Juego de Amor

Red and Green
Splash... Was the sound that was heard as the woman dipped a rag into the water. She moved it along her arm, humming gently to herself.

It was a calm day for Shunsatsu, as he walked down the grassy path of the afternoon sky. It was one of the moments where he could fully enjoy himself, without the need of Ahatake and Akiko around. They were busy doing other stuff after all.

Body so full of cheer, he whistled a random tune from his heart, and it sounded similar to a bird's chirping.

The young woman continued with her delicate washing and changed her tune slightly as felt a sudden treble in the air. "Spiritual Pressure. Rather calm too."

Immediately, Shunsatsu turned an abrupt right, deeper into the forest. He stopped his tune, however, as soon as he heard familiar humming coming from a slight distance away. A skeptical look crossed his face, and his curiousity got to him, as he stepped slowly, in order to insure his stealth.

"It's coming this way. I think I've felt this certain one before." She merely walked into the lake and resumed bathing, humming her cheerful tune.

Only one step away.

His hands slowly reached for the bushes that lay in his reach, gripping the leaves and pushing them aside. He narrowed his eyes, searching for the source that lay just so definite in front of him.

His eyes widened at what he saw.

A girl, standing in the depths of a large lake, bathing in a carefree manner and humming that oh-so-familiar tune. So far, she didn't seem to notice his prescence, her back turned to him. He silently cursed that fact, as he couldn't see her face enough for a good recognition.

Who was she?

Asuka turned around and saw him hiding but didn't act like it, and kept humming. "Cute boy..." She thought. "Wonder what his personality's like."

"Wait!"

His eyes widened a bit, as he saw a bit of her face turn in his view, but it immediately disappeared as soon as it came. Instinctively, he ducked behind the tree he was hiding behind, eyes widened and heart pounding a bit.

"Shit, she spotted me!"

"Shy as well." She thought. "Strange I think I know him." She got up of the water and reached for the towel to dry off. Then she put her clothes back on. "You can come out now."

Her tone...didn't seem angry. Nor did was it embarrassed. His heart relaxed a bit, and he let out a sigh of relief, the weight of stealth coming off of his shoulders. Putting on a small smile on his face, he twisted his feet, stepping out of his hiding spot coolly and carefully. "Tch... no point in hiding myself if you're just gonna sense me out either way..." He mused.

She smiled. "You don't do a good job of hiding your spiritual pressure. A infant could spot you."

"That so...?" Folding his arms across his chest, he walked forward, feet stepping lightly and crunching the grass below them. "Well, I could say the same for you. You should hide yourself better when using a lake as your bathtub."

"You have a point there." Asuka replied. "What's your name? I am Asuka Natsumi."

"Shunsatsu Kuroda." He did a short bow, out of courtesy. "Pleased to meet you, miss."

"The pleasure's all mine." She replied. "Your name...sounds familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

After standing straight, Shunsatsu put a hand to his chin, putting on a thoughtful look. "Hmmm.... let's see.... were you....." With a snap of his fingers, he pointed over towards Asuka in probably realization. "from the Shinigami Academy?"

"Yeah." Then her eyes lit up. "YOU were Shun-kun weren't you?"

Shunsatsu chuckled heartily. "Heh... my classmates always loved to tick me off with that one..." He replied, grinning lopsidedly.

"But I remember you. You weren't the most forward person around, but you were a genius. It'd be hard not to remember you."

"Tch..." Shunsatsu shrugged slightly, in an embarrassed sort of manner. "I'm no genius...I'm just the guy who was paying attention while everyone else threw spitballs."

"Not me." Asuka replied. "I paid attention. If you recall, I outdid even you in Kido."

Was that a challenging statement? Shunsatsu allowed himself to raise an eyebrow and smirk. "Outdid? That's a pretty harsh word...I mean, 'evened' or 'matched up to' would've been great.... but outdid?" He placed a hand on his heart, in mock sorrow. "That cuts me really deep, Asuka...."

"Sorry." She said and she genuinely sounded it. "But you know I did. I was the best in our class."

Shunsatsu raised his head up, grin growing even wider. "Well, I'm just glad that you managed to pass." His eyes held a bit of curiousity after that, as he stared at Asuka for a moment. "....you in a division?"

"Not anymore. I left the Soul Society awhile back."

"Oh? Mind if I ask why?"

"I just didn't like it there. I didn't consider it freeing. I like the World of the Living better."

Placing a hand on his neck, Shunsatsu moved his head around, feeling a bit of pain in a small spot. "Personally, I don't see much difference between Soul Society and the Human Realm." He admitted.

"In the World of the Living, I answer no one. In teh Soul Society there Oji-sama."

"Heh...." Shunsatsu's tone became a bit amused. "So you're the rebellious type, eh?"

"Yeah. I listen to NO ONE. And I'm also unpredictable. Is that something you like?"

"Depends on what kind of unpredictability it is...."

"It can be any kind of unpredictability you want. Besides my emotions. I can be nice and sweet like I am now, or evil and rough the next second."

"I want?" Shunsatsu cocked an eyebrow in surprise, putting his hands into his pockets. "Sounds like you're tryin' to come onto me...."

"And you said you not a genius." Asuka laughed.

"You sure that's a good idea?" An unseen glint came across Shunsatsu's eye,. "After all...to just say this so bluntly might get me thinkin' the wrong way..."

"What do you mean?"

"Like this..."

WHOOSH!

It took a second to cover the cap between him and Asuka.

The next, he was right behind her, arms around her shoulders, and head right beside hers. "Get it now?" He cooed, breath tingling her ear as he spoke.

Her face turned red. "I don't mind.." She replied.

He grinned. "Good. Now... we both might have a bit of free time on our hands... I definitely do. If you're the same... I was thinkin' we could go out sometime."

"Alright." She agreed, her eyes lighting up. "When?"

"Sometime tonight."

"Alright. I have all the time in the world." She said and she sounded happy.

"Great!" His arms slowly unwrapped themselves around her. "In that case, I'll be going." He walked around her, hands in his pockets in a casual manner, but it was only a few steps away when he craned his head towards her.

"Unless, you wish for me to stay...."

"That would be nice." She said and she put her arms around him, her lip's against his...

MEANWHILE!!!!!

"C'mon, gimme a show!"

That was Tereya's fierce and taunting shout, even as she unleashed torrent upon torrent of spiritual wind upon Akiko's direction. The tip of her blade was humming with her own aura, clearly gleaming for blood.

"You asked for it." The Hollowfied girl replied. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She swung her sword creating a massive shockwave.

Ahatake and Smirnov were watching the display.

Smirnov sat casually on the ground, observing Tereya's movements carefully, while still looking amused at the battle display. "Who're you betting on, Ahatake?" He asked, looking over at the other man.

"My sister. She's a demon."

Smirnov shrugged. "There are many kinds of demons in this world. Tereya is also what I consider to be one of them." He pointed out.

"True." Ahatake replied. "I'm going to enjoy watching this match."

"Ditto."

''CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!''

Tereya skidded back in a crouching position, head lowered, and her hand gripping the ground. Her sword was pointed upwards in a fronthand position, in order to steady herself from falling to the ground.

Akiko was still on the move and jumped up. "Have some 'o this!" She cried swing her blade and firing an Aka Shouten.

Gripping the hilt of her sword with both hands, she lunged forward, swinging the blade of her Zanpakuto straight into the blast. Flow redirected, energy disrupted, and the attack was sent straight back at its creator.

Akiko sliced her neck and watched the blood soak. "GYAKUTEN!" She cried swinging the blade and watching her attach reflect back upon the reflector.

It was now a game of chicken, as Tereya performed the same maneuver as before, reflecting it back once more. Unless there was some other method, Akiko would probably have to keep damaging herself in order to reflect it, while Tereya could use her control of spiritual energy in order to keep going. It was only a matter of time...

Unfortunately for Tereya, Akiko's neck blood was still on her blade and she reflected the attack yet again. Dummy!"

Tapping the finger of her Zanpakuto, Tereya narrowed her eyes in thought for a moment, before she swung once more, as if they were playing a game of baseball.

Akiko made an uppercut swing cutting her attack in half. "Done!" She said firing a cero at her opponent.

"Yes, you are."

A chilling voice sounded behind Akiko, and before she could even turn, the sound of metal cutting deep into flesh was deeply heard. It was her opponent's blade, slicing deep into her body, along with the spraying of blood behind her. "Oh my!" whispered Tereya's amused voice, as she watched the nearly cut-in-half opponent fall to the ground. "Don't fall apart... I wouldn't have anyone to spar with anymore!"

Akiko got up and placed a hand towards her wound and it began to heal. "As if you could beat me with something like that." She replied laughing as she removed her mask, and she had Tereya's playful expression on her face. "Don't make me laugh!"

"That's more like it..." Tereya whispered eagerly, settling into another fighting stance. "'Cause the next blow is aimin' for your spine."

"You won't land another blow, Tereya-chan!" Akiko replied. "I'm ending it here!" She sliced her thigh. "Kongōseki!" She cried swing her sword and expelling massive blood-red diamonds from her blade.

Tereya's eyes glazed over in surprise, taking a step back as the diamond bullets fired at her. They seemed to gleam intensely, possibly affected by the intensity of the assault itself, and it seemed to paralyze her body. She didn't move, but remained like an ice cube: still.

Then, she acted.

Crouching on her legs, she pushed herself into the air to backflip over the torrental assault. Her spiritual energy began to glow around her sword once more...

Akiko kept her sword in it's "slash" down position. "You can't deflect them!" Akiko said. "You'll have to dodge...But can you?"

"....Shit."

Tereya gritted her teeth, narrowed eyes glancing over her shoulder.

The bullets were coming around!

There was no way in hell she was going to be tricked like last time.

Still in an upside-down position in the air, she rocketed herself toward the ground, flipping on her feet and once again narrowly avoiding those deadly diamonds.

The diamonds collided with a nearby tree demolishing it completely.

Akiko's mask broke. "Seems my mask is at the end of it's tether."

Raising back up to a standing position, an amused smirk came across Tereya's face. "Well.... I can't really say that doesn't suck...." She commented, flourishing the sword with a bit of blade twirling. "Unless, you can still keep up with me without it..."

"What kinda weakling do you take me for?" Akiko asked with a mock hurt expression.

Tereya caught the hilt in her hands, eyes shadowing over a bit. "Oh, I don't take you for a weakling, Akiko. On the contrary, you've actually made fighting keep my eyes open." She commended.

"Thank you." Akiko said jumping up. "Bakudō number 4 Hainawa!" Akiko cried expelling Golden ropes from her hands to bind Tereya.

WHOOSH!

In an instant, Tereya had disappeared, evading capture by the glowing ropes.

"Hadō number 4! Byakurai!" Akiko cried expelling lightning from her finger.

The flashing image of Tereya kept appearing and re-appearing out of Akiko's view, as if attempting to simply mock her with speed. But her expression was anything but mocking, as her image appeared for a moment, then disappeared before the lightning blast could hit her.

Akiko began to feel for her opponents spiritual pressure and her hands began to glow blue. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hadō number 73! Sōren Sōkatsui!" She cried extending her palms outward in a massive blast of blue energy.

"Coward." She pointed two finger's up and they began to glow yellow. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! With light, divide this into six! Bakudō number 61, Rikujōkōrō!" She cried and rods of light sped towards and bound Tereya.

WHAM!

Tereya's insides nearly went deeper into herself, when the beams of light slammed into her midsection. Her speed had come to an abrupt halt, her feet unable to move, and her sword held tightly at her side. She felt the air escape her throat cruelly, her face frozen in a shocked expression.

"Shit...she got me...!"

"Hadō 31, Shakkahō!" Akiko cried firing a massive red ball at Tereya.

It was all expressed in a second.

Pupils shrank, and her heart threatened to burst out of her ribcage, as the deadly ball of red energy hurtled towards her. Another fierce chill went down her spine, sensually attacking every nerve in her body. And she liked it.

Her mouth twisted into a maniacal smile, and she tilted her head back, both amused and excited by the simple face of what was to be a heavy blow. Her throat let out a loud and dark chuckle, even as it enveloped her in its unforgiving embrace...

BOOM!

"Damn."' Akiko thought. "That would have done it."

SLICE!

Moments later, Tereya's blade sliced through the dirt clouds left behind, revealing the very same mask that Akiko bore herself. Yellow and black eyes stared hauntingly at her, and the mask itself seemed to give off an aura of hostility. It was a scary setting, at least for a moment, to have to stare at the warrior woman right now.

Then, with a slow hand, she reached up and gripped the front of the mask, dissipating it into spiritual energy with her simple touch. Her eyes faded back to their normal color, but still held the traces of insanity within them. "Now that's what I'd like to see!"

Ahatake stood up. "I think you two should end it here."

Smirnov raised his hands and clapped heartily. "Good match, you two!" He congratulated. "You're definitely showing signs of progress, Tereya!"

Twisting the sword and sticking it back in its respective sheath, Tereya closed her eyes and shrugged. "Eh. It doesn't matter if I'm still not at your level, Smir." She countered, hand resting on the hilt. "But, thanks for the compliment."

"Akiko I never knew you could do a double incantation." Akiko said walking up to his sister.

"I've been practicing. Still it could have been better. She shouldn't have been able to move when I bound her with my first spell, Rikujōkōrō. I wasn;t concentrating."

"It doesn't matter you both did good." Ahatake replied and Akiko jumped on his back.

"I'm hungry, Onii-san!" She complained.

"Wanna come over to our house? We'll be glad to fix you something to eat..." Smirnov offered politely.

That only caused Tereya to glare at him in annoyance. "Ahem. You don't cook, you lazy shit. You sit on your butt all day, waiting while I do it."

An amused grin crossed Smirnov's face. "Exactly, my dear sister." He replied mockingly, but in a friendlier tone than she had managed to use.

"We accept your invitation Smirnov-san. And unless Tereya has any objections, I'd be happy to help in the kitchen."

"....Really?" Both Tereya and Smirnov cocked their eyebrows at him, the latter out of surprise and amusement, though it was Tereya who spoke. "All right... but don't expect me to kiss your burn if you donno what you're doin'."

Ahatake laughed. "I know how to cook. After mom died I had to learn. God knows Dad couldn't cook." Ahatake said and he shuddered at the memory.

For a moment, Tereya's eyes seemed to shadow over, and her mouth curved up to a darkened smile. "God, hm...?" She asked quietly, her feet moving her past Ahatake. "Quite... then, you'd better get moving. I don't like to wait when it comes to food."

"I'm not cooking the whole thing if that's what you're expecting."

"Damn right. I don't feel like tasting what could be the worst food of my life."

Ahatake sighed. "Thanks alot that makes me feel real good." He hissed as they walked towards her house.

"It's my job." She replied smugly, grinning from ear to ear. At the corner of her eardrum, she heard Smirnov chuckle a bit as well.

Ahatake opened the door and set his sister on a chair. "You can rest here, Akiko."

"Okay Onii-san." She said lying on her back.

It was at that moment, that Tereya's foot reached and kicked Akiko on the top of her skull, a cruel move to knock her into her senses. "Did we say you could lie wherever the hell you want?" She asked gruffly. "If you're feeling weak, you can go up to the guest room." With that, she turned around, walking over in the direction of the kitchen.

Akiko started to grumble but Ahatake chuckled a bit. "C'mon, I'll help you up." Ahatake helped her to her feet and Smirnov pointed her to the guest room.

"Smirnov-san can't you control her?" Ahatake asked. "What she did was uncalled for."

The man simply sighed mushroom style. "As much as I'd like the idea, Ahatake..." He replied quietly. "That was the one thing I couldn't convince her to turn away from. No matter what I say, I'd be getting further talking to a rock wall." His eyes fell onto the spot where Tereya had just walked from. "She's simply following her own philosophy and beliefs, and I can't blame her for that..."

"I guess." Ahatake said and he coated himself in a reishi shield. "Just in case she tries to stab me with a butcher knife." He said and he walked into the kitchen. "Alright what are we making?"

"Ever heard of Borshch?"

"Sounds German."

"Ah..." He raised and wagged a finger. "But it's not. I can say only two words to summarize: beet soup."

"No meat?"

"Of course there's meat! Along with vegetables!"

Ahatake sighed in relief. "Thank God. I never eat a meal without meat."

A chuckle came from Smirnov's mouth, as he placed a hand onto Ahatake's shoulder. "Trust me, Ahatake, you're in good hands, then." With a gentle push, he turned him around. "Now, get going before Tereya gets ticked off at you for making her wait...." He chirped.

"Sure thing Smirnov-san." Ahatake said as the man left the room. "Before we start though, why'd you kick my sister for resting in a chair?"

Tereya looked up lazily from her hunched stance over the oven, an eyebrow raised slightly. "Hm?" She asked. "Didn't hear what you said..."

Ahatake sighed. "Why's you kick my sister just for sitting in a chair?" Ahatake asked looking in the cupboard for canned beets, and placing them on the counter.

Looking back at the stove, she paused for a moment, as if considering his question. Then, as she herself began to gather the necessarry ingredients, she came up with an unhesitant retort. "You're right. The one I should've kicked was you for putting her there."

Ahatake sighed. "You shouldn't kick anyone for no reason Tereya." Ahatake said, putting the can under the can opener and listening to the Whirrrrr noise.

"Last time I checked, you both are under our roof, not yours. You think it'd be all right if I just walked into your house and sat down where ever I wanted, without thinking about you first?"

"You know I wouldn't mind." Ahatake replied. "And I understand placing my sister on on your furniture was less than courteous, but you could have just asked her to get off of it and go to the guest room. Who know's what she's plotting now?!?" Ahatake replied, throwing the lid away and placing the beets un a bowl.

"Don't know, don't care, couldn't give two shits and a fuck if I tried." Tereya replied bluntly. "I'm not the sickly sweet mother who nicely coaxes a child to stop what bad thing they're doing. For someone to be heard, you have to be loud and demanding. That's the way of life, after all."

Ahatake sighed and passed her the bowl. "Well let's get crackin'!"

Meeting the Girlfriend
The Seishou residence wasn't the only place filled with festivity.

Shunsatsu sighed gruffly, blowing out a stream of air from his nose. "Jeez, it's been tiring..." He muttered, walking beside Asuka with an exasperated look on his face. "How long have we been out?"

"A few hours." Asuka replied. She had her arms around his neck. "I'm not complaining. I enjoyed today."

"Same here..." He cooed, raising his lips to gently kiss her cheekbone. "I bet you prepared for this, didn't you?"

"Not really. I just go where fate takes me and it took me to you Shun-kun." She replied kissing him back.