[SE] [Training] Punch the lights out

Zavien

He may be back to living in the city, but Zavien still didn't like the idea of training right under the Family's nose, pretending like it wasn't with the sole purpose of one day ruining their plans. It helped when he didn't train in the Headquarters, going back to his roots when he'd spent hours on end in the rocky outcrops of the Righteous Climb - not that it was that much farther. 

Regardless, Zavien departs from the Celestine after another morning helping Lena, gathering his training gear along the way. Sol trots at his side, ever the diligent companion - even as he enjoys the bright rays of sunshine reflecting off his scales. When it hits the perfect angle, it sends him springing forward after the golden light with a playful chirp. It immediately vanishes when his body moves and he puffs his chest proudly as he returns to Zavien, as if he's somehow scared off the threat. 

The Dragoon chuckles and opens his mouth to praise the dragon for the tenth time already, only pausing when he sees a familiar face ahead. "Flora. What are you doing out here?" His eyebrows raise in surprise, a friendly smile on his face that feels warmer than the sunlight beating on the back of his t-shirt. Sol wags his tail in greeting, as much of a smile on his snout as a dragon can manage, his wings fluttering with excitement.

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

At the sound of her name, Flora turns with the drama of someone who expects to be admired mid-motion. Spice, curled comfortably across her shoulders like the world’s most glamorous (and coldest) scarf, releases a little puff of frost that drifts lazily into the humid air.

"Zavien," she greets, brightening immediately. There's genuine affection in her voice as she takes a few light steps toward him, eyes flicking once to Sol with a conspirator's grin. "You two are a sight for sore eyes."

The Sugar Tide gleams behind her on a flattened section of the road—tilted slightly, as if it landed with just a touch of flair and panic. Flora had chosen the Righteous Road deliberately, hoping the crumbling remnants of the old path would help her avoid the far more stressful social collision of a public skyport.

Instead, she places a hand on her hip, a smile curling like a secret she has no intention of sharing. "Honestly? I was hoping to find a training partner who wouldn’t go easy on me just because I happen to be their queen." Her tone is playful, but the words aren’t a joke—there’s something pointed in the way she says it, in the flicker of something not quite amusement in her gaze. "Most of the time in Torchline, people just fawn or fold. Makes it hard to break a sweat."

She lets her fingers absently scratch just beneath Spice’s chin as the little dragon fans out another chill-blast of air over her bare shoulders. Then, stepping a little closer, she raises her brows in an almost conspiratorial challenge. "Heyyyyyy, what're you up to right now? Wanna help me again, or did I exhaust all your patience last time?"

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

Having not seen Flora in quite some time, he'd nearly forgotten what it was like being in her proximity. She's honey and blooming confidence that makes it hard not to get caught in her orbit. He barely glances at her skyboat, his eyes too drawn to her smiles that seem to hold more than what's on the surface. Regardless, she's smiling, and he can't help but do the same in the return. "I'm glad to see you're doing well." With his own issues going on, he hadn't been able to check in on the Queen and the many broadcasts that she'd been mentioned in. Despite all of them, he's happy to see her charming demeanor hasn't been changed by her experiences. It even fans the little flame of hope he continues to nurture. 

Zavien's eyebrow raises at her words, hiding his confusion as he glances down at Sol, who is currently trying to get Spice's attention so they can go play (his methods consist of small hops, puffs of smoke, and spinning circles that nearly have him falling over). Couldn't she just command them not to go easy on her or bring people to her? Isn't that one of the many benefits of being a queen?

He supposes that he's the last person who might know the intricacies of female leadership (or women in general), and as Flora steps forward with a strange intensity that is almost intimidating, Zavien lets out a laugh to dismiss his own lack of understanding. "Not at all. If I remember correctly, I was the only problem during our last spar." Between flaring emotions, strained morals, and innate muscle memory, he hadn't been much of a gentleman. 

Shrugging his shoulders, he looks out to the open expanse of rock and dirt with a trained eye. "I was actually getting ready to do some training of my own. Maybe I can make it up to you this time." Zavien turns back to her with a sunshine smile, eager to prove that he isn't always so impulsive. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to work on?"

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

Spice narrows her icy blue eyes at Sol’s smoke-puffing antics like she’s weighing whether to respond with dignity or chaos—and chooses the latter. With an undignified squeak, she launches herself from Flora’s shoulders like a snowball shot from a cannon, aiming to body-check the other dragon mid-spin. Wrestling commences immediately in a flurry of frosty breath and delighted squeals, their antics sending little puffs of dust and sparkle skittering down the Righteous Road.

Flora watches with a fond shake of her head before turning back to Zavien, her curls already beginning to frizz despite Spice’s efforts. "Everyone has off days," she says with a shrug, her voice more gentle than teasing. "And you were still super helpful."

Her smile turns more crooked, a glint of amusement returning to her aqua eyes. "I figured I’d follow Vox’s oh-so-friendly advice and work on punching." Her hand lifts, loosely curling into a fist as if testing the idea. Then, with a saccharine sweetness that should absolutely not be trusted, she adds, "Besides. I want to be prepared, y’know? Just in case there’s an opening to clock Pierce in the face during his pool party." She beams at him. "You wouldn’t deny a girl her dream, would you?"

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

Sol doesn't anticipate the tackle, a short squeak of his own escaping, but the surprise is immediately replaced with delight. He grumbles playfully, batting and rolling through the dirt. It coats his scales in dust, his wings flopping every which way in the flurry of chaos, but every time they separate, he charges forward again, intent on antagonizing Spice into more antics.

Leaving the companions to their fun, Zavien accepts her praise with a grateful smile, feeling the forgiveness and understanding wash over him like a gentle tide. The smile doesn't fade as she makes her suggestion, his head coming down in a nod that rustles the bits of golden-brown hair that have grown out. "Sure." It's practically a continuation of their last session, and she'd proven to be a quick learner in that aspect. 

He can absolutely imagine the queen decking Pierce in the face at his own party (since he's the one who killed her), but as much joy as it brings Zavien to fantasize, there's a level of caution that still weighs on his thoughts. His laughter is as much an agreement to her sentiments as a way to dismiss some of the tension trying to grab at his gut. Shaking his head, he raises his hands. "Not me." With a shrug of his shoulders, he adds, "Just give me a bit of warning before all hell breaks loose so I can watch your back." Despite the light tone, there's a bit of doubt. 

Eager to get started, Zavien sets his pack on a nearby rock. "Gear or no gear?" He has wraps and pads for such training, although nothing as fancy as what they'd used last time. Still, he leaves it up to her on how 'realistic' she wants this training to be.

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

Spice, of course, takes Sol’s delight as a personal challenge, letting out a triumphant trill as she launches herself right back at him. She’s all snowy wings and smug energy, flopping dramatically into a roll that sends both dragons tumbling through the dust like scaled tumbleweeds. Flora doesn’t bother intervening—they were far too evenly matched and far too invested for either to accept a ceasefire.

She grins at Zavien as he offers her the punchy opportunity of her dreams, her nose scrunching up in something fond and just a little bit wicked. "We should come up with a codeword. Y’know, something subtle and elegant." A thoughtful pause. "Like… me stomping across the deck with murder in my eyes."

There’s a sparkle in her expression, but her posture shifts a little more seriously as she glances at the terrain. "No gear," she decides breezily, brushing her curls back off her brow. "If I show up to a pool party in anything less than a bikini, Pierce’ll clock me as having something up my sleeve before I can even swing."

Her fingers curl into a fist as she watches Spice roll Sol onto his back with a victorious chirrup. "I wanna work on placement—punches that’ll actually land hard, and maybe...ways to make a guy that big trip over himself." She flashes Zavien a smile that’s all teeth and trouble. "Besides he can make this barrier thing that makes magic not work so, whatever I do, it's gotta be all me."

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

Content to let Sol hold his own (or get owned) by Spice, Zavien gives his full attention to the woman before him. She's certainly a force to be reckoned with, so he shouldn't be surprised when her form of a signal is just 'doing the thing.' He shakes his head, an amused smile on his lips. He's not necessarily excited about attending this pool party, but it's good to know others feel the same. 

Zavien leaves his pack closed, chuckling at her reasoning. "Fair enough." It'd certainly be suspicious if she showed up ready for a fist fight, hands wrapped with murder on her face. 

The expression on his face shifts to surprise, his eyes widening at the tidbit about Pierce. He files it away, hoping he never has to use it as he straightens to face Flora, considering her request with a mischievous grin. "I can definitely help you there."

Tilting his head, he crosses his arms while laying out the most feasible options. "Good places to punch - the face is always a great one. Stuns people, and if you hit it just right, you might make him bleed." It's also the most obvious and doesn't often put people down if it's not angled correctly with enough force. "But if you want to knock him down, the gut might do the trick. It just depends on if he's expecting it. With as much muscle as he has, it might be hard to get past his abs." A single second of warning could be enough for him to tense, protecting his vulnerable innards from her attack. 

He lifts a hand to the back of his flank as he continues. "There's also the kidneys. That can take down most large men." Could also kill someone if it's strong enough, but he'd prefer that over the last option, the one suggested with a mischievous grin. "And if that doesn't work, there's always every man's weak spot: the groin. Hurts like a jackhammer." Or another choice word, but Zavien's mom taught him better than that. 

Laughing, he takes up a relaxed stance, gesturing for Flora to step forward. "I'd prefer you not punch me in the face or the groin, but if you want to give any of those a try, feel free." He shrugs his shoulders, his hands hanging at his side as if he was Pierce, just enjoying his beach party without a care in the world - totally unprepared for the hell about to be unleashed on him.

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

Flora nods along to Zavien’s advice, soaking it in like sunlight, though the way her eyes sparkle says she’s cataloguing it for more than just strategy. "Face, gut, kidneys, groin. Got it. The holy quadrinity." She grins, fingers flexing at her sides. "Don’t worry, I’ll try not to go for the crown jewels." But then her mouth twitches, expression turning sly as she eyes him up like a particularly juicy target. "Just so we’re clear," she hums, starting to casually circle him, "this is strictly because of what I’d do to Pierce." She mentions it because she's faiiiiiirly certain that Zavien isn't single and gods knew she had enough tangled relationships with other dragoons at the moment. Her lashes bat innocently, though there’s not a single innocent thought in her head. "So this is a hundred percent hypothetical."

She moves closer with the swaying grace of someone who’s absolutely about to cause problems. "Gods, what big muscles you have," she purrs, fingers brushing his shoulder with light, teasing contact as she drifts behind him like smoke. "You sure you’re not flexing for me?" Her voice stays low and syrupy, her hand trailing lazily down the curve of his tricep as she lazily winds her way behind Zavien, pressing her shoulder softly against his side like a cat wanting affection.

Then, there's a sudden twist of her hips, all her momentum thrown into a tight, practiced punch aimed straight for his kidney. No preamble. No pause. Just a sharp exhale through her nose like he'd taught her before, and the crack of her knuckles against muscle, hoping her flirty misdirection bought her just enough time to land it before Zavien’s reflexes kicked in.

Because if there was one thing Flora excelled at, it was looking harmless right before she did something deeply unfair.

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

He knew he'd be playing the role of Pierce, but her words have his face scrunching with confusion (and perhaps a bit of suspicion). It's said with a little too much syrup, and a few too many precursors, almost like she knows he's not going to like what she's about to do. Zavien is all the more cautious as she approaches, preparing for whatever dirty punch she plans to throw his way. But Flora doesn't walk straight towards him, she circles him like a shark scenting fresh blood or a boa constrictor preparing to tight his noose. Neither give him much hope as she lifts a hand towards him, her words like the silk of a spider trap. 

He goes rigid under her touch. It's not the punch he's expecting, but quite the opposite. The soft, seductive trailing of a finger suddenly has him very aware of everything: the t-shirt that suddenly feels way too thin, Flora's casual flirty confidence that's nothing like Lena, and the vibrant flaming shade of red that flares across his face faster than a comet. "I don't - I'm not - I mean -" His head turns to try following her movements, mouth gaping as his mind tries to rationalize the 'hypotheticals' of it all, very distracted by the suggestive brush of her. "Flora -" He's about to argue something, but they'll never know what. 

Logic has abandoned him, his words have abandoned him, and now his breath has abandoned him along with the stark absence of his reflexes to protect him from the powerful hit to his kidney. 

Zavien grunts, dropping to a knee as darkness and starlight simultaneously devour his vision, like a narrowing and exploding all at once that leaves him stunned. It's pain and shock that wracks his body, and his hand moves instinctually to cover his flank, feeling the scarring there that had sharpened her attack enough to completely incapacitate for a moment. It aches despite the months of healing, and he kneads a hand against the tender flesh as he moves to stand, his lungs too empty and too full all at once. There's a grimace on his face, his blush still lingering beneath the pale expression of pain - not that it stops the amused smile that strains to speak through tight breaths. "Good."

Straightening more, he feels Sol getting ready to rush to his aide, stopping only when Zavien reassures him of his safety. At the same time, the Dragoon stretches his side a little, laughing with what air he can recruit. "But I'm not sure my girlfriend would approve of your methods." He's never seen Lena jealous, but he doesn't like the idea of finding out. 

Only once he can inhale a full breath does he gesture for Flora to give it another go, hoping he might be better prepared for whatever she has next.

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

As Zavien drops to one knee, Flora’s victory shriek dies on her lips. "Oh shit—" Her smirk vanishes in an instant as she rushes to his side, already reaching for him with one hand and twisting the ring on her other. A soft, golden pulse of healing magic radiates from her fingertips, weaving through the air and sinking into his side like a balm. "Sorry, sorry—gods, I didn’t think I hit you that hard."

Her palm hovers protectively over his ribs as she eyes his expression, noting the blush still clinging to his cheeks even through the haze of pain. When he finally manages a breathy “Good,” she huffs, part laugh, part disbelief.

But then he says it—my girlfriend—and Flora stills. Not because she’s upset (gods knew she’d expected it), but because of course she'd found the one good dragoon who wouldn't abide her harmless flirting. Not annoyed at all but finding that she liked Zavien a good deal more for her loyalty, the queen found herself reevaluatiing. "Oh," she says, straightening with a sheepish little smile. "Yeah, no, obviously. I wasn’t actually trying to…" She trails off, nibbling the inside of her lip, brushing a hand through her curls as Spice huffs a little frost ring around her ankles. "I just figured, if I can distract Pierce for half a second, I might land a hit. I didn’t mean to, like, actually distract you." Not in the way a girlfriend would mind, anyway.

Her brows pull together slightly, sincerity sliding into place as easily as a mask of confidence had moments ago. "He'll see me coming if I just try and stroll up and deck him in the face. So if I can’t flirt my way in, can you think of any other way someone like me gets close enough to someone like him without being flattened?" She crosses her arms, toe nudging at the dirt. Flora knew what her best assets were, especially if she couldn't use her daggers; maybe it just meant Zavien wasn't the right person to practice this particular kind of assault with.

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

Chuckling against the fading pain, he braces his hand on the scar as he straightens. "That's one of the good things about going for the flanks: you don't have to punch very hard for it to hurt." Feeling the pulse of magic and seeing her pinched expression, Zavien softens his tone a bit, a reassuring smile on his face as he twists his torso to test the movement. "You just got bonus points for hitting an old wound. Don't worry about it, but thank you for the concern - and the healing." At least he won't end up with a bruise. 

The ache disappears and Zavien lets his hand fall away, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't apologize for pushing an advantage, but some warning would have been nice." He laughs again, light around the redness that still clings to his ear tips. Even with warning, he's not sure he'd have stood much of a chance, yet that didn't mean it would be the same for Pierce, and his smile turns a bit more serious. "But you also might want to consider that even though Pierce is a man - and I've seen him shamelessly flirt before - do you think he'd believe it coming from someone he killed?" Believe that she'd somehow looked past her death? 

Crossing his arms, Zavien takes her question to heart as he strategizes. It doesn't take long to think of another option, his head tilting as he says, "You might have a better chance using the other major advantage women have," he pauses, a confident grin spreading across his face, "being underestimated." Pierce might not fall for 'damsel in distress,' but he might just think her weak enough not to be a threat. "Maybe act drunk or clumsy?"

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

Flora flashes Zavien a sheepish grin, biting her lower lip as he clutches his side. "Ooof, definitely my bad." Her voice is soft with guilt for a breath—then swings right back into sing-song as she shrugs and adds, "I meean I did say it was hypothetical." The grin she flashes him is all sass and zero remorse, but she could absolutely respect him not wanting to risk his relationship for the sake of her training.

At the mention of Pierce shamelessly flirting, though, her expression tightens—just slightly. She sinks her teeth into the inside of her cheek, that brief, sharp flicker in her eyes betraying the tangle of too many feelings pressed behind a single name. "Mm," she hums, nodding as her gaze drops to the ground. "You’re probably right." Her voice is flat, but there’s a strange kind of brightness to it too—like she’s holding the whole thought at arm’s length to keep it from biting.

Fortunately, Zavien’s suggestion makes her perk back up, her brow lifting with interest. "Underestimated," she echoes, the word tasting right. "Drunk or clumsy, huh?"

A slow grin spreads across her face. She backs up a few steps, brushing the dust from her thighs and rolling her shoulders. Then she clears her throat, rises onto her tiptoes like she’s strutting in stilettos, and throws her entire body into a transformation.

Suddenly, she’s all bright-eyed and unbalanced—an airy giggle escaping as she staggers forward like she’s half a cocktail away from a regretful tattoo. "Oopsie!" she chirps, miming a half-spilled drink in one hand as she stumbles right toward Zavien. The moment her arms hook around his biceps in mock desperation, the queen drops the act. Her hips shift, driving a sharp twist into Zavien’s stance with a practiced bump of force—aimed squarely at knocking him off balance.

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Zavien

Not one to hold a grudge, Zavien flashes her an amused grin, letting out a light laugh. "I suppose you did." He couldn't blame her for not knowing about his scarring, or that he'd be so susceptible to her chosen methods of distraction. It all came with the territory of deception and pushing advantages, and if it would help against the Family, he was more than happy to take the punch. 

That being said, he's glad to see when Flora takes his suggestion, nodding his head to confirm the new tactic. While she steps back to don her persona down to the heels on her feet, he relaxes his own stance, again taking on the 'unsuspecting Pierce at his pool party' role. 

Zavien can't help the smile that appears at her giggling form. She's good. If he didn't know it was act, he might have thought her actually drunk. It's only because he knows it is that he doesn't reach out to stabilize her when she 'stumbles,' letting her grab at his arms in whatever plan she has. It doesn't take long to find out as she gives a sharp twist into his stance, making him step forward to keep his footing. Although not devastating or debilitating, it would certainly make it easier to capitalize on the stumble to land a solid hit. 

Chuckling, he moves to straighten. "Not bad." Focusing on the 'attack' part of the exchange, Zavien adds, "You might also try elbowing if you're holding a drink. You can get a lot more force behind it, and it can be more discrete than a punch." Whether she wants to try that now or give the whole thing another go, he'll be ready.

Stay focused on your mission,
remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence,
and always do the right thing.

flora

Acting is acting—and Flora has always known how to sell a story. Whether it was giggling on command or fluttering her lashes like a punchline, she’d perfected the art of pretense long before her crown ever caught the sun. Even with a telepath in her life for the better part of two years, she'd held her own. Lived in performances she didn’t always know how to end. So slipping into something soft and staggering now, all wide eyes and drunken smiles, was almost too easy.

She flicked a glance up at Zavien through her lashes as he righted himself, the heat of her grin brightening when he offered a not bad. "I’ll take that," she said, her voice teasing with just enough pride beneath the sugar to let it stick. "Elbows, huh? Honestly, the only time I’ve ever used those is to push through a crowd at the markets."

Her hands dusted off the air in front of her like clearing a stage. "Okay—let’s try something." A few measured steps took her back into place, shoes scuffing lightly across the dirt before she turned on them in a practiced wobble. She let herself pitch forward, a picture of loose limbs and liquid laughter.

"Oopsie—gods, I’m so clumsy today," she singsonged as she reached for him again, her centre of gravity tilted just enough to seem off-kilter. But just before her hands caught his arms, her heel came crashing down onto his toes. Not enough to break anything, though at Pierce's party she intended to wear something with quite a high heel that might draw some blood.

And while he was reacting to that, her elbow swung up in a tight, fluid arc aimed squarely for his gut.

I can't stop you putting roots in my dreamland

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!