IC INBOX | cerealia

[prosecutory]

Good day. This is Miles Edgeworth.

I cannot accommodate you at the moment, but please leave a message and I will respond as soon as possible. 

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[action]

[pure_havoc]

[he's only behind by a couple of minutes, but at least he can be seen coming with the bronze-edged armor over his shoulders catching the morning light. He has a pair of thinner blades in a double-sheath at his side, and when he spots Edgeworth looking around, quickens his pace]

Good morning.

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth turns around and gives the other man a formal smile in greeting. Then he bows.]

Good morning to you, as well.

[After that he can't help but look at the blades Cao Pi has...look, months of using swords has made him interested in looking at other swords, sorry.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[such a nice bow! Cao Pi decides to honor his respectfulness and give him a customary bow of his own, placing his fist against his palm over his heart.]

If you're ready, Master Edgeworth...

[he slides the door open and steps in, grateful for this time of the morning - not a lot of people seem inclined to train so early. They have a practice hall to themselves.]

It occurs to me I've only drawn my swords once in the time I've been here. This should be entertaining, at least.

[action]

[prosecutory]

I'm ready.

[Edgeworth is a bit nervous, since this was going to be a sparring session involving real swords. But he's managed to defend himself with one well enough throughout the part of his life spent in battle.]

But, if I may ask...why only once? How long have you been here?

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[he draws the two thin swords as he paces around the hall, getting a feel for the space. They sure don't look like a typical Chinese podao...]

It's been a little over three months. In that time, let's see. I sparred once, but the threats around the colony were nothing that could have been battled with swords. Ghosts, odd happenings, and the like.

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth nods.] Understandable. I've encountered my share, although in a much longer span of time.

[Try "nearly a year" or at least, "close to 10 months".]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

All the more reason to keep our skills honed.

[it's not that he's doubted the need for weapons, but sometimes you just don't find a moment in your day to go hack at practice dummies...

Cao Pi turns quickly on his heel to face his sparring partner and twirls the blades around his wrists to put them into position.]

Come, then, let's see how rusty we really are.

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth doesn't even do the twirly blade thing! He draws his sword from its scabbard slowly and grips it in both hands. Then he gets into position.]

[Defending myself against two blades with one...this will be a challenge. But certainly not one I can't handle.]

I should hope I haven't become rusty. It may prove to be my undoing.

[But so far, he's been lucky.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[Cao Pi nods in acceptance, and then gets it started, advancing with a couple of quick steps and sweeping the blades in wide arcs, one after the other. He's saving the real surprise of the weapon's configuration until he needs it, this opening gambit is only to introduce his speed. He's moderately fast but not overpowering, swinging right and then left as if his blades weigh nothing.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth is a bit taken aback and it shows in how his eyes widen and his hands tense as he swings his sword this way and that to block Cao Pi's strikes. The second one is a bit more awkward, done at the spur of the moment.

Speed isn't his strong suit; it's very obvious.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[As long as Edgeworth blocks, Cao Pi will keep swinging, facing him head-on. His opponent's longer sword could be dangerous if it gets inside his reach, but Pi presses his advantage with his lighter blades.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[And Edgeworth is forced to keep parrying and defending to the best of his ability, pushed to move faster. At one or two points he only narrowly evades Cao Pi's strikes.

But he doesn't complain. He just keeps going, waiting for an opportunity to take the offensive side.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[Having the upper hand allows Cao Pi to get a little cocky, so it's time for a special move - on one backswing, he brings the two swords close together, and there's an audible click before he takes one hand away and whirls Pure Havoc around to show off its new form. The two swords have become one, joined at the ends of the handles into a long weapon with blades at each end.

It changes his stance, his pattern, everything. Pi can't manage it with only one hand for long, he takes a hold and uses it much like a long staff, and the space between hits from either end increases. There's undoubtedly room for a sword to break his momentum, now.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth can't help but stop and stare at the swords' new form - for a moment. He did not see that coming.

Changing weapons is also not new to him, although it gives him a pang of nostalgia. That pang is soon dissipated as Pi continues and Edgeworth has to resume blocking, the prosecutor's mind racing to come up with a move that could turn the tables of this sparring session.

He grips his saber with both hands and swings it forward to meet Pi's blade from the bottom, pushing all his weight into his weapon. His goal? Try to force Pi to either break away or drop his blade/s.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[It's a good hit, and pushes Cao Pi back, forcing him to jog to the side to roll with the momentum and recover. He cuts around, twirling the long blade, and comes back in from the side, testing Edgeworth's ability to follow him.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth steps back to avoid Cao Pi's whirling weapon - his clothes could be ruined!!! When Pi returns for another strike, Edgeworth is more ready now, and swings his saber to block it again while continuing to give the longer blade a wide berth.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[Don't worry, Edgeworth, he wouldn't dare! Not unless lives were at stake, anyway.

A few more hits like that and Cao Pi can see his opponent's defense is pretty solid. He draws back, keeping one of the blades low, almost tracing along the floor]

You have a good stance, though I can tell you were not brought up as a swordsman. Were you?

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth steps backward as well, on the alert for Pi's next move. He gives a shake of his head.]

No, I wasn't.

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[a slight nod] I would hold back, but then I suppose neither of us would benefit much from the match.

[yet, he only shifts Pure Havoc to cover himself in a complete block, rather than go on the attack again.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[He lets out a chuckle, and smirks.]

By all means, don't hold back.

[Edgeworth circles, searching for an opening in Pi's defense.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

In that case...

[fair warning is fair! He lunges toward Edgeworth, popping the two blades apart as he does and going back on a furious attack with both of them. The real danger of Pure Havoc is that he can join and disjoin the swords at will, often in the middle of a battery of strikes when his opponent would never see it coming.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth knows exactly what he's getting into. When Cao Pi lunges, Edgeworth does not expect the two blades to materialize again. Instead of engaging his opponent, he veers away with a completely unintended twirl, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process.

But this time it's his turn to move in with an upward strike.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[blocking that requires an awkward back-handed twist, and prevents Cao Pi from bringing the second blade into play too quickly. He has to push off and disengage, first, before he can turn and go on the attack again with short slashes.]

[action]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth isn't going to try that again. When his opponent disengages, so does he - partly to give his wrists a breather. His last move wasn't easy and now he's paying dearly for it.

He keeps watching for an opening, saber poised at the ready. Any opening.]

[action]

[pure_havoc]

[Cao Pi is focused on not giving him such an opening. He falls into a sequence of hits meant to drive his opponent around the room and wear him down, swinging both swords separately and then on a backswing joining them together, only to pull them apart again a few beats later. It's a fluid rhythm, relentless and purposeful, the kind of gambit devised by a man who's been training with the sword for half his life.]