Solo Training Thread

Jacques stepped up onto a granite platform that protruded out from the sand about a foot. Standing before him was the new leader of the Exequias. Like the former leader, this one had the ability to produce an innumerable amount of "troops" from his Ressureccion ability. Her name was Kouhi Mitsubachi; but most referred to her as Queen Bee, and for a very good reason. It was an apt description of her abilities. She was actually a rather stout, matronly looking individual with very flaxen yellow hair. Her robes only further served to make her look like an insect, as the top curved up over her head into an oversized hood, the torso was very pronounced, and the skirt protruded out like an elegant ballgown. The overall effect was that of a head, thorax, and abdomen of an insect.

"Increase and multiply," she yelled, drawing her Zanpakuto. "Abeja Reina!" Her Hollow mask swelled until it covered her whole body like a cocoon, and then began to expand until it was the size of a typical moonbounce. Then, a myriad of cracks appeared in it, and it split open to reveal a very small body on top of an enormous, disgustingly slimy looking insect abdomen. At the tip of the abdomen was a small hole, out of which what looked like hundreds of grains of rice were coming out. From each grain of rice, a body began to form. Each of them looked like a sort of humanoid bee- and there were two types. One was short and fat, standing only up to Jacques's waist, and carried a wazikashi. The other was of normal height, though on the lean side, and carried a katana. There were basically an entire company of these standing in front of Jacques.

"Thank you for assisting me in my training," said Jacques. "This is much appreciated, Madame Kouhi." That being said, he assumed an attacking stance and smirked. Jacques jumped into the air and formed his hands into a triangle shape, and a green Cero began to form in the center. VMMMM! His Cero rocked the earth and sent rubble and dust into the air. Shapes began to form in the dust, and several of Kouhi's warriors flew up from the dust, swords aimed to kill. Jacques was unimpressed; he was confident that his Hierro was sufficient to stop them even if he did nothing.

He had no intention of doing nothing. Jacques twisted in midair, and grasped the dull edge of one of the warrior's katanas and pulled forward while kicking, sinking his foot into the gut of the warrior, sending him plummeting down to the ground with ruptured innards. He lashed out with several other lightning fast strikes, cracking open skulls, crushing windpipes, breaking limbs, and causing internal bleeding as his hand-to-hand combat abilities revealed themselves. Jacques was a brutal and efficient fighter, wasting no movement and laying the smackdown on every single warrior that came his way.

More and more came at him, at faster intervals. Jacques smiled; Kouhi was annoyed that he was able to easily defeat her warriors. Just to continue to irk her, he began to use Balas to enhance his blows, which resulted in more of her warriors plummeting down toward her with gaping holes in their broken bodies. "Can't you do any better, Madame Kouhi? I've barely broken a sweat!" Jacques could feel her reiatsu increase in rage as a response to his jibe. Her warriors were coming at him in endless streams now. Jacques's limbs moved at lightning speed, backhanding and forehanding, stabbing and punching, sending most of them straight down so as to hinder the flow of warriors coming at him. His legs also worked in perfect unison, doing an equal amount of work in terms of pulverizing.

"Time to finish this!" Jacques streamlined his body and began to fall straight down, knocking warriors out of the way as he fell. Again, he formed his fingers into a triangle shape. "Cero!!!" Another large explosion...when the dust cleared, Jacques could see Kouhi's burst abdomen lying in tatters around her. She was alive, if only just. With some medical attention, she would live. Jacques didn't care; she had served her purpose. "Au revoir, Madame." He flicked his spent cigarette onto her prone form and walked off.

"Jacques Kyoukan," said a terrible voice. It was near silent, but it was a whisper of power, and of no hesitation to use it. It was the voice of the Espada Jacques was technically under the command of. Usually, none of the Espada wanted anything to do with Jacques because he was a) courteously rude, and b) seldom able to be found anyway. Jacques generally preferred it this way, as did they. But...his near fatal encounter with Kouhi had gotten him into some trouble.

"Yes?"

"You are responsible for the near mortal wounding of Kouhi, Leader of the Exequias. This is considered treason."

"Not really. She was *nearly* killed. And besides, had I been successful, I would have her job. And that would be distasteful to the extreme."

"You are insolent. You deserve punishment."

"Undoubtedly."

Silence. And then, a blow to the sternum that sent Jacques flying through the darkened room, through three walls to finally skid to a halt outside in the sunlight. "Tch..." Jacques straightened and looked down. There was a smoldering hole in the chest area of his suit. "Ugh, you've ruined my suit." Jacques was winded, but there was no way he was going to let on to that.

From the hole in the building came...not the Espada. Instead, one of his Fraccion, an arrogant individual named Momon. Momon was a little larger in the chest than Jacques, but otherwise their body types were near identical. Momon wore standard Arrancar robes and his Hollow mask covered his neck and mouth up to his nose. "I get to teach you a lesson about pain now, Monsieur," said Momon mockingly.

"Oh I doubt it...you see, in order to teach something, one must first understand it. And you see, a toady like you, Momon...you don't," said Jacques. Momon was extremely proud of being a Fraccion. He viewed Jacques as inferior and weaker just because no Espada had taken him on as a Fraccion. Momon was in for a surprise then.

Jacques saw Momon's brow furrow as he registered the insult. It was an indication of attack; Momon's fist came flying forward; this time, Jacques was ready for it. His head moved to the side and the fist missed. Jacques Sonido'd forward and drove both fists into Momon's stomach; normally, this would be tactically stupid, but Jacques had enhanced both of his fists with Balas for this strike, and so it was much stronger than normal, and sent Momon soaring backward.

Momon was no pushover though- he recovered quickly and charged Jacques, who nimbly dodged out of the way again. Momon might be physically stronger, and perhaps more durable than Jacques, but Jacques was a good sight faster. As Momon came past him, Jacques brought his elbow down brutally into Momon's back, sending him plummeting down, but again, Momon recovered. Momon pushed off and launched a Bala-enhanced punch at Jacques.

Jacques dropped down and to the left. At just the right moment, his foot connected with Momon's chin, sending him flying again. "I tire of this..." Jacques said. A Cero began to form at the tip of his finger. VMMMMM! The Cero ripped through Momon just as he recovered. His smoldering body fell to the ground. Supremely unconcerned, Jacques lit a fresh cigarette.