Act 7: Gathering of Powers

The woman stood waiting at her manor door. This was the night... Her bright emerald hues looked out for her would be guests, arms wrapped around her lightly. ~I wonder how this will fair~ she thought to herself. She had lost trust with many people, and she obviously wasn't going to be up for this, but none the less, the sooner they defeated the knights of shield the sooner she would not have to see Ryati or Sage again. In truth all she wanted now was to live her life here... in peace, without such meetings and battles. She would have to do everything in her power to save those lost souls and return this world to its natural balance. Of course she knew Norichi would be around, after all he was a vizard, she couldn't just avoid him. Pushing her fringe to the side the woman closed her eyes, silently waiting as she sensed the reishi of those who she would meet.

A shadow manifested only a few inches away from the manor door. What seemed like hands of shadows appeared as it created a dark shell. The shell vanished away and Norichi was seen leaning back against the wall his hands crossed. His dark blue spiked down hair concealed his face. His body was concealed in a sleeve less jacket acting as a cape. Only his arms could be seen bare , many scares upon the wrist of his right hand from making a minor mistake with Whitney. All went quiet for a mere second " Keihime. . . "His voice was a soft whisper, but yet there was some sense of protection remaining the same way he came in. He slowly lifted his head up towards the one who was approaching " I hope you know what your doing. . ." He whispered the words again giving off a protective vibe

Conflicted, that was the best way to describe what the Commander was feeling. He knew they needed this meeting, but in truth, he was a bit worried that it wouldn’t go over that well. Three races that all hate each other, or are supposed to hate each other were meeting in one place. A gentle sigh passed his pale lips and he shook his head slowly, pushing himself back up to his feet and brushing himself off. He bent over, retrieved his sword, and disappeared, leaving the ruins and entering the city. It took only a few moments, but after the second maneuver, he was within regular walking distance of the manor. His hands were clasped together behind him as he made his way toward the building where the meeting would eventually take place. Cold silver hues went to the manor once it came into view and he just let a small huff of air escape past his lips as he approached.

She knew that they were all expected to be there. Knew that she would be seeing all that she had foresaken for so long. Her battles with Banteki flared into her mindset, and she forced it back down, a growl from within smothered with the faintest thought. You won't be getting out again you bitch she had given all that had been needed. Yet it still wasn't enough, her failure as a leader growing inside her likek an infected limb, slowly poisoning within. However she wouldn't allow this to dictate what she did as a commander, not anymore. Ryati appeared at edge of the manor, Just enough to notice someone she had not see in quite a while. "Sage..." She breathed, remembering the last time they had met. Fantastic.

Keihime opened her eyes slowly and looked over at Norichi. “…well to be truthful Norichi, someone has to do something.” She said lightly, the woman had been thinking long and hard with this. “You need to realize, that every leader coming here, seems unwilling to act under their own accord, some more so than others…” Keihime’s hands were lowered to her side, revealing her blade… Manten Gensou in her grasp. “You Norichi, seem to fight once and abandon it, vanishing like you always do. While Sage seems to disdain fighting, and Ryati fails at a head captain.” Keihime turned her gaze towards the two approaching people. “I have yet to see anyone actually try to create a battleplan.” Keihime’s eyes narrowed at the two, hues set on Ryati. “If you wish it Norichi, I will leave and let you all discuss things without my presence.” Looking back at Norichi, the pale beauty kept silent, she meant it with all honesty, because she had no love of being here. “Greetings.” She whispered to the two and indicated for them to follow her to the manors garden where she then sat down and waited.

Norichi squinted his eyes giving off an intimidating look towards the Captain Commander and the same look towards the Leader of the Arrancar. Norichi turned around and walked with Keihime, " Your fear speaks louder then your beauty " He said silently " If you don't want to be here, Go out, go to your room, go anywhere you like. . . I'll do the speaking. " Norichi looked at a guard of sorts by the staircase leading to the upper floor " Open the Garden Lights and tell the others to be on the look out, nobody passes through here without my permission . " The guard bowed " Yes Norichi-Sama" and vanished away. Norichi turned his head and continued walking towards the Garden.

The commander of the Espada bit down on his lip, and his tongue, when he saw the lady-shinigami approaching the manor as well. His gaze turned away and he looked toward the two who were already waiting for them at the front of the building. He focused on them, and only them. The Espada stopped at the entrance of the manor grounds and looked over at Ryati, but only for a second, before he entered the property and moved over to where Keihime and Norichi were waiting. His head dipped slightly to the woman, a wordless greeting, before doing the same to Norichi. Not a word was uttered by the man as he watched them, looking back and forth between the two vizard and the shinigami that was joining them.

She had expected more from the Commander of the Espada than that, but really it didn't matter, they weren't here for personal business, This was a council of war, one which she had asked for in her last meeting here. However the past didn't matter, they were here to form a plan, and what would come after that would come. She continued on along with him, allowing her Zanpakuto to silence it's protestations, and the soft growling in the confines of her head to grow until she silenced it. The Captain Commander continued on through the same doors the Espada Commander had entered, and simply followed his lead.

“Beauty has nothing to do with this, nor will it ever. I’d rather you didn’t say such things of me.” She whispered. “Of course I am afraid. I hate fighting, I do not have it in me to kill without self-suffering but here I am.. I am here to do something because you all fail to do so.” Keihime did not acknowledge the others anymore until they all reached the garden. “Norichi, Sage.” She turned her gaze to her former leader and watched her with little emotion. “Ryati.” Keihime would never call Ryati captain again, nor did her loyalties lay with her. The woman looked to Norichi. “I am here because I want a future for Kyte and myself, to live in peace, it is natural to face fear, in order to keep your loved ones safe, and to protect them.” Keihime sighed lightly and remained silent, Norichi was the Vizard leader correct? So he should open this meeting, and address the problem with ease, she would speak when needed to, and supply information when asked.

The Garden was a large area filled with tree's, gardens and mazes. Right when they took the exit out of the Manor they reached a long rectangular table. There was a seat for about 30 people but in this situation there were only four people. Norichi looked at Keihime first and sighed " As men, our pride gets in the way and we refuse to ask for aide upon battle, but in this situation I will admit I am the foolish one for not thinking of this sooner. " Norichi moved his head around as if signalling some people, Norichi looked at the table and placed his hands out gesturing them to sit " Sit if you wish, or stand. . . it is for you to choose. " Norichi said as he took in a deep breath " I know how much of a nuisance it is for us to be in the same area, all of use hate one another just as much as the next person, we are all but enemies to each other, but this isn't time for childish acts, this time it is a serious matter. I do not know if the Captain Commander knows of it, but there is a group called SHIELD who are bent on destroying all that is " Evil " And through there eyes Shinigami, Arrancar, and Vizards are all enemies to them. It is at this time I request that we forget our rivalries and work together, I am not saying permanently, but just until we stop this SHIELD. They have captured an important member of the Arrancar, Yuki-Onne , But it seems she hasn't been killed, rather sent to some prison, and they play a major threat to Vizards and I'm sure they've attacked Shinigami on patrol. So you see, we can either work together, or fall into there hands, if you do not wish to assist our offer then I have other ways of doing things but I guarantee you the outcome will involve a three way war in between the races, so my reque. . .Our requ. . " Norichi looked at Keihime " Keihime-San's Request is that we work together just this once, stop this SHIELD and go back to our ways! "

To say the least, the whole situation was a little less than comfortable, having to get together with such a hostile bunch was making the usually calm Espada a little fidgety, but he did well to cover that up. His head lowered and he acted like he was ignoring the conversation between Keihime and Norichi. Without a word, he began to follow Norichi once they finally got going. He looked ahead at the man then glanced back at the shinigami that was following after him. A gentle breath left his lungs and he returned his attention to the couple before him, stepping out into the Garden with the others. His eyes narrowed when he saw just how large an area it was, shaking his head and moving to the table where he took a seat and quietly sat down. His sword was pulled from his hip and set down against the table while he looked up at to the Vizard and listened to him. For the most part, he seemed rather calm about the whole speech, staying silent and just watching the man. However, upon the mention of Yuki’s abduction, his head fell and eyes closed. Although Sage remained silent, it was clear just from that simple gesture, how much her absence was affecting him. Moments later, his head lifted and he looked back up at Norichi. “So, do you have a plan?” He asked in a whispered tone, finally speaking once the vizard had finished.

Even in all her time with the Soul Society Ryati had always wished to be in battle instead of these conferences, the entire place was full of a kind of tension that she wasn't able to slice through wih her Zanpakuto, and someone that hated such tension would always wish to be elsewhere. She sat down at the only seat left, Laying her Zanpakuto onto the table as the other commander had done. "Indeed, I've had the 12th division Research these threats, and the only thign they could come up with is the Medallions they all carry. I don't remember it specifically, but they stated something about the energy gathering around there. Too much for it not to be important.

Keihime made herself known. “The Medallions are the source of this all.” Closing her emerald green eyes she let the hums of Manten Gensou calm her being, all she wished was to be with Kyte, but right now she would stand her ground. “I’ve found a journal which belonged to the leader of Shield, her name Whitney Bloom. In the journal the woman states of the medallions powers.” Opening her eyes up once more she gazed over at everyone. “They are supposedly gifts from God himself, given to men who would be able to ‘quench’ this world of all things ‘evil’ Ourselves included in that classification.” Finally she rested Manten Gensou on the table and looked down at it for a moment, almost seeing the pages that Kyte had translated for her in her mind. “They have multiple abilities. Ability number 1: The Medallions sustain the Humans who wield them, giving them eternal life, their wounds heal swiftly and increase their vitality.” The woman seemed to glance up at Norichi and continued on. “Ability number 2: The medallions allow these humans to wield powers only shinigami and shinigami hybrids should be able to use.. their blades, CAN cut us, they CAN see us, and since they are humans, it would be nearly impossible to locate them until they indeed used their powers. So do not expect to find a knight by sensing for reishi signals, you will never find them unless they are already using reishi.” Keihime looked over to Sage. “Ability number 3: The medallions need to be given a constant amount of spiritual energy to sustain the enemies lives and abilities. Thus a new dimensional plan has been formed… known only as the Heaven’s Hoard. In the name of god and all that is ‘holy’ the knights use the power of the medallion to capture any enemy and send them to the hoard, just like Yuki.” Taking a time to breathe in and then out she continued on. “Once there, those captured souls have no access to any of their powers, they are merely souls bound to remain there until freed. Their powers are drained from them, so the hoard may supply this power to the medallions in turn powering the knights. The prisoners’ are kept alive by the world power.” She then looked at Ryati. “Ability number 4: Since the knights have gained countless souls,, their power only seems to grow. They will never tire, they will never grow weak and will never stop. The only way to end them is to somehow destroy their medallions.”

Norichi nodded his head lightly " I see. . . Let us break this down into phases then. Phase 1. Gather our finest men Phase 2. Distract them with battle Phase 3. Have a hidden back up team, in this case the Second Division would do fine, Phase 3 Confiscate the Medallion, they must carry these at all times, that is the power source of it all and the final phase, I will place the medallions in an alternate realm where one can not even dream of reaching. . . .The plan will be more in depth at our next meeting. . . There are Phones on the table, take those, I will alert you whne our next meeting is, I am sorry I had to rush these things, Unfortunately . . . I have things to prepare " Norichi turned around looking at Keihime " I dont' want you involved in this " With those words he walked away before anyone could even say another word he vanished away in a dark shadow shell. **A little preview of the side event that is to come** Norichi appears out of the shadows in a dark room. Norichi walks up and opens up a black case, within it a shining gold light shoot out as Norichi grabs it and the scene fades away***