my_belfry_of_fun | Shenanigans with Dragon!

Oh, she could tell immediately why he chose this area. Given his ability to fly and his general speed, the terrain favored him. She took that as a compliment, since she had only been improving with her weapons. A challenge would stretch her muscles nicely.

"I'm surprised you bothered to learn a sword, given your strength in hand-to-hand."

It was a compliment, and he'd figured out a few other things about these rooms. But that could wait, as he wanted her to have fun besides just sparring with him. "I didn't at first. It...it's special." Shy again, but not for his usual reasons. This was something he kept very close to his heart and hadn't told many. She might learn in time.

"I know when he was younger, the greatest hero on my world, Son Goku, used a magic staff. I think he's the only other one among the fighters I've heard about that uses a weapon as well as hand-to-hand."

There's a smile, and hint of challenge, as Trunks met her eyes. "I've noticed you do some hand to hand while you have your sword, mostly in the form of kicks." Which he didn't mind because he kicked too. "Is this at all close to how you fought, when with Brighid?"

"The interplay between Driver and Blade involves frequent exchanges of weapons, in fact," she said, hands folded behind her back in an at-east posture. "The Driver builds strength and channels the Blade's energy; the Blade unleashes it when it is sufficient. When the bond between them is in perfect tune, both can strike at once, as if they were one being."

"That would make for quite the partnership." Trunks listened, and was at-ease himself with just his hands at his sides and posture relaxed. "Is it always in close, or do you ever fight from a distance with your Blade?"

"Certainly. When you could project fire with your weapons, a combat involves being at the proper place at the proper time to take advantage of your best resources in that moment." One way in which her current weapons fell very short; she could use the particle cannon like an ether cannon, but had none of the fiery resources she relied on when using her swords.

"So you have experience with that...good." Trunks grinned, pleased. "Are you used to dodging it, as in can other Blades and Drivers do it?"

"Of course." She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, her pride finding the question a little prickly.

"I wasn't sure." Trunks murmured softly, reaching out a hand to her shoulder in apology for any hint of offense. "I wanted to be sure before I throw blasts at you while we're sparring." He had enough control to ensure they wouldn't do much more than sting but he'd still wanted to know he wouldn't take her by surprise.

"We might yet be able to find a way that'll be easier than the cannon for you to throw blasts around." Optimistic, with an affectionate squeeze.

She relaxed slightly with his touch, as much as she ever did normally. "I've no doubt some exist, though the particle cannon does have the benefit of resembling an ether cannon and thus familiarity."

"Something to let our minds ponder in the background, while we try and beat the crap out of each other hmm?" Half of his mouth quirked up, mirth in blue eyes. "Since we did come here to do that, right?"

"I came to spar you," she shot back, her own smirk meeting his. "If you come away too harmed, I'll be embarrassed by my lack of control."

"If I come away harmed, I'll be highly impressed and then guilt you into playing nurse." Trunks shot back with a smirk. Another squeeze of his hand, thumb rubbing circles, before removing his touch.

Several steps away before he dropped into a guard, one hand on the hilt of the sword over his shoulder. No smirk, and for all blue eyes were focused, there was an anticipatory gleam in them. Excitement at the challenge and to be spending time with her.

Hmph. She stepped back two paces, then drew her swords and dropped into her own ready stance. Her forms were practiced, established styles of combat to contrast with the sort of "anything goes" nature of Saiyan combat, and she appreciated the chance to test herself against him and develop further.

To be fair, he was also the only saiyan any of them had experience with. Trunks by his own admission would point out that he wasn't necessarily a good source to judge them by. Half-human, and raised by another half-human among humans.

He had forms, and kata, that he practiced--but was definitely a solo fighter compared to her having had a partner or forces to command. Not to mention he'd been raised and dealing with fights for survival, where 'anything goes' could mean the difference between life or death.

Fortunately, while there was a part of him that was nervous about this--it wasn't anywhere like the nerves he'd had before they'd talked and worked it out. Which meant there was no hesitation on his part, Trunks drawing his sword and moving in with quick steps to feint a strike, before lunging closer and testing her guard.

Still unpowered up, too--this was a test and it was obvious.

Hmph. She sidestepped easily, letting his blade no more than graze hers to redirect it, then brought her other one up and around at his back. Simple, efficient, elegant.

Considering the active-plasma on her blades, that his did not instantly break or take damage was hopefully not a surprise. The heat didn't seem to bother him, although if he let her connect with him on her countering strike, it would hurt. At least, as he was right then.

Since their first match, he'd learned and never came to spar with her in more than just a shirt, slacks, and boots. He had also usually powered up and transformed before engaging with her. The change in air-pressure was palpable as Trunks started to glow. Energy swirling around him, where he stood, clashing with the pressure of the plasma of her blades.

Trunks kept a rein on his ki only so he wouldn't hurt her. Knocking her away, making her fight to continue the strike, much less her feet and position, was fair game. Blue-eyes were starting to change to green, hair fluttering up and glowing golden-white like the energy around him.

It was almost like in that first match, when he'd gone through the column of energy she'd shot at him.

No surprise at all. Had his sword been at risk, she expected he wouldn't use it.

Hmph. Blocking strikes with the power of his energy. Again and again she regretted the loss of her Blades, which would have made this point moot. She threw her foot back, so the pressure of his aura skidded her back a yard or so but didn't threaten to overbalance her, then snapped her swords apart with two quick backwards motions so she could lash forward at him with swift and decisive strikes. Sheer force often proved the answer to a resilient barrier, and whipcord strikes of a whipblade had overwhelmed many in the past.

Well, Trunks was mildly impressed--albeit not surprised--when she only skidded back. The whip-strikes were also an unsurprising tactic for her. Now that she wasn't so close though, Trunks had no reason to modulate the energy as much. Keeping his blade lower, but at his side and eyes focused on her, Trunks walked towards her slowly.

Sheer force was something he could bring to play too, and was challenging her now to bring more of it. To withstand his own onslaught of sheer force.

All right, then. This wasn't accomplishing much at all. Switching tactics then; her next strikes sent the whips wrapping around him, aura and all, so she could yank him closer and off-balance. And ideally into her boot, which she raised to aim straight at his face as she pulled.

There was a hint of smirk, as he expected something like that. Yanking him, she could do---just not off-balance. With a shout, Trunks increased the output of his ki again, arms coming up and moving to give him slack from her whips. Careful of the close quarters, further using his sword to tangle the whips away from him and catching her boot.

"I'm not surprised." Voice slightly lower. "But I am impressed."

She glared at him over her leg, using more or less pride alone to keep upright.

"Yes, I'm certain you're very impressed by my inability to affect you in any way. Well, now that we've driven home how unforgivably weak I've become, I have some knitting to learn, if you don't mind letting that go."

That hit him, and he made a noise his throat, dropping her boot and dialing back the aura. "No, you're right..and I'm not. I usually know better than to let myself get arrogant." Still transformed, but his guard was actually down. Despite the low-voice, he was genuinely contrite.

"With power like that, coming entirely from yourself, I can hardly blame you." Her inability to do anything at all galled her something fierce. All her life had been spent training to be the best, after all. In every respect, but most certainly battle above all.

"It burns through me faster." Trunks offered, reaching up and smacking himself lightly in the forehead. "Usually I'm far more my mother's son, than my father's. I'll try to remember that."

"Or y'know, you could beat it out of me." Despite the confidence, there was an awkward smirk on his face, bringing his blade up in guard.

"Well. Then shall we begin again?"

That offered a clue, actually. She might be able to exploit his lowered inhibitions somehow -- though how exactly she was supposed to do that escaped her at the moment.

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