The senkaimon slides open with two men exiting the portal before it slides shut. The black butterflies fluttering back inside just prior to them closing the door. "Thesignaliscomingfromthisway."
Ikasu had been briefed on the way over and so does not ask what this signal is about. "Lead the way," he instructs. He ponders for a moment. "Do you think that SK005 Mark 1 will remember you?"
Kirukoto stops in his tracks and looks at Ikasu. "Thisisyourcousinandmyniecethatyouaretalkingabout.ThinkaboutherthewayyouthinkofTsubaki.HernameisRan.ShewasmadefrommybrotherDaisukeandhiswife'sowngeneticmaterials.So,shehaspartsthatwouldmakehermuchlikeamodsoul.Sohercoreislikeamodsoulcapsule.But,nephew,andIamspeakingasyouruncle,andnotyourshinigamisubordinate,Iaskthatyourememberthatsheisfamily,regardlessofwhatherfilesays.Sakurahadaverygoodreasonforregisteringherlikethat.Thingsweremuchmoredifferentbackthen.Hadhercorebeendiscovered,shewouldhavebeendeactivatedorworse.Now,whethersheeverinheretedthe'otherhalf'ofherheritagefromherfather,wewillnotknowuntilwerepairher.Hispowersnevermanifestedafterhissealceremonysoitispossibletheywillnotforher.Sheisstilloneofus.Allthemorereasontotalkaboutherasaperson.Myexplanationinthesenkaimonwastokeepthispartoftheconversationoutofunwantedearshot.Wehaveourtaboo,afterall."
Ikasu shuts his mouth immediately upon the rebuke. Raising an eye brow, he listens to Uncle 'Hax' lecture him about family and the true nature of Ran. "Very well, Uncle. No disrespect towards her or family have been intended." His tone is sincere, but stern. He could be much like his father in these situations. "As heir to the clan, I remind you that while you have seniority on me I still have final say over these matters. Though, that said, I have no intentions of rejecting her. We can play these family politics all day long. The two of us are like two old men playing Go all day long and trying to outdo one another. Of course, only one of us is an old man." He grins wickedly at Hax.
The purple haired shinigami makes an audible disgruntled noise in the back of his throat. "Excuseme~!Iamfartofabuloustoacknowledgeagewhenithasnoteventouchedmydashingandgorgeouslooks!" Kirukoto retorts with a dignified expression and melodramatically turning his head up and away while fanning himself. "Suchanimpudentwelpmynephewis!" He holds that look for a few seconds and then peeks out of the corner of his eye at Ikasu who has a serious expression that looks like it is about to crack. Soon both men burst out laughing and start walking again towards Ran. "Ihadafeeling," he says. "Neither one of us are able to hold that kind of thing for terribly long. Besides, who can argue with somebody as fabulous as you?" Ikasu snickers. As they joke and walk along they detect a hollow. "Low level. Almost didn't sense him."
"Gotit.Doubleteam?" Hax asks as he starts to pull out his shinigami cellphone.
"Nah, he's low level enough. I got this," Ikasu replies cooly as his Impressive Reiatsu Aura fills an area of thirty feet. "Ryouga Gijutsu #3: Hi Hi Hi!" He points at his target and it is assailed first by icy slush and then the slush ignites the hollow aflame. "This is but a binding spell. Do not resist. It is a futile gesture." He kicks the hollow into a tree. "You are not worth even dissecting you insect. How dare you lay a hand on my flesh and blood?" He presses the sole of his boot into the chest of the now supine soul. "You are not worthy of the dirt on my shoes. You shall be purified, vile thing. That is what your crimes have earned you. Execution is all that you deserve." The hollow is pleading at this point to be released from the cruel binding spell and promising to never harm anybody again. The look on Ikasu's face says that he does not believe his promises. His dark expression is slowly replaced with a devious one. "Oh, should I spare you from what fate? Do I look like a judge to you? You are mistaking me for my father." He grinds his heel in deeper. "My father might have mercy on you, but I surely will not." He quickly drives his blade into the mask, shattering it, revealing a human face right before the the weapon cleaves the face. Ikasu does not look at it. The hollow fades away and the spell, no longer having somebody to bind vanishes.
As his nephew takes on the hollow, Kirukoto climbs up the tree to retrieve Ran. "Comealong,mydearchild.Ojisanishere.Letmehealyou,poordear." As he pulls the little cat girl to himself he pauses and looks at her. "Twins?Ika-chan!There'stwosoulsinthisbody!" He picks her up and leaps down. "Ran-chan,thisisyourcousinIkasu.Weareheretohelpyou,precious."
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 10:09 am
Ran sits quietly in the tree and watches her surroundings. She ignores the hollow on the ground it was badly injured and could not reach her no matter how hard it wanted to. Meanwhile Jessica was freaking out still the alarm was not helping matters any. "Hush Jess everything will be alright." She says "Uncle will be here soon." Ran was certain of this even though she did not even know if he was still alive. Or if the alarm could even still reach him. Her fragmented memories annoyed her she was not even sure if she had activated the distress beacon or had caused some other alarm maybe one that Jessica's father had put in her gone off. Though one thing was certain Jessica's father had disabled her ability to repair herself. The man did not know enough about mod souls to be tinkering with one made by a master. Uncle Hax would not be happy with the mess he would find but he would be able to help her and the child. Jessica continued to cower in the tree while Ran sensed out for her fathers brother and smiles broadly when she see's the two men coming her way.."Ran! what are they."Jessica whimpers as one of the two, the one she did not recognize finishes off the hollow. "Shinigami." Ran answers as Jessica tries to hide them deeper in he tree. Ran stops the retreat as she hears a seemingly familiar spell "Hi clan? Dad's clan?" She whispers then looks at Hax who was climbing the tree."Uncle?""Ojisan!" Ran pretty much throughs her damaged body at Kirukoto hugging him tightly. "Ojisan!" Ran holds on while Kirukoto jumps out of the tree. "Not twins Jessica's dad tinkered and put me in her trying to save her. He did not have a proper understanding of mod-souls. Especially mod-souls made by mama" Ran then looked over at Ikasu and waves "Hello cousin" She then looks at her uncle "He makes me think of Sasuga"
Hax frowns at Ran's explanation of her situation with Jessica. He continues to hold her as he walks over toward Ikasu. "Thatfool.Howdidhemanagetokeepbothofyoursoulsinsideoftheonebody?" He sets Ran down and slides on a reaper glove. "Holdstill,thiswillnothurtyou."He suddenly strikes palm out at her chest, knocking the two souls out of the body. A single soul capsule pops out and he catches it and her falling body. Evaluating it in his hand, he sees the damage and the hot garbage job of a repair that Jessica's father had done. "Tch."
Ikasu cleans his sword off before sliding it back into his scabbard. "Lets get her back to the lab and see what we can do to fix her. What about this body? She's badly injured and it does not look like an artificial form." He frowns as he looks at it. "You do realize that policy states that we allow organic lifeforms to die and then we collect the souls." He frowns and checks it over. "A pity Yorokobi is not with us, but he's a stickler about not coming to Earth unless they lift the order that the Fourth Division members stay back in the Soul Society." He finally locks eyes with his uncle and they seem to just stare at one another about this matter. "Right, this body is not dead yet and there is nothing natural about a hollow inflicted death." He lays her body on the ground and examines it. "This body cannot enter the soul society, as you well know. We will need to repair it here."
Hax sighs and pockets the soul capsule in a special pocket in his haori and seals it shut to keep it from falling out. "Toomanyquestions." He ponders with his nephew as they start administering first aid. "Thisbodywilldiewithoutasoulinitafterawhile.Idonotknowifwecansaveitunderthesecircumstances.Imean,normallyyes,butrightnow...Ihavenoidea." He searches through the soul capsule and sighs dejectedly. "Don'tbother,Ikasu.ThesoultrappedinsidethecapsuleisonlyintherebecausehersoulchainistangledwithRan.ThechainitselfisbrokenandonlykeptfromeatingitselfbyRan'snaturalreiatsu.Nowonderherreiatsuisdiminished."He gently removes the small soul. "Iamsorry,littleone." He presses his cell phone to her forehead. "Konso."
Ikasu sighs and lays her head down. "That is a shame. Poor child. Her body probably would not have held up for much longer, even without the hollow attack." He frowns and gathers up some flowers and lays them on her chest, as if in a last futile gesture of respect, even though the young soul has been sent on to the Soul Society. "Let's get Ran home and try to do what we can to heal her. I think that we will need to do something rather drastic to help her out." With that, both men leave the body and the forest behind. "Do not worry, cousin. That body never was your own and that girl is no longer suffering. She has a chance at happiness that she could not attain here. Who knows, maybe she will become like us?" He sighs and calls up the Senkaimon.
[Exit Division 12]
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:30 am
Ran looks up at Hax as he carries her towards Ikasu."Da... Dad is not a fool."Jessica cries out timidly. "I do not know Uncle I do not think he meant harm. He just did not know about my type of Mod-Soul." Ran says softly. She holds still as he forces her pill out of the body though Jessica cries out as if expecting it to hurt anyway. Ran then just quietly wait inside her uncles pocket. When he pulls her back out of her pocket to check the girl Ran continues to be silent to let him work as needed. Though she does whisper to Jessica just before she is pulled out of the pill. "Good bye little one I hope our paths cross again and you will be well"Once out of the pill Jessica looks at the two men still frightened. She whimpers when Hax places the phone to her forehead and performs konso.It was not long after that, that she was carried to the Soul Society.
Quote:
word count 172 x 2.6 = 448
kittenlynn
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Luciferin Bandit
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 4:28 pm
A lone figure sat atop the cliff, the forest to his back. His legs were fonded under him, and the sound of chanting could be heard above the light din of the forest.
”Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha Om… Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha Om… Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha Om…”
The wind spirled around him in this high-up place, tugging at his golden robes, but even the chill of the air did not seem to affect this lone figure. He continued chanting, seemingly paying no mind to the world that he found himself in. His focus was turned inward.
This figure was known as Ajahn Ananda, a name he had given himself when he had taken his vows, named for the right hand of the Buddha, his most devoted desciple. Ananda hoped that one day his own devotion to his faith would rival that of Venerable Ananda, from years past. He knew even he had a long way to go before his own devotion was at that level, but not for lack of trying.
In the past, he would have meditated with his clan, their voices carrying through the forest, bringing peace to all beings that could hear the sacred words. Now, he was the only one left. His clan had long since been destroyed, wiped out in the clan wars that had destroyed most of the shinobi. Even Shinobi as peaceful as the Bodhisattva Clan were not safe.
Suddenly, Ananda stood, and his chanting ceased. He made his way back into the forest, where he called home, his meditation done for the time being.
Ananda made his way back to his tiny hut, deep in the heart of the forest, just as it was beginning to get dark. He looked up at the dying sun, and judged he had about 2 hours before it would be too dark to see. Just enough time for him to cut his firewood. He fetched an axe that he hept leaning against the hut, and set himself about the task, chanting quietly to himself.
The chanting had become less of a religious observation and more of a comfort. Especially in these times. Under his breath, he recited the vows of the Bodhisattva.
"Beings are numberless..."
THWACK!
The axe sank deep into the chunk of wood, splitting it.
"I vow to awaken them"
Ananda grabbed another piece of wood and placed it upon the stump.
"Delusions are inexhaustible..."
The next piece of wood split in much the same way the first had.
"...I vow to transform them."
another piece of wood went on the stump.
"Dharmas are boundless..."
Thwack.
"... I vow to comprehend them"
More wood.
"The awakened way is incomparable..."
Split wood.
"... I vow to embody it."
Ananda continued in much this way for some time, until the sun had fully set and the pile of wood at his side was significant. More than he needed for one night. He went about gathering this wood, taking it inside his hut, to feed his fire and keep him warm
Ananda entered his tiny hut, deep in the middle of Karakura’s largest forest, as if it were a temple, a sacred place. His arms carried the load of chopped wood as if it were an infant. Wordlessly, he set to stacking the wood beside the tiny wood-burning stove that heated his hut these cold nights.
He placed a log onto the stack.
In his mind, he saw the log, and then the tree he had fell to create it. The soil and rain and sun that had been needed to make the tree grow. The trees that had come before dying to create the soil. The thousands, millions of rains that had come before to grow the trees that had died to create the soil.
He placed a log onto the stack. The fire crackled beside him, warming his cheek.
His eyes came to gaze into it’s burning depths.
He knew that the fire had created light had had reached the retinas of his eyes, that had created an electrical impulse that had created a thought in his mind. This fire was itself no more than a thought, given form by his own mind. The heat the fire warmed him with was no more than a thought. The mind was all things.
He placed a log onto the stack. The fire crackled beside him, warming his cheek.
He heard the wind swirling through the leaves of the trees outside.
He knew, in his mind, that the wind was caused by the movement of air currents, which were caused by weather patterns, which were in turn caused by the same sun that caused the trees to grow.
All things were causes and effects, effects which then became causes for more effects. The whole world was dependent on itself, in countless millions of different ways interplaying at once. The world was interdependent. This was the law of Dependent Origination. Everything owes its existence to everything else, in some way or another.
Ananda had learned this long ago, in his childhood. He had been a devoted student, one of the brightest young shinobi in his clan. Now he was the only shinobi in his clan.
He placed a log onto the stack. The wind swirled through the leaves of the trees outside.
Ananda heard a knock at the door.
He did not stir for a few moments, his hand resting on the piece of wood, on the stack. The wood that had come from the trees, that had come from the soil that had come from the trees, and so forth. It was difficult to “switch gears” sometimes, and return to a lesser, but more practical state of mind. After a second or two, Ananda hesitantly stood, swiftly crossing the room, and opening the door but a crack.
”Can I Help you, friend?”
His voice was creaky from disuse.
[2916 total words]
Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 10:20 pm
Akachi Tomura
Reiatsu 194 | Speed 30 | Strength 64 | Defense 20 | Stamina 30 | Intelligence 30 | Spiritual Power 20 Akachi wanders through the forest outside of town. He hadn’t found anyone in the entire castle, and he felt like chatting. He rarely did, much preferring to just wander, watch people, and work when he has a contract. But he felt like chatting, and was drawn to the calmness of the forest. So here he was wandering it. He comes across a small hut deep in the forest and stops out of curiosity. He definitely did not expect to find someone living out here. He stays hidden in the trees to watch for a while to see if someone shows up or leaves. Eventually he notices a stream of smoke against the night sky, indicating someone was home. This increases his curiosity even more, and he quietly walks up to the door and knocks on it once. “Curious to find someone living out here in the middle of the forest in a hut.”
Health 275/275 | Spirit Energy 85/85 | Clarity 30 | Movement Speed 30
Word Count for Post: 153*3.5 = 535 Word Count Total for Character: 1,709
“Curious to find someone living out here in the middle of the forest in a hut.”
”Curiouser, still, to have visitors in the night, in such a remote place.” was Ananda’s reply.
He did not know why this stranger was here, but he did his best not to pass judgement based on the visitor’s appearance. Many beings had had unskillful pasts, and had come to become great followers of the Way. There was once a man named Angulimala, who had been a serial murderer, and had become one of the most devoted disciples of the enlightened one. The lesson in that story, Ananda thought, was that each person’s Karma is their own, and his was his.
For this reason, Ananda opened his door.
”Welcome to my home, stranger. Please come in for tea and respite. This forest is quite dangerous at night.”
There was no doubt that this visitor could handle themselves, but it was only right to offer a visitor respite on such a dark and chilly night.
Ananda left his door open, and turned his back to the newcomer, setting himself to placing a brewing pot onto his wood stove, and beginning to brew some tea for the pair of them to share.
As he set about his task, he spoke to his visitor.
”It’s not often that I have visitors so far out here in the forest. What brings you to these parts? My name is Ananda, by the way. Ajahn Ananda.”
[2916 total words]
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 11:59 am
Akachi Tomura
Reiatsu 219 | Speed 40 | Strength 69 | Defense 20 | Stamina 30 | Intelligence 40 | Spiritual Power 20 “You are correct in that. Most seek the security of their homes during the night. However, I prefer the night. The light of the moon has always been more comforting to me than the light of the sun. And gentler.” He replies to the hut’s resident. He smiles at the offer to enter the stranger’s home. “To offer entrance to your house to freely, even to an armed stranger you just met. That is a dangerous decision. However, I accept your offer of tea and rest, and promise to act as a proper guest.” /color] Before entering, he pulls a blood red scarf out of his outfit and wraps it around the sheath and handle of his blade. Sword now bound in a large messy peace knot, he enters the home and watches the other prepare tea, keeping a close eye on the act of preparation. “Nothing much really brought me here specifically. My name is Akachi Tomura. I merely felt the need for a stroll, and found myself near your hut. I was intrigued by who would live all the way out here, and decided to drop by for some conversation.”
Health 300/300 | Spirit Energy 95/95 | Clarity 35 | Movement Speed 40
Word Count for Post: 191 * 3.5 = 668 Word Count Total for Character: 2,377
”To be a part of the world is a dangerous decision… in these times.” Ananda replied coolly, as he continued to prepare the tea, his back to his guest.
”Whether the stranger chooses to attack unprovoked is the result of their own mind. And the karma is theirs to bear. My own Karma depends on how i treat the stranger, even if they may choose to enact violence upon me. All beings are welcome here, no matter their nature… at least until they give me a reason to rescind their invitation.”
Ananda’s kettle began to whistle, and he poured the steaming water into a pair of cups, turning towards the newcomer, and placing a cup before him. He watched as the stranger began tying up his blade, a typical signal that he meant no harm.
”I can’t say that I am much for conversation. I’ll let you be the judge of that. But the hearth is warm here, and the tea hot, Akachi Tomura. My name is Ajahn Ananda.”
He took a sip of his own tea, but it was still too hot, so he set it down with a light hiss.
He could smell the blood on this stranger. He knew that this situation could become dangerous at any point. Despite this knowledge, his voice was kind, and his hospitality full. The peace knot was a small source of comfort for the Shinobi. He had no desire to enact violence on this person, even in self defense.
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 2:39 pm
Akachi Tomura
Reiatsu 219 | Speed 40 | Strength 69 | Defense 20 | Stamina 30 | Intelligence 40 | Spiritual Power 20 Akachi sat on his knees in front of the table, bowing his head in thanks for the cup of coffee. “While I do not believe in karma, I do believe that if one invites you into their home, it is only proper to act as a proper guest. And a guest does not initiate violence against his host.” He takes a careful drink of his tea, sipping it as it was still steaming. It had been a while since he had fresh tea, and this was good tea as well. “This is fine tea, Ajahn. And don’t worry, I am no great conversationalist either. I don’t get much time to converse casually with people in my line of work.” He had picked up on the signs that Ajahn had at least somewhat realized what he did, and yet was still being hospitable and polite. He appreciates that and enjoys the warmth and tea for a bit before speaking again. “I am curious though, what made you choose to live all the way out here?” He doesn’t bring up the fact that it is a hut, he has lived in equally small and humble places.
Health 300/300 | Spirit Energy 95/95 | Clarity 35 | Movement Speed 40
Word Count for Post: 194 * 2.5 = 485 Word Count Total for Character: 2,862
Ananda bowed his head in return as he handed the small bowl of staming tea over to Akachi.
”Karma is a law of the multiverse. It does not require your belief in it. You follow Karma, though you give it a different name.”
Karma was known to all beings, though it went by many names. Law. Order. Honor. All different ways of expressing the same basic law, immutable, unchangeable. All beings were subject to the effects of the causes they put forth, and those causes were themselves effects of other causes that came before. All things were connected in this way, a web of causes and effects. Like the web of a spider.
Akachi spoke of his “line of work”. Ananda could only imagine the evil acts this man had committed in his work. His karmic weight was overwhelming. But Akachi’s karma was his own. Ananda could do nothing to relieve him of it. That work would have to be his own.
Ananda made his way around the small table to sit opposite Akachi. He meticulously folded his legs in a way to create a comfortable seat for himself, upon a small sitting cushion. He sat in the lotus style, a way of sitting he had done since he was a child, locking the legs together so the mind knows that it is time to sit.
His eyes came up to meet Akachi’s own crimson eyes, as the stranger asked him why he lived in such a remote place.
”My village was once one of peaceful contemplation, deep within this forest. I am the only one left. I left the ruins of my home to wander the forest for many years, before I settled here. This is a quiet place, where I can practice in peace.”
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:06 pm
Akachi Tomura
Reiatsu 250 | Speed 50 | Strength 70 | Defense 30 | Stamina 30 | Intelligence 50 | Spiritual Power 20 Akachi takes the tea and takes a small sip, carefully since it is still quite hot. He listens to Ananda talk about karma. “Either way, I do not govern my actions with Karma. I don’t believe in a particular order which governs the universe. I live the life I want to live, and will suffer the consequences later, if they do exist.” He takes a few more sips as he listens to Ananda’s story. “That sounds like an interesting group of shinobi. I have never met shinobi who were interested in peaceful contemplation. Peaceful anything really. Then again, I have only interacted with one village, that of my mother. And this is a very quiet forest, which surprises me being so close to town.”
Health 350/350 | Spirit Energy 125/125 | Clarity 40 | Movement Speed 50
Word Count for Post: 124 * 3.5 = 434 Word Count Total for Character: 3,296
Sir_Viliulfo
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Luciferin Bandit
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:06 am
Harbinger - Crystal Scorpion
The garganta opened like a pit in the ground, the crystal scorpion crawling tis way out without a sound but the clicking of chitenous plates. It searched around for its next prey, it's crystal tail waving menacingly in the air.
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