[ While both the Kizuna Katana and this bokken were considerately longer than an ordinary blade, the weight and feel were still different enough that Cloud had intentionally placed himself at a disadvantage. But it was not a serious bout, either. Less of a duel, and more of a lesson in discovery. The only thing that bothers him? Is that he's struggling to understand and grasp how Ayaka moves. How he can take what he knows and adapt it to the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu... So naïve. For all his SOLDIER might and battle instinct, and he was making it by on the account of simply being better than anyone he went up against.
"Not yet." he can hear Sephiroth's voice coolly state the facts before he effortlessly disarmed him. And whilst Ayaka doesn't do the same, her parrying his strike and swinging his sword away as he barely manages to hang onto the handle brings that same feeling back. Except while he felt conflicted and beaten down in the former, with her...all he sees is how far he needs to keep going until he's caught up to her. That he has a long way to go. And something about that...
Excites him?
Digging a sandal into the earth beneath his feet after skipping back to gain ground from the Shirasagi Himegimi, he reaffirms his hold on his sword. Sure enough, like her, he yields and lowers his weapon to his side as he heaves a sigh. Far from tired, he has to loosen some of that tension that's built up inside of him from staving off a more aggressive Kamisato up to now.
And...to finally answer her question: ]
I don't think I'm bothered. I'm just... [ His eyes follow down the length of his sword. ] ...trying to understand. The way you move... I don't know how to describe it, but it's...
no subject
"Not yet." he can hear Sephiroth's voice coolly state the facts before he effortlessly disarmed him. And whilst Ayaka doesn't do the same, her parrying his strike and swinging his sword away as he barely manages to hang onto the handle brings that same feeling back. Except while he felt conflicted and beaten down in the former, with her...all he sees is how far he needs to keep going until he's caught up to her. That he has a long way to go. And something about that...
Excites him?
Digging a sandal into the earth beneath his feet after skipping back to gain ground from the Shirasagi Himegimi, he reaffirms his hold on his sword. Sure enough, like her, he yields and lowers his weapon to his side as he heaves a sigh. Far from tired, he has to loosen some of that tension that's built up inside of him from staving off a more aggressive Kamisato up to now.
And...to finally answer her question: ]
I don't think I'm bothered. I'm just... [ His eyes follow down the length of his sword. ] ...trying to understand. The way you move... I don't know how to describe it, but it's...
[ Beautiful. ]