[BSD-RP] Human World: Karakura Town

[BSD]

Hiroka stood watching as Oyama bolted for one direction and Shoumetsu for the other, looking between the both once and then letting out a small sigh. He started to move in the direction of his comrade who headed to pass on the soul of a fallen combatant. There was no need for both of them to handle the Konsō. His gaze remained vigil though was distracted only for a moment when the sky opened to allow for Arrancar to escape. The spectacle of the fleeing action came with the agitation of the remaining Whale Menos. The entities posed a threat before but may have potentially become a bit more of an issue given the disorganized and erratic nature left by their release from their commander(s).
Hiroka focused his attention on the rampaging Menos while his teammate performed the passing ritual. His body shifted from where it was to some rubble that laid from the previous conflict. The scarred shinigami allowed for his Reiryoku to travel between the bindings that covered his right leg and arm, coiling them around two large chunks of debris. Hiroka swung his weapon releasing heat onto the rubbish. He spun once before launching them in the direction of a Menos with incredible force. As the chaff connected with the targetted Hollow, they shattered into smaller fragments prior to independently detonating. The barrage of explosions wearing down the entity until it faded to nothingness. The male took a step forward once, his body dispersing from where it stood and nearing his superior within a few more bounds. Shoumetsu had resolved the ritual and was clearly preparing to aid in the clean-up effort to bring this battle to a close.
Hiroka shimmered in behind the other shinigami, resting his non-dominant hand on their shoulder. A smirk painted on his face as he parted his lips to speak.
Hiroka: "You are already behind one. Gonna have to be quick if you want to win."
His playful tone drew along his word but came with no follow-up, only the forward blitz to take on more of the corrupted spirits. He did not let the competition between him and his fellow squadmate lead him into a corner but certainly tried to land the killing blows as much as possible. Their synergy making quick work of many of the looming threats over the city. The pair were acting as both thunder and lightning, a true display of the Eleventh's might.

 

[BSD]

護廷十三隊
Ten Years Later

 

[BSD]

Ten years ago, lives were lost. Taken during the battle between Quincy and Shinigami against the hellish force of the Togabito. All hands were on deck, defending souls, defending their homes. Yet from the sidelines, Dimitri stood by and watched his home be ravaged by flames and washed over by an ocean of blood. Wasn’t there something he could do? Couldn’t he have helped? Many can label him a coward. Spineless. A weak old man that had nothing left to live for. How can a devout member of the Church, a Priest, a father of the children still claim these titles when he did not lift a finger to protect the very people who supported his cause? Disgraceful… So much so it left a wound on his heart, a scar on his very soul. Though, his glasses kept the pain from being seen in his eyes, and so did his demeanor.
In hopes to repent, he spent these ten years praying, asking for forgiveness. Asking that the hands of God will extend to every person who managed to survive. Who now walk these very roads mourning the loss of loved ones. Spiritually aware humans who are capable of seeing or feeling the overwhelming presence of three worlds, and worse, see the spirits of their fallen. Unable to touch or hug them as they once did. For those spirits who were unlucky, they'd be eaten or turn into the very things that hunt them. A Hollow… This tore through Dimitri the most and personally, he made it his mission to assist as much as he could. For these past ten years, he opened up his church to those that lost their homes, their families, their jobs, and Kids who became orphans.
He’d preach to them, the grace and protection of God. That putting their faith in him, they will be uplifted once again. Able to rise from the ashes of their own destruction and isolated torment. Some would become devoted to giving their life, but others still felt reluctant. Their emotions so far twisted that they conflicted with what they believed in. Even those who already developed a relationship, found their faiths crushed, and thrown to the side. They felt as if God had abandoned them, leaving them to suffer. As if this was their punishment for all the sins they have committed in their lifetime. Dimitri tried to convince them, but even to this current day, he struggles endlessly.
While the number is few, only one of them managed to make their way back. Contemplating accepting God’s grace. Hands tucked in his jeans, a torn hoodie covering his head and torso. His dirt-covered face was wiped clean for the first time in months. He walked the long corridor, and what felt like an endless walk he’d eventually come to the light of the building. Chandeliers decorating the ceilings, windows covered in lore, and history of God’s travels throughout the world. Marble floors are littered with chairs, but the space is big enough to hold many people and what was left of their families. They rest here. They pray here. They often sleep here… With no other place to go, the man walks on, traveling the makeshift path created by a plethora of carpets. Eyes stacked upon him, but he kept on, staying focused on his goal. While he wasn’t used to on-lookers as those of the outside world kept their distance and their business far from him, to the people who reside in this church, it was just another person who sought help and when they noticed his destination, many of them began to smile…
At the front of the Church sat a small altar, one that displayed God at the forefront with his hands presented in the prayer position. There, seated with his hands clasped together, all the same, is Dimitri, deep into yet another prayer. Long before the young man had set foot into his church, however, he knew his journey would eventually bring him back here. The Young man approaches, standing behind Dimitri as he removes his hood to reveal a shade of blonde hair and stone silver eyes...
” I- I um... I’m back. I thought about what you said… I’m ready.”
” Oh?”
With closed eyes, the 67-year-old stands with a posture that made him look far younger than he appeared. He turned around, as his hands hid within the sleeves of his robe.
” I’m happy that you have decided to come back. I hope your journey gave you many answers?”
The young man looks away while his memories travel to his broken household. Where blood had already dried up on the walls and furniture. He was left with images of their bodies, mangled and brutally beaten… Like Dimitri, instead, he was powerless. Against the Hollow that maned his family, he could do nothing, just sit and watch as they were beaten to death, paralyzed by fear. As these memories resurfaced he could only drop to his knees as his hands fell into his face. He hollered, sobbing loudly into the palms of his hands. His body trembled so much that it only made him cry even harder.
” I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING!”
His pain expressed through words finally, Dimitri knelt before him, placing a single hand upon his shoulder, and then he’d eventually bring the young man to his feet…
” While I can not guarantee your wounds will heal overnight, I can guarantee that God will make the process a little easier. It starts first, with acceptance.”
Acceptance, something he needed to accomplish for himself, but it seemed that Dimitri was neglecting this part of his guilt. Hiding behind his act of helping others, when he has yet to help himself. While noble in its own right, it will only further damage him mentally. The young man nods, finally wiping the tears from his face and taking his seat in front of the altar, praying for the strength to move forward. Dimitri seats himself once again, keeping his hand upon his shoulder

 

[BSD]

Things have surely quieted down in Karakura Town. They take notice of it, the silent streets, save for the hum of the streetlamps that slowly begin to come to life as the sun falls. The heat of the day is slowly replaced with a gentle summer night, the moon just beginning to peek over the horizon to take its place into the sky. Families are beginning to rest their heads against their pillows, living without a single care in the world as none are forced to recall the horrors of ten years ago.
Not even They recall the day they were born, but They can manage to remember what They were taught throughout the centuries from their Master; whereThey had come from, Their place in the world, who They served, it was all drilled into Their Head. Draped in white cloth, They move down an abandoned path, soundless steps but the ruffling of the white sheet rumbling every now and then as they drift somewhat aimlessly. For whom the bell tolls, They wonder, as They drift closer and closer towards a large building, decorated and perforated with biblical designs and scriptures. A large cross looms overhead, and They peer up through their hood, observing the large wooden figure as it stared right back at Them.
Only after They look down do the large wooden doors pry open, revealing a pristine chapel with very few occupants residing inside, keeping distance from one another as these God-fearing people reside in the pews, leaving the aisle only to Them. This hooded figure continues traveling down the aisle, but those that had paid close attention would realize that this being was practically hovering as they glided down to the altar. Their spiritual energy was nearly nonexistent, but the darkness that followed them had begun to cause the occupants to leave one by one in overwhelmingly quiet succession. They were doing well to draw no attention to Themselves otherwise as They directly took a seat across from the frailest looking elder, garbed in white, quietly consoling a broken man.
“Does God truly exist to see his children suffer, Father Dimitri?”

A deafening silence washes over the final occupant, and he finds himself frozen in place. This space no longer amplified anything holy, and his time of retribution and healing was cut short as he had finally gained the feeling in his legs to leave and move far from this place. Perhaps this child would return another time, but his body had reacted correctly in sending him far away from this place while They resided within.
“The God you worship does not exist; We wonder why you have not answered Our Master’s summons, Father.”
Blume Diamante was a patient woman, but even patience has its limits. If this priest had the heart to save these broken souls, then what was the reason that he would continue to deny his services to a woman that had the good of their race in mind? Surely he was well aware of the happenings within the past decade; if he was, and had he truly cared for humanity, Dimitri would have no reason to deny his hand in joining the Empress that only wished for the best. The spiritually unaware were blissfully ignorant of what lies beyond their own shadows, and those that know of what lurks in the dark, are just as uninformed of just how real their monsters really are.

 

[BSD]

Night finally descends upon Karakura. A night similar to many others that have passed within these ten years, however, others would have experienced darker nights… Those fortunate enough to find the church even at such late hours, they’d find shelter, a safe haven for themselves and for their family. This is why he built this church from the ground up. It's why he alone has run this church from the first day until it will no doubt meet its end. Dimitri expected this night to be no different, that time will pass, and the next day will arise. New faces, new adventures, new members to the Church, but it would seem that this night will indeed experience new faces, faces that are kept well hidden.
His doors are met with unexpected guests, or rather guests that were bound to appear at some point, Dimitri just had no clue when they would come. The glare on his glasses subsides, leaving the lenses of his glasses as he slightly turns his head, his eyes moving in tow, but never did his head fully turn at the sound of the wooden doors being pried open. It is the only noise that doesn’t go unnoticed by him, as everyone who has come to sleep for the night has already begun to quiet their chatter. This hooded figure travels the corridor, darkness following in his wake. The figure had done well to nearly concealing his presence, most who were spiritually aware would have never picked up on his presence, but Dimitri is hardly oblivious, he alone was able to capture the smallest signature that this hooded man gave. Dimitri stayed, continuing to console the young man beside him, his eyes at this point returned to him, allowing for the remainder of his attention to be for him, not for the hooded being. He’d give the impression that he was clueless about the approach.
One by one, the few members of his church stand and leave, seemingly undisturbed by the hovering being that travels past them. They exit with no haste, no fear in their step. This was someone who wanted to speak to Dimitri alone, to remain anonymous. Overwhelming silence settles, far more than a normal night did before. The hooded figure takes a seat and whether he arrives alone or with more of his kind, Dimitri remains vigilant even as it makes an interesting statement.
“ Does God truly exist to see his children suffer, Father Dimitri?”
He is the first to break the silence between them, questioning God as many do. Right then, the figure receives no response, no inkling of its presence being acknowledged at all, but it didn’t take long for Dimitri to finally give the attention that was clearly being demanded. The young man becomes frozen in his own space, unable to continue his process of healing, but just as everyone else, feeling returns to his legs, and without help from Dimitri, he stands and just as easily he leaves to return another time… However, Dimitri stands, but he does so in the action of reaching behind the altar to grab his cane, one that has been crafted and made to suit his needs of walking, to store his spiritual power. However, if this hooded figure had any knowledge of the Diamante family, the figure can then deduce the cane he now takes into his hands to be made by them specifically. Whether this will be noticed or not, the figure spoke once again, and this time he had garnered the full attention of Dimitri who had turned around, placing the end of his cane to the floor in front of him. His hands rested upon the top of it. The glare in his glasses returns, leaving his eyesight to be concealed for the moment, but through just his silence alone it is incredibly hard to tell whether he is angry, frightened, sad, or even excited. His expression remains a stone, his posture, and stature even more so.
“ The God you worship does not exist; We wonder why you have not answered Our Master’s summons, Father.”
This figure seeks answers, reason, motives. It is likely that it could not go back empty-handed. Will he demand a reply with more aggression? Will it use force if necessary to get what he needed to return to its master? Regardless of what he wanted, he’d receive no emotional reaction from Dimitri, in fact, he’d get the same respect he’d show everyone else that stepped foot into his church.
” For many to learn, for us to evolve, we must feel pain. It is our greatest teacher. God does not interfere, but he will lend a hand and in time heal the wounds of those who have felt great pain.”
A response to his first statement, but he’d give the hooded figure no time to rebuttal or even fix its lips to do so and in doing so he promptly ignored his opinion of God not existing.
” As for your master, Blume Diamante I gather… I have not answered her summons because my time is needed here, in this church. However, I do extend my apologies to her.
He raised a hand to remove his glasses, revealing stone-colored eyes, and from this point on the sense of seriousness plagues the air, becoming palpable.
” Now then, in the same respect that I show you now, I’d hoped that she would be the one to step through my doors, not a messenger or rather someone who hides in the shadows and repels the holiness of my home. While I will not decline or accept her summons at this time, I respectfully ask you to exit my home, please. If this is something that is truly important to her, then she will approach me, and only then will I consider lending my aid to her cause.”
Dimitri sets his glasses upon the collar of his robe and with that same hand he used to remove them, he’d gesture outward towards the door for the hooded figure to exit. The seriousness that plagues the air doesn’t disappear, but it is coupled with a sense of sincerity and the utmost respect towards the Diamante Family and all they have done.
” Please be safe, and I truly hope God finds a way to aid you in any of your endeavors. Also, please allow my members to find their way back inside on your way out.”
Dimitri would not turn his back to the hooded man. He remained with his gesture to the door, patiently waiting for the figure to leave as silently and quickly as he came.