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This article, Towards the Future: Kenji's Resolve, is a side-story entry in Bleach: The Coven War, set during the Prologue. The chapter takes place a short time following Assault on the 9th Division, which chronicles the retained aspects of Dawn of the Coven. Kenji Hiroshi and Van Satonaka as the main characters.
"Will he pull through?"
It was Lieutenant Hisagi of the 9th Division who asked the question, and he was obviously distressed. Currently he was standing in the hospital wing of the 4th Division and the vast majority of the Shinigami who occupied sick beds where members of the 9th.
"He will." Responded the man -- Van Satonaka -- who sat at Kenji's bedside. "Though it was touch and go for a bit. Lucky for ol' Kenny here that Captain Tsukada does good work."
Van, though, cast a quick look at Kenji as he said this and shook his head briefly. "You are't even sleeping, are you? Son of a bitch! I should punch you right now."
Van sported neatly cut and styled blond-coloured hair with perpetually narrowed eyes; it was nearly impossible to see his sky-blue eyes because of this. His pale-blue kimono hung loosely on his wiry frame and he beat a casual but continuous sound on the windowsill with his right index finger. His left arm, which hung from his neck via a sling, looked to have been broken in numerous places.
"It's official, by the way." He said suddenly.
"Your transfer?" Hisagi asked.
"Yup. I'm now your 6th Seat."
"Then report for light duties." Hisagi answered, but not unkindly. "We have Captain Kuchiki's funeral to attend, after all."
He did a good job of hiding it but in reality Hisagi was saddened and enraged in equal measure. Unknown assassins, who had seemingly struck with the single-minded goal of assassinating Captain Kuchiki, had caused a fair deal of destruction. Kazuya Kuchiki was just one name on that list. Kenji had very nearly become another. The only thing that had saved him was Hisagi's intervention and his use of Bankai.
"And now a lot of people know what its capable of." Hisagi mused to himself. He didn't really know what to think about that.
"I left word with Kei. Since Kenji's incapacitated he's holding down the fort when I'm gone." Hisagi continued after a short pause. "He'll get you a job. Oh, and report for drinks tonight at Kei's bar. We're going to send Captain Kuchiki off right."
"Count me in."
It was roughly thirty minutes later before Van heeded his Lieutenant's order and left the hospital wing. As soon as he was up and gone Kenji opened his eyes and heaved a sigh of relieve. He hadn't meant to fake sleeping but he wasn't much in the mood to talk right now. Truth be told he wasn't up for much of anything right now, but there was just some things that needed doing despite how shitty you felt.
He sat up in his bed slowly and braced himself against the flood of pain.
"Damn, someone definitely likes me." He thought with a grimace. "I'm lucky to be alive. I'll definitely have to treat Hisaka to a bottle of Jameson's at some point; I think I remember hearing that she enjoys a good drink. I think I've got a bottle or two squared away."
His body had been a mess of wounds and right this moment he looked more like a mummy than a Shinigami. Beneath those bandages where the wounds inflicted on him by countless lightning-wreathed javelins courtesy of some black-haired cowl-wearing female, and he was pretty sure he'd have plenty of scars to brag about.
"Maybe my female following would appreciate a photo of the new me?"
Nice to see his sense of humour hadn't suffered as much damage as his body had.
But Hisagi was right: there was a funeral to attend and Kenji wasn't about to miss his teacher's funeral on account of his wounded body. He glanced around to make sure the pink-clad nurses of the 4th Division weren't paying him much attention and then carefully escaped through his open window. The light blanket that concealed his modesty was draped about his shoulders as he began to move away from his room.
"You really are an idiot."
Van kicked off a nearby wall and proceeded to toss Kenji his Shinigami uniform, which he deftly -- if somewhat painfully -- donned. He looked at Van and shook his head.
"Was I really that easy to see through?" He asked of his old friend.
"Yeah, but I think you fooled Hisagi." Answered Van. "Come on, we'll be late if we don't move our asses."
When Kenji stopped Van raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Could you give me a hand?"
It was just like Kenji to vault out the window of his sickroom and forget his bloody crutches! Van cuffed him lightly round the ear and proceeded to wrap his right arm around his friends waist in support, and the two subsequently hobbled off together to the funeral ceremony of Captain Kuchiki.
The evening drink promised earlier by Hisagi was a distinctly lively affair compared to the sad atmosphere that had permeated Captain Kuchiki's funeral. The only people in attendance where members of the 9th Division and each and every one of them where toasting their Captain's memory and telling whatever stories they could of the man whose kindness had forever touched their lives.
"You should have seen my old ma's face when Captain Kuchiki paid her rent when I was off in the World of the Living." One squad member said. "He wouldn't even let me pay him back!"
"I remember the first time he gave me pointers to improve my Kidō." Said another.
"So do the rest of us." Kenji interjected. "I believe Captain Kuchiki laughed more than any of us when you blew your eyebrows off."
With that Kenji briefly approached the bar, which was manned by his old friend Kei Yume. He accepted the offered drink in silence and quietly left the interior to sit outside, where he was afforded a good view of the sky above. He slowly dropped to a sitting position to avoid triggering more aches and pains, and eventually he got himself comfortable enough that he could watch the stars in relative peace.
"Don't worry, Sensei. I'll make sure your killers don't survive you long."
Getting himself stronger would be the problem. That assassin woman was strong; enough so that Hisagi had needed to use his Bankai. But if that was the wall he needed to overcome then so be it. Captain Kuchiki and Takeji where dead and an unknown assassin had done for one of them. Until he found out who had killed his Captain then he might as well blame the one assassin he did see on that night for it too.
"I will kill you." He said it aloud as if saying it aloud would help make it a reality.
"There you go again getting all serious." Van stood in the doorway to the bar for a short time before sitting beside his friend. "Good thing I know not to be offended. Well, I guess I'm no different. So how we doin' this?"
"You're going to help me?" Kenji asked.
"'Course I am! It'll be just like old times."
And with a firm handshake Kenji's resolve was solidified. His teacher and Takeji may be dead but he still had his friends. Van and Kei where with him.