The Last Place on Earth -open-

Aemi stood, contemplating what she was doing. She felt such a burden on her shoulders. She knew that soon she'd have to escape from her peace. Watching the lake, which was resting in motionless harmony, she felt the wind against her hair. She let her finger dip into the water, as ripples began to inturrup the silence of the area. She remembered her memories of being in the Shinigami academy; Sitting at this very lake with one of her squad members, Hatsuharu. He had been her best friend, who simply pushed her away the moment her hollowfication was discovered. The memory made her heart sink, having to hide from her best friends who would kill her without a second thought.

She looked in the direction of the Vizard Warehouse, noticing the sun was setting in its direction. She got herself up, stretching her arms as she breathed in, shaking off the sorrow. She smirked lightly, still staying quiet as she then began to walk toward her new home. She knew that soon, more shinigami would eventually need to flee because they too would be just like her; gaining power with no say or action; being outcasted for something that was not your fault. She knew that it was her job to help them in their time of pain.

Shen came out of the warehouse into the light of the day, He wore his usual attire of his black cloths and blood red clock along with his blood red headband which kept his long flowing black hair out of his face. His boots, which were tall and leather, with several buckles were iron clad, making slight noise as he walked as if he wore heavy spurs. His sword close to his side, its handle, a dark red color with a golden cap, its sheath was solid black with a golden trim, elagnatly matching the blades handle and his outfit. He had his hands in his pockets and decided he would walk to the lake to go see what Aemi was up to, He crossed the street after a car whizzed by him honking.

Shen stepped up onto the curb on the other side of the road, opposite the warehouse where he resided. He worked his way though the trees in the park where Aemi had been standing and walked up behind her as if she couldnt hear him coming, which she obviously could due to his iron clad boots. He was clearly taller then her, she stood a short 5'1 and Shen stood a whole foot taller then she. He placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair not saying anything.

Aemi knew that it was him, but said nothing of it, because she knew he wasn't a threat to her. She stood still as he stood behind her, almost expecting him to say something or do something to her. She stayed still, looking in front of her, across the forest path when she felt someone's large hand ruffle into her messy, short hair. Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head, taking a step forward and turning around, "What?" she asked firmly, "Why are you here?"

Shen had dropped his hand as she took a step forward. As she turned to look at him she noticed that he wasn't even looking at her, he was staring off into the sky. He knew how she would react but he found it funny, on the inside at least, he rarely laughed out loud. His long black hair blew in the wind as the light of the world touched his pale skin, his cloak followed his hair in the same motion as the wind tugged on it, "Such a pretty day isn't it?" He said avoiding her question.

Aemi blinked, watching him for a long moment with an emotionless face. She then looked down, blinking as she looked back to the lake that was a little down the path now, nodding, "Pretty enough to leave haunting memories," she spoke quietly, closing her eyes. She crossed her arms, her eyes looking to the floor. Not much satisfied her and she hadn't smiled; truly smiled; in forever. She simply kept a straight face, agreeing with him though. Especially, since her loyalties were to the Vizard.

Shen stood there silently for a moment as a cloud passed by, he shifted positions, "So your still bummed about all thats happened?" Shen ran his hand through his hair then yawned, the clear sky rather calming for shen.

Aemi laughed slightly, but very quietly to herself as she pursed her lips for a moment, keeping her eyes very low, almost shut. She kept her arms crossed as she shook her head, as though it was a stupid question, "Lingering on the past is not what I choose to do. It just chases after me, whether I long for it or not. It's been well over a century, maybe even two now, since this happened. I'm not one to dwell on things I can't change." She spoke softly, closing her eyes afterward.

Shen lowered his head down so that he could look at her, his hair taking a sweeping motion with the wind. Shen stretched his shoulders and cracked his neck as if he were preparing himself for something. "I said good bye to my weakness may years ago, Yet i still hold onto the regret. The pain of this world always follows us to the next, but you must find a way to fight it back like i have, crush it under your more positive emotions." Shen turned on his heels and took two steps back towards the warehouse, his iron clad boots clanking with each step. "Are you up for a sparring match?"

Aemi nodded, clenching her fists, "I plan to make sure the shinigami won't stand anymore... and if they do, I'll make sure the Gotei 13 is crushed at least... To make a better alliance where everyone can trust one another and are not to follow guidelines... instead, they follow thier heart," she smirked lightly when she then heard Shen ask about the spar. She immediately took a step back, nodding, "Of course, Shen-sama... What's a little fun without a spar?" she laughed darkly.

Shen listened for a moment as she spoke then walked back across the street, his iron clad boots still clanking "you know..sometimes this noise gets annoying." Shen thought. He opened the door and waited for Aemi to talk in then he closed it behind them and walked across the mainly empty room, except for the card table in the middle, He headed down some stairs and opened a black door which was bolted shut. The door swung open almost by its self, it seemed to be some sort of desert with several mesa's and treeless plains that seemed to stretch on forever, This was a special area which completely concealed Rietsu so that no one could find them.

Aemi followed after him, mentally preparing herself. She knew that she wasn't on the level of strength her captain was, but she would at least be able to hold out for a while and was known as a challange to the other vizards. She kept her Zanpakutou closely fascined over her shoulder, following Shen into the concealed training room, continuing to prepare herself.

Shen walked a few steps in and flash stepped about 200 feet away from Aemi, after dusting himself off and unsheathing Jigoku, its pure black blade gleaming in the sun. "Close and lock the door why dont you, we dont want anyone barging in on this." He said as he tried to anticipate her moves.

Aemi nodded, shunpo'ing toward the door and locking it. She then shunpo'd back to her spot where she stood. Her shunpo was just a bit slower than Shen's proving that she trained very hard to get where she was, "Alright. I don't want you to hold back on me either, do what you need to do, even if it knocks me unconscious or breaks a few bones... just make sure I don't die or go out of control." she knew that she was ready to do this. Her only concern was her hollow mask; even when she was able to control it and synchronize with it peacefully; the darkness of her heart was eating her away, because of the anger she supressed for so long. She would have to hold out without her hollow mask for as long as she could. She unsheathed Amagasa and waited, watching her opponent.

Shen Shunpo'd to her vertically slashing at her head as he stopped a foot off the ground right in front of her, making the first strike, which was his style. He wasn't particularly strong compared to a meat-head but he was a well build man capable of delivering a strong blow. Shen unable to fully accept Aemi as his enemy he didnt put all his strenght behind this blow but he thought it should be enough to make her guard.

As Aemi continued to wait, she noticed that Shen then disappeared. Trying to predict his movements, she felt as he appeared over her, trying to slash at her. Ducking down and rolling to the side in a split second, she then guarded with her Zanpakutou, pushing back on his blade with her own. She kept an emotionless expression, still thinking on what her movements should be. She then jumped backwards, shunpo'ing behind him, slashing toward his back quickly.

Shen's strike was parried as she blocked with her sword after ducking and rolling. She dissapeared from his sight for a second as he turned around to see her slashing at his back. Shen delivered a strong attack back to counter this, knocking her sword back as he slashed again at her, this time going to a mid cut at her waist.

Aemi narrowed her eyes as he turned and counter-attacked, jumping back from the force, but as he then went to cut through her, she jumped up, landing on her hands as she kicked his blade back with her shoes, then landing on her feet and skidding back. Holding Amagasa in a defensive position, she watched his movements for a moment to interpit any attacks to weaken him.

Shen moved back a little then began his attack again, grinning as he fought, like he always did. His black blade Jigoku moving to the grace of his master seemed to be almost frightening due to its color alone, it was a unknown black metal after all. Shen shunpo'd behind her faking a slash to her back as he landed on one foot and quickly shunpo'd again the second his foot touched the ground, landing just to the left of her and brought the hilt of his sword in about to make contact with her gut.

Aemi quickly averted from his presence, shunpo'ing away from wherever he tried hitting her. She watched him from afar for a moment and then shunpo'd once more, appearing over his head, attempting to slice down his back, jumping backward and shunpo'ing around him to slice his frontside afterward at a swift speed. She had a smirk across her face, and showed no signs of hesitation.

Shen watched her moves carefully, sensing the cocky smile on her face as she though she had the drop on him. He looked slightly up at her dropping Jigoku for a moment, Jigoku lay a few feet away in the sandy earth. Shen clapped his hands together on Aemi's blade stopping it completely just before it made contact with his forehead, Shen now stared directly into her eye with a more sinister smile then hers. "Too slow, move quicker and you might have been able to injure me, but of course offense isn't your forte."

Aemi glared at him for a moment, "You and I both know squad 11 was based on pure strength of swordsmanship... I may have not been the highest seat, but I was very well a great fighter as well as defense," she snarled, jumping backwards. She waited for what he might do next, watching both him and his Zanpakutou which he threw onto the ground.