[Seireitei] 1st Division Barracks

[Apollymi]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4382/36888887335_7a255d51d8_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YcKc1T)



Like all the other barracks, the 1st Division Barracks house the offices and living quarters of the Shinigami of the 1st Division. In addition, due to the 1st Division being the division of the Captain-Commander, the barracks hosts the assembly hall where the captains gather for their meeting. The barracks also has a room set aside for lieutenants' meeting. Captain-Commander Yoshitsune's office within the barracks commands a wide, sweeping view of Seireitei.

Assembly Hall:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4134/35599902062_55e11332e9_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WeQNAS)

A large open room which is used to host the Captain's Meetings when they are called. It includes one large throne, used to house the Captain Commander, and enough space for the other 12 Captains to line up in numerical order in two parallel lines.

[Bloodedge]

At the start of a meeting between Captains, a man with dark brown hair stood three spaces down from the Captain-Commander's left side. This man, who wore the haori of the 7th Division's Captain, had only recently stepped in line. He had been the cause of this meeting, having reported strange incidents to the Captain-Commander involving a surge of renegade Shinigami within the Seireitei. While such a thing had always been an issue on occasion, numerous counts had appeared over the past few days, so recently after the end of the Shinou Academy's year and the discovery of a forest of Menos Grande in Hueco Mundo.

There was another male standing beside the 7th's Captain, wearing the 9th Division's haori. His hair was short, blonde, and rather stylish. His narrow, emerald eyes shifted toward the Captain-Commander's chair, and in that moment, he became the first to speak. "Soutaichou, may I ask what is the meaning of this summons? This is all a bit sudden, isn't it?"

[Apollymi]

Directly beside the Seventh Division Captain was the Captain of the Fifth Division a young woman who pushed her glasses up on to her nose revealing purple eyes. Her ponytail swaying from side to side as she tried to find a comfortable position in which to stand. And looked towards the Captain-Commander seeming to agree with the question asked by the Ninth Division's Captain.

The Captain-Commander looked at everyone present and noticed a missing presence but continued to speak anyway. "Mutsuki-taichou reported an incident of various rogue Shinigami. I called the meeting to avoid spooking everyone including your Vice-Captains," the androgenous figure from the head of the group said. "Everyone has new recruits, and we don't know what makes some more susceptible than others... as such we thought it would be best to make sure everyone has the same information," the Captain-Commander said. After a few moments of quiet the young woman with the fifth division's insignia on her back spoke up. "If it's some kind of contagien shouldn't it fall under the purview of Okawa-taichou?"

[Bloodedge]

"Rogue Shinigami?" the 9th's Captain questioned. Apparently, this incident was large enough to warrant a Captain's meeting, putting it outside the realm of a simple shove into the Maggot's Nest for the guilty. This was strange indeed, but hardly much information to go by as far as this man was concerned. Of course, more information would soon be given when the 5th's Captain spoke up.

The individual referred to as "Okawa-taichou" stood immediately across from the glasses-wearing woman. He wore a haori likened in design to a doctor's coat, emblazoned with the 4th Division's insignia. Following the words of the 5th's Captain, he rubbed his stubble-ridden chin. "Eto... I wish that were the case, Fayeling-taichou. We've done multiple inspections on the afflicted. There is definitely something off about their Reiatsu that I would compare to a Plus having its Chain of Fate encroached. But... they are Shinigami. My Bankai couldn't even do anything for them, so we sent the ones we had over to Ayatsuki-taichou."

[Apollymi]

The Captain-Commander sat with a face not showing any emotion and heard out what was said by the lot. It seemed the Ninth Division Captain hadn't yet had contact with any of the afflicted, he didn't seem to know much about it. Still Fayeling the woman with the black hair turned to the place where the person known as 'Ayatsuki-taichou' should have been and that person wasn't there. "It seems Ayatsuki-taichou is a bit late..." she said of the other individual, the one who might have been able to shed light upon this situation. A few seconds after the doors of the Captain's Assembly Hall opened up and a small young woman with pink hair seemed to enter the room bowing at the end of the line. "Sumimasen, I got a laboratory full of afflicted individuals..." she said looking up at the Captain-Commander.

"Joushi, I hope you have more than that..." said the Captain-Commander which served as a instant which allowed the pink haired Captain with her cat ears to stand in the place she belonged at the end of the even numbered line. "Hai, I have found a couple of things about this incident which we've started referring to as 'Ghost'," the young woman explained. "First, all of the affected are tainted with the same Reiatsu. And it's the Reiatsu which belongs to a single Hollow. Not similar or the same kind... it's simply the same. Also they all have their Reiatsu almost completely drained. Most of the weaker ones are near death," she said as she rubbed her own face. "The ones who are affected seem to be rather easily dispatched, they burn up their Reiatsu trying to fight and pass out, well so far anyway..." said the Twelfth Division Captain.

[Bloodedge]

"Ayatsuki-taichou," the 7th Division's Captain spoke when Ayatsuki gave the information she had. "Have you gotten around to the more recent subjects yet? The ones from today, I mean," he asked. This prompted a reaction from a man with messy, spiky blonde hair across from Ayatsuki. "Is there something different about today's affected soldiers, Mutsuki-san?" When asked this, the Captain named Mutsuki sighed. It was rather disturbing information to him, but if the 12th's Captain hadn't come to the same realization, it was worth sharing regardless of anything else. "When I noticed this a few days ago, it was affecting unseated members in my division. Recently, the highest-ranking Shinigami I've seen under the influence was the 8th seat of your division, Tamamura-taichou," he said, looking toward the pink-haired woman standing across from him.

[Apollymi]

Mutsuki continued to speak and acknowledge the question offered up by the Captain of the 13th Division. His assertion was rather true, and unsurprisingly enough Ayatsuki was on board with what he said. A smirk appearing on the young woman's face. "That's a surprisingly clever thing for you to notice, Mutsuki-taichou," she said. "Also totally the reason my previous statement ended in so far," she paused going on to explain. "As far I can tell, there was a limit to the kind of person that this entity could infect. Weaker individuals and weaker minded individuals were at the top of the list. The first thing to spike in activity were random members of the 11th Division their unseated and lower ranks. But it was hard to tell from just their activity, for obvious reasons. It kind of had to spread before the pattern could be noticed," Ayatsuki spoke with a bit of authority, and way more enthusiam than one would expect in such a dire situation.

"But now, 'Ghost' is either getting stronger or simply getting bolder, and in looking back to the data on excursions and the like, it has to simply be within the Seireitei. As far as I can tell it hasn't yet tried for a Captain or Vice-Captain yet, but if it did the results could potentially be catastrophic. And I still haven't figured out yet how to rid us of the influence yet," the 12th Division Captain mentioned with a sigh. It would be now that the woman apparently known as Tamamura. "It sounds like Ayatsuki-taichou, if a Captain or Vice-Captain were to appear afflicted, one might need a stronger person on hand to subdue them. I shall start a personal patrol, to make up for my wayward eighth seat falling to something like this." said the woman who seemed to be a slight bit meanacing. "I think... that is a good idea," this came from the Captain Commander but soon after, the Twelfth Division Captain spoke up again. "Hai hai, also...Soutaichou, no offense, but... I'd rather you quarantine yourself for a while. It would be severely damaging to everyone involved if you were to be overtaken by whatever Ghost is."

[Bloodedge]

"So, we're running on the assumption that it will eventually be able to affect even us Captains?" Mutsuki asked, though mostly in rhetoric. This 'Ghost' as the 12th's Captain had taken to calling it, was looking to be a potential great threat to the Gotei 13; but, the Captain of the 6th spoke words which caused Mutsuki's eyes to widen. In this very moment, it became obvious to him how much of a problem this could become. While he was satisfied that the 6th's Captain would be patrolling, the idea of having to face this individual if she fell under the ongoing influence was somewhat... frightening. "Good plan. Just... don't go being affected, huh?" he suggested. "Or do. I could go for some hard cardio," interjected another male, who wore the tattered haori of the 11th Division. "Don't be an idiot in front of Soutaichou. Everyone knows how that would end," the 9th's Captain said. This caused the 11th's Captain to raise a finger while opening his mouth, only to back down moments later. "Soutaichou, has our business here come to an end? I'd like to request a word with you, and Tamamura-taichou, if so."

[Apollymi]

The Sixth Division Captain looked across to the Seventh Division Captain an nodded. "I don't think it will be a problem. Obviously, Ayatsuki-taichou is working on a way to get rid of the influence without anyone needing to be killed," she said looking to the other pink haired young woman. "Hai, and given everything we know about the affected, you're least likely to fall to it. It just feels like I've tried everything already. I got a new recruit coming in, to shed some fresh eyes on the whole thing. I'll let everyone know when I've worked out a way to fix it," the Twelfth Division Captain said. "I will also remain in quarantine since Joushi doesn't want to risk it. And I assume any experimental treatments will be fully vetted before they make their way back here..." the Captain Commander mentioned, which caused a nod from the 12th Division Captain. This person had seen lots of things within the Seireitei, but this sort of danger was almost unheard of and could only be connected to the recent hollow activity.

The Tenth Division Captain with her hood up, spoke up when the 11th Division Captain stated that he could go for some hard cardio, "Nice job, leaving that one alone. I don't think that would simply end in more scars for you, Nijo-taichou," the young woman uttered sparing a look from under her cloak. Actually this entire thing was something which would need to be monitored closely and handled with the quickest possible outcome. It seemed that the Ninth Division Captain wished to speak with the Captain Commander and the Sixth Division Captain, as such the Captain-Commander tapped the end of its Zanpakuto against the floor. "Dismissed." this would result in various Captains filing out of the assembly hall, including the 10th Division Captain, 12th Division Captain, and the 5th Division Captain.

[Bloodedge]

When addressed by the hooded Captain of the 10th, the man who bore the name Kenpachi scoffed, turning his head away from the woman. "At least it wouldn't be luck like it was for you, Himotoya. Or... maybe you think you could pull that off now?" he said, as if to issue a challenge here in the Captain-Commander's office. Within moments, though, the group was dismissed, prompting the leave of all but those whose presence was requested by the 9th's Captain. Once the others were gone, he stepped before the other two present, and spoke his piece. "Arigatou gozaimasu," he said with a bow, simply to thank the Captain-Commander, and the 6th's Captain, for their time. "I only wanted to say... if we are worried about Captains being affected by this 'Ghost' thing, shouldn't we be worried that one of us is infected already? Surely I wasn't the only one to notice the strange behavior of Ohka-taichou here today..."

[Apollymi]

"Some other time Nijo-taichou, we're already in a state of emergency, no need to make everyone worry." would be the only thing said by the 10th Division's Captain before she took her leave.

Once the entire group was alone, it seemed that the Ninth Division's Captain had noted something of a strange behavior coming from the Second Division Captain. Which he explained after thanking the elder pair for their time. A slight widening of Tamamura's eyes would occur as the young man explained what he wanted with them, she'd then bow to the Captain Commander and turn. "Arigatou Gozaimasu, Ikaruga-taichou, I now know where to begin my walk. If you'll excuse me," the woman said those pink eyes of hers narrowing even more as she walked away. The Captain Commander nodded. "Tamao, avoid killing him if you can. But don't risk your life for his," were the words of the Captain-Commander. "Hai, Soutaichou," said the young woman as she disappeared from sight within seconds. "Ikaruga, we entertained the idea that one of us might already be affected, we'd hoped it have been more obvious so they could be stopped immediately. But... thank you for the information, should you notice anything else, share those findings with the 12th Division, the more information they have the easier they may find it to stop the spread of this... 'Ghost'," said the Captain-Commander to the Ninth Division Captain.

[Bloodedge]

"Hai," the blonde said, bowing once more. "I will mobilize the Ikaruga Unit immediately. We will help detain anyone else affected by this Ghost, and make efforts toward finding the source of the problem. I will report any findings with haste," he concluded. Without further ado, the Captain made his way out of the assembly hall, intending to do as he claimed he would without hesitation.

[Apollymi]

A week after the threat of imminent danger within the Seireitei, the Captain Commander sat in the throne at the Assembly Hall. Waiting for the arrival of all the necessary people to conduct the Captain Proficiency Test. "Soutaichou, Ohayou Gozaimasu," these were the words of a woman with pink hair who entered wearing a sleeveless haori with the kanji for the number six on her back. "Ohayou, Tamao..." said the Captain Commander as their posture straightened just a bit. This person didn't seem to be impatient, and was busy stirring a cup of tea with a cinnamon flavored lollipop. "Am I to assume I am here because I am the one who ended the previous Second Division Captain?" she asked which seemed to make a chuckle come from the Captain Commander. "Well, yes, but you probably would have been invited anyway. You're one of the ones who no one ever minds being present," said the Captain-Commander before taking a sip of tea.

[Bloodedge]

Though he was likely a few minutes late, the blonde Captain wearing a customized haori with red flames on its tail end, and the kanji for the number thirteen on its backside, stepped foot in the assembly hall. He managed to walk in just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation between the others present. "Soutaichou's right, Tamamura-san," he said. While taking a few additional steps into the room, he raised his right hand to offer a casual wave with two fingers toward the pair of Captains. "Yo, Soutaichou, Tamamura-san."

[Apollymi]

Tamao turned to see their new comer and it was one she recognized. "Oh, I suppose that is right, I witnessed yours too, Namikaze-taichou..." said the pink haired woman. Soon after this the Captain-Commander gave a gentle nod to acknowledge the young man as he entered the room. Whatever the case, it didn't seem that the Captain-Commander was terribly caught up on the idea of formality as it seemed to be the case that titles, nicknames, and even just names were used among the Captains to address each other. It seemed that all who were needed were now present and as such the Captain-Commander spoke up. "Alright, since we are all present, let's bring in the guest of honor." said the Captain-Commander as the tea cup was placed on the arm of the throne upon which the Captain-Commander sat. "Han Juri, come forward." a loud tap was heard from the Captain-Commander's Zanpakuto making contact with the ground and from this, a sliding door opened and A young woman with two horns on the sides of her head knelt in the corner. Soon enough she was standing, wearing a modified Shihakusho which included a pair of ballooning hakama and a purple and black sleeveless top made in the Chinese style. "Hai!" she said as she approached the fore of the space. She then stood before the Captain-Commander and gave a bow before standing a bit straighter. Oddly enough the woman seemed to be barefoot with perfectly manicured finger nails and perfectly pedicured toes. "Tamamura-taichou, Mina-kun," the young woman said acknowledging both of the others.

"Juri, there is an opening in the Gotei Thirteen for a Captain and you are the most suitable replacement. But in order for you to properly become a Captain you must prove in front of myself and at least two others that you possess a Bankai. A simple demonstration will suffice. Now... everyone to the courtyard..." said the Captain Commander, as they finally rose from their seat and headed towards the backdoor to the grounds normally used to demonstrate these things so as to maintain the building. One would notice, that unlike most times the Commander of the Onmitsukido was seen, she was actually had a sword strapped to her lower back. She and Tamamura both headed outside to a large open space which was a decent distance away from the nearby buildings.

[Bloodedge]

'Juri?' the male thought when the potential future Captain was named and called forth. Prior to this moment, he had no idea who the candidate for the 2nd Division's new Captain was, but a grin appeared on his face when he found out. "Juri? When did you get Bankai? You're a sneaky one," he said. Moments later, he was walking along with the others toward the aforementioned courtyard, where he was to bear witness to the alleged Bankai of Juri.

[Apollymi]

Juri looked to Minato with slightly narrowed eyes. "We both used to be in the business of being sneaky. You're hardly one to talk~" she claimed as she moved forward, but she supposed there was no harm in actually answering his question so she did. "I've had a Bankai for a while now... at least the last decade or so. But such things are unnecessary for me to run the Onmitsukido, as you well know," she stated. The entire time this conversation was being held, Tamamura found herself standing near the Captain-Commander waiting for this particular showing of one's Bankai to begin. To move this along the Captain Commander spoke, "When you're ready, Juri." such a statement came with the amount of authority which let the young woman know she should begin.

The first thing to happen was the release of the woman's Shikai without a spoken command as she drew the sword from the small of her back. This, transformed it from a wakizashi into a small gauntlet type weapon with a single long stinger apparatus at her middle finger which was easily double the length of her fingers normally. But soon after the young woman's Reiatsu began to raise to near massive levels, surrounding her in a pillar of purple reiatsu as she called forth it's actual form. "Bankai!" with this a transformation took place which involved the gauntlet growing into more complete black armor which surrounded her entire person, giving her various extra limbs and full clawed hands along with very steeply inclined legs. "Kashikobuchi Juunin Jorogumo!" she declared in this new form she was equipped to deal even more damage than her shikai and it had an ability which allowed her various ways to engage in physical combat.

[Bloodedge]

"Uhh... well... eheheh~" was all the response the 13th's Captain could manage as he rubbed the back of his head. Soon enough, the time for chit-chat was at its end. The moment they were all here for, when Juri was to unveil her Bankai before the others, was upon them. The 13th's Captain watched intently as she triggered her Shikai without a command, which itself was a telltale sign of a Shinigami possessing Bankai. He wondered what sort of form the Onmitsukido's Commander-in-Chief would wield, and after a flashy purple light-show, he received his answer. Suddenly, the blonde was no longer at the side of the Captain-Commander; he was instead closely inspecting this Bankai, peeking around Juri from behind her. "Spider Bankai. Cool," he began, only to finish this statement after a sudden change of location to the 6th Division Captain's side. "I like it!"

[Apollymi]

The Captain Commander and the Captain of the Sixth Division watched closely as the newcomer among them revealed the Bankai she claimed to have possessed for the last decade. By most of the Captain's standards she could be considered a late bloomer, but the proof of her possession of this bankai was right in front of them. Tamamura then got to watch as Minato moved about commenting on the Bankai from behind the woman who'd presented it before moving to her side. "Namikaze-taichou, still can't sit still... I supposed if we combined his mobility with Ayatsuki-taichou's distracted nature, we'd have the most vigilant Shinigami in history," she said rolling her eyes ever so slightly before reverting attention to Juri. "Splendid Bankai, Han-taichou." said Tamamura who looked at the Captain-Commander. A gentle nod came from this individual's head as they took in the sight and knew this person possessed what it took to lead a division all on her own. "I must agree, congratulations Han-taichou." said the Captain-Commander who took Minato's claim that the Bankai was cool to mean he approved of its being. As such Juri allowed her Bankai to seal eventually coming to be standing back on two feet sheathing her weapon and back in her original clothing. "Arigatou Gozaimasu, Soutaichou, Tamamura-taichou..." there was a pause as she looked at Minato. "And Mina-kun." she said seeming to be used to his ability to move around freely.

The Captain-Commander would go on to look at the entire group, "You're all dismissed... Han-taicho well be sending someone to take your measurements and specifications for your Haori, and you'll be expected to be welcomed at the next Captain's meeting which will be called within a few days. Until then please feel free to choose your Vice-Captain and reestablish your Division. I know you mentioned wanting to make some changes if you were confirmed."

[Bloodedge]

"What do you mean?" the man asked, having instantaneously returned to his original position, behaving as if nothing was amiss. "I've been here the whole time." Following this assertion, he raised his left forefinger to scratch his temple while awaiting dismissal. Soon enough, said dismissal was given, prompting the 13th's Captain to offer a few parting words prior to moving. "Hai hai! Congrats, Juri. Ja!" With that, he instantly vanished without leaving a single trace of his existence behind.

[Apollymi]

A young woman dressed in a hooded Haori soon approached the Captain Commander's office. She'd been summoned here just after the feeling of massive Reiatsu from the center of the Seireitei. She'd rather have been out on the front handling this, and had no idea, what the Captain Commander could have wanted with her which could have been more important than her handling the present situation. "Soutaichou? What happened, I thought, I should be ya' know... out there with everyone else?" she said of her current placement.

The Captain-Commander sat behind the desk with the same ambiguous face that they always possessed. A small cup of tea stirring soon enough the Captain of the 10th Division would likely see they were not alone. "Himotoya-taichou, you've been promoted." was the singular statement from the Captain Commander, "Congratulations, you'll be ending your duties as a Captain of the Gotei 13th effective immediately and will be leaving to join the Royal Guard." finished the raven haired Captain Commander as that tea stopped being stirred. This made Saori stop, seemingly stunned now properly having a look around the room.

[Bloodedge]

During Saori's scanning of the room, she would more than likely witness a male figure standing by the railings of the open office, looking outward. This man wore a black kimono with a purple haori draped over his shoulders, and had long hair protruding off the back of his head; said hair was black only at its base, and white on top. He turned to look upon Himotoya Saori with deep, purple eyes, wearing a face that was remarkably similar to that of the woman's own... or rather, her former Vice-Captain. "Hajimemashite, Himotoya Saori. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Kumori Rikuo, of the Soul King's Guard. I'll be the one escorting you to your new home, once our return vessel is prepared. You may use the time between now and then to say your farewells to anyone you deem necessary, and retrieve any items of value to you."

[Apollymi]

Soon enough her eyes fell onto a male who bore an astounding resemblance to one she saw often. Beyond this, it seemed like... they were indeed related. He introduced himself as Kumori Rikuo, which made the young woman a bit startled. She stepped forward her hood falling backwards having a serious look into this mans' face as she almost couldn't believe what she was seeing. "That's uncanny, you look just like Raizen..." she said of her apparently now former Vice-Captain. "I didn't know there were anymore Kumori left... well, I mean aside from Raizen," she said seeming to completely disregard all talk of her having to leave the Soul Society when their transport was ready. 'I'm being promoted to the Royal Guard. I'm like the youngest Captain in history, why would you do that?' she thought with her cheeks puffy. She wasn't at all prepared for this possibility. Though she'd be the first to admit that she was strong and that she had good ideas, she could think of people more deserving of a promotion than herself. "I mean if I have to go I understand, that means I need head back to my division, and tell Saya-nee and Raizen..." she said seemingly upset about this situation but knew full well that one didn't turn down a promotion to the Royal Guard.

[Bloodedge]

"Raizen?" this man questioned. He had no clue who this Raizen may have been, but he was soon given enough context clues from Saori's following statement, so he came to realize what importance this name held. "Sou ka. The last of my descendants. I'd hoped they were all eliminated centuries ago." For whatever reason, Rikuo did not seem keen on the idea of his clan continuing to live. It wasn't that he had a distaste for his own family; in fact, he seemed saddened by the idea of this Raizen person being alive. If his other idea was anywhere close to true, though, he could take some brief solace. "You wish to tell him of your departure. This Raizen is your lover?"

[Apollymi]

"Wow, that's a bit harsh. Raizen's a good kid..." she said of the young man, she had an unreasonable amount of faith in him as a person. Even so, he went on to question whether or not Raizen was her lover, this made Saori's eyes go wide, like exceedingly so, and then she burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha!~" she took a moment to get herself together. "No, Raizen is my Vice-Captain. I made him such last year when he graduated from the Academy. I feel bad abandoning him to all this. Besides, he's dating Kyoyama Michi according to the grapevine~" she said of her Vice-Captain and their lack of romantic interest. She was fond of the young man, but thought of him like she would a little brother, not as she would a man she'd date.

[Bloodedge]

"Kyoyama... Michi," Rikuo repeated. He did not recognize this name; he only had hope that this was not the type of person he thought. Regardless, there were more pressing matters at hand. Rikuo had a limited amount of time before he had to return to the Soul King's Palace with Saori in tow, so he had to be sending her on her way. "It's time for you to go now. Say your goodbyes, and we'll be on our way."

[Apollymi]

It seemed that the Royal Guard didn't get to know very much about the Seireitei nor the people in it. Not that this really mattered to Saori, she was now trying to figure out how to say goodbye to people. "Hai, Ja ne, Soutaichou!~" she said offering the Captain Commander a bow. This would be met by the Captain Commander standing and bowing to her instead. "Himotoya-taichou, it was a pleasure watching you grow up," said this individual. It wasn't often that someone was lost in such a way. Even so, the Captain-Commander could be nothing but proud of the developments of the younger Shinigami. And hoped they all aimed to reach such heights. A smile came up on Saori's face as she got these most touching words from the oldest Shinigami in the Seireitei. "Hai!~" and just like that Saori took off at a regular pace towards her Division. If she thought she could pull it off, she would have taken the long way round and gone through the middle of all the carnage in the Seireitei to try and help before she left. Something about this abrupt kind of travel made her feel strange.

[Bloodedge]

Following Nijo Kenpachi's assault on the Seireitei, and his following demise, Kogara Satoshi entered the office of the Gotei's Captain-Commander. It had been some time since the leave of Himotoya Saori, but he felt with the great number of threatening events occurring as of late, there was a matter well worth discussing right away. "Soutaichou," he said with a bow upon entering. "I know it might be a little soon, but there's probably something that should be done about the 10th missing a Captain. We might have the real Kenpachi back, but I don't think now is the time to leave any Division understaffed."

[Apollymi]

"Kogara-taichou," said the Captain Commander sitting behind the desk in their office. Busy stirring a cup of tea with a cinnamon flavored lollipop. Across from him, the Captain of the 6th Division, Tamamura Tamao also stood her hands tucked into the long sleeves of her haori as she was busy discussing something of major importance with the Captain-Commander. It appeared, that Satoshi also had the same idea, as he opened with a statement very similar to the one which Tamamura had recently spoken. "Great minds think alike. Tamamura-taichou had been asking about the very same thing. With the two of you here, I figure we can come to some kind of conclusion. We've seen what the high ranking members of the Gotei have to offer after all," said the Captain Commander. "Do you have any suggestions?" asked Tamamura before she clarified. "I would have suggested my own Vice-Captain as he possesses a Bankai, if not for who the current Vice-Captain of the 10th Division is..." said the pink haired woman. She seemed to have a pretty good grasp of the situation and though her present Vice-Captain was a strong individual who possessed a Bankai, he'd also lost a match to the Vice-Captain of the 10th Division while using his bankai, while the other boy didn't even use his Shikai. If any had actually seen his Bankai, it probably wouldn't even be a matter for debate.

[Bloodedge]

"Ah, Tama-chan," the man said upon realizing the presence of the other senior Captain. Apparently, she too had been speaking with the Captain-Commander about a replacement for Himotoya Saori. With that being the case, he supposed he would just join the discussion. "I would also suggest Shi-chan," he chimed in when Tamao spoke of her initial idea. He did disagree with her second thought, though. "The new kid? He seems good and all, but we can't just go ignoring rules now. He might have stopped a Bankai and won against another, but that kind of Kidou isn't a good maker for a Captain. He'd still need a Bankai of his own, and there's no way a kid that fresh has one. Soutaichou's brother would be a good choice though."

[Apollymi]

The Captain Commander heard out both of these individuals. "I haven't forgotten the rules Sato-kun. Like the one which says that if you kill a Captain in front of 200 members of your Division you become the Captain of that Divison, Bankai or not. It isn't just Kidou which makes Kumori-fukutaichou a potentially frightening individual, he's a versatile combatant who is the same kind of strategizing genius as Ayatsuki-taichou. Perhaps better..." she said. "If he wants that position, no need to put someone over him he can take it from. Adding to our lack of staffing," she said calmly. Though she wasn't all together fond of all that Kumori Raizen was, she recognized strength as it was, and his was something to be appreciated, despite his young age. Given who the previous Captain of that Division was, age, was barely a consideration for the woman at this point. Hearing both of sides of this discussion the Captain-Commander took a sip of tea before responding. "I've never properly asked Ben-chan if he wanted to be Captain. I suppose he's always an option, he's among the oldest members of the Gotei and talented enough..." said the Captain-Commander calmly. "And I don't think Kumori-fukutaichou would just murder someone put ahead of him, it wouldn't do well for his image considering..." this person spoke firmly but the opinions of all present were valued.

[Bloodedge]

"And that is the kind of rule that led to today's situation in a way, isn't it? It's a little outdated by now, but either way... if he could and would do that sort of thing, so be it. He'd have still gotten in by one of the accepted methods. I still think someone with a Bankai should be considered." This was Satoshi's take on the matter. He wasn't fond of the idea that another Captain would be assigned without the requirement of them having a Bankai. As much as he accepted that power was a necessity, he also viewed the versatility of a Bankai as necessary for the survival of a new Captain; especially one so young. When the Captain-Commander spoke of Benkei, Satoshi chimed in again. "He's got Captain qualification, to say the least. Power, Bankai, leadership that we haven't seen from this Kumori, and..."

In the midst of Satoshi's sentence, the very man they spoke of, Kumori Raizen, stepped into the Captain-Commander's office without warning. His countenance was a bit less lax than it was normally, but there was also something very unorthodox about his appearance. He now wore the original haori of Himotoya Saori, with its hood over his head, and its special inner trimming showing with every waft of the garb. "Konbanwa, minna."

[Apollymi]

Before Satoshi could even finish his last sentence there was a rather sudden interruption of the group at large. Of course, this was seen by Tamamura whose eyes widened and then immediately narrowed. The Captain-Commander looked up at the greeting an simply sipped tea from the cup before speaking. A hand soon rested on the temple of the Captain-Commander as they assumed Tamao to be too shocked to speak. "Waro, you love breaking laws and general rules don't you? You kids these days are getting to be quite the handful..." said the Captain-Commander. After a few seconds, Tamao seemed to have found her tongue and her words. "It isn't night, Kumori-fukutaichou, though I suppose we know why you're here... Soutaichou," she said. Diverting her attention back to the Captain-Commander. "I hate to say I told you so, but..." she said her eyes flickering over the man behind the desk. "Yare yare," said the Captain Commander. "Explain yourself, Kumori-fukutaichou, you know beyond what we can figure out on our own..."

[Bloodedge]

"It's always night," Raizen replied to the 6th Division's esteemed Captain. As for the Captain-Commander, Raizen disagreed with at last one presented clause. "I haven't broken any laws," he said while pulling back the hood of his haori. "This haori was given to me, so rule of ownership applies more than in any other case. That happens to be why I'm here. I figured there would be some claim that I likely don't have a Bankai, and I'd like to avoid any false assumptions about a better-suited person than myself to be Himotoya-taichou's replacement. To put it simply, I'm here to claim my Division."

"If it's always night, I should be asleep again," said Satoshi. There was a sudden moment of surprise to come when Raizen insinuated that he did possess Bankai. Satoshi frankly did not wish to believe this, and hoped he'd simply misheard things. "Gomen... you're here to claim YOUR Division. With your Bankai... which you have after about two years of being a Shinigami? Soutaichou, I think the long stay in the Senzaikyuu may have gotten to his head."

[Apollymi]

The Captain-Commander seemed to have to hear out the boy's explanation that he'd been given the haori by Himotoya Saori. This made the eyes of the Sixth Division Captain narrow, but she supposed there were worse things. The Captain-Commander raised a brow to this news, but said nothing about it immediately. On the claim that this lad had apparently lost his mind during his extended stay at the Senzaikyuu Tamamura didn't really agree. She'd faced this young man in fair combat, and he'd made it fair for her, even when it was evident that she was supposed to be very far ahead of him. She doubted a mere three months was enough to drive him crazy. Nor did she simply question the logic of his previous Captain. "Himotoya-taichou is a lot of things, but she is rarely wrong about people. Given who taught her how to scout talent, I'd take her word over anyone else's," she said with a curt nod. The Captain-Commander finished their tea and looked at the lad, before them. "While I will agree it is more than a bit outlandish, for anyone so young to have already developed a Bankai. If Himotoya Saori thought him worthy of potential Captaincy, we deserve to at least see if he possesses the Bankai he claims to have. There are at least three of us present so he could in theory claim his division as he put it... right now. If he doesn't have one, I'll talk to Benkei and see if he will take the Captaincy instead, that seems fair," said the Captain Commander standing and carrying the oodachi which made up their Zanpakuto. "Outside then... I can't have you wrecking my office... even potentially." and with that said a door to an outer courtyard would be open.

[Bloodedge]

Raizen had nothing to say in response to any of the present Captains. He remained properly silent until the Captain-Commander ordered him outside. When that happened, he acquiesced immediately, moving onward for the proving of his Bankai. Satoshi walked into the courtyard as well; he remained in disbelief, but also wondered how and why one would take such a tale this far without meaning it. Time would tell, as Raizen now stood with utmost confidence in his abilities, as always, holding his Zanpakutou by its sheath in his left hand. "Before I begin with this test, I have only one question: Once I become Captain, I am permitted to recreate the Division as I see fit, no matter how extreme the change, correct?"

"Yare yare," Satoshi interjected. He was already opposed to the idea of Raizen being named Captain for some reason or another, but this query from the lad was something else entirely. "This generation's just so arrogant."

[Apollymi]

"Getting old, Kogara-taichou, that sounds like something I should say..." said the Captain Commander seemingly amused as they stepped out into the courtyard. All present were outside as Tamamura also followed along outside. "I want it on record that I have said the very same thing about each of you, every time one of you has stepped before me," mentioned the Captain Commander. A few seconds thereafter the Captain Commander looked to Tamamura who went on to explain what the lad wanted to know. "Indeed, you are allowed to make whatever changes you wish to the functionality of your division if it is indeed yours. Whether it be founding an organization or bringing in an existing one, Han-taichou did that when she was made Captain and the Captain before Ayatsuki-taichou founded the SRDI. There isn't much limit on what you can and cannot do in your Division. Though you should avoid any lawbreaking..." she finished her eyes narrowing.

"She's correct. Now if there is nothing else, there is the matter of this Bankai," said the Captain Commander who was also rather curious about whether or not Raizen was lying about his abilities.

[Bloodedge]

"Can't help it. Maybe it just gets worse every generation, so it keeps being noticed by the last one. We should get Aya-chan to research that kind of thing," Satoshi said prior to letting out a long yawn. He didn't expect to see a Bankai here today, so he let himself relax with the intention of remaining in this courtyard until a Captain was chosen for the 10th Division.

Raizen remained apathetic in appearance, but he was pleased to receive the information about Divisional alterations made by new Captains. All he needed to be satisfied was this confirmation. "Good. I know just what I'll be doing, then." The Captain-Commander seemed willing to move this right along, and none too soon at that. Raizen took no issue with this; he still had things on his agenda anyway. "Hai. Bankai," he said, prompting a glow to erupt from his sword and sheath, only to overtake his entire body. Satoshi, for one, looked on in amazement while Raizen gained various layers of flowing robes, a billowing cape, three irregular swords at his hip, a large staff with a crescent head in his left hand, and a very large lexicon hovering over his open right hand. "Mugenteki Shintoku."

[Apollymi]

"You know you have to submit that sort of thing in writing, Ayatsuki-taichou's mind is far too scattered for her to remember to look into something she'd claim was 'mundane'," said the Captain Commander. Moving right along it seemed that all Raizen needed as the confirmation that he could do what he wanted before he unleashed his Bankai. Eyes widened between both Tamao and the Captain Commander, mostly because though they didn't believe the boy a liar they still didn't expect him to be able to produce a usable Bankai. "In fifty-two hundred years, I've never seen a Shinigami produce a useable bankai within their first decade," said the Captain Commander. As this progressed the woman who was Captain of the Sixth Division allowed her eyes to go back to their normal size. 'Kumori... were always some of the strongest among us, several Captains and Vice-Captains were once members of that clan...' she thought remembering a time when these white haired individuals were common place. 'But never have I witnessed anything like this...' she thought but she couldn't argue what was right in front of her. "Sato-kun, seems like you were wrong about one not being able to possess Bankai a mere two years into their tenure." Beyond this was the consistency of the boy's Reiatsu which was also well past what any would expect from one so young. It seemed he would rather easily follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

"I suppose we are all in agreement. That's a Bankai, usable and with the power and versatility that comes with it. I don't suppose there are any arguments about naming this one, Captain of the 10th Division?" said the Captain Commander waiting on input from the two most senior Captains.

[Bloodedge]

'Bakana!' thought the 8th Division's Captain. It was utterly ridiculous for such a person to have already achieved Bankai. Even though it was possible with such youth, this individual had barely spent time as a Shinigami. Satoshi had many memories of Raizen's clan centuries ago, and the things he'd been seeing and hearing about from its last survivor were not beginning to look good. Still, he couldn't argue Raizen's ability to become Captain, and the stability of this Bankai. "... Hai. I have no argument."

Raizen seemed somewhat disappointed in this little test; if this was all there was to becoming a Captain, he could hardly see how it wasn't easier to replace missing ones. "Is this really all? Show a Bankai, become a Captain?"

[Apollymi]

"Obviously not, this was my point to begin with, Soutaichou," said Tamao. She found it strange that any would question this lad's abilities by this point. And though it was quite crazy to see a Bankai in only two years of being a Shinigami, she supposed there were more outlandish things. Even so, it seemed that Raizen seemed to take issue with what it was like to become Captain. With this said it would be the Captain Commander who spoke about the criteria for making a Captain as it was something which a lad as talented as himself likely wouldn't understand.

"Waro, this isn't as simple as you might like to think. Bankai isn't attainable by every Shinigami, normally the ability to materialize one's Zanpakuto spirit and subjugate it properly is an experience which takes about 10 years to accomplish, once it becomes a goal. But Zanpakuto are by all descriptions independent creatures who aren't always cooperative. Beyond this producing a Bankai which is controllable takes even longer than that, as it is possible to obtain a Bankai but not be able to use it properly for several decades thereafter. By all accounts this method of becoming a Captain is usually a trial of proficiency and in my opinion the best of the three methods. It isn't a murder nor a popularity contest like the other two methods, it a pure test of skill." said the Captain Commander, explaining why this method was the general fall back of any individual. "Regardless, it seems you have passed this test and maintain the necessary ability to lead your Division. It's my honor to be the first to address you, Kumori-taichou. Do you have any questions?" asked the Captain Commander who would continue to address the boy as such from now on as a sign of respect.

[Bloodedge]

"Subjugate? My Zanpakutou wanted to give me its power," Raizen replied with a hand reaching his hip. "I only needed the free time to learn Bankai. That three months was more than enough, so I'm not very bothered about the whole execution ordeal," he continued. Satoshi happened to go without hearing this due to a long yawn escaping him; he was more than ready to return to his Division for a decent nap. If this weren't the case, he would have been the first to be stunned by this claim. Raizen himself gave a bow to all present when addressed as Captain by the Captain-Commander. Afterwards, he turned to prepare himself for a leave, stopping only to look over his shoulder following the Commander's query. "Arigatou. Actually... I do have one question: Where might I locate the Kidoushuu Soushi?"

[Apollymi]

There was a shared wide eyed glance between the Captain Commander and Tamao. The statement that the lad's Zanpakuto wanted to share its power with him was something that they'd never heard of in their combined 7000 years of life. Perhaps this lad really was something else entirely, regardless he was now Captain of his own Division and free to do that which he wished. "Congratulations, Kumori-taichou." said Tamao before the boy went on to ask a question which gave the woman great pause. The Captain Commander's eyes narrowed as they looked upon this Kumori Raizen. There had been an ample bit of unease when the boy asked about creating his division the way he saw fit, and the question he chose to ask led a few conclusions to be drawn by the senior Captain's present. 'Kumori, and their ties... for one who doesn't know much about his family, he is doing the sort of things that will stir feelings of old,' thought the Captain Commander, that being said, the Captain Commander had lived long enough to remember a time before the official establishment of the Kidoushuu. "The Kidoushuu Soushi, is likely found within their headquarters on the eastern side of the Seireitei," said the Captain Commander calmly.

[Bloodedge]

"Eastern Seireitei... hai. Arigatou gozaimasu," Raizen replied while continuing to walk forward. A two-fingered wave over his head signaled his official leave of the Captain-Commander's office. "Ja ne, minna~" And with that, the newly-named Captain of the 10th Division was gone. Satoshi, who'd taken to resting upon a bench in the courtyard, opened his right eye to look in the Captain-Commander's direction after Raizen's departure. "Think that was a good idea? We're gonna end up with another one of those freaks involved with Kidou development and secrets. I wanna say I'm wrong, but did he say he got Bankai in a few months? Wasn't that kid in jail for trying to kill you, Tama-chan?"

[Apollymi]

It seemed that with the information he needed Raizen was off, but that didn't stop Satoshi from speaking up after the lad had disappeared from sight. Both Tamao and the Captain Commander seemed to be in deep thought but for very different reasons. Tamao would be the first to speak as she scoffed at the idea that the young lad had almost killed her. "Iie, I couldn't have died from an injury like that. He was in jail for showing signs of acquiring Hollow Powers. I am not sure how, but Ayatsuki-taichou got him freed. I haven't caught up on reading about that one yet, but according to the whispers, anything he is, he has been since the day of his birth," said Tamao. It was beyond her that anyone would have gotten in trouble for the outcome of a fight, after all, she'd been against the imprisonment of Inuzuri as well.

It would be the Captain Commander who gently walked over to a bench to appreciate the great outdoors at this moment. Those eyes closed for just a few seconds. "I'm surprised at you Kogara-taichou, you were just saying that Kidou alone doesn't make for good leadership. And the Kidoushuu has been pushing exactly since their inception. It makes one wonder how many good Shinigami have been potentially stunted by their 'Kidou Only' absolution. And I for one, think it's more strange how secretive the Kidoushuu has become since branching off from us officially," said the Captain Commander. "Besides, being in charge of that is almost the boy's birth right..."

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph. Could have sworn we took people's Zanpakutou from them when we locked them up. I really must be getting old." It was more than apparent that Satoshi still didn't agree with these allowances. He feared the return of the old Kumori clan, which would not be pleasant for anyone. "Kidou doesn't make for good leadership, but it has been proven to create unnecessary amounts of power for those people. Birthright or not, with all these Hollow powers and two year Bankais, if this one ends up like any of his old family members... Do you really think we've still got the manpower to deal with it? A kid like that... might be on our level in a few centuries. I dunno what Aya-chan was thinking letting him out in the first place."

[Apollymi]

"We do, I don't even know how he managed it but the boy has no reason to lie," mentioned Tamao about taking people's weapons from them when they were locked up. "Beyond that he spent all of that time within the Senzaikyuu, which was meant to eat away at his Reiryoku. Think what you want about the child but... his fortitude isn't something to be questioned," she finished. The Captain Commander was quiet during most of this speech. Taking in the fact that Satoshi seemed to fear the rise of any like the Old Kumori Clan and Tamao seemed to have grown bored of waiting for more powerful challenges to emerge.

"Well, it's not like one can spontaneously create an entire clan," said the Captain Commander. "Besides, that that young man has done nothing to indicate he is anything like any of his predecessors. If anything... he's shown himself to be just the opposite of the kinds of individuals we had to deal with when that clan's name was almost removed from the records." said the Captain Commander before they stood and stretched still carrying about their Zapakuto. "Only time will tell I suppose, both of you should stay on your toes just in case..."

[Bloodedge]

In the hours following the resolved incident involving a former legendary Captain, which included the death of an existing one and many seated officers, one Kumori Raizen was given summons to the 1st Division. He'd known this was coming, and while he would have preferred it to be a bit later, here he was. He approached the Captain-Commander's office, clad in his Captain's haori, and that of the Kidou Corps Commander was draped over it. Modifications seemed to have been recently made to the latter article, having it white in color and emblazoned with the symbol of the Kumori family within the Corps' own symbol; this design also presented itself on the gloves Raizen wore. When he made it to the door of the office, Raizen bowed into the opening. "Soutaichou... Konbanwa."

[Apollymi]

Within the office of the Captain-Commander, the person themselves was sitting behind a desk, drinking tea. A frown on their face as they looked up to see the entrance of one Kumori Raizen, who greeted them properly enough. "Waro, you've been busy today," mentioned the Captain-Commander most ambiguously. A few moments after his arrival, another person arrived. "Soutaichou?! Am I about to be chewed out again, 'cause, I'll take a number, I have a thing I'm working on and it's time sensitive," said the pink haired cat woman with the modified lab coat Haori with the 12th Division's insignia on her back, a lollipop sticking out the left corner of her mouth. "Joshi, come on in... it's best to get this done with both of you present," said the Captain-Commander. "Shit, I'm actually in trouble again..." she said as she walked in and took position beside Raizen. It seemed that this had happened enough to the 12th Division's Captain that she was used to it. "One of you care to explain what's been happening the last few days? What actually culminated in the death of a Captain and a sum total of..." there was a pause from the Captain-Commander as they looked down at the papers on the desk. "Oh no less than 1000 seated officers from various divisions?" asked the Captain-Commander, of course, this person already had a more than reasonable idea of what had been going on, but the two people most likely to know and already identified as having been present at various places throughout.

[Bloodedge]

"Hai," said Raizen as he stepped into the office. Akiko, the 12th Division's Captain, took a side to him upon her arrival. He'd fully expected her to also be involved in this summons. He sighed in the face of the Captain-Commander who'd suddenly questioned the events of the week. There was much to be explained, but Raizen wondered how many words would actually have to be said for the point to be made. Raising his head, he answered in a way that would poke at the Captain-Commander's mental acuity, for his own understanding of the elder. "Juunibantai taichou..." he said, pausing just long enough to let the Captain-Commander's brain begin working. "Kumori Mōryōmaru."

[Apollymi]

The Captain-Commander took great pause while Raizen spoke. Akiko had nothing much to say one way or another, she'd simply been waiting, to have to explain the details which is how such things usually went. When Raizen decided to tease the Captain Commander with information, Akiko had to stifle a chuckle. The eyes of the Captain-Commander widened and the tea cup they were holding was gently placed back on the table in front of them as if they didn't intend to drink anymore. The thoughts running through this individual's mind had nothing to do with the 12th Division Captain standing in front of them. "Waro..." the Captain-Commander sounded a bit cranky even by standards of what would be considered normal. "Mōryōmaru-san, was here, that I know... I felt him... but I am not asking about that. I have reports of him as a giant Hollow with multiple parts. Curious as that is..." paused the Captain-Commander, thinking on it, Kumori Mōryōmaru was even older than the Captain-Commander. "I am asking why no one was informed of this before hand? Why were so many allowed to die and fall to such an individual? Why am I looking at two of the brightest minds the Gotei has ever seen, with more than a 1000 bodies to show for your efforts?" asked the Captain Commander. This made Akiko speak up just a little. "To be fair, those who were already affected by Kumori Mōryōmaru, who'd already been that way for any length of time minus today... were already dead. They didn't have their minds left and removing the parasite Hollows from them would have ended in brain death, I am assuming..." she commented. "And he had a few hundred years to get set up. He had access to the 4th Division Captain, who in turn had access to every injured person who passed through the Division, this could have been catastrophic... You can't really blame us for that... I was a kid... if he was alive he was barely born. " she said gesturing between herself and Raizen. "We are an organization... Joshi.... chain of command exists for a reason. How long did you know about this before you said anything, or did anything?"

[Bloodedge]

'San?' Raizen questioned mentally, wondering exactly how old this Mōryōmaru was. Now that he thought about it, none of the record books he'd read as of yet mentioned the man in his youth. This may have ended up being something else worth looking into for interest's sake, but for the moment, it seemed the Captain-Commander was becoming less patient in their questions. "No one was informed, because we had no information. Kumori Mōryōmaru was not to be trifled with; there was no telling what Captains and Vice-Captains were his hosts at the time. Telling anyone we could not put faith in would only have alerted him to our knowledge of the situation at hand. Imagine the outcome of telling others if he'd managed to infect someone like you... Soutaichou," he said, looking toward Akito with unwavering resolve toward his own methods. "I can't speak for anyone else, but I've known in a roundabout way for months. Frankly though, over a thousand bodies pales in comparison to the return of the Seireitei Civil War, if the stories I've read about it are any indicator; and yes, that was exactly Mōryōmaru's intention."

[Apollymi]

Akiko found the Captain-Commander's reaction to be strange. She supposed that she'd never questioned properly the age of one Kumori Mōryōmaru but he had to be a decent age to be addressed with such respect by the Captain-Commander. Raizen then went on to explain why the level of secrecy they'd been dealing in had been necessary. The Captain-Commander heard him out and frowned, leaning its head against the open palm of its hand while it looked at the pair before them. The Captain-Commander, let out a sigh. Obviously it was easy to see how badly this could have gone if it had been any of what could be considered the stronger Captains they'd had to deal with. The relaxed agitation the Captain-Commander had seemed to possess was disturbed by only one thing, the idea of the Seireitei Civil War. Such a thought seemed to unnerve this individual, enough for their eyes to widen. For a moment it would appear as if the Captain Commander wasn't simply sitting here but was instead viewing another time all together. "Yare yare, if that is the case, then you've done us all a service. Something like that would be needless slaughter. Arigatou, waro." this statement from the Captain-Commander, made the brows of Akiko raise gently.

She wasn't at all involved in that entire situation probably because of her age, but... the reaction of simple thanks was far from what she expected. 'Ano, I suppose, I was in at the tail end of that... I didn't see anything scary enough to cause that kind of reaction in me. Soutaichou's age shows in strange ways...' she thought absently. "We should have known he wouldn't have simply disappeared, though I can't say I like the methods the pair of you used in this situation. But I can't actually punish you for doing your jobs so well. Be warned..." started the Captain-Commander. "Even if the death of a thousand can be ignored for the sake of saving us all... such actions will cause you a great deal of scrutiny in the future, if you rely on them too many times. The pair of you should make sure you behave yourselves," mentioned the Captain-Commander, their words aimed mostly to Raizen as the lad was quite conspicuous to begin with.

[Bloodedge]

"Hai hai," Raizen replied with a bow. He didn't care much for this meeting, but he understood its purpose from the perspective of the most senior of Captains who headed the Gotei 13. From his own perspective, though, he saw no reason to change any of his methods; they proved far too effective. It seemed he and many others were simply fated to disagree on such things, but he at least believed the pink-haired Captain beside him would more commonly be of the same opinion as him. "Oh, Soutaichou," he interjected while rising from his bowed position. There was one other piece of information he thought would be safe to share in this moment, and if it wasn't, there was no fighting it anyway. "My research which resulted in knowledge of Mōryōmaru's return gave another name. It seems he knew his experiments with the new Bakkoutou were connected to a certain individual named Naraku..."

[Apollymi]

The Captain-Commander knew the young often didn't see the point of these meetings, it was obvious by the sheer number of them they'd had with their younger Captains. Even so, they'd continue to make sure the children knew how to behave in such situations. After all, looking after the Seireitei was part of their jobs, and they needed to be a bit more even tempered than a lot of them showed themselves to be in these sorts of situations. This one was forgiven in the mind of the Captain-Commander because of the atrocities that were avoided by it. Even so, the potential return of the Kumori Clan in any way seemed to cause a great deal of unease in most, and the minor return of one Kumori Mōryōmaru, had probably stirred such old anxieties. "You're dismissed," mentioned the Captain-Commander after the pair had made their understanding known. "Hai hai, see ya' next time." mentioned Akiko, as if she fully expected to be called into another one of these.

The Captain-Commander had been content to allow themselves a moment to regroup about the potentially avoided threat. But... it seemed a calm moment of thought wasn't going to be allowed to happen here. Akiko who had also bowed was coming up but Raizen was mentioning something else which had appeared in his research. 'Naraku?' Akiko thought she looked to Raizen with a raised brow, but before she could question this aloud she looked towards the Captain-Commander. "Of course, when it rains it pours..." the Captain-Commander seemed visibly shaken and this individual was, for the only being known to possess the name Naraku, was a Hollow. Said Hollow was even older than the Captain-Commander. "Tell me it's just a name... tell me there is no real evidence linking the idea that thing still exists to the truth..." this was almost a plead from the Captain-Commander. It was as if the individual who was heralded as one of the strongest Shinigami, actually felt a bit of fear.

[Bloodedge]

Raizen was in the process of turning around to take his leave when the Captain-Commander made their plea to the universe at large, hoping the name Naraku was mere coincidence. He sighed within his own mind, having officially drawn up his own theory in this moment of fear from the superior of the Gotei 13. Stopping at the door, he chose to share a few more words. "Gomen, Soutaichou... but whatever this name means, I get the feeling, considering our excursion to Hueco Mundo... you already know the reality of this Naraku's existence."