Welcome to Shinigami Schemer!
>What is this?
This is a quest set in the world of Bleach, currently 131 years before the first chapter takes place. Whether that canon story takes place as it did originally, goes drastically differently, or doesn’t occur at all is entirely up to you and your actions.
>Who are we?
You are Hokkyokusei Danketsu, the 9th Seat in the 5th Division, under Captain Hirako Shinji. Character sheet and social links here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wbLRytSQHkjLsjSimzZXU111bA6rDnBI4IjJ4C4BqIA/edit?usp=sharing
>Voting?
Depends on you. If it’s busy and votes are coming in quickly, I’ll generally give 15-20 minutes for voting, aiming for hourly updates. If it’s slow, I’ll let votes run for a few hours, perhaps overnight, and update whenever a majority is reached. If players have a preference for either option over the other, I’ll see what I can do to ensure the threads are always fast paced or always slower and take place over a long period.
>Dice?
We’ll be running off a 3d10 system, best of the first three linked posts to my posts calling for rolls. Don’t worry about rolling a critfail - I’ll always take the best of the first three linked. If people want me to take them, I’ll consider it, but I think opening up that system will cause more harm than good.
>Archive/Twitter?
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Shinigami%20Schemer%20Quest for all the previous threads, and my Twitter is @QMKWormmy for updates on run times.
>Questions?
Feel free to ask and I’ll answer best I can.

>>Think that if there was anyone in this world you wouldn't treat like a tool, it was your brothers, and so decide to leave their lives and decisions to themselves

Hmmm, will Aizen experiment on us or he have another plot?

>>5599014
>Think that if there was anyone in this world you wouldn't treat like a tool, it was your brothers, and so decide to leave their lives and decisions to themselves
Let's-a-go, eh.

>>5599014
>Simply make a note of the two other children, resolving to keep an eye on them
They are interesting enough for our brothers so there is something there

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>>5599014
You decide to leave it alone for now.

Had it been someone, anyone else, you would’ve meddled in some way. You wouldn’t have been able to stop yourself, not when met with something that seemed so odd and interesting from the outside looking in.

But…

Ichimi looks up at you, smiling wide as usual. “Hey! Where’d you go off to, bro? You should’ve seen that guy, he was so cool, hahahaha!”

Behind him, Konban finally looks away, also looking up at you. “She was… different.” He murmurs, smiling as well as the itch around his eye begins to fade.

You see them looking up at you, and you feel it happen, just as it did every time they looked at you - that faintest crack, the smallest chink in your mental armour that they, and only they, could cause in you, the slightest amount of real softening in your eyes that only they brought out. Your eyes and thoughts flick to Tsukuya then, thinking about five years ago when you met, when you had thought - hoped, perhaps - that maybe she would be able to do the same, only to be left disappointed.

You…
>Shake your thoughts away, and keep leading the boys around the Rukongai
>Let Tsukuya take the lead for now, while you let your ruminating come to its natural conclusion

>Let Tsukuya take the lead for now, while you let your ruminating come to its natural conclusion

>>5599109
>Let Tsukuya take the lead for now, while you let your ruminating come to its natural conclusion

>>5599109
>Let Tsukuya take the lead for now, while you let your ruminating come to its natural conclusion

>>5599109
“What, ya mean those two kids? They can’t have been that cool.” You say teasingly, purposefully doing it in a way that would make your brothers want to talk about them more.

“Well, they were! I mean, that guy, he…” As Ichimi begins to retort just how you expected him to, you slow your pace for the briefest moment, effectively stepping back and allowing Tsukuya, who had been beside you, to instead be at the forefront, and therefore now the target of the two boys’s gushings. It worked perfectly, Tsukuya responding much differently from you and innocently asking how they had made friends so quickly, leaving you to walk behind the three, alone with your thoughts.

At the time, when you’d discovered Tsukuya couldn’t do to you what your brothers could, you’d felt…
>Relieved
>Worried
>Indifferent
>Other (write-in)

>Disapointed

>>5599186
>Indifferent
Not everyone is going to make you feel

>>5599186
>Indifferent

>>5599186
>Disapointed
Well, i'd say this is a bit of an uh...paradox

If he doesn't feel anything for Tsukuya, then how could he have expected to feel something in the first place? 'Indifferent' doesn't make sense, because if he was Indifferent, he wouldn't have expected it in the first place.

It doesn't make sense, right? How can someone who 'lacks feeling' actively feel that something is wrong by not having feelings?

>>5599186
>Disappointed

>>5599014
Is this terrorist recruitment and operations? If so, I think that sucks.

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>>5599186
It had been disappointing. You had thought that maybe something so physical, so intimate as sex would stir something within you, especially considering the other party was someone who foolishly thought of you as someone to love. She wasn’t foolish because you didn’t deserve her love, or something stupid like that - she was only a fool because she was smart enough to actually see part of the way into the real you, yet ignore it and only hold on to the ideal you in her head that you played the part of and love him anyway.

You, on the other hand, could not even think of an ideal version of Tsukuya. Not one that would inspire anything within you, at the least.

That had been what had disappointed you. The fact that you had someone in your hands who would willingly follow your every command and mold herself to fit your wants like sculptor’s clay, and you couldn’t even think of a way to turn her into what you wanted, because…

Well, because what you wanted from her didn’t exist. Or at least, a version of her that you wanted didn’t, and never could.

Was there anyone out there who could be that for you, outside of those two boys you just happened to be related to? Why even was it that they were able to make you feel even the flickers they caused? It couldn’t simply be down to relation - your father was a fool you didn’t feel the slightest thing for, and your mother, while a pitiable sight, didn’t cause any more emotion in you than Seinaru. It must have been something about them intrinsically, something that made them different.

After all, you reason, there was someone else that you could feel something when you were with them, someone with whom you shared no blood relation. You thought of Hirako-taicho, and of the immediate spark that had passed between the two of you when you had first locked eyes. After working with him for five years, that spark had bloomed, growing to something that you could call…
>Respect
>Admiration
>Jealousy
>Other (write-in)

>>5599235
>Respect

>>5599235
>Respect
I have to say, i just hope we get the chance to spark something, because this line of thought makes no sense, it's a complete paradox

How can you be disappointed that you can't feel? Disappointment means he expected to be able to feel a deeper connection - how can he both not care about her, yet be disappointed he can't "feel a connection"? If he didn't care as he claims, he wouldn't feel disappointed.

It's like saying you're angry because you can't feel anger.

>>5599235
>Respect

>>5599235
>Love
OwO

>>5599337
NEVER

Love is reserved for the inevitable part where Danketsu turns into a secret tsundere for tsukuya (if he already isn't)

>>5599235
>Respect

We're back hurray

>>5599235
>Respect

Y'know, if we really do believe in that stuff we said to hirako taicho, and we have feelings for our brothers, it's just not possible for danketsu to be heartless, so it makes you ask why he seems to act that way in specific.

>>5599235
>Respect
>5599658
Shinigami autism
Or some bullshit strengthening artifact that seinaru used to try to make use strong

>>5599658
>>5599700
Workposting - update in a few hours. However just wanted to add that no one made Danketsu this way - it’s just how he is. Also, is it really paradoxical to be self aware enough to notice fundamental differences in yourself, and wonder why they exist/how to ‘fix’ them?

>>5599761
> Also, is it really paradoxical to be self aware enough to notice fundamental differences in yourself, and wonder why they exist/how to ‘fix’ them?
It's paradoxical beacause of the problem in question.

Danketsu claims that he's disappointed (even before the vote he already expeected to have developed something) because he ended up not feeling anything for Tsukuya.However, to be able to feel 'disappointed', he must have felt the expectation of feeling something for her, that is to say, he feels he *should* feel something, and that itself is a feeling.

Simply put, it's why they say that crazy people don't know they're crazy. If Danketsu really felt *nothing* for Tsukuya, he wouldn't give a fuck that he didn't feel anything in the first place, so he wouldn't have expected to feel for her.

>>5599764
And by the way, i'm not saying like 'Oh, that's bad writing' and all, it's not like people can't hold paradoxical ideas. But it just makes it seem less like he doesn't *feel* anything for her and more like he's just being some weird "Cold" type of Tsundere.

>>5599765
Maybe its because he expected to feel something after many years of being together
How long did it take for Danketsu to feel for his brothers?
It could be the expectation of feeling based on previous experience and nothing happening

>>5599764
You're mixing up two different kinds of 'feel'ing, expectation and emotion. I can feel like it's going to rain tomorrow without being happy or upset about it.

>>5599765
No worries - even if you were, I’d welcome the criticism.

Regardless, I believe the disconnect here is what Danketsu is actually disappointed about. He was not disappointed that Tsukuya didn’t make him feel anything, but rather that he knows there are people who can make him feel, and he thought that sharing something like that would make her one of them. It wasn’t disappointing because he didn’t feel for her, it was because the experiment failed, which meant he also didn’t understand himself as well as he thought he did.

>>5599779
No, it's not.

You can't feel disappointed that you don't feel anything. Feeling like it's raining is a material thing, rain is just rain. By inherently 'expecting' to feel something for Tsukuya, he therefore felt that he *should* have felt something.
>>5599786
>but rather that he knows there are people who can make him feel, and he thought that sharing something like that would make her one of them.
Yes, but is the fact that he felt he should have felt something for Tsukuya not itself a feeling? He can't both say she doesn't make him feel yet feel that he should feel something for her.

Simply put, if she didn't make him feel *something* at least, then he would have just thought of it as simple meaningless sex.

>>5599787
But he didn’t feel like he should have, nor did he expect to. I’ll point out the wording immediately after it happened:
>A few hours later, you slip out of her bed, she and her dorm mates all still asleep. You look over her, staring down, and feeling absolutely nothing as you do. Part of the reason you’d even agreed was because you had maybe thought that afterwards, you might care, maybe even a little..?

>Guess not. You think to yourself, casting Kyokkō to return to your room and then go out and train before everyone else was awake. Well, at least it felt nice.

It was a possibility in his mind, but not one that he thought was certain, nor was he at all broken up about the fact it didn’t happen, instead at least feeling satisfied physically.

>>5599809
>But he didn’t feel like he should have, nor did he expect to.
Clearly that's not the case here, as he felt disappointed. I mean, maybe it's the wording, but if he felt nothing, then the possibiltiy wouldn't have passed his brain.

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>>5599235
Respect.

It was obvious, just by how you referred to him. He was never ‘Shinji’, or ‘Hirako’, even in your mind. No, it was always Hirako-taicho… he was always Captain to you. He was the only person afforded such a luxury, too. You couldn’t think of a single other person who you used an honourific for that you referred to in the same way in your mind, so the fact that he was different, and that the honourific was so deferential and yet you still used it… It meant quite a bit.

But that was to be expected. After all, the man understood you, at least to a degree no one else seemed able to. But it wasn’t just that - he also understood others in a way you couldn’t. You were good at analysing people, predicting what they would do, think and feel. But you couldn’t understand why they would do those things.

It wasn’t that you didn’t understand decisions that weren’t completely ruled by logic - there had been many times where you had made decisions and taken actions that were actively detrimental to you, where logically they were completely incorrect - but rather, you didn’t understand why someone would do or say anything that wasn’t self-serving, at least in the long run. The concept of self-sacrifice, of helping for no gain, ran completely counter to your inherent egoism and egotism, and you had a feeling that it was the same for your captain, too.

And so it was even more impressive to you that he seemed to understand them anyway, and not just that, he was able to put himself in their position and actually empathise, not simply predict what they were thinking from what you had observed from their prior actions. It was something that you knew yourself incapable of, and the fact that Hirako-taicho was so similar yet so different to you was almost unbelievable.

But that still brought you back to where you had began. It was clear why Hirako-taicho could inspire something within you, but why could your brothers as well? It’s not like they had done anything, really, or changed your life in any way. But you also could imagine a version of your life without them in it, and you didn’t much like the concept.

Why? Was it…
>Because you knew that they would be able to help you in the future?
>Because they represented something everyone else didn’t?
>Because they were your family?
>Just because?
>Other (write-in)

>>5600090
>Because they were your family?
Actual family, i mean. Not just blood related, as your father or mother are, but actual family.

>>5600090
>Just because?
Sometimes things just don't make sense

>>5600090
>Because they represented something everyone else didn’t?
We just vibed like that

>>5600090
>Because they represented something everyone else didn’t?
Everyone else to us is just a tool. Some we discard, some we don't use, others we care for (Tsukuya). Our brothers are more like an extension of ourselves. They're more akin to your hands, eyes, feet. They're much more familiar and discarding them would be losing a limb.
Shinji is a fellow craftsman, more skilled and experienced than us, while our father is a competitor. Our mother seems like an extension of us that was once there, but has fallen off and forgotten (umbilical cord).

>>5600194
When I mean care for, I really mean hone.

>>5600090
>Just because?

>>5600090
>Because they represented something everyone else didn’t?

I think people that we can see past being more than tools are the only things that inspire any sort of warped emotion in us.

>>5600090
>Because they knew how to make you feel that way. You presented a flaw in your mental armor that they picked up on, or they nurtured it within you somehow...is it an ability, or a natural affinity for manipulation that surpasses your own?
For the sake of my goals, I must harden my heart, even against them. My enemies could be anywhere, and could operate through anyone.
Paranoia route could be fun.

>Because they knew how to make you feel that way. You presented a flaw in your mental armor that they picked up on, or they nurtured it within you somehow...is it an ability, or a natural affinity for manipulation that surpasses your own?

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>>5600090
It was…

It wasn’t that they were family, or at the very least, not due to direct blood relation. If that was all there was to it, your mother, father, and the entire Yen clan would fall under the same category. There was more to it than that… and as you thought about it a moment longer, it became clear to you what it was.

The fact that you were thinking about it so much was the answer in and of itself. As you think yourself in circles, you realise something important - you thought of your brothers in a way that you didn’t think of anyone else. You actually considered them when you made decisions - you thought about what they would actually want or need, and thought of that as important to take into account and accommodate. Not because you wanted them happy, or…

No, actually… It was because you wanted them happy. But there was no other motive, no other reason.

You cared about your brothers because they weren’t tools. They were people.

And that just made you think…

How many other people were out there in the world?

“-nketsu?” You hear Tsukuya ask, and the world snaps back into colour, you focused again on the here and now. You glance around briefly, noticing you had left the crowded streets, and had entered a wooded area. No doubt she was asking if you thought this would be a good place to train with the boys.

“Yeah, this works.” You say, turning to the two. “So, whaddaya say we start with…”
>Zanjutsu
>Kido
>Hakuda
>Hoho

>>5601382
>Hakuda
Might as well use her expertise while she is here

>>5601382
>Hakuda
I wonder what it'd take for Danketsu to see Tsukuya as a person too.

>>5601382
>>Hakuda

>>5601382
>Zanjutsu

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>>5601382
“Some hakuda, huh? Tsukuya-chan, if ya would?” You say, Konban smiling while Ichimi booed at that. Tsukuya smiled at you herself, before turning to the two boys.

“Well, you heard your big brother. Come on, let’s do some hand to hand training!” She exclaims, her fists resting on her waist as she looks down at them.

“What’s even the point? Shinigami have swords for a reason, hahaha!” Ichimi replies, complaining still. “I mean, you’ve got one strapped to you right now!”

“True, I do. But the two strongest hakuda users in the Gotei 13 don’t use their zanpakuto when they fight. Shihoin-taicho doesn’t even carry hers around, and while Mashiro-fukutaicho does, I’ve never seen her even touch it, let alone draw it. Hakuda’s a perfectly valid way to fight, if you’re good enough!” Tsukuya says, being completely right in her estimation besides. The un-commonality of hakuda as a primary fighting style didn’t mean it wasn’t effective, and in fact could very well mean the opposite - at least in the case where you were fighting an enemy familiar with how shinigami were ‘supposed’ to fight.

“I want to learn, Ichimi-nii.” Konban says simply, getting into a fighting stance. “Do it with me.”

Ichimi looks over at his ‘twin’, before sighing. “Ah, fine! Whatever, hahaha! Don’t say I never do anything for you, Konban!”

As you watch them prepare to begin, you…
>Decide you may as well join in
>Take the time to quickly work on something else yourself (what?)
>Just observe

>>5601584
>Decide you may as well join in
Fun for the whole family.

>>5601584
>Decide you may as well join in
The family that trains together slays together

>>5601584
>Decide you may as well join in
Can't turn down a chance to beat up kids.

>>5601584
>Decide you may as well join in

>>5601591
+1

>>5601992
Thirded

>>5601584
>>Decide you may as well join in
just found the quest, catching up rn ill be here soon. Good shit QM.

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>>5601584
You think you may as well join in the fun. Hakuda was far from your strong suit, but it was still definitely important to keep up your skills in the area, just in case you were ever disarmed. Besides, you getting involved would likely appease Ichimi, what with him being able to spar you instead of Tsukuya or Konban.

You walk up to the three of them as they prepare, rolling up your sleeves. “Think I may as well join ya. No point just watchin’, is there?” You ask, winking. Ichimi cheers, no doubt having undergone the same thought process as you and realising he was getting an easier spar, while Konban and Tsukuya just smiled, happy that you were involved.

As you look at your white haired brother though, you think that you can’t make this too easy for him, and so you…
>Rush him now
>Decide on a rule for the spar (what?)
>Enforce a handicap (what?)

>>5602307
>Decide on a rule for the spar (what?)
You gotta tell the truth and only the truth for a whole day. No being quiet if questioned

>>5602307
>Rush him now
>>5602318
We both know neither of them is doing that

>>5602307
>>Rush him now

>>5602307
>>Decide on a rule for the spar (what?)
Go for it. Our little brother is very similar to us, and he wants to know more about us.
It would also be cool to know what he seen in Gin and what they talked about.

>>5602355
>>5602318
>>5602471
>>5602545
Right, so will go with rushing him down, incorporating the write-ins. Roll me 3d10 then, dc 12. No crit as you're catching him by surprise anyway, nor are you trying to hurt him.

Rolled 7, 4, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>5603585

Rolled 4, 5, 7 = 16 (3d10)

>>5603585

Rolled 6, 3, 1 = 10 (3d10)

>>5603626
>>5603661
>>5603669
And you pass; Writing now.

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>>5602307
“You’re gonna spar too, big bro? Cool, least then-” You cut Ichimi off, surging forward with a punch. You purposefully check your speed enough that if he was paying attention, he should be able to dodge, and he does, if only barely, your fist sailing by his cheek as he moves his head out of the way.

You follow up with a kick, this attack also slowed up just to make sure he was fully alert. He responds decently well, deciding to jump back and make some distance between the two of you, causing you to smirk, mentally taking off your training wheels. “Don’t think this’ll be easy just ‘cause I ain’t a big fan of hakuda, Ichimi. Trainin’ is trainin’, so take it seriously. In fact…”

You move forward, using something resembling your real speed now, Ichimi able to react to it just barely now that you had his full focus, though his ever present smile remained on his face. You test his defences with a few punches and kicks, and while his blocks and dodges aren’t exactly what you’d call practiced or graceful, they’re effective enough in stifling your attacks;

“Let's make this a little game, y’know? Just to make sure yer actually tryin’.” You continue as you keep probing his defence, the boy having not tried to retaliate yet. “Whoever loses this spar… has to tell the truth for 24 hours. No lyin’ allowed. An’ not the next 24 hours, either - winner can claim it whenever they want. How’s that sound?”

Ichimi disengages, backpedaling. “Whaaat? That's total bullshit, hahaha! How the hell’m I gonna beat you?”

You shrug. “I ain’t that good at hakuda, plus I’m makin’ sure I’m fighting at a level similar to yours. You can beat me if ya try.”

“I think that’s still bullshit, but… I do wanna make ya tell the truth! That sounds funny, hahaha!” Ichimi says, before charging you.

You…
>Meet his charge head on
>Treat him like a bull and redirect him
>Dodge the attack and counter
>Other (write-in)

>>5603724
>Dodge the attack and counter
Isn't that what we're good at?

>>5603724
>>Dodge the attack and counter
uh we have to win this now, we might be asked if we love the scary woman

>>5603724
>Dodge the attack and counter
Seems to be our MO

>>5603724
>Dodge the attack and counter

>>5603772
>>5603791
>>5603859
>>5603957
Unanimous. Alright, roll me 3d10, dc 12, crit 20.

Rolled 8, 2, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>5604292
check this 3.ghdmth

Rolled 9, 1, 3 = 13 (3d10)

>>5604292

Rolled 1, 5, 5 = 11 (3d10)

>>5604292

Rolled 1, 6, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>5604292

>>5605425
>>5604292
Disregard my roll
I have the instincts and reflexes of a retarded newborn giraffe

Rolled 2, 6, 4 = 12 (3d10)

>>5603724
Your brother was unexpectedly fast in his charge. You were restraining yourself, true, but you only barely managed to avoid his initial attack regardless. The narrowness of your dodge gave him time to press on you, rather than you countering him instantly like you had thought you might, but that wasn’t much of an issue - you were more used to the speed he’d be moving at now, and more importantly…

While Ichimi’s charging speed was impressive, his hand speed was not. His strikes were clumsy and inaccurate, even you being able to tell they wouldn’t have landed in vital spots even if you had stood still and taken them. Even his fist form was wrong, seeing that he held them tightly clenched the entire time, slowing his own strikes down. It was rather disappointing to see - had it been the case that he hadn’t received any training at all, you wouldn’t have cared, but you knew your idiot father had given what at least he thought was training.

For this to be the result of that was pathetic. The man was seated, and higher than yourself at that. You knew it was mostly down to a lack of interest in the subject on both parties’ behalf, but still… You swiftly evade a punch that may actually have hit home had you remained still, twisting out of the way and retaliating with a quick straight jab to your brother’s face. The hit seems to shock Ichimi, being the first time you’d actually hit him, but he recovers quickly, grinning at you.

“You finally trying now bro?” He asks, the everpresent grin flashing at you. You smirk back, only giving him a nod, before you…
>Press the attack yourself
>Stay defensive and focus on countering

>>5612341
>Stay defensive and focus on countering
Can't afford to lose
Focus on our strengths

>>5612341
>>Stay defensive and focus on countering

>>5612341
>Stay defensive and focus on countering

>>5612341
>Stay defensive and focus on countering

>>5612347
>>5612403
>>5612448
>>5612453
Glad to see people are still watching the thread. Roll me 3d10, same dcs.

Rolled 2, 3, 6 = 11 (3d10)

>>5612503

Rolled 8, 6, 3 = 17 (3d10)

>>5612503

Rolled 2, 9, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>5612503

>>5612550
>>5612686
>>5612698
Solid success. Update coming soon.

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>>5612341
You crack your neck, keeping your smile on your face as you beckon for your brother to come at you. He surely knows you’re baiting him, but he shows how he differs from you by obliging anyway, charging in with a flurry of mismatched and ill-aimed attacks. You backstep, avoiding the barrage easily from him as you dance lightly on your feet.

Ichimi notices this, and decides the best way to counter it would simply be to attack in a way that was faster than the way you were dodging him. He leaps forward, surging forward with a flying kick. You commend the idea - it wasn’t the worst plan, and would definitely catch some people off guard, seeing as he’d never attacked in that way previously, and certainly was fast enough to catch you at the current speed you were moving.

Unfortunately for your brother, you weren’t shortsighted enough of a combatant to only consider and judge someone just by what you had personally seen them do, knowing from how you yourself fought that it was far more important to consider what they hadn’t yet shown, even if it were something you thought them incapable of.

And even if you ignored all of that, the fact still remained that you were just far faster than Ichimi.

You easily slip to the side of the kick, and time slows as your brother sails past you, a million and one punishing counters for the reckless attack flashing through your mind for the reckless attack as you look down at him. However, you know you don’t really want to hurt him, and so decide on a compromise.

You grab him by his ponytail with your left hand, immediately arresting his momentum, as you lunge down for a haymaker with your right, stopping inches from his face. Before he can even really register that you didn’t hit him, you set him down gently. “If I’d followed through with that, ya’d prob’ly be knocked out with a concussion. Who says I ain’t nice, huh?” You ask teasingly, causing Ichimi to laugh.

“Well, you are a seated officer, bro. If I did beat you, what would that say about the Gotei? Hahaha!” You smirk yourself at his comment. What would it say indeed?

You…
>Keep sparring with Ichimi
>Go a round with Konban/Tsukuya
>Take a break for a moment
>Change the training subject (to what?)

>>5612805
Let's go a round with Tsukuya

>>5612805
>>Go a round with Konban/Tsukuya

>>5612805
>>Go a round with Konban/Tsukuya

>>5612805
>Go a round with Konban/Tsukuya

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>>5612805
“Take a break for a moment, Ichimi. I want to see how-” As you turn, you’re cut off by the feeling of a fierce gust of wind whipping past you. You look up, and you see Tsukuya and Konban going at it unrelentlessly, a veritable whirlwind of kicks and punches being exchanged between them. It wasn’t any surprise to you that Tsukuya was capable of fighting like this, you’d seen her spar with Kuna and try to impress Shihoin multiple times at this point, and this was par for the course.

No, what was far more shocking was Konban being able to keep up with her, and not only that, seemingly give her a challenge. You assume she’s holding back, but honestly, the hakuda skill being shown was far beyond your own, so you quite literally had no way to tell.

As the two of them begin to realise you and Ichimi had stopped, they also slow down before coming to a halt and moving over to you. You can see a bead of sweat running down Tsukuya’s brow, and hear the slightest hints of her trying to subtly catch her breath, but Konban looked as fresh as ever, as if he hadn’t even just been fighting.

You resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at that, simply going back to your first thought before you had seen anything. “So, I was thinkin’ that I wanted ta spar against one o’ you two… But after just seein’ that, I ain’t quite sure that’s a good idea for my health.”

“No kidding, hahaha! You two were going so fast, the wind was changing direction!” Ichimi added, laughing behind you.

Konban looked away, seemingly embarrassed, while Tsukuya smiled, ruffling his hair. “Konban is very talented. I was surprised he could keep up with me, considering he’s not really had any formal training. There could be a real future for him in hakuda.”

You look back at Ichimi, a grin on your face. “Ya hear that? A real future in hakuda, she says. Konban’s really talented, and I’m like, the best. What can you do, huh?”

Ichimi matches your grin. “I dunno yet, but I’ve got something. Trust me bro, you’ll see.”

You shrug. “I believe you.” And you do.

You…
>Go along with your initial plan and spar Konban/Tsukuya (pick one)
>Change the training subject (what?)
>Other (write-in)

>>5613419
>Go along with your initial plan and spar Konban/Tsukuya (pick one)
Tsukuya

I mean, we're going to lose, but at least it'll be fun. We need to be able to at least fight people who are good on Hakuda.

>>5613419
>>Change the training subject
Can we talk about meditation with shikai?
He is similar to us so maybe he will excel as well with his future bankai

>>5613419
>>Go along with your initial plan and spar Konban/Tsukuya (pick one)
tsukuya

>>5613419
>Change the training subject (what?)
Zanjutsu

>>5613423
>>5613457
>>5613655
>>5613720
Essentially a tie between sparring with Tsukuya and shifting focus to Zanjutsu/zanpakuto training, so I’ll need a tiebreaker. I would like to point out though in >>5613457’s case - Ichimi and Konban don’t have zanpakuto yet, as they haven’t joined the academy, and so haven’t been given asauchi, so jinzen training and the like would be completely useless for now other than making sure they’re aware of the concept. If that changes your vote, be sure to say.

>>5613999
Sparring with tsukuya

>>5613999
>Change the training subject (what?) Zanpaktou training
Let's stick with Ichimi, he's got me hooked. He's left hints so let's follow to see what he's cooked up. The isolation might be good to ask him to extrapolate on his strengths, since we did win the bet. He's obviously seeking our attention and approval so let's let him have it. Win/win
Also it let's Tsukuya and Konban train together as well. They obviously share the bond of Hakuda, so if they meditate over something like that, we can gain insight into Konban as well since Tsukuya will tell us anything we wish to know.

>>5614079
sorry
>lets Tsukuya and Konban

>>5613999
Still a tie, so let's do this - revote again, linking to this post, 1 for sparring with Tsukuya, and 2 for zanjutsu training with Ichimi.

>>5616896
1

>>5616896
1

>>5616896

>>5616896
2

>>5616896
1

>>5616899
>>5616913
>>5616982
>>5617038
Sparring with Tsukuya it is then. Give me 3d10 then, dc 22, crit 30.

Rolled 2, 4, 2 = 8 (3d10)

>>5617108

Rolled 9, 5, 5 = 19 (3d10)

>>5617108
I don't expect us to win.

Rolled 7, 2, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>5617108

Rolled 10, 8, 5 = 23 (3d10)

>>5617108

>>5617217
Oh damn, lucky success. Talk about a clutch.

>>5617217
>>5617259
Unfortunately, we run by best of three. So close..
>>5617121
>>5617124
>>5617208
...yet so far. Failure, writing now.

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>>5613419
“Alright then, kiddies. Go spar with each other, see if Konban can’t teach ya a thing or two, Ichimi. Tsukuya-chan, yer with me.” You say, curling a finger towards you as you do. “Let’s go a round or two, yeah?”

Tsukuya looks at you, surprised, while the ‘twins’ run off to play. “Wait, here? I mean, I won’t say no, but is it a good idea with your brothers here? Can’t you wait a little or are you-”

“Holy shit that is not what I meant.” The girl was single-minded to a fault. “Wait, what do ya mean you wouldn’t say-” You stop yourself, not sure even you want to go there. “Y’know what? Not important. What I meant was I wanted to spar. Like how we’d just been sparring earlier with the boys.”

“Oh.” Tsukuya, for her part, looks a little sheepish at her presumption, her face colouring pink, but not feeling so embarrassed that she broke eye contact or anything like that. “Of course. Well, even still… Are you sure? I mean, I’ll win.”

“Would it kill ya to be even a bit humble?”

“Yes.”

You ignore her little quip, seeing the little smile on her face as you smirk yourself. “Yeah, I’m sure. I mean, how else am I meant to get better? Don’t expect to ever be a hakuda master or anything like that, but I should try and improve, y’know.”

“Sure, makes sense.” She says, before getting into a stance, face serious now. “Well, whenever you’re ready, dear.”

You nod, slowly circling her with your hands in your pockets, not giving any impression that you’re going to attack. She doesn’t even track your movements, staring straight ahead. You don’t strike when you’re directly behind her, knowing that would be too obvious, instead quickly bolting in when you’re to her side but still out of her range of vision-

You barely avoid the cannonball-like fist that comes with the intent of taking your head off your shoulders, and a leap backwards is all that saves you from the followup kick. Even as you dance away from her attacks, you realise that you can’t do it forever - her strikes are too fast, and more importantly, she is very used to how you fight.

Within seconds, you’re in a position where you know you won’t be able to use your speed to avoid her next strike, and so brace for impact, blocking high, only to receive a kick to the solar plexus that sends you flying and knocks the wind out of you.

As you struggle to sit up, you look at Tsukuya, freely bouncing on her toes as she stares at you expectantly. You…
>Try to figure out a strategy to beat her (what?)
>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly
>Decide there’s no way you can possibly beat her with hakuda alone and decide to use other skils

>>5617324
>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly
We need to get better not win
Maybe she will have some tips after

>>5617324
>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly
goddamn, someone give this woman a water bottle.

>>5617324
>>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly

>>5617324
>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly
Can't cheat in front of the little brothers

>>5617324
>Use your regular tactics to try and win fairly

>>5617334
>>5617342
>>5617354
>>5617396
Alright, roll me 3d10. same dc as before.

Rolled 2, 8, 7 = 17 (3d10)

>>5617907

Rolled 8, 7, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>5617907

Rolled 2, 5, 9 = 16 (3d10)

>>5617907

Rolled 9, 6, 6 = 21 (3d10)

>>5617909
>>5617947
>>5618001
Failure again, writing now.

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>>5617324
You struggle up to your feet, taking a stance of your own as you grimace at the pain, not particularly enthused to be feeling it. As you sway from side to side slowly, you briefly consider using some of your other skills for this spar. but you dismiss the idea quickly. It would defeat the entire purpose of this if you just won using the other shinigami arts - you already knew you could beat Tsukuya if both of you were going all out. For once, winning wasn’t what really mattered here, and so your priorities for the fight changed accordingly.

Clearly, she was aware of her surroundings enough that just striking at blind spots wouldn’t work, so instead this time you simply rushed at her head on. Even without shunpo, you were considerably faster than she was, and you were hoping that the difference would be enough to blitz her and put in some hits before she could properly react.

It didn’t go the way you’d hoped, though you couldn’t tell whether that was because she was able to react to your plan and counter, or had anticipated what you would do and so already knew how to defend against it. Regardless of which it was, your first punch was easily blocked, and when you went for a kick, Tsukuya grabbed your leg, before grinning at you.

You had no real time to react before suddenly the world was spinning, and then you landed heavily on your back, the wind being knocked out of you a second time. You look up, and quickly roll out of the way of the axe kick Tsukuya had aimed for your head, her heel smashing up some of the rocks underneath as it slammed into the ground.

She recovered instantly, chasing after you relentlessly as you desperately tried to guard and block, many of her hits finding their way home regardless of that. You disengage, arms aching from the hits they had taken, staring through your cross-arm block at her. What you were trying wasn’t working, clearly. so you…
>Completely disregard defence and go fully offensive
>Go in looking to take a hit and at least hit her back with an exchange of blows, if not a counter
>Provoke her into making the initial attack as that should be easier to see coming
>Other (write-in)

>>5618066
>Completely disregard defence and go fully offensive

>>5618066
>Completely disregard defence and go fully offensive
I doubt we'll succeed htis one either, though.

>>Go in looking to take a hit and at least hit her back with an exchange of blows, if not a counter

>>5618066
>>Completely disregard defence and go fully offensive

>>5618084
>>5618086
>>5618228
>>5618241
Reckless abandon it is. Roll me 3d10, dc 20, crit still 30.

Rolled 8, 3, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>5618391

Rolled 1, 2, 4 = 7 (3d10)

>>5618391
All or nothing
Gamble goooo

Rolled 1, 6, 10 = 17 (3d10)

>>5618391

Aaand lose again..that's three times i

>>5618416
Three times in a row

I mean, 9 rolls and not a single one is above 22...i'm starting to think 3d10 is just biased for lower results.

Rolled 1, 4, 4 = 9 (3d10)

>>5618391

>>5618417
dice gods are fickle anon.

>>5618426
Yeah, but that usually goes both ways. All these rolls are just low. 3d10 just seems to have a way lower roll spread

>>5618443
We had some extremely lucky high rolls in previous threads
Doesn't help the DC is so high since we have a low stat in this and this is Tsukuya specialty

>>5618450
It's a high DC, but 9 rolls? I could definitely get 22+ in 9 d30 rolls.

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>>5618066
The only way that you had a chance was if you threw caution aside and attacked with reckless abandon, you reason. It’s not like fighting with defence in mind and trying to actively avoid her attacks was working anyway - she’d still managed to hit you multiple times, and you were yet to land a hit on her. May as well focus on doing the latter if the former was going to happen anyway.

With that in mind, you charge her again, leaping into a flying kick similarly how to your brother had done so against you just minutes earlier. Unlike him though, you expect Tsukuya to dodge your attack, and so purposefully jump low, reasoning that she would react to the act of you jumping, rather than the height of said jump.

You turn out to be right. She dodges to the side, preparing to counter you as if you were at her chest level, but your kick falls into a slide that becomes a sweep at her legs. She’s able to see that coming too however, jumping over your low sweep and coming back down at you with a stomp on your head. Instead of rolling to the side to dodge as you might normally, you instead avoid the attack by rising as quickly as you can from the ground, transitioning into a gazelle punch as you leap upwards.

The unorthodox attack seems to catch Tsukuya a little off-guard, having seemingly expected an uppercut from that position rather than a jumping hook. The result is that you just barely manage to graze her cheek before she’s able to jerk her head back, and then eat a heavy counter for your trouble. The hit to your liver drops you instantly once again, and Tsukuya looks down at you as you groan in pain.

“Well, that’s the closest you’ve come to hitting me, Danketsu-kun… Shall we call it there?”

>Yeah, I’ve had enough
>No, let’s keep going
>Yeah, let’s do this instead (what?)
>No, but give me a handicap (what?)
>Other (write-in)

>>5618535
>Yeah, I’ve had enough
We're clearly not going to win. We're just jobbers in physical confrontations.

>>5618535
>Yeah, I’ve had enough
Check on the twins

>>5618535
>No, let’s keep going
we gotta become the best somehow.

>>5618535
>>Yeah, I’ve had enough
>Other (write-in)
It reminds me of our first spar. We were both unknown to each other, but I wanted to see what you could really do. You've grown so much Tsu... even when I was so close.

>>5618535
>Yeah, I’ve had enough