[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Northeast Seireitei

[BSD]

Present Day…
A wince took place as he was tended to within the Fourth Barracks. Only fourteen days had passed since the amount of news that was brought to his attention, sending the entirety of the Seireitei into a full-scale frenzy as they all clamored to their respective stations to fulfil their important tasks and duties. After the findings of the Seventh Division over their missing leading officer, they brought the remains to the Fourth’s barracks for further examination to find the cause of death leading to Itsuki’s untimely demise. It was reported that he was completely brutalized prior to his passing, but Shusuke had only skimmed the report lightly due to the amount of preparation he had to perform in order for the games to be properly broadcasted throughout the entirety of the Seireitei. When given the chance he would take a longer look at the results, but he found things that required his full use of his right hand, his favorite sword wielding hand was rather difficult. Unfortunately, he only had himself to blame. After his arrival to the First Division upon safely escorting Atsuko Ise to the barracks, Shusuke had, although without proper invitation, entered the meeting hall of the White Coats.
Two Weeks Prior….
Admittedly, Shusuke was very much without his manners, walking in with a lit accessory which was clearly frowned upon, and also failing to acknowledge the Captain-Commander of all entities….surely embarrassing the Ninth’s Editor-in-Chief, his own Captain. Quickly met by the piercing gaze of the commanding Shinigami, then followed up by swift physical reprimand from Yasu. Crippled by her strength, he was quickly reminded why one of them has a white haori and the other a wooden badge. After being grabbed and having his wrist twisted, he interestingly didn’t yelp or wince in pain. His tolerance was much too high as an experienced shinigami. Plus prior beatdowns from Yasu had a ’callusing’ effect, as his body was strengthened by the various punishments. He simply let out a small groan and closed his eyes the entirety of the meeting while still intently listening in on the events that took place.
As quickly as it began, the meeting was over and Yasu had finally released her second in command from her treacherous grip and began making her exit with the Captain of the Fifth Division, Tenzen Oda. The feeling in his wris- no. his entire arm was engulfed in a flame like sensation as he was left kneeling on the wooden planks of the hall. He soon used his left hand to get himself to his feet and slowly tested his right hand to see how much damage had been made. Turning it clockwise, he felt sharp discomfort, turning it counter clockwise he was instantly introduced to the delayed pain that would soon reach his elbow. That was when he winced. A grimace formed in the corner of his mouth, he could feel the swelling instantly take with every minor movement speeding up the process. It wouldn’t be long before he loses all feeling in his hand. Finally making his way out of the hall and to Captain Yugure as she exchanged pleasantries with her fellow superiors. Positive that his hand wouldn’t be the last of his stern talking to, he accompanied his Captain towards the Fifth’s barracks to pick up Jiroshizo Raikyu.
Nearly an hour passes,Yasu gathers the members of the Ninth’s barracks, all two-hundred and some odd members including himself, Jatiri Yabuki, Kazumi Fujioka and Jiroshizo Raikyu. Other members included the young Uzu Ogawa, and the Ninth Division’s lead reporter, Otsukai and even Genmaru. Wasting little time, she would go on to address the state of affairs that would concern the Ninth regarding the upcoming Kenpachi Games as they have been put on duty for event detail.
“Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once. The Captain-Commander has issued out a Soul Society-wide tournament under the name of the Kenpachi Games. I am sure that you all correlate the title of Kenpachi to members -- or to be more specific, captains of the Eleventh Division. Such is not the case any more, so here’s the deal, I want the Shinigami of the Publishing department to use the Seireitei Communication Column to spread the word on the Kenpachi Games. They will be open to Rukongai denizens and even prisoners of the Maggot’s Nest, so I want the patrol teams to spread the word through all three-hundred and twenty districts over the course of the next two weeks and set up stations for broadcasting in sections of the Rukongai and around the four quadrants.”
A small pause in her speech to allow for her orders to be fully digested, even filling the emptiness of the quiet room of over two hundred people.

“Everyone other than Lieutenant Kiyoshi, Third Seat Fujioka, Fourth Seat Yabuki, and Jirōshizo Raikyū can go. Get the ball rolling immediately.”
As the room of hundreds quickly dwindled down to a mere four bodies, including his own. He would take a slight peek at how quickly the room had cleared. It always amazed him to see how swiftly the heed of Captain Yugure’s words were taken. As they should. However, she wouldn’t be finished in delegating her tasks and giving out orders. Starting with Jatiri and Jiroshizo.
“Because I know you two are familiar with one another, I’m going to have you two work together to set up the broadcasting systems in the Rukongai with the patrol team. I’ll be asking the Twelfth Division for equipment, so if you see a bug-eyed hunchback roaming around, be nice. I want three in each cardinal direction, in the upper, middle, and lower districts so everyone can have eyes on the games.”
Shusuke’s eyes were averted until he received his direct orders. He attempted to not make eye contact with his Captain until she spoke directly to him. He had very little time to feel shame, but would soon be met with it. His orders he figured would be much similar to the tasks already given if not to oversee the completion of each task himself. But he also knew Yasu would be saving him for last...so that she could finally eat him alive. Her attention soon shifted to Third Seat Kazumi.
“I want you with the publishing department and working on the SCC. When the Games begin, you’ll be working with interviews on those who fail to make it past the preliminary match-ups, if they happen to be alive; that order goes to you two as well. I want to know everything. You’ll also be working to greet and gather the participants' information for me to use during the introductions at the start: name, ranks, date of birth, height, and something they like if you can. Dismissed.”
The three shinigami had their duties, tasks, and were promptly dismissed. They were alone, It was now he would finally lock his lavender orbs with Captain Yugure’s amethysts. Fear was the furthest thing from his mind, he’d been in frightening situations before and this wasn’t any different. He always prepared himself for the chance of death and has always seemed to look it straight in the eyes without any lack of confidence nor despair. He killed those emotions long ago. He could tell she was analyzing him thoroughly, he looked worse for wear as the day came to a close; his hair properly unkempt (more so than usual), his shihakusho and hakama dirtied from battle with Sixth and Eleventh Divisions, and to top it off, was missing the only accessory that physically separates him from his foot soldiers. His Lieutenant badge. Lost in the scuffle with the war waged between the six men who had been involved in the confrontation. He could feel her anger emanate from her person, her emotions mixing and molding with her reiatsu being conjured from deep within her soul. He stood straight with his arms to the side, pushing the throbbing pain of his arm out of his mind as the punishment that was sure to come.
“It seems as though my absence has caused you to forget exactly how to act in my stead. You entered the Captain's Hall without a summon and made no effort to pay your respects to the Captain-Commander, much less me, and proceeded to smoke as if you were lounging around in your lodgings!” is how she opened. He didn’t flinch at the change in tone, nor did his face quiver. He was still as stone, fully prepared for the words being spoken to him. Doubling down on her statements, she continued. He remained silent. “I should have snapped your fucking arm for disrespecting me in front of the other Captains, and the Commander no less. If I was not before you, would you be so brazen to act in such a way, Shusuke? You think because of our history I'll allow you to act as outlandish as that without consequence?”
He dared not to answer. He could only think and his thoughts, far and few. “Sighs...Guess it wouldn’t be as brazen as hoarding food from place to place, but to each their own I suppose…” he was sure to keep that thought directly private. He still greatly respects Yasu, and is willing to take responsibility for his own actions. He had gotten more relaxed around the younger folk within the barracks, a poor judgement in his own estimation from the once diligent Sixth Division Adjudicator. She got closer and closer to the Bengoshi, with her reiatsu leaking out like a running faucet filling the room with uncomfortable dry air, making it harder to breathe for the Kiyoshi. His breaths soon began to be labored, as the strength would quickly recede to his innermost depths as he would fall to his knees effectively in a state of...dying? Was he to be killed, right here, right now? So be it he thought. His royal hues still matched her own, as she bore a hole into his soul via her windows. Feeling the bloodlust drip from her coat and the strands of her hair. His mind would soon go blank as he continued to remain silent, while she went on to proceed to teach a lesson. Exhaling a deep breath, she would seem to re-assert dominance over herself as the reiatsu and the atmosphere in the room changed back to its original state. Control over his lungs would soon return, and his thoughts finally returned to him. The only thing he could remember was seeing his deceased wife smile her gorgeous smile while in her arms was the son he continued to get to know. He gasped for air as his head was face down to the wooden floor, drenched with sweat from his labored torture at the hands of his Captain. Whether or not she felt sorry for him, or just simply wished for him to be removed from her feet. She helped him rise to his feet as he caught up with his lungs.
“I don't care what you do, but you need to get it through your head that you are the Lieutenant of the Ninth Division. You have a duty to your division and represent me as my second-in-command. Your little play dates with your former division need to be cut off until you get it through your skull on where your duties lie. If you don't think that you can continue to perform on the level that I need you to be, find your badge, put it on my desk, and I'll accept your resignation back to the Sixth Division.”
Turning from him as she fixed her attire, she resumed her stern chart with him by leaving Shusuke with some final remarks.
“This will be my only warning. Clean yourself up, and get to work with Fujioka. I'm headed to the medical unit for personal business and to work with Captain Nakamoto regarding the relief stations. Once the games begin you'll be working the betting pool for funding with each participant.”
Leaning against a table for support, she then took off on her business and left the lieutenant, alone. He looked down at his injured hand, properly swollen and red, even his tattoos on his hands were unidentifiable. Clenching it and feeling every ounce of pain that surged in his arm with that action he was reminded of who he needed to be. No vows were taken, but Shusuke did find a resolve that he had been missing for one hundred years.
“Well...I’m certainly not going to quit...time to get to work.”
Present Day…Thirty Minutes Prior to the Games
“Seriously, does it take this long to heal? I felt fine days ago Junko.”
A horrible patient to have. Probably shittier than any Eleventh Division member to date in terms of allowing one's body to heal at a keen rate. For the past fourteen days, Shusuke has been monitoring and performing any and all duties leading up to the Kenpachi Games. From equipment setup, to gathering information on the participants, he made sure that every station had what they needed to succeed so as to leave his Captain to focus on her own tasks. They hadn’t spoken since that day but he got the feeling it wasn’t intentional from either side as they both were hard at work trying to make this event the largest one in recent memory. In-between those trips to the event grounds, he would frequent the Fourth Division barracks to have his wrist checked out for any damage, permanent or not. Thankfully he would be fine and have no ligament issues, but the process of healing was an arduous task in itself given how busy the lieutenant had become in such a short time.
This allowed him to befriend his new fellow Lieutenant, Junko Izumi. The two had met over one hundred years ago when Shusuke was in the unfortunate position of detaining his former friend Enso Aikawa, she was the one who performed the blood work and helped deduce his hand in the events that led to a triple murder taking place at the Seventh Division. Although the two have grown relatively closer in this short time, he clearly was annoying her greatly with his patient's opinion while she had the hard evidence on why the process was to be this long. With a large sigh, she continued working to unwrap the cloth splint he had been wearing for fourteen days while also performing a small level of healing Kido to properly stabilize the injury he sustained. He never mentioned how his hand got this way, and he wasn't about to fess up to it now if she had asked him. With the incident having been days ago and the event coming up In a mere half-hours time, it was now water under the bridge to him.
"If you would hold still, I'd have been a lot faster...although you've healed quickly on the surface, you were still in the precipice of being hurt. You don't need to push yourself so much Lieutenant."
Stern but kind, was how Shusuke would describe Junko. She was sweet when it didn't involve medical work. Or any work. The two even managed to share stories of service over a blunted cigar, much to the surprise of the Kiyoshi Lord, Junko was something called a 'social' smoker and was exceptionally laid back once the two were deep in their clouds. Aside from her small appreciation for debauchery, he liked her attitude and how hard she worked, even being recognized as the new Lieutenant for the Fourth Division. He knew she’d be equal to the task, if she was able to be sincere as she was with him then there was no patient or task around this place she couldn’t do. Finally, she was finished unwrapping and testing his wrist for any lingering issues but they were both pleased to find none. After sharing a quick gaze at one another Shusuke awkwardly broke the silence, knowing this would be the last time in quite possibly a while he would see her. It was a shame, he enjoyed making a new friend.
“Well uh, I should get going. The Games start soon and I gotta be at the betting pool shortly for setup. I suppose I’ll see you later.”
Hopping off the medical bed coolly while stretching his newly healed wrist, the day had finally come, the biggest sanctioned bloodbath the Seireitei will see or have seen in the last One Hundred Years. It was honestly the timing of it all, the excitement was certainly in the air. Shsuuke in private had been practicing his auction talk and had a certain way with crowds and sanctioned organized chaos. After exiting the Fourth’s barracks, he tied his hair back with ablack elastic given to him earlier on in the week. Figuring it was time for a day without his black mop in his eyes, he needed all of his vision for the bookkeeping of this event. After breathing in, then exhaling out and slapping his face a few times to sing the life into his cheeks, his royal purple orbs flecked with determination and thus, was off again on his latest task disappearing into a plume of ash.
Fourth Division Barracks ———————————— traveling to ———————————— Ninth Division Barracks

 

[BSD]

Two Weeks Earlier
Signy’s eyes flicked over to the man that was with Miss Izumi. She nodded to him with a smile as he spoke to her. ”You may call me Signy, I suppose there is no need to be even more formal given the circumstances.” She watched as the two retreated further into the hospital. She’d hoped she would be allowed to observe but understood that they were only doing their job.
Time seemed to crawl by as she paced in the waiting room. It wasn’t much longer after she started pacing the Junko returned with the reports of their findings. Signy accepted the report with both hands and a bow of her own. ”On behalf of Seventh Division, we greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to preform the autopsy.” Without so much as a cursory glance at Uzu, Signy turned on her heals and hurried off to turn the report over to Atsuko.

Present Day
It had been two weeks since Signy had relinquished her captain’s body to Fourth division, and she’d turned the results of the autopsy over to Atsuko. She perched herself on the edge of her bed, one knee up so she could rest her arm on it. Her gaze was distant and void of any consciousness. To anyone that might enter her room, she would just appear to be studying her own hand with great concentration, but in reality, she was staring through herself, not even comprehending that her hand was there to begin with. Those two weeks had felt like a blur, most of it spent fighting within herself. Her usually spotless room had been turned upside down. Clothes, papers, trinkets, all strewn about, some smoldering while others were torn and ripped to shreds. She supposed to anyone in her division this would appear like she couldn’t handle the death of her captain, but the truth behind it was something few were aware of. Prior to Signy being in control, her nights were typically filled with music, Shori would dream deep within their consciousness while Signy played piano and painted into the early hours of the morning, but now Shori slumbered constantly, leaving Signy to experience the heart wrenching nightmares spurred on by the trauma of her childhood. Though she could feel both her and Shori’s power coursing through her body, she felt weaker than ever. Her entire being ached from the weight of her past. Perhaps she required some more vigorous activity to truly acclimate herself and push the nightmares from her subconscious.
A spark ignited in Signy’s eyes as she snapped back to the reality of the state her room was in. Her head cocked to the side as she observed the charred marks across her floors and walls and even the soot that coated her feet. Shit! I’ll have to clean this up later. She slipped off of her perch and strode across her room, her fingers brushing against the bronze pieces she’d usually wear in her hair. However, instead of grabbing any of them, she let her hair remain loose, and reached for her zanpakuto. Securing Amaterasu to her back, Signy strolled out to the courtyard, inhaling the fresh air.
Surveying the courtyard, she let out a sigh of relief. She was certain Sanyu and Atsuko would be out here training, but for now at least she had it to herself. Her entire body relaxed the moment her feet touched the grass, there was just something so calming about nature. In one fluid movement, she crossed her legs and lowered herself onto the ground. Reaching behind her, she unhooked her zanpakuto from its harness and brought it around in front of her.
”Hello, Amaterasu. It’s a been a while since we last spoke.”
Signy gently placed her forehead against it before placing the dual axe on her lap. Closing her eyes, she quickly fell into a meditative state. The dimly lit chamber of her zanpakuto’s inner world swirled into existence around her. Approaching the obsidian spire in the center of the chamber, she reached out to slide her fingers across its sleek surface, but a voice rung out, drawing her attention away from it.

”It’s been a long time indeed, Signy.”

Signy turned to fully face her pink haired zanpakuto spirit and bowed to her, but before she could speak the chamber began to shudder around them.
”You’re mind is telling you now is not the time for this. There will be time later for us to grow as one, but for now your efforts are needed elsewhere. Perhaps you require time with those closest to you.”
Amaterasu smiled, as she gently cupped Signy’s face in her hands, and if her eyes were not covered they would be filled with warmth and admiration toward her wielder. As quickly as she’d fallen into her meditative state, Signy was back out of it. She raised a hand to her cheek, still feeling the distant warmth of Amaterasu’s touch as she opened her eyes.
”Maybe you’re right. I haven’t seen Elk or Oyama since Shori and I switched.”
After strapping her zanpakuto back into its harness, she fished around in her pocked and pulled her phone out. Scrolling through her contacts, she stopped on her husband and began typing furiously about everything that had happened before pausing and deleting everything she’d typed. It was probably best to explain everything in person, but would he even recognize her? When they met Shori had been in control and Signy only ever immerged while he was asleep. Scrunching her face up, giving her a contemplative look, she went back to typing.
Hope you are going to be at the Kenpachi games. Can’t wait to see you! ♥♥
She looked over the message for a moment, unsure if it sounded enough like Shori, but shrugged and hit send.

 

[BSD]

From the moment Yū falls into line, his frame remains deathly still. His eyes pierce through the empty space between Omoni and Yasu, not holding direct eye contact with either of them but enough to perceive their half of the hall. His gaze remains firm at the unexpected entrances of the three lieutenants, even more unshaken at the announcement of Itsuki Asakura’s death as he was already made aware. However, even his reaction at the relief station was relatively mute when people normally are told of a comrade’s death. Due to his very nature, Yū had always kept Captain Asakura at arms’ length, not wanting to be vacuumed into the madness that he craved so much. Unfortunate for him that it got him killed, but fortunate enough for the boy to no longer run the risk of being affected by the results of his misadventures. It seemed the Commander had a similar viewpoint, dismissing the announcement of his death as just another report in the pile. He instead redirects his attention to Lieutenant Kiyoshi, delivering him a warning much to the embarrassment of Yasu. Yū’s eyes still don’t falter, but he can see the growing discontentment on her face from even here- first appearing at his arrival, and once more growing as she breaks her silence to apologize on his behalf.
Unaware of the situation that had already begun unfolding prior to his entrance, his heart drops at the mention of Honoka’s son. He has remained deathly still up until this moment, his eyes now darting to the raven-haired boy only a few paces behind her. While he wasn’t aware of the reason for her exile, he now understands the product of what came from it. The Commander makes it clear that he has no desire to kill this child and in virtually any other case, Yū wouldn’t hesitate to agree… but the son of Shobatsu Murasaki… No matter how innocent and scared he looked now, the risk of him growing to be like his father, or even worse, was far too great. However, Higen is already paces ahead of Yū’s train of thought, promising that the youngling will never know the history of his family- only their crimes. He promises to raise him alongside his own son so that he instead will become a benefit for the Soul Society, not a future adversary. Knowing Higen to be a man of his word, the young Captain’s growing anxieties on the matter are washed away upon hearing the proposed solution.
His attention then falls on both Katsuo and Shizuka, informing them of their next moves. It is here Yū reverts to his original, placid stance, his eyes shifting back to stare straight ahead before they catch sight of something else very close by; Yasu’s hand, tightly grasped around her lieutenant’s. His straight face threatens to break into a smirk, hardening once more at the realization that he no longer has to deal with such antics with Omoni gone. Antics that in some cases would be hilarious after the fact, but all the same rather frustrating. ‘I guess Junko would be the logical choice... ‘ he reflects as the meeting proceeds. It isn’t until his name is called…
“... while also being assigned specific medical units by Captain Nakamoto to help maintain a foothold in the World of the Living during battle.”
… that his attention is drawn once more, confirmed by a stern nod from the blonde. As expected, the Captain’s already limited division is spread even more thin, more of his members asked to step onto the frontlines- frontlines he does not feel they are ready for. In truth, while he does have capable members, the Captain continues his longstanding tradition of shouldering the burden of traveling to the World of the Living himself to minimize the risk of any losses. Just how long he could keep this up was another question.
“We will have this show of strength, we will discover the most powerful among us. But we will also make it a spectacle.. Yes.. We will pull the districts back into the fold and give them something to cheer for, something to watch. There will be a tournament. A tournament to identify the strongest in our ranks; no, not just in our ranks, the strongest in all of Soul Society. Let us cast our net far and wide, and utilize every resource we have to find warriors for our war, and to eliminate the weak.”
“Captain Nakamoto, Coordinate with Captain Yūgure to find suitable locations to pitch medical tents capable of resuscitating participants when needed or deserving. “
Again he is addressed, this time in relation to Yasu Yūgure who still stands before him- and still clasped tightly on the anguished hand of her subordinate. While his expression is characteristically neutral, he’s taken by surprise at the look of annoyance that flashes on her face before her gaze lowers. Yū is unsure if she’s upset with him… or if there’s something else bothering her. Unbeknownst to him, Yasu would make his way to him in the coming days with a surprising request: a request he had offered to fulfill numerous times long ago during more convenient times.
“All Captains, excluding Yasu, your participation is required. There will be no rules, no restraints, no limitations. Ensure that every participant knows that at any moment, their life could be forfeit. “
Similar to Kyomu who stands beside him, the boy is unfazed as his own participation in the matter seems unnecessary… until it becomes mandatory. However, while Kyomu seems absolutely stunned with widened eyes at the announcement, Yū simply raises an eyebrow at the given stipulation. Not just at the requirement of his presence but more importantly… why Yasu would be excluded. Tasked as a defender of the Soul Society, surely it should be vital for her to be measured among the strongest… If she wasn’t, then what good would a security force led by her do for anyone? Even though her participation surprisingly was not required, the boy doubted she’d turn down an opportunity to present her century’s worth of gained experience. At least he hoped she wouldn’t.
“Two weeks time.. In Two weeks time we will find out who is the most powerful of you all. In Two weeks time we will unify the Rukongai and the Seireitei in a way foreign to all times previous to now. In two weeks time, we will have…”
"The Kenpachi Games."

Unsurprisingly… the idea of the Kenpachi Games didn’t sit well with the blonde. The members of the Fourth Division were already made clear that their participation in the tournament was forbidden- years of their knowledge and training were too valuable to lose in a tournament he knew they stood no chance in. This disclosure came to no surprise in response, as many knew their role as Seireitei’s finest doctors, not their fighters. While the message may have been redundant in nature, the boy couldn’t help but be safe in the case of an unchecked fool with dreams that would result in their end. However, this same message wouldn’t apply to their Captain- being forced to register in these games.
In the cold, dark office, Yū sits- hunched over with his elbows on his knees, cradling his zanpakuto close to him. His head is lowered as his blonde hair falls over to shield his eyes.
He has no worries of performing, nor his required participation… It is the excessive splendor of the tournament that agitates him. Make no mistake; The boy had come to understand the growing necessity of violence- violence that sometimes would come to be his easiest option. But in this realm, there were no real threats presented yet that could trigger these same, savage reactions that the Commander desired from this tournament. They would instead be sent into the ring to face one another, their clashes broadcasted throughout the Soul Society and beyond, to establish an abstract hierarchy with only the strongest at the top, leaving the others at the bottom only with the knowledge of knowing they weren’t the best. “What type of game is this…”
He feels these negative emotions brewing within him now, his competitive nature bubbling to the surface for the first time in years as his teeth now grind against one another. How could he avoid being overly critical of himself when he would soon be compared among the strongest in front of the entire Seireitei? His fingers already interlocked now grasp themselves even tighter, his hands’ joints cracking from the pressure. With Captain Oda and Captain Yūgure having ample time to present their progress to their Commander, Captain Hageshi and her division members already notorious for their barbarism, and Captain Mukuro being a prodigious killer since near birth… All that was left was Yū Nakamoto. Perhaps it was his lack of enjoyment at the proposed loss of life that set him apart from the rest… perhaps it was his detestation of the Kenpachi Games that would propel him forward to become the strongest. But while he may detest it, the Captain, unfortunately, understands it. He recalls the Commander’s words prior to announcing the tournament.
“I fear we still do not yet have the strength to face what is to come...”
… he mutters under his breath. Yes… It would only be a disservice to not try his best, now finding it to be his responsibility to push his comrades to their greatest limits so they’d be more than ready to protect the Seireitei when the fated time came.
Yes, this is what he would use as his motivation, as his purpose to fight— to win.

A mere inch of the door’s opening allows a flood of light to enter the room, revealing a pensive Captain on his chair.
“Captain…”
… a voice whispers as a woman’s head peeks into the dark room. The stark contrast of the hospital’s lighting to the office’s unsettling darkness allows her only to perceive the sliver of the Captain that the light illuminates. No words are said in response, only the sight of his left eye shifting to meet hers as acknowledgment.
“Team 11 is finishing up in the Rukongai.”
Again, she is met with nothing but silence.
“Erm… the tournament is starting soon. Captain Yūgure has already started the broadcast.”
While no words are uttered from him in the moment, a deep sigh escapes his lips as he rises to his feet, grabbing ahold of the zanpakuto by his side.
“Make sure Lieutenant Izumi and Mizu Sayuri are ready for departure. Tell them to meet me outside.”
As a freshened Shusuke finally recovers from his troubled wrist and exits Junko's office, the nurse uses this opportunity to slide through the door with a message from her Captain.
"You're expected in the Rukongai. The Captain is waiting for you outside to depart.”
This same message is then soon relayed to an unsuspecting Mizu Sayuri, no doubt wandering the halls in search of something to occupy his time.
Together the two would find themselves arriving in the lobby, eerily at the same time, exiting together to meet a stoic Yū Nakamoto with his back turned towards the entrance. Here he has been awaiting for the assumedly strained duo to arrive, to review their assignments and finally say his goodbyes. Before they can announce their arrivals, the Captain has long sensed their approach and addresses them promptly.
“Team 11 has finished setting up camp in the Rukongai. As planned, you'll join them just outside the North Gate to provide assistance to any of the wounded competitors... This, you already know."
Yū now turns to face the pair, his rooted frame accompanied by an even more unwavering countenance.
"I've been made aware of a coming excursion to the World of the Living... no doubt they'll request someone among our upper ranks to go with them given the supposed importance of this mission. Prepare for either one of you to answer this call while the other maintains authority of the camp. Whatever comes of it, just...

Do your part... and I'll do mine.”

 

[BSD]

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----From 5th division.-----
Several reiatsu signatures not native to fourth division would appear at the front of fourth divisions barracks. How they got there would be a mystery to anyone just seeing them pop into existence, yet there they were, one standing over the two others with his hand pointed down at a barrier known as Goyōgai, one designed to place a person in stasis, to prevent any injuries or worse death, though in this case it was to both prevent blood loss and limb degradation.
“WE NEED SOME MEDICAL ATTENTION I HAVE TWO MEN WITH CUT OFF ARMS!”
No doubt his yelling caught the attention of those inside as well as the ones who had not yet noticed Lieutenant Suta, Jizakai and himself. Even though help was arriving he still wanted to maintain the barrier until someone could actually take them away; as he wanted to insure no loss of blood could endanger them further. As shinigami Lieutenant Suta and Jizakai were certainly more durable than a regular human will ever be, but still, any prevention method used can help them in their recovery immensely. His eyes shifted over to his pocket, to which he blinked for a moment.
A sigh came out from him before his free hand reached over to the pocket, pulling the phone out to once again look at the message sent from his beloved it wife. Reading each word carefully before finally typing out his response

Quote:
Yeah… Just at 4th division right now, nothing happened to me I swear, but once I’m done here I’ll be on my way to see you in 7th.

A soft smile crept across his face as he sent the message, before turning his full attention to maintaining the barrier until someone could relieve him of his watch.

 

[BSD]

Two Weeks Previously
Wordlessly the old woman kept to her work. Kazumi's fingers interlaced with each other for a brief moment before the digits began to rub against each other randomly. The longer the silence persisted the more Kazumi began to fidget. Though she knew nothing of her, thoughts of her former Captain began to flash before her eyes. Her right foot took a silent step backward, the left following slowly but surely as she began to edge away from the entrance. Having experienced the ire of one who was nearly unanimously considered to be the most heartless Shinigami of their time had given her more caution. The suffering woman that toiled in front of her could have very well been the kindest of souls or perhaps was capable of teaching even those who worked within the Maggot's Nest how things were done. Regardless, it was less important than what she was capable of.
This was an unknown. From one second to the next her behavior could change drastically. The scenario that had played out only minutes before left her in an awful and unpredictable state. Unable to hold back her tension any longer she gave a farewell bow. Leaving the woman to grieve over the now empty halls of her family compound alone.
Kazumi reached the gates that would lead to home faster than she had expected. Though slightly proud of herself for the hard work and training that had led to an increase in speed there was little pride to be found in what had essentially turned into her fleeing in fear. After declaring herself to the gatekeeper she crossed her arms before her, chewing on the inside of her lip in thought. Reaching down for her notepad the palm of her hand brushed the edge of her Denreishiki. With the realization it was still recording she pressed for the button quickly to shut it down. With a sigh she took out her notepad, replacing it with the device.
As she waited then upon her steady walk back to the barracks Kazumi wrote at a quick pace. Starting with the arrests she had found in progress to what she had overheard and could be seen outside of the compound before she approached. None of this seemed particularly unique to her as far as information was concerned considering the nature of the Seireitei. It would be a simple day or so before the tale was being whispered all over. Nonetheless, it was her duty. By the time she had arrived at the barracks, still devoid of the Captain and her Lieutenant, she returned to her daily room. The familiar smile that greeted her from within was a welcome sight after all she had seen. Wordlessly she made a copy of the video, placing it with the notes she had written.
Taking a pause as her eyes landed on the small piece of plastic that contained images of the massacre, she considered taking it back. What a scene she had stumbled upon. Recorded. The pain it could cause troubled her. However she had to simply swallow her doubts. If the Captain did anything at all with it in the first place she would certainly show a level of respect and discretion. She was friends with the woman who had been arrested and whose family had been murdered as well, leaving Kazumi more at ease. It would be handled well. Upon Yasu's return, the materials were surrendered and new orders were given.
Present Day
Multiple notepads were stuffed into one of her pockets. The sight of Kazumi's hakama bulging out off to the side was quite a comical sight though the woman's face did not match the sentiment. For now, she would wait by the entrance, any late sign-ups arriving at the tent she waited beside. Those that felt confident enough to attempt the Games would be greeted by Kazumi and her questions the moment they had completed signing in. Their name, rank if they had one, date of birth, height, weight, and one like and one dislike. The questions were short and simple, allowing the contestants to move along quickly. Her concern focused more on her duties that would come after. The moment registration closed Kazumi would be moving to her next assignment. Waiting outside of the medical tents in anticipation of the fallen from each round. If they survived they were to be interviewed once more. Again, simple questions she had memorized the day her Captain had informed her of her placement
It did feel a strange task for one such as her. She imagined those that did live would undergo their treatment then hastily been upon their way. How would a Captain feel to be fallen to another? How would a regular citizen feel after training so long to pull themselves out of their desperate lives only to fail and return empty-handed? Whether mental or physical the contestants would be in pain when they encountered Kazumi, leaving them much less likely to cooperate. Kept to the side in her own little corner she had made so as to see the booth easily while also not being in anyone's way. Stepping in a small circle she stamped her feet quietly into the dirt yet pushed with all her might. Once returned to where she had originally been facing her hand combed through her hair. The locks pushed back slowly sliding back into place, strands slowly shifting as her head remained downturned for a few more moments. The exercise appeared quite odd from the outside but it didn't matter.
As if shaken away from her, the tension began to lower. Straightening her spine she looked straight ahead now, a renewed calm settled upon her. Those involved knew the risk as well as the entertainment element that was expected to accompany it. As much as they may dislike it they should be well informed of the situation they've gotten themselves into. Including interviews during a time where all they may want to do was hide.
The set-up surrounding her was impressive. The two that had been sent into the Rukongai originally and that was meant to spread the word had done quite the job as a sea of unfamiliar faces and average citizens moved about the large area. Twelfth had also paid a large part, bringing Yasu's warning of one of their members to mind. It had taken all of Kazumi's willpower to not let her face wrinkle up in disgust during the meeting at the description of the man. Breathing deeply through her nose Kazumi faced the task before her, prepared with her many notepads.