[4th/Captains] Week 191: Taishuu Practical: The Black Swan

[swaswj]

The crystalline walls of the Gates of the Four Beasts disintegrated away as the Soutaichou strode forward. He walked straight to the panting supplicant, calmly appraising her condition and the condition of the captains down in the gorge. He said nothing for a long moment, no hint of a smile on his face. Finally, he nodded.

"You made it to the top," he said plainly, at last allowing a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. It disappeared soon after. "You've exhausted all your strength in the attempt. Yet... you cost your opponents even more raw reiatsu to bring you to this point. One could call that 'success.'"

Sayis crouched down, getting closer to the fallen shinigami and looking her straight in the eyes. "One could also say that 'almost there' isn't good enough. It is a hard truth that often, as a captain, you will be facing odds just like this. Always bear this in mind: you will be facing some of the deadliest forces that threaten the spiritual world. There will be times that you'll have to risk your life... and those times will be more often than not.

"That's why I had to put you in this situation. I had to put you in a situation where not only were you overpowered, but you had to accomplish specific goals, and those goals could change on a moment's notice." He spoke calmly, purposefully, but loudly enough for the others to hear. "Let me pose a hypothetical situation:

"Say there is a barrier in between the Gotei and their enemies, a special barrier allowing the enemy to attack but not allowing the shinigami to counter-attack. There is an important target inside which must be destroyed before it can activate. The enemy forces are overwhelming, the barrier is of the highest class. Even though you have an idea for how to get through that barrier, you have reason to believe the enemy has prepared for that exact event. You might very well be walking blindly into a trap.

"Do you have the option of passing on this insane mission? To say 'my men and I would rather live to fight another day?' Can you choose to avoid danger?" Sayis rose to his feet, shaking his head.

"No," he answered firmly, still looking Kaede in the eyes. "The exhaustion you feel right now, the sickness from Makoto's barrier, the agony of your bruises and broken bones... take it in. Consider it carefully, and then answer: do you still intend to be a captain?"



[424/1502]

 

[Rob]

Finding both Sayis Inuzuri and Makoto Matsumara beside her she got up slightly, but quickly lay back on her back again as the pain of various ailments shot through her body like a racing horse.

Only faintly did she hear her captain’s words and only faintly did she listen to the captain-commander’s hypothetical situation, but it wasn’t because she was about to lose consciousness or anything silly like that. No, because, even though her body was broken, her mind was still crystal clear.

She just couldn’t believe the fact that she actually survived throughout her practical, against all odds – that is, if you asked her.

“I am honoured,” she began, addressing her orange-haired healer captain, managing a faint chuckle, “to be a part of this exclusive club, Makoto.”

Closing her eyes for a second, softly breathing out some air, she turned her attention to the more serious of the pair in front of her.

“With all that having been said, Sayis,” she began once more her eyes still full of resolve, “how could I not want to be a captain? Immense weights are there to be shouldered, if all we ever did was ‘live to fight another day’ we’d soon be out of days to live.

“So, yes, my decision remains the same: I still want to be a captain alongside the rest of you.”

[225/2807]

 

[swaswj]

Sayis turned to look at the other captains. "And the rest of you? Do you want her to be a captain alongside you?"



[24/1526]

 

[Code of the Noble]

Senesati turned his sights on to the Captain Commander.

"Without a doubt," the nobleman plainly answered, adjusting his sight to the young woman in question. "Had you asked me that very same question before I had a chance to speak with her,” he paused a moment, and rolled his deep blue orbs toward the Captain Commander once more, “I'd probably would have advised against it.

"However, after an interesting,” his forehead began to wrinkle a bit, which was accompanied by an awkward, yet interesting frown, “and a somewhat... oddly distorted... conversation," he slowly mentioned as he recalled the time the two of them spent together in his office. "Not to mention surveying the very display in her taking on not only one, but two already seasoned captains who were simultaneously working together. I'd say she's earned both the honor and privilege of taking up the mantle as captain with in the ranks of the Gotei Thirteen.

"A job well done, if I say so myself."

A more pleasant but still somewhat of an awkward smile etched onto the nobleman's face as his sapphire eyes met the eyes of the exhausted woman. It was then he realized Sayis tested Kaede in the ways he saw fit of someone who desired to possess the title of Captain of the Ninth Division. The noble also realized that the woman was tested in a similar fashion that he himself was tested against Sayis.

[245/976]

 

[Divine Truth]

“It would be to my advantage to say ‘no’,” the healer captain began in a mock contemplative voice. He even began to stroke the early signs of ginger peach fuzz on his chin to accentuate the ruse of a deep debate within his mind. “Work would continue to flow somewhat normally. I wouldn’t have to carefully examine scores of duty records to establish a new infrastructure to compensate for the loss.

“But I would be doing the Ninth Division and our ranks a disservice in doing so.” This, Makoto said without the slightest hint of jest. “I wouldn’t have given my recommendation if I didn’t think her worthy of joining us, her performance against such odds only helped to solidify my opinion of her. So my answer is obvious.”

[129/2085]

 

[Eidolon]

Turning his head down and to the right slightly Theron stood quiet a moment in the wake of the question, undoubtedly staring at the fallen supplicant from behind the fine veils that guarded his face. When he did speak, the Kenpachi answered curtly, seeming not to care for elaboration on how he came to his opinion. "Yes."

[57/1348]

 

[Beaks]

"Agreed. When you lot are done tag-teaming the poor girl give her the Haori. She's earned it." Tsubaki's voice left her throat for the first time since the beginning of what the other Captains had deemed a 'match.' Rising to her feet, the Templar Queen patted the Kenpachi lightly on the shoulder as she dusted the stray bits of lingering esper from her robes. "So much for us being the bad ones, huh?"

 

[swaswj]

Looking at each of the captains in turn, Sayis turned his attention down to Ishin, still in the gorge. Finally nodding, he held his left arm out to the side, softly saying a few words under his breath. A haori appeared in his hands, its back marked by the number nine.

"Wear it with pride, Kusajishi Kaede," he said with a faint smile. It turned to an amused smirk as he shared a glance with Makoto. "Try to take better care of yours than Makoto."

He placed the haori directly into her one good arm. As Makoto set to helping with healing the woman, Sayis took a few steps back, his expression thoughtful.

There was nothing more to say, but lots to consider.


[124/1650] Final


Yes this is done, and yes it's for week 191 (even if a few minutes late). Congratulations, Rob!