This covers the events of the expedition, set between Chapters 19 and 20. The first scene depicted within this is a more detailed and expanded/extended version of a scene from Chapter 19. After the first scene, the rest is original content.

If these Interludes work out as I hope they will, then you can expect more frequent updates- and I don't just mean filler content. As previously stated, some of these are story elements that I originally cut for pacing or narrative reasons. As I've been working on these, the more I've begun to realize that their potential to benefit the story- chiefly, in handling ideas that might otherwise have slowed or hindered my writing.

TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW

Interlude 02:
"The Expedition"

Soul Society (16:32 hrs)...

It didn't take Renji long to locate the rest of the expeditionary party, given that they were all casually milling about, some of them engaging in small talk.

The primary objective of their mission was to locate and secure a vein of the ore- which Szayel had tentatively labeled "Ebonite"- that was large enough to yield enough of the raw material for the Espada to properly test it. However, while it was the tech's job to locate the stuff, the duty of protecting the site once they secured it was the purview of the combat-oriented members.

There was a number of a members from the Twelfth Division- including a rather pale man, whom he believed was Kenta Ando, one of the Seated Officers (though he couldn't remember the actual rank of the seat that he occupied). There were two other members from the Sixth Division present, one who he recognized as the Eighth Seat, Yosuke Hayate. The clean-shaven man's blonde hair was buzzed on the sides, with the top grown long and pulled back into a ponytail.

"Yo, Abarai!"

He turned to Ikaku Madurame, the Third Seat of the Eleventh. The bald Shinigami was effectively the Division's Acting Lieutenant- given that the recognized Lieutenant was in-name only, because the tiny pink-haired hellion happened to be the adopted daughter of the Captain!

Not far from him, was the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh- Yoko Watase. She was talking to an Officer from the Fourth Division, Shinzo Abe. He was tall and slender, with long dark brown hair that reached down just past his collar, with a goatee, and a pair of black-framed glasses over his eyes. Abe sported a green sash- worn by the Field Medics of the Fourth- in addition to his robes.

"Hey, Abarai, good to see you!" Ikaku barked, flashing him a broad smile. "Hey, Watase," he continued as he turned to address the woman. "Come over here and take a look as this guy- former member of the Eleventh, who went on and made good for himself."

She looked over her shoulder at them for a moment, before approaching. Ikaku clapped a hand upon Renji's shoulder. "This man here, that you're looking at," he went on. "He started in the Eleventh, and now he's the Lieutenant of the Sixth, under Byakuya Kuchiki."

She looked him over for a moment. "Nice ink-work, Lieutenant." Yoko replied, folding her arms across her chest. "So, do those designs cover your entire body, sir?"

"Er, yes, Officer Watase." Renji replied, trying not to blush.

She smirked at this. "Nice," Yoko went on. "I'm inked up too." She continued. "I can show 'em to you when we have time, if you like, and you can give me some feedback."

Renji flushed a bright shade of crimson, while Ikaku burst out laughing...

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Huecco Mundo...
Uncharted (West of Las Noches)...

Day 01. 17:51 hrs

As soon as they knew everyone had arrived, Renji had wasted no time in drawing Zabimaru to trigger the Senkaimon that would bring them to the realm of the Hollows.

"Okay, listen up, everyone." Renji began. "Given that there's no actual 'days' or 'nights' in this place, we'll be using the 'Universal Standard Day' system in order to effectively keep track of our operational cycles for the duration of the mission." He explained to the assembled team members, gathered around him as he addressed them. "It's standard protocol for any extended operation in Huecco Mundo, but for those of you who are new to this, I'll explain." The tattooed Shinigami held up his wrist.

There was a watch-like device strapped to it, with a large flashing red '0000' visible in the circular face of the jet black device. "It will track the flow of time in twenty-four hour cycles," he explained, before lowing his arm as he resumed. "It's the equivalent time to a regular day in Soul Society and the Living Realm... Except here, there's no sunrise, just night." He continued. "This means that it's critical that we all adhere to the shift schedules." Renji added. "The lack of sunlight is enough of a problem by itself, so we don't need any of us suffering sleeping disorders as well... Isn't that right, Officer Abe?"

"Er, yes sir," the brown-haired bespectacled Officer replied, the same one he'd observed talking with Yoko Watase when he'd first arrived. "That's why the Fourth Division made sure to include Vitamin D supplements in our supplies." Abe explained, composing himself. "And without a properly regimented sleep schedule, people could uh start experiencing depression and paranoia related issues."

"Thank you." Renji replied. "Alright... Right now, it should be close to six o'clock in Soul Society." He remarked as he reached down to check the athletic watch clipped to his waist. "Yeah... It's five minutes to six, so everyone set your watches to 1800 hours, and wait for my word." He instructed, watching as everyone fiddled with their watches. "Okay, now... 3, 2, 1- go!"

The crimson-haired Shinigami smiled. "Okay everyone, we're now all on synchronized time, so let's try and finish getting the camp set up by twenty-one hundred hours."

With that, everyone got to work, carrying out their assigned tasks...

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Day 01. 19:53 hrs

Kenta Andou went about checking the equipment he'd brought with him. He was presently typing into the keyboard of a small laptop, which was linked to a fairly sophisticated device. He'd set up the device near to where his tent was located, for better access to it.

The Twelfth Division had designed specialized metal detectors and sub-scanners: devices, which once inserted below ground, emitted sonar waves capable of revealing "anomalies". The irregularities would deflect the waves back, thus revealing their location. Renji had been surprised when he realizes that the devices uses modified shotgun shells to fire the scanners deep into the soil.

It was strange, the things one remembered, such as when he'd tried to intimidate Kurosaki by firing off the contents of a 12-gauge shell from that old Remington 870 shotgun in his direction...

The orange-haired teen had gotten so uppity over it, as if he actually thought he'd meant to kill him! Still, there was something about the feel of holding the stained wood and metal weapon in his hand, as well as the faint scent of gunpowder and machine grease, and the satisfying sound that came when he gripped the stock in one hand and pumped the wooden grip with the other, loading another shell into the firing chamber... He'd have to see if Szayel could make something like that for him.

Elsewhere, Yoko Watase and Shinzo Abe were seated at one of the half dozen fires that had been set up outside of the tents- chiefly to provide them with light and warmth, in order to counter the nagging chill in the air that gradually seeped through their clothing after a while.

The real problem was the open air, as the insides of the tents were lined with a metallic weave to retain warmth during the assigned sleep periods. And thermal sleeping-bags provided them with an additional layer of protection against the ever-present cold that might otherwise have sapped their vitality. Renji made a note to ask Arachne if Hollows even noticed it, or if they'd simply adapted to it.

The Shinigami had to limit his thoughts of her, as dwelling on the alluring female Arrancar inevitably led him to distraction, which Renji couldn't afford at the moment...

The Twelfth had supplied them with specially made 'logs', capable of sustaining a decently sized fires, since there was a distinct lack of kindling to be found in Huecco Mundo... Not that anyone was all that keen to actually try to collect and burn any part of the eerie bone-white leafless trees that peppered the barren landscape like inhuman scarecrows. After all, who knew what would happen if they applied fire to any part of those skeletal husks, lest they be foolish enough to try and burn them!

Yoko turned ward to the nearby Shinigami, placing the cap back on her canteen. "Hey, Abe-san," the swordswoman began, drawing his attention. "You heard anything about this Arrancar that everyone's been talking about, the one they call Cyrus?" She asked.

Shinzo nodded. "Yeah," he replied calmly. "I heard that he's called 'The Voice'... They say that he's the mouthpiece for the 'Unaligned'," he paused. "That's the name that these Arrancar we'll be dealing with appear to have taken on for themselves." The medic explained. "It's still kinda weird to think that the Hollows could be this organized." The blonde-haired man remarked.

The female combat specialist stretched. "Right now, our estimates have the Arrancar's numbers pegged somewhere around about a hundred... but that's only the ones we know about it." Watase commented as she reached up and rubbed her shoulders. "And even then, there's also all of Hollows right on the verge of becoming Arrancars to think about... And all together, that's a lot of Arrancars."

"When you put it like that," Abe replied after a bit. "That's a lot of... potential, to consider."

"Potential enemies, or allies?" Yoko replied with nod. "At any rate, the the way I see it... If the Captains want peace, then who are we to question them about it- they say 'play nice', then we 'play nice'."

"That's easy for us officers to say." Abe replied gravely. "But the truth is that there's still some of our people who don't fully trust the Arrancar, and probably see the Officers as misguided idealist for being so willing to work with the Hollows." The medic remarked. "What do you think?"

Yoko sighed, crossing her arms. "It's like I said," she started. "regardless of whatever happens, we're still soldiers, and soldiers follow orders." The woman remarked. "But on a more personal level, I'd like to believe that some good will come all this destruction... that we just have to have faith."

"Faith, hmm?" Abe commented. "It's not the easiest thing right now... But, maybe you're right."

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Day 02. 08:33 hrs

"These probes," Ando began, holding one up. "Are designed to emit sonar waves that will provide us with imaging of what's below the surface." He explained to Renji. "That way, Lieutenant Abarai, we'll have some idea of what we're actually dealing with whenever the detectors pick up something."

Renji scrutinized the device in his hand for a moment. "Sure, that makes sense, but what's up with the other equipment you guys brought along with you?" The tattooed Shinigami asked the technician, as he gestured toward a nearby seismograph. "Should we be expecting earthquakes?"

"Not earthquakes, sir." The Twelfth Division Officer replied, opening his thermos and pouring himself a cup of coffee in the topper. "It's a precautionary measure, Lieutenant, designed to detect underground subterranean movement, to provide us with an early warning." He explained, taking a drink.

"A warning for what exactly?" Renji asked quizzically."

"We don't have to worry about the tectonic plates suddenly shifting..." Ando began, replacing the cap back on the thermos and setting it aside. "We just need to keep abreast of any sundering, caused by the movements of the Deep Ones." He continued with a faint smile.

"Sundering?" He repeated. "Wait, no... What do you mean by 'the Deep Ones'?"

The questioned seemed to energize the technician. "I've recently been reading up on the prehistory of this realm, sir." Ando explained excitedly. "And over the course of my research, I've happened across some fascinating obscure mytho-historical texts concerning the the original inhabitants..."

Renji felt a slight chill run through him, but his reluctance to push the topic was curved by a sudden morbid curiosity. "And what do these... books tell you, Officer Ando?" He asked cautiously.

Ando finished off the coffee and putting the topper back on the thermos. "Oh, I'm so glad you asked, Lieutenant Abarai." He replied, though both his expression and tone were far more akin to that of a teen who'd just stumbled across some illicit piece of pornography. "The thing is, it's our people who refer to them as the 'Deep Ones'... While the Hollows call them the 'Old Spirits'."

Now, the Lieutenant was even more curious, if slightly unsettled. "The 'Old Spirits'?" He repeated, now intentionally baiting the man to elaborate on the point. Renji was fully committed to seeing this line of insanity that he'd stumbled into through to its inevitable conclusion...

"There's things here- creatures- far older than Hollows..." Ando replied. "Down below, in the depths of Huecco Mundo itself, they reside- moving through the solid earth and rock, like water." The man explained with a distant look in his eyes. "Occasionally, these Old Spirits are said to breach the surface- 'sundering' the land in the process." He rubbed his hands together. "What a sight that would be, to see them topside... A sight the likes of which perhaps the even the gods have never seen."

Renji rubbed his throat nervously. "Oh yeah," he managed to say after a moment, when he managed to regain his voice. "That probably would be pretty cool." He added with an uneasy smile.

There was a beeping sound, drawing the Officer's attention. "Oh, excuse me sir, I need to go check up on the equipment and make sure it's registering properly." Andou announced, his voice and demeanor instantly returning to normal, almost like the whole conversation had never happened.

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Day 04. 19:57 hrs

Ikaku held the book aloft for a moment, scrutinizing it for a moment. "And this thing is about rabbits!" He exclaimed, looking to the other Shinigami. "You seriously expect me to believe that a book about a bunch of little rabbits could possibly be scary?" He asked, his expression aghast.

"A friend of mine from the Eighth Division said that Lieutenant Ise recommended it during one of the meetings of their book club." The other man, Hideki Arata replied. "I didn't believe it myself at first... But after I'd been reading it for a while, the book got intense real fast." He explained, before plucking the book from his hands in order to skim through its contents.

"Let me see..." Hideki remarked as he looked down at the passing pages. The young Officer served in the Ninth Division, and it was expected- both within and outside of his own Division- that he would the next candidate for promotion into the Seated Officer ranks.

"Ah, here's something." He declared, his expression becoming focused. Arata had long full black hair that was pulled into a braided ponytail in the back, full dark eyebrows above dark green eyes, and long groomed sideburns that framed his face. His hip-length black kimono was untucked, with a fancy sash tied around the waist. Tucked into his sash, was a solid cherry wood shirasaya, with detailed engravings in the finished wooden exterior of the cane-sword.

"...'There's terrible evil in the world'." Arata began reading. "'It comes from men,' said Holly. 'All other elil do what they have to do and Frith moves them as he moves us. They live on the earth and they need food. Men will never rest till they've paved the Earth and destroyed the land'..."

"And these are rabbits saying all this?" Ikaku asked incredulously.

The Officer nodded and flipped to another page. "And this part..." He added. "...'There is not a day or night that a doe does not offer her life for her young, or some honest Captain of Oslaw his in exchange for the life of his Chief. Sometimes it is taken, sometimes it not. But there is no bargaining with the Black Rabbit when he comes. For here, what is, is what must be.'..."

Arata snapped the book shut. "In the story, the 'Black Rabbit' is their Reaper, the spectral figure that comes to collect their souls as they die." He explained. "Sound familiar?"

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Day 06. 14:01 hrs

"Alright, steady now..." The technician from the Twelfth cautioned. "That's it, good, keep the bore-head steady and focus on the surrounding area," the Officer calmly instructed. "We just need to excavate the deposit intact as-is, from the ground." Kenta Ando explained.

The Officer observed as the team operated a large industrial "extractor", a drill-like device designed to efficiently exhume large objects (or clusters of smaller objects) from the ground undamaged. Everyone wore a pair of protective goggles, including Ando himself, watching as the machine wore away at the surrounding sand, soil and rock, gradually revealing a sizable concentration of black unrefined ore- set deep into the gray/white depths of the land. Within the cluster, was a decent amount of the surrounding rocks and dirt, filling the gaps between the bits of the desire metal.

"Excellent... That's more than enough raw ore to run our tests at the Twelfth." Ando explained to the team as he hopped down into the crater formed by the extractor. "Now that we've completed excavation of the sample, it will need to be transferred to the labs." He announced. "Unrefined, this ore is as hard and as dense as marble." he explained, knocking on the surface of the ore, to illustrate.

"We'll need stronger, finer instruments to extract the ore." He continued. "We'll pack it up like this, as is, to be sent to the mineralogical labs." Ando announced. "Once it's delivered, the extraction can be left to the precision tools." He finished, removing his goggled.

"I'm sure that Captain Grantz will be eager to properly test this out."

(- End of Interlude 02 -)

I hope you guys found this interesting, and at least a bit informative. One of the reasons why I felt this whole plot thread was important enough to hold onto was because it was a way of (hopefully) introducing and establishing the OCs in a natural manner. As far as I can recall, the copyrighted Shinigami are all either Captains, Lieutenants, or high ranking Seated Officers. So I created characters like Yoko and Abe and the rest to try and represent the concerns of the people who filled out the middle and lower ranks. I know that Kain was wondering about how the rest of Shinigami felt about the Arrancar, so I hope this has gone at some way toward answering that particular question.

Another point that a few people have brought up (via their comments) more than once is Soul Society's willingness to work with the Arrancar, and the extent of the concessions they've been willing to make. While I always strive for things to work within the context of the story, I made a deliberate choice from the start of the story to aim for a more positive take on the characters and the world they inhabit.