This Is True Kido! [Mizu, Ranma]

A month after the hospital explosion, things had finally begun to settle down for the Second Division. Most of the survivors had already been discharged and gone home, while those who remained were either waiting to be released or comatose. Then, war happened. Injured soldiers funneled into the Seireitei's hospitals after just barely making it out alive from the second battle at the Africa pit. Just as before, the Second Division's officers and doctors alike worked around the clock to provide care for those wounded. Soon enough another lull came, and things proceeded as normal.

Knowing it would just be a matter of time until another battle or event occurs that leads to dozens and hundreds of injuries being dumped on her squad, Morikawa Mizu, Vice Captain of the Second, was using her time wisely. Between dating Kyo, seeing her family, and keeping in shape herself, her schedule was full to the brim. What little extra time Mizu had would be spent in the training area, observing and working with her squadmates to ensure they would all be ready to join the conflict when necessary, and refining her own Kidō to keep improving.

Mizu found herself standing on the outskirts of the training grounds, just watching. Watching something that can best be described as strange. A Gotei soldier she didn't recognize had walked up to a training dummy and started...yelling at his own Zanpakuto? Surely this wasn't the case. Stranger yet, at some point his shoulders went slack and he just fell to the ground! Mizu sprinted forward until she skidded into a kneeling position next to the Shinigami and scanned his face to make sure he was okay, her golden hair blotting out the sun. Her golden gaze searched for any sign of injury when she realized he was fine. Mizu stood up, exasperated, and placed her tiny fists on her hips to appear as intimidating as a woman her size could be.

"What's the matter with you?? Falling down like that in the middle of the training grounds! And why were you shouting at your Zanpakutō?"

Wha....huh?? Mizu couldn't help but be confused by this stranger's initial response. She asked him why he was shouting at his Zanpakuto, and he answers by questioning why he was shouting at it?! Maybe he's one of those crazies from the Fourth... Mizu wondered silently to herself. His second answer at least gave a little more insight into his predicament. He wasn't on good terms with his Zanpakuto spirit, something Mizu herself wasn't a stranger to. After all, before Saiko stepped in and lent a hand, the very idea of unlocking Bankai felt like an impossibility at times. But...at least she never made a public commotion because of it.

When Ranma started rolling on the ground like he'd been kicked in the head, Mizu took a quick step back out of surprise at his sudden movements. "Uuhh..." She wasn't sure what to say to him at this point. Usually she would jump straight into positive reinforcement and support, but she couldn't be sure this man wasn't a danger to himself or others.

Next he leaped up, cleaned himself off, and faced Mizu and started speaking as if he hadn't just been acting like a madman. This guy was going to give her whiplash! It was her turn to act strange as he recognized her as the Second Squad's Vice Captain, causing Mizu to blush and start waving her hand back and forth in front of her dismissively. Still somewhat new to this position, being recognized by the badge on her arm or referred to as Vice Captain often caused her to get flustered, as if calling her by her rank was a compliment.

"Yes! That's me! Vice Captain Morikawa Mizu, Vice Captain of the Second Division!" said Mizu, more excitedly than she perhaps intended. "If you're bothering members of my squad or medical professionals in the Seireitei hospitals with scrapes and bruises, that's one thing; but if you are actually injured and need assistance, of course we'll only be too glad to help. Though, if it's such a recurring thing perhaps you should exercise a bit more caution on missions...uh...what did you say your name was?"

Though typically she would refer to a stranger like him by his family name and an appropriate honorific, out of respect, it seemed he had no love lost for it. For that reason she opted to call him by his given name instead. "Well Ranma-san, though the circumstances are stranger than most, it is nice to meet you. Though you could try to present yourself with a bit more dignity, befitting your position in the Gotei..." While not typically one to chastise someone like that, this Ranma fellow seemed a bit...lost.

"Oh!" Given his strange behavior, Mizu was a bit taken aback by the sudden request to train. Still, he was hardly the first person from another division to approach her for such a thing. Both Hana and Hono did, and she had been able to successfully provide them with a bit of Kidō instruction. It appeared her new position as Vice Captain of the Second would act as a porch light for all these moths requiring tutelage.

"Hai! Of course Ranma-san, I would be more than glad to train with you. Just remain calm and try to keep the theatrics to a minimum, alright?" Hoping she wasn't coming off as rude, Mizu spoke again to assuage those fears "It's just best to keep a calm head while using Kidō. If you are not careful, it can blow up in your face. Quite literally!" As if to emphasize her point Mizu brought her hands together and then threw them wide, imitating an explosion. "Now, what are you looking to improve upon Ranma-san?"

Did...did Ranma not realize how strange he was? Mizu felt like she was talking crazy pills. This guy walked into another Division's training area, flipped out and collapsed, then begged for training from the first person to approach him. If that wasn't weird, Mizu had no idea what was. And now he was just naming random things instead of answering her question.

"N-no, Ranma-san...I mean...are you trying to focus on learning new spells or master ones you're already comfortable with? Are you working on Bakudō, Hadō, or Kaidō? From the sound of things, you want to learn new Bakudō spells. Now, if you've been through the Academy, which I assume you have been, you should have a working knowledge of at least what the spells from Number 1 to Number 80 do. Are there any spells in particular you struggle with, Ranma-san?""

Though Mizu had created some unique spells during her time in the Gotei, she wasn't sure if someone less dedicated to the Demon Arts would be able to use them properly. Hana and Hono certainly would have struggled to learn how to cast them. While Ranma didn't exactly fill her with confidence, she also had no idea what he was actually capable of and so she hoped he would reveal some of his ability or knowledge in their training.

Though rough around the edges, and a bit perturbing, Mizu was excited by Ranma's excitement for Kidō. He reminded her a bit of herself, particularly of when she was first beginning to grasp the fundamentals of the Demon Arts, though he was a bit beyond that point at least. One thing that did shock her was his eager attempt at transforming a spell into something else. His demonstration, or lack thereof, showed to Mizu his eagerness overshadowed his abilities.

"I think," Mizu started, "you might be getting ahead of yourself a little bit. Changing spells on the fly is no simple task, Ranma-san. It requires a strong fundamental understanding of how the spell works, what you want it to do, and how to change it in the first place. I'm afraid I think you're not quite ready for that." A quiet moment passed before an idea struck Mizu. "Though, I may have something I can teach you! Let me show you a spell I think you will like."

Upon breathing out Mizu focused her Reiryoku then said the incantation and name of a spell of her own design "O', Lord of Heaven, Adorn me in your Grace and Defend your Arbiter. Bakudō 55: Sei-kotsu Sōkō!" A blinding light shrouded Mizu before quickly dissipating and revealing her now clad in crimson translucent armor hearkening back to samurai of old, floating just an inch or two off her body. "This is a spell I created a while back that conjures Barrier Kidō armor. It's difficult to maintain, so it won't last long when you cast it, but when you're more skilled it will last longer."