Dark Under Brightest Nights

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kabukichō, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, Japan. The land of the rising sun's very own "Town that Never Sleeps". An entertainment and red-light district, it is what one would call to be the atypical spot for visitors and tourists alike. Its attractions are pretty and plentiful, ranging from your usual shops and restaurants down to the more audacious hostess clubs and love hotels, and they are also very populated, capable of gathering several customers every day and every night. Its existence inspired many local artists and musicians, and led many to live an exciting nightlife within Tokyo. However, up until what could only be considered to be very recently, it has also allowed many to strive through malignant and nefarious means, be they simple or more complex. Such is both the benediction and the curse of red-light districts aboard, products of pleasure and sin unabashed by law and order until the latter decided to personally involve themselves in their activity.

Kimiko, at the time when she was still Human, was never really interested in visiting this particular part of the Japanese metropolis unlike some of the other wards that she found to be more interesting during her young adult years. To put it bluntly, she always thought of it as a den of crime and unpredictability, in no small part because of the stigma which seemed to surround it. Every time she heard about it in the news or in her conversations with her mother, it was always something bad somewhat related to the law. Companies getting caught for using Bottakuri tactics to swindle the few Americans which visited the area, shady stores closing shop for hiring thugs to extort their customers in one way or another, members of the yakuza getting their hands involved in serious crimes in the district, and the list goes on. Even with the constant involvement of the police and the many applications of the law that have been made solely to establish a anti-crime task force within the area, it never seemed to totally worked. There were always cracks, always errors in the system. As such, she never bothered to visit the area and so merely stuck to the Akihabara that she knew best.

Today is be the first time that she would finally visit Kabukichō, five years after she was forcibly ripped away from the Living World and brought into Soul Society. Jin was the one who sent her there on behalf of Gotei 13's Eleventh Division, as he felt it wiser to send someone over to complete the mission who were at least powerful enough to have achieved Shikai with their Zanpakuto. In all sense of the word, it was merely supposed to be yet another standard hunting for a particular Hollow creature within the streets of Tokyo. The Hollow in question, a beast simply coined "Walker", was feeding on the Pluses of Kabukichō an hour or two after midnight passed, when the streets are at their brightest, but also their quietest. It possessed an ability which seemed elusive enough to leave the Ninth Division slightly confused, and so it was deemed dangerous enough to not bother sending the typical officers that would dwell within the Eleventh Division. "You're one of our stronger officers around. I'm sure you can kick its ass without too much trouble," he told her then when they spoke of it.

He was not wrong in saying that. Ever since Kimiko was able to find out Shizukakane's name, she felt as though her strength has grown exponentially. She hasn't physically grown stronger per say, but rather technically stronger. During the last few months which followed her learning of his name, she followed his teachings and learned how to use the "white ink" generated by his blade fairly well. The sheer amount of things she can do with this substance is simply remarkable, something that she would have never once thought herself to ever have within her possession. A few of these applications of the ink were not very pleasant to find out about, seeing as she first had to spar a few times with the spirit to heal the wounds acquired thereafter, but they nevertheless opened the Shinigami's mind in many ways than she cared to admit. It was a refreshing step forward onto her path as a warrior, something that - although predictable - is ultimately very satisfying.

And now, she could test these abilities in true battle once again. Most of the Hollows she was sent to kill either on patrol or on particular hunting missions were fresh and new. Her Shikai made those within the Eleventh Division wishful to first see her performance outside of Karakura Town, see her deal with the threats there in order to fully confirm the efficiency of her power. There were many she fought recently, all of which were stronger than the typical beastling found so often in that quiet little town of Western Tokyo. They all possessed abilities of their own, mutations acquired during their evolution that tested her limits in one way or another. Acid generation, enlarging jaw, scream waves, all abilities so much more interesting to face than a simple pair of claws and teeth. It made the Shinigami thirst become excited at the prospect of further battle, pushed to become faster and stronger still to defeat the monsters she was was tasked to kill.

It was with that notion that she stepped into the Senkaimon and crossed its gates into the night skies of Tokyo. She walked forward with an affirmed step, the step of a now-seated officer no longer a simple rookie, with Shizukakane's bright handle shining against the moonlight above. Her Shihakushō was now sleeveless, enough so for her shoulders to be shown, and her robes seemed light overall, as though she deliberately changed them to make sure her speed would not be encumbered by them. The chest area was slightly more open to reveal the top of the white shirt below, and a pair of more traditional geta sandals now were fitted to her feet. It has only been five years since she has set herself to become a Shinigami, and yet here she stood as a maturer version of herself. Only her appearance hasn't changed, still making her appear as the very same twenty-year old that died on that faithful day in Akihabara.

"Alright..." her voice quietly resonated in the air as she stood above the blinding streets of Kabukichō. "... where should I start?" Down there, it seemed like it was still daytime, and it was not just because of the lights. Many people scattered about the many twists and turns offered to them by the urban jungle. It did not even seem as though anyone cared that it was past midnight, so much so that it surprised the Shinigami a little bit. Her job and nature as a Shinigami prevented her from interacting with anything below, but a part of herself somewhat almost compelled her to do so, just like back then when she visited Akihabara for the very first time in her life. Maybe later, once she gets a vacation and access to a gigai, she could come here and indulge herself... Yes, maybe later. She could even perhaps invite the others at Eleventh Division. Charles and Binita would like it, at least. It has not even been a minute since she arrived and she was already attracted to the town which she was once believed to be best avoided. How ironic.

With a light grunt, she let herself descend down onto a rooftop, then started looking for Walker. If everything goes as planned, she should be able to eventually find traces of its passage around the place. There weren't as many souls around here, of course, since this was not Karakura Town, but it was doubtful there wouldn't be any either. Traces of blood are of course the very first thing to look out for, followed by scratch marks and then elements of destruction like broken glass and vandalized stands. Ambulances may lead to Humans injured by Hollows, but they are less reliable in an area like this where crime is more notable. As these elements danced in her head, Kimiko thus searched, pushing her body from rooftop to rooftop, street light to street light, avoiding any potential Human contact in the meantime.

[Ailene Haschiro]

Displays of red, purple, orange and green streaked across the night skies. The howl of the rockets able to be heard hundreds of feet away. Ascending to their peak in a manner of seconds before the detonation occurred. Shapes of varying colors danced along the sky to contrast its darkness. The noise of the rockets able to be heard miles away. Boom! Plenty of cheers and awe was present among the inhabitants of Kabukichō. At least those that weren't on their way preplanned affairs admired the fireworks. The reason for them was unclear, but they were pretty and to some that was all that mattered. Meanwhile on the rooftops, a familiar figure sat, drenched in shadow as she enjoyed the radiant display.

Sitting upon the edge of the tiled rooftops, Ailene dangled her legs and kicked them a little. The robe she wore, the white robes of an Espada, along with her headband-like bony prominence being illuminated by the lights dancing across the darkened sky. Next to her were a number of items. A box of Toffifee, a popular german caramel candy, that Ailene had purchased from a store in Germany; a porcelain tea set which she was dying to use and finally her Zanpakutou. Her blade rested peacefully against her thigh. Unlike most who knew how to effectively use their spiritual weapon to devastating effect, Ailene had only centuries of improvisation to draw upon. 

Carrying around her Zanpakutou was really more for show at this point. Using Resurrecciòn would cause it to fade away anyway. That was neither here or now though. Currently she simply wished to peer at the dancing lights and relax. Grabbing another piece of candy, she popped it into her mouth. Chewing silently, she closed her eyes and was simply enjoying the german treat. In her time as a human, she would have never expected Germany to fashion candies like this. Not that she was complaining. Just impressed is all. The Espada simply leaned back as she sighed peacefully. Her legs gently tapped the horizontal edge of the roof, clicking against the tiles. 

The Espada eyed her Zanpakutou as she sighed. She slowly ran her hand across the gleaming edge of the blade. The Hierro screeched against the edge of the blade as she bit her lip. This stood as a grim reminder of something she envied about Shinigami. The nature of their Zanpakutou. A sentient weapon. A piece of their soul imprinted upon the blade to create a lifelong companion to offer guidance and typically support. Arrancar were different in this regard. Their weapon was not traditionally sentient. It was merely power that warped their bodies and allowed them to attain abilities that they once utilized as a Hollow. She kept gliding her hand along the edge. 

Her eyes focused upon her Zanpakutou as she muttered to herself. "Well..I suppose I am about to look like an idiot for doing this, but let's give it another shot.." Ailene gently grasped her blade. Placing the pommel into her lap as she held the blade close to her. Closing her eyes, she attempted to tune out all distraction. Her focused mind allowed her to do so quite easily as the air around her stood still. The sounds of fireworks muted and the colors disappearing from the world. What was left was only darkness as she focused upon her blade. She bit her lip for a moment as she proceeded to speak. "If there is even a shred of a consciousness within this blade...please reveal yourself..." 

The Espada allowed her reiatsu to exude from herself and the blade. She was not using her Resurrecciòn, but she needed to allow a little power to flow out. It began to seep into the air as atmosphere around her became filled with Hollow reiatsu. She knew of the Shinigami method of communing with their Zanpakutou spirit albeit vaguely. Being an absolute research freak and having been around for several centuries certainly had its perks. She knew that Jinzen was the primary method of communication between with a Shinigami and their Zanpakutou, but she did not know any of the mysteries. It was this lac of knowledge that she felt would fail her.

The Espada paused as she awaited a sign. Any display of consciousness. First one second passed. Then ten. Finally a minute. She grunted, annoyed. She would not give up so easily. She began to release more reiatsu. Soon the air would become dense with Hollow reiatsu. This was dangerous. Ailene knew this, but she needed to try anyway. It plagued her to know that she was incapable of having a partner like that of a Shinigami. That she was cursed to a life that was by design lonely. Even as she exuded more reiatsu, she was faced with disappointment. Her Zanpakutou would not budge. No noise. No voice. Nothing to display any sign of sentience. 

She was now visibly annoyed. A frown formed on her lips as she leaned her head against the blade. With a tone indicating anger, she began to blurt out. "Why must you remain silent!? Why must I be cursed to this life of hatred?! What did I do to deserve this?..." Her voice began to quiet down at the end as she bit her lip. She had simply lost her composure. She would simply sit there, holding her blade in her hand as she rested against it, annoyed at her predicament. The fireworks at this point continued as her form was bathed in the radiant light of many colors. Combined with her Hollow reiatsu that shrouded her, it would be rather simple to see her contrasting the dark buildings and night sky. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko did not have the chance to look at fireworks very much while she was younger. Spent too much time in the house, you see, studying and sometimes playing video games to distance herself from her parents, and so she'd often miss them entirely while they were ongoing. Her father, too busy to leave his patients, never bothered to see them himself in her most recent memories of her growth, and her mother who sometimes spoke of them never was fond of them. At times while she would head towards the streets of Akihabara, she could perceive the flashes of brightness in the darkened skies in the distance, yet she never was really capable of seeing them first-hand. The only information she received about that was from the people she met and the ones that spoke of it in the public transport services of Tokyo. Delight and excitement was all that she could hear then in the train, a sort-of mad rambling about the prettiness of the explosions while Kimiko, her, simply thought of them as somewhat annoying.

This opinion has somewhat changed since then, most particularly ever since she started meditating with Shizukakane. What she once thought to be unnecessary and meaningless now was understood further. There was a beauty in everything, even the streaks of red and the dashes of blue that currently covered the skies of Kabukichō. In essence, they are simple colorful explosions that offer no more physical substance. However, as she gazed at them further, they remind her of the Living World, of its liveliness, of its charm. No matter for what holiday or celebration these fireworks may be for, they were all pretty, eye-catchy, and perhaps even a bit comforting. They remind her of the world she once was part of and now never will be again. In a way, she almost wanted to cheer with the others in the streets, perhaps even bring others later to gaze at them all together. It was just nice, a moment of beauty in the darkness.

Unfortunately, this admiration did not last for very long, as soon enough, she heard a distant grumble from her blade, a complaint from the spirit within. It told her to move quickly, to take care of the task at hand, for the noise was loud and bothersome. It brought it all to an end, bringing her back to the reality of the situation. Right... They had a Hollow to catch, a monster hiding somewhere in this city. Walker would most likely be taking advantage of the celebrations to purposefully snatch a few of the Pluses wandering about - perhaps even a few Humans here and there - and consume them in the darkest alleyways that Kimiko could already see completely filling the corners of Kabukichō. "I know, I know..." she told to herself as she gave a glance to the handle of her blade. She knew it didn't like this, and she didn't really want to make it unhappier than he already was. "I'll try to hurry up so we can get out of here faster."

Thus, the girl attempted to move faster. Her pace quickened, she jumped from rooftop to rooftop in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible. As expected from such a busy night, the search was already proving to be quite difficult. There was simply no sign of Walker. Destruction was minimal with much of it having being caused by drunken wretches unable to control themselves, there was no blood spilled in sight and there wasn't even a scratch mark here or there. Slowly as she searched, the Shinigami's expression turned into a confused frown. This was starting to feel familiar...  Some time ago, she has had the exact same problem. Jin had sent her to hunt a powerful Hollow only for her to find squat. The difference between that time and now, however, was that she was able to find something that was perhaps much worse. It was a good thing that Fullbringer - Raphael, if she remembered his name correctly - was accompanying her at the time.

Before she could come to any conclusion regarding this matter, the transparent figure of a Plus came into view. He seemed like a thug of sorts overlooking a certain building with disdain and rage. "You pieces of shit! How dare you kill me?! Me?! Top Dog Dojima!" He cried out to no one in particular as the jubilant Human crowd passed by him with glee at their fireworks. The laughing and the happiness around him was clearly bothering him, causing him to make funny angry faces at people. "You guys stop laughing! This isn't funny and your shitty fireworks aren't fun! You pieces of shit, all of you, damn it! Ugh!"

His constant complaining caused Kimiko's previous frown to turn into a complete deadpan. Wow, this guy... sure was taking his murder differently compared to how she took hers, huh? She could understand his situation, but she hadn't turned her anger to everyone around her, rather instead only to her murderer in particular. Well, no matter. She should probably deal with him before he gets any angrier. The more frustrated a Plus becomes, the faster they turn into Hollows, after all. As such, with a light hop from the building she had reached, she pushed herself onto the air between herself and the mobster-looking Plus, then approached him. "Let me guess: you got killed by some rival gang and now you hate everyone with a passion."

"Hell yeah, I do! Wait, who said th- at...?" The Plus froze as she saw Kimiko, his eyes widening at seeing her simply walking down towards him on the air. "W-Wha... What the... Are yo-?"

"Sorta," she answered immediately. She knew what he was going to ask her and there really was no reason to waste any time here. If this was a normal patrol, she would have been more patient with him, but Walker's presence somewhere in this ward combined with Shizukakane's disapproval of the fireworks and the guy being clearly part of the yakuza made for a distracting combo. "So, what's going on here, exactly...?"

"I... I... uh...." The man gulped quietly before he took a deep breath and tried to regain his thug attitude from before. "W-Well, those guys in there, in that building? They stabbed me in the back!"

"I mean, you look fine to m- Oh," Kimiko was about to say before the yakuza turned and showed his back to her, which was completed bloodied from top to bottom with many visible puncture wounds. How those wounds couldn't be seen from the front, she had no idea.

"Fine, my ass!" He retorted before he continued. "Barely even had time to figure out what was happening before I figured out I was dead!"

"Really...?" She found herself asking with a frown as she wondered about this. This didn't really fit Walker's profile, but it was possible that the Hollow was responsible for this Plus' death. "Can you tell me what your murderer looks l-"

Perhaps coincidentally, it was then that an awful amount of Hollow reiatsu suddenly filled the air. Surprised, Kimiko would immediately stop talking and place herself in front of the Plus to protect him, with her body tensing and her back slightly pushed forward. What the hell was that? Was Walker nearby? That amount of reiatsu was not normal: it filled the air like a terrible fog of black and dark. The Shinigami herself was not too affected by this, though it was clearly bothering her, but the Plus froze again. "Oh... No, screw this!" He'd shout in a panicked fashion before turning tail and bolting across the street. "I don't want to die again!!"

"No, wait, I can protect you! Tch, coward," she huffed in displeasure before she reached for the skies. It was extremely unfortunate that the Plus decided to run away like this; so far, he was the only clue that she had in regards to Walker's whereabouts. Losing him would be extremely unfortunate. Well, at least she can take down Walker if this is indeed supposed to it, and if not, she can take down an additional Hollow before going back to Seireitei. It was with this mindset that the Shinigami immediately started looking around for the source of the reiatsu outburst.

Fortunately, it did not take long for her to find the aforementioned source: it was located on another nearby rooftop just a block or two away from her position. Unfortunately, it did not really come from a Hollow at all, but rather an... angry woman. The reiatsu completely covered her from top to bottom, with its thickness branding her a dark spot beneath the brightened skies. Upon seeing this, the Shinigami's eyes widened and she just stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. What the hell was that? Why was this woman exhuming so much Hollow reiatsu? What was that outfit? She could vaguely remember a book briefly mentioning people who wore such clothing and were branded with such reiatsu back when she was still a student at Shin'ō Academy, but it was so long ago that she could barely remember its content. Is she supposed to kill this thing? Is this thing even really a Hollow in the first place? For all she knows, it could be some weird Fullbringer.

The questions piled on relentlessly, and eventually, she stood straight and calmed down. No. If this really was a Hollow, she would have already attempted to run her down; after all, Hollows are attracted to powerful souls. It is fair to assume that this could be a decoy created by a Hollow, but at the same time, it was also fair to assume the decoy would have already tried to fool her by now since she was close to her. No... This was... different. It would perhaps be better to talk with this person first, as foolish as it may be. As such, maintaining her alerted state, she slowly stepped forward onto the air towards the blackened spot. Her eyes were glued onto it, analyzing it, trying to see what it was about so that she could perhaps sense danger. So far, aside from the shocking amount of Hollow reiatsu, it did not look dangerous to her yet. "Hey," she spoke up carefully, her gaze eventually spotting the woman's blade. Was that a Zanpakuto? "Are you alright...?"

[Ailene Haschiro]

The Espada sat in silence after her attempt to commune with the blade. The jade green hilt lay in her lap as he hand grasped the gleaming white blade as streaks of red and purple appeared in the mirror-like sheen that comprised the blades edge. Her hand remain wrapped around the blade as it remained uncut due to the defensive nature of her Hierro. At this point, her reiatsu had enveloped her entire body and began to extend outward as it polluted the air around her. Ailene did not care. This was one of many times in which she had failed to pry something from her blade. Though it radiated with power, that's all it was at the end of the day. Power.

Despite the rather incredible and vile ability that she called upon using her Resurrecciòn, Ailene coveted something more. That with which each Shinigami was blessed with by design. Someone to share her thoughts with. One she could trust and depend on. The closest to this that she had was her alter ego when she used her Resurrecciòn. Though as Ailene pondered on this, she felt a coldness. Her other half was all that she was not. Aggressive. Dangerous. Even somewhat promiscuous. It struck fear even within her. To know just what she could become. What she was capable of. While an interesting thought experiment, she did not relish the idea of losing all she cherished. 

Among the Arrancar, Ailene was not power hungry. She did not wave her dominance in the face of others. Most of all, she felt that there were other avenues of power that she could pursue as well. Having friends in high places. A thought immediately came to mind. A vision of Orobas standing amongst quivering prey. The Espada could not explain why, but this gave her comfort. Orobas was a dear friend to her. After all there was much she could relate to. The healthy, almost unending, appetite for knowledge along with a genuine appreciation of her tea. Each time he complimented her, she could not help, but glow a little. It was nice to be appreciated by someone who did not necessarily pity her. 

It was her thoughts that kept her from noticing the approach of another soul. As she lamented on her failure, trying to focus on happier thoughts, she began to come back to reality when she heard a voice. "Hey," She blinked for a moment as she turned her head, her gaze soon coming upon a woman. The purple-tint of her eyes and boney prominence would likely become immediately apparent to the Shinigami. Ailene's eyes scanned over her, studying her expertly. She appeared taller than 6 ft. Perhaps even reaching heights of 6'6". Her tone of voice almost immediately marked her as concerned. Though perhaps the most obvious detail came up last. Her clothing. Ailene recognized it immediately for she had her fair share of dealings with could only be described as her mortal enemy.

A shihakusho. The mark of a Shinigami. Despite that, she wore no haori. This made it safe to presume that she was no Captain. Perhaps seated officer. Even a Lieutenant perhaps? It was still too early to tell. Yet as Kimiko spoke, Ailene's eyes widened for a moment, perplexed. "Are you alright...?" The Espada's mind raced as she tried to piece together the meaning. "Does...she seriously not know what I am? Why else would she risk drawing nearer to me..?" Ailene's original assessment of her changed. There was no way this one was a Lieutenant. She daresay that not even a seated officer would be this bold or this stupid. Could she just be a nobody in her Division?

Questions continued to pile as Ailene simply appeared dumbfounded by the Shinigami's question and concern. Eventually she would snap out of it, straightening her back as she addressed Kimiko in a calm tone of voice. "I...I'm fine. Thank you for asking.." It was a lie, but there was little sign of distress on the Esapda's face. It was one of Ailene's greatest strengths. The ability to hide her true intentions. To mask them rather well. Deceit was not necessarily her intent, but she knew better than to implicitly trust a Shinigami. Countless encounters had spoiled her giving them the benefit of the doubt. Plus one could never be too careful.

With a rather nonchalant attitude, Ailene continued resting her blade in her lap though now it appeared to be laid in a traditional Jinzen pose as the side of the blade nestled itself safely in her lap. Meanwhile her hand came down to the caramel candy that she was enjoying earlier as she popped another into her mouth. Chewing in utter silence, she smiled briefly at the Shinigami as her voice returned once more. It was still calming and gentle like that of a mother. "I commend you for your approach and thank you even more for your compassion though I fear that both are born out of ignorance.." The Espada frowned for a moment as she paused.

She did not wish the Shinigami to be discouraged. She hated insincerity. Thankfully she could sense no deceit from Kimiko. Yet what she hated more was a lack of knowing. She would continue to speak. "Do you know what I am, dearest?" She would give Kimiko sometime to answer, nodding in affirmation if she answered correctly, but still smiling even if she answered incorrectly. "I am an Arrancar. A hollow who has attained powers much like yourself." She raised her hand for a moment. "Please do not be alarmed. I have no desire to harm you." She continued smiling as she tapped the front of her mask fragment in annoyance. "Forgive my manners. I've not introduced myself. My name is Ailene Haschiro. And who might you be Lady...?" She valued formality and would certainly continue to stand on, albeit archaic, ceremony.

[Nakajima Kimiko]

It was not rare for Kimiko to want to do battle with others whenever it is possible for her to do so. She was in a Division which favored it, and so her life was thus extrinsically surrounded by fighting. Everyday, she fought and dueled, becoming stronger with every spar, every brawl, every melee. The opponent's nature did not matter: it could be a fellow Shinigami or a Hollow. If she ever gets the chance, maybe she'll one day even fight another Fullbringer or a full-fledged Quincy. More importantly, however, it allowed her to become more aware of when fighting is necessary and when it is not. She fights with her peers for the hell of it, yes, and she of course always wants to fight stronger foes so as to test her mettle, but fighting someone who is simply unwilling to return the favor was different. It held no matter, no meaning, no soul, and consequently, no honor; after all, there is no respect to be found in what boils down to be a distasteful endeavor.

And so, as she approached this new and clearly-strange individual brimming with Hollow reiatsu, she did not bring herself with aggressiveness. Even if the individual's power seemed to be quite unnerving, there were no hints just yet of a possible clash between the both of them underneath those bright flashes in the sky. The young Shinigami could see that her interlocutor was surprised by this approach of hers, confused amidst the following silence, but not hostile. Considering the nature of her reiatsu, it was somewhat of a breath of fresh air: those with Hollow reiatsu tend to either be outright evil as their Hollow nature would push them to be, idiotic, or simply too far gone to think of anything but consumption. Perhaps it was that strange sword that she carried. For all Kimiko personally knew of this person as of now, it truly did seem as though it was no ordinary blade you would find in a cheap pawn shop. No, it really did seem like a Zanpakuto. However this creature acquired this tool was unknown to her, yet it differentiated her even further from the common beast. This was compounded by her position which looked eerily similar to the Jinzen pose.

The individual - for really, there was no other way to describe it as of now, for with further examination, Kimiko was no more sure if she was truly a woman - eventually conveyed its true nature to the Shinigami shortly after introductions were made on her part. To put it bluntly, she who referred to herself as Ailene Haschiro was no Fullbringer, no odd Hollow or decoy created by one, but rather an Arrancar. It took a moment for the officer to remember what that term meant, but once she remembered it, a part of her cringed in the lack of knowledge she just displayed. So this was an Arrancar, a mixture of Shinigami and Hollow... For a brief moment in her time at the Academy, they were presented as these dangerous beings clad in bright white and wielding Zanpakuto. The mask fragments should have given it all away from the get-go. Moreover, they are mortal enemies of Soul Society, monsters which once threatened the very balance of the world underneath the supervision of Azeru Cho.

"Only been a few years, and I'm already forgetting a bunch of things..." Kimiko could only say in response to this with what could be described as a sort of half-sigh of both disappointment and embarrassment. It was absolutely no wonder now that this person was so strange: the Hollow reiatsu, the robes, the mask fragments, the Zanpakuto... If any officer accompanied her at this point of time, they probably would have already tried to eliminate her. Logistically, this seated officer should already be doing battle with her right about now, and yet, she still couldn't bring herself to do it. The information did not make her more alert or hostile; rather, it was just a new piece of knowledge to be gathered from this individual. "Nakajima Kimiko, Zaraki Company Fifth Seat," she nonetheless introduced herself to the Arrancar. "I'm sorry for sounding like an idiot... I can't really say I remember much of what I've learned at the Academy."

It felt a bit surreal to apologize both so awkwardly and casually to what was pretty much the greatest equivalent of a twisted monster once could imagine, a literal devil wearing the skin of a woman. She really should hate this individual for what she is and what she probably does on a regular basis with the souls scattered about the Living World, loathe her for being part of a race which once wished destruction upon Soul Society and probably still does today. However, again, she felt none of that, or rather, she couldn't bring herself to become angry at her. The trust wasn't there, no, but neither was the hostility within the both of them. In a way, it felt somewhat nice to stand there in this moment of peace and quiet. Well, as quiet as a night could possibly be amidst the thundering fireworks which continued to brightened the skies above them. Shizukakane made sure to express his disapproval about that whenever a flash would beam above her head every once in a while.

The Shinigami took a step forward to land onto the rooftop Ailene was standing on at a relatively-safe distance, just in case a battle would suddenly occur between the both of them. It was nice to see that this person wasn't necessarily hostile just yet, but she had better things to do than to converse with her. She hadn't been sent here to Kabukichō to converse with an Arrancar; for all she knows, Walker is probably still around consuming souls left and right. The problem with this is that, now that she has found this person and spoke to her, there was most likely no way that she would be easily let go for the time being. Worse yet, this person might downright become hostile if she tells her that she is currently searching for Walker. What are the odds that they are allies? Friends? Hollows can make friends, right? Wait, can they? Now that Kimiko is thinking about it, she has never really seen a couple of them describe themselves as such with her own eyes just yet.

Well, there was no point in beating around the bush. She could tell that this Arrancar was brighter than the common Hollow; after all, she hasn't mindlessly attacked her yet and is pretty well-spoken. If she lies to her about her true intentions here, she might insult her intelligence, which in turn would most likely lead the both of them to fight each other. It is very doubtful that this person is unaware of what Shinigami do for a living. "I was sent here to hunt down a Hollow named Walker. He's been eating a good amount of Pluses here and there in Kabukichō," she explained as she looked over the city. She did not want to outright ask Ailene for help: it would just offend the Arrancar. Doing so would literally be the equivalent of a Hollow asking to a Shinigami where they find a particular Human.

As she spoke, her gaze overlooked the city, most particularly the establishment in which the earlier Plus had shown to her. It could be seen from where they stood, this inconspicuous office building which looked like any other. There were many billboards on its side which hinted at it possibly being a sort of space that could be loaned by many companies at once, and it did look a bit rundown, but aside from that, there really was nothing remarkable that could be said about it. If it was not for that earlier Plus telling her that there's some shady yakuza business going down in it, she would have never thought of it as anything more than what it appears from the outside. For that alone, she could at least commend the one who designed this criminal front. It was a shame that she was not allowed to involve herself in those matters, as her strength would have definitely been enough to eliminate whoever is hiding in there. Still, upon recalling the Plus' words and reaction to Ailene's reiatsu, something about it just seemed... off.

[Ailene Haschiro]

The Espada's eyes danced across Kimiko with interest as the Shinigami revealed her own ineptitude in regards to her experience and knowledge. "Only been a few years, and I'm already forgetting a bunch of things..." Ailene could not help, but smile at her as the Shinigami's face revealed a mix of emotions. Among them Ailene could pick out two notable selections. Disappointment and annoyance. Were they both related to her lack of experience. After all, any other Shinigami would have likely leapt at her by now, intent upon killing her. Yet this one had a disposition that Ailene welcomed. She was calm. Relaxed. It reminded her of Ludwig when they had met again.

The reveal of Ailene's name was the first step to developing any kind of rapport at least in Ailene's eyes. Would this one follow suit? Would she give Ailene the same respect that she had given her? Thankfully it seemed that this would be the case. "Nakajima Kimiko, Zaraki Company Fifth Seat," This immediately widened the smile on Ailene's face as she tried to recollect her own knowledge on Kimiko's designation. She of course knew a good deal about various designations. The different seated Officers, Lieutenants and then the Captains that governed all those below them. Yet it was that Zaraki company that Ailene knew very little of. Was it merely another name for her numbered division? Or was it, in fact, something more?

Ailene would not ruminate on it too much as she simply nodded though she would admit to herself and to Kimiko in a melancholy tone. "It seems that you are not the only one who can't recall a bit of information.." She smiled and chuckled to lighten the mood, clear up the air around them. "Zaraki Company...I am afraid that I am not familiar with that Division. It was to my understanding that you all were part of numbered divisions. Unless, of course, Zaraki Company is merely an alias for your Division..." She would continue to giggle as she rose to her feet. Her Zanpakutou slid along the ground for a moment as the Espada raised it, moving it carefully into her sheath that adorned her scholarly robes. 

Though once again, Kimiko would affirm her own forgetfulness which admittedly caused Ailene to blink and laugh a little. "I'm sorry for sounding like an idiot... I can't really say I remember much of what I've learned at the Academy." Ailene's laughing soon began to die down as another firework lit up the sky, drowning out her voice. As it dissipated, the Arrancar would talk calmly. "No worries Lady Kimiko.." Once again, Ailene held on to titles and tradition from her era. Regardless, she continued. "My own memory has been coming up short at times. The last few centuries have admittedly done little help my memory unfortunately.." Once again, she laughed, but this time at her own ages.

Despite their differences, Ailene wanted to try and keep this as conflict free as possible. It seemed that it was working so far, but it spoke more for Kimiko than it did to Ailene. Creating true peace required both parties to lay down their arms. To see the differences in the other and to try and reconcile them as much as possible. This reconciliation and acceptance would then allow both parties to move on and gain a new view upon a situation. Ailene generally liked to avoid conflict, but it would be impossible unless the other party agreed to it. Thankfully it seemed that Kimiko was one of those individual's. The second time she has met a Shinigami of late and lucked out. 

Though for all the fun and games that arose from the conversation, Kimiko's next comment about her true purpose here made Ailene blink. Naturally Ailene did not believe that Kimiko was truly here to check on Ailene, but nor did she believe that she had a true purpose. Instead it would seem that Kimiko was on a mission. "I was sent here to hunt down a Hollow named Walker. He's been eating a good amount of Pluses here and there in Kabukichō," Ailene's eyes remained still as they focused on Kimiko. Purple irises that intended to dig into Kimiko's comment. Her purpose. Would it be true? Or was she lying? Ailene's mind raced as she tried to process her body language, tone of voice and overall disposition. 

The process itself would take very little time. As she did one final run through, it seemed that Ailene had her verdict. Could Kimiko be after something else? Perhaps. Was it likely that she was though? No. At least this is the conclusion that Ailene had reached. She nodded as she sighed briefly. With a calm cadence she began to walk towards Kimiko. Her gait would be slow and passive. The Arrancar wanted to do her best to not let any hostility be shown within her movements. To do so would immediately ruin all she had tried to hard to fashion with this Shinigami. Sure they had only known each other for a few minutes now, but Ailene found this one to be different from the ones she met normally.

As she was almost upon Kimiko, she walked past the Shinigami and looked outward. Out upon the gleaming and colorful city as fireworks continued to dance along the night sky. Another sigh left the Arrancars' lips as she turned to Kimiko, slowly walking around her. Her voice would feel gentle to accompany her leisurely cadence. "I see. You are tracking down a Hollow and I assume you have no leads? No where to start, but in this city." Assuming Kimiko made no hostile movements towards Ailene, the Espada would continue circling around Kimiko, soon reaching her front as the Arrancar looked up to meet the eyes of the tall woman. "Are you asking for aid? Not in the hunt necessarily, but the search?" Ailene's voice at this point sounded cold. It was a simple question, but a straightforward one. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

So far, Kimiko could say that this conversation was doing well. She was practically talking to a woman part of the opposition, the side of the world in which the soldiers of the Gotei 13 are tasked to kill, and yet they were not jumping at each other's throat attempting to kill each other as quickly as they can. Again, it was a breath of fresh air, something that the officer had so far never expected would happen. If the woman was a Human or Quincy, sure, she could have perhaps understood the calmness and wish to talk, but a Hollow? Even if she wasn't a normal variant per say and rather an Arrancar, it still did not change the fact that she definitely sided with the beasts of Hueco Mundo. Despite the human-looking appearance all normal Souls possess, despite the Zanpakuto, and despite the calmness, she was still a being who feasted upon Souls. So to simply talk to this person like this, this thing, without necessarily having to fight her or bear any ill will towards her... It was nice.

It took a moment for the swordswoman dressed in black to realize it, but she eventually started to understand why Ailene was so calm and understanding. The way she spoke, the way she described the length of her life... She was old, very old, older than anyone the Shinigami has met so far with the exception of perhaps the teachers of Shin'ō Academy. Her age was perhaps why she has not decided to attack Kimiko just yet. After a while of countless fighting, a warrior tends to feel the weight of time push onto their mind, and soon, they start becoming more docile. That was not to say that Ailene was incapable of fighting; rather, it was instead most likely the greatest reason behind her inaction. In a way, she reminded her of Shizukakane and his own antics. Although they train for time to time in order to refine the Shinigami's skill with her Shikai abilities, he often prefers to play shogi, drink tea and talk. These two would probably enjoy talking to one another if they had the chance, she reckoned.

Age seemed to also affect the Arrancar's memory. From the way she described it, she has been forgetting things at times, and so was left with fleeting knowledge. Kimiko could not blame her for doing so; after all, those which possess the ability to live such long lives tend to forget what has happened in the past. If anything, she had much better memory than the Shinigami who quite literally admitted that she was forgetting things that she learned about not even that long ago in comparison. "Zaraki Company is... a sort of nickname for the Eleventh Division. Tradition has it that there was a Captain a long time ago who was called like that, and since then, it has stuck since," she explained, feeling a bit embarrassed as the Arrancar laughed at her for her forgetfulness and called her "Lady". She wasn't that old, was she? "There's other nicknames out there like Grin Company, Attack Company... but I don't know. I read about that Zaraki guy, and he seemed like a better person to me... No offense to my Captain."

She could still remember what she had read about the man. Omaeda Zaraki, the man of steel. Among the Captains of the Eleventh, he was recognized as being of the oddest of them all, but also the one that seemed to be the most historically-respected within the Gotei 13. A battle addict like the rest of his squad, he was nevertheless a kind man who fought to protect Soul Society from all. He reigned the soldiers under his supervision, led them to battle and succeeded every time without fail. Even though he fought with abandon and absolutely no care for his life, he always came back unscathed, unharmed, as though he was made of steel, hence the nickname. He was also an honorable man who understood when to fight and when not to, something which unfortunately led him to his death, as there was another member of his squad at the time that did not share his beliefs. The other man's tremendous power overcame his amazing defense, and after that, the Eleventh returned to its original ways. It was a dark time for Soul Society as a whole, something which ashamed those which served the Eleventh at the time to such great lengths that many used the nickname "Zaraki Company" as a means to remember their leader. As for the other, he was forgotten by many despite his Captaincy, with his name currently only recalled by historians who have access to the his personal records.

This little bout of history aside, Kimiko eventually needed to get to the point of this conversation, and so, she eventually did. She did not get an answer to her saying, or rather not a worded one, as Ailene then went on to stare at her. To that, the Shinigami stood still and stared back, locking her own red eyes with the purple glare before her. It was not an unexpected reaction: Walker was a Hollow and so was she. With that in mind, it would thus be completely understandable for her to wish to defend him. Even so, the officer found no point in lying to her. Although it has only been a few minutes since they've met, she has been friendly thus far - so friendly that it seemed as though she was the one yearning for peace and not Kimiko - and so it was only normal for her to believe she would not attack. This was not a mindless, hungry Hollow salivating over her soul. This was not a battle-hungry beast who wished to kill her for sport. If this would have all been nothing more than a creature trying to fool her, she would have noticed it by now.

And so, the officer waited to see what Ailene would say and do as the latter eventually started walking. It was a slow walk, something which showcased the Arrancar's thought process, and so was void of hostility. Sensing no blood lust, Kimiko remained still with her hand not even so much as remaining near her blade. She felt confident enough to dodge whatever attack may be thrown at her if it ever comes, and even so, it would not be honorable of her to suddenly attack this person simply because she is close to her. The fireworks beamed the sky in this silence, the flashes loud and true, and for that, the Shinigami was somewhat thankful as it was the only thing that kept this situation for becoming too awkward. Eventually, the walking instead turned into circling, and after some time, Ailene stopped before the officer whose newborn trust had been left yet unbroken by this movement. Not even her Spiritual Pressure, this formidable thing, moved an inch in this process.

The Arrancar eventually spoke what she thought about this, and asked a few questions. She nailed her assumption of the Shinigami's objective on the head, and so, it would be unkind not to give her any answers. "Just the search," she responded honestly with no hostility. "The only lead that I have is that Walker is here... That's kind of it. I didn't want to ask, but you're the only one around who I can ask aside from... well, aside from that cowardly Plus I saw earlier," she comically sighed out of slight frustration after she mentioned the Plus. His cowardice sure still bothers her now, quite unfortunately. After the fact, she regained her composure and reassured: "If you don't want to help, that's okay. I just think it'll go faster that way." She was trying her best to not sound as though she was forcing Ailene to do anything here. She wasn't the kind of person that asked other people to do things for her, and she was even less someone who had the lack of decency to force someone to do her bidding. Even if she had the strength to face this woman in battle, she found no point in doing such a thing. It was best to take it slow and to just ask, to do things in the polite way.

[Ailene Haschiro]

Ailene had to admit that coming across Kimiko was certainly an interesting encounter. Besides her chance encounter with Ludwig this was the second opportunity she had to interact with a Shinigami that did not immediately want to kill her on sight. It was a breath of fresh air and one she certainly welcomed. On top of that she was getting a history lesson from her guest. "Zaraki Company is... a sort of nickname for the Eleventh Division. Tradition has it that there was a Captain a long time ago who was called like that, and since then, it has stuck since," This elicited a glint of amusement from the Arrancar. "There's other nicknames out there like Grin Company, Attack Company... but I don't know. I read about that Zaraki guy, and he seemed like a better person to me... No offense to my Captain."

Ailene took the opportunity to mull over the information that she had just gathered from Kimiko. She of course knew that the Soul Society had a hierarchy in the form of their divisions, but she knew them as numbers. It was interesting to hear that the past had some effect on the present. Her sly smile curled into a grin as she closed her eyes and laughed somewhat. "Quite a wonderful little piece of history!" Ailene, despite her history as an Arrancar did enjoy learning more about those who were supposed to be her enemy. She would be rather quick to show her glee from Kimiko's history lesson. For a moment Ailene began to mull over the name Zaraki.

She gently tapped the front of her mask, ruminating over whether the name itself sounded familiar. As she began to think of one person it turned out to be another. Then another. She must have gone through six people before she gave up on recalling such a name. With a disgruntled sigh and a slight pout, she would continue to talk. "I have to admit that the name Zaraki does not come to mind. Then again, most Shinigami I meet are prepared to kill me on sight. Just so happens that I sometimes catch their name and on some occasions I don't. A shame really as I'm sure they can be nice in the right circumstance, but I digress..." Her once annoyed pout returned to a smile.

As she began to approach Kimiko after being asked for assistance in tracking down a Hollow, Ailene was immediately intrigued. "The only lead that I have is that Walker is here... That's kind of it. I didn't want to ask, but you're the only one around who I can ask aside from... well, aside from that cowardly Plus I saw earlier," Ailene nodded her head as she waited for the Shinigami to finish her plea. "If you don't want to help, that's okay. I just think it'll go faster that way." Ailene looked at her and had a neutral expression for a moment. It was as if she was processing what Kimiko had asked of her. Then it came. A fit of hysterical laughter. She looked down, attempting to compose herself after a few moments.

Once she calmed down and looked up, it was clear that she was trying hard to keep herself from laughing further. Relaxing herself a little bit, Ailene spoke in a clear and gentle tone. "I do have to admit, you certainly have moxie, little one. While I am afraid that I have no information on this Hollow that you seek I can certainly accompany you. It'll be like an adventure. Besides, it is not my first unlikely alliance with a Shinigami. That honor goes to a rebellious minx by the name of Camilla." She chuckled as she paused for a moment reminiscing about Camila. It had been a while since she had seen the rogue Shinigami. She was beginning to wonder if something was the matter.

She would ruminate on it for a moment before discarding it and focusing on the task at hand. With a smooth motion she slid her Zanpakutou back into its sheath as she smiled. "Well, if we are to track down this Hollow, we would need leads. Was your intention to split up and cover more ground or stick together for the sake of having each other's backs?" As she was discussing this with Kimiko, she cursed herself internally. While her power was sealed away like this she had no way of accessing Pesquis. If she did this would be relatively easier. That's when she remembered. Shinigami had similar capabilities. "I've to admit I'm no expert at sensing. If I recall correctly, you Shinigami have a Kido that acts like a sensor. Are you proficient in Kido?" It was a genuine question to gauge how difficult that this potential search would be. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

The Shinigami officer hummed quietly after hearing Ailene's remark on the matter. Quite frankly, after her analysis of the experienced Arrancar, she was not surprised to hear that the history of the Gotei 13 seemed to be interesting to her. Although her knowledge of Arrancars was already damaged by her time away from school books, she could still recall that these particular members of Hollowkind could not grow any further in power once they became the way they are. Because of this, consuming Souls becomes an afterthought for most of them, and so they typically tend to seek other things to do in life. Some seek to simply destroy anything and everything in their path so as to prove their loyalty to whoever their leader may be, while others instead simply rest for the eternity lied before them. A definite few even seek ultimate defeat in battle. In the case of Ailene, Kimiko could only presently gather that that objective instead somewhat verged towards the pursuit of knowledge.

With that said, the black-robed swordswoman wasn't surprised to hear that this goal was difficult whenever Shinigami, the Gotei 13, and Soul Society as a whole are involved in it. Officers unsurprisingly attack her on-sight, preventing all forms of proper communication and diplomacy, and so, she cannot learn much from them. This was the main reason why she was completely unaware of what the Zaraki Company was supposed to be. "Ah... Yeah, a lot of people are like that," Kimiko would outright admit. There was no point in denying that, typically, Shinigami are indeed supposed to eliminate every Hollow in sight. Even if they are Arrancars, all Hollowkind are treated this way by the Gotei 13. In their eyes, they must be eliminated simply because they are what they are, full stop. Their eternal duty never must be questioned and never must be put into jeopardy. Well, at least that's how the teachers of Shin'ō Academy presented the matter.

It was funny, really. Technically, what she was doing here was a sort of transgression that could potentially lead her to severe consequences. All Shinigami must kill all Hollows, and yet this particular Shinigami instead conversed with one? Talked with one? Made acquaintance with one? Any one from the Gotei 13 who would have information from this encounter would immediately become absolutely infuriated from the mere thought of something like this even happening in the first place. It would be as though a Japanese officer during the Second World War would meet with an American officer on the battlefield, and they would simply talk to one another rather than attempt to be the first to put a bullet between the eyes of the other. It was that same level of sacrilege, that same level of logical heresy. Even so, that didn't push her to fight Ailene. Instead, it merely convinced her to stay put in her personal beliefs related to all of this. "If you ask me... doing stuff like that is dishonorable. There's no point in killing someone who doesn't even wanna fight or harm anyone, even if the target is an Arrancar," she said then to the Arrancar so as to make her understand her opinion on the matter. "That's how I see things, at least..."

Silence then came after she went on to ask Ailene for her help. Again, she had no wish to force her to do anything here. If she had no wish to participate in this search for Walker, then they could just part ways right then and there, and that would simply be the end of it. Of course, she understood the ridiculousness of it all, and so wasn't really surprised when the Arrancar first replied to her request with a fit of hysteric laughter. A Shinigami asking an Arrancar to hunt a Hollow was perhaps the stupidest thing to have ever occurred in a very long time... and yet, here Kimiko was doing just that. No wonder this creature found this so hilarious. If the swordswoman would have been in her place, she wouldn't have laughed, but she would have probably just outright refused and left right this instant. Even so, she had to admit that being laughed at like this was not very pleasant. It made her feel ashamed and ridiculed, regretful of having suggested such a thing.

Such was her surprise, then, when her offer wasn't actually refused by Ailene. The Shinigami simply stood there with a bit of shock when the Arrancar boldly told her that he would be glad to accompany her and have a bit of an "adventure" for her, as she described. It was so shocking to Kimiko that she wondered, for a moment, if she was actually serious. She... She's actually fine with this... her thoughts stammered with disbelief with such strength that it made her blink in surprise before the Arrancar. Fortunately, this blink occurred when the Arrancar told her of a past alliance she had with another Shinigami, a certain woman named Camilla. The name did not ring any bells in her mind. Either it was mentioned in her school books and she forgot it like how she had forgotten the nature of the creature before her only a few minutes ago, or it was something that happened very recently. "Well, uh... alright," she regained her footing then so as to try to get herself back onto the main task at hand. "Thanks. I'm sure we'll be able to find him together."

Now that their partnership was fully established, they can now both focus on tracking Walker down. Ailene surprisingly was the one who took the initiative, quickly asking Kimiko what she wanted to do. The fact that she was technically allotted the role of temporary leader of this duo made Kimiko blink again, though eventually, she settled down. This wasn't the first time she's had to partner up with someone who was not a Shinigami. She'll be okay... hopefully. Unfortunately, it would seem that whatever plan she is going to come up with is already going to have some caveats, as soon after Ailene asked her what her plan was, she then revealed that her ability to sense things wasn't amazing. Damn it. So much for covering the Shinigami's weaknesses. "I am really bad at Kidō," she answered immediately with brutal honesty, her expression turning into one of comical disappointment in their lack of magical expertise. "The last time I tried to sense anything, I couldn't even sense the Soul of an ant..."

Well, no matter. If they don't have any sensory capabilities, then they can still cover as much ground as possible on their own. "Splitting up sounds like the right thing to do," she followed as her expression returned to normal. "Like that, we can cover this place faster... On my own, I was able to recon most of it rather quickly. It's a good thing Kabukichō is not that big..." Her plan sounded rational to her, at the very least. Usually, it would be very irresponsible to leave an Arrancar on its own in a district like this one, but given Ailene's unusual eagerness to cooperate with Shinigami, it seemed as though she could be trusted even if left alone. Well, perhaps at least when she's not near a Plus, and there is not a huge amount of them around here. Additionally, given the size of the ward and how long it takes for her to go from one end of the district to another, she would definitely be able to see or hear Ailene if she does anything suspicious or, worse, attacks the Humans going about their lives in these nightly streets.

After the plan was set, the Shinigami went on to the edge of the building and looked about the whole city again with a frown. It is nice that she now has a partner... but that doesn't mean that she has any better idea as to where to go. There was only one place that she had in mind at the moment that seemed a little suspicious, and it was that building the Plus from before had directly mentioned to her. She has no idea of where that Plus is now; however, he was murdered in that building. Even if it might just be a simple yakuza affair, it's a start, at least. "Before we split up... let's just check one place first," she told Ailene then as she made this conclusion, pointing at the aforementioned establishment. "That Plus I mentioned before died in that building over there... Maybe Walker's near it. I've fought a few Hollows before who hanged out near the yakuza." As she spoke, she would look over her shoulder towards the Arrancar so as to make sure she would follow her, then nodded. "Let's go."

Considering the building was so close, approaching it was only a matter of heading towards it from above. By the time they were near it, Kimiko would stare at it with an analytical frown. Again, it seemed like a completely normal office space to her, nothing abnormal aside from the fact that it looked slightly rundown. She allowed herself to drop from the air, landed on the sidewalk in front of the building, then gazed at the transparent front doors. There was nothing so far. All she could see from them was a typical hallway that lead towards the main entrance hall, which was small. There was no one currently there to greet those who entered the place, however, only cameras in the hall that were overlooking the doors. "There should be a secretary there..." the Shinigami mentioned quietly, then shrugged before pressing into the building, opening the main door and making sure that Ailene was following behind so as to not close it in her face. Ironically, she did not bother to worry about anyone seeing the doors opening by themselves, which caused a passerby to stop and merely gaze at the doors, baffled.

[Ailene Haschiro]

Ailene was excited to see how Kimiko would respond to her question about Kido. After all, the Shinigami that she had met in the past have all had incredible potential due to Kido. They could rival the ferocity of Cero and easily exceed the versatility and utility of techniques such as Pesquis. In truth, Ailene found Kido fascinating. The countless uses and incantations that needed to be committed to memory and used over and over again made it incredibly interesting to the Arrancar. She was excited to hear what dazzling and incredible potential that Kimiko had. What her strengths were. If she could make up for Ailene defi-. "I am really bad at Kidō," Ailene blinked and looked a little disappointed.

If there was one thing that Ailene hated, it was to be poor company. She did not want to make Kimiko feel judged, but the nature of the mission would require a search. Either one of them having higher sensory capabilities would, without a doubt, help. That being said, Ailene would simply nod as she listened to Kimiko.  "The last time I tried to sense anything, I couldn't even sense the Soul of an ant..." She tilted her head and took it apart, piece by piece. This gave great insight into her weaknesses and made Ailene wonder what Kimiko's strengths were. Where did she excel? Was she a physical powerhouse? Did all of her power rest in her Shikai? Or did she have more to unveil? Potential hidden behind the shroud?

Well. As of right now it was of little consequence. Ailene would work together with her regardless and she hoped that this search would not result in a fight. She was an Arrancar after all. Her allegiance was to Hueco Mundo. She did not know what Soul Society wanted with this Walker, but as an agent of Kouhai, she kept her origins in mind. If it came down to it once they found Walker, she may have to fight Kimiko. Would the death of this Hollow likely matter in the grand design of Lord Kouhai's plans? Likely not. Was she about to blindly allow a Shinigami to rob Las Noches of a potential ally? That was yet to be seen. She needed to keep an open mind and gauge the situation better. 

It seemed that they would be ready to go soon. Kimiko had explained how she was planning to search the city. Looking for leads or any overt sign of the Hollow. Ailene would be prepared for this, but while in a weaker form like this she would likely lag behind. Thankfully before she was about to split up, Kimiko would offer to immediately investigate a nearby building. "Before we split up... let's just check one place first," she told Ailene then as she made this conclusion, pointing at the aforementioned establishment. "That Plus I mentioned before died in that building over there... Maybe Walker's near it. I've fought a few Hollows before who hanged out near the yakuza."

The Espada nodded as Kimiko would seem to get ready to inspect the building. This promoted Ailene to relax herself and pursue Kimiko. Naturally due to her current limitations, Ailene moved at a paltry speed compared to what Kimiko was capable of. She descended into the streets along with Kimiko until they came upon the building. It was dimly lit, contrasting the blinding lights that filled the streets and the lack of any prominent sounds erupting from the building further compounded its differences when compared to the rest of the district. Ailene chuckled as Kimiko gazed through the transparent doors and made a rather fair analysis. 

"There should be a secretary there..." Ailene nodded as she slipped into the building, following closely behind Kimiko to the best of her abilities as they walked into the building while keeping an open eye to her surroundings. The surroundings were eerily quiet. Ailene walked to Kimiko's side as she continued to think. They could investigate the building, or they could try to lure out what they were searching for if it was close by. Ailene spoke out with an inquisitive tone. "I'm not opposed to investigating further, but in the event that we do not find anything...is this Hollow that you are searching for territorial? If so, perhaps I could flare my reiatsu to draw it into searching for its competition. Just a thought. I'm content to approach this any way you desire." She would simply smile at Kimiko as she rummaged through her satchel and pulled out a book, prepping to read as they searched until they found anything of note. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko made sure to keep an eye on the cameras as they headed inside. For now, she was not too worried about the lack of secretary; after all, it was a bit late. However, the presence of this kind of technology in such an antiquated office space was odd. She was no expert when it came to technology that spanned outside of the realm of video game consoles, arcade machines, television and mobile phones, but she could tell that those cameras were not cheap. Their lenses seemed to be surprisingly accurate, cycling a sort of mechanism around themselves that she could only guess was a sort of zoom function, and they were moving from left to right to swipe absolutely every inch of the main hall with the aid of a small laser pointer placed right underneath the aforementioned lens. In other words, they were the costly kind you would typically see in one of those big office buildings in Tokyo to chase away thieves and other potential criminals. The only difference between those and the ones in those big shot spaces were their age as they looked a bit older. Even so, that was an awful lot of money to spend for a place like this...

In contrast, the small desk settled where the swordswoman believed a secretary was supposed to be located was indeed completely empty. There was no one there, not even a security guard, and judging by the dusty phone and the powered-off computer settled not too far away from it, it did not seem as though anyone had been here for a little while either. There were a few binders here and there that seemed to be for business use in hindsight given the tags and titles attached to them, but that was about it. "So they abandoned the place... but they're still keeping those cameras on. Huh," she commented with a bit of a confused tone behind her voice as she pushed herself forward around the desk. Out of curiosity, she would open one of the binders what was inside, only to find a bunch of papers with a myriad of words printed onto them. The sight of such a grammatical travesty made her frown for a moment in surprise, though eventually, she would snort comically as she realized what it was. "Jugemu... Man, if an inspector came here, they would probably tear the whole place down."  

She would settle the binder back on the desk before then looking towards the rest of the hall. From where she stood, she could see three doors. The first was slightly open and led into a janitor closet of sorts with brooms and buckets, the second led to an elevator, and the third was reserved for a flight of stairs. The lights behind the elevator door were open, meaning that it was operational, and the flight of stairs led not only upward, but also downward. Aside from the elevator, the rest was pretty standard office design to her. In a way, it reminded her of all of the ones she stumbled upon in those games she played back when she was a Human who lived in this city. More specifically, it was one series in particular which displayed them well. What were the names of those games again? Bōryokudan? Ah, whatever, that is not important for now. "Nothing out of the ordinary for now aside those cameras... just quiet," she remarked openly, then gazed at the door that led to the staircase. "We should check out the basement first. If there's no one here, I doubt there's going to be anyone upstairs."

As she would move, the Shinigami would keep an eye on the Arrancar to see what she was thinking about all of this. So far, it would seem that she was not against searching for the creature in this building; hell, given how excited she seemed to be at recording what they would find in here, she probably was totally for it just to learn more about this place and what they would find in it even if it is not related to their business at all. Even so, she did not ignore the possibility of not finding Walker, and to that, she offered a solution in the form of a reiatsu flare. Hearing it made Kimiko hum quietly. "That could work... Walker does mainly hunt here in Kabukichō, according to our sources. If we let out a flare, he'll probably get angry and come towards our position... Only problem is that it's probably gonna attract other Hollows too if there's any of them around," she remarked as she dissected this proposed strategy, then sighed. "Although, I can't say that it's a bad idea... We'll go with that if we don't find him here."

The fact that causing a flare of Hollow reiatsu would potentially attract other Hollows to their position wasn't really a problem in of itself. As much as Kimiko held no discernible like or dislike for Hollowkind in of itself, she enjoyed fighting the beasts more than other opponent due to their diverse ways of combat. Well, she liked fighting the bold ones at least rather than the weasels who would try their best to hide from her or, worse, flee from the battle once they realize they're about to lose. No, fighting them wasn't the problem. What the problem was instead Ailene herself. At the moment, the Shinigami is still unsure whether or not this Arrancar is going to cooperate with her if they ever stumble upon Walker. For all she knows, she is simply going to turn against her, and by then, she will not only have to fight a typical beast, but also an ascended one too. So, if other Hollows come into play... Let's just say that, as much as this warrior would enjoy the challenge, it is certainly going to be a difficult one.

Regardless of this issue, the Shinigami would press on towards the door leading to the flight of stairs. With minimal strength, she would against the metallic bar onto the door, then would hold the thing for Ailene so that she could follow her without difficulty. Inside, the Shinigami would then analyze the area once more. It was a small flight with just enough space to allow for only one people at once per step. As seen outside, it led up and down, and was dimly lit by two neon tubes above. There was nothing too unusual about the place at first... but then, she felt something strike her nose, causing her to squint. It was faint, distant, though it was just strong enough to catch her attention. "That smell..." She muttered with a light wince, then looked down towards the floor below to try to see what was going on two floors down at the bottom. There was nothing down there in hindsight, but the smell somehow worsened, becoming more identifiable. Eventually, it became too much for her patience to bear, and with a hop, she jumped over the stair railing, using Air Walk to lessen the damage from the fall. By the time she was down there, it did not take long to figure out what the source of that smell was.

Before her stood a single hallway which led towards a door. The hallway itself was normal enough for a basement hall with neon lights and a few doors here and there that led to a few more office spaces. However, there was blood. Lots of it. From the ceiling to the floors down to the very floor, the place was covered in the red liquid with bullet holes on the walls. There were also bodies, several of which held a blade in their hands, though none of them were Zanpakutō. At best, they were all knives or swords from what could only be assumed to be a personal blacksmith working for these people. The majority of them wore fancy suits that were torn down by the wounds, some of which were committed by claw and bite wounds, though not all of them as there were a few simply covered in bullets wounds. Finally, as though a cherry on top of this horrifying cake, the door located furthest into the hall was absolutely covered in claw marks. It was as if whatever eventually went into there was struggling the best it possibly could to not go inside.

It took a moment to simply register the scene before her. She had seen her fair share of horrific things ever since she became a Shinigami, including about a multitude of physical Human corpses, but this was potentially the greatest amount of carnage she had seen in a while. "Well... I guess we kinda found him..." she said before leaving out a sigh, heading forward into the hallway all the while expecting Ailene to be in tow. For some reason she could not explain, there was a tinge of disappointment forming into her mind right about now, almost as though she was a bit unhappy about the fact she missed whatever was happening here. Still, she preferred not to exclaim it, instead opting to remain quiet as she walked by the fallen bodies. The lack of Souls was apparent, hinting at the fact that they have all been eaten by Walker. In hindsight, it felt as though it had stumbled upon a gang war and simply took advantage them. Still, it didn't explain the claw marks at the end... It was like it had been dragged down there against its will.

[Ailene Haschiro]

Having proposed the idea to flare her reiatsu, Ailene did not mind turning herself into a beacon for more territorial hollows. After all, she had no interest in impeding Kimiko for now. Quite the opposite. Ailene was more than willing to help the Shinigami. She was eager to hear Kimiko's thoughts on the idea. She listened carefully as Kimiko gave her opinion. "That could work... Walker does mainly hunt here in Kabukichō, according to our sources. If we let out a flare, he'll probably get angry and come towards our position... Only problem is that it's probably gonna attract other Hollows too if there's any of them around," The Espada thought about it and realized that it was a fairly good point. Of course, Ailene had a modicum of safety from Hollows given her status and the individual Hollows better judgement, but the same could not be said for Kimiko. 

Despite Kimiko's reservations, it seemed that the Shinigami had an open mind which Ailene had an immediate appreciation for. "Although, I can't say that it's a bad idea... We'll go with that if we don't find him here." The Arrancar chuckled and continued reading through her book. It was just some novel that she had picked up some time ago and had grown fond of. She began to calmly flip through the pages as she began walking with Kimiko. Ailene's disposition may be seen as bored or lethargic, but the truth was that Ailene loved puzzles. She loved mysteries even more and actually had a great fondness of their quest. Unfortunately for them, this could prove to be a dead end and as such Ailene was trying to keep her mind occupied. 

As the Shinigami pressed onward and cautiously pushed a door open, holding it open for the Arrancar, Ailene could not help, but smile. This one had quite nice manners. It was beginning to make the Espada more and more intrigued as to her age. She seemed blissfully ignorant to some things, but she had a good heart which Ailene valued. She looked at Kimiko and spoke with a gentle tone. "Why thank you, Kimiko." Ailene began to look around and noticed stairs to both the roof and the ground floor. The lack of much adequate lighting gave the environment a rather bleak look. It reminded her of the muted colors of the White Desert. Ailene had to admit that the bleak coloration just depressed her. 

Soon after Ailene heard Kimiko speak softly to herself, noting the scent in the air. "That smell..." The Espada tilted her head. She could not smell anything. At least not immediately. Not too long after though, Ailene's former smile became a scowl of disgust. The smell of death hung in the air. Ailene knew it well, but she never did like it. She could never get used to it. Watching closely, Ailene watched the Shinigami hop over the railing quite readily. The Espada approached the railing as well, creating a platform of reiatsu to step upon so that she did not need to leap over the railing. Dismissing the platform, she began to fall and much like Kimiko, erected an Air Ground to cushion her fall. She knew that her Hierro could easily withstand the fall, but Ailene was more elegant than to allow herself to hit the ground with a thud. 

Looking upon the hallway, Ailene was certainly taken aback by the utter carnage that she saw. Bullet holes riddled the walls. Scratches and indents decorated the halls. Blood stained the floor as it once pooled from each body. On one side, the bloodbath was rather impressive. She would have her answer soon as to what caused this. On the other side, though, this was barbarism at its finest. Ailene was not like her peers. She was not an Arrancar who prided herself on destructive capability or how many people they had murdered. Ailene sought the pursuit of knowledge and positive relationships as a personal goal of hers. The Espada were dear to her heart, but she knew well their temperament. 

Before Ailene had a chance to comment on this, Kimiko simply took the words right out of her mouth. "Well... I guess we kinda found him..." Ailene nodded as she pushed ahead, caution in mind, to inspect some of the bodies. The lack of a light made it difficult to properly inspect the bodies making the Arrancar scowl. She held one hand out, palm face up as she concentrated her reiatsu. Within her hand, a small purple orb began to form into a perfect ball. It illuminated the hallway and created a generous amount of heat. With some focus, Ailene reshaped and manipulated the Cero that rested within her hand. With very little effort, the Cero began to flicker, becoming more like the flickering fire of a burning candle as Ailene removed her hand. While a little less bright, it still illuminated the body that Ailene was kneeling in front of. 

The flickering Cero would not move as it simply floated next to Ailene. The Arrancar assumed that Kimiko had the common sense to avoid touching it. Ailene had reduced the destructive power of the Cero, but it was still a burning flame at the end of the day. Ailene's hierro allowed her to shift it freely, but Kimiko would likely not be afforded the same defense. That being said, the Espada began to inspect the beaten and battered body before her. The stench was unforgiving and the blood dry. It was much more of a paste than a liquid at this point. Ailene gave him a close look, her eyes dancing over every part of his corpse. Ailene had decades of medical knowledge to draw upon and plenty of experience to deduce just what happened.

She hummed softly as she spoke aloud to Kimiko. "Three deep lacerations. Two on the stomach and one on his chest." She sighed and kept going. "Discoloration of the skin...He must've bled to death. These wounds are vicious, but wouldn't kill him." She looked at some corpses down the line and at a distance could see lacerations and bite marks as some of the leading causes of death. As she rose to her feet, Ailene caught wind of something else. Wheezing. She saw the rising and falling of a chest as she heard words. "M..mercy.." Someone was still alive! She immediately moved up to him and placed her hand onto him as the flame followed closely. Her eyes would dance over his wounds as well. 

As she inspected him, he began to cough up blood and spoke. "I..it was so fast..It tore into everything. Whatever it couldn't finish...they did. P..please help.." Ailene looked down at him and shook her head. "By the time that anyone could effectively help you, you will have already choked on your own blood or gone into shock. A bad way to go out..." She sighed and placed her hand onto his chest just over his heart. She focused her reiatsu once more and with absolute focus. Suddenly, a jolt of electricity sparked to life and sped through the man's body. The Cero manifested as electricity reached his heart in mere seconds as the electric shock made it stop almost instantly.

Ailene did not relish ending his life, but it was the most painless way she could think of giving him a way out. Besides there was another advantage to it. Ailene did not know the duration, but if she knew the cycle of souls well enough, his body would eject his soul to be either devoured by a Hollow or cleansed by a Shinigami. Ailene of course had no interest in killing him over again. She would have nothing to gain out of it. Assuming that this man's soul manifested as a Plus, Ailene could leave him to answer a few questions for Kimiko and her assuming that his mood was not spoiled from her giving him a merciful death. Regardless, Ailene looked at the bodies once more, making an observation. "The stench tells me that they have been dead for at least twenty-four hours, but no notable decomposition. Couldn't have been more than a few days since they died." 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

As they proceeded onward towards the basement, Kimiko had taken note of Ailene's reaction to both their little hunt and her manners. Overall, she had to admit that the Arrancar has yet to swerve from her oddly-calm personality, something which the Shinigami still believed to be rather odd. After all, despite the fact that she is beyond the typical Hollow, she still remains a member of an entire race who typically tends to consume everything it possibly can. It was once again definitely a pleasant thing to witness and experience as she simply preferred not to fight a being who didn't want to fight her, but the more this went on, this more she started to wonder if she had some kind of plan beyond simply getting Walker to safety. Maybe she served someone in Hueco Mundo that told her not to battle Shinigami? Maybe she's some sort of scout? A spy? Someone trying to purposefully cooperate with her in order to learn more about the Soul Society?

Nevertheless, she did not ask any questions to the Arrancar. Well, at least she didn't want to ask them now while they were still looking for her target. This little partnership of theirs was supposed to only be a temporary thing that was at best only going to last until to find said target, and breaching it with unnecessary questions that might anger Ailene in one way or another is only going to get her in trouble. Not only would she be unable to find Walker in a reasonable amount of time before the time period in which he is active runs out for the night, but she would also find herself stuck potentially fighting an opponent that she does not even want to fight as of yet. A fight without meaning, after all, is a fight not worth investing her time into. Even if she does want to fight her, there is absolutely no way to tell if she is even going to fun fighting her. For all she knows, she might be someone who's more of a hunter... or someone like Shawn who just uses magic for the most part.

The sight of the carnage in the basement put all of those thoughts to rest. Even now as she fully analyzed the picture given to her while Ailene looked at the bodies, she still had a difficult time processing all that seems to have happened. The bodies, the severity of the wounds they each possessed, the weaponry on the floor... It really did seem as though the creature had stumbled upon a gang war of sorts. Still, to simply conclude that it was only the consequence of a gang war felt like a very early decision to make in Kimiko's mind. Although she was no detective or professional investigator, there were simply way too many details here that she could not ignore.

First, the dead men here seemingly only wielded swords before they were killed: there were no guns to speak of, not even the smallest of pistols. This was normal, as bringing in ballistic weaponry in Japan today is incredibly difficult and time-consuming, so much that it the activity is often seen as a needless project by the yakuza. Why bother, after all? It is both a waste of money and space, given that they would need to store them somewhere. All it will get them is trouble from the law if they are ever found. Despite this, there were clear bullet holes in the walls and in some of the bodies, hinting at the fact that one of the fighters had a firearm. If that person did die alongside the rest, then they must have either ended up in one of the nearby rooms - which was unlikely as there was so much blood spilled onto the floor that clear footprints would have been seen heading towards one of them - or behind the door which was riddled with claw marks at the end of the hallway. The other possibility was that the gun responsible for these holes had simply been taken away from the scene... but given the severity of the violence here, that almost seemed unlikely.

Second, all of this carnage was located here in this basement. There were no signs of violence upstairs, and if blood had been spilled on the higher floors, she and Ailene would have most likely seen it from the windows outside. Why was such a battle held here in this very hall? Was it an ambush? Did the dead people here hide in the nearby rooms to catch the owners of this building by surprise? If they have done so, then there must be some kind of secret entrance in this building because there was no way they would not have been spotted by the camera system. Well, if this was indeed supposed to be some sort of ambush, she had to admit that they took the right time to do it. With the fireworks and festivities going on outside, there was no way anyone could hear the violence from down here. For all the citizens outside know, the gunshots that resonated from this building were probably just the sound left by the brights lights above.

Thirdly, in conjunction with the last point... it did not seem as though a Hollow had simply come here, eaten all the Souls, and then left. Some of the bodies were indeed marked by claw and bite marks, the sign of an attack from one of the beasts, but they were oddly imprecise. Most Hollows aim for specific areas to weaken their prey like the neck, the limbs and the heart. It is a behavior that is typical to the common predators found in the Living World. This time around, however, the wounds were located seemingly in random places on the bodies as though they were attacked haphazardly. Moreover, the more she continued to look at them and the bite marks on the door at the end of the corridor, the more it really did seem as though the Hollow was not hunting these Humans per say, but rather attempting to run away by struggling the best it could. If that is the case... then it only brought more questions. Why would a Hollow even attempt to run away? If it was Walker, why would it be located here instead of the streets above? Had someone brought it here against its will?

A sound akin to whizzing immediately halted Kimiko's reflection, and with a blink, she looked up towards the source of the noise. A survivor. Quickly, she walked towards the fallen and inspected him alongside the Arrancar. Like the others, he was a swordsman. He wore a black suit that made him look a professional, an expert in every sense of the word. No matter how she looked at it, he looked like the kind of guy who was proud of being part of the yakuza. Right away, however, something caught her attention outside of his appearance. It was so blatant that it made her frown, confused as she stood near Ailene. Somehow, in some way, the man could see them. He spoke to them clearly, even asking them for help. A Human from Tokyo normally is not capable of seeing spirits, let alone communicate with them, and yet, he could... It was enough to cause even more questions to pop up inside of her head, none of which she had answered for.

She did nothing to stop Ailene from finishing off the man. Considering the gravity of the damage he received, there was absolutely nothing else they could do in order to save his life. She knew no techniques that could heal the man, and she doubted the Arrancar knew of any either, so putting him to rest was unfortunately the best decision to make here. With the decision completed, however, she was rather glad that it was Ailene who did it, because the more she kept thinking over this situation, the more she was starting to see a pattern that she had hoped she had destroyed years ago. It was gnawing at her mind incessantly, a guess that kept on growing like a parasite. "I really hope all of this is not what I think it is," she said without hesitation as she stood in front of the fallen man, growing more serious by the minute. If this is really that pattern, that very same thing she dealt with years ago, then they have a problem on their hands.

It took a moment for the man to die, though by the time he did, his soul eventually surged from his body as a Plus. He did so slowly, disconnecting himself from his physical anchor as the Chain of Fate was severed from it. As his eyes opened, he would balk for a moment as he floated there above the floor, though eventually, he would let out a heavy sigh. "So you couldn't help me..." he would let out as he looked towards the women with a disappointed look on his face. "Thank you, at least, for ending my suffering. So... what happens now?"

"Usually, you would be sent to the Soul Society," the swordswoman of the eleventh would talk at least with a softer tone as she tried to both control the man's reaction to all of this and her own. Even though the man has died, she and Ailene unfortunately both had better things to do that probably was not going to wait for them to arrive. "However... we need answers from you before sending you off."

"Soul Society...? What is that? Heaven?" The man would ask questioningly and with clear confusion, though he did not receive any answers to his questions just yet.

"If you answer our questions, I will answer yours... Trust me."

"Uh, okay... What do you want to know from me?"

"What happened here?"

The man was slow to respond, though eventually, he would take a deep breath and explain his point on view on the whole matter. Apparently, Kimiko's prior analysis about all of this being a surprise attack wasn't too far from the truth, as it was a sort of covert operation meant to cripple the Hirawa-gumi in response to several attacks which they have spearheaded against the business deals of other yakuza groups. This new Plus and his comrades were once part of the Hinode-gymi, and among these aforementioned groups, they were perhaps one of the most impacted by these attacks. More importantly, however, he revealed something in particular that Kimiko had desperately hoped would not be the case. "We were never told what those deals were about, but our boss specifically told us to not worry if we saw strange things going on. Well... when we came here, they had this chest, and one fo them dropped it during the fight," he explained with a bit of a shaky voice as he recalled the battle with horror. "I don't know what came out of it... All I saw... I just saw my buddies getting torn to shreds. One moment, they were fine, but then during the other..." 

The swordswoman remained quiet, and for a moment, her eye turned towards Ailene to see how she would react to this. It was exactly as she had feared: a Hollow had been captured and brought in this place for business. The black market is selling Hollows again. Back then, when she fought Kunio, she had honestly believed that getting rid of him and his leader would had been enough to stop the practice, but it clearly hadn't been enough. By the time the man had stopped talking, she could only let out a loud sigh. "Well... alright. I think that's enough," she would say as she noticed the man's behavior starting to become a bit more erratic. He probably does not deserve being reminded of his death once again. Dying alone was already enough trauma as is. So, pointing at a spot on the floor near her feet, she beckoned the man with her hand. "Come here," she told him then, trying to get him closer.

"Huh? U-Uh, okay," the man would float awkwardly towards her position. Then, before he could do, she would quickly unsheathe her blade. It was done with amazing speed, so much so that the man was completely unable to follow her movement. Not even Ailene would have been able to follow it entirely. All that he saw was her suddenly appearing in front of him with the handle of her sword against his forehead. "W-What are you-?!"

"Relax... You have suffered enough," she told him with a quiet voice as a beam of light suddenly appeared underneath the man. It was bright, just enough to almost cause the blood in the room to become invisible if only for a brief moment. "I'm sending you to a place where you will be able to rest in peace."

The man was enveloped with a sentiment of peace as he stood there bathed in the holy light, and so throughout the ritual, he said nothing. His fears abolished, his mind was temporary cleared of the memory of his death, and with a brief sigh, he found himself dragged towards the light. After about ten seconds, he was gone, and the light subsided, returning the room to its previous lighting. Kimiko remained there for a moment sword in hand as she thought about all of this, then sheathed her blade. "I hate doing that," she admitted mostly to herself than anything else. "Anyway... this is way worse than I thought. I can't believe these idiots tried to do this again after what happened last time."

[Ailene Haschiro]

The process was quick and painless. At least that is what Ailene allowed herself to believe. Among the Espada, Ailene was nearly unmatched when it came to her use of Cero. She was naturally gifted in utilizing every facet of it no matter how small. Be it, creating a flickering light to allow her to see or channeling it through something as simple as the needles that held up her hair. This unique variant of Cero already granted its user fine control over the flow of electricity. Ailene's use of it allowed her to direct it exactly how she wished. In this scenario, the electricity arked and jolted through parts of his body that Ailene knew would hurt the least. After all, she was simply trying to give him a humane death. Once his body slumped from the heart's exposure to electricity and after consulting with Kimiko on using him as an informant, the Arrancar took note of something Kimiko would say. 

"I really hope all of this is not what I think it is," Ailene simply stared at Kimiko for a moment. The Arrancar had a keen mind and typically kept a close eye on others to gather as much as she could on them. In this case, Kimiko had worry written all over her face. More than that though. There was a sense of deja-vu about her. Ailene could tell in an instant that there was something off about this situation. Something that Kimiko did not immediately seem willing to share. Before she truly had time to inquire, it seemed that they would have company once more. Ailene tilted her head, turning back to look at the soul which was rising from the corpse, slumped against the ground. 

Focusing on him, the man looked at his disembodied spirit and then at his corpse. There was an audible sigh as he spoke. "So you couldn't help me..." Ailene peered at him for a moment before speaking herself. Her voice was gentle and calm. She wasn't a monster. She, unlike most of her kin, knew compassion. "It is an unfortunate circumstance..." She sighed for a moment and continued. "Centuries of medical knowledge have taught me to recognize those near death. Unfortunately, there was very little we could do. Even if we did get you treatment, there is no guarantee that they could assist you in your condition. Better to give you a dignified death than to suffer cold and alone..." As Ailene spoke, she would sound remarkably human, showing genuine care for the soul before them. 

It seemed that this would pay off as the soul nodded. "Thank you, at least, for ending my suffering. So... what happens now?" Ailene blinked for a moment. She turned to Kimiko, pondering about what she knew of the Soul Society. "What to do now indeed..." Almost as if Kimiko could read her thoughts, it seemed that the Shinigami had an answer. "Usually, you would be sent to the Soul Society...However...we need answers from you before sending you off." Ailene nodded for a moment. It was a sensible rationale and it reminded Ailene of the secondary duty of Shinigami. Besides purifying Hollows and protecting the World of the Living, they were guides for the dead. It was a grim reminder of the reason why Hollows and by extension Arrancar were so feared. 

As the two of them began to discuss the nature of Soul Society, Ailene spaced out for a moment. She could not help but reminisce for a moment. Memories began to flash in her mind. Images of an inconspicuous village resting in the midst of a great forest. The view of a strong kingdom in the distance than soon became dilapidated, turning into nothing more than ruins. Images of a home. A family, happy for a time until tragedy struck. Ailene began to ponder these images of as she sighed. "What could have been had a Shinigami brought me to Soul Society...Would I not feel this grief? Would I not be cursed with this existence...I wonder..." For a moment she began to think on what could have been. Becoming a Shinigami. Developing a Zanpakutou Spirit. Despite its appeal, Ailene shook her head, washing the images away as she paid more attention to Kimiko and this wayward soul. 

His voice would become rather shaky as he seemed to explain the events leading up to this carnage. "We were never told what those deals were about, but our boss specifically told us to not worry if we saw strange things going on. Well... when we came here, they had this chest, and one fo them dropped it during the fight...I don't know what came out of it... All I saw... I just saw my buddies getting torn to shreds. One moment, they were fine, but then during the other..." Ailene peered at him for a moment, taking everything in as it seemed that Kimiko had heard enough. "Come here," Ailene blinked for a moment as she watched the soul move towards Kimiko. 

This next display on behalf of Kimiko shocked Ailene for a moment. A swift motion revealed Kimiko's Zanpakutou, but there was something that made Ailene flustered. The movement of her Zanpakutou...Ailene was not really able to keep up with it. It was as if she had moved in a flash. The Espada bit her lip for a moment as Kimiko spoke. "Relax... You have suffered enough," This worried Ailene. She did not imagine that they would break out in a fight towards the end of this little alliance of theirs, but Ailene was inquisitive. Ever questioning. It seemed that Kimiko had a natural speed that far exceeded her own. While yes, Ailene was restricted while not utilizing Resurrecciòn, this felt bigger than that. She was not sure whether she could content with her speed even while released. It was something to keep in the back of mind. 

Finally choosing to place this soul at rest, Ailene listened carefully. "I'm sending you to a place where you will be able to rest in peace." The Plus would soon be bathed in a light, completely pacified as their body began to dissolve from the light. His very soul would pass on to the Soul Society. This would continue on for ten or so seconds until the light stopped. No longer illuminating the room, Ailene's Cero was the only source of light, tinting the room in an eerie purple glow. Though among all of this, Ailene would be most surprised by Kimiko's next comment. "I hate doing that," Ailene was surprised to say the least. Regardless she would listen to Kimiko. "Anyway... this is way worse than I thought. I can't believe these idiots tried to do this again after what happened last time."

Ailene was admittedly a little confused. Perhaps there was something that Kimiko knew that Ailene simply didn't. For now, she would continue by inquiring. "Forgive my questioning, but could you perhaps enlighten me on what you know? I'm afraid I may not be as educated on subject as you are..." This was a half-truth. Ailene could deduce a number of things given the bodies, the claim from the witness and the general state of the room. Besides. These were allegedly Yakuza men. Ailene sighed and tilted her head. "Black Market dealings perhaps? But why Hollows..." Ailene was hoping that Kimiko could shed some light on this situation. 

After hopefully gaining some insight, Ailene began to approach the door at the end of the hallway. She tilted her head, trying to open the door. It wouldn't budge. The Arrancar sighed for a moment as she took a metal needle out of her hair, keeping her hair up with the remaining needles. Extinguishing the Cero in her hand, Ailene flowed a modicum of reaitsu through the needle. The tip sharpened and hummed with energy as the Cero extended. Leaning down, she would push the needle against the block, the pinpoint Cero melting the lock that barred the door. Ailene typically used her Cero to easily cut through rock. Nothing that this little trick couldn't accomplish. Though it would take a minute or so. Ailene spoke, addressing Kimiko as she went to work. "You said that you hate doing that...Konsō I believe it is called, no?" She would give Kimiko a chance to answer. "It helps the souls that would normally become Hollows. You are a guide to the lost and helpless. Why hate what helps them find peace?" A few moments later, the metal would finish melting as there was an audible drop along the door. Ailene chuckled as she rose, the needle in her hand ruined from the reiatsu flowing through it. The way was clear. Ailene giggled and spoke. "After you." The courtesy carried no deception with it. She had no plans of backstabbing Kimiko. 

[Nakajima Kimiko]

Kimiko had honestly half-expected Ailene to legitimately attempt to devour the poor man's Soul. Although she had been glad of the fact that she had finished off the man, she was an Arrancar and therefore Hollow, and Hollows genuinely cannot resist the smell of a nearby Soul more often than not. It was not a shocking thing for her to think this way; after all, to consume Souls in order to become powerful is the nature of Hollows. Considering that, she couldn't help but be a little shocked once witnessed how kindly and gently this Arrancar treated the Soul. Not even once did she perceive any attempt to devour the Soul or corrupt it with some kind of unknown ability. If anything, in comparison, it almost felt as though she was the Shinigami while the true reaper appeared as someone who just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible so they could resume their duty. Needless to say, it wasn't her proudest moment... but then again, she could not help it.

The man was an anomaly who had participated in something that was itself anomalous. Among the Pluses Kimiko has sent to the Soul Society via Konsō, he was by far one of the oddest she has had to deal with. He apparently could see Souls while he lived, apparently had survived a Hollow attack, and apparently was not shocked at all by the fact that he had just met a Shinigami despite being confused as to what the Soul Society was supposed to be. Stranger yet, he also didn't seem he was being dishonest with her at all, which wasn't really much of a surprise, given that he had just died and had nothing more to lose. It was rather difficult for Kimiko to process it all, but in her eyes, it seemed as though that meant he had potentially participated in many deals without any knowledge of the content that was being traded. He did say that his boss told him to not bother worrying if they saw "strange things"... so that theory wasn't really far-fetched.

Still, the fact that that was even a possibility frustrated the Shinigami. If this theory of hers was true, then it meant that all of these yakuza members that died here today were trading Hollows without any knowledge about them even prior to this operation. During all this time, what they thought was perhaps weapons or drugs was actually instead monsters who could devour them at any given time. How cruel... Perhaps worse yet was the prison the Hollows were put into during their transportation. That chest the Plus mentioned must usually be locked tight so as to make sure the creature within could both be unable to reveal itself to the ones transporting it and be capable of escaping from it. Whoever was responsible for the creation of that chest and the organizing of these transporting operations must be one cold bastard to figure something like that out. They must be strong-willed too for even having the courage to do it after what happened last time. Well, at least that is how Kimiko saw it all.

Ailene of course did not catch any of that. It would be impossible for her to figure that out without any experience dealing with these kinds of people. As such, she would try to get answers from Kimiko. The fact that she did so made the Shinigami hesitate for a moment. Usually, she would have responded to her right away, as she was very clearly annoyed by this whole situation, but this person wasn't just a Shinigami she could confine her explanations to without worries. No, she was an Arrancar, a superior Hollow. It is true that not all Hollows care for one another, even if they sometimes tend to appear to do so; however, Ailene seemed to specifically be more caring than any other members of Hollowkind the scarlet-eyed warrior has met so far. Considering that, it was rather difficult for her to imagine what would happen if she conveyed that information to her. For all she knows, her kindness will potentially immediately dissolve and she'll rush through that terrible door to find the one who is coordinating all of this.

Eventually, though, Kimiko came to the fact that she had to tell her. She had personally asked this woman to come with her in order to help her out in hunting Walker, so hiding things to her - especially something so big and so potentially impactful - would only create tensions between them on the long-run. That, and she just really did not like hiding secrets. So, she would give the fallen yakuza one last look before then turning her head towards the Arrancar so as to answer her questions. "Around two years ago, a Fullbringer and I found members of the yakuza hunting Hollows with rogue members of our Seventh Division to... sell Hollows to the black market in Karakura Town. Their main boss was another Fullbringer named Matsugane Hibiki, while his Shinigami partner was Kunio Ryuuji," she told her as honestly as she possibly could with a straight, yet palpable tone. "When we took them out, I thought this trade was going to stop, but no... I guess I was being too optimistic."

The more she spoke, the more frustrated the officer seemed to become, which caused her spiritual pressure to rise ever so slightly around her person. It was very clear that she did not appreciate that the work she had done in putting an end to the operations in Karakura had seemingly practically done nothing in the grand scheme of things. Killing Kunio and granting him an honorable death in battle after witnessing his comrades die by the hands of that despicable Matsugane? Worthless. Sending Matsugane to Hell for his misdeeds? Also worthless. Now, they needed to take care of yet another market that was potentially already starting to grow beyond what she could have ever potentially envisioned from that last one she had previously believed to have shut down. To think that she had once only come here to hunt down Walker... In no way could she have possibly foreseen such a disastrous evolution of her objective.

Whatever reaction Ailene may have had to this, the two of them would then head towards the door so that they could proceed onward. The door was locked, as one would expect from such a terrible scene, but fortunately, the Arrancar had a way to open it as quietly as possible. Even for someone who loathed magic, Kimiko had to admit that her trick of melting the lock by simply fueling one of those metallic needles in her hair with spiritual energy was impressive. If she would have been tasked to cut the door in her partner's place, she would have downright tried to cut it down or, worse, kick it. Who knows how much noise that would have made. Hell, now that she is thinking about it, it could have just simply not worked at all, leading her to just lie there on the floor holding onto her leg in comical pain making a bunch of noise. It's not like she's the strongest Shinigami out there, or the quietest, for the matter.

With that said, kicking the door would have been faster, as it took some time before the lock would be completely melted off of the door. During that time, Ailene would ask Kimiko a question that made her blink in surprise. Well, technically, it was two questions, but they both correlated to the same idea. After the surprise passed, the Shinigami would stand there for a moment before she sighed. "It's not that I hate doing it," she answered as she hanged back, staring at the door as she did so. "The Soul Society isn't really a place that I would say helps everyone find peace... For some people it does. For others, it goes even further than that. However, for the rest... it might be more dangerous for them to be there. Those areas they end up being distributed to... It's not Hell, but for some, it might be pretty close to it." She would pause after saying those words as she recalled the districts beyond the 50th, especially the one where that green-haired boy resided prior to his registration in Shin'ō Academy. "That's what I hate about it. Lying to them, just so they don't worry about ending up somewhere like that."

She hadn't expected herself to become this serious while speaking of the matter. Quite frankly, those were all things that she had believed, but never voiced prior to this conversation. It was hardly something to be surprised about; after all, most Shinigami of the Eleventh - a squad that is mainly composed of people from the lower districts of Rukongai - more or less shared that same dislike. Of course, they understood that it was much safer for Souls to end up over there than stay in the Living World, as it was doubtful they would be able to survive for very long at the mercy of the roaming Hollows. However, when one puts a little more thought in the subject, they will perhaps realize that if one ends up in one of those districts, they simply trade the danger of Hollows with the danger of men, something which can potentially be so much worse than the other. In the worst of cases, it is not a trade, but an addition, as proven by the poorer Souls living near the outskirts of the Soul Society.

With that said, they had better things to do than to speak of such things, as proven by the successful melting of the lock. By then, now that the door was open, they could proceed onward. The Arrancar would allow Kimiko to move forward in front of her as she did so in a plainly courteous fashion, something which momentarily broke the Shinigami's increasingly-serious aura. "Uh, right. Thanks," she responded rather awkwardly and unfashionably, almost comically so with all things considered, then walked forward while expecting her partner to be in tow. Damn it, she really will never get used to how strangely friendly Ailene is, isn't she? Even though she's technically a Hollow, she feels like a Shinigami through and through. Hell, she even somewhat reminded her of Celes. Then again, this seemed to be a callback to the previous courteousness that she herself showed to her earlier at the top of the stairs. Bleh. Just thinking about it was somehow making all of this even more awkward, and in response to all of that, she could only look forward.

What was awaiting them behind the door was at least concerning enough to cause her focus to get back on track. Surprisingly, it was stairs. Wide stairs. They went deeper underground than what was usually allowed in Tokyo architecture, so much so that it surprised Kimiko. "Huh..." she let out then, frowning at the sight of the stairs before she stopped and gave them a more thorough glance. Was this... a trap? There didn't seem to be anything wrong about the stairs per say, but their placement was just very odd. Well, there didn't seem to be anything that hinted at this place having been manipulated by magic at a first glance. Although she wasn't quite good at detecting reiatsu, she couldn't even feel it in her surroundings in here, which meant that this was indeed a staircase in her point of view, at the very least. Eventually, she gave up on trying to find anything wrong with the stairs themselves and simply started heading down, though she made sure to rest her hand on Shizukakane in the process.

The descent was longer than expected. In total, it would take them roughly a minute and a half to go from the very top of the stairs to the bottom at a decent speed. Before, the Shinigami had only believed that this was a very long set of stairs, but now she believed them to be among the longest she has ever crossed in a Japanese office building. If this would have gone on any further, she would have started comparing them to the ones found in some places of Seireitei like those leading into the Senzaikyū, and so once again, she found it all quite odd. How were they able to build something like this in the basement of an office building located in the middle of Kabukichō, of all places? The yakuza are powerful, sure, that much she can definitely admit, but there is no way that even them have the funds and the necessities to build this without raising any concerns from the local populace. Just constructing this staircase would have made enough noise for the nearing establishments to call the authorities.

Once they reached the bottom, her question grew in intensity almost tenfold.

"What...?!" She could only let out as she witnessed what stood before her. At the bottom of the stairs rested what seemed to be an enormous room the size of potentially the entirety of Kabukichō. At first glance, it did not seem like a room at all, but rather instead a sort of recreation of a large natural area. Even its walls and ceiling which stood so tall above them were painted blue with clouds here and there so as to mimic the sky. It was a very jarring thing to witness after that bloody hallway, and frankly, it caused Kimiko to simply stand there in complete incredulity for a brief moment as she tried to even understand what was going on. She'd slowly look left and right in a desperate attempt for a modicum of understanding, not even bothering to keep her composure in the process. "This... T-This isn't right..." she mumbled quietly to herself before coughing a few times so as to forcefully return herself to normalcy. "This is... not right... Right... okay. I wasn't expecting this."

From where they stood, it would not be shocking for them to think of them room as being rather empty, as there did not seem to be anything here. However, at the far-side of the room, there seemed to be a large amount of screens lodged against the wall. The vast majority of them were off, though the largest one was open. However, from that far away, the light that came from it made too difficult to see what was going on on it. It would perhaps be better for them to come closer. Seeing them prompted Kimiko to head forward. It was the only thing in this oddity of a place that looked remotely interactive aside from what seemed like ground, rock and grass. "There's... probably something we can learn from those computers," she said as she moved along so as to not lose face any more so than she already has. Ugh. They better learn something from those computers. She at least wants to know how they were able to build this place up.

Unbeknownst to them, in the air above the room floated a single cube. It sported the same color as the sky above and presently was completely immobile.