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.

Sui Feng had become no stranger to the duels between her and Riku. She had become somewhat familiar with his tactics and how he fought. She backflipped out of the way of a slice aimed at her hip. She landed in a crouch and looked at Riku who had since taken a fighting stance. She did the same, setting her feet apart like she had shown her students many times. Riku seemed to mimic the maneuver.

"You're becoming faster than I thought," Sui-Feng stated as she turned to look at Riku who was already moving.

She sidestepped a faint cut before elbowing Riku in the back. She thrust her blade through her shoulder at Riku. He sidestepped the sword, watching it pass inches from his face.

"I'm not getting cockier, though," Riku said, grabbing his blade once more. "Anything you want to talk about tonight?" Riku questioned as he parried a thrust of Sui-Feng's blade.

The two continued their barefooted dance of death. Both decided it only impeded their agility. Riku imagined Sui-Feng rather enjoyed fighting faster and faster as much as she physically could. She launched another slash at him which was quickly parried once.

"You've been slowly increasing how much skill and strength you put into combat," Riku said as he flipped backward, eager to put distance between the duo. "I'm going to guess the more fighting we do? The more you believe I improve upon it?" Riku asked while pausing to catch a breath.

Was Riku fast enough to engage Sui-Feng? Yes. Was he confident enough in that to engage her directly for a long time? No. He was well aware of how powerful and speedy the captain was.

Riku watched Sui-Feng sprint towards him, her feet never seeming to even touch the ground. Riku somersaulted away, parrying a strike at his knees as he went. He landed in a crouch and looked at her as he panted in slight exhaustion. She was slowly pushing him back in this duel.

"You're very fast, I'll give you that, Sui," Riku stated as he closed the distance with Sui. "But you shouldn't grow arrogant," Riku stated as he hummed and launched a kick, knocking Sui onto the backfoot.

Riku hummed and cracked his fingers before Sui-Feng flipped over him. She landed in a crouch before wrapping her right foot around his left ankle and sheathing her sword. Riku planted his sword in the ground as she grabbed his right arm and wrapped her left arm around his throat.

"I didn't expect you to switch to hand to hand…" Riku said before he threw his weight back, unbalancing both of them.

He grabbed at her arm with his free limb before spinning her away. Sui hummed as Riku nodded once more. He could only ponder just how strong she was. Sui was powerful, but Riku was cunning, which equalized things slightly.

"Weren't expecting me to throw us both off-balance to free myself?" Riku asked as he seized his sword and looked at her. "Are you ok to continue this fight?" Riku questioned as he turned to look to the side.

He could only smile, this fight was far more interesting than he thought. Sui nodded and looked at her with interest, she had seen the potential in him… And now? Sui Feng was invested in the fight now.

"I taught you well…" Sui said and readied herself for more of a fight. "But let's continue. I want to see what you can do when you are pushed to the limit." Sui stated and rushed at Riku with blinding speed.

Riku hummed and parried another flick of her wrist sending the blade at his neck. Another nicked his leg before he blocked a palm strike aimed at his ribs. Sui-Feng turned as Riku pivoted, tossing her over his shoulder before thrusting the blade at her hip. She didn't have time to block it as it grazed her side.

"Should I be ashamed you got an attack through my guard?" Riku asked while he gazed at his wounded leg. "There's plenty of skill between us. I don't regret losing, you know." Riku said as Sui-Feng hummed and nodded at this.

The two circled each other, blades ready to strike the other down. Both were wounded, both had drawn the other's blood… And both were impressed by the other. It served only to make them wish to continue fighting even more.

"You trained us to prepare for anything," Riku said, dodging a slash that would have severed his arm. "Did you forget that? I didn't expect you to attempt to grapple me like that." Riku said as he raised an eyebrow.

Riku was glad she had sheathed her sword to try the maneuver if she had decided to try and use her stinger? Riku wouldn't have been able to throw them backward in time to avoid a sting. Sui-Feng was MUCH faster than him and he knew it.

"I didn't expect you to throw your weight backward so suddenly," Sui stated, throwing a kick which sent Riku skidding backward. "That could have killed you were we fighting with the intent to maim," Sui added, sprinting ahead to launch a pair of slices that Riku managed to parry.

Sparks flew from their blades, lighting the dark area cast in shadows. Riku tried as best he could to slow his breathing, the more time he gave Sui-Feng to pause? The more time she had to regain any stamina that she may have lost.

"Don't get arrogant," Sui said while leaping ahead. "That will be a surer killer than any blade," Sui added as she landed behind Riku.

Riku flipped over her foot as she attempted to sweep him to the ground. Riku hummed and looked at Sui-Feng who was already moving her blade. Riku brought up his own as their swords collided, sparks spraying from the weapons as both sword fighters attempted to overpower the other.

Riku grunted before a flash of movement caught his eye. He quickly moved his arm and blocked the blow from Sui-Feng's other arm, stopping her from striking him… But keeping his other limb from striking her or helping overpower her.

Sparks flew from their blades, eyes locked in ice-cold focus on the other. Both were put at a stalemate they could not cross… But someone would, the line always broke.

Riku was the one to break it, throwing himself to the side to dodge her blade as Sui-Feng quickly pivoted. She balanced on one hand and swung her legs and feet at Riku who flipped only for Sui-Feng to throw herself forward, planting her blade in the ground as she did so.

Riku was unprepared for the maneuver when he landed, Sui-Feng smashed into him, throwing his sword out of his hand and away from him.

The two fell to the ground. Riku felt her legs around his hips to keep him from moving. Sui-Feng shot her hand towards Riku's head only for it to be caught by Riku whose right arm was trapped under him. Sui-Feng put her left hand to his throat.

Riku looked at the woman who panted, her raven black hair billowing to the sides as she looked upon her defeated student.

"You gave a hell of a fight…" Sui-Feng said as Riku hummed and frowned.

"I'm sorry, this might sting us both," Riku said before slamming his head forward.

Both rolled in different directions, a splitting pain-wracked Riku's head as he groaned and gazed at Sui-Feng who was busy rubbing at her temples in pain. He groaned in pain as Sui-Feng looked at him.

She didn't expect a headbutt, she should have. His limbs were all immobilized, he could not move to protect himself beside the move… Even if it was the STUPIDEST move, he could have chosen to make.

She still had to respect the attempt; however reckless it was. Riku never seemed to want to break… And Sui-Feng was glad for it. She had never known how soothing a training partner could be until now.

The duo slowly stood up and gazed at the other, a look of unspoken respect between them. Riku retrieved his sword and sheathed it in his hip a moment later. Sui-Feng did the same, leaning on one of the pillars in the open courtyard.

Both looked forwards to the next fight the duo had between them once again.

Riku tried not to show his enjoyment of the battle.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter might be delayed or such. The next chapter is in 2-10 months and will show Riku and Sui-Feng having the last of their spars for now and bonding and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter is 900-1500 words. Retsu 900, Harribel 1200 words, and maybe a Rukia story soon.