Healing Hearts [Saiko/Mizu]

Saiko nodded and didn't dismiss the concerns that Shousenmaru had. After all: if Mizu did go off the deep end and started acting irrationally, her life was tethered together to Mizu's actions. If Mizu died, Shousenmaru died. If Mizu became hurt, Shousenmaru would become hut. So if she could not trust the woman to handle herself, that would be more unwelcome pain for her to suffer in this inner world. So, she would raise her hand as if to silence Mizu for a moment before looking back at the young shinigami.

"No. You have to listen to your zanpukto, Mizu. She has a point. Both you and she are connected. If one of you becomes hurt, so does the other. I understand why she feels this way, as I don't believe your soul would hate you or keep things away from you out of malice. That sounds like love and concern to me, but I may be speaking out of place, and I apologize to both of you if I am."

Still bowing before them, Saiko let out a calm breath, raised her head up, and looked toward Shousenmaru to engage with her next.

"Yet, you can't exist in this world alone. I can see your fear of her taking needless risks, and it's why I want to train her, help her and be someone in her life that can perhaps tame and guide her. She has big goals, that is for certain, so someone will need to be there to keep her in line to ensure that your power isn't putting you in danger."

Raising to stand, Saiko continued to hold her gaze as she remained silent for a moment before speaking once more.

"Does that not make sense, or am I speaking out of turn? Please let me know, as I want to help you find a compromise between your desires. I don't want to see either of you suffer."

The blue hued Shousenmaru stared at the woman she considered a trespasser in this world. Even after the latter finished speaking the Zanpakuto simply stared at her for a long moment before realizing she had fallen under the woman's spell and was pacified. Her concerned rage was replaced with calm logic as she could no longer fight off the sense of bliss permeating the air. As she calmed down the inner world became brighter and more serene. Even the lake changed as it's water became clearer and more pure.

"Yes, it makes sense...but giving her my, [i]our[/i[, true power will cause her to tackle mightier foes. You have not known her for long..." as she spoke Shousenmaru turned her gaze back to Mizu, this time her face softened and less fierce "...but she has always struggled. Her only strength is a relentless resolve to overcome the struggle. Even with your training, I doubt it'll be enough to make up for the chasm between her and everyone else."

This time it was Mizu who spoke with a startling fierceness she surprised even herself with "I understand your feelings, Shousenmaru! But I can't just not try to be better! And you're wrong on one thing, I have another strength: my friends! With people like Siako-san at my side, how can you not be confident in my safety?" Now speaking to Saiko Mizu continued on "I would gladly accept any assistance you could provide, Saiko-san. I will do my best not to let you, Shousenmaru, myself, or anyone else down!"

The lake becoming purer brought a smile to Saiko's face as she liked the change in scenery. It meant that things were easing up and more diplomatic conversations could be had. So, her eye turned to Shousenmaru, and Saiko began to speak more about the spirit's concerns.

"It's unlikely I, a single person, can fundamentally change the essence of a person in one session. But she has others in her life willing to support and foster that growth. It's a lot to take in, but you need to learn to trust others as it's difficult to traverse this world alone and be afraid of what might happen if you find your potential or success."

That's when Saiko looked back at Mizu and continued.

"You need to keep your spirits concerns in mind and learn to work together with her, as I said. She is a reflection of yourself, and I believe some of you fear success as it's a huge responsibility to bear. I will do what I can to help you, but you need to take in the gravity of it, as it's not an easy road."

After giving a nod following those cautious words, Saiko's eyes never moved their gaze away from Shousenmaru before finishing.

"Why don't you give a small taste of your power to Mizu, see how she handles it, and go from there? Of course, it's fine to withdraw if she gets herself in over her head, but what is the harm in trying?"

Of course the road to success would be difficult. Every path Mizu had ever walked had been littered with roadblock after roadblock. She had never been lucky enough to be given a shortcut or have some reprieve from the seemingly insurmountable odds a person as limited as her faces. The words Saiko spoke rang true to the Shinigami, and she nodded in agreement as she listened to her elder's advice. Even if the two hadn't shared the same burdens or difficulties, their own unique pasts brought them to these same conclusions and Mizu was ready and willing to do as Saiko says.

Shousenmaru, on the other hand, was more reluctant. The pale blue Zanpakuto was hesitant to do as Saiko suggested but found herself willing to acquiesce to her after deliberation. It's not like Mizu was trying to unlock her Bankai yet, so a little taste of Shousenmaru's strength wouldn't be too scary for either side at this moment. With a sigh Shousenmaru closed her eyes and metaphorically opened the tap, strengthening their connection a bit. Mizu could feel herself grow her bond with her Zanpakuto as their spiritual pressures synchronized. For the first time, even with her Shikai unlocked, Mizu could feel the power of having a bond with her Zanpakuto as her confidence in them both swelled. "Wow...I really feel like a Shinigami, instead of just a girl with a sword, if that makes sense Saiko-san."

Although Mizu was over the moon with having made the first steps to creating a stronger bond with her spirit, Saiko kept her sight on Shousenmaru because it took a great deal of trust and ability to let things go to allow Mizu to be able to attain that power. So, with a nod, she spoke on that matter.

"This should be more than enough. I'll do what I can to keep you both safe. You have my word on that."

Speaking with resolve and intent behind her voice, Saiko was assured that this would be the best decision for now. After all, you had to test these powers out at some point, and the real world had a way of humbling and making you change. So even if the worse were to happen, it would cause much-needed growth in Mizu to see the realities of the world that her spirit tried to shield her from.

"Well, we will have to test that power out, won't we? If you feel stronger, you have to see the extent of what you can do. So why don't we awaken ourselves and see what comes of it, Mizu?"

With Saiko encouraging them to exit Shousenmaru's Inner World, the blue Zanpakuto turned her back on the duo and waited for them to leave in silence. With an acknowledging nod of her head Mizu closed her eyes and disconnected her mind from Shousenmaru, causing her to rush back into reality and exit her meditative state. Being back in the outer world she opened her eyes, blinked a few times to readjust, and looked across her lap to Saiko sitting nearby.

"Well...that certainly was an experience, Saiko-san." After tying her Zanpakuto back into her obi sash Mizu brought herself to her feet and spoke again to her compatriot "What did you have in mind for testing me, Saiko-san? Did you want to go to this Division's sparring grounds, or was your offer less literal?" Mizu awaited her reply with a continued sense of near-supernatural calmness as it continued permeating her mind, until it's last dregs would eventually dissipate.

Eyes opening to the world once more, the body of Saiko became cool to the touch as a mist of cool air left the woman's mouth. First, her vision returned, then the sense of touch, and eventually, her hearing and conscious mind rebooted. Without wasting much time, the hybrid stood up and took in everything around her as she made her body was still working right and clenched her right fist. It was always janky coming back to reality after a trip like that, but it was worthwhile if it helped another.

As her eyes peered back toward Mizu, a nod was given to her question as she was wondering where to go next with their training.

"We will train your shikai in the material, but what IS the nature of its abilities? Depending on how your powers work, we can either train at the training grounds or in the sky above."

Motioning with her thumb, Saiko pointed at the night sky as it seemed some time had passed since their training was completed, and the white moon glistened above them as flakes of snow began to fall from the cool temperatures of the evening. Sure, it didn't stick, but it still was a pleasant sight for Saiko as she smiled and waited for Mizu's response.

The blond Shinigami tilted her head slightly as she considered the options Saiko had laid out before her. Either walk a short distance to the nearby training grounds, or use Reishi platforms to spar in the sky, a skill all Shinigami have. For a moment Mizu did consider going with the second option as she did not have much aerial experience, but knowing her Shikai is more suited for a battle on the ground because of how it's crystals scatter she opted for the first choice instead.

"If it is all the same Saiko-san, I would prefer the Barracks training area. My Shikai is better suited for fighting on the ground, and in addition I believe the training area to be the safest option." Whether or not Saiko was in agreement Mizu would walk beside her to their chosen destination and, upon reaching a sufficiently isolated spot for their spar, would draw her Zanpakuto after bowing respectfully again to her companion. She knew this was not a winnable fight, and approaching it as such would be foolish; at the same time, Mizu wanted to put her best foot forward and push herself and Shousenmaru to their limits. A twinkle of determination would shine from her golden eyes as she prepared herself for their bout.

Saiko could tell that Mizu was tense because their powers were universes apart in sheer strength. So, because of this glaring fact, a soft smile came across the hybrid's face as she nodded.

"Feel free to hit me with whatever you want. I won't use any of my released or demonic abilities."

For the time being, it was better for her to keep these powers restricted. But, if Saiko was going to eventually find a way to rid herself of this demonic curse, perhaps it was best to rely on her instincts as a Shinigami. So, she motioned with her right hand for Mizu to charge forward.

"Mizu, let's test what your abilities can do. I'll defend, measure and coach you through it, alright?"

And with that, an aqua glow of fiery energy erupted around the body of Saiko as her right eye became drenched in a similar flame. Finally, she was ready to train and see what exactly Mizu was working with regarding her determination, powers, and abilities.

To say Mizu was intimidated by her compatriot's abilities would be an understatement. She had no real idea of how Saiko fights or what was up her sleeves, but at least nothing as foreign to her as "demonic" powers would be utilized. Still, she trusted Saiko enough to believe she need not worry about being seriously harmed and shook off any remaining feelings of uneasiness. Saiko had helped her this far, might as well do as she says.

Typically Mizu would not start a bout or training session with her Zanpakuto release, but given the context of their meeting she figured here at least it made sense. After a nod in her training partner's direction, acknowledging her release of power as blue energy enveloped her, Mizu raised her purple tinted Zanpakuto and said it's release phrase "Crystallize, Shousenmaru!". Immediately after, her sword shattered into a significant number of crystalline shards which now littered the area around her. Physically she remained the same except for her eyes changing from their usual gold to a bright violet that seemed to flicker as if on fire.

From her current position Saiko was well within range of her Shikai, and so Mizu promptly commanded a chunk of the vibrant violet crystal shards to combine together and form a wave of razor sharp fragments. She then waved Shousenmaru's bladeless handle and commanded the wave of crystal shards to fly in Saiko's direction. If she had ever heard of or witnessed Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura, she may be surprised by the similarities in their Zanpakuto's abilities. The key difference is these crystals can shatter, while Senbonzakura's blade petals were too small and too sharp for that to even matter.