CH 1-3 Getting to Know Tosen Kaname
- Location
- Midwest
After the school day, you head out to a local ramen stand for dinner. You think filling up will help with the alcohol though you don't really know much about drinking. On the way back you see Kaname surrounded by five of your peers.
"So, Kaname when do you think you'll learn the name of your zanpakuto?" Hideyo asks.
"Sooner than you'd think but later than you would hope, presumably" Kaname answers.
"I bet Sei-chan will get there first since her blades the smallest!" Yoichi chimes in.
"That's not how it works!" Sei pleads as the group laughs at her.
"I believe, out of the rest of you, it will be Aizen-san, or perhaps... Shiba-san," Kaname continues gesturing across the way to you.
"Why do you figure that?" Hideyo furrows his brow.
"Getting in touch with the inner spirit of a zanpakuto requires introspection. Those two have a certain sense of direction,"
"Well I guess Shiba-sama certainly has force of will, not that I'm sure that's the same thing..."
"He's impulsive but I think there's a method to his madness,"
"He does take surprisingly well to jinzen..."
Kaname continues in a more serious voice. "There is another thing."
"What is it?" Sei asks.
"Or more it's he lacks something,"
"What?"
"He does not have... an insecurity about the size of his sword,"
They do not react for a moment. Then the dams break and they laugh as Sei lets out a frustrated groan. You find yourself smiling.
---
You walk back to your room. Besides you and Kaname, no one else seems to be present.
"Aizen-San, Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Kaname asks as you sit down on his bunk bed. You gesture for him to come closer but before you can realize how stupid that is he leans in.
"Yes, I'm going out drinks with Shiba-sama, I don't think you'd want to come but Shiba-sama would not mind," You whisper.
"I appreciate the offer but I've never had any experience with such things," Kaname responds quietly. "I'll make sure our roommates provide an alibi for you if need be. Was there something else?"
"There is but I don't want to bother you with a question you've been hounded with all day,"
"Ah, of course. Unless you have a tumultuous spirit, your zanpakuto should give you it's name as soon as you are strong enough. In your case, that should be rather soon,". You swear you hear distant feminine giggling in response to that statement.
"I'm nowhere near as strong as you or Yadomaru-san. I don't think I'd compare to even the three nobles in our class as they know at least a little kido." Kaname chuckles at that.
"Your spiritual presence is far more subdued than theirs. Developing a grasp on any of the four combat arts would easily make you my equal,"
"I envy your level of humility." Honestly you do wish you had something to brag about at this point, besides the fact you keep catching in the corner of your eye Sei looking at you.
"Would you like me to teach you something"
"About being humble?" You joke.
"Look at this," Kaname kneels and, in a single motion, stands up, steps forward, draws his sword, and slashes the air in front of him. Your eyes detail the arc the blade takes but you don't think your body would be fast enough to defend it from you. "This was the move I had to master to survive in Rukongai," Kaname sheathes the sword again and repeats the technique this time from a standing position. "Because of my appearance and disability, I was constantly preyed on by the common brigand." He sheathes it again. "You can see that it's a potent offense, but when used as a counter-attack it becomes a means to respond to unjust aggression."
He sits down again and Kaname continues. "There was a time when I saw something beheld something beyond the pale but I was completely powerless. I was filled with a blood boiling fury but.... I did not want to become reliant on mere brute force to right the world. Figuring that out and this technique was the path by which I came in touch with my zanpakuto,"
"Have you already obtained..."
"No, not yet but I have learned something else. Maybe I'll show you some other time... Anyways your spiritual aura is very tranquil. I think you will prove to be a great shinigami one day..."
"Thank you, Kaname. Could I inconvience you further and ask for some pointers on zanjutsu?"
"That would not be a problem..."
---
Tosen give you a few helpful bits of advice on your swordmanship. You can tell he has a real talent that's only magnified by the connection he's made with his zanpakuto. In the end, you leave the room thinking that Kaname Tousen is
[] A man of surprising clarity and strength. You have much you can learn from him.
[] Someone you will enjoy talking to in the future. Perhaps even a dear friend.
[] Powerful. If you are to stand out, you must strive to escape from under his shadow.
20XP gained for Zanjutsu. The Technique Iajutsu is now available to spend XP on(see mechanics & character sheet post).
"So, Kaname when do you think you'll learn the name of your zanpakuto?" Hideyo asks.
"Sooner than you'd think but later than you would hope, presumably" Kaname answers.
"I bet Sei-chan will get there first since her blades the smallest!" Yoichi chimes in.
"That's not how it works!" Sei pleads as the group laughs at her.
"I believe, out of the rest of you, it will be Aizen-san, or perhaps... Shiba-san," Kaname continues gesturing across the way to you.
"Why do you figure that?" Hideyo furrows his brow.
"Getting in touch with the inner spirit of a zanpakuto requires introspection. Those two have a certain sense of direction,"
"Well I guess Shiba-sama certainly has force of will, not that I'm sure that's the same thing..."
"He's impulsive but I think there's a method to his madness,"
"He does take surprisingly well to jinzen..."
Kaname continues in a more serious voice. "There is another thing."
"What is it?" Sei asks.
"Or more it's he lacks something,"
"What?"
"He does not have... an insecurity about the size of his sword,"
They do not react for a moment. Then the dams break and they laugh as Sei lets out a frustrated groan. You find yourself smiling.
---
You walk back to your room. Besides you and Kaname, no one else seems to be present.
"Aizen-San, Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Kaname asks as you sit down on his bunk bed. You gesture for him to come closer but before you can realize how stupid that is he leans in.
"Yes, I'm going out drinks with Shiba-sama, I don't think you'd want to come but Shiba-sama would not mind," You whisper.
"I appreciate the offer but I've never had any experience with such things," Kaname responds quietly. "I'll make sure our roommates provide an alibi for you if need be. Was there something else?"
"There is but I don't want to bother you with a question you've been hounded with all day,"
"Ah, of course. Unless you have a tumultuous spirit, your zanpakuto should give you it's name as soon as you are strong enough. In your case, that should be rather soon,". You swear you hear distant feminine giggling in response to that statement.
"I'm nowhere near as strong as you or Yadomaru-san. I don't think I'd compare to even the three nobles in our class as they know at least a little kido." Kaname chuckles at that.
"Your spiritual presence is far more subdued than theirs. Developing a grasp on any of the four combat arts would easily make you my equal,"
"I envy your level of humility." Honestly you do wish you had something to brag about at this point, besides the fact you keep catching in the corner of your eye Sei looking at you.
"Would you like me to teach you something"
"About being humble?" You joke.
"Look at this," Kaname kneels and, in a single motion, stands up, steps forward, draws his sword, and slashes the air in front of him. Your eyes detail the arc the blade takes but you don't think your body would be fast enough to defend it from you. "This was the move I had to master to survive in Rukongai," Kaname sheathes the sword again and repeats the technique this time from a standing position. "Because of my appearance and disability, I was constantly preyed on by the common brigand." He sheathes it again. "You can see that it's a potent offense, but when used as a counter-attack it becomes a means to respond to unjust aggression."
He sits down again and Kaname continues. "There was a time when I saw something beheld something beyond the pale but I was completely powerless. I was filled with a blood boiling fury but.... I did not want to become reliant on mere brute force to right the world. Figuring that out and this technique was the path by which I came in touch with my zanpakuto,"
"Have you already obtained..."
"No, not yet but I have learned something else. Maybe I'll show you some other time... Anyways your spiritual aura is very tranquil. I think you will prove to be a great shinigami one day..."
"Thank you, Kaname. Could I inconvience you further and ask for some pointers on zanjutsu?"
"That would not be a problem..."
---
Tosen give you a few helpful bits of advice on your swordmanship. You can tell he has a real talent that's only magnified by the connection he's made with his zanpakuto. In the end, you leave the room thinking that Kaname Tousen is
[] A man of surprising clarity and strength. You have much you can learn from him.
[] Someone you will enjoy talking to in the future. Perhaps even a dear friend.
[] Powerful. If you are to stand out, you must strive to escape from under his shadow.
20XP gained for Zanjutsu. The Technique Iajutsu is now available to spend XP on(see mechanics & character sheet post).
