Wartime Crisis

Scoundrels
"You've got to be kidding me..." Ise had just arrived on the scene not long after Ahatake and his group fled, and she was shocked at what greeted her eyes. Toyotomi lying on the ground, unconcious as the bottom of a large crater, most of his shihakushō destroyed, and severe burns all throughout his body.

"Lieutenant Ise, what's the ma-oh my God." One of the Fourth Division members rushed to her side and stopped dead. "Lieutenant Toyotomi!" Like Ise, he was shocked at the rampant destruction and even the damage caused to Toyotomi. "The strongest Lieutenant in the Gotei 13..."

"Now isn't the time to go into shell shock, we're professionals for a reason!" Ise snapped, rushing down towards Toyotomi and motioning her squad to follow. "Kiso, Hogotsu, bring the stretcher! I'll apply first aid treatment now until we can get him to the barracks!"

"Yes ma'am!" Two of her squad immediately left and returned with a large, white stretcher, and two other individuals lifted Totoyomi's body and shattered Zanpakutō onto the stretcher. As they began to run, Ise began to apply healing Kidō to his body to keep him stabilized until they could get to the barracks. "What kind of power does it take to do this...?"

"You've got to be joking!" After Toyotomi had been admitted to hospital, another Lieutenants meeting had been called while the word was still getting around to the Captains. Kyūzō was the first to speak after Ise had relayed the news of Toyotomi's defeat. It had only been around a day or two since the defeat of Hachishi and Harutō, and in that time they'd had two Lieutenant meetings. Such a thing was unheard of.

"Toyotomi..." Kirei was averting the gaze of nearly everyone. Why had he run off alone like that? If he'd gotten any one of them to back him up, it might have turned out differently.

Eishabu sighed, "Seems that we lost 'em. Ah well, what can ya do?" He didn't really seem too concerned about this for whatever reason there was- and there probably was no reason, but yet, he was probably a laidback guy. "But these guys, they seem kinda strong. That means we can raise our power against them and become even stronger."

"It was his fault and his alone." The only masked man in the general vicinity with spiky, blonde hair spoke, his voice curt. "A fool who rushes into battle with no regard for his own safety is a fool better off dead."

"Hanzō!" Kirei was quick to admonish the Lieutenant of the Second Division, her tone sharp as a knife. "He was only doing what he thought was right, you should show more concern!"

"Incorrect." Hanzō replied crisply. "He acted on his own whims, and he went in without a plan, or even considering the opponent's power. In our division, a blunt weapon that no longer serves its purpose is cast aside; Toyotomi isn't even worth the medical treatment afforded to him by the Fourth Division. He's unfit as a Lieutenant."

"Hanzō-!" Kirei seemed like she was about to say something else to the man, but a slightly balding man with a topknot, also wearing traditional Shinigami robes with a single robe over these that has a silver shoulder-guard that appears to have the shape of a white lotus, stepped between them, his arms outstretched.

"No!" His voice rang out, stern and commanding. "This is not the time to bring our personal ideals into this; Hanzō, foolish though Toyotomi's actions were, his intentions were just. He is also our comrade; we will not speak ill of him here, not whilst he is recuperating." While he spoke, everyone seemed to quiet themselves, catching onto his words. This man was Chūshin Kokoromi, the Lieutenant of the First Division. Older than all of them, the man possessed a wealth of experience and wisdom that everyone could benefit from in some way. "I know tension is high; times of war are ourselves like this, but we must not claw at each others throats. It will only play into the hands of these Ryōka if we become divided now."

Hanzō sighed, turning his head away from the lot of them. He had no use for such useless sentimentality, these things were what allowed the weak to prosper. However, he could not argue with Chūshin, and though it best to hold his tongue.

Eishabu snarked, "Did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed, huh?" Truth be told, he wasn't too impressed with Hanzou. At all. Then again, to him, the Second Division were full of killjoys and overly serious ninjas. The Shinigami were based upon the samurai of Old Edo- and the method of operating for ninjas went against the samurai.

Simply put, it was a simple old clash between fairness and pragmatism.

Cloud, on the other hand, seemed to agree with Hanzou, though he wasn't as rude about it. "He's right. That guy...he should really watch what he's doing. It might be the death of him. Besides, livin' in this world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. You gotta watch your step."

Sugeibi let out a sigh, straightening her glasses as they slipped down the bridge of her nose. "Whether we all reach an agreement or otherwise, the fact remains that we need to proceed with caution. These Ryōka are much stronger than we anticipated...if we don't tread lightly, we may all very well die."

The thought itself hadn't actually registered with anyone until this moment; these Ryōka, these strange, unknown invaders, were rapidly taking out their forces, strong and weak alike. Seated Shinigami as high up as Machishi Konikari had been defeated within days of the invasion, and now even Toyotomi, one of the stronger Lieutenants, was defeated. Did the Ryōka actually now pose a threat?

Every Lieutenant in the room knew one thing; their time to fight may be drawing near.

"Captain Ryūmonki, we've just received urgent news, imperative that it be spread to each Captain!" An official messenger under the command of the First Division arrived at the open door to the Ninth Division Barracks. "Lieutenant Toyotomi has been defeated by the Ryōka."

Hajime put down his book- something titled "The Art of War"- and turned to the messenger. "Wait a second. Everyone seems to be dropping like flies here..." Swirling around on his chair, he looked out of the window- eyes full of suspicion which he revealed to nobody. "...I think I may have to do a bit of investigating here."

"Sir...such a matter would be out of your jurisdiction, would it not?" The Shinigami, even with his head bowed low, couldn't stop himself. For a Captain to investigate matters without an express order from the Captain-Commander himself...

"It technically would be," Hajime continued, "But we're going to keep to keep this a secret between you and I. It's no harm if nobody finds out. Alongside that, it's for a good cause, so there's nothing to worry about!" He always seemed so...sure of himself, in a rather encouraging way, however.

The Shinigami nodded quickly. This would normally be something he'd report, but Captain Ryūmonki had always been reliable and trustworthy before. Letting him slide this once wouldn't hurt at all. "Thank you for your time, Captain." The man replied before vanishing on the spot.

Confusion and panic was truly spreading through the ranks of the Shinigami now.

END