Continuing Training: Seireitou trains Ryuka, Kyashi and Evan

Ryuka vs. Hikaru
Hikaru and Ryuka were clashing swords with each other. Hikaru smiled and said, "You're good Ryuka, deffenatly a force to be reckoned with."

Ryuka grinned. "I learn from the best!" He replied, as he raised his sword up, clashing with Hikaru's. This time they locked swords.

Hikaru recoiled from Ryuka's powerful attack. He then said, "You're good, but you can do better!" He lunged at Ryuka, putting a massive amount of energy into his attack.

Ryuka nodded, putting his own massive amount of energy into his own attack, and clashed with Hikaru's attack.

Hikaru jumped back from the attack. He then said, "Good job. I still think you can do better." He then disappeared and reappeared behind Ryuka.

"I've gotten this far." Ryuka replied confidently, jumping forwards and turning towards Hikaru in a defensive stance. "I know I can get better."

Hikaru brought down his blade on Ryuka, but was shocked to see that he blocked the attack. Hikaru smiled, "Nice, but I'm afraid you're still holding back. I want you to come at me with the intent to kill."

"The intent to kill...." A sadistic smile crawled across Ryuka's face. "As you wish." Forcing Hikaru's sword up, he switched his own sword to his other hand, hitting Hikaru in the stomach with it. The attack stunned him for a split second, but that was all Ryuka needed. He brung the blade up toward Hikaru's head, intending to decapitate him.

The blade met Hikaru's neck, but the edge cracked a little, and Hikaru was unharmed. Hikaru smiled and said, "Nice, that was a good slash." He sheathed his sword and said, "If we go any farther you'll collapse. We'll call it a day.  I think it's been at least 7 hours."

Ryuka then felt the exhaustion of the training, sheating his own sword and breathing a little bit harder. "....I didn't even notice I was tired." He commented, turning to Hikaru. "So, when will we be heading back?" He asked patiently.

Back to the Others
"Alright, well, first, go into Bankai Kyashi" said seireitou

"All right..." She said, closing her eyes and focusing, grasping for her inner spirit. When she finally found it, she opened her eyes. "Bankai!"

Mizu sat underneath the an apple tree eating one of the fruits. He was impressed at Kyashi's Bankai. He smiled and thought to himself, "This oughtta be good."

"Mizu, enter your Shikai!" he yelled out to Mizu.

"Stop yelling old man," said Mizu. "Why can't you fight her?"

"What's the matter, Mizu-san?" Kyashi grinned, turning to Mizu. "Am I too much woman for you to handle? Or are you afraid to get your butt kicked by a lady?"

Mizu smiled, then said, "If you insist." He drew his sword and said, "Rise from Hell, Tenmatatsujin." He faced Kyashi with an evil, yet somehow calm, smile. "Defend yourself."

Kyashi's eyes widened a small amount, but she shrugged it off, getting herself in a defensive stance. "I intend to." She replied.

Mizu charged at Kyashi laughing. They clashed blades sending sparks everywhere. He then said, "Be careful, I might accidentally kill you if you don't give this your all."

Kyashi swallowed a bit, using quicker speed to keep up with Mizu. "Whatever attacks he's got, they might just finish me off in one blow. It's time to get serious." Channeling some of her chakra into Zatenmaru, she swung it upwards and clashed with Mizu's sword.

Mizu deflected the blade, and slashed Kyashi on her shoulder. He smiled and said, "I've always liked battle, and you seem to give me a challenge. Keep up the good work.  Oh, and defend that shoulder of yours." Kyashi then saw the horrifying cursemark forming on her shoulder. Mizu chuckled and said, "I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl, or because you're younger than me. I treat all my opponents as equals, but I really don't want to kill you.  So give your all in this fight."

Kyashi quickly flipped away, clutching her shoulder with one hand and wielding the sword in the other. "I was a bit too careless that time." Running at Mizu again, she ducked under his guard and grabbed his sword wrist. "Really? Then I won't go easy on you, either." Forcing a small amount of chakra into his arm, she was surprised as she felt muscles constricting themselves around the bone, more than she wanted. "Huh? I only meant to immobilize his arm." She thought.

She then directed an axe-kick to his face, knocking him away. "It must be because of the power of the Bankai.." She thought.

Mizu felt the pain in his arm. He closed his eyes and focused his chakra. His arm the regained original control. He tested it to see if it still worked. He smiled and said, "Good, you seem to have a killer instinct. Glad to see that you won't hold back." He readied an attacking position and said, "That one was lucky, the next one won't be."

Seireitou clapped, "Excellent, its been 2 hours and you are still in Bankai.. lets see how much longer it can last" said seireitou

Mizu and Kyashi kept fighting for 11 hours until they both collapsed in exhaustion. Mizu then said, "I'm calling it a day. You did a good job."

"Yeah, she did" said seireitou

Kyashi panted heavily. "Damn, you're good." She gasped out, pulling herself up on her knees, Bankai mode dissipating.

Every one hears a crash coming from the woods "argh!" The scream comes from the same direction.

"What the..." Kyashi blurted, turning toward the area. "Evan?"

"Evan? What did he do now" said seireitou looking at the smoke

Kyashi glared at the smoke. "And I'm nearly out of strength..." She said vehemently, a vein popping in her head.

as they arive they see Evan on the ground, in bankai with broken bones.

Seireitou uses his Rejection of Fate: God's Will to heal both Kyashi and Evan as he passes out and seireitou carries Evan. "Alright, i guess we can call it a day, huh?"

"Yeah..." Kyashi replied. "I wonder how Ryuka's doing?"

"Knowing Hikaru, they are probably having tea" he said smiling

Kyashi smiled back. "Having tea is better than having broken bones, I guess." She agreed.

"it's a draw back from my bankai" Evan mumbles as he wakes up

"Can you make the walk back?" asked seireitou

Kyashi winced. Although her wounds were healed, the exhaustion the training left on her body was still lingering. "I'd probably make it a few feet...then promptly pass out." She replied.

"Well, i can carry both Evan and you, unless you want to just camp out here?" he asked

"i can walk" Evan gets up and walks back.

Kyashi's eyes rolled at Evan, before they widened and she smirked disbelievingly. "Out here? In the woods? When there's somewhere much more comfortable to relax? Fat chance!"

"Well, i could carry you if you cant make the walk" said seireitou to Kyashi and then faced Evan. "You sure, dont force any unnessary action" he warned Evan

Kyashi scratched her cheek with her finger, grinning. "I'd like that." She replied.

"Ok, get on my back, ill bring you there" he said. Then he turned to Evan, "you sure you can walk?"

Kyashi complied gratefully, climbing onto the slightly older man's back, placing her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. "He's obviously trying to shrug it off." She said, smirking.

"More than that" Evan runs off

Seireitou, while carrying Kyashi, walked back to the hotel slowly, making sure not to cause my pain to Kyashi's already exhaustion....

Kyashi noticed Seireitou's wariness while resting her head against his neck. "Sorry if I'm being a burden." She apologized. "I guess you're probably a bit exhausted, too."

"Its okay, your not a burden at all" said seireitou smiling as he continued walking. "I was very impressed by your current level of mastery in Bankai, yuo did good today" he said

"Thanks." She replied. "I only benefited from your training, though."

"Well, all i did was guide you, you did all the work" he said smiling

Kyashi smiled as well. "Do you really mean that, or are you just being modest?"

"No, i wouldnt lie over this, you really have gotten strong" he said smiling

After Dark
"Heh." Kyashi glanced upwards a bit, seeing that the sky was getting ever so darker. "Sheesh, how long have we been out?" She asked.

Evan was asleep on the floor in the lobby. "uhhhh"

Seireitou with Kyashi reached the hotel steps and seireitou climbed them. "Wow, its dark already, you probably wanna go get some sleep, ill bring you to the room-door" he said

Kyashi nodded. "Thank you. I'll take it from there."

"yep, let me sleep on the floor" Evan walks up 15 minites later and goes to his bed.

Seireitou lowered her gently as she entered her room. Seireitou ran back down and got Evan and brought him to his room.

Both were sound asleep and seireitou was lying down on the roof, staring at the stars.

Mizu was sitting on the roof thinking of Kyashi. He was impressed that the girl sustained multiple blows that could have been fatal. He also remembered her fighting style. Even though she had just awakened Bankai, she was incredibly strong and fought as if she had known the power all her life. Mizu pictured her almost as a goddess of war: strong, cunning, and beautiful. He shook his head at the thought. He knew she was lying when she said she had a boyfriend, but he knew that she would never be interested in him. But somehow, a small part of him longed to be near her, to protect her. He wondered if this was love he was feeling. He sighed and said, "It could never happen, could it?" He noticed that someone had just come outside. He noticed it was Kyashi.

Kyashi yawned, dressed in her sleep clothes, as she came outside. Looking at the moon, she smiled. "The moon sure looks a bit beautiful today." Then she looked up at the roof, and noticed someone. "....Mizu?"

Mizu looked over to Seireitou and said, "Seireitou, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot" he said.

Mizu looked to the stars, "What is love?"

Seireitou was silent, "Well.... love is.... a feeling you have.... something that cant be described.... when you have an over-powering desire to protect someone" he said smiling.

"I guess i wouldnt know... after all, after what happened to Tsunade.... i dont know" he said frowning.

Mizu frowned, "What happened?"

Seireitou appeared that he was about to cry but didnt at all. "Well, im not telling you the specs but, her soul was destroyed..... it was all because of me...." he said frowning as if depressed. "Whata bout you...... why you asking about love?"

Mizu was surprised, then he said, "Sorry for giving you open wounds on that matter." He looked down, "The reason I'm asking is because...um...I...I think I might be in love with...uh...Kyashi."

Kyashi overheard the two and blushed to Mizu's comment

"Really?" asked seireitou as he remained silent. "Well, looks like the feeling's mutual between us" he said, "But, she is in love with Ryuka..... either you nor me have a chance, so i respect her descision" he said smiling

Kyashi put a hand to her mouth, thinking. "Am I really in love with Ryuka...? Or is it just a really long infatuation?" She wondered silently. She thought about her past with Ryuka, and her meeting with Mizu. "I've only just met Mizu....and yet...."

Seireitou smiled at Mizu, "Well, you have a better chance then me, for sure" he said. "After all, im not exactly a desireable person" he said half smiling.

Mizu chuckled uneasily, "Yeah I guess so, but after this day, I can't stop thinking about her. She seems so powerful, so beautiful, and she even knows how to cripple me in battle with one swift move. I really respect her for that. She is unlike any girl I've ever met. I feel just this longing to be close to her, protecting her." He looked at the stars. "But, if I got involved in a relationship with her, it would be unprofessional." He chuckled to himself, "It would be so ironic if she was right here listening to what I'm saying, and then she would speak up, and in my surprise, I would fall to the ground, only to have her save me from cracking my skull in 2."

"Oh well, you shouldnt give up" he said then looking at the stars, "I guess, ill never experience true love" he thought to himself, smiling and frowning at the same time.

Mizu looked over and said, "Well, there's a woman for everyone. I mean look at Hikaru. For a long time, I never thought he would get married, but now, he has a wife and son who love him dearly. I just wish that something like that would be possible for me..."

Kyashi smirked. "That just might be possible." She replied, this time so that Mizu could hear her.

Seireitou teleported out of the area, to give them some room. He went to an open field and sat on the grass.

Mizu and Kyashi...alone
(Theme: Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down)

Mizu's face turned cherry red. He looked down and saw Kyashi in her sleep clothes. He then said, "You've been hearing what I've been saying all this time."

Instantly, Kyashi appeared behind him on the roof, sitting beside him. She smiled genuinely. "Every word." She replied, slightly blushing.

Mizu trembled for a moment, then he relaxed and said, "Sorry. You must feel a little uncomfortable being around me."

Kyashi chuckled. "Me? Uncomfortable? When pigs fly." She looked into Mizu's eyes. "And besides, I could never be uncomfortable around someone like you." She said softly.

Mizu looked into her eyes. In them he saw power, wisdom, and love. He looked away and said, "I...I'm not sure if this is right. Part of me is saying, 'yes you fool, kiss her!' while the other says 'no, it's not right.' I don't know which to listen to. And then, there's the fact I'm almost an unstable killing machine, but," He looked back at Kyashi, "Somehow, you bring out the side of me who longs for companionship. The feeling of protecting something precious. But," Mizu buried his head in his arms, "I just don't know what to do."

"Do what your heart tells you to do." Kyashi replied, scoooting closer to him and placing an arm around his shoulders. "Don't let me change your mind...."

Mizu looked at Kyashi, "So, even if we had a relationship, it wouldn't affect your training?"

Kyashi shook her head. "It wouldn't. I'd never let my own emotions overwhelm me, even in the most extreme circumstances..."

Mizu looked deep into her eyes. He then looked back down, and chuckled, "Heh, all throughout my life I was considered a reject of my village. I never found love in my life." He then looked at Kyashi lovingly, "Until now." He then leaned closer to Kyashi and kissed her.

Kyashi almost squealed with excitement, as she closed her eyes and returned the kiss. Her heart pounded against her chest, but she ignored it. But, somewhere in the depths of her mind, she swore she heard Kyosuke cheer, "Scooooooooore!"

After what seemed like 4-5 minutes of kissing, they both pulled away. Mizu then said, "Whoa, that was great."

"It might be even better, if we do it again." She replied, leaning onto his shoulder.

The two sat together and soon after about 3 hours, morning arrived

Setting off for the Land of the Sun
A month had passed since Ryuka left and returned with Hikaru the following morning.

Ryuka had gotten himself ready, early as usual, and was waiting for the others at the field.

Ryuka caught up with Kyashi and Evan as they waited for Seireitou.

Seireitou dashed in, with a stern look on his face. "Listen up, everyone! We've wasted too much time and its because i havent taken things seriously, so, from here on, we play the role of a formal student-master relationship" he said seriously facing the group.

Ryuka raised an eyebrow. "That's it. All right then.....Seireitou-sensei." He replied calmly.

Kyashi, a bit surprised, nodded. "Roger, Seireitiou-sensei!" She confirmed.