A Cut Too Deep [Catherine, Alvah]

Here he comes...

The blink of Sonido would appear to have thrown the redhead off guard, vulnerable to that incoming rush of a hand... Only for it to turn out that the figure he struck was not Catherine, a mirage of speed dispersing as soon as it was struck. He was a quick one alright, that attack almost got her, but she kept her cool, or rather her version of it: which would be a growing sense of thrill.

Her real self had abruptly moved just out of his field of vision, rearing a kick pulsating with green energy to enforce it's power by thrice. With that strike would come a force that would shatter the masks of beasts, delivered fully through a swinging kick that would crash into his side with this great force. Either way, she whistled, "Didn't take ya for a fast one."

Hmm? She dodged. His eyes are able to track her a bit since he understood that she's capable of moving quickly, but he had committed to his attack, hoping to catch her off-guard. That left him open to a counter, so he had little choice but to accept her leg into his side. Luckily, his Hierro flared as she struck him, tanking some brunt off her attack. That did not change that it moved him.

His feet stayed on the ground as the sand beneath him parted while he slid to the side. Though, he quickly stopped himself, righting his stance before a hand patted at his side. The strain of his Hierro told him enough about her strikes. They are not something to take carelessly, but that very fact put a soft smile on his face as he focused on his opponent.

"I did not take you for a brute," He'd counter as his yellow eyes gave off a soft glow.

Ohh yeah, that familiar ringing sensation ran up her leg with the blow's connection; this guy's Hierro was something alright, at least enough to par down the force of her kick to just pushing him. Would've been pretty disappointing if he crumbled to one little kick, so this was ideal for her - it just meant she had to push harder.

"If kicking hard makes me a brute, you haven't seen anything." A wide, daring smile was on her face as her body blurred with movement, Bringer Light bringing her to sharply encircle the man before suddenly closing in with another blow; her knee came up to pierce his stomach, body leaning back as she poured momentum and force into her attack. But she wouldn't stop, her next move would be a kick, then a punch, on and on she sought to put the man in a physical deadlock of defending those incoming blows, each coming with the same amount of power and ferocity as the kick's own and delivered with incredible ease and skill.

"Hope you're not sweating already!" If he was always close, then he couldn't surprise her. Leaving the least amount of space, choking out any escape avenues, that was what felt key here to win.

Again with her strange burst of speed. He gauged it worked in bursts, allowing her to move against her opponent as she does, but he has no time for further guesses as his hand came up to catch her knee. She's moving again though, and he moved his arm to block her kick. With the pressure on him, he began moving his arm and hand to ward off her assault while taking steps back to relieve the strain of fighting with a single arm. She's trained but not beyond his ability to comprehend. Sadly, he shouldn't let her stay advantageous against him, lest he allow a strike to slip through.

"I wish to sweat," He'd let out as a rebuttal as he finally countered. She'd feel energy in his hand as he dodged a punch and sidestepped a kick. There, she'd see the red bala in his open palm. She may feel the need to dodge it or step away, but he did not move against her in that manner, flicking his wrist down between them as the small bala caused the ground to erupt. Sand then soared, cascading around the two with the purpose of blocking her vision.

Alvah watched her though, keeping track of her movement and made a guess as he reached his arm out through the sand and made due to take her shirt and drag her through the grainy wall between them. If she allowed herself to be caught, he'd then raise her up and put her down into the ground, raising his foot right after to step onto her chest and press his weight on her.

"That was just a figure of speech!" She'd correct amongst her blows, though she found it incredibly strange he didn't use both of his arms. She did notice that arm was tucked away, but she didn't anticipate why that could possibly be - all she knows is that she concluded it must either be a habit, or he's stowing away a weapon that he was surprisingly lacking in eagerness to use.

Strange light caught her gaze as she pressured her movements, it's flick toward the ground quickly telling her senses what it was. A swift backstep got her out of harm's way, but now she momentarily lost sight of him. Quickly closing her eyes and expanding her senses, she kept still and focused listening to where he could come from, until...

She was grabbed, seemingly caught hoisted and then floored, a foot placing pressure on her chest... But she looked up at him with sinister joy, a sneer that would tell any they've been had. Manipulating the air between his foot and her body, it'd cause his foot to slip right off of her, most favorably causing him to fall, giving her an avenue to quickly push herself out of the way with Bringer Light causing herself to slide, immediately righting herself and going for a blow to the back if not interrupted.

Momentary success came his way, but he was an infant before her ability. With a lack of understanding, he did not know what ruse she employed to loosen his foot's strength against her, and with all his weight pressed down, he could only slip forward as she zipped away. Momentary gripe took hold of him, his teeth clicking as a sigh of disdain made itself known from his lips. Though, he's no fool to believe she'd back off.

Spinning, his forearm intercepted her strike. He'd hold her there then, his expression now entirely focused on understanding the situation before him. Earlier it had felt like there was some barrier between them, like the air had resisted his downward momentum. Is that an example of her power? Is it air control? Barrier creation? Maybe her ability to create energy allows her to warp it?

His thoughts came quick and left just as quickly as he moved against her, stepping forward. She is not the only one capable of kicking as he entered her guard and raised his knee similarly to how she had. He had no further setup knowing she'd be far too aware of his singular attack and only prepared himself to counter whatever maneuver she'd instill against him.

Awwh, poor guy seemed upset his pin didn't work out, her sharp grin only grew more cat-like as the two were in a lock of arms, her smaller figure betrayed the reality of her strength. She saw those eyes, those were eyes of curiosity, searching for an answer that wasn't immediately understood. Didn't expect such a flippant guy to be putting so much thought into the fight, her surprise was truly in him moving to perform the same move she did. A free leg moved up quickly to intercept that incoming knee, her planted foot held fast to the ground with a swirl of green light increasing the friction of the ground to prevent her from skidding off; it was a good thing she anticipated it being strong, else she would've dislocated something by moving incorrectly - still hurt like a bitch.

"Cmon, is that all you have? Just punches, kicks, and a little speed around? Thought you were an Arrancar, you've got to have something that you're hiding from me!" She'd speak in a taunting voice, gaze piercing his own, "Like that little arm you've been hiding. What, scared of bruising me? Don't let the size throw ya off, i've taken on shit four times your size!"

"Your ability to control the flow of your Reiryoku is well trained," He praised, tilting his head a bit.

His expression, still reserved as earlier as he thought over her statement. She taunts him into trying more, showing her aggressive nature. He would not have guessed her this wild, but he did not mind this new fact. It adds color to her.

"...Very well..."

Closing his eyes for a bit, he straightened up as his clothing started to shift. Soon his top fell down from his arms, resting at his waist, revealing his left arm and the white wrapping around it. Then he rolled his shoulders, flexing his chest since it's been so long. He had loosened up a bit already, but that last bit of tensity still needed bit of work. Their performance is about to ramp up after all.

"Ready?" He asked, not waiting for her to respond before a Bala came to life in his right. He then threw it, but another grew which was thrown before one last one followed. They're but distractions though as he then dashed forward, Sonido hiding his presence as he let the Bala take her attention. He'd perform a simple strike then, a repeat of his beginning attack with his open palm to see if she's capable of escaping from it this time.

"And your looks definitely aren't a lie, you're a strong guy to take blows like that."

Well well, he wasn't as much of a dunderhead as he made himself seem. Well, she shouldn't give him that much credit yet, but at least the guy could handle a clobbering without crumpling like a wet paper baby. Though, looked like he bit that hook, but she sure didn't expect him to remove his top, much less that the arm was all wrapped up. That didn't look like an injury, it looked like he was hiding the arm away.. Something about it felt particularly venomous, something she was deeply interested in.

"Uh, did you really have to take- Alright now we're going then!" Her question was caught off by the whistle of a Bala barely missing her, a spill of words coming out instead as the action was back to life, dodging sphere after sphere of energy before grabbing a piece of debris, focusing on the souls around it, to then deflect the bullet elsewhere.

"Damn, have you never seen a Fullbringer before or something?" She'd call out, biding her time before his next strike, "I'm really getting the impression all you really know is that desert, huh? Not much time spent here?"

There he was.

Barely, she skirted out of the way, his larger figure still threatening to trample her, but she had a blow ready. With a sharp uppercut, she sought to punch his jaw while holding her body steady with that same little trick, though it wouldn't hold if she couldn't redirect his forward momentum.

He stopped. His true reasoning was not to land his blow but to goad her into attacking him in a similar fashion she had before. Commitment is everything in combat, and the wrong choice leads to fatal consequences. However, he did not smile at her as she attacked, nor when he caught her fist in his open palm, his left hand finally utilized against her.

"A Fullbringer? Is that what you are, Catherine?" He asked as she'd see the bandages around his arm start to burn and swelter before the binding loosened and revealed the purplish skin underneath. Then she'd notice the claws digging into her fist as the monstrous arm he hides revealed itself, seemingly growing without its restraints and engulfing her hand.

However, the feeling that shot threw her would be even more startling, as it felt like something had set her hand on fire, an invasive energy that tried to eat away at her body and soul. That toxicity she had sensed wasn't just a forewarning but a literal sensation that's now corroding her.