Chapter 3: Running Like the River, Flying Like the Wind.
(Song: Jitterbug by Hatsune Miku and MEIKO, Nightcore version.)
(Posted for a friend to see while in progress!)
(Update: Ayo. I'd like to apologize for starting this and the last chapter off in virtually the exact same way, at least sentence-wise. Also, I just realized that the way Yashiki died was edgy. I mean, I meant for it to be similar to how Rin died, as another thing about her that's kind of similar to Kakashi, for reasons I will explain later, but uhh yeah I might rewrite Yashiki's death scene later. Of course, I'm going to elaborate on it later, as it was only a dream this time, and lacks detail. Also, uhh yeah I started the book up with the main character waking up- which is kind of cliche but I do have my reasons.)
(Update No#2: Guess who's back lol. Time to get back on the grind.)
"Alright then.... Let's start."
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Hebichi reached back over her shoulder, fingers wrapping around the hilt of one of her two katanas she carried sheathed on her back.
Pulling it out and holding it in front of her, she felt a flicker of comfort at the memory. The swords had been a gift from Orochimaru, after all.
A small smile teased across her lips as she remembered the day he had pulled them sheathed out of his throat with his tongue, in some sort of reverse sword swallowing, then wiped the saliva-slicked blades off and handed them to her.
She took good care of them, as always. Not a single speck of rust lined the gleaming blades. They were created from a steel enhanced with chakra, so that they would not break. Hidan had taught her many things, but one of the most useful things was how to treat weapons.
Her hand slid down on the black hilt, adjusting her grip so she held it in her right hand, a relaxed and familiar position. She would be fighting Kisame with one katana this time, not sparring with both.
Changing her posture, she settled into her usual stance, an easy defensive position that could quickly be twisted into an offensive attack.
Watching the other.
Waiting.
It was a slight tensing off the shark man's nerves that clued her off, and she danced lightly away on the tips of her feet, dodging the powerful downward stroke of Samehada aimed at where she had been.
Hebichi pivoted to block another stroke, grinning. Her muscles flexed and ached a little- older bruises and sore spots awakened. Kisame was strong, always. Blocking a hit took effort, but the slight burn was always a pleasant feeling. And, she could tell from his stance and face that the other was holding back a fair bit. Still worried about her, of course..
She always loved swordfighting. It made her feel...light. Airy. Like the spar was a delicate dance, but with masked power...it was an odd feeling. But energy, adrenaline, pulsed through her whenever she gripped the steady hilts of the twin katanas.
The katanas in themselves were unique. The hilts were a chilly black material, the blades gleaming. And, the ring around the hilts were studded with jade and moonstone, alternating in a pattern. While the blades had small symbols carved into them, that were invisible until the caught the light and shone a slivery blue.
Deflecting an overhand swing, she struck out, the blade darting out like a snake's tongue.
Kisame easily sidestepped it, attacking with another battering barrage of strokes.
These were too powerful to deflect, so Hebichi dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way, landing in a crouch and leaping nimbly to her feet in an instant.
Eying the other's stance.
"Alright Hebichi. Let's try the Snow Lynx sequence, since you need to take it easier."
The girl nodded in response, sliding her leg back and turning her shoulder in a smooth movement, extending one katana into the air. The starting pose.
Slowly, she pivoted, testing at first, before launching into the twisting, ducking, and weaving steps, almost as if she was dancing. The mistake could easily be made- if not for the strikes of her katanas, either coming from the sides, or both slicing out at once. The idea of this taijutsu was to merge with the blades, in a way. To pull them closer to yourself and make them an extension of your own form. Like the claws of a cat, and each leaping strike was an action based off the way a lynx would pounce to deliver the killing blow.
Except, after breaking the opponent's guard, you would return to dodging and tiring them out with small, controlled swipes.
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