With the meeting over, the Gaians were to return to the Squad Ten barracks since they were under Toshiro's care. Kadaj went with Soi Fon instead for the 'interrogation' and a few of the Gaians thought about going back home.
"I'm not keeping you here." Toshiro replied when Cid brought up heading back. They were all sitting in Toshiro's office, said Captain working on his stack of paperwork while his Lieutenant slept as his charges rested on the chairs. "When you want to return, have Wakaba or one of the others contact me and we'll open the portal from our end."
"Thanks." The pilot headed back out of the office.
Red stood and followed. He'd already expressed his worries about becoming a Soul Reaper, seeing as he wasn't even semi-human as Komamura had been and therefore had no way of holding a blade or mastering it. Yuffie wanted to get some things before coming back and left as well. That left four of the Jenova War Heroes with Toshiro and Rangiku.
"I'm sure Rufus will want in on this somehow." Cloud sighed.
Toshiro snorted, starling them.
"The Turks are strong, but not strong enough to be Soul Reapers." He told them, pausing in his paperwork. "Reno was lucky enough to get away with just frost when we sparred a year ago. If I had actually been trying to kill him he would have died in seconds."
"He probably wasn't trying either."
"That's not the point." Toshiro pointed his pen at the swordsman. "They might be hiding some kind of strength, but they just don't have the ability to become Soul Reapers. Even Kurosaki before he got his powers could have sent them running."
"Doesn't mean they're not going to try." Tifa shrugged and the Captain rolled his eyes, returning to his work. "Hey, how has Hyorinmaru been?"
"Fine, why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. He is a Weapon, after all."
"He's also a zanpaktou; therefore he can live in either world. He prefers to stay with me though."
"Is he able to manifest himself here?" Vincent spoke up. Shelke was the only one to remain silent and had been for quite some time. She seemed to be just observing and taking in information.
Toshiro shook his head to answer Vincent's question and then glanced at Rangiku. The woman had been sleeping for some time now.
"Matsumoto!" He snapped at her and she bolted upright.
"Oh, you're back!" She said cheerily despite her drowsiness. "Wait…there's only four of you."
"The Remnant went with Soi Fon so she can get as much information about Sephiroth as possible. Highwind, Kisaragi and Red went back home." Her Captain explained.
"Ah, I see." She stood to chat with them until a glare from her Captain sat her back down with a pout. She wasn't getting away with anything while he was there.
"So how exactly are we going to get Soul Reaper powers?" Vincent looked at the white haired Captain.
"You might be able to get them the same way Kurosaki did." Toshiro replied, not looking up as he wrote quickly across the papers before him. "As for the others, Urahara might be able to find a way."
"Who's he?"
"He used to be the Squad Twelve Captain." Rangiku explained. "But Aizen set him up and he was exiled. Everything is okay now since Aizen is gone, but since Captain Kurotsuchi runs Squad Twelve now, Urahara prefers to stay in the World of the Living."
They heard Toshiro mutter something that sounded like 'thank goodness' but couldn't be sure.
"Urahara first started the Department of Research and Development that Squad Twelve now runs." Rangiku continued. "Though Captain Kurotsuchi would never admit it, Urahara can definitely one up him on inventing new things."
"Urahara created the Hogyoku." Toshiro added. "As well as other things we use commonly, such as the Gigais."
"What are those?" Tifa asked.
"I explained about how we're spirits, right?" When they nodded he continued. "In the World of the Living, only those with high enough Spiritual Pressure can see us. If we're staying for an extended period of time and therefore need to interact with the humans, we use a Gigai to give us a physical form. We can't fight in it and our Spiritual Pressure is also greatly masked, but it allows normal people to see and interact with us."
"So it's a faux body?" Cloud looked rather uncomfortable with such a thing.
"Yes. Getting in is as simple as slipping on a coat. There are several methods of removing oneself from the Gigai. The safest method is using an Artificial Soul, which pushes out the Soul Reaper in the Gigai and places a fake soul inside to avoid suspicion. Humans don't like seeing people randomly dropping dead."
"Fake…souls?" Shelke spoke up finally. "You people create fake souls?"
"Yes." Toshiro frowned, wondering why the Gaians seemed so sensitive about the topic. Sure, it could be considered creepy, but it was necessary. "It's just a temporary spirit to avoid hysteria with people in the World of the Living. Having people 'die' and return to life would cause major problems. We're not using the souls to create new life; they're just to avoid panics."
They relaxed somewhat but still seemed suspicious about the topic.
"You'll probably have to use them too, when you become Soul Reapers." Toshiro added on. "Since the first world you came to is here, you all are technically considered spirits, and you won't be seen by normal people when we go to the World of the Living. Kurotsuchi will have to make Gigais for you." He noticed them grimace. "…Or Urahara can always make them."
"Hey Captain, maybe we should let them visit the Shinou Academy for a while." Rangiku suggested. "They'll need to learn how to control their Spiritual Pressure when they get it and general Soul Reaper things."
"Our history and system set-up isn't so much important as the fighting skills and experience they need for battle." Toshiro countered. "That can be learned quite simply through various battles." He turned to the four listening to them intently. "I'm sure multiple Captains and Lieutenants would be willing to help with that, either with sparring or field training to fight Hollows. The latter is probably best."
"Hollows were those bad spirits you told us about, right?" Cloud questioned and Toshiro nodded, once more returning to his paperwork. "You didn't really tell us much about them."
"Hm…you're right." Toshiro sighed, looking at the still rather large pile of paperwork. "Perhaps you should find a Soul Reaper with more free time. Thanks to Matsumoto I'm terribly busy."
The strawberry blonde laughed nervously and began working on her own stack, which she had been avoiding by listening to the conversation.
"Any suggestions?" Tifa asked, standing first as the others followed save for Vincent.
"Avoid Kurotsuchi at all costs." Toshiro replied in warning. When they nodded eagerly, he continued. "Ukitake is willing to give information, and Kyoraku always seems to have free time. Most of the Lieutenants would be willing to help as well."
"How do we know who is a Lieutenant? The Captains are easy enough with the white robe."
"All Lieutenants wear a badge, like this." Rangiku held up the one attached to her waist tie with her Squad Symbol and number on it. "The number at the top tells you which squad they're from."
"That's right, Renji had one on his arm." Tifa turned to the other two going with her. "Guess we should let them work."
Cloud nodded and took lead, the girls following behind. Shelke paused for a moment, turning to look back at the gunman still sitting on the couch.
"Are you coming?" She asked.
"I'll join you later." He replied, not noticing the Soul Reapers behind him share a glance. What could he want?
The young girl seemed suspicious about his actions but did not question them and soon left. Toshiro spared his former companion a curious glance before returning to the pile of paperwork. As for the woman of the room, she kept using his presence as a distraction and seemed to be taking in his features. The gunman himself didn't look at either of them, keeping his gaze on the golden claw gauntlet on his left arm.
When Hitsugaya looked up and noticed that same feature, he remembered that he had once before meant to ask about it. Then again, he was busy…Rangiku would ask, he could see the question forming in her head already just by how intently she stared at it.
"What's the claw for?" Rangiku asked, proving his theory correct.
"Not all of me stayed the same after Hojo put those demons in me." Vincent answered. "Some of it became permanent…but ever since Chaos returned to the planet, it isn't as noticeable."
"So you have some kind of demon arm?"
"You could call it that."
Toshiro narrowed his eyes at the gunman in thought, taking in what he had said. Chaos's power had indeed given the man the ability to become a full Soul Reaper, while his companions would be close but not quite the same, but there were the other demons to think about. Would they become Inner Hollows instead? The other Visored would be able to help him with that…even if there were three of them. That could prove to be quite a big advantage. Three Hollow forms…
He really needed to keep Vincent away from Squad Twelve; they would have a field day.
"You know, it might be pretty hard for you to adjust to using a sword." Rangiku was leaning her head on her arms and over the desk. "You seem used to guns only."
"I can adjust." Vincent shrugged.
"You'll probably just have a long-range type zanpaktou when released." Toshiro added in. "There was a Soul Reaper like that, but he was defeated some time ago. Can't remember his name."
"I don't think anyone does." Rangiku waved her hand with an air of indifference. "I'd really like to see what their zanpaktou do though."
"We aren't trying anything until tomorrow when Urahara gets here." The Ice Captain looked up from his paperwork and raised an eyebrow at his Lieutenant. "And you don't get to see anything until that pile is gone."
Rangiku sighed heavily and sat back up, reluctantly picking up her pen and writing. Vincent counted that as the fifth time he'd had to do that since they came to the barracks over the span of an hour. How did he put up with it?
Well, he'd been doing it for over forty years, the gunman guessed Toshiro was used to it.
He was worried far more about what would happen when he got his Soul Reaper powers.
Slight break in studying for Finals, finally managed to get this done. My Finals finish up next Wednesday from now so after that i'll get to work. It might be a little slow since i'm having trouble with my wrist again - dad wants me off the computer for awhile to let it heal - but I hope to keep it going.
Sorry for the terrible wait but here's the part after the meeting! Enjoy!