TTGL: Brothers to the End.
Chapter Three: Like hell I'll let it happen!
Kamina awoke from a pleasant dream by the sharp tapping of knuckle on wood. One day he would take the time to pad his door with foam, he mused to himself as he dragged his body out of bed. Yawning loudly he opened the door. A shinigami messenger stood opposite him, looking nervous at being confronted by an annoyed Kamina.
"M-message for you, sir." he stuttered helplessly. "Captain Elric wants you at a m-meeting in ten m-minutes."
"Does she now." muttered Kamina. He yawned again, grabbing his cape from the door. As soon as the fabric touched him he seemed to fill with energy, his face brightening up. "Early morning meeting means action."
He grabbed a chicken leg off of his desk then wasted no time in heading to the captain's office, gnawing on the day old meat as he went. Once at the door he entered without knocking, striding into the room like he owned it.
"Full of manners as always." commented Captain Elric sarcastically. "We've been called to a meeting with the Head Captain. He says that its urgent." she continued, her voice remaining neutral, but her eyes hardening.
"Any ideas what its about?" asked Kamina as they made their way to the meeting hall. He toyed with his zanpakuto as he walked, aching for a good fight. He hadn't had the chance to even use the weapon in real combat for over a year now.
"None. We haven't been called to battle stations so it isn't an immediate threat. I haven't heard any rumours of trouble either though. You haven't heard anything then?"
Kamina laughed. "If I'd heard of anything then I would already be out there kicking ass."
"Well, we'll find out soon enough." Elie stated, the bulky doors of the hall now in view. The guards pulled it open wordlessly, allowing them access.
The other captains and lieutenants were all ready present, lined up at both sides of the long wall, Hitsugaya stood at their centre at the far side. Kamina nodded to those that he most respected. Ichigo, Renji and Kenpachi all returned the gesture. Nemu smiled over at him while most of the others remained motionless, not wanting to attract Hitsugaya's attention.
The two officers took their place in the lines then waited for the white haired captain to begin. Rather than addressing them though, Hitsugaya nodded towards Nemu. She stepped forward and as she moved, a holographic display in the centre of the room activated, bright swirling colours and numbers flashing across the walls, floor and roof.
"My routine checks of spiral energy readings have discovered a rise in universal energy levels." she began, straight to the point. "Over the past week I have continued to monitor activity closely and the energy is rising with dangerous speed. At its current rate of increase, I have predicted the emergence of the Spiral Nemesis in eleven months time."
There was a collective gasp from the shinigami. None had expected this. Panic showed on several of the lieutenant's faces while the captains had become stony faced and ashen skinned. Kamina ground his teeth silently, his anger rising at the revelation. Simon had to be involved somehow, he knew.
Nemu continued, directing her audience's attention to the hologram. It displayed a vast map of the Soul Society that was flanked by graphs. "My team and I have searched for a source of the power but have found nothing definite. As a precaution, I have highlighted some targets within the Soul Society that produce high levels of spiral energy but outside of this, there is little that we can do as of yet."
Hitsugaya stood, speaking in a slow voice laden with gravity. "The human world is out of our jurisdiction. We must do everything possible to cut down levels within our own lands though. These targets will be removed. I must stress though that we are the highest output of spiral energy. For this reason I am placing a ban on unnecessary use of power. We must restrain ourselves if we hope to prevent disaster. And if the Spiral Nemesis is created, then we must be ready for it."
"Like hell I'll let it happen!" roared Kamina as he stamped forward. "My bro is out there in the human world doing everything he can to stop the Spiral Nemesis. Team Dai-Gurren is out there fighting against it! Just who the hell does the Spiral Nemesis think we are! While I still draw breath, It'll never happen!"
Hitsugaya eyed him wearily. It was his job as head captain to break the news to him. "Simon has vanished."
Kamina halted all movement, his energy dissipating instantly. "What are you talking about? Simon can't just disappear."
The head captain locked eyes with Kamina. "We received a sudden spike in his power several days ago, then it dropped completely. He hasn't died but he has completely fallen from our radar."
"How is that possible?" Kamina snapped, clenching his fist uselessly. "Simon…"
Hitsugaya walked forward to stand beside Kamina. "We don't know what is happening yet. All we do know is that this shows that we cannot rely on the humans to solve the problem. We need to prepare and it needs to happen fast."
He signalled to Nemu and she began to control the hologram with quick hand movements. Hitsugaya spoke, explaining the images that phased into life behind him.
"There are fifteen targets that are deemed to be in danger of rapid spiral evolution. Their powers are still below that of captains but has been shown to be growing at a steady rate. Between our thirteen divisions and our allies, they will be short work for us. Just remember, keep your power to the bare minimum. Your orders will be delivered to your divisions, then you are to act with all due haste. Dismissed."
Kamina and Elie made their way back to their barracks in silence. When they were nearly there, the captain tried to gauge Kamina's feelings. "How are you?" she asked tentatively. She hadn't known him to be this quiet, ever. He had been really close to the man named Simon, breaking several laws of physics to help him out during the battle with the Anti-Spirals. To not know what had happened to him must have been painful for Kamina to bear.
She was surprised when he faced her grinning like a maniac. "Simon can look after himself. If he can't then he'll get stronger until he can." placing his shades upon his face he rolled his shoulders, stretching out his muscles. "And I'll do the same. It's been too long since I was in a real battle."
They re-entered the Thirteenth Division's compound and made straight for the captain's office. Everything seemed so bright and cheery, the men yet to be told of the impending crisis. People smiled and waved as they passed, the gesture returned by the captain to cover up any suspicion.
Once inside the door was shut firmly behind them. The room had once been spacious but all manner of books and documents reduced the available room to a single path to Elie's cluttered desk. Laid atop the pile was a large, important looking folder that hadn't been there before. In large red block letters it stated Confidential.
Kamina picked it up but instantly dropped it as an electric jolt pulsed through his body.
"Captain's hands only." laughed Elie. "Didn't you listen in the academy? Confidential documents only open to those that they are addressed to."
Glaring with injured pride, Kamina watched as she opened the file. She cleared her desk by sweeping the other papers onto the floor. Carefully she placed the various documents across its surface so that Kamina could see them.
"Hmm. Looks like they finally decided to deal with old Yjorvi." commented the captain.
"Old who?" asked Kamina. He didn't understand most of what was in front of him but he could piece together that there was a challenge coming.
"Yjorvi Kakaru." answered Elie, holding up a picture of him. "He was once a seated shinigami within the Twelfth Division but he left after his research kept being restricted. He was on the team that created the original design for the creatures that you know as Beast men. After it was prohibited here, Mayuri passed the knowledge onto Lordgenome so that it would be continued."
"Generic evil Russian scientist, seriously? So why is he a spiral threat? doesn't sound like one to me." grunted Kamina, eying the frail old man depicted in the picture critically.
"He was working on the ability to cap spiritual energy but more and more he began to look for ways to unlock it. He theorised that he could double a shinigami's power output by removing the barriers that kept the powers balanced." Elie said. She leafed through the documents, analysing every detail with a practiced ease.
"Seems he's created a new lab underneath one of the larger towns. Beastmen guards and plenty of traps." she read. "Clever. By building under a town, we can't go in all guns blazing. A strike force sounds like the best option."
"Who needs a strike force. Just send me in." boasted Kamina. "He won't know what hit him."
Elie shook her head. "No. Our target is Yjorvi. If he escapes then we have failed. The second his defences are attacked he will be off. We can't botch this. I'll go too. Me, you and eight others aught to do the job."
"Sounds like a plan." grinned Kamina.
"Ah." groaned Elie suddenly. She motioned to her shelve where a box sat with the same confidential mark as the envolope. She opened it up to reveal a collection of bulky wristbands. A note rested over them.
Spiral Limiters - to be worn by all high level shinigami by order of Head Captain Hitsugaya. Only to be removed in life or death emergencies. Breach of this policy will result in imprisonment for the safety of all.
"Damn." the captain muttered. "Looks like the threat is all too real for Hitsugaya to resort to this. I had hoped we would have had more time."
Kamina said nothing but reluctantly slipped the wristband over his hand. Instantly he felt his power drain away, making his body feel tense, as though the energy was trying to break free.
"This is just stupid. Who would actively try to make themselves weaker? We should be getting stronger so we can beat the Spiral Nemesis!"
"You know that wouldn't work." sighed the captain, equally frustrated with the situation. "It's thinking like that that will bring it about, however much we may hate it."
Kamina made a dissatisfied noise. "Yeah, I know, I know. Doesn't mean that I have to like it though. It goes against everything that a man is."
"It is what it is." remarked Elie decisively. "You're not scared that you can't win without your powers, are you?" she chided.
"Of course not! Just who the hell do you think I am! I don't need crazy spiral powers. I defeated Aizen in a fistfight so some mad scientist and his lackeys aren't gonna stop me!" Kamina boomed. "Hell, I'll go in there unarmed and still kick their ass. That's the way Team Dai-Gurren rolls!"
"Just get yourself ready. We leave at first light in the morning."
000
The night dragged on, taking an eternity to pass. Kamina's body yearned for a fight making stillness near impossible for him. He got what sleep he could, which was more than many of the other shinigami who were suffering from worries of the coming battle. Many of the new shinigami had never even witnessed a battle, not that any of them had been chosen to go along.
As the first fine rays of the sun began to drift through the darkness, the chosen members of Squad Thirteen gathered outside of their complex, equipped and ready for battle. Their destination was a full day's march away through thin forest pathways. Despite the town's relative closeness to the Seireitei, it was remote and self sufficient, having little connection with the other nearby settlements.
Back in the old days, just getting to the town would have been an adventure with hollows and bandits roaming the Soul Society almost freely. After the Anti-Spiral's defeat, Hitsugaya had finally managed to clamp down on crime and now, enemies of order were near extinct.
"Is this really going to change anything?" asked one of the sharper shinigami. "I mean, most of the targets are nothing special. Squad two has been hired to assassinate most of them. We're using the most force but even that is just to get to him and not to beat him. These guys are just too weak to make any difference."
Kamina's blade flashed out, cutting a tree so that its trunk fell across the path. He stood upon it, facing the others. "Listen up, bozos! Change is something that can only be made by constantly moving forward. Its not the actions that are important but the will and the determination. As long as we act then change will come one way or the other. We fight, we win, we move onwards. That's the way Team Dai-Gurren rolls! Now are you all with me?"
"Yeah!" roared the group with renewed vigour. Kamina had that effect on people.
"Right then. To battle!" Kamina grinned. He stabbed his zanpakuto into the tree trunk which exploded into a hail of flaming splinters. The shinigami cheered more at the display. He was a showman through and through.
The men sped up while Kamina dropped back to walk beside his captain. "Your pretty good at deceiving people." Elie said quietly. Kamina glanced sideways at her but made no other move.
"It isn't deception. It's the truth of humanity, Spiral Nemesis or not. I lived my life making people believe. Even if the words are meaningless, that belief is pure and as true as anything can be." Kamina stated with certainty.
"That's certainly one way to look at it." shrugged Elie.
As the day began to fade, Elie called the group to a stop. The village was close now, visible from the tree tops. Instead of announcing their presence and searching for the scientist in the dark, they made camp and planned to strike at dawn.
In the morning, Elie led them into the village that was typical of the Soul Society. It looked like a traditional Japanese village and was filled with hard working souls. Birds chirped peacefully in the trees and flowers released a sweat fragrance into the air. Despite all of this there was a certain tenseness that permeated throughout the area.
The workers eyed them wearily as the shinigami passed. If it hadn't been for the intel that Squad Two had gained then finding a way underground would have been next to impossible. Luckily the entrance had already been pinpointed so activity within the village was kept to a minimum.
An outdoor forge sat on the far side near the outskirts of the village. The location was clear but Elie ordered her men to secure the area anyway. Using his sword, Kamina tapped at the stones until one sounded hollow. Placing his sandaled foot upon it he pushed. The stone moved, triggering a mechanism that slid the forge backward to reveal a hidden passage.
Elie approached the hidden stairs. "From here on in we have no idea what to expect. Watch your step and keep your eyes open. Yjorvi might not be powerful but his traps could easily kill you before you even realise it. Now lets do this."
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A/N: Another slow chapter but never fear! The next few chapters are gonna be action packed, story filled bundles of awesomeness. Hope you all enjoyed despite the uneventful and slow pace of this chapter.
Winner of the first omake is 'That Guy'. As an long time reader, you know how this works. Send me what you want to see for an Omake and it will hopefully be up on Wednesday.
P.S. 'That Guy' asked if anyone guessed the parody band's real name from the last omake in So this is the Heavens. No, nobody even guessed to my knowledge. Avocado Dusk - a three man rock band. Any ideas? Answer next chapter.
Also, thinking of making a new Gurren Lagann AMV to the FooFighter song My Hero. Should I go ahead with production? If you haven't already, check out my first AMV. .com/watch?v=Xk-wjWTRwks
- FWF