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Kira made his way out of the Kuchiki grounds carefully, once more marveling at the Women's Association for building so many secret rooms inside Kuchiki manor. The room the men used had been abandoned because Byakuya had sealed it off, and the women hadn't used it because it smelled like alcohol, so with a bit of soundproofing and some kido to provide a warning of incoming, it had become an excellent place for them to meet in secret, without the threat of Kurotsuchi or the 2nd squad eavesdropping on them, or the women's association kicking them out for storage. Once he was on the street, he made his way slowly to the 3rd division compound and his room, taking the time to admire the moon and the cool night air, along with the quiet of the deserted streets.
You are troubled. Kira slowed his pace slightly.
Wabisuke?
Your soul is troubled, Izuru. Why?
Significant changes are coming to Seireitei, Wabisuke. I will be forced to change along with everyone else.
I fail to see the problem. Change is necessary. If we are stagnant, then we do not learn, do not grow. If we do not grow, we do not become stronger. If we do not become stronger, we die, and the wicked flourish.
The changes will mean I have to strive for Bankai.
Are you ready?
No. Not in the least.
You are correct. What are your options, then?
Die, first. Change in order to change, second. Remain stagnant, shame my family, and be demoted, third.
If you know what you must do, then where is the problem?
It is one thing to know I need to change. It is another to know what to change.
You doubt yourself?
I can't very well work on whatever I need to work on if I cannot identify the weakness in the first place.
Do you have an idea?
No.
Think harder. What has prevented you from achieving Bankai?
You told me I am not ready.
Why?
You . . . you did not say, Wabisuke.
Wrong.
What?
You are wrong. I told you why, and you did not listen. Kira stopped in the street, took a deep breath and looked to the moon for a moment. For several long minutes, his mind was silent. Finally, he began to move again.
'Why one acts is just as significant as why one does not.'
Correct.
So you suggest I examine why I do or do not act to find my weakness.
I would start with your actions right after Ichimaru left with Aizen and Kaname. You were as emotional as you ever become, and emotions cloud one's vision. Kira found himself in front of the 3rd division gates, locked tight, the division number proudly burned into the wood. He stood there for a long while, the sentries recognizing their Lieutenant, and noticing him in one of his moods, merely opening a door in the gate and leaving him alone. After a long while, he entered, thanked the guards, and made his way to his suite.
Once inside, he changed into his nightclothes, cut up several slices of cantaloupe, and went out into his small but very private garden. Looking around, he found Goju hiding behind some flowers at the edge of the modest pond. Greeting the little turtle with a gentle caress to its leathery head, he placed the slices in front of him and sat down, content to watch the little creature eat. He took particular joy in how it would look at him every so often between bites, as if to convey his appreciation. Izuru took a deep breath, closing his eyes and enjoying the sound of the birds in the bushes lining the garden.
It is my doubt I must cast aside.
Correct. Asking Soi Fon-Taicho for a crash course in close combat technique or tips for shunpo would be wise. You know how to use me and know your kido. Doing such will make you a strong candidate for captaincy, should you acquire Bankai afterward. Assuming you can cast off your doubt, of course.
You do not think I can do so?
Name one time where you have taken a situation that would allow you to make a decision on your own - where success and failure were indistinguishable- and made a choice, rather than looking to your superior. Name one time when you fought to the best of your ability and knew you would likely fail. Name one time where you stood your ground and fought instead of running in the face of defeat.
Fighting a losing battle is stupidity of the highest order. You taught me that yourself!
And it is. But how else will you truly know your limits? How else will you have a firm understanding of what you can and cannot handle? If you are to learn, you must find and fight a losing battle. You do not have to make a habit of it, but you must fight a losing battle to its conclusion.
And what exactly will that teach me?
If you go into a fight knowing you cannot win, but determined to exhaust yourself in any case, then, should you survive, you will be able to look back upon it, and not only learn for future battles, but know your own limits intimately. Knowing thyself is the key to casting away doubt.
I shall not argue, since you have yet to lead me wrong. Still, are you sure seeking out Soi Fon Taicho is a good idea? The woman is barely polite to me.
She will be harsher than she needs to be because she detests men – especially chauvinists - and weaklings. In her eyes, you are both. She will beat you within an inch of your life, which is just what you need to fully grasp where your limits are. She is also a superb fighter, one who has not let any of her skills atrophy in her tenure as a Captain. She is at an excellent level of conditioning for you to use as a standard with which to compare yourself.
I don't think I like your reasoning, Wabisuke. And I am no chauvinist!
You do not cry, weep, nor display any emotion. Ever. You do not publicly treat your friends any different from your associates. No one could clearly identify who your closest friends are, if any, save those friends themselves. You appear to be a cold, unflinching automaton of the Gotei. While she is guilty of this in addition to being discourteous and hostile, she is a Captain. You are not. Izuru found he couldn't argue with that.
You fail to make a case why I should ask her to be the one to train with me.
Her strengths are flash steps, and martial combat, as it is what her Zanpakuto is based off of. These are your weaknesses, and she will exploit them ruthlessly. Your only advantages will be fast reflexes, which will keep you alive, and your kido.
I know for a fact that there is nothing wrong, questionable, or poor about my flash steps. My grasp of the technique is quite satisfactory. Smugness laced his tone.
In this war, anything that is not strength is a weakness. You need to improve. You need to spar, and you need a chance to win, but only by the slightest margins. You are trying to drive doubt from your heart. Vicious brutality is the best way to achieve this. In that, she is ideal. Kira was un-amused at the idea of scheduling his own beating at the hands of the Seireitei's resident man-hater. He rose and brushed the grass from the seat of his pants, and gently placed Goju on his little floating house-raft in the pond, petting him once more before heading inside.
Perhaps Kurotsuchi Taicho would be a better option, if we were after cruelty?
We also want to improve. Soi Fon will at the very least ensure you improve your martial skills. Kurotsuchi will simply implant you with something unpleasant before letting his daughter take advantage of you. Izuru flinched.
Point taken.
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"I thought I told you to stay out of sight on the nights I went out with the guys."
"You also said I am free to wander whenever you have need of me or I am too restless to be still. You used my shikai for a very long time tonight, Tetsu. You have gotten far better at maintaining your concentration. I am pleased."
"If you start sounding like a woman I'm gonna seal you up faster than one of Hisagi's mood swings." The dark shadow in the closet laughed at this, the sound reminiscent of breaking pavement mixed with the spatter of fresh-spilt blood.
"No, no deep, unsettling emotional revelations from me. Unless you wish to talk about your mother? I'm no shrink, but I can fake sympathy well enough." Iba proceeded to place his dirty uniform in the hamper before stepping into the bathroom and wetting his face. Calmly, he removed a grooming kit from under the sink and began to trim his hair.
"You're a Zanpakuto. You ever talk to Hisagi's?"
"Kazeshini is an angry possessive wench if ever there was one, and one day, she'll either kill Hisagi or Kotetsu or both. She doesn't like to make friends."
"I didn't ask if you were friends. I asked if you ever talked to her." He moved to the other side of his hair. The shadow shrugged and shifted in the closet doorway..
"On occasion, and usually only when she seeks me out to give Itegumo a hard time. The only one she likes to talk to is Wabisuke, and that's probably because the creepy bastard barely talks." Iba's red eyes looked in the mirror towards the shadowy figure half hiding in his closet, ignoring the ridiculousness of his Zanpakuto calling another 'creepy'.
"You mean she even hates Kotetsu's Zanpakuto?" The sound of crackling gravel again; a little less blood. Genuine amusement, then . . .
"You have no idea. At least once a week, she'll have some new plan devised to enrage, embarrass, horrify, offend, or confuse the poor bastard. If he wasn't such a pussy, I'd help out less often or at least pity him. But all the bastard does is threaten to tell his mistress." Iba moved back to his hair.
"That so?"
"Yeah, he can't be told anything without telling his mistress. The general consensus among us is that she hates how much her master likes Kotetsu, so she tries to get Kotetsu to hate Hisagi because of what a mad raving bitch his sword is." Iba logged that particular tidbit under 'Man-law Priority: tell Hisagi next time you see him'.
"Really? In your opinion, how successful is she?" Tetsuzaemon began to trim his moustache.
"Fuck if I know. I don't really care. If we pair up Hisagi's little pissfest tonight with the fact she's not speaking to him, my guess would be . . . sort of? Why she would keep changing her mind about him doesn't make any sense, especially for how long they've been at it. No man or woman fails to know their own mind for that long."
"She's a woman. The minute ya complain they don' make sense, they just say they don't have to."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because they're women, and they said so. And if you say no so, then 'yer a sexist pig."
"Shit would be so much easier if men an' women didn't need t' fuck." Iba laughed.
"Agreed."
"You think yer ready fer Bankai, Tetsuzaemon?" Bored already, the shadow changed topics.
"Eh, I could stand to brush up on my kido a bit first, but yeah, I think I could whup yer ass in an all out brawl again. Why?" Iba cleaned the razor in the sink and returned to his face, steam beginning to obscure the mirror.
"Well, I've warned you. You've managed to keep most people from knowin' what yer shikai is, so most people don't suspect ya, but yer Bankai . . . there ain't no going back once you get it, Testu. And it may prove addictive." Iba's hand slowed slightly before resuming its course across his chin.
"Addictive? I wasn't aware there's any kinda drug aspect to it. How dangerous are we talkin'?"
"Think, Tetsuzaemon. Every time you use me, you can't stand being in direct sunlight for a good 24 hours. Some days you actually hide in your closet to avoid the pain. My Bankai builds on my shikai." Iba paused before moving on to trim his moustache.
"I don't really have a choice, do I? We are what we are, Kage'. We can't stay as we are, and I will die in a gutter homeless before I go back to her place. What else is there?"
"We could always go back and kill her." Iba spun around and threw his shaving can at the shadow, who barely ducked in time.
"I told you before: she may be a rotten, vile, hateful, despicable, evil hag, but she is still my mother. You don't kill your family, no matter how much good it would do." A mild chuckling emanated from the closet.
"You think anyone has made the yakuza connection yet? You know all the shit headed our way if they figure out what you remember. It's against the law, right?" Iba rinsed the blade and applied a copious – and most women would say, excessive – amount of aftershave to his face before rinsing his hands and reaching for a towel.
"Yeah. Luckily for me, I'm boring and unlikable. If people don't want to know you, they won't ask about you." Iba finished replacing his grooming kit to its resting place beneath the sink before moving to the tatami mat, adjusting his fundoshi as he lay down.
"I'm tired, Kage. Return, and be silent."
"Yes, master. Though I must say, you really need to stop sleeping in nothing but your loincloth. It's just asking for trouble." Iba sighed and rolled over.
"Please be silent, Kage. I'm tired."
"As you wish." The shadows seeped into the room until the man was gone and no light was present, as Iba felt his consciousness slip away, a faint red glow emanating from beneath closed lids.
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"Ya think we should talk to Hisagi?" The 3rd and 5th seats of the 11th division made their way down the darkened streets towards their division barracks. Ikkaku had his blade swung over his shoulders to support his arms as they walked, obi weighed down with sake bottles as his companion patted down his kimono to get the smell of cigar smoke out in vain. He made a mental note to buy more cologne later in the week – stupid paycheck intervals!
"He's a grown man, he'll be fine. That is, of course, assuming Kotetsu-Fukutaicho doesn't do anything to exacerbate his mood until it's stable." He looked up at the moon as they continued on, his face pensive. "I think I'll just buy him a bag of that coffee he seems so fond of. That's an acceptable peace offering, yes?" Ikkaku gave his friend a dull glare from the corner of his eye.
"You stomp on his greatest insecurity and only hope for the future, and instead o' apologizin', ya buy him a bag of coffee? I thought he was 'sposed to be the insensitive ass." Yukichika returned the glare, his arms tightening and his hands forming fists at his sides, back suddenly rigid.
"He called me gay." Years of fury underlay the tone.
"You are." The feathered man's face went wide with shock.
"I am no such thing!" He spat back, scandalized, and socking the bald man in the arm. Ikkaku didn't even sway with the impact.
"Yumi, you're 'bout as straight as a circle. You're gay, and that's fine. But ya go an' piss people off, they're gonna slam ya 'fer it."
"You are being incredibly rude right now, Ikkaku. Stop it." The bald man shrugged as they turned the corner.
""M just sayin'-"
"Well don't!"
"Don't say what?" The two straightened as their Lieutenant suddenly appeared before them, Yumichika going rigid.
"Yumi doesn't want me to mention the case of spare feathers he has in his office somewhere. Seems he went an' bought some that smell like candy." This is the mildly plausible cover story that saves Yumi some embarrassment and I can still pull out of my ass on the spot.
"Ikkaku!" Thank you, and dear GOD I hope it works.
"Oh? Well come on cueball, show me! Show me show me show me! I wanna play with them! What kinda flavor do they have?" Bouncing up and down the small but strong girl hopped onto the 3rd seat's head as they continued toward the gates. Ikkaku abruptly dropped his sword to catch one of the sake jars falling from his obi, ignoring the displeased bark coming from Hozukimaru.
"Yachiro-fukutaicho, where is the captain?" Ayasegawa eyed the sake bottles coolly, prepared to intervene if Ikkaku proved to slow, no matter how ugly a sudden, ungraceful contortion may be.
"Oh, he's real, real mad tonight, so he sent me out to play. He had a long meeting that he didn't like. I wouldn't fight him right now, though – he'd probably just kill you instead of enjoy it." The men spared a glance as the young girl jostled about the bald man's shoulders, and decided, unspoken, to say nothing until they were told – and to take the long way back to avoid their Captain's office.
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"Kotetsu-Fukutaicho, I have a question for you." Hisagi remained calm and cool as Ise glared at him from behind her glasses, Matsumoto eyed him curiously, Kurotsuchi stood calmly behind them, and Isane refused to meet his eyes.
"I don't think she feels like talking to you right now, Lieutenant." Damn Ise.
Really, it was his own fault for not being one of the first ones to the meeting room. That admitted, why did Ise always have to shit in his soup? Damn that woman needed a good dicking – he'd have to remember to subtly suggest it to Kyoraku.
Sexism, Shuuhei? Really? Kazeshini was unimpressed – though by this point, she shouldn't be; he resorted to it every time Isane gave him the runaround or a fight over something insignificant.
She needs to get that stick out of her ass – or at least stop using it to jab me in the eye.
"How fortunate, then, that I just have the one question that needs answered." She finally turned to face him, those wide, sad eyes as guarded as ever.
Let me pluck them out. She's obviously bewitched you with those and a good application of Kido. Or is it her tits? I'll grant her I she has me beat there . . .
Silence!
"What is it, Hisagi?" Her voice was calm and quiet, but he detected the sadness in it, along with the hostility radiating from Ise.
"I would like my question to remain between us." The fewer witnesses here, the better – less fuss, less rumor.
"Anything you have to say to her can be said right here, Lieutenant, unless you are implying that we don't have tact?" Dammit all. He knew he could count on Ise to make things difficult. He turned to stare her dead in the eye, and she returned it with all the icy vitriol she was famous for. Isane fought down a wince, but he knew her face well enough to see it. Her eyes kept the sad sense about them, but she did nothing to countermand Ise. He felt Kazeshini try to play in tune to his emotions, make him slip as his anger started to boil under the surface towards Ise.
Let me kill the bitch, Shu. She's never liked you, never trusted you, insulted you behind your back, and she wanted you imprisoned after Tousen left. Let me make her bleed!
"Fine." He turned his eyes to Isane, unable to keep the pensive look in his face down. "Is it true Kazeshini has been harassing Itegumo?" Matsumoto and Ise looked shocked - and more dangerously, Kurotsuchi looked curious. But worst was the flash of indignation that returned to sadness and then, the normally rare but frequent anger in her eyes that he seemed unnaturally talented at bringing out. In the back of his mind, he admitted that when she got mad, she went from cute to hot – but that was a thought for another time.
"Yes, Lieutenant, she has, and I would appreciate it if you made efforts to stop it from now on. How you can fail to know that you Zanpakuto is up to is beyond me, so you'll understand my displeasure. If it gets much worse I am afraid I will have to say something to the Captain-Commander." She paused for a moment, her face hiding the anger and a hint of upset. "Oh, and I would also appreciate it if you lost my address in the process."
Inside, he felt his stomach drop while he felt a wave of joy coming from Kazeshini, her victory cry echoing in his ears and left them ringing. He stood stock still, her eyes unreadable and unflinching, the other women watching his reaction. He couldn't stop the sudden, slight twitch and tremble of his left eye, but that was all that escaped him before he got a grip on himself. He took a shallow breath, and nodded; they caught the flinch, but if he stood still a moment longer, Isane would see more than he wanted her to; he had never been able to hide his emotions from her, even if he didn't know what he was feeling himself. Damn woman.
"Understood, Kotetsu-Fukutaicho." With that, he nodded in acknowledgement to Kurotsuchi, Isane, and Rangiku before he turned and unhurriedly left the room without hesitation, stopping at the men's room to wash his face with cold water as Kazeshini crowed in his mind, exultant.
Why must you only be happy at my misery? He was alone for now; he could let himself feel the bitterness of his situation, how doomed it was, and how much he hated that fact.
You have no one else to waste your affection on now, Shu~u-Ku~un! Her voice was sickeningly sweet in his mind, and had taken on a seductive tone that made his stomach turn. Finally, she's had enough! She never told you to lose her address before, now, did she? Guess that means you two are done for good. Her voice was now disgustingly sympathetic as she cooed to him, her desire resonating in his mind, willing him to stroke her handle. It'll be okay, Shu-Kun, dear. I'm here, and you don't need anyone else, you never did. I have never used you, if you think about it. She can't use you anymore, you're safe now. I won't let her exploit you again. It has always been her using you as you use me. It is cruel of her and of you, but that's okay, dear, I'll forgive you. After all, you need Bankai anyway, and she was the first thing that had to go. We don't need her, or anyone else. Rage, white hot and seething washed over him, and as he so often did, he directed it inwards.
You did this thinking I would suddenly turn around and appreciate you just because I had no one else? That I would suddenly warm up to you; kiss your ass to get Bankai?
No! I did it because she's killing you, Shuuhei. Bit by bit she's killing you with her on-again, off-again attention and her skittishness and her refusal to decide! She wanted you, she didn't want you. On again, off again. She had no right! None! Not when she was stealing what is MINE! It is the ultimate insult to steal what another cherishes, and then to throw it away because now that you have it you don't want it anymore.
Her voice became calm, and shockingly soothing, making him wonder just how twisted she really was, to have her emotions fluctuate so rapidly. She sent the urge to him, stronger this time, trying to get him to touch her pommel, her hilt, hold the blade in his hands. He ignored it, focused on her attempt to be rational for a very rare occurrence, despite the subtle urge to simply stroke the saya. "Besides, Shuuhei, did you not promise, just last night, to cast her aside? You know you're an assassin, Shu-kun; at some level, at least, you've accepted that. You know she could never really love you, and you know your heart has had enough. Be content that she finally made her choice, and that you are free to lick your wounds and heal, instead of letting them fester and rot until you aren't you anymore. Scars are never as ugly as a festering, rotted wound, and you look so sexy with scars . . .
I fail to see why I should be happy that she has cast me aside for good, especially when it is all YOUR doing! He heard her sigh in exasperation.
Shuuhei, my dear Shuuhei. You are a man, so love is obviously something you are going to need help with. Lesson one: To love another, you must first love yourself. I am a part of you, Shu. Her voice became quiet, so quiet and soft he had to strain and focus to hear her. You never told me you loved me, Shuuhei, not once; only that you hated me. Ergo, you do not love yourself, and subsequently, you cannot love another, no matter how hard you try. He reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight as he felt a headache coming. He hated it when the murderous wench made sense; and because he felt she was right, he couldn't even summon the rage to be mad at her condescension.
And you couldn't have told me this during the ten-odd years we did this dance because . . . why? Mirth pulsed from her in a short, sharp wave.
Would you have listened? Or believed me? She had him there. The next question came to him: what now? He sighed, and looked himself in the bathroom mirror – he looked fine, eyes not even damp. Wouldn't do for people to think he was crying; not that it was shameful or anything, just that he couldn't remember ever being able to do so, and he felt no desire to explain that to others. He didn't feel like being called a liar… or heartless, for that matter.
What now, then? Her response was hesitant, uneasy; as if she wasn't sure she should be telling him.
You learn to love yourself, Shu. Then move on from there.
I already love myself just fine.
Including me?
He was silent.
Exactly. Her voice was that of one who was deeply wounded, but knew the painful truth, and could accept it. Well, he could be painfully truthful too – though now, he was regretting his penchant for honorable behavior. Raising his eyes to his reflection in the mirror, he saw them blood red with reptilian slits of black. Since she was prone to fucking with him like this, he didn't react, even with the irritation he felt. Initially, it never scared him when she did that, until he realized it was a precursor to one of her 'date nights' with him. After the first trip to Unohana-Taicho's emergency ward, it scared him shitless.
I've spent a long time hating you. Fearing you. I don't want to be a murderer, a butcher. I hate killing.
I know. To be fair, Tousen made it worse. We are what we are. You may hate that violence is a part of you, but you have a talent for it, Shuuhei; you could easily be a literal virtuoso in the art of death. Your killing potential is greater than that of Senbonzakura – or it could be, if you developed my abilities and your skill. He knows it, too – he's the reason Kuchiki hates me and by extension, dislikes you. That was news to him. He would have to remember that for future reference. For the time being, he would have to focus on the immediate issue.
How do we fix this? One doesn't just change years of feeling and behavior with a flip of a switch. It isn't like we can simply stop the enmity.
First, I have never hated you. Your love for Kotetsu, your refusal to accept me and yourself, your habit of going over the top to please her and never me, plenty. But never, ever you, Shuuhei. Second: Are you going to stop suddenly feeling things for Kotetsu?
Never. And they were truly fucked if she expected him to; it would mean they'd hit a permanent impasse – and seppuku hurt, as word had it.
Then what will you do?
Suppress it; ignore it, until I have to think about it consciously to remember it.
Try that with me. Don't focus on how we hurt each other. Focus on how well we fight together, how we compliment one another. From there, perhaps, you can stop fearing me, hating me, and come to love yourself.
And by extension, you.
Yes. He paused, and reflected that this shit was happening far faster than he was comfortable with. Nothing for it, though; still, progress was progress. There was - something to be said for her sudden agreeableness- though it would probably be a while before it stopped creeping him out.
How do we start?
You fear my blades, and you almost lose a fight before you turn to my shikai. You're decent with it, competent, but not good. For now, just start every fight with my shikai. Once you get over the fear, the aversion, we can move on to other things. Now shift gear, someone is coming. I promise I won't peek. He shifted to the urinal and did his business as the door opened and Kira entered, followed by Iba.
"Are you alright, Hisagi-kun?" Iba leaned against a sink at the far end of the room as Kira blocked the closed door and addressed him.
"That was a real shitty thing fer a woman t'do to a body, Shuuhei. Even Kusajishi made fun of her for having to do it with a gang at her back." Shuuhei didn't avert his eyes, restroom conduct firmly entrenched in via man-law.
"It was not my intention to cause a rift among the Lieutenants. I merely needed to use the restroom before the meeting. I suppose I can understand why you got the wrong impression though. Thanks for your consideration." He yawned, years of listening to Isane's medi-babble giving him an excellent fake yawn – and what said lackadaisical better than a yawn?
"It took you ten minutes to go down the hall and use a urinal? I smell a lie, Hisagi-san." Hisagi shrugged and finished, moving to the sink after he flushed.
"Kazeshini had a few comments to make over her latest and greatest victory in her drive to aggravate me."
"Well, 'fer what it's worth, Matsumoto had the grace to look embarrassed and apologetic. Ise is all indignant about it, but refused to explain to Kurotsuchi what just happened." He chuckled. "We left Abarai to explain it to her." That got a laugh out of Hisagi, though he hoped Renji didn't butcher the job and explain things the wrong way; that would just make things worse in the long run.
"How did Kotetsu-Fukutaicho look? Is she alright?" He could practically hear the look they shared.
"Isane-san looked sad, and –"
"She looked like she wanted to cry but knew she wasn't allowed to."
"-And also mildly embarrassed before Kushajishi-Fukutaicho said something. After that, she was terribly embarrassed." Hisagi felt bad about it – Isane was a complete sweetheart, and he didn't like her hurting, even if it was her own doing; god knew she could be a klutz sometimes.
I thought I told you not to think of her like that!
Oops. My bad.
The correct phrase is 'sorry,' you ass!
A killer and a jerk I may be, but a liar, I am not.
Bullshit. You lie to yourself every damned day!
"I see. How much longer before the meeting?"
"Just a few minutes, Hisagi-san." Hisagi dried his hands.
"Then we had best be present, right?" With a grunt, Iba joined him and Kira as they made their way back to the office, talking about what they 'thought' might be the new topic for the sudden meeting. Hisagi pointedly spoke loudly when he began to insist that they wanted to declare some new wartime emergency, while Kira argued politely that it must be to declare a new captain. Iba countered that there were no candidates suitable for such a position, to which Kira countered that Renji had a Bankai. Hisagi called Renji over (rescuing him from a line of interrogation by Lieutenant Kurotsuchi that had him very red faced and nervous looking), and grilled him on his kido abilities, and the four began to argue about Renji's candidacy; two for, two against. They were careful not to look outside the circle, where the ladies were talking together, nor comment on how Omaeda was not present. Looking at the four men, red in the face and gesturing wildly, one would never suspect they all knew what was going on.
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Still don't own Bleach. Still learning how to update.
And cranky as all hell that AEG is making me wait AND drop $60.00 for my 4th Edition L5R RPG Core rulebook. BASTARDS! I WANT IT! WANT WANT WANT!
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Oh yeah, review? Almost 50 hits and only 3 reviews makes me a Saaaaad panda!
