P&R AU: Bounced cont.
Sashiko reacted as expected, a hand flying out to trap and pin his offending strike hand. Feeling the movement almost before it began, Nagi stepped into her attempt to pull him off-balance, trying for a second strike with the flat of his palm. Another split-second surge-her foot sweeping towards his ankles--and he let it connect, curling into his center and focusing all the power of his fall into an impromptu throw, curling his wrist in her grasp to pin her arm in return. His palm strike diverted to the inside of her elbow, adding to the strength of his grip, and he felt the expected movement as she was swept over his body. Then he grunted, caught off guard by a new move he couldn't *feel* as she landed and twisted, one knee on the inside of their mutually pinned wrists--and unlike him, Sashiko still had a hand free.
Nagi was too well-trained to grimace, but he had the feeling he wasn't making a very good showing. He relaxed his shoulders back into the mat, tapping out with one foot. He could break her grip--but only by 'cheating', as the normals would put it, and using his power. And that was not the point.
Omi was careful to hide his sympathy, as he doubted Nagi would want or appreciate it. But damn, he hated it when Sashiko-sensei did that to him. No warning was just annoying. And she probably did some weird ki thing, too, he mused. Which means she's more annoying to him than she is to me.
The assassin was especially careful to hide how he suddenly felt more cheerful.
Sashiko released Nagi as soon as he tapped out and rose, stepping backwards. She looked thoughtful. Hmmm. Blocking my ki from him was more difficult than I expected it would be. Interesting. "Again."
Nagi rolled to his feet and nodded briefly. "Hai." There was no flicker of warning as his fist lashed out in a feint to the face, even as he aimed a palm strike at her midsection. Sashiko's reaction was a flurry of movement that was almost--but not quite--too fast to be seen. She ignored the feint, as Nagi had expected she would. But instead of blocking the chi-backed strike, which would have numbed her arm, she stepped aside and dropped to one knee, striking upwards at his arm to deflect it skyward. Registering the sudden numbness of his elbow and bicep, Nagi switched attacks and attempted another punch, reinforced by his off-hand this time. He knew it was utterly predictable even before she grabbed his wrist and did a classic shoulder-throw. Unfortunately, he was bound by his own stated limits. Using anything more overtly lethal-or creative--would raise questions he didn't want to answer.
He rolled with the throw, slapping the mat as he landed and rolling to his feet again, hands at the ready--then relaxed as she stepped back and nodded.
Nagi was too well-trained to grimace, but he had the feeling he wasn't making a very good showing. He relaxed his shoulders back into the mat, tapping out with one foot. He could break her grip--but only by 'cheating', as the normals would put it, and using his power. And that was not the point.
Omi was careful to hide his sympathy, as he doubted Nagi would want or appreciate it. But damn, he hated it when Sashiko-sensei did that to him. No warning was just annoying. And she probably did some weird ki thing, too, he mused. Which means she's more annoying to him than she is to me.
The assassin was especially careful to hide how he suddenly felt more cheerful.
Sashiko released Nagi as soon as he tapped out and rose, stepping backwards. She looked thoughtful. Hmmm. Blocking my ki from him was more difficult than I expected it would be. Interesting. "Again."
Nagi rolled to his feet and nodded briefly. "Hai." There was no flicker of warning as his fist lashed out in a feint to the face, even as he aimed a palm strike at her midsection. Sashiko's reaction was a flurry of movement that was almost--but not quite--too fast to be seen. She ignored the feint, as Nagi had expected she would. But instead of blocking the chi-backed strike, which would have numbed her arm, she stepped aside and dropped to one knee, striking upwards at his arm to deflect it skyward. Registering the sudden numbness of his elbow and bicep, Nagi switched attacks and attempted another punch, reinforced by his off-hand this time. He knew it was utterly predictable even before she grabbed his wrist and did a classic shoulder-throw. Unfortunately, he was bound by his own stated limits. Using anything more overtly lethal-or creative--would raise questions he didn't want to answer.
He rolled with the throw, slapping the mat as he landed and rolling to his feet again, hands at the ready--then relaxed as she stepped back and nodded.