Knighty Knight - Side Story

Raphael smiled as his boot made impact with Megumi and forced her back, separating her from the weapon she had been using. He smiled before hearing her mention that the sword wasn't a weapon that she was particularly skilled with. Raphael stood and rested his morning star against his shoulder once again. "Surely you jest, I have knights back home that would love to be skilled with such a weapon"

Raphael braced himself though. "Perhaps its ninjutsu that's your specialty?" he asked, eyes watching Megumi for any sudden actions or movements.

"Heh, hardly," Megumi said, as she reached up to grip the front of her gi. With a swift tug, she yanked her top clean off, along with her pants, leaving her down to a black leotard beneath. With her arms and legs now bare, Raphael would probably be able to notice the seal tattoos in the shape of butterfly wings on the back of either of her wrists, as well as the pair on her thighs.

With a quick few hand signs, all four seals sparked with a brief shimmer, followed by a puff of smoke around each of her limbs. When the smoke disappeared, it revealed a set of her own armor, more specifically a pair of bulky gauntlets and boots. Then, she shifted back and took a ready stance, her lips curled into a grin. "I work better with my fists."

Raphael watched as Megumi activated the armor, seeing that she had traded in for some flexible clothing but strong weapons. The hands and feet were powerful weapons to a trained warrior, and now Raphael was a bit nervous. Right now he had a bit of reach with his weapons, but if Megumi got too close she might just stop him from swinging them. He'd have to adjust strategy.

Raphael once again performed his hand seal, covering himself in smoke before a long spear appeared in his hands, the point sharp and shining in the light of the training grounds. He performed a few spins as he felt the balance of the weapon and readied himself. "Looks like I'm ready when you are" he said before running forward, spear extended to try and keep Megumi at a bit of a distance. If she got close she was exposing herself to the blade, but it was the only way she'd use that armor of hers.

"Good, because we're just getting started." Megumi grinned and raced straight at her opponent. The act was quite straightforward, but Raphael would notice she was moving much faster than she had been previously, leaving behind small craters in the earth with each step. She came in at him like a rocket and lunged forward with a sweeping kick, aimed not at his body but at his hand gripping the spear. What he wouldn't be able to tell was the massive amount of chakra set to explode outward on impact, which would not end well if he attempted to block. Unless he was made of some kind of super diamond, she was sure he wouldn't be able to hold onto the spear.

Raphael was learning how to use chakra, but only on very basic levels. He couldn't sense the stuff at all, and so he wasn't prepared for Megumi's enhanced kick which knocked his weapon clean from his hand and embedded in a nearby tree. Raphael was only able to do two things with chakra. He could summon, and he could also enhance his weapons with chakra. That was it. With his weapon taken away from him, he had to switch tactics briefly.

Raphael moved and launched his own fist forward, sending chakra through his gauntlet as he aimed a punch at Megumi's chest. He just hoped that she didn't see the attack coming. If it didn't hurt her, perhaps it'd give him some breathing room to come up with a new plan of attack. Right now, he was rather defenseless from her assault.

Megumi could have dodged the counter punch if she wanted, but she would have had to pull back, and right now he was wide open for a counter himself. Instead, she came forward and took the blood straight to the chest, steeling her body to endure the armored fist. At the same time his fist struck her, she swung her other own gauntleted fist straight at Raphael's helmet, with the same explosion of chakra stored up and ready to release.

WHACK! Raphael hardly remembered what happened, one moment he felt himself striking Megumi, and the next he was face first in the ground after a blast of chakra collided with his helmet. Thankfully his helmet once again protected him from a blow that probably easily could have broken his nose and jaw, but it didn't help too much with the raw force of the attack. Raphael was slow to get up, but even as he tried he just put up a hand.

"I know when I'm bested, you've won this one"

Megumi pulled back the follow up attack she had been preparing to make when Raphael yielded. It was a good thing he did, too, because the next strike had been charged up almost fifty percent stronger than th efirst, intent on tearing his armor open. With an amused hum, she made a hand sign and caused her boots and gauntlets to disappear in another puff of smoke, leaving her again in just her leotard.

"A man with some sense," she said, grinning as she held a hand down to help him up. "Don't come across that too often."

"I can't train to get stronger if I have my head busted open in a sparring match. I could keep fighting but what would be the point?" Raphael pointed out before accepting Megumi's hand to help him up. He stood up and made a handsign, losing the heavy armor as he went back down to leather that was more free. "Guess I have a long way to go before I can finish my quest. You shinobi fascinate me a great deal, and I believe I have much I can learn from all of you"

Raphael turned his head and popped his back, something he desperately needed after the blows he just received. He turned and looked over the training ground, seeing the craters that Megumi created. "Uh...you did more damage to the training grounds than I expected"

"Well, it's not like you were bad," Megumi stated, as she started to gather up the clothes she had discarded. "Actually pretty impressed you could move as well as you did in all that metal.I didn't notice you using any chakra either, other than to summon your weapons and armor...do you not use any ninjutsu?"


As she started to slip her pants back on ovr her leotard, Megumi took a glance around the field, which was now riddled with craters, broken dummies, splintered trees, and a whole lot more mess. "Um...yeah, it's fine. They'll get someone with earth techniques to come out here and make it all pretty again."

Raphael shook his head as he just crossed his arms and leaned back against a tree while Megumi got dressed once again. "I don't really have a knack for using chakra in anything but crude fashion. All I have is my own personal strength, skill, and my weapons to help me win a fight. They've served me well, but I fear I still lack the strength I need"

"Hmm, even more impressive then, to be doing all that without much chakra use. Seems like you're quite the...hardy individual." Megumi chuckled as she gave the man a thorough look over, then slipped her gi back on and tied it off. "Well, I've had a good warm up for the morning. Think I'll head over to the springs and relax for a while."

Raphael nodded his head and was about to give a bow before he remembered that Megumi made a request for him to stop being so polite. He instead just lifted his hand and gave a small wave, something he saw shinobi do frequently. "In that case I wish you a good rest of your day. If you ever desire another fight please find me, I'd enjoy having a second spar with you"