The Ronin & The Serpent
Part Twelve
Snake Eyes
Writers:
CharlotteCarrendar
xZephyrZ
IceTe3a
xZephyrZ: His gaze met the Ronin’s (Seiyuu) “And just what would you know about my past? Of honour? You are Ronin.. you have lost nothing here, you were not robbed of the chance to get back what you had lost, I can only return to an empty castle, full of men who hate me and subjects who scorn me. You seek to kill me because I raise a hand to a member of your family, would you bar others from protecting theirs so long as yours was safe? I am no longer even able to protect my family because your sister took their lives in cold blood, without so much as a grudge. I attempt only to understand all of this the best I can and you would rob me of this too? Is there anything else you or your family wish to take from me Ronin? My soul perhaps? You say I have insulted you…. You are wrong. I cannot readily accept your word when I have been robbed of everything that meant something to me.” The Young Dragon was calmer now, he paused “Come then, kill me, it’s only fitting you should take my life too, a family of thieves and murderers.” Of course he would hardly sit idly by whilst his life was taken, the Ronin was an ignorant fool, he knew only of his own suffering and his own desires. The Young Dragon would fight the Serpent if it killed him.
CharlotteCarrendar: – The Serpent stood silently while the Son of the Dragon and the Ronin exchanged heated words, riddled with pain and emotion. Each spoke of honour, of being robbed of family. What the Son of the Dragon failed to see or even understand, that they were all more alike than they were different. She stretched her hand out towards one of the guards, and said simply. “Your sword…give it to me.” The guard paused, then brought out his sword and turned the handled end over towards the Serpent, and she wrapped her fingers around it. A sharp nod, and then she padded silently past her brother and then tossed the sword; handle forward towards the Son of the Dragon. “Here, boy. You are now given the chance…and freely I might add, to make redemption for those I killed. But know this. You can kill me, but it won’t bring them back.” A sideways glance, she said in a hushed tone to her brother. “If you ever felt any love for me, you will honour me this one fight, and let the boy have his moment.” If the boy caught the sword, the Serpent would go into a defensive stance. “I am unarmed, but I still plan on fighting you to the death.” A short bow, and then she regained her position. Feet shoulder width apart, left shoulder slightly forward – right elbow pulled back, her fingers curled into a fist. Left hand raised with the palm exposed, fingers pointing to the sky. She then gestured with a finger for him to come at her. :: Kekeyama leaned back on one hand, taking the flask of wine and bringing the nozzle to her lips, taking a good sip of the wine. Its taste was simply divine. Was this what he played his females with? Another sip taken and she set the flask down and mused. “Oh this is good, brother. Wherever did you get it?” <3>
IceTe3a: Ronin shook his head at the young dragon who spoke of loss, such rage filled the young boy blinding him from the truth. He was set on taking his sister in a duel as they continued to argue amongst themselves “ You have no idea of the meaning of pain and loss small boy” he offered more insult to the already insulted young man as he watched his sister come strolling past, throwing a sword at the boys feet. His sister going against his own wishes, his hues glance into hers as she demanded he not interfere if he ever had any love for her, he could not believe she would use that on him; She knew he had devoted his entire life to finding her, did that not show his love for his sister? He was hurt but he tried not to let it show as he turned to the young dragon giving him a deathly look before walking away from the two. Glancing over at Tsunayoshi he sighed as he shook his head, the mentality of kids these days was beyond him, such disrespect and lack of control of emotions taking a seat at the outside table and chairs he did not bother to watch the two have at it. Either way it was to the death, stupid girl she should not have said that; he will have to step in just in time once the other is about to lose. After a few minutes a old man hobbles out of the shadows, carrying three black swords bowing with respect he laid them on the table “MY best work yet, I had these saved for a special warrior; I choose this warrior to be you” before bowing again as he left the same way he came. The craftsmanship was impeccable each blade perfectly built lightweight but strong with a dragon symbol running down each blade to the tip. What an interesting choice of design he thought to himself as he admired his new weaponry, placing them in the usual locations where he kept his blades he was slightly happier now. : Kayne could hear his dear Keke guzzling away at the wine behind him, he smiled lightly as he knew she was enjoying herself, she had enquired to where he obtained such a lovely drop which made him chuckle “From the hands of a dead priest, of all things my dearest” he lays down inbetween her legs as the back of his head lays resting on her soft stomach, her legs on either side of him keeping him warm,a soft and subtle smile creaks across his face, one corner of his lips raised up only as a card appeared out of nowhere in a puff of smoke, it was spinning endlessly on the tip of his index finger with no signs of stopping it was a simple playing card, a black ace of spades the card to trump all cards he did not simply play with his tarot cards as they meant a lot to him. “The cards do not show me anything of this night, My mind must be elsewhere” he blamed himself for not being able to read the cards tonight, it was true his emotions were tied to his powers the more angry he got the more powerful his powers were. If his mind was elsewhere his powers for reading the future and cards were all but lost to him until his mind was back with him. “ I do wonder just what we shall do once we arrive.” As his right hand runs up and down the soft skin of her legs.
xZephyrZ: The Ronin replied, but he was not listening. The Serpent had come outside, uttered something to her brother and lofted a Katana toward him, the sword fell at his feet. The Serpent spoke (Ayame)” I am unarmed, but I still plan on fighting you to the death.” The Dragonling replied (Seiyuu) “I will not spill any more blood..” he muttered before stepping over the sword. The Serpent took a stance he was not familiar with and gestured toward him as if to say “come”. It would be reckless to charge in without any information about the Serpent’s combat capabilities, but he had challenged her. Sliding the sword away from him the Young Dragon took his own stance, feet shoulder width apart, the left forward and turned in forty-five degrees, the other pointing directly toward the Serpent. He raised his hands in front of him, exhaling as he did so, his left leading palm facing down, his right back facing upward, this represented balance, ying and yang. With this he launched of his back foot approaching the Serpent with the usual blinding speed. He aimed to grasp the Serpent’s left hand with his leading arm and pull her off balance whilst stepping around her to the right to avoid retaliation from her free hand, if he was successful a quick strike to her face with his right would follow.
CharlotteCarrendar: – So, the boy would forgo the use of the tossed sword, that clattered to the tiled floor at his feet. Perhaps he had some true fighting spirit after all. The Serpent smiled to see this bravado, as he stepped over the sword; saying he would not spill any more blood. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t. She had beckoned him with her left hand, and he came at her going to strike at her by use of his blinding speed, and she hopped in place keeping her body flight true. His leading arm which would say is the right went to grasp her outstretched left arm – but as he did this and seized her left arm, she stepped into the hold closing the distance between them. The Young dragon goes on a right step to avoid the strike of her free hand but her power is in her right foot planted, her left leg, to kick out towards his exposed lower torso./rib cage. If this landed and she dropped her foot back down, she prepared to be guarded for the next hit. She was not about to run, or give up against him. :: Placing down the flagon of wine, Kekeyama chuckled. “A dead priest? Oh, please I don’t like the idea of some crusty old man having had his lips upon the neck of this flagon.” She shuddered at the thought. Watching her brother play with his cards, and hearing that there would be no readings tonight, for his thoughts were elsewhere. Troubled perhaps? And if so, by what? Kekeyama toyed with the many thoughts of what had transpired at the Warlord’s palace and the aftermath, along with the scar he now bore all due to the Serpent. “When we arrive at the Dragon’s lands, we find out just how big their Empire is, and who is to be the likely victor in this war over a dead Dragon and child bride?” <3>
xZephyrZ: As he grasped the Serpent’s leading arm she had done something unexpected, she moved in further planting her right foot down, avoiding the trajectory of his strike to her face and launching her own kick toward his now open rib cage. If it impacted he would be severely winded and it would be sure to at least crack his bones. Her mistake had been letting him grip her to begin with, he loosened his left hand ever so slightly to slide it up toward her shoulder, giving him better leverage. He then redirected his quick strike downward, opening his palm, aiming to deflect her kick with his palm by striking just above her knee and forcing her downward, which would remove the momentum from her blow. If he was successful here he would use the leverage he had gained over her shoulder to throw her away from him directly backward, if not he would brace as best he could for the impact in order to mitigate the damage he would receive from her kick.
CharlotteCarrendar:- Keeping her close and personal appeared to be his game for now, though his hand moved from her arm up to her shoulder as she was going for the left leg strike. As her left shoulder was facing closer it meant that when he went to redirect a flat palm strike to her left knee to stop the onward kick out to his right side. This acted to counter balance her, from throwing her left side back back, and she powered the right side of her body forward as her left leg was dropped back . He had an opening on his left side and with her right foot planted still forward the power was in her right side. She had her closed right fist all but waiting to deliver the first serious blow. Coming up with force in a rounded arc swing due to the turn in her body, she aimed to smash into his left jaw line to at least rattle his brain around and possibly knock his jaw out of alignment. That would really hurt. <3>
xZephyrZ: He’d been unable to foresee such on obvious consequence of his block, throwing the left side of her body back only gave her more power to redirect toward him, the best he could do was haphazardly raise his left elbow in an attempt to block as the punch sailed in – it glanced off his forearm and caught him in the side of the head, it had lost some power but it would still be enough to rattle him, instinctively he launched back with his right foot, which was leading and switched in to Cat stance, his back foot would be angled at ninety degrees point out toward his left and all his weight would be on it, his right leg would be forward and bent at the knee, with his foot angled at forty-five degrees and his toes pointed at the ground. This would allow him to leap back or forward at a moment’s notice or launch a front kick in to the Serpent if he held his ground. However, he was feeling the full impact of the blow from the Serpent, his vision was blurred and his ears rung, he needed to buy a little time to get his head right.
CharlotteCarrendar: – The Vixen was not about to rest on her laurels during this heated fight, with her blood starting to rise beneath her skin, she snarled from the strike that hit her left knee back and down – a red welt forming. The right handed punch was diverted by the bringing up of his elbow in a sad attempt to block the intended blow, but it only redirected it from the point of impact to the left side of his head. She drew back her arm instinctively, her eyes now darkening as this was angering the Serpent. So he would switch to a cat like stance. The Viper was no longer going to resort to clean fighting tactics, but decided to play dirty. What does a cobra do when threatened? This was what the Son of the Dragon was about to find out. Amassing a fair amount of saliva in her mouth, she was close enough to spit in his face, directed for his eyes, that were already suffering from the head strike. The point of this was to distract him, as she would reach for both his ears. If she gained a hold, she would use them to bring his head down as she raised up her right knee, to land a skull cracking crunch, surely to knock him out. <3>
xZephyrZ: He had anticipated a move forward, some kind of attack, a punch, a kick, an elbow, but instead she showed her true colours. The Serpent was still very much alive, the girl spitting at him, intending to blind him, but he was not so shaken, stepping to his right on to his front foot he returned to Dragon Stance, the spit whizzing past his head. The Ronin was wrong, this girl was not Ayame his sister, she was still very much the cold-blooded assassin that had butchered his father and brother on a whim. Anger welled up in him, she would pay. His hands in their original stance the Serpent reached for the sides of his head in an attempt to grab his ears, this was a mistake. The Young Dragon would wait until she was close enough then throw his hands outward, aiming to strike her on her inner arm directly on her elbow joint with the outer edge of his palms. This would leave the Serpent open to a kick from his right leg aimed at the side of her knee if successful. Alternatively he would leap backward in an attempt to avoid her dirty trick and her lunge for his head.
CharlotteCarrendar: – The spitting viper missed to get his face –the intended mark. Perhaps his brains were not as rattled as first thought. The Serpent let out a scream of rage directed at the Son of the Dragon. With her arms reaching out to gain hold on his ears, the Son of the Dragon smacked his palms hard to her elbows, so that this would deflect her attack, but also open up a window of opportunity, for a kick to be aimed at the left side of her knee. Already struck earlier, she screeched as the strike landed true and sent her back, clattering to the floor. Her hair tossed forward and obscuring her face from view. But then there was a dark and sinister laughter that erupted from her and made the whole room almost seem to have a terrible chill to it, as she snatched up the sword that the Son of the Dragon had rejected. Snaking her fingers around the handle, she scurried to her feet, and tossed her head back, so he could see the crazed look of the Serpent’s face. One that even her brother had never seen before. She hissed with her tongue exposed, and then leapt off on the power of her right foot, the katana gripped tightly with both hands as she swung it to decapitate the Son of the Dragon. “DEATH COMES NOW!” She screamed. <3>
