Enter the Dragon II [Closed, Meili]

"It appears that they disagree with your plan."

"For now...watch this..."

Meili gave a pout as they seemed to refute her idea. As she pouted, she pulled a small pebble out from her sleeve and flicked it towards Watari's head. The pebble wasn't flicked with enough force to deal any physical damage, but it had enough behind it to get his attention.

"Come on Watari...don't chicken out now...you're the one who's supposed to be training me."

She continued her pout as she looked up at Watari.

"Besides, I trust you to hold back just enough to not actually kill me. Shouldn't that be enough? Yuki can be the ref and step in if things get too crazy. We can treat this as an actual duel."

She grew a bit of a smirk.

"Or are you so afraid of what people will say for getting beat by a child such as myself that you don't even wanna risk it?"

"Do you really think childish taunting like that will get him to fight you child?"

"No...but it's a start..."

Had Watari forgotten about what she was? About her family's curse? She certainly didn't feel comfortable letting loose against a friend. Meili being younger didn't help either, even if she was quite powerful. Besides, Yuki had just made a friend! She did not want to risk ruining that accomplishment.

Then again she might have issues with me if we don't fight. How tricky.

"Nobody is telling you to kill anyone. Helping a friend is a good thing. Also putting another's face on her face would not help. Nor do I have any faces laying about."

Was that a joke? No. She was being serious. Why would Watari want a face to be placed upon Meili's face? Did he mean a mask? Or-

Pretend. He means pretend.

Oh. Why would I do that?

Doesn't make sense to me either.

No, putting another person's face on Meili's face would only be useful if she were trying to hurt the girl. Which she wasn't. In any case it didn't really matter. Meili, as it turned out, agreed with her!

"Then it is decided. If things get out of hand I shall intervene. Try not to kill each other" she mentioned, hopping back in order to settle upon one of the larger boulders. Not that it was a great idea to be fighting here anyways, given they were on Earth, but that was probably fine.

"You may begin when either of you are ready."

Who would make the first move? Many fights started without any ceremony. She gave them the chance to start this one in the same manner. But she did hope that they might choose a more civilized, honorable start.

Why was it on him? Unless, unless Yuki didn’t want him to be better - maybe it was all just a scheme so that he wouldn’t be able to judge what to do next. She was telling him to fight after all . . . she wanted him to kill Meili. There was no remorse in her telling him what to do, she was practically ordering him to obey her. Was this the true Yuki? All along was she just treating him like a puppet? He could not understand, would not understand and for Watari there was only one option.

Friendship? Is that what this was to Yuki? Is that what she called turning her friends against each other to fight to the death? It felt like a curtain was lifting over the stage that Yuki had set. This wasn’t just a training session for Yuki this was a way to use her friends against each other . . . but maybe that was his own foolishness. Surely not Yuki? She wanted the best for them! So why wouldn’t she fight - wasn’t she better than the beast inside?

“Very well, if that’s what you both want” Watari shrugged and cracked his neck from the left and to the right and then he shuddered, almost flickered from place. Vanishing with the speed of shunpo he appeared behind Meili who he suspected would just be able to track his movements even with the added velocity of flash step.

Bezaliel was drawn, it flickered through the air in a powerful vertical slice.

“I guess you’ll die”

Meili gave a frown as Watari seemed to...change. She knew he was a tough fighter, and one to be reckoned with, hence why she wanted to fight him, but this was something else entirely. It was different from what she had felt in her manor when he fought Yuki. It was primal, animalistic even. However, he wasn't faster than her eyes.

She moved to the side, using some basic shunpo to dodge the incoming swing, smiling as his blade swung downwards onto thin air, not realizing his blade had actually made purchase on her shoulder, knicking her ever so slightly as she had moved to the side. She didn't notice it until she turned around to speak, her badge that signified she was an academy student falling off her shoulder.

"Well, that's new. But I won't go down that easily."

She gave a smirk towards Watari as she held out her Zanpakuto. Small as it was, it was still technically her primary weapon. Holding it in her left hand, she dashed forward, going to stab Watari's leg with her Zanpakuto.

"Good child, play to your strengths. Listen to them. Use your speed, your size, everything you have! Maybe then you'll be able to hear my call!"

So much for civilized and honorable. Still, she didn't fault Watari for that. It was important for Meili to fight an opponent who was willing to strike first, to strike without hesitation and to strike when she was least expecting it. For that purpose the man was a fine choice of opponent.

She trusted Watari enough to believe that he was trying to change for the better and she trusted her own skills enough to believe that, should it come down to it, she could stop him. However what she did not trust was her nature. Was she better than the beast within her soul? Maybe. But if she was going to risk her friend's life then it would have to be better than a maybe. If only she knew what her decision had created.

Yuki's body tensed up as Watari's blade fell. Fingers tightened around the sheathe of her zanpakuto. She fought the urge to leap into the fray even as the smell of iron invaded her senses. It was difficult of course. She didn't want either of them to get hurt. Now Meili was hurt! But it was just a little cut. Watari knew what he was doing.

Trust is earned. He will be better.

So too would Meili. Of course where she needed improvement was entirely different. But her hand to hand combat skills more than made up for her lack of swordsmanship. Which, of course, was why they were here in the first place. She shouldn't need to make up for anything.

Good. She is moving in close. He knows what tactics she needs to use. I am excited to see what she does.

Somewhere in the depths of Watari’s mind a door slammed open and wind howled through, it hissed and raged at the confines of membrane and flesh that held it. Why couldn’t it escape? This was what it desired after all. To be free, to be in the moment and to kill all those that stood in its way. It burst from his heart through his veins a fire that pumped through every artery and filled his existence.

To fight was to kill. To kill was to fight. The training was driven into his flesh by sword and beaten into him by fist. His body was a canvas and this fighting was his heart, because at this very moment Watari Suzumei danced. To be better? To be better was nothing. Meili Baozhai wished to die and he would bring her a swift death, for that was all that was justice in this cruel world.

Left hand, his glance flickered to her Zanpakuto. Non-dominant? Hole in defence? Unless . . primary fighting style is close combat. Utilize Kido to counter.

Watari spun on his heel guiding the blade passed his leg as spiritual energy crackled to life on his palm and blossomed outwards as Meili was guided passed him by her own momentum. The snaking electricity leapt for Meili’s limbs as it sought to bind her in place.

“Bakudō #4. Hainawa (這縄, Crawling Rope)”

Meili smirked as Watari seemed to effortlessly dodge the attack. This was going to be fun. She held her smirk even as he decided to cast a Bakudo, one that she was very familiar with and knew the weakness of.

"If you think something like that will hold me, then you've got another thing coming."

She let it capture her, and then used her own reiatsu to cancel it out, freeing herself within a few seconds. While her reiatsu wasn't stronger than Watari's, even she could tell that, she could manipulate her reiatsu to give it a charge equal to the charge in Hainawa, which would repel it from her body.

"My turn."

She held her right hand out, using her left to brace it.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hado # 63! Raikōhō!"

As she spoke, electrical energy started to form within her open palm. While this wasn't a Kido generally taught at the Academy, Meili had studied and studied this one through and through, and had only just recently managed to master it, however she still needed the incantation. She dashed backwards as a wave of electrical energy burst from her hand, heading straight for Watari.

He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Of course who did she think he was? Hainawa was never going to hold her for long. It was much too weak. However there were things that could be done in the meantime. Watari gathered his pressure into his palm and shot it downward into the ground.

“Hachiman, divine protector, blood from my hands stain your holy ground”

The rope shattered as Meili held her palm outwards chanting a kido herself. Well this was unexpected, Watari was sure she would’ve gone for a punch, no matter he needed to commit to the kido he was using as he felt the rumbling groan of the dirt beneath his feet.

“Leaf to Tree. Tree to Leaf. Give my life to the land beneath my feet!”

As the young Baozhai charged towards him with the Hado, Watari would slam his hand downwards and a bough of a tree would burst upwards sending him hurtling meters into the air on top of a Sakura tree that had rapidly grown from the ground.

“Demon Art - March of the Timeworn Trees” He hissed watching the kido scorch the tree and causing it to flake and crack from within the branches. Well he was glad he’d started dabbling in Kido’s that weren’t on the lists otherwise the other option was to parry the blow.

Watari spun Bezaliel and sheathed the Zanpakuto placing both hands on the hilt as he jumped from the tree slamming his leg down in an overhead kick as spiritual pressure coiled into the sheathe of his blade and reinforced the weapon.

Meili gave a frown as a...sakura tree seemed to spawn from nothing. This had to be one of those rare or unknown Kido that wouldn't have been taught at the Academy, or found elsewhere unless you knew where to look.

She did, however, have a brief smile as her own Kido made contact with the tree and seemed to scorch it from the inside. That was quickly brushed aside as Watari went to kick downwards at her. She would raise her arms up to protect herself, taking the brunt of the kick with her arms, her stance was wide enough to dissolve most of the damage into the ground, causing small cracks to form beneath her feet.

"You've left an opening!"

As she spoke, she grabbed at Watari's leg and used the momentum from his own attack in an attempt to slam him down into the ground behind her, following up with a kick of her own, aiming specifically for every male's weak spot with a swift stomp.

"Yes child! Finish him!"

As he came downwards and smashed into Meili’s arms her reinforced posture absorbed the blow. She then promptly grabbed his leg and slammed him into the ground behind her. Watari would catch the landing with his leg and maneuver out of the way as Meili would kick at what he assumed was his crotch area.

“You’re kidding? Do you have no honor” Watari asked, his battle trance almost broken by the sheer absurdity of the girls actions. He was sure Yuki had tried the same, did they have no shame? Soul King’s accursed fungal ridden hole, he’d started punching them in the breasts soon just to prove a point. Enough, it was time to refine his spiritual pressure.

As Watari drew the blade from the sheathe his spiritual pressure coiled around it causing smoke to billow from the casing as the blade itself flickered with a spiritual flame. He held the blade with both hands as he called his will along the weapon’ edge and then thrust forwards similar to the technique he’d used to break the rocks earlier.

A spear of flame shot from the tip of his blade piercing the air towards Meili.

“Onibi (鬼火, Oni Fire)”

Meili smirked and stuck her tongue out at Watari's comment. She did have honor, but when it came to fights, she would use every tactic available, even dirty ones. This was the Baozhai way.

However, her smirk was quickly dashed as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It seemed that Watari was getting serious now. No more time for playing around it seemed. She would take in a deep breath, close her eyes, and focus.

When she opened her eyes again, the emerald spheres within seemed to have a different light to them. People looking at her would swear they seemed to glow with determination. Her face had a serious expression on it as she moved into a proper fighting stance.

However, this would be interrupted as Watari shot a spear of flame towards Meili. Thinking quickly, she would split her legs apart and fall flat to the ground, the spear of flame flying just past her head, singing part of her hair just from the heat.

"Well that wasn't very nice." She would reach up and pat her hair to make sure nothing was on fire and smirk towards Watari as she stood back up. "But the time for being nice is over it seems."

As she spoke, she would shunpo directly in front of him and deliver a swift series of jabs to his stomach and chest.

Watari let her come at him with her swift series of jabs to which he responded by parrying the blows with his still burning blade, embers smouldered on the surface of the weapon as his spiritual pressure flowed across the surface refining the heat that seemed to emanate from the steel. This wasn’t just a technique, this was a way of fighting, the ferocity of his will made manifest. To ignite his blade with his will alone and to maintain it. He was fire and smoke.

Once more he cast his will against the metal of his blade, each jab into the flat of the metal suddenly becoming a coalescing point for energy. She’d notice the rise in temperature the moment before spears of flame would shoot from the flat of the blade, three of them with intent to pierce her body and cast her away.

“Three Horned Onibi (鬼火, Oni Fire)”

Watari had never said the rules of the Oni were directly from the tip of the weapon. That was only assumed, the truth was Watari could direct his will through any point of the surface of the Zanpakuto. The three horned oni fire was weaker than it’s more direct predecessor but the intent here was to bewilder Meili.

Meili would open her eyes wide as her attacks were parried so easily, a smirk being brought to her face. Of course Watari could block her attacks with ease. What surprised her was how he did it in a way that wouldn't truly harm Meili. Her attacks were fast enough that she barely felt the heat emanating from his blade.

However, it seemed he wasn't done just yet. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. Something big was coming. The heat from his blade rose as more spears of fire shot out. Meili would quickly cartwheel out of the way, however as she did so, one of the spears grazed her leg.

"Ah that's hot!"

She looked down at her leg. It was burned, but not too badly. She'd still have to get it treated after this, but she could continue on.

"Child, I think this fight is getting out of hand. Either end it, or call for me!"

"But I still don't know your name!"

A smirk was on Meili's face as she would use shunpo to try to get behind Watari, attempting to deliver a kick to the back of his head.

Meili seemed surprised at the parrying, what did she think? Her fists were fast but he’d dodged flurry upon blade flurry as a child. His father had spent many a long evening training him, Zanpakuto in his hand delivering blow upon blow until Watari got it. Meili don’t you understand? You can’t understand? You don’t understand pain.

“Tsk” He growled as Meili suddenly was carried away with the speed of shunpo. She was learning, slowly but she was learning. Hadn’t her mother taught her not to play with fire? After all, if children played with fire they got burnt. Her leg smashed into the back of his head causing him to see stars as his body reacted, hand snapping upwards and wrapping around her ankle a mimicry of the technique that she’d used against him a few moments prior.

He slammed her downwards in front of him. A child, he was fighting a child to the death as Yuki Kameko watched on in morbid satisfaction. There was some clarity now wasn’t there? He could see it between the lines of the red haze that clouded his vision. As expert hands spun his Zanpakuto into a ready position and thrust it downwards towards Meili as tendrils of flame darted up his arms and began to burn away his clothing, as the cinders spat downwards onto her face.

Death.

Death was her release.

Death would let her free of this game.

Meili held her smirk as her blow made contact with the back of Watari's head. However, before she could touch down onto the ground, she felt her ankle be grabbed. She was then slammed down onto the ground, a groan of pain escaping her mouth as she impacted upon the cold floor. She probably fractured a rib at worst from the blow as she could feel intense pain in her rib cage.

She turned as much as she could and had a shocked expression upon her face as Watari's Zanpakuto, wreathed in flames, came piercing down towards her. Closing her eyes in reflex, Meili waited for the end. And waited...and waited...and waited.

Opening her eyes, she would see the world as if it were frozen, Watari's blade mere inches from her face. Behind Watari, a massive dragon head.

"Child, this is the first time I have pulled you in at death's door. It will be the last."

The great dragon's mouth didn't move as it spoke directly into Meili's mind.

"You...you're my spirit...but I didn't call for you..."

"No Child, I called for you this time. For if you die, I die. I do not seek death...not yet..."

Meili would look around and find that she couldn't move her actual body, not fully.

"Careful Child. If you move from that spot, time will resume, and you will die."

"Why am I here?"

"To learn."

Meili swallowed her saliva and gave a curt nod.

"You have gone thus far without me...now...I feel it is time you do things...with me...hear my name child...and call it out...unlock your power..."

"But...am I ready?"

"You must be ready...for if you're not...you will die. Now...call out my name..."

A great clawed finger lightly touched at Meili's forehead, causing a light to shine. As the lite diminished, the world reverted to normal. Meili, thinking quickly, rolled out of the way of Watari's blade and stood up.

She held her Zanpakuto out in front of her, the blade pointing towards her. Here goes nothing, she thought.

"Boom! Raimei!"

As she spoke, a great thunderclap was heard as her fists became clad in a pair of silver gauntlets. Each gauntlet had yellow orbs on the palms and at each knuckle. Electrical energy swirled around the gauntlets, and Meili had a surprised expression upon her face.

It wasn't easy watching from the sidelines. Yuki's nature urged her to join in, to fully commit herself to the violence at hand. However this was not her time to fight. This was for Meili's sake.

Still, there had been a few close calls. The wolf's left hand curled tightly around the handle of her weapon, knuckles whitening occasionally. Watari was really going for a kill, but this was good, wasn't it? It would be proper training for the child. Real training. Not from some stranger either, but instead from people she could trust. Yuki didn't have that growing up.

When a burn was inflicted upon the younger Shinigami she winced, shifted a foot forward slightly, but Meili wasn't ready to give up. She didn't cheer for either of them when they landed their hits. Sure, Watari could take it, and Meili was doing well enough to certain deserve the praise, but they were both her friends. It was a tough thing, having friends.

But eventually things grew even more dangerous. Watari went in for what appeared to be a real killing blow! In that moment energy surged through her legs. A quick jump nearly resembling a hoho carried her forth towards the engagement.

Damnit! What is he thinking?!

Right. Watari also had those killing urges, didn't he? He couldn't control himself. Yuki knew better. She couldn't blame him for this.

As she appeared her blade lifted from its sheathe partially, slamming in towards Watari's in order to deflect it past herself and, more importantly, past where Meili would have been. However the girl was quick enough to avoid the attack on her own. More than that, it appeared as though she'd managed to pull out something new!

Yuki's gaze turned, settling upon the new silver gauntlets. Meili had managed to pull forth her shikai! And at such a young age too! Yuki was impressed. In fact she gave a single nod of acknowledgement, even a slightly excited wag of her tail! It certainly was a feat to be proud of.

"Congratulations Meili. Very well done. Both of you. But I think we should end things here before someone gets hurt" she spoke softly, returning her gaze up towards Watari. She gave him a nod too. He had done well to hold back this long.

It was just getting good.

What was this? In these few brief moments of delicious epiphany something has changed. As Zanpakuto crackled through the air to rend her flesh from bone, her spiritual pressure seemed to coalesce and spike. What was this? Was she? But she was going to die, this would be her end because that was all he had to offer. Watari had a rampant desire to silence the Baozhai child before she became anything more, before she became powerful.

The young Baozhai seemed to regain her wits and she slammed herself into motion rolling away as his blade was struck away by Yuki Kameko’s. A shallow growl escaped his lips briefly, the distraction of the spiritual pressure had been enough to throw him from stride. If he was in motion he would’ve responded immediately and countered her movements. Yuki always took the fun away from everything didn’t she?

Composure overtook him as he withdrew his killing vigor and spun his blade sheathing it in a calm movement. If he let himself become overcome then there would be nothing left, grace, composure and dignity. These were things Titus had taught him, life rules that kept him from straying down a particular path.

Meili seemingly had released her shikai into a gleaming pair of silver gauntlets with mysterious glowing lightning orbs on each knuckle. Soul King’s wormy socket, these shikai were becoming more common than a drunk at a brothel in east Rukongai. He cracked his neck and examined the shining gauntlets, Watari couldn’t be sure that the young noble wouldn’t try to use them on him.

“Congratulations, was this what you were after all along?” Watari could only wonder. He knew that when he’d been close to shikai a latent portion of his soul had pulled him into a certain direction. His eyes ran over Yuki but briefly as he reminisced over that pretty pale nec- ah the battle fervor was still present. No not now. He needed to push it back.

“I fear dear Yuki if you hadn’t intervened it would’ve been me that had been beaten down“