[BleachITP Reborn] Episode 2: Hannibal's Past: Flashback to the Old!

[tgva8889]

Soul Society, Present Day:

Somewhere on the outskirts of Soul Society, deep in the mountainous hills just beyond the walls of Sereitei, a solid brown door bears a daffodil symbol. Against the stone around it, it is almost invisible. However, those who know of its location know what lies within. A deep, dark cavern filled with dozens and dozens of tunnels, each lined further with thousands and thousands of iron bars and the prison cells behind them. From within, screams of insanity and, almost invariably, suffering and pain pierce the darkness.

This is Maggot's Nest, the prison for the most dangerous men and women in all of Soul Society.

One man walks up the mountain path, towards this prison, a cloak covering his form from the daylight as he travels. He bears a walking stick of some kind, though he discards it along the way, moving faster as he approaches the door from afar.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi waits by the door, a long pipe hanging limply from his mouth, its plume of smoke climbing into the air like some languishing beast. He waves slightly, or appears to, his over long sleeve obscuring most of his movement.

"Good evening Captain! It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, I am Kido Commander Takeshi, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this."

Takeshi bows low, smiling broadly.

[tgva8889]

The cloaked figure reveals his face, the Captain of 10th Division smirking at Takeshi.

"Commander? Hmm. Well, it seems like a bit overkill, but whatever, I guess. Nice to meet you face-to-face, Takeshi."

Taiki walks directly to the door and raps on it several times in quick succession, pausing at odd intervals between groups of knocks.

"As for the trouble, don't worry at all. As it so happens, I have an appointment to keep at this time anyways, so perhaps I can accompany you. What was it you were here for, exactly?"

A slot in the wooden door slips open, and Taiki puts his hand through it. A moment later he removes his hand and slips the key that has appeared in it into the lock on the bottom of the door.

[Innis Cabal]

"Perhaps over kill, but I wanted to get out of my other duties for the time being, they can be tedious. I figured this would be a more worthwhile expenditure of my time."

Takeshi watches the Captain intently, smiling a little wider.

"The Kido Bindings on Ex-Captain Hannibal need to be checked. I am here to do such a task if it would be within the parameters of your Division, Captain."

[tgva8889]

Taiki smiles.

"Of course. I knew what you were here for, but it helps to make sure that you're not an impostor. We can never be too sure when it comes to securing this place."

The key turns, and the wooden door slides upwards to reveal a small room, seki-seki walls lined with torches. One guard steps back as the door opens and salutes, while two others stand on opposite sides of another door at the far back. They look up when the door moves, then quickly slide from their at-ease positions to salutes. In unison, the three guards say "Captain Takahashi!" He chuckles slightly and waves them off.

"Oh, you don't have to be so formal. This is just a routine visit." Before the outer door guard can speak, Taiki puts up another hand. "This is Kido Commander Takeshi. He's with me, so you don't have to worry about checking his security clearance."

Taiki turns to Takeshi and holds his hand out palm-up. "Unfortunately, even you must follow some of the regulations here. We do not allow zanpakuto past the door beyond. Though I honestly doubt you have anything to worry about, Commander, we would like to at least not arm our prisoners, even accidentally."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi removes the nodachi from his back, holding it before him with a slight bow.

"There is no need to be so formal with me either, Captain. I'd prefer if you don't treat me like the Kido Commander, it just seems...stuffy. No one's going to disrepect one another here on purpose. We shouldn't be so cold to one another."

He lets a large puff of smoke out of his mouth, shifting the pipe in his mouth.

"I'm allowed to smoke though right?"

[tgva8889]

Taiki nods at Takeshi's comment. "Sorry, Takeshi. It's a habit, I suppose. Your pipe should be fine, though. So long as it doesn't have any hidden blades or anything in it."

Taiki hands the nodachi to the door guard, who carefully places it in a sword rack on the wall nearby. Motioning forward, Taiki walks to the door and presents a hand to the guards at the door.

"Please state your name and your business."

"Taiki Takahashi, here to visit Prisoner 666 with a guest."

One of them pulls a list from the wall and checks it for a moment, then replaces it.

"Please be prompt in your return. If you are gone for longer than an hour, sir, we will call the Execution Force."

"Keep up the regulations, Warden."

The door slides inwards, stone grinding against the dirt and stone around it. It then shifts to the side, opening to reveal a gaping darkness. Taiki walks in and takes one of the two torches from the wall before he holds an arm out wide to welcome Takeshi.

"Welcome to the Maggot's Nest, Takeshi. Not quite the same as an office, but it comes pretty close."

[Innis Cabal]

"It is...well, more organized then my own office."

Takeshi chuckles softly, shaking his head.

"It is a little dreary, but each to their own I suppose. You run a tight ship Captain, I will have to extend the favor and invite you to a tour of one of the Unit's facilities at some point for a demonstration. What can you tell me about Ex-Captain Hannibal, Captain?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Far, far within the hill, in the deepest and most forlorn tunnel, one unseated of the 10th walks forwards, carrying a tray full of various dishes. Cells around her are empty and filled with dust, having not been used for anything but storaging furniture for a decades.

Expect for one.

At the end of the corridor, in the cell farthest away from the exit and any important facilities of the Nest, there is one prisoner, locked behind specially reinforced bars. He is currently reading a book, lifting his eyes from it as he hears the warden's steps.

Technically, this prisoner is not allowed to hold books. Something about "possibly using it as a weapon". But the warden isn't going to report it - after all, she gave it to him.

"Ah, Nasumi-chan! Glad to see you! My, is it lunch-time already? I just never learn to keep track of time here in the darkness", Hannibal Magalhães greets from behind the bars, closing the book. "What delicous things do we have today?"

"Oh, just soup, as normal, Hannibal-san", the warden answer, kneeling to open a small hatch near the floor, before sliding the tray through it. Hannibal gets up from his bed and takes a few steps towards the bars, but stops when they start to hum omniously. The kido corps had been careful to give no leeway for the former captain to try anything funny.

"Just soup? Oh, don't be so harsh to yourself. You know I love your cookings, no matter what they are", Hannibal replies, kneeling himself and putting the book on the floor. After Nasumi has let go of the tray, he carefully reaches for it and drags it to himself. He then slides the book through the hatch, smiling to the girl.

"Thanks for loaning that. I'm sorry I caused you trouble, but Broken Sword never lets me have any fun here. Better you take it back before he pays his next visit", the trollish man says and smiles. "This was really nice of you."

"Oh, it wasn't anything", Nasumi answers as he picks up the book, blushing a little. "I too think it's a bit unfair you aren't allowed any entertainment. I'll promise to take it up with Takashi-taichou once my internship is over." She then rises up and turns to leave. Hannibal to stands up behind the bars, holding the tray in his rough hands. "I'll be back in an hour to fetch the tray, as usual. Itadakimasu!"

"You do that, gal, you do that", Hannibal mutters as Nasumi leaves. He returns to his bed and sits down, putting the tray on his lap. He waits untill Nasumi disappears into the shadows of the tunnel, before taking a sip of the soup... and putting it aside in disgust.

I can't believe that after all this time, they still serve this same tasteless goop, the former captain muses, face distorted in an ugly frown. And they still don't teach those whelps to cook properly. Or maybe they do this just to spite me.

In reality, the soup wasn't half bad... even though he hadn't said it to the girl, Nasumi had managed to screw up worse in the prison kitchen. But no matter how much he just wanted to yell at the poor girl, face red as a tomato, he'd learned long ago that being nasty to his guards would never solve anything.

Maybe, if he'd just continue acting like a good boy, they'd let him out. Maybe the central whatever would finally decide two hundred years was enough time for one person to spend rotting in jail.

Or maybe, they'd just continue to ignore him like they had for who knows how long.

I want out.

[tgva8889]

"I would love to see it, so long as you don't make me test my kido prowess to get in. I wouldn't want to mess up your hair."

Taiki leads Takeshi through a long and dark tunnel while he talks.

"He was Captain long before I was. Almost 400 years ago he started as the Captain of 11th. Crazy man, skilled but crazy. He was a genius in terms of zanjutsu, typical of the 11th. 200 years later he was imprisoned here by one of my predecessors and has been here ever since. Had something to do with an experiment of some kind, I think. Since I became Captain I have been meeting with him twice a month. Pretty good conversationalist, all things considered. I would say I was surprised, but to be honest Hannibal Magalhães never struck me as what you would call 'normal'. Most do not survive the Nest nearly as long as he has. In fact, from what I read, the reason he's where he is now is that he killed so many that they had to force him into a lone cell."

As he finishes, the walls on either side of them seem to disappear, replaced by pure darkness. Taiki kneels down and puts his hand to the ground, then stands up once again.

"Welcome to the center of Maggot's Nest."

He throws the torch, allowing it to fall out of view. For a moment, everything is shrouded in total darkness. Then, flames stream up the walls and illuminate the cavern. Cells line two round paths against the walls of the cylindrical tunnel. For miles down below, walkways of stone provide paths to visit any of the cells. Outside the cells not a soul but the Taiki and Takeshi seems to stir, but inside each cell two or three people sit against the wall, dressed in the white clothes of a prisoner.

"His cell is at the bottom. Would you like to take the fast way or the slow one?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi simply nods as he listens, looking about him as he walks through the gloom. He starts at the sudden light, shielding his eyes.

"The fast way, I have a feeling it will be more enjoyable then the slow way, Captain."

[tgva8889]

Taiki smiles at Takeshi's decision. "In that case, I hope you're not afraid of heights."

He walks to the edge of the rock path, looks over, then shunpos, appearing on a path almost ten below the top. He shouts up at Takeshi, "There's almost 50 floors. How fast can you go?"

(For any reading and possibly having trouble imagining what it looks like, each level has a circular path around it lined with cells with a single path lengthwise across and a passageway off to the side that is basically stairs to the next level down. There are a bunch of tunnels that branch off from this point, but this is the center.)

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi laughs loudly, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh dear...well...this should be interesting! I'll meet you down there then Captain!"

Takeshi shunpo's next to Taiki, covering his mouth weakly.

"I-I'm not well practiced with it, you understand, it makes me a little dizzy after prolonged uses if I go slow."

Takeshi continues to shunpo down, finalling falling to his hands and knee's at the bottom, retching before swallowing the bile back.

[tgva8889]

Despite Takeshi getting a slight head-start, Taiki is at the bottom before he gets there.

"Sorry to make you do something uncomfortable, Takeshi, but I'm horribly impatient. I've been told I can be a show-off sometimes, but I don't quite get where people get that from."

At the bottom, a large circular furnace at the center burns, with four streams of fire passing along the ground to the walls and sliding upwards. At this level, there are no cells, only three paths leading in different directions. A Shinigami passes from one of the tunnels to Taiki and bows his head.

"Sir. Is this Kido Commander Kitano Takeshi?"

"Yeah. He's with me. He'll be alright, though. Don't let us interrupt your duties."

The Shinigami nods, then returns to the hallway. "Central hallway as usual, sir."

Taiki nods. "Ready to go, Takeshi? Or do you need a moment? We can wait as long as you need."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi stands weakly, blinking as he notices the Captain already there before him.

"I had heard you were fast Captain..."

He then shakes his head, holding up a hand as he pulls the pipe from his lips.

"No no...please, let us be on our way...I'll be alright..."

[tgva8889]

Taiki looks concerned for a moment, but his face shifts back immediately to his normal smiling self. "Alright then. Let's move along, shall we?"

As the two enter the central hallway, the darkness seems to fade into a bright hallway, the light similar to a hospital in terms of brightness but seemingly coming from nowhere. The hallway stretches on and on. Taiki seems to increase his stride speed as he walks, passing by empty cell after empty cell as he moves towards his goal.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi falls behind Taiki, wiping the edge of his mouth with his sleeve before re-lighting his pipe, puffing at it slowly.

"He has a wing to himself Captain? A truly fearsome man..."

[Frozen_Feet]

Nasumi's walking from the opposite direction, and is startled by the sound of approaching steps. She clumsily hides the book behind her back, and when Taikia and Takeshi come to view, he turns her back against the all and bows.

"Ah, Takashi-taichou. Back to see Hannibal-san already? Pleasant to see you again", the girl says with a nervous smile on her face. She then notices Takeshi and blinks. "Um... and you sir are?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi extends a hand, rolling his sleeve away from his hand, bowing his head low.

"Takeshi, miss! You can call me Takeshi! Maybe you can tell me a little about Hannibal? I'd really like to know more about him."

[tgva8889]

Taiki smiles brightly. "Hello, Nasumi-chan! Please, you don't have to be so formal with me! I understand you're still an intern, but really, we Captains don't all expect such formality."

At Takeshi's straightforwardness, Taiki turns and says, "Takeshi, you really don't have to be so upfront with the girl. She's only been working here...what is it, a year now, Nasumi-chan?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Nasumi blinks again, the smile frozen on her face. She removes one hand from behind her back, and gives Takeshi a half-hearted handshake. She's then blushes when Taiki's words hit home. "I'm sorry, um, Takashi-taichou." She winces a bit she did the same mistake again. "It's just... we were taught to be like this in the academy."

"Ah, yes, it been a year already. Time flies by, doesn't it?", she continues, letting go of Takeshi's hand. "I'm sorry, but I doubt I have much more to tell you than good captain here..." Then her expression changes a bit, becoming more serious as she turns her head towards Taiki.

"Oh yes, Hannibal-san asked if it was possible for him to get some interesting reading down here. I have to agree with him, it must be very dreary down here in the dark... I don't know how he manages it, honestly... so could that be possible?" Whether or not she realizes it, she's giving Taiki hopeful puppy-dog eyes look.

[tgva8889]

Taiki looks closely at Nasumi as she talks, though he seems focused mentally elsewhere. He listens to her request, then pauses for a moment. Then, he holds out his left hand. "Can I have what you're holding behind your back first?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi watchs the display, smiling faintly.

"So he is fond of reading. That is something the good Captain did not note. Forgive my up front attitude on this regard, but it would help me with the bindings, Captain. Though I suppose I could ask him."

He glances at Taiki, smiling sweetly.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Eh?" the girl sputter, her eyes widening as her heart skips a beat. There's a brief moment of awkward silence, before the girl pulls the book from behind her back, her face deep red of embarasment and her gaze firmly aimed at her feet.

"I'm sorry. I know it's bad manner to read at work, but I quit at such and exciting chapter last night...", the girl mutters as she hands the book towards Taiki. It's some cheap novel about Mortals going to the moon with a rocket. After Taiki takes it, Nasumi lifts his eyes from the ground and looks Taiki straight into eyes, her face beaming with determination.

"I promise not to do it again!"

[tgva8889]

Taiki turns the book over in his hands for a moment, then looks at Nasumi again. "Just so you know, Nasumi, I generally don't appreciate it when I'm lied to." He pauses for a moment to put a stern look on his face, but then returns to his smiling face. "Please don't bring any more books to our prisoner without asking for permission ahead of time." He puts the book into the folds of his shihakusho. "I like you, so it's possible I would have granted your request." Smiling, he pats her once on the head before motioning at Takeshi to continue down the hall. "Please keep that in mind. Formalities don't mean a whole lot to me, but security is not such a thing. Shall we go, Takeshi?"

[Innis Cabal]

"Of course, I am eager to meet this man. Now more then ever, if he can endear a lady to smuggle books in for him."

Takeshi smiles warmly at the distraught girl, bowing low once more.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Nasumi. It would be an honor to have you come with Captain Taiki here to the Kido Corp grounds when he takes his tour. I hope to see you again sometime soon! Happy reading."

[tgva8889]

Taiki walks past Nasumi, smiling and waving behind him as he goes.

Ahead, one cell seems to shine more brightly than the others. As they approach it, Taiki slows his pace to a more normal one. He puts his hand between the bars and lets it bang against them as he gets closer to the bright cell.

"Oye! Hannibal! I'm here to see ya again!"

[Frozen_Feet]

Nasumi doesn't answer Takeshi - she's too busy feeling bad about herself. She hurries off without further words.

In his cell, Hannibal's holding the soup cup in his hands, desperately trying to feel hungry enough to actually eat the contents. He tilts his head to the side as he hears the loud bang from the tunnel.

"Ah! How yer doing, Broken Sword?", the large man bellows when Taiki and Takeshi finally appear in his line of sight. "I still wonder why exactly you bother entertaining me with your presence. You in love with me or what?" Hannibal puts the soup cup and the tray aside, again, and walks as near to the bars of his prison as possible. He then notices Takeshi.

"My my, new faces. Who's the kid?", the former captain petitions after cursory glance at the Kido Commander. He then gives a better look, and his eyes narrow as he notices Takeshi's pipe. "Hey, whelp, whatcha that thing you carry? Don't ya know smoking's bad for ye, whelp?"

[Innis Cabal]

"So is prison food, but you seem to be healthy, we have something in common then?"

Takeshi smiles, looking down at the sliding door that the soup had been passed through.

"I'm Takeshi, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I've come to check your bindings, and perhaps have a word or two with you? If you'd entertain a kid."

[tgva8889]

Taiki smirks. "I'll have you know, Takeshi, that I inspect the prison food myself. It's all made quite healthily by incredibly good chefs."

He pulls the book from his shihakusho and slides it through the hatch. "That's yours, Hannibal. Or, at least, you read it recently. Unless my information is faulty." Crossing to the right side of the cell bars, Taiki looks through the bars at Hannibal. "You know why I'm here. It's been two weeks since we saw each other last. I just wanted to make sure you had some company."

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal stares at the book for a moment before picking it up, giving a devilish grin to Taiki. "Geh heh heh... I was hoping I'd get this back. I quit at such an interesting point, the suspense would've drived me crazy. Well, crazier." His face then becomes more serious as he throws the book to his bed.

"Hope you didn't give poor Nasumi-Chan too much trouble. She's such a nice gal. Okay, so her cooking sucks ass and she ain't too bright, but don't tell her I said that." The hulkish man leans closer to the bars, their humming growing ever louder. Some sparks fly between them and the white, spiralling tattoos surrounding the ex-captain's eyes.

"So, I recall it's these damn bars you wanted to check? It's no big deal, really, geh heh, they've held me here for a good while now, I'm sure they'd hold just fine for another two centuries." Hannibal turns to the side and waves his hand as a dismissing gesture. "But hey, if you're so worried of me hauling my butt to that fancy pit to be beaten by all those guards, sure, get to work. I'll entertain you boys with a history lesson while you're at it. Maybe talking will make me hungry enough to down the goop, who knows."

"So, whatcha wanna hear?"

[tgva8889]

Taiki's face takes on a very serious look. "Why don't you start at the beginning for us?" He turns to Takeshi and nods, expecting him to get to work. "Let's start before you were arrested."

[Innis Cabal]

"The bars?"

Takeshi tilts his head, smirking.

"No no, the marks on your eyes. But a history lesson would be...most appreciated. Though I would ask we speak on that in private...if the Captain would be so kind. Today, I will keep you company."

[Frozen_Feet]

At the mention of his "arrest", Hannibal's face is taken over by a dull frown. "You really wanna dwell on that ugly incident. I'd rather talk about the weather outside, you know? Or that wacky bomb thing the Mortals... oh wait, that's old news."

Hannibal walks a few circles inside his cell, staring at the roof, before giving a curious glance to Takeshi. "Eh, if Broken Sword here just approves it, sure. But you better be damn careful with the tattoos. I don't want my head to explode, or something. And if you poke my eyes even once, I'll take that pipe of yours and shove it where sun won't shine, ye hear me?"

The ex-captain stops at the middle of his cell, his back turned to the visitors. For a moment, he's completely silent and seems to be thinking, before he glances over his shoulder with an irate expression. "Ye still there, Broken Sword? Let the whelp in, or whatever, and scram. I've got a story to tell."

"Now, lemme see, where should I begin..."

---

A bit over two hundred years ago, in 11th division head-quarters:

Hannibal Magalhães sits behind his desk, bored out of his wits. During his little hunting trip with the 13th, paperwork sure had piled up. Most of it was just routine bureaucracy, and he can't wrap his mind around the fact that his Vice-Captain hasn't already taken care of them. But then there was a request from academy...

Someone from 11th, it says, is needed to help the 6th out with training new academy recruits in close combat skills. The "usual trainer" it said, had Absence of Leave due to injury. Who the **** is the "usual trainer", Hannibal wonders, scratching his head. For a moment, he thinks about sending a hell butterfly to the VC, but the he remembers he accidentally squashed the last one left few days ago. It makes a tinge of guilt flash through his mind.

Eh heh he... shouldn't have gotten that angry just because one message, he muses. It wasn't the bug's fault... oh, who am kidding. Seems like I just need to do this the old fashioned way.

The captain rises from behind his desk and walks to the door of his office, bashing it open with so much force it's a wonder it doesn't break. "H I M U R A ! Where are ye? I need your opinion on something!"

[tgva8889]

Taiki looks at Takeshi. "Regulations. Sorry, friend, but I can't leave you here on your own. Whatever work you plan to do I can see, can't I?"

[Innis Cabal]

"Of course you can. But I would like to ask some questions that are sensitive to the Kido Corp. I mean no offense, but I am not certain it should be shared with the Gotei 13 just yet. Please excuse my rudeness Captain."

Takeshi waits patiently at the door, waiting to be let in.

[tgva8889]

Taiki scowls. "Hmph. Business as usual here in Sereitei. I will stand right here as per regulations. You can ask whatever you want. Chances are high I'll find out about whatever you end up asking if I want to anyways."

He puts a hand on the wall near the cell, closes his eyes, and focuses for a moment. A minute later, the cell bars click. "You can go. Just walk straight through."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi slips through the energy field, bowing to Hannibal. He offers the Captain only a single smile before turning to the murderer.

"Ex-Captain Hannibal? I am the current Kido Captain, I believe my previous Commander was the one to place these tattoo's on your face? To be honest, I really don't know what the hell she was doing, but I guess I'll give it a look."

He laughs, scratching the back of his head.

"Can I offer you a pipe Captain Hannibal?"

[tgva8889]

(The "doors" are not doors, but rather seem to be some kind of energy. Takeshi should be able to pass straight through them without having to open or close anything.)

[Boo]

200 years ago:

In the courtyard near Hannibal's office and voice, the one he called for was separating two shinigami in a spat. A clothesline and a mollywop later, and she arrived at the his door leaving the two on the ground for the dogs.

"Yes, Captain, what do you need?"

It would be obvious to Hannibal that there was a reserved resentment in her--Himura's voice. Standing in front of him with a straight back, and unflinching eyes aimed at his, she waited for his question.

((I wanted to correct your calling her Himara. =P))

EDIT: Deadtime for din din.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal lifts the scroll holding the academy request up with his left hand so Michiko can see it and points at it with a riled expression. "What's this thing on my desk?", he asks with a bemused voice. "I've told ye, woman, you don't need to bother me with this sorta things. Why didn't you just pass this to that Kinjo guy? Isn't he the go-to fellow in these things? You don't need me to whack him in the head to order him to go bully some kids." He's talking of the current 4th seat of the division.

"Come to think of it, where's that sucker been lately anyway?", the captain continues with a thoughtful frown of his face. "Haven't seen him around much. Is he slacking off or something?"

[Boo]

"Sir," Himura begins, slightly irritated that this detail was forgotten, "Kinjo is currently in the care of the Fourth Division. He was greatly injured during his last mission with you."

She glances at the scroll momentarily, moving her hand to it, motioning Hannibal to hand it to her. "I can take it to Yoshigo." The current 15th seat. "He is slacking."

"Today... I'll do it today..."

[Frozen_Feet]

"During the last mission, huh? That was frellin' months ago! The bastard's just afraid that I'll clobber him again for falling to that Hollow's stupid trick when he gets back", the captain growls, crumpling the scroll as he hands it over to Himura. "Okay, so I will clobber him, but that's besides the point. Wait for a second, I'll pick up my sword."

Hannibal goes briefly back to his office, lifting Espirito de Ferro from the wall and throws the sheath of the massive sword over his shoulder. "Okay, we're good. Lead the way, woman", he says with a strangely gleeful voice that does not bode weel for the poor Yoshigo. "Oh, whuzzat yer doing today? Do ye have something to tell me?"

[Boo]

Back in the good ol' days:

Taken aback that he heard her, Himura was only quick enough to reply with "Kido!" Her hands never could shape their proper form. "I'm trying to learn some kido... to demolish hollow more easily, and discipline our officers without difficulty." He'd approve of this much more easily than the truth in her words.

After his reply, if any, she led the way to Yoshigo. He was sitting in the shade, his sword in his left and a drink in his right. "Yoshigo! Drinks away. Captain..." he'll probably interrupt her, "...Magalhães is in need of your full attention."

A worried look crossed the seated officer's face for an instant, shifting to an obedient stare. "Captain!" He placed his drinking cup down along with his sword, all to clamour into a bow. "What will you have me do?" There was a fearful tremor present in his fingers, but he formed them into a fist, and pushed them into the earth.

[Frozen_Feet]

There's an angry tick in Hannibal's right eye as Yoshigo bows to him. "Dammit, boy, I told ye not to drink that stuff at work! It's bad manner!" The captain takes a step forward and grabs the man from the collar of his Shikahusho, lifting the man's head up to meet his the angry gaze of his purple eyes. "Open yer mouth! Now!"

The whole scene looks as if Hannibal is scolding a puppy dog rather than a grown man. It's given comedic tint by the fact that Yoshigo is notably larger than the man holding him. The 15th obediently opens his mouth and Hannibal sniffs his breath - considering he then hurls the officer a good two dozen feet away, the captain didn't appreciate what he smelled.

"Ye ain't getting paid for this day, whelp! And no day-offs in a month! Ye'll report to me four in the morning today, ye hear me!", Hannibal rages, pointing an accusing finger to Yoshigo, who picks himself up an hurries off muttering "Yes sir!" as he goes.

"He ain't fit for work", Hannibal mutters as he turns to face Himura again. "Can't let him in front of the kids - he'd just make buffoon outta himself, and the whole darn division. Uh, anyone else we could turn to?"

[Boo]

She watched as Yoshigo left, picking himself up with each step. Upon Hannibal's words and stopping, she responded. "Currently..." Himura took her time to answer, recalling mindfully of where each and every squad leader is, "all of our seated members, besides Yoshigo and Kinji, are on duty."

She made several steps into the shade, picking up the sword left by the tipsy slacker, and held it up to the hidden sun; the red of her gloves against the black of the case was lovely. Inspecting and unsheathing it, Himura half-glanced over at Hannibal. "I will go." She slashed the air with three swings in sudden succession. "The greens need to be grown properly, and I feel like working outside today." The sword was sheathed; shushed to a clack. "Is that acceptable, Captain?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal cringes at Himura's words. "Crud." He'd actually been hoping for this day for a long time but still, why, for pity's sake, this day had to be one when all the fight-happy imbeciles were doing their actual jobs? However, he's still surprised by Himura's offer.

"Huh? Don't ye have that training to do?", the captain questions, straightening his blood-stained haori. "I wouldn't wanna take that from you - it'd be nice if we had one person competent in good ol' blasty stuff, for a change. If there's really no-one else, I can take care of it myself." He holds out his hand and wriggles his fingers expectantly, waiting for Himura to give the scroll back.

"If ye get done ahead of time, ye can join me. I'll, er, lend one of those bugs to send you our location. Lets consider it a special treat for the kids, eh?"

[Innis Cabal]

Present Day

Takeshi shifts his pipe, smiling as he lifts his hands, blue arcs of lightning connecting to the tattoo's.

"Hmm...what a complex kido...Ex-Captain Hannibal, when my old Commander placed these on you, did she use needles? What was the incantation she used?"

The lightning grows brighter, white hot as it sizzles and spits sparks into the air.

"You don't have to answer that. Its not what the Kido Corp is interested in. Its your mask, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I want to hear about your mask. When you put it on, how do you feel? How do you feel when you take it off. What does the world look like through the eyes of yours when its on. I'd like to hear it in detail, if you would, Ex-Captain Hannibal. Can I offer you a drink? Do you drink? I have some sake with me, we shouldn't be so cold to one another."

[tgva8889]

Present Day

"*cough* I'm going to have to check the sake if you plan to give it to him." Taiki is still staring directly at Hannibal and Takeshi, not allowing a single movement to go unnoticed.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi pulls a large flask from his sleeve, throwing the container to Taiki.

"If you were thirsty Captain, you should have spoke up! Did you know the Kido Corp has just installed its newest brewing facility? Its -very- complex."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present day:

"Impatient young fellow. It's bad manner to interrupt us geezers telling a story, ye know", Hannibal grumbles as Takeshi begins his query. "Lemme see... well, the old lady just kinda punched me in the face. Don't recall what she said, for obvious reasons, eh heh. It was after I was already here, though."

When the ex-captain hears mention about his mask, his face darkens considerably. But when he hears about sake, he becomes outright angry.

"Sake? A whelp like ye? Clearly, yer parents didn't spank you hard enough! If you want to commit suicide that badly, I can murder ye on the spot!" The ex-captain turn slightly towards Takeshi, motioning wildly with his hands. "All Broken Sword here has to do is turn around. I promise, I'll make it quick'n'painless. Maybe."

He lets out a sigh, and lets his arms drop to his lap. "The mask thing . . . bah. Listen closely, and I'll tell you near the end. It's not something I like to talk about, you hear? Have to get warmed up at first. So bear with me, kiddo, will ya?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takseshi dosn't even flinch as Hannibal goes into his tirade, lifting his hand slowly.

"Calm down old timer, if you didn't want it, thats all you had to say. Don't worry about my health if your going to threaten it."

He laughs brightly, his eyes squinting shut as he continues to smile.

"I'll wait if its what you want. But I won't forget. You may not like answering it. But they'll be the most comfortable questions I'm going to ask. So lets call it prep huh?"

[tgva8889]

Taiki examines the container for a moment, looks up for a moment, then tosses it back through the field.

"It's fine. Make sure you toss that out here when you're done, Hannibal."

He keeps watch on Hannibal and Takeshi, not even reacting to comments towards him.

[Boo]

Back in the Good Ol' Days:

For several moments, the Vice Captain was unsure of what to do. She was very reluctant to let her captain teach the young ones in the way that he was: brutal; but she couldn't very well stop him. She wasn't prepared yet.

Her hand removed the scroll from her person, and tossed it to Hannibal. "Make sure to be careful with them." Quickly, she turned. "I'll finish the paperwork left over from the last mission before starting on my training today." Without waiting for a reply, she was gone with the wind, away from Hannibal.

It really was a nice day to be outside.

[Frozen_Feet]

Present day:

"Blah, blah, whatever you say, Broken Sword. Ye're the boss here."

"Now, where was I . . . ?"

---

Good Ol' Days:

Hannibal catches the scroll and blinks as Himura hurries off. What's wrong with her? Come to think of it, his Vice-Captain had been rather uptight lately. Maybe I should buy her flowers or something?, the befuddled captain thinks, scratching his head, before speeding away in a flash of Shunpo, making his way towards academy.

Lemme see... what should I teach the kids? Locks and throws would be good - I heard they neglect those because they "aren't useful in high-speed combat" or some other bullcrap. Heh heh... gotta make this day memorable for them.

[Innis Cabal]

Present Day

Takeshi steps out of the prison, breathing heavily, leaning his head against his knee's.

"The tattoo's are intensive...The manner of which they were created requires delicate care...do you have any skilled in Kido under your command Captain? I can, if able, give a pass to one of my own to come down here, if you permit."

[tgva8889]

(What blade? Didn't he hand it off at the entrance?)

Present Day

Taiki seems concentrated on Hannibal. "Yeah, that's fine. Just make sure to send the request my way so I can grant access."

[Innis Cabal]

((oops, forgot >.>))

Takeshi nods, holding out a piece of paper.

"If you could run that up and send it to the Kido Corp Grounds, I would really apperciate it Captain, I'm so very sorry to trouble you like this, but I can't leave my work here, I have a complex matrix going on at the moment. If I leave, his head might explode."

[tgva8889]

Taiki takes the paper and reads it closely, not responding to Takeshi until he finishes reading.

[Innis Cabal]

The paper seems to be quite offical, the lettering rather flowery, written by a clearly feminine hand.

Kido Commander calls for Unit 5 Member: Aekami Shiru, to report to the Maggots Nest immediatly, zanpakuto is to be left in the Corp Grounds. Matrix 7 must be activated before leaving Grounds

-Takeshi

[tgva8889]

Taiki sighs. "Fine, Commander. I'll have it taken care of." He opens a nearby cell door and closes it again, then waits a few minutes. Almost immediately, a shinigami runs down the hall to meet them. Before the newcomer can inquire, Taiki hands him the paper and says, "Get that to Aekami Shiru in the Kido Corp." The newcomer nods and runs back down the hallway.

"Hope you didn't have some urgent need to be rid of me."

[Innis Cabal]

"What ever for Captain? I trust anything I ask when he is done with his story, and this minor interruption will not leave this room. Please don't mistake me for my former associates Captain Taiki, I am not so secretive. The veil between the Kido Corp and the Gotei 13 is at the least an obstacle I hope to rectify in my term as the Commander of the Kido Corp. It is in our best interst we set aside petty squables and long standing rivalries to better Soul Society as a whole. Do you not agree Captain Taiki?"

Takeshi smiles softly, pulling another pipe from his sleeve before placing it in his mouth.

"In this desire, I hope we can bridge the gap ourselves, as men. Surely our respective forces will follow behind our example if they see us acting towards one another in charity."

[tgva8889]

Taiki leans stone-faced against the opposite wall.

"It's less my concern at the moment. I am here to do my job. The only visitors allowed to Hannibal Magalhães are those approved by me, and your recent induction did not allow me to do a full review on whether you would be trusted to make a visit. Thus, I am here to determine whether you will be allowed future visits or not."

He gets up and paces for a moment, waiting for Hannibal to continue with his interrupted story.

[Frozen_Feet]

Present day:

"Hey kiddo, I bet ye'd have easier time if ye smoked less and went out a bit more", the ex-captain chuckles in his cell while Takeshi catches his breath. "Bet ye'll have one foot in the grave already when yer half my age!"

The trollish man stops laughing and shifts uncomfortably as he hears the off-hand mention of his head exploding. "I swear, I'll come back to haunt ye if ye screw this up!" he shouts, but then looks to the side and scratches his chin. "Wait, we're all already dead . . . how would that work?"

Taiki's unfunny attitude doesn't go unnoticed by the old captain, either. "Awww, don't be such a spoilsport, Broken Sword. The kid's funny as a drunken lil' monkey . . . which he is, prolly . . . It'd be sad if he can't come to listen my babbling again 'nother time."

"Anyways, the next thing that happened . . ."

---

Good Ol' Days:

It doesn't take long for the 11th's Captain to reach the Shinōreijutsuin (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Shin%C5%8D_Academy). In few blinks of an eye, his Shunpo takes him before the ancient structure. He draws his lungs full of fresh and straightens his Shihakusho, then sighing deeply. The place brings a lot memories to his mind, many of them unpleasant. Bah! this isn't the time to get all sentimental! I've got a job to do!

Quickly, Hannibal marches to a small side entrance ordinarily meant for cleaners and other servants, the door slamming heavily to the side as he goes through it. It's fortunate it wasn't locked, otherwise it'd surely be in splinters now. Lemme see... where's the meeting room these days?

The academy, as one of the oldest and most heavily used buildings in Seireitei, is a curious mix of old and new. Some of the hallways and classes have stood in place since its founding 1900 years ago, while some wings have been closed or demolished, added or renovated due to natural disaster or, sometimes, problematic students. Eh heh heh... I wonder if Old Man would still hold a grudge for that blown-up alchemy class...

Despite the changes in structure, Hannibal's feet guide him without hesitance to the old teacher's meeting room. Unfortunately, it no longer serves that purpose, instead having been fitted to be another lecture class. Two students, under supervision of an older Shinigami, are mopping the floor. They give Hannibal a puzzled look as he barges in. What is a Captain doing here?

"Ah, hi there, kids", Hannibal says, with an embarrassed grin on his face. "Mind telling this fellow where yer teachers are? It's been a while since I've been here, I can't find my way around anymore."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Olden Times

The older Shinigami looked up, and the recognizable of face of Horigome Chinatsu peaked out from under her tightly wrought bun of Snow White hair. The former captain chuckled lightly at Hannibal.

"Depends on who you are looking for, Captain Hannibal. It could, in theory, even include me."

Chinatsu sighed. One of the nicer things about no longer leading the 4th was not having to deal with the 11th and its constant barrage of bruises, broken arms, and other injuries. She couldn't imagine what brought him to the academy, but was certain it would be loud, noisy, and destructive of whatever breakable things were around (desks, tables, filing cabinets, other Shinigami.)

"So what brings you by the academy?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Ah, Horigome-Sama! Haven't see ye around in a while, haven't I? How ye're doing?", Hannibal exclaims as recognition dawns upon him. Hannibal had visited the 4th no small number of times, and in time had grown a grumbling respect for the old lady before her retirement.

"I was looking for the teacher's cabinet", he says, showing the scroll in his hand. "Heard they need someone to bully . . . er, teach the kids in ye fine art of kil . . . close combat. Since my Vice-Captain is busy, I came myself. Hope I ain't late already, eh heh."

One of the students, a small girl with blonde hair and face full of freckles, gives the ogrish captain a stupefied glance. "Close combat? That's what we'll have next!", Yamamoto Sayuri "whispers" to the other student with a bright face. "We'll have a captain teaching us! Sugoi!"

[Tackyhillbillu]

BACK TO THE PAST

Chinatsu's face dropped at little as Hannibal revealed his plan. It would take hours to clean up after the mess he could make. Chinatsu would have to speak to whoever let him find out about it. Chinatsu had gotten very good at making 'speak' quite scary.

"I'm doing well, in the same place I have been for the past 100 years. It seems most have forgotten about me, which was exactly the way I wanted it. If only I could get my former Vice Commander to do the same."

Chinatsu sighed. She'd heard poor Sayuri speaking. She had no idea what she was in for. Well, Chinatsu was always a fan of letting experience teach when it could.

"Follow me. I'll show you the way."

Chinatsu turned to the two students, her face smiling. Chinatsu always smiled toward the academy students. Even when she was about to break a bone and reset it.

"Sayuri, take charge here. Get this room clean, and then get moving. You won't be excused if you are late."

Chinatsu nodded, walking out the door. If Hannibal was paying attention, he'd be to see the Kodachi that was the sealed form of her Zanpaktou. She hadn't stopped carrying it, even if she had retired.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal happily lets Chinatsu show him the way, whistling annoyingly as they make way through the academy. Some students pass them by, hurrying to other parts of the academy where the more specialized classes are held. Hannibal notes many are headed for the court yard of the academy - maybe he'd hold his lessons there?

"Ye know, I've been missing ya, Horigome-Sama", he says after ending the tune, "That pal ye put in charge, never liked him much. Never seems to do anything. Reminds me way too much of my own divisioners. Never got, what did ye see in that slacker?"

[Tackyhillbillu]

Good ole days

Chinatsu showed no reaction to Hannibal's whistling. She never would have made it as Captain of the 4th if she let little things like that bother her. Chinatsu was indeed leading him to the courtyard, glad that it is there. Other then his
'students' there were relatively few breakable items out there. At his complaints about Ude, Chinatsu chuckled, and turned, smiling enigmatically.

"If you would like to complain about Captain Norreni Udeoshi, there is a box on my desk. Squish down the other suggestion slips. I'm sure you can make room."

Chinatsu didn't defend Ude. That was his job, even if like most other similar task, he evaded doing it. She had hopes that he would shape up someday, but she doubted she would live to see it.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

The captain shrugs at the old lady's smile. "Oh well, I guess you had your reasons. At least he's managed to get others to run things for him. As long as my mooks keep getting back to their feet, I think I can spare him from clobbering."

As the two walk past a row of large windows, Hannibal gets a good look of his forthcomings trainees. Curiously, there are some graduated Shinigami among them, much more than usual. Hannibal narrows his eyes as he notes their badges.

"Aren't those fellas from the 13th?", he questions Chinatsu as they close to the exit. "What are they doing here?"

[Tackyhillbillu]

The Halcyon Days of Olde

Chinatsu chuckled at Hannibal's notion of sparing Ude. She would be interested to see them go at it. Ude would lose in the end, but she very much doubted that the fight would go the way Hannibal expected. At Hannibal's question, she shrugged, electing to play dumb.

"Why don't you ask them, Captain Hannibal. I'm just a simple nurse and instructor in the Healing Arts."

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Fine enough, I guess", Hannibal mutters as a reply as they step to the courtyard. The weather is indeed perfect for training outside. The captain unravels the scroll and walks to one of the 13th divisioners, asking what's the plan for the day. Apparantly, after some warming up the group shall be taken to a Senkai gate, and transported to Mortal World for training with captured Hollows. Chinatsu is left free to return to her duties, should she have any.

As the 11th's captain keeps chatting with the guardian Shinigami, Sayuri and the other student from before slip to the yard and take their place in the ranks. Most of the students are already standing in orderly formation, though some in the back rows are still chatting casually, confident their new instructor won't notice.

"Hour and a half before we leave? Eh, a little short time if ye ask me", Hannibal grumbles to the guard Shinigami. "I'll see what I can manage. Anything else I ought to know?"

[Terry576]

[Past: Patrol]

Karite glances at Hannibal in awe. He'd never expected to go on a patrol with the captain of the eleventh, it was unthinkable.

"Well, according to what's been going on in the Mortal World recently, there've been some massive spikes of Reiatsu in the district. Everyone else thinks it's just a bunch of Hollows gathering together, but I think..."

His eyes flash and he grins mischievously.

"I think it's a higher grade of Hollow, one we've never seen before. That's pretty much it Captain Hannibal."

[Krazddndfreek]

Past:

Shirakawa Kiku smiled as Sayuri filed in next to her. "Sayuri-chan, you were very nearly late." she said in a mock authoritative tone.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Ah, I see. So that's why so many of ye suc... er, security are around", Hannibal grumbles, before cheering up. "Oh well. Between ye and me, we can send any Hollow running with tail between its legs. The students are in good hands, eh heh."

Meanwhile, Sayuri leans closer to Kiku and starts whispering to the older girl's ear. "Did you notice that? A captain's going to teach us! We saw him when we were cleaning the class with Horigome-sama! This is going to be so~ cool !"

"Hey, you there! Shut yer trap!", the captain suddenly bellows, back still turned to the students, causing Sayuri to almost jump in the air from shock. Slowly, Hannibal turns, pointing an accusing finger towards the back row. "Yes, ye lil' miss there! Yer voice could wake the dead! No speakin' in line!"

Putting his hands behind his back, the captain strolls back an forth in front of the students, narrowing his eyes as he studies the group. "Of course, it ain't like some didn't need waking up. Someone smack that beanpole in the midlle row for me", Hannibal snarls, making a swiping motion towards one of the taller male students, who seems to be happily napping despite standing up.

"Okay, listen up kids. Name's Captain Magalhães. I'm here from the 11th, to teach you some basic tricks in hurtin' things. We'll mainly focus on our bare hands this time 'round, so ye can put those kitchen knives aside."

"We're gonna do some warm up first - some lighthearted grapplin' and sparrin'. Then, once we're done with that . . . we'll make little sight-seeing trip to the outside world, courtesy of these good fellows here." Hannibal turns around and beckons to the 13th divisioners, before facing the students again. "Now, pick pairs for yerselves, someone roughly the same size. Hurry! We ain't got whole day!"

[Terry576]

Karite glares at Hannibal after he hears him narrowly avoid "suckers".

He then steps forward, and stands casually, watching the children fight. He quickly grows bored and glances at the Captain of the Eleventh.

"So Captain, I hear you like a good fight. Care to spar?"

[Krazddndfreek]

"Yeah, I know, I can't wait!" Kiku said and grinned. After Captain Magalhães said they'd be sparring, she groaned, "Are you serious? I don't want to do sparring. I want to go kill hollows. Whatever. Sayuri-chan, lets do this." She smiled as she finished and would begin sparring.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal gives Karite a curious glance. "Ye want to fight too, eh? Well, I'll see about that, but first, lets check how the kids are doing. Come with me." The captain beckons the 13th divisioner to follow, and starts strolling among the students. The students have spread all over the courtyard, with faster students speeding from one end to another in wild chase of each other. One of them is making a hasty retreat from his opponent, and almost runs against the captain; instead of moving out of the way, Hannibal shifts a little and trips the hapless sparrer, the student letting out a surprised yelp before he hits the ground, hard.

"Stay alert! Mind yer surroundings!", the captain bellows to the crowd. "Focus too much on yer opponent, and ye'll get cornered in no time! In real fight, losing picture of the battlefield will get ye killed!"

After his little advice, the captain continues his stride, making his way to Kiku and Sayuri, one of the more static pairs amongts the students. Sayuri is doing a beautiful job at losing to Kiku, though it has little to do with the older girl's technique and all to do with her being taller.

"Whatcha think yer doing?", Hannibal questions, looming over the sparring girls and eyeing them angrily. Compared to them, he looks positively huge. "You can forget fightin' with Hollows if that's the best ye can do, gals. Stop and listen to me for a moment."

First, Hannibal points at Kiku. "Ye. Ye ain't putting enough in yer punches. That ineffectual flailing of yers, only gonna scare a smaller opponent. You've seen them Hollows, gal? Bigger than us, damn near all of them. You ain't gonna land a single hit like that."

"And ye . . .", the captain continues, turning towards Sayuri, "Ye can't just keep dawdling at the edges of yer foe's reach. That only gonna get slapped silly. Ye gotta close the distance fast, get inside their defence so they can't hit you. Like this." The captain nods slightly towards Karite... before closing with him in one sudden step, his left hand reaching for Karite's shoulder to pull him closer while his right hand shoots a rapid upside-down punch towards his gut.

[Terry576]

Karite grimaces at the punch, but grins anyways.

"Well. That was quite a punch. But how's this?"

Karite draws back his fist in a strange motion, and it suddenly rushes towards Hannibal's jaw.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Hyah!"

Hannibal drops the hand on Karite's shoulder, sweeping aside his punch and grabbing his wrist. His punching hand darts upwards, grabbing Karite from the throat. With a quick leg sweep, Hannibal unbalances his adversary and sends him to the ground by pulling his arm and pushing his head simultaneously.

"Ye can't load yer punches like that! Leaves you wide open!", the captain growls. "Get up!"

[Terry576]

((Sorry for not posting, jailbreaking my PSP to play GBA and SNES games. :smallamused:))

Karite gets up, and begins to mutter something, closing his eyes and holding his hands in front of him.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Hey! No wacky magic stuff!", the captain growls. "Tis a close combat class! Chant something, and I'll put yer head through the wall there!" He then turns back to the girls, though still keeping Karite visible in the corner of his vision.

"Ye see, gals? Ye gotta put more feel to it. Otherwise, the Hollows' gonna eat your right up." Sayuri is looking fervently at the captain, nodding in agreement with is words. Whether she's actually learning anything from them is another matter entirely.

[Terry576]

Karite gives Hannibal a close-lipped grin.

"Y'see, the thing is.."

Karite picks up his sword, and releases it.

"It's not so much magic as it is my zanpakuto. After all, most of the students prefer Zanjutsu anyway. They claim it's 'easier'."

He waits for Hannibal to finish his speech, rather than attacking him.

[Zerkai]

[Past]

There was a student that stood over six feet in height, with short messy red hair and his face hidden behind a metal mask with a black visor. His uniform was mission it's sleeves, looking like they had been torn off.

Despite having the reach advantage over his opponent and larger build, he didn't fight very aggressively. He did keep close to his opponent though, swinging occasionally to make the other student backpedal. While the other student went on the offensive against the redhead, the masked student stood his ground, knocking away any punches thrown and bringing his arm up to block a kick aimed for the side of his head. Fighting defensively, the student named Kenichi seemed to stop bothering to strike back or counter-attack.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal's purple eyes flare as Karite picks up his sword. Hot-headed fellow, ain't ye? The sudden surge of Reiatsu doesn't go unnoticed by the students; many turn to watch, curious of what's happening. This doesn't sit well with the captain.

"Hoi! Whatcha gawking at?", he bellows to the onlookers, making a shooing motion with his hands. "Warm up ain't done yet! No pauses! If yer opponent stops to look elsewhere, kick them in the ribs!" He then turns back to Karite, tapping his foot and crossing his arms on his chest.

"Of course it's easier to hit someone with a sharp stick than your hands. That's why we're practicing this - too many Shinigami die because they rely on their swords overmuch", the captain explains, turning to leave and putting his hands behind his back. He nods at Karite, beckoning him to follow once more. Before walking away, he glances over his shoulder and speaks to the girls again.

"Ye gals, get to sparrin'. I've taken up enough of yer time already", he says. Sayuri jumps into attention and bows quickly, her eyes burning with enthusiasm. "Yes, taichou-sama!"

The captain starts walking back towards the Academy entrance, stopping to watch Kenichi's spar for a moment. "Ye still sleeping inside that mask, beanpole?", he snarks, noting how the tall lad is constantly staying on the defensive. "Ye can't just jump around and hope to outlast yet enemy! Take iniative and strike! Ye ain't gonna end a fight by just blocking!"

---

Meanwhile, Sayuri snaps out of it and darts at Kiku, trying to get a quick jab in. "Ha!"

[Terry576]

Karite sighs and sheathes his sword, proceeding to follow the Captain.

"My apologies Captain Hannibal. I get rather... temperamental when I'm sparring. Please accept my utmost apologies."

Karite bowed slightly towards Hannibal.

[Krazddndfreek]

"Hai, taicho." Kiku said, not nearly as enthused as Sayuri. She had barely enough time to react to the jab, and quickly took a back step and blocked the attack. She and threw a couple of quick jabs to keep her distance from Sayuri and grinned. "Trying to impress the captain?" she teased.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Eep!", Sayuri yelps as Kiku punches her, almost falling on her butt as she stumbles back. Blushing paints her freckled face bright red when she manages to regain her balance.

"Don't mock me, Kiku-chan!", she replies to the teasing, trying to hold her hands in defence. "You heard taichou! Hollows will get us if we don't train! This is serious business!"

---

Hannibal watches Karite from the corner of his eye as he makes his apology. There is a familiar flame in his eyes, reminding him of the rookies of the 11th, fresh out of the academy, thinking they had one up on their superiors. But Karite is no rookie - the captain sees it in his demeanor, felt it when he drew his sword.

"Apology accepted. At ease", he replies. "Getting carried away by battle is normal - heck, I tend to do that m'self. But ye got to mind the kids. We know how to fend for ourselves, but they don't. They gotta learn before we let them out alone, and teaching 'em is my duty."

The captain continues his stroll, taking off his haori. When they get back to the entrance, he takes Espirito de Ferro off his back, wraps the haori around it and places it against the wall. There's a mournful feeling emanating from the blade, as if it is sad for being put aside.

"Say, how old are ye?"

[Krazddndfreek]

"You can't improve that much from a quick warm up. Besides, if you get caught by a hollow," Kiku replied then quickly threw a feint at her face then followed with a lower attack, "the captain can always come and rescue you, right? Alright I'll stop, but seriously, you should have seen your face when he talked to you." she giggled then halted her assault ready to deflect the next attacks with her palms open.

[Frozen_Feet]

Sayuri barely manages to evade Kiku's blow by jumping backward. Her face is so red, one would expect steam to rise from it. "I don't want to be some damsel in distress! I'll become so strong I won't need saving!", she cries, before launchig a furious flurry of blows against Kiku.

[Zerkai]

Kenichi's head turned slightly in Hannibal's direction when he was adressed, before blocking a fist aimed at the side of his head with his left forearm. This time though, his arm wrapped around his opponent's, holding it in a tight grip under his arm while at the same time swinging his right fist and sinking it into the other boy's gut.

The force of the blow to seemed to knock the wind out of the smaller boy, but Kenichi followed up, keeping the boy's arm trapped as he delivered two more blows to his sparring partner's solar plexus. On the third strike, Kenichi's hand didn't pull back, instead grabbing the smaller boy's uniform, letting go of his arm and pulling him into a sudden metal masked headbutt to the face, knocking his opponent to the ground.

When his opponent didn't get back up from the somewhat brutal assault, Kenichi nudged him with his foot silently.

[Innis Cabal]

Present Day

Takeshi had made his way back into the cell, his eyes belaying the great ammount of concentration he was pulling to the forfront for this specific task. Sweat flowed in rivers down his face, his small frame quaking violently as bands of energy ripped around the room silenty, the tattoo's on Hannibal's face glowing a deep crimson.

"Your state is quite interesting Hannibal. The Kido used here are Hado...wrapped in some complex Bakudo...I've never seen anything like it before in my life. Your very special, Ex-Captain Hannibal. A question, if I may. You'd gut me if you were out...why care if I smoke or drink? Surely thats not a concern for you."

[Terry576]

Past:

"Eep!", Sayuri yelps as Kiku punches her, almost falling on her butt as she stumbles back. Blushing paints her freckled face bright red when she manages to regain her balance.

"Don't mock me, Kiku-chan!", she replies to the teasing, trying to hold her hands in defence. "You heard taichou! Hollows will get us if we don't train! This is serious business!"

---

Hannibal watches Karite from the corner of his eye as he makes his apology. There is a familiar flame in his eyes, reminding him of the rookies of the 11th, fresh out of the academy, thinking they had one up on their superiors. But Karite is no rookie - the captain sees it in his demeanor, felt it when he drew his sword.

"Apology accepted. At ease", he replies. "Getting carried away by battle is normal - heck, I tend to do that m'self. But ye got to mind the kids. We know how to fend for ourselves, but they don't. They gotta learn before we let them out alone, and teaching 'em is my duty."

The captain continues his stroll, taking off his haori. When they get back to the entrance, he takes Espirito de Ferro off his back, wraps the haori around it and places it against the wall. There's a mournful feeling emanating from the blade, as if it is sad for being put aside.

"Say, how old are ye?"



Karite thinks for a little while.

"Err... I've been a Shinigami for about a hundred or so years. But, I think that I'm in my four hundreds. It's funny really, I'm one of the few Shinigami who actually died rather than just being born here..."

Karite continues walking, with a faraway look in his eyes, and a slight smile on his face.

"You would've liked where I lived Captain. It was a beautiful city, and every morning I got to wake up to the sounds of the birds and the sea..."

[Krazddndfreek]

Sayuri barely manages to evade Kiku's blow by jumping backward. Her face is so red, one would expect steam to rise from it. "I don't want to be some damsel in distress! I'll become so strong I won't need saving!", she cries, before launchig a furious flurry of blows against Kiku.

Ducking and slapping her fists out of the way, Kiku was being put on the defensive now and was taking step by step back. "Well then you'd best get started, because you aren't going to save anyone flailing your arms around like that!" she said playfully.

[tgva8889]

Present Day:

Taiki seems to still be concentrating on the two in the cell, but his head moves slightly at mention of Karite in the flashback. Through his listening to the story, however, Taiki allows himself to smile.

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:


"Your state is quite interesting Hannibal. The Kido used here are Hado...wrapped in some complex Bakudo...I've never seen anything like it before in my life. Your very special, Ex-Captain Hannibal. A question, if I may. You'd gut me if you were out...why care if I smoke or drink? Surely thats not a concern for you."

"Huh? Why'd ye think I'd gut ye if I got out?", the captain asks, befuddled. "Believe me, if I got out of this stinkin' hovel, I'd have much better things to do than beating lil' monkeys like you. Like swimming - not that I was ever any good at that, but still . . . "

"But why it concerns me . . . do ye know, whelp, how much it irks me when those who've got freedom use it for stupid things?" The ex-captain would very much like to turn to look Takeshi angrily in the eyes, but the fear of his brains being fried should he twitch a muscle makes him stay put. "I know I'm not exactly a role model for wise behaviour, but there's no reason others have to be as stupid as me."

"Ye might think ye'll stay dandy forever, kiddo, but if ye keep drinkin' n 'smokin' like that, ye'll burn yerself out", the inmate lectures, "Ye think this prison's bad? How about when yer body becomes one? All it needs is for ye to get in a fight while drunk and break that thin neck of yers."

---

Past:

Karite thinks for a little while.

"Err... I've been a Shinigami for about a hundred or so years. But, I think that I'm in my four hundreds. It's funny really, I'm one of the few Shinigami who actually died rather than just being born here..."

Karite continues walking, with a faraway look in his eyes, and a slight smile on his face.

"You would've liked where I lived Captain. It was a beautiful city, and every morning I got to wake up to the sounds of the birds and the sea..."

"Four hundred years, you say?", the captain asks and raises and eyebrow. He turns to face Karite, chuckling slightly. The 13th divisioner looks no older than 17, barely a grown man. The contrast to the ogrish, battle-hardened captain is stark.

"Funny thing. Ain't much older m'self. But I don't really think of the past these days - ol' days, most have gotten lost in the haze for me." His eyes glaze a bit as he puts his hand behind his back again. "Still miss the sea sometimes, though."

Then, the captain notices something behind Karite, and rumbles past him, bellowing from the top of his lungs. "Hoi! Dying's not allowed here! If you die, I gonna kill you m'self!" He quickly makes it to where Kenichi's partner lies on the ground and hoists the stunned student back to his feet.

Fortunately, the student hasn't suffered anything worse than a bleeding nose. He's coming back to it already, blinking his eyes in confusion. Hannibal looks up at Kenichi, trying to meet his eyes. What's up with that damn mask?

"Seems you took my advice to heart, eh, beanpole?", the captain says to Kenichi, a devilish grin spreading on his face. "That was some fine fightin'. But take it a lil' easier now, so I don't have to fetch Horigome-sama to patch this fellow back together. She'd kill me for it, or worse." Once he's sure the other student can stand on his own, he lets go of his collar, and prepares to leave, nodding at Kenichi.

---


Ducking and slapping her fists out of the way, Kiku was being put on the defensive now and was taking step by step back. "Well then you'd best get started, because you aren't going to save anyone flailing your arms around like that!" she said playfully.
"Ha! I'll show you!", Sayuri screams, annyoed how easily Kiku-chan is blocking her strikes. Out of the blue, she lifts he right leg up and aims a fast straight kick at the older girl's chest.

[Innis Cabal]

Present:


"Huh? Why'd ye think I'd gut ye if I got out?", the captain asks, befuddled. "Believe me, if I got out of this stinkin' hovel, I'd have much better things to do than beating lil' monkeys like you. Like swimming - not that I was ever any good at that, but still . . . "

"But why it concerns me . . . do ye know, whelp, how much it irks me when those who've got freedom use it for stupid things?" The ex-captain would very much like to turn to look Takeshi angrily in the eyes, but the fear of his brains being fried should he twitch a muscle makes him stay put. "I know I'm not exactly a role model for wise behaviour, but there's no reason others have to be as stupid as me."

"Ye might think ye'll stay dandy forever, kiddo, but if ye keep drinkin' n 'smokin' like that, ye'll burn yerself out", the inmate lectures, "Ye think this prison's bad? How about when yer body becomes one? All it needs is for ye to get in a fight while drunk and break that thin neck of yers."

Takeshi simply stands grinning through the lecture, seeming to hang off every word.

"That does make sense, Ex-Captain Hannibal. Its true, that perhaps in time my body will turn on me. That my vices will eat me from the inside out. But there's a problem in your thinking."

Takeshi lowers his arms to his side, the air still thrumming with energy. It seemed the hand movements were simply for show.

"You think I don't know this. Your talking to me like I haven'y accepted such a fate. You think I'm free. But aren't we tied down by the whims of others? Arn't we connected to a network of other souls, other people who demand of us things? And we're beholden to them, Ex-Captain Hannibal, we can't tell them no. Surely even you had someone in your life, even now, who would die for you if you asked."

He shrugs, removing the pipe from his mouth, tapping it against his hand.

"I cannot stop these vices. We each possess a monster inside of us. You wear it on the outside of your skin. But many of us are not so lucky to show the world that darkness that sits within us. That consumes us when we're not watching. I wasn't even born when you were put here Ex-Captain Hannibal, but I know a great deal about you. Ever since I was promoted to the seat of Vice Commander of the Kido Corp, I was interested in meeting with you. The Seated Officer before me scolded me quite a bit. They'd tell me not to study the dead. But I was interested in meeting the man who could show his full honest face to the world. But I digress."

Takeshi's eyes flick to meet Hannibals, his smile spreading.

"If I came to you hiding all my vices. How could I say I met a man honestly? Even if you think I waste this freedom, Ex-Captain Hannibal...I say your wrong. I merely move within my cell, flex my chains, and bare the scars and stains of that dark pit inside me for all to see. You'll just laugh at this all of course...I don't expect you to even give me one ounce of credit. But we are both the same. Walking around in the prison we ourselves make."

[horngeek]

Past:

As a brown-haired man watches, a small girl stands next to him, watching the training with interest. "Dad, why is a Captain here?"

He chuckles, and ruffles her hair. "He's here to help with the training of the students, so they know how to do hand-to-hand combat better. All right, Natsuko?"

She thinks about this for a moment, then nods.

[Terry576]

Present:
Past:


"Four hundred years, you say?", the captain asks and raises and eyebrow. He turns to face Karite, chuckling slightly. The 13th divisioner looks no older than 17, barely a grown man. The contrast to the ogrish, battle-hardened captain is stark.

"Funny thing. Ain't much older m'self. But I don't really think of the past these days - ol' days, most have gotten lost in the haze for me." His eyes glaze a bit as he puts his hand behind his back again. "Still miss the sea sometimes, though."

Then, the captain notices something behind Karite, and rumbles past him, bellowing from the top of his lungs. "Hoi! Dying's not allowed here! If you die, I gonna kill you m'self!" He quickly makes it to where Kenichi's partner lies on the ground and hoists the stunned stunned back to his feet.

Fortunately, the student hasn't suffered anything worse than a bleeding nose. He's already coming back to it already, blinking his eyes in confusion. Hannibal looks up at Kenichi, trying to meet his eyes. What's up with that damn mask?

"Seems you took my advice to heart, eh, beanpole?", the captain says to Kenichi, a devilish grin spreading on his face. "That was some fine fightin'. But take it a lil' easier now, so I don't have to fetch Horigome-sama to patch this fellow back together. She'd kill me for it, or worse." Once he's sure the other student can stand on his own, he lets go of his collar, and prepares to leave, nodding at Kenichi.

Karite stares at the events that just occured, shell shocked by what Hannibal had just done. He waits for Hannibal to return, and asks him a simple question.

"Captain? Why are you coming on patrol with us? Sure there're more Hollows then normal, but I haven't seen anything to warrant a captain helping us."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

Hannibal's expression becomes increasingly acidic as Takeshi rants. "Pffft. Ye talk as if ye'd know a damn thing what ye're talking about, boy. If ye're so inclined to shackle yerself, I guess Broken Sword can arrange a cell for you. Of the nice, padded kind."

"And 'bout stopping yer vices . . . yes ye can. Determination can take ye through solid stone. Don't think resignation makes ye any better - any half-wit can stop tryin' and excuse himself with some philosophical bull****. More often than not, it's just laziness. Real men grab themselves by the nads and grow a spine."

"Ye think I'd still be here if I'd given up?"

---

Past:

"I, er, ran out of underlings", the captain answers, his grin taking on shades of embarrassment. "I doubt ye'd really need me to take the kids on a picnic, but there ye go. Though my dear Vice Captain might entertain us with her charming presence once she's done with blasting stuff."

[Krazddndfreek]

"Ha! I'll show you!", Sayuri screams, annyoed how easily Kiku-chan is blocking her strikes. Out of the blue, she lifts he right leg up and aims a fast straight kick at the older girl's chest.

Kiku wasn't ready for it and tried to deflect the kick with both her arms, but it was too fast and too close. "OOOF!" Kiku grunted in shock, and fell to the floor.

[Terry576]

"I, er, ran out of underlings", the captain answers, his grin taking on shades of embarrassment. "I doubt ye'd really need me to take the kids on a picnic, but there ye go. Though my dear Vice Captain might entertain us with her charming presence once she's done with blasting stuff."

Karite grins knowingly at the Captain.

"I saw Kinjo hiding out in a tree a while back. Funnily enough, he told me not to tell you. Something about "I hired someone to pose as me in the Fourth.""

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:


Kiku wasn't ready for it and tried to deflect the kick with both her arms, but it was too fast and too close. "OOOF!" Kiku grunted in shock, and fell to the floor.

Sayuri's sudden success washes the red away from her face, a smug "I told you so" smile quickly coming to its place. The short girl quickly takes few steps backwards as to not leave room for counter. "Tee-hee! Got you, Kiku-chan!"

---


Karite grins knowingly at the Captain.

"I saw Kinjo hiding out in a tree a while back. Funnily enough, he told me not to tell you. Something about "I hired someone to pose as me in the Fourth.""
Hannibal's grin quickly fades in favor of an ugly frown and angry tick in his right eye. "Ye jest", the captain mutters, but it doesn't stop him from taking a quick glance at every tree nearby. "Months my ass . . . I'll clobber him so bad he ain't coming back for a year . . ."

However, the trees are empty. If Kinjo was there, he probably realized being so close to his captain was not a good choice as far as living a long and healthy life was considered. Shrugging, Hannibal starts walking toward the middle of the courtyard. "Ye can draw your sword again. Ye gonna need it soon."

[Terry576]

Karite shrugged and followed Hannibal, unsheathing his sword as he walked.

"What for?"

[Krazddndfreek]

Past:
Sayuri's sudden success washes the red away from her face, a smug "I told you so" smile quickly coming to its place. The short girl quickly takes few steps backwards as to not leave room for counter. "Tee-hee! Got you, Kiku-chan!"


One second Kiku was down and holding her chest, the next, she was sweeping her leg around and doing a spin up to regain a standing position while tripping Sayuri. "That packed quite a punch." she said and grinned as she assumed a stance.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Karite shrugged and followed Hannibal, unsheathing his sword as he walked.

"What for?"

The captain doesn't answer. Instead, he raises his hands above his head and claps them together, demanding attention from the students. "Stop!", he bellows. "Face your partner! Bow!"

It seems the warm-up's done. "Okay, kids! Form a circle around me and this lad here!", Hannibal keeps shouting, motioning wildly with his arms as the students turn to watch. "Keep a good distance, so all can see, and so we won't hit anyone by accident! Hurry!"

---


One second Kiku was down and holding her chest, the next, she was sweeping her leg around and doing a spin up to regain a standing position while tripping Sayuri. "That packed quite a punch." she said and grinned as she assumed a stance.
Kiku hits Sayuri in the knee, but the smaller girl manages to retain her balance. She eyes Kiku fiercily, before the captain's clapping steals her attention. "Hmm?", she mumbles as she instinctively turns to look at him, before quickly snapping her head back so Kiku can't get in any cheap blows.

[Krazddndfreek]

Kiku's head turned as the captain made his announcement, then turned back to Sayuri. She made no body movements of any intention to attack. She gestured towards the quickly growing circle and said, "Shall we?"

[horngeek]

Natsuko looks up at her dad (Whose name is Tsukami, by the way). "Ummm... what are they doing?"

He looks at the circle. "Let me check that."

He walks over, his daughter in tow. "Hannibal-taichou, what are you doing now?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Kiku's head turned as the captain made his announcement, then turned back to Sayuri. She made no body movements of any intention to attack. She gestured towards the quickly growing circle and said, "Shall we?"

Sayuri nods, then bows slightly to Kiku. "Yeah. Lets go." She turns to join the crowd, moving quickly in hopes of finding a place from which she can actually see something.

---


Natsuko looks up at her dad (Whose name is Tsukami, by the way). "Ummm... what are they doing?"

He looks at the circle. "Let me check that."

He walks over, his daughter in tow. "Hannibal-taichou, what are you doing now?"

"Ah, Hayashi-Sama!", Hannibal greets the man. "What a pleasure to see you! I'm preparing to give our hot-headed new recruits a little demonstration here, with the help of, er . . ." the captain pauses for a moment, giving a few questioning looks towards Karite. He only just realized he hadn't bothered to ask the 13th divisioner's name.

"Well, with the help of this fine lad here. I'm gonna ask ye to step aside, things might get a bit rough soon." Only now does it really register to the captain that old Tsukami is dragging a little girl with him. The ogrish man blinks a few times, before bowing a bit closer to Natsuko.

"Oi? What's this cute lil' thing here?"

[horngeek]

"Well, I thought I'd bring her today and show her some of the training Shinigami do. Say hello, Natsuko."

Natsuko bows back a bit. "Hello, Hannibal-taichou."

[Frozen_Feet]

"Natsuko, eh? Nice to meet you", the captain says, smiling as he straightens up. "Well, ye chose a good day to come here. I'm sure ye'll enjoy the show. But for now, would you mind?" The captain beckons towards the back of the crowd, where it will hopefully be safe during the demonstration.

[Innis Cabal]

Present:

Hannibal's expression becomes increasingly acidic as Takeshi rants. "Pffft. Ye talk as if ye'd know a damn thing what ye're talking about, boy. If ye're so inclined to shackle yerself, I guess Broken Sword can arrange a cell for you. Of the nice, padded kind."

"And 'bout stopping yer vices . . . yes ye can. Determination can take ye through solid stone. Don't think resignation makes ye any better - any half-wit can stop tryin' and excuse himself with some philosophical bull****. More often than not, it's just laziness. Real men grab themselves by the nads and grow a spine."

"Ye think I'd still be here if I'd given up?"

Takeshi takes a seat on the ground, closing his eyes through the second tirade.

"I could ask you the same thing, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I already knew you wouldn't agree...but why do you think I'm here? Yes of course it’s to re-bind your tattoo’s in place, and to make sure the kido keeping you here don’t fail. But to be fully honest with you, I could have sent anyone to do this job. Several anybody’s to be more exact. And while you might be correct, that it may simply be philosophical of one to postulate their existence as if in a cage. And it may be correct that some simply stop and use such as a method to avoid guilt. But I said nothing about simply stopping. I only said that we both lived in a prison of our own making.

Wouldn’t you agree that to fix a problem, we have to know what it is first? You can’t solve something, if you don’t have the whole puzzle. To you, I’m just a snot nosed kid who couldn’t find his arse if it weren’t attached to me. You’ve only taken two surface things and formed an opinion; I was doomed before I started. But I didn’t come here to impress you, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I came to learn.”

[horngeek]

Tsukami and Natsuko nod, and head towards a safe spot.

[Krazddndfreek]

Sayuri nods, then bows slightly to Kiku. "Yeah. Lets go." She turns to join the crowd, moving quickly in hopes of finding a place from which she can actually see something.


Kiku returns the bow and ran off with Sayuri, finding a spot where they both could see the captain from. She pulled Sayuri over and said quietly in surprise, "Ehh? What is Hayashi-Sama doing here?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

Takeshi takes a seat on the ground, closing his eyes through the second tirade.

"I could ask you the same thing, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I already knew you wouldn't agree...but why do you think I'm here? Yes of course it’s to re-bind your tattoo’s in place, and to make sure the kido keeping you here don’t fail. But to be fully honest with you, I could have sent anyone to do this job. Several anybody’s to be more exact. And while you might be correct, that it may simply be philosophical of one to postulate their existence as if in a cage. And it may be correct that some simply stop and use such as a method to avoid guilt. But I said nothing about simply stopping. I only said that we both lived in a prison of our own making.

Wouldn’t you agree that to fix a problem, we have to know what it is first? You can’t solve something, if you don’t have the whole puzzle. To you, I’m just a snot nosed kid who couldn’t find his arse if it weren’t attached to me. You’ve only taken two surface things and formed an opinion; I was doomed before I started. But I didn’t come here to impress you, Ex-Captain Hannibal. I came to learn.”

Hannibal snorts. "Hmmph. Well, listen closely, and learn ye might. I still have half of the story left. Hope it's enough of a puzzle for ye."

---

Past:

Kiku returns the bow and ran off with Sayuri, finding a spot where they both could see the captain from. She pulled Sayuri over and said quietly in surprise, "Ehh? What is Hayashi-Sama doing here?"

"I don't know", Sayuri whispers, tiptoeing in an attempt to see better. "But is that little Natsuko there? I hope we have time to say hi when the class is over."

Meanwhile, Hannibal watches the students gathered around. He clears his throat and starts speaking. "Okay, kids, lesson time! Before we move on to the actual subject, there's something I want to tell and show you of the general . . . uh, whatch call it?" The captain stops and scratches his head, gazing obliviously to the sky before the word comes to him. "Ah yes! Something of the general philosophy of Hakuda! All please look at the lad here!"

Hannibal points towards Karite, who's with him inside the ring of curious Shinigami-in-making. "I'm gonna fight him a little soon. As ye can see, he has a sword and I do not. This is a so-called worst case scenario."

"Now, you might wonder what this has to do with huntin' Hollows. You might think, Hollows don't use swords. That's true, but that doesn't mean they're unarmed." Hannibal start slowly circling within the ring, looking each student in the eyes in turn.

"Ye see, Hollows fight like animals. Their whole bodies are their weapons. They have claws, they have teeth, they have tails, all sorts things they can use to rip ye to shreds. Ye might think, ye have a sword, so ye're okay; after all, what are claws against a sword?"

"But what if ye don't have a sword? What if yer blade breaks, or gets stuck? I've seen countless of warriors die because they didn't know what to do in those situations. Because they just stood there, wide open, wondering what next."

"To excell in a fight against Hollows, ye gotta learn to think a bit like them." The captain taps his forehead with his index finger, the points it at the students. "Ye gotta realize, yer sword isn't your only weapon, or even the main one. Sometimes, a blade is just a ruse ye use to fool an enemy, and the real threat is a kick that follows."

"I know many of ye would rather be doing Zanjutsu, because it's so much prettier to swing a sharp chunk'o'metal 'round. But the truth is, if ye can't use Hakuda, yer swordmanship lacks basis. When push comes to shove, ye have to able to throw yer sword away and still remain dangerous without it. That's what this day's about." The captain pauses his stride, then returns to the center of the ring, roughly nine feet away from Karite.

"Now, to demonstrate I ain't just full of crap, I'm gonna show what one can do without a sword. Watch closely." The captain turns to face Karite, eyes blazing. His body seems lax, but his feet belie his stance. To Karite and the more skilled students, it's clear the captain is ready to move or brace against a blow at moment's notice. He lifts his hand and flicks his fingers in an inviting motion. "Have at me!"

[Zerkai]

Kenichi silently continued sparring, going back to his more defensive style until Hannibal said the warm ups were over. He faced the shorter student.

"Good match." he spoke up, his mask giving his voice a metallic flanged sound to it as he bowed, a bit of blood smeared on his mask from the headbutt. He, along with the other students, moved in the circle to watch.

Kenichi listened to Hannibal's speech, slowly nodding at times. He himself preferred Hakuda to Zanjutsu, so he enjoyed these lessons in close-combat.

[Terry576]

Karite mutters something to Hannibal.

"It's Karite Mitsukai."

He rushes at Hannibal, and then reappears at his back, via Shunpo, and hesitates for a second.

"Am I... Really going to stab him?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"Too slow!", the captain bellows, darting backwards past Karite's sword and sinking his elbow to his gut. Before Karite can answer, the captain flows past him, skidding along the ground before stopping, crouching near the ground like a wild beast.

Come on. You can do better than that,, he thinks, a manic grin spreading on his face. The air itself seems to be vibrating near the captain, a faint breeze blowing against the students' faces carrying the stench of sulphur to them. "Don't hesitate! Strike!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkXLZrbd04U)

[Terry576]

Karite gasps as the air exits his lungs, dropping his Zanpakuto on the ground.

He stands up, and grins.

"Nice shot Captain."

He pick up the sword, and closes his eyes. His reiatsu begins to swirl, and he opens his eyes, which appear cold, and seem to be blue instead of their usual color.

"Crystalize, Kuyashinaki."

His Shikai released, Karite proceeds to attempt another attack at Hannibal, striking at his side.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal deftly steps aside - and then, before Karite can move his sword for another strike, grabs the ice cold blade with his bare hand. The captain pulls the sword sharply forward, while his other hand shoots powerful punch towards Karite's sternum. "Ikkotsu!"

((Deadtiming for now - got to sleep. Have fun!))

[Terry576]

Karite coughs up a bit of blood, and tries to yank the sword out of Hannibal's hand, but it's stuck fast.

"Erm... Could you let go?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal's punching hand grabs Karite's from the breast of his Shihakusho and pulls him closer, so their faces are only few inches apart. The cold of Kuyashinaki's blade is starting to numb the captain's hand, but for the moment his grip stays firm.

"What's the matter? Ye have four limbs, boy!", the captain growls, so loudly every student on the yard can hear him. "Ye only need one to hold the sword!"

[Terry576]

Karite glares at Hannibal.

"True, but it's my sword. And nobody will ever take it away from me."

[Frozen_Feet]

"Ye think it's better to die with a sword rather than live without one?", the captain questions, grinning madly. "That line of thought will only get ye to early grave!"

Suddenly, Hannibal jerks forward, smashing Karite's nose with his forehead. At the same time, the captain drops the hand holding Karite, striking his wrists with a sweeping punch to loosen his grip of the sword, and drops his stance pulling Kuyashinaki forwards. It doesn't go as well as he intended, as the numbness causes his hold to slip, but it's still a decent attempt to wrench Karite's sword from him. "Hyah!"

[Terry576]

Karite's grasp remains firm. He glances at Hannibal, his eyes cold.

"Isn't that what your division teaches Captain? 'He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.' I'd prefer to die with it in my hand, then to die after releasing it in an attempt to reverse the situation."

Those watching are murmuring, wondering what the hell the unseated security is trying to do the Captain.

[Frozen_Feet]

Karite's words give Hannibal a pause. "Huh? What?" Realizing his grip isn't firm enough to try the same stunt twice, the captain opts to aim several low kicks to Karite's thighs and knees.

"Ye got the meaning all wrong! It just means that if ye fight, ye die fightin'! It's not about glory or . . . gah!" The captain has never been keen on philosophy, but even he can notice Karite's reasoning holds water as well as a broken sieve.

[Terry576]

Karite steps back, then thinks for a second.

"Huh. You know, I never thought about it that way. Alright then."

He drops his sword, and takes his fighting stance.

"Let's go then."

[Frozen_Feet]

The moment Karite lets go of his sword, Hannibal flings it away, over the heads of the students watching; few duck in panic as the blade flies past them. It embeds itself deep into the academy wall.

The next second, the captain is already upon Karite like a raging bull. "Fight! Don't talk!"

[Terry576]

Karite appears to be like water, flowing in the opposite direction of Hannibal's powerful strikes.

He throws a punch at the captain's gut, in an attempt to disrupt his momentum.

[Frozen_Feet]

To the surprise of the crowd, and perhaps Karite himself, he does land the punch. He could've as well struck a steel wall, but it's still a solid hit. The captain steps back and sprints to Karite's side. Karite can now see Kuyashinaki sticking out of the wall directly behind the captain.

"Heh. I knew ye weren't completely hopeless", the captain grumbles. "Come on! Show what ye've got!"

[Terry576]

Karite winces as the punch connects, and glances at the sword. He glances back at the captain, and shakes his head.

"If I go for my sword, he'll easily catch me. Better to keep fighting without it."

Karite runs at Hannibal again, and this time delivers a low kick to Hannibal's shins.

"If that connects, I'm gonna have a bruise tomorrow..."

[Frozen_Feet]

Karite hits, but Hannibal's stance is too firm for his sweep to be succesful - his leg is like a tree rooted to the ground. The captain answers by taking a rapid step forward and sending both his fist towards Karite's torso in a mighty two-handed punch. "Sõkutsu!"

[Terry576]

The blow hits, and Karite slumps over, unconscious. A combination of blood loss and being hit by a captain does that to you.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Sayuri's eyes are wide open at the demonstration. Nervously, she tugs Kiku's sleeve. "That was a Shikai, wasn't it? Did... did that crazy man block a Shikai with his bare hands?" The small girl is feeling a little woozy at the display; the blood flowing from Karite's mouth and nose hadn't gone unnoticed. Sayuri watches his unconcscious body in horror. "How... how hard did he hit that other man? Is he... dead?"

---

"Aww, and here I was hoping he'd last a while longer. I even held back for him. Oh well, I guess the show's over" Hannibal exclaims and spreads his hands. He walks to Karite and kneels over him, to check if he's still alive. Fortunately, a quick check-up indicates the 13th divisioner has a few fractured ribs at worst. Nothing to get worked over.

As the captain gets back up, he gives a quick glance to Kuyashinaki, then looks at his own right hand and grimaces. The skin of his right arm is pale as paper almost up to his elbow, and feeling still hasn't returned to it fully. His fingers tingle painfully as he wriggles them carefully. Damn. That's one powerful sword. Any longer there and I'd have a nasty frostbite for m'self.

"So, now ye've seen first hand what I mean", the captain bellows to the crowd. "Not just that fightin' without a sword is possible, the other part too. Freeze up when ye lose yer sword, and BAM ! It's over for ye. If this fellow had focused on me instead of holding to his blade, this would've gone differently. It might be me on the ground here."

The captain pauses to pick up Karite. He hoists the 13th divisioner to his shoulder and takes a moment to spot other members of the security. "Next, we're gonna do some basic grappling. Same pairs as before. Get down and bow to yer partner. It's on when I clap my hands." He then walks to the other guards to ask them to get Karite back to his senses.

[horngeek]

Tsukami heads over, with a medical squad. "Check for any injuries before waking him up..."

He looks at Hannibal. "Well, that was an... effective demonstration."

[Frozen_Feet]

The captain grins. "Ye think?" He puts Karite down and lets the medics work their magic. "I hope the students found it enlightening. I'd love to show them more, but I guess I better spare some fellows for the trip. Hope yer little girl liked it."

[horngeek]

Natsuko nods, smiling.

[Terry576]

Karite jolts up, healed. He shakes his head and glances around.

"Eh? What happened?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"I kicked yer ass, that's what happened", Hannibal says, smirking, and stops to pat Karite in the back. Then he walks back to middle of the crowd, shouting advice as he does. "Okay kids, ye ready? Remember, stay on the ground. Try to win with a choke or lock, keep punching to minimum. Aaaand . . . go!" The captain claps his hands together.

[Innis Cabal]

((Hopefully this is ok there TGVA. Just didn't want to bog the thread down with having to get her cleared))

Takeshi looks over his shoulder as young girl finally comes down the intricate and complex stairwell to the lower holding zone, accompanied by a member of the Tenth Division. He smiles softly as he nods to the Ex-Captain, still enraptured by his story as he steps out of the jail cell. The mousy girl makes a quick bow to Takeshi, her hands moving in a flurry of motion as she rises, taking another bow towards Taiki. Takeshi keeps his eyes focused on Hannibal, taking the girl by her arm.

“May I take her in with me Captain Taiki? She will aid me in my work. And I am sure she would like to hear the story as well.”

Takeshi makes several hand motions to the young girl, who for her part nods, smiling softly.

[tgva8889]

(Yeah, it'll work. Just don't expect it to happen for anyone who has true plot significance. :smallwink:)

Present Day

Taiki looks up at the approaching girl and turns to block the hallway.

"Guard? How did she get in here?" "She was with me, sir. Your note requested her presence, I merely assumed..." "You're lucky it's an insignificant security risk. Anything worse and you'd be back on patrol duty. Get back to work." "Yes sir."

The 10th Divisioner walks away quickly, leaving the Kido Corp. member behind.

"You're free to go help your Captain. I won't stop you." Taiki moves to let her through. She should have no problem passing through the energy field with Takeshi.

[Innis Cabal]

The two stride into the jail cell with the Ex-Captain, the new arrival bowing deeply to Hannibal, making a flurry of hand motions before standing at his back, lifting her hands.

"If you'd like to take a few second breather Ex-Captain Hannibal. This is Unit 5 Aekami Shiru. A Junior Member of the Kido Corp. She is here to help finish the procedure on your bindings. Please treat her well."

Takeshi bows, lifiting his hands to match the slight girl, the thrum of energy in the air returning as narrow bands of lightning arc between the two Kido Corp Member's fingers.

"Please continue, we are all very interested. I am even sure Captain Taiki over there is secretly enraptured by your tale."

[tgva8889]

Present Day

Taiki nods at Takeshi. "Of course. That's why I have these visits every so often. I like to think of us as comrades, Hannibal. You know that."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

"Yeah. I know that", Hannibal mutters back at Taiki as Shiru and Takeshi get back to work. "I'm just tad bitter ye ain't helping yer comrade out of this pit. So don't expect any gifts when I get out."

"So, the next thing that happened . . . "

---

Past:

"Come on, kids, hurry up! Don't clog up the exit", Hannibal bellows to the students as they stumble out of the Senkai gate, guided by a cloud of pitch-black butterflies. Their sweaty forms are greeted by cold gusts of wind as they step forward to open air.

"Get in line! Is everyone here? We didn't lose anyone to the Cleaner, did we?", the captain shouts as the students line up before him. Most of them are weary and battered; the Captain didn't let them easy during the past hour. Sayuri is rubbing a fresh bruise on her right arm and giving Kiku murderous glances. "Ye all still in one piece? Good. Well, we'll fix that soon enough. So, welcome to the world of mortals, kids!"

The group is standing on a small, barren stone plateau, halfway up a tall mountain. The air is thin and freezing and no living soul seems to be nearby, though if one looks carefully, it's possible to spot colorful flags of a monastery fluttering in the wind some distance down the mountainside, and a particularly keen-eyed person might just barely discern farms and buildings of a small village even further below.

"We're goin' to hunt some Hollows, now", the captain of the 11th explains, savoring the looks on the students' faces, "so you can put yer newly-acquired skills to some test. There are some things ye'd better keep in mind, though, so listen closely."

"First, these are real beasts, kids. If ye give 'em a chance, they'll kill you. If ye think ye can't take 'em, run. Don't fight. If ye can't run, cry for help. We'll come to get ya."

"Second, keep each other in clear sight. Never get separated or left alone. Ye'll move in groups of four, three students and one guard each. If ye stay together, ye'll come out just fine."

"Third, stay far from any human settlements. I know ye want to take a peek at what them mortals are doing, but don't. We're trying to lure the Hollows away from them, not to them."

There's some uneasy whispering among the students as the Captain lays the rules for them. 13th divisioners step forward from the sidelines and start dividing the crowd into smaller groups. Hannibal frowns as he surveys the hassle. There's a strange feeling hanging in the air, like a scent of impending disaster, but he can't really put his finger on it.

Bah. Tis just routine practice mission, he thinks, scratching his chin obliviously. Things haven't gone sour in the past, they ain't gonna get sour now that I'm here. I should just relax.

[Terry576]

Karite glances at Hannibal after his speech, and cracks his neck a bit.

"Damn... You really did a number on me back there. Guess I should've payed more attention..."

He sighs and messes with his hair a bit. He then turns around to his small crowd of students, and grins.

"Alright! I'm Karite Mitsukai, and it looks like you'll be with me for this trip. Just remember what the captain said, and don't screw around. Any questions?"

Several hands are raised.

Karite's eye twitches.

"Not involving my fight with the captain?"

The hands go down.

"Well, if that's all, then all we have to do is wait for the captain to be ready, and we can go."

[riccaru]

As Karite finishes, the higher leveled shinigami feel a massive spike in spiritual energy far off in the distance down the mountain, the lights in the village flickering repeatedly. Moments later a flood of hollows pours from an extremely large garganta, followed by a large scorpion-esque figure giving off a torrent of black mists. The blood curtling screams of the villagers are barely heard over the malicious cackling of the Adjuchas scorpion. Soon the entire village is silent, and the black mist seeps its way up the mountain, hanging low to the ground.

"Shinigami swine! Your day of reckoning has begun. You come to destroy myself and my brothers, but it is you who shall be vanquished!" Is heard from inside the mists, followed by dozens piercing screams and cries of the affirmative. "We have devoured the village you so gallantly tried to protect by coming up this mountain. They are all dead, and it is your fault!"

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

What the hell?, Hannibal thinks as he turns to look down the mountain side, his right eye twitching angrily... again. Many of the 13th divisioner's give the captain a restless look and grasp the hilts of their swords. The surge of spiritual energy is unnoticeable to most of the student, but from the reactions of their guards even they can tell something is wrong. In the crowd, Sayuri tugs Kiku's sleeve nervously. "Hey... is something wrong?"

Alerted by the distant cries of the dying townsfolk, the captain walks to the edge of the plateau and looks down. His purple eyes widen as he sees the garganta, and the massive form stepping out of it. "Brace yerselves! They're coming!", Hannibal shouts. "Keep the Senkai gate open! Prepare to fall back on command!"

Then, the captain drops Espirito de Ferro from his shoulder and grasps the hilt of the large, two-handed blade. Immediatly, even though he doesn't seem to twitch a muscle, there's a visible change in his bearing. The students and guards can't see it because his back is turned to them, but a devilish grin is spreading on the captain's face.

"Oh, is my prey feeling lucky?", he yells to the approaching mists, glaring towards them with gleeful contempt. "Come on, Hollow. Show what ye're made of!"

[Terry576]

Karite roars at the students, and glares at them.


"You heard the captain! What are you waiting for?!? Stay close to the gate, and do not engage the Hollows! Wait for his signal!"

[Krazddndfreek]

Kiku's eyes narrow and she murmurs back to Sayuri without taking her eyes off the arrancar, "Yeah. But I don't get it. That guy doesn't even look anything like a hollow, and yet he's acting like he is. I don't like it, and I want to find out what's going on. You go on back through the gate, I'll see you in a few minutes." Kiku turned grim-faced to Sayuri and hoped she would leave first.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal glances over his shoulder at Karite. "What? That's not the plan. How can we train the kids, if we don't let 'em fight?" He's looking positively manic. "As long as I say nothing, fight and kill to yer hearts content! Ye're Shinigami! It's yer duty, for pity's sake!"

"So no fear, kids! Let's guide some lost souls to peaceful afterlife!", the captain bellows, facing the mists again and letting out a bloodcurling laughter.

"Gruhahahaha!"

[riccaru]

Suddenly from inside the mist a bright red light is seen, slowly growing in size. The liquid in the air refracting the light to make it seem massive. As the cero is charging, the ground erupts into a stream of low class hollows, all blood thirsty and heading straight for the group.

"Lament your final hour shinigami! Sereg the destroyer comes for your souls this day!" Is heard loudly. "Now my followers, CRUSH THEM ALL! Leave not a single shinigami alive!"

[Frozen_Feet]

Snorting, Hannibal leaps over the edge of the plateau, landing on thin air above the advancing hordes. At the same moment, his Reiatsu erupts downward as a thick pillar, weighing on the lesser Hollows like a curtain of steel, making some of them stumble or lose their grip.

"Oh? Give it yer best shot, sucker!", the Captain bellows, before twirling upside down in the air and rocketing against the mountain side, striking it with such force it makes the whole plateau quake, causing several large boulders to tumble down in massive landslide.

[riccaru]

Sereg quickly charges his own cero, firing it into the mountainside where Hannibal flew before moving to destroy the boulders personally. The gillian second in command still charges its' own cero, aiming directly for the group atop the mountain.

"Ah! A fighter here! You will not harm my followers so easily, Shinigami!" Sereg screeches at the captain.

[Frozen_Feet]

Not long after the Cero carves a chunk out of the mountain, a battered hand emerges from the stone beside Sereg, grabbing the Adjuchas by the mask. "Wanna bet?" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f1YS0Jqjoo&feature=related)

A small explosion sends dust and shrapnel flying around as Hannibal pushes off from the stone, taking the scorpion-like being to the skies with him. Guffawing madly, the captain swings his sword one-handed towards Sereg's neck.

[riccaru]

Sereg barely is able to block the sword with one of his six spindly legs, though the limb is severed completely through. The sword then glances off the heirro in Sereg's neck, thanks to being slowed by the leg. As Hannibal swings off balance Sereg brings his long tail into play, stabbing at the ogre like captain then trying to bludgeon him. "You little! I'll kill you for this!"

The hollows are able to move closer to the group of shinigami now, unimpeded by the powerful captain. A few begin to pummel large rocks at the group.

[Frozen_Feet]

Though initially exhilarated for landing such a good hit early in the battle, Hannibal's face falls flat as Sereg's stail strikes at him. "Crap." At the last moment, he lets go of the Adjuchas's mask and grabs the tail instead, narrowly avoiding its stinger. As Sereg jerks his tail back to prepare for a new attack, the captain goes with it, clinging to it for his dear life.

"Ye sonofa - ! Lets see how well ye'll do without this!", the captain growls and slashes at the appendage, hopefully severing it."

---

Back at the Senkai gate, several guards take the liberty to ignore the captain's suggestion and begin herding students back to Soul Society. They're not convinced the battle is worth risking the lives of the next generation of Shinigami.

Curiously enough, Sayuri is not with them. "I'm not going anywhere!", the small girl shouts to Kiku. She doesn't expand on why - she doesn't really know herself, either, but is stubborn in her decision. Instead, she begins chanting.

"Ye who rule over the skies! Lend me thy strenght and cast Heaven's purifying light on my foes! Hado 4: Byakurai!" A thin bolt of lightning shoots from the girl's finger, heading towards one of the boulder-hurling Hollows. It's unlikely to be lethal, but it might make drop the rock in surprise.

[riccaru]

The lightning strikes a weaker hollow, momentarily stunning it as the gillian fires directly for the gate. More hollows now target Sayuri, seeing her as a threat.

Sereg anticipates the strike and imposes his claw, catching the blade inches before it hits his tail. He then tries to force the blade from the captain, at the same time stabbing at Hannibal's legs with his own.

[Terry576]

Karite glances over, and sees Sayuri being targeted, and rushes over to her.

"Okay, next time, let's try not getting a swarm of Hollows to attack us. It's rather hard to fend them all off"

He unsheathes his sword, and a twisted grin comes over his face.

"Alright student, you take the smaller ones. I'll go for the ones who are a bit larger. Crystallize, Kuyashinaki."

His sword unleashed, he readies himself for the onslaught.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal grunts angrily as Sereg tries to yank his blade from him. His grip stays firm, and he uses few rapid kicks to deflect the blows aimed at his legs. His boots are quickly torn to shreds by the effort - curiously enough, his bare feet stand against the barrage far better.

For a moment, it seems the combatants have arrived at sort of a stalemate, with neither being able to score good blows on another. However, the Captain is sharp enough to realize the situation favors his adversary. Tis no good. Can't reach anything vital from here, but one mistake and this bastard will skewer me. Gotta gain some distance.

"Choke and imprison!", the captain yells as his blade rattles in his enemy's grasp, "Espírito de Ferro!" Suddenly, Sereg is holding nothing but air - very hot air, at that. Only the hilt of the weapon remains in Hannibal's hand. The Captain lets go of Sereg's tail, flinging it to the side to avoid the stinger, and lets the momentum of the Adjuchas's last kick blow him away, before using Shunpo to get far from the Hollow.

"Neener-neener!"

---

"Duck!", one of the guards shouts to the people around the gate, the students immediatly diving out of the Cero's way before the crimson luminescence swallows their means of escape. Hopefully, the gate will hold - hopefully.

Sayuri pales as she realizes what she's done, but sighs from relief when Karite hurries to help. Then she pales again when she remembers how poorly the man did against their sensei, and gives Kiku a panicked look.

"Are you sure you'll be allright?", the small girl questions Karite as she hurriedly draws her own Asauchi. She's clearly more worried about herself than Karite.

((Deadtiming. Got to have some shuteye))

[Terry576]

Karite rolls his eyes.

"Look. These are Hollows. I was beaten by a Captain. Me against a captain is like you against a mortal. Horribly unfair."

He glances over at the nearing Hollows, and slices upwards, creating several spikes of ice that fly towards them.

[riccaru]

Sereg screeches in pain as he is thrown from the brutish man, hitting the ground with a thud and immediately burrowing under the rock.

As the smoke and debris clears the senkai gate still stands, throwing of sparks intermittently. At Sereg's shriek the gillian turns to its' master, but turns back to attack the group atop the hill as it sees Sereg is not dead. Lower class hollow now swarm the mountain, rushing full force at the weakened attack force. The hollows are no longer throwing boulders.

Two hollows attack Karite, flanking him on the left and right. One is a large serpent like hollow, looking much like acidwire only thicker. The other is an even larger bipedal and ape-like hollow. The serpant strikes at Karite with its' mouth while the simian brings a tree trunk sized arm straight down above him. No hollows have attacked Sayuri at this time.

[Krazddndfreek]

"Duck!", one of the guards shouts to the people around the gate, the students immediatly diving out of the Cero's way before the crimson luminescence swallows their means of escape. Hopefully, the gate will hold - hopefully.

Sayuri pales as she realizes what she's done, but sighs from relief when Karite hurries to help. Then she pales again when she remembers how poorly the man did against their sensei, and gives Kiku a panicked look.

"Are you sure you'll be allright?", the small girl questions Karite as she hurriedly draws her own Asauchi. She's clearly more worried about herself than Karite.

((Deadtiming. Got to have some shuteye))

Crap. Kiku yells back to Sayuri, "Get over here! Don't fight!" We've got to hide. She thinks and looks for a place to conceal the both of them.

[Terry576]

Two hollows attack Karite, flanking him on the left and right. One is a large serpent like hollow, looking much like acidwire only thicker. The other is an even larger bipedal and ape-like hollow. The serpant strikes at Karite with its' mouth while the simian brings a tree trunk sized arm straight down above him. No hollows have attacked Sayuri at this time.
Karite laughs as he dodges the bite, and brings around a wonderful pillar of ice to crush the simian.

[Frozen_Feet]

Crap. Kiku yells back to Sayuri, "Get over here! Don't fight!" We've got to hide. She thinks and looks for a place to conceal the both of them.

For a chance, the smaller girl obeys. "Kiku! There!", she says, pointing out a large rock near the Senkai gate which, hopefully, would provide cover for the two long enough.

---

Hannibal looks down on Sereg with a mocking grin on his trollish face. With his left hand, he points at the horde surrounding the students. "Hey, didn't ye say I couldn't lay a finger on those chumps?"

"Ye gotta do better than this to stop me." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ4ggaSA0zM)

Too fast for eyes to follow, the Captain lunges at the swarm, Espírito de Ferro taking the form a large axe in his hands. Appearing next to the lesser Hollows, he cleaves through four of them with one two-handed blow before they even realize what's happening.

Next moment, the Captain is beside the snake-like monster threatening Karite. He grabs the creature by the neck and smashes it against the ground so hard its mask shatters to countless pieces, revealing the face of a startled human under it. "Gruhahaha! Now this is comedy!"

[riccaru]

As Hannibal flies through the air Sereg resurfaces, charging a cero quickly and attempting to shoot either the captain or the group still near him. Sereg then moves toward Hannibal, firing off three more cero. "You must die now, pathetic oaf! Say goodnight to these Children because when I kill you I'll rip them into bits!"

The giant ape screams as the block of ice strikes it, putting it into a fury. It swings wildy at Karite, falling off balance with every swipe of its powerful arms. Soon the serpent's mask reforms and it begins shrieking and hissing at the man holding it, trying to get its mouth into play.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal duly notes Sereg's enragement as he leaps out of the first Cero's way... flinging the snake-like Hollow on the blast's way, causing it to explode before it reaches Karite and the kids. The snake is presumably disentigrated.

"Oh come on, dumbass! Ye gotta have better insults that!", the Captain mocks as he jumps around to dodge the rays of energy, leaving them to the guards to worry about. As much as he hates to admit it, there's little else he can do about them. "If ye don't, stop blowing out hot air and fight like a real monster, dammit!"

The blade in Hannibal's hand fades back to steam, and after he emerges from a cloud of smoke caused by the last Cero, his weapon has formed into a large, iron bow. The Captain takes a quick aim and lets a molten hot steel bolt loose at Sereg's direction - before the first arrow makes contact, he's already drawing back another.

---

Sereg's middle two Ceros might have missed their intended target, but latter of the two is still headed straight at the students. Two of the guards abandon their current foes and turn towards the closing ray, holding their hands toward the blast.

"Bakudo 39: Enkosen"
"Ye who carry the Heavens! Bring the gold arc - Bakudo 39: Enkosen!"

Two shimmering golden barriers appear on the blast's way, but they're too weak to hold against such a powerful force. The few moments it takes for the barriers to shatter proves valuable however, as it allows all but the two casters to duck out of the harms way - then the Cero pushes through, and knocks the two guards down.

[tgva8889]

Present Day

A 10th Division guard runs down the hallway and bows to Taiki. "Sir! There's a riot in Sector 12!"

Taiki's huffs a bit, his face clearly annoyed. "Can't you deal with it? That is what you're here for." He does not move from his leaning position.

"Reinforcements were requested, sir." The guard raises and assumes a more casual stance.

"Bah. Don't bother me with something so trivial. Get Vice Captain Isamaru to deal with it. Tell him he has authority to lead the Execution Force." Taiki hands off a note to the guard.

"Right sir."

The guard bows and leaves. Taiki sighs.

"Sorry for the interruption. Hope that wasn't your doing, Hannibal. Please do continue." Taiki resumes his previous stature and stern tone, his eyes once again fixating on his prisoner.

[riccaru]

"You want me to fight, shinigami? Then prepare to DIE!" Sereg screams as he fires another cero, deflecting the arrows as they come. Sereg then slowly brings himself into the air, attempting to fight Hannibal on even 'ground'.

[Krazddndfreek]

Kiku was already breathing heavily and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. As the dust cleared, she knew she'd find the shinigami unconscious or dead lying on the floor. "Sayuri, pick him up and head for the gate!" Kiku shouted and pointed to the fallen shinigami closest to her. "Ye lord, smother and shroud us in ash without flames, Bakudo 21 Sekienton!" She'll chant and thrust her palms to the ground causing an explosion of smoke, masking their escape.

[InyutheBeatIs]

In the olden days:

An arrancar in a Fraccion outfit, modified to look like an open trenchcoat of sorts, crouched on top of a building just far enough from the scene to see the fighting, and the people who are fighting. One combatant in particular caught his eye; the scorpion-like Adjuchas fighting the troll captain. He hissed in utter rage at the scene. "That punk-*** son of a ****. I track him down for a whole frikking week and just when I find him, he goes Genghis Khan on a poor unsuspecting training regiment and a neighboring village. What's next, he makes himself a ruler and tries to pull some diplomatic immunity crap?"

Pico gets up quickly and pulls out two khopeshes hanging around his belt, white bandages that wrapped them up unfolding and wrapped a little bit around his wrists. "Well, I said I would bring the guy in alive. God, I can almost hear the yapping from the boss already." He then turns around and forms a Garganta, opening up behind the Shinigami recruits, and Sonídos through. He hits the ground right in the middle of the Shinigami training party, attacking everybody in the vicinity with hit-and-run tactics, peppering the group with Balas and slashes.

[riccaru]

Sereg sneers, knowing just who the new arrival is. "What is that Arrancar filth doing here?" He mutters to himself as he comes closer to Hannibal above.

As this happens the Gillian slowly moves to the shinigami group, heading to fight Karite as she had been told when the attack started. The low class hollow begin running swiftly from the arrancar.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal is Distracted by the Arrancar's sudden entry to the fray, and thus fails to dodge Sereg's Cero. "****! Fall back! Fall ba - " For a moment, it seems like the Captain is engulfed by the blast... then the ray is cleaved in halves, as Espírito de Ferro's sword form flies through it towards the Adjuchas's chest.

If Sereg turn to look, he might catch a brief glimpse of Hannibal's figure, the Captain's right hand extended in a throw, sleeves of his Shihakusho torn and scorch marks dotting his arms. However, in a blink of an eye the Captain is gone, and standing at Sereg's side, grasping one of the Hollow's legs.

"Worry about that on yer own time", Hannibal snarls, eyes gleaming with cold fury as he plants his leg against Sereg's side and yanks at the leg, aiming to tear it off with his bare hands.

---

Sayuri heeds Kiku's words and sprints to the fallen guards, kneeling beside the wounded man. He's a very heavy for the little girl to carry and she has to struggle to get him on her back, but fortunately she succeeds and starts stumbling towards the Senkai gate, sweat trickling down her freckled face. The smoke from Sekienton provides just enough cover for her to slip away unnoticed.

Although initially disastrous, the Arrancar's appearence soon turns to the Shinigami's favor, as it diverts attention of the more numerous lesser Hollows. Though six guards are struck down by the newcomer, soon there are only other lost souls on Pico's way and the remaining Shinigami have much easier time retreating.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico had just cut down a guard when he noticed the Cero seemingly engulf Hannibal for a moment, then be split in two by the troll's Zanpakuto, just before he rockets over to rip Sereg a new...well you know. "Oh son of my ***!!" Pico screams at the sight. Noticing that all that little stunt did was take out a few Shinigami and help them escape, he diverted his efforts. You frikkin idiot! he thought, Forget about the Shinigami, get that big-stupid-ugly off of the megalomaniac!

Pico then rocketed towards the troll. When he gets close enough, he slashes at Hannibal's wrist in an attempt to cause him to lose his grip. If that works, he then throws the khopeshes around Hannibal, wrapping him across his chest with the bandages, before making said bandages as hard as steel and rockets towards the mountain, seeking to slam Hannibal right into it at full force.

[riccaru]

Sereg wails in pain as his leg is severed, bringing his tail once again to stab at Hannibal. His other legs also stab at the captain, trying everything he can to injure the assailant. As Pico moves from the shinigami, the lower class hollows return with the Gillian. The renewed attack is spearheaded by the gillian's Cero, fired directly into the largest group it can find.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal manages to tear Sereg's limb off, but Pico's sudden interference catches him off-guard. He manages to grasp the hilt of Espírito de Ferro, but before can bring it down to defend himself, the bandages wrap around it him and he is send reeling against the mountainside.

Loud rumbling obscures other noises for a moment as a small landslide caused by the impact buries the Captain. Elsewhere, most of the remaining Shinigami, Sayuri included, hurry through the Senkai gate, finally reaching safety. A small group of 13th divisioners stay to hold the Hollows back, Karite among them.

Then, there's a loud crack as the metallic bandages around Hannibal shatter. He shakes the rubble off of himself and stands up, stone behind and under him shattering as his Reiatsu weighs heavily on it.

"Ye", he says, glaring at Pico, his wrath burning on the Arrancar like the heat of a furnace. "Ye're on my WAY !" Quickly, the Captain flings a rock towards his opponent - it might be just a rock, but it's rock thrown by Hannibal. It hits Pico squarely to the chest like a cannonball, knocking the Hollow back. Next moment, the Captain is on him like a raging bull, sending several powerful kicks at Pico's ribs before finishing with a titanic punch, sending the Arrancar flying towards Sereg. The air itself seems to quake from the force of the blow.

"I'll get ye ******s", the captain snarls, pointing Espírito de Ferro, now in axe form, at Sereg and Pico. His Shihakusho is torn from waist up and he has bruises all over his torso. Blackened blood is trickling down his left arm from a nasty gash, probably left by Sereg's stinger - all the while, the Captain is squinting as if he's not seeing properly.

He still has enough steam to give both his foes run for their money, though.

[riccaru]

Sereg leaps out of the way before firing a cero toward Hannibal, trying anything he can to hurt the monstrous captain. "pico, you fool! Destroy that swine now! We must destroy him!"

[Frozen_Feet]

Grasping his axe with two hands, Hannibal strikes at the Cero, cleaving it neatly in halves. The split rays collide with the mountain, two vast explosions illuminating the cold stones. From the destruction, the Captain stares, gritting his teeth, his face distorted in the ugliest frown the Hollows have ever seen. Then, he lunges at them, axe ready, howling like a madman.


"Uraaaa!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JmREhaFFwc)

[Terry576]

Karite grins as the Gillian walks closer to him, and holds his sword fairly loosely.

"Well Hollow? What're you waiting for!??! Come on, don't be so slow, show me what you can really do!"

And then he notices as it starts firing its cero.

"Great. This'll look just great on my report. 'So Karite, you watched the Hollow fire an energy blast into a group of people?'"

Karite gets close to the Hollow, then cuts it via creating a fairly large sword of ice, and slicing with that.

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Oh crap." That was the thought that went through Pico's mind as he saw the rock jet towards his chest. Then he got pummeled. Badly. Pico managed to get himself on solid ground on instinct alone. The whole way down, he was coughing up blood.

As he was crouching there, hurt, gasping for breath, he looked up at Hannibal. Everything that happened recently went through Pico's head. The long, frustrating efforts towards tracking Sereg. Finding him with a small army attacking a training regiment. This frikkin captian, looking down at him with his frikkin ugly mug. That frikkin Adjuchas piece of crap who has the frikkin audacity to boss him around. All this built up rage just became focused on one object, Hannibal's face. Pico wanted nothing more than to kick that face in until it reached the back of his skull. Nothing else mattered, not the pain from the pummeling, not the other Shinigami, not even that holier-than-thou Adjuchas. All of his fury, all of his rage, was directed at Hannibal.

"COME AND GET ME OLD MAN!!" Pico screamed in primal rage. He sheathed his swords, whose bandages were almost whole again by this point, and hardened his arms and legs to that of steel. Pico then pointed at Sereg and screamed "Shut up and cover me!" Pico then launched himself at Hannibal, punching him square in the chest. He then grabbed the arm holding Espirito de Ferro, and made a motion to break it. If he succeeds, he then grabs Hannibal by a piece of his clothing, then Sonidos his way down to the ground with Hannibal in tow. Ideally, Pico then manages to get Hannibal under him, and then just start stomping him.

[riccaru]

While Pico attacks Hannibal, Sereg moves to protect his gillian. Before he can reach her however the blade of ice slices deeply into the gillian, making it howl in pain. Sereg fires a cero now at karite, trying to disrupt his concentration and save the gillian

[Frozen_Feet]

Pico lands his punch, making the Captain flinch for a moment, which allows him to grab his arm. Unfortunately for him, his attempts at breaking Hannibal's arms are less than succesful - he might as well be trying to yank a grown tree from its roots.

"Ye don't have to ask me twice!", Hannibal snarls, and foils Pico's attempt to take him down by hammering him in the nose with his free hand. Planting his feet in thin air, the Captain starts whirling around, aiming to gather enough momentum to send Pico flying towards Sereg.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Hannibal's punch sent blood squirting out of Pico's nose, punctuating Pico's sudden disorientation. For a moment, Pico was scrambling to regain his composure, locking arms with the big troll. When he gets his composure back, he finds himself being swung around like a rag doll. In an effort to regain ground, he attempts to swing himself around onto Hannibal's back, grabbing onto his clothes. The instant he grabs onto Hannibal's back, Pico unsheaths one of his swords with his right hand, bringing the outward edge to bear on Hannibal with a war cry before the cloth can even fully unfurl. After his slash, he attempts to hook Hannibal's side with the point and inward edge, drawing his other sword to attempt to do the same.

[Frozen_Feet]

Pico manages to give Hannibal a nasty cut to his side - then the brute manages to grab his right hand and prevents him from doing more with it. As Pico lets go of the Captain's sword arm to bring his other sword to the fray as well, Hannibal suddenly lets go of Espírito de Ferro, twists around in Pico's hold and grabs his other hand too, holding both swords away from his body.

He then knees Pico to the groin with extreme prejudice and smashes his forehead against the Arrancar's already broken nose for extra hurt. "Hyah!" As Hannibal brings his foot back down from the kick, he pushes forward with all his strenght, sending them both on collision course with Sereg.

Somewhere far below, Espírito de Ferro falls against cold stone with a mournful clatter, its blade fading to steam.

[riccaru]

Sereg turns, seeing the two flying toward him. Rashly he fires a cero at both oncoming fighters, the cero is in place to harm them both, quite possibly solving both of Sereg's problems. In case the cero doesn't do much, Sereg then points his stinger straight toward the oncoming attackers, knowing Pico will be able to heal this attack, if he survives. Sereg braces himself with his remaining legs and both pincered arms.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Hannibal's kick caused Pico to yell in pain, but the hit to the nose cut him off. Pico was now reeling, a constant low ringing in his ears, and a sort of clenching ache around his groin thanks to the kick. He was struggling to keep himself composed long enough to put a dent in this guy. He then noticed Sereg's Cero charging. "Oh SONUVA..." A thought then struck him, causing him to smile an impish grin. "You know, big guy, I ought to tell ya something. He grabs Hannibal's waist with his legs, wrapping them around him and squeezing. "I ain't into that crap." He then forms a Bala in front of his mouth, seemingly spitting it right at the big guy's face. Right after, he leans backwards and makes his body into the density of lead in an attempt to flip Hannibal to a position that would cause him to take most if not all of the Cero blast.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal reels as the bala smashes against his face, nearly knocking him out cold. However, he regains his senses fast enough to realize what Pico's trying to do. "Oh no ye won't!", the ogrish man growls, hanging upside down in the air as the Cero heads for them. He then pushes off from thin air, sending the pair out of the Cero's way...

... and againt the mountainside. Again. "Get off of me, ye pesky lil' sonuvabicth!", the Captain foams, headbutting Pico to the face one time after another. Pico's hold is failing to squeeze the breath out of Hannibal, but on the other hand the Captain isn't getting free of it either. The two keep rolling downwards with the rubble at ever-growing speed.

[riccaru]

"More's the pity. Pico had better stop this soon, because if not I'm leaving him to rot in this pathetic world." He says to himself, looking from Pico and Hannibal to his gillian and Karite, deciding which of his associates he should be helping. "Pico, finish that filth so we can continue our squabble!" He yells, firing another cero at the two fighters grappling

[Frozen_Feet]

A strange glow reflecting from Pico's eyes alerts the Captain, and he manages to briefly glance over his shoulder. "Oh crap", he says solemnly, before the Cero engulfs the wrestling pair, a large explosion once again shaking the mountain and obscuring the two from sight.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Every headbutt from Hannibal made the ringing in Pico's ears sharper and louder. He was dangerously close to losing consciousness, when he noticed a strange glow from around Hannibal's shoulders. He then snapped back into the real world just in time to say a little phrase at the same time as Hannibal. "Oh crap." As he was engulfed in the explosion, he felt scorched, but at this point, he didn't scream. Instead, the pain drove him to desperation. He lets go of his leg hold on Hannibal and attempts to kick him to a position to where he can flip himself over Hannibal. When he does so, he makes a herculean effort to get out of the big guy's grasp, not even caring if it rips his arms right out of his sockets. What he has in mind, he doesn't need his arms all that badly.

[Frozen_Feet]

The trollish Captain is rather stunned himself, his upper body smoking as the last remnants of what clothing he had above the waist burn away. At first, he barely notices Pico stops squeezing the life out of him, and the Arrancar easily gets on top of him. He then snaps to his senses, his hazy gaze focusing once more.

"Ye want it yer way? Have it yer way!", Hannibal snarl, delivering a titanic kick to Pico's gut, and then another while simultaneously letting go of his arms. This ought to send him flying away from the Captain. Hurriedly, Hannibal scrambles up and starts speeding to where he senses Espírito de Ferro fell. Though determined, something is bogging him down and making his steps falter, so this time he's clearly visible several times during his Shunpo.

[riccaru]

Sereg notices the wounded captain going for his sword and also moves for it, though much more slowly. Assuming Pico doesn't interfere, Hannibal will reach the sword before Sereg. As Sereg reaches the area he leaps into the air, trying to come down on Hannibal while he is still supposedly preoccupied. Sereg points all his remaining legs and his tail stinger downward as he attacks.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal notices Sereg's assault just as he manages to grab the hilt of his weapon. His face distorting in a desperate frown, the Captain shapes his weapon into a large club and brings it to defense, but his footing is uncertain and his block half-assed. The stinger and the claws tear deep gashes to his right arm and side.

However, even so gravely wounded the Captain does not lose his fighting spirit. Filled with berserker fury, he presses onwards with all his might, even as his weapon dissolves to mist. Enraged, he knocks Sereg's limbs away, creating an opening for himself.

"RAAAAAAH!!!", the Captain screams, foam flying from his mouth as his Reiatsu weighs heavily on the Adjuchas, drowning him in steel grey haze. Determined to win, he turns his Zanpakuto back into a sword, and strikes it through Sereg's midsection.

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico was sent flying through the air thanks to Hannibal's kick. After he coughed up some blood, he stops himself midair. He then takes out both of his khopeshes and reverses them, folding them against his arms. The bandages started flying off to Pico's sides as he folded his arms in front of him, one on top of the other. His Reiatsu seems to spike, a feeling of sharp, electric rejection throughout. "Ranbuoni furai," The bandages begin to turn into black wings that begin to surround Pico. "...Garra Errática!" At that point, the bandages had completely become wings, encasing Pico into a ball. A moment later, the sphere bursts into feathers, revealing Pico to be a changed man.

His hair is now long and feather like, highlighted with dark green. His skin is now partially black and reptilian. He appears to have a long coat made from the waist up of bony armor, with the rest being made of long feathers. His arms are now covered in feathers to where they almost look wing-like, his hands now bony claws. His legs are digitigrade, covered in reptilian skin and bony armor, ending in wicked looking claws. He is surrounded by several feathers, along with eight amber covered feathers.

His Ressureción is now released.

Some of the feathers compact into a spear, Pico grabbing it with his right hand. He then seemingly teleports down to Hannibal, kicking him down and running him through the shoulder with the spear. Pico bends down to whisper in his ear. "My turn now, troll." he hisses into his ear. He then pulls out the spear, kicks off of Hannibal, then breaks apart the spear into its component feathers, leaving his hands free to give Hannibal two rude gestures with his hands.

[Frozen_Feet]

Holding his bleeding shoulder, Hannibal stumbles up and prepares for counter-attack... when he realizes his sword isn't in his hand. "Hunh?" He gives a quick glance towards Sereg, which reveals the blade still stuck in the Adjuchas's body, probably trapped between plates of chitinous armor. "Ooops. Ehhehheh . . ."

Regaining his composure, the Captain takes a ready stance and faces Pico again. "Oooh! Look's I'll 'ave chicken for dinner tonite, ehhehheh . . .", he cackles, swaying from side to side. He's bleeding much less than expected considering his injuries, so it isn't likely bloodloss making him delirious, but it's clear he's seen better days.

Still, even though it isn't visible to naked eye, he's focusing a terrifying amount of Reiryoku on his hands. Next time he even grazes Pico, it'll be one helluva punch.

[riccaru]

Sereg yelps in absolute agony, trying everything he can to escape the primal fury of the captain. As sereg backs away he claws desperately at the searingly hot((it is still hot, right?)) blade lodged in his body. "destroy this shinigame filth!" he howls to Pico, sputtering black blood from his mouth as he does so. It is well and truly his end in this fight.

[Frozen_Feet]

Fortunately for Sereg, the strange blade gives away at his seventh try, fading to steam and its hilt clattering to the ground. Unfortunately, it isn't blocking his wounds anymore, meaning any fast movement could rip open the cauterized stab, causing massive bleeding, both internal and external. Hannibal gives the Adjuchas a hasty look before focusing on Pico again. He's swaying more by the moment and his vision is getting blurry, but despite the much better condition of his foe, the Captain shows no fear or hesitation.

Upwards the slope, the fighting has come to momentary halt, with the crowd of Hollows slowly circling the few remaining guards. The Shinigami are slowly backing towards the gate, though they know the beasts won't let them retreat unimpeded. Any moment now, they'd surely lunge at them again. The wounded Gillian glares murderously at Karite.

[Terry576]

Karite glares back at the Gillian.

"Oh come on! Why won't you just die already?"

He closes his eyes, and concentrates for a few seconds before opening them, and his eyes appear to be pure white.

"Alright you damn Hollow, how would you like to be encased ice? Oh wait, I don't think I'm going to give you a choice."

A massive amount of power begins to emit from Karite's sword, and he slices it at the Gillian, probably encasing it in a massive pillar of ice. Eventually, his eyes fade back to their normal color.

"Well, glad that's done with. If Captain Hannibal's done as well, maybe we can go home."

[InyutheBeatIs]

After he was done flipping Hannibal off, Pico started cracking his fingers, a smug grin on his face. He heard Sereg screaming in agony. Serves ya right, jerk. He then heard his rallying cry, "Destroy this Shinigami filth!" "You don't have to tell me twice." The amber colored feathers formed a circle around his left wrist, other feathers forming into a trident as big as he is. His Pesquisa picked up the Reiryoku forming in Hannibal's hands. His smug smirk then turned into a full-on slasher's smile. In a second, an electric whine was heard, then a small sonic boom punctuating his sudden venture into the air.

It's on now.

He fired Bala from all eight of the feathers right at Hannibal just before he Sonídos behind him, aiming to gouge him in the back and lift him off of the ground straight into the Bala barrage.

[Frozen_Feet]

As Pico flashes behind him, Hannibal whirls around, blocking his gouge with a strong kick and then grabbing his massive trident, halting it in place. But then, the Balas strike him, and for a moment his figure is but a black silhouette against their exploding light.

"Now yer talking, chicken****", the Captain chuckles, squeezing his fist closed so hard the trident with it is crushed to pieces. He then delivers a rapid punch at Pico's torso, hopefully breaking something, before kicking himself off from the Arrancar. Hannibal stumbles when he lands, but manages to roll backwards and get on his feet instead of falling flat on his back.

"Yer strong. Gotta give ye that", he mumbles, grasping his left shoulder again. "Ye might be some cafl-. . . chll-. . . challenge after all." Hannibal's face is curiously twitching between two expressions, that of demented joy and grim determination. Unable to focus his sight anymore, he wearily lifts up his left hand covers his left eye, to prevent himself from seeing Pico in two.

"Heck, wouldn't even be ashamed of losing to ye", he continues, calculating his chances. "But I've got a job to do (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqNOrvPOA8Q&feature=related), and it involves ye suckers dead. Lets fuh-. . . fihs-. . . finish this ****." Ground below the Captain cracks as he darts... backwards, away from Pico, running up the mountain as fast as he can. He's aiming to find advantageous terrain.

"Hey, boy!", he shouts to Karite as he jumps over the guards. "Fetch mah sword, will ye?"

---

Meanwhile, Karite's attack on the Gillian starts the fighting again - many of the Hollows lunge at the guards, eager to finish the small force - but a large portion of them stays back, turning to look either up or down the mountain.

Some sprint after Hannibal, joining Pico in chasing the ogrish man... but others have lost their interest in the fight, sensing weaker prey.

Sereg. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BsftDuGkM4&feature=related)

Several of lesser Hollows lick bony lips or teeth of their mask, sensing the waning energy of their master. Maybe the weakened state of the Adjuchas has removed their fear and reverence for the Menos, letting their bestial hunger take over; or maybe, they want to be devoured by him, their loyalty making them ready to throw themselves into oblivion to give their lord a second chance.

Who knows? In any case, much of the horde starts slowly advancing towards the wounded, scorpion-like figure.

[InyutheBeatIs]

The trident in Pico's hand shatters into several pieces, returning to their component feathers in the process, some of the feathers crushed in the process. Hannibal's punch shatters a good chunk of the bony vest of armor that Pico dons, cracking a rib and sending him flying backwards in the process. It is more evident that he can take a punch better now, as instead of hacking up blood, he flips himself in midair, gets his feet on the ground, and injects his spurs directly into the ground, braking himself after leaving long traces on the ground. He concentrates Reiryoku around his forearms, then flicks his arms outward, replacement feathers flying out.

He (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XjQsHztY-g&feature=related) then quirks an eyebrow in surprise at the fact that, instead of running headlong into him, Hannibal is running up the mountain. Pico heads towards him, a chain of sorts forming in his hands. When he reaches him, he throws the chain at him, suddenly forming clasps around his wrists and ankles. "Hang on!"

He then jerks him right off of the mountain, and grabs him by the back. Hannibal would probably notice that he feels much denser than he should. Pico then flys low to the ground, eventually dissolving the clasps, causing Hannibal to take an involuntary dive face-first into the ground. Just as if it couldn't get any worse, Pico makes sure he stays on the ground by essentially surfing on him, his foot pushing down on Hannibal's head, bouncing off of him when he comes to a stop.

[Frozen_Feet]

Hannibal stays still in the ground. His steel grey reiatsu flickers in the wind like a storm cloud abating in a southern gale. If Pico really tries, he might still hear faint breathing from the downed Captain.

One chicken leg for lunch... two chicken legs for lunch... three chicken legs...

[InyutheBeatIs]

Pico (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y7ZBda3h-U) turns around in the air, and notices that Hannibal isn't getting up. He appears beside him and kicks him rather gently in the hip, to check that he is really down for the count. He notices the faint little folk song that Hannibal is singing, and couldn't help himself from smiling. "Hmph." He then reaches down and picks him up by the cloths on his back, lifting him and slumping him over his shoulder. He starts walking towards the Shinigami group. "You know, I oughta tell you something old man. I ain't a chicken." For some reason, even though he was blind with rage a second ago, Pico couldn't help but like Hannibal. Maybe it was the fact that he could take a fight. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't stop until the end. It may even be the fact that the guy is sarcastic. Nonetheless, Pico couldn't help but like him.

Pico charged up Bala in front of the fingers on his free hand, and appeared in between the Shinigami group and the Hollows, turning and firing on the Hollows. After he sent the first barrage towards the Hollows, hopefully sending them fleeing in terror, he turns around towards the Shinigami, the amber feathers charged with Bala aimed at everybody in the group. "Nobody move! No one moves, and nobody gets hurt." He then drops Hannibal in front of him. "Now take him and get out of my sight, or I'll do the same thing to you!"

Moments later, he rockets towards Sereg and fires Bala at the Hollows surrounding him, appearing right Next to where Sereg is lying. He then picks him up and slumps him over his shoulder, preparing a Garganta behind him. "Go back to where you came from!" he yells to the crowd of Hollows. "The war is over! You have no reason to be here anymore! Now leave, before I rip you to shreds!"

He then walks through the Garganta, looking at Sereg with a form of disdain. "You better not be dead." After a moment, Pico disappears as the mouth of the Garganta closes, and just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone...

[riccaru]

Sereg barely manages to spit on the ground by Pico, mustering his remaining strength to insult the Espada. He turns one nearly glazed eye to the frozen Gillian before he is taken away "M-m-more... P-p-p-pow-power." He gasps , blackened blood seeping from his mouth.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

The remaining guards stare in bewilderment as Pico leaves the battlefield. Arrancar showing... mercy? Certainly, not the expected conclusion. Many still retain a wary stance due to the horde of Hollows still present, but after suffering such massive losses and with their master gone, the beasts can no longer muster a dedicated offense.

In the ground, Hannibal twitches, and slams his right fist to the ground, hoisting himself up enough so he can give a despising glare towards the closing Garganta. His face is torn up pretty bad, bearing a twisted, skeletal grin, as the flesh of his right cheek is completely torn away. "Tis fight not over, chicken****. . . I'll come for ye. . . I'll rip yer head off and . . . shove it up yer arse... just... you... wait..."

Then he collapses down again. Few of the guards look at each other, then hurry to pick the injured Captain up. They'd have to take him to the 4th as soon as possible. Quickly, before the situation degenerates into a mass brawl again, the remaining Shinigami hurry through the Senkai gate and close it behind them. Hopefully, medics would already be waiting for them on the other side...

---

Present:

"Hey, would ye mind if I took a sip of water at this point?", the trollish ex-captain asks from Takeshi and his assistant, who are still tinkering with his tattoos. Faint smell of ozone fills the air. "I'm feelin' kinda parched. I wouldn't wanna tell the rest of my story with a raspy voice - were just getting to the interesting part. . ." He winks at Taiki.

[Innis Cabal]

Present Day

Takeshi shrugs, smiling gently as he shoo's away his aid.

"Of course, of course. Please, you should be comfortable. I am an intruder here not you."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

Hannibal goes to take a sip of water. After taking his time drinking, he returns to his bed... but instead of sitting on it again, he reaches under his pillow and pulls something out.

"Soooo... as I said, we're gettin' to the real interesting part now", the ogrish man says, and puts the thing in his hand on his face. It's a three-eyed Hannya mask (http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00717/images/hannya_mask.jpg), made of white bone and with lines of crimson running down from the eyes like tears of blood. Fortunately, the horns have been cut and rounded, so Takeshi isn't in danger of being stabbed to death. At least, it would take some effort to do so. "Have to get in the right mood. Are ye ready, whelp?"

[tgva8889]

Present Day

Taiki stands watch, not saying anything or even accepting any acknowledgment of his being there.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi covers the young girls eyes with a hand, shoo'ing her from the cell.

"You may leave now, thank you for your assistance. Captain Taiki could you please bring someone to take my assistant upstairs? We're to a point I'd rather like to not have my people see. Do not turn around or look into the cell Junior Member, and speak of nothing you've seen."

He turns back to Hannibal, the smile returned to his face.

"How truely interesting Ex-Captain Hannibal. Can you answer my questions from earlier now? Or would you like to wait? It is truely...unique, that is to be certain...can I hold it? I would very much like to inspect it myself."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

"How it feels like to have this on? That's what ye asked, wasn't it?", Hannibal snorts. "Ye know it feels when yer wasted? Not just a bit tipsy, but drunk as a lil' monkey. The ground won't stay still under yer legs and yer spillin' yer lunch all over, yet ye still think ye can take on the whole world alone. That's how it feels."

The ex-captain sighs, and turns to look at Taiki, mask still on his face. "What ye say, Broken Sword? Can I give this to the kid? Or will ye deep-fry my nads if I do that?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi nods slightly, looking back at Taiki.

"Please, if you would? It would help greatly in my bindings. We could even push these mandatory visits to...four hundred years. Perhaps even longer. Its hard to say. We of the Kido Corp have not had a great deal of time to study this...phenomena."

[tgva8889]

Taiki Takahashi - Present Day

Taiki shouts down the hallway. A moment later, one of the nearby guards will escort Takeshi's assisting junior member out of Maggot's Nest.

When asked about handing off the mask, Taiki waves a hand. "Do whatever you want. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just on a routine visit to Hannibal here. If he's still in there and he's not going anywhere any time soon, that's good enough for me. I'd advise you not try to take that anywhere, though."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

"Awww, I can't give the whelp a lil' souvenir?", Hannibal with mock resentfulness. He flips the mask around in his hands and offers it to Takeshi. There's a strange, slippery feel to it, as if it is only partly there - clearly, the ex-captain's binding affect it too. Hannibal gives the thing a hateful glance, before resuming his story. "So, after they carried me through the gate . . ."

---

Past:

Hannibal wakes up in intense pain. Gritting his teeth, he blinks his eyes, but can't recognize his surroundings through his blurred vision. "Where the heck am I?"

[Innis Cabal]

Present Day

Takeshi stares at the mask as he takes it into his hands, examining it slowly. He slowly lifts a hand, tracing his fingers through it lazily, blue contrails of energy forming to an exact blue print of the mask. He then slowly slides it onto his face without a word.

[Free Hand]

((I suppose I could jump in now, I'll unpost if that's not the case.))

Past

A hand appears in Hannibal's bleary line of sight, it is clutching paper, a writing utensil, and a board to write upon. A voice cuts in behind the objects.

..And now you we will need your written consent to continue. You should also sign this waiver here.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Huh? Sign what?", Hannibal grumbles through his teeth, squinting his eyes to see better. "What's goin' on? Who are ye?" Even speaking is causing the pain to intensify, causing cold sweat to run down the captain's brow.

[Free Hand]

Mm? I just explained it to you. You really do not remember?

The hand was withdrawn and a yellow haired head cautiously moves in to replace it. The head is connected to a shinigami uniform wearing a lab vestment of the 12th division.

You do not recall strangling Shinichi-san? Or attempting to rip off Yasuda-san's nose? I must say. We were pleased to see you so very energetic given your state. Perhaps you were not entirely lucid during our previous conversation. I'm afraid we will have to start over again if this is the case.

The person straights up a bit and forces a cough while holding a fist to her mouth.

You are in a 12th division facility. More specifically. You are currently residing in sub-lab 3 of the recently reinforced 9th laboratory. Does this sound familiar to you?

[Frozen_Feet]

12th division says nothing. Lab whatever says nothing. But wanton violence aimed at two innocent people... that sure rings a bell. "Ye mean fat guy and stumpy? Ehehe. . . sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to hurt them . . . much, anyway. My blood was just running a bit hot still, I guess." Hannibal tries to give a sorry smile to the... doctor?, but pain freezes the smile to a horrible, twisted grin. "Mind telling me why I'm hurting so damn much?"

[Free Hand]

Your body is in a critical condition. This is a result of your participation in a recent skirmish in the mortal world. I have a report here from the 13th division.

The person steps out of sight for a moment to return with more paper.

According to it. You were overwhelmed by the hollow opposition. You may recall some of this. Your body was retrieved following the retreat of all hollows recognized to be high threat level. The remainder were handled with small incident. You were taken to a 4th division facility where the division's best managed to deal with minor scratches and some bruising you had taken in the battle. *gestures dismissively to the gouges, deep cuts, and great clusters of bruises* Following this. You were relocated to our current location.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Huh? Don't recall being in 4th", Hannibal mumbles. He's quite certain a trip to such a familiar place would not elude his memory. He tries to move to his side, if that would ease the pain, but twitching a single muscle through the agony feels impossible. "So whuzzat waiver thingy yer waving on my face? Whatcha gonna do to me?"

[Free Hand]

Oh. Yes the waivers.

The presumed scientist put the report aside and held up the original papers again.

Due to one of Captain Kazuo's recent amendments. We require your consent before we can actually go any further with the experiment. We also require the consent of your division captain. The reports I received have indicated that you currently hold the position. This means we may bypass the later condition. This wavier here. *holds up another form* Removes the 12th division of responsibility to the participant. Should the participant suffer a mortality or unforeseen misfortune.

The scientist seems to consider her words as she later adds after a long pause.

Of course. Nothing will go wrong.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi slowly takes off the mask, turning it in his hands. The odd holographic blueprint spins along with it, small points being noted on the "Chart."

"Hmmm....this is very intersting. It seems the effects are not tied to the mask itself. I felt nothing and the mask did not shrink to conform to my face. An odd event. I had suspected it would have attempted to latch on to me and use me."

He glances up at Hannibal, frowning as his shoulders slump slightly. Almost as if he'd been defeated. With a heavy sigh he turns to look at the Captain Warden.

"Captain Taiki. I request humbely that Ex-Captain Hannibal be moved to the Kido Corp. Grounds for a weeks time for further study. I cannot do so fully here in this cell, and I humbly ask for your acceptance. Please Captain Taiki. It is for the continued benifit of all Soul Society. I believe I can cure him."

[tgva8889]

Present Day

"No."

Taiki stands from his slumped position.

"Hannibal is to be held here as per Central 46's order until they and they alone deem it proper for him to be released. Anywhere. I have allowed you to visit him without the usual background checks today. I have even allowed you an assistant, something that was not part of our original agreement. That is as far as my leniency goes."

Taiki's hand falls on the wall near the cell. The bars seem to waver for a moment, like a shimmering illusion. Then, they seem to phase, appearing around Hannibal like an animal's cage, trapping him in a small box.

"If you are finished examining the kido as requested, I suggest that Hannibal conclude his story and then we leave."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi shrugs slightly, handing the mask back to Hannibal.

"I am almost complete. I am sure by the time his story is done, I shall be ready to return to my respective location. Thank you for your trust and kindness Captain Taiki. I hope you have found it well placed and we can continue to allow such visits with Ex-Captain Hannibal for myself."

[tgva8889]

The bars revert to their previous position, phasing back into place.

"Then please continue, both of you."

Taiki removes his hand from the wall and reverts to leaning against the wall once more.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Ye sure? Ye crackpots tend to overdo it, sometimes. . . ", Hannibal mutters, but still reaches for the pen, his face a mask of concentration and agony. He barely manages to scribble his name on the waiver - maybe, a calligraphy expert looking at it real closely could discern that it is, in fact, Hannibal's signature. "Whatever. I'm in. Just make the pain go away."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi turns to Hannibal, the air crackling with life once more.

"Of course Captain Taiki. Ex-Captain Hannibal. I am afraid this is going to hurt a good deal. If you feel the need to lash out, I will remind you I am very fragile and have a pretty face. Aim somewhere lethal so at least I retain my good looks when they bury me."

Takeshi's eyes glow, black smoke suddenly billowing around him as his spiritual pressure seems to increase to vast proportions.

"Bakudo #61 Rikujōkōrō"

Six beams of light slam into Hannibal's body, holding him in place. Even for a Captain Class Bakudo, Hannibal would note the spell is beyond potent.

"Division through Assimilation. Path of Twenty One Golden Arcs, Call forth the Little One's and bring them to charity. Allow not the mighty beasts of that blasted wasteland to cry forth in hunger. Fear is the shield, and anguish its spear. Strike nineteen times along the board. Shift eighteen times in preperation. Bow seventeen times to the Soul King. Ask forgiveness for your sins sixteen times to those who will not answer. And beg fifteen times for safety against that bleak and hairless beast known as Woe."

The tattoo's around Hannibal's eyes pulse, seemingly the spell having no effect. But Hannibal would feel otherwise, he would know that the spell worked as planned as liquid hot pain shot into his brain and through his body, almost seeming to grow with each word in the story, with each breath he took. And in another instant the pain would seem to focus, to pull into tight lines along his body, light shining forth in strange tribal markings similar to the tattoo's around his eyes.

[Free Hand]

Past:

Our project director. Souten-sensei. has never been one to let his eagerness cloud his insight.

The Shingami talks while carefully examining Hannibal's signature.

You may take comfort in knowing that Souten-sensei the second lowest incident ratio in the division.

Once she seemed to have determined that the scribble was not a random arm spasm, she looked back down at Hannibal.

Now that we are no longer bogged down in bureaucracy. I must inform you of the next step. We. Will have to turn you off for the duration of the experiment. It is similar to being dead. Only you will not be dead. This is necessary as you are unlikely to survive otherwise. Even unconscious your body would undergo far to much stress. You would be restored after our work is concluded.

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

Hannibal tries to keep on speaking, but can only gasp in pain. His muscles try to double him over, but the ancient Kido thinks otherwise. His eyes bulge as the pain shoots through is bones, and it's clear he's on verge of passing out. As he struggles against it, the pain brings the past vividly into his mind - and at that moment, the physical pain in his eyes makes way for something deeper, and much more agonizing.

---

Past:

"Well, don't think I've got all that much choice. Fire away, madhats."

[Free Hand]

We will begin shortly then.

The Shinigami takes a moment to collect the various documents she had shown him before stepped out of sight. When she returned, she was joined with two other shinigami, all peering at Hannibal nerviously.

These are Masuda and.

She stops abruptly and seems to be thinking. One of the two looks like he wants to say something but can't sum up the courage to do so. She finally arrives to a decision.

And his colleague. They are here to assist me in this operation.

She gestures around and the two go about their predetermined tasks.

You are no doubt in immense pain at this time. In the next few minutes. It may in fact get worse. You must bear with it though. If either of the attendants are injured. Work will be postponed until replacements are again acquired from among the interns.

She disappears from sight again but can be heard behind his head somewhere charging up some device judging by the whirling sound. The two others timidly stick sharp items along his body. They mutter vague apologies to Hannibal and cringe whenever he so much as twitches.

[tgva8889]

Present Day

Taiki brings up an eyebrow.

"That is not supposed to happen. What exactly are you doing, Takeshi?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi looks over his shoulder, oddly calm despite the situation. He waves a hand lazily through the air.

"Nothing to be worried about Captain Taiki. I am sure you have such things in your job. It is merely a new method in which to bind the "Sinner" as he has been deemed by the Central and...the many here."

He smiles sweetly as he continues to stare at the other Captain over his shoulder, though his voice seems tight. If this was because of the spell or something else was hard to tell.

"Though the spell will degrade faster. I will have to come every three weeks to keep it up. I am sorry, but the old spell was far to lethal to the Ex-Captain."

[tgva8889]

Present Day

Taiki looks on. "So you've specifically weakened the spell in place? Or did I mishear?"

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi nods.

"You did. I said its duration was shorter. Not that the spell was weaker. The spell is in fact stronger. Hence its swifter decay rate. It is very technical Captain Taiki. I can write you up the exact methods in which is was created when I am making sure his face does not explode all over me and the cell.

The spell is easily ten times as strong as the last. Ex-Captain Hannibal will in fact be easier to subdue should he attempt anything. Please be at ease Captain Taiki, you have nothing to worry about. Or do you think perhaps I would set this man free?"

[tgva8889]

"'Swifter decay' sounds weaker than the previous decay rate. Sounds like the opposite of what I intended for you to do, Takeshi."

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi shrugs as his shoulders slump, turning to face the Prision Captain.

"I believe I know what I am doing, Captain Taiki. What you intended and what is practical is not exactly in synch. You wish this man to be sealed away. It is what I have been doing. What you do not want is him getting free. I would hope you would trust that I will do my job as best as it can be done at the time it is complete."

He folds his arms over his chest, the smoke in the room suddenly flaring, an oppressive weight spreading out from the Kido Commander.

"It is a sad case, but strong Kido devour itself. This is a state of how Kido works. Power comes with great constraints. This Kido feeds on itself to power itself, a loop of ten Kido that use the other as a spring board to power the next. Until the last is stronger then each piece on its own. But this takes a great deal of energy. Energy that would be...unrealistic within the laws laid down by Central.

[tgva8889]

Taiki is unaffected by Takeshi's weight.

"The kido itself did not need strengthening. It needed extending."

[Innis Cabal]

"And I am telling you that you are incorrect. But you need not trust me, Captain Taiki. I will do all I can to extend this, but it was a measure I had to take, there was no other option. I have a great deal of time to focus on this matrix. Unless you think you know better then me."

Takeshi's tone remains pleasent, though his eyes belay the clear annoyance with the other man.

"I would ask Captain, since I do not tell you how to deal with your prison, you do not tell me how to conduct my bindings or other such matrix's. I will need to return in three weeks. I have that much time to figure a way out to keep the new bindings just as strong and prolong them. I was not aware the Gotei made a habit of intruding in other's domains of expertise."

[tgva8889]

Taiki does not move.

"Ah, but you are telling me how to deal with my prison. Clearly, you have been ill-informed." Taiki's tone has a touch of sarcasm. "If you will need to return in 3 weeks, you will have to arrange it through the normal procedures."

[Innis Cabal]

"I am merely doing the duty you asked me to do. It is not my fault the Bindings on Ex-Captain Hannibal were in decay and beyond repair. If you see this as telling you how to deal with your Prison, then you should take the advice of one who knows what he is speaking of. Least you lose your men. And if that is what I must do, so be it. I trust you will make sure the process moves smoothly. There will be a file in your office by tonight, I assure you. Now if you will excuse me, since you have decided to place red tape around me? I will try and make sure Ex-Captain Hannibal does not somehow slip out of his bindings while I am waiting for your legal procedures to go through their proper channels."

Takeshi turns away, shrugging again as he gazes over Hannibal.

"I will try to ease your pain Ex-Captain, though I do not think I have anything for attitudes."

[Frozen_Feet]

Present:

Hannibal stirs.

"Can't ye. . . goddamn whippersnappers . . . keep yer frellin' voice down? I'm trying to tell a stroy here! And I swear, lil' monkey, that if ye do what ye just did, I'll hang ye by the nads! Do ye know how frellin much that HURT!!"

---

Past:

Hannibal smiles awkwardly to the two assistant. "Hey, boys, lets forget that lil' incident, eh? It was a pure accident, I swear. Just felt a lil' pissed off at that chicken**** who ruined my face." Clearly, the Captain realizes being polite to those who hold your life in their hands is a good idea. He glumly awaits for the operation to begin.

[Innis Cabal]

Takeshi nods again, frowning deeply.

"It was not my intent. Discuss it with Captain Taiki if you wish to raise an issue with your treatment. We are both prisoners here. Please continue, I will wait until you are done to finish."

[tgva8889]

Taiki smirks. "I would not lose any men whether Hannibal escaped or not. That I do know. Oh, and there's nothing legal about the procedures. They are simply rules that I have placed upon my prisons. Rules that even I do not break."

[Free Hand]

Past:

Before the two get a chance to respond to Hannibal's attempts to reassure them, the Shinigami's voice picks up again.

Oh? Preparations complete? To your stations then. Now Captain. You may feel a slight cranial pressure. Be certain to keep your tongue from between your teeth. As you may bite it off. Perhaps we should requisition a bit. No. too late. We start no-

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------

-llo? Are you there Captain? Can you hear me? Damn it I don't have all day. Ai, could you be a dear and retrieve the smelling salts?

If I may propose an alternative. Souten-sensei?

Hmm? oh hahah! Yes of course!

Hannibal may feel his face soundly slapped, or maybe not.

Mmmmm not as effective as one would hope then? *prods Hannibal* Like striking a rock hm?

Not quite what I would say.

Harder eh? My god he's ugly.

You have said so. Souten-sensei.

Isn't he though?

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

"Who yer callin' ugly, dumbass?" The guttural growl sounds like a wild beast, ready to gut everyone on its way. "Are ye chumps done yet? If ye are, I'll shake the dust of this place from me in no time. I've got a division to run."

[Free Hand]

Past:

Oh good! He's awake. And such drive, such commitment to his duty, commendable really.

The speaker is a short, somewhat overweight man, attired as a member of the 12th division. His yellow hair is unkempt with grey creeping all across his temple. He grins broadly at the Captain, on either side are several other scientists of the 12th, one can tell them from the interns by the feverish look in their eyes as they appraise the awakened Hannibal.

Now Captain, I fully understand your desire to make good your escape from our humble company, just as you've escaped a nasty little death. Well actually escape is a poor word for it, that implies running, dodging, skipping. Better wording would be we drove it from you, chased it off before it had the chance to plop you out anew as a gibbering little mortal. But never mind that you want to leave.

Souten threw up a hand in resignation.

If that is your wish Captain then I must oblige. But you still have an obligation to return at a later date until my research is complete. If not out of respect for the man that shielded your tender body from the cold embrace of death, then because of certain documents you've scribbled on. The experiment is still on going you see, we are currently in the observation stage. Just a few short visits in the future for examination would suffice I think.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Painstakingly, Hannibal hoists himself up. His body is still aching, but nowhere on the same level as before. In fact - he feels surprisingly good. More like he'd run a few laps around Seireitei or sparred against his division, as opposed to being mauled to near-death. "Hey, what d'ye know! Ye've actually done yer jobs!", he bellows, obviously happy to be alive. However, at this point he notices his whole attire amounts to bandages and a flimsy towel tied around his waist. "Errr. . . "

But Shihakusho isn't really what the Captain misses - there's a much more pressing concern in his mind. He turns around, his gaze darting around as he looks for Zanpakuto. "Hey. . . anyone seen my sword? It didn't get left behind, did it?"

((For the record, the sword should be with Karite, a 13th divisioner. Whether the scientist know of this is another matter entirely.))

[Free Hand]

Past:

Your Sword? How should I know where such an inconsequential item would be? Am I a Valet?

Snorting in exasperation, Souten turned to the woman at his side.

Ai dear, Do you know anything pertaining to the crisis currently consuming the Captain?

Here Ai shuffled the stack of documents in her hands, it doesn't seem relevent to her reply though as she doesn't seem to be reading any of them.

Yes. And No. Captain Hannibal was signed over to us without his Zanpakuto. This is speculation. But as the Captain was in the company of 13th Division Shinigami. They may have taken the Captain's sword into custody. Alternatively. It may have been appropriately transfered to the 11th Division. Of course. The soon obsolete 4th Division may have it in their own possession.

The scientists all broke into smiles at that last part. Souten's own only got wider and he began rubbing his immaculate hands together.

You heard that Captain? the 4th may have your sword with them. Perhaps this is a sign of their new purpose within the Soul Society? Someone will be needed to check and care for for the coats and swords during all those social functions eh?

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Hannibal steps towards the older Souten, cracking his knuckles as he does. The Captain's considerable muscles bulge very visibly due to his skimpy... "clothing". He has a very ugly look on his face. "Inconsequential? Inconsequential? It. Is. My. SWORD!", he howls, spitle flying on the old man's face. "Call it that one more time, and I'll gut ye with it. Well, once I find it, anyway."

With those words, 11th's Captain stumbles past and through the crowd of scientist and out of the nearest door. Two seconds later, his appear back at the door frame, a sorry look on his face. "Erm, where's the exit?"

[Free Hand]

Past:

Ai had just finished wiping Hannibal's words off her superior's face with a cloth when the Captain made his less then triumphant return. Souten turned to look at Hannibal, frowning at the man for the first time.

What back already? Kanzaki, please assist the Captain on his way, I have work to do.

As one of the scientists hurries reluctantly over to Hannibal at his command, Souten sweeps past the captain through the door and into another direction. The others follow in his wake, giving Hannibal a wide birth.

[Frozen_Feet]

Past:

Kanzaki is less than pleased of his task to guide the half-naked Captain, mainly because Hannibal keeps cracking his knuckles and grinning psychotically every time the scientist glances over his shoulder to see if the Captain is still following.

Eventually, they some to the exit. Hannibal pats the Kanzaki on the back so hard the poor guy almost falls over, then takes off to... where? Hmmph, I guess the 4th is a good place to start. They might have that frosty lad there. I hope he really did get my sword - cause if he didn't...

Hannibal stops mid-thought and mid-step, suddenly gasping for air and doubling over. Sparks fly in his vision and world below feels like it's giving in under his feet. He tumbles to the ground and rolls around for a while, before wrenching himself to a sitting position, holding his head. "Argh! What for ****'s sake is this?", he growls to himself, feeling like hot nails are being pushed through his head. "Those damn crackpots... I'll kill them. Agh!"

Painstakingly, Hannibal stands up, and shakes some of the dirt off of himself. He continues towards the 4th, much slower now, to search for Karite...