The Captain's Meeting

(Just so everyone knows, this takes place after Assault and my topic with Roga. (Which I have yet to complete. Should be done soon though.

Zafaron made his way to the Grand Hall slowly. In his hands were a large number of reports, some of them rather new while others were wrinkled and brown due to their age. He had spent the last two days perusing them, trying to memorize every single detail that the reports held. He probably didn't even need to bring them with him at this point, but he felt it was better to have evidence of the statements he would soon have to make.

Despite the fact that he would be leading the Captain's Meeting, he continued at a leisurely pace. He had set the meeting time for two hours from now, which would give him more than enough time. He always liked to be in the hall before the other captains so he usually set out extremely early to beat those that also liked to be early to any meetings. Arriving at the "Grand Hall", he through open the doors expecting to see an empty blank room. Instead he found one of his captains had beat him. While he wasn't too surprised that he wasn't the first on to enter the hall, it happened every so often if one of the other captains would be playing a big role in the meeting, he was shocked by which captain had beat him.

Captain Kurokotsu was sitting in the corner of the room with his own stack of papers which he was rifling through quickly. Seeing the Sotaicho enter the room, a large triumphant grin appeared on his face. It was the exact reverse of the expression of annoyance on Zafaron's face. Great. This is not going to be fun. The fact that Kurokotsu, a Captain who didn't even show up to some of the meetings, had come early meant that he had found something in his search through the archives. Which usually meant that he would be rather annoying to work with for a bit.

As he walked across the room he nodded at the head of Twelth Division. "Good afternoon Captain Kurokotsu. You are here much earlier than I expected."

"Ah, yes, Sotaicho, I came here quite some time ago, and have been reading and re-reading these files. It seems as if I found the right thing, I assume," Kurokotsu said with a chuckle. As he stood up, he brushed off his haori and waved the numerous folders in the air. "So, my assumption was right, about these people being part Hollow and part Shinigami. I take it that they are fully-formed fusions, not defunct attempts at it, then? Which would mean both Zanpakuto and a Hollow Mask, if I assume correctly. Could the prior Captains of this type defeat one of us, the current Captains?" He asked, tilting his head and waving the files around absent-mindedly.

Shaking his head, Kurokotsu tucked the files away and tried to talk to the Sotaicho. "So, these people...It's been said in these files that have techniques previously thought only accessable to pure Hollows, so would it be considered forbidden to conduct research to teach Shinigami how to perform those techniques? It seems likely that the average body can perform techniques such as Sonido and Cero, assuming those fusions could as well. A technique such as a Cero would surely help us in our fights against the Hollows, wouldn't you say?" Kurokotsu asked Zafaron, his speech getting faster as he went along his mind-train of thoughts.

Zafaron held up a hand to stem the tidal wave of questions and suggestions from the excited Captain. He was like a crazed child that had just received a brand new toy and was trying to see what he could and couldn't do with it. Except that the suggestions of little children usually didn't end with people having the ability to increase the amount of widespread damage they could create. Usually.

"We are having a meeting for a reason, so I can explain as much as I can about the situation, and how we are going to respond. You will get answers to your questions then, and if there is anything you still wish to ask me about, you can ask me after. I don't want us going crazy with the knowledge of new things we might be able to do. It almost ruined us in the past, and I don't want a repeat of that.

"Just wait for the other captains to arrive. I know you don't like being patient, but you will have to calm down for a bit." As he said this he walked to the far end of the hall. He took his position, waiting for the other captains to arrive.

"Aww, I HAVE been patient, Zafaron-dearest. I've been sitting here minding my own business, thinking of whether or not it would be considered forbidden to attach cero-firing limbs to Shinigami who have had them cut off. I really do need something I can experiment on: Those minor Hollows I received three months back just finished being examined. You need to throw me a mutated bone or something else I can play with, okay?" Kurokotsu said to the older man, chuckling at the end of his performance.

"In all seriousness, my research on Hollow-Shinigami relations, which as you know have been going on for some time now, can not continue without new research subjects. I believe I may be close to figuring out what causes Shinigami to develop as they do. As a partner test to that, I've also figured out a way to teach Shinigami techniques they normally would have missed: Allowing the Fourth Division to fight and the Eleventh to heal themselves in battle. All I need is a handful of research subjects, Sotaicho." He finished with a wave of his hand, acting as if a few low-level Shinigami research subjects would be no big deal.

His steps echoeing across the room, Stauracius finally arrived at the captains' meeting room.Aware of the two captains' talk and not wanting to interrupt it,he stood at his usual position.Putting both of his hands on his zanpakuto's hilt, using it as a support to stand firm ,he waited the rest of the Gotei 13 to show up.

He had a little idea of the incidents to be discussed; Captains Roga's incident and probably the introduction of the new captain of the 11th Division.For the first, he didn't know many things , only some rumors regarding what really happened to him.As for the second, in contrast with the first one , he knew many. He was one of the few captains to overlook the promotion of the shinigami;Akira Touya.

Walking with a bit of a skip Captain Roga half shunpoed towards the Meeting. His eyes locked forward as his mind wondered. Visions of his battled echoed like drums in his head. The sight of that mask. The potency of that Cero, the level of that guys reaitsu, and the fact that his power, the power of a Captain had done almost nothing.

Stopping dead in his tracks Roga clenched the side of his stomach. Using his right hand the Captain inhaled a sharp breathe his breathing returning to normally as the intensity of the situation quick disappeared as it had appeared. Removing his right hand from his mid-section the Captain looked down to see it covered in a thick red coat. His own blood. During his recovery Roga had looked himself in train session, after session. The intensive training, of his all ready battle-torn body opened a few of the wounds in which the 4th division Captain had closed. Luckily Roga could hide something like this quite easily.

Stepping into the office Roga came to stand in his normal spot. Closing his eyes, and staying quiet, not caring he was being watched or anything, just breathing focusing on keeping the pain his body was going through contained. From an outside force he would appear to only being standing, thinking, or at the very least sleeping.

"almost everyone is here, how long to start it now..." he thought when saw Captain Roga arrive and take his usual spot, not seeming as bad as he heard, but he could easily have hidden the wounds beneath his uniform.

Fukki was on his usual place sitting on the floor looking around the room as he spun his zampakuto against the ground like a whipping-top while holding it by its hilt, feeling a kind of criticism and disapproval coming from the others captains next to him, but it would take some time until everybody gather there so he wasn't really caring about it.

"You seem like you are in need of aid,Roga Taicho." he was standing just right in front of him, his eye fixed on his opened wounds.He uttered a sigh, as he examined them more carefully, still maintaining his stance.Tired of repeating the same,his hands started glowing green again,his reiatsu interacting with Roga's, he attempted to close them again.

It would be too difficult for someone to realize what he was doing, as the way he performed the healing was special.Keeping his hands hidden under his haori was a habit of his, cause he would have problem sometimes removing his haori if it was soaked with sweat.This habit now served as a discreet healing,his glowing right hand hidden by haori. "There you are" he whispered to him, "Prevent yourself from doing such intensive trainings ,lad, if it happens again, even I will have trouble closing them" he advised him, friendly smiling at him.

Was he really so weak he couldn't even hide his own pain? Was his movements, and body language so predictable that he couldn't even deceive those around him? Was he even worthy enough of being called the Head of the Stealth Force?

All these questions raced through the 2nd Captain's mid as Captain Dio healed his wounds but again. Roga half wanted to kill himself, looking so weak, being so weak. As the Captain gave him a warm smile the 2nd squad Captain simply turned his head the other direction in a fit of agony. It was so apparent his battle had shaken his pride as a Captain.

Now it was only a matter of confidence, and endurance that would allow Roga to prove himself again, or at the very least get his rematch.

As usual Sokkin was late, every meeting, every training session, Sokkin was late. He tried to enter the room quietly and sneak in the back corner. He had just woken up so he wasn't exactly ready for the meeting at this time. He sat down in the corner and tried to understand what was going on. But it seemed that the meeting had been going for a little while now.

Hmmm another annoying meeting about hollows i guess... They are all the same to me. Weak to my kido skills and the power in which i contain in my blade. I guess i will just follow whats going on.

Sokkin then flipped his long blue hair behind his back as he began to tune into what the other captains had to say about current events.

Maki walked in at a fast pace. He was a young man, looking in his 20s with black hair spiked and moved back somewhat. His haori had tears where the sleeves would be and overall looked worn out. On his left cheek was a scar, and more scars were seen on his chest. Both his arms had bandages covering them. He had a serious look on his face. “My apologies sotaicho, and everyone present.” At this point he stopped talking, showing that he had no excuses and just took his usual place, next to Roga. He took a brief look at the captain of the stealth force. That brief look was enough to tell Maki that he was suffering quite somewhat. Tch, poor bastard.

Seeing one of the captains hurry into the room which, so Osamu figured, would be where the meeting was held confirmed his timing. As far as socially oriented tactical decisions went, Osamu usually consulted the eleventh seat Ichiru on what to do, being rather awkward in new situations himself. Ichiru had given it some thought and suggested that, considering he really was the only non-officer representative to be there, it would be easier for him to be a little late. This would give him an excellent position to question his own presence at the meeting before being placed in the awkward position of not knowing his stance.

When Osamu reached the grand hall he cautiously entered and politely bowed to the captains already present. Some looked at him with interest but most of them saw him just as an unfamiliar shinigami, who had little business at the meeting. Now it was time to choose his words carefully;
“Excuse me Zafaraon-sama, I was delayed,” He started, respectfully keeping his bow and resting his eyes on the floor before him. “I hope I have not been an inconvenience to the meeting even before I arrived. It would trouble me to find I have already delayed business with my absence.”

The last sentence was well placed, it both displayed a cautious sense of humor as well as a hidden inquiry of his purpose at the meeting.

((If anyone else shows up, just make a post and act like you have been here all along. Don't want to keep having my captain's being late do I?)

Zafaron continued to ignore Kurokotsu as the other Captain babbled on about all of the things he now wanted to do. He had an interesting relationship with the captain of twelfth company. Usually Kurokotsu never wanted to talk to him even if it was necessary, and whenever he did want to talk it usually meant that Zafaron wouldn't want to talk about whatever the topic was.

Slowly the other Captains made their way into the Grand Hall. Keeping watch over them all he noticed Captain Diogenes speaking with Roga. It probably was something about his injuries. He hoped it was just the Captain expressing how well Roga was healing from his wounds but he doubted it. Knowing Captain Roga and the way he had spoken about his loss, he had probably ignored orders and trained immediately after the battle. He was a man with a lot of pride, and a loss such as the one against the Vizard must have shaken him.

He looked over as Captains Sokkin and Maki entered the hall. Both seemed to be under the impression that they were late. Of course they had a valid reason or thinking that they were late. "You need not worry Captain Sokkin, Captain Maki. The meeting has not begun yet. I sent both of you Hell Butterflies with instructions that the meeting would start thirty minutes earlier than I told the other captains. Just to safeguard against late arrivals." He smiled slightly at his little trick. It seemed to have worked out quite nicely in this case. However there was still only five minutes before the meeting was truly scheduled to start which put them twenty-five minutes late for when they thought the meeting would begin. Not really the way Captains should be acting though.

Right as the actual time for the meeting passed the doors opened one more time. The new Captain of Eleventh Company strode into the hall looking worried. "Do not worry about being late CAPTAIN Akira." He added special emphasis on the word captain. Akira had only been formally given his rank a week previously. "As it is your first meeting I think we can let a minute or two of being late slide. Lets not have it be a habit though, alright?" He then turned his attention to Ryusaki who was also entering a little late. He was a little surprised though, when the captain actually greeted him. Usually when someone was late they tried to not catch attention, especially when they looked so disheveled. I guess I will need to talk to him about that later.

Looking around the room he just decided to begin. Most of the Captains were present and any of the others would just have to receive the information from one of the other Captains. "Good afternoon everyone. I called us together for two main reasons. The first can be addressed pretty quickly. So I would like all of us to extend our welcome to the new captain of Eleventh Division, Captain Osamu Nishimura." He looked at the new captain who was looking quite nervous. "You are free to address the Captains right now if there is anything you would like to say or ask. Or if anyone wishes to give him any advice, that would also be allowed."

"I would just like to quickly say, as the former captain of that division, get used to lots of bills." A large grin appeared on his face, a direct contrast to the scowl he had been wearing since the battle in Karakura town. "Your subordinates will find lots of ways to break things and leave you picking up the pieces. And also, don't hit the TOO hard when they do moronic things, they need all the brain cells they can keep."

The long-awaited new captain of the eleventh division Osamu. He was rather shorter than the expected and didn't seemed to be crazy as his new underlings of the eleventh division. Fukki was thinking about what kind of fighting style that captain was adeptedwhen he heard the Shotaicho words about the eleventh division.
"Do they really have ANY brain cells at all?" he thought not been able to resist it and slipping out a small laugh. He tried to recover his serious face again while looking toward the floor before the Shotaicho continued his speech.

He merely clapped as a way to congratulate the new captain of the 11th division for achieving one of the most difficult and important seats among the Gotei 13. "May your being Captain of the 11th Division be eternal and prosperous" he wished to Captain Nishimura with a whisper, friendly smiling at him. Although some people would frown upon his words as an act of coaxing or hypocricy, his words were genuine.

He laughed at the Sotaicho's comment, clearly agreeing with his words as he remembered the past events related to the eleventh division.

Zafaron narrowed his eyes slightly at Fukki's words. He stared for a moment before using a flash to appear right in front of the captain, towering over him due to the difference in height.

"I think I can assure you that they do have some brain cells considering that your Sotaicho came from that division!" Zafaron said putting on his darkest scowl. He held that for a minute before laughing a little. "But they do have brain cells. Some just forget to use them most of the time while others just don't feel the need to use their brains, they think they can get by on instincts alone. That is something all the captains should remember in case you ever have to lead them. You got to find a way to convince them that brains are sometimes more important than brawn."

With that he walked back to his spot and waited to see what Akira would say in response.

Throwing a glance around at the other captains, his féllow captains now, Osamu decided to take the to him offered cue and with that finish the joking argument for once and for all. Whether everyone present would appreciate the remarks he didn't know, but the statement would stand none the less.
"In my eyes it is one of the greater misconceptions to assume the eleventh division will remain as it is, now that its rule has befallen me. I-" A slight smile played on his face giving contrast to the determination in his eyes. "-plan on turning the eleventh division into something so ferocious and undeniably strong that questioning our capacities, be it physical or mental, will be out of the question. Zafaron-sama left me a great selection of men, not one of whom will be looked down on."

After finishing the last sentence Osamu stood in silence for a moment, looking at the respective captains around him before uttering, in a clear voice, a conclusion and stepping into line with the previously mentioned captains.
"I am honoured to be a part of the Gotei thirteen, I am honoured to be accepted as a captain, what I am not however, is spineless and therefore of anyone of you will take no insults. Thank you for your time."

He sighed as he heard Osamu words about "turning it into something ferocious", he talked back to yourself while slowly nodding his head as akira continued with his speaking "I was wrong... he's just another guy with muscles smashing his brain, at least it sure fits the eleventh in the end", but in the end he was happy that he wasn't the new one anymore. As he heard he finishing with his speak, Fukki gave a step forward while scratching his neck.
"Well usually we would have done a welcome party, but it seems like it got really complicated" he said smiling at Osamu before walking back to his spot, waiting for the Shotaicho words.

'Let them think we'll be the barbarians of Seretei, let them assume there is nothing more than dumb, reliable muscle in the eleventh and most of all make sure they won't keep an eye on the division. Ichiru was wrong, this task was easier than I thought. Most likely the new hierarchy in the division won't even be noticed, and even if they do, who'll care about a completely new system in the eleventh? No-one, we're all mindless brutes anyway, aren't we?'
Osamu looked expectantly at the Sotaicho, who had left him a squad of very capable shinigami that would do even better once the plans were executed. Most likely, Osamu figured, the Sotaicho was well aware of the fact that the bills were caused by a squad that had far too little on its hands.

Stealing a glance at Fukki-taicho Osamu decided it would be best not to talk to the man again, the less he saw of him, the more stable the brainless-goons stereotype would be. The only thing he'd be needing now was Ichiru to return from the shinigami-academy after having spent just a little less than they could afford so that indeed the first month's worth of damages could be covered, before the squad would be disciplined.
What if Ichiru didn't manage? Then Osamu'd just claim that the first steps as a captain were the hardest, and he'd still have till the end of the year to fill the deficit, which, according to the paperwork, would be long enough.
Having a good position on scouting new shinigami was worth it all.

Lowering his head, and turning it to the side Ranryou disapproved of the current way the meeting was going. There were more important things to think, and worry about then some stupid bills, or some Godforsaken Squad of idiots. Roga's mind was well beyond this meeting. The first sigh of immaturity displayed from the Captain's only made Roga's attention level drop to I don't care. He half wanted to walk straight out of the meeting. There seemed to be know point of it. the only that seemed to be present, and important at this moment was who had the bigger balls, and who's squad was full of meat-heads, and what not.

Furthermore, the immaturity came leaking from Fukki. There was no reason for his little out burst, and even the Head-Captain's display of foolishness was uncalled for, in Roga's mind, this meeting was garage, and a waste of his time.

(Would you mind italicizing when you do thoughts Akira? Took me awhile to figure that you weren't actually speaking.)

Zafaron clapped his hands together, restoring order instantly. The smile that had been on his face for a bit was now replaced by a dark and serious look. Instantly the atmosphere changed from the slightly jovial one from before. "Greetings and jokes are finished now, if you still have advice to give to our new Captain, you can do so after this meeting. We have had extremely troubling developments that need our full attention if we are to properly deal with them." His tone had become calm and cold. No emotion was in the words, they needed to be said and emotions would just be useless.

He looked out at his fellow Captains. He was about to break a tradition that had been upheld for over a thousand years. He hoped that they would understand why the information was hidden, and not try to go overboard with it. Well, one would try to go overboard but he hoped the rest wouldn't. Trying to restrain Kurokotsu was going to be troublesome enough alone.

"Four days ago as you may know, we had a situation in the human world. Two adjucas menos and a large group of regular hollows attack Karakura Town. Captains Kaiser, Roga, and Kurokotsu all arrived at the scene. Along with some superhumans and a Quincy, the situation was easily kept contained. As I am sure most of you are thinking, in this situation normally not even that many people would be necessary. The threat of the hollows however, is not why we were called together.

"One other being appeared to fight. He looked like a human but had a Zanpakuto. After exchanging words with Captain Roga, they ended up fighting. While they were pretty evenly matched, the enemy pulled out a special ability." Zafaron closed his eyes. This was the big moment, one he had always hoped he would never have to go through. "The shinigami suddenly created a mask on his face, a hollow's mask and increased his spiritual energy immensely. At this time he was able to overpower the unprepared Captain Roga."

"Captain Roga however was not unprepared through any fault of his own. This man is from a race that is one of the Soul Society's greatest dark secrets. He was not a regular shinigami, nor a human. His race has been a secret to only the sotatichos for centuries. He is one of the few shinigami to ever transcend the barrier between Hollow and Shinigami power. A being who has increased his spiritual power by adding that of a hollows. This race is known as the masked army, the Vizards."

It was at the end of that when Kurokotsu finally spoke up. "It seems as if people in the past have happened upon this information, but most of it was lost. I take it that the documents were deemed too threatening for the public to know of, and the authors silenced? It seems like it would have been nigh impossible to keep all of this a secret if even one person knew and had a loose mouth. I had to dig through almost all of the Daireishokairo Archives to find the folders that I have now..." He said, waving the stack of papers in the air as his war trophy. "So, has this information been fully leaked before? If so, what was the general response among the Captains of that time? I know I, for one, would have felt a bit easier knowing how these people fought in the first place. If we had all had that information, we could have been better prepared and thus ready to fight them, eh?" Kurokotsu asked Sotaicho Zafaron, slightly irked at the way they were left in the dark until one of their own was injured.

Finally speaking up Roga took up right where Kurokotsu left off. "That information would have been very useful. To at least have know there were those out there with that kind of power." Looking directly at the Sotaicho Ranryou gave him a very uneasy glare. It wasn't one of anger, or hatred but of pride, and a sense of being let down by the Sotaicho. Continuing on Roga began a slowly step down the row of Captain towards Kurokotsu where he stopped, and faced everyone. "Having faced one it's my duty to share what I know. For one they are truly shinigami. The one I faced was easily that of a Captain level enemy. They are well trained, and can fight with as much skill, and power as almost anyone in this room. But that is not what makes them deadly. it's the moment they call upon there masks." Letting this sink in Roga knew by now most of the Captain would guess that Roga found a weakness. Continuing on he spoke: "During the time in which the enemy uses there "hollow" powers they gain speed, strength, and endurance, even facing me this guy was obviously slower then me. But with his mask he was able to not only keep up with me but also outrun me, during this time they are near impossible to even touch. However, there is a time when you can strike."

Looking around the Room Roga locked eyes with the Sotaicho once again. this time his aura of despair changing into the more lively, and carefree Roga. "Don't give them the chance to don there masks. It takes about four to five second for them to fully activate there mask. During that time they are at there weakest. Full of openings. And also they have the power to use Cero's." Standing now in the middle of the Room between all the Captain's Roga would take questions or comment also waiting on the Sotaicho's responce to both him, and Kurokotsu calling him out.