"Ugh, I'm so tired of this!"

Following her exclamation, she spun around towards the door, only to feel his hand grasp her shoulder firmly, jerking her backwards.

"Mari, if you never train, how are you supposed to get stronger?"

Akio was her protector and her trainer; he was assigned her guardian once her parents died, being someone they trusted very much. However, Mari could never seem to be on good terms with him and they constantly were at each other's throats.

"It's not the training that I dislike, it's you!"

He forced her to turn and face him, an irritated expression on his face and he held out his zanpakuto to show her. "Hold it like this."

Mari sighed and did as he said, putting one hand on the top of the hilt and one hand on the bottom but it felt somehow uncomfortable this way. "I don't like it like this though."

"Then get used to it," he sighed.

Mari clenched her jaw, taking a step away from him. "Akio, don't talk to me like that. I'm not your play thing, I'm a person and you never treat me like I am." She turned again and this time, she pulled the door open and said, "Don't follow me, I just want to be alone for a while." She rushed outside and ran past the guards into the seireitei, continuing to run until she found herself in a small grass clearing, with a small river running alongside it and she smiled. It was perfectly secluded and beautiful, just the way she wanted it.

Mari took a fighting stance and grasped the end of her hilt and pulled it out of the scabbard, holding it the way she felt comfortable, with one hand at the bottom of it and the other at her side. She swung it back in forth, finding herself having trouble keeping it under control but she muttered under her breath, "I'll show him. I'll learn how to fight all by myself and then he'll know that I don't need him."

Mari continued to recklessly swing her zanpakuto back and forth, hoping to have a better grip on her sword the more she practiced but just as she found herself going nowhere, she felt someone standing right behind her and whoever it was reached around her, taking her hands and moving one at the top and one at the bottom; the same way Akio had instructed her to do except the opposite hand was on the top and vice versa and it was much more comfortable than his way.

"You're doing it wrong," the person said as he adjusted her hands, "You'll never have good control holding it the way you were."

Mari was just about to thank him when a feeling of suspicion came over her and she turned to face him with narrowed eyes; he was a soul reaper, wearing a Shihakushō, although it was modified a bit and he was a real looker too, but she had to keep herself from letting her guard down, taking a step away from him.

"Can I ask who you are?" Her voice was cautious, as was she as she kept her sword firmly in her hands.

He smiled before confidently saying, "Yumichika Ayasegawa; fifth seat, squad eleven. And you are? You don't look like a soul reaper."

She let her hands fall to her sides, although she still held her sword. "I'm Mari Suzuki... Pleasure to meet you."

His brow raised and he eyed her. "What's the princess of the Suzuki clan doing all the way out here?"

She pursed her lips, avoiding his gaze. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm training."

"Well I would think you would have a trainer or something."

She put her sword away, crossing her arms. "I do but he's no good."

"That's a shame. It will be very hard to learn all on your own. Maybe I could help you."

Mari felt a bit surprised by his offer, with him being such a high-ranking seated officer and she didn't hesitate to nod.

"Okay. I'm busy now but we can meet here tomorrow at sunrise. Is that alright?" Mari nodded again and he smiled. "Alright, I'll see you then." She watched as he turned and walked away and she couldn't help but smile; surely he would be a much better trainer than Akio and one day, she could surpass him.

The next morning, Mari snuck out before Akio was awake and hurriedly went to the clearing where she met him the day before to find him seated in the grass beside the stream, leaning against a tree trunk. "You're right on time," he greeted her, getting to his feet.

Mari smiled, crossing her arms. "And you're early."

"Let's start your first lesson. First I want you to come at me with your sword."

Mari grasped the hilt of her sword although she gazed at him with a puzzled expression. "But you're not taking out your sword; what if I hurt you?"

He shook his head. "That's what I want you to do; come at me with the intent of hurting me. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Mari's brow was still furrowed as she slid her sword out of the scabbard and held it the way he'd instructed her the day before and he gave her a smile, almost inviting her to try to cut him and she did, running towards him as quickly as she could and she swung her sword down but her hand was simply knocked away with his. He didn't even need to draw his sword.

"Your speed is lacking and you could possibly be stronger too. That trainer of yours must have really done an awful job, sorry to say."

She raised an eyebrow, glaring at him. "Are you insulting me?"

"Well," he chuckled, "It's hard not to insult you with what little ability you have. Try again."

This time with anger welling up inside of her, she went at him again and again and he just kept dodging her easily without even needing his sword but she kept going at him until she finally managed to tear his Shihakushō a bit on the shoulder.

"Oh? It seems you almost cut me. That's good, your speed is increasing but we still have a long way to go. Keep trying."

She clenched her jaw and let her anger well up and she went at him over and over again but by the time it was noon, she still hadn't been able to cut him or his Shihakushō again but he already had to leave. "Can we meet here again tomorrow morning?" she asked, feeling almost desperate to become stronger.

"Of course. I'll see you then."

Mari arrived on time to sneak back to her bedroom and change into pajamas and pretend to have slept in, just in time for Akio to come banging on her door. "That little brat... I can't believe she's still asleep." Mari gasped under her breath, glaring at the door before getting to her feet.

"What was that, Akio? Did you say brat?"

Akio laughed sheepishly. "What? No I didn't. I didn't say anything."

Mari sighed, opening the door. "Is breakfast ready?"

He nodded and led the way to the living room table, where the food was set and she sat down and silently began to eat, completely ignoring Akio when he spoke, only feeling the complete hunger over all the battling she and Yumichika had done in the morning.

"Why did you sleep in so late?" he asked once she'd finished eating and she rolled her eyes.

"I didn't sleep well last night. Don't bother me. I'm tired so I'm taking a break today. Substitute for me today, okay?"

Every day for the next three months went exactly like that except after only a week, Yumichika had to use his sword against Mari and by the end of the three months, her skills were that of a seated officer's and she was even capable of releasing her zanpakuto and controlling it completely. Continuing training was pointless but Mari loved it so much that she didn't dare complain; it was becoming more of a game instead of training and it was fun instead of hard work.

Akio seemed to be getting a bit suspicious of her 'sleeping in' every morning but he never actually caught on.

Mari and Yumichika darted back and forth with clashes, although they were laughing together instead of getting frustrated or afraid. Neither of them was holding back as they were nearly at equal footing when it came to sparring this way. Once they were both tired out and out of breath, he paused. "Let's take a little break, I'm exhausted." Mari nodded and she plopped down at the trunk of a tree and he sat down beside her. "I never used to get so tired when we were sparring. You've definitely improved a lot; it's becoming training for the both of us instead of just you."

She smiled, reaching into the bag she'd packed early in the morning before Akio was awake and pulled out container of water and downing it before continuing to smile to herself. "You know, all this time I've been keeping our meetings here a secret from my guardian, Akio. I think he would freak out at me if he found out because he doesn't trust anybody." Yumichika chuckled and she reached into her bag, retrieving another water and handing it to him. "You look thirsty."

"Thank you." He downed his water just as quickly as she did before sighing, leaning back against the tree trunk. "I haven't told my squad about it either. I've only told my partner so that he can cover for me if my captain asks where I've been."

Mari giggled before taking another drink from her water. "I'm flattered that you'd do that just to help me out, Yumichika."

He shrugged. "It's no big deal. I mean it's improved my skills a lot too so its help for both of us."

Mari sighed. "I wish I could become a soul reaper too, but I've got a bunch of stupid duties because I'm the next clan head." She reached inside her bag and pulled out the boxed lunches she'd prepared for the both of them and handed him one, which he eagerly thanked her for and they each began to eat quickly.

"This is delicious," he complimented, "Maybe I should eat lunch with you more often."

Mari blushed, looking away. "I wouldn't mind that."

Once they finished eating, she returned the empty boxes to her bag and they got to their feet, preparing to spar again when a voice interrupted.

"Ah-ha! I found you."

Mari gasped at the voice, spinning around. "Akio! What are you doing following me around?"

Akio stepped out from the trees near where they had been sitting, an angry expression on his face. "I knew it! I knew you were sneaking out in the morning. This is against the rules. You're coming with me, you little brat." He grasped her arm and she shook her head, attempting to jerk her arm away with failure.

"Akio, let me go. I don't want to go home now. Let me go. That's an order."

"That's an order I'm afraid I cannot obey. Your parents wanted me to protect you and letting you run around with random boys you find isn't keeping you safe. How do I know how many of them you've slept with already? If this gets out, Mari, the Suzuki name will be stained."

Mari clenched her jaw, glaring at him. "Akio, leave me alone. I haven't slept with anybody. I've only been meeting Yumichika here in the mornings to train and nobody knows about it."

Akio snorted, returning her glare just as coldly. "You expect me to believe that? Mari, trust me. I don't want to spend time with you just as much as you don't want to spend time with me but it's my job. If it were up to me, I would drop you out in the streets where you belong."

Mari heard a shuffle behind her and Yumichika's hand came into her line of vision, grasping Akio by the collar of his Shihakushō, weakening his grasp on Mari's arm enough for her to break free. "For a guardian, you sure seem to hate the person you're supposed to protect. Wouldn't that be a hindrance if something were to happen to Mari? How does Mari know she can rely on you to save her if you hate her so much?"

Akio grimaced, pushing Yumichika's arm away. "I don't hate her, she's just annoying. I wouldn't be so mean to her if she would stop disobeying me and breaking rules. I'm only trying to help her."

Mari clenched her hands to fists. "You haven't helped me at all, Akio. In those three months that Yumichika has been helping me, he's gotten me all the way to the level of a high-ranking seated officer and you've trained me all my life but when I first met him, I didn't even know how to hold my zanpakuto. And I'm disobeying you, you say? Aren't I supposed to be the one giving you orders?"

"I'm trying to keep you in line! I'm trying to raise you to be who your parents would've wanted you to be!"

"I didn't know my parents but from what I've heard, I'm sure they would accept me as I am. In fact if you weren't so bossy, maybe I wouldn't try so hard to break rules."

Akio glared at her before tossing his arms up in annoyance and turning back around. "If you want to stay here, then fine, see if I care. Stain the Suzuki name all you want; I'm not a part of it anyway."

Mari watched him walk away and once he was out of sight, she sat down in the grass, drawing her knees to her chin and burying her face into them. She listened as Yumichika sat down beside her, and he rubbed her back with one hand comfortingly. "Don't listen to what he says, Mari. I think you're a lovely girl. I like your passion and I like your eagerness. To be honest, I'm baffled that he somehow managed to find flaws in you."

Mari blushed and lifted her gaze to meet his. "Really?"

He gave her a tender smile and a nod. "Of course, Mari." He got to his feet and helped her to hers before continuing, "I don't feel much like training anymore and you don't look like you do either. So how about we go for a walk? Maybe I can show you around the Seireitei without getting caught."

Mari grinned. "That sounds like fun. Let's go!"

They walked side by side and as they walked, Mari's hand brushed his gently, giving her a tingling feeling and a desire to take his hand in hers. She blushed at the thought, gazing at the floor.