[ Voice ]

[transcendens]

[ For those who are familiar with his habits, that Sousuke chooses the voice option instead of the customary video is indicative of a problem. But his voice is as smooth and calm as ever, as though there’s absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. ]

To those with whom I made plans to spar, I’m afraid I’m going to have to reschedule. [ There’s the

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[transcendens]

[ And Sousuke, good as his word, arrives right on schedule. He's wearing black, trousers and a button-up shirt. The clothes are nice, but they only succeed in make him looking even paler than he already does. But he moves with confidence, and his posture is straight and his eyes bright when he reaches the younger man's side. ]

Kanda, yes?

[yet_shall_live]

[Kanda, dressed in a a black yukata over hakama, manages not to look quite as pale. He pushes off one of the trees when Aizen approaches, tossing him one of the boken without much more than a glance up and down.]

You look like shit.

[transcendens]

[ His off-hand, the left, catches the boken without much difficulty, though his lips thin as he reaches out his arm. But they quirk upward into a wry smile a moment later.]

I forgot to put the make-up on again this morning, didn't I? Shall I go back and freshen up?

[yet_shall_live]

Tch.

[Having no use for whatever sense of humor Aizen is attempting to display, Kanda settles for rushing Aizen. It's a simple matter to reverse his grip on the other boken, to lunge headlong at the older man, and bring his own wooden blade down in an overhead sweep.]

[transcendens]

[ He's fast for a human, Sousuke will give him that. And if he'd been well, he would have knocked that boken out of Kanda's hands in a heartbeat. As it is, he does nothing quite so impressive.

Instincts override injuries, and his arm snaps up to block the blow. Pain blossoms, sharp and stabbing, along his chest as some of the cuts tear open. But he only grits his teeth, shifting his weight and pushing back with the boken to force Kanda away. ]

[yet_shall_live]

[He bounces back, letting himself be forced back, but rebounds with a horizontal slash to the gut. If he notices anything off about Aizen, he doesn't speak of it.]

[transcendens]

[ The block is swift, immediate, and he winces visibly from the strain of it. A bead of sweat collects at his temple, the effort to keep this up and ignore the lancing spikes of pain beginning to take its toll. But he only twists away, unlocking the wooden blades before lashing out with a upward sweep toward Kanda's chest. ]

[yet_shall_live]

[The boken weaves fluidly down and to the side, deflect the sweep outward, so that Kanda can take take a step inside the reach of Aizen's sword. His off hand snaps up, the heel of his palm aimed to strike Aizen under the chin.]

[transcendens]

[ With only one usable arm, and that already engaged elsewhere, Sousuke has no choice but to try to dodge the strike. He's slow, much slower now than normal, and he doesn't manage to twist away fast enough. Kanda's palm catches him along the side of his chin, snaps his head back and staggers him. Lacking a choice, he retreats a handful of steps, bringing the boken up in readiness for another hit. ]

[yet_shall_live]

[When Aizen retreats, Kanda stops. His stance remains solid, but the boken drop to his side, and he just fixes Aizen with a moody look. Bored, irritated, and disappointed, he raises his off hand, palm open for the other boken.]

I'm done with this. See me again when you're recovered.

[transcendens]

[ Eyes narrow, Sousuke doesn't immediately relinquish the boken. Everything hurts. He wants only to go lay down. But being dismissed sits uneasily with him, and he hates being weak. ]

Is that generally how a warrior responds to an obstacle? Give up simply because the task is difficult?

[yet_shall_live]

[Unmoved, Kanda remains where he is, his palm still open.]

A warrior fights with the last shred of his soul. The man who doesn't, isn't a warrior.

[transcendens]

I shattered mine for the sake of my cause, boy. And gave up everything I was.

[ He drops the boken where he stands, eyes cold and hard. He cannot stalk gracefully away, but he turns nonetheless, and begins the slow, laborious trek back to Iki. The last comment is tossed over his shoulder without looking back. ]

Do not lecture your elders on something about which you know nothing.

[yet_shall_live]

[Kanda only snort and watches Aizen go. He doesn't speak until Aizen's out of earshot, when he moves to collect the boken.]

Wasn't a real fight, old man.