[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Northwest Seireitei

[Shinigami]

One door closes, another opens

Worried eyes, Katsuo trained them upon Arashi. Indeed, he has been silent the entire duration of the walk. It wasn’t on purpose… Katsuo probably understood why he didn’t say anything. The atmosphere around Arashi wasn’t of joy, happiness, nor was it fear, sadness. None of it would register as such, but Katsuo can come to find as many others would, they can find that he is distant from the world. Adrift, lost to not only his thoughts, but to the path that has been created by Shirogane. Though he is not the only one to feel this way, he felt like he did. Truly… There seemed to be no way past. NO way of knowing if he will truly find peace…
No amount of training...
No amount of meditation…
No amount of tea that he could make or drink to sooth his internal struggle...
Every now and then, Ashi had a peek into the searching eyes of Katsuo. As over-protective as always… A trait that he will miss when he is gone. Ashi knew exactly why he was looking around so much, but there was likely no one with the nerve to approach Ashi with the intent to kill. Instead, they lurked as well, hiding, waiting for the chance. For the chance that Ashi might slip up, that his hollow-side will take over. Optimal reasoning is needed to strike the killing blow. They knew that doing it now would only result in their own damnation if someone succeeded in taking his life. Even then, who will expect him to be alive right now? No doubt that word has gotten around though... No matter, Ashi walked on. He isn’t worried about anyone taking a stand against him. In fact, he will understand their reasoning, but he has no intention of folding to their will and desire for spilling hollow blood…
"Arashi… people may… treat you differently out of fear, if that happens don't let it affect you. It's not your fault what happened, it was Kuchiki-san. If anything, you, Tenzen, and The young pink haired lady are heroes. Unsung heroes. Like the ones in the living world, that do small deeds that go unnoticed to most, but seen by the ones that have watchful eyes.”
He expected his words to be along these lines. His very goal to lift his spirits, it only worked for the moment. He didn’t interrupt him, he only turned his head towards his direction. His smile broadened more to show that he indeed got a reaction and that he at least heard what he is saying, but even Katsuo should understand. What he has become, words will not suffice. A pat on the back will not do. This is long term, Ashi knew that for sure…
Still, his feet could only find the next step ahead of him. One after the other. Still beside Katsuo as they finally make it home. Squad 13. With just a glance, barely, his eyes opened. There are but a few people around. Most are likely to be tending to their own business, handling their duties around the barracks or quickly getting ready to depart to the world of the living. The usual rotation and Ashi is glad to see that some things have never changed. Katsuo called out,
"Oh HAIYIOOOO! Guys? You here? Arashi-san is back! Hey so am I!"
Announcing his arrival and his own. Some approached and shook Katsuo’s hand while he questioned the whereabouts of Oyama, but when it came to Ashi, they only stared at him. At first, it was the length of his hair, it made them hesitant, he looked different, truly. Second came the creepy expression that he had expected them to have already been used to. Not even close… Third, is the knowledge of what happened two months ago. Shy, fearful, angry as their beloved leader has become the very thing they kill. Despite what their eyes and body language would tell, Ashi stuck out his hand for them to shake. Instead, they nodded to him, a few even bowing, before turning away. They knew their place, they had their respect, but it wasn’t the same as before. They couldn’t trust Ashi anymore… His hand fell to his side… He understood more than they knew.
”Stay quiet, Katsuo. Do not say a word. It’s fine.”
Quick to speak, he knew Katsuo all too well. He did not want him to create a scene or cause a ruckus. There is no need, and he did not feel like putting the Squad in a tough place. However, it showed him that his leadership can be handed over to Katsuo and Oya. They will become the faces they can now look up to.
”Find Oyama, quickly. Meet me in the main office.”
No need for a response, as the sudden use of Shunpo is a testament to that. The sliding door to his quarters slid open, but even he wasn't seen opening them. At the exit of his Shunpo, he found himself standing before his desk, with his hand touching the surface. Sliding his finger-tips across the surface, memories piled like the small stack of papers on his desk. Every executed plan, signed document, patrol logs. Eventually, he found himself flipping through the stacks of paper and quickly noticed how badly they are mixed and unorganized. No challenge for him, having been doing this for such a long time. Easily sorted and placed appropriately, but he would have one in his hand, that was delivered today. How recent it may have been, he wasn’t sure.
Reports of Hollow activity within the confines of Karakura Town. Respond immediately!
Pretty much the gist of the message. No rest for the weary and though it may seem that way, this wasn’t going to be a problem that he needed to handle. He only hoped that Katsuo and Oyama are ready to handle this situation and many more that will likely pop up… He sets the report down and places it in a position to where they can easily see it once he is gone.
Ashi took the time now to look around. Noticing how some things have gone untouched for so long. He opened every drawer, noticing that all of the packs of tea he created are gone or have at least been used by him some time ago. He isn’t surprised that there was nothing really left for him to take… Fine, it only made his exit that much easier. Less to haul, he is content. As he makes his way back to the front of the desk, he only leans against, almost sitting upon the top of it. He waits forKatsuo and Oyama to come prattling in. THat picture he mentioned before… Ashi needed to prepare a believable and memorable smile. The atmosphere had to change around him…
”You and me both know if they go to Karakura Town. One aint gonna come back alive. Your punk ass lost to a weakling like Sword Eater. If I was around, he would’ve got so much more than a laser through the shoulder.”
”But you weren’t and that is what made me stronger.”

”Dumbass, you were already strong! You let that soft ass heart get you fucked up! You let the killer inside of you dwindle! All that hate and anger bottled up inside behind that stupid smile. Tuh…"
”Say what you will, it will not change anything.”
”Yea whatever, keep thinking. Before you know it, my hands will be around your throat, crushing it. I’ll bleed your soul and spirit dry, then tak over that husk you call a bo-”
Cut off once again, his counterpart sure could talk a lot, but talk he will. There was truly no way of keeping him from budding in. Even now, still he looms. A broken record in the back of his mind. Constantly playing. Constantly… Playing....

 

[Shinigami]

Replay
The voice mutters before a large screen illuminating much of his laboratory. The lab is filled with gurtling screams and roars. Whatever it was, wasn’t human...and was definitely in pain. Splayed on the screen was the video footage of the three Vizards. Nyūraku watches, eyes shifting as he stares at the footage longingly. He sighs, reaching out with a delicate touch, closing his eyes as he can only reminisce.
The screams echoing in his ears like the sweetest of ballads. Bulging eyes reopen, burning their broken, beaten and writhing images into his retinas, sealing this sweet moment in the impenetrable vault that was his mind. The sound of wheezing, hacking, coughing and sluggish steps disturbs the man’s moment of cherished memories.
”Pause”
Kurotsuchi sighs in utter frustration. The coughing grows louder, the breathing deeper and more labored.

”K-Ku-Kurotsuchi…*COUGH* Kurotsuchi-kun.The Li-the Lieutenant. Said to..give me a moment.”
He struggles to catch his breath, refusing to relinquish the still lit and burning cigarette. He raises a hand, then moves it to his chest. Nyūraku eyes go every which way, as if refusing to stare directly at the chain smoking male before him. His struggling colleague finally reaches into his lab coat, and retrieves what appears to be a small disk.
”This...in your computer..and-”
Nyū stares at the object, p;ucking it from the man’s hand. He brings it close to his face, turning it from one side to the other, before casually tossing it aside. The man’s mouth drops open, causing the cigarette to fall out. He struggles as he rushes to catch the object before it can collide with the floor.
”That buffoon. Does he intend for me to just casually hand over my precious work and material like that? Asking another scientist for their work is akin to asking to read the diary of another. There are simply things you do not do! Imbeciles.”
He turns his hunched back to the male, waving a pale hand dismissively.
”Anyways, if that’s all you can go. I’m having a moment here, and your presence and cigarette are disturbing it. Now...PLAY”
GRRAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
The screams of agony resume, his smile creeps back onto his disfigured face. Several minutes go by as he revels in the macabre footage of science, torture and memories before a ping chimes from his computer.

”Master Kurotsuchi, you have a pending message from Lieutenant Kyōraku. Shall I play it?”

”That man again?”
He grumbles. Glancing behind him he sees that the nicotine fiend was no longer present. Perhaps he’d already left and delivered his response to that bumbling fool of a man. Though it shouldn’t be, even a man of his inferior caliber should understand the implications of his words. Perhaps his analogy was far too confusing and he was calling for some clarification.
”Yes, that must be it. I’ll have to use smaller words next time.”

”Master Kurotsuchi?”

”Yes yes, I heard you. Play the message.”

Quote:”I know I am finding this out a little late, but I think I figured out how I am able to completely separate the Hollow from Shinigami, permanently curing them, but I need to speak with you immediately on this.”

”End of Message”

Kurotsuchi’s eyes stare off to the side, one to the left the other to the right. Then they swirl and stare at one another before rolling back up to stare at the screen.
”So...he’s lost his mind. I knew it was only a matter of time.”
He dismisses the message much like he dismissed the previous relayed orders. Shaking his head, even he with all his brilliance could not begin to fathom what idiocy his Lieutenant was entertaining in his partially empty mind.

 

[Shinigami]

The amount of paper work dropped upon her was to say the least done, the only reason she hadn’t made her way to the main office was the fact that it wasn’t hers, she respected Arashi enough to not take over the main office, nor touch his stuff. Other members however seemed to think it was okay going in and taking what they like. She didn’t know that Arashi was going to transfer over, had she known she probably would have taken office by now and not leave it such a mess. Though that was for Arashi to sort out when he got back not her. Though soon someone came barreling down into her office nearly out of breath as he came in
“Arashi Suta is here!”
She had looked up at the man and blinked as he opened the door to tell the news to her. Her pen dropped and her face was in disbelief, she couldn’t believe what was said to her, and for a moment it seemed all of time froze and she was pulled back into the depths of her mind to see Furia staring at her.

“SO he finally reappeared!?!?! I can kill him now!”
“He beat us both in training. He’s far more experienced than you or I, if you’re foolish enough to try and kill him now, you might as well dig our grave right here in 13th’s court yard, you’ve seen what he posses now. You and I did the research a while back, he is something beyond a Shinigami now,
The look of disappointment came across her face as she knew Oyama was right, and for now she would go back to where she came from the darkest parts of Oyama’s mind, just wanting to watch the events unfold for now. And soon she would come back to reality, where she was just blankly staring at the man.
“Thank you”
It was simple but she was grateful for the news that was given to her, before long she would close her eyes and begin to concentrate on her sensing, she started to pick up little flames around the area, but there were two that stood out. One just so happened to be Katsuo’s who seemed to be making his way towards her, while the other was Arashi, which his seemed to be… Stronger. With haste she had disappeared with a shunpo, going through the complex and appearing not to far from Katsuo and the main office, just inbetween the two where she would turn and give a little wave at him before proceeding to the main office of 13th, only stopping around the corner, and let out a sigh of relief before finally turning the corner to see Arashi, and his normal smile, while she herself would also smile.
“I see that you’re back, and looking as fit as ever. Tell me, are you a vizard now? And if so, hows that other half treating you?”
Her smile persisted, despite the hard question she had just asked, she read about em a while back, in the academy to say the least, how she got the information, was for her to know and no one to find out. She thought at first that Furia was something of a hollow but she displayed no signs of a hollow nor was a mask ever generated. If anything, she could just have a split personality disorder, but her family knew of it, and did something about it, sealing part of that mind away and only in the past few months as she finally resurged. Some memories were there, like the white room that both herself and Furia were in, while others seemed to be grainy, or blacked out. Those thoughts lingered in the back of her head, and it was something she couldn’t currently figure out. Least not on her own at this time.

 

[Shinigami]

Listen and Read
The one thing in life that is harder to strive toward than any other is perfection. For no matter how hard some of us hone our minds and bodies to their absolute best, no matter how much dedication and detail we put toward a particular project, nothing we do or ever will do may be considered perfect. Even the Gōtei 13 which has had more invested into it in one century than any other society in the other realms, is not quite perfect and in all honesty it never will be, even with justice itself sitting upon its throne, watching us like an omnipotent being. Taking this into consideration, it is no surprise that the once great Festering Pot, a legendary item created by the most brilliant minds of the Gōtei 13, was eventually corrupted and transformed into what is now known as the Aku Hachi Hakkō. What many looked to as a symbol of hope in a desperate time, turned into a horrible entity that none other that the Captain Commander was allowed to be in charge of, that was until two months ago when a foolish nobleman whose name will now be forgotten in the sands of time, dared to open it. By doing so he unleashed all the evil that had been growing in strength for many years and brought forth unto the Gōtei another batch of Vizards, but these Vizards were like the ones who had come to the Gōtei before. Only the legendary Hōgyoku wielded by Aizen Sōsuke and Kiskue Urahara in a time long since past held the one item that was able to create the perfect Hollow-Shinigami Hybrid, the one thing that was able to give an ordinary shinigami the ability to have a Ressurección.
This only meant one thing to Nozamu the more he thought about it, if the Hōgyoku was truly that much greater than the Aku Hachi Hakkō in terms of creating the perfect Vizard, then this just meant that the latter was nothing more than an infection, or more accurately a dangerous cancer; yet even cancer can be removed.
As Nozamu’s mind continued to race through the million scenarios that entered into his head, it began to act akin to the festering pot before its corruption, going through each idea and keeping little details of each, growing more and more powerful with every passing moment, but always for the betterment of those who were afflicted. Suddenly minutes passed since his call to Kurotsuchi and he finally arrived into the same room as the brilliant scientist, whose intellect very well surpassed his own on several levels, except for those which Nozamu specialized in, but the biggest difference between the two was their attitude toward what they do.
Stepping into the room he held up the two papers into the air, showing that they were of importance, but didn’t show them to the man yet, instead he simply walked over to the closest clear surface and put himself on the opposite side of the man who he wished to speak with. His contact covered eyes gazed upon Kurotsuchi’s face, it was so strange to him how the man did have truly amazing hair as if it was gifted down from the Soul King himself, but had a face which not even those in Hell deserve to be looking upon. Nevertheless this man was not just his subordinate, another lower seated Shinigami in the Gōtei and more specifically his division, he was indeed his equal and he was going to treat him as such and be honest with every thought that came into his head in his walk.
“Hollowfication as you know is the process of inserting a Hollow’s soul into a normal soul, breaking down the boundary between the two and trying to turn the original into something far more powerful. Thankfully the Aku Hachi Hakkō only caused an imperfect breakdown of the boundary, unlike Hōgyoku which is able to break down the boundary to the absolute molecular level, which is exactly why you were able to use the Vaccine originally created by Urahara Kisuke.”
Finishing his sentence, Nozamu placed down the “Vaccine” document onto the clear surface, then turned it around so that Kurotsuchi was able to look upon it clearly and while they both knew he did not need to read all of it or even skim over it as he indeed was the one that decided to use the vaccine on them before Nozamu was able to get involved. Yet there was a specific part of it which Nozamu highlighted while walking his way through the halls, specifically that it was the confirmation that the only way to stop Soul Suicide was to insert into the soul something opposite to the Hollowfication, in which case the Quincy Reishi conflicted with that of the Hollow Reishi, restoring the balance on the other side and stopped the construction.
”I wasn’t able to highlight it on the way here as I was busy brainstorming, but if you look a little closer down here.”
Nozamu pointed onto the piece of paper on a paragraph way near the bottom of the page, one that most people found irrelievent, but it made a bit of sense why he was bringing it up in this scenario.
”Quincy are able to be stabilized by using a Gigai made from a human soul that envelops any Shinigami who enters it and if either of us were to enter it we’d be between Shinigami and Human, allowing us to cancel out the Hollow that is attempting to infect the Quincy in question. As you most likely know also, this is a process that completely takes away the use of Shinigami powers and all that bad stuff, but unlike the previous vaccine we discussed, Kiskue was able to notice that there was an extremely strong reishi string binding the souls together.”
A brief pause happened as Nozamu spoke his final sentence, it was quite obvious his mind was racing faster than a speeding bullet, until the point where one of his two eyes began to develop that unique crimson glow and projected and cycled through a few select hollows that for a few points in history claimed the lives of many Shinigami, all of them though had been vanquished.

”Your inital reaction to stop the Soul Suicide in these Shinigami was indeed the first step in curing them of their inner hollows, yet there has only been one species who was known to seperate soul from body, hollows; the few I am showing you now are the only ones confirmed have actually forcibly extracted a living spirit from their own body. If we were able to recreate this exact same ability that the Hollows use, I believe that we would not only be able to modify it to be far more precise in extracting the Hollow soul from the original soul, but also put it into a body that can either be experimented upon by yourself or exterminated.”

 

[Shinigami]

Katsuo agreed not to say a word about what had gone on, not that anyone didn't know what happened anymore anyway, word gets around fairly quickly. Katsuo actually followed Arashi into his office, and sure enough on his hunch word would Get out Arashi was Back, and Oyama would show up. Katsuo sat in one of the chairs at the Captain's desk and set his stack of finished reports and paperwork next to the half Oyama had done.
"It's not exactly organized yet but. Most of the reports coming in have just been Hollow sightings in Karakura."
He said, before Oya came and said what she said to Arashi. It was a question he really didn't question coming from Oyama..out of the three of them now he'd be the only one that didn't know how it felt to have something poking and prodding at inner thoughts and emotions.
"That's kinda a weird question coming from you, Oya. How is Furia treating you? I imagine it's almost the same for Ara."
He sighed and shook his head, looking at some of the papers with Arashi. Katsuo had tried his best to step up for the guy, and Oyama for the last two months, and he's not had a chance to truly feel relaxed since then. Especially with reading some the reports.
"So, some of the Reports in Karakura indicate the presences of Fullbringer and Quincy activity, Division ten ran into some, and it seems Quincy population in Karakura is increasing, we may have to double our watch and shifts in The world of the living for a while…"
It was odd, Katsuo getting straight to business without a moment's notice, as if nothing really had happened, but Arashi was still in Squad Thirteen, paperwork on that transfer hadn't even been written out yet.
"I recommend we find out exactly what it is they are doing first, and remind them that without Shinigami to purify the Hollow souls, the world will fall into imbalance. Remind them that their powers don't Purify the hollow soul, that it completely destroys it."
Katsuo looked upset at the fact so many things were happening in the world of the living now, that they wouldn't have time to fix their own problems and situations.
"Something is going on in Hueco Mundo again more than likely, there's been a slight increase in Hollow activity, nothing too major has come through, a few low level hollow here and there. But, it's better to be safe and prepared than sorry and dead…"