By the time Isshin made it to the source of Kaien's reiatsu, which had dropped to nothing more than a mere shadow of its normal levels, the entire library had fallen into chaos. Hollows large and small crawled across the walls and leapt from bookcase to bookcase, shrieking loudly. Long, ivory claws cut through the air, tearing up books and shredding the walls, and pearly-white faces swung around wildly, the narrow yellow eyes searching the room with feverish anxiousness. They were looking for something in particular...but what?

Isshin knew that he should focus on finding Kaien, but he couldn't help from erecting a small barrier around him so he could watch the Hollows without being noticed. He was curious as to the actions of the imperfect souls before him. He was certain that he could feel Kaien's weak reiatsu in the room, but no Hollows appeared to be closing in on a weakened soul.

"Just what is going on here?" he asked softly, eyes narrowed at the scene.

His answer came in the form of a pained shriek off to his right. Instantly Isshin turned, his hand quickly grasping the hilt of his Engetsu. About twenty feet away was a large Hollow with a boar-like face, roaring mournfully as it gripped the arm that had suddenly been slashed in two. The other Hollows around it looked on in fear, while others whipped their heads around again, looking for what could not be seen. Their fear grew when the boar-face suddenly toppled backwards, a long scarlet slash appearing across its chest. A slash that seemed to come purely out of thin air.

"Wha...?" Isshin muttered, still slightly confused. He had little time to wonder, though, as Boar-face, roaring now in rage, swung its arm out at a space of air in front of it. Instead of passing silently through it, the fist made a loud, audible 'slap' sound, like flesh on flesh. Something unseen went flying into several bookcases to the Hollow's side, and then fell with a loud 'thump' to the floor. The air seemed to buzz and crinkle around the base of the bookcase, and then, all at once, the air shattered, revealing a girl with black hair, carrying a boy with black hair with on arm, and steadying herself weakly with the Zanpakuto in her other arm.

Isshin's eyes widened, and he felt his heart clench up in his chest. "Kaien..." he said softly, anger slowly seeping into his veins once more. His nephew, not even strong enough to carry himself, was bloodied and broken, less even than a shell of his true self. To see his family so weak, and surrounded with evils, boiled Isshin's blood. And when Shibas were angered, heads would roll.

The Hollows around the two black-haired students growled in agitation and anger, yellow eyes slitted in anger. The girl lifted her Zanpakuto to them again, a small grimace on her face, and her blade shaking weakly in the air. Raspy laughter left the jaws of some of the surrounding Hollows as they looked at the weak girl and the man she was trying to protect. She wouldn't last another attack like the last one. With a roar of victory and hunger, a trio of Hollows from the pack lunged at them.

...And then, in the very next second, were each slashed in half. The girl gasped in shock as the dissolving bodies slowly hit the ground around her, her savior still standing over and in front of her, his sword shining, no, glowing dimly in the still air, held carefully in his right hand. Black hair, sharp and spiky, fell down in front of his eyes, darkness hiding his expression from her view. His reiatsu washed over her, calm and soothing, and also...so familiar. Slowly, the girl leaned forward and looked into the face of the an before her.

"Kaien?"

Ichigo smirked, his eyes closed. He could feel the sudden spike in reiatsu from where he was in the training grounds, the sudden wave of unbelievably soothing power, with strength that could probably even rival that of a seated officer.

Looks like Kaien finally met with his Zanpakuto, Ichigo thought off-handedly, feeling relief wash over him anew. Guess we don't have to go save his butt after all.

Damn, I was looking forward to making some more heads roll! Hichigo griped, as always. Ichigo scowled silently at his darker half and turned back to the scene behind him.

Shut it, you pale-skinned idiot. We got some action, you should be satisfied. Besides, he paused, looking at the struggling-to-stay-conscious-while-crouching Yoruichi, who was looking over at him with a mixture of admiration and shock, then over to Kisuke and Lisa, who were unconscious, the first wedged in the wall but slowly pulling himself back to consciousness, the second passed out on the ground, I don't think we can leave these guys as they are right now.

Not waiting to hear Hichigo's snarky reply, the orange-haired Shinigami turned back to Yoruichi, a small smile on his face, as he pushed all thoughts of his cousin Kaien to the back of his head. After all, with the storm-bringer Nejibana on his side, he'd be fine.

"Kaien?" Miyako asked again, looking up into the shadowed gaze of her hero. For a few moments, the black-haired boy didn't say anything, he just stood still, like a statue. The Hollows behind him were just as still, though a few, more anxious ones, began pacing back and forth along the bookcases. Finally, Kaien lifted his head slightly, so that his eyes were no longer shrouded in shadows.

"Hey Miyako," he said softly, a small smirk tugging on the corners of his mouth, "hope I'm not too late."

Miyako's eyes welled up in tears, and she gripped the front of his uniform tightly as she buried her face into his chest. "I-idiot! You almost got yourself killed! I-I thought that I'd lost you, you idiot! D-don't ever d-do that to me again!"

Kaien sighed, nodding slightly to the teary eyed girl, patting her head with his free hand. "Don't worry, Miyako, I won't leave you like that again." Slowly, Miyako let go of his uniform, nodding sadly to the Shiba boy. Kaien smiled softly to her, and then spun around, his gaze sharp as steel once more. He gripped his Zanpakuto tightly and held it out to his right, the blade angled towards the foes in front of him.

"Now then," he said, frowning, "Isshin, I need you to get Miyako out of here now. I'll take care of the Hollows."

Isshin looked up to his nephew, breaking the barrier he'd raised, and making Miyako jump at his sudden appearance. "How did you...?"

"Don't ask, Uncle," Kaien said sharply, keeping his eyes on the Hollows, "just go and keep her safe. I can handle these Hollows, no need to worry about me."

"B-but Kaien...!" Miyako exclaimed, worried that her words to her savior had gone like all conversations to teens; in one ear and out the other. Isshin, however, put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. He turned his gaze to his young nephew, who held his gaze on the Hollows around him, who were now pacing slowly in a circle around the library. The confidence he held, the way he held the blade...Isshin smirked. The Hollows were in for hell.

"Got it, Kaien," he said softly, lifting the young girl into his arms bridal style, "just come out alive, got it?" Kaien smirked at his Uncle's words and gave him a faint nod.

"Whatever you say, Uncle," he said. Isshin sighed, and in a flash, shunpoed away. Kaien felt his reiatsu fade, and smirked. Now it was time. Here goes nothing.

The blade in his hand slowly began spinning clockwise, the entire katana glowing a faint white that intensified with every revolution it gained from Kaien's skillful fingers. Smirking, he felt the reiatsu fill him, and the words entered his mind, clear and crisp, as though they had always been there, but hidden from him until the time was ready. With a sharp grin, Kaien snapped his eyes open to the prowling Hollows and shouted the incantation at the top of his lungs.

"Rankle the Seas and the Heavens, Nejibana!"

Instantly, the entire library was bathed in bright white light, columns of water and wind tearing holes through the walls and the flooring of the room. The Hollows shrieked, fear welling up inside of them. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the light pulled back, revealing Kaien, carrying a long spear-like weapon with a trident's blades at the end, and the top part of his weapon decorated with a thick, dark blue tassel-like object. Kaien's eyes seemed to spark with dangerous power, and if one were to look outside, they would see a large storm growing in the distance.

Now, Kaien, Nejibana's voice rang through the Shiba's head, Seeing as you have only just recently received access to my powers and to my shikai, I cannot give you access to all of the abilities at once. However, just this one time, I will aid you so that you can use these powers against our enemies.

Thank you, Nejibana, this will be more than enough for now, Kaien thought with a smirk on his face. Instantly he swung the battle spear out, creating a cascading wave of water that slammed into the Hollows surrounding him. The Hollows shrieked in fear, running off away from the powerful blasts. Kaien grinned, spinning the trident again, the wave of water surging onward, crushing the Hollows beneath the pressure.

"What's the matter Hollows? Can't swim?" Smirking, he swung the blade again, sending another arc of water up, pushing the Hollows under the water, sucking them down. Kaien frowned, jabbing his spear down hard, the pressure of the water spiking. The Hollows screamed in fear and pain, the force of the suction too much for them. One after another, each of the Hollows dissolved under the water, turning the waves inky black.

Grimacing, Kaien removed his blade from the ground, the water receding back the way it came. He sighed, leaning against the long steel staff of his shikai to rest. Even with Nejibana's help with the new powers, it was a struggle to use the new abilities he now had. He could feel his reiatsu reserves nearing their limit from him just keeping Nejibana out. Sighing, he sealed his Zanpakuto again and collapsed against one of the bookcases. Even if the experience had been exhausting, it had been well-worth it. All the Hollows in the room had been taken care of, though the room was now completely drenched from his new powers. And Miyako was safe. Kaien knew that the powerful Shinigami that was his uncle would protect her effectively for him. Sighing, he felt his eyes droop.

"Hey, no resting yet!"

Kaien opened one of his eyes and looked up slowly at the figure over him. Smirking at him was his uncle, his hand held out to the tired young man. Behind him, smiling shyly at the black-haired Shiba boy. Kaien smiled, raising his hand to his uncle's, and letting the older Konpaku pull him back up onto his feet. Isshin smirked, raising an eyebrow at his nephew.

"So, you have shikai now, eh? Just how much haven't you been telling me and your siblings, Kaien?" Kaien shrugged, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, I just got access to him, so you guys are the only ones so far who know I have these powers now." Isshin smirked, nodding.

"All right. Well, we can celebrate that later. Right now, we need to get both of you somewhere safe. Hollows are still running rampant across the academy grounds, so if we don't get moving now, we could find ourselves in a hell lot of trouble." Smirking, he turned back to the opening and returned Engetsu to its sheath. "Let's go."

Kaien nodded, letting Miyako help hold him up as they followed Isshin out.