Blank period: Retaliation

This article, , is the second chapter of the Ibvestigation arc, which is itself the second arc of the Blank period. This chapter has several POV characters and formally introduces Rin Shihōin into the story after she was casually mentioned previously.

Van strolled into his usual haunt and immediately glimpsed Mikado, in what was becoming a worrying tradition, sat in Kei's bar at the booth that was usually reserved for Kenji and Van's use. Opposite her was her friend Rin, who, it seemed, had finally accepted the invitation to meet Kenji.

Van could see why Kenji would be interested. The woman was undoubtedly gorgeous; her long black-coloured hair was tied up in a ponytail, with the ends meeting her ample backside. Her T-shirt -- obviously indicating that she was off-duty at present -- was tied at the waist to reveal her bellybutton, whilst also showing off her toned stomach. This was a woman who did not slack on physical training. The strange part? One leg of her jeans was cut well enough above the thigh to be considered indecent (not that Van was complaining) and in her free-hand she still held her Zanpakutō.

"Damn it, Kenny! You aren't even here and you still manage to piss off a Femme fatale!?"

He couldn't help but drop into "stealth mode" as he approached. Maybe he could salvage this for his old friend? Their conversation soon became known...

"This teacher of yours," Rin began, "Kenji? He's awfully late."

"It isn't like him!" Mikado practically squeaked the answer. "Van's the tardy one!"

"How dare you!?" Van roared.

So much for stealth-mode.

"I come here, out of my way I might add, to deliver a message and this is the slander I have to listen to!? I'm appalled! APPALLED!!"

Rin did not look impressed at all.

"Van!? What are you doing here?" It was clear from her tone that her patience was frayed.

"As I said: I came to deliver a message. Hisagi needed Kenji to stay to deal with some dilemma currently befalling the oh-so-important news magazine. He sends his sincerest apologies and told me to make sure the lovely lady Rin -- I assume that's you? -- was to have all the drink she wanted tonight on his tab. He further added that he would love to have a rain-check."

"You assumed correctly." Rin answered. Only Van would've gotten away with a message that sarcastic, but Rin looked more amused than annoyed. "You can get me a glass of ." Rin answered. "One ice cube, with a smidgen of water. Tell the barkeep to leave the bottle on the table."

"As the lady wishes." Van even bowed! "That bastard owes me big for this."

Kenji had been tied up but not for the reason Van had stated. And the farthest thing from his mind right now was Mikado's friend Rin. For Kenji was in the medical wing of the 4th Division. Nurses moved throughout the room with purpose but Kenji saw none of it: he had eyes only for the charred body of his former student Kichō, who was sister to Mikado.

The only silver-lining to the whole thing was that Kichō was alive.

Although Momoko had not carried out the healing -- that was a task deemed to advanced for her at present -- it was her that outlined the current situation to Kenji, who was also her former teacher.

"There was sufficient reiatsu in Kichō's wounds to identify her attacker."

Kenji didn't need a name to know who was responsible. The nature of the wounds -- multiple punctures, as if from a javelin, and burns from lightning and fire -- was the trademark of one Sakae Kisaragi, who happened to be the same woman who had done the exact same thing to Kenji himself the night former Captain Kazuya Kuchiki was murdered.

Only this time Kenji was sure Kichō's survival was not a mistake.

"It was Sakae Kisaragi." Momoko's confirmation only added fuel to the fire.

Momoko's voice was trembling from emotion; Kichō had been her fellow student under Kenji and Van for two years, and before that the two had known one another at the academy. Kenji gently squeezed her shoulder. Although he was justifiably enraged none of it showed when he comforted Momoko -- he was the mature, steadfast, and reliable teacher she had always depended on before.

"It'll be alright, Momoko. You guys got her a healing kit in time." The D&D reference made her chuckle and Kenji found himself smiling too. "You know where to find me if you need anything."

She wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry, Kenji, but I've got work."

"Go, I'll make sure Mikado knows."

He left out the part that he was going to personally wring Sakae's throat. He still didn't know the extent of her involvement in Kazuya's death. All he knew was that she had already killed Takeji -- now she had gone after one of his students? No way was that coincidental. Before now she had been careful: as far as Kenji was concerned she was deliberately leaving a trail.

This was retaliation.

And the Archon of Storms was not about to disappoint. And he was pissed!

End.