Arc 2: Canon 11: Patricide [PG13, DE, Medium]

[Douma]

Work was good. Life was good. The world was good, too. Well, except for the fact that it was tilting to the side a bit. Wait- nope, no, it fixed itself. The sky usually does fix itself until a certain point in the night, but by then, Kagami was beyond the ability to question it. You see, tonight was no special night for him unless one would consider all of Kagami’s nights special. Well, at least he does. He had extended deadlines for his piling paperwork and therefore, created even more free time for the Vice Captain to spend at his desire. And what better to do than go to a party? Not just any party, but a famous Central 46 member’s own wedding. Think of the wine, think of the food, think of the music, and think of the dancing. But most importantly, think of the girls.

For that reason, Kagami never never never brings a date to a party. It completely negates the point of showing up. If you bring a date, she drags you down for the whole night, like a man tied to an anchor. No matter how hard you try, you can’t ditch her for another young dame that caught your eye from across the room. Taking a date to a party is a commitment, and for that reason, Kagami always rides solo. Or at least he does for the beginning. Being a wedding, Kagami received his invitation several weeks in advance, and the wedding invite had a ‘plus one’ box that he was permitted to either check ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ He wasn’t planning on arriving with someone, but he sure as hell wouldn’t be leaving on his own. With that logic in mind, he happily checked ‘yes.’

The Lieutenant rose the Heineken bottle he held loosely between his fingers and pressed it against his lips, draining the remaining one third of the bottle with just one large gulp. Making sure no one was looking by completely nonchalantly turning his head from side to side, Kagami threw the glass bottle into the bushes behind him where it wouldn’t be found until the party is cleaned up the next morning. The only thing sloppy about Kagami’s appearance was his tilted tie which he had originally fixed to match the no-longer-tilted sky. Why was the world so inconsistent? But on the topic of his clothes, Vice Captain was wearing a traditional tux with a black jacket, black pants, white undershirt, and a light green vest to match his Zanpakuto. So what it was a wedding, he wasn’t ditching his beautiful blade. It was strapped to his hip in its usual released Shikai state. In fact, he was sending out waves of reiatsu that he couldn’t control so anyone with energy sensory should have sensed his presence immediately. It was his way of shouting, DON’T WORRY GUYS, I’M HERE! JUST GO ABOUT YOUR NORMAL BUSINESS AND I’LL JUST MAKE LIFE A GOOD THOUSAND TIMES BETTER! And he pretty much told them all of that without opening his mouth. Yeah, he could do that.

Speaking of reiatsu, there were a bunch of funky happenings here and there throughout the party. He could detect various reitsu sources with human signatures before he arrived. Did the Central 46 member, what’s his face, have connections with any Fullbrings? Maybe some Quincy friends? Or some Quincy friends? Either way, Kagami would deal with it after all the fun ended. He knew he was going to have a blast considering the notorious reputation of the famous drunk Lion, Captain Raion of Squad 9. Where was his soon-to-be best friend? THERE HE WAS! Wait- no, nope. Not there. I could have sworn I felt him just standing there before…. One of the humans as well as two other Shinigami were standing next to where Kagami was sure he could detect Raion’s reiatsu. Maybe he got drunk and needed medical attention? That sounds about right, those people were so kind. Maybe if Kagami can’t seem to find his feet (they disappear half way through the night most of the time), those kind gentlemen would be able to return him home like they must have done for Raion.

It seemed that a show was beginning, and Kagami couldn’t wait to see what. A circus? A magic show? Please be a magic show! Wait, no, it’s just the wedding ceremony. That’s some pretty lousy entertainment, Central 46 man. Maybe you need me to teach you how to have some fun. I’ll get you a nice young girl and- Wait, this is your wedding, huh? Never mind, you’re hopeless. Kagami already decided he wasn’t too fond of this C46 guy after the silent conversation they had just had together. He seemed like a bit of a cocky prick to the Lieutenant. He hated people that liked having big heads. Wait, what am I doing standing here? It’s a party, and there’s a show! Even if it’s gonna be lousy, might as well try and enjoy it!

As he followed the crowds, he grabbed three glasses of wine, carrying them between his fingers. He would need every drop if he was going to end the show in bright spirits (pun intended). Kagami worked his way down to the seats where he grabbed the only remaining available chair, one that was between a sleeping old man and Mr. Macho that stood a good foot taller than Kagami. Of course, the Squad 6 Captain was sitting in the next seat, but there weren’t any eye-catching girls nearby yet. It was a shame. “Hey Big Foot, mind switching out with that busty blonde two rows up? She was giving me the eye a couple minutes ago.”

Before the show even began, Kagami took the first glass of wine and drained the cup completely, not leaving a single drop. It tasted a little funny, but hey, it was wine. And it would get him drunk. Shrugging it off, he poured the second cup into his mouth and followed it with the third. After all, why not? There’s plenty more where that came from, and it was all free! From the corner of his eye, Kagami saw a few of the ‘guards’ sleeping, resting on a group of three chairs with their heads leaning on each other. Ha! Those fools can’t handle their liquor! Kagami nudged the large man that sat next to him with a little more force than he intended, pushing the giant Shinigami into Captain Sozen just a bit, getting the attention of both of them. Kagami pointed his hand at the group of unconscious guards after setting down his glasses of wine. “Look at those idiots. Looks like more than one person got pretty drunk tonight. And three of them couldn’t handle their liquor!” He chuckled slightly at his obnoxiously loud, maybe a little too loud, mockery of the guards that was followed by an uncontrollable *hic* that sent Kagami into another little round of laughter. But why couldn’t he feel any reiatsu coming off those three sleeping Shinis? Maybe he was just more drunk than he thought.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Kagamis Stats and Skills}
Stats

Stats

Strength - [150] Points

Speed - [350] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] (800) Points

Reiatsu Strength - [300] Points

Light Aura - [65] Points

Dark Aura - [35] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Energy sensory - [200] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1600] Points

Abilities

• [Weapons: Sword] {3}
  
  
• [War Strategy] {3}
  
  
• [Analyzing] {3}
  
  
• [Calm Mind] {2}
  
  
• [Learning] {2}
  
  
• [Strength of Will] {1}
  
  
• [Leadership/Charisma] {2}
  

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

And the Lion was gone. Just like that. There was a blue flash when the strange man placed his hand on Raion’s shoulders and then… poof. Gone. Nada. And Himitsu was again on his own. Well, there was Sozen. But for some reason, he couldn’t get the image of Sozen dying tonight out of his head. Talia had ingrained it there like a disease and it was eating him away with worry. But he had to focus. Right now, in this night, the war between the Shinigami and the Quincy would witness another battle. Himitsu isn’t planning on losing.

Keeping his mouth shut, Himitsu followed Sozen’s lead and took a seat beside him on the side opposite of the Quincy that had shown up. There was no way in hell the giant Fourth Seat was going to separate himself from Sozen after the forshadowing Talia had given him. It didn’t seem like Sozen would allow Himitsu to sit between the Captain and the Quincy, but he had to be at least along side Sozen.

"All other guards here are already dead,"

Himitsu’s eyes darted around, and he noticed that the other Shinigami that were assigned guard duty were leaning on each other just so that they wouldn’t slump over in their seats. Their eyes were wide open and stared ahead, but none of them were moving. Not even to breath. It’s true, we’re the only ones left. Himitsu was growing less and less optimistic about the situation at hand by the second. One disaster after another was following. And while he was trying to analyze the situation, he noticed another large reiatsu signature make its way into the party. Whoever it was, Himtisu didn’t recognize their reiatsu. Not a good sign.

"Those are my subordinates. My allies. Fellow Quincy of the Vandenreich. You see, you are outnumbered. In particular, you both learned last time we arrived in Seireitei that you are also outmatched. It is best that you resign yourselves quietly to your fate, before things spiral out of control."

Himitsu didn’t even take time to count the white figures that seemed to stand out subtly in the wedding. It was 2 vs too many. What a fair way to fight, the thought bitterly, a grim expression on his face. Not a sword was drawn but the battle had started long ago. It was only now that Himitsu was aware of it. Even Sozen didn’t seem too hopeful, though his words tied in with that forboding grin didn’t give much away. Let’s hope you have a strategy, Sozen. That’d make one of us.

In the mean time, none other than the Squad 1 Vice Captain, Kagami Murai had just occupied the seat on the opposite side of Himitsu. That must have been the reiatsu I sensed, thought the relieved Fourth Seat. Maybe now that they had another ally, they could stand a chance. Perhaps the Quicy hadn’t accounted for the late arrival of another guest, especially one such as another high-ranking Shinigami. Could the tables be turning? As hopeful as he felt, Himitsu’s reassurance wasn’t going to last long.

“Hey Big Foot, mind switching out with that busty blonde two rows up? She was giving me the eye a couple minutes ago.”

He doesn’t know who I am… Or if he does, he really doesn’t care. Well that wasn’t a good start. Himitsu didn’t even bother replying to such a strange request. It became apparent that Kagami wasn’t the knight in shining armor that they could have used. He was more focused on the party than anything and didn’t seem to even notice the conflict brewing. Himitsu watched him with a quizzical expression as he drained not one, not two, but three glasses of wine in one go. Oh, but it got better.

“Look at those idiots. Looks like more than one person got pretty drunk tonight. And three of them couldn’t handle their liquor!”

So maybe Kagami wasn’t completely oblivious to everything around him. But he was starting to draw attention to the conflict. Any louder, more obnoxious bursts and someone might actually hear and find out that things weren’t sound. “Shhh, yeah, they’re out cold. Just let them be for now, Shinigami don’t exactly make the best guards at a wedding.” If Kagami was just going to spend the night getting drunk, hitting on girls, and mocking others, maybe they were better off on their own. Or hopefully the Lieutenant could stay sober enough for him to realize that there was a fight going on and they needed him.

*hic*

[Deleted]

(OOC: Filling in the for the open spot in the thread.)

Outside the famed Houen Castle, there were few guests milling about, roaming the gardens or enjoying the open air. The architecture was grand, and so was the attire of those who passed by to attend in the ceremony. Nobles had a way of pushing the excess when it came to wealth and the finer things of living. Though, while watching from one of the nearby benches, the boy could not judge them. Kazuko Shiba had grown up under such a similar lifestyle as well. The Shiba Family, despite losing their place as one of the Four Great Families, had not lost everything to its name. Even as a minor family, it still maintained some of its former connections into the political and social workings of the Seireitei. The elders in his family, his parents included, had managed to secure invitations for a few members of its household to attend the ceremony. Despite his young age, Kazuko had been one of the few chosen to attend, even though he was reluctant at first. The boy was the only member of the Shiba household who held an officers’ position in the Gotei, which meant that his attendance was a duty, rather than a request from his family. Well, it was for the better, in all fairness, although being apart of the guard detail in the ceremony was not what his family had intended for him. His Captain, Raion Sourestsu, on the other hand, needed to be watched by his subordinate. The Vice-Captain had to make sure his Captain behaved well enough not to shame the Squad after all; if he made a move on one of the guests, or worse, Captain Kuchiki, the boy would spend the next few days having to fill out apology letters and the like for him.


Kazuko, barely 4’ 7”, swung his legs back and forth while sitting down; wiggling his toes in his sandals, which served to pass the time, and brushed his brown hair lightly back with his fingers. Boredom was one word to describe how he felt at the moment, despite the festivities. It was always the same at these sorts of social gatherings. Social edict, keeping up appearances, and flaunting what power each family had to bear for all to see was what one could expect. The boy began to regret listening to his parents after all. It’s not like he was much of social butterfly when compared to others. Despite that, it seemed he was the only officer keeping watch outside of the castle; everyone else had either been stationed inside or had moved there during the course of the event. There absence made him look that much more out of place. Looking like a fourteen year old – barely – the Vice-Captain could barely keep his oversized robe from flapping in the wind. Nothing seemed to fit him right, all except for the zanpakuto strapped to his back, the two jugs at his waist, and the Vice-Captains’ Badge on his arm. Then again, those were tied separately – and more tightly – than his actual uniform. Even after years in the Gotei as one of its youngest, smallest – and arguably cutest – officers in its history, he still could not find himself a uniform that actually fit right. But that was neither here nor there.


Without warning, just when everything seemed it’s quietest, the Vice-Captain felt a chill run through his body – and he began to shake, violently in response. This feeling… it can’t be. Its... not possible! Despite his thoughts, his body would not stop shaking. More accurately, it could not forget all the long hidden pain. Underneath the oversized robe, scars and burns that littered his torso and his upper arms itched violently, furthering the shaking. Baal? Here? But why!? No matter how hard he tried, the Vice-Captain could not forget this feeling – this Reiatsu that seemed to permeate through his very skin and bone. He remembered – in the nightmares and dark thoughts that found their way into his consciousness – how his body had almost been devoured and absorbed completely by that General. His life had only been spared on a whim, but it was enough. With his sensory, the moment Baal stopped hiding his presence inside the Ballroom, was the moment the Vice-Captain picked it up. “What do I do?” He asked himself, eyes wide with a mixture of fear, confusion, and anger. His young mind had been scarred irreparably by that man, and his stomach churned as it faintly recalled all the sins that transpired during that invasion. Images of Shinigami chained to walls, chunks of flesh and muscle, and delicious plates of what used to be his subordinates flashed all at once through his mind. Even then, the boy had still not forgiven himself for what he had done.


Hesitantly, the boy jumped off the stone seat, his palms and feet sweaty; what would he do? Had others already realized the magnitude of the situation? Where were the reinforcements then? I need to warn Captain Sourestsu and Captain Kuchiki… everyone needs to escape while they still can. Even with that conviction in mind, his feet were slower than he had been all that day. Why was he so afraid? Had the months spent in surgery and recovery been for nothing? Why had he trained his body to its limits if he could not even get himself to move quickly enough to spread the word? Eventually, Kazuko moved faster as his will grew bolder,  until he reached the entrance and made his way into the ballroom. The massive structure housed thousands of guests and nobles, all seemingly unaware of what was going on. All the while, the Vice-Captain scanned the interior, his eyes darting from head-to-head, trying to find his Captain while his sensory searched for his reiatsu. Where is he!? Did he pass out again? Frustrated, the boy walked over to the exterior of the room, and approached one of the guards stationed there. His voice, noticeably more strained than it had been that whole day, came out fast. “You there, leaning on the wall, have you seen Captain Sourestsu?” There was no reply.


Kazuko finally got near the man and tugged on his uniform; maybe he had fallen asleep? His head swayed with the motion, and his body slid down, stopping once it reached a sitting position against the wall. The Vice-Captain looked at the corpse, his eyes distant. There was no surprise in them; only a melancholy expectancy. So the deaths had already begun. The boy, his heart scarred by too many wars and deaths already, scanned the whole area, focusing his vision and his sensory. The officer could feel only a handful of spiritual pressures that belonged to Shinigami, and their still moving bodies. Everyone else who wore the uniform of the Gotei were motionless, made to appear as if they were still keeping guard and vigilant, while in reality, they were a token protection. The Vice-Captain of Squad Nine was quiet as he analyzed the situation. The boy had already spotted Captain Kuchiki, but his Captain was nowhere to be seen. Moreover, there was only one other Vice-Captain in the immediate area as well. Along with what Seated Officers remained, was this really enough to secure the protection of all these people? He doubted it. The fear that had racked his body earlier had vanished, strangely. Kazuko seemed calm. What had happened? For now, it seemed that the boy would have to try and figure things out as best he could, so he sat on a nearby table.


The table had a few other seats on it as well, with some of them empty while others were already occupied – by three other Shinigami. Their heads were tilted down, but their bodies were still upright with their arms either crossed or on their weapons. No surprise, there were crimson specks scattered on the white cloth of the table, near their bodies. Despite this scene, the Vice-Captain took it all in with emotionless eyes; the boy had seen so many of his comrades and friends die in so many past invasions, that he had gotten to the point of distancing and locking his heart. He felt the connection with these men all the same – they were fellow Shinigami after all – but he just chose to push the hurt away, and lock it in some place in his heart. Kazuko had had his mind broken on two occasions with all the death, but in the process, he had matured, and learned to cope better with the reality of war. In some ways, despite his age, he was more of an adult than most of the guests and patrons there. As Kazuko watched the proceedings in the ceremony, his senses and instincts expecting danger, he subconsciously loosened the strap on his zanpakuto, making sure it was ready. If Baal was at the ceremony, then likely other Quincy were there as well. How long had it been since he killed a Quincy? Not long enough. The thought lingered in his mind as he watched things unfold.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}

Kazuko Shiba: Level 2, Spiritual Genius

Strength – [100] (50)
Speed – [400]
Spiritual Pressure – [200] (400)
Reiatsu Strength – [400] (800)
Light Aura – [75]
Dark Aura – [25]
Instinct – [150]
Senses – [100]
Energy Sensory – [50] (150)
Healing Expertise – [0]

Total SP: 1400


Skills

Weapons: Sword {3}
Hakuda {3}
Battle Analysis {3}
Mental Incantation {3}
Calm Mind {2}
Pain Tolerance {1}
Learning {1}

Total SKP: 16

[Kento Waffles]

"The banner black
Oh so cold
The banner red
Oh so dead
And eyes to see
Bled from greed

And lord laid waste, and lord laid waste
Come forth, he said. Come forth, he said
Bring your dead
Remember the flood: The tears and rain
There are no rebels
Remember cold death: Your fear and pain"

There was the song of a young boy, made to sing for this wedding a somber tune to create a heavier atmosphere before the true ceremonies of the wedding began. The song was more than melancholy. Beneath it there was history. There was a short parable of the song, or so it was said. One could hardly say that there was no lesson to be learned, of course. There sat now three Soul Reapers, and a Quincy who was of the worst breed. The sort of man who might make others eat their comrades. The sort of man who might force some to slaughter little girls to find their own salvation. A true devil in the skin of a man, and the cloak and guise of one who was taciturn and mild-mannered.

"Tell me, my dear friends," Sozen said aloud all of a sudden, eyes falling on his two Soul Reaper comrades, but primarily on the Quincy known as Wilhelm Kohler. "Have you ever heard the story behind that song the boy now sings?" Kohler turned to Sozen and smiled a devilish smile, as if all knowing, though it was a controlled smile, meaning that not all cards had yet been played. It was the sort of confident mannerism that showed he felt himself to be in complete control of the situation, even if he was surrounded and alone with three Shinigami present. Except that of course he was not alone and had dozens of allies, so maybe his confidence was well placed.

"I cannot say that I have," Kohler replied to Sozen. "The ceremony has almost commenced, however. Perhaps you should save your storytelling for afterward." Sozen smiled himself, a cold smile as he interacted more with Kohler, and with the Soul Reapers there. "The song is called the Parable of Nine Flags," Sozen said. "It's a Kuchiki song that originated fourteen thousand years ago, though admittedly many have forgotten the sound of it, judging by your lack of recognition." Sozen had all of a sudden reached a new level of confidence that he hadn't had only moments before. Kohler listened intently. "Worry not," Sozen said. "The tale is rather short."

He paused. "The song is named so after an event in Kuchiki history, which took place under Osamu Kuchiki, 14th Head of the Kuchiki Family and Captain of Squad 6. He is known for having had the longest reign of any Kuchiki Head in history, and a Captaincy longer than any others in history as well, even Captain Commanders." Sozen was practically giving Kohler and the other two Soul Reapers a history lesson at this point, though after a moment he changed to speed up the story, and instead of giving background information, told the part which was important, as there was in fact a point to the story which made it both symbolic and worth telling.

At the same time, a wedding guest in a black tuxedo with a red flower hooked onto the front pocket approached Kazuko, who was entering the wedding main event. The guest handed Kazuko a note and a small vial of what appeared to be red liquid, along with a small, golden dagger which was gaudily adorned, but clearly as sharp as any Zanpakuto. The note read one thing, and one thing alone. It was a single word. Discreetly. Kazuko had just been approached and given tools by a wedding guest, who then disappeared seamlessly into the crowd, borne away on the current of love and joy that a wedding was supposed to be. Whoever he had been, he was very covert.

"The Kuchiki have been the most powerful household for a long time," Sozen said. "We were distinguished all the way back during the time of our first official family Head. But back in those days of the 14th, when there were far more noble lines than there are now, it was not easy to maintain respect or power. Despite our clear advantages, a time of peace led to doubts as to the true might of each house. That was why the noble family with the black flag, the Kazaan family, thought nothing of it when their heir raped a Kuchiki girl. He doubted our threats even after we kidnapped his sister in retribution, and went so far as to kidnap three Kuchiki clansmen and hold them for ransom. He wanted an exchange."

At some point, notes made it into the pockets of Himitsu and Kagami as well, left with only subtle movements, and no daggers, but with vials identical to what Kazuko had received. The notes read the same thing. Discreetly. They had all been given tools of some kind. When they discovered it depended on how much attention they paid, and in the meanwhile, Sozen continued his story. "It was then that we called upon all other noble families to hear our story. All who were allied with the Kazaan renounced their alliances soon afterward, except for eight other, smaller families, who claimed that the Kazaan had done nothing wrong, and the Kuchiki family was in the wrong for kidnapping the girl."

Sozen smiled. "A tactile man, Osamu sent back the Kazaan heir's sister in three pieces. The following day, he led 300 serving the Kuchiki banner and massacred the Kazaan family home and all subsequent homes, and did the same to all eight of the families that had kept their alliances to the Kazaan. He killed them all, and called sixty volunteers to rape the Kazaan heir one after another, until he died from the brutality of it. Of nine families, there were zero survivors when Osamu was finished. After that, he had their palaces and castles burned to ashes, their possessions destroyed, and all historical or similar mention of their very names erased, and instead took over the land they had all occupied, and later rented its space to noble families Shiba, Shihoin and Kasumi'Oji, who to this day reside on land owned by the Kuchiki name. All that remains now of the Kazaan and their allies is a bloody song. The Parable of Nine Flags."

There were many outfits of white at the gathering, showing that there were many Quincy. Kohler did not miss that Sozen was making a point by telling this story, but did not seem either disturbed or intimidated by the Kuchiki Head. "You imply that such a fate will befall the Vandenreich," Kohler guessed. "I imply that such a fate will befall you," Sozen replied. "For underestimating those of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." The Squad 6 Captain turned then to Kagami and to Himitsu, and debriefed them on the mission at hand that he was now to give them. "Kagami, Himitsu," Sozen said, easily recognizing both by name. "There are at least a dozen whites. You have been given tools in your pockets. Take these, and silently kill them all. Be subtle, and return to me when it is done."

Sozen had just dismissed the two Soul Reapers, instructing them to go kill all of the Quincy. To Kohler, he smiled. "Don't attempt to warn them," Sozen said. "There will be consequences if you do." At this, Kohler smiled in turn. "Do not worry. My subordinates are more than capable of dealing with something as low level as these tactics." Kohler had full faith in his subordinates. However, Sozen too had full faith in his own. They were two that he had just assigned, and a third had been given tools as well. Two Lieutenants and a seated officer. On second inspection, a little over twenty whites that needed to be killed in a subtle way. Would it go one by one, or was there a faster way of doing it?

"We will see."

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Himitsu listened with anxious care to the exchange that took place between Sozen and Kohler, though he didn’t understand why the song was significant at all. The Crimson King definitely seemed confident, but all of the odds were currently pointed towards the equally arrogant Vandenreich general. Not only was Sozen’s storytelling pointless but also it was starting to test Himitsu’s patience. They needed a plan to be put into action, but the Captain was far too at ease. Had Sozen accepted his death? Either way, Himitsu had never truly lived a life, so he wouldn’t lay down so easily now.

The Fourth Seat kept his anger contained and waited for the story to end, in which Kohler and Sozen tested their confidence against each other once again. Himitsu’s bitter expression hardened, however, when Sozen had provided him with clear instructions. So Sozen did have a plan after all, Himitsu’s thought with relief. "There are at least a dozen whites. You have been given tools in your pockets. Take these, and silently kill them all. Be subtle, and return to me when it is done." The seated officer didn’t need to say a word. He just nodded his head and grimly located his first two targets, a pair of Quincy who was sitting beside each other, pretending to watch the show. However, before the Shinigami rose out of his seat, he pulled out the new contents of his pocket that Sozen had provided him with. ‘Discreetly?’ Himitsu was left in the dark. The note accompanying the vial was far too ambiguous for the giant to make any sense out of. He decided to pocket it and save the vial for when he understood its purpose.

Himitsu pulled himself to his feet and made his way from the very back row of chairs towards the Quincies sitting off to the side in the row infront of them. Himitsu, being a large, clumsy man, was not comfortable squeezing between the small gaps between the files of chairs. As he finally got behind the two Quincy, Himitsu continued past time, lightly bumping each of them on the back of the neck. And just as his fingers made contact with their spinal cortex, he activated Hado #35: Raikou Kawa in each hand. An immense amount of electricity would be poured directly into the spinal cord of the Quincy, flooding all of their nerves with thousands of volts as well as possibly frying their brain if they had no resistance to the technique. The best possible scenario for the Vandenreich officers would be temporary paralysis, making them completely limp and possibly unconscious for the rest of the night. “Excuse me,” Himitsu murmured in a false apology as he moved past the now incapacitated humans and found other targets.

Himitsu would use this same method, moving from the back of the audience towards the front and taking out Quincy inconspicuously left and right until he had single-handedly eliminated a total of ten of the Vandenreich solidiers. Luckily, he wasn’t alone, so he left the drunken Vice Captain to deal with the rest. Hopefully, Kagami would realize how grave the situation was and set up as a true Shinigami. That is, assuming that he wouldn’t pass out before then.

Reiatsu Remaining: 1980/2180 (-100x2 for Raikou Kawa)


(( Post for Kagami coming up soon ))

[Douma]

The only benefit of going to a rich-people party was the wine. It tasted pretty fantastic, even to Kagami who wasn’t used to the more sophisticated liquor over his typical tequila shots and Heinekens. Other than the alcohol, this party was pretty awful. The entertainment nearly put the Vice Captain to sleep, causing him to look around just to verify that the Squad Seven Captain Enma hadn’t made an appearance. And what was worse than the song was that the people next to him were analyzing its history. Booooorrrrriiiiinnnnnggggg. The Lieutenant had so many better things to do, and although he wanted to give these parties a shot, they turned out to be a real disappointment.

However, the only thing keeping him here was his sane side fighting through his clouded judgment and conscious. Information collected and interpreted so far: 1. There are several Quincy here. 2. Sozen will die. 3. Kuchiki’s are cold-blooded bastards. 4. He had to kill some of those white Quincy without anyone seeing him. 5. Someone reached into his pocket against his will without him knowing, and as long as she was decently hot, he didn’t mind. 6. His wine glasses were empty. Kagami decided that while Himitsu got to the closer Quincy, the Vice Captain might as well refill on his liquor. “Just one more...” he mumbled to himself as he got to his feet and passed Himitsu, patting the giant on the shoulder in the meantime. “Good luck, Bubba,” he said and moved on, walking past Sozen and Kohler. “Red Riding Hood,” Kagami remarked as he greeted Sozen with a nod. And he sent another polite nod towards Kohler while saying, “God bless you, Father,” in obvious mockery of the extremist religious ideals of the Vandenreich, not missing a step as he walked passed the Vandenreich General towards the wine table in the back, away from the audience. Today would have been a good day if he managed to piss the Quincy General off.

Kagami wasn’t planning on getting too wasted right at that moment. He decided one last glass of wine would be his limit, though he was having enough of a hard time walking straight already. But Kagami had a nice, big meal before hand so one more serving of alcohol couldn’t hurt that much. By the time that he had found a glass of wine and turned to inspect the audience watching the wedding ceremony, he had noticed that Himitsu had taken out the majority of the Quincy already. Kagami couldn’t let him steal all the credit. “Can’t let that fourth seat get all the praise,” mumbled the annoyed Shinigami. All Kagami had to do was sip his wine quietly and flex some reiatsu before 6 more Quincy bodies lay lifeless in their chairs. He had summoned 3 mirrors, each of them between a pair of Quincy sitting beside each other. But each side of the double-sided mirrors would be linked together with his Zanpakuto technique by the name of Image Link, so that they would be undetectable even with Energy Sensory, since all reiatsu bounces off the mirrors, or through them when they are linked.

Using the invisible reflective glass, Kagami transported is blade in sixths through each end simultaneously. That way, half of his blade would poke out of the mirror and slit the throat of one Quincy while, on the other side of the mirror, the same thing would be happening with the other human. All six remaining Quincy would be eliminated in no more than a second all due to the Mirror Master himself, Squad 1’s prestigious Vice Captain, Kagami Murai. The Lieutenant was already praising himself as he made his way back to his seat. However, on his way, he remembered that he had some sort of item in his pocket. He pulled it out before finding his seat and found a meaningless note paired with a meaningless vial. Either way, he managed to finish the task without the help of Sozen’s ‘tools.’ That made his head even bigger. “Don’t worry little Red,” Kagami said when he sat down, obviously addressing Sozen. “No more Big Bad Wolves are gonna hurt Grandma.” God, I’m hilarious, the Vice Captain happily thought to himself as he took another sip of his wine.

Reiatsu Remaining: 7775/8000 (-25x3 for mirrors, -50x3 for Image Link: Total -225)

[Sozen Kuchiki]

Kagami would indeed find some success for himself, and his victims slumped down into their seats, dead, blood staining their clothes only so much that they could not be seen as dead. Kagami had proven that he was capable of following directions and also of being resourceful. He had killed some Quincy, which was good of him. It meant that there were less enemies to deal with. It meant that Sozen's plan was partially successful. But unfortunately for the entirety of the plan, there were a few unseen circumstances.

Himitsu, on the other hand, had misused his Kido. How unfortunate! Raikou Kawa wasn't a stealthy Kido. It had been designed to create a large stream of electricity. Ever heard of Chidori Nagashi? It was pretty much like that. Get the idea yet? Raikou Kawa was too massive to simply fill the Quincy bodies with electricity and do it stealthily. Himitsu's tactic, which was supposed to just be done stealthily, ultimately ended up not working out for him. This was because he had vastly underestimated the Kido.

Instead, the Quincy were shocked by a high scale Kido which was extremely flashy and visible. Worse yet, Raikou Kawa wasn't a lethal Kido, least of all at Himitsu's reiatsu strength. Instead, it immobilized and numbed them, causing them to fall to the floor, most certainly far more shocked than they had expected to be. Well, because of that, all of the other Quincy were tipped off to what Himitsu was doing. They started sensing around, and became aware that Kagami had killed some, that Sozen and Kohler were near one another, and that Himitsu was trying to do more killing.

Explosions of reiatsu all around the wedding disrupted it and caused the people to scatter and run, screaming, including the bride and groom. But they couldn't get out, for the doors were locked. Himitsu would find himself surrounded by six Quincy, all of which had bows made of glowing white reiatsu, each with at least one arrow notched and aimed at him. He was surrounded, and they were ready to shoot him and to kill him. The same was true of Kagami, who suddenly would find that he too was surrounded.

And all of a sudden, Himitsu's vision would begin to get blurry, and his body would begin to get heavy, and drowsy. There was also pain associated. His ears began to start ringing, and his body began to hurt. Sweat started to drop and bead from his forehead and from the rest of his body. It seemed that Himitsu's antagonizer from earlier had not been lying. He had indeed downed a vial which contained some questionable stuff, and now it seemed that at last, it was beginning to catch up to him. There might just be some kind of poison coursing through his system.

Sozen and Kohler continued sitting in their seats, and neither dropped their poker face. Sozen kept his smile on his face, even when his allies were surrounded by Quincy. "Surely, Wilhelm, you don't believe that numbers are enough?" Sozen asked. "You are in the midst of my territory." Meanwhile, people were continuing to scramble around screaming and running. There was chaos in the room, and they were unable to get out of it. The Quincy surrounding Kagami and Himitsu braced themselves, and prepared to fire at the two.

[Deleted]

The boy held the crimson vile gingerly in one hand, eyeing it suspiciously, along with the ornate blade in his other hand. A stranger in a black tuxedo had given the young officer both items on his way to the table, and he was only now taking into consideration what the note that had come along with them had meant. He had to wonder whether Captain Kuchiki had anything to do with this matter. From his position, and his height, the boy could only catch glimpses of the Captain; he seemed to be preoccupied with someone else at the moment, but the boy could not quite tell who it was from there. Regardless, the Vice-Captain merely pocketed both items and kept his surveillance of the area. With his Energy Sensory, he could detect two sizable sources of Reiatsu – both of which were sizable enough to belong to officers – and figured they were the only real security left in the ballroom. Just great. Quincy are on the move and there are only a handful of officers to guard the area. To make matters worse, we have no idea what their true objective here even is. If only Captain Sourestsu were here. He sighed. Things weren’t looking too well, from what he could tell.


A few moments later, the other two officers in the ballroom began to move on their own accord. Curious, the boy followed their paths, and watched as they subtly – or tried to be – as they picked out those in white and snuffed them out. Guests died left and right, making the young officer question whether they had not lost their minds or gone berserk. Fortunately, the situation soon clicked into place moments later as he noticed that they too carried the same weapons he did, and only aimed at specific targets. That’s what the note had meant about ‘discreetly.’ We’re were supposed to target and eliminate the Quincy hidden in the ballroom. Though, as much as the officer relished at the thought of exacting his revenge, he quieted the notion soon after having it. Both officers seemed to have a firm grasp of the situation, so what point was there in his interference. He was not there to sedate his blood lust for the Quincy – or so he told himself frequently, trying to ease his agitation and anger – but not to protect the guests at the ball. No, both officers were more than enough to handle a few disguised Quincy. Kazuko had to have faith that his comrades could get the job done; the Gotei was a fellowship of sorts, so trust was essential, or so his instructors had told him.


His thoughts were soon shaken as screams broke out, and people began to panic, moving out of their seats and toward the exits. Kazuko could feel several explosions of Reiatsu flood the room, and realized that something had gone wrong. Those that remained of the Quincy released their bows, and moved to surround the officers who had moments before had dropped several of their comrades. Darn it all! Kazuko thought to himself, rising from his seat, and grasped the hilt at his back. Things had gone bad. Worse, the people who had tried to escape were trapped inside, doors locked. Kazuko could no longer wait around and watch as things escalated all around him. The boy glanced back and forth between the panicking guests, and the two Shinigami, trying to make up his mind who he could lend help to. Cursing to himself, the boy made his decision. He turned his back from his comrades, leaving them to handle themselves, and disappeared with a step of Shunpo. Protecting the guests came first; if a battle broke out, a massacre would likely be the result of the night, regardless of who won.


The Vice-Captain, using Advanced Air-Ground to form his own platforms in the air, reappeared over one of the locked doors, overheard the panicking guests. The boy pressed his palm against the door, angling somewhat down. Without a word, he would materialize a Shakkaho within the door frame, and making sure to use only enough power to destroy the material without causing much collateral damage – to the guests or the area inside – he fired. The blast of Reiatsu was aimed to go through the through door, away from the people inside, blasting away a fair chunk of it toward the outside. Even with the power of the spell weakened, with his Reiatsu, the spell would blast through either way. The spell would likely allow the doors to be opened at that location, but in the case that they were not, the guests could always go through the hole he had created. With an exit likely made, the Vice-Captain would step off with another Shunpo to another exit, and repeat the process he had done before. This would repeat for a third time, until he finally felt that there were enough escape paths open to allow foot traffic without causing people to bunch up.


Kazuko would then leave through one of the openings, stilling hovering above the ground, and make sure that the guests were safe escaping outside. He had to be wary of any Quincy that could be stationed outside. Without proper security, there was no telling what kind of damage or mayhem could happen with all the live fodder running around. If no problems presented themselves outside, then he would retreat inside, and lend his assistance there if needed. Protecting the guests was the number one priority, so hopefully, the two officers would be able to handle themselves. Of course they could. Besides, Captain Kuchiki was still with them, and maybe, Kazuko hoped, Captain Sourestsu might still be there too. Though, the thought of Baal being there did not make him feel any less anxious; what exactly was the goal of this whole fiasco. Were the Quincy so bent on causing mayhem that they would attack so carelessly? What was with them being there? For the moment, the Vice-Captain quieted those thoughts has he tried to help the guests as best he could. He had a job to do before his own troubles.


Remaining Reiatsu: 3525/4000 (-25 for Advanced Air Ground, -150 for 3x Shunpo, -300 for 3x Shakkaho)

Combat Posts: 1/8

(OOC: For the three Shakkaho used, Kazuko used the beam variation that Kira used in the Fake Karakura Town Arc to decrease the likelihood of an explosion harming the guests.)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Example of Shakkaho Used}

[Sozen Kuchiki]

It was thanks to Kazuko's work that the guests managed to rush outside and escape to safety. There were no waiting Quincy outside to ambush and slaughter the guests, even though that would have been better. Strategically, it would have made a lot of sense if the Vandenreich had done that. Many of these guests were responsible for funds which, if crippled by extermination, would have left the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Soul Society in economic plight. Instead, none of them died as they left to empty out the halls, and instead escaped. All that remained would be Kazuko, Sozen, Baal, and many Quincy who surrounded Kagami and Himitsu.

If that was the case, and the strategy had not been to exterminate those outside, then the most likely scenario, as would be recognized by anyone who was familiar with combat, was that this was a diversion, and something else was happening somewhere else. As a result of this, Sozen was stuck with Baal, and Raion was somewhere incapacitated. Two Lieutenants and a seated officer were stuck here as well. So that left a great deal of strong forces crippled. But there were still many other Captains, and this was a lot of manpower to sink into something if it was no more than a diversion. One had to wonder if this could really all just be a diversion, if this much had been put into it.

Since there were no more wedding guests, Kazuko's presence became obvious and noticeable, so two Quincy from each group surrounding Himitsu and Kagami went to surround the Lieutenant and Shiba clansmen, leaving four enemies per Soul Reaper. Except for the seventeen people in the room, the only ones left there were Sozen and Baal, who were the only ones that had not engaged, and still sat next to each other dabbling in pleasantries. "All good things must come to an end," Kohler said. "Be it my advantage over you, your reign in the Soul Society, or the power of the Soul Reapers that have existed for thirty three thousand years...."

"You have fallen all to instability created by yourselves. Can you not see it? Your abuse of power against other species has led you to a situation where no others will ally with you, and where you have not one, but three powerful enemies who seek to destroy you, two of which are already more powerful than you are." It was a game of power which the Soul Society was now starting to lose. That was what Kohler was saying. Three enemies, though? That was odd. There was Las Noches and the Vandenreich. Both were strong enemies, but Kohler said three. Who was the third enemy, and which two out of three were stronger than the Soul Society?

Suddenly, all Quincy fired. Kagami would have to dodge thirty six total arrows from four Quincy who had fired around him. His angles of dodging were extremely limited. Himitsu would have to dodge one hundred and eighty nine arrows from four Quincy who had fired around him. He had nowhere to dodge to, and was possibly poisoned. Six hundred and ninety four arrows flew at Kazuko from the four Quincy surrounding him. Dodging was impossible, and fully blocking would be too without doing something radical. They were in a tight spot, and things were getting worse the whole time. Sozen was suddenly far to the side and out of his seat, just in time to dodge a flash of white that struck past where he had been sitting only a second before, and completely obliterated the wall that had been facing behind him.

Sozen's sword was already drawn, and Kohler had already risen. Now these two as well were to begin their fight. It was a fight which Sozen had lost last time. He had been defeated by Kohler the last time they had battled. He, Okusa, and Enma. The three strongest Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had simultaneously lost to B, The Boss, Baal. Wilhelm Kohler. This meant that for one of those Captains alone to be fighting the same opponent didn't look good. Sozen's odds did not look good, and neither did the odds for the other three Soul Reapers. However they were going to do it, they had better make every move count.

[Douma]

So the dunce of a Fourth Seat blew it. Of course he did, no one could compete with Kagami. It would have just been a matter of time until the dunce had messed up. Dunce, I like that word. It suits the dunce well. And his failure must have troubled him so much that as soon as he was surrounded, Himitsu dropped on one knee in humiliation. HA, SERVES HIM RIGHT TO TRY AND BEST ME. Kagami was having a good time again. After all, how could he not when he was both drunk and winning a competition, even though the competition doesn’t exist outside of his mind?

After the last few events, one thing became very clear: Kagami wasn’t going to get another drink for a while. In case he didn’t get the memo from the presence of a Quincy general, the heist of the wedding, and the little assassination mission he was assigned by one of the most prestigious Captains of the Gotei 13, Kagami knew for sure that 34 Quincy arrows hurtling towards him from four surrounding directions meant that he was done drinking for the night.Which means that it was time to focus on the game. Yes, it was nothing more than a game. A test between the Vandenreich and the Gotei 13, in which a definite winner and loser would be decided. Kagami would not allow himself to be the loser. As the thirty-four arrows were hurtling towards him at a rapid rate, he made absolutely no attempt to dodge whatsoever. Instead, he had summoned a single mirror beside him. At this rate, the single mirror would only repel a quarter of the projectiles.

However, the Vice Captain was far from done. He wasn’t known as the Mirror Master for no reason. Just before the darts converged on him, he allowed the reflective glass beside him to shatter, engulfing him in a cloud of thousands of microscopic glass shards floating around him. Now that the guests had made their escape, he didn’t need to worry about any collateral damage. With the mirror splinters in a glittery cloud around him, they would easily repel all of the arrows that were directed towards the Vice Captain.

Most of the arrows would fly in random directions, but it was in favor of the odds for a few to impale the Quincies that had originally launched them. And with Kagami’s luck, he could at least take out one of the Vandenreich officers. As for the other three, Kagami wasn’t going to let their attacks slide. “Nice try, ladies and gents, but you’re going to have to do a lot better than that.” The Vice Captain had summoned two mirrors behind two of the Quincy left standing before they would have any opportunity to continue their attack and had his jade sword stab into the backs of their heads simultaneously, which would normally result in an instant kill. “Kagami Murai, Squad 1 Vice Captain. I wish I could say that it was a pleasure to meet you," Kagami said, his suave replacing his previous obnoxious drunkness. After all, he wasn't going to show his enemies anything but his best. As for the last one or two Quincy remaining, the Vice Captain was confident that he could take any assault they threw at him, and he stood at the ready with his sword raised.

Reiatsu Remaining: 7350/8000 (-75 for mirrors, -300 for Shard Shatter, -50 for Shunpo)

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Himitsu knew that he had made a grave mistake the second that he cast the Kido. As much as he tried to control the lightning so that it wouldn’t remain noticed, Raikou Kawa was not a technique that could be adapted for stealth purposes, and he had learned that the hard way. And now he was going to pay for his mistake. Himitsu was surrounded by six Quincy who were far from reluctant to begin bombarding him with arrows.

And timing couldn’t have been better for the Vandenreich. Just as Himitsu was encircled by his enemies, his vision blurred and his strength left him for a brief moment, causing him to involuntarily fall to one knee. He now knew that whether or not he had any chance to pick the right vial during his exchange with Talia, he had picked wrong. He wasn’t sure if he would have enough time to find some sort of antidote, but defending Soul Society against the Vandenreich had to ride shotgun for the meantime.

So now Himitsu was on a knee as… um, I’m forgetting the number and I’m too lazy to check. But the point is that a lot of arrows were getting ready to be launched his way, and unless he acted quickly, he was going to get skewered from all sides multiple times. Therefore, Himitsu decided to look at his options. Arrows from left, right, front, and behind gave him one escape possible: up. His first step had to be concealment, so the Fourth Seat instantly, right when he detected the reiatsu of the Vandenreich officers go up before they shot their arrows, used Bakudo #21: Sekienton to conceal himself with a red smoke.

Himitsu then, without letting a second pass since his use of Sekienton, used Ashibumi Daichi (Stepping Ground). He quickly jumped back to his feet and leaped forward into the air, where an invisible platform of reishi was waiting for him. However, Himitsu could only jump about 5 feet into the air, so rather than landing on the reiatsu platform, he had pushed off it in order to keep climbing upwards. He landed on a second platform that floated approximately eight feet in the air. By the time that the red mist cleared, the Quincy would realize that Himitsu had narrowly avoided their arrows.

However, the Fourth Seat had a few moments before his crimson cover had faded. Therefore, he used this time to raise both his hands in opposite directions, pointing them downwards, and spoke the incantation. "A drop of water ripples across the ocean surface, a leviathan rises from his slumber. Go forth, depths of the sea, rise from your slumber to drown the land in your magnificent expanse; turn earth to sea, air to liquid, bring forth your deep embrace! Hado #40: Gouzen Demizu.” Whether or not Himitsu was hit with arrows as he attempted his dodge, the seated officer would still attempt this counterattack.

Reiatsu Remaining: 1980/2180 (-50 for Sekienton, -50 for Stepping Ground, -200 for both Gouzen Demizu)

[Deleted]

Kazuko Shiba hovered in the air, his hand at his back gripping the hilt of his sword, prepared to defend the guests as they escaped through the newly made exits. However, there were no enemies placed outside the doors; something felt quite off about that, no matter how fortunate it seemed. The boy had expected the enemy to at least post a few sentries outside to stop anyone from escaping or bringing word for reinforcements, but there was no one save himself and the panicking people. The Shiba stayed outside long enough for the last of the guests to escape out of view, before he flew back inside, into the ballroom. Now, it was just the Shinigami and the Quincies inside the dining hall; of course, the Soul Reapers were outnumbered. The boy touched down on the ground, dozens of meters away from the other two Shinigami, closer to Himitsu than Kagami, and unsheathed his zanpakuto. Without any tall people to take cover behind, the boy was finally noticed by the Quincy, and four moved to surround his position, bows drawn and ready to fire. They have us surrounded… at the very least, it does not appear that they are using any significant bow releases. That may buy us an advantage for the time being, if we are careful. The boy felt his hand shake in anticipation.


Without letting the moment slip by, all the Quincy fired upon the three Shinigami; the boy did not have time to wonder of the conditions of his other two comrades, but he prayed that they would be alright. With the sheer volume of arrows loosed on just him, the boy did not have much time to evaluate his situation, or his options. His first thought was to use Utsusemi, but he wanted to save that trump card until he really needed it. Besides, when it came to endurance, the boy would be pushing it if he strained his body with the high speed movement. So, he brought his sword down, his small body becoming coated in a thin layer of grayish-brown Reiatsu. “Crumble, Gagoiru,” came his voice, solemnly. Immediately, his zanpakuto changed form, broadening out into a double-edge blade that ended with a U-shape at the end. The blade grew in width at near the tip, and a chain wrapped around his right arm, finished with a spike. The Vice-Captain swung his sword down, biting into the grand floors of the hall. The child collapsed and compressed the ground around him and below himself, creating a crater for him to fall into, and sent out a ring of jagged rocks around the rim of the hole. The majority of the arrows were deflected and intercepted by the ring of rocks, as they still had the same properties and weaknesses of normal arrows, and those that weren’t would find that their target was no longer there, as Kazuko had dropped into the crater he had made.


Whatever surprise or pause the manipulation bought him would be used to the young officer’s advantage. The Quincy had likely only just grasped the concept of his release power, so the boy would capitalize on that. In all directions, around the crater he had made, for twenty meters, rocks would shoot out from within the ground, and race to impale the Quincy. Kazuko had activated Chikyu Hachisu. Similar to his standard Earth Manipulation, the rocks moved at 800 speeds, and had a resistance of 1200 RS to help stop any immediate counter attacks. They were about five feet long each – long enough to skewer a man – and a few feet wide at the base, numbering about forty in all around the area. The Quincy all around him, and next to Himitsu, as he was closest, would find themselves suddenly pierced in many directions by all the rocks. Luckily, since Himitsu had just taken to the air, the spikes would not damage him. The same could not be said for the Quincy who were still on the ground. Without much warning, any of the surviving Quincy would be skewered if they did not react quickly enough to the attack below them. It did not help that there was a smoke screen blocking the view of the Quincy either.


Whatever the result of the counter attack, the Shiba would walk out of the crater he made and evaluate the situation. Depending on how many Quincy survived, or how strong the opposition was, he would plan his actions from there. The Vice-Captain knew that against the Quincy there, the officers could likely hold their own for the time being, or at least the Lieutenants. But against the Vandenreich General, they were biting off more than they could chew. The boy realized that he was not anywhere near the level of a Captain, so he prayed that Captain Kuchiki would be able to hold his own. Without Captain Sourestsu or any other Captains, their chances of surviving the night were slim without reinforcements. The officers there, if they could get rid of their opposition in relative efficiency, might need to support the Captain however way they could. If he fell, so did they. Still… I don’t like where this is going. They did not kill any of the guests, and have seemed to be focusing their efforts on us. Is Captain Kuchiki their target? The Clans? What exactly are they trying to do here if not to hurt the Gotei economically? The Vice-Captain felt slightly unnerved by this uncertainty; things just weren’t adding up.


Remaining Reiatsu: 3125/4000 (-200 for 2x Earth Manipulation, -200 for Chikyu Hachisu)

Combat Posts: 2/8

Shikai Posts: 1/10

[Kento Waffles]

The blitz of arrows proved ultimately to be too much for most of the Soul Reapers. Kazuko was successful in evading them by falling into a self made crater, but Kagami and Himitsu's defenses, which mostly included dodging, were not as successful. Kagami did manage to repel most of them, but still a few were able to slip in through cracks in his defense, or had gotten in through empty space that existed before the shards had time to spread. One arrow jammed into Kagami's shoulder, and three grazed him in random places on his body, just enough to draw blood and some hurt. Himitsu's dodge was inadequate, and he appeared to be about to receive at least a dozen or more arrows hitting him.

Blades erupted from out of the red smoke to save Himitsu, who would receive only one arrow strike, this one right in his left arm. The blades that erupted out of the red smoke stabbed the incoming arrows and knocked them off course, or otherwise destroyed them. Any arrows that came close to Himitsu except for the one had been destroyed by these blades. An explosion of fiery reiatsu shook the room, and Sozen flew over head, having moved backwards to start dodging a lot of very strong arrows. He was followed by Kohler, who was armed with a bright blue bow of reiatsu and was firing on the Kuchiki Captain.

"You saved the fourth seat with your Shikai," Kohler observed. "Clever." Sozen landed with a skidded, some distance away from the others, and smiled as Kohler reached him too. "So I did," Sozen said. "As you can see, I have more than enough remaining reiatsu to deal with you. I might even venture to say that I used up close to none against your comrade..." Kohler seemed genuinely surprised that Sozen had so much power left to spare, but said nothing, and only got himself ready for the next attack. Their battle was the most raging, ferocious one, as terrifying enemies to each other. They should of course hate one another's guts.

All of the other Quincy, however, had counterattacks to respond to. All at once, the four Quincy that surrounded Himitsu disappeared in brilliant flashes of light, and left behind columns of bright white as they suddenly appeared around him. All four of them spoke in unison. "Quincy: Vollstandig. Vollstandig, the ultimate form of the Quincy, was their "Final Holy Form," which all four seemed to be using in an attempt to finish off Himitsu quickly. They had successfully dodged Gouzen Demizu, and were now surrounding him. All of them were armed with white spears made of reiatsu, and were stabbing at him from all angles.

Meanwhile, Kazuko and Kagami had similar bad luck. Kagami's Quincy all dodged their own arrows too, using an enhanced, superior speed that they hadn't previously had. Two of them appeared behind Kagami, and two in each corner above him. They all started firing arrows on him with rapid fire. He was once again under the onslaught of arrows, which left him in a tough situation. He needed to find a way to block or evade, or he'd get hit again and take more damage. Since it was four on one, the fight was going to be quite difficult, so Kagami needed to think of a way to save himself here and keep himself alive.

Meanwhile, Kazuko's shards didn't even penetrate the thick Quincy skin. The answer to why as obvious. Blut, the Quincy's defensive technique, was strong enough to block for them. These ones had enough reiatsu power behind them to ignore the shards and left them shatter against Blut. Kazuko had to find some way around Blut if he had any hope of continuing this fight. Then, after surviving his attack, these Quincy all aimed their bows at him, and fired again. He was once again surrounded by a huge onslaught of arrows, and if he was hit then he would be skewered every which way by the arrows.

OOC: For purposes of laziness and medium difficulty, all of these Quincy have the same stats and class. All of them are soldier types class 2 rank level 2. All of them know Blut, Movement, Hirenkyaku, Vollstandig, Output, Willpower. None of them have used a main bow. All are using side bows with some kind of rapid fire property. Stats below.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}

Strength: 100 (50)

Speed: 300

Reiatsu Strength: 400 (700)

Spiritual Pressure: 150

Instinct: 100

Senses: 100

Energy Sensory: 0

Healing Expertise: 0

Total SP: 1150 SP

Kagami's enemies are all using Blut Arterie, so their physical stats are doubled. All of Kazuko's enemies are using Willpower: Gate, to double their spiritual stats, and Blut Vene to create defensive ability.

Kagami-Quincy Remaining Reiatsu: 1000 Reiatsu

Kazuko-Quincy Remaining Reiatsu: 800 Reiatsu

Himitsu's enemies are all using Vollstandig and have 0 reiatsu remaining. Their Vollstandig stats are below.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Vollstandig stats}

Strength: 100 (50)

Speed: 800

Reiatsu Strength: 800

Spiritual Pressure: 150

Instinct: 400

Senses: 400

Energy Sensory: 0

Healing Expertise: 0

Total SP: 2650 SP

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Himitsu had to be saved. By summoning the red smoke as the arrows all around him were about to pierce him, he only felt one bolt plant itself in his left arm. Blades instantaneously shooting out of the crimson suddenly halted the rest. Sozen had stepped in to rescue the Fourth Seat from a less-than-pleasant situation, to say the least. And now, Himitsu was left to continue his attack with Gouzen Demizu, which would quiet easily be dodged by the group of Quincy. But this gave Himitsu a chance to recover himself and prepare to engage the company of Vandenreich officers.

The Quincy would release their Vollstandig, and now held white spears rather than their bows. That one detail brought the Fourth Seat some satisfaction through his grim facial expression. He no longer had to worry about an onslaught of arrows if he manages to extend the gap between himself and his opponents. He fell back to the ground as his Stepping Ground technique ended and found that the Quincy took no time in surrounding him. However, before they could tighten the circle so that the pseudo-giant of a Shinigami would find himself getting stabbed at from all sides by their long spears, Himitsu decided to take some action.

“Scream, Karaitami.” The words were sharp, but maintained their edge despite the lower volume of his voice. With a flash of light, a thundering boom, and some sizzling lightning, Himitsu’s katana in his right hand would transform into a double-sided blade with a large kite shield at its hilt. Himitsu wasted no time at all. Before the four Quincy got close enough to keep Himitsu from fleeing, the Shinigami would select the Quincy that was directly in front of him. Since the Vandenreich officer would have the advantage of reach with his spear, Himitsu would use this tip of his blade to swat the lance to the side. If the Quincy anticipated the action and lunged forward, Himitsu would simple deflect the lunge to the side using the large shield attached to his sword and continue his assault with an ever better, wider opening. With the new opening briefly available, Himitsu would use the Hoho technique Senka, allowing him to attack his opponent’s front and rear in one fluid motion and appear at the opponent’s back.

And just to ensure that the soldier wouldn’t pursue him, at least not immediately, Himitsu used Hado #48, Dendo Hoden. In a 1-meter radius circle around the Shinigami, an electrical charge would be released, causing anyone caught in the radius to suffer first-degree burns as well as severe numbing. Unfortunately for that Quincy, he would be engulfed by the discharge. Himitsu knew that the remaining Quincy weren’t going to hesitate before impaling him with their own lances, so Himitsu used Shunpo to move another thirty meters away, creating a nice little space bubble for himself. But he wasn’t quite done yet. After making some space, he spun around, aimed his sword hand at the group, having shifted his blade to his injured left hand for a second, and used Raikoho, launching a huge blast of lightning even larger than the 6’8” Shinigami at the group of Quincy, since they had come quite close to each in their attempt to surround him.

Reiatsu Remaining: 1480/2180 (-200 for Shikai, -100 for Senka, -50 for Shunpo, -150 for Raikoho)

Shikai: 1/10

[Douma]

Kagami’s defense wasn’t as impenetrable as he would have liked, and some arrows slipped past the cloud of microscopic glass shards, making narrow cuts in the Vice Captain luxurious cashmere tuxedo. You can’t exactly pick those up from your local Walmart for a couple of dollars and some change. And when he thought little cuts were all that Kagami would have to complain about, an arrow put itself straight through his left shoulder. Straight through it! How much would that cost to get patched up? Kagami’s already got enough money problems- er, lack of money problems to deal with. “Motherfuckin’…” He was at a loss for words, and the sharp pain in his shoulder wasn’t exactly helping.

As the Quincy decided to continue their assault by splitting up into two groups of two and assaulting, Kagami did very little. Without moving a muscle, he would summon two mirrors. Each of them would repel the rapid fire waves of arrows from each group of Quincy. And if they moved to dodge their own arrows, he would simply rotate his mirrors just a few degrees to keep them dodging their own bolts. The idea was to give them a taste of their medicine. And in the mean time, Kagami would be going on a rant.

“Look, you pricks. I don’t give a rat’s ass about your little problem with Soul Society, that blundering giant Fourth Seat, or even the high-and-mighty Crimson King. I’m surprised that the poor excuse for a Vice Captain pipsqueak has managed to stay up this far past his bedtime in the first place. For all I care, we could all have had a few more drinks and enjoyed ourselves for the rest of the night. If all went well, I’d wake up the next morning with the bride in my bed.” Kagami painted them an image of his ideal night, but his drunk rage soon got to him. “But no, you reverands and priests and nuns had to come in and ruin the party. Look at this suit!” he exclaimed, angrily gesturing to his injured solider with his sword hand. “This shit doesn’t come from Marshals! This is the type of tux that Beyoncé throws off Jay-Z every night! Cashmere! FUCKING CASHMERE! NOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!”

Yes, Kagami was quite pissed off, incase that wasn't made clear. And he wasn’t even close to done. After taking second to cool down, he was back at it. “Do you know how much pussy this suit got me? I first started wearing it a few days ago, and I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of bitches it pulled. Nothing lower than nines, NOTHING!” He looked at the first group of two. He looked towards the dark-skinned man with very short, gray hair. “Obama, get your ass back to the white house and pull Putin’s dick out of your ass.” He then pointed at the gentleman from the other group. He looked much younger with a youthful face and a bowl cut. “And you, Justin Bieber, get your Canadian ass back to the North Pole. Obama here doesn’t need another international crisis to deal with, and Santa could really use some extra hands before Christmas.” The first man did admittedly resemble the US president quite a bit, but the Lieutenant just used the pretty boy's very slight resemblance to the pop star as an excuse to insult both the Quincy and Justin Bieber. Kagami’s expression shifted completely from angry to suave as he flicked his gaze between the blonde young woman with a large rack and the dark-haired girl with a perfect body. “As for you too, please meet me in my officer tomorrow night.” Kagami flashed them a charming smile. "At the same time.”

And with those words, Kagami would leap into action. He would use his Zanpakuto to make a perfect mirror reflection of himself. That way, when he springs into action, holding out his blade in front of himself and using Shunpo, ending the stepping technique with his blade embedded into each of the men’s chests, his puppet clone would be doing the exact same thing, mirroring his actions perfectly. Two men down, two beautiful women to seduce. And the best part is that it would be impossible to identify his clone from himself. Instantly after impaling his targets, Kagami would release his Zanpakuto technique, causing his clone to disappear, and immediately used Shunpo to make up some ground before the Quincy girls could retaliate. “So what do you two say about tomorrow?”

Reiatsu Remaining: 7000/8000 (-50 for 2 mirrors, -200 for Mimic, -100 for 2 Shunpos)

Mirrors: 2/5