Hasty Recovery | Joint Training | R

[Deleted]

Was karma a real thing? When somebody did something good, was a similarly natured thing rewarded back to them? Or was their truly a God watching over his creations, handing out blessings to those whom suffered through turmoil's? Or was fate just a cruel lady, finding some kick amusement from kicking around people before turning around and improving their lives? Raygin didn't know the answer to any of those questions. All he knew was that he had suffered. He had lived in fear, in doubt, in caution for nearly a year now. Long enough to have completely changed his outlook on life, in fact. Raygin had known despair, more than the Segunda Espada could ever hope to dish out. Enough of it to make Kuroi Naito envious in fact. Living with such an injury, living on a ticking countdown. He only had one year left to live, even if he were careful actually.

But, it was over now. Something had changed. Something had been presented to Raygin that could break the curse that had been placed upon him. A new surgical procedure, one being performed by the new Captain of Squad Four, Rose, could repair the damage to Raygins heart. It was going to be a risky procedure though, and the chances of Raygin even surviving it would have been fifty fifty. He had been given a few days to prepare himself and think it over, but he had surprised everyone by immediately stating he was okay to undergo it. No time to think or second guess. If he had a chance at repairing himself, of escaping the shell of despair he had been trapped in, even if it cost him his life, he would do it. No longer would he allow himself to be a burden to his friends and family. So, he allowed it. Without question, without asking, he put his faith and trust into the Squad his best friend had defended with his life. So then, how did it go?

"Aah...agh...mmgh...t-twenty...five..." Raygin gasped, collapsing under his own weight once he had finished that push up. It was a warm day in the Seireitei, not a cloud in that bright blue sky. Unhindered sunlight shone down on the training field, one used by any Shinigami from any squad if they wanted to. It was almost barren, actually, only a handful of other Shinigami sharing the field with the panting young man. Pushing himself to his feet Raygin rubbed his forearm across his brow, wiping away any sweat that had built up. That bright smile of his never once left his tanned face, turning his attention to the bucket of cold water he had prepared in advance. Approaching it he crouched down, collecting a cup full and pouring it on his head to cool himself off.

He let out a satisfied sigh after shaking his hair free of most of the water. He pondered if maybe he should pour some of the water on his body, but decided that perhaps it was best if he just kept it too his head. Sure, he had decided to forgo wearing any upper attire while he worked out, so he could collect some sunlight on his skin, but he didn't want to get his pants wet. Standing up and dusting his legs off, Raygin walked back to where he had been doing his pushups moments earlier. The surgery had been a success. Not four months ago Raygin had awoken on that bed in the Squad Four barracks, having survived the surgery that could have taken his life. He had been informed by the staff present that it had been a success, that the injury that had caused him so much misery was gone. So, what did Raygin do?

He cried. Tears of joy had poured down his face and soaked his pillow. The misery and striff were gone, the pain was gone. Raygin could go up stairs without losing the ability to breath amidst the pain. No more coughing up blood, no more fear and no more pain. He had been told to take it easy as first, as his time as a cripple had weakened his body considerably. His skills as a Shinigami were gone, as was the titan strength he once possessed. Raygin was back to square one. He had been weakened, but he could now begin again. Raygin was back and he needed to train. He needed to get back to being fit for duty as soon as possible. His family, and the Seireitei, needed him after all. At least, he hoped they needed him. There were plenty of new and impressive Shinigami in the Seireitei now, some of which he might have to compete with.

Regardless of whether or not the Seireitei truly needed him wasn't important at this time. Right now, Raygin needed to focus on improving himself and his body. And the best way to do that was to practice his boxing techniques! Raygin took a sigh, clearing his mind and doing his best to remember how...boxing went. It was all about leg work and jabs, right? It was...odd. Everything seemed cloudy, like a hazy dream in fact. How did boxing go again? He spread his legs slightly, raising his arms up as someone who boxed might have...but something just wasn't right. It didn't feel right, at all. Raygin blinked, looking at his arms before throwing a jab right at him. He had put too much weight into the jab, and launched his body forward a bit. "No...that...it doesn't feel right..." He commented, drawing his fist back and looking at them again. "I knew that after all that time a few things were gonna be forgotten....." Raygin commented, looking at his hands before shaking it off. He should have realized his boxing skills were long gone by now, the once familiar foot works and body movements lost to him during his months of recovery.

His progress was fast, far quicker than he has originally expected. Maybe it was because some latent power of his former self still resided deep within him, somewhere, and the reintroduction of growing reiatsu had reawakened that hidden potential? He had spent the time since he was discharged from the Medical Center to focus on training, to regain the strength and skills that he once possessed. However, he felt that those lost abilities were just that…lost. He wouldn’t be getting them back. And honestly? That was fine. It didn’t matter that he lost that strength, or his boxing talents, they were just weight from an older part of his life that he wanted to forget.

Something he had noticed however was the absolute insane growth of his reiatsu quantity. While its quality, it’s strength, was not yet that impressive, Raygin was a tad bit taken back by the sudden increase in his reiatsu pool he was experiencing. Maybe it was a sign of something? His mind felt clearier, processing information much faster than he remembered being able to. Not just that, he always acquired a new…awareness of the environment. It was weak, but he was beginning to actually feel the reiatsu within the things around him. This must have been Energy Sensory, something Raygin had never had before. It felt like a sixth sense had been opened up to him, and that he was viewing the world again for the first time.

Rubbing his shoulder, his gaze drifted over to the object laying in the grass a few feet away. A sheathed weapon, a Zanpakuto to be specific, not in the standard shape of a katana like many other. Rather, a sheathed falchion. He looked at it, blinking gently as he gazed at it. Raygin had not wanted to take up another Zanpakuto, not yet at least. Despite the fact that the damage done to his body had been restored what had been done to his soul had not yet healed over. The destruction of his first Zanpakuto, Zeroshiki, still lay heavy on his heart. It was advised that he take one again, at least that’s what the Kawadas recommended. No doubt they wanted Raygin to step back into the rankings of the Gotei Thirteen, to try and redeem whatever shame he had caused for them.

The young man looked away from the weapon, closing his eyes as he desired to practice his Energy Sensory some more. It was one thing for the Kawada to be pushing for him to be reinstated to the rankings of the Shinigami, but there was now another force calling to him. He heard it when he slept, when Raygins mental barriers were at their lowest. A voice calling out to him from the depths of his soul. A voice that Raygin did not wish to engage with, something he was not yet ready to meet with. He had made sure to erect whatever mental barriers he could within himself, to cut himself off with the presence now trying to contact him. He wasn’t ready yet. He wasn’t ready yet to commit to that again. To learn another’s name. He wondered how long it would wait, wondering if it would eventually lock itself away as well. The thoughts didn’t entirely bother Raygin, but he knew that someday, soon, he was going to need to face his responsibilities. But right now? Well, right now Raygin needed to become adjusted to his body again.

After all, as he was, he couldn’t go about the singular goal that was in his mind. The desire to see the Vandenreich, to see Caesar, pay for their crimes against…well…everything, burned strongly within Raygin. But he was not hasty, being careful and slow to make sure he didn’t mess something up. With a sigh he resumed his exercise, pushing his awareness out to the furthest bounds he could. The energies of passing Shinigami, of the collection of birds that were allowed within the invisible dome of the Seireitei. Energy Sensory was hard to explain. It was like in the darkness, and yet having an awareness of everything around you. Like lights in the darkness the reiatsu shone, giving Raygin the beacons to see through the darkness. As he stood there, exploring the area with his mind, a new presence shone into existence in the edges of his field. Raygin pulled back, opening his amber eyes and turning away slightly. Who he saw made him blink, staring at them with a surprised look in those eyes of his. Someone he hadn’t actually seen in some time. ”Hey there, Ajraka.”

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

It had been a while since Ajraka had visited Soul Society. Indeed she had been a bit....occupied. Some of her crew had been growing restless. A few more fights had broken out, but largely things were going.....acceptably. But alas, it was time to make another stop in Soul Society. Donning her more...noble attire, she had her crew remain in the wilderness, as per usual, and made her way to the Sereitei. It didn't take her very long with her speed. And once she was through the gate, it was a short journey to the Kuchiki Mansion. However, on her way there....she did sense something of a familiar presence. Raygin.

Normally she would have been surprised to see him out and about. But what was even more surprising was that she could sense him at all. Immediately she felt her curiosity start to well up inside of her. She paused, taking a look at herself. A Noble's Kimono. She had very little else, at least not that she wore around Soul Society. Well...except her OLd clothes. Which she wore around Squad Eleven Barracks. Strangely, they had a habit of overcomming their incredulity of her to challenge her to races.

In any case she began making her way toward Ray, but taking her time as she did so, allowing her spiritual pressure to be felt. Which was fairly strong despite her not being a shinigami. She probably ran the risk of drawing other....attentions. But well, she wanted to let Ray know she was here. She'd deal with whatever others came about to try and greet the young Kuchikess.

[Deleted]

How long had it been since he had last seen her? Raygin thought back on it, remembering that the last time he had seen her was, actually, when he had met her. Huh. She had made enough of an impression on the young man that he recognized her instantly, and was someone he was able to actually remember. Regardless, she was heading this way and at an alarmingly fast rate. Seems she picked up on him as quickly as he picked up on her. Reaching down and grabbing onto the top wear of his Shinigami outfit, as well as his Zanpakuto, he wondered what he was going to say when he finally saw her again. Thinking back to the last time they had met, he recalled with a small smile on his face what had happened between the two at that noble gathering. He had much to thank her for, at the very least.

When last they had met it had been at that ridiculous Noble Party hosted by the...oh crap...the Shihions. Raygin, during that time, had still been afflicted with his crippling heart condition. He was consumed by depression and despair, only going out try and find something to take his mind off his shortened life span. And, thankfully, he had managed to find it. Katrina had been rude, nasty, ever since they had arrived. Her mood had made Raygins already devastated one even worse, something she deserved an award for hilariously. It had been Ajraka, actually, that had managed to put a real smile on the Kawadas face that evening. Her company, and conversations, distracted Raygin from his problems and allowed him to at least relax for a time. Her company, and presence, had done wonders for him that evening.

She wouldn't have even known that Raygin had gone through the surgery. He hadn't seen her again to tell her. Yeah, he really did have a lot to catch up with her about. He managed to get his top back on, and weapon slid back around his belt, just in time in fact, as he felt the energy source that was Ajrakas nearing the training field. She was taking her time, he felt, not going as fast as he had a feeling she was. When the otter reached the training field, she would see the tanned young man looking at her. Bright amber eyes greeted her, along with a mouth of white teeth as Raygin grinned. For Ajraka, who had not seen Raygin for some time, it was like looking at a new person. He had filled out since the last time they had met, the muscles in his body coming back after their lack of dedicated use after two years. He was looking healthier, not as thin as he once did. Basically, he looked normal.

He approached her, still with that smile on his face. He noticed her outfit, but it didn't bother him at all. He wasn't fully aware of her distaste for such wear, but whatever. Honestly, he didn't really know how to greet her. It had been such a long time since they had last met, and it was obvious she wanted to come see him. After all, she just about bee lined to him. But, hey, it was Raygin so...how hard was it gonna be to say something. He let out a short chuckle before greeting her with "Long time no see, eh Ajraka?" Raygin was finding it damn near impossible to stop smiling, his excitement and joy bubbling and ready to burst.

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

Ajraka smiled as she spotted him, offering a quick wave with her tail when she noticed something about him. He was......strong. She could see it on his body. His frail little body . That sunken look in his eyes. He seemed....healthy.....happy...and excited! She vanished from his sight, obliterating the distance between them as instantly she was in his face, that massive tail whipping out to grab him by his torso and promptly using her strength to spin him about, getting a look at him up and down before she smiled, refraining from bouncing on the spot with excitement. She had a reputation to entertain after all, ridiculous as it was. She released him, no doubt leaving a very fine residue of oil behind as she cleared her throat.

"You.....you all better!" She noted excitedly, barely able to keep the excitement from her voice. And for that moment she completely didn't bother with keeping her dialect to the 'noble standard as she looked him over again and again, enjoying what she saw. As an animal she had a .....sense about the weak. The Dying. And she had none of that now. It was actually quite amazing.
"How do? So happy! Muscle now! Not skinny anymore, strong arm. Strong Hip. Strong Chest! Hahahaha! Drunk Kawada Girl like you now yes?" She giggled, only imagining what sort of impression he gave on the younger noble girls nowadays. Even Ajraka had managed to get a quick note here and there though. Evidently a few of the nobles, despite the...behaviors, had actually managed to send condolences prior to the party's end .  Probably because she was a Kuchiki, but SHE liked to think that perhaps a few of them had actually been impressed.


She paused, taking a moment to compose herself as she felt a familiar tickle in the back of her head. She wanted to fight him. Well....spar. Not Fight. But the urge was there. To see just how strong the boy was. Make him run with her. Swim. Climb. To see what he was capable of, and to push that new body to the limit. Raygin~ I'm a little surprised you remembered me." she noted with a sly smirk, as if insinuating that perhaps he had some ulterior motives for keeping her in mind, giving him somewhat of a playful flick to the shoulder. One that would have knocked him over back during the party. She had to admit she was testing him.

[Deleted]

And suddenly Ajraka was before him; their faces rather close as the otter wrapped his body in her tail. He spun, forced to by Ajrakas monstrous strength as the otter inspected his restored body, Raygin couldn't help but laugh as this circumstance unfolded. Being released, his hand rested on the clearly noticeable sheen of oil left behind by her fur. Ajrakas happiness was spreading into Raygin, making the young man's smile brighter as he laughed. It was good to see her so happy. Her question came, answered by a nod of his head and a response of "Yeah, I'm all better." but that one questioned was suddenly accompanied by many more. Well, some of them were questions, others were compliments, and the other one made him pause for a second, that smile of his flinching slightly. Did...she not know?

Well, before he was able to answer any question he noticed the sudden shift in Ajrakas tone, as well as the return of a more controlled pattern of speech. Before he could answer, though, Ajraka decided to playfully flick his shoulder with some of that crazy strength of his, something he wasn't quite expecting. His shoulder was tossed back a bit, his own strength not even comparing to her own, but at least it wasn't enough to send her flying. He chuckled, shrugging it off and leaning in just slightly. A playful smirk painted across his lips as he looked at her. "I don't forget those I like, Miss Ajraka." He responded, pulling away and smiling.

The otter would no doubt notice it. It wasn't only his body that changed, but his attitude as well. It was like that moment at the party, where for a brief moment Raygin was like a ray of sunlight before it had been ruined by his drunken cousin. "Well, to answer your question on how I got better...I got fixed. The new Captain of Squad Four had a procedure that was able to repair the damage to my heart." Raygin explained the smile dimming down as he reminded himself of the injury he once possessed. Grabbing a hold of the opening of his top, he pulled it aside to expose his chest to the otter, so that she would see the scar over his heart.

"After the surgery I was left bed ridden for awhile, I even needed to go through rehabilitation for a few months. My body was weak before and after the operation, so recovering wasn't entirely easy. But now I feel better than ever!" Raygin laughed, releasing his hold on his clothing before looking Ajraka dead in the eye. "I never got to see you after the party, you know...and there's been something I have been wanting to say to you." He said softly, scratching the back of his head just slightly.

Wearing a soft smile, he decided to just say it. "I wanted to thank you. At that time I was miserable. You might not know what it's like, living that way. Knowing that some slip up could cause you to...die. But...you were the only one to not look at me like that." He explained, lowering his hand down to his side as he did so. "So...thank you. Thank you so much for treating me like a person again and letting me smile for real." A red hue had formed across his cheeks and nose, and his face felt really hot. He wanted to give her a hug, but knew from past experiences that simply embracing a woman randomly was not often a good idea. Regardless, though, he now had the time to catch up with her. "So...yeah. What brings you to the Seireitei? What's new with you?"

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

She had to pause at that. Her head....tilting to the side, and of course, with her fur, there was no way her would notice, but her complexion shifted, those ears perking up as he spoke. He liked her? She chuckled softly to herself, finding him quite adorable in his utterances, a boy so simple, so pure in his exclamations. Such unfiltered word that so did spill, and so was free of filth and swill. She smiled pleasantly, and have pause to this lip curvature only to pause. As he continued to speak.

He spoke of his old self, his old affliction, a weakness she knew almost no Kuchiki would dare so concede to. A depression that hit so very deep, that alas she could not understand, but he also spoke of her own role. Her role in helping him bounce back. And the proceedure that had given him his life back. She felt nothing but happiness in his return, and as he spoke she felt some welling of pride that she could so affect him. That she could have so pleased him and helped him make it through that dreadful party. She took only a moment to consider before she stepped forward and grinned, showing those wicked teeth and placing her hand upon his shoulder even with his bared chest.

She cared not to be honest. Were it up to her she would be buck naked without this stupid robe. But she allowed it, endured it, and instead focused on what she wished to do. As he had so requested, she told him. "You're back. You have your strength. And so, I wish to test it. No special abilities. Simply you, and I. To see how strong you've grown~" She noted excitedly, raising her head high, putting up her best noble stance, her tail curled elegantly around her, a ring of oiled flesh that was like the hem of some invisble dress, taking a single step forward before she raised a palm, and curled her other hand into a fist, like some bizarre martial arts stance. She knew none, but even so, it was a tactic. To see how he would react to the possibility that this obscenely fast, strong woman also knew a possibly deadly art.

The very thought was exciting. To push him and help him grow even stronger. She could FEEL it inside of him. That throbbing passion that was his pulse. The soft noise of his muscles tightening, and the way his heart had begun to race since he had cast eyes on her. She wanted to make him stronger. And she had never known growth until she had....lost....to...THAT WOMAN. Rage almost crept into her mind at the very memory of them. That pale monster that had made her insides burn like acid. She hated to admit it, but that woman, with that solid loss, had given her everything. A reason to fight. A reason to be strong. Naturally she was not going to wreck him as she had her. But well....she would push him, and hopefully, inspire strength in him.

[Deleted]

Raygin paused for a moment. Her words took a moment to register, which caught the young soul off guard for just a moment. She wanted to test him? As he heard her speak, whispers of his old self began to try and cast doubt in the furthest corners of his mind. You're not ready. She's going to crush you. I don't want to fight. I'm scared. His old self, the former Raygin who was a coward. The young soul blasted those whispers away, followed by a transformation of his facial features that Ajraka would have had to been blind to notice. His features sharpened as he furrowed his brow, those amber colored eyes of his light up, a fire raging behind them as a small smirk painted itself across his face.

With the young mans Energy Sensing capabilities, he was able to tell that Ajraka was fully serious about this. Even as she assumed her odd stance, Raygin was still scanning her with his mind, picking up on the smallest hints of her emotions. Excitement was the dominant one, shared by both of them. Raygin was perhaps as equally excited for this as she was. But to rush in would have been stupid. Raygin was picking up on her strengths, noting the Reiatsu rushing through her muscles. He knew she was physically strong, he had experienced it before. She had never fought him, but since the last time they had met he had known about her Strength. From when she pinned him and Katrina to the couch, to simply a moment ago when she spun him around. He knew her strength was monstrous.

But even then he knew her real greatest advantage was speed. Back at the party she had displayed it only briefly, but she had used a Shunpo far faster than any Raygin had seen before, even while carrying him and his drunken cousin. He had done his research, curious about what exactly Ajraka was. It wasn't common knowledge in the Seireitei, but there were a few notes here and there in libraries about a race of beast like souls. Their origins were unknown, powers were relatively unknown, but it was at least known that their physical abilities easily outclassed those of the Shinigami.

And Raygin was supposed to spar with one of the Beast Race? The thought brought a wave of excitement through his body. He needed this. She knew he needed this. He had to make sure that all his hard work was paying off. Was he expected to win? Absolutely not. He wasn't sparing to win, he was doing it to learn something. For a Shinigami, combat was a way to learn, to grow. Ajraka knew this, which was why she presented this to him immediately. She wanted to see him grow as well. He was equipped with a sealed Zanpakuto, Shunpo, and that. The techniques he once possessed were gone, but that didn't matter much.

Grabbing a hold of his falchion's grip, something suddenly happened. For a split second everything went out of focus. The scenery changed, Ajraka vanished, everything was different. It looked like a hall for a moment, and Raygin could have sworn he saw a dining table as long as a...whale? He pulled away though, rejecting the invitation. Everything returned to normal, not even a moment had passed it seemed. Drawing the falchion, he held it close to his chest, ready to move it as needed. Well, it was time to go ahead and get this going.

"Ladies first." he said with a playful smile.

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

She knew he would be ready... after all it was Ray. She expected him to know what he was getting into. Clenching her fists she took a deep, cleansing breath, eyes narrowing in cocnentration as she began to let all of her tension escaping from her as she locked onto Ray. The sight of his blade was... a concern. Brows furrowed slightly as those fiery yellow eyes ran along it's edge. He was going to take this seriously. Perhaps a bit too seriously. She didn't know what she'd expected, but well.... this was a surprise.

She all but vanished as she used that ridiculous speed of hers, racing past Ray, her main body of mass sliding past him. She knew he could....somewhat... keep track of her. Beyond that? thought wasn't really a part of it. As his eyes would, no doubt, lock onto the most of her mass, her body, it was only natural that his eyes neglect her tail, that long whip of flesh snapping out to grab him around his waist, twisting and grabbing for the hand that held his blade, smiling wickedly as she intended to twist his wrist, wrenching his weapon from his grip before lifting him bodily off the ground and slamming them into the dirt.

She expected some sort of measure. Thus why she was going full speed, full force to try and keep them down. The idea that she was supposed to be holding back was....well it was in there, amongst all of the energy and excitement. Somewhere in her mind she knew she should probably be pacing herself. But at that very moment between the adrenaline in her veins and seeing that blade ready to tear into her, she just sortof forgot about any of that.

[Deleted]

Maybe Raygin was going too far with drawing his sword. He had picked up on Ajrakas sudden hesitation when she had seen his blade, and he even considered sheathing it again. But, in this situation, it might have actually been the wisest decision to pull his weapon out. Ajraka was ready to go, because within less of an instant she was gone. Raygin didn't even have time to gasp, as the otter vanished from his sight entirely. Though he physically could not detect her, he luckily had another form of awareness that could still pick her up. In the darkness of his awareness, Ajraka was still glowing like a small star, and with Raygins Instincts being that of a wild animal he allowed his body to react rather than consciously.

Raygin vanished as well, using a Shunpo Step Technique to go the only place he could...up. For someone with 50 speed, a Shunpo was only going to increase his speed to 500, something that still outmatched by Ajrakas own base speed. But, as she was reaching for his arm specifically, all she would feel he tail ensnare was empty space. He reappeared not far over head, sword held high as he aimed to bring his weapon down at her. He wasn't planning on actually hitting her, rather it was more of a show of force.

Ray swung downwards, aiming in a way that would allow the blade to cut through empty space. This was nothing more than a spar, there was no reason to actually try and harm Ajraka. Besides, he was confident in the otters ability to dodge his, rather slow, attack. If she did dodge, and actually allowed Raygin to land, the young soul would track her down by using his Energy Sensory rather than his Senses. He knew his eyes would fail him here, and that the only way he would be able to keep up with her movements was with his mind.

Kicking off with another Shunpo to go right after her, the swordsman aimed another slash at the Beast Clansmen. Of course, this would only happen if the Beast had allowed Raygin to land on the ground. The excitement rushed through him, quickening his heart beat from the exertion. His heart, beating rich and strongly. By the Soul King did it feel incredible. To be able to do, well, anything again was incredible. No longer did Ray have to fear his heart tearing, the waves of pain that left him on the floor. He was back, better than ever before in one way or another.

As he continued, though, he kept feeling it. A presence trying so hard to reach him. He kept his walls strong, trying so hard to rely only on himself. He just wasn't ready to face it yet. He wasn't ready to learn another's name, not when Zeroshiki still burned so strongly in his heart. So he would test himself against his friend, with his own skills and abilities. No one else's.

Remaining Reiatsu: 2900 / 3000
-100 for 2x Shunpo

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

Pause was given, as Ajraka suddenly paused, calming down and simply....staring as she watched him use shunpo. She saw his ever motion. Her Instincts were higher. And her speed? Well... were well enough. His Shunpo barely more than half as fast as she was normally. She simply...let him evade her attack, and then watched him slow back down. She smiled t herself, just...admiring him as he descended upon her. Her perception wasn't usually this sharp, adrenaline pushing it to it's limits, so everything seemed weven slower than usual...

She closed her eyes, smiling as she knew the speed of that swing. Her instincts were keen, internally calculating how fast it was going, her body was already coiling. Her body alone reacted. To him? No matter those senses, she would vanish. Even that special sense of his would blur as she used her own shunpo. Reappearing for a single instant, grabbing a hold of his blade and......twisted. The blade was as strong as....the average unseated squad member's zanpakuto. She'd snapped plenty of them in her time. She knew it was a pain in the ass to repair them. But this was important. She had pushed shinigami to this level before. She'd seen the awe. She'd seen the inspiration in their eyes.

Even if she was a beast. None that she faced ever could utter that she was unfit for the kuchiki name. And she had seen some despair, feeling that they could never reach her level. But then there were those that truly saw her for what she was. A monster. A beast. A Mutt on the street. Who had managed to become a Kuchiki. She had seen some of those very shinigami grow and rise through the ranks. One of which....she'd lost in Hueco Mundo.

She broke Raygin's blade. To wake him. AND his Zanpku'to up. Only remaining in that spot for a split second, making SURE that there was zero time for Raygin to notice she was there. He would see but a blurred shadow, eyes only starting to turn before she was gone, moving back to where she had bee but a moment before, back into her own afterimage. She was strong....strong enough that he might not even have felt it when she had snapped the blade like it was nothing.

If all had gone well. He would see her twitch, his eyes drawn to some sort of blur in the corner of his vision. To see his Zanpaku'to broken. And.....eventually. She would see her  'still' standing there. With the broken end in her hand, smiling as she let it fall to the ground, lips peeling back to show him her teeth. "I'm dissapointed. All of that exercising. And yet you've put nothing into your blade. Can Swords do push-ups?" She asked calmly, playfully.

1200/1300 Reiatsu.

[Deleted]

What....just happened? One second Raygin was swinging, his falchion blade carving downward in a feint to get Ajraka to move. Then the next the blade of his weapon was...gone. Even with Raygins Instincts, even with his Energy Sensory, he had not been able to pick up on Ajrakas god like levels of speed. All he saw from her was a twitch, a flicker, a long sliver of spiritual steel in between her fingers. He landed, his feet coming back into contact with the earth, and he simply stared at his broken weapon. His mouth was slightly agape, eyes full of confusion and shock. He turned his gaze to Ajraka, then down to the metal in her hand. Was it...really that easy? Lifting the broken blade up and looking at it, Raygin couldn't help but sigh.

"Well...damn. That much of a difference...huh?" He mumbled to himself, raising his head again when he heard Ajrakas playful mocking. His eyes narrowed slightly, his pride being stung a little. But he couldn't shout back at her, he had nothing to counter with. She was right...actually. Raygin had been spending time with himself, trying to improve his own body rather than his spirit. Sure, his reiatsu amount had skyrocketed, greatly out weighing Ajrakas own pool of Reiatsu, but why? He was only as strong as a normal human, and the power of his Reiatsu was near that of a child's. So why did the amount of his Reiatsu grow so much when other areas simply could not keep up?

He frowned, Ajraka would be able to catch the dissapointment in his eyes, though it was not directed at her at all. He knew he wouldn't be able to do much of anything to Ajraka, viewing this simply as a test to see how well his body had recovered, but for there to have actually been this much of a gap between the two was...well it was humbling to be honest. Raygin wasn't even truly a Shinigami, only allowed to remain and train in the Seireitei because of his families name, one that he wished he could just wipe away, to be honest. Life of a noble was not one for him.

For a moment, that old self was creeping back up on him, the old Raygins cowardice was returning, but something decided it was not going to let that happen. "Are you going to give up that easily?" A voice suddenly ripped itself into Raygins head, followed by a sensation similar to that of a thousand knives suddenly shoving themselves into the base of Raygins skull. The young man let out a sudden yell, actually stumbling forward a bit as he grabbed at the spot where the sudden pain originated, feeling around for any injuries. Nothing. Was it all in his head.

"Sulking won't change anything, and you know that more than anyone." The voice boomed in the back of his head. "So what if she's broken your sword? You still have a hilt don't you? So long as you have something, anything, you can keep fighting." It lectured, prompting Raygin to look at the damaged falchion. "It doesn't matter how many times you get beaten down, it doesn't matter how badly you get hurt. You get back up. That's what you do, Raygin. You won't ever allow yourself to succumb to weakness again, will you? Fear will only hold you back" it continued, prompting Ray to tighten his grip around the hilt of his weapon.

It was right. Fear was only going to hold Raygin back. The fire returning to his eyes. Ajraka wanted to make sure that desire for growth was still in Raygin? That he wanted some reason to improve? He found himself a new goal, for now, one that he hadn't had since Hibiki. Kicking off the ground with Shunpo, Raygin appeared in front of Ajraka, his fist holding the damaged Zanpakuto cocked back before being thrown forward, aiming to collide the pommel of his weapon with her face. He knew he was outclassed, but even so he was proving that despite that he wasn't going to simply surrender.

"Why is it that you put those robes back on?" the spirit asked, not seeming to care that Raygin was fighting once again. "Why did you agree to wield a Zanpakuto again?" It asked. Brief flashes of his memory came to him. A funeral. A cathedral. The crucifix, the pain. Because I want to protect the people who can't protect themselves! I don't want anybody going through what it was I suffered through! Raygin replied, despite whatever situation Ajraka was now subjecting him too. "So then, are you ready?"

[Ajraka Kuchiki]

That smile blossomed across Ajraka's features, seeing Raygin's expression changing, seeing the determination returning to his features as well. She licked her lips, her muscles tensing as she looked around for a moment, getting her bearings. Let's see.....squad six.....seven.....eleven that way.... so they were.....fourteen minutes from Squad Four barracks. Seemed like plenty, and thats if they only walked. With her speed she coould get him there in no time.

Suddenly, she turned, and that smile grew wicked in Raygin's direction, slowly she raised both of her arms up, that thick tail raising up, arching dangerously as she began to raise her spiritual pressure, pumping her reiatsu strength into her spiritual pressure, focusing as her fur bristled, back arching slightly as she readied herself. Readied herself to bring Raygin to his knees. To make him as strong as she could possibly manage.

"I've fought a lot of enemies. But none of the made me stronger than one woman. An arrancar. We were on a mission to the world of the living, and she was the first individual to ever beat me. It was....horrifyingly painful..." She noted softly, suddenly her muscles bulging briefly, a sickening crackling noise as her spine lengthened, her tail, her back, her limbs growing longer as oil began dripping from her body, her fur suddenly growing incredibly light, almost silvery translucent as those horrific teeth grew out longer.

"So....I'm going to show you something I've never shown anyone before." She growled lowly, suddenly her body beginning to blur as she began rapidly moving from side to side, leaving afterimages as she moved, appearing to multiply into three beasts for a brief moment. It was a draining move, but it was also a very hot one. And immediately, the oil dripping from her body burst into a brilliant steam, immediately Raygin would SEE it burning the grass, blackening it before coating it in that solidifying oil, gouts of the stuff coming off of her body, slowly hiding her in that steam.

The very next instant she was upon him, aiming to ram her shoulder into his body. Now in her released form, she completely ignored his spiritual pressure, as that burning oil followed her, surrounding the shinigami as she aimed to slam him with that shoulder, a brief moment of motionlessness before a sudden wave of air raced behind her, and assuming she made contact, would fire Raygin like a bullet away from her, sending him to the nearest tree.

Of course there were also effects as a result of having come so close to her boiling form. That oil would already have begun to resolidify. Coating his face, chest, arms, and his nostrils. If he had breathed in it would begin clogging his airways, but well....with her shoulder charge she probably knocked the breath right out of him, so he would liekly be spared that issue, though he would still have to contend with that burning sensation that was her ability. No doubt it would begin burning away into his clothing, as it was already glassing the area around her, burning away the grass and plants, and leaving behind that hardening glass-like oil.

She knew it wasn't fair. Not even remotely. But agony like this was important. It was something that stuck in the mind like a maggot. Nothing made you claw harder like something crawling under your skin. Feeling weakness like this. He might be a bit sour after this, he might even become afraid of her. But she cared about him, and to that end, she needed him to suffer some more. He had recovered once already. His soul was weak because of it. So she would give him a different kind of injury, one that would shock his soul into strengthening itself. One way or another.

Yaseishin Duration 1/3

[Deleted]

Rays assault stopped, his throwing fist pulled back as the young man stopped himself. His amber eyes wide with a mixture of fear, wonder, and confusion. What was happening here? Ajraka had confessed something to him, that during her travels she had met an Arrancar, one who had defeated her in such a way that it had left a painful and permanent reminder on the otter, something that both she and Raygin shared. But as she spoke it was not her words that Raygin focused on, but was instead the transformation happening right before his eyes. Her body changed, her insides letting out a sickening crunching sound as the bones shifted about. She was getting longer, her fur was shifting, and her canines were growing sharper. All over her body, the natural oil that covered her had began to be released at a stupendous amount. It was like she had just left a shower, her body glistening and dripping all over.

But he was frozen with fear. His eyes wide, a single step taken back, Raygin was terrified. He had assumed that whatever it was Ajraka was, a Beast Clansmen, had a release of some sort. But...something like this? It was a primal fear, the animal part of his brain reacting to what he was seeing before his eyes. Don't allow fear to consume you. the voice spoke again, helping the young man regain himself a tad bit. But even with the spirit backing him up, Ray still felt weak at the knees.

Even if he was the first to see this transformation, it wasn't really doing much to help alleviate the feeling he was experiencing. Ajraka began to move, becoming a blur of multiple after images as she displayed that insane speed of hers. But, as Raygin saw, it wasn't just to move around and confuse him. Oil that had escaped her form was suddenly bursting into steam, burning the grass beneath her. Immediately, uncomfortable memories of his fight with Kaen Youji came flooding back. That plateau out in the Rukongai, he and Hibiki standing side by side against a single opponent. Raygin remembered the heat, the feeling of solid flames tearing into his stomach and igniting everything. He didn't remember much else afterwards, passing out from the pain. Thankfully Hibiki had been there to use that release of his to save Rays life.

But Hibiki wasn't here now. The steam being released from Ajraka had obscured her form, prompting Raygin to take another step back. He then suddenly felt the reiatsu in her shift, followed by the steam moving a bit. It was his only warning, but it didn't really matter. It felt like he was hit by a truck, his chest being plowed into by a supersonic otter, blowing all the air out of his lungs and sending him flying back. He slammed, hard, into the trunk of a tree, silently gasping out in pain before collapsing at the base. A metallic taste flooded his tongue, no doubt blood from his teeth splitting his lips.

But, Raygin wasn't focused on the metallic taste nor the pain of his chest and back. He had began to scream, the oil from Ajrakas body had splashed itself across the left side of his neck, along his chin and beneath his mouth. Somehow he had managed to tear off his top, the singeing oil not being able to reach his chest, but wasn't able to do much about what was already on his skin. It was hard to describe. Ajraka would get to witness the young man screaming in pain, trying to get the hardening oil off of his skin, rolling around in the dirt.

It was like what he had experienced before. Raygin did not like being burnt. The oil he clawed at got on his hands and arms, worsening the pain as he desperately tried to get it off. Tears had actually begun to form, a natural reaction to the pain he was currently forced to endure. And finally, after what seemed like minutes, though it had more been like twenty seconds, Raygin grew quiet. He lay motionless on the ground, his consciousness succumbing to the pain and finally shutting down.

It's like a cancer, fear is. It grows and it spreads, eating away at the core of ones being until nothing is left. That's not to say that fear itself is a weakness, rather it's that succumbing to ones fear is the weakness. You've experienced firsthand what it's like to be consumed by it. It isn't something that you want to experience again, is it? The physical damage is no more, but the true damage done by the Quincy still persists. You've not yet regained yourself.

You're not ready to wear those robes.

Silence. Slowly light began to bleed through the crack in his lids. Artificial light flooded his vision, causing a blinding blur that dissipated after a few seconds. Once able to actually see, Raygin noticed the small glass orb containing the light emitting Kido above him. He blinked once, taking a few moments to recognize the white ceiling. The soft fabric beneath his head, and the comfort underneath him. He was in the Squad 4 medical barracks. For the past two years of his life he had become adequately acquainted with this building. How, exactly, did he get here?

It must have been Ajraka, he decided. When he had passed out, whenever it was that he did, she must have either taken him here herself or gotten someone else to do it. Either or, he wasn't sure. But regardless, he was thankful that the pain was over. Seriously, Raygin had never wanted to experience being burned again. He knew how bad it was from hearing about it and reading about it, but to experience it not once but twice? It...was not something he was fond of. Something he never wanted to experience again. Blinking softly, Raygin realized that there was something around his neck, and part of his face.

Reaching up with, as he suddenly noticed, bandaged hand, he pressed his finger tips into the odd feeling on his form. Some more bandages, wrapped around his neck and lower face. He sighed, putting his arm back down and resting his head back into the pillow. So...here he was again, huh? His amber eyes softening, his mind drifted over to the last words he had heard the spirit say. Those words were sticking to him, like a knife shoved into his chest. And the worst part was it was all his fault.

You're not ready

Lowering those mental walls, Raygin tried to reach out, tried to connect and receive contact, but all he found was a cold emptiness. Even his inner world was desolate and empty, whatever life the inside of his soul possessed seemed...gone. Sighing, Raygin bounced his head on the pillow once as a slight form of disappointment. So, what was he going to do now? The spirit was right, Ray wasn't ready. He was still afraid. His body might have been fixed, but his heart was still clogged down by his hesitance to get back on the horse. He couldn't progress like this. Panic began to build up inside him, the thought of him returning once more to living in that room made his breathing sharp. No...

He bit his lip, despite the cutting in his mouth. That won't happen again. I won't go back to that. I'm going to find a way, I don't care how. He closed his eyes, trying to think of the beginnings of some plan. There wasn't anybody in the Seireitei to help him. Everyone he knew was so far ahead of him that they weren't going to give him the time he needed. This was war time, after all. The Vandenreich and Las Noches were distracting everyone. So, where was Raygin going to do? He wasn't just going to abandon the Seireitei, he couldn't do that, but he needed to find something, or someone, that would push him on the right track. And then it hit him.

He blinked, the answer actually being so painfully freaking obvious Raygin wanted to hit himself. Ajraka He remembered what she said at the party so long ago. She wasn't a Shinigami. What was it she did, exactly? She said she encountered an Arrancar on a mission but he didn't have the details on whatever that mission was. What was it that Ajraka did that allowed her to grow so much? He was going to ask her when he next saw her...if he saw her at all. For a brief moment that image of her transformed flashed in his mind, but Raygin pushed aside what he had seen. It had still been Ajraka after all. She did what she had done to help Ray, to force him to grow.

So, it was settled. He was going to ask Ajraka for her help. He knew she would be able to help him rid himself of the fear holding him back.

[Zeich Yajuu]

76 Paragraphs, so 380 TP each.

If you could use a less compressed font, it would be appreciated Ray. It hurts my eyes to squint to read. >_>