[Fin] Let's Dance [Jenn]

[Kari Muffin]

He blinked. He supposed he had been vague hadn't he? For good reason though. He tried not to blush when he spoke. "It's simple really. I could have never taken you up on the offer and lost a chance of a life time because I was too afraid to take a risk. I suppose... I'm at the point where I need to take more risks in life if I want to get anywhere."

Ichigo paused when they came to their destination. Well this seemed like a rather nice place to spar. Hopefully he didn't scratch anything up with this wonderful arm of his. "Take your time," he said bowing his head as he watched the woman depart. He was terribly curious about this sentient weapon. Was it anything like the summonable ones like he had seen in the past?

He reached for his weapon. Hopefully this was going to be a good fight.

[The Jenn]

At this point, Thyme wasn't too sure how she felt about risks. On the one hand, they'd burned her. That stupid moth was a prime example. On the other, they hadn't really done much - no reward or harm from visiting the disturbing woman in the Golfam. They'd never really done anything amazing for her, though. Her sister was the one who enjoyed such things. Her? She could take them or leave them, and would probably leave them if the choice was left up to her.

"I don't know that sparring with me is the chance of a lifetime, but if you'd like to get back into practice with your weapon then I'd be happy to help." She smiled and headed off.

Which basically meant that she walked out of sight, walked out of earshot, and then stood there for three or four minutes with her sword summoned to her hand. Then, Gred laughing at her in her head, she returned and bowed to him. "Gred the troublemaker," she introduced him with a small smile. "We're ready whenever you are."

[Kari Muffin]

Modesty. It wasn't everyday that he had a chance to spar with a noble. He refrained from even suggesting the idea in the Court of Spades. He was fairly certian that the Queen thought he was nothing more than an idiot, and in all honesty he was debating on quitting.

He waited quietly for the woman to return, balancing the blade in his paw. It was harder to wield with one hand, but he still had control over it. Perhaps it was the magical qualities of the weapon that made it easier?

When she returned the expression on his face brightened. "He's a rather lovely basket hilt rapier, trouble maker or not." The mouse looked at the weapon, his eyes scanning up and down. It seemed like a fairly normal well made blade.

"Would you mind terribly if we went all out for this match? It's been a while since I've used my katana and it has some... interesting magical properties I thought I would ask before we begin. Otherwise, I should probably borrow a practice sword."

Shining Katana: This thin bladed sword is light-weight and exceedingly easy to wield for the owner. When thrust toward an opponent it gives off sparks of neon yellow light that will blind all but the wielder for a full ten minutes. When anyone other than the blades determined owner tries to touch the sword, they will feel as though electricity is shooting through their bodies until they let go.

[The Jenn]

"Oh, that's fine by me," Thyme agreed with a grin that showed off her rather impressive set of canines. "I didn't invite you here to treat me like glass. We're here to spar, correct? Then let's begin."

After a respectful bow, she took a comfortable stance. With her hand on Gred's hilt like this, it was like taking the hand of an old friend. Not quite a skip-down-the-lane they were having here, though. And Ichigo's blade gleamed with an edge that merited admiration. Mid-Range steel was beautiful stuff, especially when in the hand of an actual Mid-Ranger. Even with his odd affliction, he looked no less in his element.

Excellent.

Maybe she wasn't the world's best fighter, but she and Gred could move together in a way that ordinary weapons had trouble matching. But that wasn't to say his weapon resembled anything 'ordinary'. They would have to be careful.

Not that the thought helped her much when she was blinded immediately after beginning the fight! With a startled gasp, she nearly lost her footing and stumbled for a moment, one hand swinging out wildly while the other held a suddenly serious prick of a weapon. As she swung in the mouse's general direction, his own innate accuracy would do the rest. Though it probably looked like hilariously lucky flailing.

Excerpt from Sword Boost: His reflexes are also lightning fast and he can only be dodged by those with magical abilities geared toward moving quickly.

[Kari Muffin]

It had been a long while since the mouse had had a proper fight. And it had been a long while since he was up against someone in their bipedal form. He was hoping that he had finally been able to properly compensate for his trouble with arm.

But he wasn't as lucky and quick as he would have hoped. The King's flail was far more impressive that he anticipated. A slight surprised sound escaped him when he brought his sword up to block. It hit far harder than he thought it would, causing him to stumble back.

He must have been getting rusty.

Or this could be something else entirely. No point in speculating when he was going to find out. It would be a while before she actually regained her sight. Lunging forward he decided to gently swing his blade for an attack. Of course the mouse couldn't go full force like he used to, but he was working up to that.

[The Jenn]

Aggravatingly enough for Thyme, though she didn't know it, she probably wouldn't regain her sight until this fight was concluded! How long would she be able to last with a blind flail against an opponent? That was some powerful magic. She had to respect a sword that incapacitated so quickly. Those Mid-Range weaponsmiths knew their enchantments!

She couldn't gain the benefit of her other senses either, at least no more than she would ordinarily. She just couldn't afford to wait that long against a skilled swordsman. If she didn't respond quickly and decisively - with whatever sort of a decision, not necessarily the right ones - then he would be on her in a second. So, flail it was!

The impacts on her arm and the harsh sound of clashing metal served as a not-so-silent testament to Gred's skill with a blade. With himself. And no, not in that sense, perverted little bastard! Focus on the fight! Damn, you have a dirty mind! Shut the hell up! Where are you swinging? Isn't he to the right? I- oh shit, metal next to my ear! I'm rolling![/color][/i]

In retrospect, rolling with a sharp weapon and without sight wasn't necessarily the wisest move on her part. She rolled too close to one of the walls, which she hadn't even realized she'd been backed towards, and smashed her head on the stone. With a yelp, she dropped her sword and clutched her head, hunching her shoulders and letting out a whine for good measure.

Damn it, that hurt!

Well. Not exactly the longest fight in history. At all. And wouldn't this be hilarious to tell her sister? At least none of the other nobles had been watching. Probably. Hopefully? She couldn't exactly see, but her butt senses were tingling. Telling her they were alone-ish. For the moment.

Except for the bastard sword laughing manically in her head and crowing his own victory over his summoner in this fight. Before disappearing.

[Kari Muffin]

Ichigo watched as the woman went in the completely wrong direction, rolling out of control and hitting her head on the wall. Because he was terribly polite and actually surprised he didn't laugh at the woman.

He sheathed his sword quickly and hobbled over to her side. "Are you all--"

Her weapon disappeared.

Just like that. What the... ? For a moment the mouse could feel his heart fluttering. This was the second time in his life he had run into someone who wasn't a Heart and had a summonable weapon. Apparently the impossible wasn't quite as impossible as he thought it was.

"--all right?" He finished barely skipping a beat. "I didn't think I hit you that hard. I'm sorry, your sight should come back in ten minutes or so. Do you want me to help you to the infirmary...?"

Even though he had no idea where that was in the Palace of Clubs.

[The Jenn]

The question was on the tip of her lips, how long this blasted blindness would last, but Thyme curbed the sound with a tightening of her jaw as she rode out a wave of slight dizziness. What a way to end a fight. Really?! Ugh. She was surprised he didn't laugh. She had to look damned hilarious.

"You're very polite, but I'll be fine," she muttered, one hand reaching up to shove her hair out of her face as she slowly sat up on the ground. Blind and dizzy. If she hadn't been unable to see, she would have sworn there were actual squirrels floating around her head, chittering at her. How stupid.

Taking a slow breath, she dropped both hands to her lap and resumed the semblance of a normal voice. "Hello, Ichigo. I'm Thyme. It's a pleasure to see you again. Perhaps a spar wouldn't be the best idea right now. I'm beset with a mild spell of stupidity. Would you care for some tea instead?" After waiting a breath, she snorted. "You see, that's how our greeting should have gone a little while ago. Perhaps we could start the afternoon over again?"

[Kari Muffin]

Ichigo was at least cracking a smile. Though a large part of him was flaying emphatically at the fact that the woman had a summoned weapon that was bonded to her and he should probably not hang around such strange people. He ignored that part of him. Thyme was nice, interesting, and sweet. Why the hell should he give up all of that even if she had some strange magical ability?

He had an arm made of ice for Suits sake.

"Haha," he said as moved a bit closer to the woman. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I've done things far more spectacular when sparring. At least you didn't hit yourself in the face with your own arm for example."

The mouse's tail curled in thought as he stared at the woman. His face was a cross between a smile and curiosity. He was thrilled that she couldn't see it. "I think tea would be a wonderful way to reset the though."

[The Jenn]

Yes, very kind and very gracious. With just a tooooouch of humor that peeked out every now and again. Rose would probably thoroughly enjoy tormenting this man, wouldn't she? Hopefully they would never meet. He didn't need that sort of abuse. Even though it would probably be painfully hilarious, with an emphasis on the painful.

Ichigo's voice wasn't mocking when he agreed to her ironic suggestion and she slowly stretched her neck, testing to see if she'd damaged anything else during her impromptu and quickly ended encounter with masonry. "I would imagine that hurt your pride more than anything?" she half asked and half agreed with a tiny grin. "But yes, that sounds lovely. The ten minutes until I regain my sight will probably crawl by, though, and I don't feel comfortable navigating the palace without a good dose of vision. What sorts of tea do you prefer? The kitchens have a good variety for residents and guests, though our coffee selection is even more impressive. Tastes of the reigning nobility and all that."