The Calm [Open]

[Saito]

Sōkyoku Hill, a name that to most shinigami brings fear and to others righteousness. The myth and legend behind this place and the amount of shinigami put to justice by the strongest of zanpaktou before it was destroyed has implanted some type of opinion in every soul reaper. Its prestige lit the mind of the man who stood before it. Strands of purple wisping in the slight breeze that came with being at such a high altitude gave a hint as to exactly who was taking in the traditions of the past. Unbeknown to his peers the young reaper had been bored since morning and found himself trolling these parts in an attempt to entertain himself. For some reason he always ended up here whenever he took walks alone. Something about this place made him feel stronger, just a little bit more focused than usual.

To think just a little while ago this was the scene of the beginning of a coup to dislodge Seireitei, by his own Taichou no doubt. One that would utilize the power of 1000 zanpaktou to destroy the soul of one who was barely a seated officer. The mind one had to have to pull such a thing off. Saito was more intrigued toward the drama than anything else. He stood motionless, his standard issue Shihakushou and pearl scarf dancing in the wind. How long Hajime had been there he did not know but it just felt...Right. It had been awhile since he had time for himself and most avoided this sacred hill for its mere presence churned the stomachs of many.

The barren landscape crunched with every movement from the Purple haired shinigami and his sea-blue orbs pierced through the cross standing up as a symbol of justice to those who thought to break the sacred laws of Soul Society. Saito's hand innately reached to his side as he unsheathed his own zanpaktou feeling the steel, and it the nature of its power. To think a weapon was once forged with one million times more power than his blade could ever produce. It was mind boggling.

[purple]"Tch. Sometimes I don't understand you."[/purple]

Speaking to his wakizashi Saito sighed as he held it out in front of him. He'd had it for what seemed a lifetime and had not even come close to fully mastering it. Yet there were others who held more power than there own zanpaktou. It was really just a tad frustrating. Hajime knew he didn't have a resolve beyond that of a regular shinigami and that was why he seemed to plateau. His thoughts continued in this way back and forth until a sound he almost didn't notice broke him out of his mind. Someone was here.

[EJ]

"Oops, sorry about that," a feminine voice alleged from where the sound that broke the man's concentration took place. The bearer of the voice, however, wasn't female, and was someone Saito had run into once before. Jade orbs observed the back of the purple-haired Shinigami, examining the man's posture, as well as the wakizashi he had drawn in his hand, before he turned to face him. A contemptuous grin grew on the effeminate one's lips, excitement building up over his thoughts. It was what he had anticipated when he decided to check out the reiatsu signature coming from atop the sacred hill. A bout was what he scaled the cliff for in the first place.

"Did I interrupt what you were doing?"

His question was asked in vain. He couldn't care less for the answer he was given because things would've unfolded the same way regardless of if it were a 'yes' or a 'no.' The gender indefinite male stood where his position was revealed, the grin still playing on his lips as he waited for the man's reaction.

[/justify]

[Saito]

A familiar voice rang out. One that felt like he knew the person well, but he couldn't put a name to it. He turned his upper body to see who it was and as it turns out he didn't recognize the voice. He far from new its owner 'well' however. His memory banks went back to the two men from before the straight forward brute of a man, and this smart ass feminine man. Interesting. Saito almost rolled his eyes as he heard the mans question, one the shinigami before him already knew the answer to.

[purple]"If you didn't know whether or not you were interrupting why say sorry?"[/purple]

It was human nature to say what he'd said but Saito didn't really care. Deep down he knew the man would have interrupted him either way. From what he could recall this man was a snake with his words and intellectually ran circles around the guy he was talking to before. 'Twas amusing to say the least. Saito couldn't help but let out a small smirk as he awaited a reaction from the genetically gender confused shinigami. Maybe this day would be better than he expected.

[EJ]

The derisive grin plastered on the boy's features seemed to grow a fraction, replying to the man's words with a simple shrug, subsequently making his way over to the edge of the cliff. Literally everything within Seireitei could be seen standing exactly where Shimesu was. A beautiful sight that should be treated to the eyes every now and again, he thought to himself, but this particular moment was cut short by other motives. The effeminate Shinigami's jade orbs shifted to the right corner of their sockets, placing the purple-haired man into their peripherals.

The deep silence, that seemed to be a supernatural power of the hill, grew thick between the two as neither decided to speak a word. It appeared as if they were both waiting for the other to ask the same questions that laced each of their heads. This abnormal form of beating around the bush was enough to irk anyone's nerves, and was perhaps affecting the purple-haired Shinigami the same way it was Shimesu. After a few more seconds of silence and hearing the wind wisp by, the androgynous boy decided to take initiative and be the questioner, craning his neck a little to get the other Shinigami into the center of his vision.

"Oi, I never got to ask this before, but what's your name?"

'And would you like to spar,' is what he wanted to add, but thought it would be best to take it one step at a time. While beating around the bush was bad, jumping into things too fast could be just as appalling if done to the wrong person, however there was no rush. The day was still young, and a lot lied ahead of the two Soul Reapers should their intentions meet eye to eye.

[/justify]

[Saito]

The two stood sizing each other up for an eternity as the intruder answered Saito with a shrug. Something the boy should have expected. Saito stood in the passing tics and tocs waiting for the new comer to state his business but for a second he could see the man wasn't looking at him for a split second. It was as if he looked through him and he already knew why. It was the same reason Saito came up here. The essence of the place had a knack for taking one away from the world and instantly clearing the minds of those who chose to bask in its glory. Just then however the shinigami made his official retort

Saito expected some type of quip to his remark but what he got in turn was definitely better at this point. The man's 'stamp of approval' or so the shinigami took it. He peaked the young shinigami's interest, a flattering notion. Upon being asked the end of Saito's lip would crease into a friendly smirk as he began, [purple]" Hajime, Saito Fifth division. You?"[/purple] The purple haired one then took a step closer to the man to make the situation more comfortable he awkwardly didn't throw his hand out to shake the no named shinigami however. Not to mean disrespect but simply because it wasn't something Saito usually would partake.

[purple]"I come here to clear my mind. A form of training."[/purple]

And there it was, Saito's true intentions for finidng his way up on top of this cliff. Though it wasn't physical the shinigami wanted to work at bettering himself mentally. Something all shinigami that actually planned to ultimately get somewhere had to do. One had to be mentally ready for their zanpaktou and this was Saito's way of doing it.

[EJ]

Shimesu's grin would become less mocking and more friendly upon responding to the man. "Kagurazaka Shimesu of the Kidōshū," he replied, slowly turning his head back toward the view. Saito had took a step further, implying he was going to do something else at first, but his actions stopped prematurely. Good. Although he wouldn't turn one down out of common respect, shaking hands wasn't something the boy really liked to do. He received an odd sense of vulnerability whenever he did -- a trait he picked up sometime after becoming a Shinigami. Perhaps you may think of he as a dog, now, but that wasn't entirely the case. There just weren't many people the boy put his trust in. Only one person existed that Shimesu would let his guard down around, and that was his mother.

The silence wouldn't last for too long, this time, as Saito stepped up to the plate, commenting on how he liked to use the Sōkyoku to train. It was an obvious hint at what the man had in mind, adding more fuel to the already everlasting smile of the ebony male. This Shinigami was a peculiar one, much like Shimesu himself. It seemed as if he knew what to say to keep things entertaining, however it may have been too early to say there were never any dull moments around this man, but up until now, it proved to be true.

"Ah, they call that 'meditating,' right?"

The blonde Shinigami riposted with a snicker as he turned to fully face the other male. He knew what Saito meant, but what was life without a little fun and games every now and then? "How about a little swordplay," he asked, his left hand inching up to the hilt of his Zanpakutō as he awaited his answer.

[/justify]

[Saito]

Saito's friendly demeanor was equally returned as the tension of the situation dropped, for now at least. It seemed the peculiarity of both shinigami made both seem interesting to the other. They were similar yet so different they were destined to fight together or against each other. Today it would be against as the Kidōshū pupil contested that they have a bout of metal. In truth Saito had been waiting to hear those words since he first met the man at the training grounds. Following the mans last comment the tension would once again return in an invisible mist. A tell-tale wind would tell all that the two would clash.

Saito's eyes would lower into a focusing glare as he mentally prepped himself while concocting an answer for the man. Purple strands would fight against the wind along with a swiveling scarf. Usually he didn't wear it in battle but he didn't expect a fight up here, it would debut against Kagurazaka Shimesu of the Kidōshū. [purple]"Well I guess you can call it that..."[/purple] That was his answer to the less important first question. He doubted Shimesu really cared what his 'mental training' comprised of but it was good idle conversation. [purple]"To your other question..."[/purple]

Saito paused as he pivoted his right foot back so that he was sideways but still facing the man before him. [purple]"I think it was only a matter of time before it came to it."[/purple] The truth of his statement wasn't proven but he was sure Shimesu felt the same way. This bout would solidify their relationship with each other. Rivals? Good friends? Either way it would be interesting to see what happens.

[EJ]

At Saito's final words, Shimesu jerked his left hand up, removing Kyōgien from its home on his left hip. A smile was all that the boy returned to the purple-haired Shinigami as he brought his wakizashi down to his side, still holding it in the same way he drew it -- the assassin's grip. Idleness would seize the pair once again, the wind tugging at their apparel as they sized each other up. Normally, Shimesu would've attacked after unsheathing his companion, however this time he was attempting something different. He planned on battling with his weaker, less experienced hand -- his left -- causing a bit of hesitation to arise beneath the unperturbed veil of his feminine physical appearance.

If his opponent had as much skill as he perceived, this bout couldn't be anything less than challenging. Not many Shinigami carried a daisho pair on their hip, and because of this, it was most likely safe to assume that Saito was ambidextrous as well. The boy huffed through a smirk, closing his eyes as he shook his head lightly, ridding his mind of all the accumulated thoughts. He always quieted his mind before entering a battle, putting it in a state it should've already been in prior to the ordeal. Upon his jade orbs meeting the peculiar man ahead of him again, the silence would be broken.

"Ready?"

The androgynous Shinigami inquired; a question he could've very well been asking himself. Wasting no time afterward, the boy kicked off of his left foot, dashing diagonally to the man's left, throwing his sword arm horizontally at Saito's shoulder, the sleek blade threatening to wound the man's chest, also, in the midst of the simple strike. Not using his dominate hand should do enough to put the two on equal terms during this spar. Shimesu's left lacked the accuracy, speed, and strength of his right, and Saito's skill should help bring it up to par, with the unfortunate downside of inflicting wounds in the process. A rather small price to pay, now, for a much greater result in the near future.

[/justify]

[Saito]

Upon Saito finishing his sentence the opposing shinigami unsheathed his blade with his left hand. A wakizashi, interesting. It's blade glistened in the mans reverse grip, one Saito didn't expect him to use. The purple haired shinigami peered into his collegues eyes and sensed something was wrong, he could translate the warriors stance in hesitation as they sized each other up but Saito would make no scene of it obviously the man had his reasons. Shimesu would then ask the simple, generous question of if Saito was ready. A slight nod would be his answer.

As soon as the nod was understood Shimesu sprung into action with speed Saito knew was above his level, something he didn't expect. His hand was innately placed on his Katana however upon seeing where his opponent was in physical power it quickly found a place on the hilt of his wakizashi. This would be much more serious than the man initially thought. He wouldn't have time to draw for a block so he would have to move quickly and efficiently to evade and counter. Adrenaline instantly peaked as Saito's left leg went back while he simultaneously ducked and unsheathed his own wakizashi in a slashing motion.

Saito had swiftly thrown his leg back in order to quicken the rate at which he could get under the man and slash while protecting his chest from any intense damage. Since the man came at his left while he was using his left hand and slashed horizontally he would end up putting his back to the purple haired shinigami if all went as planned. Another reason for putting his leg back was to give him more freedom with his slash which wouldn't have been possible otherwise since he unsheathed with his left hand.

After this Saito would dissipate as he used shunpo to distance himself from the man. A trickle of blood would soak the ends of his Shihakusho as he peered at his opponent. It was obvious Shimesu was above him at this point he wasn't fast enough to leave unscathed, Saito would have to take this seriously. His stance would change now that his zanpaktou was unsheathed. He would let his sword arm fall to his side while his other hand rose horizontally in front of him his palm facing his opponent in a clawing stance. It was something he'd been working on for awhile now but hadn't had an opponent he could use it on. His zanjutsu brainchild would debut.

[EJ]

As Kyōgien's blade swept across the air above Saito, Shimesu automatically began preparing for the counter. Flipping his wakizashi into its normal grip, he swung down at the purple-haired Shinigami's blade while simultaneously hopping in the opposite direction of the man to escape danger. A small glimpse of his swordsmanship would shine, however his untrained left wasn't quick enough to get him out of the situation the way he would have preferred, only making it in time to steer Saito's Zanpakutō off its original course. While his back was left open, simply deflecting Saito's strike was out of the question, leaving it solely up to his speed, which obviously needed some work.

Blood dripped from Kyōgien's thirsty fang, but it wasn't a one-sided bloodshed; Saito's blade should've been wet, too. Just below his left knee, the crimson liquid flowed down the effeminate boy's leg, revealed where the hakama's fabric split -- blood seeping from it down to his tabi. His signature grin still danced along his features as his opponent distanced himself with a Shunpo. Usually, getting injured in battle and seeing his own blood threw him off, but the knick he had just received wasn't too bad; a mere baby step toward ridding himself of his unaccommodating quirks.

"Slow, isn't it?" He inquired, referring to his left hand's speed. With a flick of the wrist, he tossed the remaining blood off the tip of his Zanpakutō, holding it down by his side afterward. With Saito now settling into an exclusive stance of his own, the boy inched toward him in quick but subtle strides, assessing how he should strike in the process. Going at a stance that was unfamiliar to him, attacking recklessly could very well land him in a trap, so he decided to take a gamble. As he stepped within striking distance, he swiftly switched between hands, pitching Kyōgien from his left to his right before raising it in a horizontal fashion as if to swing. He wasn't attacking, but hopefully it appeared that way because of his sudden movement, and drew a reaction out of the man.

[/justify]