TESTING: Guujin Karai vs Iro Kuchiki [PG13, NDE]

[Kento Waffles]

Thread Title: A Bad Dream: Guujin vs Iro
Participants: Guujin Karai (Sonken Kouhai's Right Hand), Iro Kuchiki (Squad 11 Captain)
World: Human World
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: Outskirts of Karakura Town.
Special Conditions: None.
Circumstances: They may have encountered one another by chance on separate missions in the outskirts of Karakura Town, but that doesn't mean a battle won't occur. After all, Guujin Karai is a heavily wanted criminal with a huge bounty on his head. Why wouldn't Iro Kuchiki go after him?

[Iro Kuchiki]

The land of the living... A lone figure stands on a hill overlooking Karakura Town, pondering the meaning of life. This world had been his home for over four hundred years as he aged incredibly slowly, not knowing that he was less of a human than he thought himself to be. The breeze ruffles his long white coat as he stands emotionless just watching the busy town. He had arrived at the town to wipe out a nest of Hollows that was gathering in the woods just outside of it, and had been able to do so without even drawing his blade. Such is the power of the family Kuchiki, and the Captain of the Primary Attack Squad.

Iro Kuchiki, a man of few words, was very passionate about this world. Even though he had been rescued from his amnesia and restored in the Soul Society as Captain, he still cared more about the human world than his old/new home. The Attack Squad was perfect for him to lead because he was constantly on mission to protect the Soul Society externally. Everyone that didn't know him would see his actions that way. He was constantly away from the Soul Society to protect it. However, his close family and he knew that he was away in order to protect the Land of the Living.

An unfamiliar shinigami presence drew near to him, at the level of a Captain. Iro was intimately aware of all the Captain level Shinigami of the Gotei 13, so this new presence intrigued him. The strength and amount of the reiatsu wasn't abundant, but it felt sharpened to a similar status as Iro or the other Captains. "Move no further, your presence will damage the civilians." Facing the shinigami, the Kuchiki found the presence to be a man that all Shinigami knew of. The Traitor Guujin. Hand on the hilt of his sword, Iro wondered at the reason why this criminal would dare to approach one of the Gotei 13, much less a Shinigami.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}
Strength – [200 (x.5) 100] Points

Speed - [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [250 (x3) 750] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400 (x3) 1200] Points

Light Aura - 50 Points

Dark Aura - 50 Points

Instinct - [175] Points

Senses [125] Points

Energy sensory - [50 (x4) 200] Points

Healing Expertise - [100 (x.5) 50] Points

Total SP: 1600 Points


Abilities



[Weapons: Sword] {4}

[Acrobatics] {3}

[Analysis] {3}

[Strength of Will] {2}

[Calm Mind] {2}

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{I've got music}

Turning around, the criminal faced Iro of the Kuchiki Family. Guujin Karai was a wanted man by the Soul Society, with a total reward on his head of two hundred and eighty five million Ryo, just short of the reward placed by the Kuchiki Family on the monster Grimoire, and with a bounty exceeding even the human world's placed price on Squad 6 Captain Sozen Kuchiki's head. He was a former Captain, responsible for the deaths of over eight hundred Soul Reapers from during his betrayal, and also responsible for the operation which had destroyed the original Big Soul Cannon in the Seireitei. Back when Sonken Kouhai first betrayed everyone, Guujin was right there with him, killing all the small fry.

He was no laughing matter, either. As a Captain, he had never failed any missions, including those from before becoming a Captain. From the beginning, he had been a combat genius who could defeat even some of the most well adjusted of enemies. His combat experience was tremendous, and the only reason he hadn't been a Captain before Azeru Cho's days had been because Guujin had not been in the Seireitei during that time. In other words, Guujin was a truly despicable opponent. Dangerous, high priority target, and easily one of the more sinister. His unorthodox moveset was legendary even today, and it was said that even some of the Espada in Las Noches feared the prospect of battling him.

"Ahhh, you found me..." Guujin said seductively as Iro arrived. Guujin spoke strangely. His Japanese possessed a vocal intonation and invoked a certain word choice which were both reserved primarily for female speakers, and were employed most often by female prostitutes or females simply attempting to be seductive. Guujin's use of this style of Japanese made him seem more menacing, rather than seductive, as if he craved blood, or wanted to eat something. It made him seem far more like a snake. His brown eyes, which appeared nearly empty, and seemed to possess no pupils, gazed blankly at Iro as the Squad 11 Captain appeared.

Guujin feigned mock surprise when Iro put his hand on his sword. "Careful, now..." Guujin warned. "If you draw your sword on me in a place like this, I have no choice but to retaliate..." Guujin assumed a loose Hakuda stance facing Iro, and made no move to pull out his Zanpakuto. Presumably, it was on that large, black bag Guujin wore on his back. He made no motion toward the bag though, and only assumed this Hakuda stance, as if testing Iro. Guujin smiled coldly, like a Cheshire cat. His grin was mocking. His reiatsu was extremely weak compared to any Captain, but his presence was sharpened and honed like any Captain as well. He would have other strengths besides reiatsu.

They were on the outskirts of Karakura, where once Azeru Cho had been defeated. There were no people here, and they would be free if they desired to go all out. Well, shit. Hard fight ahead, then. Guujin was a former Captain. Iro was a current Captain. They were both super powerful and extremely skilled. No matter who won, there was going to be some pretty critical damage on either side. This wasn't a fight many would want to go into full force, but full force was required for capturing Guujin and taking him in. It wasn't the same as if Iro had the bad luck of facing Sonken Kouhai, but it was still unsettling. Time to fight. In another anime, they'd say, "METABOTS...ROLL BATTLE..."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}

Strength - [400 (800)] Points

Speed - [400 (800)] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [200 (100)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [50] Points

Light Aura - [0] Points

Dark Aura - [100] Points

Instinct - [300] Points

Senses [300] Points

Energy sensory - [350] (1050) Points

Healing Expertise - [100] (50) Points


Total SP: [2100] Points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}

[Swords] {3}

[Street Fighting] {3}

[Analysis] {3}

[Damage Recovery] {3}

[Battle Analysis] {3}

[Martial Arts: Hakuda] {3}

[Pain Resist] {3}

[Iro Kuchiki]

SPOILER: Click to show

{I too, have music}

Guujin was... unnerving, to say the least. The way he talked in a singsong flirty kind of Japanese definitely made Iro uncomfortable and nervous. But why was that exactly? Iro was a man hardened by both human World Wars and a Captain with a heart turned to stone by a particular Demon from Hell. How could this slender long haired man make him feel so off guard? Was it the way he talked like a woman, or like a prostitute? Or maybe it was the way his reiatsu presence was so underwhelming. For a criminal known for the deaths of nearly a thousand Shinigami, he seemed like a Student in terms of actual presence.

Was Guujin simply suppressing himself, or was this really all there was to him? Either way, Iro wasn't about to let him get away. The criminal wasn't running, rather preparing for battle, leaving the Kuchiki to start combat. How should he proceed? Should he release right off the bat out of respect for the traitor's reputation, or should he be more conservative? Kidou was a strong suit of Iro with his naturally high reiatsu, so a strong Bakudo or Hado could potentially cripple the man who appeared quite weak.

"Hado #83: Hyōga Seiran It wasn't usually a good idea to state the name of the technique you're about to use, especially against a Shinigami who might know the technique in question, but Iro had trained his body more than his use of Kidou, so while he was fantastic at swordplay, he was not capable of mentally casting Kidou. However, the speaking wouldn't take very long. Completely ignoring Guujin's threat, the Kuchiki drew his blade as he uttered the Hado's name, sending forth a powerful wave of icy water towards the criminal.

The Kidou had a twofold purpose. Of course, if he was consumed by it that would be the end of the man, but the Captain seriously doubted that the traitorous Soul Reaper didn't have some way of dodging and avoiding it. Shunpo alone would get out of its way, however, doing that would put Guujin in one of three places. He could risk clipping the tidal wave to end up above Iro, or he could move to either side. As a subset of the second option he could end up behind the Kuchiki, though that would take a bit more time. Wherever Guujin ended up, Iro would be ready to counter.

Remaining Reiatsu: 6900/7500 (-600 Hado 83)
Combat Posts: 1/8

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{This now!}

Guujin still spoke in that mysterious, offsetting intonation reserved only for women. Japanese was a seriously complicated language if it could achieve that effect with just tone and word choice. Well, wait. Just about any language could do that. Japanese just did it in a unique way. Or, Asian languages did. Okay, more on that later. Guujin was watching Iro begin to attack. First, the Squad 11 Captain spoke. Second, he drew his sword and aimed it. All textbook maneuvers, but clearly executed perfectly. A beautiful drawing motion of the sword, and a flawless fast speaking of the Kido name, and then a huge behemoth of an ice barrage. "Ohhh? Such a large Kido already?"

There was a rippling sound, resounding and tearing, like a fire suddenly ignited from the lungs of a dragon. Iro would be caught off-guard not only by Guujin's speed, but by the speed of what he used. It was faster than a traditional flash step, or Shunpo. It was faster, and it was a trained, skilled procedure which was practically teleportation, except that it really did just take Guujin above the attack, and directly to Iro's back. While it may seem as if it might take longer than normal, it didn't, because the movement was faster than the traditional flash step, and it was a technique which literally was designed to get to the back.

The technique he used, Senka, was used to immediately take him to his opponent's back. Senka not only took the user directly to the opponent's back, but it did so with a speed increase of 11x, rather than 10x, meaning that numerically, measuring Guujin's speed made the step movement 8800 instead of 8000. It was far above anything Iro could accomplish himself, making it extremely disorienting, especially because the move was so meticulous, as it was intended to be by its makers, that most people couldn't even tell if they were being attacked from in front or behind. Senka also set up Guujin for a specific type of attack.

The entire movement was what was considered Senka, making this a very lethal attack. Guujin's non dominant right hand was being sent forwards toward Iro's back. If it struck, it would sever his soul chain and thus erase his spiritual powers totally and completely. Guujin had managed to create a very difficult situation for Iro early, but it wasn't something that Iro would be unable to counter. He was a Captain. This was probably child's play for Iro. No, what Iro would want to be weary of was what else Guujin was planning in combo with this attack, and any counters to Iro's counter. Guujin was sure to have a few.

Guujin's Remaining Reiatsu: 900/1000 Reiatsu

Combat Posts: 1/8

[Iro Kuchiki]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Music}

Iro was prepared for his opponent to dodge, but was definitely taken off guard by the sheer speed at which Guujin moved. It was faster than a blink of the eye that the man moved, and the breeze that was kicked up by this motion was nothing less than a howling gale. Iro's skill at analysis would help him here understand just what was going on. The Senka displaced air in massive quantities, and as the grass and dirt to either side of Iro's vision was not kicked up, the only direction the man could be coming from was above.

As no shadow lingered over Iro, the traitor must have continued over and past him and was aiming at his unprotected back. Although the Captain couldn't tell immediately if this was Shunpo or Senka, not knowing Guujin's base movement, he didn't have time to react to either one anyways. His senses weren't really capable of tracking the mach movements, and while his instinct was honed, he was not particularly skilled at that. His true strength rested in his ability to tank and deal fierce attacks.

Iro let Guujin follow through on his attack. He really needed to gauge how powerful his opponent was, and sometimes the best way to do that was to take an attack or two. Letting his body lose any tension and going limp, Iro set up the Kuchiki style of the Floating Rose to attempt to completely negate any physical damage that he'd take. The Senka carried through hitting Iro, sending him forwards with the powerful 800 strength. Not too surprised at the man's physical capabilities after demonstrating such enormous speed, the Kuchiki unfortunately took a heavy hit regardless of his preparation.

He didn't have the speed to fully pull off his Floating Rose maneuver, though he did manage to use the attack to his back to propel him forwards and flip, retaining his control of his movements with a step off of the air ground. His back was bruised and at least one of his ribs were also damaged. It was a heavy price to pay, however in Iro's eyes his opponent took a bit more damage. Due to cutback, Guujin took major lacerations to his arms and minor cuts across his torso.

With his reiatsu strength so high, Iro had simply powered through the attempt to shatter his soul chain. That didn't stop him from being hurt by the attack, but now he had a quite firm grasp over the criminal's speed and strength. It was considerable and dangerous in close combat. Iro's usual tactics of negating damage would be ineffective, and he couldn't take too many of those attacks. "You are a worthy opponent. Your opponent's name is Iro. Iro Kuchiki."

In an instant, Iro's Zanpakutou exploded. The entire length of the blade from tip to hilt shattered into dust as the hilt similarly dissolved. The arms of his Haori were blown away as his arms were covered in solid black matter. The now short sleeves of his outfit looked like they had been subjected to this many times as the edges were frayed way more than they should be from one releasing. As Iro's Shikai finished forming in sharp fingertips and elbows, the wave of reiatsu that resulted in releasing one's Zanpakutou would sweep over the area.

"Do you feel dirty, Guujin? Do you feel unclean?" As the Kuchiki's reiatsu finished dissipating, Guujin's incredibly high Energy Sensory would be completely aware of its effect on him. The act of Iro releasing spreads a certain kind of taint across the area. It wouldn't be as clear a difference here in the Land of the Living, but Iro had sewn elemental Carbon throughout the area, even inside his opponent. Iro was released and ready to fight hard.

Remaining Reiatsu: 6750/7500 (-150 Shikai)
Remaining Carbon: 250/250
Combat Posts: 2/8

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{More Hunter x Hunter soundtrack}

Iro, as he moved away, would be able to see blood across Guujin's arms, and across his torso. Some of them were quite deep cuts, and there was a lot of blood from them. To Guujin's credit, he hadn't lost use of his arms, but he had been wounded. He didn't really seem to mind, actually, but even if he didn't mind, bleeding wasn't a very nice thing to have happen to you. He didn't stop smiling, either. His charm and demeanor weren't going to disappear just because he got cut a little bit by the cutback effect. He was used to the cutback effect, actually.

"Ah...That's unfortunate..." Guujin admitted of his lacerations. "Iro Kuchiki, huh? I shouldn't have underestimated the Bishop of the Kuchiki Family...Squad 11 certainly pumps out some nasty Captains...." Guujin, however, was taking this fight seriously. He didn't seem as if he was, but that was all part of his ruse. Psychological warfare included making the opponent feel as if you weren't going all out, because you didn't need to. Regardless of injuries, if Guujin seemed like he was the one in control of the fight, then Iro would feel disadvantaged.

Guujin waited around while Iro released his Zanpakuto, and then he looked into Iro's eyes. A smile lit onto Guujin's lips. "I do feel dirty..." Guujin admitted. "So I'd like to clean myself a little..." As he looked into Iro's eyes, Iro would be able to feel something. It was some kind of reiatsu. It was some sort of invasion of Iro's subconscious mind. And suddenly, Iro would be able to see not only what was in front of him, but in his own inner world, where Guujin, against all odds, would be.

Guujin was there...conversing with Iro's Zanpakuto spirit. And whatever he was saying, it seemed very convincing. Well, this phenomenon wasn't unheard of. Some individuals were so acute with energy sensory that they'd be able to communicate with the spirits of others. But it was scary to see it happen up close. "Really, what has he ever done to show appreciation for you?" Guujin's voice suddenly became audible, as the end of a conversation he'd been having with Iro's Zanpakuto spirit this whole time. "Do you really owe him your powers?"

And, to perhaps Iro's disbelief, his Zanpakuto spirit would begin to buy it. Those with extremely high energy sensory were amazingly scary, and it was horrible to consider that anyone could do that to someone else. It might only work once, and it might only work briefly, but even a brief shut-down of powers was terrible. And it was well on its way. Iro was well on his way to his Zanpakuto spirit actually refusing him its services. And, in seconds, his powers showed signs of beginning to fade. If they did or didn't was up to him.

Back in the physical world, Guujin spoke. "Oh, would you look at that? I wasn't dirty for terribly long. Your Zanpakuto seems to be fading...Not that it matters. I knew all about your carbon powers anyway. Every detail of your techniques." And Guujin wasn't bluffing either. That was the perk of such incredible energy sensory. While Iro's Zanpakuto wouldn't be shut down for very long, it was long enough that he would suffer some troubling attacks by Guujin in the meantime.

"Are you scared, yet...? Because you should be..."

[Iro Kuchiki]

Iro should have been pleased at inflicting some deep wounds on his opponent in one blow, surviving Senka and also damaging his opponent, but something just didn't feel right. He had released, sending his carbon taint across the landscape and into his opponent, but Guujin just stood there. "Ah... That's unfortunate..." He wasn't surprised, nor even bothered by the wounds that had grown on his arms and torso. The feminine tone of voice was creepy, but this was just plain scary.

It wasn't common for people to simply shrug off this level of wound, and though it should be at least plausible due to Guujin's reputation and class of fighter, that didn't mean there wasn't a psychological effect caused by seeing someone so nonchalant after being cut open like he had been. Iro lowered himself to the ground with a staggered use of Air Ground, hesitating. It was always a bad decision to hesitate and not take down ones opponent, especially a high class criminal such as this one, but the Kuchiki had to pause. The way Kouhai's man disregarded the wound was worth expecting some sort of counter attack if Iro charged.

"Squad 11 certainly pumps out some nasty Captains...." Squad 11... Did the traitor just mention the division through luck or did he really know Iro quite well? Few people could have known just how much the squad meant to him. Iro graduated out of the Academy straight into the squad lead by Captain Shinra, one of the greatest Captains of the squad's history and someone that Iro tried to strive to live up to. "Of course it does. We live up to Shinra-taicho's memory." A man of few words, he still felt the need to press the issue. It was for Squad 11's Honor.

With Guujin's Energy sensory, he'd clearly understand that the carbon taint from Iro's release was imbued into his body. It was as if Carbon had become a part of him now. But the man didn't care. "I do feel dirty... So I'd like to clean myself a little..." No... there was no way he could do that. No one could simply purge Iro's carbon unless they fully emptied themself of reiatsu and then cut their soul chain to prevent any new reiatsu from forming. The Carbon was embedded into their soul... Iro had never met someone who had claimed to clean themself without Iro's will...

But suddenly, Iro found himself standing on a grassy hill in the sunshine, Karakura Town gone and replaced with endless fields of flowers and grass. "No." Standing in a field was Guujin, simply talking to the air. "No." Whatever the criminal was saying couldn't be heard by Iro due to the distance, however, Kouhai's subordinate would have trouble hearing any responses to anything the Zanpakutou spirit said. He just couldn't be heard right now. "No, anything but the rains."

Iro hated his Inner world, and Guujin was about to learn first hand why it was the Kuchiki despised this terrain of his soul. The sunshine was quickly replaced by clouds that rolled in from nowhere, and it began to rain and pour like a torrential storm. However, it wasn't water that was falling. Thick sludge like a purple mud fell from the sky, coating everything in slime and corrupting the entire landscape. Iro was hit the worst as he was up on the hill, his back seeming to grow a foot thicker as mud piled on top of him.

Still too quiet to be heard, Guujin was able to talk to Iro's Spirit now as the sludge allowed the part of the Kuchiki's soul to rise up out of the ground where he was being suppressed. Muk was a giant pile of slime with a face, and laughed as the other Shinigami started talking to him. "Well hello, new invader. I don't get a lot of visitors out here... especially not that one over there. He never visits me." Iro and Muk had an unstable relationship, mostly because Iro did not care for the Spirit at all. Thought him to be tainted and ugly as well as uncivilized and uncouth. Guujin was going to have an extremely easy time completing the task he had at hand.

"I know exactly why he doesn't visit you. You can see it on his face. He hates you." Muk's body turned 180 degrees to look at Iro up on the hill, with his face turned down against the onslaught of the rains. The Soul Reaper's face was twisted in a grimace of disgust and malice. He had been forced into this world, and was hating every minute of it. "He sure looks pretty disgusted... He's always like that when he's here." Muk was easily influenced, and if this was a card game between Guujin and Iro, then the Kuchiki had no cards to play while the Karai man had the whole deck.

"Has he ever treated you with kindness?" "Well... no..."

"Has he ever treated you with respect?" "No, bu-"

"Has he ever thanked you for your work and effort?" "People do that?"

"Does he let you wander around this lonely prison at will? "No, that would bother him greatly."

"Does he let you help him or give him advice?" "No, he usually hisses at me to quiet when I speak up."

"Has he ever spoken to you or asked for your help?" "Not in a long long time...

Rapid fire questions bombarded Muk, and Iro was helpless to do anything. More than that, he was unwilling and incapable. There was no way to defend himself, because they were all true statements pulled out of Iro's memories and subconscious. They were the perfect words. And they all culminated into one final question. "Really, what has he ever done to show appreciation for you? Do you really owe him your powers?" That was the point of it all, and was spoken so loud that Iro would be able to hear the question plain as day. Muk took one last look at the scowling Shinigami, and sighed the biggest sigh a pile of mud can possibly sigh.

"No, I guess I don't owe him anything."

His work done, Guujin vanished. In the outer world, Iro's Shikai began to fade. The hard armor on his body started to liquify and become his sealed blade once again, leaving his arms bare and his sleeves still ripped, of course. Inside the Inner world, the purging rains were coming that would clean the entire meadows and restore it to sunshine. However, Iro had one last word for Muk. "You tainted creature, I'll do this without your assistance. I didn't force you into submission for nothing."

His eyes once again focusing on Guujin in the real world outside the Kuchiki's soul, Iro was disgusted by his trip into his Inner world, and annoyed but not really surprised. He and Muk didn't get along, so he was vulnerable to that kind of trick. The taunt about knowing his powers was psychologically frustrating, due to the effortless way the criminal had been able to separate Iro from his powers. The Soul Society didn't fear Kouhai and his subordinate for nothing. It would have been foolish to think he could be taken on easily.

"Are you scared, yet...? Because you should be..." Was he scared, or was he excited? Was he scared, or just angry? Was he scared, or just disgusted? Whatever the feeling Iro had, he had the perfect words to respond to this. "Maybe I am scared. But do you know what happens when I am scared? I Rise up and rule over the Living... Saisho-Shuuryou!" Iro was going to completely ignore Muk's betrayal, and subjugate the Spirit instead. With full control over his Inner World, Iro buried the spirit far beneath the ground and released his Bankai. This tactic would undoubtedly cut Iro off from more talented uses of his powers like his Techniques, however he wasn't going to beg and plead for Muk to help him. No, he was the Jailer, and Muk was simply the prisoner.

Iro's body was completely washed over by the Carbon, pouring down his throat to protect the innards as well as covering every inch of him in the flexible but sturdy armor. As this happened, skeletal wings burst out of his back and a crown of shining diamond grew onto his head. As his body was being covered by the thick armor like release, small shoots were growing out of the ground a mile in every direction from Iro, quickly growing into a forest of thick diamond trees. "I do not need my Spirit to rob you of your life, foul traitor. I rule over this land. You know that best of all."

Remaining Reiatsu: 6450/7500 (-300 Bankai)
Remaining Carbon: 1000/1000
Combat Posts: 3/8

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{More Hunter X hunter music...But this one will break your heart to hear}

Guujin stood there almost dumbfounded by Iro's release of Bankai. Suddenly, all of that effort to lock down Iro's Zanpakuto did nothing but made Iro more powerful. Before the fight had even truly begun, there was Iro with a full on powerful release. It was dangerous for Guujin to fight against it. But, then, something started to happen. "Ha..." started the first syllable from Guujin's lips. "Hahaha!" And then it came out in a long winded cackle full of different intonations, octaves, and melodies, like a musical instrument. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Something was amusing to Guujin! And now he was laughing. He was laughing maybe at Iro, or the Bankai, or the situation.

"Aha...hahahaha....HAHAHAHAHA! Oh man...HAHA! Oh man, I'm sorry...One moment..." Guujin trailed. "HAHAHA!" He couldn't contain himself, but at last he regained his composure and he looked again at Iro with an extremely amused look from narrow eyes, and a huge smirk on his face. "It's just...It's just so ironic. People like you are the ones calling Captain Kouhai and I scum, but we've still got more respect for Zanpakuto than you do. You're callin' us the bad guys, but you're so hypocritically selfish and self centered!" No, that wasn't true. Not in the least. Anyone who knew Guujin Karai or Sonken Kouhai could say that what Guujin was saying now wasn't the truth at all.

...But that was just the thing. Even if Iro did, his Zanpakuto didn't know Guujin Karai or Sonken Kouhai. He didn't know them at all. And so, to an ignorant spirit's ears, for Muk would hear Guujin speaking, these words fell eerily true. Iro really didn't treat his Zanpakuto spirit well, for some reason ill-defined. He didn't give it even the slightest chance, even though it was the source of his power to protect. Protect what? Himself? His comrades? His home? Yeah, he protected all of that only with the help of Muk. And he treated Muk like shit. Guujin had found this out quickly, and been able to talk Muk down. And now he was talking even more.

Even while Guujin took out his Zanpakuto, and threw the bag aside, something was happening. Inside of Iro's mind, there was conflict. In the physical world, Iro would be able to see Guujin pull out a small wakizashi from an overly large bag. But, in the back of his subconscious mind, Iro would also see Guujin continuing to converse with Muk. Even if Bankai was released, and Iro was subjugating Muk, Guujin could converse with Iro's Zanpakuto spirit! Guujin had the ability to speak to Muk, which, in its own right, could be all the more dangerous. If things went terribly wrong, then Guujin could cause lasting damage in Iro's release. Permanent damage.

"Look at that shit," Guujin told Muk. "Mothafucka didn't even try to reason with you or anything. Just subjugated you like a slave. You're no better to him than an animal. Hell, I'll bet he treats his animals with more respect than you. At this point, you're just the dirt he steps on. Nah, shit, wait. At least he pays slight attention to the dirt when he steps on it." Even with talking, Muk couldn't just seal away Iro's Bankai. Had Guujin's reiatsu been just one level more powerful, his invasion into Iro's mind could have dealt more damage for this fight. As it was, Bankai couldn't be sealed. But, that didn't mean that Guujin couldn't make Iro's life more and more difficult. And it didn't mean the psychological battle couldn't continue.

"Shit, you might as well refuse him in every fight, then. Ain't like he's ever gonna help you anyway. You've got no obligation. If he's gonna subjugate you, fine, then. Hell, if it weren't for you, and for that technique Sesshu, he'd be suffocating on his fuckin' asthma, right? Just sit there in silence and let him see how hard it is to always have to fight by himself." Guujin knew about the asthma too...He had read certain phrases of Iro's soul too... Guujin was suggesting to Muk to refuse Iro Shikai in all cases. Not just this battle, but all of them. If that happened, Iro would be severely inconvenienced in every fight he ever entered. And that wasn't even the worst of what Guujin said, either. In the physical world, he had other plans in mind. What he said in the physical world, Muk could no longer hear, because he was bound by Guujin's speech in the spiritual world. All the worse...

"Lemme give you a hint..." Guujin told Iro in the material world. "Your Riki Zuicchi armor ain't gonna help you against my Zanpakuto. Nor will your carbon slaves, or your final form. Long as I've got this kinda knowledge of your Zanpakuto, this is useless. Especially cause you ain't got shit on my Zanpakuto, am I right...?" Now Guujin was psychologically targeting Iro too. The goal was to demoralize the Squad 11 Captain. Probably failed, because no respectable Captain could be so easily demoralized by petty words, or something like the opponent knowing all of their abilities, but it was still going to cause slight doubt. Just a little bit. Just enough to serve Guujin's purposes.

And, back in the spiritual world, it just got worse. Guujin made another suggestion. "Or...wait..." Guujin suggested. "You know, Captain Kouhai's got ways of transplanting you into another Soul Reaper, who might appreciate you better, or maybe even giving you your own material body if you wanted that instead. Sure looks like a way better deal than you're getting here. So, how about it? Instead of languishing in this place with that guy, why don't you help me take him down? Help me restrict his powers, and help me by warning me what he's thinking, and by telling me his weaknesses. Help me kill him, and we can help you out too. What do you say?" Oh, that maniacal grin...

[Iro Kuchiki]

OOC: "Talking is a Free Action" makes for... weird posts. Iro's simply standing there for like... a long time. Well, there's anime logic for you.

Guujin started laughing uncontrollably, obviously amused by Iro's actions. What a waste of breath... The laugh was creepier than the Shinigami's usual way of talking, as it reverberated with various intonations all in one string of syllables. When the man was finally finished laughing, he smirked at the Captain and talked down to him. "It's just...It's just so ironic. People like you are the ones calling Captain Kouhai and I scum, but we've still got more respect for Zanpakuto than you do. You're callin' us the bad guys, but you're so hypocritically selfish and self centered!" Iro was starting to get frustrated with this man who wasted words in such a grandiose way. He shook his head, showing his displeasure and disagreement. "And you slaying thousands of Shinigami, which also kills the Zanpakutou is any better?"

This appeared like Guujin wanted this to be a fight only held inside Iro's Inner world. Only through petty talk and conversation. The traitor would find it hard to have extended conversation with Muk. While the Spirit could hear every word he said, Muk could not respond for fifteen minutes at a time due to the subjugation and the dry spell of the Inner World. The words could have no effect and Guujin wouldn't even know it. However, what he said was pretty accurate in places. He started throwing out the names of Iro's techniques and taunting him. However, the Captain was not only stubborn, but capable of staying calm quite well. But Guujin was good at what he did, and what he did was make Iro snap. Iro waited until the other man was finished talking, storing up all of his objections for one slew of counters.

"I may pay attention to the dirt that I step on, but at least I don't step all over lives, stamping them out. Also, I don't need Sesshu. Muk knows that we fought Shade together without it. And knowledge on my release means nothing if you can't follow through with it. And Muk and I have spent 500 years accumulating toxic taint. You feel that you can simply put that in a new body and it will accept it? You think I haven't thought of this? This body of mine is too weak for a taint as large as Muk. Even with all my strength, half the time he has control and half the time I have control. We share this Inner World equally. Fool, can you even imagine what it is like to look at your Spirit and think "How dirty am I that I cannot even restore this taint to its former form." Muk used to be beautiful, the cleanest Spirit of Water that ever existed. 500 years I spent here in this world, cut off from Muk and developing this taint. Your reading into my soul can never understand 500 years of separation, only to see the corruption that was caused by being too weak. I had been too weak, and as a result, Muk can only move through the sludge. In the sun, Muk evaporates and shrivels into nothing. There is no place for you to put the Spirit that will not cause harm to him. How dare you even think yourself to be capable of being superior to the burden of a lifetime. Muk and I are the same. Two tainted creatures that have spent 500 years growing to be so. We cannot exist without the other, despite how we cannot coexist with the shame of knowing how we used to be."

When you make a quiet person snap, you get a deluge of a rant. His rant finished, Iro decided that there was no more point in standing around. Whether you are with me or against me, Muk, this man has killed our family and his own kind. It is our job as the leaders of the Primary Attack Squad to remove this threat. A cage of sharp threads jumped from tree to tree, surrounding Guujin in an instant. The trees made up the pillars of the cage, and the sharp threads of carbon were close enough together to prevent squirming through, but far enough apart to not waste carbon. The cage formed, and then a gas started to fill the space where Guujin was standing. The cage would prevent him from using Shunpo to get away lest he cut himself into pieces, and the gas was filling the entire space of the cage that he stood in. If he wasn't careful, he'd breathe quite an unhealthy amount of it into his lungs. "It is time for you to feel the burning of your lungs as I do."

Remaining Reiatsu: 6450/7500
Remaining Carbon: 820/1000 (-90 Cage, -90 Gas)
Bankai: 2/10
Combat Posts: 4/8

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Intimidating music I found}

An unexpected development! Suddenly, Guujin was standing right in front of Iro, a huge smile on his face. Holy shit. He seriously just covered all of that distance so damn quickly. It was unreal. No one should have been able to do that. It wasn't even just that Guujin was able to disappear and appear. Sure, he had a huge speed advantage over Iro, but he shouldn't have been capable of doing that. But here it was. He still managed to do it. How the hell? It was unthinkable. Guujin's smile was still there, and his aura and demeanor, which typically would have been reserved for a feminine way of speaking, were not dropped either, so he was still just as creepy as when their fight had first started.

"Oh my. What's the matter?" Guujin asked. "You couldn't possibly have expected to ensnare me in that trap. I could sense your reiatsu building up before the first link of carbon even formed." Oh shit. With that energy sensory, Guujin could sense Iro's reiatsu build up in his body, and in the environment. Guujin would always know where Iro's attacks would spring up, and he would probably even know what kind of attack it was, too. He might even be able to discern the exact ability it was, if Iro used a technique. With the kind of sensory ability that Guujin had, he was practically a mind reader. That was demonstrated further by his mental invasion of Iro's inner world too. No wonder he had been a Captain. This alone was just his basic power. Not even a release was being used yet.

Wait, too soon. Suddenly, Guujin at his maximum speed was stabbing forward toward Iro with his wakizashi. Except...the wakizashi was expanding and turning white. Whereas it had been just a wakizashi a moment before, it was then a white katana with a rectangular guard. Now, with a full length blade, Guujin was more dangerous. It meant also he had unleashed his Shikai, though he had done so without stating the name of his Zanpakuto. What made this attack deadly was that he was already very close to Iro, and very fast. Short of a flash step, it was impossible for Iro to dodge Guujin. It was made even more difficult by the blade instantly extending into Shikai like that. Without a step, Iro wouldn't make it. When it came down to speed, Guujin was a monster.

And, while Iro's carbon defenses were an option other than his flash step, it made no difference, because Guujin could sense, predict, and anticipate all of Iro's attacks with his energy sensory. Because of this dangerous ability and his inhuman speed, Guujin had a major advantage with even a single close quarter attack. Iro could do anything he wanted, but Guujin would still figure out what was going to happen and think of a way to counter it before it even happened. That was what was dangerous about Iro's opponent. As expected of a former Captain, he was going to make Iro work hard for a victory, if one was within his grasp. But, that wasn't even the coup de grace of the whole thing, either!

Guujin also had incredible physical strength. His stab wasn't his only attack. Long before the stab, which was nearly instantaneous, would even reach Iro, another attack was already coming. With Guujin's movement came a blast of air, a sort of invisible shockwave of force that could be detected only by the most skilled of warriors, and probably, at that distance, only by the feeling of wind washing over you, which at that point might be too late, as it might indicate having been hit. If the air blast hit Iro anyway, it'd shatter his ribs or do worse damage, and it would blast him away. That might save him from the stab, but it would still be significant damage. The stab, though, if it hit, was headed for the eye, so it was the less preferable of the attacks to be hit by. Final bad thing? Iro had been attacking or releasing reiatsu constantly. All Guujin had done for a while was stand still and talk. Iro was going to start to wear out, but Guujin was rested. This was getting bad now.

Guujin's Remaining Reiatsu: 700/1000 Reiatsu

Shikai Post Count: 1/10

Combat Posts: 1/6

[Iro Kuchiki]

Guujin moved quickly, before the carbon cage could even begin to set. Of course he did, that man's prediction and analytical powers were top notch. As he moved in front of Iro in the blink of an eye, he released his Shikai wordlessly and attacked towards Iro's eye. Instinctively the Kuchiki closed his eyes and moved to take a flash step backwards, but there was something more sinister in Guujin's motions. Before the shikai was released, and before the blade even finished the stabbing motion, Iro was hit by a blast of air coming from the other man's movements, which swept Iro off his feet and slid him backwards.

Overall, Iro wouldn't be damaged by the wind due to his armor's superiority in defensive capabilities verses Guujin's offensive power. The wind would push Iro, sure, because it had such an impossibly high difference in strength verses the Kuchiki's strength to hold himself down on the ground, but his armor inside and outside his body would keep the invisible attack from breaking his ribs or disrupting any of his organs' functions. Yet Iro was still thrown backwards. Kouhai's man had succeeded in doing that.

Stopping his uncontrolled flight with his wings, Iro immediately surrounded himself with a Cubane shield. He was protected on all sides by his barrier of reiatsu which would drain from Guujin if he touched it. Muk, he had nothing to say to my words. How else can you take that then it is all true? Muk thought on Iro's speech, he had been thinking about it for awhile now. The creature had but a single query for Iro. Was that all true? Do you really feel shame in your weakness? Inside his Inner World, the Shinigami could only nod. Yes... And I will keep fighting until I can restore you by my own strength.

Sealed up in his shield, Iro started to recall the carbon cage and gas that he had created. Guujin would probably want to dodge, because the carbon was capable of travelling at base speed faster than he could and was headed on a path that would cut the man in pieces if he didn't side step or react some other way. It wouldn't be difficult to do, especially with his reiatsu sensing abilities, but that didn't mean it should be ignored. If Guujin dodged or in some other way the Carbon moved unimpeded to Iro, then the physical shield would wrap around the Soul Reaper in two layers. There was an outer layer of carbon webs, a middle layer of carbon gas, and then the inner layer of the Cubane shield.

Wait...

Mmhm?

I don't want to change. You may know how you felt after those 500 years of wandering, but have you asked me how I felt? I was able to watch you for that whole time, and watch myself change in form. You couldn't hear me, even in your dreams like most shinigami can, but I knew everything that was happening to you. I'm proud of this form. It has more power than my pure version ever did...

But...

No buts. If you wish for me to grant you the whole of my power, then you must forsake this quest to 'purify' me. Got it?

Yes, Mu- Yes, Tsukuri-te.

It... is nice to hear my name again.


Remaining Reiatsu: 6300/7500 (-150 Cubane Shield)
Remaining Carbon: 820/1000
Bankai: 3/10
Combat Posts: 5/8

[Kento Waffles]

SPOILER: Click to show

{This song!}

Guujin moved away, his face indicating clearly truth in the words that he had already said. He could sense the build-up of the carbon trying to attack him, and he could escape easily enough because of it. Though it did move at a faster base speed than Guujin did, he moved before it physically approached him. He just needed to sense the reiatsu fluctuations, and he could move before the carbon even got near him. It meant that his escape far to the left allowed him to get away from the carbon even if its base speed was faster. That didn't, however, mean he did it by much. It was close. His sword was extended out as the last extension of him as he escaped, and some of the carbon managed to graze his sword, though he shook any off that got on his sword soon after.

Timing-wise, he was missed by a hair's breadth, but Guujin did still escape, and what mattered was his escape. Unharmed by the attack, Guujin now had a distinct advantage. Iro was in Bankai, and was expending far more energy than Guujin was to keep up in combat. Guujin may not even have Bankai, but if Iro had to continue to use Bankai as he was now, then he was going to run into trouble even further down the line when Guujin really stuck it to him with delivery of powerful attacks and combinations. Actually, speaking of that, Guujin did have something in mind. And, as soon as the carbon went to Iro to wrap around him, Guujin smiled.

"Bankai is troublesome to fight against..." Guujin admitted to Iro. "I would be lying if I said that I'm not having a difficult time. But maybe you as well... You've overestimated your ability to defeat me. Did it cross your mind at any point just now that maybe you're going to lose to me? What would you do then? Oh no..." Guujin wasn't just talk, though. He had a strategy. As Iro's carbon increased the layers of his armor, and became part of his armor, Guujin was enacting this very strategy. Guujin, see, had released to Shikai. Throwing his sword up into the air, Guujin activated the ability of his Shikai at once. That ability was attraction. Magnetism.

Suddenly, Iro's armor was pulled away from him, toward the sword. Iro might be pulled with it, if he allowed that to happen, but it wasn't the case. It started instead to rip in half, some went one way, the rest another. "When I hit something with my sword, I can attract it to my sword...or to me... Or both." Guujin told this to Iro, making sure the realization dawned on his opponent. Guujin had touched the carbon with his sword earlier, this carbon being an extension of Iro's release, and having come together to become one with his armor too. It was now one entity in two ways, and having waited for that, Guujin destroyed the armor by willing toward his sword and himself.

What happened was that Guujin, who used a flash step to move toward Iro, would find Iro without armor. The armor had left him, torn off to head for the sword, and toward Guujin, who during his initial approach (as the armor was nearing him) used his flash step. Basically, he ran forwards, and the armor approached, and then his flashstep took him to Iro. By then, the armor was at the sword, and at where Guujin had been a while back. It was headed back to where he was because of the attraction, but it wouldn't get there on time to stop him. Iro was in trouble, because he was without armor, and Guujin was an incredibly strong opponent.

Guujin's fist accelerated toward Iro's chest level using Shunpo Karin. It was faster than anything Iro could either produce or control, and faster than anything he could do with his body too. He was also already in Bankai, and so couldn't release that to blow away Guujin and protect himself. He had the reiatsu strength to flex block, but the attack was too fast anyway and could potentially connect before the flex block. Even if the attack didn't connect before that, the air blast that came with it would connect before. Iro was in danger of being slammed by the air blast to destroy his ribs, and the fist to do even more damage. Guujin was about to do some real damage.

Guujin's Remaining Reiatsu: 550/1000 Reiatsu

Shikai Post Count: 2/10

Combat Posts: 2/6