"Come on Nnoitra," Nell called, gazing down at her nails in boredom. "You've only done a thousand. Give me a thousand more."
Nnoitra growled as he continued, lowering himself to the sand for his thousand and first push up. Nell was sitting on his back with Santa Teresa in her hands for extra weight. She wanted him to build his stamina first before starting on techniques. This also would help tone his shoulders and back, something he needed for the weapon the male possessed. He got winded way too fast and this strenuous activity on loose sand would help strengthen his muscles.
Their fight the day before ended with her victory. She told him that every time he lost without being able to hit her once, he had to sleep outside. He cursed and burst inside the small hut after her. A swift kick to the midsection knocked him flying into the sand outside. He yelled more but didn't enter again. He was so damn hardheaded, but she would win. Nell always liked a challenge.
Nnoitra was furious. He had to keep reminding himself that he had a purpose and he couldn't blow it. To gain strength, he had to listen to this wench. Nnoitra despised having to listen to her, but he did it because of the outcome. Once he reached the power level he needed, Nnoitra would savor her dark blood staining the endless sand of Hueco Mundo. He would feast on the sight of watching the life drain from her and then enjoy taking her place as the Third Espada. Two more spots to conquer from there. Nnoitra would be the most powerful Espada for damn sure. A smirk crossed his thin face at the thought.
After he finished the pushups, he stood straight, knocking Nell onto the sand. She stood up, dusting off her shorts with a sour look on her face. Lord Aizen had brought her a few from the human world. They made her movements easier while training from how stretchy they were. It also would make it harder for Nnoitra to beat her because she had much more fluid movement out of her tight-fitting white pants.
Nnoitra snatched Santa Teresa from her. "I hate your disgusting hands being all over my weapon."
Nell's tan orbs showed amusement. "Maybe by me touching it, you'll get stronger."
Nnoitra's vision turned red with anger. He opened his mouth to respond, but she spoke again before he had the chance to blow a fuse.
"I want to show you how to align your spiritual pressure with your body," she said as she walked towards the waterfall. "You're hindering your own abilities. Once the alignment is complete, you'll notice your attacks are stronger."
Nnoitra followed her with an uninterested look on his face, drowning out the garbage she was spouting with thoughts of her death. He'd had enough of her irritating presence. Still, he smiled. Nnoitra decided that he would play into her feelings the next time the opportunity arose. He didn't know much about women, but he understood emotional attachments topped their list of weaknesses. Nell already seemed fond of him so if he could pretend to return the gesture, she might learn to trust him. Trust him? That bordered on insanity.
If Nell trusted him, then he would have access to whatever he needed to learn her weakness. Nnoitra knew the turquoise-haired woman was too trusting. Nell walked over the water, little circles rippling from where her feet touched, and sat above it. Nnoitra did the same, following her gesture of crossing his legs while sitting in front of her. She scooted up, so their legs almost touched.
"When a person does not have their spiritual pressure aligned with their body, it is easy to borrow their spiritual pressure. Like this."
Nell reached a hand forward and placed it on Nnoitra's chest. A draining sensation overtook his body, and he recognized it. He now understood his exhaustion every time she touched him during a battle. The bitch had been stealing his spiritual pressure. The eighth Espada wanted to shred her to pieces, but he calmed his anger to find out more.
"It works like that when it's an attack too?" he questioned. "If you punch me since I lack the proper alignment like you said, you're able to steal my spiritual pressure?"
"Yep," Nell responded as she removed her hand from his chest. " I could drain your energy because you have not synced your pressure and body. Once we align them, I can no longer tap into your spiritual pressure."
"You must think you can still beat me with my alignment if you're telling me about it."
"I can," Nelliel scoffed. "Also, the stronger you get, the better opponent I have."
He couldn't argue with that logic. "So, show me how to do this."
"First sit up straight," she said, doing the same. "Relax and place your hands like this."
Nell made a diamond with her two pointer fingers and thumbs. Her other fingers curled at the second knuckle, making a heart. She placed it in front of the center of her chest. Nnoitra did the same.
"This will not work if you have emotions running through your mind," she continued. "Clear your head of all thoughts."
"Tch. That's hard as hell," he responded looking down at her.
"Just try. Inhale slow and close your eyes."
Nnoitra was a little skeptical about closing his eyes, but he knew Nell would not take any cheap shots. If anything, she should worry about his actions.
She probably doesn't have her eyes closed, he thought. She already has aligned spiritual pressure... cocky bitch.
Nnoitra cleared his mind as instructed while Nell watched him like a hawk. She saw his breathing slow and got up to move behind him. "Can you feel the spiritual pressure flowing throughout your body?"
Hearing her voice behind him didn't startle him. "Yes, but it isn't going one direction."
"That's what we will fix," she answered.
She kneeled behind him and ran her hands from his ankles, all the way up his thighs and around to his back. Nell moved her hands over his muscled shoulders and to his neck. The Third Espada continued up to his temples before pausing for a moment and working back down and over his arms. His spiritual pressure spiked, meaning he wasn't completely relaxed. Something was making him jumpy.
"Relax Nnoitra," she ordered. "Don't think about anything. Your spiritual pressure is going higher than it needs to be."
"Fine."
He slowed his breathing, and she soon he relaxed. She placed her hands over his and closed her eyes. His spiritual pressure aligned. She opened her eyes and walked around in front of him. Nell sat back down and held his hands. The wind whipped around them, causing their hair to blow their hair in wild directions. Orange static sparked, the energy placing them in a place of awareness. Nnoitra's eyes remained closed as his dark locks moved in every direction.
He's so cute, Nell thought as she watched him.
"Now release the spiritual pressure building to either side of you."
Nnoitra spread his arms on either side of him with Nell's hands on his arms. Orange spiritual pressure exploded from either hand, the one closer to the waterfall shooting straight through the tumbling water.
"You've done it, " she congratulated. "Open your eyes."
He did. A sensation he hadn't experienced before flowed through his veins: his body was at ease. He realized just how tense he was now that his spiritual pressure flowed the way it should. This new fluidity wasn't half bad. Nnoitra already felt stronger. He placed his hands in his lap and looked at her.
"Try to steal my spiritual pressure again."
Nell smiled and placed her hand on his chest. This time there was no tugging sensation. He returned her smile and placed his arms behind his head, stretching.
"What now?"
"We will sync your weapon with your body and spiritual pressure. When that happens, your weapon can tap into your spiritual pressure for more power."
Nnoitra stood and got Santa Teresa. He sat back down with her across his lap and threw her hick chain over his shoulder. Nell unsheathed her sword and put it in her lap.
"Take the pointer and middle finger of your right hand and place them over the left side end of Santa Teresa. Fold your other fingers into a fist."
Nnoitra followed her instructions.
"Since Santa Teresa is so long, shift her with your left hand so you can run your fingers along her entire length without moving your right hand."
Nell demonstrated with her own weapon and Nnoitra caught on.
"You must close your eyes for this, too," she said, flipping silky locks off her shoulder. "Reach with your mind for Santa Teresa. Visualize your weapon."
He closed his eyes and concentrated. I wasn't long before Santa Teresa came in view. He ran his two fingers above his weapon like Nell instructed. He heard his weapon hum.
"That's great Nnoitra," she coached. "Now place your open palms underneath her. Push your spiritual pressure to her."
He did and soon Nell asked him to open his eyes. Nnoitra opened them and saw Santa Teresa floating above his hands with an orange glow around her. He smiled widened.
"You've done it. Notice a difference?"
Nnoitra did not respond. He grasped Santa Teresa and swung her down on Nell. She dodged with less than six inches to spare. He was faster. A smile broke out on his face.
"I guess I should thank you for canceling one of your advantages," he said as he stepped towards her. "But I still don't like your ass."
Nell shook her head and smiled. This was how he expressed himself. He didn't know how to say nice things, so he said them with harsh words. He was thanking her in his own little way. It was pathetic. He was such a clueless jerk. Nnoitra looked down at the short Espada. Now was a good time to get her riled up.
"Nell, try once more to take my spiritual pressure."
"It won't work anymore, but okay," she said. "You can use this attack on anyone who's misaligned."
Nell placed her hand on his chest. He still did not feel a thing. Her hand remained in place. "Satisfied yet?"
Nnoitra placed his hand over hers and looked down at her, smile gone. He didn't answer. Nell's heart jumped. Nnoitra was touching her without malice in his actions. She wasn't sure what to do. She looked up at him, confused. Her heartbeat doubled its pace when she saw him leaning down towards her.
