Post by Nakajima Kimiko on Aug 8, 2022 12:22:54 GMT -5
40th District, Western Rukongai, Soul Society. Another day of September would come to an end for those who remained within the mountainous, so-rumored Capital of Swordsmanship. The autumn skies above, sunny yet briefly covered by a myriad of smaller clouds, had began to turn from a crystal blue to a bright orange, and the winds had risen ever-so-slightly, leading to a steady drop in temperature. In response to this, those who were wiser began to wear jackets or heavier robes, both things that had become readily available to the people of the district over the course of time. Many who were of a stronger heart, however, decided to brave the cold with the usual wears they branded themselves within during the summer. At a first glance, this may have seemed like a foolish endeavor, as it could have easily led many to catch widespread diseases such as the flu. Yet they did, and they all somehow remained whole, for that was the strength that was brought to them by the Capital.
At this time of the day, the two sides of the district - the village at the beginnings of the mountainous slope and the immense dojo which remains at its top above a great number of stone steps - were both active, bustling. In what remained below, the people conversed and spent their time together as the workday slowly came to an end. Builders studied what they have constructed and confirmed their work as legitimate, farmers watched over their paddy farms and rice crops with care, and those who dedicated themselves to the arts and crafts of cuisine began to prepare themselves for the evening to come. All in all, it was a relatively quiet evening, one that paled in comparison to what was exhumed from what stood above. Over there, the voices of the followers of the Nijū Kanmeki-ryu could be heard resonating quietly against the mountains, spreading their energy and motivation throughout the district. It was a sight to behold. One that was perhaps harder on the ears than others, but a sight nonetheless.
Behind the impressive gates of the dojo, a great crowd stood in the courtyard. At a glance, it would be difficult how many people there were in it. There were many men and women of every age, even a few Shinigami, and they all stood in a number of perfectly-aligned rows. Some of them wore the robes of common civilians, and so it would be easy to assume them as being villagers of the aforementioned settlement. However, judging by the quality of these robes, it would be clear to any observer that they did not all come from the village. There were a few whose robes were pretty and well-kept, as to be expected from a person who came from the first districts or even Seireitei, but others instead wore something that was more disheveled, maybe even damaged. You would think that such people would see one another with contempt. However, they did not. Perhaps it was because of what they all wielded: a moderately-sized Japanese sword. Not even the Shinigami would appear differently in a place such as this one.
In front of this crowd stood the one person who owned this dojo. Nakajima Kimiko, Captain of the Eleventh Division of the Gotei 13. She was Shinigami in every sense of the word, a being who was naturally more powerful than any person in this courtyard. Even so, she did not see one person with contempt or any form of superiority. Instead, she raised one of her blades above her head and swung forward, letting out a loud cry as she did so. In response, the crowd raised their swords and swung them forward in unison, crying back. It appeared almost as a ferocious challenge, though upon further inspection, it was less so a challenge and instead more so a conversation with an unique form of communication. One expressed her eagerness to teach, and the others under her care expressed their eagerness to learn. The fact that this was even accomplished given the many people's circumstances was shocking, especially due to all that's happened to the Soul Society, but those who were there - especially the villagers of the 40th western district - felt the officer deserved it. After all, she and Celes Shindazu, Captain of the Tenth Division, had taken care of something that was endangering their lives years ago, and they had never once asked them for any kind of compensation in return for their deed.
This form of intense conversation had begun a time ago, and it would continue on for some more. It went on for a full minute, then many minutes, and finally, half an hour. By then, one would expect the people of this crowd to grow tired, and they would be right to assume so. Sweat was beginning to accumulate on the bodies of the students, and they were beginning to pant quietly. Even so, despite the difficulties they felt in continuing to stand, it almost felt as though they could still go on. Such was the strength of the energy they shared with their teacher, and the eagerness that they all shared together. But of course, the teacher would notice their physical pleas. She always did so, keeping an eye on each and every one of them throughout the entire course. In so doing, once she would notice that exhaustion eventually became a collective problem in the crowd, she would find herself delivering one last swing, one last shout, before then taking a deep breath and sheathing her blade.
"Good work, everyone! Let's take a fifteen-minute break here!" She would call shortly after allowing her students to deliver one last swing by themselves. As to be expected, a relief would wash over the students as they were finally granted a pause in this session. They had all been going on for quite some time now, and their body thus needed the break. Sure, they were a few who were disappointed that they needed to stop, especially since Kimiko did not appear to be tired in the slightest. However, they would soon be reminded of their difference in strength, and would eventually find themselves settling down without spouting any form of criticism. Unlike this entire crowd, the officer was a powerful individual whose strength vastly surpassed theirs. Moreover, she has accomplished what they have all accomplished several times every single day over the course of multiple decades. It was no wonder she was not tired. For all they knew, not even a whole day of this could bring her down.
As this conclusion was made, the teacher would find herself walking into the crowd with an energetic smile as she gazed over her students. There, she found small differences that she so enjoyed to see. The lot of them were still positioned in rows, which was good, but she could see that the most of them were taking their pauses differently. There were students who spoke to one another enthusiastically, while others were sitting down as a form of meditation. A few even continued to stand, using this time to train their legs. The sight was impressive not in its own right, but also for the Captain. "Good form! Leg strength is very important. If you can still stand by the end of this session, your posture is gonna be great," she would compliment in a friendly fashion before then moving on. Even though it had been years now since had established her school, she was visibly still having a lot of fun teaching and rewarding her students from time to time.
Eventually, after passing through the crowd and making her comments, she would make her way to the main gates, then find herself gazing down at the sunlit village below. As to be expected, it was as beautiful as ever. From where she stood, she could fully appreciate the greenery of the village, its more ancient design, and the way it complimented itself well with the sun above and the many rocks of the mountains that surrounded the district. It was not like the first districts that she had grown so used to during her career as a Shinigami where all was cleaner and more pristine, but she felt that the further presence of nature made this whole place simply easier to appreciate. Though it had certainly gotten more popularity as the rumors about the place spread across the Soul Society, it nevertheless still felt more peaceful in comparison to the first districts and Seireitei. She was glad that she ended up having a dojo here... especially now more than ever. It was a notable distraction, to say the least.