The night cooled down towards the end; the man wearing white haori flashed back into his manor in the Seireitei; a smile on his face at all times.
'What was that black mask, I wonder...? Kamishiro Ryōma, you are filled with mysteries. I thought you would be at most a nuisance to get rid of, but now I see there is use in you'.
"Aizen Taisho (Captain)" Somebody approached him as he removed the haori and put it on the chair of his desk. The man had short light purple hair, eyes closed-shut and a dubious expression that surely produced a ton of misunderstandings.
"Was he anything interesting?~" The man asked.
The captain sat on his chair and turned around, staring at the clear moon outside of the window with his legs crossed. He ignored that question.
"Gin, keep an eye on him. That man could be either a huge boost or a huge detriment to our plans".
"Would he join us?".
"As far as I can see, the type of person he is... I doubt that would be one of his priorities".
"I understand... and what if I give him some... convincing?~".
"Good luck then. You should know to act discretely, Gin".
"Always".
The young man disappeared in the shadows and a smile crept up the captain's face, a devious smile that soon morphed into a gentle one. The one that should belong to the perfect and kind-hearted captain of the 5th Division.
Loved by many.
Hated by none.
Suspected by few.
**
**
From the moment I was born, I was nothing but a shadow. She'd always steal the spotlight. My older sister was the pride of the Shihōin Clan, a genius of Kido and Hakuda. She studied and perfected one of the most complex movement techniques for us Shinigami.
Whenever she flash-stepped, no eyes could follow her trail. As such she was labelled as the Flash Goddess. A powerful shinigami, a prodigy strong enough to cast her Zampakuto to the side to display her masterful use of Kido and Hakuda. She chose a path that was not conventional at the time and perfected it, becoming a pioneer of her style.
At a young age, she inherited it; our family's treasure. A Zampakutō wilful and old enough to choose its owner: Shitsutora (Relentless Tiger).
Shihōin Yoruichi, my beloved older sister.
I was the shadow of her light. We were twenty years apart, she had twenty years of advantage over me, or so I would always say... that's the excuse I'd relieve my pride with. Even though I love her, I also resented her.
The Shihōin Clan expected me to be as good as her; my opinion on the matter was unimportant. She understood our responsibility and supported me, even when deep inside she knew I couldn't reach her.
We had wonderful times... until then.
For illegal experimentations in the Seiretei; working alongside Urahara Kisuke... both of them were sentenced to be executed. Before that could become a reality, my sister fled with that man, exiled from the Soul Society.
Years worth of effort came crashing down and the standing of our clan declined. At such a junction, I was to take her spot. But I couldn't... I wasn't strong enough.
Before my sister departed, she left Shitsutora with me. We had a big argument in which I told her I was disappointed in her; she tried to explain herself but the anger of my responsibilities dawning on me due to her future absence, stopped me from listening.
Gone were her intentions to justify herself; instead she just told me one thing: "Do not trust Aizen Sōsuke".
After she left; I wasn't appointed as the head of the 2nd Division, Captain Soifon was. My heart sank then. There was a healthy rivalry between us; but I loved my sister... more than I could love anyone else from our disgustingly unappreciative family.
I worked hard to be acknowledged by Shitsutora, I worked hard to keep the head of the Shihoin Clan up high, and I worked hard to become stronger... all without a clear objective in sight.
'Is it what I want? or is it what others ask of me?'.
"Your motives are weak, Kurayami".
That pain... that relentless pain entwined around me like a scally serpent trying to crush me like prey. A serpent that morphed into the silhouette of a captivating, charming... but evil man. Shamelessly fondling my body, licking my skin as if I was his... I could only shriek.
Whenever he touched there was no pleasure, only pain.
"Come fight me" He craved, he turned my head around and I saw those green slit eyes.
I felt fear.
!!!
I woke up with a heart, my heart palpitating a thousand miles per hour. I watched a familiar ceiling and heard a familiar voice.
"Kurayami-kun" She hugged me, and the realisation of her presence brought relief. This was the fourth division.
"Captain Unohana..."
"Kurayami-kun, how are you feeling?".
"..."
She put me back down, I was lying down on a futon, all bandaged... the lingering pain was still there but it was a lot weaker than before; it was as if invisible scalding hot serpents were still coiling around my body.
"Better" That's all I could say. Far from feeling in my peak condition, but at the very least I wasn't experiencing that excruciating pain anymore.
Captain Unohana stared at me without saying a word.
"Whoever you fought is a quite dangerous individual. Even after I healed your body, you never stopped shivering. I realised there were lingering traces of Reiatsu coiling around you, but these were so subtle that they were hard to detect, let alone I couldn't even know their purpose. I asked about your whereabouts but it is obviously not my authority to know where and what the Onmitsukidō tasked to do".
"You don't need to worry–"
"Who did you fight, Kurayami-kun?".
I never saw Captain Unohana be so insistent with such a serious tone either. She was a beautiful and calm lady with an overflowing motherly aura. That aura was now nowhere to be seen.
I thought about the fight, the suspicious things that I saw... but the fact that Kamishiro Ryōma still had the upper hand on me. He had Shitsutora.
I looked at my bandaged right hand missing my index finger and a feeling of shame washed me over. It is something I must resolve on my own.
"It was an underground dispute. You must have heard of him, Captain. His name is Kamishiro Inuzuri".
"The promising boy? He was able to defeat you...?"
"Yes, there is nothing more to it. Please don't worry about me," I said, resting on the side.
"He cut your finger, huh? Quite the ballsy boy" She commented.
"Pardon?".
For some reason, I heard a smirk and even turned to look at her... she was nonchalant, as always.
"You are free to stay here for as long as you need, but I'd recommend you stay for at least two days until his leftover reiryoku scatters from your body".
"I understand".
'Two days... in two days I'll head straight to him and–'
"I can sort of imagine the foolishness that you're thinking" I heard a quirky and annoying voice; three individuals stepped into the room.
"Thanks for escorting them, Izane. Isshin-san, it is nice to see you" Captain Unohana greeted the newcomers, among them was another captain wearing white haori. Captain Shiba, I didn't have a deep connection with him beyond court respect.
"Captain Unohana, I have some matters to discuss with you, if possible" the man scratched his head and looked at me in shock. Embarrassment crept on my face, I was not used to being seen in such a pitiful state. But I guess there is always a first time for everything... and that bastard took my first time in this regard.
"Would you like to have that conversation over a cup of tea?~ please, Izane" Captain Unohana escorted him away with a knowing look. As if she could see beyond the surface.
"That would be wonderful".
Captain Shiba sent an obvious glare and eye sign to Kukaku Shiba who showed him the thumbs up as the captain and her lieutenant escorted him away. They acted like nobody noticed this... everyone did.
"Why are you here?" I asked Kukaku with a slight growl of annoyance, "To remind me how much money you lost".
Every time I met this woman it was always about money or sake.
"Don't be such an ungrateful bitch. I came to see how are you doing. Besides, I didn't bet on you anyway so I made a lot of money~" She laughed mockingly.
"Ugh…" I went back on the bed, I didn't want to deal with her.
"He wants to fight you again," She said.
"Of course, I know that. He made sure that I would remember!" I frowned, showing her my bandaged hand, "I'll kill him!"
"Stop this nonsense, Yami-chan".
"Are you saying I can't defeat him?"
"Whether you can or not is something you know better than me".
"…"
My body flinched instinctively, recalling that fight... that thrilling but painful fight. Could I defeat him? I don't know... I had tricks up my sleeve but so did he. The next fight between us would be more brutal and filled with resentment.
"I merely hope there won't be casualties. I think the boy has got a future if only he wasn't so reckless" She mumbled, "Can't you have a casual spar with him and forgive him?"
"Let alone cutting my finger. Do you think stealing Shitsutora is something that can forgiven?!"
"There is nothing to forgive if the clan doesn't know it went missing in the first place~" Kukaku giggled funnily.
"…" I wasn't laughing.
"Am I lying?~"
She wasn't... I don't plan to reveal that Shitsutora was stolen from me in the first place. The scolding I would get from the elders would be so strong and annoying that I might as well just get vanished like my sister.
"No, but…"
"Then it is decided—"
"It is not! I'm still going to fight him".
"It doesn't have to be a fight to the death, right?".
Kukaku kept on going, but there was nothing to do about this issue. There was killing intent within me. There were complex emotions due to him sparring my life, but he sparred my life only due to his skewered fighting desire.
"I want it to be… I am sure that's also what he hopes. Don't get in the way, Kukaku. This is between him and me, no one else".
"I have a better idea. How about you let Yoruichi solve this".
!!!
"No!"
She couldn't have suggested a worse idea.
"Come on, why not? Don't you want to see her? Normally she wouldn't come but if we say her Zampakuto was stolen, she will be here in no time".
"My sister was banished from the soul society what do you want to bring her back here for?!"
"Well… don't you really don't want to see her? I want to drink some sake with her after a long time~"
I sighed, 'I imagined as much'.
I got my head back on the pillow, not wanting to mind her anymore, she's full of nonsense.
"Besides, if she comes you can tell her about your little investigation".
"Just leave me alone. You're hopeless".
"Come on we can all share a drink and I can invite Ryōma as well~".
!!!
"You're not going to tell me he's not a charming man~ when was the last time I saw someone swing a sword like that? He fucked you up good".
"Woman, shut up!"
"Maybe after he returns your finger and the sword, he can fuck you up some other way too, huh? I think it urges you with how irritable you have been recently~"
"SHUT UP AND GO!"
"Oh my, you have no sense of humour. Alright alright, I'll leave your sexually frustrated bitter ass. Get well soon~" Kukaku departed the room amidst giggles.
...
I went back to bed frustrated and for the next two days, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I couldn't stop thinking about our duel, how we'd fight again... how I would massacre him if I got the chance. I couldn't stop thinking about the pain of those hands... hands that would fondle and take my body, leaving behind a bitter taste.
Like a non-venomous snake that bites hard, leaving a leftover pain that's excruciating yet harmless.
Kamishiro Ryōma wouldn't leave my mind.