[Kana] Sparring Match

[Konei Kozuki]

"You lost because I caught you off-guard. It was a lucky shot. It won’t happen again." Konei got up, cracked his knuckles, rolled his shoulder in the socket, and strode over to the wall mount, taking the training sword from the hooks. He weighed the weapon in his palm, balanced it hilt and blade over his finger to test the weight distribution, and, after swinging it expertly around in his hand a few times, he set the tip down on the floor as he held the hilt.

"I don’t think that’ll be a problem," he said. His wet wrappings were already soaking into the wooden handle, and if he could coat the ‘blade’ in water then fire wouldn’t be able to burn it. "So," he said, spreading his free hand, "inside or outside?"

((So sorry about the wait!))

[Kana Saitou]

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[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px;]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px;]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg); height: 10px; width: 125px]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px; width:10px][rs=2]
[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.png); border-top: 3px solid #34476f; border-right: 3px solid #34476f]

[atrb=style, width: 500px, bTable][atrb=style,width:20px][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true]	[atrb=style, width:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.png); color:#34476f; font-family: Arial; border-right: 3px solid #34476f; border-left: 3px solid #34476f; border-bottom: 3px solid #34476f;][style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #ac1a1a; padding: 0px 10px; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase]Kana "Aria" Saitou[/style] [style=font-family: TimesNewRoman; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 6px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; border-bottom: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-top: -5px;]We are the Kings & Queens of promise, We were the victims of ourselves.[/style] [style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase;]“[/style][style=padding: 17px; color: 4e4b5d; font-family: Tahoma; background: #7e97b7; margin: -20px 20px -23px 20px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify; border: 1px dotted #b4cef0;]"What won't? You catching me off guard, or getting lucky?" amusement passed over her featured, as she pushed herself back to her feet, stretching back out her joints. As the other swung the wooden blade here and there, Kana's eyes followed in the short display. He was no amateur swordsman. This much was obvious. This bit of information intrigued Kana to an extent. She'd never been someone to wield a weapon. But she was a bender, and a fire bender at that. Most weapons become completely useless when you have the power to twist and turn flames between your fingers. Hell, most weapons become completely useless when used against any bender. Kana had a feeling that wasn't going to be the case, here. "Inside or out, doesn't matter to me. Pick the arena." After taking a single step, she hesitated, considering her surroundings. Most of the interior was made of wood, and there was a number of objects everywhere. Though it wouldn't make much sense to have come inside just to go back out, the chances of burning the place down were much more likely if they stayed inside. Not that Kana wasn't perfectly capable of controlling her bending, but there was no saying what could happen in the heat of 'battle'. [/style][style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px]”[/style] [style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px]― kana "aria" saitou[/style] [style=font-family: Courier New; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 10px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-bottom: -15px]NOTES : TEXT HERE[/style] [style=font-family: Courier New; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 10px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; border-bottom: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-bottom: -15px]CREDITS : template by JAWN of AA, OTE, DMB and TC[/style]	[atrb=style, width:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]	[atrb=style,width:20px]
	[cs=3][atrb=style, height:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]

[Konei Kozuki]

What won't? You catching me off guard, or getting lucky?

Both. He was lucky to catch her off-guard. Either way, she wasn’t going to let her concentration slip a second time. He, however, couldn’t predict his performance with a foreign sword; his own sword had been forged with his own two hands, the materials sourced specifically for crafting the blade, and the quality scrutinised before being used. His sword had been a trusty ally through many a battle, and he once carried it at his side wherever he went. However, carrying such weapons in the city was illegal, and blades were now considered outdated weapons alongside staffs, spears, war fans, and bows and arrows; the very weapons he had grown up with in the Northern Water tribe. Nowadays it was metal cables and gas canisters and those weird electric gloves the Equalists were working on...

Konei was a child of the modern age, and as such the mechanics and electricity came easily to him, like bending came to those who were so gifted. He knew his way around an engine, and could make most mechanical objects from scratch if given the chance, but he was also a child of the Water Tribes, perhaps the only places on this planet beyond the reach of such technological wonders. Given the choice between a sword and the electric gauntlet he would choose the sword every time.

He strode towards the open doors, resting the training sword across his shoulders. He paused just inside the threshold of the gym, gestured to the pouring rain outside, and asked with a smile, "Shall we, my lady?" And with that he stepped into the pouring rain. Her firebending could easily torch the wooden interior of the gym, and outside his wooden training sword would become saturated and more impervious to her flames. It hadn’t taken too long for her to dry off the first time around, she could do it again, and Konei was already soaking so he couldn’t possibly get wetter than he already was.

"The first move’s yours this time."

[Kana Saitou]

[atrb=style, width: 500px, bTable][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][rs=3][atrb=style, width: 100px; border: 5px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, height: 30px]	[rs=3][atrb=style, width: 100px; border: 5px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, height: 30px]	[rs=3][atrb=style, width: 100px; border: 5px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, height: 30px]		[rs=3][atrb=style, width: 20px]
[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px;]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px;]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg); height: 10px; width: 125px]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb); height: 10px; width:10px][rs=2]
[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #34476f]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.png); border-top: 3px solid #34476f; border-right: 3px solid #34476f]

[atrb=style, width: 500px, bTable][atrb=style,width:20px][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true]	[atrb=style, width:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]	[atrb=style, background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/jrr1gi.png); color:#34476f; font-family: Arial; border-right: 3px solid #34476f; border-left: 3px solid #34476f; border-bottom: 3px solid #34476f;][style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #ac1a1a; padding: 0px 10px; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase]Kana "Aria" Saitou[/style] [style=font-family: TimesNewRoman; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 6px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; border-bottom: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-top: -5px;]We are the Kings & Queens of promise, We were the victims of ourselves.[/style] [style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; padding: 0px 5px; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase;]“[/style][style=padding: 17px; color: 4e4b5d; font-family: Tahoma; background: #7e97b7; margin: -20px 20px -23px 20px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify; border: 1px dotted #b4cef0;]ooc// I'm not sure the electric gauntlets would even be a thing yet. They probably aren't in production, yet. // The other's silence simply amused her, eyes rolling slightly as she one again tried to force her unnecessarily thick, dark hair into a ponytail, finally just giving up when the task seemed pointless. There was simply too much hair. Not that she'd ever willingly cut it. After restretching herself once more, she finally began to trail after the other, pausing at the door just as the non-bender had. So the move was hers, hmm? Now she had to think. Simply charging at the other in a rage of flames would undoubtedly be the fastest way to begin their third and final round. The fight would begin, and she'd be able to immediately pick up the basics about his sword style. But simply charging in could also make for a quick downfall, if he was fast with his 'blade'. Hit her in the right spot, and she'd be down before the round even began. Some creativity might be the favored option, in such a case. Kana was tall, but slim, fast and light on her toes. She could dance and flip and turn out of the way of attacks, usually without tripping herself in the process. Backflips and cartwheels were particularly easy movements for her, especially when tied with her firebending, which she'd learned to use to propel herself off the ground from time to time, much like how Water benders could use the water to boost them over distances. She glanced around herself for another moment, taking in her surroundings. Considering the rain, and therefore lack of sun, her fire wasn't at it's strongest. That meant no vaulting off the ground. What a shame. Might as well keep it simple, then. Finally, she began her attack with multiple punches towards the other, fireballs forming at her fists and flying through the air in the other's direction. It was only a distraction, though, as she threw her weight, one-handed cartwheeling to the side while punching and kicking more flame towards the other, playing in a way similar to how the other did last round. In other words, focusing on getting behind him. Considering the sword, being in front was probably not the best place to be.[/style][style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px]”[/style] [style=font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; color: #a4b8ce; line-height: 1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.1em #003244; text-transform: lowercase; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px]― kana "aria" saitou[/style] [style=font-family: Courier New; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 10px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-bottom: -15px]NOTES : TEXT HERE[/style] [style=font-family: Courier New; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 0px 10px; color: FFFFFF; border-top: 1px dotted #b4cef0; border-bottom: 1px dotted #b4cef0; margin-bottom: -15px]CREDITS : template by JAWN of AA, OTE, DMB and TC[/style]	[atrb=style, width:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i48.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]	[atrb=style,width:20px]
	[cs=3][atrb=style, height:10px; background:#84979e url(http://i47.tinypic.com/124a7mb.jpg);]

[Konei Kozuki]

((That’s why I said 'working on'; I’m sure something like that would take quite a while to produce, but I’ll edit that if you like?))

She seemed to mull it over, calculate her best bet, and survey the area around her. She wasn’t rushing in, fists literally blazing, but in a real battle she wouldn’t have the luxury of weighing up her options. It would be a split second to think, a second to analyze, a second to react. However, he’d seen how well she handled counterattacks in the midst of a spar, and she was fast and intelligent, so perhaps this time she was just working out how best to get around his style. She would certainly know that with a sword in his hand he couldn’t be as swift and spinning as he’d been before. She would know that she couldn’t count on his previous style. She had to be cautious, so Konei gave her the moment.

When she finally acted, Konei swatted one or two of the fireballs away with the wet wooden sword and managed to dodge the others, though one came dangerously close to the tip of his nose as he did so; he could feel it evaporating the rain on his face.
He turned back to find her cartwheeling around him, and he was somewhat surprised to find that she seemed to adopt his prior tactics, trying to get behind him. He took a step back, turning to keep his face to her as well as trying to defend against the onslaught of fire she threw in his direction. Swinging the sword, he cut through a couple of flames, the fire dissipating around the wet weapon, and began to try block the rest with the flat of the blade.

The sword was a weapon of attack, though, not of defence. If he could break her offensive tactics or wait for the attacks to let up, he could use the blade in the way it was meant to be used, and she would know why he was considered a sword master.

[Kana Saitou]

ooc// nahhh tis cool. Also, too lazy to use template thing here orz //

As she moved, and he followed, she began to form a general plan or two in her mind. If he can't get close to you, he can't use the sword. If you keep firebending at him, he won't be able to get close.
She didn't realize that that plan might very well be her downfall in the end.

The fire around her fists expanded, the flames stretching wider and higher, the rain-slicked ground mirroring the little dance the wisps had going on. The little dance that grew more wild, as Kana did. Her style was still smooth, though it was harder, faster. She kicked up flames, or dragged whips of flame out of thin air, striking the ground at the other's feet.

Konei was fast though, and it was becoming evident that getting behind him would not be so easy, especially now that that was obviously her intent.

[/blockquote]

[Konei Kozuki]

Konei’s eyes widened. The flames at her fists grew larger, hotter, and her swift movements kicked up a couple of notches. Konei couldn’t keep deflecting and dodging, not at this rate, and not with this sword. However, if he could just hold her back, if he could just bear her firebending for as long as she kept this up then she would eventually tire, she’d run out of steam at some point.

Her tough, quick movements were now more like the style Konei knew other firebenders to use. The dreadlocked man, Lao, he’d taken down a couple of Triple Threats with had been taught the traditional style, and she was moving like that. The traditional hard, fast style was easier to knock off-balance.

So, dropping his defensive guard, Konei allowed a fireball to crash over his shoulder, and ignoring the blistering heat, he lunged forwards, sword extended as he intended to catch the blade against her waist and knock her off to the side. If he could break her attacks it would give him a chance to retaliate. Otherwise he’d be stuck waiting for her to run out of juice before he could gain the advantage.

[Kana Saitou]

Her breathing picked up slightly---Not in a worried, frantic sort of way. Rather, because of the breath control she needed to bend properly, a fact she'd picked up on on her own, after years of trying to understand why her fire was so weak as a child and young teen---aside from simply her age.

She took in breaths equal to those she had to exhale each time she formed a new attack---though she was learning quickly that just as her lungs were strained, as were her powers. This isn't how you fight, Kana.

Just that short moment her mind wandered---luckily for her, it wasn't long enough for her to get distracted once again. He came at her with the sword, and this time she was ready to dodge him, her body spinning as she tore her feet from the ground, dancing off to the side, around behind the other, then back.

Now she panted, an oddly amused grin forming on her lips as her breath steadied to the much slower, more controlled style she was used to.
"Well, this is fun. I've just confirmed that it's physically impossible for me to fight like your average Fire Bender." As she spoke, her hand waved in a long circle at her side, a flame appearing, and following the movements soon after, a ring of fire forming in the air. After a moment of simply spinning the hoop in the air, she tossed it at the other, pulling a stream of fire out of the air and guiding it towards the other afterwards as well.

[/blockquote]

[Konei Kozuki]

She dodged beautifully, artfully. Konei turned as he passed her, found his footing, paused for a moment. He took a second to adjust his tactics and recollect himself. This was going to be tricky, he just knew it. He’d taken down benders before, but generally he did it by blocking their chi and then slamming their face into the ground. He didn’t want to do either to Kana.

Well, this is fun. I've just confirmed that it's physically impossible for me to fight like your average Fire Bender.

Konei exhaled heavily, a small frown crossing his brow. Was that... a good thing? Good for her and bad for him? Or was it better for him that she didn’t suit the usual techniques? He didn’t have a clue, but he didn’t have time to think about it when she reverted back to her normal style and resumed hurling fire at him.

Sweet mother of Agni, didn’t the girl ever let up? Konei switched sword hands, flipped the sword backhanded and flattened the ‘blade’ along the back of his arm. Then, charging directly at her, he leapt through the hoop of fire like some performing circus poodle-pony and straight into the flames she sent after it. He put out his wet wrapping-bound hand and lifted the wet wooden sword to protect his eyes against the flames he felt licking at his skin and blistering the flesh. He got the distinct feeling that a trouser leg had set on fire but he didn’t have the time to check.

Charging through the fire straight towards Kana, Konei aimed to swing the flat of the sword at her hands to knock her firebending away and after that... who the hell knows? He’d wing it.

[Kana Saitou]

She wasn't prepared for him charging at her again so quickly, so when he did, her brows raised. Typically, in fights, whether they be real or sparring, people don't typically charge through fire, unless they had some sort of protection. But Konei had nothing but the rain soaking every portion of his body.
She supposed that was good enough protection as any right now--but still, she couldn't ignore the popping and sizzling sounds made when the fire licked the water off his less-heated skin.

When the sword came at her hands, she only had so much time to react. Not enough time to duck, unless she wanted to get knocked in the head instead. With where she was, if she tried to jump backwards, she'd slam into the outer wall of the building
She didn't have any more time than that to figure out how to get away.

When the 'blade' hit her hands, for a moment, her flames did cut out, though that seemed to be the... plan, as her fingers curled around the 'blade', her grip tightening.

[/blockquote]