unionjackoff | [ic] cerevice inbox

[England doesn't spend a lot of time there, either, except to work]

Pretty sure they do. [he turns his head toward Dotanuki, curious now] ...Do you need repairs?

Sometimes.

[He'd have to let Haru know - unless his master already knew, which was possible. The last time he'd needed to be repaired here, Dotanuki had been unconscious, so he doesn't recall what happened.

He rolled his shoulders and then tied his saya to his side.]

We're not invincible. We can break in battle, so we go in for repairs to make sure that doesn't happen.

I suppose I just... wonder how that happens. [stares off into space, thinking about sword spirits going to the repair shop, and in his mind, it's like they are at the doctor's office]

...............

They fix it. [Dotanuki motions to his sword, and then to one of the many scars on his body and face.] And sometimes it leaves a mark and sometimes it doesn't.

If they buff out an old scratch, some of my scars disappear. It's a little weird when that happens.

[Aka, not like a doctor at all, but he can't really talk about how it works. It's a little weird to most humanoids.]

Otherwise, you repair me like you'd repair any sword: buff, polish, and sharpen.

..............

[the mental image England gets now is not one he should share with anyone. he turns away for a moment, slapping his hand against his red face in mortification. pull it together, England! this guy is a spirit]

[okay! and we're back!

England moves to take the claymore out of the scabbard. he also clears his throat ahem]

W-well this sword... I don't know how effective it will be. It might just be made for display purposes. [he slashes at the air with a quick stroke]

[England...why are you slapping yourself? Dotanuki watches him until he comes back to his senses, then while he swings the thing in the air. He's able to move it surprisingly well considering its weight and heft.]

Hopefully not - it looks like a good blade.

But you okay? You were hittin' yourself earlier.

[really, the claymore could just be a model. England wasn't sure he trusted CERES to make swords. then again, Cerealia was supposed to be a place where people could act out on their desires. fighting could be pleasurable, couldn't it?

England waves Dotanuki off, forcing a laugh] Just trying to psyche myself out for our fight! Everything's fine!

If you want to be psyched up, I could punch you?

[Because...what? He guesses causing harm to yourself could get someone into a blood rage, but he never really understood that. He didn't need a blood rage to get psyched up for battle, he just needed to fight something.]

[hfdjksfhk England waves his hands]

N-No! That's quite all right! I think I'm psyched up enough!

[Okay then, Nation bro.

It seems a little unfair that he has armor on while England doesn't, so Dotanuki reaches up and removes the neck guard he always wears, dropping it to the ground with a heavy clank. He can't pull the rest off, but this at least leaves him a little more exposed to compensate for Engkand only wearing a sweatshirt. ]

Alright then. Don't pull your punches it you're gonna get hurt, got it?

[He steps back and slides one foot behind him, his hand on the hilt of his sword. ]

Ready when you are.

[England nods, taking on a serious expression, and he gets in a stance. the claymore is pretty heavy, but he used to lift broadswords when he was a child. thankfully, his nation strength is still with him.

part of the reason England chose the claymore was because of its strength. it's too heavy, so England won't be able to run as fast, or do elegant moves with it. no, the claymore is a hacking sword, and hopefully it will defend him against the bigger Dotanuki.

still, England doesn't have a shield, or any sort of armor to protect his body. he's certain he'll probably be doing more defending than actually hitting. this was such a bad idea, but England really wants to fight. maybe it'll help relieve some stress]

...Ready as I'll ever be. [he tosses Dotanuki a playful smirk before adding] Just try not to lop my head off.

Back of the blade only.

[He's not sure if the claymore has s blunt edge, but Dotanuki will be using his inasmuch as he can. Something tells him he shouldn't let the claymore hit his blade if he wants to survive.

But with the go ahead given, Dotanuki starts. He rushes forward and takes a test swing at England to check his mobility, slashing in a wide horizontal arc as he draws his blade. ]

[England springs into action, using the large blade to block Dotanuki's slash. his feet plant into the ground as the blades connect and... the sound sends a rush of warmth through his body. ah, the thrill of the battle, the anticipation of pain. it's been a long time since England's felt it.

he moves back, his blood already singing with joy. he knew, once he got out here, that the doubts would fade away. if he gets hurt, so what? he heals fast. he doesn't think Dotanuki will kill him, so he doesn't have to worry about that. all he has to do is put up a good fight, and then, perhaps, they can be friends, and ViViD partners]

[England doesn't move to avoid the blow, but let's his claymore take the hit. The steel sings against each other and Dotanuki feels how solid the blade is, how it's made to crush and rend limb from body. It's a good blade, but the weight is like an odachi - hard-hitting and cumbersome.

Mobility is going to be Dotsnuki's advantage and he follows the blade, sliding to the side with a smile. While sparring was never quite as good as real battle, it still got his blood pumping to think one of them might bleed. Going up against the odachi had always given him a thrill, so this claymore and its master would do the same.

Dotanuki ran at England again, curving around in a half circle to try and get at his back. ]

Let's see you swing that thing!

[England obliges, twisting his body and arcing the sword in a way to block the other again. this time, he pulls back immediately after the swords hit, and aims his next slash at Dotanuki's side]

[The swords clang against each other and Dotanuki is forced back. The force that comes with a blade that big is impossible to counter and it's better to just let it carry you.

He slides back, shoes digging into the dirt, and then he sees the slash coming. Rather than dodge back, he runs with it, using his speed to stay just ahead of the blade and brings a fist straight toward England's face.]

[the punch is totally unexpected. the weight of the claymore brings down his arms so he has no way of blocking it. after the punch hits, he tries to recollect himself]

What the hell? You didn't say we could hit each other! [crap, his nose is bleeding. he brings up a hand to wipe at it gingerly]

[Dotanuki is breathing hard after the exertion, but he looks at England as if he just grew two heads.]

You think the things at CERES are going to keep to rules? We might be sparring, but if you go at it half-baked, you're going to get hurt.

I wasn't going at it half-baked! [England grits his teeth. but fine. they're going to play dirty? then he will play dirty.

he rushes at Dotanuki again, this time slashing over and over, with barely any breaks in between. he'll lose more stamina this way, but England really wants to land a hit. the man just brought out his competitive side]

[He dodges back out of the way, using his sword to block when the claymore gets too close. He's thrown England into a rage, but that's what he wanted to see. The metal rings off each other, singing like a blacksmith's hammer in the air, and Dotanuki feels bruises forming along his side.

Damn England hits hard.

One hit in particular is hard and it pushes Dotanuki's blade aside. He doesn't have time to bring it back up before the claymore is coming back at him, so he turns his side and curls up, using the armor on his arms to take the brunt of the blow. Even so, it hurts like a bitch, and he's thrown to the side, rolling twice before he can come back up. The sword spits some blood from his mouth and grins wide.]

That's the spirit!

[England pants roughly and rests a bit when Dotanuki is knocked down. he didn't actually expect to get a hit on him. and that grin? it makes the nation weak in the knees.

no, focus, England.

he manages to smirk back, his upper lip red thanks to the bloody nose, eyes slightly narrowed. a witty response escapes him now, but he's certain he'll think of one later. currently, he's waiting for the next move]

[Dotanuki pushes himself up from the ground, and brings his sword around again, pointing it at England.]

My turn.

[He dashes forward again, trying to catch England before he can get his breath back. He slashes at England, knowing that one will likely be blocked, then begins his assault, using fists and his sword wherever he can to drive the nation back.]

[England does manage to block that first slash, but Dotanuki's strategy of getting him to move back works. he's holding his own, but, as he thought, England is doing more defending. he's pushed back further and further, and he's slowly becoming exhausted]

...!

[Like the odachis, the claymore needs space to swing and Dotanuki knows not to give that to it. His bones ache from hitting the blade, but it's a good one - the sort of pain that he lives for.]

KEAAAAAA!!!!!!

[He lets out a ferocious cry and pushes forward again, bashing up against the blade. He catches England's eye then and smiles before going for a leg sweep.]

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