LeftXRight

LeftXRight - part 1

His breathing came heavy. Sweat dripped from his brow as his eyes skimmed the landscape trying to detect her presence. She was near, he was sure of that, but he wasn't yet confident on where her next attack would come from. The only option left to him was to wait. Once she made the slightest shift in posture, he would be able to detect her. When that happened, he would make his move.

But she was taking too long. What was she waiting for? The thought made him nervous. Her unpredictability always threw him for a loop. Was the element of surprise against him?

The air shifted and the weight of it made him all the more nervous. He knew she was there so why couldn't he sense her? In the pit of his stomach he felt his irritation settle. If something didn't happen soon he was probably going to lose it and act recklessly.

And somehow, he was aware that she was probably doing all of it on purpose.

He closed his eyes. For each second that passed, his heart and breathing slowed until it virtually came to a stop. His skin seemed to absorb his surroundings. It was like roots had sprouted from his feet and tasted the ground below. Eventually, his mind had conjured a map of the entire landscape, telling him the location of every tree, every plant. He even knew how many blades of grass carpeted the ground. With every blade that stood still and unmoving, the unusual cry of a patch that lay flat against the soft earth spoke of a tale of the two that danced across them. There was one patch that sang louder than the rest.

She was standing approximately twenty-five yards away from him and most likely had her gaze fixated on the nape of his neck. She was not aware that he knew her location; it was the perfect time to attack.

His body shifted and his muscles tensed in anticipation. It would be best to take her by surprise, make her think he was still trying to find her. He was about to leap off the ground when something small and hard struck his cheek.

He yelped out in pain and muttered a flurry of curse words under his breath. Within seconds a dime-sized bruise had formed on his cheek and he clutched at it in pain. While he threw his fit, a harmonious laughter pulsed throughout the wooded field.

"Dammit, Rin!" he yelled in the direction of the laughter's origin. "You hit me in the face!"

From behind a clump of trees a young girl with a cheery demeanor stepped out. Her hair was tied up on either side of her head and was devoid of all color, the purest form of white. In contrast, her eyes were black as the night yet still inviting and warm, reflecting the girl's eccentric personality. In a playful tone, she said, "Well, you should have ducked."

He held up his gun, aimed, and pulled the trigger. Rin gracefully stepped to the side, easily dodging the rubber bullet. She smiled at him. "See? Like that."

A growl conjured by his growing irritation at being mocked escaped his throat. The gun he held in his hand was tossed to the side and he reached down to grab a large, sturdy looking stick. He threw it from side to side, testing its weight. After he had swung it down a few times, he got into position. Guns were never his forté, anyway.

Rin raised an eyebrow curiously, then turned around and ran in the opposite direction. He chased after her. Within seconds, he had caught up to her and had to slow down his pace in order to run next to her. He attempted a sideways blow to her abdomen but she jumped backwards, avoiding the attack.

However, he had anticipated her reaction and dug his heels into the earth. He came to an abrupt stop, then pivoted around. Using his feet to propel himself off the ground, he shot off after her. She continued running and grew further and further away. His mind focused on the hunt. Her scent, a mix of wildflowers and soap filled his nose, directing him like a bloodhound to a raccoon. The light sound of her steps as she ran pounded in his ears. He could almost taste her as he ran.

Within moments, he had caught up to her for the second time. He was about to close in on her when she jumped into the air, easily passing over the tallest of trees. Ahead, he could see the opening of the small forest and burst through it. Once he made his way completely out of the brush, he found a small clearing where Rin landed only a few meters from him.

He yelled out a battle cry as he swung his stick down on her kneeling figure. She anticipated the blow, using a backwards flip to position her body in the shape of an L, balancing on the palms of her hands. The stick landed between them, inches from her face. After waiting a few seconds, she pushed off the ground with her palms, completing the turn. He dodged her feet and stepped back. She landed lightly on her feet. Without a moment's hesitation, she spun her body around in order to deliver a roundhouse kick aimed at his cranium. He used his stick as a cover and blocked the attack. Before she had the chance to retaliate, he pushed her off balance, causing her to stumble backwards. Then he went in for the kill.

With the stick raised high above his head, he charged. He cried out as he brought down his stick on his unsuspecting victim.

But only to have his attack intercepted.

Rin grabbed the end of the stick and used the elbow of her free arm to break it in half. She stepped back, flipping the object around so the jagged end was not a threat to his skin. She mimicked his scream as she stabbed him in the stomach.

The air he had stored in his lungs was forced out and he fell backwards onto the ground. Rin followed, her body falling lightly on top of him.

Once enough air had returned to him, he muttered weakly, "You didn't have to hit me using all your strength, you know."

Rin only laughed in response and he could feel the vibrations it caused through his clothes. He couldn't help noting how good it felt.

"Oh! Sorry, Lore." She said once the fit of giggles had subsided.

Lore stared up at her, his body paralyzed by her beauty and the mesmerizing sound her voice made when she said his name. The warmth of her body mingled with his own, arousing him. Her scent overpowered him, made him weak and helpless. It was a good thing he couldn't move because, if he did, he would surely attack her. His heart was ready to burst.

Rin's gaze softened and she smiled in a way that he had never seen before. His heart stilled. Why did he feel like his heart was shattering like glass?