User blog:Ninjaman165/Sparring Practice part 1

Sparring Practice

Dante and Thresher eventually made it back down to the lab, and were immediately greeted by an awaiting Evron. Thresher was the first to exit from the elevator, walking briskly past the ninja, and causing him to glance at her weirdly. "What's with her?"

Dante just shrugged. While Thresher didn't explicitly tell him, the look that she gave him up on the balcony made it clear that Thresher didn't want Dante to tell anyone what she had revealed. At least, not yet.

"Why, were you worried about me or something?" Thresher mused.

Evron turned and sneered, "Pfft, in your dreams. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't up there planning to blow up our home or something."

Thresher crossed her arms, "Surrre you were."

"Anywayyy," Dante began and turned to Hale, "have you discovered anything new yet? Something we can use to stop Vyros?"

Hale nodded, but it wasn't a confident one. "Well, the good news is: I did find  something while you were gone, sir."

"And the bad news is?"

"It's nothing really to do with this, 'Vyros', character that you all are looking for." Hale said, messing with his hair.

Dante raised an eyebrow, "Then... Who  is it for, exactly?"

Hale turned his attention from Dante, to Thresher, and finally to Lotus. "This one." He pointed out.

Lotus looked at Daeva, and then at Hale, pointing to herself. "M-me?"

"Precisely, little one." Hale affirmed.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Well, do you know what it's about for her?" Daeva asked.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Hale slowly shook his head, "Unfortunately not, princess Daeva. At least, not  yet<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">, anyway." Hale turned and studied one of the larger monitors. "It should take me a few hours to gather everything I've found together."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Well, that settles it then." Thresher said and turned to the ninjas. "So, what do you guys do for fun around here?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Dante smirked, "Funny you should ask that, because Evron and I did plan on sparring with each other today. That is, unless he's too scared to now."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron snorted in disbelief, "Please! I'll kick your ass so hard, you'll be wishing for a new one!"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Dante got right in his brother's face, "Okay, let's make this interesting then."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva groaned, "Noooo, not  another <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">bet."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Lotus looked up at her, noticeably confused. "What? Are they like, really competitive or something?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"That would be an understatement, honey."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron narrowed his eyes, "What'd you have in mind?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"If I win, then you have to cook breakfast for all of us, everyday, for a whole week. AND, you have to get a gorgeous makeover from Daeva." Dante responded.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva grinned excitedly, rubbing her hands together. "Okay, noow I'm interested."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron shuddered at the thought. "And what about when  I <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">inevitably win?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Dante shrugged, "Same thing applies to me. But you and I both know... That's never gonna happen."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron studied Dante's smug face, and finally smirked, his red eyes glowing brightly. "You're on, woman hair."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Without a second to spare, the two ninjas raced to the elevator, pushing and shoving one another out of the way to get there first. Dante soon just teleported out of the lab, leaving a bewildered Evron to curse loudly. "Heyyy!!! That's cheating, asshole!!!" He roared before blinking out of the room himself.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher rested her hands on her hips, a smile etched across her lips. "Well, this should be interesting." She mused.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Lotus turned to Daeva with excited eyes, and bouncing up and down. "Can we watch them?? Please please pleaaasseee???"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva laughed, rolling her eyes. "Fiiine, let's go. Just don't get too close, okay?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Lotus gleamed, "YAY! Come on, come on!!" She exclaimed, literally dragging Daeva by the arm towards the elevator.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher started to follow behind them, but stopped to glance back at Hale, whom was vigorously typing away at a computer panel. "You sure can find Vyros?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Don't underestimate me, miss." Hale turned to Thresher, "I'll find him. Now, you all go and fun, and leave me to my work."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher nodded, and went to turn around, but stopped once more. "One more thing: Who is your money on?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Hale grinned to himself, "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher smirked underneath her mask, "Looks like it."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">___________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Upon reaching the outside of the kingdom, Daeva, Lotus, and Thresher were met with a massive crowd that had already arrived before they did. They gazed out to the expansive fields, several hundred yards away, and laid witness to Dante and Evron circling one another.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Huh, looks like they've drawn quite the crowd, haven't they?" Thresher mused.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva didn't answer, she was more focused on what was about to happen than anything else. She knew how crazy her brothers could get during a sparring session, especially when there was a bet involved; Daeva needed to be ready to intervene if things got too crazy. Lotus glanced up at her, noticing Daeva's concern. "Are Dante and Evron going to be alright?" Lotus asked.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva gazed down at the girl and gave her a warm smile, "Don't you worry one bit about them, sweetheart. They'll be just fine."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Lotus chewed on her bottom lip nervously; she had her reservations, but she trusted Daeva. She returned her attention to the inevitable battle in front of them, squeezing Daeva's hand.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Sooo, how does Evron expect to win this? Dante completely outclasses him, I can feel it." Thresher pointed out.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva pursed her lips, "Evron is a master tactician; what he lacks in raw power, he makes up for in strategy. Whatever he's planning for this fight, he's been doing so all day. Whether or not it works, however, is a different story."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Dante and Evron continued to circle one another, reading the other's every movement.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"You sure you still wanna do this? I won't hold it against you if you quit now." Dante mocked, smirking.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron frowned, "Stop talking and let's do this already."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Both ninjas then stopped and faced each other, hunching down into their respective fighting stances.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"When I win, I want a big stack of those things from Earth that Ubel keeps talking about. What'd he call them again? 'Pancakes'? Yeah, those sound delicious." Dante mused.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Well, when  I<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;"> win, I want bacon, and LOTS of it." Evron threw back.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher adjusted her mask, "Here we go." She murmured.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva tensed up a bit; things were about to get hectic, and fast. There were murmurs and whispers among the crowd, individuals mainly asking if they were a little too close for comfort, and if things would escalate or not.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Hey bro..." Evron suddenly called out.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Yeah?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Don't hold back." Evron smirked.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Dante smiled, "Okay, if you insist."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">In the blink of eye, the two ninjas raced towards each other, charging at light speeds. When they connected, the entire realm felt it, causing for the ground beneath to shake violently, and everyone to nearly be knocked off balance. Evron was sent flying backwards from the sheer kinetic impact, spiraling out of control for several thousands of feet before managing to regain control. He shook his head clear of any dizziness, and was instantly met by Dante's fist less than an inch away from his face. Evron  just <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">managed to dodge to the left, feeling and hearing the titanic sonic booms that surrounded that potential blow. He tried to go for an undercut attack to Dante's stomach, but was immediately denied from a sharp parry by the latter's knee. The two ninjas went on to trade blow for blow, parry for parry, with Evron being kept firmly on the defensive. They traveled across the sky at speeds of light, appearing to almost be blinking in and out of existence every nanosecond. Just then, a brutal roundhouse kick from Dante sent Evron careening to the ground like a falling meteorite. The warrior smacked into the earth with an ear-shattering, BOOM, kicking up a cloud of dust that reached miles into the sky, and splintering the ground all around him. Evron quickly pulled himself up from the crater, and had less than a millisecond to flip out of the way of Dante's flying fist slamming into the dirt.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron landed about a yard away, and immediately dashed towards his brother like a raging bull. He tackled Dante off the ground, taking him further and further into the sky. Thinking quickly, Dante grabbed a handful of Evron's hair as leverage, and planted a sharp knee square in his gut. This knocked Evron loose and higher into the air. Dante flew towards him, aiming a fist straight at his face, but connected with nothing. "Evron", disappeared into thin air, leaving Dante floating in the air.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"A decoy." He thought to himself.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Just then, Evron came down from above like a diving falcon, hurtling a heavy foot at Dante's cranium. The latter was quick to read this, and side dashed out of the way just in time to answer back with a well-placed elbow to the back of Evron's head. The tactful ninja flipped through the sky, heading for ground level once more, but Dante was waiting for him this time. When Evron was close enough, Dante sent him back into the air with a back flipped kick, teleported, and launched Evron back to the ground once more with a downwards elbow. The ninja Prime continued this assault, even alternating between up and down, to left and right.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher stared on in slight shock and awe; She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "What the hell is Dante doing, Daeva?! That's his own brother that he's pummeling! Why isn't he going easy on him?!" Thresher demanded.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva sighed as she watched on. "He  is<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">." She muttered.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"What?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Daeva pointed her head, "Watch this next strike, look at Dante's movements."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">As to assist in making Daeva's point, Dante landed yet another quick and brutal strike to Evron's visage.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"You see how quick and hasty he's being in his attacks?" Daeva pointed out.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Yeah, so?" Thresher asked.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Soo, if those blows were deliberate and had even half of Dante's power behind them...Evron would've been long dead by now." Daeva turned away from the fight to look at Thresher. "He's been holding back this entire time, because Dante knows that he can't go all out, not with Evron, and not here. He'd never truly risk the life of his siblings, or the sanctity of our home for a bet."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Thresher stared at Daeva for a moment, before gazing back up at the battle at hand. "So this... This is just a sliver of your power, Dante?" She wondered.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Lotus remained silent, completely fixated on what was going on. A part of her was excited, getting to witness firsthand what a ninja's power was really like. But, Lotus was mainly nervous; she was still fairly green to all of this, and she didn't want her new family getting hurt in any way. Maybe she should stop the fight...

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Finally, after being juggled for what seemed like hours, Evron managed to find a brief but clear opening of escape. Using it, he dashed to the right of Dante's incoming kick, and, using the latter's momentum against him, body slammed the ninja Prime with all of his might. As Dante flew towards the earth, Evron held out a splayed, left palm, clutching the forearm with his right. Soon, red energies literally being stretching from his fingers in the form of bright red lightning bolts. The energies converged and congregated to form a growing orb in the middle of Evron's palm. The sphere continued to increase in size, until it was around the size of a basketball. Then, with a ferocious roar, Evron unleashed the massive torrent of energy from his hand. The entire surrounding area glowed red as the the chaotic beam raced towards it target at light speeds. Still dazed from the previous blow, Dante had no time to react, and was soon enveloped in a sea of blinding red energy. The enormous amount of pressure and force pushed the warrior deep into the ground, digging him further and further down.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Everyone that was watching shielded themselves from the enormous blast, and the hot air rushing towards them as a result. Daeva wrapped Lotus in her arms as tightly as she could, turning her back to the explosive power. Thresher dug her heals into the dirt as she tried desperately to keep her mask from flying off. Seconds later, the blast had ceased, and everyone slowly and cautiously peeked out to see what had happened. Thresher shook the wild locks of hair out of her face, her yellow mask eyes blinking in and out due to interference from the energy beam. Daeva looked down to make sure that Lotus was okay, and found her a little dazed, but ultimately just fine. She then looked up to find an enormous, newly formed crater placed a few miles away, and sighed to herself. The land would quickly heal itself after this was finished, but there was another problem to be had now.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Oh no..." Daeva murmured.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"What is it?" Thresher inquired.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"...Things just escalated." A new voice answered from behind. The three turned to find Aphrodite standing behind them, her attention focused on the large, smoldering crater in front of them.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Evron descended slowly from the sky, and found his footing a few hundred yards away from the hole in the ground. He was on edge, for he knew what was about to transpire next. Seconds later, Dante exploded from the crater and landed in front of it. His clothes were singed and still burning, and his skin was covered in smoke and dirt stains. His green eyes glowed intensely, staring straight at Evron. An angered frown was traced on his lips, and he clenched his fists, cracking them. Eventually, said frown faded to a tiny smile, and Dante chuckled.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"This is fun." Dante mused and went on to summon the Twin Jewels of Valor into his hands.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"I'll say." Evron confirmed.

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Ready for round two?"

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">"Bring it."

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">As Evron too summoned Shikoro, the both ninjas went on to summon their respective armor over their entire bodies. Without anymore words, they began to circle each other once more, blades at the ready, and ignited with raw energy. Now, it was serious.

'<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">To be continued... '