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Post by Aki Sora on Jul 16, 2009 10:58:08 GMT -5
Akina wasn't anticipating Riku to grab her wrist. But she had to think quick. She flicked the stem needle into the air and swiped it with her free hand.
That was the beauty of her shikai. Once her sword was in the earth, both of her hands were free. If someone were to remove Kin Hana, Akina would really be in trouble.
Snapping back to the current situation quickly, the woman aimed for a new place on Riku... a vein in his wrist. She quickly stuck the needle into his vein a shallow distance as to temporarily paralyze his arm and hand without any long term damage.
Checkmate, she thought as she attempted to pry herself from his grasp before his weapons returned completely.
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Post by Suigintou on Jul 16, 2009 11:42:06 GMT -5
For an instant, Riku's eyes went wide. He hadn't expected that, and he had no way to defend himself as the needle went into his wrist. Pain shot through his arm, but he forced himself not to wince. He wouldn't show weakness.
But it seemed he had been defeated. He saw rather than felt Akina attempting to pull away from his grip that had become inflexible, clenched his teeth, angered by his own weakness.
Giving up, however, wasn't something he intended to do.
Again he looked past the dark-skinned woman, but this time, the knives that he sought had reached them. Eight long, sharp blades spun in formation, and in an instant, they had surrounded Akina in a large U, the gap left where Riku stood, still directly in front of her.
"It seems we've reached a tie, Tsukamoto-san."
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Post by Aki Sora on Jul 16, 2009 12:00:10 GMT -5
Akina grinned slightly at her opponent.
"Looks like it, Riku-kun," she replied as she reached up, removing the needle from his wrist and dispelling the kidou. "You're very skilled and your reflexes are exceptional, but you already knew that."
By passing Riku's knives and retrieving her own zanpakutou, Akina sheathed Kin Hana and returned to his side.
"That was a good spar. You even managed to nick my cheek."
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Post by Suigintou on Jul 16, 2009 12:06:18 GMT -5
Riku allowed his hand to drop the moment the needle was removed. The knives returned to their katana form, which he returned to its sheath, ignoring the way his wrist throbbed painfully.
"Thank you."
Attention turning back to his hand, he shook it a few times and then examined the needlemark, from which a thin line of blood trickled, staining his white kosode.
"...I'm lucky I could keep up," he returned indifferently, looking up at her. "You're an eighth seat."
Privately he had been unsatisfied with his performance, and he resolved to work harder to improve his strength.
"I'm sure you can get someone in yonbantai to take care of that for you. It wouldn't take long."
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Post by Aki Sora on Jul 16, 2009 12:27:53 GMT -5
"Nah, it's nothing I can't handle on my own," Akina remarked as she adjusted her top. "Woo! I'm glad my companions didn't escape during the fight. That would have been bad!"
Chucking happily, she repositioned her necklace charm and put an arm on Riku's shoulder. Taking a look at his wrist, she sighed lightly. She had really hoped that the needle didn't go too deep, but what could she do?
"It shouldn't be too bad," she told him nodding to the needle mark. "But you still did well, Riku-kun."
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Post by Suigintou on Jul 16, 2009 12:54:17 GMT -5
Riku frowned. He didn't like to be touched. The boy stepped away from her, out from beneath her arm, shrugging off the praise and the injury. "It's nothing. I've had much worse."
Even for sparring, he had come off relatively unscathed...
Still, it stung, so he'd have to tend to it later.
He glanced back over his shoulder, then, looking at the dark-skinned young woman. Why was she still here...? He didn't feel irritated, not really...But he did want to be alone, to think over their battle and the mistakes he had made.
"Is there something else, Tsukamoto-san?"
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Post by Aki Sora on Jul 16, 2009 13:33:51 GMT -5
Shaking her head, Akina smiled at Riku.
"Hmmm, not really," she responded. "And please, call me Akina... or at least, just Tsukamoto."
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Post by Suigintou on Jul 16, 2009 14:52:37 GMT -5
Riku turned away from her, hesitating for a moment, hand resting on Nakukari's hilt out of habit more than anything else.
"You're my superior. And I don't think we're on such friendly terms...Tsukamoto-san."
He didn't mean any ill by it, but he didn't intend to take such a familiar attitude with people - and he didn't like it when they did so to him.
"If that's all, I'll be on my way."
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Post by Aki Sora on Jul 16, 2009 15:07:26 GMT -5
"Matte, Riku-kun," Akina called after him. "Why don't we head to a tea house and relax a bit? I'll treat since we had such a good spar."
Though she knew well that he wanted to be alone, she wouldn't let her sparring partner leave without at least treating him to refreshments afterward.
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Post by Suigintou on Jul 16, 2009 21:30:14 GMT -5
Stopping mid-step, Riku sighed. He really didn't want to go with her, but...she didn't really seem to be the type that would let it go unless he said yes. Indecision made him stand still, silent, considering. Suppressing another sigh, he gave a light shrug.
"...Okay. But I can't stay long."
Maybe if he went with her for a little while, she'd leave him alone...Besides, he supposed, it wouldn't be too bad to relax and have some tea.
Though he would've preferred to do it alone.
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