[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Central Seireitei

[BSD]

"Head Lieutenant Oki, I wish to study Kido in an environment where I can learn hands on with some of the best practitioners in the Seireitei. I would also be seeking to join the Kido Corps, while in the Fifth Division as well. I overestimate my own skill when I actually have only a natural talent for it. Not only does the Fifth Division have someone that has mastered Kido in Captain Oda, it has local heroes like Lieutenant Suta. They both survived that mess at the Kuchiki Manor, that is impressive to me."

She listens intently to his quick, yet thought out response, with her resting smile across her face. Her right hand slides across her desk, towards her pen, which she then carefully lifts and begins jotting notes, statements. Recording several details of their current interaction. She remains silent, even as he finishes speaking, she doesn't say anything. The sound of her scribbling fills the room, making the seconds appear eternal as time continues ticking forward. Finally, her pen stops moving and she places it back on her desk.
"I understand. While I can approve the transfer out of First Division, I cannot force your acceptance into Fifth Division. I will need to see a transfer request from them."
From here, he would have to seek such a request from the Fifth Division barracks. It seemed that his mind was entirely made up, and despite any efforts on her part to prevent his departure, he was adamant about his transfer. There was little else to say.
In truth, she felt slightly insulted. Honoka, a master of Kido herself, seemed to have gone overlooked by the young man who sought out Kido knowledge, despite sharing the same division. While this would bear no weight in her decision for his future, it appeared his words struck a chord. She brushes this off quickly, putting her desire for the betterment of the Gotei 13 and shinigami first. After all, he appeared to have a good plan of action for his self improvement, and while she would have loved to have seen him blossom in First Division, it would appear that she would have to watch his growth and progress from afar.

 

[BSD]

“As being powerless to do anything other than complain could be added to your repertoire of skills and tasks.”
Characteristically similar to a tenacious pest, the Phantom chimes in with yet another comment meant to aggravate the young Captain. Yū has no more words for Kyomu’s retorts, someone as dishonorable as him wasn’t worth wasting the breath. He keeps his mouth clamped shut, shaking his head slightly in frustration.
”Sigh. . .I guess you lack understanding huh, dumbass? In one ear and out the other eh? Yu cha ~"
“Tch…” he exclaims at the Kojima’s quick dismissal. He watches him bring his cigar to his lips, taking in a large breath before smoke billows from his nostrils and mouth alike. Maho’s muttering is missed on the Fairy’s ears, as he dives right into his report while confirming Yū’s thoughts.
"Honestly though; No There isn't.
I've dedicated my time to bolstering My divisions' Manpower. It has been... real... inconvenient chasing you all around for information during the last few months. So. . ."
‘Bolstering your manpower, huh… Sounds like I’ll be seeing Jiro at the relief station more often than usual… which is already too often,’ the young Captain reflects as he envisions the pink-haired Shinigami in yet another, unfortunate predicament regarding his training.
"I'll be dissolving the Ninth divisions entire rank structure and startin' from the ground up. I've personally handpicked a number of Shinigami from the third division and Shino academy over the last few years. My final transfers have arrived today."
‘Hopefully they don’t follow in their Captain’s footsteps. The last thing I need are more brash Shinigami roaming about…’
"Once we done' here, I'm returning to my training. Same as I did when Kyomu turned his blade on the Commander. Same as I'll do tomorrow. Should another catastrophe drop on my doorstep, I'll have the manpower to swiftly assess, intercept and handle whatever it may be. I must prepare twice as much, considering when the times come, all of you will somehow be...'busy.’ That's it from me..."
Another scoff escapes Yū; The young Captain is mesmerized at how a man such as Captain Kojima was able to say so many words, yet have them all hold such little importance. His attention however is drawn shortly after by the final Captain, stepping forward to give his long-awaited report. As one of the few… At the moment, probably the only person in the room Yū truly respected, Higen would have the young Captain’s undivided attention the moment he parted his lips to address them.
“Higen Kagayaki. Division 10.”
Yū’s posture tightens and straightens out, now standing at his full height.
“I’ll start from the beginning, so that perhaps together we could work together to complete the puzzle.”
“All those months ago, the same day as Kyomu’s Coup we were alerted of an odd anomaly present in Naruki City. The readings were so odd that I in fact decided to visit the city myself. I disposed of the creature and brought a sample back with me to take to the Research and Development Institute. Upon having it examined I.. I was informed by one of the researchers of the hollow’s origin, its natural manner of change and was also told that it had irregular reiryoku traces within it. Traces that did not fall within the category of Shinigami, Hollow, Human or anything else distinguishable by our technology.”
‘A possible new threat… No wonder he’s so on edge.’ There’s a pause the Shinigami takes, a show of hesitance that he displays by his thoughtful beard stroking. ‘Of course there’s more…’
“Almost immediately afterward, Lieutenant Arashi Suta was dispatched to Karakura town to deal with a rather powerful Adjuchas that had been running amuck. His efforts were in vain, underestimating the hollow by all means and becoming gravely injured. My own lieutenant was sent there to resolve the issue, destroy the hollow, and bring Lieutenant Suta home; in this she was successful.”
“We are all aware of the events of the Kōtotsu, as they’ve been mentioned a plethora of times here and now, but I’ll address them again. I arrived late on the scene due to the effects of 2nd Division’s attack. I spent most of my time securing each district one by one to ensure the Seireitei’s safety, along with Captain Kojima. When I arrived, I hesitated but I can promise my hesitance was warranted. The choice I made was pivotal, and I do not doubt any of you would have done the same in my position. As the Kōtotsu plummeted down toward us I was faced with two options…”
“… To use my Bankai, or allow us all to die.”

Yū’s silence persists. This is the first time he is hearing Higen earnestly speak of that day. The words of their savior sinks deep in the Captain’s spirit yet nothing can be deciphered from the boy’s face. There is no remorse, no sadness, no anger... His expression simply remains blank as if stuck in a trance.
“As we are all standing here today, I suppose you all now know what I chose. My Bankai allowed me to break into the Dangai, just long enough for the sweeper to return to its place of origin. If only it were as simple as that..”
‘If only…’
“That wasn’t the only thing that was broken that day. Every bone and nerve in my body was also shattered, which forced me into Captain Nakamoto’s care. But most importantly...”
“Time and space shattered before my eyes.”
Higen’s stance begins to shift; His hesitance evolves into clear distress as he takes a short pause from speaking to recollect himself. Shakily, he continues on.
“I saw fragments.. pieces.. different places.. different times. It was all so confusing, and then a blinding light, followed by a sudden darkness. Finally I could see, I could look into the shattered pieces and…
Something looked back. “
“A disgusting creature. I don’t know if it was an arrancar.. a hollow.. or something else entirely. It looked at me, it felt as if it peered into my soul. It’s mouth didn’t move, yet it spoke to me. I heard it loud and clear. Black reiatsu sprouted from its hand in the form of lightning, or tendrils.. or both? It reached out to me, it almost had me.. and then it didn’t.”.
Witnessing the unbreakable Shining Knight in this state births an indescribable ache in Yū's chest. He fights the urge to reach out to Captain Kagayaki, to place his hand on his shoulder, comfort him, to try and ease his pain. It was hard for the Fairy to witness his fellow Captain relive this trauma… and it’s at this moment Yū realizes that perhaps Captain Kojima held these same emotions underneath all the smoke, underneath his locs, and tucked away deep underneath his hooded haori. Maybe, he had been too harsh to him.
“For that two months I was in a coma I relived that moment a thousand times over. I watched as the hands of darkness nearly latched onto me over and over again. I heard one word and only one word the entire time. “Interesting.” I don’t know who, or what this is, but perhaps this explains our suspicions that there are larger things at play. Someone is pulling strings in the darkness.”
A bold claim from Higen… one that Yū took very seriously. Simultaneous with Higen’s sigh of relief as if he had released this heavy burden off his shoulders, the young Captain tenses up even more. There were too many unknown variables in his report that would no doubt fuel Yū’s anxieties to unfathomable limits, but at least one thing was guaranteed for the Fairy– from this moment on, his job would become just that more tedious.
“Lastly, during the holiday we subdued a bount in Naruki City. Two of my officers arrived on the scene and defeated The Saint. There were Quincies and Fullbringers present as well, but I’m sure there involvement was miniscule. None of them were engaged.”
“I guess that.. concludes my report.”
For once, Yū Nakamoto has no words to give. All of his concerns that he struggles to vocalize are further emphasized by Kyomu’s frantic questioning.
“You said a bount appeared..what happened to it? Did your men canvas the area for signs of any more bounts? The Seireitei’s been invaded by their kind once in the past already after all. These Fullbringers, have any of them come in contact with any shinigami prior to this incident? How did the Quincy behave? Did they seem to be plotting anything? Did they seem...organized?”
The two most experienced Shinigami in his eyes simultaneously being the most disturbed by the situation at hand… Utter dread couldn’t even begin to describe the feeling he felt in his stomach right now.

 

[BSD]

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There seems to be no end to the verbal quarrel between Captains Nakamoto, Kojima, and Mukuro but it does serve as good background noise while Tenzen's mind continues to think about the Kōtotsu and its true purpose for appearing. He pauses his thoughts to listen in to Captain Kojima's report.
"Honestly though; No There isn't.
I've dedicated my time to bolstering My divisions' Manpower. It has been... real... inconvenient chasing you all around for information during the last few months. So. . ."
Bolstering his division manpower? Sounds like they may have more in common than he initially realized as Tenzen is currently going through a similar process with his own Division. This is comforting information to have to know that he isn't alone in trying to strengthen those within his Division.
"I'll be dissolving the Ninth divisions entire rank structure and startin' from the ground up. I've personally handpicked a number of Shinigami from the third division and Shino academy over the last few years. My final transfers have arrived today."
He's even taking it one step further and rebuilding from the ground up, he's enjoying what he is hearing from The Dragon quite a bit. Talks like this can easily snag Tenzen's attention and hold it for quite some time.
"Once we done' here, I'm returning to my training. Same as I did when Kyomu turned his blade on the Commander. Same as I'll do tomorrow. Should another catastrophe drop on my doorstep, I'll have the manpower to swiftly assess, intercept and handle whatever it may be. I must prepare twice as much, considering when the times come, all of you will somehow be...'busy.’ That's it from me..."
A small smile grows across his face, while the report wasn't informative towards the larger things at play it was enough to gain confidence in the Seireitei's defenses. This would make two Divisions that are being tailored to respond to threats at a moment's notice. The only thing that is missing now is teamwork and after a quick glance at everyone in the room affirms Tenzen that teamwork might not be an option, at least not now.
“Higen Kagayaki. Division 10.”
Finally, it's the knights turn to speak, Tenzen has been eagerly awaiting this moment since he referenced something about not having enough time, he'll finally get the answers he's been looking for.
“I’ll start from the beginning, so that perhaps together we could work together to complete the puzzle.”
“All those months ago, the same day as Kyomu’s Coup we were alerted of an odd anomaly present in Naruki City. The readings were so odd that I in fact decided to visit the city myself. I disposed of the creature and brought a sample back with me to take to the Research and Development Institute. Upon having it examined I.. I was informed by one of the researchers of the hollow’s origin, its natural manner of change and was also told that it had irregular reiryoku traces within it. Traces that did not fall within the category of Shinigami, Hollow, Human or anything else distinguishable by our technology.”
"Odd, perhaps it was some Quincy creation or... No, the Fullbringers aren't bold enough to create something like that... Neither party can be ruled out."
Tenzen reflects on this internally thinking of the only two other groups that could create some sort of unknown oddity.
“Almost immediately afterward, Lieutenant Arashi Suta was dispatched to Karakura town to deal with a rather powerful Adjuchas that had been running amuck. His efforts were in vain, underestimating the hollow by all means and becoming gravely injured. My own lieutenant was sent there to resolve the issue, destroy the hollow, and bring Lieutenant Suta home; in this she was successful.”
New information about his current Lt. is brought up, hopefully he has grown since this event. Between this and the Kuchiki incident, he better have had some growth since Tenzen will not tolerate someone who constantly underestimates their enemies.
“We are all aware of the events of the Kōtotsu, as they’ve been mentioned a plethora of times here and now, but I’ll address them again. I arrived late on the scene due to the effects of 2nd Division’s attack. I spent most of my time securing each district one by one to ensure the Seireitei’s safety, along with Captain Kojima. When I arrived, I hesitated but I can promise my hesitance was warranted. The choice I made was pivotal, and I do not doubt any of you would have done the same in my position. As the Kōtotsu plummeted down toward us I was faced with two options… To use my Bankai, or allow us all to die.”
Here we go, the main topic Tenzen was looking forward to. The information Kagayaki discloses can bring his mind to rest or cause its gears to turn indefinitely.
“As we are all standing here today, I suppose you all now know what I chose. My Bankai allowed me to break into the Dangai, just long enough for the sweeper to return to its place of origin. If only it were as simple as that..”
Tenzen looks up to see a worrying expression written on the Knights face, what he was about to say will be foreboding news indeed.
“That wasn’t the only thing that was broken that day. Every bone and nerve in my body was also shattered, which forced me into Captain Nakamoto’s care. But most importantly...”
“Time and space shattered before my eyes.”
His breath halts, his neutral expression shifts to one of shock and worry. Time and space shattering sounds a bit insane, wouldn't there be some sort of residual effect lingering if that was the case, wouldn't- That train of thought halts everything in his mind as he looks around in the room at the other Captains. He grits his teeth, he has something to say but Higen continues, his eyes shifting back to Higen as his report continues.
“I saw fragments.. pieces.. different places.. different times. It was all so confusing, and then a blinding light, followed by a sudden darkness. Finally I could see, I could look into the shattered pieces and…
Something looked back.
A disgusting creature. I don’t know if it was an arrancar.. a hollow.. or something else entirely. It looked at me, it felt as if it peered into my soul. It’s mouth didn’t move, yet it spoke to me. I heard it loud and clear. Black reiatsu sprouted from its hand in the form of lightning, or tendrils.. or both? It reached out to me, it almost had me.. and then it didn’t.”
A creature reaching out towards him through the shattered time and space? Was it reaching outside of the cracks or was it merely an optical illusion?
“For that two months I was in a coma I relived that moment a thousand times over. I watched as the hands of darkness nearly latched onto me over and over again. I heard one word and only one word the entire time. “Interesting.” I don’t know who, or what this is, but perhaps this explains our suspicions that there are larger things at play. Someone is pulling strings in the darkness.”
"You hear that? Sounds like we got ourselves a new enemy to fight. Don't get me wrong I'm still-"
"Shut up. Now isn't the time for that."
His Inner Hollow chimes in suddenly only to be silenced just as abruptly. That spot in the sky Higen Shattered, that entire area needs to be quarantined immediately. Who's to say that isn't a weak spot in time and space waiting to be ripped open from the other side by this horrid creature Captain Kagayaki described. Soon as he gets the chance he will be heading to the Rukongai to put up a barrier around that entire area.
“Lastly, during the holiday we subdued a bount in Naruki City. Two of my officers arrived on the scene and defeated The Saint. There were Quincies and Fullbringers present as well, but I’m sure there involvement was miniscule. None of them were engaged.”
“I guess that.. concludes my report.”
A Bount? What are they doing- no that is irrelevant, that thing was dealt with no need to ponder on it.
”A Bount? They’ve returned?”
It seems like The Phantom is intrigued by this information so much so that he begins assaulting Captain Kagayaki with a barraged of questions concerning that particular event. Tenzen is doing his best to remain civil and not cut off his string of questions clenching his jaw so tightly that the muscles in it were visibly moving. He sighs heavily when Kyomu finishes speaking as if dropping a heavy rock he has been carrying for hours.
"That area Captain Kagayaki shattered needs to be sealed off. From the ground to the exact location where he shattered time and space needs to be sealed. It could be a weak point that this creature can use to infiltrate the Soul Society. That would mean we need to move a large section of the Rukongai Citizens out, I don't care how they are removed. I might just be acting paranoid but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
He pauses for a moment his eyes rapidly scanning the ground as he gathers his thoughts for his next statement.
"We should also have all soldiers at the ready to invade or be invaded. We can't recreate the same events that befell the Soul Society centuries ago when the Quincy invaded. We have to be better than that, we have to be prepared..."
He gives his two cents on Higen's report and doesn't care in the slightest what the others have to say about his paranoia. The most important thing to him at this moment is ensuring the safety and security of the Seireitei and Soul Society, in that order.

 

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[click every time ^]

Maho takes little time concluding his "report". What else could the Dragon say that he had not already said in one way or another? He offered his input on the events of the kototsu, rather indirectly. He lay forth his thought process and methodization behind increasing the effectiveness of the 9th division's response time. There was nothing more to say. What mattered now was looking forward. He retreated back into silence. The room had become stifling with the presence of the other Captains.
It is then that Higen speaks. Memories of the day reflect back on him. The very nature of the day present in the tone of his voice. It was clear that our old bigot did not like to revisit this day. Maho couldn't blame him. But onward his words went undisturbed.
For most of what he says, The Dragon reminds idle, interactive to whatever truth reveals itself. They had found a creature...that was neither hollow nor anything else. Of interest only should it show itself on their doorstep. It was rare that Maho ever saw the freedom of the outside world. He had not been in a long time.
On and on he goes about how he arrived late. How he had rallied the soul society at the walls. How his hesitance was warranted. Maho is indifferent to his words. Higen Proclaims, "The choice I made was pivotal, and I do not doubt any of you would have done the same in my position. As the Kōtotsu plummeted down toward us I was faced with two options… To use my Bankai, or allow us all to die.”
“As we are all standing here today, I suppose you all now know what I chose. My Bankai allowed me to break into the Dangai, just long enough for the sweeper to return to its place of origin. If only it were as simple as that..”

His ear perks. He recalls the question he had asked Higen some months ago. His mind travels back to the day. The grand flash of luminescence. Maho, unlike the others, did not avert his eyes. The brightness was harsh, yet he did not look away. The Dragons Jade orbs saw more than most. Though Higen was far away at the time, his eyes saw the changes in the sky. The shattered pieces. He could not see it clearly, nor could he see beyond. But he could feel it...something ominous. The blackening of the sky ended with Higens form plummeting to the ground. Maho stood there, present in the day of those events, before the world around him spun about transitioning back into the Captain's Hall.

“Time and space shattered before my eyes.”

Higen pauses giving everyone a moment to take it all in. Maho can see the altered expressions of his fellow Captains. They were taking it far worse than he, even if their expressions were subtle. Maho felt that something more was to come at any given time. The landslide of events only affirmed his belief. Fate continued to move regardless of what they talked about. All they could do was continue to improve. Be ready, so you don't have to get ready

“I saw fragments.. pieces.. different places.. different times. It was all so confusing, and then a blinding light, followed by a sudden darkness. Finally I could see, I could look into the shattered pieces and…
Something looked back.
A disgusting creature. I don’t know if it was an arrancar.. a hollow.. or something else entirely. It looked at me, it felt as if it peered into my soul. It’s mouth didn’t move, yet it spoke to me. I heard it loud and clear. Black reiatsu sprouted from its hand in the form of lightning, or tendrils.. or both? It reached out to me, it almost had me.. and then it didn’t.”
“For that two months I was in a coma I relived that moment a thousand times over. I watched as the hands of darkness nearly latched onto me over and over again. I heard one word and only one word the entire time. “Interesting.” I don’t know who, or what this is, but perhaps this explains our suspicions that there are larger things at play. Someone is pulling strings in the darkness.”
“Lastly, during the holiday we subdued a bount in Naruki City. Two of my officers arrived on the scene and defeated The Saint. There were Quincies and Fullbringers present as well, but I’m sure there involvement was minuscule. None of them were engaged.”
“I guess that.. concludes my report.”

Higen retreats into himself once more. The weight of the truth flowing off his shoulders. It was as Maho believed. The mention of a strange being who may have set things in motion was finally, after so many months; revealed. Maho had his hunches. He was seldom off base. He does not offer any extra words. Allowing Kyomu and Tenzen to offer their questions and suggestions undisturbed. He inhales and exhales rhythmically. His mind now elsewhere. Until Shobatsu's words collected their attention. Maho had nothing more to contribute. A wave of anticipating rose through him. He wanted to return to training.Return to sharpening his steel. The world to come would only be changed by prepared hands. Bounts were a simple threat, but that did not mean more would or wouldn't appear. fullbringers were humans with abilities and Maho bore no will toward them either. He would have to make a choice should they arrive in the Soul society.

 

[BSD]

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There was not a moment that went by where Higen could not feel the eyes of his peers, glaring at him as he unveiled his truth; the truth. Momentarily looking down, a solemn cowl envelops his expression. He readjusts, a loose shake flowing through his body as he exhales in an attempt to relax. A large burden was off of his shoulders, yet in this moment he could still feel the weight bearing down upon him. As his head rises, he faces them, and soon connect with them all after a single once-over of the room. He can feel Captain Oda’s caution, his protective nature radiates through his monk-like pores. Captain Nakamoto’s empathy is felt, the face he wore showing his sympathy for the Knight—one of many whom had been in his care. He can feel Kyomu’s skepticism, his stare like the sharpest of daggers, watching the Captain’s every move—discerning if he is truly friend or foe. He can feel The Dragon’s distance, his mind elsewhere, perhaps toward the future; a prepared future. Yet from the omnipotent commander resting on his throne he felt… nothing. Not the slightest change in demeanor, position, not a single breath was out of placed or more forceful than the one before it. Through all that transpired during the meeting, the commander remained silent, for now.
”A Bount? They’ve returned?”
“You said a bount appeared..what happened to it? Did your men canvas the area for signs of any more bounts? The Seireitei’s been invaded by their kind once in the past already after all. These Fullbringers, have any of them come in contact with any shinigami prior to this incident? How did the Quincy behave? Did they seem to be plotting anything? Did they seem...organized?”
The Phantom bombards him with questions, as to be expected. There was much said, and although Higen’s testimony assisted in closing the book on a number of unsolved mysteries, it also presented problems anew. Even in this state, Higen had no problem answering. It was odd—though—The phantom’s eyes watched carefully, and Higen felt that if he said the wrong thing we would be facing another potentially drawn blade.
“Per Third Seat Hyouzoku’s report, the bount could only remain in the World of the Living for a specific amount of time. After it was defeated and contained, it simply turned into a block of ice, and shattered into a million pieces. The frozen remains were scattered in the wind. Afterward my field agent secured his jurisdiction for signs of any more bounts, and there was no evidence of any. I was told a singular fullbringer was rather.. aggressive toward Third Seat Hyouzoku, but the tensions were calmed. That specific fullbringer was the only one to have encountered Shinigami before, once as a child..
The Night of his parent’s death.
The quincy’s presence on the other hand was even more insignificant. It is likely that their hierarchy is still in shambles after the destruction of the Wanderich. I was told nothing of a unified Quincy front.”
He responds to Kyomu quickly and honestly, Tenzen’s voice coming in soon after as a quiet contrast to the more deep voice of the green-haired man.
"That area Captain Kagayaki shattered needs to be sealed off. From the ground to the exact location where he shattered time and space needs to be sealed. It could be a weak point that this creature can use to infiltrate the Soul Society. That would mean we need to move a large section of the Rukongai Citizens out, I don't care how they are removed. I might just be acting paranoid but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Higen stays silent, again Captain Oda speaks of this paranoia which Higen has learned to identify as instinct. He hadn’t thought of it before but perhaps Tenzen was correct, perhaps Higen had unintentionally created another entry point for an invading enemy.
"We should also have all soldiers at the ready to invade or be invaded. We can't recreate the same events that befell the Soul Society centuries ago when the Quincy invaded. We have to be better than that, we have to be prepared..."
The Captain of the Fifth division spoke nothing but the truth—
“If there’s a time to prepare, more than normal.. this is it. Whatever war approaches, I’m willing to take any necessary precautions and measures to eliminate the threat. Should the enemy strike through the world of the living, you all can count on me to be the spearhead that destroys them on the front lines. I will not sit by and have my home, or anywhere under my care left to the devices of foreign invader.”
For once in the last few minutes, the Knight’s head sits high, his pride shining radiantly through his determined expression