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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 5, 2014 14:34:25 GMT -6
"First Day of Training" (continued)
Azayaka lead Yumiko out of the inner palace and out into the canopy. The false sky was bright blue with white clouds. The enormous expanse of sand was white as well. It was brightly lit, a sparkling contrast from the dark halls of the inner palace.
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Sept 5, 2014 14:50:13 GMT -6
"Wow...." Yumiko gasped. As Azayaka moved on ahead, she paused to take in the scenery. She didn't kneel to run her hands through the sand, as she wanted to, though. She could do that later. She hurried to catch up to her partner.
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Post by Ulquiorra Cifer on Sept 5, 2014 14:56:26 GMT -6
Ulquiorra waited further within the canopy, hands deep inside his jacket, as he waited with his eyes closed. He had disappointed Aizen with the Karin incident. His vivid green eyes opened and narrowed at the two women approaching his form. He would not disappoint him again. If he made Yumiko's power into the weapon he wanted, perhaps his lord would be satisfied.
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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 6, 2014 13:21:51 GMT -6
As they walked further into the canopy, Azayaka spotted the bat. She stopped a few feet from him.
"And what would you be doing here, Ulquiorra?"
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Post by Ulquiorra Cifer on Sept 6, 2014 13:44:40 GMT -6
Ulquiorra turned to Azayaka. "We were both given the task of her training, were we not?" he asked quietly.
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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 6, 2014 13:49:02 GMT -6
Azayaka scoffed and turned to Yumiko. "Whatever. Just don't get in my way. We will take turns."
She stood there, looking over the noble. She took one look at her frail body and her eye twitched in annoyance. What her father saw in her (besides her beauty and her powers) was beyond her. Azayaka could break her over her knee like a rotted twig in less than a second. When she saw the girl fidget under her gaze, Azayaka drew her sword. She pointed it at her.
"Do you know what my zanpakuto power is?"
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Post by Ulquiorra Cifer on Sept 6, 2014 14:17:45 GMT -6
Ulquiorra nodded at the order and stepped back dutifully. He would wait.
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Sept 6, 2014 14:19:19 GMT -6
Yumiko closed her eyes then took a step forwards. She wasn't going to get cold feet. She wanted to get stronger and never find herself locked up ever again. "I dont'," she replied with a determined lift of the head, "but Mizue no Kagami, my zanpakuto, can show it to me, if I understand her better."
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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 6, 2014 14:22:50 GMT -6
A smile pulled at Azayaka's lips. She had to admit that she was at least a tiny bit impressed with the girl's boldness.
"That's a bold statement," she smirked at her. "Think you could handle it?"
She tossed her hair aside, out of her face. "Let me tell you something. With the powers I have, I could make you use your zanpakuto. However, I don't have orders for that. That seems to me like my father finds great potential in you. You are special to him. You should be proud of that. Hone your skills into something he will be proud of and you will always see the sky. Show him you are a great warrior and you will never suffer again. Continue to prove that you are indeed special and you will never be imprisoned again." She tilted her head to the side. "Sound nice?"
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Sept 6, 2014 14:38:43 GMT -6
Yumiko felt another blush heat up her cheeks at being called special, though it did come with a slight pain, too, since she hadn't seen Aizen since her foolish act. As Azayak continued with her expectations, Yumiko lowered her eyes, savoring the warnth, then cleared her mind. She looked up again as her instructor finished. "It does sound nice, and I will do what I can to be worthy of such attention and care. I won't fail you or him."
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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 6, 2014 14:50:28 GMT -6
Azayaka lowered her zanpakuto and moved even closer to her. "First," she said as she placed her index finger on Yumiko's forehead. "You need to strengthen this"--she put her finger on her chest--"and this. You're way too innocent. Bad things happen. Bad things always happen. Sometimes, even worse things happen. And even more so, sometimes things none of us ever want to see in our entire lives happen. Hellish things that should never exist. But they happen. Your job is to keep from going insane. To do that, you need to steel yourself over. Get over them. Get past them and let them make you stronger."
She lowered her finger and sheathed her sword. She took Yumiko's wrists in her hands and squeezed them, bringing them together like shackles. "You were blinded and imprisoned for most of your life simply because Soul Society was afraid of you. Get over it. Push past it. Become strong so that no one can ever imprison you again. But before you become strong physically, you need to become strong mentally."
She dropped her hands and moved back away from her. She drew her sword again. "I'll tell you what my power is. My ability allows me to control your mind. The weaker of mind you are, the easier it is for me to take over your mind, and even your body." She raised her sword up in front of her. "The moment you can resist Maboroshi Kijo is the moment you will be able to overcome any emotional or spiritual obstacle. Emotions will no longer be a weakness for you. You must harden yourself so you can continue to move forward."
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Sept 6, 2014 15:13:43 GMT -6
A sad smile lit on Yumiko's lips. "Some of what you're saying reminds me of what I was supposed to do as a noble and failed..." She lowered her head. "A lady is the heart of the household, and if she is in turmoil, so is the house." She sighed. "I couldn't control my zanpakuto in a timely fashion, so my family abandoned me to the darkness of my sealing."
Recalling the brilliant moon that first night, Yumiko clenched her hands and tossed her head back. "I know I can become stronger than I was then. I didn't go insane in my prison. I continued learning to believe I would leave there, and I didn't give up hope. Then, Aizen, your father, came. I will learn to control my emotions better and... " she hesitated.
She closed her violet-tinted blue eyes and took a breath. "I will stop looking for what I don't remember of my past. I don't need it," she declared, heart pounding in her chest.
She bit her lip to stay calm in that last statement. It felt right, but it also brought out the hurt she kept burying.
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Post by Azayaka Aizen on Sept 6, 2014 16:39:06 GMT -6
Azayaka watched her for a moment before nodding. "If you truly wish to help my father, then use that as motivation. On another note, a strong mind does nothing if the body is weak. Therefore, Ulquiorra will be responsible for training your body. That is where we will start."
Azayaka turned to Ulquiorra and nodded to him.
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Post by Ulquiorra Cifer on Sept 6, 2014 16:53:14 GMT -6
Ulquiorra walked forward. He'd been analyzing Yumiko as she and Aizen's daughter had been discussing what she needed. The girl had a high level of reiatsu and some fierceness to her, but how far did these components go? Intense eyes not leaving his opponent's, Ulquiorra drew his blade.
"Draw your sword." Yumiko nodded and pulled her zanpakuto from her sheathe.
"Attack me." Yumiko blinked.
Ulquiorra revised his order. "It is my job to train up your physical strength, but I need to know where you are. Make me take a step back. Use the power you used to stop your attackers that night."
Yumiko nodded, stepped forward, then paused. "Won't I hurt you?"
Ulquiorra resisted the urge to roll his eyes but lowered his blade as he asked. "Are you a threat to me at this stage?" When she shook her head, he pressed on. "Did you defeat your attackers or did they leave before you collapsed?"
"They left."
"Did you let them go or were you unable to chase them?"
"I was unable to chase them." Her head dipped lower. "I was dizzy and was fighting to stand."
"You fell after your opponents left," Ulquiorra stated, "but you shouldn't fall from such small fry at all," Ulquiorra continued on. "That is the kind of potential Aizen-sama sees in you."
Yumiko nodded. She raised her head again and tightened her grip on her zanpakuto.
Ulquiorra brought his sword up again. "Attack me without trying to use your powers. I want you to physically push against your own weakness. Use the motivation Azayaka-sama pointed out and reach out."
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Sept 7, 2014 0:33:35 GMT -6
Yumiko fell silent, breathed in, and attacked. Head on. Ulquiorra easily swept her strike aside with one sweep of his sword. Stumbling, Yumiko didn't give up. She attacked again from the same position. Ulquiorra's counterstroke pushed her backwards again. "Again," he murmured. Yumiko nodded. She paused and altered her stance and attacked again. -----
Yumiko's zanpakuto rang out as she was pushed back once more, but she smiled grimly. She'd lasted three of Ulquiorra's passes from watching how he put his sword up. But she hadn't pushed him back. Brushing off dirt from her skirt, she braced her sword before her again. Ulquiorra's blade rose again. Yumiko paused, considering, then took a step of intuition. She vanished. She reappeared out of her shaky shunpo behind Ulquiorra, who turned and caught her sword on his. Breaking free, she took the leap and disappeared again, swinging at his side. Ulquiorra blocked again. Her hilt rattled this time. She was getting faster. Her legs trembled. "I'm not done yet," she murmured. "Not. Yet." Their swords pulled apart. Yumiko altered her grip on her sword and let it flow upwards as she let her free arms do in Kido. The blade arched upwards from her side in a half crescent. Ulquiorra stepped back and blocked the descending crescent on his blade.
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