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"All right then," Nuiko replied, pleased that, whatever way the Agni kai went, she would be getting something out of it. "Go down that hall. Your first left is the courtyard. It should be just big enough for the fight. I'll be right out after, well, after I change into something I can safely fight in."

She bowed politely to him and turned to return to her apartments, confident that one of her preciously impish orphans would catch him if he tried anything diabolical.

Hope you like scars, my good sir, she thought grimly. Wouldn't want to bother your stomach before our fight.

Nuiko sighed once she returned to her room. What had she gotten herself into? Sure she was a talented firebender, but she hadn't practiced this sort in years. And her burns. Once he saw them, he would instantly pin her for a worse bender than she actually was.

"Well, there's no use for it now," she muttered irritably as she pulled off her mother's bracelets and slipped out of her kimono top.

For the battle, she stood barefoot, clothed only in loose pants and a short, tight top that more resembled a breaststrap than anything else. Loost clothing encouraged fire. She could stand putting her legs at risk, but her upper body needed protection.

Down her back, along her left arm, her left side, and dipping unseen down her left leg was a myriad of healed burn scars that still held the burning pink, red, and brown tones of a new wound, despite their oldness. Nuiko sighed, running her hands down them. It was because of these scars, and the vanity that went with them that she had ever stopped.

No time for it now, though. The stranger was waiting for her.

Tying her hair back in a tighter horsetail (though it was probably going to come undone anyway), she strode down the hall to the courtyard. All around, little heads popped up from doorways, cushions, chairs. The orphans knew something was up, and no doubt they would be watching. Nuiko felt no need to provide an explanation to them.

She entered the courtyard as elegantly as she would in normal clothes, despite her discomfort at showing a stranger her scars and bowed.

"Before we begin," Nuiko said plainly. "May I have your name, stranger?"

"Ryder," Nuiko tried the name out on her tongue. It definitely sounded foreign, and his clothing only helped to fuel a new theory. Perhaps he was one of those rare changelings whose bending abiltities didn't match his origins. It would certainly explain his irreverence for the spirits.

Nuiko bowed swiftly and took a deep breath, steadying the fire within her. Fluidly, she slipped into a ready defensive stance, her golden eyes locked upon her opponent.

Nuiko's eyes widened as she ducked low, just missing the kunai knives. Anger flared up within her as she sidestepped her opponent, sending a flare of fire in his direction.

"Your first move and you're already cheating, foreigner," she spat. "This battle is firebending only!"

Nuiko jumped back onto her hands, wincing at the sudden pressure before she completely flipped over, landing on her feet. That one was going to hurt tomorrow.

"The Agnikai is for firebenders only because it is for firebending only!" she snapped, punching forward her scarred arm to send a burst of flame toward him.

Nuiko grimaced at the appearance of the blades. THe only way to counter was with her own blades of pure fire... but it had been so long. Best wait until she was in the flow of things to try it.

((I hate to edit, but could you not compliment your character when you fight? It makes it hard to focus on the action. sweatdrop ))

Nuiko started and dropped back, watching as her opponent literally jumped overhead. The flames from his swords bent down, their heat licking at her face in the eternal moment when she felt uncertain as to whether or not she would be hit.

When he passed, she leapt back to her feet, spinning and thrusting a wave of flame. The fire hesitated a moment, uncertain to such bold actions on her part, but it had to be done.

One of us has to hit the other soon enough...