed grip he'd tried before--but when they'd started, the two-handed grip had felt more appropriate. Right? So something's changed.]

Yeah, I'm all right. I'm not really sure, but... something happened.

[Don't mind him, he's just going to try and test out a few things while Sorey's sitting, trying to figure out if there's a different offensive or defensive stance he favors now.]

Knowing how to use a sword doesn't mean you were some sort of fantasy hero, you know.

[Someone's having delusions of grandeur!]

I don't know what else you've remembered, but it could just mean you had training. That doesn't mean you used it.

Besides. Who you were then doesn't change who you are now. Knowing how to use a sword doesn't mean you're suddenly going to get jacked and drop your voice three octaves and start going out in search of monsters to kill.

[A-ha. There's a look of satisfaction in Dante's eyes as he comes to a strange offensive stance: hips turned slightly, knees bent, weight mostly balanced, left hand outstretched toward an imaginary enemy and his blade--no, his bokken; it's not a sword he holds in his hand in spite of how right everything feels--up and and angled down, arm cocked back. It's not a fighting stance he would have ever thought about on his own, but something about it whispers yes to his soul, feels like he's arrived somewhere he's never been but somehow knows.

This is him. This is how he used to fight.]

Of course it doesn't! But I remember setting off on some kind of journey... leaving a village for the first time... I was chasing down some girl to warn her about something.

[He tilts his head back and sighs.]

I don't actually remember fighting anything, or having a sword-- so this is news to me, too. [He turns the bokken over in his hands.] ... But you're right. I'm still me. Even if these things are memories, that's not the life I'm living now. [He looks at Dante then, quietly appreciative of his kindness, rough as it might be.] You should remember that, too.

[He watches Dante find a familiar pose. After a moment, Sorey gets back to his feet and dusts off his jeans. His sword immediately goes to his right hand-- that's not a surprise-- but it feels much more comfortable without two hands on it. He tests the balance of it, the rest of his body loose and on his toes.]

... Do you think you used a short sword? Because I think I did, too.

[His left hand keeps wanting to be free. He wonders if he did something with it; his glove, pretty as it is, gives him no answers.]

[Dante closes his eyes a moment, trying to integrate the memory of fighting those shadow-monsters into how he's standing now. His arm moves, almost of its own accord, swinging slowly toward an invisible enemy, and Dante for an instant can almost remember the feeling of the weapon in his hand, cutting through. He opens his eyes, frowning in thought, then glances Sorey's way to respond.]

I don't know. Maybe. Whatever sort of weapon it was, it was definitely heavier than this is. [He moves again, letting his instincts twist his wrist to cut back the other direction.]

Only edged on one side, I think. But definitely some kind of sword.

Maybe we should look into getting some different practice swords. If we can find something we're both comfortable with, then we could really find out what we're capable of.

[He pauses, realizing that maybe Sorey won't be as interested in this idea as he is, then looks over at the other boy again.]

But that's only if you want to. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to avoid triggering more memories like this.

[He tests his own bokken and closes his eyes. Nothing really springs to mind. He wishes the memories were something he could call on whenever he wanted, instead of this weird barrier... but maybe it's a good thing that he's only remembering in bits and pieces. Maybe the whole thing is too much to handle all at once.]

I don't think my teacher would let me just take home a wakizashi. Do you know anyone in the theater department? I bet they have all sorts of props. Otherwise... [He rubs his chin.] We could look for one of those alternative shops. [The ones that sell steel replicas of dubious quality for the undiscerning anime fanboy.

He blinks as Dante actually seems to question his resolve. Sorey, for his part, had already decided he couldn't just stop here-- even if what was on the other side scared him a little. The unknown is always like that. He's a scholar who wants to get to the bottom of things, but he's also an explorer. He can't just turn a blind eye to all of this... especially when it has to do with his best friend.]

It's the only reliable way we have. It seems that the visions aren't all triggered by something, so burying my head in the sand won't help. They'll come to me regardless.

[His green eyes narrow.]

... I want to know the truth.

[Dante shakes his head. He knows Ari's doing work with the community theatre, and Arlene's in the theatre department at the university, but he wouldn't impose on Ari that way and he doubts Arlene would be willing or able to help out.]

I'll see what I can find. Who knows? Maybe I can ones for the both of us. If you remember anything about the weapon you used to use, let me know.

[As Sorey talks about facing their memories head-on, Dante nods firmly. It's part of why he wanted to try this--it's a way to take these memories by the reins and control them himself, rather than being at their mercy. If he can control them a little bit, if he can decide to actively pursue them... it makes it a choice, rather than something that's just happening to all of them.]

That's what I think too. If we're going to get wrapped up in all of this anyways, I'm not going to let it drag me along after it. I'd rather go after it myself.

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