[OPEN] Weapons Exercise

[bunsofsteel]

Just because she was in a strange location didn't mean she was about to take a vacation... Especially not after being beaten so thoroughly by that Neji. The thought still was enough to freeze her blood, the slightest threads of panic starting to set in before her lip firms and she gathers her Chakra in her feet, leaping straight up into the air. For today's training, at least, she'd left the scroll leaning against one of the short wooden posts simulating a human body. Instead, a long katana shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight as she twists in midair, flipping over with a harsh kiai to split the log neatly in two, then turn, weaving her way through another weapon's form, twisting and pivoting as she fought enemies only she could see. Sweat dripped from her brow, the twin buns of her hair disheveled as she panted for breath, unwilling or unable to quit as she keeps pushing herself.

First that Sasuke, then Neji. She kept finding herself forced into situations where she couldn't fight at range. If she were ever going to advance, she needed to get past her current level. They were geniuses, but -- well, if Lee had proven anything, it was that hard work really could beat a genius.

The question would be if she could ever get to that point herself.

Comments

[youngesthokage]

He finally stopped, pulling back out of the offensive as he slid into defense, just weathering the attacks and focusing on not letting her through. It was better, that way, though it wouldn't hold, She'd break through after too much of this given he refused to add a kunai to complete his defense when she was like this.

[bunsofsteel]

Once the other's on the defensive, she's better, lip firming as she forces herself to focus. This isn't Sasuke, this isn't that Neji. Teeth gritted, she ducks once she spots an opening, driving the flat of the blade up to try a slash against his stomach; if it were real combat, it would have been a decisive thrust to end the battle.

[youngesthokage]

He twisted away, genuinely trying to keep up the guard, and while he was quite good, she had the persistence. The next time she slipped the guard it connected, and he hissed out lowly, moving quickly to the side away from the point of impact.

[bunsofsteel]

She pauses when she hears that hiss and drops back, breath coming in hard pants through her lips. "That'd be it, if we were really fighting," she gasps out, her grip on the katana shaking even as her eyes harden. "Now... stop holding back."

[youngesthokage]

He nodded, bowing his head slightly. "Forgive me." He shifted his footwork, falling into a different stance, a smoother one. "Shall we start again?"

[bunsofsteel]

She just nods, inhaling to gather her Chakra, then lunges again on the exhale. Her muscles are burning, and each strike feels like it's going to be her last, but she refuses to stop. Lee never stopped. Neji never stopped. She wasn't going to let herself be less than them.

[youngesthokage]

It was a cleaner defense this time, the rough edges smoothed out and it was clear this was his preferred form. The other was a work in progress that still had a long way to go, and the difference showed. "Tenten, you're exhausted."

[bunsofsteel]

"So?!" She snaps it out, shaking grip tightening on the sword's hilt as she lowers her weight into another stance, prepared to charge again. "If Neji decides to show up and finish the job when I'm exhausted, what am I supposed to do, ask for a rain check?"

[youngesthokage]

"You could ask for help." His voice was soft as he brought his weapon up into a guard, waiting for her to get close enough before disarming her. "Because if you're exhausted you're not going to fight well, and you won't learn what you're trying to learn."

[bunsofsteel]

She snarls, not about to even entertain the idea of asking for help if he came back. It wouldn't matter if it wasn't her taking him out. Charging again, she screams when she's disarmed and immediately drops to the ground, kicking toward his knee. "I'll learn either way!"

[youngesthokage]

He hopped and twisted, then lashed out to swat her with the blade. "Tenten, that's enough."

[bunsofsteel]

She hisses and lunges up to try to grab his wrist and take his blade for herself. "It's not!"

[youngesthokage]

He twisted to avoid her grab and kicked her feet out from under her. "Earlier I wasn't fighting you properly out of concern. That was my mistake. However, going beyond your limits is -your- mistake. You need to come down off the high of training for the day Tenten. We could have done this properly if you had alerted me before you were exhausted."

[bunsofsteel]

She lands hard, unable to move fast enough to guard as she glares up at him, arms shaking when she tries to push herself upright. After a moment, she forces herself to still, avoiding his gaze as her teeth grit. "What high?" she mutters, staring to her blade abandoned on the ground. "I just..."

[youngesthokage]

"You're on an adrenaline rush from immersing yourself in your fear." His voice was soft and low. "Enough for now, come away from the field."

[bunsofsteel]

"Lee always..." She shakes her head and pushes herself to her feet, avoiding his gaze as she retrieves the katana to seal it away.

[youngesthokage]

"You're not Lee." He offered the weapon in his hand. "You're not Neji. You're not Gai, you're not me, or Sakura, or anyone else. You're Tenten. Does Tenten train like this? Does Tenten put herself in an indefensible state?"

[bunsofsteel]

"Was Tenten able to put a scratch on him?" she retorts, sealing away the katana in its proper place before unraveling the scroll further to put away the tanto. "Was Tenten able to beat him and bring him back or even knock some damn sense into him?"

[youngesthokage]

He sighed then and waited for her to finish before snagging her wrist an heading back for his little house. "You feel like you've lost all control of your situation."

[bunsofsteel]

"Wha-- hey!" She manages to grab her scroll and tuck it under one arm as he tugs her. "I don't--" She can't deny it and stops resisting, letting out a sigh through her nose as her eyes fall shut. "I'm fine, okay?"

[youngesthokage]

"You're not fine." He pulled her along and finally released her just outside his house, taking a deep breath. "How can I help you feel better? Not practice, you're too tired for anything to be learned effectively now, but what else can I do for you?"

[bunsofsteel]

She already had her mouth open to answer him with 'practice' and snaps her mouth shut, giving him a frown as she stands there and lets him hold her wrist, staring down at the ground. "I don't know..."

[youngesthokage]

He reached out with his other hand and ran his fingertips down her cheek. "I'd offer you dinner, but you really don't want me cooking for you."

[bunsofsteel]

In spite of herself, she snorts out a quiet laugh, closing her eyes and tilting her head into his hand. "Yeah, so you've said," she murmurs. A pause, then she gives him another glance, reaching up with one hand to just lightly brush her fingers over the back. "How good are you are alleviating muscle soreness, though?"

[youngesthokage]

"I don't have a lot of practice, but I'm not bad at it." It was a murmur, and he ran his thumb over her cheek.