A Rip in Space & Soul

*She watches as her frozen battle ground is ripped to shreds with a faint look of displeasure at the fact that they were no longer surrounded by ice.* Impressive. *Still standing behind Kyousuke, she lifts her right hand into the air, palm facing forward. Her hand glows bright white as an arc of cold, condensed white energy the height and width of her hand shoots out at full speed towards his mid-back. Despite its small size, the arc has enough power for Rizu's heels to dig into the ground.*

Kyousuke waits until all of the snow and ice around them is devoured; absorbed directly into his weapon. It pulses, and he felt it had grown stronger. He didn't really want to do that, but leaving the Lieutenant with home-field advantage was too risky.

'There's no telling how she'd be able to use it to turn the tables on me.' He thought to himself, justifying his tactics.

He then felt himself getting pelted in the back by something that felt like an orb of cold stone; fired with such force that he was thrown forward violently.

'Oww! That's gonna bruise an assortment of nice colors later.' He concludes before extending his left hand down and bounces it off the ground, righting himself through the air as he twirls about and plants on his feet, skidding back a few more yards before he finally came to a stop, looking across to the Lieutenant...

*She smiles again, chuckling quietly. She notices a very small and brief disruption in Kyousuke's aura.* I see. *Rizu shunpos into the air, standing above Kyousuke. She leans forward and gestures her hand gently in his direction.* Dai Konran. *A thrashing whirlpool of freezing cold water and ice opens up underneath him, existing only to pull him under and thrash him about violently and toss him back out.*

Kyousuke tracks her movements to the sky, curious what she was up to now as she motions to him with her hand. He drops into a stance, preparing for anymore ice shards that had already punched a bunch of holes into him, or perhaps another kido spell.

Come to find out, it wasn't either one. Glancing down, Kyousuke overhears a slight roar before the earth opens up underneath him. A gasp escapes his breath, "Wh-what the?!?"

Before he could attempt to escape, Kyousuke was suddenly swallowed by a swirling void of water and ice. He cries out as he was jostled around inside, the idle ice pieces inflicting painful scratches and scars all over his body. But in the midst of it, he hardens himself against the technique, clutching his Zanpakuto firmly. As he was about to meet another wall of painful frozen daggers, he extends his blade and slashes it against the vortex. Immediately, the water inside begins to break up into it's baser elements before it is all sucked into the shaft of the naginata. Noticing a break up above, Kyousuke breaks for the surface, hoping to surprise the gorgeous Lieutenant with a surprise attack - charging up from the frigid abyss, he slashes at her abdomen...

*Rizu looks down into the maelstrom, observing curiously.* So his zanpakuto can absorb attacks and use it to increase power? Heh. Great choice, Koga-taicho. *In the midst of her thoughts, she notices that Kyousuke has escaped her violent whirlpool...albeit, notices a little late. She attempts to dodge the attack but merely relocates it to her lower right side. She winces at the gash and looks back up at Kyousuke with a grin.* That's more like it. What else you got? *She shunpos forward and in mid air sends a spin kick towards the right side of his head.*

Kyousuke noticed his blade actually penetrated her flesh this time, watching her blood splash outwards. Not only had his blade been feeding off of her attacks, it had just taken a bite out of her own spirit energy this time, further increasing it's capabilities. But whether the Lieutenant realized this or not, she did not seem to mind; more so, she encouraged him to show her more of his power.

Though she suddenly disappears in a shunpo, his eyes follow her, managing to duck her kick before shunpoing behind her, driving his blade down across her back in a heavier blow. Once again, he was curious if his own reiatsu was weighing on his opponent, making her a few steps slower than before, or if his increase in power had sharpened his own battle instincts...

*Rizu shunpos forward, narrowly dodging the slash to her back. She looks up towards Kyousuke, noticing his increasing abilities.* -So his zanpakuto leeches power from his opponent. This could prove to be dangerous.- *She grins and laughs under her breath, glancing at Kyousuke.* Well Kyou-kun! It seems you've managed to slow me down a bit. I'm genuinely impressed. Let's see what else you can do hmm?

Reito...kaien. *She whips her arms out horizontally and immediately they burst into what seems like bright white flames. They are freezing cold, burning to the touch and behave like fire. Rizu shunpos directly in front of Kyousuke, sending a punch towards his stomach with her icy flame-engulfed left fist.*

'Heh. She's still just toying with me.' Thought Kyousuke, gauging the glowing ice goddess' reaction, and deciphering the details of her words, 'If I didn't know better, I'd say she's only getting stronger. I'll have to be careful.'

He honestly wasn't sure how long he could last against her Bankai, but strangely enough, he discovered he was finding this battle and his opponent quite interesting...

He then suddenly found himself marveled by her next technique, observing as a plume of white flames sprouted up along her arms, showering the Lieutenant in a heavenly glow. He had never seen such a technique before; neither in mystique or in beauty. But such things were only on the surface, he learned, asd the woman suddenly disappeared, once again surprising him with her incredible speed. Before he could put up his guard, her fist plows into his gut...

"Yaaagghhh!!!" He bellows, sliding back across the air a few yards before coming to a stop, feeling his stomach burning ferociously.

Looking down, he saw his body aflame with the white fire from her arms. He quickly tries to pat himself down to put it out, but the instant he touches it, he pulls his hand away, "Agh! Damn!" He swears, shaking his hand about.

Opting for Plan B, he gently waves his blade over the fire, watching it dissolve into his weapon: devoured. It was then he noticed that while the attack burned like ordinary fire, it must've been well below sub-zero temperatures. In fact, his fingers on his left hand felt completely numb.

'Is this the true power of her Bankai?' He wondered, examining his hand, 'Amazing. By combining her reiatsu with the air, she can form attacks so cold they burn like fire and can be made as hard as diamond! Man, I can't afford one slip-up.' He noted, glancing up at his gorgeous opponent...

*Rizu watches as the blade absorbs her icy fire, grinning as she shakes her head.* -This isn't going to go well now is it...- It seems you're at a great advantage Kyou-kun. *She sighs dramatically and makes that mocking pout once again, unable to hold it long as the left corner of her mouth twitches into a smirk.* I suppose it's time to kick it up a notch then hmm?

*She clenches her fists, her entire body going up in the arctic flames. As she does, her reiatsu bursts around her, freezing everything behind her almost instantly. She smiles crookedly and moves her left leg forward to take a step. Before it hits the ground, she appears behind Kyousuke, grabbing the back of his neck with her flame-engulfed left hand. Gripping tightly, she speaks very clearly as she lifts her right hand into the air.* Dai Konran! *She summons the violent, icy maelstrom around both herself and Kyousuke, preparing herself for the impact; she knows too well that she will experience just the same as he.*

Kyousuke's emerald eyes swell upon witnessing more of the Lieutenant's beautiful, destructive power. He watched as the forestation behind her crystalized in frames of solid white ice all the way to the core, causing trees to break apart and topple to the ground. They shatter into billions of pieces as Kyousuke stared at the snow-white angel in front of him. Bits of starry ice particles flutter around her with sparkling beauty while the wind whips and howls around her...

"Wow..." Was all he could utter.

His body then froze in shock as she suddenly appeared right behind him, and wraps a slender burning hand around his neck, jolting his body with agonizing pain. He tried to move to get away, but his body wouldn't respond. He was somehow paralyzed! He could feel bits of frost forming around his skin from the touch of the Lieutenant. He then began to observe as the blistering cyclone began to encase them both and he fought to try and raise his blade against it, but still could not budge...

'It's as if all of my muscles have suddenly been frozen solid. I can't move.' He studied mentally, now realizing the true power and danger of her Bankai, 'This is bad. Come on, body. Move... Move!... Move, damn it!!!'

*Wincing as the maelstrom cuts into her, she waits a few moments before dispelling it by lowering her right arm. As the icy vortex dissipates, Rizu shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath before observing her own damage; lacerations and contusions. Everywhere. But nothing serious. She lets go of Kyousuke's neck in a throwing motion, tossing him forward. Panting quietly, she lets out a strained laugh and a smile creeps back to her face.* So...Kyou-kun...have you truly had enough?

He could do nothing as the arctic vortex encompassed them, shards of ice sticking, stabbing and scratching him like needles, opening him up in multiple places as well as shredding most of his Shihakusho, leaving behind only two ripped portions of his hakama. As the Lieutenant releases him, he stumbles forward before turning to face her again, now a scarred, bleeding mess. Like her, he pants heavily for air, knowing he didn't have much gas left in the tank, but there was a little.

'But can she take it?' He mused, looking over her condition. It seemed she had suffered similar wounds as well, which meant she sacrificed herself to guarantee the success of her attack, 'Well, she said she wanted me to hit her with everything I've got...'

With that reminder, he sets his blade out straight, directed at her. Next, his reiatsu flares up around him violently, then wraps around the naginata, releasing an intense level of energy. He closes his eyes for a moment, as though in regret...

'Forgive me, Lieutenant Rizu...'

Reopening his eyes, the blade of his weapon starts to glow a silvery-white hue, "Haki modosu." In an instant, the blade sparks before shooting off an enormous wave of white energy with blinding speeds. The wave swirls majestically like a wormhole, closing in on it's target with devastating force. As it reached closer, his opponent should be able to decipher just what was being shot right at them...

*Rizu studies Kyousuke as he points his naginata out towards her, frowning slightly as it glows.* Hmm. *Before she can react, she sees a blindingly fast wave of white energy coming for her. Cold energy. Confident that she can bring her own energy to a halt, she widens her stance and increases the size of the flames around her, holding her hands out in front of her. By the time she realized that the energy is no longer under her control, it was already hitting her.* Nngh!

*Rizu gasps loudly as it hits her at full force, flying backwards into the debris of the frozen trees and vegetation in the clearing. She coughs up blood as she slowly brings herself to her feet, hunched over and gasping for air. Despite her pain and poor condition, she musters a grin.* I've never felt my own attacks before. Man, is that ever unpleasant. *Continuing to grin, she takes a slow step forward, straightening her posture.* You have outdone my expectations Kyou-kun...and with a fraction of power still to spare. I am definitely impressed.

Kyousuke saw as the beautiful Lieutenant was swallowed whole by the attack, an attack which released all of the energy Burakkuhoru had absorbed; both from her and her Zanpakuto. The wave carries her backward across the battlefield before exploding in a plume of silvery-white light.

Just then, his Zanpakuto began to glow once again before it splits apart, dissolving back into two separate katanas. Kyousuke hung in his place, gasping heavily for breath. He had nothing left. His blood continued to stream out of his body, splashing in pools on the ground underneath him. He tried to remain conscious, but the thought of sleep seemed all too enticing. Eventually, his eyes fluttered, and his body sagged until he finally dropped like a stone to the ground - landing face-first in his own blood, his swords scattering from his hands. He managed one last thought before his eyes closed up...

'At least she's alive...'

*Seeing Kyousuke fall to the ground, Rizu smiles sympathetically and walks over to him. She drops hastily into a sitting position, reaches over to her lieutenant's badge and pulls out a sealed, pre-filled syringe.* Let's fix you up then Kyou-kun. *She gently takes his arm and injects enough serum to heal his wounds, placing his arm back down.* There. *Rizu then injects herself with the remainder of the syringe and puts it back in her badge. With a smile, she looks down at Kyousuke.* Koga-taicho chose this one well...

Kyousuke lay still as the needle sank into his bruised, damaged skin, completely oblivious to whatever medicine was being inserted into his body. His breathing was shallow, but even. The Lieutenant had definitely pushed him to the brink. He was exhausted. As the serum ran it's course, Kyousuke's flesh slowly closed up, not allowing anymore blood to leave his body. More than that, any scars or marks which would have been left behind were also gone; replaced by a rapidly accelerated flesh regrowth.

Though his injuries were now healed, he did not wake. His dark, coffee-brown locks mat over his fsce as he slept; his mind and body now at peace and warm...

*Rizu waits there with Kyousuke, monitoring his aura as any and all disruptions are slowly but surely righted by the serum and his rest. When the sun begins to set, she smiles as she brushes his hair back from his face gently and leans close to his face. Her smile turns up to one side into a mischievous smirk. She takes a breath and opens her mouth.* OIIII! WAKEY WAKEY KYOU-KUN!

There were no dreams; no visions; no images. There was just silence and warmth as he rested there. That is, until an explosion sounded in his ear, zapping him back to life as Kyousuke raised up in alarm, supporting himself on his arms, twisting his head in every direction rapidly...

"What?!? What's going on? Where am I?!" He stammers out rapidly with eyes wide open in a panic...

*Rizu falls backwards laughing as Kyousuke responds to her wake up call, tears forming in the corners of her eyes from her hysterics. She slowly regains her composure, sitting back up. Looking at his panic, she chuckles to herself.* Welcome back Kyou-kun. I trust you slept well. Was beginning to wonder if I had to carry you back to the barracks myself!

Hearing a fit of ecstatic, angelic laughter, Kyousuke looks over to see the Lieutenant on her back, rolling in hysteria. At first, he was a bit disoriented, but as he gains his bearings, the memories of their battle come flooding back to him.

"Lieutenant Rizu?" He utters, bemused. He had expected her to be long gone by now, tending to her injuries. That was when he noticed - they were gone!

He looks down at himself, noticing he was fully healed as well.

'My wounds. They're gone.' He mentions to himself, amazed, 'How?'

*She stops chuckling and tilts her head a moment, briefly forgetting that not everyone knew of Squad 12's regeneration serum.* Oh, I healed them. *She pats her lieutenant's badge fondly and smiles.* This is more than just a chunk of wood you know. I keep some handy serums and syringes in it. Koga and I carry a very, very potent regeneration serum. It proves to be pretty useful sometimes. *She chuckles to herself and looks Kyousuke up and down.* You healed quicker than I expected. I have to say, you gave me a run for my money Kyou-kun.

Kyousuke glanced to the badge on the lovely Lieutenant's arm as she explains to him the subtle, yet clearly effective little gadgets she and Captain Wolf carried on their being. With such things hidden from their enemies, they could prove to be a major contribution in battle, he thought.

With that piece of information, he sits up quietly next to her, resting one arm over his knee, "You beat me fair and square, Lieutenant Rizu." He comments as he looks down to the grass, a warm smile curling up his lips, "I see I still have a lot to learn here."

He basked in the warmth of the sun as it beamed against the naked, toned flesh of his upper body. Then, in his peripheral, he notices his Zanpakuto laying nearby, revered back into it's sealed form. Reaching over, he takes up the two katanas, studying the blades, "You amaze me, Lieutenant."

*Rizu shakes her head with a soft smile on her lips.* We all have a lot to learn, Kyou-kun. *She looks up at the sky intently, watching the clouds pass through the vanilla skies.* There is not a single person in this world, or any world for that matter, that has a complete knowledge of this expanding universe. *She looks back over at Kyousuke as she speaks.* We could live until the end of time and there would still be endless unanswered questions. In the search for knowledge, all we can do is learn something new with each passing day...but I'm rambling.

*She sighs to herself and shakes her head again, laughing.* Amaze you? Really now, I hardly see why. You should be amazed with yourself after that display; and at your level! It should be a proud accomplishment for you.

He took heed of her words. She was right; even those who live thousands of years would never have a full understanding of things in the universe. But in the Soul Society, there was much he would have to learn; both about himself, his Zanpakuto, and of others. This was only the beginning of his journey. His mind briefly wanders to the old man he met in the Rukon District, who had picked him out of everybody to be accepted into Shino Academy. He wondered...

His thoughts were interrupted though as Lieutenant Rizu compliments him insistently on his own skills, "No need to be modest, Lieutenant. Your power is still far beyond mine. There's no way I could've beat you at that rate. You're too strong, too fast, and too smart." He remarks turning to look into her eyes with a humble smile, "You even found a way to use my own reiatsu against me."

*Rizu smiles and tilts her head, blinking innocently as though ignorant to his statement.* Hmm...I did that? No, you must be thinking of some other Lieutenant. *She smirks and chuckles quietly.* All jokes aside, I'm aware of my strengths. I worked very hard to get to where I am today. Of course you have a long way to go before you could beat me; even longer to beat Koga. That's not the point. Each of us has been at a point in our lives as shinigami where we have a long road of work ahead of us. Many people in spite of their great power constantly yearn for more.

*She pats Kyousuke on the knee and smiles at him.* You have a gift, there's no doubt about it. Take it and run with it; ignore any harsh words or criticisms from others. And if anyone gives you trouble... *Rizu grins, her eyes blazing.* ...They're mine to deal with.