[BitPR2] Renewed Revolution: Mortal World III

[Kuroimaken]

"I said...

...NO!"

Breaking down and absorbing Reishi by force. This wasn't something Shinji had personally seen before. But it's not as if he was unaware of the phenomenon.

Luckily for him, he had just been placed into just such a situation as to take advantage of the phenomenon in reverse.

"Gyakuhou."

Alpha-1 would suddenly find that not only was the Reishi flowing freely again, it was flowing towards her with surprising ease.

Too much ease, in fact. The air lit up like it was made of hundreds, thousands, millions of tiny fireflies. Those fireflies rushed to join Alpha-1's enslaved particles in an instant, suffusing her with a veritable torrent of the Earth's power.

Too much power for a single being to hold at once. FAR too much.

All it took was a single spark to ignite this overflowing cauldron of volatile energy.

"Tenji no Ippou.

...metsu."

FWOOSH.

Oh, and then Shinji puked blood and passed out.

[KnightDisciple]

Chuck had been keeping a steady pace away from the quarry, so there's not really one stopping point for casual conversation.

But that becomes moot when he sees that Shinji's still fighting. Chuck curses and speeds away, ignoring Alice for a moment.

He appears at Shinji's side, his face an equal mix of concern and anger.

"Damn it Shinji, we lost, why did you keep pressing this?"

He looked up to Katsuo in concern, then looked toward Alpha-1. Then he glanced at Alice, his face showing something close to contempt. He turns and stands, his pointing finger jabbing her in the chest a couple of times as he speaks.

"I'm not telling you ****, Reaper! This was never any of your business! We didn't ask you to stalk us! We didn't ask you to be here! And there's no way in the Nine Levels Of Hell I'm telling you how every! Bloody! Quincy! Technique! Works!

So shove off! I have a friend to evac!"

With that, he turned to Katsuo, a bit calmer.

"We're leaving. Now. You carry, I cover. Run, or do that big leap to the very edge of the city, if you can. I'll be behind, covering you."

His grip on his rifle tightened a bit.

Somewhere in the mess, his hat had been lost, but he paid it no heed. He was most concerned with helping Katsuo and Shinji get out of there safely.

[Mina Kobold]

[Quarry]

As Chuck pokes and scolds Alice, the Shinigami looks between Shinji's unconscious body and Alpha-1, or where Alpha-1 would be in the dust and smoke. Evidently, Alice is not listening to Chuck, but rather whispering words to seemingly thin air as she moves.

"<Ran away, fled their side... Let them disappear.>"

Alice, still ignoring Chuck's words, stops walking as she stands right between the Mortals and Alpha-1, seemingly trying to shield them against anything coming from Alpha-1. Ready to attack if Alpha-1 moves.

"Run. Now"

[strawberryman]

(Quarry)

Katsuo grabs Shinji and has already leaped from the scene by the time Chuck gets to him. He lands just outside the city limits, and starts a steady jog, hoping Chuck would catch up.

[Dorizzit]

[Quarry]
Earth

As soon as Alpha-1 feels the end of the Reishi's resistance, and the flood forcing its way into the AI's body, it knows something is up. It immediately begins expelling the Reishi from its body, manifesting as a glowing blast of radiance from Alpha-1's body. This does not save it from the explosion, however. When the dust clears, Alpha-1 is standing, alive, but several large chunks of its body have been exploded from the inside, and blood drips from its mouth. It grits its teeth in a snarl, then holds both hands in front of it. A sphere of light generates between its fingers, a fiercely glowing radiance that grows ever more impossibly bright over the next seconds. Alpha-1 charges the attack for a seeming eternity. If everyone runs, just runs without looking back, they survive. Staying, or hiding, is suicide.

"Strahlend Null."

The titanic Cero streams from Alpha-1's fingers, annihilating the countryside in the direction the group fled. The display of strength is awe-inspiring, horrifying, and in a strange way, almost beautiful.

[KnightDisciple]

Chuck was mobile as soon as Katsuo was, pushing his Hirenkyaku to the limit, and very nearly beyond. He was out of sight of the quarry before Alpha-1 incanted the name of her latest attack.

When Katsuo slows to a jog, Katsuo's not far behind, though he ends up stumbling and falling to the ground, panting hard and out of breath.

Slowly, he stands up and looks back, toward the deadly glow miles away. He stows his rifle, his hands alternatively shaking like a leaf and clenching so hard he might tear skin.

It's clear the whole affair left him feeling more than a bit frustrated.

[5a Violista]

Hasunaga's Place

Miya was dreading that answer.

She was dreading the other answer, too.

"Okay. I'll...make sure to tell you." Luckily, she wasn't planning on doing that today.

She turns and leaves. Oh, right! School. That exists. It's still happening. Maybe. Once outside, Miya looks for the time. If she thinks there's still time left, she runs back to The School to finish off the day.

[Mina Kobold]

As Chuck follows the others, Alice follows along. Keeping as good an eye on Alpha-1 while making sure the Mortals are running, assisting them if any of them should trip before they are far enough away.

When Chuck stumbles, The Shinigami stops. For a few moments, she stares intently at the glow in the distance before slowly collapsing as if exhausted, breathing rapid. hands shaking nearly as much as Chuck's, the dead Brit removes something, evidently a form of cigarette from a pocket and puts it in her mouth, igniting it with a match. Steadily calming, Alice stares off at the destruction at the bunker, looking as shaken as Chuck looked frustrated.

[Dorizzit]

[Quarry]
Exterior -> Pit

Its anger spent, Alpha-1 takes a series of shuddering steps towards the massive hole it left in the process of leaving the bunker. As its injuries continue to knit together, it lifts up one hand and charges another Cero, sustaining this one momentarily as it sweeps it over the facility, annihilating what remains of it and collapsing the wall of the quarry further into the earth. Satisfied with its work, it disengages Vollständig and floats into the air before vanishing.

[???]
???

Alpha-1 stumbles into a warehouse, exhausted, bleeding from a dozen stubborn wounds, and suffering from numerous mental malfunctions. It leans up against a stack of crates nearby, blinking several times as it tries to focus.

"Running combat analysis...successful executions: 0. Severe injuries inflicted: 0. Achieved goals: 0 of 3. Estimated combat efficiency in previous encounter was 14%. Primary cause for discrepancy: Civilian Protection Protocol. Preparing to eliminate...Protocol eliminated. Running physical diagnostic...estimated blood loss: 6 liters. Regeneration efficiency: 8%. Reiryoku reserves: 87%. Reishi reserves: 43%. External injuries: 7 class 2 lacerations, 11 class 1 lacerations. Internal injuries: 2 type 1 bone fractures. Uncategorized injuries: none. Advise restorative hibernation until physical condition is restored."

Finding a dark corner, it floats to the ceiling, curls into a ball, and encases itself in a cocoon of Reishi, concealing its presence. It continues to speak, quietly.

"Running mental diagnostic...damaged coding sections: 27. Corruption growth increasing at a steady rate. Estimated cause of damage: internal interference. Preparing to eliminate."

Allowing its body to fall into a sleeping state, Alpha-1 descends into its Inner World.

Alpha-1's Inner World

An infinite maze of shining steel and glowing lights. Wide corridors, and flowing data packets. This was the world that Naito has been thrown into since Alpha-1's seizure of their body. And idleness is not in Naito's nature.

"Hm...this looks expensive."

Winding up one fist, Naito smashes a screen, reaching deeper inside and ripping a number of wires out. Naito chuckles.

"Yep. That felt important."

Ambiguity. Confusion. Self-loathing. These are things that Naito has no counter methods for. They are confusing, frustrating, and ambiguous. Alpha-1, however, is a concrete wall. A solid, direct opponent. In a way, it's almost a relief. This, Naito can deal with.

"Stop."

Naito turns to face an irate Alpha-1, floating and surrounded by a veritable halo of knives. Naito's hands rise into the air, mockingly.

"Alright, you got me."

Alpha-1 tilts its head to the side.

"You will not resist?"

Naito smirks.

"Why bother? I can't beat you, and you aren't going to kill me yet. I'm too tied into our powers. Just off me, and you kill or weaken your own strength. It'll take months to pry me free to the point where you can safely kill me. I see no reason to get beat up over it."

Alpha-1 blinks, but adapts to the situation. With a gesture, it creates an indentation in the wall the size of a cell. Naito steps into it, and chains erupt from the floor to bind Naito's arms. They pull down, dragging Naito roughly to his knees.

"No need to be rude about it. By the way, my bow and Snake-Face are still out there, and they weren't too pleased about the change in ownership, either. You might want to get on that."

Alpha-1 steps into the cell, bars rising behind it.

"Tetsuhiko Naito, you have made two errors. First, you assume that I do not have the time to hunt them at my leisure."

It makes a gesture, and a number of knives phase into existence around Naito. Alpha-1 breaks its monotone for its next words, which come out as a vicious snarl.

"Second, you have grievously overestimated my magnanimity."

[KnightDisciple]

[Ikari Streets, City Edge]

Chuck turned to Alice, frustration on his face.

"You've helped enough. Go back to your lair or whatever, Reaper."

He doesn't wait for an answer before heading over to Katsuo, his expression and tone softer.

"Do you want me to take him? I think he's stable enough to move, and I think I can get there a bit quicker. Or we can dash off together. Afraid I can't carry you both, mate."

He seemed concerned for Shinji, but was also keeping an overwatch, in case of further attack.

Whatever the decision was, the end result was the 3 boys ending up at Shinji's family's shelter, where the young...wizard?...was handed off to trained medics. Chuck would give them and Katsuo his contact information, but beg off waiting for Shinji to awaken by citing the need to prepare for the upcoming negotiations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[Chuck's Apartment, Ikari, 4 Days Later]

Charles Anderson, Junior Hunter of the Anderson Clan, awoke on a most momentous day.

He grimaced as he thought of the possibility of facing Shinji. He'd heard that the Kamogawa heir had awoken yesterday, but hadn't visited.

The negotiations today were too important.

With that in mind, he double-checked that his apartment was spotless, that his spare gear was thoroughly locked up, and that the suit he put on after cleaning up was also spotless. The duffel bag contained his primary gear, but he didn't intend to use it. He simply felt somewhat "naked" without it at least nearby.

The ten members of his family's negotiation and security team had arrived yesterday as well, and were at the curb to pick him up. Chuck's bike remained in the parking spot down to one side of the apartment building.

Chuck climbed into the luxury car that had a door open for him, and sat back for the ride to the Kuzunoha Sanctuary...

[Kuroimaken]

"Wizard" is not a bad way to put it - not accurate, but not bad either.

Chuck is welcomed by his friend. The right half of his face is covered in bandages, mostly over his eye. He also seems to be propping himself up on a cane. Both of which are strange enough - to the best of Chuck's knowledge he hadn't been injured in that fight, even throughout the end.

"Welcome, Chuck Anderson." He had to stand on ceremony as a host if nothing else. "Come. You're the first to arrive, but your companions have informed us they should be here shortly."

[Dorizzit]

[Ikari]
Shinji's Shelter

"I should hope so. It would be a shame if any relevant parties...failed to arrive."

Okay, he definitely wasn't there a second ago. For someone as tall and distinctive as he is, Jehoel is alarmingly good at sneaking around. He bows, an action that still manages to come off as condescending.

"Charles Anderson. Kuzunoha Shiki. It is a pleasure to see you again. I trust your friend is fully recovered?"

[Kuroimaken]

Shiki, as Jehoel addressed him, shares a quick glance in Chuck's direction.

"He has. It's... a long story, however. One that it's not at my discretion to tell, at the very least for now.

Welcome, Jehoel Yurius."

Shiki doesn't look particularly spooked or concerned. It may have to do with the fact that when Jehoel deigned to make his appearance, he was within his blind spot.

Nevertheless, the young man likewise bows in return.

From their position, both Chuck and Jehoel can see that a few of the attendants nearby are positively shaking.

"You'll have to excuse them. The Kuzunoha have been called upon to mediate or host meetings before, but never one of this kind or importance. They're understandably a bit nervous."

[Frozen_Feet]

One party is missing, though. None of the Akiyamas have shown up. Fifteen minutes pass, and none arrive. Odd.

[strawberryman]

(Ikari)

Early that morning... the Akiyamas had another matter to attend to. Yui Moto contacted the elder matriarch of the family on a matter of some urgency.

--

On the top of a roof in the midst of the red set, a woman in a form-fitting riding suit pulls a long case from her back, unpacking the contents. A long-rifle, scope. One of the Anderson models of spiritual-armament rifles. The serial number, registered to a 'stolen' model. She removes her helmet, revealing a tan complexion, and neat blonde hair. At a glimpse, she doesn't seem japanese.

Pulling out a pair of binoculars from the duffel bag by her feet, she looks across the city, at a large building.

The Akiyama manor. A sprawling mansion. A well-protected fortress. She notes the black sedan pulling in after checking at the gate, and the woman stepping out of the back. Yui Moto. She submits her briefcase for inspection, as well as a sweep. She has no weapons. Looking to her watch, she steps inside the manor.

Misaki, or rather, Marlene Anderson, the member of a small group of exiles from the clan (the real Marlene, of course, being dead), looks to her watch. Any time now...

She puts together the rifle, slipping in a seele schneider round, and setting the mount on the edge of the building. For now, she'd wait.

--

Yui Moto walks into Akiyama Kaede's personal conference room. Somewhat large, it is nonetheless quaint in its simplicity. A single long table with many chairs. Her host was sitting near the end away from the entry she came through. The ancient quincy, having definitely seen better days, regards Moto cautiously.

"This is highly unorthodox for you, Moto-dono. You aren't very sociable most of the time."

Yui sits a couple seats away, setting down a folder from her briefcase, and fidgeting with a pen in her coat for a moment before apparently deciding she didn't need it. She looks at Kaede calmly.

"My son has been quite effective in taking care of my company. But onto the matter at hand; I have found some things that should concern you, Akiyama-san. The Andersons." She slides the folder over. Pictures of a group of Australians packing arms and equipment into a car. The license plate is japanese issue.

"I am concerned about their movements since their scion arrived. What's more, after obtaining this information, I had one of my... specialists dig into a server they set up within Ikari. Several more of their clan have already arrived." Kaede nods, observing the articles. "I was informed." Below the pictures were printed copies of several marriage licenses made to be between Kaede's granddaughter Natsuki, and Charles Anderson. A signature from the Clan Anderson patriarch is apparently present, as is Kaede's own. It is obviously forged.

"All they would need is you, and your daughter out of the way. This Charles is probably a puppet of his family, and they will pressure him into acting for their best interests. Time will pass. And before you know it, your clan will be diluted or devoured. If they arrange for your death, the Patriarch could say the marriage was your plan for unity, and he will likely discount any involved in your death as outsiders." Moto is calm as she says this.

"We have not always been on the best terms. But you are the largest Quincy family in Japan. It would behoove me to think of cooperation in the face of this conspiracy as necessary for Clan Moto's survival. Think of that what you will."

Kaede is silent, parsing this information for a few moments. "...this seems organized... But I'm not sure what I think. Wouldn't they at least make the boy aware of the marriage? Have you spoken with him?"

"I find that unwise. Whether or not he is aware, they likely have him under surveillance. I can't afford to tip them off to my awareness."

"...I'll take your words into account Yui, but I believe that I should look into this myself." She frowns, closing the file and returning it. Yui holds a hand up as she begins to push it towards her.

"Keep it. But I warn you, inform your family. Keep the information circulated. Or it may come to your death, and no one will have known." Her expression is grave, and startlingly sincere.

"...I don't wish to harm the image of another family without my own information. I hope you understand." She nods, standing... when she pauses. "...what is that noise?"

--

Receiving a ping from an application her phone, Misaki slips a pair of earphones in, and queues up the next song.

Through the scope of the rifle, she sees the Akiyama Manor clearly. Akiyama Kaede's meeting room was on the east side, on the second floor. The side that happens to face the city, for the breathtaking view. The blinds are drawn, but that didn't matter. One by one, she fires, loading another seele schneider with each shot.

Then, finally, Misaki loads a smaller, silver bullet, aiming the scope with the center of the large pentagram she'd made. She holds her shot for a moment, waiting...

Then, she sees the helicopter. Smirking, she pulls the trigger.

--

Stepping outside of the Akiyama house, Jirou Akiyama, the appointed representative for the clan with regards to some manner of meeting with the leader of the hollows, prepares himself to head out towards the meeting place, stepping towards his car... when he looks back to the walls. ...were those seele schneiders? His eyes widen.

--

Yui stands, listening. "...that is a helicopter, Aki-" But she's thrown against the wall, as is Kaede, as a massive explosion takes out the exterior wall, fortifications and all. Ears ringing, Moto pushes herself up, regaining her vision. Akiyama groans.

There's a rapid cracking sound of gunfire from above as the quincies on the ground receive heavy cover fire, probably from some kind of mounted weapon. Then, there's a zipping, and no less than four men in tactical gear approach from the ruined wall, holding assault rifles with glowing ammunition chambers.

--

Misaki hums along to the song as she picks off the Akiyamas brave (but stupid) enough to try and close with the conference room. But her head isn't here. Her head is on her love in Tokyo.

Idly, she thinks of the last time another woman expressed interest in Yoshiro. Pretty girl, long blonde (dyed) hair, clean face, a real upright business type. Same age, very experienced in the business world. A real catch, Misaki admits. But she picked the wrong man. She lets an insane smirk grow on her face as she ponders her fate.

She was found in her apartment, hanging from the ceiling fan.

--

Yui yells to Kaede. There are no words, she can barely hear what she's saying. But the old woman moves with startling alacrity, recovering as she pounces on the assailants with a seele schneider hidden in her clothing.

One of the men goes down. Then two. The door to the conference room opens, and a pair of men with primed bows enters... but then they're dispatched immediately, bullets colliding with their skulls.

Akiyama Kaede fights like a woman possessed, the two remaining assassins trying to gain distance on her. One fails. The other takes a step back and fires a burst, clipping Kaede in the side. But it's not enough to down her before she drives the blade of light through him.

Arrows of light fly at the helicopter as it retreats, the cracking sound of machine gun fire fading fast. Yui picks herself up, trying to find something to use as a weapon. "...I should have been more careful... Is that all of-"

Akiyama Kaede falls to the ground, a hole in her head.

--

Misaki lines up the shot.

She breathes.

She fires.

Smirking at the results, she fires off another round, emptying the clip. However, on the scope she spots several quincy heading her way swiftly, on the wings of hirenyaku.

Dropping the rifle, Misaki departs the scene. People in the red set would have heard the shots. People halfway across the city probably heard them.

The Akiyama quincies arrive on the roof of Chuck's apartment building, picking up and observing the articles left. An ID for Marlene Anderson is in the Duffel bag. All the equipment, Anderson-make.

All the equipment on the other assassins, Anderson make.

Later on they would find two of the apartments below were rented by the Andersons. One being the residence of Charles Leonard Anderson. The other, rented to several others.

Marlene, Clifton, Gerard, Curt, Shaun, Westley, and Zack Anderson. In the apartment is the small server Moto mentioned. And lots of guns. What they didn't know is that the group was excommunicated from the Clan.

But the damage was already done; the attack, timed exactly on the arrival of the Anderson envoy.

--

Yui stares at the spectacle... then instinctively ducks and takes cover under the table, another bullet flying over her head.

No more shots come. In a blur, however, members of the clan flood into the room, shocked at the results. Several of their family members were dead. One of them was preparing to head out to the negotiation between the Kuzunohas, impaled by steel debris from the wall. Nearly half a dozen were killed in the direct assault, including Akiyama Kaede.

...what's more, her daughter was seriously injured by a car bomb within town, and is likely heading to the emergency department as the summit at the Kuzunoha house begins.

Moto answers all the clan's questions to their satisfaction. As far as they know, Moto was trying to warn Kaede about the possibility of an assassination attempt from the Andersons. But before long, they run out of information, and let her leave.

On the way back to Tokyo, Yui flips out one of her burn phones, sending a text.

--

Misaki doesn't stop until she's at the city limits, amongst the trees. Sitting to take a breath, she... laughs. It went perfectly.

A few hours pass as she waits, a few times she flips open her phone to send a call to Yoshiro, only reaching the message recording. She gets it into her head to visit him after this is over. How wrong could that go?

Eventually, she receives a text. It is short, and to the point.

Returning to Tokyo. In the Clear.

She smirks, crushing the device in her hand, and starting her walk back into town. Her hotel wasn't far from the outskirts.

[Draken]

Ikari - Three Days Ago
(Ikari High)

Classes as usual. Naito is absent.

During Hasunaga's class, an announcement comes from the speakers.

"Tzzz. Akiyama Hinata and Akiyama Natsuki, please report to the principal's office."

Confused by the sudden call, but otherwise unconcerned, the two girls excuse themselves from class and head out.

They do not return until the bell rings.

Ikari - Morning of the Present Day
(Ikari High)

Classes proceed as normal.

One might imagine that certain matinal events, elsewhere, would reach the ears of interested students. But it does not happen. The day proceeds without hitch, perfectly normally. As peaceful as one could hope.

(Akiyama Household)

Meanwhile, the Akiyama household is a wreck, having just seen a spiritual skirmish. Walls were exploded, lives were reaped.

Not a sign of any of the city's civil authorities can be found, however.

[KnightDisciple]

[Ikari]
Shinji's Shelter

"Wizard" is not a bad way to put it - not accurate, but not bad either.

Chuck is welcomed by his friend. The right half of his face is covered in bandages, mostly over his eye. He also seems to be propping himself up on a cane. Both of which are strange enough - to the best of Chuck's knowledge he hadn't been injured in that fight, even throughout the end.

"Welcome, Chuck Anderson." He had to stand on ceremony as a host if nothing else. "Come. You're the first to arrive, but your companions have informed us they should be here shortly."

Chuck gave a small but genuine smile at Shinji's state, but he can't hide the wince at Shinji's state. He waves the other delegation members on (not that he's really "in charge", but more as a sign they don't need to wait for him).

"Glad to see you're mostly mobile, Shinji. I...I'm sorry I haven't seen you so far. This week has been insane in the worst ways.

And thank you and your family again for hosting this. I'm hoping the talks will bear a lot of fruit."

[Ikari]
Shinji's Shelter

"I should hope so. It would be a shame if any relevant parties...failed to arrive."

Okay, he definitely wasn't there a second ago. For someone as tall and distinctive as he is, Jehoel is alarmingly good at sneaking around. He bows, an action that still manages to come off as condescending.

"Charles Anderson. Kuzunoha Shiki. It is a pleasure to see you again. I trust your friend is fully recovered?"

Chuck manages to only flinch, and not swear a blue streak.

"Uh. Mister Jehoel. Um. Yes, nice to meet you. Again. Um. Thank you for coming here and agreeing to the meeting."

The Anderson delegation seems extremely nervous, and Chuck's hand gripping his bag handle is white-knuckled, but no one's pulling a weapon.

Shiki, as Jehoel addressed him, shares a quick glance in Chuck's direction.

"He has. It's... a long story, however. One that it's not at my discretion to tell, at the very least for now.

Welcome, Jehoel Yurius."

Shiki doesn't look particularly spooked or concerned. It may have to do with the fact that when Jehoel deigned to make his appearance, he was within his blind spot.

Nevertheless, the young man likewise bows in return.

From their position, both Chuck and Jehoel can see that a few of the attendants nearby are positively shaking.

"You'll have to excuse them. The Kuzunoha have been called upon to mediate or host meetings before, but never one of this kind or importance. They're understandably a bit nervous."

"Maybe we should go sit down. Have, uh, drinks and snacks. Or something. Yeah."

Ever the master diplomat, that boy.

One party is missing, though. None of the Akiyamas have shown up. Fifteen minutes pass, and none arrive. Odd.

The leader of the Anderson delegation, a man who looks to have a sharp mind but a build meant more for speed than even Chuck's, frowns as he examines his old-style pocket watch.

"I would move that if we can get the Soul Society representatives at the table, we start the negotiations even if the Akiyama are not present. Our hope is that the Akiyamas can join us soon, but the primary negotiations are with Soul Society and Las Noches."

[Dorizzit]

[Ikari]
Kuzunoha Safehouse

Jehoel tilts his head to one side at Shinji's statement. Then he nods, knowingly.

"Please, there is no need to stand on ceremony. I think that it would be best if we all treated each other as equals, no? Las Noches stands to gain just as much from this meeting as you do."

His next words are quiet, spoken only for Chuck and Shinji to hear.

"And just so we're clear...if you really don't want to talk to me about it, say so. I'd rather be insulted than lied to. If your friend needs more help...I might be able to be of assistance."

The moment, the statement, passes in an instant. So fast, so subtly that even the most observant of those present would be hard pressed to notice. Jehoel steps back a bit, providing a sweeping bow to the gathered parties.

"To those who I have not yet been introduced, I am Jehoel Yurius, Primera Espada of Las Noches. Let me simply say how glad I am that you have all agreed to attend this summit. I will not pretend to understand how hard this must be for most of you; I would imagine that i represent a culmination of everything you hate and some of your worst nightmares. Still, the ability to put aside prejudice, and the strength to see beyond appearances: these are the signs of the truly great. I ask only that you give Las Noches a chance to prove its sincerity, and we will not disappoint."

He smiles again. If pressed, no one could point to anything specific about his behavior that seems the least bit insincere.

[Kuroimaken]

"It's a lot more complicated than that. When the meeting is over, I'll go into more detail."

He smiled up at Chuck.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Chuck. The state you see me in now is not your fault. It's a complex consequence of how my powers work. Are you familiar with the concept of sakanagi?"

He turned to the other delegates. "I would be pressed to agree. Please, follow the attendants inside. We have waiting rooms ready - we'll let you know as soon as the Shinigami delegation arrives."

[strawberryman]

(Kuzonoha House)

Spoiler

Show

By the way, 4 days ago, people may have noticed a necklace in Katsuo's shirtlessness. It's a rather plain bronze beetle pendant.

Katsuo, while quiet, is here as well! And wearing a rather well-fitted v-neck sweater over a formal shirt, with black dress slacks. He gives a nervous smile to Shinji and Chuck, looking to this 'Jehoel' as well. Not really knowing what to do, he gives a slight bow.

"...um, h-hello, sir. Yamada Katsuo."

[Dorizzit]

Jehoel gives a polite nod and smiles.

"A pleasure to meet you."

[Kuroimaken]

Not long after that, a Senkaimon opens close by the entrance, through which step two Shinigami.

"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Setsurou Hishikawa and this is Tsubame Hazuki, here on behalf of the Shinigami for the conference."

Setsurou removes his hat and offers a polite bow, which Shinji returns in kind.

"Welcome, both of you."

[Dorizzit]

Jehoel nods to the new arrivals.

"Well met, Shinigami. The Akiyamas are yet to arrive, but if you're here, then we can begin the negotiations."

Tsubame simply bows to those present. Her role will come in time.

[Kuroimaken]

"To the conference room, then. Shall we?"

[Frozen_Feet]

[Ikari]
(Akiyama Household)

Meanwhile, the Akiyama household is a wreck, having just seen a spiritual skirmish. Walls were exploded, lives were reaped.

Not a sign of any of the city's civil authorities can be found, however.

There is one person at the scene, however: Akiyama Hoshi. She just got back from the afterlife, and came to fetch her car. Said car is now in pieces, and her friend Ota Yui is busy explaining by phone to her that her sister's dead and her niece is critically injured. It might be Caeyrn Belenus has to get to the meeting without her...

[KnightDisciple]

[Kuzonoha House]

"It's a lot more complicated than that. When the meeting is over, I'll go into more detail."

He smiled up at Chuck.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Chuck. The state you see me in now is not your fault. It's a complex consequence of how my powers work. Are you familiar with the concept of sakanagi?"

He turned to the other delegates. "I would be pressed to agree. Please, follow the attendants inside. We have waiting rooms ready - we'll let you know as soon as the Shinigami delegation arrives."

Chuck raised an eyebrow at the term.

"Can't say I am. Not exactly a scholarly sort, though. I'm sure that's a shock. Some of my relatives might have an idea what it is."

Katsuo, while quiet, is here as well! And wearing a rather well-fitted v-neck sweater over a formal shirt, with black dress slacks. He gives a nervous smile to Shinji and Chuck, looking to this 'Jehoel' as well. Not really knowing what to do, he gives a slight bow.

"...um, h-hello, sir. Yamada Katsuo."

After Katsuo and Jehoel exchange pleasantries, Chuck steps over and shakes Katsuo's hand.

"Hey man, good to see you here. Um. I'd ask if you're security,but considering where we are..."

He shrugs.

Not long after that, a Senkaimon opens close by the entrance, through which step two Shinigami.

"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Setsurou Hishikawa and this is Tsubame Hazuki, here on behalf of the Shinigami for the conference."

Setsurou removes his hat and offers a polite bow, which Shinji returns in kind.

"Welcome, both of you."

Jehoel nods to the new arrivals.

"Well met, Shinigami. The Akiyamas are yet to arrive, but if you're here, then we can begin the negotiations."

Tsubame simply bows to those present. Her role will come in time.

"To the conference room, then. Shall we?"

The leader of the Anderson group, who had introduced himself as Anthony Anderson, nodded.

"Yes. I would imagine we can catch the Akiyama representatives up when the arrive."

After they'd been seated, Anthony pulled out several presentation folders from his briefcase. They had a couple of stapled-together collections of documents within. There was enough that Jehoel, both of the Shinigami, and at least a couple of Kuzonoha representatives could have copies.

"Now, these documents contain some rough-draft proposals for how the Andersons would like to interact with both of your political entities. We are assuming that each of you has a separate but functional government, and that you can handle negotiations between yourselves in your own time.

Some of the more humorous of our legal team have proposed these documents be dubbed "The Unseelie Accords". It seemed fitting enough to avoid correction.

Our first goal is to be recognized as an independent nation, so far as the reckoning of spiritual matters is concerned. While not as numerous as either of your own nations, we still wish to be recognized as something at least approaching an equal. Pursuant to this, we of course are willing to discuss the necessary legal adherence to not be thought of as a "rogue state".

In addition, we seek to be recognized fully independent of any other Clan, Family, Group, or Army of Quincy in the world. The Anderson Clan has always charted its own path, and intends to continue to do so.

We are also requesting rights to continue to operate in our own territory, but are willing to work cooperatively with joint groups from both Soul Society and Las Noches for purposes of final fate of the Hollows involved, as well as in the location and Soul Burial of Pluses that remain on Earth. We recognize the potentially...unseemly...nature of our abilities, and thus seek a compromise to assure your governments we are not eradicating souls willy-nilly.

We are requesting joint operations because, frankly, we do not trust either of your governments in totality. But we also are of a mind you don't trust each other. Having all three of our people working together at least assures that any one member of the trio looking to betray one of the others must stop and consider the final member.

We also would not be allowing any members of your polity into the primary residence of our family, at least not under these initial agreements. We would, however, be allowing access to secondary facilities scattered across Australia.

We also should note that our focus will continue to be primarily upon Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Because, to be frank, there are plenty of utterly lethal creatures inhabiting those lands that would as soon kill you and feast on your flesh as they would look at you."

Here, Anthony smirks a bit.

"Plus, there's a fair number of Hollows borne from animal souls, so that's even worse."

An attempt at humor.

"Are there any questions thus far?"

[Kuroimaken]

"You can call it backlash, if it makes it easier to understand. Every spell has it. Most of our training is focused on deflecting or avoiding its effects. But even when they can be nullified, it takes preparation and skill to do so. I wasn't strong enough to handle the reverse form of that spell I used... so the result is as you see. These will heal in time, don't worry." Shinji explained this briefly as he headed to the conference room.

As the Anderson representative spoke his piece, Shinji remained silent. So far it was nothing out of the ordinary or expected - for the most part, this was already how the Kuzunoha acted towards the Quincy as a whole, as well as other organizations. The bit about being recognized as fully independent from the Quincy themselves quirked a couple of eyebrows, notably Setsurou's, but wasn't objectionable in and of itself.

"I believe I speak for all of us mortals when I say that our respective organizations are significantly more fragmented than their Soul Society or Hueco Mundo counterparts. The Kuzunoha are willing and eager to work together with all of you to ensure our collective, continued well-being. Trust needs to be earned, certainly, but I doubt it will be our primary obstacle. That would be the elements outside this arrangement."

Setsurou raised a hand to take the floor next.

"Regarding the nature of Quincy techniques, one of our own has been working together with the Akiyama branch of the Quincy in order to resolve what would be our biggest point of contention.

Tsubame?"

The taller Shinigami turned to his colleague.

[Dorizzit]

[Ikari]
Summit Meeting

Tsubame nods and lifts the briefcase onto the table. With confident motions, she clicks the case open. First, she lifts out a small, rounded device resembling a land mine. She presses a button on it, causing it to project a hologram into the air for the entire table to see, initially a simple "standing by" message. Once she is certain the device is working properly, Tsubame turns the case around in order to show everyone the objects contained within: eight perfect, silver crosses, simple in design.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Seichten Streik."

The hologram device begins flashing through a series of diagrams, schematics, and information streams.

"An advanced version of the existing design of the Quincy Cross, the Seichten Streik refines the existing capabilities of the Quincy Cross in order to provide superior versatility and create a purification effect on the Hollows slain by the bearer. I would, incidentally, like to thank Las Noches for their contributions on this project: the Arrancars provided a number of the resources that allowed the timely completion of this project."

Jehoel nods at the acknowledgement.

"Initially, a Quincy bow created by the Seichten Streik will have little difference from a regular Quincy bow, albeit significantly weaker. The extra power lies dormant within the Quincy's soul during this period, forming a stronger bond with them and being further shaped by them during each use of the Seichten Streik."

"Once the bonding process is complete, most efficiently through a combination of training and meditation as detailed in the reports I have prepared, the personification of the Quincy's powers within their soul will draw them into their inner world, where they will gain access to the full power of their modified bow. At this point, the Seichten Streik will morph into the Seele Stechen, its completed form."

"While the Seele Stechen lacks the raw destructive power of existing Quincy weaponry, this is compensated for in the alterations the Quincy's soul makes on it. These alterations can take numerous forms; one might possess tremendous heat; another, the capacity to pass through physical objects without harm. The variation of power will depend on the personality of the Quincy in question."

"Once the transformation is complete, the Quincy's powers fundamentally alter, requiring reattunement with a traditionally designed Quincy Cross to revert. The Quincy, and any equipment they use, will create a purification effect on Hollows that they kill. While Quincy powers are too inherently destructive to perfectly purify a Hollow, the Seele Stechen causes the annihilation effect to selectively target the parts of the soul that have been completely Hollowfied, and damages those parts of it that have been partly corrupted. What remains will be heavily damaged, but in 98.76% of the test scenarios were able to reconstitute into a functional soul. There is very little chance of the resulting soul possessing any meaningful trace of its former existence. This damage does not, however, possess any threat to the Balance. I also anticipate some degree of cosmetic change to the appearance of the Quincy powers manifested by the individual."

"The manufacturing of new Seichten Streiks should be a relatively simple process. They are created from an alloy of Quincy Spiritual Steel and a unique metal used in the creation of Shinigami Asauchi. While the Soul Society cannot trade its own supplies of the metal, I have confirmed from the Akiyama family that both relevant Clans of the Quincy will be able to fabricate it using their available resources, a process I have detailed in my reports. It also requires an infusion of power either from a Shinigami, or a Quincy possessing a functional Seele Stechen."

Tsubame powers the projector off, replacing it in the case, which she shuts.

"As I have alluded to, I have included a report detailing every known aspect of the Seichten Streik and Seele Stechen, including copies of my research notes and relevant information about equivalent processes in Shinigami weapon bonding procedures. I will now answer any questions you may have."

[KnightDisciple]

The Andersons present sat back in their seats, stunned, for a couple of minutes as they processed the presentation. Finally, Anthony spoke up.

"I...have a couple of questions.

First, you mention the Seichten Streik, which is what I take the devices there to be, becoming Seele Stechen. Will this accomplish a physical transformation on the Seichten Streik? Or, if one of us wanted it in a different physical form, would we be required to cast or forge it into said form?
As well, could one of us bond with a "backup" Streik? It perhaps sounds silly, but we Andersons are fans of being thoroughly prepared.

Next, you mention an Inner World. While we understand the concept, those of our members who have attempted to venture within have found that it's...more metaphorical than what we understand you Shinigami possess. Will this make it more..."concrete"? Would our powers form a unique consciousness within, or is the personification less sentient than that?

Do you believe that, with time, the chances of soul reincarnation will go from not quite 99% to effectively 100%? It still sounds a bit traumatic, but definitely less objectionable than true destruction..."

He pauses for a moment, and while he seems by far the most stoic of the group, there's genuine hope in his eyes.

"Regarding the process to create the Ausachi material, perhaps we could receive some initial assistance from the proposed joint patrol teams, or rather the Shinigami members, before our own numbers of Andersons with Seele Stechen are sufficient?

Finally, would it be possible to take some of our larger, less mobile weaponry that currently (with the aid of one or more of our members) generate Heilig Pfeil and modify them to fire these...Reinigung Pfeil?"

Chuck was still practically in shock. He pondered the revelation to himself.

'This is for real. I could finally use my powers without even a hint of regret. I would no longer be a Monk of Destruction, but a Monk of Purification.

[Dorizzit]

Tsubame, as Anthony speaks, jots down a couple of notes a notepad, her hand moving with impressive speed. Once he finishes, she consults what she has written before answering.

"In order..."

She begins counting off on her hand.

"The Seichten Streik should physically transform. For example, this basic design might transform into a more ornate version of itself, or alter into the shape of a...coptic cross, or pentagram. Essentially, any form you might have seen a Quincy Cross in previously, this will change to reflect."

"On the matter of a backup...while such an action would be impossible with a Zanpakuto, there are a number of untested differences between that and a Seele Stechen. I hypothesize that the possibility exists, but may well cause additional mental or physical fatigue. I can endorse trying it, but I would recommend serious caution; any negative side effects should be treated seriously and result in a discontinuation of the attempt."

"I cannot say exactly the effect this will have on your Inner World, but the primary function of an Asauchi is to provide the Shinigami with a direct link to and housing for their powers. It is not that the Seele Stechen will alter your mind. It would more accurate to state that it will ease the gap that exists between your mind and the sentient will of your power."

"I would absolutely expect success rates to climb in time. As the creation techniques are refined and users become more adapted to their power, I would anticipate an eventual climb to 100% success rates, and perhaps even a lessening of trauma for the affected souls. After all, I am a Shinigami, and I was able to create these prototypes with merely a month of work. I can only imagine what the actual Quincy will be able to create with this foundation."

"I apologize for the miscommunication, but I actually meant the Seichten Streik itself requires an infusion of power; the material from which Asauchis are made is, in relative terms, mundane. As for assistance with these infusions, I cannot speak in either direction, but my colleague should be able to negotiate on that front."

"Finally, any technology that mimics Quincy powers should be able to be modified to match the changes brought about with a Seele Stechen. They may, however, require periodic or constant infusions of power from an appropriately empowered Quincy in order to do so. I'm afraid that my knowledge of Quincy Materiel is limited, for obvious reasons. Due to this, I cannot make an authoritative statement on the matter."