Casting a Shadow (1-on-1) [Kyoshin]

[Karzan Zaraki]

Karzan lie in the sand of the moonlit desert, waiting for his second in command to show up. They needed to train, for many reasons, including the fact that Kyoshin himself was currently weaker than some of his subordinates, and the more important reason, that Karzan still lacked the power he both desired and required to continue his stewardship of the throne. The incident that now seemed so long ago with the strange man Teisuke and his 'friends' had put things into perspective for the current Lord of the Deep, and he knew that he lacked the power he needed.

"You took too long!" Karzan would shout from his place in the sand as he sensed Kyoshin coming near, "That battle with Virgil should have hit home to you exactly how weak you are at the moment! We can't waste time idling."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

"Forgive me, my Lord," said Kyoshin, walking up to Karzan with a casual smirk on his face. "I was just... catching a meal." Slowly closing the distance between himself and the Lord of the Deep, Kyoshin looked off into the desert sands, continuing, "As we speak of weakness, it is a shame, how frail the Hollows have gotten... And how few in number."

[Karzan Zaraki]

"They'll get even fewer in number if you keep eating them..." Karzan said rolling his eyes and standing up to brush sand from his clothes, "...we'll start just as last time, hand to hand, then progressing as you feel the need to."

Standing in front of Kyoshin now, Karzan kept his hands at his side, waiting for the Second in Command to make the first move.

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

"Very well, my Lord." Springing into action, Kyoshin let his right fist fly at Karzan, while keeping his left hand ready to defend. His stance was somewhat casual and still showed some inexpertise, but had improved moderately since their last fight.

[Karzan Zaraki]

Karzan dodged with ease, and in a seamless motion, rammed his soldier into Kyoshin's chest, then spinning around the Second in Command to face his back and kick him forward, only to step back slightly to await his reaction.

"Outsmarting an enemy more powerful than you is something you should learn," Karzan said somewhat lazily, "rather than go at me head on, you should make use of your other talents."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

Picking himself up and dusting off, Kyoshin turned to Karzan again, asking, "As in?" A little impatience showed through his cold, confident facade. He wanted more power, but didn't know how to find it. Being bested by Virgil and Karzan time and time again wasn't helping. "Every approach I make against you can be anticipated and countered. I've got nothing," he finished, charging and firing a Bala at Karzan's feet.

[Karzan Zaraki]

"The Bala you just fired is an example," Karzan said as he dodged by stepping backwards, and fired his own Bala in return, as he charged a Cero in his left hand, "the Cero as well. Even if you can't hit me, you can use them to keep me at a distance."

Firing his Cero at Kyoshin's right arm, Karzan would resumed his stationary stance, arms at his sides, clearly being lazy, trying to goad Kyoshin into action.

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

Spinning to the side, Kyoshin dodged Karzan's Bala, then fired his own to slow the Cero sent his way, which he then dodged with ease.

"I understand, master," Kyoshin said, charging a Cero in each hand. "Even so, the most I can do is slow you down. I can force a reaction that will keep you from killing me quickly, but I wouldn't have the strength to stop you if you were trying." Leaping vertically into the air, he fired off both Cero at Karzan in slightly different directions, one aimed slightly higher than the other, but this wouldn't be visible until the Cero had traveled farther.

[Karzan Zaraki]

Using Sonido, Karzan moved forward, and as the Cero reach his former position, he would be underneath the blasts, the wind caused by their movement shuffling his hair as he walked toward Kyoshin, firing a barrage of Bala with both hands, to keep the Second in Command on his toes.

"If you can't dodge or block, try to take the hit in a spot less vulnerable to damage," Karzan said as he fired the tenth Bala, "or in a spot that won't matter in the long run."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

Kyoshin spun around, a majority of the Bala hitting him in the back with only a few missing and striking the sand below, instantly melting it.

"Yeah, I'm not sure that's what you meant..." Wincing, he looked around for Karzan, spotting him some fifteen feet away. Charging another two Cero, Kyoshin started walking towards Karzan, waiting for his master to move while keeping his Cero at the ready.

[Karzan Zaraki]

"It worked didn't it," Karzan said with a smile. Charging a single Cero in his right hand, Karzan would fire it at Kyoshin, and then stop to await his response, clearly aware that Kyoshin had two Cero's waiting to fire.

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

Kyoshin fired one of his Cero to counter Karzan's Cero in midair, then stepped to the side and fired a flurry of Bala at Karzan, still walking forward with a charged Cero in his right hand.

[Karzan Zaraki]

Dodging the Bala with ease, Karzan threw his own Bala at Kyoshin as he was walking, then used Sonido to move to the left, and fired two more.

As the last two traveled, Karzan would dash forward without using Sonido, and pounce at Kyoshin, to deliver a punch to the Second in Command's face, which would knock him back, and after the fact, he would jump back and fire another Bala for good measure.

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

(So, I'm doing this post as if Saijin had already got me my +10 stat boost, for dramatic effect, if you don't mind.)

Holding out his left hand, Kyoshin intercepted the Bala sent his way, his Hierro taking most of the damage as he felt a minor impact. Standing his ground as Karzan charged him, Kyoshin calmly raised his right hand and fired off his Cero at Karzan, point blank. He then stopped Karzan's next Bala the same way he had the first, grinning as he charged another Cero.

"You've taught me alot, Karzan. More than I had realized." Leaping at his opponent, Kyoshin threw one of his fists at Karzan's face, then rolled back and fired the Cero at Karzan, point blank. He didn't expect either of his attacks to land, but wanted to show some effort.

[Karzan Zaraki]

(I'm fine with it, but I'm not sure if you're allowed to or not...)

Using Sonido, Karzan moved the side in an instant, avoiding the first Cero. Then as Kyoshin made to punch him, Karzan would catch the fist, and shove him backward, then take out the Cazoleta sheathed at his side, and use it to part the second Cero with a quick vertical slash.

"I must have," Karzan replied to Kyoshin's last words, "because you just forced me to draw my sword before you."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

(Sorry if it wasn't legal, I just wanted to pull a Darth Vader and catch the bullets with my hand.)

"Surprising," said Kyoshin, grinning as he drew Noche Espina with his right hand. He let the tip of the blade drag in the sand, the shard edge pointed at Karzan, while he charged a Cero in his left hand. Being no more than 5 feet away, he shot the Cero at Karzan, dashing a few feet forward at the same time. His Zanpakuto slid through the sand, then slashed up at Karzan but a moment after the Cero would have hit.

[Karzan Zaraki]

Karzan used Sonido to avoid the Cero by moving slightly to the left, then used his own sword to block Kyoshin's slash. As the blades connected, Karzan would shove Kyoshin's blade away, which would cause Kyoshin himself to reel back. Just as the Second in Command would recover, Karzan's blade would move forward, and slice a thin line on the Arrancar's cheek.

Smiling slyly, Karzan would jump back, and point his blade to the ground, inviting Kyoshin to attack him again. "Let us see your skill with the blade then."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

He scowled as he wiped off the purple droplets of blood from his scratch, then began to charge a Cero with the same hand once it was finished. "I will try, then," Kyoshin responded, raising his unusual sword single-handedly and considering Karzan carefully, as if looking for potential openings. He suddenly leaped forward, bringing his sword down on Karzan with all of his force, then followed up with a diagonal slash.

[Karzan Zaraki]

Karzan jumped back, avoiding the first slash, then sidestepped the second, and lunged at Kyoshin with his Cazoleta, aiming for the shoulder, but pulling back prematurely, to redirect it and stab at the Second in Command's feet.

"Good movements," Karzan said, as he drew back from his attack, "you know how to use the sword."

[Kyoshin Oscuro]

Holding his sword horizontally, Kyoshin brought it up to clash against Cazoleta, but was unable to react fast enough as Karzan withdrew and stabbed at his feet. The blow stung a bit, but failed to penetrate thanks to Kyoshin's Hierro.

"Forgive me, master," Kyoshin grinned, "It would seem you are no longer strong enough to draw blood from me." Slashing at Karzan with his Noche Espina and firing his Cero at the same times, Kyoshin began to laugh madly as he fought.