Swordplay
Ryuhou gives Asuka a training lesson in swordplay.

The air sings as steel clashes with steel. His skin is crawling.

"Please, please. . ."

The iron angel takes a step back. "Never plead for your life in the heat of battle, Tachibana. Even at the mercy of your enemy, your pride as a HOLY officer requires that you not appear weak."

Sparkling tears. He chokes a little on a desperate smile, child's eyes blinking back the fear that blossoms in his stomach.

"Yes, sir."

The two resume their previous fighting stance. Tachibana lunges forward, Ryuhou sidesteps and meets his horizontal blade vertically. Tachibana whirls in the opposite direction, and Ryuhou catches him at his back. "Ryu. . ." A pinprick taste of steel, lingering at his jugular like the ominous presence of death itself. He swallows his raging bile.

"Trust me, Tachibana."

He cries behind his shaking resolve and tastes his own warm tears on his lips.
"Yes, sir."

Again, the instructor puts the necessary distance between them. Both raise their weapons. Tachibana licks his lips, taking in a shuddering breath. He's never been so close to a blade in his life. It was always the Alter, there to take his blunt for him, to protect him and aid him. Not now.

"I'm ready."

Ryuhou comes at him. Tachibana brings his blade down from the right shoulder like a baseball bat, swinging with a sick thrust. The two miss and the air between them sings like metal.

"Never show your back to the enemy, Tachibana. Keep me in your sights."
Yes.
Turning half-circle, the younger of the two swings, a little messily, and Ryuhou comes to face its impact. The two swords collide, then scrape and clang apart, held at ready. Ryuhou begins to step back and Tachibana growls with frustration, chasing with quickened steps of his own.

The swords clash and separate repeatedly.
"You cannot expect a Native User to be as fair in fighting as I am being with you now," Ryuhou instructs between strikes. Tachibana lunges forward again and again, furiously hoping to get one up on his cold and perfect teacher, who has yet to break a sweat while he is drenched.

Tachibana grunts.
"Yes. . .sensei."

Ryuhou continues retreating, backing up with every blow that Tachibana lands and parrying them off with not so much as a flick of the wrist, watching his student's anger build.

"When the target runs, what do you do, Tachibana?" Clang. "I don't let them get away so easily, sensei." Clash. "Are you prepared to give chase to a rebellious Native eluding capture, Tachibana?" Zing! "Yes. . ." He pants. "I am." With a swift slash through the air (low so that Tachibana must twist his arm to catch it) Ryuhou moves away. Tachibana's brows lift, then furrow.

"Are we finished. . .sensei?"

"Give chase, Tachibana." He beckons the student to him with a finger. "Come after me."

Shaking sweat from ultraviolet bangs, the youth licks saltine from his lips and clutches his sword's hilt with a newfound conviction. Yes. And so he charges.

Ryuhou takes two steps back, a half of one before halting- sword outward drawn. Tachibana comes on full force. Ryuhou turns a little to the side, foot slipping out and swiftly catching Tachibana's leg. The fifteen-year-old loses equilibrium and simultaneously loses leverage with his sword, rather messily, lurching forward as it slides across the floor.

Ryuhou catches the fallen weight on his arm before the student can literally impale himself through the chest cavity. For one heart-stopping moment, both are still.

Then, Tachibana's eyes augment and go fearfully wide as he realizes what has just happened.

"R-Ryuhou . .! That was a cowardly move. That was unfair. You. . .you tripped me." "As an opponent would in the heat of a battle such as ours, and his enemy advancing on him with such reckless speed. Men are prone to using dirty and cowardly tricks when given such perfect opportunities, as although they are unfair they can also be used to gain the upper hand over the enemy. This is a lesson."
"You. . .you told me to trust you!"
"Asuka. . ." The older of the two casts his weapon down at his side, bringing a few fingers to his trainee's face. "Did I not catch you before you could seriously injure yourself?"

Tachibana couldn't breathe. He gaped, he mouthed soundless words, but he could not breathe, could not . . . speak. This closeness . . .so intimate. . .so. . .

"Ryuhou-san. . . you were. . . looking out for me?"

A small smile touches the superior's lips, and he easily pushes Tachibana's slight but dependant weight off of his arm, not unkindly, before turning his back to the wide-eyed and star-struck officer-in-training.

". . .As an instructor here at HOLY, I am required to prevent the occurrence of fatalities. By regulation, I am here not only to teach you, but to ensure your safety. In that sense, I was looking out for you, yes."

Retrieving his sword, he flattens his palm against the wall-panel that allows the training room doors to slide open.

"We have finished with our lesson for today. Good work."

And then, so quickly, he is gone.

Tachibana could feel his heart hurting in his chest, and can't help but feel dejected.