THE CRIMSON EDGE ARC [EVENT TWO - CAPTAIN'S MEETING] -COMPLETE-

Last edited by [TheSerenity] on Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:34 am; edited 1 time in total

The Crimson Edge: Event #2

Over the last two weeks, the Gotei 13 has seen better days. More incidents that match Lieutenant Hatakeyama's blackout occurred over the entire city, each just as damaging and causing more injuries. But what came after was worse: paranoia. The constant internal attacks left the Gotei splintered as the Fourth and Twelfth continue to scramble in their efforts to contain the problem. Tiny insects made of Arrancar reiryoku have infested many corners of the Seireitei and the only solace is that the more powerful Shinigami (Captains and Lieutenants) have not been affected by the incursion.

Mission: Contain the infection. Destroy the insects. Cure the infected shinigami.

While many are being restrained and the Division cells are filled to the brim with Shinigami overcome, another force has made its move. There was a shift in the air, like a ripple running swiftly over the Soul Society, and it is accompanied by a sensation forgotten multiple millennia ago.

ALL CAPTAINS REPORT FOR MEETING IMMEDIATELY

Posts : 261 Join date : 2018-07-01

Hell Butterflies appeared before eleven individuals. Five of them weren't particularly surprised by this summons. That feeling was so... off, they knew what was about to happen. No one had an answer for what was going on, and that's why the Captains were about to meet. The bamboo alarm sounded, and it became time for the meeting to start. As other Division members might be scrambling around, the Captains of the Gotei 13 had to go stand in a hallway together to discuss what just happened...

Shiina Fujino, Captain of the Twelfth Division, was thankfully already meeting with the Captain-Commander when this occurred. The ripple had interfered with some of the communications equipment at first, but everything had come back up soon after. Shiina had gotten into contact with her Division, and she turned white as paper. "Check it again." We checked it three ti— "Again. Check it using every sensor, every filter, everything." Shiina held up a hand to the Captain-Commander if he tried to question her. After a few more seconds' pause, Shiina swallowed. "Sir... I have some bad new..."

The Captain of the Second Division, Kazuo Saionji, was getting ready to talk to his brother, so he was the second to arrive. Even if he hadn't been on his way, he'd still be first or second. He's just that fast. Kazuo noticed how... collected J. looked. That worried him more than the ripple itself. Kazuo took his spot next to his brother, briefly wondering why Captain Fujino was there before him.

Toshizō Hōzōin, the Captain of the Thirteenth Division arrived with a small smirk on his face. This was not uncommon for him, even in situations where information was bleak. "One must smile in the face of adversity to show that one is not afraid. For showing fear is what causes the tiger to pounce." That's a motto of his and why he's seen smirking so much. "It must be serious if even the little Saionji brother isn't seeming all jovial." Kazuo shot the head of the Hōzōin family a small glare, and Toshizō raised a hand in apology. It wasn't possible to tell if Kazuo accepted it or not.

Captain Kei Makabe of the Fifth Division was not too late or too early. A few other Captains had wandered in. Kei began to bow like she'd had to in the past before stopping, clearing her throat, and standing in her spot. Kei had the distinct feeling that something had literally snapped, and she didn't know what it was. It was probably her paranoia acting up again.

Eisuke Aida, the Captain of the Fourth Division, was among the last to enter. He was busy when the ripple hit. It caused some malfunctions of life-support equipment, so he came in still wiping his arms and forehead off with a towel. He had worked up a sweat because of those issues. It was more of an annoyance than a worry, and that expressed itself deeply in his scowl.

The last to enter was preceded by a thicker-than-normal atmosphere around him. Ryōtarō Fujisaki, the Captain of the Seventh Division, did not look like a wizened wizard or gleeful grandfather. It was not normal for him. In fact, only two people here had seen him like this. The lines on his face were deeper, the shadows from his eyebrows shrouded his eyes ominously. Out of everyone here, Ryōtarō was perhaps the only one who instinctively knew what had happened. Even if it wasn't exact, his very existence told him roughly what had happened. He made no eye contact, which was surprising since his eyes were visible for once. They were tiny, focused eyes. Even with his mouth hidden behind his massive beard, Ryōtarō was deeply frowning. And it was out of worry for what he knew was to come...

Posts : 139 Join date : 2018-08-17

Things were still strange in the Division Grounds of the Eighth Division, stemming from events starting nearly two weeks ago. While the issues with his Vice-Captain had been cleared up, Genpaku Arishima was still dealing with more than a few oddities. He had maintained his effective quarantine on the Division, keeping his members who had been out in the World of the Living where they were and on high alert despite the odd nature of it. Cases of controlled individuals were still showing up, requiring more of the Gotei's forces to be sequestered until a way to cure them was found. He had been in the middle of assisting with another sweep of the Division, looking for the possible nest, when the ripple went out. He stopped, reaching out with his senses but it was like nothing he'd felt before. He didn't like it. The arrival of the Hell's Butterfly, and the sounding of the alarm, did little to calm his rising tension. He took a breath, and sent for Hatakeyama.
“Something's not right; I'm headed to a Captain's Meeting, You're in charge until I get back, Lieutenant Hatakeyama,” he said once she'd arrived. While that much might have been obvious, Genpaku was taking the moment to remind everyone else that despite the events that had happened two weeks ago he still trusted Kaminari as his Lieutenant. That she had authority while he wasn't around. With that established he departed for the meeting.

He arrived shortly after Kazuo, having pushed himself a little to arrive quickly. Truth be told, he was hoping this may have something to do with curing the controlled division members, but he knew that was unlikely. Whatever the pulse that had gone out over the Soul Society was, it was more likely the cause for a meeting getting called. Still, he could hope. It didn't stop him from being on edge though. His Zanpaku-tous sat at his side as he took his spot in the line-up. He gave a small nod of greeting to the other assembled Captains, but didn't interrupt the conversation, waiting to see what this emergency meeting was about.

The Ninth Division was a powder keg, and Mifune knew he was one holding a match. If he'd been the only one it would be one thing, and it would be manageable. Alas, that was not the case; the attacks on their Division had riled up the members and many were itching for a fight. Even with the evidence that the attacks may well have come from somewhere else, without a target for their aggression tempers were running thick. Since the member-on-member violence had begun though, that aggression had been festering into a paranoia within the Division. Mifune was under no delusions; this was the opening salvo of an attack on the Gotei by some force, and it was working. Who it was though, he didn't know yet. There was no way others hadn't figured this out yet, but no one was talking about it; granted, there was a lot going on in general. He'd had to pull his Division back and out of the Rukongai before it potentially spread there and they were facing the equivalent of a peasant revolt. While the Gotei could handle such a thing...those sorts of events were never good for anyone in the long term.

And then there was the ripple that had just gone out. Mifune was in his office at the time, overlooking the records of who had succumbed and was under confinement. He reached out and picked up his Zanpaku-tou, and left the office heading up to the top of the building. He was reaching out with his senses when the Hell's Butterfly arrived. An emergency Captain's meeting...something was up. He could feel the difference in the air, and at the edges of his senses something was moving. Whatever it was, it was at an extreme distance. He considered, then vanished as he made his way to the meeting. More information would be helpful. He arrived just after Captain Makabe, having stopped a moment to pass instructions to his Lieutenant before continuing the journey. He walked over and took his place, waiting for the meeting to start. Despite the stress, he looked calm and collected.

The Tenth Division was in an uproar, and Kaito Toma was readying to head out and face whatever was coming. The ripple had triggered alarms in his Division, and the already tense members had mobilized without truly knowing where they were supposed to go. Since the events of two weeks ago Kaito had locked down the Senkaimon room and ordered the portal disabled for now. He'd sent messages out into Hueco Mundo to the members stationed there that they were not to return until given orders by himself or the Captain Commander; his objective was simple. If this was the opening attacks by an Arrancar or something worse living out in the White Desert as he theorized, he wanted to lock down the only entry point between the realms. Hollows could occasionally find ways around the Crimson Edge, but as far as mass movements of beings the Senkaimon was the best bet. So he had locked it down to prevent anyone from being controlled and opening the flood gates.

This ripple was something else though, and he had a bad feeling. Before he could leave though, a Hell's Butterfly arrived with a summons. He ground his teeth, and his annoyance was apparent which set those around him on edge; Kaito was almost always easy-going. Now, he was angry and bad things happened when The Tower was angry. He took a breath, and let out a curse under his breath.
“Get me any information you can on what is going on. Put the Division on high alert, and await orders to mobilize. Something is wrong, and we're going to be ready when its time. Get word out to the those in Hueco Mundo that they may be getting recalled and they better be ready to move. Find out if they've seen anything out of the ordinary. I have a meeting to attend,” he ordered, the last words spat out with annoyance. This was why he didn't make a fuss about not staying around. He started out towards the First Division, making a stop to pick up his Haori. It felt right in this situation.

He arrived nearly last, and his demeanor was not what those present were used to. He was agitated, and his usual smile was absent from his face. His power could be felt, even as he restrained it. It had a sense of tension to it, like something about to explode. He looked at who had arrived, felt who had not, and took his place in the line-up. He crossed his arms, and began tapping a finger; an old nervous gesture. It was obvious that this was the last place he wanted to be, and he eyed the door. As soon as he had heard what the Captain Commander had to say, he had work to do.

Two weeks of chaos kept the Gotei Thirteen on edge. Members attacking members without warning had everyone wondering who was next. There seemed no rhyme or reason for what was going on. It was about damage and destruction. Buildings were destroyed, shinigami attacked, and very few were caught before the act was committed. The inability to tell where the threats were coming from gave little time for actual preparation. This is why there was some hopefulness in the Captain Commander when Captain Fujino requested a meeting with him. She had been giving him daily updates, but this was the first face-to-face meeting. Before the two were able to get into the conversation, a strange ripple of "energy" raced over the gotei like a tsunami onto land. "What was that?" J asked audibly as he looked out of his office and over the Seireitei, his normally stoic nature pushed aside by mild confusion and shock.

Captain Fujino was able to get in contact with her own Division, her reactions concerning J more. When she turned to him, he looked back over his shoulder. "What happened?" he said. The explanation came and J.'s eyes widened at her, his pupils dilated, and a moment of terror overcame him. "Wh-What? ...Are... you serious?"

The First Division was quickly mobilized. A message out to every Captain was the first order J. gave out. He and Captain Fujino reported to the meeting room and waited for the others to arrive. J. was doing his best to keep his worries hidden by clenching his jaw tighter than a dentist would yell at him for. As expected, the first to arrive was his brother. Any greeting was left unintentionally ignored. J.'s mind was racing and he was only counting Captains and waiting for number thirteen to arrive. At the back of his mind, he was trying to find his words and prepare them for everyone who would soon be arriving. After his brother was another gifted speedster, Genpaku Arishima. Four...

A moment later, Captains Asami and Gogatsu made their way in, likely coming from some bar together. They were known to be good friends and Gogatsu's friendly nature often watered down the tension most people felt around Asami. Five... six... Then Captain Hōzōin stepped into the room and took his spot. That man was a semi-rival of J.'s, at least in the eyes of the noble families. Seven. After that came Captain Makabe, the newest Captain among the Gotei Thirteen. While her leadership skills were under question right now, her abilities were impressive. Eight. Then came the man with no last name because his title spoke for him, Captain Mifune, the God of the Sword. Nine.

When the Captain of the Fourth entered, J.'s mind was allowed a moment to wander. Captain Aida seemed to hate him, though he did not understand the motives behind it. J. gave the man a momentary glance, but was soon lost in his thoughts. Ten. It was likely that everyone in this room could sense the final three approaching. It wasn't often that you got all three of them in one room. The first that entered was Captain Lilith Blake, the woman whose reputation is as vibrant as the hair on her head. Right behind her was Captain Toma, a man with a personality and physique as large as the life he led. And right behind them was Captain Fujisaki, a respected man whose wisdom and skill has guided thousands to success. Seeing them walk in was like watching heroes of legend grace you with their presence. Ten, Eleven... Thirteen.

Once everyone entered and was in their place, J stepped forward. There was a moment of silence. He still could not come up with the right way of explaining what just happened. His eyes were pointed to the ground as he reached out for the right words, but he could not leave them waiting too long. He looked up and glanced around the room. "Pillar number eight of the Crimson Edge has been broken." J. finally decided just to spit it out. "Immediately after the break, an army of hollow of all three levels stormed the break and have scattered into the Shojin. We've also detected three Arrancar having come through the breach as well. Captain Toma..." J. looked toward the man who he could see the anger rising in. "Go. Reinforcements will arrive soon."

"As for the rest of us, a break in the Crimson Edge means one of the Zanpakuto that was holding that section has been completely destroyed." J. explained further for those who didn't immediately understand. "What has been separating us from the scourge of Hueco Mundo has been broken through at a point in the Shojin, farthest away from our position, so... with or without their cooperation, we will be sending more than just the Tenth to handle it. Captain Fujisaki, mobilize your Division and aid Captain Mifune's Division in defending the Toryōseiku. The Rukon will need extra forces. Captain Blake, mobilize your men in defending the Edge, but also ensure that those of the Mikazuki do not interfere with Captain Toma. We don't need them getting in our way right now." "Got it." Lilith crossed her arms and gave a curt nod, but didn't move yet.

"Captain Fujino, Captain Makabe, Captain Aida, and Captain Asami, I'll be personally needing your help with an important matter." J. then turned to Captain Arishima. "We continue to have our own members attacking one another, I need you and Captain Gogatsu working on that. We have way too many of our own out of commission because of that infestation. Figure out a way to stop it. The Fourth and Twelfth's Captains will be helping the First, but use their resources to the fullest." J finally took a deep breath and looked to the everyone. "If anyone objects with what I've ordered..." J stopped. Normally, he'd actually ask opinions to make sure that everything was covered, but he did not feel like he had the time. "Get moving. Questions, I'll answer."

Posts : 261 Join date : 2018-07-01

Toshizō's smirked turned into an honest frown, Kazuo's jaw dropped, Kei simply looked more confused than anything, Shiina was more nonplussed as she already had her freak-out, Eisuke's lips tightened, and Ryōtarō tightened the grip on his cane. "It is worse than I feared then..." The old Captain mumbled to himself. Anyone who paid close attention to him would see the wooden head of his cane splintering under his grip as his hands shook in anger. He was old, and he knew that. He had planned to start looking for a successor in the next few years. Not because he was incapable of doing the job, but because he didn't want to become incapable while on the job. And now, this happens? He'd seen enough senseless slaughter to last many lifetimes over. It always upset him. For that reason, he only nodded when J.'s order came to him.

Ryōtarō didn't immediately start moving. He'd only move once Mifune did. Although other Captains may not have had concerns or questions, a few did. Toshizō, who had been left out of the orders, was among the first to speak up. "I'm assuming you'd like for me to lock the Academy down—ensure the students' safety first?" Toshizō didn't mean to sound like an ass, but he just sometimes did. His wording was never really condescending, if anything it was just a little too casual for the current situation. "I'll select students close to graduation for assignment."

Kazuo spoke up after Toshizō. "J. The Second Division could be out there quickly, but fighting hordes of Hollows isn't exactly their speciality. I'd like to request they remain here as supplementary forces to subjugate any further outbreaks like what happened with Lieutenant Hatakeyama. The sooner we nip those in the bud, the less damage they can cause." he hadn't been given an order, but he wasn't going to just sit there until his brother decided what to do about them.

"Before we go to assist you, Captain-Commander, I need to prepare my Division. We're, frankly, going to need the unused wings of the hospitals by the end of this. I'll also reach out to suppliers and have them send us as much medical supplies as we can get." Eisuke ran a very spartan Division for situations just like this. The Fourth Division was one of the few that regularly ran a budgetary surplus. It either went into savings or upgrading older equipment. This situation was why.

Shiina didn't have a question for J. Instead, she turned to Genpaku and Isamu. "My third seat is perhaps the best-suited to assist you two. Speak to him about it. He is also privvy to information we shared today, so no need to beat around the bush about urgency." Kei spoke up immediately after Shiina, but this time it was directed at J. "And at that, Sir, I... must ask what exactly is it you need help with?" There was a hidden "my" before help, as she didn't understand why he had singled her out. Shiina had already been running through a few things in her mind, so she had an answer. She wanted confirmation as to what it was first though. Eisuke was too busy recounting all of the stocks of medicine his Division had.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2018-08-17

All nervous motions from the Towering Captain came to an abrupt end with ten little words. A sharp and heavy stillness settled over Kaito, his attention suddenly laser focused on J as he spoke. A hundred questions thundered into his mind, and were sorted accordingly. J turned to him, and dismissed him. He didn't wait for anyone to reconsider that. He spun on his heel, starting towards the door; even as he moved his hand dove into a satchel at his side, pulling a bottle of black ink out. His features held no panic though, for Kaito had been holding his position longer than most Shinigami had been alive. Beyond simply coming to terms with what was now happening as a possibility it had been his job to plan for this happening. He had never been a man to neglect his duty. He exited the Captain's Meeting Chamber, letting the heavy door shut behind him. He opened the ink, dipping a finger in and drawing a pattern on the ground and along his arms. Kaito was not one to use Kidou very often, and he rarely made use of it in combat, but this was one of the exceptions.

“Bakudou #77, Tenteikoura,” he intoned as the kidou took hold and a glowing square appeared. He pictured in his mind his targets, and then flooded the kidou with the power it would need. It reached out, connecting to nearly every member of the Tenth Division within the Seireitei. It also reached out, connecting to one other recipient.
“Connection established. This is Captain Toma; Tenth Divsion, code 0, Pillar 8. Mobilize to your assignments. Lock down the other pillars, establish contact and keep connected until told otherwise. Contact members out in Hueco Mundo, have them mobilize to defend the remaining pieces of the Edge to the best of their ability. The Senkaimon is to remain under lockdown until further notice. Get me contact with the Lieutenant; if he's alive I need him here. Third Seat xxxxx has command in our absences. I am headed out to the Breach immediately. Divisions Eleven is mobilizing to assist us, direct them accordingly. Jump to people, this is NOT a drill,” he called, then dropped all but the extra connection.

“Zarkonheinz. What you just heard is no joke, no drill; sector 8 of the Crimson Edge has fallen, and that is the area directly opposite us. In the Shojin. My Division, along with myself, are mobilizing to stop the flood of Hollows pouring in. Through whatever means you have, get word to the Mikazuki. If they wish to assist us, I will gladly take any help they can provide. I will do so in good faith, because as of now we are ALL under attack. If they will not help, then tell them to stay out of our way. If they will not, if they wish to actively work against us, then I will do whatever I must to ensure the Hollows are thrown back, and this place I have worked to help build does not fall. I hope they act with reason. Good luck.”

With those words, the kidou was dismissed. Kaito turned and continued down the hallway; he spared no words for Joshua Jehanna as he passed. Though to be fair, Joshua offered no words in passing either. Kaito sought the open air beyond the building, then began his trek. It was a long way to the Shojin from here, and even further to where Pillar Eight had stood. Luckily, Kaito was quite proficient with the use of Shunpo for simple long distance travel. It was how he traveled in the White Desert, and it would likely serve him well now.

Genpaku opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth, and kept silent as J continued to speak. Captain Toma was dismissed, and there was activity outside the doors as they closed; the Captain Commander continued to explain what was happening. Genpaku felt himself tense up but forced himself to relax. He focused on the Captain Commander as orders went out. When he finally turned to Genpaku and handed off those orders it brought a small frown to Genpaku's face, but he kept himself from speaking up about it. He agreed that the situation with their own members needed to be handled...he just wasn't sure he was the best one to be working on that. Granted, with the others stepping to their duties he supposed there weren't many other to try and handle it right now. He'd have rather mobilized himself and his Division to assist with the breach, but he accepted that he was needed to handle something else instead.

Captain Fujino turned to him and Captain Gogatsu and gave what advice she had; he gave a nod of thanks, turning his attention back to the Captain Commander for a moment. He considered if he actually had any other questions he could ask, but couldn't think of any. He waited until Captain Gogatsu was ready to head out before he gave a bow of respect to J and started out.
“First step, speak with the Twelfth's Third Seat?” he asked simply as they made their way out. He hoped that Captain Gogatsu would have a better idea of how to start on this, though he was thinking hard on what exactly he could do here. Once they had something figured out, he'd offer to mobilize his own Division to help either the Ninth or Tenth; next to the Tenth, his was probably the most experienced Division when it came to fighting Hollows.

Captain Mifune gave a deep frown, his attention sharpening when the Captain Commander began to lay out the situation they now found themselves in. Captain Toma started out, and even through the door Mifune could hear the incantation for the kidou go out. He tuned the large Captain's words out as the Captain Commander continued to speak. J began to give out orders, attempting to assign those to the tasks they'd be more proficient at considering he needed several of the Captains for another mission. For his part Mifune seemed to have the added help of Captain Fujisaki's Division. That was a small comfort; one of the Three Fists assisting with the defense while the other two were mobilized to effectively be part of the strike back against the oncoming threat seemed a sound tactic to him if you weren't the type to bank on an overwhelming display of force to push them back into the desert.

When the Captain Commander dismissed them, Mifune spoke up with only a single question.
“Captain-Commander Saionji, permission to requisition several of your Division members to assist with communications as he set the Divisions to their task?” Once he was given his answer he'd bow, turn, and start out accompanied by Captain Fujisaki.
“How many of yours have fallen under the influence of the infection, and how many do you have able to mobilize within the hour Captain Fujisaki? I expect those Hollows which do not attempt to gorge themselves in themselves in the Shojin to try and push further in and attack the Rukongai. I'd like to place what forces we have in the further districts, and staggering our others that are slower to mobilize behind those in case we have to pull back. The Seireitei is a great fortress, but if we leave the surrounding districts to fend for themselves the Hollows will simply swell in numbers as they feed. Thoughts?” he asked in a calm, measured tone.

While Mifune may have held some panic, he was well versed in schooling his emotions. Now was not the time to act rashly, but neither was it the time for inaction. Minutes counted, and decisive action was needed. They couldn't blindly march into this. It was obvious to him now that the attacks they had been working on containing was meant to soften them up for this attack. He suspected they may well experience more attacks now that the main offensive had begun. They'd deal with them as they had to until Captains Arishima and Gogatsu figured out a way of solving them in a more permanent way.

Whatever each Captain came in here expecting to happen, a fallen Edge Pillar was probably not on that list. J. gave everyone enough time to react, expecting a few outbursts over the silent contemplation he initially got. He was thankful for it though, as he eyed the one Captain he really expected it from. Instead, she was smiling. Captain Blake was actually smiling. "This'll be fun." she muttered under he breath, just enough for the two Captain's standing at either side to hear her. For anyone who know anything about Lilith, they knew the idea of getting some real fighting in wasn't going to do anything less than energize her. This reaction should have been expected.

Other reactions were not so excited. Daisuke Asami was normally one of the calmer Captains, but this news had him on edge. The moment the Commander spoke up about this, his eyes widened and he turned to focus on J. with nothing less than horror in his eyes. "What?" was all he said. While he wanted the information repeated, he wasn't going to get it. Instead, he listened to the rest of what J. said just after that. The Pillar had fallen and a massive army of hollow were ready to storm the opening. Daisuke brought a hand over his mouth, a gesture that expressed surprise and his mind going through thoughts on it all. And now, the Commander needed his help?

One of the calmest reactions came from Captain Gogatsu. In fact, his initial reaction was to merely cross his arms and sweep the room. There were a couple of reasons for this. The main one was to measure the reactions of his fellow Captains, but also to make sure his 'friends' didn't panic. His attention fell on Daisuke last, who always stood next to him, and nudged his friend lightly. Daisuke looked to him and then regained his composure. "Yeah, keep that stoic shit going. The emotion doesn't look good on you." Isamu said, slightly glaring. Daisuke leaned toward Isamu to whisper, "But a pillar f-..." "No, no. I don't care. You're drunk and I swear that if you get me in trouble for this dumb shit, you'll never trust your morning coffee again, got it, man?"

The initial announcements and reactions came to an end. Captain Toma had already left, as he should have, and everyone was given their orders. J stood at his place for a while, awaiting the inevitable questions coming his way. The first came from Captain Mifune. "Yes, I'll send them your direction immediately." J. said, though it'd likely be his Lieutenant or Third Seat that took care of that. Next was his brother, who requested a different job than J. originally had planned, but this was probably much more helpful. "Alright, do it. If needed work alongside Arishima and Gogatsu." And then Captain Aida spoke up, "Understood, however, give me five minutes." J said, not wanting anyone that he called out to leave just yet, "I have a question for all of you."

J turned his attention toward Captain Hōzōin and stepped over to him to speak privately. J cleared his throat before talking. "Captain Hōzōin... Do you think you can deal with... our side of things? I know you'll have to lock down the Academy to protect it as well." J. asked a bit more casually than he meant to, but he was unsure of how to ask this. "I trust in your ability to calm any tensions that rise up out of the nobles. I'm sure they'll be fussing right about now. Can you handle both?"

With that, everyone who needed to leave, left. Captain Blake had only stayed to see what Genapku was being ordered. Before she left, she did make sure to pat Genpaku on the shoulder to get his attention, then do one of those two fingered salutes before running off. The Commander looked around at the remaining as he picked up a file, "How many of you are aware of the Captain Commander's Vault?" J. gave everyone a moment to answer. Captain Asami said nothing as he searched through his buzzed mind for an answer. "Alright, so in short, it's a large safe that only the Captain Commander has access to. The lock is meant to be unlocked when a new Commander is chosen, but with the sudden death of the previous, it wasn't a traditional succession."

"Inside this Vault lies the files we need to figure out how to deal with the fallen Pillar, possibly a way to restore it." J. handed the file to Shiina so she could have the first look, "We need to figure out how to open this thing and I'm currently standing among the smartest people in the Gotei, so I'm sure that someone here could figure it out."

Posts : 261 Join date : 2018-07-01

"Roughly a tenth of my Division was either affected by the infection, is under quarantine due to showing symptoms, or is currently incapable of combat. Of the remaining, I could have one fifth ready to mobilize within an hour, two more within four hours, and the remaining within twenty-four." Ryōtarō didn't skip a beat with naming off his Division's current capabilities. They might be the Reserves, but that was all the more reason to know their fighting strength at all times. However, he did take time to think on Mifune's suggestion. It was a good plan, but he had a suggested change. "We should not try to gather the Pluses within the Rukongai inside the Seireitei. They are even weaker than the Shinigami who have fallen to the infection. That could begin a pandemic, something that we do not have the resources to deal with right now. If the Hollows wish to attack us, then we should defend the front first. Captain Mifune, I would suggest you take point within the North Rukongai. Your Lieutenant should take point in West Rukongai. I'll be within East Rukongai. Since I am currently lacking a Lieutenant, Lilith, I'd like to request your Lieutenant to cover South Rukongai. I know it might be far away from battle, but there is a chance it could be a frontline too depending on their movements."

Toshizō was unsure what J. meant at first. It dawned on him as J. continued. With a silent 'ah,' he nodded along. It would give him something to do besides trying to calm down a bunch of teenagers. "I imagine the Tsujimoto will be the first to try to rattle our cages. Their precious investments might get stained. My Lieutenant is better at talking to the students, so that's something I can mostly leave in her capable hands. The nobles... well, just send me a statement with both the Saionji's seal and the First Division's seal on it stating that I'm the representitive during this crisis and I can handle it from there." Toshizō left, his smirk returning.

Kei, Shiina, Daisuke, and Eisuke were soon all that were left within the spacious hall. Shiina took the file and was mostly ignoring what J. said. She could piece together much about what was going on without what the Captain-Commander was saying. While one arm was holding the file, two more arms pulled out notebooks from within her Haori. Shiina was reading from three notebooks at once, piecing together what she had noted down as well as what her predecessor had as well. "Interesting... it's not so much of an actual vault as in with a large steel door with interlocking metal bars.. but more like a sealed box that seems to require specific un-numbered Kidō performed within certain Reiryoku wavelengths. Breaking in would be impossible, and even if it were, I'd say there's a failsafe to simply incinerate anything within." Shiina mostly was speaking to herself about the structure of the vault, but it was loud enough for others to hear it.

"If anything does exist on repairing that hole in the Crimson Edge, it will be in that Vault. The Daireishokairō, unsurprisingly, doesn't have much on it. I guess it is one of our closest-guarded secrets, so it wouldn't be there. All information about the Crimson Edge and the Thirteen Pillars within the Daireishokairō is vague at best and apocryphal at worst. I have done minor research on the Vault, but again information is vague. I only learned of it because of various 'See Volume x' notes I found, and saw that the aforementioned volume was checked into the '1st Division Administrative Storage,' which meant I could not pursue that line any further. It was quite frustrating."

"Captain-Commander, sir, I don't think that I'm what you're looking for here. Unless this vault is a living creature—" "It's not." Shiina interrupted without looking up from the file. Eisuke glared at her briefly. "Or is within a living thing, there's not a lot I can do. Captains Asami or Fujino are the type of braniac you want. I'm a medical doctor, not a mental or scientific one. I'd be better served getting the Fourth ready and getting field hospitals sent out." Once J. gave his approval, Eisuke would leave without any further quips or jabs. He'd head straight to the Fourth and inform Midori of the situation. She'd handle the personnel, and he'd handle the commercial aspect. It was going to be a long day...

Once Eisuke left, Kei spoke up. She was a little hesitant. "Sir, I... also don't really see why I'm here. I'm one of the newest Captains and I feel like I'd be more useful elsewhere as well..." Before J. could reply, Shiina sighed loudly and closed the file. She gave Kei a look saying that every word out of her mouth was a waste of time at this point. "Captain Makabe, the reason why you were selected is because you are currently the foremost expert on practical usage of Kidō. I'm the head of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, and Captain Asami here is perhaps one of our best psychoanalysts when he's... of the right frame of mind. And Captain Aida is a better anatomist than myself."

Shiina calmed down and let out a deep breath. "The Captain-Commander is giving you a compliment by including you here, but it's also simply a fact. I can theorize how Reiryoku should flow throughout a structure and how a barrier of that nature should be constructed, but that doesn't mean I can do anything about it. You, on the other hand, are the first example of success of a Three-fold Incantation. You have enough mental compartimentalization to be able to cast three very different Kidō at the same time. Using the 'vault' analogy we've been using, Captain Asami and myself are here to determine the lock and key, and it's your job to replicate that key. Am I correct, Captain-Commander?"

Elsewhere...:

Posts : 139 Join date : 2018-08-17

Before the conversation between the remaining captains could progress much further, there was a knock on the doors of the meeting room. A moment later they opened as the Vice-Captain of the First Division stepped in. Joshua Jehanna usually had a smile on his face, and even now he looked in better spirits than most others would be. There was a seriousness to his features that was often not present and more often overlooked though. He started forward into the room, giving a small nod of greeting to the captains present, but his attention was mostly on his own captain.
“Commander, I've sent two squads each to the Ninth and Tenth Divisions while they prepare for mobilization. I've another three squads assembling to join up with the Eleventh when the mobilize with the Tenth, the rest of the Division has been put on standby protocol until further notice. I've come with a request,” he said, not bothering with small talk. Joshua had come here with a goal.
“I've gotten most of the details from a friend in the Tenth Division about whats going on. I request to be stationed at Pillar One; if we are assuming that this is the work of a coordinated group looking to tear down the Edge and us with it, instead of just a random attack that had a minimal chance of success, then it would make no sense to break down the wall at the furthest point from the main enemy encampment. Either they are hoping to swell their numbers as they march towards us, or its just the jab before their real punch. If I were leading this attack, that would be what I'd look to do anyway; pull the enemy's attention away from their back, then break down the wall at their back and take their command and main fortress out while they are unable to reinforce.”

“To that end, I'd like to go and watch over the pillar at our back. While I doubt I could fully stop anything that has the power to completely destroy one of the Pillars, I do think I can delay it long enough to get word back here and maybe enough time to pull defenses,” he said, not bothering with false bravado. If the enemy had the capability to destroy part of the Edge of the Pillars he doubted he could stand up to that kind of raw power. He could reinforce the defenses on the Pillar though and get word back when the attack came. If he was lucky, maybe he could even make it back out after that. He waited for the Captain Commander's agreement before he bowed, and made his way back out. He passed word that Third Seat Xuefeng had command while he was out guarding the pillar and the Commander was working on his project. While she may not have liked him, Joshua was certain of her loyalty to the Gotei as a whole. She was skilled and practiced; the division was in good hands. He made his way out of the Seireitei, headed for the pillar. Once he arrived, he'd have to start setting up the barriers and traps for whatever came next.

Distracted by his drunken friend, Isamu put Captain Arishima's question to the side for a moment. However, as things moved on, it was time for them to head off o the Twelfth Division. Isamu glared once more at Daisuke before making his way out with Captain Arishima. "Yep. Let's get out of here." Isamu said as if he were in a hurry, as he patted his new partner on the shoulder and hurried out of the Captain Meeting.

Those left behind at the meeting were momentarily interrupted by the First Division Lieutenant. J. looked over to Josh and listened to his request. He should have thought of that. He mentally kicked himself. He had been so focused on the one pillar and the vault that a second attack never crossed his mind. "Get it done." J. said with a curt nod toward Josh. Even with the lazy reputation, J. trusted his Lieutenant to do his job.

Returning to the problem at hand, J. looked around the room and knew he had little to offer here. He would more than likely be in the way, so was it a good choice for him to stay? He pushed those thoughts to the side and motioned everyone to follow. "Come." was all he said. They walked down a few halls, making a turn or two that none of the others would likely recognize as it opened up into Captain Commander only areas.

The file gave a brief description and a blueprint, but nothing too descriptive. They came to a room and J. opened two large doors and stepped in to where the Captain Commander's Vault was housed. It was a massive vault door, obviously protected by kido and other mechanisms that needed dealt with. "To answer your previous question, Captain Fujino, I don't know." J. said bluntly. "I am trusting all of you to work with what you have to get this open. Besides resources and minor knowledge of the vault, I have little I can offer. Captain Fujino, you should lead this operation."

"I do second that suggestion, however," Daisuke spoke up, his words interrupted by a powerful yawn as he walked over to the vault and examined it. "I would point out that the kido used here is especially specific to the caster. If we cannot figure out the right combination, I have no doubt that it will either go into a special protection mode or everything inside will likely be incinerated. There is no room for error. We may need someone who knew the previous Commander well enough to help analyze his work."

Posts : 261 Join date : 2018-07-01

Without hesitation, Shiina accepted the leadership role. Daisuke was right, Shiina knew. The best way was to find someone who might have a clue about Fu Endō. Unfortunately... "Hm. The former Captain-Commander... didn't have too many close to him. From the recorded gossip, his father practically disowned him. And even if not, he's busy at the moment and just using him for theorycrafting isn't going to help anyone. He did have a daughter, but it didn't seem that she was old enough to really learn anything in particular about something so complicated. Otherwise, I can't think of an—" A lightbulb practically burst into appearance above her.

"Captain Saionji, there is one that I can think of. Your third seat, Fan Xuefeng, was his Lieutenant, correct?" Shiina spun to face J. "A Lieutenant is usually someone who is extremely trusted by the Captain, and so I imagine that Fu may have given her some clue without her knowing. Or even if he didn't, a Lieutenant, especially a fastidious one such as her, should have picked up something. I think you should talk to her, see what you can find out, sir." Shiina hastily added the 'sir,' as she was beginning to seem a little too informal. This was becoming a situation where formalities might not even be a thing anymore. But if they survived, she didn't want to be cast in the noble court as a slack-jawed yokel.

Kei had been staring at the vault, trying to understand really anything about it. "It's... constantly fluctuating." Kei broke her concentration from the vault. She looked pensive, as if she had something to say, but no way to say it. "I need to... consult some notes and records." Before being dismissed, Kei rushed back to her office. Although not as strong, the 5th Division's Captain of many centuries ago had created a safe in a similar pattern to what she had just seen. It was far less complex, but it was still within a Kidō-based lock. And inside were notes about specific Kidō and their interactions. Kei reverently opened one of the binders and began to read...