The Soul Society
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Inkmasterru
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No shunpo, no silent entry urged by schedule and responsibility. Kazuki, after appearing a few feet from the gates, just… walked. Three earthy-red jars gently swaying over his shoulder, one significantly bigger than the others. Hanging casually by red twine, resting on two fingers. Not making an effort to hide nor intimidate as he approached the gate guardian.
“Hey, long time no see.”
The guardian looked down and scoffed as a smile crept on his face. The guardian towering over the shinigami that approached him with no fear or concern.
“Oh… it's you. After all these decades you finally decided to visit me. Took ya long enough, you damn brat.”
The guardian placed down his giant axe and leaned against it as he scratched his chin. His gaze observing Kazuki’s disheveled state, before his big lips fully twisting into a grin.
“Ya look like shit.”
Kazuki chuckled as he rubbed his face, letting out a sigh of fatigue.
“I suppose I do. Sorry I took so long, was caught up in repaying a debt of an old friend.”
The jars full of liquid, sloshed as they came off his shoulder. Wrapping the cord around his hand as they gently clicked against one another.
“ After recent events, I think it's finally repaid even though I don't quite believe it yet. So once more I wander on a path with no concept of my destination.”
Swaying gently, Kazuki walked over to the guardian. Sitting down as he offered one of the jars to him.
“Meanwhile, I don't see the harm in sharing a drink with an old acquaintance. I apologize for it not being as strong as you usually like, we are at war after-all.”
One of the massive hands clasped around Kazuki's, before pulling away the larger jar. His teeth biting the cork and pulling it out with ease, spitting it out. As it bounced and scattered on the stone street. The sweet liquid coursing down his throat, after drinking he wiped his lips and beard with satisfaction.
“It will do, it will do.”
Kazuki nodded as he swiftly pulled the cork from one of the remaining two. Taking a swig as he slightly grimaced, the smile faltering as he swallowed the drink. They sat in silence, before the guardian broke it first with his words.
“So… I heard you became a lieutenant and then recently stepped down. Want to talk about it?”
Kazuki scoffed and shook his head, taking a deep swig. A bitterness burned in his words as they spilled from his lips.
“What is there to talk about? I stepped down from an empty title that held no weight or merit. Something that most see as a formality, a position chosen on the whim of a captain. Even the rank of captain is spat upon by those who only value unchecked power and brute strength.”
“Then they are fools. Of course, strength is Important and should be highly valued. If you are not strong, you die, simple as that especially in our line of work.”
The guardian sat down next to Kazuki as the ground shook softly with a thud.
“Yet… we must not forget that we are an army. The strong that keep to themselves eventually die and are forgotten. While the weak are forced to rely on others. Forced to see eye to eye with their comrades and subordinates, to work together. To accept their weakness and learn of their other strengths that aren't the literal sense of it."
The guardian took a nice swig, before lowering the jar back on his lap as he leaned into his right palm. Gaze set on the streets of East Rukongai before them. The people scattering in the alleyway and stalls as they avoided the guardian and Kazuki.
" Even a colony of ants can defeat a larger foe."
"Like a pack of wolves can defeat a larger foe."
The gate guardian nodded in approval at Kazuki’s analogy. A couple more swigs as they enjoyed each others company, sight set upon the Rukongai. Watching the bustling crowds move about, even the occasional shinigami sqauds running through to whatever destination they were headed to. Sighing, it was now Kazuki who broke the silence.
"Kaiwan, How goes it in the Rukongai?"
A layered question left his lips. As one thing amongst the chaos few considered was how the rukongai was effected. The deaths that piled up in the human world because of the 10th and 13th failure. The army of hollows slain lead by Adjuchas left unchecked by the 5th division negligence. The influx of souls that must be pouring into the soul society must be immense. Kaiwan unleashed a deep exhale as he scratched the back of his neck.
"With the recent deaths caused by the invasion... there have been a torrent of new souls coming here to the Rukongai. So much so that the 3rd division have been overwhelmed in keeping order, especially with their lack of proper leadership. Those unhappy with the shinigami are taking advantage of the chaos. As civil discontent continues to grow and more riots seem to popping up everywhere."
Cracks will be audible as Kazuki's grip tightened on the jar. His smile hanging by a thread as one side of the lip twitched slightly. He blamed himself for this, this was his fault. Kaiwan noticed and gave a look of concern.
"It isn't your fault. Despite us all pointing fingers on who is a fault or who to blame... in reality we all share fault for this burden, this failure. You did all you could, kid."
"No... no I did not."
The smile vanished and the voiced emitted nothing but a violent hiss. His reiatsu slowly leaking as dread crept into the guardian and the villagers near them. The guardian had a sweat beat go down his forehead, before he shook it off. While the crowd took notice and begun to rapidly gain distance from Kazuki. Kaiwan had a stotic expression set as listened to Kazuki.
"I failed as a shinigami, failed as a lieutenant. Failing both the 10th division and the gotei 13. The blood of my subordinates, my comrades, those ...humans are on my hands! For the past 10 days the food and drinks I have partook has tasted like ash. Even something as sweet as this."
A deep swig as Kazuki gulped down the liquid rapidly. Before exhaling sharply, the mouth twisting from the flavor that plagued his tongue. His reiaitsu as soon as it appeared, whispered away. Then he felt a massive hand cover his shoulders and looked at Kaiwan give a genuine look of concern.
"This is about Shin'ichi isn't it?"
Kazuki was surprised that he remembered him.
"Foolish brat he was, yet he was a kind fool. The kind to go out of his way to help the little folk, often at his own inconvenience."
Kaiwan patted Kazuki back gently, making the smile slowly return.
"You not a failure, kid. Far from it, you've only lived for a little over 2 centuries, you're still young. There are those who lived thrice as long and lived half the life you did. For my lifespan, I have seen great shinigami make great mistakes and fade away in their arrogance. While those like Shin'ichi, who seem insignificant, still live on through us and how we remember them."
"If he was alive now... I think he will be proud of the shinigami you chose to become. You are no longer that whelp that arrived at my gate all those decades ago. Now that the debt is paid... you must search further what shinigami you wish become without his guidance."
Kazuki chuckled as he shook his head, but then sighed in contempt. Without his guidance, huh... what path will that be I wonder? And Kazuki continued to stare at the Rukongai as he took another swig, before whispering a reply.
"Thanks, Kaiwan."
“Hey, long time no see.”
The guardian looked down and scoffed as a smile crept on his face. The guardian towering over the shinigami that approached him with no fear or concern.
“Oh… it's you. After all these decades you finally decided to visit me. Took ya long enough, you damn brat.”
The guardian placed down his giant axe and leaned against it as he scratched his chin. His gaze observing Kazuki’s disheveled state, before his big lips fully twisting into a grin.
“Ya look like shit.”
Kazuki chuckled as he rubbed his face, letting out a sigh of fatigue.
“I suppose I do. Sorry I took so long, was caught up in repaying a debt of an old friend.”
The jars full of liquid, sloshed as they came off his shoulder. Wrapping the cord around his hand as they gently clicked against one another.
“ After recent events, I think it's finally repaid even though I don't quite believe it yet. So once more I wander on a path with no concept of my destination.”
Swaying gently, Kazuki walked over to the guardian. Sitting down as he offered one of the jars to him.
“Meanwhile, I don't see the harm in sharing a drink with an old acquaintance. I apologize for it not being as strong as you usually like, we are at war after-all.”
One of the massive hands clasped around Kazuki's, before pulling away the larger jar. His teeth biting the cork and pulling it out with ease, spitting it out. As it bounced and scattered on the stone street. The sweet liquid coursing down his throat, after drinking he wiped his lips and beard with satisfaction.
“It will do, it will do.”
Kazuki nodded as he swiftly pulled the cork from one of the remaining two. Taking a swig as he slightly grimaced, the smile faltering as he swallowed the drink. They sat in silence, before the guardian broke it first with his words.
“So… I heard you became a lieutenant and then recently stepped down. Want to talk about it?”
Kazuki scoffed and shook his head, taking a deep swig. A bitterness burned in his words as they spilled from his lips.
“What is there to talk about? I stepped down from an empty title that held no weight or merit. Something that most see as a formality, a position chosen on the whim of a captain. Even the rank of captain is spat upon by those who only value unchecked power and brute strength.”
“Then they are fools. Of course, strength is Important and should be highly valued. If you are not strong, you die, simple as that especially in our line of work.”
The guardian sat down next to Kazuki as the ground shook softly with a thud.
“Yet… we must not forget that we are an army. The strong that keep to themselves eventually die and are forgotten. While the weak are forced to rely on others. Forced to see eye to eye with their comrades and subordinates, to work together. To accept their weakness and learn of their other strengths that aren't the literal sense of it."
The guardian took a nice swig, before lowering the jar back on his lap as he leaned into his right palm. Gaze set on the streets of East Rukongai before them. The people scattering in the alleyway and stalls as they avoided the guardian and Kazuki.
" Even a colony of ants can defeat a larger foe."
"Like a pack of wolves can defeat a larger foe."
The gate guardian nodded in approval at Kazuki’s analogy. A couple more swigs as they enjoyed each others company, sight set upon the Rukongai. Watching the bustling crowds move about, even the occasional shinigami sqauds running through to whatever destination they were headed to. Sighing, it was now Kazuki who broke the silence.
"Kaiwan, How goes it in the Rukongai?"
A layered question left his lips. As one thing amongst the chaos few considered was how the rukongai was effected. The deaths that piled up in the human world because of the 10th and 13th failure. The army of hollows slain lead by Adjuchas left unchecked by the 5th division negligence. The influx of souls that must be pouring into the soul society must be immense. Kaiwan unleashed a deep exhale as he scratched the back of his neck.
"With the recent deaths caused by the invasion... there have been a torrent of new souls coming here to the Rukongai. So much so that the 3rd division have been overwhelmed in keeping order, especially with their lack of proper leadership. Those unhappy with the shinigami are taking advantage of the chaos. As civil discontent continues to grow and more riots seem to popping up everywhere."
Cracks will be audible as Kazuki's grip tightened on the jar. His smile hanging by a thread as one side of the lip twitched slightly. He blamed himself for this, this was his fault. Kaiwan noticed and gave a look of concern.
"It isn't your fault. Despite us all pointing fingers on who is a fault or who to blame... in reality we all share fault for this burden, this failure. You did all you could, kid."
"No... no I did not."
The smile vanished and the voiced emitted nothing but a violent hiss. His reiatsu slowly leaking as dread crept into the guardian and the villagers near them. The guardian had a sweat beat go down his forehead, before he shook it off. While the crowd took notice and begun to rapidly gain distance from Kazuki. Kaiwan had a stotic expression set as listened to Kazuki.
"I failed as a shinigami, failed as a lieutenant. Failing both the 10th division and the gotei 13. The blood of my subordinates, my comrades, those ...humans are on my hands! For the past 10 days the food and drinks I have partook has tasted like ash. Even something as sweet as this."
A deep swig as Kazuki gulped down the liquid rapidly. Before exhaling sharply, the mouth twisting from the flavor that plagued his tongue. His reiaitsu as soon as it appeared, whispered away. Then he felt a massive hand cover his shoulders and looked at Kaiwan give a genuine look of concern.
"This is about Shin'ichi isn't it?"
Kazuki was surprised that he remembered him.
"Foolish brat he was, yet he was a kind fool. The kind to go out of his way to help the little folk, often at his own inconvenience."
Kaiwan patted Kazuki back gently, making the smile slowly return.
"You not a failure, kid. Far from it, you've only lived for a little over 2 centuries, you're still young. There are those who lived thrice as long and lived half the life you did. For my lifespan, I have seen great shinigami make great mistakes and fade away in their arrogance. While those like Shin'ichi, who seem insignificant, still live on through us and how we remember them."
"If he was alive now... I think he will be proud of the shinigami you chose to become. You are no longer that whelp that arrived at my gate all those decades ago. Now that the debt is paid... you must search further what shinigami you wish become without his guidance."
Kazuki chuckled as he shook his head, but then sighed in contempt. Without his guidance, huh... what path will that be I wonder? And Kazuki continued to stare at the Rukongai as he took another swig, before whispering a reply.
"Thanks, Kaiwan."
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Frea
New member
As she got to the gates, she stayed back for a while to observe the eastern gate guardian, who was 10x larger than any other shinigami. The gate guardians were abnormally large to be shinigami themselves; however, they were very useful in operating and guarding the massive gates that separate the seireitei from the rukongai and other soul society places. They protected the seireitei from troublemakers to which Nanami was thankful, whoever attack the shinigami is scum in her eyes and always should be punished for attacking those who protect the soul of society from any harm. Of course, the seireitei themselves have their scums too, ones that are stuck up and think their nobility was justified for their actions.
As she inched closer, she saw a shinigami talking to the guardian. Her brown eyes scanned the male, who was average height and somewhat muscular, and her eyes widened in surprise at how similar he looked to her late father. She could not help but wonder if he was related to her through Chikao Teishi, her adopted father and the possibility that the boy mentioned in the letter from over 100 years ago or more. Of course, it was rude not to introduce herself to him and question him to be sure.
The mature purple-haired woman spoke up with her calm and relaxing voice.
"Greetings there, Mr Guardian, how are you today? And hello there to you as well."
She took a moment to gather up her words, her questions for him. More she studied Kazuki, the more she saw her old man. Which bought some form of hurt and guilt pangs which tightened up her chest.
"Sorry to disrupt your conversation, my dears. However, you, the boy."
She blatantly asked him in a courageous voice, trying to strike up a conversation.
"You look a lot like my Father. Chikao Teishi, or rather..there was another family name...what was it..."
-
"Ah yes, Chikao Sazanami."
She awaited for males reponse she heard the abrupt laughter from the guardian at her question which in turn made her feel embrassed about her question.
I
Inkmasterru
Guest
As he was about to take another sip, yet his arm halted, holding the jar only inches from his lips. He expected around this time for Iwamura to join them, yet the reiatsu he sensed was someone new, someone he didn't have the pleasure of meeting yet.
"Greetings there, Mr Guardian, how are you today? And hello there to you as well."
Kazuki tilted his head back to set his sight upon Nanami. The short purple bob-cut, the scar upon her cheek and ah... the lab coat. It was safe to assume she was someone from the 12th division. Though what has brought one of the lab rats from their den and towards the rukongai is indeed a mystery.
"Sorry to disrupt your conversation, my dears. However, you, the boy."
Kazuki raised a eyebrow, while still maintaining his gentle smile. Boy? Who did this woman think she was, though that did indicate that she was older than him. Or at least she thought she was, one could never tell as the appearance of a shinigami rarely matched their true age. Slowly he placed the jar down and pushed off the ground, softly groaning as his muscles coiled and relaxed. His legs a bit numb for sitting for quite some time. His cheeks weren't even flushed as there was not even enough proof in the alcohol to get tispy. He took a step closer to her as she continued to speak.
"You look a lot like my Father. Chikao Teishi, or rather..there was another family name...what was it..."
Chikao? Teishi? Can't say that Kazuki has heard of that name though it did ring a bell. Chikao, Chikao, why does that name sound familiar? It was all out the blue, a 12th division member appears out of nowhere and speak about her father to him. Though as he stood closer, she too started to look familiar, where has he seen he before. No... now that he stood closer even her reiatsu signature felt familiar as well, though it didn't feel recent, it felt old. Did they cross paths in the past, but where, when? Years, decades flashed as he tried to remember where he may have met this woman, only to draw blanks.
This isn't like him, to not remember a reiatsu signature, to not remember one he has met before. Given enough time and memorizing, none escaped the archives of mind, not even the dead, but she did.
"Ah yes, Chikao Sazanami."
Kazuki halted in his steps... as the smile immediately dropped. Eyes wide as Kazuki had flashes of memories flicker in eyes. So vivid in his gaze than if someone else looked close, they will see what he saw. For the second time within ten days, he relived the massacre of his entire family, once with the white wolf and now with this stranger. He stared at Nanami, no he stared past her as he was now in the past, not the present.
Blood spattering on his face, cousins falling like wheat. His mother trying to be his shield with her body and his father attempting to add the shinigami. He stood in place, frozen like a statue.
Until Kaiwan engulfed Kazuki's head with his massive hand and gently ruffled his hair. He was chuckling at the question, but abruptly stopped as he saw Kazuki going through the equivalent of shell-shock.
"Kid, hey kid, snap out it."
Kazuki's eyes blinked rapidly before he shook his head as took a deep breath. Not even realizing that during his shell-shock he stopped breathing. A slow exhale whisped out of his lips as a hand rubbed his forehead, while simultaneously covering his eyes.
Despite being at peace with himself... there were still so many fragments left to fix. Just because the healing has started didn't mean he was fully healed. A wound that festered for decades sometimes take just as long to heal. After what seemed like years for the young shinigami, he finally managed to form his words.
"I'm... fine, spaced out is all. It has been a common occurrence lately... it will pass."
The hand lowered and Kazuki glared at Nanami. Unintentionally the gaze was intense as if he hasn't fully returned from the past, his body still feeling as if it was currently in danger from a threat that wasn't around. If she looked look enough, a red tint will be visible in his eyes. While luckily his reiatsu remained quiet and calm as he managed to retain some control of his body and mind.
"The one you speak of... is my Grandfather. Slaughtered by hollows for almost 2 centuries now. I am his grandson, Sazanami Kazuki, last of the direct lineage of the Sazanami Clan. There were no other surviors and I hold no relation to this Teishi clan. So I ask... who are you and what proof do you have to these claims? What do you mean that he was your father, explain..."
Kazuki clenched his knuckles and then punched himself hard in the forehead. He managed to stagger himself as blood trickled down his head and onto the stone street. Then he looked up as the intense look was gone and the soft smile returned.
"I...I apologize... please, explain yourself."
Frea
New member
"Now, now don't get yourself in a pickle there, kid..."
She took a bit of a deep breath.
"The Sazanami clan is the Teishi clan. Chikao, your grandfather had written this letter when the two hollows attacked"
"He changed the name to Sazanami due to the old Teishi clan used to be criminals, in the letter it does mention you, my boy."
///Flashback two centuries ago.//
Nanami was at her home rather than in the seireitei, she had a lab built underneath the small manor She was working on experiments with two hollows, injecting them with mysterious substances, researching how they would act towards each other, rather than whether they could team up together to destroy a shinigami, where something went wrong. The two hollows escaped her lab and rummaged their way out, destroying anything and everything that was in their sight.
Screams of helplessness, the thumps of those who tried to escape the two hollows that seemed to be working together on destroying the whole manor, leaving nothing but wreckage and carnage. Half-eaten bodies, some even died from being hit by the infamous hollow's cero. Nanami looked at the carnage in amazement at how much damage she had caused, though she had just got into the 12th division...She was shocked that her experiment went well in terms of research, but it was also a failure due to her home and clan being destroyed.
Nanami jumped into the air to sneak attack the two who caused the ruckus and wielded her zanpakuto, and drove the sharp blade into the heads of the two hollows, causing them to turn to dust. After the death of her hollows, she began to walk around the manor that reeked of death. Her eyes went into sorrow as she knew this was all her fault. She walked into Chikao's room to see his body lying on the floor, dead. His lower half was bitten off, and you could see where he tried to escape the hollow's mouth with somewhat of success. She noticed a letter written to her. She scanned the blood-soaked paper, reading each word with her eyes. She cried as she grabbed her father's cloak that was in his closet, which was the cloak he had first met her in. She placed it on and began to continue to search the residence for some life, There she spotted a young boy with white hair. She looked down at him, pitying him for not having any family left...or rather, his major. She ducked down so he wouldn't be able to see her face at there, she began to run away in opposite direction leaving the boy there to die alone hoping nobody would ever see the disaster she had caused
//flashback ends//
She looked Kazuki straight in the face, her expression was full of grimness, and she outright said her truth.
"I killed everyone, I was the one who set those hollows free."
There she turned around and started to run off once again, this time down south.
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Inkmasterru
Guest
Kazuki chuckled at her disgusted look as to others punching oneself would certainly be quite odd. Yet it was necessary as the merging with his less merciful self was not yet fully seamless.
"Now, now don't get yourself in a pickle there, kid..."
"Heh, I am... sorry about that. Let's just say my past... self has no place in the present."
A vague answer, but one that held truth. Childish or not, the punch prevented unnecessary bloodshed evoked by ptsd. Otherwise a tense conversation will go quite messy and unpleasant, more than it needs to be to say the least.
"The Sazanami clan is the Teishi clan. Chikao, your grandfather had written this letter when the two hollows attacked. He changed the name to Sazanami due to the old Teishi clan used to be criminals, in the letter it does mention you, my boy."
"Now, now don't get yourself in a pickle there, kid..."
"Heh, I am... sorry about that. Let's just say my past... self has no place in the present."
A vague answer, but one that held truth. Childish or not, the punch prevented unnecessary bloodshed evoked by ptsd. Otherwise a tense conversation will go quite messy and unpleasant, more than it needs to be to say the least.
"The Sazanami clan is the Teishi clan. Chikao, your grandfather had written this letter when the two hollows attacked. He changed the name to Sazanami due to the old Teishi clan used to be criminals, in the letter it does mention you, my boy."
Kazuki's head tilted in intrigue as he scratched his scruffy stubble. Hand gently taking the letter from her hand, standing only inches from her face as he read it. To Kazuki this information changed nothing, still proud of the linage he came from. That his grandfather most likely changed the name not to just save face. Yet to forge a new path, a new legacy for the family, one of honor and loyalty. To help people rather than stealing from them. Nothing to be ashamed of and if this letter indicated anything, it was that this before him was person was his Aunt.
Indeed the letter did mention him, mostly descriptions of how he was being raised. How grandfather Chikao was very proud of Kazuki and said that he may follow in his aunt's footsteps to become a shinigami. He also described about his cousins and how they were growing. How the family was selected to become a minor clan within the seireitei and will come to see her soon. The Sazanami name willing and welcoming of her.
"This... this brings back good memories... despite it being caked in blood. Do you mind if I keep this as a memento of Chikao and... the others.
Kazuki body fully relaxed. Another fragment returning to it's proper place as the soft smile was now a sincere one. He gently put a hand on Nanami's shoulder and looked her in the eyes.
"I guess... this means you are family and as such I welcome you to the Sazana...."
"I killed everyone, I was the one who set those hollows free."
The words halted on his tongue. Silence choked at everyone's throats, Kazuki frozen in shock. The guardian dropping his massive jar as it shattered before his feet. And as Nanami attempted to flee, she would feel a hand sharply grab her wrist. No not grab... Crush her wrist and as she would look in the face of Kazuki, she will see that he wasn't there.
The pupils pure red, his reiatsu rushing forth like a torrent. The feeling of dread washing over everyone. Such dread that it made the throat dry, palms sweat and fear climb. Fear of the unknown, of what is to come. The only shinigami would most likely remain on their feet, but they will feel a weight on their shoulders. While others struggled to move, struggled to breath as panic begun to set in.
"Choose your next words wisely, rat."
The words hissed out sharply, cutting into Nanami without mercy. This was not Kazuki... this was the white wolf or was it both? The two working in tandem of the grief, confusion and betrayal they both felt. Both wanting to lash out, yet both restraining themselves, only a brink from erupting. A brink from tearing her apart, she was responsible for... for... everything. The death of his family, the death of Shin'ichi, the years in poverty and fighting for survival and scraps. It was all HER fault.
Then before he could continue interogating Nanami, he felt a unfamiliar reiatsu appear in the 10th. And before he could dissect it, a beacon of pink tore through the sky. His grip didn't loosen on Nanami's wrist as he observed the abnormality and it was clear. That was not a kido spell, it was a cero. Part two of the invasion has begun, the arrancar... are here and they are at the tenth. He must hurry before he fails his subordinates again.
Letting go of Nanami's wrist, he walked a few steps forward as his reiatsu was drawn back into his body. His pupils returning to it's former grey color, yet still retaining a red glint. The anger now tempered with his sense of duty.
"You and I are not done with this... conversation. Yet one thing is clear... you are no Sazanami, no... family to me. I don't think I can forgive you... but maybe my opinion will change given some time. I don't know... I just need time to grief and possess all of... this."
"Kaiwan, spread the alert and put the eastern gate on lock down. The second part of the invasion has begun."
Then Kazuki vanished without a trace. His feet soaring towards the 10th division as fast as he could go. The smile despite what he felt now was burned into his face, but now it was twisted. No longer it was gentle, but frightening. Nanami has got him riled up and now... he was in no mood for mercy... lucky his blade will be aimed towards the proper enemy. Tonight the streets of the seireitei will be drenched with hollow blood.
Indeed the letter did mention him, mostly descriptions of how he was being raised. How grandfather Chikao was very proud of Kazuki and said that he may follow in his aunt's footsteps to become a shinigami. He also described about his cousins and how they were growing. How the family was selected to become a minor clan within the seireitei and will come to see her soon. The Sazanami name willing and welcoming of her.
"This... this brings back good memories... despite it being caked in blood. Do you mind if I keep this as a memento of Chikao and... the others.
Kazuki body fully relaxed. Another fragment returning to it's proper place as the soft smile was now a sincere one. He gently put a hand on Nanami's shoulder and looked her in the eyes.
"I guess... this means you are family and as such I welcome you to the Sazana...."
"I killed everyone, I was the one who set those hollows free."
The words halted on his tongue. Silence choked at everyone's throats, Kazuki frozen in shock. The guardian dropping his massive jar as it shattered before his feet. And as Nanami attempted to flee, she would feel a hand sharply grab her wrist. No not grab... Crush her wrist and as she would look in the face of Kazuki, she will see that he wasn't there.
The pupils pure red, his reiatsu rushing forth like a torrent. The feeling of dread washing over everyone. Such dread that it made the throat dry, palms sweat and fear climb. Fear of the unknown, of what is to come. The only shinigami would most likely remain on their feet, but they will feel a weight on their shoulders. While others struggled to move, struggled to breath as panic begun to set in.
"Choose your next words wisely, rat."
The words hissed out sharply, cutting into Nanami without mercy. This was not Kazuki... this was the white wolf or was it both? The two working in tandem of the grief, confusion and betrayal they both felt. Both wanting to lash out, yet both restraining themselves, only a brink from erupting. A brink from tearing her apart, she was responsible for... for... everything. The death of his family, the death of Shin'ichi, the years in poverty and fighting for survival and scraps. It was all HER fault.
Then before he could continue interogating Nanami, he felt a unfamiliar reiatsu appear in the 10th. And before he could dissect it, a beacon of pink tore through the sky. His grip didn't loosen on Nanami's wrist as he observed the abnormality and it was clear. That was not a kido spell, it was a cero. Part two of the invasion has begun, the arrancar... are here and they are at the tenth. He must hurry before he fails his subordinates again.
Letting go of Nanami's wrist, he walked a few steps forward as his reiatsu was drawn back into his body. His pupils returning to it's former grey color, yet still retaining a red glint. The anger now tempered with his sense of duty.
"You and I are not done with this... conversation. Yet one thing is clear... you are no Sazanami, no... family to me. I don't think I can forgive you... but maybe my opinion will change given some time. I don't know... I just need time to grief and possess all of... this."
"Kaiwan, spread the alert and put the eastern gate on lock down. The second part of the invasion has begun."
Then Kazuki vanished without a trace. His feet soaring towards the 10th division as fast as he could go. The smile despite what he felt now was burned into his face, but now it was twisted. No longer it was gentle, but frightening. Nanami has got him riled up and now... he was in no mood for mercy... lucky his blade will be aimed towards the proper enemy. Tonight the streets of the seireitei will be drenched with hollow blood.
HEADING FROM EASTERN GATE TO 1OTH DIVISION BARRACKS
Kuvello
Member
-Listen and Read-
As the Shinigami all milled about their business, a singularity would begin to etch its way across the blue sky. A single black line severed the fabric of time and space itself as divisions would begin to pull away from one another like curtains rising upon a stage just as a show was about to begin. From within this distortion, this portal, a single object would begin to fall from it's maw. If a stray Shinigami were to catch the sudden appearance of the maw in the sky, a simple double take would leave them guessing if what they had just witness had been there to start with all along. No spiritual pressure could be sensed from the sudden appearance, nor could one visibly tell what had been delivered from the sudden disturbance.
A digit, a single severed finger would fall from the sky, landing within a random area of the Seireitei at a seemingly random time. A bubbling mass of flesh would begin to erupt from it's knuckle, the point at which it had been severed. As the object landed within the vicinity of three Shinigami without a sound, the sudden grotesque movements of the severed appendage would alert those nearby as they watched in both curiosity and horror.
"You guys are seeing what I'm seeing right? I'm not just imagining things?"
"I was about to ask the same thing, do you think this could be a side effect from my testing at 12th?"
"You fool, if it was a side effect, it would just be you seeing this. Look it's formed into a full hand now. I don't like how it's crawling around like that"
"Tch, look at you lot, pussy-footing around are we? All you have to do is THIS!"
Suddenly the burly female Shinigami would motion to stab her Zanpakuto into the palm of this strange disembodied hand, however this did not stop the hand from continuing it's formation. In the process of being pinned, the hand would squirm, ripping itself from the blade, as a few more fingers were severed in the struggle and quickly regrown from the stumps.
"Wh-what the hell?"
"Now you've done it Matsuri. You've just made the problem worse!"
The same grotesque bubbling of flesh would explode from the severed fingers, as bones, flesh, and sinews began to expel from the limbs, forming into humanoid shaped before them, as they began to flee in sheer terror dropping their cups of freshly poured sake, and their rice balls to the ground as they rounded the corner. Four nude humanoids would rise from the ground as they began to take in their surroundings, each of them tapping into the same consciousness as thoughts, and ideas were shared silently amongst the four. Each of the four looked like an exact replica of the other, no telling mark or scar could differentiate one from the other. Taking to each of the four cardinal directions, the clones would disperse, their forms vanishing from the area in such feats of speed that seemed to outpace the average shunpo.
In different locations, each clone would move into a darkened area, tracking a lone Shinigami like a predator would their prey, before moving in for the swift and silent kill. the single motion of latching onto the unfortunate soul's body and spinning their head three hundred and sixty degrees before dragging their limp corpse back into the shadows, as it was quickly devoured. Almost in unison, the clones would emerge from the darkened areas of the Seireitei, adopting the asauchi and shuhakusho of their unfortunate victims, as they made their way into the soul society. Ready to metastasize into the various divisions that lay prime for the taking.
Only one command programmed their means of assault: "Stir chaos and assimilate."
Frea
New member
As she was going to escape before things got ugly between the two relatives, she was stopped by Kazuki, holding her wrist. It wasn't a gentle hold. No. It was a crushing force. She had a stoic look on her face upon seeing his angered expression, the way he was crushing her wrist made it known he was pissed off at her confession. She didn't blame him at all for the way he felt after all. It wasn't every day that someone confessed they messed up in the past, especially about killing. Nanami just felt nothing. She felt numb.
She raised her right arm at a 90-degree angle, her hand curled into a fist, only leaving two fingers available. She trickled a small amount of reiatsu onto the two fingers, ready to jab the young male's weak spot in the stomach to get him to release his grip on her wrist. However, there was an unknown form of pressure, it didn't come from a Shinigami; it came from a very powerful hollow within the Seireitei itself. Due to this, Sazanami released the woman's wrist and off in the direction from which the foreign spiritual presence came. Because of the disruption, it had saved Kazuki and Nanami from killing each other. Releasing her fist, Nanami turned towards the northwest direction, where she had started rushing back towards the twelfth.
On the way there, she saw the gruesome sight of the shinigami hoarding what appeared to be a severed hand, stabbing it, which caused it to multiply into multiple other hands. Nanami was fascinated, wondering if she could bring back an example, of course, on occasions like this, Nanami shuffled around in her top half for a small container full of small balls. Before she could, the limbs were gone. She sighed as she continued to go towards the twelfth.
Elk
Member
---------From Northwest Seireitei-------->
There Elk stood, standing on top of a wall, his hands in his pockets as he looked over at the large cocoon that sat atop First Division. His eyes narrowed for a moment before another figure appeared—it was none other than the scientist herself.
“You know… when I met you, I was almost becoming a blind dog to the Seireitei.”
“Now? I’m a traitor to it.”
“Those old men and the 12th Division had it too good for too long. I’m glad the Arrancar came.”
“Don’t you agree?”
“Sumire Shihōin?”
Her eyes watched Elk speak. Her lips began to curl upward, growing more and more as he continued, until laughter burst from her. Her body curled over for a moment as her purple hair dangled downward, then swung back as she slowly rose up.
“Of course I agree!”
“Why do you think I was onboard with the Shiba? I wanted to help change it for the better—but we all KNOW how that turned out.”
“Regardless, I worked with you because I remembered that file oh so well…”
“That plague was rather… effective, courtesy of the 12th. It killed more than just your family, Elk. It was eventually contained, but before it was—the incompetence of the 12th and Central 46’s decision to cover it up became my disillusionment.”
“Now, shall we head to the World of the Living? Away from prying eyes and walls with ears?”
His finger tapped lightly against the Hōgyoku as he looked down at the woman while she spoke. His teeth ground together for a moment before he turned back toward the cocoon. A soft sigh escaped him.
“Not yet. I have one spell I’ve wanted to try for a very long time… and that looks like it would be a good target.”
His hand pointed toward the cocoon, and Sumire’s head tilted, her body shifting slightly to the left.
“Oh, stars that pierce the heavens, Reveal yourself—Hadō #94: Michibiki no Hoshi! The relentless seeker of fate! Cut through the void, and lead the righteous to their destined glory!”
He dropped down on one knee, arms spread out and lifted toward the sky. Far above both him and the Shihōin, a blue beam of light descended from the sky, illuminating everything around it. As it came down, it streamed toward the cocoon, where smaller beams of blue light began branching out—traveling forward, then down—getting closer and closer to Central and the cocoon.
“Let’s go. There’s no need to watch.”
“It’s my parting gift to the Seireitei.”
Sumire only nodded as the two made their way toward the Senkaimon gate. No guards from the Kidō Corps were present—in fact, there was very little activity here due to the irrelevance of protecting a door that shouldn’t work during times like these. However, both individuals had prepared far in advance. As they approached, a butterfly landed on the gate. Slowly, it pried open.
Then the two walked forward into the light and into the World of the Living.