[BiTPR2] Renewed Revolution: Spirit World III

[ImpSyndrome]

Spoiler: Urameshi is a jerk...as usual

Show

"Kid, I want the baby, not the labor pains. But since you put this so colourfully, let me dot some i's for you.

First of all, if you're training with us, you're in the op. Doesn't matter which capacity, we're going to need all the hands we can get - that's why Setsurou-san snagged you from Recon.

Second, if you're hoping to go anywhere being a teacher's pet, being a rookie is the least of your problems. You're not gonna beat Tsuchigumo with an attitude geared towards anyone but yourself. In fact, you're not going to beat anyone that's not weaker than you.

And third, you're still overthinking it and not really doing anything. I don't particularly mind if you decide to try against Tsuchigumo everyday, or if you decide to train your ass off and then try again. But that's not up to me to decide unless I figure either way isn't working. I can only teach you the techniques, not how to use them, remember? From this point on, you decide which path you're gunning for."

Satoshi blinks a few times, fighting to supress his frustration; he can't help but wonder if Urameshi enjoys treating him like a clueless weakling. "Then I guess I'm going back to practicing again," he responds through gritted teeth. As long as there's nothing else to be said, he'll set about with his training again.

Things start off relatively the same as in the past two weeks: Satoshi practices the techniques he's been taught, then gets his sorry butt handed to him in sparring. The major difference now is that he's been working at it every day for a while now without making any measurable progress, and that fact bears down on him with every passing minute. The lack of headway fills him with disappointment and anger, emotions that fester in the back of his head like a disease...

[Kuroimaken]

After about four days of this, Urameshi calls Satoshi after his training session is over.

"Starting tomorrow, you're on three days' worth of paid leave. Go home, see your folks. The fresh air will do you good. I better not catch you sneaking at night to train, either."

[ImpSyndrome]

After about four days of this, Urameshi calls Satoshi after his training session is over.

"Starting tomorrow, you're on three days' worth of paid leave. Go home, see your folks. The fresh air will do you good. I better not catch you sneaking at night to train, either."

By this point, Satoshi isn't even trying to hide his anxiety anymore; it's been pretty obvious anyway, given the tension surrounding him even while not under Urameshi's supervision at the training facility. One might expect some level of resistance, given his frustration, but by this time, he knows better than to call Urameshi's authority into question.

"It's not going to matter if I want to refuse, is it," he asks rhetorically. If there's nothing else to the exchange, he'll just let out a sigh and respond, "Then I guess I'll see you on the fourth day, sensei," and get on his way to the barracks. Along the way, it'll dawn on him that the decision seems somewhat uncharacteristic of Urameshi, and he'll wonder what motivated him to send the rookie away...

((I'm guessing you've got a plan for something to happen during those three days, so I'll let you decide when to advance time and to what point.))

[Kuroimaken]

Spoiler

Show

What gave me away?

The farmlands Satoshi returns to seem mostly unchanged from how he remembers them, even though it's been quite some time since he left for the Academy. There are more children than he remembers, some of which he recognizes. And they certainly recognize him!

"It's Satoshi nii-chan! He came back!"

A gaggle of kids practically pounce on Satoshi.

[Mina Kobold]

Tamaki thinks over the options before he picks the one that interests him the most. "Very well then. I would love to see the Grand Library. It should proves very enlightening and educational.

Rin nods in agreement, sighing as she speaks.

"I have no idea what Hollows, Arrancar or most anything else on this side are, so a library sounds like a plan to me. Just as long as we don't have to be that fast"

Rin gestures slightly in the direction that Mikael had followed his own Arrancar guide, clearly referring to their extreme speeds. Matter-of-factly, the security guard adds:

"Pretty sure I can't break the speed limit on foot."

[ImpSyndrome]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI]

Spoiler

Show

What gave me away?

The farmlands Satoshi returns to seem mostly unchanged from how he remembers them, even though it's been quite some time since he left for the Academy. There are more children than he remembers, some of which he recognizes. And they certainly recognize him!

"It's Satoshi nii-chan! He came back!"

A gaggle of kids practically pounce on Satoshi.

Satoshi shows up at the farming community of Haidani early on in the day, dressed in casual attire and carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder. The sight of his hometown bathes him in nostalgia, and his heart lifts ever so slightly at seeing so much life and activity in its inhabitants. Some of the children nearby notice his approach and recognize him, and they race toward him to welcome him home. The rookie Shinigami can't help but laugh as they clamor around him.

"Whoa, hey, take it easy, guys," he exclaims while fighting to maintain his balance. He ruffles the dark-brown hair on one of the older boys and says, "Man, look at you all growing up...I can't believe it's been six years already. You all been holding the fort down while I've been gone?"

[Kuroimaken]

"Yep! Been helping our mommies and daddies too!" One of the youngest, a little girl called Shizuru, chimes in.

"Satoshi-niichan! We heard you became a Shinigami! Is that true? Isitisitisit?!" A boy called Jirou asks excitedly.

[ImpSyndrome]

"Yep! Been helping our mommies and daddies too!" One of the youngest, a little girl called Shizuru, chimes in.

"Satoshi-niichan! We heard you became a Shinigami! Is that true? Isitisitisit?!" A boy called Jirou asks excitedly.

"Good girl," Satoshi tells Shizuru, smiling warmly at her. "That's good to hear. They must be proud to have you helping them out."

Ah, of course, the burning topic: his acceptance. "That's right," he responds. "I'm a bonafide Shinigami now; have been for about three weeks now. It wasn't easy, but I managed it somehow..."

[Kuroimaken]

"Can we see your sword?!" The children ask all at once.

[ImpSyndrome]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI]

"Can we see your sword?!" The children ask all at once.

Satoshi hesitates to respond at first; it seems difficult to appease them without giving them any wild ideas about the equipment he uses, but he doesn't want to lie to them or belittle them either. For a moment, he wishes that he had chosen to leave the blade at the barracks. After taking a moment to choose the right words, he tells them, "I don't think that's a good idea. A sword can be dangerous if you're not careful with it, and I don't want any of you to get hurt because of me...Maybe some other time, OK?"

((Decided to play the safe card for now.))

[Kuroimaken]

Like a child's curiosity is that easy to dispel.

The choruses of 'pleasepleasepleaseplease' and 'we won't touch it, we promise' pelt his ears.

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Commander-General's office

Li's lips twist into a smirk. "And you just read that with your helmet." Not a question, but a statement of fact. Nodding approvingly, the commander's hand retrieves a metal cane from under the table, and then the elder stands up. "Come. Let us visit the butterfly gardens."

It takes a quarter of an hour to get down the stairs, out of the door and to the other side of HQ premises. Housed in six great plexiglass domes, the place where Shinigami grow their messenger insects hardly looks like something belonging to a military organization. The greenhouses are filled to the brim with colourful flowers - and around and above them, thousands of black butterflies flutter in stark contrast.

"Ruggles went missing within days of the Arrancars' arrival", Li recounts. "We presumed she was killed. Yet, two days ago we received a distress message from her. It was weeks old, but still recent enough for us to tell that she's been alive and active far after the point she presumed dead." Resting right hand on the cane, Li lifts Li's left and one of the butterflies descends on it.

"Based on circumstantial evidence, it is highly likely she was ordered to carry out a covert mission by Yasunobu Sawada himself. I trust you to understand the significance." Li turns to Hideki. "This is the butterfly sent by Ruggles. It was badly injured, but I was able to fix it. One of the reasons we still use these little creatures is because their unparalleled scent. As this one was handled by Ruggles personally, it should still be able to find her if you can get it within a few miles of her. Its own trail has long since run cold, but fortunately, we have a two more clues of her location."

At this point, Hideki's visor should tell he has a message from Reconnaissance. It's from Junrin Arianna. "We've been backtracking younger Yasunobu's last steps in Soul Society and Earth both. Very interestingly, Junrin-fukutaichou told us she had seen younger Yasunobu on Earth, in a city called Ikari in Japan. Yet, at the same time, he was here, talking to me at the construction site of the new Tiger Temple." The file contains a map, compatible with the Divine Positioning System of a Reiphone... or, in Hideki's case, his helmet. It has markers for, and photographs of, the school where Sawada was last seen.

"While I can't guess which kind of trickery he was using to be at multiple places at once, based on Junrin-fukutaichou's testimony it appears younger Yasunobu was parleying with humans." Li's smile fades and the commander's gaze grows cold. "The third clue is, hence, the one you said aloud yourself. It is by no means certain, but it is very, very likely Sawada was hoping to groom these people for some purpose. Ruggles would've been a very good fit for that task."

"I want you to travel to Ikari as soon as possible and see if you can find a trace of her. Notify me the moment you do. You are not compelled to arrest or engage her - if resistance looks likely, feel free to alert Internal Security. Your role is primarily reconnaissance. However... if she attempts to approach you in friendly terms, I want you to learn as much of what she knows as you can, and transmit the information to Seireitei without delay." The butterfly leaves Li's hand and flutters towards Hideki's helmet. "As said, I believe you to be uniquely suited for it."

---

Hazuki Tsubame's holding cell

In thirty minutes, a short, dark-haired girl (?) arrives at Tsubame's location, carrying her notebook. The girl's (?) skin is very pale and with odd green tinge, and she is dressed in a white labcoat instead of Shihakusho. She places the book on the cell table and then takes a seat, sliding the book towards Tsubame. "As requested, here are your research notes. Do inform me when we can begin the questioning." The girl's (?) voice is deadpan, as is her face as she crosses her hands on the table and proceeds to stare at Tsubame unflinchingly.

[ImpSyndrome]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI]

Like a child's curiosity is that easy to dispel.

The choruses of 'pleasepleasepleaseplease' and 'we won't touch it, we promise' pelt his ears.

It was worth a shot. Satoshi shuts his eyes and grimaces slightly, but after a moment, he sets down his duffel bag, unzips the main compartment, and withdraws his rolled-up shihakusho. There's some slight hesitation as he unrolls it, laying the uniform on top of the bag, and withdraws his zanpakuto from its folds. "Don't forget," he cautions them, "you promised...Look, but don't touch."

((Would Satoshi have his own unique zanpakuto by now, or would he only have an Asauchi until he starts to develop his Shikai?))

[Draken]

Soul Society
Jigokusho Greenhouse

Hideki lifts a finger for the butterfly, before muttering a simple kidõ to make it vanish.

"I will make preparations for departure and head to the mortal world in the morning."

With Li's leave, Hideki returns to his office to get ready.

[Frozen_Feet]

A devilish smile reappears on the commander's lips. "Wonderful. You are dismissed." With those words, the commander limps back to the office, to take care of all the paperwork needed for running Gotei.

[Dorizzit]

[Soul Society]
Holding Cell

Upon receiving the notebook, Tsubame flips through it with impressive speed. The entire process takes only a few seconds, as she confirms that it has not been tampered with or altered.

"I am prepared."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Hazuki Tsubame's holding cell

"Perfect", the girl replies mechanically. "As I understood it, your research on 'purification arrows' is centered around a curious case of a Quincy attaining powers of a Shinigami." The girl blinks once. "According to past data, this mix should not be possible. But, based on your notes, my master has hypothesized this phenomenom to be a natural extension of a Quincy's ability to absorb external power and turn it into their own. If that is the case, the process of granting Quincies their 'purifying arrows' could be greatly accelerated if they were turned into substitutes en masse. Does this assessment seem credible to you?"

[Kuroimaken]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI]

It was worth a shot. Satoshi shuts his eyes and grimaces slightly, but after a moment, he sets down his duffel bag, unzips the main compartment, and withdraws his rolled-up shihakusho. There's some slight hesitation as he unrolls it, laying the uniform on top of the bag, and withdraws his zanpakuto from its folds. "Don't forget," he cautions them, "you promised...Look, but don't touch."

((Would Satoshi have his own unique zanpakuto by now, or would he only have an Asauchi until he starts to develop his Shikai?))

Spoiler

Show

That depends exclusively on you. There's no specific reason for Satoshi not to have Shikai yet other than any you could come up with.
Luckily, the kids can't tell the difference to begin with.

The children's gasps of surprise and admiration make it all worth it to Satoshi. To have one of their own make it into the esteemed ranks of the Shinigami is reason for great pride among them.

"I can't believe you can kill monsters with that thing. You're amazing, Satoshi-nii!"

"Come on, kids, leave him alone a bit. He must be anxious to see his family!

Hey buddy, you've sure grown since the last time I saw you." One of the farmers, a thirty-something man named Tsuna, comes to greet the Shinigami rookie. "Pretty sure your mom is going to yell at you for being skin and bones, though."

[Dorizzit]

[Soul Society]
Hazuki Tsubame's holding cell

"Simply put, no."

Tsubame's answer is straightforward and brutally honest. She flips to one page of her notes, which has a detailed entry on Hinata Akiyama.

"To be frank, the girl is a genius. Her natural affinity for spiritual energy and integration is well in excess of anything that could reasonable be hoped for in any other candidate. In her case, the combination of Shinigami and Quincy powers was virtually seamless. Based on my projections, however, and my limited knowledge of past cases, failure to fuse or even catastrophic rejection are entirely possible."

She pauses.

"I have, however, found what I believe may serve as a solution. The Quincy actually possess impressive spiritual forging capabilities and a strong knowledge of spiritual alchemy. With access to their existing notes, I was able to create a plan for a prototype Quincy Cross acting in a similar manner to a Shinigami Asauchi. Obviously, it lacks the purifying capacity of the Zanpakuto, but it does retain the ability to target the parts of the soul affected by Hollowfication. Instead of cleansing and reintegrating them, it obliterates all traces of the soul's time as a Hollow. While not a perfect fix, and despite being semi-traumatic for the soul in question, the process should have a 100% affinity rate for Quincies and does not rely on Shinigamification to function, instead working solely with their inherent powers. Additionally, while not as dramatic as most Shikai releases, this would create a similar degree of variation in Quincy bow shapes."

As she speaks, she points to a few diagrams and passages providing supporting evidence for her claims.

"More research is needed, but the theory is sound."

[ImpSyndrome]

Spoiler

Show

That depends exclusively on you. There's no specific reason for Satoshi not to have Shikai yet other than any you could come up with.
Luckily, the kids can't tell the difference to begin with.

The children's gasps of surprise and admiration make it all worth it to Satoshi. To have one of their own make it into the esteemed ranks of the Shinigami is reason for great pride among them.

"I can't believe you can kill monsters with that thing. You're amazing, Satoshi-nii!"

"Come on, kids, leave him alone a bit. He must be anxious to see his family!

Hey buddy, you've sure grown since the last time I saw you." One of the farmers, a thirty-something man named Tsuna, comes to greet the Shinigami rookie. "Pretty sure your mom is going to yell at you for being skin and bones, though."

((Asauchi it is, then. Given everything that's been holding him back, it'd make sense that the spirit of his zanpakuto doesn't owe him any favors yet, let alone its own power and form.))

The drawing of the simple sword is a meager offering to the small throng of juveniles crowding around for a view, but they seem mesmerized by it. Satoshi thinks to himself, (It's not even a unique zanpakuto, just an Asauchi...Is this really so amazing...?) Before his vexation can show, another acquaintance of his shows up to welcome him back. "Good to see you doing well, Tsuna-kun," he says. At the comment about his build, he looks down at himself and asks, "It's not that bad, is it...? I mean, I've never been a big eater, but it's not like I've been starving myself either..."

[Kuroimaken]

"I see you've been getting cheeky too, boy! Calling an elder of yours -kun?" He ruffles through Satoshi's hair in good-natured ribbing.

"Your dad's probably out in the fields at this hour, but your mother should be home. You should hurry! I'm sure she'll love the surprise."

[ImpSyndrome]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI -> TAKAKURA RESIDENCE]

"I see you've been getting cheeky too, boy! Calling an elder of yours -kun?" He ruffles through Satoshi's hair in good-natured ribbing.

"Your dad's probably out in the fields at this hour, but your mother should be home. You should hurry! I'm sure she'll love the surprise."

((Dangit, I'm not paying close enough attention; I should've caught that.))

Satoshi flinches at Tsuna's reaction to his slip-of-the-tongue, but he recovers once the man plays it off. "Sorry, heh," he replies shakily. "Things have been kind of crazy. Hard to keep my head on straight sometimes..." After being reminded of his parents' locations at the current time of day, the novice sheathes and packs away his weapon again before hefting his duffel and turning toward home. "Thanks for stopping by, Tsuna-san. I'll see you around."

After bidding farewell to the neighborhood kids as well, Satoshi wanders around for a bit, deliberately avoiding his former residence. Something about the idea of coming home under these circumstances, especially in his current frame of mind, seems wrong somehow. It takes him about half an hour to swallow his pride, but he eventually goes back to his home, no different than any other low-maintenance flat in the lower Rukongai districts, and knocks at the door before sliding it open.

"Mom," he calls inside, his voice ever-so-slightly shaky at first. "Mom, are you here? It's me, Satoshi..."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Tsubame's holding cell

"Complications are to be expected in the first phase of human testing", the girl replies without slightest hint of concern when Tsubame pauses. When she continues and details her alternative method, the girl blinks. "So what you suggest is surgically cutting away miseries causing the soul to Hollowfy." The girl blinks again. "Cross-referencing earlier research. Please stand by." She closes her eyes, and appears to be lost in thought for a fair while. Then, she continues: "When a Hollow's mask is broken, it may temporarily cause it to recover human feelings and personality. If this state becomes permanent, the Hollow is turned into an Arrancar. Unlike a base Hollow, an Arrancar possesses Saketsu and Hakusui. Surgically removing or injuring these two points is theorized to reduce an Arrancar to a state much like a powerless Plus."

The girl opens her eyes again. "I detect a great deal of similarity between these two processes. Based on accumulated data, your plan has better than even chance of working. But, I detect a flaw also. Based on prior example cases, an Arrancar who has lost power will retain all traumatic memories from their time as one. Do you think a soul in such unstable condition will be able to move on and be reborn like usual?"

[Kuroimaken]

[RUKONGAI, DISTRICT 63: HAIDANI -> TAKAKURA RESIDENCE]

((Dangit, I'm not paying close enough attention; I should've caught that.))

Satoshi flinches at Tsuna's reaction to his slip-of-the-tongue, but he recovers once the man plays it off. "Sorry, heh," he replies shakily. "Things have been kind of crazy. Hard to keep my head on straight sometimes..." After being reminded of his parents' locations at the current time of day, the novice sheathes and packs away his weapon again before hefting his duffel and turning toward home. "Thanks for stopping by, Tsuna-san. I'll see you around."

After bidding farewell to the neighborhood kids as well, Satoshi wanders around for a bit, deliberately avoiding his former residence. Something about the idea of coming home under these circumstances, especially in his current frame of mind, seems wrong somehow. It takes him about half an hour to swallow his pride, but he eventually goes back to his home, no different than any other low-maintenance flat in the lower Rukongai districts, and knocks at the door before sliding it open.

"Mom," he calls inside, his voice ever-so-slightly shaky at first. "Mom, are you here? It's me, Satoshi..."

Spoiler

Show

No worries, there's a reason that form isn't used often.

"Satoshi?!" A confused voice comes out from the back of the house. And then Satoshi's mother peeks out around the corner, and her eyes grow wet with tears.

"SATOSHI!!" The woman runs practically full-tilt into her son to embrace him. She sobs as if not believing her eyes, squeezing him tight as if to make sure he's real.

[Dorizzit]

[Soul Society]
Tsubame's holding cell

Tsubame shakes her head.

"While I can acknowledge the similarities you describe, the actual results would be different. I don't actually know what the effects of the arrows on Arrancar would be, due to physiological differences."

She flips to a blank part of the notebook, and begins creating simple but clear illustrations as she speaks.

"This is a basic Hollow after being shot by a Quincy Arrow. The arrows destabilize the Hollow's body, and being killed by them creates a chain reaction that causes the soul's structure to completely collapse. This is similar to a disintegration effect, leaving behind nothing at all that can be easily worked with."

She draws another picture.

"Hollows, at their core, are essentially highly-corrupted humans. Even a fully Hollowfied soul, however, still has human elements, simply corrupted in a manner not unlike a swollen gland. The 'Purification Arrow' selectively destroys these corrupted elements without harming salvageable aspects of the soul. If you are familiar with ancient medical practices, a rough analogy is placing maggots on an infected wound to consume the dead flesh."

One more illustration.

"This is the result. A pure human soul. It would be functionally identical to the soul at the moment of its initial transformation, albeit reduced in spiritual power and likely missing a number of memories. According to my projections, the memories most likely to be destroyed are the most traumatic ones. Even if they aren't, however, the soul will lose much of its negative emotional connection to said memories, ensuring that it can move on. The individual process will be different for each individual, but the results should be predictable, stable, and desirable."

[Frozen_Feet]

"Your projections make Quincy arrows sound like the Sokyoku halberd. By degree of Central 46, that method of execution is only allowed to be used on Shinigami who are guilty of high treason or murder. What are the projected chances of an attempt to create these 'purifying arrows' accidentally causing disintegration of a soul? Could a Quincy go back to using their old method after being taught this one?"

[5a Violista]

Caeyrn will realize that while he's not kept from relatively less important areas, he's not allowed too far out of the vicinity of the Black Dragon Inn. Noticeably, there's a nearby restaurant, a tailor, and a pottery shop he can visit.

All in all, he has SOME free reign. But not much.

At least the restaurant looks like it has some pretty waitresses...

Seireitei
[Vicinity of the Black Dragon Inn]

Well, shoot. The Actor-slash-Quincy wishes he could just sneak around or disguise himself or something. It would be much more amusing outside this confined ring.

...

However, that does not mean the restaurant isn't an attractive option. Maybe, if it's interesting enough, he'll stay within the fence.

So, Caeyrn walks into the restaurant.


[In Search of Naijeru]

Miss Suou looks for Naijeru. She knows some of the plans the Combat Division has, but is curious about the details. When are they going? What else do they have to do before they can go? Is everything all planned out yet? And so on; other similar questions.

[Dorizzit]

"The differences are existent, but academic. At first, I project a 1.37% chance of soul collapse, with that value falling as the technology is fine-tuned and techniques are perfected. A Quincy would need to use an alternative focus to their Seichten Streik - the name I have given to the hypothetical pseudo-Asauchi - in order to begin using destruction arrows again."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Soul Society]
Black Dragon Gate inn

By time Caeyrn gets back, Hoshi has already finished eating and is off to take a nap. What a bore. It looks like the only worthwhile things left to do (besides eating) would be to pester the inn staff, or perhaps the other residents.

---

Tsubame's holding cell

"But isn't it safe to assume for every existing Quincy to have such alternate focus at hand? In order for your plan to reach accepted parameters, we would need to consfiscate all such devices in existence and eradicate all knowledge on how to make them." It might be more pleasant to answer such questions if the girl's (?) voice had even a hint of genuine curiosity in it, rather than sounding like a pre-recorded message.

[Draken]

Soul Society
SEC-ED Offices

Hideki returns to his office and drops back on his chair, tapping his fingers together.

"Yolanda, inform Las Noches that I will be making a trip to the Mortal World for internal matters to the town of Ikari in Japan, I hold that your standing agent in the area could have good information for me and it would be good to not surprise him or her."

"Helms. I need you to put all my personal appointments on delay, the rest I will leave in your capable hands."

"Your family, sir?"

"I've just messaged Grandfather, do not concern yourself on this front."

Hideki turns to his computer and pulls out the surveillance data from Recon pertaining to Ikari in the last two months. He will be at this for the day and night, most certainly.