Long, long way to the Seireitei (Training/closed)

[Akira Hinosai]

//thread is open to people who have plausible reasons to hang out in the rukongai, whatever district Luca and Raph ended up in.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Equipment}
Name: Reiatsu Scrambler
Description: This is a small item in a shape that the user chooses, so long as it is thin, and six inches or less in width. This item, so long as it is in the possession of the user, will allow the user to change their reiatsu signature to that of any other race. For example, if a hollow were to use this item, they could make it seem as if they were a shinigami. To any Es users, with Es below 400, will be unable to sense what the user actually is. Releasing does not disrupt this item. User can change the reiastu signature for 50 reiatsu, every three posts. Costs 25 reiatsu per post.

Class: 5-1
Item Type: Utility
Item Power (IP): N/A
Offense Type: N/A
Durability: 600 +100 per class(1000 max)
Bonuses: For every class above 5, the Es requirement to tell what the user actually is, goes up by 100.

Drawbacks: This does not erase the reiatsu signature of the user. They can still be detected by users with below the Es requirement.

Cost:6,000+2,000 (16,000 max)
Crafting Skills: Crafting 3
Donated to Urahara's: No, for The Kitai Shop

//Training for CTP

Luca wasn't sure if he had slept at all. How could he, when the time to cross over to the Soul Society was so close? Standing at the agreed meeting spot, he wasn't tired. Instead, he was seized by some manic energy. Luca paced around the unfinished building he had originally pitched his idea to Raph in. They had a set meeting time as well, but Luca had arrived early, and in complete "shinigami" garb. Recreating their outfit wasn't difficult, nor was finding imitation katanas that while sheathed could feasibly pass for zanpakuto. If Raph came through with the reiatsu scramblers, there would be nothing holding them back from their infiltration.

If it was so simple, why did Luca still feel lingering doubt? The shinigami had genocided mod souls, what would they do to intruders? Luca didn't want to think about that. By the time they figured out who he was, he'd be much more powerful and far far away from the soul society. I have to do this. If I want to be powerful, if I want my life to mean anything...If I can't infiltrate a bunch of incompetent ghost catchers, maybe I deserve to die. Win or lose, Luca would see which in time. No matter how scared he might have been, he wasn't going to waste away in the human world any longer.

By the time Raph arrived, doubt would have been purged from Luca's mind. "Hey, Raph, you got the...things?" Luca said, as if he was talking about drugs. He held a hand out expectantly for his reiatsu scrambler. Wasting no time Luca would continue. "Alright. Here's the plan as I see it. We arrive, we split up and then steal some actual shinigami uniforms. We gather information, maybe some artifacts, then get out...or well you can come and go as you like if you feel so inclined. Try and keep interaction with higher-ups at a minimum. And Raph...If this goes wrong, and I mean REALLY wrong, take the portal back home, leave me, get Uzaki.  No matter how high alert they're on I can evade the bastards. Don't get killed on my account. For that matter, don't get killed in general, got it? Oh...one last thing. My alias is Jaime Saito. Only call me by that name when we're in there. " Luca finished his speech with a trademark smirk to lighten the mood. Luca placed the doorknob on the wall and pulled. White light filled the open air space as the way to the soul society became clear.

"Well then, here goes nothing."

...

Direction relative to the Seireitei (1 is North, 2 is south, 3 is west, 4 is east)

fZS_3p5u1d4

district number (self explanatory)
1-80

For a second, there was only light. Luca only had time to think maybe he miscalculated and he was walking into an eternal void of nothingness before reality returned to him. Luca looked around to see the sun rising, a few people milling about in the early morning light. Luca looked around to see the afterlife was...a lot like feudal japan. Raph had spawned in next to him. The few on the street did not seem to notice their arrival, but rather conspicuously, none had the black robes Luca had seen Shinigami wear. "Ok...Slight problem...I don't think this is the Seireitei."

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength: 180 (225)
Speed: 150
Reiatsu Strength: 100 (70)
Spiritual Pressure: 300(450)
Instinct: 100
Senses: 50 (37)
Energy Sensory: 50
Healing Factor: 0
Light Aura: 70
Dark Aura: 30


Analyzing: 1
Learning: 1
Strength of Will: 1
Weapon(Polearms):2
Battle Analysis: 1
Stealth: 2
Acting: 1

1d4·1-80

[Raphael Laurent]

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Reiatsu Scrambler
Description: This is a small item in a shape that the user chooses, so long as it is thin, and six inches or less in width. This item, so long as it is in the possession of the user, will allow the user to change their reiatsu signature to that of any other race. For example, if a hollow were to use this item, they could make it seem as if they were a shinigami. To any Es users, with Es below 400, will be unable to sense what the user actually is. Releasing does not disrupt this item. User can change the reiastu signature for 50 reiatsu, every three posts. Costs 25 reiatsu per post.

Class: 5-1
Item Type: Utility
Item Power (IP): N/A
Offense Type: N/A
Durability: 600 +100 per class(1000 max)
Bonuses: For every class above 5, the Es requirement to tell what the user actually is, goes up by 100.

Drawbacks: This does not erase the reiatsu signature of the user. They can still be detected by users with below the Es requirement.

Cost:6,000+2,000 (16,000 max)
Crafting Skills: Crafting 3
Donated to Urahara's: No, for The Kitai Shop

Raph had had absolutely zero trouble in procuring clothing items needed for his little “disguise”, though he couldn’t help but admit to himself that he wished he had a better model to look at. Raph had always taken longer than Luca, something for which his friend never really forgave him when he was, but it also wasn’t something that he intended on changing. He wasn’t very much focused on punctuality, especially with something like what they were going to do. Luca’s ambition was a bit infectious, but at the same time was quite a bit worrisome; he wanted something that Raphael wasn’t sure existed. He didn’t exactly like the thought of sneaking into such a place, but he’d already agreed to it AND he wanted to make sure Luca was ok.

His faux zanpakuto and mock shihakusho had all been prepared and he’d made sure that no one would see him on his way out to the construction zone. There was quite a bit wrong with their plan, almost something that he had a bad feeling about, but the small bracelet that he wore on his right wrist, gave him a slightly better feeling. There was something to all of this, but where it ended, to where it led, Raph had no real clue. As he approached the construction area, he frowned just a little bit. He disliked the plan. There were a lot of problems with it, especially if they could track energy signatures within the Seireitei. Just as he saw Luca he began to ponder about their entrance. Would it have a release of energy? Would they even get IN the Seireitei? The moment that they arrived, they would have to move immediately.

Nodding, Raph placed the scrambler into Luca’s hand while holding up his own as the little golden bracelet that it was. He then listened to Luca calmly. Information was a given but artifacts? What kind of artifacts would they take? He was making little to no sense. He’d already had the idea of trying to take the uniform but as Luca talked about Raphael coming and going, the thoughts of doing so were quite unintuitive.

“Don’t worry. If one of us trips the alarm, I’ll head back. I won’t lie, though, I’m not sure what exactly Kazura could do in this case. I don’t think that the overall agreement with the Shinigami is one of actual alliance, or friendship. It feels more like useful and I, personally, don’t like that. That’s the biggest reason that I’m still hesitant in my dealings with Uzaki Enterprises. Just be careful.” He paused for a few seconds. “Roger that Jaime Saito. Then I, Akihiko Watanabe.”

He put the knob on the open air and Raphael watched as space opened and they stepped through. Light poured through the opening and when it faded, Raphael watched as the sun began to rise, and looked around. It looked like ancient feudal Japan and, to make matters worse, wherever they were, was not the Seireitei. The buildings were too short and drab and the people were wearing clothing that he didn’t recognize. The first benefit, though, was that nobody seemed to realize that they’d come from somewhere else, via someWAY else. The moment that they’d stepped through the door, Raphael grabbed Luca’s arm and ran, dragging the man with him.
“We’ve got to get away from the blast radius. They’ll know that something appeared here and we need to be far away when they do.” He frowned as he looked back at Luca, hoping that the other man was running as well.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength: 145
Speed: 200
Reiatsu Strength: 260 (325 with type)
Spirit Pressure: 350 (437 with type)
Instinct: 150 (112 with type)
Senses: 100 (75 w type)
Energy Sensory: 150 (51 w type)
Light Aura: 50
Dark Aura: 50

[Akira Hinosai]

"AH, HEY, WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!?" Luca blurted as Raph grabbed his arm. The next few seconds, next few minutes seemed to pass in a blur. At first Luca was angry, furious. Not even an explanation could calm him down "Who do you think you are, some kinda-" Security expert. The words caught in his throat as Luca realized that was exactly what Raph was. Luca grumbled under his breath. This was definitely not how he imagined this whole thing going. Raph had a point, even if Luca was too mad to admit it. As the two ran, Luca looked around at the Soul Society, with nothing better to do during their little foot race, he examined the surroundings. , The road was a cleared dirt path between the heian era crackhouses that made up the settlement. It was hardly a flattering picture of the after life.

More and more people began to mill out of their homes into the streets. This was an environment Luca could work with, at least. The buildings were close together, but there was plenty of room for them. Luca pulled Raph with a good deal of force to direct him towards the alleyway. For a moment, Luca feared saying anything for fear the shinigami were listening in. No, no they can't, not out here. Luca leaned into Raph. "We won't be going anywhere fast with the streets clogged like they are. Come on, I know my way around alleyways!" Luca would start running again, this time holding Raph's arm.

Left, right, up, down. Luca had used this strategy before. It's way harder for them to find you if you aren't a straight shot from where you were. At that point you get lost in the cityscape. But Luca was even better than that. He knew how to keep, more or less the same direction despite the wild turns, and occasional cutting through other streets. The same direction... "Akihiko, we...are heading in the right direction, right?" ... Luca paused, and waited for Raph's explanation. Assuming it was a good one, Luca would go along. Annoyed, but willing to run until his legs were giving out, or Raph said it was fine to ask for directions. Whichever came first.

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael heard Luca’s protestations, but didn’t give much of a damn as he raced the two of them through the streets. He knew that Luca would catch on quick, even as the man started to slowly understand. Looking left and right, Raphael saw an enormous city for off to their left. That must have been their destination, er Luca’s destination. The place was old, Heian period perhaps, and rather pathetic, were he to be honest. One good fire looked like all it would take to completely burn the place to the ground. But the truth of the matter was that if that happened, then there would be roving patrols of Shinigami. They were lucky, in that they hadn’t run into anyone yet.

Right as Raphael was coming to a stop, he noticed that more and more people were starting to come out of their homes. Unfortunately, the street would soon become too clogged, and some people were glancing at them, giving them only cursory looks, for the moment, but that luck wouldn’t hold up. He knew that they would need to get away from the area soon and, thankfully, Luca took that initiative. With his friend’s voice, Raphael quickly allowed himself to be led down the alleyway, giving him only a gentle nod and starting down the alleyway, allowing Luca’s movements to guide him up and down and further away from their entry point.

When finally they paused, he heard the man ask if they were headed in the right direction. When they’d stopped long enough for Raphael to get his bearings, he looked to their left and then to their right. An enormous wall crested the hill to their left. “Saito-kun, it’s to our left. Just there.” Logic dictated that had to be the Seireitei, given the huge wall. It would make sense for the Shinigami, stuck up pricks that they were, to hide behind something so opulent. “We’d better try and get back before we get in big trouble, Saito-kun…”

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca squinted at the great blur in the distance. "Oh yeah, there it is..." With the slums of the soul society being full of short houses and buildings not taller than two stories, their view of the giant wall was mostly unobscured. "Relax, Akihiko! I bet you they won't even notice we're gone!". The two continued running, through the streets if foot-traffic permitted it and through back alleys if it didn't. Occasionally Luca pulled Raph with him through the sea of people, deftly weaving past the crowd. Anything to make their tracks harder to follow. Unpredictability was key. With the sun as their only indicator of time, Luca realized they wouldn't reach the seireitei for quite some time.

Minutes turned to hours as they ran, the creeping sun being the only indicator of time.Eventually, Luca was certain they had successfully evaded whatever shinigami were sent to investigate the blip in the energy detectors. The more they walked, the more Luca overheard. From the chatter of people they passed, Luca heard a few words repeated: rukongai, and district, enough to figure out by context the former referred to the populated area outside the seireitei, with the latter providing more specification for the different areas therein. It was unclear if each district was increasing in its quality of life, or if Luca was just becoming accustomed to the stench of decay and desperate living.

Though, no matter how far they went, Luca could only see how far they still had to go. He wanted to run until his feet were bloody and his lungs were on fire, but he knew that wouldn't accomplish much besides making the rest of the journey, however long that was, infinitely more painful. Besides, he was pretty sure he heard something from Irina about "low weight high reps" or something. Work smarter not harder. Luca wasn't certain what district they'd ended up in, but after another hour of walking, they came across a band of actors performing some strange play in a clearly makeshift theater to a small crowd. If there was ever a place to take a break, Luca figured that would be it. "Akihiko, let's take a break!!! I mean, considering we're already out here, we might as well savor the experience!" It was a slight lie. Luca wanted more than anything to get to the seireitei, whereas Jaime was far more relaxed. Maybe Jaime liked to watch plays, maybe he was an actor. It was a funny thought, and would lend credence to any personality Luca tried to construct for him. 

Assuming Raph agreed to stay and watch, they would see a comedy depicting a black robed man cowering behind his walls while a woman dressed in white, a tiger, a wolf, and a demon danced across the stage. There was a musical accompaniment of beating drums and string instruments Luca did not recognize. The production was charming in its own way. Soon enough, the man in the black robes stepped over his wall, and struck a heroic pose, only for the actors on stage to take turns beating him up. First the tiger and wolf, then the demon, then the lady in white. The first time the man was beaten, the audience roared in laughter and applause, almost drowning out the music. Yet each subsequent fight seemed to get less and less of a response as more and more of the audience began to whisper and stare at Luca and Raph. Eventually the actors took note of it too, and then the play screeched to a halt as actors ran off stage as the man in black robes spoke up "We, uh, weren't expecting any shinigami this far out...Not that any disrespect was intended!" He laughed nervously. Eyes were on Luca and Raph trying to see how they would handle the situation.

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael stared into the sky as the two ran along through the day, Luca even pointed out to the Seireitei. He wasn’t entirely certain as to what end the two of them raced through the streets. Luca had seen the enormous wall, but Raph still didn’t understand why exactly Luca wanted to be here, what kind of training he could get in Seireitei that he could in the real world. Raphael nodded, deciding to keep his persona of Akihiko more of the silent kind, one that really only spoke up when needed. With the aid of Luca, the two of them wove their way through the streets without nearly a care in the world. The sun, however, slowly crossed the sky in this…odd world.

They’d moved a fair distance, but where they were going Raphael didn’t know. He was only slightly bothered by their continuous moving. Stupid as it was, he was treating this more like an experience vacation; he wanted to learn as much about the world of the dead. Though, he had to admit, that what he was seeing didn’t exactly give him hope. It was like a really depressing old Japanese movie, one that felt more like an experimental film or documentary of days long gone. It didn’t really get better the more that they moved either. The buildings got a bit better in terms of overall construction and looked less…ancient, but it wasn’t like they were becoming any more modern. Thank god I don’t have a camera… I would hate to have such a depressing picture and know that it was of the afterlife…

Luca seemed to slow down, after a while, and Raphael almost wanted to ask if he’d reached the limits of his physical stamina, just to set his friend off a bit more. But that was when the man said that it was time for them to take a break, words that he’d never expected to hear. That was when he could see the troupe of actors ready to start their play. He opened his mouth to protest, for a second or two, but slowly closed it. Akihiko, after all, didn’t have a specific desire to keep his Saito-kun from being rather silly. “I…” He gave something of a smile. “Saito-kun, you and I both know we’re going to be in big trouble for this, but certainly.” Shaking his head, he decided to sit down alongside Luca and watch.

Slowly but surely they watched as the play unfolded; a man in black behind walls while a woman, a tiger, a wolf and a demon danced around him. They music of drums and strings made Raphael ever slightly uncomfortable. As the man in black came out from behind his walls the other actors quickly jumped him and started beating on him. The first act appeared to elicit quite the response from the audience, people laughing and jeering with smiles and laughs. But one by one, there were less and less people laughing and he could feel more and more eyes on them.

Not entirely sure of what to do, he gave a bit of a gentle smile. “Oh, no. It’s perfectly fine. My friend here hasn’t been this far out into the Rukongai for a while, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to show him. Admittedly, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been out this far myself… Regardless, please continue.”

[Akira Hinosai]

Raph had successfully defused the situation, but the man in black robes was still nervous. "Well, that is...more or less the end of that story...Yet fear not, for we can perform another!" With that, the audience relaxed further as the cast disappeared behind the curtain. Luca restlessly examined the stage, waiting for the actors to return. Closer inspection revealed their makeshift stage was likely a portable stage wagon. They were quite common in medieval Europe as it could transport actors and their costumes as they performed wherever there was an audience. All Luca cared about though, was that he wanted something from these people. Something to further his goals. He could either wait, or seize the opportunity, and he was done waiting.

"I've got a plan. Wait here." Luca half blurted, half whispered. Suddenly, Luca's legs were carrying him past the stage. Impulse drove him. This was important. This was going to elevate his plan to new heights. Luca pulled the curtains apart to see the actors quickly changing costumes. When the curtain closed him, everyone stopped what they were doing. More than a few looked at him in fear. The man in black robes was the first to speak. "We truly are sorry if you found it-"

"Offensive? No...No, not at all, really." Luca smiled, but there was no warmth in his voice. This was it, Luca had them captivated, if he kept this up, they'd be eating out of the palm of his hand. Luca inspected the actors. Whoever these people were, they knew about recent events Luca was not privy to. They'd be a useful font of information, and the more he had, the more convincing his cover would become. All he had to do was ask the right questions. "This one here...Is that supposed to be-"

"The demon, yes. His skin and hair were said to be the color of porcelain, so we had to take some artistic liberties to prevent people from thinking he worked with the woman in white."

From the play, Luca could infer these were people that attacked the soul society at some point. Combined with the play it was clear the shinigami were safe inside their walls while the people suffered. This was a cheap play performed by people who heard of things third hand, but it was a start. The demon, the woman in white. The fact that anyone could show up and wreak havoc in the rukongai proved the shinigami weren't invincible. Luca could have ended it there, but he didn't. He couldn't, there was still far more these people could give him.

"Was that all or-"

The man in black robes stopped talking when Luca partially drew his "zanpakuto". He didn't know what he was doing. To be fully honest he was improvising. He had goals, not a plan, but even so he was in too deep to back out now. "You misunderstand. I don't care about your stupid little play, but I know a lot of people who might. So if you want to avoid being cut to ribbons by them, you'll listen to my proposition."

The woman in white was the first to speak, catching Luca off guard. He was too high on adrenaline to be nervous because she was a girl...But he sure as hell couldn't back down in front of her. "Who the hell do you think you are? Y-you think you can just threaten us so conspicuously? You wont get away with killing us, some crimes even nobles can't commit!"

"You think I'm bluffing?!?"

"I know you're bluffing."

Luca only stared at her for a moment. The posture of the man in black robes relaxed as he jumped in to aid his fellow performer. "Yes, I couldn't be sure, but I see it now...Here's a lesson. We are actors. Professional liars. It isn't wise to try and deceive us. We already know every trick in the book."

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!!! "Fine, you got me." His tone was full of pain, embarrassment, and fear covered by some semblance of calm. "My friend out there...The only reason he's out here is because of me. I don't care what happens to me, but I won't get him killed on my account!" Suddenly the life of Luca Castabella was bleeding into the life of Jaime Saito "We need to get to the Seireitei as soon as possible. We've been running all day, and we're still so far away!" I was hoping I could strong arm you into transporting us, maybe even helping us get past any shinigami we see, but I guess that's not an option." Luca was a walking corpse by the end of his little performance. He fought, and lost. No swords were drawn and he was still dissected

"We'll take you on." said the man in black robes. Luca might have hugged him in that moment. He might have jumped up and shouted "AW YEAH, SUCK IT, BITCHES!!!!!" but he caught himself quickly, with only an "AH!" escaping his lips. It wouldn't do for the crowd to figure out what was going on. Luca stuck his head out past the curtains and beckoned Raph to come forward. When he did Luca would smile triumphantly. "Guess who's got two thumbs and just secured us transportation? This guy!"

With that, the actors continued to change costumes, preparing to perform another quick show or two before they hit the road, leaving Raph and Luca backstage to ponder the events that brought them here.

[Raphael Laurent]

There were things that got on Raphael’s nerves about Luca, sometimes, and the young man was demonstrating one of the biggest ones. He was giving them away. Already he was violating the biggest rule of an infiltration: don’t get near actors. Though, whether that was something that Raphael had made up or something that he’d heard over the years, Raph didn’t really know. Still, he could almost feel his knuckles turn white as his fingers pulled in. They would know; their outfits weren’t good enough for the actors to not realize. He did his best to avoid actors, for a specific reason. They were often much better at rooting out liars from normal people.

Realistically, though, Luca’s decision was a fairly sound one and was a good way to get in to the Seireitei, should it all work out successfully. He stood, watching the curtain as several of the souls around him milled about while they waited for the next act to start. He couldn’t help but wonder how they were feeling, seeing two people that looked like Shinigami, that they couldn’t tell weren’t. What were they thinking…? It was at times like these that he wished he could hear thoughts; a nice, if invasive, way to gather information, probably.

What concerned him was what he thought Luca’s attempts at persuasion would be. Usually the young man tried to approach things from a more…intimidating show of force, but that wouldn’t be enough, in this case. They weren’t the same as true Shinigami that had some kind of otherworldly control and or fear in the other souls. Most of the people around him were still avoiding him, to a degree. It didn’t bother Raph much, but it did give him something of an idea as to how the Shinigami were viewed, beyond the wall.

Luca wanted things, but didn’t have a real “plan” and was just making this shit up as he went along. Admirable, in some ways, but very dangerous in its own right; they would need to have a cohesive front if they ran into any Shinigami. He perked up as he saw his friend waving at him from behind the curtain. Raphael took a step forward and mumbled some apologies along with a kind smile, people slowly got out of his way and he walked up to the curtain. He watched his friend smile and announce that he’d found them a way into the Seireitei.

“I see.” Then his voice dropped to a whisper. “And tell me, Saito, did you do that by blowing our cover?! You can’t just half-ass this, man! What are you going to do if we run into REAL Shinigami?!” He sighed and stretched. “But…for now, I’m glad you’re ok and that you’ve gotten us transportation.” He turned to the actor in the black robes and bowed. “Thank you for your assistance.”

The man laughed a bit. “Don’t worry about it. This is one of the most interesting things that’s happened around here in a little while! Just…” He glanced at Luca. “Be careful when you try to threaten people, especially wearing that uniform. Shinigami might threaten, but not often at the drop of a hat.” Then with that he moved back out into stage to a cheering audience.

“Listen, be more careful, ok? They might be actors, but we don’t know who else could be out here, or might be looking for us.”

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca was furious. Who the hell did Raph think he was talking to? Luca took a risk, sure, but it paid off. In a heartbeat he thought of more and more things to say, until Raph thanked him for his efforts. Luca grumbled, most of his anger petering away rather quickly. "Yeah, well, you know..." Luca crossed his arms. As the actors left to perform another play, Luca and Raph were soon left alone. There was a lot Luca wanted to say, but he wasn't sure if he could. Not in enemy territory where anyone could be listening. Luca had gotten them transportation AND a cover story. They could pretend to be part of this traveling band until they were ready to be deposited at the Seireitei's front door.

Luca struggled to find the right words as the actors performed whatever it was that they were performing. Occasionally some would return behind the curtain to change costumes. "Aki, would it kill you to just trust me a little here?" Luca tried not to sound upset. He didn't like being doubted, which happened surprisingly often. Sure, if most people talked trash, it was a simple matter of hitting them until they stopped moving. But when a friend doubted him...Luca didn't know how to handle that. It wasn't like Luca could snap his fingers and have the mission be complete. This would take time, and until he delivered results, Raph would just keep thinking he was some kind of idiot.

Eventually, the man formerly in black robes would lead his cohorts backstage, the plays apparently over. "Now, I don't suppose all of you-" He rather conspicuously looked at Luca and Raph. "Would help pack things up. Surely you aren't quite so tired from a hard day's work!" Luca groaned, but obliged, even if he wasn't entirely sure how to. The work would go by fast enough, during which time, Luca would intentionally avoid eye contact with the woman formerly in white. After the costume changes, he was probably gonna have to learn their names.

The work would be done quickly enough, with Luca and Raph being beckoned inside the wagon by one of the actors who wore an animal mask in their initial meeting. It made sense, considering a big part of the arrangement was secrecy, and being inside the wagon would certainly help. Plus, it meant a break from all the walking. Luca would step inside. It was hardly going to be a comfortable ride, but it would do. Boxes of props were stacked the wall, and costumes hung from racks. Luca sat and leaned against the wall, all too eager for the wagon to get moving. Though soon after Luca and Raph would enter, so too would one of the actors. The girl one. Luca felt his skin crawl in contempt. "Jun sent me back here to babysit you two."

"And which one is Jun?"

"The one whose dumb idea it was to let you join us."

...

This was going to be a long ride indeed. Luca would have been content to sleep, but the bumpiness of the road rendered that near impossible. It would likely become clear to Raph that the ride would be a silent one, with Luca and the girl seeming content to ride in silence, not even looking at each other. The remaining three actors would pull the cart with occasional stops through the rest of the day. Luca didn't have enough of a view of the outside to tell how fast they were going, but he figured the loss in speed would be compensated by the ability to clear paths in traffic. Most people had the sense to avoid large wagons heading their way. The cart would roll along until the sun set, and then some, but Luca couldn't say how long.

That night, the wagon had been stopped beside a river where they all shared a meal of white rice, but Jun did not say where he got it from. After the meal, Luca and Raph were given new clothes to change into to avoid suspicion.  Drab green kimonos, certainly enough to blend in to the Rukongai, and doubly so with a bunch of traveling actors. It was during this time they saw fit to reveal their names. Besides Jun, who was something of a leader, there was Natsumi, the girl, and Akira and Genjo being the ones who did the heavy lifting and played most of the monster roles.

The next day passed uneventfully, with All 4 of the actors helping to pull the cart. Sometimes they would stop, perform something for a small crowd before packing up to continue. Luca quickly came to resent every stop and would count the seconds until it ended, but he knew he couldn't say anything. Beggars couldn't be choosers. He passed the day by talking to Raph, but making sure anything he said lined up with Jaime Saito's knowledge and personality. Eventually, the sun would set with Luca and Raph sleeping in the cart on a bed of costumes.

The third day was where it all went wrong. It certainly started well enough, with Jun organizing an early start to the day's travel. Yet after a few hours, when the sun had finally risen, they stopped again. Jun called everyone to enter a long abandoned house the wagon had been parked in front of.  Luca and Raph were heavily encouraged to come as well. Luca would relent eventually after some resistance. The building was a complete dump, but there was enough semi clean area for the group of 6 to sit comfortably. Jun quickly revealed the purpose of the meeting. "We have two new members of our little family! But times being as they are, we think it is time for you two to learn our trade!" June's tone would darken as he made his  "You can help us with our performances or you can find another way to...where you're going." Luca wanted to walk out then and there, if this was what they wanted, he and Raph could find their own way to the seireitei, and they could do it in half the time!

"Consider this a lesson of sorts, one you can use throughout your lives. Even if I saw potential in you two, that would be no excuse for neglecting to hone your skills. If you ever want to be-"

"We're not-"

"Actors? Of course you are! We all are. Why would an impoverished group of performers take on some dead weight! No, I suspect you'll contribute a great deal to us, putting on masks and removing them as needed. A quick costume change when the old loses its use to you. Stage tricks can help, but a keen eye can see through them. The true deception of the audience comes from within you. If it doesn't your time as an actor will be short indeed. Most of the audience believes what it wants to believe. They're too caught up in their own lives to look deeper. Some do, though, and those are the ones that can be the death of any actor. You'd best hope you don't meet them, or that if you do, you can convince them your character belongs in the play, that you ARE the character."

Suddenly, Luca understood, and suddenly the prospect didn't seem so bad, or at least, until it came time to perform. Luca and Raph were assured the parts they had to play were simple and minor, with minimal preparation needed. Each performance throughout the next few days would follow a similar pattern. Their faces were always obscured, be that with makeup(which Luca was NOT happy about) or exaggerated masks of people or animals. Days would pass and Luca would realize that most people were easy to impress. All he had to do was play to what they wanted, and they'd applaud like he was some kind of war hero.

Closer and closer as days ticked by, districts grew nicer, and their cover was solidified. Their pace was ponderous by Luca standards, but they were making progress. Not close enough for shinigami patrols to be a regular sight, but close enough for any to possibly happen by. Still, Jun felt confident putting on some rather blatant anti-shinigami performances, but he always made sure to perform them at the dirtiest, seediest watering hole in whatever district they were in. Though with a different audience came different versions of the same farces and tragedies they were getting used to performing. Suddenly instead of dances and comical beatdowns, there was actual fighting and at least something resembling a plot.

It was one of the last performances of the day, and one left entirely to the newcomers. Luca was supposed to be the white garbed figure who attacked the shinigami. The stage makeup made him unrecognizable, with ivory skin, and exaggerated red wings of red around his eyes. Luca had never seen whoever it was that this role was based on, but he was quite certain they weren't a geisha or clown. Raph would be saddled with the role of the shinigami. A mostly human looking painted clay mask covered his identity well enough. The formula of the play was similar to the one Luca and Raph had witnessed, though without the demon, and beast clansman. In this version, the audience would see A figure in white, minding their own business before the brutal and thuggish man in black robes jumped over the wall that separated them and attacked the figure in white, who quickly brandished a sword. The fight was long and brutal, with many cuts scored on both sides, before finally the figure in white stabbed their opponent clean through, though before a final blow could be dealt, the man in black scampered back behind the wall. The figure in white slammed on the wall, but to no effect. During this, another black robed actor stabbed an innocent bystander, only to blame it on the figure in white. Facing a mob of black robed figures and townspeople(or rather the remaining actors), the white clad figure fled, tragically and in a puff of smoke, to an ambiguous fate as the play ended.

[Kaen Youji]

The Vice Captain's badge hung heavy under Kaen's shirt. Responsibility weighed heavily upon him. The weight of what that badge represented. It's different this time though. I'm not just hoping I can do it. I will do it. He convinced himself. He still had to mentally prepare himself to challenge the Captain of the Seventh Division. That mantle... it would make the weight of this badge feel like nothing. Kaen needed some time and space to think. So he found himself returning to his roots. He had exchanged his Shinigami robes for the trappings of nobility, then switched those for an olive, cotton, sleeveless shirt, and weatherworn pants, common for the Rukon citizens. He did go with the tabi and sandals for comfort purposes, but overall, while a little distinctive looking, Kaen didn't turn too many heads when he went out into the Rukon districts, his head in thought. He was reminded of his childhood. So many days of sneaking out of his family manor and running about in the streets of Rukongai. Making new friends (friends his family was not particularly approving of), going on adventures, and more than one close scrape. A nostalgic smile played at the corners of Kaen's mouth at the memories.

He vaguely detected a bit of a commotion up ahead. It looked like a crowd had gathered. He was hearing laughs, gasps and otherwise the sorts of sounds that suggested a performance of some kind was taking place. Well. A play might do some good to ease the tensions. Kaen slipped in amongst the crowd, and watched. It seemed like a performance dedicated to recreating some of the recent attacks on Soul Society, and casting Shinigami as the villains. Kaen's brow furrowed ever so slightly at this, but he didn't say anything. This was useful knowledge. Knowledge he knew most Shinigami didn't go out to obtain. Too many Shinigami stayed in tight to the districts nearest the Seireitei even in their leisure time. It made sense, sure. The closest districts were the most well off, and Kaen couldn't deny he was guilty of that as well. Usually Shinigami only went out to the outer districts when work obligated them too. Though it did sound like that might be changing. Kaen was getting wind in meetings about an operation that Squad 12 was enacting and trying to draw the 6th Division in as well-- setting up more advanced detection outposts in the outer Rukon districts to try and handle the increase in Hollow attacks. It was still underway, but if it was successful, then perhaps Shinigami presence could be enabled at longer ranges. Here's hoping... Speaking of which, Kaen did wonder what the other Shinigami were doing around here. He extended his senses to see if he could pick up if there were other Shinigami in the area. What he found, shocked him.

Two of the actors in the play were radiating substantial reiatsu. In fact, he'd say it was very similar to a Shinigami's. Now Kaen was concerned. This was absolutely his perogative. Squad 7 was the Internal Affairs division. It was one thing for the Rukongai citizens to be disgruntled or upset about the battles with the Shinigami's enemies causing devastation to their homes. Understandable. Kaen didn't blame them for that. He didn't blame them for putting on a show. However, for other Shinigami to put on a farce like that? Kaen suddenly found himself frowning. Thaaat definitely bordered on treasonous. At the very least, it could be grounds for conviction for attempting to incite a riot. Kaen wanted to give them a chance of course, but he was finding himself quite concerned about this.

He put on a thinly veiled mask and applauded with the rest of the crowd when the show completed. Regardless of the purpose, they were still decent enough actors, and it was clear that there was passion behind many of them. The actors weren't doing this for a cheap laugh or for controversy's sake, they seemed like they actually wanted to put out a message. Concerning. Another Shinigami would probably have arrested the whole troupe. Kaen disagreed with that. He'd rather change public opinion of the Shinigami positively, than confirm their disgust. The two Shinigami riding with them on the other hand.... That was another matter entirely.

-----


As the show concluded, Kaen slipped his way through the crowd and tried to approach the troupe. "What an amazing show! You guys are really daring though! Aren't you worried that someone might get upset at this?" He asked as he scanned the group, his eyes fixating on Raph and Luca. While it was pretty unlikely anyone in the Rukongai would know Kaen's face on sight, even with his distinctive cross shaped scar on his cheek (granted it wasn't uncommon for other Rukon denizens to have scars anyways), he knew that his face was pretty well known in Soul Society. As a long-time active officer and having led several major forays in Soul Society's various wars, and often invited as a guest lecturer at the Academy, Kaen was certain that his disguise wouldn't at all hold muster against two Shinigami. He was certain they'd recognize him fairly quickly. "Well, it doesn't matter anyways. I hope you guys aren't too busy! In appreciation for your hard work at this, I'd like to treat all of you to dinner tonight! I have a business proposition for you!" He didn't. Entirely. Buuuut Kaen was pretty sure he could make something up on the fly. "I know a great place if you're all interested. I imagine that's a lot of hard work for you today, and that tends to leave you guys hungry, right?"

[Raphael Laurent]

“Hey, I’m just saying. Now and then it wouldn’t be too bad for you to take a little more care with what you’re doing, yeah?” Raphael smiled a bit more. “Look, Saito-kun, you’re really good at what ya do and come up with some decent plans, but still ya need to think this stuff through more.” He stretched a bit, still watching Luca as he waited for his friend to tell him more. “Keep in mind that we’re here for a specific purpose of yours. We’re here for you to learn.” He leaned back and scratched the back of his head. “Not stuff that we’ve really got to worry about it.” Still…what did Raphael really know? He’d only come to make sure nothing happened to Luca.

To that end, despite the fact that his ability to sense energy had diminished somewhat, he kept his senses awake at all times. But when the man returned and asked the two of them to help them pack up. Raphael, for his own part, grinned and immediately set to work helping them pack up, not wanting to just sit on the sidelines and do nothing. Once they were done fast enough and Raphael quickly hopped up into the back of the cart. He was more than happy to ride in the back alongside the props, boxes and costumes. It wasn’t long after that the woman from earlier entered the area. All Raphael had to offer her, at the mention of her being a babysitter, was the gentle smile he’d been practicing all along.

He learned their names not long after as well. Jun, the man who was letting them come along, then there was Natsumi, then there was also Akira and Genjo who tended to lift the heaviest of items. Unfortunately, none of the crew seemed to be all that interested in conversation, with neither Natsumi nor Luca actually saying anything. Yet when they stopped that night they were instead given rather basic and drab clothes, though amazingly much more comfortable. The dinner that night was also far more meager than normal, but he felt an odd satisfaction to it.

Now and then the group would stop and put on a play. Luca never seemed to be satisfied with what they were doing, how slowly they were going, but maybe that was part of the persona that he wanted to play. Raphael, for his own part, decided to simply keep smiling and otherwise remain quiet, helping where he could and felt consistently grateful. Yet the third day was when it all changed.

Inside of an old ramshackle building, the group decided to meet for the night and, for once, Raphael and Luca were enabled to come with. Jun seemed to be inducting them into this little troupe of theirs. While he didn’t know how Luca felt about this whole thing but Raph, for his part, was more than happy to join with them, at least for the time being. Enjoying the time around these people, these souls, was a wonderful diversion, and even more fun experience.

“In all truth, we are actors, Saito-kun. We might as well polish our skills, while we’ve got the chance, yeah?”

Luca, eventually, relented and the next time that the group stopped to perform both Raphael and Luca began to join them. Day after day, blatant anti-shinigami performances were put on and, day after day, Raphael and Luca participated. Luca seemed to be doing it only grudgingly while Raphael was quite enjoying himself. At the same time, however, he was constantly on guard when they were performing, senses reaching out to scan the crowd each time. Thankfully, during practically all of their performances, he couldn’t sense anything.

But then came the day when he did. One after another he reached out looking through the crowd in the middle of the performance. Startled as he was, he continued on with the play while working through everything that he had learned. The energy was, without a doubt, Shinigami as many times as he’d felt it, though he’d never felt this specific energy before… There were two possibilities: one was that whoever was there was an exceptionally powerful soul, the other was that it was a Shinigami. Either situation was a bit detrimental. If it was the former, then they were probably trying some kind of extortion racket and, if it was truly a Shinigami, then there was a different problem and Raphael would have to come up with his cover story quickly.

To only add to his problems, when they’d finished the show the man that he’d originally ID’d as the strong soul approached the group. Worse still, his eyes fixed on Raphael and Luca. This gave him some kind of an idea that he suspected them of something. Raphael allowed his gaze to linger upon the man a bit longer, eyes slowly widening as if in realization. Quickly snapping his eyes shut, he turned away and began to whisper to Luca.

“That guy… He’s either a Shinigami or a powerful soul… I’m pretty sure the former, so we’re going to have to get our stories in order…” Then, not missing a beat, he quickly turned back to the man and bowed a bit. “I appreciate your generosity. I’m sure that the rest of us do as well.”

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca's heart stopped in his chest. To Raph, it may have been a question, but there was no doubt in Luca's mind. This was a shinigami and one who wasn't all too happy about what he'd seen. He could smell it in the air around him. It was all he could do to keep a straight face and act like his adrenaline wasn't flooding into his veins. At the very least, the reiatsu scrambler was probably working. Except then, it looked like two shinigami helping to put on treasonous plays for the masses. This is the organization that genocided the mod souls for the crime of existing...How do they deal with sedition? Luca had no intention of finding out.

Luca's mind raced. That dinner thing has "setup" written all over it. He's not a good liar...Ok, so he thinks we're shinigami moonlighting as agitators in the rukongai...With an aura like his, he's gotta be powerful...maybe even captain-level powerful...So we should probably recognize him. He leaned towards Raph "Are you telling me you don't recognize him? Are you stupid or something?" he was sure to say it as quietly as possible, but Natsumi seemed to perk up at that.

"Indeed, we are honored by your kindness. You should have seen us a decade ago. We were purists then. We had our own theater and had more than only what costumes we could carry in a cart. Still, we strive for artistic perfection." Jun was interrupted by Natsumi elbowing him as if to say "Get to the point." Jun reluctantly did just that. "Your offer is kind, but I'm afraid we must refuse. We have an hour or so of daylight and much more ground to cover. You understand, don't you?"

...

With that, if Kaen allowed it, the troupe would pack up and return to their wagon, though Jun and Natsumi seemed far more interested in talking than helping move props.Their mode of transportation stuck out like a sore thumb as it crossed a sea of people, all too easy to be tracked. Luca and Raph sat inside with Natsumi as it was pulled. "Aki... Here's what we tell them. It was my idea to come out here because I had to find out if my family was still alive after the hollow incursions in the outer districts. All mine, and you came with me cuz you were worried I'd get killed. I thought no one would notice. It was all me, my fault." Luca spoke with passion but he had little intention of facing interrogation. "Why did Jun have to keep doing these stupid farces."

"You knew what kind of artists we were when you signed on."

"Bite me, Nat."

There were a few minutes of silence before Natsumi got up and made her way to the boxes of costumes, and began packing two bags. When she finished she tossed Luca and Raph the same drab kimonos and sandals that had been their out of costume outfits. "Get changed." Luca wanted to argue, but he felt some hidden meaning behind her asking. He was still very much aware of the captain they'd pissed off. If Nat had a plan, he would play along. He didn't come all this way to fail now. Luca sheepishly complied, all too aware of how awkward it was, even if under his kimono was a thinner undergarment that covered almost everywhere the kimono covered. He felt he'd need a lifetime to get used to what the actors did on a daily basis.

Looking himself over, he looked every bit a rukongai peasant again...until he remembered the face paint. "Tell me we have a water bucket so I can wipe this off?"  Best leave it on." She tossed Raph and Luca each bag she packed. Her voice dropped to a whisper Luca barely heard over the rumbling of the moving cart and the noises of the district. "After this, you go your own two ways." It took Luca a second to realize what she meant. Sure, Luca wanted to split from Raph in the seireitei, but out here, they were a team! It's not like we can escape if the captain's stalking us! Luca looked inside the pack he was given, to see his mock shinigami outfit, katana, and a few jars of stage makeup. It occurred to Luca only then that this was really happening. He knew he was going to leave the actors, but he didn't think it would be like this.

The cart stopped, but before he could run out the back door and investigate, Nat grabbed the two by the shoulders. One look at her face told Luca this was staged. "Run." Luca left the cart to see a crowd already forming around Jun, still screaming "MY LEG! AAAAAHHHHGH!"

"Someone do something!"
"Is anyone here a doctor?"

Luca slipped away into the crowd, ducking and weaving past them, until he lost sight of the cart as he navigated his way through the mass of onlookers, disappearing within them. A few deep breaths and he could quiet his aura until it was lost in the white noise. From there he'd just keep moving. Luca might not be able to beat a captain, but he'd like to see anyone find him when he didn't want to be found. If Kaen was following the wagon, he would see a crowd of people surrounding a man acting like his leg was run over by a wheel. A keen eye would see through the simple stage tricks that made it look like he was actually injured.

[Raphael Laurent]

Luca’s words were cutting, though not nearly as much as Raphael felt the man thought he was being. The point, after all, was to inspire action, at least that’s what Raphael thought. After all, they were supposed to be Shinigami. Or had they changed that part of the plan as well? It was a little confusing. Now they were seditionist Shinigami? Sometimes it was hard to keep track of what exactly they were doing. One minute they were normal Shinigami, trying to get back home, the next they were traitors putting on a play that went against the Shinigami values. But, if that helped them further their goals then whatever helped the most.

Jun was quick to say how honored they were, but that they would have to refuse. Raphael nodded at Jun’s logic; they did have a long way to go, after all, and there was only a little bit of daylight left. Raphael glanced back at Kaen, the slightest trace of worry, as if they would be tried for sedition, and quickly glanced away, getting the cart ready once more, packing things up to go. Something in his bones told him that they would have to break away soon, that they’d have to get the hell outta dodge as soon as possible.

“Saito-kun… You don’t have to take all the blame for this on your end…” Then his voice dropped back to a whisper. “Also, of course I recognize him!! I just didn’t want to say anything so blatantly stupid and have them find out that you decided to leave your post!!” Though he looked up at Natsumi’s words he didn’t pay them much mind and merely got changed as she said. He stretched a bit, getting ready to go, as Luca badmouthed Natsumi a bit.

He kept the face paint on for the time being, and caught the bag that she threw to him. They needed to get going, that was quite obvious. Raphael was curious as to what they were going to do to try and help Raphael and Luca escape. The cart had stopped, and suddenly he heard Natsumi tell him and Luca to run. He heard what sounded like Jun’s voice shout about his leg and as he looked back, he saw a crowd near the cart. Jun was a madman, if that Shinigami even looked at him funny…

Raphael didn’t have time to think about it and just ran, following closely behind Luca while dodging in between the crowd, blending and vanishing. The only problem he could think of was their energy because, as they began to move away. They would feel like Shinigami, Shinigami moving through the sea of people, a veritable beacon, but the big question on Raphael’s mind remained: Would the Shinigami go after them? Or would he stay and ponder as to what was going on with the man whose leg was hurt.

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen certainly wasn't going to strongarm these people, and indeed if they'd accepted his offer, he'd have figured something out on the fly. When they refused him, he shrugged. "That's a shame. I know a few people that might have been good partners for you. But I'm not gonna force you. I appreciated the show at any rate. Do you mind at all though if I have a quick chat with two of your actors?" He asked, looking over at Raph and Luca. "I only need to borrow them for a few minutes." He inquired. Both of them had recognized him. He could see it in their eyes that they recognized him. One of them tried to hide it, one of them did not.

Excuses were made though, and Kaen was rebuffed. That was fine. Annoying but fine. Kaen really preferred to handle this himself. Getting other Shinigami involved could be messy, and Kaen would much rather handle this privately, and not make a giant mess of things. A group of Shinigami showing up and forcibly shutting down this charade would only hurt everyone involved. So he let them go about their business, retreating back into the crowd. The Shinigami in the group would recognize he wasn't far though. Even if he tried to suppress his reiatsu, he'd still shine like a beacon to all trying to sense him. However. That applied to the Shinigami as well. They would have a hell of a time hiding themselves from Kaen with reiatsu that high above the average.

He lost sight of them when they entered the caravan, but Kaen followed at a distance. He had a certain level of patience. Not much, granted. Not as much as he should have. But some. He could afford to give them an hour or two. Worst case scenario, he could sprint in, grab them and sprint back out. But if they were at all stronger than he anticipated them being then that could get messy quickly. He couldn't afford to underestimate them and make a scene. So he waited and he watched. The crowds hid him fairly well, but the Shinigami, no doubt, would feel him following them at a consistent distance. Watching and waiting for his opening.

And. There it was. The sudden scream of "My leg!" While Kaen hadn't been able to see the cause of the accident, it sounded like the theater troupe leader's voice. A smirk tugged at the corner of Kaen's lip. That loud? ...It could be legitimate. But my gut tells me that's a diversion if I ever heard one. A diversion for what though? Even though Kaen already knew exactly what it was a diversion for. With a single powerful bound of his legs, Kaen launched himself onto the rooftops and scanned. Down below he could see Jun writhing on the ground, clutching his leg. Kaen's eyes scanned the streets, crowd and alleyways, failing to notice Luca, who possessed an aptitude at stealth that enabled him to slip into the crowd without making much of a disturbance. Raph had a harder time masking his disturbance. Just to be certain though, Kaen looked at Jun who was playing up his injury for all it was worth and making plenty of noise. But a glance told Kaen that it was faked. Not due to his acting though-- his acting may well have fooled Kaen a moment or two longer until he had a better investigation. But rather because the set-up was all wrong. Simply falling off the back of the caravan shouldn't have broken his leg, and he was at the wrong position for the caravan to have run his leg over. Not to mention, Kaen expected that a man in Jun's position wouldn't be nearly so careless. No, he was faking it in an attempt to distract Kaen. Good man. You protect your own huh? Admirable.

"I'll look for a doctor!" Kaen exclaimed from the rooftops, before launching himself across the street in a single bound, landing effortlessly on a rooftop closer to Raphael and Luca. His eyes scanned the streets again. He'd lost track of Luca, and his energy sensory wasn't so good, but it was enough to get an approximate read on the two fugitive's location. He could tell they were close. One of them, it seemed was quite competent at blending in. The other less so. Kaen's gaze swiveled again across the alleys and streets and crowds for signs of the two. He'd figured out major details of their appearances. Their hair color, for example, and he scanned for flashes of that in the crowd. Disturbances to suggest the group trying to run away, or watching for the instant that they broke out of the crowd to try and slip down an alleyway. He'd only lost them for a moment, and he knew they wouldn't be far.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}Skills:

• [Martial Art- Karate] [4]
• [Pain Tolerance] [3]
• [Martial Art-Jiujitsu] [3]
• [Analyzing] [2]
• Hakuda [3]
• Zanjutsu [2]
• Strength of Will [2]
Total: 20


Stats:

[[Strength - 375 Points (750)
Speed - 375 Points (750)
Spiritual Pressure - 200 Points (150)
Reiatsu Strength - 325 Points
Light Aura - 45 Points
Dark Aura - 55 Points
Instinct- 175 Points
Senses- 100 Points
Energy sensory - 50 Points
Healing Expertise - 0 Points
Total: 1600 SP]

[Akira Hinosai]

The crowd grew into a full-blown traffic-stopping mess. Half of the people huddled to see what was going on, the other half was stuck trying to get back to their houses. That suited Luca just fine. The rukongai was far more spread out than Tokyo, but the basic principles of hiding were the same. If he played it smart, he could evade a captain, no problem. It was a calming thought until he looked back to see Raph still following him. Luca's heart nearly stopped. Raph can't hide his aura!!!! OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT!!!!!! Luca had to figure out a solution fast. He wanted to leave Raph. Why should I be penalized for HIS weakness?!?!? I DONT NEED HIM, I WON'T LOSE BECAUSE OF HIM!!!!!!! Luca knew he couldn't leave Raph behind. If he did, Raph would get captured and spill everything. So even if Luca escaped, all his hard work would be wasted. More than that...Luca couldn't leave Raph to be captured and interrogated. Not many people would risk so much to accompany him. They were friends, partners in crime, and even when Luca felt like he was about to die, that meant something.

That left one choice. The backup plan. It would have to be modified, but it might just save the entire expedition. Luca wasn't ready for extraction. Not by a long shot. He tossed Raph the portaling device. In the noise of the crowd, Luca hoped Kaen couldn't hear. "Human world. Lay low, come back later. Don't tell anyone." Luca trusted Raph to understand what he meant. Wait a few hours, maybe sleep on a bed for a change, eat a meal that wasn't cured meat and white rice for once, and come back to find his own way to the seireitei when he was ready. Luca wanted to win, and he was willing to go at it alone if that's what it took.

I gave you a way out, Raph! Come on, you can tell I'm not betraying you, right? Luca knew the crowd, he could tell where it ended, and where it converged into a sub crowd. There was a small building to their right full of people trying to watch what was going on, trying to exit, only to form a messy line leading into the main crowd. In there was probably enough cover for Raph to open the door, go through, and have Kaen never see the bright light. Luca didn't know how much longer Jun could keep the masses enthralled but it couldn't be for too much longer. Luca pointed the building to Raph, and if he didn't go, Luca would use his uncanny ability to disappear to try and lose Raph, leaving him with no options but to let Luca stay and evade the captain. Please Raph, I need this from you like I've never needed anything!

Luca wouldn't look back to see if Raph did or not. He couldn't afford to let emotions compromise his judgment. Not when he was going up against a captain. Luca quickly rebounded, walking further, surveying the limits of the crowd and how he could look like he belonged. He plucked a conical straw hat from an old man he passed only to disappear again. That would certainly make him less recognizable from a distance. The captain may have been looking for him, but he couldn't be everywhere at once. Luca made his move finally to duck into another quaint little building he saw people shuffling back into as the interest in Jun's distraction died down. Poorly lit and full of people, it was perfect. More importantly, though, its entrance was in the direction of the setting sun. That meant behind the building and any in its row would be shielded from the last bit of sunlight. The crowd was dying, but Luca could become one with the darkness like a ninja!

He slithered out the back door to see plenty of shade, a few buildings, and people milling about, some coming from the dispersing crowd. While the buildings might not have been so close together, Luca could see uncut grass and the beginnings of a little forest in the distance. Luca grinned as he stuck to the shadow behind the buildings, crossing under exterior stairways and balconies, through uncut grass and poorly maintained outdoor tables, bags of refuse, and junk neatly piled all until he could reach the tall grass he could disappear in and the tree coverage that might just block out the setting sun, until he reached the next district to pass through. No captain was going to stop him.