As the door opened, Maimai expressed a pouty face in the direction of Jin Li. The martial artist ignored her.
He was currently sipping tea, the scent of which was slightly bitter yet also refreshing. The tea cup he used looked finely made, with a dappled bronze finish and gold line motif and came as part of an overall set. It wasn't something likely to be found in a boudoir, but looked as if it would fit well in a nobleman's study. Maimai wondered where he had got it from and if she could get her father a set.
"C-come in," Leon ushered them both through the door. Unlike his sour lover, the alchemist seemed delighted to see them, improving Maimai's mood. She childishly stuck out her tongue at Jin Li. He still ignored her.
In a gesture of welcome, Leon poured them both tea in cups from the same set. Maimai savoured it, while Bowyer blurted in comment; "It's good!"
"Tch," Jin Li exclaimed irritably. That was his tea that was being shared. With this he couldn't ignore the pair any longer. "What are you doing here?" He tugged Leon down to sit beside him, preventing the smaller man from refilling the pair's cups after his own was. Leon rolled his eyes, but remained obedient, settling Jin Li's mood.
"Can't Leon's best friend visit from time to time?" Maimai retorted.
"No." He caught the questioning gaze of his small alchemist from the corner of his eye. "I'll allow it... but only following a card of invitation." Now it was Maimai's turn to roll her eyes. Sure sending cards to the doors of people you wished to visit or whom you wished to visit you was the etiquette amongst houses of noble and powerful backgrounds, but Leon was from a small village, don't know if they bothered with such formalities and plus, they were all at school!
Jin Li turned to question Bowyer. "And you, Senior?" Despite his bluntness, Jin Li remained respectful to those he chose to recognise.
Bowyer put on an air of humbleness; "Jin Li, I require your assistance."
"I refuse."
"Hey, you haven't heard what it is that I need you for!"
"Isn't it to practice sparring with you?" Jin Li sneered. Honestly, he didn't usually mind, but his small alchemist and himself had been apart for this whole week and even then, Leon had fallen asleep before they got to do anything last night as he had been exhausting himself with his own matters during the day. He hadn't managed to talk Leon out of wanting to descend the mountain for somethings today either. But it had been to purchase supplies which included smoked and salted meats, so Jin Li had forgiven him for spoiling his personal plans, this time.
Bowyer couldn't help but hesitate, slightly sheepish. Maimai thought it was quite a cute look on the robust man and he unknowingly was relabelled as 'bottom' in the girl's slightly offhanded view. "Well, sort of," he admitted, "and sort of not. You see, there is this girl..."
"Girl?" Maimai blurted, before blushing, inwardly crying due to this unexpected development. "Ah, I see..." she coughed before washing her mind with the refreshing sight of Leon nearly cuddled to Jin Li's side. She sipped her tea to clear her throat. "You wish to impress her?"
Leon was used to Maimai's personal outlook on life, didn't think anything of her reaction and as usual Jin Li didn't care. However, from another point of view, it could be taken with an alternative interpretation. Bowyer looked at the pretty girl again before stumbling to answer her question. "Actually, no," he chuckled awkwardly after a moment and scratched at his jaw as he glanced away with an internal sigh. "Really, I'd rather the opposite. But she and her friends cornered me a bit and I ended up promising to help her with her practice..."
"I'm not helping her in your stead," Jin Li declared, cutting Bowyer off with finality.
"I'm not asking you to do so, I swear!" Bowyer promised, sincerely. "Just be my wingman. I don't want her getting the wrong idea and convincing herself that there is something between us!"
The reassured Maimai, who was relieved to know her ship had not yet sailed, tapped her lip in thought. "I'm confused," she stated, honestly. "I'm assuming that this girl likes you?"
"Indeed," Bowyer responded with a drawn out sigh.
"And you do not like her?" She persisted, to which Bowyer nodded in agreement. "Then why have you just not rejected her pursuit?"
"Well, its not as if she has stated that she likes me," he admitted, then rushed to defend himself so to not look egotistical in others eyes. "It's pretty obvious though, to the point where it's really difficult to ignore! Like, when I was forming my team, her friends rushed to volunteer her after all appearing in my path with her and her declaring how she would love to experience what it was like to traverse the Shattered Isles... it would have been really difficult to refuse her had I not already made an agreement with Borean at that point."
Leon vaguely recalled something about a girl delaying Bowyer at that time with the assistance of Pike when they were vying for him to join their teams... he never did understand their intentions. Still, he did end up appreciating the experience, even if it was not really fun and games.
"So you haven't rejected her because she hasn't confessed?" Maimai wanted to clarify.
"Yeah, on the off chance that I and everyone else is really misinterpreting her interest," Bowyer explained, "wouldn't that embarrass her too badly if I did so?"
Maimai sighed and couldn't think of what to say to refute him. "Too nice," she murmured and not quietly enough to not be heard.
*****
Bowyer's plan to have Jin Li become his assistant was to ensure that his tutoring of Pria could not be misconstrued by others and wrongly interpreted as a date. With just one more witness to the reality of the matter, rumours could be subsequently defused before blowing up in a place where gossip was a form of entertainment. Even better when one became three; Leon and Maimai tagged along. Jin Li was not about to leave his small alchemist behind and as for the girl... that one just did as she liked!
Pria also did not come alone but with a montage of friends. Those friends, who had been planning on slipping away during the tutoring to allow her friend time alone with Bowyer in order to develop feelings, had their hopes and plans completely dashed. Pria too felt her heart sink.
All girls hope that their feelings with the person of their affections to share them mutually. Pria could face a rabid dire wolf head without hesitation, but when it came to facing Bowyer, this tall, strong vision of masculinity, she trembled at the knees and her heart would beat so hard it felt it would burst. Naturally, there was the seed of hope within her that desperately wished to bloom in the light of his attentions. She was disappointed that he was not alone, but at least he came as he promised... right?
"Don't worry," her friend whispered into her ear. "Although he is not alone, but with friends, doesn't mean that he has no feelings. He could just be shy!"
"Hmm," murmured another, more practical friend, "but it worries me about the girl in his group..."
They all knew of Jin Li. Who did not know this ostentatious first year by now?! He moved into the inner school before the first term was half way complete, rebuffed many more forward young women, who were interested in both his skills and his face, then declared that a small, unknown alchemist was his lover and Dao Companion in front of a whole crowd of students and outside visitors! That strange little man was one of the others with Bowyer, no one could forget that oddly striped hair, but just who was the girl?!
Girls instantly dislike anything that they consider a threat to them, thus even without meaning to, Maimai became the target of their unhappiness. Not that she would have expressed any concern even then, she wasn't one to care for the crowd mentality. Otherwise, she would have folded beneath glares of disdain as a shu daughter 'cosying' too closely to her Di sister by other Di daughters of important sect subordinates and elders.
"Ah, you are here!" Bowyer greeted her with a welcoming voice that instantly caused Pria to discard any dissatisfaction she'd had a moment ago. "Now tell me which move that had you seeking my help."
"Well," Pria blushed slightly as she cleared her throat. "It's like this..."
After explaining and showing him the forms in the play one by one and as best she could currently could, Bowyer nodded before repeating the motions without pause in his own way. Pria's eyes followed his sharp manoeuvres without blinking. He always moved with his sword as if he were one with the heavy blade and there was little to no excess movement, efficiently able to fight without wasting needless energy. Sure, this way looked less impressive to ordinary people, Bowyer was not a showman nor entertainer, but in this way he'd defeated many arrogant opponents, using their own egos against them. Her knees once more felt as if they were unable to support her small weight.
"I've got it," Bowyer advised her. This form was not suited to a man of his bulk, but he could already figure out how it should work. "Jin Li?"
"En." The willowy man nodded, his long black tail of hair dancing upon the slight breeze as he withdrew his long, slender blade.
"Okay, perform it again, this time without stopping," Bowyer instructed Pria. She agreed, brightly and went to bow before Bowyer. He stopped her before she could complete the gesture of formal combat. "Jin Li will be your opponent. I will watch how you move so that I can make suggestions afterwards."
Pria glanced at the cold face of her 'opponent' and shuddered slightly. He might not know it, but ever since breaking through to quaternary stage, he gave of an aura of intimidation that pressed down upon many core forming cultivators. Pria could cope with it for a while, but it would be hard to face him in battle.
Her friend mentioned this quickly; "Jin Li's not really suitable an opponent. He's too strong!"
Bowyer frowned. In the martial arts world, fighting against stronger opponents was normal, for there were cultivators who would covert your things, be wary of your potential, not to mention the multitude of ordinary beasts and spiritual beasts that would attack you just due to your presence. To state that Pria was too weak to face someone... wasn't that just submitting to a quick death? Not to mention, this was just a learning spar.
"Do not worry," Jin Li sneered. "I didn't plan to fight back. It is not worth this Lord's effort to do so."
The pig teammate friend lowered her head, realising too late her mistake.
"If it's such a big problem," a voice came from behind Jin Li, "why don't I be the opponent?" All eyes fell upon Maimai, who stepped forward in volunteer, before withdrawing a long knife from her interspacial bag. "You'll have to forgive me though, my sword skills are a bit rusty, but I should be able to defend well enough with my knife." She tilted her head slightly as she waited for their agreement, her brown curls coming loose and teasing the side of her amicable face.
In appearance, Pria was quite lovely, with large eyes sporting indigo irises and long straight hair that was an interested mix of tarnished gold and dusky silver. Her height was not petite nor was she weak, just in comparison to the two Male martial artists, her frame might ordinarily invoke some protective feelings. She was normally straightforward, amicable and while not one to wear her feelings on her sleeve, she was not one to shy from confrontation... unless she happened to be in close proximity to Bowyer, at which point she became an ordinary young woman of her era experiencing the first flush of blossoming love.
On seeing the exuberant brunette with curls that were somewhat wild in comparison to her overall appearance, she began to feel niggling doubts, reducing her already placed upon the edge self esteem.
Pria and her entourage had thought that they knew all of Bowyer's close friends and comrades, but they did not know this girl, which unsettled them. Not only that, she was so quick to volunteer to assist... was that not just adding another blockage upon the 'river of love'... forget that the boat for two had yet to set sail! Unknowingly, Maimai had placed herself in the role of antagonist in their romance novel.
Maimai brushed a nail over the edge her long knife, seemingly oblivious to their glares. Or rather ignoring them. There was no point attempting to pull such sister power upon a girl like her, she didn't want to have anything to do with their BG plot... she had her own ship to protect!
Seeing as their pleading/threatening mix of silent messages failed to move the other girl, a more vocal member of the entourage attempted to use words; "I've not seen you before in the martial arts schools."
Friend B offered the 'voice of reason'; "Perhaps little sister is a first year from the outer school and we haven't yet met."
"Nope, I'm from the outer alchemist school," Maimai responded, breezily.
Pria glanced at Bowyer, his eyes were on the other girl, her heart felt pained. Returning her gaze to Maimai, she murmured; "I appreciate that you are willing to help, but being your senior and part of this discipline, I fear that you would just get hurt."
Maimai's head tilted to one side. "Why? That's your practice sword isn't it? This knife of mine has been neglected, the edge isn't sharp anymore, so don't worry, I won't hurt you either."
"But..."
"Enough," Jin Li sneered, "this Lord dragged himself and my small alchemist over to assist people. If we are no longer necessary, we will leave now."
He turned upon his heel and spun around in an elegant manner that had the entourage momentarily bewitched, their eyes capturing the perfect balance of posture, the sweeping motion of his long, silken black hair... and then he grasped the hand of that bespectacled youth and they snapped out of their daze. Still, the thought of 'why doesn't this look wrong' did cross the minds of one or two...
Leon tugged on Jin Li's sleeve; "B-b-but I want to watch M-Maimai spar."
"What's there to see?" Jin Li retorted crossly. He'd witnessed Maimai's martial arts before (that time, they had been working in conjunction to settle certain matters of vengeance), he felt she was adequate, but it didn't mean he wished to waste his time watching her play now. Unfortunately, when his small alchemist glanced up at him with those large, pleading black eyes, he experienced a moment of weakness and relented... but he wasn't happy about it.
"Let's begin!" Bowyer insisted, he shared a smidgeon of Jin Li's feelings. He really didn't want to be here either. However, Leon's strange friend made him curious; if she did have some talent in martial arts, why was she in the alchemist school? Rumours abound and not too exaggerated by little Sun, while Maimai's sister was an alchemist talent, Maimai herself turned was a cauldron's number one enemy. He wanted to watch and see how else she could surprise him.
Pria (and her friends) gave up trying to convince Maimai to not spar and the ashen haired girl took an elegant stance, flicking her slender sword upward to state that she was prepared to begin. As per the advice from her friends, she would just have to display her ability before Bowyer, regain his attention this way. There were also enough witnesses that this alchemist girl couldn't play some tricks and feign being weak or hurt during the spar, using this to invoke pity.
Maimai held her blade in a defensive manner, planning to not to attack or counterattack; this spar was meant to improve Pria's grasp on her swordplay after all. She herself just wanted to stretch her muscles a bit.
Pria unleashed the set of sword movements and from Maimai's view, the other girl looked tall, slender and elegant as she attacked. Her grasp of the sword was confident, even if her eyes flickered in doubt, possibly over the movements themselves. Maimai easily defended using the blade of her knife even as she stepped back to increase the distance between herself and Pria.
However pretty, each swish of the sword seemed a little too exaggerated, taking some effort, in contrast to Maimai's knife that only need move a little here and there to block the moves for the most part. Only one time did Maimai need to be swift, lifting her blade to block an overhead movement following a feigned thrust to the side opposite her wielding hand. But this movement was also the part that Pria was the least confident in, otherwise Maimai might have needed to reconsider how she defended against it, perhaps needing to counterattack instead to break her opponents stride.
"Stop," Bowyer clapped his hands together, his face had turned serious as he turned his mind to considering the problems within the sword movements. The series itself was not bad, quite suitable for the girl, however she, as Maimai had already realised, was exerting too much effort into her movements between positions. For example, the side slash need not such a wide arc and the minor step back Pria made to readjust her footing was necessary and meant she had to work harder to complete the next motion.
He mentioned these things, demonstrating the specific motions which caused Pria's eyes to fill with awe before he had the girl begin the sword set once more. This time, she did improve, but Bowyer wasn't paying so much attention, instead his eyes had wandered to her opponent. Maimai looked too at ease while defending against Pria's moves, her eyes were sparkling and her light smile was not strained at all. Pria's brow was glistening slightly, while her opponent was far from out of breath.
"M-Maimai seems t-to b-be having fun," Leon murmured close to Jin Li's ear unintentionally, as the man was leaning back in boredom. Jin Li's lobe itched and he couldn't help but frown. Was his small alchemist paying that girl too much attention again? He sneered, inwardly. Seemed his lover need to be retaught.
Leon, who did not know he'd set himself up for a 'light' punishment, was startled by a sudden clapping that filled the brief void of sound once the clash of metal had ceased.
"Excellent! Most excellent! Such finesse and poise, my dear, I don't suppose you would do me the honour of giving me your name?"
I’m not good at fighting descriptions, so I skim over these a bit. Hopefully it’s not awful!
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