Years of training, endless nights of learning, while whirling through the pools of love, ire, and glory had shaped Lilith Maikeru into the captain candidate that stood upon the testing grounds today. Deep within the arena’s canyon, she sauntered in quiet elegance as her hands skimmed over the stone walls. Her fingers slipped into the indentations as the woman acknowledged how every cavity that marred these structures was a lasting ode to the men and women whose legacies filled the history of the Gotei Thirteen -- the captains, the noble ranks she strived to join.
Gray-violet eyes pierced upwards and looked upon the empty perches that waited for the woman’s audience. Strings of light wisped down and met her gaze -- they glided through the gorge and fell upon Lilith’s shoulders like long golden tresses. Her hair, streaked with violet highlights, was tied back in a ponytail as a few loose bangs swept across her face.
She wore a sleeveless top and matching taut ebon pants. A ribbon tied around her left thigh, while further along her legs, she wore white boots that clicked against the ground and reverberated an echoing ring with every step.
Her eyes drifted down to the faded signature on her left arm -- its illustration was complete with all of the symbols of the arcane depicted on her skin. But compared to the elaborate vine-like tattoo that decorated the right side of her face, the older design seemed pale and dull. The two contrasting embellishments were the manifested representations of a new beginning, the awaiting future.
Lilith used her right hand to rub up and down the length of her left arm, quietly remembering how her years under the current Soutaichou had led her to this place.
This place.
This place…
…where she knew that the Herald of Death would show her the bridges to the underworld. With the edge of Harbinger, he’d tempt her to join hell as an escape from his storm of torture.
Theron had already warned her of his coming cruelty. And the Mystic Enchantress promised to be just as merciless.
Silently, with the quiet that could only come from someone that had practiced it, Ishin Katsuji walked to the edge of the crater. He had left his division early, giving himself ample time to get to the place that was his final destination for the day. Instead of letting them drag along the ground, he held his chains in his hands, the usual clinking and clanking noises they produced stifled. As he looked down, he regarded the person in the crater.
She was strong, not just of body but of character. She was not afraid to ask for help but at the same time she guided her own hand with her own beliefs, a trait that Ishin found to be endearing. Not only that, she was nothing less than gorgeous. He sat down on the edge, regarding her for a moment before calling out to her.
"So you finally get to this place. Is it everything you expected?"
Lilith looked up, catching the familiar blue gaze of Ishin Katsuji. As she watched, a light smile crept onto her face as a tender chuckle resounded throughout the stadium. “It’s not quite the same experience as when we shared that private room of yours.” She winked, teasing him coyly. “But it’s impressive in its own way.”
With another smirk, the dark-haired woman spun on her heel and admitted, “But you know that’s an incredible under-exaggeration. These testing grounds are extraordinary, and it’s an honor for me to have this opportunity to walk upon them.” She turned and lifted her gray-violet gaze back onto Ishin. “But I don’t think I had any pre-conceived notions of what this place would be like. I only thought of it as a gateway of sorts -- one that my greatest teachers and friends have had to pass through.”
For a moment, a breeze of silence passed between them as Lilith imagined the faces of the other captains. Then, in another moment, she placed both hands on her hips as she chuckled whilst shaking her head. “I’ve noticed something, Katsuji-taichou… You’re usually the first to appear to events held in my name. Getting the best seat must be very important to you.”
"What can I say? I like to be comfortable and have my space. I don't like to be crowded. That, and I do so enjoy having the best view in the house."
Ishin let his little inside joke fall between them. He scanned the entirety of the crater, knowing full well that the test she was about to undertake was going to be one of the most intense things she would ever have to go through.
"Well, anyway. Good luck. Don't let him get the better of you. And remember. Anything inappropriate is definitely out. We only have room for one perv around here, and I got that covered."
"I'll be wanting a good seat for this test as well, Miss Maikeru." The Templar Queen was next to enter, taking a seat at the edge of the sheer walls atop the crater. "With the whole of my officer core being sent to Hueco Mundo, I had hoped to be fighting alongside them." As the pale steel of the woman's halberd let out a hollow clank next to her, Tsubaki's lone leonine iris settled on on the girl. "Yet here I am, standing in judgment of a practical exam while my friends may be fighting and dying this very instant."
Her eye flicked to Katsuji for a moment, then settled back on Lillith. "I don't know who you will be facing, but if you are wasting my time here your exam opponent will be the least of your problems."
"Who we will be facing,” Haresuno corrected. Coming up behind the Templar Queen, the Adept shinigami smiled warmly to the familiar faces. "I’m sorry if I’m a bit late for the practitioners line-up.” Haresuno walked around Tsubaki with a respectful nod, then turning to give one to the Seventh Captain as well.
Casually, the tall shinigami dropped from the ledge of the arena and into the pit where he walked over to his friend. "Glad to see you’re well Lilith. Odd how we always find ourselves in relatively the same position even after all these years, eh?” Adjusting his uniform just to look like he was doing something, Haresuno wondered if this was all timing, or if someone had been waiting to pull this together.
Maybe it had been the good spirits, looking to have a little gag at having two friends test two years after they had first met on the sands of Hueco Mundo. It was almost worth laughing along with the spirits. Drawing in a deep breath, though, Haresuno held back his laughter for a better moment.
Slightly removed from the gathering of captains and captain potentials, a rift in space opened and out stepped one more to add to their number. Makoto Matsumara arrived at the proving grounds, by his standards, an utter mess. Though the shihakushou he wore was crisp and freshly laundered and Moira’s haori was as pristine as ever, it was not his attire that was far beyond acceptable limits for a public appearance. His countenance however was.
Behind a mess of bangs that were not usually there were eyes with dark circles beneath them. The eyes themselves were low as if the frazzled healer was running on nothing more than fumes. His ginger hair that was usually gelled up into an intricate style simply hung like bright sheets of flame about the nobleman’s neckline and shoulders. He was, in fact, the embodiment of some poor harassed soul on the other side of the fourth wall.
Making slow, shuffling steps, the nobleman approached his fellows with all of the uncharacteristic doom and gloom of a man with a raincloud perched above his head. When in range he mumbled an inarticulate monotone greeting to the collection of the Gotei’s finest.
Lilith nodded respectfully to Matsumara-taichou upon his entrance. But seeing the obvious pallor in his face, she remained quiet. Unfortunately, it appeared that recent events had been particularly strained in both the Fourth and Eleventh divisions.
Instead, her gray-violet eyes fixated on the man that dropped down beside her. Though he had been standing there for several moments, Lilith still found it difficult to believe. Perhaps she was just being over-emotional, but Lilith felt herself swell with pride at the idea that Haresuno would be joining her. The woman knew that many captain-hopefuls had stepped forward and expressed their ambitions, but a dual practical -- especially between such a close pair -- had until now, been unheard of.
In a slow whisper, as the creases of her eyes smiled, Lilith murmured, “Hare…”
It seemed all too ironic that her oldest comrade would be the one joining her. Haresuno was the first person she considered a friend since joining the Tenth Division. Together, they had trained under Sayis, learning a vast array of spells, tactics, and division techniques. They fought beside one another (and against one another) on countless occasions. Tied fates and good fortune had brought them together again, upon a pinnacle of their lives, to test for captaincy as well.
Lilith’s thoughts darted back to their shared memories that exceeded beyond the training grounds. To Iida. To Sienna. To the time that she helped save his life. And to the realization that in many ways, he had saved hers as well.
Haresuno… the glasses-wearing, cloak-obsessed tree-hugger that took himself way too seriously was…
Lilith chuckled as she gave him a nudge of benediction with her elbow.
…He was her brother.
[282/840]
Dear GMs
Could one of you guys change the title to [PM][1st/10th/Captains] Taishuu Practical: Our Legacy
It began with a small radiance in the sky. Just a slim vertical line in a seemingly random point in space above the grand fissure, but the energy of that manifestation ate away at the reality of that place. Slowly the radiance grew, twisting and expanding until it formed the shape of two shoji doors that neither came nor lead to anywhere. Their parting however, made it all too clear as to their necessity. A foot clad in a bleached white zori, the tabi of silk in matching shade came through first, announcing the arrival of the next captain. A moment later, the full figure of Theron Ascania emerged through the spatial divide. As if sensing their presence was no longer required, the gateway hastily winked from existence: a messenger scurry back from its Lord.
Though the captain did not seem to stir upon perching in the sky, his form slowly settled towards the ground. Stray winds pulled and toyed with his layers of ivory garb, revealing occasional glimpses of the masked visage that stared with hungry cobalt eyes down upon the two candidates. When the descent ended, Theron had perched in what now seemed his traditional spot next to the captain of the eleventh. "Tsubaki-taichou, a pleasure to see you attending this honored ceremony once more."
"Makoto-dono, I hope today's efforts are worthy of separating you from your division in times of need." The amicable gesture came with a tip of the head to each captain. And though Theron did turn to look at Ishin, his tongue remained still.
Trailing slightly behind Makoto’s rather downtrodden person, Kaede had an eerily similar look on her face as that of her former captain. She hadn’t so much as gotten a weeeeee-bit of sleep these past few days simply because, well... because there was no end to all the paperwork she had to arrange, rearrange, and blablabla.
Bottom line was: she was tired, exhausted.
Coming to a halt next to the strawberry blonde shinigami she yawned softly, nodded to the rest of the captains and captain-potential... err, potentials, and gave Makoto a slight nudge.
“Wake me when it’s time for me to say something, will ya?” she whispered softly.
"Likewise, even if I would rather be elsewhere right now." Raising her hand in a tired wave to the Reaper Tsubaki turned her attention towards the girl who trailed in Makoto's wake. Even if we only have Captains for roughly half the Divisions, with our numbers hurting like they are the last thing we need to do at this point is have more understaffed Divisions in the Gotei.
"I would think with his two lieutenants attempting to gain Haoris of their own Inuzuri would at least beat them here." Settling back on the flats of her palms the Templar Queen looked down at the two Shinigami waiting patiently for the rest of their possible peers to arrive. "I suppose if he's testing them I have another spell-casting mess to only half-follow." Letting the grumpy mood penetrate the whole of her features Tsubaki continued to watch and wait, ill suited to the games of succession that were about to play out before her.
Voice showing all the smile of a lion's maw, Theron replied as he also gazed down to the two supplicants. "I fully intend to give you something worthy of time away from your sword kin, Taichou."
"Well let us hope it is worthy of our presence," drly joked the Captain of the Eighth Division.
His royal robes fluttered on the currents of the calm breeze which swept the area. Senesati greeted the other captains with a nod. His sapphire eyes darted to the Captain of the Ninth and he spoke, "I am sure you'll find being the spectator is a much more enjoyable seat than it is facing two captains at once."
The nobleman's eyes surveyed each haori clad member in search of the Captain Commander. Odd he is usually the first one here...
He shrugged his shoulders and took his place at the top of the pit.
"Now that everyone is here," the Soutaichou's voice spoke out with a hint of amusement, "we can begin." A blur in the air at the edge of the gorge began to take shape, revealing the form of the Soutaichou seated there, feet dangling over the edge. The grey-haired shinigami still looked as he had earlier that day, with his features clean cut, no visible facial hair aside from his trimmed goatee. The one-sleeved haori spread open around him, and his spear rested on the ground beside him.
"Haresuno Uchiharu, Lilith Maikeru, you both stand here today as candidates, as potential captains. You have shown yourselves to have the proper mindset to become leaders among the Gotei Thirteen. We are now here to see whether you're prepared to uphold the role of a captain in combat.
"I have personally nominated Lilith, and offer my support for both candidates." Sayis turned and shared a look with the Templar Queen. "Tsubaki offered her nomination for Haresuno." Looking down in the pit at the two candidates, he directed his next question at the rest of the arrayed captains. "Now, who here doubts the ability for these two to stand among us as our peers?"
The looming figure of Theron Ascania responded swiftly to the Soutaichou's query, though not before a soft rise and fall of his shoulders and the caress of warm breath against his mask. I do what I must, the Herald mentally reminded himself.
"I do. As Kenpachi, as Captain of the Third, as the Lord of House Ascania, I draw into question the capability of these two to become a member of our sacred few." Theron's words were even and measured, and his eyes had no home save for on Sayis'. "In their division, in their home, I drew my blade and brought harm to one of these candidates. In turn, neither moved to stop me. There were threats, yes, suggestions, certainly. But within the very walls of Seireitei, surrounded by potent allies, hesitation and doubt dulled their purpose as shinigami. I visited suffering and in turn walked away unscathed. This is not a behavior I can accept from those I rely upon, those I place my faith in. In all the recorded years of our history, less then fifty out of countless thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, were honored with the title Taichou. I say to you now: these two are not ready to wear the haori and all the burden that comes with it."
Ishin remained silent as Theron spoke, all the while watching the reactions of the two in the pit. He knew what was going on, to a certain extent. Theron, for all his bluster and pomp, was not the worst guy in the world. He had the Gotei's best interest at heart, even if his methods and Ishin's own differed. Theron knew what he was doing. Ishin cleared his throat once Theron was through.
"Ahem. I will refrain judgement until after the practical. Though I am inclined to say yes, I shall see how they do first. Should they disappoint, my answer will be obvious. That being said, I wish both of our candidates the best of luck."
Senesati remained quiet. His silence was an answer in agreement with that of the Captain of the Seventh, however he would not find himself to verbally admit to agreeing with Ishin's words. There was no doubt in his mind that the one Sayis personally recommended would be a suitable candidate. His worry was with the one the Templar Queen had elected as a captain candidate.
The nobleman's eyes remained focused on the frail candidate as he answered, "I also question the recommendation of Haresuno Uchiharu. He has the heart of a leader but does he possess the skill to match?"
Although he considered Haresuno a friend, this was no time for favortism.
Lilith maintained a stoic expression as her gray-violet eyes glided toward Theron. She could have smiled then, but restrained the tempting muscles in her cheeks.
Various thoughts waded through her mind, but one prominent idea stood at the forefront:
Doubt did not dull my purpose.
But trust in the Gotei’s captains sharpened the jurisdiction of my control.
A captain’s duty is to rein the beast that sways between haste and recklessness.
Lilith knew Theron understood this truth. Patience and clear perception were values that Sayis himself had taught. And though the Third Herald had aimed to ram the division into a violent frenzy that day, Lilith still believed that their stillness was a successful expression of the division's reasoning and restraint.
"Were any of us ready for this burden when it was presented?" Tsubaki looked to the two candidates in turn, then at the man at her side. "Theron, when you first donned your Haori I thought you were nothing but a sadistic brute. Time and reflection have taught me otherwise." Her gaze wandered to the Spellsword Captain. "Anenokoji, you were far from prepared in your match with Inuzuri, but you pressed on. I myself was unfit to wear this mantle when it was offered to me, but I did all the same. In many ways, we have each grown into our positions through time and trial. As they are now, these two are unfit to wear the Haori for one simple reason."
"They are untested."
"I will not wholeheartedly support their claim for captaincy until they have fought with everything they have to prove their resolve. All the same..." The woman slid from the rim of the arena, her feet making a soft whumph as they touched the battleground's floor.
"...no one denied us the right to try, and I don't intend to start now."
“Though I’d like to wholly agree with you, Tsubaki,” the emerald-eyed captain began, seemingly waking from her not so successful slumber, “I’m afraid I can’t, and will not recommend someone I have never even seen in my life before.
“I’ve been a shinigami for well over two-hundred years, but I have only so much as heard from this man a handful of times. And even then it was just through passing. I have no idea what he is capable of, I do not know how he would act when in a bind, I do not even know how he’ll act when he’s not in a bind. How am I supposed to recommend someone like that?
“I’ll be honest here, unless this man manages to really, really, really surprise me in a good way, show me that he’s definitely got what it takes... then I might consider a yes, but for now it’s definitely a no.”
Taking a small breather, catching her breath for a bit – she was really darn tired -, she continued, “As for Lilith, I’ve had some pleasant and unpleasant conversations with her. I’m not sure I’d consider her fit persona wise, but prowess wise I’ve seen the tip of her iceberg...
“Still, I will say the same as with the other guy – albeit on a less severe note -, impress me well enough and my no will go to a yes.”
