Rukongai

[Hachikō Goseikanjo]

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"Bankai.”


Equilibrium successfully short circuited, to the fourth’s Lieutenant’s shock it appeared that the old man had not only been pushed so far that he had momentarily abandoned his pacifist principles that he held so dear to himself but that he had also taken it one monumental step further. In addition to a sense of awe, a pang of jealousy hit Ha quite hard as she knew that she was incredibly outmatched but unbeknownst to most, it had been magistrated that she would be unable to correlate with her own.

" ! ”

Vice-Captain Aijo’s Bankai seized into existence and Hachiko felt herself begin to spiral out of control. The female Vice-Captain’s hands were full and so short of dropping the lads in her grasp to their untimely deaths, she lashed them to her with her obi and in the process of her quick thinking. Chishinishi drove itself deeply into her own body and began to sap blood and Reiryoku alike away into its repurposing pit. Instantly, Two tremendous wings crafted of her lifeforce exploded out of her back in all of their morbid glory. Although only a small amount had been siphoned, Hachiko had controlled her spiritual power so finely that she was able to stretch the amount so that it suited her immediate need which, at this moment, was to regain dominion over her momentum and balance in the air. Beating them a few times, she did just that and struck a triumphant pose whilst exclaiming her intentions to her imposing former Sensei.

"What the HELL, old man! Trying to kill me too?!”

In most cases it was difficult to nail down the true objectives of the Goseikanjo exile. Thus far she had massacred a village of desperate involuntary traitors as well as toyed with an eager Uemura and then in an erratic turn of events, she had saved his life. The question that must have been playing on everyone’s mind had to have been “What does she want?!” This was a common inquiry from those who had the misfortune of coming across her and her antics, and a question that would remain perpetually unanswered.

"You got it from here right? I need to get these two to safety! Give him hell!”

With that, utilizing the repulsing effect of Otokogi’s Bankai to her advantage, Ha flew away shooting across the seireitei like a rocket until she vanished completely out of sight.

>>>>>>TRAVELING FROM THE RUKONGAI TO THE NORTHEAST SEIREITEI FOURTH DIVISION BARRACKS>>>>>>

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​

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[Kuvello]

Deep within the recesses of his psyche, at the blurred fray between his inner world, and subconscious mind, Shin’eki awakens from his slumber. His memory is hazy, his surroundings familiar yet foreign. The sediment beneath his feet caked upon the bottom of his straw geta. Strange vegetation grows from the ground below. Pustule-like fungus grows from the clay formations nearby. Wretched looking trees, bearing no foliage are visible in the foreground, behind them, a hazy lake of crimson. The stench of iron fills his nose as he finds himself gasping for a breath. A stinging warmth fills his chest before he finds himself vomiting, his hands clenching the ground below as the Shinigami finds his footing. Instinctually wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his Shihakusho, the boy would find a familiar hue of sanguine now dried upon his sleeve.



Unbeknownst to himself, Shin’eki’s continual presence around Hachiko, as well as the incorporation of not only her reiatsu, her killing intent; but her very blood itself has stained a blight upon his very being, his own soul. A blight that seemingly would suggest an everlasting permanence. An influence that would run deeper than any other, that it altered the very foundations of his metaphysical biology.



In the distance, a shadowed silhouette stood in contrast to the otherwise reddened horizon. It’s form: humanoid, as it walked across the surface of the viscous fluids of the lake before him. Standing upon the adjacent shoreline, Shin’eki’s arms would shift to his hip, his hands grasping for a lever of security. To his astonishment, no such commodity would be at his reach. The figure drew closer, with each passing step in drawing closer, Shin’eki’s anxiety grew.



Now within mere meters from the Shinigami, the figure’s more prominent details could be decoded. Beneath the figure’s feet, a roughly edged platform would manifest, generating a walkable surface for the figure to travel, while the tailend of the platform simply dissolved into the surface of the lake. It was as if the figure was able to bend the laws of physics to his whim, letting nothing keep him from his destination: Shin’eki. Upon the figure's head, a large roningasa occupied a majority of the figure’s horizontal capacity, as beneath it, long flowing red hair snaked along with the rolling fabric of the figure’s kimono-like apparel. Reminiscent of Shin’eki’s own Shihakusho, though variant in color. A trail of red-smoke would emit from the figure’s roningasa, from what could only be inferred was the excretion from the creature’s eye. Upon the hip of the “man” before him, lay two blades, one the length of a katana, the other a wakizashi. Such a style of garment, and carrying of arms was uncommon in the Seireitei, as most Shinigami, albeit a few, ever possessed more than one sword, and definitely did not possess the indigo hued robes the figure before him possessed.



If Shin’eki hadn’t known any better, he’d have said he’d come face to face with the devil himself. Unable to move within the figure’s presence, his fear enveloping him, Shin’eki would find himself clamoring to safety as he inched backwards on all fours, only to find himself backed into the base of a tree. Despite having walked across the surface of the pool of blood, stains of blood covered the bottoms of the man’s kimono. With a blurred flash of movement, man now would have translocated toward the base of the tree, his blade drawn and pointed down to the helpless Shinigami. A wicked smile would etch its way across the figure’s otherwise shadowed, featureless face. The smoke from its eye now burning, like a candle's flame though it illuminated nothing in its wake.

”Hehe… Groveling at my feet, such a polarizing disposition from how things were before…Though I have to say, it suits you better than me.”



A masculine voice would begin to speak from above Shin’eki, as more human-like characteristics began to become more apparent of the figure that alluded dominance over the world around it, as well as the Shinigami himself. It's very fabric bending to “his” will, as the trunk of the tree seemingly began to come to life, tendrils of dried decayed wood, would now seek to envelop Shin as the Shinigami began to panically speak.



”J-just who the hell are you?!”



The figure would extend his Tekkō covered hand as it gripped the collar of Shin’s Shihakusho. The figure’s katana turning in his hand as the point of the blade now aimed directly at the nape of Shin’s neck, it’s bloodied edge facing towards the sky as the male figure began to speak.



"You dare ask who I am? Simply put, Shin'eki... I'm a better you. Ultimately, I’m here to end your very life and replace you.”



A crazed look would now replace the sinister smile as the blade would be thrusted down toward Shin’s collarbone, the blade erupting in a splintering explosion of wood, from the opposite side of the tree.

​

>>>>>>TRAVELING FROM THE RUKONGAI TO THE NORTHEAST SEIREITEI FOURTH DIVISION BARRACKS UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM>>>>>>

​

 

[admins]

Listen While You Read

The Onmitsukido Chief’s question had been answered, but in a manner he did not expect.

The utterance of that fabled word brought nothing less than absolute astonishment, forcing the Shihoin’s eyes to widen through reflex alone. There was no time to think, not time to recognize save by way of the instinctual. The immense Reiatsu that was birthed within his, and everyone else’s, immediate space was indescribable, pushing down upon him like the world itself wished to squash him into a bloodied puddle. He pushed back as best he could, exerting more and more of his spiritual energy to compensate for their disparity.

And yet, as if the Old Man was a box of surprises, what came next pushed the Shihoin’s situation to a dire point of no return: the world, somehow, had been turned on its head.

The Commander of the Onmitsukido was a Soul who possessed a near-unrivaled capacity to acquire information, and this one in particular knew a lot about a lot of things. Unfortunately, the Third Vice-Captain’s Bankai was not one such thing; the only record available on the Old Man’s capabilities had been lost to history. So, what the hell was going on?

The Commander had no time to think about such a thing.

Already on a descent toward the open sky, with the roof on which he’d just utilized as footing having turned into the side of a cliff, and a strange and unseen force enhancing the speed at which he fell, he relied upon a century of grueling work and trained instinct.

The sound of twanging wire reverberated over the side-ways rooftops, accompanied by the intermittent reflection of light upon a thin line that ran across the sky; the walls of two nearby buildings were punctured with a resounding crash, followed by one final twang of the now visible wire on which the Commander stood upon.

That unseen weight continued to push down upon him, forcing the wire tout more and more, preventing him from properly utilizing the Shinigami Art in which he was most capable. He knew that, and so did his subconscious, and so as he came to realize the Old Man’s next move, the one thing his body could do was raise his curved blade so as to parry the incoming attack.

If only he had a little bit more time to think, a little bit more time to devise a proper course of action, a little bit more time to match his opponent by releasing his own Bankai; his Zanpakuto held the power to turn the tables, if only he had the time to release it.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have a little bit more time.

Eyes widened, teeth clenched and canines bared, Toshiyuki swung his blade to meet his enemy’s. The two Zanpakuto’s clashed, or so his senses told him as much, the power and weight of the Old Man’s enormous Zanpakuto adding to the already crushing weight and force of its unknown effects. The wire on which the Commander stood groaned briefly, and then snapped.

The sound of a blade cracking rang, and then Toshiyuki’s world turned to silence.

He looked down to witness his blade severed cleanly through; when he looked up again, the Old Man was gone.

...what?

His word began to spin, faster and faster, and through every revolution he witnessed the lower half of his torso falling alongside.

His consciousness quickly faded to nothingness.​

 

[admins]

Hachi Ikimaku

Listen While You Read

“Captain Sagishi Hashimoto.”

There was no beating around the bush; a no-nonsense attitude responded to in kind.

“I am Daisuke Yamane, Head of the Onmitsukido’s Clandestine Unit. I was approached by Captain Hashimoto some time ago, offering me power that ‘I could only dream of’, as he put it. ‘With power comes freedom’, he said, from the corruption of the Seireitei, and the rot of the Soul Society. At first…I couldn’t resist, but in the end, I wasn’t able to go through with it.”

He reached into his modified Shihakusho, and pulled out a device; it looked like some kind of recorder. “He’s recruited many Shinigami…”

He took a deep breath.

“...but some of us, once we were witness to the reality of it, we knew he needed to be stopped. He doesn’t care about the Soul Society, he’s using it to serve his new master. The Gate Guardian, Vice-Captain of the Tenth…he’s targeting desenters, and eliminating loose ends. This,” he said, looking around the village. “It’s my fault. I'm sorry. He did all of this to try to get to me, and by extension, you. He’s got others within the Onmitsukido working for him.”

He tossed the device to Hachi.

“Here you’ll find my personal conversations with the Captain about this offer of his, and his plans. The code to unlock it is: B13A.”

The Operative looked into Hachi’s determined eyes.

“I’ve read your file, and the Old Man’s. I don’t trust in anyone else’s conviction or power, to do the right thing, and to be able to do it, more than you two. I didn’t know who else to go to. I don't know if Commander Toshiyuki is in on it or not...or how far this thing goes.”

He bowed with utmost respect.

“I’m sorry, we don’t have much time.”​

 

[Estarossa]

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Within the homes of the Rukongai citizens are people sitting or standing on their walls, their world had been tipped on its side leaving them completely confused about what was transpiring outside. Opening a window to look meant the possibility of falling out of the home and towards the horizon and so their curiosity had to be curved by their need for survival. There were some who only hoped that whatever the Shinigami were doing would end soon and there were others who simply awaited their fate. The recent and ongoing events of citizens being murdered at random infected their minds with dreaded thoughts that they would be next to join the nameless and faceless masses that are being slain. Luckily for them there would only be one person dying in this event.

Blood flies about, falling away past buildings and trees with a massive blade having its golden edge coated in that same blood. The owner of the blood tumbles through the air, bewildered, confused, ignorant, and bifurcated at the waist. The remains fall but slowly begin to drift towards the ground before tumbling and rolling across the dirt, disgracing the noble even further. The people in their homes feel the shift as well as they are able to once again stand on the ground properly. A few take to corners or windows to expel their meals as experiencing something like that can be quite nauseating. Upon exiting they see an elder Shinigami sheathing his Zanpakuto, blood dripping from his ears and some distance away from him the corpse of the Onmitsukido Commander, Toshiyuki Shihōin. The citizens were confused and rightfully so because they knew the repercussions of what it meant to kill a noble let alone one from one of the Great Noble clans. Yet, here stood an old man who had cut one down without hesitation.

He places a hand on his neck, rolling his head around as he sighs a bit to himself, looking around at the confusion on the peoples faces. He looks towards the sky and then towards the Seireitei before extending his hand out to his side as if waiting for someone to place something into it.

Rebellion

”Citizens of the Rukongai, give me your rage. Give me your fears, doubts, and insecurities you have and let me carry them for you. Let me sharpen my blade with your voices that go unheard. Empower me with your suffering as I move forward to cut down all those who have wronged you.”

The old man removes his Lieutenant badge and casts it to the ground, stepping on it. His words sparked curiosity but his actions are what gained attention.

”From here on out I shall be your blade. From here on out I do not fight for the justice of the Gotei Thirteen, I will instead fight for your justice, Rukongai Justice. The Gentle Breeze of Tamaya will see peace restored to this land one way or another.”

The people were still too scared to speak up or even attempt to rally some sort of war cry for the man because they were unsure if he was speaking the truth. However, despite the words he spoke, his actions are what rang louder, casting off the badge, cutting down the noble and renouncing the Gotei Thirteen for all to hear be them spies or allies. Even if the people did shout or say anything the old man would not be able to hear them due to his sense of hearing being deafened. He did not need to hear them to know their answer, this small glimmer of hope is all they needed, all they wanted for so long. Even if it is just one man at least the Seireitei would be able to know how they felt through him. Otokogi inhales slowly and closes his outstretched hand into a fist, a symbolic gesture that he has grabbed hold of their hope, clutching it without any sign of letting go.

”Do what you want with the body and this badge, let them serve as a warning to any who pass through with ill intent. If anyone asks who did this, let them know it was Otokogi of Tamaya and that I’ll be waiting for them at the Western Gate.”

The old man then begins to walk in the direction of the Western Gate, his Reiatsu being easily sensed for any one who wished to approach him. Any who do sense it would feel the animosity in it, the feeling that this is a man seeking out a challenge, looking for a fight. Although his sense of hearing may be gone his other senses have already picked up the slack, ambushing him through silence may no longer work against him. What of the Shinigami who are stationed at the Western Gate, what will happen when they encounter the old man? That remains to be seen as given his current pace he will not be there anytime soon, provided he isn’t delayed by another fight.

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​

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[Aqua]

Patiently, the Wind-Walker awaits his answers. His demand was one that could not be turned away or denied–and had this agent been on the opposite side of the apparent clash that was brewing, he’d faced the consequences of withholding such valuable information. Luckily, it wouldn’t come to this. The rather lax and sympathetic Omnitsukido agent complies, holding no malice or ill will toward Hachi or his cause.
​

"Captain Sagishi Hashimoto.”​

What? The Captain of the 5th was renowned filth, or at least that’s what was passed around in whispers and mutterings around the Gotei 13 between those who despise the many noble sympathizers, but he’d never been seen in this dark of a spectrum. Even if that was the case, if he was behind all of this, what would he gain from having 3rd Division’s former captain killed? –Someone who might have flocked to his cause, whatever that cause may be. The puzzle was laid before him, though a few pieces were still missing. What would the disposal of Kusajishi do for him exactly? What was the end goal?
​

“I am Daisuke Yamane, Head of the Onmitsukido’s Clandestine Unit. I was approached by Captain Hashimoto some time ago, offering me power that ‘I could only dream of’, as he put it. ‘With power comes freedom’, he said, from the corruption of the Seireitei, and the rot of the Soul Society. At first…I couldn’t resist, but in the end, I wasn’t able to go through with it.”​

Power he could only dream of? Power with strings attached has felled many and often brought about a terminal fear of Soul Society and the Gotei 13’s end when sought. As a man who seeks power and strength himself, Hachi does not fault Daisuke for his initial temptation, as his honesty now is more than enough to make up for it. Just as he had asked himself many questions internally, the answers began to spew from Daisuke’s lips in an endless stream.

The man reaches into his pocket, pulling out some sort of device that resembles a recorder.
​

“He’s recruited many Shinigami…”

“...but some of us, once we were witness to the reality of it, we knew he needed to be stopped. He doesn’t care about the Soul Society, he’s using it to serve his new master. The Gate Guardian, Vice-Captain of the Tenth…he’s targeting desenters, and eliminating loose ends. This,” he said, looking around the village. “It’s my fault. I'm sorry. He did all of this to try to get to me, and by extension, you. He’s got others within the Onmitsukido working for him.”​

The device travels toward Hachi by air, thrown by Daisuke across the short distance between them. Hachi’s free hand raises to catch the device effortlessly, the bulk of its size now resting in the sculpt of his palm. He looks down at it, a bit confused, unable to discern if he has seen one of them before or not.
​

“Here you’ll find my personal conversations with the Captain about this offer of his, and his plans. The code to unlock it is: B13A.”​

Hachi’s eyes darted back upward, the Agent’s gaze now locked onto his own, his piercing orbs peering sternly above the standard Omnitsukido mask.
​

"I’ve read your file, and the Old Man’s. I don’t trust in anyone else’s conviction or power, to do the right thing, and to be able to do it, more than you two. I didn’t know who else to go to. I don't know if Commander Toshiyuki is in on it or not...or how far this thing goes.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t have much time.”​

It was clear that Daisuke was on the right side of the power struggle that would soon come to light, seemingly all spurred by the 5th Division Captain. Even still, with this much information and the skillset of a stealth force officer, this individual did not know how deep the dissension went. The list of individuals Hachi could trust was the same number that it had been before receiving this information–One. With that in mind, Old man Oto’ should be let in on what’s going on, if he hadn’t yet uncovered things himself. A metaphorical lightbulb illuminates as Hachi recalls something he read in the reports that dispatched his Vice-Captain to the field. A seated officer of 5th Division was said to have accompanied the Vice-Captain of the 4th in destroying another village, in another district. Was it all connected? Was that officer there doing the bidding of his superior? Had Oto’ walked into a trap? Even if he had, The Gentle Breeze was more than capable of handling himself or any situation that arose, but the danger of the overall conflict remained. There were too many layers to dissect, and until they knew more, it was probably best to move with just the tiniest bit of caution.

Daisuke bows, bidding his farewell, and apologizing for how long it took for him to bring all of this to the surface. Hachi could not fault his reluctance, with little to no idea of whom to trust. Telling the wrong person could have easily gotten him killed in a situation where he thought he’d be gaining an ally.

Even with the code, Hachi elects not to unveil the recorder’s secrets just yet, hoping to get into its details when in the presence of his superior. His posture shifts, more lackadaisical than before, as no immediate threat is in his presence. His anger slightly subsides and is replaced with anguish. As he looks around the village, a cloud of ash now fills their lungs. He coughs, slowly walking towards the bowing Daisuke, the recorder now in his Shikashuhou pocket. His right hand continues to secure his Zanpakuto over his pec and collarbone while his left glides along the ash-filled air, landing gently on the bowing agent’s shoulder. He continues to look forward, westward, the spiking of a familiar signature flaring sporadically, welcoming all that wish to oppose it. While it was an invitation to death to his enemies, it was more of a welcoming beacon to his allies. The Old Man was a considerable distance away, however, distance was an abstract concept to the determined Shinigami.

“Preciate it’. We gonna make this right. That’s a promise.”

A promise to the Daisuke, a promise to himself, a promise to those reduced to ash beneath the rubble of his home, a promise to Soul Society, and the Gotei 13. He would not fail. The moment his final word is spoken, his physical form is reduced to a small dust devil composed of dirt and splinters of burned wood. A violent gust pushes Daisuke onto his back, Hachi’s presence imperceivable as he is carried away by the wind, already a few districts towards the old man’s location.​

---

In a short amount of time, Hachi intercepts the gentle breeze who appears to be anything but. Even Hachi, who had known well what his former teacher was capable of, had never seen him in such a state. He appears in front of the Old Man, Zanpakuto clutched firmly with the recorder in the opposite hand. Noticing Hachi in his path, assuredly Oto’ would stop his trot, curious to see the Third Seated officer far away from where he was left back in the barracks.

“We need to tal-”

Hachi begins to mutter, only just before noticing the blood rushing violently on each side of Otokogi’s face, originating from his ears. Just what had he gotten himself into? Hachi waves the device in front of him so Oto’ can see it, just before putting in the necessary code to reveal its contents. A voice begins to play, vaguely familiar–undoubtedly that of Captain Hashimoto.
​

Soon, The Gotei 13 will be strong again. Shinigami are weak and brittle, we must embolden their existing strengths with that of a hollow. We will create an army unlike any has ever seen, and the Gotei 13 will never again fall victim to weakness. As soon as I can get the – Indistinguishable — , I’ll be able to make this dream, our dream–a reality. That artifact is the key to our success.

Daisuke my boy.. Can you truly resist the allure of power? It can all be yours, join me . . . Join us . . . Together, we will bring Soul Society to its knees, and rebuild it in our image.​

With every word, Hachi transcribes it with his own voice, allowing the Vice-Captain to read his lips and also retain the details of the message. As he himself says these things aloud, his face cannot hide the gravity of what he has heard. If this was as bad as it sounded, not only was Captain Hashimoto committing treason on multiple levels, but he was reaching into the darkest depths of the forbidden to betray the Shinigami way. He must be stopped, by any means necessary, and the two of them would do it themselves–if they had to.

 

[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…
​

---

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.”
​

---

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!”​

 

[admins]

Nanami zipped through the Seireitei, moving past ash, rubble, smoke, destruction, and death alike, her singular purpose to find any morsel of the vanished signature of her Captain. Toward the Rukongai she flashed, and in the Northern Rukongai she landed.

And found nothing but death.

The landscape had been reduced to cratered soot and ash, for as far as the eye could see, the Northern Gate too reduced to nothing but smoke.

Before her lay the disintegrated corpse of her Captain, the majority of his existence missing, the only bits left being a portion of his abdomen and from shoulder up. His expression mouth agape, white eyes rolled back.

Not far from him, a similar fate had befallen the Captain of the Sixth, with his right arm and half of his face the only two pieces of him scattered to the crater within which it lay.

The Kenpachi’s intense signature could still be felt for miles on end.​

 

[Frea]

Upon rushing through the crowds of shinigami who gawked at the sight of their surroundings being torn down, nothing was left but ruins, and dust, ash, and thick smoke filled the air. Nanami looked around at her surroundings, finding nothing but pure destruction. This had to be the aftermath after a couple of battles between the captains, it was not surprising the amount of destruction. She breezed through the thick fog which was made out of ash. Eventually, she made it to the northern gate exiting the seireitei. However…She stopped to observe her surroundings to see nothing but the northern gate being nothing but reduced to just pure smoke. Certainly, this was a bizarre sight to see, the northern gate being reduced to nothing after surviving for decades. No. Centuries. Countless wars their home was subjected to in the past, but it takes just a war between rebellious captains to destroy one the most important structures to keep dirty peasants of the rukongai from entering the military of the soul society. Their home. Their guardians.

Nanami shouldn’t keep gawking at the sight forever, she needs to find her captain. Finding him was her main goal at the time being. Screw the rest of her duties, screw finding information about the death of the guardian. Nanami was worried sick about the captain. He was a couple of hundred years younger than Nanami, to her the captain was a baby who needed to be protected. Soon enough she reached the Northern part of rukongai. Seeing nothing then heavy ash flooding the air while a strong stench of death lingered. Let alone the damage of buildings being burned to a crisp, being nothing but ash and rubble. The cries of the regular citizens of the northern rukongai mourning the deaths of their loved ones somewhat made Nanami have an empathic look on her face. The more she adventured into the soot, smoke, ash, and rubble of the district she eventually found herself stepping into a thick dark crimson substance, there she looked down to only find a gruesome sight in front of her vision.




She peered down only to find a disintegrated corpse. Nanami crouched down to investigate who the corpse was and if he was important. The more she looked, the more nauseous she got. It wasn’t a complete body either, the lower half of the corpse was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile from the abdomen and up the expression the face gave was ghastly. The skin was all burned, the skin tone was nowhere but just red meanwhile the eyes were rolled up back to the skull, meanwhile the mouth was agape. Her eyes scanned at the white Hoari, to only find the symbol was from the twelfth. This corpse belonged to none other than her captain. Nanami’s eyes widened with disbelief; her gut dropped at the fact it was him, being nothing but a corpse. Her tears pricked her eyes threatening to come out. She didn’t believe it. Her very own captain was gone. Nothing but half-corpsed. Getting up she walked a little distance to see if she could find anyone else.

Not too far away from her captain’s half-corpse was another captain’s corpse. Her eyes once again scanned the body, only seeing a burnt arm and half a face. She could only presume it was the Sixth’s captain, whom she remembered was the first to go into the area where the battle commenced. By the looks of the scattered pieces, the sixth captain had very much the same or rather a similar fate as her now deceased captain. Blood was scattered everywhere, death was everywhere. Destruction was all around her, the smell of burnt corpses was in the air, and the sight of burnt corpses was to be found all around her. Which begs the question, what should she do now? Leave what remained of the two captain’s corpses there or take them to a morgue? The decision made her whip out her denreishinki, there she sent out a message to everyone’s devices telling them of the discovery of two dead captains.


“Dearest everyone, this third seat Teishi from the twelfth division. I do apologize for the interruption. I’ve recently discovered two important corpses in the north rukongai. The Twelfth captain, Hatsumei Takaki, and The Sixth Captain, Etsuko Nakajima are dead. There could be more Captain corpses out there. Be sure to look out for them, thank you.”

There she hoped her message got across to everyone’s devices. Though it was faint, Nanami could still feel his presence. The Elventh’s dreaded signature reiatsu can be felt for miles on end. It was tempting for her to go after a captain who could be a suspect in the murders of the two captains; however, it could result in her death if she dared to. The only thing she could do was go back to her barracks and stay put, after all, they didn’t have a higher-up there to take charge with no lieutenant, no captain. It was down to Nanami to take leadership into her own hands for now.


Northwest ------ Rukongai​

 

[admins]

10 MONTHS LATER