802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 20, 2018 9:06:51 GMT -4
You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain.
-
Miyamoto Musashi Deep in the halls of the school of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryuu, a pair of foreigners walked. One, with hair white as snow, the man whose true name was unknown to those of Kashima, a well-travelled man with stories to be told. Stories of time and want and need, stories that could change the hearts and lives of those who heard them, stories that unearthed the truth behind the lives the people of this world led. The other foreigner was one such person touched by his stories, changed by them, invigorated by them, granted resolve through them. The burgundy-haired lass would be led on by the Arabic man, on towards the result of that resolve she’d forged, for their goals were one in the same. Master Gai had lead Elise to this conclusion, now it was her duty to carry it out, to hone herself for the battle coming. It was the responsibility of Elise von Eisenberg to take Master Gai’s words and use them to sharpen herself, her blade, for one purpose… To reclaim the heart of Tetsuko Shindou, to make it truly immovable… Along the way to one of the smaller training halls, Master Gai would briefly detour to retrieve something from his own quarters – his blade. It was unique, unlike any of the blades wielded by the other masters, in that it was not entirely Japanese in design. Though it was clearly inspired by the katana, the edge’s curve was stronger than typical of such swords, and its hilt, while still wrapped in ray skin, was very different from Japanese swords. The hilt and guard were one piece of metal, the letter resembling a European crossguard rather than the Japanese tsuba. If one were to describe it more briefly, the blade resembled an odd mix between a katana and a scimitar. Along this strange weapon’s blade, two Japanese characters were etched. Together, they spelled the sword’s name. “Nagai-Te” or “Long Hand” The reason for this name would soon become clear to Elise, as Gai lead her into a small training hall, covered with tough tatami mats in an open space. The only other furnishings within, if you could even call them that, were a few training dummys along one side of the hall, spares stashed in a nearby room. They were constructed of bamboo and tatami, excellent for both blunt training and cutting practice. ”Now then, Eli-tan, are you ready for your extra training~” Master Gai would utter as he took steps toward the centre of the room, turning back to Elise and facing her with his sword drawn, twisting and twirling it idly in his hand. ”It wouldn’t be fair, however, to spar you properly right now~ But I can give you pleeeenty of information and advice~ As a fellow Quirker, and as one who also has that certain stretchiness to his abilities~” Having seen Elise display her abilities in the eatery, if only briefly, had been enough for Master Gai to notice just how odd her body’s composition was when her Quirk was active. ”Lemme explain, mkay? My own Quirk… I like to call it… ‘Rubberise’.” Without any further ado, the foreign master began his demonstration of sorts, holding the blade in one hand and tapping the spine with his other, to show that it was indeed made of hardened steel, like the vast majority of modern effective blades. Then, he pinched the tip of the blade, and pulled it in opposite directions with both hands… A soft blue glue could be seen on the points where his fingers contacted, and the blade stretched like it was made of rubber or elastic! ”I can make any solid, non-living thing I touch have these properties~ They flex and bend from my own touch easily~” As even further proof of this ability, he began to jump on the ground, his own feet having that characteristic soft glow each time he touched it, bouncing as it flexed and returned to its natural state like a trampoline! ”And when I release my Quirk, they snap right back to their original state, like pulling back a rubber band~” He ceased his bouncing, and to demonstrate this, held his sword to the side, the flat of the blade facing the ground in certain sword stance, though the tip was facing behind him. He slid one thumb onto the blade itself from the hand upon the hilt, as his other pinched the point again and pulled it back… Then, in one fluid motion, he whipped the blade out, releasing his pinch and lashing the blade so it snapped and stretched out in front of him as he swung it, causing the blade to fly right past Elise’s eyes, before snapping back to its natural state in an instant! ”That was my Nagai-Te’s most simple signature move~ I call it Sun Finger~ Pretty cool, right, right?” He declared with what looked to be genuine pride and glee, as he indirectly showed Elise another important thing for the young lass to learn from these sword halls: The importance of signature moves. ”Basically, what I wanna show you is that even the trickiest of Quirks… Can be yet trickier~ It’s all about you surroundings, your spirit, and your unpredictability~ To put it simply…” He flourished his blade in front of him, as though ready to receive an attack, placing it an a defensive position. ”Be unreasonable~ Now then, don’t hold back, Eli-tan! I wanna get a nice benchmark of your skill, before I try to hone that blade of yours…” There were perhaps few masters within the halls as suited for training Elise von Eisenberg as Master Gai himself… Master Ueno was the most skilled, but too disciplined and methodical for this unconventional girl! Masters Taniguchi possessed a Quirk between the, but were far less creative in its usage… Even Master Uwabami, who wished to toughen up the Germanic lass a bit, was far too headstrong and reliant on brute strength… So it took someone as unconventional and unreasonable as Master Gai… To draw out the true strength of Elise von Eisenberg! |
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 20, 2018 9:07:57 GMT -4
People often say that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain, and yet for some reason the two paths most often traveled were the easiest or hardest ones a person could find. It was something Elise had started to realize: In a way this description fit the journey Tetsuko was undertaking. She had chosen a path, and of course the girl has foolishly chosen the steepest and most difficult path to traverse. Perhaps it was for that reason Elise insisted that by the time Tetsuko reached the top, that she wouldn't be there alone, that someone would have someone awaiting her arrival.
Deep within the halls of the school of the Kashima Shiden Jikishinkage-ryuu, a name which she still struggled to pronounce properly the burgundy-haired lass walked, her steps light and yet her stride filled with confidence as she followed in the footsteps of the white-haired foreigner who was only known by the name of 'Master Gai'. The more time she spend with the man, the more Elise grown to realize just how enigmatic of a person the man was. A well-travelled wanderer with plenty of stories waiting to be told. One story in particular had touched the girl, made her realize something and developed a burning desire within her, a powerful resolve which had been forged. They were on their way to train, for her to sharpen herself and her blade for the most important battle the burgundy-haired lass would have to deal with: To reclaim the heart of Tetsuko Shindou, to make it truly immovable!
As the duo made their way toward one of the smaller training halls, Elise noticed how they took a small detour, seemingly to retrieve something from master Gai's quarters. It took only a moment for her to realize the man had gone to pick up his weapon, yet it looked different from the traditional blades she seen Tetsuko make and wield before. It was not of Japanese design, in a way it was clearly different from those swords, yet it was still clearly inspired by the katana. If anything she would have described it as a odd mixture of a katana and a scimitar!
Master Gai soon introduced the name of his blade: Long Hand, and for a moment it made Elise wonder about the purpose of giving your weapon a name. She understood it somewhat, she had given her sniper rifle in the past a name also, but that was simply out of fondness, and for some reason the burgundy-haired lass doubted it was for the same reason she did, that Master Gai had given the blade a name...
Of course, as with most things the reason for this name would soon be made clear to Elise as the foreign master led her into a small training hall, the tatami mats covering the ground and some training dummies along one side of the hall. Master Gai asked her if she was ready for her training, nodding her head firmly as the man revealed he had indeed a quirk, the comment on stretchiness confusing her somewhat, but the promise for plenty of information and advice would surely help her!
Rubberise, she had to admit that sounded like a horrible pun, but he soon started to explain the nature of his quirk in greater detail, and realized that the name of the man's quirk was not just a pun, but a clever reference to the properties of his quirk! She blinked in confusion, watching him demonstrate the nature of his quirk further, and a soft excited gasp escaped her lips in response to the blade honing in toward her, before snapping back to its regular shape! How peculiar...
"A signature move..." Elise muttered, a hand raised to her cheek as the man explained the important of being tricky, of being unpredictable. To be unreasonable in combat? She kinda liked that description!" Another nod was made as Master Gai instructed her to demonstrate the usage of her quirk, a request she intended to obligate. Taking a deep breath she reached into the depths of her being, and recalling his earlier words decided to go with an ambush!
As the sphere of fluids erupted around her body, before the transformation was even fully finished two long tentacles lashed forwards, each one sharpened into a blade which would easily cut through iron, the first one, went in a larger arc, intending to slice into Master Gai's shoulder, while the other tried to lash out toward his hip. It was a straight and upfront attack, honest and easy to read, clearly showing her lack of experience with proper combat. However, with her transformation complete the pink slime girl bounced lightly on the spot she was at, her body jiggling lightly as she waited to see the results of her attacks. She doubted they would even land upon a trained warrior like Master Gai, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try!
This was a battle for Tetsuko's heart! A battle she couldn't afford to lose! By the time that dawn would arrive, Elise von Eisenberg would make certain that she would learn to become unpredictable, to become unreasonable! However, right now it still seemed she had a long way to go! Understandable, she didn't have much formal training, or rather any form of proper martial arts training and was acting purely on instinct! Yet, Elise was a quick, almost prodigious learner, as her mastery over firearms had proved before!
"How exactly does one become unreasonable in battle Master Gai?" Elise inquired, clearly a bit confused after the man had dealt with her attack. The two tendrils returned to her side, seemingly awaiting for the man to give his advice so she could try to figure out a way to attack once more. Become unpredictable... Become unreasonable! It was much harder than she imagined! and yet as she talked to the man ideas started to brew within that mind of hers!
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 20, 2018 9:10:39 GMT -4
Master Gai would remain in a rather open stance as Elise transformed before him, leaving his sword at his side in one firm hand. Despite this relaxed look, his strong grip and keen eyes made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t leaving himself open; he knew precisely what he was doing, even if this low guard might be perceived as a beginner’s mistake, his demeanour seemed to insist the opposite. The foreign master was simply leaving himself ample opportunity to react to whatever attack Elise launched at him, no matter how unreasonable it may be. He held his other hand on his hip as he observed her slimy form appear before him, striking out before it was even fully apparent!
A two-pronged attack was far from a foolish move, and against many untrained opponents it would be undoubtedly effective. It was a simple matter of giving your foe much to deal with, leaving the possibilities that he divided his strength too much between the separate attacks, or failed outright to deal with both. Of course, it could also be said that such an attack could have similar implications for the attacker themselves – they were dedicating two tools for a single task, and would potentially be forgoing a defensive option or spreading themselves too thin. That did not, however, seem to be the case in this particular instance.
It was a strong Quirk, but Elise was using it rather simply. Master Gai smiled slightly, already thinking how to deal with this attack… In a way that wouldn’t damage the hall itself. Quickly twirling his blade around, the trained master would once again pinch one end, before stretching the blade out even longer then before! It was such that the blade was more than long enough to defend both his shoulder and hip, but that wasn’t all. The floor beneath his foot also began to rubberise, so when Elise’s strikes clashed against his blade, he was pushed into that rubber floor rather than back at all. Tilting his Nagai-Te as to deflect the tendrils, Master Gai would then release his Quirk’s effect on the floor beneath his foot, aiming it such that he was propelled right towards Elise!
Instead of raising his sword at her, however, he lowered it back to his side, before quickly drawing a finger gun to point at Elise with his index and middle fingers. ”You’re pretty good~ Eli-tan~ That’s a strong Quirk of yours, that serration…” Master Gai raised his blade to eye level, looking over where it had hit the blade. ”It would’ve gone right through a less well-made blade~ But nothing beats Kashima steel!” He declared proudly, flourishing his blade before holding it idly at his side again.
She was already naturally intelligent and capable of basic tactics, so Master Gai was getting the feeling Elise von Eisenberg would be a more than capable student when it came to his teachings. She was simply the kind to learn quick if she could get her head wrapped around something, which Master Gai was more than willing to help her do when it came to his less easily defined teachings.
The eager slime girl inquired what exactly he meant by being unreasonable, which was a very fair question to ask, given how little sense it seemingly made. ”Well well, it goes hand-in-hand with being unpredictable, Eli-tan~” Master Gai explained. ”Your opponent is almost always going to have these pesky little things called ‘assumptions’ going into a fight~ Things they think are, well, reasonable~ It’s your job as an unreasonable fighter to exploit these assumptions at every turn~” He elaborated, still not being terribly clear in his words, but that was kind of the point. His teachings were also, by nature, unreasonable, so seeing how different people decided to adapt them was something Master Gai thoroughly enjoyed. Nonetheless, he explained further, to get the point across even more.
”It’s what makes Quirkers so formidable, hm? People assume things like ‘a blade can’t bend like rubber’ or ‘his sword isn’t long enough to guard both points’~ When you’re unpredictable, and entirely creative in battle, your opponent can’t rely on their own assumptions.” Master Gai felt he had gotten his points across by now, as vague as they were, and couldn’t wait to see how Elise might adapt to this information and what she might in turn come up with.
”Now, I want you to try and apply that little tidbit to another basic: signature moves~” Aiming to kill two birds with one stone, as it were, Master Gai would turn around and wander back towards the mannequins in one end of the room, pointing to them with his blade to indicate them as targets. ”Your Hero stuff probably already told you about how important signature moves are, hm? They’re reliable, powerful, make use of your greatest strengths, and are totally kickass~” He said gleefully, gesturing Elise to come forward and try her might against the dummies.
”A well practiced signature move can make a world of difference~ So lets see what you’ve got, Eli-tan, feel free to experiment until you find something that sticks, and I can give you all the advice and/or pep talks you need!” The foreign master declared with a strong thumbs up, deep down eager himself to see what this student of his might achieve… Elise von Eiseneberg fascinated the foreign man, that much was clear. She was exactly the kind of person he would’ve hated in his younger wandering years, but now, he saw her in many ways for what she really was… Someone driven by ‘need’ and ‘want’, who had at one point failed to distinguish between the two… He was glad to have given her that realization, to have helped her forge a proper ceramic heart.
He just hoped she could do the same for Tetsuko Shindou… The young swordswoman’s story was a tragic one, in many ways, and perhaps even one that Master Gai could relate to… It was for that reason he didn’t want to see her walk the same path as him. He didn’t want Tetsuko to make the same mistakes, to lose the same time he’d lost… To lose the same things he’d lost…
|
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 20, 2018 9:11:34 GMT -4
Of course, even if she had expected the foreigner would have some surprise in store for her, Elise had to admit she did not expect such a counter from the man. Despite the relaxed look of the man, the keen eyes of the master made her feel there was more to his stance than was obvious at first. Even if the low guard looked like something of a bigger's mistake, the knowledge this man was a master had either two potential answers: He was underestimating her, which seemed unlikely, or he had a surprise in store for her! Before her transformation had even fully manifested, the two-pronged attack was unleashed upon the swordmaster. It was a natural decision for her to do so, in the end, she had thought that by giving her opponent a lot to deal with at once, that he might had possibly divided his strength, or outright failed to deal with every attack! However, in return in most cases people would assume she was forgoing a means of defense, or perhaps even spread herself too thin and lower her own combative prowess, but that was not the case in this instance.
And yet, Elise von Eisenberg was a fledgeling warrior, and as such her usage of her quirk was rather simple. To her surprise Master Gai stretched his blade, much longer than before, to the point it reminded her of a zweihander, a large double-handed blade which could easily deflect both her attacks. And that wasn't everything either! The moment her tentacles clashed against his blade, Master Gai released his quirk and bounced straight toward her. The speed at which he moved was outlandish as a result of the man's quirk, her tentacles had been deflected and would need time to return to her side, and even if she tried to raise an arm, it would be too slow to deflect the incoming attack, to the point that when he pointed his fingers at her she smiled weakly. If this had been a real fight, she would had been impaled for sure!
A gentle nod was made by the burgundy-haired lass, accepting his compliments about her quirk as he explained how her tentacle blades would have sliced straight through a less well-forged blade, she wasn't sure, but it was clear that blade of his was special, to think that her tentacle blades couldn't slice through it.
Already she was pondering about the finer details of their little clash, her strategy by itself wasn't bad: a surprise attack combined with a two-pronged move was a natural decision to come to with her capacities. However, for some reason Elise felt like something was missing. Even if the foreigner had praised her skills, Elise felt this type of move was too basic, too simple to be considered a signature move. In a way it wasn't wrong to say that her attack had been a bit too 'reasonable'.
The burgundy-haired lass tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion as Master Gai answered her by staying that being unreasonable went hand in hand with being unpredictable. It was confusing at first, but then he started to explain further. So being unreasonable meant defying the assumptions a person had when going into a fight? Quietly she pondered the nature of those assumptions. Because she was a slime girl people naturally assumed she was more bouncy and elastic than most, the serration of her body came as a surprise at first, but those who knew it tended to naturally assume she was 'sharp enough to cut through them' so they were naturally wary of her serration.
So it was a matter of being unpredictable, creative and making an opponent incapable of relying on their assumptions. The swords master started to explain further on the nature of his teachings, in particular he wanted her to apply the first part of his lecture onto another thing: signature moves. Although she had heard about them before, the way the man described them made Elise ponder: perhaps signature moves were the embodiment of a person being unreasonable at their finest. Then in her case... something where she could be unreasonable...
What did Elise have? She had a crazy amount of stamina compared to most, was incredibly fast by most standards, was able to stretch her body and serrate parts of it. How in the world could she be able to apply those things to become unreasonable. After pondering for a moment it seemed the burgundy haired lass had come to a realization of sorts, as she nodded her head with a look of resolve into her eyes. She had figured out a way to be unreasonable.
She lacked complexity like Tetsuko and her techniques, she wasn't as explosive as Jasmine was rumored to be, nor had she a wide variety of uses like Rin and her blood manipulation. Then if she wanted to be unreasonable, then perhaps... That would be the thing she needed? If Tetsuko had a powerful blade, then she would have an overwhelming amount of them! When instructed to target the dummies Elise lashed forwards,
At first it appeared like Elise's two tentacles lashed in a straight line toward the opponent, but it was at that point Elise decided to apply her earlier thought: overwhelm an opponent with speed and quantity. As the two tendrils locked the enemy in place Elise started to grunt lightly, the light shakes of the dummy making it clear what she was planning to do next: She was trying to use her two tentacles to force the dummy into the air! With all her might the girl pulled the dummy upwards, a few meters into the air as the hairlocks of the girl seemed to had a sharpened glint to them, could she possibly be...
Indeed, as one might had imagined Elise's hair had turned into a flurry of small blades, each lunging straight toward the airborne dummy, and similar to being hit by a rain of senbon needles her attack struck home. Yet, as she was on the brink of raising a bladed arm into the air with the intention to impale the dummy a final time, the reminder that Elise was no master revealed itself, as the weight of the dummy made her tumble onto her back, and the dummy started to rapidly descend down toward her! Master Gai better acted quickly if he didn't want his student to be crushed underneath the dummy's weight!
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 20, 2018 9:14:11 GMT -4
Master Gai watched with his keen eyes as Elise von Eisenberg was left to develop her own signature technique, something that could condense his teachings into a manageable and effect move that would serve her well in battle. If there was any place where she could develop such a thing, it would be within the halls of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū, where signature moves defined the styles of many of their powerful masters. The foreign master had already shown this with his ‘Sun Finger’, but the others had plenty of their own special skills based around their own skillsets. Whether it be Ueno’s mastery of the Hirazuki, to the point of his Sendanzuki, or the raw strength behind Uwabami’s ‘Serpent Slayer’, every one of the masterful swordsmen within these halls had managed to find inspiration and skill in developing their signature moves. The potential Gai saw in Elise had him believing she would be no different, and hopefully the spirits of the swordsman who thrived in these halls would help her in her conclusion… He watched as the Germanic lass rushed forward upon being given the command, watching intently as she displayed the conclusion she’d reached. As Master Gai had suggested, she was using her strongest attributes to their fullest, that being her stamina and speed. In combination, these two abilities provided quite the capacity for chain attacks, offensive techniques that featured rapid consecutive strikes with the aim of overwhelming an opponent with compounding force. They had their flaws, but in the right hands, attacks like these could be deadly. Their main weakness was simple: these techniques relied on going all in on offense, and could open up some significant gaps in your defence. If an opponent could successfully defend against the chain attack, counter and return their own strike, the damage could be significant, so it was important to consider the timing of such head-on offensive moves. Master Gai was curious to see how Elise might tackle this problem, and her solution was rather innovative! The Germanic lass had launched her opponent into the air using her tentacles, a rather efficient method of creating an opening. One wouldn’t expect someone of her skills to use her Quirk for a throw of all things, nonetheless it had left her with the opening necessary to unleash her combo. In the air, most people lacked any kind of control over their own trajectory, or would have to weaken their defence to do so. This left them no ability to ground themselves and resist the force of the chain attack, nor any chance to counter it! Elise unleashed her flurry of blades, a rather simple yet effective onslaught of attacks that was competent, at least. However, Elise had failed to realize that every attack had to be considered and her position firm in order for this manner of chain technique to work to its greatest, something Elise von Eisenberg was soon going to discover as she knocked herself over and the dummy started to descend from above! It wasn’t terribly heavy, but it was still going to hurt, so Gai stepped in to prevent his student from getting unnecessarily injured. Sighing lightly, the master quickly bounded forth, using a step into the ground as he rubberised it to propel himself toward the falling dummy, twisting his body mid-air to deliver a powerful kick to the dummy, using his Quirk as he hit it to remove a lot of the resistance it might have otherwise given, causing it to practically bounce off of his foot and away from its trajectory onto Elise! Landing gracefully, Master Gai would extend a hand towards the fallen Elise, pulling her up if she accepted it. ”Hmmmmmmmmmmm~” He let out a long, curious hum as he aided to her feet, raising his free hand to his chin as he rested his sword against the ground. ”Not bad at all, Eli-tan~ You have the right idea, using a chain attack to make the most of your speed and stamina~ You can strike quick and do so without wearing yourself out, perfect for such a technique~” He declared, before walking over to the dummy she’d attacked and lifting it back over its original spot. Plenty of small cuts in the bamboo and tatami could be seen, resultant from Elise’s storm of blades. ”All you need to do now is practice it. We have pleeeenty of time until morning Eli-tan~ So by the time tomorrow has come~” He gestured towards the dummy with the point of his blade, smiling widely. ”I want you to be able to cut this dummy to pieces! For a perfect chain attack, every hit needs to be honed and deadly! In other words~ You’ve got plenty of work ahead of you, if you want to get the top of the same mountain she’s climbing.” Gai said, as he stepped aside and let Elise continue. It was going to take a while to perfect this, but they had the time and stamina to get through this gruelling training so that Elise could prove herself to Tetsuko and the other masters. It was going to be a long night, but Gai had few doubts that Elise would be able to push through it with her desires to save Tetsuko’s heart. ”Now, let’s go… Once more!”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tetsuko Shindou was sleeping soundly after exhausting herself… In the waking world, her body was still and quiet. Inside her mind, however, she was in harsher circumstances. The Shindou girl found herself on that familiar iron isle, one she hadn’t dreamed of for some time. The blue skies and bluer seas stretched out all around her, yet… Tetsuko didn’t move this time. The iron sands beneath her feet suited her just fine. This isle suited her just fine. Within her dreamscape, Tetsuko would seat herself on this quiet and deathly still island, uncaring for whatever was outside of it. She didn’t need anything more… She didn’t need to understand the depth of this world anymore than she already did… Moreover, that ocean out there, so vast and deep, terrified her far too much. Is this really OK? a voice asked within her dream. Tetsuko shook her head lightly, responding quietly. ”No, it isn’t… But it’s how it has to be.” |
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 20, 2018 9:14:46 GMT -4
To develop a signature technique was not an easy feat, especially without the proper teachings and experience to back it up. However, the unusual teachings of the foreigner seemed to resonate quite well within the burgundy-haired lass. A girl who was once obsessed by her needs, and now driven by her wants was the perfect person to learn to become unpredictable, to become unreasonable. As such she had quickly come to a conclusion that to become unreasonable, Elise von Eisenberg had to use her strongest attributes to their fullest. Unlike most people, while transformed Elise's entire body could become considered a weapon, and with her stamina and speed she had decided to focus on an overwhelming assault of chain attacks! It seemed to had gone smoothly at first, and yet the lack of strength in her tentacles had led to the burgundy-haired lass to be incapable of completing what might had become her own signature technique. The dummy descended toward her, yet fortunately Master Gai intervened, a well-aimed kick sending the dummy reeling out of the trajectory that would had turned her into Elise paste!
The curious hum as he aided her back onto her feet made Elise curious about the man's opinion, and yet it seemed he approved of her strategy, having the right idea of using a chain attack that made the most out of her speed and stamina! There was just one thing, one tiny detail still missing. He lifted it back into the original spot, the sign of small tiny cuts in the bamboo and tatami visible from her flurry of attacks, it seemed the next course of action was to master the technique she was developing.
It seemed her task was given: to cut the dummy to shreds with her signature move! Such a feat would be quite difficult, one which required every hit to be honed and deadly, but if she wanted to reach the top of the mountain Tetsuko was forcing herself to climb, then that was a price she was willing to pay! "Aye!" Elise answered enthusiastically as she resumed her stance and dropped back into her transformation, preparing for a rather long night of training.
To be honest, the time spend after that felt almost like a blur. She practiced and practiced, repeating the same pattern but trying to improve upon it, and yet there was something very odd about this whole thing. You see, the thing Elise lacked was strength: and similar to lifting weights, by constantly pushing the body, one naturally starts to get stronger. This would end up becoming clearer as the hours passed. Her tentacles could lift the dummy with less strain, and halfway through the night her grip had become strong enough that the dummy didn't collapse anymore! But it was only a hour or so before dawn that it finally happened, the moment she had mastered her own signature move.
She still remembered that particular moment vividly, as if the blur of her training cleared up. She stood there before the dummy, and soon unleashed her initial attack! At first, like previously her two tentacles flung straight toward the dummy, each bladed tendril piercing the dummy's chest, although this time the honed blades struck through, quite literally impaling the dummy's chest as the tip of the blade punctured out of the back! A forceful fling of her tentacles knocked the dummy upwards, making it helplessly become flung into midair as the girl proceeded with the second part of her technique.
Her hair locks swished forwards, stretching like a flurry of blades that struck all over the dummy, but this time the cuts weren't shallow. Each blade struck deep and true as a maelstrom of blades surrounded the dummy, to the point that a finishing blow was delivered in a way that would be quite gruesome if it had been a human being: namely the tentacles that had impaled the dummy made a sweeping cut in opposite directions, literally causing the larger tentacles to cleave the dummy asunder, while the Maelstrom of tiny blades cut the remnants to shreds. Only the head of the dummy was left, rolling toward Elise's spot but this time the slime girl was prepared, her body detransforming to its human form, but something new... something different happened.
Elise had hooked back her right arm, focusing on letting the quirk fluid within her body gather in the muscles of her arm, fist and shoulder as she felt the 'limiter' on her body having been removed in that area, a forceful and violent punch of her fist being more than enough to cause the dummy's head to implode in a small flurry of bamboo! Her punch clearly lacked the finesse of her tentacles, but the sheer force behind the attack was clearly showing that what Elise lacked till now, was strength!
Panting softly Elise turned her gaze toward Master Gai and grinned at the foreigner. "I did it Master Gai! I became unreasonable! This is my signature technique!" Of course, there was one traditional step left to do before she could properly label that as a 'signature technique': for there was a thing that each and every technique possessed. Soft gasps escaped her lips as she looked at the dummy, which had been literally reduced to shreds from her newly developed signature move. Indeed: Every signature technique had a name! It was something that Master Gai would no doubt tell her, and so Elise decided on a name for her own technique.
"Tetsu..." The girl whispered softly, the one who embodied all her wants, the one who made her life so beautiful, she would dedicate this technique's name to her! "Tetsu no Arashi~" The girl whispered softly, the 'Storm of Iron' seemed like a suitable title for an attack which was a violent maelstrom of blades! And so she turned toward the man who had set her onto this path. "What do you think Master Gai?" Did she succeed? Only time would tell...
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 23, 2018 10:35:15 GMT -4
A groan escaped the lips of the iron-blooded girl as she stirred from her sleep, a heaviness to her body as she raised her head slightly. Already, the grogginess of her hangover could be felt, a deep discomfort that could only come with excessive consumption of alcohol... Tetsuko leaned her head back, raising her hands to cover her face as memories of the prior night slowly crept into her consciousness... Shit... She'd really said all that, hadn't she... Now Elise knew... It didn't help that Tetsuko was already feeling sick, her stomach churning with ideas of what Elise might think, of how difficult it might be for the Shindou girl to carry out her duty... Her train of thought was interrupted by a sound akin to a lion's roar, as Tetsuko glanced over to see Uwabami slumped against the wall, snoring heavily. The older woman had dragged Tetsuko in there, and had evidently had the duty of making sure Tetsuko didn't embarrass herself further... The loud noise was hell to the already headache-addled Tetsuko so she quickly proceeded to lean over and grab a spare pillow, before pegging it at Uwabami's head to awake the sleeping giant. "I didn't do it!" Uwabami blurted out as her body jolted from its dream, eyes darting around only to see a rather grumpy Tetsuko slowly sitting up on her futon, still groaning with every movement. "Oh, yer up." The Shindou girl just glanced again at that no-shit statement, while she continued to collect her thoughts. Strangely enough, the previous night's experiences left Tetsuko with this strange feeling... Like there was just a bit more clarity in her thoughts, a bit more reasoning that she understood... Yet, with it, came some conflict as well... "Alright, get yer ass up, time to sweat out that crap ya drank. Gonna need ya in good shape fer yer trainin' today." Uwabami suddenly declared, arising to her own feet and stretching out as she ushered Tetsuko to do the same. It was clear the older woman was much, much more experienced when it came to dealing with the effects of severe intoxication, so Tetsuko trusted her judgment here and followed on, slowly and painfully rising from her bed while remaining mostly silent as she followed Uwabami for some morning exercise around the school. Tetsuko didn't know where Elise was yet, and didn't think too much of it... Either way Tetsuko would have to train with Elise today, and that was something she had no idea how she might deal with... As Tetsuko underwent Uwabami's rigorous hangover-recover workout, she was given time to think back and reflect on what exactly she was going to do. The swordswoman's goal was already clear in her mind, shed off the bonds that could no longer rely on her, that only diverted her attention away from her own weakness, and instead march into the future seeking only the strength to protect the past. That was all it was, it was a simple plan, one that made perfect sense in her mind... Then... Why did it feel so strange? Tetsuko couldn't get past one particular subject of this plan, one that had embedded herself even deeper last night... Elise von Eisenberg... Tetsuko still held fast onto her belief that her family's honor, so rooted in the past, was her main priority. Yet, thanks to Elise, Tetsuko was now even doubting if her actions could achieve these important goals of hers... Elise, who spoke so foolishly of the power of bonds, had sewn a seed of doubt within Tetsuko, and she hated it... Because Tetsu also knew it was her bond with Elise she needed to remove most of all... Yet that lingering bond was making her doubt her own plans... Why was it that Tetsuko needed to remove this bond? Well... There were so many reasons, reasons that Tetsuko couldn't ignore. For one... Elise couldn't keep relying on her, on someone who would fail her, and someone who's unreturned feelings only hurt her. The second reason seemed also simple... Tetsuko was only growing more unsteady, more uneasy these days with the knowledge of Elise's love... It was simply discomforting, knowing Elise loved something that Tetsuko hated. That 'something' being Tetsuko Shindou herself. The third reason... Was perhaps even deeper than the others... Tied in with Tetsuko's fear of the future... Now... Why... Did she have trouble severing that bond? Tetsuko... Didn't know the answer. Her past with Elise couldn't be changed, and she feared the future, so why couldn't she just give it up!? Tetsuko didn't know or believe her feelings for Elise to be love... Her heart was too much of a mess to say, her hesitance keeping her from the answer, and her own self-disgust didn't help matters either... So... Why? Why couldn't she forego that bond? Could it be... The thing that Elise embodied... Did it outweigh her own fear? Tetsuko shook her head, this was clearly just a matter of her own resolve lacking... Tetsuko needed to bolster it, to determine to do the right and proper thing, to let Elise live without her, to let herself live without Elise... After all, she didn't need Elise... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back in the training hall, Master Gai watched with keen eyes as Elise unleashed her most devastating performance of this technique-in-progress yet. Her natural disposition towards chain attacks had been pushed to its limits, resulting in a demonstration that had the foreign master raising his brow at the sheer quantity of cuts she delivered, each one practiced and deadly, while also using the brutality of her thrusts to keep the dummy in place and finish it off once it had been torn to shreds by the storm of blades. This was a technique that could one day rival Taniguchi's Dual Cyclone, Master Gai thought, likely even surpass it if Elise's abilities continued to expand! Which, judging by that powerful punch of hers, was certainly a possibility. Master Gai smiled encouragingly at Elise's enthusiasm, yet a raised brow would tell her that her work wasn't quite done when it came to developing this signature move. Surely enough, the Germanic lass added the finishing touches, branding the move with a name. "Ah, a very fine name, Eli-tan~ And a powerful technique~ As for if it's enough... We'll have to see~" As if on cue, the door to the training room would open, and there would be Tetsuko Shindou, having been pointed this direction by Uwabami after thier training. Tetsuko furrowed a brow at the room, unsure what had been happening, though it became clear Elise had been training... Tetsuko knew what she had to do in this upcoming fight, she had to prove her strength, a strength which was surely at its height outside of these bonds... The Shindou swordswoman stepped into the room, bowing to Master Gai without a word, the quiet but fragile resolve on Tetsuko's expression speaking wordlessly, telling him she wanted to get this done with ASAP. "Well, now that you're both ready~ Shall we be on our way? I have a destination in mind for our training, today~"From there, he'd lead them out of the school, back towards the heart of town, where a certain locale awaited... The birthplace of Jikishinkage-ryuu would be where the fate of Tetsuko Shindou's heart was decided... |
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 23, 2018 11:16:21 GMT -4
It was odd, despite the fact she was still panting, Elise felt invigorated as if the little embers kindled within her during the evening had been lit into a blazing fire. A gentle nod followed as Master Gai complimented her choice of a technique name and labeled it a powerful technique, yet it remained to be seen if it would be enough to pierce through the snowstorm. A hand raised toward her forehead as she wiped off the sweat that had gathered. It was at that time, as if on cue that the door to the training hall slid open and a figure entered which made Elise's body freeze momentarily. Tetsuko Shindou, her presence was enough to make Elise rise up again as she watched the girl bow toward Master Gai, yet the quiet and fragile resolve of the girl, the lack of a greeting in her direction, it made Elise pause for a moment to think back about what Master Gai said to her before.
The burgundy-haired lass still remembered every part of the story, and for a moment she turned toward the foreigner and spoke softly. "Master Gai, can we take a break for a few minutes so I can get some water and fresh air?" A reasonable request most likely since Master Gai knew how intensely they been training. Nonetheless, after his approval she stepped toward the doorway, her gaze shifting toward Tetsuko as she stopped next to her.
"Although the things we 'need' are different from each other..." A step followed as she stepped past the girl, her lips curving up into a smile as she whispered softly. "I wonder if that's the same for the things we 'want'?" and with those words she stepped outside the training hall, making her way along the various training halls. She had memorized where the toilets and bathrooms were, and after slipping into one of them opened one of the sinks, splashing the cold water onto her face to re-energize herself. She had to be fully awake for what would follow, it was too important for her not to give her utmost in order to save what she wanted to save, protect what she wanted to protect.
Fortunately, it did wonders, the fresh water, and the cold splashes against her face quickly brought back all the focus she had been looking forward, and wiping her face with a towel the girl looked at her reflection in the mirror. "You changed, Elise..." She mused softly at her own reflection.
Once upon a time she had been such a meek and shy girl, one whose instinct of enduring and flight overwhelmed that of a struggle and confront, and yet here she was training with a foreign swordmaster, but it was clear what had made her change. "I really did... But in the end, it is what I want. To get closer to her, to make her realize the things she needs and the things she wants." Pulling the towel over her shoulders the girl mused softly. "I'll change, to reach Tetsuko's heart I'll become someone who can help carry that burden."
And with those words, the burgundy-haired lass returned to the training hall. Upon their return, it didn't take long for Master Gai to start taking them to a most peculiar area. They were not about to head toward some sort of fancy dueling arena within the school, but instead, he seemed to be taking them toward the town of Kashima itself! Her gaze followed around the area, passing the forge they were at before, the sight of the storage place that now replaced the tree they had made so many memories at.
Even if the physical evidence of their promise that day had disappeared, Elise was going to do her utmost to make Tetsuko renew it, to rekindle the vows and oaths made that day. It was not what Elise needed, but if there was one thing she selfishly wanted, then it was to have Tetsuko Shindou return to where she belonged: Not in the cold snowstorm she was braving by herself but at the side of a spoiled little princess.
Soon they reached their destination, and Elise visibly looked confused at this particular choice. Why here? Now she thought about it, today's training would also showcase whether she would be a liability or not for Tetsuko. If she was a distraction for the girl, then surely Tetsuko's grandfather would be able to ensure Elise would lose any means of remaining at Tetsuko's side. She had to be careful, this wasn't just about showing her own strength, it was about showing the strength of their bond, and most importantly: making Tetsuko Shindou realize what she truly wanted.
For a moment Elise had gone quiet, waiting for Master Gai to start speaking. If she guessed right Tetsuko was likely going to try to force herself to endure this all by herself again, it was an unavoidable conclusion at this point, but perhaps it was in there that Elise could see an opportunity. To make Tetsuko realize that sometimes the things she wants, can become a force much greater than the things she needs.
Tetsuko Shindou might have not needed her in order to reach her immovable heart, but... did she want her? It would be best for her to make Tetsuko realize just how important bonds were to her, just how powerful those bonds and Tetsuko's 'wants' could make her. Perhaps it was for that reason that Elise remained at Tetsuko's side, yet to transform and waiting for the iron-blooded knight to take the initiative.
I'll make you realize Tetsuko
That the things you need
Are just as important as the things you want
And that our bond takes many shapes and forms
Even as you pushed me away, even if it hurts you
I won't let you ignore the importance of your wants
Because what I want is for you to be happy
Because to me, that want is the purest embodiment of my love for you.
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 27, 2018 10:49:53 GMT -4
Just being near Elise was inspiring such discomforting feelings within Tetsuko. Her stomach churned and she felt a weight within her chest, her heart rate rising in all the wrong ways. Elise herself wasn't the cause of this, obviously, but what Tetsuko couldn't help but feel, knowing everything that had happened and that needed to happen, everything that would happen. It was almost a... Fear... That Tetsuko felt. An anxiety that she dismissed as cowardice. Tetsuko had made up her mind, determined her path, and she would follow it through surely. The young swordswoman was readily succumbing to the pressure on her shoulders, deeming a life lived for the past was better than one struggling against the future. Yet, there were yet others that did not want to let Tetsuko slip into that dark place... There were those who'd do their damnedest to prevent her from falling into it.
There was one warrior above all who would fight to protect the heart of Tetsuko Shindou at its most vulnerable. Elise von Eisenberg requested a small break, and Master Gai nodded in her direction. "Of course, of course~ You have been training hard, after all~" The foreign master proclaimed, earning more confusion from the Shindou girl. How long had Elise been training there? All night? No, surely not... Though... If it was the case... Why? Elise going this far, her continued fervor in striving for a situation that would surely only get her hurt... That was Tetsuko's own fault too.
The shadows twisted within her, knowing this fact, yet... They did not twist as harshly as the day before. Instead, they were almost comforting her broken core, pitying it. Tetsuko didn't know what to make of this new feeling, instead shifting her focus on Elise as she walked past, the pain only growing in her core. The Shindou girl looked away from the Germanic girl, until she spoke to her... Elise was very much right, their needs were entirely different. Elise needed friends and people to care about her, she had plenty of that... Tetsuko needed to honor her family, which she had failed at every turn... That was just fact. What Elise said next, was much harder to comprehend.
"Want?"
Tetsuko's eyes widened, that word hitting her like hearty slap to the cheek, leaving the shadows recoiling in confusion for a moment as she watched Elise leave. Want? What did Tetsuko.... Want? Her needs and wants were inseparable, right? That had to be the case for an honorable warrior. The need to be everything her family and city asked of her was what had driven her to U.A., to spread the word of her city, to make friends and allies that might aid her. Then again... Was that really her deepest want? How would such a want... Have lead her to the side of Elise von Eisenberg?
Tetsuko shook her head hard, expelling the thoughts as the darkness wrapped itself around her core again. Forget wants. That was just being selfish. She had to do what she had to do, there was nothing else someone as pathetic as her could do. It was because she was weak she had to do this, for the sake of others, for the sake of succumbing to her anxieties. Her breathing became unsteady for a moment, but a few deep breaths managed to keep her in line, as she glanced back at Master Gai, who eyed her vacantly while he nonchalantly swung around his blade.
"She's determined, you know~" Just as the foreign master sliced through the air with some practice swings, so did he slice through any pretense that he was not fully aware of the situation. Tetsuko just sighed, standing ready to leave as soon as Elise was back, a cold look in her eyes. "Yeah. That's the problem. I don't know how to deal with someone so determined to get themselves hurt... Or so set on loving the things I hate..." Tetsuko was speaking mostly to herself, knowing Master Gai wasn't going to give any interference that wasn't just cryptic or teasing. She knew the man well enough to realize if he was going to meddle, he wouldn't do it directly.
"Well... How did you to it before?"
His words stung, for some reason, and before Tetsuko could question it any further, Elise returned. Without much fanfare, the girls were lead off by Master Gai to the day's training grounds, located in what was geographically and culturally the heart of the city. The Kashima Shrine, the birthplace of Jikishinkage-ryuu, a place guarded by kami Takemikazuchi and Futsunishi, who themselves were patron saints of the martial ways. Walking into the temple grounds, the girls would find it conspicuously empty, as they stood just past the gate, in a paved area where the buildings were as near as the trees that surrounded this secluded place. In this temple, Tetsuko felt an entirely new pressure on her shoulders... It felt like the swordsmen of the past, who had all found inspiration in this temply were watching her, assessing her.
"Ahhh~ Never get tired of this place~" Tetsuko stood to attention, facing towards Master Gai and standing in line with Elise as the foreigner spoke up, carefully drawing his sword from its sheath. "The unreasonable heart of Kashima, the place that inspired generations of warriors~ I hope you feel their spirits, girls, and I hope those spirits are enough to make you excellent warriors in your own right." Tetsuko certainly couldn't deny that this place had a strange aura to it... One that made her even more on edge.
"As you can guess, today your job is to spar against me~ If you can land three hits, you'll have won. As for my goal? Well..." He flourished his Nagai-Te in front of him, smiling slyly as he drew back into an offensive stance. "I just need to take the fight out of you before then~"
Tetsuko breathed in, breathed out, and assumed a stance, ready to draw a blade on the man. Her eyes were cold, set into him, as her goals became clear. She would show Elise that fighting alongside her was pointless, that Tetsuko had to do this alone... She would show Elise what she needed to do. It was that simple. It was that simple. Maybe if she repeated it enough, it would become true. Tetsuko readied herself, the shadows poised within her, the pressure mounting, as her breaking point neared...
But, nothing broke without a bit of force. Particularly ceramic.
Gai suddenly moved, without warning, into his initial attack. He simply stepped forward, and as the ground bent beneath his foot rapidly, it would become clear to Elise he'd been holding back in his demonstration to her. The foreigner was sprung forward toward the girls at incredible speed, his sword raised and ready for an overhead strike from mid-air!
|
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 27, 2018 13:49:24 GMT -4
It didn't take long for them to arrive at the Kashima shrine, and even a foreigner into the world of swordsmanship like Elise could feel the importance of this place. This was the birthplace of Jikishinkage-ryuu, the origins of Tetsuko's family their sacred art. There were legends of this place, one in particular often caught Elise's interest. They said that the Kashima shrine was a place where the spirits of warriors and heroes alike dwelled, and as Elise stepped into the temple grounds it seemed that even she herself was oblivious to the fact that it wasn't just she who was fighting to protect something dear to her. To someone with vivid imagination one could even imagine the swordsmen of the past drifting around the borders of the plaza they found themselves at, watching the duo, and assessing the swordswoman that was Tetsuko Shindou.
Master Gai spoke up, humming how he never tired of the temple, and her gaze focused onto the foreigner who started drawing his sword so carefully from its sheath. There was a strange, almost unnatural aura in this place, one which made her feel tenser than usual. The unreasonable heart of Kashima, the root of everything that made up Tetsuko's 'origins'. It seemed today's job was to spar against Master Gai, landing three hits if they wanted to win, meanwhile his job would be to knock the fighting spirit out of them before the third hit was even able to be delivered.
Tetsuko had already assumed a stance, a blade ready to be drawn within a moment's notice, and yet those eyes clearly betrayed something, a thought that Tetsuko still firmly believed that she had to fight alone, that she had to carry this burden by herself. Master Gai suddenly moved, not a single sign that could have betrayed his intention as he dashed at an even faster speed than before, a blade ready and raised high into the air, seemingly preparing for an overhead strike in mid-air!
Instinctively Elise felt her body twitch, a hand raised lightly as she felt her body urge her to act, to transform and help Tetsuko, yet at the same time a voice in the back of her thoughts haunted her with insecurity. If she intervened now, Tetsuko would just push her away again, believing herself to NEED to handle this by herself. It would make it impossible for her to convey her message properly... and yet something within her was urging for her to intervene, she wanted to...
"How unusual~ The Eli I knew wouldn't have let anyone hurt her 'Tetsu'."
A familiar voice called out to her, and to Elise she felt the world around her freeze, as seconds turned into eternity and the burgundy-haired lass could have sworn there was one person seated among the masters of the shrine who was oddly out of place. After all, this place was a resting place for the souls of warriors and heroes... and yet... 'he' was a hero in his own way also.
"I-Impossible..." the girl muttered softly, the girl's words making the man chuckle heartily. "Indeed, it's impossible~ There is nothing scientific about this, and yet here I am~" The man mused in amusement as he stopped right before her, the sight of the man causing Elise's eyes to tear up. Frederick von Eisenberg, the man who had died to save those dear to him, a man who died a hero's death, the man who was Elise's father. "But how... how can you be here Papa?" The girl's inquiry made him shrug his shoulders casually. "Who knows~ Maybe I'm just here to remind a certain dummy of something." Elise blinked in confusion as she watched her father raise his hand and flick his finger against her forehead. "What did I say was the most important in a relationship?" The question made Elise lower her head lightly in shame, recalling how she had tried to deceive Tetsuko during the confrontation with Thunder Shock. A hand gently rested on top of her head, ruffling her hair lightly. "Honesty my little Eli, if you want to reach her heart you need to approach it with honesty. Right now Tetsu is confused and lost, she feels that relying on others is dishonorable and that it makes her weak."
He took a step backward and grinned at her while continuing. "But as an Eisenberg you know better, right?" Elise nodded her head firmly in response as her father continued. "We can become strong, but our true potential, our true power is found when we rely on others, when we are able to entrust ourselves to another person, we are able to draw forth a dormant power within us that knows no equal when it comes to conviction and resilience. It is a power that continues to grow and prosper, and even when struck down will rise up once more as long as you continue to believe in it: Believe in the power of your bond with her Eli."
And with those words he seemed to shimmer out of view, his head lifted into the air as he hummed softly. "I did my part Tami-tan, the rest is up to the girls themselves~"
As time snapped back into motion for her Elise found Gai in the middle of his clash with Tetsuko, seemingly on the brink of overwhelming the latter when Elise finally intervened, her body erupting into a burst of pinkish fluid as the slime girl lashed forwards, two slimy tentacles shifting their form into bladed tentacles that attempted to slice into the man's flank while she hurried to Tetsuko's side, transforming back to normal moments later as she declared softly.
"How long will you keep quiet Tetsu? How long will you keep ignoring your wants?" She was sure the exhaustion from the clash with Master Gai would takes it toll upon Tetsuko, so without any warning Elise did the best thing she could to convey her message, rather boldly leaning in to kiss Tetsuko's lips. Although it was a chaste kiss, it was more than plenty to trigger the dormant power of the burgundy-haired girl her Quirk inside Tetsuko who would find her exhaustion and injuries lessening.
"Since when did your bonds make you weak? If anything shouldn't you have realized by now that they are a source of power for you?"
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 29, 2018 10:59:51 GMT -4
The foreign master was like a streak through the air, his loose white robes pushed behind him as his elastic propulsion urged him forward, into his attack, where he brought the blade up and over his head in a seemingly simple but lethally efficient overhead strike. Tetsuko wasted no time stepping forward, her reaction delayed by the sheer shock of Gai's speed, as she drew her own blade before him. The ironblooded lass extended out her palm as a blade formed in her grasp, arcing upwards to clash against Master Gai's sword, their edges colliding as Tetsuko felt her heels push back into the ground from his mid-air strike, sliding her back a foot, supporting the spine of her blade with her other hand... As the foreign master's feet met the ground and he pushed against her blade.
Elise seemed to be still behind her, alleviating Tetsuko's fears for this moment. The Eisenberg lass wasn't interfering, though Tetsuko didn't have the leisure to glance back and see what she was doing. All Tetsuko knew was that Elise wasn't putting herself in danger for Tetsuko's sake, that the Shindou girl was on her own in this fight... That fact caused dark contentment to arise within her, an almost nihilistic acceptance that didn't linger long thanks to Master Gai.
"Stay focused~" Master Gai hummed, before suddenly slipping one hand from the hilt of his Nagai Te... Then thrusting it towards Tetsuko's own sword! His palm struck the flat of the blade at an angle, and a familiar blue glow appeared on the blade's surface as it bent like rubber, Tetsuko fumbling as the pressure she'd placed upon it was suddenly collapsing the blade! "Moon Index." Still rubberizing Tetsuko's blade and rendering it useless, Master Gai swung down his blade again towards Tetsuko, forcing the Shindou girl to release her grip on her first blade and step back, drawing another one that would find itself clashing against Master Gai's. The fact she'd been able to block it showed... That he was still holding back...
"Your blades aren't quite up to snuff, Tetsu-tan~" Master Gai uttered, before withdrawing from the clash to unleash a flurry of quick attacks upon Tetsuko, forcing the pair into a series of parries and blows that was clearly favoring one side. The foreign master was deft and unpredictable, Tetsuko firm and far too tense, resulting in a small cut appearing on the side of her head just before they clashed once again. This time, Tetsuko was on the backfoot even more, Master Gai's blade digging into hers and slowly forcing her back.
Tetsuko grit her teeth down, strange hopelessness coming over her. This was what she wanted, right? To face her threats alone, to fight with her own strength, yet why... Was she still so weak? Why was she so pointless and useless, why was that goal of changing the future so outside of her reach... All she could do was attain the strength to protect the past, she knew this. All she could do was fight until she was capable of honoring her family, she knew this. So why... Was she not satisfied?
She buckled further, her face scrunching with strain as Master Gai continued to come close to cutting her. Perhaps satisfaction was simply not what Tetsuko was going to get... This path of hers, that focused only on what she needed, might only bring her pain. Yet, it would bring her security, safety in the unchangeable past, in the honor of her own family... Even if she wasn't happy, was that enough? Was it enough to struggle alone in the dark, just because it might give her purpose? She... Didn't know.
"Breathe, Tetsu-tan~" The foreigner's words only compounded her confusion, but Tetsuko heeded, breathing steadily as she felt him break through her defense, her hands shaking, her will fading. At least Eli wasn't being hurt right now. That was nice, that was exactly what Tetsuko needed... Right? All she wanted was for Elise to not be hurt, that was surely enough, right? Tetsuko's blade was about to snap at any second, and for a moment, Tetsuko succumbed, realizing her futility, her despair, her coldness in this struggle...
The shadows twisted around her... Only to be pierced by an arrow of light.
As a serrated tentacle came his way, Master Gai was quick to retreat from his clash, using the ground beneath his feet to bound a few meters back as Elise approached Tetsuko's side. The Shindou girl was left stunned for a moment, glancing back at Elise and feeling some strange mixture of dread and... Something else. Tetsuko panted, squinting her eyes at the girl in confusion as she wondered what on Earth Elise meant. Her wants... What did Tetsuko want...? What did...
Elise's kiss was a surprise, one that sent a ray of clarity coursing through Tetsuko as her eyes widened, feeling her body grow lighter... And her mind...
"What I... Want..." Was all Tetsuko could utter, only for that clarity to then be stormed by those shadows again, trying desparately not to lose their hold on the Shindou girl... Because whether or not she knew it, Tetsuko was fighting them too now. Tetsuko shook her head, turning to face Gai again as she spoke with Elise. "Does what I want... matter? I-I... My bonds... What if I'm too weak... I need to secure my family's honor, Eli... I need to not hurt you anymore. I want those needs, right?" Tetsuko's voice was mixed thoroughly with confusion and a strange kind of deeply seated thought. It was like she was finally coming to her senses.
Master Gai just tutted, readying his blade again and looking toward the girls. "You two really are unreasonable~ Good, show me more, that ceramic of yours~" Tetsuko looked to the foreign man again, mixed between these cascading revelations and her focus on the fight ahead... Though the two were certainly intertwined. It was the fight aganist dark and light, taking place within Tetsuko's heart.
Gai leaped off again, bounding once towards the girls, causing Tetsuko to raise her guard! Only, his secound leap went way off target. Master Gai was suddenly propelled off into the nearby trees, a rustling as he darted into them. Tetsuko looked towards the treeline with confusion, hearing that continued rustling, moving all around the forested area... As Master Gai bounded within off rubberized trees! Until, finally, the man shot out toward them like a bullet again, this time striking from a distance as he pulled back his sword and whipped it out in a wide arc at them!
|
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 29, 2018 11:39:01 GMT -4
It was difficult to let the fight before her unfold, and yet it needed to happen. Elise knew that just interfering with this battle from the start would lead to Tetsuko feeling even more conflicted. No, what the iron-blooded lass needed was a realization, a revelation that would banish the misconceptions she had about the power Tetsuko Shindou possessed. Even now as Master Gai and Tetsu engaged in a waltz of iron, Elise felt that churning sensation in her stomach, that instinctual urge to move, to try to save her lover from getting hurt, and yet she had to hold back, for if she wanted to save Tetsuko, she needed to save the girl's heart.
Indeed, to Tetsuko it might have looked like she was fighting on her own, although Elise had started to develop a plan of her own, a way she would use this battle to deliver her message, to deliver a teaching which none of the masters within Kashima could likely provide. In the end, it was clear that Master Gai was overwhelming the poor girl. Even if Tetsuko tried to deal with the Quirky combat style of her opponent, it seemed Master Gai was much more flexible and creative with his approach. In a way one could even say that Master Gai's way of fighting was 'unreasonable'.
The call to stay focused did not go unnoticed, as Elise observed the man using his own quirk onto Tetsuko's conjured blade, and even now as she was stepping back and drawing another sword to parry the attack made it clear to the burgundy-haired lass that the foreigner was still holding back.
Now he mentioned it, Tetsuko's way of fighting felt different, in a way she could have described it as feeling like her knight was fighting with a blunt blade. There was an absence of strength and a tenseness that had clear consequences against a deft and unpredictable warrior like Master Gai. Soon, soon it would be time for her to act.
How long had she waited to properly convey that which needed to be conveyed? Even as she watched Tetsuko grit down her teeth, despair slowly encroaching onto her, Elise was waiting for that moment to act upon, that moment that she needed to well and truly let the iron-blooded girl know that she wasn't alone.
Even as the two warriors clashed and Tetsuko was struggling to chase her needs, to cling to them and try to raise her blade despite the despair she felt. Every action the iron-blooded lass was making right now seemed to originate from a sense of despair, or hopelessness as she desperately tried to fight back. She could see the blade in Tetsuko's hands on the verge of snapping, cracks appearing in the metal and it was in that moment she acted
A serrated tentacle swooped toward him, forcing Master Gai to retreat from his clash while she approached Tetsuko's side and kissed her. The burgundy-haired lass nodded her head lightly in affirmation at Tetsuko's soft utterance. "Of course it matters~ The things you want are just as important as the things you need, in fact, those that you want can often be an even superior catalyst for you to draw forth the effort and strength needed to overcome the hardships before you."
"You are feeling weak because you're robbing yourself of your strength. Your blades were much stronger when you fought for something you 'wanted' instead of something you felt you needed to do. Besides, I firmly believe that it is because of our bonds that we are able to muster our full potential. My parents are a clear example of just how powerful a bond can make someone."
Yet of course, a deeply ingrained 'need' was also a want of Tetsuko: the desire to protect her family honor, upon which Elise mused softly. "And since when did you have to secure this family's honor by yourself? Even if the physical evidence of our promise is gone, it still lives on in my heart Tetsu~"
She raised a hand to her chest and took a deep breath as she continued. "What I needed was to have someone by my side who would accept me for who I am, someone I know that they wouldn't abandon me no matter what happened. It could had been anyone: Luka, Touma, Akio, or even Rin..."
She paused and opened her eyes, a gentle smile as she extended a hand toward Tetsuko. "But that's not what I wanted. What I want is for you to remain at my side Tetsu. There is nobody I want but you!"
Good, it seemed that the first rays of hope were shining into that frozen landscape. And soon she would give even more light to vanquish those cold shadows! "You're the one I want as my knight Tetsu~ so let's work together to secure that honor of your family~ We'll combine our strength"
Of course, master Gai soon leaped off again, first approaching them when suddenly he disappeared amidst the trees, making Elise swiftly turn to rest her back against Tetsu's. "Focus on Master Gai Tetsu, I'll cover our defense~" Elise answered her as she watched just in time for the foreigner to bounce out of hiding. With another swift transformation, the pink slime girl bounced upwards, two of her tentacles rapidly extending toward the swordmaster's arcing blade. It was a swift and accurate attempt to deflect the blade, to make it rebound upwards and give Tetsuko ample time to strike the swordmaster. Why? Because one of the tentacles had been used to deflect the blade, and the other attempted to coil around the rubberized weapon to root it in place. Sure she might only be able to do so for a moment, using the opportunity of surprise to create an opening in the man's guard, but she would show to Tetsuko that the power of their bond was not something to underestimate! No, this was the true power of Tetsuko Shindou and her bonds!
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 30, 2018 11:08:28 GMT -4
They'd need every last bit of their collective strength to combat the skilled Master Gai, and a bit more. Fighting the foreigner wasn't just about matching his incredible speed, power, and technique, but about how they reacted to his great capacity for flexibility and creativity with a powerful Quirk. To do that, it would require more than just cooperation and coordination, it would require a connection between the two that could only be facilitated by slowly coming to terms with one another, with understanding each other's hearts, something that would be achieved simply by the act of speaking, honestly, and truthfully.
Tetsuko's heart, previously shrouded in shadows, had been opened and now vulnerable to Elise's affection thanks to the events that had transpired, the release of her drunken self and the simple impact of the word 'want' that had started to break apart Tetsuko's entire view. What she wanted... Did that really matter? Who could say that it did? Who could say that those wants had given her strength, that her bonds had given her strength... What Tetsuko lacked was any kind of way to affirm to herself that her choices and desires mattered, yet Elise's care and pure understanding started to show her the truth of her situation...
If Tetsuko was still trapped in that snowy hellscape, she was no longer walking deeper into it. Instead, her gaze was taken by a distant light, a lantern in the distance that approached towards her. A beacon, something that carried with it warmth and light. As for if it was enough to provide comfort in this snow, would only be a matter of how close that lantern could get to Tetsuko Shindou.
Tetsuko listened to Elise's words, her reasoning striking a chord with how much sense it made. Was she really weak now because of her bonds, or because she was trying to abandon them? Either way, the fault was all Tetsuko's, making it easier to accept, but the line between the right and wrong decision was only becoming more and more blurred. Were bonds strength, or weakness? Tetsuko... Was starting to see the answer...
It was like it was there, right within her sight, but just outside her grasp. The 'want' that gave her power, that had driven her to Elise's side...
Hearing Elise declare her needs and wants, and how above all else she wanted to Tetsuko, had the Shindou girl glancing back at her with shock as her darkness began to crumble at its roots. All this time, Tetsuko had despised herself for becoming something that Elise relied on, only to be hurt, and now the Shindou girl was hearing it from the girl herself that Elise was simply doing what she wanted. It was a revelation that they'd now both come to, one that threw Tetsuko's head for a loop. If Elise was choosing this of her own want... Then what was the correct path for Tetsuko to take?
She tried her best to keep her focus on the battle ahead, but could not without voicing the rampant thoughts in her own head. "Eli I... I don't know what to think, what to do..." Tetsuko admitted, as her mind drifted through nonsense and pure sense, trying to search for what would bring her to her goals, her wants, her needs, whichever was truly the most important. "Even if I choose to embrace my bonds, even if I choose to stay at your side, what if I make the wrong choice?" Her voice carried such vulnerability in it, as the dark and decisive Tetsuko had her determination stripped away to reveal the weak form it had concealed... One consumed by anxiety and worry, by fear and deep caring for that which she might lose.
"Eli, please, don't you see... What if I keep going like we were, and you just get hurt again? What if I can't become strong enough like the Masters need me to be, like... My mother needs me to be." Another blade was formed in her hand, her old one too broken to be of any use. This new sword, subconsciously, was a bit more intricately crafted than others... "I need to fulfill those duties, Elise... Of honoring my family, of not letting those close to me get hurt. I'm... Scared, of the uncertain future, where it could happen... Doesn't it make sense to protect the past instead?" Her voice cracking, Tetsuko cast her eyes down, before glancing at the blade in her hand... It wasn't unlike her mother's...
The lantern drifted closer, Tetsuko's hands slowly reaching out toward it...
"So please, Elise, just..." Her hand gripped tightly around it. Wants, needs, desires, duties, honor, future, past, all those words drifted into meaninglessness as Tetsuko readied herself, determined to find whatever answer there might be among this confusion.
"Help me know... If I can be strong enough to take the path I want..." In the end, it was the only way to know... If Tetsuko could not choose whether she should strive for what she needs, or find what she wanted, she'd simply have to find out if she had ample strength to achieve both. Her hands grasped the lantern's warmth, holding it by her side, the snow falling upon the shoulders of a woman who still marched on with determination... Only now, she had a light at her side.
Master Gai had finally revealed himself for another attack, and he wasn't about to let the girls talk so much anymore, for now all that they needed was action to forge this Ceramic heart! As Master Gai lashed out with his Nagai-Te, he'd find his blade deflected and caught by the deft tentacles of Elise, deflected by one and bound by the other. "Got it!" Tetsuko uttered to Elise, readying her own blade in an offensive stance as she lunged towards Master Gai, looking ready to thrust it toward him! The darker toned man grinned, however...
His sword's handle would also become rubberised, and Master Gai used the force of restabilizing it to try and bound himself back farther away from Tetsuko's range, while still being airborne and stretching his blade! However, Tetsuko wasn't going to let his[ backpedal go without trouble... As she had a trick of her own up her sleeve... Her thrust quickly transitioned into a horizontally aimed stance, the flat of her blade facing toward the ground, as Master Gai's eyes widened in surprise.
So... He taught her the Hirazuki...
The technique that defined the swordplay of some of the Shinsengumi's greatest warriors, one that maximized speed, accuracy and range, one that turned their swords into weapons that rivaled the same attributes of the guns they were up against! Tetsuko let loose this bullet, and her blade shot out to Master Gai just before his feet touched the ground again. He tried to dodge by twisting his mid-air, but the blade nicked his shoulder, leaving a small cut and a grin on the foreign master's face.
"That's one~"
But there was no time for celebration... The moment Master Gai's feet touched the ground, he exposed and exploited the Hirazuki's weakness: An inside counter. Stepping inside Tetsuko's guard with lightning speed thanks to his rebound, the Shindou girl was left with eyes wide as the man suddenly lunged toward her. One hand still gripped his tangled sword, the other threw a palm right at Tetsuko's shoulder blade, pushing her off balance with efficiency and sending her back to the floor! The moment she hit the ground, however, she'd find it launching her into the air like a trampoline!
"Star Palm."
Master Gai then sought to retrieve his very stretched out blade, deactivating his Quirk's effects so it would suddenly attempt to resume it's original form, causing the harsh metal to potentially cut along Elise's tentacles if she didn't relinquish her grip... Which she may well want to with an airborne Tetsuko!
"Keep it up, girls~
|
|
1,038 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
18 Years
Female
"Spymaster"
Civilian-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Elise Von Eisenberg on Dec 30, 2018 19:21:17 GMT -4
It was clear that they would both need to pull out every skill, every technique, every little trick they had available to them if they wanted to challenge the skilled Master Gai, and even then they needed a bit more than that. Fighting the foreigner wasn't just a battle of speed, about overcoming his power or matching his technique, it was about how to react to the great flexibility and creativity of his quirk. Simply said, they needed more than just cooperation and coordination. It required a connection between the two that would only be fostered by coming to understand one another and accepting everything within each other's heart. They had to become unreasonable toward the world, and being able to accept each other's unreasonable nature, because it was in their unreasonable approach that they could see just how much they truly loved each other.
If Elise had previously been too scared to enter the snowy hellscape, she had now well and truly started to brave the storm, pushing onwards as she could see Tetsuko in the distance. She was so close, her words were already reaching, now they would just need a bit more effort before they could well and truly liberate Tetsuko Shindou from this place.
The Germanic lass was glad that her attempt had been rewarded, that her reasoning had struck a chord in Tetsuko's mind and that she had started to slowly realize the importance of the things she was trying to tell her.
Even now Elise still felt that her wants were crystal clear, the one she wanted above all else was Tetsuko, there was nobody who made her feel as happy and confident than the Shindou girl, and it was she who she wanted to keep at her side forever. Tetsuko's insecure whisper about being uncertain about what to think or do, made Elise shake her head gently. Tetsuko's words about how she was afraid of embracing her bonds, or choosing to stay at her side and fearing it might had been a wrong choice made the burgundy-haired lass hum softly. "Since when have humans always made the right choices? Whether it's right or wrong, it's what you 'want' right? Then that makes it more than justified to try to make that choice."
"Tetsu~ If I get hurt, you'll be there to help me on my feet again. If you get hurt, I'll do the same for you. And together we'll become stronger until the day that neither of us gets hurt anymore." Yet as Tetsuko started to craft another blade, one which seemed much more intricate than those she made before, the burgundy-haired lass hummed softly. "The past is beautiful, and the future might be unreasonable, but it is because that future has you in it, that it becomes so beautiful and worthwhile to pursue~" Elise answered her with a sheepish smile as if the lantern was gently being nudged toward Tetsuko's direction.
"You only needed to ask~" Elise mused in agreement as Tetsuko used a secret technique of her own to land the first hit onto the foreign master. However, it seemed like that technique had a weakness of its own to exploit, one which the man did quite skillfully, and before she even could react she was forced to see Tetsuko quite literally bounced up into the air! Of course, Elise needed to react quickly, lest her lover would find herself smacking straight back onto the ground. Fortunately Elise had a thought of her own in mind, another 'secret technique' of sorts. Suddenly bouncing upwards into the air she stretched her body, and quite literally shlurped Tetsuko inside her body to prevent her from falling.
"Tetsu, I'll get you close to him while he's occupied, try to strike again~"
Elise whispered softly. It was odd, unusually she disliked having anything near her core while transformed, but right now, feeling how close Tetsuko was to her core, to the very collective of her existence, in a way her heart even was oddly comforting. Her two larger tendrils, which had returned to her side started to return to her side when suddenly both lashed toward the ground in front of the swordsmaster, making Elise's 'Tetsu-armed' self pull in rapidly while she allowed her hair to sharpen into long serrated blades and flung them straight toward the swordsmaster in the hope of occupying him with the sheer number of blades.
She had to think quickly, but if this gave Tetsuko the opportunity she needed... Once she was within a safe distance she stretched her lower-body downwards, allowing Tetsuko to safely land on the ground while Elise's airborne assault still continued. With attacks up from above, and Tetsuko at the front Master Gai would need to split his defenses to two fronts!
Focus Elise, don't think about how nice it felt to have Tetsu inside you...
Elise muttered inwardly as she felt the last of her blades strike and her body landed on the ground against behind Tetsuko. She had only a minute or so left in this transformed state, but hopefully it would be enough for her to accomplish that which she needed to accomplish: to give Tetsuko the power she needed to pursue both her wants and needs! Still, they needed to land at least two more hits on the foreign master before they could consider themselves victorious in this test...
She needed to think quickly, something which she could use to help Tetsuko land the blow they needed, an attack which was so unreasonable that even Master Gai couldn't handle it. Did she have anything like that? Actually... perhaps she did, if she could use it at the right time then perhaps there would be a way for Tetsuko to be given the opportunity she needed. Of course, that meant... After Tetsuko's clash against Master Gai reached its conclusion Elise bounced back toward Tetsuko and hummed softly.
"Let's become one~" Elise chimed softly, before realizing the poor choice of wording and explained quickly. "I-I mean do what I did just now, I'll keep your hands open so you can move with much greater flexibility, leave the maneuvering to me~"
|
|
802 Posts
1 EP
EXP
Total
17 Years
Female
"Steelheart"
Student-Rank Quirk:
|
Post by Tetsuko Shindou on Dec 31, 2018 4:30:23 GMT -4
The shadows and lantern waged against each other in the struggle for Tetsuko's soul, her core, her heart. The condensed confusion of all her needs, wants and desires was before her, and how she interpreted it would depend on which one of these forces prevailed over the other. Even with Elise's repeated assurance, the darkness inside Tetsuko had festered there for long enough to have a foothold, and wouldn't be wiped away any time soon. Hearing the Eisenberg girl's assurance that choosing her wants was the right choice, even if it didn't turn out to be the best one, only confused Tetsuko more. Was following her wants really so just? It went against what Tetsuko had learned, that her duties were of the utmost important above everything else, that she had the responsibilities she had to uphold... There was only one thing that provided Tetsuko light, clarity and any kind of solace in these challenges of her beliefs... The lantern in her hands. As Elise spoke of being there for here, of being there for each other, Tetsuko couldn't help but naturally interpret it as an undeniable truth from someone she still deeply, deeply trusted... "Is the future really that way? Is it really worth pursuing? Even with all the pain it could cause... Maybe..." That was the fundamental question for Tetsuko Shindou... Was it worth pursuing an uncertain future, was it worth doing things that might hurt someone she cared about, for a chance of beauty? In other words, perhaps more notably... Was it worth living a ceramic life?A fragile life, one that could break and shatter at any moment, one that was left to the whims of the future, the future where everything someday passed on, or is at risk of burning away... Only the lantern in Tetsuko's hand could let her know for sure if this was a future worth pursuing, if she was someone strong enough to make it one. "The future where everything fades away from time... Is it really something worth fighting for?" Tetsuko asked herself, not at all knowing the answer to this question that was sprouted from her deep anxiety but resolving to fight through her confusion and fear until she found an answer... Something Tetsuko felt she might really be able to do with Elise by her side. That... Confidence, that security... Was this the power of bonds? Something strange was happening to the lantern, it grew brighter and became something more to Tetsuko... Something she'd been searching for for a long, long time. Something that would serve as an excellent tool against the powerful Master Gai! The foreigner had launched his complex counterattack, leaving Tetsuko airborne and the foreigner himself still very much a threat! Fortunately, it seemed Elise had her own idea on how to rescue the Shindou girl. As Tetsuko flew through the air, a panic starting to set in from the lack of control, she began to feel her anxieties as tangibly as ever. At that moment, Tetsuko was forced to face her fears head on... So when her body was suddenly surrounded by a safety and warmth that prevented her from any harm, there was little to deny the truth of the situation. Tetsuko Shindou had just had her fears fought by not only herself, but by Elise too... In awe of this technique, Tetsuko felt such strangeness in having herself saved by Elise in that moment... On one hand, it made her feel a bit weak, having herself saved by Elise again... At the same time, she felt comfortable, warm, safe... The shadows were still gripping onto her heart, but they were burning away in this sudden development, clinging tighter and making Tetsuko's desires more of a mess by the second. All she could do was try and keep her focus, nodding as Elise set out some kind of plan for their next attack. Tetsuko readied her blade, the one like her mother's that she had to name, as they launched their next attack! Elise unleashed her storm of blades upon Master Gai, and he'd respond with a flurry of deflections in return, whipping his Nagai-Te around with great speed and skill, rubberizing and de-rubberizing at rapidly to lash at and redirect Elise's attacks, all while keeping his focus upon the girls' approaching attacks! Tetsuko landed safely, wasting no time rushing towards the foreign master with her blade readied again, this time raised above her head in an offensive and powerful stance! "Raiko!"Swinging the blade down at Master Gai while he was distracted from above, Tetsuko hoped to catch him unawares, but the master was too skilled for such a simple attack... Pinching one end of his blade, he twisted it around his own body rapidly, deflecting the last of Elise's blades and outright blocking Tetsuko's own attack as he turned his sword into a ribbon-like armor! "Meteor Gauntlet."He grinned for a moment, only to notice the look on Tetsuko's own face... The Shindou girl wasn't deterred, no, she was grinning back, acting with a sudden burst of creativity! Seeing Elise act so confidently, so skillfully, Tetsuko's mess of a mind couldn't help but drift towards this stoic display of unreasonableness, as she suddenly thrust her knee towards a gap in Master Gai's armor, a small, blunt dagger-like weapon sprouting from the top of it, right into the foreigner's gut! "Suzumebachi!" [/font] ( Hornet ) Master Gai actually grit his teeth a bit, grinning at Tetsuko's powerful move, before unleashing his own counterattack. He uncoiled his Nagai-Te, all while bounding off the ground and whipping it around him in a deadly overhead attack that Tetsuko had no choice nor chance to dodge, resulting in a quick cut along her shoulder! Tetsu knew right away it could've been more lethal if he tried... Master Gai flowed through, bounding off and delivering a kick to Tetsuko's sternum that sent her sliding back towards Elise, while the foreigner readied himself to continue the spar. "Interesting~ Maybe I should really start going all out~"It was clear they wouldn't be able to beat him without some clever tactics, but fortunately, Elise had something in mind... The innuendo going over her head, Tetsuko glanced back at her, eyes wide with uncertainty... Could this plan really work? Elise had already shown her skill, skill that had this very confused Tetsuko astounded... No, what other choice did they have, against such an unreasonable opponent, to be unreasonable themselves! "Alright... Do it!"Just as Elise would be given the chance to enact her own plan, so did Master Gai suddenly bound away again, once more into the trees where he bounded around to pick up speed, before launching out towards the girls again... This time, he hit the ground however, turning the entire area into a giant trampoline that would launch them both airborne again, as Master Gai bounded off twice more into the tori gate, sending another bullet of a man at the girls, his blade reared back, ready to unleash his Sun Finger! |
|
