"Our next technique will once again be up against the dummies." Byakuya said. "Reiatsu Lethal Damage. There are not many even among Captains that can do this one on command as it takes a vast amount of Spiritual Energy. Ichigo may be able to pull it off but I doubt the rest of you can."
Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck again. He didn't look happy about having this pointed out.
Reiatsu Lethal Damage
You cannot learn this attack!
"Oh, I'm restricted I can't learn this." Ginrei said, out loud though softly to himself.
"What do you mean restricted?" Byakuya asked in a soft voice at his side. Ginrei refused to jump and show his shock. He sighed and explained his new power to his father in low voice. "I have heard of this power before. You will indeed become strong but you must constantly train to do so. I believe those from the Land of the Living maybe better suited to answer questions you may have about your power."
Ginrei nodded.
"My Reikaku trains just being near Ichigo. Does he have no control?" Ginrei asked and could have sworn his father almost smiled.
"Very little if any." Byakuya stated. "We will discuss this later for now why don't you go back to dodge practice if you are restricted."
Ginrei nodded and began dodge practice again.
"Captain, Kuchiki isn't even trying." Brine pointed out.
"Ginrei has passed this lesson because he figured out what it is this lesson is truly about." Byakuya told the squad.
Someone's hand went up and Byakuya went to that person. One by one people began to figure out the lesson. That they had to know the limits of their Spirit Power and were told to work on Dodge instead.
Ginrei's dummy had gotten faster so Ginrei was currently trying to figure out the pattern.
Soon only Ichigo, Yoruichi, Renji, and Rukia were left. Renji and Rukia both gave up at the same time both stating that they'd made progress and Byakuya shocked everyone by agreeing.
"Focus, Ichigo." Yoruichi scolded having given up herself. "You have the power in you to do this."
Ichigo lashed out and the dummy was torn to shreds he of course collapsed right after.
"Very good, Ichigo." Yoruichi praised, "We will continue to work on this."
"Okay..." Ichigo replied weakly.
Byakuya nodded to his servants and they brought Ichigo some food and drink which he slowly was able to get down.
"Very well." Byakuya said, when Ichigo had recovered. Orihime had insisted on looking him over. "Next will be Zanjutsu."
"Zanjutsu?" Chad asked Rukia.
"It's a Shinigami fighting style." Rukia explained, "Fighting with our Zanpakuto."
They all quickly lined up Rukia and Ichigo on either side of Ginrei.
Reikaku-3
They began.
"This reminds me of Kendo." Ichigo said, after awhile "I took lessons when I was a kid."
Academy Novice Sword Fighting-2
Zanpakuto Mastery-1
Zanjutsu Kendo Mastery-1
"This is similar yes if you use this style which I do not." Rukia replied. "There are few of us who do."
Byakuya went around helping where needed. Yoruichi was instructing Chad, Orihime, and Uryu in something else at this point. After awhile they were teamed up to practice against each other. Ginrei found himself with Brine. They were soon fighting all out using Zanjutsu against each other.
Zanjutsu Kendo Mastery-20
Hozuri-1
Your Zanjutsu Kendo Mastery has jumped because you have learned a technique without being taught.
Ginrei used Hozuri a slash technique as often as he could in the fight. They weren't the only ones going all out. Byakuya had to remind Ichigo and Renji to stick to what was being practiced and tell off a few other people. They fought and fought. Ginrei found out the Brine was a good training partner for him at the moment. He could have sworn he saw his father's mouth twitch when he saw the way he, Ginrei was fighting. He sure hoped so he wanted to impress his father to show him he did indeed know how to fight and could indeed defend himself.
Finally, Byakuya called time.
Hozuri- 30
Academy Novice Sword Fighting-20
He'd gotten that far just by fighting Brine and he was glad he'd never thought to try his skills against someone else before he'd been too scared. Now he discovered this was the perfect way to train. He should have thought of this sooner. If he kept training against Brine everyday then he would get better in no time!
"Now we will work on Hoho a weaker version of Flash Step." Byakuya said.
"Hey, you're not alone on this one." Ichigo told Ginrei in a whisper. "My friends and I can't use this either except for maybe Uryu."
Uryu, the Quincy, his brother. Ginrei looked to his brother the teen seemed a mixture of emotions, annoyed, angry, confused, and the list went on.
Hoho-1
All swords were away as they tried to speed their way around the Squad yard with Byakuya and Yoruichi giving instructions.
"You're close to learning." Yoruichi said, jumping on to Ginrei's shoulder. "Just do as I say. You do have talent."
"No I don't." Ginrei sighed, "But okay teach me. What's your name though?"
"I am Yoruichi a friend of your fathers."
Ginrei was soon training beside, Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad as Uryu was too busy proving his Fast Movement , which is what Hoho means, was superior to that of the Soul Reapers around him. Ichigo and Ginrei were picking it up faster than Orihime and Chad but latter two weren't lacking in effort or talent. By the end of the lesson Ginrei was drenched in sweat but happy with his progress.
Hoho-5
It wasn't much but at least it was better than it had been and from the looks of Brine hadn't been able to do any better.
"Next we move on to Hakuda." Byakuya ordered. "Pair up with the same people you trained with using Hozuri."
So Ginrei returned to Brine.
Hakuda was hand to hand combat not something Ginrei liked but he knew it was probably a necessity if his father wanted to teach them it. They went through the basics it seemed no one on the Squad knew how to do this and his father and Aunt Rukia only seemed to be proficient in it if that. Yoruichi went inside, transformed into a woman and came back out, fully dressed, then trained them into the ground. Ichigo seemed to have and easier time out of everyone. While they were in the sparing portion Ginrei quickly learned a few techniques.
Hakuda Mastery-5
It was clear to Ginrei and anyone paying attention that Brine was getting pissed that Ginrei was somehow better than him all of a sudden. Ginrei had yet to figure out how except that people were actually explaining things to him and showing him how things were done. That was helping a great deal.
"Thank you, Yoruichi." Byakuya drawled. "Now we move on to Kido. To your dummies."
"Is this normal training?" Orihime wondered, she'd been paired up with Uryu and had won her sparring match because of it much to Uryu's dismay.
"No, this is pushing us to our limits." Renji replied, "The Squad Tournaments are coming up and we always lose to Squad 11 and come in second place. So we get trained into the ground until and then after because he'll be upset that we lost."
"We will be practicing Sai today." Byakuya informed. "I expect you all to be able to have at least have a standard handle on this spell. Practice. "
A meter appeared on a screen in front of Ginrei telling him how much SP to channel into his fingers once the meter was in the green he said the incantation and slashed his fingers at his dummy.
"SAI!"
Sai-1
The spell worked but the dummy broke free which pissed Ginrei off.
"SAI!"
He used it over and over again this was easy to cast but it wasn't strong enough to hold anyone. He needed to do a lot of training before the Squad Tournament arrived. Byakuya was not impressed with the skills of the newcomers it was clear that standards at the Academy had dropped if these kids had graduated he hated that included his one son and yet his son was making progress where others weren't.
"You're doing it wrong, Ichigo." Rukia sighed, "Yoruichi, he wont listen to me."
The cat was back and jumped on Ichigo's shoulders, clawed his face and Ichigo began listening.
Sai-10
It was still low but it was progress and Ginrei liked progress. He turned to see Rukia and Renji competing with each other. It seemed Rukia was winning and was being very smug about it. Ichigo had finally gotten it and Uryu, Chad and Orihime were doing something else as they couldn't learn Kido.
"Very well." Byakuya said, "I see most of our recruits are not familiar with this spell and have likely never cast it before." The new recruits blushed, Ginrei stood and defiantly. "Let us try Sho."
Ginrei faced his dummy he'd used Sho before in fact it was his best Kido skill.
"Sho"
Sho- 30
For showing such Mastery in the skill from the start
Ginrei smirked to himself but didn't show it he noticed that he'd gotten everyone's attention so he began firing Sho one after another rapidly. He noticed Byakuya give him a nod and his heart soared. Approval from his father!
The training continued for about an hour until Ichigo blew up his dummy and was scratched by Yoruichi.
Sho-40
"I told you that was too much energy!" Yoruichi scolded.
"I'm sorry." Ichigo said, weakly.
"Now we will work on releasing our Shikai forms of our Zanpakuto." Byakuya informed. "This so so you can better summon your Shikai form and faster."
Ginrei held his sword in front of him and focused his Reiatsu on her. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander to her. It was easy because he was under the Cherry Blossom tree. Sure enough she appeared in his mind and they began talking like long lost friends.
"Now release when I call your name." Byakuya said. "Everyone else will watch."
Ginrei opened his eyes. Ichigo shrugged he couldn't call a Shikai form but he had a Bankai Ginrei had heard that. He kept in contact with his sword as he watched the other members of the squad he could feel almost as if she were standing beside him. Brine couldn't release his Shikai he couldn't even hear his Zanpakuto and he said loudly he doubted Ginrei could either.
Ginrei brought his sword out in front of him.
"Sing!" he called, making everyone look at him. "Cheriburossamupurinsesu!"
Cherry Blossoms burst out of the sword which became a Katana. Cherry Blossoms rained down around him but never hit the ground.
"Meet my Cherry Blossom Princess, Brine." Ginrei said in an emotionless voice. "Isn't she beautiful."
The Squad was quick to agree with him mostly because it was beautiful.
Byakuya was stunned but proud his son's Zanpakuto was Cherry Blossoms just like his. He didn't' think he could be prouder at this moment.
Shikai Form- 1
Let her teach you how to wield her powers
"Now, that most of you have released your Shikai try to get your Zanpakuto to teach you a power that you can use."
"Princess." Ginrei mumbled facing his dummy and closing his eyes. "Please show me how to wield you. I am very interested to learn."
In his mind he saw himself moving Sakura in a clockwise position then bringing her slashing down from twelve o'clock.
"Yes, I see." Ginrei mumbled out loud. He did the movement over and over again with his eyes closed until he knew she satisfied. She then showed him the right amount of SP to pour into the blade for the attack. He practiced getting the right amount and when he could do that no problem he practiced that with the movement. "Yes, yes, I think I got it and what do you call this?"
The name filled his mind he practiced saying it until she was satisfied then opened his eyes. Doing everything she'd taught him.
"Sakura no Hane!"
The Cherry Blossoms around him became glowing pink blades and threw themselves into the dummy destroying it on the first try.
Sakura no Hane-1
Master this to be taught a new technique
"Thank you, Princess." Ginrei said to his sword. "Lets keep training."
Ginrei knew that she was agreeing with him. He was so focused on her and the attack that he didn't hear the Squad whispering about how much he clearly took after his father and how connected he was with his Zanpakuto and how cute the girls thought he was. His focus was ruined though when a screen appeared.
Blood Lust/Killer Intent-1
You can feel and project this. Someone wants you dead.
He looked around and his eyes locked on Brine. He saluted Brine with his sword causing laughter and giggles then went back to work. Near by Orihime was using her attack on a dummy and her attack was clearly in charge as it was yelling at her, Chad was using his arm attack on his dummy, Uryu was using a bow and arrow and Ichigo was yelling at Zangetsu to teach him something and do it now while shaking his sword rapidly. He rolled his eyes at that and went back to focusing on his Princess.
He used the attack four times before she reverted back to sealed form and he fell on his butt.
"Four times is our limit huh?" He asked the dagger in his hand. He felt her weakly agree with him. "Okay, we both need rest then."
He was brought food and milk again so he could recover. He wasn't the only one who'd reached his limit. Soon only Byakuya, Rukia and Renji were still going and Ichigo was still yelling at Zangetsu.
"Perhaps it would be time for me to teach you an advanced technique for communicating with your Zanpakuto." Byakuya said, eyeing Ichigo. "this technique is called Jinzen and is very advanced and hard to achieve but if you practice you maybe able to get it.
It is not enough to simply know the name of one's Zanpakutō. If a wielder were to lend its power to its Zanpakutō, the weapon would become stronger. To fully use a Zanpakutō's power, a wielder must get to know its Zanpakutō's spirit.
Jinzen (刃禅, Sword Meditation; Viz "Sword Zen"): This method is the only way to carry on a proper conversation with one's Zanpakutō. One places their sword over their lap, takes a meditative pose, and forces their mind to become one with the Zanpakutō.
In this form, one can call out the true form of the powers of their Zanpakutō. It has been refined over thousands of years, since the beginning of Soul Society, to allow one to commune with their Zanpakutō. This advanced form of training is far different from attaining abilities by force. In this form, one enters a state of calm to enter the inner world of the Zanpakutō and engage them there. In this state, a wielder will have to fight their Zanpakutō spirit in order to attain access to new abilities. Unwilling to teach its owner these abilities, the Zanpakutō spirit engages its wielder in a battle, the likes of which has never taken place before
.In this meditative state, one is so deeply entranced, even sustained wounds are ignored. Any form of injury sustained in the inner world while in this meditative state is reflected in the real world. So do be careful."
"I'll heal anyone who gets hurt." Orihime declared her big boobs bouncing.
So everyone resumed meditation state or at least the soul reapers did.
You have a natural ability for Jinzen.
Jinzen-1
Byakuya was passing by.
"It's telling me I have a natural ability for Jinzen." Ginrei said in a low voice.
"Then use it." Byakuya replied. "Get to know your Princess better."
Ginrei closes his eyes with his sword in his lap and enters Jinzen. He finds himself under a cherry blossom tree in a field full of Cherry Blossom trees as far as the eye can see. He turns and smiles there she is standing there beside him staring out at the field. She has pink hair down to below her shoulders, her shirt as a single strap on her right shoulder and only covers her breasts which he notes are rather small looks to be made out of cherry blossom petals as does her micro mini skirt. Both are pink. She wears a pair of slipper shoes on her feet.
"This place is beautiful." Ginrei finally says looking around. "This is my inner world?" he sighs depressed. "It's so girly."
"Do not get upset." The Princess says. "Or it will rain again. It's been raining here a lot lately. With this new power it is my hope that it will stop raining so much."
"It rains when I get upset?" Ginrei asked, "Father said we are to fight to get to know each other but can't we just talk?"
"For awhile then yes, your training must begin. I am glad we can enter such a connection when you are so young. Many have wielded me in the past but none have reached the level of communication with me. I am most pleased."
"I'm glad to hear that." Ginrei said, sitting down. "I want to be your friend. I bet you're really powerful aren't you?"
"Indeed I am a very special Zanpakuto with many skills. One day I hope to teach them to you. For that has always been my dream to teach one of masters to control my true power."
Ginrei relaxed under the tree watching the petals fall.