Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hornet and Phantom. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo and a few others do.
Riku dodged a slice at his leg once more as he blinked. He looked at Sui-Feng while he and started to circle each other once more.
"You're becoming faster," Sui-Feng stated to which Riku hummed and nodded while flipping her blade at him. "You've been practicing outside of training," Sui-Feng added as she lunged forward.
Sui-Feng watched as Riku sidestepped, striking at her back as she passed. If she was a novice? She would have overextended, and the strike might have taken a cut out of her hip.
She spun her sword around; sparks flew from their blades as the duo slid away from each other.
"We have a war to fight, Lady Feng," Riku said and charged back into the fight. "You know that what we do holds countless people in the balance." Riku put in which he hummed and looked to the side.
Sui-Feng looked at him before she struck once more. He could only deflect the strike and slid backward.
"Yes, but there's plenty to do at the moment," Sui-Feng stated one strike at his hip. "And yet you throw yourself into training, will there be a third session of private training like this?" Sui-Feng questioned with a kick at his arm.
Sui-Feng only pondered what happened to the scared soldiers at the moment. So many of her group disliked her training methods. They thought of her as a sadist who enjoyed her training regiments.
"I do have to ask," Sui-Feng said as Riku recovered from the kick at his arm. "Why come back over and over again unlike all the others? You do not desire training simply, otherwise, you wouldn't ask for it twice in a row." Sui-Feng put in to which Riku raised an eyebrow.
"I enjoy the ability to clear my head, Lady Feng," Riku stated to which Sui-Feng hummed. "There's not much to do besides waiting for the next battle. Why? I can't spend time sparing with the captain of the stealth division?" Riku questioned with a raised eyebrow as he struck again.
Sui-Feng countered; she watched another careful strike. Riku was baiting her into an overextended strike. Sui-Feng grinned and pushed her foot forward, trying to unbalance Riku who stepped inside her personal space.
The captain looked at her subordinate with a raised eyebrow. She hummed and looked at him once more with interest, there were far more interesting things at the moment… And this battle? This battle was one of them.
"You're not afraid of death, your either brave… Or foolish."
Sui-Feng stated to which Riku nodded and looked around once more. "That was a risky move," Sui-Feng stated as Riku hummed and stepped backward.
"It was either that or you'd break my balance," Riku said and readied his blade once more. "If I wasn't bold like that? You'd have skewered me with that strike at the moment." Riku said to which Sui-Feng hummed and then nodded once more.
"Fear also makes you clumsy and off-balance," Sui-Feng said and began to circle Riku who began to do the same. "You know it can be used for fuel, but it should never paralyze you. That would lead to your death." Sui-Feng stated as Riku hummed and then turned to look around.
"Are you ok?" Sui-Feng stated and pointed her blade at Riku. "You don't seem as exhausted as I believed would happen," Sui-Feng added as she raised an eyebrow.
"I've been in worse fights, Lady Feng," Riku said and let out a sigh. "Do you not expect us to be trained as you had created us?" Riku questioned to which he pondered what to do next.
There were so many things to discuss at the moment, so very much. But he didn't know what that future brought at the moment, Sui-Feng noticed this and decided to stop the fight for the moment.
Still? There will be so much to do at the moment.
"That is enough training for tonight," Sui-Feng stated and sheathed her blade on her hip. "Do you think of what is going to happen next? These hollows will continue to overrun the entire region at the moment… These monsters need to be slowly cut down slowly but surely… We cannot surrender to them, and you know that." Sui-Feng said and slowly folded her legs under her.
"War is not easier the longer it goes on," Riku said and sheathed his blade on his hip. "You know just how insane it is. We balance life and death on our blades… But I have a feeling that you're not simply talking about the war." Riku said as he crossed his arms once more.
"You have a knack for hitting the nail on the head," Sui-Feng said to which she crossed her legs under her once more.
Riku hummed and shrugged before he looked around and slowly sat down, folding his legs under him.
"There's plenty to consider in things," Riku responded and looked up at the sky once more. "We know much more has to be done at the moment. New reapers have to be trained; I don't think for a second that the other captains can't lead us through this." Riku said to which he hummed once more.
Sui-Feng said nothing, knowing for a fact that Riku would come and get more training at the moment. Still? She was curious as to why he was so insistent on making sure training was done at the moment.
"We have work to do soon." Sui-Feng put in as she hummed once more. "But there's plenty of training to be done. I'm sure that you're back soon enough." Sui-Feng added to which Riku could only chuckle and shake his head.
"I have plenty of free time to dedicate to training, Lady Feng…." Riku said and crossed his arms. "But I'll retreat for tonight if you wish," Riku added to which Sui-Feng raised her eyebrow.
"And why are you so eager to train?" Sui-Feng questioned as Riku hummed, raising an eyebrow in interest at the moment. "None of the other members of the Onmitsukido are this gung-ho about further their training at the moment," Sui-Feng added to which Riku only shrugged once more.
"I'm not sure myself, Lady Feng," Riku said, gazing up at the stars above him. "Perhaps I'm simply interested in the idea of dueling you again, you did almost remove my skull from my throat," Riku said and shrugged despite himself.
"You sound like Captain Zaraki." Sui-Feng deadpanned to which Riku was silent.
"I am not trying to be another blood-hungry berserker, Lady Feng," Riku said, rolling his eyes. "If I had to hazard a guess, however? There is a large part of me that finds our duels calming… Like a dance of death." Riku added as Sui-Feng could only roll her eyes.
"I rest my case," Sui-Feng said while Riku hummed despite himself, looking at the captain with interest. "Still, how do you mean? I do not train you any different than I do the others… Yet you seem to have taken them to heart. Your reflexes have not dulled." Sui-Feng added with a raised eyebrow.
"I mean I feel a sense of clarity when we duel," Riku said and looked around with interest. "I don't like the fight simply because I'm fighting. I enjoy it like a battle of wits, you're always looking for an opening to skewer me. I'm trying to break your stance so you cannot focus on striking me. It keeps me alert." Riku added while Sui-Feng was silent.
There was no shortage of thoughts running through her head, least of all the idea that she wasn't on top of things. She hated the idea that her men didn't take her seriously… But she also didn't want to overdo it.
"You will return tomorrow for another duel, correct?" Sui-Feng questioned to which Riku nodded.
"As long as you will allow me the chance to spare, Lady Feng," Riku said to which Sui-Feng hummed despite herself.
"Then you're dismissed for now…" Sui-Feng said before gazing at him once more. "But we will speak further after the next duel is concluded, understand?" Sui-Feng questioned, already pondering what would happen next at the moment.
Riku bowed before departing. Sui-Feng could only question how their next duel would be when it came down to it.
Still? She did agree there was something rather interesting about these duels.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show a third duel and more bonding between Riku and Sui-Feng. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Next chapter will be 900-2500 words. Retsu might be soon… And I will put up a poll next week for Harribel or Haineko. Until then, Lighting Wolf out for the moment, peace.