PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 23, 2022 0:08:08 GMT -5
The quiet cut of air that the blade makes as it slices downward reaches dull ears, as Koshou gives another sigh to himself within the training facility inside the Division 11 Barracks. "Basic technique, basic technique" he mutters to himself as he adjusts his grip on the hilt of the sword, raising it up fluidly with a shift of right foot to bring the blade up to arc over his head. With a smooth turn of the wrist, the edge turns and cuts downward with a powerful swing that makes another quiet cut through the air that can be heard by the ears, no matter how dull. Returning to a neutral stance, the young Shinigami guides the sword back into the sheath at his hip in an even, practiced motion. It's all he'd done for the years he'd lost count of now, working his way through the dirt and grime of the Rukon, and the prejudices of the Academy. It was his most vivid memory, waking up in the dirt those years past. Nothing to him but his name, and this sword - there was nothing else to dedicate his time to. What was in a name? 'Hattori .. ' the Familial name rings through his mind often. Vague memories of casting its importance aside plague him, distract him as often as they give him drive.
This time, the blade comes whipping out of the blade as Koshou takes a quick step forward with his right leg as the sword comes singing from the scabbard in a lightning fast forward thrust. "HYAH!" The sharp exhale of breath comes gusting out of his lungs, his left hand pivoting the bottom of the sword's pommel in his palm and reversing the trajectory of the blade to turn his torso and thrust forward in the opposite direction, "Ka!" A simple flourish is all it takes to keep the momentum of the sword rolling into a side slash; one direction and another. Each cut ends with a strong push, the strength of the form evident by the way he almost stomps around as he strives to emulate the technique and the teachings to the letter, to the motion - to the muscle twitch! With another final cut downward, he takes a moment to examine the blade. It looks well-cared for, from whatever time came before he came to own it. The blade carries a keen edge, as strong as any steel but to the eye seems made of beaten gold or perhaps brass, with a yellow tint to the metal that makes it up. Simple etching scrolls along the base of the sword's spine, as foreign to him as they have been since that first day.
"I hate work" Koshou mumbles to himself, the blade once more sliding into its scabbard with practiced ease. Strolling toward the wooden doors the open up into the courtyard of the Division 11 Barracks compound itself, he all but kicks it open with a lazy gesture before dropping himself onto the top of the steps leading up toward the dojo and training mats. Propping one knee up so he can rest his arm on it, he lets his other sprawl out more freely in a lazy posture that would seem at odds with being "always ready" for battle. Rummaging around in the inners of his kimono, he pulls out a small pouch made of large banana leaf. Within are a few hand-rolled cigarettes along with some loose tobacco, thin strips of paper and a few strikers. Taking one of the cigarettes, he pops it into the corner of his mouth and scratches one of the small sticks across the rough surface of one of his semi-dirty thumbnails. With a PUFF, and small plume of flame, he takes that first drag to light the smoke and tosses the charred splinter of wood that remains of the match off into the dirt. An exhale brings a lazy cloud of smoke that rises up into the air.
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Oct 23, 2022 14:08:50 GMT -5
The Eleventh Division barracks were always the busiest of all of the Divisions. The Shinigami who served here were masters of the blade arts, and strove for nothing but great battle and that only life filled with battle was worth living. So, every once in a while, those living in the division Barracks would be forced to hear someone yelling and striking something in the training grounds. Today was no different, even though it was supposed to be one of the less active days when the most annoying bunch of the Division are assigned elsewhere instead of wrecking the place in the Barracks. Thankfully, the yells coming from the training grounds were a bit less loud than the usual, and eventually ceased. A woman was approaching the grounds and making her way up the stairs, where she saw the entrance spread wide open and another Shinigami sitting on the top steps, taking a smoke. The sight got her to briefly stop, but she continued on regardless. The woman wore a Shinigami uniform underneath a short cloak that ran over her left shoulder, hiding bandaged arms. Her short black hair had been combed in such a way as to cover the eyepatch that ran over the left side of her face. A Zanpakuto was attached to her belt, a short katana sheathed away. The newbie smoking by the entrance was unfamiliar to her, and she did not pay him much mind. Once she made her way up, however, she glanced towards the man and asked: " Ya not using the training area anymore, right?" Her speech was a bit rough and accentuated. Koshou |
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 23, 2022 16:45:39 GMT -5
A pair of sandals crunch in the dirt as a woman approaches, and Hattori Koshou's eyes lift lazily upward to take in the sight of her as she climbs the short set of stairs that lead to the training dojo of the 11'th Division Barracks. The arm that rests on the upraised knee of the man turns enough to let his hand grab at the rolled smoke that dangles from the corner of his mouth. Faint flaring of his nostrils lets twin plumes of faint blue smoke out with a breath as he pulls it away from his face. " Nah .. " the voice that comes from the man is one that's reserved with a mellow that just sounds smooth. Somewhat gravelly from his smoking habit, he still carries a cool baritone as his eyes kick toward the open doorways behind him. " I didn't have the heart to keep swinging at nothing." He remarks at the woman, as she passes by him. The man lets his neck turn, not lecherous but studying the details surrounding the woman with a sharp scrutiny all the same. The reply comes with a moderate shrug of one of his broad shoulders. His own sword rests beside him, within easy reach of course though perhaps not attached to his hip in his current seat for the sake of comfort. Etiquette and demeanor seem to be largely an afterthought for the man, because it takes him a moment to realize he's probably looking at a higher-ranking officer! " Oh! Uh .. Hattori Koshou. Newest member of Division Eleven, at your service." Despite the attempt at some measure of an official greeting, the man doesn't make a move to stand or get up. Everything about him screams apathy, lethargy - if not quite all-out laziness. Still, standing this close to him it's not hard to tell the relative strength of his Reiatsu and that's enough to break some of that facade of his outward demeanor. The hand that plucked the smoke from his lips does lift in a salute of his fingers and a wave of his hand before he puts the cigarette back to take a fresh drag from the thing. There's a moment of determination, that size-up that occurs whenever two members of Division Eleven cross paths but it only takes a small moment for Koshou to make that judgement, the faintest shake of his head directed at himself more than anything else. Delayed, the man flashes the woman a grin that's as friendly and affable as any before it kind of just flickers out of sight back into that neutral state of Sloth. Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Oct 24, 2022 3:15:57 GMT -5
With some effort to push through his laziness, the man finally confirmed to her that he had left the training grounds vacant - as far as she understood, it was because he was there alone and swinging his sword at nothing wasn't exciting any longer. That's fair. You can only learn and improve so much by pushing yourself all alone - this was why sparring partners were important. Generally, the Eleventh Division never lacked them - by asking around, you could easily find a man or woman who was itching for a fight and could duke it out in the training grounds.
As the woman stepped past the resting man, he introduced himself to her - Hattori Koshou, a new member of the Eleventh Division. In spite of the official tone of his greeding, he remained on the stairs. If this was a ranked officer he was speaking to, it'd be rather dismissive of a higher rank - but not unexpected, politeness and discipline were difficult to find in this Division.
"You're not at my service, I am unranked. Maria Tokareva, nice to meet you," she answered. Perhaps her name would draw some attention, it was rather different from the standards of Soul Society. After making her way up the stairs, Maria stopped right past the entrance, and turned back towards Koshou.
"So, I'm guessing that's why I didn't recognize you. What made you choose to join our Division, then?"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 24, 2022 3:37:49 GMT -5
There's a faint tilt of the head from Hattori as he tries to place the accent, or the name perhaps. With a grunt, he gives a sigh that's accentuated by the final traces of smoke before his hand is waving away the last vestiges of the trails before expertly giving the cigarette but a flick that sends if flying off into the sky and over the wall off somewhere. " Because I woke up with a sword" comes an answer that doesn't really do anything except pose more questions than it answers. " When I came to Soul Society .. I woke up with a sword." He stands slowly, rolling and flexing his neck as the hand that's now free comes up to rub at the side of it with a habitual gesture. " Out there," He makes a vague gesture out toward West Rukon. " It just means you're a target when you wake up in District Sixty. When my wandering finally found the Academy .. rare they said. Must be a born fighter, they said. Somebody saw something, though because here I am." The man doesn't sound entirely like he's proud of that, though then again that could just be the matter of that cool exterior that he tries to put on. He does seem to fit the part when he stands though, hand resting comfortably against the pommel of his sword as if it belongs there. Standing, his height and the bulk of his frame and his shoulders give him the rest of the frame. Just standing there, he at least looks the decent part of Division Eleven. Then, his expression is splitting into something of an easier grin, the apathy turning into something more approachable and friendly. His grin carries that slight look that gives him an off-kilter demeanor that leaves him wearing some of that battle-crazy easily on his sleeve. " I'm young" Hattori admits, speaking perhaps to his age both as a warrior and as a Soul. " But I admit .. when I decide to get off my ass there weren't many other students that could even bother." There it is, that arrogance that comes with just enough skill, and just enough potential to be crazy enough to survive long enough to reach it. " I may as well be the last member of the Division, though. Not for long." That comes with an easy statement of assurance, no sense of apathy there. It's clear he means what he says, " I just wanna put some success behind me before I start kicking ass and taking some names. You?" Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Oct 25, 2022 2:57:56 GMT -5
Koshou explained that he chose to become a member of the Eleventh Division thanks to the circumstances of his birth - he was... born with a sword. Or rather, he came to Soul Society with a sword, and having no other way how to apply this trait, he chose to join the Gotei 13, the swordfighting division specifically, before this trait ends up getting him killed in the Rukongai.
Quite peculiar... Maria had not heard of something like that before. She came to Soul Society with her smartphone, but that was because it was her Fullbring.
While Koshou stood up, she began making her way towards the training grounds, casually, allowing herself to stop and listen if anything the other Shinigami was saying caught her interest - if he wanted to follow after her, she was not going to protest. No reason to push away a discussion partner.
After explaining his origin, and his desire to start kicking ass and taking names, Koshou turned the question back towards her. After a brief grin at the wording, Maria turned her eye to the sky above and answered after some thought:
"I had no purpose and couldn't find any reason to exist when I first arrived to Soul Society... so, I went to the Academy, hoping that I find any purpose there. I'm still not sure whether it worked, but, I'm trying, at least."
Trying to become the best, strongest Shinigami she could possibly become, sure... but for what? That was a tool, not a purpose, and the Eleventh Division was generally bereft of that.
She stopped, in the middle of the path, and turned towards Koshou. "You tell me that you "came" to Soul Society. So, you had a mortal life, then? What was it like?"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 25, 2022 16:19:26 GMT -5
"Aahhh hah haha ..."
The broad-shouldered man gives a hesitant kind of close-eyed smile and a bit of laughter as he seems mildly thrown aback by the question. "I don't really know" Hattori answers her with the ring of truth. "I get feelings sometimes, or vague flashes of memory or some sense of what it was like to live as a human." His hand grasps a little, clenching his grip around the pommel of his sword as he turns to follow Maria back into the training dojo. Afterall, making some acquaintances with his fellow Division Eleven members was way more worthwhile than practicing the basic forms of Zanjutsu for the millionth time. Crossing the threshold of the dojo, he moves to take a more casual stance off by one side since he's uncertain what kind of training this Maria might be getting herself up to.
"My name. My name is all I really have from the time before. And the sense that I didn't care much about it when I lived. I guess .." Hattori smiles, and offers an easy shrug of those shoulders before taking a breath. "I guess since it's all I have, I've decided to take better care of it. Likewise, this." He taps the hilt of his sword a moment. "I knew it was special, and that it was mine. When I made it to the Academy, I learned just how much so." His smile is more tempered now, but he nods as he considers the mention of purpose and Maria's quest to find it here within the Gotei.
"I mean, Shinigami have a purpose in what we do of course, but .. that's not what you mean, I know." Hattori speaks a little more quietly, tilting his head to turn and watch her without having to move much. "The question I had to ask myself is ... what I felt missing. So .. what's missing?" His expression remains open, but he doesn't seem to have any notion of etiquette as he asks a relatively personal question.
Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Oct 28, 2022 13:11:30 GMT -5
Hattori laughed Maria's question out - which got the woman to raise an eyebrow, briefly confused. What she asked wasn't that funny, was it? The other Shinigami eventually explained that all he remembered of his past life was his name, and the only thing he inherited was the sword he was born with in Soul Society. That is, unless you count brief flashes of memory that he mentioned would occasionally haunt him, reminding him of what it was like to live as a human.
"I see," Maria answered. Once she stepped onto the center of the mat inside the training dojo, she unsheathed her Zanpakuto, briefly twirling it in her hand before pointing it towards Hattori, in a relaxed stance, as if inviting the other Shinigami to strike at her first. "I suppose my experience is the complete opposite. Sometimes I feel like I remember too much about my past life."
And it always comes back to haunt her, in the worst ways possible.
Hattori continued on by answering Maria's own comment, about her lack of purpose and search for one - explaining that she had to look to herself and ask what was missing that prevented her from finding purpose in life. She lowered her weapon, briefly shrugging and letting out a sigh, before raising the sword back to its stance yet again and answering:
"I'm not sure if I can really explain it. When I was still alive, I was a nobody, and I had accustomed myself to the idea that I will always be a nobody. I'll live and die in the slums, so, I should just make best of my limited time on Earth. And yet, when I died, I came here, not only refused a chance to simply vanish, but also gifted with abilities that, apparently, are outstanding even when compared to my peers. And what's someone like me supposed to do with 'em?"
Maria briefly twirled the Zanpakuto in her hand. "Everyone in this Division strives to become the strongest... but for what? What do you train for? What would you do if you just... became as strong as Kenpachi one day?"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 28, 2022 18:12:30 GMT -5
"Strike the legend of my Name across the scrolls of History."
Koshou replies to Maria's last question first, without a moment's hesitation. He nods at the woman, stepping onto the mat by one pace. He draws his Zanpakuto, golden blade of beaten metal gleaming dully even in its sealed state. He holds it at the ready, and it does indeed seem as though the man has practiced the basic stances, forms, and techniques a thousand times a thousand times. He points the tip of his blade toward Maria next, taking one pace to the side - almost a formal sense of beginning the dance as he begins to circle slowly.
"I think maybe I wasn't so different from you. Unimportant, unimpressive ... unremarkable. One face among many that throng throughout the world. I had the fortune to wake up with my purpose in hand. Forced onto me, maybe - for all that I'd forsaken it when I lived." If their blades cross, it's in a testing fashion, merely looking to hear the steel ring out against each other. "I fight because there's a power within me that refused to be denied. Moments in the thick of a fight where I feel ... completely serene. The pain of my injuries is the heartbeat pulsing to let me know I'm alive, and the pace of the battle is the rushing of my blood through my veins. In those times, I feel like I'm at one with the universe. Not all of us strive to take the Captain's Name. But I do."
There's that flash of savage grin, feral and primordial like the surge and fluctuation of his Reiatsu as he lets what little leash he does know how to put against the outrush of that reishi off the chain.
Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Oct 30, 2022 14:41:34 GMT -5
Hattori's answer was simple and fitting for the halls of the Eleventh Division Barracks - he wanted the fame and the legend that came with becoming the strongest, he sought the thrill that came from testing his power and challenging himself against others, and he was certain that his journey will take him to trying to take the title out of the hands of Kenpachi himself.
It did not extract much emotion out of Maria, however. A few clashes of their Zanpakutos let out loud, powerful clangs, the sound retreating into nothingness soon after. Her stance may have been entirely casual, but whenever Hattori tried to test her by going on a move, she would suddenly shift to a defense that deflected any attack heading her way.
"So what?" she suddenly replied, glaring at the other Shinigami with her eye and briefly lowering her weapon.
"Are you telling me that you will find purpose in battle for battle's sake? Getting power for power's sake?" Maria continued, slowly pacing around Hattori and eyeing him, once again raising her Zanpakuto for a casual, yet defensive posture. It felt odd, philosophizing was always more her sister's thing, not hers. And yet, dying made her view everything a whole lot differently. "You want to take down the Captain, take his place. Then what? What are you going to do with all that power when there's nobody else that can possibly match you? Sounds crazy that it could ever happen, maybe - but we can literally live for millennia. All sorts of crazy shit can happen before we even count as middle aged."
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Oct 30, 2022 16:25:05 GMT -5
"I could never take Kanpachi Yami's place" Koshou replies, his smile turning a little introspective as he continues to take those pacing steps that circulate around the other Shinigami. More clashes ring out as Hattori takes the opportunity to use Maria as a pell post almost, slashing and bashing his blade at her defenses from every angle he can take or find. They always come in random surges and bursts of energy that shifted and came in unpredictable staccato patterns.
"But it's true. I find my purpose in the thick of battle. In those precious moments, I have absolutely no doubts and no hesitation about my existence. As long as this life requires conflict, and battle, there will always be souls like mine born to live right there in the middle of it." Hattori tries to explain as best he can how he views that frenzy-like feeling that comes upon him when the stakes are high and the lines comes down to desperation. His voice remains quiet, only punctuated by the occasional ring of steel as their swords cross. Her skill is great it seems, powerful enough to keep him at bay despite the savage and nearly animalistic like feral nature of his attacks when they come unleashed. "When you become that strong, your purpose changes. When it's me sitting at the top of the mountain, then my purpose will become as Yami's purpose is now. To guide, and teach .. and inspire the frenzy of other battle-born souls!" His expression is radiant, though not sappy.
"Your purpose becomes your Name and your Legacy. How many attacks, or plots, that begin to swirl in the minds of our enemies ... never see the light of day because of the name Kenpachi Yami? What exactly IS the value, of deterrence in this manner?"
Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Nov 1, 2022 17:02:50 GMT -5
"I suppose so..."
Hattori did not expect to come out empty when he does reach the top and takes the place of Kenpachi - in that position, as he said, he would have a duty to inspire others at the bottom, to motivate them to strive even further and push their limits. So they would, presumably, eventually overtake him as well.
It was fitting for the Eleventh Division, obviously.
Maria continued blocking Hattori's frenzied blows. When the other Shinigami came for a sudden swing, almost slipping through her guard, she suddenly slid backwards - moving in a blink, she moved ten meters back, avoiding the strike and giving both of them some breather room.
"But that sounds like just an endless cycle to me. You grow stronger to take the place of the strongest boy in the yard, and motivate all the other boys to strap up and try to overtake you the same way you just climbed to the top," she explained, trying to describe Hattori's idea in her own words. "But I don't believe in endless loops. There's gotta be some sort of conclusion, right? Some kind of wall nobody can climb over, a limit to how strong one of us can get, or something? What would you do if such a thing exists?"
Maria began pacing around her opponent. "And it's all fueled by violence, and deterrence to violence. Wouldn't the world be a bit better in some ways, though, if we put all that violence behind us?"
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 1, 2022 17:18:32 GMT -5
" Yes and no." To the question that Maria asks, the answer Koshou gives might be as surprising as his thoughts on his purpose in Division Eleven were expected. He blinks somewhat, mildly surprised at himself for having forced the other Soul Reaper to step back a pace after such fruitless attacks up until then! Taking a minute to let that sink in, he drops the blade of his sword a moment, as he answers her. " But as well wish for the world to be made of love and rainbows. You say that you don't believe in endless cycles? That is Balance, pure and simple. If there were no more violence in the world, how would you know what Peace is? What can you know about joy, if there is no suffering or pain to compare it to? Be that as it may, it goes beyond this." Koshou lifts his blade, rotating his arm slowly as he draws the tip of it in a broad circle all around and in front of him. " Our purpose is to keep that balance flowing .." the Reishi that pours of out him is dense, irregular and dark in its color and nature, but it's enough for a flash of the cliche Yin and Yang to appear in that circle before disappearing. " and whether or not we like it, violence and conflict will always be a part of that cycle. And whether you believe it or not?" The man gives a broad smile, the point of his sword coming back to whip down with a slice and point its edge at Maria once more. " That sword you're holding means that a part of YOUR soul knows and accepts that. But - accepting that doesn't mean you have to stop searching for a better way, or a better answer. As for your other question? If that happens to me? The answer is simple, of course! You knock the wall down for having the gall to be in your way! Surpass your limits!" He rushes forward again, and it's like the jumping of electricity, his sword hitting here or there against her guard before hopping backward again as the short exchanges serve as breaks and punctuations to their conversation. Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on Nov 5, 2022 2:53:58 GMT -5
The usual argument that you could not live in a world that knows only peace, because then you would not be able to comprehend what peace is - you require knowing what violence is to have context. Maria knew of that argument. It always struck her as very apologetic of the current state of the world, an argument that tries to convince people to simply accept that their violent lives are normal and actually a good thing after all.
Maria raised her sword, moving from casual wandering to a defense against Hattori's blows in the blink of an eye, and blocking the incoming strikes. She did not strike back, merely guard herself and then return to her casual rhythm.
The other Shinigami's determination that there were no true limits was not something she could comment on. If anything, she believed as much deep in her heart, herself. Yet, what if that wasn't possible? After all, a normal human person, no matter how strong, would never be able to lift a skyscraper, and it is fair to imagine that Shinigami could have such far off boundary, too.
Instead of musing about that, however, Maria returned to the first topic.
"But there are other things about the world we can comprehend without ever experiencing their opposite," she answered. "A doctor doesn't need to have gotten sick with diseases to understand why they are causing pain, and you don't have to have been in depression to understand why your friend is in a terrible mood. And yes... I am a Shinigami, I wield a weapon, and I am in this Division. Back when I received all three, I was still thinking like the mortal girl I was - and my train of thoughts was quite a lot like yours. But now I'm starting to realize that... with these abilities, someone determined enough could actually change how the world works - for the better."
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PLAYER
This is what it's like being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.
Koshou
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Post by Koshou on Nov 6, 2022 17:09:51 GMT -5
" But someone did. Someone suffered for the knowledge that doctor has, indeed - learned from a school dedicated to ensuring that the suffering paid over the span of Time doesn't get lost by that same passage." The other Soul Reaper counters this assumption, reminding Maria that even though the doctor who learned today didn't have to pay those kinds of prices that the privilege of being able to learn without consequences didn't come freely or cheaply. His grin remains easy and musing though as his place here as something of a foil to her own exercise seems to settle in with Koshou just fine. More attacks come, but the crossing of their swords again only truly measures as punctuation to their conversation. " How would you make it better?" comes Hattori's next question to Maria. " Should we aspire to loftier ideals and hope that those we don't have control over will follow suit? You will suddenly stop hollows from following their desire to grow, and to eat?" There's a pause, and also a grunt from the man as they continue their discussion and guised casual sparring. " I can't claim it's not something of a double-standard. In life, we're bound to let things play out as they will. The food chain is what it is ... and perhaps we've taken it upon ourselves to disrupt that aspect of things on this side of the Veil. Still .. perhaps we're simply doing our part." Hibano |
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