Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke]

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Akiyo

166 Posts

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Mar 4, 2013 2:41:00 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Mar 4, 2013 2:41:00 GMT -5

For an above-ground effective lair of 'refined gangsters', there seemed to be a pervasive charm to the location with it almost zen appearance and feel to it...or at least that would've been true if the physical appearance was the only thing Akiyo was attuned to, walking briskly through to the complex's 'command annex' as he would told by the division members he'd stopped while seeking out directions. It was an odd thing to title a main building but it was also an odd division, no quite like the 4th's style of oddity or the 6th's, but more in the style that one might expect to find during yard hours at a prison. Still...maybe it was just his imagination...nobody seemed particularly bothered but to his senses, as had been previously mentioned he was far from blind to the simple visual, there was an odd calm to it all. The men and women here and there weren't as happy as they seemed, forcing themselves to have a good time in relative silence but still pained beyond their expressions.

He wondered if his mind was simply deceiving him but the closer he came to the building itself, the more these thoughts became overshadowed by the more evident pressure in the area, that of the presumed Captain...not that there was any evident signs of the strength, it certainly wasn't pouring out by any means (that would be rather odd if a place where subtlety was the ideal dish to serve to ones targets) but there was an emotional weight to it which was lacking in other pressures. While it seemed the recruits were burdened with labor and thought, tinges of stifled guilt every so often, there seemed to be a different feel to the reiatsu he was approaching. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, Akiyo was skilled with perception by he certainly was not a master and there was plenty he didn't know yet or couldn't detect, but it seemed that the Captain of the division set himself apart from the rest by a rather simple step.

They cared. He didn't.

The realization struck him like a dull blade scraping the hairs off his neck, sure he'd seen a lot of people in his time and a lot of people who claimed that they didn't care about others but it seemed that there was no real 'joking' or 'hiding' in this...it was just utterly absent. There seemed to be traces of concern but it wasn't anything he would consider truly personable and the idea that he would be meeting with a man to discuss potential employment who he couldn't understand was slightly frightening to him. As an illusionist it was in his nature to take the upper hand in understanding but that also required that they think like a normal person...and the man behind the screen door he had approached, only to find himself paralyzed with the clarity that proximity had afforded him, didn't match any of the boxes labeled 'human' for personalities.

Maybe that was unfair of him...maybe he was just frightened more than usual because of the division he was in...but if he was going to make it any further he didn't want to get any closer to delving into the specifics of it, he'd rather keep himself blissfully ignorant. His mind wandered from his spiritual perceptions, allowing them to be tucked away in the back of his mind, noting that for all the care he seemed slightly upset as well. That was to be expected, it wasn't very often that the Yasutake pulled their 'noble rank' to get the attention of a Captain. Then again, it could also be because the shinigami he was waiting for was stuck in front of his door like an idiot...that also seemed likely. His family was quite pushy about the matter of him finding a division so even seemingly ill-fit ones were being arranged for exploration on his behalf.

Akiyo sighed, pulling a small metal flask from his pocket robes and swishing it around, drinking the remainder of the contents to get himself pleasantly buzzed enough to consider this a good idea. He wasn't a killer...what was he even doing here?...maybe they just killed Hollows...that would be alright wouldn't it? What if they didn't? Oh well, liquid courage would help...the Shinigami cleared his throat, returning his flask to its out-of-sight location and speaking through the door rather than opting to open it without permission.

"Hello sir, this is the Shinigami from the Yasutake clan, I believe my family reached you about meeting today...may I come in?"

[Word Count (771) - GP (15)]

"We live long enough to enjoy a comforting lie every now and then..."

Knowledge The Swordbreaker

Transcendent

7,668 Posts

RankKyousuke Tsukimiya ApplicationAsk no Questions ThreadsHear no Lies

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Mar 8, 2013 7:24:20 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Mar 8, 2013 7:24:20 GMT -5

The Command Annex was quiet, as usual, and the captain of the Second Division was deeply engrossed in a file he had pulled from Archives the night before while on the hunt for alternative methods to carry out the Division’s mission. Poison was something generally frowned upon by the other five divisions, but then there was a reason Kyousuke had been appointed captain: as far as he was concerned, if it produced results it was something worth looking into. The file in question was a a bundle of liberally censored documents that all seemed to center on a former member of the Third Division and her work developing various chemical compounds. If you spent long enough reading censored documents, you eventually learned to fill in the gaps yourself, and the picture being painted was an impressive one.

On his desk, the empty bowl that had until recently contained noodles lay neglected; typically the lieutenant would make a point of cleaning up after meals, a task she seemed more than willing to do, considering the captain cooked. On the rare occasions when Kiriko made the meal, it was Kyousuke who tidied up after them. The matter of dirty dishes was not one influenced by rank in the Annex, but instead the application of a simple rule of thumb: the cook didn’t clean.

Today, however, the lieutenant was on assignment—following up some leads over at the Sixth’s headquarters regarding Jasper Aizawa’s misguided choice to escape and the person in Kyousuke’s file—and the bowl had not yet been collected. Kyousuke had considered going himself, but last night’s digging had piqued his interest more than somewhat, and he couldn’t really trust himself to behave as far as the Sixth was concerned. Their incompetence had undone Kyousuke’s work, and now Kyousuke’s hand was being forced: in order to make a suitable example of the misguided noble, Kyousuke would be forced to break a promise he had made to someone important. How someone so old and presumably experienced could act so foolishly was beyond Kyousuke’s comprehension. Jasper Aizawa was seven times his age, at least, and yet he acted as foolishly as a recruit fresh out of the Academy. No small wonder the man had never risen higher than third seat, he was utterly incompetent.

But then, most of the nobility was. They were the last vestiges of a dying age, their positions the result not of hard work or talent but rather of tradition, influence, and as far as Kyousuke was concerned, selective inbreeding. They were looked up to by the rabble as some sort of role models, and Kyousuke simply could not understand it. For him, there was a clear divide between the soldier-class that he, as a captain, represented and the baseless power of the nobility. If anything, they belonged in the Central 46. No, they belonged with the Central 46, dead and buried, killed and forgotten.

His concentration was broken by a soft noise from outside, and Kyousuke wondered who it might’ve been—the spiritual signature was unfamiliar, and as far as Kyousuke knew, he wasn’t expecting guests. Had he forgotten about a meeting? He set aside the dossier and stood up, gingerly avoiding the hardcopy spread across the room and after a quick glance at his desk, seeing nothing but battle plans for the impending invasion, he made his way toward Kiriko’s office. He slid open the door softly and stepped inside, bewildered by how orderly everything was. His own office looked as though a bomb had gone off, and yet Kiriko somehow managed to keep everything stowed away perfectly. That woman never ceased to impress, that much was for sure.

He took a look in her calendar and stared at disbelief at the entry for today. There had indeed been a meeting planned. A meeting with someone—

‘from the Yasutake clan,’ came the voice by the door.

Kyousuke sighed, wondering if Kiriko had intentionally neglected to warn him out of some misguided sense of propriety, but he quickly remembered that he had never told her about how he felt about the nobility. No, this wasn’t intentional, and as perfect as she was, it may simply have slipped her mind. This was definitely something he would’ve delegated to her, but now he found himself without her to hide behind, as it were. He bit down and stepped out of the lieutenant’s office, forming a plan of action. Well, he wasn’t inviting the man into his home, that much was a given. Where could they go?

Mess hall would probably have emptied out by now, Kyousuke, came Kannaduki’s voice.

He considered it. Lunch had ended not long ago, so the mess hall would no doubt be largely devoid of people. Besides, this was the Second Division, secrecy was in their nature. It was as private as anywhere else in Seireitei, if not more. It would have to do.

He made his way to the front door and slid it open, giving his guest a critical look. Kyousuke had come into contact with the Amais, the Aizawas, and the Tanakas in the past, but this was possibly the first time he had ever come across a Yasutake in person. What had Kiriko’s calendar said? Meeting at the family’s request? He wondered if the man’s family would purify Hollows for him and perform soul burials, too.

Just more of the same, he thought to himself, unable to think of a reason why this man would be any different.

‘I’ve been expecting you,’ he lied, stepping out and closing the door behind him. ‘I thought we’d speak in the mess, my office is a little worse for wear at the moment, I’m afraid.’ If Kiriko had scheduled the meeting, then it looked like Kyousuke would have to cover for her. He was reluctant to make a liar out of her, too—that was something she’d have to do on her own.

He motioned toward the main compound with an easy smile. ‘This way, please.’

°1,002

Akiyo

166 Posts

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Mar 8, 2013 23:27:16 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Mar 8, 2013 23:27:16 GMT -5

"Of course sir, that won't be a problem."

Akiyo was quick to respond, not quite over-eager but displaying that despite his years away from the Soul Society was indeed immersed in the culture of his family which no amount of alcohol and/or drugs would inhibit, taking a brief half-bow as the Captain opened the door and presented himself, timing himself so that he wouldn't meet eyes with the man. There was no need to presume that he was in such a position, they were on heavily evident unequal footing and looking a man in the eyes was for peers or for superiors when they requested it. It was not something that one just assumed was proper or took for granted, at least not upon first meeting, but he wasn't certain that the 2nd Division's leader was the type who would ask for his eye contact anytime soon unless it was to chastise him.

And he did fully expect such a thing, he still seemed slightly annoyed but also didn't appear to be making any effort to hide it past his choice of words. Akiyo's eyebrow rose slightly, an unrepressed sign of his slight confusion as the Captain smiled at him, taking this opportunity to meet his eyes in a sign of respect but not quite equality, though they were closed shortly afterwards to make room for a wider smile in return. He kept this position until Tsukimiya turned, calling the Shinigami to follow which he did with no objections verbally or in action, though he wasn't certain why a mess hall would be a more appropriate place for him to speak with the Captain. Was something amiss with his room really? That didn't seem likely, though the division-less boy turned his green eyes to gaze at the office for a few moments as he walked away from it, noting that there didn't appear to be anything else in it so he wasn't taking part in some sort of action movie plot where he was being lead away to be stabbed in the back.

Akiyo wasn't certain what to expect during this visit...so he preferred to be prepared, one hand rested gently at his side, fingers tapping the hilt of his sword on occasion a slow and methodical beat which would allow him to draw the blade more quickly than if his hand and fingers were not in contact with the weapon at any given time. He did run the risk of annoying Tsukimiya with the sound though but he didn't expect a Captain to be irritated by anything so trivial. Still, there would be less concern and a less evident discomfort if he spoke rather than allow things to remain too silent for too long.

"If I might speak, you're under no obligation to hide your feelings behind formalities sir. When examining a tool for quality or its fit for a desired task, it shouldn't expect to be handled with such caution it has yet to merit. I don't mean to determine your actions for you, as it is not my place, but I would prefer to extend a suggestion that you do me no favors on behalf of the Yasutake. What good is the brand name on a tool that proves to be useless?"

[Word Count (551) - GP (15 +11 = 26)]

"We live long enough to enjoy a comforting lie every now and then..."

Knowledge The Swordbreaker

Transcendent

7,668 Posts

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Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Mar 9, 2013 6:53:52 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Mar 9, 2013 6:53:52 GMT -5

The mess hall wasn’t far—whoever had ordered the Annex built had obviously thought it through quite well and made sure it was close to the division in more ways than one. The modest little home was the heart of the Second, and the people that came and went on business with its captain or lieutenant constituted the lifeblood. Kyousuke had no delusions about his position, his power was a function of the strength of the Second, not the other way around. He had certainly seen to it that changes had been made, but even if the heart had been transplanted, it was the same blood he was pumping through the veins.

Behind him, the tap-tap-tapping of the Yasutake’s fingers on the hilt of his sword made Kyousuke suppress a smile. His guest seemed nervous, and he could certainly imagine why: the division’s reputation as ruthless, conniving and lethal had taken a turn for the extreme since Kyousuke had been promoted.

Not a surprise, given how you’ve been handling things, Kyousuke.

I get things done, Kannaduki.

But he’s not bothering you, is he? He’s prepared for something, he just doesn’t know what it is he’s prepared for. You like that.

Preparedness is an admirable trait, yes. Admirable and rare. Not that it would do him any good in here.

They continued like that for a few short moments, then the Yasutake spoke up, eager, it seemed, to break the silence. It was a sound statement, but he was headed in the wrong direction. With Kiriko there would no doubt have been some measure of respect toward the nobility—she was proper almost to a fault, and as much as Kyousuke liked teasing her about it whenever he could, he also found that it suited her.

With Kyousuke, however, the fact that this man was a noble was not something that worked in his favor.

‘I typically put very little stock in brand names,’ he said, his tone level and matter-of-fact. ‘I’ve always preferred skilled craftsmanship on an individual level. That said, pattern recognition is something extremely valuable in my line of work, and it becomes difficult to ignore trends, especially when those trends flaunt themselves openly in any way they can.’ They had reached their destination, and Kyousuke stopped short of the doors leading into the mess hall and half-turned to the man behind him. He wondered if he was being too subtle, too obscure. Kyousuke had long since realized his stance on the nobility was rather unique; most people didn’t think like he did, and he often found himself needing to clarify.

‘What I’m saying is this: in here, in this place, nobody has any worth until I decide otherwise. The moment you passed through the front gates and started climbing the steps, your name lost all meaning. If anything, it will only serve to drag you down. If I’m going to look at you in a positive light, I will do so in spite of your name, rather than because of it.’

He turned back to the door and opened it for his guest. Inside, there were a few stragglers, people who had no interest in dealing with the lunch rush—or perhaps they had been busy with other duties—but the hall was largely empty and Kyousuke led them to a table in the corner and sat down with his back facing the wall, a clear view of the entire room. Old habits died hard, after all.

‘Get you anything to eat?’ he asked, as he skimmed disinterestedly through the menu. He would not cook for this man as he had done for Kiriko or Mitsutaka, but he certainly wouldn’t let him go hungry, either.

°623

Akiyo

166 Posts

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Mar 16, 2013 10:09:47 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Mar 16, 2013 10:09:47 GMT -5

He couldn't say he hadn't expected a response like that, though it still caught him a bit off guard since he wasn't entirely used to having his name hold sway over anyone's opinions and was more or less honestly trying to keep things straight so long as he was in the Seiretei. It was almost comforting, in the sort of way cold water splashed on your face could be comforting after heat stroke, but still a sort of comforting to have his family name discarded so easily. Then again, it was also a bit insulting considering his upbringing and the way all nobles were raised to consider their family pride to be one of the most valuable things they owned. So having it treated as a detriment was highly unusual, he'd wanted to be on even terms, not negative ones, and that admittedly irked him in a way he tried to keep from being too perceptible. There would be nothing good emerging from his reaction if he let the Captain know that it bothered him, he already knew it did, encouragement wouldn't help his position.

Akiyo had found himself lead into the 'mess' of the division's land, though there didn't seem to be much of anyone present and nobody was readily showing up to his perception, though it was admittedly a bit difficult to pick up on anything else when the person a few meters away from you was doing a stellar job of swallowing it up. Persons with substantial presences didn't exactly frighten him, he was a bit too relaxed for fear, but knowing that the lynch-pin of this sword-arm of the Soul Society didn't have to do much more than release the energy he passively kept contained to paralyze targets like himself long enough to spear them through the head was....well...the opposite of his previous analogy. A cold splash of water that was uncomfortable. But he again made an effort to keep it to himself, no use chattering his teeth away, he wouldn't die here anyways.

Not even Tsukimaya had the sheer gall to kill a noble in cold-blood, the litigation would burn them out of a job faster than dying your haori pink...which was actually a very hard thing to do based on previous attempts at this exact prank. Maybe it was common enough that they made the clothing a little more durable to tampering, either that or he just didn't do a very good job. Maybe the Captain would like a pink haori...after washing out the red from someone else a few times. He did always seem to come back to that unnerving matter...sharing space with a killer. It wasn't like the people the 2nd Division handled were the type that deserved to live, or at least thats what the orders that came down implied...but killing Shinigami was still a bit of a morally gray area that the Yasutake didn't have a lot of experience exploring.

Returning to his external surroundings and finding himself seated with the Captain, he responded to the offer of food dismissively, following his words with more speech to fill the silence as best he could. "I'm not hungry sir. I've had a hearty breakfast of sufficient alcohol to get me past your door, I'm afraid adding food to it will just make my courage fail me faster...its a bit unnerving to be looking into work, the academy can hardly be cited as ideal preparation for the field and I doubt my own education was much better. They don't require much to be a Shinigami, the ability to swing an Asauchi with your fingers still on and enough Kido to light a candle it seems."

[Word Count (616) - GP (26 +12 = 38)]

"We live long enough to enjoy a comforting lie every now and then..."

Knowledge The Swordbreaker

Transcendent

7,668 Posts

RankKyousuke Tsukimiya ApplicationAsk no Questions ThreadsHear no Lies

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Apr 11, 2013 15:01:39 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 11, 2013 15:01:39 GMT -5

Kyousuke shot a look over to one of the men gazing expectantly at him from the kitchens, shook his head almost imperceptibly and then turned back to his guest. He knew very little about the man sitting across from him, but one thing became abundantly clear very quickly: they had very little in common.

‘I seem to recall the Academy teaching me a great deal of useful things during my time there, short as it was,’ he said, leaning back and crossing his arms. His expression was skeptic, a halfway point between disdain and disbelief despite his better judgement, but Kyousuke’s attitude toward the nobility was not one easily changed.

And there goes your opinion of him.

He didn’t have much to lose in the first place.

Come on, you liked that he was prepared, didn’t you?

The Academy isn’t perfect, but graduates are capable of a great deal many more things than simply swinging a hollow sword around and shooting fire from their fingertips, Kannaduki.

‘I sense some disparity between you and I, Yasutake, and I’m wondering what it might stem from. You have me at a disadvantage, and if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? What kind of training did you receive?’

He was trying not to come across as elitist, but it was difficult when you commanded what boiled down to elite troops; the Second was not home to bloodthirsty barbarians, nor was it home to people unsure of their conviction—the men and women under Kyousuke’s command were all spectacularly lethal and above all, driven. The man in front of him seemed to be neither, and yet here he was, looking into work, as he had so delicately put it. If there was one thing he could say in Jasper Aizawa’s favor—if the man’s irrational and unfounded desire to protect the weak didn’t get in the way—it was this: he was goal-oriented. For the wrong reasons, yes, but he was more than able to see something through. That much had become abundantly clear not only during Kyousuke’s conversation with him, but also from perusing his file. It was his unwavering loyalty to imaginary concepts that got in his way, and Kyousuke almost felt a little let down by the fact that he was wasting such potential chasing fantasies.

He was a sharp contrast to this Yasutake, that much was certain, and Kyousuke found himself pondering this man’s motives. ‘Why are you here, Yasutake? Why the Second Division? It’s clear that you have little to no experience to speak of, yet you’ve sought out the one division with the most stringent selection process bar the Fourth’s.’ He paused, looking thoughtful as he weighed his words. ‘Do you know what it is we do here? Why we exist? To some, the Second may seem as some sort of haphazard amalgamation of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Divisions, but the truth is we’re so much more than that. What we do here isn’t noble work by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s necessary. Was whoever arranged this meeting aware of that? Are you?’

°521

It’s not much, but it’s a post!

Akiyo

166 Posts

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Apr 18, 2013 15:08:19 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Apr 18, 2013 15:08:19 GMT -5

Well the space didn't seem entirely empty, though he wondered if the cooks he staffed were Shinigami or not...they might've been low level at best, but he couldn't determine that while his spiritual senses were focused on the Captain in front of him. He refused to miss a beat and he was already fairly uncomfortable with this arrangement, being pushed verbally by Kyousuke would predictably only make things worse...well, they would've. If he was like the man presumed him to be, but there were a few things that he didn't know about him. They were vital things. Like the fact that Akiyo was more or less the opposite of Katsu, the shame of his family. Still, even the weakest link was still metal.

His academy comments were one of those vestigial parts of being a noble, and he raised an eyebrow at this idea being conflicted. Perhaps they weren't like he had been told and his private tutors were just a waste of money? He couldn't tell, but he supposed that if the Captain had stock in the Academy then he couldn't exactly continue his line of logic. Not without coming across worse than he likely already was. "Then I may have been misinformed about the effectiveness of Academy instruction, sir."

"I'm 420 years old and I was tutored at home for some time. Then I took it upon myself to learn things the practical way..."

Akiyo paused now, gathering up his words for a moment. "You have the wrong idea about me, if I may say so. My manners and my formalities, my nobility and my status, they're all only skin deep. You've given me no such permission to act normally and you seem to like the formalities, so I've continued, but that isn't me. I assure you, I know what you do here and the only experience I lack is putting a sword in a man's back. That doesn't mean that I am unaccustomed to what you do, I've just always been a fan of only drawing blood when I have to...but there are worse things than dying, you know that. I know that. I assure you, Captain Tsukimiya, that I am not the noble who fits in the common box. You're thinking of my cousins and brothers."

"I'll be frank..." The Shinigami reached below the table, the click of metal following as he removed his sword, sheathe and all, from his side and placed it onto the table with an unceremonious thud. He was sure Mushihana would be unhappy with that but he was making a point, not making her happy. "I'm here because of her. My abilities don't fit anywhere else, sir, and I believe the disparity between us is because one of us is on guard, the other is comfortable. Right now, I've already determined that if I had to, now would be the easiest time to kill you."

Akiyo smiled politely, removing his hand from his sword and tapping its hilt with his finger. He didn't want the man to assume that he actually intended to kill him, relinquishing his sword was an easy sign of that, but he wasn't done explaining himself. Unknown to him, Kyousuke had given him an implied ultimatum, or maybe he did know...either way, despite appearances, when the Yasutake wanted something...he got it. And he wouldn't have this man look down on him because he assumed he was a pretty boy like the rest of his family. The Captain didn't know. But he'd learn. He'd come to respect him, if he had to pull teeth...

"This entire time, I've been taking in information. I touched my sword not only because I was nervous, but because it drew your attention. You know what it sounds like, a man like you knows what a sword sounds like in any scenario. So you also knew that when I reached under the table, what I was doing, and when I put my sword down here, I had your complete attention. Not on me, but on my Zanpakuto...you have cooks here and its a mess hall, the fact that they are on active duty means that your vents are running. While you are seated, your ability to Hoho is severely impaired so your ability to dodge is limited. Thirdly, when I first arrived you told me that you expected me but then said that your office was not in order, implying you'd lied. This means that you don't know who I am or what my Zanpakuto is capable of...but most importantly..."

His finger stayed against the metal of his sheathed blade's guard.

"The only person safe from Mushihana's abilities, is the person holding her. Right now, that's me. She releases a neurotoxic gas which means that even if you are a more capable fighter than me, I wouldn't play fair. Still, the only reason my hands aren't being held against my back is because we both know that even if I tried, it wouldn't work. You're not that careless. If I tried to release her, you'd stop me. So there are two differences between us, and one similarity. You can relax, I can't. You would've just done it and not talked about it. And the similarity is that we both know I'm lying about my Zanpakuto..."

[Word Count (894) - GP (38 +17 = 55)]

OOC: Don't tazer me bro.

"We live long enough to enjoy a comforting lie every now and then..."

Knowledge The Swordbreaker

Transcendent

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Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Apr 23, 2013 0:40:23 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 23, 2013 0:40:23 GMT -5

A slow smile spread across Kyousuke’s lips as he sat there, listening to the man in front of him list with a bizarre sort of pride his thoughts regarding his situation. It was an admirable effort, but there were flaws there, small cracks that if prodded would make the entire scheme crumble and fall. He stayed silent, letting his guest finish as he leaned back in his chair. His gaze was even, his breathing controlled, and he was resisting the urge to laugh.

What’s so funny?

I think he wants this job after all.

What makes you say that?

He’s trying awfully hard to convince me that he possesses the necessary skillset, and he seems to want to point out that his only weakness is his lack of experience. I’ve seen that kind of behavior before.

The rant was coming to an end, and once the man had finished, silence settle over the table. Kyousuke reached up and scratched his neck idly, still half-smiling, and then he spoke.

‘Well,’ he started, almost hesitantly, ‘all in all I’d rate that... Three? Out of five?’ He scrunched his brows as if trying to concentrate, then made a dismissive gesture with his hand. ‘Of course, that’s below the division average of four. Assumptions are dangerous, because you’re more likely to convince yourself of something wrong than actually come to the correct conclusion. As far as killing me goes, there is no best time to kill someone in the Second. Call it an occupational hazard, but we’re always on guard. It works both ways, though: there’s no worst time, either.’

He shrugged lightly, then continued.

‘As far as locales go, however, this is just about the worst one you could ever hope to pick. This is unfamiliar ground for you, and extremely familiar ground for me. You’re putting yourself at a huge positional disadvantage, and as a professional I’d strongly advise against that sort of behavior.’

He paused, leaning forward ever so slightly.

‘But you’re right about me paying attention to your sword, and you’re half-right about the ventilation—it’s on, but it’s only on in the kitchen, and it’s blowing straight outdoors. If we had been back in the Fourth, then maybe that threat would have held water. Otherwise, though, you’re making the same mistake every other Shinigami is prone to making: you’re placing altogether too much faith in the sword belted at your waist. Take yours, for example. That’s a very long blade, and as you rather astutely observed, a seated position makes movement...’ he formed the next word very delicately. ‘Cumbersome.’

‘Now, I’m no expert, but I can imagine you’d need to draw that beautiful sword of yours before releasing it, and as it happens, this—’ Kyousuke put one finger to the edge of the table and pushed it very softly and very deliberately into the Yasutake’s chest, ‘—is a very heavy table.’

‘In a sense, I suppose, that’s one more similarity between us: I wouldn’t play fair, either. And in all honesty, if I felt threatened by you in the slightest, I wouldn’t restrain you. I’d tear your throat out with my bare hands.’ His tone was level, almost genial, and he might as well have been talking about the weather. It was the same old tired subject—the threat of death in all its gory forms, and it bored Kyousuke to no end. What was it called when the talented craftsman hated his craft?

He leaned back once again, crossed his arms and the humored expression returned to his face. ‘I won’t deny that I don’t know who you are, though, but it isn’t because I wasn’t expecting you. My office is in disarray because I’m planning a war. I didn’t tidy it up when Commander Karahashi came for a visit, and I’m certainly not going to tidy it up for you. I did lie, yes, but not in the way you think. My kitchen, for example is pristine, as is the veranda. The issue is simply that I don’t want you in my home.’

Another moment of silence, and then Kyousuke cocked his head to one side, as if in thought. ‘I am, however, prepared to reevaluate my opinion of you, given the fruits of our conversation thus far. I think, perhaps, with some... Refinement, you may make a valuable addition to this division.’ The mention of toxin had certainly piqued Kyousuke’s interest given the file he had been reading when the Yasutake came knocking, but he made no remark. How oddly fortunate.

‘If offered a position here, would you take it, knowing what it is we do?’

°805

Akiyo

166 Posts

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Apr 23, 2013 9:11:11 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Apr 23, 2013 9:11:11 GMT -5

"A three is better than a zero..."

The Yasutake responded, a bit relieved that his verbal gambling had seemed to produce some result...that was good, because alcohol and pressure induced courage wasn't an inexhaustible resource and he seemed to relax quite a bit more hearing the response, rather than trying to make sure that if his response was taken badly he was able to do something. Still while the faults of his plan were relayed to him, he noted one oddity in the statement and wondered if he meant to imply that all swords had to be drawn for their releases to be utilized. That seemed unusual but he hadn't seen very many released prior to his own, but he knew that at least his Zanpakuto was fairly indifferent, but then again he'd never really tried to release a sheathed sword. It was sort of a habit to pull it out prior...he supposed he'd have to test that out at some point. If it was true than it might be best for him to fix that.

While the Captain had pressed the table into him as an illustration of his point, Akiyo pressed his knee against it, pushing it up slightly and allowing it to angle itself so that his sword, sheathe and all, slid back to him where he rested his hand on it more comfortably. It was a heavy table but it was also a bit of a flat one, so making a slope out of it wasn't too difficult. Still, having a sword didn't make him feel much more comfortable about being told his throat would've been ripped out in an un-ideal scenario...that just didn't sound very pleasant at all. He needed that throat for breathing and living...

The Yasutake shrugged, displacing his discomfort as best he could with an appearance of unconcern. "When you're trying to plan it benefits from more than a few minutes of time to think, but even a bad plan has better odds than no plan. Frankly speaking I only needed your eyes, Mushihana is one of, if not the only, illusion-type Zanpakuto in the Court Guard Squads. You'll forgive me, sir, if I have some pride in that...though my abilities leave plenty to be desired. That was mostly bluff, the best I could do is make you dawdle time with a lover while I escaped out of one of the windows..."

Akiyo's eyes left the table for a moment, looking towards a window and out it for a few moments as if he wasn't quite sure if he should still attempt that option. Certainly this wasn't exactly the type of profession his mother and father would be proud of, but they couldn't have been oblivious to how his sword was likely to be used. Mushihana wasn't a Kido-type, he had no business in the Kido Corps despite a talent for the art, and he certainly didn't match the description of any melee fighter. He was a man who sought pleasure and thrills but had his underlying justice...and after so long away from the Soul Society, if he could repay his debts with their dirty work. How could he tell them no? The Yasutake owed them more than many family members seemed to acknowledge. The family was powerful because they had jobs, without them, they'd be powerless and useless...

The Noble Families derived their power not from pure political standing, but from military force as well. They were both heavily entangled at this point but if the nobles died out, the Shinigami race would live on, but if the guard died out...that was a bit more questionable. Besides, how hard could it be? He'd done some pretty bad things to some pretty good people...the least he could do was to kill them rather than torment them. These were bad people too, so what sort of man was he is he couldn't be expected to kill the bad guys? No better than Hollows right?...

His eyes returned to the table, to the captain specifically, smiling back at him. "I knew what you did when I stepped past the door, it wouldn't influence my decision sir. I wouldn't turn you down."

[Word Count (703) - GP (55 +14 = 69)]

"We live long enough to enjoy a comforting lie every now and then..."

Knowledge The Swordbreaker

Transcendent

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Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke] Apr 25, 2013 12:55:54 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 25, 2013 12:55:54 GMT -5

The offhand comment about a lover brought a vision of Satine’s face to Kyousuke’s mind, and he dismissed it almost bitterly. Not likely, he thought to himself. It had never come to pass and it never would; she was most likely dead and gone and had been for years.

‘Luckily, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that not all of us in here are murderers. Some of us are liars and cheats, too. As it happens, that kind of work is more or less cut out for someone with a sword like yours. You’d be a useful asset, there’s no denying that. I don’t really believe in soft starts, but that’s about as soft as anything’s ever going to get in the Second. The rest will come in time.’ There was a note of finality in his voice, and Kyousuke straightened the table out to the way it was when they arrived, then stood up.

‘I’ve never really been good at welcomes, so I’ll leave all of that to my lieutenant. Report to her first thing tomorrow morning and she’ll get you settled. Consider yourself a member of the Second Division.’ He paused, then, ‘Glad to have you, Yasutake.’

He flexed his fingers ever so slightly, then clenched his fist. ‘Well, I’m sure you have other things to do, and I know I’m a busy man, so I’m going to leave it at that if it’s all the same to you.’ He took a good, long look at the first noble to join the Second Division since Kyousuke’s appointment as captain, and then extended a hand. If his other venture went according to plan, this man would come in handy. He’d see soon enough, but as it happened, people in the Nest were usually quite eager to get out. His expectations, all things considered, were quite high, and he doubted he’d be disappointed.

‘I trust you’ll find your own way out, I have to get back to work.’ He started to leave, then halted as if a thought had struck him. ‘Oh yes,’ he said, as he half-turned back to the noble, the slightest frown on his brow. ‘You might want to reevaluate that habit of yours. In our line of work, drinking in the middle of the day like that is likely to get you killed.’ He made no mention by whom. ‘Just a thought.’

Then he was gone.

°408

And that, as they say, is that. Bit of a rushed ending, but you know why. I recommend you have a thread with Kiriko ASAP, but she's a little on the busy side at the moment. I'll add you to the roster in the meantime, shall I?

Bleach Gotei

Petal Poison [Closed | Kyousuke]

Post by Akiyo on Mar 4, 2013 2:41:00 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Mar 8, 2013 7:24:20 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Mar 8, 2013 23:27:16 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Mar 9, 2013 6:53:52 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Mar 16, 2013 10:09:47 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 11, 2013 15:01:39 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Apr 18, 2013 15:08:19 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 23, 2013 0:40:23 GMT -5

Post by Akiyo on Apr 23, 2013 9:11:11 GMT -5

Post by Knowledge on Apr 25, 2013 12:55:54 GMT -5

Welcome!