Pillar of Heaven (Tsubaki/Ken)

[freshstrawberries]

(Continuation of Daily Routine)

'Congratulations Tsubaki, you're a real shrine maiden now!'

Slowly Tsubaki rolled over.  Her hand still clutched the broken gohei as the other went to press on the rocky ground.  Her eyes were wide, and she was covered in a cold sweat from her exposure to Shinobou's reiatsu.  Her eyes were locked on the holy tool, broken in her hand. 

'I got you a gift even, given you're official and all now, you need a proper gohei of your own yeah?'

'Why is it...so long?'

'Well, remember how when you were little, you'd brandish my gohei, calling it your Nyoi Bo?'

'Urk!'

She managed to get to her knees, hunched over, both hands now on the broken tool.  Her eyes wandered, one of the paper ribbons was shorter than the other, it had been sliced through cleanly.  It was almost a more intimidating display than actually breaking the staff itself.  Tsubaki didn't react when Ken spoke to her, she didn't even react to the hand on her shoulder.  Even with Shinobou suppressing her reiatsu again, the girl remained hunched, breathing hard.  She could see a bead of cold sweat drip off her nose, narrowly missing what was left of her gohei.  There was a strange feeling in the air, and Shinobou would feel the piece she was holding quivering slightly, and if she or Ken looked, the severed piece of paper ribbon was slowly moving across the ground, almost as if being blown by a breeze towards Tsubaki.

'Hey, hey calm down I'm just kidding, I'm kidding honest!  Relax Suba!  It's because you're studying Bojutsu!'

'That better be why.'

'Hehehe, c'mooon dont' look at me that way.  I've got my bat, Makoto's got her weird mask, once you eventually get old enough to start being sent off on your own you'll need something too!  It's even specially reinforced!  So uh...probably can't take it to school.'

It had been years since Sakura died.  Yet at times it still felt far too fresh.  Tsubaki liked Makoto, but Sakura had...felt like family.  She'd given Tsubaki this gohei only a few weeks before the trip that...

"Please."  Tsubaki said it so quietly neither of the other two would hear her.  There was a pressure in the air, distinct and clear.  It was nothing compared to Shinobou's, a light breeze compared to a hurricane, but it was still palpable.  Tsubaki could feel something in that broken fragment of gohei, a pulsing that seemed almost frantic in rhythm, the rapid heartbeat of something on the verge of death, at least that's how it felt to her.

It was core to Shinto believes that everything had a soul, from animals, to rocks to everyday objects.  The entire concept of Tsukomogami was one that spanned countless youkai of myth and legend, from umbrella to sheets of cloth and more.  Was this the soul of her gohei?  It's last desperate gasp before it simply died?

Her own heart was pounding out of her chest.  She could feel tears welling in her eyes.  That piece that Shinobou was holding was quivering, vibrating, tangibly pulling against her grasp.  All she'd have to do was let go, and it would dip towards the ground, but not touch it floating through the air, gradually picking up speed along with the rest of its pieces.  "Please."  It was louder this time, she could feel her pulse racing, her head was pounding, she was clutching her broken gohei tightly as if trying to keep its soul from escaping.  This couldn't happen!  This was Sakura's last gift to her!  One of the only things she had to remember her by!  "You can't die!"

Her spirit flared, and the fragments of her gohei rushed towards, her body engulfed in blue light, spiritual energy flaring around her as she finally realized what was happening around her.  Her eyes widened as she saw the broken fragments swirling around her, starting to slowly place themselves where they had been when they were one hole, she felt a pressure force, lifting the gohei and she rose with it before...

There was a flash, and a sudden streak of black before Tsubaki let out a shrill cry of surprise.  There was a heavy crash, and dust billowed out as Tsubaki rose up into the air before falling, landing on her back with a thud, hitting her head and wincing, eyes shut as the dust billowed past her.

When she opened them she could only stare in awe.  There had appeared in this great, artificial wasteland, a tremendous black pillar.  It reached up towards the false sky as if to support it upon its great, black expanse.  The false sunlight glittered off of a spiraling pattern of gold and gleamed beautifully from a ring at the very top.  It was wide, wide enough that any one of them could have stood inside were it hollow, perhaps even two if they crowded in tightly.  A strange, black pillar, thrusting upright from the cracked ground.

[Gaz]

Ken #1

---

Ken didn’t have much time to start on the nearly impossible task he had been handed, collected ever shard and splinter of Tsubaki’s staff. The staff that had been broken in a powerful clash that even the young Quincy couldn’t believe, despite having front row seats to it. He was so preoccupied trying to parse the order he had been given that he didn’t hear the first muttered plea from the shrine maiden.

He certainly heard the second one, it was a shout that resonated with the broken wood that she held. That resonance caused a phenomenon that the young man had only heard off from his father. Tsubaki was performing a fullbring on the staff, calling on the soul of the item to reforge itself and in doing so it awakened, transforming from a small stick of wood into a vast wooden pillar. The force of the expansion launched the young man back quite a distance. If it were not for his abilities with Schnell he would have landed uncomfortably against a rock.

“What?!” He called as the flare of blue light under his feet pushed him back towards the women.

Shinobou didn’t move, she stood exactly where she was and examined the transformed weapon with a look of glee on her face. Powers like this were new and a fantastical thing to study. “I was right! You are a Fullbringer!” The woman called, looking to the side to see the tear-stained face of Tsubaki. The glee she felt shuddered slightly… she was still just a child who had almost lost something very precious to her…

Ken arrived and looked at the scene and pressed a hand to Tsubaki’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

---

Ken: 6dffd4
Shinobou: bbecff

[freshstrawberries]

Slowly Tsubaki pushed herself up, hands on the ground behind her, staring up at that black pillar, her expression...awestruck was perhaps the best way to put it.  It seemed as if she were struggling to understand what she was even seeing.  There was no reaction to Shinobou's words, although now at least they were actually heard.  Heard, but not exactly comprehended, what even was a Fullbringer?

A hand was placed on her shoulder, dimly she recognized Ken's voice, but brushed his hand off as she pushed herself up to her feet heavily.  "I'm fine.  I'm..."  She didn't finish the statement as she stepped towards that imposing thing.  Ken had taken it for wood, and it was true her gohei had been wood, but somehow she knew before she pressed her hand against it.

Cool, hard, lacking the grainy texture of wood.  It was a pillar of black iron, save for the golden engravings twining its length it could have come straight out of...

"It would be more serviceable...if it were shorter and thinner."  It didn't seem like she was talking to Ken or Shinobou, but almost like she were reciting something as she pressed her palm against that stark black pillar.  Yet as if she were speaking to it...it responded. 

Suddenly that pillar shrank down.  If one blinked they might think it had vanished outright, only to see a thin black staff in Tsubaki's hand.  Her hand could wrap around it perfectly, the exact width to be held comfortably, its length now 'merely' standing a foot above her head.  She could feel her heart pounding in her chest but it wasn't for the same reason as but moments ago.  Mere moments, but they already felt older.  Her other hand came up and slowly ran up the length of the staff.

Tsubaki knew its name, she could feel it, all but speaking it to her directly.  "Ruyi Bang."  Just that?  Then again this couldn't actually be the Ruyi Jingu Bang from the story of course, was that why?  She could feel something else too.  Just as she'd felt the soul of her gohei dying in her hands, she could still feel it now.  Was this a tsukomogami?  She didn't know, but she could recognize what it was feeling.  Relief, joy at being held...anger.  Standing just off to Tsubaki's right was the woman who had broken it, who had nearly taken it from her.

The shrine maiden's hands tightened around Ruyi Bang, before she flipped it, one hand going to the top of the staff the other crossing beneath as in the blink of an eye she shifted, staff parallel to the ground, the other kontei, staff's end, pointed squarely at Shinobou before it would suddenly lunge.  Tsubaki didn't move from that curious stance she'd taken, but the staff itself suddenly extended, surging outwards, accelerating at a tremendous speed enough force to strike a human in the chest and then lift them up off the ground for as long as the staff kept extending!

[Gaz]

Ken #2

---

Seeing the shrine maiden get up and respond to his concern was a good sign, Ken could see there was a lot going on in the woman’s mind though. Each thought and question about how and why everything had worked out the way it had, the fading pain of losing a sacred treasure and the relief that it was not truly gone. He himself was a man caught between a rock and a hard place, he was happy that Tsubaki got power and was safe… but he was also annoyed that the old witch would do something like this.

He however managed to jump back just intime to avoid being clocked by the now shrunken staff as it was twirled into an aggressive stance. “Uh… You know what. I’ll stay out of this.” He spoke, now at a safe distance away from both women.

“Well done girl! I know with the right push you’d have that push to grasp your powers.” She said, keeping a raised brow as the Shrine Maiden took an aggressive stance. Something was coming and the ancient witch didn’t precisely know what. Was it an energy blast? Was the girl going to charge her again?

Her instincts and old training took over as the staff extended in her direction at a speed most would be unable to comprehend. With a shallow step and a motion of her hand the ex-shinigami altered the course of the staff to move just over her shoulder, the action causing a friction burn on her palm. “Tsubaki.” She spoke, her voice coming down as hard as the spiritual pressure she just unleashed in a wave. “Calm down.” She ordered, a harsh glare being shot in the Shrine Maiden’s direction.

---

Ken: 6dffd4
Shinobou: bbecff

[freshstrawberries]

'She deflected it?'

On some level Tsubaki wasn't sure she should be surprised.  She hadn't even really seen what had even broken Ruyi Bang to begin with.  This woman was a shinigami, a literal god, was it really so surprising that she'd deflect it?  Maybe not, but perhaps Tsubaki had hoped that she'd at least be able to threaten Shinobou, just a little more.  Perhaps hoping that she'd dodge rather than something so quick and simple.  Perhaps she'd hoped that Shinobou's power wouldn't translate to the kind of toughness that could just swat aside something like that with little more than a small burn that Tsubaki couldn't even see.

One hand was wrapped tightly around the staff.  She could feel the difference in texture where the golden pattern wound along the black iron.  "Calm down?"  Her voice was tightly controlled.  It could be called calm in a sense, if one ignored the frustration and fury clearly restrained just beneath it as she stared at Shinobou, dark eyes hard. 

This was stupid.  She'd known before she'd even lashed out that there was no chance she was anywhere near this woman's level even after Ruyi Bang woke up.  She'd just wanted to lash out at the woman that had hurt them both, futile as it may be.  Time seemed to stretch as Tsubaki struggled, she wanted to keep fighting.  She wanted to take this insult and beat Shinobou over the head with it!  Wukong didn't back down from fights but...she was no Monkey King.

Once upon a time, Makoto had to lecture Tsubaki about not getting into fights at school, about not trying to assault the sleazy journalists that sometimes came to creep around the shrine.  Sakura would have probably said similar, if she'd still been around.

With an almost audible snap the staff would suddenly retract, pulling back as fast as it had extended, until it was a rod barely a foot in length, easily held in one hand.  "Fine.  I guess I'll call th-"  Her body swayed to the side as if drunk.  Her entire head started swimming as her vision was blotted out by what felt like static more than it looked like static.  Ruyi Bang would extend, gold capped kontei slamming into the ground to provide support as Tsubaki caught herself.  She'd been so caught up in the emotional rush she hadn't realized how exhausting the awakening was, how taxing it had been on her body. 

[Gaz]

Ken #3

---

The staff returned to normal, and Ken raised an eyebrow at the display, Shinobou had handled it so efficiently. However, Tsubaki’s new weapon was nothing to scoff at, he would have had trouble defending against something like that. Especially in the way the old witch did.

He was quick to notice how Tsubaki had swayed and before she could catch herself, he used a burst of Schnell to appear by her side and was in a prime position to catch the woman if she fell. Though that didn’t seem needed with her staff reflexively extending to support her weight. “Are you okay?” He asked, concern dripping from him like water would flow from a tap. “Sit down for a bit, manifesting so much power takes its toll.” He spoke, knowing that feeling of drawing just too much in one go.

The old witch looked at her hand and sighed “Tsk, I’ve gotten sloppy.” She spoke as a green glow surrounded her free uninjured hand and moved to cover the burn. “Ken, Humans that can Fullbring expend a lot of energy every time they manifest. It is quite different to how you Quincy use Schrift.” She explained from a distance.

“Right…” The young man spoke softly before looking at Tsubaki. “If you want help doing stamina training, please just ask me. I can make time.” He said before digging into his pocket and pulling out a card, it had a scratched-out number and a new one written on it in pen. It was a business card for his father, a neurosurgeon.

---

Ken: 6dffd4
Shinobou: bbecff

[freshstrawberries]

It had been a long day.  Biking around the city, fighting a hollow, climbing down that stupidly long ladder down into this impossibly sized cave.  Frankly it was no wonder she was tired.  It was just funny that she hadn't noticed how drained she was until she'd agreed to not start a fight.  Tsubaki took a slow, deep breath, forcing it under control as she straightened up, eyes closed for a few seconds as she made sure she could stay straight.

"I'm fine."

Then she'd casually settle onto her knees, back straight, Ruyi Bang shrinking to maybe two feet long and placed lengthwise along her lap, both hands resting on top of it.  Something Shinobou said stuck out to her though.  Was it always going to be that draining every time?  Well not necessarily, surely the first time had to be particularly draining...especially when it also required her to repair the item after it was broken!

She did take the card though, a slight twitch in one eye as she looked at it.  How the hell did someone pull off being a neurosurgeon and a leading figure in the damn Illuminati?  Doctors got run ragged!  Whatever.

Tsubaki tucked the card into her kimono before her hand returned down, back to that picture perfect Seiza pose.  "Alright, what now?"

[Gaz]

Ken #4

---

“Rest, child.” Shinobou said softly, calmly as she tapped her Zanpakuto to the floor and in the blink of an eye it transformed back into the shoddy old boom that rested easily in her hand. She looked to Ken with a smile and nodded. “We’ll have our real meeting next time you come here. I think you should escort Tsubaki home and answer any questions she has. None of your Quincy redirections or vagueness either. She deserves the full truth.”

Ken had withdrawn his hand after the card was accepted and stood near by to Tsubaki just in case she needed him to catch her from a fall. “Yes Ma’am.” He said, already dreading that meeting that was coming up. “I think you should dismiss the Fullbring… It’s got to be draining you even more.” He said, watching carefully.

The Shrine Maiden turned and began walking to the ladder, in a moment she vanished leaving a small puff of dust where her feet once were. The area felt lighter now that her presence was far away, but it left the two mortals alone in this cavernous training space.

“Do you want help getting up the ladder?” Ken asked as he turned to look in that direction, it was a damned long climb, and he was not going to do it. His Schnell was more than capable of taking the pair up.

---

Ken: 6dffd4
Shinobou: bbecff

[freshstrawberries]

Rest.  Go home.  When just minutes ago she'd been talking about how Tsubaki needed to move in temporarily, to not even get her things from the shrine she was staying at herself.  Was that because of the power she'd demonstrated awakening Ruyi Bang...or was it because of how she'd lashed out?

Her grip tightened as the words of Makoto drifted through her head...'don't jump to conclusions Tsubaki.'  Ken was supposed to tell her everything huh?  Sure did sound like she might be kicking Tsubaki out...whatever, it didn't matter anyways.  Tsubaki got up to her feet slowly as her eyes went down to the staff, barely a couple feet long in one hand, and then to the ladder that the shinigami had just vanished up.  "I will in a moment."  Was her only reply to Ken before she began walking towards it.

She'd been lectured in the past for pushing herself too hard, especially after Sakura died.  Her steps were steady enough at least.  That initial headrush had been because she'd been operating on something like adrenaline, not even aware of how tired she was.  Her gait was that of someone quite tired but it wasn't like she couldn't stand up straight.  She stared at her staff, as it extended, kontei striking the ground beneath her, now directly in front of the ladder.  It was important not to push oneself too hard...but you should still push yourself.

Tsubaki's other hand went to the top of the staff and gripped tightly, before she took off, the staff extending upwards at speed, hurtling her up the ladder.  It was not as fast as when she'd attacked Shinobou with it, but it was still an impressive speed, extending all the way up until she was rising from the trapdoor down and stepping onto the floor, staff retracting all the way up after her.

Then she'd...'dismiss' it.  She honestly wasn't sure how she did it or how any of this worked, but she thought strongly of it 'going to sleep' and in a soft glow, the staff returned to its original form.  An unusually long gohei as Tsubaki resisted the urge to lean against the wall.

[Gaz]

Ken #5

---

The young Quincy watched as the Miko powered through her fatigue and moved to use her awakened stave to shoot up to the trapdoor in a long quick movement. Even he could tell that it was not as fast as her earlier attack with the stick, that was something even he doubted he could counter act in a manner that would keep him from any injury. Fullbringers had such a potential and he always loved hearing about their powers.

A blue glow formed around the base of his feet and in a blink, he shot up into the sky and up the shoot that led to the trap door just as the elongated staff vanished. As he landed, he looked around to read the room. “Now that is a really cool power.” Ken spoke with a smile, trying to lift the mood.

The Ex-Shinigami was sweeping by the front of the store and looked over. “It is, and it’s got some real potential.” She spoke, looking at Tsubaki in the eye. “Take a moment to rest before you head out. There’re some drinks in the fridge under the counter. Kin keeps it stocked.” She carried on, showing no sign of hostility in that calm smile. There was no need to antagonise Tsubaki, she just went through some severe emotional trauma to awaken her true powers.

“Oh! Perfect I was just getting thirsty!” Ken announced as he hopped over to the counter and kneeled down to open up the fridge.

“You have to pay Ken. 250 yen per can and 400 per bottle.” Shinobou called, pointing to the boy and giving him a whickedly devilish smile. “Tsubaki can have anything she wants… My offer for her to move in while she trains still stands.”

---

Ken: 6dffd4
Shinobou: bbecff

[freshstrawberries]

Oh by the Kami she felt tired.  It was taking a supreme effort to not just slump over the counter, Tsubaki settled for stepping away from the trap door and settling into a squat, the gohei standing on the ground held loosely in one hand.  Tsubaki couldn't stop herself moving a hand up and down its length, not a single crack or flaw, not a single sign that the thing had been shattered into pieces, it was completely whole...but she could feel something else in it, something slumbering within...

Ruyi Bang.

Her attention turned from her staff as quincy and shinigami spoke her eyes going to the minifridge.  She did feel awfully thirsty, and she smirked hearing that Ken had to pay.  Still she was just going to go for a bottle of water for now, she felt like she'd run a marathon.  That couldn't be normal, the stress of the situation and having to repair Ruyi Bang on top of it being her first time had to be the reason it was so exhausting.

"Apologies, but first I need to contact Makoto, she is the Head Miko at my shrine, I've no doubt she'll let me, but nonetheless it's not a decision I can make on my own.  I need to gather my things from where I'm staying anyways so..."  She gave a tired shrug, "Two birds one stone." Well the offer was still open, good.  If it had actually been rescinded, Makoto probably would have told Tsubaki to beg for another chance, there was no way she'd turn down the chance for Tsubaki to study under an actual kami.