My Envy, Your Knowledge [Catherine, Veralia]

..And, yep. That was a good enough distance from her bike. Had camped the thing in an alcove of stones, looked like a river used to be there or something. Where she was? Just someplace on the plains, nice flat area surrounded by mountains and cliffs; had enough landmarks that she could put a visual to the coordinates she sent to the Arrancar but a week prior, but she didn't seem to be here yet... Hm.

Music was blaring in her ears as she'd briefly pause the track, opening her texting app and quickly shooting a 'hey, u lost?' With an emoji or two to signify confusion. It was always a bad taste in her mouth, but that was how normal people texted she guessed...

She looked up, and around, before clicking her teeth and pushing in another rapid line: 'hang on. flare. orange blip. look up now.'

Unshackling the gun of her own design from her waist, she'd raise it to the sky; sure it wasn't as strong as a typical flare gun, but that was intentional given this wasn't quite the place she was interested in getting the attention of anything that wasn't in the vicinity, squeezing her eyes shut and looking away as the gun would let off with a loud POP!

It wasn't just a momentary flicker of light in the sky, but also a brief flourish of spiritual energy in the quickly dying shot; just enough to give anyone she was intentionally trying to lead over an idea of where she exactly was - just as intended.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

When Veralia saw the flick of light from Catherine, she instantly whipped out her phone in mid-flight and was ready to make her descent to meet up with her new acquaintance.

"I found it. Give me a second :fire::black_heart:"

After her text was sent and she confirmed the area where Catherine was, Veralia wasted no time coming down like a comet from the heavens as a streak of emerald light came falling from the sky before coming to an abrupt stop near the ginger. A large cust of wind blew over the area before Veralia's blood eyes moved to gaze to Miss Reed.

"Yo~ Sorry, was running late."

With a casual wave, Veralia gently then landed on the ground as she looked around at the large plains around them. It was quiet, isolated and actually beautiful in its own right. All these factors made it the perfect place to have a spar.

"Nice spot you picked. Should be fun"

Her gaze shifted back to Catherine with a spark of anticipation in her eyes.

Bright orange locks whipped in the created breeze, all her attempts at being subtle quickly dashed by the Arrancar's explosive entrance. She looked on with a look of disappointment and annoyance, sighing and shaking her head - whatever, a brief five pings of Signal indicated nothing was charging for them, so that must've meant they were fine to go ahead... Not like she didn't already exhaustively check a one-hundred meter radius for any signs of annoying threats.

"Yah. Almost five minutes," She kicked the spear and shield that were resting by her feet into her hands with the dutiful skill of a professional despite their visible hefty forms, the bony weapons grasped naturally as one's Zanpakuto, "No vagabonds or critters here today. Can do this experiment plenty fine."

A grin formed on her features, the mere thought of fighting a subject of interest exciting to her - if Veralia wasn't up to chat about her capabilities, she'd just have to see them for herself!

The sound of displaced rocks broke the howling silence as her Bringer Light brought her form forward; only, if Veralia had attempted an attack, she would be met with little more than a false image, the redhead's true attack lying in wait.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

A grin? That was surprising considering the constant drab-looking expressions she gave during their last encounter. As Veralia scratched her head, she eventually rolled her shoulders and figured it might just be her nerves as everyone always reacts differently before scrapping.

"I can tell by the grin you are excited. Hopefully, I don't disappoint."

There was a gruff chuckle as Veralia breathed out, relaxing her nerves as she got into a battle stance. She planted her feet firmly on the ground, spreading her legs and raising her hands to her head, cracking her neck with a fiery glint in her eyes.

"Do fights always make you this happy, or is it just the fact you get to dissect my powers?"

Her voice carried a playful challenge. She was ready for whatever was coming, her instincts sharpening each passing second. Then, when the sound of rocks shuffling about hit Veralia's ears and her body kicked into gear. With a quick, fluid motion, a burst of flame erupted from her lips, hot and fierce, though restrained. She wasn’t aiming to burn Catherine completely.

And over the crackling of her flames, she called out:

"And just how durable are ya? I don't wanna burn ya to a crisp by mistake."

The figure before Veralia would flicker and dissipate quickly amidst the scorch of flames, a fooling that the young woman had been hit to misdirect her opponent's move.

"What? You better be fighting like it's real!"

Her answer hadn't come until she was a mere five feet away from the Arrancar's back, well within her blindspot as a sharp CLACK had preceded her words - a blood capsule had been inserted and spun in the reservoir of her spear, the sharp noise of shifting metal and bone signifying it's retraction. With both the use of her Fullbring power to empower the speed and strength of the arm she held the spear with, green energy would swirl around her figure as the spear would be sent crashing into her opponent's lower back if an adequate reaction was not given, the trigger on her weapon squeezed to deliver a piercing blow, an attack that would have rendered typical opponents with a gaping hole in their frame with the sheer force applied to the area.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

"Your quick on your feet."

Veralia barely had time to process Catherine’s vanishing act before she heard a sharp CLACK behind her, the sound slicing through the roaring flames. Reacting instinctively, she unleashed her Sonido Rastro Envidioso and bolted forward in a burst of speed, leaving a trail of emerald flames as she narrowly dodged the spear aimed at her lower back.

Whirling around mid-movement, she summoned her Zanpakutō by pulling an ember out of her shirt and gripping a fiery blade that materialized. The emerald flames swirling from her blade created a defensive zone around her, designed to repel Catherine’s piercing assault. The heat of her flames clashed with Catherine’s swirling green energy, causing sparks to fly as the two powers collided.

"I can see you mean business; I can respect that. I'll fight you seriously then."

Speaking gruffly, Veralia smirked and decided to act on instinct.

With her eyes narrowed, she'd launch herself toward Catherine with a burst of Sonido, appearing at her side to deliver a series of four precise strikes with her spiteful boom. Each swing of her fiery katana aimed at Catherine’s torso was accompanied by sonic booms intended to disorient her and force her back as debris would scatter regardless of whether she hit her target or not.

(techniques used)

Spoiler:

A second foot ceased her forward momentum in reaction to the taste of heat, pivoting her body backwards and away from the trail of fire with a pull on earth. Oooh, so THAT was what that heat was about! She surmised from the irritating barrier of heat around the woman on their first meeting that she had something heat related as an ability; it was admittedly a little disappointing to simply be fire, but something to it seemed to set it apart from regular flames in a way she couldn't quite place.

No time for admiration, she was here to study her opponent thoroughly; she'd just have to see what the qualities of this fire were for herself.
...
Here she comes.

An instinctual response, her shield was thrown up as Veralia suddenly closed the distance between them, eyes darting between movements, and finally landing on that fiery katana swinging for her - so that was going to be the applicator of her strikes. Retaliate.

Each strike was met with the resolute form of her shield blocking it, alongside the manipulation of the souls around her to reinforce her stance; one strike, two strikes, three strikes... Each hit the shield with a force of strength pushing back on those booms, feeling the strikes reverberate through her body but not quite shaking her bones; she's known far harder hits in her life.

Fourth.

Her shield would throw up, another strike ready to squeeze through the narrow gap - a strategic waiting strike finally being sprung. The signs of Bringer Light were obvious in her spear-wielding arm, as the fourth strike went for her, so did an empowered stab for Veralia's midsection seek to respond.

Technique used:

Spoiler:

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

"Your....really enjoying this."

There was a mild look of surprise across Veralia's face as her strikes slammed against the shield Catherine conjured up. She wasn't expecting her to be so...enthralled, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

With a swift sidestep, Veralia allowed the strike to pass by her torso, feeling the blistering heat from Catherine's fiery weapon graze her skin. The flames sparked something within her — an urge to show her own fiery resilience. She darted to the side, leaving a faint emerald trail from her fiery soindo, making it difficult for Catherine to track her next move as her katana faded and moved back into her shirt.

Instead of immediately countering, Veralia circled around her opponent, using the split-second Catherine’s failed thrust would leave her off-balance to survey Catherine’s form. With a burst of speed, Veralia shifted behind her opponent as she held out her left palm, positioning herself just outside of Catherine’s immediate reach. Her Spiteful Boom activated as she struck the air beside Catherine's ear, sending a reverberating shockwave to unsettle her. Not a direct hit, but enough to throw off her opponent’s balance.

Not wasting time, Veralia channeled her Zanpakutō, aiming her blade with her right hand at the woman's flank to release an eruption of flames at her backside to test and probe her reaction, defensive and offensive capabilities.