>>46244667
Perhaps Tsukuda Miyu will take to her lessons better than you have. Indeed, it seemed to you like your little sister was progressing at an incredible pace. Does it only seem that way because you have nothing to compare her progress to? Your memories of your early days as part of the Tsukuda family are rather vague. Or does it only seem to you that way because you feel proud of her as a sibling, or are hopeful about having her grow into what you could not, despite your mother's wishes?

...It can't be the latter, can it? After all, just like Miyu, you don't feel anything, so emotions like those can't be obfuscating your observations.

All answers - about Miyu, about you, about your shared issues - most likely lie with Urahara Kisuke. He's promised to discuss the matter after your current mission. Perhaps it's no wonder that the occurrences back home seem more interesting than the mission you are about to partake in.

The human city feels rather uninteresting as well. Hong Kong's view matches what was described in the books you've read and the things you've heard, down to the thick smog looming over the city like a low-hanging cloud. A polluted, foul cloud. It is exactly what you've imagined all of the major human cities to appear like, the consequences of humanity's careless progress. Well, no - you don't feel scorn towards them because of it. Even if you could, it wouldn't be your place to do so. The Shinigami aren't allowed to interfere with humans; that's how the balance is maintained. One's beliefs, one's opinions, one's thoughts, and especially one's actions - if such things were to become a factor in the balance, it would quickly turn into chaos.

Well, you're not here to debate things like that. It's about time you've started the mission.

(2/3)

>>46244684
The dirty air feels unpleasant. While the discomfort is a minor hindrance at most, the limited visibility is the real issue here. Most Hollows give themselves away by not hiding their spiritual pressure at all, but those clever enough to do that, while a rarity, can only be reliably spotted through sight.

Your Denreishinki keeps letting off beeps, numerous dots blinking on the cellphone's small display. Gradually, the hostile signatures disappear, one by one. The team of Shinigami must be taking care of the Hollows drawn in by spikes of spiritual pressure. You'll approach them, but if combat hasn't concluded by the time you catch up to them, it may be best to simply observe until it's over.

Under normal circumstances, that would seem like the most reasonable course of action.

The mutilated bodies of your fellow agents are the first thing you find upon arriving on the scene. You quickly realize that the amount of blood spilled out onto the cold asphalt seems too large for the amount of corpses present in the area; the presence of many torn-off pieces of black cloth seems to indicate to the grim fact that some of the Shinigami have been devoured by the Hollows they've attempted to fight off.

Your Denreishinki marks the presence of just one more Hollow in the vicinity. You can feel its spiritual pressure. There's also one other Reiatsu, unmistakably a Shinigami's. That's the only agent that you can sense; everyone else appears to be dead. Maintaining a stealthy approach, you move closer towards them.

(3/4)

>>46244705
A blonde girl is fighting a Hollow on equal footing. The fierceness in her pale blue eyes is almost nostalgic. But this isn't a duel between two rivals like back then, even though the word 'rivals' may be an overstatement to your relationship; even the ferocity is diluted by fatigue. Takenaka Hanae is not fighting another swordsman, but a green-skinned scorpion-esque monstrosity. The creature is missing two of its legs, a portion of its tail, and has several deep sword wounds across its torso.

Even so, it's still winning. The blond haired prodigy is fighting a losing battle. Rivulets of sweat drip down her face. The pale blue eyes can barely maintain focus on the monster before them. Her head keeps dipping downwards, so she has to force herself back into a proper posture. It's as if her body has grown too weak to properly support even its own meager weight.

The Hollow will regain its health in a matter of minutes. Hanae has only a single wound in her side, most likely caused by the currently dismembered tail. That wound won't heal on its own. They are fighting on even footing in regards to spiritual prowess, but a Hollow is still a Hollow - a monster of wild strength and unpredictable abilities. Trying to fight one head-on is a bold, desperate effort.

Unless she can end this battle quickly, she will most certainly lose.

...

>Try to take the Hollow out with an attack from stealth.
>Take a little time and use Hado to take the Hollow down.
>Stay put. Watch the situation unfold.
>Other. (Write-in).

Current Character Sheet: http://pastebin.com/P2idrx7H

Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Shinigami%20Quest

Skill Advancement: http://pastebin.com/x7NBjxBB

>>Try to take the Hollow out with an attack from stealth.

I dont know if she can withstand anymore attacks so better not take time with incantations. Also hi mushroom.

>>46244729
>Try to take the Hollow out with an attack from stealth.
Why can't we see their stats? Also use Shunpo.

>>46244942
Here are their stats!

Takenaka Hanae's Attributes:
>STR: C-
>END: C-
>AGI: C-
>SPI: C-
>REIA: D (C)

Hollow's Attributes:
>STR: B
>END: C
>AGI: B
>SPI: D
>REIA: D

>>46245031
We need to fucking up our REIA so badly... We're fighting at 50% in every fight goddamit.

>>46244729
Bind it and then attack from stealth with shunpo

>>46244729
>Try to take the Hollow out with an attack from stealth.

>>46244729
Voting over, writing!

>>46244729
>>Try to take the Hollow out with an attack from stealth.
Since we randomly selected agility last time

>>46244804
>>46244942
>>46245171
>>46245358
You dash forwards, enhancing your gait with surges of spiritual power. You bare your sword and leap, the keen blade slashing neatly into the back of the monster's protruding head. It's a clean hit. The Hollow had no chance of living through your attack.

The young girl blinks her half-squinted eyes as she watches the unfolding events, as if doubting her vision. She steps back only when the Hollow dissolves completely into the air, her fierce glare disappearing.

Hanae stabs her sword into the ground, leaning her weight against it as though it were a cane. Inbetween frantic breaths, she forces words out of her throat. "We... we were ambushed."

That much is obvious. You can't see a situation like this occurring under controlled circumstances. But for a team of skilled Shinigami to be caught flat-footed by a horde of Hollows...

Hanae continues. "That Hollow I fought... used poison. Now that it's dead, I should recover soon, but before that..."

"We should return to the Seireitei." You suggest, taking out your Denreishinki. Their mission has failed, and now that you can't rely on their support anymore, it's too dangerous for you to remain here.

"Wait!" Hanae exclaims. She then pauses, her panting breaths gradually growing milder. "I saw him... just before we were ambushed by Hollows, I saw him. It was a human. He threw something into the air, and that object caused a spike in spiritual pressure. The Hollows appeared, drawn to that. We need to track the human down and deal with him."

She's acting too brash. You protest. "That's too dangerous. It's extremely difficult to find a specific human in an area as densely populated as this. If he were to summon another swarm of Hollows, we wouldn't be able to deal with it, either. I think the most reasonable thing to do right now is for us to withdraw after calling for backup and let them take care of it."

(1/2)

>>46245714
Hanae shakes her head. "We mustn't withdraw. Do you not understand how many people will be at risk if we leave this city unattended? It'll take time for reinforcements to arrive. Before they come, we must do all we can to prevent further casualties; and we can stop these incidents by cutting at their root. I saw where that man ran. I know what he looks like. Tracking him down will be much easier than you believe. We're too close to give up now. We can't let everyone's deaths be in vain. I won't let that happen!"

She refuses to relent. But even though her mind won't budge, it's clear that her body is about to give in. In her current state, she doesn't seem fully conscious. But perhaps that's why her words are not something to simply disregard. In this miserable state, her only concern seems to be the wellbeing of others. Nobody would hold it against her if she worried about herself in this situation, especially not you. So, then, is this not merely a show of bravery, a lie made to make one seem like a better person than they really are, but genuine compassion and worry about the fate of strangers? Heroism?

Your expression remains unchanged, and she seems to take that as her words failing to get through. With a grunt, the girl straightens out her body, the tip of her sword taken out from the asphalt. Her unfocused eyes flare with defiance.

"If you won't help me, I'll do it myself."

Trembling hands. Quivering knees. Dimmed eyes that can hardly see. The beads of sweat dripping down from her face make the action of merely standing seem like a monumental task. Even so, her voice is firm and unwavering. Just what reason does Hanae have to push herself this harshly?

You'll be calling reinforcements either way. But would the risk of staying in this place and continuing the mission be worth it?

...

>Agree to help her.
>Head back to Soul Society alone.
>Insist that she returns to the Seireitei.
>Other. (Write-in).

>>46245747
>Agree to help her.

>>46245747
>>Other. (Write-in).
Drag her the fuck back to the Seireitei, she's weak as fuck and we're no super-combatant.

>>46245747
>Agree to help her.
Investigate this lead before the trail goes cold

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>>46245747
>>46245776
I'll second this.

in any case I find it curious that Uraharas waifu hasn't shown up yet.

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>>46245747
Smack her at the back of the neck. She can recuperate while we hide her and perhaps do a recon? We should stay of course, just she needs to rest. Write our report meanwhile I guess.

>>46245813
>>46245760
Guys, the dude wiped more guys that were better than us at combat. At the time being there's only the girl, who's been poisoned to a point where she cannot fight, and us. I think he can wipe us pretty easily before reinforcements come.

>>46245889
There's no more hollows right now.

>>46245905
He can attract flocks with whatever shit he pulled before, she just said that.

>>46245919
Not if we stop him first.

>>46245931
We dont even know who the guy is, who do you think sticks out more a pair of shinigamis or a human in a sea of humans?

>>46245941
She knows who he is.

>>46245931
Except literally the first thing he does when he sees us is summon more hollows

>>46245941
It's 3v2 anyway for overpowering her. Whatever.

>>46245950
Again, who do you think is easier to id, 2 shinigamis or a human in a sea of humans? When we finally know where is, he probably has another flock of hollows to fling at us.

>>46245747
>Agree to help her.

>>46245747
Voting over, writing!

>>46245965
Look, our mission is to see if this guy has the Hougyoku. Since we haven't determined that yet, we need to find him. Otherwise he'll disappear and we'll never find him.

>>46245958
Not really. >>46245862 is a vote for overpowering her, but NOT a vote for retreat. That's like a third separate action.

>>46246142
I didnt know our mission was dive headfirst into a suicide run. I guess we now arab death god society.

>>46246198
>>46246142
Also as a side note, she knows his face, we can id him at any point in time.

>>46246198
Our mission is to find out whether this is linked to the hogyoku or not. We can leave if we learn its unrelated.

>>46246198
I mean. We could always snipe him. Like release our crossbow shikai, as a preemptive measure. Also dude has probably gone to ground anyway.

>>46245985
>>46245760
>>46245813
"I'll help you." You declare.

Upon hearing your agreement, Hanae lets out a relieved sigh. "Thank... you..." The stress and forced rigidness leave her features for only a moment, and even that brief show of weakness relaxed her body enough to make her fall. She looks surprised. You catch her frail form in your arms, only to find out that she has fainted completely. Hanae may have done so unwillingly, but she allowed her body to rest.

...Well, this is actually quite troublesome. Without a description of the man she saw, you can't exactly act on your own, not in a decisive manner. You'll have to take Hanae to somewhere she can recover, and wait until she does. Of course, you'll call the reinforcements, and if they arrive before she wakes up... honestly, that may be the best possible outcome for her. It's dangerous out there, and this risk may not be one worth taking.

Even so, you've made a promise. You shouldn't back out of it now. You could easily bring her back to Soul Society in her unconscious state, but you shouldn't be souring your relationship with others when you can avoid it.

You use your cellphone to send a brief report and a request for aid. Because this was originally the First Division's mission, the 12th will most likely redirect your request to them. The reinforcements will take several hours to arrive. You think Hanae is strong enough to survive in her current state... but even so, it might not be good to leave her out on the street like this.

(1/2)

>>46246376
You lay Hanae down on a bench. Before you find a safe place for her, you'd first like to inspect the corpses of the fallen Shinigami. There are less than half a dozen bodies out on the street, which makes it likely that some were consumed whole by the Hollows. Those lucky enough to have remains have been ruthlessly mutilated. Torn apart by claws, chewed off by teeth, smashed by brute force. These people are, without a doubt, all dead, and easily recognizable as such even when taking into account the supernatural endurance of the Shinigami.

But one of the corpses is actually intact. The head is untouched, and not a single limb is absent. The only trace of an injury is a miniscule hole in his chest. No, it's not like a Hollow's - this is a legitimate wound completely unrelated to the other type of spirits. It is nowhere near the heart, the only other vulnerable point of the Shinigami aside from the head. And yet this Shinigami is dead.

There might be something lodged inside the wound, a miniscule projectile of some kind, like a bullet. Retrieving it is going to be troublesome. You'd rather not damage the body, especially without approval from HQ. Knowing what killed this man might prove to be useful knowledge, but it's doubtful that you'll learn anything from a hasty autopsy under these conditions.

...It seems rather unlikely, but if it's a metallic object, then you might be able to extract it using Moeka's Shikai, Yuchi. With no other options available, you try it... and the result is rather surprising.

It really is a bullet. A small, 9mm round fired from a pistol. It is not spiritual in origin; it's a purely physical object originating from the Human World.

(2/3)

>>46246454
Why did this kill a Shinigami? You can't understand it just by examining the bullet. Perhaps it's the gun that fired it that's special, and not the ammunition? Are you dealing with another Fullbringer?

You'll need to ask Hanae when she comes to. You lift the girl up and take her to a nearby hospital. Not because you're expecting human doctors to treat her, but because there's an abundance of beds within the building.

After putting her into one of the beds, you flip open your Denreishinki and check the radar. For now, everything is clear.

...

>Play it safe. Stay with Hanae until she recovers.
>Make a few rounds around the city, see if you can find anything.
>Ask HQ for their opinion on the matter.
>Other. (Write-in).

>>46246475
>>Play it safe. Stay with Hanae until she recovers.

Obviously we are dealing with the most hardcore motherfucking gangster this side of the globe.

>>46246475
>Ask HQ for their opinion on the matter.
Damn, that is weird.

>>46246376
>Make a few rounds around the city, see if you can find anything.
We also picked up a bad habit from our other female friend... pick up some food from a restaurant when no one is looking. We can climb back to the hospital from the window. Hanae will be hungry.

>>46246475
>Other: find a newspaper or a television and check recent events. See if anything anomalous shows up.

>>46246601
Like unfortunately all we know is a spiritually sensitive man with a pistol did this. And in a city like Hong Kong, it's possible that multiple people meet that description. This way at least we might learn something.

>>46246475
Can we figure out where the shot came from based on the way the body landed and the angle it entered the body?

>>46246670
We could probably find the bullet casing near where it was fired from. Must have been close. I'm not sure how that would help us though.

>>46246475
>Play it safe. Stay with Hanae until she recovers.

>>46246707
Well he must have been hiding somewhere nearby to avoid being chopped up by shinigami or eaten by hollows. Might be some more clues where he was hiding. I say we check it out, get a newspaper, then return to Hanae.

>>46246475

>Play it safe. Stay with Hanae until she recovers.
>Report suscpicious shinigami death to HQ complete with details.

Maybe the shinigami was drawn into the mortal realm fully somehow for a period of time. A dimension shifting power is probably up there with one of the worst things we could encounter. Just hope its not the case.

>>46246877
so quickly check the scene of the crime again, and then get a newspaper and wait? That could work.

>>46246475
Voting over, writing!

>>46246931
If that were the case humans would see the blood left behind and react to it.

>>46247041
Key phrase is: for a period of time.
Without active influence on the corpse having it shift back to normal invisible to normal humans.

>>46246533
>>46246601
>>46246931
You decide to not stray too far from Hanae, though you can still perform a minor investigation even while staying near her. You can at the very least delve into the beginning of your usual investigative routine - inspecting the local news for signs of abnormalities. It brings results almost immediately - apparently the city has been victim to a series of terrorist attacks apparently aimed at persons of politics or influence. The acts have been dubbed as 'explosions', and the culprits still appear to be at large. Fortunately, casualties were few, and only one of the supposed targets fell victim to the criminals.

This is most likely a misinterpretation of the facts by the local humans; their only means of rationalizing these occurrences. In large numbers, Hollows could easily cause great amounts of damage, and lone agents monitoring the city would be unable to stop them in a sufficiently small amount of time. That's why a specialized team was deployed in the first place. The chaotic and destructive activities of a horde of Hollows could very well be mistaken as an act of terror.

As for how that specialized team managed to get caught so cleanly off-guard... You most likely won't be able to determine that until Hanae comes to. The bullet that killed the one Shinigami has entered the body at a slight angle, nearer to the side. Trailing that direction brings you to a rather dense crowd; if the culprit was a human Fullbringer, this could work as a means of concealment.

However, Hanae has made no mention of a firearm. You'd think that a human weapon that could slay a Shinigami would stand out more than a vague object that was flung into the air. So were there two human culprits? One is able to summon Hollows, while the other possesses a weapon capable of killing spirits? Are they related?

(1/2)

>>46247965
Unable to find any clues pointing at the truth of the matter, you return to the hospital room. You tap out a report on the bizarre death on your cellphone and wait. If the reinforcements arrive before Hanae regains consciousness, then so be it.

But for better or worse, the blond haired girl has refused to stay put for long. Her pale blue eyes open little more than an hour into her sleep. She hastily sits herself up.

"Where... am I?" She asks. Still in the Human World, you reply. Hanae looks paler than is healthy, but she stubbornly stands up, wobbling unsteadily for a bit before she gains a firm footing.

"Are you alright?" You ask, even though it's clear that she hasn't made anything close to a full recovery yet.

"I'm better now. I'm good enough to go again." Says the girl, brushing through her messy blond hair with a hand. It's a bit longer than it was before. Suddenly, she bows to you. "I am grateful to you. Both for saving me and for allowing me to stay here. I am Takenaka Hanae, First Division's 13th Officer. I'll make sure to repay you one day."

It seems that she doesn't recognize you at all.

"I am Tsukuda Ryouta, 12th Division." You introduce yourself. The girl nods.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsukuda Ryouta. I believe I've asked for your help before I passed out, but you are under no obligation to do so. You've done plenty for me already. I can handle the rest on my own." She speaks in a very dignified and confident manner, as if rather than politely volunteering to do some work in your stead she's deliberately telling you to stay out of it. Hanae grows a little worried as she looks out of the window and sees daylight. "Um... what time is it?"

(2/3)

>>46248032
"Don't worry. It's only been an hour." You reassure her. That seems to put her at ease.

"Ah... I'm glad. But even so... the trail may have already grown cold. Until it's too late, I must pursue it..." The Shinigami takes her sheathed sword, and with uncertain steps heads towards the window. She tries to make herself seem strong and healthy, but her tired eyes and unnaturally pale skin tell another story.

...

>Follow after her.
>"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought something."
>"You should rest and let me take care of it. All I need is a description of the man."
>Other. (Write-in).

I wonder why Hanae wasn't using her shikai earlier?

>>46248066
>"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought something."

>>46248073
Reverted out of exhaustion?

>>46248066
>"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought something."
Discuss what we've discovered as she eats

>>46248066
>"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought something."

Also ask her about the man with the gun. If she doesn't know about it, then that means she might be heading into an ambush.

>>46248066
>"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought something."
Is there any way we could disguise ourselves so we aren't immediately identified as shinigami to spiritually aware humans?

>>46248212
Just gigai I think. And I doubt we'll be getting any of those. They would be useful though.

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>>46248066
>If you don't want to talk about it that's fine. But you have to eat all the eggs.
>Am I doing it right, Urahara-sam-
>Why are you holding your stomach and rolling on the floor?
>Captain, you're shaking. Do you need medical assistance?

>>46248066
Voting over, writing!

>>46248336
7/10

>>46248336
ok i laughed way harder then i should have from this.

>>46249084
I don't get it.

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>>46249173
Since we're playing an autist

>>46249226
I don't understand. That seems perfectly reasonable to me.

>>46249260
It's okay. God still loves you.

>>46249275
God left me here with you guys, if that's love then I never want to see him hate me.

>>46248096
>>46248104
>>46248121
"Before we head out, you should eat. Here, I've brought you something." You suggest.

The girl turns around. As she watches you take out two packs of chinese food from a bag, she shakes her head. "I appreciate the thought, but I'm not hungr-"

Her speech is interrupted by a loud growl emerging from her stomach. Her unhealthily pale face flushes a slight pink. "I... I meant to say that under these circumstances, we can't take the time to do that. I'm not so famished that this is vital right now. That's what I meant."

"You really should eat this, Takenaka-san."

"I... Please don't be so obstinate about offering someone food."

"Please sit down, Takenaka-san. You won't make it far without proper nourishment." You persist. You think that Hanae isn't fighting for the few minutes she'll lose on the investigation, but out of embarrassment at having been caught in her tough guy act.

"Why are you...?" She quietly mumbles, but then finally sighs. "So you've made up your mind ever since the strength of my body has been called into question. Very well, Tsukuda Ryouta. But we will set out as soon as I am finished. Please try to keep up." She sits down, takes the package from you and quickly dives in. While she tries to make quick work of her meal, you explain your findings.

Hanae stops, nodding in understanding. "I'll try to explain the situation to you from the very beginning, Tsukuda Ryouta, and hope that you understand something from it. One of my squadmates has noticed a pattern in the spikes of Reiatsu and the subsequent Hollow attacks, namely that they were all centered in areas of political interest. Government buildings or events, places with large concentrations of people... areas of that nature, in short."

She pauses to take a few swift but impressively sized bites. Even though she said that she isn't, Hanae's eating habits make her seem like she's starving. She continues the story.

(1/2)

>>46249454
"That same teammate had then made a prediction of the next potential target area. When we arrived there, I spotted a human doing something suspicious. He threw something into the air, and a spike of pressure followed. I called out to the others. Before anyone could tell what happened, we heard a loud bang, and one of us had fallen to the ground. At the time, I thought that we were ambushed by a Hollow. Rather than pursuing that human, we had to search for the attacker. Naturally, splitting up wasn't an option - if the Hollow was clever enough to hide from our immediate notice, it was clever enough to prioritize those who split off from the main group."

The Shinigami pauses again. You offer Hanae your share of the food and ask about the gunshot. She takes it with some mild reluctance.

"I thought that the noise was caused by a Hollow, since one of our own had fallen immediately afterwards. I saw the crowd of humans nearby grow panicked, but I didn't make that kind of connection back then." She explains. It's a reasonable conclusion to come to. Thinking only in exceptions would make a person's thought-process rather bizarre.

"...In the end, we took too long. The Hollows appeared. A battle broke out. You saw the results. If I had just gone after that human right away, instead of distracting everybody like I did... this story would have had a much better ending."

You don't think that would have helped. "You couldn't have predicted such an outcome."

"That may be the case. But even so, I can't help but feel responsible."

Her humble meal continues in silence. Are there any other topics left to discuss?

...

>There's nothing else to talk about. Set out when she's ready.
>"We've actually met back in the Academy."
>"We'll be working together, so I'd like to know more about you."
>Ask Hanae a question. (Write-in).
>Other. (Write-in).

>>46249494
>"We've actually met back in the Academy."

>>46249494
>There's nothing else to talk about. Set out when she's ready.
There's a chance that this was just a test of the gun users abilities against shinigami

>>46249494
>"We've actually met back in the Academy."

>>46249494
>"We've actually met back in the Academy."

>>46249494
>>"We've actually met back in the Academy."
>There's nothing else to talk about. Set out when she's ready.

>>46249494
Voting over, writing!

>>46249868
She's not gonna remember us at all, is she?

>>46249868

Write faster.

>>46249630
>>46249779
>>46249811
The silence is growing rather heavy, so you decide to bring up a new topic. "We've actually met back in the Academy."

"Is that so?" Hanae stares up at the ceiling, trying to recall something of the sort. She mumbles your name a few times in an attempt to assist her memory. "...I'm sorry, I appear to have forgotten."

You lend her a hand. "It was during that one tournament they've held. I believe I was your first opponent."

The blond Shinigami restarts her pondering. "I do recall those times... First opponent, you say...? Ah, that's right! You came to see me personally before the battle. You were the only one to have done so. It's been a really long time. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you. It's an interesting twist of fate for us to have met once again in this way."

You nod. It's certainly an interesting coincidence.

The girl stands up, handing you the empty pack. "Unfortunately, now isn't the time for us to catch up or reminisce, Tsukuda Ryouta. I'd be happy to see how much you've improved from last time, but that will have to wait."

You nod again. When the mission is over, this might be a good excuse to meet her again if you happened to have a need for that.

"But then again, you did save me, so your abilities are something I have no right to question, not even as a joke..." Although she may be pale and tired, Takenaka Hanae appears to at least be in decent spirits. She picks up her sword again. "Let us set out, Tsukuda Ryouta."

...

(1/2)

>>46251430
Just as you've suspected, it's no good. The person Hanae had seen is nowhere to be found. You've considered the option of splitting up in order to cover more ground, but Hanae's description has provided you with no remarkable features. Practically speaking, identifying the culprit with your own eyes is impossible. This kind of meticulous search will never pay off. You need to take a different approach to this.

"What do you think his next target will be, Takenaka-san?"

"The New Year festival is tomorrow. That's most likely his next target." She says.

"Then that's where we'll find him."

"No, we must find him before then." Hanae declares. "Tomorrow will be too late. The concentration of people will make it impossible to prevent casualties. Spotting him in a crowd that dense would be hard. And even if he does get caught, many people are likely to die regardless."

You understand where she's coming from, but just understanding that isn't enough. "But even so, we have no trails to follow."

"You're right, Tsukuda Ryouta-san. However, I have an idea. I've been thinking about the other human you've mentioned. The gunman." She says. You quietly listen to her idea. "It seems natural to assume that they work together, if only because the timing of their actions ended up being so convenient for each other. In that case, if we find one of the two, then it would be easy to find the other."

That's not a flawless theory. "There are a few holes in that thought, Takenaka-san. Assuming they do work together, then isn't it rather strange that none of you had been shot during any of the previous Hollow invasions?"

Hanae suggests something. "There's the possibility that the revelation of the Hollow-summoner's true identity served as the trigger for the gunman's attack."

(2/3)

>>46251506
It's possible. But that explanation just doesn't seem right. "Their goal appears to be terror. In order to fulfill that goal and cause as much damage as they can they would need the Hollows to run wild for as long as possible. I think the Shinigami would have become a priority after they foiled their plans for the first time."

The blond girl shakes her head. "Their reasons for having withheld their attacks until now do not matter. What matters is that our team was the gunman's target; I believe that much to be clear. It was a carefully staged plan without a doubt. But if he were to find out that his plan failed and someone survived, it might be enough to make him seek us out to finish the job. And then we could bring him down and interrogate him."

So her idea is to bait the gunman like that. The risks are rather obvious, even when you set the dangers of a potential battle aside. "It could also earn the opposite reaction and scare them into hiding."

"And if it acts as a deterrent to the act of terror tomorrow, wouldn't it still be fine, Tsukuda Ryouta-san?"

If you lose them for good, there would be no way to confirm if any of them are related to the Hogyoku. But on the contrary, this may be the only way to find them without risking human casualties.

...

>Go along with Hanae's plan and use yourselves as bait.
>"Let's not risk it. We should wait for reinforcements and let them handle it."
>"This seems to be important to you. Could you tell me why?"
>Other. (Write-in).

>>46251568
>"This seems to be important to you. Could you tell me why?"

>>46251568
>"This seems to be important to you. Could you tell me why?"

>>46251568
>Go along with Hanae's plan and use yourselves as bait.

>>46251568
>"This seems to be important to you. Could you tell me why?"
>Other. (Write-in).

"Let's call in reinforcements and let them help us out with this."

>>46251777
We already called them right? They should be getting here soon

>>46251867

I misread. My bad.

>>46251568
I'd like to stop them but we should wait for reinforcements and make a plan with them

>>46251568
Voting over, writing!

>>46252079
I think it might work best if we hide and she is the bait, since we're an unknown quantity and she's already really run ragged.

>>46251602
>>46251750
>>46251777
"This seems to be important to you, Takenaka-san."

"With this many lives at stake, how could it not be important, Tsukuda Ryouta-san?" It's a statement that one would be hard-pressed to argue with. Even though Shinigami are supposed to be impassive towards humans, the presence of rules can't dictate their true feelings. And yet even someone like you understands that what Hanae has rebuked you with may as well have gone unsaid. It feels like an answer too obvious, too empty to be the truth. It feels like an excuse. Something that someone like you would use in order to conceal an underlying motive.

So how can you rephrase your question?

"It feels like it's personal to you, Takenaka-san." You say, unsure if you're even using the word the way it's meant to be used.

"Shouldn't the reason for that be obvious as well, Tsukuda Ryouta-san? I've lost my friends and comrades to the actions of those two. Allowing those humans to get away would be like letting their deaths, and the deaths of the humans they've made their victims, go to waste. Must every death be a tragedy? I won't let it be so. I can prevent that from happening by making their deaths meaningful." She sets a hand on her hip, the cold blue eyes flaring with accusation. "Do you believe that my feelings are clouding my judgment, Tsukuda Ryouta-san? Believe me, they are not. This plan is most likely the only way to produce a result with no further casualties."

"I understand your feelings, Takenaka-san, but I think we should wait for reinforcements to arrive and create a plan together with them. You'll be putting at least one of us at risk if we go along with your plan, and if it fails, it might result in the culprits disappearing for good." You try to argue. There is an obvious strength in numbers. In this situation, it might be a necessary advantage to have.

(1/2)

>>46253524
But we have a shield that could protect us from insta-kill bullets

>>46253591
Shit were we supposed to also vote on whether or not to go along with the plan?

>>46253591
"As I've said before, the second outcome is fine. Now that I know the culprit's appearance it's only a matter of time before I catch him, so ensuring that he lays low and doesn't cause any further casualties is a sufficient resolution for the time being. And in order to negate your first concern, I volunteer to be the bait. Just like when you saved me, I'll occupy the attention of the gunman while you attack him from hiding." Hanae looks away. There's one more point she hasn't addressed yet.

"And if we rely on the reinforcements... they will simply try to catch them during tomorrow's festival. It may be in the interest of the Shinigami to prevent Hollows from assailing humans, but their own lives assume a priority over those of the living. They'll take the option with the smallest amount of risk to themselves. And then there's no telling how long it'll take them to arrive. I suspect that they will arrive at night at the earliest. If they arrive too late and won't have enough time to sufficiently prepare for tomorrow's festival, they won't be able to prevent casualties, and neither will they catch the culprit. It's an unreliable option at best, Tsukuda Ryouta-san."

You're about to point out the unreliability of her own plan, but you hold your tongue. It seems that Hanae is adamant on taking matters into her own hands no matter what you say. No matter what sort of argument you come up with, she'll just come up with three reasons against it, won't she?

Is this overconfidence? Righteousness? Arrogance? Is she being vengeful? Courageous? Or simply distrustful? You don't really get it. You don't think your lack of empathy has anything to do with it this time, either. It might not make that much sense to someone with emotions, either.

(2/3)

>>46253638
Worse yet, you wonder if your rejection would prevent her from acting on her own. Going up against an opponent with an unknown and highly dangerous ability, in her weakened state, would be suicide. Hanae never took her health into consideration to begin with. You doubt she'd change her mind about that now.

...

>"Very well. Let's go with your plan, Takenaka-san."
>"I refuse to go along with your plan, Takenaka-san. I will wait for reinforcements."
>"I refuse to go along with your plan, Takenaka-san, and I strongly urge you to abstain from the idea as well."
>Other. (Write-in).

>>46253672
>"Very well. Let's go with your plan, Takenaka-san."

>>46253672
>"Very well. Let's go with your plan, Takenaka-san."

>>46253672
>"Very well. Let's go with your plan, Takenaka-san."
Haha oops I'm not sure how I didn't notice pasting a vote from another quest

File: eat the eggs.png (595 KB, 1000x1000)

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>>46253672
Ending thread for tonight, it's getting really late! Next thread will start off with the most voted action!

Next thread is up for tomorrow! Keep an eye out on twitter though, just in case:
https://twitter.com/Mushroomgami

If you have any feedback or questions, shoot them my way!

Thanks for reading!

>>46254125
Thanks for running!

>>46254125
Thanks for running. Your update speed was pretty good for the most part!

>>46254170
Thanks for reading!

>>46254234
I tried my best! But I'll keep trying to go even faster!