Various bankais reviled in the current arc

Updated Recruitment Brochures for Squads 3, 5, and 9

As requested by anon. :)

As Kensei pointed out in his critique of the Gotei-13’s current recruitment brochures, the recruitment brochures for Squads 3, 5, and 9 are not - ideal. They were made right after the three traitors high-tailed it to Hueco Mundo, and it kinda shows. So let’s say that when Rose, Shinji and Kensei rejoined the Gotei-13, they also put out new recruitment brochures, in which they answered the same questions as the old recruitment brochures. What would those be like?

Squad 3: Otoribashi Rose

1. What kind of individuals are you seeking?

People who work hard, and who understand the importance of art!

2. How would you describe the atmosphere around your division?

It is fun, musical, and dramatic. Perfect for artistic souls!

3. What do you require of new recruits?

That they have a good eye, a good ear, and a good heart.

4. Some words for the shinigami recruits.

This is not the Third Division as it was under Ichimaru Gin! Please give us a try!

Squad 5: Shinji Hirako

1. What kind of individuals are you seeking?

People who are smart, courageous, and honest. Also - hot women are strongly encouraged!

2. How would you describe the atmosphere around your division?

Our division is like a smooth jazz solo.

3. What do you require of new recruits?

People who won’t stalk me, hollowfy me, or strike me in the face with their shoes.

4. Some words for the shinigami recruits.

If anyone likes jazz, hit me up. I need someone to go to clubs with.

Squad 9: Muguruma Kensei

1. What kind of individuals are you seeking?

Guys without fear who have great hair.

2. How would you describe the atmosphere around your division?

I expect a lot of my division, so people are always hard at work.

3. What do you require of new recruits?

Listen to me, do your jobs, and don’t mess around. 

4. Some words for the shinigami recruits.

The tattoo is not a requirement. No matter what you may hear from my lieutenants. And if you’re interested in starting a boy band, say so on your resume. 

Pompeii~ [Rose/Thetis]

Closing his eyes, Rose only breathed lightly as she agreed to take him to the Ghost Zone.  He could see the internal struggle she was having on the inside, and although he hated seeing this young girl feel this way, and him being the cause of the pain, he had to see this for himself.  For now, she could only trust him, and that would be the first step into all this.

"A few hours?  That simply won’t do; that’s far too long a time," he muttered.  "It isn’t really artistic, but please climb up in my arms; I will speed up the process.  All you must do is guide me in the right direction."

"W-What!" Thetis shouted as she began to blush. She took a few steps back and rose her palms up to Rose. "H-Hey there, I’m a taken woman ya know." She babbled out as best as she could. "I’m a happily taken woman." She rephrased her fast-paced words.

This didn’t sound like business to her. It sounded like a pick up line that directed towards adult intercourse. And being a happily taken woman, that wasn’t going to due.

"You’re a real handsome man, d-don’t get wrong, but cha know, I’m taken, sure he’s a lil’ older, b-but that doesn’t mean I don’t love him any less." She started to stammer, the idea of her and Rose, well, that was a weird pairing.

"We can just take my car, the ghost zone isn’t going anywhere anytime soon." She proposed as she still stammered, despite being a happily taken woman, it doesn’t take much for a handsome man to make this woman fumble.

Rose only stared at the other girl.  Violet eyes shaded in confusion watched silently as she blushed and stammered.  He could only imagine how that must have sounded to foreign ears.  Letting out a breath of air, his sharp features remained stoic, but he looked at Thetis out of the corner of his eyes, not reacting in the slightest.

"Get your mind out of the gutter; that's not art," he responded.  "While I am not as fast as others, I will be able to shorten our distance by using my Shunpo.  You say it would take a couple hours to get there, but with my enhanced speed, I should be able to cut that down to a fraction of that."

Umm... Hi.

Her compliment caused a light smile to appear on his face.  It wasn’t very much, but it was the first time the blond captain’s lips had curled upwards at all since the two had met.

"But of course.  It is but my goal in life to show everyone the artistic side to life.  Everything has art flowing through it, my dear; you just have to open your eyes to it."

A curt nod of his head was his own silent response to the girl’s awkward saying.  While he knew she was nervous, and hadn’t been aware of her existence until minutes ago, he felt that she was a new addition to their little broken-up family.  Perhaps she would be the glue to pull their family together again.  Only time could tell. 

"While I was unsure about you at first, I am glad to know of you as well.  It was certainly an… interesting experience to meet a new Vizard," he responded to her, turning his back towards her to walk away.

"Perhaps it would be best to introduce yourself to the rest of our family.  But be sure to be careful; not all of our fellow Vizards are as polite as Shinji or I."

She had to smile as well, his words were comforting. And his use of them was different but it made sense.

"It was nice meeting for sure Rose. I hope to see you again, you are pleasant to talk to." she said and nodded. Taking his last words as a dismissal she smiled again.

"I’ll keep that in mind when I meet them. Take care." she said and turned walking off. Humming a happy little tune.

Hearing the other girl's footsteps walk away, and feeling her strange reiatsu slowly separating itself from his, Rose only closed his eyes.  While saying her presence fascinated him would be far too much, there was something intriguing about the artificially-created Vizard.

Silently, Rose hoped to himself that Nina stayed away from the Soul Society, as they only started to accept the actual Vizards back.  But mixing the forbidden Gikon technology with Vizard abilities would most likely cause a stir, in one way or another.

With nothing more to say or do around the area, Rose pulled his sword from its sheath and stabbed the air before him.  A while light radiated from his sword, and a gate appeared before him, opening up as a Hell Butterfly fluttered out to guide him.  Not even turning back to take one last look at the girl behind him, he stepped through the portal, and it closed up behind him.

A questioning look mirrored her own; her question expected, but it still struck him as odd.  It was sad to see so many people did not see things as he did.  It almost made him want to shed a tear for the ignorant.

"Not at all, Suì-Fēng-taichō.  I would never exaggerate such a dark occasion such as a funeral," he answered the shorter captain.  Pausing for a moment, he thought about how the other would probably think of such an act to those who didn’t see things as he did.  Maybe it would be best if he explained his methods.

"It’s quite a simple concept, actually.  Did you know that all objects, even inanimate ones, have a soul?  That is why Fullbringers such as Ginjō Kūgo and Sado Yasutora are able to change the actual shapes of objects, or even jump high into the sky."

"Going upon this belief, my instruments each have been there for me trough the hard times and the good.  They’ve mourned with me when I was sad, and celebrated with me when I was happy.  In short, they are my best friends."

Looking down at the pigeons, some had scattered away, while the more persistent ones had decided to stick around to scavenge even more.  “When I saw my instruments hung from the treetops, a normal person would have seen just that; an instrument covered in blood and hanging by a string.  But I saw my friends, a noose tied around their necks, and both of their wrists and necks slashed open.”

Violet eyes drifted to look into the dark blue ones of the niibantai taichō, a deep sadness shading the bored-look constantly embedded in them.  “Now, tell me Suì-Fēng-taichō, if you saw one of your friends in the same position, wouldn’t you do the same?”

For the woman who did not even shed a tear for her own brothers when they perished this concept was actually rather hard to grasp. To each his own she supposed to herself. However she felt about the subject was irrelevant—- it was not good politics to appear apathetic to the beliefs of your fellow Captain so she merely bowed politely at his sentiments.

 ”I do not have much in the way of friends Ōtoribashi Taichō, so I do not know what I would do if I were in your predicament.”

Many truths were in that sentence, she truly did not have much in the way of companionship preferring the solitude of her own competency to the bustling ineptitude of others.

"If you do not require my assistance, I will take my leave. On the subject of funeral arrangements if you state the time and place I will do my best to accompany you. I believe that is what any good comrade would do, don’t you?"

Turning on her heel she shooed the last of the birds away, glancing back over her shoulder briefly “I do give you my sympathies. While I do not fully comprehend your ideology I respect it nonetheless.” 

A longing stare was all that accompanied Suì-Fēng's statement.  To have such an ignorant view of life was not her fault of her own, but most seemed to have it this way.  Though he noticed hers was a little more narrow-minded than others, her last statement was one that touched his heart, and showed that she had potential.

"Your sympathies are all that are required," he said softly to her as she turned to walk away.  "Most do not see things the way that I do.  I can tell that you do not, but I can also tell that your heart is in the right place when it comes to comrades, and for that, I thank you, Suì-Fēng-taichō."

Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking a break from cleaning the crimson liquid off the instruments before him.  The blood-stained rag, which was a white color to begin with, was now forever a pink color, but it would be tossed soon afterwards.

"You most likely think you don't have many friends, and I am unsure of how true that is, but just know that you certainly have a unique point of view, and I see you as a friend of my own, Suì-Fēng-san."

Looking upon his training partner as the other released her Zanpakutō, he stared at the other with uninterested eyes.  But though they looked uninterested, wonderment filed his thoughts.  He was not one to spy on other’s abilities, and he only knew a handful of the captain’s Shikais and Bankais, thanks to Urahara Kisuke.  But Fuyuno’s abilities were unknown to him.

Her Shikai resembled a flower of some sort, and more flowers appeared around his figure.  It was a plant-type Zanpakuto, Rose noted, so perhaps it had reiatsu-absorbing abilities.

Either way, it was best for him to keep his distance, and Kinshara was perfect for that.  Without skipping a beat, Rose raised his hand, flicking his wrist and shooting Kinshara’s flower-shaped head Fuyuno.  “Let’s go, Kinshara!”

As Kinshara shot towards her, Miki jumped out of the way, sending one of Kitsunehana’s long stems to speed forward, wrapping itself around the end of rose’s Zanpakuto.

Miki knew little about the new captain’s abilities, since they were more of a secret compared to some of the longer standing captains. Well not really longer standing, but she new next to nothing about the visored that retook their posts, aside from her old captain. While she didn’t know what Rose’s zanpakuto did, it would be foolish to assume it was just a simple whip.

Hoping that his zanpakuto would be tied up just long enough, she used shunpo to appear before him, with two fingers pointed up, “Hado number 73, Soren Sokatsui!” Blue fire erupted from her hand, firing straight at Rose.

Rose prepared himself as Miki jumped out of Kinshara's reach, and shot one of her own vines forward.  The vine managed to wrap itself around the end of Kinshara, and blond eyebrows pulled together lightly as he wondered what the power of the new hachibantai taichō's Zanpakutō was.  Something told him not to let these vines hold onto him for very long, but before anything could be done, Fuyuno-taichō appeared before him, already gathering Kidō into her hands.

"Bakudō no. hachijūichi: Dankū!"  A sudden barrier appeared before Rose, separating the two captains, and the blue blast that was fired from Miki's hands was stopped before any damage could be done.  Eyes now alert, he waited as the barrier before him faded, and the smoke that was kicked up from the powerful Kidō technique settled.

"You should try to be more careful, Fuyuno-taichō," he scolded lightly.  "Had I not be as skilled in Kidō as I am, I would have been seriously hurt by a close-ranged Sōren Sōkatsui.  Even most Arrancars, with their Hierro, cannot withstand such an intense blast."  As he spoke, he moved his arm, which was tied up by Fuyuno's vines, and though it was only a slight movement, it was just what he needed.  "Also, do you think you can simply dodge Kinshara?"

Directly behind Fuyuno, a golden flash cut through the smoke, and the flower-like head of Kinshara soared forward, the thorn appearing in the middle of the flower pointing straight at the blonde captains.

Umm... Hi.

Violet eyes flickered at her statement of how hard it was being different, though his face did not react in the slightest.  She had no idea, but that’s exactly how each one of the Vizards felt on that fateful day when each of them woke up in the World of the Living; and for every day after.

"Of course it is.  No one knows it better than you, Shinji, or I," he responded, letting out a breath of air.  "But, it is something you must come to terms with."  Pausing, the blond haired captain tried to find the right words before he spoke again.  "Do not view yourself as different; that isn’t art at all.  View yourself as unique, or one-of-a-kind.  When you go for a walk and you find a beautiful rock on the ground, what makes it stand out from the hundreds of other rocks that lay beside it?  A child will pick it up because they think it is different from the other rocks.  Being different can be difficult, but being unique can have its perks.”

Nina thought on his words a moment then smiled. “I see what you mean. You have a very artful perspective. Hmhm, thanks I feel better.” she said and nodded, her hissing almost gone from her voice.

"I’m kinda glad I bumped into you, I mean well… heh." she chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck feeling a little awkward. "Suppose you are right though, if that is the case then everyone is such, ne?" she asked and tilted her head a little.

Now she kind of stood there, feeling more awkward for lack of what to say if anything.

Her compliment caused a light smile to appear on his face.  It wasn't very much, but it was the first time the blond captain's lips had curled upwards at all since the two had met.

"But of course.  It is but my goal in life to show everyone the artistic side to life.  Everything has art flowing through it, my dear; you just have to open your eyes to it."

A curt nod of his head was his own silent response to the girl's awkward saying.  While he knew she was nervous, and hadn't been aware of her existence until minutes ago, he felt that she was a new addition to their little broken-up family.  Perhaps she would be the glue to pull their family together again.  Only time could tell. 

"While I was unsure about you at first, I am glad to know of you as well.  It was certainly an... interesting experience to meet a new Vizard," he responded to her, turning his back towards her to walk away.

"Perhaps it would be best to introduce yourself to the rest of our family.  But be sure to be careful; not all of our fellow Vizards are as polite as Shinji or I."

Candidate for Rising Star [Rose/Yanagi]

Nothing had pained him more than this walk he was doing at the moment.  Sandals quietly tapping against the pavement of the Seireitei, his destination was clear in his mind.  It was, of course, the jūniibantai.  Trying to push down the variety of emotions he felt, there was a hint of fear sprinkled in with it.  The area had changed quite a lot from the time that Hikifune Kirio was captain, and even moreso from when Urahara Kisuke took over for her.  But now that Kurotsuchi Mayuri was in change, the place had turned into a bit of a house of horrors.

Approaching the Shinigami Development and Research Institute, he looked up at the sign, the Japanese characters scrawled on a wooden sign that hung from a building’s doorway, and above it was a catapillar-like creature, its two beady eyes looking down at him as the creature clacked its human-like teeth.

"Forget a song, this place would make a good scene for a horror movie," Rose mumbled to himself as he continued to the front entrance.  Approaching the guard at the front door, a Shinigami wearing a lab coat, he nodded a silent greeting at the young man and took out a sheet of paper from the inside of his shihakushō.  Reading the name scrawled upon it, he looked back up at the gentleman.

"Good afternoon.  I am here to speak to Ootomi Yanagi-san, please."

Deeply enthralled with her studies, Ootomi softly trailed her index finger along the cover of the newly retrieved book resting on her desk. Across the cover of the hardback was some rather curiously scribbled kanji  entitling the book “Scientist’s Journal”, a gift from one of the other researchers most likely. Well, gift was a bit of a stretch. The likelihood of the matter was that one of her colleagues had found the book and, unsure with what to do with it, left it in her working quarters as a way of discarding it. 

Without warning, there came a hurried tapping at the 5th seat’s door. The female’s blue hues kept themselves locked on the pages before her, though she quietly responded. “You can come in,” Within in a few seconds, the door slid open, and the one responsible for the interruption presented himself. “U-um.. Otoribashi-Taicho of Sanbantai is here to see you..?” The male announced quietly, glancing out of the door towards the direction he’d come from.

Lifting her gaze swiftly towards the one at her door, her eyes widened as she recalled the reason why the Third Division Captain was paying a visit. Giving a nod, the curvaceous Shinigami removed the latex gloves that had been covering her delicate palms, “Thank you,” She murmured as she dropped the pale gloves carelessly on her desk and stood up, shifting around the wooden table to saunter out the door. It wasn’t long until she found herself approaching the Captain, wearing a polite smile upon her lips. 

"Good afternoon, Otoribashi-Taicho. How are you today, sir?"

Violet eyes fell upon the beautiful redheaded Shinigami that approached him from the center of the jūniibantai.  This was the first time that they had met in person, so his gaze studied her a little longer than normal before curtly nodding his head only slightly in response to her greeting.

"My day has been somber, Ootomi-san," he replied at her attempt of small talk, though he wasn't exactly one for it.  "If you don't mind, I would prefer not to beat around the bush, so they say in the World of the Living."  Seemingly uncaring eyes flashed in the direction of the guards, who seemed to be confused at the sight of the captain speaking to their fifth seat.  "I'd like to move to a more private, outside area.  It isn't art for others to eavesdrop on other's personal conversations, after all."  The guards seemed to get the hint, and stood up straighter, but their ears and cheeks flushed a bright pink color.

Pompeii~ [Rose/Thetis]

He could hear the panic in her voice as she spoke.  Though facial features set in stone, he continued to stare at her through violet eyes, not saying a word until she was done.  It wouldn’t be an art to interrupt someone whilst they were in the middle of speaking, after all.

"Are you done, Thetis-chan?" he asked once she was finished talking.  Once he had paused to find out if she was or not, he continued  "You’re not listening to what I’m trying to tell you."

"I said I would only tell others about this "Ghost Zone" you speak of only if questioned about it.  Who would question me about an area that they don’t know exists?"  Another sigh escaped his lips as he sheathed his sword.  "Besides, my new boss isn’t one to pry into other people’s business."

Her shaking figure settled lightly as he did state something she overlooked. “True, but -” She gulped, oh why didn’t she keep her big mouth shut. Now in front of a figure who deals with death, trying to evade them from the ghost zone is like trying to get her away from the perfect pair of pumps. It just won’t happen, especially since it’s his job.

"Fine, I’ll show you the ghost zone." Thetis submitted to the Shinigami with a slump in her shoulder. "We have to get out of Amity though, the place I’m thinking of is a few hours away from here. I have full access to it, so it won’t be much trouble getting in." Thetis said with another gulp. Oh Vlad is going to kill her for bringing a death god into the Ghost Zone.

Closing his eyes, Rose only breathed lightly as she agreed to take him to the Ghost Zone.  He could see the internal struggle she was having on the inside, and although he hated seeing this young girl feel this way, and him being the cause of the pain, he had to see this for himself.  For now, she could only trust him, and that would be the first step into all this.

"A few hours?  That simply won't do; that's far too long a time," he muttered.  "It isn't really artistic, but please climb up in my arms; I will speed up the process.  All you must do is guide me in the right direction."

"So if Rose gets a girlfriend who’s got wings, does that mean he’s gonna get the flyin’ V?”

"...that's not art."

Listening [Yoruichi/Rose]

A smirk tucked up the corners of his lips.  Smirking despite the situation they were in, it was truly an artistic scene indeed.  He could almost hear the dramatic battle music playing, and it burned up a small fire inside him.  How long had it been since he had enjoyed a battle?  Not to mention, fighting alongside one Shihōin Yoruichi was only making this more thrilling.

"What a compliment, especially coming from you, Shihōin-san," he retorted, pulling back Kinshara’s body.  The golden whip curled around in his hands, and wrapped itself up like a rope.  The two Shinigami watched the Hollows movements, waiting for an opening.  As one fired a Cero at Yoruichi, another one before Rose mirrored its movement, opening its own mouth and firing a red blast that vibrated the air down to his bones.

Without skipping a step, Rose raised his arm, flinging Kinshara forward.  Both the flower at the tip of his Zanpakutō and the Cero collided, and a huge explosion sounded as the Cero was stopped in its tracks.  Using the opportunity, another Hollow, this one with the mask of a raccoon, jumped out of the smoke, flying at Rose with mouth opened and ready to bite.

"That won’t work.  Did you think that Cero was enough to stop my Kinshara?"  From the smoke, a gold flash struck out like a snake, planting itself deep within the side of the Hollow.  The creature let out a roar, but did not disappear.  Instead, another Hollow charged forward, from Rose’s right.  With Kinshara embedded in the Hollow in the air, he couldn’t use it to counter.  Adrenaline rushing through his veins, a chantless Sōkatsui was blasted out from his left palm, pushing the Hollow back.

"Shihōin-san… are these Hollows…?" he spoke up, not completing the sentence.  But if she was thinking the same thing, then she would know what he was talking about.  Are these Hollows working together?

It would appear that way, as the Hollows moved almost as the arms of one. Coming and going, firing ceros and leaping at them with little time to react. It was uncanny, seeing them act as if they were of one accord. They were still sloppy and lacked the discipline necessary to defeat herself and Rose, but the implication of their actions was concerning. As the Hollow Rose had blasted back shook its head and roared, several more appeared and stood beside it. Their numbers had been growing, she had been right. There had to be at least a dozen of them, humming with their reiatsu angrily. Yoruichi  narrowed her eyes. Something was coming.

"It would seem so…"

She replied to Rose’s unspoken but implied question. They stood side by side and soon red ceros began to form. All of them, charging their ceros simultaneously. Golden eyes widen in surprise and shock. They….were combining their ceros!? Was that even possible. They needed to move, the blast would be too big to evade if they waited longer. She turned from them and began to shunpo from the growing red haze.

It was as he thought.  He wasn't the only one who had noticed it, and if Shihōin noticed it, then it was definitely happening.  After all, she was head of the Onmitsukidō and niibantai taichō for quite a while.

Suddenly, all the Hollows encircled them, and opened their mouths, gathering energy before them to fire a bunch of Ceros.  Violet eyes widened in surprise.  Never had he seen Hollows work together before.  Not to mention, with a roar from a couple more, more of the foul beasts were summoned.

Behind him, Yoruichi jumped away, disappearing with a lightning-quick Shunpo to dodge the blasts that were fired.  While Rose wasn't quite as fast as the purple-haired assassin, he knew he could dodge this attack quickly.  It was full of openings. 

Pulling the handle of his Zanpakutō, he tried to pull Kinshara's head back, so both he and his sword could escape unharmed.  However, as he tugged, he felt a force prevent Kinshara from retreating back.

Head whipping to the side, he saw the raccoon-like Hollow was still holding onto Kinshara, the head of it still embedded in the creature's skin.  A white claw was wrapped around the golden neck of his sword, and mouth was open in unison with the others to fire a Cero as well.  Raising his fingers, he cursed himself.  He didn't want to do this being so close to the blast range, but he had no other choice.  "Kinshara Sōkyo-" he muttered, but as he did, the Ceros fired simultaneously.  Panic ran through his veins, the ice-cold feeling chilling his blood as the Ceros fired all around him.

"S-shit...!" he managed to utter out, just as the Ceros all collided with him and exploded.

"Perhaps, but if they were a simple enemy to defeat, this wouldn’t be called a ‘war’."

"Too bad they aren’t a simple enemy to defeat, am I right?"

"I will have to agree with you, Shinji."

"The number of Shinigami that have fallen at their hands simply breaks my heart.  My condolences to the members of your Division who have also fallen."