The search (Natalia and me)

"Well I don't put much into ghost stories. There is always a reasonable explanation for them if you look hard enough. I know that your story has some explanations somewhere as well even if neither of us understands them yet." He responded to her still trying to think about how to resolve the situation of getting her before someone with more answers. The more he thought about it the more he was positive that nobody from the soul society would come here. He would have to get to go with him and he wasn't entirely sure about how to do it but he did have one idea.

"As for your little statement about someone like me.......sounds to me like you are doubting my abilities. I may not be an officer yet but that doesn't mean I am weak. I am more then capable of fulfilling any task that the soul society gives me. I don't expect you to take my word on that though." he said his hand moving back to his Zanpakutō getting ready. "I will have to prove my abilities to you. A duel here and now. If I win you will come back with me to the seireitei willingly if you win........well you can think of something I'm sure. I'm normally not a betting man because I have terrible luck but a duel is about skill."

He thought that that idea would entertain her and it would give him a chance to test himself in the field. Either way the duel went it would certainly be worth it. He wasn't 100% sure that she would be willing to go along with it but he thought she might just find it entertaining enough to agree. He just hoped that he would prove himself strong enough to win this little duel or his idea would backfire on him and he would most likely have to go back to the seireitei empty handed besides the small amount of information that he already had.

Boy i dought everyone's abilitys unless i see them for myself. And sense you are not yet even out of the academy it gives more cause to say so. If you want to test yourself then do it. I do just hope you will not bore me to much.

Natalia stated as she kept her eye on him with a soft grin upon her lips. she was not entirely sure how this would go but she really needed the exercise all the same though. her own hands never went to her weapon and many would say that she was quite possibly taunting the male. some would say that fact that one was challangeing her and she did not draw her weapon would be an indication that she was possitive that it would not even be needed. Though then again considering the fact that she was a street brawler before this it would mean she was more flexible in movements with her fists then with the sword.

Well when you attack do please try not to bore me.. After all i do not want things to go to easly if they do then it will not be worth thr effort.

She had been training her speed among other things for times like this. And in her own mind everything hinged on her winning this fight. though then again its not like it would be the worst thing in the world. No matter what she will make it where it will be rather hard for this person to take her away no matter what the outcome.

"When did I say I was still in the academy. I graduated and am a full member of squad 7. You may doubt my abilities but they are real nonetheless. I don't plan on giving you an easy fight so do me a favor and do the same. No matter who wins this fight I plan on becoming stronger for it. That will only happen if you make it a challenge."

He drew his Zanpakutō with his left hand holding it backwords and lunged toward his opponent. If she wasn't going to draw her sword that was her problem. He would not wait for her. Only in stories did people wait for their opponents. In a real fight you took advantage of everything. He had no idea how strong his opponent was or what kind of fighting style she would use. He swung out his blade to cut from her right shoulder to her left hip. The wide angle attack would make it hard to dodge to either side. She would have to block it or move back. Either way it was her move. Once the fight really started he would need to analyse every move she made and fast in order to be able to figure out how to beat her.

Natalia remained silent as she stared at the shinigami before her. For some reason she found his first attack rather amusing. Stareing at him she waited untill she could get an idea of what the boy was about to do. a smug grin formed upon her lips as she grabbed her sword moveing her body in such a way that when she drew the sword it also blocked the attack makeing it where it would miss by mere inches. A soft grin would slowly form as she stared at the boy before her.

Ohhh my that was close.

She stated the tone would show that she was not taking it serious at all. as she stared at the boy a dark grin formed upon her lips as she put her sword away.

you will have to do better then that if you want to see what i can do. Though then again you may regret it latter.

She stated yet again takeing an odd stance as she giggled. staring at the male with her smug expression she could not help but wounder what would happen next. She knew most would expect her to attack now though for some reason she did not attack yet. In her own mind she was waiting for something though only she would know what that something was.

keep it up. after all if you fall to me that will not look to good on your squad now will it.

His first attack was blocked and to be honest he hadn't expected to actually hit her like that he had just intended to see what she would do to respond to the attack. He listened to her words but didn't bother to make a response. He was fighting now and he focused his mind on what needed to be done to try and win. He was curious as to why she put her sword away with him still so close. She might have thought that he would back away to make his next attack but he wasn't going to do that.

He still had his sword held backhanded in his left hand but he had lost the momentum with it. He let go of his Zanpakutō with his left hand let it drop only a little and caught it with his right. He swung the sword towards her again to cut across her body this time from point blank range. Just before the sword would have cut into her he turned his hand pulling the blade between them. If she tried to block the cut the swords would glide along each other and would not stop his plan. If she tried to attack him his sword would be in the perfect blocking position to knock her sword away.

But this fake was not his real plan. The fake would attempt to get her sword out of the way. Once his Zanpakutō had enough clearance he would turn the tip towards her stomach and thrust forward. If she called the fake attack and didn't draw her sword at all it would be difficult to block the attack while drawing. If she drew her sword to attack or defend the fake swing it would be in the wrong spot to defend. This was his plan.

Natalia's eye remained focused upon the mane before her. A soft grin would cross over her lips as she stared for a split second though as soon as she closed her eye's she took note of the attack. She was not sure what to do to be honest.. So she did the first thing that entered her mind. She soon would vanish in a burst of speed as she used flash-step to avoid the situation entirely. She would soon reapear a few feet away from the target a soft smile playing upon her lips. Ohhh my this is rather fun.. I should proubly stop toying with you but i can not help myself. She stated with a soft smile as she offered a soft sigh.

Besides i can not go back anyway. I have a proublem with me that will raise to many questions that i do not want to answer. She stated as she stared at the male. She looked where shew as and took note of the fake and the sudden jab. She was rather impressed though in the end she was rather bored with such trivial things. Shakeing her head she took her hand and straightned the fingers/. She soon would move to attack the the male with a quick thrusting motion to his back. It was a simple motion though it was clear the lady was testing the person. her mind was not yet made up on how things should go down yet.

Besides. it would be better to have someone else around. Though i do tend to not be verry picky though. she said with a soft laugh as her eye remained fixated upon the one she was targeting. She to had no idea how this would end but she was determined to make it something to remember no matter what.

Just as he was about to hit her he saw her vanish and reappear. Flash step was it. She blocks one attack and dodges the other. Is she trying to analyse my fighting style? And what did she mean by a problem with her? he thought to himself. He needed some way to get her to launch the attack. He needed to find out how she fought. He wasn't sure about what exactly would provoke her into something.

He was trying to come up with a plan on what to do next when he noticed her moving. She was going to attack soon though she made no move to draw her sword. That could only mean one thing.....she was going to try and use an unarmed style. An interesting choice against an armed opponent. He decided to fight her way.

He used his own flash step to disappear from the attack. He moved himself above and behind her coming out of the flash step in a downward cutting motion trying to catch her off guard. How would she react to this attack. he wondered for a moment. He wasn't sure what to expect but he knew this fight was just beginning.

A soft smile crossed Natalia's lips as the man vanished from sight. Though as soon as he reappeared her body would seem to instinctively turn around to face the man. Within a few seconds she would have her hands in motion claping the hands together to stop the attack. Her hands were placed in such a way that her hands were on the sides of the blade. Stareing at him she offered a soft grin pulling back on the blade to give a strong straight forword kick twords the mans gut. Though from this distance the energy comeing from her eye would feel stronger then it did a few seconds ago. in a way it would feel as if something was trying to shoot out of the eye patch that she was wearing. The energy would feel chaotic in nature and in some ways it may even scare most who actually could feel it at this level.

Ohhh my an attack from behind how original. She stated with a soft giggle obviously teasing the male. though she really had no room to talk on that. She simply wanted to add something in on this that added her own little spin on how this would go. She knew this could go either way but it would appear that she was trying to get the male to where he would make a mistake of some kind. Or well thats what she was hopeing to do anyway. Her eyes remained focused as she spoke though her mind was rather annoyed in a way though it was still rather clear for her anyway. You should head home before this gets to messy. Besides i dought you want to go back to beaten up after all that would well proubly make you look bad and me well more awsome but still.

She said with a soft grin as she stared at the male. She was trying to work on his nerves. She realized it may be harder to do to get him to mess up. Though it was still a viable tactic on her part and for now it was the verry first thing she could think of.

She had caught the blade before he struck. Very few were fast enough or skilled enough to actually accomplish something like that. He could not avoid her kick while holding on to his Zanpakutō and he was not about to let it go. He decided to take the hit but wasn't expecting just how much force would be behind it. This was not going to work like he wanted to. Both of them were clearly skilled in combat. It would be a long duel if he relied just on that. He would need to try a different approach. Something that wasn't his strong suit.

He looked at her hands on his Zanpakutō trying to analyze the facts before him. She had only once pulled her blade and that was only to attack. She seemed to prefer unarmed combat. If that was true then if he could prevent her from doing so that would help him a lot. He raised his left hand and held it towards her. "Bakudo 4 Hainawa" as he finished this simple Kidō a rope of energy emerged and wrapped itself around Natalia's arms. He wasn't the best at Kidō but he could do simple ones at least.

When he finished his Kidō he pulled the blade from between her now bound hands. That would make it much harder for her to fight with her hands. He moved to attack her swinging his sword from his right side to cut across her. He wondered what she would do now with the Kidō binding her arms like that.

Natalia grined as she made a mental note that she would never allow anyone to touch her weapon. If Steven did touch her weapon as soon as it left her hands a black and white flame would engulf the sword burning his hands as soon as it was removed from her own. the flame would be intense and would begin to burn through the skin if the blade remained held for to long. as she stared at Steven she soon began to growl as she began to pull her arms apart. as she did the restreaints from the bakudo would appear to slowly begin to tear until her arms would destroy the bakudo using the power of her willpower. As soon as her arms were free she would use shunpo to avoid the attack done against her a soft grin placed upon her lips.

You realy are rather interesting. Slightly borring but interesting at least i suppose?

She stated useing her full speed to appear behind the target and giggled as she used her hand in a jabbing motion to attempt to stab the shinigami in the back with her finger tips.A soft grin playing upon her lips as she did so. as she stared at the male. If he had taken her sword she would have used to oppertunity to make a slight motion with her feet during the attack to regain her weapon back. with her free hand and put it away as for the time being she really had no real use for the weapon at all at the present time.

You really should head back before you get yourself hurt boy.


(Speed/hoho skill=Adept on both.)
(willpower used to break the Kidō=adept.)