"Unexpectancy" - Maru's Story

Ch.6 - "Given Grace"

"3... 2... 1... Fight!"
Ricardo stood still. It wasn't an intimidating pose... He just sort of stood there.
"So you want me to make the first move huh? Alright then!"
Maru did exactly what Aleister told him to do, except this time he tried with gum. He shot his aura toward Ricardo and it enveloped his hands.
"What is this? A foul play of light to try and scare me? Hahaha!"
Ricardo tried to move his hands, but Maru's aura now had the consistency of gum.
"Let's see what this can do!"
Maru flung both his arms into the air, causing his aura and Ricardo to follow.
"Let's try doubling up!"
Maru began to concentrate again, this time trying feathers again.
"What trickery! How dare you use these foul tricks on me!"
"They're not tricks! It's a manipulation of aura!"
Maru was a offended at what Ricardo had said, and became even more determined to beat him.
"So be it... I'll show you my full potential!"
Ricardo began to have a sharp green aura glow around him. It vigorously shook, similar to the formation of a spectrum wave. The same aura also filled his shurikens.
"I didn't want to do this. It feels unfair."
Ricardo begin to spin rapidly, slicing through the gum like aura. When he stopped, his entire aura encased his body.
"Here's my special trick... Poison Resoluto!"
Ricardo charged at Maru, who was still floating, at an extremely fast speed. He tried to counter, but it was too late. Ricardo had sliced through his aura and sliced his side.
"That's it? Haha! Not so threatening really. I thought you'd try a little harder."
"Check again. Don't be cocky."
Maru felt his aura leave him.
"Ah, so we're doing this the old fashi-"
Ricardo charged at Maru, who got a chance to counter. Maru used his scythe to throw him, but Ricardo came back even quicker this time, slicing his face.
"Alright then, no more talking. Come play Ricardo!"
Maru's eyes and scythe began to glow with his aura, except it was slowly fading. Maru figured that this was one of Ricardo's abilities. Ricardo now stood in the same position when they first started. They both were ready to fight.

Maru shot his aura at Ricardo, who tried to dodge, but the pink aura chased after him. Then, seemingly out of no where, Maru appeared in front of Ricardo, throwing off his balance, which allowed Maru to attack. Then Maru used his aura to fling Ricardo into the air. As Maru chased after him, Ricardo released a ripple of aura through the atmosphere, causing Maru's aura to dissipate. Maru fell back to the ground with Ricardo, both of them tired from using their aura. Both, without the use of aura, launched at each other throwing blow after blow after blow with their weapons. Just then Maru thought of something. Maru manipulated the little aura energy he had left to create a shield. When Ricardo attacked it, his shurikens got cought in the the shield. Maru used this moment to attack. The attack put Ricardo at his knees.
"Thanks Ricardo! This was a lot of fun! Sorry it had to end this way... I hope you can succeed in what you're aiming for!"
"Wait... why are you... Thanking me?! What for! To give amusement! Maru, you are a disgrace. We assassins should not be kind to our opponents!"
"Is their a rule that says we can't?"
And with that, Maru tossed Ricardo by his shirt, out of the ring.

End of Ch.6