With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
The day was beautiful. The sky was blue and cloudless, the sun was shining brightly and there was a nice breeze to boot. Ryu sat on top of a large boulder just to the side of the lake. Meditation outside was one of his favorite things to do. Inside his inner world he and Kaminari were having a light training session. Well, thats what Kaminari called it. Steam begins to rise from Ryu's meditating form as a few bruises and scratch marks also appear. Opening his eyes slowly he breaths deeply. Then, his eyes open wide and he jumps up hoping up and down.
"ow ow ow ow. YOU CALL THAT A LIGHT TRAINING SESSION!" he yells into the air. Shaking off the steam he signs. "Well, I guess that's Kaminari for ya... well... now that I have training out of the way" Ryu begins, looking toward the lake. Then he smiles "Maybe it's time for a swim". Ryu takes off his tunic and shirt, then his boots and pants, revealing a pair black shorts under his pants. His lean muscular body is clear as he smiles and dives into the water.
Kaito walks by the lake a brown sac slung over his shoulder he makes his way for what he thought would be a private nap. Arriving at his favorite spot he see's that someone else was already there swimming in the lake. Kaito stops for second looking back the way he came, he had hiked all the way out there and it seemed like such a shame to have to walk back.
"Challenge him to a fight winner claims the lakes and surrounding lands, loser leaves with the shame of defeat",
Drazzel Kaito's spirit announces in his head, Kaito gives a weak smile brushing off the zanpakuto's suggestion, good natured as Drazzel was he saw everything as a question of honor and of course one must always protect their honor with their blade. If anything the spirit was slightly stuck up, though Kaito would never tell him that.
"Don't you ignore me, This is a matter of honor, of pride, of... of... of everything that proves a mans worth. I'll not have you...."
Kaito cut's Drazzel off calling to the swimming shinigami,
The water was clear and blue, the sun beating down on the lake causing it to shine. This was perfect weather for a swim, especially in this heat. Ryu backstroked through the wate, then dove, swimming to the bottom. Looking around in the clear water Ryu saw several types of fish and other marine lifeforms swim buy. Feeling his breath running out Ryu quickly swims to the surface, taking a breath of the crisp air. His normally spiky hair now matted down by the water Ryu shakes his head and his hair pops back up.
"may I join you" He hears a voice say. He knew that voice, and upon turning around recognized the man it belonged to. Kaito was a friend of Ryu's, they had gone on a few missions together in the past. Smiling as he approached Ryu waved to him.
"Sure thing" he smiles "It's not like I own the lake" Ryu jokes. "What are you doing around these parts? Usually I am here alone, thought I was the only one to know about it" Ryu says while rubbing the back of his head and chuckling.
Kaito pulls off his shinigami robes wearing nothing but a pair of loose red shorts underneath. The wind blew past him as he stood above the lake water looking at a hole in the rock face behind the lake. He chuckles a little pausing for a moment as if lost in some long forgotten memory he says;
"I actually used to come to this place all the time back in my academy days me and my brother used to use it a private hang out and training place, never saw anyone else here kinda why im a bit surprised to see ya Ryu"
With that Kaito dives into the water streaming past fishes and sea life to the bottom he stops for just a moment enjoying the serene peace and quiet that can only be found in the depths of a body of water, before pushing up his head breaking the surface.
Kaito surfaces and asks his question. Ryu swims to the side of a bolder that dips into the water and leans back against it.
"I like to meditate in the forest, it's very calming, nature." Ryu begins, looking to the sky. "I actually came across this place on accident." He begins, chuckling and rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed. "I got lost in the woods one day about 10 years ago. When I found this lake I couldn't believe how nice it was. I've been coming here ever since. It's a very calming area, and I like to meditate here..." he says, smiling gently, his smile then widens and and laughs openly. "And out here I am free to yell and complain to Kaminari when his training sessions are too difficult without anyone looking at me strangely".
Cracking his neck gently, another habit of his, he begins to speak again "And Kaminari's training sessions are always like that, so the water is refreshing". He then dives into the water, swiming under Kaito, and surfacing on the other side.
After a little while passes Ryu floats on his back, the silence of the forest surrounding the two. "Kaito... may I ask you a question?"
Kaito looks at Ryu smiling he begins to reply when his spirit speaks into his head;
"Oh no, oh no, no, no I'll not have it your not going to fight this man, and your instead just going to talk. He has come to an area you hold sacred no no no a knight's honor lies in his ability to protect that which he holds dear. Now combat can't you hear the sweet call, good for the body, good for the soul. Further more.."
Kaito jerks slightly as if he had dozed off for a second shirking off his spirits rant, Drazzel was always trying to ruin Kaito relaxing time. He looks at Ryu standing up as he walks towards a cliff face a foot or two from the lake side.
Ryu floats a little further, then begins to speak. "Do you remember the battle we had, with the 5th Espada... Aurion? Do you remember how we were so easily beaten" Ryu thinks back to the battle, almost like a flashback. "I promised myself that day that I would get stronger, no matter what. I promised myself that next time we fought, I would help kill him. But I can't do that yet... not until I achieve Bankai..." Ryu says, looking toward the sky. "Have you achieved it yet? And... if not... have you begun to train for it" Ryu asks, his voice completely serious, his eyes reflecting this seriousness. Ryu clenches and unclenches his hand several times, remembering how easily Aurion dissipated his Kaze Kaminari Uzu.
Kaito clenches his hands, Aurion, the creature who had killed his friend Hanzo, his friend he'd been too weak to protect. His eyes flare with anger and then guilt as the memory runs through his mind. Vividly he could picture the scene Aurion holding Hanzo as he was burned alive by his aura, then casually dropping the corpse to the ground. At the time it seemed like it had taken years for the corpse to hit the ground now the entire memory seemed to flash by in a minute.
"Of course I remember, He killed Hanzo, im going to make that bastard pay!". Kaito stopped taking a deep breathe he steadied himself calming down, "No... I haven't achieved Bankai yet Drazzel tells me im not yet ready to unleash his full power... I've trained for it but I don't think I have ever gotten close to it."
As Kaito talked he climbed to the top of the cliff face about five feet up, he smiled "why you wana train a little?", Kaito asks the question as he dives back into the water his spirit cheering in his head before being cut off by the splash of water.
"Good show man, maybe this Ryu isn't riff-raff afterall a good man knows that free time is training time, Further more..." -SPLASH-
"yes do it! I wanna see what this guy can do! He seems really cool!" Kaminari yells in Ryu's mind as his eyes get big with anticipation.
Ryu chuckles lightly "We can later. I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories, but I needed to know. Just remember, whenever you want to train for it... let me know... I will be glad to help." Ryu says, cracking his neck again. Ryu slowly sinks under the water, until he is a few feet under. Looking around for a minute, then his eye's light up a moment, noticing something under the water. Surfacing quickly Ryu calls out to Kaito. "Hey, have you ever noticed the cave under the water?" he asks.
Kaito smiles the cave underwater yea he knew it, It hadn't alway been there though, Haji had blown it in the lake during their academy years it connected to a large cave with a hidden entrance to a labyrinth of tunnels within the core of the mountains, the tunnels there were so dark you could barely see your hand in front of your face let alone what else might be lurking in the darkness. Looking at Ryu slightly surprised by his knowledge of the cave Kaito replies;
"Yea I remember, the entrance is on the western wall beneath the reeds, then it's like two minutes to the surface, But do you know of the labyrinth?"
"Kaito, we shouldn't go back there you remember what happened the last time, you nearly died, not to mention all the time you missed from training at the academy because of it"
