Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hornet and Phantom. Enjoy the 2400-word chapter. I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo and a few others do.
"There has been a change in plans," Sui stated to her men assembled before her. "Due to the severity of the mission? Our mission has been changed; our division will instead be focusing on the capture of the enemy commander. I'll leave any questions you might have for tonight. Our deployment date has changed to 4 days as a second-team would alert him." Sui put in before her men began to scatter.
Sui turned and nodded to her officers who left to change battle plans when they could.
"Is the mission that dangerous?" Riku questioned while Sui leapt down from her post.
"I have arranged another sparring match tonight," Sui stated while she crossed her arms. "It will be better to explain then," Sui added before she started to leave.
"Same time?" Riku questioned to which he got a nod.
Riku hummed and walked away to prepare himself for whatever Sui might have planned.
(Several hours later)
Riku met Sui in the pillar area again. She had already discarded her shoes for when they climbed the pillar. Riku did the same.
"The mission worries me," Sui stated which got Riku to hum.
"Then it's more dangerous than you said." Riku reasoned which gained a raised eyebrow. "You are meticulous for EVERY detail on a mission. If something has escaped your notice? It warrants concern." Riku added as Sui hummed.
Sui made the first blow, sweeping her sword towards Riku. She spun and threw her captain's coat in his direction as well. Riku was quick to sidestep the article of clothing… But not Sui's sword which found its mark upon his shoulder.
"I just got this uniform, Sui." Riku joked before looking at the shallow cut and crimson mark.
"I'm starting to enjoy destroying it," Sui added, a small smirk playing at her lips. "It makes you focus and fight harder." Sui put in as she went to close the gap once more.
Riku smirked and sidestepped her blade, slashing a small cut up her right leg as he did so.
"Like that?" Riku questioned, taking the stance from before.
Sui hummed and smirked. She had missed this, the raw thrashing of limbs, the chance to duel someone her equal. She might not have admitted it? But Riku rather made her enjoy duels where paperwork wasn't involved.
Sui leapt at Riku, forcing him several steps backwards. Riku hummed and sidestepped another slash at his hip. Riku went to stab at Sui only for her to bring her foot up, kicking his sword from his hand.
Sui's sword was quickly knocked from her grasp when Riku grabbed her arm, knocking it away.
"You've improved," Sui stated with a nod as Riku chuckled to himself.
"I spent a lot of time rehearsing what you taught me," Riku added which got a hum from Sui as she looked at him.
Rather than back down? Sui leapt at Riku, trying to land a kick to his chest which he quickly ducked. She landed in a crouch and threw a punch, Riku pivoted and grabbed her arm as he did so.
"Yes, the mission will be significantly harder than we thought," Sui responded after a few moments. "My scouts have spotted a Menos. That or something else is commanding the hollows we were going to be hunting." Sui added as she blocked a kick.
Sui tugged on Riku's leg, pulling him down as she wrapped her right leg around his throat. Sui twisted his left arm behind her.
"Damn it, Sui," Riku said, grunting through the pain while he sighed and looked at her with interest. "God, you love this move, don't you?" Riku questioned as he twisted her arm.
Sui hummed and counter twisted as Riku wrenched her foot away from his throat. Riku rolled along the ground, throwing her from his back. Riku grunted and brought up his hand to his throat.
"Damn it," Riku said before scooping up his sword.
He dodged another slice, grabbing onto the pillar and retreating.
"Are you retreating, Riku?" Sui questioned with a malicious smirk.
"Just making it more of a challenge, Sui," Riku added, pausing to rub at his neck.
Sui followed after him while he slowly continued to climb up the pillar. The more distance he put between Sui Feng and nodded to himself.
"Riku, you can admit defeat with what little dignity remains intact," Sui added which caused Riku to roll his eyes.
Riku flipped off the pillar while falling towards her. Sui hummed and brought up her blade only for Riku to kick her into the pillar. Riku kicked from the captain onto the next pillar.
"You were saying, Sui?" Riku questioned while smirking as he looked at Sui Feng.
Riku watched the captain collect herself while Riku brushed off his robes. Sui was far faster than him. Riku knew he couldn't afford to try and outpace her, that was more suicide in his opinion.
"You will regret that," Sui stated while Riku hummed.
"The harder you fight? The better you feel, captain." Riku said while leaping at her. "Besides? You're enjoying this." Riku added as he locked blades with her.
"Then I'll enjoy seeing you scrape yourself off the pavement," Sui stated as she pushed Riku back. "You're not taking this seriously," Sui added, pausing to catch her breath.
Riku fell towards the other beam and dug his blade in to arrest his fall as he did so. He looked up at Sui who was eager to continue their duel. Riku could see all of the confusion, the pain of having to hold the mission on her shoulders.
"You are nervous about this mission, aren't you?" Riku questioned, dodging an attempt to tackle him. "Your aware that I don't judge, yes? You are the captain, your act as if you have to be beyond fear and doubts." Riku added while climbing higher.
Riku leapt to the other pillar. He felt Sui's blade find its mark again, ripping the remains of his upper robes and leaving a gash on his chest. He sighed and powered through the pain before landing a slash that cut into her back and ripping her shoulder.
"You don't know what the burden of leadership is," Sui responded as she transformed her weapon into its stinger form.
She resolved to unlock Riku's Shikai by their next duel. She would fight Riku as an equal, not constantly trying to smash him under her might.
"No, but I know YOU," Riku responded as he stabbed his sword into the pillar. "And if something is enough to get you frantic? Then you should express it. Who is going to judge you? Your student and friend?" Riku questioned and turned to face her.
Sui leapt at Riku who reached up, catching her hand before slamming the stinger into the stone next to him.
"You might die, every soldier under my command might die," Sui stated as she caught a punch from him. "I had a duty; she had a duty!" Sui roared before kicking Riku.
Riku grunted and smashed into the pillar. He reached up, finding purchase. He could already tell what was bothering her.
'She's comparing herself to Yoruichi, this anger isn't just doubts… It's making herself feel worthless next to the captain.' Riku thought to himself as he hummed.
Riku was interrupted by Sui tackling him, throwing both down the pillar. Riku grabbed his sword which Sui had retrieved and tried to kick off the pillar only for Sui to wrap her feet around his midsection. They smashed into the pillar as Sui pinned him to the stone. She went to stab him only for Riku to grab her arm and twist it behind his back. He stabbed his sword into her armband, pinning her arm to the pillar as she pressed her other arm into his throat.
Riku held on with his other arm, panting in exhaustion as the two Soul Reapers looked at each other. Sui held a new level of respect for Riku's daring.
"Feel better now?" Riku questioned, his eyebrow raised as he looked at the woman. "You've spent so much time bottling that up. Not the new wounds, but the old ones." Riku added while he looked at the captain.
Riku smirked despite being at an impasse at a moment. He wasn't done fighting, but this was a good moment to catch his breath more than anything.
"What are you, a doctor?" Sui added before Riku hummed.
"A spy, a pretty good one I think," Riku stated as he looked at her stinger. "Also? If I can be serious? You made a mistake using your Zanpakuto in its stinger form… All you did was make it easier for me to pin your arm and remove your weapon." Riku added as Sui hummed
"You removed yours." Sui pointed out as Riku hummed and shrugged.
"Just makes it evenish, captain," Riku added as he blinked. "This fight is rather fun, isn't it?" Riku questioned before he pondered what the next move was.
Sui had them pinned to the pillar, neither had their swords nor could they move. It was a very interesting part of the fight for when it comes down to it when someone thought about it.
"Do you want to continue this fight?" Sui questioned to which Riku hummed.
"I ask the same question before we have to rest?" Riku asked which got a slight nod from Sui. "Then let's continue this fight," Riku said before pressing his feet against the stone as he hummed and then pressed his feet against the pillar behind him.
He pressed harder, cracking the stone as he hummed and poured whatever little power his Kido had into his feet. He then pushed forward, throwing Sui backwards from the force which caused them to be separated once more. Sui hummed as Riku and she both looked at each other.
Sui hummed, transformed her sword back into its blade form, then slammed her blade into the wall. Riku said the same as he cracked his fingers and gazed at Sui with interest.
"Hakuda then?" Sui questioned which got a nod from Riku.
"I think it's more interesting, don't you?" Riku questioned while he hummed and nodded, a smile pulled on his lips which caused him to close his eyes. "Ready?" Riku questioned while he hummed and then turned to look at the woman, opening his eyes and smirking once more.
He knew what had to be done at the moment. He was once more amused; this fight would become more interesting. Riku leapt towards her as she did the same, leaving her blade behind her.
"Do you think that we have any troubles which you think we will have on this mission?" Riku questioned while he dodged a punch but took a kick.
He was sent backwards, rubbing at his ribs as he shook his head. He knew for a fact that she was powerful, but he could only ponder how this would come down to it. Riku hummed and then shot off the stone behind him and then threw himself at her.
"I do not know, but I do know I will be glad to have time to reflect at the moment," Sui said as both continued to climb up the pillar.
Another lunge, forcing both combatants towards each other. He threw a punch and flung Sui back at the pillar while he hummed while he blinked. Sui knocked him backwards with a punch as they slammed into the pillar on a ledge.
"Do you think this will be interesting?" Riku questioned and then was thrown back with a kick.
Riku hummed and blinked at a bruise under his eye. The duo slowly circled each other, eager for blood, eager and continue this fight.
"You've taught me that each moment can be quite interesting," Sui stated as Riku nodded.
He dodged a punch and blocked her left foot before Sui stepped on his right foot, stopping him from moving as Sui smirked. He took a fighting stance as Sui threw a punch only for Riku to blink and block it.
"And you've made training fun," Riku said, twisting her away from him. "I do want to point out that I do not have the power over Kido or Hakuda you do, you know," Riku said and then tried to knock her foot off his at the moment.
"I do like your skill, however," Sui stated and then pivoted for a kick which he blocked with his right leg. "We can work on improving your skills with me later. We have work to focus on, but we do not need to bother with the details until then. You have helped me learn that." Sui added as Riku nodded and flipped backwards.
He then shot forward, kicking her chest, making her wince in pain before he hummed. He was quite curious about things coming up at the moment.
"The more you worry about what MIGHT happen means you won't focus on what you CAN do," Riku said and then caught a kick from Sui before brushing off his robes.
Sui chuckled, invested in this fight. She knew that this fight would come down to this battle between the duo. It still made her funnily accept that there was some interest in a battle that didn't have any real stakes.
"You know? Battles aren't what I enjoy." Riku said, panting from the exhaustion of this battle at the moment when I think about it. "I think it's simply how over the top that we could only," Riku said before he somersaulted forward only for Sui to throw him over the edge and follow after him.
She then wrapped her feet around him, pinning the duo to the pillar once more. He rolled his eyes at her.
"This is still awkward in both times," Riku stated while he hummed.
Sui could only chuckle, amused at having tied with her new friend.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out these fights will be longer and such…. As I don't know battles besides the sword fighting? I didn't know how to teach Riku other techniques and such. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more training and show both Sui-Feng and Riku becoming partners and him becoming an officer or such in the group. Until the 900-3500 words or such.