Paying the Bills is Never Easy

This article, , is the third chapter in the Exiled Prince arc, which is part of Bleach: Sun and Moon Chronicles. It splits off from Calming the Beast Within with the focus shifting to Kusaka Kori and Kazuma Nishiki. Masaki Satō and Nerine Amamine are also featured. This chapter serves to introduce Vlad into the story as a recurring antagonist.

"Neener neener bleah!"

Of course it was Kazuma. He directed this nonsense towards Nwerine, whose ass he had earlier groped, and Masaki, who was actively trying to kill him for doing just that. The fact he had his tongue stuck out at them didn't help matters either. At this rate Kusaka and Kenji weren't going to have a student to train, so Kusaka did the one thing he could under the circumstances.

"You can kill him later." Kusaka said to Masaki.

As he said this Kusaka produced a remarkable Shunpo step. In one fluid movement he was standing beside Kazuma who, despite sensing his approach, could not move fast enough to do anything about it. Kusaka twisted briefly, threw Kazuma over his shoulder, and vanished into the horizon until he was completely invisible. Rather than give chase Masaki and Nerine opted to return to Kei and Kenji.

"You do realise that your mouth is going to get you into trouble one of these days." Kusaka said to his fool student.

"Hehe, it wasn't my mouth that got me in trouble this time, though."

He flexed his fingers as if to emphasis the point. For that Kusaka smacked him up the head! Kusaka continued to hold Kazuma until he was certain neither Masaki or Nerine had given chase, and slowed his speed so that Kazuma could comfortably match him.

"... Thanks, though." Kazuma whispered.

"Heh, you little shit."

He ruffled the little guys blond-coloured mop of hair and sighed. "I'll have to take the sheers to you shortly. We're like to lose you under all that hair."

"Leave it." Kazuma said quickly. "When its like this it falls over my face and hides my eyes."

Comments like that always pulled at Kusaka's heartstrings. Kenji and he had done their best to make the transition as easy as possible for him, but the fact remained that Kazuma was blind as a bat. The fact that said blindness had been inflicted by Kenji during one of his certainly didn't help. But he was young and was already adapting at a frightening pace. It was true what they said; when your vision went your remaining senses became sharper. Thankfully this was especially true of Kazuma's Reikaku, which was what partly allowed one to sense reiatsu. When he concentrated hard he could sense even the smallest trace of reiatsu. In conjunction with his own reiatsu, which he sent out in subtle waves to collide with his surroundings, Kazuma effectively made himself a radar.

"Kusaka, six o'clock. Right below us. Look for a high-rise building." Kazuma whispered it.

"You're sure?"

"Positive. It feels like Kenji when he goes nuts, only much weaker."

That was all the the clarification Kusaka needed. Using Kazuma's directions Kusaka swiftly drew his Zanpakutō and drew a circle in the air with the blade, which resulted in a massive spike of violet spiritual power erupting from the underside of the roof Kazuma mentioned. A figure attempted to leap from the onslaught but Kusaka was on him in seconds and cleaved down through his raised arm in a single slash! The arm, which held his own blade, also went flying. Now defenceless there was nothing stopping young Kazuma flash-stepping to his side and slicing his throat open!

"Nice move." Kusaka acknowledged. "You sharpened up your reiatsu just at the right moment." He took a moment to inspect the body. "Is that another of those Arrancar things? Or just a developed Hollow?"

"Definitely not an average Hollow."

And Kusaka was beginning to trust Kazuma's sense for spiritual signatures even as he conveniently forgot that his protege couldn't see what he had just killed in the first place. He clapped the youngster on the shoulder and apologised.

"There's something else here." Kazuma said suddenly. He even went rigid. "Kusaka! This isn't like anything I've felt before. This reiatsu is old... very old. It's full of memory. And anger...!"

Kusaka felt it too. He couldn't describe it in the way Kazuma did, but he felt cold. It was as if a cold finger was tracing itself across his spine.

"Who -- and what -- the hell are you!?"

Kusaka directed this question to a growing shadow who looked out at him from inside the building of the roof Kusaka had just demolished with his Reīssen. Blood-red eyes bored into Kusaka but the owner never strayed from the shadows; it was as if he feared the sunlight that was invading the top floor. Kazuma was visibly shaking and when Kusaka saw this he placed his body between him and the stranger, effectively acting as a buffer. Kazuma instantly breathed a lot easier.

"A man, once known as The Impaler, whom the world has largely forgotten." Came the voice. Male. "These days I'm merely Vlad; I own the building you destroyed during your tussle with that... ... and now I come before you wondering what you're going to do about it."

It wasn't a question. This man expected Kusaka to obey. He was about to be sorely disappointed.

"That only answers half my question. Answer the other half: What are you?

The killing intent that filled the air after that question was asked was enough to make even Kusaka sweat a little. And of course this just got his own battle instinct stoked.

"... You're worst nightmare, or you're best friend. It all depends on whether or not you pay for the damages." Came Vlad's reply.

"Kusaka!" Why Kazuma was shouting was beyond Kusaka. "I don't like this!"

"I'm not paying you a penny." Kusaka declared. "That thing had a price on its head; one I intend to collect on. You aren't seeing any of it, I'm afraid. A man has to pay the bills."

"Afraid? You will be, Kusaka. You will be." Vlad narrowed his eyes. "If you are as daring as I think you are, fool boy, meet me here when the moon is full."

Kusaka's pulse quickened. This was going to be a good fight.

"It's on, bitch."

What Kusaka couldn't possibly know however is that he had just earned himself the ire of one of the Elders of the Reikon Kyuuban; specifically a former member of not only the Thirteen Dracula but a personal bodyguard to Katsumi Scarlet, who was also his queen. Vlad eyed Kusaka as he vanished from the sky with his young companion in much the same manner a predator eyed its next meal...

End.