Chapter 4: The Firestarters
Toshiro Hitsugaya sped through the streets of the Seireitei, followed by his Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. The two of them made their way to the Black Ridge Gate to join in on the fray within Rukongai. Hitsugaya stopped abruptly.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Rangiku asked in confusion. "Why'd we stop?"
Hitsugaya nodded his head in the direction of the gate. Standing guard were several members of the Kido Corps, covered by white shawls and robes. 'Just what are they up to?'
As the two Tenth Division officers walked towards the group, two of them came forward and crossed their staffs. Hitsugaya looked between the duo that blocked his path. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Forgive us sir. Central 46 has ordered all Captain class officers to be kept within Seireitei."
Rangiku stepped up and crossed her arms. "What's all that about? We should be out there helping the citizens of Rukongai, not in here protecting those old geezers!"
"We cannot disobey direct commands from Central. Though it is not my place to say so, I believe this was a reasonable decision. Over half of our fighting force has already been dispatched. If the Captains were to leave Seireitei unguarded, what would become of it if enemy troops were to break in?"
"Keeping us under lock down is supposed to be a reasonable decision?" Hitsugaya questioned with a glare.
"It was found necessary after Kenpachi Zaraki forced his way into the battlefield. The keeper of the Red Hollow Gate had been injured in the process."
Behind them, one of the Kido specialist collapsed to his knees. A spasm of pain racked his body as he began to cough up blood. What's happening to me?!" he screamed.
The others knelt to help him up and see what was going on. Hitsugaya noticed a red aura emit from his body and felt a sudden surge of Reiatsu. "Wait!" he yelled. "Get away from-"
A column of fiery Reiatsu burst into the air, killing the man and those around him. Their screams could be heard as the flames burned them to death. along the circumference of the Soul Society's gate, a total of eleven other pillars rose into the air. Kallaverist poured out and mowed down unsuspecting Shinigami.
"What the hell is happening?!" Hiyosu exclaimed in outrage. "Now we got those masts of Reishi popping up here! Can someone explain what's going on?!"
Akon turned to him. "Calm down Hiyosu! We are trying to figure that out right now!" on all levels of the Dept. of Research and Development, members were frantically searching for answers as the sound of sensors and alarms reverberated throughout the building.
"Rin!" Akon shouted. "What's the situation out there?"
A boy with pinned up blonde hair fervently scanned his eyes over a list of digital readings.
"A total of 300 civilian and 153 Shinigami casualties have been confirmed! At least a third of them are deaths!"
"Another 47 fatalities in Rukongai!" someone called down from a higher floor.
"The enemy has somehow broken through our defenses somehow. That makes another 170 dead inside the Seireitei!"
Across the room, Kuna's expression turned to distress. "The Fourth Division's medical has just been destroyed by a thirteenth pillar!" the chain-braided girl yelped. Gasps of horrified bewilderment filled the room.
"What?!" Akon and Hiyosu shouted simultaneously.
Rin sheepishly nodded. "She's right! And that's not all. The overabundance of Reishi concentrated there is forming a rift above it!"
Akon furiously typed on the monitor in front of him. Feed on the Fourth Division was displayed. Sure enough, the space Rin had pointed out was literally tearing itself apart in some type of distortion. His eyes pin pricked. "Is that a Garganta?!"
Otto Richter (Gottesengel 'P') gazed down at the Soul society from within the Garganta. Behind him were several other Gottesengel, some of them obscured by hoods and mantles. "Your orders are to take control of the area. Doesn't matter who you kill. However, I suggest you take caution around the Captains we were warned about in the daten."
The Gottesengel rushed past and shot off in various directions, descending to the ground. Beside Otto stood Eric Costas (Gottesengel 'I'), who watched them leave. Atop his head was a black beret embedded with the Schattenreich's Abzeichen: a hexagram. Behind the white Blank mask on his face, his piercingly blue eyes moved to look sidelong at Otto. "Why did you leave out information on our true objective?"
"It was part of my orders," he answered. "Her Majesty was adamant about them being kept in the dark. It's essential that someone of our power were to carry out our mission. And I think you know that the rest would be scrambling over one another to fulfill her wishes." Eric didn't respond. "It is only a matter of time before we locate the Heart's vessel."
"Hold your ground!" A Shinigami yelled. Before he could say anything else, a bullet of Reishi tore through his chest, killing him in one shot. A dark skinned man scratched the side of his bald head, standing over the fallen Soul Reapers with a rifle in hand.
"This is damn boring. I came here looking for a fight with a Captain, yet all I got were these fodder."
Behind the corner of two adjacent buildings, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegwara, and Renji Abarai observed the intruder. He wore an open Gottesengel jacket and a black undershirt. Fastened to his hip was a flask of whiskey.
"What do you see?" Ikkaku whispered to Renji as the turnip top peered around their hiding place.
"Bodies of our comrades," he answered in disgust. "He's just standing there. Wait, he just moved. He's glancing down at his wrist. I think he's checking the time -"
"No, you idiot," Ikkaku interrupted.
Renji scowled at him. "What? I'm doing what you said."
"I told you to observe anything about him, like any weapons he might have on him. Not narrate his every move, dumbass!"
"How was i supposed to know what you meant?! You should have been more specific!"
"Keep your voices down!" Yumichika hissed in a hushed tone. "Do you want us to get caught?"
"Well he's an idiot," Ikkaku complained.
"At least my Japanese is better.'
"What the hell does that have to do with anything. Besides I heard your French. You sound like a choking zebra!"
"I said to keep quiet!"
Their back and forth was interrupted by the click of a gun. August Oldenburg (Gottesengel 'J') was now sitting on a ledge opposite them, rifle aimed to shoot either one of the Shinigami. Are you three done yet?"
The trio dashed to the sides, drawing their zanpakutos.
"Howl, Zabimaru!'
"Grow, Houzukimaru!"
As the other two released their Shikai, Yumichika started to prepare a Kido. " Hado #32: Okasen." An arc of yellow energy shot towards August, who jumped down from his perch. His eyes clicked from side to side as Ikkaku and Renji charged from his right and left. Renji whipped back Zabrimaru and thrust out, sending the serrated weapon at him.
August let it sail past his chest and grabbed one of the blades, pulling Renji into a headbutt. The Lieutenant fell to the ground, dazed. August took aim at his chest but noticed a flash of green and backed away as another Kido shot past. Ikkaku came up from behind and stabbed him. The blade of Houzukimaru merely slid off his body, dealing no damage. August spun around and kneed his assailaint in the gut. Renji recovered and wrapped Zabrimaru around both of the man's forearms.
Yumichika Shunpo'd beside August began incanting a third Kido. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast. Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm."
Recognition dawned on August's face. "I know this one. It's Raikoho! If he fires something like that at this range with a full incantation..." August pursed his lips and whistled. Renji suddenly hollered in pain, dropping Zabrimaru. The scream threw off Yumichika's aim as Ikkaku got back up to sneak attack August. Yellow lightning escaped from his hand and hit hit Ikkaku full force, knocking him through at least three buildings.
A pack of coyotes had pounced Renji and were biting at his flesh. The Soul Reaper thrashed about in an attempt to grab his weapon. Yumichika grit his teeth and gripped his zanpakuto. "Damn it. Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!" The blade his sword separated into four identical sickle-like blades. He was about to attack when he felt his feet leave the ground. Looking up, Yumichika saw that he was being carried by an unnaturally large eagle. "What the hell?!"
August watched as Renji and Yumichika struggled to get away from the predators which attacked them.
Whistling again, he summoned a great wolf by his side. He reached down and held a piece of cloth from Ikkaku's shihakusho to the wolf's nose. "Go," August ordered. The animal took off in the opposite direction. August began to leave the scene when multiple high pitched yelps stopped him. He turned and saw that Renji had slashed through the canines surrounding him.
"What makes you think you could leave?" he questioned.
August snapped his fingers. "What makes you think I'll be fighting you?"
Vultures descended upon Renji and pecked at his already chewed up skin.
"My pets are already more than enough to take you on," August said as he tried to leave again.
"Wait!" Renji called after him. He didn't even turn to look. Gripping his zanpakuto, Renji shouted at the top of his lungs. "I said wait! Bankai: Sou'ou Zabrimaru!"
Byakuya Kuchiki looked into the sky as he felt a power. "Renji, you fool. What possessed you to use Bankai with limited on if the enemy can steal it?"
"Hey! You should be more concerned about the enemy in front of you!"
Blood flew into the air as a chakram ripped through Byakuya's bicep. His arm slumped down to the side, the muscles supporting it severed clean. The projectile spun back into the hand of a boy with deep violet eyes. Byakuya assumed he was no older than 15. His maturity evidently was not too developed.
The miniscule blades of the Shinigami's zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, shifted in front of his body, eating away at the knives which had been aimed for his head.
"This is pathetic," he taunted. "You, the Captain who trained in the Soul Palace, can't even put a scratch on me with your Shikai. I was expecting much more from you."
"Do not think your attempt at insults will sway me, boy," Byakuya responded dryly.
"I thought I told you already!" the young Quincy shouted. "My name isn't 'boy'. It's Lars!" Lars Baumann reached into his loose fitting jacket and launched numerous kunai at his enemy. Senbonzakura dispersed into separate columns of pink, protecting its master from harm. Lars changed his position and ran behind the barrier of cherry blossoms, throwing more kunai. Senbonzakura merely shielded Byakuya in caution: the projectiles flew about ten feet to his left. Another sailed over his head. The torrent of petal blades weaved around, blocking an assortment of knives, chakram, and shuriken. Each one that was thrown came closer than the other.
'Is he testing the limitations of Senbonzakura?' Byakuya wondered. 'No, that would be foolish. Perhaps he is trying to stall me. but for what purpose?'
Byakuya contemplated as the assault continued. He would have been dumbfounded by the method of attack had he not noticed where the attacks were centered around. 'The safe zone! He is trying to find the range which it protects me. Should I change its radius?' Lars smiled as he saw the conflicted look in Byakuya's eyes. 'No. That would play right into his hand. I should remain calm and- .' Lars appeared inside the safe zone, chakram held tightly. Byakuya flicked up his uninjured arm, sending a flurry of blossoms in front of him. Lars spun to the other side of him and threw his chakram. The older fighter flicked his index and middle fingers to the side, sending blades more his way. They tore into the boy's abdomen instantaneously.
'It's over.'
As Lars' stomach was revealed, Byakuya's eyes enlarged in shock. The flesh was completely unharmed, only bearing a few scratches. "Impossible…" Lars was just as confused as he was.
"Sis?" he called out.
"Nice job holding him up!" a female voice called back gleefully. Byakuya turned to where the voice came from, only to earn a Heilig Pfeil in each shoulder.
Shunsui Kyoraku sat in his office, playing chess with Raphael Schoenholtz (Gottesengel 'G') The man was around his age lime blonde, curly hair falling to his shoulders. Over the white turtleneck he wore was a Kallaverist uniform customized into a fur trimmed coat. On the table between the two men, next to the chessboard, sat a bottle and two cups of sake. Raphael poured more into his cup, noticeably never letting it go past being half empty.
Leaning on the wall next to them was Adoler Röthke (Gottesengel 'D'). The younger black haired man watched the game intently with vermillion irises and arms folded. His red trimmed jacket clung stiffly to his torso, appearing a bit tight fitting.
"A novel?" Raphael inquired with a raised brow. "I never took you for the writer type. You seem too lax and laid back to do that kind of thing."
"Well, I like to add a little uniqueness to my life," Kyoraku said with a small grin.
"So, what kind of novel is it?" Adoler asked.
"Oh, I have a copy in with me right now." Kyoraku reached for the drawer of his desk when his hand stopped. 'Wait. What on Earth am I doing!' he questioned inwardly. 'There's a war out there, yet here I am chatting and playing a game of chess. With the enemy no less!'
"Is there a problem?" Raphael asked.
A random sense of euphoria coursed throughout Kyoraku's system, alleviating his concerns.
"This is an adult novel?" Raphael asked in laughter as he flipped through the pages of the novel. "It's more like a comedy!"
"I never said I was good at writing," Kyoraku clarified as he also broke into a chuckle. As he did so, Raphael shared a quick glance with Adoler. Their expressions read the same thing: We got him.
A/n: Is the war realistic enough so far? I hope the canon characters' personalities are coming across well. Are there any Gottesengel you like so far? The next chapter is going to shift a little to the perspectives of Hueco Mundo and the Vandenreich briefly, but I'll get right back to the action.