Central Seireitei

[admins]

---

”It appears all the Captains have assembled. Good.”

A voice speaks out to the Captains, who it was is unknown as placards hide the identities of this collective known as Central Forty-Six. It operates under the official order of the Soul King with its primary duty being that of Judiciary authority. Over the past few centuries its power has been used and abused by Nobility as they had filled it with their own ilk to essentially gain complete control over the Soul Society. The results of this take over is what led to unrest and the eventual Civil War. Since the war, nearly two years ago now, C46 has returned to its normal operating practices without a trace of nobility within their ranks. With only the vested interest of the Soul King at mind and heart they are able to cast judgment “equally” and “fairly”. The Captains will now bear witness to such judgment, first hand.

”Over the past two years endless strife has suffocated not only the Gotei but the Seireitei itself, beyond that the Soul Society. Even extending back beyond the two year mark things have been in rapid decline. Like a body without food to eat it turns on itself consuming fat, then muscle until it is emaciated then dies. You, the Gotei 13, match this analogy perfectly. Without enemies abroad to fight or challenge you’ve turned in on yourselves. Death of unseated Shinigami, then seated, Lieutenants and ultimately Captains, even Head Captains have fallen. You have all forgotten what it means to be orderly, the sanctity of duty and responsibility is lost.”

A random member slides an object across his wooden desk, this item is a glass case and within this class case sits a Jigokuchō whose wings seem to be coated in some sort of golden material. The creature does not seem bothered or weighed down by this coating and behaves as normal.

Revelation

”The Civil War, as necessary as it was, cost us valuable Shinigami and resources. Then the Shiba Incident, widespread death of more Shinnigami along with the loss of Captain Aoji. We shall not mince words here, the Soul Society is currently vulnerable and weak. Should a group of Arrancar rise up similar in number and strength to those in the Unhallowed War we stand to lose everything. And so we asked for guidance and had that Jigokuchō commissioned. The moment the Gotei appears to be failing in either duty or combat… Zero Division will be contacted to enforce a complete takeover of the Gotei Thirteen. You do NOT want them to do that.”

The man gives pause to his speaking to let the Captains digest what they had just been told. Direct rule under Zero Division would mean the upheaval of a lot of things that the Seireitei tends to enjoy. Leisurely activities would be the first to go, if Shinigami are not training or performing a duty for their Division they will be cut from the Gotei, literally. Divisions like Twelfth would lose their freedom of experimentation and be put on specific projects where deviation from said project could be met with death. The Fifth Division would be forced to seek out and kill Arrancar which would mean the entire division would rarely be seen in the Seireitei at all. Essentially freedom would be lost.

”Now, understand, we are sympathetic towards the Seireitei to some degree which is why a bargain was made, a final chance so to speak. We, Central Forty-Six, will be taking over as Captain Commander of the Gotei Thirteen. We have lost too many commanders at a rapid pace and it stands to reason that none of the current Captains or Shinigami meet the standard that is required to be a Captain Commander. This also means the First Division will be under our direct control as well. All your reports will be given to us here, directly. We will not accept Jigokuchō transmission, messengers, or sending your Lt. in your place. Captains WILL take responsibility for the actions of their Division, be it loss of rank, imprisonment, or death. Consider this your first warning, should another ‘Shiba Incident’ take place again heads will roll.”

Silence falls into the room again for the Captain’s to understand that they are in the presence of their new Commander. Once a bit of time has passed for them to rationalize the situation another member of C46 begins to speak.

”We do not wish for Zero Division to take over the Seireitei as that would mean our roles here become irrelevant. Their authority is higher than ours and they do not abide by sympathy in the slightest. We gleaned this from only a brief conversation with them. We are not trying to be villains, we only wish to preserve the freedoms that we all currently have, however, it is your duty to make sure the Soul Society can be protected without the aid or need from forces on high. Do not fail us, you are dismissed.”

The light that shines on C46 abruptly shuts off leaving only a single spot light on the four Captains gathered there. They are given no time to address their Commanding Collective and are left only with new burdens and expectations.

---

​

 

[KagiSenkō]

---

"It appears all the Captains have assembled. Good."


A voice said, halting all conversations between the arrivals of every Captain. Kagi's attention shifted quickly to the source of the sound despite not knowing which of the forty-six members had spoken. But opening his ears to prepare what the meeting would be spoken of or about.


"Over the past two years, endless strife has suffocated not only the Gotei but the Seireitei itself, beyond that, the Soul Society. Even extending back beyond the two year mark things have been in rapid decline. Like a body without food to eat it turns on itself consuming fat, then muscle until it is emaciated then dies. You, the Gotei 13, match this analogy perfectly. Without enemies abroad to fight or challenge you've turned in on yourselves. Death of unseated Shinigami, then seated, Lieutenants and ultimately Captains, even Head Captains have fallen. You have all forgotten what it means to be orderly, the sanctity of duty and responsibility is lost."


As Kagi listened to the opening remarks, all he heard was blame being placed on the Gotei 13. But weren't these the same members of C46 who had been manipulated by the nobles? The same members who had accused an innocent shinigami? A Captain-Commander no less and executed them, paving the way for the Shihoin and the Tsunayashiro to seize control of the Seireitei. And now they dare to speak of order and duty? The sanctity of duty and responsibilities were never lost within the ranks of Captain. The true culprits lie in Central 46 and the nobilities, such as the Shihoin.


The Civil War, as necessary as it was, cost us valuable Shinigami and resources. Then the Shiba Incident, widespread death of more Shinnigami along with the loss of Captain Aoji. We shall not mince words here, the Soul Society is currently vulnerable and weak. Should a group of Arrancar rise up similar in number and strength to those in the Unhallowed War we stand to lose everything. And so we asked for guidance and had that Jigokuchō commissioned. The moment the Gotei appears to be failing in either duty or combat… Zero Division will be contacted to enforce a complete takeover of the Gotei Thirteen. You do NOT want them to do that."


They were in a weak state; that was not false. The constant wars between them have done nothing but dwindle in numbers. They were making duties for each Division harder; even the Rukon district had not improved with the civilians.


"Now, understand, we are sympathetic towards the Seireitei to some degree which is why a bargain was made, a final chance so to speak. We, Central Forty-Six, will be taking over as Captain Commander of the Gotei Thirteen. We have lost too many commanders at a rapid pace and it stands to reason that none of the current Captains or Shinigami meet the standard that is required to be a Captain Commander. This also means the First Division will be under our direct control as well. All your reports will be given to us here, directly. We will not accept Jigokuchō transmission, messengers, or sending your Lt. in your place. Captains WILL take responsibility for the actions of their Division, be it loss of rank, imprisonment, or death. Consider this your first warning, should another 'Shiba Incident' take place again heads will roll."


Central 46? As the new commanders? His lips curved into a mischievous smirk after some moments had passed. However, no one could see this expression since his straw hat blocked every optics from viewing it. The thought of Central 46 appointing themselves as the new leadership of the Gotei 13 was not only a newsbreaker but also unheard of but reasonably so. However, it does beg the question: was there not a single person who could assume the seat of Captain-Commander?

"Could it be some underlying reason for them to assume the role themselves?"

Kagi's thoughts were kept from speaking out loud, but subconsciously thought they were plotting and planning for their gain. Not that they appointed themselves makes any lick of difference. His head lifted upwards while he waited for someone to openly voice their view if they were too bold to say otherwise. Or remain in silence like Kagi planned to do, but not because he isn't bold but merely because this was a simple game, not many are aware of for that matter. The Second Division Captain shall allow this newfound news to be like a cherry blossom and will enable them to bloom in this new season, but one day when the season has passed. Just like the cherry blossoms, they will...Fall. Time shall reveal who or what will relinquish them of their fate.

" We do not wish for Zero Division to take over the Seireitei as that would mean our roles here become irrelevant. Their authority is higher than ours and they do not abide by sympathy in the slightest. We gleaned this from only a brief conversation with them. We are not trying to be villains, we only wish to preserve the freedoms that we all currently have, however, it is your duty to make sure the Soul Society can be protected without the aid or need from forces on high. Do not fail us, you are dismissed."

And just as the Captains graced their presence before all forty-six members, the same members left them with no chance to address any concerns or give them any time of day. Silence, just for a moment, filled the space with only a single beam of light dead in the center of the room where the Captains stood.


CLAP


CLAP


CLAP


CLAP



He claps his hands once every two seconds, wearing a more innocent-looking grin. Was there something to celebrate? No. However, Kagi wanted to take a moment to show his open disapproval of whether they cared for it or not. He cared very little for the other Captains in the room if they did not take kindly to his heckling of their new boss. It was mainly due to him being more and more agitated with them. He had addressed his idea to them a little over a year ago and has yet to hear anything. And yet they bring us here to waste time making some grand announcement and then making their grand exit? No chance to say anything? Were they avoiding everyone altogether or just one person? Agitation was slowly eating away at him, but he wouldn't allow it to cause him to blow up like a child, throwing a tantrum. He turns to face the other Captains instead while one hand is thrown up behind his head, rubbing the back of his black mane.


"Well then. Suppose that answers your question now, does it, Captain Ohei?"


Kagi had been referring to the Captain's question about the meeting, but no one was given a chance to answer it once the Central 46 was ready to begin the meeting.


"Captain Shinka. It was a pleasure to have been in your presence."


His focus turns to Shizukana.


"If you have time before you return to your duties. I would like for you to meet me in my Division. There are some things I would like to discuss with you privately."

Kagi smiled and was cryptic yet inviting as he asked for her time. His stance was unyielding: If she declined to come, he wouldn't take no for an answer. Consider it a testament to his persistence and determination.

---

​

---

---

 

[Adonai]

---

Shinigami going about their daily duties briefly stop and look to the sky as a passing object briefly shades them from the sun. Upon looking up they notice a black inky mass passing overhead in the shape of a large goldfish. They look to one another, unsure of how to act considering they had never seen this object in the Seireitei before, the only thing giving them pause is the Reiatsu it is giving off is Zanpakuto related and its leisurely travel speed. Atop this large goldfish rests Taro Date, Captain of the Eleventh Division. He is currently on his way to Central Forty Six to report the completion of his “Shiba Suppression”. Given the pace of the fish he is in no real hurry, it gives him enough time to nap and recount a very fond memory of his past. This memory causes the corner of his lips to curl up, a genuine smile etching itself onto his face.

---

Fond Memories

Many, many years ago, when Taro was still young and in the Academy he was a part of an expedition to the Human world, Karakura specifically. Chaperoned by the Guardian of Karakura Town at the time, things were supposed to be routine, a simple observation of how actual combat against a Hollow is supposed to work. The guardian tells the group of students to hang back and watch him work and they do just that, however, what the guardian wasn’t expecting was a surprise attack against him by the Hollow. He is attacked and he puts up a brief fight, however, he was ultimately killed. Chaos then breaks out as the Hollow sets its sights on the students who were too flustered and scared to take a correct course of action. While not terribly distraught Taro was definitely thrown into confusion, wondering why his classmates are scattering like roaches into the sky

Suddenly Taro feels a presence as if something was standing next to him, he looks to his left and then right but sees nothing and no one there. Moments later an explosion rips through the sky and a young Taro senses the death of multiple classmates, others being seriously wounded. For the first and last time in his life his foot slides backward in fear but as he does this it feels as if water is rising around him, yet he is standing on a rooftop without an ounce of water in sight. This confuses him and the building he stands on explodes, hit by a Cero. This Hollow is trying to work fast now that it knows it has the upperhand and that backup will be arriving soon to aid these students. Taro lies in the rubble of the destroyed building, concussed, injured internally and bleeding from his head. Something compels him to stand to his feet, his hand gripping the handle of his Zanpakuto. Then he hears it, a voice shouting in his head…

---

Back in the present Taro is briefly woken by the fish he rides upon, it speaks in an echoing female voice, alerting him to the fact that they will be arriving at Central Forty Six in less than an hour. He nods his head and drifts back to sleep. His Zanpakuto, Kurogane ((黒金;Black Gold), is a dotting sort of spirit. It cares for and worries deeply about Taro to the point of stress if things ever get bad or dire for him. Seeing her and Taro interact can make others question if they have a romantic relationship with one another, then in the next moment they seem to have nothing of the sort between each other. It is confusing to everyone but them as they know where they stand with each other without ever directly saying it out loud. Being so close to Taro it is not far-fetched for her to know his thoughts, more specifically his dreams. That particular dream is a special one for her as well, the day she finally was able to reach him.

---

Unity

Kurogane’s perspective of that fateful day was one of content at first, nothing seemed amiss or out of the ordinary. She has tried calling out to Taro multiple times only for him to not hear her or be puzzled by what he is sensing. As the events of that fateful night played out she began to distress, panic even as she felt Taro would die before ever meeting her. So she did everything she could, increasing her presence which is why Taro felt as if someone was standing beside him. She persisted as her presence doubled and it was as if the black ocean of ink was rising around him. The building explodes, her stress is mounting like never before feeling like she was surrounded by a storm as she compels him to stand and fight, knowing his dark tortured history, knowing that he is strong she couldn’t bear to see him die to something like this. When he finally grabbed his Zanpakuto she was able to shout to him. He heard her voice, he finally took notice of her and all this time it felt like she was wrapped in the arms of the sea, unable to rise above it, always drowned out. As he drew his Zanpakuto it was as if he wrapped his hands around her and finally pulled her out of that tumultuous ocean.

After all this time of her calling to him he finally, at last, calls out to her. Drawing the blade and shouting her release phrase at the top of his lungs.

”Drown the world in truth! Kurogane!”

The edge of his Zanpakuto is covered in ink and this is all he can marvel at as the Hollow is barreling towards him now. Frozen in place for a moment, he is unable to respond, but it is okay because now Kurogane can act, she can help protect him and aid him in combat. A large goldfish made of ink collides into the side of the Hollow, biting into it. This snaps Taro out of his petrified state as he leaps into the sky and in a simultaneous act he decapitates the Hollow while Kurogane bites its torso in half. Still heavily injured Taro falls back towards the ground limply only to be caught on the back of the inky goldfish. This was the first meeting between Taro and Kurogane. Despite his wicked ways he has never treated Kurogane wrongly, always with mutual respect, and as an equal. Though Taro has often wondered if Kurogane’s ability to manifest fish made of ink is from her desire to truly fight alongside him. Regardless of its origin he happily welcomes it.

---

Finally, in the present day, they arrive at the doors of Central Forty Six. He hops off the fish, petting it a few times before drawing his Zanpakuto so it can return to it. He enters the Central Forty Six chambers and after walking for a brief time he stands at the center of the room, surrounded by the judges.

”We take it that the Shiba situation has been resolved?”

Darkest Possibilities

”Indeed, I wiped out the entire clan, save for Choko. She now bears the dishonorable title of The Last Shiba. The bloodline will die with her as I forbade her from having children, if she attempts to do so in secret her life and her spawn’s will be forfeit.”

There is deliberation amongst the judges, they wanted to send a stern warning but nothing to this level or magnitude. Central Forty Six is the acting Captain Commander and it was under their discretion to promote this man to Captain, not only that but old files suggested that the Date are to be trusted to enact political justice and balance. Once their deliberation is concluded the speaker looks to Taro.

”Such a thing was not within our scope of possibilities. We assumed you would perhaps… Rough them up a bit.”

”Ah, and rattle a hornets nest? Then we would have had a Shiba War on our hands. No, we will not allow any more wars to take place against our own. We Date have lived in the shadow’s, watching the Soul Society starve and eat itself from within. You think by your hand of promoting me that you stirred the Date awake, but that is not the case. We’ve been awake and whether you like it or not we are going to arrive and staunch the bleeding, our way.”

”I… See… Then, as regretful as this may sound as I can barely bring myself to say it, the Shiba situation has been fully dealt with. Save for one loose end. As acting Captain Commander, we bestow you with the title of Kenpachi-”

”I reject that.”

”What?”

”The old cog was the Kenpachi, correct? And he died in a one on one battle against the Shiba ape, correct? Then by all rites the Shiba ape in Muken is our current Kenpachi.”

Taro stands idle with his ever present smirk and closed eyes, not even bothering to look at any of the judges but instead looking straight ahead.

”That is true, but we need an active Kenpachi in our ranks, we-”

”YOU will NOT disrespect Shinigami traditions.”

”And what will you do if we need to release Densagi and he learns of what you did!?”

”A situation already considered and accounted for long before you gave the ‘order’ to deal with the Shiba. If he is released from Muken he will serve his purpose and then die, simple as that. Treacherous dogs who act on impulse are to be put down for the greater good of the Soul Society. Now onto another topic before I become truly irritable.”

The forty six judges all felt on edge, like they were walking in a field of landmines. Some fumble with paper in front of them as they didn’t know what else to do with themselves and others twiddle their thumbs.

”Okay, well… I believe that is all, you are dismissed.”

Firm Reminders

”Very well. Ah, and one other thing. Do not let the title of Captain Commander go to your heads. You hold that rank in name only, any action I take will be the best one needed and NOT on your orders.”

One judge becomes infuriated and shouts at Taro.

”That is insubordination! We can have you punished!”

”Oh? By who? You? You can barely keep yourself from pissing on your own seat, let alone having the ability to punish anyone.”

He turns and begins walking out of the building but not before giving them one last thing to mull over.

”You all lack power.”

And with those words he exits the Central Forty Six building. Once outside he takes a deep breath of the fresh air and begins taking a leisurely stroll back to the Eleventh Division Barracks.

---

​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Jushiro's returned to the Seireitei with several attendants from the fourth division on standby. Kazuki had sent a message ahead of Jushiro's return, informing the relevant parties of the current situation. There were some casualties, mainly consisting of unseated Shinigami. Be that as it may, a loss is a loss. After exiting the Senkaimon, there were calls for the man to receive treatment for his injuries. That would have to come later, he had more important things to deal with. The masked one gave a mere glance at the medic and continued along his path. "I will pay you guys a visit later. Besides, others are in dire need, see to them first". He did sustain some injuries in Naruki city, but he was more perplexed by other things. Not wanting to waste any time, the man vanished from sight, moving speedily from rooftop to rooftop using flash steps.

Reflecting on the short bout, Jushiro came to a realization, something which he perhaps knew for a long time now. He's strong but not strong enough. He then began to think about the current state of the Gotei itself. The previous battles and strife which grabbed hold of the Gotei were crippling. The most recent animosity is the incident nearly a year ago. It is part of the reason why Jushiro visited Naruki city. Organizing the squad members and having them ready was the right thing to do. The tenth division was almost devoid of any true leadership. So too were some of the other divisions, a true testament to their current failings. The white mane of the man swayed as he moved with purpose. Many thoughts at the forefront of his mind as he edged closer to his destination.

Quite frankly he needed to figure out a better mode of transport. Perhaps a new creation of sorts could help with such things. Ideas that he could pursue later on but for now he needed to focus.

Sometime later
​

The travel to Central 46 felt as if it took an age. On arrival, he was met by security, which was normal. Even though the politicians were the acting commander, they are not warriors. And up until recently, Shinigami seldom set foot in such a place. At least not without invitation. Given the current circumstances, they had to make themselves more accessible, while maintaining their anonymity. There he was with his injuries not yet attended to. A piece of his mask was missing, thus one could see his left eye and a small portion of his face. Not nearly enough to identify him if one is unfamiliar with his action face. Knowing that he wouldn't be allowed so easily. The masked one made it clear what his business was. Said information was passed on and after a twenty-minute wait, he was finally escorted into the building.

Once inside, Jushiro came to a stop in the middle of the large room. The spotlight was on him and in these circumstances, he will have to project his voice. There they were sitting behind their wooden screens, nothing more than a bunch of pretentious bastards. Not only were they hidden, but their seated position made it so that they look down on whoever stood in their presence. Jushiro stood in silence after looking around at all the different seats and their arrangement. He doesn't know much about the inner workings of central forty-six. Leaving him to ponder as to whether or not there is a hierarchy among them.

"Jushiro Izanagi, tenth division's third seat. It is bold of you to seek an audience with us. Only Captains are generally permitted to come here on behalf of their squads. Whats so important that you needed to let us know right away?".

"Generally yes, but thanks all the same for making an exception to said rule. I wanted to make you aware of a recent encounter I had in Naruki city, one that could have some dire consequences on the Seireitei".

Jushiro paused for a few moments to let his words sink in. He could hear the murmurs among them before they fell quiet again. There was now a sense of intrigue around the room. Just what could he say that would make them rethink anything?

"Alright. Long story short. During my visit to Naruki city to check on recent hollow activity. We got into a fight with an Arrancar, hence my current appearance. Cuts, bruises, burns and all. One might think an Arrancar or hollow might be an everyday occurrence. However, its not every day you come across one like this. He goes by the name Estarossa Sangrados, his standout feature being his long purple hair".

As he began to go into the details, he could sense the tension and suspense. What was he going to say next?

"This Arrancar has nearly twice the amount of Reiatsu of an average captain, if not more. You might wonder how would I know that, but I would implore you to heed my words. His spiritual pressure was immeasurable to say the least. We battled in a three verses one scenario. Us against him, during which we learned a few things. His spiritual pressure carries some nasty effects. Prolonged exposure could render those less equipped to deal with it ravenous. They develop cannibalistic tendencies. Likely to attack their comrades to soothe their hunger. It is sickening when you think about it. He has high-speed regenerative capabilities. A Cero that is unlike what you'd expect of a typical cero. It simply explodes and fucks your day up".

Jushiro paused for a moment, thinking carefully about other things that transpired during the fight.

"This immense battle power is not what concerns me the most. Before he left, he alluded to a couple of things. For one, he seems to think we may end up working together in the future. A ridiculous notion. The reason for such an outrageous thing is that things are beginning to stir in Hueco Mundo. Enough to concern even someone of his strength. He didn't go into details. But lets just assume there are several others as strong as he is. And they're not friendly at all towards Shinigami. As it stands that puts us in a precarious position. If our potential enemies were to learn that we're having some serious issues. We could be faced with another war on our hands. One that could shake the very core of the Soul Society".

The words of the masked one seemed to have stirred up the hornet's nest. There was a lot of talking going on, most struggling to agree with the other. Should any of this be seen as credible based on his words alone? Jushiro stood with a neutral expression, waiting for a response.

"It would appear that we need to launch an investigation into this. And have a formal review, we can't be sure that you're not simply overestimating that Arrancar. In the mean time, you're dismissed for now".

"I suppose I'll go and organize squad ten like it should be. Bye for now".

With that said the man turned and headed for the exit. It was time to go and get himself patched up and head back to squad ten barracks.

 

[Amaya Munetoshi]

Fuyuko watched the world fly by. Sure she most likely should have been at that captain's meeting. She was the Lieutenant of the first. Without a captain or stand in, the duty was on her. However, this meeting wasn't about her. it was about the seirtei as a whole. Of the fact they were like the very hollows they were fighting for centuries, All they have done is go through two different commanders within a year or so. Two different kenpachi's, the final third and hopefully final Kenpachi now finding residence within the muken. They didn't solve anything...At least she believed that but then again, some of this could have been stopped. She should have stopped and actually trust instead of thinking outside her comfort zone. She was not who she should be. She knew that. She was never going to fill the shoes of Kasu with being first lieutenant.

She formed from spot to spot arriving at the gates of the first as she moved in getting welcomes and bows as some of the suboordient followed either to ask a question or get an answer on something.

"Shouldn't you be at the captain meeting?" Asked her third seat as Fuyuko stopped in her tracks.

"In truth, perhaps. Though at the moment, think of it as a surprise. From what I can assume. The captains are deciding what will become of a captain commander, amongst other things. Word will come to be in either a form of a captain or a butterfly. We will know soon what will become of our squad amongst others." She spoke.

"What will become of us?" asked the third seat
"Nothing. We will remain as the information gathering central achieves. We will still maintain the prison and we will regain our duties as the first division until told otherwise. Being shaken now will only trickle. Until it is known or announced. We will continue our duties and handle all that comes to threaten the Gotei and the Soul Society as it is our duties." She Spoke turning fully to the suboordient "Don't show weakness in the face of change. You adapt and you show where you stand." She spoke in confidence before turning back, continuing her walk leaving the suboordient in silence.

She showed weakness, a lot more then she wanted to. The cracks were showing to a female she hasn't known for centuries. Shibori was right. She was changing and it was not something she was looking forwards to. For the time being she was going to do as she always did, Ensuring the Captain Commander's office was tidy and ready for the next to claim it then to clean her own and face the nightmare that is her zanpackuto spirit to saying the two words she never thought she would tell the nosey know it all of the spirit.​