The Omnipotent Emperor: Souza v Harle [PG13, NDE]

[Souza Kuchiki]

Thread Title: The Omnipotent Emperor - Souza v Harle
Participants: Souza Kuchiki, Kaijin "Harle" Quinn
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: In a huge Kuchiki garden area devoted solely to practice combat, we encounter our two combatants.
Special Conditions: None, unless you wanna count that for all intents and purposes, Harle has all her Captain powers already.
Circumstances: Sozen Kuchiki was supposed to fight Harle, not because he challenged her, but because it was in Kenryoku Kawada's will that should she succeed him as Captain, she would be tested by the Kuchiki Head. Unfortunately, Sozen is presently indisposed. As is, he happens to be on a mission that is taking longer than expected.

Rather then reschedule, however, Harle was greeted by Sozen's Heir, the Lieutenant of Squad 13.

How well can a Lieutenant really fare against a Captain? That depends. If it's the Kuchiki Heir, the fight might be more equal than expected.

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

Regardless of how many times that she trespassed into their gardens Harle was still amazed how large and how beautiful the Kuichiki Mansion actually was. Among all of the times that she ventured into their home she never really took the time to gaze upon the size and the well endowed marvel in its craftsmen. For her the jester would in and out as soon as she was done with play time in their gardens, then shortly after she would be on the run from the Manor's guards. Of course it was dark most of those times when she snuck herself into their land, so being able to notice who she is was a tad bit difficult. A childish act while she was adjusting to her role as a Vice Captain while retaining her old risk taking habits. After all the times sneaking and running now Harle was now finally able to enter into the Kuchiki home without worrying about the authorities attempting to hold her.

There would no possible means for the newly appointed Captain of Squad 2 to not be caught awing the decorated twin doors. Honestly, how are nobles suppose to live in such environments? Harle has been into numerous of homes that were owned by nobility, hell, even for the royal family of France had invited her to entertain them while she was still alive per say. Harle spent her time within the confides of castles and manors that were ten times the size of the Kuckikis, but still matched the amount of acres that their land covers. Piecing together the amount that it would take to procure such size of land. They must really be loaded. After she announced that she was present at the Manor's entry, the Shinigami stood for only a few moments before being brought in by guards.

During their walk the Captain had been notified that the head, Sozen Kuchiki, would be absent for their arranged session together. Apparently that the Head was on official business that required his full attention. Instead, it would be Lord Sozen's Heir that will be the one who would take his place. As the Head of large prestigious family it was unavoidable, regardless how much Harle desired to test her new found abilities against teh Kuchiki Head, an individual as the Heir should be more than capable of aspiring to the abilities of that of the current Head, perhaps even better, who was to know really? Even as the guards examined the Captain in her Jester's attire, Harle thought to herself who this Heir was?

The French woman felt the leers of those around her as they treaded through the halls. Most likely analyzing the white face paint that concealed her natural skin, the black inked half star around the outer edges of her left eye, that single blue tear drop below her right. All in all she stood out like a homeless woman at a charity ball. The series of the trio's footsteps thudded lightly along the wooden sheen of the never ending halls, along with the gentle chiming of the small bells that tied her bronze colored hair into the pair of twin tail ponytails. Harle herself went through a drastic change once she had been announced as the Head of Squad 2, and even though the Special Ops were no longer a part of her squad, it didn't remove the tier of responsibility that was bestowed upon her. Yes. The same responsibility that her Predecessor, Kenryoku Kawada, once held. And now, it was Harle's turn to carry it on.

To be honest, her entire reason for wanting to challenge the Head of the Kuchiki family was due to her goal. It didn't change, and was ever so constant. Everything that she had, who she was, and what she was doing was all meant for Marcus' sake. For his sake. Harle made a promise to him that she would be protect him at all costs. And now that she had power, she had to refine it, mold it into a unparalleled force. That was her desire, it was Harle's wish, and the Captain's Haori labeling the honor of Squad 2 on her back she WILL ascend higher. She now had to go against others whose strength were perhaps equal to or greater than her own. By challenging those with such power the Captain will ascend higher in hopes to protect what is precious to her, a future that she longed desired for.

A few minutes passed before the guards halted. While she had been deep in thought the pair had escorted the French woman to an open courtyard. Aligning the edges along side the high rise walls were small patches of flowers. Well trimmed and decorated in a way that would fit nobility. That and the alignment of fifteen foot trees in between each patch. A beautiful display that Harle had seen before during her times infiltrating the outer layers of the Kuchiki Manor, but the area she was currently in resided further into their land. Even as her sapphire eyes traced each of the decorated pieces she could not imagine any other garden that may be remotely close to its beauty. This was some of the benefits of being part of nobility.

The guards gestured for the Captain to proceed on. She acknowledged, stepping onto the marvel tiles that guided her to the large paved square shaped arena. Harle took her time to gaze at her new environment to examine its wonders and at possible tactical positions for her to take. A familiar sensation of anxiety did loom over the head of the Shinigami superior. Been a while since she had stepped before nobility since the last time she had spoken to Kenryoku. As she did she re-examined her gear. The custom arm bands that held a total of five kunai knives each, the small pouch tied to her right thigh for an additional ten. In every battle and mission that the Captain under took she realized that the use of tools did provide numerous of options in the terms of both survival and fighting, which she intended to use in her session with the Kuchiki.

So far, only time could tell what will transpire and how it will result. And as the soft padding of footsteps drew closer, Harle took a single deep bow to pay her respects as she did so with a warm smile, "Bonjour Seigneur Kuchiki, Harle, ze Capitaine of Squad 2, here az required."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Harle Stats}

[Overall Points - 1600]

Type: ( Shadow - Level 3 )

Strength - [100] (/2) = 50 Points

Speed - [300] Points + (150%) = [750]

Spiritual Pressure - [400] - (40%) = [240]

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points + (60%) = [640]

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [175] Points (-25%) = [131]

Senses [125] Points (-25%) = [93]

Energy sensory - [100] Points + (50%) = 150

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}

1. Stealth - [2]

2. Acrobatics - [2]

3. Special Skill: Hoho - [2]

4. Weapon: Throwing Knives - [2]

5. Martial Arts - Taekwondo - [2]

6. Special Skill: Reiatsu Manipulation - [3]

7. Strength of Will - [2]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tools}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x15

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

Music

As Harle was passing through the Kuchiki Manor on her way to meet with the Heir, rumors of this spar were already buzzing among the servants, and some of the other Kuchiki clansmen who were in training around that area. Rumors were afloat of not just the visit of a new Squad 2 Captain, one who was neither Kawada nor Shihoin, but also of the nature of Harle's opponent. There were many reports about him. They said that he was all-seeing. They said that he was invincible. It was acknowledged that he might even be capable of overtaking Sozen Kuchiki, his father. Yet... he was only the Lieutenant of Squad 13. Just how powerful was a Lieutenant really going to be compared to a Captain?

On her way, Harle might hear someone discussing the Heir in a room off to the side. They had clearly been discussing the fight, and an instructor was informing a student about the Heir. "Sozen Kuchiki, when he was that age, was a genius. Barbarically cruel in combat, immeasurably cunning, and a warrior prodigy well above what even most Captains could hope to achieve in their prime. But, compared to his son... Even his feats of genius are meaningless. The Heir is more skilled, and more capable than even Sozen Kuchiki was at that age. At any rate, you can't call someone who can lead so easily natural... You can't call someone who's so naturally talented anything short of unnatural."

And that wasn't even the only monologue that she would hear. As she was arriving, she would hear it, too. "He's invincible. That's the best way of putting it. No one has ever seen him lose at anything. He is the champion in all regards. Even in the academy, he dominated all of the other students as if they were mere playthings. That was why, when he turned down a promotion beyond even Captain, they were shocked. For him to desire instead to be a Lieutenant was unimaginable, when his skills were clearly far beyond even that. Indeed... There is nothing that can escape his gaze. The most prodigious Soul Reaper to leave the academy in centuries... Souza Kuchiki."

And that was when Harle would see him. He wasn't as tall as Sozen. No, in fact, Souza was only 5'8. But that didn't change that he was a proud figure. He wore a tight black outfit of some expensive material, with gold buttons. It was a battle outfit, clearly, and it was sewn very nicely. The Kuchiki Heir, watching Harle, turned to her as she arrived. He did so fluidly. Perfectly. As if he had expected her at that exact second, and she was fulfilling an exact plan of time by arriving at that moment. It was as if he had rehearsed his greeting more than once. Somehow, his motion was just so fluent... It was somehow just so perfect.

And those eyes... Scarlet, like his father's, but so much colder, perhaps even more proud as well. Souza Kuchiki's eyes were ice cold, and had in them a million thoughts each. As if he was analyzing every single second of their encounter. Just by looking into the Kuchiki Heir's eyes, Harle would likely feel as if she had been stripped naked and every inch of her body, every crevice, had been examined thoroughly by intrusive hands. And all that was just with a gaze. It was enough to send chills down the spines of anyone that encountered the Kuchiki Heir. A terribly powerful individual, who even among the most dominating of presences, himself stood out as beyond that.

And when he spoke... It was inhuman. His voice was soft. Even breathy. As opposed to his father, whose voice inherently held reputable confidence and strength, Souza's voice was soft, and held subtle command. It was as if he was so self-assured, so confident in his ability to dominate, that he had no need to devote any effort to raising his voice even a fraction. And, somehow, despite him speaking with a soft voice, he was perfectly audible. Every single syllable, every word to leave his lips, was comprehensible without needing to ask for a repeat. Everything about him just screamed that he was an unnatural person to encounter. And it was going to be a difficult spar, even for a Captain.

"Greetings, Captain of Squad 2," Souza said, even acknowledging her with a bow of the head. "I have been looking forward to this. When I was informed that my participation in this would be required, I grew rather excited. It is not often that a Lieutenant receives a one on one with a Captain that is not their own." His presence really was just too unnatural. Not even Kenryoku Kawada's steel eyes had been the glacier that was Souza. And yet, somehow, he did seem reminiscent of Kenryoku Kawada. As if Sozen Kuchiki and Kenryoku Kawada's traits had pooled together into him. Here he was. The Lieutenant of Squad 13. Harle's adversary for this evening. Souza Kuchiki.

An audience had gathered, and there were onlookers. Of course there would be an audience. The Kuchiki Manor was only one of many that the family owned, but it was the main hub, given that it was Sozen's mansion. As a result, many Kuchiki trainees came here to learn, and many who were more experienced returned to learn further. The opportunity to see a Captain face off against the Heir was a once in a lifetime show, not to miss. Souza drew his sword calmly, slowly, and politely. He whipped it in front of his face, and looked Harle in the eyes and gave her a nod. That was an orthodox swordsman's salute. Souza then lowered his blade so that his elbow was parallel to his hip and slightly outward, the blade was held at the side with mid level holding, and he assumed a stance with the dominant right foot in front of the subservient left. From there, Souza lowered his blade so that the tip would be facing more toward the ground, and he smiled.

"If there are no other formalities, I do believe that the people here expect a show. Will you do the honors of starting us?"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}

Strength - [150] (50) Points

Speed - [375] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] (1200) Points

Reiatsu Strength - [50] Points

Light Aura - [80] Points

Dark Aura - [20] Points

Instinct - [300] (100) Points

Senses - [50] Points

Energy sensory - [200] (400) (Points

Healing Expertise - [75] (25) Points


Total SP: [1600] Points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}

[Sabre] {3}

[Battle Analysis] {3}

[Battle Focus] {3}

[Analysis] {3}

[Focused Eye] {3}

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play Me}

So, the young gentleman who stood proudly among his peers was the Heir to the Kuchiki name, the son of Sozen Kuchiki, the current Head. If it had not been her past lifestyle, then she would have expression the amount of honor she'd be filled with to stand in his presence, but after seeing and visiting a few dozen noble families in her days then you would deem them all the same. But this one was a bit different from the rest that the Jester encountered in the past. He carried him firmly as all nobles have, dignified, and just as though he had been carrying the weight of the family already, just like she was. Although the two came from different backgrounds their duties were practically the same. Souza carried the Kuchiki name while Harle carried on the deceased family name of Quinn.

Even all of the whispers that echoed through the halls of the manor, it did not shake the woman's resolve, but instead furthered her own excitement as to see what lied beyond the young Kuchiki's cold demeanor. Yes, that familiar demeanor. Like taking another trip down memory lane as though it were yesterday. The day that the two met, Harle and Kenryoku. His signature cold gaze that never gave way to what was transpiring within his head. Funny. Funny enough to widen the woman's grin as the audience of nobles peered down toward the stretching Jester. Switching from an average two legged stance to a single hand stand, swiftly and fluidly to reflect her level of acrobatics, her gaze never once leaving the Souza's trained eyes.

His eyes, definitely much like Kenryoku's. Always analyzing, always studying what lied before him. As though he was peeking a bit into her. She chuckled. If not had been for the Kuchiki name she would have mistaken him for the late Captain's son rather than Sozen. But, actually, she had not seen Sozen personally, so maybe, maybe not. Souza's eyes would catch the woman returning to her original position before she spoke in response to the Heir, "Ze feeling iz mutual Monsieur Zouza. Harle iz much delighted to spar wiz un member of ze Kuchiki." another chuckle. Zo, Zouza, zhall we start." In a single rapid motion the onlookers would gaze at the spot that the Captain stood as another appeared directly behind the 5'8" man. A clone? A phantom? No, an afterimage caused by moving at the rate of 650. No reiatsu had to be used to move at such a pace for her. Merely out of skill and ability.

Aside from her speed, a closer look at the man's clothing would appear to be missing something. A gold button. A single gold button taken from his torso wear, reflecting the light from the sun in between her index and thumb prints. A means to force a smile or a pleasant reaction from the young man, or maybe she had done something that shouldn't have been done. "Zis iz very pretty. Noblez do majestic work on ze clothing." Before speaking again the Captain appeared under the shroud of the tree cross from the Heir, six of her throwing knives drawn from hidden holders within her long sleeves. Three tucked between the knuckles in both hands for the six with the gold button tied with one of the bells that kept her ponytails formed.

Before Souza, a cross shape position of the Captain's arms formed, slowly moving toward the man from 200 for an instant to 350 in a zig zag pattern. Pushing off from the first zig a single knife was released from her grip at the speed of 350, as the pushing off from her zag a pair of two knives were launched from between the knuckles her right hand, this time at the rate of 500. Souza's trained sights could she her running pattern as well as the first knife thrown at his heels. But would he be able to spot the incoming pair upon the Captain's second throw? Maybe. But did not sway the woman kicking off her zag into a sideways corkscrew spin to her left, even which she had bounced off a floor which could not be seen, but felt.

Airground had to be the result of her midair leap as the woman soared into the air in a twirling spin as she muttered the words under her breath, "Bakudo #64: Tousei Takai [Intoxication High]." A spiral of red gas can be seen being released from the depths of the Captain's mouth, spewing from her height of 30 feet and down to the floor below. Hoping that the patrons below would flee as it descended slowly to the training arena. What would the Souza do? How would he react? Harle was definitely looking forward as to what the young Heir would do?

Remaining Reiatsu : 2200/2400 : -150 Bakudo #64: Tousei Takai [Intoxication High], -50 Advanced Air Ground.

Combat Posts : 1/8

Gas Spreading : 1/2

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x15 - x3 = x12

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

Souza's eyes seemed to widen, as if in surprise, when Harle appeared behind him, and with his button. But, on second thought, or in other words if you could read into Souza's mind, just the opposite. Out of expectation, he widened his eyes even momentarily before she disappeared, so as to widen his peripheral vision, in case the need to defend arose. However, utilizing his energy sensory, Souza was also able to read into the basic nuances of Harle's soul. In this moment, her goal was trickery. And, noting not the movement of her physical body, as his eyes were incapable of keeping up, Souza noted her spiritual position, for he could sense the position of her reiatsu relative to himself, and even before sight would have ascertained her location, he already knew where she was, and what was going to happen.

A subtle motion from Souza's body made it so that while his button would be taken, he himself would not be touched, though so subtle was the motion that perhaps Harle would fail to notice it. Indeed, now that Harle had the button, and was complimenting it and what nobles wore in general, Souza couldn't help but smile, ignoring the trickery for what it was, and instead negating any mockery behind it with a calm, level response. "Indeed, we have the finest tailors in Soul Society," Souza agreed. "You may keep the button if you want. My gift for your visit." Inside, he was thinking as to how it might have been more prudent to attack with that speed advantage. Now, that opportunity lost, it would be Souza who had the advantage.

"Holy shit.." One of the onlookers said. "The Captain is fast." But, then another replied. "Indeed, she is fast. But.. what may be even more terrifying was Souza's response. In the very instant before she appeared, his footwork was ready to disappear into a retaliation attack. No, I might even say before she disappeared. Even before the afterimage began to fade, perhaps even before she moved, he was ready for some form of counterattack. He may have been polite there, but his killing intent was so real that I even felt it from all the way over here... He has an incredible aura..." Yes, even without doing much, the aura given off by Souza was practically tangible.

Almost in response to Souza's words, Harle vanished, reappearing again before a tree, several blades flying at Souza. However, he ascertained in the nuances of her soul the intent of trickery, and he also noted not only her location, but the dispersing of her reiatsu system's movements. Given reiatsu had its own sort of circulatory system, Souza could detect that movement instead of regular movement, and thus was able to figure out her movements sent something at him. With their speed, Souza could see the first attack. With their speed, Souza could only see a blur of the second attack, but by knowing how the Captain had moved, he could predict the trajectory to a very fine point of accuracy.

Souza's footwork took him just far back enough to put the moving blades into better perspective, and his blade did a simple stab forward in a snakish pattern, knocking down all of the incoming blades with precise accuracy, and dropping them into the ground. In a simple move, Souza had negated all of the incoming blades. It was fair enough to say that he was exceptional at combat just for being able to do that, but he wasn't even using the bulk of his analytic or visual prowess just yet. He smiled to himself, thinking about it. At this rate, I may not even have to use my eyes... He thought to himself. But, they'd see. The fight had just started, after all.

In the meantime, the Captain now was rising up, releasing a red gas. Souza recognized the technique effect by the stated name, and also recognized that, had Harle been fighting his father, she'd have lost by attempting to use this technique. It had been foolish not to assume that Souza had inherited his father's Zanpakuto abilities, as very often happened between generations. But, the Kuchikis were unique. They always had newer, better powers. Souza had not inherited his father's red blades, but he had become a force to be reckoned with all the same. With an even better Zanpakuto. With that gas incoming, Souza could only surmise a few basic counters would be best.

Seeing the gas, Souza at once launched his next attack. A casual flick of his left hand revealed a massive Kido blasting outward. This was Hado #63: Raikoho. It was a large blast of lightning which flew from Souza's grasp, an orb with a bolt at the end connected to Souza's hand, flying at Harle. But, rather than reach Harle and try to hit her, it moved through the smoke, and as it approached Harle, Souza clenched his fist, prematurely ending the technique, and causing it to explode with vicious force. Yellow blasts of lightning and electricity danced around, making a buzzing sound around Harle, and heating up the air while giving it a burning smell. This also had the effect of blasting away all of the red gas nearby. Harle could continue to produce more, but Souza had just eroded her current progress with the cloud before it had even finished forming. If she continued trying to produce smoke, it would be dissipated in the same way again, meaning she'd waste it. She'd be better now closing her mouth and stopping her technique early.

Souza, meanwhile, had not yet launched an attack. He had been calmly analyzing Harle, watching her. He was evaluating the patterns of her movements from his position. He was deciding what her nature was. By observing Harle, Souza was coming to an understanding of this Captain that he was fighting against. "Hey, is that really Souza Kuchiki?" someone asked. "He's skilled, but... He isn't overwhelming either. I thought he'd be stronger than this." But, they were wrong. Souza was just holding back. Biding his time. Evaluating. His cold eyes did not leave Harle, but it was not his eyes she should worry about. It was his sensory. And his focus. For now, he did not retaliate. For now.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 11,850/12,000 Reiatsu

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

A large grin was branded across her face as she descended to the ground below. Seemed that her opening act fell flat on its face, but never fear a jester always comes prepared. The sudden blast from the Heir's Kido did catch the Captain off guard, especially seeing that it collapsed after spreading her Bakudo apart. Normally, once casted a spell would continue until either the caster ceases the spell or until hits its mark, but this particular nature seemed as though someone willed it to detonate at a certain time. Unless someone who was quicker than herself managed to destroy the Kido itself with an unseen force or maybe Souza had some means to do it. Questionable and unlikely, but if there was anything Harle was taught about their world was that nothing "impossible." Hell, she was 30 feet in the air without the support of wiring or other means to push her up to such heights.

Something else to put to the back of her mind for later until she was able to piece it together. Nonetheless, the show must go on. And nothing more excited her than what may be next. The sense of that excitement almost overwhelming, fluttering inside like butterflies. The more dangerous a situation became the more thrilled the French Jester became. But another wonder did emerge from situation, which was the reason why Souza stood where he was and not retaliate. Looking more into what the young Kuchiki Heir was a little more about. His basic tendencies were nothing that she did not see before, but did allow the Captain to gain some insight to how he operated.

For an individual such as Souza to be studious even during a fight reminded Harle of how she was in the past.. Funny... Yeah, but such things like being funny in a combat situation could have dire consequences, and those that she held dear would be the ones who would suffer at the end. Marcus. No.. Momma... Pappa.. More then likely Souza could sense the tremor inside along with the suppressed emotion behind her face painted mask. Harle couldn't allow that. Even as she sped toward the young man at the rate of 350 she kept a calm demeanor. A rapid flick of the wrist were a pair of her throwing knives streaming straight toward the man's shoulder at the speed of 500 once again. However, that was only the opening, or was it? From her starting speed Souza would immediately sense the amount of reiatsu being poured into the soles of her feet, spiking but never being released.

That was when Harle vanished just as she had done before when she went to take hold of his button. From 350 to 650 the jester glided past her thrown blades in an instant to leave behind the afterimage of herself behind her as it charged straight ahead. More than likely Harle predicted that a straight forward assault with her knives would never made their mark, which was the reason why she decided to engage the 5'8" man in close range combat. The charged reiatsu that Souza could feel before was not meant for a Kido but to what her combat style was truly about, and that was inflicting internal damage. By using the momentum from her sudden halt from her speed, the Captain reappeared from behind the man once again in a spinning motion to bring the back of her left heel to where the man's feet would be. Like a spinning sweep kick to knock the man off balance. The motion too was but a blur while reducing the speed to 600.

But in reality there were two purposes to this action. The first was due to her expertise in Reiatsu Manipulation. Why was that now? That was because the back of her heel actually was infused with her reiatsu, condensed and molded into a thin but firm needle point. Considering the nature of her kick was actually a reiatsu based attack in conjunction with her martial arts style of Taekwondo that her kick was not only meant to trip up the man, but to actually pierce through his physical defense to stab his into the reiatsu that flowed through his feet. Although physically there will be no scars or bleeding, but the same would be said inside for it will be his muscles and nerves that were located in his feet that would be damaged, considering the difference in their reiatsu strength.

Secondly, the knives that were thrown were still in route to puncture the man's shoulders. The kick itself meant to knock the man off balance or land a sufficient blow if Souza persisted in remaining where he stood. A two pronged attack, but that was not the end of it because throughout the entire time she enacted her little plan, her mouth was sealed. But why? The answer was simple enough that even Souza would be able to see it in plain sight as a large cloud of crimson gas erupted from the woman's mouth from being kept inside. That ominous cloud of poison gas emitted into the air where Souza's head would be as she went about her kick. Among it all, without a doubt Souza saw through it all. Everything meant to position him to be poisoned by the gas that he neutralized earlier. His own formality with the Bakudo he knew that the spreading of the gas lasted at least for a few moments before what was spread remained.

Harle's fluid motion appeared as though she were dancing or performing a show. Altogether to those who knew the life of a performer or the life in the circus, ther show always had layers upon layers of tricks to stir up the crowd. And Harle had a few more before taking things further. All the more reason she desired to push Souza and see if there was anything she could take away from the experience.

Remaining Reiatsu : 2200/2400

Combat Posts : 2/8

Gas Spreading : 2/2

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x12 - x2 = x10

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

Souza sensed something in the Captain, then. He caught a glimpse of something. A memory. A feeling. Something to cause trepidation. Something that made her recoil. Something that pushed her forwards. A trauma she had moved beyond. And Souza recognized her more then. She was someone who mirrored her past in her present. There were plenty of people who did that, but Harle was especially prominent in doing it. It explained so much. The performance style of combat. The face paint. She was running from something while exemplifying it. She wasn't different from who Souza had been. But... He had emerged a new person. Moved past that.

So when Harle started moving forward, slowly at first, Souza couldn't help but smile internally. He knew what she was going to do. First, though she was focusing reiatsu, it was specifically in her feet. Both of them. It was a high intensity of focus, too. That wasn't going to be expelled in a step technique. Plus, why would she need to use a flash step? She was twice Souza's speed regardless. It made no difference if she used a flash step or not. Instead, Souza realized, she would be using it for an offensive purpose. The reiatsu on her feet was... sharpening. She was going to attack him with a kick.

At the same time, she threw two kunai, and Souza, perceiving her arm movements, and sensing how her reiatsu circulatory system shifted, noted the trajectory toward his shoulders. She also disappeared, and Souza noted the entire time what her position was. She couldn't escape Souza's gaze, even if his eyes could not perceive her. Now, there were two attacks coming. That, plus how she was holding the gas in her mouth to expel all at once. Three, technically. It wouldn't be a problem. First was first. Harle was much faster than her own Kunai, and would reach Souza before they did. This was an easy calculation.

Souza didn't even need speed for this. He stepped fully to the side a split second before Harle arrived, using power of prediction. When Harle appeared, her kick missed because Souza was no longer there. But... the kunai, slower than Harle, arrived second to her. After Souza was gone and she had missed, the two kunai would be on their way to hit her. Except that Harle was releasing a huge cloud of gas from her mouth. A gas cloud that was so large that, upon immediate release, it obstructed her vision. So of course, she'd realize Souza was gone when her kick missed, but that wasn't the problem.

Sure, she knew the Kunai had been coming that way, but the gas meant she couldn't see them. It was too thick. Too opaque. Not only could Harle not see the incoming blades, but she also was still in mid kick. Though she'd missed, she had committed to the kick, and committed some reiatsu into it too. It would be difficult to build up reiatsu again to get a step technique or similar to defend, and it would also be difficult for her to move out of the way from mid kick. She had to stop moving, retract, then resume moving. More likely, if it came down to just the physics of motion, Harle would get hit in her own shoulders by the kunai.

This wasn't to say that there was no way she could defend. There were a number of ways that she could defend. It was just that dodging was improbable. There were ways that she could block. It wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't the hardest thing in the world, either. If Harle did nothing, though, or performed a faulty block, then she would be hit by her own kunai. Souza, meanwhile, knew that she had been holding in gas, and knew her intent of releasing it. He even saw it beginning to release. This meant that even though he had stepped away from her kick, the cloud of gas would be large enough to get him. Unless, of course, Souza got away from it.

But he had no intention of doing so. After stepping away, Souza blasted another Raikoho from his hand, straight into the cloud. It followed behind the Kunai, which were closing in on Harle, getting there quickly because of how close together they were. This time, Souza clenched his fist to cut off his Kido early again, blowing away the smoke in the same way as before, but at a close enough range to further blind Harle with the blast. And, he did it with less finality this time. Sparks of electricity and lightning continued dancing through the air momentarily, and in addition to that, the blast of the detonated Raikoho caused the Kunai in front of it to accelerate, moving more quickly.

This meant they would go much faster than what Harle had thrown them at, and would reach her more quickly and easily. She was therefore in great danger. This made any sort of defense against the kunai much less likely. She was far more likely to get hit in the shoulders. And, not only that, but there was still sparking electricity all over Souza's hand, and some residual in the air too, making staticky sounds. What was the purpose of this? It meant that if Harle passed through it, it would numb her a bit. Tiny amounts of electricity, yes. But still so reliable to make it so Harle had to avoid moving toward Souza within a certain trajectory. She had to go around the momentary cloud of electricity, or else wait for it to dissipate. But, if she did that, any number of other things might happen.

All too easy.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 11,600/12,000 Reiatsu

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

Once again Souza managed to step away from her combination and added on to what she had done. Even while she committed to her low spinning kick everything in her eyes where moving in slow motion. If it weren't for her moving about then her eyes wouldn't be able to keep up to such speeds. Thankfully that wasn't the case in her situation. Her sensory spiked once again for Souza releasing another Raikoho. Her sight was obscured by her own Bakudo but didn't eliminate her other senses. His voice, the sound of crackling thunder, the whistling of the kunai knives approaching from within the gas, she knew what was to come but not when. Did not stop her nor did it frighten her, after all Harle lived for the sort of life style.

First things first, after indicating the incoming Hado from the Heir, the woman immediately burst to her full 750. To that very moment it appeared that nearly all movement ceased. Comparing to the speed she'd threw her kunais in combination with the man's speed in Hado wouldn't be remotely close to the Capatin's full speed. Suddenly her spinning kick produced the sudden burst that enabled to finish her kick and immediately follow up with a single hand stand with her dominate right hand. But this motion was actually positioning her to flip forward to the rear, bearing witness to the light on the other side of the gas. Twas at that moment when the kunais had made their appearance from within the red cloud.

Both slender legs clenched together to avoid the sharp double edges of the pair of blades. Her over all speed overwhelmed the speed of the combined attacks, but that was only the beginning as her Bakudo had been fused with the electrical currents of what the man had released. This little play meant that she wouldn't be able to advance to attack the young Kuchiki.. unless. The Captain had not lessen her speed but continued onward from pushing off the hand stand, another burst of reiatsu to push off the floor onto the manor's roof top. Her counterattack did not stop there though. When in mid air from her push off, a single open palm was lifted to target the electrified gas. At that moment a large gust of pressurized air struck the ground in front of the enhanced gas.

With this placement to launch her Hado at the 45 degree angle, not only the gas would spread the gas outwardly toward Souza but the amount of power behind Sho will tear into the training area, leaving a path of ruined tiles behind and creating a secondary wind following closely behind it. Her words when The rate of speed was the same as Harle's, 750, and combined with the force of 600 in reiatsu strength the devastation behind a simple Hado could deal a great deal of damage to the area that stood in front of it, and considering that Souza was within the immediate vicinity he had best be moving to avoid such a force that was moving with such haste and power. Her little counterattack acted as a pincer attack of itself. Without realizing, her Sho was become a three way assault inside of a single or a double.

First off would be Sho of course, meaning that the direct assault from the Hado would be the initial entity that would leave the path of carnage behind. Secondly, there was the force that Sho would create with the combination of the rate of speed, 750, and the reiatsu strength of 600. And lastly was the gas that Sho took with it. Although it was not specially a wind or air technique, the force that was created from the Captain's reiatsu would actually carry if not disperse the gas outwardly toward the Kuchiki Heir. Undoubtedly Souza will be able to sense Harle's intentions, and her reiatsu attack coming for him, but could he see things that she had no control over? A third party or an unknown variable that was not planned? Harle simply stood on the edge of the manor's shingles to watch for a moment and ceasing her motion to recover from the full exertion of going full speed.

The man's abundant amount of knowledge was fact, and showed itself time after time, along with his calculated maneuvering. From each encounter she did notice that Souza only acted at the last minute to fully counter. Studious and locking onto her movements and timing each of her attacks as though he knew where was going to appear or attack. Predicting was far from it, he knew where she was going to do. The French woman stood on the roof top to study the results of her efforts and see how the man reacted to the unspoken inquiry. As the dust and gas settled back onto the ground of the training grounds, the woman could only think of the amount of money that would need to be spent to repair for the damages that took place. Hopefully the Kuchiki's held no ill emotions against the Squad 2 Captain.

Still, Souza's style of fighting was beginning to take shape within the Jester's mind. And her methods in using reiatsu against an individual who could precisely track it would prove to be no good if not already. Harle had to change the scene and make the environment work to her advantage, and possibly look into his little trick that involved lighting. Taking a glimpse back when using Sho, her mouth blurred when calling out Sho, and analyzing the shrapnel that shot outward to Souza, the thought of using a new method could have a higher possibility in sinking the man. A humorous thought really. A thought that brought another smile since the variable of chance was always present and proven to be dangerous. Why was that a fact? Well the answer was quite simple, and that was because chance was incalculable. Something that even Master Magicians and Illusionists couldn't calculate. So why not take that chance and gamble with it?

That said, six of her knives were tossed into the air over the remnants of the training ground, without even looking as to where they were positioned, while last remaining four where thrown into the ground outlining a circle. Only a means in positioning while applying an unknown variable as to where the kunai knives would land, while at the same time throwing herself into the equation as the Captain would engage Souza once more, this time with Zanpakuto unsheathed to come down with a vertical slash, charged with her reiatsu strength. What more can she do? Oh yeah, there was more, but that would transpire for Souza's next move.

Remaining Reiatsu : 2150/2400 : -25 Sho x1.

Combat Posts : 3/8

Gas Remains : 1/5

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x10 - x10 = 0

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

Souza did not even hesitate with his counter. Suddenly, the electricity which had buzzed into the gas itself would be drawn, along with the gas, by a spell which Souza recognized, Sho, toward the Kuchiki Heir. But that was why he had intentionally detonated his Raikoho in that way. Suddenly, the electricity collectively came together and focused at the center of the Sho/Gas attack, and detonated, disappearing completely from existence. This detonation had several effects. The first was that there was now no electricity. The second was dispersing the gas. The final effect was that the force of the blast canceled out much of the force of the Sho, which Souza had sensed building up and found the trajectory for anyway.

Given that, before it had even appeared, he had stepped gracefully to the side, and used his step to avoid any other dirty tricks. With the gas and electricity gone, Sho had been the only real danger, and it had lost so much of its power, being a low level spell and all, that its damage even to the environment was minimal, and it was slowed dramatically. It was easily dodged, and left no consequences to deal with. Meanwhile, Harle escaped up to the rooftop. It was an easy enough break in their combat. There then was a pause between them. But... How had the electricity just detonated like that...? Was it a special lightning technique?

"The Captain is fast... And impressively well strategized," one of the onlookers said. "Those layered attacks would be trouble for most anyone... I doubt there are many opponents who could deal with that level of attack. As expected of a Captain. Still, Souza is remarkable to be able to so easily nullify even the Captain's attacks... It seems as if nothing the Captain does is working. Souza has a counter to everything. And yet... I cannot help but feel that this isn't all that Souza can do... What is this uneasy feeling? As if we haven't seen Souza's real power yet..." Souza inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. They were right. He had been relaxed. Now, he knew all about his opponent. Time to get serious.

"Ahhh, you guys'll get to see something special now," another onlooker said. "Souza doesn't show this to just anybody. Look at him. Can you feel it? The air changing around him? He only does this for people he respects... I'll bet just by virtue of her being a Captain, Souza feels that it would be rude to underestimate her, so he's willing to show her more of what he can do. Only... She's in trouble. Souza on his A game is nasty." Souza looked up at Harle, and looked her straight in the eye. Something... was different. For one, his left eye white had turned black. For two, his gaze... It had changed entirely.

Now start the music

"I am absolute," Souza said in a challenging way to Harle. "But if you care to disagree... Come." And almost as if on cue, Harle charged at Souza. Souza noted with his energy sensory that she was trying to push reiatsu into her sword as she came to attack him, but that wasn't enough reiatsu. In order to overcome the vast difference in their powers, she would actually need to charge her sword with a technique. Unfortunately, she had already committed to a slash. Too late. This was going to be nasty for her. Souza took note of the positions of Harle's kunai as he held up his left arm to guard her sword.

Actually, he didn't even need his arm, but he used it anyway. That was the trouble with cutback effect. It was tough to counter. Harle, who hadn't released, made the mistake of cutting with her sword. And between she and Souza....? There was a huge gulf. Souza had nearly six times Harle's spiritual pressure. As soon as her blade slammed into his arms, not only was just charging reiatsu strength insufficient to overcome cutback effect, but the blade itself couldn't even break Souza's skin. It hit, and had no effect. Following, both of Harle's arms erupted with mighty lacerations and cuts, as if they had been slashed up.

This had the effect of rendering Harle's arms useless. They would drop limply to her side, not even capable of being raised to cast a spell and not even capable of holding her weapon any further. Her Zanpakuto would drop onto the ground uselessly. Additionally, large slashes appeared over her torso, and minor ones on her leg to slow her down. Essentially, Harle was already bleeding badly, her arms were useless, and her leg had been crippled. All of that was just in one exchange from cutback effect. That was how wide the gulf between Souza and Harle was. And it did not go unnoticed by spectators.

"Unbelievable... To think he had that kind of spiritual pressure. He's so strong that even a Captain can't cut him... She's practically half dead just from the attempt of trying to attack him..." And that wasn't all, either. Souza's eyes never left Harle after that first moment when he fixated his gaze on her before her attack. And, something was off about it... People who had fought Souza before might know his eye had turned black because of his technique "the eye." But he had activated another ocular technique as well. Pressure Gaze. So long as Souza kept his gaze on Harle, she would feel it.

The effect of pressure gaze was extremely intense anxiety and fear. Just by Souza looking at her, Harle's heart was beating faster. Her body was beginning to sweat. The anxiety she would feel wasn't unlike sleep terrors. Intense paranoia. An inability to concentrate. Only with intense focus would she be able to initiate her actions, and all of them would be just a step slower. Just a fraction less coordinated. Her actions also consumed far more stamina. Just from that brief exchange, she might already be out of breath, given she had been seriously injured in addition to gazed upon by Souza's pressure gaze technique.

It wasn't unlike the feeling Harle received when her nude form was revealed... And she was also seen without her makeup. It was like having no makeup and being naked, and gazed at by an audience of a thousand. And that feeling of shame was magnified tremendously, in an almost offensive way. As if Souza's shadow became enormous, and cast a cold presence over Harle. Suddenly, things had become much more dire. What she didn't know was that Souza's other eye technique, The Eye, was what had been responsible for his lightning manipulation earlier with the residual electricity stopping the Sho. And not knowing meant he might do it again.

For the moment, Souza was simply staring at Harle, and he wasn't even done yet. Suddenly, Souza took a step forward, closing the distance and his blade flew toward Harle's face, right at her eye. His footwork was superb. It was a perfect center of balance, using the footwork of a master fencer. His front foot was in a position outside and inbetween Harle's feet, and his blade, if it hit, would stab right into her eye. He did not expect this attack to hit, but it would be disorienting, because her focus was already terribly broken, and Pressure Gaze made combat exceptionally tiring. Harle, basically, would find even dodging this not as easy as normal.

Additionally, Souza's sword was charging with Tsuzuri Raiden, which meant that even if it missed the eye and hit something else on Harle, his sword would send electricity into her body in order to numb her or even paralyze her a bit. Like Harle, Souza too was using a layered attack. In this case, it was layered in a sword strike and electric strike simultaneous to psychological warfare and enigmatic hidden assault. This was the Kuchiki Heir. His attack was so aggressive that Harle could barely defend herself. Injured, forced into anxiety, Harle might not have what it took to keep fighting him.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 11,425/12,000 Reiatsu

Active: The Eye, Pressure Gaze

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

"What happened?" was an understatement that coursed through her mind as her charged blade made contact with Souza's arm. Splatter of blood blotted areas of her line of sight as she felt the slashes made across the length of both her arms. As though someone were raking her arm with a dull edge of a blade several times up to her shoulders, then, running that same edge around the sides of her torso. The same manner was done to her left leg but not severe compared to her arms. They suddenly went dead on her, not a single feeling could be felt anywhere long the length of the two. While for the leg there were impulses of feeling and the occasional twitching due to the pain that ran up her nerves to deliver the obvious message of pain into her brain. There was an instant moment of pain that filled the air from the lack of pain tolerance and lack of focus.

A sudden surge of intense pain would possibly knock anyone unconscious if it weren't for her strength of will, which she heavily relied on at this dire time. A shock as such wold definitely drop anyone to their knees. But sure enough that was all that the Captain had to fret with, but no, it was only the beginning. Secondly, the amount of stress and pressure being applied to her mind. Not in the sense of a burden, but more of fear, anxiety, and feeling exposed. This time to everyone, and not just Souza. As though her being existence was being opened forcibly without her consent. Harle was open. She could hear them again, laughing at her. Those that discriminated against her and her family. The constant pointing and hate filled eyes. All this time the Jester had pushed such thoughts to the darkest depths of her mind and heart. When confronting her White and Black about her pain and past she had to go against the bitter moments of weakness and suffering. All of the evil and darkness she hid deep inside of her. A part of her that she had been willfully faced head on, accepting it, but never truly sharing it with others.

"Marcus...Marcus...Marcus" Her love was all that she could think about... to save her... to pull her out of the nightmare. Even when her voided eyes gazed into the darkness that filled the Heir's, his own eyes could be seen reflecting the madness swelling from within. Harle was use to it, after all she was nearly raped by men whom she attempted to aid. That memory still loomed within her subconscious as a reminder. But that wasn't what sent the woman over the edge. That was the image of Marcus being pierced from behind by a sword, watching him lay on the floor lifeless. Which, as a result, left the woman motionless as Souza took the step forward to gaze down at the pools of murky swamp colored eyes that filled the Captain's sights.

To know that she felt helpless and nearly broken, the woman felt powerless, as such as being robed of everything that she held dear to. Which was why.......

SPOILER: Click to show

{play me}

Once again, there was a spike, like a cry of warning. Instead, it felt like a cry of an oppressor, a thief who aimed to take everything before killing his victim. And Souza was just the same. Every instant the electrified drew inched closer. She felt his tendencies, from being analytical before showing his true colors. And now the man was serious, attempting to pierce her eye. The possibility of going against such trauma surging through her mind and soul was impossible. Arms were useless now, bleeding, a single leg near crippled, and torso riddled with slashes. To defy Souza was an act of suicide.

In the eyes of the Kuchiki peers bore witness as to Captain actually drawing her own head closer to the blade. Could it be that she desired to end it all? What was she seeing? Was Souza's influence going to force the woman to commit suicide? Apparently so as the Captain's head was nothing but a few inches to the blade, her very soul wrecked by the turmoil raging inside her spirit. Utter madness. That same reason why a burst of electrical current erupted from her very body as her head drew to the right to completely avoid the thrusting movement, and ramming her electrified head into the man's gut. Souza's actions ensured that his strike would land, even grazing her. All true, however, Harle's risking taking habit helped with her return to reality. But that was merely a part of her return trip, or was it really?

See, for Harle, she knew that going against such madness with the meager will she had to tackle it would be futile. Instead, she did what most would consider reckless and unfitting for a well mannered Captain. That is right, she went with the flow of madness. Bending the pain, shame, and rage with her strength of will and turning it into a driving force to be used to fuel her resolve, which now was Souza's utter defeat. She was defying an oppressive Emperor, using his own power against him, to use it as a weapon. But, where did the electricity come from, the electrical current that surged from the Captain's body, the same current that would meet with Souza's stomach region. Its origins was the daring Captain herself, and something that the Seireitei had no record of since it didn't exist, until the Squad 2 Captain had created it. A blurred call out phrase was slopply blurted from the woman's mouth when lunging to the man allowed the reiatsu around her to grind against the atmosphere itself to create the spark, and a moment later engulfed the Captain's entire body with the crackling light of thunder.

Bolts of thunder snapped away from Harle's body as though keeping the man away to protect its master. Its nature secured her body from head to toe from physical contact, as of its nature, born from Harle's reiatsu, intertwined with her mastery of manipulation, to be able to fully control its nature. Comparing the difference in reiatsu strength between the two combatants, Harle had the edge over Souza, manipulating her own reiatsu to turn against her would prove to be more than just a challenge, even more so with her mind in disarray. A single mistake in assuming control could have its repercussions. All around the people took notice in the Jester's new nature, the constant twitching of the head as it cocks back and forth, but most if not all were taken back by the hysterical laughter. And down below were the blotted traces of white water caused from the sweat and tears the woman shed from her pain and misery.

As for moment wise Harle simply used her good leg right leg to lung at the man to push off the floor to ram into the man. It was only from that good leg that the woman could muster her 600 speed. Traces of crimson red dripped onto the noble grounds as the woman's eyes darted from place to place as though waiting for an unseen enemy to approach her, searching for them like a lunatic. The insane woman had no need for words, only the hysteric laugh would be her response to any of the man's statements if he had them. The woman was nearly broken, Souza could see that all too well, the storming emotions of confusion, pain, and agony swirling inside her. Near utter chaos. Even Harle wouldn't know what she could be capable when driven mad, especially when loosing blood.

SPOILER: Click to show

{play me now}

In all her madness, there was one thought, one single individual that the shame and anger drew her to. One individual who had introduced these sensations to.. Her eyes reflected his own, the predecessor of Squad 2. That first mission with him, everything that he forced her to do in order to complete the mission, that still lingered within the woman's core, and now was the time to use it. All calm before the storm as they'd say when the pressure of reiatsu strength fell upon the area, causing the audience to shutter before frailing about before the light of the woman's release, as her weakened body dipped to take the fallen Zanpakuto by the edges of her teeth, gripping the handle tightly with small amounts of saliva caressing it. Sugate, Tsukuyomi." the dazed Captain muttered through a full mouth to transform the blade into a beacon of light, but not all of the light was pleasant to see, for Harle's madness would follow its release.

Even as the light fades away, that smile, that smile filled with malice and anguish. Filling the area with the madness that Harle had accepted, which Souza had created, and forced the woman to take into herself to survive. Even as the blood dripped from the white light silhouette on her arms, the metal talons will take form at the tips of her fingers and the clear white silk cloth around her arms tainted by the red spots of blood. All silent.... but the laughter of the wrecked woman that stood before across from him. Both intertwined with the cackling of thunder, along the dilated pupils that was surrounded by the wrecked face paint. A picture of insanity stood before Souza, making what transpired inside of her.

Family....iz every..ting... Failure... means...nothzing...


Remaining Reiatsu : 1650/2400 : - 150 Shikai, -250 Heaven's Wrath, -100 Maintaining Wrath.

Combat Posts : 4/8

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x10 - x10 = 0

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

Music 1

"Souza's pushing even a Captain so far..." one of the spectators observed of the Kuchiki Heir. This was when the lightning, shrieking and thundering, began to materialize around Harle's body. The first of several mistakes. Souza's eyes did not stop focusing on Harle, either. In fact, he was focusing even more, using a skill called Focused Eye, which allowed an inhuman level of focus on the target. Upon sensing the chaotic symptoms of Harle's soul, Souza had realized that she was no longer capable of truly complex planning. He had beaten her down physically and mentally. She was already desperate to accomplish some form of damage.

This allowed him to decide to focus on her. And, from that, he could verify basic twitches of her body, indicating an intention of forward momentum. Of movement. And, plus, he could sense the shifts in her reiatsu, her basic intent to attack. Not that it actually made any difference to Souza's plan. Quite to the contrary, he had gone in intending a very specific plan, and his execution of it wasn't going to change just because Harle was going to get aggressive. In fact, it made his current plan all the more feasible. He didn't really think about this but for a split second, as the lightning began to appear on the Captain's body.

"Losing your cool is a bad idea," one of the spectators noted. "The fact that she isn't thinking well means Souza's going to make it even worse. That's the kind of game he plays. He beats what normally would have worked, and frustrates you. Then he beats your next tactic, and frustrates you more. Soon, you get more and more sloppy. And he keeps beating you. Nothing works. You start to think that Souza is invincible. That nothing can beat him. That he can beat anything. And then he destroys you. That's the kind of opponent he is. The type of guy that plans incredibly intricate forms of attack on the mind, body, and soul."

Music 2

Souza suddenly disappeared. It wasn't just a flash step, though. It was two slightly slower steps. Magnifying his speed by a mere eight times, the Jabber Walk step technique allowed Souza two steps. This would be as soon as Harle began her 600 speed movement. Having committed over to an attack, she would find it difficult to transition into a step technique to counter Souza, particularly on an injured leg. The Kuchiki Heir stepped inward further into her guard with the first enhanced step, and then moved away into a spinning move ot get behind her, before carrying himself with that momentum to get several yards away.

Unfortunately, the Jabber Walk distorted reiatsu around the user as they moved. "Once you're in his trap, even if you have twice, or even three times his speed, you can't follow his movement... You can't keep track of him." It was a sinister sort of technique that distorted reiatsu around the user so that enemies could not read their movements. Even with her superior speed, to Harle, Souza would suddenly seem unreadable, like a blur, as if he had become faster than her. She would recognize that he wasn't faster, but would be incapable of reading his movements or where he was going, until he arrived. Short of having a 4 in a combat analysis skill or a 3 in a combat focus skill, one was helpless.

But that wasn't the only technique that Souza employed as he stepped away from Harle. The first step had been a drive inward. Why? To utilize the technique called Tengenko. While Harle was pressured by Pressure Gaze and was moving forward, Souza initiated a drive past her using his Jabber Walk, which also allowed Tengenko. Using the principles of footwork control from fencing, and a common disruption of personal energy, Souza had essentially taken Harle's footing out from under her. The technique, Tengenko, would cause her to suddenly, almost inexplicably, as if it was natural, lose her footing and fall backwards onto her butt.

Short of having superior level of analysis skills to Souza, Harle, once trapped, was unlikely to be able to defend herself from the attack. This would result, ultimately, in her headbutt being cut short as she fell backwards, falling onto her butt, electricity still coursing around her body. That was merely the class 3 version of the technique. For the moment, Souza held back on its use. Even if he had not dodged the headbutt, Souza would have used Tengenko to evade the attack. Now with her balance gone and her attack stopped, Harle would be on her butt. But Souza wasn't even done yet.

And neither was Harle. On her butt, she still had the vigor to grab her blade with her mouth, and release. Souza had to admit, he was impressed by that tenacity. As expected of a Captain. Top class stamina. He was not going to underestimate her. That would be a mistake. She was strong. Much stronger than any average opponent. There was no doubt that if he took her easy, he would get hurt very badly. But... Wasn't that why Souza had activated so many of his signature techniques at the same time? Among those was the black cornea, and the white iris, and the flaming tattoos... The Eye.

He glanced back at Harle even as she fell, even as she released, and using The Eye, assumed mighty control of her lightning. She thought that Souza could be stopped merely by the power of reiatsu... But no. He had an enormous ocean of spiritual energy to throw at that, and The Eye cost him a huge amount of reiatsu in exchange for its use. It was one thing to increase the cost by 50% when Souza controlled his own techniques, but controlling an enemy's lightning? He paid their cost AND 50% more. That was why The Eye was not to be used lightly. Still, Harle's lightning was Souza's to control, even as Tsuzuri Raiden dissipated.

Even as Harle's laughter cackled, Souza's pupil dilated as he stared at her. "No," Souza said. "You aren't off the hook just yet." And to silence Harle's laughter, her own lightning turned on her aggressively, and started to scorch across her skin and not only burn her, but electrocute her and numb her nerves and whole body. In the end, she was beaten down by the force of her own technique. For as long as The Eye was active, Souza controlled lightning and electricity as if they were his own creations, his own children. He was a monster with many tricks that had never before been seen, even by a Captain...

And he wasn't afraid to use them.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 10,650/12,000 Reiatsu

Active: The Eye, Pressure Gaze

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

Yet again Harle was making an error and Black could see it as plain as day. The Zanpakuto spirit within the Captain saw the poor display of responses and reactions that she ever in her existence. From the beginning Harle had underestimated her opponent and took the challenge as a casual encounter between fellow Shinigami. The woman had no thought of how much time the young man was toying with her. Over and over he had side stepped the her Master's attacks and countered without any thought of a contingency plan in the works. Harle certainly had a bad habit to play it easy before she realized that she was in great danger, and now, Harle was definitely in a bind because of her nature. Black had to do something.

As for Harle herself in released form, she was curently under duress from her own technique. The bolt of Heaven's Wrath surged throughout her skin, repeatedly jolting off and on her skin. Despite the mastery of control of her reiatsu if she lacked the strength to resist foreign influence, then her power would be turned against her. From the side lines Black took notice of the man's sudden change in eyes. Plugging that change and the information that she had been gathering from Shinigami's sparring match, the spirit managed to piece together that it was the Kuchiki Heir that was the one manipulating her Master's power. A poor damn fool was what her master was for playing around and now the woman's condition became dire due to such behavior.

She could no longer stand by and watch as her Master made herself appear as a larger fool, Black had to poke a nerve to get Harle really moving, and Souza had done just that for her to work with. Harle had little choice but to call for her technique's release to have the electric surge. The blistering effect had already taken a hold of the Captain as the crackling had ceased when the surge splintered away from the body. The French woman could only slump down to her knees nearly lifeless as her body twitched. And between both pain and shame, Harle chose to go with the pain father than the shame. Using one to overpower the sense of the other. Even with the agony and twirling of thoughts in her head spiraling around another distinct, familar voice echoed from behind her, "He intended to kill you with that last thrust, and he has removed the kitty gloves Harle. Don't be a fool and get rid of the kindess that you believe is correct. the dark silhouette peered up at the Kuchiki male, Kindness is a sin when used in the most inappropriate situations. So toss it away and show them all that what we are capable of... I'll get you started...... Bankai."

The two presence that could be felt before faded as only a single would remain at the end. Shortly following the silent mumble of a single word an eruption of reiatsu poured from the woman's near lifeless body, consuming the body in a pitch black silhouette before the emergence of the twin moons that expanded beneath the woman, and above the sky over the Kuchiki manor. Both nearly a mile in radius in every direction as Souza could see before witnessing the darkness fading to return all the patrons and the Heir to what their surroundings were before the secondary release. The darkened skies brightened to their pure blue radiance, while the pair of full moons ceased to exist, "What was that? Was that it?" one of the onlookers would mutter from off to the sides.

There were a few who would be startled from an unsuspecting turn of events for a Bankai to be used for a sparring session, was she desperate? More than likely but more than just that, Harle was going to push the envelope and provide a means of respect to the Heir. And the young man was correct. Harle was no longer going to hold back, and the sudden fear and agony of having to lose more people in her life. Not anymore, she wasn't going to hold back. To their surprise that Harle was standing with what appeared to be a sleeve long gauntlet, shimmering talons that concealed the lengths of her fingers, and the metallic sheen that made up her new weapons, but among all of that there were no other changes to her overall appearance.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play me}

Except.... Harle's body was behaving quite oddly. Her posture swayed side to side, her presence blurred as though fading in and out of existence. The figure merely stepped forward every moment, and within each moment the body blurred completely from sight, along with its presence, to only appear closer in the next moment. The eyes were covered, Harle's hair was no longer bound in twin tails. Each strand had fallen before her face, concealing it from the eyes that were mesmerized by what most would call a phantom. Was this Harle's Bankai? Even in the eyes of the Heir he would be a witness to the phantom along with the same signature that made up Harle's presence. Even as the limping figure approached the man there was another. The secondary presence was invisible to the eye, but surely it lingered behind what the man could see. That presence wasn't moving. It simply lingered in place like the ghastly presence it held. What was it?

Closer and closer the woman brought herself to the Heir. The fragrance of her sweet aroma similar to Harle's, as well as the wounds the condition that the man had managed to inflict upon her. Furthermore, the voices. Those soft toned chills that plagued the woman's mind, those insecurities that Souza himself had inflicted upon the Squad 2 Captain. His 400 in energy sensory detected the oddly pair of signatures, but both were exactly identical to each other. Their similarity was indistinguishable. The first presence drew itself closer, would Souza risk the chance that this phantom was actually real? Despite the aroma, strength in reiatsu, every sound it made, would Souza risk it now that the second presence began to move as well.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play me}

It followed the same pattern as the figure in front of Souza had left behind. Both presences emitted the same eery whispers, why how come why are you alive why is there filth like you alive Each whisper only grew more from their soft spoken nature to a more aggressive, firm speech as both signatures closed the distance to Souza. To his perception there would be more than just the two he felt. Looking past the audience themselves were gone, each one fading from existence to only be replaced by more signatures around the man. From a single new body to a dozen, each one emerging from thin air to surround the man. Those faint whispers were literally surrounding him from all sides. And a closer analysis he would discover that their reiatsu were all different from each other.

Thirteen Harle's approached Souza at a sluggish speed. Even for him to focus on a single one he would find that they all shared the same inner turmoil. His energy sensory scanning into each them to find that they mimic the one beside her, all of them were the same. Souza was alone and those who were observing them were no longer present. Souza wielded a means to detect Harle's actual presence, but not enough to discover the "true" Harle. Each one portrayed the other perfectly, and while there were only two before, providing a fifty percent chance of exacting the Captain's current whereabouts, there were now fourteen that emitted the same behavior down to the last detail. In reality, Harle was using the numbers of the overseers to project her added illusions.

For those who were looking on to what was transpiring on the battle field they would only bear witness to Souza being surrounded by numerous hazy figures drawing closer to their Heir. Merging to his current position with rise of reiatsu being emitted from all of them. As for Harle herself she had been jolting from each position among the closing phantoms toward the rear of the group. She positioned herself to their exact positions to conceal her presence among her phantoms to blur her own presence among them. All of them, gazed and filled with internal turmoil spoke out softly. More of a mutter as each of the phantoms were lite as though they were glowing lanterns in the night, and should the man fall victim to the lights then the Vice Captain would find himself being pulled down by immense pressure, in such as the weight of the world itself was forced upon him. Of course only the real Harle would be the one casting such a technique, but in the eyes of Souza the light will be emminating from all of the blurry phantoms. Only to wonder what would fall next to the Heir.

Remaining Reiatsu : 1150/2400 : -300 bankai, -200 Getsuei Chikara.

Combat Posts : 5/8

Bankai : 1/7

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}

1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = x10 - x10 = 0

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

This is this post's music ;D

"What was that?" one of the spectators asked. "Ankle breaking..." another replied. "A vicious cut-in when the opponent's center of gravity is on their pivot. Usually you only see it in the human world sport of basketball, and very rarely. But fencing is a footwork sport even moreso than basketball, and Souza, who is a master of it, has mastered the idea of the ankle break, and refined it as a powerful technique. As long as he has the advantage in combat, he can use it to overwhelm you." It was a bit strange having an audience to narrate literally every bit of their fight.

"What? What was that?" One of the onlookers suddenly said. And the sky had darkened, to behold a crimson red moon which would greatly have benefited the Heir's father in combat. "Bankai, huh?" Souza mused aloud as Harle began to go crazy and use her full power. It was a bit much for a sparring session, but it was likely Souza's fault for pushing so hard with his techniques. He had been trying to draw out Harle's full power, he realized now. Inside, he had deeply desired to see it... The full strength of one of the legendary Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. So, here it was. And Souza still remained calm.

The onlookers wouldn't really be able to see very well what was happening, but the Heir did. Just by the skies darkening in that way, Souza knew it was an illusion. No one could fundamentally change the world around them like that, even if it was Bankai. It was impossible to alter the sky and the moon like that with a Soul Reaper's powers. Therefore, this had to be an illusion. So, when Harle approached, and suddenly when there were multiple Harles, Souza knew that there was yet another illusion. Souza's head was turning to sweep each and every one of them. His eyes fell on all of them in turn.

Voices whispered in Souza's mind, and feelings of doubt and insecurity plagued him. Just as he had gone for a mental attack, so too was Harle, now. But the Kuchiki Heir had not lost control of the situation. This indicated that he could still reasonably find calm, because he was not overwhelmed. She was strong, but not absolute. And meanwhile, Souza Kuchiki was absolute. The Kuchiki Heir had noted one thing. He couldn't differentiate the reiatsu of any of the Harles, nor the intent, since all of them had the same motive. Technically, energy sensory couldn't find them. But... Souza could still find the real Harle.

"Your ability to hide yourself is commendable," Souza said. "However, there are things even your illusions cannot hide." For example, the effects of Pressure Gaze. Harle could transfer her insecurity to Souza, and mask reiatsu and intent, but she couldn't give each of them the exact feeling of Pressure Gaze as Souza's eyes fell on them. Pressure Gaze would have momentarily been broken by Souza losing sight of Harle, but as his eye turned to each illusory clone, and no reaction or change in their reiatsu became apparent, Souza soon learned which ones were fake. When at last his eye settled on the real Harle, he would recognize it as her reiatsu fluctuated from the new emotions generated by Pressure Gaze.

Just as Souza found her, he sensed a technique building up. There was a bright flash of light, and suddenly Souza felt as if he was being weighed down, and gravity was increasing. But his eyes did not falter from her. By using his skills of focused eye and battle focus, he even tuned out most of the light and focused only on Harle, allowing pressure gaze to continue. Of course, the light was still in his peripherals, and so he would be affected by the illusion. Luckily... With his energy sensory, he could detect that the illusion was fragile... The reiatsu around him was only so powerful.

By fluctuating his reiatsu a little, and sacrificing some of it, Souza was able to break the illusion. It was costly for a single illusion that she could likely cast again, but Souza had no need to let her cast it again. Now that he had found her, it was time to attack, before she realized whether or not he had actually found her. She probably knew, or at least suspected, given that Souza's gaze fell right on her and ignored the illusions, but it could just as easily have been that he was captivated by the illusion. Until the moment when it shattered, and Souza suddenly charged forwards on Harle.

Souza cut in close to Harle's inner guard, one foot planted in between her feet and sliding slightly forwards. This time, he was slashing at her chest. His footwork was impeccable, his blade leading the strike rather than his feet, but his feet still managing to provide him with agility that brought him from zero to max very quickly. He would seem far faster than he actually was. And, in mid slash, the blade started to turn black as Souza released his Shikai, Atsureki No Koe Ga. He chose not to speak its name, and chose also to keep it in its reduced form--still as a saber, without releasing the physical state of the Shikai. This was the sign of a master. Though he could imbue his sword with its powers, it did not physically change, and remained a sword, rather than becoming what it could have.

Souza's blade, in mid slash, also began to develop some electricity from Tsuzuri Raiden. Now, this too was a layered attack. If Harle was struck, she would be hit by the effect of Souza's Shikai, and also by the numbing paralysis of the Tsuzuri Raiden lightning. Additionally, Souza had full focus on her, and was aware of all of her actions... Furthermore, Pressure Gaze continued to be something plaguing her mind, and making focus difficult. Crafting complex illusions, even in Bankai, would be difficult, and Harle by this point might be getting tired because of the constant strain that was associated with going up against Souza.

With determined eyes, the Kuchiki Heir produced his slash, which, if it hit, in addition to all the other effects, would also serve to draw a blood spray from Harle due to being a very deep gash. However, he wasn't too worried about it. He knew that she was fast enough to dodge. Even if she hesitated or tired out because of Pressure Gaze, or was slower due to her leg injury, she should be fast enough still to dodge the strike. But, that didn't mean that Souza didn't have other plans for this fight. "I have you now," Souza informed Harle as he attacked. He was already planning five steps ahead.

Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 10,075/12,000 Reiatsu

Shikai Post Count: 1/10

Active: The Eye, Pressure Gaze

[Kaijin"Harle"Quinn]

The initiation sweep of the eye Souza found an immediate response as the crowd of phantoms suddenly dropped to their knees with a series of god awful wailing. The same followed to the Harle that the man had targeted, whom the reiatsu poured out from. Reiatsu fluxed as the man drew closer to Harle along with the surge of raw emotions seeping from the hysteria caused by the eyes. Raging out in a insanity, it would only be but a moment before Harle felt the thrusting motion from Souza's blade to pierce the Captain's torso. Souza, the Omnipotent Emperor, would find his mark as his blade was lodged deeply in between the Captain's bosom. A surge of electricity scourged the already ruined body with jolts of thunder to not only fry the woman's outsides but interior as well, the smell of burning flesh slowly filling the air around them. Such a scene resulted in the other phantoms to fade from existence to only leave Harle alone before Souza.

Her weight of her drooping body created more weight to pull down on his blade. The weight was light but steadily increasing when her knees buckled before giving out at last. The Squad 2 Captain dropped to her knees as blood shot out from the rear, and blood ran down the edges of the Heir's Zanpakuto. A scurry of thoughts ran wild through the dark corners of her fading conscious, clearly only one thought stood out. The name Marcus. How sorry she was for not going to be able to keep her promise to him. How sorry she was for not going to be able to see him again. If the man chose to delve deeper into the spirit's mind he would have discovered another thought. A thought that was apparently fleeing from Souza's mind and power. A single lunge would be able to grasp it to only discover a pain truth, You are already mine. And within that instant, a pair of sharp pain would be felt puncturing the Heir's ribcage and the center of his torso.

SPOILER: Click to show

{A Terrifying Discovery}

Glancing down to his lower right cage an inch of cold steel would be found digging into it. A stream of red would be found leaking down its edge as the rest of the blade seemed to be vanishing into a translucent object. Physical to the touch but at the same time somewhat difficult to actually see its edges. However, Souza's capabilities would be more than sufficient to make out the surface. Glass. No. A small mirror that the blade manifested itself from. The second injury was an eye opener as it was actually more noticeable than the blade into his ribcage. A splash of crimson red spotted dead center to Souza's chest to find a secondary blade emerging from thin air. Where did it come from? If followed, the blade was traced directly from Harle's limp body, she was smiling.

Its outline slowly revealed by the light of the sun above them as examining the blade's origin actually escaped from Harle's body. It was literally next to the wound that Souza had created when he stabbed her. But how? How were there blades, and how did Souza find himself stabbed? Simple of course, for he was trapped within a layers of illusions that were placed upon him. But not only that, he was trapped by the experiences that allowed Harle to pull everything together, and all she had to do was get the Kuchiki Heir within arm's reach. Or rather in leg range.

Upon charing toward Harle, she was induced by the power of his eyes. She was definitely tired and was caught off guard by his sudden escape. She knew that it could be easily broken with some effort put into it. Souza was a definite prodigy of their time, but even so, that confidence was surely something that can be turned to her favor. If anything that Souza had to teach the Jester was that he wasn't meant to be taken lightly, and to be ready for anything. With the lack of strength she had her disposal there was no way for her to escape, regardless of how quick she was. With her injuries it would be short of impossible to avoid. Almost. Souza had committed to a forward thrust, but there was something more to it. Another spike in reiatsu. Two of them actually. Even with the pressure gaze that had fallen on the woman it was her strength of will that allowed her to act.

The Captain had little time, so instead of running, she would only drop herself to the ground. By partially kicking forward with her good leg, her weakened leg would give in to the full weight of her body for it to collapse and fall flatly on her back, narrowly missing the thundering infused blade. Of course, Harle was far from done now that she was in a position to counter attack. Her good leg slide across the concrete floor to gently touch the side of Souza's heel. While sliding her foot Harle used an illusion to enact the man's successful strike on her. Another phantom to take her place and position the Heir into her trap. To her glee that he had actually done the work for her, for throughout his own efforts Harle was taking in the experience that Souza was so generously offering to add on to her arsenal.

For her counterattack, Harle had to do two other things. The first was setting up another illusion on top of her phantom, this time using her battle with Kagami to land her blows. This was done from when Harle was stabbed in the ribs, which was the reason why Harle's foot climbed to rest the tip of her toe to the man's rib. It was there that her illusion would do the rest as the Captain used that experience to re-enact that scenario and have Kagami's blade pierce Souza's ribs instead of hers. Harle still remembered that pain that was inflicted upon her, and now, Harle transferred that experience over to Souza. But that wasn't all. For the blade that would have punctured her chest, she'd allow Souza to experience that pain.

For the second blade, the one that pierced Souza's chest, that blade emerged from within the false Harle that kneel before him. That blade also belonged to Kagami as well, or rather his power. Harle not know of how is power operated, but could only be pieced together from their battle. Without a full understanding of his power she could never fully utilize it, for now. The third layer of her illusion was actually a mirror, Kagami's mirror. Which was the reason why Harle allowed her phantom to fade away to reveal a large man sized mirror to reflect Souza's image on it. That same mirror was where the black blade that Harle saw Souza's blade turned into. Harle used the man's own perception to have him generate the pain in tangent with Kagami's power to create such a feat of having Souza's own blade to pierce himself.

This entire plan came down to Harle's own experience and the physical touch that was required to have Souza's own senses turn on him. Sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, Harle was using both her own and Souza's to create such convincing illusions that will stimulate his pain receptors. After all, it is the mind that perceives what is real and what is not, unfortunately for Souza, her Bankai controls that aspect of his mind. And so, when an illusion of a blade pierces it would be pretty well damn convincing that he would be stabbed by a blade. His senses would definitely pick up on what was being perceived before him. That would go double for what was about to happen next, for his own powers would be turned on him.

The slight change in the Heir's blade made Harle very suspicious, that along with the thunder dancing through it as well. Which was why Harle decided to turn such power against him. This was another reason why Harle needed physical contact with the man, since Harle did not know what his powers were capable of, so, she used herself as a medium to transfer what he knew what his power could do back into his mind. In other words, the knowledge of knowing what his powers can cause was going to be used that them affect him, just like she had done with the powers of his eyes. Whatever power his blade now possessed was going to be turned on him, and thanks to her Bankai power, he will never be able to feel her touch so as long as she desired it so, or until her Bankai failed. This was how Harle fought, the true extent of what she was capable of, and with every battle that she was drawn into, with every thing that goes how around her she was able to use against her enemies. Souza was going to realize that now more than ever before.

Thus, Harle simply remained laying on the floor, prepped for whatever he could throw at her. Her breath steadied to regain her composure while her guard remained. Harle had to keep her mind in the game as the blood and after math of the damage remained, slowly fading away.


Remaining Reiatsu : 1150/2400 : -300 bankai, -200 Getsuei Chikara.

Combat Posts : 6/8

Bankai : 2/7

SPOILER: Click to show

{Items}


1. Flash Paper Card Deck x2 = [52] [52]

2. 6'x6' White Drapess = x2

3. Throwing Knives = 0

4. Kunai Knives = x15

5. Smoke Bombs = x2

6. Flash Bombs = x2

[Souza Kuchiki]

OOC: I wasn't 100% clear on your post so here's my understanding. Harle backed off but initiated contact simultaneous to crafting an illusion that got hit. Following this, she unleashed her devastating sensory control. Also apologies for lesser quality post. This is my first ever mobile post.

IC:

Watching from afar, way out of ordinary range of sensory, there were two. One was a big, hulking man. The other a blonde woman with icy blue eyes. The two of them had been observing the sparring session for some time. "Utilizing past experience in her illusions... A smart idea." These were the words of the woman, who for all intents and purposes could practically read minds, so that even before Harle cast her moves, the woman knew what was going to happen already. "She is clearly a disciple of Kenryoku Kawada," the man observed in response, eliciting from the woman a sort of chuckle, as if she knew something pertinent that the man in his limited ability to sense did not.

"We have not seen so potent an illusionist here since Sonken Kouhai," the woman observed. "Kaijin Quinn is exceptional in creation of vivid images. Her power is almost reminiscent of the Espada that Sozen brought down. That Espada started a war, so we can only imagine how this girl will turn out when she grows stronger. As for strength, she is quite strong. It is no wonder Sozen thought that Souza would benefit from this. But... when fighting Souza, it isn't a matter of strength. He is overwhelming and beyond the norm. He isn't exceptional because of what he can do. He's exceptional because it's him that can do it."

Music hopefully works

Meanwhile, Souza himself was pushing up on Harle, and he sensed a slight fluctuation in her reiatsu. Truth be told, his use of battle focus and battle analysis in combination were allowing him an absolute focus view on Harle. Once he had found her, he could not lose her. He saw her, even as she tried to disappear, and sensed her reiatsu. Even if she became invisible he knew her position. He couldn't even see the illusion, even if by sensory and focus he knew it was being cast. To Souza, using battle focus, there was only a dark world with a spotlight on Harle. She could not hide from his eyes.

But.... None of that was relevant. When Souza defused Harle's counter, it wasn't because he was reacting to what she was doing. Souza had planned ahead. He was reacting to what he had imagined she might do. No matter what she did, he had intended to execute this move anyway. A quick two steps with Jabber Walk made Souza's position suddenly impossible to track with the senses, and took him two steps past Harle to the side. Simultaneous to moving past her, a use of Tengenko to offset her balance as he veered through her guard with beautiful footwork would cause an ankle break maneuver, wherein Harle again lost balance and fell to her butt.

As he passed, Souza spoke. "You are highly skilled, but even so... You require more tact. At this level, even if it's a Captain, I will not be perturbed."

This time, however, Souza used his highest level of the technique, causing bones to snap in the good leg, along with sprain and muscle tear, all as she fell, neutralizing both legs effectively. This meant he not only damaged her with class 1 Tengenko, but prevented physical contact and didn't even hit the illusion, because his real intent had not been stabbing, but ankle break. He had effectively dodged her. Worst of all, two things happened as Souza passed Harle. Two techniques. The first was the electricity leaping off of Souza's blade as he passed Harle, using the eye to guide it into a net form which passed over where Harle was. Even if the illusion intercepted it, it would keep coming, and Harle, who now lacked good use of legs, and was on the ground without balance simultaneously, would no doubt find the electricity washing over her and numbing her body.

Second was Kaisan No Koe. A Shikai technique, it created a black twister of what appeared to be smoke, which left Souza's blade as he passed Harle, and continued on toward her. When it reached, which inevitably it would given her lack of mobility, her shock from the pain, lack of balance, and numbing from electricity, she would find that it wasn't smoke. It was voices. And these voices, entering her soul, would make it impossible to craft proper signals to generate reiatsu. Basically, if this hit, which it likely would, Harle would lose her ability to use reiatsu. She shouldn't lose Bankai, only use of any ability which required spending reiatsu. This, along with physical neutralizing and the numbing of the electricity, made things very difficult for Harle.

And, perhaps worse than any physical damage, she should easily be able to recognize this combat style too. Layering. Souza had stolen and mimicked her combat style. But, he had added his own prediction based style in, rendering it even more effective. The lesson was that Harle could do everything Souza currently was, with some tweaking. All it took was a bit of basic style improvement. On the other hand, Souza saw something too. That Harle, with tweaking, could become horrifying to fight against. And so, even as he dominated their fight, Souza thought only to his desire for allies and a team. And he thought, I want you even more, now...[/i] Whether or not Harle understood it, Souza wanted this ally. But... Still. At present, this fight was above anyone's level.

In short, Harle was having her illusion dodged, her balance taken, her good leg destroyed, her body covered in electricity, and her reiatsu use neutralized. That was in addition to the cutback effect and to pressure gaze wearing her mind down. And, still, even if she masked herself with illusions so that Souza could not see her, by keeping his eyes on the location where she was, Souza, even with no idea where she really was, could subject her to pressure gaze. But luckily he did have idea of her location. And could use pressure gaze. This was the power of the Omnipotent Emperor.



Souza's Remaining Reiatsu: 9463/12,000

Shikai Post Count: 2/10

Active: Pressure Gaze, The Eye

[/color]