Episode 38: Revival

Nel Tu took me to what she said was an exclusive area of Las Noches. I was surprised to find a brightly lit sky in the open desert plains of Hueco Mundo.

"The sky is a mere illusion." She explained. "Lord Aizen wished for the dome to be painted with a reflective coat that would make it appear as if it were daylight."

She walked several feet then turned to face me with a stern expression. "You must remove that anxiety you gained from your last battle..." She threw her sword to the ground whilst fixing her gaze into my eyes. "If you can cut me then the training is complete."

"What? That's crazy you don't even have a sword."

She raised an eyebrow. "Then it should be simple for you to cut my body." To emphasise her point she blasted away her sword with a small cero. She then opened her arms. My sword is too far away for me to grab using Sonido...All you have to do know is strike my body."

I begin shaking. My sword rattles and almost splits into wires. There no way I can do this...she's my friend...what if I hurt her...?

"Do it! NOW!"

I squint my eyes shut then charge forward with my sword raised high in the air. I would prefer not to see the damage however the squelching sound of spewing blood makes provokes me open my eyes.

I'm shocked to find that though the sword has hit Nel's shoulder it has not left a scratch. But what was that sound? I shiver when I notice my corresponding shoulder has begun to bleed profusely.

"Ahh! What the hell did you do?" I gasp.

"She responds bluntly. "I did nothing at all, your body is simply responding to your inner anxiety. You were so afraid that your Zanpakuto would cut me that your body's spiritual energy has turned against you – thus inflicting the entire injury on yourself..." She leans her head closer. "Don't you wonder why we call these thing's 'Soul Cutters'?"

She's right...ever since my encounter with Michael I have been having conflicting views about fighting people...I thought I had ridden my body of a conscience but it appears to have only become more prevalent...In fact it almost killed me when I fought that crazed Kenpachi.

"So how do I make my sword cut my opponent then?"

She scoffs "It's perfectly simple...erase all other thoughts from your mind...when you want to use your sword you want it to cut me...when you fight someone, you want them to be cut by your blade...and most importantly when you cut your opponent make sure you win!" She lifts my sword off her shoulder then speaks softly. "Now go ahead and cut me."

I take a step back and take in a couple of deep breaths. "When I want to use my sword, I want to cut you...when I fight you, I want to cut your body...

"AND WHEN I CUT YOU I WILL WIN!" I feel like I've remove a massive burden from my shoulders. I slash my sword hard vertically but it only scratches her slightly.

She smiles. "That's it now keep trying." She begins to weave and dodge my strikes as she knows I'm serious this time."Don't forget to keep pushing, don't let the anxiety take over." She raises her forearm to block my sword. "Whew, my hierro can still manage to take your blade, don't stop now Banzai!" I wrench my sword out as she continues to leap back, I swing my sword, up, down, left ,right, diagonally, stabbing forward and leaping into the air to deliver death by flight. She manages to evade all of my strikes which only seems to infuriate me and wish to cut her more. I speed up and aim for her legs. Once she's lost those she won't be able to run away.

"Bala." She casually calls out a small fiery ball of energy which raises plumes of sand. I cannot find her using my sights so I try using Pesquisa to weed out her reatsu. No good she's suppressing it somehow. No matter, if I stab in enough places at once I'm sure to skewer her.

By channelling my reatsu into the fine combs of my blade I make it transform into several razorwires which I can straighten into several deadly prongs. I stab my strange shaped blade into the sandstorm but grab nothing. I leap high into the air peering past the fog of sand. There she stands waiting for me with her sword in hand this time. "So you've resorted to your sword eh?" I thunder down to the ground crashing into her sword. Sparks fly everywhere nearly blinding me, however I'm determined to see her bleed So I slide to the side and kick her shins. She doesn't flinch but pulls back her leg and slams her sword towards me horizontally. I awkwardly block her strike before thrusting myself away from her side using some improved Sonido.

"Wow you have gotten a lot faster Banzai...but still not of an Espada levels speed." She runs towards me in stream of Sonido. I gain a sense of deja vu when we both eye each other in the flow of Sonido. A smile creeps up my face before I notice her sword moving forward. I quickly respond and manage to throw her blade off course. She has an opening now.

I will cut her...I will win!

The cutter of souls embeds itself in her left shoulder. It isn't deep enough to exit the other side, but deep enough to cause significant injury – to a mortal.

"I think you're ready to take on some hollow Banzai..." She smile wiping some blood away from her face.

"Thanks Nel I feel a lot better now." I respond. As I begin to turn Nel grabs my shoulder and throws me to the side. Her sword collides with a much larger weapon...Something almost indescribable. The giant blade is attached to a long chain with the end shaped in a crescent, like the moon of Hueco Mundo.

"Goddamit bitch whydya' get all cut up before I had the chance to!" The Arrancar speaks insultingly I notice the tattoo number '8' on his grossly large tongue.

"Banzai get out of here..."

"But-"

"NOW!" I can tell from her eyes that she is serious this time.

As I walk back I touch the blade of another Arrancar. A man with spiky blonde hair speaks. "Nnoitra-sama would like for you to stay behind."

Nnoitra charges at Nel howling like a rabid wolf. How can the Espada fight each other like this?

"NEL!" I call out to her but the other Arrancar prods me with his sword. "Damn you!" I swing my blade wide but he blocks with his strangely shaped sword. I slash to his other side but his skills are superb. A small red dot forms in his eye and I'm put off by a bala blast which grazes past my cheek. I throw a bala back at him but he jumps back and lands on his feet. I wish to end this petty fight quickly so I may return to help Nel. I decide it may be appropriate to use Ressureccion.

But as I'm about to call out my Zanpakuto another Arrancar swoops down and grabs my hand. He then fires a bala towards the other two combatants restoring the peace.

"Threatening my Fraccion is one matter but we are about to embark on a mission and must remain intact beforehand." Shrieker calls out in an assertive tone

"Tch. Fuck this shit let's get outta here Tesla." Nnoitra summons his Fraccion who Sonidoes over to his master. "You three can have a fucking picnic for all I care but when we hunt hollow I play by my own rules." He begins to spit but disappears in Sonido before the saliva reaches the sand.

"Are you okay Nel?" I rush over to my female comrade who nods assuringly.

"He always tries to fight me...He doesn't seem to accept that a woman is of higher rank than himself..." She lets out a deep sigh. "Don't worry about him...you stick with us and he won't hurt you."

Somehow I feel that this next mission will end up with at least one of us dead...

A successful training session - spoilt by a barbaric Arrancar...worse still we must work alongside each other in search for worthy hollows. Will we all be able to get along for professional business? Or does he swear to abide by his won rules? Don't miss the next exciting chapter!