[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Rukongai

[Shinigami]

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With sandals on feet a young blonde girl steps lively and proudly through the Third District of the Northern Rukongai. As she walks she has no regard for what is in front of her, people stumble and step out of her away all to avoid crashing into her. She could easily be mistaken for a princess given this uncontested stride of hers. The only reason she is not mistaken as one is due to her mother who trails behind her, apologizing to everyone she was forcing to move. She catches up to her daughter and grabs her by the arm, her brows furrowed with frustration as she reprimands her daughter.
”MUNASHII! Stop being so rude and watch where you’re going!”
The girl pouts and huffs looking away from her mother.
”It’s not my fault they are so weak they let a little girl dictate their path! I just-”
As she was talking her mother took off her wooden geta sandal and hit her in the head for her immature response. Munashii crouches down and rubs her head, eyes welling up with tears as she fights back the urge to cry just to “look tough”. Her mother takes her hand and apologies to the people around her one last time before walking off towing her daughter along with her. The mother daughter pair were just out for a casual stroll through the streets of the Third District, the day was rather nice, with clear skies and for once things were not exploding. But who are these two and what significance do they have to… anything?
These two are the wife and daughter of Tenzen Oda, their existence are kept secret from all except three other Shinigami close to Tenzen and his family. His paranoid nature had him hide them away from public sight, ensuring no one could use them as leverage against him. While his family is aware of their existence and location Katsuo is uninformed of them. Tenzen keeps his adoptive brother in the dark on this due to Katsuo’s rather “soft” nature. No matter how much Tenzen would tell him to stay away, Katsuo would try to find ways to sneakily visit them or send them gifts. Having already perceived the folly of this Tenzen opted to keep quiet about it and by extension so did the rest of the Oda. A noble clan keeping secrets is nothing new in the slightest. Regardless of this the family is kept safe by the Oda clan who keep remote eyes on them and their surroundings to allow the two to live relatively normal lives. The hardest part of all of this is making sure Munashii stays quiet about who her father is, the girl has too much pride in who he is and will use this info to get her way . Luckily her mother, Kawagishi (川岸; River banks) is always there to stop her before she says or does something dumb.

Kawagishi is not a noble, there is not an ounce of nobility running through her blood nor does she possess any Reiryoku. She is a former human who passed on and ended up in Soul Society as most humans do. Arriving in the Twenty Fifth District of the Northern Rukongai as a teenager she spent the first part of her life obtaining a new home and gaining friends along the way. Life wasn’t always easy and happy-go-lucky, because even Districts in the Twenties aren’t exempt from occasional crime and vandalism. Due to such things she lost her home and her friends as they either reincarnated or moved on to other Districts. Instead of breaking down and crying or lamenting over what she had lost she decided to get revenge. A young girl going off to kill a group of petty bandits isn’t ideal when all she had was a cheaply made Wakizashi.
Days turned to months, months to years as she hunted this group down, her travels taking her further out into the Rukongai going from the Twenties to the thirties and so on until reaching the Seventieth District. Her leads became warmer, growing hot until she was told a solid location on where their camp was at. With naught but a poorly taken care of Wakizashi in hand she sought to extract vengeance and give despair, quietly and discreetly but she was too late. The bandits laid dead and scattered throughout their camp, the only living beings were two men and a boy about her age. The Oda clan had taken Tenzen out to give him a taste of a real battle, to have his life on the line and threatened. Sadly, Tenzen was overwhelmed and failed in this regard, his father and uncle had to clean up after him. However, Kawagishi didn’t know this from her perspective he aided in the slaughter.
The trio passed the girl, making their exit from the district and summoning up some form of courage. It was Tenzen who spoke first with an awkward “H-hello” before moving on. One of the older men with blonde hair had an emblem on his coat, a lotus flower. She turned to give chase only for them to vanish before her eyes. Time would pass and Kawagishi remembered the emblem and asked around about it. All she got were warnings and threats telling her to stay far away from that clan. These warnings were enough to deter her and so she decided to focus on starting over and trying to build a new life for herself. She would eventually run into Tenzen again, as if ordained by fate, this time each of them a bit older than before. They would grow closer over the years and when Tenzen was finally able to join the Gotei Thirteen is when she had to be kept a secret from the general public, even more so when their daughter was born.
”When is dad going to visit again?”
”I’m never sure of when he will stop by, he doesn’t like to keep a schedule for things like that. But surprise visits are always nice, don’t you agree?”
Munashii grins as she agrees but gets a better idea in her head, running ahead of her mother and turning around to face her with a mischievous look on her face. Her mother has a look of surprise on her face, she's pretending of course. The two were out of ear shot of anyone so they spoke rather freely for the moment.

”I’m going to become a Shinigami! That way I get to see dad EVERYDAY! I can already suppress my Reiatsu! And-”
”I’m sure there is more to it than that darling, give it time I’m sure dad will let you know when you’re ready.”
Munashii grins from ear to ear, radiating pride from her smile alone. In truth this girl is the epitome of a spoiled brat. It is why she struts down the street the way she does and speaks so boldly. If she were to have an epitaph it would be “The Oda Princess”. She is blessed with untapped power, blessed without worries and blessed with loving caring parents. She is spoiled because of this, however this plight of happiness won't last forever, her time to be trained and raised as a proper Oda is coming soon and hopefully this carefree princess esque demeanor will endure the hell she is going to be put through.

 

[Shinigami]

Signy trailed behind Atsuko and Sanyu as they moved into Itsuki’s study. Her attention hardly stayed on one thing as Atsuko talked to Sanyu about either using his sense of smell or his shikai ability to track their missing captain. Leaning back against a wall, her eyelids drooped until her eyes were half-lidded.

Signy really had no dog in this race. She had trained her whole life to be a part of 8th Division, and even her zanpakuto geared more toward that, but Shori had given in when Atsuko recruited her to 7th. As a way of rebelling against her jailor, Signy allowed her mind to drift until a plan was fully decided upon. The gentle melody of a piano began to swell in the silence of her fractured mind. Without realizing it, her fingers slowly moved along to the melody against her arms. She longed for her solitude, for the never-ending nights that drifted along her melancholy sonatas.
The study faded away around her as she let her memories spill forth to occupy her time. A gleaming piano before a roaring fireplace and Signy seated upon the bench. Her mother’s shrill voice split through the music, though it seemed muffled and distant. Signy! Stop playing that wretched song! You’ll wake your brothers!”
Signy remained silent as her fingers went about dancing along the keys. She never cared if she woke her brothers. Them waking up would be a welcome distraction. A few solemn moments where her mother wasn’t shrieking at her about the most asinine things.
Signy! What did I just say!?
The music room dissipated, and a subtle frown showed the little displeasure she felt about still being in the captain’s study. She felt useless there. Atsuko had practically deciphered the note and Sanyu was going to be tracking the captain down, so why was she even there? It’s not like anything needed to be demolished with lava. Right?

 

[Shinigami]

No deadlines. No meetings. Nothing in the former head lieutenant's life to stress her, other than the stresses of motherhood. With no time constraints, she often looses track of time, enjoying the peace and tranquility of every day life... of a noble. A far more comfortable life than those in the outer Rukongai districts, and while the Oki Clan provides aid to those less fortunate districts, it is still far from changing their situation. The disparity between the rich and the poor is still prevalent, despite the passage of a hundred years. Slowly, but surely, things did in fact improve, but for some, it simply wasn't fast enough. Violence and bloodshed still plagues the farthest reaches of Rukongai, claiming lives on the daily, while she and hers live comfortably in the first Western district.

Slowly, the heavy wooden doors creak open as the neighboring visitors arrive. No visible attendants to the doors or entrance, simply allowing them entry to the Oki lands. Deep in the Oki compound, Masahiro looks up to his statuesque mother, looking between her brew and the clock, attentive to when his only friend outside of the Oki family is set to arrive, meant to be taken care of while his mother is of at work. Honoka glances over, smiling at her son, stifling a giggle as she finally shuts off the heat to her paralyzing concoction. Masahiro eagerly rushes over from their home to the entrance to greet his favorite visitor.
“Masa-chaaaaan. Masa-chaaaaaaaan, I wanna plaaaaaay.”
“HARUKI! GO AND GREET YOUR ELDERS BEFORE YOU PLAY.”

"Haru-kun! Haru-- Ah! Hello Gekko-sama!"
Masahiro bows politely at Akarui before running off with Haruki to play in the garden. Honoka laughs as the boys run past her, giving Haruki a gentle pat on the head. She could see it, the traces and mix of the features of both his mother and father, making her look at her own son briefly. The spiky hair and lighter complexion, the only tells of his father, aside from his reiryoku, repressed by the fabric of the inner lining of his clothes. Concealed until he himself is able to get full control over his own innate abilities. She has no way of telling at what point the boy will overpower the contingencies set in place to protect him.
"Haha, Akarui, thank you for bringing him over, Masahiro really enjoys playing with Haruki-kun."
She smiles , accepting the bento for the boys to eat later on that day.
"Good evening Lady Honoka? It is I, Lieutenant Oda of Division thirteen, I've come to visit like I have promised!"
Honoka looks at him perplexed. She is no longer his superior, nor a form of authority to anyone in the Gotei Thirteen, such formalities are quite... rigid. Is he so nervous that this is purely reflex for the young Oda? A giggle escapes the Oki. Perhaps he felt alienated surrounded by the Oki, but without her order, they will not act.
"I bring gifts for my little cousin!"
"No need to be so formal, and he actually just ran off with Haruki, but I can take them off your hands. I'll be sure he gets them once he's done playing Haru-kun for today."
She avoids exposing her son to certain technologies, especially those able to be tracked, like Denreishinki, regardless of model. Perhaps the Oda meant it as a simple hand-me-down gift, but she is not as trusting and has it sent to Kaede to properly deal with, to ensure there are no bugs or trackers. Still, the Oda is welcomed in, and while some passer-by's side eye the blond male, they say or do anything to oppose the words of the woman. Nothing but hushed whispers lost in the wind, but not to the newest matriarch of the family. A change that occurred recently after Naoki refused to accept Honoka's previous reason for not becoming head of the clan sooner. She had no excuses or responsibilities to the Gotei 13 to keep her from spearheading her own family.

 

[Shinigami]

She truly thought that she was ready to confront the volatile emotions within herself. While piecing together the myriad of districts within her head, she had brought unwelcome distress upon herself. Why was it that every paternal figure within her life left her? Whether or not she liked them mattered not. A parent was supposed to persevere through hard times and watch out for their children. Although she herself was like a big sister to both Sanyu and Shori, Atsuko couldn't help but feel the instinct to help them no matter what was going on. Be it training, or even something as simple as a heart-to-heart conversation, she was there for them. Up until 10 years ago, their relationship with their Captain was not strained. With each passing day and spotty communication delivered via various methods, it was hard not to allow doubt to form within her mind. Just like her father, he had left her alone and she had to navigate the torrential waters before her. Was it possible, then... That Itsuki Asakura had died just as her father did? No, surely this was not the case. From a rational standpoint, Itsuki was much stronger than her father and could come out of most situations unscathed.
Fear began to grip her as she thought about the possibilities. Her father died due to the Ise Curse. So much was unknown about this wretched curse and who it could affect. It wasn't out of the realm of possibilities, then, to think about the possibility that Itsuki had contracted this curse from Atsuko's presence. She was the matriarch of the Ise Clan, after all. While not married, the two were close. Atsuko was far too used to men she cared about dying. After announcing that they were going to pursue the Captain and search various districts, she had to regain her composure. A moment of weakness could not be allowed. Bringing her hands up to her face, she tapped her cheeks just hard enough for there to be a noticeable Tap! to be heard. This does not cause her any harm, nor does it leave her cheeks flushed. If anything, Sanyu and Shori would probably perceive this as their Lieutenant pumping herself up or reinsuring that she was alert.
A soft, familiar voice rings on her ears, telling her that her plan needed to be tweaked a bit. "Lieutenant; I'd hate to burst your bubble but if he's been gone for several years as the attendant says; there is no tracking him this way; the scent would be too far degraded and gone. There is however another way."
Her eyebrows raise a bit as curiosity washes over her. She knows that the young Komamura has a good head on his shoulders. She understands why a sigh follows his words. He's going to propose something that he was too afraid to earlier, surely. An idea of what exactly it crosses her mind as she gets closer to him, waiting for the next words to come out of his mouth. With eyes trained on his person, even the slightest of movements gains her attention for the briefest of moments. Thankfully, she kept her glasses on. There was no reason to remove them yet, but even with them on, she could still process a wealth of information at once.
"But you disapproved of it before hearing my explanation, and I kept quiet as you are my Superior. However, if you'd like to hear my reasoning now, I'd like to try again."
It appears she was correct in her assumption. Yes, she had shot down this earlier, but she had a good reason to do so. Releasing one's Zanpakuto within the confines of the Seireitei suddenly was not the best of ideas. Perhaps it would have been best if she clarified earlier that he was free to activate his Shikai once they were outside of the gates. Yes, that was likely the best course of action. Hindsight is everything and in this case, it was not a huge err in thought. As Sanyu continues to speak, Atsuko draws closer, her right hand outstretched as she places it on the kashira. Her hand glides down the tsuka briefly before she withdraws it. These actions are slow enough for both Sanyu and Shori to perceive. Atsuko does not mind making them curious about some of her more sincere actions. Admiring that which she lacked was not something unusual. Oftentimes, she would attempt to commune with her Clan's Zanpakuto, but to no avail. It did not speak to her and it did not function under most circumstances. Even if one was alone within the Soul Society, they had their Zanpakuto Spirit at the very least. Stepping back a couple of feet, she allowed for Sanyu to continue with his explanation.
"Kami Taigun, can create Origami figures of anything I desire. The birds I suggested previously can fold to become paper-thin, and completely invisible when folded at an angle. You name off the Ten Districts you think he might be, and I can use Kami Taigun to fly birds out to each of those Districts and scout them out from above. Any information they come back with will be written or recorded on their wings due to the reiatsu the paper is surrounded by. It's their sole purpose; Captain Itsuki recruited me straight out of the Academy due to my skills, and I intend on using them, if it is alright with you, Lieutenant."
There was a bit of fierceness within the Komamura's tone. This was something that she did not get to see all that often. To say that she enjoyed a bit of aggression here and there would be an understatement. A strong backbone is needed to survive in the Rukongai and if she can help her squad develop such a thing, then she would do so by any means. While not the most gentle way to go about things, it was certainly effective. Her instructions to Sanyu from earlier appeared to pay off, even if only slightly.
"You have a beautiful Zanpakuto, Sanyu." She begins, allowing for him to decide whether or not this explained her behavior just prior.
"Yes, let's have you do that. Allow for Kami Taigun to search the ten districts in question. We will need all of the help we can get. An ariel view is always an edge, no matter what the scenario is. The Captain did recruit you because of your skills, yes, but also because of your intellect, Sanyu. Never forget that. We'll search through ... and Kuroari." A smile adorns her face as she finishes her words to him, pacing over to Shori in order to speak with her. Atsuko could tell by her posture and disinterested attitude since the start of this that she needed to speak with her.

"Look, Shori..." Starting softly, it's evident that Atsuko does not want to make her feel as if this is a lecture of some kind.
"I know that you're probably wondering why I made you come along on this trip to find the Captain. I assure you that you are a valuable member of 7th, no matter how you may feel." Her eyes soften as she continues. Every fiber in her being yearns for Signey and Shori's understanding.
Always Together
"Me, you, and Sanyu are three in one. It's my duty to protect both of you, yes. But I know that both of you have my back as well. Regardless of whether or not your power can be used for investigation, it can be used in a battle." Her words were true. The Rukongai was not a peaceful place by any means. From Hollows to full-on invasions and other catastrophic events, there was no telling when one could get into trouble and find themselves in a position where fighting was the only option.
By now, Atsuko was sure that Sanyu had released his weapon. Had he not, she would have waited before opening her mouth again. "Since there are only ten districts, let's start with one and go from there. Kuroari is a rather...dark area as we know. I wouldn't put it past Captain Asakura to have ventured through this one. We can always ask the villagers—er—people, I guess, one could say."
There was no real village left to speak of. Such a district seemed damned and nothing good ever went on there. The Lieutenant felt for the people and hoped that their presence wouldn't spark anything bad. Holding her hand out, she offered it to Shori once more. Without saying anything, it was clear that she had no ill intentions like earlier. If Sanyu wanted to get there as fast as them, he would be wise to grab onto Atsuko as well. They would arrive long before the unseated members in their Division that were still in the tea room. Little did Shori of Sanyu know, but between her movement from the Komamura to the Hoshi, she had made her way into the tea room to convey their plans. What they perceived as her slow pacing was what she allowed for them to witness. This feat that had warped their perception was not uncommon for the Ise. Now it was truly time to depart and narrow down the location of their Captain.
Hopefully, they would find him alive.

 

[Shinigami]

Rukongai is the busiest place in the whole of the soul society, this is where Souls are born or where the Deceased souls from the land of the living lived here. Some parts of the Rukongai are in poverty, others are not. Many shinigamis came from here, as expected. Not only is Rukongai the busiest place, it is also the largest with many districts, 320 districts to be exact. Luckily for Saiko, she knows the area well enough to navigate herself out of the way from busiest times.
Having just come back from patrol over Karakura town, Saiko sweeped the town from any dangerous hollows. Of course, Hollows came in different shapes and sizes, as well as power. There are levels to the hollows, Luckily she only had to face off the Gillian class of hollows today, Gillian class level of hollows is the lowest class you can get, actually. The Gillian class of levels only appears in the world of the living, you rarely see any of the higher classes of hollows. Not that Saiko ever saw one at that.
Saiko walked around the town with her Zanapkuto on her waist at all times, comfy being there. See saw the merchants selling their products to con people out, like selling cheaply made products. This made Saiko scoffed, those poor citizens. Not only did she see merchants but also vendors who sold fresh produce, like rice and vegetables. Like any other being, Spirits and Shinigamis need to eat as well to maintain their strong abilities. The sound of kids playing in the streets, running around and loud noises made Saiko chuckle, she loved seeing kids playing games in the streets. It brings back memories of when she was a young soul.
She was searching for her Lieutenant, Katsuo Oda. She wanted to report back to the Lieutenant to tell him that she did her duties smoothly and there were no problems at all during the process of eliminating the hollows. She looked both sides of the street, looking out for him. That was until…..She saw an issue. The issue was a group of people hoarding around two people. She couldn’t see what was happening so she decided to run to the scene, there she saw two young males fighting with each other, one being all bruised up and the other mocking and throwing punches. She did not like this scene at all, so she quickly stepped between the fighting males and with a powerful and stern voice she said
“Excuse me, what on earth are you doing? There should be no fighting in the streets.”
One of the young males looked at Saiko in disgust, and thrown the other to the ground in harsh manner, with no remorse for what he did, The male walked up to Saiko, closely he stood there to look intimidating, however Saiko did not flinch one bit at his actions, instead she had her arms folded looking at the male in serious look. The serious Look made the male whimper and back off a little. Knowing not to mess around with her. Saiko.

After the male backed off she went to the injured soul and helped him up to his feet, her face now looking back to normal, she smiled at the young male brushing off dirt. Her hand delicately pets the male on the head and said this in her normal soft voice
“Shall we get you all cleaned up?”