Silence in the Gardens [Open]

Masaru sat on the ground, leaned back against one of the large trees of the Sixth Division gardens; a book in hand and a piece of chocolate between his lips as he read, perfectly content. He'd finished what paperwork needed to be done, filed them all accordingly, and made sure his office was clean before he'd decided to come outside for a break.

The slight breeze caressed his hair, the birds chirped as they went about their daily business, Masaru was perfectly at peace at this hour. He was glad he'd found time to relax. The lack of sleep, the next batches of paperwork bound to come soon, and the knowledge he had family meeting coming soon would certainly call for future stress, especially the meeting.

He had no doubt in his mind that meeting would have to due with his current single status. As the head of one of the Great Noble Clans, it was abnormal for him to not be married by now. It wasn't that he was against it, but he was against arrangements. He'd preached his opinion time and time again to his clan's elders. He'd get married when the time was right, when he found someone he actually cared for. He was completely against being set up, to be in some loveless relationship all for the sake of an heir.

Like an owl silently swooping in on it's prey, a hooded figure dropped down from above Masaru, their sword extended. As they descended they prepared for attack. They pulled their sword over their shoulder, one swift swing away from ending the young captain's life.

Just as soon as Masaru was beginning to feel himself drift off, book in hand, that calm atmosphere was interrupted in a single moment.

The sound of metal swooping towards him caused his eyes to widen and heart begin to pump faster as he instinctively brought up the only thing in his hands in an act of defense, his book.

Easily, the blade cut through the pages but it gave the young captain a single window of opportunity to roll out of the way and gain a fighting stance towards the intruder.

The figure landed on the ground, their face hidden under the hood. They took a stance mirroring the young captain's. The hooded figure started to circle Masaru, like a shark stalking an injured seal.

The blade gleamed in the sunlight, showing off it's razor sharp edge. The hooded figure stared Masaru down from under their hood. Never letting their eyes fall from him. With one swift motion the figure was on Masaru's left side, their fist flying towards his face.

Masaru never took his eyes off the cloaked intruder as they moved, circling him as if he were prey they were preparing to take down. His mind open, he gave a deep breath -- hitching it just as the figure moved at a blinding speed toward his left side.

"Tch." Using his shun po, he threw himself out of the way as the intruder's fist was but at a hair's distance away from him, grazing him slightly on the cheek. Jumping back a few steps so as not to stumble from the sudden use of his agility, he moved again -- switching his position multiple times as if to confuse his opponent.

"Hadō number fifty-eight, Tenran." He muttered quickly, tapping the end of his zanpakutou; causing it to spin like a fan at breakneck speed in attempt to summon the large guests of fierce winds, blowing them towards his opponent.

He wanted to know their face, to see the person he was up against. Hiding oneself behind a hood or a mask, keeping a disguise, it disgusted him.

The hooded figure smiled as the young captain evaded their punch. Perfect. Just what they wanted. The figure wasn't fazed in the slightest when the man fired off the kidou. With a flashstep that only a master could use, the figure appeared behind Masaru, the attack missing them entirely.

Without stopping the figure spun about, swinging their left left at the captain's midsection. This blow could easily break a rib if he didn't dodge it in time.

A scowl on his face, Masaru immediately went on high alert once the intruder disappeared. Their speed was impressive, he only knew a few people that could even manage such speed. "Hmph."

Just as the cloaked being appeared behind them, Masaru's eyes shifted to the side and narrowed, hearing the flutter of the cloak's fabric as their arm came at him. With a grunt, Masaru pushed himself up with a jump with the use of his shun po, jumping just above the person's arm as it swiped and moved forward, having to flip to gain solid ground while facing his opponent.

Had he heard them even a fraction of a second too late he could have easily been injured.

"Hiding behind a hood...It's insulting you know." He said with smirk. Despite his demeanor, he was guarded, he kept his attention on his opponent at all times as he spoke and was ready to move in case they made another sudden move.

The hooded figure began to laugh as Masaru confronted them about hiding behind the hood. Perfect he was getting angry. The figure didn't want to reveal themselves so soon, but the jig was up. If Masaru was going to fight full out, then he'd have to know who he was facing.

A withered old hand appeared from underneath the long cloak, and slowly moved up toward the hood. It gripped the brim of the hood and pulled it off. The person under the hood was none other than the captain commander of the Gotei 13, Setsuna Yuzuki Fujihana.

"Surprised to see me? I see I've been holding back too much, I'm not pushing your skills hard enough."

Setsuna took the cloak off and let it fall to the ground. She flashstepped once again, this time faster than before. She reappeared on Masaru's right side. She balanced on the tips of her toes on her right foot and swung her body hard, aiming a swift kick to Masaru's chest area.

Masaru couldn't help but smirk when he heard the intruder laugh and reach to pull their hood off. He hadn't been completely sure, but he'd had an inkling of a feeling after having experienced their attacks towards him, even if they had been holding back.

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"Surprised to see me? I see I've been holding back too much, I'm not pushing your skills hard enough."

His smirk grew as Setsuna removed the cloak and rushed at him once more. Just as she reappeared, he moved his left palm to face the ground."Hadō number one, Shō."

Propelling himself upward with the spell, he used his shun po to gain aerial footing. She was definitely stronger than him, but he wasn't going to allow he to land an attack on him that easily, it'd be an embarrassment.

Setsuna smiled as Masaru avoided her. Good boy. Setsuna Flashstepped again, this time faster than before. Now without the cloak making noise, she'd be harder to track.

Once Setsuna was behind Masaru, she reached into her shirt and pulled out three throwing stars. With one swift motion she threw them at Masaru's back.

Masaru heard the sleek sound of metal ripping through the air soon after Setsuna disappeared from sight. Turning he managed to dodge one, while the second grazed a small lock of hair; in a quick flash of movement, Masaru jumped back and whipped his arm out; causing the third star collided with the weapon he had been concealing until now.

The third star and silver dagger hit the ground with a soft thud as Masaru landed on his feet a few feet away before he propelled himself forward again, his previous position only being held for a split second.

He knew Setsuna wanted him to fight back, not just dodge her attacks and now that he'd revealed his little slight of hand with his own secret weapons he needed to act now.

Once in closer range with Setsuna, he used his shun po to appear above her before swiftly whipping his arm again, throwing his second hidden dagger.

He only kept three, and had failed to mention them to anyone really -- they were something he always brought along with him on missions just in case the scales weren't tipped in his favor in a battle and he needed a little push.

Without looking up Setsuna extended her arm and caught the dagger mid flight between her index and middle fingers. She had been pulling these types of tricks for years, Masaru would have to try better.

"I trained by the first Kenpachi, do you think a trick like that would work on me?"

Setsuna flash stepped, moving so fast if you blinked you'd miss her. With a spinning motion she appeared behind Masaru, throwing his dagger back at him, aiming for the center of his back. As the dagger ripped through the air Setsuna raised her hands before her and cast a powerful hado.

"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui."

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"I trained by the first Kenpachi, do you think a trick like that would work on me?"

Hearing the metal cut through the air, Masaru turned just in time to use his flash step and just barely avoid the blade after Setsuna had thrown it back at him.

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"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui."

He barely had time to react. Masaru turned towards Setsuna -- "Hadō number fifty-eight, Tenran."

He repeated his movements from before, but instead of using it to simply propel himself away, he aimed the powerful winds to face Setsuna's attack head on, stalling the blast and giving himself just enough time to move out of it's way.

Was she trying to push him to a point to where he'd need to draw his sword? She might be, but Masaru had always pushed himself to fight for as long as possible without using it, he'd done this for as long as he'd been a shinigami.

"To be honest, no I didn't." He said in response to her earlier remark, giving her a smirk just before flashing off again. "I couldn't not try though. I won't get anywhere like that."

If they kept firing attacks and dodging like this, this spar would probably never end. They'd just keep going until one of them exhausted themselves.

Setsuna smiled at Masaru. He was a smart one, and a great strategist. If she was going to get him to draw his zan she needed to do it quick. She had other things to do other than train Masaru all day.

"Looks like if this is going to get anywhere I need to make the first move."

Setsuna drew her zan once more, holding it in front of her face.

"Chissoku sa seru, Shi o motarasu mono "


A great wind filled the garden that they were fighting in, and Setsuna's blade vanished. Setsuna lifted her hands, and began to move them back and forth in an artful manner. Almost like an artist guiding their paint brushes. A violent wind began to circle around Masaru.


"Time to get serious dear."

((... This still open? :3 *most evil grin*))

(<_< It hasn't been posted in for 6 months. What do you think? )

Kepler wrote:

(<_< It hasn't been posted in for 6 months.  What do you think? )

((... narp. *headdesk* Sorry. I didn't check, just peeked in the open threads >___> *leaves in shame*))