Mere Mortals [closed; open for 4th Division]

It....was something that was hard to comprehend. Tento had only recently joined the 4th division from the Academy. In a blink he was told about his mission and sent off. Once completed he returned to only realized that he had received a message while he was out. One shared with everyone that would be his division. Captain Kobayashi...was dead? It felt...impossible. He was not any type of Shinigami. He was a Captain after all, a symbol to what Soul Reapers could be. What....could have caused his death? The events and conditions were completely unknown to him.

Tento had no experience with the man, besides one. The time that Tento sent out a pleading for help at understanding and improving his flash step. It was only for a short, but the time and advice given by Captain Kobayashi helped Tento in more than one way. He was appreciative that the busy Captain decided to aid him in person. From Tento's small piece of knowledge. That was a shared feeling among the many members of the 4th division. He could only imagine the feelings and thoughts that were going through everyone's heads. ....Especially Hanako. As the Vice Ca Captain. There was a likely bond and respect towards the two that was stronge and impactful between the two. To have one die must have been so..... heavy.

Tento was tired from his mission and worried about how his new teammates were holding up. But for now it was something he could not think or do anything about. He was much too tired and had to sleep. It was late at night. Eventually he would meet the new Captain, probably later since he was on the lower end of the seated positions and was new. Once that happened he would just have to take his best foot forward and take it from there.

------

Tento jolted up from his bed. It was not due to a night,are or anything like that. But a noise. A voice? A loud boastful strong sounding one. And a heck one a reiatsu with it. But funny enough the thing that grabbed Teto's attention was not the reiatsu of the voice, but of another one that was lower. It felt...familiar, but vastly different. Comforting and....fierce. Tento wondered, and with the words he heard..

“Fourth division! Wake up! Come watch your comrades put it all on the line today!”

Well it was his excuse to find out.

Rolling out of bed Tento hurriedly put some clothes on. His uniform bottom and a plain white t-undershirt. He was trying to hurry to see what was doing on. Once he opened his door and if he saw something that he would have to run to he would go back into his room and put the rest of his uniform on. Grabbing his zanpakuto just in case, Tento opened his door. leading right to the wide open training grounds. It was a nice view and a sweet bonus. Tento would imagine he would find plenty of us of it and that it would save him time when he wanted to get his daily work out in. He was feeling the pressure of many people now, it was amazing it did not wake him up earlier. I guess he was a heavy sleeper...

Tying his soul so to speak to his side, Tento opened open his bedroom door. Steppng out to the gathering crod of division 4 members. With a little pushing and wigglig he made his way up front to get a view of what was going on. Then he heard a voice, and if he was not seeing it himself he would have thought he was crazy.

It was Hanako.

She was here along with another member he would assume to be a member of their division. It, was weird to say that. 'Their'. He would have to get use to that eventually in time. And,someone wearing an item that could not be hidden at all, a symbol for their position. A captain's white robe. was this...the new Captain? God damn he has a giant sword... The thought came running in his head as he wondered. Was it in shikai? Or was that what his sword looked like in base? either way his pressure....was insane. It felt...suffocating even. If he was not controlling himself, heck Hanako too, Tento imagined that he would not manage to even stand up. It was intoxicating...drawing something within wanting to get closer.

More thoughts rang but they quickly was settled hearing Hanako's voice and her words. It was a friendly spar, likely to see the abilities of the Vice Captain. And Tento supposed, the 3rd seat? Wait no...no that was someone else maybe. Who was this person? Regardless, it was smart for a Captain to see his ranked members abilities, heck, all of his divisions abilities. He supposed this could be a fine way to do it while breaking ice.

Hanako, and the unknown man that Tento would learn who name was Amon moved in a flash then. Taking the que from the new Captain to not hold back and start. Moving with flash steps that...Tento was honestly surprised he could track, he watched as one went above and the other went from the right. The attacks...did not go well. In fact Amon not a nasty kick that made Tento what cringe an oooooooow out". Durable as he was he knew from sure that would hurt like hell even from him. He could only imagine how much pain Amon was in. He looked tough though, probably tougher then Tento. He only hoped he didn't get a broken rib from that.

Their Captain was either a beserker type or liked to egg and poke people on to make them fight for real. To fight harder. It would not be easy for the to of them to face a Captain, everyone watching knew that. It was still hard though, this man was a fighter...

Then a shock wave of energy came, Hanako was releazing more of her power. It felt...amazing. In resitu, he wondered if it was close to the Captain? It felt like it was but...it felt that the Captain was still on another level somehow. Whether this question was a testament to how strong Hanako was Tento's weak power and lack of experience he was not sure. All he knew, she was going to come back stronger now at him, a thought that made a slight smile form on his face. Not one expecting Hanako to slap the Captain around now, but of, a respect he supposed? It was a mindset trait he had grown to be very familiar with and respect after all.

He did say one thing though, "Damn she got a big ass sword".

Ready for round two, they moved again. And Tento continued to look on, his excitement growing to see the strength of everyone here. sparring.

The Big Woman

Hanako Yamada

It was not so much that Hanako assumed Arkin would be a melee only fighter. That would be just plain stupid, given her own Shikai. Her bringing some distance between herself and the Captain just seemed like a prudent move. She had no idea what his methods were but getting out of reach of these tree-trunk-arms couldn’t be a bad idea.

It was strange, though. That he let them just cut him. Granted, that he let their strikes hit was kind of expected. But he actually allowed them to cut his skin…there was no way this could have happened without him actively allowing it. Hanako knew how the basic mechanics of spiritual pressure worked. She knew what a significant difference in power level could do. Even if Hanako would be able to flatten several city blocks, maybe even some small town like Takayama, with her power, Arkin was probably able to turn most of Tokyo into glass. Overcoming such a large power gap was…highly unlikely.
And then the way he bled. If it could be called blood. It was all wrong in colour and viscosity. And it was seemingly hot, Hanako could see little wisps of smoke curl from the blade of her sword. She was not worried that Bakumusha would catch on fire. The body of the sword and the armour sleeve might look like wood, feel and smell like wood, but it was actually no less durable than the steel cutting edge of the big weapon. Otherwise using Bakumusha’s secret ability would be somewhat problematic.

Arkin seemed to have fun. Despite him ‘bleeding’ from two cuts he was laughing. Was he a madman or did he enjoy the fight just so much? Hanako hoped for the latter. This she could understand. Very well, actually. The former would be a problem. She was barely able to hold off the last mad woman that decided to cause trouble, and that one had been roughly in her ballpark, power wise.
The Captain had just roared something about loving it, partially alleviating Hanako’s fears, when he drew his arm that held his weapon back…and threw it.

With an unearthly sound the spinning axe flew towards her. In this moment Hanako made a big mistake: She still assumed this was only a constant release Shikai. She raised Bakumusha with the broad side up and braced it with her armoured arm.
With a force she could not have imagined it impacted and hanako felt the floor swept from under her. For a split second Hanako felt an intense vertigo, not knowing whether she moved or not or where up and down was. Then she herself impacted into and broke through a wall bordering the yard.

For a moment time seemed to stand still and Hanako saw the sky above her with frozen clouds, her thoughts equally frozen. This power. It wasn’t at all what she had expected.

WIth a grunt she sat up and freed herself from some of the rubble, remains of the wall she had partly torn down with her body. The freshly healed wound on her back definitely didn’t like it.

“Lieutenant, are you okay?” a member of the Division that was close by asked. Hanako pulled a grimace.

“I’m fine, don’t worry. If he wanted to kill me I’d be dead already.” she stood. “Get some people and erect dampening barriers like last time, but double strength.”

The Shinigami nodded and hurried away. And Hanako hurried back into the fight. Her people would now quickly surround the area in barriers that would hopefully limit the majority of damage to the yard they were sparring in.

The air around Hanako began to glow in a cold blue again when she summoned her full power. Nothing less would do.
With a flash step she gained height quickly. When she reappeared several metres above the arena, she began spinning bakumusha on it’s chain. Faster and faster, until it was only a blur, similar to Arkin’s axe when he had thrown it. Hanako could see, that he had brushed Amon aside also. She could only hope this was really only a sparring and no lasting damage would be done. But there was her opening…
With a mental command she lengthened the chain and in a quickly increasing arch Bakumusha came down, the flashing cutting edge howling through the air. It would come down on Arkin with a force much higher than the simple attack before, enough to split the ground if he’d dodge it.

.

What seemed like victory was only short and sweet. Progress was the proper term, and a poor one at the effort the two Shinigami put in against striking at the new Captain. Blood or what would be considered blood splattered across Amon's clothing, it glowed a golden hue and felt like fire, he quickly ripped off the hoodie he had donned beforehand leaving just his shirt. Quickly backing up to gain some distance, the insane bastard laughed, making Amon fasten himself as the much larger man prepared for the next phase.

"Ffffuck!" Amon exclaimed as he watched the massive Dark Souls weapon thrown through the air like a retarded frisbee… a very dangerous, retarded frisbee at that, and fast too. However he shouldn't have looked away for even a split second.

But there was no blocking against the massive fist uppercutting under his jaw. It was like getting hit with a brick again, something Amon never would have thought of remembering, and not to his surprise he was now off the ground. Then when vice grips that were called hands grasped his hips he was launched even further, and like a washing machine on spin cycle Amon was spun in the air until finally crafting down into the ground. Luckily he barely heard the new Captain otherwise Amon would have a much harder time trying to recover.

All senses felt like they were stuffed much like allergies, however pain followed up when the shock wore off. Amon groaned for a moment, his ears rang and he felt as if all of the breath was knocked out of him in the worst way, and everything throbbed throughout his body. Amon attempted to get up but more pain shot through his body, unbeknownst to him despite the gut feeling he had multiple broken bones and, some important and some… not as important. Pulling his Asauchi back to his body, Amon was working his way back up off the ground and to his feet in an attempt to get into the fight. If only his vision wasn't blurred.

This may have just been a spar but Tento felt the intensity still. It was strange, it...was like it was a wall. A pillar example of the doors before Tento. Multiple that felt locked away in a separate space, one that was in another universe than his. Several times over. Cloaked in a darkness that made it unseen, invisible and unable to sense. Identified by a door that was locked and covered in chains even if he was somehow to get to the point he could see it. It was heavy, restricted, almost like the doors ahead were being consumed by the chains to the point that they were more present than the door it self. Tenacity...will, could those things help against it?

As he wanted Hanako and Amon move he wondered if he was in this situation with them, would he even be any use? He felt a strange fire, a hunger to test his mettle against the same thing they were. Heck, to surpass what they were facing right now. But it just felt...weird. Alien even. Were the two of them, fighting harder against this mountain?

As Tento continued to watch he saw...something, weird. The Captain, Arkin extended his arms, holding them out away from his body. Was he, welcoming the attacks from Vice Captain Hanako and Amon? He was! Was he a mad lad or was he simply extremely confident in his spiritual pressure advantage and physical strength?? Either way, the attacks from the both of them landed true, slashing into his flesh. But something was odd it wasn't the red color that came, but....gold? What....the hell was Captain Arkin!?! Was he even human? He did not bleed red blood that came from living beings or Soul Reapers. This man was becoming more and more of anonymity.

He left out no cry or sign of pain. But a loud roar of excitement? Blood lust? Madness?? Or just the thrill and insanity within battle? The sound only seemed to grow from Hanako's blow. It was some weird laugh indeed. With a cock back of his arm, he flung his axe out towards Hanako. To Tento, it was like a instant before rocketing to Amon and throwing out what he could only guess as a nasty punch to the face then just...just getting grabbed and thrown into the ground. The Captain was definitely a berserk type of warrior...

His blows hit, his weapon coming out like a wrecking ball, smashing into Hanako and sending her into a section of the compound. Her body impacting and breaking through a wall before falling flat on her back. For a moment he felt unease. Was she okay? Hell, was Amon okay? Both of those hits were monstrous but if anything, Amon got the short stick out of the attacks. Tento was not sure if he should go over and check on her. They were in the middle of a spar, would that be rude and dishonorable to the combatants? Soon the thought was removed, Hanako shaking off the rubble. Hanako freed herself from the deconstructed mass, soothing the concern of a nearby division member before declaring out an order.

Within moments the nearby people by her went on the move. Spreading the task and getting to work. Soon many were up from all around, erecting a dampening barriers. Vice Captain Hanako then flashed stepped away, spinning her shikai on its chain until it was a blur. Then at some point it extended, somehow still being a blur as it moved to its target. Howling through the air as if it was cutting through nothing towards Captain Arkin.

Tento, being on the sidelines and not being called to battle. Decided to just follow the orders of his Vice Captain. Working with the others to erect a barrier at twice the power to secure the area.

The Big Woman

Hanako Yamada

Again…Arkin wasn't even trying to evade or block. He just stood there and caught Hanako's blade with his bare hands. And this time Hanako honestly didn't pull her punch. She had felt the brutal strength of her new Captain. His weapon…she had managed to block it, but the force still sent her flying. At first she had been confused how she could have been so terribly wrong. In the next instant she knew she had to bring everything to the table to even remotely have a chance at satisfying the new Captain. She also realised there was no chance she would be able to pose any danger to him, no matter what she did. Not unless he let his guard down completely. And yet, for a brief moment, when the sword came down on him on it's chain, it looked as if exactly that had happened.

Only for a moment, though. The next moment brought a weight down on her that drove the air out of her lungs. She basically fell out of the air and barely managed to stay standing. Blood rushed in her ears. Her sight became grey and darkness creeped inwards from the corners of her eyes. A wave of nausea hit her completely unprepared. Was she screaming? No, she wasn't. One needed air to scream and she was unable to breathe. She looked at the Captain. He smiled at her. Then it was over.

Hanako inhaled voraciously. She found that she was sweating, trembling and gasping for air like one that was just saved from drowning. But much to her delight she was still standing, albeit barely, and the nausea had passed without her throwing up. So that did count as a win, didn't it? Hanako really hoped so, because it sure enough didn't feel that way.

When Arkin declared the event to be over Hanako nodded and bowed, but didn't say anything. She didn't know what.
Although her back did hurt, the first thing she did was hurry over to Amon. It was almost instinctual. Her not fully healed back injury was not that important now, her crew was. She got that back injury defending them, after all. The wet feeling on her back probably was just sweat anyway.

It wasn't.

"Breach, are you alright?" She asked.

While she awaited his answer she called for a medic team to be dispatched. If all went well there were no major injuries to take care of, but she saw no need to take any chances. Hanako never had to stand against such a display of sheer power. Not even Magnolia had exhibited anything of this sort. She suspected that it was the same for Amon.

The medics arrived within seconds thanks to a group of division members with kido abilities already being on site. They had erected an energy dampening barrier around the training area, and rightly so. An energy release of that magnitude could have done a lot more than tear down a wall, like Hanako had done with her body and some extrinsic applied kinetic force.

When she was sure Amon was cared for she jumped up and rushed over to the wall to see if any of the other division members present needed help. That was when she saw Tento.

"Hey…everything alright here." She addressed him. "Anyone need help?"

Without her realising it her Shihakusho began to turn dark and wet from the wound on her back that had superficially opened again.

What started as a stumble to a slow jog, Amon only had one thing in mind: fuck this bitch up. Right now he didn't see Arkin as a Captain but as an enemy, manhandling the Shini wasn't enough to keep the Texan down. And what started as a jog stopped again into a stumble, between the pain, the sense of dizziness and ringing in his ears Amon felt a sudden surge of power rush forward. It knocked him back on his behind, making the Shinigami rear and all the wind in the world was knocked out of him. What was this? The crushing feeling, something engulfing his body in and out, it was Arkin no less. Amon froze in his spot, while not vomiting immediately he simply laid on the ground showing how much of a pushover he really was.

There was a choking sensation, although Arkin had sheathed his spiritual energy Amon still felt an aftereffect of the blast. He didn't notice Hanako at all until a medichad rushed over. When they healed his body and released some of his own energy that had congested he coughed violently, finally vomiting after he got on his hands and knees. It was painful, even after healing he couldn't shake off the feeling of being pummeled like the way he did. He didn't necessarily know exactly, "Who," Arkin was but a man of that power... It made Amon laugh despite his struggling.

"Ohhhoohh..." Amkn could only reply, and despite taking an ass whipping like he did there was a fire in his eyes, a hunger that started to call to him, " T-T-That power... I... I need to reach that someday..."

This was really something, seeing the higher ups of the Gotei United. The symbols and representation of what a Shinigami should be. Their spiritual pressure, the speed, the skill of their sword. It was overwhelming as well as entrancing. And to be honest, with how their new captain was. It was a little frightening. It was brutal, but one that had a well of respect swell within Tento towards Hanako and Amon. This was a beating, one that seemed to only fire the two fighters up. Their bodies stood strong, and from what Tento felt, their spiritual pressure were solid. Decreasing in their energy sure, but he could feel their will not fading.

In truth, Tento did not think if he did not have a good reason to fight against such a thing. A severe mission that if he failed would caused devastating consequences. If someone dear to him was in danger; harm or death. He thought he would not pull out of his will power to stand tall and charge forward against such a beast. If such a challenge was something he could face. He did not truly know. But for now, he could only do what he could in his role. Maintaining the barrier up alongside the others in their squad as this spar came to its final stretch. The hearty laugh and peeled back wide grin on Captain Arkin's face was a clear sign of that.

"Haha! The vigor! The beauty of it! You two shall make fine shinigami in the years to come. But it is time we end this, no?"

"Alright fellas you heard it! Push! Don't let down your focus or energy for a second!", Tento yelled to his fellow squad mates, giving a roar of spirit before pushing a pulse of his spiritual energy forward. The brown color of his reiatsu weeping off of him. But even with the it all. The barrier up, the concentrated pool of power from his squad mates next to him shoulder to shoulder. It still was not good. It wasn't suitable to blow the wave of energy that came when hand met blade. It was suffocating. As if a heavy fog had snuck in around them. On their clothes, in the lungs, a headache on the heads squeezing. Squeezing. Bodies fell around him, the spiritual pressure released fully now from their Captain rushing around as if it was a tsunami. Unrelenting, powerful, constant with no escape. Tento felt his head spin, his stomach churn as if it was a pot of food being stirred as it cook. His body sweat, dizzy; numbing.

He not sure what happened next...

He was just in a daze among the other troops that managed to stay up. Some who managed to keep aiding the barrier up until the fighting was over. Did someone get flying? Was someone bleeding? Someone called for a medic. Tento felt his shoulder lower as the barrier was finally realized. So drained. So, tired. He bent over, his breath catching as his body shook and trembled as he gasped like there was no air. He vomited.

The urgent feet of the medics ran, piling in to the training field like moths to a flame. A few stood out to check out the collapse members of the 4th division, but the primarily numbers went in to immediately check the bodies of everyone within the site who danced the song of combat. Arriving within seconds and operating together like a well oiled machine. No words were wasted; gear was placed down, the healing process for the easy identifiable wounds were started, and words were mostly unstated unless they were needed.

----

Tento shook his head, trying to gather himself. He wiped his mouth as his eyes cleared and began to focus, just in time to see a figure jump over one of the concrete walls. The figure, Hanako, saw the tired masses of their division. Some knocked out, some resting after struggling after keeping up the barrier, as well as some watching onward now in crowds. Letting the medics do their thing while they simply standby.

"Ah, mostly. Everyone could use some help though.A check up to make sure they are fine after that wave of spiritual pressure", Tento said with a heavy exhausted voice. His normal cheery voice drained and faint. He said looking at her, bruises and cuts discernible on her. At first Tento did not notice. The growing pool of blood reddening her Shihakusho. Making the clean white fabric darken a deep dirty crimson. Droplets began to fall, dripping onto the floor. The sight and sound making clear to Tento that their Lieutenant was injured and needed medical attention. How much he was not sure.

"You're, bleeding", Tento said still in his tired tone. His hands moving up began to glow a light faded green. If allowed he would try to place the glow onto Hanako's back and begin medical treatment while calling over a healing medic.