Another Day in the Park

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Sitting down on the grass with his back against one of the cherry blossoms trees Asmoskon found himself pondering over the last couple of weeks. The only thing that he still wondered though was if his actions really had a positive outcome more often than naught. Everywhere he went flames were left in his wake and despite how ironic it was that wasn’t due to his abilities. We’re his choices really for the betterment of the Quincy? Was he just the only one strong enough left to lead them? Had he already found the remaining in the human world or had his search just been incomplete? Questions that he realized now he’d likely always ask himself, but he couldn’t allow to hold him back.

He had to keep moving forward and that meant returning to Japan, it meant facing down the Vandenreich once again. It meant standing up to the Emperor and meeting him not in his mind, no face to face. His power had returned and now he was strong enough that Asmoskon couldn’t handle him alone. That damned old man hadn’t been much help at all, his cross was a nice piece added to his arsenal, but it wasn’t the same as having someone on his level helping him face the Emperor. He was likely dead now which meant he was by himself again.

Just a couple of fresh Quincy that would need to be taught. Karakura needed to be protected not just against the Vandenreich and that was something he had done in his youth. Something it seemed he’d have to start once again. The park was virtually the same as it had been almost a decade ago and while many would see it just as a normal park Asmoskon viewed it through a lease of beauty, only hoping that this one wasn’t burned down like the others. Sighing to himself he came to the decision. He knew what he had to do, he’d have less free time, but more authority to help Karakura.

“Oh, this is a surprise.” He whispers to himself as he feels the presence of another in the park.

[Eleonora Schmidt]

Things have been a little bit quiet lately for Eleonora, not many hollows have show up and those that had she was able to take care of them with relative ease, be that they were weak or she has grown stronger than a couple of months its still up for debate, but one thing was sure the German was feeling good about herself and all things considered she'll definitely get use to this life if things go this swimmingly.

Eleonora didn't had any plans in particular today as she wasn't going to give archery lessons to anyone today, nor she was feeling particularly interested in hanging out with one of her friends, today she wanted to focus on herself and the stuff she got from her trip to Germany and with that in mind the blonde  grab a couple of her Quincy tools and a book before making her way to the park, if there's one thing she knows is that Hollows do tend to show up a lot in that park and better have something to defend herself if one shows up!

Once she arrive in the park the girl had the feeling that something or someone else was there too, but she can't point who or where due to her poor sensing skills, well if it's a hollow it'll make their presence know soon and if it's not it would probably be best to ignore it unless they come for her, Eleonora would sigh and sit on one of the benches in the park, crossing her leg she would pick the white book with a blue cross she was carrying and begin reading it.

The book belong to her father and was mainly written in German, it was about his time as a Quincy and have a record of the tools and techiniques Quincies are known for, granted many of these were for more experienced Quincy than her but reading and trying to understand doesn't hurt, right? If anything at the very least she'll have a base to work on the future and that's always a positive.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Leaning against the bark of the tree in nothing more than a sleeveless black top it seemed wouldn’t be slotted to him anymore. He could feel that there was another spiritual individual in the park and quite close to him, but he was limited with what he could pick up. All that meant though was that with his left eye he’d scan his surroundings and figure out who was out of place or who was attempting to make themselves blend in. It took him less than a minute to spot the individual and then cement the fact when he saw the book she was holding in her hands.

A young looking female with yellow hair, she wasn’t completely out of place, but Asmoskon knew that certain citizens of Japan would likely believe her to be a foreigner at first glance. Standing up from his position Asmoskon begins walking over at his usual pace while making sure to keep his awareness up. This could be him finding a Quincy by random happenstance, but he’d traveled a good portion of the Human world already in order to find the remaining Free Quincy and this one he’d never seen. A ploy like this was definitely something the Vandenreich would set up in order to ambush him as well.

All the same though he couldn’t allow paranoia to prevent moving forward and if this girl was an actual Free Quincy then he likely could help her. He didn’t hide his approach nor move slow enough to quiet his steps, instead coming from behind and then around the side of the bench and placing himself down on the other side. Now with a much clearer visual for that first moment he could see her and tell she was reading what was written, but something wasn’t clicking. A quick glance and he spotted that the writing inside was in Germanic, one of the languages he’d be taught as a child due to his half blood nature.

“Wasn’t expecting to find anyone else in the area, anything I can help you with?” Asmoskon asks, being more straightforward than he had in the past yet lifting the cross around his neck, its pitch black sheen reflecting the sunlight yet revealing him as a Quincy to this young one. All Asmoskon could hope though was that she’d know about this marking a Quincy, otherwise he’d likely have to materialize his short bow and fire an arrow or two in order to prove it.

[Eleonora Schmidt]

Eleonora would skim through her book trying to find something that could be easy for her to comprehend and learn, sadly she couldn't find anything and even the things she wanted to learn like "Hirenkyaku" sounded confusing for someone with little to no training as a Quincy, being self taught seem like a harder task than she thought initially.

The sound of foots steps took her focus away from the book yet the blonde kept acting as if she was reading, she doesn't know what this person want but she won't jump to conclusions or a fight immediately as last time she did that things didn't end well for her, she would keep her eyes on the book even when the man sit on the other side of the bench, it was only when she saw the cross that she finally turn to see him.

"You'd be surprise how small Karakrua can be" She said with a light chuckle closing her book and showing the cover to him, the book was all white and depicted the Quincy cross right in the center, she definitely knew what he tried to say. "Depends what you mean by "help", not to be rude but considering all the enemies "we" have a Quincy just casually walking by is a bit suspicious"

Truth be told Eleonora has been lucky to never cross path with a Vandenreich before and this person doesn't look like one either, but better sure than sorry, learn to pick your fights and all that, at least it doesn't seem that this person is looking for a fight and hopefully things can remain civil.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

“Caution. Good that’ll keep you alive even if only a little bit longer.”

Asmoskon held out his right hand to the side while subconsciously focusing his reiatsu materiality, his pitch black short bow in his grasp. The texture was something that when he’d first managed to form the bow was pleasant. Something smooth yet strong like his longbow yet it was lighter and allowed him to make his arrows even faster while not limiting his acrobatics as much. Even now though when he’d had it for years, he still smiled at the thought that this bow looked like a younger brother to his longbow.

“I thought the same of a Quincy randomly finding me in the park. All the same though chances do occur, and this seems to be one of them.”

The book that she allowed Asmoskon to see was one that he could now tell at much closer viewing was handwritten. An account likely from a family member of hers instructing her on specifics of what it meant to be a Quincy. That or it was a sort of diary either way it was personal and Asmoskon knowing the seamless hold of blood more than most wouldn’t put his nose in her affairs. All he would do is answer questions or help her with anything she didn’t understand, but looking for himself was something he wouldn’t do.

“You look as if you’re pondering. Is there something you don’t understand?”

[Eleonora Schmidt]

Eleonora smiled hearing the stranger complimenting her on being cautious, it's not something that is natural to her but something that learn from past mistakes, she observed as the Quincy summon his bow which definitely got the blonde's attention and his comment about coincidences happening made her chuckle a bit, be chances or fate she has met a couple of interesting figures in this park.

"Life is full of surprises, not the first spiritually aware person I met here nor the first Quincy either, I don't know what's it about this park but it does attract a lot of people" She reminisce of the many encounters and offers that happen here, some have shaped her into what she is today and others gave her the reality check she needed, but at the end of the day she grew smarter with each one.

She skim through a couple of more pages before closing the book and sighing, there was a long road ahead and very little guidance as to how or where to start but fortunately the Quincy offer some bit of help and she might as well take it, opportunities like that don't show as often as she would like.

"To be perfectly honest there's a lot I don't understand" She sighed one more time "After a lot of training I finally learn to make my own bow and modify its form, I've also learn about the Seele Schneider thanks to this book, but there's a lot I still don't understand about my powers in general" She was mostly being self taught so figuring out stuff was hard. "But I don't fully understand my powers or Quincies as a whole, my father didn't wanted for me to get too involved so he didn't train me or talk much about it"

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

This was the sort of meeting that he hadn’t gotten to experience much in the last year, over the last few weeks he’d been luckier than in a long time by his own accord. A handful of young Quincy that could be saved from that old man, now one more he happened to come across in this same old park. He had to grin at her words knowing that there was more truth to what she said than she probably would ever believe. This was a place that saw more combat than most warzones but still stood a breath of fresh air.

Sitting down on the bench Asmoskon listened to how this one both understood or at the very least could manage to materialize her bow and weapons from reiatsu. It even sounded as if she’d learned her first real power as a Quincy but there were still things she either hadn’t ever been told and she was just skimming by with natural talent or hard practice. His stern expression wasn’t as hard as normal, but figuring out what was on his mind wouldn’t be easy for anyone. “Alright well I’ll give you however many answers you need. I’ve nothing else to do at the moment so helping you will fill my afternoon.” A simple smile and Asmoskon was ready to tell her whatever she wanted to know.

[Eleonora Schmidt]

A one in a million chance just presented in front of Eleonora, a Quincy offering advice and to explain the stuff she doesn't understand? She's taking it without a doubt, that being said where does one start with this? Her knowledge of the Quincy are really the bare minimum and the blonde feels that before learning techniques and abilities it would be best to know a little bit more of the story and origin of the Quincy.

"Well, first of I'd like to know why do we have this powers or at least where they come from?" She look at Asmokon attentive as this was one of the big questions in her mind for a while. "I've met a couple of Fullbringers and their abilities are incredibly different compared to ours" talking about the differences remind her of another question that has been in her head practically forever "What's the goal of the Vandenreich? Why do they hate us free Quincy so much? Does the Emperor actually exist?"

Eleonora realize she was bombarding Asmo with questions rather than letting him answer so for now she would just remain silent and listen, once those doubts get an answer she might think about actual training advice and anything that he could teach her to keep surviving and getting stronger, after all that's her biggest objective for now, gather her strength to be able to hold her own weight against other spiritual beings, after that who knows?

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Although he didn’t have any sort of ability to feel the emotions of others, it was almost like he could feel warmth from this girl. It was similar to how he knew he’d been when he’d been younger. A wave of negative energy seemed to just slam through him with how he’d just thought. Already viewing himself as part of the last generation. He didn’t see himself as the young hot shot anymore which although maybe be a fact still brought an emptiness to his chest. Still fleeting positivity was better than none at all.

What he saw next was something akin to a little kid finding someone that liked the same show as them and wanted to talk about it nonstop. It was a good thing Asmoskon believed as he’d come across so many younger than himself in the last few years that had just given up, those that didn’t bride themselves as Quincy. Those that had lost others like most of them none, but choose to live their lives as normal humans. So many of them are now going down that road and yet eventually they’re found and then the worst.

“That’s something that a good deal of us would likely want to find out. I don’t believe we’ll ever really know what started the Quincy or for what reason did we obtain these powers. It’s quite possible we’re something natural like Fullbringers or something experimental from an age long forgotten like the Bount.” Asmoskon now seemed in a much better mood as his mouth was starting to turn upwards while giving his own remarks and realizing that he didn’t mind either possibility.

Fleeting happiness was something of a trademark to Asmoskon though and that happened once again as he turned to Eleonora, his face as stern as one could ever imagine possible. “He’s very real, I just hope you never have to meet him. As for those that serve him well they view him as a God. Anyone who doesn’t serve and believe in him completely is a rhetoric to them. That’s part of the reason they hate and hunt down Quincy that don’t follow the Emperor. The end goal though, same as everyone else, to be the last one standing at the top when everything comes to an end.”

[Eleonora Schmidt]

There was no definitive answer as to the origin of their powers, on one hand she was expecting it as with many spiritually related stuff answers are few and far between, but on the other she hoped that having an answer would help her made more progress with her powers, either way one thing was sure she had these powers and the only way to be better was to keep on polishing them.

The other answer felt more heavy specially if one adds Asmokon's serious tone into the mix, the Emperor is real and to his followers he's a near god, but at the same time that begs the question if he's actually that strong? One would think that to have such a following he must be but at the same time if he's that powerful why does he need people to do his dirty work? A god could just walk and erase whoever is in their path with little to no problem, right?

"And then what?" Eleonora asked when Asmokon mention the end goal is to be at the top "I feel it's a dumb goal, yeah you are at the TOP unchallenged and free to rule and do as you please, but you are ruling nothing, what's your purpose after that?" The more she try to think about it the harder to understand it gets, it just makes no sense to follow someone blindly with an end goal that gives you little to no reward once you reach it "I don't understand why everything is a race to get more power, trampling on others and in turns that push us to also strive for power only to be able to survive and not being crushed beneath them and I can't see my end goal past that, just survive and keep pushing forward... I'm sorry, that turn a bit personal all of the sudden"

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Asmoskon wasn’t sure whether to smile or continue to just give her every bit of information with as much seriousness as he could muster. In the end though a grin moved his lips upwards at her remark. This young Quincy, he prayed wouldn’t ever lose what she was showing him right now. She had heart, passion and above all a sense beyond her own benefit. As long as she kept these aspects, especially the last one, then she wouldn’t fall for the depths of the Vandenreich.

“That’s the issue with most major assholes. They don’t look past beating the others. The Emperor isn’t a fool nor is he stupid though, just because it isn’t know what he wants past beating everyone else, doesn’t mean there isn’t something. He’s more powerful than almost anyone else, I’m certain that if no one is left to stand against him then” Asmoskon lists his right hand moving it in front of him to represent the park and beyond that just the human world in general.

“All of this won’t be anymore. No need to apologize though, expressing your feelings is healthy and sometimes lets you know them better. What else can I help you with?”

[Eleonora Schmidt]

Eleonora listen closely to what Asmokon had to say about the Emperor and while his words speak true that they don't know what comes after The Emperor and the Vandenreich get to the top of the power chain, it still makes little sense for the Blonde especially because getting rid of the Shinigamis implies breaking the soul cycle and in turns any chance for the spirits to have a peaceful rest and return to the world, instead only hollows would exist and by very little time before being destroyed.

"Well..." She let out a sigh and stood up from the bench, taking a look at the park, she then took a deep breath and extended her left arm reishi will start gathering and soon enough they will take the form of a curve bow. "If it's not asking much, maybe teach me a thing or two?" She said bowing in respect.

Like she said earlier everything is a race for power and the weak have to also pursue said power to be able to survive and not be stepped on, Eleonora knows she's not the strongest out there but power is not only measured in raw strength but also wits and smarts, everything you learn is one extra tool you can use in a future event and as Quincies one must rely on all their tools rather than just their bow.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Asmoskon wasn’t really sure what he could expect from the girl given the answer that he’d spoken. This wasn’t the type of topic that he normally preferred to do so soon after meeting someone. Still he wasn’t going to sugar coat anything nor would he lie to her. She’d asked the question and he was going to give her everything he knew as honestly as possible. He received a sigh for his answer although he couldn’t tell if it was one of disappointment or just the weight of the topic.

He was happy all the same though when she sat up from the bench forming her bow from her reiatsu. She’d know Asmoskon with a small smile on his face as he stood up the same as her, holding out his right hand. He’d shown her his pitch short bow yet now his massive longbow would form in his grip. The large pitch black longbow appeared almost like the older brother or father to his shortbow with how identical they seemed. “What would you like to practice? Precision, speed or something flashy?”

[Eleonora Schmidt]

The blonde would stare in amazement when Asmo reveal his true bow and smile once he ask what she would like to learn, precision and speed is something she can practice on her own in fact she believes that her precision should be above average considering she was part of the archery team on her school, speed is a work in progress specially since at some point she'll have to learn Hirenkyaku to keep up yet she knows she's not at the point to learn it just yet.

"Something flashy sounds good" She said with a smile, almost as eager as kid readying to be given a new toy to play "I feel precision and speed is something my opponents will expect so something flashy that can catch them off guard would be great!"

With that said she would stare and pay attention to Asmokon, she was a hundred percent serious about learning and getting stronger so she can stop running and fight to protect this world, be from hollows, the Vandenreich or whatever that threats it, she may not know the origin of her powers nor why she has them but what Eleonora knows is that she'll put everything on her to give them a good use!

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

“Flashy huh. Alright I’ve got something that’ll help you.”

Holding his longbow in his left hand Asmoskon raises it upwards aiming at a ninety degree angle to the sky above. High enough that he wouldn’t cause any harm to the park nor the buildings on the outskirts but low enough Eleonora would be able to watch what was about to happen carefully. Pulling back his bowstring the young Quincy would get a closer look than most at Asmoskon’s reiatsu. What had once been a brilliant bright crimson now was virtually as dark as his bow. In the black though was a sliver of red bright against the dark like a lantern lost in the depths of a cavern.

Pulling back the string of his bow Eleonora would witness an arrow formed from his reiatsu matching the same coloration as the strong. Asmoskon could see the look on her face with his peripheral vision enabling him to tell he had her full attention. It’d take another moment before Asmoskon releases his fingertips on the nock of his arrow. Soaring upwards it’s become clear enough that this singular arrow splits apart turning into two and moving away from one another with a rope of reiatsu connecting the both of them.

Asmoskon would wait long enough that he couldn’t see his attack any longer in the air. Thankfully such a technique wouldn’t fall back down to the park causing any damage. Turning back to Eleonora he’d start explaining what had to be rushing through her head. “What do you think the purpose is?” Although he never would have seen himself as a teacher lately that’s exactly what Asmoskon had been doing and now whether he realized it or not he was starting to get accustomed to it.

SPOILER: Click to show

Technique Name: Verwüstung (Devastation)
Class: 5
Technique Type: Quincy Technique
Usable By: Quincy (All)
Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects: This technique at first can't be distinguished from a standard Quincy arrow until after it has been fired from the bow. Once the focused arrow is fired it will split into two arrows connected to one another through a rope formed of Reiatsu. The effect of the rope allows the arrows to wrap around the target multiple times restraining them until the arrows eventually connect together and cause an explosion of spiritual energy.

How to use technique: Summon not one, but two Quincy arrows that are merged together into a single shot, and then release them to split-apart mid-flight.

Technique Drawbacks: The technique can simply be evaded through swift movements and dodging the inner spiritual connection. Only those who an offensive stat greater than the user are able to break free from the rope and free themselves once entangled.