The Measure of a man
The doors thundered behind Kaien, shutting out Ukitake Taichou unreadable hard look and Sentaros almost frantic face as the man tried still to interject his views and statements on the matter. Kaien had casted a smile towards Sentaro as if to say he'd be alright even if he didn't believe it. The office of the SouTaichou wasn't a place one wanted to be alone. The whole room whispered age an a sort of mystic power that Kaien could only presume it was from the man before him.
As Sasakibe Fuku-Taichou bowed to Yamamoto Soutaichou he presented Nejibana to him. The old hand grasped the scabbard respectfully before giving a nod. The Fuku-Taichou gave a bow of his silver head and disappeared from the room. The sound of the old staff echoed in the empty room as the SouTaichou approached.
Kaien remained standing as he was instructed but watched the old man with a bit of caution and curiosity. With his hand bound before him in a light kido spell, Kaien made no attempts to straiten out his appearance well aware of his unkempt fresh from battle state. The gashes in his cheeks and along his head were crusted with a deep burgundy of dried blood. The older uniform was tattered from the near misses and singed. Kaien knew he smelled heavily of sweat and the sulfur from the fireworks. Kaien's only hope was his slatternly appearance would speak in volumes of what he could not.
With a gesture the bonds dissipated into a fine white mist. The old hand raised the ebony sheath, the knotted fingers rotating it so he could offer the weapon horizontally. Formality followed like instinct and Kaien took his weapon with both hands and a bow of respect. Kaien was confused by this, but watched the old man as he floated back to his desk like an old cloud. The man turned with a twitch at the corner of the old man's white covered lips. It was simply a twitch, nothing more to desern amusement or anger-yet.
“Why do you take your blade?” the old man asked without moving back.
Kaine scowled “It is my soul, this Blade is no more a weapon then it is apart of me.”
“Then will you wield it?”
“Without hesitation.” Kaien raised a brow, where was all of this going?
“Then do so.” The old man swept out with his cane, Kaien gripped the hilt of Nejibana a second hand tight on the Saya as he moved the weapon for a block. Having to stagger to keep his balance Kaien's head swirled with the idea that for the old man....that was a light tap, with one hand. “Draw your blade Shiba Fuku-Taichou.”
“I refuse!” Pull a blade on the great General Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai!? Ok so even Kaien had to admit he was crazy, but to try to take on the ShoTaichou in a live blade combat, even if it was practice- was ASKING For suicide! His breath was caught in his throat choked as he moved instinctual for a block which nearly brought him to this knees. With Kaien's whole body under the sheathed sword he held it up like a roof trying to keep the staff the Sho Taichou wield with one hand from coming down with skull crushing force.
“Why?” A second strike came swift and crushing.
Kaien grunted as he deflected the strike “Only two reasons to pull your blade!”
“Name them!” Strike after strike they were stronger and faster as soon as Kaien hesitated on his answer.
“Life- Honor!”
“and revenge? The strike that followed the question was defected off the right side causing Kaien to gasp and pale as the wounded side ached.
“NO!” Kaien croaked out as he tried to catch his breath. “What kinda Bullshit is this?” A sudden flick to the nose sent a reeling teary eyed Kaien staggering back.
Calmly the ShoTaichou pointed the offending finger at Kaien shaking it lightly. “Watch your language. You will not receive another warning.” The old man stepped back a few paces as if waiting for the young lord to recover before beginning again. Another quick strike “Explain tonight!”
With Nejibana still in the sheath Kaien used it more like a short staff deflecting and countering the attacks trying to parry them off with minimal damage and effort. The ShoTaichou's movements however became too fast and aggressive for the sheathed blade. With a sudden twist and quick change in form, blade still sheathed he adapted a different fighting style. A light finger grip upon the back of the hilt and a sudden far strike paused the ShoTaichou's vigorous attacks. Grabbing the hilt tightly he used the sheathed blade on the offense striking out as fast and quick as he could Kaien trying to wield his words in a similar manner.
“I'd be a liar if I said revenge never crossed my mind! The moment I realized I wasn't fighting my cousin was the same moment I realized I was fighting something bigger. I do NOT Regret my actions tonight! I was justified! I did what I thought I had to in order to protect the Serieti! WHAT BETTER REASON IS THERE?!” The still sheathed Nejibana struck down the wood cracking under the force of Kaien's blow.
The large brows knitted as Ryujin Jakka in it's hidden form quivered for a moment in the man's hand. “Protect it from What?”
Kaien growled fighting with what little strength he had left tryign to defect the blows and slip in an aggressive strike or two to keep the old man at bay. “What ever HE was! That wasn't my Cousin! It was like...... He was faster, stronger.... his eyes were Brown!”
The old man snorted “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Shiba trait. Greenish blue eyes, long lashes. We all have them if you're in direct blood. My cousin was like a child given more power then it knew what to do with, and his eyes were NOT the teal they were when we were kids, they, were, brown!”
“it's not your duty to take independent actions Shiba Fuku-Taichou! You follow orders you're given and that is that! Anything out of the ordinary should be brought to your Taichou's attention NOT investigated independently! What possessed you to do so!”
“Cause something had to be done! That's what we do as Shinigami! We protect the people from any and All threats! Don't We? You've issued no orders, have not assigned us help after REPEATED requests...” Kaien stepped around one of the strikes and swung down with his strength for the staffed form of Ryujin Jakka. Kaien didn't allow himself to believe for a moment he had the weapon pinned. “Why! Why do you just sit here and do NOTHING?! WHY!?”
There was that eye again, the old man looking out with almost a physical glance that shook Kaien's soul “Why did you?” the statement only cued after a moment the realization shattered as the staff came hissing past Kaien's head.
“To draw my uncle out, to give his forces a sense of security so they'd never suspect....”
Yamamoto chuckled softly but didn't let the young Shiba lose himself to thought too quickly as he struck out with a sharp lash for the tender part of the arm. The arm went limp and the ShouTaichou struck out for the open spot. When Kaien slipped past the weapon in a bold attempt to slip in close to Yamamoto in attempts to escape he found he was caught, held tightly by a hard calloused grip. “you turn the waters very well Shiba Fuku-Taichou, but why did you kill Koryuu Shiba?” the old man grabbed the limp hand and forced it up so that Kaien couldn't look away from the rust stains on his hands.
Kaien scowled and looked the ShoTaichou in the eye. “Who ever that was.... He may have once been my Cousin, but his movements, his eyes even the strike of his sword was different! Hell I cut him from shoulder to hip to subdue him and he remained standing! I nearly gutted him and he remained on his feet and fighting as if nothing happened! My cousin...the one I knew would have gone down and Unohana Taichou would have stitched him up good as new for questioning..... but he didnt fall.” Kaien growled refocusing on the ShoTaichou and his resolve. “I did what I felt I had to. No second guesses, no what ifs. I did my duty.”
“Was it not for revenge? After all this man took your own clans men and sold them to slavery, He chopped off the arm of your little sister-”
“And threatened the lives of every soul living in the Rukongai district! He said he was carrying three pounds worth of bait on him. THREE! How and where wasn't something I had time to ask. He was set to explode. Had I the choice I would have let him live! The dead do not learn form their mistakes!”
“One cannot learn from a mistake if they do not believe they have committed one in the first place. Revenge is a powerful thing young Shiba. It can poison a heart and eventually dull your blade” the old man leaned against his staff and watched the young man carefully. “What would you do differently tonight Shiba Fuku-Taichou.”
Kaien shifted to bow his head clutching Nejibana tight enough to make the cracked wood groan. “Nothing! I cannot regret what I did. I can't say I didn't go after my cousin with the initial intention of revenge. I did get swept away by his words and at first, I thought I would rip him apart with my own two hands for what he has done.... But what was the point? My Father is dead, my Uncle is dead, countless Shiba and innocent by standers have already lost their live, Mo Tang All of them have lost their lives because of Koryuu! ….....” Kaien looked up at the ShoTaichou with a hard sharp look “But his death could not atone for all theirs, his death would never bring them back. He would have been more useful to us alive. I have my suspicions that he was dead long before I met up with him tonight.”
“Noriurai” The old man offered as an explanation, his attacks apparently ceased for the time being.
“Pardon?” Kaien put a hand to his side slowly taking a breath to insure the lungs usefulness. Confused once more by the ShoTaichou's sudden lack of action.
“Your strikes rang true, I believe you Shiba Fuku-Taichou. As a show of my gratitude for your heard work and to satisfy your insatiable curiosity before you hurt yourself anymore. I'll enclose this to you. Noriurai, Ride the lightning bolt as the thugs in the Rukongai called it. With spells older then I people would take the masks off hollows an condense them into tiny small pills. They would take them and use the spiritual enhancement to boost their kidou, speed and strength. However when such a weak body is forced so many of these pills eventually your soul chain disintegrates and you become...what you eat.”
Kaien listened, his stomach churning as he gripped uncontentious at his chest. The idea of becoming a hollow was bad enough. “What.....what was the visible effects of this?”
“Their eyes turned dark or red, the obvious speed and other enhancements. All you've witnessed with Koryuu yes?”
Kaien narrowed his eyes thoughtfully “Yes... you sound like you know about this before I even said anything.”
The man chuckled softly, old and raspingly as if a mountain had just been asked its age. He spoke as he slowly made his way to his desk “I'm not blind nor deaf. In fact I hear and see quite a bit. Go to your Taichou Shiba-san, there is much to be said, and report to 4th!”
“Hai!” Kaien saluted and slowly turned to leave the room pausing. “Thank you Sir.” the thanks was met with soft snores as the old man rested his head on the palm of his hand, propped up on the desk. A soft smile crossed his lips as he passed through the two large doors and into the hallway. There Sentaro, Kiyone and Ukitake Taichou stood waiting.