Children of Izanami: Initialization

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"What is Paradise?"

"Paradise, as it is defined, is a place where existence is positive and harmonious. The after-life.... this afterlife... is supposed to represent that paradise, somewhere souls can finally find peace after their miserable lives are extinguished and their pain is cast aside. It is a place where everything is good, and the people hold no anguish or negativity against each other. It is a place without violence, hatred, or death. Everyone is safe.... and everyone is grateful as they enjoy the peace of being within the after-life."

Kenta Sonoda lay against the bird he was riding on as it flew through the skies, arms folded behind his head, and his eyes closed. However, he wasn't asleep. Obviously, the wind currents slapping against his body was enough to keep him awake, and fellow rider Rukia Kuchiki would pester him if he did. The bird knew where it was headed pre-, towards police headquarters. His hair whipped around him, yet he remained resistant to nature, resistant to the sound of the beast flapping its wings as it soared, but not resistant to whatever his companion was about to say.

"However, if that is the case, then why do we have a government? Why do we need someone to keep us in line? Why do we need these weapons, all of these guns, swords, and firearms? Even after death, souls will never give up their hatred for one another, and continue to attack each other in ways that they would in their previous life. We still compete. We still fight. We still kill... and, thanks to the existence of the Soul Societies, it will never cease to exist. It will be nothing but an endless cycle of murder, death, and life."

His eyes slowly opened, his pupils feasting themselves onto the clouds.

"What, then, is this world we live in? Surely, this cannot be paradise..."

"Not now...."

"Not ever..."

His eyes drifted towards Rukia, and his mouth moved to speak in a rather dry tone.

"If you ask me, that haircut makes you look terrible."

Rukia suppressed a chuckle. "You've been sitting there for half an hour staring into space, and that is the best way you decide to break the ice?"

"Can you blame me? I have a bad habit of being honest at the worst times." Slowly, Kenta allowed himself to get into a sitting position, hair blowing around him as he looked over off to the side in order to get a better view of the city below. The lighting in the afternoon made it all the more brilliant and more beautiful to see. "Can't believe we had to move the HQ someplace far away from the capital while the military bozos get to stay close to home. What a load of bull...." He muttered in irritation, scowling. He was inwardly relieved that they were close, as the bird started flying lower and lower.

"I don't get why you're complaining. It's not as if we spent the last three hours walking there." Rukia replied, looking over the side of the bird as well. The scenery was beautiful. She amused herself imagining Ahatake's frustration at having to cover her paperwork at the office.

"Oh...right." Immediately, Kenta pushed himself back into a sitting position, arms folded across his chest as the bird began its final descent. "You're not even that involved with the police or the military anymore. You wouldn't care much for the favoritism the king shows towards his troops rather than the law enforcement." He dangled his legs off the bird's side as it descended to the ground in a massively open area, where there were other birds within. What appeared to be a mixture of civilian workers and officers were tending to them, the ones giving instructions having the appearance of someone of high command. The doors to the HQ were just a short distance away.

Kenta was the first to hop off of the bird. A rather polite and what could be described as "classy" behavior was showing; once Rukia was close enough, he extended one of his hand, took hers, and helped her off.