Northeast Seireitei

[Jushiro Izanagi]

The work never stops and especially now wouldn’t stop over at the fourth division barracks. Nagarashi spent some time reading through various reports and updates. Some of which were merely business as usual and others varied in importance. And after reading through a few more, the Kuchiki had a few questions. He hasn’t spoken to the new Captain since the issue with Captain Itaku at central. Nagarashi spent his time at the family manor in the ten days that followed. Fuu’s ascension to being named Captain wasn’t entirely unexpected. Even if unrelated, it made Nagarashi think about his own family’s position. The Kuchiki have remained on the periphery for what seems like an eternity. And despite his past issues, the raven-haired Shinigami knows that he couldn’t afford to remain uncaring and nonchalant. The time for them to take strides forward was now.

For his own part, Nagarashi will have to become a little louder and not so reserved. Meaning, his service to the Kuchiki and the fourth division will need to be more noticeable. Make no mistake, none of this means that he will suddenly change his outlook on certain situations. It was now time to forge meaningful relationships, even if they’re a means to an end. In the interim, it was best to figure things out at his place of work. This meant that it was time for him to engage with the new Captain about future plans.

The Kuchiki decided to put his current affairs on hold and seek out Fuu Shiratori. It was hardly a challenge for his Reikaku to locate the woman. And once locked on, Nagarashi rose from his seat and made his way out of the office. Upon doing so, he sensed what he could only describe as a disturbance. It was a familiar feeling, a known individual of whom he crossed paths some time ago. The raven-haired Shinigami paused for a moment while remembering Taro’s words the last time they met. Captain Date had revealed some troublesome news to both himself and Kinko. It left both men debating Taro’s intentions after the revelation. Even so, something stood out to the Kuchiki the most. Those rather ominous words directed at the Kuchiki specifically.

”I am many things, Nagarashi. You will learn that, should we meet again.” ​

Was this a warning? Nagarashi soon snapped out of his momentary lapse in concentration. A lone attendant moving with haste caught his attention. Afterall, the man had unintentionally bumped into Nagarashi before falling on his backside. The Kuchiki’s six-foot five inches tall frame towered over the man, meanwhile a look of utter disgust was plastered across his face. A deep sigh was released as a sign of his irritation. Choosing not to berate the man, his eyes were enough to deliver the message. If looks could kill, the attendant would be dead by now. Earlier, Nagarashi made the decision to visit Fuu, but now he was in a predicament. Instead, he moved towards Taro’s position. As Nagarashi approached, he could hear the frantic and fearful murmurs of several squad members. Captain Date seemed to have caused quite a stir.

Nagarashi finally made it to where the Captain was located, coming to a stop opposite the cunning fox. The half-starved abused stray seem to be the one suffering the most. One could deem this to be a medical emergency. And yet the Kuchiki didn’t seem to be in a rush. Instead, he took in his surroundings, and had been doing so even during his approach.

“Greetings, Captain Date. This is very different compared to the last time you visited. Do you mind stepping back so we can collect the patient?”. ​

The ‘we’ in this being the two medical aides on standby ready to load Sameko onto a stretcher. Nagarashi decided not to touch her just yet. Once she was retrieved, he would oversee Sameko’s care, unless of course the Date wanted something else.

 

[Souris]

After clearing up the daily maintenance of the Fourth's botanical gardens, Fuu found herself making her usual rounds. Though given a proper distribution of responsibility, little oversight was needed. This left Fuu free to indulge in some leisurely activities between necessary duties—namely, continuing her work on concoctions or simply people-watching without them noticing. The latter wasn't done out of ill intent, but was instead a hobby born from curiosity. People were innately inclined to do more interesting things when they weren't expecting attention from an external party, let alone someone of her title. It was a habit born from an innocent desire to observe, yet it would still warrant suspicion if her cover was ever blown.

Such lurking allowed her to freely weave between her dutiful oversight and her more recreational observations—a pattern of the day that actually led her to interesting findings. The arrival of two familiar signatures drew her in like a magnet. Her curiosity was piqued.

As Fuu approached, she sneakily poked her head out from around the corner of a nearby wall.
​

“I need medical attention for this Cog. Electrocuted and stabbed in the stomach, below the diaphragm.”​

It was indeed Taro and Sameko, a pair who had such a recurring presence in the Fourth that they might as well have had a punch card at this point. The extent of their training sessions always seemed to yield the same result.
​

“Where is your Captain? I wish to speak with her, Do not make me wait longer than I need to or else I will seek her out on my own.”​

Fuu's head tilted like a dog who had just heard the word "treat." What could be the meaning behind a direct conference? A simple message could have sufficed for something urgent, so it had to be something else. As she played with the thought, a sudden voice jolted her attention back to her surroundings.
​

"Umm... Captain. What are you doing?" A subordinate inquired as they witnessed the rather conspicuous sneaking of their superior.​

​

Fuu froze for a split second before snapping upright, clearing her throat with a hasty, rehearsed lightness. "I-I was just seeing what was going on and my mind wandered a bit. No worries! Carry on with your duties!" ​

Surprisingly, that was enough to dismiss the sudden acknowledgment of Fuu's antics. Whether the answer was sufficient on its own or they were simply used to her more quirky mannerisms, the reality remained unknown. In either case, they wandered off, sparing only one more glance at her before returning to their respective tasks.

Fuu let out a sigh of relief and returned to her snooping, immediately noting the interception of the pair by Nagarashi. She had missed whatever had been stated upon his approach given the interruption, but could easily piece together what unfolded from there. Unconsciously, she found herself leaning farther and farther past the edge of the wall—a byproduct of trying to ensure she was "close enough" to hear whatever was said. It was likely she was wholly visible at this point if someone glanced her way. Either she was truly horrendous at stealth or she actually wanted the possibility of their notice. Either way, her pink orbs were locked onto the exchange with nary a blink to be had.

​

 

[Adonai]

---

​

“Greetings, Captain Date. This is very different compared to the last time you visited. Do you mind stepping back so we can collect the patient?”. ​

Turning his head the Captain of the Eleventh Division glances over at Nagarashi who had arrived instead of the captain he had requested. He remembers the last conversation he had with the young man and wonders if he too remembers it. Taro takes a few steps away from Sameko so that the other meek Shinigami could tend to her. He glances towards Nagarashi only for something else to catch his eye, the sight of a blue haired girl, missing an arm with burn marks all over her.

”The whelp Kisho has been tending to. Nothing more than another wet dog seeking attention. Pathetic.”

As she slowly stumbled in her adrenaline was starting to fade and so was her consciousness. Finally reaching the “finish line” her injuries and fatigue were catching up to her, her body finally starting to give out. In her blurred vision she looks towards Taro, seeing nothing more than maroon hair and a vaguely similar skin tone she assumes it to be Kisho. She drops her burnt severed arm and grabs her Zanpakuto. By this point something else had caught Taro’s eye and he was no longer looking at the girl. Of course all those around assumed she had a death wish thinking she could attack Taro in that condition.

She leans low, ready to bolt at him, ready to cut down “Kisho”. She leans lower and lower until she collapses on her face, out cold. When she is rolled over a look of fury is on her face, void white eyes gazing at nothing now.

What Taro deemed more important than the dying waste of life behind him was something that made him raise an eyebrow and open one of his eyes. Fuu was peering around a corner just watching them. He was perplexed by this, perplexed by the sheer childish act. Was she trying to hide from him? Not wanting to waste time trying to dissect the reasoning behind her actions he walks past Nagarashi and moves on towards Fuu. In moments he is standing before Captain Shiratori, towering over her due to the height difference between the two.
​

”So, Captain Cog, enjoying your new station? I hope you aren’t shirking your duties like the last one used to.”​

It had only been ten days since Itaku Ōhei died and was swiftly replaced by Fuu and despite that Taro is still expecting her to be adjusted to the station already. This wasn’t out of any slight towards her but rather a sense of being prepared for the worse, again. Of course the news of a new race of Spiritually aware and powered humans has reached the ears of every Shinigami by now. Taro has seen what happens when the Gotei 13 doesn’t take a potential threat seriously, it results in calamity. He will not allow that to happen again, he refuses to.
​

”You are strong, I can sense it, do you know how to use that strength or are you even willing to use it? Should something happen to the Seireitei, am I to expect you to stand around in your barracks doing nothing with that strength?”​

The air around Captain Date started to become hostile in the worst way possible.
​

”Whatever oath you took to save lives is meaningless if there are no lives left to save. So, Cog, will you use that strength of yours?”​

---

​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Everything was routine in the way Nagarashi expected Taro to behave while seeking medical attention. The Captain was not the patient on this occasion, and saw no reason for any obstruction of duties. The raven-haired Shinigami watched as the Captain stepped back as requested and Sameko was retrieved. Stretchered away to the care unit where she would wait to be healed from her injuries. The preparation for such things had already begun. Before long, another party made their approach, Nagarashi shifted his weight in order to lay eyes on the new arrival.

The Kuchiki observed the young woman with mild amusement. His eyes scanned and took note of the situation. The severed arm which she carried was no doubt her own. Her outward appearance being of someone battered and bruised. Nagarashi ascertained that she was embroiled in a battle of sorts and it was a fiery one too.

“Another inconvenience I see, maybe she’ll perish before I need to waste any energy on healing her”. ​

Nagarashi is renowned for his lack of empathy when dealing with his patients. Which often leads to questions about his morality and motivation for being part of squad four. However, one can never question his skills and capabilities as it relates to Kaido and being a medical practitioner. His thoughts remained his own, at least for now. Nagarashi was curious about the young woman’s behaviour. Being the keen observer that he is, he didn’t miss the young woman’s reaction towards Captain Date. The raven-haired Shinigami remained silent throughout. The greenhorn was gearing up to attack, the grip on her Zanpakuto, the lowering and leaning as if ready to pounce forward. These were all tell-tales and at the same time mildly amusing. But before it could get to that stage, all the build up turned out to be anti-climatic.

“A rather naive decision to even think about attacking. She’s proving herself to be an unseasoned sapling. Then again, I’m almost curious about what drove her to behave in such a manner”. ​

The man thought while taking notice of the fact that his Captain had arrived on the scene. She was as playful as ever. Thinking back on Taro’s brief interaction with Kinko and Nagarashi, Fuu waited in the wings as a spectator. And here she was again doing something similar. A mere glance was all that he could afford to give her. Instead, he moved towards the young woman’s direction. Too weak to fight, perhaps too weak to stand up. Too weak for anything at this point.

In the meantime, he could hear Taro’s words directed at his Captain. It all made sense now, it seems today Fuu was his target. Things could become hostile should Fuu decide to play along. In the meantime, Nagarashi unfortunately has a duty to perform. Looking down at the charred mare, the Kuchiki reached down, ready to pick her up like the ragdoll that she is. This would’ve been effortless, but something was amiss. Something felt off and for the first time in a long time, Nagarashi didn’t have an answer.

At first, his whole being felt as if it were set ablaze, he could hear the sounds of flames cracking and toppling all in its way. The heat was all encompassing, a sensation that was not unfamiliar. Except, it wasn’t Nagarashi who normally senses this, it was the opponent and observers alike. The raven-haired Shinigami paused for a moment as something colossal towered over him. A phoenix of yellow and orange yew shone bright from behind and over him. All of this was happening and yet no one but Nagarashi could sense or see it. Were these mind games? It was a feeling of inevitability. The flames of the unseen force soon gathered into one place behind Nagarashi. A voice soon spoke, deep, powerful and filled with pride.

​

“Why heal her when you could just let her die? It’s a viable option, right?”. ​

The voice belongs to a figure slightly taller than Nagarashi, reaching over six foot six inches tall. Muscular frame with long black hair, wearing an unbuttoned white shirt with black trimmings. His chest and abdomen areas left exposed, sporting a pair of gold arm-guards with red diamonds decorating them. The sleeves from his shirt are tucked into the gold arm-guards. Around his waist is a red and gold high waistband that is worn around the waistline of his white hakama. A devious grin adorned the face of this unknown figure. Stranger to many but not to Nagarashi. It was perplexing that Nagarashi didn’t actually have his Zanpakuto spirit materialize on his own. This was done forcefully and truly unexpectedly. The man needed answers.

“Explain the meaning of this. I did not ask you to be here”. ​

It was obvious that the Kuchiki were agitated by what had happened. The priority turned into getting answers as opposed to immediately healing the unseasoned sapling.

 

[Hyoroshi Iwamura]

---

The trip from the First District to 4th's Barracks was arduous for Iwamura in his state, grueling even. He shambled as a shadowy ghoul through the streets of the Seireitei; his foot still dragged behind and his head had gone mostly slack, forcing his vision to press against his brows to see before him. He did not speak to the few passersby that stopped to stare in abject horror; he did not so much as acknowledge their existences. The only sound beyond his bare footsteps, beyond his wretched straining for air, remained the sizzling smoke wafting and fishtailing behind his head.

Hyoroshi was on top of the world; lavish in the brain. The sanguine wine of his current predicament was precisely that, as if he had just uncorked a centuries-old bottle of Cabernet for a proper celebration. Glee, pure and visceral, pumped red-hot through his singed form.

He understood what Father had meant back then with his raving isolationism. At last, Hyoroshi thought, he could repay the man. See him in person once again.

Hyoroshi passed through the front entrance to the Fourth Division and shifted for the infirmary. His unsupervised Reiatsu sputtered and flared like a misfiring engine; his adrenaline continued to ebb away with each stumbling step. He couldn't proceed beyond the front lobby without assistance. No trouble, Hyoroshi mused, for he knew the souls inside would be well aware of his approach.

In through the lobby, then into the infirmary he trudged while leaning upon the closest wall. The Fourth squad members behind him he paid no heed--for Taro Date stood before him, accompanied by multiple faces known and unknown. Hyoroshi stopped for a moment, catching his shuddering gasps. He locked eyes directly with his Captain, still with his head limp and chin pressed against his chest.

One side of his face curled upwards.

"Looks like...I stayed awake longer than her..."

Hyoroshi hacked and heaved a few times. Then:

"Captain Date...sir...requesting a brief...leave of absence."

The brief pause that followed was deliberate; he did not need to recover air.

"I...have unlocked Bankai."

He glanced to Fuu, then Nagarashi, then the unconscious Kuwashii Hakunetsu. His focused remained on her until he collapsed against the side of the closest bed. The only remarks his darkening mind could hold onto would come from Taro, whatever he might say.

'We're both shining bright in here, aren't we,' Hyoroshi managed to muse before the numbing void swamped all things. He slumped over, unconscious.​

 

[StephDLegend]

Kinkō nodded, taking his seat opposite the head of the Shihōin clan.

"Of course. It isn't often that the head of another noble family comes in person to visit." So far, there were no signs of hostility. If all went well, perhaps an uneasy path to reconciliation could be plotted. Correcting the wrongs between the two families was a tall order but with Hideo willing to do so, Kinkō would be a fool to not entertain the idea. "There are a lot of wrongs between the Shihōin and the Kuchiki. But, a significant amount of time has passed since my clan was massacred. Back then I was a mere child. I, too, am willing to right the wrongs between our families."

Kinkō folded his arms, his gaze resting squarely on the other man. He listened intently to the offer. A list of those involved from the Shihōin family that still lived. He wondered what his predecessor would have done with that list.

As expected, there was a request to go with the offer. Nothing in the world ever came for free, yet he'd imagine the need to mend the damage would have been great enough to come without a cost. His body remained unmoved, displaying a sense of calm.

"My captain is a very busy man. While I cannot guarantee that he'd see you, I can make it known and should he agree, he'd reach out." While Kinkō didn't know the specifics of why the other shinigami wanted to speak with his captain, he also didn't care to. His mind was focused on other things.

"I appreciate the willingness to share the intel. Along with what was promised, there is something else I require. I want to know about the Date clan and their involvement." Kinkō’s voice remained level. "Who are they really? And, did your family employ them to help slaughter mine?"​