driftfleet | second; text

Well, don't do that.

[He says it mildly enough, a bit more confident now. He's absolute shit at physical things, but he is good at magic. Remus stands and begins gathering his books-- he's not about to risk them.]

No broken bones, and while I understand accidents happen, let's try to prevent any kind of sprain or fracture, hm?

You're really asking me to hold myself back...

[ Which is a shame but also expected; he'll likely have to allow that bruise he's already given Remus to heal before he can hit him too many more times.

... perhaps. ]

... You actually want to do it right here and now?

Why not?

[He glances back as he ferries the books towards the table.]

You seemed eager. We can postpone, if you want.

No, that won't be necessary. I just expected you to be as mousy as you've been up until this point.

[ If it's a fight that Remus wants then he'd better be prepared for the trash talk that'll precede it. Sasuke stands, cracking his elbow as he straightens his arm out in a quick stretch. There's only a split second pause before his eyes bleed back to red, watchful. ]

I'm ready for a fight at any time.

There's no need to be rude.

[Mildly said, because really. He's not hurt, just finds that kind of talk unnecessary. But his books are moved out of the way, and so Remus comes to stand a few feet away from Sasuke, his wand drawn.]

Is there anything I ought to hold back from with you?

There's no need to be polite, either. I'll say whatever I like to you. [ What else would he expect. ]

It depends on what you're capable of. I'd prefer keeping the rest of my limbs, and my life. Beyond that, if I allow you to hit me then I deserve to get hurt for it.

Fair enough.

[As if he'd ever cut off his limbs! Let alone take his life. But it says a lot about Sasuke's world, that he feels the need to specify that.

Remus' knees bend, his grip tight on his wand.]

Ready?

[He's already thinking of his first spell-- because he knows Sasuke will attack, he knows that he won't say why yes my good man let's count down from three-- so he gets a simple blasting spell ready, something to gauge how this will go.]

... you're far too soft. [ Just an observation, tinged with a smirk. He'd be interested in pushing Remus, really, already having found the weak spot in his pride and it'd be easy to exploit through taunts and humiliation until he really let loose and attacked Sasuke with all he had.

Perhaps they'll work up to it. He's trying to step away from his own sadism, after all.

And just as Remus had predicted Sasuke doesn't waste a second more, the movements of his hand a mere blur when he reaches behind his back, two throwing knives suddenly launched right towards Remus's chest when he whips it back. Best hurry with that spell. ]

[Don't break any bones, he'd said. He hadn't thought don't impale me with sharp objects would have been something he'd needed to add.]

Bloody hell, Sasuke!

[But a shield spell is so easy to do; he's had more practice in them than he ever cared to. The knives clatter a foot away from him, bouncing off an invisible wall. Remus grits his teeth and jerks his hand, a wave of fire slashing towards Sasuke-- fine, if he wants to be clever, if he wants to be deadly, they can play that game too.]

[ Those red eyes watch the barest flick of his wrist like it's in slow motion, already forming one-handed kata before Remus has even finished. He'd told him that it was necessary to produce fire jutsu in his clan as a rite of passage and he shows now that that's no lie, an equally powerful jet of flame exhaled to combat Remus's, both dissipating in a violent whorl of heat. ]

Don't tell me you're going to start complaining. You don't have time to take your eyes off me. [ So he says as he raises his arm, a single spark dancing along it as a warning precursor before he's directing a sudden jolt of lightning at Remus instead. Not enough to kill him should it make contact, at least, just enough to cause pain and keep him on his toes. It only seems right to keep things long-range for now, for Remus's sake. ]

[He throws up another shield charm, but a little lightning gets through-- enough to shock him, to have his limbs jerking involuntarily for a few moments. Fucking hell, and he does have magic-- he might not call it that, but that's surely what it is.

Right. Focus. He's got his eyes glowing again, which means he'll be able to produce an illusion-- only that surely isn't all he can do with the thing, or he wouldn't be whipping it out now. Which means it must have some sort of focusing ability, or perhaps lets him see things he wouldn't otherwise-- which means Remus will have to be clever. This is no dullard Death Eater, hopped up on lies and power; this is someone clever.

Ah, well. He's been clever his whole life.

(And honestly-- it's good to fight against someone. It's good to spar against someone who can clearly hold his own. Remus smiles, though he's not quite aware of it, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He's a pacifist, no doubt about it-- but oh, sometimes this can be fun).

His next attack isn't towards Sasuke himself, but towards the kitchen-- more specifically, towards all the little protein cubes they eat.]

Oppugno!

[A silly spell, perhaps, getting the food to attack him-- but it'll serve as a distraction well enough.]

[ All of his instincts tell him to take the killing blow when Remus momentarily falters but he keeps himself still, watchful and waiting to see what this wizard's next tactic is going to be. Will he go for another direct assault? A diversionary technique? A--

Wait, what? ]

[ uM ]

[ Right, so a diversion it is. Allowing it to work would be too kind, he decides, his hand seals just as rapid despite the need -- is it a need? -- to dodge the first bit of food.

There's a poof of smoke, then, dispersing to reveal a perfect clone of Sasuke himself... who is immediately throwing another knife straight in Remus's direction while the original body instead leaps upward, affixing himself to the ceiling -- another handy trick. Not as handy as again gathering electricity in his arm, however, a quick arc of that limb causing the sparks of energy to shoot forward like needles to impale those blocks. ]

This is what they teach you at your school?

Among other things!

[He blocks those needles successfully, which only makes him giddier-- and as the food is attacking (and it will keep attacking, right up until it destroys itself in the attempt), he jabs his wand. Ropes fly out-- first to the clone, because the diversion worked, and then to the real Sasuke, Remus working as fast as he can. Both bindings aim for the other boy's limbs-- he's fast, but surely not that fast?]

Edited (whoop there it is ) 2016-02-24 00:40 (UTC)

[ He's that fast.

There's no need for the clone to dodge and it makes no attempt to do so, bound by those ropes before they're clenching around air as it vanishes back into that cloud of smoke, but Sasuke's real body -- hanging from the ceiling as it currently is -- seems to also disappear from sight. There isn't a trick involved this time, no ninja sleight of hand, but instead just a completely inhuman speed that has him instantly darting to Remus himself.

Keeping this at a distance is drawing it out, after all, and when he suddenly seems to appear in front of him his hand is already going for his collar. Should he get ahold of him he will absolutely be bodily hauling him up and throwing him into the wall, too. ]

[Remus isn't so fast, that's not one of his virtues-- and so it's easy for Sasuke to grab him by the collar, to lift him (so easily, and he'd be awed if he wasn't so annoyed) and throw him against the steel walls. But Moony has left Remus with an awfully high tolerance for pain; even as he slams against the wall, he's already shaking it off. Oh, it hurts, it hurts-- but it's nothing compared to the pain of transformation.

Sasuke is fast. Ropes might work, but only if he isn't expected them, can't dodge them. So-- fog, then. Time to see if those special eyes of his work through clouds. Remus waves his wand; fog rolls out, thick and soupy, clouds of it filling the Paisely.]

[ Again he has to suppress the natural urge to follow up with another series of blows, instead intrigued by his heightened recovery time in comparison to how he'd dealt with that earlier punch -- is it the effect of the adrenaline that's heating his blood?

He doesn't have time to evaluate or appreciate it for long, that fog suddenly rolling in and sweeping out to settle throughout the whole of the room, no doubt clogging the hallways in due time and confusing the other unknowing occupants of the ship. It's familiar. Sasuke unintentionally thinks back to his first challenging mission, a fight against Zabuza, left feeling so vulnerable in a disarming and blinding mist that he'd been driven into a panic attack. That had been fed by his own inexperience and the sense of Zabuza's overwhelming killing intent, however, a desire he has yet to pick up from Remus. ]

You're certainly fond of your tricks, aren't you? Perhaps you have some things in common with a shinobi after all... [ Sasuke jumps back to put greater space between them again as he sharply inhales, readying another ball of fire in an attempt to clear the mist. ]

[He doesn't speak-- but Sasuke does, and the moment he does, Remus has him. There, right there, ahead and slightly to the left, and as the boy readies his spell Remus strikes. One, two, three bunches of rope, one following another, fly through the mist, trying to locate Sasuke. If they connect, they'll wrap tight around him, slamming him into the floor or wall-- whatever surface is closest.

If they connect. Remus doesn't pause to listen; he moves as soon as his spells fly, changing position and pumping more fog through the ship. His footsteps aren't silent, but they are quiet.]

[ Sasuke hears the whistling of those ropes too late, chakra channeled into his feet to jump back but they twine around his torso and arm first instead and he's thrown backwards. There's the sound of heavy impact, a grunt, and then an eerie silence. A complete stillness as Sasuke brutally suppresses a momentary swell of anger that would have him lashing out in revenge.

He has the added advantage of chakra to muffle his movements, however, entirely without sound as he jumps back up onto the ceiling and keeps to one shadowed corner, just listening for Remus. ]

[He'd expected either a taunt or a threat, depending on the failure or success of his spell. Instead there's only a grunt and then silence, eerie and awful. The fog was useful, but now Remus is just as blinded as his opponent. Still, he isn't willing to get rid of it, not yet. Instead he creeps forward, his footsteps as light as he can make them, his wand drawn. He scans the fog, his hazel eyes intent-- and the moment he sees Sasuke, he'll blast him back, throw him against the wall.

Is he simply fallen and silent? Waiting for him to stumble over his body so he can kick at him? That's a possibility, and Remus scans the ground as well. It doesn't occur to him to look up.]

[ He's a shinobi, and even if he likes to boast about his strength, stealth is a huge aspect of what he's been trained in since infancy. Sure, Remus is quiet.

It doesn't mean he's soundless.

Sasuke is, however, slowly moving across that ceiling as he pinpoints Remus's location from the quietest tap of his shoes or a momentary brush against furniture, waiting until he's positioned perfectly above him...

to then suddenly drop right down on top of him, knees slamming into his shoulders before he then shifts one just to drive a foot into his side, quick to send them both to the ground while his hand effortlessly arms itself with another knife that he spins once before pressing the steel against Remus's throat. ]

... not too bad, using the fog. If you try casting another spell I will stab you in the arm, however.

[He doesn't even have time to yell, though his heart jerks in his chest. There's just pain, weight slamming into his shoulders and then a jab to his kidney that sends him falling. Remus inhales sharply at the blade-- that's the worst bit, honestly. Pain he can handle, but Sasuke seems far too enthusiastic about stabbing people.]

Where did you come from?

[Not an exclamation, but rather a quiet question. He most definitely does not move; he has no desire to be stabbed, thank you. He's somewhat breathless, but he doesn't sound particularly angry.]

The ceiling?

[ He presses a knee against Remus's wand arm anyway, eyeing him up as he remains atop him. A couple of bruises should be all he has to show from this; he seems to be in good condition. ]

Do you need to ask? This is practice for a battle, after all; you can read the scenario.

[ Sasuke pauses a second longer before relenting, however, drawing that knife back and tucking it away as he fluidly stands, even holding a hand out for Remus. ]

Yes, from the ceiling. I underestimated your ability to track me by sound through this fog. It won't happen again in the future.

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