And I don't know which way will take us home

[ofnoblemind]

Who:  Kuchiki Byakuya (ofnoblemind ) and Kuchiki Rukia (snowwhitesoul )
What:  Rukia asked Byakuya to help her train in order to achieve Bankai.  He accepted.
Where:  Training compound at the Kuchiki Manor 
When:  August 17th
Warnings: Violence?  I don't see it getting terribly messy. XD

Comments

[snowwhitesoul]

Rukia probably wouldn't even rank among the top three hundred swordsmen in Soul Society. Her zanjutsu, even from her academy days, was always mediocre at best. But it was enough to hold her own against more skilled opponents, and sometimes that's all that was needed to get the job done. But it took some painful lessons to understand that on a fundamental level, the lessons from her instructors at the Academy were mostly worthless. All their talks about center of gravity, push and pull, proper weight distribution all ran on the assumption that your opponent was at least reasonably similar to you in height and weight.

It wouldn't be until a time after this day that she would understand that she would have to carve out a style of her own, or be forever playing by rules that set her at a disadvantage.

She has to leap back to avoid that blow, conceding several steps to recover her balance. It had been a blind jump away, just to avoid his speed. While Rukia was fast, she still had a ways to go before she'd be to win against an opponent who would push superior speed against her.

[ofnoblemind]

Seeing her recovery in progress, Byakuya decides to take a chance. He had learned from experience that when one had taken in enough information about an enemy and their fighting style, then it would be prudent to end the conflict as quickly as possible. Stalling, lingering, being merciful...all of these actions give the enemy a chance to lash out for one more strike. Once involved in battle, there is no room for second thoughts anyway. Kill or be killed. That is the way of things.

Byakuya closes the gap between them and swings down toward Rukia, silently hoping she'll surprise him with more non-traditional efforts.

[snowwhitesoul]

A cleaving blow like that would split her in twain if he put enough effort into it. She cursed herself when she stumbled and had to scramble for her footing, knowing she'd all but given in permission to overwhelm her with both speed and strength. She half-sees the blade of Sebonzakura rise up for the downward stroke.

It was familiar now, that motion. She was surprised she didn't hear the ever-present call of GETSUGA TENSHO somewhere in the distance.

Ichigo had made this mistake with her only once and he never fired a Getsuga at close range with her again. Because its easy to step into the blow when you're as small as Rukia is, and turn that blow into a commitment that can't be unmade. Its easy to bring her sword up and swing at him.

[ofnoblemind]

His eyes flick toward her blade and, widening his eye just slightly, he takes a step back to be just out of her reach. He then quickly readjusts his swing to block her own with the higher end of his blade. It's not as powerful a move, but it gets the job done and allows him a moment to regain his own balance, so to speak, so that he can swing at her once more. He aims for her left arm and takes a step forward, filling in where he had stood just moments before.

[snowwhitesoul]

It becomes a battle of position, because as soon as he gives ground, she's surging forward to claim the new space, swinging low and hard for his legs. Keep him on the move, having to side step her blade, never giving him the chance to plant and counter her. Or at least she's hoping he wont be able to.

But then he steps back in as soon as she steps forward and now its his elbow above her head and her swing cut too short by the move. In such close confines, she does something she hasn't done in years. Something that she would've balked at the thought of: she tries to trip her brother.

[ofnoblemind]

Rukia can try to keep him preoccupied, but Byakuya will always regain his ground. This is how he has always lived and how he will always operate. So when he appears to be in total control of the situation, it is this moment of arrogance that lets him miss her daring act. The next thing he knows, his blade misses her completely and his feet have suddenly left the ground.

What the hell...

As the world starts to spin around him, Byakuya drops Senbonzakura and breaks his fall with his hands, holding himself up enough to swing a leg toward Rukia. Hopefully he can return the gesture.

[snowwhitesoul]

There's a moment of suspended disbelief when her brother actually falls over and trips. He trips

I can't believe that worked...

And that kind of gawp-jawed fascination is what makes her not see Byakuya's foot sweeping out in retaliation and she goes down to the grass just like he does. At least she doesn't have as far to fall as he does, and rolls once across the grass to distance herself from his feet and get back up. Then, its leaping back towards him, not letting up yet.

[ofnoblemind]

He's on the ground. He's on the ground. It's just Rukia, but he still can't believe he let himself fall (literally) for something so simple. Inwardly cursing himself, Byakuya quickly grabs his zanpakutou again and manages to get to one knee when Rukia attacks from above. Which is a very new situation for him when it comes to his sister.

He brings up Senbonzakura in time to block her, using his strength, as well as the action of his rising to his feet to push her away again.

I...thought I responded to this. :|a

[snowwhitesoul]

There's a moment of suspended disbelief when her brother actually falls over and trips. He trips

I can't believe that worked...

And that kind of gawp-jawed fascination is what makes her not see Byakuya's foot sweeping out in retaliation and she goes down to the grass just like he does. At least she doesn't have as far to fall as he does, and rolls once across the grass to distance herself from his feet and get back up. Then, its leaping back towards him, not letting up yet.