Author's Notes: Update update yay yay yay! I almost don't want to go on with the plot because of how much I love seeing these two interact. Oh, by the way, I have no idea how to use a sword. So if you know, don't correct me. This is fan fiction so bleeeeh.
"What you need to know about your sword is that it's two-handed," Zelos said, pacing around Fang with the glint of a killer in his eyes. "What's your dominate hand?" his icy gaze lifted from the sword to the face of the learning teenager.
"Uh, my right, I guess."
"Grip right under the hilt with your right hand; put your left hand right below that," Zelos looked from Fang's face back down at the hilt. Fang gripped it as told.
"Your right hand is not used for striking. Keep your fingers semi-tight, but keep your pinky, ring, and middle finger all considerably tighter," the redhead continued. Fang did so silently.
"Your stance is all kinds of fucked up," he scowled, putting his hand under the bottom of Fang's hilt before lifting it considerably. "See how you've got it a little bit above your bellybutton?" Fang nodded, "Keep it there, pointing slightly outward."
"Why outward?" Fang inquired.
"If your charged at, the tip will shish kabob the sucker who did the charging," replied his teacher.
"Oh… I guess that works then," Fang mused. Then he thought back on something Zelos had said previously, "Why don't I strike with my right hand?"
"Because you need to use your right hand for guiding the blade. Your strength is from your left arm while your right hand acts as an axis for the sword," Zelos informed him.
"You really know your stuff, then, huh?" the teenager smirked.
"You could call me an expert," Zelos stepped back now, leaving Fang in his stance.
"Footwork," the ex-chosen suddenly said, looking at the demi-avian teenager's feet. "Left foot behind your right foot. You want to use the balls of your left foot in order to balance."
Fang adjusted accordingly.
"When you strike, you push with your left foot, sliding your right foot on the ground and raise your sword. Now bring your left foot back into position and strike," Zelos was pacing around Fang again and the teenager faltered. "STRIKE!" Zelos snapped. Fang struck at an invisible target with a sloppy execution that made Zelos scowl.
"Strike again," the ex-noble sneered.
"You're making me nervous," Fang snipped back at him.
"Don't worry about hitting me, my defense is way sharper than your offense," he laughed at the very idea.
Fang struck again with a lot more force.
"Keep your right arm straight," was all Zelos said before repeating the order, "Strike!"
Fang struck and suddenly Zelos punched him in his right arm. "Damn it!" Fang exclaimed.
"Straight, not locked," Zelos glared into his eyes angrily, only inches away which infuriated Fang more than the order did. "If you lock it- you'll just break it."
"Good thing I'm a fast healer then," Fang hissed.
"You want to put that to the test, kid?" Zelos smiled.
Fang relaxed his arm slightly, still keeping it straight, and struck again without warning. Zelos moved out of the way effortlessly.
"Strike!" Zelos snapped again and again.
After the fortieth yell of 'strike', Fang turned and brought the sword angrily down at Zelos, "I'm tired!" he snapped angrily.
As he thought would happen, Zelos had brought his shield up and blocked the blade of Fang's sword. Fang pulled his sword back and brought it down at Zelos again.
The redhead spun around, brought himself to a halt behind Fang, and then bluntly slammed the shield into Fang's wings. The teenager gasped and hit the ground face first. Rolling over, he found the blade of Zelos's dagger under his chin. Zelos began to pull up slightly and the blade tightly pressed against Fang's olive skin. The teenager had no choice but to elevate his head.
His chest quickly lifting up with every panting breath, Fang met Zelos's eyes and the expert swordsman smiled down at Fang smugly without a hint of remorse in his expression.
"You think I'm tough? You should see that dragon," the taunting older man simpered at Fang.
"I'm tired, I don't want to train anymore," Fang snapped up at him.
The humor disappeared from the older man's face. "Tough luck!" Zelos barked, "You don't get a time-out in battle and you won't get one while training with me."
Fang silently eased up to his feet and walked over to his sword which had fallen and pierced into the dirt when he discarded it in the middle of Zelos's attack. Even though he hated to admit it, his teacher was right; he needed to tough it out.
"You used your arm muscles too much," the redhead commented. His temper had simmered down after the initial yell at Fang to stop bitching and man up.
"Sorry. I'll exercise my ass muscles a little more to your tastes," Fang snapped quickly.
Zelos laughed, "You need to put your entire body into the swing," he advised.
"Sure, whatever," was Fang's response.
"Don't 'whatever' me about this shit, Fang. It's not some instrument Mommy dearest is forcing you to practice so you can look cute at a recital," Zelos was serious now, "This is life and death. That sword is you now. It's an extension of yourself. Don't swing at somebody unless you intend to kill them."
Fang realized just then how easy it would have been to kill Zelos had the redhead not been so quick on his own feet. Had the mage's judgment been even slightly off, Fang could have split his skull or pierced his chest.
Fang could have killed his only help in all of Wonderland.
"I'm sorry for attacking you," Fang sighed.
"No kidding?" the redhead scoffed.
"I guess I wasn't thinking…"
"Uhuh," Zelos waved his hand in the air like it was nothing. "Strike!"
"What?" Fang blinked, he couldn't have heard Zelos right. They had just had a heart-to-heart! That earned some rest, right?
"STRIKE, YOU BITCH!"
Never mind. Zelos seriously wanted to keep training.
"HEY! I don't have all day! I should use all the time I waste watching you stare aimlessly at shit to paint the landscape! God knows I could have done a 20x40 foot mural by now.
"STRIKE!"
This was only day five too… Ugh. Fang felt like he'd aged ten years since he'd met Zelos.