Another Day Older, Deeper in Debt [Rita/Lukas]

THE CITY OF LIGHT
Lukas nodded along with the woman, before slamming back the remainder of his drink. The clink of the bottle rattled the table as he moved to stand, holding his tongue captive with teeth. A fleeting thought, and he'd speak.

"You got it." his exhaustion dripped from the words, a struggle with his back pocket as he shuffled a wad of bills across the bar. Shortly after, the two would leave the dingy abode, moving further into the city, a winding set of alleyways eventually leading them to a massive lot, several lines of precautionary tape lining its perimeter. Rubble stood with steel beams peeking through, the remains of a warehouse. Wind fluttered the plastic as they approached, silence overtaking them.

Pulling the tape up, he'd usher the woman forward, silver eyes giving no hint or response to any concerns she might express, silence its partner. Steps would echo as they pushed into the warehouse. Concrete stained brown, sheared from it's frame with incredible force. Lukas' hand idly traced against the rubble as he stood still, solemnity crossing his eyes. A rarity.

"Alright, gracen." He turned to Rita, left hand tightened in a fist by his side. "Let's get started."

As the two of them entered the warehouse, a more stern expression came over the face of Rita as her energy began to spike up. Now that they were alone and in a place where nothing or no one could get hurt by their actions, her teal aura started to bleed out as her power seemed to make the air hotter, thicker, and filled with a great sense -- of hope. The heart of Rita was bleeding with the essence of potential, and it wasn't an oppressive sensation, unlike when many other people increased their spiritual or supernatural abilities. However, the woman wanted to help people, and this was certainly a chance to do that while benefiting herself.

So, perhaps Lukas would feel a sense of determination or an improvement in his mood or mindset, but maybe he wouldn't change. All that mattered now was keeping to her word at this point. Ergo, Rita started to forge a circle of blue light around them both that engulfed the entire warehouse they were sitting in. In this way, a thick barrier was developed from her ability to keep any outsiders away from them and keep their training from influencing the world outside these walls. Then, when that was taken care of, Rita motioned for him to sit as her face had a sense of urgency despite a confident smile.

"Alright, this is a supernatural world that adheres to laws, rules, and structure. With that being the case, please sit and verbally convey what it is you want from my Asset Aura. First, specify what within yourself you want me to repair, improve or bestow. From there, my power will establish a telepathic link, and I'll need you to share with me the mechanics of how your body, powers, and abilities work, so I don't fuck you up."

Speaking with a mixture of heaviness and confidence, the woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she knew this would take a toll on her. So, she'd let him know that:

"And, when this is all over, I'm going to be tired as shit. So I may need a big strapping lad like you to carry me out of this place when we are done..."

THE CITY OF LIGHT
Amidst the ruins and light, Lukas listened intently. There were few things that mattered to him, when it came down to brass tact's. Now - in this moment - the frustration at his ineptitude, the lack of his ability as a Quincy, it felt new. Fresh again, as he closed his eyes, considering what to say. How to say.

Sitting on a nearby chunk of concrete, his fingers bridged in front of him as the silver gaze matched to Rita. Her comment would go unnoticed, Lukas' eyes slowly closing before he spoke. "I - " his head lowered, "I am indisposed of my power as a quincy. My spirit weapon cannot be manifested, my blut is poor, spellcraft is all but impossible. Even consuming reishi borders on painful, with this waste of an arm." Knuckles bound tightly together, crossed hands bunching into fists.

"My letzt stil has a form that draws out an enormous amount of reishi, leaving me like this." Lukas' head lifted, locking eyes with Rita. "It is not a price I want -" he'd pause, words catching in his throat, "No. It is not a price I can pay. I need my abilities as a quincy. All of them."

The next words spit with venom, despite what he knew. The impossible gap. The valley that separated what he had seen and himself. "I need to kick Ichigo Kurosaki's ass."

Rita felt a great pain in her stomach, as if someone gripped her with a knife. Indeed, there was a heavy price to pay for this man if he wanted to go the extent of matching Ichigo Kurosaki. There was no way in this mortal plane that this woman could give him THAT in one session. However, she could at least begin to put him in that direction. So, after grunting a bit in pain, she thought for a moment before moving ahead.

"Then confirm this to my power: if your body is broken, do you wish for it to be repaired and to seek further power?"

Wincing her eye in pain, the amount of energy that was brewing in Rita started to make the city block emit a low grumble as volts of electricity surrounded her body. Her asset aura was beginning to release itself, and it demanded to know the full desires of the male as Rita continued.

"Know that I CANNOT grant you a strength that equals Ichigo, but I will do all in my power to leave you repaired and stronger than when you left so you can begin taking those steps to get your revenge if that is what you seek."

(SPOILER OF HER ABILITY)

Spoiler:

THE CITY OF LIGHT
"I'm not fuckin' retarded." he half barked, eyes tightening as his brow furrowed in frustration. The woman's pain had become apparent as he spoke, clenched teeth relaxing somewhat. Calm down, you moron. The thought passed with a sigh, gaze matching with tired eyes.

"I, as a Quincy, wish for my powers to be returned to me." Unclenching his fists, Lukas' left arm raised towards her, palm skyward. "My spirit weapon, geisterklinge. A sword that can form as I wish, born from the bound reishi of my sanrei. Its brother," his arm rotated, wrist facing up. "Spukender. A cannon in place of a bow, capable of the destruction that surrounds us."

Lukas gestured to the ruins around them with his free hand, before they both raised to cross his chest. "My blut, fiercely offensive. My hirenyaku, to grant me speed. My letzt stil, capable of devouring even my own potential. I ask for the strength that can be provided, to build back to where I was and beyond." His arms widened to either side, stretched far.

"I, Lukas Ätherisch, Todesjäger, Assassin of the Vandenreich, ask this of you gracen. Rita. "

"Sorry."

Sounding more reserved than before, a gentle exhale of breath left the teal-eyed woman's lips. She didn't want to patronize the male, so she just shrugged it off and moved on and decided to just detach for now. Distancing herself from her emotions, his presence, and the reality around them required a detached mindset. And as he described his body and powers more, the better asset aura could safely ensure this exchange happens.

"This may hurt. Visualize any of your powers or abilities. I'm going to try restoring your body to how it was before."

Closing her eyes at this point, Rita put her hands together as if she were praying to the gods themselves. When this happened, strings of aqua light started to dance around the body of Lukas. Eventually, they pierced the top of his head, wrist, ankles, chest/heart, and spine to link them both together. Following these events would be one hellish shot of pain as a loud electric sound echoed in the quietness of the abandoned building.

However, he wouldn't be alone in his pain. Rita was seen gritting her teeth, feeling whatever he would at the moment as she tried to bend reality with the contract made to the supernatural nature of this world. In fact, with this first jolt of power, her nose began to bleed as the entire facility started to shake with her power. It was as if her entire body was burning, being shocked with physical torment as she dared to test the limits of her ability.

She wasn't gonna shout for Lukas to do the obvious, so she just continued to accept the pain as she quietly shook her leg.

"You must've gone through hell...."

THE CITY OF LIGHT
Lukas' little outburst met with no self reflection as his skin was filled with needles. Electricity racking his spine as threads began to spiral and puncture his body, sparking pain innumerable. Teeth gnashed together as he held back obscenities, arms clasping across as hands gripped either shoulder. "Fucking..."

Eyes closed tight as he attempted to - "Godammit!" - visualize, for whatever reason. The flickering blue of reishi, turned into enormity. Geisterklinge's edge, the gasp of breath as it manifested through a skull. Gurgling blood.

Explosive in quantity. Gigantic. A claw of crystalline blue turned into a cannon, erupting across the body of an impossible arrancar. Rage exploding as the mutual pain mounted, fingers digging to draw blood beneath clothing. The images in his head flickering as he struggled to maintain focus, dark memories dredging themselves into place.

But they would not overtake him.

The first time he saw an arrow. The exhilaration of drawing forth his spirit weapon. Feeling an impossible power, coursing through his veins - so alien then, so desired now. A sword, used for so much death. Flickering in place, forging itself as reishi mounted. So simple. Image holding in his head, all he could do was wait for the pain to be over.

Lukas would begin to feel more and more life, energy, and strength return to him now. Yet, in exchange for that, great pain would inflict on his body. All of his bones would feel as if they were burning, muscles withering away, blood spewing forth from his mouth, and all things foul screaming in his head. The extent of actual physical damage, however, would cause some strain on his organs, blood loss, and immense muscle strain. However, nothing would be broken just yet. Not his bones, appendages, or anything like that. At this point, he'd probably wish for death more than anything else.

As for Rita? She wasn't fairing much better. More blood started to drool from her mouth as veins began to pulsate and bulge throughout her body as an intent gaze held the woman. The woman wanted to scream in pain, blow this place to pieces and find something to relieve the physical torment of her ability. Yet, if she didn't force herself to go to this extent, it would never get easier or grow into an asset. So, the woman whimpered like a hut dog in pain as her body shook from the hell it was going through. It felt like Satan was eating her alive as she started hitting the ground until her fist started to bleed.

"Think...of every ability. Remember...everything of your old body. It...will come."

Out of breath, in pain, and wanting to cry, the woman still found the strength to mutter those words. They weren't spoken out of just wanting to hear herself talk, either. The more Lukas visualized his old body, the more these powers, abilities, and skills would return to them as the entire warehouse around them became ignited in a bright light of teal and neon white colors. It was forcing the old attributes of the male to return; while making way for something new to be added once he was at a point of being able to accept the next stage of his transformation.

And with that, Rita lowered her head and just zoned out in pain until she could observe the effects of all this on Lukas.

THE CITY OF LIGHT
It was almost peaceful, for pain to sear a mind so. No other alien thought, no regret, no sadness. White hot pain forging white hot rage, hand in hand, and pure as the heat of the sun. Blood flowed freely as his teeth tightened, gums gushing forward as the pressure mounted. Veins riling towards the edge of skin, tension tearing at the whites of his knuckles. Lukas' heartbeat pounded, radiating with reishi as the mental image became clear.

Ba-dump. His veins sparked red, fading. Again, as his hands unclasped, jaw unclenching in an attempt to speek. Ba-dump. A surge of pain, the pulse of red tinged with blue. Again, it sounded - Ba-dump - filling his ears, skin flush with the glowering light, a bright blue resonating as he gasped for air. Still his hand reached outwards, the pulsing flow of energy mounting as his focus returned. The sword in his mind becoming more real as his cross sparked to life, a dazzling white.

"MOTHERFUCKER!!" Lukas' voice rang as bloodied spit gushed forward, the reishi at his wrist burgeoning forward with iridescent glow. As the sword flickered into existence, his opposite hand grabbed at the flaring pain in his wrist. Condensing the flow of reishi, a deep blue overtook the stark white, and the weapon ripped away from his arm. Geisterklinge, a handle and hilt shifting to form in his grip as it was held aloft, both hands gripping towards the center of his chest. He almost couldn't believe his eyes.

His right arm dropped, the muscle fatigued at the rate of reishi - but his left gripped the sword, holding it aloft as he stood. Shaky knees, enraptured eyes. The edge refined itself, crystalline blue surrounding the roaring, untamed core. Instinctively, he knew better than to use it at this moment, instead drawing it back within the confines of his sanrei bound arm. Clenching and unclenching, he felt renewed, baffled at the disparity between that and the rust in his mouth. Glancing towards Rita, he slowly wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of a hand, before reaching downwards.

"So," Lukas half gasped, "s'that it?"

"Oh, you wish it was that easy...."

After Rita was done coughing up a lung, she gradually rose to her feet. Taking a few moments to catch her breath, the woman's teal eyes remained on Lukas as it was apparent his powers were coming back. However, she still needed to make sure his body was calibrated correctly. One doesn't just recover from an injury like that and not rehab it. No, he needed to train with it, meditate on it and see how stable his powers were before just being thrown out to the world.

"Asset Aura is still bonding with your body and trying to make sure you don't walk out of here, use your powers, and die. However, you will be fine if you are under its influence."

Confident as ever, the woman spread each of her feet out and held out her right palm as she then mentioned for him to come at her.

"I don't care if you take a few seconds, minutes, or even hours, but I'm gonna need you to come at me and try to use your abilities to get your body syntonized with the change. Consider it training."

Looking at the blood on her dress, she'd snort and add on:

"We both are banged up, so don't worry about me."