[BSD-RP] The Valley of Screams

[Shinigami]

護廷十三隊

 

[Shinigami]

Yasu sits within her room, legs folded up underneath her as she sits before her lieutenant’s badge resting in her hands. It stares back at her, and she sits in complete silence, her purple orbs holding a faraway look while her nimble fingers run across the indentions that signified the Second Division. On the table next to her was the scheduled time for her proctored exam. Open and sprawled across the mahogany surface, Yasu turned to eye the name that would be proctoring her exam and judging whether she would pass or fail.
Yū Nakamoto, the Captain of the Fourth Division, would be overlooking the following process.
The lieutenant longed for this day, yet fear was more than apparent. She fell back, crying out in frustration as she focused her attention up on the ceiling. Her badge sat within her right hand before she dropped it on her face. She was deep in focus, wondering exactly just how she would approach her former classmate.
“When is the last time I saw Yūna?..”
The only one who’d recently come into contact with the little blond was her captain, and she didn’t really want to pry on what had happened within the Captain’s meeting. It was none of her business and she did not influence the decisions that either of them made. She could only manage her own relationships with them. Hopefully, after six months, their relationship hadn’t dwindled. Rolling onto her side, Yasu held her badge to her chest and fell asleep to the sound of the water that trickled into the small pond that was made to calm her senses.
Yasu adjusted the bracers that covered half the length of her forearm as she trekked through the path of the Dangai. She’d taken this road before, her private training excursions with her captain, each time ending in her own bitter defeat. The only difference this time was that she was facing an old friend, one who’d been successful in his own endeavor to climb the ranks and claim his captaincy. Yū Nakamoto had been victorious in securing the Fourth Division and had been leading it to his best ability despite several transgressions. She’d always been happy for him, yet envious all the same.

A shadow falls over her eyes as thick locks of pink frame her face. Her hands were shaking as she grew closer to the destination, step after step. The blank canvas of her palms outside of the shining black diamond stared back at her. What had she to fear other than failure? Nothing, but she desired nothing more than victory. Perhaps it was a necessity now. The lieutenant had been through many things that have shifted and changed her viewpoints on the world before her and herself. No longer would she be able to remain ignorant among her fellow Shinigami. Many were advancing, much more quickly. With the past events, her advances had grown stagnant, and not many were taking too kindly to her. While she had no care for those speaking ill of her, the lack of respect and disregard directly in her face did not bode well with her. She’d grown tired of being looked down upon as nothing but a nuisance. Perhaps this was the only way to be recognized for her efforts.

Her hands reached out, prying at the doors of the Senkaimon to open and reveal the land known as The Valley of Screams. The bright lights that shined down upon her body felt heavenly almost. The warmth that spread across her skin felt light. It seemed as if she was the first to arrive at this place.
“Ne, do you think I’ll let you have all the fun?”
“...”
“You’re awfully mean today… I don’t know whether to kill you myself or praise you. We’ll see how long you’ll be able to ignore me.”
Her captain had proctored this exam many times, and it just so happened to be that it was he who’d proctored Yū’s exam. The image of Kyomu had flashed through her mind, but all she saw was his back. She had always been behind him, and when she tried to extend her hand out to him, he'd always been out of reach. On the day of her retrieval mission, Yasu had all the intention to tell him of her plans to test for captaincy, yet there’d been many obstacles that prevented her from doing so. However, the times in which he pulled her from prying eyes and into this place, it’d been more than possible that he understood the desires that she had. His unspoken reasons for pushing her to the limit were clear now. Yasu had only wished to stop being so carefree and less stubborn sooner rather than later.
But there was no time like the present.
Stepping out of the Senkaimon, the moment that Yasu had stepped onto one of the many platforms that made up the Valley did plumes of red smoke begin to explode with each step she took. It spread, far and wide, covering nearly sixty yards in diameter from the center, spilling over the edge of the rocky floor that she walked upon. Sekienton was a bakudō that she used often to escape the wrath of her Captain or those that she had taken snacks from during her nightly raids. It was rather useful in obscuring the view of her opponents and gave her time to move before they would manage to react to her new position. While she had never faced Yū before in battle, Yasu was aware that he was a difficult person to deal with. A prodigal kidō master with a heart of gold, yet with the resolution of a soldier, as he was made to be upon joining the Shino’o Academy.
Meanwhile, Yasu had been rather average during her academy years, but the outstanding performances she did regarding Hakuda placed her high above the rest, setting her at number one of her graduating class. Over time, the girl had honed her muscles, even going so far as to create her own technique that mimicked an Arrancar's Hierro. Known as Shizen na Soukou (自然な装甲, "Natural Armor"), Yasu's body has the ability to harden with the tightening of her muscles to the point of near immunity to physical attacks. Her durability could be measured a thousand times over what a normal Shinigami would be able to handle, offensively and defensively. Adding onto the massive berserker strength that she possesses only magnifies the limitlessness of Yasu's physical attributes. To enunciate such monstrous strength, Yasu had placed herself with the center of the rocky platform, digging her hands into the surface so violently, from the impact zone spread cracks that littered the once-leveled plane. With her sudden invasion did the contents of her Shikai begin to spread and fill the crevices of her destruction, the blackened ooze bubbling and just peeking over the top of the fissures. Just as quickly as it had spread to cover the distance matching the red smokescreen.
All the while since the expulsion of the first batch of crimson smog the contents of her Shikai had come to coat her limbs, from the fingertips up to the top of her biceps where the edges just licked her shoulders. Creating her massive zone, Yasu retracted her hands from the crevice and armed herself with sharpened weapons that seemed to be created from thin air. Such was a delicacy of its initial release, Kōzō Nashi (構造なし, "No Structure"). Yasu's mastery in her Shikai had long since been observed from her silent releases, and the swift maneuverability of her movements only accented it further. Yasu keeps herself low to the ground, lying in preparation for her incoming threat, but moving constantly so as not to stay in one place for long. So long as she was moving, Yasu had the entire playing field in her favor.
“Sorry, Yūna. I can't take any chances.”

 

[Shinigami]

Yū Nakamoto turns the doorknob to his office, stepping in for a moment to temporarily escape from the chaos that so desperately pursued him wherever he went. The door slams behind him and he instantly leans back against the door, rolling his eyes back in alleviation. The quiet never sounded so good than the solace that was always present in his office. However, the pristine silence is broken by a sharp breath inwards, as he turns his attention to his desk. Atop the wooden surface… lies the absolute last thing he wants to see right now.

‘...’

‘Not another one… fuck…’

Many Shinigami had come and gone within the past few months, thinking they had the chops– confident they had what it took to become a Captain. But, it seemed with each test, those same Shinigami were severely humbled, leaving the Gotei 13 with the same old, dysfunctional bunch as before. Yu desperately craved some fresh blood, if only to have peers of the same rank he could simultaneously call friends, as the current lineup… just wouldn’t do. There was little he could do however, to make this a reality. It was unfortunate enough for them, yet even more so for Yū, forced to witness the exact moment in time each examinee’s dreams would shatter before him; The light escaping their eyes as his spell– or blade, whichever was fastest, plunged through their once optimistic frame. The young Captain had no inspiration to expect this time would be any different, even if the examinee was his former classmate, renowned Lieutenant of the Second Division, and one of the infamous Visored herself, Yasu Yūgure.
He had always wondered when she was going to finally release herself from underneath the nauseating foot of the Phantom. Kyomu Mukuro was already a pain to deal with as a direct colleague– he couldn’t even imagine the physical, mental, and spiritual endurance it took to be his direct subordinate and in essence, his right hand man. Unlike others who sought to be a Captain to be dutiful and serve the Seireitei faithfully, perhaps for Yasu, there was more on the line: her freedom from his torturous reign. Despite the assumed hardships she endured in Second Division, Yū knew more than to discount her as just a victim of the Phantom's abuse. No doubt he had sculpted a cold-blooded killer from the sweet-faced girl he once knew years and years ago.
But, Yu questioned… did Kyomu also sculpt a girl who could be Captain? In a few days’ time, the Fairy would have his answer.
Minutes and minutes go by after Yasu's arrival, leaving the girl with no company save for the voices in her head and the howling winds in the valley. Time slows to a crawl, her exhilaration no doubt rising to its peak. Any moment now Yūna will appear... and when he does, she can finally make her strike. The only issue is... just when will Yū ever appear?
When it seems as if perhaps her proctor has simply forgotten to arrive today, the Fairy finally makes his long-awaited and grand appearance. Manifested from striking light itself, the designated pathway to the Valley of Screams reveals itself directly before the sun. On this fateful day, the two paper shōji gracefully part, allowing Yu to exit with a singular, airy step; However, where the Captain takes his first step remains nothing but air. First, his head reveals itself, then the rest of his delicate frame, followed by his iconic, brilliant wings already in vibrant display. His shadow casts itself upon the ground before him, outstretched far larger than his realistic frame. The true Angel of Death arrives in full glamour, initiating his charming descent as his dark Shihakushō ripples in the indiscriminate breeze. His downward journey however is short-lived, cut short by the ominous crimson smokescreen that has now weakened in time due to his timely arrival, simply settling low and paper-thin atop the barely perceivable bedrock.
‘She came prepared... ‘ he deduces, instantly recognizing the extremely familiar red smog that lingered faintly below. He halts in his descent, floating safely above the dissipating plumes of red. No doubt there was something else camouflaged within the smokescreen– a tactic he as well had used plenty of times, most notably in his first encounter with Yasu's superior. But, the young Captain wouldn't force her hand this early before at least addressing her– instead, taking this time to call out to her... wherever she was.

“This isn’t exactly the reunion I was hoping for... but it seems I’ve kept you waiting long enough.”
... his voice reverberates within the valley. In one fluid motion, Captain Nakamoto unsheathes his zanpakutо̄, flipping the pristine blade in front of him to rest by his side. Simultaneous with his draw, his iconic wings outstretch further with vibrance and with a singular flap, disperse the already thinning crimson veil creeping below him. There, he hovers only yards above from the bedrock as Yasu’s signature continues to circle around him, like a lioness stalking her prey. Despite her being hidden from sight, Yu can still feel her insatiable hunger from here– her desperation to succeed today. The young Captain wouldn’t keep her waiting to prove herself much longer as a blue, radiating energy begins to hum from the cold steel of his blade. He parts his lips once more, inciting the start of the imminent violence.
“So... let’s begin.”

 

[Shinigami]

Listen and Read

“This isn’t exactly the reunion I was hoping for... but it seems I’ve kept you waiting long enough.”
Yasu kept her greetings short and curt. While it was true that this was not something either of the two expected, there was little that they could do now, other than perform to the best of their abilities. The iridescent, blue glow of his luminous wings had peeked through the red smog as it thinned out the longer that he hovered above her. There is the sharp sound of his posture shifting, and the metallic ring that she hears can only be deduced as him drawing his blade. Along with the drawing of his blade was the simultaneous flap of his fairy-wings that disperse what remained of the crimson smoke that shielded her from his view. Just as his person comes to be revealed, Yasu’s eyes harden.
“It’s nice to see you too, Yūna.”
Upon his appearance into the Valley of Screams, Yasu’s reiryoku had begun its accumulation, her hands becoming shrouded in a wispy, purple aura that mimicked a flickering flame soon taking formation. The high concentration of her inner prowess focused around her fists becomes thicker as they exchange pleasantries, the sight of it becoming opaque. While she was no kidō master like her opponent, Yasu was considered rather well-versed for being only a practicing slacker. Though, she wouldn’t count it to be as powerfully inclined compared to that of shinigami such as Yūna, Captain Oda, or even Head Lieutenant Oki.
“So... let's--”
The violet aura that begins to surround her body does not spread far, instead of creating a sort of personal shield that only accentuates her figure beneath the fading smog. Wasting no time in her first assault, Yasu moves swiftly, cutting off her proctor mid-speech, just as the red smog begins to disperse from the single flap of his wings. In two, quick swipes across her body, these cloudy, purple flames shoot forth and extend out in a crescent formation, sailing at the captain one right after the other in an x-formation. These oblong blasts of energy were potent and full of intent to decimate the person intended. The contents of her release were dark and murky, compared to what he may have witnessed with the use of this particular kidō spell.

“Hadō #54: Haien!” (廃炎, Abolishing Flames; Viz "Abolition Flame")
While Yasu knew that such a kidō would do little to startle the captain, Yasu had limited chances to bring out things that may or may not surprise her opponent. He'd have seen her in the past as hot-headed, less cautious, and rather upfront about her attack. Such a rather vicious mid-tiered kidō was expelled from the girl, and her violent intent was more than palpable in the air around them. Upon its release, Yasu's exertion of reiatsu was centered back around her body, the ominous violet glow surrounded her body like a safety blanket. She takes a step back, her hands swinging behind her and placed in a way that resembled her holding a weapon between both hands. The contents of her Shikai begin to spill from the diamonds, taking the form of a long, murky staff that mirrored her in height. Such was a bliss of her formless ability, the contents of the staff dripping against the rocky surface she resided upon, leaving a trail of darkness behind her.
The lieutenant was light on her feet, yet moved as if she'd never raised her foot more than an inch off of the ground. While looking limited in movement, this form would lessen the strain of making unnecessary movements that would hinder her from performing at her best. Her gaze was focused. Her staff rested rather loosely in her hands, the tip of it resting within the puddle that forms at her feet, placed on the defensive, for the time being, the contents of her abilities having now reached the cusp of her neck, effectively creating a second layer that would prove effective from a defensive to offensive transition.
Yū Nakamoto was a captain for a reason. Yasu would have to be prepared for anything.

 

[Shinigami]

“So... let’s–”
… he tries to announce. However, the overeager Yasu moves to action before the Captain can finish. From the thinned smoke before him, two violet blasts of energy shoot upwards, arching around him to make their swift approach from opposite angles. The flames whistle through the sky as they grow closer with no sign of slowing down yet Yū doesn’t lift a finger. As planned, assuming Yasu was fighting to kill as was the presumption all examinees were to hold when entering this valley, the blasts reach their target... but fail to do much of anything.
Taking the likeness of the Phantom, the blasts appear to simply phase through him as if he were merely an apparition himself. In reality upon the spell meeting his body, the shunpo master’s frame flickers for the briefest of moments, adeptly flash stepping away and back to his stagnant position in the air.
With the smoke in their immediate vicinity now cleared, the glowing lieutenant’s position is finally revealed. Her reiatsu shrouds her like armor as a familiar black ooze leaks from her wrists. ‘Her Shikai... ‘ he remembers. The sludge continues to pile beneath her before the liquid shapes itself into a spear Yasu now loosely brandishes. The young Captain braces himself as the same hue of blue that cloaks his blade begins to emanate from his other hand. Surely, that was merely a preliminary attack– Surely, there was more yet to be seen. Yet… she merely stands there. An awkward lull hangs between them with the lieutenant standing tall, refusing to follow up with her initial assault. While Yasu has made what she believes to be the right move to prepare herself against the Captain, the girl has given no indication nor reason to warrant the Captain’s advance.
“Well… are you going to show me anything else?”
… Yū questions, unimpressed.