[Training] Planting the deathly seeds.

It was some time ago that Jin had spent his time training his hoho. The training was intense, and it had been some of the most gruesome days he had seen in some years, but it had paid off. He was more proficient in his ability to step, and he planned on using it to his advantage every chance he had but that wasn't what brought him back to the training grounds. No, Zetsumei had told him he was ready; ready for what exactly, He had no idea, but he was sure to find out. His eyes glanced around the grounds for a few moments while a small smirk came back across his features. He took notice that the band, flags, and armor was still where he had left it. He shook his head, smiling to himself, while taking a seet in the center of the grounds. Crossing his legs over one another, Jin placed both hands on either knee while he took in one deep breath. He searched, searched until he found what he had been looking for. That damn dying tree. It hadn't been that bad before, but Jin just took it as the natural way this world worked.

Opening his eyes widely, he looked around until he saw the gruesome disfigured form of his Zanpakutō spirit. Zetsumei had been laying in the tree against the largest branch. His paws crossed over one another with his bloodied face laying on his mangled fur, eyes closed. Jin's eyebrow rose, his teeth showing ever so slightly while he sighed, obviously irritated. His voice called out loudly, his fist pointing at the deathly wolf. "You mangled mutt. You had better wake up! You told me I was ready for something, and you're going to tell me just what that thing is!" Zetsumei's one eye opened while he listened to Jin. Anyone could tell (if anyone could get in here, that is) that Zetsumei was grinning, but he hid it very well with a sigh and a grunt as he rose from his slumber. He leaped from the branch landing right in front of Jin, his eyes looking over his partner. Jin gulped and started laughing, his hands shaking nervously.

"You know I was just kidding buddy. You're not a mutt." Zetsumei nodded, and then laughed to himself. I know you fool. But I do need you here. He started, walking back over to the tree. He looked it over, and then back to Jin. I know you've taken notice Jin. This tree is dying, and not just because this world lacks anything happy and cheerful He continued, walking around the dying woof, standing on his back legs with both paws on the bark, claws out scratching down the wood. This tree...is very precious to me. Before I couldn't trust you with it, but after your most recent training seminar, I knew you were ready, but if we don't finish soon, it may be too late. Jin tilted his head to the side like he enjoyed doing, almost mocking his dog friend. He asked curiously, and partly confused. "Too late for what?"

Zetsumei paused, his expression obviously a bit deterred and annoyed. You know very well what... He started, walking to Jin's side, then standing tall, he looked down at the young looking man. Jin gulped for a moment, but Zetsumei's eyes reassured him that everything was going to be fine. Your bankai... The words left Jin speechless, almost unable to breath. Bankai? Sure, Jin hoped this had been it, but now? Now he wanted to show Jin? Now he was ready? What about during the war, or when his friends lives were at risk. Jin knew better though than to talk back to his partner. They had always been on equal grounds; even when it came to combat, intelligence, and morality. Jin sighed, and then grinned. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

"So what's the plan Zetsumei?" Jin asked anxiously, his feet tapping the ground as he paced back and forth. His mind was running through every possible test Zetsumei could throw his way. Then it hit him, he stopped, smirked, and turned toward the wolf. "I know now." His hand started to slowly grip the hilt of his blade, he was going to surprise attack Zetsumei into submission and make this task a piece of cake for the both of them. However, before he could fully grasp the blade, Zetsumei had spoken up, causing Jin to second guess everything he knew about shinigami and how they achieved Bankai. No, we're not going to fight. We're above that senseless violence. I know it, and so do you Jin. Jin shook his head in bewilderment. he hadn't even considered that.

"Then what Zetsumei?" You'll see, and Jin...I hope you forgive me. Jin tilted his head once more, but before he could speak up once more everything around him had changed. He was in a wooden house sitting up on a bed. Had he dreamt the entire thing? Was Zetusmei not ready to reveal the final secrets of his Zanpakutō to him yet? He scoffed tearing the covers from his side as he tried to get off of the bed. But before Jin could completely wrap his head around all of his anger he had slipped off of the bed falling face first into the wooden planks. His feet had missed the ground. He stumbled to his feet, his hair being shaken, and torn from his face as he looked all around. Who had raised his bed? Whoever had done it was going to get a mouthful. Jin turned once more as his eyes met another's. Who was he, and why was he so much taller than Jin? Jin was about to mock him until he realized it; looking down at his feet, and then his hands he finally caught on. He was a child, but then who was this?

"Who are-" Then it hit him like a ton of bricks being slammed into his stomach. That was...He was... "Zeek..." Who was this man, and how did Jin know his name? Then a painful surge in his head caused him to buckle over. A thousand memories flashed through his brain all at once, everything from his human life. Twenty-seven years of pain, of hate, of fear. This man, this was...his older brother. The fear in his eyes could be felt from across the room, and this man knew it. Jin stumbled to his feet while turning to flee. STOP! Stand tall! Do not let fear compromise you. Understand that fear is a reflex, but Courage....Courage is a choice Jin! Zetusmei called out to him. Courage. The courage to stand up to things more powerful than you. Courage to stand up for those weaker than yourself. That was the requirement to call for the Tree of Death. The willingness to call for the courage to sacrifice yourself for the greater good.

Jin stopped dead in his tracks while the other man came forward. He wanted to run, he wanted to escape this horrible memory but something held him here. what? With tears running down his face Jin turned to face the older man. This time however he was no longer a child. As a man Jin stared into the other mans eyes before extending a hand to his older brother. The memory of Zeek was reluctant, but he started to come around. Jin could feel Zetsumei in the background watching. He was smiling, as was Jin when his brother took his hand. Then, with one final gesture he pulled the older man into a hug. The two of them smiled, the memory fading while the deathly world came back into view.

Sighing to himself he turned to face Zetusmei. I hope you're not angry Jin. I needed...no...you needed to learn compassion. Acceptance, and the ability to forgive for others mistakes. Jin smirked and nodded. "I'm not mad Zetusmei. In fact, I thank you. Those memories were lost...probably for good reason before. But now...I understand what he had gone through. I'm able to see why he was angry." Zetusmei only briefly smiled. He knew that the worst of the tests were yet to come.

Time was such an abstract thing when someone was in their Zanpakutō's world; as if it wasn't even there, and you could live another life without affecting you're real body. That especially felt true now for Jin. He was unsure as to how much time he had been in this world; it could of been a couple of hours, or a couple of days. He was so focused on finishing this training that he didn't care. Back in the Zanpakutō's world Jin stood in front of Zetsumei, his eyes meeting with the dying wolf, turning slowly to the tree which was growing even more weak. Jin sighed to himself before he sat down. He needed to prepare himself for what was to come next.

Jin, what's on your mind? "Nothing. Just waiting for you to send me the next test. I'm ready." Sadly he was lying, and Zetsumei knew this. Jin was shaken up by his most recent encounter with his dead brother. He wasn't ready for that, and even though he made it through, he wasn't sure if he was going to make it through the rest of the test like he had the last one. He shook it off, and stood up. He still had his eyes closed as his mind raced through the memories of past, both before and after his initial life. Then, even among everything, a smile broke free. He may not have his family, his brother, or his old life, but he had friends and he had Zetsumei. His eyes opened as he stared down at the wolf. He was ready, and zetsumei could sense it. So be it.

Zetsumei turned away, and this caused Jin to arch a brow in confusion, but just before Jin could open his mouth to speak to the wolf out of no where walls and a roof appeared. Jin scoffed at the idea of once more dealing with his brother, or maybe his father and mother but this was going to be much worse. Just as Jin took a step erupted flames all around him. His eyes lost their soul, becoming blank in an instant. He took a step back, turning furiously round and round. Where! Where was the exit? Jin stumbled forward, then back, anxiously looking for any way out of this hell. He didn't want it! He didn't want his bankai that badly. He fell to his knees as the flames roared around him, growing more fierce as time passed. He could feel it. This was another memory, and he was a child once more. All but the sound of the flames was drowned out. Why would Zetsumei do this to him? He knew what Jin feared the most. Trapped inside a flaming hell was right at the top of his do not do list.

The fire was his fault, right? He distinctly remembered his life going to hell, his family becoming homeless, and his brother being hospitalized because of him. What was his reward? A giant slab of metal being slapped to the back of his neck, and his entire life being flipped, turned upside down. Even still, as his heart pounded, he couldn't help but feel like the voice of another came out from somewhere. What was it saying though? He couldn't focus on it. The flames were so intense, the heat was causing him to drown in his own sweat. His lips curled, the salty taste of sweat and tears touching his tongue. Was he really going to die in here? No. He wasn't. The last test was for him to come to terms with his past, and he was sure that this was right along the same lines. He knew he was more than his past, and more than his fears.

Fears. Regrets. That was it. Jin stood up, his eyes opening with the tears stopping. It wasn't hot either? Then, all at once Jin could hear the voices all coming in as clear as day. It was...his family? "You can beat this, Jin! We're safe, come to us son..." Jin took a step toward them, but stopped. He shook his head, and understood that that wasn't his path forward. There was nothing but fear and sadness with them. Jin stood still for a moment as he slowly extended one arm outward. A wooden plank slowly started to grow from the planks beneath him. As he gripped the wooden plank it turned back into his sword, and with one fell swoop Jin slashed the blade into the air, knocking the falling metal slab away. That was his past, and while there was nothing he could do to change it, he could move forward. And there was once more thing for him to do.

He didn't know how he knew it would be fine, but He brought the blade into the air, turned on himself. Then, with one fell swoop, he had stabbed himself with the sword. Behind him nothing but blood spilled against the ground; the ground trembled, and the house shook. Ripping the sword from his gut a giant tree erupted from the ground tearing the old house away. Jin turned around, looking at the tree, then himself. He was an adult once more, and he was...fine? And were those...wings? "What the hell Zetsumei...? You needed to not only conquer your fears that you've lived with up until now, but you also needed to face your fear of growing to much. I know you like to train, but you feared true power. Not anymore, but before I allow you to use this power out there, you need to beat me in here. Zetusmei's words echoed through the deathly world. Jin arched a brow, sheathing his sword. His voice sounded urgent, but unsure all at the same time.

"Beat you? I thought you said we weren't going to fight; whats the deal?" We aren't going to fight, not by traditional standards anyway. You'll need your wits with you boy... Then something happened that Jin wasn't expecting in the slightest; Zetsumei started to change. Slowly standing on his hind legs, his arms and legs turned more human, his snout began to shift into lips, and a nose while his fur started to turn into a suit. Jin blinked, his lips curling inward. Zetsumei was...Human, you're asking. I know, I only need this form to play you in the game... "What...game?" Chess...

"Chess? What kind of test is that? Besides, what do you even know about the game?" Jin exclaimed. His hands were moving with his words as he expressed his utter confusion in the matter. He didn't understand what Zetsumei needed with this game. Jin knew the game better, and he had played it before when he took his posts in the human world. What could this mut-human-ish mutt know about the game? Jin shot his hands up in the air one last time in defiance before he walked around in circles waiting for his friends answer. To start Jin, Chess takes true strategy to win when played against a good opponent. Someone as intelligent as yourself. He started, his words weren't wrong, but Jin still didn't see the relevance. to add to that, this bankai isn't strictly offensive like your shikai is...or so I thought. He said with a short laugh coming from his lips, noting his most recent fight against a young shinigami girl named Tessa; Jin had used his shikai in a combination of offense, defense, and supplementary powers.

You are a good tactician, and this bankai needs a mind like that. If you want to use it, you need to win. Jin nodded as he understood. He knew that Zetsumei wouldn't do something unless it mattered and made complete sense. Jin smiled as he looked around. "So, where's the chess board?" Here... Jin looked at the other man as his hands rose in the air. The ground began to shake as a giant board started to grow from the ground. The pieces also grew from the ground, with the tree in the center of the board. The pawns weren't humans, but instead...hollow? Jin took a step back, but before he could say anything Zetusmei calmed the other man. These aren't real Jin. These are old hollow from your past. our sword is unique, most notable when it comes to Bankai. Each strike, and foe slain stays within our sword. The bankai even more so, with each strike to their body trapping a bit of themselves in the tree. All the hollow you had killed....are here.

Jin nodded. The rooks were in the shape of his home from his human life, and his division that he stayed in now. Zetsumei's was a small version of the tree, and the other was a small den. Jin laughed for a moment. These rooks were very fitting in their own right. The bishops were in the shape of menos grande, and the knights were in the shape of Adjuchas. One of them looking eerily familiar, much like the Adjuchas he had faced when working on his hoho training. The queen was...his mother. Jin smiled and looked across the board to see that Zetsumei was using his brother, Zeek, as his queen piece. For a moment Jin was angry, but that quickly subsided as he understood why Zetsumei had done it. These were all part of his past, his present, and his future. They were fighting for the tree, and it's control. Jin took a deep sigh, but then noticed something strange. "Zetsumei...what about the kings?" Part of him knew what his partner was going to say, but he felt compelled to hear it from him with his own ears.

We are the kings... Jin knew it, and as the two of them took their places the game had begun. Zetsumei were to go first, as he was white. Knight, F3. Jin followed almost immediately, only taking a moment to think over his move. "Pawn, F5." A snide smirk came over the other mans face. Jin arched a brow, but before he could Zetusmei had already moved. Knight, e5! The game was taking a slow, but steady start. Jin moving his knight to c6. He grunted as Zetsumei then took his knight with his own. But he had to recover, quickly taking that knight with a pawn to c6. Pieces were being taken left and right. Jin was watching Zetsumei as carefully as possible, looking for anything that could give him a hint to the damn spirits thoughts, his strategies, anything. Jin couldn't read him, and then in a moment, both queens were lost. He didn't know what to think. The queens were some of the most important pieces in the game, and for both to be lost in a moments notice was mind-boggling.

"What's your angle Zetusmei? You've got to be thinking something in that giant head of yours." Jin knew how much he hated being mocked, but something was different in his partner. Nothing was phasing him. He was just staring forward, looking right at him. Jin sighed, but then something clicked in him. his head raising as he looked at the other man. Zetsumei hadn't broken contact with Jin, not once. Then it hit him. Jin needed to test his theories though. Because this entire time Jin thought he was guarding against Zetsumei, reading his movements, and his strategies, but it seemed to be the other way around. Zetsumei was reading Jin. That would soon be over though. Something Jin had that Zetusmei didn't...spontaneous movements. This would no long be a game of technique, but of straight chaos. Though, there was one thing Jin could do, but he couldn't think about it. He needed to just do it. "Knight, E2!" Zetusmei blinked for a moment looking dumbfounded. Jin hadn't thought about it, but instead just moved. He quickly gathered his thoughts and responded. Rook, D3. A piece sacrificed for the greater good.

"Knight C1" Bishop, H2 "Rook, B1!" Knight, C4! "Rook, B3!" Rook H1! "Pawn, D2!" What?! For a moment Zetsumei was confused, but then quickly noticed what had happened. Jin had cornered Zetsumei's last rook surrounded by his own pawns, while his own pawn was mere steps away from becoming what he needed to end this game. Rook A3! "Pawn...D1!" The hollow exploded as a graceful figure emerged from the clouds of dust. Jin smiled at his mothers figure once more. Zetsumei however, was not as happy to see Jin's mother. I can take her again! Rook, A1... Zetsumei had become so confused by Jin's random moves that he hadn't moved to the one safe zone, back to B3. Leaving a nice diagonal shot for the queen. "Queen....B3...Checkmate."

Zetsumei fell to one knee as the tree in the center of the board started to regrow. Spreading wildly, and blooming with red fruit, and crimson leaves. Under the wild mane of hair that covered the human Zetsumei's head, he was smiling. Slowly turning back into his wolf form, he looked at Jin with a large smile spread across his furry snout. Goodjob Jin...you won. "Thanks....' The words left his lips as he fell to the ground, staring up at the queen that had won the game for him. He smiled, and looked away as the piece, along with the other pieces, crumbled to dust. The tests were done, and Jin had passed them all.