Justified Self-Defense

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

WHO: Jin Kisaragi and Arturia!Saber
WHEN: August 12, Dark Hour
WHERE:Outside the Bayview Hotel
SUMMARY: Jin gets attacked and ends up biting off more than he can chew. Fortunately, help happens to be nearby!
RATING: PG-13 for language.

Once again, the clock struck midnight and the world was plunged into the depths of the Dark Hour. Once again, Jin Kisaragi withdrew to the safety of the Bayview Hotel to wait it out.

Only this time it wasn't completely safe. No sooner had the doors closed behind Jin than a pair of Shadows leaped out of the...well, the shadows and attacked.

"What the hell?!" Reacting quickly, Jin raised his sheathed katana to block, then rolled out of the way of the other Shadow. "I thought this place was safe!"

Moving back to put the Shadows in between the door and himself, Jin assumed a fighting stance. When one of the Shadows attacked, he knocked it backwards with a jump kick -- but it wasn't enough to force the door open.

"Dammit," Jin muttered. "Am I really gonna have to lure them out?" He didn't wait for an answer to that question, though -- he sprinted for the door, pushed it open, and ran back out into the street. The Shadows followed...and unfortunately for Jin, many more emerged from the spaces between the buildings and nearby alleys.

After a few minutes of kicks, sheath smacks, and slices, Jin found himself surrounded. For every Shadow he struck down, two more seemed to take their place. The situation was bad, and only seemed ready to get worse.

Comments

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

Jin clenched his teeth. Was this person really so complacent as to try to hold a conversation with him while they were fighting/

"No," came the reply. Yet, for someone who had never fought Shadows before, Jin was clearly holding his own now that he had fewer enemies to worry about. Getting himself out of the middle and putting his back to a wall, he goaded the Shadows on, then, when they entered close range...

"Sekkajin!"

Jin unleashed an unholy fury of sword and sheath.

[ex_cashcow493]

"Impressive tactic."

Now, she doesn't sound entirely impressed by it. No sarcasm in her words either, perhaps a bit too focused on her goal of eliminating as many Shadows as she can possible. The sooner she finishes her side, the sooner she can assist this other.

"Is that your preferred blade then?"

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

Just how much longer was she going to persist with questions. "No," came the response, once again.

Despite what he just said, he seems to possess tremendous skill with the katana, as he slices a pair of Shadows to ribbons. Either he's lying, or he uses a specific sword.

[ex_cashcow493]

"This is not my own either."

Another foe sliced easily through before she turns to face him, a satisfied smirk on her face. Confident with this swarm, she'll continue.

"I wonder if this realm will return our rightful blades to us once more. I would do anything for Caliburn or even Excalibur."

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

At the mention of the name "Excalibur," Jin hesitated for a fraction of a second -- all it took for one Shadow to get its grubby hands on him. Jin took a slap to the side, which hurt a surprising amount.

"Ngh!" Clutching his side with his free hand for a moment, he beat the Shadow back with his now-sheathed katana. Fortunately, there weren't many left.

[ex_cashcow493]

The hesitation doesn't go unnoticed, leaving her only to further question him entirely. Seeing the trouble he got into though dispels the thought of discussion as Saber turns her attention straight towards the surrounding Shadows. Disregarding the remainder of her own, she sprints towards the ones around Jin.

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

Jin saw Saber running toward him and clenched his teeth. "What the hell are you doing?! I told you to take care of the rest of these things!"

As he spoke, he moved back into the fray, punctuating each italicized word with a sword slash. Two more Shadows fell to Jin's blade.

[ex_cashcow493]

"Right. That is what you said. Why are you doubting yourself in the midst of combat?"

Saber doesn't really need to listen to him (listening to a man when she knows how to fight? unheard of!) as she continues her dash, taking another one out on her path.

"We may wish to retreat if this continues going on in this manner. Our opponent can seemingly be infinite during this time."

[the-cold-steel.livejournal.com]

Jin raised his sword to block one attack, then dashed right through a small group of Shadows, swinging his sword once. As he sheathed it, they split apart and disintegrated.

"I found the first two of these things inside the hotel! Who says they'll stay outside?!"