Private Finished Meeting Death

Ria observed John from a good distance, and didn't realize she also had a smile on her face, more wide than not. She listened to him speak, and scoffed a bit. Ria sounded amused and she also took a bit wider stance, ready to move in any direction within a moments notice.
"If an amateur like me is able to entertain you then you're not as good as I thought."
Ria grinned a bit, it was true she was an amateur. But she was a damn good one. And despite thinking it was useless Ria kind of liked this banter between attacks. Was it the norm?

When John started circling to the right Ria moved as well, to the same direction. She kept her eyes on John, they were clear, calculating and intense. Ria really rarely sparred with someone, at home she was lucky if she could find someone to hold up the target. She had sparred with some northern villagers, but they were more about hunting. But Ria wanted to battle.
She had a feeling she was going to like this place if there were more fighters like John.

Suddenly and without any indication Ria bolted towards John. This time she really wanted to feel how it was to have a face-to-face fistfight with him. Ria was at John within a second, faster even, and she jumped and looked like she was going to punch him. But now Ria would but all his strength behind this punch and aimed for John's chin, on the spot that would normally cause a certain concussion. Though Ria didn't know about how it would affect John.

Ria was a bit surprised when John didn't move to block her punch but instead he took it. And naturally threw his own, at Ria's stomach. Ria could feel, see, her coating thickening around her stomach area, predicting the punch coming. But still the blow had quite an impact and it sent Ria flying backwards. Ria curled herself up in a ball and made a couple of backflips before landing on her knees, smoothly. She stayed in that pose, and raised her hand for a timeout.

Ria felt the pain in her stomach strongly and for some reason she started chuckling. The chuckling soon turned into outright laughing and Ria threw her head back. She stood up and stretched, still cackling a bit.
"It feels good when someone fights back. I have sparring partners so very rarely."
Ria grinned a little at John, her coating was now almost invisible again and only had slight red tint here and there.
"I thank you John, for letting me blow off steam like this. You should be grateful, I rarely say sincere thanks to anyone."

Ria suddenly just realized she was talking casually to someone she had just met, and her normal half-glare returned to her face. The grin was also gone. Ria took her fighting stance again, her short light blue fur was wet here and there from sweat.
"Shall we continue?"

Ria frowned a bit when John suggested they spar again. That was indeed a very tempting offer. But Ria didn't want get too familiar with John. Ria had tapped to his emotional state briefly and nothing had been amiss. But Ria couldn't trust someone who was this good of a fighter. All people had their reasons for gaining power in any form. And it almost always spelled trouble. And Ria didn't want trouble nowhere near Jii. She already had enough.
"I do not feel comfortable sharing my personal information. But if you do find me again, perhaps we can spar again."
Ria frowned a bit more, that wasn't what she had wanted to say. She was supposed to refuse, to tell John they wouldn't spar again.

Ria was still a bit confused when John said his last words. Ria registered them but by the time she was about to answer them John had already rushed towards her. Ria didn't have enough time to dodge what seemed to be a punch so she braced herself for the impact, her coating flaring. But in the last moment John slid instead and Ria had enough time to utter a frustrated
"Fuck!"
before she was down and pinned under John. Ria looked up at John, eyes storming, and grimaced a bit. What a fool she was, to be deceived by such an obvious feint. Ria's coating was little pinkish and would probably cause a sensation that felt like mild electric shock. That was partly because Ria made a passing notion in the back of her mind about John's closeness and muscles. Who wouldn't have in such a situation?

Ria groaned and puffed frustrated under John, he was strong. It was bad to get pinned down like this, that's how you got killed. Ria told herself to learn from this experience. But her pride was bruised and Ria looked at John frowning. She was about to demand a retry but that would've been even more humiliating. So instead she did the most cowardly thing there was.
Ria would try to kick John's testicles. If that wouldn't work she'd try to knee John into his stomach with all her strength. If she got loose she'd take distance.

It was satisfying for Ria to feel, hear and see her kick make some damage. John had his lungs kicked empty and Ria grinned just a tiny bit though she was still pinned under him. She also knew her aura was affecting John. Ria merely regretted she couldn't control it and make John bounce right off of her.
Ria scoffed scornfully, and a bit amused, when John started the bantering again.
"I'll give up the day I die. And even then I'll give death the fight of its life."
Ria said with determination and fire in her eyes. She meant every word.

The minute John loosened his grip Ria bounced from under him and a meter or two away, in stance. But John seemed done with the sparring so Ria relaxed, just a bit, and stretched herself. She lifted her arms high above her head and groaned a bit as all the places John had hit hurt. It was a good feeling, it felt like Ria had accomplished something. And her coating was back to normal, mostly invisible. But few pinker patches showed up here and there when Ria remembered the humiliation seconds ago and...other things.

"No pain no gain. And every sore I will feel tomorrow will be worth it, I agree."
Ria made her last stretch, reaching down to her toes(maybe unintentionally flashing some cleavage) and took a deep breath in and out. Then she looked at John, squinting just the tiniest bit at his question.
"I was right. You were worthy of my time. I thank you for sparring with me, John."
And when John made his genius observation about Ria's energy she rolled her eyes and scoffed a bit.
"Naturally I must have energy. I do not exactly have the size or even strength on my side. I must find strength from other aspects of myself. I am sure you noticed one of them."
Ria gestured to her skin as the coating flashed red along her arm. Just at the right moment. A small sneaky grin flashed on Ria's face.

Ria frowned a bit when John laughed at her, she couldn't tell if he was mocking her. But Ria being Ria assumed John was doing just that and crossed her arms, adopting a stern expression. But John's comeback made Ria's lips twitch, against her will. The man had a certain charm to him, Ria had to give him that.
"I am not after more few years, or a free meal. I merely want to prove I am not scared of my mortality. Although..."
Ria smiled a bit and chuckled.
"I bet I could eat Death under the table."

Ria cleared her throat a bit when John thanked her, trying to hide her embarrassment. She wasn't used to people thanking her for beating them up. Usually they just glared at her or whined. In fact, just the fact that they were not fighting anymore cleared to Ria and since she wasn't that angry anymore she was just overly self-conscious.
"It was merely a well-timed coincidence, no need to thank me. I was in a foul mood and you happened to be here, nothing more."
Ria tried to sound nonchalant and casual but her arms were still crossed and she was supressing the urge to fiddle with her hair.

John guessed a bit wrong with the aura but Ria would not correct him. Only a fool revaled their secrets to a potential enemy. But something John said caught Ria's ear.
"So it was electrical this time. Normally it burns, or just hurts. It's electrical only when I'm-"
Ria stopped herself mid-sentence, and a small blush formed on her cheeks. Ria looked away, trying to seem puzzled or in her thoughts, but in reality she was yet again hiding her embarrassment. She prayed that her thin fur masked the blush. There was no way Ria was telling John her coating was electric when she was flustered.
"And yet again I'll, I must be full of surprises. Or I won't survive in a battle."