Rise Up: Aramis Tezuka vs Francis Grin [NDE, PG-13]

[Amagai Kuchiki]

Thread Title: Rise Up: Aramis Tezuka vs Francis Grin
Participants: Aramis Tezuka, Francis Grin
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: In a large, open air arena in Soul Society. The contestants are located on a slightly raised, tile platform, that's 100 feet by 100 feet wide. Surrounding the platform is a powerful reiatsu field, that extends 100 feet into the air. This field will prevent any collateral damage.

In the audience are several captains, plenty of interested parties, and the entirety of Squads 11 and 12.
Special Conditions: The point of this fight is not to rapidly win, but to show off your prowess as Captains. The fights are not to the death, and thus discretion is advised to some extent, although there are numerous medics on the scene so it's almost impossible for one party to kill the other. For this fight, you have access to your new stats and Bankai, so feel free to show them off. In fact, if you fail to show off your Shikai, and your Bankai, that'll reflect poorly on you. These fights will largely determine rankings, as well as have some influence on your ability to be Captain, although it is very hard to lose the Captaincy spot you have been given.

Make sure to post frequently for this thread, which should act as your highest priority if you want your Captaincy. There isn't an official time limit, but if you are unable to post, inform your opponent and a mod as soon as possible. Do not nag your opponents to post. Run this quickly, dramatically, and efficiently, while trying to showcase your potential to it's fullest degree.
Circumstances: This is a fight for the characters to prove their worthiness in Captaincy.

[Francis Grin]

Ah, the start of a pre-scheduled battle. For many fighters, it was a vital first step in combating your foe, if only because of the mind games you could begin. And if there was one Shinigami who liked to use mind games with his opponent, it was Francis Grin of Squad 11. The examples of his unique brand of mind games ranged from surprising an assailant with Carmeldansen, throwing a pie in their face, dressing up as George W. Bush, and even stealing every pair of panties they owned before even issuing the challenge. Ultimately, such actions were meant to make his opponents underestimate him, or to anger them enough to force them into stupid mistakes.

But this time, there would be no such moves on Grin's part. This fight was far too important for his usual behavior, and his new station required a certain sense of decorum. After all, as a Captain, it would hardly be fitting if he made a complete ass of himself in front of a crowd like this. So instead of his normal antics, Grin simply showed up on time, wearing his normal outfit. He simply walked to the middle of the arena, and drew his Zanpakuto in his right hand before placing his left arm behind his back. He would give his opponent a brief salute with his Zanpakuto before settling into his battle stance.

"May the best fucking man win, eh?"

[Aramis Tezuka]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Abilities}
Strength: 100 (60)
Speed: 400 (300)
Reiatsu Strength: 310
Spirit Pressure: 220
Light Aura: 100
Dark Aura: 0
Senses: 70 (210)
Instinct: 200 (600)
Energy Sensory: 100 (300)
Healing Expertise: 0
Total: 1400

SPOILER: Click to show

{Abilities}
• Martial Arts: Fencing—3

• Martial Arts: Joint Locks—2

• Analyzing—3

• Disguise—3

• Illusion Resist—2

• Lack of Fear—2

Aramis Tezuka took to the field and observed his adversary with a bored expression. His right hand adjusted his glasses on his face. "Francis Grin. Former Vice Captain. Battle power. Above average." He intoned in a stoic, level and all-in-all monotone voice. "Blood wells from the flesh like a spring, but no man draws blood from his shadow." Aramis drew his zanpakuto from his left hip with his right hand and assumed a relaxed fencing posture. The blade was held low in front of him, tip pointing at the ground, weapon held in his hand loosely. Aramis seemed outright bored by the affair, in truth. This whole thing. He did not bother to return the salute. "What is a man, but a miserable pile of secrets and lies?" Aramis responded. If he recalled correctly, Grin favored close combat. That was well and good with Aramis. Revenant was most effective under such circumstances.

Combatants in this match were encouraged to use their Bankai. That was not an option for Aramis. He had neither the power, nor the ability to perform Bankai. It was something that would stay eternally beyond his reach. His very blood inhibited him. He felt his left arm throb beneath the chains that bound it, concealed beneath the overlarge sleeve of his hakama. His attire was asymmetrical as always. While his right arm was nearly bare, the sleeve of his uniform barely covering the shoulder, on his left arm it drooped even past the hand, so that the limb was invisible beneath it. A futile act really. Sayuri himself had long ago placed a cuff on his wrist, which had never been removed, that created an illusion that his left arm was perfectly normal. Even the chain on the limb was hidden from sight until Aramis opted to use it in battle. A necessary precaution, for Aramis's left arm, unveiled would have betrayed his true nature as something wholly different from a shinigami.

Something lesser.

But it gave him benefits as well. Because his arm was masked, it often puzzled his foes why his left arm did not bleed. Why their blows glanced off of it. Why a being with such meager strength as Aramis could rend flesh and muscle from bone and pierce concrete with a single swipe of his left arm. All observing could see that Aramis did not exude the strength of a Captain. His reiatsu, for one of Captain class was pitiful. Perhaps they might think he was a strength-oriented fighter, but his bookish appearance and waifish build did not seem to agree with that assessment. Of course... looks could be deceiving. At a glance the only way someone might think an individual like Aramis could possibly become a Captain would be either through a devastatingly powerful ability, or through unmatched speed.

Neither was the case.

Aramis was Captain because of his mind, and his dissembling nature. His left arm spoke everything about him, that one needed to know. Aramis did not boast great strength or speed. His powers were formidable, but limited. His reiatsu was hardly of the highest caliber. Aramis could come so far, because his mastery was in the realm of deception. Knowledge was his ally. Knowledge his opponent lacked, and knowledge that he could give them as little of or as much of as he desired. Or. If it came to it. The wrong knowledge.

But Grin was a powerful opponent too, and Aramis would not underestimate him. Rushing in carelessly would result in unnecessary injuries and damage. The floor was his.

"Analysis commencing."

[Francis Grin]

“Well aren’t you just fucking full of personality,” Grin said in response to his foe’s aloof nature. If he was jarred by the Squad 12 Captain’s behavior, he was doing a good job not showing it. The smile wouldn’t leave the former Vice-Captain’s face as he spoke, and his tone seemed relatively happy and carefree. “Also, pretty sure a man is more than just a sack of lies. I mean, I’m fucking certain that there’s a sexual drive in that sack after all.”

Ah, there was the more typical Grin now. While he had taken the appointment itself seriously, it seemed that he would take this combat as seriously as he did any other. Which was to say entirely seriously, but not in a way that most people would actually take seriously. The man liked to feel out his opponents in combat, and was actually a far cagier fighter than many would believe. He actually didn’t rush into things, contrary to what his personality suggested. All in all, he was actually rather defensive in combat, rather than out-and-out offensive. As such, he didn’t really like giving out the first blow, as this rarely was an actual hit and brought him out of his comfort zone. So he would have to force the other Shinigami to attack him first. Thankfully, Grin had a plan for that.

“Any-fucking-whore,” he said after Aramis said his last bit, his usual tact and manners accompanying a glint in his eyes. “I’ve done a little fucking analysis of my own. I don’t think you’ll be able to stand up against me if I just go all-the-fuck-out. And, ya know, that would really fucking defeat the entire purpose of this whole god-damn endeavor, now wouldn’t it? So, to help preserve yer god-damn dignity, I’m not gonna hit ya with my sword this entire fucking fight. Am I perfectly fucking clear?”

The covert Shihoin would wait for the other man’s response, a cocky grin on his face the entire time. As he waited, Aramis would see the other man move his sword slightly, leaving a glaringly obvious opening in his guard. What’s more, the opening would be child’s play to take advantage of for even an utter novice. For someone of Grin’s reputation, such an opening was… alarming, to say the least. It was like the man had no idea how to properly handle a sword. If that was the case, then this fight was going to be over quickly....

I Am Not Left Handed Posts: 1/3 minimum

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats} Strength - 400 (1000) Points

Speed - 350 (612) Points

Spiritual Pressure - 250 (125) Points

Reiatsu Strength - 280 (140) Points

Light Aura - 50 Points

Dark Aura - 50 Points

Instinct - 150 Points

Senses - 120 Points

Energy sensory - 50 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points


Total SP: 1600 Points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills}Weapon: Swords 2

Hakuda 2

Acrobatics 2

Battle Analysis 2

Acting 2

Strength of Will 2

Pain Tolerance 2

Pressure Points 1

[Aramis Tezuka]

Grin's guard was down. Or so it seemed. He was confident. Dangerously so. That meant he had improved beyond the scope of Aramis's calculations, or that he was overconfident. Aramis would not make an assumption on this until he was certain which it was. However, as Grin had opened himself up to attack, it gave Aramis the time needed to cross the distance towards Grin, unbothered, closing towards short range. Or rather, just beyond it. The rapier was a thrusting weapon, and for a blade, it was quite long. Thus, Aramis did not wish to be too close to Grin, if it could be avoided. The fencer stood just out of measure. From here it would take about one step for Aramis to be able to strike Grin with his rapier at proper measure. That put him about three steps from Grin's own range. Two and a half if Aramis factored in the possibility of a kick.

Of course, there was the possibility of Iaido as well. The Japanese art of drawing the sword and striking in a single motion. And even on top of that.... well. Aramis knew of a rare technique among shinigami, for those who boasted of great strength. They were so strong they could hit their foe from afar using nothing more than the displacement of the air. Was Grin such a foe? Aramis did not know but he also did not wish to take chances. Until proven otherwise, Aramis would assume he was. "If the serpent wishes to be defanged, the Lord shall grant it its request." He stated. "I don't like spectacles very much." He stated in a peculiar nonsequitor. "Vanish, Revenant." In Aramis's hands, his zanpakuto was transformed in an instant. It maintained largely the same form-- still a rapier, but it had a magnificent and elaborate basket hilt, that seemed forged of gold. Its blade was no longer a dull iron gray, but a shining silver, and it glinted in the light.

Aramis did not give Grin even a moment to appreciate this however, for his zanpakuto whistled through the air. But not at Grin. Aramis's zanpakuto whipped to the side, and its tip scraped Grin's zanpakuto. Like fog being wiped from a mirror, from the point of contact, Grin's sword was swallowed up by nothing, and the opposing shinigami would be left clutching nothing but air. "Perhaps you have done your research. Revenant is a cursed blade." There was a paused in Aramis's speed. "Did you know that a Revenant is an evil spirit that terrorizes the living? Perhaps they were invented by early humans that saw Hollows." Aramis mused. "Or perhaps they were something much darker than that." A hint to his own nature, and the nature of his blade. One lost in the monotone of his voice.

"Like the touch of its namesake, whatever Revenant touches, ceases to be. Be it a sword. An attack. A defense. Or another shinigami. Revenant will erase it from all existence." Aramis lied. Of course, Revenant did not truly do this. It merely created the illusion that an object vanished into nothingness. Aramis, however, was all too happy to lie about his powers. But there was an unexpected boon to that lie now. It fit the puzzle that was how he came to be considered for Captaincy. A Zanpakuto that caused whatever it touched to disappear from all existence would indeed be an incredibly powerful ability, and perhaps would even carry this strange child, who lacked the power of a Captain to carry the title.

Shikai: 1/7
Reiatsu Remaining: 1900/2200 (-300 for Shikai)

[Francis Grin]

There was much that could be learned about an individual from the way they fought. Their personality, confidence in themselves, preferences and tastes…. All this and more became apparent in battle, if you knew what to look for. Of course, this usually would take some time, in order to feel out what your opponent was capable of. Unless, of course, you managed to goad them into a situation where they unintentionally revealed a great deal about themselves, like Grin had just done with Aramis.

The Squad 12 Captain should have been on his toes the moment that he saw the drop in Grin’s guard. After all, one doesn’t exactly become a Captain by carelessness, and the opening that Grin had left was undoubtedly careless. After all, such a glaringly obvious flaw in one’s defenses was unforgivable, especially among those who were considered some of the strongest in the Seireitei. If Grin himself had looked at someone leaving that kind of opening, one thought and one thought only would have crossed his mind.

… Oh my god, does he not fucking realize this a trap? Seriously? Are you sure that this guy isn’t fucking retarded Francis? If he is, we should really take it easy on him. Just not fuckin’ right to beat on some mentally-fucking-challenged dumbass, after all. And there was Myou, being the peanut gallery as usual. Even with Grin taking their bond to the next level, it seemed little would change about his sword’s personality. She was still as crude and critical as ever, especially when it came to other people.

Grin, however, said nothing, the smile still on his face. He would quickly take note of his foe’s release, and was already ready for the incoming strike, wherever it may be aimed. In fact, he had figured out exactly what to do in order to test his opponent from the moment the other man had drawn his blade and entered his own stance. After all, Aramis was doing nothing yet that Grin himself didn’t recognize from his own personal experience, and Grin was about to use that to his advantage.

You see, an integral part of Grin’s core sword style was fencing. While he certainly wasn’t as masterful in it as other Shinigami were due to his overall generalist approach, he was certainly able to recognize the general stance for it. Indeed, there were definite mirrors between his current one-handed stance and the other man’s that were undeniable, most coming down to the narrow profile presented. As such, this gave him some basic groundwork for guessing what Aramis’ possible openers could be.

However, this wasn’t what truly gave the Shihoin his advantage. No, what truly prepared Grin for what was coming was the man’s weapon. Unlike his katana, Aramis possessed a rapier. While a Katana could cut and stab with near equal ease, a rapier was a weapon with only one use in mind: piercing penetration. This ultimately narrowed down what you could do with the blade to harm someone, and when combined with the fact that he had finished approaching Grin outside of his normal offensive range, gave the Squad 11 Captain a good way to handle his attack regardless of the actual target.

So when Aramis aimed to hit Grin’s sword, his response was ready. There would be a quick flick of the wrist on the part of the Offensive Force’s Captain, and suddenly a crescent of reiatsu would arc out in a diagonal slash. It was one of the rarely used techniques that physically-inclined Shinigami preferred, known as Sakugen. Now Aramis was confronted with a rapidly moving attack aimed at him while he was attacking. It was not a good situation to be in by any stretch of the imagination, especially considering the fact that he had launched his attack with a rapier. Thanks to the usual way that rapiers were used, they required a certain level of commitment to attacks, thus making parrying quite a bit more difficult. What’s more, the fact that he had to more or less lunge his blade inside of Grin’s range meant that stepping techniques took on a great deal more difficulty. In short, Aramis was in trouble.

Reiatsu: 1225/1250 (-25 Sakugen)

I am Not Left Handed Posts: 2/3 Posts minimum

[Aramis Tezuka]

Unfortunately for Grin, he had made a critical misprediction. While it was certainly true that the rapier was designed as a thrusting weapon or slashing, it had one advantage over the katana. Reach. A rapier was longer than the average katana by several inches. And the blade was perfectly designed for thrusting, allowing it deeper penetration than a katana. But mode of combat was not the miscalculation. It was in assuming Aramis would fight in a way resembling conventional rapier combat in any way. Aramis did not thrust with his rapier. He slashed. Aramis fought with the mentality of "death by a thousand cuts." His blows were never about finishing his opponent. Aramis fought with the mentality that if he got even the slightest scratch on his opponent and in doing so, his opponent failed to land a blow in return, then it was a victory for him. It made his battles grueling endurance matches, his opponent slowing bit by bit, until a killing blow could be delivered.

And Revenant turned that grueling fighting style into one capable of defeating an opponent in a matter of exchanges. With Revanant it did not matter if it was just the tip that scratched the blade, its effect would be the same. And it was for that same reason that Aramis would be able to avoid Grin's attack. It was because-- simply put, Aramis hadn't committed to his attack. He almost never did. If Grin moved his blade aside, not only could Aramis recover instantly, but he could redirect his motion in midair. Aramis did not need to parry or Shunpo however. In response to the Sakugen, Aramis sprang backwards and to the side at an angle that would allow the short range Sakugen to miss him entirely. The instant the Nakabakki found his feet, he drove in again. A strong step forwards, and then Revenant whipped in like liquid silver-- a bare scrape of a blow aimed at Grin's wrist this time. If the blow was successful it would take the shinigami's entire hand. His senses and nerves suddenly deprived of their ability to detect signals, his sword would clatter to the ground, or he'd be forced to switch hands. That is, if Aramis's blow landed.

Of course, Grin had yet to see Revenant's ability. And as his blow had not landed, Aramis was not willing to divulge the speech indicated previously, leaving his abilities in the dark. Aramis was cunning, and trying to play Grin. His attacks were swift but the shallowness of their angles made it look like he was desperately trying to keep his distance from Grin, attacking from as far away from him as possible. It almost looked pathetic. Perhaps some might see this as an attempt to play matador-- keeping the bull away. In short, Aramis's moves spoke of desperation, rather than planning. Which was exactly what Aramis wanted Grin to think. To think his blows were desperate and harmless. To think that he could take a blow in order to give a blow. Such an idea would be folly against Revenant's powers but that was for Grin to learn too late, if Aramis had anything to say about it!

C Aramis thought in response to his own move. A passable move. It did not seriously put him at a disadvantage but it did not dramatically improve his position either. His evasion was acceptable. It was all.... acceptable. But acceptable was not good. And not good meant not a B. And it was not excellent, so not an A, either. Certainly not an A+, which to Aramis would be a move to end a battle with minimal cost to oneself. No, it certainly wasn't an A+ move.

Reiatsu remaining: 1900/2200
Shikai: 2/7

[Francis Grin]

Grin had noted the other Captain’s attack motion hadn’t quite matched up with his expectations just a fraction of a moment before he had launched the Sakugen. Mistakes had been made with his initial assumptions, but thankfully his counterattack was every bit as valid and had forced a reaction from the other man. Even better, Aramis himself had helped to correct some of Grin’s false ideas, and fill in some of the gaps of information that the Squad 11 Captain had in relation to his opponent. Grin would have to remember to thank him after the fight was over, and to give him some pointers as well.

For one, judging from how Aramis had differed from Grin’s prediction, he didn’t seem to much care about landing a telling hit over just landing a hit period. Either he liked to screw around like a certain roguishly handsome former Vice Captain, or his Shikai made it so that he only needed a hit period to function fully. While the former was certainly possible, Grin figured it would be prudent to operate off of the latter assumption until proven otherwise. Anything less could prove potentially dangerous, and lead to Grin losing the battle. Even if this was only a practice match of sorts, Grin wouldn’t allow himself to get complacent. It just wasn’t in his nature to treat any battle less seriously than it deserved.

Secondly, there was the plethora of information provided by his jump. To a practiced eye like Grin’s, Aramis’ maneuver was undoubtedly clumsy-looking. Sure, it was certainly passable in some regards, but it lacked the practiced finesse and instinctive nature that Grin was used to seeing in other acrobats like himself. Personally, he would have gone for a quick roll rather than a jump, as that both gave a smaller profile to hit and was much easier to recover from. Jumps had this nasty habit of leaving both of your feet off the ground, which made change course just a tiny bit more challenging than normal. Add into this the fact that the other man was moving just a tad bit lower than Grin’s own comfortable speed, and Grin knew that he would have to give the other man a pointer or two on dodging with style.

Of course, this battle would have to finish first. Thankfully, Aramis was once again being kind in that regard, what with his diagonal leap. In response, Grin would point a finger from his sword hand at Aramis while he was still in the air. The motion would be easy for most people to miss The covert Shihoin’s smile would widen for a moment, a glint of humor coming to his eyes as he quickly said a few words.

”Hado number 4: Byakurai.”

A narrow bolt of lightning would erupt from Grin’s finger towards the other man’s stomach while he was still partially in midair. Once again, Aramis would be placed in a difficult position due to his own actions. If that Kido hit him, the rest of the fight would be far, far more difficult than before, and would put him at a distinct disadvantage. So once again, the ball was in Aramis’ court, and Grin for one was quite interested to see what he would do.


I am Not Left Handed Posts: 3 posts

Reiatsu: 1200/1250 (-25 Byakurai)

[Aramis Tezuka]

Aramis had scarcely leapt back when he noticed a subtle shift in his opponent's reiatsu. His keen eyes were able to easily pick out the slight movement of Grin's hand and pointing his finger. Aramis was not capable of kido himself. But he knew that position, and already knew what was coming. He also knew that while he was in the air, he was incapable of dodging. If he was concerned, it did not show on his face. But he had expected the Byakurai now, so that as Grin fired it, he was unsurprised, and his reaction was instantaneous. Aramis's left hand moved up and just before the lightning struck, he struck it with a backhand. His face still wearing a perpetually bored expression. The Byakurai did not even cause his hand to smolder. Not so much as a light burn was left behind. The Byakurai itself was swatted carelessly aside as though it were nothing more than a bothersome fly, blasting into the arena floor. Aramis landed effortlessly and proceeded with his attack. This time, however, he verbally admonished Grin.

"D." He stated as he made his swift, efficient slash at Grin's wrist. "Judging by the power of that attack, your aptitude with kido is low." Aramis taunted. Or.... kind of taunted? Aramis wasn't the best at wordplay, to be fair. "The wise man does not seek to breach a castle with a spear." This time, Aramis advanced in, with short, shuffling steps, following up his wrist cut with fluid grace. From the light cut at Grin's wrist, it took only a flick of Aramis's wrist to feint at the opposing man's shoulder, and instead drive a sudden cut at his leg. Aramis was using a combination of triangle steps and passing steps to try and work his was around to Grin's left as he did so, adding in a third cut at Grin's bicep. Continuing analysis. B-. Potential to gain ground evident, but subject will likely respond appropriately. Subject is capable of performing ranged attacks with sword. Kido aptitude is low, but possible. Be wary of binding spells. Preference is likely close quarters, and data gathered on long range combat abilities supports this.[/color] Aramis thought, his mind whirring like a computer.

His goal at present was to try to use his passing and triangle steps to work his way around to Grin's back. But he would settle for coming at the man's side if it came to it. Forcing Grin to react. To exert effort. To make a mistake, and then to capitalize on that mistake, and deal a crippling blow in a single exchange. Grin was a stealth operative. It was likely that open combat was not his area of expertise, but it also didn't mean he wasn't adept at it. Aramis was focusing on reserved, quick strikes. There was no power or commitment behind them. They were simply there. Hell, Grin technically didn't even have to react to them if he didn't want to-- his suspicions aside. The actual injuries caused by these blows would be minor, even if they successfully landed. Of course, Revenant would show that things could be much worse than that. But it was a testament to how safely Aramis was fighting, that his blows were so light. So focused on defense that defending his attacks would not normally be particularly difficult.

1900/2200 Reiatsu remaining
Shikai: 3/7

[Francis Grin]

"Who said that a fucking spear can't break a castle?" Grin would say in response back to his foe, giving a snort of amusement in the meantime. "Whoever said that simply wasn't using the spear in the right fucking way. For example, throw a spear just the right way, and you can find something fucking new and fantastic out about a castle's defenses that you didn't even fucking know before! For example...."

While he was speaking, Grin would begin his defense against the other Captain's sword strikes. While there was no doubt in Grin's mind that Aramis had the slight technique edge when it came to swordplay, the covert Shihoin knew without a doubt that the advantage in raw ability and mobility. So, using these advantages to their utmost advantage, Grin would react to the other Captain's wrist strike by kicking the ground. Hard.

The instant result would be a literal wave of pressurized air and debris flying forward towards Aramis. This kick made even some Kido look paltry by comparison with the sheer magnitude of destruction it was able to cause. If Aramis stayed in its path, he would find himself carried up by the sheer force of the air alone. In short, it would be able to toss him around like a ragdoll without any difficulty. However, that was not the primary issue. No, the real problem would be the dust and rubble.

Even if Aramis managed to dodge the shockwave, the sheer amount of debris that the Squad 11 captain had kicked up would ensure that a good portion of the dome they were within had a definite dust haze within it. Combined with the sound created by the sheer amount of mass that was moving, and Aramis would most likely lose all trace of where Grin was without using his Energy Sensory capabilities. However, this was still quite possibly still a salvageable situation, especially since there was still a good portion of the area that was still- Wait, was Grin's leg still moving?

Grin brought his foot back and kicked again directly behind him, now leaving the other half of the globe in the same situation that he had just reduced the front to. Aramis was probably not the biggest fan of his opponent after a move like that. But it wasn't like Grin cared. After all, this little move was just there to answer one question that the former Vice Captain had. Aramis' reaction would help bring a great deal of information to this, and Grin was looking forward to seeing what the answer was.

I'm Not Left Handed Posts: 4

[Aramis Tezuka]

Grin's counter would probably have been successful under most circumstances. Powerful enemies would have fallen prey to this move of his. Strength or a powerful reiatsu would not have helped them avoid the brunt of his attack, let alone counter it. Speed, perhaps might have been able to react to it after the fact, and enable a user to escape unscathed. Aramis did not have the speed to prevent it, nor the strength to stop him. He could not freeze Grin in place with a binding kido. What Aramis had was observational skills, and both senses and analytical skills honed to perfection. It was for this reason that when Grin began his forward kick at the ground, Aramis instantly took note of his leg movement. For most people it would have taken a split second to register the direction that the leg was taking. By then it would be too late. For Aramis it took a third of that, and so by the moment Grin's foot hit the ground, Aramis had already started moving. By the time the shockwave hit his position, he was long since gone. Now, Aramis had not entirely expected the means of attack (and Grin's ability to produce shockwaves was only a hypothesis at that instant), but he had read the move well enough and predicted that it was at least an offensive countermove in his approximate direction. And as he'd already been trying to work around behind Grin everything stacked up nicely.

Aramis was not nearly as fast as Grin at his full speed, but his mental processing of this information that it more than compensated. Aramis couldn't entirely keep up with Grin's speed. A prolonged exchange of blows would inevitably favor the Shihoin. But for the odd blow or two, Aramis was capable of defending himself, in spite of his slower speed.Hypothesis on opponent's strength is confirmed. Aramis thought to himself. Ability to extend the range of his attacks is certain. Aramis had, however, been forced to break off his attack at Grin's wrist to avoid his kick, the blade pulling back into a defensive guard, held tight, near Aramis's body, point facing up.

Aramis had cleared Grin's shockwave, and his counter was immediate. Grin's response was textbook. Aramis was not a master of striking martial arts, but basic human (or humanoid as it stood with Grin) physiology suggested that if Grin wanted to move around, or throw another kick, or do anything at all, he'd have to bring his leg back. Or at least put his foot down. There would be a split second of immobility as his weight transferred. That was Aramis's opening. He didn't necessarily know Grin was going to throw the second kick, but he did expect Grin's leg to be vulnerable in that instant. Aramis had shifted off to Grin's side, and now, from his guard position his blade darted down to slash a wound across the back of his thigh. It was at this point that Grin's leg snapped backwards. Grin's own kick would certainly cover the arena in dust, and launch a new shockwave, but it would also result in his leg being thrust through the blade of Revenant, deepening the wound significantly. What would have originally been a shallow cut-- an inch or so deep at worst, was nearly doubled in severity, and risked cutting into the calf muscles, which would severely hinder Grin's mobility.

Not that it mattered, for Grin's leg would barely have time to slam into the ground, and cause the shockwave that blanketed the arena in dust, before he would experience a peculiar feeling. He wouldn't feel his leg. Not in a sense of numbness. As in, feeling nothing at all. No odd tingly feeling or anything. And indeed, Grin would only need to glance down to behold that his entire leg, below the knee had dissipated into nothing. And with the loss of his leg, his balance would also suffer severely. Having one of your legs literally vanish out from under you would unquestionably cause Grin to at least fall down. Of course that wasn't what really happened, but as far as everyone watching was concerned, Grin's leg had just vanished into thin air. His leg had become impossible to detect with the five senses. Grin could take his mighty fist and smash it into the leg, and he would not feel anything more than he might by punching air. He could lick where the wound that Aramis's sword had dug was, and not taste the iron tang of blood. Were he aware his leg was there he could even lift and stomp with all his might and not even hear a sound. Indeed, it appeared as though Aramis had just cut Grin's leg out of existence.

Aramis himself had been standing at a good angle when Grin had struck the ground. His pivoting motion had taken him off to Grin's side, which had enabled him to avoid the first pressure wave, but he did not have time to properly evade the second. Which made his positioning extremely fortunate, for Grin was direction the blast backwards, rather than to his sides. Grin's foot had smashed into the ground, and Aramis barely had time to throw up his left arm as a shield, before he was hurled back by the sheer force of the shockwave. He hit the ground on his right shoulder, his left arm only having absorbed the brunt of the blow. Aramis was fortunate his left arm had no bones to break, else he was certain that they would have been liquified or else turned to dust by such an attack. And he was just as fortunate that he had positioned himself at such a point that he was only caught by the edges of the shockwave, which had mitigated the force considerably. Else, even his makeshift defense would not have saved him. His power is staggering... Aramis mused in his mind. But the dust he has kicked up will prevent him using his shockwaves as effectively. I can see them coming.

Aramis began to stand and heard a soft clink as he stood. For one terrifying moment, he thought that the cuff concealing his arm's true form had been shattered and that without the debris in the air his arm would be visible for all to see. But the cuff appeared to be in-tact... heavily damaged, but in-tact. The clinking sound Aramis had heard was clear as he glanced at the floor, and saw broken fragments of chains. Even at such a close range, Grin's shockwave had broken his Sinner's chain into pieces. Aramis could still feel that it was wrapped around his bicep, but the chain that had bound his forearm had been shattered into pieces. It was still usable. It would grow back (unfortunately), but it had been a savage blow indeed. Then Aramis saw his arm, concealed within his sleeve, flicker, and for the briefest of instants, there was naught but shadow given physical form, with raking, cruel talons. The Nakabakki's eyes widened in shock and horror, but the next instant his arm was the same again. However.... this meant that Grin's shockwave had damaged the cuff. Any more damage and it could stop working entirely! Aramis grit his teeth in a rare showing of frustration. "D" He slowly hissed. The blow to Grin's leg was not worth this! Aramis had lost that exchange, as far as he was concerned. Indeed, he valued the protection of his arm's secret, well above the fact the removal of Grin's leg below the knee. If Grin was half the warrior he thought he was, he would adapt. Somehow. That was not a finishing blow.

And as Aramis finished standing, he felt a fresh wave of soreness wash over him. Though his arm had taken the brunt of the blow, the shockwave had rattled his body, leaving a massive bruise on his torso. He also felt hot blood welling up from a wound on his right shoulder where he had scraped it open on the arena floor. It was not a deep or serious wound, but it still hurt. Even further emphasizing the poorness of Aramis's decision. This is the time to strike, whilst that man is still adjusting. Even a skilled warrior will take a moment to adequately respond to a lost limb. And Aramis immediately drove himself back into the fray. Though it was difficult to see through the rain of dust and debris that Grin had used to cloud the area, Aramis was not fooled for an instant, for his energy sensing abilities were keen indeed. The Nakabakki used Shunpo to instantly travel to where he detected Grin's reiatsu. Aramis's skills in that regard were quite precise, and as he arrived out of Shunpo, his blade darted out at Grin's left bicep, whether Grin was on the ground, or had, by some miracle managed to stand. Aramis was unsure Grin's exact position, but his memory was not horrible, and he had aimed his Shunpo to cause him to place him at Grin's back. Whether Grin had adjusted his position in that time was unknown to him.

Of course attacking a Shihoin from behind... Aramis was uncertain if it would work. Grin would undoubtedly be experienced in dealing with attacks like that. Aramis had to exploit this window of shock, while Grin was likely still processing the loss of his leg. He had held his sword in his left hand... so he was left handed, Aramis surmised. Disabling Grin's left arm would ensure that he could not bring his zanpakuto to bear against the Nakabakki and Aramis could attempt the coup de grace immediately after. Now that Grin would at least have some idea of the threat that Revenant provided, Aramis had lost at least some of his edge. Though it was unlikely Grin would be able to guess the full capabilities of his zanpakuto immediately.

Some in the audience may have had the keen senses to see through it, but in addition to its normal abilities, Revenant was able to place a sort of "perception filter" around materials affected by its primary ability. That is to say, it took uncannily keen senses to even notice the unusual interactions that the "vanished" limb had in its environment. Oh, Grin's leg would still be bleeding from the cut Aramis had dealt him. But few in the audience would notice these blood spatters on the ground. Their brains would simply overlook them. Some individuals were particularly canny and they might have noticed the dust still parting around the empty space where Grin's legs should be, but their brains would simply see through this, and not register what it meant. Revenant's power may have only been an illusion, but it was a potent illusion that took measures to protect its integrity.

Shikai: 4/7
Reiatsu Remaining: 1850/2300 (-50 for Shunpo)

[Francis Grin]

Grin had to admit that he had not suspected the other man's actions. While it did certainly give the Captain the information he had been looking for, as well as setting up the battlefield more to his advantage. But seriously, stabbing him in the leg? That was literally a low blow. Oh well, at least it wasn't going to be- wait, why couldn't he feel his leg anymore? Oh, that was because it was gone. Wait, why the fuck was it gone?!

Oh, that sneaky little son of a bitch! I think I'm starting to take a fucking shine to him, Francis!

Grin would stumble for a moment before his training kicked in. There was a definite stumble to Grin's step regardless, but Grin's acrobatics training from both the circus and the Onmitsukido payed off in that instant. While he wasn't exactly to the utmost paragon of skill as of yet, he was certainly what most people would consider competent in his acrobatics. Add in the improtance of footwork in both Hakuda and his sword-fighting style, and Grin wouldn't be off-balance for long. The simple fact of the matter was that for someone like Grin, keeping his balance was an instinctive reaction, one that required virtually no conscious thought or awareness on his part. Had his leg actually been missing, it would have been a futile effort regardless, but the fact of the matter was that it still existed. Sure, he was still off balance for a moment, but Aramis had his own issue to deal with in that time, thus giving the former Vice Captain time to adjust.

However, even as Grin could feel his balance not being as upset as the actual lack of a leg would be, he knew that it wouldn't be enough time. He was vulnerable, extremely so. He had to find some way to buy some time. But all of his responses right now would require his balance to be on point, so that he could actually react. There was no way-

Ahem. You're forgetting someone, Francis.[/color]

Oh, right. Grin's namesake would come to his face as his Zanpakuto Spirit spoke, and Aramis would suddenly feel a pulse of reiatsu emerge from the man. In that instant, the Squad 12 Captain would find his blade suddenly frozen in place, as if something were tighly grasping it and refusing to allow it to move, no matter how hard he tried to do otherwise. The Squad 11 Captain would use the respite to regain his balance, though he was still visibly unsteady despite this. However, that didn't particularly matter anymore, now did it?

"You know," Grin would say, chuckling as he did so. He would finally pull his other hand out from behind his back, and tossed his sword into his main hand. "As far as last moves go, stabbing me seems like a pretty fucking poor choice. But, to be fair...."

Suddenly, Revenant would be jerked from the Nakkabakki's hand, as if a tremendous strength had suddenly just decided to wrest it from his grasp. The blade would soar through the air, eventually coming to rest in Grin's free hand. The man would consider the weight and balance of the weapon momentarily before giving his opponent a quick salute with his own weapon. Then he would turn the blade so that its tip faced the floor, and leaned on it like it was a cane.

"It's far from the worst fucking decision you've made today. The kid gloves are off now, and shit's about to get fucking real! You fuckin' ready for what's coming, Aramis?"

Now, there was probably more than a few people wondering what had just happened, with Aramis himself almost certainly chief among them. The answer was surprisingly simple, though: Grin had just activated his Shikai. While the wound Aramis had inflicted upon Grin was indeed what most people would consider crippling, the truth of the matter was that the covert Shihoin had let it happen. He could have easily flexed his muscles as soon as he sensed Aramis coming behind him, and stopped any wound from occurring.

But this was not some normal run-of-the-mill spar. No, this was to figure out how good of a Captain one was! And, to be perfectly honest, Grin had essentially done nothing but essentially mess around with his opponent the entire time. While it certainly was his normal battle strategy, there was a point where even he had to admit that it needed to be abandoned, where he needed to actually show everyone what he was really capable of. And so he had, once Aramis had actually put himself in a position to inflict a wound worthy of note. Granted, Grin couldn't have predicted that he would all but lose a leg out of the deal, which had certainly caused him to panic despite the initial intention to take the blow, but it had worked out in the end.

It was this wound that had put Aramis in his position. A cut like the one that been inflicted on the former Onmitsukido operative's leg tended to send out a good deal of blood, and there was practically no chance that his blade would remain unstained. Once Grin had released, he could hear his blood calling out to him even with the veil that the Squad 12 Captain had placed over it. From there, it was a simple matter to hold it in place on Revenant's blade, and thus trap his opponent's blade in place. From there, all it took was the merest flexing of his will, and the blood and blade both had come to Grin like an obedient puppy. Now, Aramis had virtually no way to injure the Captain anymore, while Grin could certainly ruin him when he chose to attack. There was no doubt about it: Unless Aramis had a truly fantastic trick up his sleeve, he had just lost the fight.

I'm Not Left Handed: Activated for an extra 40 speed in main hand. 1/2 posts

Shikai Posts: 1/10

Blood Points: 95/100 (5 points on Revenant)

Reiatsu: 1050/1250 (-150 for Wordless Release Shikai)

[Aramis Tezuka]

Hmm. Grin's balance was far better than Aramis had anticipated. There would certainly still be a level of unsteadiness of course. Even the most well trained acrobat in the world would have some trouble with literally the sensation of having no leg, but it seemed Grin was adapting faster than anticipated. However, Aramis could see by this initial unsteadiness that he was affected by Revenant nonetheless. He could not see through its effects. Excellent. Then I will deliver the coupe de grace. Aramis mused as he went in for his follow-up attack. But then his blade froze in the air. The surprise on Aramis's face was evident and he struggled to move it. The rapier's blade flexed and bent easily enough but the tip-- specifically about the half-inch of the tip that was coated in Grin's blood did not.Blood? Aramis was not a fool, and it did not take him long to realize how his blade was being manipulated. It was in that moment that Grin attempted to disarm Aramis. Fortunately for Aramis, Revenant featured a sturdy and elaborate hand guard, that completely covered the hand. As Grin attempted to rip the blade from Aramis's hand, the handguard caught his wrist and pulled Aramis along for the ride. In what must have seemed like a move of sheer desperation, Aramis reached out with his left hand and grabbed the blade-- perhaps in an attempt to rip it free of Grin's blood. His eyes widened in surprise again. "A hoist by his own petard..." He murmured in irritation as he suddenly witnessed his left arm vanish before his very eyes. It vanished right up to the shoulder! And it took the overlong sleeve of his uniform with it. From the shoulderblade down there was just... nothing. A sore price to pay for only delaying the inevitable. And it accomplished little, for even though Grin's reiatsu strength was lesser than those of his muscles, they were still stronger than Aramis's own arms.

Aramis had been pulled into near point blank range with Grin, and seemed to be matching the opposing Captain, leg for arm. But Aramis had an advantage that Grin did not. While Grin was likely rapidly working out Revenant's ability on his own, Aramis already knew it, and more importantly, could see through it. He still had full senses of his "missing" arm, and could see the glimmering illusion that covered it. As far as Aramis was concerned, apart from some aesthetic differences, the arm was still there. But he played his part, the arm hanging at his side, continuing to provide the illusion that the arm was gone. It wasn't a perfect display, as the arm was still in the sleeve. But Revenant's own ability would prevent Grin from noticing this. Now Aramis had to determine the best time to use this trump card. Grin had indeed, successfully disarmed him by now, as Aramis had relinquished the grip of his blade in the ensuing "shock" at losing his arm to his own power.

Aramis merely made an irritated "tch" sound. "An unfortunate complication. But nothing more." He stated, seemingly unfazed by the loss of his blade. He'd gained a new weapon instead, now. He knew Revenant far better than Francis Grin. He knew its capabilities beyond that of the other shinigami. Aramis was within less than ten feet of the opposing Captain, who retained his footing, but Aramis was already calculating his other advantages. Grin's stomping kick earlier had indeed created a debris field around them, but it accomplished far more than that. Such a forceful strike had fractured the ground and now debris littered the floor. Some of the debris was relatively large-- certainly large enough to trip over. No difficulty at all for Aramis who had a strong awareness of himself, and under normal circumstances, no difficulty for Grin either. Except for one thing. Grin still had no sensation of his leg. Not even the sense of touch. Whether Grin realized the effects of Revenant for the illusion they were, or not, it did not matter, because his own lack of touch would prevent him knowing the exact positioning of his leg. Even if his own sense of balance gave him a vague idea of this, the lack of sensation would unquestionably lead to the debris he had littered the battlefield with to create a tripping hazard for himself. And, devoid of his leg in the most realistic sense he would be unable to launch such stomping attacks again until Revenant's effects wore off.

Aramis quickly circled to Grin's side, the side that Revenant had occupied. With a shrug of both shoulders, Aramis began to unwind his Sinner's chain from around the arm that had seemingly been destroyed. While it was much shorter than it had previously been-- originally slightly over fifteen feet in length, and deprived of its weighted end, even with the damage Grin had dealt to it, the remaining chain still reached nearly seven feet in length. More than long enough for what he had in mind. Aramis's footwork was rapid and randomized as he circled the opposing Captain, as though trying to throw off Grin's sense of distance, while simultaneously getting off to Grin's side for an attack. This was a bluff to hide his actual purpose. Aramis had no doubts that Grin would not allow him to take his side, or even his back (though attempting to do so was good form anyways, to punish his opponent's own poor footwork should it crop up). The randomized footwork was designed to give a new purpose to the instant Aramis moved within six feet of Grin.

Impossible for Grin to notice with his own eyes, or any of his senses, the instant Aramis stepped into range, his hidden left arm flicked up and his Sinner's chain snapped up into a flick at Grin's eyes. The other Captain would feel nothing. He would not even feel the chain impact his vulnerable orbits. What he would feel was the agonizing, stinging pain that the impact produced. No doubt it would be a truly bizarre sensation for the Captain, to be fine (relatively speaking) one minute, and the next to have his eyes suddenly stinging with agony. With the weighted end, Aramis suspected he might have even been able to take out one of Grin's eyes entirely, but even with just the fragments of chain left behind, it would leave a brutal pain that would make it difficult for the eye struck to stay open, for at least several seconds.

What made this move even better was Grin's own musculature. Revenant removed anything that touched the blade from all sensations. Including touch. Grin would only know the chain strike Aramis threw now, by the product of the strike-- not by the strike itself. He wouldn't hear it whistling through the wind. He wouldn't feel it strike him. Essentially, if the chain did not hit a vulnerable point, like the eyes, Grin quite literally would not feel it, beyond, perhaps an itch, and he would have no way of knowing that Aramis had even thrown an attack at all. Even deprived of his weapon, Aramis was an innovative fighter, who could still figure out a few tricks around his much stronger opponent.

Shikai: 5/7
Reiatsu Remaining: 1850/2100[/b]

[Francis Grin]

Grin would smirk as Aramis fumbled about as his own sword dragged him towards the covert Shihoin. Even better, the Squad 12 Captain had lost an arm to his own blade and supplied Grin with even more information. Judging from the Byakurai he had deflected with that arm earlier, chances were high that he had failed to actually cut himself, even when being dragged along by Grin's blood. Perhaps it was the mere act of contact that initiated the disappearance then? Eh, he could probably wait for another demonstration or two before completely trusting that was true, preferably on Aramis himself.

What he couldn't wait for was the return of his leg. Knowing how the usual Zanpakuto worked, he estimated that Aramis was about halfway through the normal release time. While he could potentially just wait out the rest and possibly regain his limb, Grin didn't like his chances of doing so without one of his legs. Most of his finishing strategy required a crapton of mobility on his part, and that just wouldn't be possible without his leg. Plus he hadn't actually taken Aramis out of the fight yet, even if he had put him at a distinct disadvantage. One vital lesson that Grin had learned in the Maggot's Nest was that just because someone was unarmed didn't mean that they weren't dangerous.

As if to further illustrate this point, Aramis seemed to be limbering up for something, and then started coming to the Squad 11 Captain's right. Grin suspected that the man had some sort of trick up his sleeve, judging from the fact that he didn't seem entirely perturbed by Grin's superior armament and physical ability right now. However, Grin had his own move to make as well. While he may not have been able to dance around the battlefield like he normally would, Grin could easily turn in place, especially with his nice new cane. He would be able to keep his eye on his opponent, and watch him for a tell.

Even the most simple movements from a fighter had at least some precursor movements, whether it was the way their eyes were moving, tensing up of the muscles beforehand, or the direction a foot was moving before a stepping technique. There were some who reportedly utter masters of reading their opponent's tells, such as the Segunda Espada or Sozen Kuchiki. They could read an opponent's entire fighting style in one or two blows, and come up with quick, efficient counters before an attack was even launched. Unlike them, Grin was not nearly that skilled. However, he had his fair share of practice in the art of analyzing your opponent during a fight, and Aramis and him had been fighting for a while now. Grin had been able to pick up on some of the other man's tells, and now he was able to put them to good use. Even if he couldn't see the attack itself, Grin could still see Aramis, and knew when the man would be ready to attack.

In response, Grin would flick his Revenant in the direction of its former wielder, causing yet another shockwave. While it lacked the sheer area of his former stomp, it lacked none of the power. There would be no way for the other man's chain to compete against it, and would null the attack It would send the recently resettled dust once again flying into the air, obscuring the vision of both fighters. In the unlikely event that Aramis decided that he wanted a round two with one of Grin's shockwaves, the resulting damage would be nothing short of horrific. His bones wouldn't just break: They would shatter. Hell, outright pulverization wasn't out of the question in some cases.

However, all of this was secondary compared to the other move Grin was performing. By now, Grin's blood had circulated, bringing around some that hadn't been affected by Revenant's abilities to his leg. Grin focused on moving that blood in its liquid form to the uppermost portion of his leg in a bubble around the outside. Then, while vision was obscured, Grin simply let gravity take over. The blood would seep down, covering the outline of the appendage. He spurred along its speed slightly with his own directions, and as soon as it reached the ground, he would solidify it, forming a somewhat crude recreation of his own leg. It would flow in and out of his body via the wound in his leg to maintain his overall blood level, allowing him to remain at least clear-headed. He was ready for action again now, with Aramis potentially none the wiser thanks to the distraction posed by his attack.

I'm Not Left Handed: Activated for an extra 40 speed in main hand. 2/2 posts

Shikai Posts: 2/10

Blood Points: 95/100 (5 points on Revenant)

[Aramis Tezuka]

Grin had made a minor miscalculation. His weapon of choice for the shockwave. No doubt Grin would pick up using a rapier in a very short time frame, regardless of his prior experience with the weapon. It was only expected a Captain would be able to work out the most efficient ways to use a weapon within a few moments of holding it. Perhaps Grin would not be able to use it nearly as masterfully as Aramis, but he suspected it would be adequate. No, the mistake Grin had made was that the rapier was not well suited for a shockwave-like attack as he was launching. Rapiers had thin, narrow blades, even by the standards of a sword. To call them whippy would be an insult, but their flexibility, combined with such a thin blade made shockwaves extremely impractical. Grin's shockwave would, indeed have none of the area of his stomp, and even less than had he used his standard sword, because of this. Aramis did not have to move nearly as much to avoid it.

And to be fair, there was no possible way he could misinterpret the swing. The rapier was not a slashing blade, and Grin was outside of measure. The only reason he would try a slashing attack at this range unless it was to launch a shockwave. Fast as he was, Aramis read through the move in an instant, and, as before, was already moving when the shockwave fired. The rapier did not move air nearly as much and so Aramis was able to clear it to the right in time, using his momentum to keep moving and make the evasion even easier. Still, it was effective in deflecting his chain, though Grin would not know this. But Aramis doubted that was everything. No, that shockwave was likely only the beginning. Grin couldn't have expected it to have hit.

But Grin was doing something else now. He saw the blood coagulating over where his leg should be and Aramis could not help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. Good. This meant that when Revenant's effect ended, Grin might not realize his leg's return immediately-- concealed by his own blood. That was, however, quite a lot of blood, Aramis noted. "Subject is unfazed by severe blood loss. Interesting. I may desire to test how much bloodloss is required before subject is affected. He thought to himself, his next move already planned out. Aramis was staying low to the ground, to maintain stability, never taking his feet off for more than an instant-- constantly prepared to defend against a counter from Grin. The chain lashed out again at the Captain's eyes once more, but this time, Aramis didn't settle for the blow alone. This time he moved with his attack, instantly transitioning the instant the chain would have struck Grin's left eye. Aramis flew into a sudden Shunpo, off to Grin's right. The sudden movement would rip his chain across Grin's face, potentially slashing the jagged, fragmented end of the Sinner's mark across Grin's right eye as well.

That wasn't the only purpose of the attack though. Grin's right was Aramis's right. The side Aramis's cursed arm lay on. An arm that was now undetectable to Grin by any means. An arm tipped with razor sharp talons that could have ripped through a car door as if it were cardboard. Aramis's claw struck out at Grin's side. Grin wouldn't feel the strike. There would be little warning. But there would be pain. Aramis's target was just below the rib cage. Not a mortal wound-- Aramis had not developed sufficient mastery over the various offensive techniques that could be employed alongside Shunpo to properly angle his blow up and behind the rib cage. But it would be sufficient to leave a deep and vicious tear along Grin's side. Three of them in fact.

His Shunpo served a second purpose, however. Aramis had not missed how Grin had used his blood to control his sword before. Grin could manipulate his blood via some telekinetic means. A means that generated far more power than Aramis's muscles could. Aramis used Shunpo to generate speed, not just to decrease Grin's ability to defend against the attack, but also to cut through the opposing Captain at such a speed that his blood would not have time to splatter onto his vanished arm. That Aramis would strike so quickly and cleanly, that despite the depth of the wounds Grin would suffer he would come out unmarked by his foe's blood.

Of course this singular offense wasn't the sole purpose of Aramis's Shunpo. It was a quick repositioning technique as well, allowing him to quickly take Grin's back. Aramis needed a new plan now. He knew his shikai wasn't going to last much longer. Grin might have defended the chain, he might have even defended the claw strike. However, it didn't matter even if he hadn't. The chain might blind him temporarily, and create openings. The claw strike might wound him. But the issue Aramis was faced with was much simpler than that. He was running out of tricks. Oh sure. Even if these moves didn't work this time, he could keep trying them. One of the terrifying things about Revenant was that Grin didn't even know Aramis was attacking him until one of his attacks succeeded. But the moment a technique did succeed, that trick was sealed. Grin would take precautions against it, and Aramis would not get a chance to use it again.

Did Aramis have enough tricks to continue to throw at Grin until Grin finally went down? He wasn't certain. Useless. Weak. The black whispers snarled at the back of his mind. You can kill him. You have all the power in the world. Reach out and touch it and he will be nothing before you. It cackled. But you won't will you? You're afraid. Afraid of the darkness. But without me you are nothing. So go ahead. Embarrass yourself before all these people. They will never know you held back. Only that this was all you could accomplish. What a pitiful excuse for a Captain! They will say. Sayuri's greatest failure, who should have been left in the petri dish! Aramis's eyes suddenly flared with what seemed to be mixed emotions. Fear and rage. His inner demons (literally speaking) knew him all too well. But which would win out? Fear of the darkness that spawned him? Or his ambition and desire to prove himself?

Shikai: 6/7
Reiatsu: 1800/2300 (-50 for Shunpo)