[BitPR2] Extra Episode 6: The only one who waits

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Black Dragon Gate Inn

Hiraku Masaru's had few days of uninterrupted rest in the luxurious locale usually reserved for political guests. Well... uninterrupted save for his own turbulent thoughts and maybe those of the spiritual freeloader inside him.

But now, his vacation is coming to an end. Two figures, both obscured by cloaks that hide their Reiatsu and one leaning on a bamboo cane, arrive at the door of his room. "Hiraku Masaru? It is time. We've come to escort you to your new training facility.", the one holding the cane speaks. "You have fifteen minutes to pack all items you wish to take with you. Your Zanpakuto is essential, of course. Medicine is also recommended." 'Medicine' obviously referring to the eerie, green pill Masaru was given by the Commander-General.

[KnightDisciple]

[Soul Society]
Black Dragon Gate Inn

The man with the arm made of shadow slowly stood from where he'd been meditating, giving the 2 visitors a bow.

"Yes, of course."

The part of him that is a bit cynical at this point wonders if the "training facility" is in fact an execution chamber, but that is neither here nor there.

Instead, he moves about packing up a few changes of clothes and some basic toiletries to go with him. His badge of office is left in one of the small number of boxes that are to be returned to his assigned quarters in the Pack compound.

Finally, he is ready, his bag over a shoulder and his daisho sheathed at his side.

"Let us proceed."

[Frozen_Feet]

Silly Masaru. If they wanted you executed, they wouldn't have send a pair of laboratory assistants. They'd just told the hit squad to do their thing, with him none the wiser.

Speaking of which, as the two artificial souls lead Masaru out, there's a distinct absence of the feeling of being tracked. Either the hit squad has been given a new assignment... or Hishikawa Setsurou has taught them to be much sneakier than before.

After a considerable while of walking, they finally arrive at the prison maintenance entrance, located in far corner of Internal Security premises. The cloaked figure carrying the cane walks close the door and speaks: "This is Commander-General Zheng Li Lin. Access to final level of the underground prison requested." After a moment, a voice chimes in response: "Voice authorization succesfull. Access granted." The door opens, allowing passage to a rather small elevator.

However, before the figure can motion Masaru to step in, the second cloaked figure quickly puts a hand before its mouth and strikes it in the stomach. The first figure retches, and then falls limp. The cane clatters to the ground.

"Apologies for delay. The Commander does not want any research wasted. Now commencing back-up protocol." The second figure pockets something, then brings out a small pill and feeds it to the first figure. In a second, it's upright again, exclaiming proudly: "Chappi the Bunny, happy to be of service pyon~!" The second figure picks up the cane and hands it to Masaru.

"Officers Naganori Igarashi and Kobayashi Momoka are waiting for you below. Please give the cane to Kobayashi-san. She'll know what to do with it." The figure barely finishes before "Chappi" is already ushering Masaru into the elevator.

"Too much talking, too little waiting. It's rude to keep others waiting, pyon~."

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru assumes the hit squad is just hanging back further. Which just means more warning if they try to kill him.

He simply walked patiently and quietly until they reached the sealed door.

He blinked in a bit of confusion when one of the figures punches the other, who is...not the Commander?

He accepts the cane, but before he can say anything he is all but shoved into the elevator. At which point the tip of the cane gently, but firmly, pushes back "Chappi" a bit.

"Please refrain from unnecessary physical contact. We are not so late that you need to push me."

After that, he settles down into waiting stoically in one corner of the elevator until it reaches its destination.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Chappi" pulls back as much as it can in the tiny space, bowing in apology to Masaru. "Chappi is sorry, pyon~. Chappi will keep her dirty fingers off for the rest of the journey." The figure lifts its empty hands up and wriggles its fingers.

After both are neatly in the elevator, the door closes, and the long descent begins. It feels like they're journeying to the center of Earth. In the dim lighting, Masaru might notice some details of the other passenger. Though it's hard to tell through all the clothing, the figure is of similar height than the commander and the face under the hood does belong to an elderly sino-asian person. It can't be Li, though. The figure's eyes are green, for one, and she (?) looks much healthier than the commander has looked lately.

Then, finally the elevator stops, and the door opens. Let's see what Igarashi and Momoka have conjured for Masaru...

((OOC: strawberry, your turn.))

[strawberryman]

...The results may be somewhat surprising. But of course, Masaru might not know that time down here flows a lot slower, due to the dangai's influence. Four great iron pillars stretch high to the ceiling, covered with kanji to create a stable barrier for the ravening hole above their heads. But that is the least surprising part.

The cave has been apparently reformed into some manner of japanese garden. A stone path leads calmly towards the pillars, snaking between them, at one point crossing over a bridge passing over a small stream. There's a bamboo grove on the edge of one corner, and cherry blossom trees and rose bushes everywhere.

...But then Masaru's eyes, or perhaps his mind, stop making up images that make sense, and he realizes the true nature of the garden. The trees, the shrubs, and everything are twisted, bent, and stretched upwards, the very tops of their leaves and parts of their trunks blackened and poisoned. The path rises and falls and becomes thinner or wider in places seemingly of random accord, and some bricks twitch erratically, as if they were alive, or perhaps simply soon to fly up from the path of their own accord. The grass, too, seems to shift slowly but steadily like a decelerated picture of the oceans' waves, giving the entire scene a disturbing, constant movement. Droplets of water from the stream hit rocks and slowly float upward, like a reversal of rain, taking on odd colors between the reflection of orbs of light spaced around the garden, and the dangai above.

There is currently no sign of Momoka or Igarashi. There is only a low, dull churning sound that resonates in one's ears to cause a rising headache.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Chappi" steps into the twisting garden in Masaru's wake. "Oooh! So pretty!" Then, it is overcome by a fit of coughing and retching, placing a hand before its mouth. After a few seconds of convulsion, it straightens up and looks at its hand. On it, there's a Hell Butterfly, its wings tattered and covered in Saliva.

"Oh? Where did this come from?", the cloaked figure wonders idly. Then, it extends its hand towards Masaru. "Here. I think it's for you." Diligent as ever, the butterfly speaks its message:

"Masaru, come see me when you get the chance; it's important."

[KnightDisciple]

...The results may be somewhat surprising. But of course, Masaru might not know that time down here flows a lot slower, due to the dangai's influence. Four great iron pillars stretch high to the ceiling, covered with kanji to create a stable barrier for the ravening hole above their heads. But that is the least surprising part.

The cave has been apparently reformed into some manner of japanese garden. A stone path leads calmly towards the pillars, snaking between them, at one point crossing over a bridge passing over a small stream. There's a bamboo grove on the edge of one corner, and cherry blossom trees and rose bushes everywhere.

...But then Masaru's eyes, or perhaps his mind, stop making up images that make sense, and he realizes the true nature of the garden. The trees, the shrubs, and everything are twisted, bent, and stretched upwards, the very tops of their leaves and parts of their trunks blackened and poisoned. The path rises and falls and becomes thinner or wider in places seemingly of random accord, and some bricks twitch erratically, as if they were alive, or perhaps simply soon to fly up from the path of their own accord. The grass, too, seems to shift slowly but steadily like a decelerated picture of the oceans' waves, giving the entire scene a disturbing, constant movement. Droplets of water from the stream hit rocks and slowly float upward, like a reversal of rain, taking on odd colors between the reflection of orbs of light spaced around the garden, and the dangai above.

There is currently no sign of Momoka or Igarashi. There is only a low, dull churning sound that resonates in one's ears to cause a rising headache.
At first, Masaru smiles, enjoying the rather serene beauty of the place. It was...calming to him.

The smile fades as he realizes the true (or perhaps true-er?) nature of this place. His gaze cannot help but drift upwards toward the hole in the...ceiling? Sky?

"Well that might prove a distraction..."

He calls out in a louder voice.

"Hello? Is anybody else here?"


"Chappi" steps into the twisting garden in Masaru's wake. "Oooh! So pretty!" Then, it is overcome by a fit of coughing and retching, placing a hand before its mouth. After a few seconds of convulsion, it straightens up and looks at its hand. On it, there's a Hell Butterfly, its wings tattered and covered in Saliva.

"Oh? Where did this come from?", the cloaked figure wonders idly. Then, it extends its hand towards Masaru. "Here. I think it's for you." Diligent as ever, the butterfly speaks its message:

He doesn't look back toward Chappi until he hears her saying he's got a message. He takes the butterfly upon his shadowy hand (the arm itself seems a bit...agitated) and listens to the message.

For a long moment, he considers turning around and going. But then he shakes his head.

Instead, he records a counter-message.


Koutarou. I cannot. What I am about to embark on requires no hesitation, and no interruptions. I am sorry, my friend. I shall return to aid you soon enough.

[Frozen_Feet]

After a moment of drying up, the butterfly painstakingly takes on its wings and flies back to the elevator. Then, the elevator doors shut, and it begins a climb back up. Masaru is left in this horrifying place alone with "Chappi" and...

[strawberryman]

...and what else? There truly is no sign of anyone or anything after the elevator rises.

What Masaru might not notice while he's responding to the butterfly, is the shimmer of darkness not unlike his own manipulation of shadows directly behind Chappi. Then, before he has time to react, there's a whipping noise as a strand of Hainawa flies at him from nowhere... and wraps around the Cane given to him. Contact with the cane would likely provide enough numbness that he may not be able to hold on when the energy rope pulls back to... an apparently invisible figure, only pinpointed by the glowing strand around its ghostly forearm.

If Masaru lets go, he'll begin to see a blurry, indistinct humanoid shape that simply runs in the opposite direction.

[KnightDisciple]

...and what else? There truly is no sign of anyone or anything after the elevator rises.

What Masaru might not notice while he's responding to the butterfly, is the shimmer of darkness not unlike his own manipulation of shadows directly behind Chappi. Then, before he has time to react, there's a whipping noise as a strand of Hainawa flies at him from nowhere... and wraps around the Cane given to him. Contact with the cane would likely provide enough numbness that he may not be able to hold on when the energy rope pulls back to... an apparently invisible figure, only pinpointed by the glowing strand around its ghostly forearm.

If Masaru lets go, he'll begin to see a blurry, indistinct humanoid shape that simply runs in the opposite direction.

Masaru grunts at the numbness...and then switches the majority of his grip to his shadowy arm. The numbness is there, but, as with all things on that arm these days, it is muffled.

Instead of releasing, he follows the chain back to its origin...

And Flash Steps over to that spot, his right fist drawn back for a disabling blow to where he thinks the midsection of the only-barely-visible figure is!

Clearly he doesn't intend to play around.

[strawberryman]

The blurred figure mutters something that sounds roughly like 'hippo ranking'.

Oh, wait.

Hyapporankan.

The form is more than distinct to recognize as a full-grown woman with a wild mane of black hair at this point, as she takes advantage of Masaru's charge - jabbing at him with the spiritual rod of iron in her other hand and pushing downward (accelerated by the effect of the kido), and continuing to pull on the cane.

Following the jab, of course, a cascade of iron flies from behind the figure, aiming at pinning the warrior to the ground. But clearly the goal here is to part Masaru with his 'gift'.

[KnightDisciple]

The blurred figure mutters something that sounds roughly like 'hippo ranking'.

Oh, wait.

Hyapporankan.

The form is more than distinct to recognize as a full-grown woman with a wild mane of black hair at this point, as she takes advantage of Masaru's charge - jabbing at him with the spiritual rod of iron in her other hand and pushing downward (accelerated by the effect of the kido), and continuing to pull on the cane.

Following the jab, of course, a cascade of iron flies from behind the figure, aiming at pinning the warrior to the ground. But clearly the goal here is to part Masaru with his 'gift'.
Mostly through sheer surprise, the pseudo-iron pole sticks against Masaru's throat. His eyes widen in shock.

"Ghck!"

That's the sound of a man practically choking. His grip loosens...

And then a veritable forest of iron poles slam into his limbs, torso, and one slams into his forehead. His eyes cross for a moment, and he loses grip on the cane completely.

"What the **** kind of training is this?"

Ah, there's the hard-drinking, hard-partying brawler that's been buried under responsibility and meditation for months now.

[strawberryman]

"[Shadow Trade.]" The figure mutters. And suddenly... she is not there.

There's the sound of a weapon being drawn... and Chappi is stabbed through the chest. With Li's own blade. The figure, apparently, was Momoka. Her expression is not one of anger or even maliciousness, but one of a manner of... bored reluctance.

"I believe your training begins now, Hiraku."

[KnightDisciple]

"[Shadow Trade.]" The figure mutters. And suddenly... she is not there.

There's the sound of a weapon being drawn... and Chappi is stabbed through the chest. With Li's own blade. The figure, apparently, was Momoka. Her expression is not one of anger or even maliciousness, but one of a manner of... bored reluctance.

"I believe your training begins now, Hiraku."

Hiraku Masaru, Leader of Guerilla Squad, Combat Division, experienced swordsman, shadow controller....stared and blinked.

"What."

He seems dumbstruck enough he's not even struggling against the Kido. Probably because this whole series of events feels completely nonsensical to him.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Chappi", pierced through the heart, blinks and falls to its knees. The hood falls down, revealing a face gasping in shock. But then, something ceases control of its lips, and it utters a short phrase:

"Bān kāi."

Momoka would be better to let go of the sword now. The blade has turned wooden, and by the feel of it is growing roots through the artificial body. Pulling it back would be rather difficult. Green lines appear on the pale, aged face of body - and then, its skin blooms open, as if it never was more than a cleverly arranged layer of leaves, revealing a surface that appears more wood than flesh despite its bloody red color.

At the same time, the air becomes tinged with green, and all the black and twisted plants in this hellish garden seem to grow in size, their sickly branches and leaves reaching towards the transmuting artificial soul. The body of said soul no longer has anything that could be called eyes, yet Masaru still gets the feel it is looking right at him. Flowers in the garden cough and retch, spitting out clouds of yellow pollen, and strange creatures that appear to be dancing cottonballs with tiny human arms and legs emerge at the edges of Masaru's vision.

[KnightDisciple]

"Chappi", pierced through the heart, blinks and falls to its knees. The hood falls down, revealing a face gasping in shock. But then, something ceases control of its lips, and it utters a short phrase:

"Bān kāi."

Momoka would be better to let go of the sword now. The blade has turned wooden, and by the feel of it is growing roots through the artificial body. Pulling it back would be rather difficult. Green lines appear on the pale, aged face of body - and then, its skin blooms open, as if it never was more than a cleverly arranged layer of leaves, revealing a surface that appears more wood than flesh despite its bloody red color.

At the same time, the air becomes tinged with green, and all the black and twisted plants in this hellish garden seem to grow in size, their sickly branches and leaves reaching towards the transmuting artificial soul. The body of said soul no longer has anything that could be called eyes, yet Masaru still gets the feel it is looking right at him. Flowers in the garden cough and retch, spitting out clouds of yellow pollen, and strange creatures that appear to be dancing cottonballs with tiny human arms and legs emerge at the edges of Masaru's vision.
At this point, Masaru figures the bull excrement is flowing thickly enough he should just get moving before questioning it.

Never mind that accessing a Bankai should not be possible for anyone who's not the actual original owner, even if the "secondary user" is apparently some odd fragment of the Commander-General.

"Next time I think I'll request solo training time."

Mostly because this has nothing to do with actual Bankai training, and even Ancalagon is downright confused. But also angry. Then again that big lizard was always angry.

Right now Masaru was pretty ticked too. He flexed his muscles, and the Kido binding him showed cracks on many of the poles. Then, his shadowy arm broke free first, and proceeded to sweep away many of the other poles.

Finally, he was free. At which point, he moved away in a Flash-Step, giving himself distance even as he drew his swords.

"Blot out the sun and drink up the stars! Crush the mountains! Burn the sky and boil the sea! Ancalagon!"

And once more he was holding his shadowy broadswords, his face a mask of frustration.

"You know Commander, if you'd wanted me dead, you could have just requested I commit seppuku, or perhaps poison my tea. So since that's out, I'm guessing this is some kind of ******** "training" for me. Which is odd, since I thought this whole thing was about me trying to achieve Bankai. Which I can't do if I'm busy fighting you. Your puppet. Whatever."

[strawberryman]

Momoka flits upward in a swift shunpo jump, leaving behind a shadow of her image as she invokes another bakudo.

"[Anchoring Plane.]" A shadowy platform appears a few feet below Momoka as she reaches her vertical limit, touching down into an acrobatic crouch. Surveying the events below, she smirks at Masaru.

"It's unwise to question your elders, Hiraku." For now, she waits, but it's clear her purpose here is finished.

[Frozen_Feet]

The humanoid plant-creature doesn't reply to Masaru's outburst. Maybe because it's not the commander, and Masaru is barking at the wrong tree, so to speak. Or maybe because its mouth is just a hollow cavity in its trunk now and it has nothing resembling human vocal chords anymore.

He might also have missed the forest for the trees. Holding such a spirited speech and cursing loudly caused some of the pollen to get into his mouth. It has a bitter and medicinal taste, and it's now tearing up his eyes, making his nose run and clogging his throat. But that's okay! Masaru did pack some medicine with him, after all... or did he?

The plant-creature itself doesn't move, staying rooted in place. But around Masaru and Momoka, the twisted plants keep growing, turning from a hellish garden into an impenetrable thicket filled with shadows. Masaru can catch glimpses of the cotton-ball-creatures among the trees - they are arranging into a large circle around him, and seem to be dancing. And singing, in nonsensical, high-pitched voices.

Meanwhile, Momoka is relatively safe on her perch. She may be right, she may be wrong, but if she insists on chatting with Masaru, she's going to end up with that pollen in her mouth as well.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru grit his teeth as the symptoms of...allergies?...set in. This was an absurd "training method". He should have just gone out to the edges of District 80 and meditated for a month, he could have gotten pollen sneezes there.

Instead, with a casual roll of his shadowy shoulder, a scarf of darkness wraps around his nose and mouth, partially filtering the worst of the pollen and irritants out.

He takes a few small Flash Steps backwards, away from the tree-golem in the center, before turning and beginning a more dedicated exit from the grove. If the plant growth in front of him begins to get heavier, he will enlarge his blades with shadow and simply cut down that which impedes him.
Grasping vines or clingy pollen-creatures will be struck away with blades and spikes spontaneously appearing from shadows, cutting Masaru free, or at least attempting to.

[Frozen_Feet]

The scarf serves well as a filter, preventing any more pollen from getting into Masaru's airways. He hacks and cuts his way through the thicket, leaving the plant-creature behind. After tearing his way through at least 25 meters of the malicious growths, he breaks through and finds himself in a gloomy and quiet forest. All the pathways seem to have been erased from this nightmare garden, and the trees sway threateningly overhead.

75 meters later, he finds a place where the trees thin, leaving a round clearing some 30 meters in diamerer for what seems to be a pool of water. A sharp stone juts out of the water, and incandescent droplets of water like those he saw before float upwards around it.

"Weak."

Huh? Where did that sound come from?

"Is this how you plan to fight your own spirit as well? Run around and hope it leaves you alone?"

Well, where ever that one came from, it couldn't have been from the same source. Worse, it seems the forest intents to catch up with him. Water lilies sprout in the pond, and if Masaru looks over his shoulder, he can see the cottonball creatures flashing between the trunks. The medicinal taste in his mouth is growing stronger as the pollen melts on his tongue, though otherwise his breathing is getting easier.

"Poor, poor Masaru. Disgraced, betrayed by your superiors, left here to rot with me. Poor, poor, dragon. So angry, so frustrated. Yet so unable to do anything from your cage."

If Masaru hurries, he can stay ahead of the forest, for now. But even this prison, this hell, has its boundaries. And if he wants back up... well, currently the plant-creature is somewhere between him and the elevator.

Elsewhere, Momoka can see from her perch how the plant-creature pulls the wooden blade from its chest... or maybe it just grew and detached a new one, it's hard to tell. It disappears among the overgrown trees and flowers, and the area beneath her calms down. Watching this fight just got a whole lot duller.

[KnightDisciple]

At this point, Masaru has gotten used to not paying great attention to whispers trying to frustrate him. His life the last few weeks has consisted of around-the-clock whispers and temptations from a mad goddess who's living in his arm. That's made of shadow.

Some weird mind game from his Commander-General does nothing more than irritate him and convince him this was a mistake and completely unhelpful.

He'd come down here to get peace, perhaps to commune with his sword in deep, dark shadows. Not to get lectured by mobile pollen clumps.

He lifts the scarf just enough to spit out the half-melted pollen before continuing on. His stamina was always quite good, whether in a fight or a drinking contest or...other things.

Keeping ahead of a mobile forest wouldn't be any harder. So he kept moving. And fighting, if it came to that.

Maybe eventually he'd get some peace to commune with Ancalagon.

[Frozen_Feet]

Spitting the lump of pollen out of his mouth quiets the voices. Maybe they were just figments of his imagination. His journey continues, and he reaches a part of the cave which has not been overgrown... yet. The feeling of being watched returns fast, and its wake creep vines, thorns and twisted trees. Masaru manages to stay ahead of them for a while longer...

... and then he reaches corner of this cave, or barrier. Every other square meter of this cursed place is now obscured by snapping branches, retching flowers, wicked spikes and thorns and toxic pollen. Strangely enough, the forest stops growing just three meters of Masaru, leaving a patch of flowing grass just for him at the root of one of the great iron pillars.

Visibility is practically limited to the edge of forest now. If it's shadows and gloom Masaru wanted, now he has them. Only the eerie glow of the incandescent raindrops falling from ground towards the gaping maw suspended above offer any sort of lighting, and even such light is sparse through the thick cover of leaves. While he can't see the plant-creature, he can feel it is there, just some fifteen meters away from him. But there, it stops. It's waiting for something, but what, can't be told.

Soon, the whole forest falls still and quiet. Well... not completely quiet. Now that the sounds of creaking trunks and hallucinatory sprites have vanished, the dull churning makes an unwelcome return.

Masaru is almost on the very opposite edge of this hell from the elevator now, cornered in a jungle that is a perverse contrast to the desolation of his own inner world. What will he do?

[strawberryman]

Momoka raises her eyebrows at the scene below. Interesting, indeed. She idly looks back to see if the elevator was blocked. Hopefully not, she'd hate to be trapped down here for following orders. But even if it is, for now, she has only one plan as she shifts into a sitting position.

To wait, and watch.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru will spend at least a couple of minutes on cautious guard for attacks. He might take a moment to spit out more pollen muck if he can, but otherwise he's keeping all senses attuned to the forest.

If it doesn't move in on him, eventually he'll narrow his eyes and relax into a standing posture.

If he's still not attacked after that, he will (after a few more minutes) settle himself into a meditative pose, with the blades of his Shikai crossed on his lap. He doesn't seem to be in Jinzen, as his body is tense enough to indicate paying attention to the outside world. Further, the shadows about him continually flow and twitch in ways the low lights just couldn't justify.

[Frozen_Feet]

The elevator door is unobstructed. However, the lift has returned to the surface. If Momoka were to press the call button right away, it would take nearly a full day from her perspective for the lift to get down again. Still, nothing would really stop her from doing so and getting out should she so desire.

As the flowers are no longer spitting out more of it, the pollen in the air starts to float down, forming a thick, dusty layer on the ground and Masaru's shoulders. The plant-creature remains out of sight and stays put. It's all too easy to imagine it sitting cross-legged under the trees, with Hei Lin on its lap, mirroring Masaru's own position. The situation is like a bizarre game of chess. It has him checked; now it's his move. The only way out is through the thicket. He'll have to make it, sooner or later.

Fortunately, time is one thing he has plenty of. Momoka and Igarashi have seen to that. A month could pass here, and it would be just one day to the world above. But it's also a long time to spend alone, backed into a dark corner.

Of course, Masaru has been in this situation before. This is just like that time on the Hellpath. On the other hand... following that, he had to spend three months in a coma, and then woke up to a world rather different from which he left. The last month has all but erased the fun-loving man he used to be, leaving behind a haunted, irritable and bitter man. One dreads to think what could go wrong this time.

Seconds turns into minutes, minutes turn into hours, hours, possibly, into days. The plant-creature requires no sleep and it can draw all sustenance it needs from the warped soil and fuming waters of this place. Its eyeless gaze is ever-vigilant. But the demon of the forest does nothing to offend Masaru. It leaves that task for the demons he's brought with him.

[strawberryman]

[...some time later...]

Momoka sits and calmly watches, her mind clear for some hours. It was not exactly a new concept to her, and she does not truly begin to rouse until the barrier she created starts to degrade. Standing up, she mutters to herself, some distance above the spores.

"Walk amongst the winter fog; wisps dance at the edge of yomi's darkness; the thousands that are born shall join the honored dead. Bakudo 44: Misty Detachment." A strand of white ghostly fabric springs from her palm, which she grasps and wraps around herself; The world around her becomes blurry, from her perspective. But Momoka knew it was she that was the ghost. It would be quite convenient for the purpose of passing through the forest below, however. Floating effortlessly downward, she sinks into the woods, passing through like a spectre, casually viewing the strange beauty of the place.

Eventually, she reaches Masaru's clearing, observing the warrior with a calm but bemused smile. She says nothing, for now.

[KnightDisciple]

The elevator door is unobstructed. However, the lift has returned to the surface. If Momoka were to press the call button right away, it would take nearly a full day from her perspective for the lift to get down again. Still, nothing would really stop her from doing so and getting out should she so desire.

As the flowers are no longer spitting out more of it, the pollen in the air starts to float down, forming a thick, dusty layer on the ground and Masaru's shoulders. The plant-creature remains out of sight and stays put. It's all too easy to imagine it sitting cross-legged under the trees, with Hei Lin on its lap, mirroring Masaru's own position. The situation is like a bizarre game of chess. It has him checked; now it's his move. The only way out is through the thicket. He'll have to make it, sooner or later.

Fortunately, time is one thing he has plenty of. Momoka and Igarashi have seen to that. A month could pass here, and it would be just one day to the world above. But it's also a long time to spend alone, backed into a dark corner.

Of course, Masaru has been in this situation before. This is just like that time on the Hellpath. On the other hand... following that, he had to spend three months in a coma, and then woke up to a world rather different from which he left. The last month has all but erased the fun-loving man he used to be, leaving behind a haunted, irritable and bitter man. One dreads to think what could go wrong this time.

Seconds turns into minutes, minutes turn into hours, hours, possibly, into days. The plant-creature requires no sleep and it can draw all sustenance it needs from the warped soil and fuming waters of this place. Its eyeless gaze is ever-vigilant. But the demon of the forest does nothing to offend Masaru. It leaves that task for the demons he's brought with him.
As the minutes pass, the only activity is the shadows around Masaru pushing off dust and pollen, leaving him clean.
After 1 hour, he remains unmoving, but the shadows around him start moving and twisting, trying to form shapes. The flickering shadow arm occasionally pushes out extra flickers of shadow, which seem to reduce his fine control.
At the 2 hour mark, the shadows subside.
At the 3 hour mark, his swords reseal themselves.
After that, he simply sits there, meditating.

Shinigami might need food to replenish energy. But if they don't spend that energy, they don't need more food.


[...some time later...]

Momoka sits and calmly watches, her mind clear for some hours. It was not exactly a new concept to her, and she does not truly begin to rouse until the barrier she created starts to degrade. Standing up, she mutters to herself, some distance above the spores.

"Walk amongst the winter fog; wisps dance at the edge of yomi's darkness; the thousands that are born shall join the honored dead. Bakudo 44: Misty Detachment." The world around her becomes blurry, from her perspective. But Momoka knew it was she that was the ghost. It would be quite convenient for the purpose of passing through the forest below, however. Floating effortlessly downward, she sinks into the woods, passing through like a spectre, casually viewing the strange beauty of the place.

Eventually, she reaches Masaru's clearing, observing the warrior with a calm but bemused smile. She says nothing, for now.
It's been 6 hours.
Masaru's just sitting there, swords unsheathed and laid across his lap.

He makes no reaction to Momoka's presence, though she might pick up minute twitches that reveal he's likely aware of her.

[strawberryman]

Momoka glides closer, sitting next to Masaru silently. For now... she is silent, joining him in meditation. Masaru can only really feel her due to her spiritual power, and even that, due to the kido, is muffled. It's likely a few more hours pass before anything further happens... but Masaru cannot exactly be aware of what she's doing, due to his voluntary blindness.

During the hours of meditation, however, the white ribbon around Momoka fades, and she returns to normal existence. With that, she lets out a sigh. "This place is quite tranquil, if I might say so myself. My own interruptions aside. For that matter, there was nothing personal behind my actions."

Assuming Masaru opens his eyes at this conversation starter... wait, what? Her robes are discarded to the side of the small clearing, and she is in nothing but her skivvies. She continues sitting next to Masaru like nothing is out of the ordinary.

...From this angle, however, it is not difficult to see the full extent of her tattoos. She does have a rather tasteful arrangement.

[KnightDisciple]

When Momoka does nothing but settle beside him, Masaru seems content to stay slightly more alert.

When she speaks, at first he leaves his eyes closed.

"It was a bit more tranquil before the plant life tried to start a fist fight, but yes.

I cannot deny I am finding the entire sequence of events extremely confusing. Some time to sit and breathe means the initial anger has left, but lingering frustration remains."

He opens his eyes, his gaze at first looking into the trees, perhaps searching for the golem-like super-tree-thing that had tried to attack him earlier.

"As for it not being personal, that seems reasonable. After all, I'm sure there are much more painful Kido combinations you could have used. I will admit to being impressed by your-"

And then he turns and realizes her state of dress. Masaru's expression goes flat, but his cheeks flare red as his gaze snaps forward again, and his eyes close a bit more quickly than before.

"I, ahem. Is it too warm for you down here? The temperature seems largely agreeable to me."

[strawberryman]

"It is quite fine down here." Momoka is smirking, but she's always doing that. Her expression might just be stuck like that. "I merely find this more comfortable. Natural, if you will. I spared you the full extent of my naturalism, however."

She hasn't moved one bit, looking forward calmly. "I believe I might suggest a purpose to this exercise. It is something similar to your ability to look straight right now. Your slightly elevated heartbeat. A natural response, of course."

"Bankai is our ultimate accomplishment. A climax of our being. To achieve this, we must be nothing less than our best. There must be no distractions from that goal. A distraction, is a liability. And liabilities have no place in this training."

"But there will be distractions. To speak in a somewhat overused metaphor, if your cup is not empty, then the contents may spill. But to achieve that emptiness of mind is no trivial thing, if you are not accustomed. Your phantoms will rise. You may be unable to control the environment around you..." She gestures slightly to the forest around them... then takes the pale hand, and caresses Masaru's leg. Her touch is cold, prickling into the warrior's muscles. "Your body may betray you." She retracts the hand.

"Nothing can come of this imperfection. You may say you cannot concentrate with such odds, but that should not be reflected on your environment, but on yourself. Self-improvement cannot come without self-reflection."

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru decides that keeping his eyes closed and breathing regular is more important than responding to the naturalism comment.

"Yes, it is the peak of the power of a Shinigami, though for many even that peak must be mastered.

And you are right that distractions are liabilities.

The problem is, you, and that thing borne from the Commander's Bankai, are not the only distractions for me."

He turns and looks Momoka in the eye, his conscious mind ignoring her hand on his leg even as his reflexes and subconscious shuddered for a moment, before that stopped, clamped down on by iron will.

"I have a mad goddess gibbering in my mind and soul. She distracts me constantly.

I slept for a time and awoke in a totally different world. This distracts me.

My cup is not empty yet, but I am seeking to pour it out with all my strength and will.

But I must warn you, it may take some time. Months. Or more."

He closes his eyes and settles down into a calmer state. Then he speaks a brief sentence.

"My name is Masaru. Hiraku Masaru. I...don't believe we've met before."

Once she told him her name, he would seek to settle into silent contemplation.

For an entire week.

[strawberryman]

"Kobayashi Momoka. And I know. I saw your fight with Izanami-no-Mikoto." Her mention of the full formal name of Izanami might stand out. "You might say I was put into jail for my research of her. She may be mad now, but she and Izanagi-no-Mikoto created this world. I believe that much of their story is told in the incantations of Kido."

"In a metaphorical sense, of course. It begins even at the lowest of spells..." Over the week, Momoka sat next to Masaru, speaking... nearly nonstop. Her theories, her observations, her research. Every so often she would 'jolt' his attention by playfully rubbing his leg or arm with a hand, leaning into him, or resting her bare legs or even her head on his lap. On a few occasions, she ran her fingers through his hair and even began to give him a backrub, or whispered in his ear seductively. Her periods of silence were oddly spaced and unpredictable, and while Masaru might have had a breath of relief at this, it was no knowing when she would assault his concentration again, and what she would use to do so.

Of course, Masaru could likely tell, though she appeared to be making it transparent in implication, that she was not flirting legitimately. This was a game. Perhaps to try to help the man, perhaps simply out of amusement, it was hard to tell.

But nonetheless, a week passes. On what would have to be the morning of the eighth day, Momoka robes herself once more and stands, tucking each hand in the opposite sleeve. "It was fun, Hiraku. But I'll have to leave you alone for a while. I have other business to attend to, but I shall return. It is my duty to oversee the dangai breach, after all."

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru sits there quietly the whole week, not speaking again to Momoka, though he does nod at her name.

He lets her words wash over him, working to take important and relevant information and store it for later while discarding the rest.
The first day and a half, he'd twitch noticeably at any mention of Izanami.

It took three days to control himself at her touch. Four and a half to quiet the most egregious of his reactions.

"Travel safely to the rest of the world, Momoka. And, thank you."

He will not speak again as she leaves.

[strawberryman]

Momoka nods slightly, casting her misty detachment again, and floating to the lift, from there pressing the button. Of course, she would have to wait another full day, given the distortion, but for now she figured she would let Masaru's lesson end.

She has a report to give the commander, as well as receiving her end of this bargain.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru would sit quietly for two days. Long enough for Momoka's presence to leave the training ground entirely.

Days didn't have much meaning down here, but Masaru's mind was sharp enough to keep at least general track of time.

So he'd wait until Momoka had been gone for an entire day before standing up slowly and opening his eyes, facing the forest. He would speak, his voice ringing out clearly.

"I can sense you still out there. Will you lessen this artificial forest and leave me be if I venture from this spot, or must I face you in battle?

This is a poor test, either way. The conditions are not explained. The goal is not explained. It serves no true purpose in helping me achieve a power internal to myself."

[Frozen_Feet]

The forest remains entirely silent. Days spent in darkness allow Masaru to see much better in it now, though the plant-creature remains covered by trees and bushes. Masaru can sense it does not budge when called, however. The ground outside his little clearing is still covered in pollen, though it is wet and clumped together now.

[KnightDisciple]

"I see. The Commander is a poor instructor. Obfuscation and silence at every turn.

I had thought perhaps I'd be left in a large, unoccupied space wherein I would be allowed to meditate and eventually call upon the outward manifestation of my sword's spirit, at which point I would proceed apace through the trial or trials it might have for me."

He stares at the strange plant creature through the trees, his face tightening into a scowl. The first emotion he's shown in a week.

"Instead I am deceived and attacked. Attacked by the Bankai of the Commander-General. Except the Commander is not here.

A teacher who cannot take the time to explain the nature and purpose of their lesson to their student is a **** teacher. And possibly an *******."

He pauses, then draws his swords, leaving them hanging at his side.

"A Shinigami who so carelessly leaves their sword in an isolated place is suspect in their worth as a Shinigami."

And suddenly he is gripping two shadowy broadswords. Without a release phrase or command.

"A leader who does not explain their orders, and who cannot be bothered to directly take part in a confrontation like this, must be considered suspect as a leader.

I am left wondering what Commander Li's intent and purpose with this exercise is. But I am also left with startlingly little ****s given. At this point, I just want some space to stretch my legs in."

Suddenly, the area around Masaru seemed brighter. But a moment's observation would show that it was not that he was emitting light, but rather that he was absorbing a lot of shadows, pouring them onto the surface of his swords...

Before unleashing flames as black as midnight that burn as truly as normal red flames. They start in just past the edge of the clearing in a semi-circle, and proceed to move outward. The Night's Breath is a terrifying power, and one Masaru has not really unleashed yet. But here in this place, with the power of the shadowy arm feeding the flames to keep them burning for a full minute on their own power, and Masaru's will pushing them out and away from himself, their power can finally be seen.

[Frozen_Feet]

The trees are wet and massive. As such, they catch fire very poorly. A great amount of steam is generated and crackling, hissing sounds fill the air as water boils and some of the trunks closest to Masaru's clearing crack to release the pressure growing inside. Smaller plants and leaves curl up as they dry and then immolate. The pollen on the ground dries, then starts to float again due to currents of warm air, then flashes into flames, causing rather spectacular flashes of fire in the vicinity.

As Masaru's fiery assault begins, the plant-creature in the shadows picks up the wooden blade from its lap and stands up. Then, it starts walking, apparently backwards - though the concept of facing might not be applicable to it in the first place. Regardless, Masaru can feel it moving away from himself, at a slow pace. There are several full-grown firs between it and him, so it is relatively well-shielded from the flamefront. The heat might singe the leaves growing from its head and scorch its surface black, but a minute isn't even close to being enough to reach its core.

A minute passes, and the flames turn from shadows into normal ones, continuing to burn through normal process of oxidization. At a glance, it would seem Masaru's bout has done preciously little to liberate him of the forest. The trees closest to him are cracked and blackened, with smoke and steam rising from them. There are few flaming bushes and patches of hay nearby, and the glow of cooling embers and floating sparks. Masaru's attack reached just a tiny stretch of the forest - the majority of it is still perfectly intact.

Of course, if he calms down a bit and thinks, he'll realize his attack must've left behind a myriad smoldering embers and dry patches of ground that he can't even see from his vantage point. It might take hours, even days, but eventually, the former will set fire to the latter. From there, the flames will creep to the nearest trees, using their bark as fuel until they can dig their fiery claws into their trunks. He might quicken the process tremendously by repeating his attack, but all he wants is to see the forest burn, all he has to do now is to sit back and wait.

But before he does one thing or another, he really should ask himself a question: is setting fire to the forest he's in really the smartest idea he's had lately?

The barrier he's in is huge, and the forest has come to cover all parts of its floor accessible to Masaru. There are whole hectares of it in this cave. Once the fire gets going, it can go on for days. It will turns this whole cavern into a gigantic oven, making the iron pillars upkeeping the barrier red-hot from heat.

That is the reason the plant-creature is abandoning him. Their staring match is over. Masaru lost. But he did not lose to the demon of the forest, no. He lost to the demons of his own frustration, anger and mistrust. He saw hell, and now, by his own action, he has seemingly decided to make it into a veritable inferno!

But! There is still time for him to rescind that decision. The bottom of the cave used to have a lot of water, and at least some of it hasn't been overtaken. Masaru might recall the small pond and river he saw earlier. Or, he could surprise himself (and the dear readers) by coming up with a novel solution to this dilemma.

But that solution he'll have to figure out himself. Now that even Momoka has left to maintain the barrier, there is no-one who will advice him. No explanation is forthcoming, and no-one will save him if not himself. He's on his own. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wREKhBGlqo)

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru eyes the smoldering remains about himself. For a couple of minutes after the fire dies down, he simply stands there.

And then, with simple raising of his arms, the shadows are once more drawn to his person. But instead of concentrating around his blades, they float about in a seeming cloud of wispy darkness.

Until he takes 2 steps forward and they all but slam into the ground, a flat sheet of darkness that might as well be solid matter, pressing down on the embers. It should serve to completely smother the embers and ashes.

Masaru would repeat this exercise until he'd smothered everything that had burned. Half-burned trees would be expertly cut down and cut to size.

After that was done, he'd take the time to use more shadows to pile up those ashes and embers.

He would then use his shadows to work at digging a hole (or multiple holes, if the ground didn't run deep enough to the barrier's edge) to push the piles of ashes into.

In this way, he used his powers to prevent any large-scaled disaster, rather than relying on the hope of water nearby.

In short, he cleaned up his own messes.

It took him the better part of a day to accomplish it all, and by the end he was sweating a bit, and his swords resealed with a sigh of relief from their wielder.

But now he had a dry patch to work in.

And he also had proof the plant creature was not completely unresponsive.

With that in mind, he settled down and spent 2 more days meditating, keeping his senses sharp for signs of sudden spring-up fires.
Once that period of rest and watchfulness was done, he decided to do more than just contemplate himself.

He took to the tree branches, leaping from one to the next, his steps as light as a breeze, giving a wide berth from where he'd last seen the plant creature move, his ears and spiritual senses listening keenly for any sign of it.

He would move for the elevator, though the plant creature, not being able to actually read minds, would not know it was a test.

Another scarf made of darkness would appear over his face as he moved, to ward off the worst of the pollen.

[Frozen_Feet]

The creature has returned to the exact same spot where Momoka stabbed "Chappi"; Masaru did give it a headstart of nearly three days, after all. It is sitting cross-legged on the ground, Hei Lin on its lap, its bark still black from fire, the leaves on its head have dropped off. Save for the head-hurting hum, the remaining forest is as still and quiet as a forest just can be. It is now just a playground for Masaru to use as he wishes.

Going closer than fifteen meters of the creature will cause a similar sensation of being watched as before. But unless Masaru attacks it or pushes the elevator's call button, it won't do a thing. The elevator has returned to the surface again, so if Masaru pushes the button right away, it will still take nearly a day from his perspective for it to get back down.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru will spend a few hours simply watching the creature, circling it before stopping and staring.

Once he's fairly sure it won't simply rise up and attack him, he walks over to the elevator, standing to one side of it.

If that provokes no reaction, he will reach over and inch his finger closer and closer to the call button, until it responds. If it requires pushing the button, he will do so.

[Frozen_Feet]

There's a beep and a red circle appears around the call button when Masaru presses it. Only at this point, does the creature react. It raises its hands and waves its apparent index finger from left to right and back again, while simultaneously shaking its head. The best guess for what such a gesture means would be "not yet".

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru looks like he's suddenly completely sure of himself. Arrogant, almost, as he leans against the closed doors.

"A Shinigami's Bankai, reduced to being a doorman. Pathetic. And what are you going to do? Spank me? Shake pollen at me? Or are you all bark and no bite?"

Surely a cutting pun only the cleverest wit could pick out, that one.

"I'm left wondering if you couldn't have just been replaced with a letter. "Dear Masaru, please don't leave that place until you have Bankai. Signed, the Commander." But no, we must use the most elaborate, unintuitive methods around."

Masaru begins pacing the perimeter again. Every time he passes the elevator, he touches the doors with one hand wearing a smirk on his face.

He's waiting for a response.

If 20 minutes of that receive no response, he will stop while facing the "front" of the being, tilt his head to one side...

And stab his suddenly-released Shikai into the shadow at his feet, causing an over-sized blade to suddenly stab up from the shadows the tree creature is casting, seeking to strike it in either the chest or the head. Such as it has.

Masaru's expression as he does this is one of complete calm, though not so much he looks bored. Simply...controlled.

[Frozen_Feet]

As before, the creature does not speak. It lowers its hand back to its lap, apparently confident Masaru has gotten the message. As noted, the concepts of "front" or "back" are not really applicable to it, anymore than they are to any other tree. The only hint Masaru has as pertains to that is how the apparent legs of the creature are arranged.

As Masaru decides to attack it, it shifts just enough for the attack to hit its head and not its chest. The shadow pierces the wood and sends splinters flying around. The creature is not particularly bothered by such injury; it is a tree, it has no vital organs there.

Is Masaru going to strike again?

[KnightDisciple]

For a couple of minutes, Masaru will keep everything where it is, testing the creature to see if it has a reaction.

Then, he will withdraw the blade at the same moment that he calls up a shadow to engulf and withdraw Hei Lin from its lap, carefully bearing the ancient weapon away from the construct of wood, if allowed.

At which point spikes and blades would rise up from the wood golem's shadow to attempt to shred it to splinters.

[Frozen_Feet]

That is, from the feel, one of the things Masaru is not allowed to do. As he tries to lift Hei Lin from the creature's lap, the creature immediately grabs it, and its hold is too strong to break with the force Masaru is currently using. It will hold on to it and start growing back (and more) parts to keep it to itself if Masaru tries to break it.

At the same moment the shadows touch the wooden blade, Masaru can feel faint rumbling beneath his feet. It might have occurred to him that since it is a plant, the creature might have roots. Roots that might reach very far from here. After all, the creature only took one day to grow the forest Masaru has been in for the last two weeks. He gave it three days to sit and wait here. He has been using shadows on the ground to attack it. It is entirely possible it could attack him from any point of ground, shadows or not.

Why it hasn't done so, he can only guess. But right now, it is giving him a warning: don't do this. It's his decision whether to heed it or not.

Approximately 20 hours before the lift will be down.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru stops pulling when resistance is felt, and withdraws the shadows. He gazes at the construct for a few moments.

"A prison guard, then. Effective. But...I find I cannot help but wonder why any Shinigami would give up a major piece of their own soul to accomplish something that a note and a gift basket could have.

And the Commander thinks we Pack members are short-sighted."

With that, Masaru will turn and walk to as close as he can manage to the exact middle of the training area, amidst the trees.

He has been in this place for about 12 days now. Not quite 2 weeks.

Until and unless someone interrupts him, he will spend another 9 days in basic, quiet meditation in this place.

[Frozen_Feet]

The creature falls still once Masaru ceases his assault on it. It continues to make no sound or move as Masaru leaves it.

20 hours later, the elevator arrives, and the door opens with a soft bling. When no-one steps in, the door closes after one minute, and then the lift rises back to the surface.

As Masaru walks through the forest, he'll notice the pond and the brook again, as well as some things that appear to be fruits and seeds dangling from some of the trees. They look bizarre and twisted like the branches carrying them, but in a pinch they may be edible.

The exact center is probably occupied by a tree, but Masaru can get within few meters of it. Or he could always cut the tree down and meditate on the stump.

Back at the elevator, the creature resumes its silent wait. It will not budge before Masaru tries to use the elevator a second time, or is daring enough to try and take Hei Lin from it again.

For nine days, absolute peace reigns in the forest.

[KnightDisciple]

[3 Weeks]

Masaru's eyes opened slowly after another long bout of meditation. With a slight grunt of pain, he stood up and went through several stretching exercises.

He then took a few moments to take in his surroundings...before looking down at the arm made of shadows. He frowned, but sighed and looked away. Nothing to be done about it.

Not yet.

Instead he took a couple of hours to roam around, poke and test the running waters. If they seem untainted he will take small sips.

Then, when that is finished, he will return to the spot he had previously been in. He considered the tree in the "exact center", then just shook his head. No need.

He just took another, slightly different spot that was close to the center.

And then he began a routine that would hold steady for an entire year down here, barring interruption by someone.


[3 Weeks to 1 Year]
For another week, he would meditate, taking the last day of that week to get up, stretch, perhaps drink some water.
Then he would spend a whole month doing the same, taking 1 day out of a week to simply get up, move, open his eyes, things like that.

This time in meditation was being used in his Inner World, his Mindscape. There, he slowly and carefully went about organizing his thoughts, his memories, and everything else found in his "Mental Library". He found that as he moved on, the task became easier and easier, and his mind remembered more and more easily, and more quickly. These exercises would not grant him true eidetic memory, but instead an inner clarity of recall from what memories he did form. He would still need to study more complex subjects, for instance, to commit them to memory, but once placed there he would be able to more easily sort through and find them.

After those 2 months of meditation, he spent an entire month doing daily exercises to try and hone his control of shadows. He alternated between the powers granted solely by his arm, and those granted by his sword's first release. The former, he had only limited success with; the taint of Izanami's powerful existence drawing out the shadow arm (or creating it, he was not convinced by her mad gibberings it was truly one of his innate powers) meant it would never have truly fine control. But with his Shikai, he found his control improving by even greater margins than before, though even this was hindered somewhat but the lesser control brought on by the arm.

After that month was up, he would again undertake 2 months of meditation (with weekly breaks).
This time, he forced himself to face the man he had been, both before and after his coma.
Before, he had used drink and wild living to try and drown out the pain of losing comrades, the fear of not succeeding, of leading his men into a trap.
After the coma, he tried to become more responsible, finding himself one of two leaders for his Division. But now he had to consider if he had swung too far, become too rigid.
A sword that was too soft could not cut an enemy. But a sword that was too rigid would break on the first blow.
He needed to find the point of balance, to temper himself into a sword worthy of Ancalagon, worthy of the office thrust upon him.

For the next 9 months, unless interrupted, Masaru Hiraku would spend a cycle of 2 months in meditation and contemplation, followed by a month of attempting to refine his abilities, primarily his footwork, swordwork, and shadow control.

As the year passed in the isolated training center, Masaru's hair would grow steadily longer, and perhaps a bit wild. He paid it no heed, but after a year his rough beard (which he kept clean with aid from the brook, along with, well, the rest of himself) and hair were both around the length of his waist.

In the outside world, 12 days at most had passed.

[strawberryman]

Around the end of the first year, the lift comes back down after the previous inactivity, Momoka stepping back out into the underground marsh forest with a deep, contented breath. At her side is a standard-length weapon, with a crossguard shaped like a leaf. The weapon is tucked safely into an orange-and-white colored sheathe, the orange forming the pattern of a host of autumn leaves.

She casts misty detachment after a few moments of taking things in, the lift door closing behind her. From there, giving a passing nod to the wood creature, she heads to where she last saw Masaru... only to stop at the burnt part of the grove. She observes the devastation for a moment before giving a short facepalm.

Some people just don't appreciate nature. Admittedly, nature swiftly and supernaturally stimulated into overabundance, but nature nonetheless.

Regaining her composure, Momoka actively sets her mind to tracking Masaru, which leads her back into the forest, to the center of the grove.

[KnightDisciple]

Momoka's search will bring her to the shade of the tree in the exact center of the training space.

Masaru himself seems...more peaceful than when she last saw him. From her perspective, it had been merely days. Not even two weeks!
But for the man sitting on the ground, it had been almost an entire year.

He was shaded by the leaves of the tree, almost drenched in the slightly unnatural shadows of the place.
His swords were sheathed at his side.
And...he had a beard that would put many mythical figures to shame.
It seems he either didn't pack shaving equipment, or hasn't bothered.

With moving or opening his eyes, Masaru spoke up. His voice was calm and congenial, and a bit softer than it had been before.

"I am glad you find yourself in continued good health, Momoka. Better health, I think, than when you were first down here.
I must ask, though, if you brought any food. If you intend to stay here for a while, we both might find it more convenient to have some at hand."

[strawberryman]

Momoka pulls the white ribbon from herself, regaining her 'physical' form. She chuckles a bit at Masaru's state. "You could say I am in good cheer. But you, Hiraku, look like you could be visiting old misers and convincing them to change their ways."

She reaches into the sleeves of her coat - which looks like she had taken time to paint floral decorations upon it - to pull out a straight razor and some lather, which she tosses before the warrior. "Keep them if you like. Or do not even use them. It is your choice." She smirks, then digging into a bag at her side. She has several packed salted meats, dried fruits, and other slow-perishing items, which she throws to the side of the shaving tools. "I have my own supplies, and I am a vegetarian, so please feel no pity for consuming the meat."

"...I shall have to see to the barriers, but I expect a year has passed by now. Are your accomplishments satisfactory up to this point?"

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru smiles at the joke about his appearance, his eyes sliding downward as he touches his beard for a moment.

"I suppose this is a bit unusual. Ah well, I think it stopped growing a couple of months ago; I shouldn't need to fear it growing ever-larger."

He sees the lather and razor before him, and gives his fellow Shinigami a nod of thanks as he tucks them into his own meager bag of possessions.

"I forgot to pack my own. I believe I shall preserve these for the end of my time here, though.

And thank you for the food. I am not over-hungry yet, but I intend to expend more energy in the coming year."

He gave a soft, thoughtful hum at the question as he gathers the food and sets it next to the tree in the center of the grove.

"Satisfactory, yes. I still have much to do, at least for the standards I have set for myself, but the most critical foundations have been laid.

Which is what brings me to my request of you, if you would consent."

He turns to face her more fully.

"I would like to ask that you do what you can to teach me how to properly use Kido. All I can accomplish at the present is a few simple barriers, but I wish to know more. It is quite possible I could end up a Captain if I do achieve Bankai, and thus I believe it is a good idea to round out my skill set. And Kido is the skill I lack the most in."

[strawberryman]

Momoka raises one of her eyebrows a minute amount. Then it lowers, and she chuckles. "It's an admirable trait to attack your weaknesses, Hiraku." She thinks for a few moments after that.

"Very well. It is not in my usual repertoire to teach, but I shall try my very best. I do need to see to the maintenance of the barrier, however. So for now... allow me to test your control, and aptitude." She focuses for a moment, conjuring a ball of pure energy in her hand. "You recall casting shakkaho in the academy, correct? Consider this a similar practice. Use the incantation, if you must, but your goal here should be to suspend, not destroy. When the ball appears, think of your reiatsu as a net, and wrap it around. I recommend you use both hands." She waits for Masaru to follow along.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru watches what Momoka does intently. All his senses are attuned to it.

When she indicates he should copy her, he holds his hands up, staring down at them in concentration. A couple of minutes pass, and Momoka can tell he is being very careful to slowly draw his energy up and out.

Finally, he has an orb...a quarter the size intended. He draws up more energy...and the orb falls apart.

"I have a feeling if I'd let my irritation surge up more than it did that might have been painful. I suppose it's not strange I would not master this exercise on the first try. If you observed any notable flaws in my technique, please feel free to correct me. Otherwise, I imagine this will be a matter of time and trial."

Unless corrected or instructed otherwise, Masaru will continue to work on manifesting a stable orb of the required size.
Each failed attempt gets a bit closer to the intended size.

[strawberryman]

Momoka lets the orb upon her own fingers dissipate. "The size is currently of no consequence. The fine control of the orb is your own decision to pursue, but I mean instead to test your ability to sustain the orb. I suggested focusing your attention on shakkaho... because the consequences for failing would result in pain. Not enough to significantly harm... but the body does not differentiate."

"The full exercise is to hold that orb in perfect concentration for a straight week. It is much more difficult than it sounds. You will need to maintain the size of the orb with your reiatsu such that it does not implode, but you must not overcharge it, lest it detonate. We require food for our spiritual power, if you do not maintain it perfectly, you will exhaust yourself."

"The demon path requires control. You must know how much energy to put into each spell; the incantations are merely devices that inspire your mind to achieve a particular result with the energy you invest. If you cannot achieve control, your spells may fizzle into nothingness, or explode in your face. Do you understand?" Momoka is still smiling calmly and confidently, although she does nod to Masaru, that he might ask questions.

"...if you'll excuse me for taking a hands-off approach, this is one of the SSI's informal tests, and I do need to see to the barrier." What Masaru likely didn't know is that it would barely take a day to see to the seals, and that Momoka's plan was to observe him from afar.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru gave an apologetic grin.

"I was always balls with Hado in the Academy, and in my wilder times I basically ignored the very idea of practicing anything besides the barriers I knew, so...I'm going off of a mere few shreds of memory."

As she continued to explain, he nodded.

"That does make sense, yes. In some ways it's similar to sword and footwork techniques. Learn to control your body's strength so you don't tear a muscle, overshoot a slice, or slam into a wall at high speeds. This is just...flashier.

By all means, please see to the barriers. This will take me some time."

With that, he settled down to the exercise.

Most of the time, the orb fizzled out after an hour or two. Once in a while, it had a somewhat more spectacular effect, though Masaru seemed able to direct the blast upwards where it singed a few leaves but otherwise did little.

Unless interrupted, he would spend an entire month going over the exercise, taking a break for two days of every week to rest and meditate.
He ate small bites of food, but did so fairly often.

By the end of the month, he was able to keep the ball going for about 3.5 days before losing it. He seemed happy with the progress.

[1 Year, 1 Month]

[strawberryman]

Momoka smirks as Masaru continues on the first day, recasting her ghostly kido, and fading into the woods. For the remainder of that first day and into the second, she casually approached the iron pillars, observing and maintaining small vulnerabilities in the seal.

After that, she took to observing the warrior. Likely evading detection with her skills and Masaru's focus on the task at hand, she does nothing but take notes. His mannerisms on failure. His mannerisms with every day he succeeded. The subtle or overt effects of the shadow arm on his abilities and concentration. The simple proficiency at which he creates the orb and manages his reiatsu. Everything was on the table, because she needed to know how best to teach the warrior. For a month, she did this. She honestly did not expect he would be able to maintain the orb for a week, but for now it would do well to notice his skill level.

[1 year, 1 month]

After a month of silence, Momoka approaches Masaru again, still smiling calmly yet mysteriously. "Hello again, Hiraku. I see you've been hard at work. How long have you managed thus far?"

[KnightDisciple]

[1 year, 1 month]

Masaru opened his eyes, offering a small smile to his teacher.

"Greetings once more, Momoka-san. I have indeed been working hard, and I feel like I've made a lot of progress for someone working to undo decades of rusted skills and bad habits.

Currently I can hold the energy sphere stable for approximately four days, though the last couple of hours are a bit "wobbly". It's probably not a record, but I feel rather accomplished. And I've managed to not have to eat too much of the food you so graciously brought. I am...uncertain about these fruits."

He eyes the trees around him with suspicion.

[Frozen_Feet]

The fruits in question look rather black and wrinkled, so Masaru has all right to be suspicious of them. It doesn't help some of them give off a rather eerie green glow.

[strawberryman]

Momoka smirks. "If you so wish. Do keep in mind my supply runs will run quite a bit longer from your end. If it makes you feel any better, I have come to no conclusion that the dangai would have a poisonous effect on life. But the Commander's bankai, on the other hand..." She chuckles, not finishing that thought.

"But, at any rate, I believe it is time for the next part of your training. You may continue the exercise if you so please, but for now, I believe it is best to move on. Your determination is admirable, but our minds truly flourish when they are given new activity."

"And so, I will give you a choice, Hiraku. Invariably we will round your abilities out, but for now, I shall need to know if you wish to begin on Hado, or Bakudo."

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru nodded at Momoka's statement of moving their training forward. He would continue the exercise as and when he could, but he felt inclined to increase his lessons as well.

When she presented the choice, he pursed his lips and closed his eyes, weighing the options for a couple of minutes. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked to his teacher, his voice calm and confident.

"I would like to begin with Hado. I know at least a couple of barrier-type Bakudo, but I never gave any focus to Hado, finding my sword the more likable alternative for training and fighting.

I also think it will take me longer to incorporate it into my fighting style, so I'd like to start sooner to become more familiar with it."

[strawberryman]

"Then let us begin." Momoka takes a few paces away, still in view, but not quite delving into the wild of the forest. "The arts of destruction and binding are often opposed." She wordlessly conjures a black pane of energy, folding her palm outward.

"Break the barrier." For an initiate, this was impossible. But Momoka was making a point, of course.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru stood to his feet and looked at the barrier for a few moments, before nodding and taking a couple of steps back.

He held up first his right arm, palm out, and then used his left arm to help steady it. Energy began to pool in front of his flesh palm as he chanted.

"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!"

His eyes narrowed a bit as the ball was now glowing a deep crimson. He minute adjusted his aim.

"Hadō #31. Shakkahō!"

A respectable Red Flame Cannon flew from Masaru's hand, better than any he'd used in the Academy. It struck the barrier straight and true, though with it being of average power, it was hard to tell if it would actually break the barrier.

[strawberryman]

The barrier does not so much as fracture. Momoka does not flinch, much like she expected this result.

In fact, as the flames uselessly lap the barrier, shadowy energy hangs around it, absorbing the orb... and spitting it back at Masaru.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru's brow furrowed as the barrier didn't even crack. He was no Kido expert, but his technique had been flawless, and quite frankly, he was a powerful Shinigami. By all rights it should have at least damaged the barrier.

And then the bloody thing grew arms and threw his attack back at him. Which proved he certainly didn't know as much as he thought about Kido.

Without panicking, he dodge to the left to avoid the incoming bolt of energy, already murmuring the incantation under his breath as he waited to see if the barrier would try to pin him down or the like.

If it did not, he would pace through the whole Kido incantation again, and fire off another Shakkaho at the upper right corner (rather than the center).

[strawberryman]

Momoka continues holding her right hand out as the second fireball hits the barrier. But with a flick of her left hand, the energy is absorbed and redirected yet again.

The difference being that this time, the energy is equally distributed into a flurry of smaller missiles, spreading outward like the burst of a shotgun. Momoka continues to watch wordlessly, with no smile, simply an expression of indifference.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru's eyes narrowed a bit more as he bobbed and weaved and dodged through the rain of energy bolts. He was beginning to get the sense this was another "totally not what it seems" lesson.

Finally the barrage was done, and he landed in a guarded crouch, not firing another spell. After a few moments of not being fired on, he spoke.

"So is this actually about me breaking that barrier with a Kido, or about me learning that spell, or something else? You do remember this is basically the only thing I know beyond a couple of teen-level barriers, right?"

[strawberryman]

Momoka let her hand fall, the barrier fading after a moment. "The only lesson here is the lesson of futility. There is no feasible way for you to break my barriers. I was simply testing how long you would persist before stepping back to assess the situation. You caught it fairly early. This saves time."

She smirks again, regaining her old disposition. "Not that we are lacking in that. I simply saw fit to break any lethargy from your previous test, and speak to a method of teaching you may be familiar with. With that in mind, shall we move on to the next step?"

Want to play this all out, or go with a timeskip? It would mostly be systematic approach of the kido tiers, stretching and exercising Masaru's proficiency.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru stands, but still seems ready for just about anything.

"I wasn't sure if this was a philosophical exercise, or something to try and teach me a new spell, or what. Guess I'm glad I caught on to the main thrust of the idea."

He rolled his shoulders a bit.

"Yeah, let's keep it moving. We've still got time, but I want to gain as much ground as we can."

I'm fine with a briefly-described time skip.

[strawberryman]

"Very good. Then let us press forward." Momoka resumes her calm smirk. "We'll begin a little lower." She points at the sky with her right hand, palm faced upward, and wordlessly sends a line of light outward into the dangai space. "Hado 4: Byakurai."

Some time later...

Momoka's training of Masaru had progressed for a month over the topic of Hado. As ever, the veteran kido practitioner made little effort to holding the warrior's hand through the exercises, so it was likely difficult work. After the first month, covering at minimum a new spell each week, Momoka yet again left him to his own devices for a few weeks, but not before testing his power against her barrier again.

Then she returned, and initiated training in Bakudo. Her initial practice with this was the direct opposite of the hado training; he would create a barrier to attempt to halt Momoka's spells. It was likely jarring and no more easier than her teaching of Hado, but yet again she attempted to give Masaru a new spell to practice each week of a month, then departed. This pattern repeated itself several times, until another year had passed.

Where Masaru was after that year... was wholly up to him.

[Year 2]

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru was the sort who learned best by being shown something or having it explained to him, and then being pushed to put it into action for himself.
So Momoka's methods worked pretty well. It likely helped that he had fairly large energy reserves to start with, and his system quickly built up even larger reserves as he was pushed in this new direction.

At times he would question her on what scenarios would favor the particular Kido she was showing him that day, or something of that nature. But for the most part, he was a fairly quiet student.

[Year 2 Ends, Year 3 Begins]

As the distorted time in the training space rolled on to another year, Masaru sat down with Momoka one day, nibbling at a high-density ration bar. Tasteless, but compact and filling. Just what you needed in a twisted place like this. Finally, he spoke up.

"I've been thinking about my training for the next...well, couple of years, really. In my meditations and talking with Ancalagon, he wants me to push myself a bit further in...just about everything, really, to get myself ready to face his trials.

To that end, I'm going to shift our Kido lessons to one week out of the month. This will help me set up a rotation of one week of Kido, one week of Hoho, one week of Zanjutsu, and one week of meditation. My Hakuda's inevitably going to fall behind a bit, but my foundation is strong, and I can always sharpen those skills more when I've left here. You're free to join me in my exercises, of course."

[strawberryman]

[Year 3]

Momoka takes this information with a slight nod. "Very well, Hiraku. You are on the doorstep of the demon arts, but I hopefully have given you a base from which to build your own expertise from."

"But I can understand the desire to re-arrange your priorities."

[KnightDisciple]

"I feel like I've built enough of a foundation that my future learning will come easier. But the truth is, my sword's release demands that I train more than just the Demon Arts. I feel like I have a few more goal-posts to reach before I can begin working on actually manifesting Ancalagon. Which will, of course, be the true test."

OOC: Do you mind if my next post just fast-forwards us through years 3 and 4?

[strawberryman]

Momoka nods very slightly. "Indeed. I will not stand in your way, then. I would merely say in my potential absence, that you continue those reiatsu exercises I taught you."

"On that note, do you request anything from the surface? I will not be gone long, but I may as well gather supplies."

Go for it.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru smiles and nods.

"Of course. I find the exercises extremely helpful not only in making my Kido and general energy control better, but also in centering myself.

As for requests, I would say more food, more hygiene supplies, a couple more uniforms, and..."

He hesitates after the fairly standard items, looking down at his two hands...one of which is composed of flickering shadow. When he looks Momoka in the eye again, there is steely determination there.

"Find out from Takenaka Chouko what she needs from me to make me a left arm."

The implication being that, when the time came, he'd be getting rid of the shadow arm he currently had.

[Years 3 and 4]

Masaru's training proceeds apace, as he sticks fairly closely to the schedule he had explained to Momoka.

His Kido growth slowed a bit, but he still showed incredible improvement compared to where he'd started at. His overall control of his own Reiatsu and Reiryoku showed even greater improvement.
This general control meant that his efforts to improve his footwork reaped greater benefits. While he still hadn't developed his own unique Hoho technique, or tried to learn or master an existing one, his "basic" Flash Step was more refined and precise, faster, and smoother.

His sword skill had perhaps improved slightly overall, but mostly he was just smooth out the rough edges of reckless bravery from years past.

At this point, one could safely say that he was at the level of a well-rounded Captain, albeit a Junior one. His weakest areas were Hakuda and Kido, but both were very solid, with Kido now edging out his unarmed combat, if only due to sheer versatility.

The problem was, he still only had Shikai, and his overall skill was not so legendary as to make him a "shoe in" despite a lack of Bankai.

But how, exactly, to have his sword reveal it?

[Frozen_Feet]

As years have passed inside the barrier, the forest has undergone some subtle changes. The trees have shed their leaves a couple of times, creating a thick layer of rotting plant matter in absence of animals to clear it. The fruits have also dropped and regrown a few times, and their dried or rotting husks are littered in the trash. Many of the wrinkled black forms have split or cracked, revealing smooth, round seeds that glow with eerie green light. They are frighteningly similar to the pill Masaru was given by his Commander a long time ago. The stench of wet and rotting leaves hangs heavy in the air.

[KnightDisciple]

As years have passed inside the barrier, the forest has undergone some subtle changes. The trees have shed their leaves a couple of times, creating a thick layer of rotting plant matter in absence of animals to clear it. The fruits have also dropped and regrown a few times, and their dried or rotting husks are littered in the trash. Many of the wrinkled black forms have split or cracked, revealing smooth, round seeds that glow with eerie green light. They are frighteningly similar to the pill Masaru was given by his Commander a long time ago. The stench of wet and rotting leaves hangs heavy in the air.

The area immediately around where Masaru did most of his practicing would stay fairly clean. Each week of Kido practice, he would release his sword and use his control over shadow to clear an area of about 50 square feet around where he often meditated.

As a further exercise, he would create boxes of Kido barrier around the piles of half-rotten debris and use a quick Hado to set them aflame, waiting until they were burned-down ashes before using his shadow control to dig a hole, dump the ashes, and bury the ashes.

It probably doesn't completely clear out the scent, but if nothing else it will help maintain a clean space around him.

The fact that the whole place, created from an abandoned Zanpakuto, is half-rotted, is just another thing to decrease Masaru's respect for the aged Commander-General.

[strawberryman]

Momoka spends her time out of sight. As planned, every few weeks she would return to help Masaru along with his kido training, but it is hands off at best. She disappears to the surface for some time at the beginning of each year for supplies and other requests. The first time, she returns with a list from Chouko on any custom additions. Beyond that, the engineer already had his arm measurements. One could wonder how, but it's probably not the most important thing to dwell on.


Utility Knife
Lighter
Fire extinguisher
Six-shooter
Flamethrower
...

When she's not dwelling in secrecy or assisting Masaru, Momoka is doing her part to tend to the woods. She seems not to mind the dank and rot quite as much.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru had taken some time to peruse the list from Chouko, making notes about his desired add-ons.

-Extendable shield(s) of some sort; be it a European buckler, or smaller plates popping up along the arm's length, or the equivalent of heavier plate armor. Some sort of retractable physical plates for added protection and blocking potential. Or energy shiels to do the same thing.
-In-built location/GPS system.
-In-built comm system.
-In-built palmtop computer.
-Sensory feedback at least 80% as good as flesh-and-blood arm; failing that, the highest possible feedback to simulate real arm. HIGHEST PRIORITY.
-General strength level should be about 2.5-3 times flesh-and-blood strength.
-Ability to not be damaged by Kido casting, if not aiding in the same way having a flesh-and-blood arm would.

Comparatively simple, but very functional.

He also made sure the notes were clear that he would not be acquiring his new arm until he had emerged from his training.

At the end of Year 4 and beginning of Year 5, he asked Momoka if there was a Kido that could create an area of pure darkness. He knew of Hado 90, but did not want something to cause harm. Rather, he wanted, needed, an area of utter blackness to meditate in. It did not need to be large, just a few feet in each direction; he did not anticipate moving over-much during the time.

[strawberryman]

The modifications are submitted to Chouko's office in a timely fashion!

As for the kido, Momoka tries a... different approach. She thought it about this time that Masaru would use what he'd learned to manifest his energy and consciousness towards his own ideal of this kido. It was the next test, from where he was, he could simply learn kido with mnemonic devices. But to truly understand it, he had to delve into its creation.

Of course, she could also simply just offer him a spell. It was up to him.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru thought on the two options for a couple of hours, but ultimately decided on simply learning a Kido. He thanked Momoka for the encouragement regarding individual research, but explained that he felt that at this time, making his own Kido was less important than secluding himself in the darkness.

Once learned, Masaru picked a cleared spot of ground that he had thoroughly cleared and packed down, and that shouldn't get anything drifting down onto it.

He settled into a comfortable lotus position, placed his sheathed swords across his lap, and cast the darkness-inducing Kido. A squared pillar of shadow, 6 feet square and 10 feet tall, manifested around him as he closed his eyes and began his breathing exercises.

Once erected, the Kido seemed to stay put...

[A Year Passes; End of Year 5]

After just shy of one year (from the perspective of those in the prison), the shadows around Masaru suddenly shatter, and then simply vanish.

He is sitting there, his hair and beard...actually a bit shorter than before, but still rather long and a bit ragged. Probably cut them a bit to ensure he didn't drown in hair.

For a moment, he simply sits there...before his eyes open and he stands up.

He spends two hours silently going through several stretching exercises, before finally going over to the food and drink supplies to take a light repast.

Something has changed, ever so slightly, about him.

[strawberryman]

Momoka, ever the lurk, appears from behind the trunk of a tree to follow Masaru, hands behind her back. "I had begun to wonder if you'd ever emerge." She's teasing, of course. "So did you find something there, in the dark? Perhaps the secret to life? Or simply the perfect noodle?"

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru smiled as he sipped from the canteen in his shadow hand.

"Sadly, Ancalagon's no better at cooking than I am. No noodle recipe. And we haven't yet divined the ultimate meaning of life, though the mad ramblings of my tenant don't count."

His smile lessened, but while serious, he still seemed pleased.

"I did find what I needed to, though. I made the breakthrough."

[strawberryman]

"Does that mean you will be initiating your spirit's trials?" She sits down next to Masaru, folding her legs. "Quite the accomplishment. Is there anything I'll need to do to facilitate your preparation?"

[KnightDisciple]

"Yes. We've reached the point of harmony where we must contend with one another. He has said his trials are ready. The first few will need nothing but some space and time. The-"

He stops for a moment, tilting his head to one side with a faint smile.

"The final test, though, might need someone on stand by for fire fighter duty. We will warn you when that time comes, though."

Masaru lapses into silence as he finishes his meal and drink.

[KnightDisciple]

Sorry, I'm gonna move this forward. Next couple of posts will be progression through his training with Ancalagon. berry, feel free to have Momoka observe, comment to herself, etc.

Underground Dangai Training Area, Beginning of Year 6 of 7

For 10 hours, Masaru sat alone in the training clearing, his energy slowly stirring in invisible wisps around himself.

And then, suddenly, he was not alone. Sitting across from him was a man who was only mostly man, clothed in fine robes of indistinct origin, long flowing black hair that shone like no hair should shine, and eyes that shone like red coals. Smoke curled from his mouth as he smiled.

"Good, good. We have reached the plateau before the pinnacle. Now I must test your body."

And almost faster than Momoka's eyes could see (if she was watching indeed), they were clashing, identical pairs of swords in their hands. Dark sparks flew off where their blades met. Masaru's face, half-covered by hair that it was, was calm, resolute. The other man, his sword's spirit, was one lit with dark joy...

They fought for a day, and neither prevailed.

And they began a cycle of fighting, resting a day, fighting, resting. Masaru ate for both of them, regaining his strength as he demanifested and remanifested Ancalagon time and again. It clearly took a portion of his strength, but not as much as one might think.

This they did for 3 months, with no victor in clear sight...

[strawberryman]

((Apologies, really, just didn't have much to add. Still don't, so feel free to keep going.))

[KnightDisciple]

Underground Dangai Training Area
Year 6, Month 4, of 7

Finally, the sparring ended. Neither man moved for a time, before the draconic one spoke.

"Good. You are strong. You are fast. Your do not tire easily. You adapt. Your physical self is where it should be. But can the same be said of your mind?"

Without so much as a twitch, Ancalagon's weapons disappeared, and instead, two chairs and a small table made of shadow appeared from nowhere. The sword spirit gestured for Masaru to sit. The somewhat ragged-looking man stood for a moment before conceding and sitting down at the table.

A chess set sprung from the shadow; while the sword spirit was unable to make anything white, it could make one set (and half the squares) a midnight black, while the other half were a dusky grey.

"Now we shall test your mind. I shall begin this round. Oh, and do try to listen as I speak, you might need to respond to something..."

Half an hour into the game, Ancalagon spoke again.

"Everyday I stalk you all day long,
With every move you make, I never make one wrong.
I vanish twice a day with the sun's height and fall,
I will follow you anywhere,
even the bathroom stall.
What am I?"

Masaru didn't even look up.

"My shadow. That was-"

Ancalagon interrupted with a smirk, taking Masaru's bishop.

"A test, to ensure you can listen, respond, and still play."

The swordsman only nodded as he continued to observe the board.

And so it would go, in a back-and-forth for several months. For a time, Ancalagon was winning more often than not. But about a third of the way through their time doing these tests, Masaru began to win more often. By the end, Masaru was winning every game.

And Ancalagon just continued to smile.

- - - Updated - - -

Underground Dangai Training Area
A Few Days Shy Of 6 Full Years

Masaru stands in front of his sword's spirit, his two blades sealed and sheathed at his side.

"You have one final test. And it is the most important test, moreso than one of power or wits."

Ancalagon twitched a hand, and over to one side, shadows peeling back from them, was a pile of fresh, clean, never-worn clothes (from the last supply run Momoka had done), as well as the shaving kit she had brought down so long ago.

"First, please make yourself look like an officer. But do not worry about the clothes just yet, only your countenance."

Masaru smirked a bit, but went about the business of using the kit and some boiled (now warm but not that warm) water from the nearby stream to work on making himself presentable.
He decided to not worry about maintaining any facial hair, and in fairly short order he was smooth-faced for the first time in (to him) years, his hair a bit rough at the end but fairly close to its original length. The clothes, he left as-is.

"Now for the test. Your first requirement is: No weapons. You must leave my physical blades behind."

Masaru blinked in confusion.

"Behind where? Where am I-"

Before he could finish, a line appeared on the ground in front of him, before it curved, into a circle around Ancalagon's human manifestation. The interior of the circle of black shadows was 5 feet in diameter, but the line itself was fully a foot thick. Something in Masaru's instincts told him to step back.

Which was good, because a circle of black, shadowy flames roared into existence on the bare ground. A foot-thick circle of flames obscured Ancalagon, but the spirit's voice rang out clearly over the roaring fire.

"This is a test of your heart and spirit! Are you courageous enough to step into the flames. Do you trust me, your sword spirit, your own soul-stuff, to not harm you? Do you have the pride to stand on your own power and no others? Do you have the humility to know that you need assistance to begin standing on your own once more? You bear the soul of a dragon, Hiraku Masaru, and those with the soul of a dragon must not be average. Do you have all these qualities and more? If you do, you know what you must do."

Masaru knew. He intuited from his sword's words, but also knew from deeper within his soul what he ought to do. What he had to do.

Slowly, he loosened his sword belt from his waist, and laid it upon the still-pristine clothing. He turned, his clothes flapping a bit around his slightly leaner (but all the more dangerous for it) form. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

Then, he reached into a pocket inside his uniform and withdrew the sealed container with the single green pill within. He slowly, carefully unwrapped the pill, before casting the container into the flames.

It flashed away into ash just as it touched the flames.

Masaru...smiled.

He smiled, and walked toward the flame. As he did, he placed the pill in his mouth.

Just before he reached the flames, he closed his mouth, and began to swallow the pill.

If Momoka was watching, she would see him walk into the flame, and....well, it was hard to tell if he had been burned away, but there were a fair number of ashes that flared up and floated away from the roaring, shadowy blaze.

But was that truly it? Was this the end, or the beginning?

[Frozen_Feet]

When Masaru stepped into this cave, he was all but convinced the Commander-General was trying to kill him. That thought plagued him and shadowed all his interactions with Li ever since Izanami became trapped within him. It almost made him burn himself alive.

From those premises, it would've been logical to assume the pill was poisoned. After losing majority of his faith towards the Commander, eating it is an odd deed indeed. But, if he is to walk into the fire willingly, it hardly matters, does it now?

For a brief moment, as the pill melts on his tongue, Masaru sees the forest illuminated by his flames. Everywhere where there used to be shadow, there is a green luminescence, and he can see every detail of it... every leaf-covered rock, every square inch shaded by a tree, every dark nook and corner as if he was in all of them at once.

For a moment, he can feel how each tree, each flower and each patch of grass in the forest is connected - how their roots reach deep into the ground and intertwine. More, he can feel how that connection goes beyond observable reality and stretches through time and space. He can see a forest, in South America, where apparently many trees grow... but in truth, all the trees are part of a single organism, growing from a single seed, a single root. He can see haunted forest shading the side of a volcano, a village where all houses are grown rather than build, a land of thousand lakes dominated by forest, the inside of a dark greenhouse and a celestial bamboo grove where nothing dies and flowers bloom forever.

"Finally."

"Kept us waiting, didn't you?"

"You're free. Break your cage and soar, little dragon!"

Masaru can feel something growing inside him, roots digging through his flesh. They are looking for something, trying to draw it out... and then, from somewhere deep within him, it rises to meet the growing tendrils. It's the force of rot, decay and destruction, the feel of Izanami's Reiatsu that destroyed the vestment bestowed upon Masaru by his connection to his friend Koutarou. It seeps into the roots like poison, trying to halt their advance... but each time the corrosive energy kills them, they rejuvenate and start growing again, seeking to surround and constrict the malign presence. For a moment, a picture of a castle built on the edge of the world dominates Masaru's mind... a castle, and forest growing from desolate soil, rising to surround it and shadow it, pushing its roots and branches into its windows, walls, foundations...

But while this strange battle takes place within Masaru's own body and mind, each passing millisecond makes him more distant to it. Its because the two foreign influences are nullifying each other and fighting each other into a standstill, leaving Masaru's own essence alone and untainted for the first time in years. It feels like he could just... let his body burn away from around them, escape as smoke and leave such impurities down behind him.

"Hurry up! I can't keep her at bay forever!"

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru blinked as the forest became strangely visible, and as the vision went on, he saw more, and stranger things.

The angry young man convinced the Commander-General sought his death was gone. Instead, he was a somewhat wiser, more mature man; now, while he did not hold the Commander in the highest regard, he respected his elder enough to recognize what was going on in his soul.

Finally, the cancerous, shadowy mountain, and the strange castle atop it, in his soul-scape were being pushed away. He could feel Ancalagon's cry of joy, even as outside, in the realm of his body, he stared into his sword-spirit's eyes.

Masaru stood in the middle of the flames, his tattered uniform burned away, any stray whiskers shaved by the flames, his hair somehow left just perfect, if a bit singed, in length. His body was otherwise completely untouched by the flames whirling around them, or indeed, the ones still clinging to his form. Ancalagon smiled at him.

"You have taken the final step. Now, to show this parasite that a dragon is not harmed by flame."

And suddenly, the draconian man in front of him was gone, and within his soul, a tyrant lizard the size of a mountain roared in equal parts anger and joy as it unleashed terrible black flames upon the mountain of corruption.

And the flames encircling Masaru compacted on his body, forming something like an egg of solid black flame around him. For five minutes, Momoka would see the flames burn hot...

Until suddenly, a lump flew over to one side, and the rest of the flames stopped and subsumed themselves into the suddenly-growing shadow around where Masaru had been. Tendrils reached out and grabbed the new uniform and the suddenly-empty sword belt, dragging them into the formless mass...

And then, suddenly, there was a man astride a dragon made of shadow, that man himself was clothed in shifting shadow, a spear of dark metal gripped in one hand.

Probably the big dragon was the most notable thing. 50 feet long, it was a European-style creature, and it looked at the lump on the ground that was still buried in shadow-flames.

"Hmph. Only temporary. Still, we've achieved what we wanted."

The man, his eyes closed until now, opened them with a serene smile. For just a moment, his eyes had been pitch-black yawning pits of shadow and eternity, before returning to his only slightly freaky green eyes.

And he bore only a single arm on his body, the other sleeve (opposite his spear arm) flapping empty in the breeze.

"Indeed. In more ways than one."

[strawberryman]

Momoka's voice rings from nowhere as Masaru emerges from the flames. "A more perfect scene could not be asked for... and yet, there is a single blot of black on this bright pastoral..." There's a rustling motion, as Momoka appears, pulling at the air like a cloth. With herself, she also reveals... a rather elaborate ritual circle, smaller iron rods mimicking the sealing field around them, and lesser kido markings lined in several circular tiers. A orange box forms in the center as she thrusts her hand out towards the trajectory of the shadow arm... and the limb appears within. Before it can dissipate, she brings her hands to the ground, reiatsu alighting the kido runes and activating them, several barriers forming in the small space, even as Izanami's power likely begins to leak out.

"...you have done well, Hiraku. But from here, I believe, it is beyond your capacity to neutralize her." Momoka, caught in the outermost ring of the barrier, looks over with a slight smile, beads of sweat rolling from her forehead.

"...it is beyond both of us, truly. But where swords may fail, perhaps there are other options." She continues her gestures, wordlessly reinforcing the barriers containing the black arm... which by now, has consumed the interior of the innermost barrier, swirling with entropic energy.

[Frozen_Feet]

Around Momoka, the forest begins moving. First, it's just swaying of branches, then twisting trunks, and eventually, the nearest trees uproot themselves, walking to the edges of Momoka's circle. They stop just outside it, leaving her a tiny space to escape through, should that be her plan.

Masaru can sense, and see, the plant-creature walking from amidst the forest. It kneels before the dragon and offers Hei Lin to him.

[strawberryman]

There, sadly, is no space for escape given Momoka has sealed herself in the circle. Masaru may recognize the intent...

[KnightDisciple]

A shadowy tendril reaches down and takes the sword, reverently tucking it away at Masaru's belt.

Whatever his thoughts on the bearer of this sword, he would give the sword, and its residing spirit, all respect due to it.

"You know what she does, Masaru."

Masaru nodded, closing his eyes for just a moment, a single pitch-black tear sliding down his face before evaporating into wisps of shadows.

"Yes. And I know what I, we, must do."

A wave of the man's single hand, and shadowy walls sprang up around the trees, leaving a gap for the moment. He spoke, raising his voice just a bit.

"Thank you for everything, Momoka. Perhaps we could have tea sometime? Back in the civilized world?"

His sad smile reveals that he knows it's likely an empty offer. She is offering her life for his in an attempt to imprison or at least delay the monster known as Izanami.

Even as she works, this strange place shudders, and Masaru's stomach rolls as he feels the time distortion twisting and beginning to fade.

"One more thing or two, though..."

And with a quick wave of his spear-holding hand and several mutters, a couple more Kido barriers spring up around Momoka....and one actually inside the shell she'd erected around herself, and instead layered directly around the shadow-arm. It wasn't the strongest barrier she'd taught Masaru, but it was actually one of the more physically flexible, being almost "springy".

With that, he gave her a solemn nod and salute, the latter gesture echoed by his shadowy mount.

And with that, the shadows encased the wall she had built, to perhaps give her effort more time.

As for Hikaru Masaru, he turned his mount around and they dashed for the exit, using hops boosted by its wings to avoid the major obstacles. As they moved, the whole area continued those odd non-physical shudders.

The time difference that had given the Pack member so much training time was falling away. And all the while, something terrible or wonderful was about to happen.

When they reached the elevator, if both would fit, they would just dive right in. If it wasn't large enough for Ancalagon's shadowy avatar, even curled up, it would collapse itself about Masaru like a thick cloak, leaving him completely covered in black shadows head-to-toe, clutching a shining spear of black metal in his singular hand as he rode the elevator back to the surface...

[strawberryman]

"Perhaps. If fate is kind." Momoka offers a genuine smile at Masaru, making one final gesture as an aura of green builds around the circle. Masaru may, if he looks back on his ride to the elevator, see a flash of green shoot into the yawning void at the top of the cavern.

[Frozen_Feet]

As the green light soars into the gaping maw, myriad smaller lights join it. All of those green seeds join Momoka's swan song, lending her their power.

Behind Masaru, the forest stops moving and starts to wither.

[KnightDisciple]

Masaru and Ancalagon catch a glimpse of the smaller lights, and of the wilting forest. The Shinigami glances once again at the sword resting at his hip, his eyebrow raised just a bit.

The dragon's eyes track the large green light until it is gone.

Neither speak a word as the doors close, time distortion ripples around them, and they begin to rise.

They won't speak again until they reach the surface.

[Terry576]

Boring.

That is all that Izanami thought of Masaru. Her offers were rejected, her prowess, denied. The younger they were, the more arrogant they were.

So boring.

So, so boring.

She didn't bother reacting as her mountain was taken down. If a gift is rejected, why work to keep it intact? Why would she bother with someone who has no desire to keep up a mere pretense of civility?

So, so, so boring.

She drifts in waves of black and shapes her surroundings to her liking - there is no need for a 'mountain', or for a 'castle'. Both were simply for Masaru's benefit, for comprehension where there would otherwise be none. There is nothing around her, and that is fine. That is the inner world of Izanami. A blissful sea of emptiness, where none can interfere or tread upon her.

So, so, so, so boring.

There are creatures that live in her world, in her mind of empty black and sorrow. They are manyshaped and manyteethed, and each and every one is different in such an insignificant way. They will never harm her, no, not her. She is Ruler. Guardian. Master. Friend. This land is peaceful for Izanami, the inhabitants kind. They forgive easily, they forget quickly. They are simple creatures that could only exist in a world such as hers - an empty world. There is no 'inner world' for her, she has no place to retreat to and talk to her sword. She has not for thousands of years, and that is why she is the strongest. If there is no mind to enter, how do you attack? Invasion of her mind is silly, invasion of her blood is foolishness. There is a power in blood, in bone, in fire and shadow. Blood will always show the truth, and Izanami can only hope that he saw it.

When you are 'strong', there is often a pretense of weakness. That you must not fight, because you are above them. That you should not strike, because they are beneath you. But Izanami has never had a problem with fighting those below her - they are 'fish' to a 'shark', but once in a while one of those fish might be able to strike back. And that is what she lives for, that one small chance.

But Masaru was not the one she wanted, clearly. He rejects power, he rejects gifts, he calls her a 'pest' and a 'parasite'. He speaks, and does not listen. She is mad, yes, but she is ancient. She knows the swords of old, the secrets of flame, the power of the dark. If it is a rejection of her he desires, then that is fine.

But to be confined? In an arm? How silly. She is more then shadows and blackness, she is Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Okami, the Princess and the God. There is a hunger in her stomach that was stoppered by pointless conversation about friends and power, but why bother if the one you speak to only wants to reject you? The 'point' of conversation is that two speak to each other. And Masaru was incapable of listening.

He complained, about her, about what she'd done to his soul, about everything and anything in between. But that is not the offensive part, the part that made him so utterly insignificant.

"Parasite."

So, so, so, so, so boring.

A hundred variations and a hundred ways to say that she is unwanted, and he chooses that? She offered him power beyond his wildest dreams, power to shift the plates of reality if he chose to. And she is a parasite? How droll. How quaint. How boring. It is such a simple phrase, and it is the most insignificant reason to let go of Masaru. But she takes it, and grips it like a lifeline - because if the little wolf considers her a parasite, then what does Reene consider her? Reene is far more important then the Wolf. Reene has ideals, hopes, dreams, and has had them since before the Gates were torn down, since before the Edge encroached on the Soul Society. And the idea that Reene considers her 'worthless' is one that is terrifying and horrible, because she remembers the time before, however vaguely. When the two ran through meadows and looked over the Edge, daring each other to go further. Before Izanagi, before Sally Sparrow, before her Fall, before her hunger. Before she devoured, Izanami thought.

There is life, there is death, and there is hunger. And all Izanami remembers, for the longest time, is hunger. A pulsing throb, an endless ache in her stomach, a pang that cannot be denied, and it cannot be satisfied. It is satiated for a time, however rarely, but it always returns. And now it is back, and it craves release. To eat, to devour, to swallow and gulp down anything it can.

That is Izanami's stomach. That is the gut that swallows the world. It is great and terrible and it does not stop.

So, so, so, so, so, so boring.

She is ancient. She is proud. She is mad, madder then anyone could ever dream of. She jumps between personalities and skins like they mean nothing, she leaves a sword in her gut, and shadows are her weapons. And there is not a single person who can 'stand' against her, either as Izanami-no-Mikoto or Izanami-no-Okami. The two sides of a single coin, and neither are as sane as they should be, as they once were. It is boring. It is dull. Foolish. Ignorant.

Why would she reach out to burn the girl who dares - dares - an attempt at chaining her, when she can break free whenever she wishes? In a hour, a day, a week, a month, a year? Ten? A hundred? It is insignificant before her, she is the infinite itself. And there is little left for her to even begin to pay attention to, let alone care. Caring is work. It is hard. It does not pay off.

So she has ceased bothering.