To Stand Where He Stood (Open)

[Katsu]

"Can I..."

Hm. How to say this properly...

"...see them in action?"

[Blake Oleander]

"You may. A spar? Or a target dummy?"

[Bailey Oleander]

"Not quite so cold, but it's still hard to come by a lot of greenery or anything like that here. The mountains are tall and formidable, the sky is clear, but a lot of what it was is lost to a time before the Great Wars ever happened."

[Qi Yanmei]

"I would love to see it~." Yanmei smiles.

Unless she'd seen it on her travels without realizing.

"I do wish I knew more about this war." she admits, crossing her arms and tilting her head.

"It feels strange to not know about something so significant. Of course It's just due to my youth. Even still."

Sigh.

[Katsu]

"I have to admit, a spar sounds... ideal."

To test the measure of the man who'd become king.

[Blake Oleander]

Blake would nod.

"Would you like me to take a handicap?"

[Bailey Oleander]

"It's best in the evening and night," she admitted with a warm smile, recalling the view from her childhood. "The sunlight glowing against the peaks, sometimes with an extra light from the resources that did manage to survive. There are mines, too, though we don't go in them alone. Still, sometimes it looks like there are extra little hidden places in the world.

She gave a small hum at the mention fo the war, shifting again with the restlessness and discomfort that seemed too familiar now. There were so many options for YanMei if she wanted.

"Well, you're in a good a place as any. Thee academy has a library, and so does ours back home. There are survivors, their kids...you can see the effects on the world."

[Qi Yanmei]

Yanmei takes a moment to imagine what she describes, smiling as well and then offering a nod at the mention of hidden places.

When the topic changes to the War, she does consider all the options she's been given.

"It sounds like a bit of a downer." she says frankly. Not entirely in a rude way, but more like explaining why she hadn't taken the steps yet.

"I'm not sure I could speak to survivors. It feels wrong to make them talk about something like that. Perhaps I should read." she somewhat thinks out loud before her attention suddenly fixates on Katsu.

"Of course he's going to fight..."

[Katsu]

"Well, if that's what you want..."

Though he never would imagine handicapping himself in a fight. That wasn't his way.

"Fair warning. Swordsmanship is my life."

[Blake Oleander]

"Then let us find a more isolated place."

Blake would point to the North.

"A favored training spot of mine is a few minutes that way."

[Bailey Oleander]

"For the sake of curiosity, no, it would likely be best to leave them alone. There are books, pictures, art. Things that can show you that." Bailey agreed with a nod. "But if it became important to you or Katsu to surviving in the future, it might be different." She looked over to other two and chuckled.

"That tends to happen around Blake." She'd heard the proposition for a spar and hadn't been surprised. it was merely a question now of when and, as Blake had said, a chance to give Katsu a chance not to face her partner's full strength.

Swordsmanship was his life. The two men were quite the pair already.

"Did you want to go with them?"

[Qi Yanmei]

"I'd feel much too anxious if I couldn't watch." Yanmei admits with an amused chuckle.

"Should be interesting. Are you coming as well?"

[Katsu]

"Then I'll accompany you there."

He nods, before looking at Yanmei.

"We're heading north."

Katsu assumes she knows already, as she usually does, but wants to inform her regardless.

[Blake Oleander]

Blake leads the way!

[Bailey Oleander]

"Of course." Bailey chuckled and nodded, following after the swordsmen.

""I think I understand what you mean, though." At least, as much as she could. YanMei's bond with Katsu was different than hers with Blake, whom she'd seen weather qi blasts, bombs, scorpion attacks, and scars of the heart. Here he stood, and though she had faith in him, she still worried sometimes - she just learned to stop admitting it.