Scene #1092: Sword On The Stone

Owner	Pose
Fang	Ryu has been needing some sword training and Fang has promised to do so. In this, the young man has taken the blue haired 'I-am-not-a-dragon' to the top of the mountain. Which is rather high up and perhaps testing Ryu's stamina as well. Once they get to the top, Fang stretches out his arms and inhales the thin air. "So much better then the city.." He then tosses down the pack he had on his back, kneels down to pull out the two extendable rods. Because as much has he like to work with the real deal -- he needs to see what Ryu knows without killing one another. "These are the types of places I loved to come too. To rest up here, watch the world below.. even carry out many spars.. or.. actual fights if someone was getting uppity."
Ryu	Ryu is nearly dead-silent as he walks up the mountain with Fang. He doesn't make a single complaint about how difficult the trek up is, even if it is obviously moderately exhausting for someone not used to it. When they get to the top, and he gets a good placed to stare out at the expansive area around them... A gust of wind blows his hair back out of his face. He turns to receive the training weapon, regarding Fang with an uncertain gaze. This dragon didn't seem evil. The dragon boy lidded his eyes, the sorrowful, thoughtful gaze focused on him. "Master," he begins, using the japanese word for 'teacher,' though the intention is more like 'mentor' or 'knight,' "You were a leader of dragons. Did you treasure your people, and your kingdom?" It's an odd question, complete with that somber tone of voice. Ryu figures if he's getting bruises today, a weird question might be something he can get away with.
Fang	Fang steps away with his own training rod which has about the weight of a sword. He twirls it around in his hand with ease as Ryu asks his question. He looks over his shoulder at him. "Hmm? My people?" He furrows his brows gently. "They were my people. What do you think?" It wasn't exactly an answer, but Fang also gave Ryu no warning when he suddenly came in with a hard downward strike of the rod with a good deal of speed. "I protected them with my generals. I made those of other clans learn to respect us and learn that we were the strongest clan in the land!"
Ryu	Ryu found himself beset by a very quick strike, which he could not repel properly. He wasn't knocked flat, but it was more power than knew how to defend against and it nearly sent him off his feet when he moved improperly to respond. He soon hopped away from that spot to get some breathing room, holding the training weapon up more defensively after that. His mouth drooped into a frown. "You protected them?" he wondered, "Respect is something that's earned, I know that. What did you do to earn the respect of the other clans?" He makes no movement to attack, only watching Fang for now.
Fang	Fang holds the sword at ready. His stance relaxed along with his hand on the hilt of the weapon. "Ha. How else do you gain respect? You gain it through the means of display of power!" Fang then suddenly steps in again, his foot work swift and his precision true. As he comes in he goes to strike down the same way again, making sure Ryu gets it this time, or to see if the young man falters again. "We waged wars with the other clans, showing our world the power of the Dragon Clan, just as they had waged war with us long ago. We proved our scales were tougher then steel and our claws sharper then swords." Fang's eyes narrow faintly. "It was my job to make sure my people had a future-- and so I gave them that future. A future they never have to fear at being looked down upon. That we, always remained on top." "It is that reason I went to Clunea, because I wanted to prove, once and for all, that I was not only the strongest in the world.. but that my clan was ever equally as strong has I."
Ryu	Ryu furrows his brow as he listens to Fang's words. The perspective of the one creating war is something that the young dragon hasn't heard a lot, and so it is kind of hard for him to chew. Something about it seems to anger him, though. There was a moment where he seemed to have murder in his eyes, a sight that the much older dragon must be intimately familiar with. It doesn't make Ryu harder to hit. He gets winged a little. But when there's a brief lapse in the strikes, Ryu moves in with one of his own, and it's a vicious motion betraying the fire in the young man's heart. Once his strike was made, successful or not, he looked at Fang in the eyes. "Why would you fight wars, when you wanted to keep your people secure?" The blue-haired boy is baffled in a way only someone experienced in this exact subject would be. His brutally honest eyes were those of someone who has seen war and the result of both sides. "Did you think that would stop the world from wanting to fight with you?"
Fang	Ryu eyes meet Fangs. Those teal blue eyes that still hold the dragon's spirit within them, even if Clunea had stripped him of his form-- the eyes-- never lie. The two practice weapons impact with a loud 'clap', though Ryu's force, causes Fang's legs to take a wider stance to handle the sheer force. There was a grit on Fang's face for a split moment. Ah-- so that was something else she stripped form him, he sees. His strength. "If you win enough wars, people don't want to mess with you. In that, is why you create wars, but you don't create wars for the hell of it." Fang then takes a step back, spinning the blade around in his hand, before taking hold of it with both hands as his stance changes ever so slightly. "You create wars to win!" Fang then steps in, he goes to shift his weight one way, as a feint strike, before rolling around, allowing the sword free from his one hand and arch around with the other to strike at what should not be an open spot. "You win and you win again. You gain a reputation and in that reputation, people talk-- people talk-- they don't want to push their luck, because they know what you and your people can do if they try.. at least.. that is what they come to believe." There is a coy smile on his face.
Ryu	Ryu's eyes are not sympathetic of what Fang is saying. He doesn't lose focus in the spar, finding himself watching intently for the man's form, the meaning behind his own strikes, the personality in that. It's something the young dragon has never actually done before. It's probably a good thing Fang is not just a warmonger, because this would be a very short training arrangement otherwise. Ryu seems to abhor the whole idea of war in general, especially when it's reasoned to him as a tool that can be used to gain something. The anger in his face fades momentarily when he gets a nasty impact through his guard and grunts from the pain. "All you gain from that is more enemies. No one will try to understand that you just want to protect your people. You fight and you fight, and ALL they will see--" He swings, and tries to go in for what he perceives as an opening. He's trying to copy the overall style of the other dragon, or at least adapt some of the footwork. He's still trying to learn, even if this got a little more heated than ordinary training sessions. "--is a demon who thinks himself better than them!"
Fang	Fang quickly moves his own blade around to block, using his other hand for extra support. His foot though does slide back with the impact, before he shoves Ryu's blade away and then goes in for a swift counter strike for the neck. Though he does not impact, he makes the point known if the young man doesn't act fast enough. "The Demon clan are vicious and like to eat children.. don't compare my /kind/ to them." He says with a soft growl in his voice and eyes narrowed. "I don't come from a world of giggles and candy, kid. Its either you fight.. or you die. Plain and simple." "After all-- what do you think any of us clans have to endure in order to even /speak/ to Clunea, let alone, get a wish from her granted."
Ryu	The movement for Ryu's neck is repelled only by virtue of Fang's holding back. The blue-haired boy can tell that it was a restrained attack, otherwise there'd be less talking and more writhing on the floor half-strangled by his own bruised throat. "I didn't make the comparison lightly," he tells Fang, evidently having a similar clan where he's from, "So what do you have to endure?" he wonders, moving on from the topic of war, since he's pretty sure he won't make his position any more clear than it already is. "Is it worth doing, for a single wish?"
Fang	Fang takes a few steps back and then readies his sword with both hands. His stance changed to one of more defensive. He motions for Ryu to come in before he speaks. "We kill monsters. We kill monsters to get higher up and eventually when you get to the top.. if someone doesn't pull a trap on you or kill you where the monster's failed.. Clunea will grant whatever your heart desires." Fang rolls his eyes. "Though the winged harpy doesn't seem to like direct visitors."
Ryu	Ryu's brow furrows. He thinks on all of the factors here. The clans. Surely they are largely competing with each other for Clunea's reward, right? That would be a reason for them to fight. Clunea. Did she craft that world in order to see the chaos of it, and what was her motivation for the wishes and for making herself reachable? Surely the path to her was full of monsters because she didn't wish to force the clans to fight for her favor...? The wish itself. What motivated such a thing, and why would she not grant it to Fang even after he got that far? Ryu decided to move in to take a strike at Fang, and that's when he let's out a huff of effort. He shuffles his feet in such a way that he can feint a stab, everything in his posture suggesting he'd do that, and instead he swerves and attempts a strike from the side with both hands on his training sword. After this attempt, he offers some food for thought: "If the trial was crafted like that, then did Clunea ever intend for anyone to reach her, and if so, did she intend for the winner to have destroyed every rival clan member along the way?"
Fang	Fang responds to the feint and with a quick motion goes to block the true strike. With a bit of a twist of the weapon in his own hands he goes to slam Ryu's training sword into a rock and try to hold it there for a moment while he stares directly at the youth, "Why do you have to ask so many damn questions-- also-- Focus!" Fang then goes to shove his arm into Ryu's chest and then goes to bring the sword down in a cleaving motion-- the rod can be seen heating up for a moment, but it cools down just as quickly.
Ryu	There's a moment where Ryu's fire dims and he looks saddened by the response he gets. He gets soundly defeated in his attempt by Fang's far superior swordsmanship, and there's even a point where he stumbles when shoved. The stagger results in an imperfect motion of his training weapon, and it gets knocked right out of his hand and sent flying across the clearing. He's left staring, helplessly, at Fang... "Because I want to understand a dragon from another world," he says almost at a whisper, his fury dampered by the slightest twinge of fear that he may not manage to get that understanding he's craving.
Fang	Fang stares at Ryu. There is a great deal of ferocity in his eyes, before he glances away and tsks softly. "Go pick up your sword." He says with a flat sound in his voice as he swings his around and goes to rest it in his shoulder. "..and I don't know what your looking for in me, Kid. Far as your people are concerned, I'm an arrogant asshole who is to prideful for his own good and all bark with zip bite." Fang places out his hands, "And I am not /even/ a dragon any more! Maybe in my soul-- but hell.. I can't even /fly/ anymore and what is a dragon without his wings or his breath." Fang stares at the training blade as he then goes to rest it in his hands. "..Clunea is bitch. Plain and simple. She is arrogant, prideful, and stupid. She does what she does, because like any other god.. they want people to worship them for something-- so they do stupid shit to get what they want." Fang's grip then tightens. "..and I called her out on her stupidity. I asked her a simple thing, she wanted to change my /form/, I told her that is what i wanted--told her again-- and she flipped out on me when I told her to screw off when she apparently could get it through her feather brain what I was after." The training staff then starts to heat up, becoming red. Fang grimaces at the heat against his hand. "...." before he at last pulls his hand free and strikes it against a rock, scorching the very stone. "They do what they do, cause the people are pawns.. but I am no ones pawn.. I am my own.. and you be wise to one day get the same way." He then looks at Ryu, "Cause in the end, there will only be you."
Ryu	Ryu didn't go to pick up the training sword immediately. He hesitated, momentarily, as the dragon began to talk about Clunea and the problem he encountered. Once Fang has finished talking, the blue-haired young man went to pick up the sword. He didn't have anything more to say, but whatever it is about what Fang said seems to have satisfied the need to know something about Fang. A sorrowful smile showed on Ryu's face, fitting the rest of the features he had. The ragged former criminal held his weapon up, ready. "Let's keep going," he offers, waving the telescoping training baton at Fang. "I don't have any more questions. I'm sorry."