”No sir, Otokogi-sensei, far from it sir. I had only come into town this morning, I’ve only just met up with Goseikanjo-dono here within the last half-hour or so sir!”
At this point Otokogi begins stroking his beard, this was suspicious indeed. There is no reason for Lieutenant Goseikanjo to fabricate a lie about herself if she were the one to send out the report. Such a lie could land her in trouble for killing Rukongai Citizens in mass without proper clearance, such things can be approved if the balance of souls tips too far in one direction. Shin’eki continues with his debrief, while most would have halted the young Shinigami from speaking so much, Otokogi welcomed it as it gave him a clearer picture of what was happening here.
”The thought of sending out word of what just occurred had only just now crossed my mind, and of course I can’t send anything with my phone now since it got rusted when that damn hollow arrived. Which is why I was just asking if she could send out pictures via the Denreishiki so we could have a first person glance to provide the higher ups. But we’ve failed to do so at this time sir!”
He nods, showing that he understands his frustration and just as he suspected it was a Hollow that was lingering around the area and it is most likely responsible for those impaled on the trees. Hollow attacks, albeit rare in Soul Society, tend to happen in the outer districts as it is the furthest away from the Seireitei. The thought of one happening this close to the Seireitei is absurd and for it to merely kill and not devour these people is also strange behavior as well. Killing for sport and not for food does not fit the M.O. of a normal Hollow. Shin’eki continues his debrief while the old Lieutenant contemplates all he is hearing.
”When I arrived into the forest, I was tracking a group of bandits which led me to this place here. Approximately where I stand now, stood a hollow of which I had never seen before, not even during my deployments to Hueco Mundo. It was then that I jumped into the fray in an attempt to protect these men from said hollow. In my efforts, unbeknownst to me at the time, Gosei-dono leaped in to save them from the hollow while I was prepared to engage with the beast head-on. However, it summoned a garganta and escaped without a trace, and now we have 3 corpses, and a shell of a mad-man tied to a tree, because they seemed to have had connections and knowledge of this hollow, but because we had captured them and began to interrogate them, they bit into, what we can only assume as cyanide tablets, and keeled over as opposed to the mad man, of which broke under the weight of responsibility, and of whom we were just discussing of what we need/should do with him, as Hachiko-dono brought up that other anti-seireitei sympathizers may show up to discard the bodies.”
Bit by bit this was sounding more and more like a plot happening from within, a Hollow that a Fourth Seat of Fifth Division has never seen before coupled with the men choosing death over interrogation. Death was the preferable option for them as if they told who was behind all this they would receive a fate worse than death. He sighs as the pieces of this elaborate puzzle come together but still there is not enough to even craft a proper picture. As the Fourth Seat approaches him to hand him the tablet he shakes his head at him.
”I do not know what to do with that Uemura-san, it's best not to pass around evidence like that, especially to a third party who just arrived on the scene. Remain wary of these things especially when the situation is still a mystery.”
For all Shin’eki knew Otokogi was behind all of this, stepping so close to him carelessly with evidence in hand only made himself open to receive an attack. The elder thinks like this constantly as it can be a lesson he can pass on to the next class. The more the three linger together the more he feels as if a fourth party would be arriving soon to pin the blame of all this on them. Otokogi keeps his senses attuned for any approaching souls along with any who may be lingering and watching in the area. While doing this Lieutenant Goseikanjo begins speaking
on what she experienced while out in this seemingly random Rukongai District.
"Uemura is correct, the plan was to send photographic evidence of these occurrences to the proper authorities but you arrived just before things had slowed down long enough for us to leap into action. As for me, Well, I was instructed by my Captain that I had been given permission to do whatever was necessary to investigate rumors of hollow activity within the forty eighth district of the Rukongai and I came upon a village that insisted on being dishonest with me during my interrogation. They were very persistent liars and their fictional tales did not waver until I confronted the last remaining woman and child. After dispatching their traitorous husband and father in front of them, and threatening the bodily harm of her son, the woman told me what I needed to know and so I let them keep their lives. Liars and cheaters deserve no mercy, surely you agree. Those two were the only honest souls in the bunch, such a pity.”
Hachiko watches the elder, expecting him to fall into some sort of inner turmoil over what he was just told. What turmoil could he possibly experience over this? He is too old to lash out in anger over such information, perhaps in his younger days he would have lashed out, maybe even attacked her. He isn’t angry, no, he is just disappointed and it can be seen on his face as he gives her a sorrowful expression.
”Liars and cheaters they may be but it does not make their lives forfeit. He was doing what he could to protect what was important to him, no different than we Shinigami. Wielding a weapon and power does not give you the right to cast violent judgment upon someone else. Lieutenant Goseikanjo, if you were in his position, a position of helplessness against a being vastly stronger than you in ways you cannot imagine, what would you have done? Anything possible to survive and for you, one with power, that may mean fighting tooth and nail but for him, with a wife and child, his version of fighting was to lie and cheat. Such things buy many in the Rukongai another day's breath. We have Citizens at our gates rioting and upset with us, Goseikanjo-san, taking the life of a father and husband will only upset these people even more. Treat them fairly and justly, treat them like people. If I hear about such a thing again I’ll report it to your Captain or Central Forty-Six.”
She may have her justifications for what she did but it did not make Otokogi hesitate in giving her a stern talking to. He knows what it is like to live in the Rukongai, what it is like to feel powerless and oppressed by those stronger than him and by Shinigami who take things too far. It is something he sees all too often and it is something he tries to put a stop to, but one man alone cannot make a change that significant.
“These were also on the dead ones. I know this currency and it doesn’t circulate through these parts of the soul society, In fact, I’d be comfortable saying that they don’t naturally leave the Seireitei. Alas, I cannot take credit for this masterpiece and is Whoever is behind this…”
Now this was a welcoming surprise, more pieces fell into place, the picture painting itself to resemble that of a Shinigami, one with wealth and some modicum of influence to deal out this currency and at the same time also naive. No, not naive, if someone from within is doing this why would they allow Otokogi to know about this situation knowing he would figure out where the currency came from. His brow now begins to furrow as he begins to scan the forest not with just his Reikaku but his eyes as well.
"I’m willing to bet that they’re of imperial stature and with the involvement of a hollowfied soul completely on the loose like this, they’re amongst our own using desperate low born goons to attempt to throw us off of their trail. In short, I hypothesize that at least one of the the culprits is a shinigami working in the circles of troublesome noble extremists. Perhaps you can tell who crafted this poison. I wonder, in all of your centuries, if you have ever come across anything like it before?"
”No, I know nothing about poisons sadly, the most I can do is point you to one of our divisions to analyze it; however it may be better to find someone you know and trust to analyze it.”
He responds quickly as he looks around the forest more, his left arm still relaxed on his blade as his right arm hangs at his side. Was it a mere coincidence these three met up all on the pretense of misinformation? No, this reeks of something more pungent than any Hollow, this reeks of a set up or trap.
”Could both of you humor me for a moment? A scenario of sorts is what I want to lay out, keep your guards up and your wits about you as I explain. Someone, our mystery traitor, gave orders to their pet Hollow and precise directions to attack this district. This same pet could have possibly killed the Western Gate Guard as well. With the bulk of the investigative force at that gate they lure in a few folks to take the fall, that being us. The Hollow murders the villagers in this area, it draws people out to investigate due to rumors of Hollow activity, Lieutenant Goseikanjo and Fourth Seat Uemura. Then, for some unknown reason, a report makes its way across my desk saying that that very same Lieutenant has massacred a village and that the Fourth Seat was seen along with her, phrased as if he were an accomplice.”
His feet shift along the ground as he turns to continue looking around the area, given his tone it was clear he was not finished speaking.
”Naturally, that draws me out to this location as well, almost as if knowing that I would personally investigate this jarring report. Now, all three of us are out in this forest, surrounded by dead Rukongai citizens killed in brutal ways with every other citizen possibly being paid off to lie and say we were responsible for it. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone coincidentally showed up ready to arrest us on false information, or rather arrest us to keep their own name clear. Whoever it is knows us, knows how we may react to certain information as well as our positions in the Gotei. The young impressionable Fourth Seat will surely follow any orders given to him by someone of higher rank, and the Lieutenant will listen to only their Captain or maybe even someone else they hold in high regard. This is how they will paint the story.”
Otokogi sat idly by while the previous commander was put to death wrongfully, Perhaps his blade could have done something that day or maybe it would have just framed him as a traitor as well. This is why the thought of speaking his next words brings an enormous weight upon his shoulders.
”You two are young and have a long career ahead of you. Should it come down to it, should my scenario come to pass I will choose the route of violence and reveal the truth in my own way. Should that happen, do not follow my example, flee or surrender.”
While he speaks as if these things will happen within the next few minutes, they could happen within the next few days or even hours after they return to the Seireitei. This information needs to get out and circulated, people need to become aware of what is happening one way or another.
”I suggest we all return to the Seireitei and report on our findings here. That man who refused to take his own life, do either of you know of a place where you can keep him restrained, preferably outside of the Seireitei? The last thing we need is our only source of information mysteriously dying in his cell.”
