Blood and Lightning

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Thread Title: Blood and Lightning
Participants: Takehiko Kuchiki And Francis Grin
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: The Eleventh division has no shortage of sparring space, and Grin, the Vice Captain of the division, secured the combatants a spot in the Eleventh division's great arena. The arena is empty, save for the two people, giving it a strange and somewhat thrilling sense of tranquility. There is power inherent in the silence, although the specifics of it have yet to be determined.
Circumstances: Francis Grin, the Vice Captain of the Eleventh Division, sent a letter of formal challenge to Takehiko Kuchiki, serenading him with a lovely set of curse words. Takehiko accepted because even if has very little to gain from the fight, Grin interests him, and he wants to see him grow as a fighter.

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Takehiko stood at the north end of the arena, eyes closed in a moment of silent meditation. Perhaps meditation isn't the correct word, he wasn't searching for inner secrets or finding strength in peace. Instead, he was resting, and living out the many ways that this battle could occur. On the one hand, he could fight the other Vice Captain with Iaijutsu, and perhaps a few physical blows with his body. That was the most likely option, at least up until the other man released. Takehiko was an incredible combatant even simply with his sealed blade, he doubted he needed the full brunt of his arsenal to defeat Grin. Of course, the object of the battle wasn't to defeat Grin, it was to pressure him, to force him to grow and develop a new tactic or trait. And perhaps, in the process, Takehiko would discover something. But that was secondary, and highly unlikely. It's difficult to discover something about oneself unless you are in a corner, with your back up against the wall and a demon in front of you. Grin would never get to that point, the second Takehiko grew serious he could crush the other Vice Captain with his sheer force of will. He had no interest in doing that.

The air around him was cold, and his humble black robes didn't seem to do much to protect him from the chill of the atmosphere. As he inhaled, he was acutely aware of how sharp the freezing air was. Takehiko had always been fascinated by senses, and how they were interconnected. If something looks bad, you will have a harder time finding it tasty. Similarly, when something smells off, it will taste worse. You make up the sounds for what something produces before you even hear it, just based off of what it looks like. When you hear crashing sounds in the distance, you assume that the thing coming looks big and scary. Every sense is connected, and the destruction or loss of one can have catastrophic consequences on the others. Perhaps that was one of the reasons that he preyed on the senses while using Overload: he himself realized just how important each and every one of them was.

He swatted his foe aside almost without looking, sheathing his bokken again immediately afterward. It was fast, but most of the people in the circle could still track the movement. A pity, and a failure. But at least he was still dangerous physically. The other man, an unseated officer who clearly thought the world of himself, began to try to get up, but gave up. "Next week I'll be able to do it," the man swore. Takehiko sighed, and turned away. He hadn't bothered to learn the man's name, he hadn't recognized him. As the new 20th seat of the Third division, Takehiko had to deal with a massive influx of challengers who all thought "He can't be that tough, can he?" The answer was yes, and most of them realized it within the first few blows of combat. The ones that didn't realized it when they hit the ground the first time. There were only a couple that had been repeat challengers, and none of them had ever tried more than three times. Takehiko was an overwhelming opponent, albeit one who was beginning to get bored and tired of meaningless matches.

By this point, Takehiko was confident that he was stronger than the next three seated officers, although he wasn't absolutely positive. And he had to be, if he wanted to move up. A single failed duel could spell disaster for the young Kuchiki and significantly slow his ascent through the chain of command. Especially given that although he was physically beyond most of his peers, his reluctance to use Shikai gave him a massive handicap to the point where there were rumors that he couldn't use Shikai. Rumors. The bane of his existence in Squad three. He'd squashed the ones that he could, but they were already getting out of hand and he could no longer control them. Especially as long as he kept taking on new opponents and demolishing them without breaking a sweat.

A few days later, he'd made his final decision: he wasn't going to fight weaker opponents anymore. Or rather, he wasn't going to take fights where there wasn't room to grow. Fighting weaker opponents occasionally had value, since sometimes they had access to techniques or strategies that made fighting them complex, and an opportunity to enhance one's combat understanding. In that same vein, Takehiko swore to never take fights where he was outclassed beyond reason, and destruction was assured. If you don't survive the fight, you can't grow from it, he figured. Of course all that would go out the roof if the honor of the family was on the line, but that almost went without saying. From then on, Takehiko stopped taking challengers of lower class. Those that forced the issue, he redirected without effort. If they were capable of making him exert effort, then he would take them on, since he clearly mislabelled them to begin with. Rumors dwindled, and although many remained, the sheer volume of them was less. And because of that, he received fewer unworthy challengers.

These days, Takehiko didn't get many challengers at all. Most of his sparring partners were individuals that he himself singled out and chose as worthy. So of course he was surprised when he got a letter of challenge in the mail, signed by the Vice Captain of the Eleventh Division himself. Takehiko had heard about Francis Grin, and for the most part liked what he heard. The man was strong, although certainly not on Takehiko's level. Not even close, to be honest. More importantly than his strength however, the man was good at heart despite the rough exterior. His attitude towards kids had made Takehiko smile when the Kuchiki had first heard about it. Of course, the man's brashness, even in the letter, was a bit bothersome in Takehiko's eyes, but as long as Grin could back up his bark with a bit of bite, Takehiko doubted that they'd get along poorly.

Now, as the fight approached, Takehiko concentrated deeply once more. This fight, he was going to restrict himself for as long as he could, and see what it would take to bring Grin down. That would act as a reference point for understanding Grin's relative strength, and would allow Takehiko to more accurately give Grin advice after they fought. After careful deliberation, Takehiko decided to only use his sword until Grin released, and then use sword and chain for as long as Grin used his Shikai. Realistically, Takehiko didn't need Speed Hana or his Shikai this battle. If Grin ever pushed him into a state where he needed those, he'd just stop holding back his spiritual pressure and then return to square one, using his sword again. If somehow the Vice Captain pressured him while being assaulted by spiritual force, pressured him to release his Shikai, then Takehiko would concede the battle to the Vice Captain, and take the situation as a lesson to be learned.

[Francis Grin]

If Takehiko was expecting Grin to immediately show up immediately, he was doing nothing but setting himself up for disappointment. He would be waiting as five minutes turned into fifteen, and fifteen turned into thirty.. The sun had been sinking down at the time they were supposed to start anyways, and if Takehiko waited longer than 10 minutes, it would actually begin to set, casting some long shadows over the Arena as it sunk down further and further. Honestly, you'd think someone like the Vice Captain of the Eleventh Squad would be punctual for a sparring match he had set up himself!

But then again, the letter had said that Grin wanted to "See just how fucking good at yer mother-fucking job you are, Unimportant Kuchiki #67!" And Grin had been an Onmitsukido member before coming to Squad 11, meaning that it was entirely likely that he had at least some training in the art of stealth. For all Takehiko knew, the other Vice Captain could be watching him as he waited there, taking a measure of his reactions to being kept waiting, or waiting to ambush him if he tried to left. Most of the rumors did say that some of his methods were... inscrutable, at best, or just plain old strange at worst. So who was to say what he was up to now?

Nobody else would file into the arena during the time that Takehiko waited, except for a hunched-over man who was apparently sweeping the nosebleed sections of the arena at the five minutes of waiting mark. If Takehiko was to call out to the sweeper, he would look towards the Kuchiki, revealing the man was a middle-aged looking gentleman, with the beginnings of jowls gracing his face. He wouldn't be tall by any stretch of the term, even if he was standing fully upright, probably only five foot four at best. His physique wasn't visible underneath the Shinigami uniform he was wearing, but if his face was any indicator, he probably wouldn't be anything too terrible special anyways.

SPOILER: Click to show

{The Sweeper}

However, even if Takehiko were to ignore the man, he would still look at him after a couple of minutes of simply sweeping, his head slightly tilted and expression quizzical. He would clear his throat loudly, the sound echoing through the empty arena. "Well, heya there young man," he would say, a slight Texan drawl to his words as he shouted down to the noble. "Hey, wait just a jiffy here. Ain't you one of those fancy-pants Kuchiki people? What's someone like you doin' out here at this time, all alone like this?"

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Waiting wasn't a challenge for Takehiko. He didn't enjoy it, and he certainly would remember the wasted time once Grin finally showed himself, but it wasn't hard to do. Takehiko had a trained mind, and one perfectly capable of entertaining itself in lost hours, a talent he used quite heavily. So while the sun set and the minutes ticked by, Takehiko relived a fight in his mind, considering the moves that were used against him and how he would counter them now. How he lost the first time, and how he would never again. He remembered the fight against the Arrancar the night he first met Sozen. He didn't even touch his foe when they fought, let alone inflict damage. But now, now it would have played out differently.

He was faster, to start. Although the creature had been moving at speeds that Takehiko couldn't even hope to track back then, now Takehiko was at least four times as fast as he'd been back then, if not more. Perhaps he couldn't outrun the creature, but he'd certainly been able to keep up. Sozen was easily able to combat the creature, and Takehiko wasn't significantly slower than Sozen. Well, while Sozen wasn't trying at least. And the thing that had been so dangerous about the Arrancar that first time was it's speed. Well, that and the element of surprise. And absurdly sharp claws. But this time, Takehiko knew it was coming, and would be able to counter each of it's swipes with a cut of his own.

The monster flexed it's claws, covered in blood from Takehiko's squadmates. He couldn't save them in time, but he could avenge them. The creature blurred into motion, and Takehiko flash stepped back, coming to a stop just as the creature narrowly missed him. Without a second of hesitation, the Kuchiki drew his sword, attacked, and resheathed it in the blink of an eye, drawing a large slash down the Arrancar's chest. Despite the wound not being deep, Heirro preventing most of the significant damage, the beast almost looked surprised, and Takehiko took advantage of that hesitation to press the attack forward, keeping the creature on the defensive. Slowly but surely, he drew more lines of blood along the creature's flesh, forcing it back further and further until it used Sonido, escaping back a fair distance. Takehiko gave a contemptuous "tsk" before preparing to close the gap with Shunpo, but then the creature's stance shifted, and he stopped. He had just forced it to released, and now the fight was about to get interesting. He opened his mouth at the same time as the Arrancar, and began to call out "Rip Apa–"

"Well, heya there young man." Takehiko sighed as a voice brought him back to reality. He still needed more practice fighting release Arrancars, and his chance had just been ruined. He doubted he'd reach that state of meditation again within the day. Takehiko looked towards the source of the voice and met eyes with a scruffy looking janitor fellow, who appeared to have been hard at work cleaning the stadium until he'd decided to interrupt Takehiko's concentration for whatever reason. The janitor seemed to pause at the sight of Takehiko, and then inquired "Hey, wait just a jiffy here. Ain't you one of those fancy-pants Kuchiki people? What's someone like you doin' out here at this time, all alone like this?" With a sigh, Takehiko began to walk towards the man.

"I've been stood up, it would appear. Originally, I was meant to spar with the Vice Captain of the Eleventh Division. He specifically requested my presence explicitly, pun intended, but then neglected to show up at the time he was meant to. Which is bothersome to say the least. You'd have hoped that the Vice Captain of a division would be more punctual, but that clearly isn't the case I suppose. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming that his tardiness is simply out of a lack of awareness for the time, rather than stupidity or cowardice, or spite. Given what I know about Grin, it seems like a safe bet." Takehiko smiled and looked at the janitor. "Perhaps he's just a little tardy because his short legs make it harder for him to travel long distances."

The short joke was a low blow, but it wasn't like the janitor likely cared. And Takehiko was annoyed, he deserved to let off a bit of steam. So he made the joke with the intent of provoking a laugh out of the janitor, or ending the conversation on that note. 

[Francis Grin]

The janitor would snort, shaking his head some as the other man made the short comment, a sneer on his face. "Right, and height just means everything, don't it? Keep in mind who you're talking to here, Kuchiki." He would then wave his hand, as if he were just dismissing the comment. "I mean, sensitivity much?"

He would walk down into the arena itself after that, broom still in hand as he did so. "But regardless, I'm Dubya. At least, the Vice Captain calls me Dubya. Unseated officer in Squad 11, generally stuck with cleanin' up the messes the others leave behind. Got me like, 10, 20 years of bein' a Soul Reaper."

He would pause for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face before he suddenly snapped his fingers. "Hey, I just got a great idea! How about you and me have a little bit of a sparring match while we wait for Vice-Captain Grin! I mean, maybe I won't be much of a challenge for you, but still, worth a try, isn't it? If nothin' else, at least you won't be bored that way, right?"

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Takehiko gave a polite smile that showed no teeth, and anyone who knew him well would have been able to recognize it as a fake smile. A smile out of obligation, or necessity. Takehiko wasn't smiling because he find the situation heartwarming, which is why he usually smiled, he was smiling because he found it stupid, and funny in that fashion. He didn't find it funny that the janitor challenge him, he found it funny that the janitor thought him stupid enough to accept. Who was he kidding? This was the oldest trick in the book. Takehiko shook his head softly. "Sorry, but I'm not interested. See, the thing is I don't usually spar with most people. I have a few reliable opponents that I spar with on occasion, but beyond that I just don't. Kubi made a special request to fight me, and so I was granting it as a favor. But now, he hasn't shown up, and lost that privilege. So no, I'm not going to fight you in the meantime, because I FUCKING HATE AMBUSHES." 

The Kuchiki stared deep into the eyes of the janitor, his brown eyes filled with anger. "Tell me, Dubya, why is an unseated janitor on such good terms with the Vice Captain of his division that he receives a nickname? Why does an unseated janitor choose to challenge a high tier Shinigami to duel, to past the time, just for fun? Don't bullshit me, I will rip you to pieces for such insolence. Tell me, Dubya, if that is your real nickname, why would you try to trick me into fighting someone who is clearly stronger than they look?" That was the key thing that had enraged Takehiko, this feeble attempt at an ambush, a humility practice. What Takehiko was likely meant to have done was accept the challenge, and been brash about it, underestimating the lowly janitor. Then, he was going to turn out to be a secret badass and at the very least force Takehiko to take it seriously. It was an underhanded move, and certainly counted as an ambush in Takehiko's book. And he really, really, really didn't like ambushes.

In Takehiko's many years, he had learned to never trust a duel suggested "for fun". Rarely was there a situation where a battle could truly occur purely for entertainment sake, at least one party always had something to gain from even a seemingly innocent duel. Perhaps information would be leaked, or the duel would suddenly turn into a fight of life and death. Whatever the outcome, duels always had motivations behind them. The trick was picking duels where the motivations were focused primarily on learning of both of the two parties, and minimizing the amount of duels you engaged in.

Takehiko didn't wait for the janitor to respond, simply turning around and walking towards the entrance. "Tell your vice captain he lost his chance. He shouldn't have been late, and he certainly shouldn't have tried to arrange bait to discover my abilities before the fight began. I thought Grin a man of honor, albeit a sly one, but it seems today I've been proven wrong." Disappointing, but Grin lost more than Takehiko did. Takehiko lost a sparring partner several tiers of experience lower than him, but Grin lost a potential mentor, and powerful ally.

[Francis Grin]

Dubya would look even more confused as the Kuchiki suddenly just blew up at him, an eyebrow quizically raised. "Ambush? What ambush? I mean, I challenged you very openly right there, so I don't see how that's an ambush. Unless, of course, you have some really backwards ways of thinking about what is and isn't an ambush. Which I could see, seein' as how you're not 'Murican."

He would grin after that, shaking his head once again "Or maybe yer just using this as an excuse to chicken out, and go back to your freaky-deaky tentacle porn that you people like. But that would be just stupid, now wouldn't it? I mean, what sort of Kuchiki turns their back on a fight just because someone's a little bit late? I mean, what kind of good Kuchiki. Pretty sure Hokori would, but he's just terrible, so I guess he don't count."

"And hell, for all you know, somethin' may have come up with Captain Iro. Oh, speakin' of El Capitan, what do you think he's goin' to think when he hears that you pansied out of a fight with his Vice Captain?" The janitor would chuckle at that, before going into what was a fairly good impression of Takehiko's cousin. "'Oh, how disappointing of you, Kuchiki #67. I guess you aren't as good as Sozen thought you were. Guess that means we'll have to write you into the same part of the trust as Hokori then...'"

The sweeper would chuckle more at that, and adjust the way he was standing slightly, his left half facing more to the Kuchiki, and his right hand moving to take a hold of the hilt of his sword that was on his left. He had a wide smile on his face now, but not of the variety that showed mirth. No, this was a smile that would unnerve most people when they saw it. He would speak again after that, but this time, there was no Texan accent. Instead, the man's voice was harsh and grating to hear, as if it were specifically tailored to annoy everyone possible in as short of a time as it could manage.

"So, what the fuck do you say to that, Kuchiki #67? Gonna pussy the fuck out, run back to momma's tit? Or are ya gonna fucking do what you came here to do, and fight a certain roguishly handsome Vice Captain?" He'd wink after that, sticking his tongue out slightly at Takehiko. "Bring it on, shit-head!"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}

Strength - 250 (437) Points

Speed - 375 (656) Points

Spiritual Pressure - 150 (75) Points

Reiatsu Strength - 200 (100) Points

Light Aura - 50 Points

Dark Aura - 50 Points

Instinct - 150 Points

Senses - 120 Points

Energy sensory - 25 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points


Total SP: 1200 Points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}Weapons: Swords 2

Hakuda 2

Other Body Skill: Acrobatics 2

Pressure Points 1

Battle Analysis 2

Acting 2

Strength of Will 2

Pain Tolerance 2

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Describing Takehiko's reaction to the verbal abuse that Dubya so carefully laid upon him is a matter best left to poets, poets with experience describing a gradually building storm next to an unsuspecting village. To be fair and honest, he deserved some of the abuse. He had lost his temper and lashed out angrily in a way that was rather uncharacteristic of him. And he almost turned down a fight in a way that would bring great dishonor on the Kuchiki. The janitor was right, just walking out here wouldn't be a wise decision, and would reflect poorly. Even if Grin had taken more than half an hour to arrive by this point, Takehiko leaving would look overly eager. And world travels fast in Soul Society, Takehiko knew that very well by now. But in this case, the rumor mill would work against him rather than for him.

"Takehiko, is it true that you defeated both the seventh and the fifth seat in a two versus one duel?" Takehiko's brow furrowed. "Who told you that?" "Is it true though?" the unseated shinigami asked, his voice eager. Takehiko almost shook his head, but stopped himself "Not...completely. I did fight them, and beat them, but it was one at a time. And not one after the other either. Two separate occasions." The shinigami gaped in wonder. "But you're the sixth seat! You're meant to weaker than the fifth seat." Takehiko chuckled. "I've known Kenta for a long time now, and the period of time where he was stronger than me was over years and years ago. He's good, I'm just better." The unseated shinigami nodded, then turned and ran back towards his group of friends, chattering amongst them excitedly. Takehiko returned to his book, and let the gossip do it's work: building his reputation for him.

He couldn't back down from fighting an unseated officer, especially one who he indicated as a valid opponent. It didn't matter if he had a good reason or not, his reputation would be in shambles in mere days. Another layer to a delicately constructed trap by his opponent. Takehiko eyed the janitor, refusing to think of him as Dubya. The imitation of Iro, and then his altered voice afterwards made it clear that Dubya was more a persona than an actual individual. The man was almost certainly a servant of Grin, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Takehiko shook his head, ignoring the stream of curses that the janitor spat in his direction. He bowed gently.

"My apologies, I acted in a manner unbefitting a Kuchiki. A Kuchiki never fails to repay a debt, and I did promise Grin a spar. It just appears than an ally of his is collecting instead. So I'll battle you, and I won't hold back." Takehiko dropped gently into a stance, his left hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "A small warning, however, this one battle is all you and Grin get. I have no intention of going in for a round two in an hour or so." Takehiko raised his right hand, and beckoned the janitor. "I can't promise you the first attack, but I'll give you the chance at least."

Takehiko knew he was acting overly cocky, but that was the point: an act. 'Dubya' had already indicated his general disdain for Takehiko, and Takehiko had no problem with playing into it. As long as the janitor believed him to be a spoiled noble, he'd treat him as such. Takehiko wouldn't even be surprised if the man tried to smack him around with his fists. So Takehiko was going to goad him into moving first, then counter with a Metronome Strike, and set the pace of the battle to his own beat. This fight, he decided, he might need to use Shikai. There wasn't a reason not to, no audience, and it would likely make things simpler. But he wasn't going to use his spiritual pressure to exert a gravitational force, nor was he going to bust out speed hana, not unless Dubya pushed him to that point. This was going to be an interesting fight.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}
Strength: 400 (200 x 2)
Speed: 600 (300 x 2)
Reitsu Strength: 267(400 x .66)
Spiritual Pressure: 200 (300 x.66)
Instinct: 150
Senses: 150
Energy Sensory: 100
Healing Expertise: 0
Light Aura: 50
Dark Aura: 50

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}

• [Sword Style: Iaijutsu] 3
  
  
• [Weapon: Chain Weapons] 3
  
  
• [Pain Tolerance] 3
  
  
• [Strength of Will] 3
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] 3
  

[Francis Grin]

"Dubya" would raise an eyebrow as the Kuchiki spoke, the grin still on his face. "Eh, I wouldn't fucking worry about it, Kuchiki #67. Grin's not the type to overextend the other fucker he's challenged to spar him by puttin' them through the wringer. After fucking all, never know when the religious nutjobs with bows or Masky-Masky Freak-Freaks are gonna decide to attack, so why fucking take someone out of the fucking fight before shit's even gone down?"

"Though I will fucking say that combat ain't all he judges someone off of. That'd be fucking stupid, especially considerin' the myriad fucking necessities bestowed upon each squad. I mean, yer Squad 3, roight? The ever-so-fucking-fondly nicknamed Cursed Squad. But also the Squad in charge of picking up information and scouting, if my memory isn't fuckin' with me. So, what exactly do you think is important for a member of that squad to have, hmmm? Knowledge of important faces in the Land of the Living, perhaps? A certain capacity to see through someone else's bullshit? Being able to fight is all well n' good, but that ain't all we have to do as Shinigami, now is it?"

Dubya would snort after that, shaking his head. He would keep his hand on his guard-less weapon, flexing his fingers some around the base of the hilt. "Ya know, for someone who's rumored to be potentially takin' the good ole empty Vice Captain position of a squad that's been in the shithole for a good long fucking while now, yer kinda... Well, I don't doubt that yer combat's good, in its own way. But can you really operate as the Vice Captain of a division about gathering information, when you've demonstrated a clear fucking lack of ability to gather and process information?"

This is really fucking starting to become a bore, Francis. If you don't fucking go after the nancy ponce very fucking shortly here, I'll throw the fucking biggest bitchfit ever.

Takehiko wouldn't hear the other man's Zanpakuto speak to him, but he would see him sigh, the smile lessening some from his face. "Can I just fucking finish making my god-damn point, Myou?" he would say out loud, an action that would probably confuse the other man, if only slightly. "I mean, not fucking often I get to impart golden fucking nuggets of wisdom like this, now innit?"

Oh, I'm fucking sorry then. Please, by all fucking means, go ahead and continue your pleasant bonding time with tall, meaty, and rich over there. Hell, that's a great fucking new nickname seed for him in my book, actually. Keep on calling him Kuchiki whatever all ya fucking want, Francis. To me, he is now Sausage. Delicious, delicious Sausage.

Dubya's eye would twitch slightly at that, and the man would shift into a fighting stance. "Oh no. I know where that fucking conversation train is going to stop off in. All the way in Dunwannagothereville, right at the Whywouldyoufuckingsuggestthat Station."

Seriously, I'm looking for a fucking excuse for you to eat him out more than you are already, if you know what I mean! Hey, maybe you could ask your wife to join in! Hell, for all we know, Sausage there could be into that kinky family stuff, and want Ana to jump in on the action. Or, you know. Maybe Sozen. I'm not picky. Which of fucking course means that by extension, you're not either. My, what a whore-iffic owner I have! Don't you fucking agree, Francis?

Dubya would grit his teeth some while still smiling. "You're not going to fucking stop until I attack him, are you?"

Not a fucking chance.

The Janitor would shake his head some, then look at Takehiko after the apparent conversation with no one. "What-the-fuck-ever then. Roight then, Kuchiki #67. Let's get this over with." The man would begin running towards him then, though he was purposefully holding back from his full speed. He was entirely capable of moving far faster if he so chose, but then again, it could get tiring to do so. Right now was just a time to test the waters, get a measure of what the Vice-Captain hopeful was capable of. Once he closed the relatively short gap between the two of them, he would throw a straight punch towards the other man's chest.

Takehiko would be able to note that it would be child's play to react to his opponent's current speed, and could practically do anything he wanted as it stood. However, that being said, his opponent was cannier than his actions suggested. He had already thought of a few likely actions on his opponent's part, and could use them at the drop of a hat as well. All that needed to be done before he deployed his contingencies? Why, he just had to see the beginning stages of his opponent's counterplay!

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Takehiko stared at the man as he began to talk to himself, addressing an unseen figure. Likely his Zanpakutou spirit, the Kuchiki thought, although it sounds like the two didn't really get along well. Which wasn't too rare, many people with an active connection with their Zanpakutou had a great deal of friction between themselves and the spirit. But the friction wasn't necessarily a bad thing: friction creates fire, a motivation to actually do things and do them well. Takehiko's relationship with his Zanpakutou spirit was less...exciting. They were business partners, and gave each other strength when the other one needed it. Takehiko honored the two weapons that the spirit inhabited, and the spirit gave him the ability to destroy his foes in exchange. It was a relatively good deal in Takehiko's opinion.

Takehiko had finally begun to realize the situation he was in. Not the combat part, that had been obvious for a while, but finally he had begun to figure out the identity of Dubya. He felt stupid, of course, thinking back the janitor was trying to make it as obvious as possible, but at least he hadn't completed the fight with no idea who he was fighting. Francis Grin was a master of stealth and underhand tactics, of course he was going to resort to disguise in order to catch Takehiko off guard. But that clearly hadn't been Grin's angle, given that he revealed himself so easily. Grin's foul mouthed nature was well known to Takehiko, especially given the details of the letter he had received earlier. And then of course Grin's remark about him not being able to pick up on information. Granted, the Vice Captain was right. Takehiko was operating as a powerful member of the 3rd division, and yet failed to gather useful information in combat. In his defense, the 3rd squad wasn't really about information at the present moment, given it's Kenpachi captain and powerful physical subordinates. He'd bring it up with Alexander at a later point.

Takehiko waited until Grin had resolved his conversation with his Zanpakutou, unwilling and uninterested in interrupting. Whatever the man was discussing, it gave Takehiko a feeling he didn't really want to know. But his curiosity would get the better of him if given time, and he hoped that the man would terminate the conversation. Finally, thankfully, he did. Grin threw a cursory comment about starting the fight and engaged in a head on rush. A bold move, and one that Takehiko was certain was trapped. Grin wasn't stupid, and although he probably thought Takehiko to be cocky as hell, he likely respected his prowess. And the speed that Grin was moving at was far from impressive, at the very least by Vice Captain standards. He was probably holding back. If he wasn't, this fight was going to be a curb stomp for Takehiko. As far as Takehiko could tell, Grin didn't seem like he was planning on using a weapon. Hakuda? Fuck, he hoped not. Takehiko's lack of experience in Hakuda was a grave mistake, and one that he'd been regretting for a while.

A single blow sent Takehiko flying backward several yards, and required all his strength to continue standing on his own two feet. His heart was pounding fast, and he slowly raised his fists up again, almost a foot from his chest, dropping into the stance that he'd seen kids fight in back in his alley days. It was street fighting, and hadn't helped him so far, but it was all he knew. Monarch shook his head softly, and approached Takehiko again. "For a man of such physical prowess, your lack of hand to hand capabilities disappoints me." Monarch took the same stance, almost mockingly, and cocked his head. "Come, take a swing." Takehiko rushed at his master, dropping lower into a guard. When he was only a few steps away however, Monarch dropped the stance and swung his left hand upward, catching Takehiko's elbow. A burst of reiatsu was released into the air, and Takehiko felt his elbow burn for a moment before  his body was lifted into the air. It felt like he was flying, and then he fell back to earth, collapsing on the ground, his body wracked in pain. "Hakuda is capable of destroying even the mightiest warriors Takehiko. Learn it, or fall to those who bothered to."

In Takehiko's defense however, Grin likely wasn't the Hakuda expert that Monarch was. But just in case he was, Takehiko couldn't afford to take chances. They were in the heart of Soul Society, as long as he didn't remove Grin's head from his body, there wasn't a chance he'd be able to hurt the man in any irreparable way. So he could go all out, and see how it worked. Takehiko let Grin get within two steps of him, then Shunpo'd backward, dodging any punches that the vice captain was planing on throwing at him. As soon as he came to a halt, Takehiko lashed out with his right hand, releasing the chain that was coiled in his sleeve. Although his chain fighting wasn't as well known as his Iaijutsu, it was actually comparable in skill and power. The chain glided through the air, it's weighted end aimed at Grin's face. If Grin tanked it, he was likely to lose a few teeth, and maybe break his nose. But the blow itself was unimportant, it was the possibilities it set up that were dangerous.

There were two likely routes: Grin would catch the chain and try to pull Takehiko in. That was fine, Takehiko was confident that he was roughly as physically strong. He'd resist for a moment or two, and then stop, letting Grin drag him abruptly forward. That would set up nicely into an Iaijutsu strike to the waist if Grin wasn't prepared for the sudden movement. Alternatively, Grin would dodge the chain, and try to get inside Takehiko's guard. If that occurred, Takehiko would be in a more dangerous situation, but he still had available contingencies. Getting inside Takehiko's guard would mean surrending himself to the possibility of the chain attacking him from behind, not to mention Takehiko's lightning fast draw. No, the best move here would be to dodge, and try to reset the combat. But Grin seemed like a man of action, and Takehiko doubted he'd do that.

[Francis Grin]

OOC: Don't forget to keep track of your reiatsu. That Shunpo docked you 50 points, so you should be at 2620 Reiatsu left.

Ah, so he had backed off when Grin closed into close combat range, had he? Interesting! Very, very interesting. Grin knew for a fact that he had given the other noble a good chunk of time to react, and instead of going for his sword, using a style that was perfect for this kind of situation, he had gotten out of there as fast as possible. Either this was bait, or Kuchiki #67 was uncomfortable with the idea of engaging a Hakuda user. Or maybe he was just showing off. That could be a possibility as well.

Grin would continue grinning as his opponent completed his step. The only way to find out for sure what the motivations behind his actions would be to continue to press for hand-to-hand combat. But before Grin could do that, Takehiko responded with a counter of his own. Grin could see the slight movement and outline of the hidden chain in his opponent's clothes moments before he attacked with it, so the attack didn't really catch him off guard. On the contrary, he had accounted for a long-range counter before he had even began stepping towards his opponent, as that was the favored approach of virtually everyone forced to fight Grin as he rushed towards them.

Grin would continue forward with his punch, despite the fact that Takehiko was no longer there. To Takehiko's eye, is was like the other Vice Captain was falling forward, and Grin did indeed have a slight look of surprise in his eyes, his grin dropping some as he dropped forward. This fall, however, made it so that the other man's chain sailed just a hair's breadth over the covert Shihoin's head. This, combined with Grin's forward momentum from the punch, also brought him out of the chance of immediate redirection of the chain's path, as the motion it would take to move the chain backwards would rob it of precious momentum, and therefore damage.

However, the fall would not stop there. Grin would keep falling forwards, quickly landing upon his hands. His body would curl after that, and he would deftly roll at the Kuchiki, the movement as natural to him as walking was to most other people. It would take little time for Grin to close the gap this way, and as soon as he was once again in range, he would punch at the other Vice Captain once again. Thanks to the low position he would be in because of the roll, the punch would be coming upwards, towards the other man's stomach. Once again, the speed was quite manageable by Takehiko's standards. And once again, Grin had plans in mind for the actions that his opponent could potentially do to try and counter this assault, and could make use of them as needed. And it would certainly be interesting to see how Takehiko decided to handle the situation this time.

[Amagai Kuchiki]

(OOC: My bad, thanks for catching that)

"Whenever someone deals with a threat in combat, they have a tendency to forget it. They'll block a punch, then switch to focusing on the next attack, ignoring the fact that their cuff was torn ever so slightly as a result. With a true mastery of combat, you can abuse that forgetfulness and complacency. Concentrate blows in that area, splitting the cuff open further, then grab them by it in a grapple, for instance. Set up attacks that are traps that your opponent will dismiss as dealt with. If you master this, your ability to win fights will increase significantly. Understanding the micro level of tactics is the first step to understanding the game as a whole. And, from what I've seen, your micro level is absolutely superb. So actually use it sometimes, yes?" Monarch gave Takehiko a smile. Both of them spoke the words at once: "Now bring me a Menos head." Monarch frowned. "Two then, if you can afford to be cheeky."

Grin dodged the chain, which surprised Takehiko slightly. Disappointed him, even. That seemed to be a reoccuring theme today: Grin acting contrary to Takehiko's predictions in a way that made the Kuchiki less impressed. Of course, he didn't dodge it in a way that reset the combat, which was what Takehiko was truly worried about. The second the chain moved by Grin, Takehiko yanked on it violently. As soon as the Vice Captain hit the ground in a roll, the weight of the chain tapped him neatly on the right shoulder, then slid along towards the left to swing around his upper body, around his neck possibly or his shoulders. Grin could complete the motion if he so chose to, but the more he moved the tighter the chain would grasp him. The attack itself didn't have the momentum to inflict damage, but the entanglement was the real danger. 

In the offchance that Grin did chose to continue the motion, Takehiko would easily be able to dodge, simply by side stepping to the right. Grin wasn't moving at max speed yet, and Takehiko was fast enough to keep up with him until that point, not to mention the chain making matters much easier. After side stepping, Takehiko would be able to pull Grin forward, catching him off balance just as he delivered an quick Iai strike with his still sheathed blade to the other man's right side. Although the attack didn't have any cutting power, he packed enough force behind it to bruise, if not crack a rib. From there, he'd simply react to Grin, dodging back as needed. If Grin wanted to fight like an animal, he'd remain on a leash like one.

If Grin didn't continue the motion, and stopped to remove the chain, Takehiko would twist the chain and yank it forwards, throwing the Vice Captain onto the dirt. The instant the Vice Captain was prone, it'd be easy to simply pull back the chain, choking the man until he called surrender. Takehiko had no interest in that route, especially because it didn't seem likely. Both Grin stopping and simply losing to a choke. The final option was that Grin would surprise him. To be fair, he'd proven to be very good at it thus far. If Grin did something strange, Takehiko would simply shunpo back, and reexamine the fight at a distance. Now that he knew that Grin was a close combat fighter, Takehiko chose that this would be an excellent opportunity to practice his mid range expertise, and chainfighting. Of course, once that he was forced to, he'd show Grin the true terror of fighting a Kuchiki swordsman. But that was neither here nor there at the present moment. 

Reitsu: 1950/2000

[Francis Grin]

Yeah, right. Like Grin would just forget about things in combat. Grin was admittedly an "in-the-moment" sort of thinker in day-to-day life. But in battle? Grin was always thinking about the situation in almost every way possible. From the split-second decision in dodging the chain, the Squad 11 Vice Captain had taken into account the potential ramifications of his action, and what his opponent could do to interfere with it.

Grin knew that his opponent could change the direction of the chain, but even for a master of the art of chain-fighting, there were some things that just made such an action far more involved than, say, the simple action of swinging a sword. For one, there was the length of the weapon to take into account. Takehiko was currently working with what was almost certainly his usual amount of chain, meaning that he had 7 feet of chain to change the direction of all at once. Secondly, there was the weight on the end and the momentum it brought into play. Even a master of chains still had to work with his weapon's momentum, and chains were a weapon that, once set on a specific path, were hard to force radical course changes upon.

Another issue was his opponent's own movement. While Grin was indeed slow compared to the speeds that Takehiko could pull off, he was still far, far faster than any human could manage without vehicular aid. And much like Grin, Takehiko was restraining himself from his full speeds, instead only matching the other Vice Captain. This meant that, for almost all intents and purposes, Grin and Takehiko's chain were moving at the same speed, but in opposite directions. Paired with the earlier disadvantages of changing the direction of a chain, this meant that Takehiko would have had to start the redirection before Grin had actually dodged in order to get the target he had desired, which he had not.

In fact, thanks to Grin's forward momentum when compared to his opponent's required changes to the direction of the chain, the shorter noble would be able to entirely avoid the chain strike altogether. After all, Takehiko had been trying to hit his face with the weighted end of his chain, meaning that Grin had been on the very outside edge to begin with. And Grin's roll would be carrying him further and further within the chain, meaning that the chance of it actually harming or entangling him were minimal. So, in short, Grin's prior action, without any modifications, allowed him to dodge his opponent's skilled chain usage, all simply using simple facts about how the nature of the weapon he faced and how he was dodging.

However, it seemed that Takehiko had been counting on that hit to interfere with Grin's attack. While he did attempt to side-step the grinning Vice-Captain, such an action wasn't enough. He had planned for dodging attempts, and once he realized his foe hadn't simply used Shunpo to dodge once again (as evidenced by the fact that he was still there when he began to step), Grin would use a Shunpo of his own.

Takehiko's senses were superb, but even he wouldn't be able to follow Grin's fist when he activated the famous "partial Shunpo" known as Shunpo Karin. There would suddenly just be a brief flicker at Grin's arm, and the sensation of being hit hard in the stomach. Takehiko wouldn't even be able to think of finishing his side-step before Grin's amazingly fast punch finished. By the time he had already seen the flicker, Grin's movement was over. And even Takehiko's energy sensing capabilities didn't help him pre-empt his opponent's move, as Shunpo Karin, much like its parent technique, was something that could be done with ease at any time.

However, that was not the end of Grin's attack. If the punch connected (which it almost certainly would), Takehiko would feel a spiral of reishi at the point where Grin's fist met his body. This reishi would suddenly explode outwards, sending the Kuchiki flying at an upwards angle, spinning all the while. If he knew his Hakuda well enough, he would be able to recognize it as Rasengeki, a Hakuda strike that was often remarked on as being extremely disorienting to be on the receiving end of. The rapid spinning would be nigh-overwhelming, especially when combined with the upward angle Takehiko would be forced to travel at because of the punch.

However, his upward movement would be the least of his problems. After all, as Issac Newton said, "If Bitches be goin' up, then bitches be comin' down." And indeed, the Squad 3 Vice Captain would begin coming down, after traveling roughly 20 feet up into the air. The landing would be painful, to say the least, provided that he didn't somehow find a way to cushion his fall.

Reiatsu: 650/750 (-100 Shunpo Karin)

[Amagai Kuchiki]

(OOC: Since Mou left, I'm going to just do a wrap up post that leaves us at a draw, I don't feel comfortable taking a free win from his departure)

Somehow, Takehiko's chain seemed unable to reach Grin in time, which kinda threw a spanner in the battle plan that revolved entirely around entangling his foe. Grin aggressed on him very rapidly, and although Takehiko side stepped, that hardly seemed enough to bring him out of the threat range of Grin. Grin's arm blurred into motion, and although Takehiko knew he couldn't block or dodge in time, he tried to shift his body downwards slightly and braced for impact. Grin's blow connected with his stomach hard, and although Takehiko knew that there wouldn't be any fight altering damage inflicted, the punch still hurt. He suppressed the pain, ignoring it through a combination of incredible strength of will and simple practice at enduring. He almost opened his mouth, about to make a comment about "Is that the best you got" when he felt the reiatsu take hold of him and lift him upwards.

Once again, Takehiko's lack of understanding of a fundamental technique was going to make life unduly difficult. He contemplated his options as he flew upwards, and in the scarce seconds it took for him to reach the pinnacle of the arc, twenty feet, he came up with a few thoughts. Twenty feet wasn't too far to fall, especially if he landed correctly. Worst case scenario, he'd hurt his legs a little, but not in a way that would prevent him from fighting. Of course, he didn't want to force his body too far, and the more damage he took for free the worse off this fight would go in the long run. If he had bothered to learn Advance Air Ground earlier, he could ignore the uppercut with relative ease. But he didn't, so he couldn't. Seriously was beginning to be a bit of a questionable decision on his part. 

He could of course use his chain to soften the area of impact, he'd done it a few times in the past. Mostly back when he trained with Monarch, he hadn't had enough practice falling since then to try it. A combination of that and tanking the fall seemed like his best option, but simply landing, especially telegraphing the area he intended to land first, seemed like a poor idea. Grin could easily engage him again the second he landed, and if Takehiko wasn't careful he could end up in the sky again. He didn't want to repeat this process. In that case, he needed to clear Grin back from the landing site. He almost laughed: he had the perfect idea. And the Vice Captain had earned it, whether he wanted it or not.

Drawing forth his sword from his scabbard, as Takehiko began to fall back down he switched which hand held what weapon. "Cut Down, Karamiau Heiki." Grin would certainly feel the dramatic increase in spiritual pressure, as would basically everyone within a quarter mile radius or so. It felt fairly good to release his Shikai, he hadn't done so in far too long. The weapons twisted together in his hands, surrounded in a sheath of reiatsu, before he tugged them apart. And like a magician's set of rings, they magically had gone from being separate entities to being a single united weapon. A Kusarigama, and a rather intimidating one at that. The sickle end was wicked sharp, and even from a distance the edge gleemed. In Takehiko's other hand, he held the weight connected to the sickle, although the chain that connected the two was almost impossible to see, especially while Takehiko was falling.  Takehiko threw the weight out, shattering the ground below him, before landing on it shortly after. He landed on the balls of his feet, and although the shock of the landing coursed through his legs, he didn't feel any serious damage. If Grin chose to engage him right now, he'd lose a limb, or a sense if he was lucky. But Takehiko didn't expect that he would, and sure enough, the Vice Captain didn't charge Takehiko.

Takehiko held up the sickle, pointed at Grin. "I applaud you for forcing me to release." He hadn't been forced, but he'd chicked out and thus it was fair to credit his foe. "Given the current circumstance, it's likely you have a slight advantage. But if we exchange blows even once, I think it's safe to say that I'd win. With that in mind, I think we'd best call it a draw, and respect both of our combat prowesses." He lowered the sickle, and gave Grin a small nod. "I hope this fight was enjoyable, as I doubt we'll ever cross swords again."

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

+340 TP to Takehiko