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This article, Unveiling the Grand Scheme, is a one-shot featuring Kenji Hiroshi, Kusaka Kori, Kentaro Hiroshi, Akiye, Hawke Kori & David Jones; which details Oda Kōhai's master plan.
“So you finally asked?” Kenji mused.
In a way he half expected it. This Oda character had certainly done his fair share of manoeuvring in the last few weeks and most of it seemed to be completely random. But Kenji saw the undercurrents and how well certain events of late gelled. It was a testament to his calm and calculating nature that Kenji wasn't pacing in thought or complaining about how blind they had all been. To look at him now you'd have thought he hadn't a care in the world. In actuality he was puffing happily on a cigar whilst simultaneously looking at Kusaka with disdain, for he was puffing on a pipe.
"Nothing beats the light, mellow flavor of a cigar." Kenji said to no one in particular.
"As I recall," Kusaka said after exhaling, "you once favored the pipe: something about keeping you closer to Koichi."
"Yeah, but then I seen you do it to mimic me, and decided it wasn't worth it to be compared to you."
Their back-and-forth banter had the air of practice and none of the assembled crowd paid them any heed. They merely awaited the cessation of their antics so they could discuss the business Kenji had called them all for.
“Sit down and I’ll explain everything.” Kenji said at last.
"Finally!" David exclaimed.
Kenji rolled his eyes. He then asked his son to prepare them all some tea. The group arrayed before him consisted of Akiye in a pair of white trousers and a sleeveless green top, her white hair combed neatly; Hawke in Shinigami attire adorned with a hood with disheveled black hair that struck a prominent clash with Akiye's; David, who now sported black hair lined with violet undertones, in his birth father’s old dark green kimono; Kentaro shirtless with a pair of high-waist-lined trousers and a mop of black hair that showed he wasn't long out of bed, followed lastly by Kusaka. As usual Kusaka was the pinnacle of ease. He sat with his legs crossed and puffing lazily on a pipe, whilst giving Kenji the middle-finger. Every now and then he blew out a stream of circular smoke, which was followed then by a yawn that never disturbed the pipe resting on his lower lip. At least until Kenji hit him in the jaw with a peanut. Believe it or not he was the only one who had connected the dots like Kenji had; even before Kenji had, truth be told. But, as usual, their shared childishness threatened to take over as usual.
"Sit on your arse!" Akiye snapped at them both.
Like admonished children and with a little too much enjoyment Kenji and Kusaka returned to their former seats with a long and exaggerated exhale from their cigar and pipe respectively. Kenji wasted no further time.
“We all know that Oda – going by the name of Shuhen at this particular time – attempted to gain the throne of Heisekai, right?” They all nodded at Kenji’s question. “Good! Maki stopped him alongside Fujimoto and company. As a result Oda went underground; he wasn’t seen or heard of again for three-hundred years.”
“Was he unseen and unheard of just in Heisekai or does this mean all realms?” Akiye pointed out.
“Good to see someone’s keeping up.” Kusaka chided. “But yes that refers only to Heisekai. He was particularly active in Kohai Tochi over those three-hundred years.”
“Building alliances no doubt?” Kentaro asked as he returned with the tea. For a brief moment Kenji saw a little of Suitai in his son, which he wasn't sure what he thought about.
“No,” Kenji answered. “He was planning to doom us all.”
This particular comment drew all eyes in the room to Kenji save those of Kusaka, who merely nodded grimly.
“Let me explain,” Kenji went on. “Recently each of the spiritual realms has experienced some kind of disturbance. Heisekai is once again embroiled in a civil war; seemingly of Oda’s creation. The Soul Society suffered a devastating attack from the Engelhaft Gewitter and to top it off I’ve just received reports that the Spirit Cycle has also been thrown out of whack. Then we have Horiwari; she was attacked by an impostor of me!”
“Uh… no offense, Uncle, but I don’t see much connection.” David said as he scratched his head.
“Me neither,” Hawke admitted.
“Oda is the mastermind.” Kenji revealed. “His plan is to drive the spiritual realms together; the force of such a collision would kill off the great majority of his opposition, and those who remained wouldn’t have the strength needed to face him anymore.”
“… He’d need to summon the Valley of Screams to do that.” Kentaro said. “Can Oda control Blanks too?”
“He demonstrated as much against Kusaka before he fled.” Kenji continued.
“So that’s why!” Akiye exclaimed! “He’s diverting our attention; the Quincy in Soul Society who just so happen can easily be blamed for the disruption to the Spirit Cycle; Kenji’s impostor in Horiwari to distract the Ryū Prder and finally the civil war in Heisekai. That’d keep both the Shuten and the Dragonforce occupied, freeing Oda up to do as he pleased!”
“And the prize for quickest grasping of the situation goes to Akiye!” Kenji said clapping.
“The question now though is this: what do we do about it?”
“We take out Oda and his brother’s.” Hawke said confidently. “We’ve already proven we can take the brothers,” and he meant himself, Kentaro, Akiye and David specifically. “You and father can focus solely on Oda; saying as how he eclipses us in so many ways it isn’t even funny.”
“I like it!” David followed on.
“We need a distraction ourselves. Oda probably has us watched.” Kentaro advised.
“I know someone who can help with that.” Kenji answered.
It had been a while since Meian aired his Zanpakutō and Rosuto was already rampaging through Heisekai to kill anyone threatening its Queen and Princess, the latter of whom was also Rosuto’s daughter. Meian would act to save his niece. There was also no way Oda could ignore the two men who gave Averian the longest fight of his ancient life.
“We’ll go over the finer details later. Right now go and get some rest.”