[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Rukongai

[Zhou_Feng]

Appearing just as he vanished, Zhou was now located in the Rukongai, where the games had taken fruit. From the number of spiritual pressures present, there was one he was searching for, despite how faint it may have been. The last that he had heard of Honoka was that a certain Lieutenant scooped her up. Due to his own time as a part of the Gotei 13, this male wasn’t someone that was foreign to him, but the reverse perhaps could not have been said.

The stoic male had arrived at the north gate of the Rukongai. In contrast to his visage of lack of emotion, there were a variety of different reactions to the Kenpachi games from the souls within the area. Although he hadn’t a reason to bask in the glory or the lack thereof, he still could practically feel the surge of energy radiating from the number of souls that were in the area – a pure demonstration of just how important these games were not only for the participants, but for the soul society as well. Upon searching for his fellow division member, a stroke of nostalgia came in the form of a female that had grown slightly taller, more muscular, and bore even more of a presence than what she did before. This was none other than the newly made captain of the ninth division: Yasu Yūgure.

Instantly, a flashback played of the onlookers spectating the games through their denreishinki. They praised the captain so, especially with the public use of what was previously normalized as a power not fit for the soul society. Once being a member of the second division, the idea of strength aligned with using whatever you had in order to successfully complete a mission. Mask or not, she was ultimately taught to use whatever in her arsenal that was necessary for a victorious outcome. Ever since she was confirmed to be a vizard, Zhou still held the same beliefs about her: As long as she did not hinder the Gotei 13, she’d never be someone that he’d ever be up against. A century passed; it was more than evident that she had grown significantly stronger than what she was before. That same resounding strength that Zhou wanted to seek, taking steps outside of his division as well.

Eyeing the female, it seemed as though she was preoccupied with giving interviewers. Even after a taxing match, she still found it necessary to perform her duties. She exemplified exactly what it meant to be a captain of her division. Duties came first. With her being slightly busy performing her tasks, Zhou simply looked in her vicinity with the memories of her dancing about his head, but he too had an obligation. And as such, he continued to look for the lieutenant that held onto the member of his division, him wondering about Honoka’s well-being. It didn’t take long for him to notice the white haired figure that was definitely known within the Gotei 13 and for him to approach the male with his lackluster composition, his apathetic appearance seeming to not actually show concern visually. Zhou made his way over to the figure, him bowing slightly with his chin pressed into his chest.

“Greetings, Lieutenant Nibui.”

He began, his voice dry and void of any emotion.

“Congratulations on your matches.”

Zhou inferred, especially with him being the one to retrieve Honoka’s body.

“I was wondering for her well-being first and foremost, but I am here to escort her back to the third division barracks when she is able to move on her own.”

The male said with not a hint of conflict in his voice. One could honestly tell his actions were out of duty more so than anything. Waiting on a response from the winner of the first round of the Kenpachi games, his silver orbs looked into the obscure orbs of the lieutenant once his display of respect had ended.

 

[Samu]

Chaos rings through the valley as the vigorous rumbling of the rock floor persists for a brief longer before steadily settling. Dust and smoke kicked up from the Captain’s destructive kido begins to dissipate, revealing the harsh reality of what has transpired. What Yū expects to reveal itself is nothing but rubble, only to soon realize he had greatly underestimated the strength of the Lieutenant’s Bankai. It was true the only metric he had to go off was an outdated memory of a weakened Nibui… but to have made a miscalculation so grave that even the relatively small collection of flowing roots were able to withstand the boy’s might...

He knows now he stands no chance in directly overwhelming his defenses and understands he has already been outsmarted by the Lieutenant before. He would just have to be smarter moving forward. There is silence that lingers between them— neither party displaying any hostility, but it doesn’t seem as if anyone will back down. The Captain’s stance grows tense again, lowering his form and brandishing his blade to run horizontal from his body. Like before, he waits for the Shinigami to make his charge and formulate a counter, one that will be quicker, one that will be more formidable than his previous, inadequate maneuver. The Lieutenant’s stillness reveals no hint of when he will strike next, from what angle, nor what techniques he ha-

“I’m done here.”

“Wh-?!"

The Captain’s back suddenly flattens out, rising to his full height with both mouth and eyes agape.

“I wish you the best of luck my friend, and I hope you don’t blind yourself too much.”

As the bark retreats from atop his skin, Nibui’s lack of injuries is instantly noted, having been fully rejuvenated at some point during his tenure in the wooden bulb. It was clear between the two that Yū would be unable to overpower the lieutenant with even his most formidable Kido, so why would he quit now when his chance at victory was still very much a possibility? Roots that have remained stagnant up until this point now begin to move uniformly, retrieving the third participant of their match from the rubble she rested under to reveal her form to the Captain for immediate treatment. Yū remains still, his eyes now shifting his attention towards the ground as wind begins to encircle the trio. Rapidly, the current picks up in speed, soon clouding their surroundings in an indecipherable haze as their hair and clothing alike violently rustle in the storm they find themselves in. The feeling is familiar, having this same exact method of transport forced onto them when they first arrived here in the valley.

“Tch… so irritating."

… Yū whines to himself as the haunting silence of the Valley of Screams is replaced by the deafening cheering of the hysteric crowd.

Just off the heels of the first bracket’s conclusion, the crowd’s energy doesn’t dwindle for even a moment as they make their arrival. Yū’s perception of his surroundings is restored as the blinding vortex around them suddenly dissipates, causing his bloodstained haori and shihakusho to finally settle.

At once, the medics who had been anticipating this very moment spring into action; A squad of 4 intended for immediate retrieval of Honoka Oki is dispatched, a handle of a singular gurney held by each of the members that sprint towards the trio in a rectangular formation. They speak no words to the competitors as their sole purpose of returning the woman back to the medical tent for Lieutenant Izumi to treat is paramount. With great urgency but equal delicacy, Honoka’s unconscious frame is lifted from the wooden cradle Nibui has created and is placed on the stretcher that they now lift up once more.

The looming presence of the Captain-Commander callsY ū to attention, peering upwards to catch Higen’s inaudible seal of approval. His nod is met with one return, understanding that despite what Yū may find underwhelming in his own regard, his persistence and skill is what the Commander has been looking for and what the Seireitei is desperately lacking.

“You can go with them if you’d like.”

… he offers as his gaze returns to meet Nibui’s, gesturing to the quartet that move with haste to the medical tent. It is obvious the recommendation is not for him to seek medical assistance himself, but because the boy is vaguely aware of his close friendship with the Oki. No doubt her jarring defeat came at a shock to him, more so than to the doctor at least; And no doubt the two had much to catch up on now with her recent return. A less obvious reason for the boy’s proposal is also to ensure he didn’t have to offer any opinion on Nibui’s premature withdrawal. He leaves no room for a reply and his last words function as a ‘goodbye’, coupled with the fact that Yū’s concern is now directed towards the arrival of a fifth Shinigami from his own division who comes with pressing reports.

“Captain, reserves from the Fourth Division are being called upon to be deployed to Naruki City immediately. I was unable to notify you sooner, but Officer Kaisou is heading there as we speak, accompanied by a much taller Shinigami."

Yū’s gaze is unchanged, despite hearing the news of their division’s sudden call to action. With his back now turned to the 11th Lieutenant, he and the medic begin their march together away from center stage; The Captain is in no state of shock, having expected this before they had arrived at the Rukongai, even passing on this same warning to both his lieutenant and 4th seat as his parting message to them. The only thing he did not foresee would be the simultaneous call for backup as the first round concluded— leaving them in… quite the bind. Luckily with the deployment of Kaisou’s departure being decided for him, the boy is left with one less thing to find a resolution for.

“Good, he should be enough. After Lieutenant Izumi is finished with attending to…”

He freezes mid-sentence, stumbling on his words as he instantly realizes he has never referred to Honoka as anything but Lieutenant Oki, despite their lack of contact or reference for the past century. Even now, his draining habit of maintaining formalities is tested, attempting to refer to a woman with no titles with the same reverence as if she still possessed them. After an awkward pause, he is able to find something appropriate enough to still portray her in a respected light.

“... Lady Oki… I’ll have her go back to cover the relief station.”

With a silent nod, the Shinigami types his Captain’s thoughts into his Denreishinki before it beeps once more as another alert comes through. Without delay, he conveys the new message to Yū.

“A critically wounded Shinigami from the 10th Division was brought in moments ago— nurses are saying they have no personnel left capable of treating them now with Kaisou gone."

As one affair is settled, another, more dire situation reveals itself. But still, Yū’s countenance is resolute.

“Send Officer Sayuri to the relief station right away to assist. His priority will be tending to this Shinigami and any more brought in before Lieutenant Izumi arrives."

Another silent nod is delivered as the Shinigami types away at their Denreishinki, this time notifying three: His first directive gets sent to the relief station staff to expect Mizu’s timely arrival. The second is to Mizu himself, notifying him of his objective and the urgency of his new task. The third and final missive is for Junko— while she will be notified just as the four man crew enter the medical tent she awaits them at, the added instruction of returning to the relief station afterwards will be included in this short text.
​

---

It is only after the final message is sent that the medic and the Captain part ways, as Yū is now forced to deal with what may still be the most trying aspect of the tournament: the winners’ interview. But first, he is offered a reprieve as his aimless trek has led him to brief shelter where he can privately change into a clean Shihakusho and haori before his appearance is broadcasted to the Rukongai. Now, they watch with great anticipation as the first victor is examined; Even in the wake of a ferocious fight, Omoni’s cacophonous voice lacks no bass or enthusiasm as she responds to Yasu’s questions. It would be no surprise to Yū that his former lieutenant would come out the victor; He is sure if his own participation wasn’t warranted, he’d most likely have bet on her to go all the way and become Kenpachi.

While his attendance is of no question, a brief flare of excitement is birthed from within him. By this point, he has long forgiven his former subordinate for ascending to Captaincy and more importantly, understood his immature overreaction would have only brought strain unto their relationship had he been given the opportunity to vocalize it. But, it’s now the Captain tries to remember the last two had even fought one another… and soon after realizes they hadn’t at all.

A sharp exhale spouts from his nose; It would be an analysis to see their comparative growth then. Although Yū had never thought for a moment in the past that he could ever overpower her, their responsibilities never lent them the opportunity to solidify this fact. Would it be possible for him to surpass his limits and actually achieve this now that they would be given the chance to battle? Probably not… but, it would be a disservice not to try. Yū now recalls his initial drive that he tried to maintain for the Kenpachi Games. Unfortunately for him, his own bottled insecurity took over this purpose during his bout with Nibui and caused the latter to drop to further not escalate their encounter. He now vows silently to himself for the next round, no matter how much devastation he would both endure and deliver- which he assumed would be plenty, he had to remain level-headed no matter what. To not be blinded would be principal.

A large accumulation of cheers and jeers overwhelm his thoughts, snapping him back into reality. His eyes raise to catch Omoni’s exit as her interview concludes, signaling the start to his own. With haste, he exits his private canopy where he has now adorned his new clothing and soon after arrives at the media tent as the two cloth flaps part ways for him to enter. The sight of the Captain’s entrance fills the many screens that have been broadcasting the matches thus far. Similar to his first interview, the nerves are instantly apparent as the boy tenses up and scratches the back of his neck, attempting to dodge direct eye contact with the giant camera lens that is propped before him.

“Congratulations on your advancement. Have you learned anything while fighting those that you’ve just faced?”

“Not really…”

A lengthy period of silence fills the tent, before the growing unease in the boy’s shifting eyes signals Yasu to continue on with her remaining questions.

“The title of Kenpachi is truly a vicious one. If you were to win the Games, what kind of response do you imagine the viewers to have?”

“I really didn’t think I’d get this far, to be honest.”

Once again he is reminded of his fundamental purpose for participating and deep down, he is extremely confident he will not be the victor in this contest of strength.

“Just don’t heckle me, please.”

… he adds as a lighthearted joke to offset his obvious apprehension at this moment to receive an equally light volume of laughter from the crowd.

Do you have any words towards your opponents for the final round?”

“I’ll do my best! Please bring yours too.”

It’s only after he is quickly ushered out of the tent with his interview’s conclusion that Yū realizes he has no indication of who the third participant is. Yet only a few minutes pass after his exit, before the screens cut back to the tent to showcase the final, remaining contestant. His shimmering, golden mane is unmistakable as the sight of Tenzen Oda now permeates through every single device tuned in to the Kenpachi Games. Unsure if he had truly defeated someone as formidable as Kyomu or if he too was also a victim of an apathetic opponent, the Captain doesn’t waste much time weighing the two possibilities. For the brief moment Tenzen is on screen, the Fairy reverts back to his days as a third seat in the Fifth Division instinctively ooh-ing and ahh-ing as the crowd does; Days when the highest honor he could dream of was by becoming the Kido Chief. He laments to himself: if the Shattered Dimensions event had never occurred… would he have ascended to the organization’s highest rank had his medical talent not been required? His first thoughts and reactions are undoubtedly in reverence, but not towards his rank as Captain but…

‘The Kido Chief… This can be a test for myself too.’

It had been a considerably long time since the Fairy had contended against someone of similar skill in the art of Kido, let alone someone who could be considered superior to him. His memory now struggles to travel many years back to when he had first encountered Tenzen Oda, witnessing the very moment he had become a Captain, soon followed by his Hollowification. Yet aside from that, contact between the two was minimal. Only few glances and even fewer words were exchanged between the two over the past century and even then, these brief interactions were always related to their duties— nothing personal. Despite being classified as peers, the Captain now comprehends he knows virtually nothing of this man… aside from what the public knows. In fact, he knows even less as he has been unable to watch the other matches that proceeded concurrent with his, especially the true evil that the Oda had been able to conjure to secure his victory.

With the fanfare as well as his own unease beginning to reach their height, the remaining victors gather as Yasu’s coverage of the finalist round concludes. Despite all the screams, the horns, the ringing, and the cries, the Fairy is deathly still. For the third time now, Yū is surrounded by the flourishing winds; As before, they start at an embarrassing crawl before picking up into blinding speeds at an insane rate. The view of the stage that loomed overshadowed the remaining candidates soon turns into black as weightlessness overtakes. Just as swift as his brief ascension from the ground, his feet are returned to rest on the floor of their next beaten battleground. Their location is instantly recognizable; Despite rarely ever visiting, its reverence and iconic nature is well-understood.

At the peak of Sokyoku Hill stands Yu, his back towards the edge of the cliff with the sight of his competitors before him. No doubt Omoni’s excitement has been quickly rising to its peak since their arrival and at its zenith, he already assumes she will launch herself towards them to commence their legendary brawl. Here he grasps that he has mistaken his own excitement for trepidation; The feeling of dread does not plague him— it is enthusiasm. Silence hangs between them as Yū discerns this trio aren’t a very talkative group. As a result, the young Captain breaks the silence, his hand gradually nearing his blade.

“Maybe I’m saying this to quell my own nerves, but… at the end of the day, this really is all just a game, isn’t it…”

… he begins, an apprehensive chuckle escaping him as he firmly grips his zanpakutо̄’s hilt.

“Yet I feel for the first time...”

The Fairy’s slow draw swiftly escalates into a sudden unsheathing, his blade pointed directly ahead him as his view is now split between the two.

“... even against two of the Gotei 13's greatest strengths... where everyone else should be afraid...”

​

---

 

[Awkward Heals]

So intently focused upon the screen before her, Junko said nothing as Mizu left the tent. Having only been granted the opportunity to see glimpses of the most recent events of the matches while dealing with the situation at the Academy, Junko was eager to catch up. While her Captain appeared to be reaching victory for himself, Omoni's match had ended a little sooner. Silently cheering, the woman bounced from foot to foot in excitement. On screen it seemed as if Nakamoto Taichou may have gravely injured his opponent, yet in the end he had protected himself with his Zanpakuto. Only to end the match then and there. Somewhat surprised by this behavior, Junko realized many had taken such a course. Nearly falling back into her chair, she found herself quite relieved. The battles to the death had ended and thus far only resulted in a singular death. In fact, once they had begun their egress of the various arenas, there was only one contestant who still required treatment.


Fortunately, the woman could recall the injuries quite well. At she stood, she looked about the tent briefly. As she had prepared for a tent potentially overflowing with injured, they were more than well equipped to handle the lone patient. Having pushed away the sounds of anything unimportant, the world was silent for a short moment. There were many concerns on her mind. The events involving the two from Twelfth Division. Dealing with the paperwork from her needless call for Sixth Division. But most importantly, despite both having won their matches, now what of her Captain and Omoni? So dear to her personally, she wished the title for both. Although such meant little to Junko herself, she recognized the importance of it. There was also the matter of the other Captain that would complete the final round. Her faith in the two refused to waver. Yet she worried for them all the same.


Caught in her musings and the silence, the world around her rapidly disintegrated. Mizu entered the tent, prompting a lift of her head only for the chiming of his phone to be heard. Tilting her head, she wondered if he was receiving word from the hospital. Curious if she had perhaps missed a message from them herself, Junko retrieved her own device. Before she could even glance at the screen it nearly fell to the ground. Fumbling with the small object as it began to ring and buzz as well, the tent had simultaneously been swarmed by fellow members that were bringing the Oki woman for aid. Calming herself, she looked first to the message. From her Captain, it explained her current assignment. Replacing the phone into her pocket, she moved toward the woman brought in. Those that had transported her in moved slightly to make room for Junko.


Glancing down, Junko thought back to how exactly she had been injured. First, she instructed those on the other side of the cot to begin attending to her burns. Sedated by by kido and a direct focus of Junko's reiatsu, they began. Injured tissue removed, some areas delving deep within muscle tissue. The well versed kaido users worked to stimulate her Reiryoku with their own reiatsu. When combined, they worked together seamlessly as the now wide open wounds repaired. Muscle and skin regenerating, growing out to seal together. Nothing was left behind, as if such events had never even occurred.


While the burns were attended to, Junko focused her attentions more inward. Though more horrific in appearance, the burns were possibly not the woman's most severe physical trauma. Having spent quite some time beneath the rubble and debris that rained down upon her when she had fallen, internal bleeding or crush injuries were quite possible. Placing her hands over the woman, closed eyes worked with her spell to focus inward.

Some internal bleeding, easily traced to its source and repaired. A few broken bones, brought back together, binding themselves back together to once more be whole and strong. With a careful eye, Junko examined each injury upon Honoka's person, no matter how small. Once finished, the woman gave a light exhale. Motioning to those around her, a small curtain was soon erected between where Honoka lie and anyone else inside the tent. Only Junko herself and two others remained on the inside of the barrier with her. Observing her Reiryoku, she appeared stable enough. She had been thorough, there was little that could have escaped her keen eye. Yet all the same, while aware of not only the woman's social status but of the many that cared for her, she would remain. She would ensure the Lady Oki was recovered before departing back to the hospital.

​

 

[OmoniHageshī]

---

One Hundred & Fifty Three Years Ago

---

"I SAID GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!”

The door to the eleventh division barracks shattered like a mirror from the force of a crowd of medics stampeding out of harm's way. A table and then a chair followed suit barely missing one of the smaller of the herd. They uttered yelps of fear and rushed away with their team behind another building where they hid together. They were at their wits end because they were the tenth squad of fourth division medics that had been sent to heal one very uncooperative patient. It didn’t matter what they said or what they did, Lieutenant of the eleventh division Omoni Hageshi recoiled from all advances and chased away anyone who dared to come near her.

“I don’t know what we’re gonna do guys. She won’t even let us look at it.”
“What can we do?! We can’t go back in there, she’ll eat us alive!”
“We have to do something. I saw it and if we don’t do something soon, she isn’t gonna make it. That’s got to be why she’s so pissed off. She knows she’s dying.”

"She's acting this way because she's scared; Imagine if that was you. No matter the circumstances, would you want someone to give up on you if your life was on the line? I have to help her.”

Although the young captain’s words were coming from a place of strength and inspired his peers, his pace slowed the closer he got to the beaten shack until he’d come to a complete stop by the doorframe and peered into the darkness of the cabin. What glowered back at him was the stuff of nightmares. Deep in the darkest part of the shadows, a single glowing eye leered back at the doctor. Portions of the place had become engulfed in violent blue flames as this was the product of the patient’s out of control reiatsu brought on by the severe pain she had to have been suffering from. Next he could hear the sound of a heavy yet shaky breath escaping a bleeding jaw adding to a massive pool of blood that had formed beneath her hunched body. There was no place that the stains of red had not violated with its alarming smell and color.

gulp

When it came to Omoni Hageshi, very few knew a thing about her. The woman was a recluse who only emerged from her isolation upon being called on by high power. Essentially, she was the one they sent when things got hard and to get shit done. Sometimes she’d be away on the job for years and this resulted in a lack of familiarity with others. Those who did cross her path could only describe her to be grouchy and stand-offish with no desire to waste time on small-talk or other pleasantries. They’d said that it was like she always had something on her mind or something she was focused on that distracted her from whatever was going on around her and was so absentminded that she often forgot everything that she was told or that she’d seen besides the orders that she was given. Above all though, they said that she was a short-tempered monster that felt no pain and should have been avoided at all costs.

"DONT COME NEAR ME KID!”

There was another volatile swell of reiatsu that charged at Yu but just before reaching him, the sweltering fireball parted so that the brunt of it would avoid him. That searing heat was still very much present and obviously intended to act as a deterrent but he faced the fire without shrinking away. The entire time, Omoni’s anguished stare did not leave Yu Nakamoto for a second. The closer he got the more she flexed her destructive reiatsu to stop him without actually doing him harm. Regardless of her fearsome reaction, it quickly became clear that this show of desperate fury was just that; A show. Since arriving, she’d been without aid for close to a week and had to have bled out a great amount in that time so her indignant thrashing had been all the fight the giant could muster.

Hageshi lived as a legend on the tongues of those who had the misfortune of fighting her. There wasn’t much documentation about her and since she was more known for her monumental fighting skills, Omoni’s ability to heal herself and others wasn’t common knowledge. She had suffered such tremendous damage that she had been unable to mend her own wounds.

*BOOM*

The young blonde captain grew nearer and nearer until he was at the point to where only a few more steps would have brought him within touching distance of Hageshi before she snatched up her Zanpakuto Namakizu and thrust the club down centimeters in front of him causing the floorboards to break upon impact and cut off his path. The flooring clattered haphazardly around them but still as Omoni lived and breathed, Yu Nakamoto refused to back down with a stern but gentle look on his pale face.

“I’m not leaving!”

With no other choice and no sign that he was going to retreat, Omoni grumbled and watched the boy as he began to assess her condition. It looked like she had a few visible lacerations but the tons of scars mauling her body told a story that she wasn’t unfamiliar with cuts and they were superficial. In actuality, she was far worse than he had initially thought and understood right away that she had endured an injury to her soul that was keeping her from being able to recover properly. Yu went to work and proceeded to stabilize her by tending to the nasty ailment that had crippled her. As soon as it was done and the wound to her soul had been healed, the rest of her cuts and bruises healed at a rapid rate enough to startle the captain. As if she had never been broken at all, Hageshi’s mighty frame rose to her feet instantly towering over the dainty physician and the furious blue reiatsu died down to a state of non existence. Then, without a word, they stared at one another. Much like the end of a proverbial tale about the mouse that took the thorn from the lion’s paw that mothers told their children before laying them down to sleep, Yu gained a true friend that day. A moment passed with Omoni quickly glancing herself over before she lifted Namakizu onto her shoulders, took another long look at Yu, and stomped off.

With no acting captain of the eleventh division, Omoni was all there was and so now that she was back to good condition it was overtly true that Yu had done the eleventh division and the soul society a great service. He watched her until she disappeared from view and his company of medics flocked around him. He was barely able to recognize their praises for his bravery and his loyalty to his duty because the boy was mildly bewildered by such a tense interaction and by extension, rather intrigued.

Exactly three days went by and life returned to being mundane with the young captain tending to his tasks as the head of the Seireitei’s hospital unit. He was knee deep in paperwork when someone started rapidly knocking on his office door. Naturally, he opened it to see one of the nurses on staff with a worried look on her face. She informed him that someone had come to speak to him and that they refused to leave until they had. ‘Someone had better be dying.’ With a sigh, the boy got to his feet and allowed the nurse to lead him to where this trouble maker was but as soon as he rounded the corner and his blue eyes caught sight of who had disturbed the peaceful atmosphere, he stopped in his tracks. The nurse bowed and hurried off to get back to her multitude of chores and left captain Nakamoto with Omoni in the waiting room. All the boy could ask himself was why in all of the world was she there?! The eleventh division didn’t have a history of spending their time anywhere near the fourth unless they were being healed after some sort of bloody brawl and they usually left without so much as a thank you in most cases. Silence and staring was all the two shared with one another until, without provocation.

"Yo, Kid.”

Hageshi spoke to him and much to his surprise she asked if she could join the fourth division. At first he thought she was joking but it quickly occurred to him that she wasn’t type to indulge in foolery and that she was serious.

‘Kid?!’ He thought back to when they officially met that day in the bloody barracks and recalled that in her fit she had addressed him as a kid then too. He’d forgiven her for it because it had been said in a moment of anger and pain but now it seemed she’d become accustomed to the irksome nickname. Whether she registered it or not, It was disrespectful and he’d be sure to put a stop to it right away.

“Why would you—“
“Ya saved my life. I owe it to ya. I got yer' back from now on.”

Her resolution was simple and to the point. Omoni felt indebted to Yu because he had saved her but he had to wonder if that was really all that was bringing her to his door. Everyone knew that the former captain of the eleventh division had been abducted by hell in the shattered dimension event and some people blamed the vice-captain’s ineptitude for this tragedy. It looked as if she did too. Even so, plenty more assumed that Hageshi would ascend to captaincy in her lost leader's place yet, there she was in his hospital. Her conclusion was to cast aside the eleventh in favor of a new existence serving under Nakamoto to whom she was undoubtedly grateful for. After a bit of thinking, he determined that this was quite big for a woman as stubborn as her who probably had no idea what it meant to alter her course and try something new. Not to mention what strength and fearsome reputation the fourth division would attain with her in their ranks.

“I’d be happy to have you.”

The day that the fairy had rescued the beast marked an age when the fourth division became a model of fortification and so he crowned her a position with which she was intimately familiar; vice-captaincy. The timing was before Namakoto’s medics had been ordered to join the eleventh division in combat so he was busy with hospital agendas whilst his Lieutenant became a field medic and often found herself called away on particularly difficult missions and would be absent for months at a time. It was rare that the two ever crossed paths even in their own division. But there was one day that led to the two complete strangers becoming as close as friends could be.

---

"OMONI!”


Thunder shook the heavens above. Blood and rain fell from his pale face and stained his haori beneath him. On his knees, Yu Nakamoto watched the scene unfold before him in horror. Hageshi was facing him but he saw the fist of a terrifyingly powerful opponent protruding out of her midsection.

The limb twisted, opened it’s hand whilst still inside of her body and then tore it out to leave the mountain of a woman utterly devastated. A large amount of blood splashed onto the ground from her wound and out of her mouth but still, the giant did not go down. The hollow had leaped away for fear of Omoni’s retaliation and left Yu and herself to reflect on what had just happened. Omoni had saved Yu’s life.

“What were you thinking!?”
“Ya’ couldn’t dodge that.”
“You didn’t have to do that! Now look at you! You're too reckless!”
“We don’t got time for this, kid!”

The night was arduous but in the end the enemy was vanquished and the storm clouds parted ways for the sun to shine through. Hageshi sat on the busted pavement tapping at a portion of her abdomen where there was a massive scar as the only evidence left behind that the evildoer had impaled her which would serve as a reminder of her selflessness and vigilance for the rest of her days as well as the mistakes that had been made that led up to it. After they readied themselves to return to the Seireitei, Omoni looked up to find Yu offering her his hand to help her rise to her feet.

"Let’s go home.”

---

Captain Hageshi had left her designated tent and headed over to where the mass of those in attendance had gathered just in time to see Kagayaki infer his well wishes to the remaining contestants. At the behest of her former comrades, medics in the fourth division insisted on rejuvenating and replenishing her and so she ran out of time and got a little lost on the way back. Now that she was finally able to take a look at who was left that she might battle all of the possibilities running through her mind excited her more and more. What would have truly enthused her would have been to find out that the remaining three had already been announced but she'd missed that and so she waded about in oblivious bliss.

Honoka Oki
Nibui Ueki
Yu Nakamoto

Tenzen Oda
Suiyo Kusotare
Kyomu Mukuro

Who could it have been?! Going down the roster, she knew who she wished it was. Whether it was by accident or on purpose, her oldest friend had joined the fray and she was convinced that he was there so that she could fight him. It had been so long since the two had even seen each other and all she wanted to do was knock him through a couple of walls and get a few new scars. Knowing what she knew of him back then, she had no doubt that he’d be waiting for her on the battlefield and what a surprise! She hadn't thought he'd gone off and died somewhere but she never imagined she'd run into him again there! The kid would be who she's choose for her second combatant without a second thought. The way she saw it, she'd worked under him for long enough that it was about time she got to get up close and personal with his skills. As for the third...if she could face anyone, Omoni thought of her own Lieutenant Ueki unaware that he hadn't succeeded in moving onto the next round to begin with.

Suddenly, The cheers of the crowd were drowned out by the rush of the high winds. Like before, everything around her had disappeared. Within moment’s the torrents died down to reveal that she had been relocated to another space entirely. One look and she could tell…she had no idea where she was. Omoni had lived in the soul society and the Seireitei for nearly one thousand years but she had never gone to the sacred Sōkyoku
Hill.

“Maybe I’m saying this to quell my own nerves, but… at the end of the day, this really is all just a game, isn’t it…”

“Yet I feel for the first time...”

Hageshi’s routine scowl stretched into a toothy grin as soon as she heard the voice she'd been dying to hear. Her cerulean eyes closed and her spiritual power began to rise at a rapid rate just as he predicted. Reunited with her chum, Just the SOUND of her former young captain aroused elation in her soul so much so that she grasped her Zanpakuto knuckles tightly in her war-torn hands and recited the words that would cause them to call the spike covered club that everyone knew and loved into the world.

“Pulverize and Purify, Namakizu.”

“... even against two of the Gotei 13's greatest strengths... where everyone else should be afraid...”

Omoni’s eyes reopened after the top of Namakizu slammed into the ground to reveal that the one on the left had started to glow. Thinking back, Hageshi tried her best to try to recall any time that either of them had fought one another and could not. They had far too much work to do than to waste time sparring. On that day in the bloody rain that had solidified two complete strangers with opposite personalities becoming the closest that friends could be, Nakamoto extended his hand to her but now she stared down the tip of his Zanpakuto instead.

‘Both?’

She was following Yu until he said something about two people he was going to fight. For the life of her, the ever forgetful Hageshi had completely overlooked the fact that there was a third combatant involved in the second round. She had been so fixated on the prospect of being able to battle it out with the kid that she didn’t take notice of the other participant until now. Additionally, while Yu prepared himself for the Omoni he knew to throw away her inhibitions and charge him, the woman in the tattered Haori remained where she was. The past century away from the servitude of her days in the fourth division had changed her. In her other life she would have attacked even if she would receive wounds as a reward but it appeared that with her hesitancy to dive right in that she had learned a great deal more of patience than she had ever had. Granted, she could still be very impulsive but now she had acknowledged that standing before her were undeniably the strongest that the Seireitei had to offer and it’d be prudent of her to pay close attention to them rather than to let loose with reckless abandon but…

Who was Captain Oda?

This wouldn’t have been shocking if you took into consideration how ignorant she could really be and that although the two had heard of one another and gone to a single meeting of captains together, Tenzen Oda was not someone that she knew because she’d never properly met the man until that day on the Sōkyoku
hill. All that she knew about him was that he was her other opponent and that he was an exceptionally powerful fighter with an astronomically superior command over his Kido than anyone in the Seireitei. Omoni had always wanted to face all of the captains in battle even before she had become one and Tenzen was at the top of that list for the fact that she perceived him to be one of the biggest challenges she could overcome simply by what she had heard here and there in passing. Regardless, she was certain he would show her who he was but she could use this as an opportunity to get to know the guy since in her personal opinion, fighting was hands down the best way to become acquainted with someone.

What a happy day it was for Omoni for it was a day that she could put herself to the ultimate test against adversaries that she would not hold back against! It was undeniable the games had attested that the three shinigami on the hill that day were the elite, the best of the best and set to go head to head to find out whom among them who alone was the most powerful warrior of the Seireitei. The Kenpachi. There was just one thing Hageshi felt possessed to say to her fellow competitors before the celebration was about to kick off and she announced it proudly.

“This is the best day a’ my life!”

​

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[OmoniHageshī]

"I WIN!”

Victorious cries shook the rafters of the establishment and the willpower of those sat at a wooden table nearly knocking one of the glass vases off onto the floor in the process. Its mirror-esque shine was no longer threatened when a rather bulbous man calmed himself and settled back into his seat once more. Should someone have arrived at the bar at that exact moment, all they would have heard was a chorus of grumbles and groans whilst the losers of their latest exchange coughed up what little remained in their pockets.

"Come on, come on, that’s right…all of it!”

It just so happened that someone did pass through the saloon doors without drawing too much attention. There were a few eyes that locked themselves on their figure first as hers was a desirable hourglass in shape then slowly they lifted with the majority of the stares unable to pull away from obstinately present breasts strapped to her body by a small red bikini top. They bounced lightly with each of her steps until they finally stopped after she sat down at her own table only two away from the one with all of the action. The community around her started to mutter various things that she was used to hearing, usually about herself or her questionable manner of wearing her shihakusho. These quips were all coming from those relatively familiar with her so she paid them no mind, no, her attention was fixated on the drunk swaying back and forth in his seat overjoyed that he had been able to rake in the mound of goods previously belonging to the disgruntled men and women leaving his side.

"What’s wrong?! Don’t be like thaaaat come on let’s have a drink–oh wait. Y’all lost your MONEY! What’re you gonna pay with?! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!”

"Can I get you something, miss?”

A young man had approached her from one of the tables nearby and had offered to buy the navy-haired girl a drink. Without taking her eyes off of the scene, she parted her lips to give him an answer. He was a little put off by this but he hung in there. After all, just about everyone there was watching that rotten man. Though when he tried to look into her eyes he got a bit of a chill because the way she was staring at that fattened slob he could have sworn she wanted to eat him.

"For me? Really? That’s so cool of you! Let’s see…Since it’s my choice…Just some sake!”

Her reply was cheerful and evident that she was grateful and even a little flattered that he would go out of his way to get her a beverage and dare he say, interested. He took this as a sign that she would be alright if he joined her at her table and so he did after beckoning a waitress and asking for her to fetch this order. He was a simple looking man with no scars or blemishes of any kind with a gentle vibe.

“Do you gamble?”

It is then that the young woman turned her face so that she was looking directly at him and in this instant they are locked there, each gazing back at the other. He realizes she is easy to read because the idea of gambling doesn’t garner a significant change of her expression. He’s decided that she could care less either way and preferred the entertainment of being an onlooker rather than a participant. Their sake came to the table and the waitress served two small cups alongside the bottle. He took it upon himself to pour them both a glass that they quickly grasped, lifted and clinked together before gulping it down.

"A little.”

The man laughed because he was surprised, he had determined she could care less about playing cards by the nonchalant way she had reacted and probably knew very little about them.. In the process, he had put his hand on the back of his head and rubbed it as a way to express he was a little sheepish. He took another drink and set the cup down a little harder than he did the first time.

“HEY!”

Jolted out of what had started out as a peaceful encounter, the young woman’s baby blue eyes were torn from him and once again fixated on the rude man who had interrupted them. He had a wide smile missing a few teeth in some places plastered on his rough face with cheeks flushed red from his drink. He lifted his arm into the air and waved it above himself enthusiastically as if his shout hadn’t alerted her. The man by her side looked taken aback by the boozer’s impropriety toward her and in an attempt to calm her, he waved a dismissive finger at him which earned him an angry scowl.

"Don’t look at him, he’s been at this all day. He's so drunk that if you don’t stop staring he might challenge you next!”
“No way, you think?”

“OI! LITTLE GIRL! You wanna play with me?”

A good portion of the bar got quiet when the brute directed his stupor toward her. Instantly irritated by this, the man by her side closed his mouth and made no implication he was going to stand up for her or stop the other man in any way. Clearly he was out of his league. Unhindered, the scruffy man slammed his fist onto the table causing the vase to quiver once again but before it could fall, she was there stopping it with her fingers. Her movement had been so fast that the man left at their table was unable to process that she had moved until she had. The inebriated man could not have been happier that she had come closer because he was getting a great view of her wobbling assets.

"Names Kori.”
"Kori.”

He tried the sound of her name out like a pair of shoes or a new shirt. It rang like a bell so lovely and clean that he couldn’t wait to stain it. Unceremoniously, he didn’t bother offering his own name and he began to pat the empty side of the table with gusto to show her that he wanted her to take a seat; so she did. By this time, he had taken it upon himself to explore the whole of her body with his lecherous gawking and something he took particular note of was a long black tattoo that stretched from the middle of her chest to the middle of her stomach. He had already defiled every inch of her with his hands in his repulsive imagination when again he challenged her.

“Whaddya say Kori?-hic- Ya wanna play?”
"I dunno, I only have a little cash...”
“Don’t worry about it! Maybe you’ll win alla’ mine!”
"Hell Yea! Let’s do this!”

Another day another sucker.

“Game’s simple. Rock, paper, scissors. Just with cards.”

The man drew her attention to a black box sitting by their side. It was on the table a few meters away from the two players. He reached into the box and grabbed three cards with their faces turned away from Kori. He gestured for her to do the same and she did and held her cards with the backs facing him too.

“We’ll do a test run, -hic- Count down three to one n’ then we -hic- show our card!”
“Okie Doke.”

In unison, they counted down and threw their cards at the same time. She had scissors and he had rock.

“Aw, crap I lost!”
“Uh ohhh, good thing it's a test round huh? Better get better than that after this!”

His laughter echoed in the bar and by now those who were watching were unable to peel their eyes off of the situation. Some of them were smiling and some looked genuinely concerned but all of them wanted to see what was going to happen next. All the while the guy who had gotten her a drink was spectating the events from behind her. What had made her want to involve herself with such a dirty bum and a dirtier game? Maybe she was looking for some excitement and if that was the case she should have just gone home with him. That would have been cheaper for her!

“I’ll bet a few coins.”
“I’ll match.”

The clinking of the currency moving into the pot signaled the beginning of the drawing sequence. Kori took three cards and he took three cards and after another countdown they showed their cards.

“Oooh, too bad.”

Kori had lost again and her jolly opponent was laughing about it. She smiled a little bit and it appeared that she was having a little bit of fun. In fact, it looked like that loss didn’t upset her at all. Once he stopped, he resituated himself so that he could hold his head up with a hand and his elbow rested on the edge of the table for added support.

“Tell you what ~I’ll help you out, I’ll bet alllllllll this. So you got somethin’ to play with!”
“That’s sweet of you!”
“Nah, nah it’s alright really.”

This time, she bet a few of her coins again and he grabbed a handful of his to throw into the pot. The amount was indiscernible but it was more than she had and that was all that should have mattered. They drew their cards and the countdown started again. Together they revealed their card and the man’s smile fell.

“I won!”
“Ha, haha..yea you did. Let’s go again.”

Since he hadn’t been worried about failing, he didn’t pay much mind to the amount that he had bet and only when she began to take it all away did he realize in his drunk state of mind that it accrued to over two hundred yen. He grumbled a little under his breath and took a swig of a jug by his pile of wealth but his annoyance wasn’t meant for her.

“I’m all in!”
“HAHAHA!”

He couldn’t hold in his short burst of laughter at the notion that she was going to bet everything she had just made off of him. He raised a brow and waited for her to realize she had made a mistake but she sat still and waited patiently. When he saw that she wasn’t going to budge he pushed a large pile out to match her own. They drew and then put their card down on the table.

“Oh man!”
“See, that wasn’t too smart honey.”
“Let’s play again!”
“Okay, okay okay but this time I don’t want money.”
"What do you want?”
“How ‘bout your shirt?”

He chuckled at the notion that he may be able to win her top and thereby leave her more exposed than she already was. He had a thing for a woman’s shoulders. At first, she looked hesitant but then she grinned nice and wide. He watched her take another gulp of the bottle of sake she’d brought with her and this caused the young man from earlier who had purchased it to become confused. He didn’t realize it had left her table. With a telling pink glow on her cheeks she giggled and tapped the table.

“Fine, but if I win then I get your shirt.”
“Ohoohoho~ Deal.”

They drew again and they both had their cards. After looking down the edges at one another, they counted down and then when the time was right they showed their card.

“THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN’ ABOUT!”
“Nooo!”
“Hahahaha! Better luck next time little lady. Now..”
“Eh, fair’s fair.”

As she began to remove her top, all eyes were on her. Nostrils flared and temperatures rose at the sight of the cover leaving Kori.. She gathered the fabric into her hands and handed it over to the sweaty palm reaching out for it. He took it and without shame put it to his face so that he could get a whiff of her scent. Kori watched him do this with tipsy sparkles in her eyes. Satisfied, he set the garment down and returned his attention to the game.

“One more! C’mon let’s play some more!”
“Haha! Okay, okay! Maybe I’ll win your pants next!”
"Maybe…but you chose what to bet on last time, that means it’s my turn.”
“Sure, sure. What do you want?”

“Your arm.”

The bar became silent save for a few hushed voices asking if the person next to them had heard the same thing that they did. She had asked for his arm? Wait, did she really mean that she wanted to cut off his arm? It’s then that those in the vicinity who were rather inebriated to begin with started to recognize that Kori was a soul reaper even though there was no sign of a Zanpakuto strapped to her hip or on her back by a sheathe. This was something that had gone over the big man’s head as well. He looked just as stunned as the others around him and then he smirked as if she had told him a funny joke. All at once the warmth of naivete had run cold.

“Y-you’re kidding.”
“Did I stutter?”

He could not believe it. There was no way this girl wanted to take his entire arm off of his body. He had to be more than drunk at that point and couldn’t trust what he was being told. Although, when he got a good look at the faces of the bargoers, it became obvious that even though she was getting drunk too, she wasn’t kidding at all. She was deadly serious. Sitting there glaring back at him was no woman at all. She was a snake poised in the grass prepared to strike.

“That’s kinda dark.”
“You scared?”

His slack jaw look intensified Kori’s smile and she watched him squirm. Until now, she and the man had been complete strangers since he was not from around this district. Even so, she knew him. He was a gambler. Kori was of the belief that something lies dormant in every betters soul that only comes to life at the mention of a game of gambling. The higher the stakes the more sinister it leers back through its hosts eyes at her and her own returns the favor. Although a simple face is in front of her, she could see the jubilance of her playmate swell and wane depending on their overall confidence that they would be able to beat her. On the other hand, she was a regular and just about everyone in the place knew her. They knew she liked to drink, they knew she was a great tipper and they knew she was bad news.

After a minute or two of mulling it over, the drunk snickered and slammed his hand loudly on the table shaking it another time.

“Don’t you want some money?!”
“No. I want your arm.”
“Tch.”
“Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet! You can even cut these off and keep them forever if you win!.”

Hook, line and sinker. The beautiful young lady leaned forward against the table making it impossible for him to ignore them. He glances up at Kori one more time but then his heart skips a beat. Her breathing had quickened, her eyes were wider and she was sweating. The girl in front of him that he’d been toying with the first rounds of the game was a stone cold addict. How hadn’t he seen it before?! He’d played her type and usually wiped the floor with them and he could definitely pick them out of a crowd but for some reason he hadn’t been able to figure it out about her.

“You’re crazy…”
“Isn’t that what makes it fun?! No one in their right mind is gonna risk their fortune, life and limb to a roll of the dice!”
N—“
“So, I guess, the crazier you are the more you LOVE to gamble!”

He blinked and stared at her again but he wasn’t looking at her face. He was getting another good look at her bust. She had said the magic words that ensured his cooperation. The energy radiating off of Kori Shiba was intoxicating and hit him in the face like a fancy perfume violating every sense that he had. The way that she stared at him as if he was a piece of meat pissed him off. Just who did she think she was messing with?!

“You shouldn’t under-hic-underestimate me little girl…That'll get you in trouble.”
“That’s the spirit! OOH, nothing like a large wager to get me going!”

This girl was talking like she was going to beat him but there was something that she could not have been privy to. The nameless fellow who had bought her a drink was in cahoots with him by signaling what cards she had and then which one she was going to use. He’d purposely chosen cards that would lose to her in order to boost her confidence in her skill before the big stuff got put on the line. However, the loss of his money had not been a part of the plan. At the very last second before she set her card down, she had changed her mind and had given his partner no time to warn his boss. This was the only thing causing him apprehension but surely it had been a fluke. A product of indecision.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? Someone’s telling you what card I’m gonna play.”
“Wh- How dare you!”
“Your method is flawed.”
“Enough accusations! If you’re trying to get out of this—-“
“Huh?! Why would I do that?! Besides…the real fun is just about to start.”

He flinched. How was she so calm? She didn’t think she could actually win…no! It was impossible as long as she didn’t know what move he was going for and there was no way that she could really know if someone was feeding him information. Her bluff would be the end of her and he’d have to teach her a lesson when this was all over.

“You’re never gonna deceive anyone if you’re not willing to shed a little blood.”
“Are you done?! Throw a card!”
“I warned you.”

He threw scissors expecting a draw with another pair of scissors or to cut her paper and win but the paper he expected to be there was not and in its place laid a rock. Audible gasps broke out amongst the patrons in the bar showing that they were just as surprised as he was. No matter how much he blinked or shook his head the sight of rock vs scissors would not go away.

“Impossible.”
“Impossible or not…what a pretty sight. So, should we settle up?”
“N-no I—-“

“You lost.”

Shnk * Thud

With a golden flash the severed limb hit the ground before anyone could react. Crimson covered the floor, table and cards as instantaneous as her victory. He did not even have time to scream before he lost his left arm. Once his unintelligible screaming commenced the men at his back rushed to his defense and aid but by then Kori had made her getaway into the alley beside the chaotic scene with the bottle of sake grasped tightly in one of her hands. Such a bloody end wasn’t anything new for a day in the life in the Rukongai but she still needed to take off as soon as she could to avoid complications. That would have been annoying. While the others shouted and scrambled to contain the incident she took another long swig of alcohol before dropping its empty shell into a box near her feet.

“How did you know?”

A familiar voice got Kori to turn on her heel to face the man’s accomplice from earlier who had bought her the sake. He had a serious expression on his face instead of the gentle one from earlier. His eyes flickered from her to the jewel encrusted golden blade with a dark red hilt and immediately recognized that she was a shinigami. He half expected her to ignore him but Kori answered him with a smirk on her lips.

“About you?…It was a big game with big stakes so I thought his eyes would be on me but instead they were all on you cause you were giving him signals so he’d know what card I was gonna play.”
“But I was behind you! How did you see me?!”
“The vase. They got one on every table. They’re practically mirrors. That, and you rubbed the back of your head to tell him that I was the next mark.”

He froze and thought back to the moment when she rushed her opponent’s table after his partner got more rowdy. Her back was to him and she had stopped the vase from falling over by steadying it. The rest of the match, it hadn’t moved an inch despite his drunken antics. So, she had seen him helping his boss cheat but she kept going anyway?!

“ I got a question for you. Why didn’t you tell him I was gonna play rock?”
“I…I didn’t wanna see you get hurt.”
“Aw, you're so sweet.”

Confused, he blinked but when he opened his eyes she was nowhere to see in front of him. In his urgency to find her he looked to the skyline where he spied her atop the roof of the building next to them. He was going to call out to her and ask why she had given it all to him but somehow he knew that the money never mattered to her. This was a reward for the sake and his refusal to help his employer tear her apart.

“Wait! There’s hardly any rocks in that box! It's part of the scam! There’s maybe two out of hundreds of cards! If anything, it should’ve been a draw!”
“Oh, that? I call that the luck of the draw!”
“What?!”



​

---

Before he could get more information out of her, Kori had set off into the horizon, stepping from rooftop to rooftop with a cackle. As she leaped, she took out her Denreishiki X so she could check the status of the games by utilizing its live feed function. Well, one game in particular because she could have cared less about the other two. This one had pitted the second and fifth captains against one another plus a wild card no one had ever expected to join the fray and by the sound of it he had upset the proverbial balance. Everyone in the crowd and even the leaders of the Gotei 13 were clueless about him, everyone but her.

“...this man must be arrested and his Zanpakuto confiscated.”

Kori knew exactly who that staggering drunk was and what his presence meant for his opponents in addition to what it could mean down the line for the whole of the Seireitei. Like others, Kori had been tuning into the games throughout the day as she had wagered who she thought was going to win the Kenpachi games and over all of the competitors she’d bet in favor of him.

“Mukizu was a pile of shavings when I found him. Besides, you got uh…Kokuzu, there.”

So much for that. It didn’t look good for him after all but that wasn’t what piqued the lady’s interest in the situation. There was no doubt that Suiyo had mentioned the names of two Zanpakuto. One that he never should have known but the other had to have belonged to him. The real kicker was the fact that he claimed to have repaired a completely destroyed sword with a name. A Zanpakuto. In all of her ages serving as the foreman in the eighth division she had never come across anyone with the ability to mend steel to that degree. Suffice to say, it was a big deal. Not wasting a second, Kori started to cycle through her contacts, selected one and started to type a message.

-Meet me @ the games if u aren’t there already! I know that guy that said he fixed a total loss Zanpakuto! They said they’re arresting him so we gotta make it before they do cuz we need him! Jumping on the first guy with hands on him that ic LMAAAAOOOO!!-

With her sights set on the festival and her message sent to her fourth seated compatriot, Kori charged forth out of the northern outskirts with every gallant intention to snatch her old friend out of the clutches of the hierarchy seeking to imprison him. Nevermind that this would have been the highest kind of offense to the leaders of the Gotei thirteen and was certain to result in her incarceration along with Suiyo. Nevermind that he could probably handle himself and already had a means of escaping this fate. No, none of that mattered to the firecracker that was the Lady Kori Shiba.

​