Tea (Done; Awaiting Judgement)

[Kannon]

Kannon decide to tactfully go with the best answer. "It is common knowledge not to waste a hammer repairing a sword that is already perfect." With a completely flat, serious expression, he took another sip of his tea, sighing. "Asking me if I have questions is like asking a baby if he needs tutelage in the sword he was handed a moment before. A man who knows only swordplay would be hard pressed to understand the supernatural in just one day, you understand. For the moment, it seems the biggest concerns are addressed, and the rest is merely a matter of keeping my eyes open, so to speak."

He rested his hand on his Asauchi. He felt as though he had an idea of the rudiments of this spirit energy concept. He had always felt like whatever weapon was in his hand was a part of him, an extension of his arms. Even on those occasions when he needed to improvise, bring up a broom handle or something equally inappropriate, it always seemed to serve him well, even the few times he found himself against bona-fide steel. Of course, that could have merely been luck and over-thinking, but in the face of these new revelations... He shook his head. Let's take it one step at a time. "So, you mentioned a trick to control spirit energy? Is it related to the black hole drawing you mentioned earlier?"

[Akayaiba Kazuma]

"Ah, that only really works in Picturing Kidou. I was going to give you some advice in how to control your spirit energy. Though the black circle should help you concentrate a bit." Kazuma held his right hand out, "I want you try focusing your spirit energy into your hand. I know it'll won't actually work right away, but it's a way of testing your level of control." Kazuma closed his hand into a fist, drawing the energy in his body to his hand, "Here goes..." As he opened his hand, he tried to create a small ball of light in his hand. It flickered a bit taking on the appearance of a flame. "This is a ball of Spirit energy... As it is, there's not much this can do, but it's proves my ability to control my power. You won't be able to manage something like this without an application, but..." Kazuma stopped, thinking to himself for a moment before coming up with an idea.

"I know! I bet because of your Bushido, you practice with your sword in your free time, right? Well the next time you plan on practicing with your blade, don't. Instead pick up a stick or a wooden sword, and try to focus your spiritual energy into the wood. It'll probably do nothing but start to glow, but heck it'll help you visualize and form your spirit energy. When you can start doing that, you should do so with everything you touch." Kazuma smiled, "Get used to controlling your spirit energy, afterward everything else in your training will be a bit easier." Kazuma smiled, "I have a powerful skill that is very close to this training. I won't teach it to you though, because even though I mastered it, it still breaks my bones using it." He chuckled a bit to himself, but brushed away the ideas he had come up with. "How's that for your first lesson. You'll learn a lot more from better teachers than I am in the academy, but sometimes practical knowledge is needed.

[Kannon]

Kannon frowned. Control your spirit energy, direct it into your hand? How was he supposed to do that? He thought back to his experiences with wooden swords. Could it maybe be similar? Something like what he was trying to do there, or that strange trick he learned before using Iai-do? Kannon shook his head. No way of knowing for sure unless one were to try. He held out his hand, flexed his fingers, pictured the hilt of a sword and his own efforts to pump spirit energy into it. He could feel the slightest hint of warmth, diverting from his body and moving slowly for his arm. He flexed his fingers some more, tightened his concentration, and for a brief moment he fancied he almost saw a faint hint of light coming from his palm.

He sighed, let the energy return to normal. "I suppose like anything worth mastery, the master makes it look devilishly simple. Hmm, wooden swords, you say? A useful tool for practice, I'm sure, but I've never heard of it being used as a tool for spirit energy. I bow to your knowledge in the matter, Kazuma-sama. But this is quite the lesson, I must admit. With this, I wouldn't be surprised if it trumps centuries of simple sword-swinging like I've been engaged in. I'd be content just learning the rudiments, if it meant getting stronger. You have certainly given this old samurai something to mull over, Kazuma-sama... Princess."

[Akayaiba Kazuma]

"I'm no master. It's still rather hard, even for me to do something as simple looking as that." Kazuma smiled. The young lady in white didn't acknowledge the talk, instead continued to eat the tiny cakes and drink her bitter tea. "A wooden sword isn't really anything special, but I believe practicing with things that aren't your usual weapon will increase your training results more." Kazuma scratched his head, "And drop the Keigo already. I'm pretty sure you're older than me by a great deal," Especially to be concerned with Bushido, "So Please, just call me Kazuma, or Captain if you feel more comfortable with that." Byakuhime almost choked on her drink. Her giggling voice came bubbling out of the tea, "You, being modest for once, heh!" Kazuma playfully pushed on her shoulder, nearly knocking him off of her chair.

"Don't worry about becoming stronger. That will come by itself. Just focus on why you are training. It's not because of any order, though there probably is one out there somewhere. It's because your duty now is to balance life and death. You can't do that being weak." Kazuma scratched his head. He had apparently made progress in getting Kannon to not want to work only to die. But it didn't really matter. Mission accomplished. But realistically, just by performing in their little skirmish outside, the shinigami's little escape day had been severely cut down. He would be lucky to even get a half an hour's nap before having to go back and approve experiments back at the Research and Development Center. "Well, I'm sure you'll find your way eventually, Buseio-kun. If you want my help, try to come by the Twelveth Division's barracks. On Saturdays, I'm mostly busy every other day of the week after all."

[Kannon]

Kannon took one last sip of his tea. "My apologies, Captain. Old habits and a well-defined class system, you understand. If you truly have trouble with my mannerisms, I would be happy to try and change. However, I fear I have already taken up much of your time with my paranoia and my thoughts on Bushido. Therefore, with my apologies, I will take my leave of you two. I do believe it is about time for me to begin my formal training."

He bowed his head a respectful distance, rising to his feet with measured grace. "My thanks for allowing me to sit with you, Captain Kazuma." He turned to leave the tea shop, his hand resting on his Asauchi. Quite an unusual organization he found himself in. Perhaps, he thought, he could one day get used to this whole balance of life and death concept. For now, however, he was willing to focus on the problem at hand. How to bring about this Zanpakuto and reach that elusive next level of skill.

[Akayaiba Kazuma]

"If you're worrying about Class, I'm pretty sure mine would be well beneath your's. As a retainer, even a dishonored samurai were higher than the merchant class." He shrugged. He was awfully sure that his family had absolutely no claim to the warrior class. But that didn't matter. Now Kazuma could actually sit back, relax, and hope and pray no one found him at the tea shop after his little display. He was lucky. He had about a fifteen minute rest time after Kannon left until the next hazard came. Three or four officers had entered the room, each appearing more frantic than the last. They were complaining about some explosion in the left wing. Kazuma laughed, attempting, and failing, to calm the shinigami down by reminding them that the left wing was where most of the flame retardant testing was done. Apparently it was one of the coolant tanks built to suppress fire that started it. The captain and president couldn't help but laugh out loud at the news.

"Now that's ironic. The Extinguishers started the fire." And apparently, the sprinklers were spreading the fire across the building. It would be a debauchery of his position if he failed to clear this mess. He shrugged, taking Byakuhime's hand, "Let's go, we'll probably be able to put out the fire without too much trouble. You whimps, carry the Tenshintai back. I'll move on ahead." As Kazuma pulled on Byakuhime's hand, she slide out of the blank slate, leaving it fall harmlessly to the floor. Kazuma realized he was still in the middle of the Tea shop, "Well, I shouldn't have done that here, huh?" "Just Sheathe me and hurry. The fire might reach the gas tanks." Kazuma nodded, "Now, now. Calm down. I'm on my way." In a blink of the eye, he vanished from the tea parlor, already rocketing through the city streets towards his burning home.

(Exit)