Bleach:

Desertion Chronicles

Chapter 2:

Remorseful Vengeance

Noburo lead Kichiro back to his store, with the key still in the lock. He completed turning the key and opened the door, flipping the light switch inside. As Kichiro stepped inside, he glanced from one wall to another, noticing every type of blade known to man. There were broadswords, rapiers, katanas, and even Chinese straight swords. Even American pocket knives to Chinese trench knives filled glass cabinets that were the counters.

Kichiro stepped inside the shop and crossed his arms, looking over a large blade hanging high on the wall. "So I take it this is how you're making a living here in the real world?" he asked.

"You could say that. I don't know if most people would call this a living, but I quite enjoy it. I make and sell any type of blade." Noburo stopped at a doorway in the back of the shop, "Have a seat and I'll heat up some sake, then we can talk."

In the center of the shop was a low table with a pillow on either side. After removing his two zanpaktou from his belt and leaning them against the counter, he sat down. Noburo stepped out of the back room after a few minutes with a tokkuri (flask) sull of sake and two choko (cups).

"So, tell me, my friend, why are you no longer among the ranks of the Gotei?" Noburo took a choko and poured some sake while waiting for a response.

Kichiro looked at the cup before him. "Wait...we need to be in our gigais to have a drink...problem is...I don't have one."

Noburo chuckled, "Oh that's right. I almost forgot. Well, you can use my gigai. I'll go get it, hold on." Noburo grabbed the stone ring around his neck, and began to change back. His robes seemed to slip off his body toward the ring, and his zanpakuto burst into a metallic, black fog that drifted up to the ring. In mere seconds, he had taken physical form once again. Noburo headed up the stairs, leaving Kichiro behind, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Now that needs some explaining, Noburo-san!" Kichiro shouted up the stairs at Noburo.

Noburo returned, laughing as he came. "Yes, yes. I suppose I'll tell my story first. Here." He thrust the gigai at Kichiro and sat down at the table. After Kichiro possessed the gigai, Noburo began his tale.

"It starts a long time ago. During the Shinigami-Quincy Wars to be exact.

"I was acting third seat on the second Gotei squad under the leadership of Captain Yoruichi and Vice-captain Sui Fong. During this time, The Quincys were beginning their assault on Soul Society and, more specifically, the thirteen Gotei squads.

"Captain Genryu-sama learned of their attack and sent ahead two squads to crush the opposition: eleventh squad and second squad. Our mission was simple: scout the opposition, and eliminate preliminary defenses. We were the first line.

"I was instructed to lead the first platoon on the first wave. During this time I fought a Quincy. Shinichi was his name. He was actually quite honorable, if I do say so myself. During our fight, we got to talking, and I didn't necessarily agree with everything he said, but he did have some good points. You may have heard of 'speaking with the blade,' and that's exactly what happened. It was through the fighting the I came to truly respect him. And that's what made it so hard for me to kill him.

"It was because of my guilt and regret of killing Shinichi that I decided to leave the Gotei for good. For a while I traveled Soul Society, and later the real world. I eventually found Sansui town and this is where I stay as the town's resident 'shinigami.'"

Noburo broke from his reminisce and Kichiro nodded, staring down at the table in thought, his arms crossed. "So that bracelet...belonged to Shinichi."

With a look of thoughtful anguish, Noburo twisted the bracelet around his wrist. "Yeah...I wear it in remembrance. It reminds me of a great man whom I respected and of the terrible deeds I was forced to commit." The look on his face changed to a thoughtful smile. "I hope to some day be able to use it in his memory to protect as a way to atone for my sins."

"Wow...what a depressing story." Kichiro remarked, almost with a sarcastic tone.

"Yeah, but at the end of every sad story, is the beginning of something happy. For instance, now I've got a second chance...as a 'Quincygami'. Right?" Noburo replied.

Kichiro smirked. "Exactly."

Noburo poured a second round of sake. "So what about you? What's your story?"

Kichiro's smile faded and he downed his sake, holding the cup up for another round.

"I'm gonna need more than that."