[ Mindful of his sword, he keeps it close to his chest as they head down the hall and back out towards the garden. It's only when they're finally outside that he sets it over his shoulder with plenty of free space. They don't get very far, though! Not without Ayaka suddenly turning around and putting the hairs on the back of his neck on end. And he's kissed, his own body leaning into her on reflex, even when his cheeks flush a softer red.
If they weren't about to head out for a spar, he'd be dropping his bokken to hold her, instead his eyes are wide as the windchimes ring upon this little piece of serenity. He stares at her with a sense of wonder, and without his realizing it, that familiar light blue spike of hair starts coloring in on the side of his head.
"Hehe."
Please do that again, Ayaka. Take his breath away and give him one more moment to his list of memories worth looping time for.
With that out of the way, the two can focus on training! Determined, he seals that moment in his heart and prepares to come at her. As he steps away from her and gains some distance, he looks over his shoulder first before turning on his heel to face her fully. At the same time, he brings his sword down into a relaxed hold at his side, having seen enough practitioners do this at the start to follow suit, a sign of respect to his new sensei? senpai? sparring partner with a light bow. ]
Gimme everything you've got.
[ And he'll do the same. ...as much as he can with a wooden sword, anyway. Cloud already has an idea of the parameters! Common sense mandates that this doesn't turn into some ultra shonen anime fight stays a test of their swordplay. So he'll do his best to demonstrate and show her what he's capable of, planting his feet and getting into a seigan no kamae stance. Familiar to him - akin to how he'd stance up with his Buster Sword. But now wielding an odachi-length bokken? He feels comfortable. ]
...
!
[ He makes the first move! Eyes flashing with renewed focus, when Ayaka's ready, he dashes at her quickly, intent on delivering the first strike from above. A slash diagonally aimed down her side! Cloud isn't in this for winning or losing, though that didn't mean he was going to fight her like he didn't mean it. The sound of wood crossing wood cracks across the estate as they exchange blows. He doesn't know where Ayaka's upper limits are, and he's not intending to push her to them, but having witnessed her speed in the past...
It was safe to say that whilst he was physically stronger and a talented swordsman, much like his duel with the Anemo-wielding samurai, Cloud was climbing an uphill battle when faced with the faster Shirasagi Himegimi. And he'll keep climbing that hill! Until his sword was loosed from his hand, or hers in kind. Or until told to stop. ]
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If they weren't about to head out for a spar, he'd be dropping his bokken to hold her, instead his eyes are wide as the windchimes ring upon this little piece of serenity. He stares at her with a sense of wonder, and without his realizing it, that familiar light blue spike of hair starts coloring in on the side of his head.
"Hehe."
Please do that again, Ayaka. Take his breath away and give him one more moment to his list of memories worth looping time for.
With that out of the way, the two can focus on training! Determined, he seals that moment in his heart and prepares to come at her. As he steps away from her and gains some distance, he looks over his shoulder first before turning on his heel to face her fully. At the same time, he brings his sword down into a relaxed hold at his side, having seen enough practitioners do this at the start to follow suit, a sign of respect to his new
sensei? senpai?sparring partner with a light bow. ]Gimme everything you've got.
[ And he'll do the same. ...as much as he can with a wooden sword, anyway. Cloud already has an idea of the parameters! Common sense mandates that this
doesn't turn into some ultra shonen anime fightstays a test of their swordplay. So he'll do his best to demonstrate and show her what he's capable of, planting his feet and getting into a seigan no kamae stance. Familiar to him - akin to how he'd stance up with his Buster Sword. But now wielding an odachi-length bokken? He feels comfortable. ]...
!
[ He makes the first move! Eyes flashing with renewed focus, when Ayaka's ready, he dashes at her quickly, intent on delivering the first strike from above. A slash diagonally aimed down her side! Cloud isn't in this for winning or losing, though that didn't mean he was going to fight her like he didn't mean it. The sound of wood crossing wood cracks across the estate as they exchange blows. He doesn't know where Ayaka's upper limits are, and he's not intending to push her to them, but having witnessed her speed in the past...
It was safe to say that whilst he was physically stronger and a talented swordsman, much like his duel with the Anemo-wielding samurai, Cloud was climbing an uphill battle when faced with the faster Shirasagi Himegimi. And he'll keep climbing that hill! Until his sword was loosed from his hand, or hers in kind. Or until told to stop. ]