Making Music Together [Mizu, Rose]

Rose had not intended to rain on Mizu's parade so terribly, but she was one of his best and brightest so perhaps he should take a little more care. Still, sometimes the only way a lesson would be learned was if it was stated so plainly. He had been on the receiving of such things more than a few times, even after becoming a Captain.

"We practice, dear. And you keep practicing until that confidence has already wormed its way into your heart. Then we refine it into the tool that you want it to be."

He remembered the struggle when he first achieved Bankai and the countless nights spent with Shinji and Love pushing himself beyond those old limitations. The efforts that he had gone to keep that power away from prying eyes. But that was his own choice, as few had a power quite like his own. The music was quite wonderful like that.

"So show me more of what you can do. You said you can control these shards? Can they be used to attack or defend? If so, do so."

With a simple flick of his wrist, Kinshara was once more floating before him. The sheathed sword slowly began to oscillate, as Rose turned to face Mizu directly. She should be more than capable of protecting herself whilst in Bankai, but he would still start off with something simple. It would be quite unsightly for him to tip the scales too weightily right off the bat. Chuckling, he strummed his fingers as if he were playing an invisible guitar and then - accompanied by a dazzling yellow light - a thin wire shot out from the centre of the Zanpakutō and sought to stab straight into Mizu. The sound of the chord resonated around the small courtyard, echoing through the emptiness as Rose went to strum again and repeat the attack.

"Hah, excellent, see how wonderfully it flows? Like a crystalline storm that dances to the rhythm of your heart. Keep it up!"

There was a burst of energy from Rose that mirrored his exclamation of enjoyment, a beaked mask suddenly encasing his face. The Captain was certainly the type to lose himself in the moment if the inspiration struck him, and he did need a little boost to match this burst of power that his subordinate had unleashed upon him. The manifestation gave his voice a hollow echo as he continued to laugh, but the smile that remained on his hidden face remained genuine.

"I must at least try to offer some accompaniment for you."

His Zanpakutō still hovering before him, Rose reached forwards and took a firm hold of one end as if it were the neck of a guitar. Pulling it closer to his chest, the Captain remained unflinching as the spears hurtled towards him, and then his other hand began to work those imaginary strings as if he were performing an intricate solo. His fingers moved with such nimble precision that such a piece had to be ingrained so deeply in his psyche, and the sound that he was emitting was a truly beautiful rendition, but it was not just music.

All at once, a storm of golden wires launched forwards from him and shot forwards to intercept her attack. Each spear was entwined by multiple threads as they attempted to hurtle through the barrage until Rose threw his hands wide and sent them scattering to both sides and around him. He stood tall, his gaze focused now upon Mizu, and awaited her next move quite eagerly.

Dismantling Mizu's first volley had enabled a second one, and Rose was quick to notice that his threads were not going to be enough to protect him from this altogether more encompassing attack. Fortunately, that was far from the only instrument in his orchestra, as his hand wrapped around the sheath of his weapon and his stance shifted from that of a musician into a hardened warrior. Lilac eyes assessed this dome as it began to close in, waiting until it seemed like he was truly trapped before finally that beak-like mask levelled in Mizu's direction.

"A deadly offence too, truly it is almost a shame to damage it so but I would not wish for you to think that I went too easily. Sonata number four, I think, will be our dance number."

Flicking his free hand outwards, Kinshara flew free from the scabbard of its own volition and into his grasp. A wave of sound boomed within the purple prison, stalling those enclosing walls of crystal for but a moment before a burst of yellow light blasted a chunk out of the wall. The golden flower of Kinshara, now in its first release state, followed in the explosion's wake and with it came the valiant Captain soaring through the air at speed. In but a flash he had crossed the distance between them in a single step, the sound of music unceasing as a mighty crescendo echoed from his previous location within the dome.

His assault was not only audial, though, as that golden whip went to wrap around his subordinate as he darted toward her. Not so tight that he would rend her in twain or anything too catastrophic, but enough that she might have to think twice before calling in those crystals again. It would have been all too easy to end it for good, but that was not Rose's style, never his style, and those ill thoughts were buried just as fast as they surfaced.

"You are one to watch out for, I think, Miss Mizu. Bravo, I say!"

“Ah, you are quite right. I have not yet heard the calls for an encore but the stands would truly be singing right now.”

That his subordinate possessed such dogged determination was only to her credit, and it did put her Captain in quite the little predicament. He too was not the type to simply throw down his weapon and lament at the first kiss of defeat, but she had perhaps rather cunningly played into his weakness. An unwillingness to injure his beloved comrades. Of course, perhaps her actions were motivated to be desperation but the fact remained that she had left her body entirely at his mercy for this underhand strike.

“You are adapting quickly, perhaps too quickly, so do not forget the other tools you have at your disposal.”

Twirling around at a speed even Rose could only manage with the enchantment of both Shikai and Vizard mask, he both unraveled Mizu from her bind and pulled her towards him whilst his recoiling weapon raised to shield him from her strike. Then, using that twist in momentum, his free hand launched forwards and made to unload a series of blisteringly fast punches in her direction. Kensei would have called it a Sandbag Beat, but Rose would never stand to name something so garishly so he let his actions speak louder than any words.

Whether that was enough to bring Mizu down or not, Rose would back off in the wake of his blows. That beak-like mask slowly crumbling away as the face of the Captain was revealed once more.

Seeing Mizu tumble away from him, having born the brunt of his physical assault, Rose was certainly satisfied that this bout was over. He would chastise her if she chose to attempt to proceed, though her injuries were far from so severe that she would be incapable of doing so, as this was the limit of how far the Captain was willing to push her today. In a flash of golden light, Kinshara vanished and returned to its sealed state. The sword hovered in the air for a moment, waiting for an invisible order, before shooting back into the scabbard on its wielders waist.

“That is the end of our performance, for today, I think. What kind of Captain would I be if I beat you down simply because I thought I could? No, no. It should be my pleasure to raise you up, and - Officer Morikawa - you are certainly worthy of that.”

Bowing his head, it was the Captain’s turn to act humbly in acknowledgement of Mizu’s triumphs. In truth, he could hardly be more proud of his subordinate and how far she had come in such a short period of time. It felt like only yesterday when he had inducted her into the lower echelons of his officer corps, and now she was quickly surpassing many of the veterans that he had also called upon. It was enough to bring a tear to his eye, for he could see her passion and how it now strained against the confines of his division. How long would it be before the first of his dear birds flew the nest in search of greener pastures?

He approached slowly, a tenderness to his gaze as it lingered upon her injuries, but a hand outstretched to offer her support should she require it. Even some kaido would be offered, if she would permit it, just to see to the most superficial of her injuries.

“We should probably stop by the Second Division on the way back to the barracks, I believe Captain Kuchiki owes me a favour and it is always worth getting a free check up.”

With a wry smirk, Rose straightened out his posture again. Any vestiges of hostility having long since faded away, as her Captain made to escort Mizu away from this stage upon which she had bore a piece of her soul to him.