Dawn of a New Age [Closed, Ika | Mirabelle]

Mirabelle stalked the halls of the first division, head held high among the elite that called the squad their home. She made the appropriate pleasantries with the needed individuals but otherwise kept her mouth shut made her way to the Commander's office. This meeting had been, in her mind, a long time coming.

The Gotei had plateaued, stalled, peaked, whatever word one wished to place in the gap would suffice. It had been decades, if not longer, since there had been any innovation and the lack of morale showed it. None of the new recruits were excited anymore. Even the veterans amongst their ranks seemed too complacent in adhering to the status quo.

It was no question in her mind that this was a time for change. The redhead had an idea she'd been fostering for some time but, with as comfortable as most of those around her had become, she wasn't sure how well it would be received. As she neared the Commander's office she was reluctantly hopeful that he'd see things her way.

"Commander Ika," Mirabelle called out as she knocked on the door. "this is Mirabelle Bonnet. I know you're a busy man but I was hoping you'd have time to speak with me for a few moments."

Ika was still growing accustomed to this new role of his, that much was obvious. It was an awkward transition, a man who ran from responsibility at every possible turn was now having it forced on him and was being forced to use it as a bit of a learning experience. Growth 1200 years into the lifespan, what a weird fucking existence this had turned out to be..

Ika had overseen some changes within the Gotei, a restructure of all the squads inherent to the faction to cope with the losses from the previous war, and to leave his own indelible mark on the organization. What was once a faction of 13 squads had recently been reduced to less than half that number, yet this meeting was essentially about introducing a seventh.

As the girl arrived at his door, Ika threw a hand up to welcome her before beckoning her forwards. "Come in, fuck sake I'm not the pope. I read a bit about your request and it seems as though you wish to introduce a Kidou Research squad to the Gotei, and you intend to head up the squad yourself is that true?"

Ika took a drag off a cigarette that had been simmering at his side, letting the smoke fill his lungs for a moment before exhaling. "I'm interested, but first tell me how exactly this will differ from the already established Kidou Corps."

"Ah, right to the point then." Mira nods, dropping her formal tone as she moves into the commander's office. She gestures briefly to a chair before settling into it. "I'll just help myself, then."

"Glad you got the request I sent over amidst all of the chaos going on. Seems like you're-" her eyes glanced over the papers strewn across Ika's desk. "settling in. But, yes, you're mostly correct. I'd like to introduce the Kido Research Corps to the ranks of the Gotei. I would, obviously, like to be its captain. It was my idea, after all."

"As for how we would differ from the Kido Corps proper," she places a slender finger on her chin, tapping it once as if in thought. "they're concerned with rules and tradition. As much of the established Gotei is and has been for centuries. We, frankly, would not. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"I don't know how much you've taken in about the kido practitioners over the years, Commander, but as someone who's been involved with the Kido Corps for some time, not much has changed. The same skills are taught and honed to what boils down to the same effect for every user. Its grown boring." taking a breath, the redhead presses on "I'm seeking to make a space where development and honing of new, non-traditional kido skills are not only acknowledged but encouraged. They would be our focus. Where the Kido Corps proper can worry about upholding rules and law along with the rest of the Gotei, the Research Corps can be trained to spearhead warfronts."

"How could a turncoat fight against an enemy they didn't know could cast spells the way I can, or those under me eventually will be able to. Never mind anyone outside the Seireitei." she watches Ika's expression as she speaks, hoping to see some kind of positive feedback as she finishes her speech. "In short, I want to break up the stagnation that's plagued the community of Kido users in the Gotei. Too much of what the shinigami have practiced hasn't changed. We haven't adapted, haven't meaningfully grown in ages. I want to be a part of when we finally do and I hope this is it."

The woman helped herself to a seat as instructed and Ika sat there, ears and mind open to whatever it was that Mirabelle had in mind. Mirabelle was exactly the type of Shinigami Ika's Gotei would build around, a tenured hard-worker who'd made consistent strides in her abilities over the last several decades, she was a woman who had broken past whatever glass ceiling one would attribute to her. He let her talk, allowing for her awkward social ticks to have their way, she spoke with a confidence befitting her power and the internal confidence that radiated from her was intoxicating, and the excitement in Ika's eyes was apparent to anyone who knew him but he remained measured.

"So.. you want to spearhead a division that works on Kidou and acts in the interests of my military force, seeking to hone an artform that many of our enemies are still rather unfamiliar with by adding new tricks to it.. It's a smart idea, a clever one that requires a certain sophistication and talent to pull off properly." Ika tapped his finger to his chin, allowing the idea to marinate in his head for a moment before he would continue.

"In truth, I find the Kidou Corps model to be a bit dated at it's core, and I can't imagine that there is a Shinigami alive who wishes to answer to the fucking Central 46 on matters of, well, anything let alone war. I am going to grant you this squad and allow you to lead it, but it will be under my watch as any other squad and there is a catch to this that I need you to focus in on."

Ika stood up, his cigarette hung lazily between his teeth until his fingers moved to retrieve it. "I want you to show the Kidou Corps what the future looks like. They've recently appointed the prodigy of the Nanashi Clan, Anna Nanashi as their commander and those under her are.. less than impressed to put it mildly. I'd like Anna to succeed, but I'd like her to succeed under my watch and to be frank, she needs to be knocked down a peg or two if she wants to grow beyond where she's at."

Ika pressed on, eyes focused ahead. "I want you to beat Anna and have her join you, I want to see the dissolution of the Kidou Corps and watch yet another asset of the Central 46 crumble into the past where it belongs. If you believe you can do that, you may want to go find a suitable Haori.. Captain Bonnet."

Ika's smirk was telling, his pleasure with the direction of the conversation was apparent and now he made it a point to await the girls response before continuing.

"Oh that's a better response than I could have hoped for, Commander." Mira smiles wide, leaning forward in the chair. "I'd be happy to put that girl in her place. She hasn't eared a thing."

"The fact that I get to do so with your express permission makes things even better." ideas already begin to form in her mind as to how the scenario could play out. Would Anna go queitly, or kicking and screaming because finally someone told her 'no.'? "As long as the 46 stays out of my way, it should be no problem Ika."

"Do you think that have a haori in my size on hand?" she muses, stretching to her full height before Ika and the desk. She offers a small bow before standing again and turning to the door. "Is there anything else you need me for, then? I'd like to have them begin working on the haori as soon as possible. Beyond that, as you no doubt are aware, I have quite a bit of work ahead of me."

"I'm sure this wont be the last conversation we have." she offers the commander a sly smile. "I'm looking forward to what those in the future might entail for not just us, but the Gotei. I can't speak for the other captains but I look forward to the changes your reign will bring, Commander."

Mirabelle took Ika's interest in her idea about as well as one could've expected her to, yet he appreciated her reciprocation regardless. Every aspect of the girls character that Ika enjoyed was now on full display, her once humble disposition had been replaced by one dripping with confidence, coasting right along the border of pure unadulterated arrogance. It was a border Ika was more than familiar with, and had spent most of his life playing hop-scotch over to and fro. "I'm glad to hear that you're this confident in your abilities, it's fitting of a Captain of your stature, but I will need to see those results."

Ika paused a moment, taking a slow drag off his cigarette before continuing on. "Oh and as for the old bastards in their little parliamentary chambers.. I wouldn't worry much about them, I will plant the seeds for their power to be removed from this organization myself. I intend to do exactly what my father should have done all those years ago."

Once that topic was finished, it was onto the more jovial point of Mirabelle allowing Ika to take in her figure as she inquired about whether or not they'd have a Haori sized to fit her. "I would bet if we don't have one already made, our tailor would have one in your hands by tomorrow Ms. Bonnet. As for what I require from you, the answer now is, well, pretty much nothing! I think we've already elaborated on the finer points of this discussion, I will expect a status report as to the comings and goings of your division, I hope that much is obvious."

Upon receiving an affirmative response, Ika would wave the girl off. "I appreciate your confidence, and I'm sure we'll have plenty of discussions in the coming days. You go enjoy your day while you can, you're going to become a hell of a lot busier in the coming months."

"You'll have your results, don't worry." her sly smile spreads into a wolfish grin. Mirabelle was confident she'd make the Nanashi's golden girl fall from grace, and fall hard. "I don't think it will be long."

"I'll be off, then." she nods, striding to the door. Thinking better about leaving without thanks, she turns back to say [color=#cc3333]"Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to working with you."/color]

With her pleasantries done and over with, Mira gently pushes the door open before gliding down the hall on the other side. If she were a different kind of person she would have been on cloud nine, breezing her way through the halls of the first division. As it was, gone were the pleasantries she'd exchanged on the way in and the idle smile, replaced by a stoic face and silence as her mind worked over all that needed to be done in the coming days. It was a lot but nothing she wasn't ready for. This plan had been a long time coming and she'd already laid some of the ground work. Now all that was left to do was move forward with her plans.

Mirabelle's confidence was infectious, her demeanor and the way her words so easily floated off her tongue revealed an air of bravado Ika hadn't originally expected but he was more than happy to observe. She announced her departure, striding towards his door before shooting out a courtesy thank you in his general direction. "It's no problem at all, I look forward to seeing the results of your endeavors in the near future. It's been a pleasure to get to know you in a more formal sense Ms. Bonnet."

Once the door was shut, Ika propped his feet up on the desk and finally exhaled. "Well.. now that I have that over with.." He fiddled with his fingers for a moment, producing a spark he could use to light a cigarette and he immediately let the smoke from the tip waft in front of his face. He closed his eyes and smiled, satisfied with the way this conversation had proceeded. "Iron sharpens iron.."

-Thread end-