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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 9:51:13 GMT -5
"Better than my brother knows!" Ayame grinned, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. She could indeed fight better than her brother believed ... in fact, her brother probably wouldn't believe how well she could fight!
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 9:53:56 GMT -5
"Oh?" Kuroki grinned slightly, offering her one of his kodachis, "Do you practice often by yourself? Care to try a spar?"
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 9:58:41 GMT -5
"Why not?" Ayame took the proferred kodachi, but quickly tied her long hair back before moving into a fighting stance. She knew she'd have to hold back, so Kuroki would not suspect her, but there was no reason she couldn't show off a little.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 10:48:21 GMT -5
Kuroki held his other kodachi, removing it from the sheath, but holding it in his left hand to be used to parry. He bent his knees and stood in a ready stance, studying Ayame's stance to predict her possible attacks.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 11:27:13 GMT -5
Ayame moved her left foot slightly forward and bent her knees. She held Kuroki's kodachi defensively across her body in her right hand, and waited for the warrior to make the first move.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 11:34:31 GMT -5
Kuroki watched as her left foot slid forward. She had taken a defensive stance.
Kuroki launched himself forward, swinging his kodachi in a upward motion, normally designed to slash his opponents face, but he held back just far enough to miss her, testing her eyes to see if she could tell that it wouldn't even make contact with her.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 11:47:45 GMT -5
Seeing that he deliberatly intended to miss her, Ayame stayed still, silently watching as he carried out his attack. So he was testing her. Well then, she'd have to make sure she didn't disappoint.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 11:56:36 GMT -5
"Good eye," Kuroki spoke as he finished the attack.
He made sure that his attack was finished just outside of kodachi range, so she couldn't attack back without it being easy to parry.
He took one step back, then settled into his own defensive stance.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 12:03:13 GMT -5
My turn to attack then? Ayame thought.
She pushed herself forward into the attack, moving nimbly on her feet. She swung the kodachi into a downward slashing attack, but at the last second twisted her wrist round, flipping the sword so it was swinging upwards.
Kuroki would no doubt be able to parry easily, but it was her own way of testing his eyes. Two can play at this game.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 12:07:42 GMT -5
Kuroki didn't want to show off, but for some reason he couldn't help himself.
He swung the sheath in his left hand around and caught the blade of her kodachi in the sheath, holding the sheath slight above his shoulder. He tried to hide a mild grin.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 12:18:28 GMT -5
Ayame noticed the grin and decided she wasn't going to lose that easily. It couldn't be helped.
One hand still holding onto the kodachi handle, she twisted her body into a backflip and kicked the sheath from Kuroki's grip. She landed about three feet away in a crouched position, drew the kodachi out and stood to see the warrior's reaction.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 12:23:17 GMT -5
Kuroki nodded, "Impressive. Who taught you ninjitsu?"
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 12:28:13 GMT -5
"A woman I used to know," Ayame answered. She hesitated, then, "My brother doesn't know."
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 12:30:59 GMT -5
"I gathered as much," Kuroki replied, "No need to worry, it's not my job to report your actions to the Lord. However, I wonder, did your brother teach you self-defense before or after you already knew ninjitsu?"
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 12:59:52 GMT -5
"Before." Ayame smiled, "When I was little, and my brother was learning to fight, he would show me moves he had been taught. I tried to copy them, but always made mistakes, so he corrected me. After we got older, and my brother realised how .... inappropriate ... it is for a woman to fight, he refused to teach me any more. So I learned in secret."
She looked down at the ground, then back up again. "I wasn't going to tell any of you. But .. I'm a sore loser."
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 13:20:27 GMT -5
Kuroki laughed, "No need to feel bad. My life has been mostly fighting and nothing else. It's hard to beat experience with practice alone, although I must admit you are quite skilled. I've never lost a fight, but as you can probably tell by my scars, there have been quite a few close calls."
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 14:41:52 GMT -5
Ayame smiled and nodded in reply. She opened her mouth to answer when,
"Ayame-sama? Kuroki-san?" Ayame turned to see Yukimura rounding the corner of the house, looking confused.
"Yuki ... ah, Yukimura-san." She turned back to Kuroki, feeling a fleeting panic as she wondered whether or not Yukimura had seen her display. She held the kodachi out to Kuroki and bowed, "It was an ... interesting ... sparring session, Kuroki-san. My thanks."
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 14:44:20 GMT -5
"You're welcome," Kuroki replied, then added, "Keep practicing."
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 14:46:03 GMT -5
"I will. Good night, Kuroki-san," she bowed again, then to Yukimura, "Good night, Yukimura-san."
"Good night, Ayame-sama," Yukimura replied with his own bow. Ayame then hurried into the palace and up to her room, leaving the two soldiers alone.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 14:48:43 GMT -5
"So you're coming with tomorrow?" Kuroki asked after Ayame had left.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 15:05:37 GMT -5
Um ... Hideyori's the Lord ... not Yukimura ....
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 15:13:24 GMT -5
OOPS...Fixed.
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 15:20:03 GMT -5
Lol.
"Yes," Yukimura replied, "Do we have a route planned out?"
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Post by Kage Chaos on Nov 29, 2006 15:23:41 GMT -5
"Yes, in fact that's why I came out here in the first place," Kuroki answered, "It should be a relatively quick journey."
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Post by blossom on Nov 29, 2006 15:29:52 GMT -5
Yukimura nodded, "Are we all to be on horses, or will Ayame-sama and her maid be travelling by carriage, do you know?"
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