Gold in the Rough | Joint Training(Kimiko-Shizu)

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Already Shizu was trying to think about how it was she had been bested so ewasily. She supposed she hadn't gotten as much of her strength back as she'd thought. And yet.......she smiled softly, closing her eyes as she thought it over. She had made a wonderful stride so far. She'd certainly impressed the Captain, as well as surpassed a number of her peers. Believe it or not.....she was actually turning out to be quite the shinigami. Susanoo......would be proud.

The very memory of the man was brief, a soft little fluttering of recollection at the loss of the man. The man she had come to love. Or so she assumed. She wasn't really sure what any of that was. That human stuff. He had just been....around. He was there to make her laugh. Make her smile. And show her so many different things, so many different sides of herself. And now well....wherever he was, he was probably playing out a whole new life of his own. And....somehow....she was glad. She had already effected his life so much Back then, she had been.....different.

She knew that if it hadn't been for her, he might have been happy. He could have avoided so much suffering. So much pain. He wouldn't have had to die like he had, and deep down, she'd always blamed herself for what happened to him. But now he was free from all that. Wherever he was now, she didn't have to worry about ruining his life. He was....safe from her. Her and all of the strange things that had happened throughout her rather extensive life.

And here she was, with this brand new life, this brand new purpose, and once again....looking up at Kimiko. she didn't know if what she felt was love. Something about this woman was.....different. Sure she was attractive. Plenty of people in the soul society were. A fairly good number of them probably even more attractive than Kimiko depending on one's opinion. But it wasn't just about her physical attraction. Kimiko was.....different.

A captain. A Noble. And the leader of the soul society's police force.And yet....here she was. Spending time with Shizu like she was just some teacher. Flirting with her. And certainly teaching her a little about unpredictable opponents. Something about her made Shizu feel somehow safe, a lot safer than she should have give they knew about her tails, a secret that next to her hollow reiatsu was something that she did not want getting out, much less to the head of police.

But Kimiko knowing about them? Somehow it felt alright. So when the woman leaned down to give her that whisper in the ear, as her eyes drank in the sight of the woman leaning down, fixed on that calm, relaxed face, as Kimiko moved to whisper into her ear, she was met with opposition, as Shizu lightly turned her head and gave them a kiss. A chaste brush that she didn't think of in the slightest. Her heart a flutter, it was her chest that throbbed that single word, a thought, a notion that traveled to the lips and took Kimiko's own for an ear, and in that brief beat spoke the word 'promise' as plain as any words might otherwise convey.

Of course the moment hardly lasted, and even in pain, shizu couldn't help but smile just a ittle bit as Kimiko dealt with the young man, and slowly, she laid her head back, closing her eyes as she listened to the both of them scuffling, relaxing as she settled into the cool grass, the soothing breeze, and the dull aching of her tail. It was strange really that she was so devilishly comfortable, especially with all the racked coming out from the two nearby. But even so...

Somehow, even with the pain. The Noise. The Fighting. IT was still better than she'd had most of her long ling life. This existence....this.....role as shinigami. She realized just how different it was. And just what it was that she'd taken away from Susanoo. And deep down, she hoped that wherever he was.....whatever he was doing. She wished that he wasn't waiting for her. She.....wasn't worth it. He could do so much better. DESERVED so much better. He deserved......someone with whom he could be happy.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko released a sigh after she had sent Tsukuyomi flying through the air past the both of them and throughout the area. She see that his small body had carried him quite and distance, but gravity played against him for once and the grass was torn apart. Easily going a few hundred feet she started to lose sight of where he might be and interest as well. She had put him through much worse and if he didn't get up after that then he wasn't worth continuing it was as simple as that.

Kimiko rose to her feet though and grinned down at the graduate. She couldn't help, but continue on with her devilish little flirting at the girl. She was one such thing that Kimiko now wished to at least cross of her list. It was so much easier to express feelings and let a female lay with her than a man. Kimiko didn't know why, but it was simply something about her. She vanished for a moment though and then the girl if she looked around would be able to see that Kimiko had somehow redressed herself in the normal attire of a Shinigami within little more than a moment.

Kimiko though didn't have time to keep speaking or even speak to begin with as Tsukuyomi made his grand reentrance. Out of nowhere at a speed that would blur to the graduate came the long zanpakuto of the fourth seat. However, Kimiko could see it clear as day and was now in the mood to tease Tsukuyomi. So moving her hands together she pressed her breasts together as well just as the head of the blade was about to strike her chest. "Awe man was that really all you could manage Tsuki?" Kimiko teased as she held his zanpakuto between her breasts.

She had managed to stop the attack by simply catching the blade with her cleavage. Now though all she could do was tease him so that he would work harder like he always did. She began to rub her breasts and move them up and down. "That girl of yours isn't nearly as big now is she?" Kimiko joked as she eyed her subordinate. After a moment though she allowed the zanpakuto to fall down and she kicked it back at him.

It soared through the air towards him and Tsukuyomi extended his hand catching the blade that he then glared at upset. "She doesn't need such weapons Captain Shihoin. Now lets go before you continue to molest this poor girl." Kimiko sighed again and put her Captain Haoki on once again. Tsukuyomi eyed the girl for a moment and saw her tail his eyes met hers and in them there wasn't judgement, but understanding and empathy for someone that looked completely the opposite. He then turned and began to walk off.

Kimiko moved over towards the graduate and held out her hand for a moment to help her to her feet. Whether or not the girl took her hand Kimiko had work to do and couldn't stay. "Don't mind him. He's . . . a lot like you. . unique. Oh before I forget what's your name?" Kimiko hadn't yet learned the name of the girl and after she had actually kissed her Kimiko would like to know the name of someone as well favorable to remember later on.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Shizu was actually a bit surprised at the Captain's behavior, blushing even more as she watched the manner with which she sparred with her seated officer, slowly getting to her feet and taking a deep breath as she let her tail hang limp, not daring to move it as the other tails lightly curled at her waist. Turning her attention to the pair she couldn't help but smle just a little, noticing the look that the man was giving her when he saw her tails, immediately slipping them back into her clothing.

She wondered when she would grow to be as strong as these two.....when she would be able to defend herself, take on a Captain. And so many other things. She smiled softly to herself, figuring it was only a matter of time before she reached such a level. If she retained her determination and stayed the course, she had no doubt that she would be able to one day be a match for Kimiko. And that was something that stirred inside of her, a sudden shift in her spiritual pressure at the very thought as.....they....whispered.

Her zanpaku'to gently reached out. First to Shizu, and then to the surroundings. That pure dark aura coming from her Wakizashi, and the pure light aura coming from her Otachi. Both Zan spirits were slowly waking up, slowly opening their eyes, slowly she felt their spiritual presence inside her bones A sort of wakening that reached out and pulled through her skin and dragged in everything around her, a spiritual pressure that was so much greater than her own.

---

"Do you finally remember?"

Standing before them. Nanakiba Orochi. She felt....intimidated. By herself. Her older self. Swallowing hard, she saw herself as she had been as a hollow. That Massive 30 meter tall dragon, each of those seven heads glaring down at her as she stood before them, feeling them slithering in close, that vast desert that was her inner world raging around her in some massive sandstorm. A massive tornado of sand tearing up around her, surrounding her with that dull roar of wind.

"It's been so very very long shizu. You've been sleeping for a while. Though we notice you have been....waking." They hissed, eyes turning to see those long tails of hers. "You're so very very close. We can taste it. We can FEEL it. We know you are so very close to awaking. Awaking us. Awaking your memories." They hissed softly, slowly backing off As Shizu felt a tingling in her skin, her eyes suddenly snapping to the side as she could feel them. The other one....Daihachibi.

That massive eight head, slowly coiling around her body. So very stealthy that she hadn't realized it was there until it was coiled around her, squeezing deeply around her body as that single black eye moved right before her face, a sudden knot formin in her throat as she could FEEL the evil smothering her. All of her evil from so long ago, all of that hatred, that negativity, the disgusting feelings and emotions she had collected after four thousand years, all fused into a single tiny sword. She felt like vomiting.

"Open yourrrr eyessssssssss"

---

When it was over Shizuyoko felt a sudden tremor inside of her. Something so very simple, and yet so very deep as well. Her hands resting on her zanpaku'to as she realized she was suddenly sitting down. How long had it been since she'd sat down. And she felt it. She had been letting her reiatsu gush out in that trance. Both Kimiko and Tsukiyoma would have felt it. Felt HER. Felt Orochi. A spiritual pressure that was something between The blade that had belonged to the arrancar, NanaKiba Orochi. And the blade that had belonged to that horrible Vizard, Daihachibi.

Both of their reiatsu was pumping out as she felt it crawling along her skin. That deep black-red reiatsu, the one that held every color inside of it....but blue. The one thing she had never regained. The one color that even to this day she just couldn't see. The one color missing that kept her reiatsu from being a pure black itself. Feeling those blades in her lap she could feel them howling, feeling them waking up. Now of all times. When she had let those memories of Susanoo in. Let herself realize she needed to let him go. Needed to make a new life for herself.

And they had responded to her wish. (Music)

She immediately tried containing her reiatsu, her eyes going a bit wide as she realized how much spirit energy she was putting out, swallowing hard as she forced her palms down on those blades, trying to keep their energy in check as it gushed back out. She didn't want this to happen so suddenly, she didn't want this to happen infront of a Captain of all beings. But there was no helping it. Four thousand years of power was suddenly welling up inside of her. It was nothing like all of it. This was hardly her old self, hardly her old strength. But it was what her zanpaku'to couldn't hold back. The runoff that was unable to be contained.

Daihachibi shattered, The blade crackling and breaking apart as suddenly those shards welled up in the air. If Tsukiyoki had a pure dark aura, or a significantly strong light aura he'd be able to feel them, the general direction that the blades were around Shizu as she slowly tried to breathe in and out. That dark aura was sickening and almost smothered everything else, were it not for the distinct lack of evil coming off of Shizuyoko herself it might have even been scary.

Nanakiba was a different story altogether. There was no evil, and it channeled Shizuyoko's light aura fairly well. That massive segmented cleaver-like warglaive. Like some handle-less cleaver  rested in her other hand, and for just a moment, Shizuyoko felt it's power reaching for her tails. Begging her to hold onto the seven handles. To separate the blades. But of course she didn't. She had....other concerns. Other much more dire concerns as slowly, that dark aura was practically crawling into her guts.

She could feel it. Daihachibi's evil crawling along her skin like so many spiders. Crawling into her ears. Her Mouth. Her Eyes. It was so very hard to control the urges that it spilled into her mind like black ink. So many murderous things it wanted to do. So many that welled up from the outside, her light aura only just fighting them off as they made her gag. The same thoughts that millenia ago had drove her to eat seven children. That selfish desperation to gain her senses back. Because that's what it was.

It wasn't evil. It wasn't some kind of demon inside of her. It wasn't some villain hiding inside of that sword. No wants to rule the world. No determination to make people pay. That's not where evil came from. IT was fear. Fear of being too weak. Fear of being too stupid. Fear of being too alone. Fear of being surrounded. Fear of being hunted. Fear of being judged. Fear of being Eaten. But most importantly. The fear that had been buried so deep inside of her that she had never even thought about it in all the time in the Academy.

Fear of the Strange Man. It was a terrible thing that almost made her vomit as it welled up inside her. Tears showed in her eyes as she thought about it, thought about HIM. About what he would think abuot everything she'd done. Every horrible thing she'd comitted. Every sin she'd partaken in. She didn't fear hell. That ridiculous place. She'd already died and been spared it's fire. Apparently she just didn't match it's criteria. What she did fear was her maker. The one who had breathed life into that statue so long ago, and had begun the journey of fear.

At first it had been the fear he would never come back. He had told her to wait, but she was scared. Afraid. What if he forgot her. What if he didn't come back? So she'd killed her brothers. Killed them. Ate them. Broken out of the cave she had been living in. Murdered seven daughters, regaining her senses. Destroyed so many homes as she fought Susanoo. Become an arrancar in Hueco Mundo. And....by then? she had no longer been afraid of him never coming back.

After everything she'd done. She was afraid he'd find out what she did. And right now. Infront of Kimiko. Infront of Tsukiyomi. THEY would be able to feel it. The Fear coming out of that blade. They didn't have the memories to understand WHY they were feeling it. But that horrible tortured sword with that dark aura was gushing it out like nobody's business. And at that moment, shizuyoko couldn't reseal either of them. Neither of her Zanpaku'to were ready to go back to sleep. And slowly, she drew herself back to her feet, breathing heavily as she tried to fight back the panic. Fight back the fear inside of her. The fear that whispered in her ear to kill Kimiko and Tsukiyomi.

Rationally? She knew she shouldn't. Couldn't even if she wanted to. But Fear wasn't rational. It didn't have a two track mind. It only saw one reason, and it was the reason she was afraid. Things like strength didn't matter. And it had been that fear that had led her in the past to tear the throats out of hollows many times stronger than her before. And in that moment she wanted help. Wanted something to drive this fear away. Wanted something to help quit Daihachibi.

It had been so quiet for so long. She'd forgtten how heavy it was. Forgotten what a burden wielding it was. Forgotten just how much pain and sadness she'd poured into it all those years ago. And on one hand, she wanted to get away. To be away from Kimiko, wanting to keep them fromseeing her like this, from FEELING all of this coming off of her. But at the very same time, somehow, she wanted them to help her.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko was now on her feet fulling clothes and ready to make her way back to the barracks of the seventh division with Tsukuyomi in order for the both of them to either handle things that might be at the moment pressing or continue his training. The academy graduate looked to be happy at the moment and everything seemed like it had gone ok, but she was wondering about something in her head. Kimiko wished that she could spend more time away right now and find out whether or not she could get the girl to join her division or not let alone her name. That was when Kimiko and Tsukuyomi both felt the reiatsu of the girl begin to spike at a level that was above what should be capable for someone as inexperienced as herself.

Along with the spike in her reiatsu the aura that she was giving off also changed and the nature of her reiatsu as well. Tsukuyomi the moment that he sensed the reiatsu of a hollow within the girl put his hand back on the hilt of his zanpakuto ready to slash her down in the next moment. He didn't like what he was sensing and knew the danger of what she might actually be now that he sensed that reiatsu. However, he wasn't the only one that sensed it and by no means could he sense it to a better degree. Kimiko's small right hand suddenly grabbed ahold of Tsukuyomi's hand pulling it from his zanpakuto. "Don't worry she's no threat. She's like you Tsuki." Reluctantly Tsukuyomi took his hand away from his zanpakuto.

Both of them continued to stand there watching as the zanpakuto of the graduate awoke and the shiaki of the girl presented themselves. One of which seemed to be completely darkness and had what looked like the ability to split into hundreds if not thousands of tiny fragments. Those fragments moved through and air over towards Tsukuyomi who now stood simply ovserving and keeping himself calm while everything presented itself in what seemed to be a peaceful manner. That was when Kimiko saw that this graduate had yet another unique thing about her. She seemed to be one of the trare shinigami that had two different shikai.

A grin spread across her face as that made itself apparent. The other shikai from what she could see seemed to be a massive sword that had from what she could tell multiple handles. It didn't take moment than a moment for Kimiko to put the pieces together and realize what exactly was suppose to hold the shikai. However, there seemed to be more handles than the graduate had tails. That was when both Kimiko and Tsukuyomi started to feel the overwhelming sense of fear that was forcing itself out from the graduates shiaki. It took a moment and during that time the graduate got to her feet and seemed to be fighting off something inside of herself.

Neither Kimiko nor Tsukuyomi knew the truth about who she was or why she had the reiatsu of a hollow. However, Kimiko was confident that this girl was something special and that she meant no true harm to anyone else. Fighting back the fear with her willpower alone Kimiko moved towwards the graduate as she struggled with whatever was going on inside of her. It took a few moments, but that was when the girl would suddenly feel the warmth of Kimiko's hand on her chest. "Whatever is going on inside of you know that it's a part of you, but it doesn't define you. The choices that you make now are who you will become. There is no courage without fear." Kimiko smiled at the girl and still standing where he had been was Tsukuyomi smiling towards the girl as well knowing the struggle that she was going through better than even his Captain.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Burning. It was a fire in her veins that seemed to eat away at who she was. What she was. That fear racing through her nerves to sink teeth into her muscles, locking them in place as she continued to resist it, the urge to break her own body, crawl out and go back. Back to before. Back to when she was a god. Her eyes wer wide and already she could feel wisps of insanity beginning to weigh down on her. The pressure was starting to make her snap, the pressure that her zan was forcing down on her.

When Kimiko suddenly moved in, the fear kicked her in the teeth. Almost instantly she recognized them as a shinigami, and memories of several thousand years hit her all at once. That shinigami were enemies. On thew spot there was a harsh tearing noise as her tails ripped apart, seven brand new tails flaying bloody lines along the ground as in that moment they each grabbed onto a handle on that other weapon and the weapons separated, suddenly all seven blades were pointed at Kimiko as they moved in.

Only when that hand landed on her chest Shizuyoko suddenly stopped, those dark eyes staring nervously up at Kimiko, clearly afraid as she tensed, those tails uncertain as to wether or not she should attack. Wether or not she should try and defend herself. Her mind drowning out everything else as she was more focused on the fact that Kimiko could probably kill her at any moment. Already her Zan spirit was awake, that seven headed serpent suddenly forcing it's pressure out, corrupted for the moment by that eight head as Kimiko would get a full dose of that fear.

But there was a resiliance as well. There was some small part of her that was not afraid, but comforted by Kimiko, and as the contact was maintained, slowly, her spiritual pressure began to wane, vanishing as it once again was hidden, fresh tears running down her face as she slowly relaxed, staring down at the ground and covering her mouth. Clearly having never had to deal with all of those old emotions all at once. Eventually, those tails went limp, and those blades sank into the ground as even that dark blade reformed, Shizuyoko sniffling softly.

She felt exhausted. Trying to fight back that much spiritual pressure, that much fear all at once. She felt like her muscles were about to fall apart, and even moreso she was emotionally drained. But....at the very least Kimiko was there. Solace given to her as she could enjoy that at least, even moreso that she was able to rest. Suddenly sleep seemed like the best of ideas. Grand for sure, definitely something to do, unaware that no doubt the sereitei was on alert. A hollow reiatsu so close to the school was doubtlessly going to draw attention. But she was way too tired to think about that right now, and slowly, she could feel herself begin to pass out.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko was happy to see that the graduate seemed to gain control over whatever was happening wigth her zanpakutos. It took a few moments, but in time both of the zanpakutos seemed to calm down as did she and then the girl started to pass out. Kimiko being right there anyway simply was able to catch her with her left arm and keep her from falling to the ground. In the next instant the zanpakuto of the girl resealed themselves and Kimiko was forced to knock both of up up into the air with her right foot and grab ahold of them with her hand. Only through her skill at movement and hakuda was Kimiko able to pull something off so easily and yet it seemed her job wasn't done.

Tsukuyomi was approaching and looked to her for advice on how to go about the girl now. "We'll leave this bit of information between us for now Tsukuyomi. I have always given you the benefit of the doubt and now it's time that we both give her that as well. If the time comes and she proves to be something other than what I believe than i give you permission to eliminate her. However, right now it seems that she is exhausted after the awakening of her shikai. Let's get a move on." Kimiko then squatting downwards bent her knees and Tsukuyomi leaped backwards as fast as he could knowing what she was about to do. In the next instant Kimiko jumped from the ground causing a wide spread gust of air to push back everything and the ground to curve inwards from her strength.

5 Hours later.

Kimiko had brought the graduate back to the barracks of the seventh division. Specifically at the moment the graduate was laying in the bed that Kimiko had in the back second half of the large office that she had. In all honesty it was where Kimiko normally spent her time aside from the weekends when she would go back to the Shihoin estate. She had work that needed her attention when she got back so she had laid the girl down on her bed and figured that all she would need was rest. So leaving her alone Kimiko had gone to the front room where she sat doing paper work.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Christ, I lost count twice. xD

153 Total paragraphs, so:

Shizu: +760 CTP
Kimiko: +760 TTP