I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS
THEY BELONG TO TITE KUBO
Chapter 8:- A Conversation Between Friends
Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?
Abraham Lincoln
Isane briskly walked down the corridors of Squad Seven, stopping momentarily to return a bow from one of the lower squad members. She really was quite late for meeting and Isane hated being late. It was no shock that Grimmjow was the reason for her lateness.
The Sexta had been particularly stubborn that morning, in fact ever since the day of the switch of care takers Grimmjow had been acting extremely difficult. He refused to get up and had almost come to blows with the cell guard, Kiba. Even worse than that, Grimmjow decided that he was going to have a long leisurely bath. Isane tried to explain to him that she had somewhere to be but the Espada just told that if she wanted him to move faster then she should come in and bathe him herself. Grimmjow didn't need to be outside to see the crimson blush that spread across her face. Isane merely scoffed weakly before leaving the bath house telling Grimmjow to meet her at the cafeteria.
Breakfast had been a disaster. Grimmjow refused to eat anything. He said that everything looked like food they fed dog in the world of the living. He made a big spectacle, loudly claiming that he shouldn't have to eat such slop. Isane had to beg and plead with Grimmjow but the stubborn, blued haired man refused to eat. In the end Isane had to call upon Captain Unohana assistance to get Grimmjow to eat. Luckily after Captain Unohana had a word with Grimmjow he decided that the food looked surprisingly appetizing all of a sudden.
On the way back to the guard cells Grimmjow had been surprisingly quite he didn't make his usual snarky comments nor did he try to be unbearably obnoxious. Isane didn't know how to read this type of behavior. Usually Grimmjow would try anything to get a rise out of her on their walks but today he tried nothing of the sorts. Isane could only sum it up as the prolonged effects of Grimmjow's little encounter Captain Unohana earlier.
When Isane left him at the cell Grimmjow would usually make his signature snarky comment, "Don't dream about me too much tonight Kotetsu", but today there was no such comment. Grimmjow simply entered his cell without a word and threw himself on his bunk. Isane tried to ask him if he was feeling well but Grimmjow just brushed her off harshly asking if didn't have somewhere to be just then.
Isane had felt a little hurt and offended at Grimmjow's brutish behavior. Before leaving he had turned to the guard on duty. She and Kiba had formed an uncanny sort of friendship during her time picking up and dropping off Grimmjow at his cell.
"Will you make sure he's okay?" she had asked Kiba.
The guard was always confused as to why Isane was always so concerned with the Espada's wellbeing but he promised he would keep an eye on him. Kiba would gladly do anything Isane asked of him.
As Isane continued her flight down the corridors of Squad Seven she couldn't help think of Grimmjow. She hoped he wasn't coming down with a cold or something like that. Isane knew men like Grimmjow. They hated to admit when they were getting sick and would only admit it when it full blown. Isane cringed at the thought of having to nurse a sick Grimmjow. He would be worse than taking care of a sick Kenpachi in her opinion.
Isane emerged from her musing when she stood in front of Captain Komamura's door. Isane knocked lightly. There was a bit of shuffling from behind the door before Isane heard the tall Captain answer, "Come in Lieutenant Kotetsu."
Isane smiled brightly. Captain Komamura always seemed to know when it was her. Isane always meant to ask him how he always knew it was her but somewhere along their meeting she always forgot.
Isane opened the door and walked into the Captain's office. The office wasn't too big but it was spacious. There room contained two large book shelves that possessed the left wall. There forest green sofa and two comfy arm chairs set around a small cedar coffee table. Captain Komamura sat behind his massive oak desk. It was the biggest piece of furniture in the room. It was big no doubt to accommodate the Captain's large size.
The Captain in question was currently behind his desk scribbling away at some last minute paper work. His large hands danced across the paper with the quick precision that came with years of doing the tiresome paper that accompanied the position of Captain. Isane waited patiently for the Captain to finish. She was glad that she didn't keep Captain Komamura waiting.
When the Captain was finally finished he put aside the paper work and looked up to face Isane. A bright smile graced his wolfish face. It was quite an amusing site but Isane had grown accustom to it over their time together. She had somehow or the other become Captain Komamura's personal nurse as well as one of most trusted friends. After Aizen's betrayal and Tousen's desertion, Isane had spent a lot of time with Captain Komamura. While tending to his injuries the two had stuck up a weird friendship.
Ever since the arrival of the Espada Isane hadn't any time to visit Captain Komamura so she had requested the day off to visit her large friend. She was in need of his wisdom and company in these stressful times. In many ways Isane thought that she and Captain Komamura were similar. They were both reserved and always held a calm demeanor. Not to mention that both of them shared the same problem in the love department.
"Isane!" exclaimed Sajin, "So good to see you!"
Isane smiled at her friend. "It is good to see you to Sajin." During times like these both parties dropped any honorifics. They were simply two friends addressing one another.
Isane placed the large basket she had been carry on the small coffee table. Sajin got up and moved away from behind his desk. Isane sat in one of the comfy arm chairs while Sajin sat in the other. Isane began emptying the contents of the basket on the table. It was an unspoken tradition between the two. Isane would always bring a basket full of all sorts of treats for the large captain.
"What have you brought for me today?" inquired Sajin.
Isane sighed and smiled at Sajin sadly, "Not as much as I had hoped to bring. I've been so busy juggling between my duties at Squad Four and taking care of Grimmjow that I haven't had much time to myself."
Sajin gave his young fried a warm smile. He knew just how hard Isane worked. He suddenly felt bad for putting so much pressure on her to bring him all her homemade treats.
"Then you should be having a day to yourself, not sitting her with me." Sajin commented.
Isane gave Sajin the first genuine laugh she had had in while. "I wouldn't want to spend my free day any other way Sajin!"
Sajin gave Isane another one of his wolfish smiles and both settled into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed the few treats Isane did manage to rustle up.
After a while Isane broke the silence, "So how did your….umm….date go?"
Sajin sighed and put down the biscuit that he was going to eat. "Do you really have to ask? The young lady was pleasant but I could see it in her eyes. She didn't want to be there. She seemed uncomfortable the entire time so I ended the date as you call it as soon as possible."
Isane gave her friend an understanding smile. She had never had much luck in the game of love either. She knew exactly how the wolf Captain was feeling. There had been too many dates for Isane to count where she felt that the other person wanted to be anywhere but her.
Isane stretched across and placed her hand on the Captain's furry paw. "You just have to keep hoping Sajin. There is someone out there for you. Someone who will love you endlessly and who will give their entire heart to you."
Sajin was touched by Isane's words. She always knew what to say to make him feel better but he guessed that was what having a friend is for. To make you feel better even in the hardest of times.
"And what of you Isane?" inquired Sajin, "Has anyone caught you attention?"
Isane laughed for the second time that day. She removed her hand from on top of Sajin's and leaned back in her chair. "Oh Sajin!" she sighed, "I have no time to delve in the affairs of the heart. I might as well be married to my work not to mention I already have a man in my life, albeit he's not what I expected."
Sajin looked at Isane confused, "A man, who is he?"
Isane immediately brought her up and waved them dismissively in front of her. "No it's nothing like that!" she clarified, "I was talking about Grimmjow!"
Sajin's shoulders eased upon clarification. "Grimmjow eh?" he asked, "Has been treating you with respect?"
"Well he's more respectful now than he was when he first came I can tell you that." replied Isane.
Sajin nodded in understanding. Isane sighed again. She looked to her friend with confusion evident in her eyes.
"What is it Isane?" Sajin did not like to see Isane unhappy.
"It's just …well," Isane started. Sajin didn't push Isane into talking. He knew she only stuttered when something was bothering her so he waited until she was ready to speak.
"Well I was wondering why exactly did the Thirteen Court Guard Squads decide to spare the Espada. It would have been so much easier to just exterminate them. It sure would have saved a lot of time and effort." explained Isane.
Sajin understood Isane's confusion. Many Soul Reapers had the same view on the matter and as a matter of fact so too did some of the Captains but Head Captain Yamamoto knew what he was doing.
"Well Isane let try to explain the logic behind the move." Sajin offered, "If we had just executed them then we would had just been continuing this endless cycle of bloodshed. By making the Espadas our friends we destroy them as our enemies."
"But they aren't our friends," refuted Isane, "if any they could be considered our prisoners."
Sajin shook his big wolfish head. "They are not our prisoners. They may not have their complete freedom yet but they are the right path. I've heard many favorable reports from the other squads. Yami and Kenpachi have seemed to really hit it off."
Isane snorted indignantly. "Of course they'd be friends. Their brains are hardwired to fight and cause bloodshed."
A large burst of laughter erupted from Sajin. "It is uncanny how alike they are but that's what makes this thing work. They've begun to form the friendship that Head Captain Yamamoto was hoping for. Even the stoic one, Aizen's former fourth, has taken a liking to Captain Kuchiki."
Hearing all this talk of new friendships forming was depressing Isane. She sighed loudly. "Well everyone else seems to be doing fine. They get Espada that they can somehow connect with but what do I get? A stubborn, snarky ass with teal blue hair who thinks he's too good for everything. I mean what in the world was the Head Captain thinking pairing me with Grimmjow?!"
Sajin gave Isane a comforting smile. "You should not question the judgment of the Head Captain Isane. He knew what he was doing when he chose you as Grimmjow's caretaker."
Isane sighed again and threw her head back on the arm chair. "But why me? Surely there we other Squads that could have handled Grimmjow!"
"And which squad would you have suggested?" inquired Sajin.
"Oh I don't know!" exclaimed Isane, "Maybe squad nine. Grimmjow and Shuhei have a lot in common. They're both arrogant!"
"Indeed Shuhei and Grimmjow are very much alike but they would have never worked together." explained Sajin in a calming voice, "Grimmjow is extremely strong willed and pairing him with someone like him would have just resulted in him resisting and rebelling in every way possible."
"I still don't see why they chose me. How am I supposed to reign in someone like Grimmjow?" complained Isane.
"It quite simple actually." Sajin stated, "It's not what you have in common that will bring you together but rather what is different between you."
Isane gave Sajin a confused looked so the Captain continued, "you are his polar opposite Isane. You are the ying to his yang. The light to his darkness. The order to his chaos. You are the one that will tame his destruction."
"How do you know that for sure?" Isane asked, her voice almost inaudible. Luckily Sajin had a keen sense of hearing.
"Because Isane, opposites always attract."
Finally finished with this chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner and I hope this chapter is a worthy compensation for the long wait. The next chapter will be from Grimmjow's perspective. Hopefully the next chapter will be up by next week if not sooner.
Oh and before I forget I just want to send a special shot out to my partner in crime Ziggygeds777. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed a line.
Read and feel free to leave a review.
