The measure of a man
Kaien skimmed back Nejibana held out just as an attack swept in from the Side. Koryuu's strength felt as if it doubled, his speed as well. A hard foot into the ground and Kaien's parry became an attack sweeping in. In anticipation Kaien kicked off flipping above an attack his eye could barely follow. It wasn't Shinpou.....what was it? With breath held Kaien slipped under an attack striking out hard with Nejibana feeling the blade sing, a thunder his his ears like war drums.
Koryuu stepped back, part of he hapi slipping away leaving a light tendril of red to spread along the cloudy blue material. Hair fell lightly from the path cut by Koryuu's blade as it barely missed taking Kaien's ear or something far more important with it. For all of Koryuu's efforts Kaien was barely panting, a ragged deep breath forced in each time as the lungs expanded against aching ribs, but Koryuu gasped and panted sweating hard enough to make his kimono top cling desperately in dark patches to his skin.
There was too much effort on Koryuu's behalf to fight, the way he moved was like a child who has been given the body of an adult. Kaien studied the figure teal eyes narrowed and analyzed as he kept a hard lock on his cousins …..brown eyes. Lifting Nejibana up as if to present he blade he whispered softly but with a hard voice “You know what this is? My Zanpakutou, Nejibana. I call her name out and control the waters of Heaven and Earth. To call her name would mean you'd have little chance and I'd annihilate you like a cockroach under my feet. You gloat about being better then I am, then come show me! I'll let Nejibana sleep, you keep from harming innocent civilians. Just you and me, fight, as Shiba till the first one is subdued. Lets see if your blood hasn't been thinned since I severed your name from the Shiba Registry!”
Koryuu spat to one side in insult. “As you severed us we severed that name. I am Koryuu, let any babe who bares a similar name know it's fate.” The young man grinned tipping his head down for the rouge blondish hair to hide his eyes and intentions. He still gasped for breath but a soft self assured chuckled echoed out of his lips as he watched Kaien slowly pace forward still presenting the blade with one hand. “I'll tell you a secret oh wise cousin: All the Children and women from the Shiba Clan who supposedly were kidnapped by the Yahado? I did it. I took them, set up your stupid father Gekkeiju to look like an idiot. So while our clans men rotted and suffered at their hands I got to pocket the money made from them. Made more from selling those whores then cattle.”
There was a difference between anger and furry and for the first time he believed he saw Kaien furious swings. Fuku-Taichou's movements became swift and erratic almost as if he didn't know what he was doing, or it was out of desperation. The other man was quick, barely traceable as he dashed about Kaien's hissing blade parrying off the attacks with a snug smile on his face. Sentaro's brow set and his hand itched to grip his blade and leap in to protect his Fuku-Taichou's honor. As the 4th seat watched the blades flash and sing hatefully , the two warriors skirting death with each other so closely they brushed death with their lips-this was no place for him to interfere.
Like two dogs tangled with each other they kept close trying to block and inhibit the next movement of the other's blade and yet, the tips slashed freely spraying the ground every so often with a splash of crimson. What was Kaien-dono doing?! He could easily over take this man in a few moves and yet, he appeared to be fighting with some sort of wild frenzy. He grimaced watching the two blades come colliding together with enough strength and power to skid both fighters away from each other. Sentaro watched as the opposing man's shoulders slumped moving hard out of breath. Kaien-dono however stood with a slow deep steady breath....and a grin wider then the moon.
Kaien wasn't furious, he was wearing his opponent down! Sentaro blinked and shifted excitedly. Indeed he was brilliant! That speed was inhuman even for a Shinigami and if Sentaro was having difficulty tracking it, Kaien had to as well. With the other man triad the movements were slower, easier to predict. Sentaro nodded once in sharp approval.
Kaien was relentless, slipping in for another strait on attack. Koryuu arched his blade upwards. A flip of the fingers and Nejibana arched across Kaien's forearm in a guard against the attack. Kaien dropped low skidding in his left hand holding three round fireworks which he thrust into Koryuu's face as the man tried to reverse his blade from a jab behind him. As the brightly colored fireworks blossomed in Koryuu's vision Kaien evaded the blade sticking close enough to be back to back to his attacker. Koryuu turned to face Kaien a quick well placed palm strike from the Shiba leader sent Koryuu flying backwards.
A curve of the spine and Koryuu was on his feet and dogging in for another attack. A blinding step forward and a clean cut about the middle was barely dodged as Kaien took to the air with a large leap. Koyruuu close on his heals trying to catch him head on with a quick thrust. Kaien twisted out of the way slipping Nejibana's blade in between Koryuu's defenses, the blade sliding flat side along the cheek as a demonstration of skill.
Koryuu thrust a hand out with a rotten curl of his lip “"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Sokatsui!" the blue light shot out with force from the cousins hand.
Kaien's eyes widened “Enkosen” He brought Sword and hand up behind it summoning the shield that stopped the attack but forced him harder into the ground.
Before the dust could settle Koryuu lept down into the fray a half blind thrust into the cloud. The blade tip was forced down as Kaien pushed it down with a foot vaulting behind Koryuu using the man's head as a spring board. Before Kaien's toes could touch the ground the blade from the angered Cousin sung out splitting the dusty air in two. Predicting what Kaien would do the blade easily split the small handful of fireworks in half the black powered and sulphuric dust exploded out. Kaien puts a hand out “Shirahiya” a bolt of white fire shot out from his hand igniting the firework embers enough for the small dust cloud to spark and explode about the cousin. A well place round house sent Koryuu flying back smoldering into a stack of boxes.
“Yield Koryuu! And I'll spare your life” Kaien held Nejibana close pulling her in for a defensive stance.
Koryuu kick-upped from the destruction and slowly stalked forward “The clock's already ticking Kaien. Tick toc tick toc, I don't think there's much time left. You'll have to choose. Follow your Ohjisan's final words and let everyone else suffer your consequences.” Koryuu Shinpou'ed in taking a flying leap for Kaien, The blades clashing mind strike, Koryuu bouncing back form the attack to land on his toes before vaulting forward dropping low to pull Kaien from his feet.
The Fuku-Taichou went down barely twisting out of the way as the blade hiss past his other cheek. To his hands Kaien went kicking full out for Koryuu's stomach, knocking the warrior back enough to regain his own footing. Koryuu's blade flashed downwards, Kaien's upright. A trail of thick blood splattered over his cousin's shoulder.
Koryuu staggered back with a few shocked gasps clutching at his stomach as the material parted to reveal the weeping wound the grotesque yellow and red bulges of intestine threatened to drop from the open wound. Strange markings appeared to tick away fading one second after another circulating about the navel half hidden under the flowing blood.
“Don't worry... I have two really good doctors that would love to stitch you back up. Depending on how to co operate with me will depend on which one you go to. Unohana Taichou or Kurotsuchi Taichou. You're choice.” Kaien lowered Nejibana's blood stained tipped as he watched his cousin stagger stunned that the man had strength enough to stand let alone to continue putting up resistance.
The man merely smiled and let the wound go to grip his hilt tighter. “You don't understand... it already started, in fact its' shortened now because of your strike. As long as my heart beats it'll count down, once it stops...all hell will break loose. Three pounds of condensed bait. Imagine what it would do to this side of the city if only a few ounces summoned so many.... imagine it Kaien. Come come... We'll Devour you whole.” Koryuu started with a light swagger before dashing forward to close the distance between them.
“Fuku-Taichou.... he's a bomb!” Sentaro's warning shout out from the shadows.
As long as he lived time ticked down... As Koryuu staggered the hapi swaying open to show the last remaining symbol burning away. Did Kaien call bluff? If he were to sever the soul chain the body and perhaps the obscured kido bomb would dissipate as well. What choice did he have left. Kaien sprinted forward gripping Nejibana tightly focused sharply on his target.
“KAIEN!” Ukitaki's voice shout out in the eerie silence as he landed in time to watch Kaien dash forward. He held his breath hoping Kaien's blade would falter, but it didn't. In a flash the deed was done and only one man remained standing. The sound of grinding flesh paused time itself as the blade made the final twist severing the soul chain. The deed done the blood splattered Shinigami turned to face his captain.
It send a chill down Ukitake's spine, Whatever grudge these two men had between each other, whatever the reason or the case as a Captain he had to file the report. It all felt surreal, a perfect nightmare. The man before him was indeed Kaien Shiba, but there was such an indifference to his attitude as he stood with Nejibana's blood soaked blade in his hands. This was not a part of Kaien he wanted to know, or ever wanted to see again. Such Cold, heartless eyes, lush lips now pressed to a thin almost white line from the strain. Ukitake found himself taking a step back as his Fuku-Taichou dropped the man's body and let it lay crumpled and undignified to the ground. a Quick flash of the blade and Nejibana disappeared back into the saya. Just as the body at his feet dissipated back into spiritual partials.
"Shiba Kaien Fuku-Taichou.. You leave me no choice, Please, accompany me to the 10th squad." Ukitake found is body speaking so many years of duty it came out dry and without want or emotion.
Kaien looked to his captain and pulled his sword from his sash and offered it out to his captain with a low apologetic bow. The words echoed through the young man's mind, bringing the bile to the back of his throat. 'It is a cruel thing I have done to you today. Your final Lesson has been learned Kaien...to protect life, you must take it.'