For a week now, pasted at the front entrance of each division and at the academy was the flyer.
Come one and all to the second Have A Date With A Captain! Where you will get the chance to bid for a day with one of four awesome captains. From the Fourth, everyone's favorite Captain Makoto Matsumara. From the Fifth, newly appointed Captain Haresuno Kyo Uchiharu. From the Seventh, the rugged and laid back Captain Ishin Katsuji. And finally, from the Tenth, lovely Captain Lilith Maikeru.
For one day, they will do whatever you say. Of course nothing illegal.
All proceeds will be going to the Shinsanryusankan Charity that provides aid to the further districts. You can even specify which district you want to help.
So please come down and bid generously!
<Insert map to location here>
And finally, the day was here. How lucky that two new captains were minted.
The stage was set. A lovely wooden platform with a red velvet back. Lights were set up to shine upon the center of the stage at a moment's notice. The chairs were in place. They were arranged like at an auditorium. The front row had the least amount of chairs and more was added as the rows went further back. There was an aisle right down the middle. The time was right. Now it was only a matter of waiting for the people to show, four special guests and a bunch of hopefuls.
The location was at a nice courtyard in the First Division. Large trees with flowers in full bloom provided shade and a calming backdrop. A drink and snack station was set up off to one side providing a wide array of simple items. The area was completely open to everyone and everyone was free to participate.
Several members from the First was acting as staff members. They would hand out a form plus a numbered paddle to anyone that entered. Standing on the stage, in front of a lectern was Picca. She was staring up at the sky waiting around. The start time was fast approaching.
Bidding Rules
The max amount you have is your current kan + 1/4 of your reiatsu. No kan will actually be spent even if you win, unless Will wants to be mean. You can transfer kan between people if you want.
Darkness. In the depths of despair, only the tormentor could hear your screams.
"Heh heh heh heh. I’m not telling you anything.”
Tsuneo looked into those dim, cold eyes and knew that the man was not bluffing. They had spent hours there in the dungeon and still nothing. The prisoner simply would not crack.
He brought his hand back across the restrained captive’s face, connected with enough force to drawn blood from the man’s raw, beaten skin.
"Damn it man! My soldiers lives hang in the balance. Does that mean nothing to you?”
The captive, long white hair down over his face in long wet strands, spit blood at his captors feet and smiled. "Do you think I give a shit if any of you stupid cops get whacked? It’d bring me nothing but joy that to see the streets run red with pig blood.”
The vice-captain stepped away. "Get him out of my sight.”
Just like that, a half dozen men emerged from the darkness like scurrying ants escaping from the rain.
"What’s our next move, boss?” one of the men asked as the gaunt figure of the vice-captain weaved its way through the shadows of the dungeon.
"Monitor all of the places the man’s been known to frequent. If anything suspicious happens, let me know. Chances are the hostages are being held somewhere familiar to our friend here.”
Tsuneo turned towards the door.
"And where will you be going, sir?”
The sole of his foot met with a soaked piece of paper, a flier, an advertisement for wares that could be of particular use in this dire situation. The raven-haired assassin smiled. "I’m going to go get us some outside help.”
***
The Tenth Division captain. That was who he needed above all else. The captive hostage-taker and hider was a tough nut to crack. Physical persuasion wasn’t making any progress and exterior mind duress was just as ineffective. But, given what he had heard about the woman, if Tsuneo had the Tenth Division Captain’s abilities at his disposal, he was sure that the tough bastard would crack like an egg.
"Is it too early to bid?” the pale man asked as he made his presence known in the courtyard. "I’m kind of in a hurry.”
As the tall man spoke, one of the nameless denizens of the first division tasked with assisting in this auction handed him a paddle.
Number twelve, he read. That’s not convenient at all.
Dang, that's 625 words? Gotta work on my summarizing skills. Long story shortened, Manzō is on his way.
"It was good to see you again, Azuma-sama," Manzō nodded and gave a modest wave of the hand in parting. "It's been far too long." He turned and backpedaled away from his former academy instructor with an atypical and far too infrequently seen smile.
"It sure has been Manzō-san. Be sure to stop by again soon sometime," Azuma returned. The warmth in his smile was the kind of welcoming zeal which you'd usually receive from someone as far along as him. Like an old relative of the family that everyone loved and one whose mind hadn't disappeared in so many long years. The visit was an escape from his duties as an officer of the Courts and an escape from the harsh realities of the world that Manzō needed. The academy bell had sounded off and brought their brief moment of reminiscing to an end. Even so, for Manzō, it was still worth the trip. "Give Captain Ascania my regards when you get the chance."
"I will," he complied easily and turned his back to the broad Shinō Academy entrance on his way out. Manzō tucked both hands at his sides comfortably between rope belt and waist as he turned the corner.
A good moment later, Azuma rushed up and leaned around the corner, calling out to him. "OH, MANZŌ-SAN!"
He startled Manzō as he did. The young Third Division officer stopped and turned about slowly with an affable and slightly ruffled expression about him. His instructor's roar was just as earth-shaking as he remembered. Maybe even more so now.
"IF YOU PLAN ON STOPPING BY THERE!," Azuma yelled out, waving a flyer in hand. "GIVE MY REGARDS TO BOTH OF THE NEW CAPTAINS AS WELL!"
"J-Just wait a minute...," Manzō held up his hand to stop the old man's unbearable howling and made his way back to him. "What are you talking about, Azuma-sama?"
Azuma held the flyer out in front of the both of them, bringing his prescription glasses over his eyes as he did. "Apparently, they're having a bidding of some sort. The prize is a day with one of the two new captains as well as both captain Matsumara and captain Katsuji." He paused to further examine the parchment as if he'd missed something. "It seems that, for a day at least, the winner is given a choice as to which captain will become their...servants?"
"What the f---?" Manzō muttered. He reached out and grabbed the flyer from Azuma and looked it up and down several times.
Having a captain as a servant? Was this something anyone could enter into? Did the captains volunteer for this? The fact that the captain wasn't a part of it must've meant that it was the real thing. He would be hard-pressed to believe that the Herald would allow himself to be ordered around by someone as frivolous as "the highest bidder".
It seemed absurd to Manzō, but all the same, Azuma had asked for him to give the two new captains his congratulations and there wasn't anything else for him to do. If there was, it more than likely involved Ayame and a host of mindless tasks he wasn't up for.
Manzō gave Azuma the flyer. "I don't have anything else to take care of today. I suppose going in your stead wouldn't be an issue."
"Oh, thank you, Manzō-san! Thank you!," Azuma laughed happily. "I would very much appreciate it!"
"I'll see you soon, Azuma-sama," Manzō waved his hand in the air behind him as he finally made his way off.
He reached in the sachel beneath his kosode, running his fingertips over the pieces of Kan and counting them in his head. His frivolous spending had taken its toll. Manzō shrugged, sighed deeply, and continued on to First Division headquarters.
Like most that were already present, he was in a rush to see the sight for himself. Captains being sold in an auction, ordering them around for one whole day?? Oh this was good. Too good.
Unfortunately, his timing wasn’t exactly the best. Being wheeled in by random healer number eight for today, the pink-haired soul reaper kept his eyes peeled for his destination. Thankfully, Picca had done a pretty swell job at organizing the event, and it didn’t take long to arrive. As he had suspected, a number of soul reapers from various divisions had already shown up, eager to place their bids on one of the four (un)lucky captains.
And then before he could even advance, an Arcanist blocked their path. Coins jingling within his pocket as he slowed to a stop, Ryoujin noticed the ebony-haired woman assigned to him staring down at a paddle that was given to her by the First division member that served as one of the staff members responsible for the spectacle. He would have thought nothing of it, but the terrified expression on her face told him otherwise.
"What’s up?" he asked.
"The number... you’re thirteen," the healer said, her face turning pale.
Rolling his eyes, Ryoujin replied, "I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Unlucky numbers are lucky for me!"
"Sure Arashi-san! And when you lose all of your kan, then what? By the way, who are you bidding on anyways?"
"Well that’s gonna be a surprise," Ryoujin replied, smirking, "I was going to originally bid on Tsubaki but looks like she isn’t apart of this. Meh, and here I was looking forward to ordering her around, haha."
"If only she heard that, then you probably wouldn't even need that cursed amulet to be in that wheelchair."
[ 304 ]
I hate you Prometheus :< anyways time for bidding :3
Adelaide had, in her short time with the Gotei, met a decent number of Captains. And, amusingly enough, the ones besides her own that she had a rapport with were being auctioned off like so many indentured servants had by the Americans in her time. It all seemed to be an "in good fun” depiction of a deplorable thing, like when children reenacted the slaughter of American aboriginals by the "cowboys” in a game of eminent domain for kids.
But Captain Maikeru was hot.
So, Adelaide found herself leisurely strolling through Seireitei, hands folded behind her back below where Lashiel’s sheathed form hung from a sling. Even if something did happen, which she doubted, the fact that the Gotei was present in force made readiness not really a primary concern. No, a primary concern was being as strategic as possible considering Adelaide’s relatively limited resources. After all, she had just recently paid off the damages she’d done to a haberdashery lo some many months ago and made even with the Frenchman who held her debt.
So, then, tactics... Adelaide considered how best to use her money, deciding to treat this auction with the same chess-like finesse she employed in battle.
Lashiel remarked only once, calmly; This isn’t battle or seduction. Currency is not my area of expertise. You are on your own. And she fell silent again.
Adelaide frowned. The Fourth Seat of the Eighth Division had a goal and was planning to pursue it, even without support from the Angel of Lust or the kind of wealth reserves people like Kago or Captain Anenokoji would be able to employ.
She might not have been totally alone, though. She couldn’t get word to Seriho and wouldn’t dream of bringing Udo into all this, but there was a squirrelly little fellow she could draft to assist her in her evil schemes. Granted, his criminal mind did not rival her own, but still, he might prove useful.
---
Adelaide was handed a number when she arrived. Fourteen. She was more than content with this number; it felt good to her. Granted, the Japanese found four and seven to be unlucky, so a multiple of seven with four in it wasn’t promising, but what the hell did they know? She was Fourth Seat, besides. Falling in to traps of luck was going to only cause the Sapphic Spellblade to doubt. Fourteen was perfectly fine, as a number.
Her cohort was given a number too, despite not wanting it. Fifteen. "Why do I have to be here, Miss Pierce?”
"Simple,” Adelaide responded calmly. She proceeded to locate a good place to be, expecting the gardener to follow, "you owe me, Orin.” For what, she wasn’t telling and he had no idea. As far as objective fact went, the extent of them knowing one another was her dragging him into the whole Central Forty-Six matter and collapsing the Thirteenth around him. How she felt he owed her was a mystery.
Orin sighed, "I’m not gambling on anyone.” He hated that he was here. He hated it even more because his Captain was one of those on the auction block. And if Adelaide thought she was borrowing money, she was remarkably misguided.
Adelaide waved a hand dismissively, "You just scheme with me. No purchase necessary.” This seemed more reasonable to her, but did nothing to assuage his visible discomfort.
"Yo, Addle.” Raury sidled up next to the Spellblade, cheerful but confused. "S’just wanderin’ about the grounds and some fine gentleman handed me this sign.” He held up a board with the number ‘Twenty-Eight’ printed in bold black. "Think it was a present. Silly one if ya ask me, but hell. I aint the one handin’ out presents.”
Looking around like he had just registered the space around him, he noted the dense mass of shinigami that were amassing into the vicinity.
"Actually Feybrand, you’ve come to see your captain auctioned off.” Stepping up behind the collection of shinigami, Haresuno looked in turn from Raury first, then to his other subordinate - Orin, the one who asked a lot of questions - and finally to the woman whom he did not know.
When the three looked back at him, he was not dressed in his shihakshou, nor was the captain’s jacket slung around his shoulders. In place of his uniform was, surprisingly, a plain white shirt. The buttons were unadorned and the sleeve was folded back to his elbow. The haori was draped over a single arm, and he wore black slacks and matching polished shoes. Aside from those differences, however, not much else about the captain was different.
His hair was still held back by a red-ribbon, save for his bangs, and the silver-wire frame glasses drew attention to his cyan eyes. "I have to admit, though, I’m not particularly comfortable in this get-up, but Iida refused to let me go in my uniform. She was mumbling rather angrily about this whole auction, but I can’t understand why.”
Shrugging his shoulders, the captain took notice that each of the three reapers were holding their own paddles. "I see you all intend on donating. I don’t suppose you’ll let me in on what plans you all have, eh?”
[232]
Hare is no doubt going to regret this, but not nearly as much as Iida.
Walking through Seireitei to do whatever it was he was supposed to do, Udo noticed something shiny. As he got closer and closer to his destination, the curiosity grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, this man couldn’t take it anymore, so he diverted course straight towards it. It turns out that the mystery that caught his eye was just an ornament in the First Division. The reaper realised he had wandered off to investigate absolutely nothing, but then... he felt something familiar.
Within that growing crowd, was the reiatsu signature of the shinigami who had appeared out of nowhere and locked himself up with Prometheus. The green-haired reaper’s wild goose chase had led him straight to a real investigation. Udo wanted to find out who it was, and find out how that person had survived. As his amethyst eyes scanned the crowd, Udo was handed a paddle carrying a slightly worrying number.
Four.
[151/151]
OOC
So, who wants to form a syndicate to buy hare for a day?
Raury eyed his Captain, giving him a good lookin’ over. The getup looked good overall. Maybe a little stuffy.
Suits, though.
"Plans? Hell, I didn’t even know this was goin’ on.”
Stepping forward, he began to pick at any errant bits of lint or debris that clung to his Captain’s outfit, messing with the rumpled parts and generally straightening things up.
"Ya say yer being auctioned? Like...A people auction? Where they auction people?”
Well well, this could get interestin’.
Suddenly quite glad he had wandered by, Raury stepped back and looked over his work with approval. There hadn’t been much, but when you’re representing the division in such a way as this, perfection was important.
"Looks sharp. Didn’t know you were inta this sorta thing, Cap. Hell, I’m sure there’s easier ways to get a date.”
"Not for Hare there isn't..." said a voice from behind them. As they turned to see who it was, Lucas was standing there with a smirk on his face. "... Hare has issues getting women, this sort of thing is right up his alley."
He chuckled a bit as he taunted his friend. Looking around the place he saw the turnout was actually pretty good, he knew who he was going to vote for, but there were good options with lots of possibilities. Perhaps not love interests, but who would pass up a chance to get some payback?
[98]
Okay, realistically, if Iida had never taken an interest in him he probably would be single. Still, he felt a bit slighted. "I’ll have the two of you know I am happily engaged already,” he put stiffly. "And I am participating so that I might be able to help raise money. Not because I’m difficult to be around. And most certainly not because I require a lady to court.
"That being said, I do not deny the possibility of women biding for me. I am a decently attractive man.” Giving a final huff to both Raury and Lucas, Haresuno double checked himself to make sure Raury had actually done some help instead of making his appearance more sloppy.
"It is good to see you Lucas, I take it you’ve been well since I last saw you?” As he bothered with his outfit, he suddenly realized that the straps across his arms were bare - something both he and Iida had forgotten.
Panic filled him for a moment, but he quickly squashed it.
Careful as to not draw attention, he began reworking the sleeves of his shirt back down and fastened them. "Not getting into any trouble?”
"You know me. I am always getting in trouble, and surviving it all. Though i wish you good luck up there, glad they decided to coerce you captains into being bid on." he chuckled again 'I am sure some lucky man is eager to start his date with you."
With that final tease he walked away from his friend, as he proceeded closer to the front, he wanted to see the look on Lilith's face as the bidding started on her.
"Not quite yet Vice Captain Tsuneo. Sorry but not everyone has arrived yet." Mostly the captains.
Picca nervously scanned through the crowds. More and more people began filing in yet none of them were the captains. The sound of metal knocking against wood came from below as she tapped her foot against the podium.
Her eye twinkled when she saw the first vict- targ- pri- captain. Picca snapped her fingers and pointed to Captain Haresuno. "Bring him up," she ordered her subordinates.
"Captain Haresuno, I'm so glad you could make it. Please come up on stage."
Without letting him finish the conversation, the staff members awkwardly corralled Haresuno onto the stage. They tried their best to be pushy yet polite at the same time since they were dealing with a captain after all while being only unseated underlings.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our first captain, Captain Haresuno Uchiharu. He has a masterful mind in the battlefield and he specializes in Traps and Preparation. I hope he's prepared for this. Everyone please give him a round of applause.
"Now then, the time is about right so why don't we start? The other captains will have to wait their turn since right now, it is all Captain Haresuno. Shall we start at two fifty kan? Go." Picca shot forward a hand to the crowd giving them the signal. She also nodded to the staff members to start taking down bids.
Adelaide waved to the Tenth of the Tenth. She knew him; he was that one who insulted her. Who said that Hadou couldn’t be elegant. "How goes it, TenTen-san?”
Orin greeted his Captain warmly, but with general disinterest in the surroundings or the finicking Raury was doing with the Captain’s outfit. He couldn’t keep silent forever though: "Yes, Raury. A people auction. Where the thing that they auction is people.” This was slightly teasing, but he decided to explain; "In order to raise some kan to help out people in need, some Captains decided to let themselves become the plaything of people like her for a day.” Of course, he was gesturing to Adelaide.
Adelaide almost fumed at the gardener. "People like me? I’m sure you don’t mean anything sordid by that!” With a feigned huff, she folded her arms and let her glance fall to the Captain. "I’m Adel-"
At this point, several people grabbed the fashionably dressed landscaper and dragged him off.
"-aide.” She was still for a moment, a little confused about what in the name of Sappho she had just witnessed. Once it settled in that he would be okay, the spellblade huffed disappointedly. She was mere seconds away from having properly met another Captain, and had been so rudely interrupted. Of course, she wasn’t about to waste kan on this fellow. No, she had an evil scheme to work out.
She looked to Raury, a man whose criminal mind most certainly rivaled her own. "I have my eyes set on Lilith Maikeru, personally. Though I have to admit if I wasn’t guided by emotion and a disturbing lack of alcohol, I’d probably go after most of these folks.” She snapped her fingers, having given herself a fantastic idea, "Do you have your gourd?”
The next object of interest to catch Udo’s crow-like gaze was the one shinigami not in uniform, who was busily covering up black bands around his... Ohh... got your bindings somewhere else do you?
In that instant, the former(?) researcher figured it out. Just as Kago and Lilith were promoted after the chaos, so was Haresuno. They survived near someone terrible, and so did he. The pattern revealed itself, making Udo’s next move obvious.
The green-topped reaper made his way towards Adelaide and raised his number of death in the air. He yelled out, "Five hundred!”
The sound of pending hilarity (otherwise known as an impatiently waiting auction gallery) looming just beyond a set of open doors brought a fox-like grin to Makoto’s face. The healer expected nothing less than an entertaining affair considering the merchandise that was soon to be sold to the highest bidders.
"I don’t like this,” Fumika hissed at the captain’s side, abruptly wrenching him from his brief reverie.
"And why in Soul Society would you not like this?” Makoto questioned, knowing full well the answer. The couple was slightly late in arriving hand-in-hand for the simple fact that Fumika quite literally seemed to be dragging her feet. She dawdled needlessly prior to departing the Matsumara manor and took her sweet time traversing the First Division grounds once they arrived, taking care to develop an interest in almost every single solitary piece of décor the Soutaichou saw fit to display.
"Oh, I don’t know, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that whoever submits the winning bid for you can ask you to do anything.”
"Oh, is that all?” the nobleman asked with an exaggerated air of frivolity that surely infuriated the anxious woman. But before his fiancé could give a scathing response, the pair entered the large the auditorium and Fumika found her throat suddenly dry. There were so many people eagerly, hungrily awaiting the pending auction of their heroes and/or the objects of their lustful desires.
Not liking the woman’s sudden silence, Makoto gave Fumi’s hand a reassuring squeeze and looked down into her cerulean eyes. "You worry too much. Regardless of who wins my services, voluptuous beauties included, I will be on my best behavior.”
"Hello there. Side note; I am no longer Tenth seat. I am Third seat now." He smirked at the woman, he could tell she had grown in strength, but he also somehow knew she was still fascinated with the ugly hadou school. His attention was drawn from her when he heard that he was out bid.
Raury was watching as his captain was being dragged off, a look of amusement clearly displayed. He only tore his eyes off of the situation at the podium when Addle addressed him.
"Have my gourd?” He asked with false incredulity. "Who do you think yer talkin’ to, woman?” Looking pointedly at his beltline, he gestured to the three gourds tied to the fabric.
"I’m always packin. Can’t bloody well travel around town dry.” He smiled at the woman as he passed one her way, pulling one for himself as well. "I shudder at the thought. Ha.” Taking a swig, he turned his eyes back to the scene at hand.
"Picca, your invitation said nothing about an auction," Lilith growled under her breath backstage. She whipped an invitation out from her robes and brandished it over her head as she huffingly continued, "Do you remember this?"
At the time when the invitation was received, it had seemed innocent – cute, even.
Greetings Captain Maikeru,
Hi, this is Picca! I hope you still remember me. I am planning a little event and was wondering if you would be willing to help me out? All you have to do is show up at the First Division courtyard this Sunday. Be there by noon. Your assistance would be much appreciated by me.
XOXO Picca
"Nowhere in this message do you make any reference to being sold off." Again. Just a few months ago, Lilith learned that Picca was secretly selling paparazzi pictures of her. Now this too? Goodness...
The Tenth Captain peeled back the curtain to peep outside where Haresuno was standing. Wiggling her finger at the ponytailed man, she flashed back at Picca and complained, "He doesn't look surprised. In fact, he's even dressed nicely! Picca..!"
