Introduction to the Captain Commander.

[shinishinamba]

    Shiganosuke prepares himself both mentally and physically to meet the Captain Commander. He has heard stories about the basically God-like being with all of their strength and prowess. Standing in the small room at the Academy Shiganosuke goes over his uniform, looking at the official robes of a Shinigami and the letter that accompanied them. He straightened and adjusted the edges of his robes, made sure that his Zanpakuto is tightly secured to his side and his bottle was secure. He had brought very little with him when he joined up, with it all fitting into a simple bag. He looks at himself in a mirror and speaks...

This is it; this is the moment that you've been waiting for. This is like every match you've participated in, it is all a match.   

    Shiganosuke slowly leaves the Academy, looking around at the place that has been his home for the last 9 years. The bitter thought of how he could've been out sooner had he not been cursed lingering in his head. Sighing slightly as he takes one last look at the Academy before heading off toward the 1st Division to meet his Captain, The Captain Commander. As he walks through the Seireitei, he could almost feel like he was being stared at by everyone be it because of his size or maybe because he is cursed. Straightening himself out to use shunpo to try to lessen the time traveling to the Captain Commanders Office. He stops after one usage wincing at the pain from using the skill, thinking to himself..

 That was dumb but it lessened the trip 

Shiganosuke bows slightly to the Shinigami posted outside of the Barracks and hands him his letter.

Akashi, Shiganosuke reporting. I am here to introduce myself to Captain Commander and officially join the 1st Division.

    The two shinigami look over the letter and then back at Shiganosuke, then back to the letter. The one shinigami hands the letter back and opens the door motioning for Shiganosuke to walk through. As Shiganosuke walks by the other shinigami mutters just under his breath I thought all these bad luck people were in 3rd. Ignoring the comment and continuing on, he looks at the letter again noticing the comment about the "special circumstances" around his curse. Shiganosuke continues through the division grounds, taking in the walkways and buildings before coming up to the Captain Commander's office.

 well, here it goes.

 Shiganosuke knocks on the door waiting for a response to enter.

[Col Arana]

A voice spoke from inside the room, one that could not be mistaken as anything other than the voice of the Captain Commander. It was a voice that radiated authority and strength. "Enter." Spoke the voice, permitting Shiganosuke entry. The Captain Commander's office also was precisely what would have been expected of the man. It was a traditionally designed room in the Japanese style, with the key notable feature being its size. It was massive, easily room enough to house a full audience. All thirteen (plus two) Captains of the Gotei 13 and their Vice Captains, and perhaps a few select officers could easily have filled the Captain Commander's office with room to spare. At the far back of the room, was a desk low to the ground, and beyond that a massive banner that hung near wall to wall bearing the insignia of the First Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

And seated behind that short desk was Kyousou Ningen, the 35th Captain Commander of the Gotei 13. To most people, the man would have been an imposing sight. Though Shiganosuke's impressive 8 feet of height dwarfed the Captain Commander, Kyousou-- sometimes known as "The Strong Man" was no scrawny child. At his full height of 6'5, he cut an imposing figure, broad shouldered, and built like a house. Acknowledging the arrival of Shiganosuke, the man stood up, and the authority he exuded seemed to make him seem even taller than he was, such that even though Shiganosuke was a colossus of a man himself, Kyousei still seemed to somehow stand above him. Age had clearly left its mark on the man, with deep lines through his face and gray hair, but it did not leave an impression that he had somehow been robbed of any of his vitality or strength. Before Shiganosuke was a man who was every bit as powerful as he had been in his youth-- perhaps even moreso.

"I have not seen you before, boy." He stated, stern gazing looking over his new recruit. "Therefore you must be the newest member to the First Division." He strode around his desk and began to walk towards Shiganosuke, the weight of his position etched into every motion. Kyousou moved with purpose. Straight backed, proud and determined in even the smallest movement. Not so much as a twitch of a finger, or turn of the head lacked this, and in but a moment, the Shiganosuke was standing before the man, who put forth a hand. "I welcome you, and look forward to building a better Soul Society together." He said with a broad smile.

[shinishinamba]

Upon hearing the command to enter, Shiganosuke opened the door stepped slightly forward and bowed as a sign of respect. He continued to walk forward with confidence and respect till he was ¾ of the way across the room, stopping and bowed again. As he stood at attention the man of legendary stature come forth from behind his desk. Even though Shiganosuke was taller than him, he was in awe at the man. He watched and listened to the words that the Captain Commander spoke, this man had such authority in his movements and words that it reminded Shiganosuke of his father in a way and a thought raced through his mind.



This man is a legend, remember he is your Leader, your instructor and you are his warrior and student.



Shiganosuke was caught off guard when the Captain Commander stuck his hand out, he had never really gotten use to that form of interaction. He reached out and bowed his head slightly while he shook the Captain Commander’s hand firmly but respectfully.



Thank you, sir It is an honor and I hope to prove myself to not only you but to everyone else that I belong here



He took the briefest of moments to think of how everything will change from this moment on and before letting go he remembered the letter that he was given.



Sir, there is something that I need to discuss with you. I am not sure how much you know about it, but I have a condition of sorts.



There was a bit of shame in his voice as he said those words and Shiganosuke looked at the Captain Commander, he hoped that the Captain Commander would have some insight that might help him.

[Col Arana]

Kyousou's handshake was firm as well, and belied the man's monstrous physical strength. A huge smile was on the Captain Commander's face however. So far you've made a good impression. You respect formality, and the rules. That is excellent. It is what I look for in my officers. Respect and enforce the rules and laws of the Seireitei, and you will have a place in this division." Kyousou assured him. "We of the First Division are in charge of looking after all other aspects of Soul Society. We are the Division of Order. The Shinigami have been tasked with a sacred duty." He began as he began to walk back towards his desk, hands folded and clasped behind his back. "To maintain balance in the world. To maintain order. It is a duty that we must take with grave seriousness-- something I fear is lost on many of the younger generation. As an officer of the First, among your duties will be to ensure that all Shinigami of all Thirteen Court Guard Squads are united in this purpose." He informed Shiganosuke.

"It is a noble calling, and I am proud to say that all of of this division, naive fools that some of them may be, have risen to it. I expect no less from you boy."[/color] He stated, with a tone that was at once grandfatherly and proud, but stern at the same time. Kyousou Ningen was not a cruel man. He was not humorless, nor was he needlessly unkind. Despite his stern exterior he knew how to be supportive, and to give commendation and praise when it was due. It was said, that on rare occasions he could even throw one hell of a party! But he did expect the rules to be followed. As Captain Commander, it was his duty to uphold the laws of Soul Society, and to be a paragon of all of the Seireitei's values, and he expected no less of his officers.

The Captain Commander had made his way back to his desk and sat back down at it, his eyes returning to Shiganosuke. "But if you have a matter you wish to discuss with me, I will of course hear it. I you are burdened by a condition of a sort, I will hear you out. Perhaps we may help you with it. The fourth division has some magnificent medics, who can assess nearly any ailment, and for the cases they can't, the Twelfth may be able to help. Captain Tezuka allows certain eccentricities in his division that I frown upon, but for that they are often able to provide insight into matters when no other Division or officer in the Seireitei can. What troubles you boy?" He inquired, and the sternness was gone from his tone, a note of concern for Shiganosuke instead entering his voice.

[shinishinamba]

    As the Captain Commander spoke Shiganosuke welled up with pride for a purpose and was reassured by the Captain Commander's words of trying to help him. he had faced a fair amount of scrutiny from his classmates in the Academy and from some of the staff for his "condition" over the last 3 years, so standing before this mythological figure who was understanding and willing to help him it was like a breath of fresh air.

Well Sir, I must tell you first that I was set to graduate from the Academy at the end of my sixth year. I had gone to celebrate with some friends of mine by going to a school that I use to run for Sumo. The head instructor at that school announced that I was set to graduate from the Academy and There was a student who was overly confident in his abilities. I had fought against him several times over the years and this time it seemed that he wanted to leave his mark.

As Shiganosuke recalled the events of that night, the match, the conversations, the attack... and an overwhelming sense of shame flooded him. Now looking back on it he should've known that it would only be a matter of time before this man would've done something extreme. He took a deep breath and continued.

That night I had bested him several times, but with the amount of time he had been training he should've have done better. I must have finally damaged this man's ego enough that he sought out something, someone who could complicate things for me. At the end of the night, I had hoped to speak to this man again, but I could not find him, so I left the school and I found him. This man had gone several others and they attacked me, I attempted to defend myself, but I refused to use anything that I learned at the Academy against these regular people, people who I was supposed to be defending. They managed to overpower me with numbers, and I was knocked unconscious. I woke up in a shack surrounded by the men who attacked me and old man. He performed some kind of ritual which placed a Curse on me, it was later determined that what they did affects my ability to manipulate spiritual energy.  I am still capable of performing my duties Sir. This ritual is what increased my time at the Academy, as I had to basically relearn how to do everything.

 Shame burned inside of Shiganosuke as he recalled the events of that night, the ritual that was performed, the recovery and relearning of skills and the searching he performed.

It took some time for me to recover physically, but the other affects lingered. I managed to find the man who performed the ritual and though he could not remove the Curse from the ritual he was able to lessen its effects, but he immediately took his own life. Thank you for listening Sir


 

[Col Arana]

The Captain Commander continued to scrutinized Shiganosuke as he spoke, and there was nothing in his demeanor that seemed to disapprove of how Shiganosuke carried himself at least. It was clear he was being attentive, and listened. He did not so much as open his mouth to interrupt or clarify, but stood in full observation as Shiganosuke wove his tale. His eyes were sympathetic but full of steel, and did not seem to betray much of his inner thoughts of Shiganosuke's tale, if he had any to give.

"I do not care how long it took you to complete the Academy. Only that you completed it. Some of the other Divisions may be obsessed with perfection or prodigies. I do not care. If you carry duty and respect for justice in your heart, you have a place here. If your other qualities are lacking, we will forge them anew, but without the justice of the Seireitei at your core, all of your outward might and talent is nothing but flowery glamours." He replied. "You say you had to relearn everything, but you DID relearn it all. You will continue to learn and mature-- or at least that is what I expect of you. You are young, green and naive, boy, but this division will harden you into steel." He stated with authoritative confidence.

"If it is lifting this curse you seek, I would advise you to seek out officers from the Fourth Division. They are talented medics and some of them may be familiar with the removal of curses. If you are truly desperate, then you may try the Twelfth Division. In those halls under Captain Tezuka, they research all manner of strange things, it would not surprise me to know they had an expert on such things in there-- but I would caution you. The Twelfth Division are eccentrics, and although Captain Tezuka shares my desire for justice and punishes those who act against it, I have found his officers lacking in the same moral fiber as my own, and I will tell you to be especially wary around Shinigami of the Twelfth."[/color] The Captain Commander warned.

"But above all that, there is a matter of much greater importance to me, from your tale." Now the Captain Commander unclasped his hands and placed them on his desk before him, splayed out at shoulder width. "Your tale spoke of what happened to the man who cursed you, but what of the others who defeated you? Attacking an officer of Soul Society is a serious offense to the Seireitei, and I would hear what you have done regarding them." The air temperature in the room seemed to drop half a degree. This was no longer mere idle chitchat. No longer mere exposition. Now the eye of Kyousou Ningen, Captain of the First Division was on his newest officer. Now his eyes were not the grandfatherly eyes of a leader, but the eyes of a judge, awaiting the defendant's explanation of himself.

[shinishinamba]

Shiganosuke listened to the Captain Commander speak, his words held the weight of a man responsible for millions of lives and the indirect reassurance that it only mattered that he was here now, relaxed him slightly. Though the words being spoken now pierced him to his very core, the overall mood and feeling of the room changed slightly but it was palpable enough for Shiganosuke to notice. He stood still taking a moment to collect himself due to the sudden change in the words and body langauge of the Captain Commander. Shiganosuke took a moment to think about the man and his fellow attackers, remembering back to when he was investigating into them and with help of some of his friends found the people who attacked him. Shiganosuke and his friends had come across the bodies of the people involved with his attack, their bodies were scattered around a small room, they had looked like they had been drained almost like mummies with looks of shock on their faces. Shiganosuke had been the one that found the man that started it all. As he tried to banish the memory from his mind, he spoke up.

Well Sir, I had hoped to find them and bring them to justice but after I had been released from the Academy Infirmary, I had asked some friends from Rukongai to help me find them.

Shiganosuke paused for a moment, the memory still lingering in his head and remembering the state of the bodies of the other men involved in the attack as well as the state of the man that had started it was in.

I am sorry for the pause Sir; my friends and I had eventually found the men involved. They all seemed to have died horribly, their bodies looked like they had been drained empty of everything like a mummy. The men had looks of shock on their faces some were grabbing at their throats. I had the displeasure of finding the man that started everything Sir. He looked like he had been cut thousands of times by something or someone. He was curled up in a corner of a separate room, but he was also drained in appearance. I was unable to bring them to justice Sir.

Shiganosuke had hoped that his recollection of the events was enough for the Captain Commander. He had hoped to bring the man to justice and to find out why he had gone to such lengths to simply get revenge on him for beating him in a match. There are things about the why and how that Shiganosuke would never have the answers for as those involved took it with them to the grave.

[Col Arana]

Kyousou studied Shiganosuke's face as he explained his story. As before, it was impossible to read his response as he spoke of gathering friends and seeking to bring his friends to justice. It seemed that the Captain Commander liked to hear the full tale before giving the storyteller any indication of whether he was going in the right direction or shooting himself in the foot. Technically fair-- as one couldn't use his responses to try to adjust their story on the fly, but perhaps more than a little intimidating to be standing in front of him as you did it!

"And so you were. But that does not mean they were not brought to justice, nor that you failed to act. Their demise was proper, and just, and you confirmed it with your own senses. You acted as you should have. I would ask as to the identity of the one who killed them. But you would have told me if you had discovered that. Which means that there is another out there still, who must be found and brought to the light of justice." Kyousou declared. "I do not place the blame that you were unable to discover who it was. But if you are ever lacking in the ability to pursue justice on your own, you are to seek out others who will aid you. Our comrades in the Seventh Division excel in the investigation and exposure of such criminals. Remember that you are now an officer of the First Division. When we demand aid, the other Divisions are duty-bound to answer-- lest they face the consequences of shirking their duties and the rules of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." He added, a frown etching its way onto his features.

"You have thus far proven you have the mind for this Division, boy. You require some tempering, some training yet, but we will provide. Be proud, for I will not accept just anyone into our ranks. But if you learn more of the fate of this criminal that assaulted you, and whatever it was that performed the deed, I will have you investigate the matter further. Though your attacker was deserving of his fate, it was not the duty of whoever killed him to do it, and in doing so, they too have assaulted a citizen of Soul Society. They too must stand before the scales of judgement. Is that clear boy?" He inquired

Then Kyousou took a deep breath. "It was good to meet you Shiganosuke Akashi. I will keep an eye on your progress. You are dismissed."

[shinishinamba]

Shiganosuke felt both reinvigorated and relieved by the words that the Captain Commander had spoken, in addition to his dismissal. He bowed deeply and spoke loudly, but respectfully...

Thank you Sir, I hope that I can forge and temper myself into a weapon and soldier deserving of 1st Division and of yourself

Shiganosuke slowly straightened up out of the bow and while maintaining eye contact with the Captain Commander, he took several steps backward before bowing again. He carefully spun around in one fluid motion facing away from the Captain Commander before walking to the doors and exiting the office. Once behind the doors he felt that he could relax just slightly, in the hallway outside of the office there were two Shinigami with surprised looks on their faces. Shiganosuke knew that the two Shinigami must have heard part of their conversation but that was of little importance now, he knew that he would have to push his limits and forge himself into a weapon deserving of the 1st Division. He was unsure of where to start but remembered what the Captain Commander had said about reaching out to the other Divisions for help and knew that he would have to ask around. Once he had I goal in mind, Shiganosuke walked away from the office and since he had yet to be assigned any duties he headed off to the barracks to get settled in as an official member of the 1st division. He knew that for the rest of the day he would need to get settled and acclimated to being apart of the Division, his search for help would start in the morning.

exit

[Ludwig Verrlicht]

I'll be grading this.

Shiganosuke - I counted 17th paragrarphs -> 10% social bonus for any of Col's characters

Captain Com (Col) - I counted 13 paragraphs -> 10% social bonus to Shiganosuke