Lawyer: Destroy. Destroy. Destroy.
Sasaki-San: Stoooooop! NOOOOOOO! I'll WRITE IT!
By Soichiro's 4th week of work, a new case arrived. The circumstances were as follows. A Shinigami had disappeared with barely a trace on the outer edges of Seireitei. Nobody could sense any traces of Reiatsu. Everything-his clothes, his Zanpakuto-had disappeared. The only evidence that pointed to him being there were a few hairs on the ground, his footprints in the muddy ground, and an identification badge that was soaked in muddy water. No blood, no Reiatsu remnants. The person who had disappeared was a new Shinigami. He had arrived in Seireitei after being killed by Yakuza in a Kyoto jail. He was also a falsely-accused murderer who had been proven innocent post-mortem. His name was Kenji Sasaki, age 29, 5'11", black hair, blue eyes, light skin. Soichiro had a feeling that Kira might have something to do with his disappearance, but he needed more information. He would have to go to the Research and Development Squad for help.
Soichiro Yagami went to the Squad 12 labs on his lunch break. It was quite a walk to get there, and Soichiro wondered if maybe he should've asked for directions. His legs ached, and his gi was soaked through with sweat. He ran into a slim, white-haired Shinigami wearing a white captain's cape and a slightly disturbing grin, and waved at him. "Excuse me, Shinigami-taicho! Do you know where the Squad 12 labs are?"
"Why would you ever want to know that? The labs are headed by a nutty scientist who wouldn't give a second thought to experimenting on you."
"I'm working with Squad 9 on a Shinigami disappearance case. I need Squad 12's help."
"Oh, well. Shame you want to die so badly...and such a promising young Shinigami. Anyway, the labs are over there."
"Thank you."
The white haired Shinigami walked away slowly, hands in his kimono cuffs.
Soichiro followed the captain's directions, and eventually arrived at a large warehouse. It appeared to be dark, except for the cold glow of displays providing an icy light. Soichiro mustered up as much toughness as he could, and opened the metal door.
He wasn't dead yet. That was a relief.
There were dozens of screens forming a large array, with a few Shinigami observing them. As he opened the door, one of them grumbled, "Whaddya want?", without so much as looking at him. "I'm with Squad 9, and I'm investigating the disappearance of a Shinigami at the outer borders of Seireitei. I'd like to know if there are any conditions under which a Shinigami could disappear without a trace of Reiatsu."
"Yeah, I read the case, prob'ly a Hollow got him."
"Wouldn't there be some evidence if a Hollow appeared?"
"Not if the Hollow was powerful enough to suppress its own Reiatsu. Maybe a Vasto Lorde."
"A...Vasto Lorde?"
"Yep. That's the most powerful form of Hollow. Only a few of em are known to exist."
"If it is a Vasto Lorde, what would the consequences of that be?"
"It'll probably go for the easy pickings, like maybe you."
Soichiro was shaken, but kept his composure.
"And why would it go for me?"
"Mainly cause you don't have a Zanpakuto. And if it goes for you, it'll probably go for anyone around you too."
At this, Soichiro felt a pain shoot through him.
(Isane...Yachiru...Ikkaku...Renji...Oh god...this is all my fault, isn't it? Why am I so helpless? So useless!)
"Another thing to consider is that a Vasto Lorde can fight on even ground with a Squad Captain. It wouldn't have a bit of trouble with a lieutenant."
Soichiro slumped against the wall, sweating. He couldn't believe his luck. He had just gotten over his own death, and the pain his friends were feeling. He couldn't bear the thought of losing the people who had eased him into this new world without even a fight.
"How do I obtain a Zanpakuto?"
"Ehh, it's easy. Ya just gotta imagine the inside of your soul. When you got that down, you just need to focus and let yourself go from the outside world. Ya might black out for a while, so best to do it in your bunk. Oh, and one more thing. Ya gotta respect your Zanpakuto. Don't even think about bossing it around."
"Thank you...thank you so much."
"Don't mention it."
Soichiro stumbled into Squad 9's barracks. He sat on the edge of his bunk, and followed the Shinigami's instructions, word for word. He visualized his soul as an abandoned Tokyo highway in the middle of the night, during a rainstorm.
He blacked out.
When he came to, he was laying on his back, soaked thoroughly with cool spring rain. Drops splashed on his face, glasses, hands, chest. As if the sky were crying. His hair was dripping wet. He sighed and stood up. He was standing in a pool of orange light created by a streetlight. He looked about him. His inner soul was just as he had visualized it.
He heard footsteps approach him suddenly from behind. He turned around to find a young man, no older than Light, standing in front of him. He wore a white dress shirt with the top button open, the way Light often dressed, black jeans, and had a shock of straight, pale blue hair, a few strands of which were dangling in front of his steel gray eyes.
"What brings you to my realm, Soichiro Yagami?"
"I need your help in protecting people whom I care about."
"And what, exactly, gives you the idea that I would want to help such a miserably pathetic person as yourself?"
"I am begging you. I only ask for you to give me an opportunity to prove my worth to you."
The man walked over to the side of the road and picked up two katanas. He threw one to Soichiro, and took one for himself. He then unsheathed his blade.
"I will duel you. Once you prove yourself able to defeat me, I will lend you my strength. If you fail...let's just say you won't get another chance."
"Very well then. Let us begin."
Soichiro drew his blade. Before it was entirely out of its sheath, he felt cold steel cut against his right arm, blood splattering from the fresh wound.
"The next time, a mistake like this will be deadly, Soichiro," he heard the blade spirit warning him.
Soichiro completed unsheathing his blade. He flew at the Zanpakuto spirit with speed that surprised even himself.
The two blades connected with white-hot sparks.
Soichiro disconnected his blade, and swung again. The Zanpakuto seemed taken aback at the ferocious nature of this seemingly kind, gentle man's swipe.
He bent backwards and swept at Soichiro's legs with his own, leaning on his hands for support. Soichiro jumped backwards, avoiding the swipe. He struck back at the Zanpakuto, his blade's tip cutting a groove into the smooth, jet-black asphalt. The Zanpakuto deftly blocked, swiveling on his arms to deflect the blow with his katana. The Zanpakuto flipped from back to stomach, and pushed himself up with remarkable deftness. He stabbed directly at Soichiro's chest. Soichiro rotated his body, and blocked the strike with his own blade. Soichiro countered by slicing downwards, towards the Zanpakuto's legs.
The Zanpakuto twisted his arm at a nigh-impossible angle, pushing away Soichiro's blade. However, the damage was inevitable. The point of Soichiro's katana cut at the Zanpakuto's shin, splashing blood into the pooling rainwater. The blade spirit swung viciously upwards at Soichiro, who reacted by leaning backwards onto his arms, and kicking at the injured leg.
The Zanpakuto howled in agony, falling onto his back.
Soichiro held the point of his blade to the Zanpakuto's neck. The blade spirit broke into a soft chuckle.
"Impressive, for someone who's never even wielded a blade before. I think I'll loan you my powers... Yagami-San."
Soichiro pulled the Zanpakuto up from the rain puddle that was mixing with his blood.
"What's your name, by the way?"
"It's Seigi no Kaze."
A beautiful name, Soichiro thought. It meant, "Wind of Justice."
Seigi was striding off into the distance, as if his leg was in perfect condition. "Remember, Soichiro. To call upon me, just say 'Strike and protect with the speed of the wind, Seigi no Kaze,' and I'll come to your aid, no matter how dire the situation. My power can help defend your friends, and obliterate your enemies. But you can only call upon me for a just cause. Remember that."
The corners of Soichiro's lips curled up slightly, and he bowed to Seigi no Kaze in thanks.