Southeast Seireitei

[Elk]

His hand moved over his eyes as he lay on the floor, the thought of his family dying to a plague developed by Soul Society resurfacing. This thought had crossed his mind several times during his career, yet he always dismissed it. Now, however, it was becoming clearer—all thanks to one man. Even if it was just an anomaly in the records, he would have his answer soon. By this point, though, it wouldn’t matter.

Yet, there he lay, wallowing in his depression, until finally a knock came at his door, snapping him back to the reality at hand.

“Sir, your guest has taken off from the barracks. If I may ask, what did you bring him here for?”

An awkward pause followed as Elk remained silent to the question. Slowly, he rose, letting out a yawn and wiping his tears into his sleeve before finally propping himself up and opening the door, where he towered over his fellow squad member, yet his face seemed to be one of embarrassment as he looked down upon him.

“Long story short, I lost a game of rock, paper, scissors and had to pay the price of teaching him a kidō spell… That’s what I get for admitting I was in the Kidō Corps.”

Half a lie, half the truth, he looked down at the man with a smile on his face. He wasn’t sure what else to say, but it was believable enough. Elk’s less-than-desirable reputation in the barracks worked in his favor.

“Hey! I just got an idea. Why don’t you round up several of the members who need improvement with barrier creation? Pair them with those skilled in the craft to act as mentors. Have the skilled ones set up the first barrier around the barracks and let the others practice using it as a reference to build their own. If anyone comes knocking, inform me in the training room. And if they break the barrier, attack them on sight—treat them like the enemy, even if they’re a lieutenant or captain. It’ll be good training for everyone.”

The squad member nodded slightly before walking off. It didn’t take long for the member to gather everyone needed. As he began instructing them on their task, the more skilled members in the craft of barrier-making started setting it up—a transparent shield designed to appear inconspicuous from the outside. However, for training purposes, the inside displayed a diverse range of colors scattering across the sky, allowing the less experienced members to study both the user and the barrier itself. They then began creating their own barriers, attempting to mimic those made by their impromptu mentors.

Elk turned and headed back down to the training room. This time, instead of entering the previous room, he stopped at a quarantined one. Pressing the button to open it, orange mist oozed out, only to collide with a yellow barrier that shielded the outside from its contents. Most would walk past this room without even noticing it, as its purpose was to deter curiosity. For the higher-ups within the Kidō Corps, it was the solution to a dire problem.

Walking past the mist revealed another hallway, though this one seemed to be rotting away, as the walls oozed a viscous liquid. An orange barrier seemed to be the only thing holding this rot in its place. As he walked through, he passed several rooms, each one filled with skeletons—poor, unfortunate souls caught in what happened here years ago. Each step he took riddled him with guilt, as he pressed his fingers on the barrier, increasing its density and reinforcing it to prevent the rot from spreading further into the barracks. If one were to look at him, they would notice a look of guilt and shame, as he continued reinforcing parts of the barrier around the halls before finally reaching a door—one that had been untouched by rot and decay.

As he opened the door, it revealed something unexpected: a room filled with large computers and equally large monitors running across the walls, with various instruments humming and ticking away. Several computer monitors displayed streams of data, though he couldn’t even guess as what it was. All he knew was that this computer wasn’t on anyone’s network and had been calculating something for nine years straight. The sound of typing could be heard as a figure stood on the other end of the room—a woman, short in stature, who wore the standard Shinigami uniform with the exception of a white lab coat covering up the top half of her body.

“I noticed you brought someone from the 12th Division. Did you finally get the confirmation you needed?”

“…No, but the anomaly he found in the records was enough for me to think you’re right.”

“I’m always right. I saw the files and where they deployed the plague.”

“…”

He said nothing. It felt like an old wound reopening, made worse by her throwing salt into it. His hand twitched, clenching into a fist. She always knew how to get under his skin, one of the reasons he limited his contact with her.

“Anyways, your patience has finally paid off.”

With the press of a button, a small circle in the floor opened up, and a pillar rose upward, accompanied by a white mist. Resting atop the pillar was a glass box containing a black orb, encased in protective material.

“This is it? I thought it would be bigger… It also looks—”

“Incomplete? Yes, it’s not done yet. I did my part; now it’s your turn to fill it up.” [/color]

“Fill it up? That should be easy—it just needs reiryoku, right?”

A devilish smile crept across her face as she looked up at the naive Shinigami before her. Her next words would shatter him. She relished these moments, knowing she could always get under his skin. It was her way of making her imprisonment as miserable as possible for him.

“No. It needs souls to power the Hōgyoku.”

“Hōgyoku? Souls?”

His head shot up, his expression a mix of shock and disgust. The very thought of killing people within the Soul Society made him gag and nearly vomit. His fists clenched, but he reminded himself of the promise he had made over ten years ago: to spare her life and keep her alive in exchange for something that would grant his deepest desire.

“Yes, do I need to repeat myself?”

If he wanted to achieve his goal, he would have to bear the guilt of slaughtering those in the Rukongai. Fortunately—or unfortunately—there seemed to be no shortage of souls who had lived less-than-ideal afterlives there. Still, the knowledge that innocents might end up in his crosshairs made him sigh and slump down.

“Very well… We’re nearly done with our plans. As I promised you once this is all done, you’re coming to the world of the living…”

He wasn’t too sure if it was a good idea to abandon her to her own devices in the world of the living, or keep her at arms length to prevent her from doing any harm to humans.

​

 

[Elk]

The sound of typing could be heard once more as Elk stared at the Hōgyoku with a set of blank eyes. It was to the point where he had lost track of time. To him, it wasn’t an eternity, but merely a blip before he felt something jab at him.

“Go be mopey somewhere else! I’ve got work to do!”

At this, his eyes blinked as he stumbled forward before turning around to look at the scientist. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he sighed and moved out. As he did so, the pillar that held the Hōgyoku descended into the floor.
His steps were heavy as he walked out of the room. With one hand reaching back, a light shimmered over the door, then made it disappear, seemingly extending the barrier across the door's gap along with an image of a rotting wall.
His hand moved over his eyes as he took a few steps outside the barracks. From there, he blinked a few times before looking up at the barrier they constructed and gave a small nod.



“Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui”

A blue light illuminated from his hand before launching forward, soaring through the sky as it connected with the barrier the inexperienced members had made. For a moment, it looked like it would hold, but only for a moment, its weakness began to show as cracks started to form branching outward as the beam continued to press against, before it all shattered. His free hand clenched tight enough that his knuckles began to whiten as the barrier shattered to one man.

Like glass, the barrier’s pieces rained down upon those who were practicing. To this, they moved away as fast as possible. The beam collided with the second barrier, causing it to ripple and reveal itself for as long as the beam remained connected to it. Anyone outside of the barracks could see an array of colors before the beam finally dissipated.

“You're not putting enough reiryoku into your barriers. If one man could take it down, regardless of level and full enchantment, then you're not doing your job as kidō corps members. All of you were hand picked by our recruiters and it's high time you show us WHY you were chosen to be here!”

A look of shock could be seen in some of the members’ eyes as they looked at Elk, several of them whispered to one another while others exchanged glances. They weren’t used to seeing him like this. Yet still, they stood in silence waiting for him to continue.

“Bring a few more members here! I want them shooting at the barriers you make! If they break so easily then you work on it until its perfect! You two gather everyone and start training! No breaks for this one! Get going!”

The two members bowed and began gathering everyone towards the courtyard with orders to start training. Several of the ones skilled in sensing reiryoku started instructing the inexperienced barrier makers, pointing out that their reiryoku fluctuated too wildly, among other issues. Meanwhile, others began shooting at the barriers. All the while, Elk stood at the barracks entrance, watching over them all.

​

 

[Adonai]

From Northwest Seireitei: 12th Division Barracks

​

---

Riding atop of the ink fish Taro sighs, it is a mixture of annoyance and relief. The buildings beneath him are barely given any sort of glance as he looks straight ahead, head in hand. This has been a very busy day for him, a lot of moving around to set up a gambit against the impending attack of Arrancar. Yes, ultimately his usage of the Sōkyoku is a gambit at best. He knows it can certainly destroy an Arrancar’s soul along with their Soul King Fragment but for how long can he wield that power before it consumes him too? The Gigai Captain Harai spoke of will aid in protecting him but perhaps only for so long. In his mind he can only use it to slay one Arrancar, at most to keep things on the safe side. Then there is the matter of Mimihagi, it too will certainly be used in this upcoming fight, but Taro will have to pick a target. Not even the Date clan knows what parts are lost to the world or which ones the Arrancar have.

If not for the greater nobility having a common voice to not tell the Gotei 13 what they are facing Taro would have spilled the details long ago. Unified the Four Great Houses have enough power to overrule even Central Forty Six, but alone they are weak. The Tsunayashiro clan is still the strongest with the Shihōin clan being the second, followed by the dying Kuchiki Clan and the certainly dead Shiba clan. These clans are weakened by their own hubris which caused the Civil War, no one trusts them and with public opinion being so low that also weakens their grip on the Soul Society. With the Date having been their shadows for centuries they know all their dirty dealings and that is the cause for this train of thought. Once the Arrancar are dealt with the Date will begin making moves to swallow them into darkness and take their place as the sole Great House of the Soul Society.

It won’t happen all at once, much work still needs to be done and Taro knows this. With the Shiba disgraced and down to only two members they can easily be drowned out. That clan is known for their strong wills, conviction and hearts so there is no chance of hoping for its final Clan Head to take her own life. But a proposition can be made, favors and such laced and seeded with evil intent. Taro thinks of plots and plans to bring to the Inner Hand to put things into motion, the Date will not let the Soul Society fall into disrepair like this ever again…

​

---

The Kido Corps, a branch of the Soul Society’s military that works in conjunction with the Gotei 13 and the Onmitsukidō. They are a secret bunch, rarely seen out in and about and if they are seen it's because they have business to deal with. Where the Gotei 13 has fallen by the wayside the Kido Corps has maintained itself despite the adversity and turmoil swirling around on the outside of its walls. Today, they are being visited by someone from outside of their organization, a Captain of the Gotei 13 no less. Perhaps they saw him approaching or maybe they didn’t, it matters very little because he arrives all the same. First a shadow wafts over the courtyard of the Kido Corps, outside of the barrier, blocking the sun momentarily to grab their attention. The Date live and move in the shadows and it is through shadows that they herald their arrival.

The inky fish descends to the ground outside, surely garnering the attention of those practicing their Kido. Once close enough to the ground Taro hops off of the fish, however he does not recall Kurogane, it seems like he plans on making his visit a short one. He looks around and approaches the entrance to the Barracks, Taro makes an assumption that someone is on the other side of the door to respond to him. Kurogane follows behind Taro keeping the same unchanging expression all fish have.

”You may know who I am or you may not know given how your ilk tends to keep to themselves so much. I will let you know regardless. I am Taro Date, Captain of the Eleventh Division. You should have received word from Central Forty Six by now regarding my usage of the Sōkyoku. All I need from your people is to use the proper incantations to unseal its power when necessary. That should be simple enough for you to understand, Cogs.”

Taro stares down the door before him, his eyes still closed and yet he stares. Taro does not bother commenting on the state of the Division he was able to see form above given that they are actively training and perhaps only stopped due to his arrival. He is here to confirm that the Kido Corps will be ready when the time comes, but Taro is not a man who puts all his eggs in one basket. He believes they will undercut him, Kido Corps and Central Forty Six that is. He believes that they will not allow him to use the full power of the Sōkyoku and only release a certain percentage of it. He will play his role and allow this possibility to play out, though it is just suspicion on his end. There are Vassals within the Date clan more than capable enough of undoing the seals. To that end this is nothing more than a courtesy call because at the end of the day Taro and the Date clan will do everything in their power to defend the Soul Society.

​

---

 

[Elk]

Elk stood watching the Kidō Corps members continue to struggle and fail at creating a barrier. Each attempt was destroyed with ease, each failure causing Elk’s jaw tightened, his body shifting back and forth while his fingers curled ever so slightly as his foot tapped against the ground—until an orange hue in the distance caught his eye. He turned toward it.

It looked like a volcano erupting from afar.

A light tap on his shoulder brought him back. One of the members of his division whispered into his ear before he sighed and nodded.

“A messenger? Let them in.

“Everyone! Stop what you’re doing—take five. Do what you need to do before resuming your training!”

The gathered crowd let out a sigh, mumbling and whispering among themselves. Some eyes shifted toward the barrier group, others toward Elk. Their fists clenched slightly as they walked away, leaving the courtyard barren once more, with only footprints in the sand and grass to mark activity.

Third Seat Elk H-

“Enough with the formalities. Deliver your message from Central Forty-Six and leave. It’s bad enough that you interrupted our training.”

The messenger flinched, his eyes shifting to the side while his fingers curled before he looked up at Elk.

“This is on a need-to-know basis. You are to prepare several of your men to undo the seals of the Sōkyoku when a Captain arrives.”

Elk’s tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek for a moment before his teeth began to grind together. He blinked, stepping back slightly, his eyes narrowing.

“If it’s a command from Central, then tell them it shall be done. Leave. We have much to prepare for.”

He turned away, his gaze shifting toward Sōkyoku Hill. Then, spotting one of his men watching the exchange, he raised a finger and curled it, motioning him closer.

“Gather twelve members who scored high—or relatively high—in unsealing the practice Sōkyoku seals. Along with them, select six of our best barrier-makers and another six proficient in concealment Kidō. Inform the quartermaster that each one will take a month’s supply of food. Once they’re ready, they are to report to me.”

The man nodded before heading into the barracks. Meanwhile, the rest of the unit returned to their training. Words were exchanged, light flashed and danced around them, and several Kidō were launched toward the barrier team. This time, the barrier held for a moment longer before the sound of shattering filled the air. One of the men threw his head back, nearly screaming in frustration.

Elk continued to watch—until a shadow was cast over them. His eyes narrowed, tracking it as it began to descend toward the doors.

In an instant, his image flickered, and he reappeared at the entrance.

”You may know who I am or you may not know given how your ilk tends to keep to themselves so much. I will let you know regardless. I am Taro Date, Captain of the Eleventh Division. You should have received word from Central Forty Six by now regarding my usage of the Sōkyoku. All I need from your people is to use the proper incantations to unseal its power when necessary. That should be simple enough for you to understand, Cogs.”

Elk’s eyes widened at the name given. His hand swept behind him as if drawing a curtain closed, creating the illusion of an empty yard before he pulled the doors open to look upon Taro. But as he did, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, goosebumps spreading across his skin while his stomach curled in on itself. Instinctively, he took a small step back.

“Yes, we are preparing for it at this moment. Rest assured, Captain, I have some of the best men gathering as we speak. When you arrive, they will be ready for you to unseal the Sōkyoku at your command. Now that I have a name and a face, this will work better…”

His hand drifted to the hilt of his Zanpakutō as he looked up at Captain Taro Date.

Despite the barrier between them, Elk knew it would do little to protect him from this man. No—that wasn’t the right word. Demon. That was more fitting. A demon hidden within a Shinigami’s flesh.

If this demon wanted his head, he doubted the barrier would hold him back. He recalled hushed whispers in the Rukongai, each one filled with fear and warnings of the Date clan.


​

 

[Adonai]

---

Poor Choice

After speaking the gates begin to open to the sight of a young man with light blue hair. Taro glances up noticing that there are no Shinigami left in the courtyard, how odd because he certainly saw and sensed them on his initial approach, so where did they all go or were they being hidden? His gaze returned to the one before him, the man had taken a step back and he reeked of fear. Taro drank it in, naturally, basking in the fear that radiated from the young man, it was a thing he was all too used to. Granted there are a few outliers who had decided to not take the hint but they all got what they deserved in the end for tempting the monster. Tempting, Taro’s mind lingers on that word for a moment, why had so many been tempting his hand today? He has tossed out more threats than necessary in a single day. The man finally speaks and Taro listens.

“Yes, we are preparing for it at this moment. Rest assured, Captain, I have some of the best men gathering as we speak. When you arrive, they will be ready for you to unseal the Sōkyoku at your command. Now that I have a name and a face, this will work better…”

Taro chuckled a bit as he looked at the young man, he even began to smile though this smile is nowhere near the same one he gave Shibuya Harai. This one is sinister, vile… Evil. He takes note of the man's hand drifting to his Zanpakuto and he took note of the final sentence the man spoke to him, it was very odd to say such a thing, very odd indeed.

”Fools believe bravery is the act of facing your fears when they are staring you in the face. But what they fail to tell you is how often the brave die to the thing they fear. They are celebrated, cheered for, respected. Let me tell you, I have put many brave fools in the dirt for standing up to me and I made them suffer every agonizing second of it.”

Kurogane swam around to Taro’s left, also sensing a strange hostility radiating from the blue haired man. She watched him as well and in this moment it was a two versus one situation. Whatever this situation would become, it would not end well for the Shinigami standing before Taro.

”Bakudo #26. Kyokkō, hiding or obscuring the physical form by bending light. There are people behind you, I don’t need to sense beyond your spell to know that, just like…”

He reaches out and places his fist against the barrier between him and Elk.

”I know about this barrier. You see, barriers are effective when used at the last second to stop an attack, or simply used to keep out unwanted visitors. If I know there is a barrier between me and my target, I simply break it.”

Something unknown to Elk and his knowledge of Kido unfolds before him as the fist of Taro begins to radiate with black Kido energy, a white outline forming around said energy as well. Taro continues to smile as he then speaks blasphemous words.

”Date Hado #1. Ten no Kuro (天の黒; Heavenly Black)”

Typically this spell forms into a projectile that launches from the hand, however, since his fist is flush against the barrier it explodes immediately and cracks the barrier, compromising its structural integrity. The Date have their own book of spells, while not as vast or numerous as the main branch of Kido they are unique in the sense that only those of Date blood can cast them. Their numbering system only denotes the order of which they were made, so Date Hado #1 could be vastly stronger than Date Hado #20. The particular spell just used is offensive in the sense that it can either pierce cleanly through a target, leaving a gaping hole or slam against any sort of Kido, Reishi, or other material and severely crack them, weakening their integrity, just like he has demonstrated. He pushes his fist against the barrier, cracking it further and further until it shatters. Taro’s fist is now in line with Elk’s head.

”What reason do you have to fear me upon just hearing my name and title, hm? Is it perhaps not me you are scared of but scared of what I may find out? You Kido Corps type are all so very secretive, so hush, hush with your dealings and activities. I should be the one reaching for my blade instead. Fear grips you like a vice…”

Taro retracts his hand and the moment he does the jagged edge of a scythe slings itself across Elk’s neck, hovering as the visage of a grim reaper looms over him, watching. This is Taro’s Reiatsu, a hallucination that manifests his killing intent in the form of a grim reaper.

”I can hear your heart pounding like drums from here. Now, tell me, what is your name and rank? I would like to know whom I am speaking with. Also, take your hand off your blade before I cut it off.”

---

​

 

[Elk]

That sinister smile had his fingers curling, rubbing against the hilt of his zanpakutō. Something about the man was unsettling, even more so when he spoke of putting fools into the ground—how the brave died. But that wasn’t Elk. It was instinctive. Despite having ample room to move and barriers he could set in place, he felt cornered by Captain Date. It was like looking down the barrel of a cannon pointed directly at him.

His eyes watched as a strange creature swam around Taro, unsure of what to make of it. As the captain explained the spell that had just been used to protect the identities of his fellow Corps members, his tone took on a scolding edge—one that, had it come from anyone else, would have made Elk narrow his eyes. Yet he did not do so, if only because a movement like that could be seen as hostile or, at the very least, disrespectful. And from his words and tone alone, it would be the last act that he would pr—

“Date Hadō #1. Ten no Kuro (天の黒; Heavenly Black)”

“Date Hadō?!?!”


The sound of cracking echoed throughout the barracks, followed by a shattering similar to glass breaking, ringing out across the grounds. The wind blew past Captain Date and Elk, yet Elk stood frozen in place. His heart pounded in his chest, each breath coming in faster than the last. His free hand twitched, fingers curling slightly as if wanting to rise and counter with a spell—but his mind held him back.

Facing Hollows had never felt this dangerous.

He was far too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the hand pressing up against the barrier—until it burst through, cracks splintering outward before the barrier shattered completely. Just as he had suspected, it did little to keep someone like Date out. But more concerning was the realization that if someone this powerful could break in so easily, then anyone strong enough could do the same.

”I can hear your heart pounding like drums from here. Now, tell me, what is your name and rank? I would like to know whom I am speaking with. Also, take your hand off your blade before I cut it off.”

Captain Date didn’t need to use his reiatsu to put the fear of the Soul King into Elk—no, it wasn’t his power affecting him. It was his actions and his clan’s name that had frozen him in fear. His hand moved away from his blade, yet his head twisted back as he sensed his fellow Kidō Corps members casting their spells. His body turned, and so did his arm—two fingers swiped across the air before several spells broke through Kyokkō’s layered illusion, only to be met with a barrier.

Most of the spells were in the range mid sixties to seventies, all absorbed into an invisible barrier placed onto the back of his neck. as the spells hit this barrier it would cause ripple effects. Each spell that connected with it would reveal more of the barrier, each one would show a rippled reflection of both Elk and Captain date. When the onslaught of spells was done, all of it was unleashed upwards at the barrier that Captain Date had broken. each spell crashed against the remnants of the shattered defense until it too broke, letting the shattered remains rain down upon the barracks. It might have been odd for Captain Date to see no incantations spoken for the barrier, yet this particular one had been set up when Elk was going after Michiya—a countermeasure against any Kidō thrown his way should the need arise.

“Shinpi Kagami.”

“Enough! While I did give the order to attack those who would break in—even if it was a Captain—Captain Date is exempted. He would slaughter the entire Kidō Corps if needed.

Captain Date, aside from myself, the Kidō Corps hides their members’ faces, protecting their identities when conducting our duties. I did not want you to see their faces while we were training here within the barracks.”

His body slowly turned, hands lifted up and away from his zanpakutō as he looked up at the demon before him. Yet, even as he did, his head turned slightly toward the barracks before shifting back to face the Captain.


“Your clan name is whispered in the Rukongai—something that spreads fear at the mere mention of ‘Date.’ After seeing you and what you’re capable of, I can see why your clan is feared.”

“Forgive my tardiness in introducing myself. I am Elk, Third Seated Officer of the Kidō Corps. If you wish to review the team I have assigned to your mission, they are ready and waiting in the barracks. I was about to debrief them on their duty to unseal the Sōkyoku seals and wait for your arrival. The only problem is… You’re a new Captain, and they don’t have a face put the name to. Would you prefer to debrief them yourself?”

His fear was still present, but he had begun to suppress it. His breathing slowed, each breath deeper than the last. He wasn’t sure how the Captain would react to his fellow members attacking him.
​

 

[Adonai]

---

It seems like the Kido Corps is quite trigger happy, a bit too trigger happy. To open fire on someone for simply showing up at their gates is appalling, almost treacherous to an extent. Taro had not barged into their barracks uninvited, he was at the front gate. While he broke the barrier between himself and Elk it was a demonstration of his power and a reminder that if he so chose he could reach Elk at any point he wanted. Several spells broke through the illusion of Kyokkō and as they rushed towards them Taro remained unphased, unmoved by their approach. He began to lift his right hand when Elk casted a counter spell of his own, one Taro was unfamiliar with. A strange sight indeed for two individuals to each cast unique spells that neither knows of. The spells are fired into the barrier causing it to fully break apart due to its structural integrity being jeopardized by Taro, who also lowers his right hand. Taro was planning to grab Elk by his throat and use him as a shield against the spells but it seems like the Cog served as a good enough shield regardless.

“Enough! While I did give the order to attack those who would break in—even if it was a Captain—Captain Date is exempted. He would slaughter the entire Kidō Corps if needed.

Captain Date, aside from myself, the Kidō Corps hides their members’ faces, protecting their identities when conducting our duties. I did not want you to see their faces while we were training here within the barracks.”

Taro stood silently, Kurogane nowhere to be seen at this point. Elk holds his hands up and away from his Zanpakuto, looking at Taro, then to his barracks, then finally back to Taro. That ever present smile is on Taro’s face, making him truly unreadable, was he pleased with what he saw? Was he angered? Was it both? Or was he perhaps unbothered by it all? An endless string of questions could fill one’s mind as they look at Taro, never knowing what his emotional state of mind is in the slightest.

“Your clan name is whispered in the Rukongai—something that spreads fear at the mere mention of ‘Date.’ After seeing you and what you’re capable of, I can see why your clan is feared.”

“Forgive my tardiness in introducing myself. I am Elk, Third Seated Officer of the Kidō Corps. If you wish to review the team I have assigned to your mission, they are-”

Fear Made Manifest

”Shut up you brown nosing Cog and keep your eyes fixed upon me and your hands up. Maintain that posture and pose, if you look away for even a second I’ll kill you for your insubordination. Ordering troops to fire upon an intruder instead of detaining them is outrageous, who do you think you are, Cog?”

Suddenly people begin to scream behind Elk, screaming bloody murder as spells can be heard firing off and crashing into walls followed by the sound of what sounds like someone chopping through meat and bone with a single cleave. Taro stands silently, staring at Elk, basking in the sounds he hears, basking in Elk’s fear. What was going on behind him and dare he turn around to see? His men were certainly being slaughtered but by what exactly? Should he turn to see he could potentially be killed here and now and Taro would have every provocation to do so since he was fired upon by the Kido Corps for no reason other than “boss told me to”. Taro’s eyes open, slowly, the embodiment of the Green-eyed Monster.

”Assemble a new team and have them on standby for the day the seals need to be broken. There is no sense in breaking them now since I don’t plan on hauling it around everyday waiting for the Hollow’s to attack. Be quick and prompt just as quick and prompt as your men were to fire upon me for no reason.”

The screaming stopped the moment Taro began talking and as he spoke Kurogane would return into Elk’s view, then there were two, three, four, five, six, seven, then finally eight black Ink fish, ranging from koi fish to carp in appearence, swimming around in the air behind Taro. All of them were the size of minivans, large enough to ride on top of and large enough to swallow a person whole.

*Plop*

*Crunch*

Each fish would float between Elk and Taro, spitting out a head that would fall at the blue haired man’s feet, some rolling and touching his foot. Their faces forever etched with horror and fear. Kurogane retaliated to the men who had attacked Taro, not purely on her own will but by order of Taro as well. He continued to stare at Elk, almost daring him to move even with the heads of his comrades laying at and touching his feet. Kurogane’s bite is like being cut by a blade, that horrifying thick cutting sound Elk had heard behind him was Kurogane “biting” the heads off of the individuals who had attacked them. They couldn’t defend themselves too well against the fish as they would fire at them but their spells would just pass through the inky bodies of the fish causing friendly fire to take place, so there is certainly more than just seven individuals dead within those Barracks.

”I do not care about your petty notions of anonymity. Hiding your face while you perform your duties is one thing but to hide your trash only for it to unfurl from behind a curtain in my direction is abhorrent and disgusting. Then trying to make excuses to say I am exempt because of who I am. Understand that if I didn’t arrive but instead another Captain did and they died…”

Taro leans in close, close enough to block out the sun from Elk’s vision causing a dark shadow to fall over Taro’s face, the only thing visible are the whites and green of his eyes. They are open wide, sickeningly so, the eyes of a psychopath.

”I would have arrived here to kill you and half of this pathetic organization. You exist in the shadow of the Gotei 13, without us you would be nothing but useless mages who get overpowered the moment their spells stop working. You are weak, soft, and arrogant. We Date created our own spells that you could never use or master to mock your kind. We are born with an affinity to Kido, casting it is as natural as breathing for us.”

Taro leans back, the light of day shining on his face once more and Elk can see the veins bulging from his head and some even on his face. Taro is livid.

”You are nothing more than glorified guards for relics and artifacts too dangerous for public use. Do not forget that, Cog.”

Taro’s Reiatsu flares up momentarily as he turns his back to Elk, approaching Kurogane, the eight fish became one as they swam into each other, leaving a singular inky goldfish. It seems like both Taro and Kurogane favor the Goldfish over the other variants. He hops on top of the fish and stares at Elk a bit longer.

”You are now permitted to move. Have a new team ready and make sure you clean up the filth in your division. Rotting corpses is not a good cologne scent.”

With that Taro flies away on Kurogane, heading back to the Eleventh Division Barracks.

---

To Eleventh Division​

 

[Elk]

“Shut up you brown nosing Cog and keep your eyes fixed upon me and your hands up. Maintain that posture and pose, if you look away for even a second I’ll kill you for your insubordination. Ordering troops to fire upon an intruder instead of detaining them is outrageous, who do you think you are, Cog?”

He dared not answer the question that was asked of him. One wrong word, one wrong move, and everything that he had been planning would be for nothing. Not a single expression could be seen on his face, except for one: regret. His breathing slowed down as he heard the sound of crunching, it had wanted him to flinch and look away as the sound of screams could be heard behind him. Spells were being launched; he could sense their movements before finally, it all came to a halt. Then the order came from Captain Date, wanting a new team to assemble.

His eyes remained on Captain Date as instructed, but his peripheral vision would catch the sight of those large and inky fish moving around Taro, obscuring his vision. Two things were revealed: he could make multiple fish from his zanpakutō, and the second being the Date Hadō spell—one that could break through his defenses. His only thoughts were on how to counter a spell with a spell, but doing so would most likely cause him to lose. The best course of action, if in a fight, would be to move far and wide away from this man—to avoid him at all costs. If he had to fight him, long-range paired with several defenses would be necessary.

Yet his face hid it all, only looking at the captain as he was being insulted the whole nine yards, as the captain's reiatsu flared up before finally turning around and looking at him upon his goldfish, at which point he gave his permission to move. As the captain flew away, Elk would sigh and pull back the curtain to reveal the dead bodies of the Kidō Corps members. All of them were assigned to the captain’s team.

There Elk sighed as he moved his head down, hair drooping as he walked to the headless bodies and knelt over them. Yet his thoughts were not of the Shinigami’s brutal deaths; it was something a little more sinister. A small smile could be seen beneath his face. Fewer numbers within the Kidō Corps meant more of a chance of success when it came to HER escaping.

“Have the men burnt and their ashes sent to their families. They may not have died in battle, but all the same, we cannot let their bodies fall into anyone’s hands! Even our own!”

Elk’s head rose up as tears could be seen dripping down his eyes. As his hands moved to wipe them away, he would look back at the barrier.

“Assemble anew when I return! Place a new barrier to prevent anyone from coming in, wear your masks! I am leaving to gather permission for something that should have been done a long time ago.”

His body would disappear as he left the Kidō Corps barracks, his destination unknown to those around him. While the barrier began to form up and over the barracks once more.
​

 

[Adonai]

---

Ten Days Later

---

​

 

[Elk]

"Do not mistake our leniency for approval, Elk. You now carry a burden few have ever shouldered. Do not disappoint us."

Those words had Elk uneasy. For the past ten days, he had instructed members of his squad to retrieve several scrolls, piling them together in a room. Meanwhile, he himself had been pushed into high gear, writing heartfelt letters to each of the families affected.

It didn’t take long for word to spread that the Arrancar had invaded and destroyed a good portion of Naruki City and had also attacked Karakura Town. This made Elk feel somewhat paranoid; such bold attacks in a short period had him deeply concerned. He quickly concluded that the vital areas of the Seireitei must be protected, so he ordered the entire Kidō Corps to gather in the courtyard.

Many voices could be heard whispering amongst one another, others talking loudly without a care in the world. Yet, as they continued to speak, footsteps approached from the barracks, and there Elk stood, his hand resting upon his zanpakutō.

“Can I get everyone’s attention!!!”

His voice boomed, and the talking soon stopped.

“As it stands right now, we are still under high alert after the world of the living was invaded. We can provide tremendous help in the defense of the Seireitei, and I wish for us to be more proactive in our role. As such, all of you have received a scroll assigning you to various locations across the Seireitei. A good portion of you will be defending key areas—the First Division and the Fourth Division. Your duty is clear: protect them with your lives.”

“Those not assigned to either of these divisions will be spread throughout the Seireitei, providing support to your fellow Shinigami, be it through combat or by extracting wounded Shinigami to the Fourth Division. Each of you has a role to play when the invasion comes! Let me make this clear—no one should be in the barracks by the time the invasion starts. Everyone should be fulfilling their assigned duties!”

Several faces showed shock, some groaned, others expressed relief, and a few showed excitement. The noise intensified until Elk’s reiatsu rose up, creating a pillar of teal light shooting into the sky.

“If you're wondering why we're leaving our barracks undefended and open for attack, it’s simple. You’re better off defending the Seireitei than guarding our secrets, for there won’t be any secrets left within these walls.”

Their eyes soon reflected relief, and conversation dropped to whispers.

“For now, everyone resume your day, be it training or relaxing, but be prepared!”

​