Advent of Dawn, a battle to shake the heavens

Inku Himatsu, captain of the seventh division of the gotei 13, was walking around the seireitei absorbed in a book. He didn't look especially happy that day, nor was he paying attention to his surroundings. He kept his face buried in his book slowly kept moving.

"Ooof!" Was the sound made as Inku crashed strait into the back of another man in the hallways of a meeting building, sending the man in front of him crashing to the ground. As the fallen man turned around, one could see that it was Shunketsu, captain of the Kido Corps., out for a walk for once. "Oh, you're...Inku, of the seventh division, correct? You should be more careful when reading a book." He notes kindly, smiling.

"Yeah...that's...." Inku trailed off as he read his book and accidently tripped over the fallen Shunketsu's leg. He fell to the ground with a loud thud and angrily turned around. "Watch it!" He shouted and angrily scribbled sommething in his book.

Shunketsu frowned in an attempt to suppress a laugh as he watched Inku trip. "Didn't I just say that you should be more careful? You have no reason to get so upset over your own blunders." He stated, covering his mouth with his hand.

Inku pointed his fountain pen at Shunketsu and a bit of ink squirted out and on to his haori. "You should get that stain out before it sets." He commented and squirted more ink. Shunketsu's robes now seemed allmost completely black.

The frown on Shunketsu's face turned into a downright scowl as the ink stained him. "Hey, hey, that's not too nice, you know? Take out your anger on someone who did something to you!" He declared angrily, standing up. He put the palms of both of his hands on his robes and muttered something, a blast of wind burst from his hands, blowing off a majority of the ink, though there was still plenty left stained on. "Hrm...this will take forever to clean." He said sadly.

"You did do something to me! You tripped me!!" Inku screamed and fired a torrent of ink from the pen and pushed Shunketsu back. Inku glared over at Shunketsu. His normal white Haori

"N-no, I didn't." Shunketsu replied. "You're own negligence to watch your step is what caused you to fall, Captain Himatsu." Shunketsu said, looking down at himself in his stained clothes. "Ugh....can you please stop acting so childish?"

"Stuttering is a sign of hesitance, captain. If you didn't do it on purpose, then why are you afraid to correct me?" He asked.

Shunketsu looked Inku in the eye. "It is besides the point, my friend. The attitude and actions you are displaying do not befit your status as a Captain in the Gotei 13." He said, muttering something else, before getting on his knees and placing his palms on the ground, after which a plume of grayish smoke, perhaps the kido Sekienton, covered him. When it cleared, his clothes were as good as new, perhaps even a different set. "Now will you please act your age and set a positive example?"

Inku laughed. "You don't deserve to be a captain, Shunketsu. You are shy and timid, and your kind and polite attitude is disgusting. A captain should demand respect, and when someone does not give it willingly he should take it by force. Do you plan to prove me wrong Shunketsu? Or will you sit and comment on how childish I am again?" Inku's pen formed back into a katana and Inku held it at the ready.

Shunketsu turned to walk away. "Kindness to all around you is not disgusting, it is a sign that one can care for their subbordinates, it is a quality of a man. Demanding respect where none has been earned is a sign that none should be given at all, taking it by force is the sign of a tyrant. Perhaps you are misunderstanding which of us is undeserving of the title, Captain Inku." He stated sternly, and began walking.

With a swoosh Inku instantly appeared in front of Shunketsu. "I belive I asked you to prove me wrong. Or are you growing deaf? Maybe you're just ignorant. Either way, it really is a shame." Inku gave Shunketsu a light shove. "What will you do Shunketsu?" He asked again.

"Please, Inku," Shunketsu said as he stepped back, "You should not be seeking battles where there is no need." He said, then pointed a finger at his fellow captain. Within seconds Inku was enveloped in red light and could not move. "This is Bakudo 9, Geki. Please try to calm down, my friend, there's no need to inspire a battle here."

"Is the Kido Corps full of cowards?" Inku asked while he was trapped by the bakudo.

"Cowards? Hardly. I simply find no point in needless conflicts." Shunketsu stated. "The true cowards are those among us who lash out at everything they see as a threat as if they were animals, unable to control their emotions. They fear acting civilized, don't you agree?"

"I find that fighting is an excellent way to end conflicts. Don't you?" Inku asked and easily broke out of the low level kido.

"I think there's better options out there." Shunketsu said with a smile, as he grabbed the hilt of his Zanpakuto and drew it out. "This is your last chance, Captain Inku, please stop this chilish charade."

"A charade? Do you really think I'm faking?" said Inku as he lunged at Shunketsu with his zanpakuto.

A blast covered the hall in smoke, and a hole was in the wall, both captains leaped out into the courtyard as they collided blades with one another. Shunketsu stepped back, raising his blade. "Protect all, Onryou!" He declared, as his blade was enshrouded in a glow, and shrunk in size to a small dagger and a sheath.

"Hah!" was all Inku said and his zanpakuto reverted to it's release form. "Please don't think your the only one who can use kido. Hado 4: Byakurai!" he shouted and fired a bolt of lightning form the tip of the pen.

"Oh? The raving child has enough intelligence to do this much?" Shunketsu mocked, as a large barrier formed between the lightning and it's target. "Acting so weak, my friend, please display self-control." He said, before clapping his hands together, holding Onryou between them. "Bankai." The blade glowed yet again, and grew in length. A black mist erupted from it. "Makurayami Onryou." He stated. "Inku, please stop."

Inku, allmost immediatly upon hearing the words bankai, pulled out his notebook and scribbled something down. "Bankai so soon?" he asked and put his notebook away. "I'm sorry to disapoint you, but I'm not to fond of my bankai. I don't plan to release it." Inku held one hand out at Shunketsu. "Hado 63: Raikoho!" he shouted and fired a large amount of yellow lightning from his palm.

The lightning would find its target in nothingness as the mist rose up around Shunketsu, sucking the lightning into the darkness. "Kakumei Yokai." Shunketsu said simply, as the lightning shot out of the mist, back at its original caster.

"Yaiba no Sumi!" Inku shouted and sliced at the kido, splitting it in half. There was now a long, rigid blade of ink floating above his pen. He appeared in front of Shunketsu and sliced at him with his pen.

"Worthless Cur." Shunketsu stated, having to withdraw the mist so as to not absorb his fellow captain by mistake. A small, blue barrier erected itself between him and his opponent's ink weapon, effectively stalling the attack. "You're acting irrational. What would happen should master Byakko should see you acting in such a deplorable way?" He demanded, pointing a finger at Inku, as a blast of wind pushed the man back. "Calm yourself, or I shall have to get needlessly violent!"

"Do you honestly think I care about what the captain-commander thinks!?" Inku was certainly not acting himself. "Sumihebi!" he shouted and a large snake made of ink shot out at Shunketsu.

"You should, isn't he your boss or something?" Shunketsu asked, as, again, the black mist rose up and absorbed the ink snake. "Give it up, my sweet Makurayami Onryou is not going to let the attacks of a child get through her defenses. Enter Bankai, and it will be the same, I will simply swallow it up, swallow it into the darkness." Shunketsu said, with a hint of a smile.

Inku allmost seemed to tremble a bit. "Swallow up my Bankai? Impossible." he said and stood still, anticipating Shunketsu's next move.

"I'm sorry, Inku, 'impossible', is not a word in my dictionary. Makurayami Onryou has the ability to absorb anything within her darkness, even light itself is sucked away. No matter what you throw at me, it will make no difference. You only stand before me now because of my hesitance to use this power on you." Shunketsu declared.

Inku once again scribbled something in his notebook, then put it away. "Are you sure?" he asked and prepared to release Bankai.

Shunketsu smiled. "Yes, quite. Hyouimoji Kemono, that is the name of your bankai, is it not? If i'm not mistaken, you're unable to keep control of it for too long." He explained, the smile now a noticeable grin. "Heheh. Please, before this becomes worse than need be, put away your sword." He asked, a dark look in his eye.

"Bankai! Hyouimoji Kemono!" Inku screamed and tossed the pen up in the air. The pen exploded and released a large amount of ink, completely covering the battlefield. Inku barked something illegible and the ink began to clump together behind him, eventually creating a large dragon. Inku pointed at Shunketsu and the dragon flew at him immediatly, obeying it's master.

Shunketsu grinned widely. "DIDN'T I SAY THAT WOULDN'T WORK!?" He demanded hysterically, and swung his blade. "KUROI INMETSU!" He roared, as a massive wisp of the dark cloud shot out, and expanded, sucking the dragon into its dark depths as the Bankai lurched forward

The dragon became shapeless and split apart, allowing half of itself to be swallowed up by the mist while the other half continued towards Shunketsu. "Did you really think I'd be caught that easily?" asked a mentally unstable Inku. The dragon regrew it's swallowed half and continued dodging mist on it's way towards Shunketsu.

"Of course not." Shunketsu said, lifting his blade, grinning widely still. "White Hole." As he said this, a hole appeared, in midair, between him and the oncoming dragon, releasing a whole slew of objects. Tables, chairs, cars, trees...and some water, too. "If i'm not mistaken, that Bankai of yours is ink, correct? This torrent of water should dispel it nicely."

"Funsha Nagare!" Inku screamed and the dragon stopped moving and opened it's mouth. From it's mouth a large torrent of ink came out, eating through the solid objects while keeping the water at bay. Inku's vision was begining to blur. He took a deep breath and concentrated back on the battle.

A blade could be felt against Captain Himatsu's neck, as Shunketsu appeared behind him. "It's over, Inku, please give up." He stated. Looking over at where Shunketsu was a moment ago, one could see a mirror-image of the Kido Corps Captain dissipate into black smoke. "I can already tell your mental health is starting to dwindle. Give up before the fourth division needs to be called here." He requested.

The dragon turned around. "Mokumoku Houkou." Inku stated calmly and the Dragon let out a deafening roar. Inku didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"Ugh." Shunketsu withdrew his sword as he covered his ears in agony. "R-rikujokoro." Shunketsu muttered, taking a moment to point at Inku. Suddenly, six thin, wide beams of light that slam into Himatsu's midsection, holding them in place.

"Ugh, my time limi is allmost up." chirped Inku, like he was happy and sad about it at the same time. He turned to face Shunketsu. "Don't you think you should be a bit more concerned with the dragon, instead of with me? The reason I grow mentally unstable while using it is because I control it with my mind. How will restraining me save you?" he asked and the dragon once again began to charge at Shunketsu.

"That's quite simple." Shunketsu stated. "Kuroi Inmetsu" He repeated, sending another, slightly larger, slice of darkness at the dragon.

Once again, the dragon split apart to dodge the attack and continued towards Shunketsu.

"Hmph, a persistent beast if ever there was one." Shunketsu said, and the black mist enveloped him on all sides. As the ink dragon rushed forward, it rushed towards its doom, allowing itself to be sucked into the darkness.

Subsequently, as soon as the beast was devoured, Inku passed out. A small pen appeared in Inku's hand as he continued to sleep.

Shunketsu's blade returned to it's normal, sealed appearance as the black mist vanished. "You there." He called, to one of the many shinigami who had gathered to watch. "Contact the fourth division, captain Inku may be in need of assistance." He said, and turned to leave. He sure didn't want to be around when the seventh division head arose.

As Shunketsu was walking away from the scene he saw his lieutenant running towards him. "Captain! What happened?" Nanashi asked, eager to here the reason for all of the commotion.

"Ah, Nanashi, good day to you." Shunketsu said, smiling. "Well, it would seem that Captain Inku of the Gotei 13 was having a bad day and, thanks to a trip, decided to take his anger out on me." He explained, still walking.

Nanashi walked with him. "Did you win?" he asked.

Shunketsu smiled slightly. "If only by a bit. Captain Inku has a truly interesting way of fighting and, when he finally get past the nasty side effects and master his Bankai, he'll be quite the dangerous opponent, perhaps he'll win next round." The Kido Captain remarked kindly.

"You're to modest captain. I'm sure you whooped him." Nanashi replied with a smile.

"Perhaps..." Shunketsu trailed off, and the Kido Captain returned to his quarters.

Round Two, Shunketsu vs ???
In New York City, vizard Koushou Takerami sat on top of his building staring at the city. A chilly breeze made him tighten the black scarf around his neck and headed inside.

"Your move Hou." he mumbled and his eyes turned black and yellow and he made a move on the chess board.

"Chess, eh?" A kind voice inquired. Off to the side, a man wrapped in a warm jacket stood with his hands in his pockets, Shunketsu. Behind him stood his lieutenant once more. "The Vizard I was informed of, Koushou, correct?"

Koushou glanced over to the man and his eyes returned to normal. "Can I help you?" he asked and moved a piece on the chess board. His eyes then regained a black and yellow color and he moved another piece on the board.

"Nothing much with you personally. I've been ordered to stake out in the human world and eliminate any potential threats. I was informed that a vizard nearby would be such a danger. It'd be a shame if I had to fight you now that we've met, wouldn't it?" He asked.

"Mmmmmhhmmmmm." he hummed obviously not paying attention to the man. He kept making moves without so much of a glance in his direction.

Shunketsu made a stern face, and walked next to Koushou. "There's not much that annoy me, you know. One thing that does, however, is blatant disrespect!" He claimed, and went to smack the man on the back of the head.

The man was too concentrated on the game and was smacked. "What's you do that for!" he screamed. He hadn't heard the man before.

"Why else!?" Shunketsu demanded. "You were rudely ignoring me!" He claimed in a rage, a scowl on his face.

"And you barged into my house, uninvited." he stated with a grim frown.

"Into?" Shunketsu said, holding his arms out wide, "We are in the open air, I have barged into noone's house, my friend."