Wasteland Rendesvous [Igen, Shaoling]

Igen had been preparing for this day for quite a while now! Between figuring out how to make Shibakuze and ...well....his training, it had been QUITE a week! But thanjfully Igen was a man who kept to his promises, and here he was! Seven days since the last time he'd been there. Of course it had taken a bit of ...adjustment. To figure out where their little group had or hadn't moved to. Potentially a bit of scouting, but eventually he DID feel that familiar spiritual energy. Or well, spiritual energies, and homed in on the one that he was looking for.

It didn't take him long to notice the familiar signs of Shaoling's training. The same kind of marks on the landscape, the occasional hollow corpse. And one or two hollows that he dealt with in prompt fashion. Compared to the last time, there was a considerable difference. He dealt with them quickly and thoroughly, as he approached the Ex-Captain, there was a notable lack of blood or damage to his uniform.

But it was still Igen. Smiling confidently as he made his way in and put on a big grin and waving once he entered her field of view, a bag under one arm, no doubt with the promised pickles as well as the lunch he'd said he would bring. He'd kept to his word after all.

'Good Afternoon!"

Igen promptly gave Shaoling a proud smile and a thumbs up as she recognized his dedication. "Of course! I'm a man of my word after all." He pointed out, promptly setting the bag down gently before peeling it open and showing off the contents. Two very large bento boxes as well as a pair of jars. They were plain enough, the only actual markings or decorations on the items were markings on the boxes, one which was marked with "少" and another marked with his name.

"I figured you didn't seem like the type to eat a lot, so I figured I'd make something we could eat quickly. Rice, some meat, and some steamed vegetables. Sorry if it's a little plain." He noted with a sheepish smile. Though he'd at least TRIED to make it a little interesting. He'd properly stir fried the meat and seasoned it lightly. The sauce and juices from them were something that could be poured over the plain salted rice balls and steamed carrots and broccoli. He wasn't exactly an expert at making these little bento things. It was hardly pretty, it was just a lunch he figured Shaoling would be able to enjoy. Question mark? And of course, then he patted the jars. It was at this point that the pride in his expression deepened a little. He'd spent a hefty portion of the day or so after their first meeting looking up how to prepare these little beasties.

"Shibakuze. I uh... DID learn a lot about it. And unfortunately it seems the high grade stuff has to kinda sit for a real long time. So it's probably not fantastic or anything. BUT I brought two Jars. I figured its probably a pain in the ass to get stuff like this out in the middle of nowhere. I figured I'd at least give you a decent ammount. It was actually kinda fun to make." He noted. All the while, his Shikai simply settled behind him, sitting on her haunches and simply observing quietly.

Igen smiled, immediately pleased that she was thankful for the effort, not that he'd figured she wouldn't be but still the validation certainly was pleasant. "Oh, you're welcome! Hopefully you like it." He noted warmly, pausing for a moment when she asked him that question. He glanced down at the containers and then canted his head to the side. "OH! I didn't really know how to spell your name so I kinda guessed the first part." He noted with a little shrug, no real concern or further thought into the matter. It was pretty much what happened. Was she small and cute? Sure, but that hadn't really been part of his process. So he took the contained and promptly offered it to her.

You're an idiot, Igen. The bored voice in his head almost startled him before he glanced over his shoulder and then gave a nervous smile. [color=salmon]"Ahhhh, my bad. I almost forgot. This is my Shikai, Ko. Ko, this is Shaoling."[color] He promptly introduced the pair, his Zanpaku'to giving a dip of it's head in the woman's direction as if in approval. I like this one. She has a good look in her eyes. Ko noted.

Igen smiled just a bit wider as he passed the message along. "She seems to like you." Secretly thankful that Ko hadn't found some criticism for the woman. It was always hard to make a straight face when she made those little quips.

"Treetop...Design..." He took the moment to pull out a pen from behind his ear [sub]Did he always have one in there hidden in his hair![sub] and promptly took a moment to write out the correction. Pausing and tilting his head a bit before smiling. "Pretty." He noted, before setting it back down. Though as Shaoling's attention seemed to shift to his Zanpaku'to he couldn't help but perk up a bit. "Ah yes! Actually I learned her name a little after I met you last time... so I guess it kinda makes.... sense." He furrowed his brows, was that interaction what had made him worthy to her It was a strange thing to think about.

"I've been learning how to use her powers ever since. It's ... a bit of a slower process. Honestly I feel like I've made a lot more progress with Shunko than with her." He admitted with a sheepish smile, rising back up to his feet as a hint of ferocity lit up behind that smile of his. "Actually, that's what I've been most excited to show you." He pointed out, the food briefly forgotten.

Igen didn't miss that sudden shift in the woman's expression. And....uh... he definitely wasn't entirely sure if it was.... a good or a bad one? It definitely seemed much more intense. Was she insulted that he'd go trying to learn her shtick? Was she interested? It was kinda unclear with her. But he presumed it was probably interest. If there was ONE thing he'd learned when he was around her, it was that if she wasn't happy, she'd make that very clear. And the fact that she hadn't took him to town about something must mean she enjoyed his company right? Or at least found it entertaining.

That said, the sudden distance made caught Igen by surprise. Though that sudden demanding tone put a smile on his face. As it seemed this was Shaoling's version of interest, he couldn't help but grin just a bit as he got up and offered a slight bow at the waist. "As you wish."
He himself used shunpo to make his way over to her. Get a little distance away from the food. As ....well..ALL of his experiments with Shunko so far had taught him one thing: he was probably gonna need to eat after it. But now was no time to go second-guessing himself. He knew his Shunko was not complete. Almost every time he'd managed his own hackjob of one, he'd managed to lightly cook his own back and shoulders. But he had an idea for that.

Taking up a combative stance, he took in a deep breath, his reiryoku bunching up and condensing into his back and shoulders, but not for Shunko. Nope, rather, he was pumping Kaido into those areas. Jinjashō. A technique he p[ractically knew by heart and could perform as easily as he breathed. Which was good, because he needed his concentration.

Darken O Skies. Turn the Wheel and burn up the Sun. Open your mouth and shriek. He recited to himself in his head. It was a difficult technique, but like all Kido, an incantation helped him get through the steps, as his spiritual pressure spiked, that sky blue glow showing in his eyes.

Shunko

There was a sudden shredding of his Shuhakusho as the back and shoulders of his uniform promptly burned away as his reiryoku erupted. Shreds of dark cloth flying behind him, before slowly curving back and being pulled back against him, only to burn up as the cycling reiryoku tossed them around before they burned up. There was a spark, before the shunko promptly showed it's true colors, bright blue flames coursing along his back , arms and shoulders . Igen felt power WELL up within him, even as pain flashed across his back and shoulders, burns hissing across his flesh only to vanish just as quickly, but it wasn't as bad as before. Not as bad as when he'd done it against Rio or Moe. He felt so damn CLOSE.

And in the very next moment, he closed the distance between himself and Shaoling, one arm cocked back as blue flames roared around him. Just like with Hakudo, he channeled the roaring Kido into the one limb, his muscles pumped with energy as he executed a straight punch aimed at the center of the woman's gut. He actually had no idea how durably she was, but he imagined ...the great Shaoling? She had to be at LEAST as tough as Rio Shihoin. So he put his all into the attack, fully intent on plowing his open hand clean through her. Any shadow of a doubt as to if he should hold back was quickly discarded.

He may have a shitty shunko, but he was an expert when it came to healing.