The sun shone down on Ba Sing Se as two people prepared for battle in one of the sparring rings inside the Earth King's former palace.
Percy and Zuko faced each other from opposite sides of a sparring ring. Percy, of course, held Riptide. Zuko was brandishing his two Dao swords, returned to him by Percy from where they had been stowed away when he'd been captured.
"Are you ready for this?" Percy asked, shooting a grin at Zuko.
Zuko rolled his eyes but returned with a smile and wave of his hand, "Bring it, Percy."
Percy shot a predatory grin at his friend, "You know, you can give up now, one practice session with me after slacking off for years and now you suddenly think you can spar the master," he spoke, gesturing to himself as he said the last part.
Zuko snorted, "The only thing you're a master at is getting in trouble."
Percy chuckled, "All right but if at any point you want to give up and admit I'm the greatest man to walk the face of the earth I won't stop you."
Zuko rolled his eyes before charging forward.
Percy met him in the middle. At first, the blows were superficial, flashy but easy to read and counter. Zuko soon moved onto more complicated attacks quickly as his blood was alight in excitement. He hadn't sparred Percy in a straight-up sword fight in years.
He faked a high lunge with his left while thrusting with his right at Percy's midsection. Percy read the faint easily, ducking slightly as he batted away Zuko's thrust. He responded in kind with a sweeping strike at Zuko's legs that forced him to move backward. He attacked again, trying to take advantage of Percy being without a shield, striking out with both blades that Percy was forced to parry away with just Riptide. Slowly yet methodically, Zuko began driving Percy back towards the boundary line of the ring.
Percy was only a few steps away from being out of the ring—which was an automatic loss—when he smiled and caught Zuko's wrist in an iron grip. Zuko swung his other sword at Percy which he deflected with Riptide before twisting his wrist, forcing Zuko to drop his blade with a pained cry. Percy gave him a shove backward and Zuko readied himself with just one blade now as Percy stepped forward.
Percy advanced and Zuko was forced on the defensive. He doubted he could take Percy with both blades, but with just one? He was screwed. Percy was ridiculously fast and strong, each strike sending a jolt up Zuko's arms as he retreated away from him. Percy feinted and then with ease, disarmed Zuko with a complicated maneuver. Zuko's other blade dropped by his feet. Zuko panted as he watched as Percy smiled at him before sticking Riptide into the ground, "So are we wrestling now?"
"Don't you dare—" Zuko started before Percy closed the distance as he brought him down to the ground. Using all of his strength Zuko freed himself from Percy's grip and dove at Percy's leg, taking his footing out from under him. They struggled, rolling around, neither using any recognizable moves as their spar descended into two teenage males messing around. Percy's superior strength won out as he pinned Zuko to the ground with his arms locking him in place. Zuko growled and fought to get out from under him but Percy only tightened his grip. After about 15 seconds of struggle, Zuko caved, "Alright I yield, now get off me, you oaf!"
Zuko grunted as he stood to his feet and retrieved his blades while Percy pulled Riptide free, "You weren't really trying."
Percy shrugged, "You're better than most, but it's easy to read your moves and counter them. It's obvious you haven't put a ton of focus on improving your swordsmanship," he said gently, trying not to critique his friend too harshly, "Now let's hit the baths, someone smells like they just took a fat L."
