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“So you're the sea witch everyone's talking about?”
Uma's head turned, the sword in her two handed grasp stilling from where she had been going hard on the wooden dummy in Auradon Prep's gym. Dark eyes locked on jet black hair, almond shaped eyes, a complexion like the moon, and a smile that was as innocent as it was precarious.
“Yeah that's right,” Uma drawled, flicking teal locks from her face and giving the intruder her back though she didn't sheathe her blade. She let it fall to her side, dominant hand still gripping the hilt, ready to use it if need be.
The girl stepped further into the wide, cavernous space. By the sound of her footsteps, Uma could tell she was moving toward where the practice swords were. She turned around once she heard the telltale sound of metal against metal echo about the empty space.
“I've seen you fight, on that ship when we came to rescue Ben
The girl was now armed and Uma, being from the Isle, knew a potential threat when she saw one. Though the girl's expression didn't seem malicious nor did her tone, looks could be deceiving. There were many Auradonians who didn't trust those hailing from the Isle of the Lost. Ironic giving they had been the ones to create the rancid shit hole in the first place. But still. Uma braced her weight, preparing to fight.
“My ship, you mean,” the sea witch purred with a smile. Smiles were her own personal way to disarm. A gnash of pearly white teeth and a laugh in the midst of tension? Most people were thrown off by it, “It was mine and you were there weren't you? I didn't really get to see you in action. I was more focused on the wand and Mal than what backup she brought.”
“Yes,” the girl was smiling as well, though hers was a bit tighter. She couldn't seem to master the art of not allowing her foes to see her true emotions. There was determination in her eyes, Uma could see, as well as something competitive, and perhaps just a little bit excited as she tested the weight of the practice sword in her hand, “So, how's your focus now?”
This wasn't about to be nasty work, Uma could also tell, so a part of her was able to relax. They wouldn't be striking to kill or maim. The girl was just curious and wanted to test her prowess with a blade. Fair enough.
“That sounds kinda like a challenge,” the sea witch drawled, chuckling, but taking a step and then another closer, getting into position.
Almond shaped eyes verily lit up and the girl stepped forward as well, sword drawn, “Because it is.”
Uma's smile turned into a snarl, “Oh it's so on.”
Metal clashed on metal, hard enough to make both stumble back. Uma circled her opponent, trying to find a way in, never letting her eyes drop from a gaze crafted from obsidian. Dark and deep enough that she could probably fall into and get lost.
“I hear it's rude on this side not to introduce yourself,” the pirate captain taunted, “That true?”
The girl paused mid strike, evidence of some kind of respect that had been bred into her having the luxury of being brought up among heroes.
“Li Lonnie,” she said in a solid tone, rife with pride, “Daughter of Mulan and General Li Shang.”
Recognition settled onto Uma's face even as she had her blade poised and ready to attack or defend. It had been some time since the barrier came down and she was still learning the names and faces of most of the citizens of Auradon. But when you grew up in the same place Shan Yu and his Hun army lived, you grew up knowing about the 'soldier from the mountain' who had robbed him of his victory and then proceeded to blow him and his pet falcon up in a shower of fireworks. The fact that thousands of people who called themselves good had cheered while watching such a gruesome thing still turned her stomach.
But that was neither here nor there.
“So you were the first girl they allowed on Sword and Shields. The captain, so to speak?”
She'd heard it went to Jay until he'd done what he did best and flipped it so the Auradonians and their outdated ideas were rendered null.
“Yep, that's right. Loophole.”
“Hmm, shame,” Uma lunged with her sword, meeting with steely resistance, “Had you been born on the Isle, you would've been on my crew. You got some decent moves.”
Mulan's daughter let her sword draw an arc against Uma's, forming a semi-circle mid air, “Is that supposed to flatter me?”
“Oh trust me, Lonnie, if I was trying to flatter you, you'd know it.”
Uma spun where she stood, her hair fanning out around her like a teal wave, done with the playful shit. Not when this sparring match was making her blood rush for more reasons than just it being physical exercise. This girl, Lonnie, was making her feel, what with her semi-stoic expression and her perfect handle on that sword. It was almost enough to distract her from the fact that they were supposed to be sparring.
“Your defensive strikes need work,” Lonnie chided, somewhat out of breath, as she performed an impressive feat of acrobatics, back flipping out of dodge and still managing to keep it as elegant as a rolling wave.
“My offense makes up for 'em,” Uma ground out through gritted teeth, pissed at being criticized when she had been one of the best sword hand on the Isle. She didn't need some prissy little Auradonian telling her how to wield a blade. No matter how cute or skilled she was.
Lonnie however wasn't about to be deterred. “I can do this,” she claimed, lunging forward and striking Uma's thigh hard enough to wrench a wince from the sea witch, “and this,” another blow aimed at her mid-section, “and that,” a slash to her left shoulder, “and you're wide open for it because you're only blocking the obvious strikes.”
Heat went up Uma's spine. It wasn't every day that she was corrected, especially when it came to something that was as natural to her as breathing. Hell, she'd learned how to pick up a sword before she could properly string a sentence together. On the Isle, one's skill with a weapon meant the difference between life and death. She might not have had the luxury of using shields and learning proper defensive form from the duelers of Auradon – which made sense because they had never had to fight for anything in their lives. Little Miss Lonnie could never know what that was like, of course not. She'd grown up in the proverbial lap of luxury. Still, there was something about someone calling her out on her short comings that Uma couldn't just ignore. As a matter of fact, it kind of turned her on.
Just a little bit.
“It sounds like you're into more than just sparring,” the retort was said with a sneer that was equal parts malice and approval.
Uma swung heavy with her weapon, a broadsword, more weighted than her cutlass but still providing decent offense. Lonnie though was prepared for it and jumped over the underhanded swipe using similar lithe stunts Jay was known for. It was no wonder half of Auradon thought the two had a thing going on. But Lonnie moved differently still, where as Jay was all cutting edges and a thief's swipes. She moved gracefully opposite. Like a willow branch blowing in the wind.
“Ooh, nice, “Uma muttered, trying to regain control of her senses, feeling real rank not only because the girl was attempting to get one up on her but also because she was finding it attractive in some odd way, “Your mommy teach you that?”
Lonnie grinned, the flash of teeth mostly pride and that preening thing heroes tended to do whenever they were complimented. But there was something else in her eyes too. Something Uma could readily recognize. Something dangerous, or could be had she not grown up in Auradon.
“As a matter of fact, she did,” Lonnie said and Uma couldn't help but take a step back even though there was no threat of a blade, far from it, Lonnie had lowered her weapon and was now througly invading the sea witch''s personal space, "Would you like to see something else I learned?”
Uma wasn't about to be shaken by some hero, especially not one who had played a part in helping Mal double cross her. No matter how cute she was. And yet, she was curious. What with the way Lonnie was looking at her, arms down, expression all heated She could tell, Mulan's daughter wanted something more than what she was saying.
“Show me.”
The two words left her mouth before she could stay them, but apparently that was all right for Lonnie. Her sword hit the floor with a clatter and before Uma could stop it, Lonnie was in her arms, lips latching onto hers. It was a shock and then again it wasn't. Uma kissed her back, mouth moving over hers, tongues battling, teeth biting until the need to breathe broke them apart.
“What the hell was that?”
“S-sorry, I got caught in the moment,” Lonnie gasped, breathless, her eyes wide and her warm skin far too close, “Not a lot of girls around here can use a sword like this.”
Uma took a deep breath and then another, but she didn't snatch herself away from the other girl, if anything it felt as if she had somehow drawn herself closer, “Nah, the kiss was fine,” more than fine to be perfectly honest, but she couldn't help but feel just a little smug at the same time, “I'm talking about how you dropped your weapon.”
Confusion had never looked so cute.
“What?” Lonnie's voice sounded hoarse, as if she had been running a marathon or whatever it was Auradonians did in their free time, face just a little flushed.
“I need to work on my defense,” said Uma with a snort, so what if there was some heat in her cheeks, so what if her heart had kicked up a few notches, “but you just drop your blade in the middle of a fight? Tsk tsk what would Mulan have to say about that, huh?”
Lonnie smiled, something that Uma had not been expecting but found appealing despite the fact that she'd taken up arms against her. It was nice, the sea witch decided, to have been sought out, from her reputation alone, to be desired off of stories told.
“Depends. You won't tell on me, will you?”