[hider=The Post Battle Inspection] 
When Osamu’s guests arrived some time had already elapsed since the final shot had been fired and Osamu’s men had looked upon the bloody field. An interesting side effect of the mechanics of the NDV’s weapons was that they did not disperse the hollow’s body upon death. The creature was dead, the constituent soul or souls dissipated but not destroyed just as with a shinigami’s blade. But the shell seemed to remain. Now there was the issue of disposing of the bodies. As Osamu’s visitors arrived they would see men dragging the carcasses of all sizes and descriptions into huge piles, stacking them up to the point they threatened to fall over and then starting the next pile. When a pile was complete it was set alight. Even now the first heap burned, a twisted mass of wrecked limbs and shattered bodies. The grotesque mass of corpses filled the air with the strong scent of roasting flesh but also a number of other, more unsettling smells as various biles and fluids heated, boiled, burst and oozed. Some were fluids present in every man, others were found only in hollows, either as a part of their everyday anatomy or as a constituent part of one of the myriad forms of ability various different hollows displayed. Over the course of several hours this pile would eventually turn to nothing but ash. 
 
On the far side of the loading yard other bodies were being arranged, in neat, well-spaced rows. These were Osamu’s own losses and whilst bodies were still being brought in you could tell that his own casualties were somewhere in the hundreds, with even a few shinigami amongst the dead. Still though, whilst the bodies were being treated with as much respect as possible, practicality still came first. Armour, equipment, and other precious things were being stripped from the bodies to be reused latter, though no one took their clothes despite a shortage of cloth. 
 
Osamu had noted the presence of his visitors but he did not walk up to them straight away, he still had his own business to conduct. The good Captain was pacing gently along, hands behind his back and a level but satisfied look upon his face. It would have been inappropriate for him to display the true level of satisfaction he felt, his men may have mistaken it for rejoicing in death, but he was proud and a little happy. His men had done well and in so doing, they had hopefully done far more than win this simple battle. Behind him stood his Lieutenant, who was not the sort of man you would expect to see around Osamu. Osamu may have been tall and a little rakish but his Lieutenant made him look like a tiny heap of skin and bone. The man readily stood at six foot six inches maybe even more, with an upright posture that only emphasised the fact. He was also built like an ox, all muscle and no fat but without becoming grotesque or freakish, and with the kind of perfectly squared jaw and healthy pallor that Osamu had though only existed in fiction until he met the man. His short cut, slightly scruffy blonde hair fitted perfectly with his clear but gentle blue eyes. The man looked like something out of a painting and seemed to have the gentle giant disposition to match. Of course, anyone who had seen him in battle knew that faced could fall away at a moment’s notice but for now he seemed to be his usual, all too lovable, self. 
 
After a moment or two a more normally proportioned, but still obviously very physically fit, man marched smartly up to Osamu and came to attention. By his uniform this man was a member of the NDV, rather than a shinigami, and obviously one of the rag men. In addition to the standard garb he wore a red sash across his chest, he was further distinguished by his permanent parade ground like posture and a fine and trim mutton chop beard. Both emotionally and physically he was as solid as a rock, you could tell that from a mere glance and it was confirmed by his tone when he spoke. All within earshot of the new arrivals. 
“Captain, sir. Scouts have reported back. The hollows are gone sir. All of them.” There was then a slight pause as the man seemed to take stock of the situation and Osamu just kept walking slowly on, having given a brief nod. “It’s a miracle.” This made Osamu turn around sharply though, without anger. He never liked people attributing skill, effort and courage to fortune or some unseen hand. But he had a better response to his colour sergeant’s comment than that. 
“If it’s a miracle colour sergeant, it’s a short chamber Hayashi 1.0 rating miracle.” But as things turned out the colour sergeant was just as quick witted, if a tad more blunt in his ways. 
“And a bayonet sir.” There was then a slight pause before he added. “With some guts behind it.” Captain and Colour Sergeant exchanged a brief smile before Osamu wordlessly walked on, his lieutenant close behind him. Osamu’s second in command said in a slightly tired and down cast tone.
“Fall them in, call the roll.” This, the Colour Sergeant dutifully did. Calling the men in, one platoon at a time. Each infantry platoon had consisted of fifty men before the battle. Some had taken a worse beating than others but even a casual viewer could tell no platoon was coming back with all fifty men. Even after the bloody fray, or perhaps because of it, the men of Osamu’s beleaguered battle group displayed excellent discipline. It was as if they were starting to take pride in it, rather than doing it because they had to. Indeed, their discipline had saved their lives mere moments ago. As each platoon paraded the survivors stood in crisp positions whilst the colour sergeant went through the roll, calling out each soldiers name and number in turn. When a soldier heard his name he would come sharply to attention and smartly say “sir!” But slightly more often than anyone there would have liked there was silence when a name was called out, after which the colour sergeant would make a note in his book and move on to the next name. 
 
Osamu at last turned his direct attention to his guests, pacing over to them he idly waved his left hand over his shoulder to silently dismiss his Lieutenant, the unspoken message was for him to carry on with the post battle activities. This the giant of a man did whilst Osamu continued to pace up to the Yukihiro delegation, his boots clicking ominously on the ground with every pace and his hands behind his back once more. The man had blood on his clothes but a closer inspection would reveal he was unhurt, instead he had other people’s blood on his clothes. Furthermore his face was slightly blackened and dirty, as though he had waded through a lot of smoke and ash. At first his head was tilted slightly down, not in respect but more in idle thought. There was a tiny wry smile on his face, half obscured by the angle of his head. Still approaching he said in a tone that sounded casual on the surface but, to an attuned ear, had hints of an almost twisted and masochistic pleasure and even odd delight in the dance of it all. 
 
“I was wondering who would come first.” Looking up at the leader of the party Osamu still had his lopsided, knowing smile and a glint in his eye. “Ahh well.” He seemed to say to himself, as if making do. But a single little bounce in his step and a jolly little scuff of his heel on the ground that sounded like a single tap dance step whilst not even breaking his stride, indicated that he was having just a little fun with his guests. He knew who they were, or rather he knew their leader and could guess the rest were other Yukihiro members. He had never met the man before but Osamu had made it his business to know various key players in the vicious game the nobles played. “Better you than a great many other people I could name. So, what do you want?” He suspected he already knew the answer but he had to ask. 

Yukihiro Eishun rarely spoke needlessly, and did not do so now. He did not heed Osamu's words and simply stood tall and imposing at the head of the small band of Yukihiro members. He wasn't clad in Shinigami garb; no, he wasn't in the Gotei like much of his family, despite the Zanpakuto at his side. His angular face showed no signs of emotion even as Osamu practically skipped over to him. Eishun's arms were crossed and his posture was a tad relaxed, as if this was any normal occurence he dealt with daily. The man towered over Osamu by a couple of inches and he directed his hard, grey-blue eyes towards the Captain. Osamu looked slightly worse for wear with his bloodstained clothes and blackened face. What exactly had this man been up to? For several long moments, he didn't speak, simply scrutinizing Osamu and the scene behind, seeing roll calls taking place as well as other activities befitting an army that had just arrived from a battle. 

"I am inspecting this... army of yours, on behalf of the Head family of the Yukihiro Clan." Eishun spoke, his voice practiced and devoid of any particular emotion. His eyes flitted over the 'army', clearly not believing it to be up to par. "I am to take notes of your army and their state after this battle. I need to know exactly how many points your men held and how many hollows they combated, an approximate count, of course. The effectiveness of your army is to be determined; so far, the information I have recieved from the Gotei tells me this is just a mock-army you have created on a whim. I see it is not so to an extent, seeing as how they've come out fairly unscathed for a group of spiritually weak beings. The numbers are thousands less so than projected, though. Where are the rest? Are they casualties of the battle?" It really did seem like a majority of the NDV was missing. Surely, a couple of thousand couldn't have been killed in a raid so small for such large numbers. He snorted, his mind going back to his own family. Around a hundred or so of the Yukihiro's weakest clansmen could've taken on the raid with little casualties. For the NDV to lose thousands, as it seemed, would denote ineffectiveness and insufficient durability. Of course, most weren't spritially strong enough to deflect blows with their Reiryoku but several thousand was too much. Maybe something else had happened? He jotted down several notes in the clipboard he held, making short, concise notes on the visual and overall state of the NDV. Behind him, the men followed suit, noting down several different things they were assigned to collect information on. Some were from the Head family though most were tactician, and several hugely-built men obviously from the fighters' side stood at the sides, obscuring the tacticians and Heads. It would be hard enough to see the men inside, let along get to them.

Osamu was a little disappointed that the Yukihiro weren’t throwing themselves into the spirit of the thing, but he wasn’t surprised. He was aware of their slightly joyless reputation but he could play along with it. Even the towering form of the man who was directly addressing him didn’t faze Osamu. When he simply stated he was here to inspect the army Osamu put on an expertly practiced look of fake confusion and disapproval before cracking a tiny smile. 
"I should kick up a fuss.Thankfully I am feeling coperative. Inspect away.” He said merely and with a little gesture to his forces. “Just don’t touch anything unless you know exactly what it is and what it does.” This was said in an easy and friendly enough manner but you could tell he was being serious. It’s wasn’t said as a threat, rather a caution. A lot of things here could kill them if they got in the way. 

Eishun offered Osamu a rather sarcastic smile and made a note in his clipboard. Behind him, he could hear several of his men scratching words onto the paper on their clipboards, documenting Osamu’s every word. Osamu wasn’t making a terribly good impression on him at the moment; it seemed the man didn’t know his place concerning the Yukihiro yet. Unfortunately, it was Eishun’s duty to inform him of it. It fell onto him by default, as Chief Inspector for this particular battle. The smile didn’t reach his eyes as he spoke, “This is an inspection done by the Yukihiro Clan, not by the Gotei. We do not need paperwork for inspections; we have permission to oversee anything that concerns this war. Therefore, we can conduct an inspection whenever and wherever we like. Understandably, you didn’t receive paperwork because there wasn’t any filed in the first place.” The scratching behind him became louder, the men struggling to keep up with his words. Eishun was certainly eager to end this inspection as soon as possible, without skipping over anything. That would prove impossible, though, and he knew it; it only served to prevent his mood from improving.

Osamu paced along gently, both hands behind his back and with a slightly more serious look upon his face whilst he listened to Eishun talk away. Osamu mumbled something slightly when he was told that his army had been described as a mock army but he kept it too quiet to make out. His annoyance however, was directed at the men who had originally said it, not Eishun for repeating it. Taking things more seriously for a few moments he decided to cooperate with the Yukihiro delegation, it may play to his advantage in the long run. Gesturing about him to the walls he began to answer the man’s questions. 
“My men held the whole of the wall around the factory, or swiftly recaptured what was lost and breached, as well as the walls extending along the residential area for a mile or two on each flank when the foe attempted to out maneuverer us. Well, held isn’t quite the word for the flank actions, I lacked the men to cover so wide an area. Rather we positioned our defences in such a way as helped guide the inevitable hollow break through so they would be vulnerable to counter attack. As for the size of my force.” 
 
He stopped his pacing and looked at Eishun for a few seconds, Osamu came to the somewhat surprising conclusion that this man really was ignorant of current events. He would have thought the family would have paid close attention to the 13 divisions and their politics, certainly Osamu would have expected Yue to pass on key details. “You don’t know do you.” Osamu sounded more disbelieving and slightly surprised than questioning. “Internal politics has served me poorly. The combined force has been broken up and three quarters of my men currently languish under the command of men who don’t know what to do with them. What you see here is what I was left with, one thousand six hundred and forty men not including the division itself but most of that is not present. Our foe today measured somewhere in the order of fifteen thousand men. Initial reports indicated twelve thousand but we know more came to join the battle, how many more? We can’t be sure. Of that force there was a healthy portion of gillians and a few choice adjuncha and their arrancar counterparts in the mix.” He then indulged in his slightly boisterous and high spirited post battle mood for another, brief moment. “Not a single vasto lorde was kind enough to present himself however, nor their arrancar equivalents. Very rude of them, I was looking forward to removing one of their heads today, it would have made my week.” He indulged in an odd little half smirk, half smile, before returning to more serious business. “The quality of enemy troops only improved as the battle went on. Their final wave consisted of a worryingly large proportion of menos class hollows of varying descriptions, whilst the first few waves consisted of dross and chaff. Clearly they understand expendability.”

Osamu certainly couldn’t keep still, Eishun decided, as he surveyed the pacing man. Had it been anyone else, Eishun was sure he’d have knocked Osamu out from irritation. Instead, he quietly watched the man, a small smile on his face. Understandably Osamu didn’t presume them knowledgeable enough; but then again, it wasn’t really his fault. Despite the public knowledge of their militaristic ways, most didn’t know the extent of their military involvement, including some in their own family either too young or unfit to know. 

When Osamu was done speaking, Eishun didn’t immediately speak and instead focused on his noted, intentionally dragging the conversation out. Finally, he looked up and smiled lightly. “I assure you, Iwakura-san, we knew. We know of all these affairs. It certainly helps having a firsthand witness to all that goes on in the Gotei. It’s just part of the procedure to hear it firsthand from the other party without any influence. While that is a sad loss you have there, I am unfortunately going to have to inform you of the fact that you’re not going to have them back for a while. It’s the Captain-Commander’s personal order.” Slipping his hand underneath several sheets clipped to his board, Eishun pulled out a slip of paper, obviously a part of a larger folder of paperwork. There was no need for Osamu to see the details and so only the official information was displayed minus the details. He held it up for Osamu to see it for around half a minute, waiting for the man to read the paper. 

“I do need to assure you, though, that we have nothing to do with this. We’re not involved in the Gotei’s inside affairs; we’re neutral. So it’d be appreciated if you do not take it out on any external party such as us, as we’re simply messengers, if you want to put it that way.” Eishun had already been informed of Osamu’s extreme reaction and was cautioned to keep the Yukihiro out of it; any hissy fits Osamu threw were to be directed away from the family – where to, they didn’t care. 

“The Captain Commander will change her mind, if she has two brain cells to rub together that is. She has taken a war winning force and warehoused it at a critical time both in its development and in the war. Giving it to any captain other than me at this stage is taking it out of action. But I don’t need to convince you of that.” He was tempted to try and persuade them to intervene in his favour but he decided against it. At best they simply would have thought less of him and done nothing, at worst they would have aided those who sought to break him. Osamu didn’t even think the very real possibility of mutiny would help his argument, though a mutiny now would be disastrous. He also resisted the urge to take a cheap shot at the Yukihiro and instead said. “You needn’t worry yourself, I am not in the habit of shooting the messenger. So long as that is all you are, then you are quite safe on that front. Your concern for your house is touching though.” That last sentence was said without a malicious or venomous tone but the words stood on their own. That little bit of behaviour was unworthy of a Yukihiro, it was cowardly and craven. What is more it put Osamu in mind of a doctor looking at a bleeding patient and walking by because his shift was over and expecting not to be blamed for it. If Osamu ever had reason to believe that the Yukihiro could have done something to prevent this state of affairs but opted not to due to their self-interested policy, then Osamu would punish them accordingly. That was of course, dependant on the Yukihiro not being important or desirable to him at some later stage. 

 Slipping the paper back underneath the clipboard, Eishun surveyed his notes and spoke again. “That’s an impressive number. The fact that this ‘army’ of yours wasn’t entirely obliterated is even more impressive. As for the lack of Vasto Lorde, statistics show that they’ve appeared few and far in between. Though no doubt your contribution to their decreasing numbers would’ve been helpful, that kind of attack needs to be carefully planned. The Yukihiro are taking care of the finer details as we speak. The 10th’s presence is yet to be requested; that is in the hands of the Captain-Commander. It seems they’re sending out their weaker Hollow as a way of distracting troops. Once everyone’s preoccupied in raids like these, the Vasto Lordes attack, wiping out tens of thousands of troops as they go. I must admit, this raid wasn’t an entirely logical move by Miss Kuroda. We showed her the statistics and probabilities but…” He trailed off, hinting towards the outcome. There was no need for words as it was clear as to what had happened. Furthermore, while the woman was demanding to use the families’ relics, she countered her entire demand by ignoring the probabilities laid down by the very relic she was seeking to control, nevermind the fact that it wouldn’t have worked in her hands without the activation phrase only few knew about. The Yukihiro hadn’t taken kindly to that and had kept the probabilities for their own calculations after that.
 
Osamu found himself nodding in a surprising little display of agreement and understanding as Eishun described the habits of the Vasto Lordes. However, it was even more surprising when Osamu found himself driven to oppose Eishun’s last point and leap to the defence of Captain Kuroda. “As loath as I am to say this, and as large and as frequent as the Captain Comanders mistakes have been thus far, capturing this factory and the surrounding area was the right move. Yes, it leaves a protrusion vulnerable to counter attack but the prize,” he said gesturing to the factory, “is well worth it. That doesn’t get me as close to proper war production as I would like but it significantly improves our position and our flexibility. Without the factory, and its associated mines and workshops, my little side project would never receive the proper equipment. Nor would we be able to embark upon future major repairs and infrastructure projects.”

Eishun smiled knowingly, in a way that almost said 'I know something and you don't'. And he did. He kept silent for a few moments, his eyebrows raised a fraction of a millimeter. "I never said it wasn't a good move, I said I wasn't logical. The timing was off. If only she waited, you could've reaped greater benefits by a huge amount compared to this." He gestured towards the factory. There was a scarily confident tone in his voice, as if he was assured of the future. Kuroda knew why the Yukihiro were so confident yet she always went at her own pace. The Yukihiro had shrugged, not bothering to expend energy fighting for something they'd already put forward. "Nevertheless, if you feel like this is enough reward, be my guest. I'm sure you would've liked the alternative, though." The last few statements were concluded firmly, obviously showing that Eishun was done speaking and wouldn't elaborate further.

Osamu cracked his own little smile, and though it was amused it was not quite as amused as Eishun’s and with a slightly knowing tone, though again not as knowing as Eishun’s Osamu retorted. 
“You’re taunting me, and I suspect you aren’t going to tell me what the alternative was are you? Well you are cruel I’m going to have to go back and crunch this now. It demonstrates a more important problem though…” Osamu trailed off in thought for a moment before refocusing back on the immediate conversation. “Well, we could discuss command models and staff systems for quite some time. I suspect however, that you lack the desire to engage In that conversation and I lack the time. It’s not like it would achieve anything.” 
 
Looking at Eishun a tiny little knowing look appeared on Osamu’s face again before saying slightly more quietly. “As for out little Vasto Lorde problem I suggest we do not attack. Let them come to us. Hollow attacks are increasing in number and intensity and the Vasto Lorde’s are likely hiding well back from the lines. Forays to find them would only end in utter disaster. Let the major attacks and distractions come and them let them move in as they have done before now. Except my new boys here can help you. I’m not about to put them in front of a Vasto Lorde without a Captain backing them but I can put them in front of the other attacks. Meaning that larger quantities of shinigami, Captains and yes, even you, are free and uncommitted, able to deal with the Vasto Lordes.” Osamu then looked slightly confused and added in an inquisitive tone. “By the way, you said the Vasto Lordes were killing hundreds of thousands of soldiers. What hundreds of thousands? The NDV is currently the largest fighting force in the soul society and they don’t even number ten thousand, not yet anyway. Where are these hundreds of thousands?” 
 
"The collective troops. You said that you have one quarter of your 'forces' here, which means that you originally had around six thousand before losing them. Our troops, that is, the noble houses, span around a couple thousand. The Shinigami in the Gotei number around four to five thousand as well. Assuming we get ambushed by simply fifty or a hundred Vasto Lordes, there is no hope. One or a few we can handle as our respective forces, as in the Yukihiro Army or the Gotei Shinigami. But more than, if they exist, would be a difficult if not impossible task." Eishun concluded. The sheet in front of his was full of figures, figures that were completely incomprehensible even to the men behind thim. The statistics rarely made sense to others, even to some of the others behind him. However, he kept silent on the issue and allowed Osamu to continue speaking, all the while documenting the man's words onto his clipboard.
 
Gesturing about him once more he said with a certain hint of pride. “The men you see before you were considered dross and chaff as well. Hopefully that will change today, the boys deserve it.” Osamu’s use of the word boys, demonstrated an obvious sense of fondness and almost parental affection, though Osamu would have never put it so strongly himself. He then dropped his voice slightly and added. “Of course you have a role to play in that.” He let the words hang there for a while before waving his left hand dismissively over his shoulder, as if to disregard the idea but his words had been calculated. Returning to more normal tones Osamu continued. “Via various means I have taken what was our most plentiful remaining resource, the spiritually powerless, and turned them into a fighting force worthy of the name. Their fighting effectiveness has increased so many times over that can only be expressed in the hundreds. What is more, the reinforcement pool is vast.” 
 
Leaning in and lowering his voice the man added “Anyone I lose can be easily replaced.” Clearly he didn’t want the fact he had even had that thought spreading to them men. It was true and it was a large part of the reason he had formed the NDV in these desperate times but he thought that it may effect moral if that got out. Cracking a sly smile he added. “A luxury not enjoyed by your good selves.” Leaning back away and talking more normally he continued he kept on smiling, but he seemed more genuinely pleased now. Osamu was a man of grand moods, though he usually kept the worse ones in check and the better ones were usually ground down by one thing or another. A victory however, always buoyed him, particularly a victory gained through battle. But today’s fight had improved his spirits by an unusually large degree. The stress and desperation of the past few days had been weighing on Osamu heavily and today was a much needed, though perhaps temporary, release. Furthermore today’s victory promised to play into his wider plans, plus it may win him some degree of recognition from a noble house. But most of all, it served as a private vindication of years of effort and patience. Today marked the beginning of the payoff for decades of work. 

Eishun himself cracked a small smile, a smile that quickly disappeared as he focused on his work. "Well, that's understandable considering we're all trained warriors. Nevertheless, it it an impressive force when you take into consideration that one man, according to my information, built all this. I hope it lasts, though. None of the others have." Eishun was a man of many, many years. Close to 1500 now, he'd seen countless things that could not be recollected in one sitting. He'd seen several forces created only to crash and burn. However, for the good of Soul Society, he certainly hoped this one wouldn't. Seireitei wasn't in the best position at the moment and while the Hollows weren't either, it wasn't beneficial to either side. Better have more forces rather than less, right? Of course, that was the general in him talking.

Osamu gave a slightly troubled hum of acknowledgement, Eishun’s fears over longevity were well founded and Osamu knew of many previous failings from his study of the subject. Still, Osamu was quietly confident. “You are right to be concerned, so am I. But a force like this requires two main things to exist, with those two things everything else falls into place. Leadership and a properly motivated populace. As long as I draw breath those two things will go on and I have already taken extensive measures to see it continues should I wake up tomorrow with a knife in my neck.” Then he added with a smile “You really can’t be too careful these days.” The seemingly happy and light attitude that he was intermittently using to treat serious topics, where his words and previous tone suggested he knew the severity of them, showed that you had to look past his occasionally jovial exterior. The man of thought and conviction still lay beneath.
 
“Without wishing to boast.” Words that even Osamu knew were only ever said by someone about to indulge in outrageous boasting. “This is a war winner. Applied on a large enough scale and properly coordinated a force like this can deal with large scale, pitched battles readily. Indeed, their effectiveness increases almost exponentially when compared to an increase in their size. Doubtless though, you have questions about the finer details.” 

Eishun nodded along to Osamu’s words, somewhat agreeing with him. The Yukihiro never overlooked a good army when they saw one and while Osamu’s ‘boys’ couldn’t be classified as ‘good’ let alone near the Yukihiro’s standards, it was certainly impressive. “This force of yours,” Eishun started and swept his arm out towards the NDV. “is an impressive feat and has been noted by my family. That is partly the reason I was sent here today, to confirm whether you’re fit to be considered or not. As for what I’ve seen today, you are. As long as you don’t meddle with things that aren’t your business, you can consider us pleasantly neutral. That is also subject to change, perhaps in your favor but please remember that politics do not interest us much. Not at all, actually, as long as they don’t concern us.” Eishun was not repeating the words his Head had told him to convey if Eishun saw fit to extend the offer. He was mildly surprised at the fact that Isao was trusting him to such an extent and giving him so much responsibility but Eishun knew how to make the best of it. He wasn’t one of the best tacticians for nothings.

Osamu listened to Eishun carefully as he spoke, the word consideration set off alarm bells in his head. It was vague and highly suggestive whilst being totally non-committal. Anything Osamu said on the topic would likely be wide of the mark so opted for silence. He had noted the point, he just wasn’t going to do anything about it, rather he would let his mind go mad trying to figure it out in isolation. He felt compelled to speak up about the politics however. “No man, or family is an island certainly not a noble house, no matter how hard you may try. By your very nature you are connected into so many things, everything really. Even if an action of mine doesn’t affect you directly you may feel the secondary or tertiary effects. For good or for ill. Even politics may have knock on effects. I could lie to your face and promise you that nothing I do will impact upon you but I won’t do that.” He added as a little aside with a tiny smile. “Even though I think I might get away with it.” Before returning to a more serious tone. “I’ll be straight with you instead. I’m going to try and stay out of your hair, though I might jump in there if it’s for your own good one of these days.” Again, with that last little comment you couldn’t be quite sure if he was being serious. It was an odd trait of Osamu’s that when he was in a good mood he played the role of this odd little smiling, playful rapscallion. But the Osamu underneath remained unchanged, only some of his manner. “But as involved in the military as I am and with this,” he said as he gestured around him, “only set to grow, I fancy our paths will cross again several times. Furthermore, other elements of my life, politics and general activities that I don’t immediately see impacting on you may do exactly that. If a man could foresee the outcome of his every action he would be a god. Should any of this happen, before you decide to try and remove my head, talk to me. I can’t guarantee I’ll do what you say without question but I can guarantee you I’ll listen and treat you seriously. If this doesn’t sound like enough to you I would advise you to take stock of the world. If anyone without the word Yukihiro in their name ever promises you more than this then they are either a fool that you probably shouldn’t be dealing with. Or they are a lair and you really shouldn’t be dealing with them. They may even be conspiring to actively exploit you.” Osamu didn’t feel the need to remind Eishun that the man who openly says he might not automatically do everything you want is the only person whose honesty and character you can trust. Indeed such men tended to move heaven and earth to try and help you, far more than those who meekly agreed to everything. Ultimately the promises that were lesser in words tended to be greater in deeds. Blanket yes men were almost always deceiving you somehow or they couldn’t understand the unpredictable nature of the future. Instead, Osamu hoped his open nature and sincere offer to at least try and stay out of their way would speak volumes. He was however, a little cautious. This kind of openness had cause Kuroda to punish him severely but this kind of honesty was still in his nature. Kuroda may have invited nothing but deceit and careful image management on herself but the Yukihiro hadn’t. Besides. It seemed the Yukihiro had some bones to pick with the Captain Commander as well and Osamu hoped to build a bridge on that commonality. 

Eishun politely listened to Osamu but found himself shaking his head at some of his words. Yet he couldn’t really blame Osamu; he wasn’t a part of their family and therefore knew none of their inner workings. It was impossible to avoid politics and the most ignorant of people knew that. Yet, the only politics they concerned themselves with were those that applied to their family, all to maintain their autonomy. Autonomy was the only plausible option; in the past, the Gotei had relied heavily onto the Noble Houses, particularly on the Yukihiro in the military aspect, to the point where the Gotei were simply titles and useless Shinigami. The Noble Houses had learnt from their mistake and had never gone back. “It’s much more than that,.” Eishun replied. Yet, at Osamu’s mention of man foreseeing the outcome of his actions, Eishun smiled to himself. “That’s highly unlikely, otherwise everyone’d think twice before doing something.” 
 
 Osamu wasn’t entirely sure what Eishun was trying to achieve by that particular comment. Putting him in his place? Scolding him somehow? Taunting him? Who knew? Osamu was certainly drawing negative inferences from it all. He wanted an explanation for the enigmatic comment, much more than what? You can’t just dangle something like that about and not explain it! It was infuriating. They had to bloody well explain themselves from time to time. He wanted to challenge it, to demand an explanation right now but he stayed himself. Instead he had a look of utter calm and evenness on his face. He didn’t even twitch, he just stayed silent. He wouldn’t let anything ruin today. Not today, tomorrow perhaps but this was supposed to be a special and golden day. He would not have it muddied by something like this. So he just let Eishun continue.
 
“We don’t generally make alliances, Iwakura-san. The family comes first.” Eishun knew the family policy inside out; it’d certainly been drilled into him enough times for him to recite the scroll by heart. Others’ goals came last, dead last. So unless Osamu had something monumental to offer, their ‘alliance’ was impossible, minus the fact that the Yukihiro didn’t make alliances, nor pacts, or agreements. Nevertheless, Osamu’s words promised he wouldn’t meddle entirely too much, and Eishun could already tell it would be very appreciated by Isao and the other Heads. Despite people promising to follow the Yukihiro’s rules of no meddling, they were always broken by some ambitious soul who thought they were incapable of being taken out. The lack of trace left signified something else, showing the rest not to stick their noses where they didn’t belong. In the last couple of centuries, the message had sunk in so deep that the Yukihiro were always left alone, always given their privacy, along with the other Houses. And they weren’t willing to change those ways. 

“When did I ever say alliance? You’re reading far too much into it. All I suggested was a friendly chat before we resort to bloody violence. I wouldn’t suggest an alliance with you as things stand. I know you would never take it or the circumstances that would make you inclined towards such a brotherly action would surely result in you murdering me at the first opportunity.” The whole thing was said with a friendly sort of an attitude and a smile on his face but Osamu was privately thinking that Eishun’s intellect may have been just a little over rated. Plus he thought that Eishun might just think a little too much of himself and his family to assume that people just wanted alliances with them even if those around them knew it was impossible. “I’m radical, I’m bold.” He said with the same smile but then it suddenly dropped, the look of amusement and warmth was gone. Instead there was the face of a man who was distinctly un-amused. “I’m not an idiot.” With the implied words, never treat me like one, which went unspoken. But in a flash, his amusement was back, his crocked smile and the odd little bounce in his movements. It was all there, as if it had never left. 
 
“No questions about the finer details?” Osamu was genuinely a little surprised about that but he wasn’t going to question it too hard, so he just gave a little shrug. He thought he would have been in for a full grilling, particularly about his weaponry bit it seemed these men had no interest in that whatsoever. It was odd and a little insulting but he didn’t press the point any harder. Besides, it was far more insulting to the designer than him and thankfully she wasn’t here. Questioning may not have gone the way he thought it would anyway. He made a mental note not to tell Captain Hayashi about the lack of Yukihiro interest however. That woman had worked hard on these magnificent weapons and she deserved attention and praise and Osamu would lavish it upon her, well as much as Hayashi ever liked attention and praise. She wasn’t much of a people person and preferred to be left to her work but even a recluse likes the hand of friendship once in a while, even if she may not quite react to it right. 

“You didn’t let us get there,” Eishun replied, eyes on his clipboard as he concluded the miscellaneous notes he’d taken. Behind him, a large-built man with short dark hair and a goatee stepped out, his six foot four form towering over Osamu and Eishun. He held a similar clipboard, all full of pages of notes. “That’s my job,” He announced, looking down on Osamu with piercing blue eyes. Unlike his brute-like appearance, this man was one of the most influential and educated within the Yukihiro compound, having studied war tactics and subjects such as science and mathematics extensively. As such, he was one of the best tacticians that had embarked on this inspection. Like a military commander, he stood tall and imposing, hand poised over the paper, waiting for Osamu to answer. “I need to know when you established this force of yours and the rate at which it has been growing. I also need to know when, where and how you recruit these men.” Most people found the man, Takeshi, too imposing to lie to and immediately started talking, eager to get it over with and giving him the information he needed. In return, he offered a rare smile that surprisingly didn’t look too out of place.

A six foot four man, no matter how upright and how well built, couldn’t intimidate Osamu. Osamu may have been a tad rakish but he was still six feet tall himself, furthermore physical intimidation had never worked on the Captain of the 10th, not since he was a small boy at least. If anything, active intimidation of that nature was prone to make him violent rather than submissive. But thankfully this new comer to the proceedings decided to open with a smile. His questions however, set off alarm bells in Osamu’s head. Why did he want to know about recruitment? What possible use did a Yukihiro have for that information? It wasn’t like they competed for the same pool of men. Osamu’s only thought was that he had already privately resolved to cripple the NDV and was trying to find out as much about their recruitment process as possible in order the wreck it later on. However, Osamu couldn’t be sure of this even though he saw no other possible explanation. Furthermore, he failed to see how the Yukihiro could plausibly put a dent in his recruitment. It was an affair that was entirely outside of their control. So, after a brief pause as his brain processed all of this and had second guessed itself about a hundred times Osamu answered honestly. 
 
“The precise foundation date differs depending on who you ask. I started cobbling together the very first embryonic form of all of the day after I made Lieutenant, so that would be the day after the occupation began.” Osamu had been a battlefield promotion to the number two seat, his predecessor having displayed a shocking inability to remain alive. Of course his position as Lieutenant was almost entirely honorary, he began running the show almost at once and had been Captain in all but name. It took less than two years for him to make that official. “I can’t give you precise recruitment data over their century long history off of the top of my head. I’d have to consult the official records. But it all started out very slowly. Only started forming them into battalions and companies when I had the plan all fleshed out and had drawn up the model orbats. Recruitment picked up a tad then. Recruitment was always slow but I could afford for it to be. I have all of the remains of civilization to play with, even a zero point zero one percentage uptake would result in an army in excess of ten thousand. I was working with similarly dismally small numbers up to the current day. It’s a 100% volunteer force. I don’t even actively recruit. I don’t need to in order to get these kinds of numbers. Word of mouth and curiosity sees me through. Men are picked on the content of their character. Of course none of that really matters now.” 
 
A man could have been forgiven for assuming that Osamu said that out of despair, with nobles breathing down his neck and Kuroda seemingly on his case a man may have assumed that Osamu had frozen recruitment, that he was hunkering down for the storm to blow over. This couldn’t be further from the truth however. He was not however, dangling that fact about. Today changed everything about his recruitment plan, he knew this day would come eventually and he was ready for it. Before sundown recruitment would snap up into overdrive, he had been subtly preparing the minds of the disenfranchised and the refugee population for years, decades even. Today’s victory provided the spark to fuel an explosion in NDV numbers. But his tone suggested downcast resignation. He had not said a word of a lie but his manner concealed a deeper truth. He was good at this, these misdirections and believable lies. He might have been entirely forthcoming with Takeshi had it not been his opening choice of question. More to the point Eishun’s misstep in his recent comments had pushed Osamu away a little despite Osamu’s previous outstretched hand. Indeed, the fact he had acted this way when Osamu had been so obliging only amplified Osamu’s withdrawal and caution. So, whilst Takeshi had received a full and honest answer to his question he had not been given the answer to the question he had never asked but probably should have. 
 
Osamu’s mind however, had remained uneasy about Takeshi and his choice of opening enquiry. So Osamu decided to ask a counter question of his own and whilst he did not plainly state his suspicions he did plainly state his question. 
“Why do you need to know about recruitment? Organisation, total size, capability and capacity, even how they fight. I can think of a dozen reasons why you would want to know all that. But recruitment? That doesn’t concern you at all. You don’t recruit yourselves and you don’t manage shinigami recruitment. I do most of that, combined with the academy. Why do you need to know?” Takeshi's answer would be very illuminating, no matter what he said Osamu would read volumes into his response and the Captain was analysing Takeshi’s every tiniest facial movement, inflection of tone and look in the eye for any helpful indicators. This question could, depending on the answer, set the tone for Osamu Yukihiro relations for some time to come. 

Osamu seemed overly paranoid, a sign that showed Takeshi that the man wasn’t entirely well. He made a note of that before answering. “It’s standard procedures. We know it’s a civilian force but we need to know how those civilians were recruited. I’m sure it’s not against the law but we need to double-check. Furthermore, no, we don’t recruit but we keep detailed records of every army in Seireitei within our compound for reference.” Even the Onmitsukido and the Kido Corps had had their records filed within the Yukihiro’s massive archives, though the Onmitsukido were only referred to by their codenames. Rarely were these records referenced, as the Yukihiro didn’t deal with small-scale and unimportant armies but it did help keep track of Seireitei’s military.

Takeshi was majorly concerned about Osamu’s character and suspicious attitude. He could hear the two men behind him writing in their clipboards like there was no tomorrow, documenting every little detail, everything they saw. All this would play a part in coming to a consensus within the Yukihiro compound. Things were already hectic as they were, but this would add more to deal with. Luckily, the Yukihiro were built and designed to work under heavy workloads. Not even this extra assignment could faze the ones that would soon be dealing with the several reports sent their way. Nevertheless, Takeshi posed his question again as Osamu had not answered, simply redirecting the topic somewhat away. “Like I said, I need to know about recruitment. You can make this infinitely easier for both of us by answering the question, seeing as I have a lot of duties to attend to today.”

“I did answer your question.” Said Osamu flatly, he didn’t care for the implication that this man was busier than him, nor did he care for the mad scribbling going on behind him. He knew what those scribbles meant. He knew he was being judged and he was failing. Osamu couldn’t stand that. He could never stand for anyone to think he was a failure. He wanted to grab the clipboards and throw them on the ground but he retained control. He may have been more volatile had Takeshi not been so forthright but open and seemingly honest in his answer to Osamu’s previous question. If Osamu had suspected deceit, concealment or an attitude that he didn’t need to reveal that information simply because he was noble then Osamu would have kicked. But Takeshi played fair, therefore, so would Osamu. It may have improved relations more substantially had it not been for the fact Takeshi almost instantly mitigated his success by declaring that Osamu had been uncooperative. 
 
Osamu began to walk away, but a tiny nod of the head suggested that Takeshi was supposed to follow. A few of Osamu’s own officers began to draw closer, either keen to talk to their commander or curious as to the conversation. Osamu was worried that he may be accused of further evasion, or that his examiners may believe his army was made of unimproved dregs. They may have been chaff when Osamu took them in but by the time they hit the field they were anything but. “There isn’t much more to recruitment really. Word of mouth peaks interest and they come to me on their own initiative. A few questions asked by an insightful man tell me what I need to know about their character and then I take them on as cadets. I’m not too fussy about the man they are when they come to my door. I’m interested in the man I can make them into. Training isn’t aimed simply at improving their skill, fitness and strength. It’s aimed at making them into the kind of man I need. I’ve had a long time to fine tune that process. It’s become very effective. Of course, nothing is perfect, some men do get thrown out but my training program is efficient.” He was speaking quite levelly, not angry or sand but not happy or joyful either. A degree of the spring in his step had been sucked away. 
 
As Osamu continued to walk along he began to walk past the small detachment of the 1st Sappers regiment that he had here. They were known as the bears for their imposing build and physical size. The burliest of the Yukihiro would not have looked out of place here. These men carried more equipment than most and even now they were busy repairing the breach and making it ready to stand against another assault. The bears contained the highest proportion of ex convicts in Osamu’s force, particularly those with a record of violent offences. These were the rough boys, the violent brutes but Osamu had them under control. As he walked by there was a slight murmur of.
“Blackbird’s coming, get on your feet.” Blackbird was new nickname for Osamu that was starting to emerge in the NDV, it hadn’t caught on yet but time would tell if it stayed that way. Those few who were sitting down rapidly stood up and made themselves look smart. One of them was walking along in the background, going about his work when Osamu noticed something odd about him. Osamu walked on for a few moments, pretending he hadn’t noticed when he suddenly stoped and turned, declaring. 
“Take off your pack sir.” The man in question seemed to freeze for a moment before turning to look at Osamu with a slightly confused expression. Osamu simply silently nodded, prompting the man to walk closer. 
“Me sir?” Asked the man, who was six foot five is he was an inch, dark haired, mucky eyed and built like a house. But he seemed almost slightly timid in front of Osamu. Osamu simply smiled and nodded, saying quietly but pleasantly.
“You sir” The soldier swiftly obeyed and took off his back pack, holding it in front of Osamu. “Open it sir.” Said Osamu, just as quietly. The man looked nervous now but dutifully opened up his pack. Inside was a small piglet that suddenly started squeeling gently and wriggling as if trying to get free. The Sapper shifted his arms slightly to keep it contained whilst instantly putting on a fake face of surprise and amusement. Saying.
“Oh my, how did that get there?” With a nervous laugh and a slightly panicked smile. Meanwhile Osamu just looked at one of his officers with a level face, perhaps with a tiny ghost of a smile and then looked at Takeshi wearing the same expression. Takeshi returned a rather amused look instead, an eyebrow raised ever so slightly. Osamu began to pace close to the sapper very slowly whilst the man stammered and struggled for words before finally adding. “I knew something quere was scratching at my back, sir.” 
 
Osamu meanwhile just smiled and kept on walking, giving a tiny little chuckle before inspecting the pig with a mildly amused air and then looking up at the sapper. 
“Where did you acquire this plunder sir?” The answer was obvious, it had clearly recently been stolen from one of the recently reclaimed Ichigawa farms. Osamu felt a degree of sympathy for the man but discipline came first and the sapper knew it. 
“This sir?” Asked the soldier, pointing to the pig. 
“That sir.” Stated Osamu plainly. 
“Ah, ah no sir. This plunder acquired me.. sir!” The man was still nervous and shifty, it was only getting worse but he persisted in the lies. Osamu meanwhile merely tutted a bit and looked at the pig again, tickling it’s chin gently. Still mildly amused. 
“You know the penalty for plundering sir?” The sapper continued to clutch at straws, everyone knew the penalty and it was a penalty the provosts were not afraid of handing out. But he had to try. Standing up slightly more smartly and forcing himself to look firm, confident and knowledgeable he said.
“Latrine duty and hard labour sir.” But Osamu’s amused air instantly vanished as he said sharply and firmly, with a face to match. 
“Damn you sir, its death!” The soldier looked worried for a moment, as well he should, his very life hung in the balance. But again he regained his air of control and said with admirable surety given the situation. 
“Sir, I have to report, that this little pig has lost its way and I am trying to find her relations.” There was a brief moment of heavy silence as Osamu looked at him, entirely unconvinced and unamused. 
 
But then something strange happened. A tiny crack of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth before a slight snort from his nose broke into a full laugh. He looked happy and genuinely amused. His commanders around him broke into similar laughter for a few moments before a few glances from Osamu put them all to silence. For a split second it looked like he had laughed at this man’s efforts before surely putting him to death. But then he smiled again and said with a light and slightly admiring air. 
“This man knows how to defend a hopeless position.” After another moment of brief consideration he glanced over his shoulder and declared. “Raise him to corporal!” Giving him a firm pat o nthe shoulder. He then began to walk off, with Takeshi close behind. A junior officer confiscated the pig to be returned to the Ichigawa but a voice from the crowd called out cheekily. “Make it a goat next time mate and you’ll be a sergeant!” Hearty laughter then ensued and Osamu kept on gently smiling as he paced away. 
 
Looking over at Takeshi casually he said with that same smile. 
“I don’t know what they do to the enemy. But by god they frighten me.” Of course Osamu was not being entirely serious, he was in no way afraid of them. But that little moment had improved Osamu’s spirits slightly as well as the spirits of the men. He wondered how Takeshi would react to it though.

Having witnessed the entire spectacle, Takeshi was convinced Osamu was completely nutters. Not in a bad way, no. It was more in an amused way, surveying Osamu’s reaction and random change of mood. Though some would’ve questioned Osamu’s decision to raise the man to Corporal, Takeshi knew precisely why he had done it and even applauded him for it. “You sure know how to handle your men. That was a smart move back there.” He cracked a smile which rapidly evolved into an amused grin and, shaking his head, Takeshi made a couple of notes pertaining to the incident. Nothing entirely bad, simply some additional footnotes that would certainly amuse the rest of the Yukihiro. 
 
He rejoined Eishun and the rest of the delegation, slipping between two burly men to reach the middle. Nevertheless, he was clearly visible and he tucked the clipboard under one arm, giving Osamu a mock salute kind of wave in ways of parting. “We thank you for your cooperation, your input has been immensely helpful. Also, just between us, your army has potential to become something great. We’d hate to see it go down the wrong path. Take care of yourselves.” With that, they disappeared, leaving behind a sizable cloud of dust. 

That little bit about them being loath to see the army go down the wrong path caused Osamu a small degree of caution. He saw it as more of a threat than a friendly word of advice. Cautioning him that he had better do what they want or they would somehow break him and this army. But everything else had gone so well in the closing moments he decided not to take it too seriously. Perhaps this was a misjudgement on Osamu’s part. Perhaps not. The mock salute may also have annoyed Osamu, since the man wasn’t part of the force that did any saluting and so had not earned the right to the gesture. But again, Osamu was feeling charitable. The incident with the pig had occurred at precisely the right moment and so, rather than grumble Osamu responded with similar mock deference. Bowing so low and floridly that is was clearly laughing at the man just as much as Takeshi had laughed at him with his salute. 
 
With that his visitors seemed to vanish. Things had not gone quite as well as Osamu would have liked. But they went a darn site better than they could have gone. He didn’t trust them, largely because he didn’t think they trusted him. It was a vicious circle of paranoia that existed almost entirely inside Osamu’s own head but he could always justify it somehow. None the less, today had assuaged his fears slightly. More importantly the Yukihiro had managed to avoid angering Osamu to the point of rash action, which would prove to be very good for their own health as well as winning them a few scant but important points in Osamu’s mental ledgers. 
 
Back in the Yukihiro compound, Takeshi had collected the notes from the rest of the delegation and organized them into several categories to make it easier for the others to sift through the hefty amount of notes. His commander suddenly stepped into the room, startling Takeshi for a second before he composed himself and stood at attention. The older man scrutinized him for a few moments before reaching out for the notes. Takeshi promptly delivered the documents into the man’s strong hand, awaiting further orders. 

“What was your impression of this ‘army’?” The man suddenly asked, without looking at the notes that could clearly have told him all he wanted to know. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back, expectantly waiting an answer. He was of equal height as Takeshi – truthfully, most Yukihiro were well above six foot two – and therefore did not fall prey to Takeshi’s hard, demanding demeanor and instead, the man answered to him for a change. 
 
“It seems competent enough. It persevered through a full scale Hollow attack and though it wasn’t anything impressive, the fact that they held themselves well enough is enough to be impressed with. I foresee this army growing in the future and no doubt it’s set. I can only hope it’s put to good use and doesn’t do more damage than good.” Takeshi answered honestly before offering the man an easy smile and tossing him the keys to one of the inner compartments. “Just because you’re holding the notes, it’s now your duty to file them.” The man grumbled, swatting Takeshi with the papers and Takeshi chuckled, slapping the older man’s shoulder in jest. He turned and ascended up the stairs, leaving the older man to his tedious duty of filing the original records. Copies had already been made and were being analyzed right that very second, but the Yukihiro’s filing systems were top notch. It would take a bit of time for the older man to file them properly and Takeshi laughed a little to himself. That’s what he got for being a slowpoke.

Meanwhile Osamu had been very busy. He had long known the day of the modern NDV’s first solid victory was due and he had prepared accordingly. Until now he had been content with small numbers. The NDV as it existed today was a test model, a miniaturised version of the real thing designed to find problems before it went full scale. Now, with public interest due to peak, stress testing having been carried out and political pressures driving him on, Osamu authorised the massive recruitment drive that had so long been planned.
 
The Clarion would print pro NDV stories, encouraging all upstanding young men to join up. Men with drums and bugles would tour the streets encouraging prospective candidates and whipping them up into a fervour. Beautiful young women would hand white feathers to those men who refused to join up, recruitment posters would be put up, temporary recruitment offices set up in areas of likely high interest, inspirational murals would be painted on walls and many other measures would be taken. But Osamu would never pressgang anyone, there would be no conscription. He insisted on a 100% volunteer force. After all, belief in the cause and certain character requirements will still necessary to be permitted entry. Having to be forced into it would mean you would fail that test. 
 
Over the next few days and weeks the Soul Society would see a remarkable up turn in the size of the NDV training pool. They could not be trained instantly, it would take a few months before it started translating into battlefield units but the numbers were unsettling to anyone who doubted Osamu and inspiring to those who backed him. One thing was for sure though. Osamu was making the NDV into a force to be reckoned with.
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