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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 7, 2022 2:33:13 GMT -5
If anything, Seireitei's hospital served its purpose well. Shinigami medical care was far beyond anything the Living World had achieved so far, like being able to regenerate damaged or lost body parts and being able to cure most mortal diseases up to the level of genetic disorders. True, Shinigami still suffered from maladies of their own, such as the incurable conditions that plagued the Captains of the 12th and 13th Divisions, but the Academy textbooks were justified in claiming that in terms of physical injuries, decapitation was the only sure-fire way to "kill" a Shinigami, with no small thanks to the 4th Division's hospital. Truly effective and efficient in all ways, except...
Unlike human hospitals, this one had no Wi-Fi or even room televisions.
A fact that Hageshi Rekka, first of his name, Third Seat of the 9th Division, and most recently, vanquisher of the Demoness only known so far as Planty (which was why he was here to begin with) utterly bemoaned.
For one, he healed fast, even for a Shinigami, and from what the healers could tell his power output had only gotten a lot stronger from the battle, including a foreign Reiatsu signature that they couldn't identify, and it didn't seem to be Demon Reiatsu either.
However, he got incredibly bored when he was awake, and his dreams were bizarre, even for dreams. The foreign Reiatsu seemed to get stronger when he was in REM sleep too.
Fortunately, the young man seemed to have quite a number of visitors, including two Shinigami from his division who became interested in joining his squad. The fact that one of them, a girl named Osaka, used to be a mere clerk with minimal combat ability definitely had to count for something.
And now it was the final day of Rekka's confinement before he started work again the next day. It was afternoon, and he was about to drift off again, plaintively gazing at his temporarily-useless phone on the medical table next to his bed with the same intensity as a deranged Quincy (there seemed to be a lot of those) would long for his equally-insane Fullbringer lover. However, Rekka suddenly perked up, sensing the Reiatsu signature of the other Shinigami who vanquished Planty alongside him.
"Please come in. I'm bored." Rekka would say, instinctively moving his arms but failing, as they were both heavily bandaged and in slings. Yoshinori Okamoto |
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 9, 2022 16:56:03 GMT -5
Soul Society, Fourth Division Territory. The Greater Seireitei Hospital."Sir, the snake cannot enter the hospital.""We can take the serpent to a special room until your visit is through.""Sir, you need to relinquish the snake and...sir, please stop smoking in a hospital."It wasn't often that Yoshinori visited the Greater Seireitei Hospital, either as a patient or a visitor. Yet, when he did, there was always something that prevented his ease of travel while inside. Gentle wisps of smoke rising from his pipe, Yoshinori made his way across the various halls of the hospital, with an entourage of nurses on his heels, all of them clamoring at him to relinquish his smoking pipe or to hand off his golden snake, Hanzō, off to one of them for care during his visit. It wasn't until he neared the floor where Rekka was supposedly being held, that the young Third Seat finally snapped. "Fine! Fuck. I'll give you the damn pipe." He said, rather irritated. Practically ripping the pipe out of his lips, he thrust it forward into the arms of a nearby medic, causing him to stumble back from the force of deliverance. As for Hanzō, Yoshinori took a much gentler approach to adherence to hospital guidelines. Allowing the serpent to slither down his right arm, he outstretched the limb for another medic to take. Yet, before the party of nurses could retreat away, Yoshinori offered one final warning. "One complaint from Hanzō and someone dies."Turning without another word, Yoshinori stalked forward, muttering a series of obscene words under his breath until he eventually came to a wooden door. Before he could even knock, he heard the sound of Rekka's voice coming from behind it. "Please come in. I'm bored."Why did you come here, Yoshinori? Yoshinori asked himself as he turned the knob to enter. "You wouldn't be bored if you weren't so reckless, Hageshi Rekka." Yoshinori started as he entered the hospital room fully, his hand instinctively drifting towards his Shihakushō for a smoking pipe that was no longer there, much to his extreme annoyance. "Despite my better judgment, I've decided to come visit you. How are you feeling?" Yoshinori expressed with a resigned sigh. His words, while lacking in the politeness category, were not spoken with any hint of malice, or even outward annoyance. In fact, they were spoken so smoothly one had to question if Yoshinori's attitude was even serious. Maybe he was joking. Maybe. Post Count: 1 | Hageshi Rekka
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 9, 2022 19:17:41 GMT -5
"You wouldn't be bored if you weren't so reckless, Hageshi Rekka."
Yoshinori was exactly as Rekka remembered him, though the hospital seemed to have confiscated his signature golden snake and smoking pipe. Granted, they'd met only a few days ago so there was that.
"I needed to do all that and go all out to beat Planty, though she probably has a name that isn't Planty. Merely letting Senpai into the barrier would have been sending him into a trap, and when Planty tanked my explosion like it was nothing I knew by then that I had to use Shunko. Then, if I hadn't lured her out, she'd end up ambushing us eventually." Rekka's expression turned rather grim and focused, like he was replaying the battle in his head.
"Despite my better judgment, I've decided to come visit you. How are you feeling?"
Rekka decided to ignore the first half of the statement. If he was right, the two of them would have eventually crossed paths again, especially since Yoshinori also seemed to be one of the Shinigami allied with Hyakuji. "Thanks, Yoshi-san. They told me I could get back to work by tomorrow, but it's all gonna be office duty; I won't be allowed to fight for a few more days."
The bedridden youth's arms began to emit steam in their slings, signaling the acceleration of his healing process. But the familiar aura of his fiery Reiatsu would soon be tinged with a foreign taint, and Rekka's scarlet eyes would fix on Yoshinori with an entranced thousand-yard stare.
"The world's cogs have broken. History is stuck in the past while you fight for our future. The queen of storms, a swarm of ghosts, remember her name as you fall. The Wild Hunt shall start, and the Rider of Red shall awaken to break open the sky. Fight, Yoshinori Okamoto."
Then just as it started, it was over, and Rekka would revert to normal with no memory of what he had just said.
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 10, 2022 13:33:04 GMT -5
Rekka's explanation didn't exactly assist matters in Yoshinori's eyes. But then again, what would? "And if the demoness wasn't defeated by your technique? Then what, Rekka? You would've died? I would've had to save you? Your use of...Shunko, is it...is incomplete if it renders such a toll on your body. I understand using it as a last resort but...not unless you are sure of the result. There were too many variables present. You're lucky it worked out." The silver haired man admonished, a low sigh escaping his features. "And I wouldn't call what you did 'luring her out'. Public destruction of a park, perhaps. Reckless use of your Shikai, yes. Luring her out? Not exactly."Taking a moment to step further inside, Yoshinori allowed his gaze to wander. He truly wasn't in the hospital often, so every visit was accompanied with a sort of curious stare at what could be his surroundings, if he were to truly become injured at some point. It was about consistent with what he'd come to expect. Similar to a human hospital, but consistent with the architectural aesthetic of Soul Society. How quaint. "Desk work for a few days will give you a chance to recover before your next--" He paused briefly, sensing a shift in the room. A sudden cold chill that prompted him to turn back towards Rekka with a sense of urgency that wasn't quite there before. Just in time to meet the Ninth Division Shinigami's vacant stare. "Fight, Yoshinori Okamoto."Yoshinori's right arm twitched at the chilling words, stemming from a voice that wasn't Rekka's own. What was this? Should he bind him? Yoshinori's right hand began to slowly raise, secret words beginning to filter from his lips as he seemed ready to restrain the recovering man. Yet, just as soon as the strange shadow of a presence came, it was gone, and back was Rekka's regular presence. His eyes widened slightly at the experience, Yoshinori took a moment to recover his composure. Straightening up, the silver haired Shinigami gave the other Third Seat a more serious gaze. "Have you been feeling anything strange since the fight against the demons, Rekka?" Yoshinori inquired. It was a long shot, but he figured he may as well gauge exactly what just happened. For his own sake as much as Rekka's. Post Count: 2 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 10, 2022 15:03:22 GMT -5
Yoshinori was probably right. "Yoshinori-san, you're probably right."
Rekka didn't currently have it in him to argue with the other officer, especially given his current state. He'd been banned from using Shunko without supervision anyway. But the technique was too valuable to let up, and so the young Shinigami would continue to find a way to harness it properly.
"Oi, narrator," Rekka said, seemingly out of nowhere. "Wouldn't the usage of 'young Third Seat' and 'young Shinigami' apply to both me and Yoshi-san, so it would get kinda confusing?"
"Anyway. That was a strange thing to say. But yeah, you're right that it was a gamble in many ways. Like what if Planty turned out to not be weak to fire, especially since she's from Hell and all that? But I definitely won't be using Shunko again until I've mastered it or found a way to focus it."
"And I wouldn't call what you did 'luring her out'."
Rekka winced at that remark, as if stung.
"Public destruction of a park, perhaps."
More fuel was added to the fire. Unfortunately, not even this fire-type was immune to verbal burns.
"Reckless use of your Shikai, yes."
The top of Rekka's head started emitting steam, as did the sheathed katana hanging by his bedside.
Luring her out? Not exactly."
Generally, hospitals were meant for the recovery of patients. A grave had been dug for this one, however.
--A FEW MINUTES LATER--
Yoshinori was staring at Rekka intently after a trance and some strange words had been said, inquiring if the latter had experienced anything strange since the Demon attack.
"Oh, did I space out again?" The scarlet-eyed Reaper asked, grinning nonchalantly. "Ever since Iroh-san died, actually. Close enough to the first Demon attack on Soul Society, but it's probably that Diviner I tried asking for help. People tell me what I say during those times is either nonsense about parallel worlds or actual spoilers for the future."
"Now tell me... What did I say this time?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 14, 2022 11:41:16 GMT -5
Perhaps fortunately for both parties, the recent, and unexpected, development pushed aside room for further argument on the matter of the failed Hollow Hunt in favor of focus on the present. That present just happened to be along the lines of answering this question: 'What the hell just happened?' As Yoshinori inquired as to Rekka's feelings the past few days, the recovering Ninth Division Shinigami seemed to pinpoint exactly what Yoshinori was referring to. 'Spacing out', he called it. And apparently, there was an 'again' thrown in there. The silver haired man couldn't help but release a low sigh at the prospect. Something unexplainable has apparently been occurring to the individual over the course of who knows how long. Thankfully, Yoshinori wasn't one to simply let the matter be. "I couldn't regurgitate the specifics of what you said even if I wanted to. I wasn't exactly expecting a series of cryptic phrases only uttered while in some form of trance." The dark skinned man replied, emerald eyes calmly regarding his fellow Shinigami. Nonsense or 'spoilers'. Yoshinori couldn't divine the future, but he figured that whatever Rekka had spewed could be summed up as 'nonsense' pretty neatly. "So this has happened before, with multiple witnesses present who have commented on it. You are aware of it. Have you told any of the medical staff about it? Are they doing anything about it?" Yoshinori inquired. With such little to go on, notions of mental instability within Rekka was beginning to float around in Yoshinori's mind. He didn't know the man well, and from what he did know, he chalked up as simply "bizarre" when referencing the black haired Reaper. Yet, did something change between their last mission and now that brought this about? There seemed to be only one way to truly find out. "How long has this been happening?"Post Count: 3 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 15, 2022 5:24:12 GMT -5
The Ninth Division Reaper was starting to get the premonition that this would not be the last time a promising conversation would be interrupted by whatever was currently happening to him. Nobody knew what exactly triggered his episodes, or what form they took. Not predictably, at least. In addition to that, the foreign Reiatsu signature was virtually undetectable otherwise, so it was quite difficult to catch in the act, much less diagnose.
"...And that's about everything, I suppose," said Rekka, having voiced out the information in the preceding paragraph. "Pretty much everything y'all can do is cast Kiyomeru on me when something bad does happen. As long as I can still do my job properly, I'll be fine."
"This started happening some time after Iroh Tsukishima was killed. I think I can narrow it down to after I visited a spiritually-aware human woman known as the Diviner. She's on file as helping us during the first Demon attack, and I think her ability to do weird timestream shenanigans is what caused this."
"Specifically, one of the beings connected to her powers. That entity exists nowhere in our records, but I ended up fighting it, and sent it through one of my portals before slamming the hole shut on its hand. I think that's what contaminated me. But 'cause we don't know anything about the thing, we can't cure me. There's no point in trying, unless we somehow run into the Diviner or the being again."
Still, Rekka kept getting the impression that Yoshinori was a good person to have a deep discussion with about one's beliefs and philosophy, and that were they characters for a Clorox roleplay forum in another universe, whichever author was writing the ebon-haired Shinigami was anticipating such a talk to flesh their character out.
"Yoshinori-san." The scarlet-eyed youth took a deep breath before continuing. "The way ya said that I used my Shikai irresponsibly against Planty, I got the feeling it's much more than just burning down the park. It's like... ya have some unique thoughts about how we as a society use our Zanpakuto, and part of that is why you're a Kido specialist. Kan for your thoughts?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 16, 2022 14:36:38 GMT -5
So this problem traced back far beyond the demon assault on New York City. Yoshinori wasn't completely concerned as to whether that comforted him, or made him even more wary of the Third Seat's mental status. A foreign energy signature residing dormant within Rekka, only to bob its head at inconsistent times. Something seemed to be lurking beneath the surface, and its momentary rises were intentional. But what was it? Whatever it was, it seemed to be quelled by the usage of Kido, according to Rekka. Specifically by Kiyomeru. Beyond that, Rekka cited the occurrences as having started shortly after Iroh's death, after a particularly meaningful encounter with a spiritually aware human known only as "The Diviner". "I suppose by the first demon attack you mean the one launched upon Soul Society?" Yoshinori inquired, "I was there when the Sinners struck at Osaka first, and I don't recall the presence of a woman known as the 'Diviner'. Regardless, have you reported any mention of the contamination to the Fourth Division or anyone else? It's not a problem to ignore, Rekka. Or to simply cleanse and wish away. This is a serious issue." Crossing his arms over his chest, the silver haired Shinigami stared at the bed-ridden Reaper with about as exasperated expression as he could muster, before a long sigh left his lips. Before Yoshinori could press the matter further, however, Rekka suddenly reverted back to their original topic of discussion. The demoness encountered in New York. Specifically, Rekka was referencing his own actions, and questioning Yoshinori's own philosophy. The silver haired man didn't respond immediately, but when he did he turned back to face Rekka fully. "I wouldn't be so quick to downplay the act of burning down a park. It is a major reason for my believing in your irresponsibility." He started, already wishing he had his smoking pipe. "You have power, Rekka. Immense power. Do you deserve that power? Probably not. I don't deserve it, and neither do most beings in this realm and beyond. We don't deserve the power we wield, but we have it anyway. And that, is a responsibility. When you have the ability to change the course of history and effect nations with the snap of a finger or the swing of your Zanpakuto, should you use that power liberally?" He continued. Perhaps Yoshinori finally decided to indulge someone in the brunt of his beliefs. "Shinigami wield immense power, but we are not rulers. We do not rule the World of the Living, and the World of the Living is not ours to lord over, to alter...or to act upon drastically in the name of justice or defense. Surely, there will be cases in which destruction of property and alteration to the World of the Living is inevitable, although regrettable. But those should kept sparing, if possible." He explained, "If a Shinigami can go their entire career ensuring the balance of souls and keeping the realms running seamlessly without so much as snipping a hair off the head of the humans who populate the Human Realm, then they are a better Shinigami than most. Only the reckless and weak wave their power around haphazardly. Only the weak and reckless take the immense responsibility that is power and make the whole world suffer for a gift that they didn't deserve in the first place." His words, while scathing, were not directly pointed at Rekka. In fact, Yoshinori seemed to just be talking at this juncture. "You speak correctly in one regard. I am a Kido Specialist. I do not consider myself a master. I am skilled in executing all manners of Kido to extremely high levels. It was my one shining trait in the Academy, for I am average at best in Zanjutsu and Hakuda. However, my skills in Hadō and Bakudō vary. I am skilled in Hadō to a level where others may not realize that I am not as proficient in it as Bakudō. Yet I am a Kido Sealing Specialist. Seals, barriers, restraints. That is my specialty." Finally, Yoshinori seemed to be reaching an end to his mini-speech, "I would rather seal and restrain and imprison than kill a man. I would rather retire to Rukongai and work in a tea shop with my adoptive father than see myself gain too much power and become a destructive force that only inflicts harm upon the people of these realms. When you draw your blade, Rekka, you must be prepared to act with it. When you use your power, you must realize the implications of doing so, positive and negative.""So use it sparingly."Post Count: 4 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 17, 2022 5:13:02 GMT -5
"Yeah, the Demon attack here," answered Rekka. "I tracked down the Diviner from Senpai's report of his battle with the Demon leader. All reports go through Ninth anyway, so it was easier than expected. I was hoping she could help me find Iroh's killer, but it didn't go as expected."
"Fourth knows that it's happening, but we haven't gotten the opportunity for a closer look. Either way, Ran's gonna be looking after me in the meantime."
Then, finally. Yoshinori started answering the scarlet-eyed youth's question about his philosophies, and somehow, Rekka felt that some otherworldly but generally benevolent being was feeling pleased and anticipatory, if a bit tired and disdainful of the way genetics was being taught at Living World schools.
"You have power, Rekka. Immense power. Do you deserve that power? Probably not. I don't deserve it, and neither do most beings in this realm and beyond. We don't deserve the power we wield, but we have it anyway. And that, is a responsibility. When you have the ability to change the course of history and effect nations with the snap of a finger or the swing of your Zanpakuto, should you use that power liberally?"
This made Rekka think for a while. For one, he would not consider his actions irresponsible, because as far as he was concerned, his job and responsibility was to defeat the enemies of Soul Society and humanity. Burning down the park was simply a means to that end. And besides...
"History? Nations? No more or less than any living human could. I bet the higher-ups at that art school wouldn't expect a massive war to result from an everyday rejection notice. On a more positive note, even a single notable human artist, scientist, or leader has made more impact on world history during their lifetimes than Soul Society ever did in a thousand years. You see, any changes to the World of the Living only makes sense if the living do it. My power is just what I need to do my job, same as any human with a job. I trained for it, worked for it, practiced it, just like any person anywhere would hone their skills. And for the record, if there was even a single human near that park I wouldn't have burned it down.
"Shinigami wield immense power, but we are not rulers. We do not rule the World of the Living, and the World of the Living is not ours to lord over, to alter...or to act upon drastically in the name of justice or defense. Surely, there will be cases in which destruction of property and alteration to the World of the Living is inevitable, although regrettable. But those should kept sparing, if possible. If a Shinigami can go their entire career ensuring the balance of souls and keeping the realms running seamlessly without so much as snipping a hair off the head of the humans who populate the Human Realm, then they are a better Shinigami than most. Only the reckless and weak wave their power around haphazardly. Only the weak and reckless take the immense responsibility that is power and make the whole world suffer for a gift that they didn't deserve in the first place."
"You're right. Earth is such a wonderful place, isn't it? It's a world so much unlike ours in that it's built around things other than fighting. Rekka's arms started to steam again, the moisture from the steam loosening the bandages which he wriggled out of as his ruby eyes began to sparkle intensely to match the rising, excited pitch of his voice. Take, for example, this human thing called sports. It's a form of competition, a game people play with their bodies, and it's a lot like combat, but the people competing don't actually want to hurt each other. They want to outdo their opponents while still being rivals or even friends! And look at the stuff humans build! Lots of those are useless in battle; they just look really cool and are useful in other ways. And I could go on forever about human entertainment, but if you're like most everyone else here you just won't get it. I enjoy Earth so much that I want to keep it safe for as long as I can! If Shinigami decided to rule Earth all of a sudden, it'd get reeaally boring...
"I would rather seal and restrain and imprison than kill a man. I would rather retire to Rukongai and work in a tea shop with my adoptive father than see myself gain too much power and become a destructive force that only inflicts harm upon the people of these realms. When you draw your blade, Rekka, you must be prepared to act with it. When you use your power, you must realize the implications of doing so, positive and negative."
"So use it sparingly."
Rekka understood what Yoshinori meant by that. A long time ago, blinded by rage at Iroh's death, he slaughtered no less than five combatants that were supposedly human, though he mistook them for puppets or duplicates. While he was pretty sure the Numero he fought at the concert had survived their battle, the concert venue itself had not, which he did not relish. However, the thought of limiting the use of his Zanpakuto did not sit well with the young man. He reached for the sheathed sword hanging at his bedside, holding it by its scabbard and bringing it to his chest to gently cradle with both newly-healed arms.
"I know what you mean by that, Yoshi-san, I don't want to kill if I don't have to. But I'm sorry, I can't do that. Enmado is my friend, and we both want to fight together as much as we can." And it was true. The jovial, quirky skeleton that served as Rekka's Zanpakuto spirit was on extremely good terms with his master. Perhaps Yoshinori's illusion-type Zanpakuto didn't have a good relationship with him?
"Are you and Amonojaku not friends?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 18, 2022 12:43:24 GMT -5
For the moment, the matter of Rekka's trance-like episodes were forgotten in favor of what was swiftly becoming a philosophical debate. That seemed to happened a lot these days. First with Hyakuji, now with Rekka, a Shinigami that Yoshinori certainly did not expect to be having such an intricate conversation with. Yet, here he was. ""History? Nations? No more or less than any living human could. I bet the higher-ups at that art school wouldn't expect a massive war to result from an everyday rejection notice. On a more positive note, even a single notable human artist, scientist, or leader has made more impact on world history during their lifetimes than Soul Society ever did in a thousand years."Yoshinori held up a finger, as if to interrupt the raven haired man right then and there, but Yoshinori said nothing to actually set the interruption into motion. Instead, he simply waited, the finger still raised, until the man had concluded his thoughts. Then, with somewhat narrowed eyes, he spoke. "You have proven my statement correct, Rekka. No one deserves power. In all aspects. Power does not equate simply to the abilities we possess that humans would classify as supernatural, or inhumane manipulations of physical strength and overt displays of destruction. Power can be authority, command over others. A governmental official in one of those human nations with political sway over his or her own peers. Or even on the smaller scale, an older sibling using age and physical ability to bully a younger sibling." Releasing a low sigh, the silver haired Reaper's hands once more instinctively reached for the folds in his Shihakushō. Once again, he was disappointed to find that his smoking pipe was not there. He was getting antsy for it. "The World of the Living belongs to the living. It is up to them to govern as they see fit. Whether conquerors rise and fall as a part of their own actions and decisions, that is their burden to deal with. And they have, time and time again. I've lived long enough to note such." Turning towards the window, Yoshinori began to wonder if it were possible to teleport his smoking pipe to him. He knew of a spell that could do such, but the problem was in locating the item, not transporting it. Outwardly, he continued, "As Shinigami, we simply observe. We do not interrupt or disturb the lives of the humans. We do the shadow work that most humans can't even see in their day to day. In doing so, we keep the balance of souls without anyone being any the wiser. It is as it should be. To ever change that would be to take the reins of Living Realm life and steer it. When you do that, the fate of the realm is left to whoever is handling the reins."With his little spiel completed, Yoshinori lapsed into silence once more, offering little, if any, commentary in regards to Rekka's fixation on sports. Yoshinori didn't consider himself an expert on modern human activities, but in his childhood he had been introduced to several games brought to Rukongai by Plus children who had only recently died. Granted, that was more than two hundred years ago. What next captured his attention was a rather targeted inquiry regarding his relationship with Amonojaku. It was a question that Yoshinori couldn't admit to wanting to discuss. In fact, a part of him wished to dismiss the entire question altogether and return to the backburner question of Rekka's condition. However, his mouth betrayed his better judgment and went to explaining yet another aspect of what it meant to be Yoshinori. "Even if Amonojaku and I got along, I would still be wary to use him, simply because of the principle I hold myself to. If I believe conflict can be stopped without drawing my sword, I will take that action." He hesitated briefly. Then, he answered. "But the answer is no, we do not get along."Post Count: 5 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 18, 2022 20:55:34 GMT -5
"You have proven my statement correct, Rekka. No one deserves power. In all aspects. Power does not equate simply to the abilities we possess that humans would classify as supernatural, or inhumane manipulations of physical strength and overt displays of destruction. Power can be authority, command over others. A governmental official in one of those human nations with political sway over his or her own peers. Or even on the smaller scale, an older sibling using age and physical ability to bully a younger sibling."
The two Shinigami agreed on what they thought power was. However, the darker-skinned of them had made it clear he believed no being deserved authority or ability. But then...
"What kinda universe would that be, if nobody could influence others or possess skills?" the lighter-skinned of them would ask, more of confusion and curiosity than a challenge. "If we didn't deserve our power, should we act like we're not supposed to have it, or work harder and train to become worthy of what we can do? We can't, y'know, undo being able to do stuff."
Yoshinori then went on to state that humans had the right to rule and manage their own realm without interference, while the Shinigami purified Hollows from the shadows. That, Rekka had no issue with in itself, if the Shinigami followed their own rules, that is.
"Nothing against that, Yoshi-san. I'm just a tourist anyway." Rekka folded his arms behind his head casually. "Much good it did the Quincy though."
The silver-haired man had no comment on Rekka's commentary on human culture. While it was to his credit that he listened, he probably wasn't a fan. After that, he revealed that he and his Zanpakuto did not, in fact, get along, which Rekka understood was a personal matter.
"Ah, I see," the younger Shinigami simply replied. There was nothing more to be said about the matter of Amonojaku, and Yoshinori could simply pick up wherever he wanted to after that.
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 23, 2022 12:15:32 GMT -5
The only point of contention, if it could even be called that, seemed to be surrounding the matter of those undeserving of power, and Yoshinori's approach to his philosophy. It was to be expected. Hyakuji found issue with the same sort of rhetoric, although in Hyakuji's case he centered the conversation more on his utilization of power to protect, with that being his reason for being. This situation was a bit different. But still related. As such, Yoshinori deemed it fit to grace Rekka's reply with an answer of his own. "You ask me if we should act as if we don't deserve to possess it. Personally, I believe full well that a man such as I does not deserve to wield power. I fully am convinced that for my own reasons. For that purpose, it has made it easier to be aware that my power affects more than just myself. My Zanpakuto possesses the ability to turn my imagination into reality with the only real limitation being the extent of my imagination and my own power to conjure. In addition to that, I possess such skill in Kido so as to carve paths of destruction across just about any cityscape if I so held the desire to utilize a Hado of any particular high number. Will I use it? If I have to, but I am reluctant to for the simple case that I know what my abilities can do. If my hand is forced, then it is forced. If I can resolve a matter in a controlled manner to reduce the number of beings affected, I will. If I can resolve the matter without even laying a finger on my supposed opponent, I would prefer that too." He extended his arms out. "I do not ask that all take my philosophy to such an extent. I do not ask that you even agree with me. But I do ask that all that I speak to on this matter take one lesson with them that ultimately sums up my thoughts. For you, I will use an ancient adage made very popular by a human comic book. I think the comic book is American based: 'With great power, comes great responsibility.'" Did Yoshinori think that a comic book reference would help relate to his Third Seat fellow any better? Possibly, but it could also be seen as a testament to Yoshinori's connection to the World of the Living (or lack thereof) that he didn't see the difference between the origin culture of his own reference, and that of Rekka's particular likes. Releasing a low sigh, Yoshinori closed his eyes, "Keep that alone in mind, and I will have no complaints." Yoshinori nodded Post Count: 6 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 25, 2022 8:51:25 GMT -5
As the discussion stretched on, Rekka increasingly found himself out of depth. While it may have been an exaggeration to say that the raven-haired youth never aged mentally past that of a human teenager, it was not a regular hobby of his to be so introspective, and this conversation was forcing him to think of things he normally wouldn't consider in everyday living.
"You ask me if we should act as if we don't deserve to possess it. Personally, I believe full well that a man such as I does not deserve to wield power. I fully am convinced that for my own reasons. For that purpose, it has made it easier to be aware that my power affects more than just myself. My Zanpakuto possesses the ability to turn my imagination into reality with the only real limitation being the extent of my imagination and my own power to conjure. In addition to that, I possess such skill in Kido so as to carve paths of destruction across just about any cityscape if I so held the desire to utilize a Hado of any particular high number. Will I use it? If I have to, but I am reluctant to for the simple case that I know what my abilities can do. If my hand is forced, then it is forced. If I can resolve a matter in a controlled manner to reduce the number of beings affected, I will. If I can resolve the matter without even laying a finger on my supposed opponent, I would prefer that too."
So their differences were born, in part, from their particular skillsets. As seen in their last mission together, Yoshinori's techniques had a far greater range and maximum number of targets, giving him arguably more raw destructive power than his currently-hospitalized counterpart. Not only that, his Zanpakuto ability was also terrifying in its own right, a truly hax power that let it conjure anything its owner could imagine. Meanwhile, Rekka specialized in melee combat, and Enmado's heat was usually only contained to its own blade. For such a fighter, it was all too easy to underestimate how much damage his attacks could cause.
"I see, so that's the burden of being an AOE Caster, that is, having more range and max targets," Rekka said, echoing his own thoughts. "It's easy for a single-target melee fighter like me to forget that I can wreck stuff hard when I go all out."
But just as quickly, Yoshinori clarified that he did not require the younger Reaper to agree with him. Unexpectedly, however...
"Did you just... reference Spiderman??" The young man's scarlet eyes widened in confusion, then excitement. While anime was already a rare interest in Shinigami, Western comics was even more so. The 9th Division itself had at most a passing awareness of it, used to comfort the souls of children while sending them to the afterlife.
"Either way, I think we're on the same side. And if my guess is right, you've had this talk with Senpai, too. What did he say, and what did you think of him?"
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PLAYER
13th Division - Vice Captain
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
Yoshinori Okamoto
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Post by Yoshinori Okamoto on Mar 30, 2022 12:26:32 GMT -5
And just as he thought he had finally expressed something Rekka could understand, Yoshinori was once again thrown for a loop. Did he just call me an AOE Caster?As much as Yoshinori wished to groan in annoyance, Rekka's example was, while unorthodox, somewhat accurate. Although given Rekka's own displays of widespread destruction in the damaging of public property and the usage of a powerful blast of superheated flame that rivaled a nuclear explosion in magnitude. If Yoshinori's barrier hadn't contained the blast, one could only wonder just what would have happened to that section of New York City. But he didn't argue it. Perhaps he was too weary of further popular media references to press the matter any further than it had already been pressed. Besides, Rekka seemed to understand the gist well enough, even if he was caught off guard by Yoshinori's Spiderman reference. In addition to that, there was a new topic to this game. In a surprising show of clarity, Rekka seemed to have determined that Yoshinori had the conversation with 'Senpai', to whom Yoshinori already knew was an honorific the raven haired Reaper attributed to Muimina Hyakuji. A low hum erupted from the dark skinned man's throat, his emerald gaze remaining locked upon the bed-ridden Shinigami. His stare grew more intense, almost severe. Then, he sighed. "Hyakuji and I see the value of peace, and in putting an end to the conflict between realms. But he doesn't follow my creed in its entirety. Perhaps that is to be expected. He sees value in power when it comes to one's ability to protect what is important to them. At least, that is a very basic tenet of his own belief on the matter. Noble, but what is noble one day may become tainted the next. Time has a way of doing that to a person, despite their best efforts to remain true." He took a deep breath. "I assist Hyakuji's fight as long as he remains true to the ideals that made me promise to do so in the first place. In the case that he deviates in any way, shape or form from the vision of trying to help heal this world, then that alliance will cease to exist. His goals are lofty. Perhaps too high for him to reach. When you are ever looking forward, it is all too easy to let yourself in the present fall short of the future that you has always captured your attention."His hand drifted up to his mouth instinctively, only to realize there was no pipe there. "And if he does succeed, if I have, at that point, proven to myself that I have the fortitude, I will join him as his Vice-Captain. At least, until I am done with the Goteijūsantai entirely."Post Count: 7 | Hageshi Rekka |
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Post by Hageshi Rekka on Mar 30, 2022 20:12:17 GMT -5
"Hyakuji and I see the value of peace, and in putting an end to the conflict between realms. But he doesn't follow my creed in its entirety. Perhaps that is to be expected. He sees value in power when it comes to one's ability to protect what is important to them. At least, that is a very basic tenet of his own belief on the matter. Noble, but what is noble one day may become tainted the next. Time has a way of doing that to a person, despite their best efforts to remain true."
Rekka's guess that this conversation had been held with Hyakuji as well turned out to be right. And yes, it was to be expected. Among the rumors regarding the Vice Captain floating around, there was one that stated that he had a human lover, and another that his Zanpakuto spirit took the form of someone dear to him from his former life. And of course, his kouhai knew that most of his notable exploits were defensive in nature. However, Yoshinori raised a good point.
"If Senpai truly wishes to become the Captain-Commander, like I think he would... he'll have to deal with the whole thing about which group he's protecting should he put first, especially if he's going for a utopia of peace between the realms. Like for example... there's an old clause in the rules that says the Gotei 13 can forcibly reincarnate Rukongai citizens if the balance of souls becomes unstable enough. It hasn't ever been used as far as I can tell, but what if Senpai has to choose between that or another Quincy War?" The scarlet-eyed Reaper was talking more slowly than he ever had. "I'm sure the current Captains have had to make many hard choices, and they're probably not heartless enough to avoid having regretted them at some point."
Yoshinori spoke of joining Hyakuji's cause as long as he stayed on that noble path, and only as long as that. He also implied that he'd quit the Gotei 13 at some point, preferably after becoming Hyakuji's Vice-Captain.
Rekka smirked ever so slightly. "I'm tempted to say 'not if I get there first', but Senpai needs someone who can say no to him."
Then his expression turned serious again. "How far would Senpai need to deviate for you to break off from him? Like, if you guys promised to help someone, but they began cracking the sky open or something, would you put them or the world first?"
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