Chiaroscuro: Annihilation

Part 1
. 15th East Rukongai district. Night.

It was a dark and stormy night.

All civilian s had been hastily evacuated from the area, so the windows of their houses remained empty, black holes like eye sockets of a skull. Lanterns were the only source of light, barely capable of wrestling the scenery from the clutches of rain and darkness.

Divisions Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh of the Gotei 13 patrolled the entire district in full force, separated into numerous large squads of anxious troops. Each unit, consisting of 30 Soul Reapers, remained in incessant eye contact wih at least one other, and could be clearly heard by several more. Meanwhile, the top officers stationed themselves on the biggest local square. From there they were ordering their subordinates and waiting for the unidentified aggressor to show up.

The shower of cold water was helping them stay vigilant.

"I hate rain", complained Captain Fudo Shōdo, breaking a long period of silence between the nearby officers.

"Abundant precipitation typical this time of year", remarked Captain Takeo Danko with something that resembled fatigue.

Shōdo sighed and turned his head. Once again he glanced at the solitary figure standing a short distance away.

Captain-Commander. The bad news delivered by Lieutenant Norio Nishimura had visibly perturbed him. And the longest-serving Captains as well. Fudo himself thought he had heard something about "Lord Bane" in the distant past, but was not sure. Be that as it may, apparently the idea of him coming back was bad enough to prompt the Captain-Commander himself to come with the three Divisions to "greet" him.