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Kuuri had sit between the, now even more destroyed, tree for a while now... He seemed to be in a trance state, but really.. he was fixated on the splinters lodged into his hands... They didn't hurt, but were a pain, and he couldn't punch with blood coming out and throbbing for him every swing could he...? It'd be a challenge, but he wasn't willing to really 'take it' at the moment... All he wanted now was a fight... No.. not really a fight.. He wanted a training fight... He wanted to fight a person, so that they both could advance form what came...

He was thinking already that his hand to hand skill, fluency, and overall abilities were advanced to a point.. Hell, he could take on anyone in a match not involving reistu... And almost guarantee a win.... "That's what I need... I need a fight against a higher, more advanced seat in a 'Hand-to-Sword, and or Hand match without reistu use... I wanna see if my abilities really are good enough to face a blade head on... My 'Fang' should work as a good parry combined with my striking speed and precision... My hands'll be my blades... They'll be my zanpakto" He sat there, thinking and talking to himself firmly, as if this were a set-up plan, or heist he was about to proceed with....

After gathering what he wanted, and what he'd do... He laid down backwards, looking up at the sky and sighing to himself lightly.... His legs raised, and curled in.. allowing his knee to almost touch his face before he flipped... doing a kip-up and landing on his feet athletically... "Noone could touch me though.... Guess I'll 'tone' down the speed until things get heated... Good..got it.. Planned... Now lets search the Sereitei for this fight..." He gave a small smirk.. finally stopping his conversation with noone... Still he felt 'someone' was there listening... Hell, he felt someone had given him this idea... it was weird, and that presence that gave him 'invigoration' popped into his mind once more... The simple thought caused him to feel something was looming over him.... He closed his eyes before releasing a slight 'surge' of reistu to boost his stamina.. Sending him into his usual adrenaline filled technique...

Rush...

Before a second blink, Kuuri was gone, now seen as a stop-motion type thing.. Every several meters a figure of him was seen.. but they were all merely after-images...

Sho Yuuki enters the squads training center. Looking around he stops and can feel the spiritual energy that surrounds this place. He closes his eyes and then says, "Master Yamato ... I can feel your spirit energy...come out, I am ready for your teachings."

((Ok, will do .... ))

Sho tries to open his eyes but can't. He can feel massive pain in the back of his neck and can smell fresh grass in his nose. He tries to move his head but can't. He starts to panic thinking he is dead when he hears a deep voice say, "Don't try and move. Just rest for a while. Your body will recover from the blast you took to the back of your neck. Until then, your vision and movement will be impaired." Sho starts to get nervous because he can't see and by smelling the grass, he knows he is not in the same place he was with Master Yamoto. Sho says, "Who's there? Who are you? I am unable to defend myself stranger.... It is not honorable to strike a man down like this." The voice says, "If I wanted to strike you down Sho Yuuki, I would have done so a while ago. I'm not here for that." Sho says, "How do you know my name? Who are you?" The deep voice laughs and says, "Sho, you have known me forever. It is I, Ryu Kami ...."

Sho's vision starts to come back slowly and he is able to pull himself slowly up to his knees. He grabs for his Zanpakutou and it isn't there ... Sho yells, "You have taken my Zanpakutou. What kind of tricks are you playing with me? Your name is not Ryu Kami ... that is the name I gave to my Zanpakutou. No one knows that name except me. Now, tell me who you are and give me my Zanpakutou back now!" the deep voice says, "Sho open your eyes .... You should be able to see me now." Sho slowly opened his eyes waiting for that final blow to kill him, but it never came. Looking around Sho was on a grassy mountain top that had a cave entrance to the right and sitting before him was the biggest red Dragon he had ever seen. Sho was speechless ... the first thing that came to his mind was that he was dead. He tried to talk but couldn't. He remembered all the stories he was told when he was a kid about dragon's and knights. He believed them to be myths. Now seeing one in front of him, he had no clue what to think. The deep voice says, "Sho, you are not crazy ... you are not dead either. I am Ryu Kami. The spirit of your Zanpakutou. You learned about this in the academy. I don't understand why you are so surprised. Oh that's right ... you were goofing off during that lesson. Well I am real Sho and this is my form. Get use to it because we are stuck together forever.”

Sho looks at the Dragon and says, "I don't understand what I'm doing here. I was talking to Master Yamato and then I'm here. How did I get here?" The Dragon says, "Sho, your Master sent you here because it is time for you to learn your Shikai. To do that, we have to become one. We have to work together as one to bring out your inner power and the powers I hold within you and your Zanpakutou. That's why you are here. Do you understand now? Sho we must get moving ... you cannot stay in my realm for very long because it drains your energy and makes you open to an attack in the real world. I have a lot to teach you and a short period of time." Sho looks at the Dragon and says, "Ok, let's get this started. I'm sure the shock will pass.... I hope."

The Dragon walks into the cave and Sho follows. They continue to walk for a few minutes and come to a large open cavern. Gold, gems, jewelry, and other riches are stacked from the floor to the sealing in some places. But at the far wall is the Dragons nest. He walks over and sits in it. Making himself comfortable he then turns to Sho and says, "Ok, welcome to my palace. Next time you come and see me I will be here. I very rarely leave this cave anymore. So, draw your Zanpakutou." Sho looks and his Zanpakutou is strapped to his side just as it was before. Sho reaches down and draws it. Holding it in his hands he can feel something different with it. It didn't feel the same in his hands as it did before. Sho looks at the Dragon and the Dragon says, "I know ... it feels different now. It’s going to because you are starting to link with me and me with you. It's ok ... trust me." Sho looks at him and says, "Trust you? Ok, if you say so. I still have a hard time believing that you are real. But, why not. Let's see what you've got." The Dragon smiles and says, "Ok, when you have your Zanpakutou drawn you are going to want to link up with me. To do this you must say .... Ryu Kimasu Demasu ... that means Dragon Come Forth. That phrase tells me that you need me or you need my added strength. Now, I want you to try it.....remember Sho, trust in me. If you trust no other in your life, you can trust in me."

Sho looks at the Dragon and closes his eyes. He can picture the seating contest and the fight. He opens his eyes and says, "Ryu Kimasu Demasu" Sho starts to feel a warmth of power run through his hands and into his arms. He looks at his Zanpakutou and see's the blade shrink in length by 8” inches to become 20.5" with an 11" steal handle. Sho looks over to the Dragon and see's its eyes glowing blue and says, "What the hell ... look it shrunk. It's like a short sword. One that a child would train with! Now what?" The Dragon looks at him and says, "Enough Sho!! Now throw the sword at the large golden statue across the room...and don't ask any more questions!" Sho can sense that the Dragon was getting upset so he turned toward the statue and threw the sword at it. What he didn't expect was to watch the sword fly towards the statue and around it. Then it headed back to him and he caught it by the handle.

Sho turned and looked at the Dragon with a flare of amazement in his eyes. The Dragon nodded and says, "Throw it again except, aim to hit it this time. Stay focused Sho .... " Sho turned and looked at the statue again. The reached back to Kansas and threw the sword at the statue. The Zanpakutou flew straight at the statue and stuck into it as if Sho was standing next to it and put it there. Sho was excited again but had a look of "now what" on his face. The Dragon yelled, "Extend your arm and put your hand out for it to return!" Sho turned and looked at the sword. He placed his arm out and opened his hand. He could feel the spiritual energy grow within him and in his hand. Sho looks at the Dragon and his eyes glow brighter again. All of a sudden the Zanpakutou flings itself out of the statue and back into Sho's hand in a speed of light. Sho turns to the Dragon and he says, "This is great! This is my Shikai?" The Dragon says, "No Sho, this is my release form. This is the beginning of our Shikai .... I want you to work with this for a little while and then we will move on to the Shikai you have been waiting for." Sho spends what seems like hours throwing his Zanpakutou and having it come back to him. He only missed his target a couple of times but the Dragon seemed happy with his progress.

After a while the Dragon says, "Ok, enough Sho. It's time to move on." Sho turns to the Dragon and says, "I'm ready when you are." The Dragon says, "Ok, so you know what it's like when we join power together to get the Initial Release form. Now it's on to .... Ryu Bengo ... Dragons Defense." Sho looks at the Dragon and it nods to him. Sho turns and yells, "Ryu Bengo ... Dragons Defense!" Ryu Kami becomes engulfed in red flames. In shock, Sho almost drops it to the floor. The Dragon says, "Don't be scared Sho, the flames will not burn any part of you. They will burn anyone and anything else ... but not you. So, take your left hand and put it in the flame. Remember, trust in me." Sho turns and with his left hand he grabs the blade. Nothing happens to Sho. The blade feels as cool as it did before. Sho is in shock. He turns to the Dragon and was about to say something when the Dragon says, "Now point the sword at the statue and twist your wrist Sho ... Do it now!!" Sho turns and points the sword at the golden statue and twist's his wrist as instructed by the Dragon. A red fireball leaps from the tip of the blade and strikes the golden statue melting it down to almost nothing.

Sho watches as the statue smokes and then he turns to the Dragon. The Dragon says, "Now you have learned your Shikai. You have learned my attacks and we are one now. My soul is part of yours and your soul is part of mine. If you should die Sho, I would die too. I have waited a long time for you to come and see me. Now go and make me proud Sho. The next time we meet ... it will be for your Bankai." The Dragon reaches over and blows a cloud of smoke and mist over Sho .....

Sho opens his eyes and he is look up at the blue sky. Over to his right stands Yamato. He slowly gets up and smiles at his Master and says, "I did it! I connected with my Zanpakutou’s spirit, Master Yamato. I have learned my Shikai and and we have become one with each other.” Sho walks a few paces away from Yamato and yells, "Ryu Kimasu Demasu …. Dragon Come Forth!! Sho’s Zanpakutou shrinks in size to the size of a short sword. Then Sho yells, " Ryu Bengo….Dragons Defense!! His Zanpakutou is engulfed in red flames. Sho turns to Yamato and says, "Thank you Master Yamato. I will never forget my time with Ryu Kami.”

((Thank You .... ))

The flames go out and Sho puts his Zanpakutou away. He turns and heads off the training field with a smile on his face. Bankai is next ....

[exit training field ...]

Yamoto appeared behing Sho. "No you are just kinda weird for talking to yourself." Yamoto smiled and laughed. "So you want to learn more kido, well I hate to break it to yah, but your are only llowed to learn up to number 40 as of right now." Yamoto frowned he hated theat rule because it wasn't fair to the kido experts who hadn't made vice yet.

"Very well, but I suspect that someone else might be joining us, so I say let's wait for them and than we will began." Yamoto walked a few feet away from Sho and placed his hand to the ground. A few seconds later 5 wooden dummies shot out of the ground. "This should do nicly."

"Actually, you will have to learn how to fight for your oppponent with me around.." Lalya said, strolling onto the training grounds. "Because I think toothpicks are going to be resulting in my actions as well. Oh, and I thank you for waiting up Yamoto, it was quite gentleman-like of you."

Layla reached from behind her, and took her wakizashi out of her sash, placing it at Yamoto's feet, looking up at him eagerly. Her lips were full, and today she was wearing a sparkley brownish lipstick on them. She slightly poked her chest out, not trying to be too provocative, but she figured it was no harm to do so since she was already at his feet. Giving him a smile, she stood and stared at him in the eyes.
"I don't think I am going to be needing tha tper-say, am I Vice Captain sir?" she asked him as she stepped back towards Sho.

A smile remained on her face, and she seemed in good spirits today. She figured the response from Yamoto would probably be no, since kidous did not require aide from her zanpakuto. She was eager to own up to what she was expected to know as a shinigami. Layla was not confident in her reiatsu much, and needed to figure out ways to efficiently hone her skills with it. Kidous were just a start down that path...