Dangerous Games

Hawke Kori watched the scene unfold with a level of delight plastered across his young face. The look he wore struck a visual likeness to his father, Kusaka, though the thoughts running through his head where more like his mothers. His father would have confronted the five men below. Hawke merely watched and waited; save in the belief that he could escape easily enough if he decided he needed to. He also had some of the best back up you could ask for in the form of his adoptive brother, David.

David had grown little in recent months. At full height he was just about able to look into Hawke’s yellow eyes. The young Quincy sported violet hair and green eyes and wore a typical Shinigami Shihakushō which their father had given him. The right sleeve -- which David rarely actually put his arm through -- wafted like a lazy flag in the breeze, though David himself was as sharp as a honed blade. Even though they weren’t brothers by birth it was obvious that the two emulated one another to a certain extent. They shared the similar hair-styles only Hawke’s black hair and white fringe was positioned to lie over his left eye. They also sported the same typical garb – the exception being the colour scheme. Hawke favoured the stark black of the Shinigami while David’s garb was a teal green. Not even their ōbi where the same for Hawke’s was white while David’s was a dirty orange shade.

Looking at his brother briefly Hawke could only grin as he shook his head. ‘Only our father could combine teal green and dirty orange and make it work.’

‘I look like a set of curtains.’ David bit back. ‘How could he be seen in this? I only wore it because mother guilt-tripped me into it.’

Hawke clapped him gently on the shoulder. ‘Trust me little brother. You haven’t got it half as bad as me. You remember the bright green bed robe and red belt he wore as pyjamas?’ David cringed. ‘I’m expected to wear them. Anyway, can get a better look at these guys?’

‘The things I do for Uncle Tadashi…’ David sighed as he summoned a piece of glass over his right eye.

Hawke knew what it was immediately. David’s biological uncle had also been a Quincy and one of their scientists as well. He had penned an expansive volume regarding reiryoku absorption, his own personal techniques, and many other facts about the Quincy race. Upon his death the notes passed to David who had read through the book multiple times. Hawke had read through it twice himself and knew the technique David was using now to be Umfang; a visionary technique allowing the user to zoom in on things and even take pictures. In essence David became a set of binoculars mixed with the ability to take quick snapshots.

‘Yeah well, you know how he gets.’ Hawke replied. ‘Besides, with this we learn the face of the folks we’re hunting.’

They had tracked two of those people here using the energy signatures Tadashi had provided. For a Quincy of David’s power following their trail was easy even across realms. It was the single reason the two brothers now found themselves in the realm known as Heisekai. The smell of the sea permeated the entire area and left a salty taste in Hawke’s mouth every time he breathed in and out. Meaning he tasted more salt than sense. And all he could smell was fish! How anyone lived here was beyond him.

‘Reconnaissance complete,’ David said at last.

‘Now we wait.’ Hawke said as David turned to leave.

‘Oh? You have a plan?’

Hawke merely grinned and for the second time today the visual likeness to Kusaka was striking. ‘When the crowd thins a bit we’re going to test Uncle Tadashi’s claim. If the two we followed really are as powerful as Kenji Hiroshi, then Uncle Tadashi will want to know to what extent. We can do that now.’

‘… Or we can just split the herd right now.’ The look of delight on David’s face was priceless.

‘Brother,’ Hawke began with a smile of his own, ‘I love the way you think.’

Kusaka woke from his nap refreshed and chipper. So why did he feel like he’d just swallowed a gallon of engine oil?

He rubbed sleep from his eyes and washed his face at the kitchen sink. He then shaved his beard and moustache and felt a little saddened doing it. Kireina had grown annoyed with it she had said, and given him the ultimatum: it went or she went. He sighed after finishing and looked at the youthful face staring back at him in the mirror. His red eyes once had a fire in them but that was so dim now that it could barely be called a light at all. His brown hair really should have gray in it, but his physical and spiritual transition following Averian’s death had left him with an extended life-span. A bloody curse if there was ever one! There also wasn’t a single wrinkle on his face.

‘Much better looking,’ Kireina said from the doorway.

She was stunning. Curvaceous with long auburn hair tied in a braid at her back, she was the woman Kusaka had married, as well as the mother of his children.

‘Whatever,’ he said as he whipped what remained of the shaving foam from his cheeks. ‘I’m going out for a bit. If the phone goes at all give the person my work mobile number.’

He walked down the stairs and hoisted a cue case onto his shoulder which held far more than a mere snooker cue. He also took the time to pocket his Substitute Shinigami Badge. He wasn’t much use without that now was he? That was the problem. The moon and stars greeted him as he stepped outside. A chill wind was blowing and Kusaka instinctively began rubbing his arms and hands.

It was only then that he noted how strange he felt. ‘At least that instinct hasn’t left me,’ he whispered as he turned. Standing opposite him was a small humanoid with mask remnants covering the upper right of his head. ‘Hello Mr. Arrancar. I’m sorry but I’ve just woken up from a nap, so I’ll play with you when my joints-’

Kusaka was sent hurtling through the air to collide with the side of a car!

‘… You bastard,’ he cursed. ‘This was a new jacket!’ Now it was tattered and scuffed. Kusaka pulled himself from the wreck of a car and cracked his muscles. It also appeared that at least some of his durability had remained as well. He didn’t even appear the least bit affected by the collision! ‘Now, try that again. I dare you.’

Bad move. The Arrancar disappeared and reappeared with a cloud of dust kicking up from his movement, but when he closed the distance to strike, an armoured hand had closed around his fist! When the smoke cleared Kusaka was standing with an armoured body and his Substitute Shinigami Badge set in the centre of his chest. On the floor beside him was the empty cue case. In his right hand was a machete-like blade with a small buckler in his left hand.

‘You made the mistake of thinking I hadn’t taken precautions? You’re an idiot.’

Kusaka turned and then released and the Arrancar went flying through the air! ‘Now, we have a slight problem here, I’m afraid. You attacked me and I don’t like that. If I let you leave you’ll return with more of your cronies later. See my dilemma? Luckily I’ve got a good solution…!’Kusaka made one fluid motion. He moved forward quickly, side-stepped the Arrancar’s poor counter and made a simple slashing motion as he ran past him. The result was the Arrancar’s upper torso falling away from the lower. ‘When will this end…?’

He would have loved to have gotten an answer but sadly the sudden flashing of his Substitute Shinigami Badge caught his attention. ‘… Hawke and David…!’

Next Story > Quick Evaluations.