Sparring Game (Open Thread)

Seeing the look of bewilderment on Nathan Uchiha's face was enough to tell her that she had him confused as to her strategy. As her feet pounded the earth Yusuri found herself ever growing closer to the next scene of combat. At least her next scene, moving her shields into a defensive format the twin wooden slab managed to completely cover her torso, left shoulder, and right hip. As she approached the Uchiha boy the quickly picked up speed to a full on sprint, as she got within range she put one arm in an out reaching stretch. Her other shield's round form managing to cover her torso. Hunkering her head down a small ways she prepared for a impact. Her upper body twisting back toward the left behind her, as she got within range she shifted with Nathan spun her body back into position and as she did for her arm dipped almost completely back onto her side and swung up in a cone like arc. If she connected she would quickly spin and attempt to connect the other shield into Nathan. If he moved to dodge out of her arm and towards her body he would be bashed by her shield there. If he moved outwards Yusuri would quickly follow suite by making a sharp turn and coming charging back at him, spinning her body so that her hands worked like enlarged hammers with the shields as the heads.

Word Count: 241/1608

Iku's kick landed square on his blocking arm. His defensive nature would help stave off some of the impact, but at least she had impacted him. When he pushed back, the dark-haired girl flipped, her white cloak flowing like a cloud, as she spun through the air, to land back on her feet, skidding a tad away from him. Her cold coal-like eyes stared him down. He almost seemed a bit better than his Uchiha partner, which was some surprise. Or perhaps she was giving this one too much credit. Again, the Uchiha girl held up her wooden weapons, just in time to notice her partner's unorthodox chosen fighting style. She was attempting to use shields in a more offensive manner, by ramming and bashing with them. Iku wasn't sure she liked such a tactic. Shields seemed weak to her. Her philosophy was offense. Why be defensive, like these two guys were, when you could be offensive and pummel your opponent into submission?

It so far had worked out for her.

No. Defensive wasn't her forte. She'd never be able to handle constant blows. So she focused on other things. Like using her small stature to her advantage, as opposed to her disadvantage. Whipping her hair, she faced Lee once more. She rushed the small distance between them, and flipped to the side, with a mid-air spin, quickly as her feet hit the floor, she darted towards his exposed side. Narrowing down, she struck with pinpoint precision, like a bird's beak pecking at prey, her two wooden weapons aimed at his side. The ferocity of her quickness would compound on the blow, and be enough to injure and wind her opponent. She was certain her speed was enough to connect a blow, before he had time to react and guard it. But even if he did, she had a follow-through, allowing her momentum to carry her onward, she'd flip up over his head, in quite a glorious fashion. Her wooden weapons aimed to slam down on the back of his neck, between his shoulders. Where he definitely would have no way of guarding. Her plan to fell this opponent almost made her smile. Good thing her agility, speed, and resourcefulness were above and beyond her fellow classmates.

Even though she was still an Academy student herself, she could tell that much. That meant she was improving. However, she would not be too cocky as to believe she had surpassed what was necessary. Still more training was needed.

{414 words}

Nathan quickly noticed the thing that was trying to hit him and spun again in order to avoid it, pushing off in order to move forwards instead of sideways. He was moving to one bad position to another bad position throughout the entire fight. Now, he had left his staff on the ground while he was avoiding the original attack. Now, with Yusuri pressing the attack, he was desperately trying to get some distance in between them. Whatever offensive he could make was no longer there due to the beating Iku had given him. Now, he just had to hope that his current opponent hadn't expected the sudden movement so that he could hopefully by able to turn and face her again.

Lee might not have been the fastest of the class or the quickest, but that was one compared Iku to anyone of their class. He was quick for his build and with his extended reach, it made him a fairly good fighter. Yet, when Iku jumped into the around, his mind already came up for a solution with her. It was obvious that she would use her speed to bulrush into him and beat him with her sticks, which would make things fairly painful for him. He had to minimize the damage. So, while she went above him, he moved a few steps forward as she sailed above him. This bought a second or so of time for him to turn around and see the Uchiha coming at him. With his longer reach, he hoped to make good hit onto her left shoulder with diagonal slash downwards.

((269))

Iku was still quite the learning young ninja. She was by no means a tactical master yet. She was by no means a great fighter yet. Still, she prided herself on pretending she was those things. In truth, she was better than most of the class. Maybe she just spent more time training then the other students? She would rather think that it was due to her overabundance of gods given talent. When her eyes spotted he was moving in on her, she couldn't help but be slightly surprised. He seemed more capable, and even quicker than the other students. His range was quite a bit farther than the much smaller girl's, but that hardly bothered Iku. In fact, most of this didn't bother her. She knew she was still faster, no matter how quick he was. As he stepped forward, to use his range on her to land a blow, she quickly sidestepped, while moving inward. Her stick weapons were aimed to hit him underneath the arm, to make swinging his own weapon a issue.

{176 words}

Yusuri felt an accomplishment, he had to roll to escape her, with her barreling charge at her foe. Of course, he could still move which meant that he could still fight if she gave him too much space. Yusuri was not fond of such luxuries for opponents. This was no exception, swiveling and digging in she slowed only enough to be able to take off again in pursuit. He body hiding behind the shields as she prepared to attack again, as she close in she spread her arms chest-length, her shields outstretched the width of the wooden slab shields vertical as she got right to him, she burst forward again this time she kept burning up her stamina rather than conserve it. It was just how Yusuri was playing this game now,she was throwing any and all caution to the wind.

Word Count: 142/1750

It was just not Nathan's day. He had spent a split second to glance at the girl behin and quickly realized that she was charging, making that whole "turning around" thing non-existent. The boy raced to keep away for his pursuer and might as well been running for his life now. He was still a little slower than he would normally have been due to the beating Iku had given to him, allowing for Yusuri to close the gap much easier than if he had ran while uninjured. In a few seconds, she'd be on top of him.

Lee on the other hand was just having a hard time. He just couldn't hit Yusuri or anyone it seemed due to their uncanny speed and agility while he himself could do a good amount of damage if he connected, but the problem was that he had to actually hit someone. Right now, it seemed like he could not even gaze one of them now. Yet, the attack from Iku would have easily connected due to him being unable to move his weapon back into position. The hit caused him to grunt and a take a small step back as he wildly swing his arm in order to make her back off.

((210))

Yusuri had him, without a doubt, no ifs, ands, or buts. At least as far as she was concerned with any of this. She hadn't really been in much of a mood to care about anything other than connecting a decisive blow. She now had the resources anyways,"All right you four. The event is being declared as finished. Please drop your weapons and return inside of class, you have all done excellent jobs. Thank you for the hard work in the game. Students if you all also could direct yourselves inside." The instructor called, the sky booming as rain gently began to fall. Yusuri was practically mad, of course she wasn't angry as that was out of her possible choices for emotion, which was limited to... jack shit. She didn't like the point in time to which they had stopped the match. Quickly raising her arm well above her head she swiveled to a stop and lowered the shields. As Nathan would come to a stop she would help him inside, "We should spar sometime, when your not beaten and practically falling over. Your not bad at all, I'm Yusuri by the way. Yusuri Clypeus, I hope we can get along well." She said giving him a smile you would expect to see on a porcelain doll. The rain only managing to land in her hair and her neck as the rest of her body was covered up heavily. That was, until she lead Nathan inside the Academy building.

Word Count: 250/2000

(Im closing this, post only if you really wish to, but only once.)