He doesn't hold back

You're thrown through a wall, or to be more exact, the ceiling of the underground facility. You find only air waiting to catch your fall, but that would be a welcome compared to Grimm's onslaught as he persues you. "Ahhhh!" He brings the blade down and you barely manage to block.

The impact sends you barreling down toward the earth, he's quick to persue and doesn't even allow you to touch, smashing his shin into your stomach. You're thrown, faster then any flash-step could, back the way you had come to find this place.

You slam through the roof of the Fourth Division barracks and upon touching down you look around. "Well, I'll be damned...I'm home..." Grimm appears before you.

"Quit lying around. You'll never master--" He's almost too slow to dodge the blade as you lash out. "Whoa!" Following his retreat you press him hard, not letting up. He counters effortlessly, you feel as if your attacks are not having any effect at all. You grit your teeth in anger. You're NOT this weak!

"Haaa!" He's **** to dodge the vertical slice, which meets with the wall smashing it to pieces and blowing a hole in the barracks. You can hear the sound of people running toward the fight. Grimm kicks you again, this time it doesn't seem to be as bad as the last. It still packs enough of a wallop to send you skidding across the ground on your back but not quite as far.

"That was close, I see I can't let my guard down around you." You stand and face him, tapping the blade against your shoulder you smile.

"If you do...I'll kill you, Grimm."

"Good...I like that determination." You quickly cross the distance with a flash-step but he's quicker and attacks as you draw close. You duck the blade and lay open his shoulder with a upwards strike. He jumps back and grits his teeth. You feel something...you feel lighter. The same as when Grimm is actively giving you his power.

"What the...?" You raise your blade at point it squarely at his chest.

"You're slowing down, Grimm."

"Am I?" A huge split appears in your shoulder, spattering the ground with blood. "You're far too slow to be saying that, Valentine."

"Yeah, maybe...but I still got the first strike in. That's what counts to me." Knealing for a moment you focus your thoughts, trying to push the pain from your mind...it doesn't work. "All I have is twenty-four hours left to **** you into submission. Let's not waste any time."

"First move is yours, Partner..."

• • +

  The spirital pressure is growing stronger. Ichigo approaches the training grounds, stopping at the edge to observe the pair of them fighting. It's been nearly twenty-four hours. The time Grimm set before him. It took him more then that to reign in Zangetsu.

  But he's doing well. They seem somewhat even...at least that's how it appears to him. Watching this gives the strawberry haired Captain a strange feeling. He doesn't quite know what it is, but he's fairly certain he know's...it's nostalgia. The realitively young Captain is somewhat surprised.

  Since the defeat of Aizen, several factions have risen and seek nothing more then his freedom. The threat they present to the Shinigami are...minimal, at best. But lately he's begun to long for the battles of old. The countless battles that had honed him into such a warrior.

  'Tch...I will not become as blood-thirsty as Kenpachi', the young Shinigami Captain proclaims as he watches the struggle between Zanpakutō and Shinigami. The sun breaks over the horizon, 'He's cutting it awefully close', he think's. 'All night without a break and he's still going strong, if not stronger'...it reminds the young Captain of himself.

  He can see the other Captains observing as well. Some, like Kenpachi are smiling, whilst others, like Suì-Fēng display a mixture of anger and disappointment. Deep down the Captain realizes that he cannot continue much longer. Such long bouts will no doubt cause the Inner-Hollow to rear it's head.

  'Ha! A shrimp like him would be lucky to master a belt-buckle!', the voice startles the Captain, it's a voice he's not heard in a long time...his Hollow. He turn's his attention toward the rising sun.

  'Hurry, Valentine...hurry...'