Chapter 10
"Good morning Captains." Koji said with a bow. He knew very little of these two men other than that they were extremely powerful. He did not want to be rude to them and yet he did not want them to shut down his training sessions. He was on a very thin tight rope that he needed to cross with the utmost delicacy. One wrong move and he would fall to his death. Metaphorically speaking of course. "What can I do for you?" He gave a smile to the two men, waiting for their response.
"Well Koji, it seems that there has been some unauthorised training going on." Captain Ukitake spoke gently. Koji prepared himself to protest. He would not go down without a fight. These training session were all that was left of his sanity. Without them he was not sure he would be able to cope. However before a single word could pass through his lips the Captain raised his hand to silence him. "I am not criticising you Koji. In fact I think your work is admirable. We do not wish you you to stop your sessions, instead we wish to help you with them." Koji looked is shock at the two men standing before him. His jaw was as wide as his eyes.
"You…you want to help?" Koji asked, utterly confused. Why would two of the most experienced Captains of the Seireitei want anything to do with the informal training session that he was holding. He had no idea how to respond to the pair. No one ever wanted to help and those that did didn't seem to have very happy endings.
"Yes we do." Captain Kyoraku said sounding slightly bored. "Your sessions may be good but they seem to lack both order and resources. You're drowning Koji. You don't have the experience or the time to run all the sessions that you're running and with more and more students turning up for each session we both agreed that you need some help." the Captain age Koji a small smile as he finished before a wide yawn surged from his mouth. Koji looked at the man and felt anger well up inside of him. The man was acting as though he didn't care. He talked as though his classes were merely the whims of a small child that needed to be controlled. The classes were all Koji had. They were supposed to save lives. None of the pupils he had gained had any real experience of what it was like to be in a real battle. Koji knew he didn't either but he still somehow knew that these people needed his help. War was always on the horizon no matter how safe you may feel."
"Inexperienced?" Koji spat out. Anger burned like a flame. Anger at the Captains but also anger at the world. He had lost his friends, he had last his family. All he had left was his teaching and if they took that away from him then he would have nothing. Koji anger was displaced but that didn't stop the turbulent emotions inside him that were suddenly released like a tsunami. "Inexperienced?!" he almost shouted. The two Captains watched with baited breath as the pressure in the room increased. Koji's eyes sparked as all the pent up rage inside of him was realised.
"At least I'm doing something!" he yelled, his spiritual pressure swirling around the room. "I'm trying to prepare these people for whatever they may face. The world is not all sunshine and roses." Koji's voice only got louder as he lost himself in his anger. "They have no idea what they're doing. They know how to swing a sword but in a real battle they'd be dead in a heartbeat. Do you ever think about that?" Koji's breath caught in his chest as he realised what he had done. He had just yelled at two of the most powerful men in the soul society. This would not end well. Koji's eyes widened in panic and his breathing was ragged.
"I'm so sorry." Koji panicky voice sounded weak and fragile, even to his own ears. "I-I-I don't know what came over me." Koji's eyes fell to the floor and tears began to fill his eyes. "I'm so sorry." The tears began to fall. His breath hitched in small irregular huffs. "so, so sorry." Koji continued to murmur quiet apologies, failing to notice the two Captains looks at each other. Captain Ukitake walked forward slowly, as though approaching a scared animal. He knelt before the small boy and pulled him into a hug. Koji stayed stiff for several seconds before he melted into the man's embrace.
"It's okay Koji." the man said soothingly as he ran his hand up and the small boy's back. "We're not mad, we just want to help you." Captain Ukitake hadn't realised the amount of pressure that the boy had been putting himself under. Koji may be powerful but the loss of Kisuke and Shinji had obviously effected the boy more than he was letting on. "It'll all be okay Koji." he soothed. "We're here for you." Koji let the tears fall onto the man's shoulder as his body shook with the strong emotions that ran through him.
After several minutes Koji managed to regain control of his emotions. He reluctantly pulled away from the embrace. It felt nice to have human contact that wasn't violent. Koji hadn't had such contact since the day that he had found out about Shinji and Kisuke. He didn't realise how much he had missed it. Koji kept his eyes pointed to the floor as his feet stilled on the ground. He was ashamed that he had acted in such a way. It seemed as though he was merely proving his point to them that he was not worthy of leading a horse to water let alone leading any sort of training session.
"Koji" Captain Ukitake said gently. Koji kept his eyes downturned, refusing to look up and face the disgust that he would meet in the others eyes. Ukitake took Koji's chin in his hand and pulled the boys chin up, forcing their eyes to meet. "It's okay Koji. We're not mad. I know this is important to you and I would never dream of taking it away. All we want to do is make sure that you are teaching people the best that you can. You've done amazingly well so far, we just want to make sure that everyone gets the same opportunity to get the amazing practice that they deserve." Koji looked to the man before him in awe. How was it that this man could not be angry with what he just said. He had basically just told the Captains that they were useless and that they did nothing to help the members of their divisions.
"Captain Ukitake" Koji managed to stutter out.
"Jushiro please Koji." the Captain said with a friendly smile.
"Ummm…okay, Jushiro." Koji mumbled out. "I didn't mean it, it…it just came out. I'm sorry." Koji blushed. His cheeks became a rosy pink. Koji was embarrassed at his outburst. Koji ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what to say next. With the two captains staring at him Koji turned an even darker shade of red.
"How about we go for a drink?" Captain Kyoraku cut in. "We can talk over a few things in a much more comfortable environment." with that that the brunette made his way from the dojo, his pink robes swishing behind him.
After the awkwardness had passed the three had got on very well. Jushiro and the newly dubbed Shunsui had explained the situation more throughly and it seemed much less intrusive than Koji had first thought. The two captains wished to volunteer the time of several of their own division to teach lessons of their own. The lessons could be held either in Koji's own division or in the division of the member which they were, themselves, from. The two Captains also said they were attempting to convince members of the other divisions to join in with the plan. Many seated members of other divisions seemed to have heard about the teaching but were nervous about the attending the sessions.
The new plan they arranged was for Koji to train up the highly seated officers from the other divisions while Koji himself would be trained by the two captains. It seemed like a more structured form of training would benefit the students as well as freeing up more of Koji's time to improve his own skills. It was a plan that all three of them could get on board with.
"Thats it Koji. You need to find it, truly find it." Koji breathed deeply letting his mind free. He let his spiritual pressure spread throughout the space, filling everything. He felt as though he was floating, his whole body tingled, his senses extended throughout the space. It felt as though he was tasting, touching and smelling the whole universe and nothing at all. Each wave of sense experience washed over him before vanishing.
"Tatsuo" Koji managed to groan out. He was loosing himself in the wave of felling that engulfed him, pulling him deeper and deeper with each passing second. There was no reply. Koji felt the power radiating from every pore. Koji's eyes snapped open, the light pouring into his eyes, he was blinded. Koji's back rose off the sandy ground, his head being dragged through the dirt. A groan escaped his lips as his body spasmed, each nerve lighting up.
"Come on Koji, you're almost there, just a little longer." The tingles got stronger and stronger with each passing second. Koji pushed himself up, the sand between his fingers feeling like stabs of pain through his body. Koji grit his teeth. His tongue stroked along the roof of his mouth, the contours feeling like mountains to the sensitive appendage. A foot scraped across the ground, then another. With all the force he could muster Koji tensed every muscle before shooting up. His legs wobbled with the weight of his own body. Koji's fingers shot pain up his arm as he gripped Tatsuo's hilt with all his strength. The world seemed to twist and warp as he stood before the abyss that was his life. Colour became taste and taste became sound. The only constant was Tatsuo, he could feel the sword touching his skin, around him, inside him. He was Tatsuo and Tatsuo was him.
"Bankai" Koji whispered. His feet raised from the ground, Tatsuo coming down in a sharp arc. Koji's vision cleared, his senses sharper than they had ever been before. Fire rippled around Koji's form, wings forming behind him, sparks showering around the room. Koji raised his hands move his head. Koji's hands held Tatsuo's blade in the middle of the Zanpakto, the blade biting into the skin. Koji's eyes glowed dangerously the green speaking like the flames, the white like fresh snow, clear and sharp. Blood trickled from Koji's palms, beginning to make its way down his forearms. However he did not let go of the blade. Koji's grip only tightened. Koji suddenly violently ripped his hands across the blade. Blood pattered to the floor like gruesome rain drops. As Koji's hands reached the end of the blade the Zanpakto shimmered. A second hilt formed and as Koji's hands continued to part. Blood dribbled from Koji's form the hilts, staining them a red that shimmered in the fire that consumed his back.
Tatsuo roared, the blades that Koji now held transformed into raging dragons. The dragons wrapped their sparkling bodies around Tatsuo's form. They bared their teeth, growling at the strange presence that they found in the room, ready to engulf him in their flames. Koji tested his control. Koji imagined the two dragons moving slightly and the dragons rippled around him, their heads moving in the direction that Koji wished. Koji's attention was drawn to targets that stood at the other end of the training area. Excitement tingled beneath his skin and he was unsure as to whether the excitement was his own or if it was Tatsuo's. He supposed it was a mixture of both. The pair were one and the same.
"Go" Koji whispered and watched with a smile as Tatsuo lunged forward. The two dragons engulfed three targets each in their flames, one after another, meeting each other in the middle of the smouldering mess that had once been the targets. Koji felt a sense of satisfaction ripple through him and knew that Tatsuo was pleased. Koji decided that that was enough for now. The strength used to reach this point was draining him. "Seal" Koji rumbled out. Tatsuo rocketed towards him, the fire red and angry as the two dragons flew at him. It consumed the hilts in Koji's hands. Koji touch the hilts together, watching as they transformed back into the familiar blade that Koji had come to love. Wings vanished and Koji jolted as his feet hit the ground.
"Well done Koji, well done." Jushiro congratulated. It had been six months since his Bankai training with the white haired captain and his brunette companion He had been doing the training three days a week. It seemed that Koji's rigorous training regime had finally paid off. He had reached his goal. Koji gave a grin to the man that he now called his friend. However before Koji could let out more than the smile his knees gave way and he collapsed face first into the dirt. His eyes flickered shut as the exhaustion of his Bankai caught up with him.
Koji knelt, his eyes focused on the wooden floor boards as he attempted to keep his breathing regular. Captain Yamamoto stood before him, the other captains lining the room, all straining intently at Koji's prostrating form. Koji maintained his position as the white robe was draped around his form, the Iris insignia emblazoned on the back. The taste of chilli, burning hot, danced along Koji's lounge as Yamamoto's fingers brushed over his shoulder. The heat of the blast was so intense that it forced the breath out of Koji's lungs.
"Captain Koji" Yamamoto said, his voice quite but radiating power. Koji could feel it coming off him in waves. "rise and take your place." Koji stood on shaky feet, attempting to steady his breath. Koji then made his way to his place between Shunsui and the captain of his old division, captain Kuchiki. "We welcome you, Captain Koji of the seventh division." At the formal introduction Koji gave a deep bow, his back almost reaching a ninety degree angle to the floor. As he did so the rest of the members of the room gave bows, less deep than Koji's own. They stood as one, Koji rising with the rest of the group. He was one of them now and as such he was expected to act as such. Koji puffed out his chest and stood tall. Proud to be with the rest of the Captains. "Dismissed" Captain Yamamoto spoke out and the Captains, as one, left the dojo.
Koji felt several pats on his back, many of the Captains congratulating him on his new position as the Captain of the seventh division. Koji heard a growl from the mouth of Captain Zaraki promising that he would find him and fight him till he couldn't stand anymore. Koji wasn't sure whether to be exited or nervous. Captain Isshin Shiba gave Koji a wide grin and an overly large thumbs up. Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi gave a sneer at the boy before walking away. He did not think that Koji was worthy of such a position. Jushiro and Shunsui gave Koji a small smile and a kind word before they left to return to the hectic workloads that were sure to be at their own divisions when they returned. Koji was finally left with only himself and Captain Aizen. The man gave a sly grin to Koji.
"Congratulations Koji. It seems that you have made much progress since we last saw each other." The man gave a grin that caused a shiver to run the length of Koji's body. It was filled with the promise of pain and reflected the hatred that Aizen felt for the boy before him. Koji wanted to vomit as the taste that was too sweet to be any normal food filled his mouth. Koji could say nothing as the man's eyes ran over his form. He was frozen in place as the man set his hand on the hilt of his sword. As the man's other hand reached for his sheath Koji felt his entire body tense.
'Koji!' the urgent voice of Tatsuo broke through the haze of sweetness that was overpowering him. 'Koji, you have to listen to me.' Koji let out a shuddering breath. He was here, he was listening. He managed to force the muscles in his neck to twitch. It was little more than a spasm of the muscles and yet it was enough. 'Close your eyes Koji. Now! Do it now!' Tatsuo sounded scared. There was panic radiating through his tone. Koji had never heard his friend sound so panicked. He snapped his eyes closed as quickly as he could, although his reflexes felt sluggish. He let darkness engulf him. He felt Tatsuo calm. The Zanpakto's fear was no longer engulfing Koji. 'Well done Koji. Well done. Now keep them shut little one. We are not yet done.' Koji let his hand reach for Tatsuo, feeling the reassurance of the Zanpakto. He let the feelings of calm wash over him sapping away both his own and Tatsuo's doubts.
"Captain Aizen I think that it is time for us to part." Koji attempted to deescalate the situation. He had no idea how he was in danger, other than the fact that Tatsuo had told him he was. He didn't want to cause any more tension between him and the other Captain. He was in enough of a precarious situation already. Aizen did not know that Koji knew of his involvement in the banished Captains and Koji wanted to keep it that way. Having been closely involved with the many of those banished Koji was already walking on a tight rope, he did not need any other reasons for people to dislike him.
Unknown to Koji Captain Aizen was glaring at the boy before him with the force of all the hatred that he had ever felt for anyone. How had the boy known. Aizen had been about to add another addition to his ranks. The boy seemed immensely powerful for his age and it seemed that he would be a great advantage in the upcoming war. It would be bad to have the boy as anything but a minion. Who knew how powerful he may become in the future. But how had the boy known? How had he closed his eyes at just the right moment? How had he managed to be a step ahead. Aizen could not remember the last time there had been a person that had been able to do that.
"Very well Captain Koji." Aizen's tone was filled with bitterness and anger. He could not face the small boy before him. The boy was nothing more than a nuisance. Aizen would not allow him to become a threat. He would not let his plans go haywire because of a soul that appeared from nowhere. He was not that weak. Without another word Aizen walked away from the boy and didn't look back. He was going to have to find a way to eliminate the cockroach that had infested the soul society.
After several minutes Koji deemed it safe enough to open his eyes. Aizen was no longer in sight and Koji felt as though he had had a lucky escape. He didn't know what would have happened if he had left his eyes open but he knew that it would not have been good. To have Tatsuo so worried it could have been nothing good. After Koji had composed himself, waiting several minutes, he made his way to his own division. The one that he was now a leader of. It was his and he was exited to face the new challenge that was sure to follow.
It had been nearly five years since Koji had become the Captain of the seventh division and today was the first time in all those years that he had managed to arrange himself a solo mission that had got approval from Captain Yamamoto. Koji stepped out of the portal and into a small town in the middle of Japan. He let a smile light up his face. Looking around he watched as people walked the streets, men and women alike dressed in Kimonos. He smiled. Koji closed his eyes on the scene, letting his senses spread as he attempted to locate the two people in the world that he wanted to find more than anything in the world. Many tastes bombarded the senses, somehow feeling more substantial, the pulsed with energy with each beat of the humans heart. After ten minutes of searching Koji finally found what he was looking for. The tingle of apple lip up his tongue and Koji had to restrain himself from biting his own tongue at the joy he felt. He wanted more than anything to find the apple he had searched for for so long.
Koji ran off, almost tripping over his own feet with the amount of enthusiasm that he was displaying. He hadn't seen Kisuke, his best friend, a man that was almost his father, in far too long. He didn't want to wait any longer. His feet clattered to a stop before a shop. The shop was of medium size, two stories tall, with sliding doors that were open, inviting people in. Koji made small, nervous steps through the open doors. The walls were lined with various products ranging from various books, different forms of alcohol, bread and a variety of fruits. Koji smiled as he saw several green apples placed in a basket. He picked one up, throwing it in the air before catching it again. He then placed it back in the basket before attempting to find the true apples that he was attempting to find.
"Now, its not very often that I get a visitor in my shop." Koji whipped around to see a man standing in the door way. The taste of green apples danced on Koji's taste buds as the man entered. The man was dressed in a black cloak that came to just below his knees, white diamonds lining robe. His feet were encased in a pair of wooden clogs and on the top of his head sat a green and white stripped one. Koji let out a sob as he saw the figure before him.
"Kis-k-k-k-ke." he managed to get out through his sobs. His entire form trembling with emotion. Koji sprinted over to the man before him, his arms wrapping around his waist. His cries were muffled by the material as he buried his face in it. He made some incoherent babble which went unheard by the ex-captain before him. Kisuke brought his own arms down to the small boy that had wrapped himself tightly around him. Kisuke gently picked up the small figure, bringing the boy's head to rest in the crook of his neck. He spoke gently to the small boy, soothing words coming freely as he rocked him slowly back and forth. After several minutes Kisuke had finally managed to sooth Koji enough that the boy's sobs had stopped and the tears had dried on his face. Koji looked up into the kind eyes of the friend that he was finally reunited with.
"It's alright Koji. I'm here. It's all okay." Kisuke said. Tears were in his own eyes as he soothed the little boy that was almost his son. He had lost the boy. They had been parted for so long and now they were finally back together. He didn't want to let the boy go. "You know what" Kisuke said in an exited tone. He was attempting to lift the mood, he knew the boy had more than one reason to be here. "I think that we should go and find Shinji. Im sure that he'll be just as pleased to see you. How does that sound?" Kisuke knew that he was speaking to the boy as though he was a small child but that was what Koji needed right now. He needed the reassurance that he would not e judged. He needed the responsibility that was on his shoulders to be taken away from he him. He was no longer, in that moment, the Captain of the seventh division. Now he was only a small, scared and lonely little boy who needed nothing more than a hug. Koji gave a small mod. He was as desperate to see Shinji as he had been to see Koji.
Kisuke ran a soothing hand through the hair of the boy in his arms before he set about closing the shop. He shut all the doors and windows before putting a closed sign up on the outside, all with Koji still in his arms. He then made his way down the street, flash stepping towards the hideout of the Vizards. A minute later found the pair in front of a large abandoned building. The structure was sound and yet the windows were boarded up. Koji, however, saw none of this as he had kept his head firmly buried in Kisuke's shoulder. Kisuke made his way though the powerful kido spell that surrounded the compound. As he entered he was met with Mashiro Kuna and Hiyori Sarugaki.
"What are you doing here?" Hiyori questioned, before pointing at Koji and further demanding "And who the hell is that?" Kisuke ignored the girl before him. She was far too loud for her own good. Most of the time Kisuke didn't understand how it was that Shinji put up with her. He sure as hell couldn't be around her twenty four seven. Pushing through the rest of the Vizards he made his way up the stairs and towards Shinji's room. Kisuke was far too emotionally drained to be speaking to any of the other people in the building. Kisuke reached Shinji's door and knocked lightly,waiting for the man to answer. All the while ho continued to delicately rock the small boy in his arm.
"What do you want?" a voice mumbled out. Kisuke gave no response. A few seconds ticked by before he knocked again, more harshly this time. Koji gave a small huff of breath of Kisuke's neck at the movement. From inside the room a loud thump could be heard followed by a murmured complaint. The door swung open after several more seconds to reveal a disheveled Shinji. "What's going on?" Shinji mumbled out, his voice rough with sleep.
At the sound of Shinji's voice Koji's head whipped around to look at the man. His eyes drank in the sight of the man. The man was leaning against the door frame, a pair of shabby, black and white checkered pyjama bottoms hanging loosely around his hips. His hair was much shorter than Koji remembered it being. It Hung down just below his ears. Koji's eyes locked with the man's and a small smile graced his face at the look of shock that Shinji was going him. Twisting around in Kisuke's grip Koji spread his arms wide, inviting his second almost father into a hug. The man needed nothing more. He was stumbling towards Koji, his arms wrapping around the small boy. He scooped the small boy up from Kisuke's arms clutching him tightly in his arms. He didn't want to let the boy go. Koji wrapped his own arms around the man, tears running down his face. He couldn't believe how amazing it was to feel the arms around him. He didn't realise just how much he had missed both Shinji and Kisuke until the minute that he had been reunited with them.
Shinji carried the little boy back into the room that he had just left. He placed him on the bed, sitting beside him and clasping one of the boy's hands in his. Kisuke followed behind them adopting the same position beside Koji, clutching at the boy's other hand. For the next four hours the three did little more than talk and being to re-familiarise themselves with each other. The three remained holding hands, Koji leaning his head on each of their shoulders, alternatively. None of them were willing to give upon the physical contact that they had missed in the past years. They would make up for it as much as possible, no matter how little time they had. Time passed far too quickly and as the clock struck two Koji knew that he had to leave. He really did not want to. He gave the pair massive hugs, clutching into them, never wanting to let them go.
"Goodbye Captain Koji." Shinji said with a wide grin. However his tone was bitter sweet. He knew that there was no way to predict the next time he would see the small boy. Koji had already changed so much since they had last seen him. How much more would he have changed before they saw him again. Kisuke ruffled Koji's hair before placing a soft kiss on the black locks.
"Goodbye little one. Come back when you can." Both Kisuke and Shinji watched with sad eyes as the little boy stepped through the portal and returned to the soul society.