覚えておいてください死にます (Oboete oite kudasai shinimasu)

Or in a language more familiar:

Memento Mori

Chapter Two

:-:-:-:

The Academy has four required classes: Hohō, Hakuda, Zanjutsu and Kidō. While I would like to be awesome and claim mastery in all four, I would be lying. It was simply a matter of prioritization. So I did: Hohō, Kidō, Hakuda and Zanjutsu. I wasn't...horrible or anything in any, but in Zanjutsu, my least focused subject, I'm only above average. I'm not terribly worried about that, given that I'm top of the class in the two that get the majority of my attention. My zanpakutō seems to know I'll not be relying on dueling any time soon, as it's gone and shaped itself as a tanto, not that anybody else barring the pain in the ass known as Yasuo Shihōin knows that. Ah well, up my sleeves it shall go. Now I just need to get another weapon that can play the part.

My answer never just comes to me, so I'm forced to do this myself. Well sort of. I have recently come into possession of a jitte lined on the interior frame and tips with sekkiseki. Wonderful. As for how I got such thing? Well, what can I say? It fell off the back of a truck.

Treatise on Alternate Fighting Methods

When fighting with a non standard weapon, obviously non standard methods must be employed. Now aside from Zanjutsu, I can pull from a variety of methods. For example, the Jedi had seven different weapon forms. Of which I plan to make a, admittedly bastardized, form of each on the basic principles I remember.

Form One: Basic, uncomplicated, building block.

Form Two: Dueling form, , personally important, extremely complicated.

Form Three: Defensive, outlast opponent, no attacks.

Form Four: Aggressive, acrobatic, weak in confined space.

Form Five: Counter strikes, mildly defensive, predictable.

Form Six: Generalized form, no weaknesses, no specialties.

Form Seven: All attack, very powerful, little defense

It can be theorized that I will be unable to effectively translate them all, as a sword like weapon is far different than that of a club like weapon. However, given the special properties of my jitte, some of the forms in particular stand out to me. Those are three and seven. While I shall start with one, as supposedly it's the building block for the others, and six comes last, I have the feeling I shall probably use a combination of the tactics from three and seven. How, I'm not quite sure yet. Perhaps I shall just stick to three and attack with Kidō? There are plenty of hadō I am quite skilled with.

In fact, considering the fact that a jitte was originally developed because

-Knock-

"Yes? Who is it? Whatever you may be selling, I'm not interested." I say, even though I know damn well who it is from his reiatsu. I can almost imagine the jerk's eye twitching.

"Get out here, commoner! We're having a rematch!"

I sink my face into my left palm, "Must we, oh honorable Shiba?"

Say I brown-nose, but I have no intention of instigating the resident stuck up noble of my class, Neji Shiba, when his family probably holds a seat or two in the Central 46. He's my 'rival' in the loosest sense of the word. More like he just can't stand the thought of not being the best simply because he's the only one in our year from one of the great five noble families.

"Yeah, because it must have been a fluke that you beat me! I'd never lose to commoner like you in a fair match! I'm gonna be captain of the 10th when I get older, so I can't lose to someone like you."

Facing him is always a tad intimidating, not that I'd ever tell him that. He kinda looks like Ichigo's dad Isshin actually, and I have not ruled out the possibility that my school rival could be Ichigo's grandfather, which would make a hilarious conversation starter with Ichigo later on, and is at least half a foot taller than me, putting him at around...like 6'3" to my measly 5'7".

He's the type of person who insists on explaining his powers to the enemy and conducting fair fights. Not to mention he has his Shikai already. Of course, so do I, but I'm intentionally hiding that fact for the moment, as I have no desire to be labeled a 'prodigy' and have a target painted on my back by skipping these last couple years. Not to mention he uses his Shikai as a girl magnet, whipping it out all the time, even though he has also decided not to graduate early. As a noble, he can choose if he wants to graduate early or not, as he has the requisite skill. In a similar situation, I would just be hurled out to the front lines, being a nobody commoner. In other words, he's the type of person who utterly disgusts me.

:-:-:-:

Unfortunately, despite my disgust with Neji Shiba, we are the two top students in our year. Now, I could just fight the students below us, but that wouldn't be helpful to either of us given we're leaps and bounds above them. So against our reservations, we spent quite a lot of time together.

"Hey, come on, you tired or something?"

His nodachi comes down in an overhead arc and I can barely bring my jitte up to block, sending me to my knees. I give him a Kidō enhanced punch to the gut for his trouble.

Our training is supposed to be discreet, as his reputation will be apparently ruined if he's seen willing spending time with a commoner like me. I don't buy that. Luckily for him, right behind the First Division is an old training ground that's never used anymore and has turned into a veritable swamp. It's a good place for us train, as the water both slows us down and inspires us not to lose our footing. Of course, hilarity ensues when one of us trips on an underwater root. Which used to happen all the time, but not as much over the years.

I brush some leaves off my clothes, "Nah, just been contemplating. I have a few new moves, but they aren't exactly safe to use on an ally."

A few screams from Rukongai and draw our attention. A hollow?

I clear my throat nervously, "Do we risk checking that out? Or do we just pretend nothing happened?"

Neji fixes me with the most intense glare I've ever seen from him, "Of course we have to help! What kind of protectors of souls would we be if we didn't?"

"Living ones?"

He raises a fist, and I think I can hear him grinding his teeth in frustration.

I release a sigh, "Alright, alright. Let's go. If we die I won't forgive you."

:-:-:-:

The situation is far worse than we could have imagined. A whole horde of Gillians are tramping about this section. We'd ask where the shinigami are, but they have an annoying tendency to not care about Rukongai.

"Satsujin, Kubikiribōchō!"

His nodachi becomes a massive broadsword curved at the tip with hole at the tip and a semicircle indent at the bottom. It's...actually kinda impressive, even if it's the millionth time I'm seeing it. Maybe it's guy thing? After all, giant swords are cool. Though I do have to wonder if he's compensating for something...

The hollows don't notice us until he cuts one in half. They may be quite strong compared to us, but we have the three advantages of intelligence, tactics, sanity and an almost...oh drat. Well you know what I mean.

"Hey Shiba, think you can keep them distracted for a sec?"

Darting into the fray, his only yell is, "Of course I can! Just who the hell do you think I am?"

Rolling up my sleeves and holding out my hand, I begin, "Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness! Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi!"

I vaguely hear a cry, "The hell Tatsushiro! Since could you do that anyway?!"

I drop to one knee as the sky darkens as the towering black box forms around a group, and that's it? That's like..a fifth of them and there's no way I can use this spell four more times. After all, even Aizen didn't (won't? Damn you time travel tense trouble!) use this spell casually at full power, even for all his self-vaunted strength.

Any besides, that was the only group. All the rest are spread out. My power, while great, is not so much that any low level Kidō will do more that put some scorch marks on their masks. And I most certainly do not have the juice at this point in time to be throwing high level Kidō like toys. I can probably manage one...maybe two depending on a few factors. Like incantation or not, and which particular Kidō I choose.

There's a few Gillians somewhat close together, close enough that I can probably get them with a decent AoE Kidō. None of them are lined up in a way that would be convenient. Ah well.

Appearing in what's approximately the middle of the group, I charge up power to my jitte, "Hadō #78: Zangerin!"

"Stop showing off Tatsushiro! Now get up here and back me up!"

Shrugging, I shunpo up to his position while drawing my tanto. At the edge of my peripheral vision, I notice the only Gillian with a unique mask escaping back through the Garganta. Interesting, so Gillians with a personality can sense the flow of battle. Funny, because we put on a good show with that blitz, but we can't maintain it. We're good actors though.

He raises an eyebrow, "So that's your zanpakutō? Was the jitte to just throw people off then?"

I just blink at him for a second, "Wow, you catch on quick," Tilting my heading slightly and closing my eyes, I give my best innocent smile, "Of course, if you tell anyone, I'll castrate you in your sleep."

I smirk as I notice an involuntary shiver, "Well, nothing for it I suppose. Not pointing trying to be hero against Gillians. Maka Modoshi, Renzokutai!"

If I had to describe the released stated of my zanpakutō, you wouldn't find it very intimidating. I mean, it's a wrist gauntlet with a something that looks like some kinda of small projectile launcher. Efficient perhaps, but not terrifying or awe-inspiring. Funny thing is, it's not a projectile weapon. And it's horrifying.

Neji Shiba laughs, "What are you going to do with that? Poke them to death?"

My zanpakutō does not take being mocked well, which results in her throwing a fit in my head until I calm her down. What that says about me I'll contemplate at a later time.

I take aim at one of the Gillians and throw a punch. The mono-filament wire contained in the launcher shoots forwards at ridiculous speeds, punching through a Gillian and reducing it to bloody paste. Effectively, but gory. Like, even I think it's overkill sometimes.

"What. The. Hell. That's just-"

He never gets to finish, because next thing we know, we're both face-planting in the ground, courtesy of the two human sized hollows that we've missed by only paying attention to the giant Gillians. Now Neji may not have the knowledge, but I do. Somehow, we've missed the fact that Gillians always have a leader. And those leaders are two Vasto Lordes. Yeah, we're boned. Completely and utterly boned.

And hey, why is the air starting to heat up? That's definitely not normal.

The last thing we hear before we pass out under the effects of our injuries and too much reiatsu is the voice of an elderly man, "Dear me. Forcing the Captain-Commander to come to your aid. Hmmph, though given your opponents I shall forgive you. Banshō issai kaijin to nase, Ryūjin Jakka!"

:-:-:-:

Author's Notes: Old Man Genocide makes his appearance by saving our sorry asses. Had to happen sometime, given I listed him as on the character sheet. Always remember Law of Conservation of Detail. And for all you non-gamers, AoE means Area of Effect.

OC Zanpakutō Translations:

Satsujin (殺人), Kubikiribōchō (首斬り包丁). Translation: Murder, Decapitating Carving Knife. Inspiration: Design and physical attack - Naruto: Kubikiribōchō.

Maka Modoshi (巻き戻し), Renzokutai (連続体). Translation: Rewind, Continuum. Inspiration: Design and physical attack - Warhammer 40k: Harlequin's Kiss.