Informal Meetings

Kusaka busied himself reading the morning’s newspaper while his recent contacts, Verena and Serge, chatted in the background. So far all they’d managed to do was tell him they intended to give him their Fullbring. But not to look a gift horse in the mouth or anything but there was something about this he didn’t quite trust. They assured him however that all they wanted was to be rid of their powers, which of course only made Kusaka even more suspicious. He had better things to be doing right now. Like killing assholes whose name happened to start with K.

‘We need the rest to arrive first,’ the male, Serge, whispered.

He was a pathetic stick of a boy. Hawke was probably three years his junior yet Hawke was taller and broader everywhere! He sported spiked black hair and wore a tight-fitting black jacket with red and white lining up the centre. The woman, Verena, eyed Kusaka suspiciously so he gave her the finger. She wore a long black coat with denim jeans and kept her long red hair unbound so that it rested between her shoulder blades. She was slim too. She called that a chest? Humph! A man needed something to rest his head on at night. Her chest looked like two small pebbles.

‘Yes, the sooner the better.’ Verena answered.

‘Verena, do that poor Serge fellow a favour would you, and bend yourself over a fence. Going by the look of the poor guy his balls are likely blue by now.’

Serge and Verena went scarlet. It was then Kusaka leapt away from the couch as strands of Verena’s red hair sliced the seat clean in two! Kusaka side-stepped the subsequent assault before performing Hirenkyaku as he entered a low crouch. He blurred behind the young woman where he then held his Spirit Sword to her throat from behind.

‘Your Fullbring lets you manipulate your hair?’ He asked. ‘You control its soul, making it elastic or incredibly sharp, depending on the need.’

Kusaka ducked low before retreating on a flow of reishi as a black blade passed inches from his head! He was taller than Verena was so it didn’t even affect her at all. Serge’s left arm was covered in red and black armour with multiple spikes at the elbow and shoulder, while his right arm became a looming blade of epic proportion. The blade covered his entire forearm and ended in a smaller blade jutting out at his elbow joint.

‘You manipulate the bracelets on your wrists.’ Kusaka told him. ‘But what does it do, aside from cutting the air?’

‘It can kill people.’ Serge stated simply.

Kusaka mocked him by feigning fear. ‘Whatever, kid. All you’re going to kill with that oversized cleaver is a Hollow or two. Your blade isn’t keen enough to reach my throat.’

A smile then broke across Kusaka’s face as he felt the point of a gun being set on his right temple. The holder of the gun was a black-haired man in his early twenties. He wore a black suit with a white shirt, complete with a tie. The tip of his gun flickered with light which Kusaka quickly identified as spiritual power. Was he a member of this group too? If so, where did he rank?

‘Drop your sword.’ He said.

‘Why?’ Kusaka looked to the side so his right eye stared into the man’s two. ‘You’ve never killed a man before, have you? Killing a Hollow is different. You have the eyes of a rookie, boy.’

Kusaka had relocated himself before he could even pull the trigger! A bullet whizzed across the room coated with spiritual power, which knocked a sizable hole through the wall. Not a smart move that. Someone would notice and someone would call the police. By the time Kusaka reappeared he delivered three quick strikes, followed by him returning to pick up his newspaper from the floor. Tut. The corner was ripped. He performed the motions so quickly that the Fullbringer’s had only just fallen when he started reading!

‘If I’m any judge,’ Kusaka began, ‘then you are limited to firing eight shots? No wait, nine? Yeah, that’s right. What do you do when you run out of ammunition?’

‘… Bastard,’

Serge pulled himself to his feet slowly. He’d taken a knee to the stomach. ‘How did you do that? You worked out how each of our abilities works with only a single glance.’

Kusaka looked him dead in the eye. ‘Its experience, kid, which is something each of you lack.’

- ‘You wanted to speak to me?’

Itazura took quick note of his surroundings. It was night and the Royal Palace was quiet. Queen Kaede’s bedchamber was no exception to that. The only sounds within the lavish chamber were the low crackle of the fireplace. It cast the room in a dim glow. She was seated in a high-backed chair in front of the fire with a book in-hand. Beside her stood Fujimoto Nakamura and old Ranmaru Shibata sr. and a fellow with a scar running down through his right eye, neck and chest stood beside the fireplace to the left. It was amazing that eye was open and not blind!

‘You forget who it is you are speaking to, boy.’ The scarred man said.

‘It’s alright, Yoichi,’ Kaede whispered. ‘He is, in all but name, Tomoko’s Warder after all.’

The nam known as Yoichi registered shock before schooling his features to stillness. Or as close to still as someone with a scar running through their face could be. Without even looking in his direction Itazura felt the man’s eyes on him. It was similar to the way Kusaka was, once upon a time. He was that unnerving. But what was that about a being a Warder now?

‘I’m what now?’ Itazura asked.

‘A Warder,’ Fujimoto began slowly, ‘is a position within Heisekai. We only learned what happened about six months ago actually, but it would seem that Tomoko… bonded you sixteen years ago.’

Yoichi grunted at that while Fujimoto looked genuinely surprised by it. Kaede merely closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Itazura, however, merely raised his eyebrows as if to ask “what’s a Warder?”

‘You know that a Queen has a bodyguard, right?’ Fujimoto asked.

‘Yeah, I do. I remember Shiro telling me that during the last civil war, he was Kaede’s bodyguard. At the minute it’s Ranmaru.’

‘Ranmaru was originally my Warder, though Shiro was not. His was an unofficial appointment, born from loyalty and dire circumstances.’ Kaede interjected. ‘I took Ranmaru as my Warder when my mother still reigned, as is customary.’ A green glyph appeared on Kaede’s forearm which was mirrored on Ranmaru’s chest. ‘There exists a special power in the Royal Family of Heisekai known as Shugarūn.’

‘It’s very similar to modern Kidō.’ Ranmaru supplied.

‘With it the ruling Monarch and Royal Child can attack or defend themselves if necessary, though it can do so much more. The glyph you just saw was one example of Shugarūn.’ Kaede explained. ‘That particular one is ancient – only to be used with consent from both parties. It… links people.’

Itazura exhaled. ‘… Okay, let me get this straight, here. Sixteen years ago Tomoko… linked herself to me? Why?’

‘… We don’t know.’ Fujimoto admitted.

‘Why don’t we ask her then?’ He wasn’t sure if the Queen knew whether or not the Tomoko in the palace was nothing more than a fake.

Kaede fixed him with a withering stare. ‘Do you take me for a complete fool, Itazura? I know my own daughter, and the woman in her room this very minute is certainly not my daughter. I carried her, gave birth and raised her. It will take more than simple transformations to fool a mother’s intuition.’

‘Then why haven’t we acted?’ He asked them. ‘You know she’s a fraud and yet we aren’t doing anything.’

‘Oda has her.’ Yoichi added. ‘Has had for some time now, I’m afraid. But where he is holding her however we are not sure.’

‘… I take it this is why you asked me here, then?’ It was becoming clear to him. ‘If Tomoko has linked herself to me with this Shugarūn ability, then I’m assuming that, as a Warder, I’m supposed to know where she is and how far away. Oh, come on! Don’t look so surprised. A Warder is a term for guardian but they watch and listen too.’

‘Another Shugarūn user can use you as a medium to find Tomoko.’ Kaede revealed. ‘Please, kneel.’

Itazura nodded his head and dropped to one knee where Kaede put her hands on his shoulders. A green light immediately shown on his chest! Kaede gained a serious expression before exhaling slowly, which caused her to sink back into her chair. She looked tired.

‘My daughter is on Chrono Island.’ Kaede said.

Itazura rose and immediately turned to leave. ‘Where are you going?’ Fujimoto asked.

‘I’m going to get Tomoko back.’ He then grinned. ‘You said it yourself when you fought Ichihara, Fuji. You aren’t free to act, none of the Shuuten are. But I am free to act and apparently my duty, whether I asked for it or not, is to keep my Princess safe.’ He then turned again and left the room. ‘Not that I’d need to be her Warder for that to happen.’ He closed the door gently behind him.

‘… Not many would react to the news the way he has.’ Yoichi identified.

‘He’s a good man.’ Ranmaru admitted.

‘One of the best,’ Fujimoto agreed. ‘But, your Highness, what can he do? He’s hopelessly outnumbered.’

‘… It’s time.’ Kaede whispered. ‘That we called on one of our oldest allies.’

Ranmaru went rigid! ‘You don’t mean…!

‘Please reconsider!’ Yoichi cried.

‘… Wanna bring me up to speed here?’ It wasn’t often Fujimoto was in the dark.

‘In the past,’ Kaede began explaining, ‘a Shinigami arrived in Heisekai, fleeing from the Soul Society. He was much like Hiei is now: plagued by Hollow powers.’ She looked directly at Fujimoto. ‘Your brother, Akira, befriended this man and sheltered him against the Soul Society. He was grateful, as you might expect, and decided to give his all for the realm your brother loved. He entered the Jōren first and eventually made his way up through the ranks until he was appointed as a Palace guard.’

‘… Wait a minute here…’ Fujimoto whispered.

‘Yes,’ Kaede said, ‘this was Rosuto Shiba. He was a guard in this very Palace and, before the civil war began, was responsible for killing Oda’s father and freeing Chrono Island from subjugation.’

‘He also competed with Akira.’ Ranmaru revealed. ‘The two only had eyes for Kaede. You’ll excuse me for spouting rumours, but you all know the talk about Tomoko being Akira’s daughter?’

‘But she isn’t.’ Fujimoto said. ‘I’ve know for a long time, your majesty. I just never said anything.’

‘Rosuto left Heisekai thirty years into the civil war. You see… he is Tomoko’s father.’ Kaede whispered. ‘We were young and Rosuto left afterwards, spreading the rumours that Akira was the father himself, so no one would learn the truth. You see had the people found out that Tomoko’s father was not of Heisekian birth, they would not have accepted her. It would have plunged the realm deeper into bloodshed.’

‘… You think Rosuto will return because his daughter is in danger?’ Fujimoto asked.

Kaede smiled. ‘No. I do not think he will return. I know he will return, because he promised that he’d come whenever I had need of him. And I sorely need the Suzaku now.’

Rosuto Shiba regarded his brother, Meian, distantly. He had received word from Kentaro, Hawke, David and Akiye that his help was needed in Heisekai. What was the problem? He’d told Kenji and Meian that he wouldn’t interfere.

‘You look like you have something to say, brother.’ Meian observed.

‘I do.’ Rosuto replied. ‘It’s about this business in Heisekai. Something… important has come up.’

Meian sighed. ‘Is it more important than a promise to your brother?’

‘Yeah, it is. You see… I haven’t been completely honest with you, Kenji or Kireina for about… three-hundred years or so.’ Meian crossed his arms against his chest. ‘Right now something has happened to the Royal Child, Tomoko.’

‘I don’t see the connection.’ Meian admitted. ‘When you where in Heisekai you where a guard in the Royal palace… Wait. Rosuto Dastan Shiba, what have you done?’ Rosuto hadn’t heard his full name spoken in years! It showed just how annoyed Meian was. So he figured it out did he?

‘Tomoko is my daughter and it seems Oda has her captive.’

Meian struck him!

‘Okay, I deserved that.’

‘You are an idiot!’ Meian roared. ‘What kind of father abandons their child!? If mother where alive now that would certainly put her in her grave.’

Rosuto shot to his feet with clenched fists… but his anger died quickly. ‘… I know. You told me once before that coward’s don’t exist in the Shiba family, right? I did what I did to protect Tomoko, brother. If the residents of Heisekai found out that I was the father then Tomoko would have been killed and the civil war would've become impossible for Kaede to win. I did the only fatherly thing I could do: I protected my daughter by not being there for her. So, hit me again, but when you’re finished I’ll be leaving to burn the bones from an annoying bastard, rescue my daughter, and then take her home. Are we clear?’

‘Crystal,’ Meian replied with a smile. ‘Go.’ Meian whispered. ‘I won’t stop you and I’ll make sure Kenji understand too, when I see him again.’ Meian then grasped his younger brother by the shoulder. ‘You and I have had our issues in the past, for whatever reasons. But know that I’m proud of you, Rosuto, and that I love you. You had better not fail.’

Rosuto grasped his brother’s shoulder tightly. ‘Meian, the word “failure” doesn’t exist for Rosuto Shiba, Warder of the South, and Heisekai’s very own Suzaku.’

Next Story >.