Clashing Blades, Clashing Minds (Cecil)

...tactics? That was a...strange, way of referring to how you dealt with other people. What he was saying...it didn't sound he had trouble with interacting with people. More like...like he was controlling what he showed them to influence how they'd respond. That the problem wasn't communication, understanding, but knowing what to keep hidden to maintain an ideal response.
He didn't actually know if that was the case. He could be reading too much into this, and he barely knew Lui. But, he did have to wonder now the thought had struck...how much of that is deliberate? It's not hard to guess that he'd be after more members, but is he keeping something buried to do that? I wonder...just how well does everyone else in here really know him? What could he have been keeping hidden from me, ever since I walked in? For all the thoughts were simple conjecture simply based on Lui's choice of words, Cecil found his curiosity piqued by the possibility. He couldn't question him on it now - wouldn't, even. Even had he been able to ask, this was more something to talk about with someone you were familiar with. This was no time to pry.
But that didn't stop him making a mental note to pay a little more attention to Lui. Just to see if there was that distance between what he was seeing and the person behind that sight.

Cecil nods along as the technique is explained, looking curiously at Lui's mask from behind his own, a change in focus slightly reflected in the way his stance relaxes a little with his rigid focus on it now removed. His voice takes an inquisitive tone as he replies. "Deal. Let's get to this, Lui."
Picking up the counter-riposte without frustration goes more smoothly than it might otherwise have. Cecil spends a while on examining the technique, watching the execution of it in order to get to grips with how best to minimise the impact of that initial parry. As he does so, while his technique isn't as sharp as it was before, his ability to react improves significantly. Similarly, while it takes a little longer to grasp some of the nuances involved in executing the counter-riposte when he switches to the attack, he responds more quickly to the riposte than he might have otherwise. Through it all, Cecil is focusing less on Lui's blade and more on his mask, carefully listening to anything he might say. He continues on in this way, content to continue practicing in this manner until Lui calls for a halt or reveals something that would warrant bringing things to a halt.

Cecil was thankfully getting the hang of the counter-riposte with ease, batting at Lui's counters with the skill of a beginning fencer. His focus wasn't fully directed on Lui's blade nor how his body moved; instead, he seemed to be staring at him mask to mask, though it wouldn't do much good for Cecil. Behind the mask, Lui's expressions were obscured from sight, his expressions and thoughts covered by his quick attacks and fencing stance. Behind the mask, Lui didn't have to worry about what his face was expressing, whether he was smiling for a big comeback or desperately searching for an opening. True, it'd be a stretch to find someone who could tell who he really was outside of his family, but the parts Lui did show to others weren't to trick them, only reaffirm the few positive aspects of himself.

Spying the clock against the wall, Lui realized that the club was slowly running out of time to train. Cecil had at least gotten the basic moves down and was becoming more comfortable with the flow of battle, so Cecil would hopefully find the motivation to come back around to train some time. Depending on where he stood in the hierarchy of the school, his presence could mean a bigger sway for the club. Lui called for a halt as he set his blade beside him, sliding his mask up to reveal his face.

"Excellent work, Cecil. With that, I'd say you have the basic techniques down pat. All we need to do is put those moves up against a real foe. Well, assuming you want to come back, that is. Like I said, I can make you into a formidable fencer. What do you say? Consider coming back?"

Cecil lifts his own mask, thoughts never turning to the concealment of the curiosity and focus on his face. If it wasn't apparent before, the way that he seemed to be watching for something from Lui was certainly clear now, trying as best as he was able to to catch a sign of something in Lui's expression. Not that he at all stopped listening it would appear, as the moment Lui starts talking his face resets to normal. "Hmmm..." He makes an exaggerated display out of considering whether to return, tilting his head side to side with a thoughtful look on his face before a sharp breath out marks the appearance of a little smile on his face. "I think I might. I've enjoyed this."

Cecil shrugs, closing his eyes as he does. "It's funny. I get the feeling there's a lot more to learn here than I'd have first thought. I mean, that's probably the case with anything I could have tried, but...I don't know. Feels like a different type of thing than you'd expect to find." He sighs, shaking his head. "I'm rambling. I going to be put up against someone today?" He takes his own glance at the clock, noting the time. "We've been here a bit, and I don't know how long these things take when you're not being immediately crushed by someone miles above you in skill."

The investigative stare did not go unnoticed as Lui met it with an uncommonly cold, unnerving stare before turning his gaze to watch the other members packing up. What was this kid trying to do? Did he expect Lui to reveal some true self after taking off a façade for him? Unfortunately, Lui wasn't that easy a nut to crack, and what Lui truly was without putting on an act for people... well, he wasn't fully sure of who he was himself. He wanted to have the confidence and heroic aura of his brother to the point he wanted to emulate Kei as best he could. So whatever Cecil wanted to see, Lui would have to watch him carefully to see what worked best with Cecil.

"That's a maybe, then? Better than an outright refusal, at least. We normally start practice earlier since you came in around the halfway point, so you'll get more out of next practice session. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, sometimes on the weekend if a competition is coming up. Time does tend to fly when you're engaged in battle with a good sparring partner. So you're not facing a foe today. Just train up what you know and you'll be ready for a battle next time. Have a good day, Cecil."

As the other members left the clubroom with chatter and the rustling of bags against bage, Lui would start setting the dummies and remaining mats into the storage room until Cecil either got his attention or decided to leave.

Cecil doesn't back off as his stare is met with one far more chilling. His brow quirks slightly as he notices the shift, and he makes a little nod, seemingly to himself. I think I'm not entirely off the mark. There's more than what I've been seeing there...though, it'd be jumping to conclusions to assume any more than that. His expression shifts, turning thoughtful. Still not my place to pry. Can't prod him about it...or, well, be too invasive in general. I don't get to see for a reason. Still...
He shakes his head. Nope. Got to be careful about going down that rabbit hole. Most I can do is just be aware if I want to know more, and generally let him handle it how he'd prefer as long as its no harm to anyone else.

Cecil removes the mask altogether, and nods. "Got it. Same to you, Lui." He goes off to the changing room, and gets out of the borrowed fencing gear without too much fuss. Figuring out where the hell to return it to takes longer - he didn't actually know where any of it went or anything - but after one seriously awkward attempt at getting some help, Erin's able to put him out of his misery.
After taking a little bit longer to recover from the seeming ordeal, he makes his way out, plugging in one of his earphones. Mid-stride, he looks over to where Lui is and considers saying something...and promptly chokes so hard it's a wonder he didn't suddenly keel over clutching at his throat. Not breaking stride, he stops looking and jams the other earphone in, ramping up the music as he exits without a word to anyone else, body language clearly separating him from anyone else coming out.

His ever heavy steps mark each footfall he makes as he walks away from the room, a blank expression on his face. ...what now?
He pulls out his player and starts skipping through his track selection, desperate to find whichever track it was this time that'd let him stop thinking for a while.

"Seems there's another snake slithering in the grass in this school... This one has more to them than a timid appearance." Shirokishi echoed in the valleys of Lui's mind
"Yeah, and he's pretty suspicious of my behavior too. Best we stay on our toes with this one. But getting to know him more would prove most beneficial, no? Until then, Cecil..."

[END]

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