Getting Used To

[Ishida Sai]

Continued from here: The Ninja And His Scythe

It was a fine day. The weather was nice and recently he was granted an immunity to this city's warm climate. The day was going well... Except the girl who is currently following him ruined his peaceful resting day. Though, it was his really his fault to say... Since he decided to get involved and asked for a partnership, it can't be helped. It's the choice he made, and he was going to follow it to the final letter at least...

Walking down the cobbled path, they passed a number of the citizens minding their own business and appearing to be almost mindless walking down their own paths to God knows where. Sai for one, was already regretting if he wasn't just now. The traits she possesses... Just didn't make her seem more likely to best utilize her in the midst of combat. Not just that, but really... Her standing as a person, rather, her personality just made him feel more precarious of his own behavior.

It didn't take long for the duo to arrive at the Park. The green vegetation consisting of grass and trees were the strongest indicators of their arrival.

"...Come to think of it..." the meister suddenly had a thought as he blinked and continued to walk through the green grass, "...Could she be an NOT class...?"

It'd make perfect sense by all means. If she was EAT class, the Weapon wouldn't be so... Vulnerable-looking at the least. Also, hearing that she's still new here, it may also solidify the fact she really is in NOT. IT would be a problem per se... She'd just transfer classes to his. Some bits of paperwork is all it takes. But as her partner...
He is by all means, worried of how the future will be between their partnership.

As the smell of nature deepened within the groves of trees Sai was leading her down for the test-drive... He soon stopped at a clearing surrounded by the vegetation.

Turning around introducing this piece of land nonchalantly, "Well. We're here. I usually hang out or work out here. How do you like it?"

He crossed his arms, awaiting her reaction... Which by no doubt wouldn't be anything special such as: surprise, disgust, or any of that... Perhaps, disappointment?

"So... Shall we begin? Transform, please."

[light]

Light would frown a bit, sensing a bit of tension around him. Noting that she wanted him to transform, she loosely concentrated, not needing to use all of her mind for this. She had practiced many times before, as well as practicing strength and skill, so she hoped to make an impression on Sai.


Her body would glow white while becoming thinner and her head elongating to the right. After about a few seconds, the transformation would be done but her scythe body would stay glowing white. Once she was gripped in his hand, her original color would return.


" So, ready to go...? "she would say, herself timid, and her blade would get a pinkish hue as she blushed for an unknown reason. " I think I am... ". " So... I like this place by the way.. But yeah we're ready I think.. ", she would finish.

[Ishida Sai]

He watched how she transformed and saw her human form morph into what seemed to be a much skinnier form with a scythe at the end. With the light still hiding the finer features, the shape of her Weapon form was made manifest as it spun in the air. Sai's eyes widened at how jagged and almost impractical it appeared from the shape. He stared at it looked so similar to a tree branch and wondered how the hell was he going to use that.

As if it weren't enough, that form alone now became the top reason why he should seriously find a suitable partner. More rigorously to boot. No matter how deadly that looked, the way how the shaft was fashioned... Was just almost too impractical. Ideally, a normal smooth one is the number one...

But this...

Realizing that gravity was starting to pull down the Weapon, Sai made a grab for it and carefully caught it in the air, so as to not get his hands cut. The light dissipated once receiving it. He could see the intricate design of the blue green blade of the scythe while also seeing patches of gray and black all over the shaft. For an average person, they may deem this a bit stylish...

But for Sai... As a person who tends to go for simplicity, he narrowed his eyes slightly in disappointment.

"Alright then..." he finally spoke holding the scythe with both hands gingerly, while still examining the shaft of how to use it, "Let's... Start."

Taking a deep breath, absorbing the air, Sai slowly started to hold Light more at the bottom end of the staff. Then, he held it next to his right shoulder, as if ascending the blade into the air. The manner how he held her would usually look a bit frightening, if he had gained some more noticeable muscle and garnered a few inches taller.

It was this stance he fashioned after Jigen Ryu's Tonbo-No-Kamae. The Dragon-fly Stance. Seeing that it seemed like something that used pure brute strength (which it pretty much is, considering how it works), it was by all means impractical as well... A conflicting idea.

But that's what it'd look like for the first sight. Thing is, between a meister and weapon, the matching wavelengths of their souls would make the weight of the weapon, feather-weight. With this and a longer range, it'd explain why he opted for this. However, it was still a stance only limited to three attacks. An average vertical slash, diagonal cut, and horizontal swipe.

He slowly breathed out the carbon dioxide generated from the bloodstream and lungs as he slashed down vertically. Quickly bringing it back to his left, the meister swung again. The teen slid up his right hand for a higher and more stable grip. At the same time, grabbing one of the branching out bent handles at the end with the other hand.

Immediately, he swung against horizontally to the opposite side. At that, he stopped with a small frown. It was... Very awkward. There was no doubt he needs lots of time to get used to this.

"This... Is going to get a bit harder than I thought..."

[light]

Light would frown a bit, seeing how he has hesitated when he had grabbed her handle. It was not her fault that she had a self-defense mechanism in case someone tried to hurt her, so she decided to tell him so.


" Well, this is why we need to practice, so you know how and where to grab me... No sexuality intended, of course.... So, how ya' doing....? "she would ask him, now getting bored.


She watched him use her, not really using any of her own skill to do this. She left it all up to him, until she decided to do something.


" Want to spar? We will try and.. See each other's strengths, weaknesses... Stuff like that... Right? I think.. I think it's a good idea. "

[Ishida Sai]

"Why else would you think I'm swinging you around?" Sai responded back with something similar to a rhetorical question as he continued testing her out, "I was correct in thinking we wouldn't be well suited together... No offense, but... The way how you're shaped... It's unique, true. Though it's really hard to use... Maybe we could work on that later on...?"

Just holding the weapon itself threatened to give his callused palms some cuts along the way. And it was something that bothered him the most. The discomfort, by no doubt, got in the way of the handling and in the midst of battle... He didn't have time to deal with that.

As he was contemplating the problem, Light continued to surprise him with a suggestion of sparring...

"...Wait.... Wut?"

He stared down at the Weapon with an incredulous stare of disbelief. The mouth slightly opened from shock from what he heard.

"...She can fight...?"

Silence continued to perpetuate, until---

"...So. I helped you out for nothing...?" he asked calmly enough, but the average person could feel some deadliness in his tone...

The same timidness wouldn't save her this time. Sai was already a tad infuriated to care. A small vein on his forehead bulged as another evidence of his current emotional state.

If the girl didn't get what he was saying, she would now after mentioning, "...You can fight...?"

[light]

Light would turn white again and then get bigger, until eventually she was regular size and only holding onto his hand. Letting go, she looked at him, a surprised expression on her face.


" I thought you knew... I did pull out a blade on them. I can't fight well, but I can fight well enough to spar you, I suppose. I am pretty sure I would lose, though... ", she would say, a small grin coming on her mouth that was hidden by her sleeves.


Her blush deepened to the rest of her face and it was clearly visible, as she looked at his unnaturally calm expression. Looking at her feet, she started to feel ashamed.


" I-im sorry... I didn't mean to do anything wrong... ", she would say in a delicate voice.

[Ishida Sai]

He sighed and palmed his face in thought for a while still holding up the scythe with one hand.

"What a pain..." his thoughts grumbled, "...That'll teach me to judge by the outward appearance..."

Remembering his father's maxims about the relevant event, there was no doubt he'd get countless welts from the continuous flogging by the shinai at the head. Just having that memory of the pain started to form a slight ache in immediate response. The teen grimaced at this...

Noticing light was shining from the Weapon, it soon turned back to its human form in the next moment.

"Yeah... I did see it," Sai admitted at this as she asked him if he saw the partial transformation, "But the way how you held yourself... You really looked like a complete beginner."

And what is this about her fighting well to fight him...? If only she knew what missions he recently took before their meeting. The fact that she is a Weapon of something that isn't completely versatile or dangerous at enemies already puts her on a range where she won't necessary be that tough in Sai's mind.

On top of that, she did say she was new... So that's enough evidence that Light, as a combatant, would hardly pose a threat at all. Besides, not that he was a sexist, the Weapon is a female. On top of the usual timid behavior... He couldn't see himself hurting her, which was a another first.

Raising a quizzical eyebrow, "Well... If you want to. Though, if you can't deal with dregs like them... You're less likely to deal with me---"

His eyes detected a blush, with an apology to boot, excluding her timid behavior again which by no doubt was triggered by his earlier anger. Again, that troubling feeling appeared to bother him again. Rolling his eyes, he stepped back.

"...Forget it, it's fine... Let's just get over with, yeah?" he addressed her nonchalantly standing, with his knees slightly bent in preparation and hands hanging limb against his sides.

"Good luck."

[light]

Light would smile happily, seeing him prepare his fighting motion. She then decided to respond to one of his earlier statements. " It is true that I seemed like a beginner, but were you not tricked into thinking so? Or we're you just trying to act like a hero...? ", she would say with a smirk. Her own arms were held in front of her, knees bent and still a slight blush even at this moment.


Light would feel happy, this was the first time that she had ever been able to try out some of the training she had did before she got to the School. Abruptly, she clapped her hands for no reason and then got back into the stance, a bewildered expression upon her own face. // Weird... Why did I just do that... Maybe I was so happy..? // she would think before calling out to him.

" I'm ready when you are..."

[Ishida Sai]

Sai shrugged, "It's not so much that I'm a hero... Rather, I just do what I want to do. That's all..."

It wasn't completely true. But, rather, it's something pre-established in his early childhood.... A saying from Father...

"If you're training that hard to become stronger, it's for your own personal fulfillment. You can extend it to "self-satisfaction". Even the most noble of the sacrifices is based on it. Jesus Christ, himself, was crucified for the sake of his people out of "self-satisfaction".

He could remember nodding solemnly to the fact, though yet, he was still too young to understand. After all, he was five at the time.

"Come to think of it, the old man was pretty philosophical back then..." Sai pondered thoughtfully to himself as he didn't really make not as to what the girl was really doing...

The teen soon snapped out of it remembering where he was. Just in time to hear her say she was ready. So it begins...

Analytical Battle Mode: START!

[/color][/center]

Judging by her physical appearance, she was by all means shorter and even weak-appearing since she doesn't deem to have much of a presence or any obvious set of muscles serving as armor or intimidation in this case.

But it appeared that she wasn't going to use a partial transformation. Possibly she can't fully control the sharpness of the edge. If that's the case, this may be over in an instant. But because she's a girl, to say...

Sai already formulated a couple of plans in his head. The general rule of thumb was to minimize as much damage as he could onto her... While at the same time, tire her out.

To minimize damage, the pressure points will be useful in this case. And all the grappling he learned over the past years will serve as a finisher. Though as for tiring her out, he could just keep dodging her. Perhaps.

"I'm ready. Ladies first," he beckoned her to attack him.[/blockquote]