Wingless Birds [JT, R]

[Nola Vilde]

Training for CTP

Nola felt a twinge of irritation as she felt it. Sitting by herself, her zanpaku'to laid across her lap, she couldn't help but feel the.... disconnect. The sensation that her weapon was ignoring her. She had been focusing on her weapon for some time now, and to be frank it was begining to grow... tiresome. She had never had this much trouble with her zanpaku'to before, and with every little twinge of her spiritual pressure she became more and more....unsure. Those eyes opened and she couldn't help but let her disappointment be seen.

She needed help. And she definitely wasn't going to go to the LAST Captain she'd run into for it. And as a matter of fact she didn't really know WHO to go to. There were only a handfull of 'nice' captains she knew about. One was probably not as useful, the other was... a Kuchiki. She was very leery on the subject, and she very much wanted to avoid the family..... but.... she supposed if anyone knew how to get through what she'd been through, it would be her best bet right? She CERTAINLY wasn't going to go to the Captain Commander over this. No.... she'd seek out Hotaru.

Sheathing her weapon, she rose to her feet, brushing herself off and sighing softly, looking to the side for a moment before rubbing her face, slowly taking a moment to adjust her mindset. She needed to get into that stupid idiot's mindset. With a soft breath, she relaxed, and began walking. The squad ten barracks were a little ways away, but if she focused and didn't let herself get distracted, it would be easy enough to make her way there. She just needed to ignore the ususal stares she got, and she would be there in no time. She just hoped the Captain was available.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

OOC: Training for CTP

IC:
Hotaru was sitting in her office, just like any normal day. There wasn't too much going on at that moment, so she actually had a free moment to sit and catch up on some paperwork. Though it seemed like that was all she did now, she knew it was fairly important to actually get all the paperwork done. She heard that other Captains tried to get out of it, but as far as she knew, she was one of the only Captains that did their work regularly.

There was the odd squad member that came in to talk to her about either duties or just their daily routines, which didn't matter either way to her. She was open to talk about anything. She didn't know if listening to the issues helped them, but she gladly listened. Some of her squad members still looked at her wedding ring, well glanced at it, while they talked to her. She assumed that they didn't really realize what they were doing.

She would smile and nod and give out her opinion before they would leave. At least she wasn't half gawked at with the ring anymore. When she first came back from the honeymoon, the looks were definitely interesting. But, half her squad went with it, while the other half just avoided her. It slowly started to go back to normal, but it seems that some in her squad didn't like the idea of a noble like her marrying their 'enemy,' a Quincy.

But, that was neither here or there. She was starting to finish up some paperwork to take a break when she felt something. She stretched her sensory ability and felt an unknown reiatsu walking towards her barracks. It was a shinigami, but someone she had never met with before. It wasn't too uncommon, but she thought it was weird that it wasn't one of the usual carriers. When she felt them entire the barracks proper, she would poke her head out and yell, "Come on in if you need to talk with me! Door's always open!" She would then go back to her work.

[Nola Vilde]

Nola actually halted in her tracks when she heard that call out to her. Her brows lifted in surprise as she noted how... pleasant it sounded. She was well aware that this particular Captain had many rumors around her. Some said she was a traitor. Others saw her as inspiration for bringing two races closer together. And even some simply regarded her as a sleaze, and to quote "so easy a quincy could do her". With Nola's own... skin affliction. She was aware of what looks, compounded with abnormal behaviors and mannerisms could produce. She made no assumptions, but certainly the woman she was hearing didn't sound like Sozen. That was all she really cared about.

Slipping into the office, she was... surprised to see the Captain so very.... busy. She hadn't met a ton of captains, but a great many captains did not cme of as the hardworking type. Even Sozen was hardly known for it, more known to spend time with his squad (Though the rumors said nothing about just what sort of activities those may be in reality, they mostly painted it as quality support, or outright him fucking his way through the females of his squad. She wasn't sure if she doubted that last one. ) But Hotaru seemed very... dilligent.

"I.... apologize if I am interrupting Captain. I simply.... wished to speak to you." She noted softly, keeping her words short and to the point. No use going into specifics just yet, Hotaru might be too busy to even talk to her. And blabbing would only give her more liabilities to keep track of. The last thing she needed was to raise alarms to Sozen. She doubted there was much more he could actually do to her, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try, and that was an annoyance she had no need or desire for.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

Hotaru patiently waited for the shinigami to enter her office while she continued her work. She heard the shinigami come in, but she wanted to finish something right quick. She held up one finger while she finished her last bit of scribbling before she turned around and saw the shinigami that was standing before her. She looked at her face and she did notice the red of her skin. She tried to hide the surprise of the shinigami's skin.

She had no room to judge someone for something that stupid as skin color, but it was rather unique that after death, her skin would adopt this hue. She just raised her right eyebrow and looked at the shinigami when she started to talk. The woman wanted to speak to her and she was apologizing for it? She raised the eyebrow because she thought it odd that she would apologize to a Captain, who invited her into her office.

Her work done for the day, she quickly put it all together and secured the important papers and locked them in her desk. She made sure it was tidy before she stood up to see this new shinigami. She quickly put her Captain's Haori on before she smiled and spoke to her. "Oh, you aren't interrupting me! I was the one that did invite you into my office. If you don't know about me, I have an open door policy for my squad members, or anyone for that matter.

As long as my door is open, you can come bug me as long as you like! When the door is shut, it lets them know I'm busy doing something fairly important and only the seated officers should bother me with urgent business. I like to think that it's working rather well here, if you don't mind. Also! If you want, you can call me Hotaru-taichou, if that would make you feel better. I'm a sucker for the old titles like that." She would hold out her right hand to shake the other shinigami's hand at this point.

After she took it to shake it, or not shake it, she would lower her hand and continue. "I would also answer to Hotaru-sama, Kuchiki-sama, Masurao-sama or Mrs. Kuchiki-Masurao. Sorry if I'm the one doing all the talking! You're the one that came to ask me a question. Please, what did you want to talk about?" She would then keep her eyes focused on the shinigami while she would step to the side and grab her zanpaktou, tying it tightly to her belt. If she was standing up, she might as well look the part of a Captain, shouldn't she?

[Nola Vilde]

Nola couldn't help but... loft a brow slightly in response to the woman's unusual nature. She seemed so.... bouncy. And no not just because her uniform did little to contain those mammaries, but more specifically the way the woman bounced from one topic to the next, continuing to speak as Nola watched in calm silence. She was really coming to this woman for help? Well.... better a ditz than someone who would show her the door for wasting their time.

"I'll stick with Captain. I.... uh... I've been having... difficulties with my Zanpaku'to. " She murmured, glancing down at that needle-like blade of hers, she furrwed her brows and ran her fingers along the weapon. It didn't much look like a weapon, in fact it looked like a rather enormous sewing needle, if sewing needles were pointed on both ends. She sighed softly, rubbing the side of her face.

"I recently took part in a operation with one of your family members. Captain Sozen. And I.... I must have injured it..." A badly concealed lie. She wasn't the type to lie in the first place, she was more an ''avoid the truth kind of deal'. "I suffered some... injury from the operation and I've been having troubles with my Zanpaku'to since. I um.... attempted to get Sozen's help, but it made the matter worse. I wasn't sure who to go to but... well.. as you are in the same family as him. I thought maybe you would know how to help. Or at the very least, help me learn some things to help me while I'm waiting for it's power to return." She reasoned.

It wasn't that great of a thing pulled together. But then again it was.... mixed with truth. She did need her help, specifically because it was possible that, as a member of Sozen's family, she had seen victims of sozen's.......hobbeys. Maybe she would be able to help Nola recover from the damage he had done. Or at the very least, help her comune with her zanpaku'to to such an extent that she could. Even now she kept her fingers over the weapon, silently hoping it would speak to her.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

She watched the expression on the woman's face while she was talking to her. It seemed that she wasn't expecting her to be the way she acted. Hotaru didn't know what squad this shinigami came from, but she knew that she was rather unique among some of the Captains. Though, she assumed that she hadn't met July yet, who was a lot more chipper than she could be at any given instance. 

When the woman mentioned difficulties with her Zanpaktou, Hotaru immediately put on a more stoic face and listened to her. Hotaru's own sword was the dearest thing to her. Losing Rivu~aiasan was like losing a part of herself. Having trouble with the Zanpaktou could mean something fairly bad had happened to her. Before she started to ask about what could possibly be wrong, she continued to talk.

Hotaru listened intently. It seemed that she had worked with Sozen. Mentioning the name, Hotaru had a slight flashback to what Sozen had put her through to get the new power that she had now. She was afraid that she injured it in the operation. It would be a bad sign if she did, and it was highly possible if she was on a mission with the Head of her Family to have an injury happen to a Zanpaktou. She could only assume what kind of missions Sozen would go on.

The woman herself suffered injury, which is where the problem started. Interesting. Once she started to talk about her seeking aid from Sozen, only to make matters worse, there were more flashbacks of what happened in that dungeon on their family grounds. When she thought about that place, she called it her Living Hell. She never wanted to go down there with Sozen again, once was quite enough for her.

Confused on where to go, she figured that Hotaru could help, since they're in the same family. Hotaru thought about what to say to the woman. Not too many knew about how she got into the family in the first place, and no one, not even her husband Asmoskon, knew what Sozen did to her in her Living Hell. It might help if she told her some of the things that she has dealt with with Sozen to see if it would ease her at all.

"First, it was rude of me to not even ask your name. What would you like me to call you by? Second, I know exactly what Sozen-sama can to do try to 'help' someone. He's done the same for me. He's the reason that I'm in the family in the first place and one of the reasons I'm strong against pain. I'm going to tell you one story that very few people know about and another that only Sozen and myself know. I am trusting you to keep your mouth shut or else face punishment. Is that clear?"

She would wait until Nola either agreed to keep silent or not agree. If she didn't agree, this conversation didn't happen. If she did, she would continue. "I was born a Wakizashi, my true last name. I wasn't born into the Kuchiki family. I wasn't even really adopted. I fought a demon near Soul Society that nearly killed me. I CRAWLED towards Division Twelve when Azumi-taichou was still the leader there. I begged for help and she let me in.

I had no idea what they were going to do, and at the time I didn't care, because I was going to live instead of die at the hands of that stupid demon. It seemed that Sozen took a liking to me, after seeing my fight and the resolve to live, so he transfused Kuchiki blood into me. I literally became Kuchiki and no one was the wiser. Those who knew me before just assumed Sozen adopted me into the family, not knowing the truth.

One day, while still a Third Seat, I went to Sozen-sama, asking for help to get stronger. He took me into what was a basement on the family grounds, but was more like a dungeon. There, he subjected me to his full force spiritual power and pressure, causing differing effects all the time. The pain was agonizing and what I saw there, I dare not say again. But, I know the depth of what Sozen can do now, maybe not all but some. I NEVER want to get on his bad side again.

So, I know what it means to get Sozen-sama's help and it turn out worse. For me, it was horrible, but it did actually end up helping me in the end. I'm sorry his 'method' was as helpful to you as it was to me. But! To go to something on a lighter note, I can certainly try to help you with your Zanpaktou. Is the sword actually damaged in anyway? Any cracks on the surface of the blade?

I have had mine destroyed before, broken into many different pieces, but thankfully I was able to make him whole again." With that, she would lovingly touch her Zanpaktou and look at it, thankful that she was able to fix him and feeling his warmth on her fingertips. "Now, how I fixed my sword was long talks and using my reiatsu to fix the sword. It took days, but it worked. We needed the talks to clear the air about what happened. Can you go into your Inner World and talk with your Zanpaktou? To try to clear the air with him or her?

I 'might' be able to try to help you get there, but honestly, I've never done something like that before. I guess there's a first time for everything! Though, if I can't get it to work and you want to learn things from me instead, I would be happy to show you a thing or two. You just tell me what you would like to learn and I'll do my best to help you learn it!" She would smile at the end of her spiel, hoping that this woman knew that she could trust her, since it seems like they've both been through a lot of similar instances.

[Nola Vilde]

Nola had expected... a lot of things. She had expected incredulity... maybe some vague familiarity. But she did not expect this. A member of his own family, who was 'familiar with how he helped people'. Something about the wording of that suddenly stabbed nola with a metaphorical knife, and she felt her stomach sink suddenly as it came to be a realization her her. when the woman began talking about how she was to keep her trap shut, it suddenly became much more clear to her just how similar their situations must have been. She squirmed, her fingers curling a little as she watched them. She nodded. "I understand."

And then it came. All the information confirming her theory, and then some. she felt her spine tickle softly as she listened to the woman's explanation, how Sozen had used his abilities to put her through... well a lot. Explaining how she had come to be a part ofhis family. And how he had 'helped her' to become stronger. Apparently she had been a lot more lucky than Nola had been. She stared off to the side, thinking for a moment as he rmind tried to put things together.

When Hotaru asked about it well... about her Zan spirit, she suddenly fell silent. She thought it over for a little while, staring down at the floor as she thought about how best to word this. "She used to call me Nillia. Whatever that meant. Honestly after she died, she just couldn't handle. Actually once she left the service when she was a human it started. She didn't want to remember the things I'd done, so she separated herself. She just conveniently....forgot them. When she became a shinigami, well... I was still her boogeyman. The version of her that still remembered. You could say we were like split personalities. Only we didn't have that much of a difference. I was just a version of her that remembered everything."

She slowly rubbed her eyes, and then looked back up. "I became her Zanpaku'to spirit. I was where she trusted her power. The ability to forget. Thats the thing she valued most, so thats what her power became. Technically, I'm not the one he tortured. He tortured her. And when it didnt work, he decided to just force her to remember. Force me to remember." She waved it off, trying to think. "He made her remember.... so she turned into me. I'm Nola's Zanpaku'to spirit. Or I guess I'm just nola now, since she doesn't exist anymore. The me without my memories." She paused, looking down at her weapon. "I can still access some of the abilities. Just some of them. But... when I try to speak to ...whoever is in there. I just get silence. Nothing. I lost almost all of my powers. And well.." She shrugged.

"My teachers said that I was the release type. Said that my soul wasn't very strong, but because of how much spiritual pressure I had, that I was a very strong candidate for my release. But now I don't have my release. So I'm not sure where to go from here..." She noted with a sheepish little shrug. "I'm not entirely sure what to do. I would learn abilities outside of my release, but to be honest, I'm already weak enough as it is. I have so much reiatsu that its very hard to train myself in any other aspect." She noted, remembering the bandit that had tried to stab her. He'd just.... practically exploded....

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

Once Hotaru was done talking about her 'ordeal' with the Head of her Family, she saw the woman just stare off into space. It seemed that she was collecting her thoughts on what she was just told. It was a lot to take in, especially with her entrance into the family to begin with. Thinking back on everything, after telling her, it was an interesting trip she had taken from when she first made it to Soul Society to now, being the Captain of a division.

She waited and then the woman shinigami started to speak. Her first sentence was a little weird. Was she referring to her Zanpaktou giving her a nickname? Then, she continued to speak and Hotaru's eyes widened a bit. She immediately used her speed to shut and lock the door before the woman kept going. She knew that most of her division was out and she had talked to the point where it wasn't going to carry.

Hotaru had no idea what people would do with what this woman was saying, so to protect her, she locked the door. She arrived back in the same spot, still listening to what she was saying. With her mastery of Hoho, this was a quick feat that the woman hopefully wouldn't notice. The more she told, the more it was surprising to her. The Zanpaktou spirit out in the real world? She knew it was possible but....

When she talked of the torture, it hit a sore spot with her. She had already told her what Sozen had done, but what he did to her.....it was to the point of unforgivable. She knew she couldn't confront him about it, in case he would do something to her, but she would remember this. Remember the lengths that Sozen would go to to get the information he wanted. She guessed it was the reason he led the Sixth Division.

He forced the previous Zan spirit and shinigami together. Hotaru really couldn't believe it. She watched and listened, saying she could access some power, but she truly had no idea what was in the sword now that they were together. When she mentioned high reiatsu, it made her think on Kagami. She hadn't seen him in ages and it was rumor he just left Soul Society all together. She wanted to say good-bye to her best friend....

But! This was a new problem in front of her. When she was done, she would just go in a hug the girl tight. She would hold on long enough for it to be not awkward then step back. "I am so sorry that this happened to you, Nola-san. That he would do something like this........ But you can't change the past. I want to help you reach your sword's Inner World, if you would let me. Take a deep breath and close your eyes." 

Hotaru would then grasp her hands and if the sword wasn't in them, she would put the sword in her hands. Hotaru would take her own advice and take a deep breath and close her eyes. "Now, what I do to visit my Zanpaktou is picture myself diving into the sword, my essence going there and I get transported there to see Rivu~aiasan. I want you to try the same. Envision your body going into the sword. I will be here to help and ground you. Deep breaths."

At this point, Hotaru would be taking deep breaths in the hopes that Nola was taking her advice. She would gather up like she would to visit Rivu~aiasan but before she made it move, she felt her Zanpaktou. She could tell he was worried about this, but she tried her best to ease him. He was tied to her, so he would be coming along. Once he knew she wasn't going to change her mind, he retreated and went back to the way she was before. Once ready, she would try hard to dive into the sword, at least her energy would like she did. She would try to tug Nola along in the hopes that she would be able to open the sword up to both of them.

[Nola Vilde]

Nola paused, staring for just a moment as Hotaru suddenly began locking the doors, and for just a Moment Nola considered releasing and.... dealing with her. but as it were, it turned out to be unnecessary. She was not being attacked, so she simply relaxed, watching as Hotaru moved in, and to her continued surprise, the obnoxiously attractive Captain moved in and held her. She felt her cheeks warm up, though honestly her skin was so red that it wouldn't show. But even so, it was... a bit of a surprise.

When the woman pulled away, she felt herself growing... intrigued at how the woman was taking all of this. They seemed to be... believing her. And she supposed that the woman had suffered similarly, she knew what it was like, but even so, looking down to the blade she could not help but imagine what it was like to be so separate again. To be locked up inside. Those eyes shifted back up, staring to Hotaru for a moment as they adjusted the blade in her hands. She couldn't help but feel ... intrigued at the woman's own method of communication.

"Nonsense, whenever Nola wanted to talk I made her perform a rit...." She suddenly paused, thinking for several long moments before she smiled, laughing gently to herself as she shook her head, thinking for just a moment before rolling her eyes. "I wanted to make it hard for her. I always made her suffer. so the only way she could visit....was by tasting her own blood." She murmured, a slow, careful smile crossing her lips.

She raised that needle of a weapon, and then jamme dit down through her thigh, hissing softly as it sank clean through her leg, drenching the blade before she pulled it back up, and in a soft puff of blackness, the wound simply vanished, the blade itself was covered in... blackness. "Such a baby she was. It hurts, but it doesn't actually linger. Pain is just a memory after all. You have to drink it in." She noted softly, smirking. "Of course, only her blood will do." She noted, running her nail along the blade, as every single drop of that black 'memory' was collected on her finger, and then she smeread it down over her lips and her tongue, leaving just a bit on her upper lip before the rest drew a black line down her tongue, and the memory of that blood faded from her finger, lingering only on her lip as she let out a slow, steady, deep sigh.

She was in. And in the deepest recesses of that inner world, as the light of Hotaru's office faded from her sight. She found herself back in that inner world. In the swamp. That endless black plane, with a floor of black, inky water. Memories. And now and then, a bubble would grow, and burst, flinging a black, shadowy memory into the air, so that in every direction, one could see nothing but those black scenes, ripped from the mind, and given form. All... save for a single black spire in the distance. The spire she had once called her home.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

Hotaru was doing her deep breathing and trying to help Nola get into her Inner World. But....something was off. She gathered back into herself to see that Nola was just sitting there, looking at her. She then spoke, saying that Nola would have to do a ritual before she could actually see her. A ritual? She hadn't heard of any other shinigami doing something like that to visit their inner world. Though, she didn't know how any other shinigami visited their Zanpaktou.

Make it hard for her to visit? Why would a Zanpaktou Spirit make it hard for their shinigami to visit? She then thought back on what she had already told her about what Sozen did. The shinigami didn't really like the spirit, from what she could tell, but the Spirit, it seems, didn't like that much either. It didn't really click to her that Spirits could not want to visit with their shinigami at all. She figured she was lucky.

When it was mentioned that she had to taste her own blood first, Hotaru inwardly cringed. She had to physically hurt herself to visit the Spirit? While thinking on that, she watched Nola draw out her blade and pierce her leg. Hotaru was too distracted herself to actually try to stop her, only trying to do something after she had already pierced her leg. She watched as she pulled the sword out and it was covered in some kind of black stuff.

Her blood was black? She quickly looked towards the wound, expecting it to be gushing out blood, but the wound had closed. What? The pain didn't linger from the wound but it did hurt. You had to drink it in and only her blood would do. If Hotaru did that to herself, it would hurt, but it would honestly be more of an advantage to her the more she thought about it. It was an interesting idea, but one she knew Rivu~aiasan wouldn't go for. He actually enjoyed her visits.

She watched as Nola dipped her finger in whatever that black stuff was, and put it in her mouth. After that, she seemed not all there, and she knew that Nola had left to visit her inner world. Hotaru wanted to help the girl, but drinking her blood seemed a little....off. But, she steadied herself with a deep breath, took her finger and leaned close to this girl, eyeing her lip.

Hotaru needed her blood and the only remaining part of it was on her lip. There was only one thing she could do. She took her finger and gingerly swiped up all the blood that was left on her lips. She looked down at the finger and took a deep breath. She didn't really want to actually drink someone else's blood, but she knew that she had to do it to help this girl, even if the idea was repulsive to her.

She then sucked on her finger and felt herself fall away from the office and into something different. She knew she was going into the sword's Inner World, but she was surprised by how dark it was. She looked around and found Nola there. It looked like a swamp was laid out before them and there was a huge spire in the distance. She walked over and looked at the woman. "I assume that we're heading off towards the spire then?"

[Nola Vilde]

It was not real blood. Perhaps Nola hadn't....articulated it so very well. But the pain was the real source. It was blood turned into memory. And of course, when Hotaru touched the black fluid, obviously it would not smear. There would be nothing on Hotaru's finger. But when she licked the spot where that black fluid would have been, it carried with it: a trace. A memory. And she would suddenly feel the last thing that had made contact with her lips all over again. Perhaps a food. Perhaps a set of chopsticks. It would be a sfresh a sensation as when it had actually happened. and that was all it took:

Remembering.

And like that, Hotaru was there in that endless black pond. Of course... comparet to Nola, it would be very different. The black shapes erupting from the bubbles would be different. Because people remember different things differently. Nobody had the same memories. Hotaru would see flickering shadows of her own past wafting around the both of them. Even if they looked at the same cloud of gas, they would each only see their own memories within it. And Nola would give Hotaru a wry look, and suddenly Hotaru would feel so VERY Very heavy. As memories of being crushed down by high pressure would hit her like a brick.

"You really shouldn't enter someone's world unexpectedly. This is my space. My Soul. So I can do whatever I want in here." She stated firmly, and those eyes would glow a deep blue. A blue that would summon even more memories. This place seemed to revolve entirely around it. And everything would seem to tug more little tidbits of Hotaru's past to mind. Distracting her, as Nola stepped toward them, and gently flicked her finger, her spiritual pressure rocketing from her finger in the form of a sudden odd, stabbing sensation.

After that little spiritual jab in the chest, Hotaru would no longer be wearing her Captain's uniform. She would feel a tug, at least in her head, before memories of a much more... young woman, would come into play. Her academy uniform melting it's way across her body, replacing what she'd been wearing before. And Even Nola would seem to change her outfit, wearing the very same thing as she dragged that memory out of Hotaru and made it real.

Nola glanced down, furrowing her brows. "This is what you wore at academy?" She asked, grimacing softly. "You could have at least cut the sleeves off." She murmured, shaking her head as she shiftd her attention back to Hotaru, and those eyes would glow once again, the pressure suddenly leaving as she watched them carefully. "So then, Captain. Is there any reason in particular you decided to come in after me?" She inquired calmly.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

While looking through the black water, she saw what she could only call visions. Visions of her past mostly. The only thing is....the only memories that were being shown to her are the memories of when she was in Soul Society, none of when she was alive. It was rather odd, but maybe there was a limit to how far back this water could look into her own memories. It was then that she saw Nola look at her.

She was told that it wasn't very nice to enter someone else's Zanpaktou's Inner World, which was true. But, Hotaru assumed that she had been given an invitation to do so, since Nola had wanted her help to try to get to her Zanpaktou. Though, Hotaru was assuming and maybe she had assumed a little 'too' much about what the woman had wanted her to do. Something happened before she could answer.

Her eyes turned blue. It was a beautiful shade of blue but what happened next surprised her. Memories started to form in front of her. It was true that Nola had all the power here and maybe her Zanpaktou Spirit was correct in trying to stop her from coming here. Nola could easily harm her here, but Hotaru doubted that the woman would do something to someone that was trying to help her with her problem.

When she flicked her finger towards one of them, she felt a weird stab. She looked down and saw that her outfit was changing back to the way it was when she was in the Academy. Nola's outfit changed too, for some weird reason. She then complained about how she wore the outfit all those years ago. She then asked why she followed her into her Inner World, which was a very valid question.

"First, when I first went to the Academy, I wore the outfit as it was assigned, not wanting to piss off anyone of authority. I had just come from a background of taking orders and doing as I was told, so that's why I wore it like that. Obviously, that changed the longer I was in Soul Society. Second, you wanted help to get more in touch with your Zanpaktou. I know I should've asked, but I figured that this would be the best way, to come in and help you. If you don't want me here, just expel me. I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries." She would then bow towards Nola in respect.

[Nola Vilde]

those eyes would seem to pierce Hotaru, and no doubt the Captain would feel that familiar feeeling....growing. Slowly bit by bit, as if she somehow KNEW Nola. And all of the sudden, with Nola having asked Hotaru about the time, and Hotaru willingly thinking back, it would seem as if those memories just naturally popped into her head. She would be so very easily carried away with them, and instead of that endless black sea, they would be.....there.

In Hotaru's Class

She would feel just like she had so very long ago. She would remember those days of practice, hard work, and perseverance. The struggle to stand out among her fellow students, even if it wasn't something she actively cared about, every individual still encountered it. And.... in the mist of those memories, just before that memory would fade from Hotaru's mind, she would remember turning, and she would remember Nola. Clear as day. She wouldn't remember knowing the girl's name. She wouldn't remember even really hanging out. But it was as if something had suddenly clicked, and Hotaru had suddenly realized that she had gone to school with Nola so very long ago.

A hand on Hotaru's shoulder would snag her from the memory, and when she looked up, she would notice that Nola was smiling right at her. A bright, friendly smile. The smile of the Nola that Sozen had killed. The Nola that didn't exist anymore. Hotaru was being dragged back into her memories. And though there was no way for Hotaru to notice it, she had been ensnared into the whiles of Nola's shikai. Her ability to reach into another persons' memories. And with a taste of them, make new ones. Ad of right now, it was as if Hotaru was reliving her old days of being a student. As if she were remembering so very vividly.

"I'm sorry um... I didn't really see you there. I didn't mean to bump into you." That younger Nola would whimper softly, a hand reaching down in order to help Hotaru up, whom the poor girl had inadvertently knocked over in a collision in the hallway. Hotaru would feel herself impulsively reaching up. As it was so very much like a memory. She was... hrself. So she had some semblance of control... but memories could not be changed, it was as if certain actions were under her control and some weren't. Almost like one was in a dream. Guide as one might, one could not stop the flow of the dream itself.

"My name's ____ what's, your name?" She would ask softly, smiling brightly as, of course, that name would slip Hotaru's mind. After all, even though Nola had introduced herself so very long ago, Hotaru obviously had forgotten it. Just like she had forgotten her. But at the very least, she was remembering.

"My name's Nola, what's your name?" The words suddenly became clearer, as if she had only just remembered hearing it before.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

She would stare at Nola and then something would start happening. It would be like a little prickle of a memory. It was like she had met Nola before. She thought about it and she remembered that the woman came into her office today and that was the first time she had met her. Or............was it the first time they had met? Hotaru was uncertain at this point. It was the weirdest feeling that she had ever felt.

Hotaru kept looking at her, not noticing the changing things around her. She looked around and saw the Academy. She couldn't remember what class she had just come from, but she knew that she needed to get to her next class. She was walking and then she got bumped. The bump was hard enough for her to fall on the ground. Her books had fallen out of her hands while she fell. She collected them and felt the hand on her shoulder, making her turn to see who it was.

This is how she remembered her! She knew that she had seen the woman somewhere before. The girl was there, smiling down at her. Hotaru would, of course, smile back at her. She then spoke that she didn't mean to bump into her. Did she bump into her? Well, she must have if she's apologizing about it. She had gathered all of her materials and took the outstretched hand from Nola. Hotaru lightly swept some dirt off her as she missed the girl introducing herself.

She then stared at the girl and caught her name this time. Her name was Nola and she was asking for hers. Hotaru would smile very brightly and bow slightly, before standing back up and answering her. "Hello, Nola-san. My name is Hotaru. It is a great pleasure to meet a fellow student! It's okay about bumping into me, I'm sure I wasn't paying attention. Did you want to walk to class with me?" Hotaru would wait to see if she would have a companion to walk with.

[Nola Vilde]

She actually..smiled. Seeing that bright face smiling at her, she couldn't help but smile back, gently holding the other girl's hand as they introduced themselves. It was a....strange feeling, as Nola pulled the girl up, seeming to look at them... nervously. The girl was striking to say the least. With brilliant, blazing red skin, she stuck out like a sore thumb, and that gorgeous, pale white hair accented it almost specifically, making it all but impossible to stare. And Nola seemed just as drawn to the strange look of purple hair on dark skin.

For a moment Nola hesitated, in response to the offer to walk together. Before she knew it, Nola would be holding the other girl's hand, suddenly pulled along as the two of them headed off, pulling Nola along. Down a hallway that didn't really seem to end. At least up until the smell of water reached her nostrils. And, naturally, Hotaru would look over her shoulder, to see if Nola was having any trouble keeping up. But she wouldn't see Nola. She wouldn't see anyone. She was staring out onto a lake, a lake that seemed so very tranquil and still. A lake from a very familiar park, one she had been to before, or at least once before. A park in Tokyo.

"Hey there Beautiful."
The voice would alert her just before arms gently wrapped around Hotaru's waist, and she would feel that sudden jump of adrenaline from being suddenly grabbed, but the voice was....soothing. Familiar, and it kept her from lashing out. Instead she would turn, and stare into those bright blue eyes that seemed to smile back at her, and Nola's face could be seen, grinning as she gave the woman a firm, comforting squeeze. A hold that Hotaru had felt so very many times before. A hold that made everything seem so much more....calm.

"But....I told you to leave me alone. I warned you that if you came to me again I'd kill you." Those words were suddenly.... not so very comforting. Hotaru would have closed her eyes in response to that warm feeling, but when she opened them, she was not in Nola's warm, comforting arms. She was standing across from her. They were on an island. One that suddenly would fill Hotaru with dread as suddenly Nola was striding towards her. The pressure of the other shinigami's soul suddenly weighing down heavily upon the woman, making her legs feel weak, making her arms and legs feel frozen on the spot.

"You betrayed me! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Nola roared out, furious, and Hotaru would know exactly what she had done to deserve this. She would know what she had done. She'd betrayed Nola's trust. Betrayed it, by going along with that....Quincy. The thought was so distracting that she wouldn't even realize until it was too late. The feel of a sword slowly sinking into her body, the sudden heat of blood spilling down her shoulder, and Nola's needle-like blade buried there. Those hard, crystal-blue eyes glaring at her. And Hotaru would feel the weight of her sins on her shoulders, slowly dropping her to her knees. It felt real. Nothing like an actual memory. Hotaru was in her real body. Feeling. Experiencing. The slow, icy creeping of blood leaving her body, and taking it's warmth with it.

"I trusted you... I loved you so so much Hotaru.... so why.....why..." That soft, sad voice echoed in her ears as Hotaru would see Nola looking upon her with those sad eyes, and she would feel the crushing inner weight of knowing that it was her fault. Hotaru had broken Nola's trust. She deserved this. And no amount of saying she was sorry would ever make it better.

"Why......aren't you getting up?"

Nola frowned, staring down at the Captain who was lying on the floor of her office. Those cold, blue eyes looking down on them. And Hotaru would still feel that sensation in her chest. That attachment. That lingering love that seemed to smother everything else. The redskinned shinigami would simply tilt her head, the memories of that...encounter still swimming in her head, she would slowly step forward, but she would feel...different. She felt....powerful. Hotaru would notice that if she focused, Nola definitely did not seem as weak as she had been but a few days ago (as thats how long it had felt like since she had entered the woman's inner world).

"Why are you trying to help me? I keep pushing you away. I don't know why you want to help me through this so much." Nola murmured, feeling...hurt. It was just like she'd done to the real Nola. This feeling. She cared....deeply about Hotaru. Her power worked on herself just as much as it did the Captain. And indeed, for BOTH Hotaru and Nola. It was hard to tell if they were still in her Zanpaku'to. If this was just another twisted memory. She felt the lingering effects of her power, her odd new.....connection with the Captain. And she knew it didn't matter if it was real or not. Just like Hotaru would begin to realize. It was easy to tell that the memories were new. She knew that they weren't real. She could remember the REAL memories just fine. But memory effected much more than the mind. It effected the body.

Nola and Hotaru both would feel it the moment they felt any impulse to injure the other. They would feel that aching in the chest. And the more they tried to fight it, the stronger those feelings would become. And it disgusted Nola to a degree. She had had no troubles doing it to the Fake Nola. They had just been... a broken little doll. A tool she used to protect herself. She had done this to them so very many times. But to be on the other end. It was....different. She actually FELT betrayed by Hotaru. After everything. And the worst part was: that the memories twisted to mend so very perfectly with the real ones. Hotaru had never patched things up with Nola like she had with Asmo. They had remained apart.

And Hotaru's ring was proof enough of what she'd done instead. And no doubt, Hotaru would feel it. Almost as real as if she had ACTUALLY never gotten back with Asmo. If she had wound up paired with the person she had actually galavanted off with. That same guilt would twist in her stomach, but it was a guilt that had had a very long time to fester. " I'm begining to wonder.... if Captain Hotaru even came in with me..." She murmured, as it suddenly occured to her. What if this wasn't actually Hotaru? What if this... was the new zanpaku'to?

Her blade raised, and suddenly her spiritual pressure rose, and Hotaru would feel it. She would feel that there was no gap in their strength. But well... they DID have very different specializations to begin with now didn't they? "How do I know you're not the zanpaku'to? And this isn't just a test?" Nola asked, suddenly sweating, as no doubt, the same thought would inhabit Hotaru's mind. WAS this actually Nola? Had any of it been? Or had it simply been the zanpaku'to, drawing them together?

"I'm going to start beating you now.... and eventually. you're GOING to talk."