[BitP:R] Soul Society 2

[horngeek]

Natsuko chuckles, and leans over to give Taiki a kiss. "Especially when the condition's partially your fault."

[tgva8889]

Natsuko chuckles, and leans over to give Taiki a kiss. "Especially when the condition's partially your fault."

Taiki leans in to return the kiss. "Now now, the blame's not all mine!" He smiles devilishly for a moment, then returns to his normal smile. "Now, what can I do to make it up to you?"

[horngeek]

"Well, you could get me a glass of water?"

Natsuko grins.

[tgva8889]

"Done."

And with that he is off, flashing out of sight for a moment...

[horngeek]

Natsuko smiles as she sits back, waiting for Taiki to return.

[Kayne650]

((OOC) Sorry! Totally forgot about that... I have no idea why I had 3rd seat in mind. )

Kazuma flared his own Reiatsu in response, a reflex of sorts as he felt Seiko's response. He was sure he could land at least a few punches on his legs before he escaped, but that ship had sailed.

While Kazuma's leg DOES get grabbed, it was likely Seiko didn't count on Kazuma's response being to spin on his heel with what seemed to be a one-legged shunpo and an attempt to kick himself free.

If he held on tightly enough, Seiko would most definitely spin WITH him.

But there was still something that didn't add up.

Seiko's reach with his legs was greater than Kazuma's. If anything, using Hakuda in a match to first blood put Kazuma at a disadvantage. Why hadn't he drawn his Zanpakutou yet?

Suddenly, Kazuma would feel the grip on his leg significantly strengthen, and he would realize that Seiko had still been holding back on him, and for some reason now had stopped. First, Seiko let go with one arm to grab Kazuma's other leg, and then kicked off the ground in his own shunpo, sending them both upwards, then used another shunpo to gain even more velocity, and then simply let Kazuma go.

The immense velocity of Seiko's movement would keep Kazuma from kicking him; it was probably significantly faster than what Kazuma was used to.

As Kazuma hurtled towards the ground, Seiko touched his own cheek. Yup. Blood.

"Fight's over, Kazuma-kun!" Seiko announced. "Don't know when you did it, but you got me!" Seiko, oddly enough, didn't look overly disappointed by his loss. Instead, he actually looked happy that Kazuma had won.

[Kuroimaken]

But Kazuma didn't seem all that happy about it. He moved back to pick up his shihakusho, and idly addressed Seiko.

"Seiko-fukutaicho. I'm sure someone of your caliber noticed - there were at the very least three distinct moments during which I could've ended this fight by drawing my zanpakutou. Do you know why I chose not to do that?"

[Kayne650]

Seiko looked a little confused as he vanished and reappeared next to Kazuma. "No, Kazuma-kun," Seiko responded a little bemusedly, "Why didn't you?"

Seiko rested his hand on his sword's hilt and waited for Kazuma's reason.

[Kuroimaken]

"You said you were 'disappointed in me'. That you thought I had injured myself because I was getting dull - in other words, because by not drawing my Zanpakutou, I was not giving my all.

I wanted to show you that 'not drawing' is not a sign that I'm not giving my all. The truth is, I haven't fully mastered my zanpakutou's shikai yet. Not only does it allow me far too many options for attacking, it's difficult to control its swing. The stronger the opponent, the harder it becomes to hold it back.

I believe a Shinigami shouldn't be overly reliant on his zanpakutou to fight. That is why we have developed things such as Hohou, Hakuda and Kidou. That's why we have developed strategy over the centuries.

But that doesn't mean I'm not giving it my all, nor that I will never draw my zanpakutou. But it DOES mean that if I can kill lesser Hollows without it, then I will. If I'd released on you, there's no telling how much injury I would inflict upon a hit."

[Kayne650]

Seiko listened to Kazuma's reasoning, and once he had finished, began laughing again. Apparently he found everything hilarious today.

"Well put, Kazuma-kun. I apologize if I made it seem that I thought that, by not drawing your sword and using only Hakuda, you were not giving it your all. Every warrior has his or her own style, and I didn't mean to diminish yours.

Rather, when I saw your wounds, I found it odd that a warrior as skilled as yourself would get so injured fighting small Hollows, and I assumed that you had been going easy on them. Showing disrespect to an opponent gets you killed, and it gets your allies killed. Himura-taichou has said this before.

I understand why you did not draw your blade on me. However, I trust you enough to know that you will understand when it is necessary to release your blade and strike to kill, no matter the cost. Sometimes, the only way to win is to make a beast of yourself.

You've come a long way, Kazuma-kun. I'm impressed with the progress you've made, and I hope that you'll only continue this. I just hope that, if you have yet to master your blade you will continue to work on that. While a Shinigami's zanpakutou is not necessary for success in the battlefield, it is still a part of ourselves, and we must treat them as such. Neglecting one's blade is a sure way to dull one's edge.

I didn't mean that your edge had dulled because you had not drawn your blade. I don't think that not drawing your blade indicates stagnation, but not using every means available to dispatch an enemy shows overconfidence in oneself.

And you needn't worry about me, Kazuma-kun. Seiko said, baring his teeth in a grin. "If you'd drawn your blade, this would have become a very different fight."

[HirokatsuGoto]

Spoiler

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Sigint listens with interest. "That is good to hear."

And then, Hirokatsu asked how his work was going. "Well, I was under the impression that the Onmitsukido was meant to be more secretive than the rest of the Gotei 13, but I suppose a man of your position would be privy to such knowledge. So no, I don't mind."

"My work is going rather well, if a bit uneventful. The Captain and Vice-captain are well, the operations are running smoothly, and I've been able to go through paperwork without much problem."

Sigint then looks off into the distance for a moment, before looking back to the Vice-captain by his side. "So, anything particularly eventful happen recently? Aside from Karite-fukutaichou's odd behavior."

[9th Division Barracks] (front porch)

Hirokatsu was glad Karite had came up, as he was interested in more information on this and the 13th Division in general. He nodded in respect slightly to the man then closed his eyes and looked off a bit as he began to speak.

"Indeed, I have heard the Vice Captain of the 13th has been acting odd, No? However, I only have heard little of the situation..." Hirokatsu was telling the truth here, however the word "little" might be somewhat misleading"...What have you heard of the situation? I have only read the formal reports, which at times seem a bit...how do you say? 'less than extensive' when it comes to higher ranking officers and their conduct....depending on the one who filed the report of course"

He would then turn and smile lightly to the man, his eyes closed, hoping he understood his attempt at humor."So what have you and your ears heard?" He then looked off again, trying to ease the insistence he may be giving off by inviting a calm discussion.

Hirokatsu was always interested in hearing another side of the story, even if it was only hearsay or rumor. All information had its uses, even wrong information. He was not expecting anything misleading from Sigint however, a comrade in Recon and Intelligence was bound to have something to add.

[Kuroimaken]

Kazuma listened intently to Seiko's words. The half-frown on his expression disappeared.

"I appreciate the praise, Seiko-fukutaicho. I don't personally think I've improved that much - I've still a long way ahead of me. Out of curiosity - you DO remember what my zanpakutou's ability is, don't you?"

[Kayne650]

Seiko scratched his head, thinking. "I think so. It creates a kusari-gama, right? And each link creates a different weapon? I don't recall much beyond that, though I think that it's attracted to an opponent's reiatsu, right?" Seiko was trying to remember, and he was pretty sure that he'd gotten it right. He hated being put on the spot.

"I won't deny that you have a long way to go, Kazuma-kun." Seiko said, subtly changing the subject. "But you have improved greatly, especially since our last spar. Don't sell yourself short. You have a ways to go, but you've also come a long way. It's good for a warrior to recognize his limitations, but it is another kind of folly to not understand how much one has grown. Do you understand?"

[Kuroimaken]

"I do. It's just that it can be frustrating to realize that even when you've gone a long way, that the end of the path itself will never come. The road IS tiring, after all. And... yes, that's mostly correct. My weapon reacts to Reiatsu like a magnet. It attracts and is attracted to it." Kazuma offers. "Theoretically, the stronger my opponent is, the heavier the blows themselves become - and the harder to dodge, of course. The downside is when they ARE dodged."

[Kayne650]

Seiko walked forward and put his hand on Kazuma's shoulder. "This road is long, Kazuma-kun. But it is the path that we as warrior's have chosen to walk, and once chosen, this path cannot be changed. You cannot pretend that this path was forced on you; just like we all have, you chose this.

I can see your point with the ability of your Zanpakutou, however. As I see it, the problem is not with your own strength, but rather with finesse; any recruit can swing a sword and put power behind it. The mark of a true warrior is when he can accomplish with one swing what would take anyone else twenty strikes. You are plenty strong, Kazuma-kun. You need more control, both with your weapon and with yourself.

If you wish, I would be glad to assist you in training with your Zanpakutou's various weapons. I have experience in most bladed weapons, so I'd be able to help."

Seiko looked up at the sky, determining the approximate time. "I'm afraid that I must be going, Kazuma-kun. I have a few things that I need to discuss with Michiko-taichou. Once again, I am impressed at your improvement. If you need me, you know where to find me."

And with that Seiko began walking off. If Kazuma has anything more to say, he can definitely still catch Seiko.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Spoiler

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[9th Division Barracks] (front porch)

Hirokatsu was glad Karite had came up, as he was interested in more information on this and the 13th Division in general. He nodded in respect slightly to the man then closed his eyes and looked off a bit as he began to speak.

"Indeed, I have heard the Vice Captain of the 13th has been acting odd, No? However, I only have heard little of the situation..." Hirokatsu was telling the truth here, however the word "little" might be somewhat misleading"...What have you heard of the situation? I have only read the formal reports, which at times seem a bit...how do you say? 'less than extensive' when it comes to higher ranking officers and their conduct....depending on the one who filed the report of course"

He would then turn and smile lightly to the man, his eyes closed, hoping he understood his attempt at humor."So what have you and your ears heard?" He then looked off again, trying to ease the insistence he may be giving off by inviting a calm discussion.

Hirokatsu was always interested in hearing another side of the story, even if it was only hearsay or rumor. All information had its uses, even wrong information. He was not expecting anything misleading from Sigint however, a comrade in Recon and Intelligence was bound to have something to add.

Sigint chuckles and nods his head. "Yes, there can be discrepencies." He then crosses his arms in front of his chest as he responds.

"Well, the only things that I have heard about Karite-fukutaichou are that he's been rather insistent on getting back his Zanpakuto, and that apparently he made some bad decisions during the patrol to the mortal realm three days ago. From what I've gathered, he's been severely injured by an Arrancar encountered there, and was found in the Rukongai shortly afterwards. Other than that, from what I can tell, Hayashi-taichou won't be too pleased by his actions."

[Kuroimaken]

Seiko walked forward and put his hand on Kazuma's shoulder. "This road is long, Kazuma-kun. But it is the path that we as warrior's have chosen to walk, and once chosen, this path cannot be changed. You cannot pretend that this path was forced on you; just like we all have, you chose this.

I can see your point with the ability of your Zanpakutou, however. As I see it, the problem is not with your own strength, but rather with finesse; any recruit can swing a sword and put power behind it. The mark of a true warrior is when he can accomplish with one swing what would take anyone else twenty strikes. You are plenty strong, Kazuma-kun. You need more control, both with your weapon and with yourself.

If you wish, I would be glad to assist you in training with your Zanpakutou's various weapons. I have experience in most bladed weapons, so I'd be able to help."

Seiko looked up at the sky, determining the approximate time. "I'm afraid that I must be going, Kazuma-kun. I have a few things that I need to discuss with Michiko-taichou. Once again, I am impressed at your improvement. If you need me, you know where to find me."

And with that Seiko began walking off. If Kazuma has anything more to say, he can definitely still catch Seiko.

"Actually, there is one more thing I'd like to ask. But I cannot ask Himura-taichou directly...

I'd like to request permission to train under the Second Division and the Kidou Corps.."

[Frozen_Feet]

[4th Division]
Recovery Ward

"Here I am now, which brings me to my current problem. My power is fully back. This thing isn't repairing itself."

Hachirou stares blankly at his underling for a moment. "Ah... well, I can understand why you came to me." He barely stops himself from looking at the corner where his own broken Zanpakuto lies hidden in its sheath. Jin is silent within his mind, and for once, he doesn't like it. "Well... that... complicates things somewhat. Hmmmm... where should I start?"

"Tell me Crossdale-kun, what do you think a Shinigami's Zanpakuto represents?"

[Purple Rose]

[Sakura]

Sakura lead the way to a nearby cafe where she would often stop to get a cup of tea and a light lunch when she was feeling the stress of her position more heavily than usual. She walked in silence, seemingly unaware of whether this might make Daisuke uncomfortable or not.

[Kayne650]

"Actually, there is one more thing I'd like to ask. But I cannot ask Himura-taichou directly...

I'd like to request permission to train under the Second Division and the Kidou Corps.."

Seiko Yukimura

"The 2nd and the Kido Corps?" Seiko repeated, confused. He stopped and looked back at Kazuma. "Why do you want to train with them? I suppose that I can understand training with the 2nd division, sort of, but the Kido Corps? I was of the impression that you didn't use any sort of Kido very often. May I ask why?"

[Sakura]

Sakura lead the way to a nearby cafe where she would often stop to get a cup of tea and a light lunch when she was feeling the stress of her position more heavily than usual. She walked in silence, seemingly unaware of whether this might make Daisuke uncomfortable or not.

Daisuke Koishima

It made Daisuke all kinds of uncomfortable. He walked next to her and just a step behind, not sure if he should walk further behind or next to her, though he was pretty sure it would be improper to walk next to her. Oh, being with Sakura-taichou was so nerve-wracking!

"So, um, Sakura-taichou," Daisuke began, visibly quivering with anxiety. He was usually like this around Sakura, but being with her in a non-formal situation was killing his nerves. "Um, I was wondering; do you know anything about Nagamichi Soushi-san?"

[Dorizzit]

4th Division
Recovery Ward

It's Allan's turn to stare blankly for a few seconds at Hachirou's odd question. After he fully processes it, he puts one hand on his chin and looks down in thought. It takes him several seconds to come up with an answer.

"Our power?"

[Kuroimaken]

Seiko Yukimura

"The 2nd and the Kido Corps?" Seiko repeated, confused. He stopped and looked back at Kazuma. "Why do you want to train with them? I suppose that I can understand training with the 2nd division, sort of, but the Kido Corps? I was of the impression that you didn't use any sort of Kido very often. May I ask why?"

"As I understand it, both Shunpo and Kidou are related to one's control of Reiatsu. They're different levels and types of control, true, but they're still related. I don't have any problem with the amount of my Reiatsu, but I can't seem to get the hang of controlling it by training alone. So I need someone to teach me."

[Moon Wolf]

This is the 2nd he's talking about. So it's only natural that Yuuki knows everything that he just said from watching some security screens while Kyasarin filled out his paperwork. A hell butterfly flies over to Kazuma and lands on his shoulder.

Spoiler

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You want to train under the 2nd, you say? Well, you can come and talk to me about that. -Yuuki

[Kuroimaken]

"It would seem... my request's been... approved?" Kazuma replies in his confusion. He replies through the same butterfly.

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I will be coming by shortly, if it's no bother. -Kazuma

"Well... I suppose I should be on my way. Thank you for the match, Seiko-fukutaichou."

[tgva8889]

Natsuko smiles as she sits back, waiting for Taiki to return.

...And he does return with a flash, not even spilling a drop of the water. In fact, the water seems to merely wave in the cup, rising at the sides but not approaching the edge.

"Here you are, Natsuko." Taiki smiles as he holds out the cup.

[horngeek]

Natsuko smiles, taking the glass. "Thanks, Taiki."

She starts to drink from it.

[tgva8889]

Taiki takes a seat on the ground. He sits in silence for a little while, looking all around. "When is it that the days became so short?"

[horngeek]

Natsuko finishes off her drink and looks at him. "...I don't know, to be honest."

[Kayne650]

"It would seem... my request's been... approved?" Kazuma replies in his confusion. He replies through the same butterfly.

Spoiler

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I will be coming by shortly, if it's no bother. -Kazuma

"Well... I suppose I should be on my way. Thank you for the match, Seiko-fukutaichou."

Seiko laughed. It was just like the 2nd division to do something like that.

"Very well, Kazuma-kun. You have my permission to train with other divisions. It would be counterproductive of me to deny you, after all. So long as it's to better yourself, feel free to use any means you deem necessary. Good luck, Kazuma-kun." After giving his permission and his blessing, Seiko resumed walking away. He still had a few things to discuss with Michiko-taichou.

[Kuroimaken]

"Until next time, Seiko-fukutaichou."

With that, Kazuma decided to hurry to the 2nd division's barracks before they changed their minds...