Sanageyama gets his rematch with Satsuki. A little practice at writing combat scenes. Also working on getting longer fics. I've always been of the opinion that one-shots should all hit the 1k mark unless it's a special one, like a poem or drabble or whatever.
Obviously after the series ends. I feel it is out of character for Sanageyama to not scream everything when in-combat, so expect lots of exclamation points.
Resolve
"Lady Satsuki." Uzu Sanageyama spoke from his spot on the kendo gym floor. "I am glad to see you are back to your normal self."
"I apologize, Sanageyama, you had to wait so long for your rematch. My lapse in resolve was most out of character for me, but that time has passed. Allow me to fulfill my promise to you." Satsuki Kiryuuin, her voice strong and smooth as its owner, replied from her spot a couple feet across from him.
The two shared a companionable silence as they mentally prepared themselves for their upcoming fight.
Ryuko twitched from her spot to the side of the gym, next to the rest of the Elite Four. "Oi! Get on with it already, you losers!" Gamagoori was quick to respond. "Matoi! That is no way to speak to Lady Satsuki!" Nonon rolled her eyes at both their outbursts, Inumuta too buried in his phone to react.
"Oh shut it, big man. Sis promised me we'd go to that new ramen place after this, and I know you're looking forward to your date with Mako." Ryuko snickered at his blush and sudden bashfulness. "She says hi, by the way."
"I've never been one to disappoint a waiting audience! Come, Lady Satsuki! Show me your resolve!" Sanageyama roared, his shinai suddenly in hand as he shot towards the still Satsuki.
Bamboo swords clashed, the sound ripping through the quiet gym. Satsuki's kenai locked with Sanageyama's own, and almost effortlessly began pushing him back as she slowly rose from her spot.
"Oh? Isn't a cheap shot such as this quite unusual for you, Sanageyama?"
"I am no fool, Lady Satsuki! I will use any and all tactics to gain victory in this bout! You deserve no less!"
Their weapons became blurs, the strike of bamboo against bamboo filling the gym with their mighty cracks. Slash into dodge into stab into counter, neither participant giving the other the slightest leeway.
Ducking under a swing at his head, Sanageyama thrust his sword upwards. A simple and elegant movement from Satsuki dodged the attack effortlessly, before her own shinai came down like a hammer, slamming into the location that Sanageyama was at a fraction of a second beforehand. He could not help but laugh. "Yes! This is exactly what I dreamed it would be! I see your skill has not deteriorated in the slightest!" Satsuki responded with a small smirk. "Likewise, Sanageyama. I expected nothing less from one of my Elites."
Their fight raged on, Sanageyama's swiftness and skill unable to crack the unbreakable wall known as Satsuki Kiryuuin. Every strike was dodged or blocked, not a single movement unspent as the two became faster and faster, their swords clashing more and more rapidly.
"C'mon Satsukiii! Beat his face back to blindness!"
"Show that monkey who's the boss, Lady Satsuki!"
Satsuki allowed herself a small smile at Ryuko and Nonon's loud encouragement. She wouldn't want to let down her loving fans now, would she? Her grip on her shinai tightened.
Sanageyama's eyes grew as his opponent became faster and faster, and he found himself working harder and harder to keep up with the blur that was Satsuki Kiryuuin, even with both his Tenganstu and Shingantsu active.
He could see every movement she made, how each and every muscle prepared itself to make the next strike of her shinai as perfect as every other. His abilities ensured that much, at the very least. The problem was that it was all but useless, as he could barely put up his own kenai to block one hit before another followed, and more and more and more after that. Slowly, he was being forced back, and there was nothing he could do about it - both combatants knew this.
Satsuki withdrew, moments before Sanageyama was about to collapse from her assault. He gladly accepted any time he could get to recover, but could not help but feel a sinking feeling in his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. Sanageyama groaned when he glanced up to Satsuki, who now held her kenai upright by her head in a hassō stance. He grimly wondered if this was how all the club presidents felt when Matoi in full Kamui Senketsu gear was about to cut their Goku Uniform to shreds.
"Come, Sanageyama. It's time to end this." Resigned to at least lose on his feet, he held up his own kenai before him. Once again, he was subjected to the horror of seeing Satsuki's every move but being entirely unable to do anything about it.
Before he fully realized it, Satsuki was in front of him, kenai careening towards his head.
Aw fuc-
Ryuko couldn't help but laugh uproariously as with a loud crack, Satsuki's bamboo sword was firmly planted onto Sanageyama's head, sending his body crumpling to the ground. "That's fucking hilarious!" she cried, tears of laughter welling up in her eyes.
Satsuki could barely stop herself from cracking a grin at Ryuko's reaction, keeping (or rather trying to keep) a stoic face to preserve Sanageyama's already hurt ego. She leaned over his prone body. "Alright there, Sangeyama?" A miserable groan was all she got in response.
"Don't be so disappointed, Uzu. You have indeed improved greatly since our last bout." With a loud grunt, he rolled himself onto his back. "That was like, six years ago," he grumbled.
"Nonetheless, there is no need for such moping. You performed admirably. There are not many people who can match me in combat. Alive, at least."
Sanageyama let out a weak laugh. "Did the great Kiryuuin Satsuki just make a joke?"
"Perhaps I did. Come, get up now."
"Yeah, stop wasting time, ya loser! We got places to be, things to eat!" Ryuko called from the entrance, where Inumuta and Gamagoori were already on their way out.
He rolled his eyes at the traditional Matoi impatience. "I think I'll just lay here for a while." Satsuki smirked. "Suit yourself," she called out as she made her exit, Ryuko already latched onto her arm.
Enjoying the silence, he frowned when a small foot softly kicked his side. "Get up, you monkey. You lost the bet." An upside-down Nonon appeared in his vision. He didn't even need his eyes to recognize the smugness rolling off of the small pinkette in waves. He groaned again. "I was hoping you forgot about that."
End
