Northeast Seireitei

[Nobody]

There's much transpiring within both the Soul Society and the Seireitei. Much being done, almost just as much not being done as well. There's much to see, much to say, much to discover — a fact 7th Seat Takumi of Squad Thirteen is very very aware of. Given the authority to act however he sees fit to learn the truth behind the death of the Western Gate guardian putting him on course to those perhaps affected the most by this death, the Ninth Division. It is here the young soul uses an upfront approach, informing them of his intentions and on who's behalf he was there. At first, this seemed to be the best option, eventually being entrusted with protecting the body as it was escorted to Fourth for autopsy, it looked as though fate would lend her hand in speeding up the completion of his mission for his Captain.

But fate is such a fickle mistress.

Barred from entering the grounds of the Fourth Division he watches helplessly as the Guardian's body is toted off on the gurney. His mind races as he racks his brain on what to do. He was given authority to gain intel by any means possible but...what did that authority matter when compared to one who held actual authority over the place he was meant to go and pry? In truth, it meant nothing. Takao was no fool, he knew and understood this well yet..he couldn't simply defy his Captain's orders. He couldn't fail to meet his expectations. He wouldn't fail. He steels himself to answer his resolve, and suppresses his reiatsu best he could. He'd tried being upfront, now he'd have to enter by way of the 'back door'. He keeps tabs on the spiritual signatures of the Division's members. Hoisting himself over the wall once the coast was clear.

SUCCESS!!!

He'd made it in, catching sight of the beautiful garden with pristine waters. Birds were fluttering about singing their song, it was so very peaceful. Yet, despite the serenity of his surroundings, the Seventh Seat found no peace as eyes beheld the next obstacle in his way. Shinigami after Shinigami were fleeting about left and right, back and forth, their steps hurried. They seemed to be in a state of emergency which also meant, they would be sensitive to the sight of an intruder. To make matters worst, the place the body was being carted off to was incredibly fortified and guarded. He once again racks his brain for any semblance of an idea, a plan to guide him in this moment, and then the lightbulb goes off. He finds a sturdy rock from the garden, feeling its coolness and smoothness in his hand and then...he flings it towards the pristine alabaster walls, landing with a loud almost echoing 'clack'. It seemed the plan was to draw the attention of some shinigami and...to make a run for it? While it was possible some of the members of Fourth would be distracted and go to investigate, what of the others? the one's prone to see him darting about rather...suspiciously?? Then he still needed to get past the guards as well! This plan was so haphazard, so reckless, so...so —

Brilliant

Though, brilliant for whom?​

---

SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR

Takao Takumi of Squad Thirteen and Goro Kazuya of Squad Four stroll towards the entrance to the Fourth Division Barracks. 'This reiatsu...ahh, its Goro huh?' Itaku still approaching notes the familiar reiatsu. As he draws closer he can tell from the motions and gesture that Goro was telling the other guy he couldn't come any further. This told Itaku that the Shinigami that was with Goro wasn't a member of the Fourth Division. It was the only thing that made sense. As the covered gurney was rolled through the opened gates that shut behind him. Itaku ponders for a moment but, becomes amused at something. He sees Takao doesn't leave after being turned away, instead the Shinigami suppresses his spiritual power as he sneaks and lurks about. 'Now this is amusing...I can use this.' A smile creeps across his face as he begins to walk. With each step his physical form and his reiatsu fades until both are gone. Having transpired outside of the visual range of the distracted Takao, it left him and all members beyond the walls unaware of the approach of Tenth's third seat. Positioning himself atop the wall, he pauses to watch Takao, suppressing a chuckle while enjoying the man's performance. When Takao leaps across the wall, Itaku drops so as to allow the two to land simultaneously. Unlike Takao, Itaku was intimately familiar with their current surroundings from the inner workings of the Division, their protocols, to even several dozen faces within the squad. While officer Takumi ponders on his options, taken aback by the sea of Shinigami Itaku simply began waltzing his way into that very sea.​

---

Currently, Takao had come up with a plan, found the object that would serve in his endeavor and executed his plan. The rock landed with an audible 'clack' and before even a second can pass, a thunderous 'CRASH' roars through the courtyard. The rock that had been thrown when starting its descent to the ground, was slammed back into it with such force that cracks began to form along the once blemishless pristine wall. A master of Kidō, Itaku while still camouflaged physically and spiritually, and still keeping tabs on Takao's movements opted to exploit the moment. When Takao flung the item, although some distance had been gained keeping him from seeing exactly what was thrown, from the way it moved through the spiritual threads he was perceiving he knew something had been thrown, and that was all he needed to know. A vast majority of the spells at his disposal were too flashy and would announce where the spell was cast from which was something he couldn't allow to happen just yet. In that case, that left only one feasible option. While still on the move Itaku aims where the object is expected to land, and releases a concussive blast from the tip of his finger with such force and such accuracy that the spell does not touch or disturb anyone between Itaku and the rock, his timing impeccable, ensuring no one is caught in the crosshairs of the spell, and due to the very nature of Shō it also meant that he wouldn't cause immediate attention to his location. Still, this wasn't quite enough.

"HEY! THERE'S SOMEONE LURKING THERE BY THE FOUNTAIN!"

Itaku shouts out, muffling his voice somewhat amongst the crowd, making it difficult to determine exactly who had spoken and from where. In the confusion of everything, with everyone on high alert in this state of emergency, with things so critical as they were all it took was several of them to look and take notice, and it spread like wildfire. Others began to notice and look as well. As Takao knew himself, stealth wasn't his forte. With so many people now alerted it would make it impossible for him to now evade the eyes and spiritual senses of everyone alerted to his position and honing in on him. Itaku's steps never slow, nor does he stop to admire his handy work. Instead he continues strolling his way towards the building where the body was taken. With Kyokkō, a spell cast by a master still active and flowing the guards surrounding the building remain unaware of another visitor entering into the walls.

He strolls on in, unnoticed, unconcerned as he leaves his partner to handle everything out there. Both he and Takao were intruders, yet the two were not the same. A former member of this very same Division would allow Itaku to smooth things over far easier should he be discovered, after all, he was one of the best healers the Division had produced. Intruiging, that with all that was going on it seemed that members of a foreign division were far more interested in the body brought to the Fourth, than the Division's very own Lieutenant who's priorities have left her otherwise distracted. Perhaps it was for the best, her absence meant one less nuisance to deal with as The Miracle Worker wormed his way through his former home turf. He continues on, steps bringing him deeper into both the belly of the building and the mystery in question, and closer to Goro and the corpse. 'Soon' He told himself, 'very soon.'

Arrived at Northeast Seireitei from Southwest Seireitei​

 

[admins]

There were few Shinigami daring enough to break into another Division unwelcomed, much less powerful enough to accomplish such a feat. Kasuka Rikai was one of these few, possessing both the personality type and the prowess to, for the most part, do as he wished.

It was no surprise that when confronted with an obstacle such as the one that barred his path into a place he wished to go, all it took was the seamless execution of a renowned Kido spell; the cherry petals born from its flawless manifestation twinkled their red hue as they fell upon the four unsuspecting guards, forcing them into a deep slumber; they fell to the earth with due haste.

An effortless touch of a finger, and the defenses of the Eighth came undone, just like that; an unsurprising feat for the young Vice-Kido Chief, for his age spoke only to his appearance, and held no weight with regards to his capabilities as a Shinigami.

And so the Boy Genius strode through a Division not his, the mut of his peculiar Zanpakutō summoned and left behind as guard dog; of the many things that Kasuka was, integrity was at the top of the list; that which was undone, he replaced with double . Walk and walk he did, carelessly, hands in pocket, spiritual power controlled and Reiatsu suppressed, so as to blend in. No one paid him any mind, Division members going about their business. He made it to the Command Barracks, where the Captain and his officers operated; with his senses keen on detecting any Soul of authority, he would pick up a familiar signature: that of the Vice-Captain, Kotone Chinen.

Before she came into view, her voice rang across the extravagantly wide hallway. “I knew you’d come. Told the Captain as much.” A well-endowed Shinigami stepped out of an open door to Kasuka’s right, arms crossed and breasts ready to spill out, pushing the limit of her already revealing Shihakusho. “I Said, ‘the boy’s going to come, and there’s no way that gate’s going to keep him out, and with you gone, there’s no one here who’s going to be able to stop him’,” she smiled, close-lipped. “And all he did was give me that coy smile of his, you know the one, right?”

Her demeanor was as casual as his, as cool as a cucumber in all respects, as if nothing had happened to the Eighth; what could be the reason for her relaxed demeanor? Maybe it was Kasuka’s presence? She leaned against the door-frame. “He knew you’d come. He didn’t say as much, but I could tell that he was banking on it.” She chuckled quietly, pushing off the door-frame, turning mid sentence. She walked away from him, although he would sense her desire for him to follow. “Little Kasuka, I know why you’re here…”

She stopped in wait for him to move, and looked back over her shoulder.

“...so, how far down the rabbit hole do you want to fall?”​

 

[admins]

Itaku Ōhei

Itaku Ōhei was a Soul who possessed an unrivaled penchant for chaos, and an equally rare facility for misdirection. He was a walking contradiction, a Shinigami whose warm outward appearance was incongruent with his true inner self; a reality that no other Soul understood…until it was too late.

The Tenth Third Seat’s nature was in full display, when he came across an opportunity, and made it his own in a most devious way. The young Takao Takumi of the Thirteenth had the misfortune of becoming a pawn in the Charmer’s chaos. Through the masterful employment of Kyokkō, Itaku vanished from sight and sense into a veiled realm. He followed his “partner” up and over the wall, and into the garden. Through Itaku’s calculated plan, an attention-grabbing ruckus struck at the hospital building, followed by his misdirected accusation announced to the entire courtyard. The place stood still, turned to face in the direction of Takao, save for one: Itaku himself, who didn’t take the time to admire his handiwork, instead taking the distraction as an opportunity to enter the prized building unnoticed.

Delightfully, he snuck through the busy halls of the hospital, following in pursuit of the spiritual signature of Goro, a man he knew from his time within the Fourth. Eventually, he came upon the open door of a white room rife with the signature of his target. Within he would find Goro, the three other members of his unit, and one other Shinigami dressed in the special pink attire of the Coordinated Relief Station’s nurses. Shirai Hikaru’s corpses lay atop a sturdy hospital bed, a myriad of beeping technology surrounding her.

Itaku watched as the nurse came to the corpse’s side, removed the cover, and began her work; Hikaru’s cold skin was pale, her eyes shut by one of the transporting medics; her lips colored an iron crimson from her regurgitated blood; a sizeable hole in her chest, where her heart would be.

Silence permeated the room, no one speaking a word. Then, the nurse said, “How horrible…” She looked upon the corpse for a moment. “...From the wound, it seems to have been a single thrust.” Her gloved hand dug into the gaping hole in Hikaru’s chest. “A clean puncture, cylindrical in nature. A lance? Spear? Goro, would you please search the database for all known Shikai of these types?” Upon her request, the seated officer rushed to a nearby computer system, surely built some time ago by the Twelfth, and conducted his search. Meanwhile, the nurse continued her work.

Listen While You Read

Her gloves came off with a resounding elastic slap, quickly dispensed in a nearby container. Her hand hovered above Hikaru’s wound, palm down, and began to glow white; a twisting stream of white Reishi flowed from her palm, down into the wound. Itaku, having once been an experienced medic, would recognize the technique to be one created by his former Captain. A bead of sweat emerged upon the nurse's forehead as she searched the corpse for any traces of foreign spiritual energy, which through the process of taking the spiritual energy of the host and extracting that which was foreign, took a toll. Suddenly, the nurse's eyes widened.

Itaku, being an astute sensor, would also come to realize that something was amiss. A new, foreign spiritual energy came to life within Hikaru’s lifeless body; but how, if she were dead? Where did this spiritual energy come from? Alas, questions that required time, to which none of the five present had. It seemed the nurses meddling had triggered something.

The once foreign spiritual energy began to transform into a familiar one, although only to those well-versed within the field of the Demon Arts. Only a master of Kido would have ever come across the spell that was forming itself, eating away at the Reishi of the Gate Guardian’s body as fuel for its manifestation. A spell that would strike concern into the hearts of even the greatest of Kido practitioners.

“Aha!” Goro exclaimed, ignorant to the threat looming upon them all. “I’ve found some matches-”

His words came interrupted by the sudden downpour of an immense Reiatsu, one of mixed Shinigami and Hollow; cracks began to form across Hikaru’s skin, her body pulsating, glowing an apocalyptic red, the light growing brighter and brighter, spreading to cover the entirety of the room and beyond, the visages of each, to include Itaku, disappearing.

!!!
Ittō Kasō!

Their garments fluttered, their hairs forced up toward the now open sky, for the ceiling disintegrated. They felt the unstoppable force of the spell reverberating within their souls, an intense heat burning them from the inside out. The last thing they all saw was the uprising of an enormous pillar of red, shaped in the form of a katana’s edge, spreading as it rose to cover the entirety of the Central Relief Station.​

 

[Bane]

Scratching the back of his head with his index finger, Kasuka approaches the Eighth Command Barracks. Even from outside of the massive building, his senses search for the captain within. Instead, they pick up on a familiar signature, that of Vice Captain Chinen. A well endowed and well adjusted individual, Kasuka and Chinen have a familiar relationship. With the Eighth’s task of guarding the Seireitei’s important artifacts, and the Kido Corps tasked with investigating spiritual disturbances, the two often worked together. Generally, any investigation deemed non-crucial would see the mundane aspects delegated to Chinen, basic reports and such. Though even still, whenever Captain Kusmoto collaborated with Kasuka, Chinen was there to assist. As such, Kasuka had developed a sort of working relationship with the leaders of Eighth, familiar and yet not necessarily friendly. The Captain and Vice-Captain had both seen first hand just how diligent this dog of a detective can be.

“I knew you’d come. Told the Captain as much.”

As Kasuka enters the large hallway, he makes no effort to hide his presence, beyond his spiritual pressure. The opening of massive doors, followed by the clacking of his footsteps on hardened floors, makes the arrival of the guest more than obvious. In response, the woman’s voice echoes across stone walls, a greeting full of resignation. First Kasuka had sensed her, now he hears her. It doesn’t appear that she is hiding at all, as shortly after, she allows him to see her. Stepping out into view, the Lieutenant’s womanly form is not lost on Kasuka, but also doesn’t seem to effect the boy. To the young detective, it is clear that Chinen utilizes her seductive appearance to throw people off, not at all different from the way Kasuka himself utilizes his own boyish appearance to be underestimated. Knowing that she is about to continue speaking, Kasuka opts not to interrupt, but instead stops scratching his head to raise up an open palm, a half-hazard wave, as he continues walking towards her.

“I Said, ‘the boy’s going to come, and there’s no way that gate’s going to keep him out, and with you gone, there’s no one here who’s going to be able to stop him’,”

With him gone huh? Just what does this mean? Was Kusumoto gone from the barracks, or is he gone for good? Reflecting back on the reports, Kasuka recalls once again that only lieutenants were dispatched to investigate the various symptoms of this case. Originally he thought that this is because Vice Captains hold enough authority to seem important, but are ultimately disposable. Yet now something else seems to click together. Three Captains dead, and one missing. With the gate guardian dead, why wasn't the Captain of Ninth involved in the investigation? Why hasn’t the Captain of Fourth been tasked with the autopsy? Now, why isn’t the Captain of Eighth here to greet him? Could it be that while three captains have been killed, others still have gone missing? Or do the Captains know something that the rest of the Gotei Thirteen don’t? Kasuka had been given orders to investigate by the Chief of the Kido Corps, and yet not in person. Distrusting, he saw no reason to even verify his superior’s involvement.

“And all he did was give me that coy smile of his, you know the one, right?”

”Oh yeah, sure, sure.”

Kasuka responds absentmindedly, though friendly and casual, as though the two were recounting old stories about an older friend. His tired eyes peer out from droopy eyelids, the dark circles under them highlighting the vibrant green of his pupils. Though he seems bored, and slightly impatient, his friendliness wouldn’t be lost to this familiar face. It is more so that the two are here on business, and the pleasantries they exchange are simple banter.

“He knew you’d come. He didn’t say as much, but I could tell that he was banking on it.”

Without having to look her up and down, Kasuka perceives as much detail as he can about Chinen. Assessing her current state of mind, emotional level, and to a degree her intentions, not just through spiritual presence but through subtle cues in voice tone and body posture. She is relaxed, and she was expecting him. With the Captain gone, artifact missing, and division on lockdown, her guard should be up at least somewhat. It could be that she was reassured by Kasuka’s presence, but there isn’t relief or gratitude, just a sense of duty and resignation.

Banking on it? This only affirms what Kasuka is worried about. Either Eighth Division is about to crack this case wide open for him, or they are planning to betray him. Compliance or deception? Both maybe? Certainly the other Vice-Captains had walked into their own traps by now, the bait so easily laid. With his history, and the nature of his duties, it makes sense that Eighth would be Kasuka’s first stop. Further, the missing artifact was the only report that didn’t have a shinigami assigned to it, leaving a nice open invitation for Kasuka to slot himself in. Shihaimono knows what the artifact does, and seems to know what’s going on. Anti-royalist, friendly with the Ninth, the lockdown ordered is a safe and standard protocol, but just where is he, and why is he relying on Kasuka, not his own vice-captain?

His train of thought is interrupted by Chihen’s chuckle, laughing audible at the silent trains of thoughts of both her Captain and Kasuka. It’s usually good when pieces of a case fall into place, but it's always bad when you’re one of the pieces. Leaning against the doorframe, she kicks off her resting spot, and calmly starts walking down the hall, looking very cool the entire time.

“Little Kasuka, I know why you’re here…”

She stops, talking over her shoulder, an alluring invitation. Perhaps it is respect for the detective's ability that causes her to address the boy like a man, or perhaps she hopes to lower his guard. In any event, the ball is in the boys court now, as she waits for him to follow.

“...so, how far down the rabbit hole do you want to fall?”

Behind her, Chihen watches as Kasuka pulls a cigarette from his hair, placing it to his lips. A surge of yellow reiatsu sparks down the folded paper, birthing a bright orange between his index and middle finger. He inhales, locking eyes with the woman, an unwavering tired expression over an unflinching cold stare. Finally he pulls the cigarette away from his lips, and exhales. Smoke rising from his lungs and dissipating in the air, the scent of the tobacco strong and unfiltered. It is a strange sight, to see someone so young partake in such a self-destructive and mature habit. Yet it is a sign that this case is finally starting to capture Kasuka’s full interest. His cold glare peers through the veil of smoke which slithers its way from the end of his cigarette like a curtain between the two, lingering in silence for a moment.

“Rock bottom.”

The light of the outside dwindles into a thin rectangle, before disappearing altogether as the massive doors of the entrance finally close shut behind Kasuka. The light of his cigarette is the only thing that interrupts the dark. Its soft orange glow illuminates the smooth features of his boyish face, yet does nothing to quell the intensity of his eyes. Chihen’s own expectant gaze is softened in the glow, as she turns to lead the detective on. The sound of his sandals stepping behind her interrupts the return of the silence. Naturally, Kasuka has a thousand questions he wants to ask. What does the Fūin no Kagi do? Who do they think stole it? Where is Captain Kusumoto? What does she know? But any great detective knows that there is a time and place for questioning.

Now is the time for listening.

​

 

[admins]

Listen While You Read

Kotone looked back at Kasuka expectantly, giving him a flirty wink upon his confirmation that he wanted to hit rock bottom. “Love it,” she replied. She kept her gaze on him as he lit a smoke; it was strange seeing someone of Vice Kido Chief Rikai’s apparent age taking part in a vice typically reserved for someone twice his size. In the end though, it wasn’t her business, for she could separate what she saw from what she knew.

As the two marched down the wide hallway, she began to explain. “The Fūin no Kagi (封印の鍵, seal-breaking key) is an old artifact. We’ve had it within our vault for eight hundred years. It’s been here longer than I’ve been alive, heck, it’s older than even the Captain.”

The Eighth Division was one of the few Divisions to have stood the test of time, having maintained a semblance of the duty from which it was founded. If Kasuka were to look beyond Kotone, he would witness the parting of two tall, cylindrical white doors as they opened to reveal a small, square space. If he knew better, he would surmise it to be their destination.

“Our records show that it was created by Keiko Kano, who apparently was promoted to the Royal Guard a while ago. Even before the Unhallowed Wars.” With arms still crossed, she sighed; a bit of jealousy found itself within her voice. “Apparently she was a genius beyond her times, kind of like you Little Kasuka. It was her creation of this thing that got her a ticket to the Royal Palace.”

They finally arrived at the opening. Kotone walked right in, and then turned to face her guest. “Come on, there’s nothing to worry about. We’re just going to take a trip down, is all.”

Assuredly, the Boy Genius would oblige, for he would assess no danger whatsoever. Kotone’s close-lipped, warm smile would follow him as he entered, to which then the doors came together to close shut.

“Not even the Captain knows what the thing is fully capable of, since it’s been inactive for centuries. According to Kano’s notes, it requires a source of limitless power to awaken; in her trials, she found that only the power of a Vasto Lordes Hollow could do the trick. There wasn’t a Shinigami powerful enough in her time, apparently.”

Kotone’s last sentence was spoken with disbelief, for the existence of the current Kenpachi contradicted her statement. Surely, Shinigami as powerful as him would have had to have lived.

“Alright, we’re here,” she said, taking in a deep breath. Peculiar, since there was no indication that they’d moved in any way, or in any direction. When the doors opened, a darkness crept into the room that Kasuka would surely recognize as some kind of elevator. How it functioned would be anyone’s guess.

The space beyond the opening would be one of pitch blackness, save for a thin strip of a lighted path that stretched from the mouth of their exit, all the way to an enormous wall of shaded white that rose into the darkness, far beyond what was visible. In their path stood a hundred Shinigami, all at the ready, all standing guard, stationed apart in pairs on either side of the narrow walkway.

“Come on,” Kotone instructed as she started toward their new destination. She continued. “What we do know, is that the Fūin no Kagi (封印の鍵, seal-breaking key) is capable of undoing any seal; when I mean any, I mean any. Not just the physical, but also the abstract; anything you can think of, it can unlock it. According to her, at least.”

She chuckled softly.

“We’ve been coming up with some theories. The Captain thinks that the Soul King was forced to promote Kano, because this thing could mimic the function of the Ōken. Basically, she’d found a way into the Royal Palace all on her own. He thinks that now, with Kano’s influence, if there were anyone unwanted trying to get up there, they wouldn’t be able to, even with an Ōken.”

When they reached the white wall, she kept walking without hesitation; where one would warn her to stop, they would be surprised to watch the young Vice-Captain stroll right through the impediment as if she were a ghost. Surely, Kasuka would follow.

Upon following in her stead, he would find himself in a pitch black room. From the darkness, a light shone upon him, and he found Kotone to his left. A second ray of light came down to illuminate a large pillar before them, and atop it was emptiness; presumably, this was where the key had been stored before it disappeared.

“And here we are. The Great Vault.”​

 

[Nobody]

The rolling of wheels against the floor had long since been lost to the man as he pursued Goro and his entourage. Feet carrying him closer with every soft stride, every gentle step. He sees a door at the very end of the long hall he's been forced to trek. He carefully creeps the door open, slipping his way through the opening he made letting it close silently behind him. He scans the rooms, giving a cursory glance across the room noting several things. The room was white, pristine and sterilized — as expected of a facility manned by members of the Fourth. Inside Goro along with three others prepared to examine the body of the fallen guardian, prepared to delve into her body to pry from her the secrets of her untimely demise.


Beep Beep Beep

The equipment latched onto Shirai Hikaru's corpse plays the standard melody of a hospital, the various machinery gathering its readings releasing an almost rhymic series of beeps. With hands still secured behind his back he strolls around examining the facility, noting the various tools laying atop the silver trey that held them, gauge, bandages and the like as well situated in various places within the room, both near the body as well as afar off on various counters. Movement pulls the Charmer's attention towards one of the nurses who moves in towards the late Hikaru's side. He remains silent as she carefully peels away the sheet covering the corpse, not out of respect for the dead...but, because he was there covertly. Like he had done with his now deceased Vice-Captain, Itaku evaluates the state of the corpse. Noting the paleness of her skin, the dried blood on her lips and chin, then the hole within her chest. 'Hole in her chest...almost like a hollow.' He muses to himself. The others within the room join Itaku in silence, the somberness between them palpable.
​

“How horrible…”​

One nurse, unable to keep her peace any longer finally speaks, breaking the silence. The others can only hold their tongues and offer their tacit agreement with the women. They hadn't the strength to say anything else. However, now was not the time for mourning or sorrow, now was the time for them to perform the duties they had sworn to. 'Looks like they took her out with a single thrusting strike.' Itaku continues to assess the body.
​

“...From the wound, it seems to have been a single thrust.”​

As if parroting his thoughts, the nurse comes to the same conclusion as her silent invisible overseer. She takes a breath, steeling her nerves before her glove covered hand carefully moves towards the corpse's chest, digging into the hole she was unwillingly gifted with. The sound of wet squelching filled the silence of the room as her hand continued digging in, something that would disturb others not accustomed to such a sight. As shinigami, they were warriors, familiar with the sight of death. This, this was something different. It was one thing to see someone dead, it was another to see it up close, to feel the coldness and stiffness of the body, to cut open someone who was perhaps a friend...colleague...relative. It was a different level of morbid intimacy that few could stomach. But stomach it they did, every day for that was what they were called to do. Heal those who were injured, and deal with those who had passed on.

'Looking at the injury...doesn't seem to be done by a fist, or by a sword or blade...a spear maybe? Or, something similar at least.' ​

“A clean puncture, cylindrical in nature. A lance? Spear? Goro, would you please search the database for all known Shikai of these types?”​

Again, she and Itaku come to the same conclusion while studying the body and its wound, Itaku doing so without having to make actual contact with Hikaru's body. Itaku's eyes break away from the work being done on the table to glance towards Goro who nodded his head, rushing off towards the massive computer situated across the room. The sound of his fingers tapping away at the keys telegraphed the man's work, Itaku smirks his eyes shifting back towards the work at hand. 'So, both the stand in and Guardian Hikaru were done in. It was someone familiar with the Seireitei, given they were able to maneuver around without causing a ruckus. From the nature of their deaths, both their ends came rather suddenly...meaning both of them were familiar with whoever did them in.' Itaku begins making the parallels between the bodies he's seen today, wrapping his head around the situation as he worked to connect the threads best he can. 'A spear like item...wait! The report, the one about Eighth, they said something was missing-'

SNAAAAAaap

The elastic slapping of the latex glove being removed pulls the man from his thoughts. He truly believed everything in the reports he had read earlier was connected in one way or another. On the outside with just a glance they seemed random, dissimilar in nature. In Chaos Theory, its believed that while things may appear chaotic, random, and irregular — in truth there are patterns woven underneath, patterns that allow one to predict the 'unpredictable' chaos. A pale glow illuminated Itaku's face, glowing streams of white whisping and wind from her palm towards the wound it was facing. He smirked inwardly at the sight of the technique's performance. He found himself briefly reminiscing on his time in the Fourth, images of him performing this very same technique in his early years as a member of the division. The reishi began to separate and spread like thin veins throughout the body, causing the pale skin to glow from within. It took considerable control and reiryoku to perform, the burden on the woman was quite evident. 'Wait.. no no no no' It was as if the nurse and Itaku were connected somehow, both reacting albeit in different ways. The guardian was dead, this was an irrefutable fact. So, why then...was there spiritual power coming from it?
​

“Aha! I’ve found some matches-”​

---

Everything was culminating to a climax, the Fourth Division serving as the nexus for what would perhaps change everything within the Seireitei and the Gotei 13 forever. Young Takao Takumi, guilty of only following his Captain's orders now finds himself being honed in on by the very people he had hoped to aid. He has no excuses other than the excuse of duty. He prepares to face the consequences of his actions, consequences for the choice he had made.

Lieutenant Goseikanjo, second in Command of the Fourth Division has left them to fend for themselves, left them defenseless, believing her existence alone was threat enough to deter any who would dare to sneak into their barracks or try to make a move on the body. With her abilities, she abandoned her post to arrive in the Rukongai, something that held her attention far more, and it is perhaps that same ability that would see her return to her Division just as swiftly. She is unaware of what has transpired, unaware of the consequences of her choice, a consequence her colleagues are forced to bear.

Then, there is Mujin Ryōdoji, a hapless soul. Robbed of the warmth that has aided him in his growth, his transformation from mere threat to a Shinigami, he goes to the only place he knows to get answers, from the only soul he trusts to provide them. His choice, sends him to the Fourth Division.

As the Fourth hones in on Takao, so too do both Mujin and Hachikō hone in on the fourth, all parties drawing in closer the further they go when.

Ittō Kasō!

An earth sundering shockwave rips its way through the heart of the Fourth Division, walls and buildings collapsing as bodies topple over to the fracturing ground, debris collapsing indiscriminately atop any and everyone. As horrible as this is, it is but the briefest of precursors to what happens next. Visible from any point within the Seireitei, and even from beyond its walls, in the nearest districts of the Rukongai, is a crimson pillar fashioned in the shape of a katana's tip. The searing flames demolish the entirety of the buildings surrounding it, every living Soul reduced to ash, mere blackened stains along the ground. The light, blinding. The heat, scorching, insufferable. The force, unstoppable. Those honing in on Takao were certainly lost to the flames, a fate that would be perhaps shared by the young soul otherwise ignorant to what was transpiring well beyond where he was. The fate of the others heading towards the Fourth Division, well...who could say, as they were undoubtedly not expecting anything like this to happen. Who could have predicted such a tragedy? And, what of the Charmer, who was situated at ground zero? The closest to the source among all those mentioned?​

---

Just outside of the Eighth Division barracks, barracks that had been invaded by the young Detective Kasuka Rikai, with obliterated gates defended now by a translucent wall, and a massive...dog? Comes more unexpected visitors.

From the air comes spiraling cloths of white, crimson flames eating away at the fabric. The spiraling bandage like cloth spews out a total of three individuals, The Nurse who had been working on the body, Goro....and Itaku.

"Craaaaaap! CrapCrapCrapCrapCrap!!"

Itaku immediately darts away from the bandages, rolling on the ground in case any part of his clothing had caught aflame, which...they did. The end of his shihakusho as well as a portion of his back had fallen victim to the flaming blade's eruption. Goro seemed none worse for wear, and the nurse...she writhed and screamed in agony. Itaku continues seeing to it that he is well before the nurse's screams annoy him enough to cause him to shift his focus towards her. He grits his teeth in aggravation, and looks to Goro smiling gently towards him.

"Hold tight here for me for a minute will ya? Thanks!"

He rushes over to the nurse, placing a hand on her shoulder to still the woman. He holds her in place, his hand gently resting on the scorched and blackened flesh, the heat emanating from the wound was easily felt from a distance. He suppresses a grunt, it was like pressing his palm against heated metal. Teal colored reishi surrounding both his hand and the wound, expanding further and further, its light burning brighter, becoming near blinding, forcing Goro to avert his gaze. 'Fuck..' As he tends to her wounds his mind reflects back on what had transpired.​

---

They say at moments of death, ones life flashes before their eyes, and time begins creeping to a crawl. A single second, stretches out into eternity. Itaku overlooking the body with the nurse, notes the foreign reiatsu just as she does and is immediately alarmed. If all these events were trully interlaced with one another, if someone was killing off these people, someone within the Seireitei who was, more than likely high up...it meant they'd try to cover all their bases — eliminating all loose ends.

Everything that takes place afterwards, transitions as if viewed through a stereoscope. the nurse stands over the body, her hand hovering over the wound. A portion of Itaku who was concealed, now becomes visible as crimson light is reflected onto them.

Click
The light from the corpse is brighter, obscuring much of the nurse who's hand is pulled away further from it. More of Itaku is visible, his body slightly blurred, as what is perhaps his arm seemed stretched towards the woman.

Click
Goro stands, his expression, incredulous. The light reaches him, a slight distortion appearing at his side.
Click
A bright red pillar rises from Hikaru's body, its blinding light still obscuring the nurse and Itaku, both now seem angled away from the table with white blurs covering portions of their body.
Click
What appears to be Itaku, is at Goro's side, one hand on the man's shoulder, both angled back as if falling. Like with the nurse, streaks of white are blurred, as if someone had taken an eraser crudely to a picture of them in hopes of erasing them from the image.
Click
Red bathes the entirety of the image, dominating the picture as a hole. It becomes impossible to see the nurse, Itaku or Goro in either of the still images fed through the stereoscope. It would seem that, while inside the white room, when noticing the foreign reiatsu Itaku dispelled his camouflage. Like Takao, Hachikō, and Mujin Itaku needed to make a choice, not just a choice about rather to remain hidden or not, but a choice of would he save just himself or would he risk his life to aid the others as well. Even if he chose to aid the others not everyone could be saved, this meant that he also needed to make a choice of who to save. To put it another way, the Charmer had to decide, who he'd allow to die in that room. Goro was working the computer and seemed to have found something, so he needed to be saved. The nurse seemed competent and had been at the forefront of the autopsy, she too needed to be saved.

After dispelling Kyokkō he split himself while almost simultaneously grabbing the bandages within the room. Securing both Goro and the nurse the Kido Master removes them from the death trap taking them to the first place that came to his mind as the katana shaped pillar of flame pierced through the building and scorched everything in sight and beyond.​

---

"That reiatsu...it seemed..."

He can't help but to recall the feeling of both shinigami and hollow reiatsu during the time of the spells eruption. He shakes his head, subtly shifting his eyes towards Goro. He knew he had to explain himself, explain why he was there. Goro and those in Fourth knew that Itaku was a Kido Master, and a spell that could only have been cast by a master's hand had just gone off. It didn't look good. Itaku would need to use all of his charm, his tenure with them and the fact he had saved their lives to the best of his ability if he wanted them to not only aid him in information gathering, but in defending and alibiing him as well. Everyone would notice the destruction wrought by the spell, how long until people from everywhere including here came out to investigate? He needed to get ahead of things.

"Goro...we should talk."

​

 

[Bane]

Taking a drag of his cigarette, Kasuka listens as Chinen explains the origin of the Fūin no Kagi. Admittedly, he has never heard of this Keiko Kano, her genius, or her ascension to Division Zero. The parallel Chinen makes between himself and Kano is noted, as it is perhaps a parallel that Captain Kusumoto wanted to exploit. Noticeably, her mention of Kusumoto is only in terms of his age. It seems Chinen aims to distract Kasuka by giving him the information he wants, but not what he needs. This too is not lost on the boy detective, who drags hard on his cigarette, burning through half of it. He doesn’t exhale, as he watches the room open up in front of him.

“Come on, there’s nothing to worry about. We’re just going to take a trip down, is all.”

People only say not to worry when there’s something to worry about. Regardless, Kasuka won’t turn around due to paranoia. He needs to follow this thread, even if it leads him directly into a trap. Chinen may be avoiding the overall plot here, but she is still offering crucial information, even if its only to entice Kasuka further. Failing to sense any danger doesn’t mean that there isn’t any danger. Even with his impeccable senses, situational awareness, and ability to read people, the young detective is constantly on edge. He fails to show it however, his shoulders slumped, stride casual, and expression neutral. When the massive doors shut behind the two, only then does Kasuka exhale the smoke, filling the small space.

“Not even the Captain knows what the thing is fully capable of, since it’s been inactive for centuries. According to Kano’s notes, it requires a source of limitless power to awaken; in her trials, she found that only the power of a Vasto Lordes Hollow could do the trick. There wasn’t a Shinigami powerful enough in her time, apparently.”

Interesting, so does this mean that there is a shinigami powerful enough now? Generally as generations go on their power levels weaken, byproducts of peace and progress over time. How did Kano know that a Vasto Lorde in particular has the power necessary? The only named Vasto Lorde to come to mind is that of Esmerelda, the first hollow to tear her mask and become an arrancar. Were the two contemporaries? Perhaps it was Kano and her key that allowed Esmerelda to do so. Regardless, this explains the Hollow’s connection to the case. This bit of info all but confirms that a shinigami culprit is behind this, working in tandem with the Hollow. Further, the only division capable of locating a Vasto Lorde and discreetly transporting Hollows into the Soul Society is the Fifth. Kasuka makes note to check the Corps records from the Fifth’s personal senkaimon, the only one in Soul Society calibrated for travel to Hueco Mundo. Could it be that Captain Hashimoto is the one behind this? Odd after all, that in the report no fifth division shinigami was dispatched to investigate the traces of hollow reiatsu left behind. Still, if the key is capable of making a Vizard, perhaps this power alone could compensate for a Vasto Lorde, especially if a captain were the one converted.

“Alright, we’re here, come on.”

Chinen continues, taking in a deep breath, the first sign of nervousness she’s been bold enough to display. Is it regret or anticipation at seeing the scene of the crime once again? Or is she preparing for what comes next? As the doors to the elevator open, Kasuka’s cloud of smoke spreads out, dispersing in the beam of white light. The fact that the room was an elevator was apparent to Kasuka upon first sight, given it’s narrow space. How it functioned, and the concept of them not moving, wasn’t very curious to the Kido Corps Vice-Chief, whose own expertise in Bakudo has seen him utilize even stranger techniques. What is curious however is the scale of Shinigami that Chinen has guarding the empty room. One hundred Shinigami stand guard. Why? In case the thief wants to return the object? Were they always stationed here, and if so why had no one seen or sensed anything when it was stolen? Perhaps they are here for Kasuka himself, part of the ambush being set by the Vice-Captain. Yet, by her own admittance, without their Captain here, there is no one capable of stopping him.

“What we do know, is that the Fūin no Kagi is capable of undoing any seal; when I mean any, I mean any. Not just the physical, but also the abstract; anything you can think of, it can unlock it. According to her, at least.”

Like a Hollow’s stage of evolution? An offer, turning adjuchas into Vasto, or even arrancar? This confirms Kasuka’s earlier theory, and provides the incentive for why Hollows would collaborate with Shinigami. If the Shinigami incentive is revolution, and the Hollow incentive is evolution, then what is the final outcome here? The ability to undo any seal, between dimensions, and even into the Royal Palace. If Kusumoto believes that even with an Oken, an intruder wouldn’t be granted access to the Royal Palace, then maybe this key is the only way in. Could be that Kusumoto took the key for himself, being the only one besides Chihen who knows what it takes to use it. Likely, he is working alongside Fifth Captain Hashimoto to retrieve hollows, turning them into Vasto Lordes in order to activate the key. His partnership with Ninth Captain Shihaimono would allow him to disperse the Vasto he created back out into the Rukongai, diverting the Gotei’s attention away from the Seireitei. Shihaimono after all has both the authority and trust of a Gate Guardian, and the power to strike one down. Why work together? Because they are each openly anti-royalist. If the Royals hold the highest power, authority, and influence in soul society, than who could possibly be above them? None other than the Soul King himself. Were the Captains aiming to infiltrate the Royal Palace, and rewrite reality to their own will?

There are still too many unanswered factors, too many layers to this mystery, such as where the Shiba and Kuchiki fit in, alongside the missing omnikitsudo agent. It feels like there’s more going on, like a candle is being burnt at both ends. Yet the wick cuts through the wax all the same, just as this theory seems to thread together all of these loose ends. There’s still too much going on, even in this present situation. If Eighth is on lockdown, why lead Kasuka so far down into the Vault? Surely just because he can’t be stopped doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try to stop him. Additionally, the Chinen said the Captain both knew he was going to arrive, and was banking on it. If Kusumoto is involved, it doesn’t seem likely that he’d want a pest on his heels, and if he’s in league with other Captains, there’s almost nothing that Kasuka can offer him as an ally. Chinen is casual, friendly, open, which means she doesn’t suspect Kasuka as a thief. Is this because of his reputation, or because she knows well who the thief is already? Her own captain.

As Chinen steps through the barricade of guards, Kasuka stops in the elevator, refusing to follow any further. The time for listening has come to an end. Instead, Kasuka holds out his cigarette, tapping it in the air. The ember of the cigarette collides against an invisible barrier, its traces of ash illuminating the small construct’s existence for a moment of time. The young detective had heard all he needed, confirming the purpose and function of the stolen artifact, which provided motive and intent for his next lead. Kasuka locks eyes with Chinen, ignoring the presence of a hundred guards. His glare is not that of a boy seeking answers, but of a predator locating its prey. The question is no longer ‘What does the Fuin no Kagi do?' No, now it is simply…

“Where is Captain Kusumo-”​

---

"-to?"

At the entrance of the Eighth Division barracks, Kasuka Rikai finds himself hanging by the nape of his Shihakushō. The massive canines of a massive canine suspends him a foot in the air, before opening, dropping him to the ground. Unperturbed by the antics of Itai Ryōken, the young Shinigami pays no mind to the twenty foot mutt that seemingly manifested him from thin air. Instead his focus is on the three individuals that find themselves standing in a pair of yellow spotlights, the glowing gaze of the great hound.

Curiously, Kasuka watches without much surprise on his expression, his eyes looking to the purple haired shinigami, who rolls around having caught on fire. Interestingly, Kasuka notes that the flames engulfing the strange shinigami are composed of Reiryoku, the consequence of a kido composition. What’s more, the traces of the demonic art’s flames seem to be a mixture of hollow and shinigami signatures, the subtle difference between the two being transparent to as keen an eye as the detective’s.

“Hold tight here for me for a minute will ya? Thanks!"

Without much concern for the well-being of the burning surprise guests, and seeing the burnt nurse now receiving treatment, Kasuka’s own gaze instead lazily looks to the sky. For a brief moment, he can see the horizon above the northeast district fade from a red glow back to the pristine blue of a sunny Seireitei day. From just this small glimpse, the second-senior-most member of the Kido Corps, is able to deduce that not only was Hado number Ninety Six, Ittō Kasō seemingly cast, but was activated at the Fourth Division’s location specifically. The energy pattern of this kido additionally matches the flames that briefly consumed the purple haired man. However, such a high level Hado spell seems above this intruder’s purview, from the brief analysis Kasuka makes. A spell of this caliber requires a very specific type of talent and experience. The type that can only belong to a Captain. The question is, which Captain?

Hado Ninety Six is a self sacrifice spell, it cannot be casted without costing something in turn. This additionally proves the mans innocence, who seemingly possesses all of his limbs. Instead, Kasuka takes into account the activated location. Who at fourth is capable of this spell, and willing to sacrifice themselves to do it? Perhaps instead, they didn’t sacrifice themselves at all, but were sacrificed by another. The Gate Guardian, murdered this morning, would undoubtedly have been sent to Fourth for an autopsy. Kasuka himself was hoping to review the autopsy report later this evening. If the Gate Guardian, as Kasuka estimates, was killed by someone she trusted, then the only person she both trusts and is capable of casting the Hado, would be none other than her own Captain. This event all but confirms that Shihaimono is in league with Kusumoto, if their previous comradery didn’t already. That is, according to Kasuka’s leading theory.

But why bomb the Fourth? Perhaps to kill Captain Kuchiki? If this whole event is meant to take out the nobles, it would make sense. Adding to the fact that it is yet another distraction away from the true target.

Yet still, something isn’t adding up. There’s a factor here that's missing, a piece to the puzzle that just doesn’t seem to fit. No, rather it is that the pieces to two different puzzles have all been mixed into the same box. The Great Detective of course desires to complete both, but so far must focus on the pieces he has for the puzzle he can solve. First then, he has to know which pieces are missing. Right now that is Captain Kusumoto. If Kasuka can find Kusumoto, he’ll find the key, and can further unravel this intricate plot. If only he had been given more time in the vaults to interrogate Chinen. He hopes he wasn’t rude, leaving without saying goodbye. Maybe he could make it up to her later by sending a letter and some flowers.

“Good boy.”

Kasuka says, reaching up to pat the snout of the massive dog, who sits now on all floors. Drool slithers down the beast’s tongue, half the size of Kasuka’s entire body, before puddling at the entrance. Yet the creature’s eyes never take themselves off the trio before it. Shining down on them, the spotlight adds an extra element of drama to the scene, not unlike a stage production.

"That reiatsu...it seemed..."

So, this guy could see it too? By his sudden arrival, the fact he survived Hado Ninety Six, and his Kaido’s proficiency in healing burns from the spell, Kasuka has deduced already that he is a powerful Kido user. A level of talent like that is easily recognizable, and naturally comes with a keen perception of spiritual nuances. Additionally, Kasuka notes the two accomplices with the purple haired man are of much lesser, if not insignificant, caliber. A nurse, and something close to an intern. Their lack of familiarity with the individual, and his desperation to earn their trust, signify that they don’t share the same division. This means that the individual had selected to save them, but is not personally familiar with them. So why these two? Given the nurses burns, could it be she was the one handling the autopsy, the closest in proximity to the blast? Who was this young man with them then?

"Goro...we should talk."

Goro huh? Alright then. The nurse performing the autopsy, a talented but foreign Kido user, and a Goro whose only significance must be the information he holds. This purple-haired healer was tactical in his choice to save these two, perceptive in his circumstance, and thought quickly on his feet. Why arrive at Eighth? The burning of their clothes showcases that they arrived almost instantaneously to the detonation of the Hado. Given the purple haired man’s usage of Kaido and familiarity with the Hado’s reiatsu signature, it can be assumed he is capable of a teleportation spell. Further, the fact he caught fire at all means he had to use the legal, albeit slower Sentan Hakuja spell. So in his quick thinking, he decided that Eighth would be the most preferred next destination. Was he thinking to investigate the Fuin no Kagi as well? Had he chosen only to investigate the autopsy first?

Good. within a matter of seconds, Kasuka deduces that this man is intelligent and strategic, and additionally already aware of what is going on. His attempt to save the nurse is of course second nature, but it can’t be ignored that she too possesses important information. Further, the purple-haired man’s immediate focus fell on that of this Goro kid, and not the strange creature in their presence. So what makes this Goro such an immediate priority, even with information at hand? Was he a witness to a crime? Perhaps the purple-haired man is desperate to convince the witness of his own innocence. He is either cunning, or caring. Why not both? This is a relief, as it means that he won’t be a waste of Kasuka’s time.

“Hey. If you stole a key to anything, how would you get to the Royal Palace?”

The young shinigami with disheveled brown hair chimes in, throwing up a haphazard wave which is undermined even further by his bored expression.

“Oh, also you're a Captain and need a Vasto Lorde.”

 

[Nobody]

Itaku stares at Goro as Goro in turn, stares back at him. His former colleague says nothing, perhaps taken aback by everything that he's experienced within mere moments. How many questions were racing through his mind? When had Itaku arrived at Fourth and in the room with them? How had he gotten there without them knowing? What was he doing there to begin with? Why was there an explosion where they were at? Did Itaku save them and if so why? What happened to everyone else at Fourth? It was an endless chain, one question after the other forming, yet not a single one was asked. This wouldn't do, not at all. Goro had found something, he knew something, and Itaku needed to know what that was.
​

“Hey. If you stole a key to anything, how would you get to the Royal Palace?”​

Both the Third Seat and Fourth's Intern break their gaze from one another, casting their eyes on the dangling boy and that...monstrosity that was holding him up. With the shock of everything, Goro had not taken the time to truly look at his surroundings. Now seeing the young shinigami's....pet? It was more than his fragile heart and mind could bear in that moment.
​

“Oh, also you're a Captain and need a Vasto Lorde.”​

Goro stares in confusion, the nurse that had received treatment from Itaku shivering and sobbing heavily still. Her body was healed, but her mind was in tatters. As the two souls lay there before the gates of the Eighth Division they individually begin to see falling petals. Kasuka observing everyone undoubtedly immediately recognizing it as the very same spell employed by him when infiltrating their current location earlier. The sobbing from the nurse begins to quiet as both she and Goro silently collapse to the ground. Itaku begins approaching the boy, stopping several feet away from him. His bright and dazzling gaze and smile greeting the tired and apathetic gaze of young detective. The Charmer glances back towards those he had saved then subsequently knocked unconscious. When next they woke they'd remember the autopsy, and perhaps the explosion but the memory of Itaku and his involvement would be...muddled, incoherent. This would allow him to come back later and gently tweak the series of events to them, weaving a tale that would not only explain why they recall him being there, but cause them to be grateful to him and more than willing to offer whatever information they had regarding this murderous mystery. For now, it seemed he'd have to indulge their troublesome greeter.

"Kasuka Rikai-kun of the Kido Corps I presume? Isn't this quite the honor!"

Itaku exclaims with a clap of his hands, his warm smile only growing wider. 'Seems the little genius is out investigating. If he's here, means his investigation has set him on course for that missing key from the Eighth's vault. That massive mutt must be his zanpakuto...and since the boy wonder hasn't attacked me or us the moment he laid eyes on us...means he doesn't suspect us of any wrong doings...for now' Itaku's mind works the situation before him. With palms pressed together, fingers interlocking he tilts his head as if thinking about something for a moment.

"So, a Captain has stolen this special key from the Eighth Division, while trying to get their hands on a Vasto Lorde and get to the Royal palace as well? Sounds like quite the busy body indeed."

The healer believes that Kasuka has offered a taste of what is going on in the Soul Society. Fingers still interlocked he stretches his arms above his head, skipping and waltzing closer towards where Kasuka was at, propping himself up against the nearest wall for support, staring into the sky. Shinigami across the Seireitei pour from their respective Divisions, each one alerted by the ruckus caused by the Sacrificial Spell set off at Fourth.

"You're a Captain...you've killed other Captains or...at least contributed to their deaths, then months later you kill the second in command of one such Captain as well. A helpless Soul with nothing to truly offer in terms of strength or ability...why?"

Itaku begins speaking as though to himself, mentioning the unannounced death of his squad's Lieutenant without overtly saying it. Having concluded all the reports were linked to one another, he assumes that Hikaru who died early in the morning and his Lieutenant who also died early in the morning must have been killed in proximity to one another time wise. If it was a single killer, a Single Captain it was...impossible. It would mean they killed the guardian, planted the Kido spell inside her corpse, then went to Tenth Division barracks, infiltrated inside and making it to the Vice-Captain's office and killing him without making a fuss before leaving all the same. The matter of the Rukongai report was a smoke screen, intel gathered and thrown out to distract the Thirteen Court Guard Squads with the scandal, sewing more distrust between not only divisions, but the Rukon districts and the Seireitei as well. The Attempted murder of the Central 46 was also a smoke screen, anyone capable of killing Captains, the Guardian and a Vice Captain without revealing themselves was capable enough of killing that council of fools if they so desired. No, this was not only a distraction, but also their justification to tighten their control and influence on the Shinigami.

"A Noble family...one or more Captains...Central Forty Six, and a 'key'. I get some of it..but what does Tenth have to do with any of it all?"

With all the moving pieces it took a connection to a Noble family to be have the authority to move about without question, and with the current make up of the Central Forty Six it also made sense that, only someone affiliated with the Nobles would be afforded the proper opportunity to get in close to the council. Their aim, was clearly power. Perhaps dolled up by some grand and 'noble' reason that the rest of them couldn't even possibly begin to fathom...Itaku resists the urge to roll his eyes at that thought. At the end of the day it was always about power. Rukongai were perhaps testing grounds, it was a vast area after all, plenty of districts where one's actions would go unnoticed, for who'd care if one or two or a hundred...or a thousand souls went missing from there? The Gate guardian, collateral damage or another guinea pig....probably both. Thinking of it in this manner things made some sort of twisted sense...so, why did they go out of their way to kill Isao? He seemed so far removed from the playground of the nobles and the political scene...what made him worth killing?

Leaned against the wall he turns to face the little detective, a fox-like grin on his face. Goro had intel, intel he would certainly get but...Kasuka also held some information or, at the very least had the means to acquire it. He needed to stick to the child, borrowing the umbrella that was his authority as the Vice Captain of the Kido corps while also capturing any information the snoop may come across. If he played this right, he could figure out what exactly happened to his former superior in name alone, and if they found the key well...'who doesn't like a little extra power?' He thought to himself, his smile unfaltering.

"Say, Rikai-kun. You wouldn't mind helping me protect these two would you? Something tells me, if left alone the Seireitei's mystery butcher just may pay them a little visit."

​

 

[admins]

Listen While You Read

An enormous blade’s edge of vibrating red screeched as it rose to the sky, its immense power reverberating within the Fourth Division, and those adjacent to it. Surely, anyone worth their salt within the Seireitei would feel the spiritual energy screaming off the forbidden spell; Shinigami from all over the Seireitei stopped what they were doing, their full spiritual attention commandeered, many coming out of their Division buildings to look upon whatever had caused it. When the crimson edge dissipated, and its singing power diminished, all that accompanied the colorless, rising smoke cloud was an unforgettable stillness.

On the precipice of new beginnings, the cursor of history slid ever closer to the edge of an eerie quietness; it was a silence layered in three parts.

The first layer was one that played its empty tune to the physical senses. If one were to look up at the shaded sky, an already gloomy overcast would have seemed to have gotten darker, and stiller, as the clouds remained in place as if holding their breath. If one were to listen, they would find emptiness in the wake of the once sweet whispers of the wind. If one were to reach out to touch the world, all they would feel is a numbness beyond the pale.

The first of three.

The second layer was one that spoke its hollow words to the spiritual senses. It hid behind the physical in wait for those well-enough attuned to notice it. Where once the spiritual bands of Souls glowed inharmoniously across the Soul Society, existed a blank gray that spread for miles and miles, to the ends of the City of Wandering Souls. Everyone, it seemed, ceased to exist.

The second of three.

The third layer was one that existed on a plane beyond the conventional. A quietness so deafening, so overbearing, so empty, that its presence could only be perceived by those who, when confronted by a world devoid of stimulus, could completely relinquish their bodies, minds, and souls to absolute nothingness. Only then would they realize that time had stopped.

The third of three.

This was a rare brief lapse in time, a serene moment of quiet that preceded a storm not seen, and yet brewing for centuries. What seemed like an eternal silence came to a thundering halt as the world returned to color, waves of technicolor reverberating throughout the Soul Society like layers of film, and those who lived and breathed within it. The entirety of the Seireitei, and the Wandering City, trembled as the spiritual power of unburdened Souls twisted around one another in a battle of Reiatsu.

Listen While You Read

An enormous explosion of purple, larger than the Ittō Kasō that came before, erupted at Sōkyoku Hill; even those not initiated in Reikaku would sense the Captain Commander’s roaring Reiatsu, and in opposition, the equally magnificent spiritual pressure of the Captain of the Ninth, Hitoshi Shihaimono.

In the Northwestern Quadrant, the Reiatsu of the deadly Captain of the Second, Nobu Tsunayashiro, and that of the esteemed Captain of the Fourth, Sachiko Kuchiki, would be sensed at the ready to strike one another down.

In the Southeastern Quadrant, Captain Arisu Nakazawa’s radiant spiritual pressure could be felt clashing with that of the passionate Captain Kusumoto’s.

Lastly, within the First District of the Northern Rukongai, one Souls spiritual pressure could be felt across the entirety of the Soul Society, reaching out even beyond the known Districts, and drowning out all others; it was a spiritual signature so demonic, so filled with killing intent, that the blood of his future victims would be tasted upon the tongues of all; such a signature belonged to the Kenpachi, Kenta Murakami. Alongside him were two, that of the Twelfth’s Captain, Hatsumei Takaki, and that of the Sixth’s Captain, Etsuko Nakajima, the latter of which faded quickly…

With the Soul Society under siege by an immutable song, it was a miracle that the words that would soon ring within the minds of every Shinigami would be heard nonetheless. Those of a Kidō background would recognize the sensation belonging to Bakudō #77. Tenteikūra (天挺空羅, Heavenly Rickshaws in Silken Air), coursing with the spiritual signature of the First’s Third Seat. Her voice spoke clear as day, filled with shock and anger.

“This is an emergency broadcast! This is Third Seat Takenaka!

The Seireitei is under attack! I repeat, the Seireitei is under attack!

A group of Captains, led by the traitor Hitoshi Shihaimono, have declared war against the Gotei 13! The Captains of the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh have joined the Betrayer’s cause!

The Captain Commander’s order is that the members of these rebel Divisions stand-down; those that follow the Commander’s orders shall be pardoned for such treason; those that defy his orders, he will personally execute!

All other Divisions are to infiltrate the Divisions of the rebels, and arrest all who do not denounce their treasonous Captains; those who resist are to be eliminated!

I repeat! Those who resist are to be eliminated!“

And like that, her voice was gone, leaving the denizens of the Seireitei to decide their course of action; a crossroads had presented itself to each Shinigami, a choice that would change the course of both their lives, and that of the history of the Soul Society.

Yet, there were a handful of Shinigami who would receive an additional message, as the respective hell butterflies fluttered to land on their shoulders…
​

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Hachiko Goseikanjo

Captain Kuchiki’s voice…

“My dear Hachikō. I’m sorry that this information had to reach you in this way, but forgive me; Captain Shihaimono pleaded that I keep our plans away from all, even my most trusted.

What you’ve just heard is true. Captain Shihaimono leads us in rebellion against the Captain Commander, and the Central Forty-Six. The Soul Society has suffered too long, and our patience has run thin. Kō, my love, I plead to you: believe in Captain Shihaimono’s cause, and help us see it through.

My blade has crossed with Captain Tsunayashiro’s; I do not know if I will see you again…

…find me.”
​

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Fuyuko Munetoshi

Captain Shihaimono’s voice…

“Vice-Captain Munetoshi, listen to my words; let them ignite the fire within your heart.

As you did with me, and I before you; we as the Ninth, have pledged to protect the Seireitei from its enemies, both foreign and domestic. The Gotei 13 is a shadow of itself, filled with rot that has been festering for too long; if left untreated, the disease will eat away at us all.

That is why we must defend it against itself. It is time to cut out the cancerous tumor, and allow the Soul Society to heal.

I kept my plan away for you, to protect you; I see now that it was a mistake. I hope you can forgive me.

Now, protect the Division from anyone who would seek to do it harm.”
​

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Shin’eki Uemura

Third Seat Akinawa’s voice…

“Rusty! HELLO?! The Captain’s vanished and Vice-Captain Tsunyashiro just got woken up by that transmission! He’s PISSED! Where the hell are you?! Hurry up and get here before the Vice-Captain loses his shit!”​

 

[Bane]

Surprisingly, as each cherry blossom manifests in the sky, purple in hue, they would not be granted the chance to fall. Instead, each blossom disappears just as suddenly as it arrives, failing to snow down upon the intended victims. A kido master, Itaku would undoubtedly be surprised as to how his spell has been negated, especially given that Kasuka himself shows no signs of utilizing demonic arts. Additionally, the boy detective’s own spiritual pressure is no greater than that of a starving dog’s, showing that no reiatsu has been flexed to overwhelm the expertly crafted Hakufuku.

Unfortunately, with an ongoing investigation, there is no room for lapses of memory. Not knowing who this purple haired man is, or what information the two fourth division members have, Kasuka can’t afford to let their minds be tampered with. Though he has determined that the Kido user was not responsible for the Ittō Kasō, that does not mean he is innocent of all crimes. After all, he could be in league with the one who did, or attempting to cover the tracks of a crime he previously committed. Either way, the situation is too sensitive to let this action go on unimpeded.

Should Itaku turn to face the boy and his mutt, he would see in the creature’s mouth an entire bouquet of bakudo petals. Absentmindedly, it chews the mouthful of spiritual flowers, lips smacking, before it swallows the spell whole. Kasuka, on the other hand, appears unphased spare a single yawn. He reaches out with his right hand, not bothering to look at what he is grabbing. Yet his hand closes around the handle of a mug of hot coffee, gently clenched between the tweezer-like teeth of the massive mutt before being released.

"Kasuka Rikai-kun of the Kido Corps I presume? Isn't this quite the honor!"

The purple haired man turns to face his intervening greeter, separated only by the invisible layer of Dankū between them. So, yet again Kasuka’s reputation precede him, a troubling thing given his line of work. As a member of the Kido Corps secrecy is paramount, and as a detective it helps to be unfamiliar so as to blend in. Yet it seems that the young shinigami has already obtained such remarkable exploits as an investigator that even the seated members of other divisions can recognize him on sight. Or maybe it's the giant monster standing behind him?

“Uh-huh.”

The purple haired man falls into a trance of thought with a loud clap. Kasuka’s expression conceals his analytical nature, observing just how keenly this stranger begins to assess this situation. The man’s friendly demeanor equally conceals his own analytical nature.

"So, a Captain has stolen this special key from the Eighth Division, while trying to get their hands on a Vasto Lorde and get to the Royal palace as well? Sounds like quite the busy body indeed."

Kasuka’s eye contact with the stranger is uninterrupted, his blank stare peaking over the rim of his ceramic cup, peering through the curtain of steam as he sips his coffee.

"You're a Captain...you've killed other Captains or...at least contributed to their deaths, then months later you kill the second in command of one such Captain as well. A helpless Soul with nothing to truly offer in terms of strength or ability...why?"

Kill the second in command? So there is another murder, this time unreported. Given the reference to the previous Captain’s death this means the Vice-Captain of either Seventh or Tenth, as the Third’s Vice-Captain was dispatched just this morning to the Rukongai. Why follow through, unless the Vice-Captain uncovered the same condemning information as his superior, perhaps killed for the same reason as his captain?

Kasuka knows what it looks like to think aloud, caught up following the thread of a lead. Instead of interrupting, he opts to let the man cook up a theory, while digesting the tidbits of information that he lets slip. The spirit detective pays no mind to the stranger as he leans against the Eighth’s walls, which were still reinforced with their natural barrier. Instead his gaze shifts to the crying nurse and the shocked unseated shinigami from Fourth. Though still conscious, the Nurse is caught in her fit, and the boy is still shocked at everything that has transpired, staring at the glowing yellow eyes of Kasuka’s shikai. How sad, to see two souls traumatized, yet Kasuka is unconcerned with them, so long as they stay put.

"A Noble family...one or more Captains...Central Forty Six, and a 'key'. I get some of it..but what does Tenth have to do with any of it all?"

So, the man is from the Tenth division. Which means the Tenth’s Lieutenant has been killed, months after the Tenth’s Captain. Could it be a misdirection on this stranger’s part? Is he perhaps trying to reveal the information to make it seem as though he has recently discovered it, rather than perpetrated it? It could explain why he was at Fourth, to ensure that the Vice-Captain’s body contained no evidence leading to him. Though, he does make a good point: what does Tenth have to do with any of it? Originally Kasuka assumed the Captain was murdered for not joining Kusumoto, and Shihaimono’s cause. However, if the Vice-Captain was killed recently as well, it means that there’s something the conspirators don’t want getting out to the public. Tenth being in charge of Naruki City, it only makes sense that somehow the humans were involved in this. Could be that Naruki has been a hiding spot or a base of operations, perhaps even a safe house, given all the treason. After all, if a Shinigami needs to hide out, the Human World is the safest dimension. However, with the Hollow involvement, the purpose of the Human World seems much more sinister. Could it be that the conspirators are offering Naruki to the hollow as a feeding ground, a further reward for their assistance?

“Try checking your Human District.”

Drinking his caffeine with one hand, Kasuka reaches out with his other, retrieving two files of papers directly from the beast’s mouth. Transported from his office, these files contain the Senkaimon reports from Tenth and Fifth respectively. Though he appears to lazily flip through them, barely paying attention, like a child unwilling to read, in truth Kasuka pours over the contents almost immediately, sensing once again the difference between ink and paper. What he sees is no unusual activity from the Tenth, meaning no strange goings on between the Soul Society and Naruki. However, what does catch his attention is the unusual reports from Fifth.

Fifth Division, tasked with patrolling the Hollow’s dimension of Hueco Mundo following the Unhallowed wars, is the only one with a Senkaimon modified to perform the Keikaigi (繫界儀, World-Tying Rite) spell on demand. This allows them entrance to Hueco Mundo much like a Senkaimon does to the World of the Living. Yet unlike the Tenth and Thirteenth, which dispatch regular patrols to their respective jurisdictions, Fifth’s gates have been utilized solely by its Captain. Kasuka had already suspected Captain Hashimoto to be involved with Kusumoto and Shihaimono. Upon discovering that the Fuin no Kagi required a Vasto Lorde to activate it, the only soul in the seireitei who would know where to retrieve one is Hashimoto. Further, the hollow activity and the hybrid hollow and shinigami traces all point to Hashimoto, who is the only person capable of transporting Hollows into Soul Society without the use of a Garganta, due to the resources of Fifth Division.

What’s more, if Hashimoto is behind the hollow threat, and if they were indeed promised the breaking of their masks, shinigami power, and Naruki city, an alliance would be that much easier to achieve. The Tenth Captain and his Lieutenant may have been killed for uncovering this plot, given that Hollows are the primary threat they face in Naruki. Additionally, the appearance of Garganta in Naruki wouldn’t be suspicious to anyone in Soul Society, and would allow travel between Hueco and the Human World. With all of this connected, the conspirators were granted easy and off the books access to all three dimensions, free to plot and scheme without supervision.

The purple haired stranger smiles back at Kasuka with a grin so cunning and fox-like that it causes the boy to lose his appetite. An orange cube appears around his cup of coffee and the files. In the next second both seem to disappear from existence.

"Say, Rikai-kun. You wouldn't mind helping me protect these two would you? Something tells me, if left alone the Seireitei's mystery butcher just may pay them a little visit."

“Huh? Yeah, sure.”

Glancing into the man’s overly familiar eyes, Kasuka’s own green pupils shift back once again to the two Fourth Division members. Immediately, they both disappear from their positions, as if wiped from existence in an instant. Instead, they appear behind the Dankū, the collars of their Shihakushō pinned between the canine’s of the resting Dog creature. Without looking, Kasuka waves his hand, and their heads immediately fall limp. Itai Ryōken loosens its jaw, and the two unconscious members drop onto the ground like a sack of potatoes, taking their resting place alongside the four unconscious Eighth Division guards.

“Who are you by the way?”

Suddenly everything is silent, gray, devoid of presence, devoid of time. Kasuka, whose spiritual senses were ever alert and always observing, immediately notices the shifts of all three layers of silence. His guard is up before the explosion from the First Division shakes the foundations of the Soul Society. The Captain Commander’s Reiatsu is released to do battle, more shocking than that of the sacrificial Hado Spell from earlier. With him, Kasuka notes, is Shihaimono, placing his location atop Sokyoku hill. While in the Southeastern quadrant, where Kasuka had originally sent off to locate him, was the target of this entire investigation, whom the detective had been searching for so diligently this entire time, his target, back at the beginning of it all, somehow missed: Eighth’s Captain Kusumoto. This grants the location of the two lead suspects, but their opponents help to deduce who else is in league with them. Nakazawa, the Commander, and Captain Tsunayashiro were obviously innocent. Meaning that Captain Kuchiki is likely in league with Conspirators, but why destroy her division then? Additionally, the Kenpachi’s reiatsu dwarfs even the Commander’s and the Itto Kaso, drowning out his two opponents, alongside Takaki and Nakajima. All three of which cannot be easily affiliated to one side or the other, given the Kenpachi’s penchant for combat.

None of this matters to Kasuka however. The Vice-Chief and Great Detective is well aware that he cannot influence the outcomes of each battle, and his presence against the perpetrators would not assist in bringing them in. Instead, he is given the answer to his second leading question ‘Where is Captain Kusomoto?’, having already answered ‘What does the Fuin no Kagi do?’. The investigation now hinges not on what Kasuka senses, but on what he doesn’t.

Among all of these powerful signatures, there is one who does not stand out at all, one whose presence and source of information now becomes the key to unraveling this whole conspiracy.

"Where is the Fifth Captain, Hashimoto?"

Given his now established involvement with the hollows, it is likely that he is the one continuing to perpetuate the overall plan. This spectacle, though shocking, potentially redirecting the course of history, is just as much a distraction as everything else. If Kusomoto is fighting the Commander out in the open, it is unlikely he is in possession of the stolen key. Additionally, if the stolen key requires a Vasto Lorde to activate, where is the spiritual pressure of such a being? No, more likely, it is the Fifth Captain, Hashimoto, who is in possession of the key and in league with the Vasto Lorde, if not himself a Vizard already. If all of the captains are engaged in a conflict except for him, he is given free reign to complete the plan as necessary.

Once again, Kasuka wonders how one might gain entry to the soul palace. Earlier he had deduced that either the Kuchiki or Shiba were using their noble influence to assist the conspirators in order to regain their political power. With Captain Kuchiki in league with them, this feels even more likely. However, the Kuchiki are fractured, divided politically in power and influence. There are those who may be willing to assist an anti-nobel rebellion, but they wouldn’t be able to fulfill the plot involving this stolen artifact. How could the Kuchiki grant access to the noble palace? Simply put, they can’t. The Shiba however, are a different story. Given his background in the Kido Corps, Kasuka is intimately familiar with the Shiba’s unique magic. Not only do they possess a genetic aptitude for a unique form of sand magic, but also house an assortment of secret Kido spells, accessible only to those within their rank. One such spell exists in conjunction with their clan’s signature device, a massive canon, allegedly capable of piercing through even the Shakonmaku, the barrier surrounding the Seireitei. Could it be that they intend on launching Hashimoto, with the key, into the Royal Palace? With the Fuin no Kagi he should be able to overcome the barriers requiring an Oken to unlock. Yet would he have enough power to overcome Division Zero? Or is his goal simply to plead to this mysterious Kano?

Kano, the creator of the Fuin no Kagi, who claimed a Vasto Lorde was needed to use the key. So how did she prove the concept? Did she utilize a Vasto Lorde, and if so would this not be treason? Was her Vasto Lorde conspirator Esmeralda, the first Arrancar? If so, was the key the secret to creating Arrancar? Wouldn't this make Kano a criminal, responsible for the unhallowed wars? Further, if it created access to the Soul Palace, wouldn't it have been destroyed, or Kano locked up? Why would she be given an invitation to join the Royal Guards, as history claims is the case? Was it propaganda, a misdirection as all things have been? And if so, then wouldn't the Muken be where Kano is? But why is she the goal? Her genius? What could she offer? It is still the Soul King alone who could wipe the nobles from power, as the nobles only achieved their power through their betrayal of the Soul King. Yet, if Division Zero is in charge of guarding the remains of the Soul King, why would they undo the balance and allow him to return to destroy the royals? Something here just isn't making sense.

Either the Fuin no Kagi is heading to the Royal Palace, or the Central Underground prison.

Regardless, the Shiba are the only tangible lead.

Lost in his train of thought, the boy detective is immediately snapped back to reality by the sudden utilization of Tenteikūra, broadcasting directly into his mind.

“This is an emergency broadcast! This is Third Seat Takenaka! The Seireitei is under attack! I repeat, the Seireitei is under attack! A group of Captains, led by the traitor Hitoshi Shihaimono, have declared war against the Gotei 13! The Captains of the Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh have joined the Betrayer’s cause! The Captain Commander’s order is that the members of these rebel Divisions stand-down; those that follow the Commander’s orders shall be pardoned for such treason; those that defy his orders, he will personally execute! All other Divisions are to infiltrate the Divisions of the rebels, and arrest all who do not denounce their treasonous Captains; those who resist are to be eliminated!I repeat! Those who resist are to be eliminated!“

Infiltrate the divisions of the rebels, eliminate all who resist? Kasuka looks to the smiling purple-haired man, down to the six sleeping shinigami, and back towards the locked down Eighth Division barracks. Suddenly, it becomes clear what Chinen had said earlier, that Captain Kusumoto was banking on Kasuka’s arrival at Eighth. With a sigh, he places his finger against the invisible Danku barrier he had erected earlier. Originally meant to keep both intruders out, and the Eighth Division suspects in, this battle-oriented barrier wouldn’t serve much use in this situation. A flash of white dismisses the construct, before replacing it with Kyōmon (鏡門, Mirror Door; Viz "Mirror Gate"), a one-way barrier meant to prevent intruders from entering while allowing those already inside it to leave freely. This mirror barrier fills the entrance to Eighth, where Kasuka had broken down the doors previously.

Stepping through this barrier, Kasuka and his large hound companion finally exit the Eighth Barracks, placing them in the same airspace as the suspicious purple-haired man. He turns, once again facing the entrance from the outside as he had done while infiltrating. With the Commander’s orders, others, like him, will attribute Eighth with the conspirators, especially given Kusomoto’s presence on the battlefield. If the Eighth resists, as they had for Kasuka, they would be eliminated by the Gotei Thirteen’s remaining forces, as per their orders. Unlike with Kasuka, resisting entry would lead to bloodshed. Shinigami killing Shinigami, not because of personal ideals, but because of a superior’s orders.

Itaku would watch as Kasuka holds out two hands, and being a Kido Master himself, would be able to perceive the sudden creation of a Twofold Dislocation Barrier (二重断層結界, Nijū Dansō Kekkai). Manifesting from the Vice-Kido-Chief’s hands are orange ripples, which move through the air like a pebble through water. Suddenly, massive constructs of orange energy rise from the ground parallel to the Eighth Division’s walls. They extend high into the air, completely surrounding the entire barracks, before colliding with themselves. As though forming from a children’s toy, the energy takes the shape of large beams, clicking into place, before the entire division is engulfed in a translucent orange temple of sorts.

Suddenly, Itaku would be unable to recall exactly where he is. Or rather, he would know where he is, but would subconsciously have no reason to recall the Eighth Division Barracks. It is not the the memory of the Eighth Division barracks has been erased from him, but that he simply wouldn’t think about its existence. This effect is much like how a person doesn’t think about breathing, or blinking, or thinking, as the concepts of these things existing have fallen onto the subconscious. What Kasuka offers Eighth in this moment of turmoil is an extremely powerful barrier, focusing on memory and attention over direct physical protection. This effect now applies to the entire Seireitei, where subconsciously, not a single soul would think of the location of the Eighth Division Barracks. Even those in pursuit of Eighth Division shinigami would find themselves running about, as though zoning out, like a car missing its exit on a freeway. The only difference is, they wouldn’t recall exactly where their exit was in the first place.

Behind Kasuka, another Bouquet of flowers appears in the Dog creature’s mouth, who lays down comfortably behind his master. These ones are not eaten, nor composed of demonic arts. Instead, they have been fetched from the various flowers that Kasuka has perceived throughout the day while flying on his way to the Eighth Division. Each one has been curated and chosen specifically, a flower taken from the bush by the lake in Sixth, a few along the path leading north, some wild flowers fetched from the concrete cracks they found themselves sprouting in. In all, the curated selection was fetched to make an arranged bouquet of purple and red, the combined colors of the Kido Corps and the Eighth Division. Kasuka takes these flowers, and casually chucks them through the entrance, allowing them to pass through his barrier unimpeded, and land on the pile of unconscious guards. The young detective hopes that these will suffice as an apology to Chinen.

With this, Kasuka turns, holding up his index finger as a black butterfly flutters to land upon his nail. With a whisper, he sends word to the Kidō Corps, relaying his orders.

"This is Vice-Chief Rikai. Go ahead and shut down the Senkaimon. Oh, also, have our guys at Shugō inspect the Muken please."

As the Hell Butterfly heads off, the young shinigami strokes the fur of the massive beast beside him.

"Go with them, fetch me if it's important."

Without blinking, or seemingly registering anything at all, the mindless beast rises from his perch. An explosion of dust fills the air, followed by a thunderous eruption of sound, as a crater forms on the ground. The whole scene similar to that of a cannon firing. Not unlike the cannon ball, the dog is simply there, and then not. Launched through the air at shunpo speeds.

With this, Kasuka turns to his purple-haired friend, amidst all the chaos and confusion, his tone remains as casual as before, all though the circles under his eyes appear darker.

“I’m heading to the Shiba compound. Come or stay. Just don’t waste my time.”

As the dust settles, the detective sets off, shunpoing directly to his Shiba destination.
​

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Heading to Shiba Manor​

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