The Simple Joys

“Oh, come on!”

Kenji couldn’t help but grin at Kusaka’s outburst. He really did get into his gambling. The horse he’d put his money on had been leading but had just been passed and of course Kusaka was being loud in his protest.

“I don’t care if you have to whip the arse of that piece of meat! Win me this race!”

Kenji turned from the bar and returned to the table occupied by Ino and Kazuma. They’d taken a boat from France to England and walked up through into Scotland, where they’d taken another boat across to Northern Ireland. It just wouldn’t do for Kenji or Kusaka if they didn’t visit the country many claimed had the best whiskey on sale.

“He’s so loud!”

Ino had only been with them a few weeks. They’d taken Anīka’s warning and stayed in and around Europe and the United Kingdom. The Collective Vices where busy in the west. They were a large organization with shady connections, a lot of money and a lot of manpower. They even had spiritual beings none save Ino knew anything about called Fullbringers, though she’d kept the explanations short and sweet. A group like that was to be feared if not avoided.

“You get used to him.” Kazuma replied.

“Here; A cocktail for you,” Kenji said to Ino; “and a bottle of Coke for you!” He said to Kazuma. “Sorry, kid. The barmen knew better.”

“… I never get to have any fun.”

“GET IN THERE YOU GOOD THING!”

That could only be Kusaka. It seemed his horse managed a come back to win with only a nose ahead of its competition. He was roaring at the result of the photo-finish. Good. They needed that money or they’d be sleeping in the tents for another night.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Ino asked.

Kenji wasn’t really sure. Belfast was a big city and that made for a lot of people, a lot to see and a lot to do. They’d gotten lost so many times up until they found this bar that even Kazuma’s usual optimism had begun to fade away. Getting attacked by a Hollow in the middle of it all hadn’t helped the group’s moral either, nor had their close call with the local Shinigami stationed here. “Can we stay? What about that guy?” Kazuma asked.

“You mean the guy in black?” Kusaka asked as he took his seat.

“Who else could he mean?”

If they avoided mentioning Soul Society, Shinigami or something else related to the Seireitei or Rukongai they generally found they stayed concealed a lot longer. Despite Anīka’s considerable influence within the military and noble families there was only so much she could do. She was neither Captain of the 2nd Division nor Corps Commander of the Onmitsukidō anymore and could thus no longer influence the leadership as she once did. It meant they had all types of trouble to avoid.

“We’ll press on in the morning.” Kenji cut in, taking lead. “They’ll be fewer obstacles to avoid further inland, near the smaller towns and villages. Besides, I wanna hit the nightclubs tonight. It’s been a while since we let our hair down.”

“No argument here.” Ino said, eyes lighting up.

“What about me!? They won’t let me in…” Kazuma hung his head.

“That’s why you’re coming with me.” Kusaka interjected, arms crossed. “You heard Anīka: if we make ourselves useful then there’s a chance they’ll leave us alone. We’re going patrolling.”

“Enjoy your night out in the cold.” Ino smiled deviously.

“Why’d we bring you with us again?” Kusaka questioned. “Oh, yeah, I remember now! Kenji was thinking with his other brain.” At least he had the sense to whisper.

“What was that, Kusaka? You where mumbling again.” Ino said, confused.

“Can it!” Kenji exclaimed. “You say another word and Kazuma will be doing patrol on his own.”

“Whatever,” Kusaka waved his hand. “Come on, kid. Let’s go.”

The night clubs where a lot less fun than either of them had suspected. The music was terrible and every second guy you bumped into thought he was a professional boxer worth his salt. They quickly found they weren’t when Ino sent one sprawling with a closed fist to the jaw! And she said Kusaka was quick to action? That was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. It was why they were outside in the cold, getting rained on.

“What now?” Ino asked, smiling.

Kenji surrendered his jacket which Ino began to use as an umbrella. It left him sodden and colder still, but whatever. If he wanted to he could clear that sky up in an instant…

“No idea.” His stomach growled loudly and Kenji licked his lips.

“… Wasn’t there an Indian around here? I haven’t had one in ages!”

So they double-timed over to the takeaway and where soon filling their faces on Indian curry, which Kenji had to buy of course. Ino managed to burn through his pocket quicker than he did himself, which was no surprise, all considering. She did enjoy her shopping. They spoke about their origins. Ino revealed that she’d been taken in by Garian as a young girl soon after reaching Rukongai and that her Shinigami powers had been nurtured by him. Kenji reckoned they where alike in some regards and recounted how he’d come to be adopted by the Hiroshi family. They finished their meal and then decided to hit up another club, hoping the scene would be a little better.

“This… is not what I had in mind.” Ino said, hesitant. “Who told you about this place?”

The doors loomed and the two bouncers flanking them looked at the duo as if to say “well? What are you waiting for”? Kenji surveyed the scene and silently vowed to both kill and kiss Kusaka. Young woman danced around poles in the back and there was actually good music being played.

“I thought that would’ve been obvious.”

“True.”

“We can go somewhere else if you want.”

“No, I’m cold. At least we can get a drink here without any headaches. The rowdy ones seem to be interested in something else.”

Of that Kenji had no doubt. In a bar like this if you weren’t interested in gawking at the talent on display or perusing the services on offer then you probably wouldn’t come through the door. Not that he was complaining. Some of that talent happened to be at eye level…

“Don’t be a pig.”

It was amazing how she could do that. Sometimes she could literally read his mind. “It isn’t hard.” She went on, rolling her eyes. “What you’re thinking is plain to see by your face. And if you can’t by looking at your face then all you need to do is look downward.”

Kenji made to shield his privates!

“Can we sit down now? You know, before someone else notices?”

Kazuma sighed.

The night was bitterly cold, it was raining and there wasn’t a Hollow in-sight. You’d have thought the white-masked beasties had seen the weather forecast beforehand and decided against feasting for tonight. Either that or they were just adept at hiding themselves. Huh. It was probably the latter.

“Can we go back?” Kazuma asked, shivering.

“No.” Kusaka replied for about the tenth time.

“But I’m cold and my nose is running and I think my big toe fell off three streets back.”

“We’ll get it on the way back.” Kusaka replied, dismissive. “Now can it! Use your eyes and look down.”

It was an alleyway and nothing really spectacular. Bins were pilled up against the wall and a few bags of trash that didn’t fit in sat beside it. The lazy dogs! That’d attract vermin. Like rats and cockroaches. Ino would just love this place.

“It’s an alleyway.”

“Use your eyes. Look there, near the trash bags.”

Kazuma followed Kusaka’s pointing finger and then drew his Zanpakutō quietly, suddenly serious. It was a Hollow. Long and thin with a scaly hide and a humanoid body, it slithered through the trash like a snake, searching with its tongue on the floor. It hadn’t seen them yet but its arms looked powerful… and that tail was long and slender. It was perfect for attacking at a distance or wrapping up its next meal.

“Have you seen the souls yet?”

He did then. Two of them lay nestled amongst some cardboard at the alleys mouth, which opened out onto a street. This was a residential area at night. The only lights were streets lights and it was after midnight, so most where in their beds asleep. There also wasn’t any sign of the local Shinigami protector.

“What are we going to do?”

“You’re going to watch. You haven’t done Konsō yet, so this’ll be good experience.” Kusaka disappeared via Shunpo and appeared right in front of the Hollow! He didn’t even draw his Zanpakutō. He just laid into it with his bare hands! He adopted a boxing stance and let loose with three quick jabs, dancing all the while atop the trash, following then with a full spin kick. The Hollow flew back but Kusaka didn’t relent. He appeared at its back and caught its tail before pulling sharply! The creature rose from the alleyway and into the sky, where Kusaka then released. He followed up with a brutal assault of jabs and hooks, with the occasional haymaker. He kept closing and striking, moving, and then punching again. His defences were tight and strong. Any attack the Hollow attempted broke upon his arms like water on rock. Kusaka then feinted to the right before swiftly changing direction, before connecting with a brutal upper-cut that snapped the Hollows neck! Kazuma heard the bone snapping from where he stood.

“And that wraps that up.”

Kusaka finally unsheathed Shagetsu and sliced once vertically. The Hollow couldn’t even scream its protest for Kusaka had shattered its windpipe and lower mask. It disintegrated quickly before Kusaka motioned his young charge to get on with his business.

“Take your Zanpakutō,” he began instructing. The two souls were still asleep. “Place the butt to their forehead, like this.”

Kusaka performed it on the first who was a young male. Kazuma followed suit on the second who was a slightly older male, and he watched as both vanished in a flash of blue light, becoming butterflies of a black shade.

“And that’s all that Konsō is.” Kusaka finished. “They’ll be sent onto the Rukongai.”

“What now?”

“Now we go back and find your frozen toe and hope Ino can reattach it.”

“You’re funny.” Kazuma replied, smiling.

“I try.”

Next Story >.