Reflections upon the Water

Ryouta reclined in his office, taking the time to page through one of his light novels in small celebration of his recent victory over his paperwork. Although the story was relatively uninteresting and poorly written -- enough to even disinterest his zanpakutou spirit -- there was truly little else to do at this point. After obtaining the new reading material earlier, he had immediately sent the rest of his division on a long-term errand to prevent distraction. It was only now, knee-deep in this garbage mistakenly referred to as literature, that he was regretting it terribly.

His free hand toyed along the grip of his zanpakutou, fidgety, rousing Suiren from her sleep. If the book hadn't improved by the end of the chapter (an unlikely occurrence, he reasoned), then he would go out into Seireitei and find something -- anything -- to better occupy his time.

Elsewhere in the Seireitei, another Captain was reading through a book of his own. However, this one had his full, undivided attention. He had gotten it from one of the lower-ranked Shinigami in his Division as a little gift a month back, yet he still enjoyed thumbing his way through it. The bright green letters on the front read 'Men's Health' and it showed big, bronzed men flexing and posing.

"I love these little presents from the world of the living..." The man said with a delighted sigh, flipping through the pages a bit more. "I wonder what other Captains do to unwind after a long day. Sotaicho probably polishes Havon, Roga likely spins around in circles with Mizuchi...I wonder about Ryouta. He seems like the type to read a book now and then, even if his choices are rather...odd," the man said, briefly pondering that thought before laughing out loud.

"Look at me, Captain of the Twelfth Division, and I'm calling him odd? I'm sure he'll get a kick out of that..." Captain Kurokotsu said with another giggle, carefully putting his magazine back in its case before walking out of his Division's headquarters. He wanted to share his enlightened status with Captain Hideaki.

"Where are we going?" Suiren asked her wielder, finding herself grasped tightly by the sheath and hoisted to the captain's waist before she had had time to fully awaken. Ryouta, unable to determine the destination, himself, didn't even bother to answer her, pressing the spirit in a similar state of irritation. A tense silence blossomed between the two, the air empty save for the sound of Ryouta's movements as he prepared to leave his quarters for the rest of Seireitei.

It was only after Ryouta opened the door did Suiren speak again. "What is HE doing here?" she demanded, echoing the thoughts of the also-perplexed captain. There, a bit off in the distance, was Kurokotsu, captain of the research and technology division, seemingly on his way to the seventh division quarters. While Ryouta managed a small amount of appreciation for the work the other man performed, he certainly hadn't felt a need to interact with him more than strictly necessary, and he had thought that had been understood. Ryouta could only guess that something in the immediate area -- far from his own division's area -- had attracted his attention somehow, and he was on his way to study it. It wasn't the greatest of theories, but it was certainly seemed more plausible than an unplanned buddy-buddy session with him or one of his subordinates.

"Hey, Hideaki!" Kurokotsu shouted with a wave, running over to the other Captain. "I was reading a magazine when I got to thinking, wondering about what other Captains did to unwind after their duties were done. You're the only one I can't quite place, in this department. I imagine you either spar or read trashy novels. Care to enlighten me on this matter?" He said with a grin, seeming entirely too peppy compared to his normal self. He wanted something, it was just a matter of how long it'd take the other man to find the differences in his attitude.

All delusions as to the other captain's motives were blown out the window as soon as the waving began. Ryouta only put his face into his hand, most definitely not in the mood to talk with such a... "unique" character. "Maybe he has something he needs to have done..." he muttered under his breath with a small measure of hope, still not quite buying into it after having his previous theory roasted so thoroughly. At any case, by the time the research captain had managed to make his way to Ryouta, his face was set in his usual stern manner as he gave his reluctant yet full attention towards the man.

After Kurokotsu had finished his speech, Suiren promptly burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh boy, he's got you there! Trashy novels indeed!" Though Ryouta had taken the fellow captain's questioning with a good deal of patience, he couldn't help but procure a scowl from his spirit's unwanted commentary. "No." he responded simply, tilting his head a bit to indicate he wasn't quite through. "Refrain from asking me such pointless questions in the future."

"You call my research pointless. Me, the person in charge of Research and Development? No matter how obscure to you, I assure you that my questions have their reasons. It's not a good idea to be so...snippity might be the word here. Especially not with another Captain. To be that way toward your Division is one thing, but I kindly ask you to avoid acting in such a way toward me," Kurokotsu said, a mockingly polite smile plastered onto his face the whole time. It was a talent, in his mind, the ability to look happy and free-spirited, even when plotting how to best chop his enemies or allies down to size.

"Yes, I call your research pointless when it involves asking me what I do in my spare time." Ryouta continued, inwardly pleased that his zanpakutou spirit had grown silent upon hearing Kurokotsu's reply. "And if you've got nothing better to do in your research center than read magazines and wonder what everybody else is doing, then maybe your research is actually less valuable than I initially thought." He really didn't feel like talking with this man, and it was beginning to show, his attention wavering to a mental checklist of potential destinations after he was finished. Abruptly, he gave the other captain a contemplative glance before nodding in agreement. "But you are right. I haven't talked to another captain in a while. Would you KINDLY refrain from asking me such pointless questions in the future?"

"Next time you need your limiter removed, I sure as hell hope you can pull something out of your ass. Because, if you've forgotten, that falls under the responsibilities of my Division. Among other things, but I needn't remind you of those, I'm sure. It's not wise to anger a scientist, Ryou-kun. We have ways of getting even that you might not like. Even worse than insulting just me, you insulted my Division and the work we do to keep you from plunging head-first into an unwinnable situation," Kurokotsu growled out, counting the threats he had managed to weave in there. He was angry at this man, which was shown by the way Hekikaisou had already been drawn and was balancing on Kurokotsu's fingers, ready to slash if his emotions told him to.

Ryouta looked to the man sidelong, already regretting his choice of words. Not only did it force the man into another long-winded speech -- aimed at showing just how valuable he was, in fact -- but most of it was entirely correct. As much as Ryouta had ignored his contribution from the sidelines before, he was reminded for a moment just how much of an important piece the scientist proved to be on a daily basis. He turned to face the man with his undivided attention, giving a sigh before giving a deep bow. "You are right, Kurokotsu. I was out of line. I humbly apologize to both you and your division. I had grown irritated, at no fault of your own, and foolishly took it out on you. Again, I apologize." Ryouta remained in that position for a moment longer, pulling himself up to his full height only when he was satisfied that he had managed to show he was at least earnest.

"Fake apology time, eh? I prefer you when angry, at least then you speak your mind. If you don't feel my research holds any merit, say it to my face then. Just don't be surprised when you find this," he said, gesturing to the blade in his hand, "in a place you'd rather not have it be. I don't take kindly toward those who demean my research, but I dislike those who try to cover up their true feelings with mock kindness even more..." Kurokotsu explained, turning on his heel. He began walking away, getting about ten paces away before he flicked his wrist, sending his Zanpakuto flying toward the other Captain.

Ryouta looked to the man, surprise lighting his eyes at the first accusation of a fake apology. Who did this guy think he was, having Ryouta bow before him in such a profuse fashion and still remain unsatisfied? Even going so far as to threaten him with his blade. Ryouta just shook his head at the impunity of it all, dissatisfied that the conversation had ended in such a negative way but nonetheless relieved that it was over. Upon seeing the other captain turn, Ryouta thought to do so, as well, deciding he could use a nap after such a horrid exchange. Heck, maybe he would even return to his book. Anything was better than...

"Ryouta!"

The note of desperation in his zanpakutou spirit's voice broke him from his short-lived reverie and, assuming the worst, moved to dodge immediately. He placed his weight on his right foot, using the toes of his left to spring off from the ground and land a few feet away. Ryouta winced, pain shooting down his left arm as the sticky feeling of blood began to seep from the shoulder. Instinctively, his right hand moved to his own weapon, the fingers gripping the handle before pulling it unceremoniously to bear.

"Rest upon the water, Suiren."

The wakizashi quickly extended into a full-blown katana, its length already beginning to moisten with Suiren's generated water. He considered the placement of the weapon buried within him, opting to leave it be for the time being. He hadn't heard a release phrase, so odds were against it being in a shikai release state and having any adverse effects on him at present. Taking it out when he was unsure of its structure or of the actual wound itself was just asking to cause further injury. As it stood, he wouldn't be able to make much use of his left arm... though that was never much of a problem, anyway.

Ryouta peered to Suiren contemplatively before turning to face his assaulter, his right arm going through the stretching motions necessary to ensure its effectiveness. "You know that assaulting a fellow captain is against the Sotaicho's wishes, correct?" he asked, engaging his new target with words in an effort to prevent him from leaving. "You should be locked up in the Maggot's Nest for such treasonous activity."

"By the time the Sotaicho could find me, he'd have long-since forgotten what it was he wished to lock me up for. Very few people can find me when I don't wish to be found, and the Sotaicho isn't on that very short list," Kurokotsu said with a devilish smirk, spinning around on his left foot. "Bakudo number nine, Horin..." He called out, spinning the energy whip as he rotated. Without warning, he lashed out with the whip, aiming for his own Zanpakuto. He aimed to get it back quickly, and sooner or later he expected to succeed. However, expecting a counter-attack, he began chanting. "Oh, sacred crow, unfurl your wings. May your divine squall cleanse those who dare oppose me. Come down from the heavens on the chariot of divinity and strike terror into my foe. Bakudo number sixty-nine, Hakufuku!"

Ryouta gave a slight smile upon hearing the deranged captain's words, not only achieving confirmation from the target that he had committed an act knowing its illegality, but that he fully intended to avoid the punishment, as well. If the fight got intense enough, other shinigami were bound to arrive to put a stop to it, and the dagger, having entered through the back of his shoulder, should provide more than enough evidence to prove self-defense. Kurokotsu was waging a war on two fronts -- against Ryouta, and against time. All Ryouta truly had to do was keep him occupied.

He leapt backward from his position, furthering the distance between he and the captain while making sure to keep himself within view. He ducked cleanly around the oncoming whip and was altogether pleased -- if the other captain had no true intentions of harming him, it made it far easier to stall -- until he heard the beginnings of a chant. Ryouta, briefly recalling the enemy captain's specialty, gave a short mental curse before turning his finger to the captain, determined to delay him. "Hado number four, Byakurai!" he shouted, focusing the lightning into a thin, condensed form targeted at the enemy's chest. Not willing to risk Kurokotsu's own volley to see the results of his own, Ryouta quickly turned tail and began to run, aiming to duck behind the edge of his division's main building.

A smirk broke across Kurokotsu's face as he realized that this man was actually afraid of him. Rather than finding out what the kido did first-hand, he performed a quick, low-leveled Hado and ran. This gave the man an idea. Spreading his hands out to either side and redirecting the Horin whip to wrap up around his right arm, Kurokotsu entered what he called 'Metralleta Boomboomica Mode'. "Bakudo number sixty-one, Rikujokoro. Bakudo number nine, Geki. Bakudo number four, Hainawa. Bakudo number sixty-three, Sajo Sabaku..." He spoke clearly, taking only a moment to breathe between each technique, so as to minimize the chances for escape. Between the chains, imposing red light, rope, and pointy triangles, Kurokotsu expected at least one technique to catch his foe off-guard.

Ryouta had barely managed to get past the corner of the building before the first of a long series of hells began. His body was immediately encased in a bright red light, halting him mid-stride and forcing a deep sense of dread into the captain. He was definitely at a disadvantage at this point, not only having sustained the majority of the battle's damage but also being pit against one of his more difficult to deal with opponents. There was no chance of winning this battle if things kept going the way things were.

"Bankai! Suiren Tennyo!"

His sword took on a light golden blue, the guard morphing and expanding upward into its trademark flower shape as Ryouta clashed his reiatsu desperately against the binding. The red outline exploded outward from him, giving him just enough time to take notice of the giant triangles and tying instruments turn the corner.

He pressed his escape, pushing his feet to the ground and issuing a shunpo forward, twisting his body in mid-flight to issue another attack towards his pursuers. "Hado number thirty-three, Sokatsui!" A bright flash emanated from his right hand, the hado blowing over much of the surrounding buildings as it overtook the bakudo with its blast.

Ryouta paused in his movements, the wound in his shoulder bleeding more freely and his breath heavier than he was used to after expending so much effort on his movement. It was from this position that he was rammed into by the two remaining bakudo, having been unable to notice their continued pursuit from the smoke and damage he had caused. A golden chain enveloped his arms, pinning them to his side while the remaining six triangles slammed into his chest, further delaying movement.

"Shit..."

Kurokotsu let out a giggle as he felt the release of a Bankai from his foe. That meant he felt threatened, and was likely trapped in a bakudo at that time. Once Kurokotsu felt the explosion of the Shakkaho, he used Shunpo to appear next to the other man. "So, you're in Bankai already, and I don't even have my Zanpakuto on me. Are you sure you're cut out to be a Captain?" Kurokotsu asked mockingly, closing his eyes as if deep in thought.

"Oh, sacred crow, unfurl your wings. May your divine squall cleanse those who dare oppose me. Come down from the heavens on the chariot of divinity and strike terror into my foe. Bakudo number sixty-nine, Hakufuku!" He called out once again, snapping his eyes open as he did so. Around him, black feathers floated down to the ground, as if a large flock of crows had just taken off. As he let the Bakudo go, Kurokotsu reached out, aiming to rip his Zanpakuto out of Ryouta's shoulder.

Feeling the oncoming approach of the captain, Ryouta heavily weighed his options. Judging from how little time there had been between the releasing of the Bakudo, the captain hadn't taken the time out to recite their incantations, greatly cutting their duration. If Ryouta acted quickly, he just might...

And all of a sudden, there he was, Kurokotsu, right in front of him.

He took the other captain's words with a good deal of humor, setting his face to prevent his small smile from escaping. It was true -- he had been pinned down during his Bankai with only a bit of kido directed against him. Still, if his opponent thought bad of him, it only helped him in the long run. He reinforced the image, presenting the man with what he hoped appeared as a weary glare, a distinct desire for violence without the means to pursue it. If this man felt the need to look down on him well... he wasn't going to get in the way of that.

As Kurokotsu began his incantation, Ryouta seared the words into his memory. Though the two bakudo binding him were beginning to fade away, they still offered no leeway in terms of movement, and it was obvious that they wouldn't fade in time to prevent this. All that remained was to remember it. Remember it and prevent it from happening again.

As the black feathers floated down to the sky so, too, did Ryouta, freed from his bindings yet fully unconscious as he landed with a resounding thud. In spite of his state, his hand clutched at his katana with a steely grip, his body still tense.

The wakizashi was pulled from his shoulder with a decent amount of effort, its length sporting a thin layer of blood and its absence releasing a small pool from the opened wound.

With his sadistic mind, Kurokotsu took a decent amount of pleasure in watching Ryouta's expressions change. Of course, he wasn't quite ready for the fun to end just yet, he only wanted to get his Zanpakuto back. "Unfurl your wings, heavenly being. Twist their ambitions, demonic host. Hekikaisou!" He called out, letting his blade grow to the full size, resembling a zweihander more than anything else.

As he spun it around, Kurokotsu let himself be pulled around by the weight, only stopping his movements as he came to face the other Captain once more. "Whee, time for you to wake up, now!" He exclaimed, thrusting the large blade straight down to where he expected Ryouta's right arm to still be.

.. outa! Ryouta!"

The captain's eyes went wide with pain and surprise, the cries of his zanpakutou spirit filling his ears as his right arm exploded into fireworks of agony. He grit his teeth, attempting to move the offending appendage only to find himself unable to do so. Slowly, cautiously, he raised his head, taking note of the large sword embedded within his right forearm with a deep sense of dread.

His gaze turned up to face his captor, no longer even trying to repress his feelings on the matter. His eyes shone with the threat of violence and his determination to make the other captain's head roll. His sword arm was his life within the Seireitei, and to have some upstart think they could take it from him was too much to bear.

Intent on escaping from his current position but knowing full well he would be unable to remove the sword through normal means, Ryouta began focusing his reishi into his right palm, opting for one of the easier to perform kido techniques to bypass the incantation. "Hado number thirty-one, Shakaho!" He would force the hado into the ground to break the area around him, destroying the sword's purchase while hopefully forcing back Kurokotsu in a single movement.

Knowing he would be losing his grip on Ryouta one way or another, Kurokotsu decided to do it with style. "Bankai!" He exclaimed, yanking Hekikaisou out of the other Captain's arm. The sudden burst of reishi served to destroy that incantation-free Shakkaho, but little else. As the sword began changing shape and color, Kurokotsu's grin could be seen changing into a full-blown smile. "Fuhen Hekikaisou..." Not wanting to let this opportunity escape, Kurokotsu swung his right arm around, aiming to bash this man right in the face with a medium-sized, solid black shield. Halfway through his swing, Kurokotsu decided to add a little bit of flair to his attack. "Hado number sixty-three, Raikoho!" He called out, shooting the lightning at his foe, point blank.

Ryouta reacted as soon as he felt the sword pulled from his arm, retracting the appendage and scrambling backwards to his feet. He glanced down to his arm, taking in its current sorry state with a worried expression and just barely managing to pull his face back from Kurokotsu's well-aimed shield bash.

Ryouta deeply considered slashing at the captain then and there -- his arm be damned -- but was quick to put his plans on hold upon hearing the finalization of the enemy captain's Hado. Reacting as if his life literally depending on it, Ryouta dived to the side, rolling upon contact with the ground to better raise to his feet before shunpo'ing forward and away from the enemy captain. There was little to be gained with remaining in a fight against this deranged man, especially with both of his arms in less than stellar conditions. Intent on bringing the fight to a halt, Ryouta changed his destination to that of the center of Seireitei -- and to the Sotaicho's office. If Kurokotsu had the gall to follow him now, he was walking into his own funeral.