Sweat dropped from her forehead as she took another swing at Ikkaku with Wadatsumi In her left hand and Hinokami still sheathed to her side.
"Heh, That all you got Nicole? What ever happened to 'I'm gonna kick your ass?'" He mocked. "C'mon do you really think you can beat me with only one of your swords, Don't make me laugh!"
"Fuck you Ikkaku!" Nicole yelled as she flash stepped and took another swing towards him, only to be stopped by Hozukimaru.
"Maybe later, But shouldn't you be focusing on the fight that you're losing with me?" He laughed as she grimaced.
'He always twists up my words dammit! I can't believe I got goaded into this' She thought remembering how she got herself into this situation
"I. Am. So. Bored." She stated plopping on the ground in between Ikkaku and Yumichika.
"Well don't come bitchin' to me about it." Ikkaku said uncaring.
"You know whining isn't very beautiful Nicole" Yumichicka looked in disgust.
"Oh, don't start with me pretty boy" She scowled aggravated. "Dammit all, You and baldy are no help!"
"Wh- WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!" Ikkaku shot up and bent down in her face as an anime vein grew on the side of his forehead.
'Now I know what I could do for some entertainment.' She thought as a devious grin grew upon her face. She enjoyed taunting her third seat, and it didn't take a lot to get an reaction from him. She would either comment on him being hairless or call him by the pet name she made up for him. She would also make jokes about him being too weak to defeat his own fourth seat. That's what would really set him off. She may have been a fourth seat, but she could be as strong as an lieutenant, maybe even a captain if she used Bankai. Though she had only just achieved it and only used it once.
"Oh, Did I hit a nerve kaku? I was just stating a fact, and the fact is that your just plain bald." She taunted, holding back laughter.
"I'm not bald its shaved!" He defended, sending Nicole a 'ready to kill' glare. Yumichika just shook his head and watched as he predicted what was going to happen next.
"Oh dear, But its so shiny! I mean, you're practically blinding me!" Nicole said over laughter that she could no longer hold back.
"It's not funny! Ya know I think you're trying to pick a fight with me. In that case I would be happy to put you in your place!" He sneered standing up straight and unsheathing his Zanpakuto.
"No way! That's way to easy, I beat you every time!" She said as she wiped a fake tear from her eye.
"Oh Really?" He paused, making Nicole and Yumichika curious. "Fine if you think it's so easy for you to beat me why wont you try with one sword instead of two? I personally think you couldn't do it." Nicole sighed knowing he was trying to pull her in. She would usually jump right into a fight, but she just finished training and was already tired from arguing with the high-tempered man so she decided to call it a day.
"I am not in the mood for anymore of your shit today Ikkaku, I think I've had my fill for today" She stated lifting herself up and turning to walk away.
"Oh, So the great and almighty Miss Raikokuna is refusing a challenge? I never thought I would see the day!" That made her stop dead in her tracks. One thing that you never did was accuse Nicole of backing down from a fight. It didn't just strike at the 11ths squads pride, but it struck Nicole's as well. Never in her life had she ran away from a challenge and she wasn't going to start now. Of course Ikkaku knew this, He had known her since the day she joined the 11th squad. He knew just how to set her off as much as she knew how to set him off. Of course, Nicole still kept many things to herself, but she would never change from her high-tempered knew she also wouldn't take a shot to her pride lightly.
'How dare him even accuse me of doing that!' She could feel the anger boiling up in her chest. She quickly turned around and met her Zanpakuto with his.
"Me backing down from a challenge? Who do you think you are speaking to? fine Ikkaku, you get your wish. I can kick your ass even with just Wadatsumi!" Nicole was outraged as Ikkaku gave his signature smirk. Using only one of her Zanpakuto's was unusual for her but he was poing at her pride and she wouldn't stand for it.
"There's the Nicole I know!" His smirk grew wider,"How about we make this more interesting"
"How so?" She asked curiously, backing up and re-sheathing her Zanpakuto.
"There are no rules except that we can't use our Shikai! It will be all based on swordsmanship and we will have to use our unreleased form of our Zanpakutos!"
"Done. Now lets go! Tell captain we'll be gone for a while Yumichika." Her and Ikkaku then flash stepped towards the sparring areas leaving Yumichika shaking his head and heading off to the barracks.
Nicole stumbled and fell on her back as Wadatsumi flew out of her hands and into the ground beside her.
"Hah! I win guess your not as good with one sword as you thought" He said pointing Hozukimaru at my neck.
"Wipe that ugly smirk off your face. If I had both of my swordes out I would've sliced you into a million pieces!" She growled hatefully as she pushed Hozukimaru aside and pulled her self up to brush off her ShihakushÅ .
"Oi, Ikkaku. What's going on over there." A familiar voice came throught the bushes.
"Oh, Renji. You came a little too late." Ikkaku replied as Nicole scowled at the red head." I totally just kicked Nicoles ass!"
"In your dreams! Look, I was only using one of my Zanpakutos which I am not used to! I could've beaten you effortlessly if it was real battle!" She defended scowling and sending Ikkaku a dirty look.
"So you finally found a way to beat her huh? At least you brought her back down to earth. We don't want her any more full of herself then she already is." Renji taunted.
Renji was one of her best friends along with one of her most challenging rivals. When they fought, It would always end up with both of them panting on the ground. He was strong as well as skilled with a sword as was she. She surprised most opponents with her unusual strength. All they saw at first was a pretty and innocent brown-haired, blue-eyed woman, But when she began to fight, her face was emotionless and cold along with her attacks. She was ruthless as her last name states and when you fought with her it was either kill or be killed, The 11th squads motto.
"Coming from the arrogant Lieutenant of squad six. Please, You're ego is too big for your head, Red." She said gaining a glare from the red-headed soul reaper. She had called him that since the academy days, and it still pissed him off. Nicole seemed to have a knack for making up annoying nicknames for people. She found it amusing to see how the boys would react, and it never got old.
"That's right, I'm a Lieutenant as in a higher rank than you. You should be a little nicer."
"Your kidding me right? You being a higher rank than me doesn't mean shit! You think I'm gonna be one of your little groupies and tend to your every need? I don't give a rats ass if you ARE a Lieutenant, I'll treat you however I want. So Lieutenant Abarai throwing your rank around may work on other people but it is not going to work on me! Get over yourself Monkey boy!" Nicole shouted before pulling Wadatsumi out of the ground and darting off in the other direction.
Renji stood there gaping at the spot the infuriated woman once stood. He could never figure her out. Yes, He knew her temper could get the best of her, but He barely said two words to and she went off.
"What the hell is her problem?" He said looking up to face Ikkaku.
"Eh, I think I just hurt her pride, Sore loser and all" Ikkaku shrugged his shoulders and walked towards him. "I think you set a new record time for pissing her off though, It's usually us getting pushed off the edge."
"You sure are right about that, but it's not like I was being serious! Whatever, She'll get over it."
"Teh, Coming from the person who won't have to deal with her later! When I get back, the entire squad will probably be lying on the floor begging for mercy!" Ikkaku through his hands up and walked away to lean on an overgrown tree.
Renji still wondered why Nicole had gotten so upset. She would always joke around with him and even if they weren't, she wouldn't take him seriously. The only time Nicole ever really became serious was if someone threatened her pride, her friends, or her brother. Oh, God help their souls if anyone threatened her brother. She was very protective of him and if you slipped up and said something that she didn't like, All hell would break loose. He could've swore she could make a wild beast cower in fear with her intimidating glare. Her brother could take care of himself of course, After all he is a captain of the Gotei 13, but she wouldn't stand for it either way. Since he was only her half brother, Most couldn't even tell that they were siblings. The only physical trait they shared was their eyes.
'Her eyes have always gotten to me. They are mesmerizing and could make me feel calm with one look as well as anger me with another. She hasn't changed since the academy. She is strong as well as stubborn and would never admit it she was wrong. The face she gets every time I beat her is priceless, even though she comes close to winning every time. Hell, even without a bankai that woman is hard to beat. The way she fights is completely different to mine. Her movements are graceful and smooth, and it's as if she has no emotions at all. I could swear she turns into a different person! Sometimes I think she forgets her soul in battle. It's like she turns cold blooded and is merciless to the enemy she faces. I don't think I will ever figure her out. That girl can aggravated me to no end, Yet she's still my best friend. Damn I can pick some friends huh? Wait...' He stopped as he realized what he was doing.
"SHIT!" He yelled out loud as he smacked himself in the forehead
"I was wondering when you were gonna snap out of it" Ikkaku now sat on the ground chuckling.
"I-I was just thinking about something" Renji sighed and sat down next to him.
"You've been doing that a lot lately. You're making it way to obvious!" Ikkaku said with a devious grin.
"Making what obvious? You have no clue what you're talking about Ikkaku. Hell, I have no clue what you're talking about!"
"Oh come on! Everyone sees how you stare at her" He said teasingly.
"What? I do not stare! Besides Nicole's my friend, nothing more" Renji said hopelessly defending himself.
"Hah! You just admitted it!"
"...huh?"
"I never said I was talking about Nicole. Man you got it bad!" He said bursting out laughing while Renji cursed at himself in his mind.
"Wh-...I-...I-...Okkay! So maybe I was thinking about her but it wasn't like that!" He sighed in defeat as he tried to defend himself.
"Teh! Whatever you say." Ikkaku said sarcastically, "And I was just messing with you about the staring thing, Our whole squad does that anyways. I doubt she would even notice!"
He was right. All of the 11th squad were men except for Nicole and the lieutenant, and Nicole had certain 'features' that Yachiru didn't. She wasn't as quite as busty as Rangiku or Orihime, but they weren't small either. She had daring curves and since she trained daily she stayed in-shape. As if her long chocolate-colored hair and her big turquoise eyes wasn't enough to make her beautiful, though her personality could be more of a grown mans. She had no manners and would be very blunt with her statements.
"Well I gotta head back. Captains off running around somewhere and the entire squad is probably slacking off." Ikkaku said breaking the silence and walking away.
"Oi! Don't go spreading shit around the Seireitei, Unless you want to die! "
"yeah, yeah" Ikkaku said as he put up a hand and flash stepped away.
Nicole finally stopped and fell against a concrete wall catching her breath. She was running for god knows how long and could no longer feel her legs.
'why did i get so angry?' She questioned herself as she slid down the cold concrete to sit on the ground. She usually wouldn't get so angry at them teasing her.
'I acted like a kid having a temper tantrum stomping away like I did, and the person who I directed my anger at was the man, That frustrating red head! Damn, he must think I'm an idiot. Hell, I think I'm an idiot! He wasn't really being serious, or was he? Maybe I'm just over thinking this, after all I was already in a bad mood because of Baldy. and now that I think about it, Renji did insult me first. Yeah! I have no reason to feel bad! Renji is just an egotistical jerk that needs to learn a thing or two about humility!'
"Ohhhhhhh Nicole!" Rangiku's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She had been so focused on her thoughts, she didn't realize she ended up at the 10th squads barracks. The sun was beginning to disappear under the white walls and darkness was now beginning to set.
"Oh, hey Rangiku. Where's Toshi?" She asked noticing he wasn't accompanying her.
"Where he always is of course, doing paperwork! He never wants to have fun with me!" She pouted.
"Yeah, I know how he is. I wouldn't think too much about it." Nicole said letting out a sigh.
"So what are you doing here Nicole, Is something wrong? You're looking a little down." She questioned leaning down and pointing at Nicoles face.
"It's...Just been a long day" Nicole said letting out a sigh. Rangiku gave her a quizzical look, then grabbed Nicole's wrist and began to run.
"Oi oi oi! What are you doing!" She said still in shock from Rangiku's sudden action. She stopped running and turned around to give Nicole a wide grin.
"Well I was thinking that we should go drink some sake! It'll be a lot of fun and you sure look like you need it!" Nicole looked at her and sighed. She should've known that Rangiku was going to say that. They were drinking buddies after all. Nicole's favorite thing to do was to fight, but drinking and having fun came to a close second. Typically she would've said yes, but after they day she just had, she just felt like passing out on her warm, comfy bed and drifting off into a deep sleep.
"Sorry Rangiku, But I think I'll pass. I think I'm just going to head home for the night. Besides, I think I'm still recovering from the hangover I had last weekend." She smiled and rubbed the back of her head.
"Awwww! You're no fun Nicole! Next time then okay?" With that Nicole gave her a nod and they both went there separate ways