| From Here On Out | [Jun. 2nd, 2013|10:19 pm] |
[Takes place Yondaime Year 5, April 10]
“You know,” Takahashi Isamu said, watching Katsuko and Raidou from the safety of the tree-line. “Most people play cards when they’re bored.”
“Dude, we’re ANBU,” Momoi Mitarou said. “Could be worse. One of them could be an Uchiha.”
Katsuko ducked underneath Raidou’s swing, feeling his sword whistle an inch over her head, and slammed the butt of her katana into his stomach. He staggered back, parrying her when she went in for a strike at his knees. They leapt apart and circled each other, searching for an opening.
She grinned at Raidou. “Nearly got you there, lieutenant.”
“Did you?” Raidou shot back. “Because I seem to have all my limbs.”
“That a challenge?” Katsuko said, and lunged. Sparks flew up as she locked hilts with him for a brief second, twisting when he brought his weight to bear. She spun, letting momentum do most of the work for her, and pulled him off balance long enough to drive an elbow into his kidneys— or where his kidneys would be, if he hadn’t eeled out of the way at the last second. She couldn’t bring her blades up in time to block his spinning kick, catching a booted heel solidly in the sternum.
“If you kill each other they’ll make me file a witness report,” Isamu said. “I hate reports.”
“That’s why you should do more of them,” Raidou said, gaze never flickering from Katsuko’s center of mass. “Good practice.”
“Your reports do kind of suck,” Mitarou told Isamu, falsely sympathetic.
Katsuko regained her breath in time to exchange a flurry of blows with Raidou, darting in underneath his guard and dancing back in time to avoid the worst of his counterattacks. He threw a handful of sparks in her face, ducking when she replied with a short volley of flames.
“If you set the forest on fire again, I’m leaving,” Mitarou warned.
She couldn’t spare the concentration to roll her eyes. Katsuko feinted instead, faking a strike for Raidou’s face. His sword rose to block as he rocked backwards; she dropped down and swept her leg out, kicking his feet out from under him. His sword clattered to the ground, but he wasn’t done yet— one hand shot out and caught Katsuko by the arm as he fell. He rolled them over as they hit the ground, trying to pin her flat.
Katsuko reared up and headbutted Raidou in the throat in retaliation. He choked but didn’t loosen his grip, pulling her into a vengeful joint-lock instead. She took advantage of her greater flexibility and twisted, kneeing him in the chin before getting in a nerve strike to his armpit.
A new chakra signature flickered at the edge of Katsuko’s awareness. A pair of sandaled feet stepped into her line of vision. She blinked and looked up, getting a perfect view of Ozawa-taichou’s unamused face.
“Hey, captain,” Katsuko grinned. “Nice day, isn’t it?” |
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