A Shot in the Dark [R,NDE]

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

Thread Title: A Shot in the Dark [R, NDE]
Participants: John Ryan, Rin Miyamoto
World: Human World
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location: Darkness has fallen on the sleepy English town land of Little Hampstead. It is approximately 23:15 GMT. The local pub is full of ordinary people, socialising and just having a good time. The little town square is surrounded on all four sides by small bungalows. Around the town is open countryside, with only a few farmhouses dotted here and there.
Special Conditions: None
Circumstances: Both Rin and John have been sent on the same mission by their respective factions, to eliminate a roaming Hollow which had been terrorising the little village for several days. John has arrived first on the scene, and has already slain the beast. Rin arrives just a few seconds later through the Senkaimon, and the two encounter each other for the first time.

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

England... It's been a while.

John hopped the low stone wall, crossing into the next field. The ground was nice and dry, there hadn't been much rain for a while now in this part of the country. Instead the clear skies provided a light breeze, and a remarkable chill. It wasn't enough to cause frost, or even make your breath steam, but it did make you feel as if you should have wrapped up warmer. John pulled his short cape tighter around him, and walked on. The Hollow was apparently close by, wandering around somewhere in this town land. The village was only half a mile or so south of him, but he had already stayed the afternoon there, and there had been no sign of it.

John was always thankful when his missions took him away from crowded cities, and was even more thankful when Hollows decided to break through into places like this, as opposed to Karakura town, or Dublin. The open space meant John didn't have to fight too consciously, and that the number of casualties was kept to a minimum. Too bad his last few missions hadn't been like this one.

He checked his watch. The hands showed 11:15. PM, obviously. He had been hunting for over 6 hours now, and there was still no sign of the Hollow. He really needed to work on his energy sensory skills. Every mission he went into now, it always seemed to involve the tracking of some spiritual being. His hand instinctively went to the mask which covered the upper right-hand portion of his face. Perhaps he could convert it to some kind of readout, giving him constant information. There were screens like that in the Vandenreich palace, perhaps he could ask someone about getting a portable one.

A sudden screech snapped him out of his reverie. "Finally...", he breathed aloud. The godforsaken Hollow had decided to rear it's head. Judging by the sound, it was in the field to his right. John broke into a run, attempting to catch it before it ran away again. The problem was with English fields though, was that the ground was never even. Between rabbit warrens and prints from assorted cattle, one always had to watch one's feet when running. John cleared the next stone wall in a leap, his long legs sweeping over it like a hurdler in the Olympics.

The Hollow wasn't difficult to miss. It stood in the centre of the field, reaching down for a sheep. John didn't waste a second forming his secondary bow. He didn't even need to fire an arrow. The momentary surge in reiatsu was enough to alert the Hollow to his presence. It wasn't a very strong Hollow, going by how little energy he could sense from it. Or it could be a very strong one... John thought with a little smirk. This wasn't going to be difficult.

The Hollow let out a roar, and charged at him. It was ape-like in appearance, and bounded towards him on both its hind legs and its knuckles. John waited for it to get closer. He could see that its jaw was bloodstained. That had better be sheep blood, for its sake. The Hollow was getting closer and closer, but all John did was draw a single arrow. What he was sling was sort of risky, but with such a weak Hollow, it was worth doing it. The closer it was, the more accurate John could be. It was barely 50 metres away from him now, it should close the distance in about... 3 seconds? John was estimating, but an estimate was all he needed.

He fired a single arrow. There was no missing at this kind of range, and the Hollow had been kind enough to run at him in a straight line. The arrow, which incidentally wasn't all that powerful, hit the Hollow directly in the middle of the mask, deconstructing it almost immediately. Wisps of dark reishi blew past John, and one lightly brushed against his hand.

"Ow! Dammit!"

That stupid Hollow poison effect had kicked in, burning his hand very slightly. It wasn't any worse than a small candle burn, but it was enough to annoy John. He had miscalculated. He wouldn't be doing that again-
He was interrupted by a loud noise behind him. A pair of sliding doors materialised from thin air, and opened up, spilling light onto the field like a floodlight.

A Senkaimon! What the hell are the Shinigami doing here?

John let his bow disappear, just in case the emerging Shinigami got the wrong idea about him.

SPOILER: Click to show

{John's Stats and Skills}


Strength - [60] Points (42 with Strategist Deduction)

Speed - [100] Points (70 with Strategist Deduction)

Spiritual Pressure - [105] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [70] Points

Light Aura - [60] Points

Dark Aura - [40] Points

Instinct - [50] Points (75 with Strategist Boost)

Senses [50] Points (75 with Strategist Boost)

Energy sensory - [30] Points (45 with Strategist Boost)

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [465] Points



Skills

[Calm Mind] {1}

[Weapon : Sword] {1}

[Weapon : Bow] {1}

[War Strategy] {1}

[Battle Analysis] {1}

[Battle Focus] {1}

[Strength of Will] {1}

[Leadership] {1}

[Charisma] {1}

6 banked

[Deleted]

Ah~ Slaying hollow. It was something the princess did passionately. Well, not slaying them... but taking care of the problem was what she did. Yes, she followed protocol and all of that. The flow of souls was important. Destroying them permanently was a big no and Rin knew that well. Besides, it was only natural, a good princess does what's best for her people and duty always came first before heart. If you were royalty, then this sort of philosophy only came with the territory. Still, slicing and fighting hollow was something this fourth-seat enjoyed tremendously. It was a chance to use her skills and show herself off in the same manner a princess would. She would show her prowess and her grace and demonstrate her skill; She would let them know that she was not to be trifled with and, more importantly, the Squad 7 was the best squad.

Rin Miyamoto had an ego as big as her temper. She thought of herself as a princess despite not actually being one. Rin held herself above many other shinigami and her anger? Oh my~ Her blood could boil with an intensity of a thousand suns. After today's bothersome stack of paperwork, her blood was pumping with vim and vigor. Something to finally get her up and about had finally come her way. Of course, first things first, she had to make sure she looked good... And this was a process that would take up a great deal of time. Hair, check. Makeup, check. Fancy kimono, check. Sandals, check. Accessories, check! Everything seemed in order and Rin was off to the human world with extra pep in her step. To most shinigami, it didn't seem like anything to be excited for. However, those shinigami didn't belong to Squad 7 and didn't work under that ridiculously lazy, messy, patronizing, infuriating Kaen-fukutaichou.

Today's mission would be in lovely England. How cold could it possibly be over there? Rin didn't care. Beauty came before everything. Sadly, this thought lasted for about five seconds after she felt the crisp air on her exposed arms... and breeze? Finely manicured nails raked themselves through ravenous tresses as if to fix out of place locks from that...hmph...'breeze'. That felt like an icy gust against her beautiful silk robes! Ugh! The nerve of that wind and the nerve of Kaen-fukutaichou to send her here! Naturally, Rin was annoyed at the weather but something had riled her up even more.. "...That's not what I think it is...I surely hope not...".. Because that wasn't the remaining traces of the hollow she was supposed to carve open disappearing...right?

Rin took a silent step out of the senkaimon. If that was the hollow she was supposed to take care of then she was going to be very upset. Her fiery orange irises focused on the mysterious boy before her for a moment. She walked around to see if she could still feel traces of the hollow. There were now only two beings in this lonely field shrouded in darkness. Her sensory was horrendous. It was shameful, but she was close enough to feel something. Rin would look at the boy, scanning him. His clothes were obviously not of the mortal variety. The corners of her lips would curl into a welcoming, charming smiles. "Hello~" she said with a slight bow. Rin wasn't an animal. Princess' have manners! Her hand moved to the hilt of her nodachi but it wasn't to attack him right then and there. It was a natural resting position for the fourth seat. She was a samurai at heart... or at least, she'd like to think so.

"Ne, was that, by chance... a hollow?"

She let that question sink in for a moment as she watched his expression carefully. The tone of her voice seemed sweet and all but Rin was fairly annoyed because she had a good idea that it was probably the hollow she was supposed to be going after. Still, as a princess, she maintained courtesy and civility and it was most important to keep up a pleasing facade. There were various sounds of jingling and metal clinking together all coming from the shinigami's decadent accessories alone as she shifted about uncomfortably in the cold. "Oh, I hope it wasn't..." she sighed. "After a long day of paperwork stacked to my neck it would have been most delightful to move around for a bit, ne~" she held a downcast expression as she spoke but then it'd turn into something quite serious. It was almost like she'd been interrogating him. She took another step closer in hopes of slightly intimidating him and getting an answer. Honestly, Rin didn't need to be a bully but she wanted a break from paperwork and if her suspicions were correct, then tonight, there'd be no break whatsoever.

"Now, why don't you tell me why you're out here by your lonesome, ne~? You and I are obviously beings of a different kind... so, if I may be blunt, what might your agenda be?"

Strength - 100 (70) Points

Speed - 200 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 180 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 190 (285) Points

Light Aura - 35 Points

Dark Aura - 65 Points

Instinct - 200 Points

Senses - 100 Points

Energy sensory - 30 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points


Total SP: 1000 Points

Skills

-Add more if necessary

To add more, use [Insert Skill #X Here] {Insert Level Here}

♚[/font] Weapons : Nodachi (3)

`♚ Battle Analysis (3)

`♚ Ballet (2)

`♚ Acrobatics (1)

`♚ Weapons: Gunscythe (3)

`♚ Pain Tolerance (1)

`♚ Charisma (1)[/ul][/font]

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"Ne, was that, by chance... a hollow?"

Ne?! Who's 'Ne'?! Is there another one?! John felt his throat constrict. He had not expected a Shinigami, and he certainly hadn't expected a Shinigami as... beautiful as this one. Why is it that all the lovely women seem to be fighting for the Soul Society? John shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Now was not the time for thoughts like those. Plus, a relationship between a Vandenreich Quincy and a Shinigami? Ridiculous. No John, focus! He tried to clear his throat, to reply to her question, but she had started talking again.

"Oh, I hope it wasn't...After a long day of paperwork stacked to my neck it would have been most delightful to move around for a bit, ne~"

She took a step closer, and John instinctively took a step back, looking at her warily. He couldn't tell whether the disinterested guise was just an act, and if she was trying to sum him up, or if she actually didn't care. Of the the three Shinigami he had met so far, the other two had been pretty predicatable. He had gotten the lecture from the female healer, who attempted to put him on the 'right' side, and had been nearly killed by the brash Squad 11 idiot. This one was completely out of left field. He didn't know what to do.

"Now, why don't you tell me why you're out here by your lonesome, ne~? You and I are obviously beings of a different kind... so, if I may be blunt, what might your agenda-"

"-A Hollow, you say?!" Rather unlike himself, John slightly cut across the end of her sentence. Must be nerves... "Well, there was one here, up until about a moment ago. I had been asked to take care of it, and so I did. Apologies miss, I had no idea they were sending a Shinigami too. Sometimes the small Hollows like that slip under the Soul Society's radar, if you know what I mean!" He laughed nervously, hoping that this was the right tack to take. She did realise he was a member of the Vandenreich, right? There's no way she couldn't have, his uniform was a dead giveaway. If so, then she wasn't as bitter about the Soul Society Invasion as that Squad 11 man.

John thought back to that brutal battle. He had lost a good friend in that fight, the Shinigami had offered them no mercy. It was only using Vollstandig was John able to hold his own against him, until he retreated. Was this Shinigami like him? Or perhaps more like the other one? The healer had attempted to show them all mercy, and had tried to persuade John he was doing the wrong thing. Looking back on it, it had been all too condescending, John didn't appreciate being lectured. But at the time, it had seemed so much more sensible...

But back to the task at hand. This Shinigami was probably waiting for an apology, which John was all too glad to give. He didn't want to fight her, and he hoped the feeling was mutual. But still, a small part of him wanted to understand her more. He was genuinely curious to see why the Vandenreich hated the Shinigami so much, were they all as self righteous as the last two he had met?

"Sorry about the inconvenience, miss...?"

John left the sentence hanging in the air, ending it like a question. She could leave now, if she wanted, and John would be happy with that. But he wouldnt be satisfied with it. He was looking for a name. Of all the Shinigami he had met so far, he couldn't name either of them. A name was worth something. A fight, at the moment anyway, wasn't.

[Deleted]

Rin could tell that this was one lost little lamb. It was as if he didn't quite know how to proceed with her. Perhaps he'd never encountered a princess like herself? Hm~ It was only natural, ne~? Royalty (..or mock royalty in this case) seemed to always have that sort of effect on others. It was quite amusing to the princess-like shinigami. Ah! There it is! Actions always did speak louder than words. He stepped back. She smiled again, purely amused at his weary expression. A cornered animal either fought back or gave into the offender's demands. Not that she was offensive in any way. Oh! Heavens no! But, Rin already knew she was going to get her way and get sweet, sweet answers. Sadly, answers did little for her current dilemma; sating her desire to dance about and fight.

He had nerve to cut her off. It was such a rude thing to do. However, as he rambled on, she could easily tell. She could tell that he seemed to be walking on glass as he spoke. And yes, Rin was fully aware he was a member of the Vandenreich. She knew her fashion and was familiar with the traditional garb of many races. She'd made it easy for anyone to realize, throughout all to customizations to her outfit, that she'd clearly painted herself as a shinigami. A pretty shinigami hopefully!... But still a shinigami. "Well, there was one here, up until about a moment ago. I had been asked to take care of it, and so I did. Apologies miss, I had no idea they were sending a Shinigami too. Sometimes the small Hollows like that slip under the Soul Society's radar, if you know what I mean!" Rin sighed. How frustrating. Not quite infuriating but frustrating. Little did this quincy know, Rin was a volcano always ready to erupt and her anger was slowly building. Very slowly. If he hadn't seemed apologetic about it all then maybe she would've reacted differently.

"Oh I suppose it's alright. I really wish I'd have been able to take care of it. Eradicating hollows upsets the balance between worlds... I'm sure you're aware, ne~?" she tilted her head, keeping up a friendly smile. Ugh. He killed it. Her eyes seemed to say it all; her fiery pair showed that she was not pleased with what he'd done. Typical quincy. "Small or big, they need to be purified" sounding just a tad bit ticked off. It was sad to say, Rin didn't care much for the invasion. Yes terrible things did happen. Terrible things always happened. They had invasions from Las Noches before as well. There was good and bad in every race. The majority of the morons of Soul Society belonged to squads 10 and 11. My god, the numbers even made her stark raving mad. A squad of unintelligent brutes with absolutely no class and no finesse. Those were two things that made the world go round and run as efficiently as possible.

Perhaps he wasn't so typical after all. "Sorry about the inconvenience, miss...?" At least this one didn't seem to be without civility. Heh. 'Miss'. That was cute. Still, Rin couldn't help but be slightly more on the embarrassed side of the spectrum. Her cheeks had a very faint rosy tint. "Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Rin Miyamoto. Fourth seat of Squad 7. It's a pleasure~" she said, bowing in a very lady-like manner. Every one of Rin's actions was done in an elegant manner. Nothing was ever done haphazardly with this shinigami. She may not have been a real princess but she prided herself on acting like one and making people believe it. Sometimes she thought herself more noble like than the actual nobles themselves.

The cold continued to nip at her skin slightly. She could shiver and complain but Rin fought back the urge to do so. She was oddly curious about the quincy. Or, more specifically, then Vandenreich. What made them tick? Were they as close minded as she'd heard? Probably not. Well not all of them maybe. They could just be rumors. She wouldn't know. Rin never fought a Quincy before. Rin didn't get any sort of killing intent or desire to fight from this one. If her assumption about him was correct, then she'd probably get a name from him. "...Do I make you nervous?" she asked, out of the blue, clearly amused at his earlier actions. Rin took another step towards him just to see if he'd move back as he'd done before. She could laugh. Not in a mean spirited way. Rin often liked conversation outside of battle and liked to engage in banter. It was entertaining to say the least.

Despite her social characteristics, Rin still kept her wits about her. The princess knew that there were many enemies she could encounter here in the Human World. She still kept an eye out to see if he'd try to attack. Not many people had battle politeness like Rin did. Some people were ruthless but it was easy to pick out who those people were and dealing with them was an entirely different matter. Something Rin could definitely handle.

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"Oh I suppose it's alright. I really wish I'd have been able to take care of it. Eradicating hollows upsets the balance between worlds... I'm sure you're aware, ne~? Small or big, they need to be purified."

John didn't know what to do? Was she angry? Or annoyed? Or simply disinterested? Her tone was at odds with her eyes, which seemed to burn with a fierce temper. Dammit... Why do girls have to be so... ambiguous?! She could be flirting with him, with all that he understood before. He had never met someone who offset him so completely, he was completely lost. Did he fight? Did he run? Did he call for help? Did he continue the conversation?

I suppose I'd better placate her for a while, until I work out something else to do...

John had a terrible feeling though, that the longer the two of them spoke, the closer they would get to holding swords at each other's throats. She seemed reasonable enough though. It seemed female Shinigami were beating male Shinigami in terms of maturity. And then, just to add to John's confusion, she blushed. Had he done that? Calling someone 'miss' was common courtesy, was it really such a big deal for her?

"Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Rin Miyamoto. Fourth seat of Squad 7. It's a pleasure~"

Ah, so she was just embarrassed that she had neglected to mention her name, that made more sense. She seems like the type to care about manners anyway... And he had a name! One little corner of the enigma that was this Shinigami had now come unravelled. It was a start. Running would be such a wasted opportunity now, he had made some progress in starting to understand-

"...Do I make you nervous?"

Ah! Too close! What the hell is she doing?! John resisted the urge to use Hirenyaku to escape, and instead mirrored his earlier moves with another step back. It was like some slow, tedious dance. She stepped, he stepped. Unfortunately, he was quite literally on the back foot. It wasn't that he feared her, she was just completely unexpected, a bolt from the blue. John was aware that he hadn't spoken for a while.

"Eh, John, miss! John Ryan! That's my, uh, name. And... no, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you... Again, apologies regarding the departed Hollow. I understand you do not approve of our methods of... disposing of them, but it was just too much of a liability to let running around like that. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, do we? I'm sure the both of us agree that the fewer things that Hollow killed, the better it is for everyone..."

It seemed odd to end without addressing her question. But how does one answer someone asking them if they're nervous, if it is very obvious that they are? John decided to tell it to her straight. Perhaps it would keep him in her good books for a little while...

"Well, do I look nervous to you?" He laughed weakly at the feeble attempt at humour. Every word he spoke reinforced his nervousness. He needed to regain control of himself. "Well, I suppose you do... I had never expected an interruption in this mission from a Shinigami, miss, your arrival... startled me. And also, miss, I find your exquisite beauty quite... off-putting. I honestly don't know what to do."

Nice one, John... 'Off-putting', what sort of adjective is that to use? Thank goodness it wasn't meant to be a chat-up line. John was content to play the part of the lost lamb for a little longer, if it meant avoiding a fight.

[Deleted]

Maybe tonight wasn't a total loss. What was originally supposed to be a nice bloody hollow hunt had quickly turned into quite the conversation between herself and a quincy. Intriguing. Most definitely! Rin did not expect to meet anyone out here. Sure, she'd like to have her fix; sating her current desire to fight.. but Rin was quite social. She liked conversation and acting like a princess. It made her feel like a real princess and that alone just brought absolute glee to the fiery female. She couldn't help but smile a little as she allowed her last question to float there awkwardly; watching his reaction and watching him stumble over his words, choosing them carefully. It was wise of him. He thought before he spoke. Thus far, the princess was pleased.

"John....Ryan..." she said slowly, as if his name was something that needed to be tested out. "At least you're apologetic, ne~? Everything we do is for humanity. You were in danger so it couldn't be helped but if there is a shinigami around I urge you to leave it to them. You don't seem like the type to enjoy the end of the world." She jested in that last bit. Well, just a little. Something told Rin that John didn't know very much about the consequences of destroying a hollow completely. It wasn't about being pro-hollow or anything silly. Hollow were stupid but they were souls that lost their way. Who knows what their story was. For all you know, it could've been an innocent soul who'd be wronged or one who possessed a broken heart. The possibilities were endless.

"Well, do I look nervous to you?"

She raised a hand to cover her mouth as soft laughter escaped her lips. She nodded her head. "Very much so, yes." It was more than obvious but Rin just wanted to poke a little fun. The princess couldn't help but be entertained at his nervous, almost timid nature. She listened to him as he rambled on; letting his nerves talk. Introductions and the like always was something like a precarious tango; a dance in many ways but you were always treading on a very fine, dangerous line. If you weren't careful, you could end up stepping on the other person's toes which would upset them, no doubt. This situation was quite similar. The only difference is that the possibility of eternal hatred and death existed... Especially if the wrong things were said or done.

"Well, I suppose you do... I had never expected an interruption in this mission from a Shinigami, miss, your arrival... startled me. And also, miss, I find your exquisite beauty quite... off-putting. I honestly don't know what to do." Well... The princess couldn't help but blink a few times at this. Exquisite beauty? She blushed just a tinge darker than she had before. Well, it was only natural such compliments would be paid... she was a princess after all! Still, she couldn't help but be extremely flattered at hearing this. Then it registered that he'd used the words...Off-putting. Rin went from girlish embarrassment to 'stark raving fury' in just 2 seconds flat. He said exquisite beauty... but then he said off-putting... How confusing, ne~? She'd given him a half smile as her fingers ran through silky ebony colored tresses. "..Off-putting?... I certainly hope you mean the good kind, ne~?" she gave him a mock stern look which really wasn't mock. She just REALLY didn't like that particular choice of adjective he'd chosen to use.

...But exquisite beauty was exquisite. Perhaps the princess could forgive this quincy? She can.... on one condition. "I have a suggestion~" There was a mischievous twinkle in the shinigami's eyes when she looked at him. John would see it, no doubt. He DID say he didn't know what to do. "Perhaps you can indulge this princess in a.... spar of sorts?" Fight was such a tasteless, classless word. Battle meant someone would die and Rin wasn't in the mood for severing any heads... Especially not John's. If anything, this would be far more light-hearted. Rin motioned her head at the hilt of her nodachi, one finger plays with the feather charms attached at the butt. "What do you say, Ryan-san?...I personally think it would be delightful to see you in action~ ...For me?" she said pouting for a moment, batting her eyelashes. You can't catch flies with vinegar, but you can with honey, ne~? She let that sink in for a few moments before backing up just a couple of steps. She was letting him know what her intentions were.

Hn. As if she was going to give him a choice. He'd make a perfect substitute for the hollow she lost. Not only that, but Rin never actually fought a quincy or encountered one until now. It would be wise to make the most of this situation. Rin knew very little about the Vandenreich. All she knew were the basics. She removed her zanpakuto, freeing it from the various belts and chains and accessories attached to it. However, she kept her blade in its sheath which would be extremely strange to most but Rin had a reason for everything. "Please, I urge you to take up your bow." she said, settling into a defensive stance. She kept an iron grip on her beloved nodachi, ready if he chose to take the first move.

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"John....Ryan... At least you're apologetic, ne~? Everything we do is for humanity. You were in danger so it couldn't be helped but if there is a shinigami around I urge you to leave it to them. You don't seem like the type to enjoy the end of the world."

John blushed a little. For some reason, there was something inherently... nice in the way she said his name. He realised, it was the first time in a long time in which he had just had a conversation with a girl. For a minute, he forgot about Quincies, Shinigami, the Vandenreich, Hollows, the War, and he and Miss Miyamoto were just a boy and a girl, standing in a field, having pleasant conversation. John savoured the feeling, such bliss was uncommon since he had joined the Vandenreich.

But sadly, his life was on the line here, this was no ordinary conversation. One wrong word could make her hate him, and reignite the embers which the war had scattered between them. They could fight, and destroy this field, flatten the nearby village with their power, and still that wouldn't sate the Shinigami or the Vandenreich. People needed to talk more, perhaps then conflict could be resolved without resorting to battle. Perhaps, he and Miss Miyamoto could walk away from here as friends, instead of mortal enemies.

"Well, do I look nervous to you?"

She laughed at this, a pretty laugh. Another rare thing, true laughter. There wasn't malice in it, just playfulness, or so John thought. He was getting to like this Miss Miyamoto more and more.

"Very much so, yes."

John smiled a little, a genuine smile. Again, his mind forgot all about the worries of the war, he was just enjoying pleasant conversation with pleasant company. However, this didn't make him any less nervous. He was still talking to a girl after all. So he was honest, a tack which suited him best. He was not trying to manipulate her, or twist how he really was in order to placate her, this was how he really felt. His innocence was reflected in his nervousness.

What a pity that he had chosen the word 'off-putting'

She had reacted very well up until then, John had been so hopeful that they could perhaps be friends. She had blushed at his description of her beauty as 'exquisite', even indulging him with a smile. She may look haughty and arrogant on the outside, but John could sense there was a softer side somewhere, which enjoyed the flattery. What a pity that he had thrown it all away.

"..Off-putting?... I certainly hope you mean the good kind, ne~?

John nearly sighed aloud. She hadn't flown off the handle completely, she was giving him a chance to redeem himself. He had known people who wouldn't speak to people after being called things less offensive than 'off-putting'.

"Of course miss! Apologies, I meant no offence. What I meant was that you are so beautiful that you are... distracting me. I never meant that I didn't find you attractive... Not that I mean it like that either!! I just mean... from an objective standpoint, you are quite... beautiful."

John turned a dark shade of red, contrasting sharply with the stark white of his uniform. He had not meant to sound so awkward, but he had never known how to compliment a girl any other way. He wasn't smooth, he was honest and innocent. He hoped she would take it well. To be frank with myself though, I sound more like a love-struck teenager than a representative of der Kaiser's Holy Empire. Again, the jarring contrast between how he acted and how he was supposed to act sprung into his mind. But he pushed it away, he had more important things to focus on.

I have a suggestion~ Perhaps you can indulge this princess in a.... spar of sorts?"

What do you say, Ryan-san?...I personally think it would be delightful to see you in action~ ...For me?

She pouted and batted her eyelashes, almost like an attempt at seduction rather than a request to battle. I suppose it is a seduction of sorts... But the reality of the situation was undeniable. Their conversation was over. They would fight, things would escalate, they would be just two more participants in the war, ready to kill each other at the first opportunity, as opposed to being friends.

John slumped, his shoulders lowered, his head bowed. It was as if the disappointment was a physical weight on him. She had no intention of being friends. This wasn't a friendly spar. This was going to be an exercise for her, an opportunity for her to explore and test her powers against a Vandenreich Quincy. It felt like a betrayal. He had hoped for something better, but he should probably have expected worse.

"Please miss..."

The nervousness was gone, replaced with crushing disappointment. He had thought she was different to the other Shinigami, that perhaps this time everything could be resolved through calm discussion, but she wasn't. There was almost a choked quality to his voice too, as if he was holding back tears.

"Don't waste our time with your honeyed words, miss. If you wanted to fight me, you should have said so at the start, and cut the preamble. I will fight you, if that is what you want..."

John stretched out his arm, his head still bowed. To her, his eyes would be obscured by his fringe. She wouldn't see his tears. He let his standard bow form.

"...but I would like to let you know... That it breaks my heart to have to do so."

At this he looked up. While he was no longer crying, she might notice that his eyes were slightly red. John didn't care. The sense of betrayal was crushing, it blocked out his pride. She could have caught him bawling his eyes out, and it was perfectly possible that he wouldn't have felt an ounce of embarrassment. Funny... How things change so quickly... One second you're exchanging pleasantries, the next, your swords are at each other's throats.

John cleared his throat, to remove the last vestiges of crying from his voice. It made him sound weak. That was over now. It was time for dispassionate battle. Part of him, however, hoped that he had got it wrong. Perhaps she did care a little bit, perhaps this was only a friendly spar. Perhaps he had read all the signs wrong. Perhaps they could still be friends.

Your move... Miss Miyamoto.

[Deleted]

Something had clearly changed here. It didn't change in a good way either. It felt like the warmth that was present just moments ago vanished. Like it pulled a Houdini; a disappearing act. "Ryan-san..?" Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Rin had every intention of keeping this all very lighthearted and enjoyable. She'd done it before. Why should now be any different? Through duels and spars you learn more than you think you would about the person facing you. You learn about the sort of person they are and the way they act and how they think. Little things. Little details go a very, very long way. Learning about a quincy was one thing, but she'd get to learn just a little more about John Ryan, the charming boy whose company she enjoyed... even if it was such a short span of time. He was in the princess's good graces. Oh my..

"Ne? Excuse me..? I don't know about you, but I quite liked our conversation...I liked it quite a bit!" There was an almost angry and confused tone in her voice. Unladylike? Perhaps... but at the moment, she couldn't help herself. She felt quite insulted. Or rather, his words stung. Rin liked conversation and socializing... and she especially liked the conversation she was having just a few moments ago. Wouldn't a little spar be good? True, Rin wanted to know more about quincy or rather John, but she didn't intend to go about it in such a manner. Once she'd talked to him, she'd abandoned his label of 'quincy'.. At least she did in her mind. Rin clearly didn't think this whole thing through or wonder how he'd take to a little duel. Rin always looked at it like a good thing... She didn't think he'd think too much of it and yet, his voice suggested something else entirely. Actually, cracked voices spoke volumes. The hurt in his voice was apparent.

She wasn't quite sure why it hurt that he felt that way. It made her feel uneasy. It was like the shoe was on the other foot. Now she felt like she was the one that needed to tread lightly. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her thoughts, relaxing. Rin liked to spar and engage in little clashes here and there but it was always in good fun. She maintained her princess-like demeanor and kept things clean and wholesome. This was her general 'princess-like' behavior. She shook her head as if he truly was missing something important. "Fight is such a nasty word... Used for enemies I think. I wouldn't use such a word, not for you and I, Ryan-san." It was true though. Enemies fight. Not friends. Friends spar. Or at least, that's what she'd like to think. "Let me ask you something.." She watched him carefully, his bow formed. It was out of thin air. It was like magic.

"Why does it break your heart?"

She was truly curious. Rin figured she could dance and slash and get to know her opponent in the best of ways. In her mind it was almost getting to know your opponent in, a lack for a better word, an almost intimate way. A way where meaningless words didn't interfere. Actions always spoke louder than words. Rin always judged off of actions more than words. Hrm. Her initial assumption of him was right though; he wasn't the type that had the desire to fight. It seemed he was giving her the first move but, oddly enough, Rin continued to speak, watching the poor boy who was now broken. This was a thought process she didn't understand. "I was under the impression that this would be done all in light-hearted fun. It seems like you're taking this much more seriously"

She slowly stalked off to the side in the same manner wolves did when they circled their prey. Her eyes never left his form though. Upon further inspection, his azure irises would be almost red. That struck even more confusion within the princess and she stopped moving for a moment. "...Am I right to assume you hate this sort of thing? My ideas on it may be a little different but I just met you.. Perhaps you think much differently, ne~?" Well, she just couldn't go thinking that everyone liked the same things she did, now could she? This world is full of differences but that's what made people so intriguing. That's what made Rin want be a bit of a social butterfly outside of her shinigami duties. He was honest and innocent. He was in every sense of the word and, oddly enough? Rin liked that. People spent too much time weaving tales and dancing around the truth.

So, that's why she wouldn't call this a...ugh..fight. She much rather prefer to call this 'a-getting-to-know-you-better-spar-thing'. The princess was on the move once more and when she felt the time was right, Rin bolted for him with as much speed as she could muster. Sully this with kido? Heavens no. Not unless he truly took this to a level where someone was leaving severely injured. Rin didn't have any intentions of that... but what was he thinking? Rin made point to move in a zig-zag as she ran towards him. Bow and arrows... while she had no experience with them, she knew enough to say that if you missed your mark, you were in trouble. Not only that but they traveled in a straight line. A step to either side would prevent any direct hits at most.

The thing about a nodachi was that it was a long sword. Rin had the ability to cover a quite a bit of distance with her zanpakuto so she didn't need to get very close to John. One hand on her hilt, the other hand free. Rin didn't use her weapon as an actual sword. She was going to use it like a pole; letting her mid-range/long-range be her greatest advantage. As she came in close enough, she used the tip of her zapakuto to bat John's bow hand towards the inside of his body. The forced movement would hopefully move his bow in front of his face. Rin wasn't terribly strong but maybe it was sufficient enough? Who knows, she mostly wanted the bow away from her so she could leave him open to another attack of hers.

Providing she was successful, Rin would pirouette off to the outside of his hopefully parried arm. Her skill in ballet coupled with her skill in using her nodachi might allow her to get away with her next stunt. Her fingers danced around the hilt, twirling it so that the blade and sheath was moved away to the back. She'd slam the butt of her hilt against the side of John's head. It would be blunt force and honestly, it wouldn't draw blood or anything dramatic like that. It'll just hurt and maybe make him move away from her. Maybe. "...And, if you must know, crying doesn't suit you one bit~ I hope by the end of this, you'll leave with a smile, ne~?" She was awfully chatty. Rin caught herself, realizing that she was being quite talkative when she normally wasn't. Strange... Strange indeed. All the more to learn about him, ne~?

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

John looked at her dispassionately, trying to sum her up. He tried to disregard their entire conversation up until now. That was over. Or so he thought.

"Ryan-san..? "Ne? Excuse me..? I don't know about you, but I quite liked our conversation...I liked it quite a bit!"

Is that... Hurt? John could scarcely believe his ears, she sounded genuinely wounded at his change in attitude. What the... Oh please don't do this to me... John felt like his heart was being wrenched in two, what the hell did she want? While her mannerisms were perfectly... lovely, she was asking for them to fight! The contradiction was impossible for John to understand. Friends don't fight... Hell, I don't even fight with half my enemies. Fights are only for when talking fails. I don't understand her... But I want to...

John looked up, and saw the confusion in her face. Perhaps she was trying to understand him, just as he was trying to understand her. John felt honoured that she was paying him so much attention. People didn't often see John as a person, they only saw him as a nameless soldier. Another faceless mook amongst the thousands of Vandenreich soldiers. Even his superiors didn't pay this much attention to him. No one cared how he felt, only how he acted. The Shinigami healer had tried to convert him, 'Batman' had only been interested in gathering data, and the Squad 11 Shinigami idiot had tried to kill him for being part of the army he had hated.

Perhaps Miss Miyamoto was different. But she still wanted to fight him.

"Fight is such a nasty word... Used for enemies I think. I wouldn't use such a word, not for you and I, Ryan-san."

"Fight, spar, rí rá agus ruaille buaille..." John slipped into Gaeilge, the language of Ireland. He had always hated it, but there was something wonderfully... onomatopoeic about the Irish words for fighting. "They're all synonymous to me, miss Miyamoto... He bowed his head again, still disappointed with her attitude...

"Let me ask you something..

Why does it break your heart?"

"...because, miss Miyamoto, this way of treating violence is not right. Violence is what is used when all else fails, when words cannot possibly win the battles for you. I have no desire to fight anyone unless I hate them, or if I fear for my life. Your idea of violence as a past-time shows how... fruitless it is to try negotiate. Because how can you talk someone out of fighting when their entire being is based on how they fight, why they fight and what they fight for? There has to be something else in people! Or else the universe is forever locked in this bitter, endless war. Quincy against Hollow, Hollow against Shinigami, Shinigami against Quincy. A forever turning wheel, where those who live are those who perpetuate it, and those who die are those who try to stop it...

Your idea of a spar between friends being the only way to truly know each other is like... the final proof. Are people in this world incapable of doing anything without resorting to violence?!"

John screamed at the last bit, angry at the world for being the way it was. For an instant he wished there were no Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow, Fullbringers, Bount, Hell or anything. Just people, people who were willing to talk to each other, willing to be friends. He was sobbing now. Even though he realised Rin bore him little or no ill-will, it was how her attitude had proved how fruitless everything was. His grand idea of being able to just negotiate the end of this war would never materialise, just because there was too much violence in the world already.

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst, are full of passionate intensity..."

The line of poetry sprung into his mind. It was from William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming". He felt it was a pretty accurate description of the state of affairs at the moment. He shouldn't be taking this to heart so much, it was like melodrama, but his core just felt so... shaken. So much for this being an easy trip hunting a Hollow... John thought, with a dark twist of humour. He nearly smiled a little. But the time for that was over. Regardless of what he had just said, she had initiated an attack.

She was closing the distance between them, fast. John couldn't help but cast his mind back to the last time she had closed the distance, just by taking a step forward. He had simply taken a step back to rectify the problem. It was going to be much the same this time, except at a slightly higher speed. She pushed his arm in towards him with the tip of her blade, cutting off his opportunity to fire at her when she was at close range.

John let her do this, in anticipation of her next move. Most likely, she was going to come in on the side of the arm which she had just pushed away, to avoid allowing him do anything tricky with his free hand. It didn't even matter what kind of attack it was going to be, he just needed to evade it. And so, when she pulled into a pirouette, going for his left side, which which he held his bow, John wasn't the least bit surprised. In fact, he had already made a slight preparation in the change of his stance.

While earlier he had been in a standard firing stance, he had simply turned his feet slightly to allow him to move to the right should he need to. And that's exactly what he did. Using Hirenyaku, he brought himself well out of the range of her attack, increasing the distance between them to about 20 metres. Her attack (A blow to the head with the hilt, not that strong, all things considered... She really is taking it easy on me. This is. Just a game to her...) hit empty space.

It would have been easy for John to fire an arrow back in towards her, as she would certainly be exposed after his dodge. However, he didn't want to execute such a vicious counter, so he simply kept his bow formed, ready to intercept another attack of she tried anything tricky.

"...And, if you must know, crying doesn't suit you one bit~ I hope by the end of this, you'll leave with a smile, ne~?"

John blushed. Crying didn't suit him? Up until recently, he had been the acne-suffering teenager who girls didn't pay any attention to. Ever since his spots had cleared up though, and his frame had bulked up a little, he had felt some stares on his back as he walked down the halls of the Vandenreich palace. Still though, any sort of comment about his looks made him blush, he just wasn't used to it. However, the Irish side of him couldn't resist having the last word.

"Perhaps, Miss Miyamoto. Just for you."

Reiatsu : 1000/1050 : -50 for Hirenyaku

[Deleted]

Hm. He really didn't like this sort of thing. Well, that was problematic. She loved it. Some people fought barbarically but when Rin moved, she was as graceful as she was dangerous. It was more of an art to the mock princess. Still, she paused, listening to his monologue about violence. He became increasingly upset as each syllable left his mouth. Rin honestly didn't understand. There truly was nothing to be upset about. There were no feelings of ill-will and malice present here. Just playfulness with just a dash of that infamous aggression she was so well known for. She blinked a few times before raising a quizzical eyebrow. His thought process was something that really wasn't registering. Then, she actually listened. Rin listened to his words intently. It wasn't just noise, she didn't just hear him, she listened carefully like a cautious animal.

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds dreadful... but.."

John moved quickly out of her attack with what seemed to be some kind of stepping technique. Here in one moment, gone in the next? Deductive reasoning says he'd used something like that. He even had the opportunity to attack and yet, he chose not to. Rin watched her hilt strike nothing but air and remained in that position. Her orange pair moved to where he was. The look that she gave him was almost intense but, not in a bad way. As opposed to him, Rin was spirited and fierce. This was something like really liked doing. It was so obvious. She could tell though. She could tell that he was evasive. Hm. Well, if anything, she truly was learning more about his character. Evasive; maybe even a pacifist who would rather bare his fangs when cornered as opposed to showing it off like she did. Yes. That was John Ryan.. Or at least it seemed that way.

The way he spoke made her wonder if they truly were going to leave this field as friends. She didn't see why they couldn't; Wasn't this all in good fun? He was serious about all of this and yet, chose not to go on the offensive when he had the chance. The very thought of leaving this place with feelings brimming with hurt and crushing confusion made her quite angry. To get so worked up over something meant to be light hearted was such a waste of time! It was how one got wrinkles and frown lines. Not only that, but he was actually sobbing. Hmph. After she'd been nothing but polite to him. The fact that he was getting worked up over something meant in good fun actually made Rin aggravated; it was ridiculous to her.

Ha. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black..

"You..ugh...'fight' as a last resort.." Oh how she despised that choice of word.. "I merely do it for fun, not for negotiations or power or fame.. Which are all things that are the root of true violence. My blade hasn't even left my sheathe. I have absolutely no intention of leaving you in tears or without any limbs" She motioned her head towards her beautiful nodachi. Adorned with flowers and various decorations and charms; it was fit for someone like her. To Rin, it was absolutely worth showing off. To not do such a thing was almost sinful to the girl. "Pardon me, Ryan-san, but don't you think you're taking this far too seriously? We honestly didn't have to fight. You could've easily said no and I would be fine with that. I asked, rather nicely if I may add, and you obliged. We're talking are we not? I normally don't do this... It's..quite odd for me, ne~" It was odd. It was frustrating too. She just kept opening her mouth when she normally didn't. It was beyond Rin why she kept doing it but she went on. "Actions speak louder than words, Ryan-san. At least, they do to me. This sort of thing, I enjoy it; I don't treat it as barbarically as what you just described.... And excuse you! I'm quite capable of doing things without resorting to violence!" Whoops. Tone down the anger, princess. "I'm sorry..." Pause. "Ah. To move and dance about with the Empress... it makes me happy. I like showing off. I don't even dress like a typical shinigami or whatever brainless twits with a katana and black hakama you've encountered. The uniform is boring and flat so I made adjustments. I stand out and show-off because I like to. "

That probably wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. Whatever. "You've cried quite a bit over this sort of thing... haven't you?" She asked, hoping to hit the nail on the head. Well, he kind of did just break out sobbing. Being in the Vandenreich, Rin assumed he was around a tremendous deal of violence... and wasn't used to it. They slaughtered hollow and in return, the shinigami went after them for it. It was only natural that he was around constant blood shed and feelings of wounded soldiers that always had a pit of never ending hate rooted deep within their souls. Regardless of race, Rin shook her head at fools who carried around such weights. That is exactly what pulls you to the bottom of the ranks. "I'm absolutely no one to tell you this but... no matter how you look at it, we'll always be around this sort of thing. I'm not telling you this to change your train of thought or to agree with me. I'm telling you the reality of it. I'm sure you see and feel the effects of that 'bitter, endless war'. I see and feel it too. However, we have to make the most of it and hold our heads high, ne~? The key to happiness is to make the most of a miserable situation I think" she smiled sweetly at him. Of course things aren't always the best? When have they been consistently outstanding? Never.

"Have you done nothing to make yourself happy, Ryan-san? We're all deserving of it, are we not? I merely dance like this for sport and nothing more... unless I'm on an important mission to protect people of course... but that's besides the point, ne~? ...I guess what I'm trying to say is to have fun with this?" Rin finally stood up straight, her eyes matched his, almost as if her gaze bore into his soul. "You fight to survive... To exist... but you can make it fun depending on who you're with." She wasn't talking at him as she was sure most people did. Rin was talking to him. "A smile just for me?" There was that laugh again; like soft bells in the dark silence of the night. "Now that's something to look forward to, ne~?" she smirked playfully, facing him, settling back into the same defensive stance she was in previously.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" she said finally, her hand moving especially close to the hand guard of the blade; where the hilt and metal met. It was like an indication that she was getting ready to attack. Rin took a step forward and used a shunpo to quickly close most of the distance he originally created between them. No more nice 20 meter gap. However, Rin chose not to close all of the distance. She still kept away a couple of feet away and chose to close the rest of the distance on foot. It was certainly an odd approach, but Rin was crafty. She wanted to surprise him with her sudden closeness as she had before and handle the rest of the work on her own. Her weapon was not merely just a weapon. For lack of better words, it was like another body part; it was her own. She knew it inside and out.

Her nodachi was a monster. It was quite long; the blade itself was 6 feet. As she started to close in towards John, she reared her arm back as if to stab at his stomach, but her arm barely moved! She was, no doubt aiming for his stomach but not in the way that he might guess. In fact, her arm only moved a mere few inches to mock and imitate a stabbing motion while her fingers did all the real work. Using her thumb, Rin flicked the sheath of her nodachi off and sent it flying towards John's stomach like a heavy bullet. Her own little projectile. She pulled her blade out as the sheath flew off. If it, well, it wouldn't do much. It was still a sheathe. Her blade was heavy and the sheath added to the weight but it wasn't that much. If anything, it might force him back a step.

Providing she was successful, Rin's free hand would quickly snap up to catch the mouth of the sheath and slam it into John's chin.. and she'd do so with quite a bit force. Good enough to make his head reel back and leave a bruise on his adorable quincy face. Ooh...That just sent shivers right up her spine; the thought of bruises on her own face. Ugh! She moved with grace effortlessly, showing that everything she executed.. every posture, every movement, every little detail had finesse. Still, Rin wasn't playing hardball. She didn't want to if John had no desire to go there. It's not fun if just one person is enjoying this, right? The princess wanted him to enjoy this but after his speech and his crying and everything else, she wasn't sure if she should let this escalate or draw on for an extended amount of time. Honestly, it drew a slight frown across the fiery princess' face. If they were done here, then that would mean she'd have to go back to her miserable stack of paperwork.

...Fabulous.

"To live, Ryan-san, is one of the rarest things in this world. Most people just exist..." But in this moment, Rin was enjoying moving about. She always thought of fighting as an art of its own. She was truly enjoying it. She was living in the moment.To leave now would not only be upsetting, but infuriating. Her blade hand turned so that the reverse edge was the one facing him. She was serious about the no blood, no losing limbs thing. She had no intention of killing or hurting anyone severely... But that didn't mean they couldn't get a little worked up, right? She felt as though he'd disagree with her point of view. That was fine. She accepted that because that was who he is. Rin had no intention of trying to change him or change his point of view or outlook. She just wanted him to stop crying and enjoy the little things that hopefully come out of this. She thought that he needed to stop trying to survive. Would he try and make the most of a bad situation? She didn't know.

"Do you exist or do you live?"

Rin's Remaining Reiatsu: 1750/1800 (-50 for Shunpo)

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"You..ugh...'fight' as a last resort. I merely do it for fun, not for negotiations or power or fame.. Which are all things that are the root of true violence. My blade hasn't even left my sheathe. I have absolutely no intention of leaving you in tears or without any limbs. Pardon me, Ryan-san, but don't you think you're taking this far too seriously? We honestly didn't have to fight. You could've easily said no and I would be fine with that. I asked, rather nicely if I may add, and you obliged. We're talking are we not? I normally don't do this... It's..quite odd for me, ne~"

I suppose I am, really... I've always been one to overreact, to read too much into things. "Apologies, miss Miyamoto, it wasn't my intention to subject you to such melodrama. I guess I got... a bit carried away."

While it sounded apologetic, there was a slight edge to it. A certain steel in his voice. He hated being chastised, being called out like a child. It seemed everyone was more experienced than him, everyone had a lecture to give him. He listened to Rin, why? Because she was more powerful than he was. And here we are again... Why is it, that to truly do good in this world, one must also be powerful? It was a question he had come across before, and it still puzzled him now. It seemed almost contradictory.

"Actions speak louder than words, Ryan-san. At least, they do to me. This sort of thing, I enjoy it; I don't treat it as barbarically as what you just described.... And excuse you! I'm quite capable of doing things without resorting to violence!

...

I'm sorry... Ah. To move and dance about with the Empress... it makes me happy. I like showing off. I don't even dress like a typical shinigami or whatever brainless twits with a katana and black hakama you've encountered. The uniform is boring and flat so I made adjustments. I stand out and show-off because I like to. "

Ah, so that's the kind of person she is... John thought. The idea brought a little smile to his face. She and he were quite alike actually. Whenever he had mastered something new, he would always be delighted to show it off. It was the admiration one received, that's why John strived so hard to be great at being a Quincy, so that one day someone might tell him: "Well done, good work." He immediately felt a bit more sympathetic to Miss Miyamoto, he even overlooked her angry outburst at him.

"Don't worry about it, Miss Miyamoto. Half the people I talk to end up wanting to kill me anyway." He laughed, stronger now. Not the nervous laugh he had used earlier. He was getting used to Rin's presence, he was beginning to feel more comfortable around her. While she was still the most unusual character he had met during his experiences in the Vandenreich, there was something... comforting about her. She seemed willing to listen to him, even if it tested her patience a bit. If things had been different, they could have been good friends.

"You've cried quite a bit over this sort of thing... haven't you? I'm absolutely no one to tell you this but... no matter how you look at it, we'll always be around this sort of thing. I'm not telling you this to change your train of thought or to agree with me. I'm telling you the reality of it. I'm sure you see and feel the effects of that 'bitter, endless war'. I see and feel it too. However, we have to make the most of it and hold our heads high, ne~? The key to happiness is to make the most of a miserable situation I think... Have you done nothing to make yourself happy, Ryan-san? We're all deserving of it, are we not? I merely dance like this for sport and nothing more... unless I'm on an important mission to protect people of course... but that's besides the point, ne~? ...I guess what I'm trying to say is to have fun with this?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Miss Miyamoto, but the day that I accept the violence and destruction caused by the War as the only solution to the problems of the Quincy and the Shinigami, is the day that I no longer deserve to be called human. Perhaps I do think about it too much, perhaps I do let it hold me back in battle. But I cannot make light of the miserable situation around me. But I will agree with you on this. It is the moments like today which allow me to persevere. So, for you, I will set aside my reservations, and spar with you. As a friend."

She laughed at the line about the smile. Something to look forward to? I can't tell if she's being flirtatious, or condescending... John watched her take up a fighting stance. It was time to prepare himself. Instead of readying his feet for using his bow though, he prepared them as if he were to use his sword. However, he didn't manifest Hohle Schneide. There was a good chance she'd shatter it with her superior Reiatsu Strength, so timing was going to be key. He definitely wouldn't be able to parry her blade with it, but if she went at him with the hilt again, he would hopefully be able to withstand it.

And then she moved, so fast that he lost sight of her. Shunpo. Her equivalent to his Hirenyaku. A power so useful, practically every race in all the worlds had their own variation. As a person who favoured long range though, it did make things very annoying. Thankfully, John wasn't terrible at close quarters combat, he just wasn't great. She exited her Shunpo further away from him than he expected. Well, with a sword like that she could afford some sort of range.

As she went for a stab with her sword, John raised his hand. Hohle Schneide formed instantly out of thin air. What he had not expected though, was for her to fire the sheathe at him. It probably worked out in his favour though. The sheathe on its own wasn't enough to break Hohle Schneide, instead the hollow metal made a beautiful pure note as the sheathe struck it. Judging from the strength of the note, John was glad he hadn't let it hit his stomach.

However, she wasn't finished. She grabbed the sheath, and flicked it upwards.

"Oof!"

The sound he made was inelegant, to say the least, as the sheathe collided with his chin. The force was enough to cause his head to snap back. That was definitely going to bruise. He staggered back, raising the back of his hand to his lips. His teeth had caught his lower lip, and now it was bleeding. It stung, but not enough to distract him completely. He kept Hohle Schneide formed in his hand. Her blade was unsheathed now too, and the dull edge was being kept facing inwards, preventing her from slicing him up. However, she had also asked him a question. A question which she probably didn't mean to be rhetorical.

"Miss Miyamoto, as long as I am this weak, everything is about survival."

And there it was, out in the open, the bitter truth. He was too weak at the moment to care about anything but survival. When he was stronger, perhaps, he could do more. Even this fight, which was nothing more than a friendly spar to Rin, was a taxing and gruelling fight to John. But, maybe...

"But I'm hoping you can change my mind about that, today.

And with that, he stepped back in towards her. There were two small notes that he made in his mind first though. If she attacked with her sword, John would have no choice but to escape with Hirenyaku again, Hohle Schneide would definitely not stand up to a direct hit from her sword. Also, bearing the size of her weapon in mind, the closer he was, the better. And so he stepped right in. A strike from her blade would hit right across his left hand side now, he was so close. However, with the dull edge of her blade it would be like a bludgeon, as opposed to a strike with a sword.

As John stepped in, he kept Hohle Schneide guarding his left side. A strike would shatter the blade, but he was banking on the steel holding her blade back a little, to avoid serious damage. The only thing was, was that he didn't have another weapon. She had her sheathe, and he had no doubt she could pack quite a punch too. So John was forced to leave himself exposed like this, unable to do anything until she made the first move.

They were close enough that they could be mistaken for lovers. The intimacy of battle... John thought to himself. And for a moment, his eyes locked with hers, blue against orange, both trying to work out what the other was thinking, both trying to understand the other. Perhaps she's right... Perhaps battle is the best way to understand another person...

Reiatsu = 975/1050 : -25 for Hohle Schneide

[Deleted]

Looks like someone's finally stepping out. Rin could tell you she was quite happy that he was relaxing a bit. She could hear it all in his laugh. Hell, she even started to smile herself and her eyes just blazed with excitement and joy. She knew he could start to feel a little better if he relaxed just a bit. It was hard to admit, even to herself, that she did feel a little bad about knocking her sheath into his chin. A bloody lip wasn't pretty. Ah...So much for not shedding blood, ne~? She watched his head snapback. Good, her hits connected. Even better was the fact that he didn't let it bother him. He recovered quickly and didn't miss a beat on following up with her attacks. She had to say, she was slightly impressed with that.

"Miss Miyamoto, as long as I am this weak, everything is about survival. But I'm hoping you can change my mind about that, today."

"Strength from within is what lets us live, Ryan-san. You are only weak if you put yourself in that category. I think you're more than capable of displaying strength, ne~?" She was just a fourth seat, but she tried her best to make it know that she was one of the best damned fourth seats in the Gotei 13! The sounds of her sheath colliding with his blade made lovely sounds. The sounds of blades colliding with each other under a dark sky were even better to the princess. He was right in predicting she would attack with her sword. Rin vowed to only use the reverse side for this spar. So, she moved to slam the dull side of her nodachi at his arm. With such strength, she was sure, he'd refrain from using it for a bit. It wouldn't have been a permanent thing... but she was counting on it to hurt. Rin was mostly trying to disable him without going hog wild and slicing him.

Not that she'd want to. Strangely enough, Rin had already grown somewhat fond of this particular stranger. It was odd. He stepped forward. My, was he efficient. Never wasting or expending to much energy. He seemed to know that fighting close quarters was the key to dealing with someone like herself. Someone with a troublesome range like her own. Long enough to stay out of danger but short enough to make his own bow and arrow ineffective. Hn. Smart. Though, Rin always had ways of combating this particular problem. Sure, large weapons had a very obvious drawback to them, but that was why she used her sheathe and the hilt. She made her opponent regret even stepping a centimeter too close and knew how to make them pay. He could've followed up in some way and yet again, he chose not to go on the offensive. That was something she didn't understand.

She watched as her blade smashed his own. It shattered and there was a slight shock in her eyes. She hadn't been expecting that and now he was weaponless. Still, he was clever. He'd avoided the brunt of her attack and used his blade to do it. Ah, he'd get away unscathed for the most part. Weaponless.. but no bruises or painful hits. It wasn't until then she realized just how close he was to her. Her head slowly tilted upward as he moved closer to her. For some odd reason, she knew she was safe even when she was this close to him. Something that confused her even more was when he locked his gaze with hers. Rin stopped for a moment. She'd never really realized just how tall he was or how blue his eyes were. For a moment she ended up staring. There was certain spark there that revealed that maybe he knew what she was talking about..

"Move, you fool."

The words of her zanpakuto spirit echoed. Her eyelashes fluttered, she looked like she'd just been snapped out of something and then she realized she was staring. Not only was that embarrassing to her, but it was impolite. She couldn't help but blush madly; her cheeks as red as apples. Too close, maybe? She also stared. How embarrassing! Too embarrassing! Ne! Rin gasped slightly, realizing that she had to do something. "E-Excuse, me!" Was all she could really utter. She realized he was never going to be on the offensive... he'd only react defensively to her. Well, if he wanted to get close then, that was fine. Rin knew how to deal with that in a very, very simple way. Perhaps he'll learn from it? Maybe, ne~? "There's quite a bit you can do to someone in close quarters..."

Suddenly, Rin moved her right foot behind his left. She planted it firmly on the ground and moved it backwards, kicking his foot out from under him. In addition to this, Rin also slammed her fist into his solar plexus. She didn't punch him very hard. Rin just used enough force to make his body move back as he lost balance. Both actions were being done simulatenously. The kick to make him stumble and the light punch to make him lose even more balance. Normally, she'd used the palm of her hand, but Rin was holding on to her sheathe so she used her fist instead. If successful, John would fall onto his back.. where anyone was most vulnerable and open to attack.

"I apologize for your weapon. It was not my intention to shatter it like that." She was truly apologetic. If anyone had done that to Rin, well, the princess would rather not think about it. The mere thought was horrible to her. She'd wait a moment, allowing him time to stand. If he chose not to, then Rin would go on the offensive once more and slam her sheath into his stomach. She held back on the strength though. If she could break his blade, then she could do serious damage to him... and like she said, she had no intention of leaving him bloodied up. It felt unfair to her though... he wouldn't go offensive or attack. She felt as though she was the bad guy here. Alas, it seemed to be completely against his nature. She didn't want to force him into attacking.. but still!

"Despite all of this, I don't believe war is the only solution to peace. Hopefully you don't leave here thinking I'm some sort of vicious warmonger.."

Rin's Remaining Reiatsu: 1750/1800

[Hadrian J. Ryan Ⅻ]

"Strength from within is what lets us live, Ryan-san. You are only weak if you put yourself in that category. I think you're more than capable of displaying strength, ne~?

That was easy for her to say, she being much stronger than John. True, believing in oneself did have a positive effect on one's performance, but that still wouldn't overcome the massive disadvantage John was at. It would be like trying to evaporate an ocean with a candle. John could part of the way, but would burn himself out before he'd even made a dent in this challenge. Well... Vollstandig would certainly level the playing- No, what the hell am I thinking?! I want to spar with her, not kill her. And even then, I don't really want to spar with her...

However, he had predicted what would happen in this encounter quite well. She did indeed strike at him with the flat side of her blade, intending to take out his sword arm, which was also his bow arm. Well, she certainly aimed to make it uncomfortable to use, not quite render it useless. Still though, John was glad his decision to use Hohle Schneide benefitted him. The blade did shatter, but it still slowed her blade down. Her blade hit his arm with no adverse effects for him, just a small ache where it impacted. Nothing which should impair his fighting ability too much.

However, John had not expected the shock in her eyes. She seemed genuinely upset that he had broken his sword. John spared a quick glance at the remains of it. All he held in his hand was the hilt and cross-guard, to which a few shattered remains of the blade were still attached. It reminded John of the broken beer bottles people used in drunken brawls, it had the same jagged quality. It had lost the sharp beauty which John admired in swords, it had become a barbaric thing. He let the remains of it disappear.

However, he had been right about the intimacy of battle. While he certainly felt quite close to Miss Miyamoto, the effect on her startled him. When she looked him in the eye, he sensed she was lost a little, not quite searching anymore. Perhaps it was his height, it often had the effect of intimidating people. However, Miss Miyamoto probably realised by now that John's height was no real reflection of his physical ability, so that shouldn't have been the problem.

Just what are you hoping to find! John thought to himself. He was beginning to find the staring quite uncomfortable, he wasn't used to such attention. However, he did feel oddly... safe in her company. While he knew she could attack him at any second, he knew she meant him no real harm now. His cheeks started to take on a rosy hue, he wasn't used to such... intimate encounters.

However, she broke it off. "E-Excuse, me!" She went a bright shade of red, as if she he had been unaware of what she had been doing the whole time. She obviously found it uncomfortable too. John felt responsible, having initiated the whole thing.

"No, excuse me, miss. I never intended to be so rude. I just... Lost the running of myself for a moment. I forgot my manners."

John gave a small bow of his head to indicate his apology. However, the moment was over. Her next few words told him as much.

"There's quite a bit you can do to someone in close quarters..."

John's mouth nearly fell open. He wasn't sure if she intended to sound so... seductive. Perhaps it was just the teenage part of his mind kicking in. Hormones and all that. Funny... There isn't really much time for that sort of thing when you're fighting a war... He thought to himself, almost wistfully. All those teenagers, perhaps even those in the nearby village, who felt they had the worst life in the world at least got to lead a normal one. John didn't regret being a Quincy, but sometimes he did wish things could be simpler.

However, he had been led off track. Her line had not been seductive, or even flirtatious. It had actually been a threat. He felt her leg hook around behind his. While this may have been considered seductive in other circumstances, what followed it up put an end to that train of thought. A close-fisted punch to the solar plexus sent John sprawling, as he fell over her leg behind him. It was a neat trick, quite similar to the one you might see in the school yard. However, being on the ground, flat on one's back and directly in front of one's opponent was not a good position to be in. So as soon as John hit the ground, he rolled to the left and propped himself up.

"I apologize for your weapon. It was not my intention to shatter it like that."

"That's... Ah, no matter... Miss Miyamoto." John felt short of breath. That punch took a lot more out of him than he expected. He lifted himself to his feet. Staying on the defensive was getting him nowhere. She was dancing rings around him, and he could barely defend her conservative attacks. John was thankful they weren't proper enemies. Still, though, something had to change.

"Despite all of this, I don't believe war is the only solution to peace. Hopefully you don't leave here thinking I'm some sort of vicious warmonger.."

"Oh... Don't worry, Miss Miyamoto. I think I've changed my mind about that. Well, for you anyway. I don't think a vicious warmonger could be so beautiful."

He finished with a smile. Sure, it was unabashed flattery, but it was still true. John associated beautiful ideals with beautiful people, and barbaric ideals with people who were... not so... beautiful. It was something childish he had clung to. Plus, the more he knew about Miss Miyamoto, the more convinced he was that she was a good person, despite her blasé view of violence. She seemed quite... considerate. And understanding too. Not like the Squad 11 Shinigami John had met.

He had two options. Use another Hohle Schneide, and go in close. Or, move out using Hirenyaku and start using his bow again. Neither were particularly advantageous, John knew Rin would be able to counteract either strategy. But he had to start pressing her, lest the princess became bored. Perhaps it is time to shake things up a little... The bow it was, then.

First, distance. John used Hirenyaku to back well away from Rin, forming his secondary bow as he did so. His feet touched the ground lightly as he pulled out of the stepping technique, a good 50 metres away from Rin now. Before she had a chance to pursue him, John fired a weak arrow in her direction, just to prevent her from following him in a straight line. He quite liked his new small bow. Designed to be a secondary weapon, it had a neat little trick. It was able to double the speed of stronger arrows, which made it good for changing up the pace of battles.

That was something John relied on. Being unpredictable. As one of the few Quincies who took a vested interest in swords, he was often able to catch his opponents off guard with those kind of techniques. So this new bow was right up his street. Just when his opponent got comfortable with the speed of his arrows, he could change it up. Hopefully he would get an opportunity to try it out. However, he guessed Rin would try close the gap again. It seemed she had no interest in fighting him at long range, from what he had seen so far, anyway.

Perhaps he could keep up the conversation. This was, by far, the most interesting part of this spar. She could exploit it, use it as an opening to attack him, or she could respond. Either of which John was ready to deal with.

"I hope you don't consider it too forward of me to ask, Miss Miyamoto, but I was just wondering... Do you enjoy being a Shinigami? And I don't just mean fighting for the Soul Society. I mean in general. Are you proud to have Spiritual Powers?"

It was something John would like to know. He often wondered whether Spiritual Powers should be considered a burden or a blessing. He took immense pride in his Quincy powers, they were something which made him special, differentiated him from normal humans. In fact, he didn't know any Quincy who wasn't proud of their powers. He wondered if it was the same for Shinigami. Did they find their powers a curse? Or did they enjoy being the police of the three worlds?

Reiatsu = 915/1050 : -50 for Hirenyaku ; -10 for Class 7 arrow

[Deleted]

Oh she’d made it all so embarrassing and awkward. Why did she have to stare!? It was odd behavior on Rin’s part. It wasn’t very princess-like behavior as well. The empress called her a fool for it. Now, she just had to suck it up and take it like a princess would. “I believe I’m the one who should be saying that, Ryan-san. My behavior was most unbecoming. I assure you it won’t happen again.” She said apologetically. ”…Really?” her spirit said. The sarcasm in her voice was apparent. Just like the Empress to not buy into any of that. It made Rin frustrated. Well, there wasn’t anyone who knew the princess better than her zanpakuto spirit. It didn’t help that the two were ridiculously similar either. The only different between her spirit and herself was that her spirit was the former Vice Captain of her squad. She was a seasoned warrior. Her prowess with a sword was something to be feared.

Rin hoped, not to be the same or follow in her footsteps, but to come out on top. To actually be better than her spirit. To be a better Vice Captain than her spirit ever was. Alas, that all came with hard work and discipline and a lot of fighting with the people around her. It had to start somewhere, ne~? She had to gather as much experience in battle and spars as she could if she wanted to get anywhere. John seemed completely thrown off at her little trick. She hadn’t realized her words came off in….. er… such a manner. It still didn’t register to her. It sounded completely different in her head; like she was trying to teach him how to fight. Sort of. Still, Rin was much more focused in something else. Her only wish was that he’d fight back. Ah, that wasn’t going to happen… Not in a million years. How aggravating, ne~?

Her eyes never left him… and fear not, she wasn’t being creepy again. Just watching an opponent! She watched as he quickly rolled over and sat up. Out of breath? Mm… That’s no good. Well, on his part it wasn’t. She’d even toned it down and it was wearing him out. She merely offered him a small smile. At least he wasn’t giving up or just laying there. That would’ve infuriated her in two seconds flat. “It’s quite a matter. Your weapon should be a part of you. Losing it should be like losing a limb. If that connection isn’t there, you’ll never be able to use it to it’s full potential. I know I’d be devastated if such a thing happened to her.” she said, settling into a defensive stance. Yet again, the reverse side of her blade was facing up. Rin was ready to attack again. She would’ve moved right then and there… had it not been for this comment:

"Oh... Don't worry, Miss Miyamoto. I think I've changed my mind about that. Well, for you anyway. I don't think a vicious warmonger could be so beautiful."

How forward! Her focused hawk’s gaze instantly dropped at hearing that. She blinked a few times. Flattery was flattery….was flatter.. and Rin loved hearing it. Boosting the ego of someone who’s ego didn’t need boosting? There was nothing better! Still, hearing it from someone else, a person she’d just met, was something else entirely to the princess. Rin absolutely couldn’t help but blush again! Turning away, embarrassed. “Ryan-san!” she exclaimed, as if to say it was such an embarrassing thing to say. She tried to bite back a smile. How embarrassing ,ne~? Well, it wasn’t. But it was. But it wasn’t. Girls are difficult in a thousand different ways, but her actions said it all; she did like being called ‘beautiful’… Even if it was natural for a princess to hear such compliments. Hmph! Why was she getting worked up over a compliment anyways?! She didn’t understand it. At least he didn’t think she was barbaric.

Ah! Focus, Rin! The princess was on the offensive again, convinced that John wouldn’t be attacking at all. She figured it would just be him defending.. which was alright. However, it felt one-sided. That was the disappointing part. Rin charged once more, straight for him. This time around, Rin was coming at him from the front. He was quite a distance away, so there’d be ample time for him to prepare for what she’d do. She ran and ran and suddenly, she saw the arrow up ahead. She immediately jumped to the side with the arrow just passing by closely. It was close enough to cause a nick in her beautiful kimono sleeve. While she’d normally be extremely furious, she was just slightly furious. John did something she hadn’t expected. There was shock in her face and her head turned to see the direction in which the arrow flew. She paused for a few moments. She’d gotten to comfortable. He was a bag of tricks. That was absolutely delightful.

Rin turned back to look at him. The corners of her lips curled slowly, turning into a daring smile. “…Now isn’t that better than running? Normally I’d say you don’t seem to be the type to enjoy it but you’ve proven yourself to be a wildcard…” ..And that was exciting to the princess. Now, she was entertained! It wasn’t going to stop her from attacking though. So, Rin pressed on. She continued in the same direction.. only this time, she moved in a zig-zag pattern. This was to prevent him from having a steady aim on her. When she finally closed in on him, Rin dropped to a crouching position and attempted to sweep his feet. If she was successful, he’d fall again. Another trick she’d done to knock him off his feet.

She kept her position, deciding to stay that way for a few moments longer for her actual attack. Rin aimed to slam the reverse side of her blade into his chest. Though, she’d do so with less strength this time. She was holding back but it was fine. It wouldn’t have been enjoyable if she was the only one enjoying this little spar. Rin wasn’t sure if he’d try to retaliate, but she’d still spring back, standing up straight and take a few steps back. "I hope you don't consider it too forward of me to ask, Miss Miyamoto, but I was just wondering... Do you enjoy being a Shinigami? And I don't just mean fighting for the Soul Society. I mean in general. Are you proud to have Spiritual Powers?" That was an…interesting question. “Not at all.” she started. Rin actually started to think back to all the arguments with her own father and his own reservations with her new job. “I absolutely love it. I’m so in love with what I do.” she said, her orange pair falling to look at her zanpakuto. She watched her reflection for a bit in the flat site of her nodachi as she spoke; Rin cherished her zanpakuto. “Everyone’s powers are their own fingerprint I think; no two are the same. At least, I’d like to think so, ne~. I do my best to show off when I can afford to~…. While most might consider my spiritual powers to be just a bit on the inelegant side, I still enjoy it. I think it’s…” she raised her blade, letting the light of the moon bounce off her blade, “Thrilling~” Rin twirled her blade artfully, letting her fingers dance along the hilt before allowing it to rest at her side.

“..I like helping people. I might not have the easiest time showing it outright, but I know that this is my calling. I don’t think I could settle for a normal life. Not after all my experiences and adventures.” she said, looking at him with certainty. To Rin, it was absolute. Being a shinigami was the greatest thing in her mind. Then she thought about her dad… He seemed proud… but was he really? Ah, there was no point on dwelling on that. She sighed. “What about you, Ryan-san? Hopefully you don’t mind this beautiful warmonger picking at your brain for a bit, ne~?” She jested. She wasn’t sure if he’d try to retaliate to her earlier attacks. She anticipated something from him. She just didn’t know what. Rin just knew he was efficient and unpredictable; “What is the Vandenreich like? Do you like your powers? I…I realize that life gives us so many options but you chose spiritual powers over a normal life. A peaceful life, maybe. I suppose what I’m trying to ask is, what made you want to be who you are today?” She knew what she was talking about. Rin had that option too. She didn’t have to become a shinigami, but she did. She had a life of luxury right in the palm of her hands and while she didn’t completely throw it away, Rin chose the life of a shinigami. Still, she was careful with her words, she didn’t want to offend him or step on his toes; that would be unbefitting for a princess like herself. She just truly knew very little about them. So what if curiosity killed the cat? It wasn’t like he’d kill her for it, right? Ah… it’s food for thought, isn’t it?

Rin's Remaining Reiatsu: 1750/1800