Ryouta stepped onto one of the many sparring grounds that were around Seireitei. He had heard (from his information gatherers in his squad) of a young-looking Shinigami who seemed to show great potential, and possessed a blade with fiery abilities. Naturally, Ryouta was curious and had invited said Shinigami to spar with him.

He sat down and twirled his metal toothpick impatiently as he waited. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for fighting, Ryouta enjoyed meeting new people and forging bonds. And, unfortunate as it was, bonds seemed to be forged best when fighting for some reason. Ryouta chuckled ruefully to himself.

Kajitora approached, his dark eyes reflecting the light as he walked and his black ponytail swaying with his stride. He had his sleeves tied back, and a red wrapped sword at his side. Once he was in range of Ryouta, Kajitora bowed and introduced himself, "I'm Kajitora Nikoda, 3rd Seat of 6th Squad. It is an honor to fight you." He flashed his childish smile, his dark eyes large and innocent.

Kajitora waited for Ryouta to reply and then drew his Zanpakutou (Suzaku). Suzaku flashed a bright red momentarily, which surprised Kajitora. Thats odd, Suzaku usually doesn't react until the end of a fight. He could still feel the enormous reiatsu flowing from his sword into his body so ignored the odd behavior and readied himself. He took his familiar samurai stance, his sword ready to pierce the heavens. And his eyes became the eyes of a blood-thirsty tiger, not the eyes of a little boy at all.

Interesting... Ryouta thought to himself as Kajitora assumed his fighting stance and his eyes changed. "And an honor for me as well," Ryouta said aloud.

Ryouta grasped both of his blades and attacked with startling speed, yanking both of them quickly out of their sheathes. As they were ninjato, they came out much quicker than one might expect, especially since Ryouta's sheathes were the length of full-length katana. He hoped that he might catch Kajitora off-guard with this simple trick.

As soon as he finished the twin slashes at Kajitora's shoulder and midsection, Ryouta brought himself even closer to Kajitora so that it would be awkward for him to maneuver his longer sword. He then began aiming short stabs and cuts at vital fighting areas- that is, at joints such as the wrist, and also areas where there were tendons and ligaments. As Ryouta was slashing his blades masterfully, he waited carefully for the right moment...and it came! As his face came closer to Kajitora's, he spat his sharp metal toothpick out right at Kajitora's forehead, in the hopes that the blood that resulted from the wound would run down Kajitora's face and blind him.

ooc: fighting skill please

(OOC: Fighting Skill please)

Kajitora was surprised at the speed in which his opponent was able to draw his sword, but luckily Kajitora was quite fond of quick draw techniques and knew how to handle them. As Ryouta drew, as soon as Kajitora could tell his opponent's intentions he stepped into the draw cutting off some of it's power. Unfortunately, he had played right into Ryouta's trap. Ryouta decided to stay close and use his close range weapons, obviously making Kajitora's katana a disadvantage. Kajitora only smiled, I guess I can give this defense thing a chance. He managed to block the majority of the sword strikes but was cut fairly on his shoulder. In the moment after he had acknowledged the wound, Ryouta spat his metal toothpick right into Kajitora's forehead! Blood trickled down into his face; he wiped it off with his sleeve and left the toothpick in.

Kajitora paused for a moment, he was in shock but his mind reeled back to Sekigahara...to death. His eyes turned murderous for a second as his body moved but his mind was elsewhere. Only after a few seconds, his eyes returned to his normal gaze, childlike wonder filling his eyes as his opponent and himself locked swords. Ryouta kept getting too close for Kajitora's liking, nullifying most of his defensive attempts and making his offense no existent. Kajitora knew the perfect technique for this situation. He drew his sword back onto his shoulder as he simultaneously stepped back at full speed. As his opponent came after him, he launched the sword from his shoulder to the opponent's shoulder-The Shouldering the Sword technique. It was all about timing and distance; plus if it landed if would create space for Kajitora, even if for a few seconds. Either way, he took a few swings with his sword, using his near perfect form before attacking unexpectedly at his opponent's land with a kneeling side swipe.

Ryouta smiled inwardly when his toothpick scored a direct hit on Kajitora. Originality when fighting was always a fun thing for him. His eyes narrowed as Kajitora stepped and drew his blade back and stabbed. Ryouta was forced to give him space for a few seconds. In these few seconds, Kajitora aimed several swings of his sword at Ryouta, who either jumped to the side to avoid the vertical cuts, or chopped down at them when they were horizontal to deflect them. Ryouta jumped back to avoid Kajitora's final swing at his hand- he managed to avoid crippling damage, but the point of Kajitora's sword managed to gouge a gash in the back of his left hand.

Ryouta stepped back and examined the wound critically. "It'll be fine," he said aloud. He then decided that it was probably in his best interest to match Kajitora in terms of blade length. "A flash of lightning, the sound of drops, falling among the bamboos," he recited. Both of his ninjato extended to become hook swords. He twirled them to make sure his left hand would not hinder him greatly. Satisfied, he smiled and said, "Here I come!"

And then Ryouta flash stepped behind and above Kajitora, swinging his right blade down across his back, just below the shoulder. As soon as he finished that attack, he flash stepped directly in front of Kajitora in an effort to a) disorient him, and b) to aim a swing with his left hand to cut at Kajitora's chest. As he was doing this, he sent a small burst of reiatsu (w/ his right blade) at the toothpick in Kajitora's forehead and knocked it out, triggering more blood flow.

ooc: fighting skill plz

(OOC: Kidou or Fighting Skill please)

Ryouta disappeared from Kajitora's sight. He could only think of one place his opponent would strike. Fortunately for himself, he had been obsessed with the historic Byakuya and his Senka (the mover were he attacks from behind) and was quite good at defending attacks from behind. He was able to flick his sword behind and across his attack, negating his opponents attack. However, when Ryouta flash stepped to his front, Kajitora wasn't expecting that attack at all. He was cut clean across his chest which was completely exposed. Luckily he was able to turn with the sword strike making the wound not as deep as it could have been. Just as he was cursing the chest wound, he felt a small, invisible slap that smacked the toothpick from his forehead.

Kajitora thought about using a fire kidou to burn up the troublesome wound, but he decided against it when he thought of an even better plan. He would use that blood that his opponent had planned on using against him. He smiled as the blood dripped down the front of his face; he raised his hand and commanded the blood...along with his reiryoku (spiritual energy).

"By my hands, taste my blood as if falls from my open wounds! Way of Destruction #22: Blood Daggers!" The blood drained into his hand from his wound and was formed into the shape of a dagger by his energy. He dashed back as he completed his double threat plan, sheathing his sword. He performed his last kidou which he believed would even up the range disadvantage.

"Burn of the blades that have been lost. Way of Destruction #8: Blades of Flames!" Kajitora materialized and shaped a short sword length blade of fire in his right hand. His left hand holding the dagger made of blood. Once he had both of his weapons ready, Kajitora lunged forward thrusting with the flaming short sword and looking for an opening to slide his blood dagger into. Any chance he could find, he would try and use the flames of the sword and strike Ryouta's hands or close to his skin in an attempt to burn him.

Ryouta watched impassively as Kajitora enhanced his weapon in addition to gaining a new one. Innovative. he thought to himself. And then Kajitora lunged forward. Ryouta sidestepped to his left and aimed a slash with his right blade at Kajitora's left shoulder. Now that Kajitora had that dagger, Ryouta had no intention of being in range of it for even a second. In order to give himself some more space, Ryouta followed through with his right-handed swing and brought his left blade across, uttering, "Todoroke!" as he did so. This caused his left blade to emit a large blast of reiatsu filled air directly at Kajitora. It would feel like being hit by a brick wall to the Shinigami- not to mention it would throw him back.

"I hope ya don't mind if I don't use kido on ya. That's not what I'm tryin' to get done," Ryouta said. And now he lunged at Kajitora and aimed a swipe at his right clavicle with his left blade while keeping his right blade back for defense. And then he would slash low at Kajitora's left knee with his right blade. Ryouta showed great proficiency at switching his attacking and defending blades, despite his own confession that he hated fighting. Ryouta aimed several more slashes at Kajitora; these were aimed at the left elbow, the right side of Kajitora's stomach, and Kajitora's left inner thigh. Ryouta's 2nd Squad fighting style really showed here, as he was aiming for areas that were either extremely painful if cut (inner thigh) or areas that were essential to fighting (the elbow).

"Show me your Shikai!" Ryouta said as he attacked. And then he flash stepped unexpectedly behind Kajitora, though a couple of meters back. "Shuurai!" A blade of electric reiatsu rushed up both his swords and he hurled the twin blasts at Kajitora. Ryouta then flash stepped exactly to the opposite side of Kajitora and repeated this move, hoping to catch Kajitora between the blasts. He was eager to see Kajitora release his sword- and was evidently not opposed to pushing Kajitora into a desperate situation in order to do so.

ooc: fightin' skill if ya don't mind

(Fighting Skill, Please. Ryouta, for the future of this fight: I have my second ability which I've used in another spar which was approved by Xavier. However, my second ability isn't on my profile page for some reason. Just thought I'd let you know, so it didn't seem like I pulled it out of nowhere.)

"Todoroke."

Kajitora was smashed with what felt like a wall as Ryouta commanded his zanpakutou to 'roar'. He moved back stammering for a moment before he regained his composure and continued his battle. As Ryouta attacked with his left hand, and kept his right back, Kajitora blocked with the dagger and then attacked Ryouta's right hand trying to throw off his opponent's timing and rhythm. Such a plan was foiled as his opponent switched attacking and defending hands continuously. He was able to avoid the strike to his elbow, was barely nicked by the attempt on his stomach and was cut on his inner thigh. He bit his lip as the pain shot a jolt up to his brain, he ignored it. Kajitora heard the word "Shuurai" and then the next thing he knew he was trapped on either side by arcs of lightning.

For the first arcs that were fired, Kajitora decided he needed to his signature reiatsu enhanced Kiai-shout. He quickly dug deep into his lungs, then deeper into his very soul and released the pent up energy in vocal form. He released a deafening Kiai-shout, the sound of which was mixed with reiatsu. Once the sound wave hit the arcs, they slowed for a second of two, just enough time for Kajitora to duck under the first fired arcs. He commanded his next move as rolled, "Way of Binding #8: Repulse!" He rolled up and then faced the second sets of arcs, using his newly materialized shield to repel the lightning.

Kajitora had been enjoying himself; it was obvious from the wonder in his large eyes and the conquering smile. But once Ryouta mentioned the words Shikai, his face became deadly serious.

"My Shikai is only capable of destruction, pure, unfiltered destruction. If you really wanted to see this land around us destroyed, so be it." He remembered for a moment the human woman (a bountou) that he had killed. For a brief second he despised Suzaku. He buried his fear and resentment so that he could connect with his Zanpakutou. The blade began to glow a bright red that reflected in Kajitora's eyes.

"Molt, Suzaku!" The red light brightened and once it dimmed the katana that Kajitora had held was replaced by a Chinese broadsword that contained seven barbs on the blade: three on the left edge and four on the right. He could feel the mammoth reiryoku of his sword pulsing within the blade, some of it dancing around the blade and cutting the very wind that he collided with. Even merely existing this sword destroys, he thought to himself. He couldn't deny that feeling Suzaku's incredible energy make him pumped up.

He charged forward attacking more smoothly. Using his sword in a fashion similar to fencing (think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), swirling his sword around Ryouta's attacking or frontal sword. Then using his momentum he would tap the back sword, and change his tactic swirling at the back and attacking the front briefly. Once he disrupted Ryouta's flow or saw any hesitation he brought his sword horizontally across Ryouta's chest trying to cut it before returning to his sword strategy. He was already formulating a plan that just might win him this spar, if only he could stay alive long enough.

"Pretty," Ryouta commented. Why are you toying with this individual? That Inadzuma attack was weak- he should never have been able to block it with that Bakudo spell. Raikou Arashi's voice rang in his mind. You could easily best him with or without your Bankai.

It's not necessary to do so to beat him, and also, I refuse to use Bankai on anyone I consider a friend. I'm encouraging him to work harder so he will improve. Ryouta's thought was curt. Raikou Arashi fell silent. Time to step it up a little though, Ryouta thought to himself.

His spirit power increased as he focused more power into his blades. He lowered himself into a defensive stance as Kajitora charged. Ryouta could use his lowered center of gravity to rotate if needed, while remaining as stationary as a boulder. As Kajitora swirled his sword around Ryouta's right, he twisted his wrist to slap at it with the hook at the end of his sword. As Kajitora went around him, Ryouta went with him, countering each slash with a slap of the flat of one of his blades.

Kajitora's cut at his chest was unexpected- Ryouta jumped back, but received a thin cut along his chest. "It'll make a nice scar," he laughed. And then his face grew serious. "I'm going to stop holdin' back as much," he warned. "Shuurai." Both of his blades glowed with yellow reiatsu, but they didn't fire off blasts of electric reiatsu as they had before. Instead, the energy seemed to vibrate and race around the blades (much like a Seele Schneider). "Careful," Ryouta said. "This'll cut through just about anythin'. I hope your Suzaku can take it."

He winked, and then flash stepped two meters from Kajitora. His left blade stuck into the ground and flipped a chunk of dirt at Kajitora's face. Ryouta's right blade swung across at Kajitora's left clavicle. If that hit connected, it would most likely sever the bone. The left blade came around to defend as this happened.

ooc: fighting skill

“I hope Suzaku can take it.”

Ryouta charged forward stopping only to fling dirt towards Kajitora’s face. Fortunately for Kajitora, he whipped his sword to where it would be positioned in front of his face. The wide blade of his zanpakutou blocking his small round face from the dirt. But there was no time to rest for Kajitora, Ryouta attacked instantly after his distraction. Kajitora thought about blocking the coming attack but decided against it as he thought of an even better plan. He lightly tried to dodge the attack, expecting his efforts to fail but as the blade rended his shoulder Kajitora sliced at Ryouta’s stomach. The slice was not important, it was the seven barbs from Kajitora’s sword that leapt from the blade and tried to attach themselves to Ryouta, hanging on to his reiatsu. Kajitora wasn’t sure how many of the seven barbs had hit their close target because almost simultaneously, the bones in his shoulder cracked under the extreme pressure of Ryouta’s chainsaw-like blade. Dizzying pain shot straight to his brain, as Kajitora stumbled back. He tried to ignore the pain, telling himself, you have to give the command word or this pain is all for nothing. He gritted his teeth, found his happy place and shouted the command for his sword’s ability.

“KATSU!”

The sound that followed was almost deafening compared to Kajitora’s painful shout, as all seven barbs exploded. The explosions sent Kajitora flying backwards, even though he was not in the blast radius. Infused with Suzaku’s reiryoku (spiritual energy), the explosions were fairly deadly when mixed with the fact that they often left whatever they touched on fire which was also spiritually empowered. Like Kajitora had mentioned, it was nothing but pure destructive power. As Kajitora watched the flames leap up and dance, he remembered how much he fit in when he was part of Squad 11, his destructive powers were welcomed with open arms. However, lately, he found it hard tie his powers to his duties in Squad 6. At times it seemed all he was capable of doing was destroying things. He started to remember his despair but somehow watching the flames spiral and flicker calmed him-entranced him. Suzaku glowed red, the light seeming a darker and brighter red than that of the burning flames before him, signaling for him to pay attention for his opponent was coming.

Kajitora noticed the more that the fight continued, the more he forgot about his sadness. He was reminded that life and death was a part of being a shinigami just as it was for him when he was a samurai. He had to expect both, if he didn’t he would give Ryouta a fight that wasn’t worth his time. Kajitora’s eyes shined bright as they reflected Suzaku’s light, his resolve returned and he decided he would show Ryouta how he use to fight: like a fearless, pyromaniac midget demon with the biggest set of brass balls in existence. He waited for his sparring partner to come, eagerly, almost ravenously with his wild and feral eyes. He made a mental note to think Ryouta for getting him out of his slump.

Ryouta grinned as he felt his blade sever Kajitora's clavicle, but his grin disappeared when he noticed the four barbs that had attached themselves to his robes, and the three that were at his feet. "Shoot!" he muttered and slashed down at his robes, tearing through them and dislodging two of the barbs. And then...boom. Ryouta felt intense searing pain in his stomach as he was flung backward; he struggled to orient himself and planted his feet on the ground; he slid backward several meters before coming to a stop.

I'm on fire... he thought as he saw the dancing flames on him and around him. "Hado no Nijuyo: Water Slicing Blade!" Water erupted from the ground and crashed into him, bruising him, but putting out the flames. "Ouch," Ryouta commented. "That's a nasty attack ya've got there." He examined his own burnt flesh. "Gonna have to see 4th Squad after this."

He faced Kajitora and swung his weapons into an offensive position. "However, I'd like to ask, is that ability a one-time thing? Because if it is- then if I was a true enemy, ya'd be in a tight spot right now." Ryouta began to pulse with reiatsu- he did this for two reasons, 1) to lessen the pain of his burn wounds, and 2) to increase the power of his next attack. He raised his still chainsaw like blades and flash stepped.

Ryouta appeared to Kajitora's left, where his severely injured arm was. Naturally, his defense would be weaker here, and it was only logical to attack from this angle. Ryouta swung down with his right blade, and then flawlessly turned this attack into a horizontal slash from his left blade. His goal was to keep Kajitora on the defensive. It was clear that Kajitora's Zanpakuto was of a far more destructive nature than his own (which was obviously kido-based). Therefore, he would have to keep Kajitora from releasing further fiery power.

Ryouta continued to aim slashes and cuts at Kajitora until he saw an opportunity- he swung both his blades down to have them blocked by Kajitora's blade, held horizontally to block both blades. Ryouta grinned, and released the electric charges in his blades. He jumped back, knowing that the charges would keep Kajitora busy for a short amount of time. He pointed his right blade at Kajitora. "The frozen tundras hold countless corpses- the forgotten dead, fallen in battles long ago. Now I summon a brave warrior to fight once more. Bakudo no Goju: Frigid Skeletal Prison!"

A giant ribcage with bleached white bones spaced very closely together materialized out of nowhere above Kajitora, and slammed down around him, giving him about a meter in each direction to move. There were skulls interspersed throughout the whole thing. "I wonder," Ryouta asked. "Are your Suzaku's flames hot enough to escape this desolate prison?"

Kajitora was now in a cage made of bones which were held together by strong kidou. After his opponent teased him by asking if Suzaku's flames were hot enough, he thought about using his first shikai ability again out of pride but decided against it. He wanted to use his second ability and further demonstrate why he feared his zanpakutou so much-because it was so undeniably destructive and dangerous. He answered Ryouta with a smirk, "No, her flames aren't strong enough to burn out of this prison but her scream is..."

Kajitora raised his zanpakutou quickly and unleased its devastating power, pointing the tip of the blade in Ryouta's direction.

"SCREAM, SUZAKU!"

He felt the enormous reiatsu of suzaku stop fluxing inside the sword, and suddenly there was an eriee calm before a storm. After the brief calm, a large amount of Suzaku's mammoth reiatsu was poured forth and gathered on the tip of the zanpakutou. Then without warning, the ridiculous amount of reiatsu burst forth disenetrating anything it touched directly. It was only momentarily stopped as it strained to burst through the bone cage. After it broke through the prison, the beam sped forward in a widening beam of pure reiatsu that eventually curved up in the distance and disappeared into the sky far away. Kajitora sped out of the cage's opening, heading straight for Ryouta, whether he had dodged part of the blast or not. Kajitora swung at his head, following through with the strike and spinning. As he came around, he aimed at Ryouta's legs. He now pressed Ryouta to be on the defensive, feeling it was the only way to try and squeeze out a victory: by making Ryouta defend and hoping that Kajitora would find a mistake or opening.

When he had felt the reiatsu that Suzaku was emitting, Ryouta had immediately barked out, "Bakudo no Gojuyo: Shield of the Templars!" A shiny silver shield had appeared in front of him just in time to take the blast of Kajitora's sword. Ryouta peered around it and saw Kajitora charging at him. He quickly dispelled the shield and blocked Kajitora's swing at his head with his right blade; he jumped back as Kajitora spun. "Ya know, that Bakudo spell blocks kido spells up to #60...so your Suzaku is either equal or lesser to that?" Ryouta hoped this comment would goad Kajitora into making a rash mistake (in actuality, he was quite impressed with the level of power in the Shikai).

Kajitora's second slash came at Ryouta's legs- Ryouta saw his chance. He brought both his blades down; his left blade smacked Kajitora's sword into the ground- his right came down a second later and trapped it against the ground in a perfect cross-down parry. Theoretically, one was supposed to jump back and continue the fight anew, but Ryouta had a better idea. He kicked out instead, at Kajitora's broken left clavicle, hoping that the resultant wave of pain might knock him unconscious.

ooc: FS

(OOC: Sorry about the horribly fast and sloppy post, I didn't think I would be able to get on tonight. But...here am I am! defiant to the end. Kidou Please.)

Kajitora's smile could not be erased by his willpower alone, it was a testament to joy he felt in this battle. He had always wanted to fight someone strong, someone like Ryouta ever since he graduated from the academy. His shoulder was in so much pain, it was hard for him to concentrate, and that last electrical shock hadn't help matters either. As Ryouta half praised Kajitora's Shikai, Kajitora nodded and smiled before he spun and tried to deliever his blow. Ryouta kicked him hard in the clavicle, luckily for Kajitora he had counter spun with the force of the kick only receiving a portion of the damage that it was intended to deal otherwise the pain would have been so much that it would have literally floored him. Instead, it felt like someone had just given his bone a hard, stern tug. It wasn't much better than the pain Kajitora could have imagined if the kick had landed squarely. He tried to focus on the last barb of his sword that had regenerated, after glowing red but was unable to.

The tearing pain in his entire arm was enough to make Kajitora step back, and thats when it hit him. He was still here, he knew exactly what his opponent had to do to finish him: use his bankai. For most people it was dishonorable to use a bankai on a shinigami, Kajitora knew this...but he desperately wanted to see the fruits of the shinigami's labor-the goal to the path that he was on! He looked sternly into Ryouta's eyes, and explained, "I want you to use your Bankai. I won't hold back anything if you give me the privelege of seeing it." Kajitora sped backwards, backpedalling like a maniac as he cast his spells that were both a combination and part of his plan.

"Way of binding #12: Ambush Flare" Kajitora formed a net of invisible kidou that he attached one end of to his sword. Then he finished his two part plan by commanding his next kidou, "Way of Binding #14: Oil Slick." Oil rose from the ground as Kajitora stopped and let the net fall into the oil and become soaked, the net was now visible. Kajitora waited for Ryouta's response/move, which if he didn't release his bankai might be his last.

"Bankai? I cannot in good conscience use its full power against ya...ya'd die, plain and simple. I do, however, understand your want, and I respect ya enough to honor your request. I will allow ya to see it...but in exchange- I will not use its full power," said Ryouta. "Watch closely." Despite his warning about the dangers of Bankai, Ryouta was clearly enjoying himself. "Bankai."

His hook swords began to glow with reiatsu, and then there was a burst of reiatsu coming from Ryouta that was absolutely immense, overpowering, really. And there was a light emanating from him that was blue-white. It was so intense that one could only look at it through very squinted eyes, if one could stand to look at it at all. All of a sudden, the light vanished as quickly as it came, and Ryouta was standing there in a suit of armor that covered his entire body (full description in character bio). His weapons were hooked claws along his arms.

"This is my Bankai...Shugotenshi Raikou Arashi," said Ryouta with a certain amount of dramatics. He put his hands together and closed them so they formed fists. "Hado no Sanjuhachi: Cannon of the Just." Bright yellow reiatsu surrounded his arms and the claws and formed a golden muzzle of a cannon. And then it fired. Under the power of his Bankai, the spell was many times greater than it should have been. The resulting blast of reiatsu was very large- about the size of a couple of Ceros. Ryouta was certain it would blow away Kajitora's kido spells.