Kido Practice

[Ken Shirogane]

Ken was looking forward to spending some time training with someone whose kido skills were equal to or greater than his own. He'd apparently improved in his skills enough and at a rate that had impressed the captain of another squad. A small compliment, nothing grand like calling him a genius, but letting him know that he was skilled, which served to light a fire within him and the desire to continue growing his kido skills regardless of whatever the rest of his squad might think. He'd been a sword junky at the beginning of his time here, but after joining a squad and learning about kido, his desire to learn and branch out had grown significantly.

In the end, he decided he wanted to master all this world had to offer for his own sake as well as the sake of the living world when defending it against Hollow forces.

However today he was training with someone who seemed to hold a notable level of power, or so he'd heard at least. Given a light briefing on Qi Tietian. Among the things he found interesting was her interest in violence, or rather, her philosophy of it. He too was someone who had begun much meditation on the subject and what it represented throughout his life, as someone who had lived and died to violence.

The day he had died he'd taken a bullet to the head while sneaking onto an enemy ship to fight on board. But the fact was that while his skills with a blade had been great even then, it had not been enough to defend against the bullet of a revolver. Though it had only taken the first shot putting a hole through his head to knock his spirit free.

However, it wasn't until a bit later when a Shinigami appeared to collect his restless soul for the soul society, giving him the opportunity to become a Shinigami himself where he discovered a whole new threat and new potential within himself. He'd felt like he had a second chance and a new destiny.

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Tietian was keen to do her own research into Ken as well. Receiving an invitation over her desk from a servicemen of the 12th division to anything was rare to her. Even rarer when it was explicitly to test the Kido knowledge of both combatants. She learned that the challenge wasn't issued on a whim or as a practical joke. Ken was notorious in his own division for being well-educated in the spell arts, and keen to learn even more.

So she sent her response eagerly, spartan instructions to meet her in a 10th division training hall at a designated time in the evening, when she could expect to be done with paperwork. The sun was dipping over the horizon by that time, beaming its dying golden light through the paper walls. Training equipment gone unused was stacked against shoji in wait for the next corps drill event, and in the middle of it all was Tietian, at the stairs leading into the training hall, stretching after aforementioned cleaning so she and her new training partner didn't blast anything to possibly irreparable pieces. The dojo was built sturdy for that very reason, but it would be her receiving the chewing out if something were to go wrong.

Tietian savored her limbering up, only opening back up to her surroundings if she were directly approached. "You're Shirogane?" She'd ask in the presumed situation, relaxing her hips from a split to pull her feet under herself and alternate stretching her legs behind her next.

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Post Count: 1

[Ken Shirogane]

Coming up the steps he smirked at the greeting, offering a charming smile as he looked the woman over, seeing her in person for the first time, though he'd heard the description. No doubt she had looked into him as well, she had a reputation for being thorough after all. He doubted she would have accepted a meeting with just anyone.

"Indeed. Thank you very much for this little get-together. I appreciate having someone like you who is well known for their skills to test myself against." He said offering her a little bow before straiting once more. 

"So being that the purpose here is to make use of Kido, shall I set my sword aside?" He asked, not really wishing to be tempted with drawing the sword. As far as he knew there was no kido that used a sword. And while he was working on his savant Kido, the technique he was developing was far from finished yet. A work in progress that would still take months, if it went well.

PC: 2

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Tietian nodded her acknowledgements to Ken while she straddled her legs out and in front of her. "Now or later, we were destined to have this meeting. Soul Society isn't big enough to separate our paths. But, the sentiment is mutual." She stood to walk Ken into the training hall, stretching her arms in front of and behind her while they crossed to its center. "I don't like to think of the fighting arts as so distinct, or to separate them artificially," she answered, stopping where the buildings pillars framed a fighting space.

Tietian distanced herself from Ken with a few smooth leaps, stopping herself at one corner of their dueling ring. "Let's see... If it feels natural to draw your sword, use it. And I'll do the same with my fists. But only if the 'answer' of using it is more interesting than than the common response. We're constraining ourselves to the spell arts to find fresh inspiration, in whatever form it comes."

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Post Count: 2

[Ken Shirogane]

Her response was certainly an interesting one. He had not expected her to expand her thoughts into matters of fate and destiny, but it seemed that for her at least this was a somewhat important event.

And her acceptance of letting him keep his sword was also interesting. Her way of speaking was quite grand in his opinion. It was like every sentence was trying to be philosophic.

"Hm, I'll keep that in mind, but I am unlikely to make use of it this time around. When my skills increase perhaps. My hope is that I can become competent enough in Kido to use quick casting, and then silent casting." He said referring to speaking only a portion of the ritual words, then mastery through internalizing the phrases for a much more rapid casting. They were not the official terms for those forms of Kido, but he didn't see much reason to use the over-elaborate titles right now. He wasn't a teacher trying to explain things. If anything he was a student still working towards the mastery he desired.

"Eventually I'd like to blend the skills of my Kido and blade together, but I'm not nearly that skilled yet. But one day I hope to be." He said taking his place some distance from her, about ten feet or so, putting plenty of room between them.

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PC: 3

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Again, Tietian nodded her agreement with Ken's open thoughts. "Yeah, I will too. It's only natural. If the sword is just an extension of the body, then it's an extension of the spirit too." She couldn't tell if he entirely understood her or vice versa, but the similarities between them were there, and the distance was dissipating. If he kept saying things that made such sense, her neck would get tired eventually. Tietian didn't try to steer the conversation elsewhere, at least verbally. She relaxed her body into a loose fighting stance, cocking a fist behind her and bracing the other in front open palmed. The open challenge was punctuated by a curt nod, and a few words.

"Are you ready?"

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Post Count: 3

[Ken Shirogane]

"Huh, I often forget, but as Shinigami, our Zanpakuto is basically a fragment of our soul made manifest." He mused but didn't really expect a response, it was mostly a rhetorical statement, not that he would mind if she decided to build on what he said.

He nodded before starting, "O sharpened rage! Run through that which blocks our future!" He said the simple chant just as he lifted a finger to point in her direction. A simple opening jab to start things off between them as raw force was projected from him. Shō was of course the most basic of Hadō, a thrust of energy meant to push her back further from where she was, perhaps break her stance, and make her hesitate to recide some Kido of her own.

Assuming she could not just use Eishōhaki at least. If she could, then he would need his sword from the start to defend himself while attempting to chant back at her since he was not yet fully proficiant with his own attempts at Eishōhaki. He was learning quickly, but that proficiency had yet to solidify into a full skill.

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PC: 4

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Tietian countered right away with her own incantation. "Blow away! Exorcise, wave and seal!" It didn't take anything to recognize what Ken's first move was, and to come up with an appropriate response. The real challenge was keeping her words even-tempered and steady. As she strafed to the other side of the dueling ring, one hand extended for the Seki spell to form around, she had to maintain her focus. Her breathing and gait had to be measured, and any hesitation warded against. Ken's spell would arrive first - the red light of Sho glinted on his fingertip then flew out towards her. "Begone...!" Tietian could hardly hear her words over the instinctual alarm to dodge or move or run away, but she persisted. "... you black dog of Rondanini!"

Sho struck her hand a split second after her incantation, and rebounded in the next, ricocheting against the blue barrier that had expanded to meet it. It sailed back in its casters direction, threatening Ken while Tietian started on another incantation to follow up with. "Gentle flow of water! Sharpened Edge!" She changed her stance, bracing an outstretched arm at the wrist, aiming down her pointer finger at Ken. Water and frost coalesced at either side of her into two jagged spears of ice, then launched a few seconds behind the flying Sho.

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Post Count: 4

[Ken Shirogane]

As part of his Sho was reflected back at him, he lifted a hand, Reiatsu covered his palm and fingers like a glove, easing back and letting the thrust of energy lead him away with a little grunt, sliding back across the floor, yet in no danger of falling. His stance had been solid and prepared for the energy it had taken.

With a finger pointed at Tietian, the energy once more gathered at the tip of his finger. "O storm cloud! Lose thy blade and run mine enemies through!" Speaking even as he slid and shards of ice shot his way, eyes focused on his opponents, the shards of ice less than a breath from hitting him.

But finishing his own chant just in time, the white energy tearing into the shards of ice while what remained of the energy pressed in Tietian's direction. Byakurai was certainly more intensive than Sho was, but its main purpose had been to deal with the shards of ice rather than causing Tietian damage. By the time the energy reached her, it would be mostly distorted, it would certainly not run her through, though it could blast her back into a wall if she didn't defend herself properly.

But no sooner did he unleash the energy than he started the next chant. "Bind and seal! Tighten thy grasp and bring evil to heel!" The nice thing about these low-level Bakudo and Hado was that the phrases were so short. Two or three sentences that could be quickly spoken. Most of them would take less than three seconds to speak and cast.

Chances were that she'd have dealt with his Byakurai before he finished his chant for Sai, but chances were also good that the Bakudo would slow her down if she didn't immediately have a method for dealing with it. Or if she was even aware of what he was doing by the time Byakurai was dealt with. The technique was quite loud after all. It might be hard to hear him just moments after dealing with the rumbling boom of Byakurai's white lightning. Even if it was significantly weakened after clashing with her Hyousou.

He had to admit though, this was every bit as exhilarating as any sword fight he'd ever been in. He was careful so far to avoid anything especially lethal, even purposefully keeping a strict measure on his Byakurai. His control over Reiatsu and Kido was obvious if nothing else. He might not have all the words and phrases of the harder spells down pat yet, but his control over the spells he did have was exceedingly good. He was quick and observant, those keen golden eyes keeping a lock on the woman he was battling.

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PC: 5

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Tietian kept her momentum between their attacks for the moment that came next. With Ken's bolt of lightning smashing her ice lances into frost, Tietian jolted into stride as it came careening towards her. She sprung off the ground to flip well out of its range, bridging her acrobatics into a one-handed cartwheel to aim freely with her other arm. She could see Ken's mouth moving, but not tell for what purpose over the clap of his thunder and its crash into some distant wall. She was well beyond needing to she thought, as she released an incant-less Byakurai from her extended digit, streaming lightning between the two of them.


In the boom of her own thunder, she challenged him to abandon whatever Kido he was casting - an attack, she was sure, what she would stay ready to move ahead of if he was any bolder than she imagined.  Landing with her knees on the mat, holding her gaze on Ken to see what his next move was and ready to spring out of the way if his next attack came, she was shocked to have her muscles tense beyond her control and fold her arms behind her. A sealing spell from him, of all people? More than curious, it was promising. He presented more promise than she gave him credit for. But neither of them was finished yet with Byakurai still flying true towards him.

Tietian needed time to counter this sealing, but she kept her gaze forwards, curious to see how he would respond to her own expertise.

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Post Count: 5

[Ken Shirogane]

A chantless Byakurai in the midge of a dodge was nothing to underestimate, and it was an example of exactly why he'd become so eager to become better at Kido. A sword was great, but only within the range of that blade and the skill of the wielder who held it. Being able to cast magic was already a great boon. Being able to cast a spell nearly instantly and silently? It was so much harder to react to.

He finished his chant, binding her arms behind her back, watching them fold into place. Being a Kido user herself he was sure she could easily break the binding, it was little more than a flex of one's Reiatsu after all. And he'd bet money that her pool of energy was greater than his own. If not for his skill with using that internal energy and bending it to his will his Reiatsu was weaker than most. He made up for that weakness with exemplary control through natural manipulation, as well as his growing skill in Kido, which further focused that aspect of manipulating energy, honing what he had to its most concise forms.

The phrases for the most basic Hado and Bakudo were short. But as short as those were, they were neither instant or silent. If Tietian decided she was going to start using Eishōhaki style casting, Kenshi was going to lose ground quickly in terms of spell casting.

But before he could even consider that, a Byakurai was shooting his way.

Coating his hand once more in Reiatsu he lifted that hand to defend, catching the lightning which pressed and threatened to blast right into the length of his arm.

If there was any time to take risks, it was now. This was just a spar after all, not a life or death battle, even if there was a certain level of risk to consider and the small potential for death.

Another thing to consider when it comes to Eishōhaki is the fact that it naturally resulted in some loss of power. As a rule of thumb, it cut the power of spells in half, less if one was a particularly skilled practitioner of the arts who focused their intention on improving the coherency of their spells. This was one reason that Kenshi had decided to challenge the Byakurai cast his way with what was little more than a minor defense. He wouldn't even consider what he was doing Savant Kido, not yet at least. It was too loose, too fragile, imperfect. But the only way to improve such a technique was to test it and refine it. He was willing to accept the pain that was no doubt coming his way.

Indeed, weakened or not, one should not underestimate the power of a Byakurai.

Kenshi was not able to follow up on the binding he had set on Tietian.

There was a faint shattering sound that was likely lost to the roaring of Byakurai as it tore through his minor defense. The resulting damage was only slightly less than what Kenshi had calculated or anticipated.

His arm was still a quivering mess, and he was standing with his back pressed nearly to the wall behind him, inches short of slamming into it. He was panting, falling to his knees as he examined his weakened quivering arm. It was scorched, his robe destroyed up to the shoulder. He could not so much as make a fist let alone attempt more precise control like pointing a finger.

But this result was significantly better than what might have happened had he not covered his hand in Reiatsu before attempting the simple clash of energy. Or if Tietian had managed a full chant to maintain the power of her Byakurai. That was to say, had he attempted such a clash he might have lost his arm rather than merely disabling it. Nothing was broken at least.

He eventually lifted his head to look at Tietian. "Mind pausing for a minute? Catch our breath and recover some energy. The damage is not too bad, but this round is surely yours. However, it's also an opportunity to practice some Kaidō on myself." He explained simply.

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PC: 6

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Tietian was mildly disappointed at how the bout ended. It was her win, but she hoped it could have gone a little longer, to some spectacular conclusion or revelation. That was the tedium of battle to her - for all its adrenaline , it was empty spectacle. Without meaning, without substance.

It wasn't totally without merit, though. Tietian did free herself, crossing the dueling spot to sit next to Ken, nodding to his request. This intermission would have been a good time for tea... "If I knew anything about Kaido, I would help you. But you're a lot more serious about learning Kido than I initially thought. Maybe even more than me. You know Kaido, and that was a sealing spell back there. I wouldn't have expected a swordsman from the 11th division to want to learn Kido, and certainly not Bakudo or Kaido." Tietian leaned back on her palms, stretching her legs in front of her. With all her thoughts out there, there was just one more question worth asking.

"Tell me why you fight, Shirogane. What do you care about learning the way of the sword, or the spell arts? Not as a Shinigami, but as a man."

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Post Count: 6

[Ken Shirogane]

"Had I been born in the Soul Society perhaps had I joined the 11th then I would have been a little more strict about my desire to master the blade. I've always had a love for swinging the sword ever since I first saw my father carrying one around, back when I was but a mortal man." He noted with a chuckle.

"Hm, well separating my desire as a Shinigami from my desire as a man is rather difficult in this case. But I suppose I fundamentally wished for power. The power to protect, and the power to destroy as I see fit." He shrugged. "As a Shinigami, I want to use my strength to protect everyone. As a man I want to protect those close to me and ensure the survival of myself and those who I treasure... With that goal in mind, though it goes against the principles of the 11th to a degree, once I found I had some skill with the kido arts I saw no reason to limit myself." He explained.

"Perhaps it will slow my progression as a swordsman, but I do not believe it will slow my progression as a warrior. In time all these skills I am learning could be used in combination, conjuction, and fused to greater effect than simply swinging a sword around. Even as I am now, I dare say I could easily slay the version of me from just a few months ago because I have worked relentlessly to expand my skill set." He decided, pretty happy with the thought in a sort of macabre sense.

"I find that as I continue to learn I am happy to take any advantage I can get. The benefits of Kaidō are obvious as well. My control of Reiatsu is keen, so I was confident that whether it was Hado, Bakudo, or Kaido, one day I may master them all. It's not as though I'll grow old and die anytime soon. And while it may be admirable to fight to one's limit bleeding from a dozen gushing wounds, I'd rather not go through that myself." Learning Kaidō had been kind of annoying though. Not because it was hard, but because he was from squad 11, and he'd paid a visit to squad 4 to see if he could get a lesson with one of the unseated squad members with a basic understanding of using Kaidō to teach him.

Suffice it to say that they had been skeptical of him and thought he was playing a joke. But after some time he did manage to get them to take him seriously and give him the basics of using Kaidō. However, he hadn't had many opportunities to use it till now. He wasn't going to purposefully inflict wounds on himself just for a bit of practice, but he was willing to take some risks like the ones he just had with the knowledge that he would have a chance to use Kaidō.

"Hm, I kinda went on a tangent. Sorry. I have not had anyone really ask me why till now. My own squad is less than interested, and I only rarely get to meet with other squad members for anything personal like this." With one hand healing the other the arm was being gradually restored. The scorch marks from the Byakurai she had used against him gradually faded.

"You used Eishōhaki in the end to cast that Byakurai. It's just another example of how much improving I have left to do. The ability to cast such spells, even at reduced power is a massive advantage. If not for my skill with bending Reiatsu into something resembling a defense it could still have done great damage to me. Perhaps crippled if not destroyed my arm instead of merely leaving it scorched and numbed from the impact." He mused as he gave his healing fingers a little wiggle. "I won't take a risk quite like that again in our next round though." He was glad he could simply heal himself and continue their match. Just a few weeks ago he'd had to forfeit a sword dual because his wrist had been cut seriously enough to warrant it. Now he could have healed a wound like that and continued fighting if he'd wanted to.

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PC: 7

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Tietian nodded along to Ken's word, but offered nothing in response. She didn't ask him for his reason to fight to challenge it, only take the wisdom wherein for herself. Like most others, there was nothing terribly unique or grand about his ideal. The power to protect was noble, necessary, uncomplicated, and therefore highly sought after. It was an answer many shinigami held close to their hearts. That wasn't to say she agreed with it. Many of the strongest shinigami had long achieved the power to protect. What they cultivated now was the power to destroy. A very thin line separated the two. One could cross it and never even know, how little they would change. Tietian quietly wondered to herself what kind of person would Ken be?

She let him take his time licking his wounds. There would be all evening to fight after. "The next time we do this, I'll make sure to prepare us tea after. Or do you like to smoke? There may be a subordinate still on the grounds that I could ask to bring my kettle and pipes..."

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Post Count: 7

[Ken Shirogane]

"Ah, I don't smoke. But I'll be happy to accept some tea." He agreed. His father had smoked a pipe. Quite the garish thing too, when Ken had been alive. But he'd never picked up the habit himself. He'd tried it once with his father's permission, but he had never seen the appeal beyond the aesthetic. It hurt his throat and his lungs. The taste was nothing special to him either. It suited his father more than it suited him, certainly.

He looked forward to a day when he could heal wounds much more quickly. Heck, maybe it could even become combat-applicable rather than being a post-combat skill. Although he wasn't sure when he could accomplish that kind of feat. That kind of healing seemed like the level a captain might operate. But even so, his arm was recovering nicely. He'd be able to fight again soon.

"What kind of tea do you have anyway? Got any specific flavors?" He asked curiously, wondering if he had options.