[accidental video post]

[favorthebold]

[The feed is switched on by a random crackling of electricity, the origin of which is soon revealed. The place is Unohana's clinic, one of the rooms; the video shows Saul sitting next to a bed, tattered and wounded, his head in his hands. He doesn't look percisely sad or broken, more tired - and focusd. There's a very faint buzz in the air around him, like static electricity, giving the air in the room a soft eerie low.

In the bed lies Carmen's body - if only she'd been breathing, she'd have looked asleep. But of course, she isn't.

Saul speaks very quietly.]

Spirits of this land, powers of this world... I've kept true. I have stayed my blade when you wished me to, I have always spoken in your favor. My fortune is yours to decide.

We've only just begun to understand each other. Don't take her... not yet.

[The prayer spoken, he lets his hands drop to his sides, and leans back in the chair, eyes closed, calm now.]

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[lecherous-kappa.livejournal.com]

[Gojyo smirked, feeling far more satisfied than he had in who knew how long. It had been a cheap shot, but Gojyo fought dirty when he had to. There was no point in getting beaten up when he could stop it.

Now all his cards were out. He'd shown what the shakujo could do, and he didn't have any other tricks up his sleeve. He was only a half-demon, without the powers that came with full blood. Gojyo hoped he knew all of what Saul could do. Wind, ice, hook... and he'd heard about something with storms. Gojyo might be outmatched, but he would do everything he could. And Saul was already injured.]

Teachers? Hah.

[There was a little bit of bitterness in his voice, but Gojyo didn't care. Those who had shaped his life had tried to kill him more often than they'd tried to help. He'd taught himself how to survive, and how to fight.

Stepping forward, Gojyo sent the chain whirling outward again. It looped in a circle, the crescent blade at its end headed towards Saul, coming from Samaren's right side.

Maybe it would have been smarter to leave at this point in time, but Gojyo had never been smart.]

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[favorthebold.livejournal.com]

[He'd granted him the one blow, but Gojyo should have stuck to cheap shots. Saul's vaguely mad smile had given way to a more focused, predatory expression, searching for and sensing any weakness and opening. Brief though it was, the fight had pulled on already strained muscles, brought fresh blood from wounds that had barely scabbed over, and his body was starting to tell him as much. He could afford no mistakes. So Gojyo could guide the weapon... make it disappear then recall it.. he'd fought more Guardians with such powers than he could recall.

He didn't dodge, but launched himself straight from his crouch and into a run, ignored the weapon and went for the wielder. His steps were wide, going in a dashing zigzag, hard to follow. The hook was grasped tight in his good hand and facing ahead like a dagger, as though aiming for Gojyo's stomach.

At the last moment, the stab became a high diagonal slash, up towards the jugular as he aimed his charge past Gojyo, keeping a precarious balance with one good leg and turning in the run to never show his back even for a moment. Difficult, when wounded. A challenge. He had not yet stopped enjoying himself.]

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[lecherous-kappa.livejournal.com]

[The man moved fast, much faster than Gojyo had been expecting. Hell, he was about as fast as the Monkey, and that was not good. Gojyo jerked the shakujo back, changing the angle so that the blade followed Saul, but it was slow. Too slow.

As he brought up the butt of the staff to defend his stomach, Saul changed the angle of the hook's attack. It was all Gojyo could do to keep his throat from being slashed.

Darting backwards, he recieved a slash across his chest instead of a life-ending throat wound. It wasn't too deep, but it wasn't entirely shallow either. And it fucking hurt. But Gojyo had attacked first. It was his own damn fault.

He lashed out with a foot, trying to tangle his legs with Saul. If he could turn this into a a fistfight on the ground, he might still have a good chance. Gojyo knew fights like that, especially from bars when he'd hit on the wrong woman.]

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[favorthebold.livejournal.com]

[He hadn't truly expected a killing blow - Gojyo was far too competent to really fall for that trick, he could tell - but Saul was satisfied with having drawn blood. Building on that momentum, he was prepared to pivot and stab again, this time into Gojyo's back, when the other's foot caught him, snaking in between two steps. On two healthy legs, he might've been able to keep his balance with an effort; injured, he hadn't a hope.

He barely managed to keep the good hold on his hook as he stumbled and fell flat, unable to block his fall with one hand on his weapon and the other a wreck. His chest slammed against the pavement and already broken ribs made a sick crunching sound. He brought his knees under him in a twisting move that, had he been able to feel pain at this point, would've hurt enough to knock him out. Even as it were, he was sluggish, muscles tight as he expected the inevitable next blow.

But the hook was still in his hand, and he braced himself for the half-desperate move of turning over and cutting blindly at whatever tried to hit him.]