Post by Nakajima Kimiko on Dec 15, 2023 14:04:21 GMT -5
There was no surprise to be felt from Kimiko when she found herself noticing the apparent agreements between her Inner Hollow and Sonzai. Her dark replica and Raphael's draconic half were both creatures conceived by dark powers whose purpose was solely to corrupt, and so it was only natural that two corruptive forces would thus find themselves becoming natural allies. Moreover, she was not surprised to see that she was more easily able to converse with Hikisaku. In a way, though the two of them differed much from one another, he and Shizukakane were both wise teachers, if not caretakers that brought about great respect from the Captain. For a brief moment, she had almost found herself wondering how the elderly Zanpakuto spirit would have reacted to all of this. She has not heard his words outside of her Inner World for quite a fair amount of time now, after all. However, as she found herself staring at both Hikisaku and Sonzai giving each other most prominent glares, her focus would be returned almost immediately. Now was not the time to think about such things. Now, instead, was the time to create a plan.
The taijitu is composed of a light half and a dark half living in harmony. That was something that was known to all who were of, at the very least, the classic spherical symbol which has now existed for ages, and of course, Kimiko was no exception to that fact. However, several times throughout her Shinigami career after she had developed Taishokukane, she was invited by Shizukakane to further study the composition of the symbol as well as its meaning as they enjoyed their matches of shogi. At first, she admittedly did not quite understand the significance of these conversations, given that there was nothing she could gather from it then beyond the fact that she had a kind spirit in her white blade and an angry spirit in the black blade. Yet, once it was revealed to her that she was a Vizard, a warrior who was capable of generating both light spiritual energy and dark spiritual energy... she began to understand why the matter was even brought up to begin with.
The light half of the sphere represents harmony and life, the will to exist. From a particular perspective, it is effectively what allows all things to properly go on through their lives and afterlives. In contrast, the dark half instead presents chaos and destruction, the will to cease to exist. In other words, it is death, what allows all things to eventually move on from life. If one were to analyze the world as it currently functioned, then they would realize that almost every single thing worked this way. The cycle of souls, for instance, is intrinsically reflected within the concept of the taijitu, as it is effectively a process of infinite reincarnation up until the soul is either erased or condemned to Hell. Then, there is the Shinigami and those who wish to provide security to the people of the Living World who are all represented by the light half of the taijitu, and the Hollows and other destructive beings who are all represented by its very dark half.
Some would perhaps wonder why the dark half even exists. After all, why would we want anything but life? The truth was that, like the cycle of souls, too much life can be just as terrible as too much death. A clear example of this matter would be the case of the stereotypical fauna ecosystem of a forest. If one, for example, were to remove all of the bears populating a forest, then there would effectively be less Human casualties in that same forest. However, the distinct lack of presence from this predator would allow its prey to become overbearing. There would be more deer and boars and all kinds of other animals wandering about, and thus, they themselves could lead to cases of extreme overpopulation. The deer alone would cause much damage to the flora of the forest, as they themselves are herbivores. So then, at that point, should we also remove the deer? Should we, then, remove the boars? The fish that the bears also ate?
The answer to these questions is obviously a resounding no. To remove all of those things would prevent the forest's ecosystem to simply be an ecosystem. It would be a farce that would crumble onto itself in a matter of a year, perhaps even instead a mere few months. Instead, what needs to be done is to preserve the way of life of all things within the ecosystem, regardless of if one's way of life brings another to their end. If this solution is applied to the case of Vizardry and perhaps even Raphael's own case... then, in order for them to succeed, there must be a balance. Both the light side of the soul as well as its dark side must coexist with one another in order to succeed. If one of those sides become overbearing, then it will consume the other, and consequently, what the soul once was will be erased in favor of something else entirely. Hell, it is entirely possible that it will only be erased, as the omnipresence of the light or the dark will quite simply cause the soul to collapse.
But Hikisaku and Sonzai both did not understand that. Even now that they were all here together, Kimiko could see that their quarrel had caused them both to become blind to Raphael's needs. Now, instead of thinking as one, they only thought on their own, becoming evidently selfish and even foolish. Sonzai, of course, was the one who openly revealed to them all how wrong he was, proudly proclaiming his ignorance as only a being of his nature would. However, Hikisaku was not making things better with his hostility. It was a rather bothersome observation... but the Captain remained calm. In fact, she remained almost deadly so, staring at them both with her two scarlet eyes as they continued to almost glow in the dark. Meanwhile, her Inner Hollow could only snicker, amused by it all. But surprisingly, she said nothing, instead keeping an eye on Kimiko from time to time. Evidently, she was anticipating the swordswoman's decision in all of this... because she knew now that this was whole thing was not only about Raphael.
The bickering between the dragon man and the horned man continued until, eventually, something would be revealed to them all. Unbeknownst to everyone but Sonzai, the flower that he had been protecting... had been harboring Raphael himself. Kimiko's eyes widened at the sight and, for a brief moment, it would almost seem as though she was about to explode in rage, judging by the amount of spiritual pressure that suddenly slowly began to rise from her body. Even her Inner Hollow had raised a brow at the sight and found herself smirking, looking at Sonzai with the appreciation of a predator about to lunge onto quite the sizable prey. But then, Kimiko suddenly calmed down again. Hikisaku's voice allowed her to retain her patience, yet it was ultimately his suggestion that kept her rage under her control. That, and her will to see this to the end without unnecessary bloodshed. She would quietly stare at the bloodied figure of Raphael within the flower, her silence appearing almost deafening in that moment. Then, she would find herself turning her gaze towards the horned man.
"I don't think I really need to answer that question for you, Hikisaku. But before we do anything, I want us to understand a few things," she began with the tone to expect not from the kind woman Hikisaku had met earlier, but rather from an officer of her rank. She had not even said much, and yet already, even though she was smaller than Sonzai, it made her appear more imposing. In a way, it was though she was not simply demanding attention, for that would have most likely not been enough. No, instead, it was as if she was ordering the two spirits to listen to her. Whether this worked or not in the moment didn't matter to her, as then, she would find herself taking a deep breath. "Raphael's soul is probably like mine. That means that it has a light side and a dark side. The only way for that soul to survive is for its two sides to live with one another. That means no more imprisonment..." Her bright scarlet gaze turned towards Hikisaku in that moment, then towards Sonzai. "... and no more lies."
The pale Inner Hollow's smile disappeared then. She was listening to Kimiko with intent once more, taking in every one of her words. For a very brief moment, she appeared disappointed and seemed to actually harbor a glare of murderous intent directed right towards the Captain. However, much like the many times before now, this darkness then cleared as she heard what Kimiko said next. "How Raphael will want you guys to live won't be my decision to make. It will solely be his. But whatever that may be, I want you two to fight for his safety!" She called with a greater commanding tone. "I don't care how you decide to fight for him! That is not important! What I want is for you to teach him how to fight with you! I want you to teach him that he now no longer will be able to think, feel, or even breathe without you! More importantly, I want you all to become something greater together, as I have decided to become something greater with her! If you can't understand that... then Raphael will die, and there's nothing we'll be able to do to bring him back."
Kimiko would then become quiet again, as though wanting both Hikisaku and Sonzai to think about what she had told them. Evidently, she couldn't care at all about the selfishness of her demands. It was stupid of her to believe that she could literally command two spiritual beings that were not hers in the slightest, to attempt to influence them to the point that they would want to help Raphael as much as they possibly could. And yet, she didn't care, and it caused her Inner Hollow to almost stand back in shock... as her entire face began to stretch into a mess of horrifying proportions at the realization of the promise Kimiko had just made. Even the darkness of the area had accumulated behind her, if only to further put emphasis on her excitement and, perhaps, tease Raphael's spirits just a little bit; after all, she was standing right behind Kimiko at this point, and so she could not see her. At least, not with the aid of her eyes, that was.
But the swordswoman, again, didn't care. This had been a long time coming, and considering all that has been happening to her as of late, she wanted something that could allow her move onward. How this was going to translate in the coming months or years, she wasn't sure, but ultimately, it wasn't important for now. What was important, instead, was Raphael. Thus, with a deep breath, she looked deep into Hikisaku's eyes and gave a single order:
"Wake him up."
{Reiatsu : 6400/7000 | Akuma no Ishi : 3 Posts Remaining}
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
Technique Name: Jinzen: Kyōshin
Technique Class: 5 - 20 TTP
Technique Type: General Shinigami.
Usable By: Shinigami, Vizards.
Technique Element: N/A
Technique Cost: 100 Reiatsu.
Description: As Jinzen is a technique used to converse with one's Zanpakuto spirit. Kyōshin allows one the ability to enter the inner world of another performing Jinzen or perhaps allow an individual to enter their world. This in turn allows both to converse with their spirits respectfully or simply allows the two to speak in secret. Can be used with Instant Jinzen if learned, allowing two ample time to communicate in the heat of combat. Once learned this technique can only be used with one willing participant. Those proficient in the technique can be used with three. If mastered while used alongside Instant Jinzen one can forcibly bring another into their inner world or enter another's through contact for a short time(one post). This does not impact the outside world or create an advantage to those outside. For the period of time is brief and the entire exchange to an onlooker happens less than a second.
How to Use: Meditate alongside another, performing Jinzen and resonate your Reiatsu with the other, creating a link. If Instant Jinzen is known, simply resonate your Reiatsu with a willing participant.
Incantation: N/A.
Drawbacks: Stepping foot or allowing another to step into one's inner world can be a dangerous feat to attempt. One's Zanpakuto spirit may be aggressive and decide to turn hostile against the potential intruder. Also attempting to resonate with more than one other participant can be rather risky putting a heavy strain and fatiguing all those involved immensely. This technique, if mastered, cannot be forcibly used on those of higher class.
Made By: Aevus.
Reserved?: No.
Technique Name: Instant Jinzen
Class: 5
Technique Type: Cinematic
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects
Named after, and an improved version of, the classic Jinzen position, Instant Jinzen allows the user to communicate with their Zanpakuto Spirit even during the heat of battle. Allows the user to contact their Spirit for the duration of, at most, half a post. This is entirely a mental affair, and time flows differently for the user while using it. While not necessary for the Numbers techniques, this does allow one to work with their Spirits better.
How to use technique
Concentrate on Inner World, and expend Reiatsu to appear there, mentally.
Drawback
Costs Reiatsu to do, while the regular Jinzen position doesn't cost any. While time passes slower for the user while in their Inner World, they may be disoriented upon entering or exiting, due to how fast the switch occurs. Doesn't last nearly as long as the normal Jinzen does.
Made by: Taien Hadohou
Reserved? : No
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
Technique Name: Jinzen: Kyōshin
Technique Class: 5 - 20 TTP
Technique Type: General Shinigami.
Usable By: Shinigami, Vizards.
Technique Element: N/A
Technique Cost: 100 Reiatsu.
Description: As Jinzen is a technique used to converse with one's Zanpakuto spirit. Kyōshin allows one the ability to enter the inner world of another performing Jinzen or perhaps allow an individual to enter their world. This in turn allows both to converse with their spirits respectfully or simply allows the two to speak in secret. Can be used with Instant Jinzen if learned, allowing two ample time to communicate in the heat of combat. Once learned this technique can only be used with one willing participant. Those proficient in the technique can be used with three. If mastered while used alongside Instant Jinzen one can forcibly bring another into their inner world or enter another's through contact for a short time(one post). This does not impact the outside world or create an advantage to those outside. For the period of time is brief and the entire exchange to an onlooker happens less than a second.
How to Use: Meditate alongside another, performing Jinzen and resonate your Reiatsu with the other, creating a link. If Instant Jinzen is known, simply resonate your Reiatsu with a willing participant.
Incantation: N/A.
Drawbacks: Stepping foot or allowing another to step into one's inner world can be a dangerous feat to attempt. One's Zanpakuto spirit may be aggressive and decide to turn hostile against the potential intruder. Also attempting to resonate with more than one other participant can be rather risky putting a heavy strain and fatiguing all those involved immensely. This technique, if mastered, cannot be forcibly used on those of higher class.
Made By: Aevus.
Reserved?: No.
Technique Name: Instant Jinzen
Class: 5
Technique Type: Cinematic
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects
Named after, and an improved version of, the classic Jinzen position, Instant Jinzen allows the user to communicate with their Zanpakuto Spirit even during the heat of battle. Allows the user to contact their Spirit for the duration of, at most, half a post. This is entirely a mental affair, and time flows differently for the user while using it. While not necessary for the Numbers techniques, this does allow one to work with their Spirits better.
How to use technique
Concentrate on Inner World, and expend Reiatsu to appear there, mentally.
Drawback
Costs Reiatsu to do, while the regular Jinzen position doesn't cost any. While time passes slower for the user while in their Inner World, they may be disoriented upon entering or exiting, due to how fast the switch occurs. Doesn't last nearly as long as the normal Jinzen does.
Made by: Taien Hadohou
Reserved? : No
