Day 8 [EM] A Running Start (Expecting)

[Suzume Rin]

The tricky Crab grins widely at Rin's remark, and she proceeds to jump right in front of the speeding Sparrow as she rushes along the trail.

"Gotcha!"

"Ack!"
A lifetime of combat training means Rin's first reaction is to punch wildly at the 'attacker'. But fortunately, she's able to recognise Mitsuko in time and divert the swing over the Crab's shoulder as the Sparrow collides with the other girl at full tilt and crash tackles them both to the ground.

[Kuni Mitsuko]

The tricky Crab grins widely at Rin's remark, and she proceeds to jump right in front of the speeding Sparrow as she rushes along the trail.

"Gotcha!"

"Ack!"
A lifetime of combat training means Rin's first reaction is to punch wildly at the 'attacker'. But fortunately, she's able to recognise Mitsuko in time and divert the swing over the Crab's shoulder as the Sparrow collides with the other girl at full tilt and crash tackles them both to the ground.

"Ri--" Mitsuko sees the tensing of the shoulder, senses the blow might be coming - and thus is in no position to even slow Rin's momentum or roll with the accidental tackle. The Crab is lucky the Sparrow is similarly athletic in build, but being hit at full speed and taken straight to the ground still knocks the wind from Mitsuko's body. She lays motionless under the other girl for a time, her face beneath the makeup covered in shock and a certain degree of guilt, her eyes looking frantically at Rin to verify that she is ok.

[Suzume Rin]

"Ri--" Mitsuko sees the tensing of the shoulder, senses the blow might be coming - and thus is in no position to even slow Rin's momentum or roll with the accidental tackle. The Crab is lucky the Sparrow is similarly athletic in build, but being hit at full speed and taken straight to the ground still knocks the wind from Mitsuko's body. She lays motionless under the other girl for a time, her face beneath the makeup covered in shock and a certain degree of guilt, her eyes looking frantically at Rin to verify that she is ok.

"Ooof!"
All the air is knocked from Rin's body as she ends up sprawled on top of Mitsuko, eyes very wide

"Umm!...Uhhh!"
Looking exceptionally guilty, she'd almost just hit her friend

Gasping "You alright? Gosh I'm so sorry! You just...you know, I saw someone jump out at me and of course my first instinct is to start swingin'"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Ooof!"
All the air is knocked from Rin's body as she ends up sprawled on top of Mitsuko, eyes very wide

"Umm!...Uhhh!"
Looking exceptionally guilty, she'd almost just hit her friend

Gasping "You alright? Gosh I'm so sorry! You just...you know, I saw someone jump out at me and of course my first instinct is to start swingin'"

Mitsuko, breath and words not yet recovered, tries to smile to say she's fine, but the effort only manifests as her entire face scrunched tight - a look more suggestive that Rin is squishing something delicate.

[Suzume Rin]

Mitsuko, breath and words not yet recovered, tries to smile to say she's fine, but the effort only manifests as her entire face scrunched tight - a look more suggestive that Rin is squishing something delicate.

"Oh! You're hurt?!? Where's it hurt? You breathing okay? Can you point to where it hurts?"
Pause, looking down "Oh wait, oh gosh let me just get my elbow outta there"
Rin hurriedly shifts off the Crab

"That better?"

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Oh! You're hurt?!? Where's it hurt? You breathing okay? Can you point to where it hurts?"
Pause, looking down "Oh wait, oh gosh let me just get my elbow outta there"
Rin hurriedly shifts off the Crab

"That better?"

The Crab makes a sort of sad squeaking noise, but she's trying to smile and manages to nod that it's better. She looks at Rin, eyes filled with apology, and squeaks, "Sorry." After gathering another strained breath she adds, "Rin-chan," with as much affection as she can force into two syllables.

[Suzume Rin]

The Crab makes a sort of sad squeaking noise, but she's trying to smile and manages to nod that it's better. She looks at Rin, eyes filled with apology, and squeaks, "Sorry." After gathering another strained breath she adds, "Rin-chan," with as much affection as she can force into two syllables.

"Oh, no need to apologise. I was the one that nearly took your head off....you did want me to practice for the tournament though, so I reckon you've sharpened my instincts Mitsuko-chan."
Now that's it's clear the Crab is mostly okay Rin permits herself a grin and a chuckle.

"Think I mighta ruined your clothes though, at least the back of 'em."
She offers a hand to the downed Crab

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Oh, no need to apologise. I was the one that nearly took your head off....you did want me to practice for the tournament though, so I reckon you've sharpened my instincts Mitsuko-chan."
Now that's it's clear the Crab is mostly okay Rin permits herself a grin and a chuckle.

"Think I mighta ruined your clothes though, at least the back of 'em."
She offers a hand to the downed Crab

A keen-eyed Sparrow will notice the hesitation as mischief dances in Mitsuko's eyes again. Maybe better not, since she's already worried.

Mitsuko slowly nods and reaches for the offered hand. "They're fine," she says, voice a little strained but clear. "Crab training is rough and tumble. One crash in the woods can be dirty, but it won't hurt." There's a heartbeat, then a realisation that her words could be interpreted differently than she meant them. Her eyes are wide as she takes Rin's hand.

[Suzume Rin]

A keen-eyed Sparrow will notice the hesitation as mischief dances in Mitsuko's eyes again. Maybe better not, since she's already worried.

Mitsuko slowly nods and reaches for the offered hand. "They're fine," she says, voice a little strained but clear. "Crab training is rough and tumble. One crash in the woods can be dirty, but it won't hurt." There's a heartbeat, then a realisation that her words could be interpreted differently than she meant them. Her eyes are wide as she takes Rin's hand.

Rin shakes her head, suppressing another laugh as she starts pulling Mitsuko up. When it comes to any innuendo, it all passes far overhead.
"Well, suppose we got dirty together didn't we? I was just on top is all."

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Rin shakes her head, suppressing another laugh as she starts pulling Mitsuko up. When it comes to any innuendo, it all passes far overhead.
"Well, suppose we got dirty together didn't we? I was just on top is all."

"Um, we sure did," Mitsuko says with a little giggle. She's sufficiently innocent to not understand the details that make much innuendo work. She says quietly, "It, uh, wasn't so bad having you on top... Wasn't scary. Just a... certain kind of hug," she adds, trying to describe the experience.

Once on her feet and steady, still holding Rin's hand and standing face to face, Mitsuko says honestly, "I, um. I think I need a little time to recover yet."

[Suzume Rin]

"Um, we sure did," Mitsuko says with a little giggle. She's sufficiently innocent to not understand the details that make much innuendo work. She says quietly, "It, uh, wasn't so bad having you on top... Wasn't scary. Just a... certain kind of hug," she adds, trying to describe the experience.

Once on her feet and steady, still holding Rin's hand and standing face to face, Mitsuko says honestly, "I, um. I think I need a little time to recover yet."

"Well, glad having my face staring down at you all bug-eyed and worried wasn't too bad. Just a...surprise hug?"
Nodding to some nearby trees
"We can definitely rest a while, make sure you ain't too sore, ankles all working and that sorta stuff."
Rin heads off and doesn't realise she's still got Mitsuko by the hand until she ends up gently tugging the Crab along.
"Oh gosh, sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to drag you around."

[Kuni Mitsuko]

"Well, glad having my face staring down at you all bug-eyed and worried wasn't too bad. Just a...surprise hug?"
Nodding to some nearby trees
"We can definitely rest a while, make sure you ain't too sore, ankles all working and that sorta stuff."
Rin heads off and doesn't realise she's still got Mitsuko by the hand until she ends up gently tugging the Crab along.
"Oh gosh, sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to drag you around."

The Crab smirks and closes in to gently hip check the Sparrow. "Reckon you couldn't drag me around if I didn't want you to," she says, giving her voice a bit of Suzume twang. She squeezes the held hand. "Only flattened me cuz I got too aggressive," she jokes warmly.

[Suzume Rin]

The Crab smirks and closes in to gently hip check the Sparrow. "Reckon you couldn't drag me around if I didn't want you to," she says, giving her voice a bit of Suzume twang. She squeezes the held hand. "Only flattened me cuz I got too aggressive," she jokes warmly.

Rin giggles and in a rather unladylike moment sticks out her tongue.
"Don't tell me that's how I sound. All funny like....Sounds good on you though."

She squeezes back and heads to the trees where she leans against one and relaxes, looking over happily at Mitsuko
"I think you've got an aggressive nature, you know, in the sense you work towards things, don't let 'em come to you. Only makes sense you'd go for the old jump out'n'spook. Done that before to some of the little ones, always gets them good."

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Rin giggles and in a rather unladylike moment sticks out her tongue.
"Don't tell me that's how I sound. All funny like....Sounds good on you though."

She squeezes back and heads to the trees where she leans against one and relaxes, looking over happily at Mitsuko
"I think you've got an aggressive nature, you know, in the sense you work towards things, don't let 'em come to you. Only makes sense you'd go for the old jump out'n'spook. Done that before to some of the little ones, always gets them good."

The look on Mitsuko's face makes clear that she isn't letting that tongue thing go, though she leans against her own tree for a moment, listening to Rin and contemplates her next move.

"Hmm. So you've got me figured out, huh?" She lifts an eyebrow and looks sideways at the Sparrow. "So'd you fall inta my trap on purpose then?" The Crab uses a bit more of her faux-Suzume accent, testing how well Rin really likes it.

[Suzume Rin]

The look on Mitsuko's face makes clear that she isn't letting that tongue thing go, though she leans against her own tree for a moment, listening to Rin and contemplates her next move.

"Hmm. So you've got me figured out, huh?" She lifts an eyebrow and looks sideways at the Sparrow. "So'd you fall inta my trap on purpose then?" The Crab uses a bit more of her faux-Suzume accent, testing how well Rin really likes it.

Given Rin seems to somehow blush every single time Mitsuko uses the accent, it's clear the Sparrow at the very least finds it cute.

"Well umm...uh..."
Rubbing the back of her neck
"You...you may have gotten me there, I was sure you'd somehow gotten 'round that corner already. Guess you might still have a trick or two that I ain't wise ta."

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Given Rin seems to somehow blush every single time Mitsuko uses the accent, it's clear the Sparrow at the very least finds it cute.

"Well umm...uh..."
Rubbing the back of her neck
"You...you may have gotten me there, I was sure you'd somehow gotten 'round that corner already. Guess you might still have a trick or two that I ain't wise ta."

Mitsuko, looking feistier now that she's recovered more, takes a step toward Rin, enjoying the blushing more than she could say out loud.

"Hmm. Reckon it's good I kin still trick ya," the cheeky Crab says, maybe using the accent a little heavier before toning it back down. "I wouldn't want ya gettin' bored wit'me," she adds, taking another slow step closer.

[Suzume Rin]

Mitsuko, looking feistier now that she's recovered more, takes a step toward Rin, enjoying the blushing more than she could say out loud.

"Hmm. Reckon it's good I kin still trick ya," the cheeky Crab says, maybe using the accent a little heavier before toning it back down. "I wouldn't want ya gettin' bored wit'me," she adds, taking another slow step closer.

Poor Rin appears to have gone into a full blush. The accent overwhelming her defenses with a combination of embarrassment and cuteness...but lots of embarrassment.

"Reckon...I mean..it's..real...yah see."
She added, unhelpfully

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Poor Rin appears to have gone into a full blush. The accent overwhelming her defenses with a combination of embarrassment and cuteness...but lots of embarrassment.

"Reckon...I mean..it's..real...yah see."
She added, unhelpfully

Mitsuko is enjoying the reaction, reveling a little in her mischievousness, but she notices her own heart beat increasing. She takes a deep breath, noticing it's harder than she had expected.

With another step, this one more nervous, she's in easy reach of the Suzume. "Maybe," she says softly, "I shouldn't get carried away with that. It's a lot of fun, but..." She looks directly into Rin's eyes and loses any other words she might have had. A slightly shaky hand pushes a lock of brown hair behind Rin's ear.

"I, um... Shouldn't get carried away..." She trails off, sounding breathless.

[Suzume Rin]

Mitsuko is enjoying the reaction, reveling a little in her mischievousness, but she notices her own heart beat increasing. She takes a deep breath, noticing it's harder than she had expected.

With another step, this one more nervous, she's in easy reach of the Suzume. "Maybe," she says softly, "I shouldn't get carried away with that. It's a lot of fun, but..." She looks directly into Rin's eyes and loses any other words she might have had. A slightly shaky hand pushes a lock of brown hair behind Rin's ear.

"I, um... Shouldn't get carried away..." She trails off, sounding breathless.

Rin's hand reaches up to gently clasp the brushing hand, as if to squeeze the shakes away.

"You know...if you really want to...I reckon you're allowed to get carried away Mitsuko-chan."
She stares into the Crab's eyes for a long moment, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face.

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Rin's hand reaches up to gently clasp the brushing hand, as if to squeeze the shakes away.

"You know...if you really want to...I reckon you're allowed to get carried away Mitsuko-chan."
She stares into the Crab's eyes for a long moment, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face.

Mitsuko's mouth hangs open gently, shock and happy surprise holding it there as her cheeks blaze red enough to tint her makeup. But while her propriety screams to close her eyes and look away in embarrassment, Rin's brown eyes have caught hers and there seems as little escape from them as there is from the Sparrow's gentle squeeze of her hand.

The Crab takes half of a faltering step closer, her hand and the one holding it drifting to the Sparrow's slender cheek. "I... Rin-chan..." The Kuni speaks so softly it's almost inaudible, but with Rin's ears so close, she can't miss the words.

"You... You do not know how far I might be carried," she says, nervous in every way and shocked that she can even say such words.