Episode 209: Under New Management
Scorpan, who had reigned as Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 since the inception of Soul Society, was laid to rest in the same manner as any Soul Reaper who had fallen in batter before him. It was his own request, written long ago in documents kept sealed until his death, that he be treated with no extra pageantry and that his passing be given the same treatment as all who served the Soul Society.
He had no remains to be prepared, but this was not uncommon, for the majority of spiritual entities when passing on would in time dissipate into the residual reishi flowing through the spirit realm. His uniform and the broken remains of his Zanpaktou were the only articles kept, and placed in the reliquary contained within the grave stone that was placed for him. The Soul Reapers kept their own place of remembrance for these stones, carved with the names of their fallen, graced with bowls containing burning incense. As per his instructions the stone was placed alongside that of previous fallen Captains, of which there were few, arranged in a small line at the head of the wide field of tall gravestones.
Rites were performed by members of Scorpan’s First Division, led by his Lieutenant, Smart Cookie. Mostly the chants were old songs passed down from Soul Society’s early days, when the religions of many souls began to blend together in the Rukongai Districts and gave birth to altogether new rituals that combined traits from numerous cultures. Most who passed on from Soul Society to be reborn had their own preferred rites, and in Scorpan’s case his request was an old one indeed, bearing more similarity to a celebratory chant than a funeral dirge. Most present understood that their late Captain Commander wanted to be sent off with a lighter air so that his chargers could focus upon the business of getting Soul Society secure after his passing.
With the obvious exceptions of Platinum and Blueblood, all Captains and their officer seats were present, with the vast majority of the rest of the Gotei 13 performing their own remembrance rituals at their Division barracks. The Captains themselves drew blades to be held in salute as Celestia herself bore Scorpan’s remnant uniform and Zanaptou to the gravestone to be placed in the empty space within. As his successor, it was her duty to speak, although she felt as if her mind wasn’t present in her own body as she spoke of her mentor and friend. Scorpan had, to her, always been the ideal Captain Commander to lead the Soul Society through its ages of strife. Stern when necessary, but ever open to hearing the words of his Soul Reapers with a grandfather’s patience. His very presence and power had been a pillar holding up the entire edifice that was Soul Society, like some guardian mountain overlooking the city of souls.
Now he was gone and it was her duty to try to fill those titanic shoes during the least certain time in the Soul Society’s history. Already she had a desk piled high with reports of civil unrest in the Rukongai Districts, ranging from spikes in crime to several outright riots in the outskirts. Word of Scorpan’s death had rattled everyone, and many souls were understandably terrified of what might come next. Would the Hollows invade? Or the Quincy? Were the Soul Reapers able to protect Soul Society without their most powerful member?
And the rumors of how Scorpan had died were growing more virulent and ludicrous by the day. Nobody save the Captains themselves actually knew the truth, but a hundred different versions of the “truth” were running like a virus through the ears of regular citizens. Scorpan had been killed by his brother Tirek in a massive duel! No, he had fallen to assassins from the Quincy! Or perhaps it was the Beast Realm, finally rousing from neutrality to launch a surprise attack, cutting off Soul Society’s head first! Rumors of entirely new factions and enemies grew like weeds, some even suggesting the Ryoka who had attacked Seireitei recently were responsible.
And trying to stamp out the rumors did no good, only adding fuel to the fire. Celestia had already put a stop to a heavy-handed attempt from Hurricane to suppress the rumors with force, and instead to focus the Eleventh Divisions efforts on just keeping the riots in check. People were afraid. They needed to be shown that their safety was still being looked after. Celestia had to assume the mantle of Captain Commander and speak openly to the Soul Society as a whole. Both the citizen representatives in the Rukongai Districts, and the Four Noble Families, along with their lesser branches.
Yet she also had a pressing matter in the shape of the Beast Realm. With word passed along from Discord as to what had occurred with Jormungandr’s sudden appearance in the living world, there was little time to dally. Celestia’s only consoling factors at the moment were that Sunset, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash at least had Clover with them, along with two representatives of the Beast Realm’s tribal courts. But she and Luna needed to go there even sooner, now, and with luck their father might actually be willing to help...
The plan was to go see him and their aunt as soon as Scorpan’s funeral was over and Celestia had taken care of the initial orders she’d need to give as the newly invested Captain Commander. That was why she was here, now, in the Gotei 13’s central meeting chambers. The funeral was over, somber goodbyes said. Most of it was a haze to her, her own mental state almost fugue-like as she tried to focus past it all to get her mind set upon the realities in front of her. Nobody could afford for her to waffle, now.
The uniform she now wore itched upon her shoulders. The white haori dropped over her black robes felt awkward, despite having been tailored to her frame. The plain dark ink of the kanji for “1” etched upon the jacket’s back felt to her as if it was itching into her very spine. She did her best to ignore it as she sat upon Scorpan’s chair. She’d likely still think of it like that for some time. She took a deep breath, hands resting upon her knees as she looked down the length of the room.
Starswirl, Hurricane, Sweet Cider, and Cheese Sandwich stood in a line going down the room on her left. Thunderhooves, Amore, Zecora, Daring Do, and Luna stood in a similar line on her right. The room felt reduced with the absence of three Captains. Platinum, the traitor, whom Celestia still wished she could speak with, if only for a moment. Somewhere, deep down, Celestia thought she understood why Platinum had done the things she had, although little but a traitor’s reception awaited her if she was ever captured and brought back alive. Perhaps, as Captain Commander, Celestia would have the authority to commute a death sentence, her mind torn on the matter.
Blueblood’s absence she felt more keenly than she expected. Celestia reflected on the near miraculous change meeting the human girl Rarity had brought over the previously lazy and near insufferable of the Gotei 13’s youngest, brashest, and arguably weakest Captain. If he survived the trials and tribulations of Hell, Celestia suspected the man who would emerge from that and take up his position as Captain once more would be a newly forged beast compared to what stood here before.
Then there was Clover, whom Celestia could only be thankful was managing to stay close to Sunset Shimmer and her friends. The poor girl still didn’t grasp her potential, but if anyone could break the girl out of her shell and give her the confidence to truly shine forth as a worthy woman to take Celestia’s place as Captain of the Thirteenth, it would be Sunset.
Looking at the faces staring back at her, she felt the tension, but also the air of iron determination. The Gotei 13 were reduced, but not broken.
“We have entered a dangerous and harsh time to be a Soul Reaper,” Celestia began, not wanting to sugarcoat the truth, “With Zero Division’s treachery revealed, and Scorpan slain, we stand at the edge of a cliff. Our long standing enemies among the Quincy Vandenreich have made an offer of ceasefire, one facilitated by our new allies, the Canterlot Spirit Coalition. It is my intention to take the Quincy up on this offer.”
“Do you really think they can be trusted?” scoffed Hurricane, thick arms crossing over his chest, “If we lower our guard, they could hit us at any time.”
“Yes, I believe we can trust the Quincy King, if only because the Quincy are trapped in the same situation we are by the overhanging threat of the Zero Division,” Celestia said, to which there was a dour grumble from Thunderhooves as the huge man looked with forlorn eyes at the assembled Captains.
“I respectfully disagree, Captain Commander Celestia,” he seemed to draw out the speaking of her new title as if to remind her of the fact that Scorpan no longer sat in that chair, or perhaps it was just Celestia’s imagination, “The Quincy retain their King, which gives them an advantage over us, for none among us can stand against him in battle. Where the Quincy to use this as a chance to assault our gates, we would be hard pressed to stop them.”
“They lost key members of their forces over the past few weeks as well,” pointed out Luna, “If our reports are accurate at least four or five Sternritter are out of action.”
“We all know they can recoup those losses faster than we can ours,” pointed out Hurricane, “It wouldn’t be surprising if new Sternritter had not already been minted, while the one new Captain we’ve tried to promote has gone AWOL on us.”
“Clover is not AWOL,” Celestia stated flatly, “She was with the group that was displaced to the Beast Realm. This leads me to the point upon which I most need to discuss as Captain Commander of the Gotei 13. We now know Jormungandr has broken our treaty with the Tribes of the Beast Realm. High Chieftain Fenris and Quetzalcoatl both have requested the presence of my sister and I at an event known as the Congregation of Clans. Our blood ties to the Beast Realm give Captain Luna and I the right to attend, and I intend to do just that.”
“I have records on the Beast Realm Tribes’ various customs,” said Amore, “The Congregation of Clans is a rare but important event, and it seems the last time one happened was also the last time the Seireitei sent a diplomatic mission to the Beast Realm. The one your father headed up as former Captain of the Sixth Division.”
“That’s correct. Captain Luna and I’s father is long retired, but it was our hope we might entreat him to provide us with some advice on how best to approach the Beast Realm Tribes. It may be necessary for us to move a large force through the Beast Realm, especially if Tirek launches a direct invasion aiming for the portal to Equestria.”
A light chuckle came from Cheese Sandwich, “Your old man, eh? Never met the guy, myself, but Scorpan did tell stories about him. We could use a man like that back in uniform. Seriously sucks about his injuries.”
Celestia cleared her throat, wishing to move on from that part of the topic, “He protected Captain Luna and I as newborns from those who disagreed with the circumstances of our birth. It cost him dearly, but he has retired with all honors. My hope is merely to garner some insight in dealing with Beast Realm leadership from him. He has earned his rest and I hope to trouble him no further than that.”
“So, not to be the downer here when we’re all feeling what we’ve lost,” said Daring Do, “But is it the smartest move to send our new Captain Commander and the leader of the Stealth Corps off to the Beast Realm right now, when Soul Society is this vulnerable? I mean, I get it, the head honchos of the Beast Realm Tribes want you two because of your bloodline, but couldn’t we send a simple envoy?”
“Blueblood is trapped in Hell,” said Luna with blunt force, “His Lieutenant would be the next highest ranking diplomat we have, and no offense at all towards Moondancer but I don’t think she’s up to a mission of this magnitude. You’re not wrong about the risk, Captain Do, but this is something only I and Celestia can accomplish.”
“What is the specific goal here?” inquired Starswirl, “Merely to gain permission to move forces through the Beast Realm? Do you even know why Fenris and Quetzalcoatl are asking for you, for certain?”
“I feel it must involve Jormungandr and this Beast Realm notion of Ragnarok.”
“That is precious little to go on,” pointed out Starswirl, but Celestia merely eyed him solidly and kept her uneasy swarm of emotions in check.
“I am aware of that, but given our lack of communication channels with the Beast Realm, it is all we have to work with. Yes, my intention is to go, secure our Coalition allies if I can, including recovering the wayward Clover, and then ensure that when the time comes we can move in force through the Beast Realm to Equestria. In the meantime, I need the rest of you to do what you can to shore up your own Divisions. I’m intending to enact an emergency muster of the Academy students, to be divided among all Divisions equally based on student aptitude.”
“Yikes,” said Cheese Sandwich, “Talk about getting a crash course. You giving these students extra credit, or counting this as a field trip?”
Celestia’s expression softened slightly, trying to take the humor in good stride, “I do not do this lightly at all, Captain. If circumstances were no so dire I wouldn’t even consider it. But right now we need every able bodied man and woman with even basic working knowledge of Soul Reaper techniques, and the senior Academy students have some very promising individuals who already surpass some of our lower seated officers. Their inclusion to our ranks will bolster each Division until the crisis passes.”
“Hmph, untested youths, but I approve the notion,” said Hurricane, “The experience will do them good.”
“Assuming none are killed,” Zecora said, looking soured by the idea, “These younglings don’t belong on a battlefield, Celestia.”
“And I will be issuing orders to each of you to utilize them in purely support capacities, at your discretion,” Celestia replied, “This is not something I would do had I a better option, Captain Zecora. You know this.”
“I do...” Zecora said, lowering her head in a bow, “Apologies, Captain Commander. It shall be as you say. The Fourth Division will benefit greatly from the extra hands.” Pain crept over Zecora’s face like a freshly uncovered scab. All knew that the Fourth Division suffered terrible losses when the Segunda Espada, Chrysalis, ran rampant after her infiltration. The medical Division of the Gotei 13 had yet to get much above half strength since then, so Zecora could hardly complain about receiving some additional help.
Taking a deep breath, Celestia rose from her chair, “I have more specific instructions for the rest of you, but those will be delivered to your Division barracks for perusal at your convenience. Luna and I will be departing within the next few hours, so if you have any questions, address them to my Lieutenant, Inkwell. For now, Captains, you are all dismissed...”
She trailed off, eyes narrowing as her spiritual senses picked up a disturbance. The shield of reishi around the whole of Seireitei had just been breached. Every Captain felt it like a visceral stab in their senses.
“The devil is that?” said Hurricane, already half drawing his Zanpaktou, “Don’t tell me the Hollow bastards are already coming?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Sweet Cider, who’d kept eerily quiet during the briefing but now had her mane of blonde hair rising like the hackles of a wolf, “That ain’t no Hollow reiatsu. Not Quincy neither.”
Cheese Sandwich’s eyes closed for a moment of focus, then snapped open, any trace of humor evaporated from his face, “That’s a Soul Reaper’s reiatsu.”
Celestia heard Luna suck in a breath, and she felt her own breath chill in her lungs. The simple size of the hole she sensed having been punched in Seireitei’s shield was large enough that only a Captain could have made it... or something just as strong, or stronger.
“It seems someone from the Zero Division has come to see us,” Celestia said, and stood, hand on the hilt of her Zanpaktou.
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“Psst... Sandbar! Sandbar! Sandbaaaarrrrr! Psst! Hey! Hey! Sandbar! Look at me!”
He did his level best to cast aside thought and physical presence, despite certain someone's trying equally hard to break his concentration. Sandbar just tried to feel the cool metal of the Asauchi in his lap, medicating on the stillness of the blade, trying to reach out to the latent spirit within that should be absorbing his own reishi to form his Zanpaktou.
It wasn’t, which was frustrating because a senior Academy student was supposed to be very close to creating their own Zanpaktou, and he felt as far away from it as ever. Not helped by the fact that his mediation was being foiled by the incessant female voice whispering from nearby.
“You’re not looking! Fine, be that way! But you’re missing something coooooool!”
“Pretty sure I’m noooooot,” Sandbar finally replied, breaking down and giving up on today’s meditation exercises. He heaved out a huge sigh, letting his whole, pale yellow body sort of fold over his Asauchi as he glared up past teal bangs of his short, wavy hair at his best friend... or his living curse, depending on how one chose to look at things.
Silverstream was being Silverstream. This meant she was standing on her head, legs and arms splayed haphazardly to maintain balance while she held her Zanpaktou... yes, Zanpaktou, not Asauchi, by the hilt and flipped it like a paper fan several times, catching it by the hilt without losing balance. Her long waves of hair fell across her face, shaded with both light and dark tones of blue, and pooled around her head on soft gravel of one of the many practice courts in the back area of the Soul Reaper Academy. Pale pink/lavender skin hung over her tall, athletic form. Taller than Sandbar, who was stout, but fairly broad and lean himself. They made for an odd pair, side by side.
He watched her, trying not to feel the hot poker of jealousy in his heart. Silverstream had bonded to her Asauchi and generated a true Zanpaktou first in their whole class. Rumor had it she was already being considered for a position in First Division. How she pulled it off, Sandbar couldn’t guess. The term ‘idiot savant’ came to his mind more than once. To be fair to her, Silverstream did work hard. Passionately, in fact. Sandbar wasn’t even sure when the girl slept, exactly.
Still, her personality was...
“Hehehehe! Cool, right!? Yorokobi loves it when I do this! I bet if you played more with your Asauchi instead of just sleeping with it in your lap, you’d have a full blown Zanpaktou in no time, Sand!”
Sandbar sighed again, and hauled himself to his feet, carefully slipping the Asauchi back into its sheath and placing the sheath through the blue sash of his Academy uniform. The uniform was in style similar to true Soul Reaper robes, but with the top half being plain white, and the sash and hakama pants of male students being blue. Silverstream’s female uniform was identical, but colored blood red for the sash and pants. Seeing him stand up, she flipped to her feet, catching her Zanpaktou easily and bouncing it on her shoulders, still smiling at him as brightly as sunlight glinting off the ocean.
It was hard to stay annoyed with her when a smile like that seemed ordained to banish the clouds from his mind, and Sandbar returned a lazy, lopsided smile of his own, “At the rate I’m going I’ll be the only graduating student without a fully bonded Zanpaktou. I wonder if they even let people with only Asauchi into one of the Divisions.”
Silverstream spun around a few times while tapping her sword on her shoulder some more, eyes gazing speculatively at the sky, “Most of them, nope, but I think the Thirteenth still will, since it's pretty much for newbies like us. Wow, hard to believe we’re so close to graduation, too! Just a few more months and BAM, we’ll be full fledged Reapers!”
BAM! The noise caught Sandbar utterly off guard, half having thought that Silverstreams exclamations somehow conjured a Kido or something. He gave a jolting jump, and looked about wildly for the source of the explosive impact. Silverstream, almost as if she didn’t really notice the noise itself, tilted her head curiously and pointed upwards.
“Hey Sand, is there supposed to be a hole up there?”
“Huh!? What!?” Sandbar spotted a dust cloud about a hundred yards away, near the center of the Academy training grounds, but Silverstream’s words drew his attention up. He saw the faintest of blue shimmers from the massive warding dome that encompassed Seireitei, normally invisible to casual observation. But now it gleamed with a residual crack of force, and a huge hole big enough to drop a palace through hung just off-center from the dome’s peak.
That barrier was supposed to be strong enough to withstand direct blows from even Vasto Lorde-class Hollows. Sure, he knew that in theory certain exceedingly powerful entities like the Espada could crack that barrier with time and effort, but... it looked as if something had just smashed a hole right through it with all of the ease of a stone crashing through a glass window.
Just as he began to wonder on what could possibly do such a thing, he found himself looking back down with a sensation of cold horror at the dust cloud that was slowly vanishing. Figures were emerging from within, over a hundred of them, from a series of small craters seemingly caused by their impactful landings. Sandbar didn’t recognize any of them, and the reiatsu flowing off of them was unusual.
It felt like the spiritual pressure of Soul Reapers, but something was just off about it, and he couldn’t place the reason.
Of the figures, all were dressed in an assortment of different colored armors, all of slightly differing yet familiar styles akin to that of samurai. Plates lacquered different colors ranging all across the spectrum blended with darker underclothes, and sandaled feet. Some didn’t wear armor but instead ornate kimono, no less colorful than their armored companions. All were armed with katana blades, and, Sandbar oddly noted, every single one of them was female.
Except for one man at the head of the procession, who’s simple attire suggested that of a Soul Reaper Captain with his black robes and white, tightly bound haori jacket. Blue skin and pink hair tied in a topknot was unfamiliar to Sandbar, with a stern face not belonging to any Captain he knew.
The man didn’t seem to notice Sandbar and Silverstream, only glancing once at the Soul Reaper Academy behind him before he addressed the cohort of armed and armored women with him, “Kotetsu, your unit is to secure the Academy. Taiyoko-sen, secure Seireitei’s gates. The rest of you, disperse to take up positions at each Division barracks, but do not attack unless attacked first. I will give their new Captain Commander a chance to avoid bloodshed. Use minimum force when needed.”
The women gave off a chorus of “Yes, Chonekutai-sama!” and with instant speed, almost all of them vanished with incredibly swift Flash Steps.
The man himself only slightly turned, looking towards the tall central plateau where the First Division barracks and headquarters lay, and disappeared with a gust of wind.
What was left was a small group of five women, one of which was taller than the rest, with a curly length of copper red hair falling down her back, and storm cloud gray skin. This woman wore a smile that was somehow just as energetic as Silverstream’s, but was as friendly and sharp as a naked blade. Her sing song voice somehow matched this dangerous edge as she spoke to her companions, “Alright girls, you heard our lord and creator! Spread out and coral the students into the front courtyard. That’ll keep them all nice and in one spot until Chonekutai-sama decides what do do with them.”
One of the girls piped up, “What about if any resist, especially the teachers, Kotetsu?”
The tall woman, Kotetsu, drew her blade and twirled it, “Our lord said use minimal force, but pretty sure we can get away with a few oopsies. I mean, if they die from a few lost limbs, that’s not our fault, is it?”
Another of the women pointed over Kotetsu’s shoulder towards Sandbar and Silverstream, “Got a few here already.”
Kotetsu turned, showing eyes filled with delight that were a lighter shade of gray than her skin, like an overcast sky, “I’ll handle them. The rest of you get to work.”
The other women all nodded and Sandbar saw them speed into the rear doors of the Academy, moving nearly faster than his eyes could track. Kotetsu approached with a casual gate, her long katana almost dragging through the gravel. “Okay kids, be good about this and I won’t even be rough with you. That said, I’ve been very bored for the past couple of hundred years, so if you want to entertain me, I wouldn’t say no.”
“Sandbar, there’s a small exist gate behind us to our left,” said Silverstream, her normal cheer gone to deadly seriousness as she stepped protectively in front of him. He glanced to see that along the encircling wall of the Academy grounds there was a small archway and wood gate leading to one of Seireitei’s many streets. It was a good thirty yards away.
“I’m not leaving you,” he said without having to think about it much. His hand was already on the hilt of his Asauchi.
“He’s sweet,” Kotetsu told Silverstream, “You should keep him.”
A tremor ran through Silverstream and for a second Sandbar thought she was going to yell at him for not running, but instead she just got a sad, but grateful look in her eyes before those same eyes hardened and she faced Kotetsu. She brandished her Zanpaktou, speaking loud and clear, “Play the fool; Yorokobi!” (Joy)
Silverstream was already moving even as her Zanpaktou shifted into its Shikai state, leaping into the air and spinning with her arm drawn back. The pink hilted katana changed in a colorful wash of lavender light and changed shape into that of a four-pointed throwing star the size of a small coffee table. She now gripped it by a bar through a hole in the center of the throwing star, and she used her spin to add momentum as she threw Yorokobi hard at the approaching Kotetsu.
In a streak of flight the Zanapktou erupted with streaming, pink sparks from the ends of its four points, like fireworks, which grew larger until the throwing star was now a flying buzz saw of bladed pink, sparking energy. It even made a noise of howling fireworks popping off in celebration as it flew. As silly as the image was, Sandbar knew Yorokobi used all of that energy and momentum to dice through opposition with potent speed and power.
Kotetsu stepped aside the flying star’s first strike with a light chuckle. Silverstream landed in front of her and already had her hands outstretched, chanting a Kido, “Bakudo Number Four: Hainawa!”
She cast forth a crackling gold yellow rope of spirit energy to try and bind Kotetsu, only to find it cut to pieces in a single stroke from the other woman’s blade. Kotetsu then twisted her blade to the left and turned as Yorokobi flew in from behind, and Sandbar saw the blade ripple and shift. Without an invoking phrase, the weapon, a Zanpaktou, became a naginata spear, encased in a sheath of steel gray energy. She cut and a blade like whip of power extended from the naginata and became solid, as if by cutting the air she turned the air itself into a steel edge.
Yorokobi was send smashing into the ground, one of its four pointed edges chipped as it was buried deep into the earth.
Faster than either Sandbar or Silverstream could react to, Kotetsu spun and shoved the blunt end of her Zanpaktou’s shaft into Silverstream’s sternum. With a crack of bone, air and blood flying from her mouth, Silverstream crumbled like a wooden puppet.
“Silver!” Sandbar cried, rushing to her side and kneeling down to check on her. She was conscious, but her eyes were filled with pain and she couldn’t seem to get a breath in as she made small choking noises.
“Not as entertaining as I was hoping for, but not bad, either,” said Kotetsu, planting her naginata next to her and giving Yorokobi an affectionate pat with long, iron gray fingers, “Your Zanpaktou likes you, too, which earns you extra points with me.”
Sandbar was trying to apply a healing Kido to Silverstream, one of his one good skill sets where he earned high marks in class, but he was having trouble focusing his energies as the raw reiatsu coming off of Kotetsu crushed down on him. He looked at her, sweat pouring down his face. His Asauchi was all but forgotten in his hand.
“Sand...” Silverstream tried to say, coughing.
He couldn’t respond, arrested by Kotetsu’s hard yet playful gaze as she strutted up to him, placing the edge of her naginata against his neck. At that point he realized what felt odd about her and the other women’s reiatsu.
Their spiritual pressure had no separation between themselves and their Zanpaktou. Normally you could tell the slight difference between a Soul Reaper and the spirit of their Zanpaktou.
No such difference existed here. The naginata in Kotetsu’s hand buzzed with the identical energy of the woman herself, not merely blended together, but one and the same.
“You’re... a Zanpaktou...” he breathed.
Kotetsu’s smile deepened, “Nicely noticed. I and my sisters serve Chonekutai-sama, for he is the great forger of all Zanpaktou. We’ve let you Soul Reapers have the honor of wielding a few of our lesser siblings, but we who were forged to serve him directly are our own breed.”
Sandbar was beyond confused, beyond terrified, and truly didn’t understand what was going on. All he knew was that he wanted to keep Silverstream safe, and pride was out the window, “Please don’t kill us.”
Kotetsu gave a rather deep belly laugh, “Ohoho! Wow, have a spine, man. But don’t worry, you and your girlfriend aren’t even remotely worth killing. Just pick her up, keep healing her, and behave like the rest of your fellow students should, and nobody will be hurt. Choneckutai-sama is a merciful lord, and honorable. As long as your Captains don’t cause a scene, there’ll be no trouble.”
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Alarms were raised and orders given with all haste. The headquarters of the Gotei 13 pounded with the clamor of the First Division mobilizing, moving in squads to defensive positions around the complex. Celestia suspected such preparation would prove of little value if this was indeed the Zero Division coming calling. Who else could it be? Her spiritual senses, sharp and spread out in a wide net, already could tell that a large number of reiatsu signatures were moving towards each of the Division barracks. Gauging their strength, not a one of them was weaker than a Lieutenant, and several carried enough spiritual pressure to rival her Captains.
Her Captains... she’d found the thought almost natural, the weight of the Captain Commander’s authority trying to settle upon her shoulders.
“They dare show themselves here, now, like this!? After what they’ve done!?” Luna’s voice was trembling with outrage, her two Zanpaktou blades already naked in her hands as Celestia and the procession of Captains made their way down the central stairs caved in the front of the rocky plateau where the Gotei 13 headquarters was built. Lines of nervous First Division Soul Reapers watched them pass, manning overlooking decks and barricades. Celestia had given orders for everyone to prepare for attack but to otherwise make no moves unless she or the Captains gave the signal.
Her own heart echoed Luna’s outrage, but her mind was more sternly guarded. Scorpan’s death was a raw wound in her chest, but it was also dire proof that to fight a member of the Zero Division was beyond any one Captain’s power.
Including herself, however, nine Captains stood ready to repel invasion. Would it be enough? Moreover, would a battle be worth it right here and now? There was no doubt in Celestia’s mind that the Zero Division needed to be brought low, but she had no delusional vision that she and the remaining strength of the Gotei 13 could accomplish the task. Sunset Shimmer and her friends, along with any potential alliance with others such as the Quincy and Equestrians, was the greatest possible chance at defeating this godly foes.
Even if victory were possible in a fight here, today, against even one of the Zero Division, what would the cost of that victory be? How many more of Celestia’s comrades would perish? Would Seireitei itself even survive such a battle?
Her troubled thoughts turned towards the mood of her Captains, Thunderhooves speaking in leaden terms to Luna’s proclamation, “If we must fight, it is fortunate there is just one of the leaders present, but these others... what are they? Their reiatsu...”
“Zanpaktou,” said Starswirl, making a clucking noise and tapping the hilt of his own Zanpaktou in open curiosity, “Genuine, manifested Zanpaktou spirits. Means we’re facing Bowtie, the man responsible for making every blade we carry. And looks like he’s brought his own personal army of sword souls to be his enforcers.”
“Don’t rightly care,” spat Sweet Cider, “Thinkin’ I need ta finish the tussle me n’ him started back n’ Discord’s place.”
“I’m not fond of agreeing with you, but in this instance I’d be more than happy to lend a hand in bringing down one of the bastards responsible for the Captain Commander’s death,” said Hurricane, earning a brief look of surprise from Sweet Cider, followed by a nod.
By now they’d reached the bottom of the stairs, leading to the wide, open courtyard of white tiled stone that surrounded the base of the plateau. Celestia, seeing the looks on her Captains’ faces, feeling the violent, surging sensations of their battle-ready reaitsu, was at once proud that none of them were quailing at the thought of fighting someone from the Zero Division... and also wishing there was an easier way for her to temper their nerves.
“Luna, sheath your Zanpaktou. Hurricane, Sweet Cider, all of you, I don’t want any of you to attack unless attacked first.”
“Are you being serious?” said Hurricane with a hushed tone of a storm ready to break.
“Ya take leave o’ yer common sense, Celestia? They killed the old man!”
“I know,” Celestia said without raising her voice but somehow cutting through their words and the protests of several others, mostly Luna, “I was there when he died. I don’t require reminders. It is because of this that I give these orders. Only fight if attacked. We hear what Bowtie has to say. I decide then what we do. Am I understood?”
Argument was written plainly on the faces of Luna, Hurricane, and Sweet Cider, but then Zecora spoke with a simple, concise tone, “The Captain Commander is right. This is not the best moment to fight if one can be avoided.”
“I’m as eager to get some payback for the old man as anyone here, more so I’d dare say,” said Cheese Sandwich, licking his lips, his normally cheerful visage as hard as stone, “But they’ve already got our Divisions marked. We fight, we’re losing a lot of people, even if we win. Not an ideal scenario. We hold off, maybe we get a better shot down the line when the cards are more in our favor.”
The truth of his words set in on each of them, Celestia could see. They could sense as well as she could that not only were their Division barracks surrounded by Bowtie’s Zanpaktou forces, but the Academy was as well. There would be no way to pull off a victory without heavy casualties. Seireitei relied on its ward to provide protection against invasion to delay enemy forces and give the Soul Reapers time to muster. An enemy that could tread that ward like a piece of suggestive paper and lead a powerful strike force into the Seireitei’s heart was simply not something they could counter. Even Tirek couldn’t have so readily done this, at least not without a lot more flashy displays of power that would have provided some warning.
And they’d always had Scorpan as the ultimate protection against such a brazen attack.
Celestia felt the keen knife of irony, now that she was the one meant to be that ultimate protector... and yet she felt powerless. Even her Bankai, that potent final power that terrified her for its immense strength, felt more a burden than a trump card. It might be strong enough to allow her to face Bowtie, maybe... but the devastation it unleashed would leave Seireitei a scorched ruin. If she were to use it, she couldn’t do it inside, or near Seireitei itself, or even Soul Society as a whole.
Any further thought was halted by the sudden, cutting spiritual pressure that arrived in their midst.
Without preamble or even the most sensitive among the Captains able to properly track his arrival, Bowtie of the Zero Division appeared in the courtyard in front of their gathering.
He was alone, all of his Zanpaktou Attendants dispatched elsewhere. He looked utterly calm, and gazed at all of them with the air of a man inspecting a newly invested property. He had his hands politely clasped behind his back, his Zanpaktou sheathed. His voice was filled with steel clad authority and the full expectation that his words would be heeded without exception.
“I am Chonekutai, or Bowtie in the more common vernacular, of the Zero Division. You all know me by name if not by sight. Those of you I have crossed paths with already may be inclined to engage me in battle,” he said this while looking directly at Sweet Cider, then looked to Celestia, “I advise against this action. Right now each of your Divisions is being observed by combat squadrons of my Zanpaktou, each chosen specifically for the task of pacification in the event of rebellion. I am aware that all of you by now have likely heard of the Zero Division’s goals and may disagree with them or our methods. I am here to inform you that regardless of such disagreements, Soul Society, Seireitei, and the Gotei 13 are all apparatus created for the completion of the Zero Plan. I am here to assume direct command over your new Captain Commander, who shall be allowed to retain her rank, but all further orders and actions committed by the Gotei 13 are subject to my approval from henceforth.”
His words spread a ripple of visible aggression and sparked discontent among the Captains, almost each of them letting their spiritual pressure rush forth in the kind of hammering wave of reiatsu that would have made Hollows or Quincy alike think twice about where they were standing. Bowtie stood against the invisible tide of spiritual force from the assembled Captains like a man casually standing in the shallows of the ocean waves at the beach. He ignored the hands on Zanpaktou hilts, or the way Luna and Daring Do almost silently exchanged looks before moving to flank Bowtie with subtle steps. The calmest among the Captains was Starswirl, but even his aged, usually passively curious visage held a note of rancor in his eyes. Meanwhile Hurricane and Sweet Cider were joined by Thunderhooves as the three more militant Captains formed a vanguard in front of the group, their hands just short of drawing their blades.
Cheese Sandwich was less subtle, transporting himself in a blink via Flash Step to appear a few paces behind Bowtie, completing the encirclement of the Zero Division member. “Let me guess the punchline to this joke. If we refuse, you’ll start having your hand picked army of butter knives attack our Divisions?”
“Unnecessary,” Bowtie said without any apparent concern, “My Zanpaktou are in place simply to ensure the weaker Soul Reapers remain in one place. A more effective threat to hang over your heads would be the lives of your Academy students.”
It was said with such business-like, plain factual certainty that Celestia had no doubt at all. Bowtie was not bluffing. If they fought, if her or any of the Captains chose to fight, then regardless of how that battle ended, the entire Soul Reaper Academy down to the last student would be killed.
Sweet Cider snarled and Hurricane opened his mouth with rebuke on his lips, but Celestia beat him to the punch. Her whole body was steaming, heat flowing from her sheathed Zanpaktou blades in wavering wisps. She strode from among the ranks of her Captains and approached Bowtie until she was close enough to be in what most would call his personal space. She was taller than him, but that did little to make him seem smaller as he stood in the epicenter of her considerable reiatsu as her spiritual pressure surrounded both of them in a shifting aura of white heat, the stone tiles of the courtyard beneath her feet cracking from the force of it all.
Bowtie just met her gaze with complete calm mixed with the tiniest glimmer of interest, as if he was only just now seeing her as someone worthy of a little attention.
“Your reiatsu is impressive. Little wonder Scorpan chose you as his successor.”
“Your opinion of me matters less than nothing. Zero Division has done worse than betray the ideals of Soul Society, you never believed in them to begin with, and twisted all of us into unwitting tools for goals I shall never agree with. Taking young students hostage only shows the depths of cowardice you’ll sink to.”
Her words, cast with all the disdain she was capable of putting into her voice while somehow simultaneously keeping it level and not raising an octave, left Bowtie with a twitching curl of disgruntlement at the corner of his mouth that he quickly smoothed over.
“Using the Academy as a lever to prevent rebellion was not my idea, but I will enact it all the same. The Soul Society still has a role to play and it wouldn’t serve to kill all of you if it can be helped. It’d take a few centuries to have to recruit and train a new cadre of more compliant Soul Reapers if we have to burn the present crop down to the ground. A delay we can afford, but it's preferable to avoid. Now, for all of your heated bluster, Captain Commander Celestia, I take it you intend to comply? Otherwise you would have attacked already, instead of simply throwing meaningless insults at me?”
“Not meaningless if they are the truth,” Celestia replied without breaking eye contact or stepping back, “I value the lives of those under my charge, which now encompasses everyone in Soul Society. It is this reason alone I and my fellow Captains haven’t drawn our Zanpaktou. I won’t throw away so many lives to cut you down when there remains a conceivable chance to resist through other means.”
“Such resistance will not avail you, regardless of the form it takes, but Glory does not wish for unnecessary death any more than you do, and so I shall ensure my blade and that of my Attendants remain sheathed as long as you remain compliant,” Bowtie said, eyes flicking between each Captain in turn, “This applies to every one of you and your subordinates, so my first decree to you is to ensure that all members of the Gotei 13 are properly briefed on the new status quo. Orders follow a direct chain of command from myself and my Attendants. Each Division will be assigned a squad of Zanpaktou Attendants to act as liaisons between myself and your forces. No Captain is to leave Seireitei without my expressed permission, and no Lieutenant or officer below 5th Seat is allowed to leave the spirit realm as a whole without specific orders to attend to their duties in the living world.”
“This is preposterous,” Thunderhooves said, “You’d tie our hands against doing our duty? And what of the Hollows? We have every reason to think Tirek will march upon the world of Equestria any day now!”
“The Gotei 13 will still perform their ordained tasks of soul guidance in the living world, with deployments to be authorized by myself. Leave concerns of Tirek aside. If he attacks Equestria, it is not your concern,” Bowtie told Thunderhooves, then addressed all of them, “As for the supposed treaty between yourselves, the Quincy, and the so-called Coalition... consider it null and void. In fact, it may behoove us to consider a surprise attack on the Quincy’s holdings, once they’ve been put off balance.”
Put off balance? Did the Zero Division have something in the works for the Quincy? If Bowtie was here, was it possible another of the Zero Division and their potent Attendant forces were being mustered to attack the Quincy? Celestia knew it would be pointless to ask. Bowtie would only tell them what he thought they needed to know, which was likely to be little. Her mind was already turning towards plans to deal with him, but it couldn’t be here or now.
“Since you’ve made it clear you intend to give us little if any room to act on our own, what are your immediate intentions, given we’ve little choice but to comply if we don’t want you murdering the students you’ve spinelessly taken hostage?” she said, to which Bowtie gave her a flat look.
“Antagonize me all you like, Celestia. I understand the anger, and you’re not fooling me into thinking your compliance is in any way genuine. I know you and at least a few of the Captains here will be plotting against me. I am not the coward you take me for, nor am I a butcher. I will fulfill my duty, and ensure the Gotei 13 continues to function as Zero Division intended, and I shall do so with the minimal amount of bloodshed possible. For now that means I’d like to see your office and be brought up to date on current Soul Reaper deployments in the living world. Take me there and do that, then scurry off to scheme whatever plans you like to try and remove me and my forces.”
Don’t worry, I will...
----------
It was an exhausting number of hours later that Celestia was finally able to get things sorted out and break away from Bowtie. The mood in all of Seireitei was tense, to put it as a gross understatement. At the moment only the Captains and Lieutenants had been fully briefed on the true nature of Zero Division, so for many of the rest of the Gotei 13 lower ranked officers and rank and file Soul Reapers the sudden presence of one of Zero Division taking charge and a whole contingent of highly unusual and outright aggressive Zanpaktou spirits left the majority of people... beyond nervous.
The Academy students were under effective house arrest, not allowed to leave the grounds except under escort. Fortunately the Academy was designed in such a way that it had all necessary amenities within its walls, dorms, cafeterias, plenty of storage and supplies in case of siege. For the most part the students could go about classes like normal, even if now under watchful eye of Bowtie’s Zanpaktou Attendants.
Rumors were flying wildly about, and Celestia had neither the means nor intention of containing them. A countdown to rebellion was likely already underway, for eventually the overall truth of Zero Division’s treachery would get out, and people would be fed up. It was the task of Celestia and her Captains to arrange matters so that when the pot boiled over, the hostages in the Academy could be saved, and Bowtie and his forces defeated.
Only problem was that Celestia didn’t know how to do that, and time was short, compounded by the issues happening in the Beast Realm and Equestria. And what of Earth? Sending Bowtie here was a unprecedented move of boldness by the Zero Division. Was Glory intending to deal with all of the factions at once? Subjugate the Soul Society while crushing the Hollows and Quincy? However, unlike Soul Society, both the Hollows and Quincy had their leaders remaining. Tirek and Sombra both acted as shields, even matches against at least one Zero Division member apiece.
Glory couldn’t afford to send just one of her siblings as she had with Soul Society. So, perhaps that was what Bowtie meant? If he got the Gotei 13 as a whole to attack the Quincy along with himself, it was conceivable they might beat Sombra and his Sternritter. But Bowtie had to know that it wouldn’t work with her and the Captains so firmly against him. Even with the Academy as a hostage, there’d be too many opportunities to deal with him during the chaos of a all out battle with the Quincy.
More likely he was just to keep them pinned here, busy and subdued, while other factors were at work.
So they had to deal with him all the quicker.
For all of the power one like Bowtie had, the Zero Division spent so little time even paying attention to Soul Society it meant that being able to move around in clandestine fashion was not all that difficult, even with the patrols of the Zanpaktou Attendants. At night, with even Bowtie needing to eventually retire to quarters, it was possible for Celestia to go to a hidden meeting place known only to herself and Luna. And now, several other people.
“Charming hidey hole,” said Cheese Sandwich, looking at the water dripping from the cavern ceiling, forming a pool in the center. A few old mats and chairs were strewn about, along with a tea cabinet that Luna was already brewing some tea from.
“Lulu and I haven’t used it in awhile, but the tea should still be good,” said Celestia, sitting on one of the mats and running her hands through her hair, “Its warded, so our reiatsu shouldn’t be detectable here unless someone gets right on top of it.”
“Nice. Even I haven’t found this place, and I’ve made it a serious contest between me and Luna on just how many of the Stealth Corps’ secret passages and hideouts I and my recon Division can find,” said Daring Do, leaning against the wall by the tea cabinet and sniffing the air as the heated kettle brewing the tea started to fill the air, “Ahh, smells good, Luna. You and Celestia always have the best tea.”
“Thank our aunt for that,” said Luna, “Its from her tea garden.”
“So, we got Amore, Zecora, and Thunderhooves running interference in case Bowtie gets up for a midnight stroll, and Hurricane and Sweet Cider holding the attention his delightful Attendants due to the training drills they’re doing with their Divisions, and the rest of us get to hide here to cook up plans for an hour or two before anyone gets suspicious?” said Starswirl, sitting across from Celestia, rubbing his beard ponderously, “I wonder if there is even a point? He seemed to know damn well we wouldn’t accept his taking control of Seireitei, and are going to plan to take it back from him.”
“He’s a cocky asshole,” Daring Do pointed out with a shake of her head, “Guys like that think they’re untouchable. Doesn’t mean that we get to be stupid and cocky ourselves. He might know we’re plotting, but no reason to do it in the open where one of those creepy Attendants of his could overhear.”
“If we’re to have a chance of winning, we must stack every possible advantage. The most important one we can give ourselves will be the element of surprise,” Celestia said, to which Starswirl gave her a wry smile, still stroking his beard.
“Difficult with him expecting us to act against him, but perhaps we can use that. His wariness for traps might make him blind to other vectors of attack that he fails to account for. Still, let us tackle this as logically as possible. I presume you wish to not only defeat him, but do so in a manner that does not sacrifice half of Soul Society in the process, not the least of which our Academy students presently under threat of annihilation the moment he suspects we’re openly acting against the Zero Division.”
“That means we got to secure the Academy at the same time we take out Bowtie,” said Cheese Sandwich, taking an offered cup of tea from Luna and downing it in one go as he furrowed his brow, “Tall order. How many of us do you figure we’re going to need to nail that bastard to the wall?”
Celestia had been considering that very thing, and it was no easy question because Sweet Cider was the only one with experience fighting Bowtie, and even from her description of the fight he had far from exerted his full power during the battle. His techniques appeared to involve the rapid, even instantaneous forging of various blades or other spiritually enhanced metals, not to mention conjuring a potentially countless number of Zanpaktou spirits to fight alongside him. However that didn’t truly encompass his Zanpaktou’s power, because Celestia knew from having sensed Glory’s fight with Scorpan that a Zero Division member’s Zanpaktou didn’t operate like a normal Soul Reaper’s.
There was no real way to predict what Bowtie’s true power would be like, so planning a battle to take him out was an exercise in frustration.
“Ideally I’d want every single Captain with me to overwhelm him with numbers. I feel that we’d stand a good chance of winning in that circumstance, but it cannot be done inside Seireitei or Soul Society. The damage we’d inflict...” Celestia trailed off, and Luna sighed and cameo over, handing her fresh tea, steaming in a clay cup. Celestia took it with a grateful nod and sipped it.
“So we need a way to lure him away,” Daring Do said, “Get him somewhere in the spirit realm’s wilderness where we can hammer him with everything we’ve got.”
“It's not that simple,” said Luna, “It will take at least several Captains to ensure the Academy and the rest of Seireitei is secure. Those Attendants are not weak. One or two of them might be a match for any one of us. Even if we arrange a way to get Bowtie alone, far away from Soul Society, we have to split our forces to ensure those cretins don’t murder our people wholesale while we deal with their lord.”
“And let us not forget that no matter what happens here, the two of you have business in the Beast Realm that shouldn’t be ignored,” pointed out Starswirl, to which Daring Do shot him a look.
“No offense to the Beasts, but maybe they can have their Convocation without them, considering we’ve got kind of a situation on our hands here, Starswirl.”
“Sorry Daring, but Starswirl might have a good point here,” said Cheese Sandwich, holding up a hand as she gave him a sharp look as well, “Just hear me out. We know something big is going down in the Beast Realm, and the best two we’ve got to land us allies on that front are Celestia and Luna.”
“Yeah, except if they leave Seireitei, Bowtie the Bastard is going to interpret that as rebellion, and he’ll kill our students!” Daring said, throwing a hand up, “What do you want to do, put up a couple of wood puppets of them to try and fool him!? Maybe you can make a pair of balloon animals that look like them instead? Oh, I know, carboard cutouts, that’ll fool the ancient, god-like Zero Division Soul Reaper!”
Starswirl cleared his throat, looking a little smug, and Daring Do stared at him, “...Wait, you’re not...?”
“Well, as it happens, do any of you recall the Reigai project that was underway at Hitsuyo-Aku?” Starswirl asked with an air of almost innocence, “It may have been put on hold and most of its materials left in storage in that facility, but I did keep one of the prototype models around to toy with at the Twelfth Division. Just for fun and curiosity, you see. Over the last year or so I think I’ve made progress in refining the creation of Reigai to be roughly twenty percent more reishi efficient than the models left behind in Hitsuyo-Aku, not to mention with only a .03 percent variance in detectable reiatsu variation from the originals...”
This was news to Celestia, who had never particularly liked the notion of Reigai. Not that she liked most of what had happened in Hitsuyo-Aku. She looked at Starswirl with a level gaze, “Are you saying you could make accurate recreations of myself and Luna?”
“Well, yes, technically, but also no,” Starswirl replied, and blanched a bit at the intensity of all the other Captains staring at him, “What I mean to say is that I have one prototype I’ve experimented on for my own amusement. With a few tweaks and a little time I could make it ready to receive either your or Luna’s reiatsu to generate a Reigai Mod Soul. This would allow at least one of you to go to the Beast Realm as you intended, while the Reigai remains here to fool Bowtie. Theoretically.”
“Or, perhaps even better, we could make a Reigai of someone else...” Cheese Sandwich said musingly, “Someone who could lure Bowtie out of Seireitei.”
“I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of creating a Reigai," Celestia confessed, hands clenching, "They are not mindless constructs, Starswirl. What experiments have you been performing, exactly?"
He had the presence of mind to not look challenging or proud as he met her gaze, "Nothing that would make you overtly concerned, Captain Commander. I have not invested reiatsu into the prototype to give them genuine life, merely conducted tests on materials, components, and energy transfer to possibly increase the Reigai's effectiveness. All in theory, rather than practice. And I understand your concerns over the ethical quandary of creating them. We still skirt the line when it comes to the Mod Souls we use in the living world, after all. But I think you can also agree we find ourselves in an extraordinary circumstance that may require we set certain qualms aside if we are to succeed here. We're up against the very progenitors of our organization, after all."
Celestia made a pained face, and closed her eyes briefly with a nod to concede his point. "We have other possible allies to consider as well,” she said, and slowly looked over at Luna, “Assuming you believe yourself capable of covertly getting messages to Canterlot City in the living world, it's possible Discord and the Coalition could help us.”
Luna nodded, “No matter how good Bowtie’s Attendants are, they’re not going to catch my best in the Stealth Corps. I can get messages to Discord. With the right timing, he, Ditzy, and Gaia Everfree would be excellent backup in the fight to come.”
“Hell, get those three smuggled into Seireitei and they could take the Academy back while we handle Bowtie,” said Daring Do, starting to sound more optimistic about their chances.
Celestia stood, duty weighing as heavily as her fears. The future was precariously hanging by many threads, from the trials Sunset Shimmer was no doubt facing in the Beast Realm, or Rarity in the depths of Hell, and the threats hanging over Equestria, to the now dangerously unknown fate of the upcoming battle for Soul Society. And as ever, Celestia had to contend the the feeling of her two Zanpaktou all but quivering in their sheaths, ready to be unleashed, assuming she could control them and prevent their power from incinerating friend and foe alike.
“Regardless, it will take time to arrange those messages to Discord and for Starswirl to prepare a Reigai, if indeed we choose to make use of one. But I believe we've got the start of a scheme. For now we should return to our duties, lest our absence become noticed. We’ll meet again tomorrow, but Luna, ensure that encoded word is passed along to the other Captains to bring them up to speed. Bowtie may think himself as holding all the cards, but we shall show him soon enough that Scorpan’s spirit lives on in us, and Soul Society will not be Zero Division’s toy to do with as they please.”