Post by Kasumi Shinoda on Jun 16, 2017 7:53:49 GMT -5
The Second Division
Special Forces, Onmitsukidō
‘We go where others will not.’
A wretched hive of scum and villainy. All in all, a nice place to visit.
—Mitsutaka Karahashi
I didn’t choose the Second Division life. The Second Division life chose me.
—Ayumi Takasugi
We like to pretend that they don’t exist, never have existed, and never will exist. In fact, I’m not sure what we’re talking about anymore. Which division was it you were asking about?
—Jemukatashi Amai
Mission
The Second Division of the Gotei 5 is tasked with all of Seireitei’s covert operations inside and outside Soul Society, as well as the elimination of all internal and external threats to Seireitei. The Second Division is typically deployed where the intelligence gathering of the Fourth would be too passive, where the brute strength of the Fifth would be unwieldy, and where the long arm of the Public Safety Office does not reach. Originally a separate entity from the Onmitsukidō—the secret tactics force—the two have since been merged and are now synonymous.
Essentially, the Second Division is a precision instrument for solving any and all problems that may need solving in locations and under circumstances where Seireitei’s involvement must be kept to a bare minimum. Reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, unconventional warfare, and assassination are all duties of the Second Division, and they are often carried out in utmost secrecy with the highest priority placed on the completion of mission objectives. Second Division members, despite their high levels of expertise, are often seen as potentially expendable and mission non-critical. Suicide missions are uncommon, but if the situation develops into a choice between the life of a comrade and the success of the mission, all Second Division members are under standing orders to see to it that their objectives are completed at any cost.
Because of this, members of the Second Division are often seen as cold and distant, their behavior interpreted as insensitive and merciless. While this is true to a certain point, selection for the Second Division is mostly based on raw skill and precision: the psychological profiling of a prospective candidate is secondary to the measure of their talent. Unlike most divisions, personality is not of greatest importance, utility is. The Second Division produces results in a swift and efficient fashion, with few questions asked. This can only be achieved by deploying those with the highest probability of completing any given assignment, and as such, only those with the potential to become efficient instruments of covert warfare are considered.
The Second Division has historically been tasked with Special Detention, which is the maintenance and supervision of the Special Detention Facility (a.k.a. The Maggot’s Nest) as well as the investigation and detention of Shinigami that pose a significant threat to themselves, their environment, or Seireitei itself regardless of any crimes they may or may not have committed. The Special Detention Unit differs from the Public Safety Office in that the PSO’s purpose is to serve justice and enforce Seireitei law, whereas no such lofty goals are pursued by the members of the Second Division. The Special Detention Unit, like the rest of the Second Division, usually operates outside the confines of Seireitei law and in utmost secrecy, and as such its existence is unknown to the vast majority of the members of the Gotei 5. More recently, the Second Division has had the administration of ‘regular’ prisons added to their duties.
Command
The Second Division operates with an efficient chain of command: the captain, the lieutenant, and everyone else (with a few exceptions).
The Captain is in command of the division. It is her duty to see to it that her division performs to the extent of its ability and her responsibility to see to it that her division is run well. Any orders that the captain may issue are absolute, and she alone holds the power to punish her subordinates. The captain only participates in operations of the utmost importance.
The Lieutenant acts as an executive officer, and is second in command. The lieutenant focuses primarily on day-to-day administrative tasks within the division, she reports to the captain, and her orders can only be overruled by the captain herself. The lieutenant may be assigned to critical operations by the captain should the captain feel the lieutenant’s presence is required.
The Third Seat is one of the rare exceptions in Second Division command structure: while technically beneath the lieutenant, the Third Seat reports directly to the captain. The Third Seat is in command of the Special Detention Unit and is charged with the responsibility of the Special Detention Facility. Unlike the lieutenant, the Third Seat cannot issue orders to members of the division unless they are part of the Special Detention Unit, and even then those orders may be overruled by the lieutenant.
Seated Officers are all subordinate to the captain and lieutenant of the division, and they carry out the mission directives issued to them by the captain or lieutenant. When taking part in an operation, teams of seated officers are often led by the member of the team with most experience, unless the situation calls for something else. As such, the Second Division’s attitude toward internal authority is based mostly on seniority rather than the traditional numbered ranks of the other Divisions. Seated officers may elect to be members of the Special Detention Unit alongside their other duties.
Unseated Shinigami are those members of the Second Division who have yet to prove themselves on assignment, but have shown the necessary promise required to be a member of the Second Division.
Facilities
Besides the main compound, the Second Division maintains a number of facilities, including the following:
The Division Barracks - The living quarters for members of the Second Division.
The Command Annex - A modest, Japanese-style home overlooking a small pond for use by the captain and the lieutenant, housing not only their living quarters, but also their offices. Accessible from the Division Barracks via a covered walkway. Has a training ground beneath it with halls toward the other bits of the division.
The Special Detention Facility - Known informally as The Maggot’s Nest, this is the maximum-security facility used to keep certain individuals away from the general population of Seireitei. Only the captain, the lieutenant, and members of the Special Detention Unit have access to this facility, and its existence is unknown to practically everyone not in the Second Division.
The Underground - A myriad of tunnels and rooms of varying sizes underneath the main compound. These chambers are specialized for a variety of uses, including interrogation, training, and operational preparation and support.
Roster
Captain: Kasumi Shinoda
Lieutenant:
Third Seat:
Seated Officers:
- Yui Shokotsuki
- Saya
- Alexander V. Terada
Unseated Shinigami:
- Osamu Shimazu
- Tachi Omoki
- Yuudai Oshiro
- Nagato Ishikawa
- Mako Fujita
- Takashi Sakuma
- Caspar Berg
- Miyamoto Setsuna
- Asadi Easifa
- Wolfe
Inactive Members:
- Peregrine Apollo
- Hitsuyona Shizukesa
- Shinpei Minamoto
Former Captains (listed chronologically):
- Zozo Hurley
- Satine Purpureo
- Kasumi Suzumei
- Eon Shikimori
- Noaruji Amai
- Kyousuke Tsukimiya, the Swordbreaker
- Kiriko Chinda
- Hi-to Kohara
- Nagisa Chinda, the Smiling Blade
Special Detention Facility Detainees, Past and Present:
Aizawa, Mana - Solitary Confinement
Takasugi, Ayumi - Released
Tsukimiya, Kyousuke - Released
Xu, Wei Shi “Wukong” - Released
Chinda, Nagisa - Solitary Confinement
Selection
The Second is always on the lookout for exceptionally skilled—and extremely discreet—Shinigami who are willing to put their lives on the line without promises of glory, without guarantee of their safe return. Morality and adherence to codes of honorable conduct are traits that potential members of the Onmitsukidō are be better off not exhibiting; the methods the Second employs against its foes are often seen by most as cowardly and cheap, used for their efficiency rather than their fairness. Instead, members of the Second Division are expected to keep their skills honed to perfection, to carry out their orders unquestioningly, and above all, to be able to utilize their primordial instincts to act without feeling, without passion, without judgement.
Post in this thread if you would like to discuss a promotion or if you wish to join or transfer to the Second Division. Provide the link to your application (and if you feel it will help your case, any recently approved requests).