A damn good fencer. Tyson’s brother and P.E. teacher can be quoted as repeatedly saying that Tyson “improved with the weather” when it came to sport, which was true. Tyson likes to relax and ‘conserve energy’, but he has shown himself to be talented in dancing [ballroom, classical, tap, and contemporary], cricket, tennis, rugby, and fencing.Whilst Tyson was willing to go out and play cricket where people could see him, he kept fencing - like dancing - between himself, his tutor, his brother, and his father. When playing cricket a lot of the focus was on other players, were as in dance and in fencing more of the attention was on Tyson. This made him nervous and, therefore, unwilling to ‘perform’ outside of the classroom.Tyson’s fencing tutor - who was also his Latin and Geography tutor - said that Tyson could have made a living out of fencing had he gotten over his nerves, Tyson never believed that.Tyson would leap at the chance to fence again. His social anxieties mean that he’d never join a club to take up fencing, but if he got the chance to fence with some one he knew and trusted Tyson wouldn’t turn down the opportunity.His talent with swords - mostly fencing swords, but he has dabbled with a fair amount of success with other swords - played a large role in him favouring knives over guns; after hand to hand combat (focusing on nerve, pressure, and vital points), obviously.
Of all the sports Tyson took part in as a teenager, fencing was the one he was best at. Though Tyson never believed his tutors when he said this, Tyson could genuinely have made a living out of fencing professionally if he wanted to. He favours Saber then Épée, and then Foil.
In most verses, Tyson has left swords behind, but his skills are much sharper in Pirate!Verse, XPirate!Verse, and RWBY AU. Within his Orphan AUs, in Teen!Verse Tyson is an active fencer and in Teen!VerseLDN Tyson only recently left fencing behind to take up boxing.