Parley took an involuntary step backwards when he smiled, her heart skipping a beat. Her mind filled with confusing thoughts, she didn't react to the kick until the last moment, awkwardly throwing up a block and stumbling aside a step.

Parley grimaced at the bad defense, while blood rushed to her face. She angrily cleared her mind of weird thoughts and threw herself into her next attack, throwing a series of rapid punches at Itsuki's face, chest, and stomach. This wasn't looking much like aikido anymore.

But in the back of Parley's mind, something started to subtly change. Like a light turning on in a room you didn't know about until you saw the light in the cracks of the door.