The Young and the Fresh

[Tsukuyomi Kawada]

Moving in sequence with what he had planned, Tsukuyomi could feel his wooden blade move smoothly through the air, the hours of practice and understanding had become like tracks for his blade to traverse. Although his facial features remain stoic Tsukuyomi was impressed with the actions that this student continued to accomplish whether it be her determination, reiatsu or talent all of them were like a sparkling stone that a child could find at the bottom of a stream. Enough practice and this student had the potential to one day be a shining gem of the Eleventh. Tsukuyomi could only hope that what happened next wouldn’t crack her potential. The knocking of her blade downwards surprisingly didn’t spell the end, the last little bit of an impression left on Tsukuyomi.

His practice blade poking into her chest signaled that the sparring session was complete with the victor being he who all would have expected, yet the student was the one that virtually all directed their attention. Showcasing the overall skill that one would likely see in an experienced member of a combat Division, not a student that hadn’t yet even graduated from the academy. Tsukuyomi met her bow showing his respect. “Hold your head high, continue to grow so that your blade may match my own in the future.” Tsukuyomi made sure to hand off the blade he had been using to a different member of the Eleventh that had been watching close by at this point.

Ready to depart now, Tsukuyomi began to turn around when he heard the voice of Shawn once again and met the member eye to eye. Waiting for Shawn to finish his point and ask his question, Tsukuyomi gave one of his rare smiles. “Whenever you seek to obtain further heights seek me out. You’re wise not to fall back exclusively on kido just as no one should do the same in any method of combat. So whenever you're ready I’ll be waiting.” Vanishing from sight to all those around via Shunpo. Unaware to all those that had been watching though Tsukuyomi had been hiding his pain. Reaching his office far from the sight of those that had been watching, Tsukuyomi drops to his knees while coughing painfully, his chest ablaze. How much longer could he really continue onwards when his family was dragging him so far down.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko somewhat felt as though she was in a dream of sorts after she had finished her spar with the Vice-Captain. This had gone on longer than she had expected it to, and quite frankly, she hadn't believed herself to be this physically tired, even if she knew that her body could not last much longer. Maybe it was the disappointment she felt that made her feel this way. Even though her body was relieved of the intense emotions it just experienced, her mind couldn't move past its desire for a longer duration of this spar. She had learned so many things about herself, about the Vice-Captain and about swordsmanship as a whole, so in her eyes, to cut it short here felt as though it rendered it all somewhat incomplete. Regardless, she bowed to him all the same, as thanks for allotting his limited time to a student like her, and then hearkened to his words. At the very least, his words somewhat softened the blow of her disappointment, enough so that it allowed her to raise her head back up to gave him one last gaze. "I will," she responded with surprising confidence then, with a tinge of excitement in her voice. They will spar again. She knows it. Maybe then, she will be able to truly rival him in combat. 

Cheesy thoughts aside, now that things were settled, the student let out a quiet sigh before going to weapon rack so as to return her wooden sword to it. With her adrenaline gone, her energy had practically been siphoned away, and now, she just wanted to take a bit of a break. The classes that are still awaiting her back at the academy are unfortunately going to finish her off by boring her to death, but at the very least, they will allow her to retrieve her physical energy before dusk. By then, she will have to go train with Celes, so she will need to be ready to follow her instructions to the letter. That said, it seemed that the spar had impressed practically everyone in the group of students that had the pleasure to watch everything unfold. They clapped, cheered, and some even were expressing their excitement to her. Even Shawn was impressed. It was a lot of attention, something which Kimiko was again not used to receive at all. It caused her to rub the back of her head a bit awkwardly as she returned to the group. "I, uh... I just did my best," she answered the officer to the best of her ability, which came off rather awkwardly, "but thank you, Rabuburēdo-san."

The student would then turn her gaze towards the Vice-Captain alongside everybody else as he conversed with Shawn. He did not stay for much longer, quite unfortunately, as no sooner than a few seconds after he properly responded to the officer, he then just vanished as though he teleported out of the area. However, despite this, the woman couldn't help but be just astonished by his behavior. For someone who appeared to be barely a proper adult, he had acted more respectfully than she had thought he would. Never once did he treat anyone here as though they were lower than her, and though he was clearly stronger than her in every way, never did he try to point that out in a way that would make him appear disrespectful. It was admirable. He did not exhume the feeling of warmth that came from Celes, no, but he nevertheless appeared cooperative and willing to teach. She never would have expected something like this from the prideful Eleventh Division, and yet... here they were. Needless to say, to learn this had left quite an impact on her. Kawada... I'll try to remember that name, Kimiko would tell herself then. Maybe she'll go with the Eleventh Division after she is done with her studies. It sounds pretty nice.

In any case, after the demonstration was over, there was not much more that could be shown to the group. It was hardly surprising: the students had been clearly bedazzled by what had just happened, so much so that even those who feared or previously audibly proclaimed their dislike of the members of the Eleventh Division had completely changed their tune. Hell, it seemed like most of the students actually wanted to talk to Kimiko now, much to her own apparent lack of comfort from being given such a great amount of attention. No one could blame them, of course; after all, the girl had quite literally battled two Vice-Captains now seemingly to the point of being able to stand against them without being outright shot down immediately. Still, with an atmosphere like that, it was probably going to be difficult to bring them away from these barracks and instead towards the minor laboratories of the Twelfth Division they were supposed to visit thereafter. The teacher who led the group knew this, and couldn't help but express this through soft laughter.

 

"A very impressive bout, young one. I congratulate you for your efforts," he would tell the awkward Kimiko with an honest smile before he would then look on to the others. "Now, students, I believe that we must now bid these gentlemen farewell. We are quite sadly awaited elsewhere." Once he spoke his words, he would turn his gaze to Shawn before giving him a nod of respect. "I thank you and your comrades kindly for welcoming us today, Rabuburēdo-san. I must also thank you for tolerating my elderly ramblings. At my age, the words appear to flow out so much more easily than usual. May we perhaps meet again later." After the courteous exchange, the old man would then turn towards the main gates of the Coliseum, bringing with him the students that had followed him to the barracks. Kimiko, of course, would follow suit, trying her best to not get too much of the people's attention after all that's happened. However, as they would leave and start heading towards the next destination of this tour, she would receive a more discreet kind of attention.

One of the old man's eyes would at times look over his shoulder towards the tall woman. Its gaze was cautious, maybe even a little bit worried. What he had seen - the small needle of darkness that was present within Kimiko's aura - was minimal at best and perhaps something that wasn't worthy of his attention, but there was something about it that left him concerned. It reminded him of the corrupted energy released by Hollows and other creatures of Hueco Mundo. Such dark spiritual energy is not something that should be present around a Shinigami, let alone a student of the academy, and that was enough to make the old man somewhat fear the worst. He has learned many things throughout his time as a Shinigami, and the one thing he has learned is that it is wise to be wary of the unknown. Only time, however, will tell if this fear was warranted.

For now, he shall simply wait and see.

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I counted 220 paragraphs, so that'll be 1100 TP for all three of y'all!