Clarion Call [OPEN to all Shinigami]

It had only taken Hazuki a day or two to get used to the sudden surge of activity in the First Division, but she couldn’t help liken the bustle to the death throes of a fatally wounded animal; a last involuntary spasm of muscles as the life steadily drained out of it. Its members had been without true direction for a long time, and now that there was finally something to do, Hazuki found they got to it with aplomb—despite the uncertainty of their future. Hazuki herself had found that her prospects had taken a turn for the better the moment she had met with the new captain of the Fourth Division, but she was certain not all of her subordinates shared her fortune.

The First was, after all, just as much a home for these people as the other divisions were for their members, but now all that was being jeopardized and there was no plan to fall back on: these people were on their own. To say Hazuki disagreed with the commander’s decision was an understatement, but she obeyed all the same... In her own way. If Kiriko—no, Commander Chinda—would not provide guidance and instruction, then Hazuki would.

Her obedience was a byproduct of her upbringing, of course. No matter how loving it had been, the fact that her parents had both been officers of the Gotei was inescapable. Hazuki’s mentor had once stated quite poetically that that her protégé had been forged by her parents into something not entirely unlike a katana: a soft core with a very hard edge. The Gotei was past, present, and future, and she had taken the lessons of her betters to heart.

It was only natural, then, that when word arrived that the Captain-Commander had requested the attention of Seireitei, Hazuki put down what she was doing, stretched and rose from her seat. A request from the commander was equivalent to an order in her mind, and three minutes later, she stepped into the plaza Commander Chinda had called them to.

The crowd was already quite substantial, and the steady stream of black uniforms pouring in showed no sign of abating any time soon. Attendance, it seemed, would be very high for whatever announcement the commander had. Craning her neck, Hazuki could see the stage over the throng, and there was the commander herself, speaking to a woman half-hidden in the shadows. She couldn’t quite make out who, though, so she weaved her way through the crowd to try to get a better look. Somewhere in the middle, she bumped into someone, catching a glimpse of western clothing: a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tucked into a dark pair of pants. The oddity of the garments struck her at first, but the man’s polite apology—delivered in a melodic Osaka-ben—compelled her, somehow, to keep moving, unable to bring herself to look back.

Nobody else seemed to mind, she found herself thinking, so why should she?

By the time she had made it to the front of the crowd, the incident had been completely forgotten, and she positioned herself in order to get a better look at the other woman on the plateau. Even at this distance, it was difficult to see, but there was something oddly familiar about her. Hazuki was having difficulties placing her, and it nagged at the back of her mind. She crossed her arms, her brow furrowing.

Well, whoever it was, there was a reason she was up there with the commander. She would no doubt be introduced in short order, so for now, Hazuki simply waited.


°606

yeah that's right I just ninja'd first reply, what the fuck are you gonna do about it?

They say home is where the heart is, but taking in a nostalgic breath of warm air he mused that perhaps the nose was a far more telling organ. For the first time in weeks the air regained that familiar enough scent that Kionchi could completely ignore it. The foul stench leaking through those portals had finally subsided, the chaotic mess it made of things merely delaying Kionchi's true return to a place he could call home. That being said he couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Kiriko making an announcement, the ridiculous idea that the meeting had anything to do with his return bouncing around his head like an annoying song you just couldn't forget. He didn't actually expect her to give more than precisely half-a-shit, but he was anxious to at least get an explanation from the person who caused him so much grief. It wasn't like he was expecting her to offer him dinner or a bath, the mere thought of Kiriko acting like a housewife eliciting another inappropriate chuckle.



Laughter stifled in awe the moment he stepped into her presence.



Since his return to Seireitei the blindfolded shinigami had made extensive use of the shakanmaru. Compared with the stale air of Hueco Mundo, it was actually substantially easier to make out the details of people around him without the use of his own reiatsu, the shield around Seireitei enough of a canvas to give its resident's souls a discernible contrast. Save for one soul, upon which Kionchi found his senses fixated as she spoke down to her sister from the center of her grandiose stage. Her soul was unlike any other he had seen since his return, a torrent of seemingly limitless energy welling skyward in a spiral that spread itself as far as the eye could see. He had long questioned Hanabi's concern for that all encompassing shroud, and standing so close to the center of the panopticon Kionchi felt first-hand the same kind of fear that pushed her over the edge. The thought that there was any kind of power struggle in Seireitei was merely an illusion; Kiriko had long since claimed their home, his home, as her domain.



As long as it was her board, she was allowed to do with her pieces as she pleased, and Kionchi wasn't deluded enough to think he was anything more than a pawn. And if her queen demanded he march across the board, who was he to question her orders? The only real question left was now that Kionchi had reached the other side, what piece was he now? What piece was she missing? And what does a pawn become when it falls off the board?



“Well well,” Kionchi stepped to the front of the audience, turning to Nagisa. He knew who she was, but he wasn't sure why. Perhaps he ran a mission with her in the past? Tsukuyomi shuttered as he looked over her aura, the waves of her reishi commingling at the same rate as her older sister. The spirit wanted Kionchi to run, even he could feel it. She knew that if Nagisa got much closer to him he'd remember that night he dragged back Seryu...but she also knew that Kionchi couldn't just cut her down so close to Kiriko.



Don't be so jealous, Tsukuyomi, lifting his hand from his katana to the red collar around his neck, Kionchi took another pair of steps forward toward Nagisa and gave her a smile. Anyone that close to Kiriko was worth knowing and brushing back his long black hair, the red ribbon of his silk blindfold untangling itself from his mane, he wondered just what kind of impression his former self made on her.



“I'd apologize for my absence,” he chuckled, wondering whether or not Kiriko knew that Erasmus would tell him she was the one who dumped him off in Las Noches. “But it looks like I've made it back in time.”



WC: 661; GP: 13; TGP: 13    

Nagisa’s throat was dry, but her palms were sweaty. Nervously she kneaded one palm in the other before wiping them both on her uniform. Inhaling deeply she regained composure for a moment or two before clasping her hands, fighting the urge to pace back and forth. Nagisa knew that today was important. Important for Seireitei, her sister, Jasper, and numerous others – still, her innards coiled with dread at the thought of the inevitable moment and if it hadn’t been for Kiriko’s presence Nagisa surely would felt even worse.

Mere days had passed since the voices in her head had subsided. However, there had been little time to relish this newfound freedom, or test this strange self-esteem. Blinking wildly the younger Chinda tried to dismiss the memories of the recent days in an attempt to focus on the now; it was to no avail. The quiet lake formed before her mind’s eye, Kiriko, no, Onee-san’s soothing presence as she brushed over her hair – for a time it seemed as if they had returned to the days of yore. No, improved on even the gilded memories with a heart to heart talk that had finally put Kiriko’s actions into perspective. A hollow laugh escaped Nagisa’s throat as she realized anew that, despite the odds and evidence, she had been correct in believing that her sister loved her.

And that was precisely why she now stood at the edge of a stage that would soon be the center of attention for hundreds, if not thousands, of souls.

Nagisa had never been good with crowds, and that was before she had been tasked to reveal her true nature, to lay bare, for all the world to see, the Hollow’s taint on her soul. She clenched her fist. There was power in this curse, just as Jasper had foretold, but even Nagisa had been in the folds of the Gotei long enough to realize that what Kiriko had asked of her was akin to suicide. To her defense though, not for a moment did the young woman consider failing her sister as an option. Part of that stemmed from the fear that it would set fire to the bridge they had begun building, part of it was born from the realization that, by extension, Kiriko did this for her little sister. Today was the first step on a long and winding road, laden with treachery, missteps and possibly misfortune, but it was also a path that would allow Nagisa, and others, to no longer have to live in hiding, to be able to utilize their full potential when serving the Gotei. And perhaps most of all it would give those lost adrift in the ocean of their soul a safe harbor in which to find respite from the storm that jolts their very being. For but a single moment Nagisa contemplated how much easier her life could have been had she been able to talk to people without the fear of execution looming over her head.

Her sister’s curling lips brought Nagisa back into the here and now. She was happy to see that Kiriko, who had long become famous for her icy stare and the pressure of an eternal glacier, was able to show reactions like this once more. The younger Chinda still did not fathom the changes her sister’s soul had undergone, but do say that she too was fighting demons was an understatement. A meek smile, born from nervousness but fueled by determination, was her response. “Un,” was all she could muster in that moment before adding a heartfelt: “Onee-san.”

Feeling Kiriko’s hand on her shoulder visibly eased Nagisa’s tension. For all the love the younger Chinda felt, there was a pragmatic side of her that was put greatly at ease by knowing that Kiriko herself would handle those who dared lay a hand on her. There was a palpable amount of irony though. Ever since she had become a Shinigami Nagisa had prided herself on having become all that she was without ever having relied on Kiriko or her name. And now she stood atop a stage and would do precisely that. There was a certain humor in the situation.

“Yes,” Nagisa replied and inhaled, forcefully expelling the nervousness as she’d do before an battle. “I remember. I will not fail you, Onee-san.”




723/50=14 
Reposting what got lost

The flow of bodies calmed something jagged in her chest, an assurance that whatever else plagued her ascension to Captain Commander the masses would still come to her call. There had been a tiny fear, a shadow flickering across the bone of her skull like a demon hiding in a cave, and only now did it dissipated. Smoke to the wind as her fingers smoothed and the tension in her sinew lifted away. She was the leader of the Gotei. A position never asked for, but patiently worked towards. Chinda Kiriko had achieved the height of power that any Shinigami could reach. She was leader over all of these people. Her word was law, her desire truth. No longer could anyone reach across the abyss of a power dynamic to strike her. No longer could anyone shatter the very ground she stood upon.

No, now it was her turn to do the shattering. And to try, as best she could, to recoup what had been lost in her climb to this newest vantage point. The higher she got the more she had lost, bits and pieces carved away from the core of her soul, tiny shreds of her heart left on the rocky outcropping she had scaled. Even now the wounds seeped silently, an invisible wound that Nagisa's return had highlighted. The sting was welcome, though, it kept her thoughts centered. It kept her from drifting into a dream of blood and broken bones, the hands of her enemies crunching beneath her feet.

Her shoulders were stiff, spine perfectly straight, and yet there was an easy confidence in the smoldering gaze that stared out at the crowd. These were her soldiers now. And she was ready to lead. No one and no thing stood above her. Finally, her will would become reality. And finally she was at peace with that power. It stood cool and smooth like stone laid into the marrow of her bones, the right of leadership like the mantle of a queen as her hair flowed in the wind and her reiatsu dazzled in the sunlight. She was Penance. She was Captain Commander of the Gotei. And she was Chinda Kiriko. Finally the three flowed into one.

Stepping forward, hands rising palms facing heaven, all it took was one glance to silence the chatting crowd. She looked at everyone and no one, her eyes an impersonal tool, a thread that pulled each Shinigami's gaze towards her and tied them neatly between her fingers. As the silence settled, like dust after an explosion, she spoke into the hushed void and heard her own words repeated firm and fierce.

“Thank you all for coming. I am not known overmuch for small talk, and that has not changed in the last few days. So the point of the matter is this: I have called upon you, the Shinigami of the Gotei, to recognize and bear witness to the changing times. The threats at our doorstep grow ever stronger, our allies grow fewer, and the only ones we can trust have become ourselves and our sword-brethren. The Shinigami you work beside, your superior officers, the same recruits you trained with. These are our kindred souls, the people who have sworn the same oath to Soul Society who have shed the same blood and tears as all of us.”

“So I tell you now, that there is no bond greater than that within our ranks. And in recognition of the newest threat to our comrades, to our peers and friends and loved ones, I stand before you to state that the myth known as Hollow-tainted Shinigami is no myth at all. They exist in this world, and among us, and they have a name.”

“Vaizards are Shingami who have been conflicted with a disease of the spirit. Their soul has fractured into a third part, a piece that takes the form of all that they have suppressed and fought against their entire lives. The darkest corners of the soul personified. And unlike Zanpakutou Spirits these Inner Hollows do not wish to coexist. They would like nothing better than to have full control of the body they are forced to share with the Shinigami and their Zankaputou Spirit.”

“This affliction can come about in many ways, but it used to be rare, something sought out by disenfranchised Shinigami. That is why the laws exist as they do now, that anyone who dabbles with Hollow or become “Hollow-tainted” shall be purged from the ranks of the Shinigami and hunted to the ends of the earth. However with the rise of the new King in Hueco Mundo this truth has unraveled. It has become a time where any Shinigami can be accosted and an Inner Hollow forced upon them without their consent.”

She had spoken calmly, but in that moment Kiriko paused, her face a shroud of vivid anger as her voice began to rise. “Our enemies seek now to plant traitors in our midst. To sow discord within our ranks. They are trying to control us based on our traditions, and in doing so they are taking innocent Shinigami and twisting them beyond recognition! They are taking our friends, our brothers, our sisters, and forcing the abomination that is an Inner Hollow upon them. And they expect us to move forward as a monolith, as a society that never changes, and execute these soldiers who have done nothing wrong except be host to an evil they cannot control.”

She ended in a fiery shout. Pausing to inhale, her hands in tight fists she slowly lowered them to her side and proceeded in a velvet whisper. “So I say to you now, we have a saying in the Second: It is kinder to kill your friend than to leave them behind. We are soldiers. We understand sacrifice. But we are also the Gotei. We are a family. And we do not leave a man behind unless there is no other choice. So, Shinigami here is what I say to you: We will not let the Hollows dictate who is and who is not a loyal Shinigami! We will not let their King threaten your very sanity! We will eliminate this weakness inherent in our structure!”

Her eyes blazed outward, daring anyone in the crowd to gainsay her declaration. Kiriko's aura danced like a flame beating at the air around her, waves of heat and a sheen of metallic amethyst flickering against her shadow. She looked at everyone there, pinning each with her eyes as if to acknowledge their own personal fears and instill in them that perfect mix of terrible confidence and deadly assurance that she herself felt in the moment. When next she spoke, it was with a blade-like certainty.

“The way forward is simple. We will begin testing all Shinigami for any traces of an Inner Hollow. It could be that you are infected and you don't even know it. Anyone found with this disease, or anyone who comes forward will be subject to a special Bakudo that the Third has crafted for just this purpose. It will bind the Inner Hollow that afflicts the Shinigami so that they cannot take over a Shinigami's mind! It will give power back to the Shinigami so that they can learn to master their Inner Hollow. To gain the upper hand and keep it! The Hollows thought they could throw our ranks into disarray, turn us against our own! But we will do the exact opposite! We will turn inward and embrace those of us who have been unfairly infected! We will teach them to control the monster in their mind, to wrest power from the beast and use it for the protection of the Gotei!”

“Henceforth the First Division will be the new home of all known Vaizards! We will create a network to locate and save these diseased Shinigami. We will give them the tools to control themselves and we will watch over them to ensure that there are no mistakes. We will let those amongst us who gave their oath to the Gotei keep it, no matter what state their soul is in or what the Hollow-breeds tried to make of them! For we are Shinigami, and we will leave no one behind.”

Kiriko waved her hand, crimson sleeve flashing downward like a flag as she gestured for Nagisa to emerge from the shadows and come to stand at her side. She had made her case to the crowd. Whether they agreed or disagreed it wouldn't matter. The Captain Commander's word was law, and Kiriko would not be swayed. She had made an oath to her sister, she had made a promise to the Gotei, and she had seen the deadly promise of being anything but a halfheart.

WC: 1455 | GP: | Total GP: 45

Shinkiro exhaled slowly, crimson gaze ascending to peer at the shrouded canopy of his Inner World. Frequently as of late he had made it a point to spend time here in meditation, focusing on quieting the storm that had raged endlessly ever since his affliction. More than that, it gave him an opportunity to strengthen the bond between himself and his spirits. He had began to learn that it was not enough simply for them to work as one, but also that he had to trust them and believe in them. It had gone completely unnoticed, much to his own disappointment, that he didn't actually believe in them, that he was in facr afraid of their power. Seeing them nearly taken from him had brought all of that to light. He needed them, he loved them, and now the realization that those feelings and necessities were reflected by the spirits was apparent to him.

"We've always been here for you, Shin, through everything. We care about you and we love you, that won't change anytime soon." Kaori's words of comfort were like a soothing melody to his ears. They brought him a sense of peace, of belonging, that he had not experienced in quite some time. His eyes lowered to rest upon the gently smiling faces of the twins, both standing beside him at the stone shrine within their forest. A smile began to form, but it faltered as his attention was drawn towards the still visible scar that ran vertically along Kaori's abdomen. Regret tightened his jaw as memories of that moment sparked anew. It was a constant reminder of how close he had come to losing everything.

"But you didn't lose everything, you kept fighting and you saved us, saved Jian, and you saved yourself. We couldn't be more prouder of you than we are right now." He felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder and his eyes widened. The moment of surprise passed just as quickly as it had surfaced and he chuckled faintly. Of course they had known what he was thinking, they shared a mind, shared a soul, they always knew. He nodded, genuinely at ease once more by both their presence and their words. But regardless of whatever serenity he presently felt, his found his gaze slowly shifting away from the two women into the distance. There awaited a shifting wall of dark mist, the divider between the twins's forest and Kuro's city. Even though the encroachment had, at least for the present time, ceased, he knew that Kuro's scheming had not lessened nor ceased. He could feel him waiting, biding his time until the right moment came.

"Have...you been into that place again recently?" His voice was a near whisper, as if just speaking about it were enough to summon him forth. Now the twins matched his stony expression as they, too, stared out at the imposing wall of mist.

"No, not lately. A few times we went as far as the wall, but usually we focus on keeping our barrier strong." There was a pause, a silence passing over them as they all peered into the swirling darkness. After a moment, Shinkiro felt Kaori's gaze settle on him.

"You're not thinking of going in there alone again, are you? That's what he'd want you to do, you know that, right?" He could sense the concern in her voice and he did in fact know that combating Kuro alone was what the Hollow wanted more than anything. He wanted him separated from the twins; it was the most ideal situation. But Shinkiro also knew better than to take that bait, at least now he did. His head swayed in declination.

"If I fight Kuro again, it'll be with you two by my side. It won't be like before though, because this time....I won't be afraid. I know now that you two believe in me, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to believe in you. That time with Jian, you gave me a glimpse of what I could really be if I stood beside you and trusted you. I didn't appreciate it fully back then, but now I do. Recently I had a conversation with someone, a new friend..." He paused as the faint grin played at his lips. More than he had anticipated, the impromptu meeting with Rania had been helpful and left him optimistic. He marveled at how quickly they had become close, had become friends in spite of her connection to Shun. He turned away from the wall and faced the twins.

"She told me Kuro's not really some foreign parasite, but that he's part of me; he's a part of me that I have to learn to accept. But also...I have to remember that Kuro won't make it as easy as me just finally acknowledging my own demons. He'll put up a fight, and in that instant I'll need your help more than ever." The serious tone of his voice carried the weight of his determination. From that alone, they knew. They knew that perhaps the most difficult battle of all lay before them. More than that, they knew that Shinkiro was ready for it. Pride welled within the two women as they smiled, admiring the resolve that they sensed within him.

"You're finally ready. We'd thought we would have to beat some sense into you before you came around, but it looks like we won't have to. We'll fight with you, with all of our power. We'll help you conquer that bastard. The next time you fight him....Tamashī no Hametsu, all of Tamashī no Hametsu, will be yours to command." Shiori assured, equally as determined as Shinkiro. No words of gratitude were needed, instead he simply nodded and closed his eyes, shifting out of his Inner World and returning to the waking world.

Vision slightly blurred, clarity slowly returned to him as he peered at his surroundings. The courtyard of Third Division. Judging by the tapestry that composed the sky above, it was just past noon. The announcement had already begun; he was late. Silently he drew the hood of the jacket on his customized shihakusho over his head, facial features once more shrouded in obscurity. Turning his darkened gaze in the direction of the Gotei courtyard. The telltale static thump of Shunpo preceded his vanishing, supernatural speed carrying him along his path towards his destination. With each subsequent step, the scattered conversing of the crowd grew louder. Soon, however, silence descended and a single voice rose above all others: Lady Kiriko's. As he arrived at the rear of the crowd, his spiritual presence dissipated, untraceable to perhaps everyone in the crowd. But of course, there were likely some, perhaps the captains or perhaps not, that would be adept enough to locate him; Lady Kiriko most certainly would be able to, though he hadn't actually made it a point to hide himself from her. She was attentive, she would perhaps have already known he was there, likely even known he was coming as he approached.

Silently, with every bit of fluid motion that only decades, centuries as an assassin could grant, Shinkiro weaved through the crowd as he approached the stage. The entire way, he listened intently to her words, the only reaction to them coming from the outright mention of Vaizards at the same moment that he neared the center of the crowd. His gaze panned the stage, identifying Lady Kiriko immediately as well as two others who stood nearby. One of them he passingly recognized, another instructor from the Academy. But it was the second person that drew his attention the most. He knew her, she was like him and he was surprised that their meeting would be under circumstances such as this: Nagisa Chinda. Curiosity drew him ever closer to the front of the crowd as Lady Kiriko's speech progressed and her plan was spoken. Standing at the head of the Shinigami mass, his hooded visage peered up at her.

A re-purposing of First Division into a Vaizard division. It was....certainly a bit unexpected. Granted Shinkiro never particularly kept up much with the political dealings of the Gotei, but this was something that would undoubtedly affect him directly. His attention was drawn again towards Nagisa as she was beckoned forward, publicly exposing what he had himself already known and witnessed. But as he looked at her, he sensed there was something different, that a change had occurred. She didn't seem as harried or crazed as their last encounter. Instead, she seemed....almost as if she were at peace with herself. Hidden eyes narrowed faintly. Had she somehow conquered Katsumi? And if so, was it because of this new plan of Lady Kiriko's? His arms folded firmly across his chest as he stared at the pair of Chindas, awaiting any further information that this announcement may hold. If this plan was, indeed, the method that had assisted Nagisa in conquering Katsumi, it would likely be in his best interest to invest his time into it as well.

Word Count: 1,520
Current GP: 30
Total GP: 30

Yuudai was going to be late if he didn't hurry up. He had just returned from the Rukongai, and he was going to be late for a speech by the Captain-Commander. Great. Just great. He tried to pull on his signature beanie, not realizing that A: He didn't have on a shirt, and B: He didn't have any pants. Crap. He searched frantically for his Shinigami outfit, finally finding it amongst his bed sheets. Having a little trouble there? The Voice resounded in his head, almost mockingly. No, I'm doing fine thank you very much. Some days The Voice was ominous, playing with him and trying to make him doubt himself. But recently The Voice resigned itself to mocking him.It was annoying, and right now he didn't need The Voice talking to him. Yuudai shut off communication to the inside, his Zanpakuto just going to have to wait this out.

He pulled on the uniform, one arm and one leg at a time, until at last he was ready to go, spare one detail. He looked around for his signature beanie, finding it amongst the empty rice bowls he had used since his return. I have to clean up around here, soon as I get back. He picked up his beanie and pulled it on, the black fabric fitting snug against his massive forehead. He looked at himself once in the mirror, making sure everything was perfect before he headed outside. Perfect. He sighed and rushed out of his door, minutes to go before the speech.

Yuudai ran down the street towards the speaking platform, pushing past people as he tried to get there in time. He took a sharp turn into the speaking area and saw, to his relief, that he was among some of the first there. He would get a front row seat to the speech, a fact that Yuudai was grateful for. I missed too much while in the Rukongai, I can't afford to be kept in the dark anymore. He slowly moved up to the front, keeping a respectable distance from the platform. He looked up at the lone figure on the platform, a graceful woman with long black hair who exuded a powerful air. Yuudai knew who she was, even though he had been away for a while. News traveled fast from the Seireitei, even in the Rukongai. So this is the Captain-Commander. Amazing. Yuudai did not know the full extent of the woman's power, but it did not matter. She was the Captain-Commander, and what she said was law. He would follow her faithfully, a fact required by Shinigami.

More people started to surround the platform now, a mass of uniforms and Zanpakuto. Yuudai still stood at the front, arms crossed in front of his chest, his back straight as an arrow. He waited, not wishing to mingle with the others right now, anticipating instead the announcement that the Captain-Commander had for the entire Seireitei.

The whole crowd silenced as the Captain-Commander glanced at the crowd, silencing them in one fell swoop. Yuudai uncrossed his arms, a feeling of anticipation welling up inside him. He was eager to know what it is she had called the entire Seireitei for. He listened as she recounted the myths about Vaizards, who Yuudai was not sure he dismissed as legend but had certainly not seen any physical proof of. But what really got to him was the announcement that Vaizards were real. What? Shinigami with Hollow powers? How? A shockwave went through the crowd as well, as many murmurs burst through the throng of people. Yuudai was stunned. All his time at the Academy and in the Rukongai, he had been taught that Hollows were something to fear. Something to destroy. But all that was dashed away with the announcement. And what was more shocking was the Captain-Commanders next announcement.

We will be accepting them? As our own? Yuudai's jaw almost dropped in bewilderment. This will change everything. No longer will the Shinigami who dabbled with Hollows be shunned anymore, but rather accepted... His thoughts turned inward though, as he contemplated the origination of The Voice. Is it possible?... A snarl came from inside his head, reverberating through his eardrums. You'll never know. Besides, wouldn't you have had more adverse effects if I was a Hollow? Maybe, I don't know. But it wouldn't hurt to get checked out.

Yuudai's attention was drawn once more to the platform as a certain figure stepped out from the shadows, a symbol for all new Vaizards. Nagi? What? Why..? I mean, how...? He knew though that it was entirely possible. He hadn't seen or heard from her for a year. Who knows what happened?

He looked up at Nagisa, wondering if she saw him and the look of bewilderment on his face.
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Post Word Count: 803
Post GP: 16
Total GP: 16

All eyes were set on Kiriko, and she not only owned the stage, but dominated it. Hundreds, thousands of people stared at the Captain Commander, some of which waited with baited breath as the Chinda gave an unusually passionate speech. Nagisa too was moved by the fervor and strength of her sister’s speech. Kiriko hit all the right notes. She appealed to the soldiers, the dreamers, the healers. She appealed at the Shinigami’s sense of duty and honor, hallmarks of their society. And yet there was a stale taste in Nagisa’s mouth. As much as this speech resonated with her and with the image she had of her sister, there was something that did not quite sit right with her.

That’s when a different part of her soul almost curled her lips into a cynical smile. The mere notion of Kiriko advocating family when for the longest time she had denied the very existence of her little sister...Hypocrisy. Affected piety and false virtues used as literary devices to sway the hearts of the masses and to make them believe in a Kiriko that actually cared if they lived or died.

Nagisa swallowed and forcefully straightened herself. That was in the past. They all had been different people then. Her own soul had been fractured and the madness had driven her to hurt her most precious friend and kill and torture countless others. Things were different now, and at this point she could hardly judge her sister. Still, once bitten, twice shy.


Shock and awe gripped the masses as Kiriko, in one fell swoop, not only legalized Vaizards but announced that the First Division, once reserved for the most skilled and prodigious members of their race, was turned into the designated group for those who had had their soul tainted and twisted. Nagisa inhaled. The moment was drawing closer, she could feel it. Incessant murmur was starting to fill the place, and even though up on the stage the younger Chinda was too far removed to be able to hear what they had to say she could very well imagine what went through their heads – after all, those were most likely the same things that had crossed her mind when Kiriko had explained her plans.

Nagisa’s heart began to race and she clenched her hands into fists with enough strength for her nails to prick her skin, knuckles turning white. Breathe, breathe, breathe, it was as much a reminder as it was advice and mantra. Nagisa knew what came next, they had talked about it. This was important, and there was no time for stage freight. Still, what if? The younger Chinda swallowed and upon command stepped out into the open.

Nagisa was considerably taller than her older sister, but they shared the same frame and features, black hair and – how had the Swordbreaker called it? ‘Chinda Smile’? Nagisa was wearing hers right now, lips being pressed together tightly so that they too turned white. Then she walked and with each step shed some of her stiffness as a bit of Katsumi began to bleed through. Slowly, and very well aware that all eyes were on her, but relishing that moment and basking in the attention, Nagisa now moved her hand over her face and as she yanked it diagonally across a porcelain mask appeared. Two slanted eyes with a slight smile on an impossibly white ceramic canvas. For a moment the world seemed silenced.

Chinda Nagisa, sister to Chinda Kiriko, Vice-Captain, and (in)famous in her own right – a Vaizard?

Together with the transformation Nagisa started to let her Reiatsu flow freely and quickly her unique signature of hollow-infused Shinigami diffused into the surroundings, making it clear for every single soul in the vicinity that Vaizard were indeed no mere legends. Slowly the woman’s gaze wandered right and left, looking at everybody and nobody in particular, and as she did Nagisa’s heart beat faster as she relished the excitement. She felt incredibly alive. Just one wrong move of hers, the jerking of the hand, the charging of energy, and the volatile cocktail before her would turn from a stunned audience to a crazed mob of zealots. Perhaps some of them were even envious? Just as Jasper had said: there was power in this curse, and they could feel it.

For several moments Nagisa Chinda, lieutenant of the Fifth Division and Vaizard, what minutes prior had equaled a death sentence, stood in front of the silenced crowd and let them come to terms with what just had been revealed to them. Then, in one abrupt and yet smooth move, the woman turned sideways and took a knee before the Captain Commander, just as the oath she had sworn adjured.


776/50=15; 29

I just really wanted to keep this rolling

The atmosphere, as expected, was one of confusion. Had the Captain-Commander of the Gotei really just legalized the ultimate taboo and granted those Shinigami foolish enough to toy with it a safe haven in the First Division in the same breath?

Hazuki’s jaw tightened and her scowl intensified. To say she disapproved was a gross understatement; Seireitei had nothing to gain by granting mongrel half-breeds amnesty. What was Commander Chinda thinking? Her rhetoric was empty, her reasoning flawed. Hollowification was not some weapon used by Hueco Mundo against Seireitei to fracture its unity, it was a sign of weakness in those it afflicted. It was as it had always been: only those lacking in will fell prey to such machinations.

Disgust and revulsion welled up in the pit of Hazuki’s stomach, threatening to boil over. She had known this day would come, of course, but this was sooner than she had anticipated. Her conversation with Captain Minamoto echoed back to her in the recesses of her mind.

My father once told me that the Fourth Division turned good men into monsters, she had said. And yet here you are, Captain of the Fourth, and the only one willing to do something about the spreading depravity.

No, the only thing Commander Chinda was accomplishing with her blind idealism here today was providing a carte blanche for traitors to continue spreading their plague. Cicero had it right: enemies at the gates were less formidable; they, at least, were known and carried their banners openly. This was simply inviting disaster.

On stage, the Captain-Commander gestured for the other woman to join her, and Hazuki noticed the lieutenant’s insignia she was wearing. Fifth Division? That meant—

It was all coming together now, a macabre jigsaw that had seemed like coincidence mere moments ago. Hazuki had been unaware of the existence of a younger Chinda until fairly recently, but here she was, plain as day: Nagisa Chinda. Like her captain, she too had sought out the Swordbreaker in Rukongai, but her motives had been unclear until now. Captain Aizawa had a multitude of reasons to want to put things to rest, but this woman had puzzled Hazuki.

Now, however, the younger Chinda’s motives were obvious, as were the Commander’s.

It was difficult to put into words, but Hazuki felt betrayed. This—this blatant nepotism—was not what she had been expecting from someone she was compelled to look up to. She barely paid attention to Lieutenant Chinda’s display of her Hollow mask, her mind occupied with planning her course of action. No doubt there would be some potential half-breeds that would move to the First, but just as many would see it as a trap. In either case, Hazuki could not remain there. If she had been unsure before, now her mind was made up. She would join the Fourth, for better or for worse.

She turned on her heel, dark hair fanning out behind her as she put her back to the stage demonstratively before she departed, the look on her face opening a path through the crowd for her. Now was as good a time as any to pay a visit to Earth in order to retrieve a certain captain’s younger brother from a life of debauchery.

In her anger, she barely noticed her splitting headache.


°553

EXIT HAZUKI

The crowd sighed, a low murmur rippling through the masses as shock turned sour for some while others clung to the hope inherent in her words. They were fools, both camps, but she had never expected anything greater. Scanning the waves of humanity she made sure to note those who left, their faces solid and settled and the anger glittering in their eyes. It was good that several did, quiet shudders that rocked the edges of the crowd. She hoped no one would swallow this decree completely, or else the trap she was building for the Vaizards would be toothless indeed.

Nagisa strode to her side, and for a second Kiriko faltered. Her line of thought breaking harshly as she stared at the light cascading off of Nagi’s pale skin, the radiance of power hanging like a cloak around her body as she called upon the Vaizard’s mask. Things had changed between them, but the change went deeper still into the soul and heart of Nagisa herself. That bitter pit of aggression had been soothed, the acid drained, and now she was ready to reclaim her spot as a loyal soldier.

Ready to stand beside Kiriko and face the world for whatever purpose her older sister had need of her for. It was naïve. It was childish. It was a deep cavernous yearning that still hit her at the knees each time she realized Nagi-chan wasn’t faking it.

But weaknesses were always meant to be like that, wrapped up so sweetly that you never wanted to let them go.

She would have to do what was needed to ensure that Nagisa was strong enough to live with these flaws. And this was the first step.

Letting the cries shutter out she raised her hands high before placing calloused palms atop Nagisa’s head. Amethyst fire lit the sky, surging upward like the wings of a bird as sparks glistened in the setting sun. Long braided coils of kidou flame curled and swam in the clear air, wrapping themselves lengthwise around the kneeling woman. They lay gently about her shoulders, hanging down like drapery before sinking through cloth and skin. There was a brilliant flash, a centered point that glowed as bright as the sun, and then everything faded.

“Inner Hollows can be beaten! Control can be gained! Vaizards are no longer a threat to the Shinigami! Now they are a weapon! Lieutenant Chinda Nagisa has been the first to reveal her fractured nature and defeat the monster inside. She stands before you all as the master of her soul, ready to fight.” She felt the exhilaration thrum through her veins, the release of energy brushing tantalizingly against her senses. Reaching a hand outward, she pulled Nagisa to her feet so that they stood side by side.

Kiriko turned then, back towards the crowd as she stepped forward to the edge of the stage. “The secret is out. There are Vaizards amongst us, through no fault of their own. If they come forward the First will become their home. A place to be trained and to overcome what lurks within. The strength that they offer will not be wasted. But if there are those of you out there who hesitate, know this, if you do not reveal yourself and receive the binding bakudou that will keep us all safe and give you control, then we will find you. And there is no mercy for those who would use this affliction to harm Soul Society.”

WC: 582 GP: 11 Total GP: 56

His own reservations made him late. Fear of not belonging, or perhaps someone recognizing him and calling him out for even being in the Seireitei. Not that he wasn’t allowed in the Seireitei--they let him keep his house here, after all--but he wasn’t a Shinigami. At least, he didn’t think he was. The title was never striped from him, but at the same time he never had the title, it had been Ayano’s.

Regardless, he pushed into the tail end of the crowd, black hood shrouding his face from the people on either side of him. After a few steps into the crowd, snaking around the gaps just big enough for him to squeeze through, he found himself about as far as he was going to get into the mess of people. By the time he got settled and actually focused on the Commander on the stage, he felt like he had missed everything.



He turned away slowly, his hands sliding into his pockets as he looked back up at the stage. Vaizards? What lurks within them? A lot of what the Commander was shouting went over his head, both in information and passion. Clearly this was something she was passionate about and a few stray glances proved others were as well, but Yume couldn’t understand it.

Why bother keep the infected Shinigami? Wasn’t killing them the best? Especially if that inner hollow of theirs was constantly trying to kill them, wouldn’t it be more merciful to stop that sort of mental torture? Yume couldn’t possible imagine having an inner spirit that actively wanted to kill him at every turn.

At the end of her speech, a wave of murmurs rushed through the crowds as eager and confused heads turned to those closest and looked for answers. No one dared to speak out against the Commander, though questions were obviously in the plenty. Yume was one of those people who took the chance to try and find someone who might know more about what was going on.

“Vaizards?” He mumbled to anyone who cared to listen. But no sooner had the word stumbled from his lips did a rather sour looking woman ram into him, shoving her way out of the crowd like a tense snake ready to strike. “Hey..!” He called out, catching her shoulder lightly. “What did I miss? What is she going on about? Vaizards in the First?”

The moment he caught the woman’s fiery stare he regretted ever crossing her path. He retracted his hand like it had been burned and shifted uncomfortably. How could such a pretty face be so thoroughly corrupted with nastiness? Maybe she was a Vaizard.

“I-I mean,” he stammered, feeling the color drain from his face bit by bit. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Fuck. Talking was hard, wasn’t it? He had to pick the most intimidating person in the entire crowd, didn’t he?

“Sorry, was all he could repeat before shrinking back into his hood.

[530. 10]

Yeah, you though you could just ditch the thread without someone noticing you, didn't you, Knowledge?

As Shinkiro stood listening to the speech, the watchful crimson beneath the darkened confines of his hood narrowed inquisitively. Was it really as easy as that? Just one little Bakudo was all it took to suppress an Inner Hollow? No, there had to be something more to it than that. It wasn't often that Shinkiro put much thought into the machinations of Kiriko, but in this case, something about this whole situation seemed....off. There was something more to this sudden reveal and subsequent rounding up of Vaizards. As it stood now, just from the interaction between Nagisa and Kiriko combined with the nature of her speech to the crowd, first impressions would lead him to believe that all of this was being done as Kiriko's way of protecting Nagisa.

"She wouldn't do that, would she? I don't think even she's that nepotistic." Shinkiro scoffed and shook his head, the fabric of his hood whispering faintly below the din of the crowd.

"She's the Captain Commander, she can do whatever she wants." A simple statement that carried heavy weight. That was the truth of the matter. Whether or not everyone else saw what she was doing the same way that he did was inconsequential; she was their leader now, her word was law. He sighed quietly, eyes flickering briefly towards Nagisa's exhibition of her mask then back to Kiriko herself. All of this change, just for something like that? He found himself, for the first time in as long as he could remember, doubting Kiriko. Slowly, the thought of her restructuring the entirety of the Gotei just to protect one person, one family member, began to seem less and less far-fetched. It turned out he wouldn't be the only one sharing such a thought.

No sooner had he taken a single step back from the stage did he catch movement from the corner of his eye. But it was the nature of the movement coupled with the vein of thought said person exuded that drew his attention. Frustration, revulsion, outright anger; they all swarmed around the dark-haired young woman. And although his own feelings towards Kiriko's recent announcement were nowhere near as deep as the ones he gleaned from her, he could at the very least understand their origin. A second figure, hooded much in a way similar to himself, soon decided to strike up a conversation with the hostile woman....or that was apparently the general idea. Judging by the daggers her gaze was shooting at the boy, he wouldn't be having much success on that front.

But there were more important things to focus on instead of witnessing the verbal assault this boy was sure to receive.

Once more he peered at the spectacle taking place on the stage. From the wording alone, it was obvious to him that those who submitted would be made into what is effectively a guard dog. For those who didn't, they would be forced to or killed. For all her grandstanding and wordplay, the previous opinion of Vaizards remained. They weren't truly accepted, not really. They were still considered outcasts and abominations, though now they would apparently be "legal" outcasts and abominations. A derisive chuckle escaped him before he could stop it. It was all so amusing and yet at the same time disconcerting. Initially he had been considering stepping forward to volunteer. But now, now that he had heard more of the intended plan for Vaizards and had thought it through carefully, he realized that perhaps that wasn't the smartest choice. It was no secret to him that there were those who knew what he was, Lady Kiriko and Nagisa themselves being among those privy, but this was not the answer that he needed for dealing with Kuro.

It didn't matter how skilled of a Kido practitioner you were, a Bakudo wasn't enough. And so he would suppress and conquer Kuro in his own way, without this supposed "help." Although his mind had been made up, he elected to stay until the conclusion of this presentation. Perhaps she would clarify her stance somehow, perhaps not. With his spiritual signature presently voided, he was little more than another face in the crowd. But even as he stood cloaked and blended with the rest of the assembly, one thought stood out among the others:

What would come of this?

Word Count: 726
Current GP: 14
Total GP: 44