(Ryoto's pov)

"So, how are we doing this?" Yoruichi asked a reasonable question which I, of course, was ready to answer.

""I prepared sticks to draw!""

Kisuke and I said simultaneously as we took out four sticks, two longer and two shorter, to decide who would fight with who.

Kisuke and I looked at each other. We had the same idea. Yoruichi laughed at it, and Rin facepalmed herself in disappointment.

"Do you want to, or should I?" I asked.

"It was your idea, so you should do the honors."

As I put the sticks in my hand so they would look the same length, I could hear Rin muttering, "Please let me fight Urahara, please let me fight Urahara..." Over and over. She really wants to smack him around, doesn't she?

Everyone took the stick. I was left with the long one. The one I would fight would be... Yoruichi. So Kisuke and Rin would be fighting against each other. Rin seeing this, smiled widely, finally having an excuse to beat him up.

Yoruichi also couldn't wait to fight me, and it showed. I don't know what she was planning, but knowing her, she wanted to test out some new techniques on me, and I also was the same. I don't want to spoil the surprise but let me tell you that I used my knowledge to grow stronger. I just hadn't had time to test it before as I was busy with other things.

(E/D: *Insert Knowledge and Big Brain memes*)

We decided that Rin and Kisuke's fight would be first. Let's see if Rin can surprise me because Kisuke isn't an easy opponent.

...

Both Kisuke and Rin took their positions, ready to fight. Kisuke laid some traps just before the fight started. I, of course, noticed it thanks to my eyes but didn't say anything. It was their fight, after all, and not all battles are fair. We all promised each other to fight with the intention of winning, so tactics like that are also allowed.

"Open and close all the doors before me, Tsunagari."

Rin called out her Zanpakuto, going into Shikai right away. Urahara observed the process carefully, trying to analyze every little detail.

Rin didn't end with just that. She took her sword sheath and slashed it slightly. She then took a two-sword-style stance. I never saw her using this style before. It looks like she trained it in secret. I wonder if it's something similar to Ikkaku's style when she switches between the sword and the sheath.

(E/D: *Memories from Baki comes back flooding* RAGE MODE!!!!!!!!!!!!)

As they were in a staring contest waiting for the other to make a move, Yoruichi started talking to me.

"So, who do you think is going to win?"

Good question.

"I would say Kisuke will win."

Kisuke is, in my opinion, more experienced and smarter than Rin. He even put some traps before the fight started. He is also very analytical and cunning if needed. Rin just isn't.

"So little belief in your girlfriend?"

"Not really. I just think that Kisuke is stronger."

She smirked at my comment.

"Then you'll be surprised."

Does she know something that I don't? I can't say that I know all there is to know about Rin's ability, but Kisuke is a genius in every meaning of that word.

Without saying anything, our focus returned to Rin and Kisuke, that started fighting.

Rin rushed Kisuke and swung at him. Kisuke parried her strike without releasing his Shikai just yet. Rin's Zanpakuto hit the ground, but she made an attempt to strike him with the sheath of her sword. Kisuke's sword was still down, and he wouldn't have time to block the strike with it, so he tried to catch it with a hand which ended up being the wrong decision.

As soon as Rin's sword touched Kisuke's palm, his eyes went wide open, and he retreated his hand as fast as possible and kicked Rin away from him.

He looked at his hand and saw a wound from where blood started dripping.

"Did you forget what my sword ability is?" A smile grew on Rin's face. Not only did she look like a villain, but she also talked like one.

"Of course not. You can connect two things with each other. Can I assume that you connected your Zanpakuto's sharpness with your sheath?"

As expected of Kisuke. He figured it out right away, but I'm equally impressed by Rin's strength. I remember that when she first unlocked her Shikai, she couldn't do something like that or just hadn't thought about it at that time. In any case, I can see that she progressed in that time even though I haven't seen much yet.

What Rin did next surprised me as well, but I should have expected it retrospectively. Rin sliced her own palm.

"At the moment, I can only connect two pairs if you will. Tsunagari and my sheath are one, and both of our palms are the other."

"And why are you telling me that?" Kisuke questioned, but he seemed still calm even after that.

"Because it doesn't matter. You would notice it soon anyway when I would wound you next time."

Hearing that, Kisuke's playful personality surfaced again.

"Pretty confident that you'll strike me again, aren't you~ Better keep you at a distance then."

He then decided to show off his Shikai for the first time.

"Awaken, Benihime!"

Kisuke's Zanpakuto transformed slightly. The hilt's grip, which has gentle black decorative wrapping, bends forward at the end with a pommel-shaped overlap three times and a crimson tassel dangling from its base. Instead of a tsuba, a U-shape guard is covering a small part of the blade with a flower petal design.

"My Zanpakuto, Benihime isn't the nicest, so please be careful~."

The next thing Rin and everyone heard was, "Sing, Benihime!"

At his command, crimson energy flew out of his blade in an arc as he swung his sword.

---

END

Discord server: https://discord.gg/HB2DweuG4J