On the Knife's edge between life and death.

Sakura looked at him as she rose her own spirit pressure even while she fired the Cero refusing to give it up, black and icy blue energy wrapped around her as she continued to fire the Cero at him. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

What do you desire in battle...

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she held it with him. What did she desire?

Is it victory at any cost....

No...Sakura thought back and it wasn't that. She didn't desire victory at any cost.

Is it the deaths of those you face....

No, she answered again.

Will you kill any enemy....even those that where once friends?

No..Sakura thought back. Nor will I kill someone who has been defeated and can no longer fight.
Why?

Because...She thought as she looked at Ryo. Killing someone isn't always a victory, I'm not out to kill everyone I come across. I only wish to protect those I can.
Then....let go.....

Sakura blinked let go...just like that the valor of her heart. Without a second thought she did, she let go the power the mask everything and was sent flying. She stared at the ground were she lay the heat was intense at the moment and her sword was still in hand.

I have seen the strength of your heart.....and it is worthy....now stand and fight.
She didn't claim to understand but supposed it might be becuase she was fighting Ryo with such force that one of them would be seriously hurt and he was someone improtant to her. Could she choose between them? Could she kill him? Not without serious reservations, but she could. But this wasn't that type of fight and she knew that and so did the spirit talking to her. This was training not a battle to the death, and it was to weigh out her heart.

Ryo sighed there was now one final test... "The test of valor...." Without valor and bravery she couldnt handle the pressure of Excaliber it would kill her... He picked up the sword and sheathed it then took his shirt off... "The final lesson Sakura.... cut me!...." He wnated her to take his life or drop the sword this was the test too much valor and you wernt a warrior you were a barbarian that killed all in his/her path not enough and your useless you couldnt kill a fly just enough and you could easily choose between killing an enemy and saving the life of people that were important too you...

Sakura looked at him. She took in her oppenant. The way he stood there the way Ryo wanted her to cut him, what he wasn't saying was to kill him. To end it but to what end. She brought her sword around hard and fast but reversed the killing edge at the last second no one told her who to cut down, who to kill or why. She wouldn't just kill anyone or hurt them. She would stop someone like Aizen beause he was hurting others but this? The blunt edge slammed down on the side of his neck with enough force to knock him out but not to kill him.

You ignored his command to cut him, to kill him why?

No one...not even the person themselve as the right to decide who lives and dies. The battle was over when he dropped his sword but he told me to strike him to take him out and I choose to knock him out instead. Even if he was my enemy and retuned to face me again that is fine. I can handle that beacuse I have not killed an man who has lowered his weapon. I have not killed in cold blood, it's bad enough to have to take a life to save others but not just because I hold a sword. I believe it's meant to do more then just take lives.She thought wiht her eyes closed.

Then open your eyes child....and look upon me, for I am Excaliber...

Sakura opened her eyes and there in her hands was a sword unlike anything she had ever seen. The blade glittered like starlight, glistening in the fire air, and yet she was cool. The sword was light and yet she could feel an intense weight behind it. The weight of it's responsibility. The hilt was golden with a long slender chained ribbon hanging off of the back.

Sakura looked at the blade and then at Ryo.
I dont' understand.

When given the choice to kill in cold blood you choose instead to spare him knocking him out. That is the weight of valour. You have proven yourself worth of me Child...we are now one.

Ryo grinned and stood up she hadnt knocked him out it just hurt like hell and now the hardest test of all was to come he had lied to see what she would do she now had to see if she could handle the intense magic behind that blade... "Now you fight me at full strength I need to see if you can handle the intense magic within that sword...." Benishihone at his side as they were in Bankai state waiting for her to make the first move...

Sakura looked at him and heard Excaliber whisper to her that she was to take her full form again and she did first going bankai then summoning her mask. Before they were gone and her sword was slamming into one of theres even the force of the wake ripped the ground apart ice exploding up behind looking like a large ice flow coming up out of the ground.

She wirled around her sword colliding wiht the other and again the shock wave tore things apart her Reiatsu was immense to begin with but this was much. She knocked them both back with her third swing having checked the first two times and hit them with the third all within a matter of seconds but she was breathing heaving still adjusting to the magical pressure of the sword. Beads of sweat ran down the sides of her neck as she looked at them from behind her mask having sent them both flying. The strain was great on her there was no doubt about that, but it was one that she needed time to adjust to.

Ryo looked at her her body was taking a large toll on her body and he could tell the magic power was already forcing her too her knees.... "Thats enough.... we'll continue tomorow your body is at it's limit already..."

Sakura listened although she wanted to continue. The logic behind his words was enough that she stepped back still holding Excaliber in her hands, which seemed small of the sudden to her as she realized the weight and power of the blade she held. The mask disolved as did her bankai although Excaliber remained visible. Where her fans should have been. She realized even as the blade spoke to her and told her that until she recovered enough strength her fans would not reshow because right now the enchanted blade was supporting her and that it would take time for her to be able to handle the full weight and power of the sword that she held.
"Alright." she said softly.

There were alot of good things that came out of this Ichigo no longer has to train his ass off for a blade he really didnt want to weild.. Sakura and Ryo could do whatever they wanted even have sex.... Benishihone could rest... and Ryo could beat the crap outta Byakuya without worrying about Sakuras training should he become hospitalized... "You staying with me or heading home?..."

Sakura looked at him. "Home? Do you mean Uncle Toshiro's or dad's cause if you means dad's no way, I don't have it to make it thru the Senkaimon right now." She said smiling and yawning. "Although Uncle Toshiro's means dealing with a drunk Rangiku-san and that's not fun either." She smiled. "Up to you I don't mind either way." she said meaning she'd stay with him.

Ryo sighed taking the hint and nudging his hand forward... "Comon then miss thing.... you and your overconfident self needs rest.............." He walked away with a yawn and a sigh things were getting interesting....

Sakura laughed good naturedly and took his hand. She was full of energy not so much as confindence in herself at the moment but, just full of energy and happy. She really wasn't sure why. "Miss Thing huh?" she said smiling at him. "It's going to take me a bit to fully bond with Excaliber." she said softly.

Ryo pulled her unexpectadly close much closer then usual and whispered playfully in her ear.... "The nights still young... why are you thinking of the sword when trainings over for the night?.... We can do whatever we want now..." He laughed a little wandering how she would take it...

Sakura blushed bright red as she suddenly knew where his thoughts where going....he could have her now. She could be with him and it would not cost her her life to do so. She smiled as her chest was practically pressed flat to his chest they were so close. "Oh my..." She said softly as she looked at him and kissed him.

Ryo took the kiss then snickered... "Where are your thoughts going to pervert I was talking about playing monopoly...." He laughed at his obvious joke then pulled her into another kiss and heald her tight.... "But I like your idea better...." He winked at her and smiled knowing she would laugh then he kissed her again letting this one linger for awhile longer enjoying the taste of her lips against his....

Sakura laughed as she looked at him knowing to not take him serious. She wrapped her arms around his neck and retuned the kiss her own silent answer to his teasing. He reminded her of something hot and spicy and she was throughly enjoying the taste of the kiss.

Ryo kissed her for along moment just enough to hear Toushirou yell.... "Hey!! Stop that you two!..." Ryo then picked her up and held her a moment as she was in an strangely sexy pose as he held her and walked away.... knowing Toushirou would get pissed for holding her like that he used flash step to disappear and shortly arrive at his room he laid her down on his bed and kissed her gently taking things slow and letting her call the shots..... for the moment....

Sakura giggled as she laid on the bed and then returned the kiss having a feeling her Uncle was going to be very cranky with her later but she didn't care, not at the moment anyways. She brought her hands up and slide them along her sides humming into the kiss.

Ryo kept up the kisses in a different spot each time her lips first then he stroked her chin with his upper lip as he went to kiss her neck.... He slowly ran his hands along her sides tickling the 'sensitive spots' on her body as he did.... He felt her back arch up only slightly that gave him the hint she was getting excited... He let one hand rub her thigh gently just below her butt and he then moved up and kissed her lips once again.... "This is getting interesting...." He said to himself......

Sakura hummed as she ran her fingers over his back, her fingertips grazing along his spine and down over his backend and up again in a slow languid movement. She shivered in delight and arched a little at his attentions.

Ryo kept the kisses and slid his hand down her shirt rubbing and gripping her nipples and squeezing her breast as he began his little game with her.... He had origonally been married so he knew the best ways to get a girl going..... He pulled her shirt down and licked her nipple once then slid it into his mouth playing with it I guess you could say and he gripped one of her hands with his free hand that way if she got to excited, to wet, or to horny, or even exhausted at the end of the game to squeeze his hand and he'd back off should any of these situations arrize...

Sakura blushed and moaned not at all used to such sensations since in her first year of highschool she currently had never had a boyfriend, studies and hollow hunting taking up pretty much all of her free time. She tossed her head and took a deep breath as she moaned a little letting him continue even as her free hand continue to play more or less tangling in his hair as if to offer silent encouragement.

Ryo was enjoying this he hadnt had sex or made love since his wife passed and he was beginning to get his old touch back.... He was glad though he had managed to kepp Benishihone subdued in his spirit world so she couldnt ruin it by trying to get involved in this little game of theirs.... He let the nipple out of his mouth then he took both hands and gripped her nipples between two fingers... He then squeezed and slightly twisted them not enough to hurt her but enough to pleasure her beyond beleif it was one of his moves out of his bag of tricks the last time he did this almost made the ex-wife orgasm before he even touched her pussy.... it was a good move to use if done correctly...

Sakura gasped and moaned her back arching into his touch as he played her eyes closing and finger falling grasping the bedsheets as she shivered in delight, her breathing heavy as she seemed to loose all sense of self and focus at the moment. He really was making it hard for her to think properly at the moment.

Ryo grinned it was just as he predicted she was losing herself already... He was getting everything back and was now starting to up the anty just a little bit... He let go and seeing the look of dont stop come back on her face he slid her pants but not her panties down and took his tongue and on the panties he made it go in a circular motion he was doing whats known as the 'Tongue Tornado'... he could already taste it she was wet and he was just getting started...

Sakura moaned and shook her head she was going nuts as she squirmed with the pleasure of it all her legs tensing as her fingers coiled in the bed sheets her breathing heavy. She gasped a little and tipped her head back.