Spiritual Introspection [JT/Closed]

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko's blade came swiftly and mercilessly as she executed her technique. The process of the attack unbroken, her arm was given the chance it deserved to deliver the weapon's sharp edge to Yunorashi with relentless momentum, enough so for the attack to then be followed by a metallic noise and the light splatter of a few drops of blood onto the grass below. Both sounds were loud enough to briefly resonate throughout the area over the nearby rustling of the trees, and for a moment as they resonated, the rest of the forest appeared almost mute, completely silent. At least they seemed that way to Kimiko whose focus onto Yunorashi was such that everything around her in that amount of time seemed faint, distant, aside from perhaps the beating of her heart, the blood rush within her ears and the indistinct hum of her heightening Spiritual Pressure. Even Celes' outburst of pride and joy could barely be heard in this imaginary distancing.

Although one could not say that the damage the blade left in its wake was aggravating as it merely took the form of a shallow cut, the fact that there was any damage at all was very good for Kimiko, as it meant that her predictions about Yunorashi were correct. Indeed, she had read her correctly, and in so doing, she was able to land a hit on her that was good enough to cause her to bleed. Alternatively, however, she was also happy to see that the hit she has delivered was not a decisive strike that immediately concluded the battle. Too many opponents she has fought in the past unfortunately went down in a single hit the moment she decided to fight seriously. Since the spirit did not go down, this meant that this fight was truly going to be more interesting than about 90% of all of the spars she has participated in back at the barracks of the Eleventh Division. Just the thought of having a fight go on similarly to the one she's had with Siegfried... It was making her more and more excited.

A smirk slowly painted itself onto Kimiko's face as she listened to Yunorashi. Without much surprise, she was not the only one who was excited to see that they could have a good fight here. A worthy opponent just as excited as her... When was the last time this actually happened, especially in a place where they could both go all out like this? This wasn't like the spars she's had with Celes in controlled environments. No fear of accidents, no worries about having to hunt a nearby Hollow or send a wandering Plus to Soul Society, nothing. Nothing else than a pure, raw, unadulterated show of strength between herself and another. Frankly, the realization almost made her as giddy as Yunorashi herself. "Then come at me!" She declared loudly before she quickly swiped her blade away from her being to rid it further of the spirit's blood staining its supernatural steel, then returned her blade to her scabbard. At this point, any remnant of her quiet usual self was gone: she was fully endorsing her battle-addicted side. "Let's have more fun!"

Then, suddenly, the spirit disappeared. Instantly, the Shinigami's smirk faltered as confusion glinted briefly in her faze. What...? Where did she go? Her thoughts tried to ask to herself as she just stood there, bewildered. One moment, she was there, and then in the other, she wasn't. Was that Hohō? Whatever it was, losing sight of her opponent was not good at all. Soon after she disappeared, the swordswoman would attempt to look around to try to catch sight of the young girl again. Eventually, the search was ended with Yunorashi's face suddenly appearing right in front of hers, causing her eyes to widen. In the split-second that followed, her gaze lowered towards the spirit's free hand, and upon seeing it, her eyes somehow widened further. Back when she was a Human, there was a certain fighting game character called Aleksandrovich which she at times fought against at the arcades. The man was a grappler, a person whose sole purpose was to grab others to process powerful attacks, sort of like a super-powered wrestler of sorts. To compensate for this, however, he could not dash towards the enemy, making him the slowest character in the game. In order for him to get closer, there were a few moves that he could use to cross the gap, and among those moves was a flick which caused a shockwave powerful enough to counter projectiles.

And now, she was staring right at a flick directed towards her.

F.D.B.!! Her brain immediately screamed the name of Aleksandrovich's move as she tried to move away from Yunorashi the best she could. The legs that held her body slammed their feet against the grass below in an attempt to launch herself to her opponent's right side, and for another split-second, she considered using Shunpo to get out of there as fast as possible. Unfortunately, she did not enough time to properly do any of that, for she then felt the shockwave hit her body upon the next split-second. The impact took the air out of her lungs as she was rapidly sent flying across the clearing with breakneck speed. It did not hurt her severely, but the suddenness of the shockwave's appearance combined with the fact that Kimiko never really experienced something like this before made for a particularly-painful experience. Not even Celes who had attempted to attack her with shockwaves before was able to catch her so off-guard.

Unable to do a thing, she would collide with the ground once, then another time before sliding onto her right shoulder into the bushes that formed the outskirts of the clearing. For a moment, she remained quietly on the ground as she regained her breath, lightly groaning from the pain that ringed throughout her body in the meantime. That was a strong hit, one which possessed power that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was strong enough for her smirk from before to return on her face as her Spiritual Pressure rose high enough to be felt from the bushes in the form of a faint aura of red. This opponent... She really was the best one she's had in a while, wasn't she? Aside from Celes herself, Vice-Captain Kawada and Sir Siegfried, there was nobody else that could challenge her in such a way. No wonder Celes wanted her to talk to her! She's great! If this goes on, she'll just always want to battle her every now and then until she can finally beat her!

It was with a heart full of excitement, then, that Kimiko concluded on what she should do next. Since the little girl was stronger than, she will have to find a way to get around her shockwaves, out-speed her enough to prevent any shockwaves to be ever thrown, or hit her often enough to prevent her from making any more shockwaves. The most obvious option for her among all of these was the second, and so, with a grin, she suddenly disappeared from the outskirts of the clearing at a speed of 3780 with the aid of Shunpo. The next moment, Kimiko was standing right in front of Yunorashi in a position that foreshadowed an attack. Her blade's scabbard was raised high by her left hand, and her right hand held onto the blade's handle with a strong grip. "Yeah, she has, but I'd rather stick to what I know best!" She declared before her right arm appeared blurry as it unsheathed the blade and descended it right towards Yunorashi.

In the month that followed the rookie Shinigami's graduation from the Academy, the once-student had made sure to finish properly mastering a few techniques that she had been studying during her school days. Among these techniques was Shunpo and the empowered Iaijutsu, of course, but there was also another maneuver that, in hindsight, could not fit her fighting style any better. That technique's name was Shunpo Karin, the simple act of applying the properties of Shunpo unto a single limb, and she has just made sure to use it on her right arm in an attempt to guarantee the landing of her attack. It may not hit her or hurt her as hard as Iaijutsu did, but the sheer speed of the attack will most likely surprise her enough to eliminate her guard. Once that is done, the use of shockwaves will most likely be severely reduced, and by then, it will once again only be a battle of blades.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Used (Reiatsu: 3900/4050)}
Technique Name: Shunpo Karin (瞬歩カリン, Pure Flash Steps)

Class: 5

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects

The famous "partial Shunpo" technique. This allows the user to initiate a single movement at Shunpo speed with one limb. This cannot be used without initiating the forward momentum. The user will need to move their arm the way they normally would before this technique can be activated. Momentum for this technique cannot be controlled. This means once the user initiates this technique, they cannot stop their limb from the movement.

How to use technique

Stated above.

Drawback

Also stated above. Higher Reiatsu cost than normal Shunpo. Limit is once per post. More taxing on stamina than regular Shunpo.

Made by: Admin

---

Technique Name: Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps)

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Reiatsu Cost: 50/step

Technique Description and Effects

A movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique, the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from Point A to Point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move. Those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it for an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower. This requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become tired more easily in a shorter amount of time. A single step magnifies speed for that step by ten times. Shunpo uses fifty Reiatsu per step. This one is automatically learned in the academy. All Shinigami know this when created. This technique does not take up a technique slot.

How to use technique

Focus of Reishi around the feet area and launch off into a single blurring step. It is not unlike teleportation in appearance, but it is simply extremely fast movement. It is often used to gain an edge in a single moment of combat or to dodge incoming attacks.

[Celes Castellanos]

As the shockwave emerged from Yunorashi's fingers, she would watch Kimiko suddenly take this force of nature head on. Even despite not being the recipient of the shockwave, the Zanpakutou spirit could feel the wind that she had generated chill her to the bone. Though between the two of them, Kimiko would have the worse end of the bargain by far. Yunorashi and even Celes watched as the disciple flew and tumbled, sliding along the ground. Celes was in utter shock. She knew that Kimiko was tough, but this was pushing it. Yunorashi meanwhile had a smirk of satisfaction touch her lips. She knew exactly what she was doing as her and Celes eyes' met for a moment. 

Within them Celes could see the joy for battle. Pure adoration of combat. Celes bit her lip. She could understand Yunorashi being this rough with her, but this was Kimiko. She was not a Captain like Celes. Sure, she was not weak, but there was a discrepancy in not only skill, but also experience and power that would make it precarious for the Unseated Shinigami. For now, Celes would relax. There was still a level of control in this fight. If it escalated too far though then Celes knew she would have to step in. For Kimiko's sake. Though there is one thing that even the Captain feared. Yunorashi's wrath. Just the thought made her shrink as she watched Kimiko rise and compose herself.

As Celes sat down, Yunorashi looked upon Kimiko with joy. Most would have likely been knocked down and called it quits there. Though this disciple of Celes. She seemed further invigorated by their combat. By the prowess that Yunorashi was showing her. The Zanpakutou Spirit waited patient for Kimiko's next move. Thankfully she would get it soon. The Zanpakutou spirit chuckled as Kimiko disappeared from sight. She had learned about Kimiko through Celes, clashes of the blade and now as they were doing battle. It was not hard to see where the specialty of the disciple was. She possessed extraordinary speed among her peers and was rather proficient in the use of Iajutsu. 

It was this knowledge that made Kimiko's movement less surprising as she vanished from sight. Yunorashi recognized it immediately for what it was. A Shunpo. Immediately she was on high alert. Just where would she appear? Behind her? Above her? The answer would soon be revealed as Yunorashi's vision was soon filled with the black Shihakusho of the much taller woman and the familiar sound of a Shunpo accompanied the end of her movement. Though what was certainly curious was her blade. The scabbard itself was raised high in the air. Everything in Yunorashi's instincts was telling her to dodge or defend herself. Something about this seemed odd. 

Trusting her warriors' instincts, Yunorashi tended her upper body. That's when she heard Kimiko. "Yeah, she has, but I'd rather stick to what I know best!" Seems that tensing was certainly the right call as the Shinigami's arm and blade blurred, even to Yunorashi. Before she even knew it, the student's blade would be upon her. Due to her flexing, Yunorashi thankfully avoided significant damage. The blade would not have even cut her though she was surely on edge. For a moment, Yunorashi was without words. She knew the technique that Kimiko had used well though she had not expected to see it from the star pupil today. A Shunpo Karin.

As the moment passed, Yunorashi having eluded a significant blow, the Zanpakutou Spirit chuckled softly assuming that Kimiko did not move. To Kimiko, Yunorashi's skin must have felt like an iron wall. The flesh not even bending to the metal that was pressed against it. "Well now. You are quite the talented young lady. A Shunpo Karin. Clever. As a reward, allow me to show you something." Just as Yunorashi finishd, she would already be moving at her maximum speed of 625 towards Kimiko to close the little distance that was between them. Even her natural movement would likely allow her to nearly vanish from the sight of her opponent. 

As she leapt upon Kimiko, the same way that a viper lashes out at its prey, Yunorashi shaped her hand to be akin to a spear. During her supernatural movement, a small sheath of reiatsu would also form around her hand. If Yunorashi landed her hit, Kimiko would likely feel a hand poking into her stomach. Yunorashi was not looking to pierce the skin, holding back to a smaller yet still significant strength of 500. If it hit, the skin would not be pierced, but the hit itself would likely send ripples across Kimiko's body. She likely would not be used to taking a physical strike such as this one. Though that was only the beginning. For there was far worse in store.

If spear-like hand, sheathed in reiatsu, came into contact with Kimiko it would not only lash at her physical being, but also at her very spirit. The reiatsu would lash out at Kimiko's soul as though it were a wolf tearing into its freshly hunted prey. Not only would Kimiko feel the strength of the strike, but she would also feel unnaturally sick and dizzy. The reiatsu would sap her energy, making her weaker, if it was allowed to come into contact with her. Yunorashi would simply take a step back as Kimiko likely crumbled from the pain of the strke. She then spoke a name that Celes knew all too well. "Greater Wild Art. Spirit Fang." Celes would rise from her seat, almost instinctively grabbing her Zanpakutou if this was to pass. Yunorashi almost immediately shot her a glare as she growled. "Come now Celes. You are welcome to join. Just know that I will need to take this seriously if you get involved." Celes froze as she felt only cruelty and eagerness for battle. She simply stood there, not taking another step.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Taibu Gigei Mikon: Konjou Shikon}Technique Name: Taibu Gigei Mikon: Konjou Shikon [Greater Wild Arts: Spirit Fang]

Class: 2

Technique Type: Other

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects:

“There is always someone stronger” is a saying that few take to heart, but from that understanding came a technique that would weaken those who are strong and bring them down to the user's level. The Soul Fang literally delves into the target’s soul, no longer just tearing at it but ripping it apart and weakening the foe. This is a slight alteration to standard Reiatsu, a thinned-out and distilled version that passes through and does not damage solid matter. However, when these fangs tear into a target, it is easy to tell; weakness and dizziness overcome a target on the first hit, and subsequent hits only make it worse.

This technique, on a successful hit, lowers the target’s stats by 10% of their original amount after Type changes. 5% is recovered every three posts, or after an extended rest. This effect also stacks with itself.

How to use technique: The user surrounds the weapon or limb that they are using to strike with Reiatsu, but then allow that Reiatsu to disperse and thin out. Then they attack physically, striking at the opponent’s body, letting the Reiatsu tear through their spirit.

Drawback: This technique can only be used twice per post, successful or not. It can also be blocked by defending against the attacking weapon or limb; though the Reiatsu that is used to bite into the enemy's spirit is insubstantial, the weapon or limb is not.

Requirements: This requires a 3 in Hakuda along with a 3 in any weapon that the user chooses to make use of with this technique.

Made by: [Zeich Yajuu]

[Nakajima Kimiko]

It was very clear that Kimiko had trained quite a fair bit to master the Shunpo Karin. The way her blade disappeared from sight as she delivered her attack exhumed the properties of a flawless execution, so much so that the only thing that could be heard as she swung the weapon was the metallic noise that followed its wake towards Yunorashi. Ideally, such a huge amount of momentum would be enough to allow the blade to cleave through most targets which happen to not benefit from notable physical resistances. This includes wood and lesser stones, yes, but also flesh. In other words, a normal Stray Hollow could have been fairly severely cut by Kimiko in this instance. Unfortunately, Yunorashi was no Hollow, and it is that simple fact alone that will lead the rookie Shinigami to realize that something wrong had occurred during the attack, or rather something that she had not expected at all from executing her attack.

She had done absolutely no damage to the spirit. Unlike the last time she was able to cut her, her sword did not pass through even the first layers of her skin, having instead merely slid onto it. It was as if she had unsuccessfully attempted to slice one of those huge boulders she and Celes were sitting on outside of the Inner World. No... not even those boulders were this resistant. Naturally, this perturbed the rookie Shinigami as Shunpo Karin is a tiring technique, meaning that it was a maneuver she could not often use in combat. Unlike Shunpo, the amount of focus that is required to properly use Shunpo Karin can easily lead someone to heavy exhaustion should they use it too many times, and so it is thus easy to say that one should only use it to guarantee the landing of one powerful attack at the right time. This did not happen here, not even in the slightest. Instead of at least having caused a minimum of damage onto Yunorashi, she now felt a familiar tingling within her arm.

Despite this, the Shinigami knew that she could not stop her offensive. Even if she had not been able to land her attack, stopping her offensive now just because she was shocked at the sheer idea of having caused no damage at all was not something that could be considered. Yunorashi was strong, too strong for her to resist too many of her attacks in a row. That shockwave from earlier alone was able to cause her a minor, yet notable amount of damage that she honestly does not want to deal with again. Not only that, but she was also becoming progressively more excited by the second, which means that she will eventually use techniques and maneuvers that will most likely become very powerful. If she lets her do an attack which holds an amount of power that somehow surpasses the amount related to thee earlier shockwave... Well, there is no way to tell that she would even be able to stand after the fact. Hell, she might even sustain heavy damage.

This thought process made Kimiko's gaze grow wilder as she heard Yunorashi talk about her wanting to show something to the Shinigami. Looks like she was right: she is indeed going to throw another technique at her. Judging by the tone of her voice, not only will it be another technique, it will also definitely be one of those techniques she could not afford to even attempt tanking through. Just imagining herself taking a more powerful hit than the shockwave was enough to cause the young woman to clench her teeth. The last thing she needs right now is to be rendered slow before this stronger foe, especially since her whole fighting style is entirely centered around swiftness and rapidity. If she is slowed down against Yunorashi, it is certain that she will lose against her and possibly require Celes to get involved. As such, once she saw the smaller girl disappear once from sight, the swordswoman would act immediately without hesitation.

With utmost velocity, she would use Shunpo again to swiftly avoid the incoming attack. She had no idea of what that attack was even supposed to be, but considering that the girl had also attacked her by first rushing towards her, it did not take her long to assume that it would be an attack delivered from melee range. Although she could have simply dodged backwards in order to create some distance between herself and the Zanpakuto spirit, however, she would make sure to make the spirit understand that she was not afraid of whatever she would throw at her and that she would reply in kind to each and every single one of of her maneuvers. As such, rather than simply using Shunpo to distance herself from Yunorashi, she instead used it to make sure she would be by her side away from the hand that had shaped itself akin to a spear. By that point, she was standing by the smaller girl straight up, completely dwarfing the spirit in size as she held her blade lowered next to her thigh.

After her movement was complete, the rookie Shinigami would then let out a violent cry before unsheathing her blade in a diagonal strike straight towards the hand Yunorashi had attempted to spear into what Kimiko assumed to be her stomach. The cry was loud, enough so to resonate across the clearing. She had slashed at her arm in a way that would allow her blade's tip to traverse from the spirit's fingertips all the way towards her shoulder and, finally, her collarbone. This time around, she made sure not to use Shunpo Karin again as she preferred to keep the fatigue within her arm at its minimum. She still needed it for later, especially if the spirit proves to be this resistant once again throughout the majority of the fight. If the spirit tanks the attack again, she'll make sure to reply in kind once again, no matter what. After all, considering how excited this little girl was right now... it would be unfair if she doesn't.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Used (Reiatsu: 3900/4050)}
Technique Name: Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps)

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Reiatsu Cost: 50/step

Technique Description and Effects

A movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique, the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from Point A to Point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move. Those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it for an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower. This requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become tired more easily in a shorter amount of time. A single step magnifies speed for that step by ten times. Shunpo uses fifty Reiatsu per step. This one is automatically learned in the academy. All Shinigami know this when created. This technique does not take up a technique slot.

How to use technique

Focus of Reishi around the feet area and launch off into a single blurring step. It is not unlike teleportation in appearance, but it is simply extremely fast movement. It is often used to gain an edge in a single moment of combat or to dodge incoming attacks.

[Celes Castellanos]

Yunorashi was getting excited. This was a chance to test her abilities. Though Kimiko was a competent fighter in her own way, Yunorashi could already tell that she needed to hold back. The Zanpakutou spirit knew that in a true fight she could likely bend and break her limbs. Crush her bones. Grind her into dust. She could easily do it though there was one complication with that rationale. She would have no time to enjoy this experience. This was her first time interacting with another being outside of Celes. She brought a new set of ideals. A different style of fighting. That alone made holding back worthwhile. Unfortunately even that had to end.

After having tensed her muscles to destroy the momentum of the strike that was threatening her, Yunorashi went in for the counterattack. Her hand sheathed with her reiatsu which was threatening to not only strike the woman physically, but also bite into her very soul. Unfortunately her strike would find little more than empty space. Kimiko seemingly vanished before her very eyes. Yet the disappearance was accommodated by a familiar whoosh typically accompanying a Shunpo. Within mere moments, Kimiko would appear before her again albeit a little farther away. This made the Zanpakutou spirit blink for a moment. Why was she still remaining so close?

Yunorashi studied the positioning and stance of Kimiko closely. She already knew her preferred method of fighting. She recognized it rather quickly as Kimiko's hand descend down to the hilt of her Zanpakutou once more. The Spirit would apply another element of her expertise in Hakuda. Her next movement would likely appear utterly bizarre to Kimiko. As her spear-like hand was in motion, it's momentum would suddenly reverse violently allowing Yunorashi to twist her body. By doing this her arm and shoulder would suddenly shift away from the horizontal cut aimed at her by the disciples' blade. Furthermore, Yunorashi would utilize the momentum from this to spin backward about 5 ft. 

As she finished her spin and was likely facing Kimiko again, Yunorashi would utilize a Shunpo of her own. The Zanpakutou spirit would disappear from view, moving at an impressive speed of 6000, likely moving at a speed that Kimiko had rarely seen of an opponent. Her destination was simple as Yunorashi likely landed on Kimiko's shoulder, squatting on it, taking advantage of her own smaller frame. Yunorashi would waste little time in this position. With impressive natural speed of 625, she bolted forward with one goal in mind. Attempting to zip by her arm, Yunorashi would place her hand onto the disciples' Zanpakutou and tug. This tug would at an impressive physical strength of 800. 

This pull had one purpose. To disarm Kimiko with superior strength. If she was successful, Kimiko would likely behind the hilt of her Zanpakutou slip from her hands as Yunorashi rocketed forward, landing upon the ground and creating about 20 feet of space between them. If all went as planned, Yunorashi would now hold her opponents Zanpakutou by its blade before flipping it and grabbing hold of its hilt. She would then dig Kimiko's Zanpakutou into the soft ground before her. If she was no successful in disarming Kimiko, she would simply maintain her distance as she sighed calmly, rising to her feet. She would proceed to grin and tilt her neck from side to side for a moment. 

"Well now. You certainly are quick on your feet aren't you dearest? Successfully reacting to my jab at you. Truly Celes has chosen well." Regardless of her success or not in disarming Kimiko, Yunorashi would draw her twin blade from its sheath as she sighed for a moment. "You have been an excellent sparring partner Kimiko and I believe that I can begin taking this a little more seriously." Rotating one of her Zanpakutou which was residing in her left hand, she let the blade run along her arm. With a passionate voice she began to chant. "By blood may my spear earn its name. By Aries, may my shield carry my broken body home. Name me the Goddess of War." 

Suddenly Yunorashi's twin Zanpakutou began to glow a red hot color. Her left arm slowly began to become enveloped by a sturdy shield. Meanwhile her right Zanpakutou became an elongated spear. Kimiko would likely recognize this as Yunorashi's Shikai. During this time, assuming that Yunorashi disarmed Kimiko, Yunorashi would make little attempt of stopping Kimiko from reclaiming her blade. As she opened her eyes, her iris would appear scarlet red. "Well. Let's see how well you can handle our shikai, Kimiko. Prepare yourself." With that, Yunorashi bent her knees and descended into a mobile and relaxed stance. Her eyes were burning with the fire of a warrior.

As she finished relaxing into her stance she would make her move. It would be quick and fierce. Dashing forward at a speed of 625, her movements would likely blur to Kimiko which would make tracking her specific movements harder. Bringing her left arm up her maneuver would be simple. She would attempt to slam her shield against Kimiko with a strength of 250. This was intended to do nothing more than stagger, even daze her. If she hit, she would spin counterclockwise at a speed of 625 once more, attempting to slam into Kimiko with the second shield slam once more. This second strike would some with a still staggering strength of 500. The goal, this time, would be to knock the disciple away. If successful, she would not proceed with a third strike, allowing Kimiko a moment to recover.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Different Tempo}Technique Name: Different Tempo

Class: 5

Technique Type: Hakuda

Usable By: Shinigami, Beast-Clan, Escudo

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects:
With the Rhythm Beat stance, the user is put into a specific pattern and rhythm of blows that can only increase or decrease in speed, while remaining in an almost constant series of predictable motions. Different Tempo shakes up that pattern, allowing the user to tense their muscles and completely redirect the momentum of their body, provided that they were the origin of it. A punch might suddenly jerk to the side instead of being a straight blow mid-strike, or a strike might be withdrawn to avoid a slashing blade that would cut them even if it was mid-attack. This technique is stand-alone and can work without the use of the Rhythm Beat stance, but it is most effective when paired with it, allowing the user to shake up a predictable pattern while maintaining the momentum necessary for high-speed combat.

How to use technique:
Tense the muscles and redirect the momentum of one's blow, even in a completely opposite direction.

Technique Drawbacks:
The main drawback to this technique is the muscle fatigue that comes with it, varying based on the reversal of momentum. Complete reversal is obviously the most straining compared to a redirection, and the higher the speed, the higher the risk of muscle and bone damage. Repeated use of more than three times in a post even at lesser amounts of stress can also cause this damage. Requires at least a 2 in Martial Arts: Hakuda.

Made By: Z-Wolf

Reserved?: No

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shunpo}Technique Name: Shunpo (Flash Steps)

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects:

A movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique, the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from Point A to Point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move. Those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it for an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower. This requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become tired more easily in a shorter amount of time. A single step magnifies speed for that step by ten times. Shunpo uses fifty Reiatsu per step. This one is automatically learned in the academy. All Shinigami know this when created. This technique does not take up a technique slot.

How to use technique:

Focus of Reishi around the feet area and launch off into a single blurring step. It is not unlike teleportation in appearance, but it is simply extremely fast movement. It is often used to gain an edge in a single moment of combat or to dodge incoming attacks.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu}Shunpo - 50
Shikai - 200

Total Reiatsu: 1750/2000

Shikai: 1/10

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko was starting to understand that her movement - one of the things that has allowed her to deliver a semblance of damage to the spirit so far - was becoming more and more predictable. Her inferior speed compared to Yunorashi's was starting to negatively affect her performance in battle. Usually, the outrageous momentum she can reach in battle is enough to allow her to rival even the strongest of her peers within the Eleventh Division, but now, she was practically being forced to rely on the continuous use of Shunpo in order to just so much as properly fight her opponent to begin with. Without it, she is currently much slower than the spirit, and against such strength, she really cannot allow herself to slow down, else she will most likely be left with a broken body by the end of this spar. Considering that Shunpo is in of itself a predictable and eventually-tiring move that is better used sparingly, this dependence was definitely putting her at a disadvantage. This was most noticed once she realized that her opponent was now ready to use her own Shunpo against hers to demonstrate her superiority.

Her attack was not illogical in hindsight. Using the technique to quickly move by her opponent's side and deliver a horizontal attack allowed her momentum to not suddenly come to a screeching halt, and it also allowed her to dodge the spirit's incoming attack which would have left her most likely biting the dust. The problem was that, obviously, Yunorashi possessed a momentum of her own, and in her movement, Kimiko failed to realize that she would undergo measures as drastic as hers to maintain that momentum as well, just definitely not in a way she would find to be, well, natural. The way the smaller girl moved her spear hand away from the rookie Shinigami's sword was done impeccably and unexpectedly, causing the blade to cut the air between the two warriors rather than its supposed target. In an attempt to correct this problem, the surprised officer would immediately attempt to move forward to reach for her spinning opponent. However, before she could do so much at take one step further towards her direction, the sound of Shunpo was heard and her aforementioned opponent disappeared from sight only to shockingly appear on her right shoulder.

The shocking movement paired with the spirit's weight completely took Kimiko aback. No one, not even the smallest of those within the Academy or the Eleventh Division, did something as daring as perch themselves on her shoulder while fighting her. She herself had successfully executed something similar as she battled Sir Siegfried, but she had landed back then on his blade, not his body. As such, for a crucial moment, the Shinigami could only look up and over her shoulder, and watch the spirit with an incredulous look of confusion. Eventually, the confusion turned into worry as she realized what she could do now. From such a close distance, the spirit can quite literally do anything to her. In a real battle, this would have certainly been the end of her. She could deliver a neck injury with ease by kicking her in the right place, slice her head off with her own blades, or at least just break her arm entirely. Fortunately, she decided to do none of those things, but it nevertheless left the officer in notable danger.

She had almost no time to react to any of what followed the perching on her shoulder. With ridiculous speed beyond hers, Yunorashi dashed towards her Zanpakuto and simply grabbed its hilt. It was done rapidly and precisely, enough so to give no chance for Kimiko to even do so much as pull back against the spirit's efforts once she realized what was going on. In all fairness, it was perhaps a good thing that she did not do something like that: the strength that the spirit expressed in her pull was far superior to hers, and if she would have held her blade in the process, her arms would have probably suffered heavy damage. Well, either that or she would have went flying in the direction in which the spirit pulled the weapon, and that would have left her lying on the ground to Yunorashi's mercy. Regardless, she has now been left unarmed, and for a moment, the swordswoman could only stare at her opponent with respect and admiration for being able to pull that off without any fear at all.

For a moment, the young woman remained quiet while the spirit commended her for her efforts, giving her time to think about what to do. It was nice to be praised and congratulated for her skills, but this did not change the fact that she has been separated from her weapon and now has no proper way to deliver any of her Iaijutsu attack onto the spirit. Worse yet, it seemed that the spirit was ready to go even further, for she then quite literally went on to summon Celes' Shikai. Seeing the dual blades transform into the familiar spear and shield was not exactly a good thing to witness in this particular moment. Despite this, the sight made Kimiko let out a small laugh. It was a mocking, competitive giggle that betrayed Kimiko's nervousness, yet also her will to further see this to its end. Her eyes were open to their absolute limits, settled onto Yunorashi like a falcon staring down at a prey, and her smile had become even wider still. Yunorashi would most likely be able to tell that a nerve had somewhat been struck too, as suggested by the words that followed her move towards her blade.

"It takes you... taking my weapon away from me to finally start taking me seriously?" She asked the spirit as she moved along, the red aura usually emanating from her being becoming briefly marred by streaks of dark as she recovered her sword. Her gaze never left her opponent's, constantly stuck on her to make sure she would understand her point. "Alright then... Let's do it your way."

Something about the way her aura's strong reaction to the return of her blade to its sheath was off. On one hand, Kimiko was never known to be be a spiritually-weak individual. Even though she is completely unable to wield any Kidō, the sheer amount of reiatsu at her disposal has always been considered to be plentiful and, most important of all, intimidating. On the other hand, people never could explain why that was. Although she has noticed this problem some time ago now, not even she possesses the answer to that particular question. For a brief moment, Celes and Yunorashi might have been able to sense that something about Kimiko's reiatsu was not entirely right, especially now that they were all linked via Jinzen. It was powerful. Too powerful. So powerful, in fact, that it seemed unnaturally so, even for a Shinigami of her caliber. It was like something was deliberately powering up the young woman in order to make her appear stronger.

"Let's go, Yunorashi!" Kimiko shouted then as she prepared herself to rush down Yunorashi yet again. It was clear that she was not noticing anything wrong with her reiatsu at the moment and that she was fully focused on the battle at hand, as proven by what followed her declaration. The very moment the spirit would move, the rookie Shinigami would Shunpo shortly after in order to avoid the incoming attack. She had no idea of what that attack was supposed to be, but since the spirit was now armed with a spear and a shield, she guessed that it was either going to be a thrust of some sort or a plain bash. Should she be successful in dodging the oncoming attack with the technique, the young woman would appear right in front of her in a jumping motion with her right knee located right in front of the girl's face. The momentum was such that, if Yunorashi does not move, she would plainly receive the officer's knee straight against her nose.

Whether this brutal display of Hakuda is successful or not, the swordswoman would then proceed to deliver yet another slice from her sheathed blade, this time done in a horizontal fashion. To make sure that the spirit would not be able to simply ignore it again, the Shinigami would fuel with Shunpo Karin, forcing her body to follow the velocity of her right arm at impressive speeds. Although a bit dizzying, this motion sent Kimiko - and subsequently, her blade - spinning in the air at a ridiculous pace. She had absolutely no idea if this will actually work or not as she is aware her previous slicing attack caused no damage to the spirit, but it was one of the only ideas that was coming to her at the moment. The only thing she can do is hope that it will work.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Used (Reiatsu: 3700/4050)}
Technique Name: Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash Steps)

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Reiatsu Cost: 50/step

Technique Description and Effects

A movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique, the method is best characterized by how fast one can get from Point A to Point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move. Those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it for an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower. This requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become tired more easily in a shorter amount of time. A single step magnifies speed for that step by ten times. Shunpo uses fifty Reiatsu per step. This one is automatically learned in the academy. All Shinigami know this when created. This technique does not take up a technique slot.

How to use technique

Focus of Reishi around the feet area and launch off into a single blurring step. It is not unlike teleportation in appearance, but it is simply extremely fast movement. It is often used to gain an edge in a single moment of combat or to dodge incoming attacks.

---

Technique Name: Shunpo Karin (瞬歩カリン, Pure Flash Steps)

Class: 5

Technique Type: Kidō

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects

The famous "partial Shunpo" technique. This allows the user to initiate a single movement at Shunpo speed with one limb. This cannot be used without initiating the forward momentum. The user will need to move their arm the way they normally would before this technique can be activated. Momentum for this technique cannot be controlled. This means once the user initiates this technique, they cannot stop their limb from the movement.

How to use technique

Stated above.

Drawback

Also stated above. Higher Reiatsu cost than normal Shunpo. Limit is once per post. More taxing on stamina than regular Shunpo.

Made by: Admin

[Celes Castellanos]

Before Yunorashi made her move upon Kimiko, she overheard the disciple speak for a moment. Both the Zanpakutou spirit and Celes herself raised an eyebrow. "It takes you... taking my weapon away from me to finally start taking me seriously?" Both of them could sense a vitriol with the Shinigami's words. This sensation became even more apparent as she punctuated her previous comment. "Alright then... Let's do it your way." She watched Kimiko recover her blade as her aura seemed to change. They could not explain why, but it felt cold. Sinister even. As if the Zanpakutou spirit had awoken something within the disciple. Yunorashi sighed as she was prepared to continue her assault once distance had been created again.

There was another thought floating through the spirit's mind. There was the chance that she would need to simply knock Kimiko unconscious or at least restrain her if this got out of hand. She was not about to kill Kimiko, but if the nature of this duel had changed, Yunorashi would need to incapacitate Kimiko if it came to it. For now, she would continue with her original plan as she made her move. She would quickly accelerate to a speed of 625 as she was prepared to bash her heavy shield into her adversary. Though as she approached her opponent, Kimiko would utilize a Shunpo. Yunorashi bit her lip as she cursed under breath for a moment. Kimiko's usage of Shunpo was becoming predictable. 

Not necessarily its execution, but the timing. Yunorashi was well aware that Kimiko had no effective way of keeping up with her. While Shunpo leveled the playing field if only for a moment, Kimiko's strategy to date seemed to suggest that she would look to remain in close range. Not only that, but her positioning in the past suggested a head on attack. Yunorashi was sure of this. It was just a matter of how it would present itself. She would soon have her answer. Mere moments after the execution of the Shunpo, Yunorashi's vision was filled with the sight of Kimiko's knee. If she remained on her current course, she would collide with it head on. 

Thankfully Yunorashi's prior analysis of Kimiko's strategy, enhanced speed and nearly unrivaled expertise in Hakuda would allow her to evade even this attack. Once again she would utilize Different Tempo. Mastery of the technique along with her Hakuda experience allowed her to shift her forward in her legs slightly backward and downward as she flexed the muscles within her legs. To Kimiko this would seem like another jarring movement as Yunorashi suddenly jolted down to the ground, evading the knee that was going to collide with her. The spirit would grit her teeth as she felt a crack within her leg. It seemed that continuous use of Different Tempo in her manner of usage put extreme stress on her bones. Though this was not it. Yunorashi was expecting a follow-up attack from the Shinigami. Almost immediately after planning herself into the ground, Yunorashi raised her shield above her head. 

It seemed that her hunch was correct if Kimiko proceeded to continue with the downward aerial slash. Assuming that Kimiko continued with her attack, descending into a seemingly uncontrollable downward spiral, she may have found Yunorashi's shield to be incredibly sturdy. The blade would likely continue crashing down continuously upon the shield that Yunorashi wielded, scraping against it with hit after hit. Despite this, Yunorashi was sure that she could withstand the assault quite easily. Her shield made her incredibly sturdy to an assault like this while her stance allowed her to keep her balance despite the assault. It wouldn't be until after this that Yunorashi would act.

This spiral attack downward would likely leave Kimiko dazed even if only for a moment. This is likely the chance that Yunorashi needed as she would lower her shield and rush forward towards Kimiko who would likely be suffering from some form of vertigo. All she needed was a touch. Her movement would once again carry her forward at an incredible speed of 600 as she would simply attempt to tap Kimiko's forehead. If she was successful, she would begin to allow her reiatsu to flow into and around Kimiko. This reiatsu would suddenly take shape into a form that would be very familiar to Kimiko. She had seen it once before when Celes fought the dummy hollow. 

Chains would suddenly begin to materialize around Kimiko. The chains would press against her skin, forming around her entire body. Each little movement would feel more difficult as the Shinigami would be restrained, being forced to her knees if these chains successfully formed around Kimiko. Meanwhile Yunorashi and Celes would watch as the Shinigami would likely be forced into a submissive position before the Zanpakutou Spirit. Yunorashi would not take advantage of Kimiko's weakened state as she would simply stand before Kimiko. She was prepared to receive any vitriol from Kimiko if she expressed it. Not that she would take it personally.

Unfortunately for Kimiko if she was caught within the chains, every little movement that she would try to make would be difficult. Straining against the chains provided merely resistance. Not only that, but the chains would begin to tighten if Kimiko offered any resistance, becoming more constrictive. Continuous effort and strain would inevitably break her out of the chains, but she would certainly suffer from it. Even Celes was concerned. She knew the cruelty of the chains. Chains fashioned from their strength, able to restrain even the strongest opponents. Not only that, but the chains not only restrained the body, but they binded the very core of freedom. Hope.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Different Tempo}Technique Name: Different Tempo

Class: 5

Technique Type: Hakuda

Usable By: Shinigami, Beast-Clan, Escudo

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects:
With the Rhythm Beat stance, the user is put into a specific pattern and rhythm of blows that can only increase or decrease in speed, while remaining in an almost constant series of predictable motions. Different Tempo shakes up that pattern, allowing the user to tense their muscles and completely redirect the momentum of their body, provided that they were the origin of it. A punch might suddenly jerk to the side instead of being a straight blow mid-strike, or a strike might be withdrawn to avoid a slashing blade that would cut them even if it was mid-attack. This technique is stand-alone and can work without the use of the Rhythm Beat stance, but it is most effective when paired with it, allowing the user to shake up a predictable pattern while maintaining the momentum necessary for high-speed combat.

How to use technique:
Tense the muscles and redirect the momentum of one's blow, even in a completely opposite direction.

Technique Drawbacks:
The main drawback to this technique is the muscle fatigue that comes with it, varying based on the reversal of momentum. Complete reversal is obviously the most straining compared to a redirection, and the higher the speed, the higher the risk of muscle and bone damage. Repeated use of more than three times in a post even at lesser amounts of stress can also cause this damage. Requires at least a 2 in Martial Arts: Hakuda.

Made By: Z-Wolf

Reserved?: No

SPOILER: Click to show

{Bound by Chains - 500 OS}Technique Name: Bound by Chains

Technique Type: [Physical]

Usable By: Shinigami

Technique Element: [None]

Technique Description and Effects: Bound by Chains represents the aftermath of war. The anguish that follows in every opponent once they lose their will to fight and are quite literally bound by chains. To use this technique Celes needs to make contact with her opponent. This can be with her release weapon or Celes physically touching her opponent, just as long as there is some contact between herself and her opponent. Once this occurs, Celes spends a portion of her own strength to manifest chains on the opponents' body. The ratio is 1:5 to determine the durability of these chains. If Celes spends 100 strength to manifest these chains have a durability of 500. The chains upon creation spread around the victims entire body and leave them helpless and at the mercy of the user. These chains also respond to resistance. The chains punish those that refuse to submit. If force is applied to the chains that does not outright break then, the chains tighten and the victim suffers a loss of breath that becomes worse as more resistance is given. The durability of the chains can only be increased to a max of 1.5x Celes OS. If Celes has a Strength of 1000, she can only make the chains have a maximum durability of 1500 and it requires her to give up 300 strength which effectively temporarily sets her Strength to 700.


1 - 4 Marks of War - Spending 1 to 4 Marks of War allows Celes to substitute part of the strength she would be sacrificing into the chains. Each Mark of War spent increased the OS of the chains by 25% of Celes' OS. For example, if Celes spends 3 marks and has 1000 strength, the OS of the chains would be 750. Celes can donate her own strength just like normally to increase the remaining OS to a maximum of 1.5x her OS.

Technique Drawbacks: Bound by Chains while a terrifying ability does have a number of drawbacks. First and foremost is the strength sealing requirement. These chains are not purely spiritual chains. They are spiritual links made up of Celes' own strength. Since she is sacrificing strength to form these chains, she is also bulking down her physical ability. If this strength sealing would cause Celes to drop below strength thresholds, she cannot use those abilities associated with strength until she regains it. I.E if Celes dropped below 600 strength due to this technique, she could no longer generate shockwaves until her strength returns to 600 or above. If the chains were to be broken, Celes' does not immediately regain the sealed strength. Instead, she regains the sealed strength after 2 posts. A superior OS or Class Superiority to Celes will serve to immediately break the chains with minimal effort. However, 2 posts of continuous struggles can also break the chain. The victim will feel the chains tighten, but can ignore it with enough mental fortitude. After breaking free due to the struggling, the victim will need to rest for one post due to loss of breath.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Marks of War}

Bound by Chains - 2
Disciple of War + 1
Total Marks of War: 9/10

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The adrenaline within Kimiko as she rushed once more towards Yunorashi felt like a searing iron was being pressed against her very brain. It was making her excitement grow overwhelming, and was making her see red amidst her surging aura. Her mind felt as though it was only focused on one thing, as though the only thing that it solely wanted to wish for at this point in time was her victory against Yunorashi. It was such that her very soul itself felt numb, as though willfully ignorant of everything that was surrounding that goal and how wrong it was to suddenly become this emotional in order to reach said goal. The sheer intensity of it all was almost giving her a headache, and for a moment, she almost downright wanted to stop the spar altogether to take care of this problem, yet there was a part of herself that was chaining her to it until it was truly done. Something was keeping her from stopping the fight, something strange, something... wrong.

This was not the first time the young woman has had to deal with this particular problem, though she couldn't say that it happened often. It never happened during the spars that she held with her peers of the Eleventh even if she sometimes is disappointed by their performance, and there is never so much as a hint of it having ever happened while she sparred with Celes. Really, the only other time it occurred was against Teresa, the Hollow whose defeat was what propelled her out of the Academy so quickly. Back then, the excitement, the adrenaline and the emotion all had morphed into one to create an ugly side of herself that she once believed to be non-existent. Frustrations become continuous, mercy is thrown out the window, and all she can think about is victory. It is a shocking mantra that almost feels insulting to just think about, and yet here she was applying it to a tee with not even a mere thought about how this could potentially affect the Bushido Code she has been attempting to apply to herself for the past few weeks.

With a painful grin, the Shinigami rushed towards Yunorashi with the aid of Shunpo. There was no hesitation in her movement, no remorse in the fact that she was quite literally attempting to crash her knee into the face of a girl with violent intent. Although she was still aware of her opponent's resistant and quick nature, the fact that the intent was simply there remained still. Perhaps fortunately, the knee did not actually reach the spirit as the latter was able to dodge in another unconventional way, albeit one that seemed to be self-damaging, judging by the crack that resonated from her legs. The streaks of dark within Kimiko's aura faltered from the noise, almost as if she was somehow bringing herself out of this stupor of hers, though once she was ready to follow this first attack with her second, the streaks grew back fiercer than before as if to commemorate the girl's sheer supernatural wish for victory against this superior foe.

The war cry resonated again as she spun and crashed her blade several times downward towards the spirit, who had by then raised her shield to defend herself. Hit after hit, the blade delivered an onslaught to the shield, with every single one of them causing the screeching of metal followed by a dash of sparks flying about onto the grass below. In hindsight, if the target did not happen to be a powerful spirit like Yunorashi, the violent process would have most likely cut down anyone unable to properly defend themselves against it. However, the spirit held on against the onslaught, for even if it looked impressive, Kimiko's cuts were not particularly notable enough to rivals hers and so were unable to break through her defenses. That was not surprising in the slightest; after all, strength has never been a strong suit of hers. If anything, this attack - one that she has never attempted before even during training - was just an attempt to catch her opponent off-guard without thinking of the consequences which it might entail. Unfortunately for Kimiko, she would feel such consequences the moment she would finish her attack.

At first, the Shinigami seemed ready continue the battle as her feet reached the ground, her body crouched to handle the impact and her blade returned to its sheath again. Her gaze had risen towards the spirit again, and for a moment, the darkness in her aura grew further with her grin. However, almost instantly after this moment, Vertigo crashed into her mind, momentarily blurring her vision and causing the officer to instinctively reach out for her head to regain her senses. The searing iron which was pressed against her brain, combined with the vertigo and the unnatural nature of her reiatsu, made for a dangerous cocktail that caused Kimiko to experience a nasty headache in the moment. It was as if her head was going to explode in this particular moment, prompting to grunt in pain as she tried to maintain an eye on Yunorashi. This gave plenty of time for the spirit to attack her again, and before Kimiko could do anything to defend herself, she had delivered a tap against her head.

Once the chain appeared around her body, Kimiko quickly attempted to move again as she well-aware of what they were capable of. She could still remember Celes using these chains against that Dummy Hollow, the one that resembled a dragon, and she could still remember how powerless the dragon felt then against their grasp. Despite this, no matter how pressed she felt in the moment to move away from them, the headache of the vertigo prevented her from even thinking about executing Shunpo, and soon enough, all movement was made moot as she was embraced by the chain. "Argh!" She let out a cry of pain from the sudden pressure as she fell onto the ground, unable to move away from the chains' apparition. Once the chains were properly entirely settled onto her entire body, they quickly constricted it in its entirely, rendering her completely unable to move her arms, legs or even her head, for that matter.

For the first few seconds, the Shinigami squirmed in pain as she attempted to rebel against the chains. She tried her best to get out of them and use all of her strength to do so, as seen by the darkness of her aura growing more overwhelming still. Her frustration was a boiling point at this point time, made apparent by the realization of her defeat. However, eventually, the squirming ceased and her gaze grew calmer as acceptance settled in. There was nothing she could do about this anymore: the momentum has been lost and there was no way she could ever hope to gain it back. The darkness of her aura slowly grew quieter until all that remained was the red of her reiatsu, and eventually, it itself also dissipated into nothingness, marking the end of her wish for victory of this battle. The intensity settled down and the headache disappeared, leaving her in her usual state again as she laid on her back, looking at the sky. She could not feel the searing iron any longer. It felt... better, to say the least.

"... I'm sorry..." an apology came out from her mouth as she laid there, the chains keeping her from looking over to Yunorashi. "I don't know why I said these things... I don't usually lose control like that..." She sighed as she tried to justify what happened. It was clear that she had been rude in that instance and that she shouldn't have said such things upon looking back at it. The same thing had happened with Teresa too: she grew frustrated by the pacing of the fight and, as such, had unconsciously brought herself into a pit of taunts and attitude, both of which were things she simply did not value in combat. They both felt disrespectful, something which she preferred to avoid appearing as, and yet here they were. Due to this, she did not mind being defeated like this. It felt somewhat deserving to be tied like this, like it was meant to prevent her from doing anything rash again under the influence of that darkness within her.

[Celes Castellanos]

It seemed that there was finally a resolution to their duel. With the tap that Yunorashi had made upon Kimiko's forehead, her body became surrounded by infernal chains. Beginning at the core of her body and begin to spread towards her extremities. Legs forced to kneel as the chains wrap around her arms, twisting around them and restraining her. Even hear head became wrapped in chains as her entire body was left in a state of submission. Bound and unable to move. Yunorashi looked down at her, sighing a little as she heard a grunt of struggle. "Argh!" The Zanpakutou spirit was glad that she could utilize this. That she could restrain her and did not need to knock her out.

Yunorashi knew that if she struggled, the chains would tighten. It was a cruel cycle. Those that were not strong enough to break the chains quickly were forced to struggle until the chains became nearly unbearable. Despite this, Kimiko seemed to struggle for a few moments. Her movements erratic. Her temper blazing. Yet Yunorashi knew that it would only be a matter of time. Time for her to consider her situation. To allow the rising darkness within her to settle and the bloodlust to fade away. Her condition would naturally force her to calm down lest she wished to test fate and break the chains. Yunorashi wished that this would not need to escalate more than it already had.

During all of this Celes could only watch as she was simply in a state of shock. In truth it was hard for her to watch. To see her student succumb to these primal instincts. Yet it was more than that. Celes and Yunorashi looked at each other for a moment. The reiatsu that they had felt felt different. Under normal circumstances they likely would not be able to sense it, but they all were linked. Celes and Yunorashi could feel the shifts in Kimiko's being. Then there was the flaring of her spiritual pressure. They knew that Kimiko's spiritual pressure was formidable, but this felt domineering. Celes rose to her feet as she began to walk towards the pair. She had her suspicions, but for now she would simply keep it in the back of her head.

Once Celes was standing before Kimiko, taking her place next to her Zanpakutou spirit, they both calmly listened to Kimiko. "... I'm sorry..." They blinked as the darkness that tainted her in this spar began to seemingly fade. "I don't know why I said these things... I don't usually lose control like that..." Yunorashi sighed once more as she looked up at Celes. "Oh you two really are too much alike..." She broke into laughter as she tapped Kimiko's forehead with a light touch to get her attention as she tapped her spear on the ground twice. As Yunorashi did this, the chains around Kimiko began to crumble, falling off of her body. "And you..." The Zanpakutou spirit knelt to the ground as her eyes would meet Kimiko's.

"No hard feelings. These things happen in the heat of battle. Sometimes, amongst the anger. Amongst the blood, we lose sight of things. It's when the dust clears that we need to recognize our shortcomings in this. Just as you have just done." Yunorashi breathed out slowly as she allowed her spear and shield to glow red once more. In mere moments the two weapons would return to the form of twin blades. Swiftly and precisely, Yunorashi returned her blades to her sheath as she once more rose to her feet. The Zanpakutou spirit reached down to offer Kimiko a hand up. "Well. I'm glad to see that you have cooled down and for what it is worth...I thoroughly enjoyed sparring you. I look forward to future spars and watching you grow." 

Assuming that Kimiko grabbed hold of Yunorashi's hand, the Zanpakutou spirit simply pulled up, easily pulling the rookie Shinigami to her feet. She would then chuckle as she looked at Celes. "Well Celes. You've done well in her training. Even despite her and my difference in skill, she stood up to what I threw at her. I'd say that she deserves to see it. What do you say?" Celes chuckled as she nodded. The Shinigami knew that it was time to hold up her own end of the bargain. A promise made some time ago. Celes sighed as she drew her own twin Zanpakutou from her sheath, cracking her neck for a moment. At a comfortable pace, she began to walk away ten or so feet before turning around to face both her and Yunorashi.

Much like Yunorashi did in her spar, Celes brought her left Zanpakutou blade along the length of her arm as she closed her eyes and began to chant. This chant would likely sound different from what Kimiko was familiar with. "Goddess Athena guide my heart. Grant me the strength, so my spear may strike true. Protect my body and guard my soul, Kishin Yunorashi." Celes' blades suddenly turned a familiar red color as they began to glow. Just like normally, her left arm became covered by a mighty shield. A spear formed in her right hand just like it would in Shikai. Normally the transformation would be over, but there would be another change.

The two weapons that Celes wielded suddenly changed color. They would turn a calming and tranquil blue. This light would slowly spread to Celes' body. It would envelop her torso, her arms and her legs. Suddenly the glow began to fade as in its place was a suit of armor. A metal chestplate covering her torso as leather covered her waist and pelvis. Sandals covered her feet, straps nearly rising up to her knees. Leather gauntlets covered her hand and arms. Finally a red and tattered cape descended from her back, blowing in the light breeze. Celes then stood there, clad in spartan armor, wielding the weapons with which the ancient Spartans waged war with. "Well...I suppose this is the big reveal. It may not be as...theatrical as the Bankai of other Shinigami, but I would be foolish to call it ineffective." She would simply smile at Kimiko.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko laid there quietly after she delivered her apology. At first, she had honestly believed that her words had not really been delivered sufficiently enough; after all, she had lost control again just like back when she had fought against Teresa, and she had acted recklessly and disrespectfully with her opponent. To act in such a disgusting fashion was not something that she really regretted when it came to the Hollow, seeing as Hollows most often don't really consider honor to be part of their being. However, Yunorashi was a Zanpakuto spirit, someone which the Shinigami believed was going to be a recurrent sparring partner for the next few years or so. She was practically disrespecting a new acquaintance whom she had been interacting with well-enough so far in what was more or less her very own home. Just thinking about it and the consequences it might entail made Kimiko look away in shame and embarrassment.

Before long, however, she felt a tap on her forehead which got her to raise her head and look back at the spirit as the chains disappeared. It would seem that she was fortunate enough so as to be spared the criticism of her actions, for the spirit was more than happy to forgive her for her outburst. Despite this, Kimiko did not feel as though she deserved the forgiveness. Yes, the spirit's words were true: it is indeed reasonable to believe that a warrior would at times be too blinded by their blood lust in battle to realize what they say and do. The most common think that warriors tend to not think about when fighting other warriors in large-scale conflict is the emotional impact of their actions against their enemies' friends and family or whatever politics may be fueling the war in the first place. Still, the Shinigami did not feel as though this was mere simple blood lust. She can differentiate blood lust with overwhelming excitement, especially seeing as she did feel the first more than a few times during other spars and even during her Human life while she was practicing Kendo. It was only against Teresa and now Yunorashi that she had ever felt this way.

It is with that line of thought that Kimiko grabbed the spirit's hand and allowed herself to be pulled from the ground with a regretful look. As glad as she was about the fact that Yunorashi was not angry about what had just happened and was still looking to sparring with her some more another time, it was difficult for her to not feel embarrassed nonetheless about what happened. It felt like she was not even being given a slap on the wrist for her actions again, just like back when she had told Celes that she couldn't bring herself to care about the death of the officer who guided her through Karakura Town, Sazaki Yumi. Shouldn't someone who admitted such a terrible thing and now appeared so monstrous before them be at the very least minimally punished for their deeds? Shouldn't they be judged for their lacking morality and their borderline-psychotic outbursts instead of being simply congratulated for being physically better than everybody else?

Well, there was not much for her to do in that regard. Really, Kimiko had no ways to answer these questions. She didn't want to outright ask them out loud for fear of being perceived strangely by her mentors, and she didn't want to become any more embarrassed than she is now. The best way for her to move on from this is to do it like the other time it happened: quietly and without a word of complaint. Only then will her soul eventually discard the matter and render it progressively irrelevant. "I... Yeah, same. It was a good fight," she at least told the spirit then with a vague smile so as to at least make herself appear less regretful once she was fully standing up by her side. Her tone of voice, however, betrayed her regret and unease. It was clear that what happened had bothered her and that she was going to remember this for a while, much like how she still remembered her battle with Teresa. "I just hope this won't happen again..."

The group did not stay on the subject for much longer than that, for after all was said and done, Yunorashi turned towards Celes and told her that Kimiko was now deserving of seeing "it". The Shinigami was a bit confused as to what that "it" was supposed to reference, though eventually, she remembered that part of the reason why she was even here in the first place was to witness the Captain's Bankai. At that moment, her embarrassment somewhat disappeared as anticipation settled in, so much so that she could barely say a word. Instead, she just stood there with a mere gaze of surprise, one which Celes must be incredibly familiar with by now. A Bankai... Finally, she'll get to see what that is even about. She'll finally be able to see how a Bankai looks like and how powerful it may be in the hands of a competent Shinigami.

Quietly, Kimiko watched as Celes recited an incantation and light started beaming from her weaponry, something which lightly blinded the young woman as she tried to keep her attention onto it. The light was making it difficult for her to perceive what was happening, but she could clearly see that whatever the Captain was conjuring was not limited to her weaponry, for their beaming soon spread towards her very own body. Eventually, the brightness subsided and the rookie officer was able to get a good look at her mentor's Bankai. The sight of it was... certainly shocking, to say the least, enough so to catch Kimiko even more by surprise. It wasn't a special sword or some kind of artifact, but instead a full-blown suit of Spartan armor from chest to toe. The majority of her body was covered in steel aside from her head, and there was a long cape flowing in the wind behind her back. As for her weaponry, they were just like her Shikai, meaning a sword and shield.

Although the Captain did not believe that her Bankai to be as theatrical as others, Kimiko couldn't help but feel that it was the complete contrary. Sure, it wasn't some sort of super-weapon like the ones described by the books furnished by the Academy, but the fact that it was an actual set of armor made it much more bombastic in comparison. It attracted the same amount of attention, if not more so than any other Bankai, though perhaps it was because of the amount of energy that emanated from it. Even with her limited spiritual sensory, the rookie could feel that her mentor's reiatsu had flared significantly and she hasn't even done anything substantial yet aside from just standing still. She definitely couldn't face her in combat like this, not at the very least until she acquires a Shikai of her own to somewhat rival it, and that was enough to make the Shinigami simply just stare at it in both shock and excitement.

"It... It looks great..." she found herself muttering as she prudently approached Celes to get a closer look. Her knowledge over metal was very poor, but she could tell that the ore which currently covered Celes was not normal and could not have been mined from anything. It must be very resistant, enough so to allow her to withstand many attacks without even involving the use of that shield. Staring at it further separated Kimiko from her previous embarrassment. "What does that armor do to you...? I really don't think it's just there to look cool..."

[Celes Castellanos]

As the blue light that manifested into her Bankai washed over the Captain, Celes felt a sudden sense of elation. A strange calm permeated her mind. This was completely unlike her Shikai which assaulted Celes' mind with visions of violence and of cruelty. Then again, Celes knew well the effects of her Zanpakutou upon her mind. Her Shikai blessed her with the spirit of Aries. This gave her traits that were common of the God of War. Viciousness, cruelty and dominance. It was almost as though she became possessed by Aries himself. Celes had demonstrated this behavior quite clearly in her defeat of the dummy Hollow back when Kimiko and her with out training.

When utilizing her Bankai, Celes was subject to a much different style of emotions. The Goddess Athena valued wisdom, courage and justice. Celes' own emotions adapted to respect those values. The cruelty that would once infect her thoughts washed away and any struggle for dominance would simply dissipate. What was left was a simple desire to protect her Division. To defend those of the Soul Society. Such was her duty as both a Shinigami and the Captain of the Tenth Division. As she stood there, proudly, she dug the tip of her spear into the soft earth underneath while placing her shield upon her back. What was left was the full display of the spartan armor that she donned. 

Both Celes and Yunorashi seemed mildly amused by Kimiko as she stammered. "It... It looks great..." They both chuckled a little. As Kimiko's next question emerged, Celes tilted her head for a moment. "What does that armor do to you...? I really don't think it's just there to look cool..." The Captain diverted her eyes towards Yunorashi. Their eyes would meet for a moment as Celes sunk into her stance a little. It was more as though she was bracing herself for something with no intention to truly defend herself. Meanwhile Yunorashi's eyes focused upon Celes. The Zanpakutou spirit descend upon Celes with rather impressive speed. The strike would happen in what seemed to almost be an instant.

Yunorashi's fist would crash against Celes' armor, with almost full strength, as a mighty shockwave rushed around the curvature of the armor she wore. The shockwave that rushed past Celes continued onward, uprooting several trees as dust kicked up to the sudden and intense collision. Then it was merely met by silence. As the dust slowly began to settle and the smoke cleared, Celes would be seen standing firmly in place as Yunorashi's fist remained pressed against the Captain's armor. Celes smirked at Yunorashi and nodded. Relaxing her muscles, Yunorashi simply dropped down next to Celes, a big smile dotting her lips as she stared at Kimiko.

Celes then spoke, directed her voice at Kimiko. "As I said. Nothing flashy. The armor itself acts as a natural defense. It protects me against physical blows such as the kind that Yunorashi just demonstrated. As you know, both I and Yunorashi possess incredible physical strength and I was able to hold my ground against a blow like that without significant effort. Our Bankai is an iron wall. One that represents out hardened desire to protect others. Unlike most, our Bankai is purely defensive in nature." She smiled for a moment as she simply patted Yunorashi's shoulder, quietly thanking the Zanpakutou spirit for holding back just a little.

After all, Yunorashi knew better than anyone else the capacity that the Bankai had to protect. Yunorashi would add one minor addition to the capabilities of their Bankai. "One added benefit is that the Bankai also protects us from that pesky cutback, but not just when we are using our weapon. Even while utilizing Hakuda it protects us from cutback. Small, but effective as one of Celes' defining traits is her skill at Hakuda. Unfortunately since we are less spiritually adept than most Shinigami and their Zanpakutou Spirits, we suffer that malady quite often." The Zanpakutou spirit grinned wildly as she seemed to have a bit of annoyance in her voice when it came to something like cutback. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko remained quiet after she heard her mentor and the Zanpakuto spirit chuckle among themselves at her reaction. It was not rare of Celes, at least, to find her reactions to be funny, and every time they did, the rookie Shinigami could not even mutter a word. Still, it's not like she could really help it; after all, it happens somewhat automatically. Ever since she has joined the Soul Society, she has been seeing fantastical things she believed she would have never seen in her normal life pretty much on a daily basis. Strange swords that she thought could only exist in fiction, disgusting beasts you could swear could have only come from legends and fairy tales... She has even read about the existence of anthropomorphic animals too, as ridiculous as that thought may be in hindsight. People would typically get used to this fairly quickly, but she was having a harder time doing so. Maybe it was because of all of the manga she has read and all of the fighting games she has played during her Human life.

In any case, this did not change her lack of understanding of the armor's purpose. It certainly looked like a Bankai that would fit Celes, one that looked impressive, but nothing about it explained how it was supposed to work. Usually, whenever a Zanpakuto reaches that stage of Release, it becomes incredibly-destructive. The most common example that she read about within the books of the Academy and the novels she has read about ancient Shinigami was the recently-departed Tamajosho Aryuusai, whose Bankai allowed him to wield flames that could wipe out legions of Gillian if he ever wanted to with only but a simple swipe of his weapon. If she remembered correctly, even the blade of his very own sword became a flame while it was in that state, something so hot that anyone around the sword was put at risk of being heavily burnt. Compared to that, Celes' armor did not seem to be as powerful in hindsight. In fact, from a closer perspective, it really only did seem to be nothing more than a suit of armor.

But then, suddenly, Celes and Yunorashi both decided to hit one another. In the rookie officer's eyes, their fists connected in an instant, surprising her as she watched a shockwave be formed in the process. The reaction was sent crashing into anything which stood behind the Captain, destroying the grass and uprooting the trees, which caused Kimiko to raise an arm to protect herself from the terrible wind and the annoying dust which had both formed from this matter. Eventually, the chaos ceased and the swordswoman was allowed to lower her arm to get a look at Celes. Upon doing so, her eyes widened. There was not a single scratch on her suit of armor. Despite the amazing strength that Yunorashi had deliberately used against her, Celes seemed undamaged by it at all thanks to the sturdiness of her wear. For all that Kimiko knew, if it would not have been for the destroyed environment which stood behind her mentor, she would have never known that the armored Shinigami was ever hit to begin with.

A detailed explanation was given to Kimiko shortly after the fact. Apparently, the armor's ability was not to be powerful, but rather to be incredibly sturdy; in other words, it practically transforms Celes into a literal tank. In exchange for a lack of increased offensive power, she instead benefits from downright-unreal defensive prowess. It even protected her from cutback as well, something which must be incredibly useful for someone who specialize themselves in Hakuda. The rookie Shinigami could only nod in comprehension as she listened to their explanations. Zanpakuto which possess a defensive Bankai are not unheard of, but she hadn't expected the first one she would ever witness in person to actually be a defensive one, especially not from Celes who was capable of showing incredible strength whenever she needs to. Then again, something about it being purely defensive fits the Captain. Since they've met, Kimiko has after all always seen her as a very caring person.

"I guess you wouldn't need even more super-strength as is..." she noted in admiration as she agreed with Celes' statement about her possessing incredibly physical strength, comically not even reacting to Yunorashi's statement about cutback despite her probably being a problem for both her and Celes due to her ridiculous spiritual pressure. "That's... very impressive. It's no wonder they wanted to make you Captain of the Tenth..." Needless to say, the fact that she was even shown a Bankai in the first place was still shocking her a fair bit. It made her think about what kind of Bankai she would receive later on in her Shinigami career, what kind of power she would get from it, what it would represent. For now, she was having a hard time even visualizing it. Perhaps she will be able to form herself a better image of it once she becomes capable of talking with the spirit within her blade, whenever it will eventually decide to allow her to speak to it.

That, however, was a problem to resolve for another time. Now that she saw Celes' Inner World, sparred with Yunorashi, and now have seen her Bankai, it almost felt like this moment between them was starting to reach its end. She couldn't tell how long they have been conducting Jinzen by now, but she felt as though they have been doing this for a little while now. Maybe she could train against her mentor's Bankai later once she gets her own, or at the very least her Shikai. For now, though, she wouldn't dare even attempt to fight it. If she can't even so much as damage Yunorashi properly, then there's no point in training against that. "So... what now?" She found herself asking as she rubbed the back of her head, trying to think about what else they could do without sounding ungrateful for having seen her mentor's Bankai. The armor's great, but it is armor: it's not the most exciting think to look at in the world, to say the least. It had been a while since she and Celes have hanged out together, after all, due to the Captain's work.

[Celes Castellanos]

As Celes looked down at Yunorashi and then shifted her eyes over to Kimiko, she heard her disciple note softly. "I guess you wouldn't need even more super-strength as is..." Celes grinned as she nodded. She was well aware that there were very few in the Soul Society who could contest her strength. Some that could would have to go through roundabout ways to beat her strength. Yet despite that, even if her strength was compromised, the Captain had speed on her side. This made Celes a rather dominating force in physical combat alone. One punch was usually enough. Then again. Celes rarely used her full strength, instead wishing to not end the training too quickly.

She tapped her spear for a moment as Kimiko offered what the Captain could only take as a compliment. "That's... very impressive. It's no wonder they wanted to make you Captain of the Tenth..." She chuckled and broke out into laughter which soon became a smile. "Well, I would certainly hope that they granted me captaincy based on more than my combat abilities." She chuckled once more. "Captaincy is about more than just fighting after all. You hold dominion over any entire part of the Soul Society. They see you as a leader. A role model. A beacon of hope when the situation is dire. Sometimes it can be...overwhelming.." She paused for a moment before continuing. "We stand as a part of a greater whole, no matter what position we are in ultimately, however."

The breeze blew for a moment as Celes pondered on what she had said. The rank that she was given, at the end of the day, was just a rank. Upholding the tenants of her Division and the Soul Society was more important to her than being given leadership of the Tenth Division. Regardless she welcomed it. As her mind began to drift, she was ripped from it as Kimiko asked a question that was likely on everyone's mind. "So... what now?" Yunorashi immediately lit up. "Well. I'm sure you are hungry Kimiko. After all it was a rather intense fight. Your body must also be getting really tense from sitting in the position you two have been in for so long." The Zanpakutou spirit grinned for a moment as Celes chuckled.

"Well. I suppose she does bring up a good point. We she get going." Celes placed her hand upon the spear which was dug into the ground along with her other upon the shield on her back. Focusing her reiatsu and energy, both weapons starting glowing for a moment as the armor slowly broke apart, disappearing into radiant bursts of light. Her weapons meanwhile slowly changed form as they became twin blades once more. With a show of practice and dexterity, Celes twirled both blades in her hand before sheathing them. She stretched her body, groaning for a moment before leaning down and embracing Yunorashi in a hug. Yunorashi simply smiled and wrapped her arms around the Shinigami as well.

[smear:cf449]Till next we meet in the field of battle as one. May we strike down those who oppose us together.[/smear:5cd72a] The two spoke in unison showing a bond built over decades of understanding and fostering. Celes rose to her feet as Yunorashi grinned, exclaiming. "Always a pleasure Celes. And you..." She looked at Kimiko and smiled. "I do hope to meet you again sometime. Perhaps we can all visit your Inner World one day as well. I'd certainly love to see and meet the spirit of your blade as well~" With that, Celes chuckled and turned to Kimiko. She began to walk over to her disciple and placed her hand on the taller woman's shoulder. She'd give her a moment if she wanted to say anything to Yunorashi.

After the few moments passed, Celes focused her upon the bond of energy that the two Shinigami were sharing now. For the two of them, the world would become dark. Darkness enveloped them as their bodies slowly began to fade into a thin mist and dissipate. As Celes opened her eyes, she looked upon Kimiko's closed eyes. She knew they would open in a moment. The rock beneath them continued to stand strong. Meanwhile, Celes began to slowly sever the bond of their spirit that was established earlier. As she began to slowly cut it in two, she sighed. Being so close to Kimiko's emotions and spirit had a certain glow to it. As the connection was fully severed, Celes felt a part of her missing in a way. She could not entirely explain it.

As the Captain rose to her feat, she winced and groaned a little. There was a disparity between time in the Inner World and the real world. Time simply seemed to move much faster. Celes had years of experience to get used to the feeling, but even she sometimes felt the mental strain. This mental strain was compounded by the use of the special Jinzen that allowed Kimiko to enter her world. Regardless, Celes hopped off from the rock, waiting for Kimiko to open her eyes and join her. Assuming that all went as planned and Kimiko opened her eyes, Celes would simply smile at her as she stretched one more time and would allow her to get her bearings.

The Captain then proceeded to speak to her disciple. "Well. I bet you must be starving Kimiko so let's get a bite to eat. I myself am feeling a bit of the strain from being host to another completely separate soul." A serene smile would dot her face as she pondered for a moment. The figurative lightbulb filled her thoughts as she grinned. "I know! Hikashi should be open so I propose we go there!" Her voice was filled with renewed energy and vigor as she grinned at Kimiko. Assuming that the disciple agreed, Celes would already start taking a leisurely walk over there, waiting for Kimiko to catch up. After all, the two of them could likely afford to take it easier the next few days.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Hungry was the right adjective to properly describe Kimiko right about now. The last time they were in the real world, it was roughly about noon or something close to that. She had just eaten lunch and was rather full at the time. Considering that time flows differently within one's Inner World, it was possible that it was now more so close to the end of the afternoon, perhaps even the beginning of the evening. It was thus only natural for the rookie Shinigami to start feeling as though she could perhaps eat more, especially after having sparred with a powerful opponent like Yunorashi. Fortunately, the hunger wasn't too overpowering for the time being. She could still remember that one late evening at the Academy where she had been prevented to actually eat anything because of a miscalculation in her schedule prompting her to study for much longer than she had anticipated. That was not something that she really wanted to experience again.

"Right... I kinda forgot about that," she commented quietly once Yunorashi pointed out how tense her body must be at the moment. She was not wrong. At the moment, she was very clearly starting to feel the fatigue within her arms and legs. She was not used to conduct Jinzen for this long since she was never really capable of entering her own Inner World just yet, so sitting for so long in that position out there in the real world was starting to physically affect her. Not even all the experience she's had of sitting down for long periods of time while reading things readied her for this. It seemed that even Celes agreed with that, for she went on to return her Zanpakuto to their normal selves, then sheath them back into their scabbards. "Alright then. That's fine by me," she nodded as she took one last look to Celes' Inner World. It was mostly going to take a bit before she returns to this place, so might as well enjoy the view for just a bit longer before leaving.

As Celes and Yunorashi wished themselves farewell in a rather-admirable display of the bond they now have shared for years, the spirit approached Kimiko again before expressing her wish to see each other again. It was a nice thing of her to say, especially after what happened during the spar and how strange that was. Crouching her body a bit to allow the girl's hand to touch her shoulder, the shyer rookie would smile before nodding lightly. "Uh, yeah, sure. I still need to figure that out, but I'm sure that would be fun," she said as she thought about it. She still seemed a bit troubled by what happened, judging by the tone in her voice, but the anticipation of eventually allowing Celes and Yunorashi in her Inner World one day combined with the honor of having seen the former's Bankai was enough to keep her steadier than before. Although it was only customary for her to allow them in her Inner World considering what they were doing now, it just felt right to do so to her after all Celes has done for her.

A part of her wanted to say more to the spirit, perhaps even ask questions about what happened. However, before she could do so, she felt Celes' efforts tugging at the bond their souls were presently sharing in order, and soon, all that surrounded her became darkness. The lush forest, the open field and the rocks disappeared, and eventually, so did even the weather and temperature which occupied the Captain's Inner World. For a brief moment, it was as if her whole body had dissipated and become misty, murky even in this sea of darkness. It was as if her existence had been rendered null. Soon after, the feeling of a fresh breeze soon returned to her, then the cold of a rock below, then the familiar pressing of her robes against her skin. Upon realizing this, she opened her eyes, and before her was Celes sitting just like her in a Jinzen position. They had officially returned to Soul Society, their souls now detached from one another. The lack of a connection felt strange, to say the least, almost even hurtful, like a part of her was clearly missing.

Tingling resonated within her body as Kimiko felt the complete effect of the strain on her limbs as she liberated herself from her posture and pushed herself off the rock. It wasn't like back in the Inner World where the effect was only really an afterthought more than anything else. Her arms and legs felt like jello, and her mind felt a bit disoriented, enough so that it all made her grunt a bit. As she recovered, her gaze slowly raised itself towards the sky. The blue which once characterized was now starting to become a bit redder. "How long has it been...? Four hours?" She asked then haphazardly with a half-quiet, half-ranting tone that was rather inoffensive by nature, not exactly expecting any kind of response from Celes in the process. It was just a way for her to recover from all the tingling and the feeling of hunger that she was now starting to feel cave through her stomach at this very moment. Being hungry alone is one thing, but once you combine that with the memory of the last time you ate, it tends to make you feel even more hungry.

It seemed that the Captain was able to discern this feeling, for she then went on to suggest Hikashi. This instantly made Kimiko forget the pain for a brief moment as the only thing she could think about at that moment were the bowl of noodles and meat that they could get there. "That sounds good to me!" She exclaimed with satisfaction at the decision that was made, energy refilling her again. It was odd how food had suddenly become so much more important to her ever since she met Celes, but she really couldn't help it: much of the stuff the Captain showed to her while she was at the Academy was just amazing. Of course, the best dishes that were ever served to her were from Hikashi's menu, and so it was only natural that every time his name is mentioned that she becomes excited and ready to go right away. "Let's go!"  

And so, this period of training ended. It had been a strange and perhaps-revealing moment, but it had ended like any other: with food. With an excited and anticipated step towards Rukongai, they both marched head on towards the ramen shop, and later that day, they enjoyed the greatest noodles they could have eaten during this evening. Nevertheless, the darkness that remained within Kimiko's heart remained, and from it, so did many questions that needed to be raised. Why was the adrenaline she felt so powerfully during her fight with Teresa present during her spar with Yunorashi? Why did her behavior change during the both of these battles? Why did the color of her aura change to a darker tone during that moment, like her reiatsu was somehow simultaneously hers but also not her own? So many questions to ask, none to be answered, and the more they piled on, the more confused Kimiko became.

One day, she will need to confront this problem head-on, for better or worse.

[ E N D ]

[Kaen Youji]

Ignore that I am posting from the wrong account. This is Col.

I counted 208 paragraphs, for a whopping 1040TP to all contestants.