The Secrets of Ether

Chapter 6: Exhibition (Part 2)

Yelena signaled the start of the exhibition. However, unlike the first two challengers, Margaret did not instantly attack; she merely stood facing her opponent in anticipation. After a thirty second stare down, Megumi finally sprinted towards Margaret.

She's fast. Margaret should be able to stop a direct assault, but I should know better than to underestimate Megumi by now.

Megumi quickly closed in on Margaret and before long the two were in striking range of each other. The two stood just feet apart, both doing nothing.

"Miss Carbonneau, why haven't you moved yet?"

"I do not fight unless I have to. You did not attack me, so I had no reason to defend."

Megumi smiled. "It's like that, huh? Well alright..."

Megumi began to assail Margaret with a barrage of kicks. Margaret was quick to evade, backstepping to avoid the kicks flying towards her but unable to counter.

"The speed of your kicks are amazing!" Margaret complimented. "I can hardly find an opening!"

"Really now?"

Megumi continued her attack, her kicks flying like they were floating on the wind. Megumi moved with the finesse of an acrobat; Margaret couldn't find an opening in her opponent's swift assault.

"She attacks too quickly to find an opening," Margaret thought, "so I suppose I simply have to make an opening then..."

As Megumi was in the middle of a kick, Margaret forced the side of her blade against Megumi's incoming foot, deftly parrying the attack. "I have her now!" Margaret thought.

She went in to perform the finishing blow when Megumi pulled an object out of her pocket. The strike was blocked. The two jumped back from one another.

"You're good *huff* *huff* Miss Carbonneau *huff* *huff* but you made one mistake... *huff*"

"Really? *huff* What was... *huff* What was my mistake?"

Setsuna was curious as well. "Her technique was flawless. How could she have known?

Megumi pointed at Margaret's sword.

"Because of your weapon."

"My sword?"

"Yes. It's called a Colichemarde, correct?"

"Yes... So I suppose that was a giveaway to my technique."

"The Colichemarde is designed especially for parrying. It's great for counterattacking."

Margaret began to laugh. "I suppose it is quite obvious when you put it like that! I admit defeat."

Setsuna could feel her anger rising as Margaret sheathed her blade. Damn it! Don't concede to her!

Megumi walked to Margaret and shook her hand. "You did really well though! You really made me work up a sweat!"

Margaret smiled. "You're too kind!" She took a handkerchief out and began to pat the sweat accumulating on her forehead. "I have a question for you now. What did you block my attack with?"

Megumi held up the object she used to block Margaret's counter. The thin rod measured under a foot long and didn't look particularly strong. Megumi opened the rod, revealing a fan.

"You stopped me with a fan!?"

Megumi laughed. "This is no ordinary fan! Look at the edges."

Margaret curiously gazed at the fan. The outer edges of the fan were actually a razor sharp edge. While the majority of the tool looked to be cloth and wood, it was actually a disguised weapon!

"Oh my goodness! Who would make a fan like this!?"

"Well actually..."

Megumi was quickly cut off by Setsuna.

"It's called a Tessen. It's a deadly weapon made to look like a fan in order to be easily concealed and sneaked into secure locations. It was one of the weapons of choice for the Kunoichi who served as spies for the Hakomori in Nushima."

Megumi looked at Setsuna with wide-eyed disbelief.

"How... how do you know that?"

"Wow, you have a really dumb look on your face. It kind of suits you. More than that annoying, snarky look you normally have."

Megumi quickly regained her composure, laughing off Setsuna's insult. "You know Sunshine, you could really stand to lighten up!" She reached in her pocket and pulled the roster out again.

"Yelena, the next number if you would please?"

"Alright. This time I pick..."

Setsuna interrupted again.

"Don't worry about picking a number Yelena! I'm going next!"

******

Having grown impatient, Setsuna demands to battle Megumi! What connection does Megumi have with the fallen land of Nushima, and can Setsuna defeat her? Next chapter: Kunoichi Duel