Interlude
"No playing with Kurosaki Ryohime, eh? Well, that's just lovely. I can't exactly use my sword against her, then, can I? So, tell me, General Akama... how does one kill a Shinigami without being able to use one's sword?"
"You're a good manipulator, First General. Make someone think she's the enemy in your place."
"It doesn't work quite like that. Besides, if I'm too dramatic it breaks their minds, especially when I try to be someone they truly care about. I made that mistake once, and it lost me everything. It's subtlety for me these days, quietly inserting myself into their pasts as naturally as possible. No true re-writing, no breakdowns, no players doing things erratically to ruin everything."
"You're making me a little nervous with all this talk, General."
"I've never needed to use Book of the End on you before. Or anyone here, really."
"Except Caro."
"Except Caro."
"... How about this? You create a credible backstory for yourself, take a position in their memory as someone, if not close to them individually, then at least someone known to be trustworthy. A Shinigami, maybe? Caro said he'd send backup, so you could just distract the others while the backup takes care of Kurosaki, and you're left free to deal with everyone else in whatever cruel and unusual ways Caro has ordered."
"I think it's a bit of a mercy he sent me after them, rather then Kurotsuchi. At least, in the end, they won't end as fuel for that madman's schemes."
"I don't think I'll ever be able to forget those screams..."
"No... and you don't even have to remember helping cause them, Akama-san."
"Some day, Gener- Tsukishima-san."
"Some day soon. One way or another, I feel the life we knew here is going to end soon."