A Clarion Call {Shoguns}

[Flame]

As she turned away and swam towards the pink prey she had noted in the distance Syphalia was no longer listening to Pierce. His voice was slightly broken up by the moving waters so Syph ignored what he said. Kicking out a little further she puller her blade up in front of her. Holding it sideways out so that the width of the blade looked straight at it. Her eyes trailed up and down its silver surface even in the water it had a nice glean to it. For a swordsman/blacksmith like herself this was a comforting thing for her to do. Blunt huh ... She glanced down the razor sharp edge of her blade frowning slightly as she did. Who would have thought all the time she spent polishing her blade and keeping it in top condition would backfire on her like this. She sighed slightly as she kept her eyes trained on the blade.She could use the side of the blade, but that seemed, dangerous, using that like a batting stick seemed a stupid idea at best.

"Oi Syph! ..." The calling voice echoed through the waters pulling her attention momentarily. Her head turned and her eyes laid themselves back upon Pierce his hands cupped around his mouth as he directed his advice in her direction. He gave her, a way out, honestly not much better than his first but it would be usable. If she had to, her weapon would be better at piercing into the Klarian's soft skeleton rather than batting at it until it gave up. A wide smile crossed her face and she threw Pierce a fast thumbs up before turning back to the object of her interest. That pink fish she had spotted in the distance was much closer, in fact it was almost within range. Keeping her eye upon the target she moved her sword next to her waist, its blade faced the depths pointing out behind her.

A few kicks by her feet stabilized her position in the water for a momentary time. Just enough so that she found herself for the most part sitting in one spot without being disturbed by other movement. As a declaration to herself more than anything her mouth moved, within her small air bublbe she could hear her own voice fine. "Iaido Shottogun." As swiftly in possible her arm swung out sword alongside it. The weight of water slowing her down it did not stop her from achieving the wanted result. As her sword made its rapid movement, water like air usually became compressed. She herself was pushed backwards slightly but a pair of compressed water bullets pushed forward. Noticeable by the trail of bubbles they left behind them the pair spun through the water before. Until finally they slapped themselves straight into the face of the incoming fish. Stopping the fish in its path, Syph gazed toward it trying to figure out the exact result of her actions. Her answer was quickly received as the fish started to move once again, this time even over this distance she could tell it has chosen its target, her.

The fish burst to speed once again, rapidly gaining speed it charged her down. As it came closer she realized it was now spiraling towards her. The tip of its weaponized nose barreling towards her to pierce her in the front, Syphalia smiled, she was quite ready for this. Her two feet prepped themselves and as it grew almost within range they quickly kicked together. Forcing her upwards they sent her up over the fish as it flew by her. Her eyes kept watch as its fin barely missed slicing at the bottom of her leg. A little too close for comfort but she was unharmed so it was just something to remember. Twisting in the water she and her foe stared eachother down again. Uninhibited by its first miss the Klarian charged her down once again. Spiraling towards her like a drill it flew at her. But without the same distance to gain speed Syphalia was much more willing to take this head on.

On her side she cracked her neck back and forth once urging herself to try out the new ability. With all the fishes scales she was sure that it would not cut it too bad. The first thing she needed to do was get rid of that spin of it's. Breathing in deeply some of the remaining air in the bubble through her nose she breathed it out. It was now only a few feet from her. "Iaido Shotto" A stray condensed water bullet shot out smashing into the side of the fish. The massive amount of force behind it slowed the fish and stopped its spinning with ease as it glanced off the fish's side. Kicking out she headed toward it, now closing even faster, she took the moment's advantage as the fish regained what it was trying to do.

"Danshira." Her arm flicked out, the whipping of her elbow launching all the power of the sword into the tip she brought the blade down upon the Klarian's head barely avoiding the fish's nose at the same time. The tip of the blade smacked the Klarian right between the eyes, the force of her strength behind it, the tip slid straight into the space between the eyes, the forward motion of the fish impaling itself upon Syph's sword while at the same time pushing her backwards along side the fish. As the fish slowed to a stop Syph had a bemused look on her face, That worked out better than expected.

Glancing down she looked at her side, and grimaced as she noted a red liquid sliding softly down the side of her belly. Apparently she had not dodged it so perfectly.

[Flame]

(NOTE: Bailout Post)

Reaching her hand out she pressed it against the klarion fish which hung limp upon her sword. With strength she swiftly slid her sword from its 'sheath'. Drawing it across the water she allowed the blood to spread uncontrolled into the water. It dispersed swirling into it and disappearing its redness almost immediately dissolved into the great blue. That blood was not alone, streaming in trickles from the wound at her side it found channels and pathways through her clothing which allowed it to be released from the bubble's seal.

The both of them scented the sea. They called with their new combined flavor the fish of the nearby sea. Most importantly, unnoticed by Syphalia herself it drew the attention of more hungry klarion and other more dangerous creatures of the Inlet Grove ecosystem. From all about her, fish and more turned their attentions. They aimed themselves toward the small sword-wielding-she pulling along one of their own as a carcass. But unaware she just kicked onward. Her hand was wrapped carefully around the slackened jaw of her limp prey. Fingers grasping up around the teeth careful to not wound herself upon their sharper tips. Feet fluttered pulling the fish and her upwards back towards the shore of the inner crescent and the sun above.

Swimming upwards Syphalia glanced about for her partner in this work. The fishman, by the name of Pierce was nowhere to be found. Must be up working on the fish we've already caught ... Untroubled by such thoughts she continued to swim upwards until she broken upon the surface her head popping out back into the air of the world. She was thankful that her bubble did not break. This was only the second that she had caught, and there were definitely more that needed to be captured.

Her eyes scanned the shore for her partner and the fisherman. Finding them once more she brought strength to her arm and in a moment rushed it into the air. Alongside it the klarian was lifted flying through the air and landing with a flat thud followed by a soft one as it bounced upon the grass. "That's another!" She called out happily to the pair. The wound at her side stung a little but it didn't bother her enough for her to stop. The danger of her blood in the water being of low concern to her for the moment. Waving her hand towards them she smiled as she gained a return wave.

Back to work she thought with a happiness. It was because she enjoyed stretching her arms and practicing her skills that she enjoyed this. Diving back down she glanced around, to her surprise she noted now that she was being charged down by not one but a dozen or more of these klarian fish. Following the trail of blood she had let slip through the water they barreled towards her like bloodhounds. Gripping her sword with with a renewed vigor she grinned. None of these fish would be her better if they were anything like the one she just fought. So she feared not, it would be a challenge, an enjoyable one if that.

Keeping her eye on those before her she became aware of more. The dozen having just been the first wave, she was suddenly conscious of more on the horizon. By the dozen and from all angles they were returning to the 'scene of the crime'. Her two feet kicked, building strength and speed as she prepared to deal with what was appearing to be the first wave. At the tip of the spear the first klarian drilled by her allowing her to slash her sword along its side. Its blood coloring this water at the surface a beautiful crimson red. Beside it more and more drilled past her as she hurriedly ducked and dived in the water twisting as best she could about the waters.

And then it all stopped. A great roar echoed through the water like a lion upon the plains. Not only Syph but the klarian as well seemed stunned by the calling. And many of those that were not immediately caught in battle with her were instantly fleeing the scene. In the momentary silence, through the blood which now clouded the water, she noted a new factor. Like a snake, a black shadow zoomed through the waters below, it moved, its elevation rising quickly. And like lightning the dark being quickly overran one of the klarian in flight. It was then that she realized its size, the klarian, which was already quite a large fish was dwarfed many times by this beast. A sudden fear overtook her as it continued to move on the dispersing klarian.

Her attention was quickly brought back as she noticed one of the fighting klarian charging her down. Katana in hand she swung it with a fervor slamming it into the side of the giant fish that was more pressingly her problem. But that creeping nerve in her kept her eyes at work. Flitting between her enemy and the greater threat in deeps below her, her thought was split between the pair. As the current one backed off and the next one plowed into her she once again crashed into it with her sword. This might be untenable ... she thought biting her lip. Her feet kicked into action as she barely lifted her body out of the path of the next enemy to take its turn against her. But we really need more than the two

There was the issue, the two she had were not enough. Then an idea happened upon her. Pulling her sword in she used it to glance away the next fish which zoomed past her. Taking in a deep breath she put her two feet to work launching herself through the water she dived beneath the charging klarian. Below her, her eyes quickly glanced at the shadow she now realized was a serpent whose attention was now aimed back up towards the klarian and herself. From above her like bullets the klarian came like a hail diving down with their lance-like noses driving past her. With sword and feet she ducked and dived, twirled and pushed aside the swarm of klarian till they were below her.

The serpent below them and their prey above they had only one choice. One that Syphalia had 'prepared' for as best she could. Putting all her effort into it she kicked upwards, swimming with all she had for the surface. Behind the the klarian spun and flew through the water both in fear from their predator and in chase of their food. And below them all came the black serpent, massive and as Syph and the klarian could feel dangerous, it came at them like a train.

It was a bare hope but she made it with time to spare. Drawing upon all her strength and speed she could muster she flew out of the water with momentum at her back. Her hands clawed at the air grasping forward for a piece of land to hold onto. Gravity quickly took over and she tumbled upon the root-y surface of the Inlet Grove island. Behind her some klarian noted their issue to slowly and like javelins hurled themselves out of the water. One, two, three. and then two more shot from the water then caught in the air they shook unable to do anything. Others only slightly more likely managed to turn in time to face the beast below.

For them it was also too late. In awe Syphalia watched as a beast far greater than the klarian she had been hunting burst from the waters. Pushed into the air before it were the klarian who had managed to turn away before they launched themselves into the air. It was unfortunate for them that the result was that from the force of the water serpent below them they were thrown into the air. What a beautiful creature she watched it as sun and water combined to form a rainbow around it. Some of the fish she had trapped fell to the ground and others the greater misfortune of beating gobbled up.

It was a momentary brilliance to witness and was over in seconds. Gravity in the same way it affected her pulled the basilisk back to the water. Pushing up a giant spray of water as it slammed into the water with a crack, it disappeared beneath the surface and as quickly as that disappeared. The explosion of water sprayed Syphalia whose bubble had already popped wetting down her clothes causing them stick to her thin body. Standing there the coolness of the water was refreshing in the humidity of the island. A gleeful smile turned her face and she laughed. Looking around her and she continued to laugh and chuckle. About her klarian were dying in the airy atmosphere. They flapped up and down unable to do anything without the water to push against.

Catching her breath Syphalia flicked her sword-wielding wrist. Blood and salt water in beads were flung from its glistening edge and with a flourish she sheathed it. Turning to her fishmen partner and the fisherman whom a deal she had made with, she threw her arms out in gesture. "Is this enough?" A mindless laughter overcame her once again as she stood among the helplessly splashing klarian upon the ground. There was a somewhat crazy smile upon her face which was calming but she laughed all the same.

This was likely enough.