Overlord:[]
It was a stormy night on Enroyen, when the man appeared. He was wearing a long, magnificently crafted cloak that he dragged behind him on the freshly fallen snow. However not a single flake attached itself to the coat nor did it leave a trail in the white fields, it was as if a ghost was marching across them. Slowly coming up towards the Temple of Aenarion. Neither the height nor the extreme temperatures or the wind seemed to faze the man in the slightest as he finally reached the top of the mountain and stepped onto one of the numerous balconies of the temple. "I see you have come." said a voice behind the hooded man. Shisui sat there meditating, equally ignorant of the storm of snow, wind and thunder around him. "I take it you were expecting me then?" asked the hooded man, sitting down across from him. "For a few years actually, ever since my abilities came back, I expected you to come for me." answered Shisui, opening his eyes. "I takes time to appear on such a disgusting plane as this one." answered the still hooded man. "You may be right, but for someone like you, hopping between the planes should be as natural and easy as breathing." countered Hollow.
At this point the other man chuckled and dropped his hood. "It is an honour meeting you again, Lord Kyoraku." said Shisui and indicated a bow. "Like wise, General Hollow. It has truly been to long." answered the Vasto Lorde. "I take it you are here for...it ?" asked Shisui then. "Yes and it pains me I had to come here to obtain it. But first what, as promised upon my return, you are free to ask me whatever you wish and I will tell you." answered Kyoraku, crossing his legs. Both sat there silent for a few moments, only the snow storm disrupting the otherwise perfect silence. Then Shisui spoke again, "I would like to hear, the full and true story, of how we came to fight with Gallifrey and why this has caused them to annihilate most Master Planes and poison the Skulblakan people with their knowledge."
"That is quite an interesting question, but fitting your former position I suppose. But that is quite some tale and it does not end overly well." said Kyoraku casually deflecting a bolt of lightning with a flick of his finger. "I have time and by now, am used to sorry endings." explained Shisui. "Well then...let us endeavour to find the truth of what happened all that time ago."
Shortly after Gallifrey became free of its deity, just as we had, they began to experiment with inter planar travel, with us being the only other Plane that had sophisticated enough species, they came to visit us. I remember perfectly when David Herr and his son Aizen first stepped onto our Plane. He was the Lord Emperor of Gallifrey, his steps could have ruptured planets apart, his gaze would have burned even the very stars that gifted the Planes with life. That was the kind of man he was, when I met him, I knew he was a man of honour and his word. HIs son on the other hand, was something else. Even then he was so called it could have frozen the universe in its place. He was calculating, manipulativ and worst of all, not bound by any morals what so ever. I know when I saw him, that he lusted for power and wanted to replace even the Silent King. But I did not say anything then, I wasn't sure if I should trist my senses and that is what lead us into a catastrophe.
The first few centuries were marked by mutual respect, friendship and in some instances love, between our people. Both planes prospered and David and I began to the complex and difficult to put in motion, plan of all time. We wanted to help the younger Planes, raise them to a new level of existance, as Gallifrey had done with the Marethari, we sought to create a stable and secure society and such things of inter planar warfare seemed to be nothing but the talk of a fringe group of extremists. But in the darkness of our blind enthusiasm, we didn't think of the machinations that Aizen was constructing. Soon he would make his move and with one savage strike, put the Plane System to its knees.
Kyoraku and David were sitting in their newly built citadel in the middle of...nowhere actually. Interplanar space was at the time not filled with anything but Gallifrey and the Mirror Plane. "So I think the first thing to do would be to create additional planes." said the Lord Emperor of Gallifrey and waved his hand lazily and watched as hundreds of Planes began to form in the swirling darkness. "It will take a considerable time till there will be life bloosming on them." said the Overlord of the Mirror Plane waving his own hand and watched as additional planes began to form, among them Maretha. "That is true and it will be our responsibility to guide that life." said David as the two watched as their meer hand movements generated Planes of Existance. "But what saddens me is the fact that no one will be able to ever visit our planes." sighed Kyoraku, seizing to create planes for a moment. "You mean because of our tremendous Amber powers?" asked David. "Yes...no one besides us can survive it and who knows...the other planes might not be survivable for each other either, we built this system of Planes to connect them, but maybe we have done the opposite." lamented the Vasto Lorde. "Well then...let us see if we can't change that." smiled David and together the two focused on creating something very special.
"Tell me Shisui, have you ever heard of the Erachi?" asked Kyoraku his former general. "Of course I have, she merged Earth Plane and the Skulblakan Plane." answer the younger man, raising an eyebrow. "No, that was the Erachi of the Fifth Generation, I am talking about the very first Erachi in existance." answered the Vasto Lorde. "There was more than one?" asked Shisui surprised. "That depends on your definition. The true Erachi is composed of thousands of different souls, each of them can also be refered to as the Erachi, but that is not what I meant. Have you never wondered why it is possible for evey plane to have one? Usually the Amber in both the Mirror Plane or Gallifrey would cancel out all other souls and take the body for themselves, however that is not what is happening and this is where my story continous."
After days of concentration and huge use of Amber we created a single world in the middle of all the planes. We didn't name it, but would leave that to the one we decided to rule over it, today that person is called Erachi, back then we had a different word but it was the same person. We saw it was impossible to create true interactivity between the planes and so we created this world, and suddenly all of those Erachi souls popped up, it wasn't even our design or anything, as soon as we had created that world, it seemed as though neither could be without the other. But at the time there where hundreds of these souls, as if the whole plane system cried out in joy that they could finally be together. But this should not last long. In the shadows of other doing, Aizen had set his own plan in motion, he had begun with the creation of the Hōgyoku. While at the same time experimenting on Vasto Lorde and Samurai alike, to highten their powers. He referred to the abominations of his as "Arrancar", my own son among them. Though he soon dropped the experimentation one the Samurai and exiled the survivors to different planes, so they might not tell anyone what he had done. Whilst David and I were busy collecting Erachi souls into the first few fully fledged Erachi, to become the Captains of the new Thirteen Court Guard Squads, that were to be the protectors of the Silent King, and thus rule above anyone but David and me, Aizen too hunted them down, dismanteled their souls and absorbed their abilities and power into the Hōgyoku, shattering what they were and ending their cycle of rebirth. The same power he gave to his Espada as they hunted the Erachi for him as well. To this day we are not sure why exactly he can shatter them, given the fact that they usually cannot be destroyed even by Amber as they were created through Unifiying Amber and as thus while detainable by Amber and Dark Amber, they shouldn't be destroyed. However it seems Aizen had found a way to do just that. Due to the huge amount of Erachi souls back then, we did not notice a few thousand missing from the cycle of rebirth, there were just to many. Which was exactly what Aizen counted on.
We should have been suspicious when both he and his best friend Gin Ichimaru, volunteered for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but we thought that would be a good way to keep them under control and teach them that every plane and every being on it had a right to exist. Oh how blind we were. Aizen had already killed the most powerful Erachi souls not in our care but to finish the Hōgyoku he needed the ones that we had. So he served with them till one day he betrayed them, his own father, every Gallifreyian and Mirror Being and even the Silent King himself.
Shatterpoint:[]
Oberyn grunted as the tip of his spear was blocked yet again by Paige's blade. He spun around his ventral axis and attempted to thrust the spear through her side, however his dark haired opponent simply vaulted over the attack, and slashed with her blade at his neck. The other Harton-Erachi simply let himself fall, back ninety-degrees to evade the strike and spung his spear around to attack her again.
What followed was a fantastic display of fighting prowess, blocks and strikes followed by counter-attacks, feints, ambidextrous swordsmanship and martial skills. It looked like an even battle for the longest time, until Oberyn managed to kick Paige's blade out of her hand. However that victory was short lived, as the brunette simply slung one of her legs around his spear, spun around and kicked him in the face with her other leg, which forced him to let go of his blade and topple to the ground.
"As usual, it ends with you flat on your back." commented Paige, running her sleeve across her forehead to remove the sweat running down.
"What can I say? It is my favourite position." quipped Oberyn back, smiling broadly, while also wiping the sweat of his brow.
"On that we can agree." chuckled Paige and tossed him his spear back, then turned around and walked over to a table to get herself some water. She grabbed one of the glasses that sat there and lifted it up to her lips, emptying it before replacing it on the table.
"You two are getting incredibly skilled." commented Syrio who had watched the sparring game. He had encouraged such matches, due to the increasing rivalry between the various Squads and their Captains, he had had the idea of organising continuous sparring matches between them, to ease that tension.
"Thanks Captain Renti, I guess that is high praise coming from you." said Paige, sheathing her blade and replacing the glass on the table, before turning to leave, while Oberyn started to get up as well, replacing his spear on his back.
"Nothing on me, Captain Renti?" asked the Squad Seven Captain, taking a glass of wine brought to him by a member of his Squad.
"Your skills are still lacking. Your arrogance causes you to lose a secure victory, just like you did a minute ago. Also your constant consume of alcoholic beverages is not helping there." responded the Sword Instructor.
"Nah...I fight better drunk." responded Oberyn and finished his glass, before leaving the training area as well.
Outside he stood on one of the numerous bridges that span the high towers that stood situated inside the High Court of Harton, the base of operations of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Below him he saw the hundreds of Erachi walk around, in their uniforms, all of them busy returning from missions or embarking on them. It was incredibly peaceful to watch and calmed his nerves.
"Admiring the view, Oberyn?" said a pleasant voice behind him. He turned around but there really hadn't been a need to, there was only one person who addressed him by his first name.
"Captain Aizen." said Oberyn and indicated a small bow.
"There is no need to bow before me, my friend." said Aizen smiling at the other Captain through his glasses, the wind brushing through his hair, which was as always cut in a scholarly way. Beside that he had his usual warm smile on his face, which was additionally highlighted by a few beams of sunlight hitting his face.
"Oh well, I still remember when I was a Lieutenant like most of the current Captains and you were there when ever we needed anything, a lesson, help or just someone to talk to." explained the younger man.
"Oh now you are just flattering. Remember you are not a Lieutenant anymore, you are a Captain, no need to try and impress me." laughed Aizen and walked on, before turning back again.
"Though if you could even the score with Captain Prentiss, that would be impressive. We can't have Squad One be on the top of the leader board for ever now can we?" smirked the Captain of Squad Five.
"Well, Squad Eleven is close to evening the score. Speaking of which, I can't remember seeing you or Captain Ichimaru ever entering one of those contests. Your Squads will lose reputation." smirked Oberyn. Aizen simply smiled and lazily waved him good bye as he continued back to the barracks of his own Squad.
Outside of the Court, a small group of people had gathered in front of one of the huge gates that allowed entrance.
"So...this is it I would assume." said Konstantin looking the gate up and don.
"The entrance to the Court." said one of his friends, bearing a strange white outfit.
"Last chance to leave guys, if we are going in there, we will save Ellen, or die trying." said Konstantin, slowly walking towards gate.
"Don't worry about us, we're with you till the end." said another one of his friends, a bald guy by the name of Ikkaku.
"Yeah, you aren't getting to hog all the spotlight you know." said the only other woman accompanying the group, a young girl by the name of Mashiro.
"Glad to hear it." smiled Konstantin and walked towards the gate.
Ellen had been apprehended and sentenced to death about a month ago, because she had accidentally shared some of her Harton-Erachi powers with Konstantin. So to him he was at fault for her going to die, something that he found unbearable and as such had come to Harton to safe her. It had been extremely hard, as it was actually impossible for any non-Harton-Erachi or the highest of the Gallifreyians or Mirror Beings to enter this place. They had required the help of a former Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, to enter this domain and now that they were here, they knew the only way back would be to defeat anyone who'd oppose them.
Konstantin had not even take ten steps towards the gate, when a massive human dropped out of the sky before them, he was easily twenty meters tall, but still even standing completely straightened up, was dwarfed by the large gate behind him.
"I'm the Gatekeeper...Bob!" boomed out the giant's voice as he looked down on the regular seized Gallifreyians.
"Do you have an permit to enter?" asked Bob holding out his hand.
The four exchanged a look of outer bewilderment, before Brook, the strange guy in white spoke up.
"No we don't, but you'll let us through!"
At that there was an extremely loud chuckled as response from the hulking giant.
"Hahahahaah...I see...so I get to crush you, huh? Been long since anyone was stupid enough to try and force their way into the Court by challenging the gatekeeper." as Bob said that he took out a hulking axe, easily as long as a regular Gallifreyian was tall, and took his battle-stance.
"We don't have time for this..." sighed Konstantin and took his own huge blade from his back and walked forward.
"When ever you are ready." chuckled the giant and slashed down with his axe, creating a barrier of rocks that obstructed the path of Ikkaku and Mashiro who had rushed forward to help Konstantin.
"You two need to learn some manners, what are you? Country pumpkins? We are civilised in this city. Here are the rules. Rule number one, always wash your hands before you sit down to eat, rule number two don't eat food that has fallen on the floor, rule three battles in the city are always fought one on one. The young guy with the huge sword was the first one to approach and challenge me so he shall be my first opponent. Then I'll come back to deal with you two, this won't take long...promise." said the hulking Bob and turned around again.
"Can you defeat him?" asked Ikkaku, loud enough for Konstantin to hear him.
"Hmm...probably." came the answer from Konstantin who was looking up at his huge opponent.
"Probably?! What's wrong with you! Don't you understand this is a life and death situation we're in here!" shouted Brook knocking against the huge boulder against which Konstantin was leaning.
"Look don't worry about it alright!" shouted Konstantin back, sounding frustrated and then he drew his blade from his back.
"You done making speeches yet?" asked Bob, bearing down.
"Look pal, I never asked you to wait, so you could have attacked at anytime, right?" retorted Konstantin.
At this an artery above Bob's right eye became visible and he grunted in displeasure. "So you are a country pumpkin after all. Didn't your folks teach you any manners? When someone is polite enough to wait for you...you should always say...THANK YOU!" and at the last two words slashed down with his axe again creating a shockwave.
However the blow had been stopped by Konstanin's blade. "I'm no expert but isn't it also bad manners to attack before your opponent is ready?"
At that Bob started laughing out loudly again. "You're gutsy, I'll give you that, giant blade wielder. I can't remember the last time someone was able to stop a thrust from my axe. This is going to be fun, for once I'll be able to give it everything I have." cheered Bob and slammed down his axe again, only to find Konstantin still blocking it.
"Are you still standing. I guess to keep trying my attacks on you then. See how you like this BOB'S TEN STRIKE FESTIVAL!" Each of the following bellows of a number had a thrust included.
"ONE"
"TWO"
"THREE"
"FOUR"
"FIVE"
"SIX"
"SEVEN"
"Err SEVEN"
"EIGHT"
"TWELVE"
"NINE"
"SIX"
"Ergh, wait I never had to count this high before. But I must be at ten by now. So it's time to finish this!" cried out Bob and slashed down one final time. Smashing a large part of the barrier he had created.
"Got him...I think." muttered Bob, as the dust cleared away, he could see Konstantin still standing there, still blocking the axe.
"What?! That's impossible! How can you still be standing?!"
"Are you finished gatekeeper? Because if you are, its my turn now!" Thrusting his blade forward into an attack position.
"Uhhh...I'm not done, I'm not done! I just have to bring out some more weaponry!" said Bob and pulled out an axe which was identical to the first one.
"My ultimate attack! See if you can withstand the BOB BANZAI STRIKE FESTIVAL!" cried out Bob and slashed down.
"Sorry pal...but I'm gonna destroy your axes." said Konstantin look unimpressed and slashed with his own blade, breaking the axes and sending Bob stumbling back falling onto his back.
Seeing his axes destroyed...he began to tear up and slammed his fists, still clutching the handles of the axes onto the ground. "My axes! My axes! Why'd you have and go destroy my axes...why'd you go and destroy my beautiful babies. WHY!" he said crying out loud.
"Hey, look I'm sorry about breaking your axes but I couldn't let you keep swinging them at me...though I probably could have let you keep one of them. My bad."
"No, you're not bad. Even though you're my enemy, you care, instead of thinking of only you and your desire to get through the gate you are concerned about your opponent and his axes." said Bob with his voice half chocked by his tears, before reaching out and clutching Konstantin's shoulders.
"What a good person you are my giant blade wielding enemy, what a generous heart you have!"
"Well it's only natural to want to consul some one who is crying this much...ever if they are really...big."
"I know, I'm acting like a big baby. All that crying and moaning over a couple of old axes, I am nothing but an embarrassment as a man. Hmm...I'm a total loser. A total loser, you have beaten me not only as a warrior but also as a man. For three hundred years I have guarded this gate and never have I lost a challenge or allowed anyone to pass this way. I thought this day would never come, but you are the first man to defeat me. Therefore I, Bob, hereby grant you passage through the gate."
"Huh?" was the only respond Konstantin managed.
"You are going to let all of us through?" asked Mashiro the giant.
"Yes, your leader beat me decisively in battle. As a result I have no right to stop anyone in your group."
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Brook. "Who ever said anything about Konstantin being our leader? Absolutely not!"
"It's now big deal. But why are you so upset, Brook?" retorted Konstantin.
"So your name is Konstantin, ey giant blade wielder?" asked Bob.
"That's right. I'm Konstantin." said the man wielding the gigantic blade looking up at Bob.
Who only chuckled before placing one hand on the huge gate. "I don't know why you are so adamant about getting through this gate, but those that you'll meet on the other side, are all very strong."
"I'm aware of that." said Konstantin with a determined grin on his face.
"Very well. As long as you think you know what you are getting into. Now stand back and let me open the gate for you." said the giant and placed his hands beneath the gate. Grunting from the strain as he slowly lifted it up. The group could not help but look on in amazement, when all of a sudden, they realised ever since lifting it, he had not moved a single muscle or said anything.
Konstantin ran towards him stopping next to him. "Bob, is everything alright? Why are your frozen like that? Something wrong?"
Bob didn't manage to answer, all he did manage to do was to stutter, as a figure slowly walked towards them, his long white haori dancing from side to side due to the wind. He appeared strange, his hair was silver of colour, and hung into his face, while his eyes were completely closed and an eery grin ran across his face.
"Hmm. Who is that?" asked Konstantin, narrowing his eyes at the new comer.
"That is no other than the...Captain...of Squad Three...Gin...Ichimaru." stammered Bob. While Gin looked up at them chuckling.
"Ahh...not good." said the Captain still calm and with not change in his facial expressions. Then there was a low whistle and suddenly a huge cut appeared in Bob's arm, with which he was still keeping the gate open and blood sprayed out as if it was a waterfall. Grunting in pain the giant let go of the gate with one hand, and fell to his knees, now carrying the whole wait of the gate on his shoulders.
"Unacceptable. Being a guardian of the gate doesn't mean you're supposed to open the gate." said Ichimaru.
"I defended the gate and lost...once I had lost I had to open the gate. There was nothing else I could do." grunted Bob from between his teeth, obviously in pain.
"What you're saying makes no sense. A gatekeeper who loses isn't supposed to open the gate. When a gatekeeper loses it means death. " smiled Gin and came forward a few steps looking Bob directly in the face. When all of a sudden Konstantin darted forward with a grunt of anger, and struck at his new opponent with his giant blade. Which was easily blocked by the Captain's own weapon, a small and fragile looking wakizashi. The connected between the blades lasted for a few seconds, before Gin pushed Konstantin back to the gate entrance.
"You want to tell me just what the hell you think you're doing! What's the big idea showing up now and trying to butt in, you stupid ass-freaking clown. Anyone who's pathetic enough to make an appearance to attack an unarmed man...deserves to be killed." exclaimed Konstantin pointing his blade at the Squad Three Captain.
"You sure are funny kid. And you're not scared of me?" asked Gin in response.
"Hell no!" came the sound answer.
"You must be Konstantin." said Gin then.
"You know about me? But how could you?" asked Konstantin losing his composure for a moment.
"Just as I thought...how very predictable." smiled the Captain, turned and walked away.
"Hey! Where are you going? Hey wait!" called out the young Gallifreyian.
"All the more reason, why I can't let you pass." said Gin while he was walking away, drawing his blade again and stretching out his hand wielding it to the side.
"So then why are you standing so far back? Unless you plan on throwing that dagger." commented Konstantin confused.
"It's not a dagger. In fact that's my Amber Blade." said Ichimaru, before turning around in a fluid motion that caused a tremendously powerful gush of wind, before Gin stretched out his blade, saying. "Impale him Shinsō." At which there was a beam of light and Konstantin had just enough time to raise his own blade, before the beam of light hit him, flung him back into Bob and sent both of them flying out of under the gate, Konstantin coughing up blood from the pressure. The group ran back towards their friend, only Brook looked back at the gate, to see it falling back down, while the light dimmed he finally saw that what had hit Konstantin was just the elongated version of Gin's blade.
Gin then walked up towards the gate and bent slightly to the side, calling out "Bye bye now!" after which the gate immediately slammed shut.
"Ah damn it! Look at the gate how are we supposed to get in there now?" asked Konstantin getting up and rubbing the back of his head.
"Looks like you could use some help." said a voice from the side.
As the group turned to the side, they saw a beautiful young woman standing at the side, looking across at them.
"You'd help us? Even though you have no clue who we are?" asked Brook bewildered.
"We have a mutual friend, Enarion. He told me you'd be coming so I decided to wait here at the gate, knowing you'd show up here." explained the woman, yawning and folding her hands behind her head.
"That guy?" asked Konstantin remembering that strangely dressed guy who had helped them enter Harton.
"Wait, wait, wait!" interrupted Ikkaku. "If you knew we were coming here...THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP US GET IN THERE?!"
"I had a very good reason not to." responded the brunette stretching.
"Which was?" asked Konstantin raising an eyebrow.
"I simply...didn't feel like it."
"So...this thing can get us through their barrier?" asked Mashiro looking a small blue orb, which Konstantin held in his hands.
"And just to get this straight...you will fire us through this huge chimney?" asked Ikkaku, pointing a said object.
"Yes and most definitely." answered Kaya, the woman whom they had met at the gate.
"Absolutely not." said the group in unison, which did nothing but earn them a smack up their heads.
"You will do this, and you will thank me for it later on. Now shut up and do as you are told, time is of the essence, all of you concentrate your Amber Pressure into this orb and get ready to be fired into the sky." commanded Kaya and flashed her own Amber Presence for a second, which was more than a compelling reason for the rescue team to shut up and start doing, what the brunette demanded of them.
"Before you hurl us into the sky and hopefully through that barrier, what about the landing?" asked Konstantin, as the now semi-transparent blue energy field had built up around them, and they were loaded into the cannon, which happened to be disguised as the huge chimney.
"Oh right about that..." answered Kaya as she pulled a lever and the countdown started. "...no clue, you need to figure that one out yourselves." she called, barely audible over the incredibly loud built up of the cannon.
It looked like the group was about to make an angry retort, however before they could, the cannon fired them in a wide arc, right at the Court of Harton.
Gin, was standing in front of a huge white door, which was the entrance to the meeting hall of the Captains. It was night by now and he could hear the wind howling outside, he stood there for just a moment then entered the room.
"So, you're here. Captain of Squad Three, Gin Ichimaru." said Head Captain David Herr, as the silver haired man walked in.
"An unexpected summons. Tell me should I be appalled or impressed. And look at this distinguished crowed. The Captains who control the Planar System, all here just for me? Or am I mistaken?" continued Gin, as he walked down the two opposite lines of Court Guard Squad Captains.
"I see the Captain of Squad Thirteen is conspicuously absent. What's wrong, did something happen to her?" asked the Captain of Squad Three, his entire posture no different as if this was an everyday affair.
"He's not feeling very well." came the answer from the Squad Eight Captain. At this Gin's trademark grin was replaced by a mock look of concern.
"Oh, no. Not again, I hope she gets better soon." he then answered, however before he could continue, he was interrupted.
"Quit joking, you know why you are here." said the Captain of Squad Eleven. "It is my understanding that you went and played with that intruder by yourself, didn't you? And I also here that you failed...Explain yourself!" came her condescending command. "You shouldn't have trouble dealing with four or five such intruders without back up!"
"I see...so you are saying they...survived?" asked Gin scratching his head.
"They WHAT?" asked Emily, bewildered.
"Well, I was under the impression they were dead. But I guess my instincts are starting to fail me." smiled Gin, his trademark facial expression back across his face.
"Stop this mocking business right now. There is absolutely no way that someone of the rank of Captain couldn't tell if a person's Amber Pressure had seized to exist." snarled Oberyn.
"Oh no, not again, old fools caught up in stupid bickering." sighed Toshiro.
"Can't you see, your petty accusations seem to imply that I let them go on purpose." answered Gin, his voice calm as ever.
"That's EXACTLY what I'm saying." shot Oberyn back.
"Shut up, Oberyn. Can't you see I was the one talking to him first?" interrupted Emily.
This was followed by a series of snide comments from all sides, until David Herr raised his voice and called "Stop! Enough of this foolishness!" This was followed by a moment of silence before the Head Captain continued again.
"I think the true reason for which you have been summoned here before your peers has been made abundantly clear. It is the fact that you acted alone, that coupled with the fact you also allowed the target to escape. So then, how do you defend your actions...Ichimaru?" said David, looking straight at Gin, who still remained in the middle of the room, on each side flanked by the other Captains.
"I cannot. Well you see, there is nothing to say I made a simple mistake, I'm not going to stand here and make excuses. I'm going to accept any punishment..."
"Just a moment, Ichimaru." interrupted Aizen. "I have something I want to ask you first."
However, whatever it was, Aizen had wanted to ask, would remain unknown, as suddenly all hell broke loose and the alarm bells went on, and even in the secluded Captain's Meeting Room, they could here the sound of various squads moving around shouting something about red alert.