Chapter 50: At The Table

[A/N: Rough sketches of Kenji have been posted in the auxiliary section. On another note, the Autumn Conference segment is beginning to wind down. Thanks for all the feedback!]

"Had fun?"

"Fun? These two almost got killed pulling that shitty stunt!"

Kenji had a playful smirk as he poked at Furoufushi. Her lustrous skin had lost its shine, no doubt due to the two knuckleheads behind her. Rubbing her temples to combat the headache, she complained about the outrageous nonsense to Batsu.

"I thought I told you to keep her in check?"

"Errr~, hehe~."

With a sheepish grin, Batsu squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze of her older sister. Furoufushi shook her head and sighed, mourning her life. She then turned to Yachiru. The disheveled girl was examining the new sword she received from Batsu. A fervent glow in her dim blue pupils. Yachiru handled the weapon with care. Possibly too much care...

Furoufushi's voice disturbed her enraptured mine, ending her research.

"You're rough around the edges, kid. You'd've been slaughtered out there."

"I don't quite understand why everyone was so adamant about starting a war. What happened?"

Yachiru's obliviousness made Furoufushi sigh once again. The one-eyed girl pondered if she'd been blessed with intelligence or cursed with idiotic company. She could feel Kenji's quivering lips behind her. She wanted to smack the smile right off his face, but she restrained herself.

Taking a calming breath, Furoufushi settled her chaotic mind and spoke. 

"This place is different than Rukongai. Allegiance actually means something here. You gotta be ready to back up your allies otherwise everyone will chew you up and spit you out. No one wants a spineless twat for an ally."

"I see."

A doubtful expression grew on Furoufushi's face when she saw Yachiru's curt nod. She'd believe it if the girl wasn't so enamored with her new sword. Forgoing any further explanation, Furoufushi walked up to Kenji's side and scanned over the mass of black uniforms. 

Kenji posed a question, interrupting her contemplation.

"Did you get some news on the Shijima heir?"

"Yeah. The guy doesn't have friends. Business-only kinda person. Runs with that freak that tore the jaw off that one guy, Sakahone Saizou. Scary bastard is one of the oldest captains in Seireitei. Couldn't find anything out about Kin-nee's boy, I think the guy is dead too. Word is they stopped buying properties in Rukongai. That was news from a month ago. Nothing about any prisoners or bodies, no rumors, nothing."

"Hmm~. Where's Batsu?"

"I'm here."

"Whoa!"

Stealthily creeping up to them, Batsu managed to scare Furoufushi. Hand on her chest, Furoufushi felt her heart pound profusely. The aftereffects of the first path had somewhat numbed her senses. Although amused, Batsu felt a twinge of remorse prick at her heart.

She carried on the conversation, asking Kenji for an explanation.

"What is it?"

"Okajima's?"

Registering the name, Batsu's lips fell into a frown. Furoufushi recovered from the surprise and grew alert. Prior to Batsu's report, Furoufushi pulled Yachiru closer, yanking her by the scruff of the neck. The forceful grip found zero struggle, Yachiru was too immersed with her blade.

Watching the show, Batsu and Kenji grew smirks. Furoufushi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms immediately after dumping Yachiru in the compact huddle. 

Batsu began her recollection, sifting over the hearsay she uncovered. Her glasses mirrored light, hiding her eyes from the others. 

Batsu's voice reflected an objective attitude.

"No news about any Rukongai civilians. It's like anything or everyone involved disappeared. Okajima Shūhei is the only active Shinigami in the clan that holds weight. He's a distant uncle of Shijima Chigiri, but their interactions are seldom. He's been seen interacting more with the second Lady of the Shijima clan, Shijima Inoue. She's the one who snuffed out the conversation between Nee-san and Chigiri. But I did hear something strange…"

With furrowed eyebrows of concentration, Kenji and Furoufushi gestured for her to continue. Batsu's voice lowered into a whisper, hoping to remove any potential opportunity for eavesdropping.

'Some Shinigami are coming back to serve the two clans. A lot of Shinigami retired a few decades ago, now they're suddenly joining back. Before Shutara-san and Hikifune-san picked me up, I overheard some Shinigami from a neutral group talk about preparing for war. One said that his captain received an offer to join a side.'

"We got here at a pretty crazy time huh?"

Furoufushi's comment elicited nods from the two who were actively listening. She turned her head to the lout-turned-nerd, her violet eye twitching in irritation. 

Her arm wound back, open palm to the sky.

*Smack*

"H-hmm~? Yes?"

Stuttering out of her stupor, Yachiru rubbed the back of her abused head. Her relaxed face was betrayed by her flickering blue pupils. Spending time with these innocent fools, Furoufushi lamented her life. She considered running away from home. 

Before she could reprimand the blade-boor another voice rang out, ranging across the hill. 

"Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni will address a matter of dire importance!"

Sasakibe stepped back to make room for his lord. Arms crossed, Yamamoto alternated his gaze between the neutral and centralist clusters. 

His deafening bellow reverberated through everyone present. Scalding and sarcastic, he prodded the captains.

"I've been fed up with captains scalping Shinigami cadets who have yet to graduate from the Spiritual Arts Academy! If you wish to bolster your pathetic hordes, then keep your greed for the Shinigami Standard Foundation! The Central 46 has been 'kind' enough to provide resources for the public school! Use it!"

Yamamoto eyed a few captains in particular. A shrewd retort aimed to dismantle Yamamoto's warning. 

"So, it was appropriate for Shutara-taichō to scalp Hikifune-taichō when she first entered your Genji School? We all know the public school system is a farce meant to breed expendable units. Will your 'alliance' poach every future captain candidate? That appears a little unfair, especially for the unaligned captains. Can you call it a coincidence when Shiba-taichō and Kuchiki-taichō retired for clan affairs? Be honest, you lack combat assets. Such an obvious ploy for the preservation of power. Yamamoto-taichō abuses his authority and doesn't have the courtesy to call it nepotism, how thoughtful."

All eyes floated to the left side of the hill, the Centralist side. A man of blunt bearing asserted himself at the front of his assembled Shinigami. His stature held the quality of a bold, calculated commander. Short locks of greying hair were parted to the right. Short, stocky eyebrows were located above narrow, yellow-lensed glasses. His sharp features were more pronounced around the cheekbones and jawline. Composed and calm, the man's thin lips and potent gaze disclosed no emotion. 

The man resumed his caustic appraisal as he tucked his arms into the sleeves of his captain's haori and shihakushou. 

"You are the strongest Shinigami in Seireitei, yet you wish for more. Who else sits in your camp now, Yamamoto-taichō? Sasakibe Chōjirō would rather be your… assistant than a captain. Shutara-taichō? We all know Hikifune-taichō is 'undecided'. Who else?"

Protruding veins surfaced on Yamamoto's neck. Simmering tides of warmth sailed through the crowds of Shinigami, indicating the thin ice the man was walking over.

With intense eyes, Yamamoto snarled his lips. 

"Izuhara Kinroku. The Shinigami loitering around the Spiritual Arts Academy look awfully similar to your subordinates. Does it please you to ruin young prospects?"

"Semantics. I offer them guaranteed contracts based on profit and potential. You don't have the facilities to utilize every Shinigami who graduates from the academy. You run a slaughterhouse the same as every other academy, you just choose the ones that lay golden eggs. Like the young combatants we saw earlier. It seems you've been amassing forces without our knowing, Yamamoto-taichō. I'm curious if those young ladies are another aspect of your ploy. What next? Will you subjugate us in the coming decades?"

Kinroku expertly weaved his words, directing the discussion to the three young women who were especially conspicuous. Kinroku's verbal contortion manipulated the hundreds of Shinigami. Hearing his observation and prediction, more than a hundred hostile gazes were set on the three young women. 

Crossing her arms, Furoufushi threw on a sour expression, clicking her tongue in scorn. Adjusting her glasses, Batsu's mouth hung open, exhibiting her astonishment and perplexity. Yachiru was… busy. 

Yamamoto's eye twitched seeing the girls' varied reactions. An urge to shake his head came over him, but he refrained and shot back at Kinroku.

"Change is inevitable, whether you want it or not. The Central 46's leash on the Shinigami is weakening. Your employers are losing support every day as more and more Shinigami become sick of your perpetual games. It's only a matter of time. For now, keep your nose out of my academy. That means you too Nobutsuna!"

"Yeah, yeah. Buncha pansies come outta that place anyway."

From his throne, Nobutsuna shelved Yamamoto's threat with an honest, careless reply. Yamamoto's eyes closed in lenience; this was as far as Nobutsuna's apologies went. Although the disrespect made Yamamoto crinkle his nose in distaste, he made no further comment. 

"There is something I would like to address."

Graceful and mannerly, Senjumaru broached a new topic as she shuffled to the front. The interest of the captains was piqued, seldom did Senjumaru speak at the conferences. In fact, none of the captains could remember the last time she presented a matter of contention. Thus, their attention was solely placed on the noble young lady. 

"As many of you are aware, I have been preoccupied with researching the Cycle. Whether it be humans, souls, or hollows, their Reishi awaits the next destination upon death. Instead of sending all souls back to the Human world, we select the 'fortunate' few who meet the criteria of the balance. Some have the 'privilege' of remaining in Soul Society, adding to the atmospheric Reishi. In life, everything is reused and remade anew. However, there is one aspect that is labeled as taboo for us… eradication and oblivion."

A burst of whispers and murmurs soaked the stillness in restlessness and unease. Soukyoku Hill brewed in a depressing, unspeakable miasma. The faces of the Shinigami turned bitter, uncomfortable with the language Senjumaru used. Despite their indifferent expressions, the Shinigami captains couldn't help but jerk at Senjumaru's morbid mention. 

Senjumaru pushed on, ignoring the grimaces that the bulk of Shinigami had. 

"On the odd occasion, a soul will outlive the potency of its Reishi. In simpler terms, Reishi will eventually wilt and wither until finally, the soul dissipates into oblivion. While cruel, it is a natural mechanism of our existence. In addition, there are occasions when Reishi is cursed or consumed. These particles cannot be recovered or refurbished. At such a point, we must tilt the scales back into balance-"

"Get to the point."

Nobutsuna called out, sitting up on his throne. A fist braced against his cheek, propping his head up. Nobutada stood beside his uncle, recording notes in a small leather journal. Hearing the impatience, Senjumaru obliged, pausing for the chatter to die down. 

"Over the past several decades, a surplus of souls has been born in Soul Society, their Reishi is rich in quantity. The advancement I've developed is based on two sets of data, Permanent Reishi expiration and first-generation souls born. This formula is able to determine the trajectory of Reishi between the three worlds. By the next century, we will see a total collapse of the Cycle's function. I have delivered this observation to a liaison of the Central 46. I have yet to hear anything from the Royal family nor the Royal Guard."

The whispers and murmurs escalated into shouting fits. Low-ranking Shinigami became irate as the captains digested her words. With little to no control, the frantic, ignorant Shinigami berated Senjumaru.

"That's impossible!"

"You're lying!"

"Who says?! You?!"

"Treacherous bitch is trying to scare us!"

A torrent of Reiatsu flooded past the hysterical Shinigami, suffocating the instigators.

*Wuuu~*

Kinroku hastily retracted his Reiatsu after sending his message. Pushing his glasses up to his perceptive eyes, he focused on Senjumaru. 

"Care to explain? Shutara-taichō?"

Able to speak uninterrupted, one of Senjumaru's golden arms lifted. Three fingers showing on her prosthetic hand. 

"I have discovered several anomalies…"