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There were little bits of splintered wood decorating the grass all around the base off one of the training dummies, along with a few bigger chunks that had been kicked away. The target itself had certainly seen better days. It was missing an arm, a chunk of it's face, and there were signs of heavy trauma all over it.

The cause? A certain petite Sun hunter with pink and blonde hair. She was also covered in wood shrapnel, bits and pieces clinging to her hair and her shirt, but she didn't seem to notice or care. Peyton was in the zone. That place of perfect focus and form. Dainty fists, carefully wrapped, were damn near a blur as she fired off a barrage of vicious strikes to the dummy's body, the wood groaning under the assault. Pivoting, she threw an elbow at the thing's shoulder, then followed through with the excess momentum. Back a step, a small bounce on the balls of her feet, then the mouth of all roundhouse kicks to the battered dummy's head.

It exploded in shower of splinters and bigger bits of wood that made soft but solid thumps as they hit the lawn. The petite Sun stood in the middle of all that false carnage, thin chest rising and falling as she caught her breath.

She blinked when Kai's deep voice broke the relative silence, and turned to find him standing back, obviously watching her. For a moment it didn't seem to click, what he meant, but then she gave a faint chuckle and a shake of her head. "Training dummies got nothing on me." Another small chunk fell off as she patted the remains of the dummy fondly. It hadn't been the target she'd wanted, but it was better than nothing, and there was a certain satisfaction to destroying it.

Brushing her hands off on the sides of her shorts, she turned to face him. "That really wasn't anything special. I mean it's just a dummy, so it's not like it can dodge or fight back." Thin shoulders rose in a small shrug. "You want impressive, you'll have to find me something alive and strong to tango with."

She watch him strip of his coat with lips pursed, a thoughtful expression on delicate features. As he crouched, punching the knuckles of one hand into the palm of the other, she made a small sound, sucking at her teeth, before rolling her shoulders in a shrug.

She could have told him that it was inadvisable, that he didn't know what he was volunteering himself for, but saying as much might might not be taken as intended, and she wasn't keen on pricking at his pride. Showing him was the better option. He'd get a taste of the sort of strength he'd be finding himself up against as a hunter, and it would serve the duel purpose of also serving as good training.

So, lacing her fingers together to crack her knuckles, she smiled at him. "Alright, but don't hold back anything just cause I'm short, and female."

The smile melted into a smirk, and Peyton fell effortlessly into easy stance, balance shifting to the balls of her feet. She took a quick step forward, body turning, and brought one small fist in to smash her knuckles into the palm of his left hand.

They were within the wards, it wouldn't hurt him. Much.

He'd managed to take the hit a bit better than she'd expected, but then again, she did tend to underestimate male bravado quite a bit. All the same, she smiled back at him sweetly as he flexed his fingers and smiled at her, trying to explain away the jerk back with something more reasonably mundane.

Then he sank right back down into an expectant stance, and pale eyes widened just a touch. She hadn't been expecting that, though perhaps she should have. In Kai, she didn't think it was gluttonous desire for punishment, so much as pride.

Ah well, regardless, she'd indulge him. Better he learn the sort of strength he was up against from her, rather than something that meant him legitimate harm.

When she was sure he was ready again, Peyton's shoulders dropped as she slid her feet apart, slipping easily into a balanced, practiced stance. This time there wouldn't be much of a wind up. No quick step forward, no additional momentum, just raw strength. Her left fist came back this time, small body turning with the motion, and she brought it around again in a blur, hammering dainty knuckles into his massive palm.

This time that Kai's reaction to the hit would elicit a sympathetic wince and flinch from the dainty sun. She grimaced as she watched him shake his hand out, cussing up a storm, and wondered if maybe she should have held back just a touch on that one. She knew from experience how much a solid strike from a full hunter felt.

"Your not crippled," she'd assure him, taking a step closer and reaching out as if she'd take one of his large hands in hers. "Your shield will have absorbed the majority of the damage. It does still smart, though." There might even be a little bruising as well, but probably not. His shield had been at full strength before she'd got to him.

Peyton chuckled, her hand on is gentle as she brought it up to look at his palm. It was red, but she hadn't broken the skin. That was good.

"Kind of. If you went up against another trainee, probably any other trainee, and it was a competition on sheer brute strength, you'd win." He was a very large, very muscular guy, and she had a feeling he knew how to use those muscles for more than just looking pretty. "Now, the longer you're here, and the better your bond with your weapon, the stronger you'll get. Intermediate trainees are stronger than basic trainees, and full hunters are stronger than everyone else." She rolled thin shoulders in a small shrug as she flipped his hand back over and gave the back of it a small pat. "Except for the leads and the assistants.

The only thing he'd find on dainty knuckles were old scars, though there was plenty of evidence of former punishment. Peyton had never been particularly gentle on her hands, even before she'd joined up with Deus. She grinned as she flexed her fingers, making the scars stand out pink and white against otherwise tanned skin

"A lot of spars, a lot of training courses, and a lot of missions." She had to chuckle at his mispronunciation, but there was nothing but warmth to it. "Kokoro. It means heart. Or inner strength."

Sge took her hands back and held them up, palms facing him. A shift of her feet, and she'd adopt a balanced stance. "Show me what you've got."

If they'd both been trainees it was likely that Peyton would have been in trouble. Kai was not only a big man, but he was muscled, and seemed more than capable of using them. Even as a hunter, if he'd caught her off guard, it wouldn't have been that difficult to send her tumbling, not with his strength.

But she was ready for him, balanced, and she took his punch easily, absorbing the energy through her hands and arms as she brought them back towards her body. Even still, she was a petite, tiny thing, and though her body didn't do much as sway with the impact, it did slide, boots slipping over the grass about half a foot before she came to a stop. She hadn't bothered to dig in her toes, and that made the difference.

"I bet you could some damage in a fight, even before coming here."