[BitP:R] Episode 5 - Drunken Brawl! No actual drunks included!

[Frozen_Feet]

Moon hangs lazily above Test Field 04 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8741961&postcount=445) as Yamamoto Sayuri slips in. The reinforced walls still bear scorchmarks and the ground is still torn apart from the spar between Isamaru Myojin and Ichimyori Katisugo last night; seems like no-one cares of the place all that much anymore.

Perfect for this occasion.

"Please, make yourself comfortable", Sayuri chimes as she beckons assorted Gotei officers into the field. "If you have any wishes or suggestions regarding the rules, please tell them now."

[Kayne650]

Moon hangs lazily above Test Field 04 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8741961&postcount=445) as Yamamoto Sayuri slips in. The reinforced walls still bear scorchmarks and the ground is still torn apart from the spar between Isamaru Myojin and Ichimyori Katisugo last night; seems like no-one cares of the place all that much anymore.

Perfect for this occasion.

"Please, make yourself comfortable", Sayuri chimes as she beckons assorted Gotei officers into the field. "If you have any wishes or suggestions regarding the rules, please tell them now."

"No, this should do nicely." Said Seiko, appearing in the battleground. After so long without fighting, he could practically feel his blade shaking.

Is it finally going to happen? You haven't let me out in what feels like years.

Calm down, Maikenoumaru. You'll get your chance soon enough. Seiko promised his sword. He'd been restless lately; this would be good for both of them. It had been far too long since they'd last had a good fight.

"Actually Sayuri-san, one question. What are we fighting to? The death? The pain? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ToThePain) Personally, I prefer a longer battle, but the others may feel otherwise. After all, some of us do actually do work." Seiko's tone made it obvious that he had no intention of working tomorrow.

[Kuroimaken]

"Ara, we can't have Shinigami killing each now. On the other hand, a fight to first blood would end dreadfully fast for all involved... How about we make it a disarming match? The winner will be the first to disarm his or her opponent for more than ten seconds."

[Wahrheit]

Magatsu looked around the test field as he stretched, half of his grin due to the impending fight, the other half thanks to his enjoyment of Sayuri's obvious disapproval. "This is perfect, Sayuri-san. Thanks for telling us about it... I love the decor."

I'm looking forward to this. I like Soushi's suggestion. Eien Uzumaki's voice growled at the back of Magatsu's mind.

I agree. But we might be biased. "I propose ending conditions of disarming, as Soushi-san nobly suggested, unconsciousness, or yielding. No lasting injuries, as well... I'm handicapping myself with this one, but I think if Sayuri-san's frown grew any more it would consume us all."

He'd been looking forward to this, and now he didn't have to contrive some way to push the others into it. Excellent.

[InyutheBeatIs]

The tall shadow that is Sigint Kageen walks onto the grounds. He looks around, staying out of the discussion. He's mainly there to make sure Kyasarin doesn't get too seriously hurt. Afterall, she is the Vice-Captain, and it is his duty as a lower ranking officer to protect her.

He looks onward, not saying a word. He stands by Sayuri, as she has a particularly good view of the proceedings, and it puts him in a good position to protect her should things get too out of hand. That's not to say she can't protect herself, but it's generally a good idea to be sure about this sort of thing.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan set her case down at the edge of the field, and grabbed a bottle of sake, twisting the top open. Taking a gulp, she walked towards the others. Let's git it on, then!

[Kuroimaken]

Turning to Saiyuri, Soushi thought to ask, "Am I the only one who's worried every single third seat and up seems to have either closet or open raging alcoholism?"

[Kayne650]

"Now wait a second, we can't have disarming as a victory condition." Seiko said, his tone set in 'fake friendly'. "With Magatsu's Shikai, he'd lose as soon as he pulled it out. Unless, of course, he'd be willing to hold one of his swords at all times. In which case, I'd be fine with it.

Actually, that brings up a question: are we fighting sealed, or with Shikai? Personally, I'm fine either way.

Don't you dare cut me out of this, you bastard! You haven't used me in months, and now you're trying to keep that up?

Oh, quiet you. Seiko responded to his rebellious sword. I have no intention of keeping you sealed throughout the entire fight, even if Magatsu and Kyasarin agree to a sealed battle. It won't last.

Seiko eyed his opponents; this was going to be fun.

[Kuroimaken]

"I fight primarily with Kidou, so my suggesting a disarming battle actually handicaps me."

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan shrugs. Kido works. Swords work.

[Wahrheit]

"Now wait a second, we can't have disarming as a victory condition." Seiko said, his tone set in 'fake friendly'. "With Magatsu's Shikai, he'd lose as soon as he pulled it out. Unless, of course, he'd be willing to hold one of his swords at all times. In which case, I'd be fine with it.

Actually, that brings up a question: are we fighting sealed, or with Shikai? Personally, I'm fine either way.

Don't you dare cut me out of this, you bastard! You haven't used me in months, and now you're trying to keep that up?

Oh, quiet you. Seiko responded to his rebellious sword. I have no intention of keeping you sealed throughout the entire fight, even if Magatsu and Kyasarin agree to a sealed battle. It won't last.

Seiko eyed his opponents; this was going to be fun.

Magatsu inwardly cursed. Damn, he remembered my Shikai. "Technically I wouldn't be disarmed, since I can still wield the weapons..."

[Kayne650]

Magatsu inwardly cursed. Damn, he remembered my Shikai. "Technically I wouldn't be disarmed, since I can still wield the weapons..."

"But then it's impossible to disarm you. Not going to happen, Magatsu. We all need to fight fairly here, or else it'll be no fun. Hold at least one sword, or no Shikai for you. Actually, how many us are actually fighting? I know that I am, and that Kyasarin-chan and Magatsu are. Soushi-san, Feiyan-san, are the two of you also fighting?" Seiko looked confused, but hopeful. The more opponents he had, the more fun this would be; his zanpakutou was best at crowd control, after all.

[Kuroimaken]

"Well, I COULD use some exercise. I work mostly at the office after all..."

[Wahrheit]

You're finally letting me out? Let's beat them all.

I've been waiting for this. I hate keeping you cooped up. Magatsu used his thumb to push his Zanpakutou an inch out of its sheath as he stepped away from the wall, nimbly hopping over a scorched gouge in the ground. "You wound me, Soushi-san. I know my drinking limit quite well. So, shall we get started?" He used his thumb to launch his Zanpakutou straight up out of its scabbard and snatched it out of the air with his other hand, his technical smile growing wider. "Zenmetsu shire, Eien Uzumaki!"

Magatsu's to burned away to nothing in a flash of dark green flames that erupted into the air around him, reforming into three katanas, a naginata, a Chinese spear, a broadsword, a to, and a nodaichi floating in array as his reiatsu swirled around him in dark-streaked green streamers.

[Kayne650]

You're finally letting me out? Let's beat them all.

I've been waiting for this. I hate keeping you cooped up. Magatsu used his thumb to push his Zanpakutou an inch out of its sheath as he stepped away from the wall, nimbly hopping over a scorched gouge in the ground. "You wound me, Soushi-san. I know my drinking limit quite well. So, shall we get started?" He used his thumb to launch his Zanpakutou straight up out of its scabbard and snatched it out of the air with his other hand, his technical smile growing wider. "Kirifuseru, Eien Uzumaki!"

His to burned away to nothing in a flash of dark green flames that erupted into the air around him, reforming into three katanas, a naginata, a Chinese spear, a broadsword, a to, and a nodaichi floating in array. His reiatsu swirled around him in dark-streaked green streamers.

"So, we're fighting with Shikai? Well, at least two can play at that game, Magatsu."

"Tsuranuke, Maikenoumaru!" Seiko said, pulling his blade out of its sheath and holding it horizontally in front of him. As he finished, he was surrounded by a sudden blast of sand-strewn wind, obscuring him for a split second. When the wind died down, Seiko could be seen holding a six-foot long staff in his hands, both ends tipped with serrated naginata blades. To an observer, the blades themselves almost seemed eager to cut.

"Now, shall we?" Seiko said, grinning with anticipation of the battle to come.

[Kuroimaken]

"You boys and your swords."

With that, Soushi reached into his pocket and took out a book, which he began gently inscribing on.

"Any time either of you is ready."

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan snorted. Drawin' shikai? Who needs 'at? She pointed her fingers directly at Seiko. Bakudo 4: Hainawa!

[Kayne650]

Feiyan snorted. Drawin' shikai? Who needs 'at? She pointed her fingers directly at Seiko. Bakudo 4: Hainawa!

Seiko Yukimura

"Bakudo 4? You're insulting me, Feiyan-san." Seiko said, preparing to defend. Just because he couldn't use Kido himself didn't mean that he couldn't defend against it. Channeling his Reiatsu through his staff, he began spinning it in front of himself (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpinToDeflectStuff) to catch and dissipate the energy from her Bakudo. It was a technique that he used often to block Bakudo, and this was no different.

"So that's how you're going to play? Let's see how you measure up to me." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn5VvobUz7g) Seiko rushed towards Feiyan, holding his staff like a jousting spear. He was wasting no time.

Daisuke Koishima

Daisuke burst into the arena.

"MAGATSU-SAMA! What do you think you're doing!? If Sakura-taichou knew about this..." It was completely ludicrous to see this 13 year-old boy shouting at the Vice-Captain, but he sounded completely confident that the man would listen to him.

Daisuke all but ran in the middle of the battlefield. "Magatsu-sama, I know we talked about this! And you dragged four other people into this?"

[Cyborg Mage]

"Technically, I wanted to do this-"
Arata dodges a blast of broken Bakudo as Seiko's staff continues to spin, before flash-stepping behind Feiyan and attempting to plant a kick in her back.
"And i'm quite enjoying it too!"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Daisuke Koishima

Daisuke burst into the arena.

"MAGATSU-SAMA! What do you think you're doing!? If Sakura-taichou knew about this..." It was completely ludicrous to see this 13 year-old boy shouting at the Vice-Captain, but he sounded completely confident that the man would listen to him.

Daisuke all but ran in the middle of the battlefield. "Magatsu-sama, I know we talked about this! And you dragged four other people into this?"

Sigint notices the 13-year old boy practically run into the battlefield, and decides to make sure he doesn't get into the crossfire.

He soon dissappears from Sayuri's side, reappearing behind Daisuke and grabbing him. He then attempts to zip back to Sayuri's side with him in tow. If he succeeds, Sigint straightens Daisuke up and stands up. Soon, his raspy voice speaks up. "Take it easy. He knows what he's getting into. And if he doesn't...well, he'll get an interesting surprise when he gets back to his division." Sigint then starts sending out Hell Butterflies to the 2nd, aiming to get his part of the work done while keeping a watch on Kyasarin.

[Kayne650]

Sigint notices the 13-year old boy practically run into the battlefield, and decides to make sure he doesn't get into the crossfire.

He soon dissappears from Sayuri's side, reappearing behind Daisuke and grabbing him. He then attempts to zip back to Sayuri's side with him in tow. If he succeeds, Sigint straightens Daisuke up and stands up. Soon, his raspy voice speaks up. "Take it easy. He knows what he's getting into. And if he doesn't...well, he'll get an interesting surprise when he gets back to his division." Sigint then starts sending out Hell Butterflies to the 2nd, aiming to get his part of the work done while keeping a watch on Kyasarin.

Daisuke let Sigint draw him away from the battlefield, but after that he broke away from Sigint's grip. "The fact that you think that Magatsu-sama EVER knows what he's doing is proof that you don't know him." Daisuke said, acting his age for the first time since his first appearance. "Magatsu-sama is a very skilled fighter, and I respect him greatly, but he HAS A HABIT OF NOT THINKING THINGS THROUGH!" The capitalized text was shouted, so that Daisuke could be sure that Magatsu would hear it.

"I appreciate the thought, Sigint-kun, but I do know what I'm doing. I've interfered in Magatsu-sama's battles before, and I'm still alive." Daisuke said, a wry smirk crossing his face. "Keep in mind that I am a third seat."

Daisuke sighed. "If Sakura-taichou knew, she'd be so mad..." Daisuke murmured to himself. He didn't look happy about it.

[Wahrheit]

"Then let's begin, Soushi-san!" Magatsu lunged (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrV3bPWmWc) at Soushi, katana in hand as the other 7 blades whirled through the air around him... and instead of launching into a full-blown strike, pointed at Soushi's book. "Hado 1: Sho!"

He blurred into Shunpo the moment the bolt of force erupted from his hand, intending to strike the moment after it hit... and then skidded to a halt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRp_mVi969I) as Daisuke burst into the area.

"D-Daisuke-kun? What're you doing here? I didn't drag them into this, they wanted it!" He looked guilty for a moment; somehow a young boy was managing to shame the bloodthirsty Lieutenant. "Well, not Sayuri-san, but she's the ref and not fighting..."

[Kayne650]

"Then let's begin, Soushi-san!" Magatsu lunged (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrV3bPWmWc) at Soushi, katana in hand as the other 7 blades whirled through the air around him... and instead of launching into a full-blown strike, pointed at Soushi's book. "Hado 1: Sho!"

He blurred into Shunpo the moment the bolt of force erupted from his hand, intending to strike the moment after it hit... and then skidded to a halt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRp_mVi969I) as Daisuke burst into the area.

"D-Daisuke-kun? What're you doing here? I didn't drag them into this, they wanted it!" He looked guilty for a moment; somehow a young boy was managing to shame the bloodthirsty Lieutenant. "Well, not Sayuri-san, but she's the ref and not fighting..."

Daisuke Koishima

"I don't believe that for a second, Magatsu-sama! I just know that you started this somehow." The fact that he was a 13 year-old boy yelling at a significantly older and more experienced Vice-Captain didn't seem to bother Daisuke at all.

Then Daisuke sighed. He knew that this was definitely Magatsu-sama's fault, but it hardly mattered now. The fight had started, and he couldn't very well tell Magatsu-sama to stop now, not with five other fighters. "But you started this, so you'd better finish it. Don't you dare lose, Magatsu-sama!" Daisuke knew that he had no chance of stopping Magatsu-sama now, but he wouldn't be letting this one go for some time. And he'd been behaving so well up 'till now.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint just smiles and shakes his head behind the mask(s). He then frowns as a few Hell Butterflies land on his outstretched fingers, giving him their messages. Looks like he'll have to conduct three or four corps-worth of work, all while keeping an eye on Yuuki and Kyasarin. So, he starts sending out Hell Butterflies, conducting patrols, recieving reports on information, and keeping a careful eye on the members of the 2nd Division, all while keeping an eye on the combatants before him. He's doing an extremely admirable job of it.

Soon, he almost gets a supernatural vibe about him, as he is almost surrounded by butterflies constantly, in combination with the fact that he is completely covered from head to toe in black cloth, save his eyes, which were covered in a gray and white mask.

[Kuroimaken]

"Seriously, Magatsu-kun. Sho? That's how you're opening up?"

Soushi doesn't even bother defending; rather, he gets the book out of the way for an instant, and sends a wave of red energy hurtling towards Magatsu.

"Bakudou 9: Geki."

That is, of course, when Daisuke gets in the way. But no matter. Because this is the time for Soushi to work some of his stress (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0r2T3Kvqc8&list=QL&feature=BF) out on his fellow shinigami.

"Kyoufu no imi oshiete agerou...*" He offers with the creepiest grin he can.

"Bakudou 9: Hourin! Bakudou 30: Sh*totsu Sansen! Hadou 33: Soukatsui!!"

With this sheer barrage of kidou, Soushi hoped to disorient Magatsu. With Hourin, a tendril of orange energy lashed in an attempt to encircle a pair of his floating weapons; with Sh*totsu Sansen, he intended to send his opponent hurtling through the air with what looked like a triangle-shaped "net", aimed at the ground, and finally, the Soukatsui was a blast of reddish searing energy aimed at his arm.

*I will teach you the meaning of fear...

[Wahrheit]

"Seriously, Magatsu-kun. Sho? That's how you're opening up?"

Soushi doesn't even bother defending; rather, he gets the book out of the way for an instant, and sends a wave of red energy hurtling towards Magatsu.

"Bakudou 9: Geki."

That is, of course, when Daisuke gets in the way. But no matter. Because this is the time for Soushi to work some of his stress (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0r2T3Kvqc8&list=QL&feature=BF) out on his fellow shinigami.

"Kyoufu no imi oshiete agerou...*" He offers with the creepiest grin he can.

"Bakudou 9: Hourin! Bakudou 30: Sh*totsu Sansen! Hadou 33: Soukatsui!!"

With this sheer barrage of kidou, Soushi hoped to disorient Magatsu. With Hourin, a tendril of orange energy lashed in an attempt to encircle a pair of his floating weapons; with Sh*totsu Sansen, he intended to send his opponent hurtling through the air with what looked like a triangle-shaped "net", aimed at the ground, and finally, the Soukatsui was a blast of reddish searing energy aimed at his arm.

*I will teach you the meaning of fear...

"Wha- oh come on!" Magatsu dodged the Geki more through sheer luck than anything else, though he couldn't stop the Hourin from entangling a katana and the broadsword. As the Sansen approached, however, Magatsu spun the katana he held. "Hado 58: Tenran!" A tornado erupted from the sword, tearing towards the Bakudo in an attempt to shatter it, as Magatsu narrowed his eyes and sent his naginata streaking through the air towards Soushi, rippling with the energy it would release on impact.

Unfortunately, the moment it took him to launch the counterattacks slowed him down enough to let the Soukatsui graze his arm, burning it as the surge of energy seared past. Magatsu gritted his teeth. "I guess I did start out with a whimper. Let me fix that. Hado 32: Okasen!" As the wide yellow blaze of energy tore from his hand, Magatsu charged Soushi.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed. Two of ya? That ain't fair! She yelled teasingly. With her left hand, she drew her sword and countered Seiko's spear. With her right hand, she whipped her arm around a flung the empty sake bottle like an MLB pitcher, right at Arata's forehead.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed. Two of ya? That ain't fair! She yelled teasingly. With her left hand, she drew her sword and countered Seiko's spear. With her right hand, she whipped her arm around a flung the empty sake bottle like an MLB pitcher, right at Arata's forehead.

Seiko Yukimura

As Feiyan parried his thrust, Seiko grinned. Apparently, she had forgotten that both ends of his staff had blades. He turned with her parry, attempting a diagonal slash with the other end of his blade while she had her back turned while striking Arata.

Daisuke Koishima

As the Soukatsui flew past Magatsu-sama, Daisuke saw an opportunity to finally recharge his tails. He sprinted away from Sigint and Sayuri and ran towards the Soukatsui, preparing his tails to absorb the blast. Upon reaching the blast, Daisuke placed his tails in front of him, stopping the blast and absorbing the reiatsu from it. When the blast had completely dissipated, Daisuke had a new tail.

((OOC: It'll take Daisuke about thirty seconds to fully draw the energy from the Soukatsui, so he'll be busy with that for a while.))

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan leaped up and to the opposite side, gripping her sword with both hands. C'mon, Fey, let's give it to 'em! Her zanpakuto spirit growled. No, Sae-chan, later. Feiyan told her, enjoying the image of her supermodel spirit getting angry. She swung her sword forward to connect with Seiko's spear. Letting go with one hand, she used her free hand to cast... Bakudo 4: Hainawa! She aimed the rope directly at the other end of Seiko's spear.

[Kuroimaken]

"Oh my. A fan of big blasts, are we?"

Holding onto his hat, Soushi pushed his book in front of him. It flipped about seemingly of its own accord, before settling on a specific page.

"Bakudou 53: Tenzanshou."

With that, a pyramid-like barrier sprang to being around Nagamichi, seemingly barely encompassing him. The combination of his naginata and the two hadou bounced harmlessly off it. He waggled his finger at Magatsu, and the pyramid disappeared.

"This is one of my favorite self-created Bakudou. It's a variant of Touzanshou, but consumes much less energy, on a smaller area, and lasts considerably less. You like?"

Just then, Magatsu lunged. Soushi spun in mid-air, a calculated sidestep as he held his hat atop his head, letting the bloodthirsty Magatsu move right past him - which could leave him just a bit more open than he might like.

"Bakudo 30: Sh*totsu Sansen."

With that said, Soushi fired another Bakudou at Magatsu's back. He was still mindful of his floating blades, however, and fully expected a counter even as he dashed past.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan leaped up and to the opposite side, gripping her sword with both hands. C'mon, Fey, let's give it to 'em! Her zanpakuto spirit growled. No, Sae-chan, later. Feiyan told her, enjoying the image of her supermodel spirit getting angry. She swung her sword forward to connect with Seiko's spear. Letting go with one hand, she used her free hand to cast... Bakudo 4: Hainawa! She aimed the rope directly at the other end of Seiko's spear.

Seiko's grin got wider as the Bakudo wrapped around his staff. It was annoying, but hardly fatal. He flared his reiatsu around his hands, which had an odd effect: it split his staff in two, revealing two extra blades on the inside, which now gave him two three foot-long poles with blades on either end, one of which was now trapped by the Hainawa, and the other was heading for Feiyan's arm. Seiko hoped that a slash to the inside of her arm would cause her to release the Bakudo, and if not, he still had another trick up his sleeve.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed. I seriously don't think so. Show your faces, Saezuki Megami! The sword in her hands flared in a brilliant teal colour, engulfing the blade in a small explosion of reiatsu. Feiyan uses the colour show to leap back.

[Wahrheit]

"Oh my. A fan of big blasts, are we?"

Holding onto his hat, Soushi pushed his book in front of him. It flipped about seemingly of its own accord, before settling on a specific page.

"Bakudou 53: Tenzanshou."

With that, a pyramid-like barrier sprang to being around Nagamichi, seemingly barely encompassing him. The combination of his naginata and the two hadou bounced harmlessly off it. He waggled his finger at Magatsu, and the pyramid disappeared.

"This is one of my favorite self-created Bakudou. It's a variant of Touzanshou, but consumes much less energy, on a smaller area, and lasts considerably less. You like?"

Just then, Magatsu lunged. Soushi spun in mid-air, a calculated sidestep as he held his hat atop his head, letting the bloodthirsty Magatsu move right past him - which could leave him just a bit more open than he might like.

"Bakudo 30: Sh*totsu Sansen."

With that said, Soushi fired another Bakudou at Magatsu's back. He was still mindful of his floating blades, however, and fully expected a counter even as he dashed past.

((OOC: Bakudo 15 doesn't have an official chant and Magatsu can't cast it chantless, so I'll handwave it with the POWER OF NARRATION! Also, any time there's a Kido with no Japanese translation, I'll simply encase the name in angle brackets.))

An explosion rocked the arena as the deflected naginata slammed into the ground behind Soushi and released a distortion wave of reiatsu, the weapon itself remaining quivering in the center of a fresh crater. The Chinese spear, remaining katana, and nodaichi slashed at Soushi from each side and above with rather alarming speed even as two of the Bakudo's bolts struck Magatsu's back, pinning him to the ground. For some reason, he smiled. "Heh, well done. But I'll show you a big blast... Hado 19: <<Guillotine Press>>!" A crescent wave launched from his hand, slashing neatly through the Horin binding two of his blades, which immediately joined the pattern of flashing steel whirling around him as he muttered a short incantation. "Bakudo 15: Kyomon!"

The naginata Magatsu launched earlier finally tore free of the ground and returned to him the instant before a glasslike barrier formed around him. His blades floated into a star-shaped array and lightly touched their points to the tip of the katana Magatsu still judiciously held; the air began to scream as streaked green reiatsu began to writhe at the contact point. It would take a few seconds before it was ready, but hopefully the barrier would give him that time.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed. I seriously don't think so. Show your faces, Saezuki Megami! The sword in her hands flared in a brilliant teal colour, engulfing the blade in a small explosion of reiatsu. Feiyan uses the colour show to leap back.

"Now we'll have some real fun!" Seiko said when he saw Feiyan unleash her Shikai. "At least I know that you're not going easy on me."

Seiko let up on his struggling with his still-trapped blade enough to let the end point at Feiyan, then shot the serrated blade out at Feiyan, channeling his reiatsu through the chain connected to the blade to heat and sharpen it. His other blade he kept at the ready, in case Arata got any funny ideas.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed and slammed her blade diagonally into the spear, trapping it. Seiko may notice that his reiatsu is beginning to slowly but steadily drain away...

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed and slammed her blade diagonally into the spear, trapping it. Seiko may notice that his reiatsu is beginning to slowly but steadily drain away...

"Interesting trick you have there, Feiyan-san. May I show you one of mine?" Upon saying that, Seiko vanished in a blur of Shunpo, hoping to drag Feiyan by the Bakudo all throughout the battlefield.

[Kuroimaken]

"Ah, Magatsu-kun. You charmer, you." Soushi smiled, still holding on to his hat with one hand and his book with the other. Three pages suddenly flew from the book as he muttered, "Bakudo 8. Seki." The pages floated to each side the blades would strike at, each disintegrating into a small, round shield that paralyzed and repulsed the assaulting blades. For such a low-level Bakudo, its repelling power seemed reasonably strong... as though belying the Vice-Captain's strength.

"Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end."

It would appear that Soushi wouldn't want Magatsu's ploy to take effect.

"Bakudou 75: Gochuutekkan!!"

Falling from the sky, five tall, thick pillars connected by chains sought to imprison Magatsu against the ground. Being a Bakudou sixty levels higher, Soushi doesn't really expect the Kyomon to withstand the pressure.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan rolled her eyes. What a lousy trick. Release! Seiko would notice that the Bakudo on his spear had been released.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan rolled her eyes. What a lousy trick. Release! Seiko would notice that the Bakudo on his spear had been released.

Seiko did in fact notice this, and it was in fact what he'd been hoping for. Recalling the blade as he rushed around the arena, he stopped directly above Feiyan, dive-bombing her with both blades. If she dodged by sidestepping, Seiko would immediately begin whirling the four blades around him, living up to his Zanpakutou's name.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed. Really, that's not gonna help! Bakudo 8, Seki! A transparent shield sprang into being above her head, protecting her from Seiko's attack. Bakudo 9, Geki! A red light engulfed Seiko, a red light which could paralyze him.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed. Really, that's not gonna help! Bakudo 8, Seki! A transparent shield sprang into being above her head, protecting her from Seiko's attack. Bakudo 9, Geki! A red light engulfed Seiko, a red light which could paralyze him.

She's awfully quick on her feet for just a 3rd seat, Seiko thought to himself. They're wasting her talents in the 4th divison.

Seiko, having absolutely no skill in Kido, reacted to the Bakudo the only way he knew how: by going straight through it. He had learned in the past that much like a Bakudo could be broken through with a sufficiently strong Hado, so could it be broken with a sufficient burst of reiatsu, which is exactly what he did. He flared out his reiatsu like an explosion, which kept the Geki at bay, and thrust his bottom right blade (the non-serrated one) at the shield and hopefully straight through it, while his top left blade (the serrated one) went in a slashing motion which, if Seiko cut through the barrier, would go straight for Feiyan's chest.

[Wahrheit]

"Ah, Magatsu-kun. You charmer, you." Soushi smiled, still holding on to his hat with one hand and his book with the other. Three pages suddenly flew from the book as he muttered, "Bakudo 8. Seki." The pages floated to each side the blades would strike at, each disintegrating into a small, round shield that paralyzed and repulsed the assaulting blades. For such a low-level Bakudo, its repelling power seemed reasonably strong... as though belying the Vice-Captain's strength.

"Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end."

It would appear that Soushi wouldn't want Magatsu's ploy to take effect.

"Bakudou 75: Gochuutekkan!!"

Falling from the sky, five tall, thick pillars connected by chains sought to imprison Magatsu against the ground. Being a Bakudou sixty levels higher, Soushi doesn't really expect the Kyomon to withstand the pressure.

Magatsu's eyes widened as he saw the pillars plunging towards him. This isn't going to be fun.

Stop whining and do it. Just think of the look on his face.

Fine. Magatsu gritted his teeth and gave his katana a sudden twist just as the Gochuutekkan shattered his barrier. With a noise somewhat like the shriek of tearing metal, the mass of reiatsu he'd been accumulating imploded into itself and lashed outwards in a fairly massive (and painful) explosion, gouging a crater out of the arena floor and hurling a rather charred Magatsu out of the way of the pillars.

Now make him pay.

I intend to. Magatsu glared at Soushi as he used his katana as a cane to climb back to his feet, his smile actually vanishing. "You wanted a show? Have one." He launched one of the katanas at Soushi, just to distract him with the explosion it would cause, and began to chant. "Bakudo 26: Kyokko!" His dark smile returned as he faded from sight. Sure, this was underhanded, but hey, whatever works, right? Besides, he wasn't about to play fair after being forced to backlash Renkyousou. That hurt. Time to finish another chant. "Ye lord! Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Mask of blood and flesh, sharp tower, all creation, red crystal, flutter of wings, steel ring, ye who bears the name of Man! Move and become the wind, on the wall of blue flame, stop and become the calm, inscribe a twin lotus. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hado 63: Soren Sokatsui! Hado 63: Raikoho!"

As the combined Hado shredded their way towards Soushi, Magatsu fired his five remaining floating weapons in a spread towards Soushi's position, using the flare of the Kido for cover, hoping to catch or at least graze Soushi with one of the reiatsu-laced weapons if the Vice-Captain dodged the Hado. Doing all this in such a short period was tiring, but it was a gambit he was willing to risk.

((Isn't Magatsu such a subtle person?))

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan grinned. Good trick! Looks like I'd better fortify my shield! Bakudo 8, Seki! Another shield sprung up underneath the first, as Feiyan began her chant. Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo 9, Geki!

[Cyborg Mage]

Feiyan sighed. Two of ya? That ain't fair! She yelled teasingly. With her left hand, she drew her sword and countered Seiko's spear. With her right hand, she whipped her arm around a flung the empty sake bottle like an MLB pitcher, right at Arata's forehead.

"Woah!"
Arata dodges under the bottle, avoiding a powerful blow but throwing him completely off balance.
"Watch where you're swinging that thing. Actually, don't bother-I'll do it for you."
Arata composes himself again, focusing his reiryoku and launches his response.
"Jikai seyo, rondaniini no kuro inu! Ichidoku shi, yaki harai, mizukara nodo o kaki kiru ga ii*! Bakudō 9-Geki!"

* Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!

[Kayne650]

Feiyan grinned. Good trick! Looks like I'd better fortify my shield! Bakudo 8, Seki! Another shield sprung up underneath the first, as Feiyan began her chant. Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo 9, Geki!


"Woah!"
Arata dodges under the bottle, avoiding a powerful blow but throwing him completely off balance.
"Watch where you're swinging that thing. Actually, don't bother-I'll do it for you."
Arata composes himself again, focusing his reiryoku and launches his response.
"Jikai seyo, rondaniini no kuro inu! Ichidoku shi, yaki harai, mizukara nodo o kaki kiru ga ii*! Bakudō 9-Geki!"

* Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!


Seiko's blade struck the second shield, and cracked that one. Seiko sighed inwardly. Well, it looks like a frontal assault isn't working, Seiko thought to himself. Time for change in plans.

When Feiyan began her chant to fortify her other Bakudo, she would notice that her opponent had vanished. Seiko appeared behind her, shooting out both of his serrated blades from his staffs, hoping that the Bakudo Arata performed would slow her down enough for the chains attaching the blades to his staffs to wrap around her. Maybe that would make her finally stop using bakudo and fight him with her blasted sword!

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan grinned, her blue eyes showing sparks of caramel brown for a second. She pointed one hand at the oncoming Bakudo, one at Seiko. Bakudo 39, Enkosen! A shield formed and she grasped it with her right hand, ready to meet Arata's weaker Bakudo with it. She pointed her zanpakuto at the oncoming Seiko and yelled, Hado 11, Tsuzuri Raiden! A bolt of yellow electricity hummed through her sword. If Seiko's blades connected, he would get a rather nasty shock.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan grinned, her blue eyes showing sparks of caramel brown for a second. She pointed one hand at the oncoming Bakudo, one at Seiko. Bakudo 39, Enkosen! A shield formed and she grasped it with her right hand, ready to meet Arata's weaker Bakudo with it. She pointed her zanpakuto at the oncoming Seiko and yelled, Hado 11, Tsuzuri Raiden! A bolt of yellow electricity hummed through her sword. If Seiko's blades connected, he would get a rather nasty shock.

Seiko saw her perform the Hado, but his control of the chains wasn't anything like perfect, and the chains were too far gone to draw back now. He channeled more reiatsu through the chains, speeding them up, hopefully lessening the Hado's shock, and super heating the chains, which would give Feiyan severe burns if the chains touched her (she's feel the heat before the chains touched her, but only just before). He braced himself for the incoming blast, but he knew that if the chains connected, they'd hurt her far more than her low-level Hado would hurt him.

This is going to hurt, Seiko thought to himself.

Stop whining, you baby.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed and channelled her reiatsu at the Hado, making the blade vibrate and crackle with electricity. Her hair began to stand on end as she swung the blade down against Seiko's spears. Even if he was able to dodge, it would be quite difficult to escape the field of electricity surrounding Feiyan's sword.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed and channelled her reiatsu at the Hado, making the blade vibrate and crackle with electricity. Her hair began to stand on end as she swung the blade down against Seiko's spears. Even if he was able to dodge, it would be quite difficult to escape the field of electricity surrounding Feiyan's sword.

((OOC: Seiko is currently wrapping Feiyan up in chains, so it'd be hard for her to get to his actual spears. She could hit his chains just fine, though :smalltongue:))

Seiko, seeing her strike, suddenly constricted his chains around her, pinning her limbs against her, stopping her blade but still catching the Tsuzuri Raiden. Just like he thought, it hurt quite a bit, but he'd survived far worse. He tightened the chains around her, hoping that the pain would make her let go of her sword.

"Yield, and I'll let you go." Seiko told Feiyan, almost worried about hurting her with the blades that were now glowing red with heat.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan looked incredulously at him. Yield? Yield? Really? She glanced at the red-hot chains. Her left foot backed up and found what she was looking for. Perfect position! She grinned. It was the carton of sake bottles, tipped over on its side. She carefully, discreetly nudged one forward with her foot. With lightning speed, she grabbed it with both feet, jumped up, and sent it smashing into the chains to her side. As soon as Seiko reacted, she would move. Sure, there was some glass in her, but it didn't hurt all that badly.

[Cyborg Mage]

"Hrm. Well, this isn't working. This ought to do the trick."
Arata leaps back from Feiyan's shield, composing himself and preparing a Hadō attack.
"Kunrinsha yo! Chiniku no kamen, banshō, habataki, hito no na o kansu mono yo! Shinri to sessei, tsumi shirame yume no kabe ni wazuka ni tsume o tate yo*! Hadō 33- Sōkatsui!"

(*Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws.)

[Frozen_Feet]

While outwardly Sayuri remains calm, Seiko can feel an angry glare burning trough his head. I will have to check with dear Michiko-Taichou to make sure her Vice-Captain doesn't just weasel off of something important. She's just about to give her reply, when Magatsu's comment about her frown throws her off the rails.

"What do you mean, Shizuka-san? I'm smiling right now", she replies cheerfully, though in a way that suggests she'd very much like to strangle Magatsu. "I'm smiling right now." She's about to return to the more pressing topic at hand, when Feyian makes her entrance, and Soushi makes his comment about rampant alcoholism among Gotei officers.

As much as she'd rather not admit it, the dislikeable man hits uncomfortably close to the truth. Kido Commander's case is still fresh on Sayuri's mind, and unfortunately, many reprimands she has thought for him apply to a distressing number of her co-workers.

While she's at loss for words, the assorted officers start thowing all sorts of rules suggestions to the air, and even her keen mind has a hard time keeping track all of them. "Dear all..." she begins... just as Magatsu releases his Shikai. She has to take a step back as the green flames blow against her face.

"Dear all, if you'd all listen to me -" she begins again, after regaining her posture - just as Feyian throws the first Kido and the situation decays into complete chaos.

For a moment, Sayuri just stands there, smile frozen on her face. She's so stupefied she barely registers Daisuke's entry, or the myriad butterflies swarming around Sigint. Unbeliavable. The assorted officers had not even waited for their chosen referee to have a say on the rules. This isn't a proper duel, or a spar. This is a drunken brawl!

Well, not quite. Expect for Feyian (maybe), none of the fighters actually have the excuse of being drunk.

Is this the way the bear themselves normally? Is this the example they want to set for their underlings? Even throwing their Zanpakutos to the tavern wall had been a break in discipline, even though it was a minor one - but all these people were, and are, still wearing the Shihakusho, uniform of Gotei 13. What had the bar owner thought of them? What would unseated think if they'd see their leaders acting in this rash, fight-happy demeanor?

Hadn't that kind of attitude caused citizens of Rukongai to cower in fear of their alleged protectors just a few centuries past? Hadn't their organization grown past that point already? She watches in horror as the combatants escalate their means against each other, applying dangerous battlefield Kido with reckless abandon. It's a very close call one of the Sokatsuis doesn't scorch her and Sigint!

"DANKU!"

A transparent veil suddenly cuts the battlefield in half, stopping Magatsu's double Hados aimed at Soushi, and Arata's Sokatsui aimed at Feyian. Bright explosions light up the field so that none can see properly - when they fade, the dimgrey wall stands just where it was, seemignly undamaged by the horrendous assault, before shattering and fading out of existence with a slight chime.

"Sai! Horin!" Feyian will suddenly feel invisible force wrenching her arms behind her back, while a flaming tendril shoots from Sayuri's out-stretched hand and wraps around the chains of Seiko's zanpakuto, halting the reiatsu flow through them and cooling them down.

"Dear all", the 1st division Vice-Captain chirps sweetly, still smiling, letting go of her Kido spell and bringing her hands together before herself. Her eyes are half closed behind her glasses, and her head is tilted slightly to the the left - all in all, her bearing would be positively charming, if it wasn't for the hint of murder in her voice. "I don't think we agreed upon the rules properly. I'm sorry for the interruption, but it's impossible for me to judge this competition if I'm not sure what they are. It would also ensure all combatants are on the same level about them, so no-one will get seriously hurt." During those last words, she glances sharply at Feyian.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan looked at Sayuri with surprise on her face. Then, breaking the ice...she laughed. Loudly, too. Aw, c'mon! I was havin' fun! Two on one fights ain't somethin' ya see everyday, Sayuri-san! I haven't even won the drinkin' contest yet... she looked down at the crate beneath her feet, counting four full sake bottles.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri glances at Feyian's bleeding feet, then looks her straight in the eyes. "Tewulan-san, how much have you drank tonight?"

[Cyborg Mage]

"Not enough to impede her abilities, somehow."
Arata looks accusingly at Feiyan-who isn't?-before turning to face Sayuri.
"Perhaps conducting this in a more orderly manner would be enough? Of course, you are welcome to intervene, Sayuri-sama. And you two say nothing, everyone here is in enough trouble."
Arata indicates to Seiko and Feiyan.
(Deadtime.)

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan looked at Sayuri stoutly. I ain't drunk! This is jus' how we talk in Zaraki! Well.... she paused thoughtfully, slipping back into a more formal dialect. Seven bottles of sake. There's glass on the ground in a couple of places....watch your step...? She grinned sheepishly.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint just looks on as the chaotic battle rages on, occasionally looking towards Sayuri to see how he reacts. He's thankful that Kyasarin isn't harmed in the chaos. Throughout, he still conducts several patrols, management of information, and authorization in the other Corps. Commander's place.

Despite the fact that his face is completely covered, he doesn't look accusingly at anyone. Rather, he seems rather grateful that the chaos can be stopped. He then chuckles as everyone is getting scolded by Sayuri, giving her a look of sorts as if to say "take it easy" without seeming disrespectful.

[Wahrheit]

Magatsu had just begun to flicker into shunpo when Sayuri's intervention cut his assault short, and he skidded to a halt for the second time this evening. He raised his hand as though about to say something, but the sheer danger in the 1st Division Vice-Captain's demeanor gave even him pause. Instead, he remained silent.

You're backing down.

No, I'm showing discretion.

What's the difference?

Magatsu pointedly ignored Eien Uzumaki's complaint as his assorted blades returned to float in array around him. He took a deep breath... and said words that Sayuri would probably consider unthinkable to hear from him. "You're right, Sayuri-san, and I apologize."

Now you're lying through your teeth.

If I appease Sayuri, even a bit, it helps preserve my position. I can't become Captain if I'm demoted. Well, I can, but it'll be irritating. He continued speaking. "I was so happy for a chance at relief from the boredom of this war that I became unreasonable. It was unsuiting of my position." Hopefully an appeal to Sayuri's legendarily stuck-up nature would work as well as it had when he got her to referee. Magatsu clasped his hands and bowed his head in apology, then held out his hand. The floating weapons dissolved into green flames and flowed into his palm, solidifying into Eien Uzumaki's sealed form. He sheathed the to with a flourish and looked at Soushi. "No hard feelings, Soushi-san?"

[Kuroimaken]

The legendary anger of the first division's vice-captain shows itself... Soushi thought to himself with his smile still on his face.

"While I don't appreciate the amount of lethal force you employed, I don't harbor any hard feelings, Magatsu-kun. Do you require assistance?" Magatsu seemed positively scorched after that backlash.

"Saiyuri-san. I apologize as well - like Magatsu-kun, it's been a very long time since I've had the opportunity to let off some steam." At least he'd stuck mostly to Bakudo when he fought, but that was little excuse.

[Wahrheit]

The legendary anger of the first division's vice-captain shows itself... Soushi thought to himself with his smile still on his face.

"While I don't appreciate the amount of lethal force you employed, I don't harbor any hard feelings, Magatsu-kun. Do you require assistance?" Magatsu seemed positively scorched after that backlash.

"Saiyuri-san. I apologize as well - like Magatsu-kun, it's been a very long time since I've had the opportunity to let off some steam." At least he'd stuck mostly to Bakudo when he fought, but that was little excuse.

"I didn't launch any attacks I thought you incapable of handling." Magatsu thought for a moment. "Though the double Hado may have been a bit much, but I was in the heat of the moment. And nah, I'll be fine." He brushed soot off his burned arm and winced.

[Kayne650]

Seiko Yukimura

Seiko silently withdrew the chains from around Feiyan, and reattached his weapons into a single staff. "My apologies, Sayuri-san," Seiko said, hopefully mollifying the woman just a bit. It was hilarious though to see her frighten all of the people in the room, three of whom were equal to her in rank, into complete and unquestioning submission.

So, this woman is your boss?

At the moment, she might as well be.

"And to you, Feiyan-san. I didn't mean to hurt you in any permanent way. I got a bit out of hand though, and I apologize for it." Seiko said out loud to Feiyan, still aiming to mollify Sayuri.

"So, what exactly are the rules of engagement, anyway?"

Daisuke Koishima

Daisuke was in complete awe. Sayuri-sama had just made three Vice-Captains and two 3rd seats basically bow down before her with little to no effort. How did she do it? He'd never seen anyone besides Sakura-taichou do that to Magatsu-sama. Maybe it was just a thing that women could do. That was a horrifying thought.

These, and other thoughts, kept Daisuke from noticing anything else that was happening.

[Kuroimaken]

"Well, I proposed duels ending with disarming a foe for ten seconds or more. Things kinda... got out of hand before we could stipulate any further."

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan shrugged. 'Fight' is what I heard. For rules....I guess Soushi-san's one doesn't sound all that bad. She thought out loud while draining another bottle of sake.

[Kayne650]

"Personally, I was perfectly happy with the battle royal that we had going on, but if that is against Sayuri-san's wishes, or if she believes that it is unfair, then we do have an even number of combatants. We could do this by duels, and perhaps we could even turn this into a single-elimination tournament."

Seiko, by all rights, looked penitent and apologetic, but anyone who knew him really well, as few people did, could tell that it was an act. Growing up in a family of nobles had taught Seiko to apologize effectively.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri bites her lip for a moment and thinks. "Fight until one yields, is disarmed for more than 10 seconds, or falls unconscious. Don't aim for the head, or use attacks that would cause irreversible injury to any party. If it seems like there are going to be... accidents, I will step in myself and ensure no serious injury is caused to anyone. It would not do if one of us would have to call in sick jsut because of a friendly spar." Every word is said in a way obviously meant to drown the brawlers in guilt. It's another thing whether it'll stick.

Then the 1st Division Vice-Captain straightens her posture and bows deeply to her crowd. "Again, I apologize for spending your precious free time. I know you're all... eager to continue. I'm only concerned of your well-being. Now, are you happy with opponents you currently have, or would you want to switch pairs? Or are you fine with free-for-all as it was?"

"Oh, and Tewulan-san, would you please stop drinking? I might have to... disqualify you if you don't. You're sense of pain is getting dangerously dull..."

[Kayne650]

Sayuri bites her lip for a moment and thinks. "Fight until one yields, is disarmed for more than 10 seconds, or falls unconscious. Don't aim for the head, or use attacks that would cause irreversible injury to any party. If it seems like there are going to be... accidents, I will step in myself and ensure no serious injury is caused to anyone. It would not do if one of us would have to call in sick jsut because of a friendly spar." Every word is said in a way obviously meant to drown the brawlers in guilt. It's another thing whether it'll stick.

Then the 1st Division Vice-Captain straightens her posture and bows deeply to her crowd. "Again, I apologize for spending your precious free time. I know you're all... eager to continue. I'm only concerned of your well-being. Now, are you happy with opponents you currently have, or would you want to switch pairs? Or are you fine with free-for-all as it was?"

"Oh, and Tewulan-san, would you please stop drinking? I might have to... disqualify you if you don't. You're sense of pain is getting dangerously dull..."

Seiko Yukimura

"Sounds good to me," Seiko agreed. "Personally I was fine where we were, with Feiyan-san, Arata-kun and myself having ourselves a good little three-person free-for-all. But if we're going into duels, I'd fight either Feiyan-san or Arata-kun." Seiko seemed perfectly happy with this turn of events.

Daisuke Koishima

Daisuke turned to Sayuri, an expression of reverence on his face. "Sayuri-sama, can you show me how to do that?" Daisuke asked her hopefully. "That thing that you did where you spoke and everyone listened to you? I want to be able to do that." The idea of Daisuke speaking with that same tone of murder as Sayuri was absolutely laughable, but the boy looked so desperately hopeful.

[ThreadOfFate]

With the usual spring in her step, Minuet dropped down from the wall over the test field where she had been observing the ensuing fights, procrastinating only a little from the ever-growing mountain of paperwork that was on her desk over at 5th Division. It's not that she minded having a lot to do, she just would have preferred doing important things over approving messages and training regimes and complaints and blah de blah de blah.

Having honestly just been out for a walk when she heard and saw the commotion, she had leaped up onto the high walls to watch the ensuing battles. Now that it seemed things were at a smaller standstill, she slid down and stayed out of the combat zone. Not that she was worried about getting terribly injured, but still, better to be safe than sorry.

She quietly approached the person she knew best out here, Daisuke, and waited for his usual excitement with something someone taller older than him had done to die down. Figuring he would know she was here anyway, she gave a small wave to Magatsu while the usual song that she had reserved for him (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZYcApRm318) played out. She tilted her head, getting an inquisitive look as she arched an eyebrow and gestured out onto the arena, clearly questioning what was going on.

[Kuroimaken]

"Fair and reasonable stipulations, Saiyuri-san. I trust Magatsu-kun has no objections to the terms as well." Soushi offered with a tip of his hat.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed. I've always had a high pain tolerance, Sayuri-san. And I'm not drunk in the least. I know my own limits very well, thanks. After hearing Seiko's comment about a 'three-way', she snorted. Nah, it was more like two-on-one.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri's bearing softens up considerably when Daisuke makes his questions. Having the youthful 3rd seat look up at her gives Sayuri a warm fuzzy feeling of job well done. When she turns to answer him, her smile is, god forbid, actually friendly.

"Oh, I'll be happy to give you pointers when my schedule allows, if you so wish.", she says. "It's just a matter of practice, Koishima-san. I'm sure you'll be able to master it, some day"

Oh, just look at him. He reminds me of myself when I was younger.

She shoots another icy glance at Feyian when she makes her proclamation. High pain tolerance? Not drunk a bit? After eight bottles of Sake for someone of her stature?

Sayuri isn't buying it. Not one itty bit.

"I'm not trying to insult you, Tewulan-san. But surely you don't have to give your opponents", she gestures at Arata and Seiko, "any more advantage than they already have. So I still ask you to abide my request." She bows again to Feiyan.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan sighed. All right, fine. She picked up the crate, walked to the edge of the field, and put it down there. It's your choice if you believe what I'm saying or not. She returned to her original spot and waited.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan sighed. I've always had a high pain tolerance, Sayuri-san. And I'm not drunk in the least. I know my own limits very well, thanks. After hearing Seiko's comment about a 'three-way', she snorted. Nah, it was more like two-on-one.

"Yeah, only because Arata-kun was waiting for a good moment to turn on me," Seiko said with a crooked smile that showed off his good looks that he tries so hard to hide. "However, while I did enjoy his assistance in taking you down, I didn't need his help. What do you say, Arata-kun? Care to make this fair?"


Sayuri's bearing softens up considerably when Daisuke makes his questions. Having the youthful 3rd seat look up at her gives Sayuri a warm fuzzy feeling of job well done. When she turns to answer him, her smile is, god forbid, actually friendly.

"Oh, I'll be happy to give you pointers when my schedule allows, if you so wish.", she says. "It's just a matter of practice, Koishima-san. I'm sure you'll be able to master it, some day"

Oh, just look at him. He reminds me of myself when I was younger.

Daisuke's goofy grin is in danger of tearing his face in half after Sayuri agrees to help him. Maybe now he'll finally get people to listen to him without having to pull rank on them! "YAY!", he shouted, his tails standing up in excitement. It wasn't until his tails smacked Minuet in the jaw that he noticed her standing there. He turned suddenly, saw Minuet, and immediately grabbed her in a giant hug. He released her and immediately began.

"Mini-chan! When did you get here? Are you here to watch? Or maybe you're here to fight too? I'm not sure if you should though, I think that there are already enough people fighting, or I might have joined in too. But I probably wouldn't have, they seem a bit out of my league, and I'm kinda tired anyway. How's your work going? Have you been really busy? I haven't seen you in a while, you look really good! Is the 5th division treating you well? I hear the captain's really old, right? Does he tell "back in my day" stories? Were there dinosaurs back in his day?"

Daisuke just kept going. His speech was at a mile-a-minute pace, and it showed how excited he was to see Minuet. It was hard to believe that this boy was one of the highest-ranked officers in the Seireitei, much less in the division whose main duty was execution.

[Wahrheit]

"Those terms work for me." Magatsu was already scheming when he heard rather ominous music and rolled his eyes. How wonderful. Minuet is here. At least she amuses Daisuke-kun... He glanced over at his excitable subordinate and noted he was still in Shikai. "Hey, Daisuke-kun! Are you doing all right, or d'you need another kido for your tails?"

[ThreadOfFate]

"Mini-chan! When did you get here? Are you here to watch? Or maybe you're here to fight too? I'm not sure if you should though, I think that there are already enough people fighting, or I might have joined in too. But I probably wouldn't have, they seem a bit out of my league, and I'm kinda tired anyway. How's your work going? Have you been really busy? I haven't seen you in a while, you look really good? Is the 5th division treating you well? I hear the captain's really old, right? Does he tell "back in my day" stories? Were there dinosaurs back in his day?"


Having forgotten just how excited the boy could become, Minuet was surprised when he suddenly shouted in jubilation and one of his tails poofed her in the chin. She staggered back a step, blinking in surprise, when she was suddenly grabbed around the middle and embraced by Daisuke, who was a few inches shorter than Minuet. Considering she was short herself, this was rather amusing.

Her normal reaction to the sound of the nickname that she loathed would've been a narrow-eyed glare and the sound of rolling thunder, but it had admittedly been some time since she'd seen him, and even his chatterboxy ways were endearing if one had the patience to listen. Smiling, she hugged him back and met his eyes when he began to babble. She replied with, in order, the sound of a telephone voice giving out the time she arrived at (roughly 5 to 10 minutes ago), a nod, a shrug, the sound of a see-saw while she made an "Eh" motion with her hand, an emphatic shake of her head, a smile, another nod, a third nod with the sound of a creaking rocking chair and old men muttering incoherently, a small voice snippet of the 5th Divison captain saying "In my day" and then harrumphing, and finally the sound of dinosaur roars as she smiled mischievously, nodding.

When the boy stopped to take in air, she chuckled, though no sound escaped her lips, and looked out over the combatants, then back at Daisuke. She gestured with a hand over the arena, her face curiously interested, and a series of noises materialized each one increasing in pitch at the end as if they were questions: A crowd calling out bets, some old-style piano music and the sound of cads being dealt, shotglasses being slammed onto a table, and finally, the ding ding ding announcing the start of a boxing match.

[Kayne650]

"Those terms work for me." Magatsu was already scheming when he heard rather ominous music and rolled his eyes. How wonderful. Minuet is here. At least she amuses Daisuke-kun... He glanced over at his excitable subordinate and noted he was still in Shikai. "Hey, Daisuke-kun! Are you doing all right, or d'you need another kido for your tails?"

Daisuke stopped his monologue at Minuet when Magatsu spoke, and asked Daisuke exactly what he'd been hoping for all day.

"I'm only at three tails, so I wouldn't mind another, if that's okay with you! But if you can't spare the reiatsu, I think that I could get Mini-chan to do it!" Daisuke called back across the arena. He looked at his tails, and all three were at full power, but he was still two tails under his maximum. If he released Shikai now, he'd end up being a lot more tired than he was already.



When the boy stopped to take in air, she chuckled, though no sound escaped her lips, and looked out over the combatants, then back at Daisuke. She gestured with a hand over the arena, her face curiously interested, and a series of noises materialized each one increasing in pitch at the end as if they were questions: A crowd calling out bets, some old-style piano music and the sound of cads being dealt, shotglasses being slammed onto a table, and finally, the ding ding ding announcing the start of a boxing match.

"No, I don't think that anyone's placing bets, 'cause it's just me, Sigint-san, Sayuri-sama, and now you watching. I think only Feiyan-san's drunk, though she doesn't think so. And yeah, they're about to start again. It's really pretty fun to watch. Can you stay and watch? Or do you have work to do...? Daisuke's face fell when he realized that, as a Vice-Captain of the 5th division with a really old captain, Minuet may not be able to stay very long. His tails drooped a bit lower.

[Moon Wolf]

"Yeah, only because Arata-kun was waiting for a good moment to turn on me," Seiko said with a crooked smile that showed off his good looks that he tries so hard to hide. "However, while I did enjoy his assistance in taking you down, I didn't need his help. What do you say, Arata-kun? Care to make this fair?"

Feiyan glares at him. Glaaaares.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan glares at him. Glaaaares.

Seiko just grins back at her.

"What? Did you honestly think that you could defeat both Arata-kun and myself? The 3rd Seat of the 2nd division and the Vice-Captain of the 11th? While you were drunk?"

"Oh, and I advise that you stop using low-level Bakudo and start taking me seriously, Feiyan-san. Because I'm taking the kid gloves off this time, because I don't want to insult you. I advise that you show me the same respect, or I'll tear you to pieces without meaning to."

[Moon Wolf]

I'm not drunk! She grins at him. Or maybe I am. Maybe I'm just messin with y'all! She grinned again, wider than the last time. I'll have you know I'm very proficient in Kido. I was just warming up. So don't you get that Holier-Than-Thou attitude, Noble-san, because I can tell you things I've seen that would get you runnin' for Mama.

[ThreadOfFate]

"No, I don't think that anyone's placing bets, 'cause it's just me, Sigint-san, Sayuri-sama, and now you watching. I think only Feiyan-san's drunk, though she doesn't think so. And yeah, they're about to start again. It's really pretty fun to watch. Can you stay and watch? Or do you have work to do...?"

Minuet shrugged. She technically had somewhere to be, but work in internal affairs had made her fairly good at paperwork, so she could afford to slack off for a bit and watch all the fun. Hopefully the Captain wouldn't notice she was gone for too long. This was an extended lunch break, or something.

She stood up a bit straighter, indicating that she'd like to stay and watch, and she indicated his tails, remembering what Magatsu mentioned about them, then met his eyes with an honest offer to help.

[Kuroimaken]

Soushi seemed intrigued by Minuet's communication skills. He found it slightly odd that the only sound she couldn't produce was, after all, speech. But that was none of his beeswax anyway.

"Well, Saiyuri-san. Shall we set the order of the matches?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint just hangs back, and lets Sayuri do what she does best. After she is done speaking, he stops a second to bow to her respectfully. He smiles at the interaction between Daisuke and Sayuri, before returning to management duties.

Then Minuet came in. He bows to her, still surrounded in Hell Butterflies, but less so than a minute before. "Minuet-sama! An honor and pleasure to see you here."

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet took her attention away from the excitable teenage boy and turned to Sigint, also bowing. A few measures from a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDX4ZwUeOok) that she tended to associate with him started playing as the earlier ominous latin chanting died out.

She smiled and nodded, indicating her happiness at both being here and seeing him. She really needed to get out of the office more often and say hi to people. Her time spent in 10th and 5th Divisons had sucked up all of it with paperwork, investigations, and running to fetch the old man's metaphorical slippers.

Out here, though, was where all the action was, and where her friends were. Admittedly, she didn't see Signit much, since the whole purpose of his division was not being seen, but still. That wasn't the point of it all.

Having had to figure out a way to ask this question often, she did the usual thing she did when she was alive back in the mortal realm: She put her two hands together, like she was holding a game controller (without the controller), twisted one forward, then pointed at Signit as the sound of a ticking clock was heard.

The meaning was clear to those who knew her: how are you?

[InyutheBeatIs]

Minuet took her attention away from the excitable teenage boy and turned to Sigint, also bowing. A few measures from a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDX4ZwUeOok) that she tended to associate with him started playing as the earlier ominous latin chanting died out.

She smiled and nodded, indicating her happiness at both being here and seeing him. She really needed to get out of the office more often and say hi to people. Her time spent in 10th and 5th Divisons had sucked up all of it with paperwork, investigations, and running to fetch the old man's metaphorical slippers.

Out here, though, was where all the action was, and where her friends were. Admittedly, she didn't see Signit much, since the whole purpose of his division was not being seen, but still. That wasn't the point of it all.

Having had to figure out a way to ask this question often, she did the usual thing she did when she was alive back in the mortal realm: She put her two hands together, like she was holding a game controller (without the controller), twisted one forward, then pointed at Signit as the sound of a ticking clock was heard.

The meaning was clear to those who knew her: how are you?

Sigint smiles as he hears the tune that Minuet had assigned him. Of course, she can't really see the smile, but he's gotten good at expressing such emotions and expressions through the mask. "I am doing well, Minuet-sama. Right now, I'm managing more than my share due to Kyasarin-sama and the Captain being preoccupied, but I'm managing rather well. How have you been?"

[Kayne650]

Minuet shrugged. She technically had somewhere to be, but work in internal affairs had made her fairly good at paperwork, so she could afford to slack off for a bit and watch all the fun. Hopefully the Captain wouldn't notice she was gone for too long. This was an extended lunch break, or something.

She stood up a bit straighter, indicating that she'd like to stay and watch, and she indicated his tails, remembering what Magatsu mentioned about them, then met his eyes with an honest offer to help.

Daisuke was about to answer when Minuet began talking to Sigint. He didn't want to bother her, he knew that she didn't see people all that often. So he turned back to Magatsu.

"Actually, I think that she's busy. Could you toss a Renkyousou my way?" He called to Magatsu.



I'm not drunk! She grins at him. Or maybe I am. Maybe I'm just messin with y'all! She grinned again, wider than the last time. I'll have you know I'm very proficient in Kido. I was just warming up. So don't you get that Holier-Than-Thou attitude, Noble-san, because I can tell you things I've seen that would get you runnin' for Mama.

"Really? You think that you can tell me things that will send me running to "mama"? Then you're even more pretentious than I thought. And also, my "holier-than-thou" attitude doesn't come from being born to a noble house. It comes from being directly above you in rank. And I know that you're proficient with Kido. That's why it's an insult to me to fight with single-digit Bakudo, when you could be firing off level 50 Hado! I don't enjoy having my opponents test my strength while they decide how much power they'll use. That gets a person killed."

"So, are you going to fight me for real, or not?"

[Wahrheit]

Daisuke was about to answer when Minuet began talking to Sigint. He didn't want to bother her, he knew that she didn't see people all that often. So he turned back to Magatsu.

"Actually, I think that she's busy. Could you toss a Renkyousou my way?" He called to Magatsu.

"I think this is easier. Ready, Daisuke-kun?" Magatsu waited a moment before beginning to recite an incantation. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado 31: Shakkaho!" A ball of red energy erupted from his hand and launched towards the 3rd Seat.

[ThreadOfFate]

"I am doing well, Minuet-sama. Right now, I'm managing more than my share due to Kyasarin-sama and the Captain being preoccupied, but I'm managing rather well. How have you been?"

She thinks, then puts her hands together and moves them beside her head, as if sleeping. The noise of a rooster crowing is heard, and she mimes yawning and waking up. Then she jumps as the sound of Osamu's angry muttering overrides the rooster, and she then mimes filling out forms as scribbles and scratches are heard, all backed up with more muttering and the occasional snippet of "Back in my day..." with a creaking rocking chair. She then generates the sound of a bell ringing five times, followed by her miming donning a hat and holding a magnifying glass, which she uses to closely inspect nothing in particular. Following that, she smiles widly and gives a hug to thin air. Then she yawns, pretends to go back to sleep, and plays a short, sleepy tune. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooZ3UASv3dI)

After having done this small stage show, she then looks back at Sigint, then repeated the "eh" hand motion with the see-saw sound, summing up what she just described.

[Kayne650]

"I think this is easier. Ready, Daisuke-kun?" Magatsu waited a moment before beginning to recite an incantation. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado 31: Shakkaho!" A ball of red energy erupted from his hand and launched towards the 3rd Seat.

Daisuke's tails perked up as the blast headed towards him. Against what appeared to be all common sense, he ran towards the blast. When he was about 10 feet from the blast he stopped and placed the tips of his tails in front of himself in a triangle, ready to catch the blast when it came close enough. To anyone who didn't know what Daisuke's Shikai could do or who wasn't watching when he did it earlier (which would be basically anyone but Magatsu or Minuet), it would look as if Daisuke was about to attempt to block the Hado with a combination of the tips of his tails and his face.

Which would make it even more surprising when the tails met the Shakkoho and began to suck the power out of it. As the blast shrank, Daisuke's tails could be seen expanding, with a fourth tail uncurling as the blast vanished completely.

"Thanks, Magatsu-sama!" Daisuke said cheerily. It seemed that he actually had more energy than before, if such a thing were even possible.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint chuckles at the end. Inside his head, he's laughing at the parts where she includes Osamu's "back in my day" rants, as well as the addition of the rocking chair. Taganjuu is chuckling as well. "Well, at least you're keeping busy. It's a good sign. It means we as a whole are active." He then points to the crowd of Hell Butterflies around him. "Or maybe it's my fault. In that case, I apologize now and in advance." He chuckles again. "The 5th hasn't been too hard on you, has it? Osamu-taichou treating you well?"

Then Daisuke goes to hit the kido with his face. Or at least, it looks like it. But, by the time Sigint could react, Daisuke was already siphoning the energy from the kido into his Shikai's tails. Sigint looks on with interest, and no small amount of surprise. "Fascinating...very impressive."

[Moon Wolf]

((OOC: Sorry for not being on yesterday....Thanksgiving in Canada.))

Feiyan grinned. Sure, I'll fight you seriously. And still, even if you are above me in rank, you still haven't seen half of the things that the lower class puts up with so you nobles can have tea with your feet up. She was just baiting him. If there was one rule she took out of Zaraki, it was this: never make the first move.

[Kayne650]

((OOC: Sorry for not being on yesterday....Thanksgiving in Canada.))

Feiyan grinned. Sure, I'll fight you seriously. And still, even if you are above me in rank, you still haven't seen half of the things that the lower class puts up with so you nobles can have tea with your feet up. She was just baiting him. If there was one rule she took out of Zaraki, it was this: never make the first move.

This was grating at Seiko in a fairly significant manner. He was getting very tired of Feiyan's noble cracks, but not mad enough that he would make any mistakes. Seiko was very good at keeping himself under control, though it seemed that Feiyan was almost as good at making people angry. She was skilled.

Sayuri-san. May Feiyan and myself have your permission to have the first duel?" Seiko was sure to be respectful; he didn't want her throwing around any more high-level Kido to interfere with the fights.

He readied his staff, prepared for any move Feiyan might make.

[ThreadOfFate]

"Well, at least you're keeping busy. It's a good sign. It means we as a whole are active. Or maybe it's my fault. In that case, I apologize now and in advance. The 5th hasn't been too hard on you, has it? Osamu-taichou treating you well?"

She chuckled, though again no sound comes out, and shook her head in protestations of his apology and to answer his first question. As for the last one, she pondered for a brief second, then she just pulled her arm back and flung it forward while sounding a whip crack

Then she did it again, smirking slightly, before changing her smirk into an honest smile while shaking her head and shrugging. She played sounds of paperwork interspersed with voice snippets from Osamu, indicating work was going well, if busy.

The sudden noise of Daisuke's faceplant into Magatsu's kido drew her attention, but she reacted with no surprise, having seen the overly energetic young man do this before. He did, in fact, get even more energetic, if that was even possible. She played a brief power-up noise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yysnM407rjE), punctuating his action. All this fighting was making her itching for one, though she'd wait a bit to challenge someone.

Shaking her head in amusement, she turned back to Sigint and indicated him, then rose two fingers on her right hand, asking him how his work was.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan grinned. Seconded, Sayuri-san!

[InyutheBeatIs]

She chuckled, though again no sound comes out, and shook her head in protestations of his apology and to answer his first question. As for the last one, she pondered for a brief second, then she just pulled her arm back and flung it forward while sounding a whip crack

Then she did it again, smirking slightly, before changing her smirk into an honest smile while shaking her head and shrugging. She played sounds of paperwork interspersed with voice snippets from Osamu, indicating work was going well, if busy.

The sudden noise of Daisuke's faceplant into Magatsu's kido drew her attention, but she reacted with no surprise, having seen the overly energetic young man do this before. He did, in fact, get even more energetic, if that was even possible. She played a brief power-up noise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yysnM407rjE), punctuating his action. All this fighting was making her itching for one, though she'd wait a bit to challenge someone.

Shaking her head in amusement, she turned back to Sigint and indicated him, then rose two fingers on her right hand, asking him how his work was.

Sigint laughed at the whip-cracks. "Isn't it always?"

He then responds to her question after he sends off a few more Hell Butterflies. The massive crowd of them had dissipated into a steady stream by this point. "So far, it's been relatively uninteresting. So far, the most interesting thing I have to report is rumors of a celebrity coming to the 11th Division." Sigint then seems to get a bit grimmer, a bit more somber in tone. "However, lately I've been a bit...paranoid, shall we say. I feel like something's coming, and that we should be prepared for it." After a second of leaving the words hanging there, Sigint lightens up, and waves the feeling away. "But, like I said, it's paranoia. It comes with the territory." He quips.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri nods at Seiko and Feyian. "Very well, then. You can have the first match. Please don't make others wait for too long." She steps back, and glances at the other fighters in a way that tells them to do the same.

[Kayne650]

"Very well." Seiko said, and set his staff in front of himself, ready for Feiyan's move.

"Ladies first."

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin runs up.
Gah my player I totally forgot about the fight! I hope it isn't too late to join in. I mean, I would really be sad if I didn't get some training in.

[Moon Wolf]

Nuh-uh. Feiyan grinned. You go first...Your Highness. She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

[Kayne650]

Nuh-uh. Feiyan grinned. You go first...Your Highness. She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I would continue this ridiculous back-and-forth, but that would get us nowhere. You want me to make the first move? You'll soon regret that." Seiko charged towards her, his staff trailing behind him, his entire body tensed and ready to strike. But then, right before he entered melee range, he suddenly vanished in a blur of Shunpo.

Expecting her to expect him to appear behind her, he placed a single afterimage of himself behind her, and reappeared in front of her, hoping that she's turned around for the backstab that wouldn't come. Appearing in front of her, he spun, trying to slash her with both ends of the staff in succession.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan grinned. Thank you ~ for commiting the cardinal sin. She saw the image behind her, but knew that Seiko would expect her to focus behind her. So the attack is coming...from the front! She turned quickly to see Seiko bearing down on her with the staff. Wu Wei 12: Fushibi! Numerous orange tendrils shot out from her palm, aiming at both ends of the staff.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin frowns, realizing she arrived to late.
Awwww... Now I don't get to fight anyone!

[ThreadOfFate]

Sigint laughed at the whip-cracks. "Isn't it always?"

He then responds to her question after he sends off a few more Hell Butterflies. The massive crowd of them had dissipated into a steady stream by this point. "So far, it's been relatively uninteresting. So far, the most interesting thing I have to report is rumors of a celebrity coming to the 11th Division." Sigint then seems to get a bit grimmer, a bit more somber in tone. "However, lately I've been a bit...paranoid, shall we say. I feel like something's coming, and that we should be prepared for it." After a second of leaving the words hanging there, Sigint lightens up, and waves the feeling away. "But, like I said, it's paranoia. It comes with the territory." He quips.

Minuet raises an eyebrow at his comments, and they are of particular interest to her. Since leaving 10th, she's still got some of that mindset in her, and thus warnings and bad feelings are certainly within her scope of interest.

However, seeing Kyasarin run up and lamenting about not getting to fight, she grins. She looks back to Sigint and points a finger at herself, than at him, then mimes speaking, then the ticking of a clock is heard as she taps her wrist.

Having established that they'll talk later, she turns to face Kyasarin, taps her on her shoulder, then raises her fists into a stance as a vocal challenge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZl8SXckapI) rings out from thin air.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin smiles.
Goody. Zanpaktou or hand to hand?

[ThreadOfFate]

Kyasarin smiles.
Goody. Zanpaktou or hand to hand?

Minuet looks at her waist, and then her back, and then around her, then back at Kyasarin with a mildly incredulous look, as if to say, do you see a sword anywhere on me? She then cracks her knuckles and steps out to a more empty area of the arena, where a proper fight can happen.

Currently, her sword is leaning up against the wall of the enclosure.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin shrugs as if to say "Had to ask" then carelessly chucks her dual sai zanpaktou into the corner.

She smiles.
I'm vice captain f the 2nd Division, Hakudo is my specialty.

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet nods. An equal fight, it seemed - both vice-captains, both specialties in hand-to-hand combat. Since she was 2nd Division, she'd have an upper hand in speed in all likelihood. From her days with internal police, she remembered all she could about this girl - vice captain, quick and deadly strikes, but she was low on the power scale. Good. If Minuet could keep up a good defense, this fight would be short.

She raised two fingers on one hand, then held up the other with all five fingers out as the sound of scribbling and, once again, her Captain's muttering was heard.

Then she settled back into a defensive stance and took a deep breath, cuing up some fitting fight music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfu0XBf8kmk).

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin took her stance, smiling at her opponent.
It's been a while since I've had a good fight. I hope this one is satisfactory.

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet smiled back and gave a slight bow, then gestured at the other girl, pulling her own fingers towards herself in the universally recognized symbol for "come on".

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin shunpos directly at her, aiming a straight drilled fist at her stomach.

[ThreadOfFate]

Many things could be said about the other girl - subtle was not one of them. Minuet took a single step back and deflected the blow at her stomach, then stepped in, sweeping out her leg to trip Kyasarin. She was fast, no doubt, but Minuet was lucky Kyasarin had decided to attack from the front.

[Viera Champion]

So Minuet had taken the bait, Kyasarin grinned. She stopped mid punch and jump over the front of the girl, attempting to spin around and kick her in the side of the head.

[ThreadOfFate]

The step back had given Minuet some room, and thus, the time needed to see the punch stop and the jump begin. With a quick roll underneath her kick, Minuet stood up behind Kyasarin facing her, and she chose to take advantage of this. She quickly stepped in and aimed a quick, hard punch to her side.

[Viera Champion]

The punch hits Kyasarin, and she gasps, but lands perfectly on her feet.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint nods to Minuet when she adresses him. He then looks as both of them start the fight. Sigint chuckles inside his head as Minuet makes the sound effects, kicking off the fight. However, he watches both Kyasarin and Minuet with interest, and cautious worry.

He wants to make sure neither of them hurt each other too badly. Of course, that doesn't mean he stops his duties. He just adds to them. Something that Taganjuu nods his head in appreciation to.

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet jumps back a fair distance and takes another deep breath, focusing on her opponent. So far, defensive was going well, but one of the first rules of combat - don't underestimate your opponent, under any circumstances.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin grins.
I'm just getting started.
The Vice Captain leaps high in the air.

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet's eyes follow her, and she raises her hand, pointing a finger at the now airborne girl. The sound effect of a gunshot is heard, and a brief whistle escapes Minuet's lips - followed by a lightning bolt, arcing out from her finger and aimed right at Kyasarin.

(Hado 4: Byakurai)

[Kayne650]

Seiko

So, she was pulling this nonsense again? Seiko had grown tired of Feiyan playing with him.

"I thought we discussed you using low-power Kido, Feiyan." Seiko said quietly. Gripping his staff, he pulled back hard on his staff. Yes, the Kido would grip his staff, but is was up to Feiyan to hold him down. And Seiko was (probably) much stronger than Feiyan.

If she get pulled along with the staff, then he would aim a roundhouse kick at her stomach as she got closer.

Daisuke

Daisuke walked back to the others, a slight spring in his step, when he saw Minuet and Kyasarin begin fighting. He rolled his eyes when they began; Mini-chan just couldn't control herself sometimes. She was a lot like Magatsu-sama in that way. He wished that the two got along better.

He walked up to Sigint. "So, when did they start?" Daisuke asked him.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Daisuke

Daisuke walked back to the others, a slight spring in his step, when he saw Minuet and Kyasarin begin fighting. He rolled his eyes when they began; Mini-chan just couldn't control herself sometimes. She was a lot like Magatsu-sama in that way. He wished that the two got along better.

He walked up to Sigint. "So, when did they start?" Daisuke asked him.

Sigint turned to Daisuke. "Pretty recently. Kyasarin-sama was dissapointed that she couldn't get into a fight, so Minuet-sama offered a challange. You can see the result."

[Kayne650]

"I can in fact. I hope that Mini-chan and Kyasarin-san don't get in any trouble; Sayuri-san wasn't very happy when other people started fighting, and I can't see her changing her mind now."

"So, Sigint-san, what were all those Hell Butterflies for?"

[InyutheBeatIs]

"I can in fact. I hope that Mini-chan and Kyasarin-san don't get in any trouble; Sayuri-san wasn't very happy when other people started fighting, and I can't see her changing her mind now."

"So, Sigint-san, what were all those Hell Butterflies for?"

Sigint smiles behind the mask. "I'm sure they won't."

"They were my means of conducting the duties necessary of me. I felt I had to conduct them from here to keep Kyasarin-sama from being badly injured during a fight she might get into."

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin smiles as the kido flies at her.
Bakudo 21: Sekienton.
A cloud of smoke sheoots up around her, concealing her from sight. And as the hado hits it, it just goes right through. Seems Kyasarin isn't there anymore. She's behind Minuet now! She jabs three well aimed punches directly on her spine.

Then she hears Sigint. He needed to make shire SHE didn't get hurt? Oh it was infuriating.

[ThreadOfFate]

From the moment Kyasarin's mouth opened to utter the incantation, Minuet knew something was up. Being quite familiar with this particular kido herself, she had enough forewarning to know that a surprise was coming, and one she wouldn't particularly enjoy.
With that in mind, she began turning the moment the smoke cloud erupted, and she felt the three impacts on her back - turning away had saved her from potentially dangerous spine blows.

The blows hit, but Minuet took them and held her ground. She slammed her fist into the ground, sending out an unbalancing shockwave to trip up Kyasarin, then quickly whirled around to deliver a hard kick into Kyasarin's side.

[Kuroimaken]

"Aren't these hand-to-hand chicks so very cute? I could seriously just eat them up." Soushi commented off-hand as he looked at the match between Minuet and Kyasarin.

[Kayne650]

"Aren't these hand-to-hand chicks so very cute? I could seriously just eat them up." Soushi commented off-hand as he looked at the match between Minuet and Kyasarin.

Daisuke, hearing Soushi's comment, became very confused. Cute? Kyasarin-san and Mini-chan are cute?

Normally, Daisuke wouldn't think twice about it, but since it was Soushi-san (who still made Daisuke uncomfortable), and since the comment was so odd, Daisuke found himself oddly disturbed. Still glancing sidelong at Soushi, never quite letting his out his sight, Daisuke slowly moved sideways, putting Sigint between Soushi and himself.

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Aren't these hand-to-hand chicks so very cute? I could seriously just eat them up." Soushi commented off-hand as he looked at the match between Minuet and Kyasarin.

Sigint stopped what he was doing for a second, even looking at the fight, to look at Soushi. Despite the fact that his entire face is covered, making it very hard to determine much in the ways of body language, Sigint manages to convey a message by looking at Soushi just the right way.

"You're frikkin' creepy, you know that right?"

I mean, sure, Minuet would doubtlessly be considered cute, but that doesn't mean he'd make odd comments about such things. And Kyasarin? That's Sigint's superior he's talking about here! You do not make off-hand comments about his superior and get away with it unnoticed!

[ThreadOfFate]

In a brief second, in which both of the fighting ladies mentally agreed on a temporary truce, Minuet flipped Soushi the bird, with an accompanying thunderclap sound effect. They then resumed their fight as if nothing had happened.

[Kuroimaken]

"Talk about sensitive hearing." Soushi commented with a whistling sound.

"Oh, a lot of people say that about me. I tend to think it has to do with my business being to know people's secrets...

...as many of them as I think I need." The vice-captain offered with a smile meant to unsettle.

[Kayne650]

"Talk about sensitive hearing." Soushi commented with a whistling sound.

"Oh, a lot of people say that about me. I tend to think it has to do with my business being to know people's secrets...

...as many of them as I think I need." The vice-captain offered with a smile meant to unsettle.

The smile worked exactly as intended. Daisuke shuddered and moved a bit further away from Soushi. "I don't like him, Siginit-san. I think he's creepy." Daisuke whispered to Sigint, his fear making him look even younger than usual.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint is still telling Soushi he's creepy with his looking at him. "With all due respect, Soushi-sama, you do realize you sounded like a creepy, lecherous old man just now, right?"

Sigint notices Daisuke's whisper. Sigint leans down to whisper back, which is probably really noticable, considering how tall Sigint is. "Don't worry about it." I don't either. He then straightens back up, ignoring the unsettling smile, and goes back to conducting the patrols and watching out for Kyasarin.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri had considred stopped Kyasarin and Minuet before they engaged each other, but in the end had bit her lip and remained silent. They neatly occupied the exact opposite end of the vast test field than Feyian and Seiko, so if need be she'd have apt time to separate them with another Bakudo before accidents could happen. She's ignoring most discussion around her to focus on the fights at hand.

Her concentration is broken by Soushi, however. Her eyes narrow and a forced smile creeps on her face as she turns her head slightly towards him.

"Nagamichi-san... I appreciate your attempt to compliment Shihan-san's and Minuet-san's performance, but could you please think more about the words you use to do so?", Sayuri chimes. For a moment, there's a distinct feeling of an iceberg hanging above Soushi's head.

[Kuroimaken]

"Come now, Sigint-kun. By mortal standards, we're all practically older than dirt here! If anything, I'm surprised we don't all sound like creepy, lecherous old men. Have you considered that if we weren't in a cold war we'd all be bored out of our skulls?" Soushi offered with a joking tone, that smile of his never waning.

"Everyone's got secrets, and everybody lies. Soul Society probably has more of them than all its subordinates combined. The Central 46, especially. My personal philosophy regarding that goes something like this...

With one person, it's guilt.
With two people, it's blackmail.
With three people, it's a butt-monkey.
With four people, it's a laughingstock!"

[Frozen_Feet]

Soushi sure is rubbing Sayuri the wrong way tonight. "Nagamichi-san, why do you think we'd be bored?", she asks, still smiling even though her tone is cold as ice. "Just because this war has gone on for aeons, doesn't mean it's the normal way of things, or desireable in any way. Have you ever thought of all the free time we could use to better ourselves if we didn't have to stay eternally cautious?"

"And while I agree people of Soul Society have secrets, that's something they are entitled to, I wonder why you doubt the honesty of our rulers - that's one of the virtues they were chosen for, after all."

And what right do you think you have to rout other people's secrets if you can't come into the open yourself?, she adds mentally, even though the tint of hypocrisy makes her smile falter.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint just looks at Soushi for a little bit, then looks back to the Kyasarin vs. Minuet fight. "I couldn't agree with you more on the secrets, Soushi-sama." He says that with just enough evil glee to imply...something.

He doesn't really comment on anything else though, letting Sayuri do that for him.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan grinned and let herself be pulled towards Seiko. When she was almost right on him, she made her move. Hado 31: Shakkaho! A blast of red light shot from her other hand towards his face at point blank range.

[Kuroimaken]

"I couldn't disagree more, Saiyuri-san. Secrets are the cornerstone of downfall. The reverse for what you said is also true: if the rulers cannot trust their people to come to grips with reality, what makes them more trustworthy than the people they govern?

The idea that the free time we would have in such a situation would be used to better ourselves is utopic at best. Improving oneself is a matter of pain and goal. Without a goal, one doesn't have motivation to break past one's limits. That we are where we are today speaks highly of our capacity of improving for war. Suppose the war ended tonight. How do you think the common people of Rukongai would feel about Shinigami, who govern their daily lives and command military power - who, in effect, hold their lives?"

He let that disturbing image linger for a couple of moments in Saiyuri's mind. "And how do you think the Shinigami themselves would react? Lifetimes of wariness spent, with nothing but the war in mind. Suddenly left without an enemy to fight! My educated guess would be that sooner or later, those Shinigami would find an opponent to fight.

Like it or not, Saiyuri-san, the Hollows we so loathe are necessary to our way of life, just like the Zanpakutou at our waists."

[Viera Champion]

In a brief second, in which both of the fighting ladies mentally agreed on a temporary truce, Minuet flipped Soushi the bird, with an accompanying thunderclap sound effect. They then resumed their fight as if nothing had happened.

Kyasarin manages to stand her ground and attempts to grab Minuet's foot in mid-air, then twist it around.

[Frozen_Feet]

There's a strange glint in Sayuri's eyes, and she turns to face Soushi fully. "You're assuming our leaders don't trust their people, Nagamichi-san, but nothing in the current arrangment requires that. Rather, I believe the trust is mutual, and has been for ages. Secrets our folk keep tend to be small and harmless - those in the Rukongai are all fundamentally decent people, after all. They wouldn't be here if they weren't." Her voice is very much like that of a teacher disappointed with her student, like she's scolding Soushi for forgetting answer to a very basic question.

"I'm also afraid you are mixing up some core concepts in our lives, Nagamichi-san, and forgetting some others; we Shinigami have always had a goal outside of combat - to show compassion and give help to spirits who don't have strenght to rejoin the Cycle of Life on their own. And outside of those, improving one's self can be a goal unto itself - it has been for Kido Corps longer than either of us have existed. For likes of us, possibilities are endless, and stagnation is not an option - end of the war would finally allow us to pursue other, more fruitful areas of life."

"Your view of our ability to change also strikes me as overly pessimistic. Many great souls have been involved in this war for centuries, yet they still hold enough good sense in themselves to enjoy peace and lower their weapons when the time comes. During the past two centuries, mortals have gone through their greatest wars in all of history, yet those who survived could still stand up and rebuild once again - for what I know, their world has not gone down in flames yet. Surely you can't hold us, who enjoy a perspective so much broader than them, so inferior as to be unable to bury our grudges and move on?" Of course, Sayuri knows life of mortals isn't quite that black and white, but settling that issue is well outside the scope of free-spirited little debate.

"We are warriors by heart, that I admit, and parts of us have always been sanctified for violence - but like the words of our founding fathers tell, lost souls and our struggle against them predate the Ghost King and his desert palace - it transcends this war, always has. The heart and meaning of that conflict has never been to slay our enemies, but to find them and guide them back home with stern yet loving hand. We are not supposed to loathe them - we are liberators, not judges. The core of our being is forgiving and helping others forgive - a person who only harbors hatred for Hollows is Shinigami only in name. Indeed, you could very well call such a person a Hollow himself."

"I would love to discuss this topic in greater depth, especially what comes to plotics of Rukongai, but if you'd excuse me, I have to supervise the fight..." She bows deep, and turns her attention back to the combatants, hoping she didn't miss anything.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Sigint was strongly considering confronting Soushi on the "inability" of Shinigami to change. That, and his apparent lack of faith in the citizens of the Rukongai.

Then Sayuri settled the debate. Sigint looks downard, before leaning towards her and whispering low enough so that only she can hear. "Thank you, Sayuri-sama..." He then stands back up, pausing for a second to recompose himself before going back to his business.

[Wahrheit]

Sigint was strongly considering confronting Soushi on the "inability" of Shinigami to change. That, and his apparent lack of faith in the citizens of the Rukongai.

Then Sayuri settled the debate. Sigint looks downard, before leaning towards her and whispering low enough so that only she can hear. "Thank you, Sayuri-sama..." He then stands back up, pausing for a second to recompose himself before going back to his business.

Magatsu put a hand on Daisuke's shoulder, having approached while the 3rd Seat was distracted. "Try not to show discomfort so easily, Daisuke-kun, not even to allies. You're still young, and potential hidden enemies will be quick to capitalize on that the moment they perceive another weakness." He flashed a toothy grin at Soushi. "No offense intended towards you or your intentions, Soushi-san." He chuckled and ruffled Daisuke's hair with something approaching tenderness, almost like a big brother. "Heh, just listen to me, probably making you paranoid. I'm trying to say that you should always be careful, Daisuke-kun."

He remained silent and listened to Soushi and Sayuri debate, keeping his own views on the subject to himself. Of course, anyone who knew him probably knew at least what some of those views were.

[Kuroimaken]

"Magatsu-kun, as I said before, I'm used to it. I suppose I don't really inspire the trust of others like Masaru-taichou does. Thrice-damned this fox face of mine." He snickered, more to himself than to others.

Soushi looked back to Saiyuri as she spoke. "If they're 'small' and 'harmless', what's the point of keeping those secrets?" He pointed out simply. "You may speak of the Shinigami's duty of konsou, but as long as the life cycle exists, there will always be Hollows. Hollows take that which Shinigami strive for - pure souls - and make it into their meal. Shinigami, on the other hand, prevent Hollows from simply fulfilling the basics of their nature. After all, isn't that why konsou erases the sins of a being's existence as a Hollow? Because it is, ultimately, not their fault?

You may seek to purify Hollows instead of eliminating them, Saiyuri-san, but you should not be so naive as to believe no Shinigami loathes the existence of Hollows, any more than Hollows loathe Shinigami. There can be no war without hatred.

And if you're not careful, that line of complacency will come right back at you and bite you in your pretty little tush."

[ThreadOfFate]

Kyasarin manages to stand her ground and attempts to grab Minuet's foot in mid-air, then twist it around.

Deciding to roll with it, Minuet's other leg comes in like a pair of scissors, trapping Kyasarin between her quite strong legs, and as she turns, she turns the other girl with her, slamming them both into the ground.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin is slammed into the ground. She groans, but manages to stand, if Minuet doesn't stop her.

[ThreadOfFate]

Smirking, Minuet picks up the girl with her legs and slams her into the ground again, then lets go and quickly jumps to her own feet.

She considers pressing the offensive, but she instead steps in, ready to strike once more at a split-second's notice. She gazes down at Kyasarin, the message quite clear: Yield.

She's still expecting another attack, but she might as well try and end this easily and without serious injury.

[Kayne650]

Magatsu put a hand on Daisuke's shoulder, having approached while the 3rd Seat was distracted. "Try not to show discomfort so easily, Daisuke-kun, not even to allies. You're still young, and potential hidden enemies will be quick to capitalize on that the moment they perceive another weakness." He flashed a toothy grin at Soushi. "No offense intended towards you or your intentions, Soushi-san." He chuckled and ruffled Daisuke's hair with something approaching tenderness, almost like a big brother. "Heh, just listen to me, probably making you paranoid. I'm trying to say that you should always be careful, Daisuke-kun."

Daisuke grinned as Magatsu ruffled his hair, and half-heartedly batted away his hand. "You're right, Magatsu-sama. I'll be more careful in the future," Daisuke said, his stoic face returning. He was obviously trying extra hard to impress Magatsu.

"But Magatsu-sama," Daisuke said in a whisper so quiet only Magatsu could hear, "Do you think that there's actually a hidden enemy here, or are you just being cautious?"


Feiyan grinned and let herself be pulled towards Seiko. When she was almost right on him, she made her move. Hado 31: Shakkaho! A blast of red light shot from her other hand towards his face at point blank range.

Seiko grinned. Hado? Well, at least she was taking him seriously. Sort of. As the words passed her lips, Seiko decided on his next move.

He moved back just slightly to give himself a bit more time to react, then, when the bolt had started moving and it was too late to change its angle, Seiko threw himself to the ground on his back, pulling down on his staff to bring Feiyan down with him. On the ground, he slammed upwards with both feet onto Feiyan's stomach, sending her skyrocketing into the air if it connected, but for the strands still attached to her hand and Seiko's staff.

Should that all work, he would then pull on his staff to bring her back to throw her down to the ground, and then press the blade of his staff against her throat, though not drawing any blood (yet). Seiko isn't playing with this.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan got kicked, all right, but she expected it. Seiko-kun! She shouted, her voice sounding almost...happy. Speaking of horror stories, is your family still alive? As the blade was pressed on her neck, she grinned. Bakudo 21: Sekienton! A blast of red smoke engulfed the area. As soon as Seiko withdrew, she would roll to her side, staying low until she was far enough away to stand up.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan got kicked, all right, but she expected it. Seiko-kun! She shouted, her voice sounding almost...happy. Speaking of horror stories, is your family still alive? As the blade was pressed on her neck, she grinned. Bakudo 21: Sekienton! A blast of red smoke engulfed the area. As soon as Seiko withdrew, she would roll to her side, staying low until she was far enough away to stand up.

Seiko in fact did not withdraw, having learned long ago that giving up any advantage in battle could quickly result in one's death. Yes, this was a sparring match, but defeat was still not an option. Not for an 11th divisioner.

When the Bakudo went off, instead of withdrawing, Seiko actually advanced to make sure that she didn't escape. To displace the blast of the Bakudo, Seiko flared out his reiatsu, using a great deal more than he wanted and taking most of the brunt of the blast. He was pretty sure that it cracked one of his ribs.

He moved his staff so that instead of having the blade on her throat, he had the staff portion pressed down on her neck, meaning extremely painful asphyxiation if she drew in another breath to make another Bakudo. With his legs he pinned her arms to her sides, using her own smoke to cover his movements until it was too late to stop him.

"Now, shall we try this again? Tap the ground twice to surrender."

[Wahrheit]

Daisuke grinned as Magatsu ruffled his hair, and half-heartedly batted away his hand. "You're right, Magatsu-sama. I'll be more careful in the future," Daisuke said, his stoic face returning. He was obviously trying extra hard to impress Magatsu.

"But Magatsu-sama," Daisuke said in a whisper so quiet only Magatsu could hear, "Do you think that there's actually a hidden enemy here, or are you just being cautious?"

"Nah, not really. I got to my position by being cautious, and I'm keeping up the habit." Magatsu grinned at the fight between Feiyan and Seiko. It was plain that he was already planning his own fight.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan closed her eyes and smiled. Slowly, she twisted her hand to aim near Seiko's back, but more to the side. She pointed her fingers. You should know I'm impervious to pain by now. Hado 54: Haien. she whispered. A blast of purple energy shot towards Seiko's back.

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin never gives up.
She quickly stands up and utters another incantation.
Bakudo 30: ****otsu Sansen!
She forms the triangle, and it grows, quickly gaining the three sharp beaks. She launches it at Minuet.

[ThreadOfFate]

Kyasarin never gives up.
She quickly stands up and utters another incantation.

Before the words leave her mouth, Minuet slams her readied fist into Kyasarin's stomach, then axe-kicks her shoulder as she doubles over to once again force her to the ground.

This time, though, Minuet follows, grabbing Kyasarin's arm and holding it behind her back while her other arm pins her hand down held far out from her body, effectively immobilizing her.

Now having a comfortably large amount of time, Minuet whistled a small tune, punctuating it with some clicks of her tongue. Thick tendrils of energy rise up and wrap around Kyasarin's limbs and torso, binding her tightly to the ground as Minuet keeps a strong hold on her.

(Bakudo 27: Binding Earth, described below. Yes, I did make it up.)

Bakudo 27: Binding Earth - Tendrils of energy rise from the surface and wrap around any part of the opponent that is touching the ground. Physical contact with the target is not necessary for activation.
Incantation: Forces of rock, ground, and spirit, obey my will and hold fast the unwilling!

[Viera Champion]

Before the words leave her mouth, Minuet slams her readied fist into Kyasarin's stomach, then axe-kicks her shoulder as she doubles over to once again force her to the ground.

This time, though, Minuet follows, grabbing Kyasarin's arm and holding it behind her back while her other arm pins her hand down held far out from her body, effectively immobilizing her.

Now having a comfortably large amount of time, Minuet whistled a small tune, punctuating it with some clicks of her tongue. Thick tendrils of energy rise up and wrap around Kyasarin's limbs and torso, binding her tightly to the ground as Minuet keeps a strong hold on her.

(Bakudo 27: Binding Earth. Yes, I did make it up. It functions exactly as described, with any point of their body that is touching the ground essentially bound there, and can be executed at a longer range than point-blank.)

Godmodding much?:smalltongue:

[ThreadOfFate]

OOC:

Note the following:
1. "She's still expecting another attack, but she might as well try and end this easily and without serious injury." I noted it twice in my post that Minuet was waiting for her to pull something.
2. If she has time to recover after being punched hard in the stomach, I would be very surprised, especially since she was about to speak.
3. Minuet is both strong and fast, giving her the necessary reaction time and power to pull off such a maneuver.

[KnightDisciple]

(OOC: Guys. Take it to the OOC thread. That's what it's for. Lil Shiro, I've PMed you about this. Seriously, we have that thread for a reason. :smallannoyed:)

[Kayne650]

Feiyan closed her eyes and smiled. Slowly, she twisted her hand to aim near Seiko's back, but more to the side. She pointed her fingers. You should know I'm impervious to pain by now. Hado 54: Haien. she whispered. A blast of purple energy shot towards Seiko's back.

Seiko wondered for a split second where exactly she was firing the Hado before he realized that he couldn't see her hands. He started moving the instant he felt the blast of vaporising flame head towards him. If that caught him, he'd be dust before he could blink.

Finally, she was taking him seriously!

He brought his right foot up and pushed off the ground, using the momentum to backflip over the blast. It still grazed his right foot, and it hurt! He landed a few feet away from Feiyan, keeping his balance with noticeable difficulty, but he stuck the landing. He grinned at Feiyan.

"So nice to see that you're taking this battle seriously, Feiyan-san. But you hurt yourself more than I think you know by talking with my staff to your throat. I'd hate to hurt you anymore, but I don't think that it's avoidable at this point. Forgive me if you get hurt, Feiyan-san." Seiko stood with his staff horizontal in front of him, closed his eyes as if in concentration, and muttered: "Maiken no Arashi."*

Then he vanished.

He reappeared to Feiyan's right, slashing at her leg, then vanished again.

He reappeared behind her, slashing at her back, then vanished again.

He reappeared to her right again, trying to cut her arm. He kept up this constant barrage, waiting for Feiyan to realize that she couldn't win. He had split his staff and was striking her from two to four angles at any given point.

She wasn't going to win this. Seiko would make sure of that.

*Translation (I hope)Storm of Dancing Blades

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan rolled her eyes. It's pointless. POINT. LESS. She leaped straight upwards, getting a few nicks along the way. She flipped her body completely vertical, headfirst. She pointed her arm straight down. Hado 58: Tenran! A tornado came screaming from her hands, its wide reach bearing down on Seiko.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan rolled her eyes. It's pointless. POINT. LESS. She leaped straight upwards, getting a few nicks along the way. She flipped her body completely vertical, headfirst. She pointed her arm straight down. Hado 58: Tenran! A tornado came screaming from her hands, its wide reach bearing down on Seiko.

That would have worked just fine if Seiko hadn't already built up momentum. As soon as he saw Feiyan leap into the air he followed her with shunpo, appearing behind her and axe kicking her in the back.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan, expecting this, handsprings into an upright position, drawing her sword, which began to suck up the kido's power. It glowed golden as she blurred in shunpo, up again towards Seiko.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan, expecting this, handsprings into an upright position, drawing her sword, which began to suck up the kido's power. It glowed golden as she blurred in shunpo, up again towards Seiko.

Seiko was just starting to have fun. Feiyan was a better opponent than he'd hoped for. Seiko slammed his right blade into Feiyan's, catching her sword in the serrated edges of his, and thrust with the back edge of his left blade, aiming for her stomach.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri does his best to ignore Soushi and his likely delirebate twisting of her words. She's not pleased at the slightest to find his happy-go-lucky exterior hides such a horrible amount of cynicism and rude offensiveness. Maybe all the alcohol he'd enjoyed earlier is finally catching up to him... though Sayuri is not certain that's a good thing at all.

She finds some solace from the fact that the duel between Minuet and Kyasarin is going fine, and that they aren't using overtly lethal techniques against each other. She does find it somewhat worrying to see that shorter of the two officers has weight advantage, which probably contributes to Kyasarin being so easily taken to the ground. I really have to ask Miyagawa-taichou to make sure she takes proper care of herself and puts on a few extra pounds, she muses to herself, when she catches a glimpse of purplish light from the corner of her eye, and her heart skips a beat.

Haien. Why in the world did she use that in a friendly spar? Hado 54 had never been forbbiden, per se, but it certainly belonged to the group of spells that should never be used against fellow Shinigami. Even a slight touch from the orb could cause the whole body to burn away as the spell used the target's Reiryoku as fuel, and for the same reason even slight burns from it were notoriously hard to heal.

Outrageous!

"Enkosen!" Sayuri's shout echoes through the field as a golden triangle materializes between Feyian and Seiko. Seiko's blow hits it full force and makes it crack, but at least Feyian isn't skewered through the gut.

"Law of my mind, force the world to its knees! Sai!" Feyian gets the distinct feeling of Sayuri being just behind her back, grabbing her arms and forcing them behind her back. Of course, even a fully chanted Bakudo 1 would be easy to break for the 4th Division's 3rd seat, but whether it'd be wise in this situation is another thing...

"3rd seat Tewulan Feyian", Sayuri calls from the sidelines, her arms crossed on her chest. "What did you think you were doing just now?"

What Feyian (probably) hears: "Stophavingfunstophavingfunstophavingfun..."

[Kayne650]

Sayuri does his best to ignore Soushi and his likely delirebate twisting of her words. She's not pleased at the slightest to find his happy-go-lucky exterior hides such a horrible amount of cynicism and rude offensiveness. Maybe all the alcohol he'd enjoyed earlier is finally catching up to him... though Sayuri is not certain that's a good thing at all.

She finds some solace from the fact that the duel between Minuet and Kyasarin is going fine, and that they aren't using overtly lethal techniques against each other. She does find it somewhat worrying to see that shorter of the two officers has weight advantage, which probably contributes to Kyasarin being so easily taken to the ground. I really have to ask Miyagawa-taichou to make sure she takes proper care of herself and puts on a few extra pounds, she muses to herself, when she catches a glimpse of purplish light from the corner of her eye, and her heart skips a beat.

Haien. Why in the world did she use that in a friendly spar? Hado 54 had never been forbbiden, per se, but it certainly belonged to the group of spells that should never be used against fellow Shinigami. Even a slight touch from the orb could cause the whole body to burn away as the spell used the target's Reiryoku as fuel, and for the same reason even slight burns from it were notoriously hard to heal.

Outrageous!

"Enkosen!" Sayuri's shout echoes through the field as a golden triangle materializes between Feyian and Seiko. Seiko's blow hits it full force and makes it crack, but at least Feyian isn't skewered through the gut.

"Law of my mind, force the world to its knees! Sai!" Feyian gets the distinct feeling of Sayuri being just behind her back, grabbing her arms and forcing them behind her back. Of course, even a fully chanted Bakudo 1 would be easy to break for the 4th Division's 3rd seat, but whether it'd be wise in this situation is another thing...

"3rd seat Tewulan Feyian", Sayuri calls from the sidelines, her arms crossed on her chest. "What did you think you were doing just now?"

What Feyian (probably) hears: "Stophavingfunstophavingfunstophavingfun..."

Seiko sees the barrier pop up between himself and Feiyan, and curses under his breath. Why did she have to interfere again? It was all going just fine, and he had just gotten back into his rhythm! Sighing, he reappeared back on the ground.

"Is there a problem, Sayuri-san? Certainly we weren't doing anything wrong." Seiko's tone was a little forced, but he was getting really tired of getting interrupted.

It was at about the time when he landed that Sayuri might notice that his stance was a bit off. Upon closer examination, she might notice something missing: a sliver of heel, actually. It was just gone. Seiko didn't seem to have noticed yet.

[Wahrheit]

"So, note to self: Haien is out. Oh well. I guess that means I can't use Raikoho either." Magatsu shrugged.

[Frozen_Feet]

"There's a difference, Shizuka-san", Sayuri remarks off-handedly as she watches Seiko wobble from side to side. "There's more to Hado than their assigned levels. A properly-chanted Sokatsui is more destructive than Kurohitsugi, but there's no comparison between the wounds they make. Raikoho can catch multiple enemies in its current, where as Haien is only useful against a single target at time; however, one at least leaves a body, while the other doesn't."

"Yukimura-san, would you please show me your right foot?"

[Kayne650]

"There's a difference, Shizuka-san", Sayuri remarks off-handedly as she watches Seiko wobble from side to side. "There's more to Hado than their assigned levels. A properly-chanted Sokatsui is more destructive than Kurohitsugi, but there's no comparison between the wounds they make. Raikoho can catch multiple enemies in its current, where as Haien is only useful against a single target at time; however, one at least leaves a body, while the other doesn't."

"Yukimura-san, would you please show me your right foot?"

"Eh? My right foot?" Seiko looked down, and noticed that part of his sandal was missing. As was part of his foot. And there was blood. Rather a lot of it, actually.

"Huh, that might be a problem," Seiko said, still seeming unconcerned. He wrapped his foot in some cloth torn from his shihakusho. "There we go, good as new!" Seiko declared. "Don't worry, Sayuri-san. I've survived worse. I'll finish the battle, and then you can take care of the wound."

Seiko's complete lack of concern for the growing pool of blood that had already soaked through his makeshift bandage was probably a cause for concern.

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Eh? My right foot?" Seiko looked down, and noticed that part of his sandal was missing. As was part of his foot. And there was blood. Rather a lot of it, actually.

"Huh, that might be a problem," Seiko said, still seeming unconcerned. He wrapped his foot in some cloth torn from his shihakusho. "There we go, good as new!" Seiko declared. "Don't worry, Sayuri-san. I've survived worse. I'll finish the battle, and then you can take care of the wound."

Seiko's complete lack of concern for the growing pool of blood that had already soaked through his makeshift bandage was probably a cause for concern.

Sigint had been splitting his attention three ways by this point: one was directed to wrapping up the 2nd Division duties, one towards Kyasarin and Minuet, and one to this. Before Seiko could continue the fight, Sigint spoke up in his distinct, raspy, gravely voice. "Seiko-sama, I don't think you should continue the fight with that injury. I realize you are a tough man, and I respect that, but I would still prefer if you didn't bleed to death." Sigint points to Seiko's heel. "And from the looks of things, your foot seems intent on making that happen."

[Kuroimaken]

"I think what Saiyuri-san means is 'hahahahaha, NO'. Seriously, you two. Your aim is to disarm or disable your opponent. I get that most of the time we fight Hollows, but you can't have 'killing' as your only option in a fight, that's a weakness." Soushi offered with a tip of his hat. "Seiko-kun, as legendary as the 11th squadron's taste for blood is, you of all people should know better. What if your subordinates acted the way you just did?"

[Kayne650]

"I suppose I see your point, Soushi-san. If I wouldn't allow a subordinate to fight in this condition, I shouldn't do it myself, either. Would it be possible to heal this up and get me back in the fight? I'd hate to have my injury hold up the fights."

It was obvious that Seiko didn't want to admit to the injury. To admit that he couldn't go on was to admit that Feiyan had won, and Seiko wasn't comfortable with that. He should have won that battle.

"Well done, Feiyan-san. I applaud your skill with Hado, even in such a disadvantageous situation. Obviously I need to work on my movement, if I couldn't dodge something like that. My compliments, Feiyan-san."

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan glanced at Seiko's foot. Oops. She says, mildly surprised. I'll heal you after, how does that sound? She then looked at Sayuri. With all due respect, you didn't give us any limitations on what Kido we could and couldn't use, Sayuri-san.

[Kayne650]

Feiyan glanced at Seiko's foot. Oops. She says, mildly surprised. I'll heal you after, how does that sound? She then looked at Sayuri. With all due respect, you didn't give us any limitations on what Kido we could and couldn't use, Sayuri-san.

"Personally, I think that I'm still good to go, but I'm also self-aware enough to know that fighting with a wound like this will only end in bad things for me, and for you, because I'll be mad and unable to control myself. No, the others are right. It'd be a poor idea for me to fight with my heel intent on killing me. Shall we postpone out battle while you or someone else heals me?" Seiko suggested, looking disappointed as he spoke. Having to quit because of an injury.

He was so ashamed of himself.

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan saw how much it bothered him to admit it. Sure thing. She then winked. I understand how ya feel. I don't want to pull all the glass outta myself, either.

[Frozen_Feet]

Somehow, Sayuri likes Soushi even less when he actually agrees with her. Such a paradox.

Sayuri flashes a charming smile to Feyian. "You are right, Tewulan-san. I did, however, ask you to avoid causing irreversible damage on your opponents. I also said I would step in if one party or another would be in danger of serious injury."

"From the looks of it, Yukimura-san has a palm-sized portion of his foot disentigrated. If such a deficiency is left untreated for long, it might become permanent. It also seems Yukimura-san has a major artery severed, and is suffering acute bloodloss."

"As 4th Division officer, could you tell me whether this counts as 'serious injury', Tewulan-san?"

Yes. A really, really charming smile.

"Would you please heal him right now? Thank you." Sayuri bows, and then turns to Magatsu and Soushi. "Would you two gentlemen like to be next?"

[Moon Wolf]

Feiyan looked again. Yep, it's pretty serious. I'll heal him. She concentrated her energy, and with a cracking sound, the Sai broke and shattered. She walked over to Seiko and knelt down, her hands forming a teal aura around his injury. Psst, Seiko. She whispered. Do you want me to heal this all the way or not?

[Kayne650]

Feiyan saw how much it bothered him to admit it. Sure thing. She then winked. I understand how ya feel. I don't want to pull all the glass outta myself, either.

"The glass is one thing, Feiyan. You could pull that out and be back in the battle. This wound is a bit more than that, and, no offense meant, but I'm more than a little embarrassed to have sustained that kind of injury against a 3rd-seat. I should have dodged that, and that's all there is to that. So, how about that healing?" Seiko finished, smirking.

"And yeah, I'll want it healed all the way. A scar on the foot is of no real use to me." Seiko answered, whispering back. "Thanks, Feiyan-san."

[Moon Wolf]

Right, I'm working on it. I can't just snap my fingers and regenerate foot like that. It takes time. Feiyan shifts the energy to the left hand, and with her right hand, she poked her index and third finger into her side, drawing out a long shard of glass.

[Wahrheit]

"I wouldn't mind at all, Sayuri-san. I don't mind picking up where Seiko-san is slacking off." He flashed a nasty smile and easily strode into the arena, drawing Eien Uzumaki in a smooth motion. The blade caught the light in all the wrong ways, making for an unsettling reflection.

[Kuroimaken]

Somehow, Sayuri likes Soushi even less when he actually agrees with her. Such a paradox.

Sayuri flashes a charming smile to Feyian. "You are right, Tewulan-san. I did, however, ask you to avoid causing irreversible damage on your opponents. I also said I would step in if one party or another would be in danger of serious injury."

"From the looks of it, Yukimura-san has a palm-sized portion of his foot disentigrated. If such a deficiency is left untreated for long, it might become permanent. It also seems Yukimura-san has a major artery severed, and is suffering acute bloodloss."

"As 4th Division officer, could you tell me whether this counts as 'serious injury', Tewulan-san?"

Yes. A really, really charming smile.

"Would you please heal him right now? Thank you." Sayuri bows, and then turns to Magatsu and Soushi. "Would you two gentlemen like to be next?"

Soushi was just THAT much of a charmer.

"I don't mind either way. Magatsu-kun?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"The stage is yours then, gentlemen."

[Kayne650]

"I wouldn't mind at all, Sayuri-san. I don't mind picking up where Seiko-san is slacking off." He flashed a nasty smile and easily strode into the arena, drawing Eien Uzumaki in a smooth motion. The blade caught the light in all the wrong ways, making for an unsettling reflection.

Seiko caught the remark and glanced at Magatsu. "Go right ahead, Magatsu-kun. I look forward to watching the battle." Seiko said amiably. And watching you suffer was the subtext.

Daisuke Koishima

Daisuke looked up as Magatsu and Soushi moved towards the field. He wasn't sure what had happened to Seiko, but it looked pretty nasty, judging from all the blood by Seiko's foot. Haien was the highest level Hado that Daisuke could cast outside of his Shikai, but he had never ever used it for a battle; the only time he'd ever used it was for an execution that he had performed because both Sakura and Magatsu were busy. He hadn't enjoyed it.

But he quickly dispelled that line of thought, looking back to Magatsu and Soushi. "Good luck, Magatsu-sama! Don't you dare lose!" He shouted enthusiastically at Magatsu. If Magatsu lost this one, Daisuke would never let him hear the end of it. Come to think of it, neither would Soushi.

[Kuroimaken]

"Try not to mangle me too badly." Soushi replied as he entered the 'stage'. He held that unusual book in his right hand.

[Wahrheit]

"I'll do my best. Sayuri-san already has such a poor opinion of me, after all. It'd be a shame to make it worse." He rested Eien Uzumaki on his shoulder, the very image of relaxation. "So, how do you want to go about this? I su-" Mid-word, Magatsu blurred into Shunpo towards Soushi's right side, blade flashing for the Shinigami's hand. "Zenmetsu shire, Eien Uzumaki!" Magatsu once again interrupted his own action to release his Shikai; at this close range, at least a few of his blades were bound to materialize behind Soushi and come in swinging.

[Kuroimaken]

Isn't it cute? He thought he was being subtle.

There's a mere fraction of a second where it appears that Magatsu's strategy had worked. Just as he releases, however, Soushi disappears in a brief flash of Shunpo. Appearing in a low crouch to Magatsu's left (assuming he's right-handed), Soushi holds out his book.

"Bakudou 61: Rikujoukourou."

Soushi's movement works in such a way that the blades are already mid-swing by the time he has left the physical space he previously occupied. It's not a feat of speed so much as precise timing - it's easier to find an escape route when all the weapons are swinging in unison rather than to predict the movement of each individual blade one after the other.

Not that it matters now. At this close range, the six thin beams of light that materialize in a circle about Magatsu are not something Soushi expects him to dodge - though his left hand is held back behind himself for some reason, as though hiding something.

[Wahrheit]

Magatsu's eyes widened a fraction as the Bakudo materialized around him and lashed inwards, just as his two hovering spears flipped their shafts under his feet and spun, hurling him into the air and away from the binding light. "Not bad, Soushi-san, but that won't work on me. Bakudo 9: Seki!" Red light flared and three hovering swords launched at Soushi as Magatsu began a chant.

((OOC: I'm trying to come up with a good one for ****otsu Sansen, no luck so far.))

[Kuroimaken]

"The one thing I find most amusing about people who say things won't work on them is that they can't seem to come up with interesting offenses." Soushi offered simply. It was then he put forth the hand he'd been hiding behind his back. It held...

...a page from his book.

"Bakudou 75: Gochuutenkan."

The five massive pillars of his Bakudou shot down from the sky as, in accordance with the expected counterattack, Soushi used another well-timed Shunpo to reduce his opponent's ability to change his strategy midway.

Adding insult to injury, as he reappeared from a diagonal angle above, and to ensure his opponent would not escape, Soushi continued his assault.

"Bakudo 9: Geki! Bakudo 30: Sh*totsu Sansen!"

The energy of Geki washed forth towards Magatsu, but the expected light of the second Bakudo never comes... from him, at least.

It manifests from his previous position instead, shooting out of a page he'd apparently left behind shortly before he escaped.

[Wahrheit]

"You use Gochuutenkan too much." Magatsu spared Soushi a contemptuous glance before vanishing into shunpo, apparently not even noticing the Sh*totsu Sansen approaching from behind... and didn't reappear near Soushi. Or anywhere below. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!" He'd gone straight up, actually reappearing within the circle of five falling iron pillars, using them for cover. "On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hado 73: Soren Sokatsui!" The fully-chanted Hado exploded from his hands in a wave of blue, using the sheer spread of the attack to cut off escape routes as his previously-launched blades returned to their array in the air around him.

[Kuroimaken]

If there was one thing that Magatsu didn't disappoint Soushi at, it was keeping up the pressure. With all those weapons flying around, it was difficult to mount a proper strategy. Soushi seemed even somewhat surprised that he escaped that beautiful snare he'd constructed - and even ignoring his Geki entirely too.

The combined impact of Soren Soukatsui lifts up a gigantic wall of smoke on Soushi's position. It seems Magatsu may have overdone it...

...and that's exactly what Soushi lets him think for all of ten seconds. The time it takes for him to set up another trap.

Half a dozen pages float around in what looks like a circle around Magatsu. Their presence barely noticeable until a whispered voice activated each of them.

"Bakudou 21: Sekienton. Bakudou 63: Sajo Sabaku. Bakudou 61: Rikujoukourou. Bakudou 62: Hyapporankan. Bakudou 9: Hourin. Bakudou 73: Touzanshou."

Here's what happens. First, there's the red blast of Sekienton, in an attempt to disorient. Then, Sajo Sabaku goes to wrap Magatsu's weapons array. Then, Rikujoukourou, Hyapporankan and Hourin for attempted simultaneous binding.

And finally, Touzanshou, to try and ensure he's unable to shunpo away like the last time.

[Wahrheit]

Magatsu's eyes widened. "CRAP! Hado 31: Okasen!" He fired the Kido and four of his blades near-blindly at the last "ping" he'd gotten from Soushi on his reiatsu radar before the mass of Bakudo enveloped him. The projectiles barely escaped the net, humming with explosive power, as Magatsu himself froze in midair, plainly furious.

[Kuroimaken]

There wasn't one. Apparently, Soushi had hidden his presence with Kyokko before setting up his trap. Judging from the way the pages had come floating down however, Magatsu had a fairly good idea of what his last position had been. The blast is barely stopped by an Enkosen as the trap closes entirely.

"WHEW! Now THAT was a close one."

Undoing his Touzanshou, Soushi walked up to Magatsu and pointed at his sword-arm.

"Will you kindly relinquish that blade?"

[Wahrheit]

He didn't release the kama in his hand. "Not yet! I can get out of this!" Magatsu snarled like a caged beast, his reiatsu flaring into a green blaze around him. The four launched blades rocketed back to him, as usual, but clattered to hang uselessly near his feet, apparently also subject to their master's paralysis. Magatsu continued to struggle against the Bakudo, growing more and more frustrated.

And then his "useless" blades swept through the air in quick succession, three of them forming a triangle around Soushi, with the fourth stopping aimed at his throat. "I propose we call this a draw."

[Kuroimaken]

"It's going to hurt a little, then." With that, the air near Soushi's palm distorted as a violent thrust shot out of his hand towards Magatsu's.

"Hadou 1: Sho. Bakudou 8: Seki." With that, a small, circular shield formed around Soushi's throat and repelled the most dangerous of Magatsu's blades. One quick burst of shunpo later, he was standing on the other side.

"I won't ask again. Next time you get a Gochuutenkan for your troubles. You DID mention I loved using it..." Soushi briefly turned towards Saiyuri.

[InyutheBeatIs]

[Sigint]

Sigint decided, since the Kyasarin vs. Minuet is apparently done, that he would pop up next to them. "Kyasarin-sama, Minuet-sama, are you two alright? You aren't hurt too badly, are you?"

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet released the other girl and stood, shaking her head and brushing dust from her clothes. Aside from some bruises on her back and a disheveled appearance, she was fine. She turned back and extended a hand to help pull Kyasarin up from the ground.

[Viera Champion]

((Oopsie forgot about this. Sorry.))

Kyasarin accepts the hand and is lifted up.
Why would you be worried about me Sigint?
She grins at him proudly.

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Because I feel it's my duty to make sure you aren't greatly harmed, both as an inferior officer and as a gentleman." Sigint gives a smile behind the mask. "That, and a healthy dash of paranoia makes me concerned about such things."

[Frozen_Feet]

"I think we can safely say it's over for you, Shizuka-san", Sayuri chimes, striding towards the combatants from the sidelines, smiling... chillingly. "You've been trapped inside three different Bakudo over level 60 - it'd be a miracle if you could break your way out of that. Indeed, I'm not sure if we can get you out for the rest of the evening!"

If Magatsu and Soushi are feeling perceptive, they might notice there is some soot on Sayuri's shoulders, and the previously perfect bun she's kept her hair in has become loose, with few stray stands of hair hanging before her glasses. Glasses which have, by the way, been partially blackend by flame.

Yes, it might be that Magatsu's Soren Sokatsui was not well appreciated...

[Kuroimaken]

There is a tiny bit of satisfaction hidden behind Soushi's impeccably smiling face.

She looks so much better when she's not looking like she's better than the ones around her.

"Oh, I wouldn't put it past Magatsu-kun to break free, but as it is... if it were real combat, I could stick a fork in him and call 'im done."

Soushi doesn't sound any more satisfied than his usual self. Briefly, he looked towards Daisuke, though he hid his movement behind the shadow of his hat.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Oh, and Nagamichi-san, you have the most curious combat style. Storing Kido spells into leafs of a book - the closest thing I've seen to that are Shirakawa-taichou's tattoos."

The ones I made, in any case.

"Would you mind telling me what kind of paper you use?"

And what would happen if I covered all of yours in ink...

[Wahrheit]

"Were this real combat, Soushi, you wouldn't have seen me coming." Magatsu rather rudly omitted any honorific in counter to Soushi's diminuitive one for him, but he seemed in a foul mood. Fouler than usual. "Let's try this again when I haven't just had a Renkyousou explode in my face." Magatsu's bared teeth this time couldn't even technically be called a smile, no matter how he tried. "Now dispel these."

[Kuroimaken]

"Thank you, Saiyuri-san. Sadly, it's... not exactly that simple. If you'll recall, this was a battle with the aim to disarm, but I didn't have any weapon in hand the entire time..." He leaves Saiyuri to draw the obvious conclusion. "This also has some complications of its own. Every Kidou I store in these pages must have some of my own reiatsu trapped in, after all. But I absolutely love this book to death." <3

And yes, he's deliberately ignoring Magatsu's utterly irate demands.

[ThreadOfFate]

Minuet gave a noiseless chuckle at Signit's concern, then bowed respectfully to Kyasarin, silently thanking her for the fight.

She then faced Signit and pointed at herself, then him, and then made talking motions with her hands. Pulling him away from the now-wrapping up fights, she moved back to the others, but enough away that low voices would not be heard. She then looked at him seriously and nodded, letting him know he could start talking. She pointed at him, then looked around suspiciously, then tilted her head to indicate it was a question.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Minuet gave a noiseless chuckle at Signit's concern, then bowed respectfully to Kyasarin, silently thanking her for the fight.

She then faced Signit and pointed at herself, then him, and then made talking motions with her hands. Pulling him away from the now-wrapping up fights, she moved back to the others, but enough away that low voices would not be heard. She then looked at him seriously and nodded, letting him know he could start talking. She pointed at him, then looked around suspiciously, then tilted her head to indicate it was a question.

Sigint smirked behind the mask when Minuet gave her chuckle. Then, he got pulled off to the side.

He looked around to see if no one else could hear, and then lowered his voice. "What is it that you wanted to talk about, Minuet-sama?"

[ThreadOfFate]

Signit's voice floats in from thin air: "However, lately I've been a bit...paranoid, shall we say. I feel like something's coming, and that we should be prepared for it."

[Viera Champion]

Kyasarin frowns over at Minuet and Sigint. She doesn't like when she doesn't know things.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Signit's voice floats in from thin air: "However, lately I've been a bit...paranoid, shall we say. I feel like something's coming, and that we should be prepared for it."

Sigint sighs. "Okay...Alright." His voice remains lowered.

"Okay, recently I've recieved a...cryptic warning from Taganjuu. I know this sounds insane, but I have...let's say an intimate trust in Taganjuu's sayings. What I believe he's saying, is that there is something coming..."

"Now, mind you, I don't want to put too much emphasis on this, and I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone else and cause an alarm, but I do want to be prepared for anything that might come along."

[ThreadOfFate]

Sigint sighs. "Okay...Alright." His voice remains lowered.

"Okay, recently I've recieved a...cryptic warning from Taganjuu. I know this sounds insane, but I have...let's say an intimate trust in Taganjuu's sayings. What I believe he's saying, is that there is something coming..."

"Now, mind you, I don't want to put too much emphasis on this, and I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone else and cause an alarm, but I do want to be prepared for anything that might come along."

Minuet is clearly concerned at this, with it picking at her still-active 10th Division side of wanting to keep the place safe.

She nods to indicate her silence, zipping her lips and hoping he'll catch the slight irony there. Smiling slightly, she pats his arm in a small form of assurance, then strikes a fighting pose and punches the air, confident they could beat whatever it is down.

[Kayne650]

"Thank you, Saiyuri-san. Sadly, it's... not exactly that simple. If you'll recall, this was a battle with the aim to disarm, but I didn't have any weapon in hand the entire time..." He leaves Saiyuri to draw the obvious conclusion. "This also has some complications of its own. Every Kidou I store in these pages must have some of my own reiatsu trapped in, after all. But I absolutely love this book to death." <3

And yes, he's deliberately ignoring Magatsu's utterly irate demands.

With all the arguing, no one probably noticed Daisuke creep up behind Magatsu, pull out his tails, and begin drawing the reiatsu from the Bakudo. It took him until the end of Soushi's proclamation of love for his book, but he had managed to absorb the reiatsu from the Touzanshou, and the Hyapporankan, which left Daisuke bursting with energy from the absorbed Bakudo. He peeked over Magatsu to look at Sayuri. With five six-foot long tails poking over his shoulders.

"Um, could you move please? I need to release some of this excess reiatsu, and it'll be big."

Soushi might take offense at Daisuke absorbing his Bakudo, but Daisuke didn't really care. The more Daisuke could bother Soushi, the better. Maybe it would make the creepy fox man leave him alone. Daisuke hadn't noticed Soushi's glance, but he'd felt something look at him, and he'd guessed that it was Soushi. The man still creeped him out beyond belief.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Minuet is clearly concerned at this, with it picking at her still-active 10th Division side of wanting to keep the place safe.

She nods to indicate her silence, zipping her lips and hoping he'll catch the slight irony there. Smiling slightly, she pats his arm in a small form of assurance, then strikes a fighting pose and punches the air, confident they could beat whatever it is down.

The irony is not lost on Sigint, but he avoids chuckling at it. He does, however, chuckle at the fighting pose. "Thank you, Minuet-sama. For listening and for understanding. I am certain that we are in good, and safe hands."

[Kuroimaken]

Soushi actually did notice Daisuke's movement, but decided not to speak of it. Midway about the absorption, the "creepy fox-faced man" shot a slight glance at the boy, which if noticed... would also have the appearance of his having crept that smile of his a little further.

It wasn't unlike the smile a snake might have on its face upon watching an unsuspecting rabbit push into its territory.

But that smile vanished as soon as it was noticed.

"Oh, by all means, Da.I.Su.Ke.Cha.N." <3

Okay, you just knew there was something off about the man's head when he started spouting hearts in his speech bubbles for no apparent good reason.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri leaves Soushi and Daisuke to their own devises as she turns and walks back to the side of the field, trying to get her pitch-black hair back to proper form. "Noburo-san, I see that you've yet to fight", she says to Arata. "The other duels seem to have ended, so it's your turn by all rights - I'm afraid your original opponents are both a bit winded, though. Would you like to test your skils with someone else?" She beckons towards the assorted people still lingering on the arena - Minuet and Kyasarin would probably still have steam for another fight, and Daisuke is still fresh and seemingly brimming with energy.

"Well?"

[Kayne650]

Soushi actually did notice Daisuke's movement, but decided not to speak of it. Midway about the absorption, the "creepy fox-faced man" shot a slight glance at the boy, which if noticed... would also have the appearance of his having crept that smile of his a little further.

It wasn't unlike the smile a snake might have on its face upon watching an unsuspecting rabbit push into its territory.

But that smile vanished as soon as it was noticed.

"Oh, by all means, Da.I.Su.Ke.Cha.N." <3

Okay, you just knew there was something off about the man's head when he started spouting hearts in his speech bubbles for no apparent good reason.

Daisuke's five tails stood on end as Soushi spoke to him. That feeling of being hunted was back, and it was worse this time, like the bird was much closer to the dog. He hated it, and it made him feel helpless. Ignoring him for the time being, Daisuke took a step back and began.

A tail vanished from his back, appearing as a ball of energy coalesced in between his hands. "Hado 36: Kongobaku!"

The ball of blue energy became red and shot upwards as an enormous blast of pure destructive energy. A shockwave burst forth from Daisuke in a radius around him from the release of reiatsu roughly equivalent to an entire unseated Shinigami.

Daisuke exhaled, back with four tails, each one two feet shorter than before. "Okay, now I'm good again!" He said, reattaching his tails to the Rikujokoro and beginning to draw out the reiatsu.

It was obvious to Magatsu and Minuet that Daisuke had used way more power than usual to impress Sayuri, and hopefully get Soushi off his back.

[Kuroimaken]

Soushi was not impressed. If anything, the child-like Shinigami's demonstration just made him more interested.

It's so cute of this boy to try and impress others. It just makes me want to tear him apart and make stew out of his limbs...

Soushi, seriously, that's REALLY freaking creepy.

Just doing my job. <3

[Cyborg Mage]

Sayuri leaves Soushi and Daisuke to their own devises as she turns and walks back to the side of the field, trying to get her pitch-black hair back to proper form. "Noburo-san, I see that you've yet to fight", she says to Arata. "The other duels seem to have ended, so it's your turn by all rights - I'm afraid your original opponents are both a bit winded, though. Would you like to test your skils with someone else?" She beckons towards the assorted people still lingering on the arena - Minuet and Kyasarin would probably still have steam for another fight, and Daisuke is still fresh and seemingly brimming with energy.

"Well?"

"Hm? Oh yes, my apologies. Lost myself in thought. Yes, I believe i'll battle Daisuke-san. He almost seems to be showing off. This will be interesting."
Arata stands up, draws the Hayai Ryoute and makes his way into the arena, his face nearly expressionless in his focus.

[Kayne650]

"Hm? Oh yes, my apologies. Lost myself in thought. Yes, I believe i'll battle Daisuke-san. He almost seems to be showing off. This will be interesting."
Arata stands up, draws the Hayai Ryoute and makes his way into the arena, his face nearly expressionless in his focus.

"All done!" Daisuke proclaimed as he finished absorbing the last Bakudo. He was now back to five tails, with each being about five feet long. They were in fact just shorter than Daisuke himself. He crouched on the ground by Magatsu, feeling very pleased with himself. Then he saw Arata walking towards him, swords drawn.

Uh oh. Daisuke hadn't actually expected to end up fighting someone himself, though in retrospect, he probably should have expected it. After all, he, Sayuri, and Arata were the only ones who hadn't fought, and Sayuri was the referee. So, this was probably something he should have seen coming.

"Um, can I help you, Arata-san?" Daisuke asked a bit tentatively, still not entirely sure of Arata's intention, but ready to defend if Arata were to attack. He was suddenly glad that he had his Shikai active.

[Frozen_Feet]

"The stage is all yours, then", Sayuri chirps. "Noburo-san and Koishima-san, please do your best."

[Kayne650]

"The stage is all yours, then", Sayuri chirps. "Noburo-san and Koishima-san, please do your best."

"EH?" Said Daisuke, confused. "Wait, we're actually fighting? I mean, I'm fine with that, but I didn't know! Are we using Shikai? Should I turn mine off?"

Daisuke was dangerously close to babbling, and he knew it. He just really hadn't expected to fight without any warning ((OOC: He hadn't heard Sayuri's discussion with Arata)). He looked at Arata.

"Would you rather fight without Shikai? Because if so, I'll need to reseal mine."

[Cyborg Mage]

"Oh, it shouldn't be a problem."
As Arata says this, he begins limbering up, losing control of his near-grin and begins smiling in anticipation, and flash-steps behind Daisuke and aiming a sweeping kick at his legs.
"In fact, I'd be surprised if you even managed to use it."

[Kayne650]

Daisuke, being completely unaware of Arata's abilities save for the fact that, being a member of the 2nd division, he was presumably fast, was caught unaware by Arata's attack, and found his legs swept completely from underneath him.

Thankfully for him, he reacted instinctively and caught himself with three of his five tails, balancing on them like a tripod while his remaining two tails lashed out at Arata, hopefully pushing him back. Afterwards, Daisuke used the three tails he was balancing on like a spring to send himself leaping upwards, where he caught himself and balanced on the air.

"All right then, Arata-san. But I'm not going to go easy on you." As Daisuke said this, two of his tails coiled around his arms, moving towards his hands. When they reached his hands, they morphed from blue tails into twin katanas, both tinged the same blue, and both tipped with the same white flames.

"Let's do this!" He shouted, lunging downward at Arata.

[Cyborg Mage]

Arata barely dodged the tail-strikes, but found the downward lunge no problem. He knew anyone would want simply to knock the opponent off his feet, especially in non-lethal combat. However, he knew there were far more effective ways of disabling an opponent. Arata flash steps randomly for a few seconds, attempting to confuse Daisuke, before raising his hand calmly and chanting, unleashing Shi*osu Sansen.

(OOC: There isn't a given incantation for Sansen. The star is also there in case the censors are that sensitive. EDIT: Apparently, they are, so the link won't work.)

[Kayne650]

Arata barely dodged the tail-strikes, but found the downward lunge no problem. He knew anyone would want simply to knock the opponent off his feet, especially in non-lethal combat. However, he knew there were far more effective ways of disabling an opponent. Arata flash steps randomly for a few seconds, attempting to confuse Daisuke, before raising his hand calmly and chanting, unleashing Shi*osu Sansen (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/****otsu_Sansen).

(OOC: There isn't a given incantation for Sansen. The star is also there in case the censors are that sensitive.)

Daisuke landed on the ground a bit harder than he expected, but managed to roll to a stand pretty easily. Okay, maybe the divebomb had been a bad idea, given his opponent's speed. Daisuke attempted to follow Arata's flash steps, and managed to keep enough of an eye on him to find him right before he used the Bakudo. Daisuke grinned.

Daisuke brought three of his tails up in defense to grab the three points of Arata's Bakudo, draining it of all reiatsu with distressing ease. He then redirected the Kido energy from his tails to his hands, gathering them for a return attack.

"Hado #4: Byakurai!" Ordinarily, such a Hado wouldn't be too much trouble, but this was supercharged with the energy from the Bakudo, and was therefore a bit stronger than usual. It would hurt.

((OOC)) You might want to link to the Kido page on the RP Wiki instead; the link you posted didn't work because the censors are in fact that sensitive.

[Cyborg Mage]

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado 33-Sokatsui."
Arata pulled out his own Hado as fast as one of his rank could, which was even then only just quick enough to block the incoming Byakurai. The more powerful lighning blast was enough to halt Daisuke's Hado, but the resulting explosion was still enough to blast both fighters clean off their feet.

Arata recovered quickly enough, clearly in some pain, and looked at Daisuke with an expression of supressed anger, quickly turning to strategic respect.
"So, looks like this isn't going to be easy. Finally, a challenge!"
Arata runs forward at incredible speed, whirling his swords in front of him so quickly it almost resembeled a solid wall of black steel.

[Kayne650]

Daisuke was blown back several feet, but since he was farther away from the blast origin he wasn't harmed overly much. He smiled at Arata's admission, and braced himself for the incoming attack.

When Arata got close enough, Daisuke shielded himself with his three tails, attempting to grab and hold Arata's blades while striking with both katana. His aim was to distract Arata enough with his swords to yank Arata's swords out of his hands.

[Cyborg Mage]

Daisuke came close to his original intention. While he was able to hold Arata's swords, stopping his attack, his grip was quite a bit stronger while expected. After a few moments of yanking and dodging, Arata suddenly grinned as he figured out how Daisuke's plan would turn against him. Arata then flash stepped, bringing Daisuke with him, and attempting to slam him into a wall using his momentum.

[Kayne650]

"AH!" Daisuke screamed as he was pulled along. Despite seeing Seiko do the same thing to Feiyan earlier, he hadn't expected that. Thankfully for Daisuke though, his grip with his tails wasn't quite strong enough, and the high speeds of the shunpo threw him off before Arata could slam him into the wall. So, instead of his back hitting the wall, his feet connected, allowing him to rebound off of the wall and away from Arata.

"Okay, I didn't see that one coming." Daisuke said, standing. "You're pretty good, Arata-san!" Daisuke said cheerfully. He was honestly having fun. "My turn now!" He declared, punching the air above him.

"Bakudo #26: Kyokko!" Daisuke said, before promptly vanishing from both sight and reiatsu sense. Daisuke, not trusting his feet to make no noise, instead elected to walk on his three tails, which were soundless. Arata would (hopefully) not know where Daisuke was until he felt a tug on his leg, pulling him upside down in the air.

[Frozen_Feet]

As the fight between Daisuke and Arata seems to be moving under its own weight and no horrible disregard for personal safety has been displayed yet, Sayuri feels safe enough to walk near Soushi and resume their little debate for a moment.

"Nagamichi-san, now that we have time, I'd like to revisit our discussion a little, if you wouldn't mind", she says and curtseys. "I feel I failed to present one of my opinions to you. I'd like to remedy that."

"You said I may seek to purify Hollows instead of eliminating them... but to a Shinigami, those are one and the same. I'm afraid I did not understand the point you were trying to make with that. Likewise, when I said that a hateful Shinigami is one in name only, I did not imply that there absolutely can't be hatred between us and Hollows... rather, I acknowledged that those feelings sometimes exist, and tried to say that we shouldn't feel them, or at least they shouldn't be our guiding emotions. Again, I apologize if I didn't convey my message properly."

"I find it curious you brought up how Hollows are, in essence, victims, because that is the reason why I speak of forgiveness and needlessness of loathing. They are born because of our insufficiency, after all, and if we try to find who's to blame for them, the accusing finger always returns to point at us. It should be obvious how hating Hollows is fruitless in a situation like this, because it invariably turns into hating ourselves, and hatred of one's self only serves to curb one's spiritual growth."

"I'm also concerned that you insist on using war as a metaphor for our relationship with Hollows. You might be right that war can't exist without hatred, but like I said, I don't believe war is how things were, or are supposed to be. A more correct comparison would be to liken us to predators, and Hollows to prey - and while sides of a war might feel no respect for each other, hunters and the hunted surely can. Throughout history, mortals have revered their most important prey animals, made songs of their life and prayed to them for strenght. Before Ghost King made himself known to us, that practice was not lost to our kin either. 'Mask of Flesh and Bone, flutter of wings'... as a man knowledgeable of Kido, surely you know of many chants like this. There was a time when we did not spit to the ground at the mention of our enemies, but respected them and immortalized them in our poems and spells. It's a shame that practice has since fallen to the wayside."

"Because that is the way I believe things should be, Nagamichi-san", Sayuri says proudly. "Sure, Hollows might hate us and gnash their teeth at us, but that's because they are flawed. Like you said, it isn't their fault. We don't need to hate them back, because we are not like them. We are whole, we are superior, both in good and evil. That is why it's our possibility, and responsibility, to forgive them. That's what it means to be a Shinigami. If we seize to perfect ourselves, sink to the level of flawed beings, we have already lost, no matter what 'war' we might win by doing so."

[Kuroimaken]

"That's a beautiful speech, Saiyuri-san, but it's not discolored of idealism. The practices you speak of such as prayer to the game are knowingly cast aside as a society evolves. Their knowledge of things spiritual slowly vanishes, replaced by knowledge of factual nature. We know that a flute sounds the way it does because of the way the air flows inside its body, or that fire burns by turning its fuel into carbon and generating heat in the process. A hunter works the way he does to provide sustenance for himself and/or others. It is not necessary for us to hunt Hollows - we merely accept it as our reality and duty.

If you stop to think about it, we Shinigami are merely the Hollow's prey fighting back harder than they expect us to. Over time, we have come to organize ourselves into a society. The more civilized the people, the less morally justified murder becomes. With civilization came a need to justify our actions.

We hunt Hollows because if we don't, they will hunt us, as a part of an ecosystem. Suppose that we did not kill Hollows, but merely performed Konsou. Given time, the amount of Wild Hollows would increase exponentially. Little by little, the humans of the mortal world would turn into appropriate prey. In this scenario, either they learn to fight back or they die off. If the former, we learn that what we have appointed as our duty for so long was not, in fact, necessary. If the latter, when food in the Mortal World grews scarce or non-existant, they turn onto us next.

Realistically speaking, a relationship like this is bound to generate a grudge. Hollows are not mere wild beasts, after all, and I'm not referring only to Arrancar. Everything we Shinigami do is a means to defend ourselves against what, in nature, refers to as a relationship of hunter and hunted. But if we are not at war, why is the Gotei 13 structured like a military? Why do we have ranks? Why are our Captains required to be able to perform Bankai, a technique that is by essence turned towards combat?

I too wish we could solve this with something as simple as forgiveness. But that is not what I see, sadly."

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri furrows her brow. "Your attitude is... interesting, Soushi-san. You sound like some of the mortals who disown all spirituality - but how do you reconcile that with the fact that you, yourself, are a spirit? You speak of naturalism, even though you've seen yourself just what mere will of a person can create in this world. This is the Land of the Dead, and many of the facts that gave birth to the philosophy you hold are no facts at all here."

"Besides that, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Many opinions you hold are not exclusive with mine, rather, you just see things in darker light than I do. While I find that worrying, I can't say you're wrong, per se."

"But what comes to the reasons why Gotei is as it is nowadays, that's simply a matter of history. We are the Court Guard - founded by our King, not to protect him from Hollows, but from other Shinigami. Sad as it is, treachery has not been non-existent within our ranks. How things were prior to that is shrouded in myth, I'm afraid to say, but if myths hold any truth, then we were a loose collection of demigods and small pantheons, each doing their duties largely separate from each other. It wasn't until the time of the King and the fist Commander-General that we were gathered together and organized. For someone who talks about war so much, I wonder why you didn't answer your own question, Nagamichi-san."

Sayuri sounds sincerely befuddled when she says the last part. Is Soushi just trying to trick her into saying something foolish, to reveal a gap in her knowledge? That's how it feels, at least. There should be little need to state these things aloud, they are something each Shinigami is taught in the academy - had he just forgotten? With a lifespan of centuries, that is always possible. Or is it alcohol speaking again? The thought makes Sayuri wince.

[Kuroimaken]

"The part of devil's advocate is the one that belongs to me in this dialogue, Saiyuri-san. I'm afraid it's not within me to see things in the same light as yourself. But you must understand that just because we cannot explain it doesn't mean there IS no explanation. Much like humans in general are ignorant about us and us about them - try as we might, we do not fully understand their nature just as they do not perceive ours, but for a few gifted or unlucky individuals."

With that, Soushi turned towards Saiyuri. For some reason, his eyes looked... sad.

"The word Seireitei holds the meaning of 'court of pure souls'. Are we to understand that pure is that which has an absence of stain, or one that shines in spite of it? What necessitated the coming of the King? Considering the threat the Hollows present to us, would our infighting not show us as a potential target?

Our viewpoint is colored by our perception of reality. We Shinigami perceive our task as being to cleanse the souls left behind in the circle of reincarnation. But to an outside observer, it could be said we merely seek to increase the size of our own flock. When a Shinigami purifies a Hollow, the memories of his or her time as such are erased from his mind. Why is that? From the Hollow's viewpoint, I'd think they consider it as us stealing a hunter from them, much like them feeding on us makes them stronger.

In a way, I suppose we are what we want others to see. You and I of all people would know that."

[Frozen_Feet]

"I believe the reason why we remove their memories is because life of a Hollow is that of suffering. Their nature springs from suffering, and they search oblivion by throwing themselves at each other to end that suffering. I... don't think memories from a life like that are truly worth remembering", Sayuri replies as she turns her attention back to the fight, a sour smile on her face. "But I guess you are right, Nagamichi-san. Perceptions matter a frigthening amount."

[Kuroimaken]

"Assume for a moment that it isn't all suffering. That Hollows too could find moments of joy and laughter. If that's the case, would it be our right to take that from them?

The possibility frightens me. And what frightens me even more is that I will have nothing and no one to remember me by when the cycle of reincarnation claims me."

[Cyborg Mage]

"Bakudo #26: Kyokko!" Daisuke said, before promptly vanishing from both sight and reiatsu sense. Daisuke, not trusting his feet to make no noise, instead elected to walk on his three tails, which were soundless. Arata would (hopefully) not know where Daisuke was until he felt a tug on his leg, pulling him upside down in the air.

"Hm. Well, hiding won't stop me. We'll just have to-" Arata began speaking, but was interuppted by Daisuke attempting to lift him. Arata suddenly started spinning in Daisuke's tail, both swords held out, hopefully hitting Daisuke in the process.

[Kayne650]

Daisuke felt a savage pleasure that Arata hadn't actually sensed him coming until he'd grabbed Arata's leg, despite the fact that Arata's rapid spinning forced Daisuke onto a rapid retreat. Unfortunately, Arata's reach with with blades was greater than Daisuke's tail length, and Daisuke had to pull his tail back to defend himself against Arata's blades.

Daisuke pulled back just enough to defend himself from the whirlwind of blades, and grabbed Arata's swords with his tails, though this time he didn't stop there. He used shunpo to move straight up, bringing Arata with him, and then quickly flipped forward, slamming Arata back down to the ground with his tails.

[Cyborg Mage]

Arata lay on the ground for a few moments, before getting back up, limbering himself and flash stepping away from Daisuke, apparently chanting during the step, as his Okasen was ready almost immedeatly after stopping. He then flash steps behind Daisuke, hoping the effort of stopping the Hado would distract him, and striking him on the head with the hilt of one of his swords.

[Kayne650]

As Daisuke threw Arata to the ground, he immediately began chanting himself. Two of his tails flowed into his hands as spheres of energy and he began to copy Magatsu.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!" At this point, two of Daisuke's three remaining tails blocked the Okasen, fueling his Hado even more. "Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens!"

Daisuke's only remaining free tail blocked Arata's hilt strike, and he turned, grinning, to face Arata. Daisuke's tail wrapped around Arata's arm as Daisuke finished his chant.

"Hado #63! Raikoho! Soren Sokatsui! Immense blasts of lightning and blue energy shot towards Arata at point-blank range.

[Wahrheit]

Magatsu was leaning on the training ground wall near Sayuri and Soushi, listening to their debate with mild interest as he kept an eye on Daisuke's fight. The kid was making a good showing of himself. Whe he began to double-chant one of Magatsu's preferred attack combinations, the Vice-Captain grinned like a fox. "Keep up the pressure, Daisuke-kun! Show them the 3rd isn't a bunch of pushovers!"

[Kuroimaken]

"Ara? I figured those Hadou were a little on the strong side for this match." Soushi offered with some mild surprise. "Amazing that a kid that size could pull it off. He sure seems the hyperactive kind." Soushi seemed genuinely impressed at Daisuke's performance, given his own specialty. And those tails were nothing to laugh at either. "But pressuring your opponent into a corner relies on you having a bigger breath and your foe using all of his on defense. It also works better if you either have or can create a corner for him to be stuck in. Daisuke-chan may well have Arata-san beat as far as the first point is concerned, but I can't shake the feeling that's not true for the second..."

[Frozen_Feet]

"Ha - Hanki!"

Second after the two spells bloom into a great explosion, hot air throwing dust to the bystanders' face and ruffling their clothes, there's a cold breeze, which blows out the blue flames and makes the sparks of thunder fizzle.

A second too late.

Sayuri stands beside Soushi, positively fuming. "Koishima-kun!", she shrieks, black hair flowing down on her shoulders, eyeglasses sliding down her nose, two piercing blue eyes glaring at the plucky 3rd seat.

Hopefully, they could still save poor Arata. If there's anything left to save, that is...

[Cyborg Mage]

Once the dust clears, it can be seen that Arata is gone entirely, along with a fair piece of the room. As both of them inspect the site where he once stood, a voice is heard from behind them.
"Now now Daisuke-san, you shouldn't just throw Hado like that without thinking."
It appears that Arata was able to unleash his Shikai at the last minute, and teleported to the other side of the room.

[Kayne650]

At first, Daisuke was horrified. Had the two Hado vaporised Arata completely? That would be awful! But then he heard Arata's voice behind him, and, wheeling around, saw Arata looking at him. Had he dodged both Hado completely? But...but...they had been point-blank! How had he dodged both? Apparently, Arata was a lot stronger than Daisuke had thought, if two level 63 Hado wasn't enough to beat him. And now, with two tails gone, Daisuke was at a severe disadvantage.

That didn't mean he was going to give up.

Daisuke looked at Arata determinedly, his chin set stubbornly. He pretended not to hear Sayuri's yell. "Pretty impressive, Arata-san. Are you going to fight me for real this time?"

[Cyborg Mage]

"Fine then-"
Just after saying this, Arata makes several shunpo "sprint-by-s" on Daisuke, running past and hitting him with the hilt and flats of his sword at high speeds-more than enough to knock Daisuke off his feet, were it not for the force of the succeding blow-before stopping behind him, attempting to pin his tails to the floor with one foot and holding his sword to the back of his neck.
"-if only to stop you nearly killing me again."

[Kayne650]

Daisuke was ready for such an assault. Shunpo seemed to be a favorite of Arata's, as well as most of the 2nd division if Kyasarin was an example, and such run-by attacks were one that Daisuke had expected. Arata's attacks came a bit faster than Daisuke had expected, but nothing too terrible.

With three tails left, it was a little harder than usual, but Daisuke managed to deflect Arata's blows enough to keep the weapons away from him, though he still felt the impacts. He did notice one thing though: Arata still wasn't using his blades, just the dull parts of his weapons. Daisuke knew that it was just a spar and not an actual battle, but the fact that he was still going easy insulted Daisuke. Did Arata think that he could beat Daisuke while holding back? We'll see about that.

Daisuke almost laughed when he felt Arata trying to hold down his tails with his foot. Daisuke reciprocated by flowing his tails around Arata's foot, forming two of them into a hammer, and slamming them down with about the force of a comical anvil. Only it wouldn't be funny.

Daisuke's other tail grabbed Arata's swords, and held them at close range. If Arata got away again, he would just keep moving and Daisuke would never hold him down. He had to keep them close.

"Sorry, Arata-san. I didn't mean to really hurt you, I knew that you would dodge. I just wanted you to know that I'm taking this seriously, and I think that you should too." Daisuke punctuated his statement by slamming his fist into Arata's solar plexus and pulling one of Arata's blades out of his hand.