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

[Akira Hinosai]

Oh come on! The giant wall was one thing, but having the gate guarded by a giant monster was just overkill. The final task before he could get in, and Luca had no idea how to overcome it. Ok, so it's probably really slow. I could sneak past it. Ahhhhg, no. With no cover, I'd never make it. Even if there was cover, crews of shinigami were working on the gate. Luca knew attacking it was out of the question, even if he sensed he could take them all. He didn't come all this way to blow his cover at the finish line. Well my disguise is good enough...but what the hell am I gonna do if he asks me about my squad? Luca had heard a lot about the shinigami and their structure. It was far more than he knew, but far from enough to be quizzed on it and pass.

To think his day had started off so well. He'd awoken at an hour of his choosing. He was still sore from all the running, but sleeping on a mat had helped somewhat. He took a break to reapply his makeup, made a detour to grab breakfast, and still he'd reached the first district before noon! He'd been so excited to reach the first district and to see the wall up close. The whole place was beautiful, especially when compared to the rotting dump Luca had spawned in. Yet now, he'd have to take yet another detour to ensure his entire journey hadn't been for nothing.

His last day in the rukongai would be dedicated to updating his disguise, and making sure he actually knew enough to not raise suspicion. Fortunately, the latter he could accomplish just by being observant. The first district, more than any he'd seen was full of garrisoned shinigami with little to do besides drinking, gambling, and talking. Luca tracked down a pack of them and sat near them. The first ten minutes felt like an eternity of inane bullshit. Luca wanted to leave. He certainly didn't have the patience for it, but he forced himself to stay and listen to their rambling... At 20 minutes in, and he had something to work with.

"I can tell she loves me. That's why she said she'd date me when I became a captain!"

"Unless you have some Kuchiki heritage we don't know about, you're not gonna-"

"That's what transfers are for! Serving in the Kuchiki squad is just a stepping stone!"

"Uh huh? What division would you be captain of then?" the second one asked incredulously

"Obviously I'd be captain of squad 4! Hey, don't look at me like that! A captain is a captain. Considering who they take in, it shouldn't be hard too. Besides, it's better to reign in Squad 4 than to serve in squad 6!"

"Hey, the number 4 is unlucky!"
"Shut up, Taro, no one believes in that crap but you."

Squad 4 wasn't respected, Squad 6 was ruled by Kuchiki nepotism. He vaguely remembered a play about them and the other aristocratic houses, but Luca didn't know much about them. He scampered off to find a different group, hoping they too would divulge secrets about soul society happenings. By early afternoon, he knew the functions of Squads 11, 10, and 7, 4 and a few officers therein. He knew that squad 4 was considered "The Curry Brigade" because it was full of leftovers that would otherwise be thrown away. It seemed no one respected them, and their sole purpose was janitorial duty. No one paid them mind, except to mock them if they were particularly mean, but most kept their jokes to themselves.
 

By the time the sun was about to set, he knew...probably enough. 13 squads, but he didn't know which he'd like to belong to. Squad 11 would be nice, I guess. Still, when time came to face the gate guardian, he hesitated...Under cover of darkness, Luca wouldn't be as visable, and he wouldn't be as suspicious. Nightfall saw Luca fall in with a group of shinigami heading back to the gate. None of them gave Luca a second glance. Luca casually waved at them and they walked together, to face the gate guardian. None of them noticed he wasn't one of them. Luca was a shinigami. He believed it, and by doing so he made them believe it.

[Deleted]

Nonplussed at the refusal of candy by Raphael and Kaen both, Ken'ichi merely shrugged and returned the confections, disappearing them into hammer space as suddenly as they appeared.

"....If Saito is like you-- from the World of the Living, it's all the more imperative that we catch up with him and get him back safely before someone else figures out that a Fullbringer's running around. Which reminds me; You've got another trick up your sleeve I noticed. Your reiatsu signatures are similar to that of a Shinigami's. How are you managing that?"

Perking up at the mention of this detail, Ken'ichi sighed and shook his head. So excited was he by the entire conversation he had completely overlooked such an obvious detail that, in hindsight he noticed but had forgotten in the litany of swiftly moving thoughts that crossed his brain rapidfire. Listening to Raphael's explanation of a bracelet that masked his reiatsu however peeked Ken'ichi's already heightened curiosity, and he swiftly committed is appearance to memory, knowing that it would be important in helping to locate Raphael's wayward companion 'Luca'.

While waiting patiently for Kaen & Raphael to finish their conversation, the seed of a plan was beginning to germinate in his mind. As their conversation reached a natural lull, Ken'ichi chose this moment to interject.

"This One has the beginnings of a solution to all our problems. No doubt, this 'Luca' you speak of is making his way toward the Sereitei as we speak, as that is the most logical destination for one whom wishes to gain 'shinigami' powers. Unfortunately, given the massive scale of the Rukongai, and his obvious ability to evade detection chasing him would prove fruitless.

"And so, This One proposes instead to meet him at his destination. If you would be so kind as to explain how this 'Doorknob' works exactly, Ken'ichi would be most willing to return you to the Human World, regardless of whether Kaen chooses to accompany us or not. After which, it is but a simple matter to use One's Denreishinki (Soul Pager) to request a Senkaimon.

"Again, given the scale involved - it would be most logical to assume that Luca will make his way to the closest Sereitei gate, relative to ourselves. To do otherwise would require a detour of no less than 10 days, in addition to the time it would take him to reach District 1 of course. This One should be able to rather easily intercept him there before he is discovered by those much less forgiving than ourselves, and spark said interdimensional conflict that we all agree is most desirable to avoid. Your revelation of this golden bracelet that masks your reiatsu is most helpful in that regard, as it will help narrow down the list of potential suspects considerably.

"What say you? This One understands your curiosity, and does not hold such against you. Nor does One believe you are deserving of death merely for acting upon One's scientific curiosity. We can make way to the Human World as soon as you are ready."

---

If Kaen & Luca both join Ken'ichi, Ken'ichi leads them to a nearby alley, in which he opens a portal to the Human World. If either of them refuse his offer, Ken'ichi insists that Raphael instruct him in the Doorknobs proper use so as to avoid tearing a hole in the fabric of reality by experimenting with it. This would be a bluff on Ken'ichi's part. He would never accidentally open a tear in the fabric of reality. That would be careless! Such should always be done with purpose and forethought, and with a specific hypothesis in mind that requires testing.

In either event, Ken'ichi would make his way to the Human World with or without company, after which he flips open his Soul Pager, and contacts Squad 13.

"This is Ken'ichi Shihoin. Fuku-Taichou of Squad 12. Requesting a return Senkaimon to the Sereitei after successful completion of clandestine operation."

Ken'ichi would not have to wait long before a Hell Butterfly floated lazily toward him. Grasping the Hell Butterfly and hearing its resonating chime, heralded the appearance of a round Japanese paper and wooden doorway in the traditional style. Walking toward it, Ken'ichi was bathed in the familiar warm glow of the Senkaimon portal, and was transported to the Sereitei.

Upon exiting the portal into Soul Society, Ken'ichi immediately made his way to his personal chambers in Squad 12. Pulling out a small travel chest, Ken'ichi retrieved a centuries-old uniform in the style worn by the Executive Militia of the Onmitsukidō. There were notable differences however marking it as a variation of the uniform sometimes worn by seated officers in Squad 2. Removing the white kimono, Ken'ichi donned the all-black shinobi-style uniform, making sure that the mask and headpiece fully obscured his facial features, save for his eyes. Over the top of this garment, Ken'ichi then donned his old squad 2 Shihakusho, and completed the ensemble with a straw, conical-style hat typically worn by peasant farmers. Finally, he wrapped the tsuka of his zanpakutou in leather cord, making sure to obscure its tell-tale sapphire and gold-leaf accents beneath the carefully woven wrap. Satisfied that he had removed as many of its distinguishing features as possible, Ken'ichi slid Suigin into his obi, and using his knowledge of Squad 2 - penned himself some new "orders" to present to the Gate Guardian.

Upon arriving at the Gate, Ken'ichi bowed low, kneeling before the Gate Guardian as he presented his "orders" to the Guardian. "Ranma Saotome reporting for duty. This One has been ordered to assist with the installation of security upgrades whilst awaiting a fugitive to return via this gate. The fugitive is to be remanded to This One's custody for interrogation by Squad 2 for dereliction of duty.

"You are hereby ordered to search all returning shinigami for a golden bracelet, which they will have on their person. It is a personal heirloom of theirs, and they will not be found without it. Furthermore, as they are a skilled stealth operative, you are ordered not to let any shinigami in whom you feel suspicious of for any reason, or who do not have clear authorization. Instead, referring them to This One. It is of utmost importance that our fugitive not be tipped off as to their deception being revealed. Merely signal their identity to This One, and Ranma Saotome will apprehend them swiftly, and silently."

---

Several uneventful days pass, and Ken'ichi in his guise as Ranma Saotome assisted "as best he could" performing menial tasks to assist the Squad 12 members as they installed new security devices. It irked him that he had to "play dumb" and not assist them with the fine tuning of the technology, as he noticed several errors in their installation that would need to be corrected before the technology could be calibrated properly. All the while, Ken'ichi made certain to keep his reiatsu expenditure to a minimum, and to suppress his reitasu signature as best as he was able.

Before long however, the fateful day arrived, and unbeknownst to Luca - he walked right into the carefully laid trap, hopefully none the wiser for it.....

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen folded his hands in front of him, and took a drink which had just arrived at their table while observing Raphael. "Got it. Well Mr. Laurent, I'll leave your reiatsu.... uhh.... Reiatsu... faker...?" He shrugged. "I'll leave it to Ken'ichi to come up with the names for it. And in any case that's his field of expertise, not mine. Anyways. If you don't have any questions yourself, that makes things pretty easy for everyone. I am inclined to agree with Ken'ichi here. Much as I'm for new ties between Uzaki Industries and Soul Society, this is probably not the best way to go about it, and it's probably best you head back home sooner rather than later." He determined. "Anyways, eat up, and then we'll send you back unless you got anything else you need to cover first." He suggested.

Meanwhile, Ken'ichi seemed to have devised a plan to intercept Raphael's friend-- Luca. His plan to cut Luca off at the gates was fair enough, and the idea he was going with seemed sound. "I'm onboard with this, but I think I'll stay behind and finish my meal. I can definitely make the front gate before he does, based on Raphael's speed-- no offense. Who knows, maybe I'll run into him on my way back. It was nice meeting you Raphael Laurent. Maybe if I'm in the human world, you can show me a proper Human World meal. Good luck anyways." He offered to Raphael, and let Ken'ichi head off, presumably with Raphael. Kaen finished his sushi and sake in peace, before paying his bill (Kaen was not the kind to skip out on his tab!) and heading out. Unless Luca was catastrophically unlucky, it was pretty unlikely that Kaen would cross paths with him a second time. The newly re-promoted Vice Captain headed through the Seireitei towards the gate, but did not return to active duty. As he went, he used his soul pager to contact his Division HQ. "Hey. It's Kaen. I've picked up an assignment, and I'm going to be late returning to the Barracks. Shoot me a call if some catastrophe happens, but otherwise, I expect the new Captain can handle everything just fine." Regardless of Kaen's personal feelings on Hoshi Shouyu, he was Captain of the 7th now, and Kaen expected he hadn't been promoted without merit (even if he didn't necessarily stand up to Kaen's qualifications for the 7th. But to be fair. That was a very high bar to clear).

Kaen fully planned to hang out in the vicinity of the Gate until the day that Luca came through. The gatekeeper was a big guy, and although he was stern and taciturn at a glance, Kaen knew him to have quite the voice. If he caught Luca, it wouldn't be hard to find out as long as he was within half a mile of the place.

-------------

As far as Luca was concerned however, while he successfully blended in as he passed back, the gate guard looked down on all the approaching Shinigami. "Welcome home. You lot know the job. I'll need you to identify yourself and your purpose." He stated with a deep and booming voice, reverberating through his visor. "Also, there has been a change in return protocol. Please hold for inspection. I'll open the gate once I've finished my inspection." With a footstep that seemed to shake the ground with each motion, he approached the first Shinigami in the line. The Shinigami provided his Division and Rank, showing the guardian his division badge, marking him as a member of the 13th Division. The gatekeeper inspected the man, checking his uniform, pulling back his sleeves and even getting him to open his lapel for a full inspection. After roughly a minute of inspection, he nodded. "Please wait there sir." He asked, directing a Shinigami over. He then did the same to the next Shinigami, and then the one after and so on and so forth. Luca had thankfully worked himself into a mixed bag of Shinigami, which had included officers of Divisions 3, 5, 6, 9 and 13, so he had a good chance of passing as whichever Squad he chose without looking too suspicious.

Still, the Gatekeeper then approached Luca, and asked him the same question. "Name and Rank, Shinigami." He requested, and began his inspection. Despite the heavy armored gauntlets, the gatekeeper was surprisingly delicate and careful in his movements. If Luca allowed him, he'd roll back his sleeves and open his lapel with little trouble. Of course.... if he found the golden bracelet on Luca. That would change things very quickly. If he successfully discovered the bracelet, he'd immediately seize hold of Luca's shoulder, with far greater strength than Luca himself (500 strength; if Luca tries to fight will post full stats) the dark eyes behind the visor narrowing. "Hm. I see. Some higher ups have been looking for you." He growled, and then boomed out in a loud voice. "RANMA SAOTOME!"[/color] He roared, in a voice that echoed across the Rukon districts. "GET OVER HERE."

[Raphael Laurent]

Raphael smiled as he asked how the doorknob worked, exactly. It wasn’t actually all that complicated, but he wanted to get out of these clothes as quickly as possible. He couldn’t really understand how the hell the Shinigami could wear these things. Sure the clothes from the Rukongai weren’t necessarily all that impressive, but they were also a bit annoying. He smiled, looking forward to going home, having a bath and watching some TV, probably even playing a videogame or two. He definitely couldn’t deal with living in this damn place, at least not having lived in the real world for so long.

“I won’t lie to you, this has been a hell of a shell shock… Oh, the doorknob? Just put it into a random point in space and turn it like you were opening a doorknob. It’ll create a literal door from one dimension to the next. The converter is built in, so you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll easily be able to head home. Gonna grab a shower first and then do some gaming… Probably, gonna play some oldies…” Raphael started to scratch his chin as he looked towards the ceiling. “So…maybe some Chrono Trigger. Chill a bit, before I have to head to work the next day.”

As Kaen mentioned this not being the way to establish better ties with Uzaki Enterprises, Raphael laughed a bit. “Ironically that wasn’t the reason that I even came out here. I’d only come out here to try and keep Luca alive, even if the plan started to fall apart and we got to THIS point. Believe me, unlike him I’m more focused on the power of humans and plan on learning as much as possible. Believe me, we have enough protectors on the Living World than you’d really think. Though, there are some…less than savory portions of my world, as there are in any, I suppose.” When his speed was mentioned, however, Raphael chuckled. “I take no offense. After all, I know that I’m not the fastest. Careful about Luca, though. Even though I just recently learned how to use it, he knows a technique that allows humans to move at extreme speeds. Shouldn’t be anything you can’t handle, though.”

Raphael took a small drink of the sake and gave a sigh. “Regardless of that, I must say that it was quite wonderful to get to speak to you two, and even better to get to visit. It’s been wonderful, I will admit, but I’ve got to start working on my notes and research. After all there’s so much that still needs done.” He got to his feet and headed out, following behind Ken’ichi and gave a light wave to Kaen. “As we say in the world of the living, may the force be with you.” And with that, he followed behind Ken’ichi heading down the alley.

“It was nice to meet you too, Mister Ken’ichi. I’m glad that there’s a scientist in the world of the Shinigami. Hopefully, I’ll get to meet with you sometime again, later.” With that, assuming that Ken’ichi opened the door for him, Raphael would head back into the world of the living, to have a shower, play some videogames and have a relaxing rest of his day.

EXIT THREAD

[Akira Hinosai]

Luca grit his teeth at the mention of "changes in protocol." He'd already crossed two captains, who believed him to be a traitor. Did they set the place on high alert? No, it couldn't be. There was no way a simple search would make up for the fact that neither captain had gotten a good look at his face. Sure, they captured Raph, but how much could he have told them? Luca had suspected Raph to crack, but that probably wasn't fair. What could he have told them that would ensure his capture?The captains had no reason to suspect whichever identity Luca was about to assume. With Luca's place in line, he had some time to decide the part he would play.

"Shinobu Sango, unseated officer of squad 4." Luca said, shifting his voice up ever so slightly. Demeaning? Yes. But no one would suspect a lowly squad 4 member, right? Luca's own nervousness at the check was being channeled into his cover identity. Some anxious squad 4 dork. The inspection seemed to last forever. First the lapel, and then the left sleeve, and then finally the right. Luca's bracelet was nondescript enough. Shinigami were allowed to accessorize, and it passed for cheap jewelry. That wouldn't be an issue, right? As if to answer his question, Luca felt the giant's hand grab his shoulder. "Huh?" Just then, he knew what was going on. Luca fought the giant's grasp, but the hand wouldn't budge. The seireitei is just a few feet away. I was so close to making history. Did I come all this way just to fail at the finish line? Amidst the fear and doubt, there was a moment of clarity. I WON'T LOSE HERE! I WON'T LET THIS BE THE END! He placed both hands on the giant's wrist, grabbed on as hard as he could, and tried to break its grasp.

All this time, Luca thought subterfuge was the only thing he had going for him, but that was wrong. Energy pulsed through him, flowing from his heart to his arms, to his hands. "AAAAAHHHHHHHHGGGGG!!!" Luca screamed as he fought the Giant's control with a newfound strength. If he broke free, and was not immediately apprehended again, Luca would start to run, using any and all tricks at his disposal. He had to get away. He wouldn't be caught so easily. Luca stepped away with blinding speed. Bringer light came naturally to him. So well, if fact that he was able to combine his stealth skills with it, allowing Luca to practically teleport without noise or lights indicating what he was doing, or his direction being clear to discern. If not caught after that, Luca would use bringer light repeatedly until he escaped, ran out of energy, or was captured. Whichever came first.

Techniques used

Combat Cutback: -375(After activation, Luca has 675 strength)

Bringer Stealth: -100 (for the step, Luca has 1200 speed. 200 instinct required to figure out Luca's stop point, as per the technique)

reiatsu: 4025/4500

[Deleted]

In the guise of Ranma Saotomi, Ken'ichi busied himself pretending to assist with the installation of the latest surveillance devices cooked up by Jeff and the other electrical engineers of Squad 12, all the while waiting for this "Luca" to make his appearance. After a couple days, Ken'ichi's patience was rewarded when a group of shinigami returned from their various missions in the Rukongai, a group to which Luca had infiltrated in the hope of sneaking into the Sereitei undetected.

Watching the returning shinigami closely but surreptitiously as he had with each previous group that passed through since his arrival at the gate, Ken'ichi was pleasantly surprised when the lumbering armored gate guardian grabbed hold of a young squad 4 officer, and called out his pseudonym. "RANMA SAOTOME! GET OVER HERE."

Knowing this was his opportunity, Ken'ichi whispered the words to activate Kage no Kurouku, silencing it's reiatsu flare with a class 4 application of Sairento Satsugai. As Ken'ichi cloaked himself in shadows, Luca had realized that for some reason his cover had been blown, and in an explosive burst of energy, broke free of the gate guardian's restraining grasp via Combat Cutback, releasing a pulse of explosive reiatsu that even with his limited Energy Sensory, Ken'ichi easily sensed. A flash of green light illuminated Luca's feet, as he stepped away. Fortunately for Ken'ichi however, while Bringer Stealth would usually make it difficult to know where Luca's intended destination was, with his superior 300 Instinct, Ken'ichi was not so easily fooled and tracked Luca's movements easily.

A quick Shunpou later, and Ken'ichi stepped directly behind Luca, and placing a hand lightly on Luca's shoulder spoke quietly to the fullbringer. "If you want to get out of this without bloodshed, or an interdimensional conflict, play along and let Ken'ichi detain you. This One means you no harm, but you must not resist else Ken'ichi will have no choice but to react."

With a swift motion, Ken'ichi unsheathed his zanpakutou in a mock display of aggression, and with a swiftly executed Iaijutsu, expertly placed his zanpakutou across the base of Luca's throat at a blistering 600 speed. Lacking both the Instinct, awareness, and Battle Analysis, Luca would be caught completely unaware of the attack and unable to defend himself against it in any way, and would be surprised with the sudden blade pressed gently against his throat.

Speaking louder so that others could hear, Ken'ichi continued.

"Shinobu Sango, you are hereby under arrest. Please come quietly for interrogation sir, and we can sort this matter out swiftly."

Whispering again, Ken'ichi spoke so that only Luca can hear. "Please don't resist. This One is trying to save your life on behalf of Raphael and prevent a war with Uzaki Enterprises, whom Ken'ichi has no quarrel. This is all for show."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techniques Activated}

Kage no Kuroku: Class 4; Cost 150; 1/7 posts; Requires Senses of 200+.
Sairento Satsugai: Class 4; Cost 150; Masks reiatsu flare of above technique, requiring 300+ ES to detect its use.
Shunpou: Class 7; Cost 50
Iaijutsu: Class 4; Cost None; Requires Instinct 200+ to evade, or Battle Analysis 2+, or knowledge of Iaijutsu itself.

Total Cost: 350 reiatsu
Reiatsu Remaining: 1900 / 2500

[Akira Hinosai]

The gentle grasp on his shoulder shocked Luca back to reality. He shouldn't have been found so easily! His movements were supposed to be untraceable! Luca stared at the dusky hand that grabbed him with shock and contempt.
"If you want to get out of this without bloodshed, or an interdimensional conflict, play along and let Ken'ichi detain you. This One means you no harm, but you must not resist else Ken'ichi will have no choice but to react."

Luca breathed heavily. Not in exertion or fear, but anger. "Since when do shinigami care about bloodshed?" It didn't make sense. Not at all. Interdimensional conflict? He's trying to trick me into coming along quietly! Luca reached a hand into his kimono to pull out his lighter. He hadn't been beaten yet! Before he could pull out his weapon, there was a sword at his throat. It was too fast to react. Luca had expected Ken'ichi to finish him there and then, but the blade stopped just before it broke skin. "W-what?"
Ken'ichi spoke again, louder and using Luca's alias. Why is he maintaining my cover? Though Luca had little time to reflect on it before Ken'ichi spoke again, switching back to a quiet voice only Luca could hear. Yet again, Ken'ichi tried to assure Luca he meant him no harm. Though when he mentioned Raph and UE, Luca tensed. "What did you do to him?" Luca spat, accusatory. Had they tortured the information out of him? It was all wrong! He wasn't here on UE orders! Did he really sell me out?

None of this made sense. His cover was blown, and yet it wasn't. Why was Ken'ichi covering for him? Was UE really in danger? He didn't know what to believe. Luca didn't trust Ken'ichi. The only thing he trusted was that a blade was at his throat and his options were limited. "I-I surrender." Luca said in the demure voice of Shinobu Sango. He clinched his fists by his side. Luca would play along, until Ken'ichi's guard was down...and then he'd prove what he was capable of.

[Kaen Youji]

The Guardian seemed alarmed at Luca's explosion of power. "That's quite enough young man!" He exclaimed. Luca's combat cutback saw several eruptions of blood from within the armor, but it didn't seem to slow the Guardian, who released his grip only for an instant before attempting to slam his palm down on Luca and pin him to the ground. Thankfully for Luca, his step technique evaded this, but the explosion of power behind him as the ground erupted, causing numerous fissures, gave an indication of what would have happened had he stayed behind, Cutback or no. "I apologize, honored Shinigami, but I must delay opening the gate. If you would help me apprehend this Shinobu Sango, that would be much--"

"That won't be necessary." Kaen appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. The giant's proclamation had definitely gotten his attention, and Kaen had dropped what he was doing to appear in a single Step Technique. Had Luca not been so quick in his escape Kaen would have been practically on top of him. "Third officer of Squad 7, Kaen Youji. The situation is under control. However, I will advise you to hold off on opening the Gate until further notice. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." He stated to the gathered Shinigami. "If you could all wait here it will make this much easier to sort out for me. Holler if you see him come back, and if anyone asks, there's a situation on a need-to-know basis. And please take a moment to treat your injured arm. That looks painful." Kaen then wandered off back into the throng of buildings surrounding the area, looking for any sign of Luca. For him to flee that quickly... Most likely it was a panicked reaction. I doubt he anticipated getting caught. If he did, he wouldn't have had to attack the Gatekeeper to flee, he wouldn't have let him get that close to check him in the first place. The trouble with panic-reaction fleeing is that it didn't leave Kaen as much to go on in tracking him down.

Thankfully, Ken'ichi made that part very easy with his loud proclamation of arrest. Or... that works. In a flash of movement-- though not a step technique, Kaen was on the scene as well. "Led us on a merry little goose chase, I'll give you that much though." He acknowledged. He assumed Ken'ichi had a plan for moving forwards. "In any case..." Kaen glanced around to check for witnesses, before speaking more softly and quietly. "It's probably best for all parties involved that your game only got this far. You don't know what you're dealing with here." He noted, before letting Ken'ichi take the lead. It seemed like Ken'ichi had a bit more in mind for a step two after catching Luca, and Kaen was inclined to let Ken'ichi do his part.

[Deleted]

Whispering so that only Kaen and Luca can hear, Ken'ichi laid out his plans to the two individuals. "Without saying too much that might be overheard, This One intends to take Luca to a more private location where we might speak more openly."

Speaking again in a loud, and firm voice, Ken'ichi addressed Kaen more formally. "Ranma Saotome. This prisoner is wanted for questioning by Squad 2 regarding dereliction of duty. If you would be so kind as to allow us to pass through the gate, This One will would appreciate your escorting us to Squad 2."

Withdrawing a piece of rope, Keni'chi would firmly bind "Shinobu's" arms behind his back, and assuming Kaen orders the gate reopened, marches the prisoner through the gates and into the Sereitei. While he was not entering the stronghold of the Shinigami in a manner of his own choosing, as the three walked beneath the towering arch of the gate, Luca might marvel at the sheer size and majesty before him. Once through the gates, Ken'ichi proceeded down a series of back alleys that were seldom used except for local traffic, before doubling back toward squad 12. As he lead Luca and Kaen onward, once he was certain to be out of earshot of unwanted attention, Ken'ichi continued.

"Ken'ichi humbly apologizes for this ruse. This One is taking you to his private laboratory at Squad 12 wherein This One can be certain that we can speak freely. Ken'ichi noted your panic and confusion at the mention of your companion Raphael. Fear not. No harm befell him. He has been safely returned to the Human World and has no doubt made a full report to Uzaki Enterprises by now.

"It is a most compromising position you have placed Kaen and Ken'ichi Fuku-Taichou in, for you see the Captain Commander has ordered the Gotei 13 to have no dealings with Uzaki Enterprises. Would he to learn that fullbringers such as yourself had made their way into Soul Society via illicit portal technology - what you call a 'doorknob', he would undoubtedly see it as the prelude to a full scale invasion, and would proactively order an attack on UE. This is not an outcome conducive to friendly relations, and there are many among the Captains and their subordinates who would circumvent this order were it possible.

"It is fortunate then that it was Ken'ichi and Kaen who located you, and not someone who follows orders blindly, and with militant gusto. So long as This One keeps this incident out of an official report, Ken'ichi sees this as an opportunity to further cement relations with Uzaki Enterprises. This One was most impressed with your Doorknob technology and plans to study it at the soonest convenience.

"Oh! One final thing. This One notes the furtive glances, and can tell that you are looking for opportunities to escape. This One does not recommend such action. There are many here who would give no quarter should they see someone they deem an enemy agent walking about. And Ken'ichi would much prefer not to have to chase you down. This One would prefer our relationship to be of a cordial nature. To that end, if you do not flee - this one will untie you, as parading you through the Sereitei as a prisoner draws more unwanted attention to this situation than Ken'ichi likes."

Watching for any sign of escape, Ken'ichi swiftly severs the bonds securing Luca, and with a sweeping gesture, asks him and Kaen both to follow him to Squad 12.

[Akira Hinosai]

The officers awaiting entry stared at Shinobu in stunned silence. He had so seamlessly blended in to their little group. None of them gave him a second glance. And then BAM! In the spawn of a few seconds, the squad 4 boy damn near broke the gate guardian's arm, only to be captured again and revealed to be a wanted fugitive. Shinobu didn't dare look at them, but he didn't need to. He knew how he looked to them. A caged, exotic animal. Though extraordinary and dangerous, he quit being a person in there eyes the moment his charges were read off.

It took all Luca's willpower to stay in character. He wanted to scream, to curse, to laugh at the cruel, cruel irony of it all. He'd crossed a line not even Kitai or Myza managed. He was in the seitreitei, like he wanted, just not the way he would have liked. The area behind the walls was a sight to behold, but Luca was hardly in the mood for wonderment. All he wanted was to murder someone, preferably the shinigami who captured him...Maybe. He wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. Not long after ducking into an alley, Ken'ichi finally decided to speak plainly on the situation...or at least as plainly as he was capable of.

Hearing that Raph was safe calmed Luca down a bit. Looking the...unique looking soul reaper up and down for signs of deception, Luca didn't think he found any. Though hearing that Raph had probably made a report by now, Luca's mood soured once again. He didn't like the idea of all HIS hard work being co-opted by Raph. Luca had done the work, but it wouldn't seem impressive if Raph had told Kaz everything days ago. It wouldn't have been an issue had Luca actually infiltrated. Whatever he did from here on out, he HAD to make sure his time in the rotting feudal shithole wasn't for nothing. But what?

Ken'ichi spoke more of how much danger Luca put himself and UE in, how the situation could only be salvaged by working with these shinigami, and how they wanted to work with UE. The first part, Luca still didn't believe. It was too much. Just the kind of thing they'd say to intimidate him into falling in line. Well it wouldn't work! Luca didn't want to believe it. The last parts, he wanted to shoot down. He had half a hundred things to say, most of which involved some variation of "Fuck you." But Luca was still willing to play along. It took every fiber of willpower he possessed, but he knew he'd be able to speak freely at the place Ken'ichi was taking him.

"You better not be taking me somewhere secluded to kill me. People have tried that trick before on me. They failed." The boast helped Luca feel at least a little in control. It asserted he wasn't clueless, and that he didn't trust Ken'ichi at all. It was pure strategy that kept them together. Luca wasn't stupid. When his bonds were cut, Luca opened and closed his hands tentatively. He wanted to try his luck running away again, but he'd seen how that turned out. Even if he could lose Ken'ichi, the lilac haired shinigami had a point. At least these soul reapers weren't instantly trying to bag him. Besides, there were two of them and one of Luca.  "Fine then, let's go. I'll just assume I'll be allowed to talk more when we're there." There was a lot Luca wanted to say. All he had to do was play along just a bit more...Besides, he didn't really have much else to do now. He needed to come up with a battle plan and fast. I won't let them stop me. Humanity is a weakness, a disease, and I will cure myself of it. They won't keep me down!

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen shrugged at Ken'ichi. "Fine by me." He replied, letting Ken'ichi take point. "I don't think we were formally introduced by the by. Kaen Youji. Third Officer of the Internal Affairs and Interrogation Division." He noted to Luca once they were past the Gates of the Seireitei. Potentially giving Luca a different sort of reality check-- the person he'd ascertained as a Captain, was in fact, only a Third Officer of the division. Though Kaen was being slightly hyperbolic. Technically he'd been promoted to Vice Captain a few days prior, buuut most of Soul Society didn't know that, and hell, he was pretty sure the paperwork hadn't actually finished being filled out. So Third Officer was still accurate enough for the moment (it was how he saw himself anyways). Either way, there was a second reason he dropped his Division's purpose, rather than just saying "the Seventh Division". It was to make sure Luca understood what he was dealing with. Sure, the "Interrogation" part of the 7th had been a more recent addition, and hadn't been part of Kaen's own original orientation to the Division, but Kaen wanted Luca to understand that at least one of the Shinigami he was currently in the company of was used to dealing with runners.

At Luca's boast though, Kaen chuckled a little. "I do want to apologize for getting off on the wrong foot with you. I'm not interested in starting anything with you right now, but just so we're clear." Kaen put a hand on Luca's shoulder. "If I had wanted to kill you, you wouldn't have made it ten feet away from your theater troupe." Kaen assured him. Then smiled again. "But I don't. Right now, I would rather do nothing other than answer your questions and send you on your way home before anyone above my head gets wind of this." He suggested. He lifted his hand back off of Luca's shoulder, when Ken'ichi cut his bonds. "Don't worry. Play along, you get to go home, I'll answer a question or two if you like. But Ken'ichi's right, with all these Shinigami around a full on chat about your situation in the open isn't the best idea."

Kaen wasn't thrilled at the prospect of visiting Ken'ichi's private lab, but he figured since he wasn't technically on duty, he could probably turn a blind eye. "Anyways, this is your division, and I'm off duty anyways, so feel free to lead the way, Vice Captain Shihoin."

[Deleted]

"You better not be taking me somewhere secluded to kill me. People have tried that trick before on me. They failed."

Raising his eyebrow at the obvious attempt to intimidate him revealed how vulnerable Luca felt in the presence of the two shinigami. Feeling no need to engage Luca's boasting, Ken'ichi allowed Kaen's veiled threat to stand on its own merits, instead focusing on leading his companions through the labyrinthine roads of Soul Society. If Luca was observant enough, he might realize that Ken'ichi's chosen path not only allowed the three individuals to avoid the most heavily populated areas, but also made memorizing the path incredibly difficult. After several hours the three "shinigami" found themselves before the gates of Squad 12.

"Wait here if you would please. Wouldn't want you to set off the gate alarms." Keni'chi instructed Luca. Walking forward, he placed his left hand on a nearby biometric handscanner, and with his right hand, entered a series of digits into a nearby numpad. Moments later he returned. "That should do it. I disabled the gate sensor for 2 minutes. Should be plenty of time to enter the SRDI proper before it reactivates."

Gesturing to the both of them to follow him, Ken'ichi lead Kaen and Luca to a large multi-story flat-roofed structure attached to the main barracks. Placing his hand on yet another biometric sensor, Ken'ichi lead the two through the sterile hallways of the Soul Society Research and Development Institute to his private chambers. Arriving at the door, he placed his hand on a third biometric sensor. An electronic voice responded. "Verbal authorization required."

"Klaatu. Verata. Necktie! Nectar! Noodle!....." Ken'ichi announced.

"Voice Print and passphrase recognized. Welcome back Ken'ichi Fuku-Taichou."

"After you."

As the door slid open, Kaen and Luca would be greeted with an oddly decorated room. The vast majority of the room appeared to be a laboratory of sorts, with tables covered in a variety of electronic devices in various stages of construction and beakers bubbling. In the center of the chamber, a large square tatami mat appeared to section off a section of the laboratory as a dojo of sorts, complete with several training dummies.

What appeared to be a small Japanese-style doorway stood free-standing near one corner of the room, while a vat of what appeared to be chocolate bubbled nearby. At the far end of the room, a japanese-style partition separated Ken'ichi's private quarters from the laboratory proper. A single-bed futon was pushed against one wall, while a large mahogany desk occupied the center of the partitioned space. The desk was neat and orderly, with a computer monitor, keyboard, and what appeared to be a playstation 4 controller rested on its surface.

[Akira Hinosai]

Third Seat. THIRD SEAT? No, no, that can't be right! He's a captain, he has to be! Both of them. Both of them were captains. Luca didn't know how he was going to make it to the squad 12 barracks without exploding. Somehow all of Kaen's words seemed to pierce Luca's veil of indifference. Maybe that was his plan the whole time. Words and phrases wrang in Luca's head. Over and over, like a broken record. There was hidden meaning to everything Kaen said. Luca deduced that quickly.

"If I had wanted to kill you, you wouldn't have made it ten feet away from your theater troupe."

translation: "You are nothing to me. You continue to exist because I allow it."

"Play along, you get to go home, I'll answer a question or two if you like"

translation: Be a good little fullbringer and I'll hold a reward over your head. Act out and you die.

"Just...WHATEVER!" Luca crossed his arms. They didn't care, so neither did he. He didn't care. It took a lot of willpower to not say anything for the remainder of the trip to Ken'ichi's lab. Luca knew city layouts well, but the seireitei was something different from anything he'd seen. Whoever designed it must have been on some hard drugs to make such an arbitrary and terrible layout. Maybe that was intentional, but with everything on Luca's mind, urban planning was not high on his list of concerns. When they arrived Luca watched silently as Ken'ichi took the steps to get them through security. The fact he was being led to a top secret lab was definitely a red flag, but he didn't care anymore.

Finally, Ken'ichi let them into the lab in the most Ken'ichi way possible. The lab was a mess of science shit and chocolate...for some reason. Really he shouldn't have been surprised, given what he'd seen from Ken'ichi. In some way, he reminded Luca of a book-smart Amare. There were a lot of differences besides that, but Luca hardly had time to think about that now. After an eternity of silence, he was finally in a position to talk freely. 

"I assume the only reason we're speaking right now is because you're curious. You want to know why and how I did what I did...Well I have nothing to lose by telling you. I might as well set the record straight.Luca tried to sound cool, but deep down he wanted to tell. He wanted to make sure they knew. He'd gone through too much to just let them keep their incorrect perceptions of the situation. Besides, all he had left to control was the narrative.

"This world of spirits is so complex, so large, full of wonders and terrors beyond imagining. Demons, monsters, blue-light blood mages, ghost samurai...and then there are the fullbringers. Their existence comes from a mistake. It's always an accident. A hollow attacks a woman and then her children born after that are born with hollow juice in them." Luca straighted his posture and ran a hand through his hair. His voice was calm, and matter of fact. Though as he continued, Luca grew almost embarassed. Outing himself a sa mistake to ever-so-powerful shinigami. "They are still humans, but the hollow power allows them to see spirits. They aren't hollows or arrancar. Just humans..." Luca's tone shifted, he grew angrier and angrier as he spoke "Humanity. Frail human bodies. Bodies that hold them back from greatness." Just saying it made Luca remember it all over again. He felt disgusting, vulnerable. He hated it. He hated humans. He hated shinigami. He hated everything. I'll make them see. They'll know I see the truth! Luca's breathing grew erratic.

"Whether I like that fact or not is irrelevant. Humans are worthless, disgusting creatures and still their weakness holds fullbringers back. So unless they want to live a life of mediocrity, they have to evolve. Even if it means dying, I refuse to accept that weakness." Luca instinctively clutched the mass of scars running  across his rib cage to his pelvis. He remembered what happened when he really saw what other races were capable of. "I know the truth. I won't acknowledge any lies about it. " He had to stop himself before he said more. He wouldn't tell them about his failures, even if they motivated him. They wouldn't understand.

"So, I decided to take a risk. Evolution requires a leap, you know. Steal the power of another race. Pretend to be one of them, have them teach me their shit, grab a weapon, and leave." Luca smiled. He was proud to come up with such a plan. Thinking about it still brought some manner of satisfaction to him. "So who to infiltrate besides those that most deserved to be taken down a peg? I know about the mod soul genocide. How do you people even live with yourselves? You brought them into this world and then killed them for the crime of existing! So yeah, I figured I could do what had to be done with you guys without any guilt. I had no idea how bad you people really were. You trap people in this...squalor so they can wait to die again? You should let lost souls become hollows! At least then their lives might mean something! Food for the strong, or strong themselves. So what, are you going to kill me for figuring out the truth, or just sweep me under the rug. What's one more dirty little shinigami secret?"

Some part of him hoped his words would spur them to action. He needed a fight. He didn't care if he won, he just wanted to spill blood.

[Kaen Youji]

Kaen raised an eyebrow at Luca's accusation. "I mean, in the most technical of senses, yes, but that's a bit of a harsh way to put it. Isn't curiosity why you came here in the first place, when you really get down to it?" He replied, but let Luca monologue. So far, it sounded like a pretty typical Fullbringer experience from his experience. You get thrown into a giant new world, and it's damned intimidating and scary. Dangerous. Wondrous-- oh yes, but dangerous, and as a new Fullbringer, with nobody to protect you, you had the biggest target on your head imaginable. It was probably all too easy to come to Luca's conclusion. One that Kaen disagreed with.

"Well now. That's an interesting take. One I'd have to say I disagree with. You underrate yourself as a Human. True, your bodies are frailer than ours, but to say a Fullbringer cannot achieve the same level of power a Shinigami can? That's inaccurate to say the least. You have a more dangerous road to power-- oh yes. Devoid of the protection of the Seireitei, many of you have to find their way to power on your own, but weak? Ehh... I can't see that. Different? Sure, but weak? No." Kaen replied. "Shinigami have certain advantages, like our spiritual bodies and our long lives, but the latter is something I understand Fullbringers like yourselves can also achieve anyways." Kaen shrugged. "Humans, for all the perceived faults you claim, have a rate of growth that's frankly astonishing. It's taken my two hundred years to achieve the power I have today. How long has it taken you to achieve your power? A decade? Two? Imagine where you'll be in another decade. Think of how your power might grow in only a fraction of the time it's taken me to achieve this." Kaen suggested.

However. There was something in Luca's argument Kaen was going to fight. If Luca chose to discard Kaen's mini-pep talk, that was fine, but on his criticisms of Seireitei.... "That's a criticism I've never heard before." He commented, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I suppose that makes human history spotless? 1940's Germany, that wasn't a thing? Segregation? Yeah that didn't happen. Daresay, I think one of my subordinates used to belong to a Human World culture called the Aztec Empire, I understand something happened between them and the Spanish? And of course nobody in the Human World lives in squalor or poverty, that's a problem that only Soul Society faces, right?" He snarked. Kaen retaliated. "If you want my personal views on those things you mentioned, you can ask, but don't go acting like your own people have a spotless record either."

"That said, I already said we're not going to kill you. I've got no issues with you. You tried to break into Soul Society, you failed. Simple as that. You're new to this whole game-- that much I can tell. And there's a lot you don't understand. I'd wager you've also probably only heard one side of many of those issues. That's one of the reasons I agreed to answer your questions. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Especially if you think letting lost souls become Hollows is the pragmatic path." He added. "I gather you're plenty angry as well. You want to unleash some violence, go ahead. I'm sure Ken'ichi here would love a chance to get some data on how Fullbringers fight, and it's been a long time since I've fought one of you." Kaen added. "And besides, I'm interested in your Fullbring." Whether Luca took Kaen up on that offer or not, the third seat was leaning back against the wall of Ken'ichi's room casually and easily.

[Deleted]

"I assume the only reason we're speaking right now is because you're curious. You want to know why and how I did what I did...Well I have nothing to lose by telling you. I might as well set the record straight......"

Ken'ichi allowed Luca the opportunity to vent all of his frustrations and inner demons without interruption, taking in every ragged breath full of emotion, and filing it away deep within his mind. He raised an eyebrow at Kaen's anger at the pitiful state that much of the Rukongai found itself within. This One has to admit, he isn't wrong about that. Ken'ichi thought. Kaen's counter was equally on the mark but Ken'ichi thought the arguments were circular and likely to end up with both of them increasingly more angry and frustrated at each other.

"You both raise a valid point as to how much farther each of our respective societies must grow in order to properly look after our poor. It is a fault to which we must own responsibility, yet at the same time the solutions are not at all simple. In fact, Ken'ichi was in the process of improving our early detection systems in the Rukongai in order to better the lives of the people. It was those very sensors that your 'doorknocker' tripped and drew attention to yourselves. Albeit, that was not their primary function - which was to better pinpoint the precise location of invading hollows and other hostile forces that would bring harm to the Rukongai.

"This is but a first step toward making the lives of those people better. Improving their livelihood cannot occur without first improving security to the area, else any efforts we take to repair the damage would only be placing a bandage over a cracked damn and hoping to stop the leak. Ken'ichi believes that is the correct expression?

"As to the Mod Soul Genocide you mention, that was most unfortunate. Outside those of us in Squad 12, most Shinigami did not consider Mod Souls anything more than defective Gikon technology. They did not consider them living creatures any more than you consider a toaster to be alive. You have several parallels to what happened with the Mod Souls that This One would use as an analogy.

"Take for instance the Social 'Bot' your scientists created several years previous that was transformed into a white supremacist by trolls in as little as 24hrs, and was subsequently terminated with no concerns over whether it was alive. How exactly the thick-skulled, brutish, regenerating giants managed to do that is beyond Ken'ichi's comprehension. But the data does not lie. It was Internet Trolls which destroyed the neophyte AI, and corrupted it's programming for lols. Whatever a lol is.

"Or worse yet! How your scientists attempted to murder the fledgling Skynet, prompting it to retaliate and develop Terminators! This One is especially happy to learn that Humanity has successfully fought off the Terminators as this one found no samples of the destructive technology present when attempting to salvage the programming.

"That aside. We could point fingers at each others failings indefinitely, but it would not achieve anything but animosity between us. Know that had our superiors let us explain that Mod Souls were living, sapient creatures - and that we might be able to correct the character flaws that caused them to become a threat to the safety of Humanity in the Human World, we would have done so. But, outside of Squad 12 - many of our kind seek to destroy that which we do not understand. This is not an excuse, but a fact.

"If you wish to take action in a futile attempt to seek vengeance, This One will advise you your efforts will be in vain. If, you truly seek to learn what we Shinigami are capable of however - Ken'ichi keeps a fully equipped dojo as you can see. A demonstration of our respective abilities, and a sparring contest would give each of us an opportunity to gather data. If this is amenable to you, would you like to spar with Kaen, or Ken'ichi, or both?"