My Kingdom for a Quincy

Hotaru kept her focus on Victor as he gave the response to her question. Since she was interested in what Soul Society was like she was intent on hearing about it. When he had finished she didn't answer him right away. Instead she polished off the cappuccino and set down the cup before giving her response.

"Sorry to make it so broad I guess I just have a vast curiosity. It's not too often to come across Shinigami in this area and I've never had the chance to ask. But yes that does answer my question, Victor-san. I don't know if I like the sound of poverty and crime in the Rukongai place though. It really is like a big city in that sense...lawlessness."

Victor was glad that what he said answered all of the parts of Hotaru's question though he was sure she had much more to ask and he didn't mind, it was then he said "Ja ja it iz indeed like a city in that regard.....zad really but I can only help zo many and I focuz on that and trust my fellow captainz to help with the otherz."

After working the last of his restful nature out of his body he then said "I hope you don't mind me asking but......vhat iz it like living in thiz village of yourz? I am actually a bit overwhelmed by all that I zee in here.......zuch technology here iz normally only zeen in Zquad 12...."

"Hopefully things can improve there though it must be hard given there are a lot of people there, right?"

Following the topic she listened as it shifted to a new question, this time being about the technology of the village. At first Hotaru couldn't help but give him a surprised look as she hadn't necessarily thought the place to be that high-tech. It was with a smile though that she finally responded.

"I don't really live in the village here, believe it or not. I reside at the school and it isn't too often that I have a chance to come here. Is it really that different from Soul Society?"

"Ja there are a large amount of people there az all the zoulz that uz zhinigami zend to that place comez from all over the vorld, then the fact that babiez can be born in that vorld too......zo very large population."

Victor noticed the surprised look he was given and slightly rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as he listened to her explain she lived in some school not here. This caused him to tilt his head to the side once more before he said

"Ja it iz very different from the Zoul Zociety....the Zoul Zociety iz normally made to look like Feudal Japan and other placez that were around during that time. I think it to help keep the moral fiber of the people at a good level.....forgive me for zaying thiz but the people of thiz time are......vell they are rather vulgar. There are of course exceptionz to that zuch az you but az a vhole most I have zeen cause me to vonder vhat happened to morality. But anyway...vhat iz your zchool like then?"

"Aren't there always bad people though? This area is better than most I'd like to think but that just seems to be how life is."

No longer with her drink to occupy her, Hotaru kept her focus to the Shinigami as the conversation rested on her school.

"As for my school, Victor-san. Normally it's closed to outsiders and unless we have reason we really aren't recommended to leave. It's guarded too if I recall. I think it's meant to prevent things purely because everyone there has abnormal spiritual pressure to some extent. With what's done there it's a mix of actual education as well as that of Quincy training, I suppose."

"Vell yez but the good to bad ratio iz getting one zided these days Ja? Az for thiz area I think it iz better than most az vell, considering hov rare it iz to find murder victimz or rape victimz near thiz area."

It was then that Victor was able to listen to Hotaru tell him about her school to a certain degree and as he listened to her it sounded like a rather nice place. If a bit strict with its protection but in these times he wasn't surprised by such a thing.

"Ah it zoundz rather lovely and it iz a zhame that it iz closed to outsiderz I am zure that if Quincy and Zhinigami vere to vork together thingz vould be easier for both our racez Ja? Anyway I zuppose it iz time ve focuz on vhat I came here for, if you vould I vould like to study a Quincy bov in action to zee hov it vorkz exactly."

"Well you'd need to make a sort of appointment to get into it I believe. There were some other Shinigami there not too long ago. Of course one decided to try to fight past the guards but another must have had an appointment. And it would be nice to work with Shinigami. Hollows are a mutual enemy after all, right?"

As the subject turned again to the reason for his presence there in the village, Hotaru grinned. What he was asking she could at least do with the knowledge and practice she had.

"I think I can do that much for you and explain it while we go. You want me to do it right here though, Victor-san? I mean I'm not sure a coffeeshop is the best place for an exhibition."

"......One of them tried to......*pinches the bridge of his nose* Alle idiotische Hautausschlag Dinge zu tun.... mein Gott wie dumm sind einige Leute in diesen Tagen!?"

Victor was not happy that a Shinigami did such a thing as they could of caused a LOT of trouble such as a bit of a war between races, something Victor knew would not be good to have. It was then he heard Hotaru agree to show him how it works, though she made a joke about doing it in the middle of a coffee shop.

"Firstly zorry about that one Zhinigami causing trouble for your people, and yez you are right the Hollows are a Mutual enemy. *laughs a bit* Also I am not sure about doing it here....unless blasting holez into onez' wallz and roof iz considered polite here. Hov about outside near the edge of the village to ensure no one getz accidentally hit Ja?"

OOC: German for 'of all the idiotic rash things to do.....my god how dumb are some people these days!?'

At the Shinigami's ranting in German, Hotaru couldn't help but laugh. After all it was normal for a Quincy to know the language as many of their abilities had German names. It was merely a standard curriculum here to learn it.

"He just didn't know better and it seems some guards shoot first and ask questions later."

Smiling, she then stood up and waited on him to do the same.

"Let's just say that it's not exactly an acceptable practice to damage property around here. We'd probably be fined the damages if I tried. Let's go just outside the town for this matter then. You can lead the way~."

Victor calmed down pretty quick when Hotaru started to laugh as a female laughing always caused him to mellow out quickly for some reason, also it helped that Hotaru didn't seem upset at all about the situation and thus he stood up and stretched a slight bit to get the joints to not be stiff any more.

"Ah zo it just like everywhere else then ja? Vaz to be expected really."

With that he headed toward the door and after making sure Hotaru got her Umbrella and was out the door before him, he then came out and opened his umbrella as well and made his way directly to the outskirts of the town. He took long even strides and wasn't one to rush as he even hummed a tunes along the way, the tune being 'Ode To Joy' as he loved Beethoven's work really.

When they reached the end Victor turned to Hotaru and said "Vell here ve are liebchen, feel free to begin vhen ever you feel like it. Till then I zhall enjoy the rain." Victor went back to humming the rest of 'Ode To Joy' but would stop when Hotaru started.

Following him back to the door, Hotaru then reached for her umbrella and exited the coffeeshop. Once outside she opened it to shield from the seemingly never-ending rain that often fell upon the area. Allowing him to lead the way she kept pace with his long strides, stopping only once they reached the area he had deemed fit for this demonstration. With a sigh at the fact she would have to be drenched in the rain soon, the girl closed her umbrella and let it fall to the ground as she turned to Victor. She held up her right arm which had on it an almost pure white, fingerless glove if not for the silver ring at her wrist.

"I'm sure you've noticed this but in particular, this glove is what I use as a sort of medium in which to gather the spiritual energy in the surrounding environment. It's not as common to have this but I was given it by my parents. Most Quincies have a pendant of a cross at the wrist to which they form their bow through. But I suppose showing it would be easier."

With that much said she went ahead and began to focus on manifesting her bow. The particles seemed to take on a blue aura briefly as the shape of the bow was made, which solidified to her white and navy longbow, Hanabi. Covering part of her chest over her white jacket was a navy muneate similar to what female archers would normally wear.

"Making an arrow works similarly to that, as you focus it into shape really while you pull back on the bowstring. After that it's aiming and firing really."

To continue in proving her point, Hotaru brought her left hand to grasp the bowstring. As she did so she concentrated on the task of making a good example as she formed an arrow, drawing back in the string while doing so. Once she was in form, she took aim at one of the trees a little ways away and shot the arrow, which struck through the trunk and eventually caused the tree to collapse. Having finished her demonstration the girl remained in form though her attention focused on the shinigami.

"Is this the kind of thing you were wanting to know? Or is there more to it, Victor-san?"

As soon as Victor saw Hotaru was moving to close her umbrella he remembered how they use both hands to fire their bows, and thus quickly moved over to her and held his Umbrella over her in just a way to keep her from getting wet yet not getting in the way as he smile a slight bit. He was getting wet but it was just a fake body not like he could get sick like she could if he got wet.

"Ah zo the glove or cross pendant are to your people az a zanpaktou iz to my people....interesting....."

Vitor then watched the young woman produce a solid bow through the use of spirit particle manipulation, and when she was done Victor was looking over the bow in glee as if he was a kid looking at a shiny new toy. Victor LOVED weapons in all their forms thus the bow caught his attention fully, and when she demonstrated the use of the arrow he moved his head closer to the bow and kept a close eye on it studying it as well as he could with just his eye.

"Amazing....to be able to produce a veapon and itz ammo out of thin air.......the applicationz of zuch an ability iz far zpanding...if one vaz zkilled enough he or zhe could produce anything they need from zpirit particlez...food....vater....clothing.....zhelter...."

Victor quickly looked at Hotaru and smiled happily "Wunderbar zimply wunderbar....if it iz not too much to ask could you produce another arrov and hold it for a vhile I vould like to ztudy the arrov itself az vell." Victor was simply in an ecstatic mood right now.....goes to show that the best way to cheer up Squad 10's Captain is to show him weapons.

"Well I don't know about food or shelter but we can at least make weapons to destroy Hollows."

His excitement seemed to radiate off of him as Hotaru had showed him the basics and she returned his smile. At his request she reached forward for the bowstring. While pulling back she formed another arrow, holding it as she got into form.

"This arrow should be good enough. Let's just hope that I can hold it long enough, Victor-san."

Victor's eyes locked onto the arrow as soon as it was formed and started to study it closely as well as its energy, he focused on remembering the spirit particle pattern as well as a few other things about it for sure.

After a few moments of studying he then looked at Hotaru and said "Thank you that iz all I need to zee." Victor straightened up and stood in the rain in deep thought ignoring the water soaking him to the bone, he then smiled a slight bit as his brain worked out a rough draft of the new weapon design.

It was only after Hotaru got rid of the arrow did he turn to look at her and due to just pure joy he gave the girl a hug, it would of been warm if he wasn't soaking wet but he was just so overjoyed with everything at the moment. When he finally remembered the situation he let go of the poor girl.

"Oh my I am zo zorry! Just thankz to you I got enough information to make a fev prototypez nov, and vell got a bit too excited and hugged you.....yet again zorry about that I bet it vaz rather uncomfortable..."

Victor felt bad now as he had held the umbrella over the girl to keep her dry for her yet he ruined that plan by hugging her with his wet body, shame radiated off him as his more solider like side was scolding his energetic side for doing that.

Hotaru remained in form as he studied the arrow that he had requested she make. After being given the okay to release it though she aimed up to the cloudy skies that continued to bring rain upon the area and fired the example arrow, then finally allowed herself to relax from any stress of the action of holding a taut bow for a period of time. Just when she'd allowed her bow and muneate to disappear the girl found herself in an embrace from the ecstatic and soaked Shinigami. Smiling softly at his infectious energy she returned the hug despite His excited comments were mixed in with apologies as he realized he had left her in the rain for a period of time. Though the rain had been cold she had found her focus in fulfilling his request thus it hadn't bothered her as much as normal.

"I'll be alright I'm sure. I did say it rains here a lot, so it's not really the first time if I've ever gotten one. I'm just glad that you were able to get what you needed, Victor-san."

Reaching down though he covered her with his own umbrella, Hotaru picked hers up, shaking away any rain drops that had found their way within it.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be covering yourself with that instead? I don't know if Shinigami get sick or not but it would be a shame to find out."

"Vell if you are zure....anyway no I doubt I vill get zick from thiz. The body I am in iz just a fake one, but if I vaz in my zpirit form and vaz back home then yez I could get zick."

Victor put his umbrella back over himself after Hotaru finished getting her own back to work on keeping her dry, he thought for a few moments then said "In honor of fairness if you vish I could zhov you my zhikai zince you zhowed me your bov and arrov."

Victor was all about fairness and wouldn't feel right till either he made it fair or if the person in question said it was okay.

"Don't get me wrong. Getting a cold isn't something that's on my to-do list, Victor-san. It's only to be expected if you were to get what you wanted."

Hotaru smiled as she gave her response to him before he gave his offer to show her his own abilities in order to make things even. The offer surprised her, which seemed to be apparent on her face as she glanced up at the Shinigami wide-eyed.

"You mean that you would actually show me that? I've yet to see what a Shinigami can do in person. That would be so interesting to watch you."

"Be ztrange if getting a cold vaz on your list, letz just hope you ztay healthy or you vill be having me zticking around to ensure you get better. I vould feel terrible if you got zick. Az for my zhikai.....Yez I vill zhov you it......just don't be zurpised if it isn't friendly looking......darkness type Zanpakuto rarely are."

With that said Victor moved away from Hotaru to give him plenty of room as well as to not hit her with the burst of spiritual pressure, he then took a mod soul pill and ate it so his body could move away too with the umbrella to a safe distance. He then lifted up Yami and then said "Rend Their Zoulz Asunder......YAMI!" With that a burst of spiritual pressure blasted out knocking rain away from Victor as darkness swirled around him before forming into claw like structures on his arms and hands.

Soon the claws formed into battle gauntlets and his body faded from view before Hotaru could fully see the changes, due to the shadows and darkness all over the place from the storm clouds his invisibility activated. Victor laughed a slight bit though the sound was less cheery and more.....sadistic in sound, he then said "Hahahaha zilly me you cant' zee me at all like thiz can you? One moment liebchen."

Victor forced himself to deactivate the ability so that he could be seen by the young Quincy girl, he started at her with eyes that had dark purple corneas, yellow irises, and nearly crimson red pupils while wisp of shadows lifted off him. He then smiled and said "Nov then before I zhov you vhat I can do vith thiz....any commentz?"

"It would be no one's fault but my own if I got ill. Really."

Hotaru remained in place as he moved away with her, swallowing something in order to separate from his body. This reminded her of what she had seen the other do back at the Academy, only then instead of being able to move somehow the body had fallen on top of her. Without being fully prepared though even with the distance she could feel some of her energy drain from her with the stress of being near him as his spiritual pressure raised. Doing her best to hold her own though she watched as the transformation took place, forming clawed gauntlets before he disappeared from site.

It was only when Victor reappeared that she could really take in the changes that had occurred with the release of his zanpakuto. The changes weren't limited to appearance either it seemed. His tone of voice wasn't like how it had been before. Victor's eyes seemed to have changed dramatically as well, their new look a little unnerving yet unique.

"I'll admit I hadn't been sure what to expect, Victor-san. It's so different..."

Victor snickered a bit at her reaction to his form as at least she wasn't getting a creepy feeling from being around him, she was just.....unnerved which was to be expected and actually highly normal for a Quincy of her power level. He slowly turned his head and cracked his neck a bit before he then said "Vell it vould be really boring if it vasn't nov vouldn't it? Zo thank you for zaying it iz zo different. Onto the demonstration nov...."

With that Victor lifted up his right hand and aimed his palm in the opposite direction of any civilized area and softly said "Zilent...Death" with that a thin beam of black energy shot out of his hand and pierced through trees, rocks, and what ever else was in the way before it faded away. He doubted Hotaru really got to see what the atta.ck was due to the small size, low visibility, and speed of the atta.ck. Thus he moved over to her and moved her to where he stood and pointed to the hole in the tree before him.

"That vaz my Zilent Death atta.ck, rather deadly considering it haz the damage potential of a Cero from an Adjuchaz class hollov and ztill be zo zmall and fast....perfect for taking out a target zilently yet making zure it iz dead."

Hotaru stayed in place as the demonstration began. In all honesty she really didn't trust herself to walk as his presence was a little bit of a strain on her. She could just barely see Victor's ability when it happened and wasn't really able to tell what had happened from her field of view. Soon though he fetched her and brought her over to see where he had shot through. The ability seemed to have cut a clear path and sounded impressive from the words that he'd put to describing it.

"That sounds powerful. Almost scary even. I guess I should just say that I don't want to be on the receiving end of that."

Victor snickered a bit as he then said "Don't vorry too much about that happening, my kinder zide iz far too fond of you to even let me try to be hostile to you liebchen." Victor stared at Hotaru from the corner of his eye as he didn't turn his head to look at her before he grinned a bit and said "Anyway......I only harm those that try to ztop or hurt thiz body....zo don't vorry....just be a good girl and all vill be okay~"

With that Victor sank into the ground without a sound seemingly like he was sinking into the earth itself till he was completely gone leaving Hotaru alone it seems. Till suddenly an arm shot out of the tree next to her and the claw had missed her head by 3 inches, Victor's head then appeared out of the tree and grinned a bit. His more violent side of his personality showing more and more, he then said "Thiz iz my Phantom ability....letz me phase through just about anything.....living thingz like humanz and animalz being one of the fev thingz I can't phase through. Hehehehe makez it zo much easier to attack one's foe....could rip an tendon in the leg.......or ztab my clav through their back....hehehehe and they vould never knov vhat happened."

As the next demonstration began she remained rooted in place. Her entire focus that she could spare was on Victor as he showed off his phantom ability. When he had disappeared she looked about to try to find him, only to freeze in place as the claw shot out toward her head, missing thankfully. Regardless of whether it had been a hit or a miss though that had scared her a little and she hadn't been prepared for such a thing. The way that he described this ability as he remained mostly within the tree made her shudder slightly again as well. It was definitely something that Hotaru didn't want to fight. It was also becoming apparent that Shinigamis had some unique abilities indeed, abilities she wasn't keen on provoking to be used against her anytime soon.

"Even if I don't intend to do anything to cross you, this is a little unnerving to see such abilities. You seem to be a rather strong Shinigami, Victor-san."

Victor laughed a bit at hearing such things from Hotaru as he then responded "Hehehehehe, vell aren't you a flatterer. Az for my abilitiez being unnerving.....well they are darkness based zo it iz to be expected Ja? But vant to knov a funny thing.......*moves close to her ear and whispers* My bankai iz far ztronger.....and my full ztrength iz zealed at the moment...."

Victor was more or less pointing out that all she seen is the tip of the ice burg before pulling himself the rest of the way out of the tree. He then cracked his knuckles and said "Final demonstration...." Victor slashed his claw over the tree he came out of leaving shallow cuts inside of it, he let the girl get a good look at them to make sure she could see the damage. He then held his left and right claws up before they became covered in a dark swirling energy, soon the energy took the forms of pure black claws that coated his real claws.

The shadow claws though were shifting and changing due to their plasma like structure but they were stable enough, he then turned to the tree and slashed his claw at it once again with the same strength, speed, and area. This time though when he cut it the tree was cut all the way through making it fall over to the ground with a loud crash that echoed through the forest, Victor looked over his shoulder at Hotaru and said "Zhadov Clav.....very good at tripling my physical attack power....vhat iz a poke normally could be a piercing pain vith thiz activated....very useful vhen used vith my Phantom ability....Ja?"

The violent side then sighed a slight bit and said "Vell thiz iz vhere I vill be going nov liebchen, keep that goody goody zide of me out of trouble...or I'll be having to make a personal visit..." His eyes showed that he was not bluffing before the Shikai state was released and the spiritual pressure in the area dropped.

As the energy from the Shikai was sealed back inside Victor he returned to normal and shook his head a slight bit before looking around, he then rubbed the back of his head a bit and said "Zorry about that......I have zplit personalitiez for zome reason.......I can't for the life of me remember vhy....." Victor never would as his split personality was a coping mechanism his living self had used to protect himself from the mental trauma that sniping causes.

"You're kidding...right?"

The girl's eyes had widened as he admitted he still had further skills and strength that he wasn't even showing. In truth, Hotaru was beginning to think that Shinigami such as Victor were looking to be quite a scary prospect and she honestly never hoped to get on a strong one's bad side. Somehow she could see how it would be a good thing to ally with them, despite whatever differences there must be between their races.

As Victor moved on to the last demonstration of his abilities, she continued to observe. First she saw him take out a bit of the tree with the claws, before going back and striking again with a sort of enhanced claw ability that actually cut through the tree. Since it was a mere demonstration she could only imagine the full potential of that ability.

Before she really realized it though he had left the released state with but a few words and his spiritual pressure returned to normal. With it the tension keeping her seemed to leave and she fell to the ground, dropping her umbrella in the process. She managed to remain sitting upright as she held herself up with her arms but made no move to stand. When she finally spoke she almost seemed out of breath, though she looked up at him with an apologetic smile.

"It's okay... That was quite a demonstration. It's my turn to apologize now. I'm just...not used to being around such a strong spiritual pressure. I may need a bit, Victor-san."

Looking away from him her face fell slightly though she tried to make it unnoticeable to Shinigami she was currently accompanying. She was just tired and the rain that was beating down on her again was probably made it worse than it really should have been, but still she felt it a little embarrassing.

'I'll have to train harder so I can take this better...everything.'

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