Healing Up (Open to One)

Tento let out a small chuckle. For the most part yeah, anyone would.be reduced to acids in even a half hearted fight against Kanae in Tento's opinion. Captains though, well, their fabrics would be on the ground, but simply being dead easily was something he doubted. He held pride in his belief that Kanae was one of the strongest Captains within the Gotei United though. Although Armina's way of trying to say it was…well dry and rough. He had a feeling this was her attempt at being humorous and joke full though. A dynamic he was not unfamiliar with, he had a friend who was very much like that when they had first met.

Now on the matter of the power of the previous Captains of the 4th division. That was a matter he had a funny feeling about. In the realm of strength perhaps they were weaker amongst the cream of the crop of the Gotei United. Yet they were still captains. And for all he knew, there were only two previous Captains that he was able to.meet before Kanae. And by the mark of their spiritual energy, they were monsters all the same to even the level he found himself today. “Weaker than one from the Orginal 13. Crazy to think not many stronger even though she had been gone for so long. And even more so, any of them could realistically smack us around”. Tento said in response to Armina's comment. Any other Captains of the 4ths history was out of Tento's knowledge in comparison to the long history she had within the division.

“Aye, I will give you that. Testing yourself against equals may be a more intense challenge though. Facing mountains to climb provides a different experience though”. He said holding back a response about, those others things. Murderous aura, an intense legendary skill with the blade. She had the look of a killer alright. And it seemed that was exactly what Armina may be after. The killer though…that was a complex thing for someone like Tento. “It is sink or swim when you face Kanae, and by the soul King her actions know how to motivate you in a fight. Maybe you can visualize it while you're stuck waiting”.

…was that a snort? ….

Cute.

Ah right. It was about to fir that and he nearly forgot to expect it. He was originally going straight to his own barracks after all. He gave a shrug as he answered, “eh killing time”, he said truthfully. “Had a bit of free time for once, I was going to just go back to my room but then I saw ya here starting to drink. Figured I'd try to unwind relax a bit and get a cup to drink if I got lucky”.

Ah, the Gotei 13. A hallmark in the history books within the foundation of the current stability of Soul Society. For many there was no way to not have some type of opinion about them, for Tento, it was an old one though. Unlike many would expect from a member of the Death squad 4th division. He enjoyed the thrill of battle but not bloodbath unlike Armina. They were strong, maybe the strongest in terms of who was at the top. But not good, nor did they start all of this by choice. It wasn’t good for the world. Murders and evil beings at their hearts. Psychopaths and Sociopaths. If not, then twisted and manipulative people in their aims of what they did for what they viewed. Maybe it was because he somehow still had his memories of the living, or the fact he was a new age shinigami barely a few years old, but he could not stomach wanting to live in that time even though he could understand some people’s attraction to it. “If Kanae is a symbol of anything of that Gotei, being back there and comparing it to now is unbelievable. For Kanae it must be a culture shock and so….off”, Tento said in a calm honest response to the 4th seat’s words. “I would imagine disappointing too”.

It seems he was hearing more and more members of the Gotei saying they felt like an oddball within the Gotei United. Expected with newer faces but, for someone like Armina who had been here for a while as far as he knew. The more and more Armina spoke the more Tento felt like he was growing uncomfortable internally. It felt like he was kind of hearing the voice of his inner hollow. A desire for ruthless, a longing for menacing aura. A challenging fight brought improvement, joy as well. This side of entertainment from being hurt and hurting felt…weird though as a soldier. Externally he would just give a shrug though. “A marathon race or a climb up a huge mountain; both are great in my experience”. She definitely reminded him of a few people, close friends that went hard during training or spars. Real life simulation. It was required of their duty and the job itself with lives on the line. But did Armina have an issue of going too far like some of them had in the past he wondered?

With a half smile and a bit of a sway of words. He could have sworn that he felt a bit of an undertone with that last sentence. The 4th seat admiration to their Captain seemed to be quite strong. Understandable, for as cold Kanae could look, she was equally as strong and beautiful. “Well, that's all ya need then. I am sure that will keep you from being bored while your stuck”, he would make a note of that. Likely not one to be flirted with if the timing and muse hit him in other situations. Or maybe not? She could swing both ways. “Hmmm cant say it does not matter to me. I gotta get back to that hole a third time and help finish things. But till there just need to rest and train so I can tear stuff up”, he said in a bit of a fiery determination.

Well Armina had an interesting point there that gave some curious thought to the mind. When it came to how fast and how things got done, exactly what were the limits to it if at all??? The noble houses always had existed from the beginning, and they had power. Not now like they did a thousand years ago due to the separation of powers, but still they had some influence in ways. But back then it was more present, heavy and corruptive in its touch even. If Tento had to think even further back to the start of the Gotei, he could not really imagine no pics, social games, or red tape. “Huh…I don't think it is quite like how you are thinking it is now. But I would think it still was a hassle with the noble houses. They have less influence now than several years ago, right Armina? Was the red tape back then really not as bad as now?? Even with the likes of Kanae or Yamamoto shaking people to the bone by their presence ”.

He would like to think it was for the beat. Changes made at the root of improvement from the flaws and failures of earlier versions. Armina had a bigger view of it though likely given Tento expected her to be a much older soul than he. Well, that was besides the point. Kanae and many others probably felt disappointment and frustration at the current state of the Gotei United. Ex-members and rogues. Some nobles and maybe even civilians too. You can never please everybody it seems. But it was much better at preventing chaos and unneeded suffering in his eyes.

His metaphor was one that he hoped came across with some purpose. He would not truly know but just guess, and with her answer he would only give a simple nod, a slight amused smirk coming in return from her words. “That can work too”. Eh, everyone has several different ways to cook a potato as a friend used to tell him. Forceful type was not a surprise to him in life, even more so if you thought about the level of determination needed to want to be a part of the 4th; heck the Gotei itself. It only allowed him to gain a bit of more insight about this new face.

Her statement about a few girlfriends who she would spent time with while she recovered was not one he batted an eye about. The previous infliction towards Kanae was enough to give wonder of stars and fiery hearts, but that was one that made it pretty clear from a subtle view. Could be friends, but he had a feeling she meant it one way more than another. It was a surprise though as it sounded like polyamory. The fun and emotional support that must be with so many loved ones. “Heh, well won’t have to worry about high spirits then”.

“A bit of unfinished business, yeah. That hole has given me a few tough situations during my deployments”, he said lying flat on his back with a sign. “Definitely got a bone to pick, but for now I have to wait while I keep it within, unfortunately”. He should. He would. For that whole was the only start of it, each battle felt like something was being forced, a nested egg being cracked under a flame. The air felt sweeter, more homing. And he felt with each person that he ran into, new and old, he felt…more of a bloodlust come. Each fight wanted to crush the Arrancar that threatened to kill civilians. To stand in front of him and give a chance of a blood pumping battle that sent chills of thrill through every vein. And he did not like it.

Well that was a bit of relief. A level of positivity about the Gotei United instead of the bashing boos and grunts about how soft the newer generation was. Armina seemed like a further extreme of the rough and tumble type that Tento had gotten used to being around, but she still was a person that could be talked with. She was alright in his book so far. Either way the influence of the nobles was less, for better or worse now. “Never had any real experience with nobles so I have no real reference. Don’t think I even ran into any while I was at Shino either. Since graduating I have only met one pretty much”. And such a shameful encounter his second meeting with them was. “I guess that is the clouds of a long long life over the eyes”, he said in a bit of strange realization. A long life usually gives perspective, but when you live for so long that it is incomprehensible, one's state eventually gets entwined with a slowly changing view of the world. Living for thousands of years he could not blame that. “Fair enough”.

While laying down he nodded his head. Yeah well, that was an understatement. The whole 4th was rowdy, but sometimes people could go overboard in several ways. If her ‘friends’ were as much of a looker as she was he would not blame anyone with trying to flirt. But if he correctly caught the jest of ‘rowdy’ then… bonks to go around. Ugggh he felt shame about that. He should attend to that later. “I see, well then that the case only a talking to was the lightest of what he could have gotten given the situation” Tento said in a bit of inclination towards Captain Kanae. Even as a massive flirt as he was, who yes did flirt with females during the downtime of missions, knew better to do so in the middle of training katas as a group. Time and place. Especially with Kanae of all people present and likely leading the training session.

“Aye, I do hope so too. I've been working alot in the background of stuff but don't feel I have made too much of a leap. Somethings sure, but not others”, and some even more so not by chose. His bond with his Zanpatuko had grown much stronger and his skill with them more refined. But the overwhelming power that seemed to have been just forced out of his inner hollow was daunting and a bit engaging. The gull to think he could just….take Tento. His body and mind. Since that day restraining and even working with the hollow in a limited matter was growing easier. But its influence was becoming more and more concerning at this rate. “Hehehe, you a member of the 4th alright”, he said with a happy laugh.

He then would sit up before standing. “Alright, I've bugged ya enough thanks for the talk”, Tento said reaching out his hand in a offer of a handshake. “Nice to meet ya, see ya around and be careful out there”.