Matters of Trust II

This article, , is the second part of Matters of Trust and is part of Bleach: Cataclysm. This chapter features Kentaro, Hawke, Akiye and Sanada, with Kentaro as the POV character.

Kentaro wasted little time getting the meeting under-way. Even though it was approaching midnight he, joined by Hawke, Akiye and Sanada, positioned himself in a loose circle around a centralized table with a candelabra providing a low, but comforting, light. Inside the room was dark and measures had been taken to ensure no-one would listen in.

“Correct me if I'm wrong... but wasn't that Hiden and Eiji Shinzui?” Sanada asked, starting the proceedings.

“It certainly looked like it.” Akiye agreed. “I suppose you two had a good reason to attack one of our former allies?”

“They left us little choice.” Kentaro and Hawke answered together, in defence of their actions.

"We look enough alike already without you answering in unison with me." Hawke said glibly.

The look Akiye directed to Kentaro was confused yet intrigued all at the same time. Sanada, to his credit, looked as unperturbed as usual. He sat with his fingers interlocked beneath his chin with his elbows planted firmly on the tabletop. The atmosphere was informal; completely different to what the old Ryu Order practiced.

“This should be good.” Sanada remarked with a grin, though his comment lacked any malice.

Kentaro would have preferred to have all the Commanders of the Six Directions in attendance for this meeting but David was still in the World of the Living running patrols, and Kensei and Shuhei where currently undercover gathering intelligence about the Imawashi's supposed return. Kind of moot now Kentaro thought, but their information would have been welcome regardless. David wouldn't have been fit to add much to the meeting considering he and Hawke shared their council, but Kensei and Shuhei was another story entirely. Kenji had sent them into Kohai Tochi to investigate prior to the Collapse, which was probably what had saved their lives. Besides returning once to find out what had transpired the two had not left Kohai Tochi or deviated from their task.

Hawke spoke up first.

“We did.”

“Look at this.” Kentaro produced his evidence.

The armband produced a number of reactions as it landed upon the tabletop. Hawke exhaled again even though he knew what it meant, but even so the betrayal of Hiden and Eiji had been a bolt from the blue even he hadn't seen coming. Sanada looked at the insignia for a time but ended up shrugging his shoulders as he passed it to Akiye, who remained silent. She adopted a far-off expression which caused Kentaro to clench his fists in anger as he recalled all that the Imawashi had done to her.

“An armband?” Sanada asked, stunned. “I'm afraid I don't know what the symbol means, but it is obviously significant. Care to enlighten me?”

“... It is the symbol of the Imawashi.” Akiye answered. The undertones in her voice spoke dually of rage and grief. “Specifically it was the symbol of the old Imawashi; the group Kentaro destroyed twenty years ago, and the organization I once served as a willing pawn.”

“So there was truth to Kenji's gambit?” Sanada asked of no-one in particular. “The Imawashi are back. Suddenly I wish a certain drill-instructor and his right-hand-man where about to offer some insight.”

“You and me both.” Hawke remarked.

“That being said we need to pull them out.” Kentaro said. “The last report they sent me suggested they had certain leads to follow-up, though they did not go into detail. The information they've gathered will be vital, of that I have no doubt. I'm also worried about their safety.”

“How so?” Akiye asked. “If anyone can look after themselves surely it has to be those two?”

Kentaro would have loved to be believe that... but he couldn't. Now now; not with what Hawke had discovered. His gut instinct wouldn't allow him. He would happily concede that Kensei and Shuhei where powerful and capable men. He even trusted them with missions he wouldn't trust to anyone else based on that strength. But Hiden's betrayal put them both in danger.

“It's quite possible Hiden knew of their mission.” Kentaro revealed. “Not many knew this... but Hiden was an informant for my father, prior to the Collapse. Eiji and he were spying on the Gotei 13 for him because my father didn't want to compromise Kei Yume by asking him to do it.”

Hawke nodded as though he had just worked out a puzzle. “That explains why they where both in the Seireitei during the Engelhaft attack.”

“Yes, I recall that report.” Akiye admitted. “They're being there seemed a little random, to be honest.”

“Forgive me for asking but how did you know of this arrangement?” Sanada asked. “You know what Kenji was like. He tended to keep things on a need-to-know basis.”

“How else? I spied on a few of their meetings.” Kentaro revealed with a wry grin. “But enough about that. We need to alert our moles. Sanada, I want you to do this, as soon as possible. Hawke, I need you to go back to the World of the Living. I dislike David being out there on his own; especially with Hiden and Eiji now aware we know of their true allegiance.”

“Understood. What about you and Akiye?” Sanada asked.

“Akiye and I will remain here to coordinate everything. Dismissed!”

Next story > Leaving Doubt at the Door.