Community "Service" [JT, Raion and Amon]

[Raion Souretsu]

((OOC: Raion will be training for CTP))

“The heck is this…?”

Raion stared blankly at the papers placed before him on the desk, one large paw flipping through the pages quickly. Though the morning was quickly turning to noon, the former Captain looked as though he had freshly rolled out of bed – which he had, only a few minutes prior. The feline’s thick mane was in a tangled mess, being absently brushed back with his other free hand, though it did little to tame the wild spray of hair. Sleep still blurred the teacher’s vision slightly, and he was only half-dressed—not an uncommon situation for him, but further proof of his recent awakening—but all in all, it was surprising he was coherent enough to understand the paperwork laid before him.

“This is called ‘community service,’ Raion.” The young man that sat on the opposite side of the table gave Raion a wry look touched lightly by amusement. “It’s a thing people who aren’t Captains with a high social standing have to do when they’ve made a mess of things.” Kouen Ikoma grabbed a sheet of paper from the pile before scanning it to make sure it was the one he was looking for. Raion paused briefly, a flash of disquiet crossing his face. In that moment, Kouen looked so much like his sister once had, and the former Captain remembered many a morning where the two would sit like this to talk over paperwork. Oh, Tomoe had been far more forceful than her older sibling, more willing to deal discipline than Kouen was, but that sharp edge had always been just what Raion had needed to keep on track, focused and effective in his duties.

He placed his right paw over the other, fingers gently brushing at the golden band that barely stood out against his fur. Tomoe...

“Raion?” The question made Raion look up, surprised briefly. Kouen’s expression still bore that same, gentle smile, but there was a sadness and a question in his eyes. “...You’re thinking about her, aren’t you? Tomoe, I mean.”

“Mm.” It was a gentle response, but for the loud, boisterous lion, it was deathly quiet. Talking about Tomoe was never easy, even all this time later; though Raion had become accustomed to thinking of his wife fondly even after her passing, talking about her brought back fresh and painful memories, as though her name spoken aloud evoked the old wounds. Guilt painted his heart when it came to her, balanced against his love for the woman. The former Captain let out a slow sigh before shaking his head. “Anywho, I know what ‘community service’ means. But what’d I do to earn it this time?”

Holding up the sheet of paper, Kouen read from it. “One: willful destruction of property, namely that hole you took out of the tavern’s wall. Your own tavern, mind you, but it still did some damage to the outlying buildings. Two: assault on a seated officer. I know you were just playing around, but you really underestimate your own strength. And three: about a half-dozen noise complaints that have piled up over the last week or so. Were you in a squad still, this might have simply resulted in disciplinary exercises, but being a free agent and a retired Shinigami… well.” The man chuckled. “They could throw you in a cell to cool your heels for a bit, but I doubt one would hold you for long. So they came up with a more interesting punishment.”

“Aye. What’s this nonsense about a ‘mandatory mentorship,’ anyway? I’m supposed t’just do my job outside o’ teachin’ hours?” Raion had already read over and memorized the details of the assignment, but it didn’t mean that he had to like it. “I mean, I suppose it’s good to get the newbies a bit o’ hands-on trainin’ as a proper Shinigami rather than just classwork, but ya think they’d pick someone better at it.”

“Better than an Academy teacher?” Raion could practically feel the raised eyebrow directed at him, and conceded the point with a wave of his paw. “Anyway, you’re to meet this new Shinigami— Amon Har-Zahavi—at the Squad 3 Barracks. For the rest of the day, you’re to take him under your wing and teach him the basics of being a Shinigami, and ensure that he is fit to serve in such a capacity. An easy enough task for you, provided you don’t repeat the incidents with your former Vice Captain.”

“Hey, street fightin’ is legal, and lemme tell ya – no Hollow is goin’ t’follow any ‘rules of engagement.’” Raion smiled a bit at the comment, however; he remembered that particular brawl with Kazuko, and the resulting finishing blow that had left the young man’s voice an octave higher for a short time to come. The lion wondered how his former subordinate was, what he was doing these days; they had parted ways some time back, but Raion wished the best for him. Straight-laced as he was, the Vice Captain had still been a pleasure to work with, and a reliable aide for the ever-wild drunkard.

“Yes, well, please make sure this one can still walk by the end of the day. His Captain might not appreciate having his newest subordinate in the hospital wing quite so soon.” Kouen’s tone was mild, where Tomoe’s would have been—no, no. Raion pushed that thought away. If he had to go through with his sentence, it would be best to do it with some measure of focus. Some.

Raion rose to his feet slowly, the chair he had been sitting in giving a creak of relief upon being spared the feline’s bulk atop it. Standing almost eight feet in height and bearing a good deal of excess weight compared to many of the Shinigami, the former Captain probably outweighed any other by two or three times, and even concessions in reinforced furniture showed their strain. He moved with deceptive lightness, despite that; Raion had not slacked in his training and the results showed in the strength that lay hidden beneath the softer figure. “Alright. I’ll get goin’ soon, just lemme get m’self ready. Go find my brush, it’s around here somewhere; I’ll go get dressed.”

Leaving Kouen to his search, Raion stepped out of the large study he used as a makeshift office and slipped into his room to grab an outfit appropriate to his position. A long-sleeved white shirt was buttoned to the chest, the top two fastenings left loose to let his mane through the opening and the sleeves bunched up above the elbows. A vest in black rested atop the shirt, the buttons polished to a golden sheen and the fabric bunched tightly around his broad shoulders and thick waist. Long pants matched his vest in black, and clung just as much due to the feline’s exceptional bulk, and a belt with a golden trim completed the set. Only Raion’s bare feet contrasted the rest of his well-made outfit, the lion’s dislike of footwear leaving him walking about unadorned from the ankles down.

Kouen had returned with the brush by now, and Raion took it to his mane, untangling the thick hanks of hair and settling them into a more organized mass that lay over his shoulder and down his chest, the rest tied back to rest across his shoulder blades and back. Soon he looked almost presentable, a surprise given the former Captain’s normally chaotic nature. This was the outfit he used when teaching at the Academy—it was a wonder what a difference it made to dress like the teacher they expected to see—and it was usually suited for some semblance of formality. Of course, the large ceramic jug that was hung from the belt at Raion’s hip dispelled most of it, the slosh of potent sake echoing in time with the lion’s step, but leaving it behind was one concession that Raion was not prepared to make.

“This outfit’s going to be ruined by the end of the day, isn’t it...” Kouen murmured. “I suppose I’ll contact your tailor.”

“Bah, relax! I’ll come out perfectly neat and tidy, just ya wait! An’ then you’ll choke on those words. I’ll look forward to the ‘I told ya so’!” Flashing a grin at Kouen—and getting a level look back, one that spoke to a lack of confidence in those words—Raion set his Zanpaktou to the side opposite his sake jug and made his way out the door. He had a job to do, willing or not!

Of course, it took no more than ten steps down the road before the jug at Raion’s waist became insistent on his attention. Slipping it free, the feline immediately uncorked it and took a long swig before he even realized what he was doing. Yet as it burned down his throat and sent a rush of pleasure through his body, the former Captain found himself caring less that someone might judge his indulgences. So what if drinking on the job wasn’t the most professional thing; if he was going to be mentoring a new Shinigami, it’d be best to show them exactly what kind of person he was! Open communication, transparency, something else very mentor-y; Raion was going to be the best teacher for his new student. More than a quarter of the massive stone jug was emptied in short time, and by the time Raion reached the Squad 3 barracks, he was already feeling very deep in his cup.

Bleary-eyed and unsteady, Raion considered the door to the barracks. It was usually polite to ring the doorbell, or at least knock, right? But then again, he was a Captain—no, wait, he used to be a Captain… right? Raion was pretty sure he still had enough authority to just barge in if he wanted to, and no one would complain at such an amiable social visit. But at the same time, someone of his position—he had a position, right? Everything was feeling just a bit foggy at the moment—should have an appropriately grand entrance to announce his arrival. Grinning, Raion cracked his knuckles. He knew how to make an entrance.

To anyone inside the barracks, there would simply be a loud crash, followed by the sound of splintering and cracking wood. The smell of charred timbers would waft through the courtyard of the barracks, along with acrid smoke that would burn the eyes and nose in equal measure. A glance at the door would reveal the cause in no time; where it had stood moments before, there was a mass of burnt and charred wood strewn across the ground, with some shattered remnants valiantly clinging to the frame. The last hints of a blueish flame danced across Raion’s fingertips, and his knuckles and fingers were bruised from where he had punched the door with a fireball, but there it was. Raion had struck again.

“Hey, Squad 3! I’m here for one Among-Hardevi or whatever! Tell your newbie that Teach is here for ‘im!” Grinning broadly to himself at some joke that even he couldn’t comprehend, Raion shouted once more to anyone in earshot. “Also, get yerselves a new door! This one’s in horrible condition!”

[Amon]

The mind quelled, fighting through the nightmares of the past. Vision after vision shot through Amon's skull, wishing to get away from the hauntings that followed him, through life and through death. He wanted to do everything to forget it ever happened, to just move on, but it just was not possible. From the skin-charred filled air of a desolate land surrounded by trees, to the serene beauty of approaching death as his body ate itself just to kill itself. The images and sounds kept on moving forward, scene by scene, as if the movie that was playing in his mind was a combination of thriller, horror, and depression. In his mind, just as a particular gruesome scene was incoming, he felt a gentle tug. His mind snapped, waking him up, and he woke up in a cold shudder, his body and temple shaking just a tiny bit before resuming normality.

He looked to his side, his eyes barely open, as he saw Karish gently nudging him. While it may seem odd, most would probably be familiar with the floating shark of lore. While the shark could not walk, it did seem to remain "fixed" above the land at a certain position. With a smile on its face, everyone could be seen petting and loving the friendly little shark. It was only about 3 feet long, yet it looked slightly chubby. It presented itself very adorably, so anyone could fall in love with its joviality. But in this moment, in this privacy it has with Amon, it seemed sad. As if it could feel what Amon was feeling at the moment, or rather, what Amon was feeling in his dreams.

"Kyun?", it spoke, with sadness in it's voice. While the shark could not form proper words, it seemed to be willing it's thoughts out. Are you OK?. 

"Course...", Amon spoke, his voice seemingly monotone as he got up out of bed. As the dreams grew hazy, Amon knew it was time to get up. He gave Karish a little pat on its head, as he got up to put on his shinigami wear. Traditional as it was, it was the standard attire for all shinigami. And Amon just graduated to become one. This was almost like his first day on the job, yet he didn't really know if he was up to it. While he wasn't the most spectacular student, he did graduate fairly well, without causing any troubles or tribulations. He just kept his head down, studied, and firmly became a living (or rather, dead) spirit soldier. Or at least, that is how Amon thought of it.

As he finished putting on his clothes, he reached for his zanpakuto. While it was not the most impressive, it seemed to boast a strength that he felt. While he could not speak to it, it was his desire to get stronger, and he knew with Karish and this weapon on his side, he could do so. The pair practiced as well as they can, but his strength was meager at the moment. His kido was barely generic, and his hoho was proficient, at best. He didn't know if he could use it in battle yet, but a gnarly veteran like him knew he had some sort of ability to fight. Or at least, Amon hoped he could fight in any way. He never fought another shinigami, save for the practice and training sessions in the academy. The hunger within him desired that sort of death-defying fight. What he did not know, was that that sort of battle would come sooner then he thought.

A massive sound lurched through his barracks. Amon himself even stumbled a bit, with Karish banging into him, both dropping on top of one another with dazed looks in their eyes. Amon shook it off, and moved out of his bed and things to wander what the hell was going on this early in the morning. Or rather, what would be the urgency this early. With Karish floating beside him, He walked to find something that he has rarely seen in Seireitei, or rather, in the whole of Soul Society- a lumbering, massive Lion-man. Amon was not in awe per se, but he was curious. Karish, however, flew himself RIGHT towards the massive being. The curiousity of the tiny shark could spell the end for it, but at this moment, in the safety of Amon, Karish felt invincible.

"KYUN KYUN?", Karish spoke, seemingly trying to convey to the massive beast what it was doing there, and why it was shouting it's master's name. While some people don't really get the messages Karish sends, it could be said that those of similar disposition would understand the tiny shark. It just wanted to see what the fuss was about. Amon, on the other hand, wanted to know why there was a teacher for him. He did just graduate, but he never heard of a teacher AFTER graduation. It was definitely something new to him. Deep within him, however, a visceral desire spoke. It seemed to guide Amon to this massive beast, as if this massive beast was but one step towards the pathway of strength.

"I'm here.", Amon spoke as he walked up, next to Karish. He gave one tiny pat to the creature before stepping into the large person's shadow. His face did not seem to make any movement at all, but it wasn't really a scowl, It was as if Amon could feel nothing about the... somewhat ridiculous situation with the door. The jovial little shark, however, seemed to be very happy about this moment, and in the shark's eyes, a ferocity could be seen. If a training slash fight were to occur, both were ready. This was something that Amon and Karish wanted, as the hunger within them strived to devour. And for both of the two partners, strength allowed them to devour. As the primal desire in them guided them towards their final quest, something they both strived for (since, well, they both seemed to share the exact same feelings, curiously).

SPOILER: Click to show

[Raion Souretsu]

“KYUN KYUN?”

The sound drew Raion’s attention, and the lion blinked blearily, looking around. His eyes caught sight of a small figure floating in the air above him, and for a moment the lion looked at the jug of sake in his paw, wondering if perhaps he’d gotten a bad batch. He’d been drunk off his ass more times than he could count, but the former Captain could not recall any time where he’d seen a miniature shark floating in the air as though it were swimming in water. Curious, the feline reached out and caught the shark by its tail, quite literally yanking it out of the air and dangling it before his face. He honestly expected his paw to go straight through the thing, a drunken hallucination at best, but he was surprised when he managed to haul it in like a freshly reeled fish.

“Woah, wasn’t expectin’ a fishy friend now. Squad 12 must be comin’ up with some pretty strange things lately. Wonder whose pet ya are, lil’ guy...” With a slight flick of his wrist, Raion released the floating shark as though he were tossing it back into the ocean, though it’d likely resume its position in mid-air rather than flopping to the ground. The lion watched his little companion with a look of amusement, clearly caught up in the creature’s adorable appearance, but fortunately his drunken distraction was interrupted by another voice announcing the presence of the former student that Raion had been looking for.

“Ah, good! There ya are!” Raion would barely give Amon time to acknowledge his presence before speaking up and placing a large paw atop the new Shinigami’s head. Given his immense size, the lion’s paw would engulf most of the top of Amon’s head, and the other Shinigami would find his hair being ruffled rather roughly. The smell of sake completely infused Raion’s breath, and his friendly ruffling felt like it threatened to crack Amon’s neck into pieces, but fortunately that particular affection ended before any long-term damage could be done. If nothing else, Raion was exceptionally strong compared to Amon, and that brief contact would prove it.

Friendliness dispensed with, Raion got down to business. “Right! Let’s do this thing then.” And without any further warning, the lion would simply reach down to grab Amon by the waist, tossing the man over his shoulder like some kind of luggage. A brief shout to let someone from Squad 3 know that the former Captain was “borrowing” Amon would be tossed back, and then Raion would immediately head off, heading towards an already-chosen destination. Every bit of mentorship came with a certain requirement for the lion, after all, and he grinned as the two of them made their way towards the Rukongai.

Their destination was not far off, only a short distance from one of Seireitei’s massive gates, and soon they had arrived. The Mane Attraction was one of the many taverns that Raion had previously funded with his Squad’s budget, and it was definitely living up to its name with a key location for both Shinigami and Rukongai citizens to visit frequently. A signboard over the door had a caricature of Raion’s own face across it, the lion’s muzzle drawn back into a wide grin that showed far too many teeth and a hand held up in the classic two-fingers “peace” pose. Raion had come up with that sign one day in a fit of drunken inspiration, and he refused to admit that it was anything but classy. Who wouldn’t want to visit an establishment bearing that handsome mug?

Kicking open the door—one arm was occupied, and it didn’t occur to Raion to use the other—the lion drew plenty of gazes upon entering. Reactions varied across the crowd; some faces lit up, happy to see the tavern’s patron, while others simply went back to their drinks, used to the feline’s usual shenanigans. A small number finished what they were doing and headed out, no doubt aware of Raion’s potential antics. Not a one fazed the teacher, however, who finally let Amon down to stand on his own feet. The man would likely draw a few gazes—and at least one betting pool was made regarding his disposition after a day spent with Raion—and doubtless would be aware of the scrutiny.

Ignoring it all, Raion sauntered up to the bar, his broad paunch resting atop the wooden surface as he leaned in against it. Even at an angle, the feline still stood a head and shoulders above the bartender. “Yo, buddy! Gonna need two o’ the Lion’s Share, an’ make sure ya mix the good stuff, hm? Gotta get m’student in the right mindset fer some proper trainin’, ya know.” The bartender just shook his head, but turned towards the collection of bottles behind the counter, already pulling a few down from their shelves.

That settled, Raion took the first table available—and there were a few even in the bustling tavern, now that some individuals had vacated their seats on arrival. He had to pull up a second chair and still sat awkwardly high above the table thanks to his height, but it was comfy enough and even if not, the drink coming their way would make it so. Mixed with all sorts of highly alcoholic drinks, the Lion’s Share was usually only taken on a dare, and often involved a trip to Squad 4 afterwards for those of weaker constitutions. It was said that even the legendary Raion Souretsu, who many claimed had more alcohol than blood in his veins, was swaying on his feet after only a single flagon. And two of them had just come out to be set on the table before him.

Gesturing to Amon to sit, Raion grabbed his mug and raised it. “Well, Mr. Among-Ha-something. Take a seat, take a drink – it’s on me, and trust me, yer gonna want to be sitting for it. Take a moment to relax, an’ then we’ll get to some real trainin’!”

[Amon]

At some points in a person's life, they encounter something so much more immense then what they could have imagined. From size, to sheer strength, they remain at awe as to what they encountered. For Amon, the experience was slightly different. It wasn't something to stare at, but rather, something that could be attained. He felt it within his core that this strength was the milestone he wanted. Rather, that this was what it was like to have strength. It felt like the world bent to the whims of the strong, and this massive being was one of those who controlled that world. It was a space that Amon, from the core of his being, yearned for. Something that just merely striving for was too small of a feeling that welled within Amon. It wasn't jealousy, it wasn't excitement. It was voracious. Amon must attain the strength to stand in that space, and he knew that this being would help him in doing so.

The shark was different, however. meeting this new person meant a new friend. The thinking was simple, but the same feeling of strength-attainment was different. For Karish, the little shark just wanted to be around new people. And this being was a new friend. Especially a new friend for Amon, who Karish knew was lonely. The feelings that Amon felt, Karish did too. But Amon's feeling were more visceral. More animalistic then Karish. It was the only way to describe the difference. Both beings felt incomplete, not able to bridge the fractured gap that appeared when Karish appeared. Yet, every day that they meet more people, the gap between them felt closer and closer. And now, this being would be the one too...

Before Karish could even finish his thought, Amon was grabbed by the large beast and just dragged out of the barracks. Karish squealed in enjoyment, and then followed behind the massive beast as it carried Amon. Amon looked like a limp fish, as he had an objective, a mission now. He just let the beast carry him to where he needed to train. Amon just flexed enough not to get hurt during the trip, as there was no easy way to carry someone without some sort of pushback from the other person's body. Karish was just happily floating behind the beast and Amon, keeping up as best as a tiny floating shark could (he is only floating at like knee height, so he still has to dodge out of the way of things). Karish just follow along, happy as a tiny shark ready to begin training with their new friend, or mentor rather.

A bit of time passed before they arrived at the tavern. Karish definitely started getting more excited. The tiny shark had had alcohol in its life, as a treat that it asked for after wondering about it during a celebration for the graduating shinigami that the tiny shark attended with Amon. Amon, at the same time as Karish was enjoying the new sights, just silently followed instructions. He was finally placed on his feet, and he just stood there with arms at his side, waiting for the next instruction. When Raion gathered a table and drinks, and finally motioned for Amon to sit, Amon obliged silently. While there were only two chairs, and the patrons seemed to ignore the floating tiny shark (he was a bit harder to see, of course), Karish grabbed a chair with his mouth that he saw no one was using, and gently nudged it with his head until it also was at the table. He made a cute little happy sound, satisfied with his work, and then proceeded to sit on the chair, his fins on the table and his head bent forward, almost looking like he was waiting for his own drink.

"Kyuun?" The tiny shark said, looking at Amon, his eyes abegging him to talk for him. While they didn't have any sort of telepathic connection, there did seem to be that the 2 beings had some sort of emotional connection, and as such, Amon could communicate in speech for the shark that could not speak. Amon just sat and looked at the drink in front of them. He followed his instructions silently, as Karish's eyes were burning a hole in Amon's skull as he ignored him to follow Raion's instructions. Amon took a sip, and was hit with a massive wave of strong liquor. He definitely could not handle it, so with that one sip, he put the alcoholic beverage down. Amon did not have much to say, but Karish started making little sounds as if he wanted to speak. Amon looked at the tiny shark, then looked back at Raion.

"This drink... is good. Karish wants to know if you can give water or some sort of drink for him as well." Amon said, his middle eastern accented in full force. Amon motioned towards the tiny shark as he spoke, acknowledging his presence, as well as pointing out his existence as equals to him and Raion. Amon knew that the tiny shark was easily jealous, and especially at this moment, where they both wanted to become strong, they wanted to both join in the pre-training warm-ups. For Amon, all he knew was the hunger within him to gain strength, and this beast so far seemed to know the secret to doing so. He took another tiny sip, as the alcohol seeped through him, his brain getting a little more dizzy as the liquid passed through his throat and down his esophagus.

"Karish wants you to know he train with us too... you know?"

"Kyuun!", Karish said as he showed his determined face to the large lion man.

[Raion Souretsu]

Ah, this was the life. Relaxing at a tavern with new friends, getting pleasantly drunk, and all of this while paying off whatever ridiculous debt he owed for his usual antics. In the past, it had never been so much of a problem; sure, there would be the occasional lecture from one of the other Captains, or perhaps a thwack upside the head from Tomoe—no, better not to think about that—but no one had ever really called the former Captain out on his mischief beyond that. Okay, so it did get a little out of hand from time to time, but property damage was repaired with a small stipend from his Squad’s budget, and no lasting harm was ever done. No, Raion was certainly not used to being actually punished for his antics, and he was relieved that his “penance” was something so normal for him.

“Kyuun?” Raion blinked at the sudden sound from the small shark that had followed teacher and trainee into the bar, having forgotten it was there for a moment. He had thought the thing was just some loose pet that belonged to one of the Shinigami at the barracks, but he hadn’t attributed the creature to his temporary student. It could still be a pet, mind, but even the former Captain’s limited ability to sense spiritual energy could detect a Reiatsu signature from it, once he focused. Maybe there was a bit more to it than that—a glance over at Amon and an appraising eye hidden behind the veil of drunkenness made the lion aware of a similar spiritual frequency. One o’ those, eh?

“This drink... is good. Karish wants to know if you can give water or some sort of drink for him as well.”

The sudden request snapped Raion out of his contemplation, and he quickly flashed both of his companions a toothy grin. So, Karish was the shark’s name—good to know! Rather than bothering to get up, the lion shouted across the tavern. “Hey, barkeep! I thought I told ya I wanted three o’ these! Where’s the last, c’mon now!” A wooden mug to the temple was the response, along with an exasperated look from the barkeep and a reminder that he had indeed only requested two. Head spinning slightly from the sudden impact, Raion responded in turn, cranking back his arm before throwing the mug back at full force. It was well that his drunkenness had done a number on his aim; the mug whistled through the air with Raion’s strength behind it, and a loud crash echoed as a window on the far side of the tavern completely shattered. Glass rained down and the wooden frame collapsed in fragments.

Silence fell through the tavern, and the barkeep looked a bit stunned by the sudden reversal. All eyes were on Raion, who was aware of his own strength and realized that he had gone a bit far. That mug could have taken someone’s head off with ease! “Eheh, ah, whoops. Forgot m’self there, pardon.” The lion’s apologetic smile quickly faded to a pleasant grin. “Mebbe I did ask fer just two. Can I get a third anyway? Just put it on m’tab, along with that window. An’ a lil’ raise fer an excellent employee.” Still slightly shaken from the high-impact beverage container that had narrowly missed him, the bartender quickly prepared the remaining drink and then ducked out of the room, taking a quick moment to compose himself in one of the staff chambers in the back of the building.

Once the drink was brought out, Raion grabbed an abandoned saucer from a nearby table and plopped it down before Karish, pouring a small amount of the potent drink that had been brought over into it. With the difference in body sizes, a full mug would probably be disastrous for the small shark, so he’d receive less than the lion’s share of… well, the Lion’s Share. It would doubtless be enough to knock out the small fish if he went all-out on it, but that was fully up to him—Raion wouldn’t dare come between a man and his drink! Or a shark, in this case. It was just simple politeness, after all.

Draining half of his own flagon in a few swallows—at his size, it was like taking a swig from a mug—Raion set his drink down with a content sigh. He leaned back in his chair slightly, letting the powerful alcohol burn down his throat and settle in his stomach like a hot coal settling there. Onto business, now. “Alright, let’s get started on yer trainin’. I’ve been asked to help ya get settled into bein’ a Shinigami, somethin’ I think is more suitable fer another member of yer Squad, but y’know how it is. Gotta be responsible for blowin’ up a tavern wall an’ whatnot, so it falls on me. Not that I mind, mind ya; I am a teacher, after all.” Raion was babbling slightly as his head spun, the potency of his drink starting to kick in. He continued to lean back in his chairs, the angle becoming precarious, but he paid it no mind. “But ya know we all start at the bottom at some point, and from there we work t’climb towards the top. Yeah?”

“So we’ll work on figurin’ out what we can do to make ya stronger—an’ Karish too, o’course.” The last was quickly added at the determined expression that the small shark gave, and Raion let out a booming laugh. “Aye, we’ll get the two o’ ya stronger for sure! Actually, it’ll be even easier with the two o’ ya workin’ together to get stronger.” Raion gave no explanation at the last sentence, merely leaving Amon and Karish to question it if they chose to do so. But the Captain, drunk as he was, was very aware of his companions and their special bond. There were only a handful of cases where it occurred but… well, that would come later, if they were able to achieve the base threshold of strength expected of a seated Shinigami. Access to their Zanpaktou would answer many of their questions, in the long run.

“Fer now, let’s start with the basics. I remember yer Academy grades—enough to pass, but no particular area listed where ya excelled. So we’ll get started with a question—” Suddenly, a loud crack could be heard as the back on one of the two chairs snapped from the angle it was being bent back at by Raion’s impressive weight. At the loss of support, the former Captain flailed momentarily before crashing to the floor with a thud that would echo through the room, along with enough impact to make everything rattle slightly, maybe spill a drink or two. Raion was stunned momentarily by the impact, but it was only a moment; soon, he was laughing uproariously at his new position sprawled across the ground. “Ahahaha! Well, tha’s what I get fer that!” Rather than sit back up, however, the feline just sprawled out on the ground, his broad middle rising and falling with each breath gasped between bouts of laughter.

“Ahaha, alright! Anyway, onto the question!” Still grinning from ear to ear despite how foolish he looked, Raion raised his voice for his companions to hear him. “What is it ya wanna do, Amon? What do you an’ Karish wanna accomplish? What sort o’ goals do you have? Lemme get to know ya a bit better, an’ we can work from there.”

[Amon]

The tiny shark jumped at the sound of the crash. That was... unexpected to say the least. While they were just sitting and relaxing before god-knows-what, it definitely made the tiny shark... and Amon a bit, for that matter... apprehensive. What was going to happen? How was this jolly giant beast-man going to train them... after drinking this heavy drink? Amon did not seem to care much for it, as the sip he took was already too much for him to take.

As the situation unfolded, Karish took a second to regain his composure. The tiny shark wanted a taste, as its curiosity was overwhelming at this point. It was sitting (or however a shark could sit) on its chair, ready to lap up whatever was going to be put in front of him. The joy it felt was flowing through Amon for some reason. It felt like the connection was growing stronger every second they spent together, and each felt emotions and feelings the other felt. It was as if they were one being at this point. Regardless, as the drink was put in front of the tiny shark, it stuck its tongue out like a dog and took a lick. The drink was way to powerful for the tiny shark, and it made its disgust seen with its face.

"I want... strength" Amon said. 

These three words were all that Amon could convey through his words. It was almost as if that was all he wanted. Well, to be frank, it was. Amon and Karish lived only for the strength they could theoretically gain. While working through the academy, they saw strength blossom within. Now, that they finally graduated, they are ready for more of it to come. And to Amon and Karish, the one sign of strength was something that the great beast before them was before: a captain. To be a captain was one step in fulfilling the hunger that existed within both of the same-but-different creatures. They were both craving for the strength that those who were captain class exuded, the way they walked knowing they were strong, the way they destroyed the environment in their strength, much like this person before them.

"We want strength. Like... eh... captain." Amon said, gesturing towards the person before them.

While he didn't know how strong this person was, Amon felt that he was a powerful being just based on how everyone around them acted. Of course, Karish took it a bit further, by tapping the table with his fin and nodding along to what Amon was saying. Karish pointed at Raion after Amon spoke, and then nodded in agreement. It also wanted the strength that Raion has shown so far. Both of the beings before the lion showed something akin to determination, but rather was more visceral. Something that both of them exuded to the extreme in this case, and could also be the reason for their... peculiar situation.

[Raion Souretsu]

Strong as a Captain, eh?

Certainly Raion knew what that strength was. He had, after all, been a Captain before retirement. Strength was a number of things, though, and had as much variety as it did Captains. There were those who were physically strong, and some who were spiritually so. Some excelled in creativity or intelligence, others served as leaders that others might turn to for guidance. Raion had seen himself as a leader of sorts, intelligent (when he wanted to be) and decently strong in the Kido arts, but he had really been somewhere in the mid-range as Captains went. If Amon—and Karish, couldn’t forget the little shark spirit—wanted to get stronger, then they’d have to figure out just how they wanted to be stronger.

Finally taking the time to climb back onto his feet and setting the undamaged chair back upright, Raion dusted off his clothes. He remained standing, for now, though he definitely felt a little woozy after having downed half of his drink. That in itself was impressive, given his normal drinking habits, and said much about the alcohol levels of the beverage. Despite having enough alcohol in his system to knock out a regular human, the former Captain stood with only a little help from the table he leaned against as he considered his companion.

“Well then, I suppose we better find out what kinda strength yer gonna be best with. Strength comes in a number o’ different forms, and yer gonna find that what makes one person strong does nothin’ fer another.” Taking a moment to crack his neck to one side, then the other, Raion slowly started drawing on his spiritual energy, letting the sense of his presence grow. He wasn’t applying Gravitational Pressure—doing so would probably crush everyone in the room—but even without the ability to detect energy, Amon would feel the pressure in the air growing more intense. He couldn’t feel the spiritual energy, but he could likely feel the aura of intensity radiating off of Raion. Naturally, everyone else in the room felt it too, and many began to back away even more.

“Firs’ off, ya got spiritual strength. How powerful yer spiritual energy is an’ how well you can manipulate it. Often ya will be workin’ with Kido, like so.” Without needing to incant thanks to his skills with Kido, Raion simply summoned a ball of glowing blue flame in his hand as Hado #33: Sokatsui was cast silently. The flames formed a perfect sphere rather than being launched away from the outstretched paw, kept balanced by Raion’s natural talent for the Shinigami art. “Kido’s one o’ my particular specialties, an’ I like t’think that I can make a good showin’ o’ it.” Casually he tossed the ball of flame from one hand to the other, only serving to increase the anxiety of the crowd as he nearly dropped it due to inebriation.

Dispelling the technique and letting the fire wink out, Raion gave a grin. “Then there’s physical strength, like so.” Without hesitation, the lion brought his fist down on the table, shattering it to pieces and spilling all of their drinks if they were not being held. Though his knuckles were slightly bruised from the impact, Raion just smirked at the shattered pieces of wood that now scattered across the table. “I ain’t nearly as strong as some o’ the Captains out there, they’re much more physically strong than I am, but even I can do this.” Shaking off his hand and ignoring the tingling coming through his knuckles, Raion settled back again.

“There’s more types o’ strength as well, but let’s start here an’ work from there. Whatcha say, Amon – you think yer the physical or the spiritual type? We can figure out trainin’ from there.”