[wavehawk]

Little bit added

[Ren] crossed her arms. "What are you getting at?"

"Simple." The firm sound of a fan slammed shut accompanied Tatenashi's
new tack. "Do you want Tatenashi-onee-chan to pass on your love letters
to him?"

"Do that and I'll cut open your throat where you stand."

"Oh, but I'm seated." Sarashiki chuckled again.

"Fine. I'll cut you open before you stand."

"Really, you." The cat's smile finally fell from Tatenashi's face. It
was a dance of words, one with serious consequences. "What's a little
joke between friends?"

"We're not friends."

Not at all like cat and mouse. It was between cobra and mongoose.

Tatenashi opened up her fan again, cooling herself against in the summer
heat.

Or was it to hide her frustration?

The park remained empty, as both young women ceased moving. No words for
that moment, as they kept guarded expressions.

It was a fight. Of wits and words.

"Since you're also in IS Academy as a student," [Ren] began the next
round, but with more tension in her voice. "You don't have as much
freedom to act behind the scenes."

"Oh, the Student Council President does have that freedom," Sarashiki's
smile returned, but her eyes remained focused on [Ren]. "You, on the
other hand? You have no access to the academy itself. Can you protect
Orimura when you're on the outside?"

"There was that incident with the Golem attacking IS Academy." [Ren]
snapped back, with a little more emotion than she wanted to reveal. "I
didn't see you doing anything about that."

"Couldn't be helped. That was before my IS [Mysterious Lady] was
completed." Tatenashi's casual shrug showed how light of a threat it
was. "And the Golem wasn't something you could handle, anyway."

"You don't know that."

Sarashiki's raised eyebrow said all. "Knives. Against a Golem."

[Ren] had no response.

"Which brings me to three points." Tatenashi's smile wavered the thin
line between charm and threat as she held up her index finger. "First:
Guarding Orimura from the shadows has not been very effective."

"I'm sure Mr Cousseran and his group would beg to differ."

"Second." Sarashiki raised a second finger. "I plan to make Orimura
Ichika aware of me."

There was a flash of crimson across [Ren]'s face. "Like hell."

"Whatever works. Whatever it takes." Sarashiki threw [Ren]'s words back
at her. And then in a tone both joking and serious: "It would be easier
to protect someone if you're right beside him. Morning, noon, and
night."

[Ren]'s eyes promised cold death.

"Third." Sarashiki's voice lowered, as she went for the kill. "You won't
be able to handle an IS in a head-on fight."

"I won't need to."

"You can't guarantee that."

[Ren] replied with dead silence, but Tatenashi could see the girl's lips
lose color and tighten.