promising youth. (Tao)

Ri had been at the academy demonstrating his shikai and her abilities to some of the junior students. Normally Ri refused such requestion but squad thirteenth needed new blood and if that meant Ri had to put up with demonstrations so be it.

It was noon, most classes were stopped for lunch and Ri found himself beneath a large oak tree enjoying it's comforting shade on this particularly hot day. He could hear the clattering of sword nearby , no doubt it was two student sparring but from experience Ri knew the fight wouldn't be of any entertainment value and did bother to go look

His attention was on the students that were passing him, a few gave him odd looks but after all Ri had made something of a name for himself but weather that was good or bad Ri was still insure.

Watching the other students pass her into the courtyard, Ailin stood behind for a few moments. She hadn’t made very many acquaintances at the Academy, mostly due to her own reclusive mannerisms. She was undoubtedly pushing them away, but that was to be expected. . . Wasn’t it?

The sounds of swords clashing as she entered the courtyard herself filled her ears and she automatically turned her head to look at the two students sparring not too far away. They were undoubtedly lower-classmen, perhaps even new arrivals to the Academy. ‘They move like I did when I first got here.’ She thought to herself, laughing just a bit; chiming like a small bell.

Turning her head back to head to her usual spot beneath the oak tree, her eyes saw something that she wasn’t expecting. The man that had been showcasing his zanpakutô in one of her earlier lectures was in front of her, watching the other students. She could see the other students passing him and giggling or just starring at him. ‘It’s like they haven’t seen power before.’ Ailin thought. . . Slightly amused.

Placing one foot in front of the other, Ailin walked towards the other side of the tree, doing everything she could to keep her gaze away from him.

Ri's attention soon faded from the students and instead of finding a new focus Ri leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes as he let out a small yawn. The sound of clattering blades was still present but as Ri relaxed the noise seemed to fade.

"I don't know why you don't like demonstrating our power. Few things are as important as teaching the youth" Gáircas said speaking in her normal calm tone. Ri had grown use to hearing Gáircas voice when ever she had an opinion or something to say.

"You just like showing off" Ri said out loud by mistake, a mistake he made nearly daily ever since his connection with his Zanpakuto had grown stronger. Ri opened his eyes and instantly his hand shot down to the stone bottle that was sitting at his side. In a smooth he uncorked the bottle and took a swig.

"I bet the look on their face when you get release just fuels your ego" Ri said laugh at the point he was basically laughing at himself.

Taking a seat on the other side of the Oak, Ailin watched the two students who were sparring. A small crowd seemed to have made its way to watch them, but Ailin couldn’t fathom why. They were obviously unsuited for sparring with each other, or with anyone for that matter. One's sword movements looking like a toddler when it was first learning how to walk; the other looking as though a baby just learning to crawl.

‘I guess that’s exactly where they should be, the beginning, learning-’ Her thoughts cut off when she heard a voice, his voice from the other side of the tree. His words were slightly blurred from their surroundings, but she was sure she heard him accuse someone of showing off and fueling their ego. She knew that she wasn’t hearing things, but didn’t understand what would bring a person to say such a blatant comment.

“I’m sorry. . . Did you say something Sir?” Ailin asked in her soft soprano voice from the other side of the oak tree, her attention changing to something a bit more intriguing; however much she wished it not to be.

‘You’re the one showing off; I mean. . . Demonstrating your skill.’ She knew that she was wrong, he was only doing what he was supposed to do as an obvious member of the Gotei 13. Perhaps he wasn’t even talking to her, even though she was the only other person within hearing distance

Ri opened one eye and gave a quick scan of the area thinking there was a lieutenant or Captain around but after a moment Ri quickly realized someone was addressing him. Ri peered around the other side of the tree to see a young looking lady sitting on the others side

The young lady was a little bit taller then Ri , she had stunning maroon eyes and beautiful white hair. A smile grew across Ri face as he realized he'd been speaking out loud and no doubt the young lady was confused.

"O I'm sorry. I've a habit of speaking out loud sometimes by mistake, Gáircas never shuts up" Ri said as he move around to face the lady. Ri remember her face from one of the earlier lectures he'd been in.

"I'm Ri and you don't have to call me sir however I do answer Captain and my lord" Ri said attempting to keep a straight face but failing badly by letting out a soft laugh. He never liked anyone calling him sir, it made him really uncomfortable and he usually dismissed it with a joke as he just did.

Ailin had only been expecting a half-hearted reply from the other side of the Oak. He was higher than her in every aspect of this life, and she could only allow herself to expect nothing more than a one-worded answer. Not doing so seemed to bring more disappointment than anything else does.

She was sincerely shocked when he looked around the tree where she could see his features right in front of her. He had gray eyes that seemed to be gentle enough and a tattoo on his face. He looked different up close than he had earlier whilst using his zanpakutô.

She listened to him explain that he was actually talking to Gáircas, realization dawning on her. ‘I must be conceded, I automatically thought he was talking to me.’ She thought, but kept quiet and let him finish talking. She heard him introduce himself as Ri and dismiss the title of “Sir” but how could she even think of calling him by his first name, when they were so far apart in power and barely knew each other?

“I should be the one who is sorry. It completely slipped my mind that experienced shinigami can communicate with their zanpakutô.” Ailin said as an embarrassed smile made it’s way to her face. “Since you don't seem to like me calling you Sir, shall I call you My Lord?” She asked as a small laugh escaped her.

"Ri will do." Ri said smiling at the young ladys joke. Ri recalled talking to Captain Saiyouko when he was just a student and how nervous he was talking to someone of great power and skill.

"Do I get to know your name or am I left to guess" Ri said poitely asking the young women her name. Ri always had a way of asking anything well maintaining his charm and without being intrusive

The sound of clashing blade had stopped, the spar was finally over. Ri didn't care who won the fight was elementary and so un-entertaining. The sparring field emptied and a peaceful calm settled in replacing the noise of battle.

She had heard the blades stop clashing, but didn't bother to look over. It was obvious by how quickly the match was over that the students weren't taking it seriously and only used the spar to pass time. No one had actually been trying to hurt the other, no kidô was used. The toddler had won by default.

"It doesn't seem right for me to call you by your first name." Ailin said. It wasn't that she didn't want to call him by the name he preferred, but it wasn't often that she met someone as high a rank as he was. 'He talks so casually.' Ailin thought, listening to his voice as her eyes averted themselves to the ground.

'Does it really matter what my name is? I'm sure you'll soon forget me after you leave the Academy either way.' Ailin thought. Wasn't that how it worked? A quiet conversation under a tree isn't something that is memorable for many people. But she couldn't exactly say that to him, the comment would be considered rude and out of place.

"Tao. . . Most refer to me as Tao." She said, her voice calm. She couldn't just refer to herself as Ailin, it would be insulting to her ancestors. It would be insulting to her family; even though they were already gone. 'But people used to call me Ailin.' The thought of using her first name dormant in her mind.

"Tao. You were in one of the classes earlier the senior class " Ri said as he stood up and leaned against the tree. His hand automatically floated down to his bottle ,popped the cork and took a quick swig and replace the cork again. He let the bottle drop but as it was attach to his waist it only fell down to his knee and started swinging.

"If I recall your class is near graduation isn't it" Ri asked thought he was already certain of the answer. Ri let out a small laugh when he saw two young students pointing at him or were they pointing at Tao or perhaps pointing at student talking to the third seat of squad thirteen

"So I take it you know how to use that" Ri said looking down at Tao and more importantly at her Zanpakuto, subconsciously Ri place his hand on his own zanpakuto and gripped the hilt. Something about Tao had Ri intrigued, why he couldn't say but there was something about her.

"I do know how to use it. . . To an extent." Ailin said, looking down at the zanpakutô that was sitting on the ground beside her. Her right hand grazing over the black and white hilt before she grabbed the sheath, her body slightly tensed.

"Final exams start next week." She said answering his question about her graduation from the Academy. She looked up at him, her expression void of any emotions. "It's getting to some of the other students. . . They're starting to wonder if they'll pass or not." She said, her voice nonchalant.

Standing up herself, she brushed off some of the grass that had stuck to her red hakama. Moving her zanpakutô into it's normal position, the hilt near her right shoulder. She looked over at him, his hand gripping his own zanpakutô, but he couldn't actually be thinking of using it here. He was a seated Shinigami in the Gotei 13 while Ailin was only an Academy student.

"Why do you ask?" She questioned, trying to create a slight bounce in her voice, a smile playing on her lips. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes starting to settle on the two of them. Why was there always an audience?

'It's a joke. . . He has to be joking.' She thought as she stared at him. 'But even so. . . I have to be ready.' She thought as she took a couple steps away from the tree, putting a tiny bit of distance between them.

"Don't be so mean" Gáircas's voice said echoing in Ri head as a horrid little grin spread across his face. Ri walked a few stepped forward toward the sparring field then turned his head back to look at Tao.

"Cause I want to see." Ri said stopping half way through the sentence as a strong breeze blew through the grounds , it rustling the trees and Ri's hair then settled. Ri took a deep breath in then smiled at Tao.

"I want to see how good your and how good you can be" Ri said or rather stated as he started to move toward the sparring field again. He removed his hand from his hilt and instead move it toward the bottle and took another swig.

"How good I can be." Ailin repeated as she watched him move towards the sparring field. Seeing him take yet another swig of whatever was in the bottle that he had attached around his waist.

She knew that sparring with him would be different than with the people in her class or her teachers. He was stronger, faster, could actually release his zanpakutô, and didn't have the responsibility of keeping her safe.

"And if I refuse?" She asked, though it was no more than a joke. Passing him on his way towards the field, she turned her head to look back at him. 'I'll lose, but this will be an experience for me.' She thought as her hand reached up to grip the hilt of her zanpakutô.

Ri stopped then in his track and for a moment thought about Ailins question about refusing. After make a few thinking noises and restraining himself for laughing Ri turn and smiled.

"Your not going to refuse, come on it will be fun" Ri said as he turned back and head for the now empty sparring field. Honestly he didn't know why but he want to fight Ailian, it was anything aggressive more curiosity.

"It's not like you've anything to lose, I'm hardly going to hurt you" Ri said as he stepped onto the sparring field and made for the opposite side of the field and hoped Ailian would accept the spar.

'Hardly is the key word in that sentence.' Ailin thought as she unsheathed her zanpakutô. The dark blade glinting in the light of the afternoon sun.

"It seems like our definitions of fun aren't very close to each other." She said as she moved the katana into one of the more traditional fighting stances she had learned in class. The blade with it's edge up, her right hand close to the guard while her left hand held the rear. The point facing towards him.

The kidô that she knew ran through her head, but she doubted that any of them would be useful against him. The eyes that she felt on her before were still there. . . Or course they were. Just like the two who were on the field before them had people watching, the Academy students were gathering once again. 'They'll be watching him more than me.' She thought, letting herself believe that they didn't care about what she did.

"It seems we have an audience." She said even though she wanted all of them to leave. Maybe. . . Just maybe. . . She hoped the onlookers would distract him.

"I'm not fighting" Gáircas's voice said speak in a much more sterner tone compared to her normal tone. Ri pulled on his Zanpakuto's hilt but it wouldn't budge, Gáircas had her mind made up.

"You can't be serious." Ri replied without actually speaking aloud for once. He tried again to draw his zanpakuto but Gáircas wasn't having any other Ri was on his own to fight this one.

"Ok Gáircas isn't being nice and doesn't want to come out to play so I'll have to only us kido. Makes thing fairer" Ri said speaking to Ailian as his eyes wondering across the gather crowds. Ri let out a small laugh when he saw even some of his old instructors come out to watch.

Ailin watched as he tried to unsheathe his own zanpakutô. . . Nothing.

She watched as he tried another time. . . Nothing.

'His zanpakutô thinks I'm so weak that she refuses to fight me.' Ailin thought, not knowing whether she should be thankful or not. It didn't matter whether he could use his physical weapon or not. . . He was a Shinigami; a weapon in himself.

"Even if you were blindfolded and had both arms tied behind your back this fight wouldn't be fair." Ailin said. The sarcasm in her voice completely audible, but it was also quite obvious she believed every word. She could hear a few snickers come from the crowd around them, but did her best to ignore them. They could laugh all they wanted; had their situations been reversed she would've been laughing at the poor student who had gotten themselves into this mess.

"Even with only kidô. . . You'll still beat me." She whispered as she started to run towards him, doubting that he would attack her first.

'Direct attacks are useless.' She thought to herself as she approached him, but it didn't matter what she thought. Jumping a couple meters into the air, she swung her katana in front of her in a movement aimed for his left shoulder.

Ri's attention snapped back to Ailian as he hear her sarcastic comment but as she came into sight she started charging and so the fight begun. Ri's left hand remained on his hilt constantly attempting to draw his Zanpakuto.

"The goal of this fight isn't who beat who" Ri as Ailian swung her Zanpakuto at Ri. Ri gave one last pull on his Zanpakuto then with no choice he pull his left should back but left little time as the Katana past him it was so close he could nearly taste the cold steel.

"She's got guts" Gáircas said speaking within Ri's head , Ri however didn't respond instead he smiled as he back stepped a few pace to avoid at quick slashes, he'd been tricked by students using dirty tactics before though he doubt Ailian would even think of attempting such a thing

'He moved right before the attack, but didn't do anything to counter or even try to attack me.' She noted in her head, watching her katana miss his shoulder narrowly.

"Whether it is the goal of the fight or not doesn't make it any less true." Ailin said as she landed on the ground, her knees bending slightly to lessen the impact. Her voice was a little lower than normal, she was only talking to Ri at that moment, to her it didn't matter if the crowd around them heard her or not.

Looking up at him, she noticed he was a few paces away from her. It didn't surprise her, she'd seen some of the students in her class try to hit their opponent directly after their initial attack. . . Did he think she was the type of person who would do that?

'He's fighting with only Kidô, but his hand hasn't left his zanpakutô yet.' She noted again.

Moving about a yard to her left to put a little more distance between them, Ailin started rushing at him again in the same fashion as her last attack. Her right hand near the guard as her left steadied the katana from behind. But this time aimed for his right shoulder. She skipped the jump all together, but instead aimed her zanpakutô at a 45-degree angled down.

Ri gave his Zanpakuto another pull but with that failing his right hand lunged down his side grabbed the neck of the bottle and swung it up to his should to block the incoming strike. Being round the bottle deflected the Zanpakuto giving Ri a chance to shunpo a few metre away.

"The bottles made of Sekkiseki , comes in hand" Ri said smiling as dropped the bottle and raised his right hand pointing it at Ailin. He took a deep breath and concentrated his energy.

""Let my energy flow and cut my opponent to ribbons. May his remains be scattered by the winds. Hado twenty-seven Reshi Blade" Ri cried out as his reiatsu flooded out of his arm and from a solid blade of reiatsu. At first the blade was enormous but after focusing Ri reduced the size to the size of his Zanpakuto

Her attack had hit, but it wasn’t what she had hoped it would hit. Something hard that sent her headed towards the ground. Releasing her right hand from her zanpakutô, she reversed the grip with the left; holding tightly and letting the blade sit along her arm as her right arm reached in front of her to push her self back to a standing position from the ground. The grass scraping her palm a bit, no blood, just a sting, but she wouldn’t let that be seen. She couldn’t let that be seen.

The usage of the bottle took Ailin by surprise. It wasn’t uncommon for shinigami to use what they had on hand as a weapon, but a bottle that he had been drinking from a moment ago?

A wave of spiritual pressure hit her as she turned her head to look at him. She knew exactly what she felt as she looked at the weapon protruding from his arm. “Sekkiseki is known for it’s ability to negate all reiryoku, but you don’t seem to be affected by it at all.” She tried to restrain the awe in her voice.

She knew there were multiple reasons that could explain this. He was a 3rd seat so he was undoubtedly strong, it was also only a small amount of the sekkiseki stone, so it couldn’t possibly have been as potent as say. . . The wall. ‘It’s only a small amount.’ She thought as she looked at the weapon he had made by energy alone. She had heard of this Hado technique before, but had never seen it used and certainly didn’t think she’d see it used before leaving the Academy.

"Sekkiseki will drain a shinigami of their powers if they surround by the stone but a small amount like this will have little or no affect but will work as a shield against most attacks negating all spiritually energy makes it a perfect shield." Ri said happily as he took a quick swig from the bottle and returned it's cork.

Ri swung his reiatsu sword around, it didn't feel right. He really wished Gáircas would come out and play but for now he'd have to make do. Taking a neutral stance Ri maintained constant eye contact with Tao waiting for her to make a move or a chance for him to.