Hello once again! First, I'd like to thank Black Cat Angel and redbunny 13 and iRawrTera for their awesome reviews. Love you guys! Anyways, I had this chapter written yesterday and decided to post it today since you guys made me so happy with your reviews! =D
It has some light fluff by the way xP Hope you enjoy!
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"Concentrate Rikka, bring out your spiritual energy." I heard my tutor say to me as I uttered a sigh and tried to concentrate. I had been at it for almost half an hour. Trying to bring out my reiatsu was extremely tiring, not to mention boring. I wondered how Ichigo could keep it out all the time. Hisagi-fukutaichou had been trying since 8 in the morning and I was still having no luck. I'd been sitting at one spot like a duck, and trying to concentrate and ended up looking like I was constipating or something. The whole thing was absolutely surreal.
"You're not concentrating," He warned me as I recollected my thoughts and tried to perform the task at hand.
Hello? Anyone…or anything in there? Hey reiryoku! Don't you want to let out some of that stored spiritual energy as reiatsu? C'mon, don't be shy…after talking to be myself like that for a whole minute I concluded that I had finally cracked. Reiryoku wasn't even living like a person's Zanpakuto. I uttered yet another sigh and opened my eyes, as the sudden exposure to light blinded my eyes for a while.
"This isn't working," I said, and raised my head only to witness Hisagi Shuuhei coming at me with his sword. I gave a frightened squeak and moved away as I witnessed his sword slicing the air where I had been only a fraction of a second ago. I could practically hear my heart pumping in my chest.
"What in the world was that about?" I said, panting in fright.
He looked up at me and grinned. "I felt it. It was extremely vague but it was there," He said triumphantly.
"That's no excuse to almost KILL ME!" I pointed an accusing finger at him.
The blue haired boy came towards me and patted my head while sheathing his Zanpakuto, "Sorry kid, I didn't mean to scare you. I just thought I'd give it a try. People's reiatsu are at their highest peak when they feel extreme emotions. Sort of like adrenaline, you know. At any case, I wasn't going to kill you." He told me with a friendly smile, still patting my head.
I couldn't help it; I started laughing.
"Huh….ah, what did I do?" He asked, confusion clouding his face.
"Well, after being treated like a criminal for two days, it's nice to have someone who's being kind to you," I smiled at him before continuing, "No wonder my friend was so obsessed with you." I gave a devilish grin.
"Huh?" He was confused about the last bit.
"My friend," I said casually, "You're her absolute favourite. She's majorly obsessed with the infamous Hisagi-fukutaichou." I grinned from ear to ear.
From then on, only I could have had the satisfaction of saying that I had seen Hisagi Shuuhei blushed. His face was tinted bright pink as he look in the direction of the trees, "Oh…uh, thanks." He said, as I began laughing again.
"It's very sweet and all, but I'm afraid I have more important work to do than train a kid," A voice came from somewhere in the covering of trees. Did I forget to mention that we were in a lush green forest. It seemed unfair to the trees that we were about to be training here. Soi Fon- taichou could be very destructive, willing or not. I watched as she jumped down from quite a high tree, landing on her feet as nimbly as a cat- as would be expected.
"Hurry up, kid. I don't have all day," She told me harshly as she took off her Shinigami robe revealing her sleeveless top underneath. Hisagi-fukutaichou rose to leave, wishing me good luck on his way. I was pretty sure I was going to need it was what I thought, as I watched my second tutor for the day, unsheathe her sword and raise it to face me.
"You will first learn basic defense skills. Use this," she threw something at me. I looked it over and concluded that it was a sword carved out of wood. While I was examining this new weapon, Soi Fon taichou came at me without any warning. I only had enough time to register the fact that she was about to attack me; before I was thrown back with immense force. A sharp pain cut through my spine as I hit a tree. She didn't even wait for me to get up before coming at me with her sword again.
Not that I had expected any mercy from such a brutal Captain. This time I raised my sword to block hers though her larger force still pushed me back by a step or two. Her feet came towards me almost instantaneously and I fell to the ground with a thud, not only with a throbbing back but also with a hurt leg, this time. But I couldn't dwell on that fact for too long since I knew she wouldn't wait for me. She ran towards me with immense speed, and at one point, vanished altogether. Shunpo. I ducked immediately, and as I had predicted, she appeared right behind me. My leg went out and I aimed for her abdomen but it was wrong of me to think that I could land a hit on a Captain on my first day of training.
I was caught by surprise for a hundredth of a second and, being used to more speedy attacks, her instant reaction was to pull my leg. Obviously, I lost my balance and fell and the next minute I saw her sword coming down towards me. Reflexively, the hand which carried the wooden sword, went up to shield myself from the blow. The tactic had apparently worked, since I saw Soi-Fon Taichou's Zanpakuto suspended in mid air right above my head struggling to get through the barrier that was my pathetic wooden weapon. I moved away from that spot causing her to cut the ground where I had been a while ago.
By now, I was breathing heavily. It could have been no more than about fifteen minutes or so and yet, my legs were almost killing me. Training with Soi Fon was undoubtedly a death sentence to any mortal. I wondered sarcastically whether that had been the Head- Captain's plan to get her killed making it seem like an accident. But my thoughts were interrupted by yet another attempted attack on the part of the Captain of Squad two. I moved out of the way and ran towards a nearby tree and hid behind it, trying to regain my breath. What could I possibly do?
And then an idea hit me. It wouldn't be enough to win against her, no, I would be crazy if I had thought that. But at least I could lose with a shred of dignity still left in me. I ran around the gathering of trees, making sure Soi Fon taichou was still following. At one point, she began to use Shunpo and appeared right in front of me. As before, I ducked, but this time I used her hand to grip her leg and pull. It was a pretty lame tactic which would explain why Soi Fon taichou did fall but didn't hit the ground. Immediately she flash stepped behind me and kicked me face forward into the tree before using her sword. Stuck with a sword behind my throat once again. I grunted internally as I could feel a tradition forming in this cycle.
"Typical for an amateur to attack like that," She sneered at me and I could feel my anger growing. "Polish those reflexes. They might come in handy." She said, before disappearing to the outskirts of the forest. I stood there in awe. Was that meant as a compliment?
"C'mon. There isn't too much time left." I heard another voice. My instant reaction was to turn around and there he was . Toushirou stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree. I could've sworn that he wasn't there before so I asked him, bewildered, "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to witness your defeat." He replied, eyes closed.
"Excuse me for not training for a hundred years in advance, your Majesty," I muttered, rolling her eyes.
"I never said it was humiliating." Hitsugaya said motioning for me to approach a tree.
I made no reply to his comment and stood copying him, in front of the tree.
"Repeat after me and-"
"Which one?" I asked eagerly, cutting him off.
"Um…Shokkaho," He said, confusedly watching me begin the Hado without any assistance.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado 31! Shakkahō!" Unfortunately, my overexcitement did a lot more damage than help. There was a huge explosion and smoke surrounded me completely as a very annoyed and astonished Hitsugaya must have been trying to find me amidst the smoke.
I emerged after two minutes, coughing and sputtering, my face covered in soot, "Um…maybe that wasn't a good idea." I said, with a sheepish grin.
"You think?" he stood with an amused expression, before me, "I have to commend you though. There weren't any mistakes in your chant."
*Narrator POV* ( A/N: sorry for the drastic change, but it's necessary.)
"So can I get off for the day?" the girl asked eagerly, even though the chances of that were absolutely nil.
"Of course not!" He yelled instantaneously.
"Oh come on, Tou-I mean, Hitsugaya-taichou," she pleaded, "I'm really tired." She let out a yawn to back up her proposal.
Hitsugaya stared at her for a while. She did look a complete mess. Her top was torn at the sleeve, the back was covered in dirt and she was entirely covered in soot. He sighed and decided to take pity on Raika for the day.
"Fine, but don't get used to it," He said, annoyed at his own softness.
You're getting soft, Master, Hyourinmaru chuckled.
Shut it, Toushirou said to the dragon who was still chuckling, not listening to his master.
"Yay! Thankyou so much Toushirou, that's why you're my absolute fovourite!" Raika said cheerfully and relieved, unaware of the fact that she had just called him by his first name and without a suffix. The silver haired Captain looked up, a bit surprised but she wasn't paying attention to him. Her eyes were on the last rays of light that were disappearing behind the trees.
"The sunset is so beautiful," She said dreamily.
"It looks much better from up," Hitsugaya said, approaching her.
"Well, I can't exactly climb trees," She faced him with a sheepish grin.
"I could take you." He almost muttered, wishing immediately that she wouldn't hear.
"Really? Thanks a lot!" She began getting so excited that he didn't have the heart to deny her. He approached her and picked her up bridal style and jumped up to the highest branch. Raika noticed their extreme close proximity and her face turned crimson. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Hitsugaya's eyes were closed tightly and his face showed no emotion as he reached the top branch and settled her down.
"Uh…um, thanks," Raika said, a little flustered, as he sat down beside her.
"No problem," he said curtly.
She sighed and stared as the sun set. It was such a gorgeous sight. The last rays of light glimmered behind the canopy of trees leaving a lasting impression on the young girl. The two sat there for almost half an hour, Hitsugaya staring in the opposite direction to where she was.
After what seemed like hours, he decided to tell her that they would have to leave soon. She would still have to wake up for training the following day. He felt a sudden light weight fall on his shoulder and turned around to an astonishing scene.
Raika was fast asleep; moreover, she was fast asleep on his shoulder. Her light breathing was the only sound in the dark, as he stared with wide eyes. This was certainly out of the ordinary. His cheeks became tinted light pink as he watched her head dip more onto his shoulder.
Flustered a bit aren't you Master? I wonder why…Hyourinmaru's teasing voice filled his head again as he grunted in annoyance. He didn't need his Zanpakuto teasing him right now. Making an effort to ignore his embarrassment (for which he could find no reason), and not giving Hyourinmaru the satisfaction of a reply, he picked Raika up in the same way as before, and headed off in the direction of the 10th Squad's barracks.
I hope you are not angry with me, Master. I was merely pointing out a fact, The ice dragon was still chuckling as Hitsugaya tried his best to ignore him. But he could feel a vein popping at his temple as he flash stepped to the outskirts of the forest.
Today was definitely not Toushirou's day.
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~Dark~
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