Shinigami Savant Quest #68

You are Kusajishi Riku, Captain of the Ninth Division of the Seireitei Court Guard. After a taxing pair of duels you and Yoruichi managed to defeat your own clones, albeit at a cost. To defeat your mirror for certain in a single move you employed your modified kidō called Yūgure Kasō, which burned away your left arm as backlash and necessitated the use of a second vial of regenerative serum.

The result however was that your own copy was completely obliterated on the spot, with not even traces of dust left behind to mark her passage from the world, while Yoruichi lured her copy into a trap and destroyed her body. The fake Yoruichi's soul, contained within a small red pill, is now somewhere on your wife's person. It's likely her intent to interrogate the pretender before handing her off to Kisuke for a more in-depth analysis. Only problem is that there's still a lingering sensation in your new left arm that bothers you.

“Your replacement isn't quite right, is it?” Yoruichi asks, no doubt noticing the slight difference in how the limb moves as you walk towards the farmhouse where the Valhallans you were tracking had holed up. They seem to have been sheltering in place there while your own battles strayed increasingly far from where they began, the rapid series of hundred-meter-long strides having made it very difficult to keep track of such details.

“Sharp eyes,” you admit, gently stretching your fingers. First all at once, then one at a time... each careful movement feels slower than it should. Clumsier, too. “The muscles are naive, but that should improve with use. Sensation's just how it should be, so that's a bright spot.”

“True, had there been lasting nerve damage it would've been worse,” Yoruichi agrees, leaning over to rap her knuckles against your forehead. “Hey, Rosa! You know what to do, right?”
>1/2

Rosa's response is a silent one, but immediate. Tiny threads of reishi emerge from your left shoulder, near the base of your neck, and weave themselves into a net which hovers a mere finger's width above your skin. They run from your shoulder all the way down to the tips of each of your fingers, and slowly begin to sink themselves into your arm with a strange, spreading chill.

After the last thread disappears your arm begins to move to another's will, repeating your stretching routine with a measured speed far closer to your norm. The arm still feels weaker than your right, but it moves the way it did before you burned the old one off.

“I'm handing active control back to you,” Rosa informs you as a sense of control returns to the previously independent limb. “I'll keep up accelerating the process of healing and retraining your muscles until it's back to normal, but while I'm at it that's about all I'll be able to do.”

“Lemme know if my help's needed in a fight and I'll consider it.”

“Better?” Yoruichi asks, prodding your arm.

You make a fist, then relax your muscles once more. “Better.”

“Good,” she smiles calmly. “Now that we've solved that little performance issue, shall we have a chat with these Valhallans?”

The two of you stop in front of the door of the farmhouse, standing in a front lawn that looks as if it's been peeled back like the skin of an onion. Any time there are lumps of sod stuck in the lintel above the door something bad's happened.

They're certainly still inside, that much is for sure.

>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.
>Calmly allow yourself in. This should be a civil meeting.
>Kick the door in, it's Riku time.

>Kick the door in, it's Riku time.

>>Kick the door in, it's Riku time.

>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.

>>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.

>Calmly allow yourself in. This should be a civil meeting.

I don't think kicking the door in is really going to have much of an effect after the display we just put on.

>Kick the door in, it's Riku time.

>Calmly allow yourself in. This should be a civil meeting.

>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.

>writing
So, how's everyone been?

>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.

Had a good time, relaxing in peace. Thank fuck for summer.

I just woke up and saw this was live, so pretty damn good.

Okay, Mosquito's have been acting up like a bitch though.

>>Knock on the door, it might confuse them.

Instead of knocking on the door, or even knocking it down, you decide to take the third option: you simply walk into the door. In the ensuing contest of strength and determination, the door soon finds itself overwhelmed and breaks off its hinges like a bulkhead on a sinking ship collapsing under the weight of the sea.

The door, or rather what remains of it, clatters loudly to the floor and you step over it calmly, soon finding the door to the basement where the Valhallans have been sheltering. It's not locked, but through it is a darkened room.

“Come on out,” you entreat them warmly. “Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. We just want to have a little talk.”

“You do realize how sinister that sounds from where we're sitting, right?” a male voice inquires from out of the darkness. “Especially after that massive explosion.”

“If we wanted to kill you we wouldn't be having this conversation,” Yoruichi points out, quite accurately in fact. “We'd have leveled he house and been on our way. But this whole situation warrants investigation on our part, and you have information that we can use.”

“And what happens when you have what you need?” the voice presses. “That's been our lot in life, to be used then put away or disposed of when our purpose has been fulfilled.”

“Like I said,” you repeat, “we're not here to kill you.”

“But would you stick up for us?” a second voice asks. “What do we get from cooperating with you, eh?”

“Eh?” a third vice, this one female, asks. “What, are we bloody Canadian now?”

“Shaddap!”

>I can't make any promises, but we can try and mediate a discussion with your superiors.
>We can make your superiors listen. Then it falls to what you have to say.
>We can offer you safe harbor in the Seireitei, or elsewhere if need be.
>Other?

>We can make your superiors listen. Then it falls to what you have to say.

>other
>I can't make any promises, but we can try and mediate a discussion with your superiors. And if worst comes to worst we can offer you safe harbor in Seireitei, or elsewhere if need be or for that matter it is what you would prefer.

>I can't make any promises, but we can try and mediate a discussion with your superiors.

>We can make your superiors listen. Then it falls to what you have to say.

Supporting.

Second, Deleted old vote.

>writing

“All I can promise is that we'll make sure your superiors hear you,” you tell them calmly. “We can't force them to listen, or to do as you ask. If things are still bad between you after that, then we'll come up with something.”

There are a few tense moments that follow where the reigai discuss the problem among themselves. They can't seem to agree at first whether you are trustworthy, or how much pull you actually have with the rest of the Valhallans. But eventually the realization that there isn't really much of an alternative begins to win out.

“Sorry 'bout that,” the Scottish woman's voice apologizes. “Needed ta set an have a wee think bout it.”

“It's fine,” you shrug. “So are you going to come upstairs and talk with us like normal people, or...”

“We'd prefer to stay where we are for now,” a male voice interrupts in a gruff tone.

You switch the lights on in the basement using the switch at the top of the stairs, briefly illuminating the basement before switching it off again.

“Bloody hell!”

“Son of a whore!”

“You wanker!”

“Sorry, what was that?” you ask, flicking the lights on and off again to a second chorus of groans. “Can't quite hear you from down there!”

“Fine!” the Scottish woman shouts. “I surrender! We're comin' up, ya hear? Just... fer the love of Christ wouldja stop with the lights?”

“Glad we could come to an agreement,” Yoruichi grins. “Sometimes, Riku, I really do love diplomacy.”
>1/2

After the handful of Valhallan reigai leave the darkened basement, you manage to get them gathered around a table in the farmhouse's kitchen and convince them to briefly introduce themselves. Noin is the blond Scotswoman with the thick accent, Zechs is the man with the low voice and the slight French accent, and Treis is apparently the second man whom you overheard when spying on them earlier in the day. His English comes with a faint Spanish lisp. Two more round out the group: Zane, a taller man with a specific German accent that could make him either Austrian or Bavarian, and a woman named simply “Four” with a rather posh British tone to her voice.

>Ask them to clarify the reasons for their revolt.
>Ask about what they meant by “put away”.
>Demand to know more about the reigai of yourselves.
>Demand to know who created them.
>Other?

Order MAY be important here, btw, and you may want to consider who you primarily address questions to.

>Ask them to clarify the reasons for their revolt.
>Ask about what they meant by “put away”.
>Demand to know more about the reigai of yourselves.
Noin.

>Ask about what they meant by “put away”.
Let's go with Noin then. Gotta make King write the accent.

>1. Demand to know more about the reigai of yourselves.
>2. Where and how they got the materials to create the reigai clones.
>3. Demand to know who created them.
>4. Ask them to clarify the reasons for their revolt.
>5.Ask about what they meant by “put away”.

Also address whoever seems to be in charge. Which I assume to be the Scot.

I support this

>Demand to know more about the reigai of yourselves.
>Ask them to clarify the reasons for their revolt.
>Ask about what they meant by “put away”.
Ask Scotlady or Franceman.

>Other?
What's their connection with the clone Riku and Yoru?

>writing

Hey King!

Wait, we have 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10. Even counting the dopplegangers, that leaves people missing.

>that leaves people missing
>no 5
So... clone Aizen?

Both the driving force in this group and apparently the voice of moderation seems to be the Scotswoman, Noin, so you choose to address her directly.

“First off, you'll have to forgive me for wanting to know about those clones of us,” you begin with a scowl. “It's something of a personal matter as well as a dangerous development. Do you know where they came from?”

Noin shakes her head. “It's one a those things lass, ken what I mean? Ya don't go pokin' round with it, ya let it lie.”

“You're telling us you never asked?” Yoruichi presses, cocking an eyebrow in surprise. “You'd think that'd be the first question on your minds.”

“Believe us, it was,” Zechs counters, thrusting himself into the conversation. “But they refused to explain anything to us. They spoke and we listened, and there was a tacit understanding that that was the way of things.”

“All I know is they weren' from here,” Noin adds. “Prolly from tha Orient, I reckoned.”

“Helpful,” you grumble. “Anything else you can tell us about them?”

“Yeah, like were they alone?” Yoruichi presses, her expression stern.

“No. Funny thin that, I'dve expected there'd be more'n one of them. Ya kent tell me you'd make jus two Cap'ns if ya had tha means ta make more'n two.”

Fair point.

“And your revolt?” you continue. “We understand it has something to do with your treatment by the Valhallan military? Was your treatment at the hands of your actual creators, or the bureaucrats, or your commanders...”
>1/2

[crickets chirping]

So we should probably try to find out where 1, 2, 5, and 8 are. They could be important to this.

There may be more than 10. Also, since this is based on a mongolian finger painting, watch out for Zero.

They're probably dead.

“Our commanders,” Zane explains hastily. “If we ever had something like 'a creator' we've never met him.”

You exchange a confused glance with your wife, who immediately asks for clarification. “Not even when they operated on you?”

Noin shakes her head, while Zechs speaks up. “Military surgeons, military advisors, military police, officers, soldiers... it was all handled without a civilian or a suit in sight. No scientists to be seen.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Yoruichi tells you sternly. “It takes the Research Bureau a half dozen lab coats to figure out even basic spiritual tools and technology, how could the Valhallans produce ten or more reigai with none?”

“We always assumed some form of incarceration,” Zechs explains.

“And your numbers?” you ask him. “I heard what happened to Seven, but were the others...”

“They were,” Four tells you sadly. “Five got it worst.”

“Jesus, why'd ya hafta go an remin' me,” Noin shudders. “I ken still hear 'im times when I close my eyes.”

You almost wish you hadn't asked.

“And when you say that your superiors have you put away,” Yoruichi asks, providing a welcome change of topic, “what exactly does that mean? I've got a weird image of them putting you away in a closet like children's toys.”

“That's precisely what it is like,” Four tells her. “When we have completed a mission, our handlers remove something called a “gikongan” from our bodies. The little ball where our soul resides goes in a vat of protective fluid, and our bodies are placed into storage until we are needed.”

>What missions do they have you handle?
>How did you escape?
>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?
>Other?

I'm fairly certain at least one was mentioned as being dead. Fairly certain that was what sparked the rebellion.

>What missions do they have you handle?
>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?

>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?
>What missions did they have you handle?
>How did you escape?

Yeah, 7.

>How did you escape?
>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?

>What missions do they have you handle?
>How did you escape?
>Other?
How many of them were there, and did our clones have numbers?

Oh, and best not ask them about their glowing weak spot at this stage.

>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?
Which should also extend to something that should track them. Though given the fact that the Valhallans never got to keep tabs for long, I'm guessing they got around that.

>What missions do they have you handle?
>How did you escape?
>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?

>Did they have some sort of enforcement mechanism?
>What missions do they have you handle?
>How did you escape?
>Other: We're sorry for what you've gone through. We'll do what it takes to straighten things out here, especially when our souls were 'copied.'

>What training did they give you? Surely they didn't just rely on some sort of implanted memories, right?

Supporting this!

>Writing

Sorry, something came up and I was briefly delayed. Posting an apology picture and getting back to it.

Apology cat accepted.

“I assume you weren't exactly cooperating by choice?” Yoruichi sighs.

“You'd be right,” Zane confirms. “Our bodies could be destroyed remotely in case we ever refused. Ein tried a few times before they decided to put him down.”

“And so you had to destroy the mechanism they used to accomplish that,” you conclude, filling in the blanks left in Zane's statement. “You did fire the first shot, just for understandable reasons.”

“You don't think that'll complicate things?” Yoruichi asks you. You frown and scratch lightly at the back of your neck as the Valhallan reigai watch you in anticipation.

“It will,” you admit, “and we don't have the pull here to change their minds if they decide these reigai should be killed, or destroyed, or whatever they call it.”

“Fuck, they're gonna cull us like badgers,” Zechs grumbles. “Well if it comes to that I'm not letting them...”

“Hold that thought,” you snap, “nobody's saying that'll actually happen. I'll decide what I want to do about it when we get there. There won't be one Valhallan in that room that'll be able to kill you unless I allow it.”

“So I have another question,” you tell them, rising to your feet. “Did they train you?”

“Aye,” Noin tells you. “No clue bout those reigai ah you two.”

>Any other business?
>Come with us, we'll escort you back to the Valhallan's regional headquarters.
>You stay here. I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here.
>You stay here, we'll present your case and return with their verdict.
>Oher?

>>You stay here. I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here.

>You stay here. I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here.
Right-o.

>>You stay here. I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here.

>You stay here, we'll present your case and return with their verdict.
>Any other business?

>We could destroy their bodies to mollify the valhallans then smuggle gikongan back to seireitei and get kisuke to remake the bodies.

>>Other?
You have a choice you can come with us, we'll escort you back to the Valhallan's regional headquarters and make your case. You could stay here, and I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here. Or you can stay here, we'll present your case and return with their verdict. It's up to you.

>You stay here. I'll see if we can't bring their flag officers here.
Som one should watch over them for their own safety

>Other?
Arrange the meetup but on relatively neutral ground.

Sneaky, but A: lying to them about these guys being gone could come back to bite us and B: sounds a little resource intensive. Not sure it'd be my first choice plan.

I doubt these fuckers could ID them if the bodies were modified to look different. Something tells me it wasn't exactly their people who figured out the science behind this. Not that I think we should gamble on a hypothesis; it might become a good option if we discover the creator and it turns out to be who we think it is, however.

So does anyone else think old creepyface is behind our clones?

>I doubt these fuckers could ID them if the bodies were modified to look different
That's fair. They don't seem the smartest OR strongest after all.

Seems unlikely, if he was going to do it he wouldn't pussyfoot around doing it. Creepyface would have done it in his own lab in Seireitei.

>writing
Also, who's creepyface? Problem is this is Bleach, that could mean a LOT of people.

You know, creepyface!

I dunno this would probably be a good test for him.

THE creepyface

I am assuming everyone means everyone's least favorite science clown.

The guy who used to carry a baby idol over his junk.

>used to

I haven't been looking too closely at his new forms since they change too often with little regard to practicality or fashion sense. For some reason I don't know, I had enough hope in Kubo to assume he would've realized what a retarded position it was to carry a sword.

“Yoruichi, you stay here and watch these bunch. I'll go speak with their flag officers, try and convince them to come here instead.”

“And what makes you think we won't try and take her hostage?” Zane asks, his hand finding the hilt of a knife on his belt. “Use that as leverage?”

You exchange a glance with your wife, then the two of you burst into peals of barely-contained laughter. After several moments with no end in sight, Zane grumbles again. “Well, we could you know.”

That just makes you laugh harder.

“But seriously,” Yoruichi finally replies as she begins to get a grip on herself again, “I'd rip out your own spine and beat you to death with it if you tried. So be a good boy and behave while we try and help sort things out for you.”

“She would,” you agree. “It may not sound physically possible but I'm sure she'd find a way.”

“I'll be back!” you finish with a cheerful wave. “Bye now!”

Yoruichi smiles back at you pleasantly. “See you!”

You're obliged to travel through the night without rest in order to make it back to the headquarters section by sunup, but you manage it and only need to take a few moments to clean yourself up afterwards before meeting with Shunsui.

“So I take it that little lightshow was your doing?” he asks, glancing down at your arms. “Are you okay, Lady Riku?”

“I am,” you assure him.

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?
>Send a message back to the Seireitei updating them?
>Barge in on the Flag officers. You'll report when you have something to report.
>Other?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?
Then have Shunsui send a message back to the Seireitei updating them?
While Riku
Barge in on the Flag officers.

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Barge in on the Flag officers. You'll report when you have something to report.
Heeeere's Riku!

>>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?

>Exchange updates with Shunsui?
>Barge in on the Flag officers. You'll report when you have something to report.

These assholes don't get a say anymore. I'm fairly certain that we do not have enough exponents to calculate how high their tab is using mathematics at this point.

>writing, btw

“So, Shunsui, what've you learned while we were out blowing up half the countryside?”

Your fellow Captain gestures for you to lean in closer so he can use a hushed tone, and you oblige him. “I think I'm in love.”

You crack him over the head so hard and so quickly his face goes through the floor. Which doesn't hurt him, you think, because he comes up chuckling to himself. “I learned that nobody here actually knows where their little toy soldiers came from or who even made them. I think it's safe to say we have an expertise leak within the Research Bureau.”

“Have the officers here said anything to that effect yet?” you ask him.

He rubs the back of his head where you hit him. “They're certainly cagey. Anyone who does know wouldn't say, and anyone who knows who would know won't even admit to knowing that much.”

“Well, I found the reigai,” you explain. “They were treating their own reigai as living weapons, making reckless surgical alterations and keeping them locked up in storage when they're not on missions.”

“So you blew them up already?” Shunsui asks you, a frown on his face.

You shake your head solemnly. “Well, no. We met Yoruichi's clone.”

“You did? And you blew her up?”

You continue to shake your head. “No, I blew up a clone of myself.”

There are a few seconds of awkward silence. “Now that's a fight I'd have paid to see up close.”

“It was interesting,” you admit.

>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.
>I'm going to force a settlement.
>We need to report this to the Seireitei, open an investigation into the leak.
>Other?

>>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.
>>I'm going to force a settlement.

>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.

>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.
>I'm going to force a settlement.

>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.

>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.
>I'm going to force a settlement.
Riku going hard.

>>>I'm going to confront the flag officers, force them to confess.
>>I'm going to force a settlement.
>>We need to report this to the Seireitei, open an investigation into the leak.
Por que no los tres? Shunsui can go ahead and return to the Seireitei, he's barely done anything.

>We need to report this to the Seireitei, open an investigation into the leak.

>We need to report this to the Seireitei, open an investigation into the leak.
Right and proper, anons!