So Bury Me In Memories [Closed Social, PG-13]

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

There's a bar in Rukongai where it is said that you can seek audience with the infamous Douma. Upon hearing about this, Ryunosuke sought the criminal out, seeking an alliance. This thread takes place three months before the invasion of Soul Society, a considerable amount of time before Ryunosuke contacted the Kasumi'Oji clan.

Either may post first.

[Douma]

Douma was no longer some measly criminal or assassin that hung around Rukongai, dealing drugs and weapons. He was more than that. Douma had become one of the most infamous names to be whispered in the dark corners of all three worlds, and he achieved that reputation in only a year. He was no longer being hunted down by top underworld organizations because the attempts to kill him hadn’t succeeded. For all the illicit goods Douma had stolen from some of the most merciless black market organizations in any of the three worlds, he has had scores of mercenaries and assassins go after him. However, none returned. Not alive, at least. Douma had support. He had allies. He had connections. He was smart. He was strong. Only the top members of huge organizations such as Soul Society and Las Noches could stand a chance against him.

And today, he was going to meet with one of the most powerful Arrancar to call himself an Esapda: Ryuunosuke Hamada. He was the new Quarta, but the rumors claimed that he could defeat even the Angel’s Reiatsu himself, Kyomei Kuchiki, Commander of the Kidou Corps in the Gotei 13. Douma would have been more prepared by such a meeting had he known it was going to take place. In the outermost West Rukongai district, he was known for favoring a bar. It was an ideal location considering that Soul Society’s influence decreased the further from Seireitei. Sure they monitored the edge of the Rukongai to keep hollows from Soul Society’s wilderness from attacking, but a few miles away from the edge of the Rukongai, there weren’t any Shinigami to be found.

And that’s where Douma and many other big-shot criminals set up base, but Douma was the most famous of them all. Perhaps the only name bigger than his was Anarchy, a man who was credited for having the most power of any mercenary, assassin, and illicit items smuggler. But unlike Douma, Jin didn’t expand his influence and set up a territory for supporters. Douma had dozens of criminals working under him, doing small jobs like selling drugs and guarding valuable goods. With a rising criminal empire, it was important for Douma to keep tabs on how his various projects were progressing. It became known that on certain days, at certain times, underlings and those wishing to negotiate business deals could seek an audience with Douma at “his bar.”

But this time was different. Douma felt an instant spike in reiatsu nearby, one identical to the reiatsu tendencies of a Garganta. An immense reiatsu signature suddenly appeared just outside the bar, and Kagami heard surprised shouting outside the bar. A few seconds later, one of the grunts who just came back from a smuggling job burst through the door and stumbled toward where Douma sat at the bar, barely keeping himself from tripping over his feet. “Boss, you won’t believe this. It’s the Quarta Espada, Ryuunosuke Hamada! He’s here! What’s going on, Boss?”

But Douma didn’t provide a response. The man stared up at his employer, quickly growing anxious as the seconds ticked by in silence. No sound was made in the bar. Douma’s mask, with it’s strange circular design and trio of tear-shaped openings, was pointed at the grunt, but there was no sound. His black coat and pants covered all of his body except for his hands, and the only visible part of his face were the crimson red and empty white eyes that burned a hole through the useless criminal before Douma. The wristband carrying a blood-red cross hidden in the sleeve of his jacket didn’t jingle. The two swords strapped to his waist, one in a black leather sheath and the other in a crimson red sheath, didn’t clank against each other. The birds didn’t sing. The wind didn’t howl. The heart didn’t beat. The lungs didn’t breath. All sound seemed to stop. And then…

Douma’s reiatsu exploded! Ryuunosuke would clearly feel the other man’s presence and even note the power behind his reiatsu based on how Douma flexed his energy. In truth, his reaitsu was weak and hardly potent compared to half-decent spiritual fighters. However, the immense pressure of his reiatsu signified how compact and expansive it was, and that was fearsome as well. But, there was something more. A visible aura covered Douma like a shroud, it’s blood red color wrapping around him. Suddenly the entire bar was unbelievably intimidated. They could feel the darkness that his reiatsu contained. Evil. Red. Blood. Silence. Death. Revenge. Silence. Death. Silence. Death. Evil. Silence. Blood. Silence.

When Ryuunosuke walked, he would instantly feel the eerie environment. He will even be slightly intimidated by the powerfully evil aura encompassing Douma, but with the Quarta’s strength, this intimidation couldn’t truly deter him. After all, he deals with Kuroi, Adalo, and Kouhai on a regular basis, so Douma’s menacing emanation won’t strike fear into the hardened Arrancar. When his guest walked in, Douma finally broke the silence with his deep voice that sounded like it had been put through a machine and scrambled. He rarely spoke, but each time he did, his voice gave his words an ominous, dangerous tone.

“Ryuunosuke Hamada, the Quarta Espada, allow me to personally welcome you to my very own little piece of Hell. What can I do for you?”

(( OOC: The intimidating nature of his reiatsu and the visible aura are from the Red Cross he wears on his wrist band that allows him to flex his energy in such a way. It isn’t Douma merely flexing his reiatsu. ))

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

SPOILER: Click to show

{A Musical Theme}

Douma. Ryunosuke had first heard the name when he started to put out feelers into Soul Society's criminal networks. A man of magnitude. A man who had a tremendous amount of power. And most interesting, a man without an origin. Many criminals boasted their origin stories, talking about how they climbed their way up to the top, despite having started with nothing. But Douma was different. Douma didn't talk about his past, nor did he give any indication about his plans for the future.

And that interested Ryunosuke. Douma was hiding a lot, and more than just the inner workings of his criminal empire. Douma was seeking to deceive people, although the specifics of which Ryunosuke had no idea of. And so, of course, the Espada of Deception would be interested in him. So, shortly after hearing about him, Ryunosuke sought to meet with the enigmatic monster that ruled Soul Society's underground. Eventually, he was lead to discover a certain bar where Douma spent most of his time, and requested a meeting with the criminal.

And thus, our stage is set. Ryunosuke chose to arrive in a flashy way, a Garganta directly in front of the bar. Why? To send a message. Ryunosuke didn't need to hide. He was choosing to meet Douma as an equal, rather than come to hm requesting aide like a vassal, like a client. Ryunosuke was here for something else. As he stepped through the Garganta, and towards the bar door, he allowed his reiatsu to start to spill out, it's quicksilver nature sticking to anything it touched, and making people feel uncomfortable by his proximity. They'd give him room, if they knew what was good for them.

A grunt stumbled out of his way, bursting through the door. Splendid. Someone opened doors for him. And announced his presence. Douma had trained his henchmen well. As Ryunosuke stepped into the bar, all became silent, as he and Douma stared each other down. Both tempting the other to make the first move. To act aggressive. This was the crucial moment. Who would try to assert control over the situation? Ryunosuke chose not to, simply to see if Douma would.

And then, the flash of reiatsu. Ryunosuke felt it seize his heart, a fear from the blood red reiatsu that spilled out of Douma. But, oddly, he could tell that Douma wasn't as powerful, even by a long shot, to him spiritually. His reserves were great, but Ryunosuke's were greater. His strength was respectable, but was a gnat to Ryunosuke's. So how was his reiatsu so fearsome? Why on earth was it so evil, so dark, so bloody? Ryunosuke didn't blink, and continued to stare at Douma, even though his heart rate accelerated slightly.

Then it clicked, and a smile crossed Ryunosuke's face. A smile that stayed, as he walked slowly towards Douma. And then, in an instant, Ryunosuke's reiatsu vanished. He suppressed it, and the quicksilver nature was no more. A heartbeat later, Douma's grunts would fall unconscious, their bodies hitting the floor with a series of thumps. It was trivially easy for Ryunosuke to incapacitate people of their caliber with simply his presence and gravitational pressure. "My apologies, but I didn't want any listeners. You're in the business, I hope you understand."

Douma's voice didn't worry Ryunosuke, it was par for course, to be quite honest. Douma welcomed him to the bar, and asked what Ryunosuke needed from him. However, Ryunosuke shook his head. "I think we should wait on business for a short bit of time, and address a critical issue first." Ryunosuke's foot hooked out, grabbing a nearby bar stool, and pulling it towards him, before sitting down on it. He folded his hands, and stared across from Douma. While most people would be terrified of Douma's aura, Ryunosuke wasn't.

Because he'd felt it before. Many times, in fact. Or something similar enough to it it was almost indistinguishable, albeit slightly less impressive. Douma's aura was the Pepsi to the Coke that Ryunosuke had taken in in the past, in all the meetings that Ryunosuke had had with Adalo. That's the thing. Ryunosuke had touched Adalo's reiatsu before, and had the energy sensory to recognize it. And here, in this bar, Ryunosuke knew that Adalo had touched this man, in some dark and meaningful way.

"Tell me, Douma, who knows of your encounter with the Primera Espada? Is it something that you'd want to get out? That's the bargaining chip I'm bringing to the table. Not violence, although I could provide that, but information. I know your aura, and I know that it isn't yours. I could let that information out, or I could keep it between us. And in exchange, I'm interested in two things: an alliance, and your origin. I want to be the person you call up when you need someone neutralized, or something smuggled through Hueco Mundo. And I want to know how you came about. If you provide me those things, I'll provide you with an alliance, and my silence."

[Douma]

Ryuunosuke was several times more spiritual powerful than Douma, and that was clear from when Ryuunosuke first stepped out of his garganta. It seemed that Ryuunosuke didn’t care to flex his reiatsu before Douma either, and suddenly, every in the bar and all those within a hundred meters around the Quarta dropped to the floor. They were weak, and that was that. After all, Douma’s supporters weren’t meant to be strong. They had tasks of acquiring information and doing simple jobs to bring in money and keep his greedy, shortsighted followers happy. But they were petty, weak, and expendable. "My apologies, but I didn't want any listeners. You're in the business, I hope you understand." The masked man simply nodded in tacit understanding.

I think we should wait on business for a short bit of time, and address a critical issue first.” The criminal’s body language didn’t change at all, nor did he appear to react in any way. Even behind the mask, Kagami— Douma’s face was unaffected. His mismatched eyes kept their sharp focus. “ "Tell me, Douma, who knows of your encounter with the Primera Espada? Is it something that you'd want to get out? That's the bargaining chip I'm bringing to the table. Not violence, although I could provide that, but information. I know your aura, and I know that it isn't yours. I could let that information out, or I could keep it between us. And in exchange, I'm interested in two things: an alliance, and your origin. I want to be the person you call up when you need someone neutralized, or something smuggled through Hueco Mundo. And I want to know how you came about. If you provide me those things, I'll provide you with an alliance, and my silence.”

So Kagami’s theory was true. Ever since that fateful encounter with the Primera Espada, Kagami’s felt a foreign influence within him. It was darker than anything he had come across before, and it subtly influenced his mind and reiatsu. The red cross simply expanded Kagami’s reiatsu and formed an aura that made Adalo’s corruption of Kagami more noticeable. Ryuunosuke had just done Kagami– Douma a favor, and he didn’t even know it.

But he was wrong in another sense. He thought he had leverage over Douma. He thought he had chips to bet against an empty hand, but he couldn’t make that assumption against the backs of the cards. He had zero information. The fact that Douma had encountered the Primera Espada was nothing that could hurt the rising underworld assassin if that knowledge leaked. If anything, it would benefit Douma. He’d be known as the man who survived against the King of Arrancar. The man who could stand up to even the Primera Espada.

“I expected the Quarta Espada to be smarter than this. You sought me out, and if your purpose was black mail, I request that you leave. My time is worth more.”

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

"Hah, blackmail? You wound me, sir." Ryunosuke chuckled. Admittedly, he may have phrased his approach poorly, but still, the idea of him having to blackmail Douma was foolish. "I apologize if that's how it came across. But my point wasn't one of blackmail, not at least in the traditional sense. Rather, my point was that I had access to that information. And much more, in fact. When I said you could acquire my silence, I see how that could confuse you, but that wasn't quite my point."

"My point was simple: there are very few information leaks from Hueco Mundo. Having access to that information could make you a powerful man. However, the thing that would accentuate that power is if the information was available only to you. That's what I meant by silence. I did not mean to threaten to reveal your secret, at least not in a way that would hurt your power, but rather use it as an example. It helps you to know of your reiatsu's qualities. It helps you more if other people do not, or at least do not without you properly revealing it. It would help you to learn, lets say, that the Tercera is plotting rebellion against Kouhai. However, if more people knew about it, such information is less valuable."

Ryunosuke grinned. "And so those two bits of information, the Tercera's lack of loyalty, and the origin of your reiatsu, come for free. Treats. Anything more, however, will cost you. And I already explained the cost. I want a partnership, an alliance. I want to be capable of asking you for favors, and I want you to call on me if you need assistance within Hueco Mundo. I'll continue giving information, of course, as long as you aren't ruining my career with it. Does this deal seem like a fair one to you?"

Ryunosuke waited, hoping that the man would say yes. "If it isn't too much to ask, however, I would like a small additional favor. A show of good will."

[Douma]

Ryuunosuke was an interesting man. Douma didn’t believe that he had no intent to blackmail. In fact, he did a poor job of taking back the threat. However, he definitely made a comeback. Ryuunosuke was offering to give Douma an ear within the affairs of Las Noches and the Espada. That alone was very valuable, but Ryuunosuke couldn’t be trusted. Their relationship would be extremely fickle. It all depended on self-benefit, so if Douma or Ryuunosuke felt that they weren’t getting as much as they wanted out of the alliance, either could terminate it without warning.

However, there were perks as well. Inside knowledge in Hueco Mundo would be nice. In addition, Ryuunosuke could have a big role for Douma. He needed to expand his influence, and having an agent in Hueco Mundo would be perfect. Right now, Douma’s “practice” is stationed solely in the Rukongai, though he himself participates in affiars in the Human World and Hueco Mundo. But expansion could be perfect.

“Allow me to flesh out the details of this deal,” the masked man began. “You would gain access to my underworld network of information, though only through me. As you can see, my supporters are weak. Come to me for any heavy lifting, and I’ll do the same for you. At the same time, I’ll need you to seek out locations of any illegal organizations hiding in Hueco Mundo. They exist, for every world has laws to break. If you find headquarters, let me know. That is my first request. And as for my ‘show of good will’…”

Douma drew the katan attatched at his waist and set it on the bar beside him for Ryuunosuke to see clearly. It had a crimson red handle and brilliant silver blade. All in all, it seemed like a very high-quality katana, but just a katana, a common weapon of choice. However, it is most common amongst Shinigami. “This is a Zanpakuto.” While Ryuunosuke talked a lot, Douma left his words as is. He didn’t need to explain the importance of that knowledge. Ryuunosuke can make a number of assumptions, and while Douma didn’t plan on telling him the truth about how he acquired Seireitei’s golden weapons, he didn’t lie. Not yet. The lying would only come if Ryuunosuke pressed forward on the matter.

“Now, what can I do for you to start?”

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

Ryunosuke smiled. Good, this deal was going the way he would've wanted it to go. Makes what comes next, with regards to getting control of the Soul Society Underworld, and using it to...let's not get ahead of ourselves. First things first, talk to the scary man in the mask and make sure everything is going smooth. "Honestly, those terms sound good to me. I can work with them. And I'll get to work regarding illegal activity in Hueco Mundo. Hell, it's probably my job, technically speaking."

And then, the Zanpakutou came out. That was a Gotei 13 weapon. That was not the type of shit that a casual criminal carries around. Ryunosuke's eyes narrowed slightly, but only just for a moment. Now he was really curious about Douma's identity. And honestly, Ryunosuke wasn't really a patient dude in these circumstance. A moment passed, and suddenly, a hole in reality enveloped Douma's Zanpakutou. An instant later, the Zan vanished from Douma's hand, and into Ryunosuke.

"Lovely quality, this thing. Has a nice weight to it." Ryunosuke swung it lightly. And then, he chucked it back at Douma, underhand of course. "Hope you don't mind, I'm a hands on viewer myself. So, what can you do for me? Simple request, and simple task: I want you to find me dirt on Sozen Kuchiki. Ugliest stuff you can get. I'm wondering about the skeletons in his closet, and not the stupid ones everyone knows about. People he keeps in his basement, rivals that he had knocked off, informants that he's bribed to work for him. I'm sure he has all of those, and I need solid proof."

Yes, this was bold. Yes, this could make or break things. But Ryunosuke also didn't want to show weaknesses. This was how he had learned to survive in Hueco Mundo. "So, last chance to back out of the deal, and for us to keep it civil. After this, if you turn your back on me..." his voice built up as if he was going to threaten Douma, but there was a smile on his face and in his eyes, "I'll probably listen to Thnks Fr Th Mmrs on repeat, with my heart broken." Yeah, he was just fucking around. Ryunosuke knew that you didn't threaten people like Douma. Not unless you were literally about to kill him then and there.

[Douma]

Garganta, the criminal thought instantly as Ryuunosuke’s reiatsu spiked and created a gap in reality that consumed the Zanpakuto, teleporting it into Ryuunosuke’s hand. He managed to weaponize Garganta in the most useful way – Teleportation. The Cuarta is even more powerful than I had expected. He will be a useful ally. Douma caught the blade with his right hand and, with precise motions, slipped it back into the sheath strapped to his waist.

“So, what can you do for me? Simple request, and simple task: I want you to find me dirt on Sozen Kuchiki. Ugliest stuff you can get. I'm wondering about the skeletons in his closet, and not the stupid ones everyone knows about. People he keeps in his basement, rivals that he had knocked off, informants that he's bribed to work for him. I'm sure he has all of those, and I need solid proof.” Oh, this guy was ballsy. He’s after big sharks like Sozen. Luckily, Douma had the same ambitious nature. He was after Adalo De Mona.

“That information won’t come easily…” The masked man’s eyes narrowed visibly through the slots in the mask. Ryuunosuke wasn’t to be trusted. Not yet. Their alliance had been established based on mutual benefit, but what about when one of them stopped gaining as much as they had earlier? Douma had dirt on Sozen. In fact, it might even be enough to bring the Kuchiki House down. However, he couldn’t reveal it. Douma wanted to wage war on the Kuchiki, he’d have to prepare for it first. And that information would be his ace if Ryuunosuke started getting a little less friendly.

“I’ll look into it.” There, simple as that. Douma gave his word and Ryuunosuke would eventually get some information. Eventually. "So, last chance to back out of the deal, and for us to keep it civil. After this, if you turn your back on me... I'll probably listen to Thnks Fr Th Mmrs on repeat, with my heart broken." This guy was in it for some fun. He’s dangerous, but at least he’ll keep things interesting. “Don’t worry, Ryuunosuke. If I just wanted to stay civil, I wouldn’t be in this business.”

[Ryunosuke Hamada]

"Fantastic then. I'll see you around." Ryunosuke gave a smile and a nod to Douma, before turning and walking out the door. As he moved through the bar, he relaxed his gravitational pressure, and people started to wake up, one at a time. Ryunosuke was a little wary of Douma starting by cautioning him of how difficult a task it would be, but other than that, he was relatively sure that that meeting had gone about as well as it possibly could've. And as Ryunosuke stepped through the bar door, he vanished, teleporting himself about half a mile away to the Garganta that he'd set up earlier.

(OOC: And scene)