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POLITICS

>>1608271
“Ah, so Nanao made good?” Lisa muses happily. “Knew that girl had it in her. Who's her Captain?”

“Shunsui,” you inform her.

Lisa's smile instantly becomes a scowl. “That bastard...”

“Hey, she's the only person I've seen who can actually handle him,” you shrug. “Partly because he listens to her.”

“Captain!” Renji calls as he parries Wabisuke and kicks Kira onto his back. Then he notices Lisa and frowns. “So who's this?”

“Cocky punk,” Lisa grumbles, adjusting her half-frame glasses, “isn't he?”

“Lisa Yadōmaru, pleased to meetcha.”

>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.
>Lisa's a Lieutenant-class vizard, here to offer you a challenge.
>Lisa's here on diplomatic business, thought I could use a second set of eyes.
>Other?

>>1608285
>>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

>>1608285
>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

>>1608285
>Lisa's a Lieutenant-class vizard, here to offer you a challenge.
>And she's a friend of mine, so show some respect

They need this SO bad.
They have no idea how hard the coming fights are going to be, so something like this will do them good.

>>1608285
>>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

>>1608285
>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

>>1608285
>>Lisa's a Lieutenant-class vizard, here to offer you a challenge.
I'm fine with an applicable measurement for how a Lt-level vizard stacks up to a... I don't even know how to rate Renji as an Lt.

Definitely not peak, since Rangiku holds that spot, and not average either, since I can still acknowledge that he did attain bankai, as much as it isn't a true one.

>>1608285
>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

>>1608285
>Lisa's a former Lieutenant of ours, here to offer you some pointers.

Pointers that will be emphasized through combat, obviously

>>1608285
“Lisa here was a Lieutenant back around the same time I was,” you explain, narrowing your eyes slightly at Renji's tone. “And if you're polite she might be convinced to help you out with a few pointers.”

“Is that so?” Miyako muses quietly, seemingly recognizing what that must make your guest but keeping it to herself. “Well then, welcome back... Miss Yadōmaru, wasn't it?”

“I'm flattered,” Lisa nods, her tone softening slightly. “It's been a hundred years, Shiba Miyako, and we only met a few times.”

“I have a good memory for faces,” Miyako nods. “Good to see you well.”

“Is this supposed to be someone we know?” Omaeda frowns, racking his brain for anything to connect the name and the face to.

“No,” Lisa admits. “In fact I served alongside your father Marenoshin before Riku here replaced him. How is that tall bastard doing?”

“He won't get off my case about my duties!” Omaeda grumbles.

“That's nice,” Lisa nods, clearly not interested in Omaeda's petty protest. “You three are unfamiliar faces. Which of you's the Kira boy?”

“Me,” Izuru replies, raising his hand.

“And the others are Abarai...”

“Sixth Division Lieutenant,” Renji adds with a stern nod.

“Guess that makes Byakuya your Captain,” she nods thoughtfully. “And since old man Ginrei wasn't at the Central 46...”

“He passed shortly before the end of the war,” you explain.

“I see...” Lisa frowns. “He was a good man. Then that leaves Hinamori, wasn't it?”

“That's right...” Hinamori replies quietly, still not entirely sure what to think of the newcomer. “You were one of the officers from a century ago... the ones that Aizen Sōsuke...”

“That's right,” Lisa nods.

“Then you have hollow powers?” Momo continues, her tone cautious. “The way Captains Kusajishi and Shihōin did?”

“I do,” Lisa nods again. “Unlike some they still manifest through hollowfication.”
>1/2

>>1608329
“So what sort of 'pointers' are we talking about here?” Renji asks impatiently.

Lisa glances at you for guidance, understanding that you've been responsible for their training up until now.

>Tactics.
>Zanjutsu.
>Kidō.
>Other?

>>1608351
>Zanjutsu.

Kido is their biggest issue, but momo at least still has trouble with her sword, and i don't think lisa is big on kido.

>>1608351
ooh ooh, can we show them the kamaitachi before this is over?
That'd be fun. Break a danku with it.

>>1608351
>>1608351
>>Zanjutsu
That and hakuda are the only things I know she can do.

>>1608351
>Zanjutsu.

>>1608351
>Zanjutsu.

>>1608351
>>Zanjutsu.

Rolled 48, 65, 48, 58, 54 = 273 (5d100)

“Focus on zanjutsu,” you suggest. “It's equally applicable to every shinigami's training.”

“Gotcha,” Lisa nods, drawing Hagurotonbo from its sheath. She slides her right foot back and holds the blade carefully at her right hip, its point low and behind her. “Abarai, you seem like you're itching for a fight.”

“Consider myself volunteered,” he nods, holding Zabimaru aloft.

Then, with a shout, he makes the first move.

>dice+3d10, dc 16, crit 22

Rolled 3, 1, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>1608387

Rolled 8, 4, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>1608387

Rolled 1, 4, 7 = 12 (3d10)

>>1608387

Oh, hey! A regular success!

>>1608387
She's pretty good at this, in a way that you hardly ever bother.

It's a simple ryutō, the classic 'flowing parry' which rises to meet Zabimaru as they fall, sweeping the attack aside. Then Lisa follows through in an instant, and the tip of her blade is pressed lightly against the side of Renji's neck.

The red-haired Lieutenant's eyes widen slightly, while Lisa merely smirks.

“Problem, Lieutenant?” she asks.

Renji slams Lisa's arm with his hilt and the vizard takes a single flash-step back, returning to a basic guarded stance at medium height. This time the point of her sword, despite the distance between them, is pointed straight at Renji's eyes.

Its entire length is effectively imperceptible to her opponent.

You glance at the other Lieutenants as they watch, seeing recognition in Hinamori's eyes... clever girl, that one. Perhaps because of her extensive experience more than anything else Miyako also seems to realize what the trick behind Lisa's technique is.

Again Renji misjudges her opponent's weapon, to the same effect. This time Hagurotonbo dips first, then Renji finds its blade lightly pressed against his crotch as if Lisa intended to bisect him with a single stroke.

The poor man seems absolutely bamboozled.

>Reveal Lisa's secret.
>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.
>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.
>Other?

>>1608430
>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.

>>1608430
>>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.
>>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.

>>1608430
>>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.
>>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.

>>1608430
>>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.
>>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.

>>1608430
>>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.
>>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.

>>1608430
>>Suggest that Lisa up the ante a little.
>>Suggest that Momo and Miyako practice what they've realized.

>3d10, best of three
This will be for Lisa.

Rolled 3, 6, 6 = 15 (3d10)

>>1608483

Rolled 8, 10, 1 = 19 (3d10)

>>1608483

Rolled 4, 1, 8 = 13 (3d10)

>>1608483

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“Hey, Lisa!” you call out as the vizard returns yet again to a carefully-prepared and no doubt frustrating guard stance. “Why don't you turn up the heat a little? Renji's a big boy, he can handle a little bit of a pummeling.”

“Got it,” she replies, lowering the point of her sword ever so slightly. “Be on your guard, Lieutenant Abarai.”

“I don't need to be lectured...”

Lisa's sudden reappearance in close proximity forces Renji to drop that sentence halfway through to parry Hagurotonbo's blade as it sweeps up from his right side, and as the edge meets resistance Lisa seems to roll into it. This corkscrew-like charge lets her follow through with the sheath, which drives Renji back on his feet as she follows through.

“Gotcha!” Renji shouts as he parries the third strike... only to find that he's parried the sheath. Lisa reverses her momentum and strikes with the sword in her left hand, having switched hands while her back was turned.

But for all her skill and surprises, Renji holds fast.

“Your reactions are pretty good,” Lisa compliments her opponent, switching sheath and sword back and forth a few times before settling on keeping Hagurotonbo in her right hand. “It even seems like you finally managed to figure out how long my sword is. Would it kill you to be more creative though?”

“It actually might,” Renji grumbles.

“Oh, so that's how she was doing it?” Omaeda muses. “Hey, didja hear that?”

“Wait... you didn't catch it before?” Hinamori asks, seemingly genuine in her disbelief that anyone could have failed to pick up on what was happening. “Wow, you're gonna have trouble when they start getting serious.”

“How much do you reckon they're holding back?” Kira muses.

“Irrelevant for now,” you interrupt. “The rest of you, pair off and try and position yourselves to hide your blade length from your partner. Get a good feel for what you need to do with your hands to make it effective.”

>4d10

Rolled 10, 6, 1, 5 = 22 (4d10)

>>1608507

Rolled 4, 5, 1, 2 = 12 (4d10)

>>1608507

Rolled 1, 3, 6, 1 = 11 (4d10)

>>1608507

Rolled 8, 10, 5, 4 = 27 (4d10)

>>1608507

Rolled 1, 7, 2, 3 = 13 (4d10)

>>1608507

>Omaeda finally isn't useless
Well I never.

>>1608531
Next thing we know the Monk'll stop being a dick.

>>1608531
Strangely enough Omaeda immediately picks it up, or perhaps it's that he always knew this in principle but just didn't recognize it when he saw it. But either way he manages to completely dominate Kira in their match... though perhaps he's a little too successful. In the process it seems like Kira doesn't learn very much at all or even get any meaningful feedback.

On the other hand Momo and Miyako seem to make fairly good progress, correcting one another as they go. Neither one is quite so skilled to begin with, but as usual their work only serves to reinforce your belief that the two make great sparring partners.

“Good,” you nod thoughtfully. “Especially you, Omaeda. Maybe you are Marenoshin's brat after all.”

“Hey, that's not very nice...” Omaeda mutters under his breath.

In the mean time the duel between Lisa and Renji continues to heat up. The two are back to trading blows evenly again, though unless you're mistaken Lisa is still holding a little in reserve. Renji seems to sense it too.

“Hey,” he frowns, sweeping high and causing Lisa to lean back. “You're holding out on me, aren't you?”

“There's more to zanjutsu than kendō,” Lisa replies, two back-to-back diagonal slashes forcing Renji back onto the defensive after his failed attack. “And you have to remember, I've been at this longer than you have.”

“You're talking about named techniques?” Renji muses, shifting his weight and eyeing Lisa carefully. Good... he's finally learned that just because she looks like she's wearing a cosplay uniform doesn't mean he can take her any less seriously.

“I am,” she nods.

“I hardly ever see them in use,” he narrows his eyes, “Too flashy by Captain Kuchiki's standards, and before that I was in the Eleventh. And you know how they are.”

“Even using a fancy sword technique is a 'trick',” Lisa grumbles. “Yeah, I know that tendency.”

“It's worse now than before,” you add. “Zaraki doesn't even like using kendō technique. He's totally wild, a brawler through and through.”

>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.
>Renji, Bankai. Lisa... let loose.
>Momo, strongest barrier you can manage. And don't be standing behind it.
>Other?

>>1608557
>Momo, strongest barrier you can manage. And don't be standing behind it.

We're gonna kamaitachi!
Oh boy this'll be fun, remember komamura's danku?

>>1608557
>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.

>>1608557
>>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.

>>1608557
>>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.

My heart says option 2 but my brain says otherwise

>>1608557
>>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.

>>1608557
>>Lisa, let's show them a demonstration of what swords like ours can do.

Oh, if only most of 11th will get it into their heads that if they at least have an idea on how those sword "tricks" work, then they'd know how to best deal with it.

I mean, their decision making would still probably land in the area of "apply sword harder to enemy face" but it's a start.

>>1608557
"Hey, Lisa?" you grin wickedly, causing the Vizard to turn.

"Yes, Captain Kusajishi?" she replies calmly.

"How about we demonstrate to these guys just what a couple of swords like ours can do?"

She watches carefully as you draw Tenkotsuki from her sheath...

>dice+3d10, DC 18, Crit 22

Rolled 8, 2, 8 = 18 (3d10)

>>1608597

Rolled 4, 5, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>1608597

Rolled 3, 1, 3 = 7 (3d10)

>>1608597

Rolled 5, 2, 10 = 17 (3d10)

>>1608597

>>1608597
… and promptly draws her fingers across her face in a short flicking motion, donning a porcelain mask that takes on roughly the shape of a diamond. A cross running straight across the front at eye level lets her peer out with black eyes.

“You didn't think I could withstand your zanjutsu with just a sealed sword, did you?” she muses in an echoing voice. “This is for my safety, Captain.”

“Yeah,” you nod. “I know.”

You exchange a few simple blows, letting you get used to her enhanced speed and strength. Each blow is like a sledgehammer, each step lightning-quick... there's no doubt she's very well acclimated to her hollowfied form, her control is perfect. But still... it's not quite at the level of a resurreccion.

“So that's hollowfication...” Renji muses. “First time seeing it up close like this.”

“She hasn't even released her zanpakuto?” Omaeda wonders aloud. “Just how the hell strong is this chick?”

“Well now,” you sigh, cracking your neck. “I've just about got a good sense of your hollowfication and I gotta say... nice.”

“Glad you approve,” Lisa nods, her tone somehow managing to sound playful despite the menacing reverberation common to this form. “Are you ready?”

“Bring it,” you nod, raising Tenkotsuki's blade.

Lisa charges, the steel of Hagurotonbo's blade glimmering as the whole blade seems to vibrate wildly. Her arm blurs as she begins her attack.

“Shunkō!” you roar, your body practically exploding as you release your reiatsu and cycle it through your limbs in preparation for what you know is coming.

Dozens of short, almost totally random strikes rain down on you at blinding speed, each one parried expertly by your own countermovements. All of Tenkotsuki is fair game, from the tip of her blade to her pommel cap, anything that will stop a sword's swing with the only priority being what will actually do the job quickest. You even use your left arm and your elbows to block her wrists and to disrupt Hagurotonbo's strikes by hitting her hilt.

After what feels like the longest instant in history Lisa follows through on her charge, her body sliding past you a few paces, too quick for a real counterattack.

>Explain to the Lieutenants what just happened.
>Turn and face Lisa with your own zanjutsu.
>Prepare a defense against Lisa's next move.
>Other?

>>1608668
>>Explain to the Lieutenants what just happened.
>Prepare a defense against Lisa's next move.

>>1608668
>Explain to the Lieutenants what just happened.
>Prepare a defense against Lisa's next move.

>>1608668
>>Explain to the Lieutenants what just happened.
>Prepare a defense against Lisa's next move.

>>1608668
>>Explain to the Lieutenants what just happened.
>>Prepare a defense against Lisa's next move.

>>1608668
>>Turn and face Lisa with your own zanjutsu.

>3d10, DC 17, Crit 22
>Best of three

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Rolled 6, 5, 8 = 19 (3d10)

>>1608717

Rolled 9, 5, 5 = 19 (3d10)

>>1608717

Rolled 3, 7, 5 = 15 (3d10)

>>1608717

>writing

>>1608723
>>1608724
>>1608729

Our rolls today have been so mediocre, not a single one above 20 so far

>>1608756
eh they pass don't get me wrong I love a good crit train as much as the next guy but it cant be a constant thing

>>1608717
“Senmaioroshi,” you muse, allowing your shunkō to flicker out like a candle. “Been a while since I saw that one.”

“You parried all of them?” Lisa replies, hollowfication making it difficult to tell exactly how she feels about that exchange. “Ridiculous.”

“Not at all,” you reply calmly, turning to face her and the Lieutenants standing to her left. “I've just seen that technique before. Each strike corresponds to one of the nine basic attacks of kendō, barring tsuki. The trick to performing them is to follow a set pattern that each user memorizes, flowing from one to the next in sequence. Each successive strike however is limited by the previous one, meaning that if you block the first there are only thee viable options for the second, so on and so forth.”

“So you guessed them all correctly?” Lisa guesses.

You shake your head. “No. I continually repositioned my kodachi so that I could commit at the last possible instant. Its shorter length gave me just enough of an advantage in terms of how quickly I could move it.”

“I see...” Lisa muses calmly, sword held low but ready at her side. “We seem to have been underestimating your skills all these years. For that I apologize.”

>3d10, DC 17, Crit 21

Rolled 9, 7, 3 = 19 (3d10)

>>1608803

Rolled 1, 6, 7 = 14 (3d10)

>>1608803

Rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>1608803

>>1608803
She rushes you, swords clashing and sparking madly. A swing misplaced gives you an opening, even against a stronger opponent who you bowl over with a powerful left hook... but then Lisa does something you don't recognize. Something all her own.

She rolls onto her hands, pushing her body upright and rotating in place. The kicks come so quickly that you have trouble keeping up, and thanks to her hollowfication the ferocious strength behind her limbs forces you on your back foot, before she rolls to her feet and finishes with a strong downward sweep of her zanpakuto that cleaves straight through your body from shoulder to hip.

“What?” she practically gasps in shock as your afterimage fades.

“Gotcha!” you chirp cheerfully, your left fist slamming against Lisa's hastily raised sheath. The power of the blow reduces the middle of her sheath to dust and knocks her forward a few steps.

"You weren't bluffing," she grumbles, glancing down at the ruined sheath. "You really can use Onibi with your bare hands."

>Let's get you a new sheath, the moment's lost.
>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.
>Well, let's continue. I've still got something to show off.
>Other?

>>1608912
>>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.
after
>Let's get you a new sheath, the moment's lost.

>>1608912
>Let's get you a new sheath, the moment's lost.
>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.

>>1608912
>>Well, let's continue. I've still got something to show off.

>>1608912
>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.
>Let's get you a new sheath, the moment's lost.

>>1608912
>>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.
>>Well, let's continue. I've still got something to show off.

>>1608912
>Let's get you a new sheath, the moment's lost.
>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.

>>1608912
>Take a moment to walk the Lieutenants through that.
>Well, let's continue. I've still got something to show off.

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“I'll slow it down,” you offer, carefully sheathing Tenkotsuki at your waist. “That was a technique known as onibi, normally a zanjutsu technique. It's performed with a blunt object, like the end of a sheath or a hilt. Performing it with a fist is... well, it's different.”

“And by different she means thoroughly ridiculous,” Lisa sighs, removing her mask.

“Let's get you a new sheath,” you sigh. “The moment's lost.”

“Yeah, you're right,” Lisa agrees, tucking her sword into what's left of its sheath. “Hopefully that was adequate?”

“Yeah, it was a good show,” you agree, “and I even got to have some fun.”

“Man, using zanjutsu with her hands... she's even scarier than Captain Shihōin!” Omaeda exclaims with a shiver.

“Oh?” Yoruichi asks from behind her Lieutenant. “How do you figure?”

“Well, Captain Shihōin...” Omaeda begins before realizing his mistake. “Please don't hit me.”

“No.”

Yoruichi cracks Omaeda over the head, sending him reeling headlong into a nearby oak tree.

“You're Onmitsu, Omaeda,” Yoruichi grumbles. “Try being a little more aware of your surroundings.”

>So, you wanna piece of this too? I'm warmed up.
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?
>Other?

>>1609026
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

Mystery box or I might just be forgetting a previous interaction

>>1609026
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

>>1609026
>>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?
we can do option 1 later we have work

>>1609026
>Kiss the cat.
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

>>1609026
>>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

>>1609026
>>So, you wanna piece of this too? I'm warmed up.

>>1609026
>Kiss the cat.
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

>>1609026
>>So, you wanna piece of this too? I'm warmed up.

Oh my Riku, getting yourself warmed up with another woman before taking on your wife~

>>1609026
>Yoruichi, did you bring that thing we talked about?

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>>1609026
“You know, any other time...” you sigh in resignation. “But we've got something we should be doing right now.”

“That's right,” Yoruichi nods. “I brought what we talked about earlier.”

You point at the Division's formal offices. “Rangiku is working editorial this afternoon. Lisa, you can find her in her office. The rest of you take the afternoon. Come tomorrow I'm gonna kick your butts, so make sure you get plenty of rest.”

With that out of the way, you make for the relative privacy of your personal office, secluded within the Ninth Division's inner courtyard. Once out of sight Yoruichi pulls a small booklet out of her cleavage and drops it onto the table in front of you.

“These are my records of the Kasumiōji case,” she declares, allowing you to flip through the booklet as she readjusts her uniform. “It's all shorthanded.”

“I see,” you nod. “How many patrols?”

“Quite a few, I can't recall of the top of my head.”

“And how long has there been evidence suggesting they've retained armed mercenaries,” you press.

Yoruichi takes back the booklet and flips to one of the pages near the end. “Only in the last year or so. The financials indicate an older relationship, but activity at the clan's compound is a more recent thing.”

“Something changed,” you realize.

“Exactly,” Yoruichi nods. “We've been trying to get someone inside to figure out precisely what, whether it's their research or... well, something else.”

>Speculate. What else COULD it be?
>Do you have any intel on the mercs?
>Any idea what they're researching?
>Other?

>>1609165
>>Speculate. What else COULD it be?

>>1609165
>>Speculate. What else COULD it be?

>>1609165
>>Speculate. What else COULD it be?

>>1609165
"First we had artificial Shinigami with artifical zanpakuto, then we had clones with copied zanpakuto, maybe the Kasumiōji want to go the next step and create artificial Captain level zanpakuto or at least upgrade their own zanpakuto? I hate to say this but... the monk should be informed."

>>1609165
>>Speculate. What else COULD it be?

>writing

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>>1609259
“Speculate,” you suggest. “What might they be up to?”

“Well, since you're asking,” Yoruichi frowns, “I have no idea.”

You nearly fall out of your seat. “Say what!?”

“Well, I don't know exactly how they intend to do it,” your wife clarifies. “But my guess is that they're after is what any clan wants... and what they must want doubly so.”

“You gotta remember I'm not a born noblewoman like you,” you sigh, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“The Kasumiōji are loaded,” she explains, “they make the Omaeda family look frugal by comparison. But unlike even a small family like the Ise they have no higher purpose. They have no standing.”

“All they do is design weapons” you realize, “so... what you reckon they're planning is to design a new weapon that would put them on the map.”

“That's exactly what I'm thinking,” Yoruichi nods. “Though I have no idea what kind of weapon they could possibly be trying to make that would accomplish that. That's why I've been trying to get someone into the compound.”

“Well, I'd imagine they're too secretive to make that easy,” you sigh.

“You've got that right.”

“So how do you want to play this?” you ask.

“Unless it's absolutely certain that a noble family has violated the laws of the Seireitei, we can't take direct action,” Yoruichi repeats, almost as if it's a mantra she's spoken a thousand times before. “It's a perk that makes my life easier but my job a whole hell of a lot harder.”

>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?
>So how do we get the evidence we need?
>There has to be a way to bait them out.
>Other?

>>1609354
>>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?

>>1609354
>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?
>There has to be a way to bait them out.

>>1609354
>>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?
>>So how do we get the evidence we need?

>>1609354
>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?
>There has to be a way to bait them out.

"Go and invite yourself for tea, take Rukia's brother. Basically make thrm nervous with double speak so they slip up. Say you are concerned someone is trying to frame then and all that stuff you been raised from birth to do so well. After all it would be prudent to hear their side of the story."

>>1609354
>>What about their unlawful use of mercenaries?
>>There has to be a way to bait them out.

>>1609354
>>So how do we get the evidence we need?
>>There has to be a way to bait them out.

>>1609354
>There has to be a way to bait them out.
>We can bluff them. If they've committed wrong-doing and we convince them we have evidence of their misdeeds, they'll move to protect themselves and that should give us further insight.

“And what about their unlawful use of mercenaries?” you ask.”

“Not really a thing,” your wife sighs. “It's more of a formality than an actual law you know. A noble clan has to actually break one of the important laws.”

You raise an eyebrow at that. “So basically we need to catch them at the job of making unlawful weapons?”

“That's right,” she nods in agreement. “But you did just give me an idea.”

“Oh?” you muse playfully. “I love it when that happens.”

“Yes,” Yoruichi smiles broadly. “But you're not going to like it. At all.”

“... what are you thinking?”

“A tea party,” she states simply.

“... you what now?”

“A tea party,” she repeats with an even broader smirk. “Tea. Party. As in we invite ourselves over to the elusive Kasumiōji household to meet with their young clan head. In order to 'clear up' any mistakes.”

“So you want to bait them,” you sigh. “I guess that makes a certain amount of sense, but a tea party? Are you sure about that?”

“Yes,” Yoruichi nods. “I've heard some rumors that their new clan head is a young girl.”

>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji.
>Tea party... ANYTHING but that... please...
>To be honest I'd be more comfortable with home invasion.
>Other?

>>1609505
>>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji.

>>1609505
>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji

>>1609505
>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji.
Let's meme on her as if she were a young byakuya

>>1609505
>>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji.

>>1609505
>>Well then, I say we pay a visit to the Kasumiōji.

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>>1609520
Shouldn't be too hard

>writing

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>>1609633
“Well then, I guess we should pay the Kasumiōji princess a visit,” you sigh. “Why'd it have to be a tea party?”

“But you like tea,” Yoruichi taunts. “Or have you lost your taste for it?”

“I love tea,” you assert, “and that's the problem. The point of tea is to drink it, not to play with it.”

“Now, if a tea party were about the tea it would be a different story.”

“Well then it's settled,” Yoruichi grins. “Oh, and we'll need to get you a new kimono.”

Your heart skips a beat. “You can't mean that...”

“Oh yeah,” your wife grins maliciously. “I'm serious. It's been a long time since we went clothes shopping...”

>>1609664
And that's where I have to put a stop to things for now. Archive is up, thanks for stopping in, and hope you enjoyed!

I'll be back tomorrow after SoZ for a few more hours. Until then, omake ideas and idle chat are welcome.

The Shihoin Princess is for...

>>1609708
Lewding, she's for rough fun lewding

>>1609715
Seconded she is also for the petting because she is best cat.

>>1609708
marriage, obviously

>>1609708
Omake: Mad(?) Scientist Riku! Mixing Modern Technology with Soul Science!

>>1609708
Bambi training the LTs. She may be enjoying it a bit too much.

>>1609708
Evil Overlord's pet.

No, not Aizen. Evil Riku.

>>1609708
>The Shihoin Princess is for...heavy petting

>>1609708
>Omake: Bambi opens up a bit more to an unlikely fellow: Rosa Rosette. This conversation takes place at night when Riku is sound asleep.

>The Shihoin Princess is for...double teaming on teasing others.

>>1609708
The Shihoin Princess is for.. being best cat.

>>1609708
>Until then, omake ideas and idle chat are welcome.

How about any of the day to day business that the Arrancar or Vizard get up to. Don't Halibel and her girls do patrols in hueco mundo? Anything interesting ever happen during one?

And it sounded like the Vizard were doing a mercenary thing. What does that entail? Any noteworthy jobs they have undertaken?

Fun. Also for awesome and "d'aww"

>>1609708
...Also being stepped on by.

>>1609777
>>1609708
Alt Route: Scientist!Riku. Driving Urahara crazy with her cheerful explosive experimentation and badly written notes and making Mayuri Jealous for 200 years fusing Modern Technology with Ghost Magic, crafting all sorts of new spells and Magitech with Tenkotsuki. You can write up a snippet of Urahara glancing between the small scrap of Riku's notes (literally a Math equation of [Kido spell + Human Gun = ???] looking exasperatingly at Riku hugging her warcrime abomination of a science experiment like a child hugging it's stuffed animal.

>>1611912
supportan


RIKU SCIENCE
"What if we rip a hollow's face off and shove it into an asauchi?"
"What if you just push really hard on a garganta to get into the royal realm?"
"What if you just inject literally any quincy, even sternritter full of hollow blood to kill them?"
"What's the gravity like on hueco mundo's moon? Only one way to find out."

>>1612002
Uh. Anon, three of those are already answered.

>>1612021
Exactly.
Riku's the best scientist.

>writing

>>1613251
… shopping.

It's a strange and unfamiliar process for someone like you, who has basically no personal possessions and only ever wears one of a handful of outfits: one of which is a uniform. But that being said presentation is very important among nobles, and you are going to be playing the part of a noblewoman for this purpose.

“There's a little shop near here that Rangiku likes,” Yoruichi explains, tugging you towards the door as you drag your heels. “Come on, just humor me.”

“You're enjoying this,” you accuse.

“You betcha,” your wife grins.

After managing to get you out of your Division's compound, a feat that requires her to bodily carry you part of the way, Yoruichi finally arrives at the shop in question.

“This is the place...”

Inside is an older woman, who bows deeply. All around the interior are hundreds of fine kimonos of every size, color, and pattern.

“Welcome, Captains,” the store owner greets you warmly. “What might you be looking for today?”

>Something formal, imposing, a little ostentatious.
>Something seasonal, elegant, and dignified.
>Something eye-catching, and not too formal.
>Something plain, unassuming, and simple.

>>1613306
>>Something seasonal, elegant, and dignified.

>>1613306
>Have Tenkotsuki and Rosa (if the latter feels like it) manifest and also critique on Riku's Kimono Tryouts

If we can't have the swords participate in the shopping comedy, I'm fine with

>Something eye-catching, and not too formal.

>>1613306
>>Something formal, imposing, a little ostentatious.
>>Something seasonal, elegant, and dignified.

>>1613306
did you make the announcement on your twitter that we're back on session?

>>1613337
Ayup. Just going slow for some reason.

>>1613306
>Something seasonal, elegant, and dignified.
and get some input from the swords.

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>>1613306
“Something dignified, but not imposing,” you sigh, rubbing the back of your neck. “Maybe something seasonally appropriate, but just... you know. Nothing ostentatious.”

“Right then,” the old woman muses. “Do you know your measurements?”

“I don't...”

“I do,” Yoruichi interrupts with a smirk. “Bust, waist, arm length, and height good enough?”

“That should do nicely,” the old woman smiles kindly, and your wife then proceeds to rattle off your measurements from memory.

“Well now,” the old woman mutters, toddling off towards a shelf near the back. “Any particular price range?”

“Money's no object,” Yoruichi replies.

“That's what I like to hear...”

After trying on several kosode in rapid succession, you begin to tire of the exercise.

“You just enjoy watchin' me undress, don't you?” you grumble.

Yoruichi shrugs. “Well, sorta. But honestly, I don't think we've quite found one that suits you yet.”

“How about this one?” the old lady suggests.

The kimono is mostly black, festooned with leafy patterns in gold with maple leaves in varied shades wrapping around the sleeve and body. Its lining is absolutely gorgeous, and it seems just a little on the long side.

“This sort of garment was once very popular among the ladies of Shimabara,” the shopowner explains. “Not as restricting as those of the oiran but no less fine.”

“Well,” Yoruichi gestures for you to try the garment on.

After a moment, you have to admit... the fit is excellent. Especially with the golden, finely-figured sash it's eventually paired with it cuts a striking image of barely-restrained feminine allure.

“Yeah,” Yoruichi nods sagely. “This one does it for me.”
>1/2

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>>1613495
Paired with the tall sandals typical of period courtesans and entertainers, necessary to keep your new purchase from dragging too much, you now have your ensemble ready. Returning to your Division allows you to prepare, fix your hair, and dress. Yoruichi of course does the same, donning one of her mad golden kimonos and a flowery hairpiece to match.

“A golden goddess appears,” you grumble.

“So, do we want to play this up as much as possible?” your wife muses.

>Yeah, let's take a palanquin for show. That's the whole point, right?
>We'll go on foot. A palanquin might make me vomit out my internal organs from self-loathing.
>Other?

>>1613551
>>Yeah, let's take a palanquin for show. That's the whole point, right?

>>1613551
>>We'll go on foot. A palanquin might make me vomit out my internal organs from self-loathing.

>>1613551
>*whine*...Let's take a palanquin for show. That's the whole point, right?
>Other: *whines* with all this self-loathing I might as well be a man.

>>1613551
>>Yeah, let's take a palanquin for show. That's the whole point, right?

>>1613551
>Tenko, please help me with the noble woman acting. A third of me feels like vomiting from the unnecessary ostentatious customs.

>>1613551
“The point is to put on a show, right?” you sigh in resignation. “What better show than to vomit out my internal organs all over this new kimono we just bought?”

“That's the spirit.”

A palanquin arrives a few minutes later, Yoruichi having made all the appropriate calls. Armed only with the kogai and kogatana from Tenkotsuki's sheath tucked into your stiff sash, you climb aboard and Yoruichi follows right behind you.

Inside the ride isn't nearly as smooth as it is when you run and you doubt you're going as fast, but you do have a nice cushioned seat and the company's good even if she seems to derive some sort of sick joy from your discomfort at being literally carried around like a useless, weak little princess.

“Just thinking I picked the right one,” she smiles. “Makes it a little more tolerable.”

In your mind, you busily assign roles for the coming mission.

“Tenkotsuki, I want you advising me on protocol,” you tell your zanpakuto quietly.

You hear something that sounds almost like tittering, though it can't be that. Tenkotsuki knows you'd be enraged at that tone while you're so out of your element.

“I can do that, my dear.”

“Rosa, I need you to be disgusted for both of us,” you add. “Can you do that?”

“It may be a challenge,” your inner hollow admits. “But lucky for you I like a challenge.”

It takes nearly two hours for the running team to get your palanquin to the Kasumiōji compound, where they set you down and open the doors.

“Oh thank god,” Yoruichi sighs quietly as she scrambles out.

The Kasumiōji certainly do seem rich... not even the Shiba maintain such lavish grounds. And they certainly don't keep a guard force like this. Even the Shihōin rely on a subordinate family for that duty, while the Sixth Division sends a detail to guard the Kuchiki manor. The Shiba typically don't care to assign guards, since anyone who attacked your adoptive family would have to basically be suicidal. Even Ganjū's on the level of a seated officer, and by your standards he's weak as shit.

But this family has dozens of private guards on their grounds.

“Well, there's their omission,” Yoruichi grumbles.

“Plausible,” you admit, “but it could just be cover.”

“You bet,” Yoruichi agrees. “I don't like how this smells.”
>1/2

>>1613666
>“It may be a challenge,” your inner hollow admits. “But lucky for you I like a challenge.”
somehow this mental image is both cute and funny.

>>1613666
Finally, you're ushered into the Kasumiōji home where two men in modified, non-Gotei-standard shihakusho.

“So you would be Lady Shihōin and Lady Shiba?” the shorter of the two greets you. His uniform almost looks as if it's been designed to keep him from coming into contact with anything around him, and unlike most of the guards he carries a zanpakuto.

“Yes, that is correct,” Yoruichi nods. “And who might you two be?”

“Kenzaki Ryūsei and Enkōgawa Rusaburō,” the shorter man replies, while his large sunglasses-clad partner merely nods sternly at the mention of his name. “Bodyguards to Lady Kasumiōji Rurichiyo.”

“I assume you are aware of our message,” you tell them.

“We are,” Kenzaki replies stoically. “You both basically invited yourselves to tea at our Lady's home.”

>And we have no need to explain that to you. Especially not Lady Yoruichi, head of her Clan.
>Relax, we are here to speak with Lady Kasumiōji about a point of protocol. Nothing serious.
>So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?
>Other?

>>1613713
>So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?
>We sent a message, and didn't get a response, we got worried.
>And you would send us two ladies all the way back to our homes after a 2 hour trip to your estate? The Nerve!

>>1613713
>>So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?
>>We sent a message, and didn't get a response, we got worried.
>>And you would send us two ladies all the way back to our homes after a 2 hour trip to your estate? The Nerve!

Ara ara ensues.

>>1613713
>>So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?
>>We sent a message, and didn't get a response, we got worried.
>>And you would send us two ladies all the way back to our homes after a 2 hour trip to your estate? The Nerve!

>>1613713
>>So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?
>>We sent a message, and didn't get a response, we got worried.
>>And you would send us two ladies all the way back to our homes after a 2 hour trip to your estate? The Nerve!

>writing

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>>1613807
“So are noble ladies no longer permitted to enjoy tea in each others' company, Kenzaki?” you muse, trying and to a large degree succeeding in channeling Tenkotsuki's attitude. “Or would you send us two all the way back after we took a two hour trip to reach Lady Kasumiōji's estate?”

“The nerve of young men these days,” Yoruichi sighs, shooting you a playful grin. “But, I suppose if Lady Kasumiōji is the sort of host who would turn away such distinguished guests as ourselves that is her own business.”

“Lady Rurichiyo does not wish to...” Kezaki begins before he's loudly interrupted.

“Kenryū!” a young voice calls out from deeper inside the Kasumiōji home. “Are our guests here yet? If they are see them in, we would not wish to keep them waiting!”

You cock an eyebrow at 'Kenryū'.

“I suppose those are your orders now, Kenryū?” you smirk.

“I suppose so,” he nods gruffly. “Please come inside, I will take you both straight to Lady Rurichiyo's parlor.”

Upstairs, you are led to a large, open room with rich carved paneling and distinctly western-style furniture. In a plush chair, with a small table next to her, sits a young blonde girl in a pink kimono... from the way she looks she can't possibly be Ichigo and Tatsuki's age yet. The look in her emerald green eyes is one of genuine excitement.

“Lady Shihōin, Lady Shiba!” she greets you happily. “Welcome to our home, we are Rurichiyo, head of the Kasumiōji clan. It is a pleasure to meet you both in person!”

“Please, have a seat... Enryū, would you be so kind as to bring us tea? Some of the fine blend if we have any to hand.”

“You seem excited,” you can't help but smile a little at her enthusiasm as you take a seat next to your wife.

“Of course!” she replies, almost taken aback. “Any girl our age would be excited for the Two Goddesses to be sitting in their parlor!”

Two goddesses, is it? Why do you get the feeling this is going to be difficult...

>>1613909
And that's it for this morning, it's 2am and I'm dog tired. Thanks for stopping by, and hope you enjoyed the brief snippet.

Omakes later in the week, so please wait warmly.

Spoiled noble brats are for...

>>1613929
Spoiled noble brats are for... Teaching a lesson or several too

>>1613929
Spoiled noble brats are for.. Teasing in a humiliating manner.

>>1613929
Spoiled noble brats are for... Headpats

>>1613909
>>1613909
>“Of course!” she replies, almost taken aback. “Any girl our age would be excited for the Two Goddesses to be sitting in their parlor!”
>Goddesses
THEY KNEW? This bodes ill for us. They're trying to find a way to make divine by siphoning off our Shinreiryoku!
>>1613929
Thanks for running m8

Spoiled noble brats are for...
>convenient targets of robbery

Questions:
>IC Generally, how much internal alarm is Lady Rurichiyo tripping in Riku, Yoruichi, and Tenkotsuki's heads? The brat is giving away much info carelessly that's tipping off huge implications of conspiracy. Riku and Yoruichi's secret of having some shinreiryoku in their veins isn't something that should be easily known.

Tenkotsuki:
>Please Rate your secretive pleasure of watching Riku squirm through nobility customs and SHOPPING.
>Rate the Ostentatiousness and Fanciness of the Kasumiōji clan estate out of 10.
>Do you think you would want Rosa to be disgusted for you as well? Just to be safe?
Rosa:
>“It may be a challenge,” your inner hollow admits. “But lucky for you I like a challenge.”
how does one be disgusted for both her's and another aspect's disgust? Also what's the current reading on your internal Disgust-o-meter for containing Riku's disgust and your disgust?
>Lady Rurichiyo's spoiled behavior, how disgusting is it? Rate your disgust out of 10.
>Do you think you can handle the disgust of the vixen too? You might not know the true extent of how spoiled this brat is. There may be some lines even fox girl dare not cross.

Riku, Rosa, Tenkotsuki, Yoruichi, Yamamoto, Artemis, Coyote, Yoruichi's father, Rukia, Byakuya:
>Spoiled noble brats/whelps are for...

>>1613909
Spoiled noble brats are for... Educating.
Its basically what weve been doing for the last few decades anyway, whats one more?

>>1613929
This one? Headpats.

Rurichiyo is cute.

>>1614126
I think that she's calling us Goddesses because Yoruichi is known as Goddess of Flash and Riku as Goddess of Steel.

Considering that they're both noble ladies of major Clans, easily among the strongest Captains, and participated in a secret romance, I could them being a prominent topic of conversation among noble gossip circles.

Given that we avoid those social circles it probably means what information she does have is going to be exaggerated and about how romantic and scandalous it is.

>>1613929
Omake: Lisa goes to see the 9th division Commandos (and Rangiku), That latter tell stories of the crazy shenanigans and stuff Riku did while Lisa was in exile.
Omake: Shunsui somehow gets some free time and goes to see Lisa at 9th division. There the two quarreling lovebirds (Lisa and Shunsui will deny that statement) have a private moment where they just quietly make small talk. Shunsui confessing to Lisa of the burden he has to bear and Lisa just giving him a comforting hug.

>>1614263
huh. Never thought of that angle. I wonder what the young spoiled girl admires and aspires to become? If she wants to be a shinigami and a captain of a division that would be interesting.

>>1613929
>Spoiled noble brats are for giving fighting lessons and teaching morals to

>>1613306
>who has basically no personal possessions

What about all the instruments Riku plays? Are those just borrowed or something? She has to have one at least that she calls her own: I seem to recall she brought a guitar with her from her stint in the living world back in the 1800s.

>>1615341
Those are pretty much it. Her house technically belongs to the Division, the things that are in it mostly belonged to Kensei or are Rangiku's. She basically has her uniform, the few long-lasting gifts Yoruichi has given her over the years like her hairpin, and her musical instruments (some of which are technically Division property as well).

I probably own more items of clothing than the total number of Riku's own personal possessions.

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>>1613929
>Spoiled noble brats are for...
B-b-being stepped on by

>>1615684

I see, that makes sense. And it is more or less what I would have guessed: while Riku is by no means destitute or deprived, she still basically chooses to live a relatively austere life.

She seems to care more about duty and people than objects. Granted, the few items she does have are spectacular, Tenkotsuki for example--although I guess she blurs the line a bit--not to mention the gifts Yoruichi has given her. Seeing as how she is a princess, she can afford some pretty lavish gifts I would imagine.

Speaking of gifts, that gives me another idea for an omake:

I feel like Gin and Rangiku, as kids, didn't really get enough time to develop their relationship with Riku. It's mostly time skipped. And although their are some moments that show them doing a little bit of the family bonding thing, it still mostly feels like we are supposed to take their accepting Riku as a mother figure as an item of faith.

What about having an omake that touches on some of the iconic parent moments: like first birthdays and gift giving (do ghost kids have birthdays?) or taking care of a kid when they get sick (can ghost kids get sick?) You know, stuff that really drives home the feel of the parental role.

I'm sure it could make for a very good story. Hell, Riku probably struggled with it at times given how little experience she has with that sort of thing. I am intrigued with the idea of the otherwise capable Riku struggling with something more down to earth yet challenging.

Her demeanor is usually coarse and brash, and that's fine when you are basically military. But she hasn't had much occasion to demonstrate empathy or gentleness: might be awkward, might be touching. Either way I am interested.

>>1613929
I forgot to say this, but I'd like omakes involving some divinities. I'm really curious about things like Izanagi's kids and spawn, or Bishamon and his three buddies, or what Loki and Thor would be like, or to which extent Herakles' story is true, or the relationship between North and South American deities.

>>1615765
>all of those omake ideas with the kids

Yes please, I love that stuff

>>1615867
>>1615765
Yes. please.
>>1615684
>Teaching Gin the art of Pranking
>going clothes shopping with Rangiku and somehow failing to find the right size for her growing body (especially in the bust department) and finding out Rangiku's better at the shopping part.
>Gin attempting to pull a prank on Riku only to be 1-upped by mom every time. He only succeeds when his actual prank is to hugging Riku at the very end.
>Gin and Rangiku's mission on stealing Yamamoto's sandals.

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Lieutenant Kusajishi Riku slides the door to her apartments open, then carefully shuts it behind her. She slides off her shoes and leaves them by the door, quietly padding across the tatami and past two sleeping forms. She slides open the doors at the back of her room to a small patio, letting soft moonlight stream through the aperture, then sets to work.

She opens a small box near the door and kneels on the tatami, illuminated only by moon and stars, and pulls out the necessary tools. Crumpled rice paper, a small bundle of cloth, a glass vial of oil, a small wooden mallet and a brass pin, and finally her zanpakuto itself from the sash at her waist. She draws Tenkotsuki quietly, dabs some oil onto a piece of paper, and gently wipes the entire length of her blade with it. The paper comes away tinged a rusty red tone, which seems more of a purple under the pale light, and once this is finished Riku sets the paper aside and finds the hammer.

Two solid taps pop the staying pins out of Tenkotsuki's hilt, and she removes it the blade carefully so as to keep the parts together. With a few light taps with the back of her left hand she loosens the blade in its hilt before removing it, setting aside the hilt and returning the blade to its sheath. She works a little oil into the file marks on the tang of her blade, using her fingers, then wraps a piece of paper around the tang and draws the blade again.

Now she grasps the bundle of cloth between her fingers, lightly powdering the length of the blade from base to point, before wiping it clean. Finally she applies a little oil to the blade, wipes away the excess, and with a practiced precision refits the spacer, guard, and hilt.

“Sorry if I woke you,” she apologizes quietly as she sheaths Tenkotsuki and quickly puts away the cleaning tools.

“S'fine,” Rangiku mutters wearily, wiping her eyes and yawning. “I wasn't asleep.”

“Then I'm sorry if I kept you up worrying,” Riku apologizes again.

“That blood on your sword,” Rangiku muses quietly. “It wasn't hollow blood, was it?”

After a moment, Riku sighs. “No, no it wasn't.”

“Then who...” Rangiku quickly catches herself.

Riku shakes her head. “It's okay to ask, really.”

“Who was it you killed?”
>1/?

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>>1616873
“A... criminal,” Riku tells the young girl carefully, not really wanting to tell her outright that the man was a shinigami accused of rape. This wasn't the time for that sort of discussion. “The nature of his crime meant he really didn't want to face justice, so he chose to go out fighting.”

“Don't dwell on it,” she finally instructs.

Rangiku lowers her gaze rather sheepishly. “Okay. I understand.”

Riku quietly shifts in place, leaning against the broad supporting beam at the edge of the sliding doorway and gesturing towards Rangiku. “Hey, c'mere.”

After a moment's hesitation, Rangiku obeys. She takes a seat next to the Lieutenant, leaning against her shoulder.

“I wasn't just out chasing down criminals today, you know,” Riku admits in a low voice, reaching into her sash and pulling out a long strip of pink silk. “I was wondering what to get you, and settled on this.”

“It's so smooth...” Rangiku observes as she accepts the gift. “It must have cost a lot?”

“It doesn't matter,” Riku shakes her head. “Besides, I'd rather use my salary to make other people happy anyway.”

“Thank you,” Rangiku smiles, wrapping the sash over her shoulders. “This should keep my sleeves out of the way... and look pretty at the same time... but how did you...”

“Know that it was your birthday?” Riku smirks. “Come on girl, I'm Onmitsu. Snooping things out is a point of professional pride.”

“Gin told you, didn't he?” Rangiku smirks back.

Riku sighs, admitting defeat. “Hey, nobody ever said info-gathering was always difficult.”

“One question...” Rangiku suddenly frowns. “You didn't get Gin anything for his birthday?”

Riku cocks her head in confusion. “Is it coming up?”

“No,” Rangiku shakes her head. “It was almost three weeks ago, on the tenth.”

“You're kidding!” Riku sighs, glancing over at where Gin is sleeping. “I asked him about it a few weeks after you two moved in with me, he said 'not to worry about it'. I assumed he meant that he didn't know, or that it had already passed.”

“That boy... sometimes I wonder if he'll ever really learn to relax around me.”
>2/?

>>1616873
>>1616877
Oh cute we got her the pink scarf

>>1616877
Since you brought it up, did riku ever lose more than a fight when she was a street rat out in the 70 and 80 districts?

It's never been clear why riku doesn't seem to appreciate the romantic company of men so much as women.

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>>1616877
“You know, I don't think you should worry,” Rangiku reassures the older shinigami. “It's not so much that he doesn't trust you, or that he's not grateful... he's always been a bit odd, you know? When we were on our own in the Rukongai he'd always do something nice for my birthdays, but he refused to let me do anything for his.”

“I just don't think he likes being the center of attention.”

Riku sighs wearily. “Or maybe he just doesn't like feeling indebted to someone else?”

“That's possible too,” Rangiku admits. “It may actually be both.”

“Well, either way, I've got an idea,” Riku reassures her young charge, “so tuck back in and go to sleep. I'll take care of things in the morning, Rangiku.”

“Right,” Rangiku nods. “Thanks for the sash...”

“Rangiku,” Riku repeats. But the girl doesn't respond, having fallen asleep right where she sat.

“Guess I'll take care of this too,” Riku sighs, gently working her way up onto one knee so she can lift Rangiku off the floor and carry her back to her futon.

The next morning, Gin and Rangiku awake to a foreign smell.

“What's goin' on, Rangiku?” Gin asks, glancing at her new accessory. “Where'd you get that?”

“Riku got it for me while she was out last night,” Rangiku explains. “What's that smell? It smells... almost like cake?”

Riku pokes her head in from the hallway. “I made taiyaki.”

“For breakfast?” Gin asks, nonplussed. “I mean, I don't hate the idea... but why?”

“You misled me,” Riku explains. “And because of that I missed your birthday.”

“I told you, it's not necessary for you to do anything,” Gin repeats, his brow furrowing slightly in annoyance.

“Here's the thing,” Riku replies, setting a plate down in front of the kids. “I'd like to celebrate your birthday. I like doing nice things for you. So you have two choices: either we agree to celebrate it on your actual birthday from now on... or we do it every other day.”

“Every day?” Gin asks, picking up one of the freshly-made, fish-shaped confections. “What would that even involve?”

“Nothing but cake for the rest of your natural life,” Riku threatens. “And singing.”

Gin pauses mid-bite. “You wouldn't. Not even you could be so callous”

Riku merely smiles back at him.

“Fine...” Gin sighs. “I agree to your terms.”

“Splendid. Now eat your taiyaki before it gets cold.”

>>1616983
fuck that's cute

>>1616923
Mostly because she prefers girls? Just because Rosa might have been married and had kids it doesn't mean Riku is the exact same person. Plus she fused with a Fox Kami who might have not been fond of men.

Riku is Tenkotsuki and Rosa fusion so while she has many things in common with Rosa she is her own person.

>>1616923
I do know what you're implying, and the answer is no.

Riku's orientation was never "fixed" to begin with, since her memories and part of her personality were essentially split off and repressed. It was more a matter of who ended up being important in her life and who anons latched onto. Had things worked out differently it would've been someone else, or even no one.

>>1616923
>>1617018 has valid reasoning, but the true reason is because anon wanted to lewd Best Cat and I have yet to meet a female MC in a quest not be a lesbian.

>>1617071
We would never regret it, even under torture.
No regrets over best cat.

>>1616983

That was pretty neat. Thanks for writing it.

Now, I wonder if we will ever find out how Riku learned to cook taiyaki, or for that matter how she gained access to a fully stocked kitchen. It involved putting her Onmitsu skills to unconventional use I am guessing. Imagine Riku "borrowing" a taiyaki mold and infiltrating the 2nd division kitchens early in the morning while Tenkotsuki tells her what to do. Nothing will stand in the way of Operation: Bake my Kids a Waffle Fish.

>>1617071
>I have yet to meet a female MC in a quest not be a lesbian.
You're not the only one who wishes for a straight Female MC. Unfortunately, this is the internet and 4chan we're talking about.

>>1617222
>>1617525
Lets not be average. We need to go to the next great idea: thrashing in time to the Jaws theme.

>>1617071
I miss Hellion.

>>1617530
Shit. Wrong thread.

>will post another omake later today
>not sure if I can run next weekend due to travel

>>1617071
The MC of Tuffle Quest is not lesbian or bi and married Goku.

>>1618437
MC of Ace Combat Quest a while back scored a husbando as well.

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>>1618550
You mean Karla in Ace Combat: Endless Skies? I remember that. That quest was glorious.

>>1614126
>IC Generally, how much internal alarm is Lady Rurichiyo tripping in Riku, Yoruichi, and Tenkotsuki's heads?
Zero, because >>1614263
>Please Rate your secretive pleasure of watching Riku squirm through nobility customs and SHOPPING.
Satisfying. Maybe a seven out of a possible ten.
>Rate the Ostentatiousness and Fanciness of the Kasumiōji clan estate out of 10.
Also perhaps a seven. Though you must recall, I was present at the Heian Court, my standards are rather different from most people.
>Do you think you would want Rosa to be disgusted for you as well? Just to be safe?
Again, my standards are rather different. I can guarantee there is no show of ostentation that would shock me.
>How does one be disgusted for both her's and another aspect's disgust?
Years of practice.

>omake was delayed
>will do tomorrow

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>>1618593
Yeah, that. Pretty damn glorious indeed, <<buddy>>.

>>1617071
Hellborn Quest says hello. Lawngod's ghost is saddened by your not remembering it.

>>1620540
Don't think that counts. The QM put his foot down and made it clear that gay wasn't even an option.

>>1618998
“Either of you two know what today is?” Riku asks, her voice unusually stern.

Rangiku and Gin both shake their heads.

“No clue,” Gin admits.

“Today marks five years exactly since we began training together,” Riku declares as she folds her arms in front of her. “And today, I'm going to see what you've managed to learn in that time.”

“So it's a test?” Rangiku asks curiously. “What sort of test?”

“One like you won't find on the Academy curriculum,” Riku grins, a gesture that leaves her two young pupils uneasy. “A practical exam that will demand you draw on all your skills.”

“What are you going to make us do?” Gin asks, his characteristic grin fading somewhat in anticipation.

“I want you to steal the Head Captain's sandals,” Riku orders, before raising a slender finger to add a caveat. “But he can't find out that you did it.”

Gin ponders the task for a moment. “Can we get someone to steal 'em for us?”

“If you can find someone who wouldn't sell you out to the Head Captain,” Riku shrugs dismissively, “then more power to you. But I doubt that's gonna happen.”

“I don't think there's an 'angle' here, Gin,” Rangiku muses quietly. “We're going to have to do this for real.”

“That's right,” Riku agrees, her smile fading somewhat as she gets serious again. “The only rules are that the Head Captain can't find out, you can't bring me a fake, and you have twenty-four hours from the moment you decide to start.”

“So we have one day to get there, put our plan in motion, and get back?” Gin asks.

Riku nods in silent confirmation.

“Well, that's going to be a tough one,” Gin sighs, scratching at his silvery hair in contemplation.

“I'm sure we can come up with something,” Rangiku reassures her friend.

“Meet me back here when you want me to start the clock,” Riku concludes. “Until then, just... think about it for a while. You never know what might give you the inspiration you need.”
>1/?

>>1621271
It takes them several hours to come up with even the beginnings of a plan that might work, and it's not until early in the afternoon before the duo return to Riku's office with word on their progress.

“Well?” Riku asks, setting aside her subordinates' after-action reports from a mission several days previous.

“We have a plan,” Rangiku announces. “We'll need to leave soon if we want to make it to the First Division by nightfall.”

“Sunset's around eight, right?” Riku asks, glancing up at a clock. “Think you can make that in six hours?”

“We looked at the available maps,” Gin explains, “an we think we can do it.”

“Without rest?” Riku muses.

“We just took a nap,” Rangiku replies, “and we'll take another one on our way out, just before sunup.”

“Well then,” Riku nods, apparently satisfied. “If you feel ready, I'll start the timer.”

“We're ready,” Gin nods.

“Then get to it.”

Gin and Rangiku run for hours, relying on their shunpō to cover ground faster and taking breaks to catch their breath every twenty minutes or so. True to their plan they arrive at the foot of the Sōkyoku hill just before sundown, taking in the sight of dozens of tall white buildings clustered around the Tower of Repentance.

“Let's get somewhere out of the way,” Rangiku suggests. “Study the maps we brought, get ourselves oriented.”

“I'll admit, the scale is quite a bit larger than I anticipated,” Gin replies, scanning the skyline with what Rangiku recognizes as apprehension. “Rooftop?”

Rangiku nods in agreement. “Rooftop.”

Once situated, Gin produces the map that had been folded up in his sash and spreads it out over the tiles, and in the light of the rising moon he gestures to a spot on it.

“Can you feel that monstrous reiatsu?” he asks, placing his finger on one building's outlines. “I think that's about here?”

“Assuming this is the Tower of Repentance, and this is that building we just passed, and the gate we went around was here,” Rangiku muses, working her way back to recall where she noticed certain landmarks. “Yes, I think you're right.”

“That reiatsu's gotta be the Old Man,” Gin insists quietly. "No doubt about it."
>2/?

>>1621559
“It doesn't seem all that powerful,” Rangiku muses, clearly dubious. But Gin seems adamant.

“It's a lot stronger than he's lettin' on,” Gin replies with a frown. “Stupidly, irrationally strong. What we're feelin's just the tip of the iceberg.”

“In any event we'll need to case the outside of the building,” Rangiku sighs. “Just like we planned?”

Gin nods in agreement. “Right. Just like we planned.”

The duo move across the rooftops, circling slowly and carefully to stay out of sight. They have to keep their reiatsu suppressed, and keep aware in order to avoid being spotted by the First Division's own patrols... two teenagers probably couldn't pass around here, even if they HAVE stolen a few shihakusho from Second Division's laundry. They keep this up for almost two hours, observing the building from various angles and making note of its exterior features before stopping atop a nearby roof with a clear view of one specific side of their target.

“So that's an interesting balcony,” Gin muses.

Rangiku nods in agreement. “It's the only one like it. If the Head Captain's office is anywhere in the building, that's it.”

“Then that's our entry point,” Gin decides, taking a deep breath. “You ready?”

Rangiku stretches her left arm out at her side and pulls up her sleeve. “I can do it if you're ready, Gin.”

“Then I'll get going,” Gin nods. “See you in a bit.”

The two young shinigami in training execute their plan. Rangiku casts Kakushitsuijaku, keeping an eye on the exterior of the building and making note of where the various First Division members are in their patrol routes, while Gin casts Kyokkō and heads for the balcony.

“You're clear,” Rangiku declares, and Gin makes a dash up the wall and onto the balcony. “How does it look?”

Gin can't actually respond to Rangiku, since his skills with Kakushitsuijaku are somewhat lacking, but after glancing around he holds up his thumb in response. All that's in here at the moment is a desk, covered in what looks to be a week or two worth of paperwork. There's a cup on the desk as well, for what appears to have been tea, but no evidence of sandals. Gin heads for the door and still finds no footwear: whoever was working here must have worn their sandals out.
>3/?

>>1621692
>is nearly 3am here, will have to finish tomorrow

>>1621825
Sleep tite

>>1621692
Uh I would have stalked tea houses instead.

>>1621692
Peeking down the corridor Gin finds his path wide open, and so he moves deeper into the building, sicking to the shadows and treading as lightly as he can. Candles flicker as he passes one closed door after the next, offices whose occupants have turned in for the day and are currently somewhere else in the Division's grounds. In here there are no patrols, only the constant sense that he's drawing closer to a living reservoir of unknowable power... upstairs.

“Patrol passing below your entry point,” Rangiku reports from outside. “You won't be clear for another five minutes or so, and I'll have to move after that. I'll let you know when it's clear.”

Mouthing silent thanks to Rangiku for the update, Gin slips off his own sandals and begins to creep up the steep wooden stairs towards his quarry. Each step is mindful: as Riku once taught him Japanese carpentry often produces squeaking deliberately to make unnoticed ingress impossible, and so there are really only two ways to get around the problem. Gin decides that for these stairs the way to proceed is slightly pigeon-toed, carefully placing all his weight at the center of each tread where the riser and middle stringer board meet.

When he lived out in the Rukongai he never though he'd know this much about stairs, but in this case it helps him avoid making any creaks or squeaks that would give him away.

There's only one door on the hallway he reaches next that's of any importance, and moving soundlessly becomes an absolute requirement from this point onward. Even one misstep and, according to his agreement with Rangiku, Gin will have to withdraw rather than risk the wrath of the terror sleeping within.

“I've relocated,” Rangiku reports as Gin approaches the far edge of the sliding doors. “You're clear on the balcony as well as the main entrance.”

Has it been that long already?

Gin finds no footwear left outside the doorway, so he slides the door open... painfully slowly... and peers into the darkened room beyond. Upon determining that nobody was going to attack him simply for this, he slips over the threshold and tiptoes onto the tatami within.
>4/?

>as a sidenote, I'll be trying to update sporadically through the day
>this is because I would like to come up with a better solution to travel-related disruption than simply not running
>the possible solution is running during set times each evening, so I'd like to get a feel for what starting and stopping like that feels like

>>1623170
Sounds great, i hate missing sessions.

>>1623416
I've been thinking ~4 hour weekend sessions with short sessions each weeknight. Details tbd.

>>1623167
this is getting gud. I hope to see some Mission Impossible related Comedy when it comes to Gin. Put something out of his element at the same time while delivering that seriousness.

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>>1623167
The room is dark inside, with a single occupant.

Gin slinks through the room, which is simple and austere in the typical samurai fashion, but still doesn't see any sandals anywhere. He silently slides open the linen closet and finds, predictably, linens and a spare futon inside. Another closet hides a rack of identical black uniforms and...

Gin's brow furrows in disgust as he shuts the closet as quickly as he dares. Of all the things he had hoped might be in there the Head Captain's fundoshi was absolutely not on the list.

There's a long zanpakuto resting in an alcove with a scroll hanging behind it, which catches Gin's attention next. This of course is the legendary Ryūjin Jakka, supposedly the strongest fire-type zanpakuto to ever exist... maybe even the most powerful zanpakuto to ever exist. The blade is currently sealed in the form of a gnarled wooden staff but with such an ominous, disconcerting presence there's no mistaking what it is.

The painting behind it is somehow even more unsettling, the wrathful visage of the Fudō-myōō bearing a hōken and a noose, his corpulent body darkened like that of an immolated man and wreathed in the bright red flames of Hell itself. Two servants flank the Wisdom King's stony throne, into which two characters seem to be carved: those for “fear” and for “righteousness”. The facsimile threatens to carry out the subject's task of burning away the impure simply under the depiction's watchful gaze.

“You're still clear,” Rangiku reports, snapping Gin out of his near-fugue state. “Hope you're not slacking off in there.”

This isn't a safe place to be, Gin realizes. The man sleeping here is insanely powerful, and believes it his duty to act as the hand of the living Fudō-myōō and incinerate any wickedness he finds with an extreme prejudice befitting the Wisdom Kings themselves.

And he still hasn't found any damn sandals.

Stealing away from the Head Captain's personal quarters, Gin chooses to consider the move a “tactical withdrawal” rather than a “retreat”. After all, he has one more place to check.

Down at the very bottom floor, just where a high walkway meets the tall stone foundation the tower is set upon, Gin finds the entryway. There's a step down into an area where visitors are meant to remove their footwear, and wooden cubbies have been built against the walls to store sandals and shoes.

Gin surveys the situation with wide eyes: pair after pair of identical straw sandals.

“They all look the damn same!” he hisses in aggravation.
>5/?

>>1623864
Rangiku can read it in his eyes when he returns to her perch up on a covered walkway overlooking a wide swathe of the First Division. He doesn't need to explain that he's failed to locate their target.

“The Head Captain leaves his footwear in the entry hall,” he explains, his usual playful tone coming off much more sarcastic than usual simply due to the reality of the situation. “So if you've got a way to tell two identical pairs of sandals apart that you've been saving for a dramatic reveal...”

“Which of course I don't,” Rangiku sighs dejectedly. “What do we do?”

“We can't do anything just now,” Gin observes, pointing to deep, east-facing eaves a short walk away. “We should rest over there until sunrise.”

Not having any bright ideas for how to proceed, the young duo settle into fitful sleep.

When the cold dawn comes, it finds Gin and Rangiku already stirring. They have eight hours now, between four and six of which they'll have to spend running if they hope to return to Riku on time. No words are exchanged as they take to the rooftops once more, carefully avoiding the First Division patrols until they reach a suitable vantage point.

“So we have two hours to linger,” Gin muses with a grim smile on his lips. “How do we make the most of that?”

“Wait a minute...” Rangiku frowns, pointing over Gin's shoulder. “Is that the Old Man over there?”

Gin's eyes widen for a moment as he realizes the Head Captain is already up and about this morning... and he's wearing his sandals. “I suppose that's our only shot, isn't it? Let's follow him... worst thing that can happen is we still come home empty-handed.”

“Or we'll luck out,” Rangiku agrees. “Come on!”

It's fifteen minutes or so before 2pm when Gin and Rangiku return to the Second Division with smiles on their faces. Gin in particular is beaming with a smug self-confidence, and has a pair of straw sandals tied to his sash. When they find Lieutenant Kusajishi's office they enter without knocking, aware that they've cut it close in terms of time.

Riku looks up from her paperwork and raises an eyebrow.

“Good job.”

Rangiku is visibly taken aback, and even Gin's grin fades somewhat.

“Wait,” he muses, “you're not gonna verify it?"

Riku smirks.
>6/7

>>1623864
>the Head Captain's fundoshi was absolutely not on the list
And Gin never lifted his eyelids ever since.

>>1624906
waiting.jpg

>will finish in a couple of hours, am at work

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>>1624906
“Nah, I see no reason to,” Riku shrugs. “I'm proud of how much you've progressed in such a short time... whenever either one of you feels ready to apply to the Academy I'll support you.”

“You're not even going to look at them?” Rangiku finally manages to blurt out. “Then what was the point of getting them in the first place?”

“Like hell if I can tell them apart from anyone else's,” Riku sighs, leaving her adopted children in a state of total disbelief. “But I don't have to. I can tell when someone's trying to lie to me... how did you get a hold of these?”

“Well, we cased the outside of the Division's main office, then Gin snuck into the Head Captain's quarters,” Rangiku explains carefully, “and I kept watch on the entrances... but he couldn't find them. So we ended up stealing them while he ate breakfast.”

“And not one thing you just said to me was a lie,” Riku nods in satisfaction. “But if you need to know what I was looking for you had the speed and stamina to make it there in a timely manner, you had the skills and physical ability to navigate hostile territory without being noticed, and most importantly you had the bravery and commitment to stick out an unreasonably tough mission.”

“So like I said, you passed. The only way you wouldn't have passed is if you'd not even done the test then tried to lie to me about it.”

“So that's it then?” Gin asks. “We're shinigami now?”

“You can move on to being students now,” Riku clarifies, setting aside her work, “if that's what you want I won't stop you. But I'd be very surprised if you didn't keep making me proud for the rest of our unnatural lives.”

Rangiku and Gin share a slightly uncomfortable glance, which Riku notices. Her expression softens as she gets up from behind her desk and pulls the duo in close.

“No matter where we all end up,” she tells them quietly, “Divisions, loyalties, and politics be damned: you'll always have a home with me. Even if your duties keep you away for a hundred years I'll chew you out for it, but that fact won't have changed.”

“So don't you forget it, okay?”
>7/7

>>1626504
Awww.... That's sweet. Still I can imagine what's going on in Gin and Rangiku's heads during Riku's lecturing post mission.
>She was trolling us the whole time?
>All of this was just to see if we're good enough for entering the academy?
>............love you too mom.

Also no omake on how exactly Captain Yamamoto managed to connect the dots and figuring out that Riku holds the sandal stealing tests?

>>1626518
>Also no omake on how exactly Captain Yamamoto managed to connect the dots and figuring out that Riku holds the sandal stealing tests?

Exactly one brat ever had the boldness to attempt such a thing. Now she's training others and suddenly it's happening again.

It's not exactly that big a leap to make.

>Spend 1000 orbs trying to get last event's characters
>They have a swimsuit event the next day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9odzlxOpP0

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>>1626769
>my data is still gone because it was my second account
It's a strange feeling of peace.

>>1626769
>have 230 orbs
>first summon
>5 star yes!
>Byakuya
I'm killing myself.

>>1626868
fug

>have 230 orbs
>*get the last 20
>first summon
>5 star yes!
>Byakuya

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>>1626877
>if your luck is anything like mine think of this as preemptive consolation

>>1626891
>broken ankle

>>1626891
M-maybe if I spend the entirety of this week only playing Brave Souls I'll be able to get one?

Nel pls you're so cute have mercy.

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>>1626906
Eh. I've seen worse.

Have a cat in a tree.

>>1626964
I still can't get over how slutty those outfits really are while still being not slutty.

>>1627012
It's actually a thing. I can't recall where I saw the study, but psychologically speaking there are apparently certain parts of the body that have that effect: specifically the shoulders.

The Soushireikan uniform basically hits all of those at once.

>>1627378
Damn smart people. Knowing things.

>>1627378
Even with the no back and shoulders and deep cleavage it wouldn't be excessively pervy. But then you've got the hips on top of that and you can see the underwear. The only way it could get not!lewder now is if you could somehow also see her inner thighs.

>5 Star swimsuit Soi Fon
JUST GIVE ME THE SWIMSUIT NEL I DON'T WANT ANY MORE 5 STARS PLEASE