8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing

Subject: 8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Sun Aug 15, 2010 10:58 pm

Light started to come through again as Kasumi opened his eyes only to close them again. Everything was to bright to adjust that easily. His eyes were extra sensitive to the light exposure since he had been out so much and not seen much light. Also the white walls only amplified the feeling of being surrounded by blinding and pounding presence.

However Kasumi fully opened his eyes and then resided to a squint as he heard the door open. Turning on his side, Kasumi winced at the pain, and closed his eyes from it before he had a chance to see who it was.

“Hurts does it not, Kasumi-san?” a mocking voice spat out. Kasumi knew it at once. It was the snearing voice of Muriasachi. In his room. Opening his eyes once more, and moving until he was more comfortable with the pain, Kasumi looked up at the man, twisted in his own stance, poised with his hands behind his back as they often were. His zanpakutou lay diagonal on the front side of his waist, the Captain's hoari falling over his skinny and made up body, a dark undertone of the black bags under the scientists eyes becoming more noticeable when placed against the white clothes of the captain.

Kasumi did not know how to reply. Was this a question or another one of this man's twisted remarks that sounds like a question that was fully redundant, and not answerable. Did it make him feel smart to ask things like this? Trying to confuse the other person into falling into a mind game that he loved playing – manipulation.

“The pain is starting to reside as the cut closes, Muriasachi-san.” Kasumi said this with all the respect he could muster. He had not had any directly bad experiences with Muriasachi, but he knew of Shuunske's intense hatred for him, and although he had never explained why it was that he felt that way, he knew there was a reason, and thus it was enough to not feel comfortable. Then there were his own judgments, and they were based on his seemingly cowardly approach at everything. Kasumi had heard him talk about completing his perfect body, and he had heard mention of this from Shuunske as well, although Shuunske had seemed to hush the subject.

“Of course it is, Kasumi-san, but do you honestly think you will be of any use to us in this state. At this rate, by my own calculation, the enemies we fought will be here in about a week. Maybe a little over a week. But that is no where near the time that a cut like that needs to heal to the point where you can fight – to the point where you can protect Hiiro-dono again.”

Kasumi recoiled at the thought. He had thought it before. And why was Muriasachi bringing this up. A frown over came him. He hated hearing Hiiro referred to as dono, the disrespectful term used to describe one less than you, or less than in general. Looking over Muriasachi's face, he saw the greedy look, and could better see where this was going.

By saying that the medical care he was being given was not enough, and that he would be no use, even in protecting Hiiro, he was hoping to slip past Shuunske's previous order on him not to use any sort of drug or anything unnatural that he had created on Kasumi. It was all a trick to get him to ask for another solution. It was all a trick. But true at the same time. It was all true. How bad could something Muriasachi could give him be? They were on the same side, for the most part.

“I am guessing you are offering another solution, Muriasachi-san?” As soon as the words came out, a thin and evil looking grin spread across the lips of the thin and evil man. It answered his question and made Kasumi shudder. What was Shuunske afraid of? Other than the man himself?

Kasumi had seen Muriasachi use his weird medications in battle. Or at least he had seen him use one after the fight with Shuunske during the captain examinations. It was injected into his arm, and Kasumi had remembered feeling the pressure in his spiritual energy flare to huge levels. Almost as high as Shuunske. A medication that boosted rieatsu for a short time. That was an accomplishment.

“Why would you think that dear boy?” Muriasachi spoke in a bashful, and egotistical way, as he smiled, removing his hands from behind his back. A long syringe was held in his left hand. It was filled with a thin looking dark liquid. Almost black, but as it moved into view, and the light shone through it, a green tint was easily visible.

“I know about Shuunske's little order against me, but you see, this is a different situation. Hiiro-chan is at stake here. And so are you, and Shuunske-sama. Don't be selfish Kasumi boy.” He spoke in a twisted manipulation. It was a powerful manipulation, because even though it was obviously manipulation, it was so manipulative. He knew that everything Muriasachi was saying was true, and that he had to do it. He still had to train with Hiiro so that she could be more ready as well, and furthermore, he had to be able to fight. Shuunske might need assistance, and so might Hiiro.

It was a complex situation. But there was more to it. Why was Muriasachi so eager to heal Kasumi? And with this solution?

“Even if I was to say yes, and I am not saying I am, why are you pushing healing me so much?” Kasumi spoke with a deep voice that resonated his own power, even in his state. He did not know what to expect in an answer form.

“Because I care dear boy. Of course I cant have a team member injured.” Muriasachi smiled and cocked his head sideways, it all as evil as ever. The turning of his head pulled at the scar tissue that marked his body. Originally different tones of skin now all pale from no access to sun light, only the dim flashing lights of computer technology. His answer was fake. He could not care less about Kasumi or Hiiro. It must be in the syringe.

“With all due respect, Muriasachi-san, I do not believe that the answer has anything to do about your caring feelings for me and Hiiro-chan. Please tell me the truth.”

Kasumi was a demanding man, and his will was not often caved in. He was a powerful man. That being said. Even at this point, he was seriously considering allowing the medical transaction to go through. He had heard of the amazing technology that 12th division was able to produce in the years that Muriasachi was the research corps president, and the captain of 12th division. He had also heard how many of them were dangerous, and Muriasachi only allowed very special shinigami and test subjects alike use them.

In fact he had heard that many of the medical solutions Muriasachi had created were not even allowed to be used by the other shinigami as they were immensely dangerous. And injured the body in a different way than direct damage would do.

“As you wish Kasumi-san. What I am holding in this syringe is a new and improved version of my already existing regenerating serum. I however have not tested it, and only just now had the chance to make it. By that I mean, I have just now completed years worth of work, and I think I have a break through... But no test subject. It is a leap of faith Kasumi-san. If you do it, I can promise that you will be able to fight in the upcoming battles, and be there when Hiiro-chan is in need... What do you say?”

Kasumi had heard of the healing and regenerative serums that had been created in the years of Muriasachi. They had been outlawed to be used by any one other than himself. This was because they had been very dangerous and destructive to the body. But they had done marvels to the injuries. And this was an improved one. How bad could it actually be? And at the ability to be there to protect Hiiro-chan.

“Fine. I will allow this.” Kasumi bit his lip. Shuunske's suggestion versus Shuunke's and Hiiro's protection. One choice had to be made, and he made this one. Kasumi held out the arm that had been penetrated with needles only three days before when he had woken up for the first time.

Muriasachi smiled, and looked at him, scanning to see any regret on Kasumi's face, which he picked up in a small dose. Kasumi only regretted not being able to follow what Shuunske had suggested. But it had never been an order to himself. Only to Muriasachi, and even that held little ground as Shuunske, even in all of fame, and royalty, was at the same rank as Muriasachi, and thus could not order him based on that, turning the order into a threat.

Grabbing his arm, Muriasachi traced the veins with the needle, and then held the syringe off the bed, and pressed on the top. A drop of liquid came out, the black substance falling to the ground. Then Muriasachi looked back at Kasumi. Slipping his hands under Kasumi's shirt, Muriasachi pulled it aside to see the large bandage patch.

“I want you to see this,” Muriasachi said as his fingers once again wrapped around the bandage. One last smile, and then he faded back into a greedy scientist as he ripped the bandage off. Kasumi's back arched as the pain of it being ripped off so viciously opened part of the deep cut again. Kasumi closed his eyes, and bit his lip so hard he could taste blood in his mouth.

“Now, watch, Kasumi-san.” He sounded as though he was having so much fun. Or rather, that he was excited to see how this black chemical worked on the hosts body. Muriasachi took hold of Kasumi's arm once more, and placed the needle against his arm. Then, without notification, Muriasachi started pushing the needle in slowly, as if it was fun to see Kasumi in as much pain as possible. The thick needle slid in until almost the entire thing was engraved in Kasumi's arm. Then he pushed the top. The liquid splashed into his body, and so did an incredible pain.

Muriasachi quickly removed the needle once the liquid was fully removed, only a small amount injected, moving from the bed to a standing position, where he reached into his hoari, and grabbed a note pad and a pencil, and started taking notes.

The pain exploded over Kasumi like remembering the pain of the slash that grazed his heart. He writhed in his bed, biting his already bleeding and burst lip until more and more blood flooded into his mouth. Kasumi slammed his hand into his stomach, grabbing it as he twitched, trying to control the pain. It was not as bad as the burning, or the slash, but reminded him of both.

All the sudden the pain changed. It felt less like boiling water moving through his veins, and more like a thousand needles penetrating him all over his chest, and numbing his lip. Still grimacing at the pain, Kasumi looked down at his chest, and saw something incredible happening. The bottom of the cut and burnt area started to almost fester, and then the cut started to seal over, as if new skin was regenerated.

The serum he had taken worked on a cellular level, making it so that his cells literally recreated the skin that was once there, and disposed of the old skin, and the opened spots. Kasumi's tongue twitched over the burst lip to find that it was already completely closed, and no more blood was coming from it. Moving his hand over the painful cut, he could see the burnt skin from Hiiro's Sunibunki start to fade away into normal skin. As if it was unscathed. The pain was almost completely gone now, and what was left was the pins and needles feeling over his entire body. Trying to move made it get worse he found as he tried to raise his arm. He immediately stopped moving it, and winced as the abnormal pain took over.

Kasumi heard the sound of the pencil taking notes at everything he did. He did not like the idea of being a test experiment for a man like Muriasachi. What would Shuunske or Hiiro think? Neither of them seemed to like the man, and neither did he.

The odd sensation started to fade away as he stopped moving. Muriasachi kept taking notes. Kasumi turned his head, the pins and needles feeling resided to a point that it did not come in a sudden deafening wave. “What are you writing, Muriasachi-san?”

Muriasachi looked up, seeming pleased that Kasumi was able to talk. He took note of this, and then avoided the question, only looking up for a second, before displaying a fake smile, and walking from the room, saying before he did so:

“Hiiro-dono is waiting in the communications bay for you.”

Then the door shut.

Where was he going? Was he just done? Was Kasumi okay to move?

Moving from the bed, Kasumi, for the first time in a while, repositioned himself so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Looking up, he realized how easy it had seemed. Painless and easy. His weakness was almost gone. What was this serum?

Pushing off the bed, Kasumi stood up, fully, and not bent over as he would have expected himself to have been after just healing from a cut like that.

Kasumi walked into the side room from his, a small place where his shinigami uniform was being kept along with his zanpakutou. However he did not come for these, he came for the mirror that stood on par with his own height.

Kasumi gasped. The light shone on his body, nothing more than an opened white hospital like gown, and shown on the place where the huge cut used to be, now only a clean cut and thin scar that moved in a perfect white slender line down his chest. All the burn and bruising was gone. It looked completely healed. Kasumi reached out and touched it, it was a perfect recovery.

Grabbing the shinigami uniform, Kasumi slipped off the revealing gown, and started dressing. The whole time he went over how he was going to tell Shuunske when he found out, and even how he was going to tell Hiiro if she asked. She might not. She might just accept it as a natural healing. She did not think as critically as Shuunske, who would diagnose the entire situation in less than a second.

He would just tell the truth. To anyone who asked. He needed not tell anything but that.

After his uniform was fully put on, Kasumi placed the zanpkutou in the sash that wrapped around his lower waist. Wearing his uniform a slight bit differently now however, the opened top pulled aside so that the fine and perfect scar was visible, along with his toned body, but not showing too much, only the scar which moved in a diagonal line from just above where his heart would be, to his upper abdominal. The gap opened down to his low waist, and then closed where his pants started, acting as an extreme V neck, that moved down to his waist.

With his zanpakutou placed in the sash behind him, he pushed his hair into the shape it took often, with his bangs falling in his face, adding a mysterious look to him.

Walking out of the room, and into the hallway, Kasumi started on his way to the communications bay, passing the animated ceiling and the beautiful dome of the royal complex. The circular room in the middle of the large dome passing him by as he walked with excitement. He had not realized how nice it was to be able to walk again fully. It was as if he had his freedom back.

It only took a minute to get there at the rate he was walking, and Kasumi stood outside of the door, wondering if Hiiro would be up set at him for using the drugs that Muriasachi had given him? He didn't think that she would be, but he was nervous. Kasumi looked back down at his uniform. Closing more of the uniform, he hid most of what had been revealed, only allowing the V neck to act as a deep one, showing the scar, but no the whole thing.

Taking a breath, Kasumi turned the door handle, and opened the door, stepping inside. There she was, Hiiro. And Jun. With blades crossed, they both jumped backwards when they saw that he had entered the room.

Jun's face did not change. But that was based on the small amount of time he was looking at her, his focus on Hiiro, watching her every movement.

“Hiiro, I hope I did not startle you.”

Kasumi said this with a smile until the smile faded, and a dizziness took its place. Head rush. But not a normal one. A heavy head rush that numbed him for a second. Kasumi's eyes grew heavy, and he faltered before he looked back up, the head rush suddenly faded.

Was this the only side effect...?

Hiiro felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of her face, it seemed the task of keeping her breathing at an even and deep pace was almost more trouble then actually fighting. The cloth of her Shihauksho was starting to cling to her uncomfortably. Though through the hours of her training she had done so far. It had caused the sash to loosen and her collar had widened exposing more of her neck and chest to the cooler air.

Her scarlet hair was tied back into a low ponytail that fell against her back. She hadn’t bothered to put it up, but she didn’t want to train with her hair flying free around her face. Hiiro had tried it the first day of her training and found that getting her hair out of her face was more trouble then actually fighting.

The soft white light of the communications bay gave off little heat, but basked the two girls in the white light as they stood across the room from each other. Hiiro’s stance was widened and her hands clasped against the leather bound handle of Sunibunki. The metal still felt warm to her touch, like the sword had been left for hours out in the sunlight. She looked past the thin blade of her zanbaktou to her opponent.

Jun appeared to not be exasperated in the slightest. Standing straight her back arched and her zanbaktou clasped in her right hand like a fencer wields their blade. Cool darker eyes, that reflected the inhuman apathy that almost all of the members of the 12th division carried. She looked directly into Hiiro’s fiery bright eye’s that burned with free will and a determination to get stronger.

“…Come at me.” Jun ordered in a soft monotone voice, gripping her hilt with both hands. And watching closely to the slightest movements preformed by the 5th seat. She had found that the longer Hiiro had trained and pushed herself, the more unlikely surprises she brought to the battlefield. This time she wasn’t going to give Hiiro ay chance of actually harming her.

Hiiro took a deep breath, and ran at Jun, her feet pounding upon the bamboo floors.
Beginning the beautiful and horrible dance with blades. Belay, defend, parry, parry,
dodge, duck, stab, slice, and defend. It was like a dance between the two. When one took a step back the other took a step foreword, keeping them locked in the artificial combat. Jun could see that Hiiro was learning quickly, adapting to the attacked and blowing them off easily. Dodging attacks with arches of the back. The fighting had reached a point where it almost looked graceful.

Jun parried Hiiro’s attack quickly and hit the Red haired girl in the stomach with her shoulder, Ducking low and sending Hiiro skidding backwards ten or so feet. Hiiro had learned rather quickly that Jun was a rather cold trainer, it helped her evasiveness greatly. But a hit to the gut was no longer a pain that stopped her anymore. Their was a time with Jun would hit her with a surprise attack leaving Hiiro dizzy and on the ground for a few minutes. But not anymore.

As soon as the momentum of the hit weakened she pushed forward again. Ducking low and gaining the maximum speed she could with her blade positioned at her side. Blade facing outward and her hands bent and strong. She raced back at Jun with a speed she had adapted into her fighting style.

The clash of metal could be heard through the corridors of the hidden base. The small pings and clashes as the metal was thrust upon metal. Jun had once again parried Hiiro’s attack and countered at what she had believed was an opening. However Hiiro stopped the blade, bracing herself for the hit. Her palm pressed against the dull side of her zanbaktou ready to catch and take the brunt of the attack. The reaction was flawless and Jun nodded slightly. Hiiro was most certainly learning.

Suddenly Hiiro stepped back her Zanbaktou dropping to the ground. She grasped her Wrist and hissed in pain. “S-sorry Jun-san. One moment.” She winced looking at the red score across her palm. Jun had taken a step back when Hiiro first dropped her weapon but now walked up. Without much emotion plucked Hiiro’s wounded right hand from her small grasped and looked at in with pursed lips.

“You have burned yourself,” she stated dully looking to Hiiro who nodded and avoided Jun’s eyes. “Yes…sorry, I’m used to these kinds of burns I should be fine in just a minute or two.” She pulled her hand away from Jun and knelt down to pick up her zanbaktou. With a raised eyebrow Jun now noticed the faint almost invisible burn scars upon her hands. Yes, Hiiro’s zanbaktou was just filled with suprises.

“You need to learn to properly control your zanbaktou.” She remarked coldly and took a few steps away from her. Hiiro nodded, “Yes, I know…” She pouted, blowing on her palm waiting for the heat to die down and the redness to go away. “However, an enemy will not wait for your little self inflicted wounds to get better…” Jun turned back to Hiiro. Who only looked up quickly in surprise before She winced and lifted her blade in time to catch Jun’s attack. The loud sound of metal hitting metal left Hiiro’s ears ringing and her heart thumping with adrenalin.

Both of them froze when the door opened, Jun jumped back quickly and sheathed her blade. “Kasumi-san, I am glad to see you are able to walk”. She replied formally and bowed. Hiiro’s face brightened and she turned quickly sliding Sunibunki into her Sheath.
“Kasumi-kun!” she smiled taking a deep breath, a much-needed break was needed from the surprisingly ruthless training Jun had been giving her.

Worry flashed in Hiiro’s eyes and she hurried to him, He looked dizzy and for a moment he looked like he might faint. “How are you feeling is anything…” her voice trailed off as she looked to him. “Kasumi-kun…” The bandages were gone, and his wounds had seemed to disappear.

Hiiro walked up to him quickly, Her eye’s betrayed concern and confusion. She adjusted her own collar, sliding it off her shoulder. She looked up to him for a moment before looking back down to his chest. It was healed, how was this possible? No, it wasn’t, that was the thing. This was an impossible healing. She traced the thin white scar down his chest to where his Shihaksho covered the rest of it. It was all perfectly restored. To have such a perfect scar, it is something that takes years to heal. Long after the wounds have closed. She could feel his pulse within the scar. Feel the heat from the fire that inflicted the pain. How was he suddenly better? She looked up to him her brows furrowed with worry.

She had been to visit him just the other day and he was still in so much pain he could hardly move…what changed? “What happened Kasumi-kun?” She asked him her hand still pressed against her chest. Fingers splayed feeling the heat of the fire and his pulse gently against her palm. She looked back down to his chest and a small smile spread on her face.

He was ok.

The smallest thought ran through her head and made her smile, this odd happening, whatever it was, it had healed him. He was better, he was ok. Hiiro fell against him her forehead against his chest and she laughed. She didn’t know why but She was just so happy. “You had me worried for nothing.” Hiiro giggled. Looking back up to him with a bright smile. “How do you feel?” She asked in a softer voice. “Is their anything I can get you?” She brushed some hair out of her face, looking up to him with a wonderful smile and sparkling eyes.

“What happened Kasumi-kun?”

The words fell on him harder than expected. He had no idea how to answer that question. Should he tell her or not? Would she be mad, or would she understand? Either way he did not want to take the risk. And he did not want her to know that he had stooped to taking anything from Muriasachi, because he knew that it sounded as stupid as it was. But it was something he had to do. The drug might have side effects but it would do more than sitting in bed. It was a win lose situation, he just did not know which it was going to be.

Before he had the opportunity to answer, she cut in again. “You had me worrying over nothing.” The thought made him smile, so did Hiiro's cute tone of voice and the smile that followed. She seemed happy, he was not about to burst that. It was what he had taken risk to do – make her happy and protect her. But at this point, he just hoped he could at least do that.

“How do you feel?”

“Is there anything I can get you?”

Her happy chatter made Kasumi's smile even larger. Her hand on his chest was what he had longed to feel for a long time. He had thought about her and her mysterious touch that seemed to always take away pain ever since he could remember knowing her. And here she was, practicing that wonderful sensation on him.

Moving his own hand, Kasumi placed his hand on hers. “I feel fine, and I do not wish for anything to be brought to me. I came here to see to your training with my own eyes. It is Shuunske-sama's orders that I try my hardest to teach you the shunpo technique. So that is what I am here to do!”

Kasumi bent his head, and his smile remained, his hand still on the hand of the girl that he had loved since he had met her. It brought him back to the academy, memories of Kifuume raced through his head.

It had been a cold winter day that time. Kasumi sat under a tree, watching as Kifuume swing his wooden sword around. Hiiro laughed and giggled as he did so. He was so jealous that Kifuume had all the attention, at the same time he knew it was all in his head. Hiiro and him were just as good friends, but Kasumi was always the quiet one that stood behind Kifuume, and acted as the tag along. At least that was how all the people at his grade level saw it. His fingers moved across the wooden blade of his own zanpakutou look alike.

“I am working myself into a sweat Hiiro-chan, even in this weather! Feel!” Kifuume walked over to Hiiro, where she also sat under a tree. Pulling back the blue trimmed kimono like uniform that the male students wore, he exposed his chest until the skin over his heart was visible. Kasumi saw the fine toned muscle, and his cheeks turned pink.

Moving his hands to pull aside his own uniform to his heart, Kasumi studied his own chest. There was muscle, it was toned, but did not compete with Kifuume's. And Kasumi had worked harder as well. Kasumi pushed back the uniform to its original place, and the blush moved into the anger that he was not as good as Kifuume.

Hiiro giggled again as her hand touched Kifuume's chest, the toned muscle flexing as she did so against her cold hands. He was perfect, legs bent into kneeling position. Hiiro smiled, and nodded her head, in agreeing that his temperature contrasted the cold of the out doors.

Kasumi could not stand it anymore. He wanted Hiiro's attention now! It was his turn! He had worked just as hard, no harder than Kifuume, and did not want to be the one sitting under the tree any longer.

Standing, Kasumi started running at Kifuume, his blade pulled from the small sash that kept it normally in place. Kifuume looked over, his young body reacting perfectly to the incoming attack. Kasumi hid his anger and jealousy with a cunning grin as he raced in, sword raised high in the air.

Kifuume's sword came in faster than he had expected. Kasumi tried his hardest to dodge and counter attack with a slash to his side, a move that had almost caught him off guard last time. In one moment however, Kifuume had thrown his sword into the snow, and caught Kasumi's arm with his left arm, catching his right arm, the one carrying the blade, Kasumi turned to his left hand, throwing a punch as he tried to break free of Kifuume, now weaponless.

“Way of binding number one – Sai!”

All of a sudden, Kasumi could not move, and his fingers let go of his sword as his arms flew back behind him into a locked position. He had mastered the bakudo without even needing to say the incantation. Kasumi fell to the ground, his arms locked. Hiiro giggled again as Kifuume did the usual, and completely beat Kasumi.

Only now it was Hiiro with her hands on his chest this time, and now he was just as toned. He wished that he could fight Kifuume now, not only to prove to Hiiro that he was just as good, but to prove to himself.

Kasumi looked over at Jun in order to speak, but was shot down by the look she was giving him. His eyes widened. She would obviously know what happened. About Muriasachi's ability to heal like that, and then she would know that there was huge risk. Kasumi hoped that she would not spill anything.

“Thank you for training Hiiro-chan while I could not, Jun-san.”

She nodded, still looking at him. “It had to be done. We could not have her dragging us down in another fight. We cannot afford anymore casualties. Furthermore, I now have a grasp on her fighting style, and way of moving. I think that if push comes to shove, I might even be able to fight along side of her, that is, if she has more training that pushes her a little harder. My ability to wield a blade is not my strong point, as you might know Kasumi-san.”

Kasumi nodded. It was time for him to once again train Hiiro. Last time he had tried to train her in the art of shunpo, he had been interrupted by the attack on the 11th division men. As it was now, Jun and Muriasachi were going to have to be included in the attack party. Both were powerful, Muriasachi undeniably powerful, as he was a captain, and Jun wonderful with kido.

“I have come to resume my training Hiiro-chan in the art of shunpo. Do you mind if I take over from here?”

Jun shook her head, and sheathed her zanpakutou, placing it back in its sash. “Please do.”

Kasumi smiled, and grabbed Hiiro's hand, removing from his chest, as much as he loved the feeling, he knew that he needed to teach her the ability to use shunpo to keep up in battle. At this point, only two enemies were known of, and both were extremely fast, one fast enough to rival Shuunske, and the other able to match Kasumi, and actually injure him like she had.

Allowing her hand to drag down his chest until the uniform stopped her fingers from lingering any more, Kasumi started walking to the middle of the large wooden floor. Jun walked to the opposite corner of the room, not leaving the room.

“Eh, before anything more in this room is done, I expect to see something for myself.”

The words rung chills in Kasumi's back, sending them all the way down his legs. It was the voice of Muriasachi. What did he want further?

Looking over to his left, where the door was, he saw the tall and gloomy figure of Muriasachi standing there, his hand on the zanpakutou that hung in front of him, a long hook connecting it to the sash.

“I need to see one more thing, Kasumi-dono. Please do not let you guard down.”

As soon as the sentence was spoken, Muriasachi was gone, appearing behind Kasumi with a flash step. Kasumi countered with a flash step as well, skidding to a stop back near to Jun. “What are you doing Muriasachi-captain!?”

There was no answer except the sound of a blade swinging at him from above, Muriasachi was quick, as expected form a captain. Kasumi drew his own zanpakutou and raised it just in time to black the attack. The sword came down harder than he expected. Or did it? Kasumi's arm gave in a little to the attack, and before he could counter, Muriasachi was on his right side, with an aimed stab to his side.

Kasumi jumped to a dodge, but the blade raised, and Muriasachi stepped in, the blade coming up at Kasumi's face. Kasumi knocked it away with his own sword, but not before the blade of Muriasachi connected with his cheek, making a light cut. Blood spilled out.

“C'mon Kasumi-dono, this is not what I would expect from a vice captain of the 11th squad.”

It was true. What was happening? Why was his reaction time so slowed and why was he unable to see the attacks as they came? He was weakened. Had he been bedridden that long? He was not at his own full strength. Breathing hard, Kasumi bent his blade towards Muriasachi, and spoke.

“I am not a test subject Muriasachi-san. I do not intend to deal with this.” With that, Kasumi took a step forward, just before a sudden deafening dizziness hit his head. There was a small numb feeling in his cheek, that spread to his head, and Kasumi fell to one knee. His zanpakutou fell beside him. Grabbing his cheek, he felt no cut. It was completely gone. Nothing.

The serum had regenerated it. It was still active in his body. What did that mean? Had he taken to much?

“You became a test subject to me ever since you agreed to take the regenerative serum I offered. Do not pretend not to have known this would happen. This is what you agreed to dear Kasumi-dono.” With that, Muriasacshi disappeared again, and reappeared behind Kasumi, taking hold of his tight pony tail, and with one quick slice, cutting his hair at once even length.

Kasumi's reaction time was cut in half, and by the time he could react, it was too late. His hair fell back down over him, aside from the section that Muirasachi held, the majority of his once long hair. It fell over his neck, short and chopped. Kasumi swung his fist, but Muriasachi jumped back and looked over at Hiiro, poised in her own stance, and spoke again.

“Is it not funny what people will do just to protect the people around them? It seems that you have caused Kasumi to take another blow for you Hiiro. All I had to do was mention your name, and he does anything you ask. It was easy to get him to do anything he could just to protect you. Isn't that funny little girl? That he would steak so much on you? I think it is quite amusing. I am done here.”

The heavy feeling washed over his body over and over again, keeping Kasumi from replying, or moving in any way. He was useless. Again.

“M-Muriasachi-s-san... W-why...?” Kasumi struggled to get the words out as the numbing once again started to reside. Muriasachi simply looked back up at him. A thin smile spread over his lips, and he turned beckoning Jun with his eyes. She skipped into place, following him, the same monotone look on her face, only this time, a hint of sadness on it as well. She had warned him once before not to take anything Muriasachi offered him unless he had also undergone the body modification that Jun and he had gone through to make everything able to collide with their bodies. It was her way of caring.

She looked away as she left the room, biting her lip before going back to her monotone expression. The door closed behind them. Kasumi fell to his side, his uniform ties coming undone where they had been quickly re tied by Kasumi before entering the room, allowing his shirt to once again gap down to his low waist. He leaned on a single elbow, slumped against the wall, his hair falling in his face like a wounded dog. There was a silence in the room.

“I am s-sorry Hiiro-chan.”

...

Hiiro felt butterflies in her stomach; she had been waiting until she could train with kasumi. She was excited to learn Shunpo, and having a break from Jun’s ruthless nonstop training would also be nice. Through the days hiiro had learned to like Jun well enough, however she sported enough bruises to be weary of her teaching methods.

Jun walked carefully to the side of the room, standing like a elegant, emotionless statue, Hiiro watched her for a moment, only to have her attention snapped back to Kasumi as he took the hand that she had placed upon his chest and held it lightly for a moment. The softest pink color dusted her cheeks and she removed her hand gently from his chest.

She had almost forgotten her hand was there. Her hand silently slipped back into place by her side. Feeling colder now that it wasn’t against the warmth of his skin. For the briefest moment she felt perfectly at ease. Looking up at Kasumi with a bright smile.
Then she felt him. That horrible rieatsu that made her skin crawl and reminded her of chemicals and death.

“Eh, before anything more in this room is done, I expect to see something for myself.”

Hiiro turned, her head whipping around to see the chilling 12th division captain standing at the doorway. Her eye’s narrowed, what did he want here?

“I need to see one more thing, Kasumi-dono. Please do not let you guard down.”

Her eye’s widened, what was going on? Time froze and her heart skipped as suddenly, the air changed. From the relaxed atmosphere it had been the air turned into that of a tense battlefield. Suddenly Kasumi wasn’t next to her, she felt a pulse of air as Kasumi used flash step to move away quickly, and Muriasachi shot past her. What was happening? She looked towards the room and saw no one but Jun. Staying to the far corner of the room. Her eye’s closed as if she did not want to have to watch.

What was happening? Suddenly Kasumi and Muriasachi appeared. Kasumi was struggling. His cheek split open and Blood dripped down the side of his face. No…they weren’t…

Hiiro’s heart thudded as panic shot through her veins. What was going on? So many questions ran through her brain but she couldn’t answer any of them! Kasumi fell onto one knee. Her eye’s widened, what the hell was Muriasachi-sama doing? “Stop it.” Her words were faint; she didn’t even mean to say them. The thoughts just ran through her head over and over. Stop it! Leave him alone! What are you doing? She took a few steps foreword before Muriasachi’s words cut her down and she froze dead in her tracks.

“You became a test subject to me ever since you agreed to take the regenerative serum I offered. Do not pretend not to have known this would happen. This is what you agreed to dear Kasumi-dono.”

It felt like her heart had stopped beating for a moment. Kasumi did what? She looked to Kasumi who looked to weak to stand let along fight a captain! Why did he do such a thing? Shuunske had warned them about Muriasachi. How could he have done something so reckless? Hiiro took a few steps foreword. Suddenly, anger flared as he grasped Kasumi’s hair and with a clean swoop. Severed the raven locks from his head. Her mouth fell open in pure shock. And rage slowly boiled inside her.

yes…she truly hated this man.

“Please Muriasachi-sama-“ Hiiro’s words were cut off with a short squeak as he was suddenly In front of her, grasping a handful of Kasumi’s hair in one hand and the handle of his zanbaktou in the other. She looked up to him with wide eye’s that burned with confusion and anger. How could he live with himself? To keep such a poised a smug smirk upon his face after he had done such a thing.

“Is it not funny what people will do just to protect the people around them? It seems that you have caused Kasumi to take another blow for you Hiiro. All I had to do was mention your name, and he does anything you ask. It was easy to get him to do anything he could just to protect you. Isn't that funny little girl? That he would steak so much on you? I think it is quite amusing. I am done here.”

His words cut more than any knife could. And he could see it in her face. Her expression went into blank shock and horror as she listened to his spiteful words. Her jaw clenched and She avoided his eyes. He had done it for her, everything. Kasumi put himself in all of that danger for…her? Why…why was he so easy to manipulate when he used her? He used her….

Hiiro clenched her fists. He had used her, manipulated Kasumi using her. A thick white-hot hatred boiled from her core and she looked backup at Muriasachi, through her scarlet bangs, her eyes burning like raw embers. It took every ounce of her self-restraint at this moment in time. This bastard, this son of a bitch, She hope for the day they were not on the same side and She wouldn’t have to give a damn about self restraint. Her mouth opened, she was going to do it…Spill out the words she so painfully wanted to say.

But her anger melted, when she heard his voice. All the rage in her soul was sucked away and She turned to Kasumi. Her eye’s widened , he looked broken. Kasumi looked like a beaten dog. Thrown out with no strength left to fight. Blood smeared his face but there was no longer any cut to show were the blood had come from. She looked back quickly. Tearing herself away from Kasumi to look to Jun. Jun-chan, whose monotone eye’s expressed enough empathy to make Hiiro want to thank her. Jun was a cold person, but she looked sorrowful as she followed Muriasachi out. Closing the door gently behind her.

A thump snapped Hiiro back to Kasumi, who had fallen onto his side, His chopped hair falling into his face, and his jaw clenched tightly.
“K-kasumi-kun!” Suddenly the adrenalin kicked in and she ran to him. Falling to her knees and holding her hands out unsure what she should do. Her heart hurt, her whole chest hurt for him and She just took his face in her hands. Brushing the hair from his face. She frowned and her eyes were watery as she was on the verge of tears. His body felt cool.

“I am s-sorry Hiiro-chan…”

“My god…Kasumi-kun what have you done to yourself…” She whispered cupping the side of his face for a moment before she helped move him into a sitting position against the wall. Her eye’s fell over his now fully exposed chest. The white scar…it must have healed like that because of what Muriasachi had given him.
“Why did you do this?” She asked sitting back onto her legs. Her hands placed upon her legs and her bangs falling into her eyes. She was shaking, biting her lip to keep her tears in.

“I…. Kasumi I’m not worth Risking your health over….” She looked up at him with such a pained expression on her face. “Please, I don’t want to see you hurting like this…” She brushed the shortened black hair out of his face. She couldn’t’ stay angry with him, Hiiro wasn’t sure she was angry with him at all. She just, hated how she could be used so easily to manipulate him. “Promise me…you won’t do anything stupid like this again? You shouldn’t trust Muriasachi-sama…tsk.” She ran her fingers through his choppy hair.

“What did something like this accomplish…” She seemed to ask herself before looking back into Kasumi’s eyes. The pain was still there, within her auburn irises. But a concern came over her, She just wanted to get whatever this was…out of him…He looked horrible. Anything just to help him smile again.

“I’m so sorry Kasumi-kun…” She looked back to the chopped hair. “Oh…Shuunske-sama is going to be pissed.” She murmured. Somehow, that thought made her smile. She looked to Kasumi with a little devious smile. “Maybe he will Scold Muriasachi-sama again…I hope so, then at least somebody would be able to tell him that he shouldn’t cut people’s hair for no reason.” She took his hand and stood up, leaning down so she didn’t pull him up. Her hair fell over her left shoulder and She gave him a concerned kind smile.

“Let’s go, and get you fixed up. No sorry’s, or apologies. Let’s worry about fixing what you’ve gone and done to yourself.” She wasn’t smiling while she was speaking these words. It was clear the sadness was still there. However she was ignoring it. Hiiro just wanted Kasumi to get better.

“So first things first. Let’s get to the bathhouse, fix your hair and when your feeling better we can train later ok?” She offered him now a soft smile, and helped pull him to his feet.
“Come on….” She held his hand tightly. Hiiro didn’t want to leave Kasumi alone again. She didn’t even want to think what could happen if Muriasachi went after him again. The thought sent more shivers up her spine.

The numb feeling in Kasumi's body started to reside. Noise was again audible. Kasumi looked up just as Jun looked away. What was going on? He had done this all in order to protect Hiiro, of which he could not do like this. Still, it was better than before, where he was in bed. He could at least try now.

“My god... Kasumi-kun, what have you done to yourself...?”

Kasumi had no answer. He did not want to answer her. He did not feel able to answer her. It seemed so stupid. That he was so easily manipulation. But he had known it was manipulation. It was different. He was not made to do anything. He could have refused. He could have. Right? It was for Hiiro. All of it was for Hiiro. And Shuunske. And for the sake of protection!

“Why did you do this?”

Again, Kasumi could not answer her. He did not have anything to tell her other than he loved her. He wanted nothing more than to feel her touch him again. He wanted more than that. He wanted her. He loved her. And he could never have her. He was just a stupid man, easily manipulated, and weak. He had always been weak. “I w-want to be able to protect you, Hiiro-chan. I want to be able to protect Shuunske-sama. And...” His thoughts trailed off as another head rush hit him. Going limp, he fell backwards again, this time caught by Hiiro, who held him with the tenderness that he loved about her.

He was so close, so then why could he not tell her how he felt? Why had he never been able to tell her?

Rejection.

“Kasumi... I am not worth risking your health over...”

The words pained Kasumi just to hear them. She was more than worth it. Kasumi had longed his whole life to be able to save Hiiro as he had done before in the woods. To prove that Kifuume was not the only one that could do so. It was his only way of showing his love for her. “Hiiro-chan, p-please don't say that. If you were not worth it, then I would not have...” his sentence was interrupted when Kasumi arched his back, and started coughing, covering his mouth. He could taste blood. Only a little, but blood none the less.

Swallowing it so Hiiro would not see, Kasumi looked back up at her, his eyes watery as if he was going to cry, sadness rushing through him that he was not strong enough to put up a fight against Muriasachi. In front of Hiiro as well. He had only made himself look like a fool.

“Please, I don't want to see you hurting like this...”

Kasumi tried to smile, but the blood came through, making his lips red with the small amount of red liquid. This was the side effect of only that amount of moving in combat situation. What about if he had really pushed himself, opening shikai, and using kido? What would happen to him? Would these effects wear down?

“Promise me you will not do anything stupid like this again? You should not trust Muriasachi-sama... tsk.”

Kasumi could make no such promise, because he tried his hardest to keep them. And he knew that if the situation called for it, he would easily do something more directly stupid to save her. This was just making sure he could be there in the first place to be able to make that decision and save her. That is what he would do. He would be able to save her. And then some how he would live too. And then he could confess his feelings to her. And... and...

Before any of this was going to happen, Hiiro needed to become stronger, and he needed to heal as well. Shuunske, Muriasachi, and Jun were the only ones that, at this point, were suitable for combat against the enemies outside, and they still knew nothing about them. It would take all of them in collaborative force to face the shinigami outside.

Moving his hand to feel his hair, Kasumi gritted his teeth. The nerve that captain had. Even Kasumi knew that only one hair had to be taken for a DNA testing, and yet, Muriasachi had not stopped there. No. He had taken the whole majority of Kasumi's long hair.

Kasumi felt Hiiro pulling at him as his consciousness came back to him in a flood. Opening his eyes to their normal size. He had not heard anything she had said. Where were they going? He looked up at Hiiro like an innocent child would his mother after a fight in which he had been beaten badly after trying to stick up for the loner kid.

Moving his own legs with some difficulty, Kasumi was able to stand once again. It was as he had to think about moving his legs one after another. Step. Step. Step. The numbing was almost completely gone now. But sheer exhaustion took its place.

Hiiro led him out of the door, and started walking down the hall. With one arm under him, to help hold him up, they started walking forward. Silence swept over them like water rushing down a river. He never wanted to see Hiiro upset again. He would make another vow. Could he keep it?

It only took about seven minutes to get there, seven minutes which seemed like a couple hours to Kasumi who was constantly trying to keep himself up right and appear strong for Hiiro. The doors were large, and he remembered where this was. The bath house.

A smile spread across his lips before he thought about it. What was she planning on doing? She was not going to unclothe him was she? What were they doing here? Then Kasumi thought of a bath. It sounded so nice.

Pushing off of Hiiro, Kasumi stood on his own. The exhaustion was fading and he could once more function by himself for the most part. A large smile came back onto his face, as if he was back to his old self once more, only able to joke around Hiiro. Pushing her slightly Kasumi spoke, “The bath house huh? Forget your supposed to be training Hiiro-chan?” He said it in a tone that translated to: think your gunna get me naked huh? All as a joke.

Laughing to himself, before he pushed the doors open, Kasumi gasped. Once again he had only seen this room on the map lay out that Shuunske had given him. He had always resorted to using the more personal shower in his room, over the heavily royal bath house that he was in now.

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing 1000placesworld.1148235600.indoor-roman-bath

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing 1000placesworld.1148235600.indoor-roman-bath

Large plants rose up on either side of him. Steam billowed out of the door, and pooled up as he closed it behind him and Hiiro. The walls and floor alike were made from stones that had been elegantly pasted together with a smooth gray cement like filling. The roof as well was made of stone, only a white stone as apposed to the darker gray stones that made the whole place appear dark. Heat burst in on them with the steam, making Kasumi glad that his shirt was open already. His uniform wavered a little in the steam as it rolled over him, making him damp.

Taking a step into the first room, Kasumi saw a large pool of warm water that was sunken right into the ground. The same polished smooth rocks were along the bottom of the pool, inviting anyone in. Looking around, that room led off into other rooms. Quickly scoping out the locker room, Kasumi noted that there was not a different one for men and women.

A slight blush moved over his face.

Looking back over at Hiiro, who he was sure had noticed the same thing, Kasumi smiled.

“Why did you bring me here Hirro-chan?”

His voice still wavered, and was still quiet and weak, but not as weak as before. Kasumi then noted that the locker room was a large open room, where the stones were more flat, and easier to walk on. It would be a good place to resume after he rested a bit.

“Ummm... Hiiro-chan... Do you mind if I get in? I think it would do me good to rest and sit for a while.” His voice almost cracked from being weak, making him sound young and innocent. He looked down with big eyes at Hiiro, as if he was asking her permission. She was beautiful.

“Hold on Hiiro-chan,” Kasumi said as he studied the rooms. “You wait here m'kay?”

With that, Kasumi walked into the room, and took a right, into another room. The room was full of mirrors, placed at random angles, and positions. Looking in one, Kasumi frowned. His hair lay lifeless, cut at a random length the left side slightly longer than the right side.

Grabbing his zanpakutou from its sheath, Kasumi placed it to his hair, the mirrors reflecting his image from behind and in front so he could see himself fully. In one more cut, Kasumi lost another lock of hair, evening out the length. From there, he grabbed his hair under the top hair, and started cutting it as well, in a way to layer it.

About ten minutes later, Kasumi looked back in the mirror, his sword now lowered back to the ground. He smiled. The hair that had been awkwardly cut just ten minutes ago now looked like it had been meant to look as it did.

Falling in rugged locks now, Kasumi's hair was much shorter around his head, and layered so that is looked like it was messy, but in a stylish way. Giving himself the thumbs up, and a sort of approval, Kasumi prepared to step into the pools, slipping the top layer of his uniform off, and letting it fall to the ground, exposing his tightly toned chest and torso muscles.

His bottoms were already very pulled down but revealed only down to his low waist. Muscles moved down until they were covered by the pant length material. Giving himself the thumbs up once more, Kasumi looked over himself. He liked the new look, but was never happy with anything to a full extent. Whenever he looked at himself, he always compared himself to Kifuume.

None the less, Hiiro was not the type of girl to be judgmental that he was not naturally as handsome as Kifuume, a boy that did not need to do anything to look the way he did. Girls flocked to him, and disregarded Kasumi.

Walking back out into the room that he had come from, Kasumi saw Hiiro sitting on the edge of the pool of warmed water, her feet in. She did not notice his silent walking until he spoke.

“Do you mind if I join you – Hiiro-chan?”

Hiiro really loved the bathhouse. She loved how the steam would curl and dance out of the doorway as you opened the door. Stepping in she could feel as the air became thicker and more humid. She could feel her clothes become damp and heavy against her skin.

Hiiro had found the bathhouse a few days ago while Kasumi was still in his comatose sleep. It seemed hardly anybody had actually been using it. To her it felt more like just this wonderful secret room that she had all to herself.

Her breath became heavier as she breathed in the vapors. Her clothes were already starting to heat her body up. It had to have been at least 20 degree’s warmer inside the bathhouse then outside in the halls.

Hiiro turned to Kasumi as his casual laugh touched her ears. He nudged her shoulder with a playful chuckled and a quirky grin upon his face.

“The bath house huh? Forget you’re supposed to be training Hiiro-chan?”

Her face flushed a few different shades of red and she glanced away from him, unable to form a proper reply to his little joke. She wanted to bring him here so he could heal, Not really forgetting about training with him. But the recent turn of events just made her priorities shift slightly. Kasumi feeling better was on the top of her list. Training will come afterwards.

They stepped into the bathhouse and Hiiro looked around with a content smile. The room was stunning in it’s own secret way. It was totally different from the rest of the Safe house.

Ivy plants and various other vines grew over the Gray walls, and jutting out from the nature upon the wall was a little stone platform that held a Crystal the size of a basketball. The Crystal was glowing from some sort of Kido. These stones illuminated the Bathhouse. Making the steam look more like fog and the room with low white ceilings to simply shimmer and glow with the unusual light. It made the room just look magical.

Hiiro looking through the huge room, admiring the large pool of warm water for a moment. Her eyes went to scan the walls, noticing the only halls lead to the Steam rooms or cold plunges or the locker room. But there was no separation between a man and a woman’s. Why did this always seem to be the case? Hiiro gave a small sigh. It was the exact same way back in the 11th division bathhouse as well.

But Kasumi was here. Normally she wouldn’t go into the bathhouse unless she had previously made sure nobody was there. Kifuume had walked in on her once…. That was always a memory that made him laugh and would turn her entire complexion a deep scarlet.

“Ummm... Hiiro-chan... Do you mind if I get in? I think it would do me good to rest and sit for a while.”

“H-huh oh y-yes that is perfectly fine!” Hiiro replied quickly, her voice cracked a bit and she inwardly scolded herself for her carelessness. Her mind quickly wandered looking back at the pool then to Kasumi, her eye’s widened. If he was going to soak he would be…

She thanked god the room was dim enough so her blush would be more difficult to see. Even through the heat of the room she could feel her face light up and She brushed a lock of damp hair into her face so that hopefully if he did see her blush he would just mistake it for her hair…

“You wait here m'kay?”

Hiiro actually jumped and nodded quickly. “ Yes of course go on ahead!” She clasped her hands behind her back and nodded. “I’ll just wait out here for you.” She answered tilting her head to one side with a smile.

As soon as he turned, walking away from her. And his footsteps echoed down the short hall. She let her hands fall to her sides and her shoulders to slump. With a soft groan she sank down to the edge of the pool. Removing her sandal like shoes and pulled her hair loose from the hair tie. She let her smile fade to that of worry some frown and her feet slipped gently into the warm water.

What was she going to do? How could she tell him at a time like this? Hey Kasumi-kun I know we’ve been friends for ever. but I’ve found that during all this bloodshed and death, Trauma, near death experiences, branding you with my sword, and your coma…well I found that I have feelings for you….

No…that clearly wasn’t going to work. She hated it but there was just no way she could tell him. So many things were happening how could she? It would just be selfish to put any sort of strain upon him right now. It was clearly unlikely he would even think of her that way at all. They were friends, and nothing more. Besides putting that sort of thoughts onto him would sonly be a huge strain on his body and mind…it was straining her and she was thinking them! Hiiro took another heavy sigh and just hoped she could sweat away her problems; That…somehow the perfect opportunity would just present itself, and she wouldn’t have to keep worrying about anything like this.

“Do you mind if I join you – Hiiro-chan?”

She heard Kasumi walk back out the hall. Not turning to look at him she nodded.
“Huh? Oh yes of course Kasumi-“ She Looked back over her shoulder to look at him and her words just…stopped.

He looked like a god. For a moment she was sure the heat had just gone to her head and she was seeing things. Had she died? Because all she knew at the moment was that fact that the ground was under her fingertips. And Kasumi stood just a few feet away from her. Looking such a way that she could not longer form words.

His Shihauksho was cast away, leaving him shirtless. Exposing as muscular well-toned chest, that had already become damp in the thick steam. And…. Oh god his hair. She knew somewhere in the distance functioning part of her brain, she knew the perfect way to approach this situation.

“Oh wow kasumi-kun.” Hiiro would murmur and stand up, walking over to him with a careful smile and half lidded eyes. She would run her fingers gently through this new hair and just smile, leaning against him just ever so slightly. “I love it.” She would purr and place her hand against his chest feeling his heartbeat and tensed muscles.

To bad that she couldn’t even form words…it was back to the reality for her. Where she just sat, staring at him with wide eye’s and her mouth slack. Heart Thumping so roughly against her chest She was worried he could see ripples of it in the water around her ankles.

“I…I uh.” She stammered feeling she might just slip and fall onto the ground and still not move an inch. “ …Wow.” She remarked breathlessly. Before removing her feet from the water and stood half hazardly, worrying she might fall over or something from the heat. She couldn’t stop looking at him. He was beautiful; no…it was some indescribable word that just…took her breath away.

“You…you look…just…wow.” She started to laugh slightly at her own inability to speak. Placing a hand against her forehead She just laughed at herself for a moment.
“You look…incredible, kasumi-kun…” Hiiro finally managed to say before looking at him bashfully through the curtains of her damp scarlet hair. It had suddenly just got a lot hotter in here for her.

Taking a few gasps of breath she started to fan herself. “. A…wow sorry I just got, really lightheaded.” She closed her eyes and took a few breaths. Her Shihauksho was sticking her to her so uncomfortably. And her whole body was heating up.

Hiiro went to her sash around her waist and Removed Sunibunki from her side, setting it down gingerly against a smooth stone. Breathing a simple sigh of relief just to be shed of the heavy item upon her hip. Pulling the white soft cloth sash from around her waist and Felt the folds of her top loosen. Hugging her sides She shrugged off the folds of her Shihaksho with a pleased sigh as her warm skin was exposed to the steamy air.

She remained motionless for a moment, enjoying the cooling sensation of the steam upon her skin. Holding the final folds from fully exposing her chest and her undergarments.
Hiiro’s face flushed and she glanced to Kasumi embarrassed for a moment. She knew she wasn’t getting totally naked but it still made her heart flutter slightly. After a short moment she removed the clothing, Exposing the rest of her skin and knelt down, folding it quickly and placing the discarded top next to her zanbaktou. She gave a large sigh and flipped her hair as she stood up so her long scarlet hair cascaded over her left shoulder.

A tight elastic sort of wrap covered her breasts, holding them firmly against her chest like what a human’s sort of sports bra would do. They didn’t have anything like that in the soul society so most Shinigami women just used what Hiiro then had on. However it only concealed her Breasts from plane sight. The elastic fitted her form perfectly. Stopping just below her rib cadge and exposing her flat toned stomach. Her arms were thin, and didn’t betray how strong she actually was.

The bottom airy pants of the Shihauksho Settled upon her hips, exposing her hipbones and more of her flawless taunt Skin. Hiiro Stretched, Simply loving the feeling of not being choked by her Shihauksho anymore. Feeling the cool damp steam against her heated skin. The thick steam was already giving her skin a soft Sheen as it coated her in the thin mist. Hiiro looked back at Kasumi with a small bashful smile and eye’s that held a Seduction She didn’t mean to even have.

“Ha ha…Sorry, I was baking in that.” She folded her arms behind her back and smiled.
“You…said you wanted to soak right? I bet the steam and the water would be good for you…” She smiled, walking over to him, Splashing in tiny puddles as she made her way towards him. The initial shock of this new haircut seemed to pass, though her heart still pounded against her chest. Approaching him casually. She brushed her fingers over the short spikes of this new hair of his, Hiiro laughed.

“I really like this Kasumi-kun…it suits you well.” She smiled running her hands through his hair gently. Feeling the new softness of his hair and how easily she could move her fingers through the ebony locks. “ For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve had long hair. Maybe this new change could be interesting.” She laughed before taking a few steps away from him to look him over again.

God he was amazing looking. Hiiro giggled lightly at her own thoughts and still felt the blush upon her cheeks. She really hoped it wasn’t noticeable, because if he had noticed. She had been blushing nearly this whole time. “Go on, soak for a little while. Just being in here is good enough for me…who knows? Maybe we can even just train in here?” There was a hint of question in her voice and she crossed her arms in front of her, pushing her breasts up and together slightly. She had a slightly flirty joking expression on.

“Maybe if we stay in here nobody will find us and Muriasachi-sama won’t come screaming in like an angry bear looking for even more of your hair.” She teased with a mused expression upon her face.

The steam was hot against his body, and Kasumi felt it saturating on him, making him sweat and odorless sweat, making his body shine. Each rippled muscle was outlined by the shine of the moisture on him, and made him look like he was covered in an oil that brought out the tone in his muscles.

Kasumi smiled as Hiiro fluttered around him. He liked the new look as well, but had not expected the huge fluttery explosion of energy he had received from Hiiro, rendering her speechless. She stammered and could not complete her sentence. Kasumi smiled, and gave her a teasing expression, as if to say silly Hiiro-chan.

Kasumi had not had his shirt off in front of Hiiro ever before, at least not while he was conscious, and the thought made him almost shy. Remembering Kifuume, and his perfection made him almost turn away, and look to the water as a way to hide his body from the girl, afraid of her silent judgment. Afraid that is might be a comparison to Kifuume. Or even Shuunske, the true perfection. Although he was only a boy, he was one to be compared to in terms of issues of the body as he had none.

Turning back to Hiiro, Kasumi paused as he saw her shake as if in the middle of a head rush. Her eyes looked glazed for a second, and she started fanning herself. He knew that it must be from the uniform she was wearing trapping in all of her heat. They had only brought thick material built uniforms with them on this mission as the snow and cold safe house even called for that type of readiness. It was not stop anyone from getting cold while in the snow, but the material, combined with the activeness and movement in any given situation would be enough given how much movement was occurring.

But being in such a hot place with that thick material on made Kasumi hot just thinking about it. And in that moment, as if Hiiro had read his mind, she released her zanpakutou from the fabric that held her uniform together. Placing it on the ground, Hiiro took the white sash and then started to further loosen the uniform by untying the small bands of fabric that held the top together.

As a proper act of small amounts of privacy, Kasumi did not look, and instead turned his head in the way of the pool, still able to see her reflection and thus accomplishing nothing. It was not as if she was taking off her clothes he did not think however. In fact he was sure of it. Hiiro was very reserved about her own body most of the time, and Kasumi had only seen her without her uniform once, back in the academy, but that was before most of the developmental stages had even started, and before he had even thought to care. This was new.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kasumi saw the top being thrown to the ground, right with her zanpakutou, folded as he had expected from the small red headed girl. She was always so neat and organized, one of the main reasons Shuunske had recruited her. To bring her order to the 11th squad, a squad of men and dogs. Trigger happy powerhouses that had made it into the combat squad, all pumping with masculinity.

Looking back up, Kasumi took his turn to be in aw. Looking over her body, she held herself straight up, hugging herself so that her breasts were pushed together. The scanty top she was wearing was only enough to her breasts in, and the form fitting and rather revealing fabric only lasted until her rib cage stopped. Allowing her toned stomach to be seen. Her skin was almost tan in comparison to her normal paleness. The small indentations of where her muscle was was also noticeable in the dim light which cast shadows on both her's and his features. Her uniform was cast in the same way his was, showing her hip bones, and perfect shape.

“Sorry... I was baking in that...” The girl said with an innocence that made Kasumi want to break his guard over his heart and hug her and tell her everything here and now. But he could not. It was not about him at this moment. It was all about her, and getting her to where she needed to be in order to fight on par or closer to par with the other shinigami just outside.

“You... said you wanted to soak right? I bet the steam and water would be good for you...”

Kasumi agreed. “Yes, Hiiro-chan. I promise it will only take a second. Is that okay with you?”

He already knew the answer, of course it was fine. She must have known he knew the answer for she avoided the given answer completely, and finally took hold of her ability to speak, complimenting his hair, and new look.

“I really like this Kasumi-kun, it suits you well...”

“For as long as I have known you, you ave had long hair. Maybe this new change will be interesting...”

The words brought a fear into his heart. Even though she meant good by the words, and had not intention of worrying him, Kasumi looked at what change could mean, and how real her words were. Only, what if it was not the change he wanted to see, or her either. He had only gotten weaker this mission outing, and now was weaker still because of Muriasachi. With a huge fight coming up in which he would not be able to compete with all his might in, Kasumi knew that a change might happen and that change might mean the inability to protect Hiiro... or himself... Which was why he needed to train Hiiro. But he would not be able to do that without invigorating himself first.

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Black+water+ripple

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Black+water+ripple

Nodding his head, Kasumi stepped into the water, the pool that sunk into the floor had a small bench under the water, and that let off into the bowl shaped pool of hot water, which got deeper and deeper the further you went in.

The water was hot against his foot, and made him smile. It was relieving to him. Stepping the other foot in, Kasumi sunk in, stepping from the bench. His pants floated in the water before finally sinking in, and soaking with him. When he was fully in, the water reached up to his waist, making him look naked in the water, as only skin was visible, and the hot water was not as see through as normal water because of the steam that arose, concealing the clothed portion of his body.

Kasumi did not notice this, and looked back up at Hiiro.

“Are you getting in, Hiiro-chan? Probably not a bad idea, seeing as you have just been training with Jun, and probably could use some rest before more eh.” Kasumi smiled, and gestured at the water.

“but careful, it's hot. Test it with you toe...” Kasumi's caring and protective side caught on, looking out for the perfect girl of his dreams. Wading back over to the water, Kasumi reached out his hand, and grabbed the girl, pulling her towards him, allowing her to fall into his arms. Kasumi caught her so that she was laying side ways against him, like a new husband carries of the new bride.

He dipped her in, blushing slightly, so that she could feel the water, and get used to the heat of it all. “Can you stand the heat, Hiiro-chan? Do you want me to let you go?” Kasumi wanted her to say no more than anything despite him knowing that it would be impossible for her to fall for him as well. She had always had eyes for Kifuume, so he had thought. And why would someone go from liking someone like Kifuume, to the fraction option of Kasumi. It would have made no sense.

But Kasumi did not let her go without her saying she wanted to let go and move into the water by herself. Kasumi pulled her tightly against his body, her left hand wrapped him, and her right hand meeting up with her left. Kasumi's muscles flexed as he held her weight out of the water, allowing it to maintain all of its weight, giving him an even more rugged look.

Backing up into the pool of water, Kasumi still holding Hiiro, waded deeper and deeper, allowing Hiiro to experience the slight water procedure up her body, slowly consuming her in the water, the heat making Kasumi smile until she was fully emerged in the water and he was emerged up to his pectoral muscles, both of which her flexed and toned.

Looking down into Hiiro's face, Kasumi smiled. He wanted to hold her forever and ever...

...But good things never last...

Hiiro watched Kasumi slip Smoothly into the heated dark water. Watching with glassy eyes as his legs disappeared under the water. With the added dim light and the steam the water swallowed up his legs, halting just below his navel, lapping as his skin softly. The ripples ran across the water like shock waves by the gentlest touch. She had not yet moved from her place. About three feet from the edge of the pool facing him.

She watched his back for a moment and took a deep breath; taking advantage of this Small moment he couldn’t see her to try to mentally prepare herself. So she wouldn’t end up looking like a stammering fool who’s heart pounded so fiercely it sent ripples into the water. Taking another deep breath Hiiro opened her eye’s again to See Kasumi turning back to her with a warm smile that made her inwardly groan. So much for mentally preparing herself, the man was a freaking god.

“Are you getting in, Hiiro-chan? Probably not a bad idea, seeing as you have just been training with Jun, and probably could use some rest before more eh.”

He motioned to the water; with a flattened palm that ran over the top of the water creating small ripples that blossomed from his hand. Hiiro Found herself nodding in agreement. Jun was a cold trainer; it would be so nice to soak out some of the kinks she had accumulated. Her chest fluttered with a small excitement and Hiiro walked quickly towards the pool. Looking to Kasumi with a wide smile.

“Yes, Jun-chan is an, interesting trainer” she paused to laugh for a moment. “It would be nice to relax a little.” She gave a small nod and moved to Step into the water. Stopping when she saw Kasumi’s eyes held the slight worrisome look that caught her off guard.

“But careful, it's hot. Test it with you toe...”

He warned softly wading through the water to her side. Hiiro couldn’t help but smile, She almost laughed. Her natural body temperature is 98.5* and he’s worried it would be to hot? It couldn’t be helped, She adapted more to heat then he did but Kasumi always was the caring worrisome one.

Even when they were in the academy he was always overprotective of her. From Training with Kifuume, To even walks in the forest. He always kept a watchful eye on her. Like he was her big brother, God forbid If she got hurt while training with Kifuume. Kasumi would nearly blow a casket. Normally sparking one of there quarrels that Kifuume would win.

Kasumi reashed out his hand and took hers carefully, pulling her gently forward. Hiiro made a small squeak, caught off guard by this movement. She felt his strong arms catch her and hold her tightly against his chest bridal style. His right arms holding her back, his hand cupping her shoulder gently and his other hand holding her legs He supported her easily like he was about to carry her over the threshold.

Her hair had fallen over her shoulders and into her face messily her bangs Fell over her right eye completely cloaking it in scarlet locks. Her face turned scarlet and she looked up at him with wide auburn eyes.

He looked so calm and content holding her comfortably as though she weighed nothing. Feeling his heartbeat against her own skin. Her body shivered as the exposed skin of her back dipped into the water. She gave a small intake of breath in surprise before her body relaxed into the water. She sighed and felt the warmth sink into her skin slowly.

“Can you stand the heat, Hiiro-chan? Do you want me to let you go?”

She shook her head feeling the warmth of the Spa pool upon her back as she sunk lower into the water. She was in the arms of the man she loved. Hiiro never wanted to leave this spot. Her eyes threatened to close and she unconsciously let her head fall against his chest.

“Mmm...no this is wonderful Kasumi-kun,” She smiled slightly and snuggled against him ever so slightly. Feeling his heated skin against her cheek. So many things she was tempted to do, to say. But She didn’t want to ruin this. Kasumi wouldn’t like her in that way, not now. It was hard to remember at this moment in time, what had happened to them. All the loss and troubles, it all seemed so far away and, not as important right now. All that mattered was being here with him.

Feeling the warm water creep up her skin She took another breath and opened her eye’s glancing down her chest as the water slipped over her toned skin, submerging her navel and stomach. Hiiro felt the tug of the water weight on her pants. And once more she glanced up at Kasumi. he was watching her with sparkling eyes and a warm smile. Hiiro was thankful her body was already flushed to cloak her blush and She glanced away from his eye's feeling the Flutter of excitement in her heart

She didn’t know how long she lay in his arms. But each moment felt like heaven. Her body moved forward for a moment and She glanced up at him again, her cheeks flushed. She wanted to kiss him. Leaning forward slightly some part of her brain painfully snapped her back to reality and Hiiro stopped. Looking away, back at the water. What was she doing? Kasumi wouldn’t like her, not like this. She was just fooling herself and putting herself in these situations.

“H-here Kasumi-kun I can stand now.” She answered softly; Staying in his arms would just tempt her even more into doing something she would regret or at elast she would when he would reject her afterwards or push her away. "Hiiro-chan what are you doing?" Just pictures him saying those words cut at her.

Slipping from his arms the water seemed to feel colder without him, the dark water slipped just past the cloth of her top. Giving her the look that she was completely naked in the water, flushing and glancing away from him as though she was bashful to her nudity, though it was not true. Her hair fell into the water. Wetting the tips, She was tempted just to submerge herself in the hot water. try to saok away her problems and temptations. It felt so nice around her like a warm blanket that had been sitting out in a summer’s sun.

The water was deep. They were not even to the full center of the pool and She knew she could not touch the very bottom. Kicking off the ground she swam to the other edge where the scorching water flowed swiftly into the water from the mouth of a stone dragon embedded in the wall. There she found a sunken wooden bench and sat down just next to the open mouth of the pool.

Hiiro felt the curls of near scalding water run over her body, heating the cooler water to the right of her and tickling her soft skin. Her heart pounded against the heat and she closed her eyes for a moment. Feeling the heat overtake her body and force it to relax. It was bliss, not near the bliss she felt in Kasumi's arms. But maybe she could just stay here and soak out the temptations, which didn't seem to work. The hotter she got the less her mind worked and the harder it was to come up with reasons not to jump him in the middle of the pool.

Her body was heating up and she panted lightly. Raising a hand she motioned to Kasumi, lazly as though she was intoxicated
“Kasumi-Kun~” She called her voice breathless. She watched him with hazy eyes, her face flushed with the heat, her head fell to one side watching him with a slight smile, her moist lips parted slightly as she panted against the heat.

“You should come here, if you can handle the heat.” She giggled lightly, raising an eye brow. as though challenging him if he could stand the heat. Patted the water next to her, she wondered briefly if the water at this temperature would be good for him. She loved the hottest of waters. But most people couldn’t handle the heat. Maybe he shouldn’t. Hiiro thought for a moment that maybe they should even get out, they had to train. Ohh~ but the water felt so good. Hot against her skin, the current of Scalding water falling into the water tickled her stomach in heated curls across her belly.

Five more minutes...

“H-here Kasumi-kun, I can stand now.”

Kasumi had hoped that he would not have to hear those words just yet. This was the first time he had gotten to hold as if they were lovers, and he never wanted to let go. Not for anything. Never. As she spoke, he held her only tighter, before the logical side of his brain came into play and he knew that he had to drop the feelings he was having and focus more on what they had come in here to do. But he was still not at the best place to be training her yet. He needed to be a bit more rested in order to train her at his best ability. That was Shuunske's order, to teach her the skills that would be needed to survive against the enemies. That had been his order even when Kasumi was injured from the first fight. It was vital. Kasumi himself knew that they were going to need every man that was worth anything out there fighting, and Hiiro, although the weakest position in the safe house, was worth something, and could not be sheltered from the fight. Shuunske needed her, and Kasumi knew this. They all needed her, just as they all needed him, and we all needed Shuunske. We even needed Muriasachi. Especially Shuunske and Muriasachi in fact. As much as he hated admitting that he needed Muriasachi.

Kasumi's hands loosened from around the small girls body, and let her fall softly into the water, she able to reposition herself to a standing stance in the water. He did not like the feeling, or lack of feeling her there. Kasumi watched her stand in the water, her perfect pale skin creating small ripples against the ripples already created from the small fountain of water at the far side of the pool, making its own small under currents.

There was a beautiful silence, and Kasumi just watched the back of her body move away from him, and towards the small fountain of water. Kasumi knew by simple logic that that water was the heat source of the pool, and thus even more heated than the hot water he was in now, already at which he was unsure how much longer he could stay in before needing a break of fresh and cool air.

She stopped moving and took her place opposite him, turning around, her frontal side now visible, the tight clothing hugging her perfect small body amazingly, outlining her small frame with grace. Her stomach, toned and flat bending with the same feminine grace she always had. The water consumed her from the waist down, hiding the uniformed pants she had on, making her appear to have less on than she did. It was not good for Kasumi to imagine such things.

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Blackwater20

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Blackwater20

Blinking shyly, and then looking back at the girl, he moved his right hand move up to his collar bones, and start slowly moving downwards, moving over his perfect and toned body, tracing just over his nipple, and down over his pectoral muscles, until his tanned fingers reached where his uniform reached his skin low on his waist. The water that trailed down his body seemed to move In slow motion, as did the girl that he was watching, her body turning, and her smile seeming to have the same effect it always had on him, only more so in this environment.

He could hardly hold himself back. She was the most perfect thing he had laid eyes on, and he never wanted to remove them. The silence was broken however by her cool breathy voice, making him only want to pounce even more, the words saying his name, punting his mind violently into his imagination, places they should not be, fantasy, ecstasy.

He could not hold it back from traveling to these places. He wanted to hold her again, he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to do more. He wanted her. Kasumi's body almost shook with the made up pleasure in his head of feeling his skin against hers, hearing her say his name again. Only, slightly differently. Like a call of pleasure. If only he could...

“You should come over here, if you can handle the heat.”

He almost didn't hear here, and the words but the voice lingered on him. He wanted to hear her. He wanted her to call out his name again. Like she had in his imagination.

Then all the sudden he shook himself back to reality. Her words finally held their meaning, and he was able to read them as something other than entertainment to his denial.

The challenge was apparent in her voice, and he smiled, still unable to take his eyes of the beautiful girl. “Y-you think I cant handle it, silly girl. Don't flatter yourself. I can handle whatever you can handle.” His mind still clouded, Kasumi had forgotten that her body was naturally more hot than the average human.

He started to come over, as she patted the water. He smiled as the water got more and more hot, trying to hide the fact that he knew he would not last long in water of this temperature. He made it over to her, bending his knees making him as well look as though he was not wearing any bottoms, as he dipped into the water, and moved to her, his hand under the water coming up suddenly to splash her. The small wave of hot water splashed her and catching her by surprise, she moved slightly, covering herself as was the natural reaction water being splashed at you, and it dawned on Kasumi.

He was going to do it.

He had to. He could no longer hold back. It was a fifty fifty chance that it would go either way. I mean, she had to know that he had had feelings for her ever since the first days they had met. When she was obsessed with Kifuume, as all the girls were. He had watched and admired her from Kifuume's shadow, growing stronger every day in the soul desire to make her notice him. To prove himself against Kifuume to impress her. Was it not so obvious all along. The long nights that he would remain sleepless in order to perfect a single movement with the wooden katana that Kifuume had perfected on the first day, after only a small amount of playing around with it. It took Kasumi longer, but he would do it for Hiiro. And yet, how could she not know?

Looking at her, nothing had changed aside from his feelings getting deeper and deeper as the pair had gone through more and more, the loss of Kifuume. All of these things had only strengthened what he had already felt. And what for her? After all these years of them being by each others side. It seemed like forever. Had she moved on?

He had to take that chance to keep himself sane. He wanted to take that chance, even if it only exposed himself to her. He could not take it any longer. He didn't want to take it any longer. He wanted her to know. Even if it only ruined the small chance he had. This was that small chance.

The time had flown, and as he came to his decision, he realized how faint he felt because of the water lapping against him, making his heat more than it healthily should be. Eyes almost glazed over, Kasumi looked at Hiiro, who was not looking at him, and more at the water, her lips exposed.

And then he slowly moved for the kiss.

The water felt so good against her exposed belly. Heating her skin, she could feel the difference the new rawness of her skin that rested under the water. Even in the dim light she could see how pink her skin had gotten. Smiling softly she watched the dark water around her. Her eyes half lidded and she tilted her head up,her lips falling open as she heard him speak.

“Y-you think I cant handle it, silly girl. Don't flatter yourself. I can handle whatever you can handle.”

“Oh can you now?” she looked up with a small sigh. Her hair growing damp and falling wetly over her shoulders and face, becoming slightly wavy in the humid air. Flicking her head to toss the bothersome bangs aside she gave him an absolute taunting smile. The heat was starting to get to her; there wasn’t much of a chance for Kasumi to handle it. That was one thing she had over him, heat tolerance.

Kasumi looked flustered enough as it was. His face red and his eyes a glassy heated look. How much longer could he handle in the water before it became a danger to him? Her eyes cast to the water and she thought back to their times as children. How many times would he get into these silly competitions with Kifuume? How many times did he actually win? Hiiro tried keeping count once, but the odds were not in Kasumi’s favor.

She smiled at the memories of Kasumi, so quiet and stubborn then. Butting heads with Kifuume over the silliest things. She laughed quietly to herself and glanced up looking to Kasumi. The same Kasumi, he had grown, so much. From the boy she had known to the man she admired today.

Her eyes wandered for a moment, traveling over his well build chest and torso…Her mind fogged and she looked quickly to the water, She shouldn’t be looking at him like that. It would be to embarrassing if he actually noticed her gawking at him like a crazy person.

The tiny waves lapped against her smooth skin as Kasumi drew closer to her. She didn’t see him, only the ripples that his body made as he slid through the water. Letting her eyes focus again on something other then the pool she rested in. She caught the sight of his reflection in the water; even though distorted in the ripples, he still looked beautiful.

Hiiro jumped when a small sudden spray of hot water splashed onto her. Catching her off guard and she looked up at him, giggling softly. Covering her face with her hands she tried to block the hot spray. They landed on her skin like beads of sweat, slipping down her body and into the water. Closer her eyes she laughed and turned away from him.

“Ha ha Kasumi-kun!” She laughed holding the side of the bath with both hands. Hiiro had half a mind to turn around a splash him right back. But she stopped, feeling a bit dizzy herself. The stone was so cool against her fingers. Was she already that much overheated? Kasumi must be feeling worse then she was. And her mind was already clouding, her eyes drifting and her mind wandering to things she didn’t want to think about with Kasumi in the room. She felt buzzed, like she had had one to many cups of sake’. And they still had to train after this.

“Um…Kasumi-kun.” She took a small breath. They had to get out, before she fell asleep in here. She needed to train, she had to get better so she could survive, be of help in the upcoming battle. And survive, if she accomplished that much. She could think about Kasumi, and actually revealing her feelings to him.

“I think we should get out now…we really do need to train.” She turned back to him. Sorry for the words she had to say. Hiiro wanted to stay in here with him forever. But she couldn’t’ forget, not again. She almost got Kasumi killed in the last battle. Her eyes fell over the white scar that ripped over his body like a white lightning bolt. She had done this to him, Because of her mistakes and her carelessness. She didn’t want to hurt him like this ever again. She had to get stronger, for his sake, as well as hers.

“Are you feeling well enough to train? I don’t want to push you…” Her voice trailed off and she turned, pulling herself into a sitting position out of the water and onto the stone edge. Her skin shined with the water and steam. Putting a glaze over her, and making her shine in the dim light. The black dark pants of the Shihauksho were soaked and fell off her body heavily. Pulling even further down her hipbones and outlining her figure in the soaking fabrics.

“Ahh…. the Air feels so nice.” She smiled and fell against the ivy walls. The stones cool temperature chilled her skin. Cooling it quickly. Suddenly as her body cooled she became light headed, panting for breath she somehow was deprived of in the water. Her ample bosom rising and falling with each breathe. And she motioned to him vaguely.

“You should get out, to cool off before we train…. be careful” she added sitting up slightly. “You get lightheaded out of the hot water…Maybe we should get some cooler water… would you like some?” She didn’t realize she was talking quickly. But if she looked at him in the water. With that look on his face, she wouldn’t be able to control her self, it was hard enough to get herself out of the water…Damnit, why was she so smitten with him?

Pushing herself up She stood. Putting a hand quickly onto her pants, grasping the heavy fabric tightly, the weight of the water was pulled down threatening to deprive her of pants all together. Her face flushed at the though and she kept a firm grip upon the hip of her pants. Walking slowly towards the room she stopped at a small water fountain that in it flowed cool clean water, and Sakura petals.

Hiiro let her head fall under the cool fountain, her scarlet hair becoming damp and wet with the cold water. She sighed and Shook her head, feeling the last of the heat-induced fog in her mind clear away. The cooling sensation felt wonderful and she leaned over the fountain. Just enjoying the cooled air around the water. So different from the thick hot steamy air about the hot tub.

Kasumi's face fell from the hopeful face to one of despair. He had failed. When he had finally decided to do it again. Was it all coincidence that she blew him off. Could she see him in her peripheral vision and said that to save herself from something she had not wanted to happen? Was it purely coincidence? Kasumi could not tell, the statement she made sounded so honest and innocent, but anything she said sounded innocent and honest in Kasumi's ears, a weakness he was very much aware of.

Kasumi's hands fell from their held up position, and back into the water, feeling the intense heat burning them up. As if his entire body weakened from the rejection, Kasumi noticed the burning heat of the water in its full power, and it suddenly became a heat level that he could not withstand. Taking in a tainted deep breathe, Kasumi grabbed his stomach, it tensing into an intense muscular pattern of fitness.

Looking up, Kasumi quickly stepped to the side of the pool, like a dog with its tail between between its legs. He looked embarrassed, innocently so, but horribly so.

Placing his hand on the side of the heated pool, Kasumi whispered “S-sorry,” in a tone that she could never be able to hear, unless she had indeed purposely rejected him, and thus would be set in the awkwardness that one can hear everything. Unless so, no one would hear this word.

Pulling himself from the water, heavily from the water pulling down on his clothes, he watched Hiiro for her response. There was none. The head rush his him immediately before he even stood up, and as a result he collapsed to the ground, his body still weak, and not able to support his spiraling vision and body tone. Opening his eyes in a dizzy kaleidoscope-like world, able to see Hiiro, and her amazing form, also suffering from the same passing sickness.

Her pure innocence convinced Kasumi that she had not done anything on purpose, and it took away from the burden of the pain. Not completely healing it, however healing a small section and restoring the hope that had once existed. The thought that she still might have something more than friendship for him made him laugh in his light headed state.

Roughly placing a hand against the wall, and one on his knee, Kasumi pulled himself up off the ground, the head rush gone, one that did not even compare the the sickening one that he had experienced earlier while in Muriasachi's presence.

“Cool water sounds nice... Hiiro-chan.”

Smiling up at Hiiro he noticed his own appearance.

Kasumi's hair fell around his in face wet, and in pieces from the water's effect. His hair had darkened from the water as well, making it closer to black then ever before. The look in his eyes from the refreshment had removed the glaze on them that was there before, making them flare with their bright green passion, like a green and blue fire.

His body was tanned and made more tan by the lighting, turning his olive tanned skin mold into a bright copper tanning. His muscles even without flexing were formed into their positions, made to shine as the water that he was drenched with poured over them, accentuating the tone of the muscle mass.

Kasumi's waist line had been pulled down even more so, exposing more flawless skin, and more muscle from the already low waist line, the back of his pants still resting upon his perfectly proportioned butt, not showing any skin there, aside from his muscular back that rippled in its own muscular set of tones.

The pants clung to him tightly, their normally baggy mass seeming to somehow have vanished. As Kasumi stood, the pants only clung harder, as if worried they would fall from the added weight that pulled them down naturally from him. His Shihauksho pants only held on by the white tie that wrapped around his pants line, like a white belt, tied in a tight and long looped bow.

The pants held his legs silhouetting the outline of his muscular legs nicely, and hugging him tightly everywhere. Kasumi pulled at the pants until they fell a little more lose-like, but with the first step they clung to him again. Kasumi looked up, giving up the fight against the fabric, with an expressionless and jokingly defeated look.

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Kasumi10

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Kasumi10

He felt wonderful, the light head gone, he bounced up and down twice on his toes as you would often see an athlete do before a race of some sort while warming themselves up. As soon as he hit the ground the second time, Kasumi vanished into thin air, the mist and fog around him jumping suddenly and swirling into a mini tornado.

A split second later, Kasumi landed on the fountain in a graceful position like a spider often lands on something, on all fours, in an insect like beauty, looking down at Hiiro.

“Shall we, Hiiro-chan?” he could not ignore this amazing feeling that ran through his body after that hot water. He felt still tired and weak, as much so as he had after awaking this morning, that time seeming to be days ago. It was weird to think that this was still only day one of his inability to perform to his top level.

Smiling and tucking the thought away, Kasumi tapped the fountain once with his finger and then he was gone, causing the water to rise and splash all over Hiiro with the sudden vacuum. Landing by his zanpakutou, Kasumi grabbed in, and held it out sideways towards Hiiro, grabbing her, and tossing it to her, muttering “Think fast.”

He had thought of a special way to train her, but first he had to get her spiritual energy circulating. And that was done better though effort than by simply allowing it to activate for those that were not used to using their spiritual pressure in battle type situation normally. And Hiiro was such.

“Come at me Hiiro-chan. Try and reach me.”

Kasumi grinned. He was going to have fun doing this.

Hiiro listened to the splashes of the water as Kasumi rose, pulling himself out of the water. Her mind was steadily clearing from the thick warm sensation the Hot water had given her. She felt sharp and keen. Hearing every drop that fell from him and the sound of his soaked Shihauksho Pulling and twisting stubbornly. Her Body tensed and She whirled around when Kasumi fell onto the floor.

“Kasum-!“ Her own sudden panic stopped her words and she looked to him. He was alright, He’s just light headed. Her whole body was jolted, staggeringly awake and on full alarm. She watched him start to pull himself back up before she turned away again quickly. Her back to him and she bit her lip.

’stop overreacting he’s fine now…whatever happened to him…it’s all gone now…’

“He’s just lightheaded.” She murmured softly under her breath. To quiet for anyone not listening intently from her side could have heard. Taking several breaths, why had that sudden sound scared her so much? Seeing him fallen on the ground even if he just lost his footing or was light headed. It shook her so suddenly that her whole body was still shaking slightly, so that she had to retract her hand from the pool, her fingertips were causing small ripples in the dark water. It was every fear she had ever known in that sound, the sound of him falling. The sight of him crumpled on the floor. It was enough to make her breath leave her lungs. Her worry was suddenly broken by his soft words. Acknowledging her with the cool water. And she gave a small inward sigh of relief.

“Your should come over here then, If really helps to clear the mind.” She answered softly, making sure her words didn’t betray how much she was just startled. Hiiro glanced over her shoulder, wanting to look at him but she could not see anymore then his silhouette through the dark wet curtain of her hair.

Hiiro took another sigh, the effects of that sudden scare had wore of and she cupped her hands, watching as fat water drops landed and made small pools in her palm. Suddenly her senses snapped and She felt the small flicker of rieatsu, before she had the time to register who it was from, or what it was. Hardly a blink and she stared suddenly into Kasumi’s sharp green eyes.

Hiiro was sure her heart had stopped.

Since they had gotten out of the water it took much of her self-control to not look at him. Composure, it was everything she had to do to struggle with not just throwing her arms around him right now. It was why she couldn’t stay in the pool anymore. It was why, even in her fear she had forced herself to not look at him. the moment she knew he was alright from his fall. At least in the water he was half hidden in the dark waters.

She gaped. Her mouth had fallen open slightly in the sudden appearance of Kasumi. In front of her, the water glistening off his caramel looking skin and his short black hair falling into his face. Kasumi stood upon the water like a sudden bloodthirsty predator, and he wasn’t looking away from her. Burning her with his eyes, to top it all off. He sported the smallest smug grin. The one he always wore before he was about to mess with her, and really push her to the limits. Though he would never actually know how hard she struggled with her sanity about him. For this moment, She only stared at him her eyes wide. Face seeping into a red color. And her mouth open slightly. To stunned to say a word, only to listen and hang on his every movement. His words were like forbidden sin on her ears.

”Shall we, Hiiro-chan?”

The sudden change in his attitude sent shivers down her spine and something flickered inside of her that cleared her mind enough to realize he was talking to her. Sparing….yes, that’s why we came here….sparring…to train!

And then suddenly that he was gone. And as if a rock had been dropped in his place the water splashed up showering her in a chilling spray that sobered up her mind far to quickly for her liking. Letting out a small cry of surprise She turned. Her body rising in alarm. Slowly, She felt like this was a game. A dance, Not just training. But something so much more.

”Think fast”

She had felt a warm pulse in the bowls of her stomach the moment his fingers touched the hard material of her zanbaktou’s sheath. Pivoting on her heel, She spun around and caught the blade with one hand. Small crystal like vapors still spinning in a small cyclone around her feet. Her senses were elevated and all doziness, the warm fog from the pool. It was gone. Just the elevated heart rate. And her body tuned to every movement.

Hiiro slipped the sheath into her white sash. Holding it as securely as it could she felt it dig against her hip. She pulled a small red leather cord from around her zanbaktou’s hilt. Planting her feet firmly on the slick ground She took her hair in her hands and tied it back behind her head with the red leather cord. The wet ponytail falling against the small of her back, resting in the small valley of her spine.

Hiiro closed her eyes. Pooling her energy, calming herself so She could control her reflexes. And a small smile spread on her face. Her eyes sharp and clear.

”Come at me Hiiro-chan. Try and reach me”

Her reaction wasn’t surprising. She looked dead into his eyes, her small smile. She was going to enjoy this to. Her foot inched downward. Slipping before it beat the ground and She charged low at him. Her body flattened to be more aerodynamic bet low. As soon as she had pushed off the slick ground her hand snapped to the hilt of her zanbaktou grasping it and in a flash of sliver. Sunibunki lay poised, blade facing out at her side, cutting through the air, a reflective streak against the dark stone.

She was faster than expected. But still, it was nothing compared to an actual flash step. Water flew up behind her and She crouched lower, Turning her feet and using her momentum to skid upon the slick ground. Like a baseball player sliding for home she slid to his side and attacked his right flank from below.

From the countless hours of ruthless swordsmanship from Juun-chan her skills were freshly polished. Not perfect, but sparring with Juun-chan got her into the reflex that always attacking head on…ended rather badly for Hiiro. She could see angles in her head, the way to attack from this position gave this result. Something flowed over her making her feel like a well-armed machine.

Hiiro drew the blade upwards towards his flank. Holding Sunibunki differently So the blade was parallel to her arm, facing outward. Her eyes locked onto her target. Kasumi, That was her target….

…….....................……..stop…........................………

Something melted away suddenly. She didn’t want to hurt him… The feeling she held before was gone. She was Hiiro, attacking kasumi….Kasumi. Though her Muscles stayed Tune. Something faded from her. quickly pushed back into her. The blade continued on it’s path. Never slowing. But the power behind it was greatly weakened.

Kasumi noted the moment when her energy changed, examining the girl with everything he had, not only checking for her attack patterns and what she had learned with Jun-san, but a basic speed, and ability to catch speed in her eye. Knowing the flash step was not going to be enough, reflex was better. One could be faster than their proposed enemy, but not have the reflex to defend against their speed. It was the greatest downfall of the shinigami in the stealth force squad, thinking that just because they were proclaimed as the fastest shinigami in Soul Society, they could fight the faster enemies, and track easily, and they were thus cut down, as their speed out classed their own basic reflex.

But he had never seen nor judged Hiiro's true fighting ability. Nor had he ever intended to. Kifuume was the one that always taught her the things she didn't understand in the academy lessons. It was much different. Kasumi was to focused on becoming better the Kifuume for her, than focusing on how to socialize with her herself he realized. Not to degrade his love, but to uncover the simple reality.

All the sudden the girl shot forward. Kasumi grinned. It was just like how she would always attack in the spars and kendo matches back in the academy. Small little Hiiro coming up to the plate and then suddenly charging forward into any opponent she had ever faced. Kasumi had innocently admired this trait of hers, but could now see it as the weakness it was. Charging into an enemy, even while knowing their strengths and weaknesses. It was not smart, and would only do her in within the first attack if she did so against an enemy like the girl they fought in the forest.

Kasumi dropped the zanpakutou into the white sash along his waist that was still there, sticking to his body in the wetness. He had noticed that he would have to make adjustments based on the extra weight of the water that held him down. Hiiro was too fast by herself to make a sudden mistake with, and he had noticed when coming to the fountain and away from it that he had been considerably slowed, still a faster shunpo than most of his rank.

All the sudden, Hiiro was right under Kasumi, and her blade cut upwards. Kasumi's face twitched into a grin. When had she become so fast, and up until now, Kasumi had expected her to try and attack from right on at his mid center, another weak point of hers, but instead she slid and attacked the side of him.

Kasumi raised his ankle in an effort to side step the attack, but was unprepared for such an attack from Hiiro. The blade blazed upwards at him, and his grin faded into an expressionless face, still able to avoid the attack rather easily.

Shunpo.

Kasumi appeared behind Hiiro, bent down so he was poised on his toes, his knees pointed outwards like a cat about to attack pray, his hand licking outwards and whipping her wrist quickly with a fist that stuck a single knuckle out. The hit was so sharp and well aimed that the sword flew from her hands and onto the ground.

What had happened? She had lost the ability to swing upwards? Had it been the slide that had taken her force away, or had it been something else? Either way, that was not going to be acceptable. She had to use attacks that she could follow through with. And this was not one.

The zanpakutou hit the ground, and he was gone again.

Shunpo.

This time Kasumi came up back where he had been, his foot slamming down on the tip of the blade, Sunibunki. It would not damage the blade. Not such a blade as that of a zanpakutou. It would not be hurt by a simple foot against it. But there was enough pressure to only allow her to take it back by really toggling for it.

The hit had given her on her wrist did nothing more than numbed it slightly and opened her hand. And the effects would wear off in about ten seconds. It was a simple disarming tactic that he had created based on his knowledge of hand to hand combat and the bodies anatomy.

“Hiiro-chan, I see that the effect of Jun-san's training have resulted in the ability to shift your target from the old target, my center, to a new target, such as my side. That is good, but what you did here it eliminated all of your ability to react to another attack from a floor position. Furthermore, you came at me with a different fire. All I want to see is if you can make me have to use my blade to block your own. This amount of speed will determinate which way I have to go about teaching you the shunpo. How I did it before was not correct for your learning capability. In other words, you have to come at me a though to kill me.”

Kasumi's voice was intense, and his mood suddenly shifted, his foot coming off the sword, and kicking it back at her.

“... Trust that you will not...”

His tone was that of a challenge. Kifuume had taught him something in the same way, inspired a rivalry in the specific area of learning that made Kasumi learn faster from a desperation to learn. He knew it to be a fine strategy.

“... So come at me again Hiiro-chan, and this time, don't let me get away so easily.... If you can help it...” The challenge extended. Kasumi closed his eyes, a never in the fighting world, and smiled at the girl, letting her know it was a challenge as apposed to a low opinion on the girl, as he had none of such.

Kasumi opened his eyes, and took a step back slowly with one foot, sliding it so that It never left the ground. Spiritual energy flowed through his body, ready to be activated at any point. Kasumi took an inhale and waited for the girls next move.

“Come...”

He was gone suddenly, her mind blanked for the very instant as though everything was moving in slow motion. To busy with her thoughts. She only heard the suddenly splash of feet upon water. A presence so close behind her, and her hand was stricken numb.

Letting out a surprised cry her hand released as if he had pressed a button on her wrist that had forced her hand to unclench and fall open. Sunibunki clattered to the ground, skidding long the slick stone before coming to a halt, glinting in the dim light a thin sheen of condensation upon its slick metal surface.

Hiiro gripped her wrist in the sudden reflex. Jolts ran up through her fingers tips and down to her elbow. It didn’t hurt, but it was unpleasant…. all right…. it stung. But half of the sudden pain was shame of how she had reacted. Rubbing her wrist and twisting her hand. She listened, as Kasumi explained to her what she didn’t want to hear. She didn’t every want to have to think of attacking Kasumi. Sparing with Jun was so much easier, it was mindless, She didn’t think about hurting Jun…but she worried she might hurt kasumi. That he wasn’t fully healed and she would hurt him.

Her thoughts were interrupted and her head jerked upwards when she heard kasumi step firmly into the edge of Sunibunki. She almost didn’t hear what he said. It was a sudden urge to get him off of her blade. It scared herself, the sudden intensity of her thoughts. Breaking away from them quickly she zeroed into what he was saying. Feeling ashamed she was not paying proper attention.

” come at me a though to kill me.”

Hiiro winced, closing her eyes. That was everything she didn’t want to do. What if he slipped? Or anything of the sort. Everyone makes mistakes. She couldn’t see him hurt like that again and if she was responsible for it….

” “... Trust that you will not...”

Sunibunki was kicked back to her. Sliding over the wet stone. The blade refracted a bright light over her face. Looking back to her wrist, she twisted it once more to make sure it was feeling perfectly all right. Gripping Sunibunki tightly Hiiro stood once more. This was it. She grasped the hilt with both hands. Spreading her feet apart, and took a deep breath. She couldn’t wuss out…Trust. Trust that he would be capable of protecting himself. And he was, She calmed her self. And felt the small curls of rieatsu wrapped around him. Like the warm water against her skin.

Cool your thoughts, and do the same…

She pooled her rieatsu, pushing it to her very fingertips. Feeling the energy from Sunibunki, to the very vapors that hung in the air around them. The drips of waters on the walls, and the beads of sweat on kasumi’s brow.

Inhale, exhale. Trust that what will be will be…. that’s what Kifuume always said. What will be will be, nothing you can do will change that, so just roll with whatever you have. She had to get stronger. She had to adapt. She had to see him, when he moved to block her attacks.

She heard the challenge in his voice, they echoed in her mind and She nodded. She would prove herself to him. But first she had to slow him down. Parting her feet her rieatsu flared, pulsing under her skin.

“Bakudo #1-sai!” Her voice boomed over the wet walls. And she ran at him, ducked down swift her blade turned upward held with both hands. She watched as the sudden surprise spread of kaumis’s face and her arms were pulled behind his back. Held tightly at the wrists as if behind held by invisible handcuffs. Her She slashed upwards. Her blade cutting the air, and like clockwork kasumi was gone. Her ears popping and she felt his rieatsu pulse with Shunpo. He was moving again, dodging her attacks but she was ready.

“Hado#1-sho!” She didn’t turn, but his presence behind her was staggering. It took her by surprise. Hearing the sudden intake of breath as once more he was caught off guard, Hiiro whirled around her blade held in front of her firmly. It had worked…a small chuckled, sounding more like a small cough left her lips and she smiled. Adapting…. he hadn’t expected Kido. Her feet gripped the stone and she pushed forward again, towards him. No mercy, Trust that he can protect himself. Trust that you can stop millimeters from cutting his skin. Trust him.

She ducked low again. Using the small knowledge he gave her in the earlier sparring match so long ago. Concentrate on your rieatsu on your feet. Pooling her energy. Pushing forward with the ground, with rieatsu. That is Shunpo. A perfect collaboration of energy and physical strength. Pushing faster, attacking while he was still bound. Pressed against a wall. She would give him no room to rest. Lifting her arms. She cut upwards, from his right lower abdomen. Her arms held taunt and her blade slicing upwards.

Kasumi's eyes were raised for a split second before he head the words come from the small girls mouth. A kido move. He was not expecting her to use kido in such an area, and whats more, he had not remembered how proficient she was with low level spells. She had learned those two before him. Just before him, but before him still. And she had not even tried as hard as him. She was a natural at such lowly kido, and with her, even those small kido attacks did not come across as small, but another weapon in her arsenal.

Quickly his hands were slung behind his back. It was a rather weak spell. And even coming from her, it was easy to overcome. Her reiatsu was not as his, and in battle between shinigami, it is about such. But this didn't matter. She was already on the move again. Tightly gripping his sword still, Kasumi leaned back into another shunpo, a considerably slower one, bringing him behind her. He pulled with his wrists, and released a slight amount of reiastu as he moved behind her, in an effort to break the kido, and move on at ease. But it was not as such.

As soon as he had let out the reiatsu, he had let her know where he was, and in that moment, because the shunpo was at such a slowed disadvantage, she reacted faster than he had expected once again, using the hado spell that she had learned first. Sho. It was weak, and did not do much, but still packed enough of a punch to hit Kasumi in the gut with a sudden rush of energy that sprung from the girl.

What was she doing. How was she doing it? She had hated the use of kido, or at least not adapted it as her own as Shuunske had completely. It was the last thing she was expecting to make him have to submit to low level kido. After all she was a fifth seat. He was still treating her like she was from the academy. He had never seen her actually fight since then, and had not thought about her changing over time. Furthermore, the last slash she had used before he dodged was well aimed, and much better than what she would have used back in the academy, where her attacks with the sword were some what less than polished.

Looking back up, Kasumi realized that he had, once again, an impending threat coming towards him. It was another attack from the sword that the girl held, Sunibunki. She ran at him, from across the room, at her third step suddenly becoming twice as fast, and almost hard to track without concentrating.

She was using what she had been taught before in the previous shunpo lesson he had tried to give her. She was such a fast learner. And with her training with Jun, had learned to cut off any access time that the opponent might have, which she was doing now.

The blade came again, this time from the bottom up. It was a more advanced kendo strike that he was surprised she knew. Kasumi blinked for a second, just before the slash was delivered, and the simple bakudo was broken. Quickly, Kasumi's hands sprung to life, and his sword with them. Flashing once more, Kasumi was only able to travel three feet before Hiiro reached him, and swung the sword. He was gone. And three feet over, he appeared, to the side of her, a quick demonstration of foot work allowing him to dodge the second attack she had made.

Kasumi's mouth closed tightly. This was so unexpected of her. He remembered her from too long back, and had not updated his in head data on her. She had grown. Both in beauty, and in shinigami prowess. She was more ready for this next fight than he had though. Well.

He could not get to far ahead of himself. Looking up back at Hiiro, the world stopped, and he saw her back from the academy, in her small uniform that they all had to wear. She held her wooden katana that they were all given. She stood across from another shinigami academy student. He also held the wooden sword that she held. A taller man, and older man snapped his fingers, and exclaimed “fight!”

Kasumi stood watching her, his own fingers gripping his wooden sword tightly as if wanting to make sure one of the two was. He did not much like the male she stood across from, and he often boasted of being the strongest among the rookies. As soon as the proctor told them to fight, the male ran at her. She slid her foot back, and froze. Quickly she had lost the match, three points to zero.

Kasumi ran up next, his own forehead sweating as he vowed to beat this male for her, and prove that he was strong for Hiiro. “Fight,” was announced again, and he charged in once more. He had lost that fight, by one point, and it was close. Kasumi still claims that he was cheating when he won. But could not have a rematch because Kifuume had gone next next and beaten him one point to three.

Coming back into the situation at hand, Kasumi realized that Kifuume was dead all over again, and that he was the one that had to protect her, but that she had to be able to protect herself as well. She was a fifth seat now.

But she was still to inexperienced. Kasumi smiled. She was much better, and all she needed now was the ability to fight on par with someone like the girl in woods. She was not going to, however, spare her any mercy it sis not seem like, as Kasumi was.

Hiiro's blade slammed against the rock where Kasumi used to be. She had come at him with killing intent, and it had been so much more effective.

Kasumi's lips bent into an almost evil smile, as he took on one of his 2nd division tactics.

Suddenly Kasumi was gone once more. Appearing across the room. As as soon as he landed he was gone again, and did this for five seconds straight, giving Hiiro no clue where he was in the room, flashing around all around her, until he spoke.

Still within the shunpo barrage, Kasumi spoke, his sentence broken up by shunpo so that each word came from a completely different location, confusing Hiiro more, or at least, such was the tactic.

“Good...” Kasumi said in the middle of one of flash steps, right in Hiiro's ear, before once again using the shumpo, not visible he was landing and taking off so quickly, only a slight blur remained around the room, hidden by the now cut up and swirling fog.

“You...” Shunpo.
“Did...” Shunpo
“Well...” Shunpo
“Hiiro-chan...” Shunpo
“Now...” Shunpo
“Make...” Shumpo
“Me...” Shumpo
“Defend...” Shunpo

Kasumi knew full well that his next attack would be greatly weakened for he was moving slower than normal, due to the water weight, and the overall exhaustion of his body due to the drugs. Furthermore, while talking, he had lessoned the concentration of his shunpo and moved even slower, still unseen, and faster than most other vice captains could shunpo, as well as having given away his position numerous times while talking. But it still came. Kasumi Raised his leg, and mounted a powerful kick, his entire body spinning with the immense momentum that the shunpo had given him, making him rotate before his leg stretched to kick the girl, aimed straight for the back of her head. Normally it would be aimed for her neck, but he was not going to use a fatal move on this girl, and especially not when the chances of her dodging were...

Hiiro flung herself out of the way, in a sudden jerk. She dodged it. Throwing her body to the side, her entire presence lurking to the right, in such a sudden movement that she stumbled. Kasumi would have normally mounted another attack, but the inability to understand what had just happened struck at him first.

Hiiro's face itself looked surprised that she had even dodged the attack.

And then she thudded to the floor, tripping over herself as the pay for such a dodge.

Kasumi had gathered what he needed to know.

Hiiro had combined her speed and kido use in the same battle, just as he had hoped she would. It was perfect. She was ready to learn the flash step. Kasumi's foot gracefully landed back on the ground, his knees bending so that he was crouched on them.

“Enough.”

The room echoed as her blade clashed with the stone wall. Adrenalin pumped like acid through her veins and she tensed. ‘damn’ Hiiro thought, her body rigid, waiting for the slightest pulse from Kasumi’s shunpo. She didn’t want to hit him, but her goal was to at least make him defend with his blade. The air throbbed with Kasumi’s rieatsu and Hiiro turned, her blade ready to attack or defend. Planting her feet her eyes widened and she huffed a small sigh.

His rieatsu pulsed around the room like a steady heartbeat. But she tracked him….vaguely, her eyes flitting to the spot he had appeared to just as he was disappearing into the invisible speed of shunpo. Catching the slightest flashes of a dark smirk. He was enjoying this. Hiiro felt small flutters in her stomach, the rush was getting to her. And she was enjoying it. Keeping on her toes she listened, silence for a soft moment. Before his rieatsu pulsed. Close, to close. Directly behind her his lips to close to her ear and murmuring.

“good…“{/center]

Hiiro suppressed a shiver, fighting the urge to melt she whirled around to find that he was gone. Her ears popping as he disappeared into shunpo. She narrowed her eyes and listened as he whispered through each step of his shunpo. Auburn eyes flicking around the room with each pulse he gave off. They were slower, though still difficult to trace. She would reach him only as he was jumping back into shunpo.

She listened as his voice bounced across and around the room. Echoing off the walls and if she didn’t know better she would have thought he had simply melted into the walls and spoke to her through the very stone.

His shunpo was sluggish, at least by Kasumi’s terms. So either she was getting better at tracing shunpo or he was getting slower. Tracking his erratic jumps around the room.

Suddenly Kasumi snapped out of the air. Ending his shunpo with a full bodied kick. His body moving in perfect positions. It was spot on, and executed perfectly. Hiiro had only fractions of seconds to react. Faster then her one mind even comprehended.

Her body jolted and moved to the side. Away as though pushed by an invisible force. The need to get out of the way to great and to sudden for her own mind to understand how she was supposed to move. Her only thought was to move and get away.

Hiiro staggered, the force of her own evasion threw off her balance and she staggered back falling onto the ground. She gasped out and hissed as her tailbone hit the hard stone ground. And her eyes snapped open. She was exposed, upon the ground her hands planted on the damp ground beneath her and she winced. Expecting the blow of a kick or a blade inches from digging into her flesh.

[center] “…enough”

Hiiro’s eyes widened and she adjusted herself so she sat up a bit straighter. “…what? We’re done?” she asked genuinely confused by this. She wasn’t used to her fighting partner explaining they had enough. Jun usually pushed Hiiro to the point of exhaustion or it she was bruised or bleeding. Then they would simply take a break, then continue whenever Jun decided Hiiro had rested long enough.

But no, there he stood in all his glory. His hair slightly disheveled by the small duel and his soft eyes watching her with kindness, not even just kindness. She almost felt exposed under his gaze. Like a proud parent watching with eyes filled with praise. Not understanding the look in his eyes she took it with grace. And a warm smile upon her lips.

God she loved Kasumi’s training style. It was less painful all right. Hiiro breathed a small sigh of relief and a smile spread on her face. Small strands of her hair had falling loose from her pony tail and fell into her face. Forcing her to brush them away. Her chest heaved with the mixture of adrenalin and exercise.

With a small breath Hiiro pulled herself up. Pushing up her body by a hand upon her knee. Her tailbone throbbed painfully, but that was her own fault. Not that she could complain. Hiiro was glad she dodged it at all. Small damage like a slightly bruised tailbone was nothing compared to blocking a kick or the cut of a sword.

“ We’re done then?” Hiiro gave another loud sigh and brushed the hair out of her face so she could look at him without her hair obscuring part of her vision. Gripping Sunibunki by the handle she took the sheath in her other hand. Gliding her zanbaktou back into the sheath with ease. Listening as a soft clip of the hilt reaching the edge of the sheath. Her eyes flicked back to him and concern flitted into her heart. Could they be stopping because of his injuries?

Taking a step towards him she was half worried he would disappear in shunpo again. And the other half worried he might faint or be fatigued in some way.

Kasumi felt the breath hard against his own chest. He was disappointed with himself for not being able to comply with the normal number of shunpo that he could use, and to not keep them up to speed. But, he did not regret taking Muriasachi's cure. Not yet. Muriasachi had made him able to stand and fight, even if it was not to his full strength, he was still able to fight.

His test with Hiiro had come out accurate. She had the ability to act on reflex, and quickly. Kasumi also gained the knowledge that she was a speed type fighter, like himself, and this would go easily with his own speed type training. But her ability to act on such reflex was outstanding.

Kasumi knew why she was able to dodge such an attack. It was the perfect combination of her speed type fighting, and her reflex. Back when Kifuume was alive, he had developed that attack to be able to beat Kifuume. He had never beaten Kifuume, but that attack allowed him to get one of his first real hits on him, and Kasumi had made sure that Hiiro was there to see it happen. The multiple shunpo to confuse the target, and then launching an attack on them from the side. It had hit Kifuume, but not Hiiro, because she had already seen the technique, even if she did not remember it in the moment. And thus her subconscious had removed that as a possibility to be attack on.

Kasumi smiled. And he knew that she was also very accurate with spiritual energy manipulation. She had rivaled himself in kidou classes, back at the academy. She was very good at energy control. And this made it even easier.

In fact, if he was correct, she could have an even faster shunpo than himself if she spent time to master it. She was the perfect contestant to rival even the 2nd division captain, or vice captain. If Shuunske did not have such a strong hold on Hiiro, he would not be surprised to see her end up in the 2nd division some day. It was a funny thought.

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Steam2.s600x600

8 - Needed Training - A New Kind Of Healing Steam2.s600x600

“Yes. We are done. You did well Hiiro-chan. Better than I expected. I was testing a couple hypothesis of mine. And they were all correct. Now we move onto the more direct training...”

Hiiro had taken a step forward, and Kasumi took a step back to counter her, keeping the same amount of distance between them. There was not time for this now. He was still able to teach, and did not want to waste his time with emotions at this point. This meant her life.

“... through this, I can now more clearly see what kind of fighter class you are, and you fit more perfectly into the mold than even I do in order to master the shunpo.” Another smile spread across Kasumi's face.

“... only, you have about a week or so to master it. That being said, I think that I can stick it to you in an hour. What do you say?”

With his words out, Kasumi raises his hand and says in full voice:

“Way of destruction number one – sho!”

The simple way of destruction is activated, a kidou that in all its simplicity pushes the target away from the user with a rather violent push. Kasumi however aims the kidou at the ground just behind him. When the small burst of energy hits the ground, Kasumi is pushed forward almost as fast as Hiiro dodged his own kick. The movement however was less graceful then Kasumi's shunpo, and not at all as fast.

“Do you see what I did? I used the hado number one in order to propel myself.” Kasumi, now only about a foot away from Hiiro, his wet shirtless body almost touching her spoke with a sexuality that he had not intended. It was a sensual way of being that he had naturally, and did not think on it. He was not even conscious of it. But the words slid out like this, and in combination with the breathe moving his strong abs, and build up and down, the image was quite much.

“The basic idea of the shunpo is similar. Only, you are going to want to learn to re direct the kidou out of your feet instead of your hands. That is the first step. Push the kidou's blast from your feet by bending the spiritual pressure outwards. Careful though, this is a faster training method, but could be dangerous. I only ask you to do it this way because we don't have time to learn it in the way others have learned it.”

Kasumi stepped back, his perfect body moving in such a grace and beauty that not even the thick mist could conceal.

“Now, try it.”

Hiiro let her head tilt to one side slightly, pushing her scarlet hair out of her face.
“More direct training?” she inquired softly. Trying to understand what it was Kasumi was explaining to her, so all that was a test. A way to understand her fighting style better. Hiiro couldn’t help but smile. She was ready for whatever he threw at her.

“... only, you have about a week or so to master it. That being said, I think that I can stick it to you in an hour. What do you say?”

Hiiro nodded braiding her fingers together slightly. Seven days to master something that takes most shinigami years of their life and even then they could not fully master it. But she fit the mold better then he did? Kasumi was in the 2nd division. He was one of the fastest people Hiiro had ever seen. All the days when He would spar against Kifuume. Hiiro would sit in the corner, watching them both, usually a small flower or item she had found while walking there. It seemed impossible to move that fast. To quick for the eye to trace. And he wanted her to learn it in a week?

Hiiro felt the little bubbles of anxiety. She wasn’t anything special, his trust and praise.

What do you say?”

Hiiro finally looked back up to Kasumi and nodded out of reflex. “Yes” Hiiro gave a small half smile, and looking into Kasumi’s eyes. And for a moment she was confused by how he could see so much promise in her. She was fresh out of the academy, a simple 5th seat. Hiiro suddenly felt a huge wave of self-doubt. And she struggled to pay attention as Kasumi positioned his hands just behind him. His voice snapped her back to reality, causing her to jump as his strong voice echoed off the damp stonewalls.

The Kido he used was simple, one she had mastered while she was still in the academy. A simple Kido that propelled himself forward as though he was blown by a large strong gust of wind. It wasn’t anything like his Shunpo, Which was fast, and flawless. This used the momentum and seemed to falter and stick. Causing Kasumi to weaver just ever so slightly as he came to a stop.

Hiiro gave a small intake of breath and glanced away. Her face flushing once more. She could feel the warmth on her cheeks. He was closer now. Soft yearnings pushed in the back of her mind that seemed to take more and more power to suppress.

“Do you see what I did? I used the hado number one in order to propel myself.”

“Y-yes I saw” Hiiro nodded again trying to keep her eyes locked on the ground just next to his left foot. God this was getting harder and harder to deal with. His words flowed over to her with a soft seduction that made her break her embarrassed bonds and look up at him.

Sweat and condensation beaded on his skin and his soft ebony hair pulled together, making his hair look spiky and messy. Little strands of black hair fell into his face and his soft brown eyes looked into hers. Why did the world curse her with such an attractive teacher? It took nearly all her mental strength to pull herself out of his eyes and try to grasp onto what he was saying. Pick the actual words from the muscle melting tones she kept hearing.

Shunpo- a lot like sho. Put Kido out of feet then hands, careful…got it…sorta.

“Right.” Hiiro nodded pulling herself back into her center, She was a shinigami, and had to practice. Emotions couldn’t hinder her now, not now. Hiiro balanced herself, planting her feet in the ground She felt every dip or bump from the uneven ground in the soles of her feet.

She felt rieatsu pull and tingle inside of her and She pushed it down to her heels. Closing her eyes, she bent her knees slightly preparing herself. She took a deep breath, her chest lifting and falling. Her own soft skin covered in a thin sheen of condensation. Her hair falling out of her ponytail and falling sensually over her shoulders, and her tones stomach held taunt and firm. Holding it each breath before her lips formed each word carefully as though she was in a meditative state.

”hado number one-sho!”

Hiiro planted her feet, the rieatsu instinctively moving to her hands but she forced them into her feet. Against the ground, and she shot over as though she was shoved roughly from behind.

“Aaaah!!” Hiiro let out a surprised yell and fell backwards. She had managed to stay on her feet for at least five feet. Before her legs slipped out from under her and she fell onto the ground. Hissing out in pain as her tailbone slammed into the stone ground.

“…. Alright, that went…. well.” She hissed and pushed herself back up. Rubbing her sore lower back. Leaning up so she was sitting down upon the ground. Looking up to Kasumi with a small embarrassed smile, still rubbing her sore bottom. Her ego was bruised but other then that nothing really else was hurt. It was clear by this time that this wouldn’t be easy. She was going to have to train a lot to get this down.

Soft laughter slipped from her lips. And Hiiro put a hand over her mouth to try and cover her snickers. But they soon leaked through. Just imagining what a silly sight she must have just been.

“This is going to take awhile.” She giggled looking up at him with a wide embarrassed smile. She held out a hand. A silent becoming for Kasumi to take her hand and help her up. Her cheeks now rosy with laughter and a small mischievous look glinted in her eyes.

“But…I think I know what I have to do now.”

END TOPIC

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