Hunt for the Puppet Master
Gaara cursed Yamamoto in his mind while Shukaku laughed himself to tears at his current predicament. Standing before him as captain Soifon wearing a neutral/cold mask but he could see the turmoil she's in as she requested to be part of the team going after Roko.
"No." Gaara watched as the neutral/cold mask that many had tried to crack shattered as Soifon glared at him with all the anger she had which was enough to make Shukaku stop laughing .
"No, need I remind you that traitors and rouge elements of Soul Society fall under my jurisdiction as captain of the Second Division 'Lieutenant'." Gaara's mask of indifference did not waver as she continued to glare at him with all her might. She had to go on the mission if for the sake of anything just to see if it truly was Roko and not some mix up at Twelfth Division or something.
"That may be true but Captain Yamamoto put me in charge including putting together a team to catch him and as such I say you can't go." While Gaara was able to keep his mask intact inside he was feeling very afraid at the moment as he remembered what happened to Naruto when he stopped Soifon from chasing after he mentor.
"Why?" the question caught Gaara by surprise, not in her asking but the way she said it in an almost defeated tone instead of either the angry retort or her more common cold professional voice.
"Because you're too close to him and if a fight should break out you could very well end up a liability." It was true but not the main reason Gaara didn't want her on the team. He needed to follow Roko's plan and bringing her could very well ruin everything especially if they wanted to catch Aizen in the act.
Soifon for her part glared back at Gaara but deep in her heart she knew he was right. If a fight did break out she wasn't sure she could honestly fight to her full potential against Roko and it angered her that the man had dug himself that deep into her heart when she remembered something.
"If that's the case then why are they sending you? You were his best friend do you honestly think you can fight him if it comes to that?" Gaara silently cursed, she had a point with that but he still couldn't let her go it would get in the way of the plan…
"Let her go Gaara she needs to be part of this as much as you do." Soifon and Gaara turned and saw Nanao standing next to the wall holding a girls hand. The girl had blood red hair like Gaara and her left eye was the same pale pupil less green while the right was a bluish violet like Nanao's. Her hair was done up the same as Nanao's as well but she didn't where glasses.
"Tou-san why is Soifon-oba-chan sad?" Gaara smiled sadly at his daughter as he went over and gave her a quick hug which she returned before he held her at arm's length and gave her a long look.
"Soifon-oba-chan is sad because she wants to go with me on an important mission even though she's needed here Mai-chan." Gaara said to his daughter who gave him a small frown as her bottom lip quivered. Gaara quickly stood and looked at his wife when he saw Mai's lip quivering, he had been caught by her giving him the puppy eye jutsu that all females/kids can do even without chakra which made him wonder how it was possible but he put it out of his mind as his wife gave him a stern look.
"You're going to take her with you because next to you she is the only one who knows Roko well enough to be able to find him." Gaara continued to frown, it was true that other than himself Soifon knew Roko best and probably even better than him in certain areas but that wasn't the problem. He already knew where Roko was but if he brought Soifon than he would have to distract her so he could get a current take on what's going on and when Roko would be able to strike at Aizen.
"Roko-oji-san? I though he was far away?" Mai asked as she looked up at her parents as they argued quietly so as not to draw any more attention to themselves. The question caused Gaara and Nanao to look down at her as if they just realized she was still there which they had as their attention had shifted to each other in such a way they didn't realize Mai was still standing next to them.
"Roko-oji-san was just found to be nearby but doesn't seem to be able to come home yet so I was going to go and get him Mai-chan." Gaara said to his daughter. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the full truth and he doubted she would buy it completely but hopefully it would settle her down for now until he got back.
"Than Soifon-oba-chan should go they haven't seen each other in a really long time and they would be happy to see each other again!" Mai shouted at Gaara who could see he was in a losing battle with all three women glaring at him though Mai's was more cute than intimidating but Nanao and Soifon made up for that.
Sighing Gaara caved and said, "We leave in an hour Soifon pack whatever you need we may be gone for a while." Soifon nodded as she left while Gaara thought to himself, what have I gotten myself into?
Roko was once more on the roof of his house staring up into the night sky over Karaku town waiting. He knew Gaara would show up sooner or later but there was a good chance he wouldn't be alone after all he was considered dangerous even when he worked as a Shinigami so he would immediately fall into the Second Divisions jurisdiction meaning there was a high probability Soifon would be there and he wasn't sure how he would handle that.
"Well if she comes than I'll have to improvise dammit where's Naruto when you need him this whole changing things up on the fly was his thing not mine." Roko said to himself before he felt two reiatuse signatures enter Karaku Town one being a sealed captain and the other a sealed lieutenant.
"Hmm the Captains reiatuse feels familiar but the lieutenant is unknown to me so probably not meant for me in which case…" Roko didn't finish his sentence as he felt two very familiar reiatuse signatures enter quickly behind the first two and split off to investigate the area.
"Never mind their here and Gaara is already on his way although he's taking the longer route understandable given who he brought with him." Roko said while Saso crawled over his shoulder to look out into the town with him.
"Master what of the Kurosaki boy and the Kuchiki girl? They may need help against the Shinigami tracking her down right now." Roko nodded at Saso's question before he turned around to enter his house again.
"Well I figured now would be a good time to test that new body I made for you Saso you will help Ichigo with the Shinigami coming after him but be careful the Captain felt familiar so that means he has at least some knowledge of the things I can do with my puppets." Saso nodded as they descended into the house.
Ichigo was not having a good night, first Rukia had to go and leave for some reason leaving Kon to annoy the hell out of him, then he finds Rukia being assaulted by two more Shinigami when Uryu came in to help but now he was having a stare down with the red ponytail haired guy while the other one just watched.
As Ichigo was going to attack his danger senses kicked in causing him jump back as a large creature crashed into where he had the other guy Renji if he remembered correctly. The creature Ichigo noticed looked like scorpion the size of a semi covered in armor plates with strange glowing designs on it. The tail was large and segmented with a large three sided blade at the tip as it swayed slightly (Sasori's tail) while the pincers had serrated teeth on the inner part of them.
But the head was what caught Ichigo's attention not that there was anything wrong with it. It looked like a scorpions head would if it was at that size but there wasn't a hollow mask which Ichigo had been expecting.
"Well it seems I arrived here on time master will be pleased." Everyone stared at the scorpion with a dumbfounded expression when they heard the scorpion's voice which sounded more like a child's rather than a monsters.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked the scorpion who turned to look at him while keeping the other two Shinigami in sight.
"My name is Saso and my master sent me here when we felt the Shinigami were attacking you." Saso said to Ichigo who was still confused at why he was here but wasn't about to say no to more help at the moment.
"Now then Shinigami my master is curious as to why you are here threatening his godson and not hunting down Hollows as you should be." The reactions from everyone nearly made Saso laugh as he watched the two Shinigami glare at him with the one without eyebrows sporting a large tick mark on his head. Ichigo had a confused scowl similar to Rukia's frown while Uryu tried to hide a smirk at the crack at the Shinigami he had made.
"What the hell are you some cheap knockoff of a Hollow?" Renji yelled at the Saso who went stiff as its head turned slowly to look at Renji in a manner that felt all too familiar for Byakuya's liking.
"Did you call me a cheap knockoff of a Hollow?" Saso asked in an all too calm voice that was making Byakuya back away from the area. He remembered saying something similar to a red haired puppeteer and nearly died because of it and the scorpion was giving off the same aura that Roko did.
"Renji don't…" Byakuya didn't get to finish as Saso's tail shot at Renji at a speed even he would have trouble with. Renji for his part only received a cut to his side and although it hurt the wound wouldn't cause any problems for him as far as he knew.
"You dare insult Master Roko's work by calling it a cheap knockoff of a Hollow I will show you the true power of my masters Art." Saso yelled at Renji who got into a fighting stance not really caring about Saso's master but Byakuya only paled at the conformation of his suspicions. Acting quickly Byakuya struck Ichigo down and grabbed Rukia before flash stepping behind Renji.
"Renji were leaving now!" Byakuya said his eyes staying on Saso who moved over to Ichigo and stood over him protectively as he glared back at Byakuya as best as he could.
"What, why, this things not that dangerous I mean come on how bad can it be?" Renji asked before he keeled over as his side suddenly exploded in pain. Byakuya grimaced when he saw that and hefted his lieutenant over his shoulder never taking his eyes off Saso while he called for a gate to get out of there.
"You have made a dangerous enemy this day Captain; Master Roko won't let this go unpunished." Saso said as the underside of his body opened for him to scoop an injured Ichigo into his body.
Byakuya didn't say anything he just left the scorpion while he tried to think of a way to save his lieutenants life along with his own.
Roko frowned when he felt the two Shinigami leave along with Rukia but let it go as he turned his attention to Gaara who had just arrived.
"I see you're here good we don't have much time." Roko said as he handed a scroll to Gaara who quickly read it and frowned before looking at Roko again.
"This wasn't the original plan why the sudden change?" Gaara asked, he knew Roko didn't just change things on a whim so something had to have happened to warrant it.
"Kisuke made his move and is trying to flush Aizen out by enticing him with the thing he's after." Roko said as he looked in the direction Soifon's reiatuse was as it steadily got closer to their position. He knew he need to get this done fast but a part of him wanted to see her again to hold her in…
No, now's not the time for selfish indulgences I've sacrificed too much to put in danger right now. Roko thought to himself as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning to look at Gaara he could see the searching gaze his friend was sending at him before he turned away from him and made for the trees.
"You can wait nearby to see her you know." Gaara said when Roko made it to the tree line causing him to stop and turn to look at Gaara again with a pained look.
"You know I can't do that anymore than Naruto could let a bowl of ramen go to waste in front of him. I'm good but even my self-control has a limit to what it can handle." Gaara winced but both turned sharply when Soifon's reiatuse suddenly spiked next to Roko who in the blink of an eye was kicked back into the clearing.
"Ooww damn that actually hurt." Roko said as he rubbed the back of his head where he was kicked causing his hat to fall off leaving his face for all to see.
"It's really you isn't it Roko." Soifon said causing Roko's hand to freeze while he turned to look at her his face a blank mask. Soifon couldn't decide on how she should feel, part of her was angry at him for being gone for over a hundred years letting everyone think he was dead, while the other part of her wanted to grab him and never let him go.
"Soi-cha… Soifon it's been a while time has been good to you I see." Roko almost winced when Soifon's eyes narrowed at him. Damn as if this wasn't hard enough she has to be here right now. Was the thought running through Roko's head as he tried to figure a way out of this with the least amount of danger to both his best friend and the woman he loved without blowing his cover.
"Lieutenant Gaara, Roko, you have some explaining to do." This caused Gaara to raise an eyebrow while Roko narrowed his eyes at her words.
I can understand her wanting an explanation out of me hell if she didn't want one whether before or after he tried to kill me I would be shocked but why include Gaara? She knows we're old friends but that's not enough to warrant questioning unless… Roko's eyes widened before narrowing at Soifon again while a strand of reiraku discretely connected to one of the scrolls on his back.
"So you read up on my journal Soifon concerning tracking reiatuse and how if someone were let out a sizable amount than it would take the persons attention away from the much smaller amount slipping in from another direction especially if the tracker was only looking in the direction the larger source was." Roko said making Gaara's eyes widen although he missed it when he saw something coming from Soifon.
For the briefest of seconds Soifon had a very familiar smirk on her face that would have fit perfectly on her mentor and said woman would have been proud she had seen it. He remembered her giving him that smirk whenever she beat surprised him and nearly caused him to break character. No don't think about that or theirs a good chance everything will fall apart.
"I'm more surprised she was able to read your journals you keep everything in a code even I don't know." Gaara said as he drew his blade. Things were going bad fast and he needed a way out of this or everything they did would not only be pointless but very likely to endanger not only Soul Society but the Human world as well.
"I'm not I taught her most of them before I left I just didn't expect her to actually read my notes as most people with the exception to Mayuri would probably not find it useful." Roko said in response to Gaara statement before returning his attention to Soifon only to jump out of the way when she tried to punch him from the side while the after image faded away.
"Gaara get that to Yamamoto now it's more important right now I'll deal with Soifon just make sure everything's ready." Gaara nodded and flash stepped from the clearing while Roko pulled out a scroll to use.
"I have a feeling you won't listen to me until after the fight despite whatever you heard if for nothing else to gage my level in comparison to yours." Roko's statement was met with another attack from Soifon while she glared at him. "Damn I'm starting to hate it when I'm right."
another one done i hope i made Soifon somewhat more in character while showing that Roko affected her a lot so dont be surprised if she seems a little OOC other than that i just got back from work and i don't know when I'll have to back so i be working on Lost Alchemist in the time being but hope u liked the chapter R&R