Rising Star (Social/JT, Kubi and Izanagi)

[Deleted]

It's been a long time since the former Vice Captain had been in Karakura Town, and he couldn't believe how little it's changed. Same tall buildings, same mass of black rushing about far below, same traffic jams and pollution. From his vantage point on top of a skyscraper in the middle of town, he had a great view of the entire town: and more importantly, of his favorite bar. In a part of town that any local would call “bad”, the Screaming Hog did business mainly to the likes of drug lords, career criminals, and other scum of the earth. It's no wonder Kubi got along so well with them. A year ago it was Kubi's home away from home, a safe zone where he could be himself without having to risk offending people (not that he cared much about that in the first place.)

Kubi was hesitant to come back here at first, especially before returning to the Soul Society. Not that he would ever admit to that being his ultimate plan: he'd been wondering Karakura Town for a while now, just … enjoying the freedom, enjoying breathing air not heavily saturated with reishi, something he'd never thought he'd miss. He enjoyed the company, the sound, the smells. In Hueco Mundo, the only smells were the ones you produced yourself. He'd forgotten how many different smells a town could produce, and it was one other thing that surprising to miss.

But the thing above everything else, above work, woman, and breathing properly, was drinking. That's how he found himself bursting through the double doors of the Screaming Hog, briefly exposing the atmosphere of smoke and music to the night street. The warmth and noise washed over him, the press of bodies smothered him, and the massive Shinigami grinned. He was gone. It wasn't hard for Kubi to push his way to the bar; he split the crowd like Moses and the Red Sea.

”Five shots.” His booming voice cut through the din to reach the bartenders ears who, miraculously, didn't question the order and poured the shots, sliding them into the bar. Kubi paid in cash, his credit cards, unfortunately, defaulting. Quickly, one after another, he downed them, the familiar burn causing his grin to widen. As lightning thundered through his veins, Kubi took a predatory look at the throng of bodies. ”Now let's see if we cin fin’ a cutie t’ spend th’ night with.” And like that, he spotted him - a white haired kid no older than, maybe, his twenties. And best of all - And his grin became absolutely wolfish at this point - he was a Shinigami. So he approached him, smoothing his hair down with his fingertips as he went. A tap on the Shinigami’s shoulder, then: ”Wanna dance?”

[Izanagi Jushino]

Weirdo

Izanagi's pleasures reigned... supreme in certain situations. Especially since he now was a shinigami. As a human, he had one goal, and that was to be the best in his school, the best on his rugby team, the best person he could be. Now, as someone who has lived (or died, however you think about it) for a very long time, Izanagi takes great pleasure in the small things. Like going to bars that he wasn't previously allowed to go too since they were in the more dangerous part of society. The dregs of society all loved to get together... for some reason. It was as if they were inviting those who policed the law to come and arrest them all at the same time. But, of course, that never happened. And as such, places like these were booming.

Izanagi entered the dingy bar, a bit apprehensive. He was in a gigai, a body made for his soul so that he can interact in the human world. He looked pretty much exactly like he did before, but this time he was wearing a red trench coat. He was also wearing brown gloves, with boots with steal tips. He looked pretty imposing, as a tall human being with different colored eyes and white hair. When he entered the bar, they took one glance at him, and decided he was one who should not be bothered.

And so, Izanagi was just sitting at the bar, enjoying a whiskey sour given to him from the bartender. The bartender had the eyes of someone who has seen a lot. Perhaps being in an area like this, there was a lot to see. From gangs, to crimelords, the hive of general evil congregated in this area. It was clearly an area for those who committed a crime. Any who ventured in the bar would always have the same expression of “I killed… and I know it”. That is why the bartender, nor anyone else, questioned the tall man with white hair and discolored eyes. He was one of them, at least, for now.

A man then came over to him, just asking him to dance. Izanagi looked at the guy in bewilderment. What did he say? He wasn't quite sure, as the whiskey was starting to get to him. However, he looked at the guy, and took a notice of one thing- his reiatsu. This person was clearly some sort of person with power. Whether it be much like the woman who attacked him, or a shinigami, only time will tell. Izanagi gulped down the rest of his drink, the alcohol stinging his tongue and the back of his throat. It was odd to think that a drink like this, which sometimes hurt as good as it tasted, was a favored drink among everyone. It was the one common factor in many friendships- alcohol.

"Excuse me? Who are you?"

The sentence was not a demand, but rather out of curiosity. Who was it, that came up to Izanagi that had both some sort of spiritual power and the willingness to talk inside a crowded tavern of criminals? Well, Izanagi would find out soon.

[Deleted]

A smirk spread on the Shinigami’s face. He didn't answer the question, but, at least, it wasn't rejected out of hand (Though finding someone willing to dance with a stranger in a bar like this was a crapshoot, to say the least). Now that he could get a good look at the man, it was plainly obvious that he was far too young for the millennium-plus Shinigami. He did note with some interest that this young Shinigami had multicolored eyes. ”Shame about his age. Still, might as well figure out why he's here, what he wants. Ain't exactly a hopping club kids his age are in.” He leaned against the bar in a casual movement, the wooden counter creaking with his weight.

”Kubi Tsuru. Former Squad 11 vice captain, maybe y’ve heard of me?”

[Izanagi Jushino]

The Meeting, Part 1

A vice captain? Rather, a former vice captain. The man was already an imposing presence, and the night hasn't even started yet. Izanagi did not really know how to respond- he was just a mere unseated shinigami, straight out of the academy. Here was someone who stepped on the stones that Izanagi wanted to get onto. The steps towards become a great shinigami, a leader among the shinigami. A Captain. Izanagi already was a bit anxious, to be able to speak to a man of the caliber as this one was a rare opportunity. After all, out of the thousands of shinigami present in the Gotei 13, only 13 are vice captain. And here, standing before him, was someone who could help Izanagi get to that point. Maybe there were tips and tricks. Maybe not.

"I've never heard of you. But, my name is Izanagi Jushino. Unseated shinigami just out of the academy."

With that last word, Izanagi motioned towards the bartender to get another whiskey sour. It looked like tonight was going to be a fruitful night. There was so much to learn from this man. And Izanagi felt that as long as he were able to keep up, he would be able to learn so much and get so much stronger. The whole point for this night was to get stronger. It was a task that Izanagi has set himself up to do the moment he became a shinigami. There were all these opportunities to do so. And today, another one just popped up here. And Izanagi would take advantage of it immediately.

[Deleted]

Well that was a disappointing fact, one that left Kubi feeling … well, just a little disappointed. He hasn't really expected his name to be on par with the legends of the Soul Society - the likes of Hiro Kaname and Saix Shinra. That would be ridiculous, and honestly he didn't accomplish nearly enough for his name to live on like that. But come the freak on, not even a footnote in a history book that says he existed? What the Hell was that? He actually had purpose in his time in the Soul Society, he actually did accomplish some things!

But a second later he pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind; he was doing this to help people, make the world a better place, not for recognition or praise. It took a little bit to remind himself of that relatively new revelation. As Izanagi signaled the bartender so did Kubi, ordering a beer; something lighter to deal with business. A quick grin at Izanagi as he payed for both of their drinks signaled a light bit of flirting, but it also hid his eyes as they took him in. His skill in Battle Analysis was enough to know what his affinities are at a searching glance.

He was thin, at least thinner than any boxer or brawler he's seen. Yet his hands bore the unmistakable signs of combat. Probably some form of martial arts, a force based. Yet his forearms bore the muscles only a sword fighter develops. Perhaps a dual specialty? His eyes narrowed further, focusing on the way he moved. He lacked the purposeful movements of the strong, and the easy casualness of the fast. Most likely some form of reaitsu specialist, which, unfortunately, was much harder to test. Several seconds had elapsed now, and as Kubi sipped his beer, his grin returned.

”Unseated, eh? Too bad, I get th’ fellin’ yer gonna go far, if y’ get th’ proper trainin’, o’ course.” There was an offer in his words, but it was obvious Izanagi was going to have to ask.

[Izanagi Jushino]

The Meeting... Part 2

Well, the universe played right into Izanagi's hands. This man, a man who is of great stature, who probably was once respected among the shinigami, offered to train him? Hell yeah. That is pretty much the only thought that was going through Izanagi's mind. Of course he will say yes. As an unseated shinigami, being offered to train with one of the best is a miracle, and absolutely fantastic. Izanagi had one goal in mind: to become strong. As cliche as it sounded, all Izanagi wanted to do was to be able to offer protection to those who could not be protected, like he felt right as he broke his neck. He wanted to be the strength to be able to carry on the will of those who are fallen in battle. And the first step was of course to train, especially with someone like a Vice Captain.

"You kidding me? Of course I want to train. Learning from a vice captain- even a former one is fantastic."

Izanagi's eyes sparkled. He fought before, but now was an opportunity to truly learn from the best. His soul warmed with the thought of truly getting strong. Coupled with everything his Sensei has taught him, Izanagi could finally become someone who will take what he learned and become the best. Izanagi drank the last drink, and paid the bartender. He didn't want to become too drunk for this practice experience, but he knew a little alcohol would help him lighten things up a bit more.

[Deleted]

”Well, today is turnin’ out t’ be interestin’.” In a second his beer was drained, the bottle tossed over his shoulder to land squarely in the garbage pail. His grin never faded once as, suddenly, he spun on his heel. It was a quick movement, one that Izanagi was liable to miss even if he was paying attention. Kubi glanced at the much smaller man, a challenge in his grin. ”Keep up, Snakey Boy.” He took another step, then seemingly disappeared. It was his flash step, so quick to be invisible to the young Shinigami.

Kubi wasn't trying to hide; this was a small test of his, testing to see how astute this Izanagi is. In the meantime, he was hanging out on the roof of the warehouse across the street. His Gigai lay empty, bunched in a corner hidden by the facade of the warehouse. He was easily visible to anyone with reaitsu, made more so by the fact that he was purposely pouring his reaitsu from him, the brown substance warm, like submerging in a bath. His soul form held the remnants of his Soul Reaper uniform; however, they were nearly shredded and covered with what looked like dried blood. A small remnant of the past year.

”Don’ mind th’ digs, ain't got time t’ change.” His hands slipped into his pocket as he aimed a grin at the Unseated Officer. The grin was unequivocally confident, like he knew no one could touch him. ”So let's jump right in. First part of your training? Try t’ hit me.” He held his arms out wide. ” 'nd I'll try t’ stop ya. Poor as m’ skills are, this shouldn't last too long, right?” He grabbed his elbow with his left hand and stretched with an audible pop. ”Ready when you are, Snakey Boy.”

[Izanagi Jushino]

Training Time

Within a moment, it all changed. As soon as the invitation was accepted, Izanagi was thrust into practice. Before Izanagi could even blink, the man before him disappeared completely. Of course, the bartender seems to ignore the strange going-ons in his bar- he was getting paid heavily to keep secret of all that occurred within. That is why his bar was so famous with those who live in the underworld. Izanagi thanked the bartender, and paid for the drinks that the strange, massive person left behind. This was, of course, something that was easily noticeable- this man lived on his own time. Which, of course, was respected in its own right- unless it came to paying for things. Which, of course, was always left to those who were slower. And in that moment that the man disappeared, Izanagi knew he was so much slower. Now this is the kind of things that Izanagi wanted to learn. And, before he even knew it, he would have to start learning.

"Thanks for the drink."

Izanagi ran out of the bar with haste. Of course, the nickname "snakey boy" rung in his ears. It wasn't something that Izanagi minded, but it did sound a bit too endearing. Generally, people call him by his first name, as he was named after a mythological god of japanese lore. However, this man seemed to be a tad-bit insane. Not that it mattered. If he was as strong as he said he was, which, of course, was easily noticeable the moment he disappeared, then Izanagi is about to learn a lot about being shinigami. The moment Izanagi ran outside, he felt the aura. It was radiating like a heater, culminating in a center- the man himself, standing at the top of the building, very smug-like. Now, Izanagi was not the type to get mad, but he was the type to get competitive. And here, for the first time since he died, was something he could try to compete with someone in. This was almost like the time he was in the Rugby team for Japan, as a younger member. He would need to learn fast.

Izanagi left his gigai in an alleyway inside a box, which will be able to be picked up later. Even if someone finds it, it will just look like a trash bag, since that is what Izanagi placed the gigai in. But, the thought of whether or not someone would find the bag left his mind as soon as it entered it. His first objective popped up from the horse's mouth as soon as he saw the man on the roof. To try and attack the man... or actually touch him. This would be something a bit harder to do. Izanagi does not know if he will be able to get close at all, but he had to try. This was a part of the training, after all. And training eventually lead to strength, something Izanagi desired.

"Here I come."

Three words were all that were said as Izanagi stepped forward. He used shunpo almost immediately, trying to get as close as possible to the man. The wave of reiatsu almost forced him to the ground, but he powered through it, taking out his weapon. He knew that he would need to muster all his strength just to hit this person. So, he attacked with his blade, gauging to see what the man would do. Izanagi knew it would not hit the man, so he decided to do something a bit clever. He would use a technique in which he would slash upwards, aiming from the mans left hip to his right shoulder, then when it missed, Izanagi would carry his momentum and use his sheath to tap the man. This has worked before in a previous battle, and was able to land Izanagi a very good strike on his enemy. But for now, Izanagi came full force at this man. It's time for training to begin.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
Type: Spirited

Stats:
Strength - 75 Points
Speed - 75 Points
Spiritual Pressure - 115 (x.25) [144] Points
Reiatsu Strength - 200 (x.25) [250] Points
Light Aura - 75 Points
Dark Aura - 25 Points
Instinct - 50 (/25%) [37] Points
Senses - 75 (/25%) [56] Points
Energy sensory - 10 (2/3) [3] Points
Healing Expertise - 0 Points
Total SP: 600 Points

Skills
Skill Points left: 9


Analyzing 1
Damage Recovery 1
Weapons: Swords 1
Pain Tolerance 1
Hiten Misturugi Ryū: Jushin Style 1
Battle Focus 1

[Deleted]

”Oh, how cute, he's actually serious.” It was cute in a way, if it wasn't so pathetic. He was slow, and even if Kubi limited himself to - god forbid - he was simply too awesome to be challenged. Izanagi was practically screaming out loud what he was going to do; Kubi's sharp eyes could pick out the subtle muscle contractions that came with swinging any weapon. And for anyone with … well, any amount of fighting experience at all, really can read it like a book. Telegraphing was a simple science, and one that Kubi was fully capable of taking advantage of. And even if he wasn't, Snakey Boy was so slow it was almost criminal.

Blocking would be easy, but how to do it? Avoiding it would be child's play; a simple half step to the back and full step to the left would cause his attack to miss completely. Of course, he could just deflect it. He was confident he was strong enough to knock Izanagi's sword clear off this building. Or - he knew what he was going to do. His body almost imperceptibly dropped into a crouch, feet widening to provide a more dynamic stance. In the same motion, he moved positively sluggish for him, but still a blur for the speed-deficit Izanagi (about 200 Speed), and reached out and grabbed the blade, two fingers pinching the slim blade, while his other was simply held vertical, palm facing the sheath, stopping the improvised weapon flat. Trying to push or otherwise move his sword would be useless, Kubi's strength far outstripping his. He may as well have stuck his sword in stone. But he wasn't done; in a movement almost fast enough to be Shunpo, but not quite, Izanagi would find himself turned around, his arms crossed over his chest - sword dangerously close to his neck - and Kubi's hands on his elbows.

”Yer firs’ mistake was committin’ fully t’ an’ attack, knowing full well it was gonna be stopped.” He let him go then, a quick shove getting him out of striking distance. ”See, if ya commit to an attack without a backup plan, yer fucked. If this were real, well …” He slid his finger along his throat, issuing a wet, squishy sound from his throat. ”Now try that again. This time, make sure I don’ kill again.” He slipped into a crouch, eyes focused on Izanagi.

[Izanagi Jushino]

It was... so simple. Izanagi's attack stopped as if it hit a titanium board. This man, Kubi, was truly a force to be reckoned with. Even with his unshapely appearance, with the blood splatter, the odd accent, the monstrosity that is his height, Kubi still had some force behind him. His whole aura exuded someone who was just incredibly strong. That thought both put fear and awe into Izanagi's heart. Regardless of what happens today, this man held Izanagi's respect. He was clearly someone who should have it. And, if all goes well, Izanagi would have learned something new.

"I wanted to see your strength. I can feel it... but I wanted to see it. You are... beyond anything I could have imagined... Kubi-sensei." Izanagi said, the last word spoken with a bit of a quiet sound. It was awkward, calling someone else Sensei, but it truly represented what Izanagi felt at the moment of this training. This man would become his other Sensei... his admiration for Kubi was already great, and it hasn't even been a couple of seconds.

His thoughts wandered for a moment to the woman, Izanami. This man could probably wipe the floor with her. In all earnestness, Izanagi started having a tremendous respect for this person. Within seconds, this man, Kubi, became someone that Izanagi looked up too. Izanagi felt that he had to make the man proud. It felt like an obligation, to be able to hear the words "good work" from the massive man before him. It became a mission.

The strength to finally accomplish captaincy was before him. And all he had to do was to fight. Fight for his life, and fight for his future. The thoughts of death eroded away from his mind. Here was his answer to his fear. To become as strong as this man, to have the physical strength to block a weapon with two fingers. To be able to withstand attacks with one's own body, facing the danger's before him.

Even from his first fight, Izanagi fought as if his body was his shield. Sacrificing it in ways to attract an attack, then counter with his very own attack. It was a very chess-like move. To pretend to open up when in fact you are just presenting an opportunity for yourself to attack. It was a cliche strategy, but it worked a lot. Rugby is a sport that utilizes this strategy a lot- to force your opponent further and further towards their own side by kicking instead of going forward with runs.

There was still that slight doubt about even this training session. He faced his own death once before: the feeling of hopelessness as he could not do anything as his own soul disintegrated from his motionless and lifeless body. How could anyone, or rather, anything even think about fighting against that torture? It was truly a fearful thought. A small light shined in his heart, but still, the darkness stayed there.

Izanagi thought back to his days at the academy, and the way they kept talking about these fights as if they were a glorious thing. Yet, here he was, not that much later, and still fearing the fight itself. Ever since then, he became more hesitant. Even with his extensive training, he wasn't ready for the truth. For most of his life, he played, and enjoyed. But now, the serious side of battle showed its face. Izanagi still did not quite understand how to maximize his fighting ability. Hopefully now, with the advent of this training, Izanagi will learn how to fight more to his strengths and weaknesses rather then what just his master taught him.

Izanagi came again, this time once again doing the same move. However, instead of two handing the hilt, he took off one of his hands from the hilt. All of a sudden, he continued the motion with his right arm, slashing in the same direction. His left hand, however, was doing something completely different- Izanagi grabbed the sheath from his waist, and while flexing the muscles in his core to make sure that it has a good throw speed, he threw his sheath forward at the same time as swinging down with his blade.

His body moved awkwardly, but it had a purpose. The first swing was the fake- regardless if it was countered or his arm cut, the second his would try and connect as well. For good measure, since his body was already scrunched up using his core, Izanagi brought his left knee up as he was striking with his hilt, for both defensive and offensive capabilities. For now, this was what Izanagi was trying to do, at least. He was trying to impress the man, of course.

[Deleted]

”Sensei, huh? Is this kid for real?” Amusement trickled through him, a thin flood that brought an even larger grin to his mouth. ”Seriously, he talks like he's ancient. At least he isn't speaking in Shakespearean.” He had to fight back the urge to laugh at the strange, though willing, student in front of him. Kubi's grin slipped into a contemplative frown. ”Willing, huh?” He thought back to nearly two years previously, to the boy that showed up at a stranger's door, barely recovered from his injuries, begging Masaki to train him. Her lips framed the words in his mind's eyes and he heard her words through the ages. And from her he spoke to his student, brown eyes burning fiercely.

”I’m not your sensei. I'm not gonna train you, or teach you. I'm not gonna impart any great wisdom on you or show ya a powerful finishing move to save the day. I'm not gonna be there to save your ass when you fall, and I sure as fuck ain't gonna fight your fights. All that is on you.” He let his eyes hang in the air, words like crushing boulders echoing in the still night. ”But …” And at this he met Izanagi's eyes, and in them the young Shinigami would see ages upon ages, years spent fighting, loving, running. They were the eyes of a warrior. ”I'll train with you. We'll teach other. We'll develop our technique together, get stronger together. We'll support each other. They'll be no need to pull somebody's ass out of the fire because the other person will extinguish it. We'll develop together, love together and, god willing, die together. So this is how it's going to work. I see a flaw, I'll point it out and you'll correct it and vice versa. We clear?”

Whether his words sunk in or not, Izanagi was ready for combat. He came charging at Kubi, two hands swinging down in a typical katana stance. Kubi has fought a thousand and more like them. He slipped into a more comfortable stance; legs slightly bent, balancing on the balls of his toes, one hand slipping from his pocket to raise in a half heartedly offensive manner. It was quite obvious Kubi didn't feel threatened, but his self assured cockiness was carefully calculated to infuriate Izanagi. Everything from the lazy, casual way he stood and the sleepy look in his eyes to the almost dopey grin on his face was crafted to irritate and infuriate the young Shinigami. It was another test on Kubi's part, a method to determine truly how calm under pressure Izanagi was.

The change in direction was somewhat impressive, but not unexpected; a basic attack wouldn't work, so any young warriors like himself would try to mix it up, do something unexpected. What they don't tell you, what can only be learned in the fires of war, is that the simple performed correctly is always better than any fancy attack, no matter how powerful. But what was- of course. The old “throwing-melee-weapons-as-projectiles". Of course. Kubi couldn't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed, he was expecting a grand attack, something that would be hard to anticipate, not a basic, if unorthodox attempt. But there was no was that Izanagi could fully dedicate himself to an attack like that, not after his previous failure of an attempt. So that could only leave a three-pronged attack. It was obvious when he looked for it; the subtle muscle twitches in his leg and the weight resting on the opposite.

He reacted in a flash. Moving at little more than a third his speed, but still double Izanagi's speed, he went into action. His counter attack was simple but brutal, fashioned after the man itself. His right arm formed itself into a spear, two fingers and his thumb meeting to form a relatively thin, if blunt, spear. This he jabbed forward, aimed at the wrist. If it hit as was, not only would Izanagi lose the grip on his sword, but bones would likely be broken if not worse. But he wasn't done. In a fraction of a second his hand came from his pocket to plucking the sheath from the air, grabbing the wood in a study grip. Then the air split as he swung suddenly. Splinters flew as, with a sickening crunch, he brought it down on Izanagi's knee. He wanted to see strength; this was it. The force was powerful enough to send Izanagi spinning several feet away, pain and shards of wood stuck in his knee.

”Yer still telegraphin’.” He tossed the ruined remains of the sheath to the side as he strode over to him, his long sides kicking his sword off the roof of the building. But Kubi didn't seem to notice, focused as he was on his prey. It was exactly like Masaki. It was this scene that made him fall for her, and was replayed over and over until it was his shadow falling over her. But Izanagi was a different person, there roles were reversed. And for that Kubi had pity for him. But not enough to let him get off sparring. Muscles only grow through stress, so coddling them doesn't help at all.

”Look, ya know watcha problem is? Yer thinking too much like a human. Yer not thinking ahead, not thinking ‘bout what happens if yer attack fails. Yer lucky I ain't t’ kill ya, else y’ wouldn't have a leg. Because you devote entirely-” And these words were said so sharply they seemed to cut through the air on their way to Izanagi's ear. ”-y’ set y’self up fer failure and any warrior worth ther weight is gonna take advantage o’ that, dude.” At that he held his hand out, the stern looks of previous gone, replaced by one of kindness. ”Now c'mon, let's gotcha off that leg. It ain't broken, don't worry, but unless we get some ice on that bitch it's gonna hurt like hell in a few hours.”

[Izanagi Jushino]

What is strength? Was it the ability to defend? Or was it the ability to attack? Or was it all the above? These questions stayed in Izanagi’s mind as he lay on the ground, his entire body feeling the pain. Countless injuries occurred in a matter of seconds. His wrist, his knee- they were all done for right now. The pain seeped through his body, aching his muscles. At this very moment, it seemed that what he learned about education in the Academy was futile. Nothing he did touched the warrior in front of him.

In the Shinigami academy, they were taught many things, from utilizing kido, to utilizing their shunpo to fight. They were always taught that a balanced fighting style would reap more benefits in a fight- you would have more avenues to attack from, and more options in a path to victory. However, Izanagi recognized some things from his recent fights. One, he does not like kido. He prefers to fight face to face with someone. And two, it feels as if everything he was taught in the academy did not apply to everyone. Here was someone, standing right in front of him, who broke the norm.

When he was in the human world, living as a human, he stayed with the flow. He would never try to fight against what he learned. This was the Japanese way. If you work hard, and stayed in line with everything, you would get far. Or, at least, you would get far in the Japanese world. Learning by yourself was encouraged, but only if you learn exactly what is being taught to you. Deviating could cause some issues. Issues in the sense that you are going against the flow of thousands of years of teaching.

Izanagi looked bewildered for a moment. It seemed as if everything he was taught, everything that he learned at the Academy was for naught. All the time spent getting ahead, training and learning the techniques at the shinigami academy seemed for naught. It wasn't as if it was bad to learn those things... but the fact that it did not help Izanagi as a person in battle. Izanagi loved taking the hit, battling to the point of survival. His fighting style until now has been focused on stuff taught from others. Now, he needs to learn for himself.

"I will get up..." Izanagi said, the pain searing through his leg and hands. He tumbled down as soon as he got up, his body seemingly unwilling to go on. The pain seemed like it was too much, yet Izanagi kept getting on up. He wanted to fight. His muscles were too weak, and his left hand could not keep up with his mind's thoughts. The actions he did was just a weak left hand swing, hoping to strike the man. The swing itself was extremely slow, as if there was nothing muscular wise behind it.

The inexperience in battle was proven. Izanagi had nothing left in his tank to give. It was almost as if he had given up. Yet, he would continue trying to get up as his body continually let him down. Izanagi wanted to prove himself like never before. Being unable to walk, or move was something he did not want to experience ever again. Having to deal with the thoughts that crept in his mind scared Izanagi. Izanagi could not lose here. His mind turned blank, the pain creeping through his thoughts.

Izanagi had to quickly shake that thought. This was not a battle to the death, but rather a fight for training. The thoughts of death, of fighting for one's life had no place in a training ground like this. There was a time and place for something like that. As for right now, Izanagi had his own crisis to think about besides one of life and death- this one being how he was going to fight. His powers haven't actualized yet... but before they do, Izanagi would need a way to fight. Perhaps Kubi will help him?

Listening to the words the old shinigami had said changed some thoughts in Izanagi's mind. He stood up for one last time. His body was aching and creaking. But his mind was clear. He knew exactly what needed to be said, and needed to be done. "Thank you... Kubi. I've been fighting one way, the way I've been taught. I need to make this fighting style my own. Help me walk? We need to get our gigai, and get out of here. I'll buy you the next beer." Izanagi said as he started walking slowly. He picked up his shattered sheath and his zanpakutou, and placed the zanpakutou, blade showing and all, in his sheath. Izanagi was willing to learn... now, would Kubi be willing to teach?

[Deleted]

The boy was strong.

Not in the physical sense, there he was lacking. But as he got up again and again despite his body failing, Kubi felt a grudging respect. Strength was something Kubi respected; it wasn't the only thing, and not even the most important thing, but he respected it nonetheless. And Izanagi was strong. He lacked speed, coordination, or any amount of experience with anything even approximating fighting, but strength was there, and honesty. Both were qualities that Kubi appreciated. Other trainers would beat the latter out of him, but Kubi knew to nurture it. An honest fighter was one who knew to treat his opponents with respect and integrity, and would receive the same in turn.

But to actually take on a student, he would have to break Masaki’s only rule, the one creed she lived by; never put yourself over other people. Never teach with the knowledge that you are superior, never assume a position where you have to be better because one day you would be proven wrong. Could he really disgrace Masaki's memory in that way, destroy the one creed she withheld to the very end? Could he pass on that strength, that integrity and honesty to a pupil? More important could he put himself over this child without sacrificing the thought of Masaki?

Brown eyes burned with intensity, with concentration as he crouched next to Izanagi. ”You got strength, kid. Not here-” He touched him first on the arm, then on the heart. ”-but here. And I respect that.” He gripped the boy by his arm, helping him to stand. ”You're impressive, kid. What, you're two, three years outta the academy and already have your Zanpakutou? Gotta say, that's impressive. I didn’ get my Zanpakutou for a thousand years, already past th’ prime of my life.” A small quirk of a smile appeared on his lips, nostalgia written on his face as he remembered the feel of first wielding his Zanpakutou.

”Won't be long ‘fore you unlock yer Zanpakutou. And when y’ do, yer gonna take th’ world by storm.” He lifted him up then, his arm snaking around his waist before lifting him to his feet. ”Yer gonna be great one day, kid. Gonna turn heads and take names, gonna make a name fer yerself. And I'll be there t’ teach ya, kid, 'nd see it all. Ya got that, kid?” He half-carried Izanagi away, supporting the child.

”Now c’mon, let's go get that beer.”

[Izanagi Jushino]

Izanagi could barely stand, let alone leap. He was glad Kubi was there to help him stand. It provided him with many things, especially the sign of a blooming friendship. It was something that Izanagi probably yearned for. Especially since he had practically no relationship yet in Soul Society. It was just the timing of things. He went practically from being dead, to becoming a shinigami in such a short period of time. He was concentrating on his studies at the moment, yet he knew that at one point he would need to try and gain some camaraderie.

Izanagi did wonder, however, about his own life for a bit. Here he was, drinking, relaxing, and yet he still felt the pain from his losses. He wasn't ready to give up yet, however, and with those binding words of encouragement from Kubi, Izanagi felt just a bit stronger. Although he was in an immense amount of pain right now, he won't be in a bit, especially when the alcohol starts coming more into play. However, nursing his injuries would be second nature. This was a person from whom Izanagi could learn from from. He was a shinigami with strength and skill.

"Thanks for the words... I could really use another drink. Perhaps you could teach me more about tactics and fighting as I heal up, so we can go at this again?" Izanagi said as he hobbled off the roof. He knew he needed to get into his gigai so that he could interact with humans once again. Of course, the alcohol was also calling too him, so Izanagi wanted to drink as much as he could. Well, it also helped that this man could probably help him with his fighting tactics. It would probably be the only way for Izanagi to learn, after all. Pain is the best motivator.

[OOC:sorry about the short post ;_; anniversary today. My long post got deleted due to circumstances , so this is what you get... for now )

[Izanagi Jushino]

Ending topic due to (possible) pending inactivity for a long period of time. Cashing out, if you may. Sorry Kubi. Once you get back, we'll RP again