"So, what's it ganna be?" he sneered. "Fight or pack'n ya bags?"
My arms started to shake even more noticeably now, I realized this by the way Izuru was watching my sword have a seizure. My mind was arguing on which to choose. Fight? Or run like hell?
"Well?" he asked impatiently, the smile not leaving his face.
Think faster, think faster. If you don't, he'll choose for you.
"Ya space out there?" asked Gin.
Faster, faster, faster!
"Fight!" my mouth said. "No!" my brain screamed. But it was to late. I could bet money on the fact that he couldn't read minds, so what the mouth said, went.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed while pulling out his sword. "I'll even let'ya hit me first." That mocking tone he used was so humiliating. Treating me like I was nothing but a toy.
"The first hit huh?" I repeated, my eyes narrowing.
"Sure." He answered. "If ya can that is." His smile grew wider. My nervousness was quickly fading and getting replaced with anger. I gripped my sword tightly and stood up straight. Here went everything. I charged forward, sword out in front of me, and he sidestepped. I staggered slightly and spun around to face him again.
"Com'n" he teased. "Are ya ganna hit me or not?"
That was it. I snapped. How DARE he speak to me like that, to anyone like that! How rude could someone be? I felt a rise of heat in my body, and my limbs were shaking worse then they ever had before. I felt different. Stronger. I dashed at him, hitting him in the jaw with the hilt of my sword.
"Damn!" he yellped, slapping his hand to his jaw and rubbing. "Ya faster now huh? Ain't that strong but ya fast."
I snarled. He was still teasing me. Again I hit him. Then another, and another and another. He still stood there, sword in had, smiling. By this time I was close to tears. I had finally improved and it still wasn't good enough!
"I can't see ya to well little lady," he said while turning his head as I darted around him. "But ya as strong as a child."
"Shut up!" I screamed. This was the dumbest thing I couldn't have done. He quickly spun around in the direction of my voice and hit me in the back of the neck with his hilt. My body went dumb and I fell flat on the ground. Panic swept over me. I couldn't talk, I couldn't move, what in hell did he do to me?
"Don'tcha be concerning ya'self with this." he said in an attempt to sound soothing. "It' ain't permanent."
He leaned his face closer to mine, his smile almost touching each ear.
"Ya got some skill there-" he paused in thought, then turned to Izuru "Mishu, right?"
The blond man nodded.
"Captain Ichimaru!" rang a angry voice. "What have you done to this girl?"
A women with long, brown-orange hair stepped over to us.
"I ain't done nothin' wrong." he answered, his face in a frown. "I'm just teachin' this gal', that's my job, ain't it?"
Rangiku shook her head and placed her hands at her sides.
"Captain," she said again, "may you please un-paralyze this girl?"
A groan of agreement left my closed lips.
"Ya always gatta be so formal wit me?" he asked while pressing on the back of my neck with his index finger. "Gin is fine Rangiku, ya know that."
A slight blush went over the women's face but it faded quickly. Once I could feel my body again I lunged at him, sending the white haired man to the ground.
"You jerk!" I screamed. "I thought I was going to be stuck like that!"
The man laughed and leaned his head back to look at Rangiku.
"See why I numbed the girl?" he snickered. "Feisty ain't she?"
"Well she's not shaking anymore." observed Kira. "Which means she can hold her sword now."
I sat up and looked down at Gin.
"I'm...not shaking?" I asked disbelievingly, "really?"
"Well considern' ya on my chest, I'd know if ya was shaken." Gin said with slight irritation. "Mind gettn' off?"
"Er-" was all I managed to get out before I was roughly pushed onto the ground.
"Well," Izuru said with a slight cough. "If it's alright with the captain, may we resume training?" I looked over at Ichimaru anticipation.
"Ya didn't beat me," he said smoothly, his normal smile plastered in place. "But the level o' me carin' is pretty low. So knock ya'self out kid."
My smile was almost as big as his.
"Thank you!" I said with a quick bow. "Thank you!"