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‘… So that’s it? We’ve hit a wall? No one on this island has information about the rebels?’ Itazura found that hard to believe. There had to be someone! Somewhere!
But the last three days he, Kain and Serena had spent scrounging for information said different. Kain had done the best not surprisingly, but even he hadn’t been able to pierce the veil that protected the rebel leadership. It was very much like this so-called leader wasn’t leading them at all. Most of the rebels had gone underground following their defeat on Knot Island some days ago now. The few rebels they’d been able to identify and question had known nothing about the individual they received orders from except that he sometimes signed his orders YY – which was another thing Itazura found strange. Either the true mastermind was manipulating the events unseen from the shadows, or using others to dispense his orders. Regardless, they weren’t going to find that mastermind anytime soon, and it grated on his nerves. Walls where annoying things; they implied that you where beaten.
Serena stretched out on the sofa in Kain’s home and rubbed her temples. She’d had a headache for the last two days and Itazura couldn’t really blame her. He had one himself and no amount of painkillers helped. They didn’t help his broken arm much either. Kain was stroking his chin absently as he poured over the information he’d put to paper in the last three days. There where close to one-hundred pages! Itazura merely sat in a reclining chair as he read over a piece of paper quietly. There had to be something to go on! Anything!
‘So, this is where you’re holed up,’ the voice gave Itazura an excuse to look away from the paper.
He’d been expecting Shiro or Hiei. Heck he’d even thought Toshie might show up to give him another beating passed off as a training session. Sometimes he thought the old bastard really did want to disfigure him beyond all repair. But it wasn’t any of them that the voice belonged to. Standing in the doorway with a green combat vest and navy blue trousers was Gin, the man who’d helped him three nights ago!
‘Hey there, Gin. Didn’t know you where looking for me.’ Itazura shook his hand and motioned him to take a seat. He didn’t know why, but he liked the old Shinigami. There was just… an air about him.
‘I’ve been keeping my ear to the cobble,’ Gin remarked after he took his seat. Even Kain was watching him over his paperwork now. ‘I’ve got a name for you to investigate: Yoshinari Yasuhiro.’ That certainly got Kain’s attention. He crushed the paper he was reading as he clenched his fist.
‘I’m bloody stupid!’ He declared. ‘I couldn’t link this YY to anyone. Yoshinari Yasuhiro is one of Heisekai’s crime lords, and a former partner of Shuhen Kohai, though that fact isn’t widely known.’ Even Gin looked surprised at that snippet of information. ‘I didn’t think he was a suspect. He was declared dead three years ago. A body was also recovered. Are you sure it’s him?’
Now Itazura was doubtful again after being somewhat hopeful. ‘I am.’ Gin clarified. ‘From what my sources have been able to ascertain, he’s been operating out of the Rukongai, Soul Society. Apparently his son has risen rather high amongst the Gotei 13.’
Goosebumps rose on Itazura’s arms. No. It couldn’t be the same Yasuhiro! It just couldn’t. ‘… His son is called Takahara isn’t he? He’d be better known as Raiden within the Seireitei.’
Gin smiled and in that instant Itazura knew he was right. Just how far did Raiden’s influence run? ‘He is. I’m surprised you know his name, young Zura.’
‘I know a lot more than his name.’ So he told them all he new about Raiden and watched their individual reactions. Serena didn’t look at all surprised, while Kain looked like he’d finally come to a conclusion that had previously eluded him. Gin merely smiled that little half-smile of his. ‘That’s why Kusaka brought me here. He was intending to continue my training, but the Dragonforce prevented him doing that.’
‘Where can we find Yoshinari?’ Kain asked.
‘That I do not know, though I do know that he is somewhere on this island.’ Gin answered them as he rose. ‘But remember something. He is more powerful than his son, and is not to be taken lightly. Do so and you will regret it. I can be found around the docks should you have need of me. Find me if you find him.’ With that Gin left them.
‘… Gin…’ Kain whispered. ‘The only Gin I’ve ever known of who fits that mans appearance is Gin Nakamura.’ Itazura watched Gin’s back just before he faded and nodded his head in agreement. It wasn’t Fujimoto’s likeness he’d seen in Gin then. It was Gin’s likeness he’d saw in Fujimoto. ‘Gin Nakamura, the legendary White Wolf, and Fujimoto’s grandfather. That man was the strongest royal bodyguard Heisekai has ever been graced with.’ Kain’s tone was lined with respectful undertones. ‘He was supposed to be living in the Human World.’
‘What brought him back?’ Serena asked.
‘I did,’ Hiei answered. ‘Sorry, but I overheard your conversation.’ He closed the door behind Shiro and took the seat vacated by Gin. ‘I found Gin when I was travelling the realms with my brother, Yoichi. Ever since the civil war he’s been monitoring the civilian masses for me, and how they took to Kaede’s leadership.’
‘It was Gin’s advice that helped Kaede rule so securely, though even she is oblivious to that fact. Aside from the people in this room only Fuji knows about his presence here.’ Shiro added. ‘It was Fuji that requested his assistance. He also asked him to look after you, Zura, while he could not.’
Itazura was at a complete loss for words.
‘Fuji was always one-step ahead of everyone around him,’ Serena concluded. ‘You’re lucky to have him as a friend.’
‘I’m lucky to have all of you,’ he replied. ‘Anyway, thanks to Gin, we’ve got a name to investigate: Yoshinari Yasuhiro.’ And the Captain-Generals sighed. That was news they didn’t need.
‘So… Shuhen command’s using his seven apprentices?’ Mariko asked.
What annoyed her more than anything was the source of the information. Ranmaru had discovered one of the seven, beat him black and blue, and dragged him blind-folded to their place of residence. It did increase her opinion of him… if only slightly. But couldn’t he be humble in victory? He paraded around as though he’d done the impossible, when in truth all he’d done was capture a young man not yet fully grown into his powers.
‘Am I awesome? Of course I am!’ He danced around both Koga and Kenshiro giving high-fives as he went, and landed a kiss on Mariko’s cheek before avoiding her open-handed slap. ‘Hehe, you’re too slow, Mari.’ She narrowed her eyes at him. He had to sleep sometime and that’s when she’d repay him for that.
‘How did you come to meet him, Ran?’ Koga asked.
‘That old base we raided before Mari and crew landed,’ Ranmaru knocked the man unconscious as he began to rouse. ‘I decided to have another peak. This idiot was there talking to some rebels. I had to kill them, but they’ll never know that the Graceful Glider was involved.’
‘What did you just say about gliding?’ Mariko asked him.
‘He’s called the Graceful Glider. If you ever saw him fighting on-top of water you’d realize why.’ Come to think of it Mariko had never seen any of her new companions in battle. She’d need to rectify that soon. How was she to work together with them when she knew nothing about their fighting styles?
‘… Okay, moving on. Who is this fellow?’ She pointed at the man with long black hair tied to a chair. He wore tattered civilian clothing one would expect in the Human World which consisted of a ripped white T-shirt, black jeans and hard-toed boots.
‘Kenshi,’ Ranmaru answered quickly, ‘better known as the Akuma Kenshin. He’s supposed to be a terror with a blade, but…’
‘Ran managed to beat him,’ Kenshiro jibed.
‘Hey!’ Ran objected.
‘Enough,’ and Mariko separated them. ‘Did he saw anything as you fought him?’
‘Yeah, now that you mention it, he wanted to bash in the brains of some kid called Shinsōzoku real bad,’ so he was after Itazura? Not surprising. He did quell one of Shuhen’s assassination attempts on the princess after all. ‘Apparently this kid killed one of the seven apprentices; a brat by the name of Furin. He led the attempt on the princess’s life.’
That complicated things. ‘He’s after Itazura, my brother.’ That surprised the others. What? Didn’t they think a mere child capable of heroic acts? What idiots they where. ‘Regardless, we need him to talk. He’ll know where Shuhen is.’
‘… Leave that to me,’ Koga volunteered. ‘I’m a combat medic.’
‘What relevance does that have here?’ Ranmaru complained.
‘That which heals can also damage,’ Koga maintained. ‘Trust me. I’ll make him talk.’
‘… Okay then,’ Mariko nodded. This of course annoyed Ranmaru all the more. ‘Kenshiro, could you stay here, just encase? Ranmaru, you can come with me.’ That delighted him and he skipped out the door after her. But before he left he mooned his companions and gave them the middle finger.