There are few duties more dangerous to a Shinigami than Hollow extermination. As such, the pay is reflected in the danger of such a task to include the collection of any potential bounties placed on individual Hollows. Tasks such as these are normally handed off to Seated Officers as a result of the inherent danger, and the difficulties that come with being temporarily assigned to the World of the Living. It would be a short posting, not more than a week, really.
Why such a detail would fall to Kenzo...well, he'd volunteered for it. Anything to snub his grandfather and the family. A ghost of a smile briefly tugs at the corners of his lips before he can help himself. Just the thought of the old codger's indignation at being ignored is enough to make any extra duty worth it. This, of course, would also afford him a chance to enjoy one of his few hobbies after completing his patrols for the evening, and a chance to check up on old acquaintances. Calmly striding down a dark alley, Kenzo spares a single glance at the silvery moon hanging low in an inky sky, his breath somewhat visible in the cool air.
A small shop stands ahead of him, and for a moment one might believe it's occupants to be gone for the evening if not for a single light burning it one of the windows. Even if all the lights were out...Kenzo was sure that the door would open at his knock, regardless. He slows to a stop in front of the door, calmly raising a hand and pausing when the door suddenly slides open. A man stands in the doorway, his face hidden by a folding fan.
"Hello, valued customer~!" greets the man. "While we appreciate your custom, I regret to inform you that our business hours are-"
"Nine to five, Monday through Friday," Kenzo finishes. "I'm well aware, Captain Urahara. I've simply come to inspect something left in your holding...or are there hours posted for that?" Kisuke is silent for several moments before suddenly snapping the fan closed to reveal a grin.
"Why, Ishioka Kenzo! It's been a day if it's been ten years! What brings you all the way out to my neck of the woods?"
"As I said, I've simply come to briefly inspect something." Hearing a soft noise, Kenzo turns his back to Kisuke quickly, staring out into the darkness for several moments. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, preparing himself for what is going to undoubtedly be Kisuke's teasing for being so jumpy...at least until someone casually pats him on the shoulder. He glances in the direction of the offending party and stops when a fingertip jabs him in the cheek. "Hah. You're still too fast for me, Captain Shihoin."
"Not a Captain anymore, Kenzo," Yoruichi tells him with a grin. A second finger jabs him in the ribs, and he steps in the opposite direction, pressing a hand to the now aching spot. "Hoh? You've lost a bit of weight since we last met. Don't tell me you're hoping to impress an old woman like me?"
This...this is the real Yoruichi, Kenzo recalls. Underneath all the titles and labels she had placed on her within the Second Division, and the Onmitsukido...and she just wanted to be free to be herself. A feeling Kenzo understood all too well, and one that had she had sensed in him as well. Maybe that's why he'd lingered in the Second Division for so long, even after her flight from the Soul Society. Ghosts of memories and times past that quickly faded until there was nothing to keep him there anymore.
"I've simply taken on more patrols as of late, Captain. An unfortunate side effect of such a thing is eating hardtack three times a day." He turns to face the two, a small smile appearing on his face. "May I come in?" The two motion him to follow, and he steps into the shop, following behind Kisuke to a small door. A pegboard with a set of keys sets on the wall beside the door, and Kenzo casually takes them from their hook before following the two into a small garage of sorts.
"Everything if more or less the way you left it," Kisuke assures him, sweeping a hand out towards the numerous shelves of tools and a bulky tarped object in the middle of the garage. "Tessai comes through every now and again to clean up the cobwebs but other than that no one has been in here."
"I see. Please pass on my thanks to Tsukabishi-san." Kenzo steps past the two and carefully removes to tarp to reveal a bobber style motorcycle, cherry red paint gleaming in the light of the garage. He can still remember the first time he had laid eyes on a motorbike in the World of the Living...some might say it was love at first sight, really. He had to know everything there was to know about them, and while the concept of owning one was nothing more than a pipe dream it had become much more when he'd discovered that Kisuke, Yoruichi and Tessai had set up shop in the World of the Living. He'd scraped and saved while taking extra duty after extra duty to earn the money and convert it before purchasing the parts and finally building it...a labor of love.
"You come all the way to the World of the Living, and you won't even stay for a chat before riding off, Kenzo?" Yoruichi teases, watching him inspect his motorcycle carefully.
"Haha~. I'm not riding out right this minute, Captain Shihoin. I prefer to ride in the evenings...watching the sunset is quite enjoyable from a motorbike." Satisfied with his inspection he inserts the key and starts it, enjoying the throaty rumble of the engine as it roars to life. After several moments of idling, he shuts it off and removes the key before pulling the tarp back over it carefully. "It's been a while since I've given it a tune up..." He pauses for a moment as if considering the bike under the tarp. "...I'll have to remove the battery before I return to the Seireitei. Can't let it die over the winter." With that he turns to face the two of them with a small smile. "I don't suppose I could bother you for a cup of tea, Captain Urahara...?"
"Hup!" Kenzo grunts, leaping back from an errant swipe of the Hollow's claws. Unfortunately, a nearby dumpster isn't nearly so lucky, crumpling into little more than a heap of twisted metal as a result of the blow as it crashes through a chain-link fence. A twinge of guilt races through him when he realizes someone is going to have to pick up that mess, and he rushes forward quickly. Moonlight briefly glints off the blade of Hoshi Kyo before it's dyed an inky black, a spray of blood and a twisted howl echoing through the air as the howl drops to the ground in two pieces. With a flick of his wrist, he cleans the blade, watching as the Hollow slowly breaks apart before its body disappears entirely. "Hah. It was such a good evening, too."
A low hiss reaches his ears only to be immediately silenced with a rush of wind and the sound of blood spattering across pavement. Kenzo glances over his shoulder at a second smaller Hollow, its body skewered by several dozen inky blades, the surface of each one dotted with pin pricks of white light in a vision of the stars against the night sky. The Hollow shudders, it's body refusing to obey commands even as another blade blinks into existence, rotating violently before piercing the white mask.
'Slivers of the Void'...that's what Hoshi Kyo had called them. Though he'd often refer to them simply as 'Slivers' much to her discontent it is still an incredibly useful ability nonetheless, and one she was happy to hand over when he'd managed his Shikai. The Hollow's body begins to slowly disappear, and with a wave of his free hand cracks appear on the surface of the blades before they shatter, disappearing into nothingness. A guttural and twisted howl bellows through the air and Kenzo turns to face the source of the howl as a Hollow rushes in his direction...and sprints right past him. Confusion briefly flickers across his face before once more returning to its neutral mask, as a second and then a third rush past.
A powerful Reiatsu falls upon him moments later and by instinct alone he releases the full force his own, relieving the overwhelming pressure as he pin-points the offending party. A loud screech draws his attention skywards to a woman clad in white. A portal of some sort slowly closes behind her, and with a brief use of Shunpo, he appears before the woman. Only when close does he realize that the front of her otherwise white hakama is stained a brilliant crimson, and her jacket which is torn open reveals grinning mask of white bone from the eyes below.
This woman...he'd briefly skimmed the reports coming in from the World of the Living, and they'd mentioned encounters with a type of Hollow referred to as 'Arrancar' serving Aizen. Wounded, and bleeding profusely as she is a pair of green eyes glare at him from behind golden bangs. But it's her Reiatsu that's most oppressive, bearing down on him as though it means to consume him entirely and for the first time in a long time, he feels a rush of fear grip his heart. Fighting her...it's an impossibility wielding only his Shikai, and he quickly surmises that even Bankai might not truly even the odds. His only saving grace is that he's not had the Gentei Rein placed on him as he'd entered the World of the Living by way of the Void so he would be able to wield his full strength.
"It's a nice night," Kenzo mutters, glancing at the moon. "It would be a shame to ruin it by killing each other. Return to your Master." Her entire form seems to bristle at the word 'Master' and Kenzo realizes that what he had intended as an attempt at a dismissal might, in fact, have served only to agitate her further.
"Mind your words, Shinigami," warns the woman, voice tinted with an icy fury. "That traitor is not my master."
"Hah. My sincerest apology, Arrancar-san." A loud screech fills the air once again, and Kenzo glances over his shoulder as another dark portal opens in the air. A pair of men dressed in white uniforms step out, adding their Reiatsu to the already incredible mix as the portal closes behind them. "Friends of yours?"
"No." She draws herself up to her full height, reaching towards the Zanpakuto at her back with her free hand. It's a strange draw, and an even stranger weapon that emerges from the sheath as she stares beyond him at the two men. Her gaze is one of fury, desperation and...resignation? The look of someone who stands at the end of the line, searching for the next step beyond. "You do not belong here, Shinigami. You... You..." Her knees begin to buckle, and Kenzo's figure flickers to catch her before she begins her free fall to the city below. With ease he slings her light frame over a shoulder before turning to confront to the Arrancar standing several dozen meters from him.
"Rescuing a Hollow...what am I doing?" On a brief once over of the two, Kenzo realizes that neither of them possesses nearly the same amount of strength as this woman but he'd gauge them both as being even with a Lieutenant in strength. Fighting one on one would be easy but fighting two on one? "It is sometimes better to ask forgiveness than permission..." He hefts Hoshi Kyo in front of him, and both Arrancar immediately unsheathe their weapons as a result. However, their determination turns to confusion when he slowly lowers the tip of the weapon, a thin line appearing in the air, and as he presses it forward a number of cracks. "Shatter. Zengen Seiko."
The sound of glass shattering fills the air, as the world of color surrounding them falls away in shards of Reality, replaced with an inky black curtain dotted with specks of white light and beyond the young Shinigami, a brilliant glow of orange surrounding a dark pit.
"Fufu~...welcome to the Void, little lambs," giggles a feminine voice. A woman steps out from behind the Shinigami, one arm folded under her chest and the other gripping a long pipe. The icy fingers of fear grip their missing hearts as she glances in their direction her eyes...her eyes nothing more than pools of darkness speckled with flickering dots of light. "We do hope you'll enjoy your stay...however short it may be..."
A rhythmic and soft ticking greets her as she stirs from her slumber, accompanied by a dull ache across her abdomen. Green eyes slowly open, staring past blond lashes at an off-white ceiling and a slowly rotating fan. Numbly sliding a hand towards the dull throbbing of her wound, she's surprised to encounter tightly wrapped bandages. In a rush, her memories return, her eyes opening wide as her brow furrows in anger, teeth grinding as she pushes herself up from the mattress she's found herself lying on. The sound of footsteps fills the room now, and she immediately glances in the direction to find a tall dark haired young man standing approaching. Crimson eyes bore into her own sea green.
"Welcome back, Arrancar-san," Kenzo offers in way of greeting. "You seem to be doing much better." He reaches a hand out in her direction only to find his wrist quickly captured and squeezed to a point near pain...a clear warning on her part.
"Do not touch me," she warns.
"Relax. I carried you here, tended your wounds...I've had more than ample opportunity to kill you."
"Why didn't you?" Crimson eyes lock with green as the two stare one another down. Truthfully, he wasn't sure why he hadn't taken the opportunity to deliver the killing blow himself. Was it some misplaced, or perhaps misguided attempt at pity for a woman allegedly cast from Aizen's ranks, from her home that had stayed his blade in that critical moment? That couldn't be it. No, looking at her now, even bound in bandages, she carries herself with all the nobility of any of the ladies in the Four Noble Families. He could think of a dozen lies, a dozen stories to spin for the Arrancar before him but...what fell unbidden from his mouth was instead truth.
"I'm not sure." A tense silence once more fills the room until at last her grip loosens allowing Kenzo to reach forward, and calmly place the back of his palm to her forehead. "I'm not skilled in Kaido. I've staunched the bleeding and bandaged your wound. You'll need to rely on your body's own healing from this point...which can leave you vulnerable to infection. Fortunately, you don't seem to have a fever." He removes his hand and calmly steps back, clasping his hands behind his back once more.
"What now?"
"What, indeed." He turns his head to glance out the window of the small room. She follows his sight, calmly gazing beyond the glass at the myriad of colors dying the sky. "You are an Arrancar...and I'm a Shinigami. By rights, we should be at each other's throats and yet here we stand."
"What do you want with me?"
"Information. You seem to be at odds with Aizen...and you have that tattoo on your chest." Her eyes narrow slightly in response to his words. "I did some investigating while you slept. Another Arrancar appeared here some time ago, bearing a tattoo and uniform similar to yours. An 'Espada', I've heard they're called." Kenzo turns to look at her once more, his face a mask of neutrality in spite of her slowly gathering Reiatsu. "So, I would suggest an exchange. Your information, in exchange for your life, Arrancar-san. You-"
"Harribel Tier...not 'Arrancar'."
"I see. My apologizes, Harribel-san. I am Ishioka Kenzo. Ninth Seat of the Thirteenth Division."
"You want information regarding Aizen and his forces, correct?" He nods calmly in understanding. "In exchange for my life...so you take me for a fool, then." Tier turns from the window as well, meeting his gaze almost in challenge. "I'm to believe that I'll simply be allowed to go on my way because I've aided the Soul Society?"
"You haven't really got any other choices. No...that's not true. We could pick up where we left off from; prepared to tear each other to pieces for reasons that...well, may or may not particularly make since when we look back at them, OR...you can take a chance, and try to do the right thing."
"And what, exactly, is the 'right thing'?"
"Save lives. What you know, what you can tell us could save a lot of lives, Harribel-san. Probably even my own." Silence once more fills the room as she searches his eyes, seeking out something, duplicity in his words and actions, perhaps? Maybe it's because there aren't really any other options, maybe it's out of a sense of gratitude for his unwanted rescue but whatever the case may be she finally breaks their eye contact to gaze out the window at the rising sun.
"No matter my decision...it seems the price is death. What you've offered me is choice in name only." Kenzo opens his mouth to respond but struggles to find the words to assure her of the righteousness of this cause. Can there really be such a thing when he's attempting to force her to make a choice with only HER life on the line? True, he may be punished for breaking the ban on his Bankai, and he may be punished for his actions in attempting to strike a bargain with an Arrancar but a noble, even one on bad terms with his family, would still walk away with what amounts to little more than a slap on the wrist for such offences.
"...Yes," Kenzo admits, the words tasting of bile on his tongue. "I cannot let you go free...and I cannot guarantee your life."
"What do you get out of this? Honor? A promotion?"
"I have things I need to pay for. I can't afford luxuries like honor. Promotions...well, I've never chased anything other than peace of mind." He surprises her by suddenly stepping forward and turning to take a seat on the edge of the bed. Confusion, and then anger flickers across her features. Does he truly believe her to be so weak in this moment as to turn his back on an enemy? Then, as quickly as the emotion had reared its head, it vanishes as she watches the mask of neutrality the young Shinigami had worn moments ago shatters into an expression of indecision, and great exhaustion. "Someone I care for very much...would tell me that I have no right to ask this of you, or to gamble with your life, and until this day I've never acted against the laws of the Soul Society..."
"Yet here we stand."
"Yes." He glances in her direction, holding her gaze for several long moments before once more standing and clasping his hands behind his back. Gone is the indecision, and exhaustion as he turns away from her. "It's currently seven fifty-eight. One hour. I can't delay my report any longer than that, or they'll become suspicious."
"You expect me to flee?"
"Flee or don't. For one hour, I will not pursue or hinder you in any manner. If you're still here in an hour, I'll have considered that to be your answer, Harribel-san..."
- - Seireitei, First Division - -
"What is the meaning of this?!" roars Yamamoto, his heavy Reiatsu falling upon the Captain's gathered in the meeting hall and forcing a sheen of sweat across Kenzo's brow as he fights to resist it. Of course, the issue is only compounded by the volatile mixture of the gathered Captain's Reiatsu. At the end of the hour, Tier had remained at his post in the World of the Living, and as a result he'd reached out to ask a favor of possibly the only person he could trust, Jushiro Ukitake.
To call the Captain surprised would be an understatement, and when he'd turned up accompanied by Captain Kyoraku he'd assumed that perhaps it had all been for naught. That in spite of his Captain's kindness, the two had been ordered to carry out her elimination. Those thoughts were dispelled, however, when both men immediately inquired about his health and after explaining the situation, they had even assured that they would help to smooth things over and convinced the Head Captain.
"Whew~! It's been a while since I've seen you so worked up, Yama-jii," Shunsui says, adjusting the brim of his hat.
"You, brats! You have well and truly lost your minds! You've invited an enemy into the heart of the Soul Society as though it were your own playground!" The two men glance at Kenzo, offering him somewhat sheepish expressions. It seems their plan to pacify the Head Captain is not off to what any of them would consider to be a good start. The Head Captain lifts his cane, pointing it at their small group in the middle of the meeting hall. "You brats would do well to prepare yourselves thoroughly! I will see an end to this farce, and then I will see to your punishment!"
"Hold on just a moment, Genryusai-sensei!" Jushiro says quickly, holding his hands up quickly. "We came here in good faith with the hopes of explaining the situation. Kenzo-" The young Shinigami steps forward calmly, hands clasped behind his back. "-encountered the Arrancar, Harribel Tier, while on patrol in the World of the Living several hours ago. In the process of contacting her he was forced to combat two more Arrancar sent to eliminate her. After a brief interrogation, it's been discovered-"
"Interrogation?" echos Sui-Feng. "She seems relatively unharmed to have undergone any real interrogation, Captain Ukitake." Kenzo glances side-long at the woman, who stands with arms crossed and chin tilted defiantly to stare into his eyes. They had, once upon a time, served the same Captain and fought side-by-side but now...that all seems so long ago. While never close, there certainly wasn't any real level of animosity, or at least not enough to warrent the look in her eyes now. "Afraid to get your hands dirty these days...Kenzo." He calmly glances away from her, and she immediately takes a step in his direction only for the sharp 'crack!' of Yamamoto's cane against the floor to stop her in her tracks.
"Enough!" Yamamoto orders immediately. "This youngster..." The pressure of Yamamoto's Reiatsu bears down on him as though it means to consume him entirely, though to his credit he still calmly meets the man's gaze. "...I would hear his explanation in his own words. Not a report, and not from the pair of you." Jushiro and Shunsui both take a step closer to Kenzo and the pressure bearing down on him seems to lighten considerably. "You two..."
"How's Kenzo-kun supposed to explain if he can't manage a word, Yama-jii?" reasons Shunsui. "To be honest, I'm as curious as you are." The room is quiet enough to hear the drop of a pin, the gathered Captain's awaiting word from Yamamoto. Will they be forced to separate them, or will they strike down the Arrancar and see to this upstart's punishment? To their surprise, Unohana raises her hand with a smile.
"I would be interested to hear this story as well, Ishioka-kun" Unohana admits to them. It's a surprising bit of unexpected help and one that Kenzo hadn't counted on considering the chastisement he'd received upon his visit to the Fourth Division. Yamamoto's Reiatsu disappears several long moments, and the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding escapes him in a deep sigh as he squares his shoulders. "Please. Enlighten us."
"Yes, Captain," Kenzo says before recounting the events of the night. He omits a few facts from the story, mainly in regard to his decision to delay his report and not interfere in Tier's potential escape. Several long minutes pass as he clearly admits to everything, and when he's finished silence once more falls across the hall. Jushiro gives him a bit of a nudge and he glances in his Captain's direction only to receive a gentle smile and a small motion towards the Head Captain. Gathering his courage, he responds with a firm nod and once more firmly faces Yamamoto. "Head Captain, permission to speak."
"Hmph. Proceed."
"It is not my position to speak on matters regarding the defense of the Soul Society. Even so, I feel I must. Harribel Tier's information may be of great use in regard to any potential sortie with the traitor Aizen's forces. Furthermore, I believe she may yet be an asset if allowed to-" The sharp 'crack!' of his cane against the floor immediately silences him.
"You dare?! The day the defense of the Soul Society has to be managed by a youngster like you is the day I'm no longer here! We have yet to even address your use of Bankai in direct violation of the ban placed on it! Besides that, is your unauthorized entry into the World of the Living by means of your Zanpakuto, effectively by passing the Gentei Rein! All Shinigami of Lieutenant-class strength or above must have this placed upon them for the protection of those in the World of the Living!"
"With all due respect, Genryusai-sensei," begins Jushiro. "It is my understanding that this method of travel has not only been expressly permitted but was actively encouraged whilst he was serving as a member of the Executive Milita. As for the ban, I was under the impression that such a thing only existed while he remained within the confines of the Soul Society."
"I remember what I said! I've not gone senile yet, brat!" Yamamoto stares at them for several long moments. "Ishioka Kenzo! Step forward!" Without hesitation he steps past Jushiro and Shunsui, head held high and shoulders squared as he prepares to recieve whatever punishment awaits him. "You did willfully and knowingly defy my direct order not to release your Bankai...however, as Jushiro pointed it, the wording left some amount of ambiguity. Given the circumstances surrounding the matter, some amount of leniency is warranted as not doing so might have resulted in your death. Therefore, no action shall be taken against you for doing so. I am, however, going to amend the order...the ban on the release of your Bankai is hereby lifted until such time as the safety of the Soul Society is not in question."
"...Thank you, Head Captain."
"I have not finished my judgement. You did also willfully and knowingly enter the World of the Living by means of your Zanpakuto, effectively bypassing the Senkaimon and the Gentei Rein. Do you contest these facts?"
"No."
"Such measures are in place for a good reason, and to so flagrantly disregard them is cause for great concern. However..." Yamamoto closes his eyes slowly, as if considering his next words carefully. "...given your long service record, and the sincerity with which you have answered to these charges I do not believe that you carried with you malicious intent in doing so. Therefore, you will be confined to the Soul Society for a period not less than three months effective immediately."
"Understood, Head Captain."
"You are dismissed. Return to the Thirteenth Division." Kenzo bows, and immediately retreats behind Shunsui and Jushiro, before turning and walking towards the exit. "Arrancar! Step forward..!"
A single figure stands silently, bathed in the silver glow of the moonlight that steams through the bars of the cell's window. Imprisonment as repayment for her betrayal of Aizen. No, 'betrayal' would imply she was still carrying some form of loyalty to the man. In actuality, her faith in the man had died with her Fraccion, and all that remained in its place was a bitter truth; they were nothing more than pawns in his grand scheme. Nothing more than blunt instruments to be used and tossed aside after the fact. The soft sound of footsteps pulls her from her thoughts, and she glances over her shoulder. Surprise briefly flickers across her face as she acknowledges the young Shinigami beyond the bars of her cell before turning to face the moon once more.
"I...wanted to offer my thanks, Harribel-san," Kenzo says calmly, staring at her back. "Captain Ukitake briefed me when he returned to the Thirteenth. The information you provided will prove invaluable."
"You came all the way here for that?" Tier questions him.
"Well, it's important to express one's gratitude in person." Hearing a soft tap of something against the metal bars of her cell, she glances back once more to find him holding a small number of books through the bars. "I also thought that least I could do is give you something to occupy your time." Several long moments pass before she turns and approaches, taking the books from him. "Unfortunately, I only have a few books to lend...hopefully you won't read through them too quickly but if you do, I can bring some more." Tier scans the covers, rubbing a thumb across the face of the thickest of them.
"'The Divine Comedy' by Dante Alighieri." She stares at the well-worn cover for several more moments before meeting his eyes once more. Although his expression hasn't changed since he'd appeared, she can all but feel him staring at the remains of her Hollow mask. Another unfortunate side effect of their current circumstances was being stripped of her old uniform. Though, it's not as if she carried any attachment to it anymore. In fact, it's only real purpose now seemed to be as a reminder of her failure to see the truth before her eyes. Sensing her discomfort, or perhaps disapproval of being gawked at like some animal at the zoo, he clears his throat before looking away.
"My apologies. I-"
"I understand." An uncomfortable silence falls between the two before Tier finally turns away. "You should leave. Given all that's happened, it wouldn't do for you to be seen speaking with me alone, Ishioka."
"Once again, I apologize if I've offended you, Harribel-san."
"I know what I am. It cannot be changed or undone."
"I've known Shinigami that, when push came to shove, acted as much like a Hollow as any I've ever faced." The sound of something soft striking the bars of her cell once more sounds, and she glances over a shoulder to find Kenzo leaning against them. "Not a single one of them would have had the backbone to do what you've done."
"Hah. So, I've acted uncharacteristic of what you deem as 'normal' Hollow behavior."
"It wasn't intended as an insult."
"Then, how was it intended?" She approaches the bars once more, stopping only when Kenzo glances over his shoulder at her. "You say I've acted differently...but have you considered how your own actions can be interpreted? A Shinigami that rescues Hollows? It's a foolish notion to those residing in Hueco Mundo."
"Is that how you feel?" Silence falls between the two for several moments before Kenzo stands up straight. "I'll be back tomorrow. We can continue this conversation then, if you wish."
"You should not return..."