Recruitment Day -(New Shinō Grads and Squad Reps Welcome)

[Celes Castellanos]

Celes hummed softly as she walked along a familiar path. The normally soothing ambiance of the breeze brushing against leaves and the chirping of birds was slowly getting drowned out by the sounds of festivities in the distance. Today, after all, was recruitment day! The time for graduates to blossom and have the honor of joining one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It was an exciting time for all involved as these new graduates went on the next step in their journey as Shinigami.

Unfortunately, Celes found herself coming a little later than initially anticipated. While she encouraged her own Division to participate, there were some who wanted to tend to other matters. This left a good chunk of Celes' morning at the mercy of Captain's responsibilities. She had to set up temporary shift assignments and rotations given that a fair chunk of her Division decided to participate in the festivities at Shinō Academy. Nevertheless, she'd at least show up rather than not having made an appearance at all.

As she drew closer, the sounds of cheering and even clashing steel made themselves known to the Captain. She couldn't help but chuckle softly. Invigorated by the positive energy, Celes began running a little quicker and made it to Shinō Academy in no time. Entering the courtyard, Celes saw several booths already set up and matching familiar faces. In any other circumstance, she would've run off to each one of them to catch up. Before that, however, she had some duties to attend to.

In the distance, she could see a booth that bore the kanji for the Tenth. It seemed to have been a wise decision to trust in her Officers. Speaking of which... Celes approached the stand to check on them. Among them were two of her Seated Officers, Seijuro and Aya, who seemed to show off some of their skills to impress the graduates. It was certainly a pleasing sight. The third among them was one of her newly admitted Officers, Benjiro Hiroto. Being somewhat of a new graduate himself, Celes was sure he could connect with the fledgling Shinigami who had yet to choose a camp.

Finally, within earshot amidst the loud music, Celes called out to her Officers. "Hey! Sorry I'm late!" A crimson blush of embarrassment tinted her cheeks as she nervously scratched her scalp. The short scuffle between the two Seated Officers almost immediately died down as they turned to Celes and smiled, speaking nearly in unison. "Welcome, Captain Celes!" The Captain grinned a little in response. These two were veteran Officers. They already knew how Celes ran her ship so they were used to her carefree attitude.

The Captain's eyes briefly rose and then sank, scanning the booth that they had made. Gently tapping her hand against it, Celes grinned. "Excellent work you three. This combined with a display of our skills..." She'd pause for a moment, tapping her shoulder. "...I'm sure that many will consider joining our family!" She'd give each one of them an approving look. "Well keep at it but remember to join in on the fun as well. Me personally? I can't wait to see the fights that the Eleventh may have in store for us." She chuckled softly. 

Turning on her heel, Celes' eyes darted to a rather new face. The representative of the Kidō Corps. "Huh. So, they are here too?" In truth, Celes had very few interactions, if any at all, with them. Even as a Captain she only had so much information about them. They were an elusive group that worked under the Central 46 themselves. Given their name, most of them were Kidō specialists. Needless to say, Celes was immediately intrigued to see what they had to offer. After all, she didn't really care what Division these new recruits joined. As long as they could do their best, she'd be pleased with any outcome.

She'd briefly turn to her Officers and smile. "I'm gonna go and check out some of these other stands!" Leaving them to their own devices, Celes made her way over to the Kidō Corps stand. Much like herself, the representative had a distinct green hair color though Celes' was a bit paler. Nevertheless, it'd be something to break the ice over. As she approached the stand, she'd wait close by the Shinigami asking his question. Overhearing part of it, Celes couldn't help but grin. It was a fair point and perhaps this would give her a glimpse into the demeanor of the Kidō Corps. 

[Benjiro Hiroto]

Benjiro's eyes were fixed on the intense sparring match between Seijuro and Aya, his mind filled with wonder and amazement at the sheer skill and grace they displayed. Their movements were fluid, like water flowing down a stream, and their strikes were precise, like the sharp blade of a sword, but each blow was powerful, like the crash of lightning. The sound of metal clashing echoed in front of the kiosk, each impact punctuated by a burst of reiatsu as Seijuro's deadly glaive, growing sharper with every swing, struck against Aya's reiatsu gauntlet, showing off her mastery of the Bakudo arts. 


As the two warriors exchanged blows, Benjiro couldn't help but feel a deep appreciation for the sheer artistry of their combat. It was a dance, a beautiful and deadly dance, that required perfect harmony between body and soul. Despite his distaste for conflict, a part of him was beginning to realize that combat in and of itself is only a method of causing harm and conflict, as he could feel nothing but joy and camaraderie between the two of them. It was as if this combat was beneficial to their relationship overall. He felt enthralled by the performance, lost in the beauty of the moment, and he wasn't the only one. The small crowd of fresh graduates only grew as their skirmishes grew more and more fierce, each clash getting closer and closer to causing harm, but they never waivered. 


Benjiro felt as if nothing could cause him to stop paying attention to what was unfolding before him, but suddenly, his focus was broken by the arrival of Captain Celes. She stepped in front of the kiosk with a warm smile and an apology for her lateness. In response, Benjiro rose to his feet and stood tall, bowing deeply in respect, though comically low once more, as was expected of him. "Welcome, Captain Celes!" he called out, following Seijuro and Aya's example, who promptly stopped their presentation as soon as she arrived. His voice was filled with reverence and admiration for the leader of the 10th Squad, and the fresh graduates also stared up at her in awe.



Then came her praise, commending the three of them for their job well done, giving each of them an approving look as she said that more would undoubtedly join their family soon. In the presence of Captain Celes, Benjiro felt a sense of humility and gratitude completely wash over him, the gentle giant beaming with pride at a job well done even though he barely did anything so far. Still, he couldn't help but feel like her poise and empathetic nature were a testament to the strength and wisdom of the Gotei 13, and he felt honored to be in her presence. She then urged the two seated Shinigami to continue their demonstration before saying that they should also join in on the fun, with their Captain stating that she was excited for the fights of the 11th squad. 

As Captain Celes spoke, Benjiro felt a sense of conflict rising within him. On the one hand, he felt an urge to stay by the kiosk and continue to watch Seijuro and Aya's performance, their battle only heating up and drawing more and more attention to the squad, but on the other hand, he felt an inexplicable urge in the back of his mind, encouraging him to explore what the other squads had to offer. This was a rare opportunity to see the skills of each and every Squad in the Gotei 13, and he didn't want to miss a chance to learn and broaden his horizons.



With a deep breath, Benjiro had  made his decision. He left the kiosk behind and explored what the other squads had to offer. It was with a sense of excitement and anticipation that he made his way towards the Kido Corps, the Squad he wished to have join had the 10th not been an option. But as he walked, his attention was drawn to Squad 4 not too far away, and he felt a sudden urge to visit Father Gestalt and show him his recently imprinted Zanpakuto. He wanted to thank the priest for his help and support, and he felt like this was the perfect opportunity to do so.



So, with a sense of purpose, Benjiro made his way towards Squad 4, eager to share his newfound skills and show his gratitude to the priest. As he walked, he felt content, knowing that he was taking part in the celebrations and festivities of the Gotei 13, and he felt proud to be a part of such a great organization. It wasn't long before he arrived before Zadkiel and Father Gestalt, talking to a fresh graduate that Benjiro didn't recognize. In any case, he would wait for a free moment to express how he felt. "Gestalt! Sorry to bother you and Zadkiel while you're busy, but I just wanted to show you the fruits of our labor." He unshackled the sheath from his Shihakusho and showed off his the new form of his former Asauchi turned Zanpakuto. The sealed blade was slightly longer than the original, with prayer beads attached to the bottom of the hill.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

After the kiosk dedicated to the Eleventh Division was properly set up by both she and the officers under her command, Kimiko would find herself observing the rest of the courtyard with a bit of a smile. It had been quite some time now since she had last visited Shin'ō Academy. She wasn't quite sure of how long it had been since she came here, but she most definitely could say that more than a decade had passed since then. In spite of this, the building appeared to be just as it had always been when she attended it. The courtyard itself was just as spacious, allowing droves of students to pass through it without any notable difficulties, and the building did not seem to have changed either. Perhaps she should had been expecting this, especially given that the Academy highly valued the history behind its creation, but nevertheless, it was more than enough to tickle her nostalgia just a little bit. Maybe, one day, she will find herself wandering around the halls again just for the hell of it.

The Academy itself wasn't the only thing that she observed, of course, seeing as there were also the students that wandered the courtyard. They themselves did not differ greatly from those Kimiko had met back in the day. Just like the ones she had met back then, their age varied greatly between young and old, and the number of male students equaled the number of female students. Well, at least they did in the courtyard for the time being. With that said, the Captain could see that the shine which she often observed in the eyes of her fellow students back then was missing in a few of the students. In fact, those specific people looked downright militant in aspect, more serious with a distinct frown that caught the superior's attention to a certain extent. It would appear that there were some people who remembered the demonic assault and its consequences, and that these same people had decided to become Shinigami. In a way, as awful as it may seem, it was something Kimiko made sure to keep in mind. That kind of anger was what the Eleventh needed in its ranks.

And then, there were the other kiosks, the ones which had been set by those who were from the other Shinigami divisions. By the time Kimiko had begun to analyze them, it seemed as though, so far, only the Fourth, the Tenth, and the Thirteenth were present, and surprisingly, she appeared to be the only Captain who had actually decided to show up. You would think that Captains would actually try to come to these events, especially given that there was no better representative for a squad than its own leader, but Kimiko guessed that they were simply too busy, much like how they were too busy for the last recruitment event too. Celes alone was one fair example of that, as she was often extremely busy trying her best to better the defenses of the Soul Society. Well, at the very least, that is what Kimiko believed she was doing. Hell, she herself was quite busy more often than not, especially with everything she has had to do for Nijūkan lately in order to assure its betterment.

There was another kiosk that was in the courtyard, one that Kimiko had actually not been expecting to see around here and thus found herself staring at in slight disbelief for a moment. It was owned by those of the Kido Corps. As much as the Captain of the Eleventh hated them for their preference for the magical arts, she had to admit that she thought of their presence here to be rather unfitting. More often than not, those from that side of Seireitei typically ignored any activities that were being held by those from the main squads, including meetings between Captains. In other words, they were most often reclusive and tended to keep to themselves, something which naturally pushed them away from the other squads. Their duties being as they were, perhaps this was normal, but it nevertheless made their presence here once again strange. Kimiko could only suppose that, much like all of the other squads, they have lost a lot of people during the demonic invasion and now needed a few more wizards and witches to fill up their ranks. Amazing.

In any case, the Captain's observations would end shortly after she found herself looking at the numbers the kiosks were attracting to them. From the looks of it, it appeared as though the Fourth Division's kiosk was the most popular. The sight was enough to bring a smile out of Kimiko. With all that's happened lately to the Soul Society, it had become clear that they needed more medics than ever before, so she was glad to see that those of the Eleventh will be able to trust those from the Fourth just a little bit more. Hopefully, at least. There are still some bad apples within her squad who tend to treat them as they have done in the past, and it was rather tiring to deal with them every now and then. Fortunately, Binita wasn't one of those bad apples, as judged by the way she hummed in surprise at the sight of the Fourth's kiosk. "Oh wow, look at that! I didn't know so many people wanted to be doctors," she noted as she stared at one of the kiosk there, specifically the one who appeared to be some sort of priest. For some reason, the man had activated his Shikai, as noticed by the unconventional nature of his weapon and the rise of spiritual energy around him. "I don't know what's the deal with him, though. Like, won't his Zanpakuto be mad at him for doing that?"  

"I guess. It depends on the spirit, though. In my case, Shizukakane would've been fine with that, but Taishokukane... Definitely not," Kimiko would answer as she stared at the man from afar. Admittedly, she too was a bit puzzled by the man's use of his weapon, as it wasn't really normal for someone to release their Zanpakuto when it was not really needed. In her case, should she had released Taishokukane around here for no other purpose but to do so, she would most likely have heard about this for at least a few weeks without stop. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to question the priest about this. If that's how he wants to use his weapon to get people to his kiosk, then so be it.

Before she could actually speak her mind about how the man was handling his Zanpakuto to Binita, however, a number of students would then head towards the kiosk of the Eleventh. The students themselves were a mixture of those she had been observing throughout the courtyard thus far, and unsurprisingly, they appeared to be of the tougher and more serious variant. With that said, there was one exception to this rule. That exception was a young woman whose hair was of a bright pink and whose eyes were of a bright gold. Although she was not wearing anything out of the ordinary for a female student of the Academy, she almost seemed to be shining. "Hello, hello! Are you guys from the Eleventh?" She would say as she looked at the training dummies and the sparring ring with what appeared to be shocking excitement, until she then blinked and looked back towards Kimiko with a big smile. It seemed she somehow hadn't noticed that the squad's Captain was standing before her. "Ah, I'm very sorry, taichou! My name is Moriko Ka! It's very nice to meet you!"

Kimiko would stare at the girl for a moment, unsure as to how exactly she was supposed to react to this. This girl... reminded her of somebody else. She wasn't quite sure of who that somebody else was supposed to be, but the girl's behavior, the shining, and her name all reminded her of something truly awful. For now, though, she could not say of who that person other person was supposed to be, and so she decided to merely focus on this one for the time being. Whether this decision was for the better or for the worse was still to be seen, as her subordinates were already beginning to stare at the girl like they were looking at an alien. Binita was worse, as she was staring at the girl with a look of pure cringe, something that Ka didn't seem to notice or presumably care about. "I, uh... Right. Nice to meet you," Kimiko would eventually say before taking a deep breath and giving the girl and her friends an energetic smile. "Anyway, we of Jūichibantai are happy to have you all at our kiosk today! Feel free to use our dummies and our sparring rink, and if you have any questions, each of us will be happy to give you a good answer for them all! Isn't that right, guys?" 

The other soldiers would then raise their arm with energy in spite of Ka's strange introduction , promptly then welcoming every men and women who came to the kiosk as well as they could with a good cry. Needless to say, the energy they shared was enough to cause the visitors to hum, impressed by it all. Ka herself seemed to be quite ecstatic, or at least as ecstatic as a person like her could be, given that she was now clapping quite quickly. "Ooooh, cool, cool! I'm sure this'll be fun!" She would exclaim then, causing those of the Eleventh to somewhat cringe again for a split-second before they returned their expressions to their energetic selves. Hopefully, the other visitors won't be as strange as this girl was to them.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Used}
Technique Name: Akuma no Ishi (剃るかんめき, "Demon's Will")

Technique Type: Other | Strength of Will Buff

Technique Element: None

Usable by: All races

Class: 3

Technique Reiatsu Cost: N/A

Technique Description and Effects

The projection of one's own will to empower the hearts of others. The user channels the strength of their very soul within themselves before shouting it out, most typically either in a short inspirational speech or a motivational war cry. By accomplishing this, the user is capable of bringing forth the Strength of Will skill of all of their surrounding allies by one point for the next three posts, inspiring them to go further beyond towards victory even if such a thing may cost their lives. A master of this skill is said to have such a powerful will that they are able to instead bring the aforementioned skill of their allies up by two points.


Drawbacks & Weaknesses

As saddening as this may be to those who may be interested in learning this technique, not everyone is born with a powerful will. That is simply a natural, uncontested fact that cannot be refuted even by the greatest minds there is in this world. In so doing, it is not difficult to imagine that this technique will not always show any kind of positive effect onto the people surrounding them, especially if they are used by naturally-uninspiring individuals. In order to guarantee this technique's proper success, the user must possess a 2 in at least one of the following skills: Acting, Charisma, or Strength of Will. This technique can be executed by those who have a lesser version of these skills if they so will it; however, upon execution, there will be a 50% chance of this skill failing to provide any kind of inspiration to allies altogether.


Made by: Nakajima Kimiko

Reserved? : No

[Ishikawa Seiji]

Had he been fortunate enough to maintain his sight, the Kido Corps Lieutenant was all but certain he would have marveled at how few Squads had seemed to turn up, or at least not just sent a few unseated that they didn't give a single damn about. Then again, that felt like much of the Gotei 13 in a nutshell, a majority that just sought a paycheck and to remain in the Seiretei. To avoid fighting at all costs, despite them all being specifically trained to do so, unfortunately such an option wasn't really available anymore. His own loss of sight and subsequent rapid promotion could attest to that fact, let alone the sheer loss of life he had witnessed time and time again from demons slaughtering anyone that got in their way. No Rukongai citizen in their path had been spared from being ripped to shreds, even with his limited capabilities, he knew fewer of the strongest within the Gotei had even bothered to turn up. What a shame, yet at the same time, how predictable.

Perhaps that was why, even as he felt and heard the careful steps of someone approaching him, he caught a nearby flare. Slight, but enough for him to distinguish just who it was, as well as another nearby of similar strength. One was that of a Captain he hadn't met and the one more familiar to him was that of Kimiko, it had been quite some time since he'd last seen her. Of course he'd heard about her promotions through word of mouth, though time as of late had been short and he suspected, his use of "magic" might have something to do with her lack of further contact with him. Still he thought she was wrong, but now wasn't the time or place to state such things, not in an area where he could end up put in a cell overnight for accusing a Captain of something he shouldn't. Chaos was all fun and games, but his was often planned, rarely did he bother doing so on a whim. The potential risks simply weren't worth what he was attempting to accomplish, but that meant building up his own power even more first. For the moment however, the Lieutenant let his reiatsu flare ever so briefly but not to as cause harm, simply to alert those around him that bothered to check.

Sure what he released wasn't all he could do, not by a long shot, but it might keep away those few students that would be intimated by such power. They would be of no use to the Kido Corps when many flung around powerful Kido twice their size on a regular basis. The one that had approached him however, seemed a little bit different from the typical type. So he'd indulge them, even if part of it was kind of his job. "I mean if it was, I'm sure ya wouldn' be askin' me would ya?" If the other wanted common questions answered, well he would have just sent them back to their own tutors. Or perhaps former tutors would be a better term, most here were graduates, even if they had yet to be assigned to any of the Gotei 13 or similar groups. Still the questions put to him were rather amusing, unlike some he was not a massive advocate for the Kido Corps above all others, it was an individual choice. Something he had little sway over.

"Nothin'. That's their own choice, ain' my place ta try force 'em an' if they change their minds, requestin' a transfer is always an option. Long as they've got the skills an' mindset ta make it work, no reason not ta accept 'em." Hell he had accepted a few just like that over the past few weeks, a few wanting to prove themselves with Kido over other aspects, even if they still trained everything else. It wasn't all flinging spells and studying theory, but the outward perception that it was just that, worked very well to their advantage. It kept away all but the most persistent. "Depends, ya interested in joinin' or jus' tryin' ta get information? Either way still comes down ta choice, ain' mine ta make, o'course I can show ya some of what we do, what ya might get ta learn. Can even spar wit'cha if ya want, but what we do ain' like the Gotei 13. Well... paperwork sure is, 'sides helpin' with patrols when they need extra help we ain't bothered all that much 'less the Central 46 wanna bug us fer somethin'." It ended with a shrug, what the other did was their own choice, he had joined for his own reasons. As had many in the Kido Corps, the question was why this one was so curious. For what reason were they looking to potentially join?

[Mamenoka, Utsukushī]

"Unless Central 46 wants to bug us...?" Utsukushī stared blankly at the lieutenant, bewildered for a fraction of a second. He regained his faculties quickly though. He felt as though he’d allowed an awkward moment of time to pass before he could form a thought worthy of delivery to his lips. He hadn’t expected to hear this from an officer. This man was far more informal than he thought a Thirteen Court Guards second-seat could be.

Utukushī picked up on what could only be described as an unmistakable resentment. Further still, it target was one of Soul Society’s highest institutions. This lime haired man voiced this in front of everyone within earshot. The unabashed bravery, the audacity, made the barely there hairs on the back of Utsukushī's neck stand up. Was this man mad? Or perhaps life among the Thirteen Court Guards and Kidō Corps just wasn’t as uptight and proper as he believed them to be? That would definitely make his life’s mission more manageable, even if only a little. Once more, it seemed as though a potential recruiter may hold a fraction of the disdain he does for Soul Society’s institutions of power.

A small, if not genuine smile found purchase on his face. Rather than catching, and controlling himself, the lavender-haired soul reaper embraced his natural reaction. This man, this emerald-haired lieutenant just offered “He just offered me a chance to gauge my own abilities against those of a seated member of the Kidō Corps…” He thought.

Utsukushī took a single step forward while in a single fluid motion, offering a polite bow. The bow itself an acceptance of the man's challenge. “I'll know within the first few exchanges whether holding back is necessary.” He reflected, fighting down a fit of nervous laughter. After standing upright and turning to his side and gestured for the lieutenant to lead the way. "To the West Court Dojo then?" The purple-haired shinigami asked respectfully.

“I would very much appreciate the opportunity, you truly have no idea what this means to me.” His sword hand tensed momentarily. The thought of getting just one step closer to his goal was more than enough motivation to reclaim control over it quickly. That wasn't necessary. After all, this was the Kidō Corps that was testing me. He was confident in his ability with the Demon Arts. In fact, it wouldn't be a lie if he claimed that his ability with spells was leagues beyond what he could do with his zanpakuto, or rather its shikai state. Though, he hadn't planned on giving it his absolute best, he would hopefully be able to assess how much of a gap existed between himself and a seated member.

[Benjiro Hiroto]

With a sense of excitement coursing through his veins, Benjiro turned away from Gestalt, his loyal friend and mentor, eager to explore the commotion that had captured his attention. His footsteps quickened as he made his way toward the kiosk adorned with the emblem of the Eleventh Division. There, amidst the bustling crowd, stood the revered Captain Kimiko herself, promoting her squad and extending an invitation to partake in their sparring rinks and practice dummies.

As the gentle giant approached, towering above the crowd, he didn't feel the need to push through to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Instead, he stood at a distance, content in observing the fervor that had overtaken the battle-hungry graduates vying to join the Eleventh Squad. Their spirits burned with a palpable hunger for combat, their determination evident in their eyes. Benjiro, on the other hand, found solace in the simple joy of witnessing the influx of future comrades joining the ranks of the Shinigami Corps.

His gaze meandered, taking in the sights of the surrounding area. It was then that his eyes caught sight of the Kido Corps, a division that specialized in honing their spiritual prowess. A lone figure engaged in conversation with a recent graduate, their striking purple hair capturing Benjiro's attention. Curiosity flickered within him, briefly diverting his focus. Yet, his heart remained tethered to the allure of the Eleventh Division. As a member of the Tenth Division, the intricacies of combat held a particular fascination for him, drawing him closer to the realm of the battle-hardened warriors.

Amidst the sea of aspirations and camaraderie, Benjiro felt a surge of eagerness and anticipation. His soul, freshly imprinted upon his Zanpakuto, yearned for growth and discovery. With a glimmer in his eyes and a smile playing upon his lips, he knew that this vibrant gathering of Shinigami was but the beginning of his own remarkable journey.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko maintained her gaze onto the many officers who were approaching her booth. It would appear as though her squad was slightly more popular than she thought it would have been. Perhaps it was because of Moriko Ka's presence near the booth; after all, as... challenging her personality was to the Captain's soldiers, she did seem to have quite the effect on the rest of the students in the courtyard. It was reminding said Captain further and further of another person she had seen before a long time ago. However, as she watched these people come along, the swordswoman couldn't help but think that there was something else to the matter, something more concrete and admittedly more pleasant to think about. That something was, in all actuality, quite the simple idea: interest for the Eleventh Division had been raised due to the work she has put into managing it, both as its Captain and as the master of the dojo that is most commonly associated to it.

The Eleventh Division's history was not one of beauty and grace. If anything, since its very inception, it has mostly always been perceived as a tribe of madmen and madwomen whose sole purpose was to do war and nothing else. This was maybe to be expected from a division that was sometimes referred to as the Attack Squad, as it would not to compose such a division with people who did not want to attack, but it had certainly created a kind of reputation for its members that eventually led to them being almost outright rejected by the rest of the Soul Society. Even now, Kimiko could remember some of the nicknames that had been ushered behind her and her division's back, and sometimes even in front of their faces. Brutes, gorillas, savages. One time before her Captainship, she even heard someone refer to her squad as "the absolute shame of Seireitei" and as "wastes of space that just happened to be good enough Shinigami to become cannon fodder".

Those had not been good times. That much was quite certain. It reminded her that, in spite of her enjoyment of her time within the ranks of the Eleventh Division, she was still considered as a sort of barbarian by the rest of her peers outside of it. Given her career as a Shinigami, it was doubtful that her colleagues within the upper administration of Seireitei had changed their minds about that. She had slain countless enemies, many of which in quite the brutal fashion, and she did like combat, perhaps more so than quite a fair bit of even her own subordinates. However, as she witnessed more and more students of the Academy come to her booth today, she felt that this reputation had changed. The people did not fear them. At least, the grand majority of them feared them less. They did not think of them as lesser beings. They did not think of them as mere bulls to send to the slaughter, or savages that were better avoided than spoken to. No, these people came forward and they spoke to her and her subordinates.

It had taken a while for this to occur, but to see it happen now after everything that Kimiko has tried to accomplish over the last few years was nothing short of satisfying. It was just nice to see that the Eleventh Division was being treated more equally now that Francis Grin's time - or rather, the time during which he apparently held the position of Captain without being there - was fully over. Even if that equality was created by the anger the common folk of Rukongai shared between one another as they further and further realized their shared weakness against the enemies of the Soul Society, even if that equality was created solely because Kimiko founded Nijūkan and therefore had potentially proven to these people that she was not a selfish person who cared only for herself and her thirst for battle, that was all just nice. It was always better to be treated as such than to be treated miserably by everyone around you, after all.

Thus, satisfied by this realization, the Captain continued to manage her work at Eleventh's booth. She would welcome further students and officers alike as they came to see what the Attack Squad had to showcase them. As to be expected, much of the activities it had to offer centered themselves around combat, but there were also a few of the people here who instead simply preferred to converse with Kimiko and her subordinates. As the master of a dojo, the Captain had done this plenty of times before with the people of Rukongai, so it wasn't really anything of the ordinary for her, but it felt a bit surreal to do the same with that she believed didn't appreciate the work of the Eleventh as much as everybody else. Not that it bothered her. It didn't bother her at all, in fact, and it didn't bother her subordinates either. Seeing them converse casually like this was definitely a change of pace that Kimiko liked, even if she was never bothered by the usual intensity that they showed back at their barracks. Not that they were not a bit intense, of course. They did have the kind of energy to expect from someone of the Eleventh. However, it wasn't as overwhelming as usual. It was a bit more welcoming, perhaps in an enjoyable way... like the kind of energy that Siegfried showed back at the barracks. Well, when he was around, that is.

After a time, Kimiko found herself simply observing the booth and the rest of the courtyard once again. It appeared as though she had reached a sort of pause in-between her conversations, and that her subordinates were all busy either speaking to the people coming to the booth or managing the sparring rink. Shockingly, they were even able to handle Moriko Ka, even it was clear that every single word that came out of her mouth was enough to make them all cringe at once. The Captain did not dislike this. Well, she disliked Ka to a certain extent, but she didn't hate this little moment of inactivity. As much as it was fun to talk to so many people at once, it did become a little bit overwhelming to repeat the same thing after a while in such quick successions, maybe even a little bit exhausting. It was one thing to teach the same lesson multiple times throughout the span of day back at the dojo, and another to say the exact same phrase throughout the span of less than a few minutes.

It was during this idle observation that she would notice that a man was approaching her booth. In normal circumstances, she would have simply considered him as yet another Shinigami officer who wanted to take a look at the booth, but something about this one person struck her as a little bit unusual. This was most likely due to his appearance. She was not one to judge a book by his cover, but this one sure looked strange. He was a tall man - much taller than the majority of the people who were within the courtyard at this present time, including herself - and he harbored the face of a warrior who had seen strife in his past. The scar on his forehead and the oddities that were his empty eyes said as much. Then, there was the green haori he wore over his Shihakusho. She could not quite explain why it appeared as such to her, but somehow, it conveyed many things to her that she did not often witness from Shinigami officers. It conveyed peace, devotion, spirituality, the principles she has commonly observed from many monks and other people of religion throughout Rukongai.

At first, the Captain said nothing. While the man was approaching the booth, it didn't seem as though he was intending to directly converse with her at a glance. However, she would eventually notice that her subordinates already had her hands full, and so she was the only one available to speak to him. Upon noticing this, she would find herself completely turning her attention towards the man. Once he was at the booth, she would approach him and greet him properly. "Welcome to our kiosk!" She welcomed with the friendly and energetic smile that she usually displayed whenever she taught lessons at her dojo. "You're free to use the dummies or wait at the queue for the sparring rink! Honestly, I didn't think there would be so many people around. Maybe I'll add one or two more rinks next time." After this was said and done, she analyzed the man again. From afar, he already looked quite striking, but from up-close, that feeling was even more omnipresent. With that said, she did not remain silent for long, as soon, she would cross her arms and attempt to take on a more casual approach to her conversation. "Are you one of our most recent graduates? I haven't seen you around before."

[Mamenoka, Utsukushī]

The sounds of unfamiliar voices speaking of a queue for a sparring rink found home in Utsukushī’s ears. As though waking from a dream, the young death god’s eyes blinked once, twice, and then three times in quick succession. The feeling one gets when having an epiphany washed over his body instantly making the tiny hairs on his arms and neck stand on end.

“Wait, what the hell am I thinking!” The mauve-haired shinigami thought to himself, the realization that he was being arrogant and irresponsible set in on him like a ton of bricks. “Why would I attempt to weigh my skills against such a highly seated officer so soon after graduating?” His thoughts formed quickly as though they’d been rushing to catch up with his body all along. “Why not play it safe by facing other graduates and the unseated where I can better control possibilities? No doubt there would be missions that allow me to gauge the abilities of higher seated officers without the risk of showing my hand.”

It was at that final thought that Utsukushī stopped in place, turned to the Kidō Corps lieutenant and presented an alternative course of action. “I think it would be less intimidating for me to instead show my skills while combating other graduates don’t you think? The respect I hold for seated members of the Gotei Thirteen would likely slow my swordhand.” It then dawned on him that the words he spoke were only half a lie. Even if this emerald-haired man were to see through him, it’d be a blind guess as to which part was true.

“There is a sparring event. New graduates, potential members of any and all squads will be showing off.” The androgynous warrior continued. “I highly suggest you watch me along side my peers.” He turned from the lieutenant and began to make his way to the sign-ups. It was easy enough to trace the source of the excitement. It was none other than the Eleventh Division kiosk.

The energy here was electric. Each member of the crowd in this area seemed more excited than a series of mere sparring matches should merit, and yet, the moment Utsukushī approached the kiosk, he found his own core shudder with excitement. The attention of this crowd seemed to be torn between their immediate surrounds and then, some strange display at Squad Four’s kiosk. “Did…did a representative just release their zanpakuto’s shikai? Why?” He asked himself, expanding his senses to feel for the presence of hollows. He laughed to himself. No hollow would posses that level of confidence. No hollow possesses that level of audacity. Not here, not now. Utsukushī found that in a manner of seconds his attention had entirely focused on the Eleventh Squad’s kiosk.

“Unexpected…” He thought to himself, as his eyes took in all that there was to the main representative of this kiosk. “An actual captain?!”

She was currently engaged in conversation with one recruit in particular. He didn’t recognize him, but it was no surprise, he hadn’t paid much attention to his peers over the years. He had a goal in mind, and at the time, not one of them seemed relevant to achieving it. Still, this was a strange looking man, so strange looking in fact that Utsukushī found himself wondering how he’d never noticed the man before. Those eyes, so pale, so devoid of color, yet, so expressive.

Enough about that though. The violet-haired death god sought the attention of one of the other representatives for the squad by elegantly waving a hand “I’d like to join the sparring queue please.” He said softly, but loudly and forcefully enough to catch the attention of those in the crowd who were closest to him.

[Benjiro Hiroto]

The kiosk of the Eleventh Division was a swirling cauldron of excitement and fervor. Benjiro, with eyes wide as saucers, surveyed the bustling scene. Fresh graduates, their eager faces adorned with a sense of anticipation, had gathered en masse to witness the dazzling displays of combat prowess. The air was charged with raw energy, as Shinigami sparred and demonstrated their fighting abilities with a ferocity that sent shivers down the spines of those watching.

In the midst of this dynamic spectacle, Benjiro suddenly felt the weight of a presence. He turned, and there she was – the Captain of the Eleventh Division, a figure of awe and reverence. His heart pounded like a frantic drumbeat as he instinctively bowed deeply, feeling a sudden flush of fluster. To think that a Captain, a paragon of strength and leadership, would address an Unseated Officer like him was an astonishing twist of fate.

The Captain, with a friendly smile that eased the tremors in his nerves, welcomed him to the kiosk. Her warm words reassured him that he was not an intruder in this maelstrom of martial fervor. She spoke of the myriad training options available, from the waiting line for the sparring rink to the use of training dummies. Her comment about potentially adding more sparring rings in the future hinted at the Eleventh Division's unwavering commitment to combat excellence.

Benjiro nodded, his voice quivering slightly. "T-thank you, Captain! I think I'm better off just watching for now, I'm not the most skilled of fighters," he admitted with a sheepish smile. He felt both honored and out of place, like a fledgling bird amidst soaring eagles.

But the Captain's curiosity was piqued. She asked if he was one of the most recent graduates, and Benjiro nodded enthusiastically, eager to share his newfound identity. "Yes, I graduated in the previous batch and joined the Tenth Division, Captain. Uh, H-hiroto Benjiro, Unseated Officer, ma'am!" he stammered out with youthful exuberance, still a bit awestruck by the encounter.

As he continued to soak in the vibrant atmosphere, a fresh face appeared – a new graduate with vibrant purple hair. This spirited newcomer declared his intent to join the sparring queue, and Benjiro couldn't help but offer a friendly smile. "Looks like you have another possible recruit, Captain. No need to mind me!" he chimed in, his enthusiasm undiminished by the Captain's presence.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The monk-like figure who had arrived at the Eleventh's kiosk took hold of Kimiko's attention quickly enough. It was needless to say that, in comparison to everybody else who was nearby, he was most definitely among those who could be described as being the most striking, which was something that the Captain couldn't help but take note of. While she wasn't particularly fond of judging people by their appearances, she had to admit that there was a lot that could be learned from simply evaluating said appearances, and quite frankly, the picture that she once had of the man was quite the fearsome one. A tall man with a great scar on his forehead and eyes so white that they almost seemed to have no irises at all? That's the kind of description you would usually tie to a war veteran or an experienced warrior, the both of which were depictions that she admittedly was looking for at this present time. The Eleventh, above all, needs warriors... not officers who pretended to be warriors for attention.

But in that moment, the swordswoman found herself surprised as she watched the man immediately bow deeply towards her direction. It happened instantly after he noticed her, and it was very clearly a sign of deep respect for the authority that stood before him. He also seemed nervous too, as made apparent by the light shade of red that colored his face at that moment. The sheer speed at which this event occurred, combined with the man's daunting appearance, was enough to take Kimiko aback just a little bit. Truthfully, it wasn't the first time that such a thing had happened. Try as she might to be as welcoming and as friendly as possible with even the lowest officer in the Gotei 13, there would always be a number of officers who would simply almost cower before her only because of her occupation as a dojo master and because of her position within the military organization. Still, she didn't think that such a man would actually find himself amongst these people.

The man, Hiroto Benjiro, would eventually raise himself back up and properly introduce himself to the swordswoman. Apparently, like what she believed him to be, he was indeed amongst the most recent graduates of the Academy, an officer who had decided to join Tenth Division. In other words, he was most likely a visitor more than anything else, someone who came to the kiosk to have a good look at what the future held for the Gotei 13 rather than try to figure out a future of his own. He was also much meeker than Kimiko expected him to be. Once again, it seemed as though she was proven that looks could be deceiving. Nevertheless, she remained both impressed and interested by the man's presence. "Heh, well, everyone has to start somewhere! I wasn't the best fighter back then either," she would first remark in response to the graduate's comment about his skill with a chuckle. It was somewhat of a lie, especially given that she was rather well-known as a prodigious wielder of the blade even back then, but she believed it best not to mention that. "Anyway, don't bother with the honorifics! I'm not a fan of those. You can just call me Kimiko."

As she finished making that correction, the man would then point her towards another visitor to the kiosk. It was another graduate, though one that appeared to be much fresher in comparison to Benjiro. Like the monk, she too sported quite the impressive appearance, though the differences between each other made them seem like and day. Whereas the timid recruit of the Tenth Division had a body that appeared both scarred and battle-torn, the other instead appeared to have come straight out of a beauty pageant. There were no cuts or blemishes upon her skin, no imperfections, and overall, she almost appeared to be perfectly-shaped. Some would have found that to be rather impressive, to say the least, especially given what the occupation of Shinigami usually entailed for everyone in this courtyard. Kimiko, however, found the whole thing to instead be a bit overwhelming. Then again, as a member of the Attack Squad, she was not used to such beauty, or even her own, for that matter.

In any case, unlike the monk, the graduate made no attempt to introduce herself to the Captain. She would simply reach the kiosk, and immediately upon reaching the crowd surrounding said kiosk, she would try to get someone's attention by asking them if they could join the sparring queue. While the crowd covered their voice, Kimiko was able to discern hers from the rest, and upon doing so, she would find herself blinking. Huh... That voice's tone... It was somewhat feminine, like the rest of their body, but there was a hint in there that leaned more towards something a bit deeper, too deep to be generally affiliated to a woman. Eventually, as she further thought about this, Kimiko would be able to make two and two, and upon doing so, she would slightly wince as she realized her mistake.  Oh, that's a guy... Tch. Damn it. Why do I keep confusing them for girls?  Her thoughts would grunt out as she was swiftly reminded of the blue-haired Fullbringer from long ago.  Ugh, whatever. I'll ask Binita to help me on that later.

Briefly embarrassed by this whole ordeal, she would appear less bright for about a few seconds before she would eventually return to her usual self. Oh well, even if she made that mistake, there was no point for her to remain stuck onto it for too long: the only thing that's going to do is just make her awkward around that graduate, something that she wanted to avoid, given that this person could be interested in joining the Eleventh Division. In so doing, she would give the purple-haired man a light wave before she called: "No need to ask! So long as you want to participate, you're free to join the queue at any time!" Her voice was as welcoming and as encouraging as usual, the kind of tone that would expect from someone who had experience in teaching people how to do things. Hopefully, that will be enough to get the graduate to be a little more open alongside Benjiro, especially once the one the purple-haired man reaches the sparring rink.

After she finished speaking her words towards the newcomer, Kimiko's attention would turn towards one of the aforementioned rinks. It appeared as though the spar that was ongoing within it - one who pitted a woman with a large cutlass and a small man with a gladius - was about to come to an end. Due to the difference in their frames, it was rather easy for an onlooker to believe that the female fighter would be the one winning this fight; after all, she had the larger body and weapon, and so could freely take advantage of the rink's limits to prevent the man from ever getting close to her. With that said, a quick glance towards the woman would swiftly reveal that she was panting and wincing more so than the man, who generally appeared to be unharmed. Had she not touched him? Not even once? Either the woman had a difficult time wielding her cutlass, something which did not quite seem to be the case, or the man was agile enough to have dodged every one of her attacks as of yet.

Regardless of what the answer to these questions may be, the female fighter would eventually clench her teeth and raise her weapon up high before attempting to swing it down towards the man in anger. It was a careless move, one born from frustration and impatience rather than sheer confidence. In so doing, without realizing, she brought her own undoing upon herself. Taking hold of the opportunity that had finally showed itself to him, the wielder of the gladius would find himself kicking the ground behind him as powerfully as he could with the both of his legs to launch himself towards the woman. By the time the cutlass had even begun its descent, his head was already by the right side of the weapon's hilt, while his own was in his left with the blunt side of its blade directed towards the woman's legs. Not before long, he would tap the back of his opponent's left leg with his blunt blade with a big-enough push to completely destabilize her stance, and a few seconds and a yelp later, she was on the ground, groaning and with the tip of the gladius pointed at her forehead. 

It was a good spar. At the very least, Kimiko believed it to be. While she was unaware of who these graduates were and of where they wanted to go as a new officer of the Gotei 13, she felt that their strengths and weaknesses were perfectly put on display in this moment. Sure, it was most likely frustrating for the larger fighter to find herself in that awkward position, especially in front of a crowd. However, like this, she could learn how to better her technique and not get caught in such a way ever again, especially not against a proper enemy of the Soul Society. With that in mind, she would eventually turn her head back towards the new graduates that she had just spoken to a few moments ago. While she was aware that Benjiro had stated that he would prefer to act as an observer rather than a sparring partner... she did want to see how he would fare in combat. "Hey! Are you guys interested in a spar with each other?" She would ask then to the monk and the purple-haired man, doing so with a bright inviting smile. "I'd be interesting to see how you fair in combat. Especially you, Benjiro!"

Maybe she was pushing the guy just a little bit. Still, since he was here at this kiosk, he wanted him to participate to some degree. It would be nice to see how a new officer of the Tenth Division would fare today against an unknown opponent.

[Mamenoka, Utsukushī]

While not intending to eavesdrop, the mauve-haired new graduate didn’t bother shifting the focus of his ears. After asking the nameless squad eleven member about the sparring kiosk, his attention inadvertently fell onto the conversation happening between Captain Nakajima, Kimiko and Hiroto, Benjiro, less recent Shinō Academy graduate, current unseated member of squad ten. While he listened intently, Utsukushī didn’t outright look at the two, in fact, his amber eyes found interest in anything and everything else that wasn’t the two.

Most of his classmates wore freshly pressed uniforms, meticulously creased, devoid of any and all imperfections previously earned from years academy training. Every so often there would be a student or two wearing personal effects. More than a few wore jewelry such as a necklace and earrings. There were even a couple of students with facial piercings. Mostly everyone wore their academy uniform. Though Utsukushī…

His eyes fell down on his own form and the clothing covering it. Whereas almost every single new graduate here wore standard sandals of twisted and woven bamboo material, he wore his cherrywood geta complete with warm-hued finish. They offered stark contrast to his pristine tabi socks. His silk kimono, plum-colored, was ankle length and depicted surprisingly realistic white orchids. Though those were finely outlined in gold which both toned down the realism and highlighted the exquisiteness of their individual designs. The only clothing which betrayed the fact that he was a recent graduate, was his white kosode, complete with blue sleeve stripes and front housed emblems of the Shinōreijutsuin. Even this part of his uniform was left open and lose, as though it were more of an overcoat. Anytime he could wear something that wasn’t the drab uniform, he would.

“I wonder how strict my future squad will be with dress requirements?” The amethyst-haired death god thought to himself. He was met with a breeze which swayed the orchid inspired jewelry which dangled from the base of his tachi’s hilt. These were earrings, temporarily repurposed to tie together his current look. His mother would have worn the earrings normally. He stilled the swinging jewelry and momentarily fit the hilt in the palm of his hand without drawing. “You are why I carry this zanpakuto.” His thoughts continued.

Another breeze met his exposed skin. It was then that he realized that it was no mere wind, this wind caressed him with all of the ill will intended by its maker. Its source was a larger woman swinging a large cutlass about in the ring. Her opponent, a small slender man with a gladius.
The woman’s strikes are devastating, or at least they would be if any of her hits were allowed to find purchase in her opponent. Her opponent moved with too much fluidity for that to happen. It was like watching someone attempt to cut water. The man flowed and curved around his blade’s edge. “I don’t recall seeing him in the first class, then again I didn’t necessarily make a habit out of remembering my classmates.” Even dodging attacks is exhausting if you can’t guarantee you have stamina and control over your breath. This man easily had both. “And this woman…this woman is far too quick to anger. I know I too have a temper, but not like this.”

This woman’s emotions were on full display for all spectators. Was she channeling her emotion so intensely as a strategy? Was that what allowed her to channel her spiritual pressure into her blows in such a terrifying manner?

Regardless, she was too direct. Her attacks weren’t necessarily slow, not for fighters of their level, but the man she fought simply made certain that he was nowhere near the intended point of impact once completed. He was quite good at predicting her movements, so good at controlling his own movements. “If she only adjusted her timing, or adjusted her swing so that after a miss, spin would surely catch him off-” And then the woman did just that. Rather than wasting momentum pulling back her blade after a downward swing, she instead adjusted the angle of her swing ever so slightly, spinning, allowing for a second swing with even greater momentum. “The things you can do while spinni-” Then just as the man looked as though he’d be caught unaware, he made an adjustment of his own.

Rather than dodging the impending blow, or blocking it with his own gladius, he parried the strike. The sounds of metal sliding against metal rang loudly as the man spun into a parry, ever so slightly changing the path of her blade…just enough to leave an opening. The momentum gained from spinning into his parry also gave strength to a spinning kick to her abdomen, or at least it should have. The man stopped before impact. “That’s one of my moves?!” It was a small struggle to not shout that aloud, but he managed to limit the supposition to his thoughts. Who was the boy kidding, while he was good at that specific move, it was more than unlikely that he was the first death god to use such a maneuver. Or perhaps this man was one of the classmates in years past and he happened to see the violet-haired boy during practice?

The woman leapt back, apparently more startled by the fact that he hadn’t hit her than by the fact that he created an opening in her defenses. Her breathing was already belabored, but now, she was actually panting. It wouldn’t be long now, before she lost. However, seeing her struggle, Utsukushi’s mind began to drift back to dire times in years only just recently passed when placed in context of the long life of a spirit in the afterlife.


—9.5 Years Ago—

It’d been mere months since his arrival to Hueco Mundo and though he knew he’d have a tough time of it, if one could see the disheveled bruised Utsukushī now, it’d go without saying that he didn’t know it’d be this tough. It makes sense that there are just as many hollows here as there are souls in Soul Society. Still he’d already fought and slayed more than he thought he’d have to when he first set out on this vengeful quest. In all these months, he didn’t feel like he was getting any closer to his goal, yet he would ultimately decide to see this course through to its end.

Though he did his best to conceal his spiritual pressure while traveling the desolate pale tundra in search of his ultimate quarry, each step shifted the powdery sands and displaced thin rocks. The crunching sounds still stood a very good chance of alerting a true predator with ears just sensitive enough to track him.

These hollows were often like the most dangerous of wild animals, each born to simply attain the pinnacle of their build’s physical abilities. Hell, more often than not, they were literally built like the top predators from any number of the human world’s ecosystems: big cats, sharks, and even…

The whistling sounds of something sharp moving with alarming quickness caused each of the hairs on the back of his neck to stand at pin straight salute. He could see what it was, not until a trail of uprooted sand to his side revealed the position of…something he still couldn’t make out. Was it something invisible, or was it simply moving faster than his eyes could process?

As though fate decided the young death god wasn’t plagued with enough worry, another trail of upflung sand appeared on his opposite side as well. It would seem he was being surrounded. “What the f@%$?!”

--Utsukushī was pulled from his thoughts of past battles by a welcoming and encouraging voice. It belonged to Captain Nakajima, Kimiko.--

“I see, thank you.” The new graduate replied. “I welcome the opportunity to show those squad representatives present a taste of my abilities.” He began a bow in respect, but stopped himself midway. After all, she did just inform Hiroto Benjiro about her distaste for honorifics. He followed her gaze as her eyes shifted to the rink he viewed moments beforehand.

Utsukushī began to doubt whether this man could indeed defeat his opponent. Though more skilled in every way that currently counts, he did previously pass up the ability to land a detrimental blow when presented with the opportunity.

Panting, the woman angrily raised her blade to strike, this time, the man committed to completing a more decisive counter. “Why did he decide to act now? Why not before?” He thought to himself. His thoughts were once more interrupted by Captain Kimiko, this time to express interest in a sparring arrangement.

Utsukushī’s eyes carefully assessed this man’s stature, posture, and general appearance. This man was a titan among men. He towered over most of the crowd. While the mock battle that just ended proved that size means nothing to a more skilled opponent, this man was anything but unskilled. Though unseated, he still held more experience than either of the Gotei Thirteen hopefuls that just crossed blades.

“But…” The mauve-haired boy thought. “Gauging the abilities of an unseated member is far less risky than trying to do a same with a Captain or even Vice-Captiain.”

“I'm not opposed.” Utsukushī said with a calm and unwavering voice. “In fact it would be my honor.” Rather than traditionally bowing in front of Benjiro, he offered a deep nod of the head; a happy medium between the Captain’s dislike of honorifics and this man’s use of them.

[Benjiro Hiroto]

Benjiro's initial apprehension slowly gave way to a more comfortable ease as he conversed with Captain Kimiko. Her surprised reaction to his manners and honorifics caught him slightly off guard, but it was her friendly demeanor that put him at ease. She insisted that he just call her Kimiko, shedding the formalities that often surrounded the ranks of Shinigami. Her approachability was refreshing, and Benjiro couldn't help but respond with a warm smile. It was quite interesting to hear, considering Captain Celes was also fond of dropping formalities. Were all Captains this casual?

"Thank you, Kimiko, but I don't think I'd be a match for any of your officers!" he replied with a soft chuckle. He wasn't very powerful or very skilled in combat, nor did he have any overwhelming talent like many others. In fact, his one talent, his ability with Kido, was limited by his lackluster spiritual pressure. It was as if he had the skill to brew a wine most sweet, but he only had a thimble to contain it. His body was a poor vessel for spiritual energy, despite all the training he did in order to increase his reservoir. 

Still, the thought of sparring with the Eleventh Division's formidable members was both thrilling and terrifying. While he was eager to learn, he also knew his limits. Fighting in that ring would likely just embarrass himself, or even worse, embarrass the name and reputation of the Tenth Division. How could he do so when Seijuro and Aya were only a stall away putting on the show of their lives and showing their own prowess in battle? Not to mention that Captain Celes was also nearby, undoubtedly watching over the whole affair. It would have been better if he took a graceful exit.

Just as he was contemplating an escape from the potential bout, fate had other plans. A new arrival, a new graduate with striking purple hair, approached with an enthusiastic request to join the sparring queue. Benjiro saw this as an opportune moment to slip away from the battlefield, but Kimiko had other ideas. She gracefully intervened and suggested that Benjiro spar with the newcomer. In fact, she specifically stated that she looked forward to seeing what Benjiro had to show to her, and the Unseated Officer's fate was sealed.

A flush of red crept across Benjiro's cheeks as he found himself inescapably tangled in the situation. He didn't want to disappoint the Captain, nor did he want to show any sign of cowardice. While it wasn't like he couldn't say no, he figured that disobeying or disappointing a Captain would be met with many disadvantages in the future. It seemed as if he had no other path to take but the one laid in front of him. With a deep breath and a firm resolve, he shifted his attention to the purple-haired graduate.

Offering a deep nod in reply to the graduate's, Benjiro spoke. "It is an honor to spar with you as well, though I may not live up to your expectations. I am Benjiro Hiroto of the Tenth, and you are?" The Unseated Officer inquired, extending an olive branch of camaraderie as he entered the sparring ring. With his heart pounding and a spirited determination, he readied himself for the imminent clash, granting his sparring partner the privilege of striking first.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Class at the time}
Class 6
Stats:
Strength: 55 (68)
Speed: 50 (35)
RS: 90 (135)
SPPR: 55
Instinct: 40
Senses: 50 (37)
ES: 30
HE: 0
LA: 75
DA: 25

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Seeing Benjiro become less tense throughout the course of their brief conversation was enough to make Kimiko smirk in satisfaction. Although it was somewhat slower than she anticipated it to be, if only because she had made herself clear in regards to honorifics ages ago to so many people at once, she was glad to see that the tall man was slowly getting over the nervousness that was previously so omnipresent within his overall attitude. With his fear of her position out of the way, the both of them will now be able to talk to each other on a more familiar level, the very one which she preferred above all else whenever she spoke with anybody. It was just better this way, really, especially here in this courtyard where familiarity was key; after all, it would not be very pleasant for anyone - even less the organizers of this event - to experience fear during this rather-interesting social activity just because a higher officer simply decided to come and say hello.

As she thought about this, her mind would very briefly divert the other Captains of the Gotei, and how they treated their own subordinates. Admittedly, aside from Celes, there weren't many Captains that she believed herself to be close to. She had met Senshi - the chairwoman of the Eighth Division, the Funding Organization - a couple of times before, and she had also heard of Aramis, the head scientist of the Twelfth Division, the Research and Development Squad. There was also Kaen, who might as well be the interim leader of the Seventh Division. With all of that being said, she was generally unaware of how they treated their squads on their end. Ultimately, she hoped that they were not among the many Captains of the past who ruled over their piece of the Gotei 13 with an iron fist. There have been too many of these before, or at least too many to count, and the last thing they needed today was another generation of leaders followed by fearful yes-men.

Her attention would eventually be completely returned to the matter at hand, which was the next spar. With the duel between the cutlass wielder and the gladius warrior having come to an end, the sparring rink was emptied of its previous occupants. In other words, it was by then ready to welcome another pair of fighters. For now, though, that pair remained unclear, partly because Benjiro appeared to be reticent to the idea. His hesitation wasn't something Kimiko appreciated, though she had been expecting it. So far, he had already proven himself to be a rather-quiet and awkward man, so it wasn't too surprising to see him somewhat hesitate at the thought of fighting somebody else in this moment. However, in his hesitation was a catch that the Captain would notice right away, a couple of words that made her smirk appear just a little bit brighter. "Oh, no, you won't fight my officers in there. That is, unless you really want to," she would slightly tease the man first before returning to her previous friendly tone. "We put those rinks to take a good look at the potential of our newest graduates! So don't worry! Everything will be fine!"

Of course, at this point, her efforts to push the man to spar were becoming a bit evident. She was not even trying to hide her wish to see the man fight anymore. While it still remained somewhat subtle, it was becoming clearer and clearer that she was pushing the man towards the rink further and further. Some may see this as a means for Kimiko to simply get what she wanted out of him, like a child trying to convince their parent to give them the latest video game by simply talking about it over and over without stop. Admittedly, there was some truth to that. However, this was another evaluation of the man's character, albeit a minor one. To refuse a spar in this moment would be akin to showing cowardice to the next opponent in the ring. There was nothing that prevented him from refusing to spar, of course, but... the man was an officer of the Tenth Division, the Primary Defense Squad. If his only way to defend himself is to avoid confrontation altogether, then he would prove himself to not be worthy of his position quite just yet.

The Captain would await for the monk's response after she made her insistence bare, wanting to see how they would react to all of this. It was during that time that the purple-haired Shinigami would show himself. Perfect timing. No sooner than a few seconds after that graduate arrived, she had already attempted to prepare a spar between them. The currently-unnamed newcomer did not object to the request; in fact, he made sure to immediately make his intentions bare by taking part of the next duel within the sparring rink, something which Kimiko appreciated almost right away. She also quite liked the fact that the man had even taken note of her dislike of honorifics. Meanwhile, Benjiro would momentarily just stand there, taken aback by how this situation had developed. He was trapped. There was no way he could get out of this now, not without embarrassing himself in front of the entire crowd that had formed within the courtyard. Thus, eventually, he relented, and accepted to participate in a spar against the purple-haired warrior.

Kimiko was unsurprisingly quite satisfied by this development. Although she did feel somewhat guilty of pushing Benjiro so far, she was glad to see that he had the guts to want to prove himself after all, even if it was somewhat begrudgingly. In so doing, soon after the matter was settled, she would follow the pair to the rink, and then stop right in front of it to get a good look at what was going to happen next. Naturally, thanks to Benjiro's size as well as the second graduate's unusual hairstyle, it would not take long for the other people who neared the kiosk of the Eleventh to do the same. One of these people was Binita, the Captain's golden-eyed comrade who also happened to have purple hair, who had so far been busy tending to the other people of the kiosk. "Hey, hey, what's this? Why's there so many peopl-oooooh?" Her voice would trail her eyes followed Benjiro's body from bottom to top right then and there. Needless to say, like everybody else, she was just as surprised by his size. "Holy shit, how big is this guy? Wow." 

"I'd say he's as tall as Siegfried," Kimiko would answer then as the two duelists would introduce themselves to one another. Her friend's surprise was understandable, but she didn't want it to be a distraction. Unfortunately, with how loud she was when she exclaimed herself, it was doubtful that Benjiro had not heard her voice. Nevertheless, she would try to keep her from distracting the monk too much by quickly trying to turn the conversation away with another subject. "So, how did everything go with the others while I was gone?"  

"Ah? Oh, uh, they were alright. Everything went well there." 

"And that girl, Moriko...?"

"She was annoying." The words came out almost instantly in the driest tone Binita could possibly achieve. Of course, the woman knew that such an answer was not going to be enough for Kimiko, mainly because the Captain was already very much aware of how... interesting that Moriko was, to say the least. With this mind, she would follow these words with what appeared to be a mixed expression of hesitation and frustration, and then a huff. "Ugh, fine. For a graduate, she was actually pretty good. Hell, I'm not gonna lie to you, Kimiko: she kicked the asses of, like, four people before those two showed up." She would gesture towards Benjiro and his opponent in that moment with a quick flick of her head in their direction before she would look at her friend again before pouting as she saw a twinkle of interest in the Captain's eyes. "Oh, no, can we not? You saw her! She's gonna fucking turn our squad into some shitty idol cult! We don't need that shit"

"Actually, we kinda do. We're still short on people right now, and someone like that could bring more people to us," Kimiko would make sure to first remind Binita in that moment. As a leader, she did need to consider their numbers, and if there was one squad around that needed more people than anybody else, it was the Eleventh. However, not before long, she would then visibly go on to visibly cringe. "But yeah, I... get what you mean..."

"Yeah! She's just too much! Just let the other squads take her!" Binita would exclaim then before she crossed her arms and gazed upon the new duelists. Then, with a smirk, she would call: "Alright, let's go, you two! Show us some good shit!" The girl certainly had quite the unflattering mouth, to say the least... but hey, at least she didn't seem to harbor any mean feelings towards Benjiro and his opponent for the time being.

Once this moment passed, Kimiko would let out a sigh, then chuckle quietly before crossing her arms and focusing onto the upcoming spar. She wasn't sure of how this fight was going to turn out. For all she knew, these two were going to try to fling magic at each other, which was something she hoped would not happen. Regardless, she retained her hopes of seeing a good fight unfold. Hopefully, it will at the very least be an enlightening experience for the both of them.

[Mamenoka, Utsukushī]

The large death god’s introduction was surprisingly humble. Today was full of surprises, all in relation to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

“Right, how could I forget?” Utsukushī said with a tone that suggested he’d facepalm himself were he not the dignified new Shinō Academy graduate he was. “Mamenoka, Utsukushī is my name. As I’ve only just graduated, I am currently squadless. With any amount of luck, after today, that will no longer be the case. I highly doubt a death god that’s already proven himself worthy of squad placement could disappoint someone so fresh from the academy.” The amethyst haired death god then offered yet another deep nod of the head. Once again, to serve as a happy medium between the Captain’s dislike of honorifics and this shinigami’s use of them.

Captain Nakajima Kimiko’s words and tone also served as a slight surprise to Utsukushī. She’s so personable, yet, the rumored thirst for violence of squad twelve still shined through, especially as she strongly pleaded, no, forcefully encouraged the giant soul reaper to spar with the much smaller violet-hared new graduate. Utsukushī almost began to feel bad for the man for having to navigate through all this pressure. Surely in the eyes of a captain, one’s reaction to pressure no doubt determined the level of respect and responsibility they received. They could choose to let that pressure crush and scrambled them like an egg or allow that pressure make them into something stronger, quite similar to how pressure turns carbon into diamond.

Utsukushī had little doubt that this man would choose to rise to the captain’s challenge in the rink. Afterall, it was only a spar, and there was no way a member of the Gotei Thirteen would ever run from something so fundamental to the institution’s reason for existing. Due to his potential opponent being a mere fledgling he was certain to view this task to be more prosaic than his usual ones. That wasn’t enough for him to outright deny the opportunity. In fact, the androgynous new graduate began to wonder if the man’s demeanor and attitude was all an act.

“I bet he’s an absolute monster even though unseated.” Utsukushī’s thoughts formed when met with doubts about the man. “A beast with and without releasing his zanpakuto though? I hope he doesn’t feel the need to release it for a spar. That’d only make it more difficult for me to slip up.” He thought back to the previous combatants. Those blades weren’t standard katanas and the base forms of the other students in his graduating class have yet to undergo changes based on the preferences of their fighting style. That would only come to them with far more post-academy experience. That or have them reforged by a master, but no new graduate is going to spend what little money they have on that, at least not before achieving a worthwhile paid position. “Can he tell I already have a semi-experienced shikai? It’s simply too risky.”

“If it would help lighten the burden of sparring with a fledgling like myself…” Utsukushī said to the pale-eyed man. “I doubt I could hold a candle to your shikai. There’s no need to waste your energy. Let’s make this a test of skill, yes?” He finished, with his best encouraging and cheerful tone. Of course, that could use far more work than his combat abilities.

Prompted by the captains movement towards the rink, the violet-haired young death god followed before walking past her and stepping into the center. The sudden move from hard cobblestone to soft, but thin, dirt layer was all to familiar to him now.

[Benjiro Hiroto]

As the tension of impending combat hung in the air, Benjiro and his newfound sparring partner, Utsukushi, exchanged greetings. Utsukushi introduced himself as a squadless recent graduate, but he was confident enough that that would change after this fight. Was he hoping to join the Attack Squad? It made sense considering how he appealed directly to Captain Kimiko, and given the popularity the Eleventh Division usually drew. He had also appeared to overestimate Benjiro's own ability since he was already inducted into a squad.

Benjiro chuckled, shaking his head, his eminently likable nature radiating even in the face of a forthcoming battle. "I would think that depends. I wasn't really the best student in my time, and my time in the Tenth has mostly been drills and orientations. Still, I will give this battle my all!" he replied, his bright smile a stark contrast to his large and imposing physique. His demeanor and personality betrayed his imposing looks, instead radiating the energy of a cuddly teddy bear.

Preparing for the challenge ahead, Benjiro took a moment to gather himself, reflecting on the lessons imparted to him by Gestalt, his first training partner and mentor in the Gotei thirteen. Despite his inherently pacifistic inclinations, he recognized that training and battle was only honored and purposeful if both sides gave their full effort and fought freely. He couldn't afford to hold back; doing so would be a disservice to his opponent and his own growth. Not to mention that his swordsmanship came directly from his training with Gestalt, he needed to put on a good show knowing the man was not far away.

With that notion firmly implanted in his mind, he drew his Zanpakuto and assumed a sturdy and resolute stance, resembling a formidable statue ready for the impending clash. He lowered his blade directly in front of him, until the tip aligned with Utsukushi's vibrant purple hair. He rebalanced his stance, making sure to keep the weight of his body equally distributed. He didn't want to be caught off-balance after all. With that, he waited. He decided to let Utsukushi make the first move, trusting his instincts and senses to guide him through the battle.

However, just as they were on the brink of combat, Utsukushi suggested that they engage in a test of skill rather than a Shikai duel. Benjiro chuckled softly, knowing that his Shikai was not even a concern in this battle. His Zanpakuto had yet to speak with him, let alone reveal his name. With a congenial smile, he nodded to his opponent. "Agreed, especially because my Zanpakuto has yet to reveal its name to me, unfortunately. Now then, the first hit is yours," he declared, all his senses primed and ready for the battle that awaited.