A calm and quiet night, perfect for hunting. The chirping of crickets echoed into the hollow sky as the moon soared into a star filled sky. The stars twinkled at the moon which lit the outskirts of Seireitei. A perfect night for hunting.
Rose hated these types of nights.
Her zanpakutou was not made for assassinations, those soundless strokes of the blade that would cleave a Hallow into nothingness, vaporized. Her blade, once released, made a great commotion similar to the roar and crackles of a wildfire. That was because its element was flame.
Despite this, the girl stalked her prey, a mid-sized Hollow that had managed to elude its vanquishers for nigh three days and two nights. Not only had it eluded its hunters, but it had also turned around and slayed the hunters, killing one of those who had chased it. Rose was glad it hadn't chosen to come after her at the time. Her comrade's fall had made her wary, cautious. Imagining a net, she cast it out, sweeping the areas in front of her for a hint of Hollow reiatsu. It returned nothing.
She moved forward, speedy and silent, but careful as well. She could not afford to make mistakes here. Not when she was so close to the target. Casting out her net again, she finally caught a small hint of the Hollow's presence. She was on track.
Deviating a little from her original course, she followed the scent of the reiatsu, constantly throwing out her sensory net to make sure she would not run into the Hollow without knowing or run right into an ambush. Occasionally, she threw one out behind her, but caught nothing. After running for an hour, she paused, feeling as if something weren't right. If all was correct, she should be on top of the Hollow.
Or it should be on top of her.
Suddenly afraid, she drew her blade as she sent out a net in a full sphere around her. She sensed its presence just in time, falling down on top of her. She threw herself to the side, just barely escaping the Hollow's sharp claws. Ranger rolling back into an upright position, she barely brought her sword up in time to block the Hollow's incoming tail attack. Despite blocking the attack, the mere force of the attack, combined with her lack of body strength, sent her flying.
"Uhack!" she cried in pain as she slammed into a tree, then fell at its roots. Panting heavily, she brought her sword to her normal ready position, then charged forward. Swinging in a sharp arc, she slashed down onto the beast's tail in hopes of cutting it off, but her sword clanged off, repelled by thick, armored scales. The Hollow made a wheezy hiss, as if laughing at her frail attempts, then kicked at her. Leaping high into the air to dodge, she knew she had but one choice left to her.
"Set them ablaze, HIMIDARANI!" she called out to her zanpakutou. It shone crimson, then shrunk, its form changing. A second later, it had become a short, oaken staff with three glowing orbs at the top. "Phoenix Flame!" she chanted as she poured her reiatsu into the staff. A blade made of bright, orange flames extended from the topmost orb, and Rose held her sword at the ready again. "Hidarani, let's go!" she told her staff and the orbs pulsed once in agreement. She charged forward and slashed down in the same arc as before, this time managing to leave a deep, cauterized wound on the tail.
The Hollow screeched in pain and swung its tail at her defensively. She leapt over it, brushing a hand on the tail as it passed and forcing reiatsu into it. The Hollow flinched as it felt its tail numb in the general area where Rose's hand had touched. It roared at her in anger and pain, then slashed at her with its claws. Rose held the top of the flame and it morphed, widening into a thick, protective shield around her. The claws smashed into the shield and pushed her back again. She charged forward and both she and the Hollow slashed simultaneously. She cut deep into the Hollow's arm, nearly hacking it off, but could not completely halt the Hollow's assault. She received two massive gashes along her right side and she back off, bleeding profusely from the wounds. As the Hollow stepped back, the few centimeters of sinew snapped at the sudden movement, the clawed hand-like structure flying off into the nearby trees and vaporizing.
Both sides were injured and running out of energy. As if mutually agreeing, they both struck at once again. This time, the blow would decide the outcome.
Rose poured as much of her reiatsu as was safe into her staff and created a ten foot long flaming blade as she began the swing. Moments before it impacted the Hollow, she compacted the flaming reiatsu, making it thinner and denser, not easily destroyed. The sword easily cut into the Hollow, even at the distance she stood away from the beast. Forcing the flames through her target, she cleaved the Hollow neatly in two before it could even come close to her.
The beast slowly fell apart, particle by particle as it vaporized into nothingness. Rose straightened and sheathed her wand, which had returned to its sealed form.
She swayed and nearly collapsed as she waited for her comrades to find her. It didn't take long and they helped her return to Seireitei.
Subject: Hikari Kimimaro's Training Posts 
