Chapter 17

(Mc pov)

Sitting on top of the base while i thought back on a few days ago, I looked out at the sands as i threw a black rod far out in the distance. Then down to the sand below as it flew around in clouds, my eye watching sparks come to life inside.

'There taking it more serious now, mila still has a long way to go with her swordsmanship. Even i feel i was to harsh a few days ago but it is the only way i know to get through to her. Now harribel on the other hand seems to have a understanding of her sword a little.' I thought as i looked down at harribel. Watching as she flash stepped and rotated her body as she brought her sword down.

"Come on mila, don't move based on how you would with just instinct. It is a mix of both that and thinking about your next move. Both of our swords are over sized which already appears awkward. We have the strength to swing them but there must be something more." Harribel said as she brought her sword down, hitting mila's blade as she was forced back sliding across the sand.

"I think, i understand just a little." Mila said, instead of rushing in this time she sat there. Looking at harribel who moved so differently, no matter how much she tried to match her she would only fail to do so because in the end, they were not the same.

'Find your style, your own and not anyone elses.' Mila thought as she gripped her blade. She hadn't seen lord kokuto from that day and even if harribel didn't say it mila could see she was worried.

'Is it because i rushed it? Because i doubted his teaching, i wanted to gain power with out doing anything. I'm sorry lady harribel.' Mila thought as she looked up to harribel. She watched as she looked up into the sky.

"I know mila, i know you must think it's your fault. Your fault that he hasn't been around but its not. I think he said that to me and you. Only so we could try and figure out what he meant on our own, while i do wonder why he does not show himself i understand something. Being distracted by his everyword and if he approves or not, won't help me or you become stronger." Harribel pulled her attention away from the sky as she stepped forward, pointing her sword at Mila as she gave her thoughts on the matter and spoke on Mila's worries.

"Yeah your right, we can't focus on that and we don't need to. Right now all we need to do, is keep trying. I want to understand his words but it will take time for now, come." Mila said, pushing herself up with her sword as she pointed her blade out, only to see Harribel nod at her. Her grip strong yet loose as they both rushed in and met.

There blades colliding as sparks flew about, Harribel swung moving her blade as Mila dropped. Letting Harribel's blade slide across hers while she swung her leg out, hitting Harribel in the side as she slid a little. Making Harribel look at her with a new light. Harribel disappeared as she came from behind and swung up from below. Mila spun her body around and blocked her blade just feeling it for some reason. Harribel let the force bring her blade back as she rotated and kicked Mila's blade away, letting her rotation carry her sword through. Mila seeing this blade come at her with speed and force. while she had no defense, she didn't freak out or give up. Her arm flicking her blade to her other hand as she blocked and met Harribel's blade as the sand blew out from all around them.

'She improvised, instead of how she would usually tank it head on with out regard for her safety. Looks like your words effected her more then she let on, I should do the same.' Harribel thought making distance as she flipped backwards, seeing Mila stand up.

'I don't even know what that was, I couldn't tank that hit, not with out being knocked out. So why.' Mila looked down at her sword in her other hand as she threw it to her other, gripping it in a loose yet strong fashion.

'None of that matters right now, i want to see. What else I can learn.' They both thought, both having a different understanding about what they wanted. Confused or not they knew whatever was happening they were growing and coming to understand there fighting style.

Mila held her blade out as a golden reddish color covered it down its length, while Harribel had a bright yellow coat her blade. Both narrowed there eyes, moving forward with different wants in a way but the same Ultimate goal. To grow stronger, to find out about there strength, to see there weakness, to understand their blade and to become strong enough to protect what they both valued so much. Each other. Meeting in the middle as a large explosion rang out, the sand flying high up into the sky as shock waves spread out in a circle.

"Both of you are, really interesting but I think I said. Understand your sword, not kill each other." My deep voice broke there concentration, both the energy's had collided in a maelstrom of different colors being sent high into the sky.

Mila and Harribel looked at me as the dust cleared. Seeing I caught both there blades while I tore my robe a little, soon they both stopped putting force in there swords. My body facing Harribel more as her eyes looked at a strange chain hanging from my chest, along with scars that covered a good part of my upper body. Following her eyes, I let go of her blade and covered my chest a little while standing straight up.

"Lord Kokuto, what is that on.." Harribel wanted to say. Watching how I covered myself so quickly and smiled at them both.

"It would seem both of you became a little.. more competent with your swords. It's not by much but your starting to get the idea." Speaking I winked at Harribel as I cut her off from speaking and smiled.

'What was that chain? Those scars.. I couldn't even cut his skin. So what did that?' Harribel thought as she nodded her head. Ideas running through her mind as she has never faced someone as strong as me or thought their was any being in Hueco Mundo that could do so to me.

"Mila, i wanted to say.." it was my turn to get cut off. Only seeing Mila drop to one knee with her sword in the ground while she looked at the sand below.

"My lord, please forgive me for what happened before. I did not understand and wanted to rush things, yet you only did those things out of worry for me. Instead of trusting you I acted like a child. I am sorry lord." Mila spoke on something that bugged her. The look of disappointment in my eye when she acted out that day, she didn't like the feeling of being weak but hated that she might be the reason I didn't come back more.

"It is fine. I knew it would be hard for you to understand, that is the reason why I showed you. I did not want you to act reckless if the time came when you needed to fight someone stronger then yourself. It is not you who needs to Apologize but me. I didn't mean to make you feel this way." I reached down, grabbing her chin as I made her look at me. Her eyes looking up at my smile, seeing the honesty behind my words and worry her cheeks turned red.

"Thank you. Uh, lord." Mila said, getting her head free and looking at the ground again.

"Harribell, that was.." I looked back at Harribel who had a strange look, seeing her eyes looking at my hand then Mila. Without seeing she was giving a death like stare and her spiritual pressure was rising.

'What the hells gotten in to her? Is it what she saw? Well I'll have to explain at some point.' Sighing in my mind, I looked down at her again and her face had changed back to her ever stoic one.

"Lord Kokuto, I feel.. a large amount of hollows coming this way." Harribel spoke, when I thought it was going to be something else until hearing her words.

'Maybe I just imagined it? Whatever. It took them long enough but they finally came.' Thinking, I had already felt the hollows. I was still impressed by how she could feel them from here, showing she had been working on feeling hers and others spiritual pressures.

"I know, it's time to put some of what you learned in to action." Looking at both of them as their eyes became serious and waited on my words.

"Live training, what better way to test what you learned. Then to cut down all of these hollows." Turning around and walking forward. While Mila and Harribel nodded at each other, following.

"Lord."