In need of a Nemesis: Gravelle VS Inazuma (SRS)

Absolved Revered Elegy - Omnipotent Unending Reverie - Obsessive Neanderthol's Envy

Kido Classes. Or at least, the classroom that one was forced to sit inside of and learn the theory behind Kido. This class was perhaps one of the more boring ones, as he had no use or clue towards Kido, and never learned more beyond the original ten. Today's class was explaining about the practical uses of some certain Kido. He never bothered to listen to the instructor, as all of the things he had said were word for word from the textbooks, and he had read the textbooks for some dozen odd years now.

He sighed and scanned the classroom. There were few things new in it, and the theory of Kido was taught to all years, in the same class, every day. Though there were some other special classes too. After this, it was time to practice Kido, in Kido Training, the class just afterwards. The Instructor finally finished his lecture, folded his hands together, and gave his thanks for the class' attention. Then it was time to leave.

He and several other students left the room, though one, a younger girl, caucasian and new to the classes recently, caught his eye. He ignored her and continued to the Kido grounds, and later found her in his class as well.

Rei walks out of the classroom end heads for the Kido field. While walking towards the field she notices that one of the other students was keeping an eye on her. The student was male, Gravelle was his name if she remembered correctly. Rei makes it to the field and notices he is still completely focused on her.

Rei walks over to Gravelle."I've noticed that you've been watching me today, I'm Rei, Nice to meet you." She extends her hand with her red painted nails, as a sign of respect. "Gravelle, was it?" Rei asks.

"Hrm?" He mumbled. "Uh...yeah...It's Ankou, actually." He shifted slightly.

"GRAVELLE!" The instructor, a woman who looked like she was the product of copulation between an oxen and a world war two tank, barked in their direction. "GET YOUR SKINNY WHITE DISRESPECTFUL AND WORTHLESS ASS OVER HERE!"

Before Rei could escape the instructor's gaze, she too was barked at. "NEW GIRL. COME HERE NOW BEFORE I HAVE THE OTHER STUDENTS USE YOU AS LIVE TARGET PRACTICE."

"That's Instructor Osu. Best to do as she says." he quickly blurbed to her before quickly pacing himself towards the instructor.

Neither would have the chance to do much before Osu pointed a fat little finger in an empty direction and barked again.

"YOU TWO WILL SPAR OVER THERE. PRACTICE YOUR KIDO. AND NO USE OF BAKUDO NUMBER TWO, OR I'LL USE YOU TO WIPE MY ASS WITH AFTER MY BETWEEN CLASS BOWEL MOVEMENTS!"

Quickly, Gravelle hurried over to the designated area, and then waited for his new partner.

"Miss Rei, I've no doubt in your skills with Kido, but I will say, it is not for me, and if not for my needing to pass this class, I would not take it all the same. And before you say anything else, I'll have to warn you that Osu doesn't like chit-chat, so we'd better draw this out and put as much distance between us and her as possible." He paused for breath. "So without further ado, I'll show you the first trick to surviving this class!"

He took three steps back and began his chant, pointing his hands at the ground and hopping into the air.

"Hado Number One: Thrust!" He pushed himself away from the earth, and into the air, giving himself a good few feet of distance between the girl and the instructor. In mid-fall, he turned his hands and quickly muttered the next cant: "Engulfed by the need to want to come forward, Hado Number Two: Reel!"

His fall suddenly veered towards the trees that edged the field, and he was pulled from sight of the instructor, but not Rei.

He knew, typically Hado were used differently, but if applied properly, could also be used to aid oneself in certain tasks, like making a very dramatic exit that made it look like his opponent had given him a good wallop. This would likely give Osu some good impressions of the girl, even if she explained that she hadn't done anything. Besides, Osu hated him anyways.

Not sure what exactly to do Rei heads off towards where she sees Ankou. "That was a really interesting way of casting kido, I've never seen it quite used like that before." Rei turns and looks at her partner. "So why the distance between us and the instructor?" Rei asks. She was still a little confused about this new situation, the new person she met and his awkward request to get away from the teacher.

"We need some distance to talk." He answered. "You're not like many of the others here. I've not met another person not from this culture before. I just found you...perplexing."

"You're also new to this class, and there's no point in Osu hating you too." He paused and made motions, throwing his shortsword Towards Rei, hoping it would miss her and land behind. "You also express interest in my unorthodox usage of Kido. I've learned many things for the uses of spells, besides the practical uses of fighting. I've learned that with enough practice, one can accomplish mundane tasks as well. Just one has to be careful about it. Cast a Hado at me. to keep Osu from getting suspicious."

While he waited for her to prep a spell, he readied himself to cast a Bakudo #8 Seki, to repel the blow.

Rei stands there unsure of herself at first "Why does he want me to shoot a hado at him? Doesn't he understand the risks?" She stands there mulling things over. "I cant jus't stand her and do nothing looking like a space head." Still slightly reluctant, but understanding the reason behind Ankou's request. Rei readies herself. She lifts up her arm slowly and points her finger towards her partner. "Hado #4, Byakurai!" She calls out. Aiming the beam of lightning directly at Ankou's chest.

He readied himself, and by the time he had the words coming out of his mouth, the hado hit him, square on. It wasn't that bad, his body spasmed, and he sort of shook a little, but remained on his feet. He was happy that she hadn't chosen to use a fireball. That was a popular one, and often damaged his hair, which was frustrating.

"Ah...." he gasped. "That was refreshing."

"So long as Osu knows" He had to pause to breath. A Hado like that would have taken out a lesser opponent. "that we're using Kido, you'll be fine."

He had to stop to think of his next move.

"Throw some more at me, and perhaps tell me about yourself."

Rei takes this opportunity to tell her new partner about herself. "While I was alive, I was always able to sense things other people couldn't." she begins saying. Rei channels her riatsu through her body while telling Ankou more. "it wasn't until I was 16 when I saw my first hollow." she raises her hand to face ankou. "May the black sounds of those that have felt death emit and destroy. Hado # 7, Black Thunder!" Rei waits for Ankou to catch his breath before speaking again. "2 years later, at the age of 18 I was murdered by a hollow." Rei looks at her partner. "What about you? What's your story?"

He deftly avoided the Hado, prepared this time to avoid it.

"My story? Ah, nothing big. I died. I woke in this world, and I've been here for forty-three years."

"YOU TWO! GET BACK WHERE I CAN SEE YOU! DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT DILLY-DALLYING AND FIGHT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!" Osu roared.

"Shit. I think we've been discovered. Well, I guess we'll have to fight a little harder. Let's get serious about this then."

He paused, and then tugged at the front of his coat, pulling it open before sliding it off.

"If I get serious, I prefer not to damage my good clothes." He said, smiling. He pointed his hand towards Rei, focusing on the shortsword he had thrown before. "I told you about impractical uses of Kido. This is one of them." Without warning her, he began the cant. "Engulfed by the need of want come forward, Hado Number Two: Reel!"

If Rei thought it was directed towards making her come closer, she would find herself wrong. He had developed the tactic to make it easier to dress and clean in the morning, and had found it out by accident that he could impale his swords through objects by doing so. As such, it became his secret technique, and he hadn't shared it with anyone. But this girl...she was something different. Perhaps, because of their common lineages, he could teach her tricks to survive that no other Soul Reaper had known of.

When the blade was coming towards his hand, point-first, he quickly made a motion and began another cant.

"Hado Number One: Thrust!" He shouted towards her, the force of the change spinning the sword around and driving it back to her. With one more quick cant, he called it back as well, catching it in his right hand with another use of Hado #2.

Rei wasn't prepared at all. In fact, she was rooted to the spot and was having trouble catch her breath. "This guy has a completely unorthodox way of fighting." She thinks to herself. Rei can feel her palms sweating a little bit. "Calm down Rei, this is only training he isn't going to hurt you." Rei regains her composure.

"Pretty nice moves you have there." Rei says. She starts channeling her riatsu. "But if you want this fight to look real then I guess I'll have to be just as convincing." wracking her brain, Rei tries to think of a kido that will catch him off guard. "He just attempted a combination technique so why don't I try the same." She says to herself.

"Perfect!" Rei says in her head. She turns to face Ankou. "I hope you're prepared." She states. "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat! BAKUDO # 10, HORIN!" An orange hued tendril with spiraling yellow patterns shoots out from Rei's hand and wraps around her sparring partner. While keeping him in place with Horin with one hand. Rei raises her other hand and points her finger at Ankou once again. "Hado # 4, Byakurai!" Rei calls. After the hado connects Rei releases Ankou from the confines of Horin.

Caught by the tendril, he was unable to move. But for his luck, she sent another Byakurai at him. Didn't she learn? He wondered, He wasn't exactly that weak against shock attacks. Perhaps it had something to do with his naturally higher current in his body, which was why he could never wear or be near electronics without impacting them negatively, in most cases. Or perhaps it was something to do with how he died with thousands of volts surging through him. Maybe he just had drawn an immunity to the stuff when he had died? Of course, he squirmed under the shock, but it was fine.

When the Hado hit him, he smiled and barked back his own Hado.

"Tit for tat my girl." He chuckled. "Hado Number Four: Byakurai and Hado Number Five: Kakyuu!"

His hand twirled forwards in a spin, sending out lightning and a smoky ball of flames that howled like a wolf as it approached.

He stepped back, and drew his Zanpakto in his free hand, and threw his short sword away and into a tree. For every kido he used, he always needed at least one free hand to perform it. He never could get the hang of how to perform it through speech alone, or even to perform it without showing the signs either.

He held a hand before himself and then called out another kido, this one using a different tactic than before, but didn't get the chance to finish it.

"I SAID GET OVER HERE!" Came the bellow of instructor Osu.

"BAKUDO NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR: BOND OF BLACK CHAINS!" Osu commanded over the field.

Like an evil octopus, chains formed around her arms and shot forth, four chains to each of the students, to bind each of their limbs, and then they retracted until the students were again nearer to the designated area that she had demanded they fight in.

Some of the students, not familiar with Osu's rules, stopped fighting and watched, some laughing at the students made example of. The smarter ones continued to fight.

"GET BACK TO YOUR TRAINING YOU COWARDLY DOGS, BEFORE I FEEL THE URGE TO USE A KIDO OF LEVEL EIGHTY UPON YOU ALL AS EXAMPLES."

Many of the students that had stopped training quickly shut their mouths and hurriedly continued to fight.

"She's winning" Gravelle quickly managed to say, meekly before the might of Osu.

A little shaken from the unexpected bakudo from their instructor, and embarrassed cause it happened infront of the other classmates. Rei gets to her feet. She looks at the instructor all fidgety and uncomfortable. "I'm sorry." She says. Rei then turns and looks at Ankou trying to get her mind re-focused. "Shall we continue then?". With that Rei faces the palm of her hand at Ankou.

"The fires of hell, a scrap of your power, another damned soul. Hado # 5, Kakyuu!" Rei new it was hopeless, for this hado was her one weakness at performing. Just as she thought, a mediocre fireball no bigger than a golf ball, comes from her hand and putters towards her sparring partner. Feeling slightly embarrassed Rei turns red a little, and looks down.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Came the bellow from Osu, which drowned out the same sarcastic comment from Gravelle.

"Heh. Keep your head up little girl. I'm going to show you what the full force of that can be. Hado Number Five: Kyakuu!" He grinned. From his free hand, another greyish ball of flames came forth and engulfed her own attack, howling like a wolf. But before that attack could finish, he uttered the full incantation of the Hado. "The fires of hell, a scrap of your power, another damned soul, Hado Number Five: Kyakuu!"

This time the flames sprung forth from his hand, and a larger fireball, distinctly blue in colour and trailed in grey-black flames rushed with a fury, screaming like an animal going for the kill. It engulfed the lesser fireball he had made and roared towards Rei.

Rei looks up and notices this large blue fireball flying towards her. "No time to think." Rei says to herself. "Stop the Impelling Shot, from a Prompt arrival. Bakudo # 3, Sutoppu!" She halts the strong fireball in mid air and steps sideways 2 - 3 steps. The bakudo releases and the fireball flies past Rei without touching her.

Rei realizes it's time to get serious no holding or being nice. She looks at Ankou with determination in her eyes. "Are you crazy? You could have scarred my body." Rei states. "Demons below limit the one before me in your arts, Bakudo # 2, Hanko-Nensho" Rei calls. "Now your riatsu is sealed."

Oh shit. He thought, listening to Rei's words. Before he could even think about telling her to stop, a large mass, easily four times his width and one and a half times as tall, slid in front of him and caught the blow. Osu intercepted the seal and leered over the smaller Rei. He felt sorry for her now. Then a gust brushed past him, and he suddenly felt ill.

"Silent but deadly....oh dear gods......" he wheezed while Osu still dwarfed Rei.

Before Osu could reprimand the girl, he did the unthinkable. He put his hands on Osu's lower back and hissed quickly, "Bakudo Number Eight: Seki!"

The attack made the woman rigid and shot her legs out from under her, causing her to tilt back and towards him. Shit, he thought, not one of my better ideas.

As she fell backwards, he removed his sword wielding hand and began another Hado.

"Hado Number One: Thrust!"

The trick worked, but only slightly, as Osu's giant mass was too much to be moved more than enough feet to give him a small escape.

Free from the giant woman, he began his final preparations for fleeing, as this was not the way he wanted the class to end. He would have to avoid Kido Training for the next week, maybe even month. Perhaps he could stay in his room, he knew Osu was too big to even fit in the room, let alone cross the threshold.

"Final Preparations of Defeat!" He shouted. All eyes were on him. Even the experienced students had stopped. Never had a student been so brazen as to assault the instructor before, and they wanted to see how it would end. "Bakudo Number Seven: Beni Fushi and Bakudo Number Five: Senko!" It was like a small explosion came from his hands. Everyone on the field was blinded by the light and deafened by the noise, which allowed for him to complete the final part. He pointed towards Rei. "Demons below limit the one before me in your arts, Bakudo Number Two: Hanko-Nensho!"

Without Rei being able to hear or see the last cant, he was sure he would seal her Kido, making her less a threat, and more likely to see his reasoning. He rushed towards her and sheathed his Zanpakto, ready to explain to her what had to be done before Osu was capable of going on her fit of rage.

It's a good thing Rei used her spirit pressure as a shield. It was a defense mechanism, she has learned to produce in situations where there isn't much she can do, or feels uncomfortable. She still got slightly blinded and their was a light ringing in her ears, but nevertheless she could still hear and see outlines. She looked at the enormous shadow on the ground that she assumed must be their instructor.

She looks behind the instructor and sees the shadow of Ankou. She slowly walks towards him attempting to walk around Instructor Osu. Half because her vision is impaired and half because of her clumsy nature, Rei trips over a branch which happened to be the instructors arm. "... Why must I be so klutzy?" Rei asks to herself out loud.

Picking herself up and brushing herself off, Rei looks around. Her vision and hearing was alittle better than before, but still not 100%. Rei could now see colours and the details around her, but still blurry. She looked around and saw some students hunched over clutching their ears, while others were rolling around on the ground. She looks over at Ankou concerned.

Rei walks towards her partner. "I don't know what just happened" Rei thinks to herself. "But whatever did happen,this is going to end bad." Rei makes it to where Ankou is standing and looks at him with a nervous/worried expression on her face. "What just happened?" Rei asks her partner.

Without much forethought, he grabbed Rei's uniform by the front and pulled her up. half-dragging her with him. He had no time for words, and made his way to his coat, which he wouldn't dare part with. Coat in one hand, girl in the other, he tensed his legs and prepared for a rough ride hastily to the wall of the academy.

Half running, half muttering, he repeated the incantation for Hado #2 repeatedly to hasten himself towards the wall. If only he knew how to use Shunpo, perhaps this would be easier. Before he could reach the wall, a shadow appeared before him.

Enraged and angry, Osu appeared before him. Before he could truly react, his legs were bound to the earth. Without much else to do, he looked at Rei quickly and dropped his coat. I've got to do this quick, he thought, or else the new girl will get it too.

"Hado Number One: Thrust!" He shouted, pushing Rei off and into the air, sending her over the wall and into whatever lay beyond. With her free, he decided to turn his sights onto Osu to try and make his own getaway. "Hado Number Four: Byakurai!"

Lightning streaked from his hand and fell upon Osu, but it did little to nothing, as the instructor was much more powerful than him.

"Hado Number Four: Byakurai! Hado Number Five: Kyakuu! Hado Number One: Thrust! Hado Number One: Thrust! The fires of hell, a scrap of your power, another damned soul, Hado Number Five: Kyakuu! The fires of hell, a scrap of your power, another damned soul, Hado Number Five: Kyakuu! The fires of hell-"

His barrage of unrelenting but unphasing kido was ended as Osu lunged forwards and backhanded him across the face, breaking him from his bonds to the earth and sending him easily across the field, unconscious.

Enraged, and having forgotten about the girl's part in this mess, she focused her rage on him instead.

"FROM THE GROUND, KILL THE PLANTS. CONSTRICT THE LIFE FROM THE ROSE, HADO NUMBER FORTY-SEVEN: DYING WEED!" She bellowed, a weed sprung from the middle of the field and shot towards his body, dragging him back and suspending him in a constricting state above the field a foot or two. "LET THE ANCIENT SPIRITS FLOW THROUGH MY RIGHT HAND. LET THE DECAYING CORPSES EXPLODE FROM MY LEFT HAND, HADO NUMBER FORTY-FIVE: ADAMANTINE BLAST!"

The weed was suddenly torn from the earth with force, as a large slab of flamming rock slammed into it and himself and threw them across the field again. Feeling comfortable with the punishment she had delivered, she pushed a button on her waist that had been constructed especially for after her punishments, which alerted some people from the fourth squad to assemble and take away the wounded.

In some many minutes, four such members had arrived, and two left with the unconscious and bloodied body of Gravelle, while the others stayed to take the other casualties that might occur.

Rei lands on the roof of the academy and turns around. She witnesses the horrid beating Ankou had just received. This she-beast that was their instructor, put a whole new meaning to the word intimidating. She turns around and decides to head for the squad 4 barracks.

"I am mostly responsible for what happened." Rei thinks to herself. Walking through a little market district, on her way to the barracks. Rei spots a little flower vendor and walks over to it. "What can I get for you today, miss?" the shopkeeper asks. Rei looks up at him.

The man looked to be in his late 40's early 50's.The man was clean-shaven, and had short light brown hair that was greying and thinning. He was wearing a dark brown shirt with a black apron. "can I get a mixed bouquet of Chrysanthemums and Daffodils, please." Rei asks.

The man grabs the flowers. "What kind of wrapping paper would you like miss?" This stumped Rei cause she didn't bother thinking about the wrapping paper, so she said the first thing on her mind. "Blue with a grey outline." Rei responds. The man starts to wrap the flowers. As Rei is waiting she sees a bouquet card with a wolf on it. Rei thinks to herself "I should get that, I hope Ankou will see the irony behind this." She grabs a card and writes "Sorry for everything that happened today." The man returns with the bouquet and Rei puts the card on it. After paying for the bouquet, Rei thanks the shopkeeper and bids him farwell.

Rei walks into the front door of the barracks and notices a women sitting at what appeared to be the front desk. "Excuse me." Rei says. The women looks up at Rei. "Hello miss, what can I do for you?" she inquires. "Could you please tell me what room Gravelle is in?" Asks Rei. "Certainly, just go down this hall on the right here, and he's the 3rd room on the right." states the receptionist. Rei thanks the lady and walks towards Ankou's room.

Rei enters the room, and see Ankou laying on the bed unconscious. "I'm sorry." Rei thinks in her head. She walks towards the little table between his bed and the window and puts the bouquet in the vase sitting there. Rei heads back towards the door. She looks back to take one more glance at the beaten and bandaged ankou then sheleaves the room and heads home.