Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism are all forms of Economy, not Government/Politics. Of course, governments have forms of Economy, but Economy is not a Politic. But for the sake of arguing semantics: ...
I like the idea of a Resource-Based Economy a la The Venus Project. If I had to go with one of the above, it'd be something between Socialism and Communism.
As for Politics, I'm more Democratic (in the sense that I believe the people should be ruled by the people rather than individuals or parties representing or disregarding groups of people (a Republic)). What that represents in America's society is of little concern to me. The basic idea of Democracy is what I lean toward regardless of the fact that it's difficult to upkeep with such a large population. (Currently we're in a weird state that incorporates both Democracy and a Republic, and performs neither very efficiently or accurately. I could go further and say we're closer to an Oligarchy (being corporations) than anything else.)
Phoenix
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No rushing allowed, people!
So I recently got back into X and Y. (PM me your Friend Code if you care to: 0044-4249-9562)
It got me into thinking what my "real" favorite Pokemon are. This list (and hopefully the discussion) disregards legendary-status, starters, and statistical and competitive values. This list goes by design, flavor, and even personal attachments. Here's my top 32 and why:
1. Ninetales - I've always liked this Pokemon. I always consider it Fire-Psychic since it's moveset and lore make it out to be either Psychic or Ghost. I like the elegant design and Vulpix would totally be my starting Pokemon if they were real. [Extrasensory, Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, Confuse Ray for the win!]
2. Breloom - The third generation was one of my favorites (after the second). One of my first playthroughs I trained a Shroomish knowing it would evolve into Breloom. I also liked the Effect Spore ability and found it infinitely interesting. The typing was also original and I loved Mach Punch and Sky Uppercut with Giga Drain and Leech Seed.
3. Medicham - Another interesting type match up that I appreciated. I also liked the design. Having a Pokemon know Hi Jump Kick and Psychic was cool to me and I still find it interesting to this day.
4. Jumpluff - This was a recent favorite of mine and realized it was the first Grass Flying type (I found Tropius interesting but didn't care for its design). Its fast, which was also interesting to learn, and learned Bounce instead of Fly, which I found odd. Even though its not the strongest, I found it cute and almost playable.
5. Espeon - The only eeveelution that I ever cared about. Again, I like elegance and this Pokemon has it. I liked it during a time I thought Psychics ruled and just found it pleasant to look at.
6. Shiftry - I found its design and type-match up interesting as well as its evolution process. With Shiftry I learned that evolving right away wasn't always the best option. I liked the move Extrasensory (which is a major reason Ninetales is first) and found Shiftry to be considerably good in battle.
7. Flygon - I didn't much care for it until Garchomp came around. With Garchomp being over-powered, I enjoyed the idea of favoring the original Ground Dragon. I know this is petty, but I learned to like its design as well.
8. Froslass - I don't really know why I enjoy this Pokemon so much. The type-matching was original and I always had a fondness for Snorunt. I never liked Glalie so this was a great alternative. Though she's weak, she's, again, elegant and fun to use.
9. Bisharp - He's just really cool to me. I like its design and the idea that he can't touch himself without getting cut (hurr hurr) is a bit humorous. But its typing and design were unique and I found instant attraction to it. It's just a pain that you find it so late and it evolves so late. :/
10. Masquerain - I liked the idea of a Bug being able to use Bubblebeam for some reason. As soon as I figured this out, Masquerain was a part of my team in Ruby Version (Another solidification of stalling evolution). I wish they would add another Water Bug type, but Masquerain is a good enough pseudo-replacement for now. ;)
11. Ledian - I always found Ledian adorable yet impossible to play with. Ledyba was so difficult to train and Ledian was difficult to win with. I always imagined it being a Bug Fighting type since it learned all the punches. Also, ladybugs are just fricken cute.
12. Bellossom - The idea of having this tiny flower child kicking butt with Petal Dance is both awesome and adorable. I've never played with her but being the first branching evolution that I noticed was interesting and unique.
13. Sunflora - I've actually trained one of these and it's almost impossible. Slow and with low defenses, Sunkern and Sunflora are possibly the worst Pokemon right after Magikarp. Probably worse since it doesn't drastically improve after evolution. Still, they're cute and nice to look at. ;)
14. Sawsbuck - This took me a while to grow fond of, but I enjoy the seasons and the idea of a Pokemon changing with them is interesting. Also, being a Grass Normal type was unique and this Pokemon is a more attractive version of Stantler (and actually usable). I also like its unique moveset.
15. Toxicroak - I've never used him but I always thought his design was wicked cool. The type match-up was unique and I thought Poison Jab was a cool move.
16. Lanturn - Again, a unique type match up and a useful ability made Lanturn a quick favorite of mine. I liked its bulk and thought Chinchou was infinitely adorable.
17. Houndoom - This moved down because it became so popular (I know, I'm such a hipster). But I always thought it was scary cool and thought the Rocket Admin's Houndoom was difficult of which to take care.
18. Archeops - I've read that some people hate Archeops but I thought it was cool. It was a powered-down Aerodactyl but still useful. It's also kind of pretty. xP
19. Chimecho - I don't know what it is about Chimecho but I always found it cute and nice to look at. It's along the same lines as Sunflora but with less appreciation.
20. Banette - This was the first Pokemon of which I was actually frightened to some degree. After reading its description, I found it even more dark and all the more interesting.
21. Sandslash - I've always liked Sandslash. I thought its design was cool but never found myself playing with it.
22. Ampharos - Mareep is adorable and I liked the idea of a non-fast electric type. For some reason I like the idea of Pokemon learning a random yet supremely flavorful Rock-type move, Power Gem (yes, I'm looking at you, Vespiquen).
23. Pyroar - Finally, a lion. I think it's a cool idea and even more unique that it's Normal and Fire. It's moveset is also quite flavorful.
24. Grumpig - I thought a bouncing piglet was adorable, and then I learned that it would die if it doesn't, and I found it infinitely more adorable. Also, another Bouncer which I thought was interesting. I've trained one once but it never made it to the Elite Four with Blaziken and Breloom.
25. Crobat - One of the only competitive Pokemon on this list, probably. I thought its method of evolution was intriguing. It's also a plus that it's not as ugly as Golbat. Its method of flight was also interesting (I never knew if they were legs or secondary wings...).
26. Weavile - This is a like for a friend. My best friend raved over Sneasle specifically and thought Weavile was cool. So even though this is mostly an ode to them, I think its typing is unique as well as its usefulness (or lackthereof).
27. Chandelure - One of my first favorites of the fifth generation but quickly fell down the list. I think making Pokemon out of previously inanimate objects is interesting, though only for Ghost types, and only if they look cool (lookin' at you, Rotom...).
28. Gardevoir - Another quick favorite of the third generation but its popularity made me seek out others to favorite instead. I'm currently using the one Diantha gives you post game and her elegance remains a key factor of why I like her so much.
29. Dragalge - This is a more recent favorite for having caught one and trying it out (for typing purposes, mainly. I also caught a shiny one! :D). I maxed out its Defenses and I find the idea of algae and seaweed as a Pokemon both humorous and interesting (it's holding leftovers for the idea that it's eating itself xP). There's a level of elegance here.
30. Mothim - He actually replaced Butterfree here. I liked that Butterfree could learn Psychic and such but Mothim seems like the more wholesome Bug, whatever that means. I like his design but never used him much in-game. You wouldn't know it but the Bug type is one of my favorites (after Fire and before Fighting).
31. Zangoose - I always thought Zangoose was cool and the idea of rivalries between Pokemon intrigued me.
32. Talonflame - The first non-legendary Fire-Flying type had to be a favorite, but it's not the coolest. I still think its interesting and the naming was obvious (to the point of being lazy) yet flavorful. I'm still waiting on a Fire-Dragon type (and not a Legendary one).
So, what are some of your favorites that others might not take interest in? What's one Pokemon that always has to be in your party? Was there anything in my list that you agree or disagree with? Since there was a constant theme of "elegance," are you surprised that Milotic isn't in the list?
It got me into thinking what my "real" favorite Pokemon are. This list (and hopefully the discussion) disregards legendary-status, starters, and statistical and competitive values. This list goes by design, flavor, and even personal attachments. Here's my top 32 and why:
1. Ninetales - I've always liked this Pokemon. I always consider it Fire-Psychic since it's moveset and lore make it out to be either Psychic or Ghost. I like the elegant design and Vulpix would totally be my starting Pokemon if they were real. [Extrasensory, Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, Confuse Ray for the win!]
2. Breloom - The third generation was one of my favorites (after the second). One of my first playthroughs I trained a Shroomish knowing it would evolve into Breloom. I also liked the Effect Spore ability and found it infinitely interesting. The typing was also original and I loved Mach Punch and Sky Uppercut with Giga Drain and Leech Seed.
3. Medicham - Another interesting type match up that I appreciated. I also liked the design. Having a Pokemon know Hi Jump Kick and Psychic was cool to me and I still find it interesting to this day.
4. Jumpluff - This was a recent favorite of mine and realized it was the first Grass Flying type (I found Tropius interesting but didn't care for its design). Its fast, which was also interesting to learn, and learned Bounce instead of Fly, which I found odd. Even though its not the strongest, I found it cute and almost playable.
5. Espeon - The only eeveelution that I ever cared about. Again, I like elegance and this Pokemon has it. I liked it during a time I thought Psychics ruled and just found it pleasant to look at.
6. Shiftry - I found its design and type-match up interesting as well as its evolution process. With Shiftry I learned that evolving right away wasn't always the best option. I liked the move Extrasensory (which is a major reason Ninetales is first) and found Shiftry to be considerably good in battle.
7. Flygon - I didn't much care for it until Garchomp came around. With Garchomp being over-powered, I enjoyed the idea of favoring the original Ground Dragon. I know this is petty, but I learned to like its design as well.
8. Froslass - I don't really know why I enjoy this Pokemon so much. The type-matching was original and I always had a fondness for Snorunt. I never liked Glalie so this was a great alternative. Though she's weak, she's, again, elegant and fun to use.
9. Bisharp - He's just really cool to me. I like its design and the idea that he can't touch himself without getting cut (hurr hurr) is a bit humorous. But its typing and design were unique and I found instant attraction to it. It's just a pain that you find it so late and it evolves so late. :/
10. Masquerain - I liked the idea of a Bug being able to use Bubblebeam for some reason. As soon as I figured this out, Masquerain was a part of my team in Ruby Version (Another solidification of stalling evolution). I wish they would add another Water Bug type, but Masquerain is a good enough pseudo-replacement for now. ;)
11. Ledian - I always found Ledian adorable yet impossible to play with. Ledyba was so difficult to train and Ledian was difficult to win with. I always imagined it being a Bug Fighting type since it learned all the punches. Also, ladybugs are just fricken cute.
12. Bellossom - The idea of having this tiny flower child kicking butt with Petal Dance is both awesome and adorable. I've never played with her but being the first branching evolution that I noticed was interesting and unique.
13. Sunflora - I've actually trained one of these and it's almost impossible. Slow and with low defenses, Sunkern and Sunflora are possibly the worst Pokemon right after Magikarp. Probably worse since it doesn't drastically improve after evolution. Still, they're cute and nice to look at. ;)
14. Sawsbuck - This took me a while to grow fond of, but I enjoy the seasons and the idea of a Pokemon changing with them is interesting. Also, being a Grass Normal type was unique and this Pokemon is a more attractive version of Stantler (and actually usable). I also like its unique moveset.
15. Toxicroak - I've never used him but I always thought his design was wicked cool. The type match-up was unique and I thought Poison Jab was a cool move.
16. Lanturn - Again, a unique type match up and a useful ability made Lanturn a quick favorite of mine. I liked its bulk and thought Chinchou was infinitely adorable.
17. Houndoom - This moved down because it became so popular (I know, I'm such a hipster). But I always thought it was scary cool and thought the Rocket Admin's Houndoom was difficult of which to take care.
18. Archeops - I've read that some people hate Archeops but I thought it was cool. It was a powered-down Aerodactyl but still useful. It's also kind of pretty. xP
19. Chimecho - I don't know what it is about Chimecho but I always found it cute and nice to look at. It's along the same lines as Sunflora but with less appreciation.
20. Banette - This was the first Pokemon of which I was actually frightened to some degree. After reading its description, I found it even more dark and all the more interesting.
21. Sandslash - I've always liked Sandslash. I thought its design was cool but never found myself playing with it.
22. Ampharos - Mareep is adorable and I liked the idea of a non-fast electric type. For some reason I like the idea of Pokemon learning a random yet supremely flavorful Rock-type move, Power Gem (yes, I'm looking at you, Vespiquen).
23. Pyroar - Finally, a lion. I think it's a cool idea and even more unique that it's Normal and Fire. It's moveset is also quite flavorful.
24. Grumpig - I thought a bouncing piglet was adorable, and then I learned that it would die if it doesn't, and I found it infinitely more adorable. Also, another Bouncer which I thought was interesting. I've trained one once but it never made it to the Elite Four with Blaziken and Breloom.
25. Crobat - One of the only competitive Pokemon on this list, probably. I thought its method of evolution was intriguing. It's also a plus that it's not as ugly as Golbat. Its method of flight was also interesting (I never knew if they were legs or secondary wings...).
26. Weavile - This is a like for a friend. My best friend raved over Sneasle specifically and thought Weavile was cool. So even though this is mostly an ode to them, I think its typing is unique as well as its usefulness (or lackthereof).
27. Chandelure - One of my first favorites of the fifth generation but quickly fell down the list. I think making Pokemon out of previously inanimate objects is interesting, though only for Ghost types, and only if they look cool (lookin' at you, Rotom...).
28. Gardevoir - Another quick favorite of the third generation but its popularity made me seek out others to favorite instead. I'm currently using the one Diantha gives you post game and her elegance remains a key factor of why I like her so much.
29. Dragalge - This is a more recent favorite for having caught one and trying it out (for typing purposes, mainly. I also caught a shiny one! :D). I maxed out its Defenses and I find the idea of algae and seaweed as a Pokemon both humorous and interesting (it's holding leftovers for the idea that it's eating itself xP). There's a level of elegance here.
30. Mothim - He actually replaced Butterfree here. I liked that Butterfree could learn Psychic and such but Mothim seems like the more wholesome Bug, whatever that means. I like his design but never used him much in-game. You wouldn't know it but the Bug type is one of my favorites (after Fire and before Fighting).
31. Zangoose - I always thought Zangoose was cool and the idea of rivalries between Pokemon intrigued me.
32. Talonflame - The first non-legendary Fire-Flying type had to be a favorite, but it's not the coolest. I still think its interesting and the naming was obvious (to the point of being lazy) yet flavorful. I'm still waiting on a Fire-Dragon type (and not a Legendary one).
So, what are some of your favorites that others might not take interest in? What's one Pokemon that always has to be in your party? Was there anything in my list that you agree or disagree with? Since there was a constant theme of "elegance," are you surprised that Milotic isn't in the list?
As any other day he was actually in his Barracks, Akimoto seated at his desk to sift through paperwork across from Yuzuki who did the same. They enjoyed each other’s silent company, though this was never stated. He also knew she was antsy to return back to the officers to make sure they were performing their tasks satisfactorily.
"Where is 18th Seat Ine now?" Akimoto asked across the room. He didn't ask this as if to quiz her, for that would be counter-productive. He asked because she would know quite accurately his current location. She had close tabs on all the seated Shinigami as well as most others within their relatively small Division.
'18th?' It took only a few moments for Yuzuki to remember precisely who held the 18th seat, just by name. That particular man was far from being liked by her, having seen him slacking in his duties at times, much too often to be considered proper. "I sent Ine to the Fourth Division to run an errand for me, as I was busy with these forms." An unusually large amount of requests had flooded through and as they passed through Yuzuki first to be handed on to Akimoto, her desk was a cluttered mess piled high with stack upon stack of forms. The disarray had her frustrated and irritable, though she tried her best to mind herself in front of her Captain.
He was taking the time to look over some of the forms which had accumulated upon it during the time he was out. There were some documents which needed to go through him before Yuzuki could fill them out and perform the necessary processes in which to process it.
This particular form was for a mission which seemed more like a casual task into the World of the Living. Ever since the misfortunes his son went through there, he'd been more cautious in sending Shinigami into that realm. The Twelfth Division had made claims that Hollow activity had diminished as of recently, but he still didn't trust many places outside Seireitei. Some would call him untrusting and paranoid. He likened it to protective and conscientious.
After flipping through several more forms, he stamped an approval on them but then went back to Ine's request. "When's the last time he went to the World of the Living, anyway?" he asked, looking up at his stern and highly-disciplined Lieutentant. He would even deem her too hard at times. But she kept a neat and orderly Division and for that she was considered highly by him.
"Three and a half months ago but he was late getting there and coming back." A faint frown made its way across her face, remembering the man's inability to remember fine details. It had set her an hour and a half back, which she still wasn't happy about it as was evident by her rather disgruntled expression. Yuzuki hadn't gone out of her way to make life harder for him, just slightly more inconvenient.
She had worried the first time she sent him out, unable to see him doing a reconnaissance mission properly but he'd reported back to her properly at first, which was a good sign. Unfortunately, he'd missed his 12-hour mark and the next one after that, making Yuzuki nearly have a meltdown and march into the World of the Living herself. "He's not quite as reliable as I would like, Captain."
He mused over the last time he'd been sent to the Human World. Yuzuki's report was less than ideal but he chose not to be so harsh about since she took care of the discipline well enough for the both of them. "When's the last time you went to the World of the Living?" he, again, asked. Though, this was, seemingly, a disjointed question which didn't have much relevance to the current situation.
Yuzuki looked up from the form she was filling out in neat, orderly handwriting, mildly surprised at the abrupt question. "Me?" It took her a few seconds to think back to the last time she'd stepped out of the Senkaimon and several more to accurately pinpoint the time frame of her last visit. "I think... five months ago. Yes, five months ago, give or take a few days. If I may ask, Captain -- why?" Akimoto was one of the few people -- truthfully, the only at times -- that she bothered being appropriately polite with, having too much respect for him to be as brash as she usually was.
He sat there for a moment as if considering his words carefully. He was wondering if this might be a good idea. "I want you to accompany him." He paused for a moment after to allow the statement to sink in for the both of them. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he felt it might be best to have his Lieutenant "aid" in a mission of a seated officer. "I want you to show him how to accomplish a task efficiently and on-time." Perhaps a mask for his concern, but it was a legitimate reason to spare his Lieutenant of her regular duties for a time.
He looked up to make sure she wasn't totally shocked by his request. "And don't take too little time to finish the task," he said unironically. He always believed she should take a step back and take some time to relax. Everyone knew that didn't happen often.
"What?" Yuzuki's head snapped up, eyes wide, sure she'd heard him wrong. "No! Send someone else! Send 3rd Sest Aoi. He's equally as competent." Just the thought of what her office would become in her absence was enough to horrify her into fervently denying.
He eyed her lightly. "You and I both know that to not be true," he said that with a smirk. Sest was more lenient than he. "What are you so concerned about, Lieutenant?"
"Everything! The paperwork and the chores and the Division duties... who's going to supervise them while you're away? Don't do this, Captain."
A small smirk cracked on his face. "You fret too much, Lieutenant. We aren't all as incompetent as you might think." He purposefully placed himself with the others, bending her words as if to try and guilt her into accepting more graciously. "The Barracks will be fine. Sest is equally as competent." He could hardly say that with a straight face.
Yuzuki bit her lip, resisting the urge to talk back. He was purposefully using her own words against her! "But Captain..." It came out more of whine than she'd admit later, but her rational mind had all but disintergrated at the prospect of leaving the Division. Spending time with forgetful Ine was bad enough.
With the bulk of his paperwork done, he rose from his seat and pushed the chair back in neatly. He touched a few papers to coax them into a neater position before looking back at Yuzuki. "Make sure you take a back-up Butterfly for yourself," he advised as usual.
He started to make his way out of the room. "I'm going to do some training in the courtyard. Why don't you start getting ready to leave for the Human World?" And by that, he meant meditate and not be so riled up.
"Hn. I mean yes, Captain." Yuzuki gave him a rather irritated look, as subtly as she could afford to not get in trouble. "As soon as I finish with these forms." With that she went to work twice as fast, almost as if she was trying to make up for her absence already, filling up form after form and ordering them into neat stacks.
The rest of the day he spent in the courtyard. Initially it began as personal exercises but eventually became a Division-wide training session. Captain Akimoto mentored the seated officers in how to better control their Reiatsu, though he was hardly one to talk with having such potent spiritual pressure himself. It was difficult for him to keep it contained most of the time.
He spent the night in his quarters rather than spending the night in the Rukongai as he usually did. He wished to see Lieutenant Yuzuki and the current 18th Seat, Ine, off to the World of the Living. He’d taken care of the formalities himself in setting up a Senkaimon for the trip while authorizing the trip with both the Captain-Commander and the Central 46. Even for such a minor task, it was difficult to be granted permission. None would know of this, but he wished some of the formalities weren’t so rigid.
The Third Seat was, thus, in charge of the Division when Yuzuki, Ine, and Captain Akimoto left for the day. The man wasn’t akin to taking a leadership position, but it wasn’t beyond him to utilizing it effectively, which Akimoto knew well enough. However, he wasn’t even out of the Seireitei before he was summoned to return to the First Division.
“Captain Akimoto,” an Onmitsukido agent addressed him urgently. “There is a crisis in the Rukongai, your audience is requested from the Captain Commander.”
He paused for a moment in slight disbelief that such an event would even occur. What could be of such urgency? He’d seen no signs of obvious strife or rebellion among the Captains and they seemed to have reasonable control over their Divisions. He also worked regularly in the Rukongai himself. He didn’t bother asking the agent for details since they would have been stated if they were known. “Tell Third Seat Sest Aoi to send some capable Shinigami to the Twelfth and Eighth Divisions to aid in their investigations. Make sure it’s known that its urgent that they be capable,” he reiterated. His demeanor changed to quite a serious one. He knew the situation was grave to be sent to the First Division.
Ken’in Ho was known as the weakest form of Shunpo one to know, but Captain Akimoto used it almost exclusively. It’s inherently down-sided characteristics were utilized in a more aggressive manner by Akimoto. Regardless, it was the easiest, however slowest, for him to perform. It wasn’t unlikely that he was the last one to show up at the meeting. He could immediately tell that situation had degraded since being initially contacted. Only a handful of Captains were present.
He soon learned that the other Divisions were already on high-alert and had been assigned tasks to protect the Seireitei and seek out the cause of the invasion within the Rukongai. The Second and Sixth Divisions had been tasked with keeping the Seireitei as a whole under strict supervision as well as the Noble Houses. The Seventh and Eighth Divisions were both working with the Twelfth Division to obtain all the information they could on the invasion and reporting back to pre-determined authorities. The Eleventh and Fourth Divisions had been sent into the Seireitei for rescue and emergency care. The remainder of the Divisions had yet to be assigned tasks and their Captains had been called into this meeting.
Hollows had swarmed into the Rukongai in each Eightieth District. Their numbers seemed endless according to initial reports, but this would soon prove to be true. Casualties began to be announced before the identification of powerful Hollows. Eventually rumors of Espada and Vasto Lordes arose and panic flooded the Rukongai almost entirely. It was clear the Ichigawa House was unable to keep calm the citizens of which they were supposed to support and serve. Furthermore, the “infestation,” as the Captain-Commander put it, rapidly spread until it reached the 20th Districts.
This was over the course of 100 years. The Captains fought valiantly against the Hollows, but they proved to be overwhelming as well as awfully powerful. Some of the Captains died and the rest were driven back close to the Seireitei and held positions largely of defense rather than offense. The Central 46 and the Captain-Commander saw no need to continue pushing as it was clear that this tactic was increasing the casualty rate unnecessarily. Also, they couldn’t have their home invaded once again by that speedy Arrancar. They eventually learned his name to Srekklan Hallcon who was second among the Arrancar.
They worked quite well with the Hollow, which was initially bizarre but soon understandable. Their food supply consisted mostly of the spirits within the Rukongai, so eating each other was counter-productive to the ends they wished to meet. These ends had yet to be discovered as the fact that they were organized to such a degree was a phenomena itself.
Their technologies also seemed to improve. They had placed nine Largetto into the Rukongai. These were indestructible portals to and from Hueco Mundo that could only be used by the Hollow and Arrancar themselves. Anything with a heart could not pass through.
The Fifth Division worked with the Eleventh, Fourth, Thirteenth, on rescue and scouting missions. They also worked with the Eighth and Seventh Divisions on reconnaissance. The Tenth and Twelfth Divisions worked closely together to improve technologies and weapons to use against the Hollow. They reported to the First with any and all information in how to improve their defenses and keep their territory safe and protected. The Second and Sixth Divisions continued to work together to maintain security within the Seireitei. The Third Division worked more closely with the Noble Houses and the Central 46. The Gotei required positive relations between themselves and these parties at all times. In such a state of emergency, this was hardly a task. The Ninth Division was in charge of keeping light-hearted events on-going within the Seireitei and where they could in the Rukongai as well as burying the bodies of fellow Shinigami. Of course, these bodies were few and far between.
The labor between Divisions was a sore subject between most Divisions, but internal strife was likely to occur with a war in their back yard. There were no signs of secession among them, but aggression, grief, sorrow, and even aggravation had to be released somehow and permission into the Rukongai was difficult to acquire.
During the hundred years after the Invasion, Captain Akimoto’s Dojo had been, more or less, repurposed as a gathering place for Shinigami and NDV alike before they were to execute specific missions. Kouta remained there and acted as some kind of organizer or informant of these troops. Since he was not officially a Shinigami, he was not necessarily welcome within the Seireitei. It took time, but his authority was eventually respected amongst the NDV and Shinigami alike.
It was also a general training ground for new recruits rescued from the Hollow-Run Districts (colloquially “HRDs” by some veterans). The Academy had become much more hectic without Akimoto running most of its programs but had also become more of a pooling of prospective Shinigami of who, before this time, weren’t “prospective.”
It was discovered that the Hollow and Arrancar believed themselves to be enough to keep the Human and Spiritual Worlds in balance and sought to eradicate the Shinigami completely. They were being smart in waiting them out, making them use up their resources as the only resources they needed were souls, and those were aplenty.
Lieutenant Yuzuki was ordered to remain the Human World and keep a close eye on Hollow activity. Her emergency Butterfly came in handy as it would have been difficult for any Hollow to intercept these messages. It seemed the activity was unusually low, making the assumption that they were all within Hueco Mundo or the Rukongai. They couldn’t make a clear analysis with the continuous attacks and the numbers of the Hollows to keep stagnant somehow.
Captain Akimoto remained within his Division, organizing teams with the other Divisions and continuing the training of his officers. Most of his training consisted of chores and errands in the spirit of Yuzuki during her absence. Also, with the use of his Bankai during the Invasion, didn’t wish to put anyone else in danger. He expected this to be the reason the Captain-Commander remained in her barracks as well. Also, their presence was very much the beacon for an Arrancar or Vasto Lorde to appear. The reason they remained behind the scenes was also yet to be determined.
After the first 100 years of this war, a meeting for which was called for the first time since the Invasion. The Captain-Commander wished to brief everyone personally upon the millennia’s progress and assess what might be in order to begin the eradication of these vermin. However, she opened the meeting by pouring all the Captains tea and greeting them rather light-heartedly as she would in spite of a grim situation. Those who knew her well knew that this, alone, was a bad sign.
Akimoto greeted the other Captains as formally as he always had, regardless of their disposition. He kept six Hell Butterflies with him at all times. This was allowed of all the Captains so they could keep tabs on the goings-on throughout the Spiritual World.
"Where is 18th Seat Ine now?" Akimoto asked across the room. He didn't ask this as if to quiz her, for that would be counter-productive. He asked because she would know quite accurately his current location. She had close tabs on all the seated Shinigami as well as most others within their relatively small Division.
'18th?' It took only a few moments for Yuzuki to remember precisely who held the 18th seat, just by name. That particular man was far from being liked by her, having seen him slacking in his duties at times, much too often to be considered proper. "I sent Ine to the Fourth Division to run an errand for me, as I was busy with these forms." An unusually large amount of requests had flooded through and as they passed through Yuzuki first to be handed on to Akimoto, her desk was a cluttered mess piled high with stack upon stack of forms. The disarray had her frustrated and irritable, though she tried her best to mind herself in front of her Captain.
He was taking the time to look over some of the forms which had accumulated upon it during the time he was out. There were some documents which needed to go through him before Yuzuki could fill them out and perform the necessary processes in which to process it.
This particular form was for a mission which seemed more like a casual task into the World of the Living. Ever since the misfortunes his son went through there, he'd been more cautious in sending Shinigami into that realm. The Twelfth Division had made claims that Hollow activity had diminished as of recently, but he still didn't trust many places outside Seireitei. Some would call him untrusting and paranoid. He likened it to protective and conscientious.
After flipping through several more forms, he stamped an approval on them but then went back to Ine's request. "When's the last time he went to the World of the Living, anyway?" he asked, looking up at his stern and highly-disciplined Lieutentant. He would even deem her too hard at times. But she kept a neat and orderly Division and for that she was considered highly by him.
"Three and a half months ago but he was late getting there and coming back." A faint frown made its way across her face, remembering the man's inability to remember fine details. It had set her an hour and a half back, which she still wasn't happy about it as was evident by her rather disgruntled expression. Yuzuki hadn't gone out of her way to make life harder for him, just slightly more inconvenient.
She had worried the first time she sent him out, unable to see him doing a reconnaissance mission properly but he'd reported back to her properly at first, which was a good sign. Unfortunately, he'd missed his 12-hour mark and the next one after that, making Yuzuki nearly have a meltdown and march into the World of the Living herself. "He's not quite as reliable as I would like, Captain."
He mused over the last time he'd been sent to the Human World. Yuzuki's report was less than ideal but he chose not to be so harsh about since she took care of the discipline well enough for the both of them. "When's the last time you went to the World of the Living?" he, again, asked. Though, this was, seemingly, a disjointed question which didn't have much relevance to the current situation.
Yuzuki looked up from the form she was filling out in neat, orderly handwriting, mildly surprised at the abrupt question. "Me?" It took her a few seconds to think back to the last time she'd stepped out of the Senkaimon and several more to accurately pinpoint the time frame of her last visit. "I think... five months ago. Yes, five months ago, give or take a few days. If I may ask, Captain -- why?" Akimoto was one of the few people -- truthfully, the only at times -- that she bothered being appropriately polite with, having too much respect for him to be as brash as she usually was.
He sat there for a moment as if considering his words carefully. He was wondering if this might be a good idea. "I want you to accompany him." He paused for a moment after to allow the statement to sink in for the both of them. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he felt it might be best to have his Lieutenant "aid" in a mission of a seated officer. "I want you to show him how to accomplish a task efficiently and on-time." Perhaps a mask for his concern, but it was a legitimate reason to spare his Lieutenant of her regular duties for a time.
He looked up to make sure she wasn't totally shocked by his request. "And don't take too little time to finish the task," he said unironically. He always believed she should take a step back and take some time to relax. Everyone knew that didn't happen often.
"What?" Yuzuki's head snapped up, eyes wide, sure she'd heard him wrong. "No! Send someone else! Send 3rd Sest Aoi. He's equally as competent." Just the thought of what her office would become in her absence was enough to horrify her into fervently denying.
He eyed her lightly. "You and I both know that to not be true," he said that with a smirk. Sest was more lenient than he. "What are you so concerned about, Lieutenant?"
"Everything! The paperwork and the chores and the Division duties... who's going to supervise them while you're away? Don't do this, Captain."
A small smirk cracked on his face. "You fret too much, Lieutenant. We aren't all as incompetent as you might think." He purposefully placed himself with the others, bending her words as if to try and guilt her into accepting more graciously. "The Barracks will be fine. Sest is equally as competent." He could hardly say that with a straight face.
Yuzuki bit her lip, resisting the urge to talk back. He was purposefully using her own words against her! "But Captain..." It came out more of whine than she'd admit later, but her rational mind had all but disintergrated at the prospect of leaving the Division. Spending time with forgetful Ine was bad enough.
With the bulk of his paperwork done, he rose from his seat and pushed the chair back in neatly. He touched a few papers to coax them into a neater position before looking back at Yuzuki. "Make sure you take a back-up Butterfly for yourself," he advised as usual.
He started to make his way out of the room. "I'm going to do some training in the courtyard. Why don't you start getting ready to leave for the Human World?" And by that, he meant meditate and not be so riled up.
"Hn. I mean yes, Captain." Yuzuki gave him a rather irritated look, as subtly as she could afford to not get in trouble. "As soon as I finish with these forms." With that she went to work twice as fast, almost as if she was trying to make up for her absence already, filling up form after form and ordering them into neat stacks.
The rest of the day he spent in the courtyard. Initially it began as personal exercises but eventually became a Division-wide training session. Captain Akimoto mentored the seated officers in how to better control their Reiatsu, though he was hardly one to talk with having such potent spiritual pressure himself. It was difficult for him to keep it contained most of the time.
He spent the night in his quarters rather than spending the night in the Rukongai as he usually did. He wished to see Lieutenant Yuzuki and the current 18th Seat, Ine, off to the World of the Living. He’d taken care of the formalities himself in setting up a Senkaimon for the trip while authorizing the trip with both the Captain-Commander and the Central 46. Even for such a minor task, it was difficult to be granted permission. None would know of this, but he wished some of the formalities weren’t so rigid.
The Third Seat was, thus, in charge of the Division when Yuzuki, Ine, and Captain Akimoto left for the day. The man wasn’t akin to taking a leadership position, but it wasn’t beyond him to utilizing it effectively, which Akimoto knew well enough. However, he wasn’t even out of the Seireitei before he was summoned to return to the First Division.
“Captain Akimoto,” an Onmitsukido agent addressed him urgently. “There is a crisis in the Rukongai, your audience is requested from the Captain Commander.”
He paused for a moment in slight disbelief that such an event would even occur. What could be of such urgency? He’d seen no signs of obvious strife or rebellion among the Captains and they seemed to have reasonable control over their Divisions. He also worked regularly in the Rukongai himself. He didn’t bother asking the agent for details since they would have been stated if they were known. “Tell Third Seat Sest Aoi to send some capable Shinigami to the Twelfth and Eighth Divisions to aid in their investigations. Make sure it’s known that its urgent that they be capable,” he reiterated. His demeanor changed to quite a serious one. He knew the situation was grave to be sent to the First Division.
Ken’in Ho was known as the weakest form of Shunpo one to know, but Captain Akimoto used it almost exclusively. It’s inherently down-sided characteristics were utilized in a more aggressive manner by Akimoto. Regardless, it was the easiest, however slowest, for him to perform. It wasn’t unlikely that he was the last one to show up at the meeting. He could immediately tell that situation had degraded since being initially contacted. Only a handful of Captains were present.
He soon learned that the other Divisions were already on high-alert and had been assigned tasks to protect the Seireitei and seek out the cause of the invasion within the Rukongai. The Second and Sixth Divisions had been tasked with keeping the Seireitei as a whole under strict supervision as well as the Noble Houses. The Seventh and Eighth Divisions were both working with the Twelfth Division to obtain all the information they could on the invasion and reporting back to pre-determined authorities. The Eleventh and Fourth Divisions had been sent into the Seireitei for rescue and emergency care. The remainder of the Divisions had yet to be assigned tasks and their Captains had been called into this meeting.
Hollows had swarmed into the Rukongai in each Eightieth District. Their numbers seemed endless according to initial reports, but this would soon prove to be true. Casualties began to be announced before the identification of powerful Hollows. Eventually rumors of Espada and Vasto Lordes arose and panic flooded the Rukongai almost entirely. It was clear the Ichigawa House was unable to keep calm the citizens of which they were supposed to support and serve. Furthermore, the “infestation,” as the Captain-Commander put it, rapidly spread until it reached the 20th Districts.
This was over the course of 100 years. The Captains fought valiantly against the Hollows, but they proved to be overwhelming as well as awfully powerful. Some of the Captains died and the rest were driven back close to the Seireitei and held positions largely of defense rather than offense. The Central 46 and the Captain-Commander saw no need to continue pushing as it was clear that this tactic was increasing the casualty rate unnecessarily. Also, they couldn’t have their home invaded once again by that speedy Arrancar. They eventually learned his name to Srekklan Hallcon who was second among the Arrancar.
They worked quite well with the Hollow, which was initially bizarre but soon understandable. Their food supply consisted mostly of the spirits within the Rukongai, so eating each other was counter-productive to the ends they wished to meet. These ends had yet to be discovered as the fact that they were organized to such a degree was a phenomena itself.
Their technologies also seemed to improve. They had placed nine Largetto into the Rukongai. These were indestructible portals to and from Hueco Mundo that could only be used by the Hollow and Arrancar themselves. Anything with a heart could not pass through.
The Fifth Division worked with the Eleventh, Fourth, Thirteenth, on rescue and scouting missions. They also worked with the Eighth and Seventh Divisions on reconnaissance. The Tenth and Twelfth Divisions worked closely together to improve technologies and weapons to use against the Hollow. They reported to the First with any and all information in how to improve their defenses and keep their territory safe and protected. The Second and Sixth Divisions continued to work together to maintain security within the Seireitei. The Third Division worked more closely with the Noble Houses and the Central 46. The Gotei required positive relations between themselves and these parties at all times. In such a state of emergency, this was hardly a task. The Ninth Division was in charge of keeping light-hearted events on-going within the Seireitei and where they could in the Rukongai as well as burying the bodies of fellow Shinigami. Of course, these bodies were few and far between.
The labor between Divisions was a sore subject between most Divisions, but internal strife was likely to occur with a war in their back yard. There were no signs of secession among them, but aggression, grief, sorrow, and even aggravation had to be released somehow and permission into the Rukongai was difficult to acquire.
During the hundred years after the Invasion, Captain Akimoto’s Dojo had been, more or less, repurposed as a gathering place for Shinigami and NDV alike before they were to execute specific missions. Kouta remained there and acted as some kind of organizer or informant of these troops. Since he was not officially a Shinigami, he was not necessarily welcome within the Seireitei. It took time, but his authority was eventually respected amongst the NDV and Shinigami alike.
It was also a general training ground for new recruits rescued from the Hollow-Run Districts (colloquially “HRDs” by some veterans). The Academy had become much more hectic without Akimoto running most of its programs but had also become more of a pooling of prospective Shinigami of who, before this time, weren’t “prospective.”
It was discovered that the Hollow and Arrancar believed themselves to be enough to keep the Human and Spiritual Worlds in balance and sought to eradicate the Shinigami completely. They were being smart in waiting them out, making them use up their resources as the only resources they needed were souls, and those were aplenty.
Lieutenant Yuzuki was ordered to remain the Human World and keep a close eye on Hollow activity. Her emergency Butterfly came in handy as it would have been difficult for any Hollow to intercept these messages. It seemed the activity was unusually low, making the assumption that they were all within Hueco Mundo or the Rukongai. They couldn’t make a clear analysis with the continuous attacks and the numbers of the Hollows to keep stagnant somehow.
Captain Akimoto remained within his Division, organizing teams with the other Divisions and continuing the training of his officers. Most of his training consisted of chores and errands in the spirit of Yuzuki during her absence. Also, with the use of his Bankai during the Invasion, didn’t wish to put anyone else in danger. He expected this to be the reason the Captain-Commander remained in her barracks as well. Also, their presence was very much the beacon for an Arrancar or Vasto Lorde to appear. The reason they remained behind the scenes was also yet to be determined.
After the first 100 years of this war, a meeting for which was called for the first time since the Invasion. The Captain-Commander wished to brief everyone personally upon the millennia’s progress and assess what might be in order to begin the eradication of these vermin. However, she opened the meeting by pouring all the Captains tea and greeting them rather light-heartedly as she would in spite of a grim situation. Those who knew her well knew that this, alone, was a bad sign.
Akimoto greeted the other Captains as formally as he always had, regardless of their disposition. He kept six Hell Butterflies with him at all times. This was allowed of all the Captains so they could keep tabs on the goings-on throughout the Spiritual World.
Thought: I'm thinking of having a collective "Second Post" for everyone (you all still get your first posts of what your characters have been doing individually and such). There is to be a meeting and to prevent conversational holes and overlooks, I'd like to make a PublicPad or GoogleDocs for everyone to enter and write their responses to certain items and others' responses.
Who of you all think this would be a good idea?
(I'm still working on the first post, so this is just pre-cautionary.)
Who of you all think this would be a good idea?
(I'm still working on the first post, so this is just pre-cautionary.)
Well, if there's a chance he would have made light of it to anyone/Kuroda would have learned any of it/the Central 46 know what he's doing, then I'd say it'd need "approval." If it's secretive/low-profile, then there shouldn't be a problem.
I've started typing up the first post with Oblivion. I'm having a new first post all-together 'cause I can. ;P
It should be up later today. Sorry for the delay but I've lack some determination to write >.> <.<
By the way, these unicorns are precious.
I've started typing up the first post with Oblivion. I'm having a new first post all-together 'cause I can. ;P
It should be up later today. Sorry for the delay but I've lack some determination to write >.> <.<
By the way, these unicorns are precious.
I do agree with you. This was mostly to see what everyone else thought. Glad you're eager, though.
That is just humorous! >D
Just don't let it ever happen again >(
eh heh, just kidding. ;)
Just don't let it ever happen again >(
eh heh, just kidding. ;)
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