Northwest Seireitei

[Nobody]

TEN DAYS PRIOR

With the Hollows mysteriously returning back through Garganta, they cut down those they could that were working on their retreat, eradicating any stragglers. With things settled, the Shinigami were left to look upon the destruction left behind, at everything they were unable to protect. Performing Konsō on those souls they were unable to save. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but they were definitely caught unawares. They needed to do better, to be better. It was a matter the Kuchiki would dwell on for much time, but first.

"Captain..."

As Captain Shinka oversees the cleanup, tallying their losses Gyōja approaches her from behind, his head bowed, Ren having been dragged behind him releasing her once he approached.

"We have lost much today...and..in light of our losses I believe it necessary to bolster our numbers, to better prepare."

He pauses, before glancing back towards Ren for the briefest of moments. "There is a girl I know. I believe she would do well among our ranks, and she could become an asset to us in the long run." He lifts his eyes to gaze upon the Haori clad woman. "If you would allow it, I would look after her, see that she is properly trained and learns our duties...so that perhaps when this happens again...we might have a better chance."

A sigh escapes him, doing his best not to look around him. "That is all." He bows, before motioning for Ren to follow him, passing her his Kikanshinki as he began explaining its purpose and working to show her how to use it. While she was with him, he'd at least have her help them out.​

---

PRESENT DAY

Standing within the Division's courtyard, Gyōja swings Aojūkiri down in one, fluid linear motion. The blade cleaves through the air, through nothing yet before the man is not empty air. In his mind, are images of hollows. The blade cuts through the imagined monster, the feeling so vivid, as if he truly was slicing through a creature. The creature dissipates and a new one finds its place in its stead.

Again

His blade cuts through the creature, this time in a horizontal line. Like before the monster vanishes only to be replaced by another.

Again

The process repeats itself, this time the blade traveling along the arc, the swing of his sword faster than before.

Again

Again

Again

Sweat pours from his forehead, his chest, his palms that ache and bleed from the force of his grip alone. For Ten days he has reflected on the events of Karakura, his lacking, his shortcomings, his failures. How it frustrated him so. Had he gotten there sooner, had he been faster. Had he-

"GAAAAH!!!!"

He raises the blade once more, to perform yet another swing, this one would have been his One Thousandth swing today.

"-Had you only used me as you should have, Heh heh heeeeeh."

Gyōja whips around, at the sound of this voice. Dark, deep, animalistic...primal. A heavy mist creeps into the space around him, space that is both foreign yet familiar all the same. He messed up, allowed him to crawl out from the bush. He let his guard down in his frustration.

"You know it to be true, my masteeer."

Gyōja's eyes dart around, unable to perceive much of anything beyond the mist, the leaves of the various trees barely peeking through. Most importantly, he couldn't see or sense the creature, the predator that called this place home. He grits his teeth, could this thing truly be a reflection of his soul? No, he couldn't accept this. He was no-

"Beast!"

He turns to find Aojūkiri staring him down, having crept upon him with nary a sound or sign of his approach. As if reading his master's very soul the spirit finishes Gyōja's thoughts of denial.

"Why have you brought me here yet again? Why have you once more shown yourself before me?"

His tone was cold, distant. While skilled in the use of his zanpakutō he did not relish in its use. When he did use it, many times he restricted how he used it. For the past ten days as he has trained, he has found himself dragged into the world of Aojūkiri, sometime even in his sleep. This has gone on ever since his return from Karakura Town. It was impossible for Gyōja to tell exactly when the spirit would appear, and he didn't know why he was doing this either.

"Heh heh hehh. Your words pain me so little master. Are I not mighty? Do I not give you the power to kill all that you would freely?"

The spirit fades into the mist as he speaks, his voice resounding all around the world they occupy.

"A beast I might be, yet like you I too have my pride my master. You hunger for strength. Hunger for revenge against the Hollows that have killed, maimed and destroyed. Hunger to prove your worth, to prove yourself."

With every word spoken, the Kuchiki turns, struggling in vain to catch any hints of Aojūkiri's whereabouts.

"Do not deny me, reject me for my hunger to slaughter your foes. My hunger...to serve you."

A pair of glowing eyes pierce through Gyōja from behind paralyzing him in place as the mist begins to dissipate. Gyōja is returned to his division's barracks. He blinks before staring at his sealed blade.

"....Just what are you trying to say Aojūkiri?"

.
.
.
"...Aojūkiri?"

Gyōja attempts to speak to his zanpakutō, yet the spirit that had just been speaking, had hounded and harassed him for ten days yet was silent when he attempted to speak. Frustrated he sheathes his blade, and stares at the calluses on his hands, opening and closing them. He stares into the skies, the image of the Captain's bankai seared into his mind, followed by Aojūkiri's strange words.

Aojūkiri sounded the same as normal, strong and proud, wild and primal yet...he could have sworn there was a hint of something else in its voice.

Could it be...sadness?

"Sigh...I must be going crazy. Perhaps..perhaps a break is due."

He turns to walk away from the very spot he had been planted, blade marks remained on the ground before the spot he had been training. While clearly sword marks, their formation made it seem as if some beast had dragged its claws along the ground.

 

[GhoulBunny]

Fear had been her oldest companion.

It had always been there, lurking beneath her skin, coiling tight around her ribs, whispering doubts in the back of her mind. She had spent years learning how to bury it—how to smother it beneath loud, reckless bravado and sharp, sarcastic remarks. A joke here, a smirk there. It was easier to be the fool, the wildcard, than to face what scared her the most. Herself.

But as she stood in front of the Thirteenth Division gates, staring up at them in quiet contemplation, she realized that for the first time…

She wasn’t running anymore.

It had been ten days since she returned from Karakura. Ten days in Second Division. Half of them spent angry as hell at Kagi, pissed that he had thrown her into a warzone with no training, no backup. And now?

She realized something she didn’t want to admit. At the time, she thought it was just a death sentence. But now? Now, she wasn’t so sure. Because thanks Captain Kagi’s decision, she had found her way here.

To Thirteenth.

And as much as she still had some leftover frustration toward Kagi, as much as she still wasn’t sure how she felt about him as a Captain—she had to acknowledge something.

He had helped her find what she truly wanted to do. He had helped her finally take the steps into taking off the mask she had worn for so long. That was the thing that struck her the hardest. Kagi had given her the push. But Thirteenth had caught her when she landed.

She exhaled through her nose, rolling her shoulders before stepping forward. A familiar voice cut through the air.

“No way—you’re actually back!”

Ren turned just as a Shinigami rushed toward her—one of the officers she had worked with during her ten-day stay in Thirteenth.

She grinned, tilting her head with exaggerated smugness. “Wellllllll, ya poor bastards are stuck with me now! Get used to seein’ this face—I’m like a bad habit, impossible to get rid of!”

The officer actually laughed. A real, genuine laugh.

Not a blank stare. Not a stiff nod. Just laughter. And something in Ren’s chest loosened.

This was different from when she had walked into Second Division for the first time. There, she had been met with cold professionalism, unreadable faces, and a silence that made her feel like she didn’t belong. But here?

Here, she had worked beside these people. They knew her. And as much as she hated to admit it—she had liked being known.

She exhaled, rolling her shoulders as she slung her arms behind her head. “Speakin’ of familiar faces—where’s that purple-haired bastard?”

The officer blinked. “Gyōja?”

“Yeah, yeah, that guy.” She snapped her fingers. “I need to find him. The guy dragged me into this mess, so he better be ready to deal with me.”​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Missing. The Captain was missing. Izanagi was still reeling from the mishaps which took place in Naruki City and likewise Karakura town. It would appear though that Naruki got it the worse. The masked one was still plagued by what had transpired most recently in the world of the living. As soon as the Hollows made their escape, Izanagi sprung into action by giving clear instructions on what needed to happen. Eliminate all Hollows still lingering inside Naruki city, rescue humans, retrieve their fallen comrades and perform konso on the poor unfortunate souls. The attack on Naruki city was bound to happen and in Izanagi’s mind, they should’ve all been more prepared for this. So why were they caught off guard like this? The destructive forces which poured into Naruki City were far above what some Shinigami could handle. Only a few individuals could truly deal with that level of threat unscathed. And by levels, the man was referring to the Arrancar and not so much the lower class hollows.

Izanagi had many questions which he would like answered. And the thing that stood out most to the masked one were the humans. The hollows disappeared as soon as they got their hands on the humans and others alike. Could it be that the attack was a mere distraction to divert the attention of the Shinigami? It would appear excessive at first but Izanagi would’ve done the same. The man thought hard about the situation in Naruki City. And his conclusion was that they were in fact in search of these humans. He was still unclear as to the Arrancar’s reasons for seeking out humans. Izanagi was given a taste of their abilities and it also gave him some insight too. Despite all this, there are gaps in his knowledge which only served to annoy him even more. He came across a human that could use his words or voice to project power. And power in this case was the ability to simply utter the word ‘blast’ thereby turning into a weapon. As for the woman, she was able to rob him of his oxygen through some unknown means. It was only afterwards that Izanagi realized that he’d picked up on the subtle fluctuations in Reiryoku and Reiatsu. The woman’s ability wasn’t as elaborate as being blasted away. It was however effective when timed right and used in a certain manner. This still did not explain their abilities, at least not fully. The curious nature of the fox meant that he couldn’t help but want to learn a bit more. It was something for him to agonize over, unable to be quenched until he drank from the fountain of knowledge. This is why Izanagi will make it his duty to find more humans like the two he had a brief encounter with. After which time he will endeavour to find out more about their abilities. They will either divulge this information willingly or be eliminated. He had yet to determine if humans of such a nature were friend or foe. The two that were kidnapped were given the benefit of the doubt. However, Izanagi remained suspicious of the situation.

While all of this was unravelling, Kazuki decided to leave his post as Lieutenant of the tenth division. It was a self demotion of sorts which has now placed the tenth division in a rather precarious position. This was all in the immediate aftermath, and couldn’t have happened at a worse time. The silver haired fox didn’t have much time to truly process Kazuki’s resignation. Jushiro Izanagi stayed on his path and maintained his focus. Not having Kazuki as Lieutenant simply meant others will have to pull their weight. And as for the former Lieutenant, he and Izanagi will have a chat soon enough. All of this happening within a span of ten days. By the third day after the incident, the tenth not only had to mobilize in the world of the living. They had to do it without a Lieutenant to oversee certain aspects. Jushiro found himself busy researching for seven days afterwards, totalling ten days since Naruki City was attacked. He wanted to find out as much as he could about humans from the literature and reports that were available to him. He had well and truly drowned himself in his work, armed with razor sharp focus. While others played the blame game and were quick to point the finger. Izanagi decided it was time to take action. There was no point crying over spilled milk. In needing to take action, Izanagi decided a visit to the fifth, twelfth and thirteenth divisions were long overdue. He will however start off with the twelfth division before moving on to the others.

In the meantime the tenth division will focus their efforts on securing and rebuilding where necessary.

Present Day​

Izanagi finally made his way to the 12th division as was intended. The masked one was here seeking favours and to make demands that will benefit himself and the Seireitei at large. Equally, he wanted to present a challenge to the scientists of the Gotei. Perhaps by massaging their ego he could get them to perform above his expectations. Izanagi doesn’t ever frequent the 12th division. At least not for a friendly visit, it was always about business. The mask which keeps his face hidden was his own design but shaped by the 12th division. They simply brought his vision to life and for that he was grateful. Here he was again with a fox grin painted across the surface of the mask. His gaze shifted as he took note of the squad members going about their day. Their daily routine seemed so different compared to other divisions. This of course made sense when one considers the primary duty and function of the 12th division. The man was being acknowledged by various squad members, some inquisitive to want to know the reason for his visit. And others were smart enough to keep their distance from him.

He wasn’t interested in answering questions, not unless they could tell him where Captain Shibuya was located. Or at the very least, someone who was in charge if the Captain was unavailable. He went wandering until he came upon a room with concoctions in which to make himself some tea. Looking around the room it looked more like a lab as opposed to a break room. In Izanagi’s mind this was all normal as it pertains to the 12th division. As such he went ahead and started making himself a cup of tea. It was only after he started mixing the ingredients together in his cup that he realized something strange. And it was at this moment that he realized that he fucked up. The sizzling and hissing sounds from the cup was unlike any tea he’d ever made before. The usual fox grin shifted to a picture of an eyebrow raised and concern for his safety. Jushiro had no idea that what he was mixing was an explosive recipe. And so Jushiro decided to exit stage left before the ‘tea’ could be served.

BOOM!!​

There was an explosion in the room after the man exited with a well-timed flash step. Alarm bells started ringing as smoke escaped from the room. Izanagi on the other hand found himself speed walking down the hall and in the opposite direction. There he was trying to look as innocent as possible. Meanwhile thinking “This is the last time I ever have tea in this place”. Several squad members raced towards the scene of the accident and thankfully no one was hurt. And Izanagi was even more grateful that the blaze could be easily contained. Now then, where was Shibuya Taicho?

 

[dem0nzlust]

Spin Back The Clock

"Drink...Hakouki~"

In the mysterious realm of the 12th division, Michiya the crazed opportunist didn't let anything escape his grasp with the events ten days ago playing out. Helming the events taking place within both Karakura Town and Naruki City he analog the data being transmitted and compared the incidents with one another to get a proper understanding of the influx of human souls and hollows being created knowing if things were left as they were going to suffer imbalance so he decided to take action while benefiting from the situation itself. He didn't need the distraction of what morals his fellow squad mates working under him had to say, the truth of the matter was he knew they didn't have the stomach to do what needed to be done without hesitation or question so he just simply eliminated the factor from the equation wiping their memory and rendering them unconscious in the same breath. While the two bodies his father offered him barely provided substantial resources, nothing was a waste if you were willing to make the best of it. Using the body's spiritual and biometric reading allowed Michiya to collaborate with his machine to detect any shinigami spiritual power in the Human World that matched the same reiatsu pattern of his two subjects either on the verge of dying or deceased to capture their life essence using his Zanpakuto as the catalyst empowering it. When this machine was used in tandem with his Root of Yoshiro it allowed him to broadcast a silent frequency that gathered the fallen shinigami essence before they faded away with pinpoint accuracy.

"Don't worry Captain Shinka and Izanagi your soldier's lives won't be in vain, even in death they will continue to be used to serve Soul Society."

Despite the cold undertone in his voice as he muttered this he was never a fan of senseless violence and made sure the lives of the fallen 10th and 13th division members were put to good use. With the gathered shinigami essence the final pieces fell into play from the lost souls who became unfortunate casualties of the attack getting sent to join the populace of the Rukongai just to be culled so Michiya gave them a chance to become something greater, something more, and swift release from their suffering. In the next few days that followed most of the 12th division barely heard from Michiya locked away in a specially designed chamber sealing him away from the rest of the world besides small check-ins and updates between Captain Harai. Inside the chamber, he worked diligently honing his art in Kido but more importantly, dedicating his mind to the success of his life work. Applying his extensive research on what he could uncover about Zanpakuto and the creation of Menos Grande with the aid of Hakuoki he began layering the souls together weaving them into one giving birth to Asauchi in a reigai. On the 6th day, he added one final piece to finish the completion giving a fragment of his Zanpakuto spirit and with that, the sentient Tenshintai (Divine Transfer Body) was born. The machine began to hum before releasing steam and creaking as it slowly started to open up revealing what lay inside it.

"Where are we?... Are you...my master?"

"My name is Michiya Senko, I am your creator, but no I am not your master. I prefer the term friend, neither is above the other because we are equals and one of the same. You need a name...how about Josho? We are in my labs, but first I will help you adjust."

Immediately after it crawled out of the machine it displayed a level of intelligence possessing a will and personality of its own similar to other Asauchi except it was something different. Sensing the spiritual power of Michiya it felt a familiarity between them due to a fragment of his soul used in the finalization of its stabilizing. The remaining four days at the request of Josho he wished to test the limits of its new body, and that started the beginning of Michiya's training to gain mastery over his Zanpakuto all come to know well as Bankai. During his Bankai training, he learned when Josho accepts a Zanpakuto into himself he allows the Zanpakuto spirit to use it as a Vessel forcibly materializing them and becoming dormant while the spirit in question takes over before he needs to recharge. Because of the nature of its method of creation, the Tenshintai can enter and leave inside Hakuoki when it pleases and gets along well with Michiya's spirits.

Present Day: An Explosive Encounter

Over the ten days with Captain Harai's guidance, Michiya managed to impress his Captain enough with his ambitious brilliant mind proving their arrangement in the alleyway wasn't for nothing. In such little time, he became known as a mad genius within the 12th division and earned the rank of Lieutenant with the breakthrough of his Tenshintai, Joshu. However, to his dismay the promotion while granted him benefits and higher jurisdiction to information he wasn't privy to before, came with more responsibilities he couldn't throw onto Nanami anymore along with more forced socializing. What many people in his division could argue about is that Michiya becoming Lt caused him to improve on his lack of people skills and less out of his shell, but still, he continued to try to avoid any social interaction like the plague while on the other hand, Josho seemed to enjoy socializing with others. Josho remained an oddity within the 12th division, but with the Captain focused on working on a special project of her own for Captain Date, requesting to not be disturbed Michiya was thrust into command during her absence.

Both Michiya and Josho who wore black cloaks concealing themselves were in the back of the labs in the barracks, picked up the presence of another individual. It took Michiya a second to recognize it but no mistaking it belonged to someone of Captain class. He recalled back ten days ago before he got abducted by the individual from Kido Corps how he was listening in on the conversation at the 10th division before they started touching Zanpakuto gingerly. The two were on their way to greet the Captain properly when they suddenly heard a loud explosion going off moving in a more rushed manner now quarantining the area and evacuating the section in case of lethal contamination and the smock flooding the halls. Sealing the area up in a barrier Michiya calmly stepped out to greet Captain Izanagi while jotting down some numbers on a sheet of paper.

"Greetings Captain Izanagi, I am Lt. Michiya, and in charge while the Captain is MIA. What brings you to our illustrious division? Also, this is for you."

Michiya snapped the book closed in hand glaring curiously at the Captain who just made a mess of the division within minutes of his arrival. The cloaked figure Josho approached Captain Izanagi with the paper slip passed to him by Michiya and held it out for him to take. Through the shadows of the cloak, he could catch a glimpse of a single eye peering at him. Upon Jushiro taking the paper he immediately realizes that he was handed a bill for the damages he caused.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain Jushiro Izanagi." When Josho spoke it was clear he was still learning to how properly address higher-ups which didn't help it was being taught by an introvert.

"Next time I'd advise not using volatile chemicals to make yourself tea for your safety Captain Izanagi, but I can have a member bring you some fresh herbal tea."

With a small gesture, he signaled for an unseated member to go fetch a pot of tea and eventually brought out five different types still steaming hot not knowing what kind he preferred.​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Escape. Izanagi knew he needed to escape the scene of the crime and with great haste. He could not afford to be drawn into any conversations where he had to admit guilt. Besides, it wasn't his fault that the 12th division had such dangerous things laying around. The lab rats were quick to respond to the incident. Izanagi sensed the barrier coming into existence to prevent any further damage. The masked man stopped in his tracks to observe how others were responding. A short time after the fire was contained, Jushiro was approached by two individuals. One looking rather stranger than the other. Something was absolutely off about these two. However, now wasn’t the time to avoid, he was at the 12th division for a specific purpose. It was time to engage in open dialogue with the members of the 12th division. Watching the two stranger individuals approach him, Jushiro noted their movements, never losing track of anything. The pen stroke and the final dot of the ‘I’ was accounted for. But why was this person writing things down? Was he compiling information on the Captain? Lieutenant Michiya was wise to introduce himself. And in doing so, Michiya answered a question yet to be asked by Jushiro. The mask wiped away the grin painted upon its surface and was replaced by a question mark. What did Michiya mean by ‘this is for you’?

Jushiro cocked his head to the right as the nameless stranger approached him. His eyes behind the mask noticed the stranger’s eye as he was handed the slip of paper. A quick glance at the paper and a picture of a frowning Izanagi was drawn across the surface of the mask. The silver haired fox was displeased and yet impressed at the same time. Maybe he needed to start walking around handing out such slips for any damages to the tenth division. Jushiro sighed and shook his head while one-eye addressed him. He was suddenly now more curious about the stranger than before. Michiya’s offer of tea was duly noted but somewhat ignored. “You there” he said in response while directing his words to the stranger. “What is your name and what are you?”. He was direct with his words and rather curious about what answer he’d be given. Upon receiving a satisfactory answer, Jushiro would move on to other business.

Michiya had already made Jushiro aware that Captain Harai was not available. As such the man would not waste any time asking about her whereabouts. If the Captain saw fit to leave Michiya in charge then she must have some faith in him. Should he turn out to be useless, then it wouldn’t bode well for the 12th division. By now the slip of paper had crumpled into a ball and was dancing around in Jushiro’s hand as he stood there. By now Michiya could feel the air around the masked man shift. This wasn’t an intimidation tactic, this was to signify that Jushiro was all about business. The fox grin was once again painted on the mask as he uttered a few more words. “I have a very important project that I’m gonna need your help with. So how about we go somewhere a little more private, hm?”. For the longest while Izanagi had been ignoring the unseated member with the cups of tea. In all honesty he didn’t trust that they were serving actual tea. Afterall, he almost burned the place down trying to make himself some tea. Reaching over, Jushiro finally took one of the cups on offer and motioned for the unseated member to leave their presence. He would hold on to the cup for now while hoping Michiya doesn’t keep him waiting for too long.

 

[Nobody]

Water splashed into the Kuchiki's face, by his own hand no less. His thoughts were in a jumble, his spirit disturbed, the fog in his very soul was thick...impenetrable even by him. Just as he had been inside his inner world not that long ago, Gyōja was lost.

"HEY GYŌJA!! C'MERE!"

A voice called out to the man. This was good, he needed a distraction, whatever form it took mattered little to him right now. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath, releasing it slowly before he headed their way. As he walked through the ground of their barracks he began to notice a crowd formed around a certain spot. Just what was going on? A look of confusion couldn't be hidden from his face as he approached.

"Ah, there you are! Look who's showed up."

Another shinigami turned once seeing him, motioning for him to join them. "Just what is-" He began to question what the fuss was about when he saw her, there at the center of it all. They'd experienced a lot in the past ten days, and though his thoughts were a mess, seeing her there brought some relief. His mouth twitched yet, his expression remained listless.

"So, I take it you've chosen then." He remarked as he stepped up, approaching the woman. He looked her over, saying nothing in the process before giving a slight nod. "Good. Come, let us get you properly acclimated. I take it you've prepared yourself for a long session."

He turned his back to her as he headed back into the barracks of the Thirteenth, expecting her to follow him. Despite the losses they've endured, the deaths they were forced to witness firsthand, Ren there to join them in the ranks seemed to lift the spirits of everyone. She was an energetic newbie, and her outbursts were downright comical to them.

Perhaps more importantly, word had already gotten around that Gyōja was the one who suggested her to the Captain. This caused many to wonder just who the girl was to make the stiff Kuchiki do such a thing. Who was she to him? How did they know each other? Did they know each other? If they did, why did it seem like she didn't even know his name? In the midst of tragedy, idle gossip like this served to stave away the dark thoughts that haunted the corners of their minds.

"The Captain should be in her office. Our Third seat who you had met briefly back in Karakura Town is...somewhere."

He spoke casually as he took steady strides across the ground. He slightly peeked over his shoulder, and though impossible to tell there was hesitation in what he wanted to say next.

"How have you been, since that day?"

He was of course speaking of the situation in Karakura Town. Having to face such a dire situation so early in her career as a shinigami couldn't have been easy. Though he had managed to find and protect her, he wasn't certain how long she was there before he found her or what scars had etched themselves onto her mentally from the ordeal.

 

[dem0nzlust]

As things continued to transpire between Captain Izanagi and Michiya, both observed one another closely at this stage. The cunning fox of the 10th division and the scheming demon of the 12th division made a formidable encounter, but despite his practice of social skills, his direct nature, preferring getting straight to the point, persevered. Even if the Captain attempted to flee the scene he failed to realize he stepped into Michiya's realm with facial recognition already catching him in the act and identified who he was. However, that matter would be beside the point for now especially because he already took the liberty to have a proper form of property damage to be reviewed and billed to the tenth division planned, and what he handed to Captain Izanagi was a courteous gesture. From the information he gathered about him, he was quite an eccentric person and expected this meeting to be entertaining. Truth be told before the attacks on the human world once things wrapped up with his father, he planned to make a business offer with the 10th division.​

“You there” he said in response while directing his words to the stranger. “What is your name and what are you?”. He was direct with his words and rather curious about what answer he’d be given.

He remained impressed by how quickly the Captain was able to sense something different about Josho whose reiatsu while similar to a shinigami's felt closer to that of an Asauchi's. Josho paused for a second looking back to Michiya for approval and with a simple nod of the head, it pulled down its hood to reveal itself.

"My name is Josho, Captain Jushiro Izanagi. What am I? Quite the curious question...you can say I am a hybrid. Not quite an Asauchi, and what Lt. Michiya refers to as a Tenshintai." Josho lifted his hand calmly with a small amount of spiritual pressure released causing all the Zanpakuto in the perimeter to resonate like he was acting as a tuning fork. He ceased immediately afterward with Captain Zanpakuto vibrating, and the spirits feeling like something was beckoning them forth. "You have a strong bond with your Zanpakuto, but I've taken enough of Lt. Michiya's time and yours."

Michiya gave the Captain a small smile before gesturing for him to follow them inside. Josho returns to Michiya's side where they both escorted Jushiro to Captain Harai's office. All the while he examined the mask with intrigue, and his mind already began breaking it down scheming on how to improve it.
​

“I have a very important project that I’m gonna need your help with. So how about we go somewhere a little more private, hm?”

The words he spoke piqued his interest and he gave him his full attention. This was the second Captain who came to request the aid of the 12th division. Because of the special occasion normally Michiya took guests to a different private room to conduct business, but because this was a special visit they used his Captain's office knowing she wouldn't have minded. He took a seat waiting for Captain Izanagi to settle down and sipped the tea seeing the caution in his actions.

"Sometimes tea is just tea, I wouldn't dare try something so brazen to a well-esteemed Captain, and client. Now tell me about this project you have in mind please don't skip out on any of the details."​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

“Josho, the Tenshintai, how interesting. I’m very much intrigued by this”. Jushiro stated aloud as Josho introduced and revealed his face to the Captain. The masked one’s senses remained sharp, attempting to peer deeper into the inner workings of the Asauchi. Jushiro was no doubt impressed by such a creation but wondered about the cost of it all. How was Michiya able to achieve such a thing? And what was the point of this creation? The question was soon answered as if Jushiro had asked said question. Josho’s spiritual pressure was key in answering as Jushiro’s own Zanpakuto resonated with Josho. At this point in time, the grin painted on the mask had grown even wider now. Jushiro could feel Kisshouten had woken up and was also intrigued by Josho. Kisshouten wanted her Shinigami to stab Josho unprovoked. And yet it wasn’t with malicious intent and that is what makes Jushiro even more curious about Josho and Michiya.

“How strange, I had the sudden urge to stab you just now. I suppose there will be time for that later”. Jushiro was casual with his words while managing to carry a serious undertone. Before anything else could transpire, the trio moved their interaction to a more private setting. The cup of tea was still in his hand as Michiya sat down and so too did the Captain. Looking across at Michiya who was now on the opposite side of him. Jushiro chuckled at the Lieutenant's words. Michiya had picked up on Jushiro’s cautious nature but it couldn’t be helped. Jushiro being a hot beverage connoisseur would want others to try his tea. And with that in mind a portion of the mask peeled away to expose his lips. A slurpy sip of the tea and moments later the mask went back to normal. Immediately following that was silence almost as if something had happened. Skulls and bones appeared on the mask suggesting the man had ingested something toxic. “You…you would do this to me?”. Jushiro said while struggling to get his words out. The silver fox stood up with shaky knees before taking three steps forward and fell over in a flop. The Ric Flair flop to be precise, tea spilled across the floor as the man laid there for a few moments. His Reiatsu feeling as if it had completely vanished. He was dead.

And then he wasn’t. The tea on the floor began to evaporate as a concentration of heat dried out the liquid. A shame really as it was some good tea. “That was some decent tea, one could get high off of such things”. The man picked himself up with a sigh, dusted off his garments and sat down again.

“Now then, where were we? Ah details and details”. Jushiro paused while pondering where he needed to begin. A lot has happened in the last ten days. Jushiro’s business with the 12th division was both personal and for the benefit of the Seireitei. Should he start off with personal stuff or put the Seireitei first?

“As you may have already heard, both Naruki City and Karakura Town were recently attacked by Hollows led by their superiors. This is something we’ve been expecting for a while but our response was still far too underwhelming”. Just why did he spill his tea? The man could be taking a sip at this very moment while he spoke. He compensated for this by letting his mask present an animation of Jushiro doing just that. His left hand rose and stroked his chin to signify that he was in deep thought. “From what I gathered, the attack on the world of the living was merely a distraction. It would appear that their main objectives were humans possessing certain special abilities. The kind that allows them to interact with our world and their own. For instance, one of those humans simply shouted ‘blast’ and in doing so was able to create a destructive force. One strong enough to send me flying. Then there was another human woman". She was the one Jushiro really wanted to meet again so he could strangle the life out of her. He was still annoyed that she thought of him as the enemy when he was merely trying to protect her.

"A little witch, she was able to rob the area in my immediate vicinity of its oxygen. At the time it was happening I didn’t really realize it but she was able to use her Reiatsu in some interesting ways. Whether that’s the extent of her abilities, I do not know. I would’ve ideally preferred to have more time analysing their abilities".

He was definitely regretting not having something to drink right now.

"Unfortunately, the enemy were able to whisk them away before I could get to them. And this is where the elaborate project will come into play”. Jushiro’s gaze shifted from Michiya to Josho and then back to Michiya. He wanted to give them a moment to digest what the man had divulged earlier.

“We have little to no information on what is happening inside Hueco Mundo. And as such I have no clue why Arrancars are kidnapping humans with abilities. Feast of them sure but outright kidnap without even a ransom is strange. Hell, there was a she-hollow attempting to impersonate me. Can you believe this shit? I need to find out more about these humans and their abilities. Equally it is also our duty to protect these humans, and at times we gotta protect them from themselves. Here is what I propose".

Jushiro was fully aware that there was a lot being said. But now was the time to talk about these things. Holding back on any information was pointless if everything was to work in his favour.

"I want to put these humans to sleep and hide them somewhere in the Rukongai. Keep them in a stasis of sweet dreams and while keeping them hidden with Kido. This way neither the Hollows or Rukongai citizens will want to venture into such an area. Meaning we would probably need a replica of Karakura and Naruki to house them. Or we could just create storage facilities. A bit crazy but humour me a little”. Jushiro smiled as he sat there tapping his left index finger against the side of his face. Observing Michiya to see how the man was taking the information being given to him. The Captain then continued from where he left off.

“My hope is that humans with special abilities will be able to resist being put to sleep. Thus making themselves known to us. This will then be our opportunity to learn more about the abilities that they possess. And with that we have more of an insight as to why the Hollows want them. On the other hand if these humans refuse then I’ll personally execute each one. They will either be of use to me or of use to maintain the balance. Any questions?”. In Jushiro’s mind it made sense to eliminate the humans, especially if they found themselves in cahoots with the Hollows. The lack of information was agonizing but he could only work with that intel he has at the moment. His plans will of course alter according to new developments. That and he was hoping Michiya could make such a project a reality.

 

[GhoulBunny]

The second she heard Gyōja’s voice, Ren spun on her heel so fast she nearly tripped over herself. She straightened up like she hadn’t just almost faceplanted in front of half the division and plastered on a grin that didn’t quite hide the nerves buzzing under her skin.

When he stepped through the crowd, all composed and unreadable as ever, she gave him a two-finger salute and a dramatic bow that was way too much for the situation. “Purple Head! We meet again!” she called, arms flung open like she’d just walked into a game show. “And here I thought you were gonna pretend I didn’t exist!”

The surrounding Shinigami chuckled quietly among themselves. Ren swore she saw a few smirks. That helped.
​

“So, I take it you’ve chosen then.”​

Her smirk twitched, but for once, it didn’t twist into sarcasm. “Yeah,” she said, giving a single solid nod. “Guess I have.”
​

“Good. Come, let us get you properly acclimated. I take it you’ve prepared yourself for a long session.”​

She followed him easily, boots crunching softly beneath her as they moved. “Oh, absolutely,” she said, voice laced with sarcasm and just a hint of truth. “Spent the whole morning practicing how not to puke from nerves. Got it down to a science. Really proud of my progress.”

It was a lot. Everyone watching. It made her stomach do flips.

But she kept walking.
​

“The Captain should be in her office. Our Third seat who you had met briefly back in Karakura Town is…somewhere.”
​

“Tomie, right?” Ren said quickly, snapping her fingers like she’d just remembered. “Yeah, didn’t get a proper thank-you in. Bit rude of me, but you know—whole dying-horribly-in-battle thing sorta took priority.”

Then her voice dropped—not to be dramatic, but because the honesty slipped out before she could stop it.

“Honestly… I probably wouldn’t’ve made it outta that mess if it wasn’t for you and her.” Her eye shifted sideways toward him but didn’t linger long. “You both knew what you were doin’. Me? I was just… trying not to scream the whole time.”

A beat.

She shoved her hands in her pockets and gave a softer smile. “So… yeah. Thanks. For dragging me outta there.”

Then came the question.
​

“How have you been, since that day?”​

Ren groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. “Uuuggghhh. Emotionally unstable. Spiritually sweaty. Surprisingly productive.”

She let out a snort and then, without warning, got real.

“No, but seriously? It was a little screwed up. But I survived. That’s the part I can’t stop thinking about. I didn’t just flail around and die. I helped. I fought. And I wanna do more of that. I wanna get better. Be someone others can rely on, not just the chaotic mess people babysit through a warzone.”

She grinned a little. “Still gonna be a chaotic mess, though. Can’t erase PERFECTIONNNN.”

Then she turned her grin up toward him, more genuine this time. “So yeah. I’ve been… all over the place. But I’m here. And I ain’t runnin’ anymore.”

Her eye sparkled, mischief creeping back in.

“…Unless there’s a surprise training session in the world of the living, in which case I’m obligated to flee.”​

 

[dem0nzlust]

He observed closely how Josho interacted with Captain Izanagi taken mental notes because this was a very informative and important part of its growth. For the grand scheme of things that Michiya had planned, the more assimilated Josho got with interacting with other divisions the better. Although Jushiro's unique mask linked to his neural network allowed him to mentally relay what he wished to express and hide his facial expressions, Michiya remained attentive to the small body language that told a story of its own. Besides that, most never would have realized it nor be able to determine because of Captain Izanagi's cunning behaviorism that helped mask it, but the mask responsive time to his whims was off about approximately 1.35 seconds. The more he thought about it he pondered why he chose to wear the mask, did he bear some horrible scars underneath? Did he enjoy being an odd enigma among the Gotei 13 with his elusive behavior or did it serve other practical uses?

He knew after what Jushiro just experienced firsthand just like anyone else curiosity of the unknown would be scratching at the back of his mind. But for now, that itch for knowledge would need to be placed on pause because the eccentric Captain had other antics in mind collapsing dramatically on the floor pretending to be poisoned. A small wicked smile curled upon Michiya's lips as he leaned forward resting his chin on his fist watching closely the Captain's sharades.

"Should I dispose of the body Lt. Michiya?"

"That will not be needed Josho, but thanks for the quick assistance request. Oh Captain Izanagi, if I did such a thing you wouldn't be aware of it unless I desired to study the profound effects."

The way Michiya spoke remained calm and kept a light playful banter in return. The terrifying part about what Michiya said wasn't in what he said exactly, but how calm and confident in what he said to be considered true. Once Jushiro returned to his seat he observed closely how the spilled tea evaporated taking clear note of that for a later topic when he would get back to the prior statement about how he felt the need to stab his Zanpakuto into Josho. The moment the Captain started to get down to business on what brought him to the 12th division, Michiya's focus sharpened more than before taking in everything he had to say, even taking in close detail on how he said certain words deciphering what concerned him and held importance to what he wanted.
​

"I want to put these humans to sleep and hide them somewhere in the Rukongai. Keep them in a stasis of sweet dreams while keeping them hidden with Kido. This way neither the Hollows nor Rukongai citizens will want to venture into such an area. Meaning we would probably need a replica of Karakura and Naruki to house them. Or we could just create storage facilities. A bit crazy but humor me a little”

When the Captain paused, expecting the two of them to need time to digest all the information given, Michiya expressed that he kept up with everything mentioned and had already begun to devise some ideas on the matter in question without skipping a beat.

"What you are speaking of is Quantum displacement on a large scale focused on a center point. For something like that to work we will need an anchor point that keeps them separated into a pocket dimension. I will explain this in a simpler way easier for you to understand. If you think about it Zanpakuto is something designed to allow for shinigami to split their souls in a way to manifest power. Our Zanpakuto becomes the "homes" for our Zanpakuto spirits to exist and within these containers, they create a pocket dimension where time transpires differently which we widely know as the inner world. In short, we need to create a container similar to where we architect a world for these humans to be displaced safely where time transpires much slower, and the foolish mortals will know no different. From what I gathered about your encounter these unique individuals possess a unique spiritual reading similar to hollow, so if we isolate that anyone with that anomaly wouldn't be targetted."

As Michiya spoke one thing became more apparent to Captain Izanagi not once did he ever refer to the Zanpakuto otherwise Asauchi as tools, weapons, or some type of object. His choice of words when speaking on the matter was no different when talking about another group of people like the Arrancar or humans. From how Josho responded to the way Michiya spoke with him it was never a sense of superiority over what he created, but treated it like a person who stood equally with him. It was clear the two had come to terms with mutual respect for one another no different than that with his Zanpakuto spirits. In latent terms, Michiya was the first to learn Bankai without resorting to the old ways of force and subjugating his Zanpakuto spirit. Something he came to learn from his extensive research and proven through history itself is one never gains true trust and unison through subjugation, and because of this synergy between the two becomes damaged. Josho was created to help move past this outdated way of training and allow shinigami to learn how to truly synchronize with their Zanpakuto spirits. The ten years needed to master one Bankai he believed came from this fractured synergy and the reason why people who newly achieved it could be broken out of it so easily, albeit still Michiya had yet to master this new way either.

"Please forgive me if I speak out of line Captain Izanagi, but your way of thinking is very primitive and old-fashioned. So quick to annihilate what you don't understand it's built into us to be cautious of the unknown. Everything serves a purpose be it to create this so-called balance you speak of, research, or something in a larger picture. It is better to form alliances than create more enemies wouldn't you say?"

Maintaining his serious posture he relaxed a little giving the Captain a chance to answer before he pulled out an case. Now it was time for Michiya to make a proposition with Jushiro Izanagi like the opportunist he was.

"I will be direct with you I am not one for beating around the bush. I have a proposition for you Captain Izanagi, I am in the process of creating something new but I need guinea pigs to test it out in the field. I will allow you and your members to use them in exchange for hollows. Unfortunately, my line of work doesn't allow me out of Soul Society much and I am running low on test subjects. Consider these extras as tokens of goodwill if you accept or not, the 12th division will be branching out with other divisions to create a network of information."

Opening up the case in front of the Captain it showed a row of his prototype watches he had worn, a series of metallic spheres with faces that appeared organic in some matter blinking, and currently a single prototype of his kido gun yet to be mass produced. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small container housing a few vials of various colorations, along with two of his human-faced fruit and one of blood-red coloration. Josho continued to stand by at Michiya's side watching the encounter and learning from it and whenever he caught the Captain glancing his way gave an eery smile trying to be friendly and respectful like he was taught to be in the presence of Captains.​