Bleach: A New Beginning

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Hibiki's eyes were open as soon as he heard Hioshimi's voice but he remained quiet, his reiatsu remained just as calm and collected as it had been. As she spoke the rest of her message, his soft voice came floating over the desk.

"Hioshimi...." he chided softly.

He remained on the ground and stretched out, merely a presence on the room as he spoke.

"Hioshimi..." he repeated, the same chiding cantor in his voice. "So that's what all the fuss is about. I was wondering why everyone's reiatsu was flaring up. Something big for the first official day, hmm? I imagine they've collected a number of individuals from the Gotei 13 to make sure this goes off without a hitch. I can't quite tell how many but it seems to have gotten a lot of attention, including from some of our more... estranged members..."

He pondered his decision for a few moments more, gauging the reiatsus he was sensing as best he could against the amalgamation of spiritual pressure they had formed. With the same ease he spoke and with as much grace as his words held, he got up, taking Kaiten Haji in hand as he did so, though he refrained from slinging it over his back.

"There seems to be a fair amount of high profile interest in the mission. If you wish to go then I won't stop you but I'll say this: with so many going, who will protect our backs? We cannot all be on the front lines; some of us must form the rear guard. It may not be so glamourous but it is just as, if not more, important. You wouldn't want Soul Society to fall while you're gone, would you?"

A smile crept across the teal-haired captain's lips as his gaze met his lieutenant's.

"I'll remain here but I won't be resting. Someone has to make sure a knife isn't planted in our backs, especially on the first day."



The arrancar captain had been about to deploy through the senkaimon when Shao arrived. It was no surprise that the arrancar picked up on the other's weakness, the disdain showing in the way the left side of his upper lip curled up in a sneer to reveal the sharp canine behind. Rivu wasn't exactly pleased seeing this particular soul reaper; the other at least had their faculties, even if they could be dense or compassionate. Shao was weak of body, more than most for his lack of sight. Had they been in the time of Aizen and he came across Shao, Rivu would have devoured him then and there rather than let him continue on with his pitiful existence. Unfortunately, the power dynamic of hollows had no place here, and neither did mercy apparently.

The words the blond soul reaper brought were one that the arrancar let simmer on his tongue for a short while. Reconnaissance... He knew what it was and frankly, he didn't care for it. He knew what he knew and that was how to survive, just like every other hollow; the difference was that he had the intelligence to not screw himself in the process. What he was here for was just like any other mission he volunteered for - the chance to eradicate hollows; the rogue arrancars were a bonus.

"Make it worth my while to escort a cripple as he blunders around the dark in a dead land."

The words were harsh and cut just as much as his claws. They were made harsher by the strange tone of voice he had. There were two levels, one befitting a young man of about 25, the same as he looked aside from the mask fragments, and a second, far deeper, more resonant sound that seemed commanding without intention.
 
"Las Noches..." Ouka repeated with a softer tone, her eyes closing in thought once more. What did Wang-sotaichou and Shao-taichou detect for them to bother going back to that wretched, dark palace? However, if the situation is that imminent for captains to be sent to that location, then perhaps... another danger was lurking there. Still, it was merely a reconnaissance. No need to think too far into the dead future. It seemed as though Shao was merely looking for Aiasa-taichou and Hiruma-taichou... it just so happened that she was present. Nonetheless, whether Shao offered Ouka an invitation out of courtesy since it would be rude to invite other captains except for one or through realization that they would need some healing expertise, Ouka was reluctant to go. For one, Las Noches was the last place she would go to. It was dark... literally and figuratively. Besides, she would be needed here in Seireitei should medical emergencies surface. Ouka was about to negate when Aiasa spoke up.

Aiasa was, indeed, a foul-mouthed captain. However, Ouka respected everyone for who they were, are, and will be. She didn't feel the need to arouse unspoken hostilities between the captains of the Gotei, however, sometimes, the hand must intervene.

"The only crippled thing I see that would be traveling in Las Noches would be your attitude, Aiasa-taichou. For any mission, with that attitude, you'd be more of a liability than an asset. Please, show Shao-taichou the respect he deserves. Shao-taichou might have his sight impaired, but he sees further and better than all of us combined." Ouka reprimanded with a stern and serious voice, although, she was aching to say more, but she held her tongue... again, there was no need for hostility between the captains.

If Aiasa would go with Shao, there's no telling what would happen if they suddenly run into trouble. Worse case scenario, Shao might just be left for dead. It cannot be helped. Whether or not Aiasa or Hiruma would come, Ouka would need to accompany Shao on this reconnaissance. Ouka opened her eyes and smiled at Shao.

"Shao-taichou, I would be honored to accompany you. However, Las Noches is incredibly difficult to reach. Not to mention it would take us somewhere between three days to get from one spot to the other." Ouka chuckled. "Although, knowing you Shao-taichou, you always have a plan."
 
Tensa groaned. He really did wanted to go take down the nest of enemies. He is also aware that he actually could find people worth slaying, but the chances are slim, as he would have to actively seek them. "Sure, whatever", he ended up replying to Shao. "Just make sure not to die before I do, alright? The last thing I'll want to do is bury you", he then added, with a tone dictating indifference. It didn't take to much time to make up his mind about it. Whether soul society sees him as a person or not is irrelevant to him. He's aware that he is a pawn of some sorts, maybe a rook, if he's actually lucky, and assisting means being around. Nothing actually obliged to protect Neither Shao, or the other two captains. For one, The arrancar looking captain doesn't look like someone who needs help, and, if he's really from Hueco Mundo, then going back home for a visit means a good old round of bestial war all over again. They'd probably would have their hands full at best, and would be overran by an overwhelming swarm at worse. The Menos, luckily, aren't that common around. And for some reason, Ouka seems frail, and overly nice, to the point he actually wonders what is she even doing here.


In the meantime, Himika finished her routine training, and went to eat some dumplings. She is technically on standby, but nothing stopped her from nourishing herself. It went into mind that she should of taken a meal, rather than a snack, except that treating herself from time to time seemed more important, in the long run. She even took to time to send a Jigokuchou, to declare that she is still ready, and on standby.
 
The Commander of Secret Tactics knew that he was not well received by quite a few of their arrancar members. Especially since most valued "strength" and to others, it was immediately apparent that Shao was well....rather pathetic in those terms. Thus, Shao did not begrudge those who spoke harshly. The Captain waited a moment for the responses of his peers and was unsurprised to hear Rivu's opinion. The words were harsh, but rather than being offended, Sun Shao forced himself to suppress laughter. He knew that it might seem disrespectful to laugh, but he couldn't help but find such honesty a bit refreshing. Raising his head, Shao was about to respond to Rivu's comment, but before he could, Ouka had beaten him to it. Hearing her speak such kind words in his defense made him feel a bit embarrassed. He would never be used to words of praise, but...it wasn't such a bad feeling either. Sun Shao opened his mouth to speak, as his eyes drifted over to Ouka, "Thank you." he said with a warm smile to express that he was grateful for her actions. His eyes, then drifted to Rivu and he bowed his head. "Rivu-daren, I promise it will be worth your while. Besides, if there are three arrancar in Karakura, they likely have reinforcements in Hueco Mundo preparing to join with their incursion force. As far as numbers, wouldn't you rather fight more than just three arrancar and twenty adjuchas?" Shao said with thumbs up gesture. If Aiasa was going to be uncooperative, he needed incentive and the best thing that Shao could come up with, was the promise of more prey.

The soshireikain could see the changes in everyone's respective auras and knew for sure that he at least had the approval of two Captains. Having Ouka along would be quite a boon. "Ouka-daren, I know you are a vital presence here, but without you, I'd likely die a dogs death in the sands of Las Noches. Thus, I am grateful you will be joining us. As far as transportation goes, well...you are not wrong." Shao said with a smile. Not only were her abilities going to be immensely helpful, her personality was going to be a great asset as well. Shao had the patience to deal with Rivu, but he knew that if it were just Rivu, Shao and Tensa, the chance of being left as food for the hollows wasn't implausible when things went south. Hearing Tensa's response to Shao's request was also a relief. Though his words did seem kind of cold and indifferent, Shao felt a bit of kindness. "Of course. I cannot afford to die here. Though I appreciate your concern." Shao said before he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a tsudento. Shao muttered a few words into the dull looking, unassuming blade to issue orders to his squad members. Shao had issued orders to request the aid of Haruzen Miko. He had intended to bring Shinobu, but he decided that Shinobu should be left alone for now, in the case that Wang-daren needed him to assist those in Karakura-cho. Investing too much military power into one area, was not always the best plan. Haruzen's skill with Hirenkyaku should be enough to cover great distance. Also the abundance of Reishi in Las Noches should allow her to sustain her abilities for longer. He also had two members on stand by not a stones throw away from his current location, in the case that Haruzen was unable to join them. The messenger should have arrived in a few moments so in that time, Shao figured that he should prepare their entrance. Tucking away the tsudento once more, the captain began to cast his spell.

"My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come, and I strike down the ibis." Shao gathered his reiryoku, a thin aura of silver energy shimmered around him as he molded his energy to cast this spell. Sun Shao then clapped his hands together twice, and a black void opened up a few feet away from him. This was the kido known as Keikaigi, the World-Tying Rite. Shao temporarily connected the space between this dimension and Hueco Mundo, all that was needed was to enter and pass into the other realm. "Give it a few seconds to stabilize and we can get going." Shao said, expecting that right about now, his messenger had arrived. In the time that it would take the Keikaigi to stabilize, Haruzen would hopefully arrive. If not, Shao had planned to take two of the most skilled kido users in his corps (the men on standby) and have them use the Spatial Displacement spell to move them around Las Noches. They could only do the spell if they combined their ability, but it was possible. Either way, Shao had a plan, so he wasn't too concerned. Looking over to his fellows he asked, "Does anyone have any preparations they need to make? I'll keep the portal open if you've any last minute things you need to attend to before we depart." he said as he kneaded his reiryoku into the dimensional rift to stabilize it.
 
Yaoi Master Gavin said:
Hibiki's eyes were open as soon as he heard Hioshimi's voice but he remained quiet, his reiatsu remained just as calm and collected as it had been. As she spoke the rest of her message, his soft voice came floating over the desk.

"Hioshimi...." he chided softly.

He remained on the ground and stretched out, merely a presence on the room as he spoke.

"Hioshimi..." he repeated, the same chiding cantor in his voice. "So that's what all the fuss is about. I was wondering why everyone's reiatsu was flaring up. Something big for the first official day, hmm? I imagine they've collected a number of individuals from the Gotei 13 to make sure this goes off without a hitch. I can't quite tell how many but it seems to have gotten a lot of attention, including from some of our more... estranged members..."

He pondered his decision for a few moments more, gauging the reiatsus he was sensing as best he could against the amalgamation of spiritual pressure they had formed. With the same ease he spoke and with as much grace as his words held, he got up, taking Kaiten Haji in hand as he did so, though he refrained from slinging it over his back.

"There seems to be a fair amount of high profile interest in the mission. If you wish to go then I won't stop you but I'll say this: with so many going, who will protect our backs? We cannot all be on the front lines; some of us must form the rear guard. It may not be so glamourous but it is just as, if not more, important. You wouldn't want Soul Society to fall while you're gone, would you?"

A smile crept across the teal-haired captain's lips as his gaze met his lieutenant's.

"I'll remain here but I won't be resting. Someone has to make sure a knife isn't planted in our backs, especially on the first day."



Click to expand...


Hioshimi couldn't help but smirk back at her captain. There was the reason he was captain, and she was lieutenant; he had a backbone, whereas Hioshimi blindly followed orders. She quickly looked away in a "I'm-trying-to-be-mad-at-you" pout, and folded her arms over her chest. He was right, she was wrong, and it still stung a little. "I shall send a butterfly." She grunted out in a curt response, releasing the grip on her reiatsu.

Hioshimi's spiritual pressure wasn't like the other shinigami's. Where Hibiki was calm and flowing and controlled, Hioshimi's spiritual pressure could only be described as...angry. It was the opposite of everything she strived for; her organisation, neatness, a calm and crisp logical mind...it was keeping a close eye on the chaotic miasma that churned within. Naturally, it wasn't as strong as a Captain - the Arrancars would think it laughable, even - but there was no control whatsoever. She either held it back with all her might, or let it go with no holding back.

Unsurprisingly, there was a woosh of jade green light and a strong wind that disturbed some of the reports on the desk for around half a second, and a sudden spike in the spiritual pressure around the barracks...but those who were around enough to know, will know; it was just Hioshimi's shoddy excuse of controlling her reiatsu. Several hell butterflies fluttered through and landed on her, making for an amusing sight. The runt of a girl, stubborn and sulky, covered in little black bugs. She spoke robotically to them in general, "Squad five will look after the seireitei in your absence. Send a reply if you require our aid on the front lines."

Hioshimi wafted away the butterflies and peered over at Hibiki. She looked tired, but that was her resting face. It was her attitude that was a telltale giveaway, she wasn't acting like her usual self. More annoyed than usual, a snappy bite on the edge of her voice, and the subtleties that made her look like her death-age instead of a wisened woman. And, of course, it would only get worse over the coming
 
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Wang strode into the 13th division, dragging Captain Truancy by the scruff of his neck. Shinobu looked more than a little displeased with it but was beyond the point of fighting. He was just dragging his heels on the ground to display his protest about being taken to do work, not that that slowed the captain commander down, nor bothered him. He was hardly one to care about little things like respect so much as he cared about the results. Despite his antics, Shinobu would almost invariably complete whatever task given to him once he had begun it so long as it was something that he considered fitting. Fitting was usually defined as "not menial labor like paperwork" or something like that. Most of all, he was concerned about Shao's shelf life in Hueco Mundo. If for whatever reason he exerted himself and got himself into trouble, this hardly would have been worth it and he could trust Shinobu to be lazy as usual. That meant convenience for everyone nearby.

"What do you think I am, a taxi? At least taxi drivers get paid for driving," Shinobu complained, crossing his arms. He didn't bother to even greet the other captains. Blah, blah, blah, the strength of Soul Society. Like that saved the ones before and they were much stronger. Heck, everyone should just settle down, do the necessary, and move on with their comfortable lives. Fight, fight, fight. That was all half these people lived to do.

"Shao will oversee your services and you may be paid based on them upon completion and his report," Wang replied, abruptly getting go as he dumped Shinobu onto the floor. However, he stopped an inch from hitting it, floating there and looking much more relaxed. Still suspended, she floated over to the other captains that were headed to Hueco Mundo. The captain commander scanned the room and those present, doing a quick count up of who was going where and how many were probably remaining in Soul Society. This seemed about right. He would have to keep on alert personally, though. As expected, there were too many things to do and not enough manpower for him to feel particularly comfortable all around the board. That was why he had to do things this way.
 
Miko's eyes didn't bother moving to Sun's messenger when they arrived at the base of her tree, she simply listened carefully to what they had to say. As they were sent by Shao Miko knew it must've been for something important as the man wasn't known to waste resources. Even though she'd never personally met Sun, this was the impression she got from the hearsay in her Division.

The request was simple and with a calm nod the messenger was dismissed and the woman turned her head in the direction of Division 13's barracks.

"Oh, well this should be interesting." Miko intoned, rising to her feet at all of 5'3" she didn't seem like much, but on her right arm she wore the badge of Lieutenant proudly and with good reason. It was about time she got the chance to put it to the test.

Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air one last time, she took a single step off the branch before accelerating beyond sound and vanishing in a flash of fabric. When she appeared again she touched down within the grounds of the new gotei 13, hands in her pockets and scarf airborn behind her. She took a moment to assess the collection of reiatsu in the Division 13 barracks, and while the collection dwarfed her own she was shocked to feel the captain commander amongst them. This alone excited the blood in her veins. This wasn't going to just be a routine recon. No.. this was going to get fun.

The Seele Schneiders on her belt barely had time to settle against her thigh before she was off again in another flash.

When she touched down again she was within walking distance of the group and Shao was just tearing the fabric of space and time.

As a Lieutenant, Miko was respectful enough to bow her head and keep her distance from the gathered Captains. It left a bad taste in her mouth, but she had a rank to keep, and she couldn't disrespect those gathered for the same causes she joined for. "This is quite the collection of talents.. " she rose from her bow, eyeing Wang for a moment, she couldn't even feel his power. How strong could this man be? The thought was kicked aside when she remembered why she'd been called and turned her attention to Shao with a nod, crossing her arms. "I'm ready to go when you guys are."
 
Ouka watched in silent awe as the sight-impaired captain quickly opened a Garganta in front of them. As always, Shao-taichou delivered without disappointments. Ouka, finally, stood up from her seiza sitting position and smiled at her fellow captain who had asked everyone to make final preparations. "Then, I shall go and fetch something." Ouka bowed before excusing herself from the presence of her fellow captains. In truth, Ouka wanted to just travel without her zanpakuto because, in the end, she only needed her kido to keep people alive. There was no need for their soul-slayers... at least, that's what Ouka wants to believe. The captain strode quickly towards her barracks and upon fetching her zanpakuto, she called the 13 Emergency Relief Squads.

"I will be gone for a while. Please be alert and vigilant for anything that might happen. Everyone should be on their toes. The Soul Society will need utter vigilance and awareness in these times. As the ones responsible for health and safety, you should be the role models of the other squads. Is that understood?" Ouka instructed, garnering a resounding affirmation from her squad. With her zanpakuto in her hand, Ouka was ready to go. The fourth squad captain didn't attach her zanpakuto to her waist or anywhere for that matter. She simply held it in her hand. It was a foolish notion, but it was her way of avoiding too much reliance on a sword. Ouka believed that bakudo and, probably, hado can solve the problem without the need to rely on their swords-- therefore, avoiding senseless violence. However, for this trip to Las Noches... she couldn't take chances.

Ouka arrived once more at the Squad 13 Barracks and noticed that there were new entities inside-- one was that of someone she knew: Wang-sotaichou. Ouka chuckled at the thought of the Supreme Commander joining them. It would be a laughable occurrence. The captain announced her presence once more to her fellow captains and to the sole lieutenant in the group: Miko-fukutaichou.

"Greetings, Wang-sotaichou. I am glad to have seen you on such a fine day." Ouka bowed to her superior before turning to the man that Wang had brought. "Oh, and to bring Shinobu-taichou... our odds keep getting better and better. I am ecstatic to see this many captains in one room." Ouka clasped her hands as she looked at the single lieutenant. "Ah, greetings as well, Miko-fukutaichou. I would rely on your abilities on this mission. Do your best, my dear." the captain smiled gently before turning to the captain who started all of this fuss.

"Shao-taichou, I am ready to depart after everyone is." Ouka bowed lightly before her eyes became serious. "However... I am quite troubled by the lack of captains in Seireitei. Kamiya-taichou, Lancaster, Aiasa-taichou, Shao-taichou, Shinobu-taichou, Hiruma-taichou as well as myself will be departing from Soul Society. Almost or, rather, half of the captains will be away for sometime. I do not doubt the capabilities of Okatagi-taichou, Fumada-taichou, Himika-taichou, and Wang-sotaichou, but... it would be quite disastrous if something happens with our military might cut in two." Ouka expressed her concern before realizing her own folly. "Ah, pardon my thoughts. I believe that with Wang-sotaichou and the remaining captains, Seireitei and the Soul Society will be safe."

"I am waiting on your instructions, Shao-taichou." Ouka grinned, ready to venture into the darkness once more.
 
The soshireikan continued to stabilize the garganta to accommodate the number of people who were going to be involved. As he did, Ouka took him up on the offer to gather things that she needed, to which the male nodded quitely in response. In a few moments what had been a small group seemed to grow into a showing of Seireitei's elite. Of course a few notable members were missing, but it was still rare to have this many high rankings members traveling together. The prospect was kind of exciting. As Wang-sotaicho arrived with Shinobu, Haruzen followed shortly after. Sun Shao had never met Haruzen personally, but he had heard praise about her abilities with Hirenkyaku and Seele Schniders. He felt extremely rude asking for her to meet them at here, but Shao had a feeling that there would be trouble in Las Noches. Wang-daren hadn't given him this task if he didn't have his suspicions. With the portal stabilized, the captain turned and bowed to greet everyone. "Shinobu-daren, it's a pleasure to see you after all this while. Miko-daren, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard nothing but praise about your abilities. I thank the both of you for coming and of course, you as well, Wang-daren." Shao said now that everyone had been gathered.

With Ouka returning as well, it seemed as though most everyone was ready. Shao could tell that she had concerns about the splitting of the Gotei 13's potential, but he had confidence in the abilities of the comrades left to secure the rear and the ability of his own squad to keep communication with him during critical moments. With the tsudento on hand, he could at least remain up to date on the situation. In order to assuage some of her doubt, he figured that he should share a bit of his plan. "In the worst case scenario, I have the Inner Court Troop to maintain contact with me via the tsudento. If anything happens here, we will evacuate back to Seireitei to defend our home." Shao knew that Wang-daren would be able to lead the remaining forces against any invaders, repelling them long enough for some reinforcements to arrive. As he looked over at the group, he went over the strategy that he'd had in mind and decided that it was best to revise it in case of the worst possible scenario occurring. With Ouka-taicho's reply, Shao gave a slight smile.

"Well, if everyone approves, I'd like to split our forces as such. Ouka-daren, Shinobu-daren, Rivu-daren, Miko-daren, please accompany me to Las Noches. Tensa-daren, while I do wish I could have your and Rivu-daren's knowledge combined, I'd prefer if you remained with Rin-daren, in the case that they need to make a timely escape. If you could use Descorrer in such an event, that would be most helpful." He cast a glance over to the two members he had on standby and one of them handed Shao their tsudento. The captain then gave the transmittal blade to Tensa so that they would be able to remain in touch and update each other as the situation progressed. Shao was fairly sure that everyone was ready to leave so he said, "Now then, shall we?" The soshireikan said as he stepped into the portal, waiting for others to do the same. When each captain entered their respective portals would close, both the Keikaigi and the Senkaimon.
 
"I won't let you down."

For a moment, she caught herself staring. Ouka Jinnai was notorious among the 4th division members as their Captain of course, but Miko had taken particular interest in the practices of said captain. "sewing day" was something she'd not only heard rumor of, but had the fortune of passing over once or twice in her brief time as Lieutenant. It was hard to think of such a peaceful mannered person heading into battle. She wondered if she should have asked if it was truly necessary, but thought twice and gave an awkward smile and nod in response to the well wishes on the mission.

So this was a mission into Los Noches. The Hollows domain, a land in a perminant eclipse but live with reishi in the very ground they walked not unlike the Seireitei. The thought intrigued her. What had Shao found? It didn't matter. For the new Seireitei she'd crush it to dust.

When addressed, Miko gave a bow. "likewise, Commander in Chief. Good to put a face with the reputation."

With a calm sweep of her hand, Miko swept misplaced streams of blond behind her ear and hopped into the entrance of Garganta behind Shao. She didn't trust the edges of these kinds of doorways, so walking through them casually was never something she could do.
 
Shinobu rolled over onto his back, placing his hands behind his head. He wasn't sure how the captain commander planned to pay him but he was a man that understood how to pay others. If he gave something excessive and useless like money which Shinobu had no shortage of now, he couldn't expect much in the future. This seemed important so whatever it was would probably be good. Of course, that was also at the whim of the Omnitsukido guy that always seemed to be running errands for Wang. So many people to please. What a pain. He had a feeling it would be worth it but it had better be or there would be hell to pay. Right after he skipped work for at least a week upon his return. The formerly invisible current beneath him took solid shape in the form of a bright blue reishi platform with him on the front, extending back far enough to give anyone who wanted to ride plenty of room to sit, stand, or lay down.

"Anyone who wants a free ride, come aboard," he yawned, waiting for any interested hitchhikers before taking it through the garganta.

"And the first person who sings A Whole New World while on this thing gets tossed off whether its into the abyss or to get a face full of sand."
 
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Emilia had watched the proceeds of the captains and fellow lieutenants for the past 10 minutes before speaking up. "Um, do you think we should have left Kamiya-chan in a Hollow Infested Karakura town for this long?" Emilia had a real sign of worry on her face, as she thought of Kamiya as one of the potential best friends she could make. Emilia watched them for a little while longer before walking over to the Senkaimon and speaking again. "I'm gonna go and head in, you guys have fun with your mission, i need to make sure Kamiya-chan is okay!" Emilia said before jumping straight into the Senkaimon.

~~~ Rin Kamiya ~~~
​
It could be safely said that one Kamiya Rin was utterly and unerringly pissed. Immediately after entering the Senkaimon and arriving into Karakura town, a large Mob of over 100 regular hollows had ambushed her, though she was thankful that they were regular one's and not Adjuchas level or higher. She had been fighting, cutting, chopping, and obliterating hollows for the past ten minutes, evidenced by the large numbers of corpses littered on the ground and the hollow blood that was soaked into her clothing. She went through thinking that the other captains and lieutenants were right behind, holding faith in that fact, but none of them had shown up after ten minutes, and Kamiya finally decided that she had had enough of this farce...

"Alright, that's it, i'm done, i'm fucking DONE!" With that said she drew her left hand up to her face, as her blood coated Zanpakuto was clenching in her equally blood coated right hand, and drew her left hand down, forming her mask instantly. And then the laughing came, the incessant childlike but horrific all the same laughing that chilled every hollow bone in the area... "Ne Ne, do any of you wanna play with me?" Kamiya asked, her previous rage all but forgotten and replaced with a childlike curiosity and the excitement at playing with the enemies before her all but evidenced by the great grin hidden under her mask. "Ara? Why am i asking? Your all just toys! And your bad toys too! Bad toys need to get broken and throne away!" Rin said, an even larger grin on her face as her eyes retained their childlike energy, that is, until she disappeared from their sight, reappeared in the middle of a large group of hollows, and 13 of said hollows surrounding her falling to the ground, dead before their soul-less brains could process it. Kamiya spun then, appearing like a tornado, but this wasn't a normal tornado, this was a tornado of movement. In less than ten seconds another 11 of the hollows that circled her fell, not dead though, as they appeared either be missing arms and legs, or retained them but said limbs were broken beyond repair.

Thus was the scene that Emilia exited the senkaimon and greeted by. And even then, another 9 had fallen by the time she had registered said scene....​
 
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Shao felt horribly guilty that his preparations had taken so long and forestalled reinforcements that should have been devoted to Rin-taicho. While the captain knew that the units that Rin and Krivats would be able to hold their own, it was beside the point. However, they were now prepared for the worst, so Shao hoped that Rin would be able to see the silver lining in that sense. Still....poor hollows. The soshireikan was glad to have exchanged pleasantries with Miko now that they had met face to face. With Shinobu stepping forth and creating a solid platform for the group to travel on, Shao stepped aboard and bowed his head in thanks. From this point on, the captain closed his eyes and sealed his golden gaze as they entered into the alternate dimension. Although he hated to rush forward without listening for further reply, Shao had wasted enough of their time and more importantly, the forces in Karakura could use the aid urgently.

For the next few moments, the captain had found himself lost in thought. He was trying to surmise the enemies intentions. From a strategic standpoint, the hollow forces invading Karakura-cho could be used to bait the captains into amassing forces there to defend civilians. Then, when Soul Society was significantly weakened, launch an invasion from their stronghold in Las Noches. Shao had a feeling that if the bulk of the enemy forces weren't there, evidence of their presence should be. This could be an attack only meant to gauge tactics and military might. It would be what Shao would do were he the enemy.

By the time that the soshireikan had gathered his thoughts, he could feel the shuddering of the dimensional rift he had created, as an entrance was created to Hueco Mundo. The captain thanked Shinobu once more and stepped outside of the spatial distortion, landing softly on the white sand below. The atmosphere was very different from Seireitei. The concentration of reishi was even thicker than what he was used to. For the Quincies that had joined them, this place played to their advantage and would help greatly in any battles they might have to face here. Before advancing any further, Shao awaited the arrival of the rest of his companions, before he activated his golden gaze to try and survey the area for enemies.
 
Krivats Lancaster​
While Rin was dealing with her batch of Hollows Krivats had been going on a bit of a killing spree of his own pretty much slicing at anything that had a mask on. " Come on you weaklings i won't even be able to release my sword at this point," he cried out killing 10 hollows with a single stroke of his blade. This was the first time in a long time that Krivats was allowed to let loose and was for damn sure gonna enjoy it to its fullest. "Mabye if I up my reiatsu more powerful opponents will appear," is the conclusion that his thought process arrived at and began to raise his power that crushed and killed many of the weaker hollows that came near him. "Hmph so brutish you could stand to hold back if only a little you know," cried Kiba yelled over his wielder's constant yelling, "And Make Sure you Dry me off you know I just hate being covered in blood all the time." He simply brushed him off and went about having his own brand of fun hoping to find these 20 or so enemies quickly since he was getting rather tired of these weaklings.

Hiro Tengmaru
Hiro had stayed behind to listen on the conversation for a while sighing as he saw that they were gonna be left with a little bit less support than he hoped for. "Oh well even the best laid plans change Hiro might as well get used to it," he thought before deciding that he should probably head right on in after Emilia. The sight he saw made him stop in his tracks seeing his captain battle against an entire hoard of hollows, but had no time to think as he got into his own little stuggle himself as they surrounded him. "As much as I hate having to use this form I kinda hate dying more so i'm afraid i've got no choice," he said as he brought his hand down across his face revealing his mask allowing his Reiryoku to boost by quite a bit, "I'll try to make this quick."
 
"I'll take you up on that offer, Shinobu-taichou." Ouka chuckled, happily hopping aboard the platform, and sitting gracefully at the back. "This is so new for me. I bet I can sew as well while aboard this floating thing. I think I could show my members such a whole new world of sewing, if you allow me, Shinobu-taichou." Ouka smiled before holding her zanpakuto closely in her fist. It seemed even Shao-taichou took part in the ride, and as soon as the platform moved into the garganta, Ouka took a deep, gentle breath-- hopefully, not the last one she'd take. After a few moments, they had arrived on the 'other side'-- a side Ouka never really liked. Noticing that Shao had already walked upon the cursed sands, Ouka decided to just stay where she was. After all, Shinobu had offered it with an open heart; it would be a shame not to make use of it. Besides, she wasn't really in the mood to let her feet touch the sands of Hueco Mundo.

Finally, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of Hueco Mundo, and it was as dreary as it was before. Just the sight of it sent chills down her spine, and in this case, her spine would keep tingling. "Shao-taichou, you wanted to visit Hueco Mundo because you fear that the trouble down at Karakura was a mere diversion, and that, the real enemy would just wait at Las Noches-- ready to strike at Seireitei. Am I wrong, Shao-taichou?" Ouka smiled, finally catching up to the blind captain's intentions. It seemed that Ouka's concerns weren't only felt by her, but by other captains as well. Truly, the reason that she didn't with Kamiya-taichou was because she was afraid that Seireitei would be attacked with the captains somewhere else. The strength of the Gotei weren't in their bankais, kido, bakudo, or any other skill that they had-- the strength of the Gotei were in their capacity to think beyond, see far, and expect the unexpected. Most importantly, the strength of the Gotei were in their teamwork.

"I do hope we do not run into any trouble here. I fear that the other front might need our help. That's the worse, isn't it? When a batch of captains is not enough to deal with a single front." Ouka clasped her hands in prayer, but of course, knowing their situation... her prayers were never answered.
 
Miko watched Shinobu make the "flying carpet" of reishi platforms for the other captains to ride on then considered hitching a ride but thought better of it just in case something were waiting for them on the other end leading into Hueco Mundo.

Miko chose not to be lazy, and the run would do her some good in loosening up after her nap. So, as Shinobu took off with his passengers, She ran more or less beside the group on the path that quickly constructed itself flawlessly before her as it simultaneously shattered behind her. Her pace was quick, but her eyes remained focused and she didn't struggled to keep pace.

It wasn't until she hopped through the other end of the Garganta that Miko remembered the dead air and aura looming in the air of Hueco Mundo. She touched down lightly on the white sand as the stale winds kicked up a small dust devil not too far off and the sand parted beneith her feet to make her sink in a bit on the slope. Checking her scarf, Miko took note of the sky that still hadn't changed in all the years she'd been gone. Comparatively it hadn't been too long at all. A mere 10 years, and when weighed against the time some of the captains may have been away from the hollows domain she thought her own concept of time a little silly.

Miko didn't dwell on such thoughts, turning her eyes to the unchanging starless night sky that hung like a depressing cloak on the heavens. She thought it a metaphor for hope. That's how Kaitsu explained it.

"The skies of Hueco Mundo reflect the souls so trapped herein. For those who lost hope in exchange for sorrow, there are no blue skies or sunlight. For these are delusions from a life they'd never know again."

The thought felt ominous, but also intriguing. Hueco Mundo never stayed quiet for long.

"There doesn't seem to be any immediate threats." Miko said aloud to the group by habit of the 2nd division, turning to the captains her eyes were less calm and more cold now. Focused on being helpful in the mission at hand. "Shall I scout ahead?"
 
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Hibiki could not be angry with his lieutenant, nor with her initiative. Walking around the table with slow deliberate steps, he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He knew well enough that she was admonishing herself for the entire affair.

"Both are important to the survival of this new Seireitei, Hioshimi. You are not wrong in wanting to help, but a little more observation of what is happening would avail you. They have plenty of captains and lieutenants going - the rest need to remain to keep a Seireitei for them to return to. Now then... you should come with me..."

Bending down, he picked up the papers that had been strewn about and set them back in order upon his desk before returning his attention to his lieutenant. Giving her a nod, he headed for path outside his office, pulling Kaiten Haji over his shoulder as he did.

"Hioshimi... How many times have you and I gone somewhere... truly peaceful? Just the two of us?"



Rivu had expected someone to speak up; the fact that it was Ouka changed nothing. If anything, it reduced his opinion of the captain in his eyes. In the recent years, he had gained a respect for kido assisted healing that his own high regeneration rate assisted; he was able to return to the fray quicker than anyone else with the combination. However, while his respect for Squad 4 was higher than it had been before, the barking of it's captain did little to improve it. Like one of the small chihuahua rats he occasionally saw in Karakura, she picked up her voice and yapped when anything offended her, trying to let the annoying sound frighten off far larger and stronger foes. With such a high pitched sound, how could anyone be afraid?

The words meant nothing to the arrancar captain and their intended rebuke could not even hope to touch the Heirro of his soul. He had merely spoke the brutal truth of having a cripple in their party in an unfriendly world - he was a liability. That was only proven by Ouka's insistence that she accompany Shao, despite not being invited at the start. Even if the others couldn't see it, or didn't want to see it, his point had been made by the forlorn yip of a rat and as such, there was no need for him to say more on the matter. He kept the sneer on his lips as it was, showing neither anger or regret, though it could be said that his red eyes shone with vindication.

On the other claw, Shao made a point. It seemed that, as per usual, Rivu was not privy to the machinations and thoughts of the Captain Commander and others; the thought that this might only be a scouting party or similar and not an isolated incident had apparently filtered through someone's brain and that a larger force was awaiting at Las Noches for a signal of some sort. Annoying though it was that they withheld information from him again, it did give the arrancar a reason to join the Las Noches company.

Unlike the others, he had nothing more to get, least of all his zanpakuto. Of all things on his person, that was something as immovable as his mask fragments. Of course, it would have to be the chihuahua who needed something and as she returned, he was unsurprised to find that it was her zanpakuto that she had needed to fetch. This made his sneer more pronounced as a low growl rumbled in his throat. Of course she had forgotten her blade, the one thing that might save her neck when she had exhausted all else. That she was a captain with this level of nonchalance and lack of foresight was an embarrassment to the Gotei 13. Even Hibiki, slacker and meanderer that he was, kept his zanpakuto within arm's reach.

The new presence of the Captain Commander did not phase him either, nor did the addition of another to the party. He kept to himself as Wang literally drug another with him to join the mismatched party. Once the portal was open though, he was quick to go through it, both hoping and expecting for there to be enemies on the other side for him to fight.
 
The Captain had stepped away from the platform of reishi, because what he was preparing to do, required focus and it felt unnerving to Shao to be standing on a platform of reishi. He had the utmost faith in Shinobu, but it was his own discomfort, nothing personal. As he listened to Ouka's words he gave a solemn nod. "Your deduction is correct. If the enemy is willing to divert such a force to Karakura, knowing we would intercede, what forces do they have in waiting?" The captain vocalized his thoughts on the situation and shared the fourth division captains sentiments. He prayed that Rin and the forces with her wouldn't be forced to deal with more than they could handle. "I agree. But if we encounter trouble here, on the bright side, it means less trouble for our comrades." He spoke with a slight smile, trying to find a silver lining. Still, Shao disliked having to bring Ouka along to Hueco Mundo. She was a peaceful person, even more so than Shao. But with her here, he felt more comfortable about using his abilities. Just as he thought that, Haruzen asked if he wanted her to scout ahead. Truthfully he didn't feel comfortable about having the group separate right now. Thus, he was going to try and locate the enemy from their current position. "That won't be necessary. Though I thank you for offering." He said before he focused his attention to the endless sands ahead of them.

The captain moved away from the group without saying a word. When he was a few meters away, Shao began to concentrate the reiryoku within him. The soshireikan channeled spiritual energy into his eyes, refining the strength of his golden gaze to its utmost. The eyes that usually held only a dim light, radiated a golden glow as he stared intently into the distance. The images were....vague, but if he could ascertain the nature of at least one of the souls, he could pinpoint their position. Shao focused intently and was able to make out one of the soul images in the distance. It was that of a poisonous snake, hiding in the grass, waiting for a moment to strike. With the image of the soul in mind, Sun Shao prepared the means to ascertain the targets location. The captain closed his eyes once more and dispersed the reiryoku he had focused into his eyes, gathering it instead to his core. Shao extended his hands forward and began to slowly channel his spiritual energy outward. His aura held an affinity with the element of nature, wood. "Wood begets Fire," From a nature affinity, his aura changed into one with a fire quality, "Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal enriches Water, Water nourishes Wood." Sun Shao had rapidly changed the nature of his reiatsu from wood to fire, to earth, to metal, to water, then back to wood once more. The colors of each element combined, forming a silver light around the soshireikan. The reiryoku surrounding him shot into the ground, forming a five pointed star with Shao at the center. "Theory of the Five Phases, Cycle of Generation." The purpose of this spell was to trace the origin of something. The "something" that Shao had in mind, was the image of the poisonous snake.

The captain of Onmitsukido took a seated position in the center of the pentacle, channeling his reiryoku through the sigil sign, as he traced the origin of the aura he'd sensed. The pentacle began to spin rapidly around him, each layer folding over one another, until all sides of the pentacle had overlapped in such a way that they formed an arrow, pointing east of their current location. While Shao could not "see" the direction it was pointing, he could sense the conflux of energy clearly now that the Five Phases spell had successfully traced its target. The captain stopped focusing his reiryoku, but already he felt quite fatigued. Sun Shao slowly stood up and took out the cloth that Ouka had given him earlier, lightly dabbing the sweat away as he returned to the group. "57.23 kilometers directly east of our location, there was a powerful presence. I couldn't tell how many more significant enemies were with the presence...but we are certainly outnumbered." Shao was glad to have Shinobu and Miko around to use Hirenkyaku. If Shao had to Shunpo for 35 miles, he would have died for sure. "Shinobu-daren, do you think you could take us to investigate? For now, it seems as though we have the element of surprise." The taicho said before he hopped back up unto the platform of reishi. Normally, he wouldn't have actively sought to attack his enemies in such a way, but Shao had promised Rivu his prey and Shao was not one to break a promise. Besides, it would serve as a way to gauge the strength of their adversaries, aside from thinning out the potential fighting force that could invade either Soul Society, or Karakura-cho.

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All was silent back at the First Division Headquarters, save for the dull scratching noise of ink brush bristles against paper. The source of the noise was a man with long dark brown hair and deep violet eyes. He was known as Seiji Juumonji, the fukutaicho of the First Division. His right hand was focused on quickly jotting down notes; things that needed to be accounted for at the end of the day, such as the budgeting for food, repairs, defense and a number of other things that many of the average Shinigami took for granted each day. His left hand held another brush pen, quickly writing out a transcript of the report Rin's squad members had made to put into official record. Of course, the moment he'd laid hands on the written report, it had been stored in the unofficial record, which was Seiji's memory. While both hands were preoccupied with writing, his eyes wandered over to the small window that he'd left open to circulate the air in his office. Right now as he was casually writing reports as he always had before, he began to feel a little...uninvolved. Of course he realized that not everyone could go and be the vanguard, but even a bookworm like himself enjoyed getting out from time to time. Still, Seiji understood that his role wasn't one that could be easily taken, nor the knowledge that he'd amassed, so easily replaced. As such, he couldn't afford to be reckless, or let his impatience get the best of him. He knew all too well how painful the consequences could be if he did.

In the short while that he had found himself lost in thought, Seiji had finished a sizable stack of paperwork, only to find that two more stacks had taken its place. If the lieutenant hadn't been such a capable secretary, he was sure that he would have been buried alive beneath a pile of paper within 48 hours. With a soft sigh, the fukutaicho concentrated a bit of his reiryoku into the tip of his index finger. Writing the word "file" with his spiritual energy, Seiji flicked the small character composed of reiryoku, towards the finished stack of paper, disappearing as it did. Then, as if they held wills of their own, the papers sorted themselves into their proper place, while he continued to work on the other two stacks. "....." The novelist exhaled deeply, thinking to himself that all in all, it was just another day for him. Seiji quietly decided to himself that he should continue to work and finish the paperwork he had remaining as fast as he could. If he was lucky, he would have a bit of free time to take lunch. Though somehow, Seiji felt as though when he took his break, something would come up and eat away the time he worked so hard to get. But, such is life.
 
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Upon their exit from the garganta, Shinobu abruptly dispelled the part of the platform beneath Ouka. While he had no qualms with her personally, when he said things, he meant them. If he said he was going to dump someone in the sand if they did something stupid, he would do it. She might or might not manage to catch herself before eating good old Hueco Mundo sand but that wasn't any of his business. Yawning, he rolled over onto his stomach and found a new position to be comfortable in while waiting for Shao to finish whatever he was doing. He was the taxi service, not the thinker here. And maybe he was part of the implied muscle but he planned to avoid that too unless it was necessary. While the reishi in Hueco Mundo was extremely potent and perfect for him or any other quincy, fighting was just way too much work. Outnumbered and fighting strong people was about the last thing he wanted to hear. He wasn't stupid, though. No one sent a scouting party far away while leaving only the weak behind. That wasn't sensical at all. So there were probably a lot more than three arrancar. Perhaps seven as reforming the espada made a fair bit of sense in a traditional manner though there could well be more. He concluded that there would be at least seven. Pulling out his soul pager, he glanced down at the status. Zero bars.

"Damn it. Leave the uncivilized hollows to not have internet," he grumbled, putting it away. Shao returned with exactly the news that he didn't want to hear and worse, the man wanted to move closer to the bunch, "Man, wouldn't it be smarter to just go back? If there are so many, wouldn't running at them just be asking for them to garganta out an archon toilet either Soul Society or the guys in Karakura while we struggle to get back to the right place?"

Shinobu wasn't about to refuse to do things with props and payment at stake but partly out of laziness, partly out of wariness. He didn't get good at doing what he did without some amount of head on his shoulders.

--

Wang returned to the first division, getting ready to continue with his other preparations. On the way back, he had had every arrancar mine pulled out of the 12th division armory just in case. They were set on high alert and to relay frequent updates on matters in the living world back to him. He trusted Shao to make the best on the spot decisions in Hueco Mundo, letting him keep his attention on other matters. At the same time, he had sent for Joule. With Shao out and dealing with other important matters, she would be in charge of handling internal surveillance as well as coordinating their last resort measures concerning the fake Karakura Town.
 
Yaoi Master Gavin said:
Hibiki could not be angry with his lieutenant, nor with her initiative. Walking around the table with slow deliberate steps, he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He knew well enough that she was admonishing herself for the entire affair.

"Both are important to the survival of this new Seireitei, Hioshimi. You are not wrong in wanting to help, but a little more observation of what is happening would avail you. They have plenty of captains and lieutenants going - the rest need to remain to keep a Seireitei for them to return to. Now then... you should come with me..."

Bending down, he picked up the papers that had been strewn about and set them back in order upon his desk before returning his attention to his lieutenant. Giving her a nod, he headed for path outside his office, pulling Kaiten Haji over his shoulder as he did.

"Hioshimi... How many times have you and I gone somewhere... truly peaceful? Just the two of us?"
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Hioshimi didn't flinch at the hand upon her shoulder. She looked up into her Captain's eyes, and it wasn't entirely clear whether or not the irritation stemmed from the fact she wasn't allowed to go, or the fact he was correct. Either way, at least she wasn't silly enough to disregard Hibiki's thinking. The man was smarter than he let off; still, she let him kneel and pick up the papers she tossed about instead of helping him, which allowed her temper to settle again. She listened as he suggested going somewhere "truly peaceful".

Hioshimi arched a brow. In retrospect, the soul reaper realised that they truly haven't - her friendly ties with her captain were strung together from the heat of battle, where a truer version of trust comes forth. She would place her head onto the chopping block and willingly sacrifice her life to save his...but she did this out of a sense of duty, a compassion that tells her he would do the same if the fates allowed him. In truth, she barely knew anything about his past - and he knew very little of hers in return.

Hioshimi pulled an expression of thoughtfulness as she picked apart the question. Clearly, the Captain would have no ill intentions in mind, and the possibility of a relationship stronger that friendship was very unlikely; The more relaxing moments that she shared with her captain were those early hours in the morning when her resolve collapsed in on herself after waking up one too many times and, exhausted and distraught, she would seek him out to calm down. But these weren't really very good bonding moments, because Hioshimi is as stubborn as a mule and consequently those moments were few and far between.

In terms of going somewhere truly peaceful...Hioshimi didn't believe such a place existed in the Seireitei anymore. The land was a scabbed wound, the soul reapers and everybody else have built upon the ruins but the blood is still sitting under their feet, a constant reminder of what has passed, and how far we have fallen.

"The answer is simple, Captain; we haven't. I spent the first half of my time in this squad nipping at your heels and antagonising you, and the second half coming to terms with the situation and trusting you. On top of that, our work disallowed us from such frivolous activities." finally replied Hioshimi, peering at Hibiki and eventually following him as he left his office. A part of her believed that going off to relax whilst half the soul society charges off into battle was a foolish and selfish thing to do, but that part of her was being drowned out by the much larger, overworked part of her which believed that if there was ever a time to kick back and do nothing, today would be it.
 
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