Stellar Mote Inquisitors: The Gang Gets Together

[Gaz]

Shiro #6

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Shiro nodded to Ishifude, she was right. “Yes, the power of the soul translates the base language, it just doesn’t do slang and double meanings… so it can be difficult.” He explained from past experience. “My old captain sent me to Africa to collect some samples and I put my foot in my mouth a few times because I didn’t get some of the word play.” The seated officer continued to elaborate, it was why the phones were going to be a very useful piece of kit in any talks and negotiations allowing the group to quickly look up the meaning of some words and phrases they didn’t quite understand in a hurry.

Shiro stopped paying full attention to the route they were taking as he could feel the confidence in Ishifude’s footsteps. She was clearly practiced at heading to the Senkaimon. It wouldn’t surprise him if she knew the names of the operators that were to send them today.

Suddenly Shiro stopped for a heartbeat… something had just occurred. “If this is going to be an off the books mission, that means we won’t be permitted Hell Butterflies.” He said slowly. “What day is the cleaner scheduled to go through the Dangai?” Shiro asked, hoping it wasn’t today.

The young officer had heard tales of what the cleaner did in the Dangai, how it essentially reset the soul’s personality and memories into a nothing state as it pushed souls into the reincarnation cycle. Souls that were never cleansed with a Zanpakuto and escorted through to the Soul Society by a Hell Butterfly via the Shinigami made safe passage ended up going through the Dangai the old way, but the essence that made them who they were was pulled away. This essence formed the Valley of Screams, some scholars even theorised it’s this essence that stabilises the three realms.

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Shiro: 7319e6

Captain Yorutatsu: ff9f9f

[Ken Shirogane]

"Is that surprising? Most people these days are not warriors, they are office workers. Soldiers don't use swords and bows, they use guns and grenades." He noted with a chuckle, thinking about how much the world had changed since he had been alive, and how different the world of the living was compared to the soul society. "You're lucky if one in a hundred souls even practices a martial art, let alone how to properly use a weapon that you can't just point and shoot."

Ken was glad Shiro was around to explain things, but he had no clue himself. He'd rarely needed a translator because he'd only ever been in Japan until now anyway, this was his first time going to another country where he would not be using his native language. Maybe they explained it in the academy, or maybe they had explained it to him before when gearing him up for the living world. Whatever the case he could not remember. But whatever the case it was convenient.

"The Dangai? I guess you're right. Without the butterfly to guide us, we would need to go through there. Good grief, we're going to have to put ourselves in danger before we even get out of the soul society?" He mused with a chuckle. "Well, it's a good thing we are all in good shape then. If we do need to take the Dangai, best we don't waste time walking."

PC: 6
Gaz freshstrawberries

[freshstrawberries]

"It was a surprise because he professed to be a soldier.  Even back in my day I knew most people weren't warriors."  Ishifude replied casually as she led the way.  She did indeed know the names of most of the shinigami that worked the pathway, although Shiro's concern took her by complete surprise.

"Why are you both speaking as if we face some great grueling challenge?  Have both of you slacked on your shunpo training so badly?"  Her head turned to look at them both with confusion...and perhaps a little concern.  She was absolutely confident in outrunning the cleaner herself...but if both of them only had the shunpo skills necessary to graduate from the academy and become shinigami then...well. 

She could probably carry one of them with little issue at least.

[Gaz]

Shiro #7

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Shiro chuckled at the implied laziness regarding his Shunpo training. He has not done that in the least, it was an area he excelled at… after his sword play of course. This was likely not going to be needed but if needs be he could always call upon his shikai for that extra boost to his speed that came from his Zanpakuto’s nature as a Lightning Element Kido Zanpakuto.

The walk through the Squad Eleven Barracks was strangely peaceful the walk outside of the barracks was a whole different story. It was strangely desolate, those that did venture the many streets did so quickly and quietly and with great purpose. The Seireitei was on a form of lockdown and those who didn’t have a reason to be out of their homes or barracks were quickly told to go back by any patrolling guards.

“This is going to be a good mission. The last big one I went on ended up with a captain getting exiled and over half the team getting killed.” He explained, reminiscing about the ambush that had forced him and Lenalee into a hidden lab that was strewn with forgotten experiments and notes from Azai Saeki.

“At least this time we have a clearly defined bad guy.” A clearly defined bad guy who had the Gotei13 in a vice like grip that could wipe out the most powerful families for years. This was the kind of mission that would go down in history as an epic journey.

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Shiro: 7319e6

Captain Yorutatsu: ff9f9f

[Ken Shirogane]

Ken nodded in regard to the soldier not knowing how to use weapons that Ishifude might have wanted them to use. To Ken at least it made sense a modern-day soldier didn't know how to use a spear. Spears, and most blades in general were archaic by today's standards. The best a soldier might know how to use in his opinion was hand to hand and a knife. Were bayonettes still a thing? Seemed unlikely. Though he supposed a Quincy might still make use of such things. They tended to blend the spiritual with the modern a lot more than the Shinigami did, at least in his opinion. But he wasn't exactly a Quincy expert despite dating one briefly, so it wasn't an opinion he was going to share right now. "So this soldier didn't know how to use the sort of weapons we normally prefer here. So how did you end up wanting to see what weapons the man could use?"

Ken shrugged at Ishifude's question though. "I'd consider myself quite good as Shunpo actually. But I've never been inside the Dangai. It was explained to me before, but not deeply elaborated on since I assume most people are not expected to pass through that area the way we intend to. I'm not certain how much danger we might be in, or if we will be in danger at all. I'd assumed the way would be safe and clear up until Shiro pointed out the possibility that the Kōtotsu might end up passing through before we could exit out the Dangai." He explained. "So what should I need to know if it happens that we do end up meeting the Kōtotsu? Or do you believe that by using Shunpo we can exit the space well before the Kōtotsu pose any true threat to us, even if it does end up on our tails?" He asked looking between the two, uncertain. He was aware that the Kōtotsu hitting them would be bad, but could not remember why. Otherwise, he had no real idea of the threat they faced beyond what Shiro had said, which wasn't much.

Ken chuckled looking at Shiro at his words. "You sure you didn't just jinx us by saying such a thing? Stories, where the bad guy is clearly defined, can sometimes twist the plot to make things more uncertain than they first appeared." He suggested with a shrug, having no reason to believe such a thing would happen outside superstition of such situations.

PC: 7

freshstrawberries Gaz

[freshstrawberries]

"Mmm, well they follow a schedule and it's hardly random, it moves through the area every seven days exactly and is essentially impossible to effect or harm with reiatsu so unless for some reason we're being scheduled to go through the day of its cleaning there should be absolutely zero risk."  Given that they definitely had not been assigned this mission the mere day of this happening Ishifude didn't even consider that they'd make such a mistake.

"Regardless if for some reason someone has messed up keeping track of something so basic, you simply run the opposite direction it's coming from, simple as.  Ideally if it does it'll show up behind us so we simply run forward and out where we're supposed to, nothing to worry about." 

She adjusted the gigai she was hauling over her shoulder as she thought of the battles ahead, and her smile returned.  "Mmmmhmhmhmm, but I do hope he isn't operating alone, a hunt is so much more fun when the quarry is part of a pack."