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| - It hadn’t been hard. Kentaro and Akiye tracked Hawke and David Kori to a Shuuten command post on Chrono Island. They had apparently been working in tandem with the 3rd Division to help put the people’s minds at ease, though even something as easy as that was becoming much more difficult now. The building in which they sat was housed in the noble district. Although it looked splendorous on the outside, with shining high walls and well-co0nstructed architecture, the inside was built like a fortress. Thick spiritually enhanced walls, wide corridors leading into narrow chokepoints, complete with secret rooms. It was one of those -- built into the floor -- that Kentaro, Akiye, Hawke and David now sat, around a circular table. In the centre of that table burned a small light, which cast a dim glow throughout the room. ‘Oda’s got us by the balls.’ Kentaro noted. Today Kentaro wore a pair of baggy black trousers with a high waist which accentuated his abdominal pecks in a swath of cloth. He was bare-chested and wore his Zanpakutō across his back, secured by a yellow sash. Beside him was Hawke. Even though he was currently in his Human body he wore a white karate gi with wide sleeves, secured by a black belt. Whether it denoted his skill in a particular martial art Akiye wasn’t sure. Opposite Hawke sat David who wore one of his father’s old outfits, consisting of a green summer yukata tied with an orange sash. He allowed the right sleeve to hang loosely, which was tucked into the sash, leaving both his right arm and chest bare. Akiye winked at him across the table, causing a blush. She giggled. Akiye herself wore a sleeveless green jacket over a white shirt, with light blue denim jeans. In her hair she wore a black ribbon positioned to the right. Usually she wore a ribbon around her neck but the day was warm so she decided against wearing it and decided to unbutton the first two buttons on her shirt, which was apparently making young David a little flustered. He gulped before looking away. ‘Why, David, whatever is the matter?’ Kentaro and Hawke shared a quick glance followed by the two bursting into fits of laugher. Of course that ignited the powder keg! David screwed his face up and sat with his arms crossed. He was livid! And Akiye delighted in every second of his torture. ‘You’re so innocent.’ She noted. ‘Eh, leave him alone.’ Hawke said, struggling to keep his laughter down. ‘You’ll have him blushing again.’ Kentaro came to David’s rescue by directing the conversation back to Oda. ‘As I was saying,’ he went on, ‘Oda has us by the balls.’ Akiye couldn’t help but agree with him. She even found Hawke and David nodding their heads in agreement, though David’s face still made her chuckle. Oda had his own military force and on top of it he had a force of Soulless at his command, ready to pounce at ant moment. Information was one of the perks of visiting Kōhai Tochi. Someone always knew something. Apparently, once the Shuuten was well in-hand and he had taken the throne from Kaede, the Soulless would be unleashed. Oda would then “quell” the subsequent invasion, winning the people’s hearts in the process. He’d become King in one fell swoop! And, more importantly, he’d be King in farm more than name. ‘How long you reckon we have before Saya moves on this?’ David inquired. ‘Move on it?’ Kentaro chuckled to himself. ‘David, rest assured, that woman is involved already. I know how she operates – the methods she favours. Oda couldn’t have done this himself.’ ‘Agreed,’ Akiye interjected. ‘Saya was never one to act openly, after all. She’ll use Oda until he’s of no more use, and then discard him like all the others.’ From what they’d been fit to gather so far Oda had been planning this since his failed rebellion some three-hundred-years ago. That was a lot of time to build alliances, plot downfalls and build a personal army of loyal followers. There where plenty of people in Heisekai dissatisfied with Kaede’s rule. Rumours were powerful things and Saya wielded them masterfully. The woman could teach people to lie. One clever word from her sets off an immediate chain. The truly sad thing though? She was getting better all the time. They needed to act now! ‘The law of Kōhai Tochi,’ Hawke whispered. ‘But that makes things more difficult for us: a lot more difficult.’ Akiye pondered the situation at hand: what could they do? The people of Heisekai saw them as outsiders, the Shuuten treated them no better than underlings to be bossed around and the Jōren only tried to arrest them for causing “unneeded violence” in the region. So they bashed some heads? Big whoop! If she had her way she’d bash some more! ‘Either way,’ Kentaro began, ‘we have to act or the Queen will find herself without a throne.’ ‘And her head, if I know Oda.’ Hawke added. ‘We get any more leads on the Princess?’ ‘Our contacts haven’t whispered any names yet,’ Akiye sulked at that. Kentaro merely carried on with a grin. ‘Or locations for that matter. But I’m looking at some other options. It shouldn’t take long. There is one more thing I heard though, which I found interesting.’ ‘Oh?’ Dave asked. ‘What was that?’ Hawke narrowed his eyes. ‘It’s about Itazura, isn’t it?’ ‘He’s made contact with Fujimoto Nakamura. According to my eyes and ears in the palace, he and the Captain-General also fought off Ichihara in the palace grounds.’ ‘… I hope he isn’t getting in over his head.’ Hawke pondered. ‘But that’s enough complaining for now. How about we see if we can turn around some of our fortunes? I know where a certain traitorous ex-Gotei 13 Captain happens to be.’ Kentaro raised an eyebrow. ‘You found Kojima?’ ‘You bet we did!’ David added. ‘Then we’ll keep looking for the Princess.’ Akiye concluded. ‘You guys kill Kojima.’ ‘It’s a little more complicated than that.’ David said. ‘He’s infiltrated Itazura’s group. He’s been helping the Shuuten, though in truth he’s loyal to Oda and his cronies, and been assigned to assist Itazura.’ ‘That’s all the more reason to kill him now then. The longer he stays by my cousin’s side, the more danger he’s in.’ Hawke said simply. ‘What do we know about Kojima?’ Akiye tapped a steady rhythm on the tabletop. ‘He was Captain of the 7th Division back when Shin was the 3rd Seat. Odd, some would say crazy; he kept his own council and never befriended anyone he didn’t need to. Putting it simply, we’ve got nothing. We don’t even know what his Zanpakutō does.’ Kentaro grunted. ‘I heard he favoured Zanjutsu. Aside from that Shin said he was fast, so you’d better watch yourself.’ Hawke merely grinned. ‘Why, Kentaro, if I can beat you in a race, I’ll be fit to beat Kojima.’ Itazura looked out across the training ground in the outer courtyard of the Royal Palace with a look of nostalgia plastered across his sharp features. He wore the same white jacket (mended thankfully) he had sixteen years ago, though it no longer drowned him. It was still a little too big on him but the sleeves kept his arms warm and the material extinguished all trace of his spiritual power. ‘Where did the time go?’ He asked aloud. ‘In my head it feels just like yesterday…’ The memory brought a smile to Itazura’s face. ‘We really missed you, kid.’ Itazura turned to see Fujimoto, Hiei and Shiro standing in the corridor leading out towards the training ground. Fujimoto had changed into an old training outfit with holes in the chest, spotted with stains and generally worn from years of use. Secured at his waist was his Zanpakutō which took the form of a wooden katana. On his left was Hiei. He looked the same as he did sixteen years ago! He was still wearing his staple purple, though his hair had grown out a little to lie over his left eye, which had bandages around it. Eh? That was new! Was he blind? On Fujimoto’s right stood a saddened Shiro. Instead of the silver hair he sported sixteen years prior he had allowed his original black to come through. Tonight he wore baggy black trousers with a sleeveless black training vest, with a necklace around his neck. ‘Likewise,’ Itazura replied. He then looked at Shiro and inhaled sharply. ‘Shiro, we need to talk. It’s about-’ ‘It wasn’t your fault.’ Shiro cut in. ‘Fujimoto told me everything. Rest assured, when we find Takahara and this Zenshin who helped him, they’ll die slowly.’ ‘Best thing I’ve heard all night.’ He and Itazura clasped hands and nodded sharply, their arrangement sealed. ‘Hiei… Your eye, what happened?’ Hiei registered the comment with a casual flick of his head. His black hair with purple highlights throughout swayed with the motion, though there was no annoyance in that look. There was merely amusement. How could someone be amused by that? ‘It’s a secret!’ Hiei said with a wink. ‘But enough about me, let’s talk about you! You stopped writing me, you little shit!’ ‘Yeah,’ Fujimoto and Shiro agreed in unison. ‘Well,’ Itazura began, not sure with who to address first. ‘You see, we got very busy, the 11th Division that is. Missions came in, I barely got any sleep never mind a letter written, you know the usual stuff that comes with being a Shinigami.’ ‘What about me!?’ Itazura’s eye twitched in time with his three mentors. That voice, delivered in that tone, at that loud pitch could only mean one thing…! Toshie! The man, who was an utter eccentric, fell down from the heavens dressed in a light blue kimono! His arms where spread wide, as if he wanted a hug, though the only thing Itazura did in response to this was spread his legs wide as he took a low ready stance. ‘Not this time you old bastard…!’ Fujimoto watched with a casual half-smile at Itazura’s positioning. Hiei and Shiro shared a quick look as Toshie descended, but made no move to intervene. Itazura caught the casual nod from Fujimoto and grinned wide. At the last possible second Itazura shimmered as he performed Shunpo, his steps taking him level with the descending Toshie. The young Kori clansmen twisted around quickly and caught the elder Shinigami flush in the left cheek with a spinning low-kick! Toshie gave a yell, flew through a nearby pillar and crashed into the far wall! Itazura touched down and looked up as his mentors gave applause from the sidelines. ‘That’s for my tooth you crazy old bat!’ ‘Niiiiicccceeee!’ Fujimoto declared. ‘Your positioning, the execution and followed by the kick itself! Oh, the kick! Even Toshie would’ve felt that.’ A dust cloud rose as Toshie manoeuvred! Itazura felt a wave of pure killing intent seep from Toshie’s position, prompting him to spin in place, followed by a quick drawing slash! Steel collided with steel, though Itazura, with a yell, diverted Toshie’s blade onto the floor. ‘Not a smart move.’ Itazura whispered, with the anger clear on his face. Even Shiro had clenched his fist. Itazura moved in whilst avoiding Toshie’s palm trust, which he then countered with a grappling manoeuvre he quickly turned into a throw! Toshie went over the younger mans shoulder to collide with another pillar, though this time Itazura appeared beside him. He put his palm over Toshie’s face, slowed him to a complete stand-still before slamming him into the floor! ‘If you think I’m anything like I used to be, you old bastard, then you’ll have to start trying harder. I’m not the kid I was sixteen years ago.’ Fujimoto broke them up soon after. ‘Get out of here, Toshie. Now,’ the elder left without complaint, rubbing his cheek. ‘Well, that was certainly eventful.’ ‘That’s putting it lightly.’ Hiei added. ‘Meh, he did what any of us would’ve done, given the circumstances.’ Shiro interjected. ‘It was only for a second, but Toshie definitely aimed to kill him. I’d watch yourself if I where you, Zura.’ ‘I intend to.’ Itazura watched Toshie's departing form with a grimace. If the old fool tried anything... well, he had enough reason to kill him. The old bastard would not be missed. Next Story >.
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