Hell-raiser vs. Hell-spawn (NDE, R)

[Deleted]

Participants: Katrina Kawada, Aramis Tezuka
World: Soul Society
Thread Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location:

Located on the Kawada Family grounds, a large stone circle awaits. Benches ring it. The Big Ice Cannon is nearby.

Special Conditions:

None.

Circumstances:

Katrina Kawada has sent a request to Aramis Tezuka for a spar. Many stories have been told of his abilities and prowess in combat. If he manages to defeat her, the Kawada family will look favorably upon him. And that could help with his ascent to captaincy.

[Deleted]

A bright sun was is in the sky as Katrina Kawada, on a hiatus from the Academy, waited. She was used to waiting; for three decades, she had waited for her father to get better. For three decades, she had waited for her family to rise from the ashes. For three decades, she sat in a wheelchair, unable to move. She waited for everything and everyone in her life. And now it seemed like more waiting! But she could handle it. This was a very special battle. For she was fighting a seated officer.

It wasn't anything really special; Aramis Tezuka was coming to help train her. Though he seemed reluctant at first, the Kawada's were always looking for new talent, and should Aramis impress Cousin Shade or Kenryoku ... well, the Phoenix shall wreath him in her everlasting flame. But that was beside the point. Though she held no delusions to winning, she knew she wasn't helpless. She knew some rudimentary Kido - though hardly anyone knew, only her Cousin's Shade and Kenyroku - as well as possessing some very special items.

On her hip were two Uchigatana, once belonging to her mother. For now they were gold, but she knew with a thought they would shift to the darkest black. The blades were as sharp as possible, having been honed to perfection by the Kawada's own blacksmith's. Additionally, on her body were fifteen different throwing knives; two were in each of her boots and one is on the inside of her hakama, but five each are contained in specially designed holsters; with a flex of the muscle, it primes the device and with a twist of the wrist, the blade is released. They were her pride and joy. On her body was a tight version of the Academy outfit; not loose like the others, but form fitting, showing off more skin than would usually be necessary. Over this is thrown a golden haori, emblazoned on the back and sleeves with a golden stylized phoenix. Her hair was tied with a golden sash.

And so she waited, as was he wont, for her opponent. He had been given permission to enter the Kawada Grounds and would be escorted back to the circular stone area that would serve as their training ground. Benches line the area where servants would occasionally gather to discuss news and trade potato recipes or whatever it is that peasants do when they aren't working. Katrina would be found, her pitch black bangs covering her eyes, staring off into the distance, a faraway look her face. To most men, she would be beautiful; to one such as Aramis, it would be a bother.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength: - [50 Points]

Speed: - [100 points]

Spiritual Pressure: - [50 points]

Reiatsu Strength: - [50 points]

Light Aura: - 75 Points

Dark Aura: - 25 Points

Instinct: - [100] /2 = 50

points]

Senses: [75 points]

Energy sensory: - [50 points]

Healing Expertise: - [0] Points

Total SP: [475] Points

SPOILER: Click to show

• [Mental Skill: Learning]

[/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Battle Skill: Weapon - Throwing Knives][/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Battle Skill: Swords][/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Battle Skill: Boxing][/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Special Skill: Stealth][/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Special Skill: Hoho][/u] Adequate

[/li][li][Special Skill: Kido][/u] Adequate[/li][/ul][/spoiler]

[Aramis Tezuka]

Aramis seemed completely at ease as he was escorted to the Kawada grounds. He was used to being escorted. Not across the grounds of nobles mind, from his quarters to the labs in Squad 12. Usually to be experimented on, horribly. Aramis was dressed in his shinigami attire, which was unusual and asymmetrical. His right arm bore no sleeve upon it, exposing a thin, reedy and pale limb, while his left arm and hand could not be seen at all, for the massive sleeve that covered it, draping past Aramis's fingers. Furthermore Aramis wore a black glove on his left hand, with the fingertips removed Not enough to be a fingerless glove, but enough that it couldn't be a normal one either. He bore a katana, his zanpakuto, on his left hip, signifying a preference to fighting right handed. Apart from that the rest of his appearance was also unusual, even for a shinigami. A mass of olive green hair sat on his head and he wore rectangular glasses, giving him the oddest look of a peculiar intellectual. Combined with his wiry build, Aramis could easily be mistaken for more of a scholar than a fighter.

His escort made their distance once he had reached his destination, clearly unnerved by him. Aramis did have an unsettling presence, and without hesitation, he drew his sword. "And you are?" He asked. "A wallflower, or a thorny rose?" He suggested. "Something more wild and untamed perhaps? A pitcher plant that lures its prey to it? A flytrap that snares its prey?" He asked. "Or are you less than that?" He pondered, as though half speaking to himself. "You wanted to fight me? I don't have great preference to combat. I prefer the quiet. But I have no data on you, so this will be useful to me." He informed Katrina.

It was true, that Sayuri was no longer the captain of the 12th Division, and Aramis had received no contact from its newest head. Was he an abandoned project? Not even worth "outing" for his true identity? To inform Soul Society that he was not, in fact, a shinigami at all, but something far more deranged? It didn't concern Aramis. Which was shocking, as a matter like that should have been of great importance to him. However, he met such thoughts with extreme apathy and a near lack of consideration. Squad 12 was his creator, and until such a time that he controlled his own destiny, he would respect its judgement, whether it benefited him or not.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength: 100 (70)
Speed: 200 (140)
Reiatsu Strength: 170
Spirit Pressure: 100
Light Aura: 100
Dark Aura: 0
Senses: 70 (105)
Instinct: 120 (180)
Energy Sensory: 70 (105)
Healing Expertise: 0
Total: 830

SPOILER: Click to show

Martial Arts: Fencing—3
Poetry—2
Analyzing—3
Disguise—3
Illusion Resist—2
Lack of Fear—2

[Deleted]

Absently, as if she got this sort of question all the time, she responded. "I am a thorn on the rose embedded on the wall of the house of the burning shadow." She glanced at Aramis, as if seeing through him; such deep, immeasurable sadness in her eyes, it would be akin to staring into the bottomless abyss of the ocean. Her crystal eyes, so distant and faraway, stared through Aramis, as if he didn't exist.

A shiver ran through her, and her gaze hardened, the sadness and distance to be replaced by irrevocable clarity. "Greetings. Welcome to the Kawada Estate. I hope you were not troubled? The guards have some issues with visitors." A cool smile adorned her face as she exchanged pleasantries. Her arm straightened, and a black blade, devoid of any guard or wrap, slid from the custom sheath on her upper hand to her arm.

"If you prefer the quiet, then less us divest of the ceaseless niceties of civilization and proceed to the feral combat." She slowly drew the glistening black on her hip, the point held loosely in her hand, the tip reaching the ground. "... I must remember to stay on my guard. Despite his weak appearance, he is an officer of the Gotei 13. I for one should know the benefits of remaining meek and mild." Katrina's eyes focused on the blade on his side. "... I must wonder, has he unleashed shikai yet?"

Her eyes moved over Aramis' body, examining him. "... I must work to keep my arrogance under control. Arrogance and hubris have worked to fell greater warrios than I." To Aramis, she spoke, despite her assurances of silence. "Shall we start this, Aramis-dono? I am eager to fight against one closer to my own level."

[Aramis Tezuka]

Aramis gave a sagely nod in response to her answer. It was a good reply. "A+." He stated coolly, his eyes failing to betray his approval of his answer, nor lending any credence to his words-- or what he was referring to for that matter. She asked if he had trouble with the security, to which the Nakabakki shook his head. "The rat found its way through the maze." He replied, in an ethereal tone. "And found itself within a maze of mazes." He concluded.

Katrina suggested they proceed immediately to the battle. Aramis gave a curt nod, as he drew the blade on his hip. "When facing its prey, the predator has no need to conserve itself." He stated, raising the katana. "May I show you my blade? Revenant." He stated clearly, and definitively. In his hand, the katana he gripped transformed itself into a slender, and elegant rapier. A double edged, straight blade that tapered to a very fine point. A blade for thrusting. Piercing an opponent straight through. "This is my zanpakuto." He stated, casually giving her a proper fencing salute and flourish.

It was time for a display. "Be wary. Whatever Revenant touches." Aramis stated, lowering his sword towards a nearby tree. And then, with a flick of his wrist, struck the tree with the tip of the blade. As if enveloped by a fog, the tree disappeared from Katrina's eyes. "Is removed from existence." Aramis stated, in a cutting tone. "Do not fear. You will not die. I can restore something erased by Revenant if I so choose. But..." He entered a fencing stance. "It cannot be guaranteed it will be painless." He informed her.

Reiatsu Remaining: 800/1000
Shikai: 1/10

[Deleted]

"Revenant." The cold, chilling tones of her opponent reached Katrina's ears. Her crystal blue eyes widened. 'A release, so early? I was not expecting this ... it doesn't matter. It just means I must be on my guard." She listened intently to what he said, and his demonstration; as the tree disappeared from sight, her entire body tensed up. 'That ... is an extraordinarily powerful ability ... what, I wonder, is the weakness? He must strike me with the blade, of course, but there must be more to it than that ... the gods wouldn't grant a shinigami the power of utter destruction without some back door, should he strike himself ..."

As Katrina's thoughts were occupied, her hands were moving, seemingly of their own accord, going through the necessary motions, as they had every day since she was young. Her left hand, her dominant hand, reached across her waist and drew the short, slightly curved golden Uchigatana on her hip; her right arm stiffened, a kunai knife sliding from the custom sheaths on her elbow to land in her hand, her delicate fingers closing over the white-wrapped hilt. Her eyes were wide open, taking in the entire scene; his zanpakutou, Aramis himself, the ground he was standing on, and the ground that stretched between them. The Uchigatana was held loosely at her side, while her right arm came up, determined to parry any strike that came; after all, any edge to edge blocking will result in the destruction of her knife. Of course, she didn't know if merely touching the rapier will result in the destruction of her knife, but she was intent on finding out.

'The rapier is not a slashing weapon, it is a thrusting weapon. Most likely, he uses a style that emphasizes the quick, thrusting capabilities of the rapier ... I must stay light on my toes if I am to survive ..." Her eyes rose to meet Aramis, both of the orbs different colors, yet similar in the contents. "That is quite the impressive ability, Aramis-san. I can see why you inhabit such a high position in the gotei." Her voice was genuinely appreciative, if not warm. "I am afraid I have no release yet to show you. However, I am not completely helpless." At the final word, her right arm snapped out and threw the kunai, speeding through the air at his torso, which would provide a larger target than anywhere else. However, without another word, she intoned, "Hado #4: Byakurai." Then nothing after that. It was obvious she was waiting to see what he would do.

[Aramis Tezuka]

Of course, the real purpose behind Aramis's release was simple. A Katana was an awkward blade to fence with, and fencing was Aramis's preferred style of swordsmanship. Katrina was merely unfortunate that Revenant was more than a simple rapier-- and that Aramis couldn't just turn off its special ability. Aramis assumed his fencing stance, face observing Katrina, as she noticed Revenant's ability. Of course, Aramis was lying. But Katrina had no way of knowing that yet. Katrina drew her own blade to match Aramis's blade. "The hawk spreads its wings, and opens its talons." Aramis stated, in response to Katrina's comment.

Katrina's Byakurai blasted out at Aramis, but the Nakabakki stepped towards Katrina and off to the side, so that the lightning would crackle by him. Simultaneously with avoiding the kido, Aramis's rapier rose into the air, and suddenly cut down. It would be a shallow cut if Aramis landed the hit, merely scratching across Katrina's forearm, but of course, having seen Aramis's ability, she would be aware that she would need to defend against even a minor scratch. But how might she do that.

Dodging, of course, was Katrina's sole option here. She could attempt to parry Aramis's blade, but would surely lose her zanpakuto in the process. With that said, Aramis was slightly faster than she was. And he wasn't done. His first stroke was only the beginning. Advancing another step after Katrina, his rapier cut low, aiming at the Kawada's shin. To lose her forearm (and wrist and hand), and her leg from the shin down, would be a devastating blow this early in the battle. Katrina would need something superior to her Byakurai if she desired to stand a chance against Aramis!

Shikai: 2/10
Reiatsu Remaining: 800/1000

[Deleted]

Icy eyes flashed at the stoic scientist. "But what prey can it catch in a world of thorns and metal?" Her voice, for the first time, showed a hint of color, quite an oddity for her; this would be the first opponent, other than her cousins, that have actually inspired any form of emotion in her. Her thoughts raced as she faced down this young, powerful shinigami. "He's ... different from the rest. Raygin-me and Itou-chan both, while possessing strength, lacked any form of attitude befitting an officer of the Gotei ... befitting a child, perhaps, but not a warrior. But Aramis ... he most closely resembles a perfect specimen. ... I must get more information. He intrigues in a way that no others have before."

Before she could do that, however, she must contend with his attack. He was fast, that much was true; fast enough to pose an actual threat to Katrina, were he trying. As it were, his strike was ... almost lazy. While it was still fast, it was easily avoidable. All this Katrina saw, for it was easy to see. It's fairly easy to judge speed and distance, as the human eyes are designed to do just that. So it was a relatively simple matter to judge that Aramis was faster than her by a significant amount. It's an entirely different game trying to dodge something like that, especially with an unfamiliar weapon such as a rapier.

Having seen Aramis' ability, parrying - Katrina's normal reaction to a cut like this - wouldn't be effective, and it would be downright foolhardy to attempt something like that. In addition, his superior speed meant attempting a counter attack would be quite dangerous, as by the time one is able to gain ground, the one with superior speed would have the upper hand, as he or she will be the one that adjusts quicker. The most viable option is a dodge.

So dodge she did. Aramis was quite a bit faster than her, but the assassin had the benefits of preparedness and superior agility, trained as she was in the arts of infiltration and assassination. As soon as he moved, she was ready. She had a plan that, if successful, would end this fight before it starts. The first step was to dodge the blow. This was the easy part. Katrina delivered a textbook dodge, a variation on the side step performed by Aramis mere seconds ago to dodge her hurried spell. A single step to the left brought her safely out of danger; a half-twist, flawlessly integrated into the step, brought her nose a hairs breadth from the deadly steel. She fancied she would feel the wind as the blade passed.

But she wasn`t done, not yet. She was going to implement the age old philosophy of "striking the hand to cripple the head." While it was doubtful it was meant as a literal statement, that is exactly what she was gonna do. For a warrior, as for most any profession, having properly working hands can mean the difference between buying your next meal or dying in a ditch. If you take out the hands ... ... the head will follow. Thank you, Auntie, for teaching me that important lesson. She readied herself, the tensing of her right arm summoning another ebony kunai knife. Her left held the short curved blade of the uchigatana loosely.

The time was perfect. Just as the blade passed her face -an inevitable event, given the speed of the strike and a lack of physical strength to stop it - she struck. Her right arm came up, resolutely holding the knife straight up; if he didn't find some way to prevent the downwards swing, his own momentum would shred his hand to bits.

To `encourage` this event, her left hand spun in a short arc; though his physical strength was marginally greater than his, she still possessed sufficient power to force her opponents blade down. Premature pride filled her; and though she struggled to contain it, it was Impossible. She, like her cousins and father before her, suffered from hubris. It was rapidly becoming hereditary.

Due to LG type being, for lack of a better word, discontinued, Katrinas instinct reverts to 100. I didnt think such a minor change required a spoiler.[\b]

[Aramis Tezuka]

Unfortunately, Katrina had misread Aramis's attack. He was not making especially committed blows. His first blow had been light and aimed at her arm, not her torso. His return strike was targeting her shin, but likewise was quick and light. Aramis had no need of power blows. The ability to retract and maneuver his blade was much more important, given Revenant's ability. Katrina, unfortunately, would never see the blade pass her face, as Aramis hadn't aimed at her head. Her arm and leg had been his targets, though she'd successfully avoided both blows.

That said, her counter would prove as unfruitful as Aramis's own cuts.

[w.i.p.]

[Deleted]

18 paragraphs for Katrina. 180TP for Katrina.

10 paragraphs for Aramis, counting the one from the unfinished post since I'm in a decent mood. 100TP awarded.

No victory bonus is being awarded since the thread did not conclude.

[Zou ۞]

Note: No WP will be earned for this. ALso, Aramis will only gain 50 TP, due to his post being the WIP one that killed it.