HomeNecessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
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Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:10 pm
Closing the ancient tome Zenji stood and carried the book back to its shelf with a sigh. There was nothing within these Gotei Arcane Tomes about any spellcasting that was particularly designed to counter the Quincy of the past. Even these ancient texts of the forbidden section of the Grand Library didn’t detail such knowledge. He’d come up with more hints in his own Clan’s Archives but even those had been sparse despite how frequently the ancient enemies of the Balance were mentioned in the oldest scrolls.
Sighing the Soul Reaper left the section, applying the necessary barriers as he went, to make sure that no unauthorised personnel could sneak in. Slamming the last physical doorway shut and applying the barrier before turning the old iron key which locked the mundane security measures. Leaving the area he returned to his office being too distracted to acknowledge his subordinates how bowed as he passed.
Pausing at the entrance hall of his office to receive the notes from his secretary about missed calls and other visitors who tried to reach him while he was gone. Thanking her and asking that she summon Souji for him before Zenji continued on to his office.
Dropping into the seat behind his desk he sighed heavily, it felt like he hadn’t slept in a week. Then again maybe he hadn’t really. There was so much to be done. A fresh folder of secure files had been delivered to his desk, noted as reports from Nao’s office, and Zenji began flicking through them to see if there was any relevant information on the Quincy that would help him. Some of it might have been referring to the Quincy whilst other pieces seemed to refer to normal Humans with some level of Spiritual awareness. Tapping a finger against his table Zenji wondered if the increased numbers of Spiritualists had anything to do with the rise of activity in the Quincy, or rather their sudden appearance, if that was the case then they were having far further reaching effects than just the horrific destruction of Souls.
Glancing at the clock on his wall Zenji frowned slightly, it was almost time to summon his Cousin so they could check that everything was properly underway. At last they’d be able to start making some progress in their anti-Quincy efforts. Of course he had no evidence that their plans would pay off but he had trust in her skills.
When Souji finally arrived, the old man knocking briskly before entering, he saw his commanding officer making tea in the corner. Turning Zenji smiled at his assistant.
“How are you Souji?”
The old man raised both hands and wiggled his fingers with a smile. “Glad to have both limbs again.” he noted with good humour despite the fact that it was the Third Seat who had removed that arm.
Zenji shook his head but returned the warm expression. “I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course sir, name it.”
“The Quincy I told you about. The Facility for his being held at my family estate is complete. I want you to go ahead and visit my Cousin at the Fourth Division and to take charge of the prisoner’s transfer. I have already told Lord Yoshihisa Hatayama, my Great Uncle, to expect you. I believe you know one another from your time in the Second Division.”
The old man grinned. “I remember old Yoshihsa. He transferred to the Third long before I. I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. Off the books?”
Nodding Zenji turned back to his tea preparation. “Yes. Also please ask Zâbel to join me here. We have to discuss some matters before we join you at the Estate.”
“I’ll take care of it at once” Souji assured him leaving swiftly.
Zenji sighed heavily and returned to the tea preparation. Proper tea took time to prepare and brew besides it helped him relax. And he felt like he certainly needed to relax these days when the weight of the Balance seemed to be across his shoulders.
Sighing the Soul Reaper left the section, applying the necessary barriers as he went, to make sure that no unauthorised personnel could sneak in. Slamming the last physical doorway shut and applying the barrier before turning the old iron key which locked the mundane security measures. Leaving the area he returned to his office being too distracted to acknowledge his subordinates how bowed as he passed.
Pausing at the entrance hall of his office to receive the notes from his secretary about missed calls and other visitors who tried to reach him while he was gone. Thanking her and asking that she summon Souji for him before Zenji continued on to his office.
Dropping into the seat behind his desk he sighed heavily, it felt like he hadn’t slept in a week. Then again maybe he hadn’t really. There was so much to be done. A fresh folder of secure files had been delivered to his desk, noted as reports from Nao’s office, and Zenji began flicking through them to see if there was any relevant information on the Quincy that would help him. Some of it might have been referring to the Quincy whilst other pieces seemed to refer to normal Humans with some level of Spiritual awareness. Tapping a finger against his table Zenji wondered if the increased numbers of Spiritualists had anything to do with the rise of activity in the Quincy, or rather their sudden appearance, if that was the case then they were having far further reaching effects than just the horrific destruction of Souls.
Glancing at the clock on his wall Zenji frowned slightly, it was almost time to summon his Cousin so they could check that everything was properly underway. At last they’d be able to start making some progress in their anti-Quincy efforts. Of course he had no evidence that their plans would pay off but he had trust in her skills.
When Souji finally arrived, the old man knocking briskly before entering, he saw his commanding officer making tea in the corner. Turning Zenji smiled at his assistant.
“How are you Souji?”
The old man raised both hands and wiggled his fingers with a smile. “Glad to have both limbs again.” he noted with good humour despite the fact that it was the Third Seat who had removed that arm.
Zenji shook his head but returned the warm expression. “I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course sir, name it.”
“The Quincy I told you about. The Facility for his being held at my family estate is complete. I want you to go ahead and visit my Cousin at the Fourth Division and to take charge of the prisoner’s transfer. I have already told Lord Yoshihisa Hatayama, my Great Uncle, to expect you. I believe you know one another from your time in the Second Division.”
The old man grinned. “I remember old Yoshihsa. He transferred to the Third long before I. I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. Off the books?”
Nodding Zenji turned back to his tea preparation. “Yes. Also please ask Zâbel to join me here. We have to discuss some matters before we join you at the Estate.”
“I’ll take care of it at once” Souji assured him leaving swiftly.
Zenji sighed heavily and returned to the tea preparation. Proper tea took time to prepare and brew besides it helped him relax. And he felt like he certainly needed to relax these days when the weight of the Balance seemed to be across his shoulders.
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:37 pm
Zâbel had been with the Quincy since she had been shown to his cell and had not left his side save for the utmost needs her new position required. Sixth seat; it still rankled her that such preferential treatment had been required in order for her to advance. Fortunately when Souji Hayashi arrived to collect her for Zenji, it had been just such an occasion. Otherwise he would have encountered her gigai and that would have been pure delight. She was less than thrilled that the man had been included in their conspiracy and didn’t trust him as far as she could throw the man. Despite this, she kept her thoughts to herself saying she would head to Zenji right away and the man had left to tend to the transference of their test subject.
She was pissed beyond measure and so it was a delightful cousin that arrived and was shown into The Chief Archivist of the Third’s office. Zâbel had kept her ire in check not telegraphing her emotions to those who observed. She was a pro at hiding her emotions, that was the problem right? Why couldn’t she achieve Shikai? Great at external exploration, her mind excelled in that realm. Internal inspection; what was so ghastly that she had to hide it away even from herself?
Her only solace in the promotion was that it had given her access to classified data and in that she was able to study past experiments on the Quincy tainted spiritual energy and had found some things of interest. Let people talk about her unworthiness then. That was all part of the blanket of secrecy that would make their mission succeed.
Zâbel was used to working in secrecy, three centuries in the Rukongai had required her to maintain anonymity. Perhaps that is what kept her from progressing spiritually, it was hard to tell and she was not prone to grasping at straws. Even so, it could not be completely ruled out. More to the point, this issue of secrecy was what had pissed her off so much. How many people knew they had a Quincy now? She ticked off the numbers in her head and came up with five people, including herself, and now their uncle and everyone involved in the creation of the chamber back at the estate? Why bother to hide at all?
The sight of Zenji calmly preparing tea, accompanied by the soft click of the door shutting closed by the hand of his secretary, did little to salve her anger. It fed the fires within her that he should be so nonplussed by it all as though he had not a care in the world. She had never really sugar coated her words much after she had gotten used to being a Hatayama. Unless you counted her meeting with the young Reika who somehow had managed to bring forth a tenderness she scarcely recognized. At first her relationship with her cousin had been one of fear, with herself doing everything she could to not be cast out into the Rukongai again.
It had taken years for that reflex to subside but once it had their relationship had matured into a real kinship as family. She knew him to possess intelligence. She knew he had great skill and was pleased to see him accessing it and gaining in prowess. Not once had she felt jealousy but was filled with pride over his achievements. It was his ability to be devious that troubled her and she felt he was being more than naive.
Bowing before her cousin, she resolved not to chop his head off with her words and would take his preoccupation with the brewing of the tea as an opportunity to still her emotions and use her intellect. For one, if what Nao said was true that Watari was a danger to them all. For another thing, Souji’s involvement screamed naivety. The man was steeped in Covert Operations and was publicly humiliated and unseated from his cushy position by her cousin to boot. And yet here he was not only serving Zenji but invited right into the secret mission. The fact that he had been friends to their Uncle Yoshihisa did not count for much. But then she had lived in a world of backbiters and con artists for most of her existence in this realm. To her it was just foolish and beyond dangerous. But she had some ideas to counter the dangers and knew that anger would only shut her cousin’s ears to reason.
So she was all sweetness and manners as she greeted her cousins with a formal bow. ”Hello Zenji-san. I hope the day finds you in good spirits?”, she inquired. Protocol was good in that it demanded one engage in banalities before getting down to business and upon that she would benchmark her arguments once the time was right.
She was pissed beyond measure and so it was a delightful cousin that arrived and was shown into The Chief Archivist of the Third’s office. Zâbel had kept her ire in check not telegraphing her emotions to those who observed. She was a pro at hiding her emotions, that was the problem right? Why couldn’t she achieve Shikai? Great at external exploration, her mind excelled in that realm. Internal inspection; what was so ghastly that she had to hide it away even from herself?
Her only solace in the promotion was that it had given her access to classified data and in that she was able to study past experiments on the Quincy tainted spiritual energy and had found some things of interest. Let people talk about her unworthiness then. That was all part of the blanket of secrecy that would make their mission succeed.
Zâbel was used to working in secrecy, three centuries in the Rukongai had required her to maintain anonymity. Perhaps that is what kept her from progressing spiritually, it was hard to tell and she was not prone to grasping at straws. Even so, it could not be completely ruled out. More to the point, this issue of secrecy was what had pissed her off so much. How many people knew they had a Quincy now? She ticked off the numbers in her head and came up with five people, including herself, and now their uncle and everyone involved in the creation of the chamber back at the estate? Why bother to hide at all?
The sight of Zenji calmly preparing tea, accompanied by the soft click of the door shutting closed by the hand of his secretary, did little to salve her anger. It fed the fires within her that he should be so nonplussed by it all as though he had not a care in the world. She had never really sugar coated her words much after she had gotten used to being a Hatayama. Unless you counted her meeting with the young Reika who somehow had managed to bring forth a tenderness she scarcely recognized. At first her relationship with her cousin had been one of fear, with herself doing everything she could to not be cast out into the Rukongai again.
It had taken years for that reflex to subside but once it had their relationship had matured into a real kinship as family. She knew him to possess intelligence. She knew he had great skill and was pleased to see him accessing it and gaining in prowess. Not once had she felt jealousy but was filled with pride over his achievements. It was his ability to be devious that troubled her and she felt he was being more than naive.
Bowing before her cousin, she resolved not to chop his head off with her words and would take his preoccupation with the brewing of the tea as an opportunity to still her emotions and use her intellect. For one, if what Nao said was true that Watari was a danger to them all. For another thing, Souji’s involvement screamed naivety. The man was steeped in Covert Operations and was publicly humiliated and unseated from his cushy position by her cousin to boot. And yet here he was not only serving Zenji but invited right into the secret mission. The fact that he had been friends to their Uncle Yoshihisa did not count for much. But then she had lived in a world of backbiters and con artists for most of her existence in this realm. To her it was just foolish and beyond dangerous. But she had some ideas to counter the dangers and knew that anger would only shut her cousin’s ears to reason.
So she was all sweetness and manners as she greeted her cousins with a formal bow. ”Hello Zenji-san. I hope the day finds you in good spirits?”, she inquired. Protocol was good in that it demanded one engage in banalities before getting down to business and upon that she would benchmark her arguments once the time was right.
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:25 am
He didn’t turn around when the door clicked, he felt the familiar song of his Cousin’s Reiatsu as she entered the room and he knew she was alone with him. The tea preparation was finished and the brewing was just about done when the woman spoke from behind him.
“Good Evening Zâbel.” he greeted calmly. “Oh as well as can be expected. How are things treating you? It would appear you’ve been quite busy as of late.”
Pouring the tea into two small bowls and placing them upon a tray he walked over to the seats beside a coffee table, waving for his cousin to join him. Picking up a bowl and cupping it in his hands he sat down on the sofa, enjoying the warmth as he breathed in the rich scent. It really was quite calming.
“I have been predictably preoccupied. Being Chief Archivist is sadly more than just looking after a few books.” he stated with a slightly self-amused smile which lightened up his face despite the tired lines etched across his features. “Souji has been a blessing in helping shoulder the weight, especially with recent developments. Luckily I won’t be here for too long although I imagine that will only lead to more work.”
Raising a hand he held a finger in front of his face. “Silence, black dog of Rondaniini, Listen to your words and slit your own throat.” he intoned calmly as his Spiritual Energy flooded the room. Zenji’s strength had advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few weeks and now he had to make a conscious effort to suppress his Reiatsu so as to not intimidate the average Shinigami. However when casting a spell and letting his Reiryoku flow free a small window opened allowing a glimpse for the perceptive amongst them to see his true strength, even if only for a few seconds.
“Bakudo #28, Oudanmari.”
The ambient sound of the Seireitei instantly vanished as the field settled into place. The unnatural quiet was only disturbed by the breathing of the two Shinigami within the office.
“Now we can speak a little more privately.” Zenji said, lowering his hand. The spell had been effortless for the Master Demon Artist and in an instant his Reiatsu was fully suppressed once more brought down to the level of the average low ranked seated officer.
“I was made aware of your promotion but we haven’t seen one another since then so congratulations.” he stated kindly. “I’m sure everything has been quite overwhelming from your new rank, your new test subject and everything else about this new threat to our existence. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the time to just sit with you to discuss this all.”
Sipping at his tea the man sighed appreciatively before asking. “I imagine you have much you wish to discuss. We have time before leaving for the Estate so please ask anything you wish.”
“Good Evening Zâbel.” he greeted calmly. “Oh as well as can be expected. How are things treating you? It would appear you’ve been quite busy as of late.”
Pouring the tea into two small bowls and placing them upon a tray he walked over to the seats beside a coffee table, waving for his cousin to join him. Picking up a bowl and cupping it in his hands he sat down on the sofa, enjoying the warmth as he breathed in the rich scent. It really was quite calming.
“I have been predictably preoccupied. Being Chief Archivist is sadly more than just looking after a few books.” he stated with a slightly self-amused smile which lightened up his face despite the tired lines etched across his features. “Souji has been a blessing in helping shoulder the weight, especially with recent developments. Luckily I won’t be here for too long although I imagine that will only lead to more work.”
Raising a hand he held a finger in front of his face. “Silence, black dog of Rondaniini, Listen to your words and slit your own throat.” he intoned calmly as his Spiritual Energy flooded the room. Zenji’s strength had advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few weeks and now he had to make a conscious effort to suppress his Reiatsu so as to not intimidate the average Shinigami. However when casting a spell and letting his Reiryoku flow free a small window opened allowing a glimpse for the perceptive amongst them to see his true strength, even if only for a few seconds.
“Bakudo #28, Oudanmari.”
The ambient sound of the Seireitei instantly vanished as the field settled into place. The unnatural quiet was only disturbed by the breathing of the two Shinigami within the office.
“Now we can speak a little more privately.” Zenji said, lowering his hand. The spell had been effortless for the Master Demon Artist and in an instant his Reiatsu was fully suppressed once more brought down to the level of the average low ranked seated officer.
“I was made aware of your promotion but we haven’t seen one another since then so congratulations.” he stated kindly. “I’m sure everything has been quite overwhelming from your new rank, your new test subject and everything else about this new threat to our existence. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the time to just sit with you to discuss this all.”
Sipping at his tea the man sighed appreciatively before asking. “I imagine you have much you wish to discuss. We have time before leaving for the Estate so please ask anything you wish.”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:25 am
Zâbel yawned and immediately regretted it. Giving a bit of a chuckle she said, ”Damn it Zenji. Until you mentioned it I didn’t even realize how tired I am”, she quipped then yawned again. ”Fuck all, anyway. This was no way to do business”, her thoughts began to race. ”perhaps the tea will perk me up a bit. Maybe I need food. How long has it been since I’ve eaten anyway?”
While he praised Souji and then set about noise proofing his office, she took a seat and settled her robes about her. That was a chore she was having to get used to. Being seated now she couldn’t get away with running around looking like a grease monkey. Attired in the full regalia of her office, she finally achieved the desired arrangement of the robe while managing to extract her Zanpakutō to lie upon the floor at her left side. But damned if she didn’t yawn again and she didn’t have a very good taste in her mouth after his display of Reiryoku. Gods but he had gotten strong and swiftly too.
She had known he had grown but didn’t realize to what extent until he actually used the Kido before her. Nodding her head in acknowledgement of his congratulations on her promotion, she did manage to shield her displeasure over the whole affair from both her face and voice. ”Thank you. And congratulations on your growth in power; quite impressive”, she said taking the offered cup and holding it between her palms. Sipping a bit of the liquid, she let both hands rest in her lap and spoke of her new life briefly.
”Being raised to the 6th seat has not really been that stressful. It is rewarding actually to finally get our newest innovations out into the field rather than just gathering dust in the storerooms”, she said then paused to sip again from the cup. She supposed it was time to get down to business now that the niceties had been tended to.
Leaning forward, she set the cup on the table realizing that it would not do much to keep her awake and would probably have quite the opposite effect. Relaxation was not what she needed right then. ”I am glad you have allotted time for us to speak privately concerning the test subject”, she commented. Despite learning the Quincy’s name she would not use it. It was never wise to name the lab rats for it led to unwanted attachments. The man was not unattractive and so she was doubly cautious with that regard. Much of her wanted to just kill him and protect them all, for to her mind this very loose knit conspiracy was the greater danger.
”I have concerns about security Zenji”, she began by getting to the meat of her worries. ”Indulge me for a moment if you will. Firstly, it is just logic that the fewer people who know a secret the easier it is to keep. I would never think Uncle to be untrustworthy. In fact I believe him to be one of the most reliable people we know. But this Souji, a known covert operative with more than enough motive to wish your fall. I think he is a weak link and would rather see his memory of the event erased to be safe. By all means keep him close, but ignorant. This conspiracy is much too large.”
She sniffed and then set about relaying her other concern. ”Then there is Watari. What kind of monster decides it is a good idea to send his rivals into harm's way as a means of eliminating them? If what Nao tells me is legit, he seriously meant to get Shinigami killed that might pose a threat to his bid for power.” She shook her head and added something she had been considering. ”Truthfully I am not so sure about Nao either. It may well be best to fake the experiment’s death, perhaps with myself injured in the process and put on sick leave to cover my absence from the Division while I conduct my tests.”
It would feel him out as well. Damn Nao for planting the seed of doubt in her mind. A fool would ignore the warning signals, but she would not be ruled by suppositions and odd feelings. She required her own observations, her own studies of the matter, before drawing a true conclusion. She and Zenji were family, that still mattered right? She was certain it did. But what if she were wrong? Reaching for the cup she thought, "maybe some relaxation isn’t such a bad idea after all." Taking a sip she looked at him over the rim of the cup and spat, ”And yes. I am pissed you didn’t even tell me of your brush with death; that I had to hear it from her.”
Her cheeks actually flushed at her display of emotion. Laughter echoed in her mind still faint enough for her to think it was but self deprecating thoughts. Flashing him a grin to cover this uncharacteristic outburst, minor though it was, she said, ”Don’t worry. I will make you pay for it later. After all, I know where you sleep.” Surely he would recall a few uninvited bed fellows that had shared his sleep over the years; The Soul King alone knew how rotten eggs had ever gotten into his bed. ”No way that bitch could be right about Zenji agreeing with Watari’s designs. No fucking way.”
While he praised Souji and then set about noise proofing his office, she took a seat and settled her robes about her. That was a chore she was having to get used to. Being seated now she couldn’t get away with running around looking like a grease monkey. Attired in the full regalia of her office, she finally achieved the desired arrangement of the robe while managing to extract her Zanpakutō to lie upon the floor at her left side. But damned if she didn’t yawn again and she didn’t have a very good taste in her mouth after his display of Reiryoku. Gods but he had gotten strong and swiftly too.
She had known he had grown but didn’t realize to what extent until he actually used the Kido before her. Nodding her head in acknowledgement of his congratulations on her promotion, she did manage to shield her displeasure over the whole affair from both her face and voice. ”Thank you. And congratulations on your growth in power; quite impressive”, she said taking the offered cup and holding it between her palms. Sipping a bit of the liquid, she let both hands rest in her lap and spoke of her new life briefly.
”Being raised to the 6th seat has not really been that stressful. It is rewarding actually to finally get our newest innovations out into the field rather than just gathering dust in the storerooms”, she said then paused to sip again from the cup. She supposed it was time to get down to business now that the niceties had been tended to.
Leaning forward, she set the cup on the table realizing that it would not do much to keep her awake and would probably have quite the opposite effect. Relaxation was not what she needed right then. ”I am glad you have allotted time for us to speak privately concerning the test subject”, she commented. Despite learning the Quincy’s name she would not use it. It was never wise to name the lab rats for it led to unwanted attachments. The man was not unattractive and so she was doubly cautious with that regard. Much of her wanted to just kill him and protect them all, for to her mind this very loose knit conspiracy was the greater danger.
”I have concerns about security Zenji”, she began by getting to the meat of her worries. ”Indulge me for a moment if you will. Firstly, it is just logic that the fewer people who know a secret the easier it is to keep. I would never think Uncle to be untrustworthy. In fact I believe him to be one of the most reliable people we know. But this Souji, a known covert operative with more than enough motive to wish your fall. I think he is a weak link and would rather see his memory of the event erased to be safe. By all means keep him close, but ignorant. This conspiracy is much too large.”
She sniffed and then set about relaying her other concern. ”Then there is Watari. What kind of monster decides it is a good idea to send his rivals into harm's way as a means of eliminating them? If what Nao tells me is legit, he seriously meant to get Shinigami killed that might pose a threat to his bid for power.” She shook her head and added something she had been considering. ”Truthfully I am not so sure about Nao either. It may well be best to fake the experiment’s death, perhaps with myself injured in the process and put on sick leave to cover my absence from the Division while I conduct my tests.”
It would feel him out as well. Damn Nao for planting the seed of doubt in her mind. A fool would ignore the warning signals, but she would not be ruled by suppositions and odd feelings. She required her own observations, her own studies of the matter, before drawing a true conclusion. She and Zenji were family, that still mattered right? She was certain it did. But what if she were wrong? Reaching for the cup she thought, "maybe some relaxation isn’t such a bad idea after all." Taking a sip she looked at him over the rim of the cup and spat, ”And yes. I am pissed you didn’t even tell me of your brush with death; that I had to hear it from her.”
Her cheeks actually flushed at her display of emotion. Laughter echoed in her mind still faint enough for her to think it was but self deprecating thoughts. Flashing him a grin to cover this uncharacteristic outburst, minor though it was, she said, ”Don’t worry. I will make you pay for it later. After all, I know where you sleep.” Surely he would recall a few uninvited bed fellows that had shared his sleep over the years; The Soul King alone knew how rotten eggs had ever gotten into his bed. ”No way that bitch could be right about Zenji agreeing with Watari’s designs. No fucking way.”
Last edited by Miyashita Zabel on Tue Jul 28, 2020 12:08 am; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:08 pm
Chuckling Zenji shrugged although it was more a slight tremor of his shoulders, really he needed to get a nap if even that movement felt like a bother. “The tea will help.” he assured her kindly. “I can have food fetched if you’re hungry, I know you sometimes let yourself get lost in that lab of yours.” he added in a kindly fashion, the peculiarities of his cousin had become familiar characteristics over the past century or so.
Setting his tea cup aside the man frowned before smiling slightly and nodding at her words, one's strength wasn’t so openly commented upon in the Gotei he had found but the pair of them were far closer than mere colleagues. “Yes, well, it would appear that all I need is a little push to get moving.” he noted lightly however subconsciously he began rubbing the back of his right hand, the image of the sneering Quincy in his mind. The hateful man and the vicious woman. Abominations.
Blinking and drawing himself back to the present he chuckled. “I’m glad to hear it.” he assured her. In truth Zenji had had reservations about his Cousin’s promotion, he didn’t like breaking tradition and the woman for all her skills did not have Shikai the mark of lower level mastery of oneself. Still Nao had been persuasive and, at the end of the day, it hadn’t really been Zenji’s choice.
Nodding slightly the man sighed “I’m glad we found the time myself.” he commented. In truth Zenji had wanted to see Zâbel many times over the past few weeks but the pair never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. In fact he’d spent an entire week stuck in the Estate due to his injuries after the Quincy encounter and hadn’t seen her once. Nor had he gone out of his way to summon her, of course, she was busy and doubly so considering what Nao had brought back with her. He hadn’t been about to annoy his cousin just because he was lonely.
Folding his arms he listened in silence to her complaints and nodded slightly as she spoke. Once she was done he sighed and tilted his head backwards as he stared at the ceiling. “Whatever happened to trust? Are we all not defenders of the Balance?” he asked the sky in an exasperated tone. “You’ve been listening to Nao too much.” he added in a tone that mixed amusement with annoyance.
“First off don’t worry about Souji. He is neither inclined nor capable of interfering with our plans.” he told her with a faint, but confident, smile. “The reason I selected him is precisely because of his experience in covert operations, his mastery of both martial and demon arts alongside the fact that he’s eager to prove himself after his… dissatisfactory performance as Third Seat during his later years of service. We can not ready the entire Gotei for war alone, we need help which means eventually allowing others to be included in our schemes.”
Dismissing that concern with a wave of his hand Zenji continued. “As for Watari. Yes he is certainly dangerous. In fact he has killed many Soul Reapers and Nobles within the Seireitei during his grab for power. He didn’t elevate his Clan along with three others by being a nice man. The so-called fatal “food poisoning” that almost all the other aristocratic families suffered from wasn’t accidental.” he added in that same calm voice as if he was discussing the weather, a small part of Zenji wondered what had happened to him that he could so easily discuss matters that once sickened him to the core but sadly that part was all too quiet to make itself consciously known. “Now is he my first choice for a co-conspirator. Hardly. But we must make do with what we can when facing the annihilation of the Balance and the stability of all realms against this most heretical threat. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Leaning forward and picking up his tea the man continued. “We need to be careful when dealing with him and when revealing information however the simple fact is the only high ranking officers we have to rely on are myself, Nao and Watari. You are climbing the ranks in the Fourth but that still leaves the Fifth and Second. Luckily Watari has the influence to at least control the Second, perhaps even the Fifth. We need that sort of influence if we’re to succeed.”
Meeting Zâbel’s gaze with quiet confidence, the former meek scholar was no longer present, Zenji added. “I would do much worse than what we’ve seen from Watari to stop the Quincy.”
Picking up his tea he sighed and shook his head. “He has voiced certain… wishes which are far more grievous. I am working to curtail them of course. It’s not as though I plan to allow the man to run rampant. In fact I’ll be visiting him in a few days to...” he paused searching for the words. “... reinforce our alliance..”
“I mean the entire Estate knew. I was walking around the place with one hand, it wasn’t a great secret. If you actually stopped by the Estate once in a while you’d have known.” he told her with an amused tone. “But if you feel so aggrieved then I will be sure to seek forgiveness.” he continued a smile returned to his lips.
Setting his tea cup aside the man frowned before smiling slightly and nodding at her words, one's strength wasn’t so openly commented upon in the Gotei he had found but the pair of them were far closer than mere colleagues. “Yes, well, it would appear that all I need is a little push to get moving.” he noted lightly however subconsciously he began rubbing the back of his right hand, the image of the sneering Quincy in his mind. The hateful man and the vicious woman. Abominations.
Blinking and drawing himself back to the present he chuckled. “I’m glad to hear it.” he assured her. In truth Zenji had had reservations about his Cousin’s promotion, he didn’t like breaking tradition and the woman for all her skills did not have Shikai the mark of lower level mastery of oneself. Still Nao had been persuasive and, at the end of the day, it hadn’t really been Zenji’s choice.
Nodding slightly the man sighed “I’m glad we found the time myself.” he commented. In truth Zenji had wanted to see Zâbel many times over the past few weeks but the pair never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. In fact he’d spent an entire week stuck in the Estate due to his injuries after the Quincy encounter and hadn’t seen her once. Nor had he gone out of his way to summon her, of course, she was busy and doubly so considering what Nao had brought back with her. He hadn’t been about to annoy his cousin just because he was lonely.
Folding his arms he listened in silence to her complaints and nodded slightly as she spoke. Once she was done he sighed and tilted his head backwards as he stared at the ceiling. “Whatever happened to trust? Are we all not defenders of the Balance?” he asked the sky in an exasperated tone. “You’ve been listening to Nao too much.” he added in a tone that mixed amusement with annoyance.
“First off don’t worry about Souji. He is neither inclined nor capable of interfering with our plans.” he told her with a faint, but confident, smile. “The reason I selected him is precisely because of his experience in covert operations, his mastery of both martial and demon arts alongside the fact that he’s eager to prove himself after his… dissatisfactory performance as Third Seat during his later years of service. We can not ready the entire Gotei for war alone, we need help which means eventually allowing others to be included in our schemes.”
Dismissing that concern with a wave of his hand Zenji continued. “As for Watari. Yes he is certainly dangerous. In fact he has killed many Soul Reapers and Nobles within the Seireitei during his grab for power. He didn’t elevate his Clan along with three others by being a nice man. The so-called fatal “food poisoning” that almost all the other aristocratic families suffered from wasn’t accidental.” he added in that same calm voice as if he was discussing the weather, a small part of Zenji wondered what had happened to him that he could so easily discuss matters that once sickened him to the core but sadly that part was all too quiet to make itself consciously known. “Now is he my first choice for a co-conspirator. Hardly. But we must make do with what we can when facing the annihilation of the Balance and the stability of all realms against this most heretical threat. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Leaning forward and picking up his tea the man continued. “We need to be careful when dealing with him and when revealing information however the simple fact is the only high ranking officers we have to rely on are myself, Nao and Watari. You are climbing the ranks in the Fourth but that still leaves the Fifth and Second. Luckily Watari has the influence to at least control the Second, perhaps even the Fifth. We need that sort of influence if we’re to succeed.”
Meeting Zâbel’s gaze with quiet confidence, the former meek scholar was no longer present, Zenji added. “I would do much worse than what we’ve seen from Watari to stop the Quincy.”
Picking up his tea he sighed and shook his head. “He has voiced certain… wishes which are far more grievous. I am working to curtail them of course. It’s not as though I plan to allow the man to run rampant. In fact I’ll be visiting him in a few days to...” he paused searching for the words. “... reinforce our alliance..”
“I mean the entire Estate knew. I was walking around the place with one hand, it wasn’t a great secret. If you actually stopped by the Estate once in a while you’d have known.” he told her with an amused tone. “But if you feel so aggrieved then I will be sure to seek forgiveness.” he continued a smile returned to his lips.
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:47 pm
Her stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food but she chose to ignore that for now. She was quite used to pushing through when it came to getting a job done and she could always grab an apple or something to eat later on her way back to the estate to check on the specimen. ”Food can wait Zenji, but thank you all the same”, she replied as she was more than eager to get down to business.
She was careful, however, in her observation of his mannerisms. Had his run in with the Quincy really produced an unusual fervor in her cousin? Zealotry, as Nao had put it? So far he did seem his usual jovial self, but what oddities she did discern could just as easily be laid at the feet of his new duties, as he had informed her when asking how she was faring under her own. Being reassured by his words that he too was glad they had this time together, she spoke her peace and awaited his reply.
Looking up at the ceiling that way reminded her of his father when he was frustrated with her and she braced herself for a tongue lashing. It was no surprise; she had, after all, just criticized all his decisions on whom to and whom not to trust. That he turned her legitimate concerns somehow into a personal failing on her part, deflecting them away as some fear mongering scheme on Nao’s part surprised her. He was clearly annoyed with her and that left her unsettled.
He dismissed her concerns about Souji as foolishness, claiming the very reasons that she did not trust the man as the exact points that insured his trustworthiness. Although she did not agree, obviously or she would not have made an issue of pointing to the man as a security risk, she did have to silently concede that Zenji was not a fool and he knew the man much more intimately than did she. But then that dismissive wave of his hand, like she was stupid to even look twice at the man with suspicion sort of rankled her. When it came to who was more adept at keeping secrets she had hundreds of years of experience under her belt compared to the youth who led her family.
But it was his words about Watari that raised all the bells and whistles that hardly needed Nao, or anyone’s for that matter, goading to cause her to gasp at his willingness to accept wholesale slaughter of Shinigami as anything legit and righteous. The way he just offhandedly gave her that piece of news about the food poisoning incident was frightening and set her mind to spinning in fear.
To make matters worse, he actually defended that monster who admittedly was not even his first choice in co-conspirators! What lunacy was he spouting? Annihilation of the Balance? These Quincy had been around for a thousand years and life as they knew it had not ceased to be. Clearly they were inept and not half as powerful as they had been in the olden days. That only made sense seeing that most of their kind had been eradicated.
She twitched slightly as the sound of laughter began to fill her ears. Looking about the area she thought Zenji’s Kido had made the room secure. Perhaps she was more stressed out by this all than she realized and who wouldn’t be? In one breath he had lauded this Watari as his number one choice and in the next spoke of cherry picking what information to share with the man. His words spoke of overthrowing the leadership and then worse than that came his admission. He would do much worse in order to stop the Quincy?
”He means killing Shinigami who get in his way, little girl. So much for family. Do you think that will matter to him now when he is certain all of creation stands at risk?” Her stomach clenched and she felt herself growing quite nauseous but it was nothing to the pain in her heart when she not only realized that her cousin had turned into monster but that her Zan Spirit had chosen now to break his 55 year long silence. ”Him? My spirit is male?”, the deep rumbling laughter inside her head was the only reply to her thought.
Her heart was breaking and all her spirit could do was laugh at her and heighten her growing dismay? She actually dropped the tea cup spilling the last bits of liquid over her pristine robes, the swath of fabric saving the china from breaking to allow it to slide unharmed to the floor. What did this reinforcing their alliance mean?
Clearly shaken she picked up the cup and set it upon the table not even attempting to do a thing about her wet robe. ”I am aggrieved, to be honest. Chiding me for my work ethic, however, is but the smallest fault I could find in all of this.” ”Holy shit, I am actually going to stick my neck in the noose?”, she screamed internally.
”By all means play the hero and get yourself killed”, her spirit sneered. But it wasn’t done there and his roaring words actually caused her to leap to her feet in complete denial, ”You are not his family. He will do worse. You will not leave this room alive!” Clutching her head she blurted out, ”Shut the fuck up you useless piece of shit!”
She was careful, however, in her observation of his mannerisms. Had his run in with the Quincy really produced an unusual fervor in her cousin? Zealotry, as Nao had put it? So far he did seem his usual jovial self, but what oddities she did discern could just as easily be laid at the feet of his new duties, as he had informed her when asking how she was faring under her own. Being reassured by his words that he too was glad they had this time together, she spoke her peace and awaited his reply.
Looking up at the ceiling that way reminded her of his father when he was frustrated with her and she braced herself for a tongue lashing. It was no surprise; she had, after all, just criticized all his decisions on whom to and whom not to trust. That he turned her legitimate concerns somehow into a personal failing on her part, deflecting them away as some fear mongering scheme on Nao’s part surprised her. He was clearly annoyed with her and that left her unsettled.
He dismissed her concerns about Souji as foolishness, claiming the very reasons that she did not trust the man as the exact points that insured his trustworthiness. Although she did not agree, obviously or she would not have made an issue of pointing to the man as a security risk, she did have to silently concede that Zenji was not a fool and he knew the man much more intimately than did she. But then that dismissive wave of his hand, like she was stupid to even look twice at the man with suspicion sort of rankled her. When it came to who was more adept at keeping secrets she had hundreds of years of experience under her belt compared to the youth who led her family.
But it was his words about Watari that raised all the bells and whistles that hardly needed Nao, or anyone’s for that matter, goading to cause her to gasp at his willingness to accept wholesale slaughter of Shinigami as anything legit and righteous. The way he just offhandedly gave her that piece of news about the food poisoning incident was frightening and set her mind to spinning in fear.
To make matters worse, he actually defended that monster who admittedly was not even his first choice in co-conspirators! What lunacy was he spouting? Annihilation of the Balance? These Quincy had been around for a thousand years and life as they knew it had not ceased to be. Clearly they were inept and not half as powerful as they had been in the olden days. That only made sense seeing that most of their kind had been eradicated.
She twitched slightly as the sound of laughter began to fill her ears. Looking about the area she thought Zenji’s Kido had made the room secure. Perhaps she was more stressed out by this all than she realized and who wouldn’t be? In one breath he had lauded this Watari as his number one choice and in the next spoke of cherry picking what information to share with the man. His words spoke of overthrowing the leadership and then worse than that came his admission. He would do much worse in order to stop the Quincy?
”He means killing Shinigami who get in his way, little girl. So much for family. Do you think that will matter to him now when he is certain all of creation stands at risk?” Her stomach clenched and she felt herself growing quite nauseous but it was nothing to the pain in her heart when she not only realized that her cousin had turned into monster but that her Zan Spirit had chosen now to break his 55 year long silence. ”Him? My spirit is male?”, the deep rumbling laughter inside her head was the only reply to her thought.
Her heart was breaking and all her spirit could do was laugh at her and heighten her growing dismay? She actually dropped the tea cup spilling the last bits of liquid over her pristine robes, the swath of fabric saving the china from breaking to allow it to slide unharmed to the floor. What did this reinforcing their alliance mean?
Clearly shaken she picked up the cup and set it upon the table not even attempting to do a thing about her wet robe. ”I am aggrieved, to be honest. Chiding me for my work ethic, however, is but the smallest fault I could find in all of this.” ”Holy shit, I am actually going to stick my neck in the noose?”, she screamed internally.
”By all means play the hero and get yourself killed”, her spirit sneered. But it wasn’t done there and his roaring words actually caused her to leap to her feet in complete denial, ”You are not his family. He will do worse. You will not leave this room alive!” Clutching her head she blurted out, ”Shut the fuck up you useless piece of shit!”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:10 pm
His smile faded into a look of first confusion and then concern. Zabel hid her emotions half the time, the other half they were rather obvious but in Zenji’s case it tended to come in the form of annoyance or frustration because he’d done something to anger her. However she seemed to suddenly turn pale and become visibly disturbed as if she’d seen or heard something deeply unpleasant.
Zenji frowned, he hadn’t said anything that could invoke such a reaction surely? What was wrong with her? Perhaps she was feeling unwell?
“She’s weak.”
Once upon a time Zenji had dismissed Binbōgami negative comments and suspicions due to her being a dislikable creature however, he had to admit, in the past she’d been more often right than wrong.
“She’s a failure of a Shinigami just like Yuki. She may as well be an ignorant, short-sighted, mortal. She will fail you. She will betray you.”
Zenji’s hands tightened around his tea bowl as he directed his anger inwards at the Spirit, anger at her words and anger at the paranoia she was awakening within him. ‘That was different. My Cousin has never failed me.’
“Yuki did.”
‘Zâbel’s family!’
“You trusted Nao too but you know she doubts you. What if she turned Zâbel against you? What if she spies on you in return for that promotion? Why else would Nao gift your relative a free pass to such a high rank? It’s because she’s close to you.”
‘Be silent.’ he returned furiously as the fear began to eat at his heart like it had when he met with Yuki but all the worst.
“You can only trust me.” hissed the Zanpakuto.
Zenji put up the wall, he’d learnt to do so lately, the mental block encased the Spirit and trapped her in the dark quiet places in his soul, in his mind. He wouldn’t listen to this. Zâbel would never turn on him. Never!
Torn from his dark thoughts all of a sudden as his Cousin screamed her curses into the air. Zenji blinked, his fury and fear suddenly replaced by bemusement.
“Excuse me?”
Zenji frowned, he hadn’t said anything that could invoke such a reaction surely? What was wrong with her? Perhaps she was feeling unwell?
“She’s weak.”
Once upon a time Zenji had dismissed Binbōgami negative comments and suspicions due to her being a dislikable creature however, he had to admit, in the past she’d been more often right than wrong.
“She’s a failure of a Shinigami just like Yuki. She may as well be an ignorant, short-sighted, mortal. She will fail you. She will betray you.”
Zenji’s hands tightened around his tea bowl as he directed his anger inwards at the Spirit, anger at her words and anger at the paranoia she was awakening within him. ‘That was different. My Cousin has never failed me.’
“Yuki did.”
‘Zâbel’s family!’
“You trusted Nao too but you know she doubts you. What if she turned Zâbel against you? What if she spies on you in return for that promotion? Why else would Nao gift your relative a free pass to such a high rank? It’s because she’s close to you.”
‘Be silent.’ he returned furiously as the fear began to eat at his heart like it had when he met with Yuki but all the worst.
“You can only trust me.” hissed the Zanpakuto.
Zenji put up the wall, he’d learnt to do so lately, the mental block encased the Spirit and trapped her in the dark quiet places in his soul, in his mind. He wouldn’t listen to this. Zâbel would never turn on him. Never!
Torn from his dark thoughts all of a sudden as his Cousin screamed her curses into the air. Zenji blinked, his fury and fear suddenly replaced by bemusement.
“Excuse me?”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:22 am
Zâbel was furious and clenched her eyes shut in denial. She was irate and beyond speaking, feeling such terror and disgust as she had never experienced before. Her Zan was not so easily silenced and seemed bent on punishing her for failing to hear his voice all these years. ”You little fool, you moron, you idiot! You know you can’t trust anyone. You knew this in the Rukongai. Food and shelter and fine clothes have made you weak”, the masculine voice enveloped her in his vitriol. No matter how much she squeezed her head, the palms pressed so tight that her fingers arched away from her temples, she could not kill this voice inside her head.
She couldn’t hear Zenji’s startled response to her outburst, but rather seemed to be sinking into the floor. Dampness greeted her bare feet, the air suddenly smelling of decay and fetid with an oppressive heat causing her skin to feel damp and beaded with sweat. Rage fueled her denial and she opened her eyes lowering her hands to her side only to be assaulted by a view that was not Zenji’s office at all. She had been transported to a forest?
Casting her eyes about, she looked furiously for the object of her hatred. She would draw her sword and fight this son of a bitch who left her alone for so long then only came out of hiding to tear her to pieces. Her left hand flew to her right hip but the Zanpakutō was gone. That is when she noticed she was no longer dressed in her robes of office and upon that realization the mocking voice rang forth again with laughter.
”You are not worthy of those vestments and you know it. You have been bought and paid for. Harlot! Charlatan!”, the accusations coming one right after the other pierced her with a pain she hadn’t known was possible. Rags hung from her body, her arms bear where sleeves had been ripped away, the fabric dank and threadbare rotting from her body and stained with her own blood and excrement.
The voice had come from up the hollow, deeper into the under canopy of the trees, which had been cut from steep hills on either side by a minor stream. She would find him and kill him with her bare hands if need be.
Zâbel took off at a dead run paying little heed to how the stone of the run bruised and cut at her bare feet. The laughter continued to ring out all around her but at the same time just ahead too. She could see a small beam of light that had managed to find a way through the dense mask of leaves and she was certain that there she would find this vile spirit that wished to torment her so. Upon arriving within the small pool of light, she saw her sword lying on the ground, half on the shore with the hilt drowning in the waters of the stream.
Darting forward she took hold of its hilt, and for the first time since lowering her arms in the office Zenji would see her turn and walk toward her sword. Motion mirroring motion as she took hold of the hilt, her words would only be heard within her inner world. ”Come out and fight me you son of a bitch. Zenji loves me!”, she screamed nearly scratching her throat in the process. ”Come out you lying bastard and face me!’
Her only response was to get hit in the head by a stone that had been tossed and the mocking reply, ”Good girl” before she was once more in Zenji’s office and blinking like a fool. Her head twitched, as if the tendon in her neck had been wound tight only to be let loose like the snapping of a rubber band. She looked to Zenji, obviously confused by her outburst and she staggered a bit back from him. Dazed, she stood there swaying from side to side. ”Holy fuck…”, she murmured and brought her hand up to wipe her face only to see the sword she was clutching.
Flinging it sheath an all across the room like she had just taken hold of a poisonous hollow snake, she shook her head and spat. ”It...he…”, she stammered then her voice died off and her face went white. It was the height of debasing oneself to speak of what passed between Zanpakutō and Shinigami. She’d receive less censure for committing vile sex acts with animals in the temple than to speak of what had just happened.
Perhaps it was something about thinking of vile sex acts that caused her to recall her deployment during the 1960s and the freedom movement that had swept a nation. Tearing down the constraints of society that The Man had used to oppress a generation. Letting her freak flag fly! Perhaps it was something less convoluted than that. Maybe she was just done hiding from the truth and living under the bondage of fear just to survive. She rather die than to be dictated to in that manner.
She raised her hand and pointed to the discarded sword and said,”It’s lies to me Zenji. It says I shall never leave this room alive. Tell me I am right. Tell me that we are family and that matters to you too.” ”Soul King strike me down”, she prayed, ”right now if that is just a lie too. I won’t be like this anymore. I just can’t. Blessed reincarnation, take me.”
She couldn’t hear Zenji’s startled response to her outburst, but rather seemed to be sinking into the floor. Dampness greeted her bare feet, the air suddenly smelling of decay and fetid with an oppressive heat causing her skin to feel damp and beaded with sweat. Rage fueled her denial and she opened her eyes lowering her hands to her side only to be assaulted by a view that was not Zenji’s office at all. She had been transported to a forest?
Casting her eyes about, she looked furiously for the object of her hatred. She would draw her sword and fight this son of a bitch who left her alone for so long then only came out of hiding to tear her to pieces. Her left hand flew to her right hip but the Zanpakutō was gone. That is when she noticed she was no longer dressed in her robes of office and upon that realization the mocking voice rang forth again with laughter.
”You are not worthy of those vestments and you know it. You have been bought and paid for. Harlot! Charlatan!”, the accusations coming one right after the other pierced her with a pain she hadn’t known was possible. Rags hung from her body, her arms bear where sleeves had been ripped away, the fabric dank and threadbare rotting from her body and stained with her own blood and excrement.
The voice had come from up the hollow, deeper into the under canopy of the trees, which had been cut from steep hills on either side by a minor stream. She would find him and kill him with her bare hands if need be.
Zâbel took off at a dead run paying little heed to how the stone of the run bruised and cut at her bare feet. The laughter continued to ring out all around her but at the same time just ahead too. She could see a small beam of light that had managed to find a way through the dense mask of leaves and she was certain that there she would find this vile spirit that wished to torment her so. Upon arriving within the small pool of light, she saw her sword lying on the ground, half on the shore with the hilt drowning in the waters of the stream.
Darting forward she took hold of its hilt, and for the first time since lowering her arms in the office Zenji would see her turn and walk toward her sword. Motion mirroring motion as she took hold of the hilt, her words would only be heard within her inner world. ”Come out and fight me you son of a bitch. Zenji loves me!”, she screamed nearly scratching her throat in the process. ”Come out you lying bastard and face me!’
Her only response was to get hit in the head by a stone that had been tossed and the mocking reply, ”Good girl” before she was once more in Zenji’s office and blinking like a fool. Her head twitched, as if the tendon in her neck had been wound tight only to be let loose like the snapping of a rubber band. She looked to Zenji, obviously confused by her outburst and she staggered a bit back from him. Dazed, she stood there swaying from side to side. ”Holy fuck…”, she murmured and brought her hand up to wipe her face only to see the sword she was clutching.
Flinging it sheath an all across the room like she had just taken hold of a poisonous hollow snake, she shook her head and spat. ”It...he…”, she stammered then her voice died off and her face went white. It was the height of debasing oneself to speak of what passed between Zanpakutō and Shinigami. She’d receive less censure for committing vile sex acts with animals in the temple than to speak of what had just happened.
Perhaps it was something about thinking of vile sex acts that caused her to recall her deployment during the 1960s and the freedom movement that had swept a nation. Tearing down the constraints of society that The Man had used to oppress a generation. Letting her freak flag fly! Perhaps it was something less convoluted than that. Maybe she was just done hiding from the truth and living under the bondage of fear just to survive. She rather die than to be dictated to in that manner.
She raised her hand and pointed to the discarded sword and said,”It’s lies to me Zenji. It says I shall never leave this room alive. Tell me I am right. Tell me that we are family and that matters to you too.” ”Soul King strike me down”, she prayed, ”right now if that is just a lie too. I won’t be like this anymore. I just can’t. Blessed reincarnation, take me.”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:42 am
As far as Zenji was aware the woman had just stood there and then suddenly grabbed the hilt of her blade as if she’d every intention of using the thing whilst her face turned a rather unhealthy pale shade and anger as well as a few other emotions ran rampant across her expression. His cousin looked damn well unhinged.
Raising a hand Zenji let energy play across his digits as he prepared a binding spell at the rather insane display going on before him. If he had to he could easily stop his cousin without hurting her but he was more confused about what was actually going on. Binbōgami railed against the walls of his mind but Zenji ignored the faint struggle of the Spirit to be heard. He was the master of the pair despite what she might think.
Suddenly the woman seemed to come to her senses and then she, much to Zenji’s disbelief, chucked her weapon across the room as if it were dangerous to even touch.
‘That’s some way to treat a part of your own soul.’
Frowning at her obvious wild mental and emotional state. Gesturing to the chair Zenji shook his head. “Sit down Zâbel. Breath and take a sip of some tea. Just relax for a moment.”
Apparently she’d finally heard her Zanpakuto speak, that was supposed to be a moment of joy for Soul Reapers but it seemed to be the furthest thing from pleasure for his cousin. Zenji was concerned for her wellbeing of course but he couldn’t help but wonder if Nao had made a poor choice. Zâbel had barely started in her role to counter the Quincy threat and she seemed to be already falling apart. Was she so fragile? Had the stress caused some form of unpleasant encounter with her Sword Spirit?
After letting the woman calm down Zenji finally spoke again. “I’m not sure what insanity is going through your mind Cousin.” he started plainly, bluntly, more than a little insulted and angered at the implication that he would pointlessly slaughter his own family. Little meant more than the Clan to the Nobleman. “First off, no, I am not going to murder you Zâbel.”
Sighing, he shook his head and gave a silent prayer to the Soul King for the strength to put up with all of this. Not only was he shouldered the defence of all of existence from the Quincy’s actions, be they purposeful or through ignorance, but then there was Yuki’s betrayal, Nao’s doubt, Watari’s scheming and apparent slip into instability. Now even his cousin was going mad. What the Hell was wrong with the world?
“Now I take it that you’ve finally heard your Zanpakuto and it’s said something to upset you?” he said calmly. “The first encounter can be… intense. Something similar happened when I first came face to face with Binbōgami.” he told her reassuringly with a faint smile. “As you learn to master yourself so too will you master the Spirit. Whatever it told you, no matter how vile, will be for a reason. At their core the Zanpakuto want to help their masters but the way they do it can often be… confusing. In time you’ll learn to understand one another better.”
A bit rich coming from him all things considered considering his own often antagonistic relationship with his own Zanpakuto.
“So do not fret too much. Okay?”
Raising a hand Zenji let energy play across his digits as he prepared a binding spell at the rather insane display going on before him. If he had to he could easily stop his cousin without hurting her but he was more confused about what was actually going on. Binbōgami railed against the walls of his mind but Zenji ignored the faint struggle of the Spirit to be heard. He was the master of the pair despite what she might think.
Suddenly the woman seemed to come to her senses and then she, much to Zenji’s disbelief, chucked her weapon across the room as if it were dangerous to even touch.
‘That’s some way to treat a part of your own soul.’
Frowning at her obvious wild mental and emotional state. Gesturing to the chair Zenji shook his head. “Sit down Zâbel. Breath and take a sip of some tea. Just relax for a moment.”
Apparently she’d finally heard her Zanpakuto speak, that was supposed to be a moment of joy for Soul Reapers but it seemed to be the furthest thing from pleasure for his cousin. Zenji was concerned for her wellbeing of course but he couldn’t help but wonder if Nao had made a poor choice. Zâbel had barely started in her role to counter the Quincy threat and she seemed to be already falling apart. Was she so fragile? Had the stress caused some form of unpleasant encounter with her Sword Spirit?
After letting the woman calm down Zenji finally spoke again. “I’m not sure what insanity is going through your mind Cousin.” he started plainly, bluntly, more than a little insulted and angered at the implication that he would pointlessly slaughter his own family. Little meant more than the Clan to the Nobleman. “First off, no, I am not going to murder you Zâbel.”
Sighing, he shook his head and gave a silent prayer to the Soul King for the strength to put up with all of this. Not only was he shouldered the defence of all of existence from the Quincy’s actions, be they purposeful or through ignorance, but then there was Yuki’s betrayal, Nao’s doubt, Watari’s scheming and apparent slip into instability. Now even his cousin was going mad. What the Hell was wrong with the world?
“Now I take it that you’ve finally heard your Zanpakuto and it’s said something to upset you?” he said calmly. “The first encounter can be… intense. Something similar happened when I first came face to face with Binbōgami.” he told her reassuringly with a faint smile. “As you learn to master yourself so too will you master the Spirit. Whatever it told you, no matter how vile, will be for a reason. At their core the Zanpakuto want to help their masters but the way they do it can often be… confusing. In time you’ll learn to understand one another better.”
A bit rich coming from him all things considered considering his own often antagonistic relationship with his own Zanpakuto.
“So do not fret too much. Okay?”
Last edited by Zenji Hatayama on Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:29 am; edited 1 time in total
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:25 am
She sniffed and allowed herself to be persuaded to a seat and taunted her Zan, ”So there, you lying bastard. I knew I was right.” Had she been waiting for some admission from her now awakened spirit, she was sorely disappointed. Helping her? Her eyes darted to the side and her demeanor darkened. He had provoked her to defend Zenji’s love. That love even mattered to her had been, well, traumatic. Love got you killed. Didn’t it?
Once seated, she poured out a cup of tea and miraculously didn’t wreck the tea service. A few sips did calm her insides, though she was still angered beyond measure at the spirit and setting the cup back on the table may have been a little more forceful than required.
Zenji’s assertion that he was not going to kill her caused her to jerk her head around and spit out ”Of course fucking not. But tell that to mister know it all”, she ceased her words, shut her mouth tight, and gushed a breath of air out through her nose. As her cousin began to voice his summation of the incident, she folded her arms across her chest and snorted once again, albeit a little less forcefully than before. She had had it up to her obi and beyond with listening to conspiracies and lies from other people and though she trusted Zenji she was not all that thrilled about hearing a lecture from him no matter how reassuring he was attempting to be.
Looking very much like a petulant child, she huffed up at him and said, ”Don’t act like your praise of that murderer isn’t partially to blame for upsetting me so much Zenji.” Even so with that refusal to be lectured even after coming off like a raving lunatic, she shut her eyes and took a couple of cleaning breaths, even going so far as to unfold her arms and let her hands rest upon her thighs.
”Ok then. I need some facts and do not spare the details. You know it is crucial to the way my mind works”, she began a bit testily then softened her tone. ”You must admit it is a bit much to swallow. Nothing short of a complete and impending breakdown of the balance could possibly warrant this whole ‘the ends justifies the means’ bullshit. In all this time we have never been put on red alert that the end of all existence was near. The Fourth keeps careful track of the balance and we are safe, even with the extinctions those vermin are causing in the world.”
She held up her hand to forestall an interruption lest he think she didn’t care about such things. ”I am not saying they are not the greatest threat. But now we know they exist and can do something about it. Something rational and effective, rather than that abysmal failure of the past.” She sighed and ceded the floor to her cousin, ”Anyway, I am listening and eager to know what has convinced you that murder of the nobles was needful in our duty to save all of existence.”
Once seated, she poured out a cup of tea and miraculously didn’t wreck the tea service. A few sips did calm her insides, though she was still angered beyond measure at the spirit and setting the cup back on the table may have been a little more forceful than required.
Zenji’s assertion that he was not going to kill her caused her to jerk her head around and spit out ”Of course fucking not. But tell that to mister know it all”, she ceased her words, shut her mouth tight, and gushed a breath of air out through her nose. As her cousin began to voice his summation of the incident, she folded her arms across her chest and snorted once again, albeit a little less forcefully than before. She had had it up to her obi and beyond with listening to conspiracies and lies from other people and though she trusted Zenji she was not all that thrilled about hearing a lecture from him no matter how reassuring he was attempting to be.
Looking very much like a petulant child, she huffed up at him and said, ”Don’t act like your praise of that murderer isn’t partially to blame for upsetting me so much Zenji.” Even so with that refusal to be lectured even after coming off like a raving lunatic, she shut her eyes and took a couple of cleaning breaths, even going so far as to unfold her arms and let her hands rest upon her thighs.
”Ok then. I need some facts and do not spare the details. You know it is crucial to the way my mind works”, she began a bit testily then softened her tone. ”You must admit it is a bit much to swallow. Nothing short of a complete and impending breakdown of the balance could possibly warrant this whole ‘the ends justifies the means’ bullshit. In all this time we have never been put on red alert that the end of all existence was near. The Fourth keeps careful track of the balance and we are safe, even with the extinctions those vermin are causing in the world.”
She held up her hand to forestall an interruption lest he think she didn’t care about such things. ”I am not saying they are not the greatest threat. But now we know they exist and can do something about it. Something rational and effective, rather than that abysmal failure of the past.” She sighed and ceded the floor to her cousin, ”Anyway, I am listening and eager to know what has convinced you that murder of the nobles was needful in our duty to save all of existence.”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:44 am
Raising an eyebrow Zenji turned to look at the sword lying half-way across the room and spoke. “I’m not going to murder my cousin Mister Know It All.” he said sarcastically with a glance at his cousin which spoke volumes of how foolish he believed the whole subject to be.
Glancing upwards once more he said aloud this time. “Soul King grant me strength.” he begged before turning his attention back to the woman. “I haven’t praised the man. I’ve stated simple facts. He’s more influential than anyone I know. Fact. He’s the Leader of the most powerful Clan in the Soul Society. Fact.
His influence is essential to maintaining stability while we quietly gear up for a possible war. Fact. I also stated that he was dangerous and that we must step carefully around him. Fact. None of these facts are praise but simply stating what things are. Just because we don’t like reality doesn’t make it not exist.” he stated with no little annoyance. He was sick and tired of people whining about Watari. He hadn’t exactly had a wide selection of powerful and high ranking colleagues to pick from. If he’d followed Nao’s narrow minded advice the entire “conspiracy” would be Zenji and Nao sitting in a goddamned empty room whispering to one another. They needed others and if they had to deal with accursed murderers in the short term to manage it then he would. So be it. The ends justify the means in this particular case and if anyone said otherwise then they were spitting on their supposed duty as Soul Reapers.
Taking a deep breath he pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt the beginnings of a migraine threaten him. “I didn’t murder anyone. I wasn’t compliciate in any murder.” he returned as his voice began hard with stress and barely concealed anger. “The nobles were murdered long before I even found out about the damn Quincy. I found out about the whole poisoning event when Watari came to my Estate and threatened my Clan unless I complied. The fact that Hatayama even still exists is because I swallowed some bitter damn facts. We are not strong enough to do things alone. We need help. We need to bend or we will break. So I will bend. I will sway. I will do whatever it takes to protect our Family, Our Society and the Balance for which we all stand.”
With a shuddering breath he continued. “As for the fourth’s ability to track the Balance. Yes I know they can observe the number of souls passing this way and that however considering the sheer incompetence of your superiors I have no faith it’s being tracked correctly, accurately or even being properly reported. Besides the Balance is fragile. It doesn’t take much to push it to a point of no return.”
Crossing his arms he shook his head. “Not everything is black and white. While I would do anything to defend the Balance it doesn’t mean I plan to run out the door and start stabbing our colleagues left, right and center. At the moment matters are not dire which is exactly why I began this whole operation to begin with. So we stay ahead of any disaster. Deal with matters before they hit emergency levels.”
“As I have made perfectly clear. My only current plans are to help the other Third Seats I can work with to keep any panic about the Quincy from spreading by controlling the Flow of information. Then to prepare our respective Divisions for war because, frankly, the Gotei is a joke right now with barely the necessary military strength to counter base Hollow incursions across the realms. Another wish of mine was to avoid antagonising the Quincy any further by simply not going near them for the foreseeable future. Now, obviously, Nao has decided against that and kidnapped one of their members. I’m sure that story isn’t going to hasten the coming conflict but whatever, it’s done now. So we will instead use this subject as a means to find weaknesses, ways to track them and, if Nao’s dreams can be made reality, find a way to sterilizing them. Neutralise their powers. Frankly I would rather wipe them out, do the purge properly this time, let their souls return to the cycle. But I’m willing to humour both Nao’s hopes and your scientific curiosities for the time being.”
Zenji sighed. “However if the war I believe is coming truly comes to pass then we will have to deal with the subject more harshly. I believe that is fair, yes?”
Glancing upwards once more he said aloud this time. “Soul King grant me strength.” he begged before turning his attention back to the woman. “I haven’t praised the man. I’ve stated simple facts. He’s more influential than anyone I know. Fact. He’s the Leader of the most powerful Clan in the Soul Society. Fact.
His influence is essential to maintaining stability while we quietly gear up for a possible war. Fact. I also stated that he was dangerous and that we must step carefully around him. Fact. None of these facts are praise but simply stating what things are. Just because we don’t like reality doesn’t make it not exist.” he stated with no little annoyance. He was sick and tired of people whining about Watari. He hadn’t exactly had a wide selection of powerful and high ranking colleagues to pick from. If he’d followed Nao’s narrow minded advice the entire “conspiracy” would be Zenji and Nao sitting in a goddamned empty room whispering to one another. They needed others and if they had to deal with accursed murderers in the short term to manage it then he would. So be it. The ends justify the means in this particular case and if anyone said otherwise then they were spitting on their supposed duty as Soul Reapers.
Taking a deep breath he pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt the beginnings of a migraine threaten him. “I didn’t murder anyone. I wasn’t compliciate in any murder.” he returned as his voice began hard with stress and barely concealed anger. “The nobles were murdered long before I even found out about the damn Quincy. I found out about the whole poisoning event when Watari came to my Estate and threatened my Clan unless I complied. The fact that Hatayama even still exists is because I swallowed some bitter damn facts. We are not strong enough to do things alone. We need help. We need to bend or we will break. So I will bend. I will sway. I will do whatever it takes to protect our Family, Our Society and the Balance for which we all stand.”
With a shuddering breath he continued. “As for the fourth’s ability to track the Balance. Yes I know they can observe the number of souls passing this way and that however considering the sheer incompetence of your superiors I have no faith it’s being tracked correctly, accurately or even being properly reported. Besides the Balance is fragile. It doesn’t take much to push it to a point of no return.”
Crossing his arms he shook his head. “Not everything is black and white. While I would do anything to defend the Balance it doesn’t mean I plan to run out the door and start stabbing our colleagues left, right and center. At the moment matters are not dire which is exactly why I began this whole operation to begin with. So we stay ahead of any disaster. Deal with matters before they hit emergency levels.”
“As I have made perfectly clear. My only current plans are to help the other Third Seats I can work with to keep any panic about the Quincy from spreading by controlling the Flow of information. Then to prepare our respective Divisions for war because, frankly, the Gotei is a joke right now with barely the necessary military strength to counter base Hollow incursions across the realms. Another wish of mine was to avoid antagonising the Quincy any further by simply not going near them for the foreseeable future. Now, obviously, Nao has decided against that and kidnapped one of their members. I’m sure that story isn’t going to hasten the coming conflict but whatever, it’s done now. So we will instead use this subject as a means to find weaknesses, ways to track them and, if Nao’s dreams can be made reality, find a way to sterilizing them. Neutralise their powers. Frankly I would rather wipe them out, do the purge properly this time, let their souls return to the cycle. But I’m willing to humour both Nao’s hopes and your scientific curiosities for the time being.”
Zenji sighed. “However if the war I believe is coming truly comes to pass then we will have to deal with the subject more harshly. I believe that is fair, yes?”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:03 am
Sitting there quietly, because she said that she would listen to his words, she found herself to be both infuriated at her cousin and reassured by the information he was at last sharing. Back and forth, back and forth, was not as traumatic for her as one might suppose. She often play pros and cons when it came to making important decisions or reviewing data to be willing to dismiss prior tentative hypotheses in favor of ones that were forced to emerge due to where the facts led her.
As he ticked off the facts, one right after the other, she digested them whole, accepting each and everyone; even those that triggered her like the emphasis on MY Estate and MY clann. Such assertions only weighed in favor of the doubts the general cloak and dagger-ness of this all invoked. Careful to weed out those responses within her that were prompted by emotion, a new thing for her which she did not have a liking for at all, she kept a mental list running of those things to which she felt she could bring honest issues against.
Once he was done she pointed to his former seat and said, ”For the most part, yes. I have to agree that this is fair. I do take certain exceptions to a number of points which I shall cover momentarily. I prefer to have data to back up my claims rather than just vent and act all butt hurt.” At least she had the grace to look up at him with a slight blush on her cheeks before lowering her face to the data pad she pulled out of the fold of her robe.
”Please do be seated. I think you have Lorded over me enough for today. Time for us both to start acting like we know something”, she said quite calmly as she began accessing The Balance Database to compare numbers and trends over the last thousand years. ”First”, she began quite able to perform simple data analysis and speak at the same time, ”Had you been perfectly clear with me from the onset and mentioned that Watari had threatened to do away with OUR family”, and here she looked away from the charts on the display to meet his gaze and drive home her point about his exclusionary language. Then she began scanning the numbers then picked up the thread of her words.
”It would have made your willingness to not bring the man up on charges of murder much easier to swallow. I hate to admit it, your main point in being his willing co-conspirator, that the power of his family will be paramount to the survival of life as we know it, is quite valid. I may not like it, but dire times make strange bedfellows.”
She began seeing a trend and it was one that was both comforting and alarming at the same time. Her words trailed off to make her next point as she swiped through the screens and continued her review. ”Obviously it was your claim to be willing to do worse that, goaded by that vile blade invading my mind, saw me jump to the conclusion that the only thing that could be worse than ignoring murder was to commit it yourself.” She blew out a pent up breath of frustration as she realized she was missing some crucial data to make more than a sketchy guess.
The mere word filled her scientific mind with horror until she recalled that her guesses, when it came to data, were a lot better than most people’s certainties. Still, it was not good enough. ”This would be a lot easier if we have even a clue of the population size and distribution we are confronting. Anyway”, she said as she continued to try and make her best guess. ”My main complaint is that even a lazy half-assed excuse for a Shinigami is better than no Shinigami at all when it comes to pitting our numbers against whatever theirs might be. It is unfortunate Watari didn’t hold his hand from such a reckless solution but we can’t cry about that now.” Damn men for always thinking they knew better than everyone else that walked around without a phallus stuck on their crotch!
Well she could extrapolate the base numbers a species would have to contain in order to avoid total extinction even without murder and a shortened life span. You simply had to have the numbers just to survive through the ages, let alone in the face of any present dangers. Then she could calculate that out to include the bare minimum of Hollows they may have slain during those years and how that would weigh against the data curve on the balance.
Some years made sense and seemed spot on. But as the centuries proceeded she began to see an increasing margin of error that could not be explained unless her numbers were wrong. Not just wrong but randomly pulled out of a hat by a drunk academy student on graduation night. ”As for Nao and her actions, I assume you withheld certain bits of information from her as well? No matter. That is your decision to make and I will not fault you for it. I do find her to be a bit of a quandary for me to understand. I do know she admires you greatly...perhaps a bit too much, what do they call it…”, she paused and looked up to Zenji as though he could supply the right word for her and magically it appeared. ”Crush I believe. At any rate I do not think her motive held malice, though perhaps it was not very logical. My short conversation with her would suggest that. I can’t say for certain. You know her better than I.”
These numbers didn’t make sense. Even at the lowest possible number of Quincy that you could have in order to keep them alive through to the present date, the balance should not have remained this equilibrated. Not for a full millennia. There should have been more fluctuations. But this was if someone just kept copy and pasting the readings in over and over again, despite the numbers not fitting any noticeable pattern. In short, the data was impossible to achieve, even in controlled settings like within a lab, there would have been much more variation.
She powered down the device and sighed. ”The data is flawed. I will have to take my own readings. I have only myself to blame for failing to see the ineptitude in my own division until now. Were it not for young Reika coming to tour the grounds I would not even be aware how our innovations were not being distributed to the new graduates as part of their standard gear.”
As he ticked off the facts, one right after the other, she digested them whole, accepting each and everyone; even those that triggered her like the emphasis on MY Estate and MY clann. Such assertions only weighed in favor of the doubts the general cloak and dagger-ness of this all invoked. Careful to weed out those responses within her that were prompted by emotion, a new thing for her which she did not have a liking for at all, she kept a mental list running of those things to which she felt she could bring honest issues against.
Once he was done she pointed to his former seat and said, ”For the most part, yes. I have to agree that this is fair. I do take certain exceptions to a number of points which I shall cover momentarily. I prefer to have data to back up my claims rather than just vent and act all butt hurt.” At least she had the grace to look up at him with a slight blush on her cheeks before lowering her face to the data pad she pulled out of the fold of her robe.
”Please do be seated. I think you have Lorded over me enough for today. Time for us both to start acting like we know something”, she said quite calmly as she began accessing The Balance Database to compare numbers and trends over the last thousand years. ”First”, she began quite able to perform simple data analysis and speak at the same time, ”Had you been perfectly clear with me from the onset and mentioned that Watari had threatened to do away with OUR family”, and here she looked away from the charts on the display to meet his gaze and drive home her point about his exclusionary language. Then she began scanning the numbers then picked up the thread of her words.
”It would have made your willingness to not bring the man up on charges of murder much easier to swallow. I hate to admit it, your main point in being his willing co-conspirator, that the power of his family will be paramount to the survival of life as we know it, is quite valid. I may not like it, but dire times make strange bedfellows.”
She began seeing a trend and it was one that was both comforting and alarming at the same time. Her words trailed off to make her next point as she swiped through the screens and continued her review. ”Obviously it was your claim to be willing to do worse that, goaded by that vile blade invading my mind, saw me jump to the conclusion that the only thing that could be worse than ignoring murder was to commit it yourself.” She blew out a pent up breath of frustration as she realized she was missing some crucial data to make more than a sketchy guess.
The mere word filled her scientific mind with horror until she recalled that her guesses, when it came to data, were a lot better than most people’s certainties. Still, it was not good enough. ”This would be a lot easier if we have even a clue of the population size and distribution we are confronting. Anyway”, she said as she continued to try and make her best guess. ”My main complaint is that even a lazy half-assed excuse for a Shinigami is better than no Shinigami at all when it comes to pitting our numbers against whatever theirs might be. It is unfortunate Watari didn’t hold his hand from such a reckless solution but we can’t cry about that now.” Damn men for always thinking they knew better than everyone else that walked around without a phallus stuck on their crotch!
Well she could extrapolate the base numbers a species would have to contain in order to avoid total extinction even without murder and a shortened life span. You simply had to have the numbers just to survive through the ages, let alone in the face of any present dangers. Then she could calculate that out to include the bare minimum of Hollows they may have slain during those years and how that would weigh against the data curve on the balance.
Some years made sense and seemed spot on. But as the centuries proceeded she began to see an increasing margin of error that could not be explained unless her numbers were wrong. Not just wrong but randomly pulled out of a hat by a drunk academy student on graduation night. ”As for Nao and her actions, I assume you withheld certain bits of information from her as well? No matter. That is your decision to make and I will not fault you for it. I do find her to be a bit of a quandary for me to understand. I do know she admires you greatly...perhaps a bit too much, what do they call it…”, she paused and looked up to Zenji as though he could supply the right word for her and magically it appeared. ”Crush I believe. At any rate I do not think her motive held malice, though perhaps it was not very logical. My short conversation with her would suggest that. I can’t say for certain. You know her better than I.”
These numbers didn’t make sense. Even at the lowest possible number of Quincy that you could have in order to keep them alive through to the present date, the balance should not have remained this equilibrated. Not for a full millennia. There should have been more fluctuations. But this was if someone just kept copy and pasting the readings in over and over again, despite the numbers not fitting any noticeable pattern. In short, the data was impossible to achieve, even in controlled settings like within a lab, there would have been much more variation.
She powered down the device and sighed. ”The data is flawed. I will have to take my own readings. I have only myself to blame for failing to see the ineptitude in my own division until now. Were it not for young Reika coming to tour the grounds I would not even be aware how our innovations were not being distributed to the new graduates as part of their standard gear.”
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:52 am
Zenji’s expression hardened. He had been soft with his cousin over the decades, their closeness allowing her a level of familiarity with him despite his status out of love and kindness but she was pushing it. This was the Soul Society. There were rules and traditions which Zenji might allow her to bend at times but she shouldn’t forget their places in life. “Enough.” he said softly but with an undercurrent of steel in his voice. “I am the Lord of the Hatayama Clan. I grant you a great deal of freedom Zâbel but you are a member of the Branch Family, who I elevated to the inner line, but still the Branch Family. The decisions of the Clan are mine. How I steer us through these times, how I deal with our enemies, these are my decisions to make. I do not share everything because it is not the Branch Family’s role to concern themselves with these things.”
There was more to it of course. If Zenji had told his cousin then Watari would have found out, very easily, back then the other man’s control over Zenji’s actions had seemed all encompassing. It was only as Zenji grew in strength and cunning that he had managed to secure the freedom to act as he wished, within reason. He hadn’t told Zâbel, or anyone aside from his Uncle, at the time because it would have brought the wrath of the devious nobleman and the hanging threat of the Shimazu Clan, that family of accursed thieves.
Crossing his hands on his lap he sighed heavily, she didn’t have a clue how the Soul Society operated and that was his own fault. He had sheltered her and the other adopted members. They weren’t born to it. They didn’t understand the poison that flowed throughout their peers interactions. “Turn him into who? With what evidence? Central 46 is all nobility. He has already wiped out his rivals, how many of C46 are in his pocket nowadays?” he asked.feeling tired of the whole conversation. “We can’t turn him in, because there’s no one to turn him in to that he hasn’t got control over except those who I distrust even more than I distrust Watari. This is the best we can do in a bad situation.”
Closing his eyes he leant back in his chair. “I would do far worse. Of course. I would do whatever I need to when it comes to protect the Balance. As we all should. As it our only purpose in existence when it comes down to it. Being a Shinigami isn’t a job, isn’t a part-time hobby, it’s our entire existence. That was the deal we all agreed to when attending the academy. You’re in and you’re in until you can’t move anymore. However we still have room, we still have time to handle things comfortably. The situation isn’t that dire… at least not yet.”
Waving away her constant, frankly exhausting, talk of Watari. That’s all they ever wanted to talk about yet they never did anything about it. Nao, Yuki and now his own family. “The amount of Shinigami he’s killed is minute. The nobility were worthless layabouts, not people serving the Gotei for the most part. The only Shinigami I can even confirm that he has killed was the Third Seat of the Sixth and that was in self-defence despite his manipulations. Besides when it comes to challenging your superiors for a seat death happens all the time. The fact I didn’t kill Souji was less because of my restraint and more luck on his part. Luck on my part too that he didn’t kill me before I finished him. ” he stated matter factly. They were Shinigami, Soul Reapers, not soft little mortals who got offended by every little injustice they believed they read about. They were soldiers of a hard world. It was their duty and privilege to be so of course but none could say that they had it easy.
Glad that she was finally addressing the entire purpose of meeting today Zenji nodded. “Yes the population is what I am concerned about. Purely mathematically if we believe only two Quincy survived the purge. Given 1,000 years and breeding with Humans there could be a terrifying amount of them now. Realistically there were likely many more survivors. Soul King knows how many of the abominations there are.”
Blinking he tilted his head with confusion. “Crush?” he asked. “No of course not. She’s never tried to crush me. She’s been rather supportive really.” he explained feeling bemused about why his cousin would think the other woman had tried to harm him.
Zenji crossed his arm and frustration crossed his face. “Good Luck.” he muttered. “I requested the Data and apparently it’s not available to anyone who’s not at least a Lieutenant.”
At the mention of Reika he visibly perked up and smiled. “She’s a wonder that young girl. Just graduated the academy and already she has Shikai!” he said shaking his head. “It took me, what? 100 and something years.” he laughed before adding. “I made her an officer you know. Fifth Seat in charge of the Rukongai Response Teams. The position has been vacant for too long. Besides it’ll be nice to have an officer working for me that isn’t all twisted up by apathy from long service.”
There was more to it of course. If Zenji had told his cousin then Watari would have found out, very easily, back then the other man’s control over Zenji’s actions had seemed all encompassing. It was only as Zenji grew in strength and cunning that he had managed to secure the freedom to act as he wished, within reason. He hadn’t told Zâbel, or anyone aside from his Uncle, at the time because it would have brought the wrath of the devious nobleman and the hanging threat of the Shimazu Clan, that family of accursed thieves.
Crossing his hands on his lap he sighed heavily, she didn’t have a clue how the Soul Society operated and that was his own fault. He had sheltered her and the other adopted members. They weren’t born to it. They didn’t understand the poison that flowed throughout their peers interactions. “Turn him into who? With what evidence? Central 46 is all nobility. He has already wiped out his rivals, how many of C46 are in his pocket nowadays?” he asked.feeling tired of the whole conversation. “We can’t turn him in, because there’s no one to turn him in to that he hasn’t got control over except those who I distrust even more than I distrust Watari. This is the best we can do in a bad situation.”
Closing his eyes he leant back in his chair. “I would do far worse. Of course. I would do whatever I need to when it comes to protect the Balance. As we all should. As it our only purpose in existence when it comes down to it. Being a Shinigami isn’t a job, isn’t a part-time hobby, it’s our entire existence. That was the deal we all agreed to when attending the academy. You’re in and you’re in until you can’t move anymore. However we still have room, we still have time to handle things comfortably. The situation isn’t that dire… at least not yet.”
Waving away her constant, frankly exhausting, talk of Watari. That’s all they ever wanted to talk about yet they never did anything about it. Nao, Yuki and now his own family. “The amount of Shinigami he’s killed is minute. The nobility were worthless layabouts, not people serving the Gotei for the most part. The only Shinigami I can even confirm that he has killed was the Third Seat of the Sixth and that was in self-defence despite his manipulations. Besides when it comes to challenging your superiors for a seat death happens all the time. The fact I didn’t kill Souji was less because of my restraint and more luck on his part. Luck on my part too that he didn’t kill me before I finished him. ” he stated matter factly. They were Shinigami, Soul Reapers, not soft little mortals who got offended by every little injustice they believed they read about. They were soldiers of a hard world. It was their duty and privilege to be so of course but none could say that they had it easy.
Glad that she was finally addressing the entire purpose of meeting today Zenji nodded. “Yes the population is what I am concerned about. Purely mathematically if we believe only two Quincy survived the purge. Given 1,000 years and breeding with Humans there could be a terrifying amount of them now. Realistically there were likely many more survivors. Soul King knows how many of the abominations there are.”
Blinking he tilted his head with confusion. “Crush?” he asked. “No of course not. She’s never tried to crush me. She’s been rather supportive really.” he explained feeling bemused about why his cousin would think the other woman had tried to harm him.
Zenji crossed his arm and frustration crossed his face. “Good Luck.” he muttered. “I requested the Data and apparently it’s not available to anyone who’s not at least a Lieutenant.”
At the mention of Reika he visibly perked up and smiled. “She’s a wonder that young girl. Just graduated the academy and already she has Shikai!” he said shaking his head. “It took me, what? 100 and something years.” he laughed before adding. “I made her an officer you know. Fifth Seat in charge of the Rukongai Response Teams. The position has been vacant for too long. Besides it’ll be nice to have an officer working for me that isn’t all twisted up by apathy from long service.”
Zenji Hatayama- Posts : 278
Join date : 2020-06-14
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:57 am
Zâbel blinked at Zenji and nearly let her mouth gape open, not understanding why he was throwing his weight around with her. Yet again he failed to tell her how he had been set upon and she could have realized, had he deigned to share that information with her, that basically he was taking the actions of a bunch of milk drinkers out on her because she was handy. To criticize was not her place and she bowed her head even while her Zanpakutō from across the room laughed inside her mind to say, ”Oh yes, you were right. Some family. Cower before your betters.”
The voice of her Zanpakutō withered inside her as she walled herself off into the familiar skills required for survival. Make yourself useful. Do as you are told. Expect betrayal so you can survive to live another day. Never need anyone. ”So much for liberation”, the thought ran through her mind and this time the words were her own.
Keeping her head bowed as he railed about her stupidity, she listened to her cousin come into his royal heritage right before her very eyes. They were not humans. They were not even alive. There would be no united resistance to throw off The Man. Not in Soul Society, not ever.
They were all expendable when it came to the balance. Listening to him intone about the likely numbers of Quincy in the world, she had purposefully skewed her numbers to the bare minimum to get a baseline for what was going on. Her fly by night calculations could not even support the data as real, and that was a huge margin of error that she had allowed. He was not listening, she had already told him that the numbers were wrong and she would have to acquire her own data to report back on anything meaningful.
But even her wild guess was fact enough to say her Division had been lying. Why? Obviously she was much too dumb to know, and were she smart enough to figure that out, he wouldn’t wish to be told. She was scientific apparatus, a calculator at best. Anyone could provide that service and she was chosen because she was bound to obey. Period.
Those were rules she could work with. Her whole life had been spent that way. It never occurred to her to flaunt in his face that she was close to shikai at only 55 years and his pure blood self had taken 100 to get as far as she. She certainly didn’t bother to tell him that a crush was when you like someone, Nao would find no solace here.
She nodded and dared to raise her head and said, ”Yes Lord Zenji-sama. The child is a true treasure. I am sure Reika-san will do well in the role to which you have assigned her.” The cup of tea sat untouched save for those first calming sips and her eyes fixated upon the still surface of the beverage. ”Is there anything else that you require of me Lord?” She was but his to command. Until she was of use to him no more.
The voice of her Zanpakutō withered inside her as she walled herself off into the familiar skills required for survival. Make yourself useful. Do as you are told. Expect betrayal so you can survive to live another day. Never need anyone. ”So much for liberation”, the thought ran through her mind and this time the words were her own.
Keeping her head bowed as he railed about her stupidity, she listened to her cousin come into his royal heritage right before her very eyes. They were not humans. They were not even alive. There would be no united resistance to throw off The Man. Not in Soul Society, not ever.
They were all expendable when it came to the balance. Listening to him intone about the likely numbers of Quincy in the world, she had purposefully skewed her numbers to the bare minimum to get a baseline for what was going on. Her fly by night calculations could not even support the data as real, and that was a huge margin of error that she had allowed. He was not listening, she had already told him that the numbers were wrong and she would have to acquire her own data to report back on anything meaningful.
But even her wild guess was fact enough to say her Division had been lying. Why? Obviously she was much too dumb to know, and were she smart enough to figure that out, he wouldn’t wish to be told. She was scientific apparatus, a calculator at best. Anyone could provide that service and she was chosen because she was bound to obey. Period.
Those were rules she could work with. Her whole life had been spent that way. It never occurred to her to flaunt in his face that she was close to shikai at only 55 years and his pure blood self had taken 100 to get as far as she. She certainly didn’t bother to tell him that a crush was when you like someone, Nao would find no solace here.
She nodded and dared to raise her head and said, ”Yes Lord Zenji-sama. The child is a true treasure. I am sure Reika-san will do well in the role to which you have assigned her.” The cup of tea sat untouched save for those first calming sips and her eyes fixated upon the still surface of the beverage. ”Is there anything else that you require of me Lord?” She was but his to command. Until she was of use to him no more.
Miyashita Zabel- Posts : 53
Join date : 2020-06-16
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Zenji Hatayama Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:16 pm
Zenji sighed at her over the top response but he was too tired. People snapping at him, people acting like he was wrong for doing his job. It was always their problems, their concerns, their fears. They were right. He was wrong. Even though it was he, Zenji Hatayama, who discovered the Quincy. It was Zenji who had nearly been killed by them. It was Zenji who had been crippled. It was Zenji who brought the others together. It was Zenji who sought to save everyone be they Shinigami, Mortal and even Hollow.
He had invited his cousin for a cup of tea, to congratulate her on her promotion, to thank her for what she had done with Michael and to give her the gift that currently sat in his desk drawer but she had come out and attacked him. To throw Nao’s suspicions at him as if he didn’t get enough from the other woman already.
Now she was passively aggressively throwing formality at him because he had chided her? Because he had reminded her that despite the overwhelming amount of freedom that he had given her for decades that she had to remember he had his responsibilities as Head of the Clan?
He’d been looking forward to a few pleasant minutes with family before having to throw himself at his nightmare of a life again.
Fine.
He didn’t have the energy to walk on eggshells around her. He didn’t have the time to deal with her fragile ego. If she wanted it to be that way then so be it, he would reply in kind.
“I think we’re done here.” he said in a tone like steel. “Go to the Estate to check on Souji and make sure the facilities are secure, I spent over twenty-four hours weaving the wards and barriers in place. It should be impenetrable to anything less than a Master of Bakudo.” It had exhausted him to the point of collapse but the facility he had prepared for his Cousin as per her request was the most secure place within the already magically secured Estate.
Standing up he crossed the room to sit at his desk and picked up the brush he began to write onto the half-finished report he had been working on in the early am hours. Without looking up he dismissed her. “That will be all Sixth Seat Hatayama.”
He had planned to accompany her to the Estate, to make sure in person that she was happy with what had been done and the final facilities but she could deal with Souji. He had other important work to be doing.
There was always more work.
“Only me.”
He had invited his cousin for a cup of tea, to congratulate her on her promotion, to thank her for what she had done with Michael and to give her the gift that currently sat in his desk drawer but she had come out and attacked him. To throw Nao’s suspicions at him as if he didn’t get enough from the other woman already.
Now she was passively aggressively throwing formality at him because he had chided her? Because he had reminded her that despite the overwhelming amount of freedom that he had given her for decades that she had to remember he had his responsibilities as Head of the Clan?
He’d been looking forward to a few pleasant minutes with family before having to throw himself at his nightmare of a life again.
Fine.
He didn’t have the energy to walk on eggshells around her. He didn’t have the time to deal with her fragile ego. If she wanted it to be that way then so be it, he would reply in kind.
“I think we’re done here.” he said in a tone like steel. “Go to the Estate to check on Souji and make sure the facilities are secure, I spent over twenty-four hours weaving the wards and barriers in place. It should be impenetrable to anything less than a Master of Bakudo.” It had exhausted him to the point of collapse but the facility he had prepared for his Cousin as per her request was the most secure place within the already magically secured Estate.
Standing up he crossed the room to sit at his desk and picked up the brush he began to write onto the half-finished report he had been working on in the early am hours. Without looking up he dismissed her. “That will be all Sixth Seat Hatayama.”
He had planned to accompany her to the Estate, to make sure in person that she was happy with what had been done and the final facilities but she could deal with Souji. He had other important work to be doing.
There was always more work.
“Only me.”
Zenji Hatayama- Posts : 278
Join date : 2020-06-14
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Re: Necessary Preparations [Zâbel/Closed]
by Miyashita Zabel Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:36 pm
She had thought that she finally had a real family. That there would be love in her life and she could grow, but it had been some infantile fantasy that she hadn’t realized she even possessed, not really. Not until today. Her Zanpakutō had tried to support her, just as Zenji claimed. Only she hadn’t wished to listen. She thought she knew better. Struggling to come to terms with this emotional side of herself. Clinging to those datasets and babbling like an idiot just in order to feel sane; she had come to her center once more. She would be useful and tend to her duties and bound loyalties till the day she died. There was no need for anything else.
Rising to her feet once she knew he would have no further need of her services, she crossed the room and retrieved her blade, fixing it back at her waist with unfaltering efficiency. Moving to the door, she opened it and then paused to give him a bow. ”I shall proceed as directed, Lord Zenji-sama. I will not let you down sir.”
Backing out she pulled the door closed and walked with cold indifference through the division and on her way to the prepared facility back at the Hatayama Estate. Confident that all would be arranged to the required specifications, she set her mind to the latest experiment on her mind. The Extraction of spiritual essence in vials. Neutralizing this poison was paramount to defeating their historical foe. All existence depended on it.
//exit
Rising to her feet once she knew he would have no further need of her services, she crossed the room and retrieved her blade, fixing it back at her waist with unfaltering efficiency. Moving to the door, she opened it and then paused to give him a bow. ”I shall proceed as directed, Lord Zenji-sama. I will not let you down sir.”
Backing out she pulled the door closed and walked with cold indifference through the division and on her way to the prepared facility back at the Hatayama Estate. Confident that all would be arranged to the required specifications, she set her mind to the latest experiment on her mind. The Extraction of spiritual essence in vials. Neutralizing this poison was paramount to defeating their historical foe. All existence depended on it.
//exit
Miyashita Zabel- Posts : 53
Join date : 2020-06-16
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