ccb thank you for the review

Foscarrelli Thanks for the review and yes I am a first time author. I wanted to make my main character a strong yet cool and in control.

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Chapter 4

The Dorinku Saki Inn was crowded with drinking shinigami with their loud laughter spilling out into the streets. Ikkaku lead Katsumi and Yumi up the steps and into the spacious main room; a group of officers seated around one of the tables turned and watched the threesome approach. Katsumi immediately recognized some of the faces. The tall, busty Rangiku was busily working her way through several bottles of saki. There was Isane and Nanao, whom she had known for over 100 years. Sitting between them was Kurotuchi Nemu, physically the same but spiritually different; she was the one person who had changed the most during the last 75 years. Her "father" was certainly an amazing scientist; yes he was insane, but for all that a true genius.

Ikkaku introduced everyone who was unknown to her. Kira Izuru was a timid, blond haired man; who was slowly, drunkenly, toppling over onto the floor. Abari Renji was a brash, red-head; whose eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything, unless it was Matsumoto's chest. Iba Tetsuzaemon was a solidly built man, who was already sound asleep; only no one noticed because his shades hid his closed eyes. And the rakish Hisagi Shuhei; Katsumi recognized the 69 tattoo on his cleft cheek as being a match to Muguruma Kensei's chest.

"Katsumi-sama, Kyoraku Taichou is waiting in a private room in the back with Ukitake Taichou. He told me to inform you to just go on back when you arrive." Nanao was trying to keep Kira from landing in her lap. She has had a lot of experience over the years handling various stages of drunks; but to be fair to Shun-sui, he rarely became this incapacitated. He could drink these youngsters under the table before exhibiting only the slightest effects of overindulgence.

"Nanao-chan, I was hoping we could get together later this week. I was not expecting to see you here tonight; you were never much of a drinker, unless something has changed?"

"I am only here tonight to carry Taichou home after he passes out from trying to out drink you." Nanao smiled evilly, "It is going to be fun tomorrow. I rarely have a chance of catching him with a true hangover, usually only after a party with you. I'm trying to think of the best way to wake him up."

Katsumi laughed at this. "Well it has been nice meeting all of you, but I need to head over to my friends now." As Katsumi walked turned and walked away from the table she took note of how the amount of drinking among the shinigami had worsened over the last several decades.

Most of the officers looked at one another with raised eyebrows. Ikkaku turned to Nanao, "You know Katsumi? And did you just say two of the oldest Taichou of the Gotei 13 are part of her drinking party? I thought she was just a healer?" He could not keep the surprised tone out of his voice. Kyoraku Taichou is a known drinker, but Ukitake Taichou as well? Just who was this woman?

Ise Nanao fukutaicho smiled with fondness, "I have known Katsumi ever since I joined the seireitei over 100 years ago. She is frequently away on missions for Commander General Yamamoto, she is apparently one of his favorites. She was in the same academy class as my Taichou and Ukitake-sama." Nanao leaned forward and lowered her voice, "Word of warning, she can be as sensitive as Unohana Retsu Taichou about comments about her age." Issane laughed and nodded at this. "Katsumi is calm and collective; it takes a lot before she looses her temper. I have always tried to pattern myself off of her. I envy you having her stationed with your squad. Both my Taichou and I would have liked spending more time with her." Nanao said this last with a sigh.

Matsumoto chose this time to stand up on the table and start singing a drinking song, Kuroda Bushi.

Drink, drink sake!
If you drink enough, this one spear of Japan will be yours.
If you drink enough, you're a true Kuroda warrior.
Is it the mountain wind? Or the wind of the pine tree?
Or the sound of the koto from the person I'm searching for?
Pulling up his horse, drawing near, he could hear
The high sound of a plectrum; she is yearning for her husband.

…...

"Kat-chan!" Shun-sui cried, rising to his feet and throwing his arms around his old friend. "It has been too long since last we met. Jushiro and I were wondering when you would show up. How did your last mission go?" He lead Katsumi to a seat between the two men.

"Shun-chan...Jush-chan, it has been entirely to long. But you know I can not discuss my missions, all I can say it went as well as can be desired. It is here in Soul Society that everything has been happening, even in the North American District I heard of Aizen, Gin, and Tosen's betrayal. Was no one suspicious of them? Looking back were there no signs of it?"

"There was nothing concrete to point to any of this. If anyone seemed odd it was Ichimaru Gin, but that was probably only to conceal Aizen's actions. The only thing that was unusual was the use of the Sokyoku on a 7th seat and the erratic way they kept moving the execution date. A number of captains noticed that it was odd but felt orders from the 64 were to be obeyed unquestionably. I still can not believe that all of us missed anything wrong with Aizen." Ukitake said with sadness, thinking of all the deaths it brought about.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Jush-chan. I met Aizen for a few minutes the last time I was here and suspected nothing. He must have suspected my abilities because he actively stayed away from me. I checked the records, Ichimaru and Tousen were on missions when I stayed here at the seireitei. I did not like Kyoka Suigetsu, he was snarky. I did not push as I should have."

"Himitsu Soyokaze does not need to push to get information. We had to help you keep her quiet, or at least muffled." Lifting an eyebrow Shun-sui asked, "What do you mean by snarky?"

"Snarky is more American slang than anything else. Its when you make an innocent comment but the meaning behind it is anything but innocent. An example would be saying "You look absolutely beautiful in that kimono," which is a complement; then adding, "I would never have thought you could have chosen something like that." implying bad taste. On the surface it is a complement but underneath an insult, but you cant take offense because of the complement. Ayasegawa is good at that." Both Taichous chuckled.

"We have just ended the Arrancar threat and Aizen is now imprisoned, what is next? I hope there will be a period of peace, a chance to repair all the damaged caused during the last year. We had been ordered to attend the briefing you will be giving the old man tomorrow night. Can you tell us anything about it?" Ukitake asked quietly.

"You know I can not do that, old friend. Besides this is not the best place to discuss these sorts of things. I don't like revealing people's secrets, and when I do it is only to a select few."

Katsumi's zanpakuto was named Himitsu Soyokaze, which means "secret breeze". All of the captains and a few of the fukutaichos knew of her position as Adjudicator. This extended to the Vizards, Shihoin, and Urahara due to their previous ranks. The one shinigami authorized to interact with the other divisions of Soul Society throughout the world. But only five of those individuals knew of her true status, that of spymaster.

Simply put Himitsu Soyokaze was a big gossip. Everywhere she went she talked to all the other zanpakutos; always, all the time, she would simply not shut up. She could carry on over a hundred conversations at the same time. And Katsumi heard all of them as if they were carried on a breeze that constantly flowed around her. The static hum of conversation filled her head at all times, even when asleep. The range of her zan was dictated by the number of conversations she was holding. In the seireitei the number of zans limited her range; out in the Rukongai District, where there were fewer zan, the greater her range. When Katsumi first gained Himitsu Soyokaze she was constantly distracted and was nearly killed several times. Shun-sui and Jushiro had both helped her to quiet the noise, to push the conversations to the back of her mind so she could function. It was only then that she could even get any kind of descent sleep. Her subconscious mind filters those conversations and glean the important and interesting information. The other zanpakutos loved to talk to Himitsu Soyokaze about anything and everything. The secrets that their masters held so dear were known only to their zans, and through them Katsumi.

Being privy to so many secrets was exceedingly hard. If everyone knew about what she could do Katsumi would probably have been exiled to the maggot's nest to spend the rest of her life. The high security detention unit kept by the 2nd squad was known to only a few outside of that squad. It was a vast underground labyrinth used to house shinigami which may poss a threat to Soul Society. And knowing all of it's secrets could definitely be viewed as a threat. Katsumi had to keep track of what information was know and what was not, this was so she would not inadvertently reveal something that she should not have. She made it a policy to never expose those secrets. Even the innocent ones; such as who had stolen Ikkaku's stash of candy. He suspected it was Yachiru. It was actually Zaraki, who used it to bribe the child. The nature of that bribe was another secret. She only told those secrets that could harm the Soul Society, and then only to a select few. Yamamoto, as General Commander; Shun-sui and Jushiro, as senior captains who already knew about her abilities; and Youroichi and then Soi-feng, being the two Taichous who were in charge of security. Katsumi was officially a member of the 4th squad under Unohana Taichou, but technically she was a secret member of the 2nd squad and reported secretly to it's taichou. The zans adored Katsumi's zanpakuto, only the strong would even consider lying to her. And only the strongest would actually be successful at it. But she needed to be careful about what she heard; if a zan truly believed what it was saying, than it would repeat it as truth.

"Enough of this maudlin speech, let us remember better things." Shun-sui interrupted. He then talked of their times in the Academy and all the trouble the three of them use to get into. Jushiro laughed at his antics and tried to forget all his present troubles. The friends drank throughout the night trading stores and remembering better times.

Katsumi smiled at Shun-sui fondly, "You are going to have to finish this last bottle of saki on your own, I have a busy day tomorrow and need to get to sleep. Nanao should still be out in the main room to see that you get back to your barracks."

Looking up in disappointment, Shun-sui complained, "What? Are you leaving already? I'm not nearly drunk enough yet."

"Well tomorrow night is the meeting and I still need to prepare some things. But more importantly in the afternoon I am expecting to be sparing with Zaraki."

Both Shun-sui and Jushiro sat up quickly, they turned a look of horror onto each other. Jushiro addressed Katsumi with concern, "I know you can hold your own with any of the fukutaishos but you can't match Zaraki in battle. He does not know the meaning of the word sparing...he only believes in battle to the death."

Katsumi chuckled, "I know that already. I do not need to beat him...only keep him busy long enough to keep his interest piqued. I will set down guidelines before any fighting."

Shun-sui interrupted, "He does not believe in guidelines either. You will be careful wont you? How do you intend to keep his interest?"

"Che, if he wants to fight me he will have to agree to rules. And I think I should be able to use my speed and different fighting styles to entertaining him. And do not forget I am no beginner when it comes to the demon arts, as well. I do have a few tricks that even the two of you do not know of. But I will take care; after all, I can not afford to spend time over an injury. I think it is you Shun-Chan that needs to be careful. I saw the look in Nanao's face when she talked to me earlier. Please tell me you have not been bothering her with your infantile jokes."

Shun-sui smiled and blushed slightly, "You know me too well. If you are going to fight Zaraki tomorrow, you need to get your rest. We will see you tomorrow night. Take care."