[ACTION]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ Cloud had decided to get up early and spend a few hours with his blades, making sure that they were in shape after the whole 'sucked into another world' thing. Once cleaned, sharpened, and polished he took the Fusion Swords outside of the Garden for practice. Sure he could have gone to the Training Center, but he had found the ceiling was just a little too close for comfort, especially when he jumped. He needed space and he needed to work off all the tension of ended up in this strange place, where even the air tasted different than what he knew.

So there he was in the field, the First Ken in hand while the five other swords formed a circle around him, going through the very simple step-slash-block-return moves of a basic kata. The air was fresh and cool, feeling good against his bare arms, and he could taste the nearby sea when the wind blew off of it. He closed his eyes, letting his feet and arms carry him around the circle.

So absorbed in his practice, he really wouldn't notice anything around him, even if it was a Sephiroth appearing in a pink apron talking about peace and harmony. ]

Comments

[flirtninja.livejournal.com]

I think there's a point where you've reached overkill, and that point is when you have more swords than you have hands.

[The ninja has paused to observe curiously, ducking down to look at some of the other weapons that comprise the set with a thoughtful frown. Even the smaller weapons look big and bulky, all things considered! But his words aren't challenging, merely wry.]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ He spun around, the First Ken snapping open showing the grooves where he could place materia if he really had need for them. Then with a shake of his head, Cloud straighten from his half-crouch, casually swinging the sword over his shoulder. ]

You sound just like Barret.

[ He wasn't even breathing hard despite having spent most of the morning practicing. ]

Minus the swearing and firing round into the air.

[flirtninja.livejournal.com]

I'm going to take that as a compliment in its entirety.

Seriously, what's with that one? [He points at the hollow blade.] It's just a big wedge of metal.

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

It's shaped the way it's meant to be shaped.

[ Cloud's mouth twisted into a smirk, a touch of arrogance mixing in with his enjoyment over how puzzling his swords were to people at first. ]

The Fusion Swords were customized for my fighting style after my six favorite swords.

[makeashowofit.livejournal.com]

[While he knew there were swordsmen at this place other than his first mate, Marvelous had yet to see one practice really. He wasn't much of a refined swordsman but, he could appreciate the work and technique that went into it so, simply passing by, he paused to watch this guy.]

Hm. Not bad.

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[ A slight flush at the other's words before Cloud opens the First Ken and plucks the jagged sword from the ground and snapping it into place on the main sword's over-sized guard with a slight click. ]

It's a basic training kata, nothing too impressive.

[makeashowofit.livejournal.com]

[Slight smirk at the modesty. There were definitely some similarities.]

Does it get more impressive with more swords or should I stop watching now?

[wildmelody.livejournal.com]

Wooooooowwwwww~

[Hibiki's watching in awe. She had never ever seen real sword practice before, even though she's done a little kendo. This wasn't kendo this was... wait, how many swords was that? One, two, three...]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ He didn't actually expect for people appearing outside of Garden, but since they had done so, Cloud just went with it, trying to figure them and their comments out. Although he had to admit that he has heard that kind of thing before - mainly from Denzel when he had been well enough to follow him out to train.

Even as she was trying to count his swords, Cloud picked up the jagged sword and snapped it into place on the First Ken's guard before reaching over and picking up the hollow blade. With a sword in each hand, he went into an advanced kata, with both blades. ]

[wildmelody.livejournal.com]

[Okay that was seriously impressive, and Hibiki was watching intently as he swung them. It was so different from the random bouts of kendo she did with others, and definitely different from anything she had seen.]

That's amazing! What kind of style is that?

[elementof.livejournal.com]

[Cloud wasn't the only one wanting space. Balthier was never really fond of ceilings, with them hiding the sky and all that.]

Come to relieve some tension hmm?

[He quirks his eyebrow and cock his gun against his shoulder]

You're not half bad, I'm impressed.

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ Cloud brought his blade to a stop with both hands and then pulled himself from the crouch he was in. Resting the First Ken on his shoulder, he ran his free hand through his hair, making the spikes move and settle into new spikes. ]

Yeah. Exercise helps getting my head out of the clouds.

[elementof.livejournal.com]

Yet some of us would prefer our heads in the clouds. [smirks] Though I suppose it's all personal preference.

[northswains.livejournal.com]

[Ashe hadn't been out of her dorm much lately.. besides for classes and eating, of course.

She needed some fresh air, some alone time.. so what better place to do that than on the field? Seemed another one was feeling the same way. Ashe was around 50 feet away from Cloud, sitting on a rather large rock.]

Good morning. [She said it softly, but loud enough for him to hear, hopefully.]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ He heard. One of the many benefits of the SOLDIER treatments was how hyper-aware the senses were made. It had made a few things quite an adventure until he had figured it out. At her quiet greeting, Cloud fell out of the kata he was in, letting the First Ken settle in the ground next two one of the switchblade swords. ]

Morning.

[northswains.livejournal.com]

Quite impressive, I must say. I'm sure SeeD is pleased to have trained units now.

[She hops up and begins to approach the man slowly.]

I wasn't expecting to see anyone out here so early, however..

[batmansphoenix.livejournal.com]

[Jason didn't bother him. He just... watched. He always favoured guns, but he'd had a lot of practice with swords too- and could tell Cloud was good.

Five swords, too. Looked like he had a lot of practice, so Jay was happy to stare and try to learn, for now.]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ From just swinging the First Ken, Cloud picked up the jagged sword, working with both before snapping it into place on his main sword's hilt. The next sword he picked up was the hollow blade, swinging the two blades around with little effort, though now his swings were growing complex. The hollow blade went on to the front of the sword, snapping into place and he picked up the first of the two switchblade swords. ]

wow I totally thought I had replied to this

[batmansphoenix.livejournal.com]

[And, because just staring was getting kind of boring... Jason actually claps.]

[adewdropbright.livejournal.com]

[ Even though most people do practice in the Training Center, it's not so odd to see the occasional practice outside. For someone like Cloud, it's unsurprising.

Someone like Cloud... come to think of it, his strength seems just as supernaturally strong as that of the Cloud she knew back home. That strength had come from the darkness. Where had this strength come from...?

Normally she'd interrupt to say hello, but curiosity compels her to let him practice and watch a while longer, a pensive look creeping onto her face. ]

Hmm...

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ By this time, the Fusion Swords were locked together, forming one huge sword of a size that should by all rights rip Cloud's arms from their shoulders. That he can easily swing it around with one hand should be impossible, let alone switching from one hand to the other in a series of swings that he half-remembered from Zack and he half made up on the side.

Bringing it down to the ground, he left the sword sticking out of the ground and picked up a bottle of luke-warm water, sipping at it slowly. ]

[adewdropbright.livejournal.com]

[ Ah, and he's done. Aerith ponders for just a second how she should greet him now--then she draws in a breath and lets out a loud cheer, just to surprise him. ]

Woohoo! Go-o-o, Cloud!

[nobleidealist.livejournal.com]

[atouchofstrife.livejournal.com]

[ Cooling down with a few swings of the lighter switchblade swords, Cloud then stuck them into the ground next to the other four blades and picked up a water bottle, taking a slow sip of water. He should by alrights go back inside, but he was liking it out here even without the taste of the Lifestream in the air. ]

[nobleidealist.livejournal.com]

That was pretty good!

I haven't met alot of people who fight with more than one sword!