[BitP:R] Soul Society 3

[strawberryman]

[1st Division]

After a long, scenic walk, Ryouichi finally walks through the main doors of the 1st Division Headquarters.

It's almost hard to recognize him without his Haori.

[Viera Champion]

Kazuma almost sounds disappointed. "Yes ma'am."

With that said, Kazuma assumes position to do the push-ups.

On his right hand's index finger alone.

Kyasarin finishes up her paperwork and tucks it into her Shuhaksho. She then stands up and let's out a sigh.
Okay, time to get this over with. Here comes the real training.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

[Day 11, 1st Division]
Sayuri's lips turn upward in a slight smile. There's a glint in her eyes that might best be described as mischief, but there's a draconian quality to it that doesn't bode well. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Vice-Commander. Do note that any and all help you can offer to this pursuit will be welcomed with joy."

"It'd be like Kitano to feel secure in his might, thinking whatever forbidden knowledge he has makes him inscrutable. But it's that kind of thinking that gives way to carelessness. That will be his downfall. For each secret he knows, we have a thousand more. We are many, and he and his lot are few. Together, we will prevail in this struggle."

"He's already made the error of showing himself to some of our scouts. I received the reports earlier this day. If that is his idea of covert, then, when he has to contact his partners in crime, it'll be trivial to track him down."

A black butterfly flutters next to Sayuri. She lets it descent on her palm, then whispers something to the slight insect. It flies out of the room window. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, we should start with those indexes", she says. In but a few minutes, two guards make their way in - and open Yuuta's cell door.

"As far as I know, Onmitsukido has you and your lot under supervision. Understand that it's just a precaution - we don't need any more deserters. But as long as you stay within boundaries of the law, you are allowed to operate fully in your role as the acting Kido Commander", Sayuri explains as they begin leading Yuuta to the 1st Division gates. There, his cuffs will be unlocked and he'll find himself a free man, to a certain extent of free.

"So, shall we go to the Corps grounds?"

"Yes, yes we shall." In an uncharacteristic, (yet still stereotypical), display of post-incarceration self-comfort, Yuuta rubs his wrists and stretches his arms. "Forgive any possible indecency that can be inferred from this statement, when reflected upon out of context, but our more specific goal is my residence. Unless the hunt for evidence against me has taken my computer and filing cabinets as collateral damage, copies of the most recent index can be found in both locations."

[Frozen_Feet]

"That's beyond my knowledge", Sayuri says, but it'd be easy to imagine her adding "... but I wouldn't be surprised if it has".

"Lead the way, Yama-san."

[Kuroimaken]

Nao begins the short walk to a room, removing a small slip of paper from his sleeve he hands it to Soushi. The paper says that he can bring everything but the sword, which he hands to the nearest officer to take away. "I'm well aware of protocol. I've been carrying her sword for personal reasons since her incarceration." He dismisses Yoshi's wanting to stay "Fine, stay. But be well aware that until the time of her trial she is technically a member of the Seretei and what you're saying could be taken as harassment of an officer."

"Yeah, so play nice you big meany. Naughty language won't make you any cooler you know."

"I would ask the prisoner not to aggravate the situation. Vice-captain Soushi, please feel free to pick a room for the interrogation." The pout on Suzume's face appears almost genuine, but no one would ever believe that.

"Bakudou 63: Sajo Sabaku."

The Bakudou comes without warning, striking Suzume. But almost as readily, Soushi points his fingertips at Nao.

"Not another step, Nao-kun. Yoshi is correct on a number of points: jurisdiction, rules definition, authority and status of the prisoner. Although he did not touch upon the subject I thought he would: the authorization proper.

It is strictly against protocol to bring evidence within range of any prisoner. Such breaches must be directly observed by someone of at least 3rd seat rank within 10th division at all times. Written authorizations do NOT suffice, because they can be forged. And something tells me that even an Onmitsukidou member such as yourself is not necessarily fully appraised of Takahashi-taichou's current condition.

In other words, if you want me to so much as allow you to witness this interrogation at all... you will state your personal matters, any previous contact you've sustained with Suzume Kimi, and relinquish all evidence to 10th division before we proceed. Otherwise I will have to request that you leave.

In the meantime, I want that authorization to be verified. Contact Takahashi-taichou if possible. Ask Kazuo-taichou of the 12th to establish a video uplink if you can.

Crazy as this woman can be, she WAS associated with Kujo, and we DO have evidence he had inside connections. I'm not taking any chances. Sorry, Nao-kun; it's nothing personal."

[The Librarian]

Spoiler

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INVASION DAY (post collapse)

Taro Banzuke, 3rd Seat of the 10th Division:
(on break from overseeing the 10th Division near the collapsed Maggot's Nest, eating candy in the grass with Misaki from the Kido Corps, she is showing him her Shikai)


Taro's eyes widen seeing the small girl's extraordinary power.

"simply beautiful!" Taro says softly almost to himself, as he looks on, wiping his hands clean of the crumbs of the sweets, as he rises to his feet. Then speaking again softly, almost to himself "great work...i always knew you had it in you."

Pretty impressive Masaki!" he says a bit louder to her

He takes a couple big strides closer to her.

"Feels warm....fire based power Misaki?...so what's it do?"

He crosses his arms, expecting a display of some kind from his diminutive friend. He smiles widely to her and crosses his arms as he looks on to her.

Misaki nods excitingly.
Yep, its a fire-based power. My father says elemental based powers are kind of a thing in our family. What even better is that its a ranged attack.
She points her shikai at a sizable chunk of debris from the Maggot's Nest collapse.
Here I'll show you.
Misaki turns her gaze to the piece of stone and then merely flicks the sabre. A crackling of crimson red and amber yellow fire begins to form briefly around the blade. It then propels itself from the blade, producing a screeching noise reminiscent to a bottle rocket, as the bolt of fire flies towards the stone. When it hit the bolt explodes, leaving behind a small crater that is searing hot, with a fire burning in the center. The small flame dies down about 5-10 seconds later.

Misaki pleasantly satisfied with her little performance turns to Taro.
Pretty neat isn't it.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

"That's beyond my knowledge", Sayuri says, but it'd be easy to imagine her adding "... but I wouldn't be surprised if it has".

"Lead the way, Yama-san."

The pair walk with purpose to their target location. Despite the overturned mess in Yuuta's suite of the Corp's revised central compound, Sayuri should be able to detect a lessening of the man's unspoken tension in spite of his muted look of indignation. Leading her to his bedroom, or more specifically the adjacent office nook found within, Yuuta opens a copy of the compound file (on his desktop computer) for her before he starts compulsively cleaning up the place and heating up water.

[Terry576]

Karite whistles as he walks through the eleventh division. He grabs a random officer and looks the officer up and down, before nodding.

"Yeah, you'll do. Where's Seiko?"

The man leaned away from Karite's hands. Considering the damage he had done to an Arrancar with his fists, adding that to two hundred years of training with his fists and his sword, the man was rather worried about what Karite's bandaged left hand would do to him.

"S-S-Seiko-fukutaichou isn't in the barracks right now!"

Karite snorts, dropping the officer, who breathes a sigh of relief. Karite stretches before he leaves the premises, hands behind his head.

"Che. Better go find Natsuko then, before my wonderful followers claim I ignored my orders."

The 'wonderful followers' glower at Karite as he goes to search for Natsuko.

[horngeek]

[13th Division]

Natsuko is in her office right now.

[Terry576]

[13th Division]

Karite knocks on Natsuko's door, before poking his head in and waving.

"Hey Natsuko! Central wanted me to come and see you."

He shrugs, still outside of the door. "Probably so you can explain what I've gotta do now."

[horngeek]

Natsuko looks dryly over at him. "First, proper forms of address.

To answer your questions, Karite-futaichou, you have paperwork to catch up on... also, some of the lower-seated Shinigami need training, and I'm too busy with paperwork myself."

[riccaru]

"Bakudou 63: Sajo Sabaku."

The Bakudou comes without warning, striking Suzume. But almost as readily, Soushi points his fingertips at Nao.

"Not another step, Nao-kun. Yoshi is correct on a number of points: jurisdiction, rules definition, authority and status of the prisoner. Although he did not touch upon the subject I thought he would: the authorization proper.

It is strictly against protocol to bring evidence within range of any prisoner. Such breaches must be directly observed by someone of at least 3rd seat rank within 10th division at all times. Written authorizations do NOT suffice, because they can be forged. And something tells me that even an Onmitsukidou member such as yourself is not necessarily fully appraised of Takahashi-taichou's current condition.

In other words, if you want me to so much as allow you to witness this interrogation at all... you will state your personal matters, any previous contact you've sustained with Suzume Kimi, and relinquish all evidence to 10th division before we proceed. Otherwise I will have to request that you leave.

In the meantime, I want that authorization to be verified. Contact Takahashi-taichou if possible. Ask Kazuo-taichou of the 12th to establish a video uplink if you can.

Crazy as this woman can be, she WAS associated with Kujo, and we DO have evidence he had inside connections. I'm not taking any chances. Sorry, Nao-kun; it's nothing personal."

Nao raises his hands into the air as a clear sign of non-hostility.
"If the Gotei share your unfounded and mildly unorthodox accusation then I will by all means allow myself to be taken in for undue and futile questioning leading to no significant leads in the case against Kujo." He makes no motion to move anywhere instead putting his hands behind his back and smiling.

"If you'd like to retract your ridiculous statement and continue this charade of power in a more suitable manner, we can move to eleventh division and continue with our disagreement. Or if you'd like to keep threatening me and making slanderous accusations I will be forced to submit an official complaint to the proper authorities. Either way I will not allow you to push me around."

[Terry576]

Natsuko looks dryly over at him. "First, proper forms of address.

To answer your questions, Karite-futaichou, you have paperwork to catch up on... also, some of the lower-seated Shinigami need training, and I'm too busy with paperwork myself."

Karite appears deaf to the phrase 'proper forms of address' and the word 'paperwork'.

"So I've gotta go train the greens?" He frowns.

"You didn't get another group of all Kido users again did you? Those five wrecked me last time." He shudders, remembering the training session with those sadistic Kido using bastards. He'd only managed to hold his own thanks to the ridiculous control over ice Kuyashinaki brought with her.

[Kuroimaken]

Spoiler

Show

Nao pulls the sword and sheathe from his waist and places it gently on the floor before kicking it softly toward Soushi as a clear sign of non-hostility.
"If the Gotei share your unfounded and mildly unorthodox accusation then I will by all means allow myself to be taken in for undue and futile questioning leading to no significant leads in the case against Kujo." He makes no motion to move anywhere instead putting his hands behind his back and smiling.

"If you'd like to retract your ridiculous statement and continue this charade of power in a more suitable manner, we can move to eleventh division and continue with our disagreement. Or if you'd like to keep threatening me and making slanderous accusations I will be forced to submit an official complaint to the proper authorities. Either way I will not allow you to push me around."

"Picked up all those adjectives on your own?

Like I said, it's nothing personal. You seem only too eager for this. As for your previous contact with Suzume as well as personal matters?"

Soushi awaits patiently.

"If you'll talk, then talk. If something in your past is going to affect you for the duration of this interrogatory, then I'd like to know beforehand.

Trust me, no one dislikes the idea of mistrusting a comrade more than I do. But the past week or so has taught me that the bond between us Shinigami is far from unshakeable."

[The Librarian]

"If you'll have me as an escort, Michiko-san, it will be my pleasure." Kazuma leans over to pick up the flowers and helps lift Michiko from her seat, offering his arm for her to lean on.

The way she always spoke and acted... I never thought she could feel so frail.

Just one of many subsequent lessons on the frailty of life, Kazuma.

Katisugo nods, standing up as well.
Well, you seem like your in good hands Michiko, so I'm going to head off. Take it easy Michiko-sama, Kazuma.

Katisugo then walks out of the garden briefly putting his hand in the waving farewell to them. Once he reaches the gates leading out of the garden he flash steps away.

[horngeek]

"Yes. That's the problem, actually. Their Zanjutsu is sorely lacking. I'd let 11th have a crack, but I like my squadmembers whole."

[Terry576]

Karite sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And because I loathe Kido in all of it's forms, I have to go train them. In swordsmanship."

He sighed, rather annoyed by the prospect. Most people developed their own style of Zanjutsu relatively quickly, mostly due to their Zanpakuto going into it's Shikai form. However, greens who focused more on Kido never fully realized that their sword is suffering for it.

"Che. Where can I find these greens?"

[horngeek]

"Training grounds. They should be there, anyway."

[KnightDisciple]

Nao raises his hands into the air as a clear sign of non-hostility.
"If the Gotei share your unfounded and mildly unorthodox accusation then I will by all means allow myself to be taken in for undue and futile questioning leading to no significant leads in the case against Kujo." He makes no motion to move anywhere instead putting his hands behind his back and smiling.

"If you'd like to retract your ridiculous statement and continue this charade of power in a more suitable manner, we can move to eleventh division and continue with our disagreement. Or if you'd like to keep threatening me and making slanderous accusations I will be forced to submit an official complaint to the proper authorities. Either way I will not allow you to push me around."

"Picked up all those adjectives on your own?

Like I said, it's nothing personal. You seem only too eager for this. As for your previous contact with Suzume as well as personal matters?"

Soushi awaits patiently.

"If you'll talk, then talk. If something in your past is going to affect you for the duration of this interrogatory, then I'd like to know beforehand.

Trust me, no one dislikes the idea of mistrusting a comrade more than I do. But the past week or so has taught me that the bond between us Shinigami is far from unshakeable."

Yoshi glances back and forth between the two, his eyebrows high enough to be seen above his visor.

"Whoa. Getting pretty heated here. Listen, Officer Nao. You can't deny that your sudden presence here was a bit odd. Especially as freaking crazy as the last few days have been. I'm not saying you're a traitor, but we have every right to be overly cautious.

But what you said about fruitless questioning? It applies to me just as much as you. And we won't let you push us around either. So back down and let's all just take the prisoner in nice and careful-like."

[Terry576]

"Training grounds. They should be there, anyway."

Karite nods, exiting Natsuko's office.

If she's decent at sensing, she might feel the Onmitsukidou members following her vice captain around. But she already knew about those, so it doesn't really mean much, right?

...Right?

[Frozen_Feet]

[Day 8, 11th Division]

Spoiler

Show

"If you'll have me as an escort, Michiko-san, it will be my pleasure." Kazuma leans over to pick up the flowers and helps lift Michiko from her seat, offering his arm for her to lean on.

The way she always spoke and acted... I never thought she could feel so frail.

Just one of many subsequent lessons on the frailty of life, Kazuma.

Spoiler

Show

Katisugo nods, standing up as well.
Well, you seem like your in good hands Michiko, so I'm going to head off. Take it easy Michiko-sama, Kazuma.

Katisugo then walks out of the garden briefly putting his hand in the waving farewell to them. Once he reaches the gates leading out of the garden he flash steps away.

"Thank you, Amagatsu-san", Michiko says, rising up. Her first few steps are shaky, as if old age has made her forget how to walk - or maybe, it's hard to find balance when feeling so light, having finally cast down burdens that had weighed for so long.

By the time they get out of the gardens, her gait has resumed most of its prior grace and steadiness. She smiles as she bids farewell to Kazuma, before going to sleep in her bed.

---

[Day 11 forth, Yama Yuuta's apartment]

The pair walk with purpose to their target location. Despite the overturned mess in Yuuta's suite of the Corp's revised central compound, Sayuri should be able to detect a lessening of the man's unspoken tension in spite of his muted look of indignation. Leading her to his bedroom, or more specifically the adjacent office nook found within, Yuuta opens a copy of the compound file (on his desktop computer) for her before he starts compulsively cleaning up the place and heating up water.

Sayuri starts eagerly browsing through the files, memorizing them with all the precision she can muster. The knowledge is most fascinating indeed - it's not hard for her to pick up what spells and techniques Takeshi might have found useful to his pursuits. Of course, it takes some effort to not get side-tracked by her curiosity - since her transfer back from Kido Corps to Gotei, she hasn't had access to such comprehensive records of the art. She must constantly remind herself that the actual data is not present, just so she doesn't waste time stumbling on empty pages.

"Do you have a copy of this?", she asks. "It'd be useful if I could get one for my own. Overall, it'd be best to get as many spares as possible - these computer things, they're so fickle. Paper has been the same for centuries, but you can hardly read things written with these if they're more than a decade old! It's infuriating, really, I don't see why the 12th is so keen on spreading them to every division, it's such horrible mess to replace them every other year or so....

---

[Day 18, 13th Division]

Karite nods, exiting Natsuko's office.

If she's decent at sensing, she might feel the Onmitsukidou members following her vice captain around. But she already knew about those, so it doesn't really mean much, right?

...Right?

Whether or not it means anything, a familiar face soon crosses Karite's path. "Ah, Mitsukai-fukutaichou? Finally got back to work, it seems", Sato Hachirou greets him. "I heard there was some awful hassle in the Rukongai... you can't believe all the rumours there have been about that. Tell me, is it true you ended up going with the 11th? It's been bugging me, what would've you been doing with them?"

[Wahrheit]

Daisuke looked up from his desk to see Magatsu looming over him. He really hated having a Lieutenant who was so much taller than he is. "Um, yeah. I can talk. But where have you been, Magatsu-sama? The division's running wild, it's completely disorganized, and I'm tired." Daisuke certainly looked it. He couldn't have gotten much sleep recently, with all the work he's had to do. His Shikai had finally been resealed, which probably didn't help his exhaustion. Resealing tended to leave Daisuke tired.

"Let's see... first I had to kill a mouthy Arrancar, then some traitorous madwoman tried to bomb the Division. Worse than just the canteen. Then Yuuki-taichou showed up in that infuriatingly smug way the ninja do, then one of his ninja subordinates interfered in my execution of the traitor-b****. Then a mountain exploded. Or melted. Or maybe both at once, the reports are unclear about most of the event except that Kujo was involved, except he's presumed dead so now I won't even have the pleasure of eviscerating him in the only execution suited for a jackass like him. And now there's reports that the Kido Corps turned traitor as well."

Magatsu took a deep breath; a vein throbbed in his temple. He was obviously still somewhat angry from the day before. Still, as he sat on the edge of Daisuke's desk, he looked... oddly tired.

"There's too much going on, Daisuke-kun. Too many currents all at once. And now Sakura's gone..." He shook his head and looked somewhat confused, an expression that didn't suit him at all. "I'm acting captain now, but we both know that's only until the Commander-General can find someone to shove into the Division above us. Some outsider, ignorant of how things are done here, blind to who we are and what we'll become. And I can't stand to see that happen. We're the lotus, death and rebirth. The old Third Division is dying, Daisuke-kun. We've both seen its twitches. But we're going to be at its head when it's reborn as something new and glorious. Us. Not some interloper forced upon us to interfere with the proper cycle." Magatsu looked... rather manic at this point. He spoke with a fierce excitement and determination usually reserved for discussion of killing. It was unsettling, really.

[HirokatsuGoto]

Days 8-11

Hirokatsu Goto, Vice Captain (Acting Captain) of the 9th Division:


Day 8-11 (within the 9th Division Captain's office)

After arriving at the 5th Division Barracks and witnessing the upheaval resulting from the untimely passing of the 5th Captain Osamu, Hirokatsu was at a loss for himself. He had many times over experienced the pain of seeing those he respected pass on, though Osamu's death was affecting him more than anything in his long years of service.

Osamu was more than just another Shinigami, even more than just another Captain. He was a friend, and for Hirokatsu, that was a rare thing indeed. More than that, he was an old friend..in fact his oldest friend, and a friend whose friendship was based off of mutual respect. Sure, they did not always see eye to eye, and for many many years the relationship was far more parental feeling. But in the end, they were the oldest serving Shinigami in the Gotei and had long since passed the ignorance of not knowing of each others advanced ages and service.

Few knew of many of the things Osamu and Hirokatsu had seen in their time in the Gotei, and fewer even whom had witnessed many of those experiences first hand. They had seen Shinigami come and Shinigami go, some die, some live and rise and become great warriors and leaders. They had seen suffering and pain inflicted in more ways than either would ever had imagined. They had both pushed themselves in their own ways, yet always towards many of the same goals.

Hirokatsu and Osamu shared many things and had seen so much, but more than any of those times and things experienced, what they shared was a dedication and loyalty to their families. And this was what Hirokatsu was overcome with as he retreated to the Captain's office in the 9th Barracks, shutting himself in for three days straight, after issuing standing orders to hold true until he emerged.

In this time, Hirokatsu saw no one, and only responded to urgent hell butterflies from the solitude and darkness of his office. He sat in silence, at times meditating, at other times remembering. At times angry, at other times filled with sadness and loneliness. But never retreating to his Inner World.

It was true that Osamu was not a member of his family, but his loss reminded Hirokatsu of the ultimate meaning of dedication and loyalty to ones family. One's own family was indeed a unique link to its past, but all families futures were dependent on addition of those outside of one's own family to create a future for it. A family is only as strong as its ability to look outside itself for others to let in to make it stronger.

Hirokatsu had allowed Osamu into his family within his heart, whether Hirokatsu or Osamu knew it or not, and Hirokatsu wept for him as any family member would.

Day 11
On the morning of the (11th day), Hirokatsu sat within the Captain's office, his umbrella (zanpaktuo), across his lap. His beard, and mustache matted and unkept, his face somewhat gaunt from a lack of proper eating and drinking (only eating/drinking what was in his office). His robes were dirty and his mind tired from lack of sleep. His tired eyes looked into the darkness of the corners of the room. He blinked a slow blink, and upon reopening his eyes he awoke to a site unexpected though not one unknown to him. He was in his Inner World.

The once bleak endless white landscape he had grown up seeing in his Inner World had long since been replaced with the moonlike landscape and dark moonless yet star filled night landscape he now stood in. Hirokatsu sat and looked to the horizon. He had not come to his inner world since before Osamu's death, he tried to tell himself he was not afraid of the visit, but more he wanted to be alone to sort through everything.

Hirokatsu looked up to the sky, at the many stars he had yet to know. Then he looked down to his lap, his umbrella replaced with his sheathless zanpaktuo, its long thin flat ended blade glimmering in the starlight. Only in his inner world did his zanpaktuo look as such. Outside his Inner World, it had placed itself concealed in an umbrella, in his Inner World it had no confines.

Hirokatsu then felt and saw a shadow begin to come over him, from behind. It was deep and heavy on Hirokatsu's shoulders.

"Goto..."

Hirokatsu said lightly as he rose to his feet still not turning around to face the shadow.

There was no reply.

Hirokatsu then placed his zanpaktuo in his white belt and breathed in deeply, as if preparing himself to face his zanapktuo...his soul for the first time since this tragedy.

He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes turning around in place to face his zanpaktuo, "Goto".

He waited a moment before opening his eyes, preparing for the fight and speech he was undeniably about to receive from his ignored zanpaktuo. He felt the heaviness of the shadow creep closer and envelope him even more.

He opened his eyes slowly...fully ready for whatever punishment his zanpaktuo had for him for ignoring it for far too long.

What Hirokatsu found however, was nothing of the sort.

Hirokatsu saw two dark eyes within a bright light underneath a dark form, sadness in their look onto Hirokatsu. Then the dark cloak-like mass surrounding the brightness underneath began to take on an almost feminine type of appearance in its form. A thin form from the ground up to its "head" where it sprouted what looked like long beautiful black hair in the wind.

Hirokatsu looked on to this form, one he had never seen his Zanpaktuo spirit 'Goto' take, his eyes almost welling up with tears as the form exuded almost tactile kindness and empathy. "Goto" stood beautiful in front of him, warm and kind, motherly.

Then two slender black arm like appendages emerged from the sides of Goto, and reached forward as Goto moved in. Hirokatsu stood motionless, yet his knees almost buckling in the sadness he felt. His long mustache and eyebrows swayed in concert with his robes in a slight breeze. Then the long dark "arms" embraced Hirokatsu tightly, enveloping him in a dark mass of black from all sides.

Hirokatsu's head dropped and his knees gave way, yet he did not fall. Goto held him up. Hirokatsu head fall on the black shoulder of the Goto spirit, and he wept. Not just for Osamu, but also for himself. The black head laid itself next to Hirokatsu's and an arm like appendage wrapped itself around Hirokatsu's head caressing it.

"You are never alone Hirokatsu my son....you are never alone..."

Goto said with a beautiful woman's voice as it held and patted Hirokatsu's head in the star lit landscape, Hirokatsu's tears twinkling ever so slightly as they run down the sleek black form of Goto.

"We are never here to provide a hindrance to you, we are only here to HELP you my son.........For all your time coming here you never once feared us...why now my son?"

Hirokatsu lifted his head to look into the soft dark eyes in the bright light.

"...Osamu....he has passed....and yet...i did not come out of fear of your scorn at my mourning for him....i did not come, as...." he paused... "...i did not come, as his death reminded me of losing all of you..."

Goto's eyes looked on, understanding Hirokatsu clearly...it then gripped him tighter and lay his head again on its soft black shoulder.

"Hirokatsu...Hirokatsu...we will never go anywhere, we are YOU....YOU are we...and thus as YOU will be for all the others of the Goto family......you need not fear to be alone Hirokatsu...all of us..." an appendage motions to the sky and stars... "...as well as Osamu will never be gone as long as you do not deny us from your heart...."

Hirokatsu lifted his head again, nodding understandingly, before speaking softly to her.

"I know Goto....I should have come sooner..."

"yes...you should have my son......do not fear your own soul...mourn your friend...but do not deny us from that mourning...it will only work to separate US from one another...and i doubt Osamu would have looked too kindly on his death doing anything as such...do you understand?"

"I do indeed"
Hirokatsu nodded as he outstretched his legs to the ground, and lifted his head up to look onto the embracing Goto. She released her embrace softly and retreated slightly from him, her soft dark eyes in the bright light, looking back onto him sympathetically.

"Now..mourn my son...but do not fear loss...and do not forget those whom have not passed...you are Osamu for all of those whom will never have the honor to know him...do him his due justice Hirokatsu...as those who will follow you will do the same for you when your time comes..."

Goto nodded slightly as her form began to shrink and melt into the ground and dark horizon. Hirokatsu looked on to her as she left, nodding deeply to her before looking up to the stars above him. Osamu would never be HERE for Hirokatsu, but he would never be gone from his heart.

Hirokatsu closed his eyes as he looked up into the sky, feeling the cold starlight on his face as he smiled very slightly through his long mustache into the abyss.


Opening his slowly eyes, Hirokatsu saw the darkness of his office once again. He looked down to see his umbrella on his lap, and smiled to himself. He rose to his feet, and felt stronger, felt somehow "closer" to himself than he had ever been before.

Hiroaktsu looked around at his dark office and moved to the lone window in it, opening it to let in the morning sunlight. Squinting his eyes he drank in its warmth as he inhaled and exhaled the fresh air.

He then moved to the door, and opened it slowly to step outside. What he found there he was NOT expecting, yet overwhelmed him with happiness.

As he slid the door open, a sleeping Shinigami slumped back and fell onto his feet, it was his young and talented 4th seat Okaji Kaki. As she slumped back onto his feet she would probably wake up to see her Vice Captain standing above her. She would look up to see Hirokatsu looking down and smiled slightly to see her from under his long mustache and eyebrows (something only she would see from such a low angle).

Along with her, in front of his door lay several other sleeping 9th Division Shinigami too. A few lay against the wall to the side and a few propped up against a pillar sleeping while standing, their arms crossed. A few trays of food and water were littered around the front of his door, it seemed many of these Shinigami had been out her for quite a while.

Hirokatsu stood in his own doorway, and briefly cleared his throat, before speaking rather sternly, yet in an obviously caring way and not in any way upset.

"AHEM..."

He would wait for them all to wake and rise to their feet before he would continue.

[HirokatsuGoto]

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[1st Division]

After a long, scenic walk, Ryouichi finally walks through the main doors of the 1st Division Headquarters.

It's almost hard to recognize him without his Haori.

Day 18 (whatever day Ryouichi returns to 1st Division)
Eiji Ito, 4th Seat of the 1st Division:
(1st Division barracks, with the returning Captain General)


Eiji Ito would see the haori-less Captain General as he entered the barracks. Surprised he would jump to his feet and rush to him, standing in front of him, and bowing very low, pulling the sealed note from the Vice Captain out and lifting it up to him.

"Captain General, sir, this note was given to me to give you from the Vice Captain, Yamamoto."

Once he took the note it would read:

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"Captain Himura Michiko has officially resigned from her post. Also, I Yamamoto-fukutaichou have left for a break"

"I have been doing my best to help lead the division sir, with the 3rd seat being ill and all....but from what i have heard they will be back and ready for work within a few weeks..."

Eiji rose to look to the Captain General, awaiting his response, if any.

[Kayne650]

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"Let's see... first I had to kill a mouthy Arrancar, then some traitorous madwoman tried to bomb the Division. Worse than just the canteen. Then Yuuki-taichou showed up in that infuriatingly smug way the ninja do, then one of his ninja subordinates interfered in my execution of the traitor-b****. Then a mountain exploded. Or melted. Or maybe both at once, the reports are unclear about most of the event except that Kujo was involved, except he's presumed dead so now I won't even have the pleasure of eviscerating him in the only execution suited for a jackass like him. And now there's reports that the Kido Corps turned traitor as well."

Magatsu took a deep breath; a vein throbbed in his temple. He was obviously still somewhat angry from the day before. Still, as he sat on the edge of Daisuke's desk, he looked... oddly tired.

"There's too much going on, Daisuke-kun. Too many currents all at once. And now Sakura's gone..." He shook his head and looked somewhat confused, an expression that didn't suit him at all. "I'm acting captain now, but we both know that's only until the Commander-General can find someone to shove into the Division above us. Some outsider, ignorant of how things are done here, blind to who we are and what we'll become. And I can't stand to see that happen. We're the lotus, death and rebirth. The old Third Division is dying, Daisuke-kun. We've both seen its twitches. But we're going to be at its head when it's reborn as something new and glorious. Us. Not some interloper forced upon us to interfere with the proper cycle." Magatsu looked... rather manic at this point. He spoke with a fierce excitement and determination usually reserved for discussion of killing. It was unsettling, really.

Daisuke listened to Magatsu's tirade with a mixture of pride and fear. Magatsu's tempers were always a force to be reckoned with, even when they had a generally positive result or intention. But this...this was something different altogether. Magatsu had never sounded this passionate about anything. He had always been proud of the 3rd division, and his pride had invigorated Daisuke in turn, but this went above and beyond pride. But it was the end of his statement, when he talked about the 3rd division itself that that disturbed Daisuke. He looked up at his Lieutenant.

"It won't die, Magatsu-sama. Not while we're both here. And it's not just us, either. There's a whole division of people who remember Sakura-taichou, who know us, and who know what the division is and always will be. Even if we die, it's just like you said! The 3rd division is the lotus; we are death and rebirth. You act as if a single person, no matter how foolishly placed, could keep down an entire division, and you're wrong! Because we're still here, and the life of this division is us. I know that you won't allow some random person to lead the division because it'll be you at the head! And if it's not, and if you won't do it, then I will! There won't be any interloper. It'll be you, me, and the rest of this division. Just like it's always been."

Daisuke realized that at some point during that he had stood up. It had been a bit more emphatic than he'd intended, and as he calmed down he realized that the speech wasn't why Magatsu had come here.

"But that's not why you're here, is it?" Daisuke asked him. "You don't come here to talk politics or philosophy, Magatsu-sama. You're here because you have something to tell me. Where are you going?" Daisuke's eyes stared into Magatsu's, and his unspoken question hung in the air. Why can't I come with you?

[riccaru]

Yoshi glances back and forth between the two, his eyebrows high enough to be seen above his visor.

"Whoa. Getting pretty heated here. Listen, Officer Nao. You can't deny that your sudden presence here was a bit odd. Especially as freaking crazy as the last few days have been. I'm not saying you're a traitor, but we have every right to be overly cautious.

But what you said about fruitless questioning? It applies to me just as much as you. And we won't let you push us around either. So back down and let's all just take the prisoner in nice and careful-like."

"The second division has a vested interest in what the prisoner has to say. I'm here as a trained individual in both normal and extreme interrogation methods. I am also a former ally to the prisoner. I have every political and lawful reason to be here. That you suspect anything else is insulting." Nao begins walking toward an interrogation room. "I'm going to interrogate the prisoner as is my job and you are either going to help me in this matter, or I can wait until you're done with the prisoner and do the interrogation on my own."

[Kuroimaken]

"The second division has a vested interest in what the prisoner has to say. I'm here as a trained individual in both normal and extreme interrogation methods. I am also a former ally to the prisoner. I have every political and lawful reason to be here. That you suspect anything else is insulting." Nao begins walking toward an interrogation room. "I'm going to interrogate the prisoner as is my job and you are either going to help me in this matter, or I can wait until you're done with the prisoner and do the interrogation on my own."

"Insulted as you may be, we could have used this information BEFORE you insisted on having your way spearheading this interrogation, Nao-kun.

I would like to be briefed on the nature of your previous relationship with the prisoner first. Were you friends? Colleagues? Bond siblings? This is all vital information, you know. I can either take you at your word and we can begin this interrogation properly after you brief me or you can insult yourself further by insisting upon your indignation. I've already apologized for the suspicion cast upon you. If you'd care about it in writing instead, that can be arranged later.

So. Are we going somewhere with this?"

[strawberryman]

Spoiler

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Day 18 (whatever day Ryouichi returns to 1st Division)
Eiji Ito, 4th Seat of the 1st Division:
(1st Division barracks, unfortunately heading the 1st Divison for the night shift, sitting at the command table)


Eiji Ito would see the haori-less Captain General as he entered the barracks. Surprised he would jump to his feet and rush to him, standing in front of him, and bowing very low, pulling the sealed note from the Vice Captain out and lifting it up to him.

"Captain General, sir, this note was given to me to give you from the Vice Captain, Yamamoto."

Once he took the note it would read:

Spoiler

Show

"Captain Himura Michiko has officially resigned from her post. Also, I Yamamoto-fukutaichou have left for a break"

"I have been doing my best to help lead the division sir, with the 3rd seat being ill and all....but from what i have heard they will be back and ready for work within a few weeks..."

Eiji rose to look to the Captain General, awaiting his response, if any.

Ryouichi reads the note, a somewhat disappointing look growing on his face. "I... see." Eiji may notice, on close proximity with the commander, the smell of disinfectant and antibiotics used by the 12th.

"Did Yamamoto-fukutaichou indicate how long she will be off?" Idly, he crumples the note in his hand, and casts an incantationless Haien, which proved just strong enough to incinerate the paper.

[Wahrheit]

Daisuke listened to Magatsu's tirade with a mixture of pride and fear. Magatsu's tempers were always a force to be reckoned with, even when they had a generally positive result or intention. But this...this was something different altogether. Magatsu had never sounded this passionate about anything. He had always been proud of the 3rd division, and his pride had invigorated Daisuke in turn, but this went above and beyond pride. But it was the end of his statement, when he talked about the 3rd division itself that that disturbed Daisuke. He looked up at his Lieutenant.

"It won't die, Magatsu-sama. Not while we're both here. And it's not just us, either. There's a whole division of people who remember Sakura-taichou, who know us, and who know what the division is and always will be. Even if we die, it's just like you said! The 3rd division is the lotus; we are death and rebirth. You act as if a single person, no matter how foolishly placed, could keep down an entire division, and you're wrong! Because we're still here, and the life of this division is us. I know that you won't allow some random person to lead the division because it'll be you at the head! And if it's not, and if you won't do it, then I will! There won't be any interloper. It'll be you, me, and the rest of this division. Just like it's always been."

Daisuke realized that at some point during that he had stood up. It had been a bit more emphatic than he'd intended, and as he calmed down he realized that the speech wasn't why Magatsu had come here.

"But that's not why you're here, is it?" Daisuke asked him. "You don't come here to talk politics or philosophy, Magatsu-sama. You're here because you have something to tell me. Where are you going?" Daisuke's eyes stared into Magatsu's, and his unspoken question hung in the air. Why can't I come with you?

"One person can do a lot of damage to what we've built, Daisuke-kun. I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to be here long enough to help with the worst of yesterday's aftermath. In two days, though, I'm leaving, probably only for a week or two." Was that... regret in Magatsu's eyes? "I'm only acting captain now. When I return with Bankai, Third is going to be mine and we can lead it to what it's always been meant to be."

[Terry576]

[Day 18, 13th Division]

Whether or not it means anything, a familiar face soon crosses Karite's path. "Ah, Mitsukai-fukutaichou? Finally got back to work, it seems", Sato Hachirou greets him. "I heard there was some awful hassle in the Rukongai... you can't believe all the rumours there have been about that. Tell me, is it true you ended up going with the 11th? It's been bugging me, what would've you been doing with them?"

Karite grins at Hachirou. "Yeah, I did go with the 11th for a bit."

He laughs, scratching the back of his head. "I guess I just wanted to talk with Michiko, but she thought I was an officer, so I got dragged to the fight with 'em. Pity, eh?"

He pats Hachirou on the back. "Anyways Hachirou, I've got some rookies to train. They only use kido, and it's gonna be a huge pain."