Telltale Heart

[Satoshi Fuuko]

Fuuko knew, as Iroka did, that the orangette did not have the physical power to stop the blonde from choking Shukketsubuki. She was painfully aware, as well, that she could probably choke the oni all day and nothing would happen. She doubted she could just choke a zanpakutou spirit to death. The simple touch and Iroka's words were enough for Fuuko to let go and hiss at the now panting oni girl.

She flashed a vee at Iroka. "Thanks, sis!" Shukketsubuki chirped with a big grin, as though nothing had happened. As though Iroka had done a small favor for the redhead.

Fuuko paced away from the both of them. "How the fuck am I supposed ta know?" She barked at Iroka. I can't use the fuckin thing without dyin!" 

"Well, the way Nenrou Funsha Jisatsu Kikai kills Anego is a sword cuts open her belly and all her guts spill from the inside to the outside. Since her blood is black, she will most likely be dishonored by her clan." Shukketsubuki said with a studious nod. "I know that I will have no choice but to disown her, what with me being dead as well." 

"What the shit!?" Fuuko barked. "I'm gonna kick yer fuckin ass!" 

Shukketsubuki squealed and dipped behind Iroka. "Death for Death. Shi ni wa shi. Nenrou Funsha Jisatsu Kikai is singularly focused. So much so that when it is activated the word Death is literally stamped on Anego's forehead. She is the embodiment of death and if she does not fulfill that obligation, she will be the one who takes the figurative ferry ride to the next life. As much rage as Aengo has, Death is still impassive and uncaring. This is the pact she made when she grabbed me with an unclean heart. This is the only compromise I could make. When she calls out Nenrou Funsha Jisatsu Kikai, she is summoning the spectre of death and it will complete its duties." 

Shukketsubuki looked at Iroka with a tilted head. "I don't know if your healing magic is enough to keep Anego's guts inside of her stomach." She said. "But maybe  you're onto something?" 

Fuuko looked around Iroka's kitchen, trying to find something to drink. She needed something heavy right now, trying not to look at her zanpakutou spirit, even as it went on. "Don't you have somewhere ta fuckin be!?" Fuuko hissed. "I'm gettin tired of all a this." She growled. "I just... woulda guessed..." Fuuko's fist. clenched. "You already know I would do anythin to protect ya. Even die." Fuuko shook as she said the words. She pointed at Shukketsubuki, who immediately shrunk. 

"Just cause I meant it literally doesn't mean I fuckin meant it literally!? It should be my choice!" 

Shukketsubuki had her hands on Iroka's hips so that she could maneuver the orangette in a way that kept her safe. She only poked out her horned head to look at Fuuko. "But, Anego... it is." She said sheepishly. Fuuko grabbed the first thing she could find and heaved it at Shukketsubuki, but it was off, obviously so that it had no chance of accidentally hitting Iroka. 

"Sis... move... If I don't gotta zanpakutou spirit than I can't gotta worry about a Bankai that fuckin kills me!" 

Munemasa Iroka

[Munemasa Iroka]

Iroka was relieved that Fuuko left off choking Shukketsubuki, although the oni girl seemed a little too jovial for someone who seemed to have been moments away from death's door. Iroka couldn't help but shake her head in mild exasperation. Iroka suspected that the oni spirit seemed like Fuuko would have been without all the anger the blonde carried. Anger was often an emotion felt when one perceived an un righted wrong. Was there a way to get Fuuko to make peace with the things of her past that filled her with such rage?

What Iroka heard next was frightening. Her overactive mind conjured up images of her sister, gutted with a terrible mortal wound. Innards spilled on the ground. Black blood flowing out and soaking the earth. A possible future of Satoshi Fuuko. Iroka lifted a hand to cover her mouth in a gesture of terror, her large green eyes wide as tears brimmed them. Shukketsubuki did not seem too bothered by the affair, though.

Once again, Fuuko threatened to beat up the zanpakutō spirit, who sought protection behind the carrot-top. Shukketsubuki began to explain how Fuuko's Bankai worked, describing Fuuko as an avatar of Death in her Bankai. When Fuuko released her zanpakutō's final form, someone had to die. But there was something that caught Iroka's attention. Something about Fuuko dying IF she did not manage to kill. Did this mean there was a potential situation wherein Fuuko could release her Bankai and still survive?

At Shukketsubuki's questioning of Iroka's ability to keep Fuuko alive, the ginger Shinigami replied stubbornly, "It is! It has to be!!" But could she for sure be that certain? The carrot-top's defiant expression faltered, fear and worry showing through. Did she really have what it took to keep someone from dying? As Fuuko and her inner spirit bantered, an idea came to Iroka. But the hammer suddenly flying, though it missed Iroka, alarmed the docile Shinigami as she screamed, and temporarily forgot her train of thought.

"CAN WE ALL SETTLE DOWN?!" she yelled, both as a means of getting attention, and giving some vent to her frustration. The thought returned. "Firstly, Shu-shu-chan, you said Fuuko's Bankai was formed because of her intention to go as far as dying to protect me, ne? Well, that's an awfully crappy way to coalesce that intention. Because if Fuuko dies, how will she protect me?" Iroka did not know whether such a stratagem would work, trying to make shukketsubuki see faults in the workings and philosophy of the Bankai's abilities.

"Secondly, I have another inquiry. If Fuuko released her Bankai, and killed someone, would that cause her to be able to seal her weapon without getting killed? Thirdly, you said Oni-chan's death would be caused by her being eviscerated. Not some mystical 'I pull your soul out of your body' Japanese RPG critical hit, no-defense-against kill, ne? Physical trauma, as opposed to some metaphysical crap, ne? If that's the case, then Shugyoku Hirenaga will do the job! I'm confident of it. It just means I'll have to learn Bankai, so don't release your Bankai until I've learned mine, Oni-chan!"

Satoshi Fuuko

[Satoshi Fuuko]

Both Fuuko and Shukketsubuki froze when Iroka screamed. She was usually so calm and cool that it surprised the hotheaded blonde and the whining oni girl. "O-Oi sis!" Fuuko began, looking apologetic. She frowned and looked away. She didn't like seeing Iroka lose her cool. "S-Sorry..." She then muttered. 

"I'm settled!" Shukketsubuki barked. Then looked at Iroka when she gave her a nickname. "Shu-shu-chan!?" She balked. "I'm... I'm not a dog! Oi! And put some respect on my name!" She insisted. "Oi, Anego! You gotta tell sis where she is, ya know?" 

"The fuck're you talkin about?" She asked. 

"Ughhhhh! Anegoooo!" Shukketsubuki whined. 

"We ain't got time for yer bitchin anyway! Answer the damn question!" She said and motioned to Iroka. 

"Huh? I dunno." Shukketsubuki shrugged. "It's like, the ultimate protection. Like, the final protection. Making up for what she failed to do in life." The oni girl looked at Fuuko then opened her palms. "Thinkin too hard about somethin ain't, exactly, either of our strong points." She said and scratched the back of her neck and flashed a pointy toothed grin at Iroka. "The sword is... kinda  metaphysical?" She explained. 

"Tch." Fuuko hissed. "No one has to worry about any of it, because I'm not fuckin usin my Bankai... ever." Fuuko snapped. She turned to start walking out of the room. "Where're my fuckin cigarettes?" 

Munemasa Iroka

[Munemasa Iroka]

Iroka's raising her voice had the desired effect. Although Iroka herself did not like yelling, at least that had gotten the attentions of the others. "It's all good, it's all good," the carrot-top said with a sheepish grin, as she rubbed the back of her head. It was a bit embarrassing, screaming like that. She preferred to use gentler, more subtle methods.

Shukketsubuki did not seem too pleased with the nickname she had been given. Which was a real pity, because once Iroka had given someone a nickname, that name stuck, at least in Iroka's head. And Shukketsubuki had been named. The carrot-top stared at the oni girl for a moment, and it seemed some thoughts were running through Iroka's head. Then a very blank expression settled on the face of the ginger-haired Shinigami, and even without words being spoken, Shukketsubuki would know that her words had all been in vain.

Iroka wasn't pleased with the answers to her questions. If the death brought by Nenrou Funsha Jisatsu Kikai was metaphysical, then it seemed no amount of healing could save Fuuko, unless said healing was also on a metaphysical level. If that was the case, Iroka would simply have to keep getting stronger and stronger, until she learned how to heal such that Fuuko would not die when she used her Bankai. Because of what use was having a Bankai if one could not use it? Bankai was the ultimate power of the Shinigami.

"You deserve to be able to use your Bankai," Iroka said in a passionate tone. "Just be patient, Oni-chan. I'll make sure Shu-shu-chan doesn't kill you when you access Bankai." For some reason, Shukketsubuki had not answered the most important question Iroka had asked: about the spot of something else amidst the rage. But Fuuko was already leaving, and definitely the zanpakutō spirit would follow her master.

Iroka said nothing, watching the blonde leave. Then her brows suddenly creased. How could Fuuko just come to her room like this, and leave? It was unacceptable! Fuuko could not leave, heck, Shukketsubuki herself was not allowed to leave, until.... With a Shunpo, Iroka zipped past Fuuko, planting herself firmly at the door. "You're not going anywhere, Oni-chan," she said, her voice sounding just a tad ominous. "Not until you eat breakfast." Then her sunny disposition returned, and the ginger-haired girl beamed a bright, excited smile.

"And now, we shall have that shotgun inkstick cavatappi gumbo!"

Satoshi Fuuko

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Iroke: 55 - 50% Gains

Fuuko: 45 - 45% Gains