Shenanigans with Dragon!

[my_belfry_of_fun]

Some meme'ing, some PSL'ing, all shenanigans. Parental Guidance suggested with language and content warnings.

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[specialinquisitor]

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."

[light_of_willpower]

"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?"

[specialinquisitor]

"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."

[light_of_willpower]

"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.

[specialinquisitor]

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.

[light_of_willpower]

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.

[specialinquisitor]

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.

[light_of_willpower]

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.

[specialinquisitor]

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.

[light_of_willpower]

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.

[specialinquisitor]

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.

[light_of_willpower]

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."

[specialinquisitor]

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."

[light_of_willpower]

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.

[specialinquisitor]

"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.

[light_of_willpower]

"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.

[specialinquisitor]

"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.

[light_of_willpower]

It had offered her two clues actually. But then, they weren't enemies--and Trunks actually would prefer someone know how to take him out, in case he did become a threat to his friends and their safety. She had a ways to go before that though.

His style and way of fighting was more active than hers, as she'd noticed before. So it shouldn't have been a surprise that he charged forward, both hands on his sword as it came in for a low-strike. Engaging again, and focusing on using his blade against her own. Switching easily between one hand or two hands holding his blade, as well as close-in kicks or strikes. Trying to knock her off her feet or to dodge more than simply by moving to the side or stepping back.

Occasionally his dodging of a strike took him out of the closer range of their blades, where she struck out with the whip-effect instead. This made a combination of his own evasion from quick steps and pivots or more active tumbling and jumping necessary. It also gave him opportunities to strike out with some of his own blasts, power-calculated to sting her if they hit.

Testing her and pushing her as well, before they engaged close-in once more. Keeping each other close once more, with only a pivot or just enough of a roll or flip to avoid a strike. Except now Trunks was, once more, dropping one of his hands and starting to add those stinging-ki-strikes.

As it was she had just caught the edge of one at her stomach, pivoting slightly out of range while he took a half-step forward into her guard. One of her blades locked with his own and held out to the side in a wide-arc with him using greater strength to keep her from pressing it in closer. But Morag was skilled, and a quick twist of her wrist had Trunks moving fast to block the plasma-blade's thrust, energy still glowing as he caught the blade.

Deadlocked for both of them for a few heartbeats.

[specialinquisitor]

The longer the exchange went on, the more fluid her movements, as she set aside her irritation and focused entirely on the spar. As she did, and saw that he was at last working on a level closer to her own at the moment, she slowly began to smile. By the time they dropped into this lock, it was a full-on smirk as her shoulder pressed against his, no muscle in her body able to loosen without surrendering an advantage.

"Well. I see now that if we were on completely equal terms, I'd have to teach you a few things so you could keep up with me."

[light_of_willpower]

He liked her smile, and he liked her smirk too. Enjoying being able to draw those out, challenging her more even if it wasn't a challenge for him in the same way. His hand glowed with ki where he gripped her other plasma blade to keep it away from his hip.

They were close enough to see the hint of perspiration from her plasma-blades, heat between them from the exertion as well as the energy from him and her swords. Like her, he refused to surrender an advantage, body tense and muscles tight. "I thought I was keeping up pretty well." His own smirk, green-eyes bright and all but sparkling. With amusement, with battle. "What else you got?"

[specialinquisitor]

"Yes. Powered up like that, you're keeping up."

She leaned into him, pressing against him with the strength in her legs and back. No, she didn't expect him to tip over or anything like that; what she expected was for him to push back enough to keep his balance. At which point she'd jerk back so that he overbalanced, and make her strike!

[light_of_willpower]

"It's what allows me to not get injured by your plasma-blades. Seems like you're having more fun with it that way too." Oh yes, that sass had come back, with hints of teasing it seemed. "Would you rather I wasn't?" A golden-colored brow arched, chin and nose tilted up slightly in challenge.

She would've had to be a great deal stronger to knock him over or push back as they were. Or to strike at his legs, throw him off balance somehow, gain leverage herself. It was subtle, but he was indeed using just enough strength to keep her from pressing him back--and as she increased in trying to push him, he increased that push back.

[specialinquisitor]

Yes, there it was. As he put more strength into pushing back, she suddenly stopped her own push. In the moment he was still putting effort into moving against a barrier that was no longer there, she twisted, neither breaking his grip nor releasing her advantage -- the better to make him stumble, and go down with her in the superior position atop him.

That wasn't a position she'd normally seek out, but -- being close to him wasn't particularly unpleasant...

[light_of_willpower]

Had Morag actually paid attention to how fast he could move in battle? If he wanted to outclass her again, Trunks would've turned the stumble into a duck-to-a-rolling dodge. Or pivoted around behind her in a blink.

But outclassing her wasn't the challenge--pushing her limits, and letting her practice and train with her weapons was. It was enjoyable too, and probably the easiest way to spend time with her. Which was also enjoyable--spending time with her.

The way they were tangled, unless one of them wanted to drop a weapon, there was no where to go but down. Trunks hitting the ground hard, but not bothered by the impact. Or by Morag looking down at him.

[specialinquisitor]

Of course she had. But speed was no substitute for basic principles of leverage! And she certainly did not want to drop a weapon, nor did she think her weight landing directly on him would cause any trouble whatsoever.

"I think I've claimed the advantage," she said, her face only a couple of inches from his since her arms were tied up elsewhere and couldn't support her at all. Complaints?