Dwelling Within A Sound Mind And A Sound Body [JT]

[Deleted]

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{Music!}

With a chipper humming to himself, Aldwin walked inside of a small tea shop within Karakura town. Truth be told, the man had rather enjoyed his fair share of tea as of late, despite being more of a coffee person himself. That, plus after hearing the news that a building was being rented out not ten minutes away from his apartment for the opening of another tea shop, he figured he'd give it a try. After all, if it was close, why wouldn't he capitalize on the opportunity to get some if he enjoyed it? And, thankfully, that's exactly what was happening.

Ordering his drink and sitting down at one of the nearby tables, Aldwin reached into his bag in order to pull out his work laptop. Thankfully his time spent job-hunting was done now that he had that whole weapons-selling gig going on thanks to Mara. He'd have to thank her again for that now that he thought about it. Focusing his mind once more, though, Aldwin simply spent what time he could messing around on some Adobe products, trying to get a concrete blueprint going for his next big breakthrough; a multi-weapon scabbard that didn't make itself a pain to carry around. He'd had some ideas, but for the time being, this was his project. Well, until his friend arrived.

---

A solid thirty minutes prior to his arrival in said tea shop, Aldwin had spent a solid while wandering around Karakura, a slip of paper in his pocket the entire time. The man's goal was to find a Shinigami; any Shinigami, for that matter. This was due to the fact that he had a note that he wanted to pass along to someone else within their chain of command, and truth be told this was the most effective way to do so. It seemed that since there was no good way to just go out of the way to get in contact with someone on a different plane of existence, this was going to have to settle.

After passing said note to the very first Shinigami he'd seen, Aldwin took the time to actually relax for once. His work for the time being was done on that front, so he was going to go enjoy himself; much like he'd stated on the note, he was headed to a tea shop within Karakura. He hadn't given the girl the note was for instructions, but rather a tip on how to find him. Assuming the note actually managed to make it through the Dangai, and into the girl's hands, it was a fairly simple read. Should it not have, then he only hoped that the Shinigami in question was kind enough to recite the note to the girl.

Hello, Celes!

It's a pleasure to get the opportunity to (hopefully) speak to you again! Apologies for the fact that it's been so long since we've last spoken, I hope this note finds you in good health. Pleasantries out of the way, though, if you're able to, I'd like to speak with you again, if given the opportunity. I've a prototype of that weapon out that I had told you about... I think it was a year back? I can't quite remember. Regardless though! If you've the opportunity to step away from your busy life as a Third Seat, I'd like to show you how it works, and if you think it'll be a good idea to put in the hands of others with the same aspirations as myself. If you're able to step away, I'll be located in Karakura town; finding me shouldn't be that hard, I'll be letting loose all that spiritual energy so hopefully I shouldn't be too hard to find. I've found it's getting harder to control that as of late. Nonetheless, I look forward to hopefully speaking with you again! Talk soon.

Sincerely, Aldwin Rose Blackwood

[Celes Shindazu]

Paperwork. Celes could not explain it, but it felt like the last few days were filled to the brim with forms that needed to be filled out. Reports of Hollow sightings...mentions of new recruits...disciplinary action forms. It was all so dreary. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. She did not envision Captaincy to be so busy. During her time as Vice-Captain she had learned quickly how much paperwork was on her plate. Taking over some duties as Acting Captain, a lot of this work was familiar. Being a Captain now, Celes had more responsibilities as Soul Society began trusting her capabilities more and more. With the freedom to truly run her division came the extra duties. 

Though Celes had heard news that someone may be takin up the mantle of Vice Captain soon. Celes was more than happy to hear that, but she did not blindly trust it. For all she knew, it could be rumor. Perhaps she just needed a break from the paperwork. That's when she looked at the note left on her desk. She had ignored it up until now, wanting to focus on her duties. After all, she had to catch up with Kimiko sometime again. It broke Celes' heart; to have grown more distant due to their respective increases in responsibility. Celes sighed and spoke as she began to unfurl the note. "Perhaps I could take her out to the World of the Living to relax one of these days...Oh well. Let's see what we have here.." 

The Shinigami simply assumed that one of her officers had left the note for her. A random note left on her desk was unlikely to be from a stranger. As she finished opening it, her eyes began to swiftly read over it as she read it aloud. "Hello, Celes! It's a pleasure to get the opportunity to (hopefully) speak to you again! Apologies for the fact that it's been so long since we've last spoken, I hope this note finds you in good health. Pleasantries out of the way, though, if you're able to, I'd like to speak with you again, if given the opportunity. I've a prototype of that weapon out that I had told you about... I think it was a year back? I can't quite remember. Regardless though! If you've the opportunity to step away from your busy life as a Third Seat, I'd like to show you how it works, and if you think it'll be a good idea to put in the hands of others with the same aspirations as myself. If you're able to step away, I'll be located in Karakura town; finding me shouldn't be that hard, I'll be letting loose all that spiritual energy so hopefully I shouldn't be too hard to find. I've found it's getting harder to control that as of late. Nonetheless, I look forward to hopefully speaking with you again! Talk soon."

Her brow raised until she noted who it was from. "Aldwin Blackwood huh..." Celes knew the name well. Some time ago, during her time as Third Seat, the Captain had met Aldwin. Thought was that already a year ago? It didn't take long for Celes to advance quickly in the division after switching to the Tenth Squad. Leadership was needed and Celes was more than willing to take initiative. She pondered for a moment. "Has it already been a year since I left the Eleventh Division..." Celes had to admit that it felt like the time flied. Though now her focus had shifted from her paperwork to Aldwin. On their first meeting, a year ago, Celes had helped him work to develop a tool that could mimic the ability of a Zanpakutou to purify Hollows. Could he have finished it? Celes was eager to find out. 

Celes ruminated on it for another moment, her eyes dancing across the desk as she tapped her finger. Grabbing her Zanpakutou, just in case, Celes went off to get a Gigai. Frankly, she wasn't going to let some other Shinigami get to Aldwin. If what he said in the letter was true, then this could certainly escalate. She thought he was a good kid. Someone who had a lot to give to the world. She was not about to let that go to waste! With that determination, she entered her Gigai as she felt her own life be breathed into it. The Gigai was nothing more than a vessel and she did feel different. With that, she began to walk to the Senkaimon, easily gaining clearance to proceed due to her status. 

-- 5 Minutes Later --

The alleyway was quiet. A cat rummaging through the garbage hissed at other animals as they passed by. Suddenly a light filled the Alleyway as the gateway to the Senkaimon revealed itself as the familiar blond-haired Shinigami stepped out in fairly casual clothing. The sudden appearance of the Senkaimon along with Celes quickly scared off the cat as Celes' eyes skimmed from side to side. Nobody had seen her. Good. Immediately, Celes tried to sense Aldwin. Unfortunately, her ability to sense the spirits of others was rather pathetic. She couldn't pick up a thing. She sighed and pouted as her own shortcomings came back to bite her. Seems she'd have to do it the old-fashioned way. With that, Celes began to walk around, searching for the Quincy. 

Moving from street to street, shop to shop, was rather tiresome. It must've added another thirty minutes by the time she was about to give up. She closed her eyes, but that's when something became clearer. She could sense something. Her brow furrowed. Was this Aldwin? Or could it be something else? Celes had to be ready. Regardless, she followed the trail. As she drew closer and closer, even despite her pathetic snsory capabilities, she could detect a more prominent reiatsu. It was growing thick and perhaps even a little volatile, but Celes could not put her finger on it. She continued to follow it unti she came upon a cute little coffee shop. 

Walking inside, the bell rang softly as a woman immediately greeted her. "Welcome to our humble establishment. Can I get you anything?" Celes smiled and politely bowed her head. "Nothing right now but thank you." Her eyes danced across the small crowds of people as a familiar sight came into view and the source of the pungent reiatsu. Celes chuckled and began to approach him. She spoke rather calmly. "Hello there Aldwin. Been a while...Do you mind if I sit?" If Aldwin welcomed her, she'd pull out the chair gently and sit herself down. With deft fingers, she pulled the note from her pocket and held it before her eyes, smiling at Aldwin. "Got your note. A pleasant surprise though if I may make one correction...I'm actually not the Third Seat anymore. I'm the Captain of the Tenth Division now." She winked and slipped it back into her pocket. "No worries. No way you could have known." She went silent before chuckling. "Well..anyway. You mentioned that you wanted to see me about something?" 

[Deleted]

"Hello there Aldwin. Been a while...Do you mind if I sit?"

Celes' words dragged Aldwin out of his work-fueled stupor almost immediately, greeting the girl with a smile on his face. "Oh!" he said excitedly, "it's a pleasure to get the opportunity to see you again, Celes! How've you been? Hopefully Soul Society's been treating you nicely over the last year?" Truthfully, he was genuinely excited to hear back from the girl; she was currently the closest thing that he had to a friend at the moment, aside from Mara; they were more business partners than anything else, he couldn't really care about how she kept up.

As she sat down and pulled out her note, Aldwin couldn't help but continue to smile widely. "Got your note. A pleasant surprise though if I may make one correction...I'm actually not the Third Seat anymore. I'm the Captain of the Tenth Division now." As soon as he heard those words, his face lit up. "Really?! Celes, that's amazing!! Congratulations! Hopefully your rise there was graceful?" Assuming she gave an answer, Aldwin was more than happy to listen in response and just remain generally content with what she had to say.

Truth be told, he was growing ever more interested with Soul Society with each passing encounter he had with Shinigami of all varieties. As if on queue, one such Shinigami decided to speak up. "Well..anyway. You mentioned that you wanted to see me about something?" Nodding vigorously, Aldwin began to type away on his computer much faster than he'd been doing before. Perhaps it was excitement, or just general nervousness, but he had to have been moving his fingers fast enough to hit almost 150 words per minute without breaking a sweat.

The very second he finished, he turned around his computer for the girl to see. "I've got a physical model in my bag," he said, allowing her to take in the information on the screen, "but this is the schematics for the current build of a weapon I like to call the Purification Blade. Thanks to your aid in allowing me to borrow some reiatsu of yours a while back, I was able to create a rather unique substance that I think you might find somewhat interesting." Reaching into his bag, Aldwin pulled out a small vial. Inside that vial, to most others, would be absolutely nothing. But, to Celes and Aldwin; they'd be able to see the contents; what looked to be flexed reiatsu, picking up under all radars as Shinigami reiatsu.

"With the help of a colleague of mine, I managed to actually manufacture synthetic reiatsu. Right now, applications are still minimal, and the stuff is still... raw, as I'd put it, but this is a wonderful start." Reaching into his bag once more, Aldwin pulled out what looked to be the grip and hilt to a snow white katana. Opening a small compartment on the grip, he gently slid the glass vial into the hilt, and passed it to Celes. "With those easily-replaceable cartridges of synthetic Shinigami reiatsu, someone in possession of a Purification Blade can intermingle this with their own reiatsu in order to disperse it through the blade of the weapon. Normally one would be attached, but we're out in public right now, so you can see how that'd blow over." He couldn't help but chuckle.

"In each blade is going to be a series of spiritual steel vents that allow for easier reiatsu circulation through the blade, so that once the blade is primed it'll be ready to distribute that reiatsu throughout the edge via some spiritual "engine" technology my colleague showed me was possible in such a small surface area. From the testing that I've done with the weapon itself, it serves as a major success! I myself have already managed to guide a few hollows into Soul Society, and from what I've heard from my colleague whose working on speeding up production, we're selling these things at a fairly stable rate, and even to some other Shinigami! Things at the moment are a grand success, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things go in the future regarding them!"

[Celes Shindazu]

Pulling out a chair and sitting down, getting all the niceties out of the way, Celes was pleased to hear that Aldwin was so receptive to her string of promotions. "Really?! Celes, that's amazing!! Congratulations! Hopefully your rise there was graceful?" She chuckled somewhat and tapped her fingers on the table. "Well after our meeting, I had put in a Squad transfer to the Tenth Division. A few months later I got the position with little concern. Apparently, the former Captain had disappeared without much of a trace. Few months after that, I was called into the Captain Commanders' office and was recognized as a Captain shortly after. So, I'd say it was gracefully..." 

She chuckled for a moment. Despite her rather content disposition, what she didn't reveal is the hardship that it took to get there. Being sent on a mission to execute one of her best friends...protecting the citizens of Karakura from that Akki disguising his intentions...and then of course there was that damn Inner Hollow. Celes could not explain it, but as her skills improved; as she became stronger, he seemed to become much more active. Before it was just a voice. Glimpses of a shadow in the background. Now that shadow was beginning to shroud more. It became bolder. Drew Celes into her inner world forcefully. Teased her. Their encounters made Celes shiver at the thought of future problems. 

"I've got a physical model in my bag," Aldwin's voice dragged Celes back from the depths of her thoughts. While she did not hear him originally, she continued to listen anyway. "but this is the schematics for the current build of a weapon I like to call the Purification Blade. Thanks to your aid in allowing me to borrow some reiatsu of yours a while back, I was able to create a rather unique substance that I think you might find somewhat interesting." As Aldwin rummaged through his bag to pull out the vial of reaitsu, someone approached the pair. The woman who originally greeted Celes. "Hello Ma'am. May I interest you in one of our hot beverages today?" She had quite the radiant smile. 

Before focusing on Aldwin, Celes would nod her head. "Oh yes...may I have a Jasmine Tea please?" As the woman wrote it down, Celes pulled out some Ryo to cover the drink as the lady nodded her head and quickly scurried off to make the tea. The Shinigami chuckled somewhat before returning her eyes to Aldwin's vial. It was quite clear, as energies began to swirl within the vial, that this was reiatsu. The close proximity allowed Celes to get a read on it though she tilted her head. It felt like that of a Shinigami. Yet unlike hers. She tapped her fingers on the table as she attempted to wrap her head around this. In truth, she was rather inept in the science behind it, but nonetheless curious. When Aldwin spoke, she listened closely.

"With the help of a colleague of mine, I managed to actually manufacture synthetic reiatsu. Right now, applications are still minimal, and the stuff is still... raw, as I'd put it, but this is a wonderful start." Celes chucked for a moment, eager to see it in action. As Aldwin pulled out the snow-white hilt of what Celes immediately recognized as a katana. As he slid the vial into the blade and passed it to Celes, the Shinigami eagerly took hold of the blade. Of course, the katana had no blade attached which made the weapon extremely lightweight. Was this by design? Then Celes remembered their location. It was a public form. An open-carry weapon was likely to arouse all kinds of trouble.

As Aldwin spoke, Celes began to play around with the hilt. "With those easily replaceable cartridges of synthetic Shinigami reiatsu, someone in possession of a Purification Blade can intermingle this with their own reiatsu in order to disperse it through the blade of the weapon. Normally one would be attached, but we're out in public right now, so you can see how that'd blow over." The Shinigami began to flip the hilt expertly in her hand before holding it quite tightly. The woman then arrived with a hot cup of Jasmine tea which she set before Celes. "There you go! Hope you enjoy your stay~" Celes simply nodded as she walked away, tending to other tables.

With one hand, she took the tea and blew on it, attempting to cool it down first. Setting it back down and allowing it to settle, Celes was eager to test something. She began to flow her reaitsu ever so slightly. Immediately she felt the smallest feedback. Was it that vial? Her energy radiated throughout the hilt and Celes was sure that if the blade was attached, she could feel the weapon resonating with her reiatsu. She smiled and stopped the flow of reiatsu which quickly made the warm that resonated through the blade come to a halt. Flipping it in her hand once more, Celes offered it back to Aldwin. She had to admit that she was impressed with the handiwork thus far. 

As Aldwin spoke, Celes was even more pleased. "In each blade is going to be a series of spiritual steel vents that allow for easier reiatsu circulation through the blade, so that once the blade is primed it'll be ready to distribute that reiatsu throughout the edge via some spiritual "engine" technology my colleague showed me was possible in such a small surface area. From the testing that I've done with the weapon itself, it serves as a major success! I myself have already managed to guide a few hollows into Soul Society, and from what I've heard from my colleague whose working on speeding up production, we're selling these things at a fairly stable rate, and even to some other Shinigami! Things at the moment are a grand success, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things go in the future regarding them!"

Celes nodded as she picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. It burned in her mouth, but she had encountered far worse pains. Her expression contorted for a moment in a twitch of pain before she set it down and sighed for a moment. "Damn cup is so hot..." She chuckled and returned her attention to Aldwin. "Well, you have me convinced. That certainly is a neat tool you have there, and I am more than happy to hear that you've had success in the purification process. You are truly doing Soul Society a service. Though you mentioned that you have sold some to other Shinigami?" Celes chuckled for a moment. That was certainly interesting.

She continued on that train of thought. "I'd certainly be happy to see the blade it action if you don't mind, but Shinigami purchasing it surprises me. After all, it is modeled after our Zanpakutou. The Zanpakutou has the inherent ability to do what the blade does. Taking Shikai and for Shinigami like me, Bankai, into consideration, we should have no need for a tool like that though it will certainly help others who are not able to purify naturally. Please don't misunderstand. It's not a criticism to your or your work. I am just perplexed." Celes smiled for a moment as she continued. "My Zanpakutou, Yunorashi, is a companion to me. She is a dear friend and, in some cases, my better half. We stand together in battle at all times so I would personally be reluctant to utilize a Purification Blade though I admit that it certainly has its merits. It's just not the same to me as using Yunorashi." Celes smiled and winkd at Aldwin. She took her relationship with Yunorashi very seriously. She was her partner. A spirit borne out of Celes' and linked through their bond. 

[Deleted]

"Well, you have me convinced. That certainly is a neat tool you have there, and I am more than happy to hear that you've had success in the purification process. You are truly doing Soul Society a service. Though you mentioned that you have sold some to other Shinigami?" Aldwin couldn't help but nod. "I'm glad to hear you're in support of my work, Celes. Truly; it means a lot. I'm glad to finally have a way to be able to help y'all where I can; I truly believe that this is a breakthrough that many people will be thrilled to make use of!

"I'd certainly be happy to see the blade it action if you don't mind, but Shinigami purchasing it surprises me. After all, it is modeled after our Zanpakutou. The Zanpakutou has the inherent ability to do what the blade does. Taking Shikai and for Shinigami like me, Bankai, into consideration, we should have no need for a tool like that though it will certainly help others who are not able to purify naturally. Please don't misunderstand. It's not a criticism to your or your work. I am just perplexed. My Zanpakutou, Yunorashi, is a companion to me. She is a dear friend and, in some cases, my better half. We stand together in battle at all times so I would personally be reluctant to utilize a Purification Blade though I admit that it certainly has its merits. It's just not the same to me as using Yunorashi."

Aldwin took in the information that the girl gave him for the time. For one, he was glad she was interested to see how it worked. Hopefully, something like this was going to prove a wonderful experience for the both of them. If nothing else, he'd be able to take the time to show her the inner workings of his new weapon, that way even she'd be able to show others should the time come for that. On that note, he'd have something that he wanted to talk to her about, but he'd comment on her own thoughts first; best not be rude to someone who took the time to see him, yeah?

"That's definitely an interesting point, now that you bring it up," he said, placing his hand on his chin, "truthfully, I've no clue what the reason behind that might be. Seeing as you're so close to your Zanpakuto, do you think that there's others out there that might be the opposite? Like, those that don't exactly get along with theirs?" Truthfully, that was the biggest thing that he could think of at the time. "Hmm. If someone doesn't get along with their Zanpakuto, do you think that there's a chance that their Zanpakuto might not cooperate at all? Like, prevent fighting altogether?"

Taking a few moments to go back and forth with Celes on that topic, Aldwin eventually decided to segway into his own conversation. "Hmm... Celes, would you be willing to by chance help me construct and test a device that I've been trying to get work for a little while now? I'd like to see how it functions in an actual combative scenario, and I think that you'd be the best person to make that judgement with, y'know? I just wanna see how this stuff'd actually fare in the midst of a fight."

[Celes Shindazu]

The Shinigami simply peered at Aldwin as she posed her thoughts on the matter. There was no doubt that these Purification Blades had potential. After all they were effectively able to grand other races the ability to cleanse Hollows much like Shinigami. It was a good way to preserve the Soul Cycle. Despite that, it made little sense to Celes for Shinigami to also purchase such a blade. They were getting a tool that their Zanpakutou was granted by design. Besides, as Celes mentioned, there were no effective reasons in her mind to forgo the comradery of a Zanpakutou Spirit. It just felt off and made Celes ponder on the motives that the Shinigami who purchased these blades had. Nonetheless, she was content with the enthusiasm even among those in Soul Society. 

That's when Aldwin brought up a thought that the Captain had never even considered. "That's definitely an interesting point, now that you bring it up, truthfully, I've no clue what the reason behind that might be. Seeing as you're so close to your Zanpakuto, do you think that there's others out there that might be the opposite? Like, those that don't exactly get along with theirs? Hmm. If someone doesn't get along with their Zanpakuto, do you think that there's a chance that their Zanpakuto might not cooperate at all? Like, prevent fighting altogether?" Celes blinked as she tapped the top of the table. She began to hum quietly as she ruminated on it. 

She looked down at her tea, completely unprepared for such a line of thought. Nonetheless it was a peculiar query. Taking the cup into her hand, she took a sip, the tea having cooled down and finally feeling warm against her lips. Her eyes rose to look at Aldwin as she chuckled quietly. As she spoke, her voice was soft as she explored a topic she had not considered. "Well...you do bring up a fascinating point. It is true that while Yunorashi and me along with other Shinigami represent a rather strong bond, it stands to reason that there may be a counterexample...though to be at odds with the spirit of your Zanpakutou...it's truly bizzare now that I think about it..." 

Yet again, she took another sip as she set down the cup of tea, her eyes now completely focused on the Quincy. "There is something that you need to understand about Zanapkutou, Aldwin. More notably, our spirits. As Academy students and into our years as Officers in the many Divisions of Soul Society, we carry with us a blank canvas. An Asauchi, the precursor to a Zanpakutou. It is through this Asauchi that we develop a Zanpakutou. Years, sometimes even decades, of exposure to our spiritual energies molds the Asauchi, giving it a more unique form. It is with this change that a Zanpakutou Spirit is inevitably produced. The spirit is a part of us. A product of our very souls...imprinted upon the blade." 

She chuckled for a moment and tapped the immobile cup with a spoon. She gave it some more thought as she bit her lip while her thoughts raced. "Could it really be...? A Zanpakutou Spirit that acts in direct contradiction to the soul that fashioned it?" It was certainly an interesting idea. What Aldwin described was akin to rebellion. "As for your other thought...Well I suppose it's possible. Zanpakutou Spirits, after all, provide the release known as Shikai and Bankai. It could very well be that if there is a severe disharmony between the Shinigami and the Zanpakutou Spirit...that the Spirit itself could refuse to cooperate with the Shinigami. Though I can't think of a case in which that has happened...at least in my time as a Shinigami." 

There was no deceit in Celes' voice. If there was a case, then she simply was not aware of it. The closest case to this that she heard of was Kyomei. The Captain of the Sixth Division had allegedly never manifested a Zanapakutou and had attained incredible spiritual prowess which led to an unrivaled proficiency with Kido. Of course, they were talking about a Zanpakutou Spirit turning against its user which Kyomei was not a victim of atleast as far as Celes was aware. She continued briefly, exploring other avenues of thought. "Of course, alternative, is something were to happen to your Zanpakutou Spirit. A severe injury may prevent the Spirit from effectively cooperating with the Shinigami..." 

As Celes thought about it, there was one woman who immediately came to mind. A witch by the name of Priscilla. Celes scowled angrily as she remembered how the Quincy had invaded her most private of sanctuaries. "Well...I suppose I can think of one case in which that is possible..." She sighed, attempting to calm herself as she continued to speak. "Some time ago during my time as Vice Captain, I came to blows with a Quincy of the Vandenreich. Her name was Priscilla and she possessed the ability to enter the Inner World of others. As you can guess, she did so with me and violated the one space that I deem as sacred. Had she turned on my Zanpakutou Spirit and debilitated her...then it stands to reason that something like that could occur..." 

Her scowl did not fade as she gripped the teacup, the cup cracking lightly as the Gigai found it difficult to suppress her monstrous strength given her anger. Some tea flowed through the cracks, singing her hand as she gritted her teeth from the pain. Some of the tea was beginning to dribble onto the table as she sighed, setting it down. Meanwhile the woman from before approached cautiously and spoke in a careful tone. "M..a'am..is everything alright?...Can I get you anything...else...?" Celes simply shook her head as she focused on Aldwin once more after the woman left. "I have found a way to enter the Inner World of others or allow others into mine though...it's a very personal affair to me. I can't do it by force and even if I could, I find very few acts as despicable as that." 

She paused or a moment, giving Aldwin time to bounce back his own ideas assuming that he was not concerned by Celes' display of anger. Afterwards, if Aldwin still offered, she'd gladly listen. "Hmm... Celes, would you be willing to by chance help me construct and test a device that I've been trying to get work for a little while now? I'd like to see how it functions in an actual combative scenario, and I think that you'd be the best person to make that judgement with, y'know? I just wanna see how this stuff'd actually fare in the midst of a fight." Celes tilted her head and chuckled for a moment. She wanted to clarify his request because she had several ideas of how this could expand. 

Her voice had a hint of amusement to it. "I mean I would be more than willing to help you Aldwin, though if I am interpretating your request correctly...it almost sounds like you are wishing to spar to test out this little gadget of yours. Would I be correct in that deduction?" Celes would grant Aldwin a moment to respond before she delved deeper into the topic. "Of course if its a spar that you are looking for, I would be more than happy to oblige though I have to wonder that this little tool of yours is. Have you finished it yet? What's is it meant to accomplish?" She paused for another moment, giving Aldwin to tackle each concern note for note. She spoke a final time, eager to experience this gadget. "I can hold back of course. Unless your tool is supremely durable, I fear that it may not hold up against my full physical prowess..." She smiled and winked at Aldwin for a moment, returning to her more joyful disposition. 

[Deleted]

"Some time ago during my time as Vice Captain, I came to blows with a Quincy of the Vandenreich. Her name was Priscilla and she possessed the ability to enter the Inner World of others. As you can guess, she did so with me and violated the one space that I deem as sacred. Had she turned on my Zanpakutou Spirit and debilitated her...then it stands to reason that something like that could occur..." With her mentions of the Vandenreich, Aldwin was immediately reminded of the organization as a whole. While still not something he knew deeply about, he remembered his conversations with that one Quincy from XCution. Remembering his warnings, Aldwin could only imagine the shit that Celes had to have gone through.

"Yikes," he started, "I'm... sorry to hear that. Truly. I can only imagine what that inner world of yours means to you, given your relationship with your sword. You said her name was Priscilla, yeah? What did she look like? Do you have any specifics on 'er? If I see her around, I'll be sure to get revenge for you on the matter; mark my words. I'm not going to sit idly by while someone tears down a friend of mine like that. If nothing else, that gives me a wonderful opportunity to test out plenty of different weapons I've got in the works."

"I have found a way to enter the Inner World of others or allow others into mine though...it's a very personal affair to me. I can't do it by force and even if I could, I find very few acts as despicable as that." From these words, Aldwin's head immediately perked up. "Oh?" he asked, "I don't mean at this very moment, all things considered, but sometime in the future; would you be willing to introduce me to that Zanpakuto of yours? I've a lot that I've the opportunity to learn on the matter, and would very much appreciate your help with that. Granted, I do understand that I'm probably not the most... trustworthy individual at the moment, given this is what, our second meeting?" The boy let out a soft chuckle.

He wasn't really wrong, in that regard. This was only their second meeting, and the two hadn't really established any kind of noteworthy relationship as of late. He wasn't going to blame her if the trust wasn't there; he couldn't. Aldwin himself struggled immensely to trust other people as it was. He wasn't going to fault her for feeling the same way, especially considering something like her inner world and Zanpakuto was a lot more than could easily be described with words like "sacred"; that was an entire other part of the girl. Letting someone in likely required immense trust.

As he went on to explain what he'd requested of the girl, Aldwin smiled as he listened to Celes' own words. "I mean I would be more than willing to help you Aldwin, though if I am interpretating your request correctly...it almost sounds like you are wishing to spar to test out this little gadget of yours. Would I be correct in that deduction?" With a smile and a nod, Aldwin quickly confirmed the girl's thoughts with action, before really getting into his thoughts by talking to her about the matter.

"Right you are! I've got some super neat gear here that I've been absolutely dying to try out for a little while now; if you're willing, I'd like to see how it all fares against you. Naturally you'll be seeing the Purification Blade in practice, but I've another neat little tool that I'm excited to show you; I don't think I've seen anyone else even consider the possibilities of something like it, so I'm excited to see how far my own innovations are going to be able to go in the field. If all goes well, then frankly I'd like to think I'm going to end up a force to be reckoned with for any Hollow that tries to start something." He chuckled.

"Of course if its a spar that you are looking for, I would be more than happy to oblige though I have to wonder that this little tool of yours is. Have you finished it yet? What's is it meant to accomplish?" "Glad to hear you're on board! I've got one prototype currently ready to go, and a plethora of backup notes on the thing just in case it should break in our little tussle." Standing up and neatly pushing his chair in, Aldwin reached into his pocket and left a 10,000 Yen banknote on the table, and waved down the waitress that had been helping Celes since they'd both arrived. Beckoning his friend to follow, Aldwin left the building.

Assuming she decided to follow, he'd continue with what he was saying. "So, I call this beauty here the 'Scabbard Cannon'." Patting the solid golf-bag now slung over his shoulder, Aldwin continued to walk, glancing around for a nearby park or something the two of them could've headed to. "Might sound impractical, but I'd like to think that this thing is going to work wonders for, at the very least, my own ability to fight. I've never been a physically-inclined person, but I'd like to think that my own mind and ability to focus on numerous things at the same time'll really shine with this."

"Basically, the name is self-explanatory; with the twenty or so different swords all inside the cannon, they can be easily fired off with a slight bit of reiatsu pushed into the weapon. I scatter 'em across the battlefield, and focus on making use of 'em to strike in ways my opponents could only hope to think of. Tricky, complex combat instead of allowing myself to get overwhelmed by people that're just frankly stronger than me, y'know?" Continuing to look around, Aldwin sighed. "Hey, Celes; do you have a way to get us to a less-crowded place?"

[Celes Shindazu]

"I'm... sorry to hear that. Truly. I can only imagine what that inner world of yours means to you, given your relationship with your sword. You said her name was Priscilla, yeah? What did she look like? Do you have any specifics on 'er? If I see her around, I'll be sure to get revenge for you on the matter; mark my words. I'm not going to sit idly by while someone tears down a friend of mine like that. If nothing else, that gives me a wonderful opportunity to test out plenty of different weapons I've got in the works." The Shinigami blinked for a moment. She had to admit that she was surprised. Aldwin had already begun considering her a friend and the pair had only met two times. She had to admit that it did warm her heart. She would smile and chuckle somewhat.

Her voice would ring out softly. "Please excuse my laughter Aldwin. I just think that it's charming for you to wish to defend my honor." She continued smiling as she paused for a moment, tapping a spoon against the somewhat cracked cup due to her earlier outburst. "All I can really tell you is that her most defining characteristic is her multi-colored hair. It's strange, but it reminds me of Neapolitan ice cream. Her abilities, I've to admit, are unique. She has the ability to split her body into paper. She can even make mimicries of others and break down the environment into more paper." She sighed for a moment; her voice become rather serious. "The sentiment is appreciated Aldwin, but please don't fight her unless you have no other way out. I struggled against her even when I was a Vice-Captain and.." She paused for yet another moment. It was the matter of her Inner Hollow. Celes was not sure how wise it would be to share her knowledge of it. For now, she'd remain vague. "...and even when I was aided by another. Trust me, it would be a fight you'd want to avoid. Besides, your other half would likely paint a target on your back." It would not be hard to deduce that Celes was referring to his qualities as the son of a sinner. 

After offering her caution, Celes would be met by yet another strange offer that made her eyes narrow curiously after she brought up the meaning of her Inner World. "I don't mean at this very moment, all things considered, but sometime in the future; would you be willing to introduce me to that Zanpakuto of yours? I've a lot that I've the opportunity to learn on the matter, and would very much appreciate your help with that. Granted, I do understand that I'm probably not the most... trustworthy individual at the moment, given this is what, our second meeting?" Celes leaned back in her seat, thinking. It was surely an interesting proposal. Not something that most would ask. Of course, there was only one time that Celes revealed her Inner World to another. That took a long time of building trust.

She would try to go about this rationally. Aldwin brought up good points, both to aid and harm his request. "Well, you are right. It wouldn't be this very moment and would take a lot of work for me to agree. I've actually only showed my Inner World to one willingly. You see, I have a disciple. Her name is Kimiko. I trained her while she was a student at the Academy, and I've had a lot of time to get to know her. It must've...been years now. To reveal your Inner World is a very vulnerable experience and the special Jinzen that allows me to allow others into my Inner World can be...problematic. You see, a Zanpakutou Spirit and its Shinigami are linked till death. Introducing a foreign presence can be like a virus infecting the body. Much as how the body can retaliate, the Spirit may be unhappy and lash out. In truth...I don't know if I can truly beat Yunorashi in a fight so you would have little in the way of a safety net." 

Despite the grim news, Celes would smile for a moment and reassure him. "Maybe one day though. Yunorashi is very eager to meet others, but I find that it's her eagerness that makes her dangerous." Of course, Celes knew that there was the problem of her Inner Hollow as well who could also stoke the fire. As the moved from topic to topic, Celes get to peculiar offer to test out a new invention of Aldwin. In her mind, she immediately recognized it for it could be. A sparring match. Hoping to inquire more, she'd ask more about the nature of the test. She did mention that she'd love to see the Purification Blade in action and that had never changed. Aldwin elaborated which confirmed the Shinigami's suspicion. 

"Right you are! I've got some super neat gear here that I've been absolutely dying to try out for a little while now; if you're willing, I'd like to see how it all fares against you. Naturally you'll be seeing the Purification Blade in practice, but I've another neat little tool that I'm excited to show you; I don't think I've seen anyone else even consider the possibilities of something like it, so I'm excited to see how far my own innovations are going to be able to go in the field. If all goes well, then frankly I'd like to think I'm going to end up a force to be reckoned with for any Hollow that tries to start something." Celes smiled. She loved his confidence. The gusto that he possessed. Perhaps she could hone his edge as well just as she did with Kimiko. She hummed slightly as Aldwin left a banknote, she nodded and rose to her feet as the pair left the lovely little shop.

As Aldwin pointed to the golf bag slung over his shoulder, Celes listened, but a part of her pondered all this. There was one worry that clouded her mind. She would definitely have to hold back. Not out of worry of harming Aldwin herself, but instead it was the nature of her Inner Hollow. She could not explain it, but when she found herself at the mercy of a powerful opponent or experienced an extreme emotion, he would find his chance to emerge. Each time he came out, the reaction was far more vicious. She could not imagine what he would be capable of with her as a Captain. It made her shiver for a moment as she bit her lip. She would need to be careful. Suddenly her thoughts became interrupted as Aldwin asked a fair question. 

"Hey, Celes; do you have a way to get us to a less-crowded place?" Celes blinked, taking a moment to process it. She nodded, giggling. "Well...I suppose I do actually. Gimme a moment." Celes looked around saw a nearby alleyway. The Gigai restricted her movements anyway and she wuld have to shed it eventually. She walked over, out of sight from pryeing eyes as she allowed her reiatsu to blossom. Upon doing so, the Captain would shed the Gigai that carried her Shinigami body as the Gigai itself shrunk and became a small orb that the Shinigami would place into her pocket. As she emerged from the alleyway once more, Celes would be wearing her Shihakusho and more notably, a white haori that carried the symbol of the Tenth Division on it. 

Celes began to approach the Aldwin again, now unable to be seen by most. She would gently reach out and grab his hand. She then spoke softly. "This may be a weird experience. Brace yourself so you don't get any whiplash..." Celes gave Aldwin a chance to compose himself before she utilized a Shupo, Celes and Aldwin both disappearing in a flash to the naked eye. She would zip across town, traveling at impressive speeds of 6000 as the two wold end up in a park. It was a wide-open space and Celes recognized the area well. It was the park in which she had met the Akki known as Orobas and where her Inner Hollow had emerged as well.

She shivered for a moment, the memory flashing in her mind as she held Aldwin's arm for a moment in an effort to stabilize his balance. After all, she could safely assume that the Quincy had never traveled as such speeds and unlike Celes, he was not the source of movement giving him little time to acclimate as the journey would be over in a flash. She chuckled, as she looked at him, letting go when he didn't need it anymore. "I apologize if that shocked your system. It can always be a little overwhelming for most to travel at such speeds, but here we are. A rather lovely park that I find is often vacant today!" She smiled as she waited to see if this was satisfactory to him. 

[Deleted]

Making immediate note of the mention of the Vandenreich, and everything that Celes had to say on the matter, Aldwin appropriately shivered. The thought of someone being that powerful, that all-encompassing utterly horrified him. How was anyone supposed to deal with something like that, let alone him? He'd have to figure something out. Surely there was some way he could make something - likely something very anti-Quincy - in order to make quick work of the Vandenreich, but he'd have to wait and see on that front. He'd make a mental note, though.

Similarly speaking, as Celes went on to describe her Zanpakuto Spirit, her inner world, and the inner workings of all of that, Aldwin found himself nodding. "Oh, that's perfectly all right," he said, "I don't expect you to just trust me like that. I'll be the first to admit I'm not quite sure of what any of that truly entails, so I can't really speak from experience about how much that might mean to you, but I do definitely get the sentiment; it's like letting someone you don't know into your home. It's a goal to work toward for sure, but I won't press you on the matter."

True to his word, Aldwin was willing to let the topic die if it went in that direction. He wasn't exactly looking to press Celes into doing anything she didn't want to, especially given the situation could've gotten incredibly tense incredibly quickly. Only time was going to be able to tell, though, if he'd ever get that opportunity to see what a Shinigami's Inner World was like. Much like before, this sparked his creative mind; he'd have to see what he could potentially do about getting some sort of "pocket dimension" technology up and going. A personal world like that would be really, really nice to be able to enter on the fly.

As the two continued talking, and Aldwin eventually found himself being dragged outside by Celes, and watched the girl shed her Gigai. Truthfully, he was somewhat in awe over the fact; these bits of knowledge he was able to obtain about Shinigami lore and life was exceedingly interesting to him. They truly never ceased to amaze him, sometimes in incredibly new and unexpected ways! Gigai technology was absolutely one of those ways. He'd have to see just what the future held for potentially making something similar to that. Even if it ended as a poor facsimile of an actual Gigai, he'd try regardless.

As he found himself dragged into a small park, Aldwin found himself severely off-balance upon landing. Truthfully that fight with Albin had gotten him somewhat used to higher speeds, but it was absolutely nothing like that. As he tried to pick himself back up with a huff, he looked around. Everything seemed nice; not too populated, and certainly open enough to really make use of his items. That was what he hoped for, at the very least. He'd get his opportunity to show the girl just what he could do, and he was certainly thankful for that.

"I apologize if that shocked your system. It can always be a little overwhelming for most to travel at such speeds, but here we are. A rather lovely park that I find is often vacant today!" The boy chuckled to himself. "I'm not disagreeing with you at all on that one; this place is certainly beautiful. The atmosphere is quite a spectacle to take in; I've got to say, I think I'm going to be coming back here when I can. Thank you for showing me this place, Celes." As he finished speaking, he tossed his bag down to the side on a nearby bench.

"I've got quite a few little experiments in here that I've gotta say, I'm rather excited to see in action," Aldwin said, reaching into the bag, "everything here should make fighting Hollows at the very least, a little bit easier. Some things are still fresh out of the testing phase, but I'm excited to see what they can do." As he finished speaking, the man began to appropriately arm himself. Within a few short moments, he was fairly "decked out"; a black, shadowy cape draped over his shoulders, twin firearms set on either hip, and a large, multi-weapon container holding about twenty or so different stock-white blades. Taking up a defensive stance about twenty feet from Celes, Aldwin smiled. "Ready when you are."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Weapons!}
For this fight, Aldwin will be making use of;

• A Class 3 Scabbard Cannon, stocked with x20 Class 3 Purification Blades.
• A Class 3 Gunman's Cloak.
• x2 Class 3 Angel's Requiem pistols, each fully-loaded with Anti-Material Rounds.
• x2 extra magazines of Anti-Material Rounds.

[Celes Shindazu]

Moving at such high speeds had come naturally to Celes after decades of training. She had easily become one of the fastest Shinigami in Soul Society. Unfortunately for most other...such a speed would be overwhelming. Their body rarely able to handle a sudden shift in motion. As Celes arrived at the park in a flash, she'd watch Aldwin crumble somewhat as she let go. He was completely off balance. The Shinigami did not fault him in the slightest. During her training to become a physical powerhouse, Celes recalled many a time when she tripped or felt a crippling sense of vertigo after having completed several high-speed exercises. It was certainly uncomfortable the first few dozen times.

As Aldwin regained his composure, the Captain listened to him speak. "I'm not disagreeing with you at all on that one; this place is certainly beautiful. The atmosphere is quite a spectacle to take in; I've got to say, I think I'm going to be coming back here when I can. Thank you for showing me this place, Celes." Celes chuckled for a moment. This place held some memories that she did not always wish to recall, but...Aldwin was right. She'd nod and speak up softly. "Yes...it's quite the beautiful little spot. We will also be away from prying eyes." She chuckled for a moment. "After all...you should be visible to anyone, I'm not. It'd be quite bizarre to have this little exercise interrupted." With that, Celes watched as the Quincy dropped a bag onto the nearby bench. Celes nodded a little. "I've got quite a few little experiments in here that I've gotta say, I'm rather excited to see in action,"

The Captain only grinned, not speaking a single word. She was excited. Not only was this her first proper spar with a Nakkabakki in since Dia, but Aldwin seemed to be a tinkerer. His inventions were not only creative, but they also actively benefited Soul Society. "Everything here should make fighting Hollows at the very least, a little bit easier. Some things are still fresh out of the testing phase, but I'm excited to see what they can do." Celes nodded and continued grinning. She spoke, slamming her fist into the palm of her hand, creating a very small and weak shockwave as she did. "I see. Well then, I'm more than happy to help you test these little tools of yours out. No worries by the way. I won't hit too hard." She winked. The sound of a minor shockwave along with the speed she displayed to Aldwin would tell much about her capabilities. She was a physical powerhouse. 

Prepping himself, Celes watched as the Quincy shrouded himself in a cloak, rocking twin firearms that reminded Celes of her own twin Zanpakutou and a container from which Celes could notice a two dozen or so blades. Celes would not draw her own blades. Instead, she'd take up a basic stance. Her fist chambered at her side and her open palm before her as she shifted her weight. She'd slide her left foot forward and lowered her stance. Her eyes would be intently focused on Aldwin who would take up a defensive stance of his own. Celes studied him intently again, trying to pick apart the fighting style. After a few moments she conceded. She knew little about his method of fighting. There is one thing she could glean rather easily though. The Quincy preferred to use his toys in combat. 

Soon Aldwin would open with another comment. "Ready when you are." Celes nodded and after she did, the Captain would simply stand still. Her breathing centered, her stance solid and her eyes never moving off of her opponent. Assuming that Aldwin did not make a move, the two of them would be standing there for a moment, likely quietly feeling the situation out. She'd want to test the waters. One's initial actions could tell an opponent volume about them. Soon a minute may have passed as the wind blew gently. The Shinigami looked up at Aldwin and grinned. This was the moment she'd begin her advance. 

For a moment, she'd break her form as she broke into a sprint for human standards. A fraction of own speed, 100, but to Aldwin this would nearly be matching his peak. It would not take her long to close the twenty feet or so that lay between them. Her slower speed was deliberate. This was a chance for Aldwin to test his gadgets out in a practical situation. It was because of this though that she would not make it easy for the Quincy. Celes had spent many years training and mentoring others in the past. To her, this was no different. She believed in spars like this being difficult, but not impossible. She'd do her best to give a fair shot and see how they responded. She was hoping that Aldwin would not fall victim to her next movement, but she was going to try. 

Assuming that Celes was now within striking distance of Aldwin, she was likely in the perfect situation to unleash a punch. This is, however, quite the opposite of what she'd do. Hopefully within three or so feet of Aldwin, Celes would quickly lower her stance. At the same time, she'd slide her right foot forward. Moving seamlessly at a speed of 150, she'd try to set her extended leg between Aldwin's, placing her foot right behind his left foot and ankle. If Aldwin tried to take a step back, he'd likely find himself tripping over the Shinigami's foot, losing his balance at minimum if not outright falling. If this was the case, Celes would return to a basic fighting stance.

This was not her goal, however. Hopefully having set her foot behind his ankle, Celes' body would move in an undulating wave like motion. Lowering herself down and then quickly rising up, all at a speed of 150. Aiming to bring her hands up around his waist, Celes would begin to push into his ankle with her own as she drove her own weight upward into the Quincy. If successful, she'd lift the Quincy from the ground. To Celes, this feat was effortless given her incredible strength. If all had gone to plan, she'd shift her weight once more and would toss Aldwin behind her. Not a strong one. Enough to knock him on his back if he hit the ground. Assuming this was the case, Celes would shift her weight to the other side and lower it, bringing her first down and stopping just short of Aldwin's face. The fake strike would come out at a speed of 200, nearly blurring for the Quincy. If Aldwin found himself in this predicament, Celes would give him a knowing wink as she returned back to her full height. 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Strength- 400 x 2.5 = 1000
Speed - 250 x 2.5 = 625
Spiritual Pressure - 400 x 0.5 = 200
Reiatsu Strength - 50 x 0.5 = 25
Light Aura- 50
Dark Aura - 50
Instinct - 200
Senses - 100
Energy Sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0

Total SP: [1400]
Pain Tolerance: 3
Martial Arts: Baguazang: 2
Martial Arts: Hakuda: 3
Battle Analysis: 2
Strength of Will: 2
Weapons: Broadsword & Shield: 3
Weapons: Katana: 3

[Deleted]

As Celes found herself approaching, Rose readied himself as best as possible. He knew that this wasn't exactly going to be an easy fight, given the girl was a Captain, but that was nothing more than an estimate of her abilities. He'd only really see what she could do the moment that they engaged in combat. Thankfully, or in Rose's case, not so much, that time was about to make itself apparent. As she completely closed the distance between the two of them, Rose immediately took notice of how fast she was.

As she approached, tripped, and subsequently threw Rose, he found himself colliding with the dirt, and noticed the fist in his face. He couldn't help but smile as Celes stood back up, and in turn cleared a bit of distance between the two of them. He noticed her speed almost immediately; he was going to need to seriously do something about that, else he was going to find himself in a rather rough spot. "Good one," he said, unlatching his Scabbard Cannon from his hip. "Didn't expect to bust out this trick so early," he started, before pointing the contraption to the sky.

Pressing down on a button attached to the cannon's strap, Rose watched as all twenty of his Katanas found themselves planted deeply into the dirt surrounding the two of them, positioned within a fifty-foot diameter around them and centered on Rose. Reattaching the Scabbard cannon to his hip, he flashed the girl a smirk. "Lemme know what you think of this, yeah?" Without changing up his stance at all, Rose's entire form was quickly covered in shadow, and seemingly vanished from the battlefield in an instant.

Reappearing not a second later, having just moved at 1550 speed to the closest sword to Celes, Rose drew the weapon in hand and immediately went for a slash against the girl; pulling his arm back and cleaving upward, the Nakabakki went for a vertical strike against the girl where she stood. Assuming she managed to dodge the attack, he'd take a step or two back, and assume a fighting stance for real this time. Truth be told, he was interested in seeing just what kind of fighter Celes proved to be; given her approach, he figured physical, but only time would really tell.

Regarding his stance, however, if Celes took the opportunity to spend even so much as a second to analyze him, she'd quickly realize that his stance very much akin to that of the basic Zanjutsu forms taught in the Academy, with a few modifications made for comfort. It was by no means anything spectacular - pretty inferior to standard Zanjutsu - but it was his. After taking a quick second to catch his breath, Rose began to rush the girl once more, moving as fast as his body would let him, and once again disappeared; though, this time, it was while he was just moments away from the girl.

Reappearing directly behind her, positioned atop a sword placed not too far from her, Rose leapt from the weapon's hilt, and immediately went for a silent overhead strike against the girl. This was just as much a test for her as it was for him; he wanted to gauge her reaction time, her preferred counters against the attacks that he made against her, and generally just figure out how he was going to have to deal with a combatant like her. And hey, if he stood up to a captain? Then hell, that'd be one fuck of a story to tell down the line.

[Celes Shindazu]

"Slide behind his foot. Trap. Rise up. Lift. Toss." Celes ran through the set of movements in her head, following up with it briefly as she performed it with Albin. As she rose and began to toss Albin, she noted that he was a little difficult to lift at first. She had used a small amount of her strength to avoid hurting him. Gradually applying more, she'd inevitable raise him off the ground. Flowing like water, Celes would simply twist and descend into a kneel as she brought her fist down upon Albin. While it was fast, it had no real power behind it. Not that Celes was going to hit him anyway. She'd stop short, her first moved much water than what Aldwin could muster.

With a satisfied grin and a knowing wink, the Captain stayed there for a moment, trying to gauge a reaction from Aldwin. Soon she'd get it. A smile back. This warmed Celes' heart. She had a good feeling about Albin previously, but this solidified the feeling. He had lost their fist exchange, outmatched by Celes' speed and technique. Others would growl in anger or curse words of hate. Others would hold on to pride until it consumed them. Aldwin, however, showed interest. He did seem to want to give up. Instead it only ignited the fire in his soul. Celes could see it. Understanding that, she'd raise herself from the ground and simply took a few steps back.

The Shinigami watched Aldwin as he rose himself and spoke. "Good one," Celes chuckled briefly as she watched him carefully despite being complimented. She raised her hand to the back of her head and chuckled a little nervously as Aldwin unlatched the Scabbard Cannon from his hip. The Shinigami had no idea what this device was, but she did recognize only a single aspect. A set of swords rested within it. Celes raised an eyebrow. She was immediately intrigued. "Didn't expect to bust out this trick so early," Taking note of his movements, the Shinigami would instinctively brace herself as he pressed a button on the cannon, ejecting all of the blades.

None of them would hit Celes though, instead all of these blades would proceed to dig themselves in the ground. One of the blades fell remarkably close to her which caused her to shift to the side ever so slightly just in case. Soon she'd be feasting her eyes upon a battlefield with blades placed everywhere. As Aldwin flashed her a smirk and spoke, Celes wouldn't respond immediately. "Lemme know what you think of this, yeah?" Soon her expression changed. It would no longer be stoic. Instead, her eyes would grow big and they'd comically dazzle as she screamed. "Ahhhhh!!! This is fantastic! So many swords! I'm so excited!" The Shinigami would have a much less serious moment as she was fangirling, gushing over a device she knew not a single thing about. 

As she focused her eyes back unto Aldwin, the Quincy would vanish from sight. His darkened cloak rose and enveloped his entire form in shadow. Celes blinked as she scanned the area around her. Alwin had simply disappeared. As he appeared mere moments, less than a second later, Celes caught a glimpse of him. He was upon the sword that Celes narrowly dodged. In that moment, Celes' would be similing with the biggest grin on her face. Thankfully while Aldwin moved with impressive speed, his actual sword arm was much slower than Celes. Regardless, Celes would not take chances. She brought her hand upon the hilt of her blade.

With a quick twist of her feet and a calm breath, Celes let loose. Her movements accelerated as her blade was let loose from its sheath. Moving at a speed of 1250, it'd easily eclipse Aldwin's nonaugmented speed. Twisting her body with the release of her blade, the Captain positioned it in such a way that blade would be blocking Aldwin's vertical swipe. As the two bladed collided, several sparks violently flew from the clash. To add to this, a brutal shockwave arose from their clash. A rush of air erupted outward from the point of contact, disturbing the plantlife around them while having no significant effect on either Celes nor Aldwin. Once again Celes would stare at Aldwin, curious to see what he would do next. 

If Aldwin still took his steps back to create some distance, Celes would let him. As he moved back to a comfortable spot, Celes' eyes widened as he assumed a fighting stance. For a Shinigami of Celes' martial prowess and training, it would not take her very long to notice similarities. The footwork, positioning of the blade, his overall stance. There were differences sure, but there was no question about it. Celes muttered under her breath. "Zanjutsu..?" Her intrigued increased further. It was the way of the blade as taught by the Shino Academy and yet Aldwin was using a derivative of it. "Just how did he...? Well. I'm impressed." 

Giving him a moment to recuperate, Celes watched as the Quincy began to approach. One of her Zanpakutou already draw, she'd clasp both of her hands around it. For a Quincy, Aldwin's agility wasn't bad. To someone like Celes, however, he was moving rather slowly. This would all change though once the cloak rustled again. Suddenly he'd vanish into nothingness once more. Celes sighed. Her eyes scanned the area once more and she tried to listen. Her combat experiences had given her a minor detail of where the Quincy could appear. He vanished like an assassin after all. Assassins did not care for honor. They did not care if their opponent could seem them. They'd either strike from a distance out of reach or with a dagger to the back.

She could feel it in her gut. This was the right call. As Aldwin materialized behind her with a surprisingly silent attack, Celes just barely heard the silent rustle of a cloak. She'd look behind her as Aldwin was coming down upon her. Instead of raising her guard, the Shinigami let out a calm breath. As she did, she'd move quicker than the eye could see. In her place would be a hazy afterimage. She'd use this burst of speed of 1875 to move to Aldwin's side as his blade came down against the afterimage. There would be no reaction from it as it slowly flickered and then dispersed as mist does. Meanwhile, Celes would be beside Aldwin.

If he showed any sign of confusion, Celes would reach out for Aldwin. Extending her finger, she moved at a speed of 200, easily eclipsing Aldwin. With that, she'd attempt to tap Aldwin's cheek. If she was successful, she'd speak in a very lighthearted tone. "Boop~" She'd tap him with next to no force as she grinned. If there was yet another moment of confusion, she'd take it to speak once more. "That's quite the interesting tool you got there! I couldn't even see you until you materialized again!" In hindsight, the tap against Aldwin's cheek would be in poor taste as it was a clear indicator that the Captain was merely playing around, having some fun helping Aldwin test his little gadgets. Regardless of the hindsight, she'd continue smiling brightly indicating just how in awe she was over Aldwin's tool. 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Iaijutsu}
Technique Name: Iaijutsu (Sudden Strike Technique)

Class: 4

Technique Type: General Physical Technique

Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): Any

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect): The user of this technique draws their sword and strikes with one fluid, lightning-fast motion. This technique can easily catch an unprepared opponent off-guard. This attack is made at 2x the user's Speed, or at a speed of 600 (whichever is faster). Due to the sudden nature of this attack, characters with less than 200 Instinct are caught completely flat-footed and unable to react to this attack, unless they meet one of the alternative requirements (see drawbacks below).

Except where noted, this is otherwise an ordinary melee strike and has no reiatsu cost. Proficiency with this technique allows the user to immediately sheathe their weapon after making their attack.

Mastery of this technique allows for it to be combined with Shunpo to draw, strike, and sheathe the weapon in the blink of an eye. This variant costs 50 reiatsu to perform, and gains the benefits of a 3x Speed Boost (instead of the usual 2x). This variant is imperceptible to characters with less than 200 Senses. Characters with 200+ Senses detect a blur of movement from the user but may not be able to react to the attack unless they have 200+ Instinct and/or one of the benefits listed in drawbacks below.

How to use technique (How is it activated?): Simply draw your weapon and strike in a single fluid motion.

Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc) This technique rarely works more than once per thread, as any opponent who witnesses this technique being used can react to it normally (regardless of Instinct). Even against aware opponents, this attack retains its speed however and should not be underestimated.

In addition, characters who know this technique or have Battle Analysis of 2 (or above) can easily identify the ready stances used in this technique and predict the user's intent. Such characters are never caught off-guard by this attack but will still need to react to its incredible speed.

This technique can only be used with a sheathed sword. In order to use this technique more than once during a single thread, the user must sheathe their weapon prior to using this technique again. This technique requires 2 SKP in Weapons (Sword) in order to be used, and 3 SKP to be mastered.

Made By: Kerrigan

Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shukuchi-Ho}
Technique Name: Shukuchi-Ho (Reduced Earth Steps)

Class: 3

Technique Type: Hakuda

Technique Element: None.

Description: The user makes use of his innate speed to move flawlessly. From a standing stance, or from any resting position, the first step that the user does becomes an illusion, moving quickly than the eye can see. This technique gives the user a short burst of speed to move and invade an opponent's personal space, and engage in hand to hand combat, or to weave in and out of an opponent's attack. This move triples normal speed for each step, and uses no reiatsu.

How to use: The user simply channels reiatsu around his feet instead of gathering spirit particles as what Shunpo or Sonido does.

Drawback(s): Shukuchi-Ho requires its user to have at least a base SPEED of 400 points, and is versed in Hakuda (meaning the character must be very knowledgeable in the shinigami art of hand-to-hand fighting). Also, the technique can only be used if the opponent is within 10 meters of the user. If the opponent is too far, the technique cannot be used. A maximum of 2 steps per post can only be done using Shukuchi-Ho, nothing more, nothing less. Note that Shukuchi-Ho is by no means superior to Shunpo or Sonido.

Made By: Kousaru Mugenryu

Reserved: [Captains and Zero Division Shinigami Only]

[Deleted]

"Ahhhhh!!! This is fantastic! So many swords! I'm so excited!" Listening to the Shinigami's scream of excitement made Rose's own heart sing. Whether it was because of his gear, or the fact that she hadn't seen something like this before mattered not to Rose; this fight was going to be a thrill for both parties involved regardless, and he was glad to see her agreement on the matter. "Glad to hear it, Celes," he said, continuing through with his charge, "I am too!"

As Rose's first blade clashed with Celes' own, he quickly made note of the sparks that flew from the weapons, as well as the rather surprising shockwave that rippled through the area, cracking the ground beneath their feet. He couldn't help but chuckle rather notably at the matter; such a display of strength really started to get his blood pumping! While he thought he could tell from the get-go that this was going to be a fun encounter, it seemed that point made itself even more obvious; Celes was certainly one hell of a fighter, huh?

Still following through and taking the opportunity to clear a bit of distance between the two of them, Rose flashed a smile toward his opponent as he began to immediately charge her at his top speed. As planned, he vanished from sight, and went for an overhead strike against the girl's back. He knew full-well at this point that Celes was fast enough to react to his blows; her previous parry said that much regardless. If she was going to be struck by an attack like this, then she would've let herself get hit. And unfortunately, it seemed that was how things were going down.

As Rose followed through, and allowed his sword to fly straight down, he realized very quickly though that there was absolutely no resistance between his sword and where he'd thought that he struck Celes. It wasn't until he'd almost landed that he realized that he'd been striking an afterimage, leaving nothing but a look of sheer confusion spread across his face. Good lord, he thought to himself, just how fast is this girl? It seemed he'd be given an answer shortly thereafter, as he felt something poke against his cheek, with a very familiar "Boop~" spoken very close by.

As if he was thrown off balance by some nonexistent force, Rose hit the ground, too distracted to catch his footing. Dropping his blade, he quickly rolled out, trying to stop himself but to no avail. After having rolled over his shoulder a few times, he eventually found himself coming to a halt, and finishing on his back. Laughing quite a bit, Celes' voice once again filled the air. "That's quite the interesting tool you got there! I couldn't even see you until you materialized again!"

Calming down his laugh, Rose stood back up and dusted himself off. Seemed much like her, he was having a blast with everything that was going on; the rush of combat, while also having the ability to take it easy and just relax was incredibly nice to him. "Glad to hear that this baby's working out well," he said to her, "that little 'shadow-walking' stuff took quite a bit to work out; I'm surprised the prototype is working as well as it is, if I'm being honest!"

Taking a deep breath, Rose checked down toward his belt to make sure his firearms were relatively intact. "All-in-all, it seems everything's working well! That said, I've yet to test these babies..." As he finished, Rose drew one of his twin pistols; the one in his hand was a stock-white color, not unlike the same coloration that each and every Katana scattered across the battlefield had. "Let's see how you handle this one, Celes!" Given the weapon was pre-loaded, Rose took a quick shot toward the Shinigami girl, aiming directly for her dominant shoulder.

Whether or not the bullet found its mark was of no concern to Rose. Instead, he had another strategy he was going to employ; drawing the nearest weapon from the ground nearby, Rose fired off another round into the air, directly above where Celes had been standing. As the round flew overhead, Rose once again initiated his cloak's abilities, and this time appeared directly overhead where the bullet had been; right above Celes.

Allowing gravity to do the rest of the work for him, Rose found himself sheathing his blade in the air, and simply dead-dropping toward the girl. It hadn't taken him very long to close that distance; maybe a second at most. But, as he did, and found himself directly overhead, Rose drew his weapon with the explosive force allowed from the Scabbard Cannon, and fired off his sword at seven times his natural speed in a crescent slash aimed toward Celes' non-dominant shoulder. As his attack finished, Rose allowed himself to land to the ground, once again taking up a Zanjutsu-adjacent stance.

[Celes Shindazu]

Leaving behind a hazy afterimage in place of herself was almost second nature to the Captain. Her speed in that moment would easily render her form invisible to the Quincy. In her place, Rose would slash through the afterimage and realize far too late that he had in fact not struck her. In was this moment of shock that Celes would use this to her advantage. Had this been Orobas... or even Priscilla, Celes would not have held back. She would've slammed her fist into their skulls. She would have turned them into nothing more than reddened paste that stained the floor. Lucky for Rose, he was neither of them. The Captain would be far more lighthearted as she simply tapped her finger against the cheek of her opponent.

She'd use practically no force, not injuring the Quincy in any way. Despite that, it still seemed to catch Rose off-guard. Just enough for him to try and catch himself as he stumbled and tripped. Unfortunately, all effort would be in vain. Rolling his shoulder a few times, the Quincy would find himself on his back. In hindsight, Celes realized that the attack may have been in poor taste. After all, a warrior's pride could be wounded no matter how ineffective the strike. Celes had proven herself to be strong and she was clearly being playful. Where she expected anger, however, the Captain would find only laughter. Her eyes widened for a moment. She could not believe it. 

Other warriors would have been fuming at the thought of being toyed with and yet Rose found himself excited. Celes grinned. She'd swiftly compliment the Quincy's tool, finding it fascinating. There would be deception in her voice. She was being quite genuine. It would seem as though this resonated with Rose as he dusted himself off. "Glad to hear that this baby's working out well," Her grin swiftly became a smile. "that little 'shadow-walking' stuff took quite a bit to work out; I'm surprised the prototype is working as well as it is, if I'm being honest!" Celes was certainly impressed to say the least. She had no understanding of technology or equipment besides her trusty Zanpakutō, but she quickly grew to see the value in such tools.

As if to ready himself for the next engagement, Rose spoke once more. "All-in-all, it seems everything's working well! That said, I've yet to test these babies..." Celes raised an eyebrow as the Quincy drew a set of twin pistols. At a glance they seemed well-crafted. Celes was not expert in the field and was only making an assumption. Besides, Rose's words implied that they were new. Her hand cautiously drew closer and closer to the hilt of her Zanpakutō before allowing it to rest there. Suddenly, Rose spoke. "Let's see how you handle this one, Celes!" Firing off a quick shot with some level of proficiency, Celes' instincts sharpened as the bullet raced towards her. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the speeding bullet.

Once more she'd execute an Iaijutsu slash. Running reiatsu through her arm, the Captain swiftly unleashed yet another of these incredible slashes, the sword erupting from her sheath at a speed of 1250. With almost surgical precision, the Captain sliced through the speeding bullet, the clash of metal sounding through the air. Having completed the counter, Celes swiftly drew her other blade, prepared to descend upon Rose like a vulture. The thrill of combat was exciting her. She wanted to see all that Rose had in store for her. As Rose went to draw a nearby sword that remained lodged in the ground, Celes began to chant under her breath. "By blood may my spear earn its name. By Aries-" Finally Rose took aim, firing another shot.

Despite her lack of experience with firearms, Celes did know when a gun was not entirely pointed at her. The bullet would race above her and almost just as quickly, darkness consumed Rose once more. The Captain continued to mutter, her resolve and experience allowing her to stand her ground. "-may my shield carry my broken body home. Name me the Goddess of War..-" Her voice would grow somewhat louder as her eyes drifted across the battlefield for a moment. Around her? No. Below her? Likely not. That could only mean... above! Celes came to see the falling Quincy, preparing to draw one of his blades at incredible speeds. However, Celes would complete her chant. "Yunorashi!" The Captain suddenly felt a surge of reaitsu roar through her, her voice rising to match it. Expecting to defend herself with a shield, she brought her arm before her chest, but just as the reiatsu surged... nothing happened.

Celes would sense no change in the form of her Zanpakutō. In that moment, that one singular moment, Celes was in utter shock. It was this shock that would leave her unprepared to defend against the blade that raced at her. The blade tore into her flesh. The taste of steel was not a pleasant one. It ripped into her shoulder, causing the Captain to grit her teeth in pain as the sight of blood filled her vision. It rolled down her Shihakusho, staining the blade and dripping onto the floor solemnly. It was then that Celes' instincts roared at her. More than that, there was another voice that sounded like her own. "What are you waiting for?! Strike back, dammnit!" 

Her instincts suddenly took over. She steeled herself. She had incredible physical bulk. It would take more than a single sword swing to take her down. A fire lit in her eyes as Celes curled her fist around the hilt of her Zanpakutō that resided against her arm. Without thinking, after the Quincy had laid his mark, Celes' moved at blinding speeds, far above what Albin would likely be used to. The world seemed to slow, even for Celes in that moment. Her fist raced towards Rose at a speed of 625, packing her full strength. In Rose wouldn't move... if he couldn't move, he would easily be turned into the paste that Celes would have inflicted upon Priscilla or Orobas.

As even her own fist moved slowly to Celes' altered perception, she grit her teeth. She was not some mere animal. She was not a Hollow, ready to kill for any reason. She was not like Orobas. She regained control of her senses, stopping short as her fist stopped in place. Even if Rose was still there, he would not be hit. Instead, a surge of air erupted from Celes' fist. Not quite a true shockwave, it would rush forward, curving around Rose' form and pushing him back, maybe knocking him over at most. The environment behind him took the brunt of the force as bushes and grass tore itself from the ground, dust kicked up and trees lost countless leaves. Thankfully, nobody was nearby to truly get injured from this. Grunting for a moment, Celes simply brought her hand to her shoulder, rubbing the bleeding gash as she spoke calmly, as if the previous display did not happen. "That.. was quite the trick. Once again, I'm impressed..." Her voice trailed off for a moment, ashamed of her previous display...