A worthy opponent (Kyoraku)

It had been awhile since he had visited the sparring area. Not much had changed. Since his entrance into the 12 squad the focus on sword training had taken a back seat. He had asked for this day off to work his body rather than his mind. Even though he was not in the academy he wasn't comfortable trying his skills against other ranked shinigami. So he found his way to the area reserved for novices. It was abit embarrassing, but less so than being utterly defeated by a skilled swordsman. After a good warm up he would attempt someone with more experience. The area he choose was neatly cut large square slab surrounded by sand. There were many of these such slabs, some with people watching matches in progress, while others sat empty. Arawn took a spot at one end of the slab awaiting a challenger. He drew his asauchi from the sheath and looked at the blade. Although he preferred not to use a sharp edge, but he had to get used to wielding a real weapon.

Kyo was walking around looking for a good training partner, when just then he saw a man in the center of the ground waiting for a challenger. Kyo walked up to him ''Excuse me sir but would you mind being my oppente'', Kyo said kindly. He was happy to find someone to spar against, it has been a while since he would have a fight.

Arawn chuckled. He was hardly one to be called 'sir', but it was only way one could address a stranger.
"By all means, I'm more than willing." he bowed to the young man. "I hope we can have a nice match. I ask that we only use our blades. Kido would get in the way." Arawn then began to preform a few quick stretches, and practice swing the blade to and fro. He felt stiff both physically and mentally. It had been awhile since he fought a human opponent.

''Ok thats fine, and since im the challenger you may go first'', he said kindly, as he also began to do strech of his own. He would strech his legs and arms. He began swinging his blade back and forth tryin to get into rthym. He was going to make sure that he would have a fun time with in this spar, seeing as though he had not had one in a while.

"How kind." Arawn mutters aloud. Most think that the either the man is confident in his abilities or foolish. Arawn can only feel it's the former not the latter. The first strike isn't as advantageous as many would think. A poor first attack could leave you open to a counterattack, and worst case could show his opponent his skill level. He tossed his sheath into the sand, and took a fighting stance. He held the blade before him pointing it at Kyoraku. He took a breath and hopped forward closing the gap between them. Within a foot of the target his feinted a lunging stab and shifted it into a diagonal slash aimed at his shoulder.

Kyo was quick enough to see the attack coming so he was able to use his Katana to block it. With his chest being exposed Kyo sent a kick at the mans chest. He would then back up and get into a defensive stance. He was happy to see that this man was going to be a good fight.

Missing Kyoraku wasn't a surprise, but the kick was. Arawn had committed himself too much to the strike so he had no chance of dodging a counter. The best he could do was change the contact point; he tried to shift his body as the foot came up. The strike hit his left shoulder. Arawn took force and stepped back slightly. He smiled at the man, "No bad." He could feel his blood pumping, the long unused combat skills starting to feel fresh once again. He stepped forward again this time swinging upward with the blade. Before it reaches it's apex he brings it downward in a double handed slash.

Kyo was fast enough to dodge the first swing by moving out the way but he wasent expecting a second one, so when it came he leaned back causing it to rip his shirt and leaving a thin cut on the left side of his chest. He chukkled a little bit then he did a roundhouse kick at Him and then he would drop to the ground to come back up with a quick stab at his chest.

He didn't have time to celebrate his triumph in hitting hit opponent. The first kick had caught Arawn by surprise, this one he saw coming. But that didn't make it any easier to block. He brought both hands up reflexively. The roundhouse met his forearms and bounced off. Unfortunately, but block did cut off his line of sight for a moment. Just long enough for him to miss Kyoraku go down and back up with his blade. The sword came at him squarely aimed at his chest. Stepping back or around wouldn't be enough. He swung his blade forward to intercept the attack and force it right while he stepped left and away.

Kyo jumped away from Arawn, making the distance between them about a foot and a half.''Your avery good fighter'', he said kindly with a smile. He was having fun, he was happy that he chose this person to become his sparring partner, because he didnt think that he could be o evenly match with anybody. He had a smile on his face as he looked down at the cut on his chest, he wasent to mad about it seeing that it was to painful or to big.

Although he had initially just wanted a warm up, this was turning into a match. If he was to go all out; then he indeed was quite warmed up. He recalled his fights in the past. His first fight his goal was just to strike the more powerful opponent once. In his second battle he merely tried to fend off the giant's attacks. But this fight was different. In this battle he couldn't use kido, and now he used a real blade not a shinai. This fight he had no goal. This fight he had landed a blow already, but taken a strike. He had fended off the other person's attacks somewhat as well. What fighting for now? Could he win? Should he aim for that? His opponent's smile showed he was enjoying this fight just as much.
"Fine then." he said loud enough to be heard, but meant only for himself. To win he must go on the offense. Thinking to his previous battles gave him ideas.
He stepped forward again with his right foot, he pulled his arms back and swung at Kyoraku from left to right aiming at his midsection. Then using his right leg as a pivot he spun counterclockwise bringing a second swing aimed at his head. Then using the torque in his body spun back clockwise, this time dropping into a crouch and kicking low with his right leg.

Kyo blocked the first slash with his zanpactou and with that not allowing hm to do the second slash. When he droped down to kick him, he pick his foot up and tried to slam his foot on Arawn leg. He would the slash at Arawn body.

Kyoraku's foot came down and stopped his sweep kick. And then his blade came down at Arawn. The pain in his leg would have to wait. Pinned down he couldn't evade. He brought his blade up to block, steel met steel and sparked on contact. His left leg still free, he kicked upwards at Kyoraku's groin.

OOC: Crude but effective

When he saw Arawn leg coming he quickly stop grinding swords with him and attempted to stab his leg, at the same time he was still standing on his leg, he was scared that he would move his leg and still hit Kyo in his groin, he would really hate that and it would most lickly make Kyo use kido and go for the kill.

There swords parted but Arawn was still pinned. Kyoraku's attention was now on his other leg. Not wise. Arawn swung his sword at his opponent's thighs.

Kyo quickly breaks the leg he is standing on by turning it in the wrong direction. He then stabs Arawn legs hard enough that the sword goes comepletly through it. He is then hit by his zanpactou, and now has a sword in his thigh.

The pain through both legs was maddening, but he kept his grip on the blade. He twisted the blade and yanked it free. He pulled arm back as much as his present position allowed and swung upwards at Kyoraku as he impales his leg.

Kyo saw the zanpactou coming at him so he grabed his and quickly jumped out of the way about a couple of inches away, he then put one of his on the hip wound and went down to one knee, he was also holding on to his zanpactou.

Arawn used his upper body to roll himself away from Kyoraku and using his sword like a cane propped himself slightly. He drove the point into the stone tried to stand. His right leg throbbed, the blood oozing out. He tried to resist the urge to vomit. His own blood made him queasy. His left leg was broken and limp, the sword gave enough support. Arawn leaned heavily on it gasping for breath. The pain was was surreal, he hadn't gotten this beaten up in awhile. His right leg buckled, but he grimaced and forced the knee to lock. For the moment he was standing tall.
"I say we call this match. Any further and the victory might be at the price of death." He was sure in the next exchange a life would be lost, his own most likely. But he meant both lives would be lost literally and figuratively. A death of a person even in sparring was a heavy offense, Kyoraku would probably be expelled from the academy and imprisoned. Maybe death was a better option than the shame of being beaten up by an underclassman. Arawn sighed, he needed to work out more often. Hollows may be easy, but he must not be satisfied with such low skill. Without waiting for a response Arawn used the sword to pivot and still using it like a cane limped from the field. A crowd had gathered and looked somewhat disappointed that bloodmatch had ended so peacefully. A random person tucked their arms under Arawn's and helped him to the medical staff on call.
"Til we meet again." Arawn called over his shoulder. "I have much more training to do it seems."