"Who are you?!" The Elder Hiroshi nearly screamed as he launched himself toward Shikyo. The recently graduated Shinigami barely had time to lift his weapon in defense but was rewarded with the ringing sound of metal on metal. The name "Elder" Hiroshi proved to be somewhat of a misnomer, considering how spry the older man was and how quickly and gracefully he moved his weapon. The Elder had trained Shikyo for countless hours previous to this and as such Shikyo found it somewhat concerning that the man apparently forgot who he was.

"Shikyo!" He responded as he parried another blow of the old man's sword with one of his own. His Zanpakuto was unique in the fact that it wasn't a sword at all, but an emerald cane with two vertical gold lines ending in a black hilt. He blocked another of the man's attacks before launching into a series of his own. "My name is Shikyo!"

The Elder only shook his head as he easily blocked the attacks from his young protege, using such force with his last counter-attack that it knocked the weapon from Shikyo's hands. "Who are you?" The Elder asked again as he continued his assault on the now weaponless Shikyo. Propelling himself upward from the ground, Shikyo flipped over Hiroshi, hitting the ground running as he quickly picked his Zanpakuto back up, just in time to block the attack of surprising fast Hiroshi.

Shikyo had no answer this time as he stared into his master's eyes, the pair having now fallen into a series of attacks and counter-attacks all too familiar to Shikyo, a pattern they had experienced many times during Shikyo's training. The look in Hiroshi's eyes, the fierce flames that seemed to burn from his very retina caused Shikyo's mind to begin thinking more closely at the question he had been asked. He knew that he had little time to think because the pattern with which they were going would very soon end with Shikyo weaponless and face down in the ground. "Who are you?" Shikyo now asked his master, anxious to hear his answer.

The Elder smiled, his protege was a fast learner indeed, "Akio!" Hiroshi responded, causing an incandescent blue light to illuminate his body and his sword, concentrating his spiritual pressure and causing a strong invisible force to knock Shikyo back a few feet. He had seen something like this before, during his time in the Academy he was privileged enough to see to Lieutenants fighting and they each used names not their own. Shikyo thought for a few seconds, his eyes falling to his weapon as the now faster Hiroshi quickly descended upon him. Shikyo closed his eyes, waiting for a response to his silent question. Time seemed to slow as he was pulled into an alternate realm and he now stood face to face with a feline type creature that stood with a human posture and had an elongated tail extending from the base of its spine. It contained four digits on each of its hands and short ears. Shikyo said nothing to the spirit as it seemed to be evaluating him. Shikyo did not turn away but retained eye contact even when the spirit communicated psychically with Shikyo saying only, "I approve."

The Elder Hiroshi now barreled down upon Shikyo, screaming a third time "Who are you!".

"Miku!" Shikyo shouted in response as a golden light illuminated his body and his weapon, allowing him to parry the attack from Hiroshi and respond quickly enough with his own that it was Hiroshi's turn to fall to the ground. Hiroshi smiled as regained his composure and looked anxiously at Shikyo. "Now your true training can begin."

Approved + 2 to Fighting Skill.

"Concentrate!" Hiroshi yelled as he circled around the blindfolded Shikyo. "During battle your opponent will always betray his movements through his spiritual pressure. I know you can sense it so focus on that and block my attack!"

Unable to see, Shikyo held the staff between his hands, trying to desperately to sense where his sensei stood before another blow fell upon him. But his mind was clouded, he was tired and incapable of focusing his energy. The pair had sparred nearly all day and now, as the sun was setting, Hiroshi decided to move their training into the next stage. A searing pain erupted from his back as Hiroshi successfully landed another strike. Falling to the ground Shikyo pounded his fists against the dirt in frustration. "I can't..." Before he could finish his sentence Hiroshi planted his foot into Shikyo's stomach, flipping the young Shinigami and causing him to lie on his back. "Can't is no longer in your vocabulary." Hiroshi stated.

Sweat dripped from Shikyo's head, causing the blindfold to nearly burn his eyes with the salty liquid. As he lied on the ground he made no attempt to move, his breathing heavy as he refused to answer his master. Sighing as he shook his head in disappointment Hiroshi finally gave in, "Fine. We're done for today." Shikyo lied there a few more moments before removing the blindfold and slowly sitting up. Examining himself he saw that his wounds weren't anything a good night's sleep wouldn't fix.

As soon as his body hit the bed he was asleep, collapsed from pure exhaustion.

He was running. Moving as quickly as his legs could take him through a dark forest. He couldn't see anything, except for the glowing golden blade hovering before him, always just out of his reach. "No!" He cried out as the blade seemed to move further and further away. "I'm doing my best. I can't..." He couldn't even finish his sentence before the blade transformed into a familiar feline figure. Before he could say anything a crimson fence appeared between the pair, curling around Miku and trapping it in a cage.

"No!" Shikyo yelled once more as he began to pull futilely at the bars.

"Free me, Shikyo." Miku's voice said in Shikyo's head.

"I'm trying." Shikyo responded as he began to pound on the bars with his fist.

"Trying is not good enough." The spirit responded. "You are the only one capable of doing it and if you do not find the strength in time then I will fade away." As it said this the cage floated away from Shikyo, once more out of his reach.

Shikyo woke, pouring sweat as he sat straight up in his head. He looked around in the darkness for a few moments, catching his breath before reaching for his Zanpakuto. "I can do this." He whispered to the staff. "I will not fail."

Approved + 1 to Fighting Skill.

Shikyo spun the staff in his hand, channeling his spiritual pressure through his limbs to increase his reflexes as he blocked attack after attack from Hiroshi. It was apparent that the boy was growing stronger and it had not taken him long to discover a secret about his Zanpakuto that not even his master knew. A secret he would wait to reveal in the midst of their sparring.

[Flashback]:

Shikyo sat cross-legged, floating in the empty space which was occupied by no one other than Miku, his Zanpakuto spirit. "How can I become stronger?" He asked bluntly. He had learned that Miku did not talk but communicate telepathically with him, and awaited its response.

"Strength alone will not help you to unlocking my true potential." Miku finally responded. "We are connected and were chosen for each other because you alone are capable of finding my true abilities. Intelligence, above all, will help you survive on the battle field, not pure strength."

"That's not the answer I was expecting." Shikyo stated.

"Well you must to learn to expect the unexpected. Look into your soul and you will find the answer you're looking for."

[/Flashback]

Hiroshi launched himself toward Shikyo, his blade glowing an intense red light as he approached. "It's time." Shikyo thought to himself. Channeling his spiritual pressure through Miku, his Zanpakuto illuminated itself in a golden light as Shikyo blocked the attack, quickly using his Shunpo to appear behind his master and sliced downward. The spiritual pressure building around Miku allowed his staff to act more as a sword than it was before. The energy that surrounded his Zanpakuto sliced through the back of Hiroshi's garment.

"I see you and your Zanpakuto are becoming more connected." Hiroshi commented as the pair landed on the ground next to each other. "If you continue your training at the rate at which you're going, you will be ready in no time."

"Ready for what?" Shikyo asked, only to receive a cryptic smile from his mentor as he turned his back to head back to their hut.

Approved + 1 to Fighting Skill.

"Where are we going now?" Shikyo asked impatiently as he followed his mentor through a large grassy field to the edge of a forest.

"You'll find out soon," Hiroshi replied. "Have some patience."

"Sure." Shikyo mumbled under his breath. He had already received word of his placement in the 11th squad and still his master would not end their sessions. He was thankful for the skills Hiroshi taught him but he didn't see what more he could learn from this man. It was time that he went out and trained with the other members of his squad or on his own so that he could develop his own style and skills and not be merely a copy of Hiroshi. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the loud roar of something that didn't belong in this world. "Was that..."

Hiroshi placed his finger over his mouth, signaling for Shikyo to be quiet while pointing to the boy's Zanpakuto. Shikyo removed the emerald staff from its sheath, his fingers tightly grasping the black hilt as he crouched behind a bush while following Hiroshi. As the pair silently moved through the forest they found a small expanse in the center of a group of trees in which a large snake-like creature was devouring a small animal. The creature was completely black except the contrasting white mask on its "face". Shikyo looked to Hiroshi who whispered, "The barrier surrounding this place has been compromised, we need to destroy that Hollow before more follow."

The Shinigami knew that when Hiroshi said, "we" he really meant Shikyo had to destroy the Hollow. Nodding to his sensei he looked over at the creature once more, surprised to find that it was gone. "What the..." Before he could finish his sentence he heard the hissing roar of the creature directly above him, curled about in the trees with its fangs baring in a position to strike. Moving more on instinct than anything else, Shikyo leapt out of the way of the creature, channeling his reiatsu through his Zanpakuto, bathing Miku in golden illumination. He spun the staff in his hand, bringing it in front of him as the Hollow launched itself toward him. The beast hit the Zanpakuto straight on, the force knocking Shikyo back so hard that he was nearly on the edge of the forest.

The Hollow showed no signs of slowing either as it barreled through the trees, smashing them as if they were made of paper. Shikyo leapt into the air, using his Shunpo to achieve a higher distance as he looked down upon the Hollow which now poised itself to follow after Shikyo into the sky. Bringing himself to a stop, Shikyo began to fall back toward the ground, he held his Zanpakuto before him as the momentum he was picking up increased. The force of Shikyo's staff against the mask of the creature caused it to instantly shatter, the beast roaring one last futile time before disappearing in a cloud of blue lights. Breathing heavily Shikyo sheathed his Zanpakuto and looked around for Hiroshi.

Approved + 2 to Fighting Skill.

"There will be times when your Zanpakuto will not be able to help you against an enemy." Hiroshi stated. "And it is for this reason that hand to hand combat is of the utmost importance."

Hiroshi and Shikyo stood across from each other, neither with their Zanpakuto. Hiroshi flash-stepped in front of Shikyo, initiating the battle, going into a flurry of punches and kicks before Shikyo had a chance to respond. Only on pure instinct was he able to block the assault, but he knew that he would need to form active offensive plans in the midst of battle if he were to win, instinct alone would not save him. He waited until Hiroshi aimed a high punch to his head before springing into action, ducking the blow as he fell backward and clamped his legs around Hiroshi's outstretched arm, using his mentor's momentum against him and flinging him into the ground as he sprang up.

Hiroshi smiled to himself for a second before appearing behind Shikyo, his hands already forming a large crimson sphere of fire. Unable to perform a counter Kidou in time, Shikyo crossed his hands in front of his face as the blast seared his arms and left his body smoking.

"Expect the unexpected." Hiroshi reminded before flash-stepping out of Shikyo's line of vision. The young Shinigami did not know where his mentor disappeared to but knew that when he returned he would have to be ready for anything. Hiroshi reappeared at Shikyo's side, with his Zanpakuto in hand, as he attempted to stab at his protege's side. Turning his body quickly, Shikyo dodged the attack and grabbed Hiroshi's forearm, while slamming his other elbow into Hiroshi's hand in an attempt to cause him to drop the blade. It worked and Shikyo immediately used his shunpo to appear behind Hiroshi, sending another elbow to the back of Hiroshi's head and causing him to fall to the ground.

Hiroshi laughed as he slowly pulled himself up. "Excellent." He congratulated. "There's only so much more I can teach you now, but you're almost ready."

Approved +1 to fighting skill.

OOC: I'm not sure what happened with my character application but my character's starting fighting skill was 3 and I've gotten +7 from the above post but on the application it still says 3. I know it's just semantics but I was wondering if anyone could take a look at that and assuming my math is right then this topic should be locked because it will be at 10. Thanks in advance.

( OOC: Yeah you're right. I don't know what's been going on with the stats. It's changed for other people too. I'll change it and lock this thread. Sorry for the trouble)