BLEACH: Imbalance

the Red Gate - Rukongai​

The sky was clear tonight, a dark blanket above a weary ghetto. The Moon was well on its way to new, the last sliver of white shining like the smile of some unseen giant. Ruko, Ukataka, and Sima, Sixth Seat, Seventh Seat, and Ninth Seat respectively of the Second Division, all gave hushed Yes ma’am!s and rushed off to do as ordered. Rin lingered, looking maybe less concerned about following suit than she was in continuing the thread of conversation.

“I mean it, Hinata!” She pouted, her bottom lip shoved forward and her arms crossed. Not ignorant enough to raise raise her voice, she nevertheless was not shy in voicing her thoughts. “All Second Division does is work! ‘Marching with Patrol on this day!’ ‘Shuffling through the jail on that day!’ There’s never down time!”

She paused in apparent thought, finger absentmindedly touching her chin.

“The last Captain was more relaxed. Yoruichi is too strict. I mean, exercise in our days off? Really?”

Some streets down came the sound of breaking glass, followed by some straining yelling and the sound of retreating footfalls. This was after all the Rukongai, where criminals of every flavor felt free to do as they wished.

The thief fled down a darkened alley, a side of cured beef in his hands, trying to stay in the shadows that the overhanging eaves provided. Sweat gathered beneath thin black bangs, and he looked back, checking for pursuit and completely unaware of the Shinigami Himura perched on the roof above him.

@Greenie @Nemopedia
 
"Yes sir, Lieutenant Hisagi." Setsuko nodded her head, her face hiding the surprise and relief she felt upon being selected to head to the Rukongai. As concerned as she was about he Captain, she was just as concerned about the Rukon itself. She was quick to stand and leave the room, only looking back to call to The Lieutenant and the rest of the seats. "Good luck." The moment she stepped outside of the room she disappeared from sight, moving quickly with her Hohō.

She raced to the Rukongai as fast as she could without expending too much energy. She would be no use to Captain Legawa or anyone if she were to arrive on the scene late, out of breath or god forbid both. She couldn't help but feel a slight bit worried though. Hisagi had wanted to send Taibin, the third seat but settled for the fourth, not to mention that Captain Legawa was already on the scene with who knows how many other Shinigami. Whatever Hollows had breached the Soul Society were either great in number or great in strength. And either one was troublesome. For now, she headed to wherever the spiritual pressure was strongest in the Rukongai. That would be a good place to find Captain Legawa.

It did not take her long to arrive in the Rukongai. She stopped near the first Shinigami she could see, taking a brief knee to show respect. "Fourth seat of the ninth division, Hayashi Setsuko." She introduced herself before standing. She was pleased to see that it was Surehn Hinata, the fifth seat of the second division that she had come across. She didn't know her well, but she knew that she was competent, at least. "I'm here to help defend the Rukongai."

She intended to ask about the location of other Shinigami, including her captain, but she was cut off by the sounds of breaking glass and running. A burglary, at this time? She almost cracked a small grin, what else would she expect to happen here?​
 
Libre Baskerville; Open Sans;
Mai Himura
Art by: Aoi Oata
The silence ended with the sound of shattering glass. Just beneath the soul reaper a scoundrel ran off, cured meat in hands and anxiety written on his face. It was clear that he had gained the meat through unlawful means. Was it hunger that drove this man, or was it longing? Either way, Mai made her move, taking a leap before landing on top of the thief.

“Midnight snack, aye?” Glad for some excitement Mai pinned the man down, knee in his lower back and an arm over the back of his neck. Her remaining limbs pressed on his arms, locking him into place. The meat rolled over the ground, spoiled and dusted now. A shame, for she did enjoy her meats.

“Were you hungry, or did you miss the taste?” Mai questioned the man, her tone casual and teasing, yet urgent. “Had you been polite about it I would have invited you for a drink, alas,” the soul reaper continued with a sigh.

This was outside of her usual duties and she was only told not to engage when hollows were involved. Nothing was said of thieves and fellow deadmen and she had no clue if any seventh division members were near. Thus Mai allowed herself to indulge.

 
Sumiko Sado


The change in Sumiko’s demeanor in the wake of Ukitake’s entrance was laughably noticeable. Her posture straightened of its own accord, the sarcastic smile fading from her lips as well as any other barbs she’d had reserved for Jiung See. She immediately leapt from the desk and came to stood rigidly before the captain, her eyes respectfully leveled downwards. If the lieutenant noticed the shift in behavior, he made no comment on it as he shuffled past her. A good thing, too. If he had turned and caught the dreamy look on her face, Sumiko would have surely poked his eyes out. Her eyes met tentatively with the captain’s, and she struggled to keep her expression neutral.

When was the last time the captain had spoken with her alone? Far too long ago, she thought giddily, reveling in the fact that she had the captain all to herself--at least in that moment. As Ukitake quietly spoke to her, he passed to her a map, vibrantly colored with paint in various spots. His hand brushed against hers in the exchange, and the silly girl felt her face grow warm.

“I’ve intelligence that Steel Horn, a Hollow that we’ve been hunting for some time, will appear in the World of the Living very soon, in the human city of Edo.”

A special assignment, he’d said. Just for her. Her eyes swept over the sea of yellow and red markings on the brown parchment, before drifting up to meet Ukitake’s level gaze. Steel Horn was an abnormally strong Hollow that had been terrorizing Edo for some time now. 8th seat Eiji had fallen prey to it just shy of a year ago, immediately making Steel Horn’s execution a top priority. Its elusive nature made it difficult to track, much less fight. Sumiko remembered being briefed about it some time ago; why the captain had decided to give out this task now puzzled her. And to give it to her specifically? Her cheeks colored prettily at the untold trust in her. Any other time she would be loathe to go to the World of the Living, but at his behest? Please. She could not disappoint him, not now. Not when he’d entrusted her with something so important. Sumiko pressed her hand to her chest in a dramatic fashion.

“Yes...yes, Captain,” She answered breathily. “I’ll get to it right away.”

Bowing slightly, the young woman excused herself, attempting to exit the room with as much grace as she could muster. Her right foot had all but touched the threshold before a sharp “Oh!” sounded from behind her. She could not turn back fast enough.

“What is it, Captain?” Her heart beat frantically in her chest. Had she forgotten something? Had he changed his mind about the assignment? Or worse--was he giving her an additional assignment?

Oblivious to her internal chagrin, Ukitake beckoned her closer with his hand. A small, disarming smile hung on his face. “One more thing, Sumiko…”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The needle dove down through the black fabric, threading through a white string on the border of her sashiko square. Her hands worked and pulled with the practiced flair of someone experienced, fingers tugging taut the soft material. Typically, her work was impeccable, but today disorderly thoughts threatened to ruin her work. Sumiko even managed to prick herself at some point. Cursing, she set her needlework down momentarily next to her on the steps of Squad 13’s barracks, alongside the brown outer sheath of her sword. Her forehead creased as she frowned.

When her captain had mentioned that she would have be partnered up with the 5th seat from Squad 11, Sumiko couldn’t help but feel slighted. She had nothing personal against Sydney; to be honest, she hardly knew the woman. But the idea of having someone from another squad come along to help offended her immensely. It implied that she lacked the power to do the job herself. To say she was lazy was one thing, but incompetent? Unforgivable. She scoffed at the very notion.

Not to say that it wouldn’t be nice having someone watch her back for once. Humming tunelessly to herself, Sumiko plucked up her needlework and began to stitch the second petal of her flower. By the time Sydney arrived, she would be done with the square. Maybe she would even stitch something for her, if the older woman was nice enough.

 
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Hinata cast a side glance at Rin, her eyes holding a rather 'really, now?' look in them as she listened to the complaint. "There's nothing wrong with a little activity even on one's day off. It's always good to be ready- like tonight for example. I very much doubt you thought you'd have to work yet here we are."

Before Rin could reply, however, there standing before her, or rather kneeling now, was another shinigami. Hinata didn't recognize her reiatsu but when she stood up, she felt as if she recognized the shinigami's face. Giving her a polite nod, she replied with "Fifth Seat Surehn of the Second Division." Then came the sound of the breaking glass, interrupting all flow of conversation. A frown creased Hinata's brown and she concentrated. The different strands of reiatsu that she could sense around her were the same level as hers, perhaps higher, but nothing that resonated like a Captain's or someone even higher.

"If I may ask, what is someone from the ninth division doing here?" Hinata tried to search for her own Captain's reiatsu, but she couldn't sense it. Did Capain Shihouin already find the one she was searching for, or perhaps she knew where the person was?

Do I stay here? The captain had ordered her to come here, and to question anyone else about the matter. Whatever street rat of vandal was breaking glass wasn't her concern. "Actually, forget my earlier question, I have one of more importance. Did you happen to come across anyone with reiatsu that is Captain level?"

@SkittlesAndSpike

 
the Graveyard, Rukongai​

“Rallying?” Shinji narrowed his eyes at de Jaager suggestion, his composure regained. His Zanpakuto lowered, de Jaager having been assessed to be more of a frustration than a threat, though he never sheathed it. “You mean, in the Soul Society? That’s insane. Frankly, I’m more concerned with you, and what connection you have to Lieutenant Tachibana! Your clothes definitely aren’t from around here.”

“Too true, I’m afraid. Astute observation! Well, I guess so; you’d be pretty stupid to not notice.

“I’m from the Living World, Shinigami; we call ourselves the Quincy. We are-“ De Jaager paused, his face compressing in thought. “Eh, more spiritually sensitive than your average Human, I guess. Hence my knowledge of you, and of the Hollows. And hence my presence here.”

“‘Hence’? That explains nothing! All you’ve done is raise more questions! But most important of any question, where is the lieutenant? Frankly I don’t care about anything else at this point.”

“Easy enough.”

Crouching, de Jaager leaned forward, falling off his stone perch to land ignobly on the grass before Shinji. He held out a hand, palm open downward. About him, in perhaps a two foot radius, strands of what seemed to be ribbons twisted out from nothing and ended within his grasp, as if each presented themselves to him. Each ribbon was blood red, with only the subtlest difference in shade, tone, or pattern to mark them apart. Glancing from one to the next, the Quincy finally snatched one from the air. As he tugged, it went taut, and the rest faded away.

“She’s in that direction, Shinigami.” He gestured vaguely away, in the direction of the Red Gate. “Not too far, I’d say; her Thread wouldn’t be quite so distinct otherwise. And anyway, you’d better hurry if you want to keep the Captain happy. She’s liable to be someone’s meal otherwise.”

Shinji shot him a look, brows furrowed. The Captain! Was de Jaager guessing? Or did he actually know? The self identified Quincy was a hard read, being far too blasé for the circumstances. Yet Shinji had a lead on the Lieutenant, and he wasn’t going to let it pass. With a nod of thanks to his companion, he vanished in a burst of Shunpo.

the Red Gate, Rukongai​

Occupied with his flight, concerned with his prize, and ignorant of the threat above him, the thief utterly failed to prepare for Himura’s attack. Her weight on his back and arms, his cheek ground into the dust that now covered the coveted meat, the thief could only groan, uttering perhaps a few choice words under his breath. A slight fellow, he looked reasonably underfed, and his ratted and worn clothing showed signs of poor, inefficient patchwork. At Himura’s admonition, he spat.

“Figures. A guy can’t try to fill a belly without gettin’ jumped by you damned blades. Geddoff me, ya damn wench!”

A block or two away, Rin, despite the rapid complaints about the workload, looked eager to engage the sound of thievery, regardless of what her superior and this new arrival intended to do. Leaving the others behind, she sprinted off, skidding around the corner just in time to witness Himura’s expert restraint.

“Woo! Nice nab!” Rin grinned, rushing over to lend a hand as the thief grumbled. She crouched down, looking intently into his eyes. “You didn’t answer the nice lady! Why’d you steal that, hm? Too proud to ask for help or something?”

The thief opened his mouth to retort, but seemed to think better of it. He closed it, obviously thoughtful, before continuing.

“It was for my mother,” he whispered. “Being in the Soul Society without getting Cleansed has left her… famished. The Doorman said she needs to eat.”

Back with Hayashi and Hinata, a reiatsu began to be evident to them. Starting small, it eased forward in strength, as if something were drawing near, or perhaps was removing restraints slowly. It soon reached Third Seat strength, with no sign of slowing its progression; it seemed to originate from several blocks behind them, opposite the direction from Himura and Rin.

Moreover, this reiatsu felt- ravenous.
@Nemopedia @Greenie @SkittlesAndSpike

the New Construction, Edo, the World of the Living​

Something lingered. It was certain. A certainty. Yes, lingered, afraid, alone, frightened, buried, hidden. Behind something.

Like the visage of death, a pale white face turned this way and that, peering into the darkness with red, luminous intent. This was no good; there were no Foods here! Nothing to consume; nothing to shove into that emptiness that consumed him.

Four legs carried the Hollow on its quest, knife-life hooves digging sharp furrows in the cobblestone path it strode. A protrusion from the end of the thing’s narrow snout traced a line through the air, as if it was by its very sharpness slicing the wind.

T̴͎̓h̴͎̦͌é̵̫̏y̴̭̐ ̶̡̾̄h̴͍̝̐́a̴̛ͅv̷̯̔e̵͎͂̕ͅ ̵͓́̈ä̴̪l̷̓ͅl̴̼̞̍̑ ̴̞͂̌ͅf̸̞͒ḻ̴̰͘è̷͚̕d̵̠̺̆.̵̠͊ ̸̭͐̉Y̷̦͔̊ĕ̷͇ś̷̳.̵͈͈̔ ̶͍̰̀͐F̸̢̀l̷̲̹͗͝e̵̡͍̊͗d̶̢͗͂.̵̲͚̇̅ ̷͙̓͠L̵̺̈é̵͖̼f̶̫̈t̵̲̐ ̷͇̾͝m̶̟͓͒ę̶̣̐ ̴̯̂͐s̵̹̐t̵̻̃͘͜a̴̢̛̘̕r̴̻͒v̶̠͖̇̒e̸̪͑d̸̪̓͘.̴̬̜̍ ̷̝̈́L̶̨̫̊e̴̞̋f̸͕̏͝t̸̢̂ ̸͍̎m̴̤̑̽ẽ̶͚̰-̴̠͐

It paused, raising its head. The horn, until now as white as its mask, began to shine an unnatural green along its edge, and slowly it turned to face Yuki upon his perch.

Ÿ̷̳̓ͅȏ̴̠u̵̥͂͂.̶̤̌̀ ̶̫̙̽̌

The corners of its mask pulled up around its mouth in a fashion it was clearly not meant to allow. The green on the horn began to pulse upward from its base to its point. In response, a shining ball of green reiatsu began forming at the point. And all the while, Steel Horn eyed Yuki hungrily.

Y̵̖͋̽o̵̦̍ư̷̲͜ ̴̖̲͝w̷̥͙͂i̸̘͒͘l̴̬̜͂͐l̴̳̓͝ ̶̬̟̎̿d̸̖̀ȏ̸̖͎̉.̷̧̈́̋ ̸͓̂̓

The reiatsu fired toward the Shinigami, a Cero blast clearly meant to end him.
@Shizuochan / @Krag_Jorgensen @Kuno feel free to have your PCs meet up and head to the World of the Living. Steel Horn could be too much for Yuki there. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
 
Had Yuki not already been in a state of alertness, the Hollow’s blast may have claimed him, such was the intensity and speed of it, and his own surprise at seeing the wretched thing here. He was a tracker, a finder of things and troubles, thus there was always an added sting when it was trouble that struck first. He flash-stepped away from his perch atop the construction site, yet he could still feel the strange sensation of the cero as it passed him by, up and away.

He landed and spoke, still wincing from the sudden exertion, “That’s what the Shinigami from the Academy said before he took me. All the rest of Soul Society’s regretted it for centuries since.”

Yuki’s brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed, if only to allow the beads of sweat forming on his forehead a slicker avenue down and away from his visage. He somehow doubted the beast with the white horn was a task that he alone could suitably deal with. Hooves like knives and a tail like a bladed whip caught Yuki’s idle scan; if the quality of the cero was any indication, the Hollow likely held the advantage both from in close and afar.

Best to stick with what he knew best, he decided, leaving his zanpakuto hanging loosely from his side.

Wordlessly, he brought his hand downwards, bringing to bear a kido without incantation.

Keimusho no Hakke; Prison of Eight Symbols.

Eight pillars, emitting a glow that was vaguely jade, formed above the Hollow. One by one they aiming to plummeted downwards - in hexagonal formation - in an attempt to restrict its extremities.
 
Sydney flashed her way through the streets towards Squad 13's barracks, accidentally bowling over a pair of unfortunate members of the 4th division on the way. She slowed down as the building came into view, and saw Sumiko sitting on the steps, working on her square. She called out to the other woman. "Oi, Sado! Let's get moving. You've got a hollow to kill." Her voice carrying urgency, beckoning with her hand towards the Senkaimon. She wondered what the other woman had heard in her briefing.

The 11th's had been pretty scant on details. Sydney didn't have the full information, but then again, her intended target was an unknown. She half expected whatever it was to not show up. She also expected that she may have to help out if the hollows proved too strong. In her mind it would have been better if they sent the 11th to purify the hollows. Still, the 11th lacked the finesse and discretion of the 13th. Either way, the both of them had a job to do.
 
  • Nice Execution!
Reactions: Red Thunder
"Actually, that is precisely why I am here, to find Captain Legawa and assist him in any way I can," Setsuko responded to Hinata. A brief frown graced her face, however. "I suppose that means you wouldn't be able to point me in his, or any other captain's direction." It was disappointing but understandable. Still, you would think finding a captain would be an easier task than it had proven to be.

Setsuko was about to ask if her orders were similar, believing the two could help each other out, somehow, but her question would have to wait. She sensed a strong reiatsu making its way forward. "Do you sense that?" She asked Hinata, turning to face the direction of the reiatsu. If she could sense it, she was sure that Hinata could. "Perhaps we should investigate that reiatsu." She suggested though she was unsure if it was moving in their direction or just expanding this far. In any case, during an event like this, knowing the going-on's of her surroundings was of great importance.​

@Greenie
 
Libre Baskerville; Open Sans;
Mai Himura
Art by: Aoi Oata
“Now, now, I don’t appreciate being called a wench,” Mai pouted at the male as she let go of a deep sigh. “Besides, you aren’t supposed to feel hunger, unless…”

She didn’t get to finish her trail of thought as a soul reaper ran into the scene, praising Mai for a job well done. Realising that her role was soon to come to an end here and that she should get back to work she straightened up.

“Uncleasened?” Mai’s voice sounded sceptical, but that soon enough changed as the reiatsu surrounding her changed. Rapidly building up the female realised that she had to act quickly if she wanted to give a full report.

Shifting her demeanour back to her usual professional one Mai placed her index and middle finger against the back of the male, announcing the binding spell. “Bakudo, number one. Sai.”

Immediately the arms of the thief snapped to his back, as if tied by a rope. His legs snapped together as well, disabling him from running even as Mai got off him. “Where is your mother?” she asked, expression stern as she tried to weigh if she had the time for this. “Who is the doorman?” she continued without waiting for the answer, hoping that the male could provide her with one soon enough.

“You bi-!” Gasping in pain, the thief fell to his knees, arms pulled toward themselves behind his back inexorably by Mai’s spell. The relenting the soul reaper had done was undone by the action, and he spat at her feet. “The hell!”

Rin stood to the side, face twisted in hesitant disapproval. She eased forward, taking the thief under his arm and pulled him to standing. The man didn’t resist, instead narrowing his eyes at Mai.

“Why should I tell you where my mother is? You gonna go kill her so she can die ‘appropriately’ in the World of the Living? Pah!”

“But the Doorman...” he trailed off, shifting his weight on his bound legs as he looked at the ground. “I- don’t know anything.”

Raising a brow Mai let go of another sigh, half-expecting the reaction. No one liked sudden bindings, but the third seat could not afford to let someone so valuable run loose. Not now. Especially not now.

"Sorry, I had to make sure you won't run," came her apology, though her mind was already occupied by her racing thoughts. She didn't like leaving without the necessary answers, but the rising tension of the presence earlier couldn't be left alone for too long without proper observation.

"Look, your mother has already died, without a cleansing she can't enter this world. At least, not as herself," Mai cut straight to the chase. It was for best if she told the truth, but how much time did she have to explain the truth?

None, it seemed. Feeling the presence pressing down on her Mai threw a look over to Rin. Fearing the worst Mai knew she had to make a decision now. She couldn’t take the thief with her, that would be irresponsible and put everyone in even more danger. However, she couldn’t send her colleague out alone either. That would be an irresponsibility of another sort. Sighing for what felt like the umpteenth time already the female made her decision.

“I will need you to keep quiet about what you heard here tonight,” Mai started, a pensive look on her face as she quickly formulated a plan of action. “Escort this man to captain Miyamoto, keep a low profile, don’t speak with anyone. Make sure to explain everything to the captain,” Mai gave Rin a look, hoping that the lower seat could follow her orders and would follow through.

“Can I trust you with that?” Those were the last words Mai said before jumping back on the roof she had came from.

“Tell the captain that third seat Mai Himura sent you, that I couldn’t come myself because I still have to observe some matters,” she gave the male a look as she said that. As if she wordlessly wanted to apologise again for her rough handling, but that there was nothing to worry about. With that she turned around and went into the direction the presence came from.

OOC: Post is in collaboration with the GM Red Thunder
 
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Sumiko Sado


It did not take long for her companion to arrive. Sumiko glanced up at the older woman with little warmth, the stitching of her thread flower halting altogether.

“Indeed. Don’t we all?” She replied dryly.

Tucking away her things, she rose from the stoop and followed suit. Her eyes skimmed briefly over her partner. Sydney was a hard-working woman of gritty countenance not unfamiliar to members of Squad 11. And she was intelligent to boot, which, in Sumiko’s personal opinion, could not be said of her fellow squad members. Why she’d bothered throwing her weight in with a bunch of hairless, slack-jacked baboons was anyone’s guess. Sumiko was just happy that out of all of them, she been paired with her, thank heavens.

Reaching the Senkaimon took no time at all. The white stone pillars of the ancient doorway rose into view over the roofs of the Seireitei. In the massive square before it, tiny figures could be seen hovering around its edges. Upon closer examination, they could identified as the Kido Corps, long standing guardians of the gate and all who pass through it. The 3rd seat turned and shot Sydney a look as they finally approached them.

“Here we are! Finally.”

Sumiko smiled coyly at her. In the blinding white of the Senkaimon, her features appeared washed out.

“After you. Age before beauty.”

 
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Hinata listened to the Fourth Seat Hayashi, a frown creasing her forehead. Rin had left, probably to see what the commotion was all about- meanwhile the rest of her group hadn't returned yet. Where were Utakata, Ruko and Sima? It felt like they had been gone for much too long.

And then there was this reiatsu that continued to increase in its strength until Hinata realize this could no longer be ignored. The captain may have told her to come here, but she couldn't justify staying over here when clearly there was something wrong going on. The reiatsu... it didn't feel right. Could it be a hollow? But how?

"Yes, we should." She pulled her zanpakutoh from its scabbard and looked back. They still weren't back. Well, she was sure they were competent and sensible enough to know where she must have gone. "Let's go, Hayashi." Without waiting for a reply, Hinata used her flash steps to head in the direction of the rising, malignant reiatsu. She certainly hoped the Fourth Seat could keep up.​
 
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the New Construction, Edo, the World of the Living​

Bars of reiatsu plummeted down, called into existence by the Food it desired. Steel Horn roared, mask pried open at the mouth by a disappointed snarl. So; it was fighting back, this Food. Moving and fighting. Rearing up on its hind legs, it stomped hard into the cobblestone path. Stone like chaff flew into the air with the impact, and the Hollow’s front hooves dug deep into the raw earth. Lowering its head to the left, it lashed up diagonally, horn piercing the air with vehemence. The point made contact with three of Yuki’s pillars, each shattering in turn before falling in useless pieces to the earth.

The other five continued on their paths, burying themselves into the ground deeply. As they made contact, walls pale green flashed to existence between each, creating a kind of prison. Yet with three pillars missing, one wall was excessively longer than the others. Stretching across the Hollow’s body, it visually divided it in half: strong enough to restrain it, yet not strong enough to actually bifurcate it.

But even the restraint wouldn’t last long. The wall, stretched longer than it was designed, was weaker than its smaller sides, and as Steel Horn began to thrash against it, cracks began appearing in it. Howling in anger, bloodlust in its eyes, Steel Horn raised its namesake once more, green light pulsing again up its edge to gather in a sphere on its point.

Two blocks down, on the cobblestone just in front of a tailor’s shop, the Senkaimon flowed into existence. The path from the Soul Society to Edo was crossed. Sydney and Sumiko would find themselves surrounded by a city asleep. Asleep but not quiet; Steel Horn’s bellows would be all too evident.
@Aero Blue @Krag_Jorgensen @Kuno

the Rukongai, the Red Gate​

Legawa fell to his knees, hands locked in a contest of strength with his opponent. It was a Hollow; somehow, it had to be a Hollow. Why else would it have a hole in its chest? But this Hollow was human shaped, and not in the grotesque manner some take as they terrorized the Living World and devoured Wholes.

The captain pushed as he might, mind fleeting uselessly to his Zanpakuto. With his arms otherwise occupied, there would be no help from it. He glared up again, teeth grit as he urged an increase in his reiatsu.

“Get out of the Soul Society!” Repeating himself was a useless, most certainly. He’d not waited to see how the beast had even gotten here; the presence of a Hollow was a given threat, and Legawa had launched an attack immediately, thinking to cleanse it easily. Yet here he was, matched and slowly being overwhelmed by a superior strength. For all his years as a Shinigami, he’d never heard of a Hollow bearing the strength to match a Gotei 13 Captain.

The Hollow sneered, lip raising in disgust.

“I’d leave if I could, Shinigami. But only here am I safe. Only here does destruction not follow.” Finding strength from some pit within itself, the Hollow pushed with increasing force. When Legawa refused to give, the ground did, the cobblestone beneath splintering and chipping.

Finally, Legawa’s arms failed him. With two sharp cracks, both wrists broke, and the captain went limp against the ground beneath. The Hollow released his hands and stood straight. Not a towering figure, still it carried itself with power.

Through the ripped peasant’s clothes it wore showed clearly the Hollow hole, and across its collarbone lay a necklace of thin, needle-like teeth. Parting the robe down to its waist, the Hollow reached inside and drew out a coil of flat steel by what looked to be a makeshift hilt.

“I came, not wishing to cause trouble, feeding myself on fauna and the degenerates of your society. If I could, I would fade back into the shadows. But you. You I cannot trust to not out us. You I cannot trust to cause the door to close.” It gestured to Legawa, now lying on the ground prone, with the coil of steel. It sudden unwound, becoming rigid: a guard-less lance. The point rested on the captain’s chest. “You shall, I’m afraid, have to disappear. And you will be much easier to consume if dead.”

To Hinata, Hayashi, and Himura, the rise in strong reiatsu would have been accompanied by another, which itself then dwindled slowly until it was overwhelmed by the former. With a sudden scream, the smaller reiatsu vanished altogether.
@Greenie @SkittlesAndSpike @Nemopedia
 
As Sydney stepped onto the streets of Japan. She was not terribly familiar with this part of the living world, that was another division's purview. Heck, the living world was largely the purview of the 13th. The 11th went in when things were really bad. She had been on the scene of epidemics, disaster areas, and war zones. These ghastly areas were common deployments for the 11th. The large amount of people dying in a relatively short time drew hollows like moths to a flame.

As she looked around, she sensed the presence of Steel Horn, a strong presence to be sure. She drew her blade, ready to fight, she glanced at her partner before lowering it slightly. "It's your fight, go at it. I don't know how much longer Yuki can hold on." Sydney said, her tone suggested a desire that the roles were reversed. Her spiritual attunement and tracking were not the best, but there was another presence she felt. Different from a Hollow or Shinigami. "I'll watch your back, Steel Horn isn't the only thing stalking around here." She noted suspiciously.
 
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The place was silent, only the wind whistling the wisteria around her, dropping petals of purple. In their waving, long arms, Ame stood enshrouded, his eyes kind, his arms open, and she walked towards him. Yet, the ground continued to lengthen away, the world interjecting a gulf between the two. She asked him something, and he answered, and the memory was destroyed upon its entrance to her mind. She asked again, he spoke again, and again the memory was banished. A frustrating, Sisyphean task.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" she asked herself, staring at Ame in confusion. And the world began to tilt, even as she clawed at it, because even this was a dream, at least he was still--


Minori opened her eyes to a dimly lit room. Without hesitation, she stood with Kuzuebiko held out, still sheathed, but it seemed she was alone. Besides - the room was far too small to even allow a single other occupant. The room was no larger than a pantry, the bed a mere pallet of straw. She brushed of her clothes of any stray bits clinging to her, suspicious. Had that... been a dream also? She brushed a hand to her neck, wincing as she felt a sore spot just beneath the jawline. On her face, blood cracked as she crinkled her nose, her robes tacky with it.

Not a dream at all.

She remembered a woman, in European dress, appearing before her just as she had left the cemetery. She had drug her to an alley, and Minori had caught sight of a charm, of a simple metal crucifix, on the woman's wrist, before being given a warning about Hollows gathering in the Seireitei, an absurd claim, only... only for a blade to spring from her chest. The fountain of blood, the figure clothed in tatters with a hole through the chest... Then a pinprick to the neck, then nothingness. Only the dream after.

At the end of the room there stood a door, with only a latch, and she slowly approached it, setting her ear to the crack at the jamb. The faint sound of children talking in quiet voices, as if they were up far too late and hiding from their parents. A lift of the latch and gentle push opened the door, Nori remaining in the corner by the hinges as she waited, unwilling to out herself to her captors.

@Red Thunder
 
???

”He was, I’m tellin’ ya!”

“C’mon. Gon was keeping watch all night! Right, Gon?”

There was a pregnant pause in the hushed chatter, followed rather immediately by a slap.

“You idiot! You said you were gonna-“

“I got tired, okay! You stay up past 1 in the morning after pulling grub and crap from stalls all day!”

“”Shut up!” This last was a strained whisper, more hushed than the previous conversation and sounding as though it’d been forced through clenched teeth. “Who cares? He’s been here. And he only comes to drop off a new body or gather food, and the grub’s all still here.”

“You mean-“

“There’s a new kid?”

“Maybe. Why else would he have-“

The view presented to Minori when she opened the door was humble and poorer even than the worst back alleys of the Rukongai, though it was notably clean. Broken boxes were set about a room of no more than five meters square as tables, with discarded clothing, tools, and a stack of foodstuffs gracing their surfaces. The walls were bare, save for a low door of tighter and indeed far superior construction to the one Nori now pushed open. It looked to be the only aspect to have received any care, up to and including her rickety door. Thus, when she gave a gentle nudge on the wooden slats to give her a view outside her room, a small but insistent squeak cut through the children’s conversation. With the honed instincts of street survival, each child, about ten of them, scattered, diving and sprinting to find hiding places behind boxes and corners and under larger rags.

All save one. A boy of perhaps nine years remained standing from where he’d leapt to his feet. Hair shock red, with a hard expression on his face, he raised his fists defiantly.

“C’mon out! Quit your spying!”
@Doctor Jax
 
Sestuko nodded her head followed after Hinata, doing her best to stay close. The reiatsu permeating her senses left her feeling uneasy, and it showed on her face. Her usually steel-eyed and calm look was gone, replacede with grit teeth, narrowed eyes and the slightest hint of worry in her eyes. Just what were they rushing toward? Who, or what could have a reiatsu like this?

But the terrible reiatsu wasn't the only one she could feel. There was another right there with it, one that felt much more standard, a shinigami, Setsuko was sure. It rose sharply, enough that she thought it might have been a captain, hers perhaps. But then it began to lessen, diminishing until it was all but enveloped by the evil reiatsu. The scream that followed was enough to send a shiver down her spine. And then nothing. Only the horrid reiatsu remained.

"No." Setsuko spoke and, without warning, pushed herself to move as fast as she could. She wasn't concerned if Hinata could or would keep up. Considering who she was, she was sure that the 5th seat of the 4th division could pass her up whenever she wanted. She was already too late, but whatever had killed him might still be there.

Precious moments were lost in crossing the distance to where the scream had been heard, but there was no preparing for what met them. It was a grisly sight: red bathed the soil beneath the body, a puddle sourced from a stream of blood that drenched the white cloak, and Captain Legawa moved no more. His eyes stared glassily upward, as if still in fear of his attacker, and more blood dripped from his gaping mouth. His Zanpakuto remained in its scabbard, useless and untouched.

Should they apply themselves, however, Hinata, Hayashi, and Himura might see a series of blood drops leading away, becoming ever further spaced out the farther away from the corpse they went.

Setsuko arrived on the scene with her Zanpakuto unsheathed, its hilt gripped tightly by both of her hands. While she would not have to fight, she was greeted with something much worse. The sight of her captain deceased, laying in a pool of his own blood filled Setsuko with both fear and rage. Who had done this to her Captain?! Who could have done this to her captain?! He was a captain! No one should have been able to do that to a captain

In an attempt to calm herself down she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now was not the time to panic, panicking left her weak minded, it closed her off to her surroundings, and she couldn't have that. It didn't take long for her to calm her mind and her heart, though she couldn't help the lone tear that threatened to leave her eye. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to back you up, Captain."​


@Greenie @Nemopedia
 
“Too much to hope for fluking into a clean kill, I suppose.”

Over the course of many years, various mentors (or folks who chastised him with varying degrees of chagrin and severity) had done their utmost to correct Yuki’s various shortcomings. One such shortcoming, Yuki recalled, was the tepid, tenuous conviction that could sometimes inform a bakudo practitioner in combat; listlessly meandering in combat attempting to secure a marginal tactical advantage, while the jaws of swift, unyielding defeat closed around them regardless. Too distracted, floundering.

Of course, recalling and dwelling upon such things while a cero was channeling very much fit under listless meandering.

“Ah…”

And then an incantation followed his lamentation, drowned out by the cero piercing through the ambient air. Almost immediately it found purchase, bounding malevolently into a jade-green barrier, before dispersing with a ferocious blast.

Yuki felt the ringing about his ears, the sting of collision permeating his entire rippling being, and the burden of weight lifted from him.

The burden of weight returned soon after, as his own crashed against brutally into a stony construction.
 
Libre Baskerville; Open Sans;
Mai Himura
Art by: Aoi Oata
Something wicked went down. The sudden spike of reiatsu, the even more sudden disappearance of the pressure. One moment Mai felt herself troubled to stand, the collision between two great presences laid heavy on her shoulders. Next she nearly tumbled, covering her ears to protect it from the terror that pierced through the night. With the scream one of the reiatsu disappeared and horror filled her heart. The soul pressures were undoubtedly both captain level, which the report had been describing to be roaming the streets tonight. However, the strange presence had easily swallowed up the other, suggesting that there was much more to it than the surge of power felt earlier.

Below Mai noticed two other ranked members, one of them separating and running forward into the direction from where the clash had come from. Fearing the worst the female leaped off the roof, revealing her presence so as not to scare the one left behind as she quickly tapped her shoulder.

“Hinata,” Mai gasped as she took in the site. On the ground, disgraced and lifeless was captain Legawa. Both wrists angled in a disabled way, letting the trio know that the captain never stood any chance against his enemy.

Turning her face away from the sight Mai quickly paced over to the captain, her hand hovering over the man’s face to close his eyes and hide his fear. Gently wrapping her other arm around the base of captain Legawa’s neck Mai laid him down on the ground. It wasn’t ideal, but it was more graceful than the position he was found in.

“Let’s bring the captain back, first,” she suggested with gritted teeth after she had paid her respects to the fallen captain. She didn’t want anyone to run around alone with whatever was outside there. With one captain down the third seat couldn’t imagine that the three of them stood any chance, seeking revenge, or even insisting on following would be a fool’s errand.

Hoping that Rin and the thief had made it back to the barracks safely Mai stared at the path of blood not far from them. There had to be answers. Mai was confident that everything tonight was somehow tied to each other. It was too close after each other. Too coincidental. However, at what price? Terrified the third seat just hoped that captain Legawa would be the only casualty, no matter how awful that was to think.
 
“Do as you will, darling. Let’s get this thingy over with.”

It was hard to tell if Sumiko had heard a single word Sydney had said. Somehow the gold-gilded kanzashi had come loose from the nest of hair piled atop the 3rd seat’s head, and she had tried--and was still trying--in vain to wrestle her hair back under control. Still, her antics did not take away from the gravity of their mission. Steel Horn was strong, and she knew it; she had felt the hollow’s spiritual pressure cut through her the moment the doorway to Edo had opened. Sydney was right. Yuki could use her help.

When she finally reached the source of the action, damage had already been rendered in the area. The lieutenant's work was evident. Tall, metal columns pinned Steel Horn down from all sides, shuddering with each brace of the hollow’s body. She noticed the damage to the pillars with quiet alarm. If unchecked, the monster would break free soon.

Worse; Yuki had been hit. The cloud of dust was still rising from the wall where Yuki had crashed through, and for the barest of seconds, she considered going over there to check on him. Just in case...just in case he--

No. The thought was dismissed as easily as it came. She needed to take care of Steel Horn first. Engage it head on, before it fired another cero at Yuki.

She stretched out her right hand, palm flat facing the bellowing beast. The reiatsu flowed to her easily, and her mouth moved soundlessly over her spell.

Sōkatsui.

Blue flames bloomed from her palm, converging into a wave of energy that raced towards Steel Horn.

@Krag_Jorgensen @Aero Blue
 
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