Step Two: From Slack to Crack

Tenkai arrived at the training hall as shinigami from his division slowly began pouring in. His son was among them and took his place at his father's side. It took a good half hour for every member of the squad to gather but they did eventually all arrive. It was entirely underwhelming from where Tenkai stood. There had to be little more then two hundred squad members, maybe not even two hundred. It was clear that the recent wars had taken their tolls and the Seireitei was severely understaffed. Training the men would not only be enough, they would have to begin recruiting more as well. From the hundreds that the academy took in every year and the thousands at the academy, this was insufficient. There was, at its best, maybe four thousand shinigami in the Gotei Thirteen. At the current, there was most likely close to twenty five hundred shinigami. That number was significantly lower then its highest troop count, and even at its best, was still severely undermanned in Tenkai's opinion. The Vandenreich had a significant number of troops with them being both Quincy and Arrancar. About three hundred Soldat serving under each individual Sternritter. With that being the case, there were most likely a little over eight thousand Soldat in their army. Compared to the four thousand shinigami that the Seireitei had, they were completely overrun. It was clear that each individual Soldat was better trained then the standard shinigami that served in a squad. The bottom line was that the Gotei Thirteen was defeated in every meaning of the word. They had been defeated in strength, in manpower, in strategy, and in planning. It was only through survival of the fittest and learning from their mistakes did the Shinigami manage to retake the Soul Society. Sighing quietly to himself, Tenkai moved forward a few feet to address the subordinates that had gathered before him. "Members of the Thirteenth Division, thank you for gathering. For those of you who have not met me yet, I am Tenkai Bushinji, the new Captain of the Thirteenth Division."

There was a little mingling between the subordinates in front of him as they contemplated having a new Captain. Of course his name was well known at this point, his own heroics and lineage being as well known as any other talented shinigami and high ranking noble. Cutting off any remaining speaking, Tenkai cleared his throat loudly and picked up where he left off. "Now, I am aware that the last time a Captain was appointed for this squad was Captain Ukitake, a man I knew very well. I don't think I could ever do justice to the things he did in his life, but I am going to try my best to make him proud. That leads me in to why I had you all gathered here today." Placing his arms behind his back and cupping his hands together he began to slowly pace the stages. Looking up to the sky above him he slowly began to reveal the ideals he had for the squad to the crowd of shinigami. "We are going to begin intensifying the training in the squad. There will be mandatory training in all the core shinigami arts everyday for two hours. I will be personally leading these training sessions and will be assisted by a few of the higher ranked seated officers. I am sure you all already know my son and Third Seat Officer, Tsunkai Bushinji." Stopping for a moment and stepping back, Tenkai gestured to his son to say a few words about the topic at hand. It would be important for him to speak as well to provide backing support to the new regimented training. A new Captain changing things around wasn't always good for morale. This is why he needed the backing of officers who had been around for a while, especially one that had been running the squad previously. Even if Tenkai was, relatively speaking, famous, it was still a necessary thing to optimize what he needed to do. "I agree wholeheartedly with what my father says. Though we have never grown slack in our training its clear that we could still do much more. That much was apparent during the combat against the Vandenreich within the last three years. It was only through great hardship that we all stand here today with a united Soul Society in our hands. We need to be intensely trained and well prepared so that such a thing never happens again."

With that the group cheered mildly with some of the members hooting and hollering and others simply nodding their heads in agreement. It was better then nothing but a full on show of support would indeed be better. Taking what he could, Tenkai moved to the front of the group again to speak. "Now then, let us begin the training for the day. I want all of the Seated Officers, Unseated Officers, and standard members to organize yourselves into your own groups. From there, I will give further instruction on what to do. I'll give you all a few minutes to gather yourselves together for the next step of the training." Moving away from the front of the group Tenkai stood next to his son and whispered in his ear. "Gather all of the Seated Officers together and then have you and the four that introduced themselves to me earlier brought up front. I have a special assignment for you five." "Yes Father." Not feeling too sure about whatever decision his father had in mind Tsunkai followed the order all the same. It was indeed a rough situation when your father was also your boss. Orders were orders and filial responsibility was important as well. Marching off to do as he was told, Tenkai watched him head off as the rest of the squad members also went about sorting themselves. It was going to be an interesting day, that much was to be sure. Hopefully if everything went well and he received full support from his squad for these exercises, they would be able to improve that much faster.

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Standing before the maneuvering groups Tenkai observed them sort into the various groups. Eventually there were three separate groups, each larger then the one before it. One group held the rabble of the squad, numbering one hundred and some odd shinigami. The next group was the unseated officers, numbering about forty or fifty individuals. Finally, there were the seated officers, numbering thirteen individuals with the five highest ranked standing just behind himself. Moving forward Tenkai looked about at the various groups and pointed to the group of rankless squad members. "I want you to sort yourselves into groups of two based on your own abilities. Find a partner that is close to your own level of ability. This does not mean that if your good with kidou find someone else that's good with kidou as well or any inverse of that. Find someone who is by all means, your equal." Then taking a few steps to his right he then pointed to the group of unseated officers. "I want you to do the same as well. Find someone who is your equal in combat and pair yourselves with them." As the two groups began to sort themselves away Tenkai pointed to the final group and crossed his arms over his chest. "As I'm sure you've guessed I want you to do the same as well. However, there are two conditions that are different for your group. Number one, since there are thirteen of you I need one group to be sorted into three individuals. Number two, if any of you have acquired your shikai, do not sort yourself into a group that has someone without their shikai. That is all." Then, turning around, Tenkai faced the small group of the highest ranked in his squad to give them their own special instructions. Placing his hand on his sons shoulder he peered into the eyes of each officer with approval. In their eyes they had a fierceness that he enjoyed. He had a feeling they might already know what these exercises were going to be by the instructions he had given the other squads. He also had a feeling that they might already know what their special assignment was going to be. But, if they did not, he wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

"You five, simply wait here for me to get all the other groups started on their training. You five have a special assignment as I'm sure my son has already told you. You will receive the most personalized training and easily the most intensive. Prepare yourselves, all of you." The reactions he received from the group varied greatly compared to what they were only moments ago. Some grew obviously nervous being unsure of what that meant. Others appeared to be excited for the training they would receive. The most vivid displays of emotion were from the two people he had expected them to be though. The first was of course his son, one who knew what was going to happen. He seemed slightly uneasy, not being all that willing to partake in such a thing. He had undergone his fathers 'training sessions' before and found them to be rather brutal. The second person was Tomomi, the fierce look in her eyes had not dissipated and it appeared his sons judgment of her was accurate. She did indeed have the old mans blood in her body as she was ready for battle. Removing his hand from his sons shoulder and giving a quick nod to Tomomi, Tenkai turned around to face his men. They had all but finished sorting themselves with only a few stragglers grabbing their partners. With the sorting all but done, Tenkai stepped forward to give the final commands for the exercises. "Now, you have all found a partner that is your equal in combat ability. What I want you to do now is engage them in a spar. Anything goes, other then killing them of course. Your objective is to defeat them using every ability at your disposal and make them submit. I would like nobody to have to be sent to the medbay of course. So, all of you keep that in mind as you go about your spars. Now, begin!!" There was a small lapse in time before anything started. Everyone just looked at one another awkwardly being unsure of how to even begin their training. It wasn't until a few of the seated officers drew their zanpaktou did the others start following suit.

All around him Tenkai could hear the clash of metal against metal and the mixture of a large amount of reiatsu in battle. It was a beautiful thing to see from his own perspective. Seeing his men honing their abilities in combat with one another to try and improve themselves in any way possible. This would not only increase their own abilities but also increase their abilities to work in teams. It would develop a partner for that individual that they could fight with in battle. They would know the limits of their partners abilities and how best to complement them too. It was the perfect training exercise in his personal opinion. Of course it would take time for these principles to sink in though, but they had plenty of time to do so. Turning around to face the small group behind him, Tenkai smiled briefly before walking to the side away from everyone else. He wanted to get some space between his own little group and the rest of the shinigami. With them being the six strongest in the squad, the amount of reiatsu they would give off would be immense. He himself possessed enough reiatsu to bring even his son to his knees. That being the case, he could probably cripple a lower seated officer with his power. Bring the group into one of the smaller separate training areas he turned to face them. "Tsunkai, shut the door behind you and make sure its secure. I wouldn't want it to be blown open and have our reiatsu swarm out to the other groups." Nodding and doing as his father asked, Tenkai then addressed the rest of the group on the full specifics of what they were about to do. "Now, I doubt your wondering why your not engaging in the same exercise as the rest of the group. This is especially considering the words I just spoke. But, let me give you the full specifics in this case. You five are the strongest of the squad and I can tell just by reading your reiatsu you have all acquired and at least partially mastered your shikai. I know that my son here is already well on his way to mastering his bankai having trained with me extensively."

With that the group looked somewhat surprised at their Third Seat Officer not expecting such a feat of skill from someone so young. Tsunkai did not say a word after securing the door but gave a vicious look to his father. That bit of information was supposed to be a secret, at least his son wanted it that way. Tenkai saw no problem with letting a few of the others know about it. It wasn't as though they were going to start spreading rumors around or something. Uncrossing his arms from his chest Tenkai went on to explain the rest of what he meant to say. "Now, because your all as strong as you are I have taken you to be trained personally by me. Now let me explain exactly what I mean by that. I am going to have all five of you come at me at once. That being said, I want each of you to attack me as though you meant to kill me. Now, I certainly won't be trying to kill you, but I won't be holding back either. If any of you take this lightly, I promise you will end up in the medical bay by the end of the day." Slowly reaching down and grasping the hilt of his zanpaktou, Tenkai unsheathed the blade slowly and let it hang at his right side. "Now with that said, who will start off our little party?" Without a single second passing by his son was already at his throat. His blade was drawn and he flew across the room from where he stood with a burst of shunpou. Meeting Tsunkai's blade with his own he pushed him back with a powerful sweeping motion. Shaking his wrist with blade in hand Tenkai smiled briefly before looking at his son. "Have you been moonlighting recently? Your certainly stronger then I remember you being." Tsunkai smirked himself before leveling his blade to prepare for another attack against his father. "Just because I train with you doesn't mean I don't do it by myself either." "Fair enough. Come then, show me what you've learned!!" The two glided at one another locking blades in a powerful explosion of reiatsu. Tenkai easily batted his sons blade aside and sent a powerful punch with his left hand into the boys stomach.

His son keeled over for a moment before backing away to the left a few meters. Tenkai was quick on the pursuit though being on top of the boy in the time that it took him to get some distance. Tenkai met with his sons zanpaktou once more as the boy braced himself with both hand against the force of his father and Captain. As he was locked in battle with his son Tenkai looked over to the other four officers who were only watching the combat. "Are you four going to just stand there or actually do something? If you don't get involved soon I'll be forced to attack you next." Then, batting his son aside Tenkai turned his sights onto the other four officers. With a vicious look in his eyes he was upon them with a burst of shunpou in the blink of an eye. There was little that the four could do but try to defend themselves the best they could against his vicious assault. Tomomi was the only one fast enough to draw her blade as Tenkai swung at them with a powerful horizontal slash. His blade crashed against hers sending her back into the rear wall of the training arena. Turning to the other three Tenkai sent a powerful punch into the left side of Kichirou's face sending him sprawling along the ground. Then spinning in the same direction as his punch he struck at Nobumasa with the flat of his blade catching him at the top of his right arm causing him to reel and collapse to the ground. The only one who still stood before him was Yoshirou who seemed unsure of what to do. Leaning in close so he was only a few inches from the boys face Tenkai spoke. "If none of you start fighting, you're all going to die." Then smiling and patting the boy on the head Tenkai turned around to look back at his son. It was only a faint though as he turned back around before the young man knew what to do and headbutted him as hard as he could. Tenkai could swear he heard the kids skull crack open as he fell backwards to the floor with a loud thud.

Sighing disappointedly, Tenkai held his arms up in the air and looked around at the group around him. The only one among them that was standing was his son. Perhaps he had misjudged the rest of the officers in his squad. He thought them to be of a higher caliber, better make then the average shinigami. "I guess I was wrong about you guys. Maybe you aren't anything special after all. If this is all it took to defeat you then you don't even deserve to be shinigami. Why don't you all just go home and cry to your mothers about how the mean Captain beat you down to the ground. Then she'll give you a warm glass of milk and tuck you in. But not before reading you a bed time story, I'm sure you'd all like that." Tsunkai stepped forward with a questionable look on his face from what his father had said. He was being a little rough on them considering the difference in strength. Tenkai was miles beyond any of them so of course they wouldn't be able to handle his strength. "Come on father, I think that's enough. They tried their best, what did you really expect from them. How could a seated officer stand up to a Captain? Just, let them re...." "Silence Tsunkai." Tenkai held an arm out to silence his sons words. As strong as the boy was for his age he wasn't good in the way of strategy. Tenkai was not actually insulting his men, but trying to give them incentive to stand up. If he could irritate them enough they would want to fight him just to get him to shut his mouth. As he expected, the four officers slowly rose from where they were and stood on shaky legs. Though their bodies were wounded, they had fire in their eyes. They were ready to continue this battle in earnest. Smirking, Tenkai raised his zanpaktou up and let it rest on his right shoulder. Tapping it lightly against him so a low metallic clanging could be heard, he slowly paced around keeping his eyes on them. "So, you children are ready to get things going for real eh? It's about damn time. I thought I might have to change your diapers at this rate and then send you home."

Laughing openly and mocking the group it was clear he was pushing them to their limits. He was using the advantage of being their new Captain to press their demeanor. He didn't have the complete respect of everyone in the squad yet and if they were pushed physically and mentally they would be easier to break down. He had thought everything through completely and was ready to use every advantage he had to get the fullest out of his men. The one who clearly snapped the first was Tomomi. She was ready to fight as a light red hue started to emanate from around her. Her reiatsu was pulsating and was even slightly visible. It was interesting to say the least that she held as much power as she did. In terms of raw power it seemed that she was close to even that of Tsunkai. Raising an eyebrow he wondered how she was going to react to this will to fight. Reaching out to her with his left hand, palm facing upwards, he made the universal 'bring it on' motion. With a violent roar the young woman came rushing towards him ready to kill. Holding his stance, Tenkai smiled openly as he watched her advance. What he didn't expect was what she did next. "Meruto Jirei, Youga Jakka!!" Tomomi had released her shikai and her power came rippling forward as her blade turned into liquid magma. It retained the form of a zanpaktou but magma dripped from it landing to the ground and melting it away. It didn't appear harmful to her as it flowed down the hilt of her zanpaktou and drizzled over her hand as well. Moving his zanpaktou from atop his shoulder Tenkai decided to play this one out more cautiously. Just because she was weaker then him didn't mean she couldn't hurt him. Especially with how dangerous that blade she had looked. Letting her approach in the blind rage, Tenkai dodged the initial slash with the weapon which sent a few splashes of magma flying where he once stood. They touched to the ground burning away at it before drying quickly and turning into a dark black stone, obsidian.

Raising an eyebrow and looking at the girl cautiously, Tenkai noticed several other spikes in reiatsu around his immediate vicinity. The first of which was that of his sons. "Bankai, Mouretsu Enkou Kokouo!!" The boy had indeed grown much stronger then the last time they trained. He must have spent unending hours honing the ability of his bankai. With his full power exposed it rivaled that of a newly appointed Captain. Though still leaving an amount to be desired, he was a strong opponent and easily the greatest threat in the room. The other officers had also released their own zanpaktou bursting into a powerful display of various colored reiatsu. "Monosugoi, Kazekaishi!!" "Soshaku, Hekikobura!!" "Higyou, Keikaniki!!" Slowly pivoting around in a circle observing the various reiatsu around him Tenkai knew he was in for an interesting time. Though he dwarfed every single combatant in the room with his tremendous power, together, they would still be a force to be reckoned with. If he didn't proceed carefully into this he could find himself on the losing end of five separate blades. But one thing was sure to him at this moment in time. These officers around him were indeed of a different caliber then the rest of his men. He was right to choose them for this detail and it appeared his choice had paid off.

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Standing in the midst of the five individuals before him Tenkai hung his blade at his side and made small, sudden movements towards each of them to try and coax some sort of movement. He knew it would have to wear on one of their nerves and get them to at least attack once. His attention was mainly focused on his son though. The boys power rated that of a Captains and he could actually do some damage to him if he wanted to. That, and the intense heat emanating from him caused even Tenkai to sweat in his sealed state. He was used to a blazing inferno coming from his own body but not being confronted by another one. After another minute had passed still nobody had made a move and the situation was slowly becoming the biggest stand off to ever be seen. Rolling his eyes in his own irritation, Tenkai decided he would have to make the first move. He was after all the aggressor here and taking to the defensive would not look well for the exercise. Letting the entirety of his reiatsu flow from his body the weight of his strength could be felt throughout the entire room. The ground beneath him quaked and cracked as if it were an earthquake. Despite the power of the individuals around him as well he could tell they were more then pushed to their limits under the impressive weight of his raw power. Not letting his reiatsu up for even a moment Tenkai took slow deliberate steps towards his son, keeping his eyes locked upon him. Staying only three or four feet away from him, his thick reiatsu protecting him from the heat, he leaned down slightly and locked eyes with the boy. "Welcome to the big leagues son." Immediately after speaking Tenkai swung his blade with the full force at his disposal colliding with his sons blade which had been raised just barely in time. However, as opposed to before where their blades had locked, Tenkai easily swept his son aside sending him soaring away into a wall leaving a splendid imprint of his body upon it. Raising an eyebrow, Tenkai shrugged and then turned back to the other officers. "Come at me all at once or you will all die fighting by yourselves."

Taking his warning for what it was, the four officers gathered themselves together and rushed at their Captain from multiple angles. Standing at the ready Tenkai was prepared to receive and counter each and every one of their attacks. The first one to attack was Kichirou, and from a distance nonetheless. His zanpaktou turned into a multi-sected pointed blade that shot out like a snake. A single strip of metal similar to a wire ran through the center of it that glowed a dark green. As the blade snaked out towards Tenkai he quickly realized the last thing he should let it do was cut him. There was more to the blade then just delivering a simple cut. Holding his zanpaktou out to intercept the attack he allowed it to snake around the length of the blade 'ensnaring' his weapon. However, this now left him in the perfect spot to attack since his opponent was not able to attack either. Grabbing hold of the wire between segments of Kichirou's blade, Tenkai pulled back on it turning the officer and his weapon into a massive flail. Swinging Kichirou and his weapon through the air Tenkai aimed it at the three advancing officers catching two of the three with the massive swing knocking them to the ground. The one officer that managed to evade the strike was none other then Tomomi. He expected such from her considering she stood out a good amount from her lower ranked peers. She was easily of the Vice Captain level, even nearing that of training for Bankai. She had good blood flowing through her veins as well. Blood that Tenkai would openly admit, was even better then that which flowed through his own veins. As powerful and influential as his father was and had become, Yamamoto was in a class all his own. Following that logic, his great granddaughter was going to be one hell of a shinigami and an even greater leader one day. It was going to be Tenkai's job to nurture and develop that potential and help make her everything she was capable of being. With that notion Tenkai actually got quite the wild idea in his head. He was surprised he had thought of it at all, but despite that he was going to follow it. It would be beneficial to everyone in the long run, especially Tomomi. Smirking uncharacteristically Tenkai was going to press this battle further then he planned to make a point to what he was going to suggest.

Holding his blade out in front of him facing diagonally to the left he waited for Tomomi to collide with him. The girl leapt into the air and flew at him with momentum and strength to match her reiatsu. For as small a person as she was the collision was surprising to physical appearances. It certainly wasn't anything Tenkai couldn't handle, but it did cause him to smile from the ironic nature. Stepping forward and sweeping to the right with his blade he shrugged off the girls attack and flung her backwards with his own overwhelming strength. Watching her soar backwards through the air and tuck into a ball doing several flips before landing firmly on her feet, Tenkai realized it was time to up the stakes. He was sure they had more up their sleeves then they were giving away. Sure they had released their shikai, but none of them had ventured to use even a single ability. They were even using the kidou at their disposal. Sighing, Tenkai placed his blade out in front of him moving his left hand to the base of the blade. Sliding his hand across the blade a duplicate appeared in his left hand as it cleared the blade and returned to its place by his side. "Unari, Oni Kokouo." An explosion of reiatsu and flames followed the few words uttered as Tenkai's true power was unveiled. Power, destruction, purification, that was what fire was, and that was Tenkai's power. It was through his will and morals that these flames became a tool for good instead of evil. Fire inherently was something that did not judge good or evil, kind or cruel, love or hate, it simply destroyed all in its path. If Tenkai desired it, he could burn the world to the ground or burn the souls of the damned to purify their wretched existence. The flames only did his bidding, destroying that which he deemed unnecessary. It was these flames that now cycled outwards in the room turning it into a massive inferno. The large rectangular training room that the six of them now stood in had turned into, essentially, a massive oven. It was by Tenkai's own graces that the officers around him did not burn to death in the flames. He needed them alive after all, what good would dead subordinates be to him?

As his opponents got ready to reengage him, shielding themselves from the flames with an arm, they became more hesitant once more. It was further then they assumed he would go for a training session. Personally, it was going further then Tenkai thought he would go for the session. But, for the purpose of his own wants and needs, he decided to take it a little further. However, despite the majority of them being skittish to reengage their Captain, two officers stood out amongst the rest once again. Tsunkai and Tomomi, brushing themselves off from the failed attacks and suffered wounds, stood before him once again braving the fire that now engulfed the room. Pointing the blade in his right hand at the pair that stood before him, Tenkai decided to address the brave pair. "You two, are either very prideful, or very stupid. Either way, I must commend you to stand before a Captain with their Shikai released. Your certainly braver then your fellow officers." Tenkai watched as his son began to walk a few feet to the left, all the while keeping his eyes on his father. "I may be brave or I may be stupid, but..." Turning to face his father with his zanpaktou pointed towards him he flared his reiatsu intensifying the flames that surrounded his body. "With my bankai released what kind of coward would I be to not stand against you who's only using their shikai despite how strong you may be. I may be a fool, but I will not be a coward. That was one thing you taught me that I understand." Tenkai looked at his son and nodded at his words. He had taught the boy well and he was happy that some of his ideals had sunk through that thick skull of his. But what drove Tomomi towards such aggression and self improvement. He was sure that he could gander a guess as to that but was curious as to the answer she would give. Moving his gaze from his son to his subordinate, Tenkai pointed his blade at her next. "I know more then well enough why my son is the way he is. The boy is my flesh and blood and I've taught him everything he knows. But what makes you brave enough to stand before me without any fear in you?"

The girl that he had originally met that was shy and timid was no longer so. In the chaos of battle what Tenkai would consider her, true personality, had come out to shine before him. "Like you've taught Tsunkai I was taught what it means to be a shinigami by my great grandfather. No offense to you Captain, but if I could stand before him without fear, how could I not stand against you with it." Tenkai nodded once again this time at the answer that Tomomi gave him. It was a splendid answer from a true warrior. "Splendid, both of you. Now, face me with that bravery like the true warriors that you are. This will be the last hurrah!!" At this point the other three officers were all but nonexistent in the minds of the three that were about to do battle. They were in their own world, separated from the rest of reality in their minds. They were going to do battle and that was all their brains would allow of them. That was the way of the warrior, being enthralled in the throws of battle and nothing else but that intensity in the moment. The three released their reiatsu to the limits of their power and charged at one another. Tenkai against his son and subordinate in a training session turned battle. Though no great challenge he relished the kindred spirits that stood before him.

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The three charged at one another without a second thought in their mind. They were no longer souls, shinigami, subordinates or superiors. No, they were warriors on a battlefield and their only thought was to victory. Soaring around one another their blades met and clashed in a fury of strikes the like of which had not been seen since the Vandenreich wars. Every strike was a shockwave, a testament to the power these individuals possessed. These were not rabble, these were the best and brightest of the Seireitei. Tenkai, a Captain of extraordinary ability, had already laid his name down on history and his power was well known. These two though, his son and subordinate Tomomi, were young and of no known fame. They had yet to make their mark on history, but they would, there was no doubt in his mind. They possessed a ferocity that he had seen many times before. All of whom who had possessed it had gone on to do great things in the future. Many of them ranked among the current Captains. But their most stunning feature, that he took the greatest note of, was their heart. Their hearts did not waver, not for a single moment. They fought a foe who could strike them down in a moment. One who when not even using their full power could slaughter them like pigs.

This fact did not strike hard on either of them, they cared not for chances or statistics. They did not wait and act upon the odds that they could come out of an encounter alive. No, they wished to become stronger, and when the task was set before them, they hesitated not. As Tenkai slipped past and countered attack after attack he could feel his heart resonating with his subordinates. They were of the same mind and soul, kindred spirits set apart only by age. This was apparent of course for his son, a man of his own flesh and blood. How could they not be of such similar temperament and ideals. But Tomomi, he felt as though she had arrived in this squad for a reason. She was a fledgling phoenix that was ready to soar to the heavens above and realize her true potential. Tenkai was the one lucky enough to help her realize this true ability that she possessed and watch her as she blossomed into the great shinigami that she was. He knew that if the old man had still been alive this day, his heart would have swelled with pride. But since he was not, Tenkai would have to do his best in his place. They were large shoes to fill but if anyone was up to the task it would be him.

Fire blazed wildly across the room, obsidian forming left and right as magma was flung wildly about. It was hell come alive between the three of them, something that no sane individual would want to willingly encounter in their life. But there they were, fighting wildly trying to prove that they were worthy of the responsibilities they had been given. It was pure excitement and adrenaline, no thought, no tactics, just reactions and primal instinct. When a true warrior is in the heat of battle they require no thought, only their blade in their hand. However, for those that watched, their inadequacies became more apparent. The fear that they held deep in their hearts, the willingness to run and hide. These were things that were typically necessary to preserve ones life. However, when you are the one who must defend the lives of others, these are qualities to be ashamed of. The three officers that stood in that room simply watching the conflict, scared to move a single foot towards the fiery duel, their hearts slowly sunk. They were shinigami, defenders of the innocent from creatures who had no morals, no judgment, just destructive hunger. They were not allowed to fear for their own lives and slink away, their duty came before their own lives.

In the midst of battle as Tenkai blocked and dodged around several attacks he shouted a single sentence at his subordinates. If this did not steel their minds then perhaps being a shinigami was not for them. "Dying to exterminate great evil, know that this is the spirit of the Gotei Thirteen!!" At these words uttered the battle came to a screeching halt, to Tenkai's full surprise. He almost toppled over expecting to dodge an attack and then follow through with a counter. The one most shocked seemed to be Tomomi for obvious reasons. Anyone who knew those words knew the man who spoke them. They embodied the true essence of the Gotei Thirteen and the man who had founded it. "Those words are the greatest that have ever been spoken by any shinigami in the history of our existence. They were also uttered by the greatest shinigami to ever live." Tenkai had spoken loudly in a bold voice that echoed with pride and strength. "Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto uttered those words on the day that he died. He gave his life trying to protect each and every one of us. Those words gave us all determination and spirit to do that which we needed to do. We were outnumbered and outmatched, but still we marched on to protect our home." He paused for a moment letting his words sink in to those who were around him.

He hoped this could serve as a lesson to them, using this training session as an example for how they should live their lives. "So many people died, hundreds, thousands even. We were the only ones standing between them and total annihilation. Those wars took so much from us, but we still have our home. Better yet, we still have a future because of the sacrifices that were made. They died so that we could live. But most of all they sent a message to the future, to all of you young shinigami. Though we may die, we ensure that countless others will live on and have a home and a future to enjoy it." He sighed shallowly, his own words even starting to get into his psyche. They reminded him of the horrors that actually happened during those years of bloodshed. His eyes slowly became dark and empty as memories slowly flashed through his mind. He stood there, quiet, his point lost and his will dulled. Tsunkai knew that look in his fathers eyes, what it meant. Sealing his own zanpaktou and slowly returning it to its sheath, he began to corral everyone else together. "Remember my fathers words and keep them at heart for our training session tomorrow. We are done for today, dismissed."

The officers looked at one another bewildered at what had just happened. Tenkai had been filled with spirit and vigor one moment only to be deflated and empty the next. Only one who had gone through what he had could possibly know what was running through his mind. Tomomi stared for a moment at her new Captain, looking deeply into his eyes and slowly understanding. She knew what that look was on Tenkai's face. It was loss, remorse, and an unyielding emptiness that could never be filled. Though she could tell from only a glance that what Tenkai had lost, was much more then she could ever imagine. The group slowly left the separated training area with Tsunkai yelling one more thing before shutting the door behind them. "Let everyone else know that the training session is completed for the day, they may spend the rest of the day tending to their duties and resting." Once the doors had shut he turned and moved slowly towards his father. "I know that look father, you are thinking of her, aren't you?" Tenkai snapped from his dark trance to gaze up at his son. His youthful display faded and the experiences of his life showed on him. Dark bags lined the underside of his eyelids and his eyes were dark and empty.

"I am thinking of all of them Tsunkai, each and every one of them. I see their faces when I sleep, haunting me with the memories of what once was." Silence fell over them, seizing the room in and uncomfortable darkness. Neither knew what to say or how to proceed from this conversation. Tenkai did the only logical thing in sheathing his blade and making his exit from the training room. "I am going to retire to my quarters. I have paperwork to finish and plans that I must sketch out for the squad. I will be home late, there is no need to wait for me to finish. Dismissed." With that, Tenkai exited the room and vanished from his sons sight. He simply wanted to be alone and gathered his thoughts together. His heart was wounded and it always would be. It was a pain that he wished to bare alone, and always would.

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