X nodded in concession. "True. Still, for thousands of years, that's an unfair advantage."

Thousands of years. The most unfair part, X felt, was that he finally had an inkling of what it felt like to be Luci, and he didn't have Luci around to talk about that with.

The next thing Valdis said made X laugh, and he forgot his stance for a moment. "Yes," he agreed, "a little. But you've made me curious now. I still want to learn, if you're still willing to --"

Ah. She was. With another smile, X copied her block, as exactly as he could manage. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't the unsure and stiff movement of a beginner either.