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A small house, surrounded by a field, with a large barn off to one side, marks this place. It's not much. There's no electricity, or running water, and both structures are made out of weathered wood. It's like stepping back in time, all the way back to the Great Depression almost.

This is Ryan's house, in the middle of nowhere, outside of an abandoned nowhere town.

The house is locked, and only Ryan has the key. It's also shuttered, but inside it's simple. A table, a counter, and some cupboards are by the door, with a wood stove and an open fireplace as far from the door as possible, with a small couch and table by the stove. There are some stairs as well, leading up to the second floor, where one will find three rooms, each with but a small closet inside of which is only a cedar chest, as well as a bed. The stovepipe runs through all of these rooms before going out the roof.

The barn, however, is unlocked, and inside one will find a contrasting image. On the left is an old Model-T Ford, which has been collecting dust and has to be wound up in order to start. On the right, though, is a brand-new Mazda RX-8 with but 230 kilometres on the odometer. Behind them is an old water pump, the only source of water on the entire property, that is, unless you want to walk a literal mile to the pump that is used for the fields in the furthest back.

If you are a human, that is all you will see, and lacking a key to the RX-8 you probably would just turn around and head home. One capable of seeing spirits, though, will see a note stuck onto the barn door instructing any shinigami who arrive there to "tap the ground behind the water pump with your foot". Doing so will open up a hidden trap door, and descending a short ladder will bring you to a place that looks like it shouldn't be there - a pristine hallway, looking as if it's right off the set of Star Trek, or perhaps Star Wars. Either way, it is a clean hallway, and at the end of it is a door, a door that shall only open to the reiatsu signature of a member of the Gotei 13.

Inside that door? Inside is the replacement headquarters of the Gotei 13, and the only difference from the original is that it is underground and completely indoors.

Svetlana was cautious. No-- "cautious" didn't cover the mysterious ache which had settled within her chest, constricting her lungs and causing her heart to palpitate with such vigor. Cautious was a word best used for a game of chess, or when one is in the vicinity of rabid dogs. Cautious was not the word to be using now. Her mind flipped through the familiar lexicon of her vocabulary, but found no foothold. She was sure she would be able to describe this moment once the ordeal was finished, perhaps after a good night's rest, but for now, she felt that she was indescribable.

It was always this way after a great change. After a shock. After her life-- or second life-- was flipped over on its head. She'd felt this way when first coming to the Sereitei, and thus it was only poetic justice that she felt this way while returning to Earth.

She pulled her cloak around her shoulders tighter, though the weather was far from cold. She felt secure while concealed within its embrace-- something she needed now. She bit her lip, thinking a one-night stand would do her some good, though she doubted she would have the time or energy. What is it that Shinigami had told her as she left? "This is serious business"? She mentally shook her head. Like "cautious" was an understatement, "serious business" was rhetorical.

Her eyes scanned the landscape, searching through landmarks and signs to locate the rendezvous she had been informed of. She hated this-- so far out of her comfort level. Nothing seemed to be certain any more. Not the supieriority of the Shinigami's rhetoric, not the superiority of the Shinigami's power. Her fists clenched beneath her cloak and she paused her movement to take a few quick, calming breaths. Nothing would be gained by becoming overrun by emotion. In fact, she could probably hold that nothing is ever gained by becoming overrun by emotion. It was something better left for peaceful times.

She was grateful, therefore, that it seemed like there was no one here to see her. She was sure that she would pounce and murder the first thing she saw move. Better safe than sorry, she would say. Better alive than dead again.

When she began moving again, she was grateful to see the property of Ryan looming into her field of vision. Her lips drew into a straight line. She always felt like the home stretch was the most difficult. She wanted to run to the house, fling herself onto the property. She wanted to let loose, maybe cry, maybe see if those whose presence gave her comfort survived. She wanted to do all these things and more. Mostly, however, she wanted to survive. (A selfish goal, perhaps, but Svetlana never felt that she lived her life to its fullest extent, and certainly never saw the glory of an early death.)

Her eyes fell upon the house, and naturally, it was her first destination. She knocked softly and politely, as was custom back when she was alive. No response. She tried again.

Silence.

She let out a slow breath, double-checked her surroundings. This was indeed her target locale. This was the safe zone. She momentarily contemplated breaking the window to get inside, but made the decision to exhaust all of her options before doing so.

The last thing she needed was to be arrested in the human world.

She meandered her way around back, all the while feeling that every eye on the planet Earth was on her. The fact was, she was completely alone, but such truths mean nothing when one is alone and somewhat frightened.

She was directed to the water pump, and from there-- underground. She quietly shut the door on top of her as she descended. Expecting to see caves, dirt, mud, and muck, she was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a spotless corridor. She made little noise as she moved farther into the underground passage, her muscles tense and ready to engage the first unfriendly to enter her line of vision.

It was then that she came upon Thanatos. She raised her chin, feeling as if she would be interrupting if she said much of anything right now.

Svetlana would have been lying to herself if she claimed she did not jump a bit at Razil's touch. She immediately flushed, more out of embarassment to be so on-edge and unaware of her surroundings than anything else. A slow breath out as the male moved into her line of vision, and an obligatory turn of the head to make sure no one was following him followed. Some things, apparently, never change: Svetlana still couldn't sense other souls if her own life depended on it. What an awful trait for a Shinigami to lack, she considered, perhaps a bit of bitterness seeping into her thoughts.

Still, before her stood a man she trusted and two she did not know. It made her uneasy; her retreat from the Sereitei had been quick and efficient. There had been no time for her to second-guess her actions or check to see who was following her or not. Out of the many, many individuals who resided in the Soul Society, she, Thanatos, and Unknown Male Specimin Number One couldn't have been the only ones to make it out. No, this story was incomplete, and important facts were missing. Was this the only meeting place? What sort of events could hold up an entire city of Shinigami? How perilous had the Earth become since she lived here so many years ago?

Svetlana would have done almost anything to escape these thoughts, but they were almost natural to come to mind, especially now that she was no longer moving. She had considered the trek to Ryan's Abode to be her mission, and now that she was here, was almost at a loss for words.

She swore quietly to herself.

Cursing seemed to be all she had now. Foul language, and the cloak which shielded her shinigami robes from the elements-- underground, there was no wind, no threat of rain or sweltering sun to wear her down. Still, she did not remove the cloak. There was no need. She told herself that she'd just have to carry it if she took it off, but in reality, it made her feel like she was surrounded on all sides. She could pull herself into a cocoon and feel safe.

Granted, the moment she found herself alone, she had no doubt she'd be breaking furniture and sobbing.

A childish reaction, she knew, but she felt cheated by fate. She died, reestablished herself in the Soul Society, earned the right to be called a Shinigami, only to be forced out of her home and back to Earth where her life had started. She bit her lip, forcing herself to settle down. These thoughts... they weren't like her. She was Svetlana Yegorovichna. She was cool, collected, calm, borderline cold. She wasn't about to shatter her own persona here, on Earth.

The human world didn't deserve to break her. A long exhale purged her mind. She wished to start that train of thought over: the moment she found herself alone, she would rest up for tomorrow. She would live out her second life by seeking vengeance on those who disrupted her peace, and if she died once more, she would die well.

Much better, she congratulated herself silently, feeling the familiar icyness seep back into her burning bloodstream. Better to be collected and informed than angry and ignorant. She told herself that she would gather as much information from survivors as she could before anything else.

Information and strength. Those were the two qualities Svetlana was most in need of now.

Evil entered through a gate from her Squad, her members following closely behind her.

Her blood stained robes were beginning to crust, rust colored flakes drifting to the ground.

Her eyes were cold and steely as she took in Ryan's house and the group of Shinigami standing in front of it. She turned her head slightly to her members then strode forward. Her Zaigou mark burned almost painfully on the back of her hand, it was clenched in a fist. When she saw no one was home, saw the note tapped on the barn door. She went around and tapped the ground with her foot, a hatch opening before her.

After she scanned what was below for what type of Spiritual pressure were there she motioned for her members to descend.

"Everyone go down, I'll wait on the others." She stood next to the hatch, eyes scanning the horizon.

~*Captain of Squad 10*~

Evil turned her unblinking gaze to Sho.

"As of right now, the number is unknown. And my safety isn't our number one concern at the moment. it's more important to protect to lower seats, since they couldn't as easily defend themselves right now, even with all the training we've given them. Make that your number one priority please." She said softly.

~*Captain of Squad 10*~

Hm if you say so, looking into the hatch, blinking his eyes Karukua goes down the hatch, Ugh its pitch black, any lights down here at all? he said as he was few inchs from the top with the "Yea im not going down here without a light" look.

Sho turns to Karukua and says, "You might want to move more into the hall so that you don't get stepped on Karukua. I don't see how you can sleep while all this is going on anyway." Sho points to a spot closer to him for Karukua to sit and rest. He turns to the others and says, "I'm sorry for being so rude. I don't know everyone. My name is Sho Yuuki and I'm the 3rd Seat from 10th Squad. This is Karukua he's from 10th Squad with me. We have a couple more on there way."