The Soul Society was a busy place at the moment. Such was the case when the Seireitei was in state of panic.
The Shakonmaku had been breached and Ryoka had been spilt into four groups that scattered over the community.
"This..."
"What the heck is this?!"
The group of male Shinigami stared down at the large hole in the middle of the road, some prodding it with their toes.
"What could've made a hole this big from falling?"
"Move aside."
The men stiffened, glancing back over their shoulders with slight fear.
A tall woman stood behind them, arms crossed casually over her bound chest, which was displayed through the loose kosode that had fallen off her left shoulder. Dark green hair was kept away from her face by a tight braid, but unruly bangs fell into her gold eyes.
"Fourth Seat Mizuki Hayashi!" The men bowed, lowering to one knee as she strode through their group.
The woman examined the large crater, shifting her weight so her sword bounced against her leg.
"If there's no corpse, that means the Ryoka is still alive." She turned to the non-seated Shinigami. "Keep moving."
"Start searching!" The obvious leader of the group motioned for them to leave, multiple black pigtails bouncing as he trotted off.
Mizuki watched them leave, and then turned back to the hole, crouching down. Her long nimble fingers swept over the dirt, rubbing it between her fingers before she stood and directed her gaze to the tree sitting to the side of the road.
"What should I do now...?" The soft male voice muttered quietly.
"For starters," Mizuki answered, voice hard, but soft enough that no one would think there was a commotion. "You can get out of the tree."
The leaves rustled for a moment and the tallest Ryoka dropped down, holding his fists up before him.
"I'm not gonna fight ya, kid." She peered up at him. "You're here to rescue Rukia right?"
He nodded.
"What's your name?"
The tall teenager kept quiet.
Mizuki pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you. I agree with what Rukia-san did whole-heartedly. She did it to survive, and that's alright. People, and Shinigami, are always looking out for what's best for them." She paused a moment. "But, you know, if it was me in her situation...I would have beat the shit out of the Hollow till I was either dead or it was dead. Can't help being in different Divisions. So, let's try this again."
She crossed her arms again.
"What is your name?"
"Sado Yasutora." He mumbled, lowering his fists slightly.
"Nice ta meet ya! I'm Mizuki Hayashi, Fourth Seat of the Eleventh Division. Want me ta take you ta where Rukia-san is?!" She grinned, baring sharper than canines.
Sado nodded, deactivating the red and maroon shield on his arm.
"Let's go." She shrugged her kosode up her shoulder, where it promtly fell down again. Mizuki tucked her hands behind her head and strode forward, glancing behind her twice to make sure Sado was following.
It was terribly easy to skirt around the squads running around, hauling Sado onto the roofs and then jumping onto another parallel road.
The second day, Mizuki presented Chad with a black yukata to hide his bright clothing, with a cheerful 'You're really stupid to try rescuing someone in bright clothing.'
"I'm going to get some food. Wait here for me." She grinned as she stepped out of the warehouse they were hiding in. "If anyone comes, you have my full permission to beat the crap out of them!"
Sado nodded, leaning against a wall and dozing off when the door shut. He was woken by loud voices, one of them female, and he recognized it as Mizuki.
"What? I'm hungry. Don't give me that look, Dorito. Do you style your hair like that?"
"For your information, Hayashi-san, my hair naturally looks like this! And this whole eating in a warehouse is very suspicious."
"What a woman can't eat in a warehouse?"
"Not without raising suspicions." There was a muffled noise of someone dropping things.
"I hate to do this...But I brought a can of ass-whooping. Want to try some?"
"Hayashi-san, let us in the warehouse."
"Well, I suppose I can allow you to go in one by one...in pieces with no asses. But you need them for your group orgies. Sad that I'll be taking them, won't it?" Mizuki laughed.
"We'll beat you first and then go in."
Chad peeked out of a crack in the door in time to witness Mizuki taking care of a good twenty Shinigami with absolutely no zanpakuto at all.
"Well, that can of ass-whooping went to waste. You were no challenge at all. Why the hell are you in the Eleventh Division?" She turned to the squashed bundle of food. "And you fucking squished my brunch! Ugh! Sado!"
The six-foot male slid open the door and looked down at the twenty-something woman he'd put his trust into.
"You stay here and fight the next group. I'm hungry." She suddenly vanished, and Sado was left staring at the slight imprint she left.
"Hold it! This is the end of the line for you, foolish trespasser!" Chad paused, staring at the man with braids hanging down the sides of his head. "Because I, Third Seat of the Eighth Division: Tatsuhusa Enjyouji is here! You picked the wrong path, vagrant. Since the instant I was stationed here, this path has become a dead end for your kind!"
The he started waving his sword around like an idiot.
"Wow! It's Tatsuhusa-sama's Houzankenbu!"
Chad internally snickered.
"Hey, what's wrong? Scared? That's okay...Since my technique of mine has never lost to anything-"
Chad managed to solve the problem of the arrogant male punching him in the face with his armoured arm and sent him rolling backwards.
"Sorry. There were two many openings."
"He lost!" The two subordinates yelled, shock across their faces.
"Wow~! Not bad at all!" A man in very bright pink kimono dropped down in a shower of pink flower petals. He stood, tucking his hands into the white haori under the loose kimono, which was only draped over his shoulders. "I am Shunsui Kyouraku, Captain of the Eighth Division. Pleased to meet you."
Shunsui nodded his hat adorned head in greeting.
"...The Captain in Eighth Division..."
"Yup! Nice to meet you~!" He glanced at the petals, and then turned his gaze to the balcony above. "Hey, Nanao-chan~! You can stop throwing the petals now~!"
The woman in glasses narrowed her eyes, and continued throwing fistfulls of the pink flowers.
"...um...uh...You can stop now, Nanao-chan~! My cute, cute Nanao-chan~! L-O-V-E-L-Y, lovely, Nana-"
Shunsui Kyouraku was cute off by the entire basket being dumped on his head. Sado sweat-dropped.
"I'm sorry. I don't have time for games. Please move aside." The Mexican sighed. "Don't say that! What's wrong with staying with me? You people sure are stoic..."
"I'm in a hurry. Please move. You don't look like a bad guy...So if possible, I don't want to fight you."
"How problematic! Neither of us wants to fight. However, I cannot let you pass. Would you turn back please?"
"I can't do that."
"Oh? Then it can't be helped."
Chad stared in shock as the Captain pulled a sake bottle and two cups from out of nowhere and plopped to the ground.
"Drink, my friend~!" He chuckled.
"Huh...?"
"Iya, iya. Since you won't turn back, at least stay here a while. Just a little while. All the other Captains must have made their moves by now. The battle should be over soon. Until then, please stay here and drink to your heart's content..."
"The other Captains? Ichigo...and the others...are being attacked by Captains?"
"Darn. It seems I said too much."
"The situation has changed. Kyouraku, please move aside immediately."
"What if I refuse?"
Mizuki grumbled to herself, knawing a piece of unidentifiable meat as she stared at the small pile of flower petals and the blood splashed across the ground.
"Stupid." She snorted, kicking the petals and gazing around. "It had to be Kyouraku-taicho, didn't it? He could have left me some sake."
Mizuki bent, gazing at the trail of flower petals and crossed her arms. The path Shunsui had taken led towards the jail, but Mizuki turned away at a loud commotion of Shinigami.
"Head East around the Second Street down. The Ryoka are tricky! Check every corner!"
"Yes, sir!" Mizuki leapt on top of the roof and the down beside the leader of the group. Her eyes were drawn to the black haired, glasses wearing male 'Shinigami' and the large breasted ginger bimbo.
"Good work! Anyways, I don't believe I've met you before..." The squad leader looked at the two, nhot noticing Mizuki. "Are you new?"
"Yes! I just joined recently! My name is Inoue! Nice to meet you!" The bimbo saluted.
"I'm Ishida. Nice to meet you." The four-eyed one seemed a little depressed.
The large male gazed at the girl, checking her out.
"Not bad...Want to come to my room tonight?"
"Huh?" Inoue paled.
"You've probably heard of me. I'm Umesade Toshimori! This year, I'm one of the fifteen officers on the twentieth seat of the Ninth Division! It's kind of embaressing to say this myself, but I'm the strongest of the fifteen. I won't treat you wrong..."
He paused as Ishida stepped in between the two and Mizuki leaned against the wall.
"What the hell is your problem?" Toshimori growled.
"The Ryoka problem is so great that even war-time exemptions were passed. At a time like this, I don't think a seated officer has time to do such things like that."
"What...!? You! You're just an unseated Shinigami! How dare you lecture me!"
"Umesade-dono! No suspicious people over here! Please instruct us on what to do next?!" Toshimori stiffened as a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Yes, Toshimori-san..." Mizuki grinned. "Go help your squad. I'll help the newbies."
He nodded, darting off to the corner.
"And in the future," He froze at the acid in her tone. "Don't try hitting on girls while on duty. Next time it might have severe consequences."
Umesade turned and bowed.
"Yes, Hayashi-dono."
"Hurry up. There's still a few Ryoka on the loose." She dismissed him with a cocky grin and wave of the hand.
"Now, you two." She turned on the two 'Shinigami' sneaking away. "Where do you think you are going, Ryoka?"
"Ryoka?" Inoue waved her hand like the idea was absurd. "No, no. We're Shinigami!"
"What Division are you from?" Mizuki lifted her eyebrow.
"Eleven..."
"Never seen you before. And your Twelfth Division uniforms aren't helping. Also the fact you're not carrying swords...Inoue and Ishida, was it?"
The two nodded.
"You friends of Sado?"
"Sado-kun! You saw Sado-kun?! Where is he?!" Inoue gasped. Mizuki shrugged.
"Somewhere. Currently looking for him, actually. Rukia is being held in that tower over thata way. The Captains are coming after you too. But you didn't get it from me."
She grinned, and then strode away, noticing a petal.
"Who are you?" Inoue called, a kind smile.
"Mizuki Hayashi, Fourth Seat of the Eleventh Division. I suggest you start moving." She waved and then vanished, reappearing on a rooftop farther away.