Opening Song: Distance by LONG SHOT PARTY

Chapter 9: Kamikaze Akio's Request

The next morning, Jushiro and Isamu couldn't get out of bed no matter how hard they tried. Their muscles were extremely painful, and just the thought of moving seemed to make their body feel as though a thousand needles were piercing it. For the first time since school started, Shunsui was the one who had to get Isamu and Jushiro out of bed.

Kaito watched as Isamu and Jushiro struggled to get accustomed to their throbbing muscles. There was a strange look in the redhead's eyes that seemed to be on the borderline for amusement. Unfortunately, neither Isamu nor Jushiro noticed since both of them were too busy trying to put on their clothes with as little pain as possible. Shunsui had already disappeared into the bathroom.

By the time Jushiro, Shunsui, and Isamu had gotten ready, breakfast was already halfway done, and Kaito was long gone. The three of them hurried out of their dorm and down the stairs, ducking into the line to get food. They carried their trays to the table where they usually sat. Chouko and Aimi were already there.

The Shiba gave them a nod of greeting, her mouth full with the tamagoyaki* that was a part of their breakfast. Aimi had already finished eating and was reading a book with great interest. Her eyes darted from side to side as she took in the information with enthusiasm.

"What book are you reading, Kuchiki?" Isamu asked curiously as he dipped a strip of nori* in soy sauce and rolled up some rice with it.

Aimi looked up. "Good morning, Shihouin-kun. This is a book on medical Kido that I borrowed from the Academy's library."

Isamu paused, his mouth half-open to eat the nori and rice. "There's a library in the Academy?"

"Don't tell me you just found out, Shihouin," Chouko interjected, having swallowed her tamagoyaki, "We've been here for almost a month now. Even that idiot Omaeda knows that the Academy has a library."

"I think I'll visit the library after breakfast," Jushiro mused, "I'd like to take a look at the books there."

"I'll go with you," Aimi volunteered, "I want to see if there are any more books on medical Kido that I can check out."

"Interested in medical subjects, huh, Kuchiki?" Isamu scrutinized the book that Aimi had in front of her.

The Kuchiki girl nodded. "Are you going to come, Shihouin-kun?"

Isamu tilted his head from side to side, purple hair swaying slightly in the process. "Sure, I guess. I don't have anything else to do."

"Coming, Kyouraku? Shiba?" Jushiro asked the other two.

Chouko shrugged and nodded. Shunsui yawned and agreed as well, although it was somewhat reluctant. The only reasons he agreed to go were because his best friend was going and he could sleep while the others looked at books.

They spent a few hours in the quiet library. Jushiro found a book with tips on Reiatsu control and Zanpakutos, which he decided to borrow along with a few fictional books for light reading. Aimi checked out another book on medical Kido, and the group of five left the spacious room.

On their way out, the group bumped into someone. The redheaded stranger apologized, and then stared, a wide smile appearing on his face as his gaze fell on the two girls.

"Hey, if it isn't Aimi-chan and Chouko-chan!" he exclaimed, green eyes glittering excitedly.

"Akio-sama?" Chouko replied in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

Akio laughed and patted Chouko's head, ruffling her already-spiky hair. "Sorry, Chouko-chan, I can't tell. Who are these three?" he asked curiously, looking at Jushiro, Isamu, and Shunsui.

"Ukitake Jushiro, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you," Jushiro introduced himself politely and bowed.

"Shihouin Isamu. Nice to meet you," Isamu bowed as well.

Shunsui grinned and bowed a little as well. "Kyouraku Shunsui. May I ask your name, sir?" he inquired boldly.

The tall man smiled and waved a hand. "Kamikaze Akio," he told them, "I'm honored to meet you all."

"No, no. The honor is ours," Jushiro replied formally to the head of the noble Kamikaze family. Akio chuckled.

"You don't need to be so formal with me, Jushiro-kun," he reassured, "Just Akio-san or Akio-sama is fine."

"Akio-san, you have the same last name as Kaito," Isamu said, having just realized the fact.

Akio perked up. "You know Kaito-kun? Are you his friends? How is he doing?"

"Uh," Isamu was taken aback by all the questions, "Yes, we know Kaito, I don't know if we're his friends, and I think he's doing perfectly fine, but I don't see him around much."

"I see," Akio said, "He's probably studying his head off and training until he drops." He shook his head fondly, the way a father would do about his son. Suddenly, he turned to Jushiro and Shunsui and said, "Oh, Jushiro-kun, Shunsui-kun. Good job on that bucketful of water prank you pulled that other day!"

Jushiro blinked a couple times, confused as to why a person of great nobility was talking about pranks so lightly. Shunsui, on the other hand, laughed and said, "Thank you very much for your praise, Akio-san."

"My daughter did a similar prank before, except she used mashed bananas," Akio remembered. He bent down slightly and whispered, "May I ask you two a favor?"

"What is it, Akio-sama?" Jushiro asked, mystified.

"My daughter will be coming to the Shin'o Academy in a few years or so," Akio explained, pride shining in his eyes, "She tends to get in trouble a lot and needs someone sensible to keep an eye on her. You two look like you know what you're doing, so can you two make sure that she doesn't get hurt while she's here?"

"Your daughter?" Shunsui sounded ecstatic, "Another pure and beautiful maiden is coming to join this haven full of...ow!" Jushiro had stomped on his best friend's foot to get the flirtatious Kyouraku to stop talking.

Akio threw back his head and laughed, clearly amused by Shunsui's remark. "You're funny, Shunsui-kun," he declared, patting Shunsui on the shoulder, "I think you and Jushiro-kun here can be good friends with my daughter!"

He glanced out the window. "It's that late already? I'd better be going or my wife will get mad. Before I go, I would like to invite you all to come to the Kamikaze manor sometime."

"It would be an honor, sir!" Jushiro said, bowing deeply.

"How does winter break sound?" Akio asked, pleased with Jushiro's reply, "You all can come to my manor for a day or two, and we can have tea and get to know each other more."

"Will there be sake?" Shunsui inquired eagerly, earning a few stares from his friends. He had never mentioned sake before now, and his peers were surprised that someone as young as Shunsui drank alcohol.

Akio smirked teasingly. "Possibly. But I can't allow you to have any."

Shunsui's look of disappointment made everyone chuckle with amusement.


Kokushibyou Katsuo looked up from the sheet of paper he was writing on and scrutinized the man that stood in front of him. "Say that again," he demanded calmly.

Hibiki took a deep breath and repeated, "Yukimura Daisuke, Kido teacher of the Shin'o Academy, knows about our collection of Kido weapons."

Katsuo blinked slowly. "And…?"

Hibiki gaped slightly. "Sir?" he asked, confused as to why the head of the Kokushibyou family wasn't reacting in a more panicked way.

Katsuo put down his brush and interlaced his fingers. "Yukimura only knows that there are Kido weapons in the school, not who put it there. Even if the weapons get returned to their previous owners, it will not be hard to steal them again."

"B-But, sir!" Hibiki stammered, "He does know. After I knew he found out, I told him to tell no one or else I'd kill him."

The head of the Kurosawa family knew he made a grave mistake when he saw Katsuo's violet eyes flash dangerously. The Kokushibyou stood up slowly from his chair and approached Hibiki with slow and silent steps.

"Let me clarify, Hibiki," Katsuo said smoothly as he paced leisurely around his subordinate. Hibiki tensed nervously as he heard the hidden threat in Katsuo's voice. Katsuo's eyes narrowed, his sharp gaze penetrating Hibiki through the latter's every bone, "When Yukimura Daisuke stumbled upon our collection of Kido weapons, did he see anything that would link the weapons to us?"

"No, Kokushibyou-sama," Hibiki replied, resisting the urge to lie. He knew that he would be better off admitting his mistake and telling the truth than lying. Punishments for lying were much worse than punishments for making an honest mistake.

"And after you found out he knew, you went up to him and threatened him, which basically ascertains that he now knows who is responsible for the disappearance of various Kido weapons"

"Yes, sir." Hibiki waited tensely for his verdict. Meanwhile, Katsuo sighed and moved towards the fireplace, staring into the blazing orange flames.

"I do not fully blame you for the slip, Hibiki," Katsuo said, his voice barely a whisper above the crackling of the fire, "I understand that the Kurosawa family is known for their exceptional methods of torture, not their intelligence."

Hibiki shifted his weight from one foot to the other as Katsuo began to play with the poker that he kept by the fireplace, rolling the thin metal stick between his fingers.

"However," Katsuo continued, now prodding the searing hot cinders with the poker, "I cannot allow this to go unpunished. Because you messed up, we may get caught, and all of our plans would be ruined."

Suddenly and without warning, Katsuo turned and stabbed the red-hot end of the poker into Hibiki's right cheek. A low hissing sound could be heard coming from the point where the poker came into contact with Hibiki's skin.

Hibiki had set his jaw the moment he felt his flesh begin to burn. The incredible pain of the searing trapped Hibiki's breath in his chest. He struggled not to let a single sound of agony leave his mouth, since Katsuo would also make the punishment worse if Hibiki expressed discomfort.

After what felt like eternity, Katsuo removed the poker and put it back in its original place. Hibiki's abused skin welcomed the cool feeling of the air, although the flesh where the poker had touched carried a mark of a severe burn. It would never disappear, staying to remind Hibiki of his mistake each and every day for the rest of his life.

Refusing to touch the scar, Hibiki bowed to Katsuo. "I promise I will not make another mistake, Kokushibyou-sama."

Katsuo smiled a smile that could chill the Devil's bones. "I know you won't."


*Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) is a dish that is often served on the side.

*Nori is dried seaweed.

IMPORTANT NOTICE! I've created a poll for this story. It's on my profile. Now, 'A' and 'B' both represent different endings for this series, so just pick one and click vote. You have until the publishing of Dissolve, which is the third story, to cast your vote.