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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Nov 16, 2024 23:32:50 GMT -6
Bleach Unrated: REBOOTEDCurrent Arc: The ChaosEpisode 578 "Forgotten Treasures": The cold, dim light of the evidence lock-up cast a faint sheen over Captain Nori Mutsu’s stark uniform, the fabric impeccably pressed, though a faint crease on her sleeve betrayed her tension. She stood motionless, her arms crossed, as her gaze swept across the assortment of artifacts that now occupied the wide metal table at the center of the room.
The lock-up, usually a place for confiscated contraband or incriminating evidence, now felt more like a museum vault. Or perhaps a graveyard.
The door creaked open, and two of her subordinates entered, struggling to balance a large crate between them. Its weight caused them to stagger, but their movements were careful—almost reverent. As they set it down near the table, one of them paused, brushing dust from his gloves.
“Captain Mutsu,” the man said, his voice tinged with awe. “This is the last of it.” Nori inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment, though her sharp eyes never left the objects before her. The mystery of the morning’s discovery lingered like a phantom. How had these priceless relics ended up on the stoop of Division Three’s office building? Who had the knowledge—and gall—to assemble such a collection and leave it in plain sight?
Her subordinates began unpacking the crate, carefully removing its contents piece by piece. The first item they placed on the table was a zanpakutō. Its scabbard was cracked with age, its once-polished surface dulled by time. The weapon’s presence felt heavy, not in spiritual pressure but in history, as if it carried the weight of its deceased wielder’s memories. It was one of several blades recovered, all belonging to Soul Reapers who had long since passed into oblivion.
Next came a bundle of scrolls tied with faded silk ribbons. Nori reached out, untying one with steady hands. The parchment crackled faintly as she unrolled it, revealing intricately written kanji detailing strategies, laws, and events. Her dark eyes narrowed as she skimmed the contents. This particular scroll chronicled a long-forgotten conflict between the Gotei 13 and an early rebellion, information she was certain no one outside the highest echelons of leadership had ever seen.
Among the most perplexing items were tomes emblazoned with the unmistakable sigil of the Daireisho archives. These books were supposed to be secured deep within the archive’s vaults, their access restricted to a select few. Nori frowned, her mind racing. The implications were staggering. Had these been stolen? Or worse—had they been given away?
She moved to another section of the table, where a small array of tools and devices had been laid out. Among them was a kido amplifier, its delicate engravings glinting faintly under the overhead lights. Nori picked it up, turning it over in her hands. Such tools had fallen out of use centuries ago, their designs rendered obsolete or simply forgotten. Yet here it was, intact and functional, a piece of history brought back to life.
Her subordinates worked quietly, the air heavy with an unspoken mixture of excitement and unease. Nori’s presence was commanding, her composure steady despite the torrent of thoughts swirling in her mind. She was known for her unflappable demeanor, but even she couldn’t help but feel the enormity of what they had stumbled upon.
The door creaked open again, and Nori’s lieutenant, Izuru Kira, stepped inside. His normally composed expression faltered as his pale blue eyes took in the scene. He stopped in his tracks, his lips parting slightly in disbelief. |
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 17, 2024 0:33:54 GMT -6
Izuru walked into the normally dull and boring evidence storage room that was kept under lock and key and immediately his jaw fell to the floor. It was unbelievable to look at. Centuries of Gotei history. Irreplaceable relics. All of it sitting in their lock-up. All of it had appeared out of thin air on their doorstep, or so he had been told. He didn't really believe it until he walked in.
"Gods... Is this.... Is all of this... real?" Izuru questioned, walking up to stand next to his captain. "I mean, I know I'm looking at it right now but... how do we know this isn't just all fakes meant to scare us into thinking... I don't know. That there's someone in the Gotei who is able to get their hands on all of this stuff and willing to use it for their own gain?"
"Soul Reapers like Sousuke Aizen is the reason we have this sitting in our lock-up." Nori offered.
"Yeah, I can imagine..." Izuru said absentmindedly, scanning the contents of their "delivery". "But this is a little..."
He trailed off when he spotted a familiar hilt of one of the old zanpakuto. Izuru hummed in curiosity and stepped forward, grabbing the scabbard, a blood red one. When he brought the sword closer to inspect it, recognition hit him. The hilt was violet and the guard circular with a three pronged insignia that looked like a crooked sort of tuning fork.
Izuru's eyes widened and his hand trembled. "No... there's no way."
"Izuru? What's wrong?" Nori tilted her head at him.
Izuru didn't respond. Instead he pulled on the hilt and out slipped the top half of the sword, broken. He inhaled sharply and tilted the scabbard. Out slipped the bottom half of the broken sword. Out of pure instinct, Izuru dropped the sword and its pieces on the table in front of him, nearly tossing it as if it had burned him. He took two giant steps back.
"Holy shit." Izuru turned to Nori, sheet white like he'd seen a ghost. He put a hand on the hilt of Wabisuke protectively, even though he knew the sword that laid before him was dead. He pointed at the hilt of the dead zanpakuto. "That... that zanpakuto... That's Muramasa. There's no way someone made a perfect copy of that, right down to the break in the blade. All of this stuff is real. How the hell did somebody get all of this stuff out of the Gotei's vaults. And better yet, who returned all this in the first place? Unless it was taken and returned as a demonstration. A warning."
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Nov 17, 2024 1:00:19 GMT -6
Nori strode over to Izuru, her sharp eyes fixed on him. “What exactly are you trying to say, Izuru?” she asked, her tone calm but edged with curiosity. She picked up the sword he had been staring at, examining it briefly before placing it back on the table with deliberate care.
Turning to face her lieutenant fully, she tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful yet probing. “Are you suggesting that someone stole these artifacts only to return them just to mock us? To say, ‘Look how vulnerable your security is—second-rate at best?’”
Her voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of irritation, not at Izuru, but at the audacity of whoever had orchestrated such an elaborate move. Her questioning gaze searched Izuru’s face, awaiting his response.
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 17, 2024 1:30:07 GMT -6
Izuru took a breath, steeling himself as he glanced over the collection again. He crossed one arm over his torso and placed his other hand on his chin. He shook his head slowly as he thought. "It's... possible. The only other possibility I can think of is that someone found these in someone else's possession and took it upon themselves to return them anonymously to save themselves the prison sentence later."
He moved forward again and picked up one of the tomes from the Daireisho. "If it weren't for these... I'd have said that someone with connections to the Gotei had these in their personal collection and eventually felt guilty about keeping them for themselves." Izuru looked up at Nori. "When I was young, my father had a friend amongst the other nobles who was quite the history enthusiast. Some collectors will pay any price to get their hands on a piece of history. Perhaps someone grew a conscience?"
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Nov 17, 2024 1:54:52 GMT -6
Nori listened intently, her expression remaining composed but her gaze sharp, analyzing every word Izuru spoke. She crossed her arms as he speculated, her eyes narrowing slightly as he mentioned the Daireisho tomes.
When he finished, she exhaled softly, a mixture of intrigue and frustration flickering across her face. "So, either someone wanted to flaunt their ability to breach our defenses, or we have a repentant thief—or collector—on our hands," she said, her voice measured. She gestured toward the assortment of relics on the table. "But if guilt was their motive, they chose a curious way to express it. Dropping these on our doorstep in the dead of night, without a word, hardly screams redemption. It feels more like..." She paused, searching for the right term. "A provocation."
Her eyes flicked to the tome in Izuru’s hands. "And these books from the Daireisho? That’s no casual acquisition. Even nobles with deep pockets don’t get their hands on something like that without help—or without crossing lines they can’t afford to admit to."
Nori uncrossed her arms and took a step closer, her tone taking on a sharper edge. "Whether it’s a taunt or an act of guilt, the truth remains that whoever did this had access, knowledge, and boldness. And that makes them a threat—or at the very least, someone we need to understand."
She glanced back at Izuru, her dark eyes meeting his. "If this was about conscience, why not return them directly to the appropriate authorities? Why cloak their actions in mystery? There's more to this than remorse."
Her gaze swept over the room once more before settling on Izuru. "Start thinking beyond what’s likely, Lieutenant. Consider what’s possible. We can’t afford to underestimate whoever is behind this—not when they’ve proven capable of acquiring something as dangerous as those tomes."
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 17, 2024 18:16:42 GMT -6
Izuru stood at attention and bowed to his captain. "Yes, ma'am, Captain Nori. It will be my highest priority."
He walked the length of the tables that held the relics and history of the Gotei, a hand hovering over them. "If it isn't too much to ask. I would like a few days to go through each piece and organize everything. I think tracing each piece's origins before it was stolen may help to narrow down where these relics have been. That may lead us to our would be thieves and to their motives."
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Nov 17, 2024 18:58:29 GMT -6
“If that is what you wish to do, Lieutenant,” Nori said, stepping closer to the table. She placed a hand lightly on the hilt of one of the swords, her touch deliberate but careful, as though she might awaken a lingering spirit. “For now, our duty is to protect these artifacts and uncover the truth behind their return. Whatever their purpose, they hold secrets the Soul Society cannot afford to ignore.”
Izuru nodded, though his gaze remained fixed on the table. The weight of the discovery was palpable, a mixture of awe and dread that hung heavy in the air. As he stood beside his captain, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much larger—something that could shake the very foundations of the Gotei 13.
Nori, ever composed, placed her hands behind her back and turned to address her subordinates. “Secure everything. Catalogue each item. No detail is too small. And above all, maintain absolute secrecy. Until we understand what this is, we proceed with caution.”
“Yes, Captain,” came the unanimous reply.
As her team set to work, Nori’s gaze returned to the table. The evidence lock-up felt colder than usual, the artifacts emanating a strange, almost tangible presence. She stood silently for a moment, her thoughts racing.
Whoever had left these treasures had sent a message, though its meaning remained mysterious. Nori was determined to uncover the truth—no matter where it led. She looked to Izuru. "I believe we need to get the Sixth Division involved in this. I don't think it has anything to do with the Robin Hood group, but I have known stranger things to occur." She turned walking toward the door of evidence lock-up, "plus, I don't want to hear Captain Kuchiki go on for hours about this was something that should have been brought to his attention."
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 17, 2024 19:03:44 GMT -6
Izuru nodded firmly in agreement. He could absolutely see the need to involve Sixth Division. This was beyond just Third Division. The wide variety of artifacts and relics meant that they couldn't just keep this information to themselves. He agreed with his captain that the likelihood of the Robin Hood group doing this was low, given how far it deviated from their MO.
"That's easy enough. I can go and get Lieutenant Abarai or Fifth Seat Nagano right now, if either of them aren't too busy," Izuru offered.
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Post by Captain Nori Mutsu on Nov 17, 2024 19:32:06 GMT -6
Nori paused at the doorway, her hand lightly resting on the frame as she turned to glance back at her lieutenant. Her voice was calm but resolute, carrying the weight of her authority. "There’s no need for them to rush over," she said, her eyes shifting back to the array of artifacts spread across the table.
Her gaze lingered on the relics, a flicker of thought crossing her expression. "It’s not as if they’re going anywhere," she added, her tone steady but laced with subtle gravity, as if to emphasize that time, for now, was on their side—but only for now.
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 17, 2024 19:42:44 GMT -6
"Yes, of course," Izuru nodded in understanding and bowed again. Once he stood up, he continued. "Then for now I will remain here and assist with the cataloguing efforts. I will take advantage of the time we have to make sure we get a head start on this." "Sounds like a good plan, Lieutenant. I myself will be paying a visit to the Ninth, so if you go looking for me that is where I can be found." She nodded, turned and left the room with two final words. "Carry on.""Yes, ma'am!" Izuru turned to the other Third Division members. "Alright, you heard the captain. Let's get this moving. We have a lot of inventory to cover, so let's form a system and get to it!"
The members barked back a "sir!" and together the officers formed a game plan for organizing the massive amount of inventory they now had on their hands.-END-
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Post by Lt. Renji Abarai on Nov 20, 2024 21:43:51 GMT -6
Bleach Unrated: REBOOTEDCurrent Arc: The ChaosEpisode 582 "Double The Trouble": (Continued) Renji and Yorusuke walked through the Third Division about a half hour later, having taken the time to gather what they needed to investigate as well as stopping at a coffee shop on the way, given that it was still morning and they already had a full to-do list. It was going to be a long day indeed.
They walked into the evidence lock-up room, finding several Third Division members flitting around the tables and tables of labeled and tagged relics and artifacts that had been unceremoniously dumped on them. Renji had to admit he felt bad for Third Division. Sorting through all of this had to be a logistical nightmare.
"Man... this is way more than I was expecting," Renji rubbed the top of his head, smoothing his hair back. "I mean, yeah the list was long on paper but... the visual is even more unbelievable." |
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Post by Yorusuke Nagano on Nov 20, 2024 22:13:46 GMT -6
Yorusuke took a slow sip of his coffee, his eyes scanning the chaotic scene before them. The lock-up was crammed with artifacts and relics, some neatly tagged and others hastily organized into piles. Third Division members darted between tables, their expressions a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
“You’re not wrong,” Yorusuke said, his tone measured as always. “Seeing it like this... it’s a little overwhelming.” He stepped closer to one of the tables, his gaze narrowing on the items as he set his coffee cup down. “But it’s also telling.”
Renji tilted his head. “Telling how?”
Yorusuke gestured toward a pile of smaller items—mostly ornate trinkets and ceremonial objects. “Look at these. They’re valuable, sure, but they’re not exactly the kind of things you’d need to stage a heist for. And over there—” He pointed toward a set of larger, more significant-looking artifacts. “Those are pieces with history, meaning, or political weight. Someone didn’t just raid a storeroom. They knew exactly what to take—and why.”
Renji folded his arms, frowning as he studied the items Yorusuke indicated. “So, you’re thinking this wasn’t random?”
“Far from it,” Yorusuke replied. “This wasn’t just about taking things—it was about making a statement or sending a message. And judging by how much of this overlaps with Hojo’s list, someone’s aiming that message directly at him.”
Renji let out a low whistle. “So, we’re looking at a thief with a grudge and a lot of intel.”
“Maybe not so much a grudge," his head nodded, "diffently a lot of intel or someone with an agenda bigger than just Hojo,” Yorusuke countered, picking up a tagged relic and examining it closely. “Whoever’s behind this has a deep understanding of the Soul Society’s inner workings. They’re not just causing chaos—they’re orchestrating it.”
Renji rubbed the back of his neck, his usual casual attitude dimmed by the weight of Yorusuke’s words. “Guess that means our visit to Hojo’s estate is about to get a lot more interesting.”
Yorusuke gave a faint, wry smile. “Interesting is one word for it. Come on, let’s get what we need from here and see if Hojo’s ready to explain why half his treasures are turning up in the Gotei’s hands.”
Renji snorted. “Yeah, I’m sure his answers will clear everything up.”
“Doubtful,” Yorusuke said dryly, picking his coffee back up as they moved deeper into the lock-up. “But maybe they’ll at least give us a lead.”
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Post by Lt. Renji Abarai on Nov 20, 2024 22:36:29 GMT -6
Renji and Yorusuke wandered amongst the tables, doing their best to look at everything without getting in the Third Division's way. They made note of anything particularly important. Yorusuke even had the foresight to take sketches of the items that had supposedly been stolen from Hojo. He took down as much detail as he could about each item that matched Hojo's list. Once Yorusuke was done, he nodded firmly to Renji, folded the sketches, and slipped them into his kosode.
Renji rounded another table until he came to one that was filled with at least five zanpakuto, all stone cold as they sat on the table. Including the one zanpakuto he hoped to never see again. Muramasa. A cold shudder rocked through his bones, and in the back of his mind, straight down to the bottom of his soul, he heard--felt--Zabimaru howl obscenities and hiss venom at the dead sword.
"He's gone," he said to the chimera spirit quietly, voicing his thought out loud to placate himself as well. "He's dead, along with his master. That's never happening again. It can't. No two zanpakuto are the same. That threat is dead and buried."
He felt a low rumble of acceptance, feeling Zabimaru's energy slither around him and coil around his neck like a comforting presence. Renji sighed deeply in relief and took a step back. Right into Izuru. The two of them grunted, and he heard Izuru grumble something about knowing better than to stand behind Renji's "hulking figure."
Renji turned and rubbed his shoulder, massaging out the tension. Izuru was rubbing the bridge of his nose, as if he had face planted his back. "Sorry, man. Didn't see you there. This sure is a lot of crap, ain't it?"
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Post by Lt. Izuru Kira on Nov 20, 2024 22:48:01 GMT -6
"You have no idea. Though I wouldn't necessarily call it 'crap'," Izuru sighed, brushing the disturbed hair out of his face. "It's been a madhouse all morning. But at least I'm not stuck doing paperwork all day... yet."
His quiet, silent lurking was both a blessing and a curse. Yet another thing taught to him by Gin Ichimaru. How to ghost in and out of a space without being noticed. Useful, until it got him pummeled by his best friend who was at least six inches taller than him. He looked down at Renji's side, staring at the hilt of Zabimaru, as if he could see into the spirit's mind through the sword. Best friend as he was, that honor gave him no ability to read the mind of his best friend's zanpakuto.
"How is Zabimaru?"
"Restless," Renji admitted, resting his hand to the sword and looking over his shoulder at the table full of dead zanpakuto. "But dealing."
Izuru nodded. "Wabisuke is the same." He cleared his throat and smoothed down his hood, fidgeting with the hem. "During my break earlier, I did a bit of meditating to check up on him. He, uh... he was making a noose out of his chains. When I asked him what they were for, all he said was 'just in case'..."
Renji gawked at him like a fish, then snapped his mouth shut, lips pressed tight. "That's... dark. Even for you. Did he mean...?"
Izuru's jaw ached as he clenched his teeth together and turned away from Renji, recoiling into the safety of his grey hood as he wandered amongst the tables of artifacts. "I don't know. He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask him to. Not really sure I wanna know. Though I can't really say I blame him."
Izuru heard Renji give a sharp exhale, and he quickly changed the subject before the redhead went and dove further down the trauma rabbit hole. "Anyway, did you find what you were looking for amongst all this 'crap'?"
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Post by Lt. Renji Abarai on Nov 20, 2024 22:57:41 GMT -6
Renji, not dismissing his friend's avoidance of the topic of the deeper meaning behind Wabisuke's "coping methods", tucked away that tidbit for later discussion. Yeah, he'd have to ask him later how he was doing. Chipper as the blonde could be, he was also a deeply troubled person in a lot of ways. He had watched the man go from being a nervous wreck in the Academy--fidgeting with his sword, his hair, his clothes, and just about anything his hands could reach--to a jaded, weary shinigami who had been transferred through three different divisions like he had.
He, Izuru, and Momo had all been selected and then discarded by Sosuke Aizen, spending time in Fifth Division before the man made his choice--Momo Hinamori, the most devoted and obedient of the three of them--and sent the two of them off to Fourth and Eleventh Divisions respectively. And Renji knew that while Eleventh Division had been a huge blessing in disguise for him, Fourth had been hard on Izuru. Seeing injured Soul Reapers every day. Some beyond saving. And then, once he had gotten strong enough, he was selected to be Gin Ichimaru's lieutenant, and he had no doubts that the snake-eyed, fox-smiled right hand to Aizen had taught Izuru things that would make him quake in fear. But even before that, the tinges of darkness existed within him, as evidenced by Wabisuke. Perhaps that was why Izuru and Hisagi had hit it off so well. Both of them possessed a zanpakuto that, while it seemed simple enough on the outside, reeked of death on the inside.
For now, Renji gave Izuru a hearty slap on the back that made him grunt and toss a glare over his shoulder. He grinned at Izuru. "Yeah, we got what we needed. Thanks for letting us raid your storage closet, Blondie. It gave us a decent amount of ammo to use on Hojo."
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