A Rip in Space & Soul

Kyousuke was the first to emerge from the Rukon District, where he and a small team of Unseated Shinigami had been sent to dispatch a group of Hollows that had wandered into West 57. The mission was easy enough, he thought, no casualties, but a few weren't pleased with him, as his reiatsu always slowed down the others, exhausting them. They had complained about feeling heavy when he was around. To be honest, he was glad the mission was over, casually strolling to the Squad 12 Barracks...

*After her battle with her mother, Rizu decided to return back to the Soul Society to look for Koga. She had heard that he was giving an entrance exam to a new potential recruit, so she went searching in the squad 12 barracks. When she had no luck, she walked out the door and stood in front of the building.* Must've just missed him. I guess he went back to the world of the living without me...tch, figures.

As he reached the Barracks, Kyousuke notices a short, violet-haired, green-eyed woman standing outside the entrance. He couldn't recall seeing her when he was given a tour of the structure. She seemed to be confused, perhaps even a little irritated. As he got closer, he noticed she wore a peculiar band around her arm.

'Hrm. She must be the Lieutenant of this Squad.' He concluded, approaching her, 'Perhaps she knows where the Captain is.'

*Feeling an aura she was unfamiliar with, Rizu lifts her eyes to see a male squad member in a shihakusho coming towards her. She takes a couple steps and skips down the front steps, tilting her head.* Oooi, you must be new. I've never felt you around the barracks before now.

He watched as the officer, playfully skips down the stairway, taking notice of her rather perky demeanor, "Erm...I just arrived here in Squad 12." He explains calmly to her as a warm smile curls up his lips, his emerald eyes sparkling against the sunlight, "My name is Kyousuke Junichiro. I was told by Captain Wolf to meet him here after I graduated from Shino Academy to learn what seat I've been assigned here. Have you seen him anywhere?"

*Rizu chuckles to herself quietly, shaking her head.* Dammit, Koga... *She looks back up at Kyousuke with a smile.* Rizuka Yukino. Rizu. I'll be your Lieutenant. I'm afraid Koga-taicho has already gone back to the world of the living. It seems he forgot a few things before he went, including me.

"I see." Kyousuke responds, starting to understand how scattered the Captain's thoughts must be. Realizing he was going to have to wait a while longer to find out his position within the squad, he stares down into the Lieutenant's eyes, "Well, Lieutenant Yukino, is there anything you need from me?"

*Tilting her head again, she grins mischievously.* Well, given word of the Captain's brutality towards you in your entrance test, I'll have to say I'm quite intrigued by whatever strength and stamina you seem to possess. *She places her hands on her hips and looks up at Kyousuke.* Care to demonstrate, Kyou-kun?

This request caught him a bit by surprise, not only had he sparred with 3 Captains, but now the Lieutenant wanted to see what he could do?

'Man, do I have the words 'Kill Me' tattooed somewhere on me?' He wonders.

"Err...you mean, you want to spar, Lieutenant?"

*Rizu bends backwards, almost to a 90 degree angle and cracks her back, sighing with relief as she does. She stands back up and grins again.* Yes, I'd like that very much. Unless of course you're not up to it, which would be understandable. I mean, you were up against Koga. He could very well have killed you. *She chuckles quietly under her breath.* I'm not surprised that he didn't though, given that aura of yours. So, what do you say?

'My aura?' He thought, getting the impression she wasn't referring to his reiatsu.

At first, he considered declining doing combat with the Lieutenant, but with a new weapon at his disposal, his curiosity got the better of him. His eyes shifted briefly to the pair of swords strung, crossed behind his back, remembering what he had to go through to obtain them. Finally, looking back down upon the Lieutenant, he bows his head in a nod, "Very well, Lieutenant Yukino. I accept." He replies, "I hope I don't prove disappointing." He adds, chuckling.

*She smiles and begins to walk towards the forest clearing nearby.* Glad to hear it. *She glances back at Kyousuke briefly to study his aura once more and shakes her head.* You won't. Follow me then! And please, just Rizu...if you must use formalities, Lieutenant Rizu. *With her last word, Rizu shunpos forward to the clearing, a thoughtful grin on her face the whole way.*

"As you wish, Lieutenant Rizu." Kyousuke replies, keeping her title just to spite her teasingly. He follows her through the vegetation, vanishing the same instant she did. As he exits from shunpo, he stands a few feet ahead of her, gauging his surroundings, "So here's where you want to do this, hm?"

*Rizu takes a deep breath of the air around her, absorbing her surroundings.* Mmhmm. This is where I've had most of my fights. It's also where I did my test to be accepted into squad 12. *She smiles reminiscently, then shakes her head of her thoughts and looks back up at Kyousuke.* Well then. *She clasps her hands behind her head and grins.* Your move, Kyou-kun.

Kyousuke surveys his environment for a moment, wondering what just what he will see from the Lieutenant. It had been his experience that those who seemed the most gentle and innocent often turned out to be among the deadliest in the Seireitei. As the Hakuda Instructor informed him upon his graduation, "Captain Wolf did not choose his squad members carelessly."

Turning to face her petite figure, Kyousuke gives her a soft look, "Sorry, Lieutenant Rizu, but attacking a woman isn't my style." He informs her, "Therefore, the first move is yours."

'And hopefully, not my last.'

Tch...*Rizu smirks and shakes her head at Kyousuke.* Now there's your first problem. An opponent is an opponent...no matter how cute! *With her last word she launches herself forward at top speed, spinning herself to the left and following through with a kick to Kyousuke's left side.*

His eye's swell up a bit as the pint-sized beauty charges him...

'She's quick!'

Before he knew it, she was in his face with her leg reared back. He quickly throws his left arm up, taking the blow to the forearm, which almost numbed it on the first strike, "I see what you mean." He said with a stained voice, using his own, raw strength to thrust her leg away as he springs upward, twirling himself in a graceful back flip, attempting to catch her under the chin with his own kick...

*As Kyousuke kicks towards her chin, she quickly bends herself backwards as she did when she stretched before the fight. Rizu bends herself into a bridge and lifts her legs off the ground, spinning herself with her hands on the ground sending multiple spin kicks towards Kyousuke's solar plexus. With each kick, she puts emphasis on her words.* Never...underestimate...your opponent!

He only felt himself hitting air, meaning he missed his opponent. Upon landing, he discovers a whirlwind of kicking feet which crashes into his body painfully, "Uugghh!" He groans as the power of her kicks staggers him backward a few steps, clutching the area she struck him.

'Looks like I was right. She's definitely someone you don't want to get on the bad side of.'

He takes a moment to catch his breath, strategizing...

*She pushes herself up with her hands and flips over Kyousuke's shoulder, landing in a kneel behind him with a quiet giggle.* You may have benefited from having the first move, Kyou-kun. Never give your opponent a chance to plot. If they have time to think... *Rizu shunpos right in front of him and gently hold her hands out to his chest.* ...They have time to kill you. Hado #1. Sho!

Kyousuke held in a chuckle, wanting to inform her how many times he had made the first move against an opponent and still wound up tasting his own blood, but decided against it. However, during those battles he had also taken something from his opponents.

The moment he felt her hands on his body, he vanishes in a shunpo, reappearing behind the Lieutenant, thrusting an open-palm strike at her spine, "I'll remember that."

*Taken off guard by Kyousuke's tactful dodge, Rizu fails to fully dodge the palm strike, taking the majority of the hit causing her to fall forwards, sliding against the ground for a few feet. Her spine in temporary shock from the hit, she takes a few moments to stand.* Nngh...heh. Well done. Now you're doing your aura justice. Let's see if you can continue that way. *Glowing with white reiatsu, she launches herself forward and pulls her left arm back for a powerful punch to Kyousuke's gut.* Ikkotsu!

As her reiatsu ignites around her, Kyousuke notices her speed increase, catching him off-guard as her fist flies forward. During his previous battles, Kyousuke had learned the value of impulsive moves, training them as a survival instinct. As the punch launches out with fierce power, he twists to his right, the blow just grazing him and bruising one of his ribs.

In retaliation, his right leg snaps out to connect with the center of her chest, taking note of the Lieutenant's skill in Hakuda...

*Rizu uses Hagane to strengthen her skin and grabs Kyousuke's incoming foot with both hands. Grinning, she speaks quietly under her breath.* Bold. *With her left hand still gripping his foot, Rizu points her right two forefingers towards his right shoulder.* Hado #4. Byakurai.

His attack was halted in mid-air, snared by the beautiful Lieutenant's fast hands.

'She's gradually displaying more speed with each move.' He notes to himself, watching as she raised her fingers up. He may not have had use of his right leg, but his right arm was a different matter. As she begins uttering the Hado command, he thrusts the roof of his hand under her wrist, hoping to knock the trajectory of the blast off-course. In the same moment, he springs into the air, using her grip around his foot as leverage, twisting and sending his left foot out to sweep across the right side of her jaw.