Post by Sozen Kuchiki on Oct 3, 2014 16:16:17 GMT -5
{This one first}
Red eyes fell once again upon Takashi, and something like a bemused smile lit Sozen's lips. Yeah, the real deal. A true Captain. The suggestion of Shikai didn't fall poorly with Sozen. It didn't require thought or hesitation for him to know that it was alright for Takashi to use it. Why not? Shikai or not, Sozen was a terribly powerful and skilled adversary, and while Takashi would continue to grow stronger, he was still nowhere near Sozen's level. It was evident right now that no matter what happened, Takashi would be unable to land a hit on the Squad 6 Captain. Takashi needed to be faster, more certain in his reflexes, and possess much more experience. Unlike Sozen, who had trained for many centuries under the most incredible of instructors, Takashi was not quite yet so advanced.
"Shikai won't be a problem," Sozen told Takashi. "You may use it as you please, to your fullest extent of ability..." Sozen wasn't bluffing. He was really telling Takashi that it was alright. And why shouldn't it be? Sozen had faced C, The Cardinal, Caesar without releasing for more than half the battle, even as Caesar upped the ante on his bow releases. Sozen had later defeated that same Stern Ritter with less than a Shikai, and once had conquered Zouma Santeku and four other Vizards also with Shikai alone. There was no need to be apprehensive about using Shikai against Sozen. If Takashi could be certain of one thing above all else, it was that Sozen wouldn't be hurt by it.
"But first, rest a moment, and let me tell you a story," Sozen said. "Of another whom I once trained, not unlike how I am training you now." Sozen had actually done a lot of teaching. In his spare time, he could often be found as a substitute teacher in the human world at a high school, or in the Shino Academy classrooms giving lessons. He could also often be found tutoring others in combat, though not as intensively as one of his own Kuchikis. But, Sozen had a story worth sharing about tutoring. "When I was younger," Sozen said. "I tutored in combat a student of tremendous caliber and potential, who later went on to do incredible things. He was a student unlike any I have ever had. A student beyond the ordinary level of any living being. A student named Sonken Kouhai."
{Now this will play}
Centuries ago...
The Sozen of back then had longer hair, a bit wilder. He was still good looking, and obviously his gaunt face shape had never changed, and just as in the present day, he had been clean shaven. Sozen had never been one to grow a beard. He'd been tall, though a little bit shorter than as a Captain. Back then, Sozen had worn rectangular lens black rim glasses, which were not to help him see, but rather to make it more difficult for him to see, so as to make opponents more challenging. When at the physical age of 18, and actual age of somewhere around 150 or so, give or take a few decades, Sozen had been a Lieutenant in Squad 7, and under him was a fourth seat named Sonken Kouhai.
Sozen had trained the boy named Kouhai when Sozen had been a fifth year in the academy, and Kouhai had been a first year. One might even call Sozen Kuchiki the senpai of Sonken Kouhai. It wouldn't be inaccurate or incorrect. And, when Sozen had graduated, he had become Lieutenant in Squad 7. Later, upon Kouhai's graduation, he too had joined Squad 7, falling once again under Sozen Kuchiki. And, in search of more skills to better aid the squad, Kouhai had come to Sozen once again, for more training. In Kido, in swordplay, and even in history, psychological theory, and more. While a genius as a student, Kouhai had deferred to Sozen, who was equipped with knowledge from his Kuchiki training as well.
"You've gotten taller, Kouhai," Sozen said one day when they were together in the woods, training. Though only Kouhai was covered in sweat, and had been utterly dominated in swordplay by Sozen, there was something different about their fight with their actual Zanpakuto. Kouhai, at the physical age of around fifteen or sixteen, was of course Sozen's junior in all ways. But, what was worth noting was that Kouhai's blade wasn't even chipped. For having gone up against Sozen, one would have expected the latter's reiatsu strength to allow him to overpower Kouhai and cut the sword. But Kouhai's sword was intact. For a seated officer, he had rather unusual reiatsu strength.
"You've gotten better at fighting, as well," Sozen said, though he had thoughts going on in his mind. Ah...Really? This guy... His sword wasn't even damaged. The power behind his reiatsu is at least equal to mine... I'm more skilled, so I have the edge, but this guy is really something. He might even be keeping up with me physically. I can't tell if I'm faster or not. In those days, it would be habitual for Sozen and Kouhai to train. And they continued to train as Sozen continued as Squad 7's Lieutenant. They were never friends, and they only occasionally confided feelings in each other. Sometimes they had philosophical discussions, but they were usually just senpai and underclassmen. "It's only thanks to your training, Senpai," Kouhai told him in response when complimented.
And on that day in particular, Sozen was the one to initiate a discussion. "You know, despite everything, you've got a major weakness, Kouhai," Sozen told Sonken Kouhai. "If you would be so kind as to inform me of what it is, I will do my best to mitigate it," Kouhai replied to Sozen, who smiled malevolently at the man who called himself Sonken Kouhai, and who, unknown to Sozen, would later call himself King of Las Noches. "You're still soft. I know because I sense it in your blade. Your fear of cutting. It might be better for you to be in Squad 4 instead of Squad 7, since that's the case." Kouhai bowed his head and apologized for his weakness.
Sozen always considered Kouhai brilliant, but had always considered that this kind hearted boy before him who was afraid to even cut would be stuck with that weakness forever. Wasn't that why Kouhai later transferred to Squad 12 and became their Lieutenant? Because he was more suited for research and science? It must be why, even when it was clear he was a Captain level combatant, centuries later, when Sozen was gone and heard nothing of him, no one suspected a thing. But, while they'd all thought the method sealing Azeru Cho had been designed by Urahara, it had merely been executed by him. The sealing technique was an older one, designed by his former Lieutenant. Sonken Kouhai.
And it was on another day, during another training session, that Kouhai initiated the conversation. "Forgive me Sozen-Senpai, but you are quite correct. I am most likely not suited for Squad 7 as a combatant. I abhor fighting and killing. I abhor the sight, smell, and sensation of a battlefield. I believe Squad 12 might suit the curious type of person that I am far better." Always so humble. So kindhearted. And somehow, Kouhai perfectly disguised the malicious nature hiding inside of him. Or, maybe, instead of disguising it, he had just developed it later afterward. There would never be ample opportunity to tell, but Sozen did forgive Kouhai for transferring to Squad 12. But upon returning to the Seireitei centuries later, Sozen could scarcely believe his student was not in fact a Captain, but a King.
It was then that he was told the awful truth when being given report by one of his Kuchiki clansmen. "Sonken Kouhai, now former Lieutenant of Squad 12, was responsible for much of the reconstruction work going into the Seireitei following the end of the battle against Azeru Cho and the forces of Las Noches. It was during this time that many Hollows attempted to attack Seireitei, only to be pushed back by Sonken Kouhai and his defenses, while the others of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads recovered. Presumably, he was in the running to succeed Lord Shigekuni and become the 34th Captain Commander. Then, one day, Sonken Kouhai did something that no one expected, totally out of the blue."
"Please continue," Sozen invited during that time, wondering what his former student could possibly have done to literally become named "the most wanted man in Soul Society's history," mere months after another had nearly penetrated the palace of the Spirit King. "Sonken Kouhai had built statues to honor the fallen Captains, but these were booby trapped, rigged to cause massive explosions and chaos. At presumably a predetermined time, he detonated these explosives, targeted and slaughtered the Central 46, killed three Captains, and then stole into Squad 12, and stole more than half the database before erasing it from our own archives. This is including the Garganta creation method."
Sozen was shocked by the feats of Sonken Kouhai. Wait...killed three Captains? Impossible. "The Sonken Kouhai that I knew was strong, but not so powerful that he could kill three of the most prestigious Captains we have ever had." Kouhai had been strong, but to be strong enough to kill three? "It appears he had been hiding his full strength for some time. Sonken Kouhai was presumably on par even with Azeru Cho, or the Captain Commander." Sozen kept his failure to accurately judge Kouhai's character to himself, but recognized internally that Kouhai had been soft, without a tempered soul. How he could have managed such deceitful betrayal and murder, Sozen did not know.
The present day.
"It was during subsequent weeks that I learned that Kouhai had donned the mantle of Azeru Cho's successor, and conquered Las Noches. They speculated that he may even have replicated a superior Hougyoku. I later read reports of recent happenings over the years. The exploits and tragedies we suffered at the hands of Kouhai's Espada. Kuroi Naito, who could slip in and out as he pleased because he was so powerful. Asuka Hitotoki, whose Cero could wipe out an entire division's barracks. Espada far superior to those of Azeru Cho's time. A new enemy called Arrancar that I was now meeting for the first time. I have not encountered Sonken Kouhai in centuries, but there is much that I will ask him when I do."
Sozen paced around. "There was a point in my telling you that story," he said. "And it will become clear as we continue to train." Sonken Kouhai. Just how much of him had been deceit, and how much had he truly deceived Sozen? How strong had he been that entire time? How cunning? How wicked? Sozen himself, possessing his own innately acute ability to read others, and a wickedness in his own soul, had not been able to read Sonken Kouhai. How could this be? He did not know. But, it was time to return to what they had been doing before. After all, Sozen was training Takashi, who was injured now. Maybe they'd better resume training later, when Takashi wasn't injured. Well, no...This was a good opportunity to show him something...
"I'm ready whenever you are," Sozen said.
OOC: Before we continue, we're gonna TP collect here real quick.