Spars for the New in Hopes of Progress (Cass)

Anna was walking through the shinigami academy in order to size up some of the new people there. She was going to try and see if any of these people would be interested in joining her on her... Quest. Doubtful really, but it may be fun to spar with some of these people. Hell, they may even be somewhat good. As she walked through she found herself in the centre of the area, a small sparring floor set up for practice between shinigami was not even twelve feet to the right of her. She walked in to it, and looked around as some people thought about joining in to fight against her. She wouldn't use her shikai, just her sword; she knew that all she needed was the blood red blade of her own to fend off some fledgling shinigami. Some people stopped and looked ready to draw their blades, but others pushed them back into line with a few words here and there. She didn't understand why they wouldn't... Her reiatsu! She was exerting her reiatsu to the point that she may have been giving off that she was stronger than them, even if it was a little advantage! Quickly her reiatsu was suppressed and those who hadn't passed already were looking interested in a battle. She wasn't surprised to see somebody enter so quickly, and she didn't draw her sword just yet. Anna analysed the person's appearance first: a blond male with black, piercing eyes. It was as though he were able to look into her mind and see everything about her. The man was only a foot shorter than her, and still seemed to be a bit older. She wanted this person to make the first move, and so they did. They rushed at her without hesitation and swung their blade at her, only to find that she had moved out of the way. As they turned around she shoved her elbow backwards and into their face with a smile.

"You're too slow." she said and suddenly she heard footsteps to her right. She hadn't noticed the second Shinigami that entered the ring, and so she had to react quick. She spun on her feet and pointed her hand towards them, energy building quickly for the kido she was about to use. They were about six feet away from her now, a black haired man with silver tinted eyes. The male was about three years younger, physically, than her, but still taller. His hair shined in the sunlight, and the moment the person was at least three feet away from her she released the kido.

"Bakudo #1, Sai!" she spoke out loud, and the person suddenly had their arms tied around their back and fell to the ground, their blade falling to the right of them. She heard somebody yell out from behind her and she drew her zanpakuto whilst spinning, the two blades making contact with ease and deflecting off of each other. While the other person stumbled back, Anna merely went into the opposite direction of her spin and flipped off of her feet, onto her hands, and then back onto her feet. She then looked over to the person and awaited their next move. Would they yield after her acrobatic get-away? What she hadn't noticed was that he fell down, and this suddenly made her laugh. They were stumbling back up and they didn't appreciate her laughing, but the moment Anna raised her sword the man backed up quickly.

"What's your name?" Anna asked him, and he raised an eyebrow in confusion. He didn't understand why she would ask, but he didn't hesitate to answer.

"Jacob. What about your name?" he said, and Anna smiled.

"Anna. Now, drop your sword and yield." she said, and the man in front of her was quickly upset. He ran towards her with a thirst to see her fail, but the moment he came near her Anna swung her blade with a slight flow, the blades bouncing off again. She went into a quick spin and her blade was back in place to block right on time. She stopped her momentum, and put one of her feet behind her for support as she held the blade at about the level of her forehead in front of her. The man swung with a vertical downwards motion, and Anna had her blade placed at a horizontal, intersecting angle to his. When the blade made contact, it didn't go any further. Anna had him in just the right position and she raised her left hand, which had no weapon, and grabbed the hand wielding the enemies blade. She twisted forwards while pushing his blade up and to the side. Her leg hit the feet of this man while she pushed him backwards with her sword arm, causing him to trip and fall onto his back. Of course, she would've done this with a bit more safety precautions if this weren't a fight between her and a mere shinigami from the academy. She held her blade to the throat of her opponent, and they quickly dropped their sword.

"I yield! I yield!" they yelled, and with a sigh Anna gladly pulled her blade away and turned her back to the man. She released the kido also and listened to the feet exit the ring. This was pointless, she wouldn't find anybody worth talking to about her plans here.

"Anybody else wanna spar before I leave?" she asked, hoping that somebody with potential would step forward. She stopped caring about hiding her reiatsu, too, and let it go at its normal rate.

Cass' muscles still ached from his encounter with Kisuke earlier that week, the instructor had really given him a one hell of an advancement test. His body physically didn't have any marks from that fight thanks to the salve that was applied to the wounds after he had passed out, but still his muscles felt tight and stiff like they had been in a cast for weeks. Today was Cass' first day back in class after his beating and while a few of the older students looked at him like he was a fresh piece of meat some looked at him with respect. He was the student that would rather die than admit than back down from a fight, he was stubborn even to the point of death. On his way to class Cass noticed a crowd gathered around one of the small sparring rings, normally this wasn't an unusual site, but what drew his attention was the fact that he had seen two people enter together to face one opponent. On any other day he would of just walked on by and ignored it, but something told him this would be worth his while. So he stood at the back of the crowd and watched an amused grin on his face.

A short younger looking girl was facing off against two other students, her red hair trailing down more than half her own height. She hadn't even drawn her own sword when the shorter blonde opponent charged forward and swung the blade at the girl hoping to force her to back up to the edge of the ring. He hopes that his shorter size will give him an advantage, she can't duck under a shorter opponent without sacrificing her own footing to do so. Cass realized and chuckled recognizing the very simple minded plan.

What amazed him though was the speed with which the woman countered turning into the swing getting herself close to the blonde student. Using her momentum she drove her elbow back nailing the poor guy in the face. She had said something to him, but Cass couldn't make it out, not that it appeared to matter as a second opponent entered not even allowing his predecessor to leave the ring. Again it didn't matter to the girl as the black haired opponent didn't even get to take a swing with his blade before he was floored with his arms bound behind his back thanks to her quick and efficient use of her kido.

When the third opponent entered his sword already drawn and hoping for vengeance for his friends Cass pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He didn't like watching an uneven fight, but again the girl spun drawing her own sword in time to deflect the on coming attack causing the young man to stumble backwards and fall as she flipped back in the opposite direction.

This girl is fast...really fast and really agile by the looks of it, her attacks however lack the power they could have, but I have a feeling she could easily take out any of us here. Cass was lost in his own thoughts when the girl's voice broke through his thoughts asking for other opponents before she left. It was then that he realized what had drawn his attention over to this small sparring ring in the first place.

This girl had an amazing amount of reiatsu and now it wasn't being held back, looking around at a few of the people around him Cass could see that a few of the spectators looked sicked to their stomach, other were sweating and trying to back up only to find more people behind them. With a grin Cass stepped forward over the boundary that marked the edge of the arena as he rotated both shoulders wincing as they popped in protest to the movement.

“I'll have a go.” Cass' brown eyes were bright as he spoke, his sword was sheathed held in his right hand. “You're pretty fast and you obviously have some amazing spiritual power, this should be fun.” Sliding his left foot back he swapped the sheath to his left hand and put his right on the pommel; his right shouldered was turned towards the girl. “Whenever you are ready miss.” I hope I won't do too much damage to an already injured body.

Anna looked surprised. After her display of combat she was expecting these people to not want to fight her at all, but somebody was brave enough, or foolish enough, to step in the ring and openly exclaim a battle. She smiled and pulled out her zanpakuto. This was what she was waiting for, somebody to fight her without a trick of sorts. She didn't like people sneaking up on her.

"My name is Anna, what is yours?" she asked the person before she would start the fight, her zanpakuto pulsing to be released. She, of course, wouldn't release it, and she didn't like the feeling of being pushed into releasing her zanpakuto, so she quickly sheathed it and got in position to do battle, but she heard somebody suddenly shout her name.

"Anna! Here! I just finished tweaking it about an hour ago, but I didn't know where you were! Coincidentally found myself walking here to test the sword, but since you're here, I can now give it to you!" yelled the man she knew as her brother, and she smiled as he shunpo'd right next to her with her newly fixed up sword. He then disappeared after whispering a few words to Anna. She had actually gone through with her idea and the sword was now a solid piece of crafted metal. The sword looked like it did before, but was more flat and had no tip. She held the hilt with both of her hands, and she smiled as she laid the dull side of the blade on her shoulder.

The sword was... Basically flat, and even the tip wasn't a point, just a flat part of the blade. The hilt was perfectly crafted for her hands to fit around, and the guard was basically a hold for the blade, and not much else. There were holes in the middles of the blade going from the tip down to the handle, paced at about two inches between each. Her actual name was engraved in a strange calligraphy on the flat tip of the blade at a minuscule level.

Anna's hair covered her eyes, but she still smiled and held her sword over her shoulder. The bright blue of her eyes still seemed to be visible through the vibrantly radiant red hair of hers, and her reiatsu seemed to slowly dwindle, and then return to normal constantly. It is as though something was causing her to be off of her concentration, and something was. She was considering whether this person would be a suitable candidate for the plans she had. Of course, she expected that he wouldn't submit to the idea of changing himself for power, but he may be accepting of the fact that the power she was striving to give others may be something that could be beneficial to the future.

Anna then decided to concentrate on the fight before her, and she got in position to fight. She wouldn't make the first move, but she'd be ready for the fight that she knew was going to be good.

Well, she hoped it'd be good. This guy wasn't as stupid as the other people she fought, even though his level of power was about theirs. Maybe it's just that he's not as stubborn? He seems to be keeping himself from rushing at her and trying to get the first strike, but of course if he didn't make a move soon she'd use kido to nudge him forward. She'd use a higher level kido than he could cast. Just for the element of surprise, not to actually hurt him.

"You should just attack him!" whispered Tamashī from the back of her mind. "He's not going to be much of a fight anyway! Why are you wasting your time with this fool?"

"Shut up." she said in her mind, and she pushed Tamashī out of her mind unsuccessfully. The blade was still pulsing with the wanting of being released, and Anna just kept ignoring it. "Just shut up and let me fight him with some sort of thought that these people aren't completely devoid of the possibility to be used in my plan!"

Tamashī kept nagging her and this drew Anna's attention away again, her reiatsu slowly fluctuation as she argued in her mind with her zanpakuto. She wasn't really paying attention to the person in front of her as much as she should, but she kept her ears open and her arms ready. Tamashī wouldn't give up until Anna was using her to fight this poor shinigami, and Anna would keep on rejecting using her... She just wasn't going to do it!

"Well then, Anna, you fool. You will use me!" was what Tamashī kept saying, even though it was exactly the same phrase each time.

"You know you can be quite annoying Tamashī!" Anna whispered out loud with a sigh, nobody would be able to hear her except for the trained ear, and then again the only person close enough to her would probably be her opponent.

Cass smiled, Finally a person with manners. “My name is Cass, it is a pleasure to meet you, Anna.” Cass watched as she sheathed her zanpakuto and got into position to fight him barehanded. Cass grinned prepared for the initial standoff between two opponent's. When another man appeared from seemingly no where Cass frowned, when he handed Anna an even bigger sword his frown deepened. This fight just got a bit more challenging didn't it?

Examining the sword from a distance gave Cass a basic idea of what it could do, though there was a small difference from her original blade having no point and a flat end. At least I don't have to worry about a stab with that flat end the worse it could do is bruise a couple of ribs; although in my current condition that could be all she needs to put me out of commission for this fight. Cass clenched his fists tighter, as he waited for his opponent to make her move.

Anna smiled and Cass felt the presence of her spiritual pressure dwindle then spring back to its normal level and continued to pulse. She is taunting me...she knows she can beat me at any point with just raw power. Her blue eyes were shining behind a veil of red hair, her posture altogether spoke of the confidence she had that she would win. Anna faltered her stance shifted out of an attack position as a confused look passed over her face like she was having second thoughts about this entire thing.

When Anna corrected her stance Cass smiled and waited for the first attack, an attack that never came. She seemed distracted from the fight and the fluctuation in the pressure she kept exerting it almost felt like she was fighting another battle that no one else could see. When she spoke of something under her breath Cass frowned, her body was in this fight but her mind was elsewhere.

Fine if she doesn't want to take me seriously I will give her a reason too. Cass growled in annoyance he was tired of not being taken seriously as an opponent. Pushing off with his right foot Cass shot forward closing the distance between himself and Anna when he was right in front of her he spun aiming to knock some sense into the girl with what looked like a kick to her knee. At the last moment he would slam his foot down giving him solid footing as he aimed a punch directly at her left shoulder hoping to at least hurt it enough she couldn't fight at full strength.

“I am not an opponent you can fight with just half a mind.”

Anna kept on fighting in her mind with Tamashī, and was starting to get frustrated with her. She needed to be ready to battle; she needed to have her mind directed on combat. She tightened her grip on the handle of her blade, and breathed in slowly, exhaling with a sudden shock of realisation. She had been so absorbed in battling Tamashī's onslaught of interruptions she hadn't noticed her opponent had suddenly rushed her with an attempt to catch her off guard, and he was successful. She felt a sudden kick hit her knee and it knocked her back a bit. Returned her mind to battle she pushed back forward only the feel a punch just barely hit her, but it was enough to send a slight pinch of pain to her brain. She heard him speak and slightly laughed at his arrogance.

"Sorry, I was just busy. Tamashī wants to play." she said indicating her zanpakuto, and with saying just a slight bit of her name she felt suddenly as though she were ready to battle, but she also felt her zanpakuto yelling through her head. Anna rushed forwards and jumped into a spin, her blade angled at a steep diagonal swing for his shoulder. Anna lessened the strength and momentum of the swing slowly in the actual swing so as not to cleave off his arm, but she kept it enough to make him know a good bit of pain from it.

However, she was interrupted in her swing. Even though the swing would continue, she wouldn't really be in her mind to react afterwards, but she'd still be able to defend herself.

"Come on Anna! Just do it! Use me and fight him." Tamashī said yet again. Anna thought that she had pushed her out of this fight! Anna's eyes were slightly frozen and her reiatsu started fluctuation again. She wouldn't be able to keep concentrating if her zanpakuto wouldn't stop annoying her. Anna couldn't help it, she had to do it. Her reiatsu kicked back to normal and she would drop the weapon she was holding whilst getting herself away from her opponent. It was a useless weapon, now that she thought about it. The sword, landing on the flat end of the blade, balanced for a couple of seconds before tipping over to the side.

"Fine..." she whispered slightly, and she could sense Tamashī's cheering in her mind. "Sorry about this, but I guess you'll be having a bad day." she said to the person she was fighting, and she held out her zanpakuto. It was buzzing with excitement to her, and she exhaled with a slightly upset tone.

"Rupture, Tamashī konton, and may your powers reign terror over all." she said, and suddenly the ground at her feet starts to dance around. Little pebbles and clumps of dirt jump around with excitement. Smoke swirls around her sword and the hand wielding it. She smiled slightly, and a pulse of energy suddenly came from the blade, and the smoke cleared.

What was left would probably confuse most of the people here. She wouldn't have changed much... Her reiatsu, speed, and even strength would seem to be just like before, and even her zanpakuto wouldn't be changed at all. However it would give off a strange feeling to anybody who tried to study it too much.

"Are you ready?" Anna asked him, and she got into a battle position, her mind now ready to work for the reason of battle...

"How long shall I take to let you use me completely? Shall we take forever? Shall it be only a short amount of time? Who knows, only I can decide!" These were some of the last words Anna would hear from Tamashī this battle.