Let's get down to Business [Closed, Ruby]

Ruby felt the feedback of her strike through the silver of her blade, the minute reverberations traveling from the sight of impact to the fibers of her palms. A successful hit, though nothing the magician couldn't handle. If Ruby were any judge - and in these matters, there wasn't anyone better - than the girl would receive nothing more than a line of blue across her chest. Still, a hit there would leave someone breathless, so it wasn't a surprise when Reyla lost all of the air in her lungs with a heave.

Testament to her indomitable will - something that Ruby couldn't yet fathom, coming from someone of the Third - Reyla pushed through the pain to retaliate. And what a move that was, showing off swordsmanship that demonstrated to both Ruby and the rest of the world that she - whether from before or during this session - had started to bridge the gap between an expert and a master. Whether she knew it or not, Reyla was dancing on the fence, with one foot into the domain of mastery and the other limping along. She was almost there, Ruby felt it. Ruby knew it. And Ruby would ensure that another master of the blade was born today.

Watching Reyla’s blade slide down Queen of Blades, Ruby prepared for what she knew was about to come by loosening her grip. The cool silver of the magician’s blade dug underneath her fingers, and before the girl could disarm her, she let go, her blade falling nothing but a foot before her left hand caught it. The perks of ambidexterity.

Ruby twirled the blade in her left hand, a single revolution culminating into a woosh, as she readied herself for what she knew - given away by the lovely singing - was another Kido spell. Though her excitement shone in her grin and within her eyes, this wasn’t how the girl was going to close that final gap to swordsmanship mastery. She’d bring it up after she dealt with this Hi no Ya spell.

She watched the energies crackle at Reyla’s fingertips, studying them with both sight and sense, nearly laughing when the sphere of red manifested right in front of her. So close was she that the energies reflected within Ruby’s eyes, its violent launch and subsequent elongation too visible on her widening embers.

“Nice!” she roared, although the crackle of Reyla’s magic was absolutely overpowering. The red of the spell engulfed their surroundings, Ruby’s face made to seem much more demonic than ever before. The spectacle caused her eyes to shine redder than ever.

She thrusted her blade straight up, striking the red arrow at its weakest point with just the right amount of force so as to not shatter it. The arrow screeched as it was held in place, the energies warping the air as it crackled. Ruby studied the arrow curiously, bringing it closer, turning it here and there. When she was done, she tilted her head just enough past the spectacle to look at Reyla, and then she gave the girl a grin. “Not bad at all. Your spell-casting is superb. Nearly flawless.”

With a subtle, yet powerful wave of her wrist, her blade cut the arrow in half, causing it to dissipate into the air.

“But you’re here to achieve mastery of the sword, are you not?” It was more of a rhetorical question. “So why don’t we do this,” she said as she took a non-threatening step toward Reyla. “I want you to close your eyes, and try to block my strikes with your sword.” She’d used this practice method on Kasumi a long time ago, and look where it had gotten her. “I want you to feel through your weapon, to listen to what it has to say, and to trust in it.”

She steadied herself, ready to strike. “Are you ready?” she asked, before lifting her sword up in a weak attempt to strike down on Reylas shoulder.




WC - 659

Reyla watched as Ruby managed to stop her arrow, even bringing it up to her face to inspect before summarily dismissing it by slicing it in twain, allowing the spell to dissipate. She grinned somewhat sheepishly at Ruby, "I suppose that you're right, all this spell slinging doesn't really help me focus simply on my blade, does it? Alright, I can try this."

Following Ruby's instructions Reyla placed herself in a defensive stance and closed her eyes, opening her senses to the world around her, and opening her soul to her blade. She felt the sunlight resting on her shoulders, the heat pleasant on her strained muscles, she could smell the decaying leaves that were surrounding the nearby tree where she had first found Ruby, a sign that even here in the afterlife the seasons still marched ever onward. She could hear the distant ringing of blades and shouts of combat that filled the training yards, and with little effort she tuned them out, focusing only on her immediate area.

Intensely focused on the world at large Reyla felt at peace and wound up all at the same time as she waited for- There Reyla's ear twitched as she heard Ruby's blade descend, she could even tell where it was by the whistling of the wind being split along it's edge. Every instinct Reyla had told her to open her eyes and jump away, to escape the unseen danger, every instinct but one. Like a rock placed solidly among the waves of primal panic there stood a single urge, an instinct that told her what to do in a way that couldn't be explained with words. This rock, no, this pillar of steel cut through the desperate howling of Reyla's instincts, and pushed.

Without thought, without premeditated design or any planning Reyla acted, her arms already above her shoulders before she was even completely aware of what was going on. Her blade arced through the air, and caught Ruby's blade dead center, halting the weakened strike in it's path. The ringing of steel caused Reyla to open her eyes to stare at the blade that she had stopped just before it reached her shoulder.

Unfortunately the strain of what she and Ruby had been doing chose that moment to catch up to her, and even as she pushed Ruby's blade away she felt her knees growing weak, causing her to stumble slightly as she stepped back, the feeling of power and skill that she had just felt ebbing away. Reyla knew that she had just felt what she'd been looking for, that intangible difference between her and a master, and even if she had only known it for a moment she now knew what to aim for, and she knew that in time she would be able to grab those instincts and never let go, but for now, now it was time to stop and rest before returning to her other duties.

"I think, I think that's enough for today. I was only able to get so much time to do this, and I need to clean up before returning to my duties. Still, I have to admit this has been fun, and very informative."

WC:534
TWC:5670

Doubt.

It was a disease that started as a harmless whisper in the back of your head, persuading you not to do this or that. Slowly that near-silent, occasional whisper grows more frequent, louder and more demanding, until what is left is a cowering fool incapable of even holding a sword up in the face of danger.

That was why Ruby felt disappointed when she sensed the doubt welling up within Reyla, the prized magician from the Third. Her disappointment wasn't much to do with the doubt itself, but rather that someone of Reyla's talents was being hindered by it. Ruby looked upon the girl's serene exterior with concerned eyes, her sword arm reaching its peak. The panic was so real within the girl's heart, her volatile energies revealing as much to Ruby, of who's brown bangs swept across her eyes as she shook her head. How had all of that excitement from before vanished, replaced instead with near-crippling fear? Only one conclusion came to Ruby: that magic was Reyla's safety net, a place of comfort that would ultimately serve as the girl's greatest barrier for achieving what she sought.

Thankfully, as Ruby's blade began its descent, Reyla's panic burned away, leaving behind a brightness that shined greater than the sun itself. With eyes still closed, Reyla brought her sword up above her head, and blocked Ruby's attack. A masterful move, executed with exquisite precision, and Ruby smiled.

"Fantas-," Ruby said, but stopped as soon as she noticed Reyla's near-collapse. The girl shriveled, the light that shone from just moments before drained right out of her. Instinctively Ruby dug herself under Reyla's arm, and brought the girl up to a stand. She brought her sword down and away from Reyla, pointing it at the ground. "Are you okay? Are you severely hurt?"

The concern, though surely unnecessary, was real. "I'm glad you think so. Anything I can do to help a comrade, especially someone as talented with the sword as you. It's my pleasure really." She didn't want to turn her head completely, being so close to the girl. Instead, she looked down at the girl's knees for help in deciding whether to continue to offer support. The girl seemed well enough, so she slowly stepped away, until Reyla stood on her own two feet. "You scared me. I thought something had happened to you, good grief. Would have really soured my day."

Her expression softened, a small smile tugging at the edges of her lips. "Have you given the Fifth any thought? You've got the talent and this," she complimented, moving her head in a circular formation, eyebrows raised, her arms and sword moving in circles too. "This inspiring will to push yourself in ways that I don't see much of these days. We'd love to have you, and I know you'd go far here."




WC - 470

Reyla was surprised to feel Ruby slip herself under her arm, she didn't look that bad did she? Okay, maybe she did, but she could still stand. With a laugh Reyla pulled herself away and began to brush herself off before reaching for her discarded robe. "I honestly hadn't considered it. It's certainly an interesting idea, but I'm afraid I can't, at least not right now. I will give it some thought though, but until I've managed to make some progress on a few personal projects of mine I'm afraid I'm somewhat stuck, even if I don't particularly care for some of my squad mates." As Reyla slipped her uniform back on she took another look at Ruby and the area around them. Despite the effort that Reyla had been putting forth, Ruby had barely broken a sweat, and around them the everyday training of the Fifth carried on.

"This was fun, I really enjoyed myself. I really hope we can do this again sometime, but like I said, I do have duties that need attending to." Reyla flashed Ruby a smile before she turned to leave, "I'll see you later Ruby, enjoy the rest of your day."

With that Reyla made her way back through the training yards and back to the Third division, even unseated as she was Reyla still had to handle paperwork that never seemed to wait.

WC:231
TWC:5901
EXIT