Another...

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

Odayakama Senshi, the Captain of the Eighth division lived a relatively peaceful life, other than the periods of invasion that struck Seireitei. In times like that, even a banker became a soldier. Though otherwise? She had quite a bit of offtime between paperwork and files that she reviewed, of which minor work was distributed to her seated officers to help her administrate. In her off time? She opened herself up for training the newer generations of Shinigami. This was especially true as of now. Seireitei needed more Shinigami. They seemed to always need more Shinigami.

She had read there was once a time where a Shinigami was expected to be able to know a variety of skills. Other than Shunpo, Hakuda, and Zanjutsu, even Kido arts were learned by those with the aptitude. That age of the Shinigami seemed to be faded, instead, conscripting and gaining large masses of Shinigami before hurling them through the metaphorical grinder. A good majority of reapers would die that way. Though the ones that survived became like diamonds, molded more by experience than training. 

Today was not one of those days. The Captain was very open with members of her squad, as well as out of it, and she left herself open to train disciples. Training people not only in the arts of Kido, but what it meant to be a Shinigami, as well as how to obtain their release. Resting before the training yard, littered with training dummies, people sparring with one another, as well a swathe of bodies, she sat atop a set of stairs. She was rather noticeable, her captain's robes blowing lightly in the warm wind.

She had hair of crimson, resting neatly tied in a ponytail, shining blue eyes gazing downwards at those before her. She looked lithe, soft featured, and small. Her outfit clung loosely to her frame, rather big on her, making her perhaps look smaller than she was. This was despite the fact that she was as far as she was concerned a fully grown woman. As she awaited the next prospective pupil, she smoothed her hand down her left arm. Somewhat idle minded as she took into consideration.

What might the future hold? What might this pupil present to her? She was Odayakama Senshi, the head of this division, and after what seemed like a hellish period, she had come far to reach this point. One of the few standing pillars of strength that was in the Seireitei. So many captains had come and went, passing on, having been pulled into this hellish stead. So many burdens come and gone. Perhaps her own pupils would go through a similar experience. It was time for first introductions. 

[ChaosMystic]

It was early still, the afternoon had not yet phased into evening, and Inozen had been relieved of duty for the rest of the day. It was a fine day outside and he hoped that he could start to build habits that might empower him as a newly enlisted shinigami. The man of mocha skin was in the corner of the training area to claim his own place to practice and to be a tad bit more seclusive than the other shinigami who were training and passing through. He wore a standard shihakusho to fit so he could've blended in well with his comrades, but there were several factors that made him stand out. 

The first was his method of training; while others were striking the training dummies as hard as they could in repetitions, his practice was internal, slow, and fluid. His movements were graceful as the state of flow moved him to improve his biokinetic awareness and dexterity. He bent and contorted to remain limber and practiced striking, parrying, kicking, and killing all concealed in what appeared to be a slow sword dance. The second reason he may have stood out was that his zanpaktou was unique, not created in Soul Society, and in a form that isn't typically offered by the zanpaktou engineers. It was a weapon that he cultivated as a human and somehow crossed over with him to Soul Society. While it is in the form of a jian, or a Chinese straight sword, the Shinigami instructor was able to confirm that it was indeed a zanpaktou.   

As he exited the state of flow, he pivoted, moved the blade behind his right arm and brought his sword nock to rest. When he opened his eyes and focused again to the external world, he noticed a small woman with crimson hair and sparkling blue eyes clearly wearing a captain's robe. There was no doubt that she was Odayakama, Senshi.

"She's...out here?" He pivoted a second time, took a few steps and retrieved his scabbard that he had stuck vertically in a nearby bush. With a quick movement, he sheathed his zanpaktou. "Was she watching me?" 

His head drooped and his eyes moved to the right as he considered how he should behave. After all, she was the Captain of the division he had been assigned to, and he only gets one chance at a first impression. He took a deep breath and decided that he should try to introduce himself. After all, he didn't know her too well, and he might not get another chance to speak with her at the training yard. Perhaps she had made an observation or had some advice to offer. 

He started to make his way towards her, acting as if he had not noticed her to not seem stuck up or avoidant. He made his way past the training grounds and up the steps. When he was closer to her vicinity, he acted shocked, "Captain Odayakama! I didn't expect to meet you here! Hello, my name is Shikimura, Inozen, I've just been assigned to your division."

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

She was responsible for every member of the eighth division, and in this particular instance, when she made her way through, she seemed to pause when called out. Captain Odayakama. It felt strange. Gazing upon the figure before her, it was Shikimura. Inozen. Just assigned to her division he said. Frankly, it must have been funny to see her, looking at him relatively wide eyed with shining cerulean orbs, and also, how small she looked. Especially compared to her Zanpakutou.

Her sword of which was a blade a bit larger than five feet, making it almost as tall as the captain herself was, who carried it in a hugging motion, almost as if she was carrying some sort of treasure. "Then welcome to the Eighth Division. Shikimura-San." She spoke calmly, but somewhat shyly in that raised pitch. There was once the perspective that Senshi was like, "everyone's little sister", at least amongst the old Shinigami when she was a newer recruit. She took note of him, and his seemingly odd blade.

"I'm glad to have new members within the Division. Work hard and responsibly." She gave a thumbs up motion with a small smile, though, she proceeded to see the work he was putting in, before tilting her head sideways. "I offer training, personal lessons, if you'd like to indulge?" She seemed very relaxed. Calm about the entire situation as she seemed at peace with her situation. Assuming he was interested, she'd adjust her robes, before facing him calmly.

"I'm an accomplished swordswoman. A master of Kido. Whether your intention is to be a temporary stay in my division, and or to seek higher pursuits in specialty squads? I'm happy to guide you on your path." She seemed bright and lively, her eyes closed as she smiled, giving a soft curl upwards of the lips. One might hardly consider Senshi "threatening" by any means of the word. In fact, the eighth division was relatively lax and less chaotic compared to most. Very organized in their duties and direction with a somewhat boring, but fair judgement of the Redhead.

She didn't speak much more than that, instead, desiring to let him speak, tell her what he wanted, and see where she could help from there. After all, it wasn't every day that someone got to train personally with a Captain, and potentially be made into their disciple either. Captains tended to be very busy people for one reason or another, but it really spoke to her character then that she made time for people. Wherever, and however she could. That meant something? Didn't it? 

[ChaosMystic]

Now that Inozen was in proximity to Senshi, he really got a good look at her. Odakayama, Senshi was cute, in a little sister sort of way, and her eyes were a vibrant shade of blue that he had never witnessed before on a human or another soul for that matter. She seemed shy at first but became more comfortable as she spoke, but he couldn't help but wonder what it was she was holding onto, like a pillow almost. "Is that a cannon?" 

When she mentioned that she herself was an accomplished swordswoman, realization struck his expression like a lightning bolt. "THAT'S your zanpaktou?! It's bigger than you are!...ugh, Captain!" His eye brow twitched as he imagined his captain's small frame wielding her zanpaktou fiercely in battle. It seemed inconceivable by human standards, but then he remembered of a form within the ba gua martial system that allows the wielder to fight effectively with oversized weapons and his image of her changed.

Her lithe form stood in a stance lifting the moon, standing laterally to the enemy, her blade trained towards him and her inward foot stepped half-way forward. As the enemy went to strike her, she snake-stepped out of his striking range and allowed his sword to slide off her zanpaktou harmlessly. With a quick pivot, she rubbed the oversized weapon against her aggressor, resulting in a deep laceration in his side and her transition into staring crane stance.

It couldn't be too far from the truth, could it? She was a captain after all and muscles weren't the only source of strength for a shinigami. She also mentioned that she was a master of kido as well. Admittedly, his kido was shaky at best and still unreliable. The more he thought about it, the more valuable her offer became, it truly was extremely generous of her to make time for a prospective pupil as a captain.

"You'd be willing to train me?" Inozen's lips curled upwards, "Well..." his face turned to the side and he sighed, almost in a self-defeating manner, "I do have aspirations. If we're to be completely honest; later on, I'm hoping that I might transfer to Division 1." He turned his face back towards Senshi and waved his hands, "Not because I'm stuck up or anything! One day, I had heard an argument between a Division 1 officer and a Division 10 officer while I was on the way to the library for research. The Division 10 officer was day drinking and wanted to pick a fight with the Division 1 guy."

Division 10 chucked his empty bottle of saki at Division 1, and the glass shattered into hundreds of tiny, diamond-like shards. Upon hearing this, Inozen poked his head out of his book and looked their way. "Division 1 is useless! We all know that Division 10 are the ones who carry all the other divisions on the battlefield. And they expect me to take orders from a dweeb like you?!" Division 10 was in Division 1's face now, gripping the collar of his shihakusho tight, and he spit off to the side in disrespect. 

"Remove your hand," Division 1 commanded. 

"Like I said, I don't take commands from you." 

Division 1 slammed his elbow against Division 10's hand, forcing him to release him. Then it seemed that Division 1 saw the flying hook a mile away. With a single shunpo, Division 1 was safely out of range, "Division 1 is not about taking command. It's about being the first to respond without the need to be ordered. Whether the aim is to battle, exploit weaknesses, support, or rescue, we do it all tactically and we're typically the first to discern the enemy's true intentions in battle. We aren't just focused on the enemy in front of us. We use what's in front of us to discern the bigger picture. Division 10 may win battles, but Division 1 wins the most wars. If you haven't realized that by now, then you're dumber than I thought," Division 1 said as he walked away. Inozen's eyes widened as he watched Division 10 shuffle on in contempt. 

"I didn't realize I could be a shinigami back then...but what he said that day...it really stuck and made me develop an admiration for Division 1. When I enlisted in the academy, I did so in hopes that I could join them one day. If you would like to help me reach that goal, I promise that my assignment in your division will be worth your while," Inozen stated.  

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

He seemed awfully boisterous, asking if her blade was indeed her Zanpakutou. "Of course I'm willing to train you." She declared rather openly, and she'd add on. "Regardless of what division you seek to transfer to. It isn't my place to tell you where you should and shouldn't pursue your career in." She said it lightheartedly. He didn't need to justify or explain himself really. Though, she'd never had many interactions with the first division. Nor very many divisions in general at that.

"I'm not helping you because I want something out of it. I'm helping you because I want to. Shikimura-San." She spoke softly, a small amount of grace in her voice, as she lightly walked past him, and then twisted around to face him. "I'll see your convictions through your actions." There was little much else to say in that regard. Instead? Senshi made her way across a small clearing. A lush area of training ground with nice paved road, as well as small statues that rest along either end.

"I don't know your current level of skill. So." She proceeded to lightly smooth her hands down along the front of her Shihakusho. "Why not tell me what it is you'd like to learn? Then? Come at me. With everything you have. No holding back." She found that it was the purest way and form of gauging skill level. She was confident now in her skills, and felt as if she would be able to get a better idea, a better guide if she knew where her pupil was at. Frankly? She was a bit curious herself.

Standing perhaps a dozen or so paces away, she looked entirely relaxed. Not even drawing her blade from its large scabbard as she gazed at him from a distance. "Let's try our best. Shikimura-San." She delayed the San at the end, perhaps giving a small ting of endearment as she gave a wink. She needed to get a standard and understanding of the situation, and she wanted to see his mentality. His mindset, when it might come to approaching her.

Senshi's red hair blew lightly in the wind, her right leg dragging back along the stone, as she entered a triangular stance with her legs, her form incredibly relaxed as she gave a deep, but soft exhale. It always felt easier to let her mind drift and wander in moments like this. Her mind was clear, and she focused on him. In a way, this was good too, because it'd give him something. Inozen would learn today the potential vast difference in skill and power of a captain. This was the start of his beginning. 

[ChaosMystic]

Inozen felt a sensation that he hadn't felt in a very long while. The offer that Odayakama, Senshi presented was miraculous, compared to his past life as a human where it seemed nothing went his way. Now, it seemed that in the afterlife, he had a second chance with the hands of fate. He couldn't help but feel awed by his captain's sheer kindness and presence. Such power and grace wrapped in such a small and beautiful package. How was it that he was so blessed? Maybe, this life that he chose was meant for him after all.

As he collected himself, he remembered the philosophy of Yin/Yang. If there are times that go inconceivably well, then he should expect just the opposite. Odayakama, Senshi was his cadre now, and he had to look to her for guidance in preparation of such times. This was an opportunity that he could never pass up.

As his captain proposed the challenge, already Inozen was relaxing his body with his left hand resting on the hilt of his jian that was secured to his left hip and emptying his mind. He focused on his breathing without compromising his senses and sharpened his mental focus. He smiled as a reaction to entering into a flow state. "I can't begin to express my gratitude," Inozen said, as a result of his body relaxing he couldn't help but to speak more bodily and he bowed slightly with his palms open towards her. If she had any skill for reading body language, she would know that his feelings were genuine. As he returned to a resting stance, his left hand again rested on the hilt of his jian.

He listened to Senshi well and obeyed her orders, first speaking of his aspirations as a shinigami, but circling around her and closing the distance slowly, "Most of all, I want to be a great swordsman, a fine martial artist, a good healer, and if possible, I want to have a clear conscious throughout my whole career. I want to understand the intricacies of war and battle." By now, he was in arm's reach of Senshi, standing to her side. He stopped and lingered in an attempt to make her feel the anticipation of what she knew was coming. There was a brief silence as he hardened his resolve.

Yes, she was a petite and beautiful girl, but she was a captain that could handle anything he threw at her. So in an instant, he unsheathed his sword high, then quickly coiled into crouching buddha while throwing the back end of his blade low to strike at her left Achilles tendon. It would be awkward for her to defend from her stance because he chose his position methodically and attempted to exploit what he saw was an opening. If this strike was successful, his captain could have a real hard time fighting with one functional leg.

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats

Strength: 25

Speed: 50

Reiatsu Strength: 25

Spiritual Pressure: 100

Reiatsu: 1000

Instinct: 75

Senses: 50

Energy Sensory: 0

Light Aura: 75

Dark Aura: 25

Healing Expertise: 50

Psychological Warfare {1} This is how well you can demoralize your opponent and their forces using psychological tactics or how well you can drive someone insane. Higher ranks in this skill allows more effective demoralization of enemy forces and more provocative mental disorders. At 1, you're able to convince the opponent that your force is more powerful and can think of ways to confuse targets.

Weapons (Jian) {1} You can use them adequately, as if you've been training for a year or so.

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

"There's no need to thank me." She gave a kind smile, her eyes closed, before she resumed her stance. Just like that? He came at her. As he entered his crouching strike, his blade aimed for her tendon, she simply used her large blade, more like a staff, digging it into the ground at an angle. His blade slapping against the scabbard with a clack. Assuming she was successful, she twists in a circular motion, her arm extended, aiming her index and middle finger straight at his head.

Tap. With a light push of her fingers onto his head, she'd wordlessly shoot out an invisible force of seeming air. To send him lightly flying backwards a few feet, potentially onto his back along some soft dirt. "Hado no Ichi. Sho." His first lesson into the destructive arts, assuming he was interested in learning that spiritual art. Senshi seemed very calm and relaxed. Her breathing steady as she looked upon him.

"Kido. Is an art form. Its uses. Are only limited by the user." That said, Senshi gives an example. "Bakudo no Yon: Hainawa." She lashes out with her left hand, and a golden rope extends rapidly from it, though would whip past Inozen. If he looked, he would see it had wrapped around one of the stone statues, enveloping it tight and firm. Before Senshi would then curl her fingers, and aim her other hand upon it. "Hado no Ichi. Sho." Likely, Shikimura had got the message on what that would accomplish. 


She'd announced her Kido before hand, to premeditate, and give Inozen plenty of time to respond to her move. For he'd see that suddenly flying towards him was a flying statue, coming straight in his path from behind. She'd show her own offensives, begin pushing him now to make more moves, and keep on his toes. Putting him through stressful situations, that was the way to keep him progressing. She thought to his words, and she focused her eyes on him, and kept her senses sharp. 

Blade still left by her side, she widened her stance, kept her hands free and ready, and with it, she seemed ready to face him. Whatever he was lacking, it was Senshi's job to catch him up to snuff, and considering that, she was prepared to go hard if she needed to. She'd seen too many Shinigami die due to ill training. It was a good time for Inozen to show the redheaded reaper his convictions and his will. 

SPOILER: Click to show

 
Restrained Stats:

Strength: 50
Speed: 150
Sppr: 100
Reiatsu Strength: 100


Stats:

Strength:(100x.5)=50

Speed:350

Spiritual Pressure:300

Reiatsu Strength:(400x2.0)=800

Light Aura:75

Dark Aura:25

Instinct:150

Senses:100

Energy Sensory:0

Wound Expertise:0



Total:1400


Skills:



Learning:2

Weapons*:3 [Swords]

Battle Analysis:3

Mental Incantation:3

Pain Tolerance:2

Kido:3

Damage Recovery:1

17/17 SKP

[ChaosMystic]

Inozen's attempt to mentally throw off Senshi was unsuccessful; she was unphased by his odd timing. When he did explode into his technique, she was able to recognize in that moment that his spin wasn't a high attack, but that after coiling into crouching buddha and throwing the backside of his blade towards her tendon, she remarkably defended it with her massive (compared to her) zanpaktou. This offered Inozen a couple of realizations in that same moment...but he watched helplessly as she responded with a spin of her own and her index and middle finger trained at his head. "Shit!" Senshi tapped his forehead and he was sent reeling backwards. The kido generated some lift, but the soft dirt had cushioned his landing. He rolled back over his right shoulder harmlessly. 

Senshi began to sprout out words about kido, but Inozen's adrenaline was pumping full force. He had attacked Senshi with the intent to cripple her and she had defended seamlessly and knocked him on his ass. He thought he avoided a golden rope shot from her, but he couldn't believe that a person of her skill level would fire so haphazardly. A quick peek behind him to see where the rope had gone, his arms still defending his face, revealed that the lasso had attached on to a nearby statue. He heard Senshi cast another spell, Hado no Ichi: Sho. He braced himself for another gale force to knock him backwards, but instead he heard the sounds of the statue, subject to the force of the gale, shooting towards him. 

"Woah!" Inozen had no other choice but to dive and roll out of the flying statue's path. He could feel the ground rattle as it crashed and skidded. Hopefully this was enough of a distraction for his next move. During his dodge roll, he had touched ground with his left palm first, allowing him to grab a handful of soft dirt. Now as he took cover behind the statue, he hid himself from view and wondered if this handful of dirt would give him an advantage. First, he took a moment of short respite. This was more dangerous than he had first imagined. If he had tripped up, he could have easily been killed. He took a calming breath, and then another, then he vaulted over the statue and charged. 

When he was in range, Inozen threw the soft dirt in Senshi's face. Following that was a death blow. He thrusted his jian straight on, aimed towards Senshi's heart. Inozen's face expressed conflict in this moment, that he was truly trying to kill his captain, whom he had just met and had so quickly come to admire. It was a strange sensation, one that went against his instincts, but this was her desire. Knowing full well that she was a captain, he did not allow his reservations to hold him back and put everything into that thrust.  

[Senshi Odayakama (Crimson.)]

She didn't do him any significant harm, but instead had pushed him further. Pushed him to face her without any reservations. That was what she desired. As she saw him twist, move, dodge as if his life depended on it, she remained firmly in place. She wondered what he would do in such a situation, against a foe so dangerous. Only to soon find that as he rushed her this time, he threw a handful of dirt at her. A dirty trick to say the least. However, at the same time, she applauded the fact that he would do anything for victory.

Raising her left arm upwards with her overly long sleeves to protect her face and eyes, he came running towards her at full speed. Looking to plunge his blade into her heart. Even without her eyes, she could tell. Imagine the movements. She sidestepped his lunging thrust, to his left, utilizing her battle analysis, her experience of battle to guide her through. His fighting style was very elegant in some ways, attempting to utilize obscure movements. He excelled in the unorthodox.

His swordplay was also very violent, going for either killing blows, and or crippling spots. So she'd come to notice. As he completes his thrust towards her, she enters a slight crouch onto her right leg, leaning inwards towards him, an orange shield forming just above her right arm, lunging inwards to slam it against his body, or perhaps his blade if he was swift enough to turn and slash down upon her. Though regardless of if it hit sword or person? Well.

It would repulse him. A shocking discharge sending paralysis through his body for a few precious moments. A numbness running through him as the shield cracks and falters, perhaps pushing him back a few feet?  She resumes back her straight position. Eager to see how far she could push him and see him grow. To see how he would continue to approach her as a threat, and more importantly, his will and determination. After all, he seemed to be very much buying into the mentality that this was a battle to the death.

She had no doubt about that in his last attack. 

"You'll need to come at me with greater conviction than that. Shikimura-Kun. if you don't, people might fall on the battlefield. You need to come at me faster. Harder! More ferociously." She called out, trying to hype him up. Lightly holding her Zanpakutou in her left hand, she taps the bottom of the scabbard along the stone path. "I'm an obstacle standing in your way." She called out. To give him some sort of idea of what she was right now. A barrier. An obstacle...

Remaining firmly in place, she raises her hands, her right one supporting the back of her left as a crackling appears before him. A red ball beginning to glow, and grow searing hot as it grows. Though much smaller in scale than what she could actually do. She gives him ample time to see it, and out of courtesy, she even announces its name for him. "Hado no Sanju Ichi: Shakkaho." Firing it upon him, she tones its destructive power enough as to cause harm, but never to blow the poor boy up.

To perhaps have him dodge, or avoid the assault that came before him. Assuming he did just that, the ball collides into the ground, delivering a small explosive blast that fills the air with a bang, and rising billow of smoke. Here, she was showing him a small repertoire of Kido whilst he combatted her and pushed his body to the upper limits of what eh was capable of. Frankly, at least in Senshi's mindset, there was no better way to grow. While theoretical training, and training alone was possible? Experience trumped all.

And Senshi was very, very experienced. After all. She was the biggest loser in all of Seireitei. 

[ChaosMystic]

Inozen's killing blow was carried out on swift steps; deadly, but somehow light and gentle for the wielder. Senshi Odayakama proved to be even more swift, even more prepared, as she saw through his attack and countered immediately with her own. Inozen didn't have any time to react as her sidestepp had allowed her to be in close quarters range. She checked him with what appeared to be a newly manifested orange buckler, and upon making contact with Inozen's torso, he was immediately numbed and lost control of his physical self. Inozen estimated that Senshi's speed was superior in a way that he wouldn't have been able to defend a direct attack with the buckler if she charged from five meters away, but to be that close in its execution, Inozen had no hope of defending or mitigating the effects.
 
The buckler hit his side and Inozen fell to the ground straight ahead of him, the momentum of his steps and the skid contorted his body like a scorpion in the most embarrassing and frustrating fashion. This was the first time that he did not immediately recover from a fall, and on top of that he now had a mouth full of dirt. He lied there for a brief moment sulking when he heard a crackling. It didn't take much to guess that Senshi was preparing another hado attack and so he willed himself to move.

Standing slowly as he regained sovereignty of his own body, he turned and witnessed the glowing red orb. Senshi called out the name of the hado and with shunpo, Inozen would seem to disappear from the target area. The hado collided into the ground and caused a billowing of smoke, a distraction for Inozen to quickly carry out a second shunpo. If it was executed well enough, Senshi may have missed the arc he traveled on her left, stepping out of her periphery and behind her, he would reappear just behind her, hopefully without notice. In that instance, he swung his jian as hard as he could towards her neck, aimed for the carotid artery, which if lacerated would cause a death due to blood loss in the span of two minutes.