An Odd Request [Closed]

Niji was recently released, and felt worse than dirt. Her training over the last year was non-existent, she had very little information about the outside world, other than some smattering snippets of gossip that she'd picked up that had left a worrying weight in her stomach. And she was so rusty that she didn't trust herself to go into her normal training in the forest. The last thing she needed was to get killed by some predator that should've been easy pickings, just because she was sloppy. That left one outlet for her needs and frustrations. The Training Grounds provided by Seireitei.

As she walked she could still hear the explosion from Obsession killing all those civilians because her her. He could see the light that shone on him as he grabbed her. The annoyed anger in his voice, the contempt as he made her distraction for those people meaningless. The raw terror from Iroppoi as she sensed something about him that crushed her spirit. The ... No! No! That happened a year ago. I need to progress to I'm at least good enough to go to the Forests. I need to get better. I need to be better. I really need to do something to make me feel human again ... or at least as close as a Demon like me can be.

She saw the Training Ground in the distance and felt an ache in her chest, I have to do whatever it takes to be stronger, to get the power needed to make sure that suffering never happens again. If only Oroppoi would talk to me again like before. Let me know she's alright, but I guess I'm not the only one who needs healing.

Niji felt tears roll down her face at the weight of everything that happened. All the horrors that she caused simply from a batched attempt to save people. It was a heavy burden that slowed her till she reached the entrance of the Grounds. Taking a deep breath she let it all out, focusing on training, and hoping noone commented on the tear tracts etched on her cheeks.

As she arrived she saw, not sensed, but saw a person sitting calmly on the grounds. Stones levitating around him as he sat in meditation, both the levitating of stones and the fact that she couldn't sense him told her that this was a person whom she was searching for. Someone who could make her stronger, better. But also that she would be wise too be careful unless he crushed her into dust. Walking as quietly as she could she say down before him and watched him meditate. Waiting till the time was right to ask if he was willing to train with her, and if possible help her train. If things progressed well enough, she might even be able to see if he could train her to be stronger. Both in mind, body, and spirit.



Uzume, or as Niji knew her Oroppoi, sat in her Brothel of Worldly Delights. Her Theater of Pleasure and Relaxation. Her Palace. That for the last year had been nearly empty. After the attack by Obsession, she knew true terror. She not only got the barest sense of offness with traces of Hollow. Something that could out her. But she felt true death. Whatever was in his bastardization of a Zanpakuto was dead. Empty. And she knew without a doubt that he was behind it.

Not only a threat to herself. But a threat to her sister and mother as well. It could never be fully explained into words for any being who wasn't a spirit what a dead Zanpakuto felt like. What utter death felt like. But that terror had her empty all but those protected by her, from her world. And retreated everyone left to safety, at least she hoped. But now it was a year later and she still didn't feel truly safe.

She knew her mother wanted her to push Niji to becoming a Vaizard. It being the only way for her to be whole and reborn, when she and her sister were able to open the door. But without guests to entertain, desires to fulfill, and the liveliness of her Home, she just felt empty. It was then that she sensed something new. Something that called out to her and she felt the pull to invite a guest for the first time in over a year. A spirit of contradictions that at once promised bonds and friendship, yet also suffering and power. It was like a siren's call. An flame guiding a moth to it's embrace, but regardless of the end effect. She had to see it.

Reaching out with her resonance she touched that other world, and like many others formed a door and an invitation, "Hello, My name is Oroppoi, and I invite you over for tea and entertainment while my Shini is busy with yours. Won't you come over for a spell?

_________________

CWC: 830

CGP: 16

Mako felt the woman approach, felt the shifting of her reiatsu-- insecurity, fear, but more than that-- hope, the hope of someone grasping at the last straw, the last ray of light as the darkness around them threatening to swallow them whole into a void of despair. It was a sensation he was all too familiar with, something he had worked through, something he had helped Yui through-- but this was different. Allowing his spiritual energy to slowly shift around him, he would slowly open his eyes-- the stones halting in their orbit and instead of hovering in place as his eyes watched the woman coldly. His face a mask of neutrality, not a single shred of emotion lingering on it beyond the most mellow of curiosity shining in his eyes.

"You're broken," he murmured simply, his tone was that of someone stating a fact, it wasn't a question or inquired-- he said it because he knew, even if he didn't know what had caused it. Everyone had their problems, but some people handled their own with less ease than others-- and this woman was clearly one of those individuals. Mako's eyes stared into the woman's own without hesitation, like a scientist studying a bug-- slowly the stones would return to their orbit, his guard lowering just slightly as he would remain still, his posture the same as it had been when she had approached him, cross-legged, fingertips pressing together as his hands rested lightly in his lap. He felt the ripples of uncertainty flowing from her own reiatsu, and finally, he would speak once more.

"What do you want?" The question was simple, and clear-- and left no room for misunderstanding, he had no time for small talk, or banter, all he cared about was what the girl was after-- a simple test. Did she have the resolve to come to the simple conclusion and move forward? To understand exactly what she wanted, in the barest of words, and step forward to truly seek it out? He supposed that was entirely up to her to decide-- he would wait, patiently as the stones orbited slowly around them both now, cold grey eyes meeting her own patiently.

--
Within his inner world-- Soushisha felt the stirring, he sat atop the castle, watching the sun glowing in the sky as it struggled to cast its light through the deep, harsh mists that covered the dead, grey castle at the worlds centre. It was currently dancing over the desert that decorated the far south, casting its golden light across the glinting sands as the pipe fell from the old spirits lips-- smoke rolled from its teeth as the skeletal face remained expressionless, lacking the muscles to do so. Instead, his eyes told the tale-- wisdom, maturity, calm control-- and more than that, deep thought.

Mako was making slow, careful strides recently-- greatly due to Yui. Yuuta had been the boys light for many years, but his personality was too gentle-- it was something that Mako had needed in his youth, a gentle, unyielding hand that would never give up but never push to hard to slowly pull him into the light. But now, Mako had found his comfort zone and had refused to exit it. But Mako's comfort zone was nowhere near where it needed to be for him to truly make the strides he needed forward-- despite all his progress, the boy still refused to truly want anything beyond power, and that simply wasn't enough.

But now-- now, Yui had entered the picture. Her personality, so similar to Mako's own-- and yet so different. Was slowly opening the boys mind up, and this interaction was proof of it, months ago before she had entered his like, Mako would have told this woman to leave him alone outright. Yet, here he was, offering help-- in his own direct, rude way-- but it was an offer none the less. A soft chuckle left Soushisha's teeth, before he would slowly blink, his gaze turning to the side to examine the doorway that had opened on the side of the tower of the castle that he sat beside.

Curiosity glinted in his eyes as the voice echoed out from the door-- the girls zanpakutou spirit wished to communicate with him? How intriguing, this was the first time he had seen a power like this-- he was certain Mako would like such information, and frankly, he was curious as well. It was a rare opportunity to talk to someone besides Mako-- he enjoyed his solitude, but there was no harm in expanding one's circle of friends, as it were occasionally. Slowly hauling himself up, holding the pipe in one hand, and the cane in the other, the spirit would limp toward the door and calmly push it open, the skeletal face slowly peeking into the doorway as he examined the interior curiously-- searching for the one that held the voice.

Not entering quite yet, a degree of caution was certainly warranted after all. But still, his interest was certainly piqued.

---

Post Words: 843
Total Words: 1,269

"You're broken," the Shinigami before her said. She didn't feel any malice behind it, merely a statement like mentioning the weather, or telling what time of the day it was. And yes, she was that. Even after so long, the mix of isolation, cut out from the outside world, all the while knowing that several dozens of lives were killed in an instant because of her. Was something that weighed heavily on her. Not to mention how silent Oroppoi had been all this time. Broken was a very accurate statement. But this person could fix that. She knew it, simply by not being able to sense anything at all from him, his control, everything about him screamed power to Niji. 

She sat there letting him study her. Staring ahead unblinkingly as she waited for an appropriate time to speak. It wasn't long, and just like before it was in a matter of speaking that was full of economy of movement. No idle chatter, no beating around the bush, and she knew that he much like her Sensei all those decades ago wouldn't broke her wasting his time. So she went straight to the point, "You're powerful, I need you to train me. I need to get stronger in mind, body, and spirit. And I don't care about the physical price my body will have to pay." 

She sat, and waited for his reply. If he was anything like Sensei he'd take his time about it to see if she'd try rushing him; or possibly would test her resolve in the most extreme manner possible. Usually ending with her needing to get her body healed from sprained or broken bones ... but that was just his way of showing he cared. Niji shook her head, yes, he reminded her of him. But this was a different soul entirely. She'd just need to see how things went, and to keep at it. 

_ _

When the Zanpakuto would look in, he'd see a wall full of Noh masks made of bone, filling the walls. Looking to his left he could see a darkened remnants of what was once a huge theater stage. The ceilings and floors made of polished mahogany. And in the center a Japanese diner table, with large, ornate cushions resting on either side. And on one end, a red-headed catgirl sat before a tea set.

Her ears were splayed on her skull, and much like Niji, it was clear that she was just as broken as Niji, as evidence by the fact that the very place felt deserted other than the spirit before him. "Sorry, I haven't had visitors to entertain since Obsession's attack on the Seireitei. It used to be more lively in here. I sensed you, and I felt drawn to you," She'd start off her voice wavering slightly.

"I have tea made by my sister, noone Niji would know of. But she takes care of Resort City's Garden of Change. These beans when drank grant clarity of thought, understanding, and a creative boost. Of course there's many other forms of leisure here ... but mostly I brought you in here to talk. I ... I want to know why I was drawn to you. Feeling like you can be what can start Niji and I to heal, and why I'm also afraid of you at the same time. Nowhere near as scared as facing the dead Zanpakuto of Obsessions, but close. That is if you'd care to entertain a lady."

If Soushisha had anywhere close to his Shini's Rei Per skill he'd sense that the 'Zanpakuto' Spirit that Niji used as her Shikai, was in fact a Zanpakuto Fragment, an incomplete soul  that had a Hollowesque feel, not quite Zan, not quite Inner Hollow, but somewhere in between. What he did with that information Oroppoi couldn't control.
____________________

CWC: 1456 (626+830)

CGP: 29

Power, huh.

A slow sigh left Mako's lips-- everyone wanted him to train them for some damn reason recently, it was such a damn pain in the ass, and yet he also knew that he had asked for this the moment he had lingered here instead of just shunpouing away to leave and train elsewhere. If he was going to do this, then he may as well do it properly. Slowly, his eyes would close fully, contemplating just what she meant by wanting power-- did she wish to be trained in everything? In the ability to suppress her reiatsu? In raw combat ability? Kidou? Slowly, his eyes opened fully as he glanced toward the woman, holding her gaze quietly for several, long moments-- until he pushed himself slowly to his feet.

"What do you wish to learn?" he asked simply, his hands moving behind the small of his back, his glasses catching the light of the setting sun as he looked down at her, the difference in their heights not even causing a blink, he didn't care-- appearances meant nothing. If she wished to be trained, then he would test and see if she actually had any potency or power that would be worthwhile-- just like he always did, if he judged someone to be without talent or any hope of gaining strength, then there was no point in teaching them. Yui, and Yuuta, had been some of the very few exceptions to that rule-- even in the Academy as a tutor, he had abided by that line of thought.

--
Unlike Mako's harsh, firm tone, Soushisha would allow the light in his sunken eyes to soften as he spotted the spirit-- a fragment, and the world it would appear was similar, fragmented, this was only one single area of it. Stepping forward, he slipped into the room calmly from the door as his hands tucked into the ragged robes-- moving forward and slowly settling into a seat across from her wordlessly before his voice would finally fill the air, rich and deep-- gentle as a father talking to a child.

"I'd be happy to have some tea, little one," he stated simply, bowing his head a bit in thanks as he continued, "--Though I don't know what help I can offer, I would be happy to talk. You're certainly an oddity, so learning more about you would likely help me as well," despite these facts, it was clear he didn't actually seem to care about the hollow-esc energy stemming from her, his face was unable to make any expressions, but he was clearly unperturbed. Calm, and content to help as best he could-- raising a hand, he would accept the tea he was offered when it was given politely, sipping it as his skeletal features opened so he could do so.

"Ah, this is good," he pondered quietly, glancing down at the liquid-- before slowly trailing his gaze upward toward the young woman, and slowly rest the cup against his chest as his thin hands traced the edge of the cup, his cane resting across his lap.

"Now-- what is this 'Obsession' you speak of? As well-- this dead Zanpakutou-- are you referring to the Zanpakutou of an Arrancar?" If he could, he would cock a brow at the spirit, but seeing as he lacked the capability instead the spirits tone would shift fluidly, curiosity, and interest sparking in his voice. Of course, unaware to either of the women, Mako was keeping a keen ear to the conversation, even as Soushisha translated the interaction over their bond, so too did he translate his own interaction to Soushisha as he spoke to the shinigami woman before him.

---

Post Words: 616
Total Words: 1,885