Isn't This what You Wanted? Sozen vs Nola [NDE, R]

[Nola Vilde]

Thread Title: Isn't This What You Wanted? Training gone too far!
Participants: Nola Vilde, Sozen Kuchiki
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location: In the Outter sections of the Rukongai toward the wilderness. The site of the 'battle' is the ruins of a now-abandoned Castle, specifically in the massive crater that was once the Barracks for whatever sad rebellious individuals had once laid there.
Special Conditions:
Circumstances: Nola Vilde, new inductee to the Gotei Thirteen, joins in on an operation responding to threats on the Gotei. The origins of the threat were traced to this castle built on the edge of the wilderness. After a brief engagement with the malcontenders, the castle was fired upon by the unit's Kido Squad members, obliterating the living quarters and ending the threat.

As the rest of the Shinigami scour the ruins for objects of interest, Nola Vilde, the Unseated member of squad 1,after voicing her slight discontent for the manner in which the operation was handled, requests that Sozen spar her. Which he is all to happy to comply with.
Perhaps a bit too happily!

[Nola Vilde]

The Officer handling Nola's peculiar manner of having been inducted into the Gotei certainly seemed..... iffy. If her grades in the entry exam had been any indication, either she didn't pass as easily as she thought, or she had passed a little too easily that it was raising suspicions. In either case it had seemed that the man felt it necessary that she understand her new place. She needed to understand what it meant to be part of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and that regardless of her abnormal induction, she would be like any other member. There was also an... oddity about the way he said it. As if, on some wistful level, he were referring to many others aside from just her. And she began to wonder what sort of job he had where he would say it in such a manner. But then, she was hardly given much chance to question him.

She would be tagging along on an investigative Op with none other than Sozen Kuchiki.

As someone who had often had talks with those of noble standing, she knew a LOT of different.....opinions on the Kuchiki. He was loved, admired, hated, and feared by a great number of his peers, as well as those in power among the Rukongai districts. The popular belief was that regardless as to what he really was, Sozen was a man capable of doing great things for Soul Society. Terrible yes, but great. The only question was as to for whom these things would be done, and when. So she was a bit...nervous to say the least.

And Just HOW that operation unfolded.... did little to change that view. As honestly it had started very similar to the Unoji operation. It was dark, and they were moving to the outter districts of the Rukongai. Toward the wilderness. There was some sort of Castle that had been harboring bandits of sorts. Normally not the type of people that warranted this kind of action were it not for the fact that they had somehow slipped a very threatening letter into the barracks of a decently ranked officer. The statement of the mission was to neutralize any threat from the bandits, and to acquire one or more of them to 'find out how they had infiltrated Gotei defenses'. A statement which, paired with the fact that Squad Six's captain was getting involved, let most of those on the Operation Team know exactly what they were going to do with them.

It had all happened so fast. One minute they were breaching the castle, the next thing they suddenly were in a fight. While Nola herself had not been a part of the section of the formation that had been met with attack, she had been close enough to hear when those bandits suddenly met their end at the ends of zanpaku'to, and more importantly the noises of the few shinigami who they took with them. Of course all of that really didn't shock her quite as much as the sudden roar of Kido fire as that Castle wall and barracks was suddenly gouged by brilliant fire and lightning.

The look on her face must have been a bit more telling than she'd intended. Because before she knew it, she noticed Sozen Kuchiki looking directly at her. With that adrenaline pumping, with her ears still ringing, she didn't even think twice before the murmur tumbled out of her mouth. She didn't even fully remember what it was. Or maybe her memory was just too fuzzy. But whatever it was, it clearly seemed to gather sozen's attention, and suddenly she found herself on the spot. She was asked to hang back while the rest of the squad headed for the now-abandoned ruins. Whatever bandits still inside were audibly in a lot of pain. Cntrary to how they would probably feel about that level of pain later that evening.

With nobody else but the noble before her, she didn't know what to do. He was looking at her expectantly. And somehow she knew... she knew that he had probably asked her a question. Shit. She had been so distracted that she hadn't even listened. Or maybe she just couldn't remember what he'd said. She could feel her zanpaku'to growing warm in her palm, even as she struggled to think of what to say. In the end, she fell into her old habbits, and spoke as she would have spoken to the man if he had come to her old place of work. She took a slow breath, and smiled. "I apologize, I'm just... a little ..... overwhelmed." She noted softly. that deep crimson skin of hers honestly hiding whether or not there was any change in blood flow to the woman's face.

"I just hear so much about your family. I never thought that some of it were true. It just seems a little surreal... I always told myself that if I ever met you, I'd ask you to a spar. Stupid as that is. I always had some romanticised idea that it would give me an idea of what sort of person you were." She all but babbled. Honestly were it not for the steadyness of her voice, it would havebeen far more obvious that she was pulling at straws, hoping that her response at least somewhat fit into whatever it is that Sozen had said to her. Little did she know that that little, idle, round-about insinuation that she would want to spar with Sozen would land her in a little more than she had bargained for.

That dressed in that fresh-off-the-line shinigami uniform, with her hair slightly ruffled and her sword held shakily in hand, that her happy, nervous, and perhaps haughty little ass was about to be humored.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}
Strength: 70 (49)
Speed: 90 (63)
Spiritual Pressure: 240 (720)
Reiatsu Strength: 50 (35)

Light Aura: 100
Dark Aura: 0

Instinct: 90 (63)
Senses: 70 (49)
Energy Senses: 0 (0)
Healing Expertise: 0 (0)

Strength of Will: 1
Hoho: 1
Pain Resist: 1
Kido: 1
Charisma: 1

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Play this

Soul Reapers flooded into the castle as the bandits rose up and drew their swords, ready to fight. Unfortunately, the team that had been brought was far too sophisticated. It was not a directive to spare even a single bandit. This was the bandit organization's final and only base, their last bastion. They had no hostages. No hidden secrets but for how they had infiltrated. Nothing that needed to be extracted from them except that. No truly useful information to divulge. Not even one was needed alive after this point. Thus, when they had all arrived, Sozen having been sent instead of other Captains for the sake of making the mission run all the more quickly, he had immediately commanded that all of the bandits be killed except one. That their castle be bombarded.

Streaks of fire and lightning from his subordinates struck the castle walls, obliterating towers and raining in entire halls. Inside, not one Soul Reaper was actually lost, though some were injured. The orders Sozen had laid out had involved a carefully made map of the castle drawn from the records of the Kuchiki Library, which had record of its construction. Under Sozen's plans, some Soul Reapers ended up incapacitated, but none were killed because of how meticulously the operation had been detailed. Not one specification had been left out. Everything was planned, down to the second. So as Kido ravaged the castle, the bandits were finding themselves cut down one after another by the well trained Soul Reapers.

Yet amid all of this, Sozen noted a Soul Reaper that was just standing there, and so he walked up to her and demanded what she was doing. It seemed she didn't hear him, and instead went off talking about wanting to challenge him. To discover just what sort of person he was. Sozen couldn't help but find this amusing. At that moment, one of the bandits got loose and his sword fell upon Nola, who had been distracted by Sozen, but given her pressure his sword merely shattered and he found himself exploding with cuts all over his body and blood spurting everywhere. Whatever was left, Sozen finished him with a simple bolt of red Kido lightning through the skull.

"The mission is still at hand," Sozen informed her. "But if you would like, I will meet you here again later, after I report to the Captain Commander, to spar you." As he spoke, the mission he spoke of began to wrap up. It was a blood bath. So much so that when the one surviving bandit was found and dragged out of the castle, he wasn't even injured, yet was covered in the blood of his friends and allies. He was coughing, and was obviously in pain. Covered in bruises, he had probably been beaten by the Soul Reapers when they'd swept through the castle seeking survivors. It seemed that he had been the most cowardly, so they had chosen him as the one to be interrogated.

As those Soul Reapers with some degree of medical training rushed in to help the injured, the bandit was dragged out and his legs were promptly broken as he was thrown in front of Sozen. Sozen quietly knelt down next to the bandit, and spoke in a soft, calm voice. "Tell me how you infiltrated the Seireitei and I'll make this quick," Sozen said. But the bandit spat at his feet. "You bastard! You killed all of them like they were nothing... But you won't get me to talk. I won't say a damn thing." Sozen, long used to the non compliant among those he interrogated, smiled coldly. "I was hoping you would say that..." And red lightning flew forth from his finger tips and dragged across the bandit's body.

The technique being employed, Raigomon, was a slow acting lightning that could cook someone, but first severely burned them and also deprived them of oxygen while it coursed over them. It was actually one of the most painful things anyone could possibly be struck by. In time, the lowly bandit's willpower broke, and he divulged everything to Sozen, who then decapitated the bandit with his Zanpakuto. This would be the lingering memory, the image left in Nola's mind when she returned to the castle hours later to find Sozen there, waiting for her. After he had reported to the Captain Commander, and after he had concluded the mission, Sozen had sent an aide in the Seireitei to find Nola and inform her that he was ready.

So, upon her arriving there, Sozen smiled coldly at her, his icy eyes resting with amusement upon her, drinking in her strengths and weaknesses all at once. "I'm glad you could make it," Sozen said. "I hope to sate your curiosity today. So, why don't we begin by having you attack me first? I want to get a taste for myself of what you can do before I commit to attacking you."

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [200] (100) (50) Points

Speed - [350] (700) Points

Spiritual Pressure - [300] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400] (1000) Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [175] Points

Senses [175] Points

Energy sensory - [0] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1600] Points

---

[Strength of Will] {3}

[Weapon: Swords] {4}

[Charisma/Leadership] {2}

[Hakuda] {3}

[Pain Tolerance] {3}

[Battle Analysis] {4}

[Nola Vilde]

Nola didn't exactly have the best hold on her senses just yet. As a matter of fact it was a miracle she had gotten to where she was at this point, given all that she'd endured to that point. But more importantly, she was only slightly aware of the bandit about to leap upon her. So whent hat blade came in, seeking her body, she had only time enough to turn and watch as that blade slashed down upon her back. She saw the look in his eyes, and that sudden sensation of murderous intent. Her eyes widened, and for all of that light aura that she had, it didn't do her a lick of good. But right before the blade made contact, her zanpaku'to gave... a whisper. A Sudden deep, unabiding darkness that was her spiritual pressure, and in that instant just before his blade touched her, it was as if he heard a whisper in his ear.
Gotcha

In that next moment his blade hit, and her spiritual pressure rampaged up his sword. Her subconscious utter MASS of spiritual pressure caused her energy to race up his blade, cracks slithering along the surface before the blade exploded, bursting into little fragments of metal as his body erupted in a maze of cuts and slashes. Honestly the kido to his head was completely unnecessary, as the man likely would have bled out in seconds from the sheer roaring burst of damage that had been inflicted upon him. Those bright greenish-blue eyes shifted in the direction of Sozen as he spoke, and she fell suddenly silent as she realized hwo.... out of turn she had been. What had she been THINKING?! This was HIGHLY irregular for her. She was typically much more focused on her work.

She was so distracted in her own self0chastizement that it was only when the prisoner was brought out that she shifted her attention. And before her very eyes she witnessed the torture that sozen inflicted upon the man. But well.... Nola just watched. Sadly. She didn't seem shocked. She didn't seem bothered. She seemed genuinely sad. But her entire body remained completely steady, right up until the man's decapitation. And certainly she recognized, at least in some aspects, what had happened. The utter physical torture of the man. And for just a moment, she closed her eyes to shut out that voice... The voice that commented in her head. That scoffed at the fixation on the physical. How utterly boring pure physical torture was. There was nothing. The man had suffered, but he had honestly not even really been broken. Any dumb animal could be made to suffer until it gave in. But that wasn't the good part.

Nola shook her head rapidly and sighed to herself as she watched, and she focused on what was at hand. The mission was now over. the cleanup crew would be moving in, and ....evidently.,.. she had a Date with the head of the Kuchiki family. Those eyes simply watched as Sozen left, and she was left to her own devices. To prepare for the upcomming battle. And honestly, all she really did was take a nap. A quick rest in her barracks after writing up her report, and then making her way back to that place. When she saw Sozen standing before her, smiling like that... she could almost still smell the burning flesh.

I'm glad you could make it.

The man seemed... oddly enthused. she was a little perplexed. And admittedly... she was at a losss. She wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a formal or informal spar. So she wasn't sure quite how to act in this regard. She seemed very... different. She was standing straight, in a very business-like manner, looking forward with the focus of a laser. Those eyes simply watching Sozen as he invited her so......transparently taunting. No doubt doing so intentionally. And she paused, her eyes shifting as she blatantly took the time to look around. "I'm honored that you would find it within yourself to bless me with your time Captain. " she noted softly, and with an... oddly flat tone. The mask. The mask she used during business. And as he obviously was going to wait for her, she tilted her head. If he was asking her to attack first, then it was fairly obvious he was being careful. He didn't want to act, he wanted to RE-act. He didn't want to make a mistake because he didn't know what she was capable of. It was oddly....flattering.

As she began calmly walking towards him, she contemplated, lightly rubbing at her cheek as she thought things over. Thinking about what it was that he wanted from her exactly. He had seen that... trick. There was no doubt. Sozen knew EXACTLY what had happened. He was a Captain, and Cutback was a fundamental aspect of combat. He had seen an absolute monster of spiritual pressure. And it wasn't as if she looked ordinary either. With that deep, scarlet-red skin of hers, she looked like she had been MADE to be his prey. as if every inch of her exposed skin were crying out for his blade, for him to pour his spirit into her and devour her skin-first. But perhaps that was why he was so worried.

As she approached, she doubtlessly wondered what would he be thinking? How would he react to this slow, leisurely pace? Would he think she was underestimating him? Not in the slightest. She was walking calmly. Because she knew that that was the safest. A calm, slow, steady approach. He had, technically, asked for an attack. And resonably, if he were to ask for an attack, and then jump the gun on her...well then again it wasn't as if they had an audience. She had no doubt he would have qualms... but something honestly was just... strange. She just FELT like he wouldn't make the first move. And so she kept walking, until she was almost immediately upon him, looking up to look him in the eyes, to see him up close and personal. When he would FEEL the whisper. And in the very same moment that it happened, and Nola spoke, it would be as if he could feel her words on his lips.

"Whisper in my ear." Only she wasn't speaking normally. She was speaking while inhaling, as opposed to on the exhale. and at the same time, Nillia was speaking too. Because in the instant that her release phrase was Uttered, the black, shadowy figure that was Nillia would be seen directly behind Nola. He would see that ghastly,black form, as she was inhaling the air around him. And he would know that she was trying to drink in his scent. Of course it was PROBABLY in his first instinct to get the everliving fuck away from her. Well. Second. His first would probably be to attack. To immediately end her before she could do a damn thing. But it would also probably occur to him that just outright trying to slash her throat would just wind him up with a crippled arm. And possibly a crippled chest. Crippled legs. And a shattered zanpaku'to. Not only that but this was technically a spar. Its ENTIRE purpose, as he had previously stated, was to give her an impression of who he was. Which meant that he was probably going to toy with her. Meaning his likely reaction would be to back off. However, if he did not do this the instant that Nillia appeared, something would happen.

The same thing that would happen if he didn't move more than 4 meters from Nillia, or if he didn't STAY outside of that distance, as that horrendous inhale-shrieking double of Nolas would suddenly run straight through Nola like a ghost, and speed toward Sozen. And it would probably become IMMEDIATELY apparent, that despite how ....well...depressingly, slow Nola was. Despite the way she carrried hersef, how slow her reactons were. How incredibly.... normal, most of her seemed to convey. Nillia was frighteningly fast (700 speed) at a terrifyingly distracting rate. Demanding that Sozen focus at the VERY least, a significant portion, if not ALL of his attention on her as that black spectral woman.

Of course at this point, Nola's Zanpaku'to was drawn, but alas... there wasn't REALLY anything she could do just yet. Outside of her zanpaku'to abilities, there really wasn't MUCH she could do. And honestly she didn't feel as... worried as usual. It wa salways so... strange. USUALLY her mind was screaming by now. But then again... she didn't really have to KILL Sozen. Nillia didn't need to be filling Nola's mind with lies. Lies that... seemed to be so very fresh. And not just for her. Sozen would probably feel it. A sort of... sharpness. He would find his mind wandering... annoyingly frequently toward the memories of the mission. About his other fights. The way he was moving. The way he changed his body.

How many times had he evaded a pursuer?
How many times had he felt an uncertainty about another's power?
How many times had he smelled kido-seared flesh?

He was stronger than her. And that was an enormous part in it. The memories wouldnt' be insanely overbearing. They wouldn't reach into his mind like knives and dig in, he wouldn't find himself stopping in place, remembering a time just like this. But he would not be completely immune. He wasn't THAT powerful. At least not passively. It just tried to make things....harder. So that hopefully soon, if Nillia got in range, assuming he hadn't hesitated on her arrival and already gotten snared, Nillia would have enough of a taste of the man... to prepare for what happened next. The worst part of Nillia's ability was how much time it took. It was agonizingly slow to prepare. And it was something she had been working VERY hard to try and remedy. Because the moment Sozen had an opportunity... she couldn't help but dread what his response would be.

-200 Reiatsu for Shikai
Shikai posts: 1st/10
Offensive strength: 740 (1110 is 50% superiority)
Nillia's Overall is active, resulting in involuntarily sharp recall of memories.
Overall's Current Range: 740 meters

Nillia is Attempting to Activate Shinobu's first stage

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shinobu (Click me)}
Name: Shinobu (Remember)

Shikai Level

Description: This is Nillia's ability to reach into her target's mind and body. By inhaling air that is within at least 4 meters of a target, she gets a taste of them. One post after she has gotten a taste of them, a bright yellow thread spills from her mouth and she can then attempt to launch this thread at them, upon making contact, the thread will sink into the skin and migrate to the victim's mouth, once this has been accomplished, Nillia can begin reeling herself in (The Thread travels at 1000 speed, a bit faster than Nillia herself). The Reeling process takes the rest of the post to occur and she normally reaches them at the beginning of the next post (This cannot be prevented given her spectral form, it simply serves as a delay, however for every 200 speed more than her that the target has, they can increase the delay by another post, shunpo does not help this as she is dragged along during the step). She can then reach into their body with her own spectral form. Once she makes "physical" contact (once she passes through them, she technically cant actually make physical contact) she immediately begins sucking in information. Memories, Emotions, everything but their actual thoughts. This included information on their zanpaku'to spirit as well as their inner world, but not about their techniques.

Drawback:Delayed onset. Additionally it does not actually have an immediate combat use. Individuals with a spiritual defense stat with superiority to Nola's will be able to prevent this thread from forming, however for every 25 points in Dark Aura that the target has, this superiority requirement increases by 25% (up to needing a 100% superiority at 100 Dark Aura). Additionally these memories are not lost from the victim.

[Sozen Kuchiki]

At once, with that spectral release exploding into existence, Sozen's natural born instincts and his paranoia kicked in. He had been honed in the fields of war, and now after so much experience he knew more than anyone to get away when an opponent released. No matter how much weaker they were, they could prove to be quite surprising. Nola might be surprised in learning that Sozen took people seriously that way. He didn't underestimate his opponents after what had happened during his first battle with Kuroi and his fight against W, The Word, Walther. Sozen understood the value of thinking strategically early on. But, even as he jumped backwards and skidded back to be quite far, something happened.

A memory in Sozen. Or, more specifically, several memories. He had indeed felt flesh and blood against his blade countless times. He had smelled flesh cauterized by his Kido spells hundreds if not thousands of times. By this point he had already been in so many battles that he couldn't imagine his life without the blood of others staining his memories. It must be the case that at least half of his memories involved some sort of darkness. And yet, unfortunately for Nola, this was what would suddenly be revealed to her. Sozen, was truly unlike anyone else she had ever encountered, and he was also far more powerful than anyone that she had ever seen as well.

Suddenly, Nola's mind would be what was flooded. In trying to understand Sozen's battles, even for a moment, she would be able to divine brief images of who he was. What would fill her mind would be scenes of torture the likes of which she had never before experienced. All the malicious things Sozen had been trained to do during his upbringing. And then there would be the screams of those whom he had massacred or had massacred. He had killed so many people... And if that wasn't enough, there would also be Sozen's malevolent intent. It would be far darker and stronger than anything Nola would have previously sensed, for Sozen himself had already been corrupted by a spell he used called the Circle of Evil... and by one more thing.

Hiding deep inside of Sozen, pushing him farther into the dark abyss, suddenly Nola would be able to detect something else. It was a blackness inside of him beyond comprehension. A void that demanded only pain. Most people could be surmised as being self motivated rather than good or evil, with perfectly logical and comprehensible ideals supporting what they did. But some were truly evil, and the blackness in Sozen Kuchiki's soul was a reiatsu that was truly evil... It was a mark that had been left there by another. Billions, trillions even of evil spirits had come together to create the being that had left his mark in Sozen's heart... So when Nola sensed Sozen, she wouldn't sense just him.

She would also sense the most evil being ever to live, and the one who called himself the Arrancar King, Adalo De-Mona. It wasn't that he and Sozen were the same person. They weren't. But when they had battled, Adalo had left a piece of himself inside of Sozen, and over time that piece had merged with who Sozen was and become as much a part of him as anything else. So now, when Nola sensed what was inside of Sozen, she would feel things that she had never felt before, none of them good, and be flooded suddenly with a feeling of revulsion and sickness. It was more than likely that it would make her want to double down and throw up. It was more than likely that it would terrify her unlike anything from before.

And as for Sozen himself, he detected her ability working on him, and he saw what she was doing, sending that fast spectre at him. With a quick movement of his own, using his top speed, Sozen stepped to the side and took several more paces away, easily evading that monstrosity sent to him by Nola. Well... monstrosity was a relative term. Compared to what Nola would now begin to realize Sozen was, that specter was tame. Sozen Kuchiki, rather, was an abomination. And, feeling her ability trying to influence his mind as thoughts of his own deeds filled him, Sozen began to feel more twisted, more aggressive, and as if he wanted to inflict more pain. He flexed his reiatsu.

Because his soul so outclassed Nola's, and his reiatsu strength was so far above par, any hold her ability had over him would be completely shattered and obliterated, and in turn the flexing of his power would also cause a momentary gravitational pressure so heavy that for just a second Nola's consciousness would see a light at the end of the tunnel... Because for that one second of Sozen flexing his power, she would be next to death's door itself. Nothing she did had any value here. Her abilities were irrelevant, and Sozen was a being on a whole other level. Because he truly was that powerful. And worst of all? He was that filled with evil too nowadays.

So, with a cold smile, he spoke. "Mind tricks aren't the most effective against me... You might want to rethink your approach."

[Nola Vilde]

There was a lot of...complexity, in the relationship between Nillia and Nola. Not6 that Sozen would be aware of any of this. And indeed, he was a very....intelligent man. Very old, very wise, and very experienced in the ways that... scary people operated. He was aware of how nightmares could be, how they could use their powers, how they could MASTER their own souls in order to do damage as best as possible, to gain the largest advantage they could manage. He knew how a power like hers could be used to rip the memories right from someone without effort. But the fact of the matter was that Nola was NOT a master of her own soul. She barely knew what any of her powers were. What she knew, was that when Nillia was released, her enemies grew... distracted... distant.... spacey.

Sozen's... analysis of her ability, and what he was under the impression that she was doing was almost spot on. If not only for a few facts. Nola herself didn't know a damn thing that she was doing. She knew she had nothing. Sozen's power was so far above her own that she knew that literally, her ONLY other tool was shunpo. But that this would not give her anything. And when he brought up that her power wouldn't work on him she gave a soft, almost pitiful little chuckle. Even after that wabe of reiatsu had crashed down on her like a wall. She remained focused. Because unlike him, the memories that were floating to the surface of her own mind were so much fewer. She wasn't under the beck of her own Zanpaku'to. At least not that aura. Her own mind was being poked at with memories.... at the same rate it always was. She wasn't getting any sudden surges of memories. Because Sozen's memories weren't being drained. They weren't being extracted from his mind. They were simply being brought to the surface of his own.

Because the most important Memories were deeper down. The important memories weren't blood, guts, and torture. The important memories were in a place underneath. But even Nillia didn't have access to Sozen's memories yet. Yet. Because Sozen did not quite.... understand that ghostly figure. He didn't understand that when he threw down that sudden MASSIVE wall of spiritual pressure, the only one who was thrown to the floor was Nola. It was only Nola who felt her bones creak, her body ache, her very being suffering as for a moment, she felt as though she were going to die before she suddenly felt nothing at all. Sozen would see her hit the floor for just a split second before her entire being suddenly went black. Suddenly, she seemed to be exactly like Nillia. And even if he continued to push down with his spiritual pressure, that first time was the only time that she was going to hit the floor because of it.

"I....I'm sorry Captain... I don't really know any mindtricks." She shivered, smiling sheepishly as she lay on the ground, trying to get it together. That sudden gravitational pressure was not unexpected. "I didn't even know..... it must feel awful... what she's doing to you. It's different with everyone. I kinda wished I knew what it was she did. But.... if you already feel like weighing down on me... she must have stirred something really horrible." she smiled sheepishly. "But you really should have kept dodging." She pointed out.

Because that wall of spiritual pressure had done nothing to the dark one. Nillia had stopped in her tracks... out of curiosity. To watch why Nola had suddenly dropped. In a small way, Nillia was ignoring Nola. Right now she didn't have enough on Sozen to start shoving any memories into Nola's head. And even though Sozen was finding himself remembering, Nillia couldn't sense any of those memories coming to the surface. Not yet. That ability was just... preparation. And for some, it was incredibly distracting preparation. Because at that moment, Sozen would be remembering the many times he had used his spiritual pressure to subjugate others. He was talking to Nola, speaking to her. Taunting her. As no doubt he could remember doing SO many times. And he was so good at what he did. It was in his nature to analyze. Every time he fought, he had the urge to use his memories to understand what was happening. And thats why Nillia's passive ability was so dangerous sometimes. Because those memories were so FRESH.

If anyone was weaker than him, then his spiritual pressure was a very key equalizer. When he was at this point, of ALL things, sparring with a subordinate, no matter how unusual their powers, nobody could resist that spiritual pressure. Using his analysis, that skill worked against him. Because every time he tried to figure Nola out, he dove into those sharpened memories. And once he started talking, Nillia was streaking toward him. Racing just as fast as ever. And... unfortunately for Nola, this was probably going to elicit another slam of gravitational pressure. Only this time Nola wouldn't stop in the slightest. Because the ONLY reason she had stopped last time, was to look see what happened to Nola.

Nillia was so very....limited. She was INCREDIBLY fast sure. And she was the instrument of Nola's abilities. But that was it. She couldn't take a hit for her wielder. She couldn't touch her wielder. She couldn't use any special techniques. Nillia couldn't even flex Nola's spiritual pressure. Because she was selectively incorporeal. Sozen would see her running straight through physical obstacles. And if he attempted to throw up a kido barrier. Or tried to bolt her through the skull with a powerful spell. He would find that it did nothing. She remained uninjured. She would keep on chasing him. Because the ONLY way that Nillia was allowed to interact with anyone who wasn't Nola. Was through Nola's shikai powers. And unfrotunately. Nola didn't have ANY powers that stopped kido or physical attacks. The only thing Nillia intercted with, were memories. And until she got close enough, until she could get a whiff of Sozen. Until she could TASTE those memories on her tongue within that four meter radius. She didn't have any access to the memories that were flooding Sozen's mind.

But Nillia HAD noticed something interesting. That despite Sozen's fear, his suddenl use of speed to get away. Something was... fascinating. He wasn't faster than her. Nillia and Sozen had the exact same top speed. Which meant that Sozen would never get any further away from her. Nillia didn't really get tired after all. Unlike sozen, whose maximum speed was WELL beyond a comfortable one. Having to run away from Nillia was exhausting. And if he used Shunpo or any other technique to get away from her. That would only tire him even more. Because there was no rest. Even if he shunpo'd to keep a comfortable distance. He'd still have to keep running at top speed to maintain that distance. ANY rest. ANY pause. And Nillia would start gaining. And the longer he kept her at bay, either through shunpo or just running. The more tired he would get.

A little grunt escaped from Nola as she gingerly lifted herself off her feet. Everything hurt. Even just that flex of spiritual pressure had been almost enough to make her think she was dead. Thankfully that didn't seem the case. And she had no idea how much that had actually injured her. She was still shaking after the fact. She was still unable to DO anything. She literally only had Nillia to rely on. It took her several moments to even realize that she had only been exposed to Sozen's spiritual pressure for a split second. Possibly not as long as he had intended to. Because Nillia had intervened. By dragging Nola into her incorporeal state. That shadowy blackness surrounded Nola just as it did Nillia. And if Sozen attempted to simply shove her down with reiatsu, it wasn't going to work. Of course a kido would work. Any actual spiritual ATTACK would stop Nola instantly. And honestly Nola was lucky enough that Sozen possessed neither the speed, nor the raw physical strength, to hit her hard enough or fast enough to do physical damage.

But chances were that he wouldn't. Because using kido on Nola honestly wouldn't help him. And given his powers of analysis, kido SHOULDN'T work on her. Because much more likely, he would have tried to use Kido to stop Nillia. Which would have no effect. So logically, Nola in her new incorporeal state, shouldn't be effected by Kido either. But the fact of the matter was: Nola was insane. Years and years of being tortured by her own actions, her own memories. When a zanpaku'to had been put into this insane, yet functional, woman's hands, it had taken in the biggest weakness Nola had: her memories, and turned it into her weapon. Her powers were dizzying. They were insane. Which meant that even to Sozen, they would be hard to understand. Because the moment Nillia caught up to him. It wouldn't be long before the threads formed. And once they were attatched to Sozen, it wouldn't matter how... dark or evil his memories were.

Nola wasn't in charge of extracting memories. Her zanpaku'to knew better than to trust NOLA with anything. Nillia had spent YEARS on Nola, because without twisting Nola's memories, without torturing the girl with her own Memories, Nola didn't have it in her heart to be like Sozen. She didn't have the heart to kill bandits. To kill anyone that didn't look like a monster with no mind. Even some HOLLOWS were far too...human-like for Nola to put down. But she HAD. Because she had been strong?! AS IF! It was because of NILLIA. Making Nola THINK she was saving them. Twisting Nola's stupid, pitiful little heart until it busted, making her think that KILLING them, was a kindness. That STUPID, IGNORANT little wielder of hers was not trusted with her own powers. Nillia didn't even allow Nola to become completely imune to Kido like she was. Because she just couldn't trust Nola.

And unlike Nola. Once she got her hands on Sozen's memories. All of those horrible things he had done. All of the bloodshed. The torture. The horrible things that had shaped the Kuchiki. Would just make her smile. She'd note the memories. Maybe even save a few for her enjoyment later. But then they would be ignored , and she would keep on digging. Because she wasn't the same kind of torturer as Sozen. Nor was she on the same level. Every time Nola had to have a battle, she tortured her own wielder. She made her happy. She made Nola think she KNEW her opponent. Made her think they had once been friends, sisters, family, lovers. And Nola would see people she knew and loved attacking her. And she would feel so utterly...betrayed. So uttrly horrible. So utterly broken. The heart could feel so much more pain than the body. Because physical pain was just.... brain chemistry. Some animals couldn't even feel it on certain parts of their body, because they simply weren't designed to. And once pain reached a certain point, it just shut off.

But emotional pain. You could torture a man to deaths door over and over and over again. But he would NEVER scream quite as much as he did when you killed his children infront of him. And Nillia couldn't wait to look into Sozen's memories. She couldn't wait to find out what Sozen held most dear. Because everyone had something. Sozen could be as cruel as he wanted. But there was always a REASON to be cruel. There was always a purpose behind it. A brother. A mother. A father. Or maybe... a woman.
All it took was time. Until Nillia found them. And as the spectral Zanpaku'to continued to chase Sozen, if he cared to look. He would see a slow, cruel smile on her face. And with that sharp memory of his. He would probably remember.
How many times had his enemy had that look?
And even if it was rare.
Even if it had only happened once.
Chances were, someone with that very smile, had, at one point. Gotten their hands on him.

And he would remember what they had done to him. He would remember everything. Understand everything about what was going to happen when Nillia caught him. Because that's what he did. Sozen was VERY good at using his memory to his advantage. But for once, remembering wasn't doing him any good.

-300 Reiatsu for Fade Into Memory

SPOILER: Click to show

{Fade into Memory (Click me!)}Name: Kioku ni Usureru (Fade into Memory)

Shikai Level

Description: This Technique relies on Nola's continued contact with her zanpaku'to. As long as this contact is maintained, she can expend reiatsu and join Nillia in her incorporeal state, her body turning to black shadow. So long as she is in this state, Nola's actions are completely restricted to her Release Techniques. She cannot be harmed, nor can she harm anyone as her Zanpaku'to joins her in an incorporeal state.

Drawback: Loses access to Non-release techniques and any offensive ability. Costs 300 reiatsu to activate, and lasts for 4 posts. While she is more or less immune to reiatsu of others, she does have a very low level of material interaction with her own reiatsu, and as such when she is in this state, she keeps a fine layer of her own reishi along her skin. As such those with sufficient strength or outright momentum to do so can actually slam this layer into her. While their own fist will simply pass through her, the reishi that hits her will inflict damage, as such an individual with strength or speed with a 50% superiority to her offensive stat will be able to inflict injury on her with physical attacks. Reishi attacks with inferior offensive strength to Nola's have halved attack damage, whereas superior ones effect her regularly.

Fade Into Memory Post Duration: 1st/4
Shikai Duration: 2nd/10
Remaining Reiatsu: 6700/7200


Correction: Due to my misread of Nola sppr, the necessary Offensive stat to have 50% superiority is 1080, not 1110 as previously written.

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Song

Nothing? No reaction. Sozen noted with curiosity that the Zanpakuto before him acted much more like a Bount's doll than it did a Zanpakuto. It seemed to allow the spirit itself to wield the power, and Nola was simply along for the ride. He hadn't intentionally attacked with his memories, but he had assumed that accessing them would cause harm to the one accessing them. That they didn't meant the only one which had access was the Zanpakuto spirit, which could probably resist things given it was several leagues above its master. Nola, who was easily crushed by Sozen's gravitational pressure, was obviously not capable of handling Sozen's memories.

Yet if that was the case, then she was wielding a Zanpakuto that was much more powerful than she was. It controlled her, acting independently. Again, not unlike a Bount's doll, except it was unlikely that killing it would harm Nola's soul. Still... Stopping the Zanpakuto spirit in that case meant then that one only had to stop the master. It was the same as any other summoning Zanpakuto. A quick analysis of its abilities told Sozen what he needed to know. It hadn't bowed to his pressure, and that combined with its ghostly form and Sozen's own prior experience with the Primera Espada's release form told him enough. It was probably intangible in some way, just as Adalo had been.

"I didn't even know..... it must feel awful... what she's doing to you. It's different with everyone. I kinda wished I knew what it was she did. But.... if you already feel like weighing down on me... she must have stirred something really horrible." This was one thing she had gotten wrong. In its own way it might very well be horrible. The fact was that Sozen, in experiencing again all of those sensations and in reliving all of those memories actually felt very empowered. The feelings being stirred were helping him to focus. By channeling the darkness in his soul, he was becoming stronger, not weaker, not confused or distracted. Instead, it sharpened him. Made him more aggressive, more powerful.

Nola, with any hint of energy sensory, would be able to detect the difference in Sozen. Nillia's influence was feeding him. "But you really should have kept dodging." At this, Sozen smiled coldly. "My dear girl," Sozen said. "If you wanted to know who I am, your Zanpakuto wasn't necessary. All you had to do was lock blades with me to know who I am." Sozen then flexed his spiritual energies, not in an attempt to crush either Nola or Nillia, but to actually shatter Nillia's influence on him. Despite enjoying the feeling of the darkness, he had no need for the influence of another. And that was the limitation of Nillia's power. It was linked to the class and offensive power of its master.

Its master was weak, and Sozen outclassed her and it marginally. He had once read a science manual in Squad 12 that categorized people as varying classes of power. Nola, Sozen estimated, would be "class 4" by that standard. Sozen, on the other hand, was at the highest end of the spectrum, "class 0" which counted even for two above the one below it, "class 1." Thus, Sozen could be considered five whole "classes" above Nola, and with a reiatsu strength far exceeding her offensive capacity, even that enormous amount of spiritual pressure that had crippled the bandit earlier. Because of this difference, even without the requisite reiatsu strength needed to shrug that ability off, a fact Sozen was presently unaware of, he was still immunized by outclassing her. Had she possessed three times his own offensive ability, it might have been different, but as it was, Sozen flexing his gravitational pressure for a second earlier had been the most he could do without having an incident with this subordinate.

If Sozen were to flex it for longer, even by half a second, Nola would have died at that time. Here, however, he was flexing the might of his spirit rather than its weight. With such an overwhelming advantage, Nillia's influence on Sozen suddenly evaporated. All at once, no more memories dragged to the surface of Sozen's mind. They had been silenced. And Nillia was no longer able to drag them up. Try as she might, her ability to access Sozen had been destroyed, as if he was an impenetrable barrier. Even if she reached him, his soul was so well forged now that he was untouchable, and could repel all of her abilities. Now, instead, his glowing scarlet eyes fell on Nola, the master, as Nillia approached.

There was no need to dodge. No need to evade. As Nillia continued to approach, Sozen simply used a basic flash step to appear closer to Nola, towering over her with scarlet eyes as Nillia had to change direction to approach him again. But, even if she reached him, it was pointless. Sozen was too powerful. His class allowed him to repel her so absolutely that if he wanted, he could just flex it and the winds accompanying the release of his reiatsu would simply push her away, even if she was intangible. If he wanted, she could never reach him. "Use your aggressive feelings, girl. If you can't control your own ability, and she controls you, then the death you will one day die will be truly painful."

Sozen's Remaining Reiatsu: 2950/3000 Reiatsu

[Nola Vilde]

Nola actually was hardly surprised that Sozen Kuchiki, head of the kuchiki family, had turned out to be so very far ahead of her. That he simply obliterated her hold on him. She knew that this had been a broken fight to begin with. But in a way... she.....she couldn't help it. The feeling that welled up inside of her as he suddenly appeared before her. and she rubbed her eyes, thinking it over, thinking it through. That slow, creeping sensation that expelled out from her chest. It was just... unbelievable. It was inconceivable, but... she started laughing, A soft, warm laugh that welled up despite everything that was happening. It didn't take long bfore Nillia was glowering behind Nola, and that veil of blackness left Nola's body. That intangibility simply vanished as she held her sides, coughing a little before that laugh quelled to a soft giggling, her face a big smile as she slowly shook her head, lightly wiping the sweat from her brow as she shook her head slowly and sighed softly. She took a nice, slow sigh and got to her feet, and she... beamed at Sozen.

She looked warmly at Sozen as tose eyes of her glowed. And while she couldn't see it, Sozen would see Nillia's hand reaching into the back of Nola's head. And as the woman watched him, she couldn't help but look almost...amiably at the man as she lightly brushed her hair back. It wasn't any sort of flirtation. True, Nola had always gotten praise or ridicule for that luscious, velvety red flesh of hers. She wasn't hard to look at, but no... that wasn't what she was going for. She was...comfortably, and the eyes that Nola was using on the man were, perhaps to the untrained eye, something a bit oversultry. But for Sozen? He would instantly recognize it. A man that was so familiar with business, he would certainly know it right away. It was the look of a powerful woman. Or at least a woman who had, somewhere down the line, had some sort of power. It was a cat's look, a look it gave an especially entertaining mouse.

And she rose herself to her full height, genly brushing herself off, that wave of nervousness now gone as she made her way to the captain, and bowed at the waist, still smiling as she took a soft, slow breath, knowing that even if she had tried to surprise him with a sudden blow now, she probably couldn't even damage him. Having absolutely no idea that, in fact, her blade would very much slice him. She was used to swinging her sealed weapon around. This was actually the first time she had ever gotten within range of someone with her release and cut them. But alas as far as she was concerned, he was just...untouchable.

"I concede. Not that this was unexpected but...." she paused, looking off to the side as she thought it over, and that smile softened a little, was a little less..... intense. More relaxed. "But.... one day..." She paused, and shifted her attention to Sozen. She grinned, and she let her head tilt amiably to the side, reaching out, as if to touch the man's face, her hand stopping short of his, as if touching something that was more...metaphorical. As if she weren't reaching for him, but some essence of him that lie between the two of them. Right over his face. As if those fingers curled around the features of his mask.

"One day.... I'm going to get you Captain. One day, you'll remember. One day I'll be strong enough to remind you...." And suddenly she was sweating again, and looking a bit... paranoid, looking off to the side. "It happens too often for it to be a coincidence... but... my hardest fights... every one of them... just as I cut them down.. I'd sworn.... that I knew them. I remembered something...important about them. Something.... something very personal. But..... we couldn't have ACTUALLY met... I.... after it was over... I realized that." She smiled sheepishly, a little...insanely. "I know shes doing it..." eyes briefly shifted over her shoulder, at Nillia. "And right before I kill them.... I see it in their faces. They remember me too. Even though they shouldn't.... Obviously I don't plan on killing you. But I think... when I finally DO get to match you. I think you'll be tough enough.... that we'll both remember. Before it's over." And she relaxed again, chuckling sheepishly.

"It's a shame you're too strong. I've always wanted to... to try and find out what it is she does..." She looked over her shoulder at Nillia. "But I can understand you'd be afraid... I'm afraid of her... But well... I guess I just have to get strong enough that you not wanting it won't be part of the equation." She chuckled, jokingly. But there was some sliver of intent behind those words. Sozen had UNDERSTOOD her power. If she could just get him with it.... when the dust settled... maybe she could get him to figure it out... maybe she could figure out WHY this kept happening. She almost felt like.... asking...

she paused, looking at him as she mulled it over. It was a stupid idea. 'Hey do you mind if I fuck with your head to see what happens?' No that wasn't going to work. Even if she really wanted to.... I mean... the WORST he could do would be say no... right? She paused, and suddenly she found herself actually thinking about it. Would he? He had seemed as intrigued with her power as she was... maybe he WOULD help her... And this might actually be better... He was powerful enough that if it was something too bad.. he could just break it instantly. That'd be that, no worries. He was probably the safest individual to use for this purpose... And let's face it. She would be using him. But perhaps in a way he would be using her. He was a smart man. Perhaps in some way he might learn something from it. .....

"Captain..... I don't wish to overstep my bounds.... but as you showed... you honestly could never REALLY be hurt by me... right? I mean... even if you were to say... let her..." She nervously looked at Nillia. " Do her thing... You could just bow out whenever anything too bad happened. And you could probably figure out just.. WHAt the hell it is she does... right? So I mean... if.... you didn't mind... I... " She suddenly felt that nervousness again. "I... I just... it's been bothering me for a long time. And by no means will I hold it against you say no but... I just thought I'd ask..."

((Fight had been conceded so not gonna continue keeping track of stuff as at this point this is wrapup))

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Sozen's hand fell to Nola's shoulder kindly, advisingly, as he smiled. It was a smile akin to many others. The smile of a teacher. An instructor. A mentor. Like a warm, older figure to impart some form of advice to the younger generation. But, like many other smiles, it was something else, too. This was the same smile that had been taught to Sonken Kouhai... To the likes of Azeru Cho. And it was a smile of deception. Watching over Nola, Sozen couldn't help but feel mirth. How she wanted to deceive him... How helpless she was to her own ability. How she wanted to overcome him! All without feeling fear. But, lack of fear was not to be admired. It was born of a lack of appropriate experience.

From the hand Sozen had put on her shoulder, instantly and unsuspectingly, she would find red sparks of lightning suddenly fly across her body, streaking down her shoulders, torso, and legs, all the way to her toes. It also streaked up, entering into her eyelids and through her eyes, putting her hair on end. The lightning was a technique she had seen earlier. Raigomon, Sozen's torture lightning spell. This technique not only filled her body with immense pain due to being electricity flooding over her, but also came with the sinister effect of depriving her of oxygen, meaning it asphyxiated her at the same time as well, like the pain of drowning. The feeling of being unable to breathe was one of the most painful anyone could experience.

And while she was being shocked by Sozen, he spoke. "If you hope to learn about her, you should overcome your own weakness first." This was part of what Nillia may have observed in Sozen. The darkness in his soul was immense, practically immeasurable now. Though once he had started as a hero of sorts, a man with a lot of idealism and love to give, slowly, over many years, he had been corrupted. It was inevitable when one had such power. Meeting success after success while his grandfather taught him to kill and torture... He was bound to become corrupted. By the time he became a Captain, he had killed his own father for the good of his family, and had no problem with cruelty in the name of heroics.

And now, he was darker still. Consumed by it. "Still, I have enjoyed your company," Sozen told her. Indeed, he enjoyed her desire to feed, if one could call it that. To slay.... Maybe even kill. And in seeing the immunity of that ghostly figure to his gravitational pressure's killing effects, Sozen realized that, when it grew more powerful, it could probably resist a great many other things as well. He doubted that this low ranked Soul Reaper would ever grow to be someone that could oppose him, let alone threaten him. She didn't, in his mind, have the potential to destroy a Captain such as himself. But... She wasn't going to stay weak. She was growing still.. And one day she would be a fine ally.

"Regardless, as of this moment, I will begin to help you learn about her... And about yourself. About the true nature of your power. Because as of this moment, you belong to me."

[Nola Vilde]

Nola paused, and felt and odd little heat run along those pointed red ears. He was touching her. And almost immediately she felt unsure. Her spiritual pressure suddenly firmed itself, not showing itself, but her incredible amount of reiatsu began coursing under her skin as she almost could FEEL something about to happen. The way he was smiling at her was.... interesting. And she found herself once again oddly... attracted to the strange man.

He was fascinating. Because Nola had seen her fair share of smiles. Fake. Real. Nervous. Desperate. Memories that she preferred to forget, but the things she'd learned from those dark places of her mind still held true. He had that look on his face that she always... enjoyed. It was a genuine smile. Even if Sozen wasn't the greatest at acting, he still pulled it off phenominally. Why? Because of his memory. He had once sincerely held this smile. At one time or another. For as dark as Sozen was, Nola was just as bright and pure. Even with Nillia corrupting and manipulating her mind, the woman was still a beacon of good.

What was more she could see the good in others. So well in fact that even though Sozen had none left. She could feel the bones of the good that had once been there. The remains that let him hide so.... semiefficiently. Enough, at least, to function at his job. For whatever that was worth. And like Nola always was... and probably to a fault: She held some... not necessarily hope... but enthusiasm. Curiosity. Intrigue. She wondered just how far down he had buried his light. And deeper down. She wondered how much of him she would have to rip out to get at it.

Of course then came that pain. That.... familiar pain. After all she'd been in... a similar shindig. Back when she was still alive. Back when she had some mote of control over her life. And actually a little before she had died as well. In the first instance, it had been training. And in the second instance, more just... creative tormentors. Though she had to admit that Sozen was certainly innovative. Even though it was mildly familiar, it was a different monster indeed. As those arcs of electricity burned the oxygen in her lungs, scorched the insides of her body.

She had to admit she was continually disappointed in Sozen's methods. Or perhaps his fixation on physical pain. But she had to admit, it was still so very interesting. Namely the fact that not only was this worse than being electrocuted normally, but in a mild way, better. Because wether by weird design ( as Kido certainly was want to function in ways normal aspects of an element would) or by lucky coincidence, the electricity seemed entirely focused on pain. Unlike other electrical attacks, it didn't explicitly lock the victim's muscles.

As Sozen continued to speak, she twitched, her shoulders clenching up as pain rocketed through her body. Admittedly she supposed most victims would lock up from the pain. But as it were, even if it was a long, long time ago, she had experience with pain. And she had.... a willful mind. The barest of abilities in it. But it was by FAR better than nothing. And slowly, even as he spoke of his assertions, of her weakness (honestly she was perfectly aware of that) and his ... enjoyment of her? she paused. And at long last, he claimed ownership of her. And it felt odd. She probably should have been a little offended by his choice of words.

But she wasn't. No, rather, as he spoke. Her arms slowly shifted, and bit by bit, she leaned in, until about halfway. Obviously that was as far as she could bear. Moving made the pain worse in some ways, it was... excruciating. And not only that, but she could almost sense the damage it was doing to her body. Certainly it was by no means a technique that preserved the victims body. It was amazing that a victim would be able to feel anything at all after a technique like this. She wondered how many perfectly good subjects he'd lost to it.

Distracting. Gisgusting UGH. Those thoughts... those gross, howwible thoughts. She felt her tear ducts stinging as they tried to produce something. Far more worried about them then the pain she was in. The pain that was.. distracting. Distracting. Distracting.... She couldn't even help the smile that crept across her face. Those eyes that widened just a little bit. It hurt so motherfucking much. Hooooooolyfuck. SHHHHit.... She could feel her palms bloody as her nails dug into them. And even with her tolerance.... her mind just couldn't take it.

And she started laughing.

Dry. Airless. Squeaky. Screeching laughter. Sucking air into her chest only to have it obliterated once it was inside. But she could still expell the other gasses. Simply put, Sozen was perfectly cpable of messing up the oxygen in her lungs, but there would still be air there. Oxygenless or not. And it escaped from her body in sudden, loud, barking, seizing fits as she began laughing hysterically, eyes shutting tight as she SEEMED to lose it. Though honestly there had never really been anything to lose. She was tortured all the time. ALL the time. Nillia made her remember... so many things. Even if it had never happened. Even if it hadn't been true.

Memories tended to twist and distort. You could remember pain, and remember it being unreaosnably bad. Honestly if it HAD been that bad, surely her heart would have exploded, or her brain would have just given up. But she didn't HAVe to survive the pain. She just had to remember it. And not just physical pain. But much deeper pains. Pains of loss. Pains of betrayal. Every person she'd ever killed was someone close to her. Sozen of course knew hardship. But he was still, twisted as he was, unbroken.
And knowing that... made her so goddamn happy.

So happy that he wasn't like her.

So happy that he thought this was agony.

So happy that this was the limit of his diversity.

Unlike her, he wasn't an insane, broken little shell of what had once been such a powerful woman.

She couldn't help it. It was who she was. It was the whole reason that Nillia HAD to twist Nola's mind wheneer she fought. Whenever she had to kill. To Maim. Because even as Sozen was torturing her, and she laughed, and cried at the very same time. She was laughing because of how happy she was. Crying for....well she didn't exactly know why that was going on. Listen kid, when you're this fucking crazy you don't ask why your body does the things it does. For example why the hell she was on some level enjoying this. But all that aside?

Even as he slowly choked her out with the kido. As the laughter died down and she just sat there in agony, her body twitching erratically now and then as fresh waves of pain seared her body and she looked into those blood red eyes. That insane smile on her face softened. And in that moment she didn't mind belonging to him. Because...

She was going to fix him.

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Play this

When Nola awoke, it would be to darkness, with no memory of how she had gotten there. Of course, she could speculate. Perhaps Sozen had simply shocked her unconscious. After all, there was only so much that the body could take before it gave out. Or perhaps he had knocked her out with his heavy reiatsu. Or something else. It probably didn't matter. When she awoke, she would be blanketed in darkness. It wasn't the sort that was simply deprivation of light. It was total, absolute blackness. Not even the most remote fragment of sight. No sense of how large this place was. No sense of where or what it even was. She could be outdoors or in for all she knew.

And when she moved, it was as if she was suspended in space. She could breathe, so she couldn't be underwater, yet it was as if she was floating on her back, unable to sink even if she tried to allow her center of gravity to fall. The temperature was neither warm nor cold, rather being some infuriatingly in between. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she would come to realize that she was without sense of touch. She could perhaps assert some control to get some sense of having moved her body, but other than the realization that she seemed to be somehow floating, she would be able to feel nothing, not even her own skin if she tried to touch her body, assuming she could control it.

What was she wearing? Was she clothed? Was she naked? Was she dead? Was she alive? There would be no sense of this. Without sight or touch, she was also deprived further of pain. If she tried to harm herself in some way, she would find she could not feel that either. The pain was denied her. Along with the denial of pain was also the denial of sound. No sounds in this room. None. Even if she screamed, there was no sound. There was a sense of it coming from her throat based on vibrations, but nothing audible. No, this was technically untrue. There was one sound, one that did not echo, and was alone in being a sound. Drip... Drip... Drip... Drip.. Every few seconds, only a single drop of water. Just that one sound.

It might be safe to say that she was in a sensory deprivation chamber of some sort, if she were familiar with that sort of technology. It could well be true. In the human world, such chambers existed that deprived one of sight and sound and had one float in very dense salt water of a very even temperature. That did exist. In Soul Society, it wasn't impossible for one with as much knowledge and as many resources at his disposal as Sozen was to have just found a way to upgrade it to deprive her of touch too, and to even include a lone sound somehow so that she could have that, and only that. That of course was assuming it was even Sozen Kuchiki that had left her there.

...But, there was one more thing she had been deprived of. The thing that made her. Her insanity. How such a thing was possible? There were spiritual healers that could do it. There were even experimental surgeries that might be able to as well. Getting such a thing done was more up to the afflicted to seek treatment than anything else, but it seemed Sozen had seen fit to have someone "fix" her mind. With that came crystal clarity, memories of things she had done and been forced to do. Ways in which she hated herself were more clear than ever for her to ponder on. Memory of the physical pain Sozen put her through would also be there to reflect on.

In this sort of chamber, it was said that one could not last more than an hour and keep their sanity. Would this be true of Nola, whose sanity had been abruptly restored for the sake of this experience? If it was, surely it wouldn't last long either way. Despite the water droplets, the passage of time was something which would be lost track of. Until they were nothing but a horrible sound. A resounding echo that tormented her. How long did Sozen leave her in there? How many days? Or weeks? Or months? There was no telling. Somehow she remained fed. Was she dead, then? Or was she just not in there for very long? Would true death come for her? She could drift in and out of sleep, and that was the only control she had.

Such a place made keeping sanity for even the most tested of minds absolutely impossible. In real life, there is no such thing as a person that can withstand torture. Even the most powerful will in the world falls before psychological damaging of this level. And even if it was only gradual, eventually Nola's newfound sanity would collapse as well. And then, even after she had returned to her previous state of insanity, she was not freed. No, she stayed there until her sanity was gone, and long after her insanity had returned. For no telling of the time. With no forgiveness. She was trapped there, with herself, and even incapable of calling on spiritual powers to aid her or even illuminate the place a spec.

And, after some unknown, infinitely long feeling of time, she would awake in a bright white room, clothed in a white robe, with no features to the room but for a white table and chair, and Sozen Kuchiki seated on the other side from her. At that time, she would see his true smile, rather than the one he created as an illusion for others. What once had been a genuine, kind hearted smile was now one of cruelty. He enjoyed hurting people. With those scarlet eyes of his, Sozen's gaze fell upon Nola, and at that time he said only one thing to her to start. And she, after all of this time, might wonder just how many seconds or centuries she had spent in that room. They were indistinguishable now.

"You will become so much more powerful..." Sozen said.

[Nola Vilde]

Strange... she didn't usually conk out when Nola did... Ugh... fucking disgusting shinigami. already Nillia could tell that she hated him. So arrogant. So.... wait a minute. Something... wasn't right. She was floating like usual. She was in the dark like usual. She could feel those memories... just like... usual. But something was.... wrong. Something was missing... Something so very important. Several long moments passed before realization suddenly hit them. Nola? She heard nothing, not even her own muted voice. A moment of confusion.... she... felt strange.

Was she in a pod? Memories immediately sparked. no this was different... She could still tell up from down. Yes, she could tell she was floating on her back. What did she have? She didn't have sight... no sound... no...touch? why on earth would they remove that? A firm snap of her teeth ...teeth? She tasted blood. But not the black liquid memories that usually bled from her spectral form. She could taste iron. NOLA'S blood. Was she in control of Nola's body? Why on earth would she be in control? It didn't make sense.. Frowning, the woman narrowed her eyes and slowly curled her fingers. Or she thought she did. She considered pinching with her nails, but without touch for context she might damage her hand. She slowly ran her nails along her form. Bit by bit... touch by touch, she slowly began to feel things out.

It gave her nothing. She could sense spiritual pressure. But the only one she could sense was her own. And it definitely didn't help. After a short while she began to grow... listless. She was tired of not feeling, and she started to claw. And then she felt it. Pain. Not touch. Not pressure. Pain. Nerves firing off for danger. She supposed that worked. Little by little, carefully. She clawed every inch of herself. Waiting until she felt that telltale sting. Until she had verified that every inch of her was intact. And also being dissappointed when she couldn't feel herself up.

FUCK! THIRTY ONE YEARS SHED BEEN WAITING TO DO THAT AND SHE COULDNT EVEN FUCKING ENJOY IT! FUck, whatever. But that DID beg the question... where was Nola? Had she been ejected from the body? Hd Sozen killed her, and had Nillia ressurected in their place? She knew she was alive. That much was obvious. And for all the shit theyd done she KNEW she wasn't in hell. If they had earned THAT privileged she woulda went to the gates the moment she died, not thirty years later in some box. No this was some kinda.... trap. Cage? Something.

But that also begged the question. What would this mean? If Nola was gone, she had direct control. how did that even work? She was the zan spirit after all. Her. Nola with her memories intact. That's what Nillia was. that's what NOLA was. Broken Nola had just come up with some stupid alter name to call that part of herself. But... Mabe she wasn't the zan spirit. Maybe she was the Real Nola, but with her memories. But then she'd be her Zan spirit. What WAS she? she was both shinigami, and her own zan spirit.... This smelled of fuckery. Would she just get a new spirit? She wondered... Those brows furrowed and she sighed.

Oh right, there was a dripping. She hadn't even noticed it originally. she didn't know how much time had passed, epsecially since she had been so focused on making sure every inch of her bod was ok. but there WAS some kinda noise going on. It was distracting, but nothing she wasn't unfamiliar with. Honestly she had tried that dumb shit ages ago. It worked if you had the time. And if they handled it the way you wanted them to. But honestly she had always grown impatient. In fact... that dripping brought back memories. FRESH, Lovely Memories.

Lovely? She frowned, blinking for a moment. That was right... Nola was the one who had always been so fucking afraid of remembering. But that ho was gone. she supposed that was one problem solved. Maybe for the best. Nola was a sad excuse for a coping mechanism. Or was she the original personality before life had made her so fucked up? Before she had gone on all those messed up missions... killed all those people. Ahhh the dripping brought those memories back... Memories of... nobodies. nobodies who were scared. Angry. Giddy. some of those sick fucks had hardons. They had taken one look at Nola and thought they were in for some kinda kinky Fifty Shades of kinky Shit.

Heh... But no matter how excited they were. They always sang differently the first few inches the knife took under their disgusting little mini-me's. Once that little distraction was removed and the wound sautered to stop the bleeding, they became miraculously more focused. Did she lose some of them? Of course! She hadn't always been a professional. It had taken a LOT of practice to figure out how to do it just right. Where to cut. where to scorch. But once she got that shit down? ahhh it was the best.

She rifled through them. Memory after memory. It was amazing what she could enjoy when she had so much time to remember. She got lost in them. And at soem point... there was that tipping point. she was starting to lose the boundary between what she was remembering and what she was experiencing. She couldn't sense anything after all. All she had were her memories. So... when she thought back... she thought she really WAS back there... back in that fucking bunker. With that stupid little shit. God he'd been annoying. How many years had she been in this job? but something... something about this one was just gross.

He was nervous. He kept staring at her like she was some kinda saint. She'd carved up his face. Pulled his nails. She'd stretched his dignity until his shrill screams had ALMOST drowned out the sound of tearing flesh. And yet that fucking little punk still looked at her like she was some sorta bride. and yet she couldn't just kill him. Every time she put the gun to his head. FELT that familiar weight in her hand. Ran those fingertips along the grain of the grip. The way the trigger had that firmness. The lack of give. But she could almost sense it. The point of no return. Just how much pressure she could apply without it going off.

And she couldn't fucking do it. She kicked him. She punched him. she beat him. He'd already given her what she wanted. It was the end of the mission. Her CO had been 'nice' and left the details of this moron's demise. And she'd been sitting here... beating this kid to death. But she couldn't finish the job. She'd been staring at him... Watching him sleep. She bet that stupid fuck was dreaming about her... Some make believe fairy tail. One where she hadn't mutilated him for life. Hadn't beat him like a horse. Hadn't broken his fingers every time he gave her that stupid look, until she;d run out of fingerbones to break.

He just kept fucking smiling at her... Even when she saw that bright light... she could still see his stupid fucking face. Looking at her. It was almost as if that stupid idiot loved her. And that was probably the only person who ever would love the thing that she was. And thinking about that, even as she realized she could feel real things. Hear real sounds. See real light. She fucking could not STAND it. She wished she could have done it herself. Wished she hadn't been a coward. Wished she coudl have just pulled that fucking trigger.

"IF YOU DON'T STOP FUCKING SMILING I'm GONNA CUT YOUR DICK OFF!" She screamed, panting, heaving as she sat upright, her eyes wide, blinking rapidly as she realized what had happened. She hadn't actually been there. She hadn't relived that. When she'd seen Sozen's stupid smile, she still hadn't been fully aware of where she was. And she had shouted at him. She blinked once... twice...thrice... She looked down at her body, furrowing her brows and looking herself over. It was real. She was in Nola's body. But well... he didn't have to know that... Well fuck I mean... He was gonna find out. Was there any point in hiding it?

"Congratulations you stupid fuck. I'm finally fucking free.... hehehehehehe. ahaha. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She cracked up, dropping back onto her back and shaking her head, rubbing her forehead. This was it... she was real. No more fucking mental blocks. It was gone. she was fucking. Free.

End Thread

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

660 TP Nola
430 TP Sozen