Training from the Wolf Queen

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko Shihoin sat at the desk in her office located in the barrackes of the seventh division. At the moment Kimiko was doing more than likely what she would describe as the most annoying and boring part of her job as the Captain of Soul Society's police force. Paperwork was simply something that was meant to document that certain things had been done offically. Kimiko felt that the lack of trust in Soul Society was troubling yet knew that it was for the best. Paperwork also made it easier to go back and regard information in detail that pretained to the past. While all of that was good it didn't mean that she had to like writing everything down at the moment.

The simple thought that she could push it off and do it later was something that was so easy to give into yet something she knew was wrong. She couldn't postpone one of her duties as Captian that was something that couldn't be done especially at a time like this. Her duty as the Captain of the seventh division was to enforce the laws of Soul Society yet to do something so important she had to be one of the most powerful Shinigami herself. Kimiko would love to claim such a thing as fact and yet she knew such a thing right now wasn't truth.

She had been training herself to the point that her body was starting to take a heavy toll while her experienced continued to grow. She had formed a bond of some kind with her Vice Captain Kaen and it seemed that the fourth seat Tsukuyomi after being under her tutelage for more than a year had grown strong enough that he could handle the majority of those in Soul Society. Division seven was regaining ground as one of the most powerful yet Kimiko knew she had to do more for Soul Society.

Kimiko had connections through the other divisions. Not the majority of them due to her lack of friendly conversation with the other Captains, but a few of them she knew. Divisions Eleven, Two and the Onmitsukido were the primary division by which she could actually make a difference. She knew that her cousin wasn't in the greatest of conditions right now and while the two of them had spoken and Kimiko had simply viewed it better that she take control of the divisions training and defense while he recovered Okami had refused.

Grin and Kimiko didn't get along that well and thus Kimiko in truth didn't have much if any pull for the Eleven division. However, what she did have were the skills of an assassin and the technique to change her form into something so small that almost no one in Soul Society could ever find her. So it was easy enough to get the information that she needed from the slob of her family. She hadn't been able to find anyone in division two for training other than her sister Kisala and her old friend Aevus.

Those were the individuals that at the moment Kimiko felt could benefit from her instructor the most and thus she had sent out Hellfire butterflies to each of them specifically. She wanted them all here around noon which only happened to be fifteen minutes away. In total there were four invited, but Kimiko didn't expect more then two. Aevus was normally to lazy to train and Kisala was busy with division two. If all of them joined then it would be a great experience, but she didn't have her hopes up.

The other two individuals were from the Eleventh division a new member from a low noble family that had the first name Souji. Kimiko had looked over his academy records and details on his family and figured that someone in the Eleventh Division was going to need training. Well the entire division would need training since Grin more than likely wasn't doing such a thing. Kimiko though felt that by training one with potential she might be making the next Captain down the line. She needed to make sure that Soul Society stayed safe forever even after she was gone.

The other individual was the beautiful blonde that Kimiko had met while visiting the academy. For one reason or another that girl was special and she knew that in time she could obtain the position of Captain and truly make a difference. Finding out the name of the girl had required Kimiko to ask Okami for the resent recruits which wasn't anything serious and only took a few minutes to find her picture and information. Kimiko just continued to sit in her chair with papers across her desk while some of them arrived hopefully.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Captaincy was the last thing on shizuyoko's mind as she made her way to the Seventh Division barracks, a slight anoyance in her eyes, as well as a darkening of them as she was incessantly annoyed by Pavora. Oh, sorry, Daihachi-bi. The unlocking her her zanpaku'to had been....tiring. Already she was losing sleep because of them. One zanpaku'to sounded so amazing right now. She envied her fellow shinigami in having only a single voice in their head. She on the other hand was oh so lucky to have two of them.

And of course they were talkative. The primary topic of conversation being that they seemed to enjoy teasing her. About the most ridiculous of things.
I'm not saying you're getting fat, I'm just saying that a certain part of you has been growing an awful lot since you've become a shini. Maybe it's the food or something, but really you should try to exercise a bit more. She needs to stop eating so much. All that food is going straight to her tits. No real way to exercise those

Why on earth her zanpaku'to were like this was beyond her. Werent Zanpaku'to supposed to be wise, self-fulfilling things? Beings that reflected your deepest soul? Sure she'd broken hers and fed it to her old swords, but surely it shouldn't make THAT much of a difference. But no, as it seemed, feeding an arrancar and a hollow into your soul seemed to be much less.........destiny-filled. She was ancient. A monster, a beast, a being that if anyone knew who she REALLY was, w3ould probably execute her on sight.

And yet here she was. Her Zanpaku'to were lecturing her on her chest size. And she was heading off to train with a Captain who was probably going to be ordered to execute her one day. It was a reality she understood at this point. Making friends with the woman.... not the best of ideas perhaps.... IT was actually stupid. And for that moment she stopped in her tracks, staring a head a little as she wondered....

What had she been thinking?

She knew she had a history. And more likely than not Soul Society was not going to take likely to it. Unless she worked her ass off proving she could be useful. The very idea of what might happen in her future was....harrowing. She was probably going to die. She.....actually smiled a little bit at that. The very idea was.....a little adorable. She wondered.....would being murdered by a shinigami cleanse her of her zanpaku'to and send her straight back into the rukongai? OR would she just be...obliterated? She couldn't help but put of a small, sad smile as that fear slowly began sinking into the back of her mind.

She knew who it was. She felt her vission blurring a little and her head beginning to ache, reaching up and gently itching at the side of her face, peeling off a bit of white flake as she shook her head and sighed. She needed to stop thinking about this.....it was only going to upset her. Wiping her eyes, she just continued walking, her eyes burning slightly despite the lack of any pinkness in the 'whites' of her eyes. With just a few moments to calm herself, she went back to walking toward the Division Seven barracks. In the back of her mind, her zanpaku'to remained silent, she herself unaware that they were already.....planning.

[Souji Tenryu]

((OOC: Training for CTP))

“So why are we going out again, Saito?” Souji couldn't help but ask his guardian as the two of them made their way through Seireitei, on their way towards the Squad 7 barracks. The question was somewhat rhetorical, as the young man knew the reason he had been pulled away from his daily duties as the head of the Tenryu family and was now en route to the central headquarters of the Gotei's Internal Affairs Division; he had received an invitation from the Captain, one that was less a request and more of an order to attend. While Souji was a member of Squad 11, and any orders from his direct superiors would countermand the one that was calling him to visit another Squad, he lacked any such orders, and as a result any order from an officer of the Captain rank was immutable and undeniable. In truth, he had no choice but to go along with the matter.

No, the question was more about their pretext; it wouldn't do to have the head of a rising family be called about like some common errand boy. Though he was currently only an unseated officer in his Squad, far from the greatness he one day hoped to attain as a Vice-Captain or even a Captain, Souji still thought highly of himself and his family, as well as the reputation that came with his position. As the head of the Tenryu line, he was expected to uphold the dignity and respect that came with it, and as a result, he could not simply be ordered around without a suitable reason. No, it would have to seem as though he himself had chosen to come, rather than being dragged about like some mongrel on a leash. It simply wouldn't do to act like a caged animal.

“I hear that the head of Squad 7 is quite an attractive woman.” Saito said quietly, a soft smile crossing the man's lips. Souji returned the look, though his grin was far broader and more confident. His guardian was often a quiet and dignified man, one who had served both Souji's father and now the new heir himself, yet at the same time he was comfortable and casual bringing himself down to a level that complimented his hotheaded young charge. Though a man who was trained in formality and grace from the upper echelons of the world, Saito had equally studied in the more common parts of the world, from taverns to street brawls, and had learned how to act at both social levels. He had no problem joking casually with Souji, especially given his charge's tastes. “But be careful, it's said that she's quite quick despite her bust, and you may get more than just a slap on the wrist if you go to pinch her rear as casually as ever. She is one of the strongest martial artists in Seiretei at the moment.”

“Is that so?” Souji smiled as he picked up the pace. “I'm going to have to take that as a personal challenge, then. Besides, I have other reasons to be back there... you said she carries her Zanpaktou on her back, yes?” Saito smiled and nodded, knowing exactly why the young heir was asking such a question; what smith of any true quality passed up a chance to examine other makes and styles of weapons, particularly ones formed of such an ephemeral quality as the soul? Souji would be just as eager to examine the weapon as he would be to fondle the female Captain; both had their own sort of allure. “Well then, I'll have to get a closer look. I believe you said that it's a two-handed sword in its size, and I have a project back home that could benefit from a closer examination. Seeing a finished product as compared to one in progress would help me picture what I'm aiming for.”

“Another project, Lord Tenryu?” Though Souji had insisted that at home he be treated on a more personal level by his guardian, one who had watched over him since his youth, Saito insisted on the title when they were in public. It would be demeaning for the head of the Tenryu family to be addressed in an undignified manner by even his personal manservant, thus the formalities were necessary. “I wasn't aware that you had finished your last one. You were working on studying the different ores from the recent mine acquisition and how well they tempered into spiritual steel, were you not? I expected that project to take another week at least, as the most recent shipment only came in yesterday.”

“I worked into the night, made about five blades out of each of the three major types of ore we discovered. Not impressed with any of them; of the three, only one of them was strong enough to compare to spiritual steel, but it developed so many flaws during the cooling process that it would have made the most worthless and fragile weapons ever. Hardly suited for a tool of our family's trade.” Souji waved a hand dismissively; he didn't really care to talk about the failures, as that was a setback he hadn't appreciated. He had carefully portioned off a small part of the family's fortune for that mine after examining it and finding high-quality iron ore during a survey, yet that vein had quickly run out, and the remainder of the mine's ores were of low quality, hard to smelt into anything appropriate for proper tools.

But their conversation had to end there, it seemed; even as Souji waved off Saito's curiosity, the two of them found themselves standing before the entrance to Squad 7's barracks. The young Tenryu heir put on his best smile, eager to meet the supposedly lovely Captain of the squad, not to mention examine the tool of a powerful Shinigami to further his knowledge and understanding of a weapon crafted by another's soul. It didn't take but a moment for him to get started, taking the lead this time with a confident, powerful stride, and Saito only a few steps behind him. The taller man stayed silent as they approached, his manner that of a personal guard as his short black hair blew back lightly in the wind, his emerald eyes scanning the courtyard as though he were waiting for a threat that neither of them truly expected. Appearances were everything, after all.

Of course, it didn't take Souji long to be distracted; as they were approaching the main office, he spotted a pretty blonde Shinigami who was walking in the same direction, her back to him. It didn't take the young man's eyes long to roam downwards along the contours of her body, the curves muted by the loose Shinigami robes... but her backside was quite well-defined. Smiling to himself, Souji brushed his long brown bangs out of his eyes before quickly approaching, wrapping an arm around the young woman's shoulders as he greeted her. “Hello, gorgeous! You seem to be going the same way as I am; it must be fate for the two of us to have met here, the beauty and the blacksmith. After all, you've only just met the head of the famous Tenryu family, and I've met the most beautiful woman I've seen yet today.”

Taking one of the young woman's hands in his own, Souji gave a disarmingly handsome smile; he was not an unattractive man by a long shot, and many a woman would have swooned under his charm, albeit temporarily; he had no doubt this Shinigami would be any different. “My name is Souji Tenryu, dear; if I may, who do I have the pleasure of addressing? Might I get to know your name?”

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

Shizuyoko was.... a bit surprised when she sensed the presence of the shinigami. Glancing over her shoulder just in time for that rather....handsome shinigami to come up behind her, slipping an arm around her shoulders, making contact with bare skin as well as the zanpaku'to sheathed across her back, not yet making contact with Daihachi-bi as it was sheathed just above that rear that doubtlessly drew attention away from it. Normally she would have been in her omnitsukidou uniform, but she had foregone the long sleeved shirt and mask in order to blend in a bit more and not give off the fact that she was Omni, instead goinf got a simple squad 2 uniform, with its more......iconic features, namely the lack of fabric at the back and shoulders.

But what was more surprising was the male's manner of speaking. In the long long time she had dealt with shinigami, never had any of them spoken with such an....odd tone of voice. Immediately her brows lifted in surprise, knitting together in....confusion. This was not right. She knew shinigami very well, VERY well. And yet this was something....new? And of course, when he reached out and took her hand she immediately lit up a bright pink. Once again this was strange. It was almost like being grappled but....gentler. Which honestly shouldn't be pleasant, but somehow it was, and she was.....perplexed. No doubt Enki, if she were here, would be laughing her ass of (and indeed she was) at the sight.

Taking several moments to simply stare in slight disbelief, Shizu tilted her head, looking from their joined hands and then to the male's face, as if considering the meaning of each of them. How badly her tails wanted to slither out and prod this strange male, but they remained hidden. "I um.....Are.....you talking to me?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head, still confused and a bit wondering as to the meaning behind all of...this. She was of course aware of the other male, but honestly she was a bit distracted at the moment, of course it would take her a while to remember that her name was being asked for.

"Ummm....Officer Toraumi, Unseated." She murmured in introduction, briefly thinking that she hadn't heard of his family. Most of the Omni kept tabs on the royal families but she didn't actually remember reading anything about this man's family in particular. Maybe they weren't centered in the sereitei? She knew some of the lesser families were in the rukongai, but she had no idea, as it was entirely possible his was simply not one under watch. Even so she had a slight....tension about her. Still a bit off-tilt with the strange tone and contact.

[Souji Tenryu]

Souji gave another winning smile at the woman's flustered expression; it seemed that he had indeed struck a nerve, and not in a bad way. Her flush suggested that she was shy, unaccustomed to being treated in such a polite and cordial manner. This was shocking to Souji himself; how could anyone not be anything but the utmost gentleman to such a good-looking woman? Granted, the young Tenryu heir expected that the woman probably got her share of lecherous attentions, perhaps leading to this flustered shyness towards a positive approach. Well, no matter; he'd get her to warm up to him eventually. For now, the least Souji could do was be polite and properly woo her in a gentle manner befitting a noble like himself.

“Miss Toraumi, is it? A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. You must be new to the Gotei, as I am; for now, I too am an unseated officer in Squad 11, though I aspire to a much higher rank in the near future.” Letting his hand slip down from her shoulder, Souji slid it down her back in a very gentle and friendly caress, the pressure light and the fingers barely brushing along the spine. Seeing the woman's initial reaction to his introduction, he expected her to jump, which was fine; the Tenryu heir would not be surprised if she reacted negatively, thinking that he was aiming to pinch her fine rear or something similarly boorish. But no, his intents were far more innocent, in a manner of speaking; as his fingers moved down her back, they stopped just above the woman's sheathed sword, lightly clasping the hilt.

In a swift motion, Souji drew the sword from its sheath, his eyes already sliding downwards to examine the blade as it was drawn. His trained ears listened to the sound of the weapon sliding from its sheath, his fingers felt the rasp of metal against the lip, and as he finally pulled it free, the young blacksmith felt its weight in his hand. All of these came with general calculations and observations within the space of the few moments that he drew the blade, and once it was in his hand, he held it freely, noting its shape, the angle of the blade, and its general sharpness. By now, of course, Miss Toraumi had probably noted the fact that her weapon was no longer on her person; even as flustered as she was, she would not be able to miss such a noticeable presence at her hip, given its size and weight, so Souji began to explain himself.

“Do pardon me, miss, but I am borrowing this for just a moment. As a blacksmith, I enjoy seeing weapons forged by others, particularly those forged of a person's soul. Not only does a Zanpaktou possess its own qualities that makes it an interesting template for other weapons to be crafted in its image, but it tells much about the owner as well. Here, let me show you.” With that, Souji hefted the blade with only modest difficulty in both hands, holding it straight before him to look down the length of the blade. “Long blade—I'd say between thirty-three and thirty-six centimeters in length at a glance—and a long hilt makes this a rather large sword, but the thin nature of the blade makes it supple and reduces the weight slightly. Do you know what this says?”

Souji gave his companion another friendly smile even as he gave an experimental swing of the sword, feeling the weight tugging it downwards even as he swept it to the side, away from Miss Toraumi. Saito would be unconcerned by the sudden swing; he could draw his own Zanpaktou in a moment's notice, and easily block an unaimed sweep, so sat by to watch his ward at work. “What I see here is a reflection of your soul. In your heart, your spirit, you feel like a larger person. I don't necessarily mean physically, however, though this may also apply. I think you're gorgeous the way you are, of course.” And there he was, flirting once more. “But you feel larger in presence, like your power should be bigger, your spirit is larger than the body that contains it. At least, that's what I feel, looking at this sword. The size of it is but an illusion, as I imagine its spiritual nature lends it a lightness that allows you to swing it with deceptive ease, and the thinness of it reduces air resistance and allows it to slice through a target with a whip-like casualty. Basically, it looks big and makes you feel big. But it's all an illusion of self... something we all have, of course.”

With that, Souji flipped the sword around in his hand, holding it hilt-first towards his Shinigami companion and allowing her to reclaim her weapon, had she not attempted to do so sooner. In a way, such antics were his way of showing off and attempting to impress her with his knowledge of not only the weapon, but what it said about the wielder. Truth be told, it was a skill that was passed down among the Tenryu family, but most strongly in the main family; the weapon crafted often was made and tempered to fit the soul, and Souji had, over time, become increasingly adept at understanding a person from the weapons made for them. He had showed much of the same only a moment before to Miss Toraumi, revealing the specialized nature of his talents.

Giving a polite bow to the Shinigami, Souji then offered his arm for the woman to take. “Now, I do believe we should head inside; it's almost noon, and I imagine that Captain Shihoin would not be happy if we were late. Would you allow me to escort you inside, Miss Toraumi?” If she accepted, he would be more than happy to lead the way, stopping only long enough to ask for directions to the Captain's office before continuing on his way. Once they were there, escort and escortee or not, Souji would give a polite rap on the door to draw attention to their presence.

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

His words continued to drive home that odd sensation, an etiquette that so resoundingly called out to her inexperience in having a heart. So many years with a hole in her soul, and now this man made her feel all the younger. She smiled slightly, her head tilting a bit as she faltered. Shy was.....one way of perceiving it. Normally she was hardly so very shy, but it was simply a matter of inexperience. She could roll with anything given a brunt and direct approach, indeed she could have been quite suave. But with this nicety? She was lost, floundering in deeper waters than she expected, or was used to.

With his hand sliding down her spine she actually smiled, relaxing a little as his behavior became a bit more familiar, her own fierce eyes piercing into his as she realized that this was simply a different opening to the same book. She felt a bit more comfortable, with the possibility that the introduction had simply been a unique way to segue into familiar territory. At least until he took her blade. This too was familiar, and in an instant her hand slipped to her other blade, already she stepped in as he backed away to draw her sword, keeping herself far too close to him for him to effectively swing the larger sword, as her other blade, so very much shorter, was brought to bear to his chin.

But....of course.....again she found herself lost. A look of utter surprise when....he revealed to have no violent intentions. She paused, a bit of an embarrassed look on her face as she found herself backing off, allowing him to swing her blade, and to make things worse, on top of having no sinister intent, he went and complimented her. In perhaps another time, this might have been the equivalent of those drama shows, where one woman thinks her mate was seeking other females due to contact, when that contact indeed turned out to be a facilitation of a gift for that mate. Suspicion of foul play tainting what was the purest of acts. Thankfully this was not some simulation.

Redder now than before, from both his charm as well as her embarrassment, she paused, taking in his....analysis of her blade. And the way it reflected her soul. And she.....smiled softly to herself. It was.....certainly close. And she gave a soft little chuckle as she stepped forward, eyeing the weapon as he offered it back to her, rubbing lightly at her neck as she replied, something of an apologetic tone even as she avoided talking about her little....overreaction.

"The ilussion of size.... I suppose I'm not as well-versed in that as you. I never really thought of myself as having to make myself seem bigger." She mused idly, reaching out and gently grasping the blade, those piercing green eyes locked on him as she let her spiritual pressure slip just a bit. Not enough to let it out of her body, but enough for it to travel through that blade. And for just a moment, she let Nanakiba off her leash.

In the very next moment her Zanpaku'to reached out into the male as he held her, immediately he would feel it, the sensation of them dipping into his soul, and for but a moment he would see her spiritual pressure. And in his face, those titanic head suddenly surrounding him. Her Zanpaku'to spirit. The seven-headed serpent herself, heads and mouths bigger than he was, with that enormous body coiled just beyond those fourteen piercing eyes. And he would so find that his hand held the tips of their tails, ringing almost painfully with that old proverb about grabbing snakes by that particular part.

And like that it was gone, Shizu gently pulled the blade from his grasp and smiled pleasantly. A moment later and the blade was slithering back into it's sheath as she put it away, for now orienting herself such that the other blade was out of sight. She did not need him grabbing Daihachi. "But I agree. We really shouldn't be keeping Captain Shihouin waiting." She noted, honestly the statement rang true for both Captain Shihouin. Pausing, she considered his offer before she gently held out her hand to him, a silent 'lead the way' as she decided to let him indulge. She wanted to see more of this...odd behavior. Hopefully it would help her adjust to running into it in the future.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

The two that had already arrived outside of the barracks seemed to be speaking to one another. The male though seemed to be nothing more than an initialed snob that didn't understand what it was like to suffer or not get by. He more than likely had lived throughout his life getting by without a problem just on the name of his family. Such a person was an individual that didn't deserve the attention of someone so kind and caring as the Captain of the seventh division.

The Fourth seat of the seventh division walking towards the both of them from the left side of the street. He had been out since early in the morning prior to the sun rising making sure that reports got to those that needed them. Kimiko had been awake earlier in the morning again training and after the both of them had gone through the normal session that ended when the sun reached up high in the sky they would be finished. She had sent him away before the sun got even to grace the new day though.

He had looked over the reports and it was true that they were important. Most of them he had needed to bring right to the first division. However, Tsukuyomi like the Captain was rather curious and had taken a read for himself. It seemed that there were strings of murders throughout the Soul Society that Kimiko would be handling. Along with the disappearances of two rather high positioned Captains which Tsukuyomi had stopped reading out of his own safety. Knowing his Captain reading to much of such a subject wasn't a good thing.

He had been informed about the training that she would be doing for the members of other divisions yesterday. He had figured that was why she had sent him away more than six hours ago. However, he didn't have that eerie feeling he got when his Captain fought so more than likely she hadn't started yet. That was when he had spotted the two Shinigami standing out in front of the barracks. Based on the clothing style they were who she had requested.

Tsukuyomi saw what looked to be a noble crest and a servant with the man. He could hear him as he got closer and knew that it was best to simply ignore his arrogance instead of scare him off and get his Captain made at him. The girl though he knew it was that graduate that Kimiko and him had met. It made sense for her to be back here though it was a disappointment that she had decided on Captain Okami's division. It was her choice though and whether or not he liked what was going on right now it was her decision.

Tsukuyomi saw the position of the man on her and was getting the overpowering urge to draw his zanpakuto. Treating a lady in such a way was so lowly and pathetic that he could barely stand to see it. Letting it continue was something entirely different. Though they had been invited by his Captain he couldn't do anything right now. He then watched in anger as the man took ahold of the female's zanpakuto. Tsukuyomi had seen the shikai of the girl and knew some basics about her, but what was going on right now was against his code as a shinigami, a noble and a member of division seven.

So he simply walked passed the both of them not bothering to give either the grace of his eyes as the male went over her zanpakuto. The girl no doubt would see Tsukuyomi and realize who he was since they had already met. "Hurry up or else both of you will make yourselves even less respectable." Tsukuyomi spoke as he approached the barracks doors his back turned to them both now. The male would more than likely have something to say, but how would he react to the Phoenix crest of the Kawada family on the back of Tsukuyomi's uniform.

Right now it was taking everything from him to not lash out at the both of them. Tsukuyomi couldn't believe what he had seen and the fact that the girl had allowed her zanpakuto to be taken from her so easily was disgraceful. Now though he had to report back to Captain Shihoin and it seemed that these two would be following him. It was easy enough to see the officer badge on his right arm. As he entered into the barracks all of the voices died down to whispers as the other members got quiet and starred at him. Many seemingly rushing back to actually do what they were suppose to be doing. It seemed that Kimiko hadn't been to stern on them today.

Tsukuyomi was often the serious one when it came to actually filling out paper work and getting everything written down while she was the more hands on instructor to the division. Now though it seemed that all of the members were bowing and doing all the work they could just to make sure that they didn't receive some kind of punishment. "Both of you have received a rare opportunity. I expect you to realize this and not to waste it. Something like this doesn't happen often so be thankful for even being asked to come." Tsukuyomi spoke with his back to them as they neared Kimiko's office. Tsukuyomi inhaled for a moment unsure what Kimiko was actually doing. He couldn't hear anything from inside of her room.

Pushing the door to the side while stepped forward and bowing Tsukuyomi entered into the office of his Captain. However, upon opening his eyes Tsukuyomi felt all of the rage that he had been submerging erupt at the sight of his Captain napping against her desk. She was completely passed out with her face on her arms all of it resting on the desk in front of her. Tsukuyomi lost it moving his right hand forward. In the next instant whether or not either or the other two had taken the time to realize it he had been holding a cloth covered blade. Now though the cloth was raveling around his arm and his long zanpakuto was revealed. "WAKE UP!" He screamed as he prepared to leap towards her.

However, it would go over in a moment so fast that it would be missed if either of them blinked. Suddenly something passed by them all moving so fast that the air itself grew cold and all their hair was brushed backwards. Tsukuyomi was now standing there with a blank expression across his face. Starring in front of him at his Captain. She had that look on her face again the look that she got when she was really angry. Her eyes stern and furious like that of a savage predator deciding on whether or not to attack it's prey. "I thought I told you not to wake me unless it's an emergency." Kimiko spoke in a harsh tone for a moment. Then though she seemed to realize that she was in the wrong and had fallen asleep from boredom a few minutes ago. Exhaling in order to calm herself Kimiko stood. "Well at least you're back from delivering everything. And you two at least arrived." She looked at the both of them smiling widely towards Shizu.

[Souji Tenryu]

Souji's demonstration was rudely interrupted by the arrival of another individual, one whose outfit bore the symbols of Squad Seven. Annoyed, the young man had handed over Miss Toraumi's Zanpaktou after his demonstration had finished, and though he had taken the woman's arm and was just getting ready to proceed to the Captain's office, he had been reprimanded. Saito remained still, unmoving; he would not act except on his charge's orders short of a threat to Souji's actual health, allowing the young heir to deal with this situation himself. After all, most nobles did not go running to their servants for such trivial matters; they dealt with it themselves, with grace and dignity. Sozen Kuchiki served as a fine example for many of the lesser nobles, willing to act himself on anything that dealt with his family, yet remaining unruffled and aloof, poised and elegant even in retaliation.

Souji was not quite there yet, the young man's temper still getting the better of him, and to make matters worse, he saw the crest across the retreating Shinigami's back. A golden phoenix shone across his shoulders, the sign of the Kawada family. The Kawadas had been in decline since the loss of Shade Kawada, a leader who had led them to greatness, and with the constant lack of effective leadership, many among even the lower nobles believed that the Kawadas would soon break apart and disband, leaving their land, fortunes, and power to be divided up among the commonwealth. Many of the lesser families thought that by adding the right nudges, they could hurry this fragmentation of one of the four major families, but the Tenryu had stayed out of it; they would not rise to the top by picking apart a dying name like vultures. They would earn their standing and fortunes through their own means, their craftsmanship and reputation earning them the fame they deserved.

Yet that did not stop Souji from making one last jab at the retreating Kawada, in return for the insolence he had shown the two of them. “Hey, you know it's rude to walk away after being so uncouth towards a beautiful woman, don't you? She's plenty respectful, unlike you!” With that, he spoke to his companion, the lovely Shinigami on his arm, though his tone was loud enough to be heard even by the retreating offender. Ah, the power of stage whispers, able to add an extra layer of insult when heard. “You see, this is why the Kawada “Phoenixes” never really took off, m'am. Last I heard, chickens weren't able to fly. Though burning as that one is, I imagine the Kawadas will make a nice meal for a proper noble family, provided that there's more than ash left over with their burnout.”

The fact that the man retreating from them had the badge of a Fourth Seat made no difference to Souji; rank had a mixed use among nobles. Some used it as a sign of respect, and indeed, the Tenryu family was normally one of those. Rank meant that you had worked your way up in the world, that you had made something of yourself, and so those of a greater rank deserved at least some respect. But the other fact of the matter was that rank was also a measuring tool for those in the higher echelons; if one held a rank, one was held to higher standards, too. A Fourth Seat acting as churlishly as this one did, with no reason to be so offensive, was hardly worth his rank, and thus Souji gave him the respect deserved: none.

That was why, when they followed the man towards the Captain's office, and were warned that they should be thankful for the opportunity, Souji retaliated once more. “Well, perhaps unlike you, your Captain is aware of the actual potential coming up in the world. At least, she certainly seems more perceptive than her Kawada lapdog, though you need a bit more manners training.” Was he pushing the limits of how rude he could be before making a fool of himself as well? Perhaps, but Souji had gotten a bad first impression of the man. It wasn't even the rudeness directed towards himself; Souji expected that not everyone would get along well with him on first meeting, and that misunderstandings or arguments would happen. But to Souji, rudeness towards a woman who had done little to deserve it bothered him, and as a result, he'd stand in as a champion, so to speak.

Saito knew this as he followed, which was why there was no chiding remark nor a look of disapproval from his position a few steps back. He understood that his young lord was one to react with a fiery temper, a heat that could not be cooled save through time, but Souji also needed to learn the consequences of his actions. If he acted too rashly in his desire to counteract his aggressor's words, then the Tenryu heir had every possibility of creating an enemy for himself, right here and now. Worse, if he pushed the matter, he'd find himself against an opponent he was not yet strong enough to fight. This was not the sparring yards at the Tenryu estate, and Souji was still a relatively low-ranked Shinigami despite his expertise in the field of smithing, having not even unlocked his Shikai or learned his Zanpaktou's name. A fight would only get him in trouble, though at that point, Saito would step in, at least after the young lord was chastised enough to learn from his mistake.

Once they were inside, Souji was quick to spot the Captain, asleep at her desk. He couldn't help but reevaluate her slightly, wondering if perhaps it was less because of his potential that he had been summoned here. Surely the woman sitting at the desk couldn't be taken that seriously, not with her attitude. And she was a Shihoin too... disgraceful. The Shihoin were a proud family among the nobles, famed for their talents in physical combat and stealth, yet here one of their more prominent members was there, dozing away the afternoon. Maybe it was an attempt at a false impression, an act to lower their guard, but given their escort's reaction...

Souji took a half-step backwards as he felt something whip through the air in front of him, his hand immediately dropping to the sword at his side. His fingers lightly grasped the hilt, ready to draw it even though he had no chance of standing against a Captain, yet it was a reflex made in order to defend himself. A half-glance at Saito, however, showed that the man was as of yet unruffled; he had seen the attack, had spotted its arc and aim, and had made no effort to draw his own weapon or counteract the motion made by the seemingly sleeping Captain. This was enough to relax Souji, who had learned to read his servant's thoughts through his actions; no threat here, at least not an intentional one, and therefore it was alright to relax. The Tenryu heir did so, taking his hand from his sword and letting his arms rest at his sides again.

Once the Captain had greeted them, Souji folded one arm across his chest and gave a deep, courteous bow, as was suited for one who had displayed such prominent strength and reaction time even when appearing to sleep. She had earned her position as a Captain, and now was proving that she had the strength to keep it. “Captain Shihoin, I thank you for your invitation to meet with you today. My name is Souji Tenryu, current heir to the Tenryu family's title, and an unseated officer in Squad 11. If I may ask, what has made you decide to invite me here today? I only received your Butterfly with its invitation, but not a reason included.”

[Shizuyoko Toraumi]

And like that it was all gone. The tone of voice shifted and the contact ceased, her head tilting slightly as Shizu's eyes shifted from the....unfortunately, familiar Kawada, as well as the new acquaintance that seemed to lock his attention on the new arrivel, Shizuyoko shifting a bit, slipping her arms behind her back for a moment, looking around and stretching as the boys had their back and forth. It almost felt like home back at Las Noches. Plenty of spitting back and forth. Admittedly a bit less violent.

Once all the proverbial hissing was done, she began following along, remaining silent for most of the way as her mind worked away at things, her thoughts spinning little fine threads of contemplation before at long last one of them snared her enough to prompt a voiced concern. "Do shinigami always talk to eachother like this? I mean.... you're both the same. What difference does what family you were born into make?" She murmured softly, more to Souji than the other as she....quite frankly, was a little sure she wasn't going to get anything constructive from him. The ENTIRE time she had known him he had looked at her with nothing but scorn and spoke nothing but ridicule, giving her very little reason to think he was capable of anything else.

Souji at least had shown capcity to be something other than just an angry face painted onto a dummy. But even HE was rising to the taunt, and she couldn't help but imagine white masks on their faces. Shinigami were not so different from hollows as she thought.... She hoped they arrived soon. Seeing Kimiko would certainly lift her spirits. The pleasant captain certainly held a place of reverence in her mind. Her playfulness was.... addicting. Sure she had been somewhat....handy and her actions were weirdly provocative at times. But that was so....new. And Quirky. certainly nothing she'd ever encountered in Hueco Mundo. She heard arguing day in and out, but this? This was....something she looked forward to.

When they entered the room , she actually.....rolled her eyes when she spotted Tsukiyomi leaping onto the desk she sighed slowly, rubbing her eyes and shaking her head as what happened next didn't surprise her in the least. She herself taking that sudden rush of sensation from the Captain quite well. And.....surprisingly. She hung back. Letting the two more......robust males introduce themselves, and simply standing sentinel at the back of the room. Unknowing that she had subconsciously stealthed herself.

Working as an Omnitsukido she had gotten so used to observation of other shinigami, and were it not for the fact that Kimiko could look right at her, it was undoubtedly possible that Kimiko would have never noticed Shizuyoko was there. And, for the time being...she didn't say anything. Made no moves, remained silent, spiritual pressure suppressed as always, and let the others make their introductions. Souji was of a noble house. And Tsukiyomi? He was a member of her squad. She expected, if anything, that she would watch on to the training from the sidelines, and would speak when spoken to.

 If she was asked to spar she would to the best of her abiltiy. Otherwise she anticipated the same daily trainings the Omnitsukido had: Rigorous physical exercise until you vomited and collapsed. Rest in special facilities, then back to the intense conditioning. She couldn't imagine what other kind of training could be considered Captain level. Then again she supposed she never thought about that sort of thing. When one's job was murdering the troublesome members of one's own group, there really wasn't much thought into how the rest of the sereitei conducted their training in comparison.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

No matter the location nor the species nor the time period at which the event takes place. There is always one thing that the superior gender could count on when two males that believe themselves to be dominate or right will do. It's rather simple they'll argue and fight for their own belief or respect while trying the best they can to push the other down into the dirt. How in the supposed Heaven this hadn't changed would be beyond anyone who held this belief.

It only mattered at this moment simply because that was what was happening right now between
Tsukuyomi and Souji. Tsukuyomi turned away as he had planned and began to walk in the barracks of his division leading the both of them behind him towards Kimiko's office. However, the sense of hearing that Tsukuyomi possessed was above average for a Shinigami of his caliber which enabled him to hear everything that Souji spoke. Not like the man was trying to hide what he was saying though.

Tsukuyomi had only realized he was apart of the Kawada family a few months ago and in that time not much about him had changed. Most of it were small things that he didn't care about such as the struggle that the family was going through right now. He had been in far worse situations and known more trouble than anyone else in the family that he knew. So when the young blacksmith took the time to insult him and his family Tsukuyomi felt no sense of anger. There was nothing to feel on the matter for this man was making a bigger fool of himself than Tsukuyomi could.

As they continued through the barracks though the young noble spoke out against him again. Tsukuyomi as calm as he normally was couldn't keep allowing this fool to insult that which he didn't know and couldn't understand. "My Captain is aware of potential all throughout the worlds. It's not an insult as you might believe to be referred to as one of her "Dogs". Unlike you smith I don't wish to continue a battle of words when there is no point to it all." They had reached the office of the Captain and everything played through the same. Tsukuyomi though couldn't help, but take what Shizu said and realize that if she wanted to stay while remaining safe she would need to learn. Perhaps there would be a moment and perhaps there wouldn't.

---

Now though Tsukuyomi had been sent flying out from the barracks and into a wall on the street which had cracked from Kimiko. Tsukuyomi was pinned to the wall and he could tell that he was hurt rather badly now. The Captain did have the tendency to not hold back. This wasn't all that out of the norm, but that didn't mean Tsukuyomi was looking forward to the pain and having to spend another night at division fours medical facility. He did though manage to get up and start to make his way towards the office once more.

Kimiko though didn't seem to care although she could obviously see him and that he was back on his feet. Her attention now though was on the two young Shinigami that had come to her. One of which introduced himself as the Heir to the Tenryu family and the other was Shizu. The Noble didn't waste any time wishing to know why he had been called here and what was actually going on considering that such information hadn't been included in the butterfly.

Kimiko was awake now even though she had been asleep only a moment ago. Just by what had happened now though she could tell that the boy wasn't all that prepared to do business with other nobles. He had asked right away addressing her by her title yet not proceeding with the proper bow or stance. He was ignorant much the way she was a few years ago. Not that she really cared all that much for such things, but learning them was important none the less. She nodded her head forwards to the bow signaling a small bow of respect towards his family.

"Well Tenryu I've called you and Shizu here so that you can receive some proper training for the time being. My brother in law Grin isn't one to focus on training his own troops. I can't be expected to train an entire division that isn't under my own supervision however I believe that a certain few shouldn't be condemned to bad tutelage." Kimiko gracefully moved over towards Shizu who was trying to hide herself once more. She grinned at the girl happy that she had come. "My cousin Okami is also busy so I figured I would help you out as well Shizu."

Unlike all of the other Shinigami that these two would have seen including Tsukuyomi who had their zanpakuto ready on them at all times Kimiko didn't appear to have a zanpakuto on her person. Shizu had already witnessed this before. When the two had met she didn't have one with her. It would more than likely take the attention of Souji. If he looked in the office though he would probably be able to pick it out on a shelf filled with books. It was set at the top in its black sheath. It looked massive in length and if he was skilled enough to pick out its length he would realize it was actually longed than Kimiko herself.

[Souji Tenryu]

As two of them walked hand-in-hand, Shizu leaned in to speak to Souji, asking him a question that, while simple in nature, had a far more complex answer to it. What difference did the family you were born into make? There were so many layers to that response that he didn't know where to begin; power and prestige made you important in society, but it also made you worthwhile in the eyes of others. Those below followed those who took it upon themselves to be their betters, much like the medieval system of lords, vassals, and serfs; the higher you were in the chain of power, the more your word and decisions mattered, the more influence you had, and the more respect you received from others. Maybe it was an offshoot of humanity's natural pride, but either way, the effects of rank were not to be taken lightly.

“In a way, I envy you, Miss Toraumi.” Souji said quietly, pushing away the Kawada's harsh words as they made their way up to the Captain's office. He was more focused on speaking with the young woman who had captivated him, in more ways than one. Something about her was just... fascinating. “Living in a world outside of those who would claim the title of 'noble', you aren't a part of the constant physical, social, and political struggles that occur between those born of a family name.” There was something wistful to the young man's tone, but it wasn't sad, merely a hint of envy at his companion's simple question. How he wished he had an equally simple answer!

“You see, a family name holds many things, reputation being the greatest of them. The way you act reflects on those who bear your name, as many mentally associate those who share a name in more than just blood relation. Any shame you bring to your name lowers the respect that your family gets, while any positive actions show on them as well. So right away, how you act determines how people see your relations.” Souji was starting to get into it, and it certainly passed the time on their walk up to Captain Shihoin's office. “But it's also a matter of respect and influence, too. If your name has a good reputation, people respect you. If your family is known for being strong, people respect you. And with respect comes influence, and others understanding and following your way of life. Within a family, the will of the whole is everything.”

“There's more to it, of course. Respect leads to leadership, which in turn shapes our society through the leader's desires and decisions. Look at our current system of laws; created by Central, we obey them without question. But why does Central have this authority? Because people elected them to their position, and supports their position. And why do they support their position? Because they have earned respect and standing through their actions, which in turns reflects on them individually. By extension, their families receive similar respect. The political game among families is far deeper than this, of course, but it's hard to explain when you haven't had a lifetime of conditioning to teach you.”

Souji reflected on the conversation he had shared with Miss Toraumi—now known as Shizu, from the Captain's address—as Captain Shihoin returned her own bow, not nearly as low as his. But this was to be expected; the Tenryu family wasn't even truly a noble line yet, merely a family name whose fame had yet to grow. Yet it showed another facet of the political play between families; even such slight motions such as the depth of a bow suggested the amount of respect one family had for another, based on each family's standing and personal regard for another's name. Souji knew that he had a way to go before his family was shown true respect from one of the four greater families of Seireitei, so he took no offense at the gesture of only mild respect.

Letting his eyes roam around the room as Captain Shihoin explained herself—it seemed that she took it upon herself to train those under her family's squads that she saw had potential while lacking guidance—Souji took in the details, trying to learn more about the Captain. There wasn't a lot that made it stand out from the typical office, though Souji himself had only been present at two so far, so he didn't have a lot to go by. Instead of worrying about it, however, he let his gaze lock onto an object that was sitting atop a large bookcase, almost absently shoved into the corner: an enormous sword, a large nodachi. With an expert eye, Souji guessed that it was somewhere between four and a half to five feet long from just the blade alone, a large weapon that would be unwieldy and difficult for most to handle with ease due to its size. That Captain Shihoin possessed it suggested that she either had a good deal of strength or, equally as likely, it was a weapon that possessed special properties like a Zanpaktou. In fact, Souji was convinced that it was very likely to be a Zanpaktou.

Unfortunately, from the angle he was at Souji couldn't look very closely at the weapon, much to his frustration. He found that there was much to be learned from one's Zanpaktou, which reflected the user's spirit, yet sheathed and set aside it was nothing more than another sword that was out of his reach. Fortunately, Saito was particularly good at analyzing his charge's mood and, having followed his gaze and noted the mild signs of disappointment on his face—a slight tightening of the eyebrows, a mild tightness in the jaw, all mostly subtle—he was quick to speak up once Captain Shihoin finished speaking with Shizu as well.

“Pardon me, Lady Shihoin.” As he wasn't an official Shinigami himself, just a retainer who was skilled with the use of his sword, Saito addressed the Captain not by her rank, but her title; he was not beholden to the rank system of the Squads, as he was not a member of them. “I cannot help but notice that sword you have tucked away up there on the bookshelf. As a member of the Tenryu family whose specialty is the working of metals, naturally I am interested to view it, as it seems unusually large for a casual weapon. If it is not an imposition, I would like to examine it for myself. Would this be acceptable?” His tone was light, casual, and yet held enough respect in each word for a member of one of the highest families in Soul Society. Clearly, Saito was far more accustomed to dealing with nobles directly than Souji was, but that came from serving the previous head of the Tenryu family as well.