I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.
Training
Kurai sat down as Rukia sat cross from him, setting her Shikai between them. Kurai rested Haruko so that the blades crossed and then waited. both Rukia and Kurai could feel Sode no Shirayuki calling out to Haruko but after several minutes of nothing happening, Rukia sighed.
"Looks like even her sister can't wake her," Rukia sighed.
"Looks like," Kurai nodded. "Shame. She'd come in handy."
Rukia nodded, reaching for Sode no Shirayuki but stopped when both swords were suddenly encased in ice.
"Okay," Kurai blinked. "I guess..."
He froze as he felt a glimmer of consciousness from Haruko. Not nearly enough for her to be awake, but proof that she was recovering. She began to glow slightly, then the light faded and the ice shattered, leaving the two blade unharmed.
"So, did it work?" Rukia asked.
Kurai reached out to Haruko again but she was asleep still, though much less than before.
"Sode no Shirayuki failed right?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah," Kurai nodded.
"Well, she says she did give you some help," Rukia stated. "She said that she gave you access to Shikai while Haruko is asleep. She said that you can now use it without killing yourself, but that it will be only you controlling it. Haruko will not be fighting alongside you until she wakes up."
"Okay," Kurai nodded, picking up Haruko. "That's enough for now."
"Perfect timing," Shinji stated, appearing behind him. "It's time to train. You're going to be going up against Mashiro while Ichigo learns to use his Hollow Powers."
"What's Mashiro's time limit?" Kurai asked.
"Days," Shinji stated. "She started at fifteen hours."
"I see," Kurai nodded. "Alright. Let's get this over with.
He walked a ways away from Rukia who agreed to train with Hachigen. Kurai stopped when he was a very large distance from the others and a moment later, a girl wearing a white and orange jumpsuit, orange gloves and boots, an orange scarf, and a pair of goggles with lime green hair appeared before him, a hornet mask on the right side of her head. it had two large oval eye holes then four small ones below them. She had a zanpakuto with a green grip, a rectangular tsuba, and a silver sheath but she set it down almost immediately after arriving.
"You don't use that sword do you?" Kurai asked.
"Nope," Mashiro said shaking her head. "Ready to start?"
"Sure," Kurai nodded drawing Haruko. "Mind if I use mine?"
"Not at all," Mashiro smiled. "If you can keep up."
He smirked and charged, slashing at Mashiro who ducked under it, pulling the mask on, then kicking him, blasting him away. He landed on his feet then charged again. This time, she swung a kick at him as he neared her but he leapt over it, slashing at her. She dodged sideways, away from the blade then flipped over, smashing him into the ground with both feet. Then, she leapt away and he stood, dusting himself off and wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. Mashiro cocked her head as Kurai grinned. Then Kurai charged, slashing at her again. She jumped, kicking the blade then spun, her other heel crashing into the side of his head and launching him away. He bounced and rolled along the ground for a ways before stopping and looking at the blood on his blade. Mashiro looked at the bottom of her foot in wonder, staring at the shallow cut on the bottom. Then, she looked up as Kurai slashed at her again. This time, she pivoted out of the way of the blade then spun back the other way, kicking him in the face. He crashed into a massive pillar of stone, which collapsed on him. He stood, staggering out of the stone and looking at Mashiro who had only the cut on her foot where Kurai had bruises all over his body and blood running down his face.
"You're fast," Kurai growled putting Haruko in her sheath and setting her aside. "Fine. Let's go."
he sprinted forward and Mashiro met his charge, kicking at his left side. He jumped, stepping on her foot and spinning, kicking her in the mask and launching her backward. She crashed down, bouncing and rolling before coming to a stop and slowly starting to get up. After a moment, she slipped, landing hard, mask bouncing off the ground before she slowly curled into the fetal position, shaking.
"Fuck," Kuria sighed hurrying over to her. "Are you oka-"
He stopped as her feet crashed into his ribs, smashing them and launching him into a second pillar of stone which also collapsed on him. This time, Hachigen excavated him after several minutes then quickly began to heal him.
"Mashiro, you shouldn't do that to your friends," Shinji lectured.
"I'm sorry," Mashiro apologized, staring at the ground, mask off to one side again.
"He should learn not to show sympathy Dumbass," Hiyori stated as Ichigo struggled to pick himself up off the ground for the thousandth time. "The Arrancar aren't going to play fair either."
"While that is true, this is still early training," Shinji stated. I honestly didn't think he'd last half as long as he did against Mashiro. We should be making him stronger, not crueler. At least for now."
"Shows what you know," Rukia snorted. "Kurai's strength has always been his desire to protect. Just like Ichigo. You make him cruel enough to not show mercy and you might as well kill him yourselves."
Shinji sighed and glanced at Kurai as he opened his eyes.
"Damn that girl can kick," Kurai grinned. "Guess that's what I get for falling for such an obvious trick."
Hachigen let the field around Kurai fade and Kurai stood, rolling his right shoulder a couple of times.
"Ready to go again Mashiro?" Kurai asked and Kensei laughed.
"Sit this one out Mashiro," Kensei chuckled. "I'll take him."
"Aaww," Mashiro complained. "You always take the fun ones Kensei."
"It's alright Mashiro," Kurai chuckled. "I'll fight you both in a bit."
"Bull shit," Kensei snorted. "You couldn't handle either of us alone. You cant fight us both together."
Kurai laughed and walked over to Haruko, picking her up and drawing her. He turned around and spread his arms.
"Bring it on Kensei," Kurai smirked.
Kensei drew his knife and charged, slashing at Kurai. Kurai's blade blocked the knife then shoved it away and flashed across Kensei's chest. Kensei leapt backward, holding a hand to his chest as blood sprayed out of it. He landed on one knee and growled in frustration. Then, he summoned his mask and stood again. Kurai readying himself and Kensei appeared in front of him, slashing. Kurai blocked the slash then jumped, planting both feet in Kensei's chest but instead of Kensei moving, Kurai flew away, crashing into a rock spire. Kurai stood, groaning and looked to Kensei who dusted his chest off, his wound now healed.
"Is that it?" Kensei snorted. "Pathetic. Mashiro may be strongest, but it is most difficult to harm me."
Kurai growled and put Haruko back in her sheath. Then, he grinned.
"Hado Seventy Three, Soren Sokatsui!" Kurai shouted firing the blast at Kensei.
It hit him and exploded into a massive fireball. When it cleared, Kensei was badly burned but acted as thought he felt nothing. He bent down, putting his knife away, and then stood. Kurai groaned and charged. Before he took three steps, Kensei charged, blurring forward before smashing Kurai into the ground then kicking him skyward. Kurai flipped over, throwing a punch at Kensei's mask. The blow landed and blasted Kensei backward a few feet before Kensei flipped over and shot upward at Kurai again, flipping over him and kicking him into the ground again. Kurai groaned, pushing himself up and spitting blood out. Then, he rolled aside as Kensei crashed down where he had been.
"Impressive that he's still moving," Lisa commended. "He'll never win though."
"No," Shinji admitted. "Kensei is more than a match for our friend. However, I doubt he'll be finished any time soon."
Kurai pushed himself up, holding out his hand as Kensei charged a blue sphere of energy from his Shikai.
"Hado Thirty One, Shakkaho!" Kurai shouted firing the spell at Kensei.
The two blasts met and exploded. A moment later, Kurai exploded out of the smoke, smashing his knee into Kensei's mask, cracking it, then flipped over Kensei, kicking him away. Kensei landed on his feet, spinning and skidding to a stop just as Kurai crashed into him with both fists, blasting him into the ground then smashing his fists into him several times before leaping off as Kensei slashed at him.
"Hado Sixty Three, Raikoho!" Kurai shouted blasting Kensei in the chest, launching him.
As Kensei flew, Kurai drew his sword, pointing it at Kensei and grit his teeth.
"Limit of the thousand hands," Kurai began. "Respect-"
He stopped as Shinji caught his sword arm, flipping him and slamming him into the ground.
"Not that one," Shinji stated. "Kensei, you alright?"
"Fine," Kensei growled, standing as the last of his mask crumbled. "That was a lucky shot, that's all."
"It doesn't matter," Shinji stated. "It's my turn."
Kensei nodded and Shinji drew his zanpakuto, Kurai doing the same. Both charged, their swords clashing several times before Shinji kicked Kurai backward. Kurai landed on his feet just as his blood sprayed into the air. He staggered and fell, Shinji resting his now bloody zanpakuto on his shoulder.
"Not bad," Kurai smirked. "I doubt I'd be able to survive if we were fighting for real. But I want to test myself. I want that Cero of yours."
Shinji grinned and nodded then made a fist, holding it up. Red Spirit Energy formed around his fist then formed a horizontal line. Kurai leapt away, putting as much distance between them as he could Hachigen formed a massive and very strong barrier around the pair as Shinji held his fist out toward Kurai. Kurai readied himself, holding his sword out in front of him.
"Fire," Kurai instructed.
Shinji nodded, firing the Cero at him. It hit Kurai's sword and parted, blasting against the barrier but holding, barely. After a moment, Haruko spun into the air, finally blasted free from Kurai's hand by the Cero. Kurai few backward as well, pieces of his robe flying in every direction before the Cero finally faded, leaving a massive cloud of smoke.
"Hachigen," Shinji said and Hachigen hurried forward to heal Kurai. "And he was so close too."
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