GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 26, 2023 11:22:37 GMT -5
Hibano Location: Tokyo
Status: Alive Niji once again tried to pivot the conversation towards his mother, and was getting ready for battle - the Reishi she suddenly released as a warning when he made a step forward was impossible to miss. " Calm down. I'm... not planning to fight you." If she tried to go on the offensive, though, he wouldn't let her live. Hibano answered the woman's arguments with a glare. " Is that really your argument?" he shot back. Why was Niji so hesitant to accept? What was wrong with her? She agreed to all of his arguments, she accepted that the Shinigami were evil - and yet she couldn't allow herself to state that she would destroy the Gotei 13, much less all of the Shinigami. " Do you really think the Shinigami are doing a good job? They're not, and they don't need to. There wouldn't be so many Hollows roaming the world, so many Arrancar, who each need to consume thousands of other Hollows just to be born, otherwise. They'll cleanse a few every once in a while for show and to stop any threats from rising, while gleefully committing genocide against the humans who could protect those in need." Had the Quincy not been destroyed, humanity could protect itself. That's why they were born - to defend humanity from that poison. Yet, they have been reduced to a few, and so, humanity has been thrust to a dark future. " I... understand the risk. I'm not going to stop fighting for what's right, though," he continued, answering the question about the danger of exposing himself to the Shinigami. " Not like you, it seems. You seem like you'd rather allow yourself, your family, your race be exterminated just so you don't have to lift a finger against the Shinigami. You either make your choice now, Niji, or make your choice too late." |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 26, 2023 14:48:12 GMT -5
”You will have to forgive me if I am on edge. I have been attacked with minimal warning by, counting yourself, four members of your immediate family.” Let him stew on that for a moment. Niji continued, ”No, of course I do not think they are doing a good job, and I agree that most of them should shuffle off their immortal coils. From what I have been told, that may already be happening. But acting as though every last Shinigami is irredeemable is folly, surely you can see that.”She struck her hand in front of her in a slashing gesture, her voice intense, ”And where does it end for the Quincy, Hibano? Slaughter every last Shinigami, then move on to hollows and Arrancar for a follow-up? How long until your people decide that Fullbringers are tainted too? Your father told me that many of your people can barely stand to be around most of us. In fact, the Quincy organization on Earth was, and may still be, in active conflict with the Red Lotus.”The woman fixed Hibano with a curious look, as if something had just occurred to her, her voice was gentle, questioning, ”Why are you even coming to me, Hibano? You barely know me, but surely our brief interactions could not have given you the impression that I would be onboard with wanton slaughter. Two years ago, I refused to fight you, I tried to help you despite knowing the danger that the soul inside of you posed. You know I am not a fighter, and would prefer to solve problems without violence.”Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 27, 2023 9:47:43 GMT -5
Hibano Location: Tokyo
Status: Alive Niji fell back on the slippery slope, this time. If a race of survivors of genocide tries to get revenge for their suffering, she says, they're just going to continue such purges even against those who did not commit any harm against them. It was frustrating. The tension was palpable. Niji finally asked why Hibano was confronting her about this in the first place - briefly, the Quincy closed his eyes, then answered: " If you... haven't noticed, you... have been agreeing with me one time after another. I... don't believe that the difference between us is so insurmountable." All she needed to do was to make the logical conclusion. Hibano continued, this time to address the slippery slope: " Where does it end for us? What do we want the world without Shinigami to be like? Well, the same as it was before the Shinigami formed. Where humanity was able to protect itself. That's been the duty of Quincies since the beginning of time - to protect humanity. If you're trying to make some sort of equivalency, between us and Shinigami, then don't bother. We're human. We live here and die just like anyone else. The Shinigami are millennia old monsters whose semblance of humanity has been erased by their ancient age." Hibano once again reached his hand forward, an elbow's length, and made a very slow, careful step forward. " I wasn't... going to ask you to fight, Niji. I... could tell that you refuse to get physically involved, even if... I can't quite understand it. But... I can tell that you have a lot of allies. Contacts. You... organized the decapitation of the Red Lotus today, didn't you? That's the job of far more than a single person." He lowered his hand. " I... want to collect the Hogyoku, and that's what I was going to ask your help for. With it, that dream... it might actually be possible." |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 27, 2023 22:21:16 GMT -5
She narrowed her eyes at Hibano, was he purposefully obfuscating things? Did he not know? She had no idea how high he was in the Quincy organization, or even if this was a sanctioned meeting. A lot like her first meeting with his mother, she supposed. ”I do not see much difference between multiple centuries of life in Schatten Bereich and centuries of life in Soul Society. I am well aware of the Quincy belief in blood purity, I do not think it is a stretch at all that they would turn on people like me the moment they thought we were no longer useful.”Waving a hand dismissively, aware that this argument would not convince him, she continued, ”Regardless of that, not all of them are millennia old and set in their ways, there are younger Shinigami that disagree with the old guard. Doing their best to change the system from the inside.”He had changed so much. Still driven, but so different. He had been trying to prevent conflict between her and the Zodiac last time they had been together, now he was trying to drag her into a massacre. She supposed a young man without memory, looking for a place to belong was an easy target for manipulation from any side. Though, it didn’t really explain how he knew to intervene today, of all days. The Quincy that had been involved in the plan weren’t exactly tight with the Wandenreich to pass them information. Niji pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, ”And yes, of course it required more than just me. My plans included allies from practically every supernatural organization outside of Jigoku. At the very least you are asking me to betray allies I have trusted with the lives of myself and my loved ones.”Of course he still wanted to obtain the hōgyoku; that hadn’t changed since their first meeting, she shook her head once more, ”We have beaten around the bush long enough. No more pronouns, no more vague references to your mother. If you know you are Yael’s child, surely at this point you have learned exactly who that soul inside you truly is. When we first met, you told me you wanted to use the hōgyoku to free the spirit of Valentina Tokareva; is your goal now to use it to destroy all Shinigami?”Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 28, 2023 11:06:09 GMT -5
Hibano Location: Tokyo
Status: Alive Niji was getting frustrated with the conversation, but so was Hibano. She kept refusing to take her beliefs to their natural conclusion. Yes, she agrees, the Gotei 13 are monsters. Yes, she agrees, that organization must be destroyed. But no, she declares, moving on from the destruction of the majority to the destruction of the entire hateful whole was too much for her. "some of them are good, they want to change the system from the inside". Of course. The handful of naive idiots who willingly signed up to be servants for a genocidal, murderous regime and then started having second thoughts, they're the reason why the job should be left unfinished. Where were they during the genocide of my ancestors? Following through with orders, that's what.And, once again, she kept bringing up his mother, and she kept bringing up Valentina, as if the mention of her was any sort of argument in this conversation. Hibano stared at Niji for a few seconds after her question, then answered: " That's... what I told you, yes. I want to use the Hogyoku to... gain the power to destroy all Shinigami, and thus save all of humanity." Well, he had told her vaguely, describing it as a dream rather than detailing it precisely, but it's what he meant before Niji asked him. " Stop bringing her up. This conversation isn't... about her." |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 28, 2023 18:52:19 GMT -5
Niji gave a wry smile, ”I cannot help that she is on my mind. After all, I did just team up with her Shinigami sister to kill the man that betrayed her to her death. But fine, Nikolai, we will speak no more of the soul inside you.”
It was like talking to a brick wall; he happily ignored any points she made and either ignored them or changed the subject. She had done nothing to assuage her concerns about what actions the Quincy would take even if their war was successful. Of course; that was if that didn’t eventually lead to a destabilization in reality. Nonetheless, she was in no state to fight the man even if she wanted to, and if he was so determined to start a new Quincy-Shinigami conflict, she clearly wasn’t going to be able to stop him. He seemed just as stubborn as anyone on his mother’s side. Shaking her head, Niji continued, ”If you choose to pursue this path, do it with eyes unclouded. It is obvious to me that your goal is not protection of mortals, or any lofty claims you are making about saving humanity. You are after revenge and slaughter. Do you even have a plan forward if you manage to eliminate Shinigami? Even if I did agree to help you, I doubt your people would allow a non-Quincy like myself to have any real say in the path forward.”Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 29, 2023 12:21:25 GMT -5
Hibano Location: Tokyo
Status: Alive What is she talking about now? Either she forgot what his name was for a second, or she suddenly decided to call him by a name that he had never heard of before. And what was that about having a Shinigami sister and avenging his mother's death, too? With such an off-hand statement, that she didn't elaborate on at all and immediately moved on, she clearly was trying to get him to drop his guard and break his composure. Stopping the pressure on her and asking her about what happened would thus only fall for her trap, and get her to escape from this conversation. He could not let go of hammering the truth about the Shinigami now. Yet, he made a mental note of that information, in case it becomes relevant in the future. " And it is obvious to me that you are a coward who doesn't truly care about humanity, or anything but yourself and your own narrow life," Hibano answered with just as much vitriol as Niji. " You can see what monsters they are, you agree that humanity cannot progress if that organization continues, yet you cower, and you sound to me like you're going to do nothing, just stew away with your own frustrations here, never acting upon them. And trusting in good Shinigami to make a change? They all are volunteers, they knew that they signed up to be genocidal monsters from the very beginning. They all passed the same indoctrination and they share the same interests. When push comes to shove, they will stand by the Gotei 13, not by you." Hibano's eyes briefly retreated to the side. " And I... do want to help humanity... I-well, you won't believe it, anyway, but..." Finally, he sighed and turned around. Gently, he picked up the sleeping Simone, holding her in his arms. For a moment, he turned back towards Niji. " Fine then, you've... made your mind, then. If you... really want to just be a free rider for someone else saving the world. Or... regret your choice when the Shinigami finally decide to get rid of you all... just like what happened to us. That's likely, too." Hibano closed his eyes. His shadow suddenly began to expand, encompassing him and Simone entirely and swirling, as if briefly taking a life of its own, before retreating into nothingness - taking the Quincy and his rescue away, who travelled straight to Schatten Bereich. |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 29, 2023 17:31:53 GMT -5
Well, he was right about one thing, Niji didn’t believe it. She just shook her head at his rant; he was wrong about so much, but he would not be convinced. There was nothing to be said, he had become just as much a fanatic as the soul inside him had been. As he approached Simone, Niji briefly considered sending a spire of earth up through the assassin’s heart. For whatever reason, Hibano wanted her alive; that alone would probably have been enough reason to eliminate her even if Ikazuya hadn’t thought she needed to be eliminated alongside Virgil. But it wasn’t a fight she had a chance of winning in her current state, so she just watched as he picked up the teleporter. Perhaps her ability to move people between worlds would play a significant role in his upcoming plan to attack the Shinigami. She took no action, and the man disappeared without Niji attempting another venue of conversation, there would have been no point. Well, so much for her being able to focus on her earthly work for a time. Like she discussed with Valentina so long ago, there was no actual evidence that the Shinigami balance was a lie. Gods knew she agreed with some of his points, but deciding that genocide and potential destabilization of reality was the solution. But no; this was a problem she had to deal with now, through whatever avenues she had. Pulling out her cellphone she scrolled down in her contacts, past a few dozen unanswered messages, the last sent nearly a year ago. ’There have been more developments. Hibano is almost certainly your son. Valentina is still inside of him. He wants to kill every Shinigami. Call me.’She started to put her phone away, getting ready to earthwalk back to her cousin. Before it was even in her purse, it began to ring. Niji glanced down, shocked to see the name she had just texted appear in the caller ID.
Thursday, 10:20 PM JST, Mount RysyTo her credit, Maria actually followed her request and managed to remain quiet until Niji had finished telling her what had transpired after she had returned to Soul Society. Sure, there were points where she looked near to bursting as she dumped information on her with regards to Valentina’s soul and Hibano, but she managed to hold it in. Niji took a deep breath, trying to exude an air of peace to keep Maria calm. She gave the woman a nod, indicating she was done. It would have been a lot for anyone to take in, and she wasn’t entirely sure what thoughts were running through the woman’s head. Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 30, 2023 6:09:11 GMT -5
Maria Tokareva Location: Rysy
Status: Alive Niji had a lot to say, a lot more than Maria could have anticipated when she touched down on the top of the European mountain Niji had chosen as their meeting place. For some reason, she seemed to have a fondness for this mount. The story went on, and on, and on, taking once increasingly wild turn after another, yet it didn't seem like Niji was bluffing at one bit. She didn't seem like the type of person to make jokes... ever, really. But this meant she had to take everything at face value, up to and including the part where she literally reversed time and then talked to another version of her sister in a fantasy dreamworld. So, when Niji finished speaking and nodded, Maria was left staring at her, silent for a few painfully long seconds, before she finally exhaled and answered: " Nu, nahui..." She shook her head. " I don't even know what to say. I think I'll need ten times as much time just to process what you just told me." The fact that she had a nephew, an adult nephew, would be life changing enough. But then... came everything layered on top of it, about her sister being kept there, about him being a Quincy, about him wishing to destroy all Shinigami... it was a lot to unpack. And her sister managed to hook up before she did, too. Wonderful. " Why... why didn't you tell me about him before? You... knew about him all this time, didn't you?" |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 30, 2023 16:45:37 GMT -5
”Not exactly.”While she had expected Maria to have a lot of questions, she hadn’t really been expecting the first question to be about why she hadn’t shared this information before. There were a few reasons she hadn’t shared it, both out of concerns for Maria’s safety, as well as the fact that she was hoping to deal with it herself. Remove the errant soul from Hibano and make sure the mad woman wouldn’t be a threat to anyone. She had a feeling that Maria wouldn’t particularly appreciate either excuse. ”Like I said, I knew that Valentina’s soul had been placed in Hibano, but I did not know much more than that. And it is not like we separated on particularly good terms the last time we spoke. I did not know if I would even see him again or even if he was still alive. Even so, there is little we could have done in the last year anyway, I doubt either of us would have looked for him in the Quincy realms.”
Of course, the near accusation was likely Maria deflecting; odds are the Shinigami was just starting to think about the important part, ”So what will you do now?”Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 31, 2023 3:35:20 GMT -5
Maria Tokareva Location: Rysy
Status: Alive " You could have at least told me that my sister wasn't gone..." That was a bit of a betrayal, but she's had to expect Niji always withholding the truth from her to "keep her safe" at this point. It seems she'll never learn her lesson. Immediately, the Fullbringer pressed her point again. Apparently, the ball was now in her court to think of a plan how to deal with her vengeful nephew. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Maria threw her hands to the and and shot back: " I don't fucking know... you dropped a truck load of world shattering news on me and expect me to have a plan already..." They also were mere days away from Akira descending upon this city and the final battle for the fate of the world beginning, which would, if anything, flip the entire table depending on whether they survive and which of the Shinigami survives that battle. And if Hyakuji actually comes back, or whether if he's gone for good... " We need to pull my sister out of him, though. If we're lucky, there's two people of my family that we can save." Someone in Soul Society should have an idea how to separate two souls inhabiting the same body, right? " But that would mean a fight... at least until I can get to his skin and get him to reconsider how he thinks of me and the Shinigami. The Wandenreich are good at brainwashing people as clueless as him, but it can't be perfect," she continued. " Is Hibano only strong because of my sister's power? If so, then he should be harmless as long as we can pull her out and save her..." |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 31, 2023 6:48:13 GMT -5
They had discussed this a year ago, the woman Valentina had become was nothing like the girl she remembered. That sister was gone, without a doubt; the soul inside Hibano was the hateful thing that had decided existence should no longer be. Niji shook her head sadly, ”If my first interaction with him was any indication, this is the nihilistic soul that wants to destroy reality. It is not the wonder-filled and joyful sister we remember; even if you manage to separate her, I would not anticipate a happy reunion.”It was not a line of conversation the Fullbringer was planning to drag out, Maria had not gotten any less stubborn. She’d probably only believe that if she saw it the hard way; if she even believed it then. She shook her head, ”Whatever plan you develop, there is likely not much I can do to help. My powers rely on the spirits that reside in this realm, I do not think there is much I would be able to do in the Quincy realms or Soul Society.”But she could provide information; maybe help Maria to refine whatever her strategy would become. Thinking back on her brief conversation with Ikazuya, not to mention her actual encounter with Hibano a few days ago, “When I pushed him, there was often hesitation in his words. He ignored facts that were counter to his new beliefs, focusing instead on the doctrine imposed by the Wandenreich. But I do not think he is reliant on Valentina's soul anymore. Maybe he was when he attacked me, but the Red Lotus members he fought alongside identified him as a Quincy, not a Fullbringer. It must mean he came into his own power from his Quincy half. His father was fairly potent in his own right.”Hibano |
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 31, 2023 8:17:34 GMT -5
Maria Tokareva Location: Rysy
Status: Alive Niji was, yet again, sceptical, but, thankfully, she did not prolong the conversation about Val's ability for redemption, so Maria did not have to repeat the same points again. To her, it was still as clear as day - Val was not inherently evil, and if she's gone down the road of world destruction and self-destruction, it must be because her experience of the world has turned her this way. Perhaps, it was her own death which turned Val this way. That gave a duty to try to get her to calm down and settle down. She wasn't a hero at all, but even she figured that she should not condemn her own sister to death. Instead, Niji focused on not being much help, as, apparently, her abilities only worked in the World of the Living. " I mean... have ya tried?" Maria asked in response, lightly shrugging. " I dunno what the Quincy world is like, I doubt it has a lot of spirits though - but Soul Society is literally the world of spirits. Maybe at least a few of 'em would work for your powers?" Granted, she had little to no knowledge of how Niji's powers worked, but she couldn't imagine a Fullbring just... failing in Soul Society like that. As for the meat of her answer... " ...Right." Niji's guess that Hibano's father was that "Yael", and, apparently, this made her nephew formidable even without her sister's powers adding into the equation. " That'll... make it a bit harder to get him back into his senses. I'll... also have to make sure that I get to confront him, not anyone else in the Gotei 13. Love 'em, but this is one person where they're not gonna judge what needs to be done correctly." She tapped her chin. " Would be great if there was a way to... depower someone..." |
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Player
Fullbringer
I have nothing to say.
Niji
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Post by Niji on May 31, 2023 9:19:42 GMT -5
”I mean…no. I suppose it is possible they would function, but…” Niji shook her head, ”I have had the…opportunity…to visit other planes of existence, but I had no sure way to return home.”She waved a hand dismissively, it wasn’t important now, ”I do not know when he will appear again, he likely took Simone because of her ability to teleport herself between realms. The next time you see your nephew might be him attacking Soul Society as a soldier in the Quincy army.”The Fullbringer sighed, ”Granted, he only wanted to talk to me because he thought I might be willing to join forces with the Quincy on their genocidal crusade. He might not be willing to speak with a Shinigami at all. While he said he still needed Valentina’s power, he also indicated she has less impact on his emotions, hoping he will hesitate to attack you seems risky at best. Maybe Yael can find some way to reach out to him, but I believe he is not on particularly good terms with the Wadenreich himself."Depowering, though. There might have been some options, none that she knew were easily accessible or deployable in combat. Maybe some of her contacts had some ideas? It had been a possible approach they were considering as a trap for Virgil, but it would have negated the strike team as well. Ironically, if she had planned for Maria earlier in the process, they probably could have done it, leaving Virgil a sitting duck for a Shinigami. ”Nothing immediately jumps to mind, but I will put my feelers out to see if there are any options.”Hibano
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GAME MASTER
Wandenreich - Soldat
Memories broken, the truth goes unspoken...
Hibano
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Post by Hibano on May 31, 2023 12:53:25 GMT -5
Maria Tokareva Location: Rysy
Status: Alive That Hibano was unlikely to talk to a Shinigami wasn't good news, but it was not unexpected. He wouldn't be a Quincy set on the destruction of all Shinigami if he thought well of someone like her, even if they were nephew and aunt. God... it's still weird thinking that I'm now one. Maria already had an idea for that, though. " Well, as long as I don't get wiped out with one shot, I should be able to make at least some talk with him," she answered. " Ya know, we're talking about someone from my family, still. Shit seems to be genetic, we all really itch to fight and yell either philosophy or trauma at each other while fighting." The attempt to play off that observation about herself and her sister as a joke was rather awkward, and perhaps Niji wouldn't react to it as well as she thought - but, oh well. Now that she thought about that, though, she scratched the back of her head and added: " I'll... I guess I will need to figure out how to control my Bankai if I wanna do that, though." Now that training was on her mind, she turned the conversation back to the brief exchange about Niji's abilities. " If ya want, I could escort you to Soul Society one day to see whether your powers really do work over there. I promise I won't hurt you, I'll even leave the portal open as long as I can so you can always bail. It just... would be great to have you on my side if we get to fight in Soul Society, you know?" |
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