Jyn and Yuna approached him, walking through the cadets finding their spots on the training floor.

Morticia walked beside them, her calm gaze also taking in Zaeryn's appearance in the outfit, "You look even better."

Jyn's bright eyes did a quick, appreciative sweep over Zaeryn. "Wow," she nudged his arm playfully. "Looking… like you might actually know how to use those muscles now".

Yuna offered a softer smile.

"Find a partner nearby!" Zelda's voice sounded across the chamber, making every student turn towards her once more. "Look for someone to spar with, but don't take all day about it. The objective should be a takedown or forcing submission. The first one to put their partner on the mat or get a tap-out wins the round. We go until I call time. No excuses. Pair up and begin!"

The chamber instantly filled with movement as cadets began pairing off. Jyn immediately turned to Zaeryn, her eyes bright with competitive energy. "Alright, handsome, let's see if that strength holds up without the Vitae boost. You're with me..."

"Hold that thought, Jyn," a calm, smooth voice cut her off.

Morticia stepped neatly between them. She offered Zaeryn a small, knowing smirk, her steady gaze assessing him with open interest, "You already kissed him yesterday. I think I'll take him this time."

Jyn froze mid-sentence, her expression shifting from eager challenge to outright annoyance. A distinct frown creased her brow as she stared at Morticia.

"Hey! I asked him first!" she protested, but Morticia just gave her a dismissive glance over her shoulder before turning back to Zaeryn.

Yuna gently tugged Jyn's arm. "Come on, Jyn. Let them. We can pair up".

Jyn shot Zaeryn a look that clearly said, 'Seriously?', before sighing dramatically and turning to pair with Yuna, though her frown lingered.

Zaeryn watched the exchange with amusement, then turned his attention back to Morticia. Her short, practical-cut hair framed a face that held a quiet confidence, and her eyes held a spark he hadn't noticed before. "Alright, Morticia," he said, rolling his shoulders and dropping into a basic ready stance.

Morticia met his stance, mirroring his posture with an ease. She didn't waste time circling; she advanced smoothly, testing his defenses with a series of quick, probing jabs aimed at his shoulders and ribs.

Her movements were fluid and efficient, clearly demonstrating solid training unlike Zaeryn.

He immediately went on the defensive, blocking her attacks instinctively.

But as she stopped holding back and started hitting him with everything, he was finding it hard to defend against her.

"How is she so fast? She isn't even relying on Vitae,' Zaeryn thought. Her technique was sharp. He countered with a straight punch, but she deflected it easily, pivoting on her heel and using his momentum to try and spin him off balance.

They exchanged a series of blocks, parries, and dodges.

Surprisingly their reach and raw power was level, but Morticia had been at this academy far longer than Zaeryn, so she was quicker, more technically skilled, constantly shifting her angles, looking for an opening.

After being on the defensive for so long, he tried to land a glancing blow to her side, but she dodged it and immediately retaliated with a low kick aimed at his knee, forcing him to hop back.

Instructor Zelda watched their exchange from the sidelines, her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in assessment. She noted Zaeryn's raw potential, his strength was clearly unusual even without Vitae, and his instincts weren't bad for a novice.

But she also saw Morticia, usually efficient and decisive, fighting somewhat... cautiously. Almost playfully. She could have easily ended this, since she was more trained, however she hadn't.

"Morticia!" Zelda's voice cut sharply across the chamber floor. "Stop toying with him! Are you actually going to let the academy's only male make you look hesitant? Finish it!"

Morticia froze for a fraction of a second, the playful smirk vanishing instantly, replaced by a look of sharp, focused determination. Zelda's public chastisement clearly stung her pride. "Yes, Instructor," she replied crisply, her posture tightening.

The shift in her energy was immediate. Her relaxed circling stopped. "You heard her, Zaeryn," Morticia said, her voice losing its earlier lightness, becoming clipped and serious. "Playtime's over. I have to take you down now".

"Not if I don't allow it," he responded, bracing himself.

She didn't waste another second. Morticia exploded forward, not with a strike, but dropping low in a blur of motion. Her leg swept out with practiced precision, catching Zaeryn's ankle.

Unprepared for the sudden, aggressive takedown attempt, his balance shattered, and he hit the mat with a solid thud.

Before he could even register the impact, Morticia was on him, straddling his hips with surprising weight and leverage, her knees pinning his thighs as she moved to secure the pin. Her hands shot out, reaching to lock his wrists against the mat.

But Zaeryn reacted on pure instinct. Just as her fingers were about to close around his wrists, he bucked his hips upward with explosive force – fueled by that raw, unusual strength.

The unexpected power caught Morticia completely off guard, momentarily breaking her posture. In that split second of imbalance, Zaeryn twisted beneath her, hooking one of her legs with his own and using his strength to roll her.

The reversal was fast, almost clumsy compared to her technical skill, but brutally effective. Suddenly, he was the one on top, his weight pressing down, pinning her shoulders firmly against the mat. His hands immediately shot down, catching her wrists and pressing them firmly against the cool surface beside her head before she could counter.

"Alright, submit. I got you locked down," Zaeryn said, his voice slightly breathless but triumphant.

Morticia grunted, straining against his grip for a moment before realizing his raw strength nullified her leverage. Her physical struggle ceased almost instantly.

The shift was subtle but immediate. Her body, which had been tense, relaxed beneath him as if she was submitting to him, in more ways than one.

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