***
*Disclaimer* I STILL Don't own it!
***
Au-
I am the merry wanderer of the night.
I jest to Oberon and make him smile..
-A Midsummewr Night's Dream/ Shakespeare
***
Kaoru always maintained that it took a special sort of person to be able to change into men's clothing as easily as women's.
She didn't like to think about the fact that those 'special' people where usually cross-dressers, kabuki actors, and people such as she who gender couldn't really define.
Hiko stood outside, leaning against a tree when she emerged battle ready. "Ready?" he asked, lightly tapping his own sword against his thight.
Kaoru took her stance. "Yes."
He cocked his head and she could see him evaluating her. "Ah, I know just where to start." he murmured... and vanished.
The next thing Kaoru knew he had swatted her on the backside with his sheathed sword and had leapt away, ending up almost exactly where she'd begun.
"Hey!" she cried indignantly. "What kind of an attack is that?"
"A successful one." Hiko pointed out and disappeared again.
This time, however, Kaoru was ready for him... or at least she thought she was. She spun just in time to block his next blow intended for her smarting rear, but she failed to forsee the fact that she was well within reach of his free arm.
As was tickled breathless for it.
Hiko kept up his assault until Kaoru was curled up on the ground sheilding her ribs from him. "That... wasn't fair!" she accused, but not in an angry manner. It was hard to be mad when you'd just been tickled to death.
"No it wasn't." he agreed. "but neccesary. You're taking this far too seriously."
"It's an insult to my opponent to not take him seriously." Kaoru quoted a common law of sword ettiquite.
"Forget that nonsense right now." Hiko ordered. "That's all well and good in the dojo in ordered fights but in a serious battle you need to relax!"
"And do what? Get sloppy?" Kaoru retorted.
"No." he shot back. "Get up."
Kaoru rolled to her feet and brought her sword back to the ready. "I'm not done yet."
Hiko chuckled. "Relax! Think of this as practicing with..." he cocked his head. "A friend? Your father? A classmate?"
Kaoru's brow furrowed. "What difference should that make?"
Hiko scowled. "Is there anyone you've routinely practiced against and beaten regularly?"
"Besides Yahiko?" Kaoru thought. "Yes..."
"Then imagine that I am that person, fight me as you would fight him." Hiko said sternly. "And that's an order!"
Kaoru frowned on his tone but visulaized a boy that had been the same rank as she in her father's advanced class. His name had be Kage and they had been utter rivals over everything; the result was that her father had regularly let them vent their fstrations on each other in informal battle.
She looked at Hiko and mentally painted Kage's smug face over his, she thought about all the times that he'd ordered her around as if she were in a lesser rank than he (not that she didn't do the same) She also thought about how he'd backed her up against the others in their class when the bully boys had decided to teach her her proper station in life behind the dojo one day. Rivals and friends at the same time, even if he never won a fight against her. He'd always trained hard to get better, forcing her to do the same.
Suddenly it all clicked and a smile tugged at he mouth. She wasn't on a hill a mile outside of Kyoto, she was back in the Dojo in Tokyo; trading insults with her opponents... not to insult them, but because it was fun...
Kaoru dropped her ready stance and twirled her bodken lazily, it was a trick she hadn't used in years. It looked like she had the barest of grips on her weapon but actually she was rotating her wrist and had a good firm hold that she could snap to the ready in any position to block.
"Are we going to fight or are you going to wait until I age to death?" she said saucily.
"It wouldn't take so long." Hiko retorted, in exactly the same tone Kage had once used... it must be inherent nature for men. He brought his sword up slowly, casually... too casually.
Kaoru blew a raspberry at him and snapped her bodken back to ready... this time however, her shoulders were relaxed and her stance seemed easier.
***
Author's Note
***
Sorry to leave it there. So very sorry, but I think you'll like the transition to the next bout of action. *grins* I'm having fun with this story, asnd the reviews just make it so much more fun!
*Subtle Hint*
*Disclaimer* I STILL Don't own it!
***
Au-
I am the merry wanderer of the night.
I jest to Oberon and make him smile..
-A Midsummewr Night's Dream/ Shakespeare
***
Kaoru always maintained that it took a special sort of person to be able to change into men's clothing as easily as women's.
She didn't like to think about the fact that those 'special' people where usually cross-dressers, kabuki actors, and people such as she who gender couldn't really define.
Hiko stood outside, leaning against a tree when she emerged battle ready. "Ready?" he asked, lightly tapping his own sword against his thight.
Kaoru took her stance. "Yes."
He cocked his head and she could see him evaluating her. "Ah, I know just where to start." he murmured... and vanished.
The next thing Kaoru knew he had swatted her on the backside with his sheathed sword and had leapt away, ending up almost exactly where she'd begun.
"Hey!" she cried indignantly. "What kind of an attack is that?"
"A successful one." Hiko pointed out and disappeared again.
This time, however, Kaoru was ready for him... or at least she thought she was. She spun just in time to block his next blow intended for her smarting rear, but she failed to forsee the fact that she was well within reach of his free arm.
As was tickled breathless for it.
Hiko kept up his assault until Kaoru was curled up on the ground sheilding her ribs from him. "That... wasn't fair!" she accused, but not in an angry manner. It was hard to be mad when you'd just been tickled to death.
"No it wasn't." he agreed. "but neccesary. You're taking this far too seriously."
"It's an insult to my opponent to not take him seriously." Kaoru quoted a common law of sword ettiquite.
"Forget that nonsense right now." Hiko ordered. "That's all well and good in the dojo in ordered fights but in a serious battle you need to relax!"
"And do what? Get sloppy?" Kaoru retorted.
"No." he shot back. "Get up."
Kaoru rolled to her feet and brought her sword back to the ready. "I'm not done yet."
Hiko chuckled. "Relax! Think of this as practicing with..." he cocked his head. "A friend? Your father? A classmate?"
Kaoru's brow furrowed. "What difference should that make?"
Hiko scowled. "Is there anyone you've routinely practiced against and beaten regularly?"
"Besides Yahiko?" Kaoru thought. "Yes..."
"Then imagine that I am that person, fight me as you would fight him." Hiko said sternly. "And that's an order!"
Kaoru frowned on his tone but visulaized a boy that had been the same rank as she in her father's advanced class. His name had be Kage and they had been utter rivals over everything; the result was that her father had regularly let them vent their fstrations on each other in informal battle.
She looked at Hiko and mentally painted Kage's smug face over his, she thought about all the times that he'd ordered her around as if she were in a lesser rank than he (not that she didn't do the same) She also thought about how he'd backed her up against the others in their class when the bully boys had decided to teach her her proper station in life behind the dojo one day. Rivals and friends at the same time, even if he never won a fight against her. He'd always trained hard to get better, forcing her to do the same.
Suddenly it all clicked and a smile tugged at he mouth. She wasn't on a hill a mile outside of Kyoto, she was back in the Dojo in Tokyo; trading insults with her opponents... not to insult them, but because it was fun...
Kaoru dropped her ready stance and twirled her bodken lazily, it was a trick she hadn't used in years. It looked like she had the barest of grips on her weapon but actually she was rotating her wrist and had a good firm hold that she could snap to the ready in any position to block.
"Are we going to fight or are you going to wait until I age to death?" she said saucily.
"It wouldn't take so long." Hiko retorted, in exactly the same tone Kage had once used... it must be inherent nature for men. He brought his sword up slowly, casually... too casually.
Kaoru blew a raspberry at him and snapped her bodken back to ready... this time however, her shoulders were relaxed and her stance seemed easier.
***
Author's Note
***
Sorry to leave it there. So very sorry, but I think you'll like the transition to the next bout of action. *grins* I'm having fun with this story, asnd the reviews just make it so much more fun!
*Subtle Hint*
