Blood in the Water [Yuuki/Shura]

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There were many things Shura wanted to do right now, but such things had to be delayed temporarily. Kanae was pulled away for an Emergency Meeting, and Rio had been reassigned to the Sixth to help stabilize the situation. First thing was first, she needed to ensure those that went into the Rukongai wouldn't be a hindrance, to this effect she began checking in on the various members of the Fourth. Any who were capable of standing and holding their Zanpakuto were pulled from their beds, and of those she began to check which were capable of fighting without hindrance.

Each who were deemed capable of fighting were instructed to prepare themselves, regardless of how exhausted they were. Few were they that would normally talk back to Shura, but at this stage even those that once might've decided too rethought such things. Shura's exhaustion was plain to see on her face, and the missing arm, visible bandages wrapped around her entire torso, and half of her Shihakkasho missing made it apparent who would be deemed 'capable' and who wouldn't. Those of seated positions were likewise expected to report regardless of injury, and the first she went to speak too was Yuuki Koizumi. She knew not how she faired in this invasion, and unless she was bedridden to the point of being incapable of standing it was unlikely Shura would let her sit still.

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It didn't take a genius to be able to read the room, and it wasn't lost upon Shura the level of devastation before her. Countless were dead, many of whom Shura recognized herself. There was no lacking in the number of people she saw laying with eyes closed, never to reopen. In truth it pained her, many of the dead were those she thought had potential to become something greater... yet that potential was now vaulted away forever.

Yuuki didn't need to face her for Shura to understand the words and tone she spoke in, but Shura shook her head anyway "No... Neither.... Thankfully..." The last part was mostly muttered to herself as she looked over Yuuki's uniform, the lack of wounds told her enough to know that the blood she saw did not belong to the Shinigami in front of her. "Come, walk with me. Identification can be done by another, I need to speak with you."

Shura's tone was a somber one, surprisingly soft and gentle compared to the usual brash and harsh tone she normally carried. She understood the pain of loss better than most, but right now that pain was shared by all Shinigami, no individuals better or worse than another. Once Yuuki stood and began to follow, Shura would lead her out towards the training grounds. However she was not bringing her out here to spar or train, though she suspected Yuuki might think such.

"The Captain-Commander is missing." She wasn't sure how much Yuuki already knew, but even so she continued "But, how are you Yuuki Koizumi?" Perhaps a surprising question coming from her, and she wouldn't be surprised if Yuuki was surprised by such concern from her where she'd never previously shown any. "Are you..." Shura paused for a moment, she knew her words needed to be chosen carefully "Are you alright?"

What a stupid question... of course she wasn't, but such things were obvious. Nobody was alright after today except for maybe Kanae, and... in truth it pissed her off quite a bit that she was so fucking cheery. The one time where Kanae's rough and harsh exterior would make sense, she was acting completely differently. "A stupid question I know... But..." She paused, turning to face Yuuki finally and giving a half smile "We are the single greatest Squad in the Gotei."

She still believed it even now, even while they were broken and nearly defeated. Of course that all being said, her smile was a clear mask to try and hide whatever lurked beneath it, whether that was pain, fear, anger, something else entirely or some combination of the former was what was difficult to discern.

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Shura wouldn't have protested either way in truth, but was thankful it was done sooner than later. Her first few words were what any would expect of a Fourth Division member... of a Death Division Member. Now more than ever that name was the perfect descriptor and, Shura's gaze following Yuuki's as she turned towards one of the numerous smoking pillars. She wasn't wrong either, no matter the training the Academy gives a Shinigami... things such as this were beyond their capability to prepare someone.

Shura had grown up used to violence, spent most of her life before the Gotei killing and slaughtering. She'd been prepared for this kind of death and destruction for a very, very long time. Her next response though was one she had expected to hear, one she wished she hadn't heard in truth. "We all have to be fine... That's what they teach us. I only seem held together because I am here, if Rio was still here...." Her hand clenched into a fist "If she were here, the only sign of me would be the explosions as I tear each and every hollow that remains within our home to the tiniest bits possible before they die."

A raging inferno of anger boiled within her, anger at these fucking things that dared to invade their home... anger at those that she'd once considered one of the Gotei's closest and most beloved allies... Anger at her own failure. "But lessons from the academy can only bring us so far... Don't let those lessons tear at you. Things like this? They can't be taught. So I ask you again..."

Shura paused, turning her head now back to Yuuki "Are you alright?" Shura was not just older than Yuuki, she had a lot more experience with these kinds of situations. In truth Yuuki and those around her age were just.... too young. They shouldn't see this kind of shit, they were simply ill-suited for it nine times out of ten. Yet at the same time, they needed every single able bodied person available.

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Anger... Anger gave way to power. As Yuuki began to simply let her thoughts and emotions be known, Shura smiled. Grabbing the hilt of her Zanpakuto and pulling it from its sheathe as she began to pace back and forth, shoving it into the ground as she took a seat down next to it and listened. Shura didn't interrupt her, didn't say anything or even motion for anything.

Instead she allowed those feelings to boil over, to let the woman speak her mind. It was a relief, in all honesty, and it only confirmed what Shura herself had been thinking as well. This Gotei was weak and feeble, ill-prepared at best for a full scale invasion, a lesson never learned from the previous one. Every single Shinigami was stronger than ever before, the academy bred stronger and stronger warriors again and again. Yet all of it was utterly fucking pointless. With all of her own titanic strength even she had lost against Kita, a shameful defeat if ever there was one.

It was only when Yuuki took a moment to breathe that Shura spoke again "So it isn't just me that thinks this way, good. Yuuki, I understand your rage, this Gotei is weak and frail. It is in desperate need of Shinigami who surpass Sotaicho Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto himself." A small, almost insignificant detail perhaps, but it was exceedingly rare for Shura to address anyone with a proper honorific. It was reserved only for those she deemed truly worthy of such things, Kuchiki-dono and Sotaicho Yamamoto were, so far, the only two she'd ever addressed with such respect. Not even Yuuto, for all his power, strength, and notoriety, got such an honorific. Not even their own Captain, Kanae Nagoshi, was ever referred to as anything except for her name by the Kurata.

"The difference however, is we do not have a thousand years to reach that pinnacle, nor do we have the time to learn how he reached such heights. There are things beyond what we think we are capable of, things our Zanpakuto are capable of that surpass even the extraordinary. Of this I am certain now more than ever. The Shinigami of this generation are more powerful than they've ever been in the past. What was once considered a Fukutaicho is now a mere fifth seat in power at best. Even as I am now, in past times I would be considered to be on the same level of a Captain. Yet as I am, Our Captain's dwarf even my strongest attacks without even releasing their Zanpakuto."

Shura paused for a moment, tilting her head up such that her eyes were just visible from behind her hair "I am certain, now more than ever, that our Zanpakuto have not just grown more powerful, but evolved beyond what was once thought to be their limit. I agree with you, that even if we were both Captain Level in strength, the outcome of this invasion would not have changed. Yet what if we cast such things aside? Cast aside the notion of 'one day' being that strong."

She gave a brief moment of pause as she began to rise once more, never letting her eyes leave Yuuki. "Sotaicho Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Gotei had the time to grow powerful, because he understood what it took to crush Soul Societies enemies with such overwhelming strength that none dared challenge them without tasting complete and utter defeat at any cost. The casualties we suffered might've been equally as grave, but we never lost this decisively."

By now she was standing tall once more, her Zanpakuto pulled from the ground "As soon as they are ready, I am grabbing Koga and Ranma from the Eighth, and any who are willing. I am sick and tired of this pathetic fucking training in this dingy courtyard, watching talented Shinigami with exceptional potential waste it by practicing routine and mundane training exercises that amount to absolutely fucking nothing! And those that come with, will be training day in and day out... Until we achieve a level beyond Sotaicho Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Until we are so overwhelmingly powerful, that the next time those fuckers dare to show their face, we will crush them before they even have a chance to pull their Zanpakuto's."

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Disagreements were to be expected, by now Shura knew that better than anyone else. It was rare that anyone agreed with her methods, yet that was, in her opinion, because they were not apart of the Eleventh Division. "This is why there is no pride, Our Captain's are weak and pathetic. They do not attempt to get stronger, they instead rely on only a few select individuals. Where before we were expected to have at least Thirteen Captain's, each with their own unique power sets and strengths, we now have a paltry eight. How can we have pride in ourselves when we have barely more than half of that same expectation and strength?"

She paused for a moment before continuing There's are two things my former Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi, once said. The first was to never admit or accept defeat or loss unless you're dead. That you surviving means you were lucky, to survive and think only about killing the one who could not kill you. The second thing he said was that, without exception, any who seek power, seeks battle. He then proposed a question, Do you fight to become more powerful? Or do you seek power so you can fight? These qualities have been lost to this new Gotei. When I was in the Eleventh Division, when Sotaicho Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto lead the Gotei 13, there were none the Gotei could not defeat. That being said, I agree that coordination is required to lead an effective defense or offense, however such things are incompatible with a Gotei that has chosen to abandon its these fundamental laws of battle.

She also waved her hand slightly in front of her face "As for disappointment, look around us." She motioned towards Soul Society at large "This, is disappointment. I believe, I truly believe, that all Shinigami are limitless. The Fourth Division is the only one expected to constantly train, we're expected to serve as the front line... The bulwark of our defense and offense. Why take pride with any other division when only one is expected to constantly train? This is why our division is the single greatest division within this accursed organization, and it is why the Eleventh was the same before its dissolution. Whatever Murasaki believed to be best for Shinigami is clearly a false, either that or she's just as guilty of being a traitor as Urahara. Regardless of the reason however, her organization has failed where the Gotei 13 would... neigh, could not. People wanted to be in the Gotei 13 because it's mere presence commanded respect, even Aizen did not dare assault Soul Society immediately. He schemed, plotted, and we knew it was happening. This invasion though? Not only did we know nothing about it, not only were we wholly unprepared, but with Ichigo leading the assault we were so utterly unprepared that he likely could've accomplished whatever he was aiming for with half the forces he brought. Yet he likely assumed us to be far stronger than we were, which means we have not only lost the level of respect we once commanded but those within our organization now have every reason to believe such things as well."

She pointed to where Sokyoku Hill once was "We need no further proof than the utter destruction of Sokyoku Hill. A landmark which once stood at the center of Soul Society, is now completely erased." Her attention then returned to Yuuki "I'll be honest with you Yuuki, I couldn't give a fuck about why you think you're limited to Lieutenant level at best, because such a limitation doesn't exist. We do not need Captain's, relying on them, as you said, is stupid. That is why we need to redirect our focus, to ensuring we have as many Shinigami as possible at their highest possible potential. Sotaicho Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto proved how powerful we could become, and in only a few hundred years we have seated officers that dwarf the strength of the Captain's that were around during the Gotei 13. Do you know what this means, Yuuki? It means we are advancing at a rate that will soon dwarf anything that has ever come before."

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