Chapter 7 - The Questions We Pose
~ Day 2 - Fourth Division - Night ~
Long after Renji had departed for his own room, Byakuya's eyes tightened with pain. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew something was wrong. His pain levels had been slowly increasing over the past hour, and he knew he wouldn't be able to ignore it for much longer. Leaning into his pillow, he closed his eyes and tried to work through it. The pain was pulsating outwards from the right side of his lower back, and he knew it was related to his injury.
When Isane arrived to perform her nightly rounds, the nobleman was glad to see her. Upon making eye contact, she immediately frowned at his pained expression.
"Where does it hurt, Kuchiki Taichou; is it your back?" Rushing over, she looked up to check the monitors, as Byakuya nodded in reply. Another deep frown crossed her face. "Just a moment, I'm going to call Unohana Taichou." As Byakuya watched, she pressed a button on one of the machines. Without waiting, the lieutenant helped him to sit sideways across the bed, allowing her to lift his kimono and expose his back.
Byakuya grimaced as the dressings were slowly removed from his tender skin; the sensation of cool air hitting his wounds almost distracted him from the arrival of a fellow captain. While he was worried that Isane felt her presence was necessary, he knew her expertise were second to none.
"Good evening, Kuchiki Taichou," said Unohana with a smile. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Kuchiki Taichou's reiatsu levels are troubling, they should be much higher than this morning, but they're almost exactly the same. He's also experiencing a lot of pain." Isane waited for Unohana to finish reading the current set of vitals. As expected, her captain seemed displeased.
Retsu inspected the stab wounds carefully, before turning her attention to the gouge marks under his left ribcage. She hummed thoughtfully to herself, before nodding to Isane to replace the dressings. She then took a seat before Byakuya and pulled out the clipboard.
"How have you been feeling today, Kuchiki Taichou?" asked Unohana.
"I felt good this morning, but tired. My level of fatigue increased after the kidō therapy, and the pain was tolerable. I felt a little better this afternoon, but an hour ago, I suddenly started to feel weaker as the pain in my back got worse." Pain and tiredness was evident in his voice as he spoke, and Unohana smiled sympathetically.
"I can see a rise in your reiatsu levels this morning since we recorded them last night. There's a normal dip after the kidō therapy, as it uses your spiritual pressure to facilitate healing. The inflammation around the wound edges was healing nicely."
Byakuya looked up quickly, "Was? I don't understand."
Unohana smiled uncomfortably. "The current swelling tells me that this morning's kidō therapy has degenerated; it appears as though we didn't perform it. I suspect your reiatsu levels are the cause, as they are quite low. This is not normal for a captain of your calibre; they should be at least ten times what they are. The good news is that, as long as your heart is beating, your reiatsu levels can't deplete completely." Byakuya and Isane still appeared deeply concerned as she continued speaking.
"The records show they are regenerating, and yet remain low. Kidō therapy does cause the levels to dip, but I've never seen this." The grim look on Byakuya's face was mirrored by Isane.
"What can we do to bring them back up, Captain?" asked Isane desperately. Byakuya, too, hung on her answer, anxious for anything that could help.
Unohana smiled at Byakuya comfortingly. "For now, we will discontinue the therapy until they rise to satisfactory levels, though this will mean the healing process will take longer. We can also run a few tests and try to understand why your reiatsu is this low." She smiled a little more strongly, as Byakuya nodded. "We can also ask Kurotsuchi Taichou for his medical opinion; this is more his forte than mine."
Byakuya grimaced while Isane gasped, "Captain!"
Unohana's eyes became downright terrifying for a split second. "Kurotsuchi Taichou is an esteemed captain and he deserves your respect, Kotetsu Fukutaichou. He has provided vital assistance to patients in the past, whose ailments exceeded my knowledge or capacity. I am determined to provide the best care possible for each and every soul who comes to me, and in this case, two heads are better than one."
Returning her gaze back to the injured captain and away from her thoroughly embarrassed lieutenant, her eyes immediately softened. She helped Byakuya to replace the obi on his yakuta and provided the support he needed to lie back down. As he hissed sharply, she murmured soft sounds of encouragement. Byakuya's grateful smile caused her to respond in kind.
"We'll monitor your symptoms closely tonight and begin the tests in the morning. I will send for Kurotsuchi Taichou after breakfast, and we'll increase medication to manage your pain, as well as something to help you sleep," said Unohana, as she rubbed Byakuya's shoulder gently.
"Thank you," replied Byakuya softly. The sincerity and appreciation resonated deeply with Unohana despite his softly spoken words. Isane administered the correct dosage to his IV before recording it on his paperwork.
"Of course, Kuchiki Taichou," she smiled and rose from her seat. "I'll see you in the morning."
As he followed them with his eyes, Byakuya felt immediately better. His final thought before surrendering to sleep was that he sincerely hoped Kurotsuchi Taichou was scared of the diminutive Captain of the Fourth Division, because he had no intention of being the man's next guinea pig.
Report
Yuumichika Ayasegawa
11th Division ~ 5th Seat
Summary of Events:
The 11th Division, in combination with the 9th Division, were alerted to a disturbance featuring the foreign spiritual pressure associated with the Silver Maned Beasts. As requested, Dankū barriers contained the creatures and prevented harm to the nearby villagers. Kenpachi Taichou led the engagement, supported by Kusajishi Fukutaichou, taking on one-third of the creatures. The remaining creatures were engaged by the Eleventh Division's Third and Fifth Seat's, 5th, and other Seated Officers, (names listed below). The Ninth Division, led by Hisagi Fukutaichou, provided vital assistance. All creatures were successfully terminated resulting in some casualties, but no shinigami fatalities.
Observations
Physical appearance: The beasts are a pale, silver colour. They appear emaciated, with parts of their anatomy visibly humanoid. From the spine downward, the body slopes, featuring shorter back limbs. They possess deadly talons, fangs, and long wispy manes.
The enemy are numerous, though their exact numbers are unknown.
The enemy can employ shunpō level speed. The nature of their speed level has yet to be tested. It is believed they can match that of a Seated Officer.
The agility displayed was astounding. They can climb, jump, and lunge with lightning speed.
They attack primarily using their talons; no instances of biting have been recorded.
The creatures exhibit symptoms of pain before initiating an assault. The eyes glow in unison; this appears to be a form of communication.
Creatures display a keen level of intelligence; they seem to employ both direct and indirect methods of attack.
They are confused by heavy reiatsu levels; it halts them mid-attack. They also showed reiatsu tracking abilities, though they cannot distinguish between fresh or stagnant reiatsu.
The creatures attack in packs: every attack begins with a trio or pair and is immediately followed by other pack members.
Zanpakutō's are very effective when released. The creatures are susceptible to cuts, stab wounds, shikai, and special abilities.
Kidō is especially effective, as it allows for immobilisation and long-range attack or defence.
The creatures dissolve into glittering lights when they are killed, leaving no physical body behind.
Conclusion
The enemy was successfully destroyed using a combination of direct zanpakutō attacks and shunpō evasion. Bakudō and Hadō based kidō were particularly effective. The Eleventh Division sustained injuries ranging from mild to moderately severe. There were no life-threatening injuries. Zaraki Taichou was the most injured, sustaining bone-deep lacerations to his sword hand, as well as facial lacerations. An initial prognosis suggests he may return to active duty after twenty-four hours of intensive kidō therapy and rest.
Recommendations
It is my recommendation that forces deployed against these creatures are Seated Officers capable of employing high levels of shunpō, kidō, zanjutsu, hakuda, and a released zanpakutō. I believe these are dangerous enemies and should never be engaged alone. I believe engagement should take place in a spacious environment, as mid to long-range attack and defence may be used. I recommend that all engagements are supervised by either an acting Taichou or Fukutaichou.
Yuumichika Ayasegawa
With a tired yawn, Yuumichika wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He skimmed over the report, knowing he was too exhausted to make any notable changes aside from adding today's date. He laid it down on the chair beside him and looked around the waiting room sluggishly.
Most of the seated and non-seated officers from Squad Eleven were patched up. A few men were laughing raucously as they waited for some of their friends. They were already bragging about facing the creatures, causing Yuumichika to frown.
Obviously, they didn't realise how fortunate they were to be alive. He spotted the man with talon marks across his face, propped up by a set of crutches. The fifth seat knew the wounds were nothing more than angry red lines, and that the man was milking his miraculous recovery. No doubt, he was telling his friends, he had narrowly missed out on losing his eye. Yuumichika rolled his eyes; the only reason he currently had both his eyes was because of a well-aimed Shakkahō and copious amounts of luck. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke him from his ruminations. He looked up to see Hisagi Fukutaichou.
"Mind if I join you?" asked Hisagi.
"Not at all, please," replied Yuumichika, removing his files from the adjacent seat.
"You look angry," observed the lieutenant. Yuumichika pursed his lips grimly.
"I'm sorry. It's just," he said, lazily gesturing to the obnoxious men, "They have no idea what they're talking about. They're using the assault as a status boost, but they're ignoring the fact that they're all lucky to be alive!" Yuumichika replaced his arms angrily.
"You're right; the significance is lost on them," he remarked quietly. Shūhei continued gazing at the men. "They had their brush with death, and now they can go on with their lives. I envy them, really." Yuumichika raised a questioning eyebrow. "I am envious because unlike them, people like you and I can see the true significance of what happened. Both of us know how lucky we all are to be alive, and that if there is a next time, we might not be so fortunate. Our ability to consider the future is both a blessing and a curse. Today, we're safe, but tomorrow? We both know nothing is guaranteed. They can't appreciate that, and that's why you're angry."
Yuumichika nodded. The men were blissfully ignorant. The Fifth Seat seemed to lose his anger visibly. "Thank you," at the risk of being misunderstood, he elaborated, "for tonight."
Shūhei shrugged. "You'd have done the same for me." Yuumichika laughed, humourlessly. "What?" he asked.
"My men were on the ground and they desperately needed your help. I'm certain, if it was the other way around and Squad Nine's men were on the ground, you wouldn't have needed our help." His bitterness was palpable, suggesting a much bigger problem.
Shūhei became thoughtful and replied slowly. "Our divisions are very different. Mine is trained to deal with all kinds of assaults, regardless of how much we know going in. We are a strike team; we kill if we have to, we never hesitate, and we consider a mission a success if our orders were achieved. To that end, we embrace our gifts, whatever they may be. We don't fall back on a particular strategy to come out on top, such as kidō or a particular weapon type." Yuumichika quirked an eyebrow at that point, and Shūhei's lip twitched before continuing. "Yours is trained to deal with straight-up, direct assaults. The honour code is strong and therefore, you like to see your opponents and look them in the eye. The training doesn't really allow for attacks that you can't see, or other issues such as time factors, space, environment and so on. Your squad doesn't go for the kill when an opportunity presents itself; it needs to happen through the honour system. It is a true representation of your Captain, Zaraki."
Yuumichika seemed stunned; how could a reaper from another division see that so easily? He hung on Shūhei's every word. "The issue between your men and Zaraki Taichou are difficult to address. He can overcome these issues. If he had to face an enemy he couldn't see, in cramped conditions, where a life was on the line, he would fall back on brute strength. His honour code would force him to reveal his enemy in plain sight. Then he would pin them down and overpower them. He wouldn't think twice about going for the kill. He's fast enough, he's got experience and judgement to fall back on, and he knows when to kill and when to back off. He is a truly terrifying opponent.
"Your men require that kind of strong leadership. Without a strong voice, they would descend into a battle for dominance. They follow his honour code to the letter; if you ask me, it makes them slow. They expect the enemy to face them and engage one-on-one. They expect brute force to win the fight for them and don't have Zaraki Taichou's judgement, speed and reiatsu levels to depend on. They don't work with each other the same way your Captain does with Kusajishi Fukutaichou. Where her weakness is her size and strength, his weakness is his lack agility and a certain level of finesse. Your men need to be teamed or paired with people they respect that complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. I don't think they've considered the possibility of working together rather than against each other."
Silence followed his observations, as Yuumichika slowly processed his words. He watched the lieutenant who remained calm and composed. A lot of Zaraki's men would have taken issue with a lot of what he said, but Yuumichika was glad for the clinical facts, as they confirmed his own opinion. Shūhei was absolutely correct; using their current training techniques, the men would be ill-equipped to face their current enemy. The fact that kidō and released Zanpakutō's seemed to do the most damage to this enemy troubled him. How could squad eleven face them again without these weapons in their arsenal, and what would it mean for their survival?
"How is it, that a lieutenant of another Squad can see what I see, and the actual Squad can't?" Yuumichika shook his head in disbelief as Shūhei chuckled.
"It's my job to look and do more than see. It's how I trained my men, and it's why we're very successful against this enemy."
Yuumichika nodded. "I think if you had said this to Zaraki Taichou, he might have listened before replying, but if you had had this conversation with anyone else from the squad, especially Ikkaku, you'd be fighting them off with Kazeshini." He frowned, as Hisagi Fukutaichou smiled. "I think, without the support of another squad, we're not going to get through the next fight as well as we did today. That scares me."
Shūhei nodded seriously. "You're right. I love the system in place in your division; it's Zaraki Taichou's vision for his men and they live by it. I think traditionally, that kind of system has its place, but this particular enemy is the worst possible type your Squad could face. They're too fast and those creatures are always going to go for the kill."
Yuumichika frowned, his fears confirmed. Sighing heavily, he bit his lip. "Do you think my Division can face this enemy in future?" It was the nicest way Yuumichika could think to pose the question; did the Squad led by Kenpachi stand a sliver of a chance? To his surprise, he wasn't met and an immediate affirmative reply from Hisagi, but a smile.
"That's up to you," replied Shūhei with a shrug, while Yuumichika shot him a blank look.
"Me," he deadpanned. "How could I possibly make a difference?" Yuumichika felt a little subconscious as Shūhei continued to smile with understanding and warmth.
"Yuumichika, I watched that entire engagement, and I'm telling you, you've already made a difference. Ikkaku fought well, but in drawing his enemy away, he left his men exposed because the entire pack didn't focus on him. That's not a criticism; there were too many enemies for him alone, but he tried. His actions effectively put him on the side-lines; he was so absorbed he couldn't have lent support to his men even if he wanted to. Again, using the honour code, Ikkaku taught his men to allow him to fight one on one, so they weren't in any rush to support him either. With their training, I don't blame the men, but they were sitting ducks.
"You on the other hand, wow! You didn't hesitate to kill a beast after Ikkaku evaded one. Every time he batted one away, it wasn't injured or killed, so it was able to get up and keep coming back. You saw that and kept picking them off when one of them got too close. You put yourself in danger to do it too, and your short-range weapon was perfect for the job. If you weren't there, they would have worn Ikkaku down eventually; I think he knows it too."
Yuumichika couldn't argue with the facts. "I think Ikkaku needs to feel the fight come to an effective end. If the fight was poor, he would kill the opponent because he felt the fight was shameful. But if he felt the enemy fought well…"
Shūhei finished the trailing sentence. "Then Ikkaku would feel compelled to allow that enemy to live because it was an honourable fight. There's only one problem with that; Ikkaku is treating the creatures as he would a human opponent." When Yuumichika nodded, Shūhei shook his head. "That's the only issue I have with the honour system; our orders were to terminate on sight for good reason! I feel like there's a conflict between carrying out those orders, because this enemy won't allow your men to do it through your honour system, and that's something I fundamentally disagree with. Do all your men share this philosophy?"
Yuumichika felt a sense of foreboding, but he answered honestly. "Yes, but not as firmly as Ikkaku does."
"You can surely see the problem with that, Yuumichika? What would happen if we allowed our enemies to keep getting up? It would be suicide," stated Shūhei.
"True, but Ikkaku can hold his own. The men can't. I knew the men were struggling, and that's why I got them out. They would have been slaughtered."
Shūhei nodded vigorously as he replied. "Exactly! You saw what Ikkaku was too absorbed to see, what your men didn't have the judgement to see. They were out of their depth and you put yourself between the enemy and your men. You used every weapon in your arsenal, a released blade, kidō and speed. You utilised the support at your back, knowing I and my men would back you up. You made a lot of smart decisions; you were the leader out there tonight, and the men know it."
Once again Yuumichika seemed stunned. A leader? Him? There was no way, was there? Hisagi smiled in amusement at the look on his face. "I think we were lucky tonight, but I think next time will be the real test. I think you can be a great leader, and yes, I think it will give your Division the edge against the creatures in future. Do you agree?"
Yuumichika still seemed worried. "I want to say yes, but I don't know how. I don't generally lead drills or training exercises. I'm not sure what I could teach them concerning this enemy," he trailed off somewhat pathetically.
"I think I can help with that. Meet me at my Division's training grounds after work whenever you can; just send me a hell butterfly. You up for it?"
Yuumichika spared his laughing men a final glance and his expression hardened as he returned his gaze to Hisagi. "If it means these men will live, then yes. I appreciate your help, and I want my men to succeed. I won't stray from Zaraki Taichou's vision, but I will give them the tools they need to survive this."
With a broad smile, Hisagi grasped Yuumichika's hand in a strong handshake. "Excellent! Spoken like a true leader." He laughed and Yuumichika grinned. "Alright, before I meet Kira and Matsumoto for a drink, I have to head off to the Second Division; I need to drop off my report."
Yuumichika chuckled. "Me too. I just finished it a few minutes ago."
Shūhei shrugged. "I'd be happy to add yours to mine and save you the trip unless you feel like stretching your legs. I don't mind the company."
Yuumichika got up and stretched. "You're as tired as I am, and I'd feel bad if I got to bed because I pawned my work off on someone else. I'll join you, if that's okay?"
"Of course. You ready?" With a nod, the two men quietly exited the hospital waiting room unnoticed by the rest of the occupants.
Fon Taichou glanced at the clock; it had been a really long day. She rubbed her tired eyes, and knew it would be quite a while until she could head home for some well-earned sleep. Flicking through her written reports for the day, she couldn't believe how two days' worth of an investigation could amount to so few pages. She sighed. That was the nature of their job; being out in the field wasn't any good to anyone unless it was written up, which is what she had been doing for the last four hours. Her hand was starting to cramp, and her back hurt. She thought back on the events of her day; while she was highly impressed by the actions taken by her fellow shinigami, the more she learned about the enemy, the more her sense of foreboding grew.
~Earlier That Day ~
Soi Fon made her way slowly through the village on the outskirts of Junrinan. The inhabitants living this close to the Seireitei had a high quality of life; they wore fine clothing and shoes, and law and order was prevalent. The smells of food lined a small street market even though plus souls didn't need to eat. Some enjoyed eating despite this, but the concentration of soul reapers returning to their districts every evening, as well as the number of people living here that had spiritual pressure, created a demand for food. The surplus revenue supported the community and they were prospering. Some of the elderly people bowed to her as she continued her trek; the relief on their lined faces was palpable.
A serious expression crossed her face as Fon Taichou pondered the biggest question pestering her; of all the directions in which the Rukon District surrounded the Seireitei, why would an attack happen in the first Western District? No person would be stupid enough to attack an area with a literal army at their back. She dealt with many criminal investigations in her time, but never within the first twenty districts of the Seireitei. From the fear on their faces, the inhabitants of this small borough didn't expect it either, hence their relief upon seeing the heavy soul reaper presence.
She began her investigation within the Seireitei; she had gathered medical reports, and taken statements from the people that had been present, but now her investigation led her to the scene of the original crime. She had too many burning questions. If her investigation led her to the proper answers, it could be the key the Soul Society needed to end the tyranny of this mysterious new threat, easing the concerns of the higher ups and the districts alike. She needed to know where the enemy had come from, and why they were there in the first place. Deep down, she knew she'd never uncover the entire truth without the help of the other Captains, but she resolved to do what she could to help combat this threat.
With a swift rise in reiatsu, she nimbly stepped onto the air around herself to get to the top of the clock tower. From her new vantage, she could see out over the entire district, and sense a further two simply by flexing her spiritual pressure. Central 46 had indeed picked a very strategic location; it was a gateway between the few spiralling paths leading to the heart of the Seireitei, as well as west to the remaining districts.
She took a quick look at her notes from her interview with Abarai Fukutaichou; it indicated the attack began in the forest edges before her. She eyed it critically, and returned to her men. On the ground, her men stood to attention, and she spoke clearly.
"Alright everyone, Listen up; I'm only going to say this once. The area has been cordoned off, but the risk of running into the enemy is still high. I want everyone on full alert. I want eyes in every direction, and that means the trees as well." The men gave a unanimous affirmative response, and she nodded. "Today, our mission is to continue our investigation on the ground. Move out!"
In seconds, the team of ten, the Lieutenant and the Captain reappeared on the fringes of the forest's edge. The squad formed an immediate circle, looking up and in all directions. Tension radiated off each individual as they peered through the dense foliage, trunks and passageways, as if expecting one of the strange creatures, whom they'd only heard terrifying stories about, to come jumping out at them. True to their division though, they stuck close to their captain and followed their orders.
Leading the men, Fon Taichou allowed her reiatsu to wash over the area. It was a specialised technique that could be utilised by those with extreme control over their spiritual pressure. In this particular situation, Soi Fon was able to inspect any lingering traces of reiatsu no matter the source. Reikaku was a highly valuable forensic tool.
Standing at the site where Kuchiki Taichou and Abarai Fukutaichou had first encountered the enemy, the female captain was presented with a dilemma; should she travel in the direction the creatures had come from, or follow Kuchiki Taichou's shunpō trail? Soi Fon realised she was grasping at straws, but as she looked down the first track, she knew this presented an opportunity to perhaps divine the enemy's origins. She stepped away from the path Byakuya had taken, and followed the direction where Renji had insisted it had originated from.
This path was even more overgrown than she had expected, and she and her men moved slowly. Once again, eyes glanced in every direction, darting rapidly with every twig snapped under their feet. They couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive, as this trail could lead them straight to the enemy. It wasn't a pleasant thought.
Honing in on the foreign spiritual pressure, the female Captain narrowed her eyes. The trail was definitely leading west in an almost perfect straight line. Even a direction was enough to satisfy her orders for now. Walking into an enemy nest would be foolish at this moment. It would definitely need revisiting now that she had confirmed Abarai Fukutaichou's suspicions, but not today. Giving the signal to retreat, she and her team vanished from sight.
Moments later, they reappeared at the proverbial fork in the road. After sweeping the forest's fringe with her reiatsu, an area very close to the forest's edge lit up to her senses. She could sense Kuchiki Taichou's signature spiritual pressure, as well as that of the enemy. 'This is where Kuchiki Taichou encountered the creature and employed shunpō; it seems the creatures were headed back to the village, but he led them away after they displayed aggression.' Soi Fon couldn't help but be impressed; it was smart, and showed Captain Kuchiki's ability to think very quickly on his feet.
Realizing that the Captain and Lieutenant had become separated at this point, she decided to follow the trail through the dim, overgrown pathway. She couldn't sense another trail from the soul reapers, so she surmised that Renji had followed the path of his captain.
The group edged deeper along the trail. Vegetation crackled under their footsteps and eyes darted in all directions. Again, she washed the area with her own spiritual pressure and sensed the next concentration of energy. It was quite a large clearing with a few fallen tree trunks. Her eyes skirted upward along the trunk of a huge tree, noting claw marks and gouges. It was clear that the creature had scaled the tree, and gathered itself before vaulting its body back to the ground. She had to admit, the clear evidence of their agility was frightening.
"Captain, there's blood here," said one of the seated officers, and Soi Fon turned to him, before following his pointed finger to a small patch of ground. She crouched down to get a better look, while her men took defensive positions around her; they were her only protection if anything sudden or unexpected approached them.
Soi Fon glanced closer. It was definitely blood, but her reiatsu told her it was the enemy's. The blood was scattered in a clear arch, as if it had been sprayed at the ground. 'This is Zabimaru's work; this could only have come from a very large, moving weapon.'
"There's some more over here, Taichou," came a second voice. The small, female captain nodded to the woman that had spoken, before making her way over to the large tree. She squatted at the base of its gnarled roots, and saw a small pool of blood. She could see small amounts of damage to the tree itself, where pale wood peeked out of the clawed bark. She gave a mental shudder at the depth of the marks, and sighed deeply. Abarai was very lucky that the creature had missed.
Deep grooves in the ground told her that the beast had been desperate to land its talons on the young lieutenant, but had met too much resistance. The blood pooled slightly in front of the creature's footprints, telling Soi Fon that its body had been elevated enough for the blood to drip from its body. 'Another decisive, but fatal blow to the enemy. Well done, Abarai Fukutaichou.' Even her thoughts were thoroughly impressed by the young Lieutenant's actions.
Noting no further blood, she was relieved that Abarai Fukutaichou had come out of this relatively unscathed. The rest of the clearing remained untouched, and she and her team picked up the trail once more. A part of her was eager to see how her fellow Captain had fared, a sentiment shared by her men, if the hesitant excitement in the air was any indication.
It didn't take very long for them to reach the spot where Kuchiki Taichou's initial burst of shunpō had ended. Soi Fon landed softly in a second, smaller clearing. She registered the soft sounds of her team landing quietly behind her, and a few murmurs of shock as they surveyed the wreckage. With raised eyebrows, the female captain's eyes travelled up the trunk of a tree, across the remains of shattered branches and over to a few towering, neighbouring trees. Three of those trees were blackened from kidō fire. She felt her respect for Captain Kuchiki rise a few notches; usually kidō left soft burn marks, but nothing this powerful.
It looked like he had aimed at the creature, which had nestled itself in a tree, only for it to repeatedly evade his attacks. Either that, or he had been facing multiple beasts, despite Abarai Fukutaichou's report that stated he had only engaged one to begin with. Perhaps more creatures had joined the first in this clearing, but Soi Fon remained unconvinced. She had seen evidence of their shocking agility, and knew it was very possible she was looking at the remains of a single enemy. A lack of blood told her it had still escaped death, despite Kuchiki Taichou's attempt to kill it here. A small frown took over her features; just how fast were these things?
After travelling Captain Kuchiki's route for what seemed like hours at their slow and steady pace, nothing could have prepared the group for what they were about to see when they landed in the final copse of trees. Gasps rang in the air as they gazed in shock at the scene before them. Shards of what looked like branches, littered the forest floor as far as the eye could see. Tall trunks stood despite having most of their branches ripped off. At least four trees were heavily burned. Soi Fon's mouth fell open at the wanton destruction, and she tentatively released her spiritual pressure to survey the scene for the invisible marks left by her fellow captain. She shuddered and gasped. Her step faltered as she fought to remain standing amidst the staggering stagnant reiatsu. The air was alive with his spiritual pressure, leaving her able to pinpoint the exact tree she was positive he was in as he released this barrage of kidō.
'What on earth caused him to go this far?' she wondered.
She eyed the tree, hoping it was still stable, before she flash-stepped into the very air to reach the tree. She placed herself in his shoes, and looked down. She washed the ground around her for several meters, and immediately, she picked up on two kidō signatures that didn't match the barrage. She noted the bakudō, and nodded appreciatively. He had restrained two creatures here, while forcing them to seek him out rather than the other way around.
'Is this how he discovered their ability to track spiritual pressure?' She paused as she processed the fact, before her eyes widened with an epiphany. 'That's why he drowned the area in kidō; they wouldn't be able to track him, giving him time to turn the tables on them. To think he discovered this while chasing them and trying not to get killed in the process, especially minutes into an engagement with an enemy he had never seen before. That man is a genius!'
She returned to her men on the ground with a stunned look on her face. Raised eyebrows and questioning glances met her, and she quickly composed herself. Now was not the time to satisfy their curiosity; the enemy could still be lurking and it wasn't safe.
"You can read about this in the report later, but for now, we will continue with our mission." Her tone left no room for argument, and the group resumed their trek as they flash-stepped out of view.
Soi Fon had tracked the trail of Captain Kuchiki and his subordinate back to a final clearing. This time, the trail was marred by thousands of tiny glancing marks, ripping through bark, leaves, branches and even the ferns close to the ground. Even without releasing her reiatsu, she knew she was looking at the results of Senbonzakura in pursuit of a fast target. Slivers and splinters of bark and wood shards littered the ground, and the female captain paused.
Using her spiritual pressure, she sensed the place where Abarai had re-joined his captain. She quirked an eyebrow at a tiny hole in the ground, noting its shape. He buried his zanpakutō? As her reiatsu travelled the path ahead, she could sense the presence of Captain Kuchiki, a single enemy, and a blast of destructive kidō. What was interesting, was the lack of scorch marks surrounding the area where she could sense the captain, but a smudge of blood told her, the captain had been in some kind of trouble here. She paused to consider the strange evidence, before realisation hit her. Abarai had seen the Captain in trouble, buried his sword, and employed kidō instead, achieving a perfect, lightning-fast strike. Nothing else could explain a lack of damage around the spot where the Captain had been. Once again impressed, she could sense the trail as it left the clearing.
'This is where they had returned to the rendezvous point to wait for backup in order to re-engage the enemy. Or at least, that was the plan until Kuchiki Taichou was attacked.'
Gathering her men, she gave the signal to retreat and return to base, knowing the forest had divulged as much information as it was going to reveal. She addressed her men.
"Alright everyone, excellent work; we have completed our objectives." With all eyes focussed on her, she nodded to them. "Dismissed!"
With a final burst of shunpō, the entire group exited the forest grounds to return to their barracks, leaving it silent and eerie.
Shūhei and Yuumichika touched down softly in front of the barracks on the Second Division's central grounds. Neither exchanged a word as they walked calmly towards the main offices. As they passed, they could hear some of the members laughing about something. Shūhei glanced at them with mild curiosity, noting that most of them appeared to be Seated Officers, and managed to pick up the tail end of their conversation.
"So, Omura," said a female voice, in an almost seductive manner, "Is it true that you saw one of those monsters?"
One of the men burst out laughing. "Omura would have shit his pants if one of them had been there. You need to get your facts straight and stop listening to third hand gossip."
Shūhei grinned, while Yuumichika looked like he wanted to vomit. Hisagi nudged the man beside him, before beckoning him around the corner of the unlit veranda. They stood just out of sight, and continued to listen to the unfolding drama. Yuumichika rolled his eyes, but remained silent, while Shūhei's grin widened. Undeterred, the woman tried again, positive her feminine wiles would get this particular softy talking.
"But you were there, right? You must have seen something?" The softy in question mumbled something incoherent, while the Lieutenant strained to hear.
His loud spoken friend slapped him on the arm, "Go on, mate. Tell her. We saw nothing but smashed up trees and such. Didn't your friend tell you the fight happened last night?" The entire group erupted into loud guffaws at the girl's expense. At her indignant huff, Hisagi collapsed onto Yuumichika's shoulder, trying desperately to muffle the sound of his laughter. The Fifth Seat's mouth twitched upward at the sound of the scorned woman's loud footsteps, as she left.
"Mate, you've got to watch yourself around those floozies. They're only out for the full of their mouth. Trust me, if you're looking for a chick, she ain't it." A chorus of, 'hear, hear,' rang out through the group.
"Who even let her in, though," said a woman offhandedly. "Brave of her to come alone, that's for sure."
"Not as brave as Omura here would have to be if the Captain found out he'd been spilling Squad secrets to the first pretty face that gave him a wink!" chuckled a fourth voice. Hisagi got the impression from the resulting rise in their voices that the group had rounded on this individual, in defence of 'Omura'. "Alright, alright, I'll lay off."
A pause fell over the group, and Yuumichika shifted impatiently. A seriousness fell on the Seated Officers, as they began to discuss the scene in question.
"Seriously though, Kuchiki is a beast. I've never seen a forest ripped up like that," said one the men.
"True," replied the second man. "The man's a fucking legend!"
The group laughed, and the woman spoke up again, teasing her friend. "Careful. If that floozy hears you talking like that, she'll think you're the man to talk to about getting the goods on Captain Kuchiki, seeing as how you sound like you're the head of his fan club."
Hisagi burst into muted sniggers, while Yuumichika shook him. More laughter rang through the group.
"What? He is!" cried the man. "Think about it. He's chasing them, but they're fast as lightning. He keeps at it, but they keep getting away, so he thinks, if I trap them, I can kill them, but it doesn't work. So, he thinks to himself, I've got to disappear to catch 'em off guard, but they keep tracking him." The group settled in to relive the glorious details of the damage they witnessed earlier. "So, he's wondering how they're tracking him. He figures out they're tracking his reiatsu, so he let them have it; he went and burned down near half the forest in kidō fire till the place was lit up by the stuff." He chuckled. "The dumb animals never knew what hit them, cause he jumped out and massacred them."
"We get it; he's your hero," she sighed dreamily for his benefit, while his male friends broke down in a fit of laughter. Behind the veranda, Shūhei was faring any better beside Yuumichika.
"I'm telling you, he's a badass," protested the man. "Half an hour before that, he'd never even seen those things before and he figured all that out. I bet none of you dopes could have done it."
"Yourself included?" mocked the woman. After another peel of giggles, another man chimed in.
"When I saw the wreckage, I thought for a second, that they pissed him off, or something, but that?" the man shook his head in a stunned manner while a few grinned at his words.
The woman punched his arm playfully. "When was the last time you saw Captain Kuchiki get emotional during a fight?"
Behind her a few men laughed. "When was the last time you saw him fight at all?" the man in question, appeared abashed, while scratching his head.
"A point well made," she said.
"Alright, I'm headed back in; it's getting late." As murmurs of agreement fluttered through the officers, they didn't notice the two men around the corner, abandoning their hiding spot in favour of seeking out a completely different Captain, though she was legendary for something else entirely. Apparently, she didn't like jokes.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō yawned and glanced at the window; the moon was high in the dark sky, and he sighed at the stacks of paperwork on his desk. His eyes raked over the booklets; they contained medical reports, eyewitness accounts, forensic documents and combat records. He combed his hair out of his eyes warily; this would take days to comb through. He was able to take solace in one fact, however; Unohana Taichou, Fon Taichou and Ayasegawa were excellent at compiling concise documents, leaving out unnecessary speculation and assumptions. The young Captain had no choice but to resign himself to the fact that he wouldn't be getting a lot of fresh air over the next few days, and wondered if he should consider making use of his lounge.
A crippling wind blew around the almost deserted streets of the First Western District, and a tall man clutched his travelling cloak around his greying hair and hunched shoulders, trying to find some measure of comfort from the cold. Squinting down the poorly lit pathways, he could see the soul reapers manning posts around the district's boundaries. Slipping further into the shadows, he crept past a pair bearing the insignia of the Second Division. He had no intention of drawing their attention.
Laughter and chatter caught his attention, and his footsteps echoed quietly along the moonlit cobblestones as he drew closer to the sound. Reconsidering his options, a drink did sound good. And food. God, it had been such a long time since he had tasted the food here, and he recalled his carefree rookie days fondly. Ah, the good old days when he could splurge on the finer morsels, rather than having to settle for the usual cheap fare. Tonight, however, food and drink were not all he desired.
No, after the second consecutive defeat, he wanted to turn the tides of this undeclared war in his favour. He wanted to truly know his enemy, and his reports were clearly outdated. He had sent in his pets to gather intel on the squads over a year ago, and he had been able to compile a bingo book of sorts, detailing each Captain, their Lieutenants and their notable Seated Officers. He knew he had little alternative but to send them back in order to have a more complete picture of the current Goteijūsantai, but he still burned to know what could have changed them so significantly in the last year. After watching 'Ken-chan' walk away, he had settled for taking petty revenge on the first captain, but it wasn't enough. He needed to plan, and he couldn't do that without information.
Eying a nearby bar, he entered and took a seat. No one spared him a glance; he appeared to be a simple merchant, with greying hair, out for a drink after a long day's work. He pulled a crossword out of his bag, which concealed blank paper, and sat nursing a bottle of sake.
"Hi!"
Yuumichika and Hisagi followed the voice until he saw Matsumoto standing beside her table waving them over. Kira nodded his greeting as they approached, passing other solitary patrons at their own little tables. Yuumichika muttered an apology to a man, who almost knocked his sake onto his paper as he attempted to squeeze past. Taking a seat, he grinned at Rangiku and Izuru.
"Guys, it's been ages! How have you been?" said Shūhei, taking a seat beside Izuru. Yuumichika sank into the one between Hisagi and Rangiku.
"You'd know the answer to that if you met up with us more often," replied Rangiku. "You two are always working." The word rolled off her tongue with distaste, causing the men to grin.
"I wish I had more time to socialise, but no one else in my squad cleans the place, or knows what paperwork is," said Yuumichika, while Rangiku retched at the word 'paperwork'.
"Ugh, I've been out cold on my Captain's couch until Fon Taichou showed up with stacks of it. He's going to be holed up in there for the next few days, and I will be making myself scarce. No way I'm helping him deal with that." Rangiku shuddered at the thought, while Yuumichika scratched behind his ear.
"We just finished dropping our reports off to the Second Division, our heartfelt apologies to Captain Hitsugaya." He bowed his head a little while Rangiku giggled.
"How about you two apologise with sake and stories." The two men hesitated to glance at each other with dread. "There's no fooling me. You two were at the fight tonight, and I want the goodies, so spill."
"I don't know, maybe we should save it for the Lieutenant's Meeting?" said Shūhei. "I don't like discussing business outside of work."
Rangiku pouted. Shūhei expected her to protest, and was therefore surprised when it was Kira who spoke up. "Normally, I would agree with that, Hisagi-kun, but these aren't normal events. Some of us haven't received any information about what's going on and the Captains are so busy trying to understand, they haven't briefed us on what's happening. I wouldn't ask, but I haven't been told anything, and I'm the one in command; what am I supposed to tell my men to prepare them?"
All grins and smiles vanished at the seriousness in his soft voice. Kira wasn't the most outspoken member of the group, and for him to do so now, spoke volumes. Hisagi's mouth set in a grim frown, and Yuumichika considered Izuru's request.
"I think we should tell them, Shūhei. They're both lieutenants. Nothing we say here will go any further, other than our Captains of course, right?" He pinned Rangiku with a serious look, and saw it mirrored on her face. She and Kira nodded, and Hisagi relented.
"Okay." He leaned on his elbows and clasped his hands together. Kira shifted in his seat, and Rangiku sipped from her cup, her eyes fixed on the Ninth Division Lieutenant. "What we know so far is that a race of creatures has appeared in the Soul Society. No one has ever seen them before, and no one has any idea what they are or where they came from. All we do know is that they're extremely dangerous, and that our orders are to destroy them if we see one."
"The patrols were very quiet last week. We had the odd hollow or two, but nothing beyond that. I wrote up the weekly report, and Ikkaku delivered it to Squad Six; they were taking over from us last night. I'm not sure why, but I think it was because things had been so quiet, Kuchiki Taichou left his men stationed at the barracks, unless he needed them, and only took Abarai-kun," said Yuumichika.
"That's when the creatures encountered them in the forest right here in the First District. I haven't read the report, but that's the fight everyone is talking about. Kuchiki Taichou ended up in hospital, and Renji is the only reason he survived." More tension radiated from the group, each with a frown contorting their faces. Shūhei continued, "The creatures seemed particularly fixed on hurting the Captains. Both are in hospital in pretty bad shape. Zaraki Taichou should be out tomorrow morning, but they really tore him up; it'll be a few days before he's back and able to fight. Kuchiki Taichou should be okay, they're still keeping him in for now, but we still haven't been told why. No one's been to see Renji yet, so we haven't had the chance to ask him."
Matsumoto replaced her cup with a clinking sound. "We should go and see him first thing then. It's too late to do it now, but I'm sure he'd appreciate a familiar face."
Murmurs of agreement followed her statement, before Shūhei resumed speaking. "Since they're so fixated on the Captains, Yamamoto Soūtaichou gave the order to kill them on sight. That's why Fon Taichou has been running around all day. She's gathering reports and verifying them on the ground. Now we know, she took that to your Captain, Matsumoto-san; his expertise is tracking and detection. My best guess says that the next step is to track them down to a singular location, if they have one, and destroy it completely. Then this whole nightmare will be over."
No one seemed convinced. Kira broke the silence. "Wouldn't Kurotsuchi Taichou be a better fit for finding them or their nest?" Rangiku, Yuumichika and Izuru all turned to look at Shūhei.
"That's a good question. I'm not sure." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I still think they'd ask Hitsugaya Taichou, but if they did involve the Twelfth Division, it would be for research. You know what he'd do if he got the opportunity to dissect one."
Sounds of revulsion and disgust carried across the table. Izuru took a swift drink from his cup, shuddering at the thought. Matsumoto scrunched up her nose. "Ugh, I would pity poor Nemu, but she's probably used to him running his depraved experiments by now. I'm glad he's not my Captain, could you imagine it?" she shuddered again, and the boys grinned.
Kira cleared his throat. "Well, I know what team I'd rather be on if either of those scenes does become a reality, but I've always had rotten luck. So, you think that'll be it then?"
Shūhei nodded as he sipped. "We haven't received any orders indicating a more serious problem. Our protocols haven't changed; we're absolutely on higher alert, but nothing like last year with Aizen."
Faint anger graced Hisagi's face, but Rangiku hid her sadness masterfully. Izuru set his jaw and Yuumichika gripped his cup. They flinched when Hisagi clinked his cup harshly onto the table without warning. "That dirty traitor!" Catching Rangiku's unguarded expression, he softened in apology. "I didn't mean Gin," he touched her hand across the table. "His sacrifice helped us win." He sighed in defeat. "I hate what Aizen did to them! My Captain wasn't even himself by the time I killed him. He was a monster, just like Aizen."
"It was a terrible war. I hope we never have to see anything like it again," said Izuru, softly. "I want to make a toast." He refilled his cup, and raised it, prompting the others to follow suit. "For a long time, when someone mentioned your name, I was ashamed. Ashamed that you had brought dishonour to our ranks, as well as, to yourself. Despite your sly nature, you never stopped fighting for what we believed in and still do, you played your part so well. In the moment your true motives were revealed, I had never before felt such sorrow or such pride. It took a lot of courage to do what you did, and we will never forget your sacrifice. To Ichimaru Taichou!"
"To Ichimaru Taichou," echoed Yuumichika, Shūhei and Rangiku, before downing their cups swiftly. Yuumichika grimaced as the alcohol burned, and Rangiku held back her tears.
"I think it's time for another round," she said with a falsely cheerful smile. "Who's buying?" Chuckles and groans rang out, but underneath it all, they were glad to have something to laugh about. Yuumichika got his wallet out and placed it on the table.
"I am. I have some to spare, seeing as how I don't get out much." As his fellow shinigami cheered, Yuumichika smiled wholeheartedly. If it would make them smile for a little bit longer, he would gladly spend every coin he possessed.
Over an hour later, the nearby man smiled to himself. Looking down at his crossword puzzle, he flicked it over to reveal the notes he'd been taking as he listened to the group of reapers talking.
Third Division: Captain Ichimaru, deceased. Thought to be a traitor in league with Aizen, but was a spy in his ranks. Ranks now led by Kira Fukutaichou. No new Captain has been named.
Fifth Division: Captain Aizen, Incarcerated. Traitor who led an army against the Soul Society. The division is now led by Hinamori Momo, his former lieutenant: no acting Captain.
Ninth Division: Captain Toūsen, deceased. Followed Aizen as he became disillusioned by the Soul Society. Killed by his former lieutenant, and current acting leader, Hisagi Fukutaichou.
Remaining Divisions: no changes to ranking members, with the exception of Abarai Fukutaichou and Madarame Ikkaku, who both achieved bankai during the events of the war. Ayasegawa Yuumichika, Kuchiki Rukia, and Yamada Hanatarō have achieved shikai.
Captains have become more coordinated and the divisions communicate more actively.
Satisfied, he smirked. Now he had plenty of information to go ahead with his plans. He was positive it would give him the edge in the next conflict. Perhaps it was fate that brought the reapers into the same bar he had chosen, perhaps not. Whatever the reason, he smiled at the thought; fate was on his side now.