Origin of the Medical Hana (NDE, R)

[Deleted]

--------------Two Weeks Ago---------------

Sad music for a sad time

The invasion had been fierce, and it had been instant. The arrancar had emerged from nowhere, and they had dealt incredible damage to the Gotei 13. One of the most serious blows that the Shinigami suffered was the defeat of Sozen Kuchiki at the hands of Kuroi, the Segunda Espada. Within moments of his defeat, several aides had flocked to Sozen's side and returned him to the Kuchiki manor. At the same time as those aides had been dispatched, a message was sent via Tenteikuura to the Fourth Division. It had simply stated "Sozen-sama has been defeated. Send immediate medical attention to Kuchiki Manor."

Unfortunately for the Kuchiki, this message had reached only a single person: the vice-captain of Squad Four, Hibiki Kamikawa. This wouldn't normally be very unfortunate, since he was the vice-captain of the medical division, but he was in the middle of a pitched battle with a Numeros at that point in time. This made it rather difficult for him to respond to that call to aid immediately. The other members of the Fourth Division were evacuating to the barracks of Squad One at that point, and Ishi-taicho was busy ensuring the safety of everyone en route. The call was heard by Hibiki, and Hibiki alone would be able to respond to it. He defeated his opponent, and headed for Kuchiki Manor as fast as possible. Sozen's condition had been grim, but the medic had been able to stabilize him.

Many days passed since Sozen had returned to his manor, but he showed little sign of improving. His reiatsu was slowly returning to normal, but he did not wake up. As the days went on, Hibiki was beginning to fear the worst. He came to check on Sozen every day he was able, but the man never showed signs of a return towards consciousness. It would appear that Sozen was in a coma, and indeed that was the diagnosis. Recovery from this state was possible, but it was not something that medicine or the healing arts could fix. What Sozen lacked was a vital energy, altogether different from reiatsu. It was not something that could be fixed by anyone aside from Sozen himself, and that was a process that would take precious, precious time.

Nonetheless, Hibiki made sure to keep Sozen's body in as good of a condition as possible during the bedrest. He frequently changed the position Sozen was left in so that he did not develop bedsores, and ensured that Sozen was kept in clean bandages underneath fresh sheets. Needless to say, this meant that the medic had seen some things that most women would surely kill to see, but it was just part of the job for him. Part of his mind was deeply...tempted... by Sozen's body, but these interests were discarded as rapidly as they emerged. Hibiki was a healer first and foremost, and taking advantage of a patient was simply unacceptable. Nevertheless, a part of him enjoyed the guilty pleasure of knowing he was one only a select few to glimpse Sozen's unclothed form. However, this was an admission that not even the most skilled master of torture could extract from him. The vice-captain would sooner sell his soul to Sonken Kouhai then tell anyone he took pleasure in that part of his job.

--------------Present Day---------------

Happier music now!


Many days passed in that fashion, but eventually they came to an end. Two weeks after his defeat, Sozen's eyes opened again for the first time. Word was immediately sent to Vice-Captain Kamikawa, who proceeded to rush to the Kuchiki Manor as fast as he was able. His pace was so hurried, in fact, that he had even used Shunpo to get there. Since he was not a master of this technique, he arrived in a huff, and without much breath in his body. He stared at the now-familiar mansion, and straightened the wrinkles out of his clothes. Today he was wearing his normal Shihakusho, something he had taken to wearing much more after the invasion. His Vice-Captain's Badge was secured to his left shoulder by a length of yellow silk, and a matching yellow strand held the fine garment shut.

With the wrinkles removed from his clothing, Hibiki proceeded into the manor. His pace was less hurried now, though he was still recovering his breath. He marveled at the victorian decor as he made his way to Sozen's chambers. The Kuchiki Manor never ceased to amaze him. Needeless to say, the medic had also developed a guilty pleasure for imagining what it would be likle to live in such opulence. After shaking such thoughts from his head, the healer realized his auto-pilot had taken him to Sozen's chambers sucessfully while he was lost in thought. He pushed the door open, and stepped into the room. "I see you have awakened Sozen-taichou. You have been comatose for two weeks, and I was in charge of your care during that time. With your permission, I would like to verify that you are well. It will take me only a moment to examine you, assuming you permit me to do so. I imagine that is the reason I was summoned after all."

Reiatsu: 3400/4000
-600 for Shunpox12

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - [100(50)] Points

Speed - [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [200(400)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [300(600)] Points

Light Aura - [100] Points

Dark Aura - [0 Points

Instinct - [50] Points

Senses [100(85)] Points

Energy sensory - [100] Points

Healing Expertise - [150] Points


Total SP: [1200] Points

SPOILER: Click to show

Abilities

• [Sex] {2}
  
  
• [Social Understanding] {2}
  
  
• [Charisma] {3}
  
  
• [Mixed Martial Arts (Karate and Taekwondo] {3}
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] {2}
  
  
• [Analyzing] {2}
  
  
• [Calm Mind] {1}
  
  

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Music ahoy!

"I won't be needing your examination. But thank you for offering." Sozen said. It was the first thing out of his mouth when Hibiki arrived, and it was not with much of his usual charisma or energy. It did come with a half hearted smile. But it was just that. Half hearted. He did not have the energy in his body to do more than that. He had, after all, just recovered from a coma. He looked at Hibiki, showing eyes not empty, but eyes that were, to say the least, quite tired. He was not on his way to his sepulcher. He just needed legitimate rest. Not a coma, but some actual sleep.

Sozen was dressed at the time in an expensive looking purple cotton robe that Hibiki would not recognize, which meant that Sozen had dressed on his own into something which pleased him. His bandages were brand new, recently changed. Presumably, if he had not had a Kuchiki medic do it, he had done it himself. His entire body was in bandages. His thighs, the entirety of his arms and torso, and even his neck. There were bandages wound around the center of his face too, and part of his forehead. He was recognizable, but the most part of his good looks and toned body were hidden away under the white bandages. Sozen blinked, recalling what had happened to get him to that moment.

"Sorry, Kuroi," Sozen had said. "I can't lose to you here just yet. Aka No Zechou!" Sozen flew forwards at the time, brilliant in his red overflow of reiatsu. Wings, the form of an angel surrounding him. All composed of red reiatsu. All of it coming together as he swung his sword for what would be one final big attack, and what would most probably be the attack to end the fight and defeat Kuroi, the Segunda Etapa. Kuroi had used what appeared to be the peak of his Ressurection, so Sozen had been confident that he would win when he first used his final offensive technique. How wrong he had been.

Arriving in front of Kuroi, Sozen found the sky darkened, and his reiatsu snuffed out like the flame of a candle. He had slashed successfully, and failed to achieve damage. His sword had shattered against Kuroi's body, and he had been slashed in turn. Blood had sprayed forth, and Sozen had fallen back in defeat. It was impossible, but it had happened. Sozen had vowed not to lose to Kuroi again, but had realized then the limitations of his power. He was too weak to fight the likes of Kuroi. He lost consciousness when those thoughts took him. And he awoke to his clansmen freaking out.

"He's awake! Sozen-Taicho! Are you alright?!" Sozen's eyes glanced over to the dozens surrounding his bed side. A weak smile came upon his face. "I'm fine..." he said. "Just fine." And that was all he said before they attempted to clamor over him. He was lucky that Aoi had been there, having heard of what happened. She had taken time off to nurse him personally when she could, and she told his family members to be silent. All were made to leave him alone, and stop pestering him. He needed his rest. So after Sozen had kissed his beloved goodbye, for she had to return to her work, he'd been given reports of what had happened in the last two weeks. And it seemed that he needed to extend an invitation to someone.

This left Sozen sitting up in bed, covered in bandages, and face to face with the medic. "I heard about how you treated me." Sozen told him quite sternly. Normally he was more charming about it, but charm was a thing which often required charisma, and charisma was a thing which often required the patience and energy to utilize it. Given that Sozen lacked the latter of these two things, he could not afford to be as charming as he usually would be. It was necessary for him to be more to the point, since he was injured like that. Despite the best of Hibiki's treatments, Sozen's stamina would take more time to recover, even if all the injuries inflicted by Kuroi had already healed.

Sozen held up his sheathed blade, and pulled it out of the scabbard. Half of the blade was present, but it appeared to be broken. "Did you know that when a Zanpakuto is damaged in Bankai, the damage is irreparable?" Sozen asked. "Aoi tells me that her allies will modify it. Fix the damn thing, and change it a little. Make it a little bit stronger. But doesn't that just mean that originally, I'm not powerful enough to defeat the likes of the Segunda Espada? If I'd been trying to protect anyone, I'd have failed. Aoi could have crushed him. My father could have crushed him. My grandfather could have crushed him. I guess I'm a long ways away from being where I want to be."

Sozen exhaled a sigh. "I don't need you to examine me," he continued. "I'm fine. The only thing that's wounded is my pride over being beaten by an Arrancar." He sheathed his sword again and put it down at his side. Sozen had faced a thrashing. Many Captains and other Shinigami had lost to that same Espada. And to everyone it had been demoralizing. But to Sozen, it meant more than that. To Sozen, it was more than just a matter of that demoralization. It showed that alone, he could not do what he needed to. He voiced this to the Squad 4 Vice Captain, since he'd called him in.

"I'm not as strong as my love. Or my father. Or my grandfather. Not yet. So until I am, I need allies," Sozen explained. "I've read your record, including training. I'd like to offer you a place in the Kuchiki household. An adoption into nobility, so to speak. If you're willing to accept that, it would be wonderful. If not, I understand. But if you do, I have a second proposal as well concerning your future as a medic. First thing's first. Would you be interested in my offer of joining the Kuchiki household?" Sozen paused a moment. "If you need time to think, it's understandable. You can come back later with a response if you need to."

[Deleted]

Play this

"I won't be needing your examination. But thank you for offering." "You are welcome, Sozen-Taichou." The response was immediate, and automatic. This was the formal tone that Ishi-Taichou had instructed Hibiki to use when speaking to nobles, for he normally lacked the decorum required to interact with the upper classes. It wasn't that the medic couldn't dress the part, he just simply was under-educated in the mannerisms of nobility. Because of this, he had had to memorize a series of responses, and they all seemed painfully robotic. Even as these words left the mouth of a man who was normally a master of charismatic speech, they felt lacking.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere in the room that was just draining the energy from these two. It was apparent to Hibiki that Sozen's voice sounded... defeated. "I heard about how you treated me." As Sozen continued to speak, it became even more obvious that he was in pain. It was not a physical pain, but rather one of the heart. Hibiki was an expert at understanding people, and this much was obvious to him even before Sozen continued to speak. These first two sentences had been enough for him to instantly understand how the head of the Kuchiki household was feeling at this moment. He was not himself. Sozen felt weak, powerless, maybe even worthless. It showed. Unfortunately, this was something the medic could do little about. Were this almost anyone else, the medic could offer them physical comfort that would put the spark back in their eyes instantly, but he knew that method was completely inappropriate to consider here.

This train of thought was rapidly broken as Sozen spoke once more. "Did you know that when a Zanpakuto is damaged in Bankai, the damage is irreparable?" "I did not, Sozen-Taichou." This too, was a rehearsed response. It was devoid of energy, of emotion, of life itself. Unfortunately, the medic's own tone had seemed to add to the Sozen's glumness. "Aoi tells me that her allies will modify it. Fix the damn thing, and change it a little. Make it a little bit stronger. But doesn't that just mean that originally, I'm not powerful enough to defeat the likes of the Segunda Espada? If I'd been trying to protect anyone, I'd have failed. Aoi could have crushed him. My father could have crushed him. My grandfather could have crushed him. I guess I'm a long ways away from being where I want to be."

Instinctively, the medic had reached out a hand towards Sozen as he listened to his laments. This man before him was not Sozen Kuchiki. It was merely a shell that bore a resemblance to him at first glance. There was no light in his eyes, no energy in his voice, and no life in his body. Sensing this, Hibiki's body had instinctively moved to start comforting the leader of the Kuchiki. Luckily, Sozen had just taken this as a sign that his first statement had been ignored. "I don't need you to examine me, I'm fine. The only thing that's wounded is my pride over being beaten by an Arrancar." This statement immediately brought Hibiki back to his senses, and his hand retreated back to his side. The medic also realized he had taken several steps towards Sozen automatically, and he took several more backwards in an attempt to fix this mistake. He let out a half-hearted chuckle as he did so, in hopes of disguising his actions further.

"I'm not as strong as my love. Or my father. Or my grandfather. Not yet. So until I am, I need allies. I've read your record, including training. I'd like to offer you a place in the Kuchiki household. An adoption into nobility, so to speak. If you're willing to accept that, it would be wonderful. If not, I understand. But if you do, I have a second proposal as well concerning your future as a medic. First thing's first. Would you be interested in my offer of joining the Kuchiki household?"

With these words, a flood of emotion swept over the vice-captain. He had to turn, lest Sozen see his facial expression at that moment. It would take a master of interpretation to figure out what the bizarre face Hibiki was making at that moment bent. His eyes were wide, and only one was crying. His mouth was frowning on one end, and smiling on the other. Frankly, his face looked nothing short of confused. It made sense, as the man was simultaneously awestruck by the proposal, but horrified by what it entailed. He knew nothing of noble life, but he knew he would have to be crazy to refuse this offer. Ever since he was little he had wondered what it would be like to have a good family. His mind wandered, and recalled a particularly harsh memory from when he was alive.

­---------December 25, 1928 9:33am----------

Pause first music: Change in music for the new scene

It was Christmas Day. For many, it was a great and wonderful time. Most kids were off opening presents from Santa. This was not the case for Hibiki, the son of Masu and Hisa Kamikawa. Hisa was stuck at work, despite it being Christmas Day. As usual, it was just Hibiki and Masu. A usual day for the two of them involved a lot of drinking for Masu, and a lot of getting beaten up for Hibiki. Today was slightly different, but only slightly. The differences were slight, but they were there. A small Christmas Tree was up in the living room, but instead of ornaments and tinsel, there was nothing but discarded Sapporo Light cans.

On the floor, there was the closest thing to hope that a six-year-old Hibiki could find. Amidst the piles of cans, there was but a single present with his name on it. It was a little box, no more than a foot in any direction. The child raced past his father's recliner as soon as the present entered his field of vision, and he immediately tore it open. The wrapping paper was gone in a flash, the box was open, and it contained but a single item: another damned tallboy of Sapporo Light. Hibiki's small hands reached into the box and retrieved the can. His brain told him not to, but his body wouldn't listen. The box had his name on. It had to be his! Even if it was an item that clearly belonged in Masu's hands and not his own, this one was his.

He was wrong, dead wrong. As soon as he spun around, and he caught his father's eyes. They were the eyes of a devil, gleaming with the knowledge he had just won another soul. In a single lopsided movement, Masu rose from his chair, teetered, and flopped down next to Hibiki, Indian style. "The fffuck are YOU doin' wish mah GODdamn beer you piece. of. SHIT?" Masu's drunken slur was all the warning that Hibiki needed that remember he was yet to escape this hellhole. Before his body could move, a hand came down from his side and hit him square in the jaw. He knew this pain. It was the pain of a closed fist, a punch. This meant today was an especially bad day. Being slapped and spanked he could live through, but a closed fist could mean death. Even as a child, he knew that much.

The fist did not stop as Hibiki's face though. It kept going until it struck his own tiny hand. The blow instantly made him drop the can, which was promptly retrieved by Masu's other one. As the father retracted his arm, he made sure that his elbow caught Hibiki in the temple, eliciting a screech of pain from the child. A blow to the temple simply was not the kind of wound you could just shrug off, especially not when you were so hopelessly overpowered. And yet Masu not done. His free hand came up around Hibiki's neck, and it began to choke him. The child could not fight back. His body simply lacked the strength to do so. As he teetered on the verge of suffocation, he heard two more words from Masu before passing out. "Merrrrrrry Chrishmash!"

­---------Present Day----------

Resume first music

As this memory washed over Hibiki, any sense of poise he had vanished. There was a pain in his heart as well. It was a pain that would not go away ever, for this was a pain that was a part of him. It was his past, and it made him who he was today. Memories like this were why he hated his biological father, and everything he stood for. He hated laziness and alcohol, but above all, he hated that he was born to such an awful father. When he was growing up, all he had honestly wanted was someone to care about him. His mother cared, but she was always at work. It was almost like saying you had an aunt in Florida that cared. The thought was nice, but it didn't really matter in the end.

With these thoughts came a stream of tears that the medic quickly tried, and failed, to force to an end. The offer of joining the Kuchiki family was indeed one he would crazy to be refuse. Not only would it give him power, prestige, and wealth, but he would get something more than that. For the first time since he came to Soul Society, he would have a family again. They would be a family that cares, or at least that's what the medic had convinced himself. He turned to face Sozen, warm tears still falling down his face. His expression was now much different though. Where before there was confusion, there was now nothing but sheer joy. His smile went from ear to ear, and his eyes had disappeared behind his purple-lensed sunglasses.

As soon as Hibiki spoke, Sozen felt the warmth of his voice naturally charismatic voice. "I would be honored to become one of the Kuchiki. Thank you very much, Sozen-sama." There was another change instantly evident. The vice-captain had used the honorific "sama" rather than "taichou." He was speaking to Sozen as someone he truly respected, instead of as if the man were a brick wall. "I need no time to think this over," he continued, "for you have given me an offer that I would be a fool to refuse. We can see to any formalities regarding this later if that suits you. Instead, I would prefer that we discuss your other proposal for my future, as I find myself wondering what you have in store for me."

[Sozen Kuchiki]

"The formalities are taken care of. Later you'll be asked to sign a single document, and that will be it." Sozen said. "And you'll be shown to your lodging and adoptive family shortly too. I hope you don't mind having a foster father. It just gives you perspective on your place in the family. There will be a mother too. They're good people. They won't replace your previous parents, if you had any, but they'll find their own place into your heart. They're warm people, and if you ever need advice, they are two people that I would go to myself. A lot of people frown on me for adopting people into this family. But, it's good to have allies. And it's good to have good people in your home. The only condition I'll have you undertake is that I need you to attend one of my parties later, so that I can introduce you to people."

Sozen had picked them a while back, based on people that had been friendly to him as a child. Thinking on it, he realized that there were many warm people in the Kuchiki family. They were a warm family, full of people who were good and honest. The Kawadas were a more stern and strict family, and Sozen found that this did not suit a rise to power. There had to be goodness if one was to rise and keep the power. There would always have to be goodness with strength. Warmth. A desire to keep the current family. As long as this remained, then only calamity and outside forces were threats. These would always exist, but it was better than having to worry about internal conflict as well.

"The two who will take you in are Sero and Irina Kuchiki. If you need a little bit of reference to that, you'll be direct cousins to my relative Iro. You and I will be twice removed cousins, if my understanding of family trees is appropriate." Sozen did not actually know very well how family trees worked. Once it got into distant relatives, it really did just get too confusing. It didn't matter either. Everyone was family. By holding that name, Kuchiki, they were family. And wasn't that all that mattered? Having family. Having allies. It was very much all that mattered. Sozen was rich. Both financially, and because of his bonds.

SPOILER: Click to show

"Onto the other proposal, though." Sozen said. "It's my understanding that you're a medic. We can help you improve your skills as a medic. But I've read your record. A problem is that you've got a really high combat orient to you. I don't think you can fit in at all with our current medical specialists in the Kuchiki household. You're too destructive. You'd fit in better right now with our Magic specialists or our Destruction specialists. However, I also know that this can be remedied. Right now, that's what we're going to do. I'll be needing your help with creating a special technique branch for the Kuchikis."

Sozen paused. He remembered that Hibiki probably didn't know what Hana were. Hana were a technique variation the Kuchikis only could use. And while many knew that Kuchikis possessed unique techniques and powers, especially after Sozen's takeover as head had expanded these branches, not many knew the term 'Hana.' Sozen realized that he would have to explain to Hibiki the term, and that he would have to talk about what he had in mind for these techniques. This was going to be a bit of a long winded explanation, and he knew he wouldn't cover all of the details here.

"We Kuchiki employ a special branch of Kido that we call 'Hana.' It's our Hana that allows us to work so fluidly well together. We have different specialists that all work in combination with one another based on their Hana orient. There are five branches right now. Destruction, Speed, Magic, Intimidation, and Melee. I myself use Destruction. However, lately a lot of people in the family have been showing interest in medical powers. Healing. I'd like your help with creating a Medical branch of Hana. Now, Squad 4 already has very impressive healing techniques. But I have been thinking. They aren't mobile. I need these Medical branch Hana to work well with my other Kuchiki specialists. They must be mobile and supportive. What do you think?"

[Deleted]

Stealing your music

The tears dried quickly as the medic regained his composure. He listened intently as Sozen explained the circumstances of his adoption. "That would be wonderful, Sozen-sama. I appreciate you placing me with relatives you have that much trust in. I have no parents here in Soul Society... but I still have memories of my parents from when I was alive." At these words, the medic's voice suddenly turned incredibly bitter. There was an obvious malice in his voice that did not fit his kind face. "I'm far better off without them though. Anything will be an improvement over that life." In an instant, the harsh tone was gone. It had lasted only as long as the healer's mention of his past life. "A party sounds wonderful, but I would prefer it be one without alcohol flowing. Drinking brings back... unpleasant... memories." There was a noteworthy pause before and after Hibiki's use of the word unpleasant. Clearly, this was an understatement. "What are the names of these people?"

Of course Sozen had answered the question immediately, and had then delved into a short explanation of the Kuchiki family. Hibiki had no real reference to work with, and he only knew Iro vaguely. He had heard rumors that he was the new Captain of Squad 11, but he knew nothing beyond that. He really ought to know more about the Captains of the Gotei 13, but, alas, he did not. "You'll have to forgive me for not really understanding the whole family tree bit. I've never had a family I was exceptionally close to. All I understand, is that if we share a name, then we ought to share a heart. So long as I am a Kuchiki, I will do my best to honor the name."

And then Hibiki laughed. At first it was just a slight chuckle, but by the time Sozen finished explaining the hana, he completely fucking lost it. He had expected that if anyone had understood his way of doing things, it would've been Sozen. Instead, it was the same as always. Everyone was always confused why Hibiki was the vice-captain of Squad Four. All that most people ever saw him do was fire off Kido the size of Skyscrapers, so it kinda made sense. What most people didn't get a chance to see was his talent with healing. It wasn't great in the traditional sense of things, but with his zanpakuto, his mastery of Kido was far faster than traditional healing. Slowly, the medic pulled himself back together as he was almost doubled over with laughter in front of his new family member.

"You'll have to forgive the laughter Sozen-sama," he said, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. "Ijust figured with all the research you did on me, you would've gotten some background on my philosophy when it comes to healing. Two questions for ya, but they're both rhetorical. First, what's the best way to keep someone in good fighting condition? Answer: never let them get hurt in the first place. I'm sure there was a report of my battle with the Arrancar in the records you read. I effectively neutralized a barrage of Cero and defended the Squad Four barracks without allowing a single casualty to occur. If I hadn't been there, we wouldn't have a Fourth Division today. Ishi-Taicho, bless him, couldn't kill a fly. He just doesn't have it in him. Part of what being a medic is all about is preventative care..."


Serious conversation merits serious music

The medic paused for breath before taking on an incredibly sinister tone. "And the best kind of preventative care is a dead enemy. Someone needs to defend the Fourth Division, and this invasion has shown the other divisions can't always be counted on for that. I know they had their hands full as well, but I know for a fact that our medics need to be stronger. Most academy students could kick the crap out of my officers. That needs to change. They need to be stronger. Way stronger."

He let out a sigh, and his voice returned to his normal calm and collected tone. "I'm not talking about turning them into a battle squad... but this brings me to my second question that I'll be answerin' myself. What's the worst thing a medic can do? Answer: die before his comrades. If the medic dies, there's no one left to put his head back on his shoulders. We need to be able to fend for ourselves, because if we die, then there isn't anyone left to fix it. You're welcome to call me overly destructive all you want. Someone has to toughen up the Fourth Division, and it isn't going to be Lorilad."

The medic had been meaning to get most of this off his chest for a long while. He was sick of people mocking the fourth. He was sick of people calling them weak. Most of all, he was sick of them being right about it. The Fourth Division was pathetically weak in combat. Most of their unseated officers would fall in battle to an ordinary hollow. The unranked ones would probably fall to a child that knew how to throw a punch. It was completely unacceptable to Hibiki. His jobs as the vice-captain of Division Four were twofold. Job one: heal anyone that needs healing. Job two: try to toughen up the medics. Any time he went off to spar, he tried to drag his squad members with him. They had seen high fight against several powerful foes, including Kaen, Zeich, and Raygin. Some of them had even learned how to throw a punch correctly from that.

"On top of all that philosophy, you said you've read the record on me. It must not have included everything about my zanpakuto then. The reason I'm where I am now is one of Hitsu's abilities, Red Cross. With that guy, I can turn any Kido into healing energy. A high-class Hado will take someone from being half-dead to leaving them in perfect health. It's only good for physical wounds, but it's the fastest healing method you'll find in any of the worlds. My destructive capabilities are what let me heal. Without them, I'd be stuck healing papercuts."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to improve my skills. I know I could use it, and to that end, I'll be happy to work with you. I've probably seen the Hana in action thanks to Kyomei-san and Hokori-san, but I do appreciate the fuller explanation of them. As for your assessment of Squad Four, I've already said that most of the guys have problems. I'm the only one that can really heal on the run, so I agree with you a hundred percent. The reason I'm not dead yet is because I don't stand in one place when I heal, but without my Shikai, that's a no-go. If we can devise a way for everyone to do this, then I'm all for it."


Once more, the medic's face got serious. His tone before had been calm, but it wasn't especially happy. It was cold, and analytic. This was because he had caught an important caveat of Sozen's proposal. "One problem though Sozen." The loss of the honoric was immediately notable. There was no respect in his words at all. Hibiki knew this was a dangerous ploy, but these words deserved it. "If I learn these techniques, so does all of Squad Four. They don't need to learn all the secrets of your family, but I won't let some sense of pride hold back the well being of Soul Society. 'First, do no harm.' That's the first thing we're taught in healing classes. As far as I can tell, you intend to keep these techniques to the Kuchiki, and I can't allow that. Keeping advanced healing techniques out of the hands of medical shinigami everywhere is the same as killing wounded shinigami myself. I am honorbound as a healer to share whatever knowledge you see fit to give me. That is not negotiable."

OOC: Sorry for Hibiki being a bit of a dick about this, but I realized it would be completely OOC to let that slide.

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Play this

"Don't get me wrong," Sozen said. His tone did not change from the dry, deadened one that had been a second before. It did not change, but something in the air was still different. What he was feeling inside was fire. He was not finished with the death inside, but he was adding it to his life cycle. The fire that began to burn was the fire that he would turn to anger against Kuroi later. It was the fire of the revenge that would eat away at the soul of the Segunda Espada. If Hibiki could notice any difference at all, it would be impossible to decipher. Externally, there was a change to the air. Just that.

"Squad 4 is a good squad. You've never seen his Bankai at work, have you? That man Lorilad. He can even revive the dead. He is able to enter the battle field without being touched. He is so fast not anyone in the Gotei can keep up with him. And he can kill and kill and kill. He has the capacity to rip away the lives of his enemies to revive those of his allies." Sozen complimented Lorilad, who he felt received too little credit from Hibiki. The Vice Captain, he felt, should respect the Captain more. Lorilad had not gotten where he was from doing nothing and twiddling his thumbs. No healer before him had ever been able to touch that which was death.

"But when I tell you not to get me wrong, this isn't what I speak of. Indeed, Squad 4 needs more battle capacity. They just haven't been given creative direction. But it isn't Lorilad or even you who will revolutionize them. It's me. The originator of the Hana. I am the one who will give direction to this squad. You will help of course, but when they look back they will remember me. They will remember my name." Sozen was not being arrogant, contrary to immediate thought. he was being truthful. And it was also fact that without Sozen, Squad 4 would never gain the revolution that it required.

"Here are my conditions, Vice Captain," Sozen informed Hibiki. As the Noble Head of the Esteemed Kuchiki Family, naturally Sozen had his own agenda to fulfill as well. "I won't allow these Medical Hana to fall into foreign hands. If you attempt such, I have the authority and power to take your life. You don't have the proper authority to distribute my family's techniques. So here are the conditions to it. You can give them to Squad 4 if you wish, but you must make an agreement with me. They will be available only if you can take the Captaincy of Squad 4. That's my first requirement."

Sozen was basically saying that if Hibiki wanted to distribute these techniques, then he was going to have to take over Squad 4. He was essentially going to need to get more authority. It also meant he would be a great ally to the Kuchiki family. It was an understandable political motivation. Sozen was still the Kuchiki Head, so he had to increase the power of his family and keep it influential and strong. And under Sozen, it was stronger and more influential than it had ever been in history. Sozen was confident that he could make it even greater still. Perhaps one day he would take over squads that belonged to other families as well.

"Second," Sozen continued, "I want Squad 4 to be known as a Kuchiki squad. In other words, you will keep it under the domain and name of the Kuchiki. All Squad 4 members will answer also to the Kuchiki, just as Squad 6 does. This also means healers from other noble families must answer first to their Captain, who must be you, second to their family. You must hold supreme authority in Squad 4, and it must be a squad under the Kuchiki banner. I cannot let you spread these techniques if you cannot fulfill my conditions."

Sozen was strict. He was a stern man and a taskmaster at times. Sitting up in his bed and covered in bandages did not change that he was probably the strongest known Captain. Enma was indeed strong, but never being seen did not help his reputation. Sozen had been defeated by Kuroi, but this did not change facts. The things that were going to happen as a result of this revolutionary discussion might very well impact all of Soul Society, and so Sozen planned to be on top of it. It was a political machination. He needed control. The Kuchikis needed to stay powerful. In fact, more than this, they needed to expand. Then, and only then, could goodness and the plan be realized.

"I will give you a fair warning, Vice Captain." Sozen said. This time, his voice was cold. It was the only time he surmised that Hibiki would ever hear his voice in this way. "The family comes before all else. Family is important. We are all each other's loved ones. Therefore, if you are found to betray the Kuchiki family, you know what I have to do. And it isn't so simple a matter as 'I'll kill you.' No. If you betray us, I will burn you. I'll burn the heart right out of you. Even if you don't believe you have one, though I know you do and I know you know you do, I will burn it out. The pain I will cause anyone that betrays or harms my family will be worse than any death."

Sozen spoke a truth that wouldn't be ignored. He knew that Hibiki knew. He knew that the Squad 4 Vice Captain had an idea of the ignominy that Sozen could create. The sheer pain that Sozen could inflict. He did not know of Sozen's hobby, nor did he know of Sozen's vast influence as well as he might think. But Sozen knew regardless that he knew. How could he not know? It was almost a certain and definite guarantee that he knew. That he understood that to betray the Kuchiki family that had taken him in would most certainly mean a punishment for which he was nowhere near ready. No matter how prepared for pain he was, nothing would prepare him for what was coming if he ever decided that it was a good idea to betray the Kuchiki name.

"What's the worst thing that a medic can do, you asked me!" Sozen exclaimed. "It isn't dying. The worst thing a medic can do is harm or kill those that he has sworn to heal. So I will give you a power that will allow you to heal and to damage. I will give you a power not just over life, but death too. A power that lets you take and not just give. But know this. Any power which I have given you, I myself will possess a power that will allow me to take it from you. I will tear your power away from you if for even a second you think that you can ever betray us. Is that understood?"

[Deleted]

Play this

Hibiki had known what he was getting into when he made that request. He knew Sozen sought power for the Kuchiki, and he knew that he was a pawn in that plan. This made little difference to him. He had gotten what he wanted, and the conditions for it couldn't matter less. The medic let out a whistle, and started clapping once Sozen had finished speaking. The head of the Kuchiki hadn't gotten there simply through luck, and the vice-captain admired his resolve greatly.

"You'll have to forgive the previous disrespect Sozen-sama." The words were not carefully chosen, but straight from the heart. They were serious, but not pointed. Overall, the tone would show nothing but admiration. "For what it's worth, I've seen Ishi-Taicho's power plenty. I've served under him since the days of Urya Unohana. We've spent many a late night discussing our respective strengths and weaknesses, and plenty more healing wounded soldiers. I'm not saying he isn't an oustanding healer. I know better than to claim I could even hope to match him as I am now." That last sentence had just the tiniest tinge of something dark in it. Sozen would recognize this wasn't directed at him, but rather at the healer's own weakness.

"What Lorilad lacks is something different. He lacks the will to change the fourth into something more than it is. All he wants us to do is heal, and I'm not content with that. He's well aware of this, but he can pull both rank and tradition on me if he wants. Just as you have authority over me now, so does he. I don't care whose name is in the history books, or who gets the political rewards. To borrow some of the good doctor's own words, 'I'm just here to help people.' Right now, to help a lot of people, Squad Four needs to be built back from the ground up."

"If all it takes to guarantee the aid of the most powerful noble family is letting you get the credit for it, that's fine. The history books don't matter to me." This statement came with a bit of a scoff, as Hibiki had nearly failed his history classes in the academy. "All that matters to me is doing the most good in the least amount of time. Every moment I spend here is one I could be spending turning this dream into a reality. If that reality ends up with the Kuchiki ruling over Squad Four, then it just means we might finally get a good reputation."

There was an obvious change in disposition from the medic by this point. He had let a joke slip out, and he was grinning pretty broadly. Sozen had played into his hands quite well. The vice-captain had no reason to betray the Kuchiki. Making the Fourth Division into another powerhouse of this noble family would likely just ensure the sucess over the plan. The hard part was going to be displacing Doctor Griswald, but with Sozen backing him up, such a feat should be within grasp. Something about the Kuchiki just made it feel like nothing would stop them. Once Hibiki signed that document, then he too would be a part of this unstoppable force.

"If those conditions are all you have, then we have a deal Sozen-sama. Squad Four will become the domain of the Kuchiki. I'll openly serve as a figurehead Captain, and you can have all the glory ya want. You can keep your shock collar on my dick as much as you want, but you've got nothing to fear from me. My own pride may be great, but it simply cannot be weighed against the countless lives that could be saved by revolutionizing the Fourth."

Once more the medic's tone changed. These next words were all selected carefully. Each one carried immense weight, as the medic understood that he was signing his life away with these words. "If you give me this power, the very power over life and death, there's going to be a whole lot of change happening in Seireitei. The medics are going to start being the scary ones now. Are you sure you're ready for that, Sozen-Sama?" He paused here, to give Sozen enough time for either a single word of affirmation, or to give a nod of the head. After that, he would continue, regardless of whether or not it meant interrupting Sozen. As the medic spoke these next words, there was a fire in his eyes unlike anything Sozen had seen from the medic thus far. It eclipsed even the intensity of when the medic had made his first demand of Sozen. "Then show me where to sign that document, and we can get started on winning this goddamn war."

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Play this

"It isn't about history books," Sozen corrected. "It is about power. What we are known for in history is inconsequential. It is what we will be known for in the present time that matters. It is what we will actually possess in the present time. Power! Power is the most important thing that we as a collective can obtain. You understand this about Squad 4. It needs to become scarier and stronger in order to better do its job. The Kuchiki must become a stronger force in order to keep itself protected. It must always remain on top for those that we love and cherish to stay safe."

Sozen was saying that based on the misconception Hibiki had that he wanted to be famous. If Sozen wanted fame, he already had it. One of the most elegant Zanpakuto of his time, and accomplishments with it to boot. He had defeated many strong enemies in his time, and his youth. Not just as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but as a young man before becoming a Shinigami. Sozen had fame, if he so chose. As did many members of the Kuchiki family. The fame was already there. And the fame was inconsequential. Sozen was planning on power. More and more power. The Kuchikis would never be in danger that way.

"And to correct you, Vice Captain," Sozen continued, "It isn't a war. Not anymore. It's a slaughter. The Arrancar are much stronger than we are. I learned that two weeks ago. Their Espada are strong. Stronger than our Captains. Their main attack forces are more powerful than ours. Powerful enough to cause incredible damage to our Soul Society. We know this now. If it became a full scale war, we would lose. The same is true of this new power of the Quincy. This 'Vandenreich.' Their power exceeds even that of the Arrancar. I met a man not long ago who claimed to be one of their highest ranks. Two Captains together were barely a match for him, myself included. We are already on our deathbed. It isn't a war. It's a sickness. And we must recover."

Sozen felt that Hibiki would appreciate the analogy. He was also giving a lesson to this Vice Captain on morale. It was easy enough to get motivated and say "let's win," but it was no longer the time for this. It was time, Sozen had learned, to be smart about it. First, everyone had to train and get stronger in preparation for the next invasions. This time, everyone had to be able to beat back and destroy their enemy. It was non-negotiable anymore. Otherwise the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would burn. They would fall away and be destroyed. Only once had they been truly defeated and conquered in history. And as Sozen knew, those had been dark days.

"Mark my words. The medics will not be the scary ones." Sozen moved himself out of bed, standing up. He started to walk toward Hibiki. He was able to walk surprisingly well and accurately considering that he had not in about two weeks. He was shaky at first, but he was quick to regain his strength and composure to his walk. It was not his usual graceful glide, but it was a normal enough walk that some might wonder about it. To say the least about Sozen Kuchiki, he understood that it was a remarkable feat to walk so well and so clearly on what was more or less his first real day awake.

Sozen arrived at Hibiki. He was a little bit taller, but not by much. Still, when he looked into Hibiki's eyes, he'd let Hibiki see the demon inside for a fraction of a second. Only a glimpse would be seen of the soulless monster that strapped his victims to a table and tortured them to death. The same monster had been the one to torture the Vizards after capturing them and killing their leader. And for a second, Hibiki would see that Sozen was capable of terrifying things. "The scary ones will always be the monsters," Sozen told Hibiki. "Monsters who will do horrible things...or monsters so powerful that no training will bring us to their level. The demons of our Soul Society."

Sozen walked away from Hibiki, and over to his closet. He went behind the door. Hibiki would not be able to see the Kuchiki head's live, mobile body as he changed clothing. It hardly mattered however, since Sozen chose not to remove his bandages. He dressed himself in a tight, silk blue shihakusho. It was not loose like a typical one. He came with black cotton pants as well, and some simple black shoes. It was not for fashion, but comfort. Sozen had taken to wearing it so that he could go outside just a bit. "Come." Sozen ordered. He started to walk away, leaving his purple robe hung up in his closet. He left his Zanpakuto as well.

Sozen led Hibiki out into the courtyard outside of his room. It was a large courtyard. It was beautiful. It was huge, to begin with. It was easily larger than any room in any Squad's barracks, and had for itself its own large, crystal blue pond with the white clouds of the blue sky reflected in it. It had rocks surrounding it, and several different types of birds, turtles, frogs, and fish all enjoying life within. There was grass, and stone tiles to the floor. The grass was in between each tile. The place had numerous statues of different heads, all shaped to resemble the head of a past Kuchiki head. The head of a head. Sozen liked his irony. He had brought Hibiki to a special place, but this was not their stop.

Going through the courtyard, they would arrive at another room, which Sozen himself had to open with a key. When he opened it, they would find themselves going downstairs into a large room probably three times the size of the actual Kuchiki mansion. Not unlike other places of the same style, it appeared to be an enormous, very well lit cavern. It was an underground training room. If Hibiki had ever been to the one in Mr. Hat & Clogs, he would recognize that Sozen had copied the design. It was large enough for the purpose that Sozen had seen fit to try to accomplish.

Sozen held up his right hand. There was a noticeable cut on it. When had he made that? Had it been when he was changing? Or before? However he had done it, Sozen knew that he had done it well. He had done it to escape Hibiki's noticed. The time when he had actually done it had been when he first held up his Zanpakuto. He'd put it back down, and purposely cut himself once back under the sheets, using the sharpness of the sword guard to his advantage to make blood. And it had gone unnoticed until now. Sozen placed his left hand against a nearby rock. He showed Hibiki his left hand.

"The concept that I have had in mind was like this," Sozen said. A blue reiatsu started to glow around the rock. A green reiatsu started to glow around Sozen's right hand. The rock started to lose pieces. Chips disappeared, as if it were being eroded by water. Soon, the rock was noticeably a little smaller and more worn. Sozen's right hand however showed a different development. The cut had sealed up to become only a faint scar. "That's the extent to what I can do with it. I won't be able to proceed any further in learning this power," Sozen admitted. "But you'll be able to learn more from what I've outlined in my mind. I will teach you. The power to take in order to give. The power to rip away life from the world or your enemies in order to restore it to your allies or yourself."

[Deleted]

Play this

It was all the medic could do to simply stand there and not falter. Sozen’s disposition had changed drastically. It was no longer a conversation between two men that could be mistaken for equals. It was a lecture from a teacher to a student. This is how it had been from the beginning, but Hibiki had finally realized this fact. His own vanity had clouded his judgment. He had believed himself to be on par with the head of the Kuchiki, but he now realized how ridiculous this was. The medic was nowhere near comparable to this Captain. Short of the Captain Commander himself, only a few Shinigami could even hope to challenge Sozen. Despite his own arrogance, the vice-captain had finally come to realize this.

It wasn’t just Sozen’s words that conveyed this. It was his entire presence. He looked at the world through a different lens than the healer did. He saw things differently because he had the experience to do so. The vice-captain had been around for a while, and he had fought many strong opponents recently, but he could not claim to be even a hundredth as accomplished as Sozen. This was the man who had killed the Vizards. This was the man who stood nearly unparalleled in terms of power and fame. As this information filtered into Hibiki’s head, he began to sweat, and found that breathing was getting hard.

Yet this was not the worst of it. As Sozen said, the Arrancar were even stronger, and the Vandenreich were stronger still. These foes made the Captains look like small fry. Hibiki couldn’t comprehend this well, since he had defeated the only Arrancar he had fought without breaking too much of a sweat. What he couldn’t argue with though, was the certainty with which Sozen spoke. But then, the Captain took it a step further. He rose from his bed, and looked into the medic’s eyes. What Hibiki saw took away any doubt he had. He was nothing. He was insignificant. Sozen was more terrifying right now then he could ever be.

Now play this

As Sozen walked away to change, the medic let out a nervous chuckle. “All right, you win Sozen. I’m done trying to be tough and scary. You’ve got plenty of that going for you, but it really isn’t my shtick. I can occasionally feel cool once in a while, but I guess that’s just because I haven’t been facing any of these real monsters. The only Arrancar I fought was nothing special, but if they have ones strong enough to fight on a level with you and Okusa-taicho, then I can see your point. You say this is a sickness, and you say we need power. This means that we need the power to recover. This is what I seek, and what you can give to me. Let’s get down to business, as I believe you’ve made your point by now. I will not betray the Kuchiki, and I shall do exactly as you say. You are the one with the experience, the head of my family, and one of the strongest captains in the Gotei 13. Show me this power you have spoken of, so that I might use it to gain more power for both the Kuchiki and Soul Society as a whole."

With these words, the tension in the air seemed to disperse a bit. It helped greatly that Sozen was busy changing, rather than staring into the very soul of the medic, but it helped nonetheless. Once the other man had finished changing, he stepped out into room once more. He then beckoned Hibiki to follow and the vice-captain did so immediately. They traveled into an inner courtyard where the medic was simply awestruck at the life of opulence the Kuchiki led. The garden was nothing short of fantastic, but they did not linger long enough for the medic to truly appreciate this place. Instead they journeyed down into a gigantic underground space. The healer had never seen anything like it, and he was blown away by the sheer size of the place. Hibiki wondered why Sozen had taken him to this place, but he knew better than to question it.

Soon enough, this question was answered as Sozen revealed his right hand. He was bleeding, but not severely. The wound was not threatening, but it was clear what the purpose was. The only conceivable reason Sozen could be wounded was if he had done it recently, himself, and on purpose. More than likely, the purpose of this wound was one of two possible ones. It was either for the medic to demonstrate his healing skills, or for Sozen to demonstrate the techniques of which he spoke. It turned out that the latter was the case. In an instant, a nearby rock was more worn, and Sozen’s hand was healed. The medic was nothing short of awestruck. Sozen wasn’t a healer, but he could still do that much. It made little sense to the medic’s brain.

He forced the awe to the back of his mind, for Sozen had spoken to him once more. “This power, even in this undeveloped form… it appears to be… I’m not even sure I can find words for it honestly. You didn’t create new matter, but merely borrowed pre-existing bits from what I can tell. This… has virtually unlimited potential. What’s the next step then? How do we progress from here? You say that I can move forward from the outline you have in your mind… but I’ve never pioneered a technique before, let alone a technique this revolutionary. Do you have a more specific plan in mind, Sozen-sama?”

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Music music music music music!

Wordlessly first, Sozen slammed his palm into Hibiki's chest. Hibiki would feel a powerful impact, harder than a fist. As if he was hit by a stone. In fact, he was. Sozen's palm had taken on the durability of a stone. Not only did he heal, but he stole the properties. Sozen spoke like a teacher, but his ability in this art was limited. He had all of the knowledge, but he did not have the potential to heal. This was where things became rough and difficult. "What we're going to do is practice. Are you aware of the concept of 'Fullbring'?" Sozen asked him.

Sozen waited for a few moments for a response. Matter the response, he explained in his own terms anyway. "Fullbring is the power of the human world's spiritually aware humans. There are some there capable of manipulating the 'soul' of objects based on understanding. Some can manipulate water to leap out of a glass into their mouth. Others can manipulate the ground to shoot them upwards. Some can manipulate a wall to become fragile and cave in from the impact of their fist. Others can manipulate your drink and turn it into a poison. What we will do is something similar to that for this technique."

Sozen picked up a pebble and started tossing it up into the air and catching it. "I'm not asking you to manipulate the soul of an object. That's impossible for a Shinigami. You will be understanding the soul. What you will be manipulating is the 'oversoul,' the external casing of the soul, based on understanding of the most basic form of the soul. As a healer, you must know that the body is comprised of DNA. In genetics, you can splice genetics. You can make cats glow in the dark, or you can give slightly better genes to a newborn, with enough advancement."

Sozen continued tossing the pebble. "What we will do is not unlike that. However, the oversoul isn't like DNA in that you splice a trait. You'll be taking its properties. What you're meant to do is understand what you touch. That's critical. You need to be able to analyze. When you can analyze what you touch, you can understand which properties you want. First of all, what you want is the property of being 'whole.' You take the property of being undamaged. Even something damaged will yield you this because it has changed form to become a different entity. You take the property of 'whole' away from your target, and give it to yourself or your ally. In doing so, you restore yourself from injury, but also steal an additional property, which may make you stronger. You also deconstruct your victim."

Sozen squeezed the pebble, and there was a glow. He opened his hand up again, revealing it was worn. The cut across his hand had healed just a little bit more. "When you understand and can apply this concept, you have more possibilities. For instance, you can take reiatsu." Sozen pushed his hand against Hibiki's chest, and for a brief second there was a green barrier between them. It cracked and shattered, showing technique incompletion. During that time, Hibiki would feel a pull in his chest. When it was done, he would notice he was slightly more fatigued. He had slightly less reiatsu. Sozen had stolen some.

"When you can manipulate the oversoul, you can manipulate its form. And you can give it frightening new effects." Sozen threw the pebble back into the air, and suddenly it transformed. It was a monster! A huge yellow serpent with fanged teeth and glowing blue eyes formed from out of Sozen's hand, and came down on Hibiki. If it succeeded in its jump, its mouth would encase him. It looked like it had the potential to devour and destroy him. It dissolved away into pieces before even making it halfway. Sozen had worked this idea out well. "That one is a larger scale version of the first," Sozen explained. "All of these will be terrifying, as you implied."

Sozen smiled, but suddenly the feeling of the air changed. Sozen radiated confidence, but the air reflected a rather morose emotion instead. "And, this power will control life and death." The pebble suddenly burst into black flames and dissolved away into ash. An insect, which Sozen had had his foot on the whole time, crawled out from under. And on its back, just starting to bud and grow, and doing so quickly, was the head of a larva. Sozen brought his foot down to crush and kill the insect instantly.

[Deleted]

Music, Compete with complimentary boobs

The medic stood there as Sozen’s palm impacted his chest. He had not expected an attack, so he was far too slow to dodge it. Even if he had been expecting it, Sozen was more than twice as fast as he was. It would have been challenging to dodge the strike under the best circumstances. The only saving grace the medic had was that the two men appeared to be equally matched in strength. Neither was any stronger than an ordinary human… but the contest was not truly equal. Sozen’s hand struck with a much more powerful force than it should have. It was almost as if his hand had gained the properties of the rock itself!

"What we're going to do is practice. Are you aware of the concept of 'Fullbring'?" These words reeled the man’s wandering mind back into place. “I am, in theory, but I’ve got a bit of a distracting pain from being punched in the chest at the moment. Could you remind me how it works exactly?” The wording of the response would seem rude, to be sure, but something about the medic’s tone made it apparent this was not the meaning. In truth, he was acknowledging Sozen’s strength. He was admitting that he was too distracted by being struck to even think clearly. Hibiki was not an amateur at combat, so evoking such a response was challenging. But Sozen had done it. The fact that his hand had done damage, despite him lacking the physical strength it seemed should be necessary, was more than enough to impress the vice-captain. It appeared that Sozen understood this, for he proceeded to launch into a full explanation of how fullbring worked.

The healer listened closely as the head of his new family continued talking. He vaguely remembered the talk of genetics from lectures at the academy. The idea was slightly foreign to him, but the medic had a scientific outlook on things to some degree. Overall, the metaphor was still helpful, and it allowed him to understand the process more effectively. “Well, I’m glad you’re not asking me to become a fullbringer. I’m already quite well practiced at analysis, so that much shouldn’t be a huge issue. With practice, my skills could improve, and could then rise to the level required to perform this technique. I am, however, completely unfamiliar with this idea of the Oversoul you’re talking about, so I don’t expect to pick this up overnight.”

"When you understand and can apply this concept, you have more possibilities. For instance, you can take reiatsu." As these words left the other man’s mouth, the healer immediately tensed. The last time Sozen had alluded to a use of the technique, the medic had been the guinea pig, and he expected that to be the case again. He was correct, and he flinched as the other man pressed his palm into his sternum. The location was already tender from being struck, but it mattered little. Instead, it felt as if part of the medic’s soul was trying to rip itself free. The green light emitted by Sozen’s hand appeared to be sucking the vital energy right out of Hibiki’s chest!

A scowl grew across the vice-captain’s face. He did not enjoy being a test subject, not in the slightest. Unfortunately for him the future held only more of the same it would appear. Sozen uttered another sentence, and he launched into a new technique. Now the pebble was not being used to heal… it was a giant serpent! This simply made no sense, but the medic reacted instinctively. The leader of the Kuchiki hadn’t pulled his punch earlier, so it was likely that he wouldn’t hold back on this attack as well. Perhaps this was simply a test for the medic. Yes, that must be it. Sozen would not be attacking him unless it was to test something… It was one of two things that was being tested. It was either the medic’s fighting prowess, or his trust. Since there was no scolding for allowing the punch to land, it was more likely that this was a trust exercise. Realizing this, the vice-captain simply stood there, even though his gut begged him to move.

Sure enough, the serpent fractured and broke, just as the last spell had. Hibiki had never been in any danger. It would appear Sozen had no real intent to do harm. If he had wanted Hibiki on the ground, then the medic would already be there. "That one is a larger scale version of the first," Sozen explained. "All of these will be terrifying, as you implied." “And ya know, as terrifying as they are, I’d really love some warning before you summon giant serpents of reiatsu.” The medic quickly retorted. It appeared that Sozen had actually heeded this request. The feeling in the room was a lot darker, almost to the point of feeling evil, but Sozen actually gave a warning before using a technique this time. "And, this power will control life and death."

The pebble Sozen had been using to fuel the techniques was consumed by a black fire and vanished. A small insect crawled out from under his foot, but it was not normal. No, this insect had the head of a small larva growing out of it. This was not a natural phenomenon, but surely an abomination caused by this latest technique. This was… dark, to say the least. Before, the medic was at least able to shoot back a witty retort, but this latest technique just disturbed him. This feeling was not helped by the fact that Sozen proceeded to squish his creation. While the medic wanted the power to save people, he wasn’t going to like using it, if it made them that ugly. He had to be sure though. “Umm… Sozen… if I use that on a person… It won’t make them that ugly will it?”

[Sozen Kuchiki]

"That wasn't a healing technique for your allies," Sozen clarified about the fourth one. "Because you won't always be healing your allies. That technique will rejuvenate you or your allies, but you're meant to use it on two enemies. You'll kill one, and you'll disfigure the other. You'll take a life to create a life, and in doing so will subdue your enemy with an abomination." Sozen had crafted one of the more dark and morose powers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It did not look complete, but it looked like it meant some seriousness business. When it was completed, there would be trouble.

But this was not the end, for Sozen had darker things still to show. Sozen had always had many ideas in mind. There had been the idea of restoring the decrepit, and bending age to one's mastery. But while grand, the ambition had been foolhardy. One could not undo age. One could not turn back the clocks, and become such a master of quietus. Or, if one were to do it, it would not be Sozen, who himself was no such thing as a healer. He fought, but did not heal. Sozen was not meant to be the genesis of the new era in all Shinigami life, but was meant to preserve the power of his noble Kuchiki family. That was his mission.

"I want these men and women who will become healers under my banner to become masters of death, of pain. That is why we must have other techniques for battle as well." Sozen put his hand on Hibiki's shoulder. Reiatsu flowed instantly as he did, and he pulled at Hibiki's shoulder. Sozen's hand would not come off at first, and Hibiki would feel his shoulder pulled as if it were stuck to Sozen's hand. But then a slight ripping sound followed, and Sozen's hand came off. The technique was nowhere near perfect, but Sozen had proven his point by making his hand stick for a moment to Hibiki.

"My goal with that one should be fairly obvious," Sozen bemused. "With that technique, your enemy will stick to you. Physical impact will not only be absorbed and negated by the power of your reiatsu, but the physical entity will become irreversibly stuck to you as a result of the contact. And through that contact, there can be entrapment. This will be a domino effect technique. Catch the sword? It will also become sticky. The enemy will become stuck to the sword, which will be stuck to you. Do you understand my logic? It is the end of physical combatants, unless they should sever the body part that is stuck to you and keep fighting."

Sozen paused. He'd shown a few techniques to Hibiki. In time they would develop these together. First came the abomination. Sozen had been hesitant in developing this next technique that came to mind, but he had decided that there was no choice. Sozen's eyes were normally a more regular color, but at the time they turned to a new one. What color they were, one could never say. It was not part of the color spectrum one was used to, so it should not be possible to view it. It was viewed despite this clear scientific paradox. Sozen's smile dropped from his face like a lead weight.

"This technique that I am about to show you...is pure evil." Sozen explained. "Be careful." Sozen earlier had made a bruise on Hibiki from his punch. As he clapped his hands together, Hibiki would take note of that bruise disappearing. Of any scratches or wounds on his body disappearing. And Sozen then started to change. His skin turned black, his eyes glowed red. His teeth became fangs. No other changes overtook Sozen, and it was for seconds only. After a few seconds the change became undone. What it had been was not clear without explanation, but Sozen knew this to be true and thus explained.

"Not only will this powerful technique remove wounds from your allies, but it will suck away the negative energy as well, and take it into your own body. It reduces these wounds merely to negative energy, which you absorb. And in doing so, you become a monster for a limited period of time. During that limited period, your fighting ability will be enhanced according to the intention of the technique. The price will most likely be dire, but we can attempt to mitigate this. The technique, like the others, is in an early development stage."

[Iro Kuchiki]

A tall stoic figure was seen darting across the Soul Society in bursts, becoming a blur at times and stopping for a quick moment at other times. Those who caught a glimpse of it during a rest period claimed to have spotted an untainted Captain’s Haori folded neatly in its grasp. The man travelled quickly through the gardens on the Kuchiki Family land as he made his way into the mansion that housed the healing Head, Sozen. Herr Vitter, though you lie wounded, I hope to cheer your spirits.

The unseen guards let Iro pass without a word, seeing as he was a Kuchiki by blood, and he was shown into the bedroom of his older cousin, only to find it completely empty. Even the massive garden outside of the room was empty, only the sounds of the pond echoing across the empty air being able to be heard. Being confused as to where his cousin was, especially since he was in such poor condition the last time that Iro had visited, the Soul Reaper peeked his head into the courtyard with curiosity. Suddenly, there was a flux of reiatsu that was so dark and foreboding that Iro’s attention was immediately drawn to the open door across the field.

As far as I know… there’s no one that dark in the fold of the Kuchiki… an invader?? With a Shunpo that kicked up dust and loose grass from the small sonic boom that it created, the Shinigami rushed down into the massive cavern where Sozen and Hibiki stood. He arrived just in time to see the darkness leave Sozen. He quickly moved to apologize. “My humblest apologies, Herr Sozen, for the intrusion. I thought that there was a dark intruder in the home. I am glad to see you up and well, and I have a report to make. Squad 11 is under the control of the Kuchiki, and will be reborn from the ashes that it currently lies in. Heil Kuchiki!”

Moving to one knee, with one arm Iro draped the unworn Haori on the ground in offering to the Kuchiki, and with the other he clasped his arm over his heart as he ducked his head down. Iro hoped that Sozen would put the Captain’s Haori over his shoulder’s in affirmation of the newly achieved rank, but if he didn’t go to Iro, then the new Captain would put it on himself. Either way, he would excuse himself from the two that were training, not wanting to be a bother. On his way out, he made a passing remark to Hibiki, “I don’t know who you are, but if Herr Sozen trusts you, then I would be pleased to fight by your side against the Hollow menace sometime. Farewell.”