milliways_bar | (no subject)

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The boy is outside again, out back beyond the lake. He likes to be well away from the main bar when he trains, so that none will notice him swinging his sword, positively glowing with energy. A light blue aura surround him as he leaps and swings, his body covered in sweat as he goes over exercises and desperately wills himself to achieve that which he desires.

Day after day he's been out here, training as best he can by himself, all for Bankai. All so he can be strong again, strong enough to protect those he cares for. It sounds corny, he knows, but it's true. That's the only reason he fights. Not for more power and not for a love of fighting, but so that he can be strong enough to do as he has always wanted. Protect people.

So again today he came out, made his way out across the grass until he was almost out of sight, rocks and trees and the like hiding him well enough. He's not totally hidden, and his entire body is glowing brightly, but he doubts anybody will bother him anyways.

...or not.

[ooc: Plot-locked, so sorry.]

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The unexpected grip on her leg makes what had been supposed to be a gracefull roll into more of a thump. Flat on her back, she kicks at him desperately with her other leg; the touch of his hand gives her the creeps something fierce.

"Just die already, you sick fuck!"

He doesn't respond, but now he's got a good grip on her. Now he can begin to have fun again!

He ignores the kicks, most of them striking hard enough to hurt but not enough to be too serious. He doesn't let go, but instead tightens his grip, tighter and tighter...

...and then there's a violent motion with his arm, inhuman strength backing it up, and the sound of bone breaking.

She screams, high and sharp, and then bites it off with an effort. Ouch. Fuck. Ouch. He just snapped me like a wet towel - fucker!

Still on her back, she grabs for something - anything - and comes up with a handful of dirt. Okay, handful of dirt is go; it gets flung at his face, and she kicks at his hand again, but the second was a mistake. Kicking at something connected to a seriously snapped bone, not so smart. Everything goes white with pain for a moment.

Dirt in his eyes is not appreciated, and he lets go of her leg to try and clear his vision. He stumbles back a few steps, clearing dirt from his face and eyes quickly.

It was worth it though. She's hurt, bad, and now she'll have a hard time stopping him.

They always go for my leg. Why do they always go for my leg? They ... Okay, breathe, Steph. Focus. You've been hurt worse.

Getting to her feet suddenly became a near-impossibility. But she can scoot backwards on her hands, teeth gritted, and reach for more things to throw: small sticks, dirt, there's not much here. She needs him to get closer so she can hit the mask.

"Scared?" she taunts, voice harsh with pain. "You're running."

Once the dirt is gone, he eyes her with cold malice. No response is given to her little remark. He's done fucking around with her.

A flash step has him by her side in an instant, lashing out viciously with his foot at her side. Another one has him on her other side, and he lashes out again in the same fashion. Finally he grabs her face, lifting her up off the ground with a big smile before slamming her into the dirt. Look, she makes a little indent in the ground! Fun!

...ow. And ow. And - was that a rib or several? - yeah, she thinks several. Ow.

She's still trying to fight, though. With fists and attempted scrabbling fingernails - maybe she can scratch the damn mask off - and with words.

It's time for the old standby. Just like every bad movie she's ever seen. "Ichigo - I know you're in there. You can beat it. I know you can."

It just laughs down at her. "'Course he's still in here, dumbass! For now, I'm stuck sharing this body with that weak ass piece of shit."

And then, maybe because of her voice, maybe because of the taunting, or maybe simply because he's recovered from the shock of it all, Ichigo decides he wants to be in control again.

"GET! OUT!"

The voice is everywhere, thundering with rage. The Hollow clutches its head in agony, arching its back and crying out in pain. Again and again it roars, coming from some unseen source even as the voice itself can be easily recognized.

"Get out!"
"Get out!"
"GET OUT!"

Fingers begin to curl under the rim of the mask, tugging at it with more and more strength. The Hollow screams, lashes out at an invisible enemy, but the mask is pulled and pulled until finally, with an unholy screech that pierces the air, the mask comes off, leaving the left half of his face covered in shadow for a moment. Then it disappears, and the mask crumbles, and Ichigo slumps down on his knees, exhausted and not daring to meet her gaze.

You're both really lucky that you're collapsed on the ground --because it means Steph isn't there to see her boyfriend arrive--

--and Ichigo's not looking up to see himself get KICKED IN THE FACE.

"YOU LIED TO ME!"

And now? He is so putting himself between Steph and Ichigo. Just in case he CAN'T hold control; blades are out, and there is one pissed off Zuko between Ichigo and the girl he was just beating up.

Ichigo falls back, wondering suddenly why he is feeling a lot of INTENSE PAIN IN HIS FACE REGION.

This is quickly explained to him once he spots Zuko with his 'Not Happy' face on.

...also, he might have yelled something to the effect of 'You lied to me and now I shall fuck your shit up.'

Even though he didn't say it, it was there. Everyone knows it.

"Fucking hell, you jackass! You fucking kicked me in the face!"

"My hero," Steph mutters, only half in jest. "Hey, Zuko." She gives him a rather sheepish smile. Steph's gone and got herself in trouble again. Er, oops?

She's not looking at Ichigo. There's angry, and then there's the stage after angry, and Steph's a few hundred steps beyond that. She's too angry to even want to attack him.

... ever get that feeling like you've just stopped existing, Ichigo?

"You lied to me!" is repeated again, loudly. Zuko really doesn't like being lied to. It puts you on level with his sister, Ichigo. His sister is a sociopathic murderer and was so at SEVEN YEARS OLD.

Now? You're basically te same.

"I gave you people who could help. I told you about Moraine. If she could't help, Arithon could! Why didn't you listen? Why'd you lie?!"

There are SWORDS OUT, Ichigo; he is not fooling about. THIS IS SERIOUS BUISNESS.

"Because it was under control!" He retorts furiously, standing shakily. He begins to make his way over towards his sword, slowly and a bit clumsily. He won't look at either of them (well, he might glare at Zuko for a second or two)both out of shame and fear. "I was doing fine until Steph got pig-headed and I had to save her sorry ass from a bunch of monsters! If she had left like I told her to, I wouldn't have had to push myself, and it wouldn't have gotten out!"

A lie, of course. From the first second he began using Bankai, he could feel it stirring in the corners of his mind. But he's grasping for some argument or another, anything to tell himself it wasn't all his fault.

"Oh, no, you did not just blame me for this," Steph says, disbelief clear. Hello, who's the one with gravel-rash on her FACE and multiple broken bones? "Don't you - don't even - argh!" This with the air of tossing up her hands. 'Cept that's not an option right now.

She's been dragging herself carefully back towards the trees, and now she leans gently back to rest against one, wincing. Zuko can handle this. She'll just ... rest a while.

"You asshole!" Yeah, Zuko's near frothing mad. "You blame your lack of self-control, your lack of sense, on the only person who would defend your sorry ass?!" Yaeh, you're looking at getting kicked again here real shortly. "You're pathetic! And security's going to know about you, and this!"

You know, people with evil demons that HURT PEOPLE roaming about are a safety hazard and public nuisance!

"Of course they're going to know about this!" He retorts furiously. "Just 'cuz I've got a demon, doesn't mean I'm fucking retarded!" That's probably up for debate, but he's not in the mood right now.

As he reaches Zangetsu, he pulls the blade from the ground. The cloth wraps tightly around it and he hooks it to his back via his usual red chain. When he speaks again, his back to them, the anger has seeped out of his voice.

"Both of you, just...stay out of this. Zuko, take Steph to get fixed up. Stay away from me, pretend I don't exist, do whatever the fuck you two want. I don't care. I'm gonna go talk to Security. I'm not leaving the bar, not yet, but you can do whatever you want to keep yourselves safe. Other than that, don't bother me. This is my business."

Steph just stares for a moment, in disbelief, and then shuts her eyes and slides back against the tree-trunk.

Don't bother him. What the fuck.

Zuko has her full blessing to TOAST THE FUCKER INTO LITTLE ITTY BITTY ASHES now.

There is an incredulos stare. Really. "... don't... bother you? This... isn't my business?"

He's sort of blinking. The sort of blinking that comes right before, you know, the asswhipping. Oh look. There's the roundhounse kick trailing fire, aiming for the face. There's the follow up with the other leg, wherein Zuko is completely airborne for a moment.

And then there's the landing, swords at the ready, flame all around.

"That? Back there? Curled against the tree? That makes it my business."

He knows he's wrong. He knows it's their business, and he knows he's being an ass. But he's tired, mentally and physically. He doesn't have the time for an argument, or a fight.

Ichigo is not too surprised when Zuko attacks him. He's not the type for restrained anger or quiet hate. Doesn't seem that way to Ichigo, anyways. He dodges far to the side, leaping almost, and manages to avoid both kicks and the fire as well.

"You don't want to do this Zuko. You attack me, I'll either run away, which gives you nothing, or I fight back. If I win, you end up with nothing STILL, and if I lose, or come anywhere close, my inner Hollow will get out and go fucking Bankai all over your ass. Get Steph help. Control your temper, and get lost."

And then he starts making his way towards the bar, sword on his back, a weight on his shoulders.

All in a days work...

"'m not a that," Steph protests blurrily, but Ichigo's talking again and she doesn't think she's loud enough to be heard properly, anyway.

Sleeping now. Sleeping's a really attractive option at this point.

There is a flat of the sword introduced to his chest. A light slap of the blade. And then he says, "I am not afraid of you. You -- and that thing inside you -- should be afraid of me."

The blade is carefully flipped-- the edge up now. "I don't trust you to go to security yourself. You've already a liar and a betrayer; you'll go with me, or you won't go at all."

He rolls his eyes, grumbles something unintelligible, and then mutters more clearly "Fine, whatever. Now are you gonna go help Steph, or would you rather I do it?"

He's waiting. He feels...well, sort of old. Worn out. Tired and sick and completely ruined. Everything seems ruined.

The prince looks to Stephanie, his jaw jumping; but then twin blades move in perfect synchronicity and are sheathed. He goes over to pick Steph up -- gently, carefully-- and then jerks his head.

"Get walking. I may have luggage, but I can still burn you," her says simply--

--and are his eyes a little... less human? Teeth maybe just a little... off?

No, way. Just a trick of the light.

"Yeah, 'cuz I'm really gonna run off now." He mutters, more to himself than to him. He sets off for the bar, knowing full well that Zuko is following.

He bottles up his emotions, keeps his face blank and bites his tongue firmly. He won't let anything out with them around. He just...can't.

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