After such long and harrowing, painful and agonizing hours undergoing yet again the brutal but efficient swordsmanship training of her sensei Natsume Hibana, it felt indeed very pleasant to finally relax her viciously abused bones and muscles, after having pushed herself, body and mind together, towards their very breaking point, towards her maximum potential as the embittered older woman violently urged Asuka to do so. Still, her muscles throbbed and burned underneath her skin, feeling hard and polished as hewn stone as she flexed her arm, wincing a bit with a small bout of pain as she sat on the fallen log beside the grotto, a meditative trance she induced upon herself rebuking from her all but the static white noise of the waterfall rushing into the crystal clear waters below, her eyes, heavy with exhaustion, only affixed to the sparkles of the sun reflecting off the sheer mirror of the water, stars and white ripples dancing about in pleasing and relaxing synchronization. It brought a sort of smile of tranquility to the battered Ronin's face, but the smile faded when she heard the gruff clearing of Natsume's throat, and the muscular woman sat beside her, close enough for Asuka to view the many scars and abrasions that dotted her sensei's leathery tan skin, years of hardship and years of loss heavy upon her exterior...and as possibly well the woman's interior. [b]"You did good today, Kushiami-san."[/b] The woman spoke to her student, though more nonchalant than prideful, but it was expected of Natsume-Sensei. 

[b]"Your form is improving and you were able to land quite a few attacks on me. Heh...I guess I should consider myself lucky you stuck with that sakabato, otherwise...I guess I'd be adding more scars to my collection...either that or in the grave I go."[/b] Dark her humor was as always as the samurai released a hearty chuckle, her eyes, for once not a piercing glare...but a relaxed, almost peaceful expression upon them as Hibana glanced out unto the grotto's dazzling waters. [b]"Later we will continue our sparring, but for now, rest. We deserve it after a long day, don't we Kushiami-san?"[/b] Asuka gave no reply in speech, rather a curt but understandable nod to her sensei. Too much was on her mind to make words....