With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
With another hard crash and tumble from the harsh side-kick, Sayuri picked herself though this time a little bit more slower than the last. She was breathing much heavier and by the way she stood from when she picked herself up, she was favoring her other side more than the other that just been struck. However, if her Captain wanted her to outright fight, she will give her best in a direct confrontation with her.
Immediately she went into Soifon trading varying trades of palm strikes combined with attempted knee strikes. An onslaught she put up the best she could offer while attempting to grit out the hits she suffered while continuing to deal out strikes of her own heavily favoring a swift open palm punching style in the succession of their trading strikes, while blocking and parrying their attacks.
But as she missed with a right palm strike, she quietly mumbled, "Hadou", then followed up a low-leg spin kick while continued, "No. 1", spinning back around to face Soifon, she finished reciting in her soft tone while thrusting both her hands, "Sho.", emitting from her hands a transparent small wave of Kidou energy attempting to hit Soifon at point blank range with it in the midst of their trading attacks.
Soifon held true to her word, and held back. Sayuri actually got a few strikes through her defenses, and no doubt, Soifon got in a few of her own.
She did see flaws in Sayuri's hand to hand, but they weren't that bad. She had a sturdy style about her. And that was reinforced as she used hado 1 on her which blew Soifon back, and away.
She quickly rolled to her feet with the front of her outfit frayed from the strike of Kido.
She exhaled, "Much better!" she smirked some, "So you do know more kido than 3 spells?" she teased a little.
Soifon dashed in with an uppercut aimed for Sayuri's chin, into an elbow strike aimed for her stomach with her body weight, and leg strength behind it, then leapt at Sayuri where she attempted a flying circle kick.
Sayuri definitely suffered some blows from their exchange, the left corner of her mouth and left nostil begun bleeding again from a couple hits received to the head. She was also certain she now has few new bruises on her mid-section from some of those hits she suffered. But what surprised her most was actually having struck Soifon with her Sho, her ploy to strike her with it in the midst of a head on fight worked. Though it certainly was not without its price.
Albeit, Soifon's taunt actually managed to get a bit of rile out of her, offending her sensibility as a Kidou Master of the Sasaki clan. Although, that in of itself was a ploy that Sayuri fell right for, within a split second Sayuri's head was rocked back even taking her off of her feet from Soifon's strike to Sayuri's chin, her body practically folded as her eyes went wide from the second strike being Soifon's elbow, and the finisher - Soifon's spin kick sent her flying and tumbling across the mat coming to a sliding halt face first.
It took a moment for Sayuri to get up from that, but when she it was far from quick... her limbs moved limply, and there was stagger to her steps as she turned to face Soifon once again. Sayuri breathed heavily - Soifon could likely even hear her breathing easily, at one point Sayuri had to take an involuntary large deep breath in order to stabilize her breathing. Still favoring one side a little as her eyes narrowed with a smirk, "Do I know more than three spells, huh? I'll show you some Kidou, Soi-sama..."
Limply she straightened herself up thrusting her hands forward as she mumbled some sort of incantation - her reiastu building immensely as she did as she then uttered, "Hadou No. 88 Hiryugekizo--", but then mid-way into she suddenly stopped, and was right there in Soifon's face halfway through a flying spin-kick at her as she said with a smirk, "Pysche.", although perhaps a little bit too sure of herself as... this was a tactic she had already used earlier and failed miserably...
Soifon's eyes went a little wide as Sayuri began a kido of that magnitude, and the shock, and awe was enough to give Sayuri that opening which took Soifon off her feet onto her butt, and into a roll. Even while distracted, Soifon's method of falling was ingrained into her deeply so she almost always used it.
Soifon smirked at Sayuri,"Interesting twist," she chuckled, "Shock and awe value. Good, good."
Still, Soifon had that wicked look in her eye, "But-" she dashed forward at Sayuri, with a hand ready for a strike, but it was a feint. Soifon tumbled around her at a good speed, then stood behind her, "I haven't seen any other kido," she whispered at Sayuri into her ear, then threw a rough punch at her kidney.
Still breathing heavily she smirked a little seeing that little trick worked, while she certainly can use the spell as it is the strongest Hadou spell she knows, she was certainly was not about to use it full-bore in a sparring match nor against Soifon. Her eyes widened the second Soifon was already on her feet, and attacking - Sayuri did not expect this but she realized in that instant she should have known better as she attempted to deflect the incoming punch; but unwittingly fell victim to the feint the punch actually was leaving her wide open.
Though once again Soifon's taunt as she swiftly and adroitly moved around Sayuri was a jab to her pride that got a distracting rile out of her, but was instantly pacified by the sudden blow to the kidney. Sayuri staggered a few steps in pain from the hit, while spinning around rather than her usual method which is to quietly mumble the spell, at this point she lacked the concentration and focus to utilize that technique of hers causing her to actually announce the spell as she recited, "Hadou No. 58 Tenran!", with a swift sweep of her right hand as she spun around to face Soifon as Sayuri staggered in her steps wildly casting the spell uncertain if it would even hit her target. The twisting winds of the blasted forth as Sayuri herself fell to the mat, though cringing in pain she slowly begun to pick herself up off of the mat.
The girl was looking the worst for wear, her lip and nose bleeding, panting heavily with wheezing breaths, favoring one side, and gritting out the shooting pain she feels from a kidney shot and other hits she had taken during hers and Soifon's direct exchange of blows. Though, despite her condition and looking as though another solid blow could bring her down for good, she clearly stood as though she refused to give up - not in front of Soifon.
Soifon underestimated Sayuri, it seemed! Her spell went off on Soifon, who couldn't simply block it, or anything, really as she honestly expected Sayuri to be out before she could do anything else.
Her eyes went wide, and she took up a firm stance, but it was pretty useless as the whirlwhind swept her up,and threw her against the wall of the training area.
WHA-THUP!! Sleeeeeeee.... Soifon slammed against the wall, and slid down on her bare back to land upside down on her shoulders with her head cocked to the side.
The room was spinning, and her eyes were swirly, and she had a comical look on her face. Her arms were sprawled on the floor, and her feet were on the floor despite her butt being in the air.
Soifon was really thrown for a loop! She even needed time to recover, even.
"Soi-sama!", Sayuri called out in fright seeing the results of her spell, quickly she ran over to Soifon kneeling down by her side checking to see if Soifon was ok, "Soi-sama! I'm sorry! I was trying to avoid using powerful spells! I shouldn't have been so reckless! Forgive me, please!", she pleaded terrified she harmed Soifon badly.
The poor girl at Soifon's side looked upon clearly distressed and worried, "Soi-sama...?", she uttered once again in concern.
Soifon mumbled something incoherently, and her foot twitched a little. The world hadn't stopped spinning yet.
She hook off the daze, then struggled a little, before she managed to roll onto her belly with a flop.
Slowly, she got to her hands, and knees, then sat on her legs. Once in the latter position she swayed a bit almost as if she lost balance, then palmed her forehead.
Of course she heard Sayuri, and heard her concern. She ignored it for the time being, though, focused on recovering from the sudden flight across the room more than anything.
Her gaze went to Sayuri, and she smiled a bit. Not an evil one, but a rather happy one, "That was excellent." "I had underestimated you," she said honestly. "You looked to be on your last legs, but you fought through it well enough to use a high level Kido in melee combat. Not only did you deceive me, you adapted Kido into your melee combat very well." She clapped Sayuri on the back to congratulate her, then used her back to help her stand up. "If you can weave Kido into your melee that well consistently, I think you have a good future ahead of you," she stood up, then stumbled, tipsy.
There wasn't much of a trick to help prevent being whirled like crazy, and slammed from making a person dizzy, so, yeah.
The little kunoichi could not help but well-up with emotional pride hearing Soifon's compliments, a wide smile of shear beatitude grew on her face. Helping Soifon up to her feet and keep balance, Sayuri still felt pretty bad about putting Soifon in her current condition, "Thank you, Soi-sama... Truth be told, I was-- am on my last legs, the Tenran I cast was out of desperation... and a little bit of wounded pride of having my ability as a Kidou Master being put into question."
Stepping a little closer to Soifon holding one of her arms by the becip and resting her other hand on Soifon's side to make sure she maintains balance until she regains itself, while admitting, "You are a far more superior combatant than me, but I was hesitant to use powerful Kidou against you... So, I tried utilize surprise attacks instead, because in a straight contest of skill... I'd never win. I know my limits."
Her eyes turned downcast a little as she said, "I know I'm stronger than the last time you and I sparred, much stronger... But... still you defeated me handedly then, but this sparring match was much tougher than that one... You held a lot back for me in that sparring match, and still held back for me in this one - this match was much harder despite my being stronger... It's just starting to dawn on me just big of a gap is between us and how much further I have to go..."
Soifon shook her head a bit, "You give yourself too little credit, Sayuri. As much as I hold back, I can't make myself easier to take injuries," she pointed out her increased durability. "I believe that most anyone at your level would be hard pressed to fight you, especially with Kido mixed in your melee."
"Your melee is fairly strong, Sayuri. You could do well to rely on it more if the fight calls for it," Soifon spoke to her frankly, "It'll supplement your Kido greatly, even against a stronger opponent." Soifon's current state was proof of that.
"The only reason you would not win in a straight fight is your own self doubt, and the fact that I am a captain," she said as she managed to stand upright, and regain her balance, "With me holding back, all that's left is your own doubts, and hesitations."
"In the future, don't be afraid to mix in some Kido. I'll look forward to stepping up our training, unless you wish to keep things more casual." She walked over to a bench, then sat down.
