It wasn't working properly; Seion no Arashi was clearly angry at her - well, one half anyway. The right side continuously malfunctioned, sending weaker and weaker bolts of lightning; the numbing ability was also weaker which worked against her. She knew the scope of her Zanpakuto's abilities but it absolutely refused to do its job properly, to the point where Yue started wondering whether it really was trying to kill her.

A Hollow's large arm started bearing down on her, pinning her onto the ground while another prepared to slash her in two with its razor-sharp, abnormally large claws. In a moment of panic, Yue dug Seion no Arashi into the arm, right when it decided to release a heavy charge no doubt intended to electrocute her had she only made minimal contact with the Hollow. It spasmed and the arm on her went limp, allowing her to roll out of the way of the second Hollow's nails. A well-placed kick sent it flying into its fellow Hollows, but there were more.

Kouta's yell broke her concentration; she whirled around to see a smaller yet much more agile Hollow with Seamus in his grip. Immediately, Yue felt something was off and leapt up after Kouta, getting her leg slashed in the process. The pain didn't immediately sink in, allowing her to chase both Seamus and Kouta down, thanking her lucky stars for being fast. Miraculously, the Hollows behind her didn't pursue her like she'd expected; wails, screeches and howls sounded among the ring of metal. However, she didn't look back. "Kouta-sensei! No!"

She was only a few feet away, arm outstretched to grip his shoulder and somehow pull him back but her leg started slowing her down. Without much thought, Yue swore and pushed on, knowing the small Hollow couldn't do much damage to the boy, unless it was taking him to a larger nest of Hollows and leading Kouta and herself on with him. "Kouta-sensei, stop!" Full-blown panic started to seep in and among the muddle of thoughts, she wondered where this chase would lead to. There was still no pursuit behind her and with a painful burst of energy, Yue leapt forward and pulled at Kouta's shoulder. "Stop, something's not right!" She didn't have the strength to pull him back and lost her grip, flailing for a second before wrapping her arms securely around a tree trunk.

"Yes," he replied strongly and defiantly. "The boy has been taken by a Hollow!" It was a condescending answer but a valid answer, nonetheless. She was injured but he couldn't do much about it now.

A wail broke through the tree-tops, chilling Yue to the bone. Kouta's head jerked in a direction he believed might be where the sound originated. It was impossible to tell whether it was the boy or the Hollow.

Arms wrapped around her midsection and Yue shrieked, lashing out with her limbs before the form pulled her down. "Yue!" Kouta shouted. "Stay still, Yue." Isao's voice sounded right behind her, his arms loosening as soon as she managed to stay upright. "Isao-sama," Kouta said to himself. He exhaled in relief and descended down the tree himself.

"Otou-sama, what was that wail?!" Her voice was panicked, eyes up in the treetops.

Isao pulled her down, making her sit and lean against a tree. He then looked at Kouta with a look of pride in the man's eyes. "Calm down, Hayate knows which one to kill," he said to Yue. He was uncharacteristically gentle, possibly because he could tell his daughter was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He was in full Shinigami garb instead of his usual robes, with his Zanpakuto fastened to one side. Kouta found this outfit strange yet unusually fitting for the man.

As if right on cue, Hayate dropped down out of the trees, holding a limp Seamus in his arms. "I had to knock him out, Isao-sama. He wouldn't stop screaming, thinking I was a Hollow." Isao nodded, his eyes examining the unconscious boy carefully, obviously interested in the boy's heightened spiritual perception.

After a long moment, he nodded in the direction leading out of the clump of trees. "Take him back to his parents, wherever they are. And make sure he's awake." He added, well aware that the man would most possibly just dump the boy on the doorstep. With a nod, Hayate flung the boy over his shoulder and Flash Stepped in the direction of the town.

As soon as the man was no longer in sight, Isao turned towards Kouta. "You... that was impressive. You're Akimoto Taiki's son, yes? Your skills are remarkable." He was impressed as to how the man had fought without activating Shikai. "Thank you, Isao-sama," he said with great self-confidence, bowing deeply much like his father would to most anyone. "Please make sure that boy is safe, Isao-sama," he continued, skeptical of whether or not the head of the Yukihiro House would rather test and train the boy for their own ends rather than let him live peacefully with his family, assuming he had one that was peaceful.

Isao nodded once in acknowledgement before leaning down to pick Yue up. She was half-conscious, and by this point the entire conversation was flying over her head.

Seion no Arashi had sealed itself sometime during the chase as her Reiryoku was completely used up, reverting back to its wakizashi form and dropping to the ground. Unfortunately, once again, Yue had failed to notice. Several metres away, one of the wakizashi stood embedded into the ground, and the other nowhere to be seen. Kouta walked over to eject it from the ground and return it to Yue's side. "Please, don't be too upset with her. She fought well against you and the Hollows," he whispered to the Zanpakuto.

"When did you arrive, Isao-sama? I never sensed your Reiryoku until now," he said, creating a burst of spiritual pressure to shed off the gigai which, until now, had caused him to be powered-down for the sake of seeming "alive."

Isao shifted Yue to rest on one arm, sliding the wakizashi back in its sheath. "How many times have I told you not to drop your Zanpakuto, Yue? Hakuda isn't everything. Don't anger it more than necessary." It made little sense to Yue, who simple nodded absently, her eyes on the blue sky peeking out from the dense foliage. They started swirling together, making her head swim so she dropped her eyes, resting her head on Isao's arm. Isao merely shifted her again, sliding his free arm underneath her back for support. "I arrived a few moments before the boy was taken. It was quite a hard task finding you two, might I add. Were you two in gigai the whole time?"

"After the initial attack, yes. We didn't know how long until a rescue team would come so we prepared to live with the humans for a time. I'm relieved that we didn't have to," he confessed. "Did they discover the cause of this Hollow infestation? Why are there so many?" he continued.

"Come." He motioned for Kouta to follow him as he made his way out of the forest. A series of shadows passed over their heads, blocking out the light and temporarily dimming the area. "This isn't common knowledge, Akimoto-san, so I trust you'll keep this to yourself. These Hollows are much more organized than your average Hollows and those we've observed in the past. Something isn't right with these Hollows. My men are heading towards where the nest might be."

Kouta didn't pretend to know a lot about Hollows. He hardly knew much of anything about the Seireitei and the Gotei, regardless of his father's position. "Are they possibly the same organism? Could this Hollow be able to multiply?" But he knew what Hollows were capable of. "The Twelfth is currently looking into it but it is entirely possible. There could be an organism complex enough to clone itself." Isao replied.

They walked back out into the clearing and continued on past the barn, taking a turn that led him into another clearing. Isao stopped on the way to pick up Yue's second wakizashi. He slid it back into the second sheath, the disturbance doing nothing to wake Yue's passed-out form.

A Senkaimon lay open just ahead, waiting for Isao to pass through with Yue. Just before he stepped though, he turned to Kouta. "Thank you for staying with her and taking care of her." He motioned to Yue's asleep figure nestled securely in his arms.

"It was my duty, Isao-sama." He said bowing. "The two students who we managed to keep intact are in a barn in that direction." His voice didn't seem concerned or held remorse for the fallen Shinigami. Perhaps it was a defense mechanism.

"I'll meet you back in the Seireitei," he said, placing a hand on Yue's arm as if that was going to comfort her. He then quickly turned and headed in the opposite direction. Now spiritually aware of the Yukihiro House, he followed where it was strongest.

Knowing that he'd left the clearing of the area in very good hands, Isao departed back to Seireitei before the Gotei got involved. It had been his House's issue to find his daughter and Akimoto-sensei's son but now that it was done, it was no longer a personal concern of his. As he arrived back in Seireitei, he took Yue straight to the Yukihiro compound instead of the Fourth Division, knowing his own Healers were more than capable of handling a few bruises and a badly cut leg.

The courtyard was nearly deserted, for most of the members were either training in their own dojo, in Akimoto-sensei's dojo, resting or in the Human world. Taking Yue directly to the medical ward, he laid her down on a futon in an empty room, taking away her Zanpakuto to be sent back to her room. A young boy no older than twelve was sent to summon the Healer who, after quite a while, showed up to face a very impatient Isao. "Take care of any injuries she might have. When you're done, send her to her quarters and tell her to come see me when she feels better." The Healer nodded and Isao turned on his heel, his Shinigami robes billowing imposingly around him.

The next time Yue woke up she was back in her room, wearing a yukata instead of her Academy uniform and her Zanpakuto nowhere to be seen. According to the elderly maid, Hanako, Isao had ordered strict rest until further notice, which didn't bode well with Yue at all. She had little recollection of what happened beyond her father's appearance back in the Human world, nor what had happened to Kouta and the boy.

She took the opportunity of being summoned in Isao's office to get out of her room; it was becoming increasingly stifling remaining in the same place for extended periods of time. As she changed into a more formal kimono, Yue noticed the bandages around her left thigh but she could barely feel a thing. The hallways were strangely deserted and even though they were lighted, Yue couldn't tell what time it was.

Luckily, Isao was in the main sitting room, doing his usual calligraphy as he did during his free time. "Sit, Yue." Yue obeyed, taking a seat directly opposite him on a cushion five feet away. Isao wasted no time in making her explain everything right from the initial attack, including the Hollows' abnormal behaviour and her time with Kouta. It almost felt like an interrogation session.

Just before he dismissed her, Yue spoke up, already dreading the answer. "Otou-sama, can I go help with the clean-up?"

"No." Isao answered, not looking up from his calligraphy. "Do you think I'm going to let you out after what happened?"

That was what Yue had expected all along, but she couldn't bear to spend another day cooped up in her room. "I feel perfectly fine, Otou-sama. Please let me go assist Kouta-sensei. He's done so much for me."

Isao looked up at her, contemplating the information she'd given him over the past hour. "Only for a day. I'll notify you whenever I see fit. Considering what you've told me, we're quite possibly in his debt. Make sure you go and thank him personally, and I'm sending someone with you to make sure you don't get into trouble." Yue smiled and got up, bowing before exiting the room.

Over the next few days, there was no word from Isao or anyone in paticular, which only served to increase her anxiety. Furthermore, one side of Seion no Arashi seemed to be extremely mad at her, refusing to connect with her whenever she attempted to train with the Zanpakuto. While at first it started out as random sparks and weak currents, it quickly escalated to heavy charges that not only posed a threat to those within her immediate surroundings, but herself as well.

It was inconvenient to say the least. After enduring another painful near-electrocution, Yue had finally had enough and sealed Seion no Arashi back into wakizashi. Leaving the training courtyard behind, she retreated back into her chambers and, taking a series of turns and long hallways, emerged into one of the japanese gardens scattered across the compound, this one located behind the main house. It had an air of tranquility to it, the soft tinkling of the stream and faint morning sunlight making it a perfect place to meditate.

Stabbing the wakizashi into the ground hilt up, Yue sat down in front of the blades, trying to connect to the spirits within. Initially they didn't even bother hearing her out but after persistent trying over the course of an hour, Yue felt herself being pulled into their inner world.

The blizzard-like atmosphere was the first thing that registered, the harsh, biting winds hitting her face and making it hard to see. The fact that the entire place was upside-down was next, and, after a moment of panicked scrambling Yue managed to regain her direction orientation. A jagged, winding path led towards a castle, whose highest point was being consumed by a maelstrom of sorts. While it wasn't her ideal place to be, Yue had no choice but to venture out towards it and cross the path, for she knew that it was within the castle that Seion no Arashi resided. The path has nothing on either side, leading down to a seemingly bottomless abyss that made her run across as fast as possible, heaving a sigh of relief the moment she was within the glassy walls' safety.

Yue made out Seion no Arashi's lounging form the moment she entered the main hall. On the main platform only one man was present, stretched out on the near-transparent floor and his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He remained in that position for some time, seemingly taking no notice of Yue at the other end of the hall. In response, Yue cautiously neared the man, her eyes scanning the entire hall for the other half. Why wouldn't they just merge together and make it easier for both parties involved?

"He's not happy with you, you know." Seion no Arashi suddenly spoke, his head turning to look at her. His glassy blue eyes were piercing and uncomfortable. "Nor am I, for that matter, but I don't see the point of throwing hissy fits."

"I already apologized, I didn't mean to. It's all so new to me -" Yue started but Seion no Arashi cut her off.

"Excuses, excuses." He waved his hand as if to silence her. "It never does anyone any good to make excuses, does it?" At that moment, the other half materialized right behind Yue, startling her. She attributed this to the fact that this was their inner world, something they controlled freely.

"How many times have you carelessly neglected us?" The second one spoke, visibly angrier than the first. "You've dropped us countless times yet when you fight, you never think twice about us. Are your skills that superior that you don't need our power?" To that, Yue replied with a vigorous shake of her head.

"Then why do you continue to treat us as a mere object? Are we a hindrance to you?"

Once again, Yue shook her head. "I'm still learning -"

"Didn't we say no excuses? Regardless, you're not going to be using our power until you learn to appreciate what you've been given."

Had this ever happened before? Had a Zanpakuto ever cut ties with its master over a conflict? Yue had just opened her mouth to protest before she was suddenly ejected from their inner world. While at first she attributed this to Seion no Arashi, she realized the shadow hanging over her was infact Isao himself, who'd come with a man she barely recognized as Yukihiro Hiroshi.

Without any acknowledgment that he'd just interrupted her conversation, Isao gave her a hard look and pointed to the main house. "You're leaving tomorrow and Hiroshi is going with you. Try not to damage your Academy uniform beyond repair this time."

Kouta never rushed to meet the Yukihiro clan, not at first anyway. Their presence was initially impressive and he found little reason to aid them. Instead, he walked in the direction of the town in which the boy claimed to have lived, hoping to meet up with Hayate. He too this time to recuperate and regain much of his exhausted reiryoku levels.

With the early noon sun shining through the leave and creating a warming glow, Kouta felt a sense of comfort he'd yet to feel since stepping foot into the World of the Living. It'd been such a long time since the last time he'd been requested to travel to this foreign place, and he had little care to be there even now. He was missing out on training in his father's Dojo.

What tugged at his mind was how quickly the Yukihiro clan arrived to the World of the Living in order to collect Yue. This was strange because the Houses usually acted independently of the Gotei, which meant the Gotei had yet to send in a rescue team for something that was, inherently, their responsibility. Perhaps Isao-sama had requested to take on the mission himself. Regardless, either scenario was unusual considering the relations between the House and the Gotei.

The tall grass itched at his skin and through the thick cloth of his shihakusho. He had the discipline not to scratch and, rather, endured the slight irritation. It wasn't unlike him to endure aggravation for the sake of endurance itself. It was all in the mind, and most knew his power over his own mind. Of course, this could be a fault just as much as an asset.

Hours passed before he reached the town. The humans couldn't see him, but he quickly felt uneasy. He couldn't feel Hayate's reiatsu. The man had a notable release of spiritual energy and Kouta grew wary and suspicious. There weren't many people in the town and none had any recognizable levels of reiatsu, which even the boy had, he knew. Neither were here. Hayate not having rescued the boy by this point was deeply concerning.

Newly revitalized, he sped back toward the forest, noting the mass of Yukihiro clanmen and noted its decrease in potency. Something wasn't right. No, this wasn't right at all. His complete lack of Shunpo prevented him from reaching the decreasing presence of the Yukihiro clan.

A piercing pain went through his abdomen. When he stopped to examine the wound, there was nothing there. He looked around quickly, eyeing the tall grass all around him. It only swayed gently in the autumn breeze. He rushed off again, not having felt the pain until reaching the entrance of the forest.

The collective presence continued to decrease and he eventually had to depend of his sense of direction of the last modicum of reiatsu he sensed. "Tsuki no Sutōkā Ōkami, Unari," he said and the air around him dropped in temperature significantly. He immediately noted three foreign reiatsu signatures, and ones that were familiar to him. How had they hid from him until now? Why had they hid from him?

One shot toward his direction and the blade of his shoto deflected the Katana of the large man who seemed to want him dead. He disappeared into the mist before Kouta could get a good look at him. "Shit," he said under his breath. They knew his abilities and its drawbacks. Regardless, it felt like Hayate, but why would he attack an ally?

A different target shot towards him and, again, Kouta deflected a lethal strike against him. This figure was significantly smaller but wielded a strength greater than the first. And a blade had not been used. What was going on?

The third entity raced toward him in a similar manner as the previous two, and again was deflected. But this deflection had consequences. A wail was heard throughout the mist and Kouta recognized this as the boy's screeching. What was going on? He ran toward the sound of the crying to see the boy, Seamus, kneeling on the ground without a right arm. He held the stump, but Kouta noticed something strange. The blood seemed unusually black.

"Seamus," he said cautiously, believing this to be some kind of trap, possibly an illusion. The boy only continued to sob and the other entities had vanished. Kouta looked around before nearing the boy, hoping to figure out what he was doing here. "Didn't Hayate rescue you?"

"No!" The boy whined through tears. It sounded as if he would say more, but no words left his mouth. "What are you doing here?"

The boy settled into a whimpering gasping state. "To feed," he said.

"What?"

The boy leapt toward Kouta, his face distorted and disfigured. Or was it the true from of the monster that he was. Kouta slashed the creature in two, missing what could have been its mask, and the Hollow fell to the ground. The two sections of the body leaked fluids, black and shiny. They poured out unnaturally from the body, as if it was made of his substance. It began to move on its own. It became tendrils and lashed at Kouta. He leapt back to sense hundreds of entities in his fog.

"Shit," he said again.

Slashing at the tendrils did nothing, as he suspected. That was the least of his worries when the hordes of seemingly possessed Yukihiro clanmen quickly surrounded him, easily testing Kouta's self-defense skills. His body and his blade worked together to smash the bones and cut the tendons of the men so they would fall either paralyzed by pain or by death. He also noted that their collective reiatsu levels were severely diminished but the sense of the boy's, no, the Hollow's reiatsu seemed to be embedded in them, almost being a part of them.

The Hollow was parasitic. Perhaps this was how all those Hollow managed to attack the Academy students and take out the Yukihiro clanmen. Luckily, when they fell, it seemed the grip the Hollow had on them dissipated and they cried in agony or continued to gargle on their own blood.

Hayate was also an unfortunate victim. With the clanmen being utterly defeated by a singular Kouta, Hayate now stood in the way between himself and the Hollow which seemed to be the perpetrator of all the events which had occurred recently. "Snap out of it, Hayate!" he shouted, hoping speaking to him would turn him away from his apparently brain-washed state. "What happened to you?" he asked himself when Hayate responded with a lunge.

His katana moved swiftly and deftly toward Kouta. Anyone less capable than the Captain's son would have a difficult time staying alive. It was clear that even with being brainwashed, his skills were the same. The man's reflexes and maneuvers were brilliant and Kouta found himself on the defense, ironically a place he didn't much care to be. Their blades slammed against each other. If they weren't Zanpakuto, they would have dulled and even break by this point.

The Hollow was still no where to be sensed. He wanted to try and snap Hayate out of his hypnosis, or whatever it was, first.

Upon stepping out of the Senkaimon, it all seemed well for a while. They'd emerged farther out than where they'd been last time, for Yue could feel nothing; not even the presence of the Yukihiro clansmen. It was unnaturally silent, leading Yue to wonder whether Hiroshi had opened the Senkaimon at the wrong place.

Then she saw the fog. The temperature dropped the more she approached, uncharacteristic of an autumn's day. After a moment of wandering, Hiroshi's hand on her shoulder, it finally dawned on her; it was Kouta's Shikai. But why would he release it? It was then that she finally heard the sounds of blades clashing and bodies falling. It seemed that there was some conflict right in the middle but the fog made it impossible to see anything within three feet ahead of her, even though she was only on the edge.

As she started venturing into the fog, Hiroshi's presence suddenly vanished from behind her. Alarmed, Yue turned around to face only the forest, with nothing in between, when his hand came down on her shoulder again. Only, his grip was much too tight for comfort, his fingers digging into her shoulder so hard Yue was surprised they hadn't broken through her skin. He whirled her around, and Yue realized his reiatsu was entirely different.

It struck her the moment she tore herself away and backed away several feet that Hiroshi wasn't himself, even as he started to speak. He was something else. "It took so much effort to isolate you two, yet you still don't die! Your meddling family had to interfere; now they pay the price. Shame Isao wasn't one of them. Doesn't seem like the 'hands-on' kind of man, the coward."

The sounds of fighting continued to emerge from the fog. As Hiroshi's words slowly sunk in, Yue's mind was working at an alarming pace, outlining different outcomes based on different actions. Admittedly, it didn't look too good for her at that moment. Foregoing the incantaion, Yue shot a Bakudo spell at the man's form; however, even before it hit something went through his chest from behind and protruded out, instantly killing the man. Hiroshi writhed for a split second, his face frozen in an expression of shock before he went limp and the thing, whatever it was, dragged his lifeless body into the mist.

Though Hiroshi was gone, Yue had a million and one thoughts running through her mind. She could escape; the Sekaimon still stood open a few feet away, though she could not see it. But whatever was happening in the mist sounded bad; had that thing or Hiroshi killed off her clansmen? Was Kouta handling a surge of Hollows by himself? That thought didn't sit well with her and, though she knew the man was more than capable of handling Hollows, the fact that he'd released his Shikai signified something bad.

With those alarming thoughts nagging at her mind, Yue approached the sounds of fighting; bodies littered the ground at her feet and as she bent down to examine them. She realized with a sickening, horrifying feeling that these were Yukihiro clansmen. The feeling of unease grew on her more and more every second.

It was barely a minute or so before she made out two misty silhouettes in the fog. "Kouta-sensei?" She whispered, unable to raise her voice past a whisper. The two forms clashed again and again, Yue unable to make out anything, not even the words one of them seemed to be yelling. At first it was impossible to tell who was who; but then, Yue slowly discerned the distinct Yukihiro fighting style one of them was utilizing. And the fact that he was still standing up against Kouta meant that he was one of the more talented members as most that had been sent were of low tier. It had to be Hayate, Yue could feel it. Yet she said nothing, standing in the fog a mere ten feet away watching the fight unfold.

After what seemed like an eternity, Yue inched closer, careful not to get in the way. Now that she was closer, she could make out Hayate's vacant expression; his face devoid of an expression and his distinct reiatsu gone. Something was wrong.

"Hayate-san?" That was her mistake. In an instant, Hayate's blade was at her throat. Kouta was there immediately after, his large hand clasping Hayate's forearm to push away the blade. Instinctively Yue ducked away from Hayate and came up behind him, one hand on her Zanpakuto. "Split the heavens, Seion no Arashi." Nothing happened. The Zanpakuto remained sealed, Yue staring at it in alarm.

Up ahead, Hayate had whirled around and was advancing towards her, his blade once again about to bear down on her. "Disintergrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo # 9: Geki!" The flash of red light that engulfed Hayate blinded her but the air whistled next to her ear, the man's blade coming dangerously close to her head, making her doubt the spell's success. Once again, Yue narrowly avoided his katana and dashed out of the way, knowing she couldn't keep it up any longer with her nonexistent knowledge of Zanjutsu. Kouta was, luckily, directly behind her to deflect another one of his strikes he made with blinding speed. Even he had difficulty following the man's movements within his mist.

Apparently their game of cat and mouse wasn't of any interest to Hayate anymore as he went back to targeting Kouta, whom he'd decided was the more dangerous adversary. However, he'd realized that his left arm and part of his torso was paralyzed too late; his leg was also slowly succumbing to the paralysis. Kouta had just become used to the Yukihiro's speed, but it had diminished significantly.

Kouta's shoto blade continued to scratch against Hayate's katana. Had they been crafted out of normal metal, Hayate's would have shattered and splintered. But the man's reiatsu proved dense and resilient enough to endure Kouta's deceptively offensive defense.

Kouta could soon make out a lump on Hayate's back and also noted the surrounding reiatsu to completely fade. Even he couldn't feel any other reiatsu than the three of them. This was disarming as he knew this hollow wouldn't back away from Kouta's seemingly endless levels of reiryoku. "Get out of here, Yue," he shouted toward the Academy student, his former pupil. He was endlessly thankful for her skill in Kido, but her life was still in danger and he was still responsible for her well-being. The reason she even returned was beyond him, but his attention was upon Hayate first and foremost.

Yue didn't answer. While she did feel the urge to escape and make it back safely, she knew she couldn't - the guilt would be as much likely to kill her on the inside as the Hollow could on the outside. Hayate was another issue. He was relatively young but undoubtedly skilled, one of their best fighters at that age. Even then, he was born into the main house; after Yue, he was next in line to assume control over the Yukihiro noble house and considering the fact that Yue herself probably wouldn't be eligible due to marriage, Hayate was most likely their next Head. And Yue knew Isao would be pretty angry at the loss of Hayate.

Hayate's blade still made its way expertly around Kouta, but Kouta's reaction and utter discipline in both Zanjutsu and Hakuda more than made up for his lack of speed and knowledge of the sword itself. Kouta's off hand worked at Hayate's body until it turned bruised and limp. He would not kill the man, if that's what he could still be called. "What are you doing? What's happened?" he asked Hayate when he lay on the ground almost lifeless.

"I don't... know... Hollow attacked. Don't remember... after that..." Hayate seemed mildly bewildered at his condition, but was in no shape to speak coherently. His words trailed away, his breaths coming in short shallow gasps as he lost consciousness. It was deathly quiet for a while, the only sound being Hayate's waning breaths. After several moments of caution, waiting for Hiroshi or the Hollow to appear, Yue began to relax and knelt down next to Hayate. His body was battered almost beyond recognition, save for most of his face.

His breathing was slowing down and getting shallower to the point where Yue began to think he would give out. She rolled him over carefully so that he lay on his back and began channeling healing Kido through her hands, centering the green glow on his chest. It was weak and barely did anything for the deep wounds, bruises and broken bones but it did slightly speed up his breathing process, estabilishing his respiratory system somewhat. It was all Yue could do not to outwardly panic, not to let a high-ranking individual like Hayate die.

It was then that she saw the dark tendrils emerge from the mist, combined with the heavy feel of foreign, Hollow-like reiatsu. Yue's concentration broke instantly, and the healing glow faded from her hands. "What's that, sensei? Is it that Hollow that attacked Hayate-san?" If the Hollow could have taken over someone of Hayate's caliber, it could certainly have taken them over, too. It was the absolute worst time for Seion no Arashi to stop working, leaving her vulnerable and susceptible to unexpected attacks. The tendrils didn't look entirely solid, either, making it impossible to try Hakuda, apart from the fact that they could tangle her up the moment she let her guard down. What kind of creature was that?

It was then that the creature decided to attack. Yue sprang out of the way and it missed her head by a foot. However, she failed to notice a tendril that had snaked along the ground and grabbed her ankle from the back. In the midst of avoiding a barrage of projectiles that the Hollow had shot, the tendril pulled her in the opposite direction, making her lose her balance and trip. And, waiting her to fall right there was the creature's extended claw, the razor sharp nails identical to spike; only by rolling away and landing awkwardly did Yue avoid getting sliced to ribbons but got the tendril around her ankle even more tangled around her legs.

Several more tendrils made their way into the beaten Hayate and he swiftly rose and began to strike at Kouta once again. Hayate was much more nimble and swift but Kouta managet to use all of his limbs in order to defend against the puppet. Kouta was amazed at the level of control the creature had over Hayate's body but realized the tendrils entered his body from the bount on his back. His kosoda had been torn off and Kouta could see the blackened veins through Hayate's parchment-white skin. It was frightening and concerning to see but Kouta's attention had to be on defense. He didn't want to kill Hayate, but at this rate, it might have been the only way.

For a moment, Yue wrestled with the thing but it was far too strong to dislodge from its position around her legs. Drawing her Zanpakuto, she fumbled with it for a second before driving the tip into the Hollow's tendril repeatedly, maiming it amidst a horrifying shriek from the Hollow. It loosened momentarily, allowing Yue to wiggle free and dash off into the mist, several tendrils matching her speed as they pursued her. She had no idea what was happening with Kouta or Hayate; Kouta's silhouette melted into the fog allowing her no information on his whereabouts.

When Kouta heard the shriek, he immediately feared that Yue had been injured or even killed. His lack of comprehending the sound accurately allowed Hayate to drive his katana into Kouta's shoulder to which he grunted and grit his teeth in immense pain. It wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before, but pain was pain. He was just more mentally equipped to deal with it. Unfortunately, the puppetted Hayate was pulled back and the large wound in Kouta was left open and bleeding profusely. He held the wound with his left arm for a bit before tearing off his own kosoda and wrapping it tightly around the wound to slow the bleeding.

However, running around didn't stop the Hollow from advancing as it simply followed her reiatsu, tripping her time and again, wrapping tendrils around her in an attempt to gain enough leverage to break bones and kill her. Had she been bigger and less mobile, she couldn't have managed for a minute. The Hollow was clever, exploiting her weaknesses - her utter incompetence in the field of Zanjutsu and limited Hakuda usage. However, it failed to take into account Yue was remarkably more intelligent than the creature. It didn't seem to have an apparent weakness but Kido was about as effective as a blade - it could serve as a shield. The only thing running against Yue was the long-winded incantations.

Kouta couldn't be put onto the defensive again, for his defensive techniques, especially against Hayate, was the application of all his limbs. Now he had to overpower the man rather than attempt submission through skill. When Kouta shuffled to Hayate's white and black figure, he raised his left arm and swung powerfully across Hayate, hoping to smash away the man's skillful defenses. This worked for a time before he heard Yue close by.

"Hado # 32: Ōkasen!" A bright yellow, concentrated beam of energy split two of its 'arms' directly off its body. The Hollow emitted another hair-raising screech. It slowly dawned on her, while she desperately fought off another direct attack by the Hollow itself with blasts of low-level Kido that the only time it was at its weakest was when it was attacked; apart from the main body, the tendrils that snaked out from the thick substance it dissolved into were only corporeal and susceptible to damage when wrapped around something and attacking. Maybe that was it's weakness, its fatal flaw.

"Kouta! It's weak when it attacks! Get its arms when it makes contact with you and its body when it's coming towards you!" She couldn't see Kouta in the mist but hopefully he'd heard her.

He saw a bright light and registered what Yue had suggested. He slid around Hayate's body after smashing it into one direction and utilizing that time to position himself toward the tendrils. Kouta's shoto slashed through the tendrils, breaking the control the Hollow had over Hayate's body which fell lifelessly to the ground. The man had to be dead considering the physical condition he now lay in.

Kouta leapt toward the retreating tendrils and slashed at the Hollow. Unfortunately, the blade phased right through it. The blunt ends of the tentrils he had cut smashed into his abdomen and flung him back a considerable distance. "Damn it," he groaned in pain. "Yue, get out of here!" he roared, knowing his Bankai was unstable and could very well overpower the girl. "Tsuki no Ōkami, Unari!"

Yue couldn't see Kouta but she heard everything; the urgency in his voice scared her enough to listen to him and try backing off. She knew how powerful Bankai was; she'd seen her father release it once and frankly, she didn't want to see it ever again. However, despite her best attempts to get away, the Hollow could still sense her reiatsu through the mist. Had she been able to suppress it, it would've been much easier to make herself invisible but that was one lesson they still hadn't taught at the Academy. Her spiritual pressure acted like a beacon, allowing the Hollow's tendrils to pursue her relentlessly.

As a tendril snapped and curled toward her, the temperature dropped considerably more. She would have shivered if she wasn't running. But strangely enough, snow began to fall around her. The snow behaved normally except when it fell on the attacking tendril. The blackness was encased with a heavy ice that weighed it down. Kouta was there soon after and shattered the black tentacles and the Hollow shrieked once more.

Having seen what the deceitful snow could do, Yue tried to avoid it as much as possible while making her way out of the mist, tripping over bodies and fending off a random tendril or two. However, it wasn't exactly easy to avoid snow and she continuously shook it out of her hair and off her body, just incase it decided to expand into ice. She had no clue how much control Kouta had over his Bankai but she wasn't going to take any chances and instead obeyed, finally emerging into an area slightly less foggy.

Snow continued to fall around the Hollow and explode into reiatsu-infused ice that refused to break, shatter, or melt. Kouta bashed the Hollow, fracturing it into hundreds of pieces. This time there was only silence and he re-sealed his Zanpakuto, having used up the remainder of his free reiryoku in the short time the Bankai was active.

When the mist cleared, they could see the bodies around them lying lifeless on the forest floor. Hayate still looked like a spirit or a demon with his discoloration and the Yukihiro clanmen were dismembered and beaten to death, all by Kouta himself. He knelt to the ground, both out of respect for the fallen men and fatigue. He looked behind him, hoping to see Yue approaching the generally safe area.

Relieved to see the snow gone and the mist dissipating, Yue felt something akin to horror or panic sweep through her as the dead bodies were slowly revealed to her, one by one. She froze in place, eyes wide as the swept over every dead body, recognizing one here and there. It was gruesome and an absolutely horrifying sight to witness. Squeezing her eyes shut, Yue took a few moments to push the image out of her mind and calm her nerves before venturing back towards Kouta, her eyes anywhere but on the ground. Somehow, she didn't blame the man all that much for killing her clansmen.

He was kneeling but Yue could still see that he'd taken the brunt of most of the Hollow's and Hayate's attacks. His shoulder was probably the worst hit, wrapped in his kosode but bleeding profusely. She still had reiryoku left in spite of the several medium-level spells she'd used. "Sensei, you're hurt. Let me heal you." Yue's voice was quiet, her mind still in shock over her dead clansmen.

"Oh, yes," he said in a quiet voice. Due to all the excitement, the pain had subsided. Only when Yue began to heal him had the pain returned. There were other spells considerably less painful, but as this was the only spell Yue knew, the sharp stinging sensation was unavoidable. He was impressed that she'd learned healing Kido so early. She was truly talented in this field and silently hoped she'd pursue it further and not feel so pressured to follow his Dojo or her House's specialties.

Her cooling reiatsu was soothing and he layed down rest properly before they continued. They'd have to be here longer since the Senkaimon had, again, closed before harmful forces could make their way into the Seireitei. "I'm sorry," he grunted. He didn't really know what he was apologizing for but he felt the need to say it. It wasn't often that he was sorry for anything. In fact, this was probably the first time she'd heard him say those words.

As the wound slowly but surely stopped bleeding and closed up a bit, Yue's mind wandered back to the Hollow. Why had such a powerful Hollow ventured into the world of the living and attacked the men? They weren't particularly powerful, not as Kouta was. His apology was unexpected but nonetheless appreciated. "Don't worry about, Sensei, you saved my life. That's actually the reason I came out here. You've saved my life more than once so thank you."

The healing glow around her hands intensified, increasing the reiatsu transferred into Kouta's body and healing his injuries, once he's got used to the initial feeling. It was quite the task monitoring the flow of reiatsu and minding other variables such as the temperature, though her reiatsu was running low she didn't want him in pain.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" "No, I'm fine," he said, but it seemed she wasn't convinced. She ran her hands over his abdomen, letting her reiatsu heal the injury and fade the bruise down to a mere shadow, unnoticeable at best.

He groaned lightly as his body began to register the natural healing process along with Yue's medical skills. Not long after, a Senkaimon appeared a few yards away from them, emerging from it the form of Isao. He wasn't in a Shinigami uniform anymore, but wasn't the least less intimidating than last time. Kouta wasn't even aware of this until Isao's voice boomed over his phyiscal pain. Apparently, his pain was the least of his issues.

"Explain yourself, Akimoto." He ground out, obviously keeping his temper in check. Isao's steely grey eyes swept over the man's pained form, dismissing him for the moment and settled onto Yue. He made a brief second of eye contact with the girl - a long, agonizing second to Yue - before she ducked her head, avoiding his glare and instead keeping her eyes on her hands still encased in a glow on Kouta's abdomen. It was nearly done healing but as she hadn't finished, he was still probably in a large amount of pain. Despite Isao's reappearance, Yue didn't want to see Kouta in pain and kept up the spell.

"Come along, Yue. Now." Making no move to personally help the man, Isao beckoned Yue to follow him back through the Senkaimon, through where now spilled more men, but this time Gotei Shinigami. It seemed Isao was unwilling to send his own men in a second time lest they be massacred again. A couple of Shinigami pushed Yue away from Kouta, cutting the Kaido off and Isao's hand firmly clasped her upper arm once she was standing again. She couldn't have gone for much longer, as her reiryoku was now completely drained and she started feeling the dizzying, nauseous effects of reiryoku shortage. "Take him to the Yukihiro compound." Isao ordered the men handling Kouta and with one last look and went through the Senkaimon, taking Yue with him. She didn't fight, having no energy; she was physically and mentally exhausted beyond belief and no doubt Kouta was too. At least their ordeal was over.

Upon arrival, Kouta was taken to the medical ward of the Yukihiro main house as this was the only place emergency healers resided night and day. It was dark out, the moon just recently having taken its place in the inky sky. While Isao was undoubtedly angry, as Yue could tell when he dropped her off into the medical ward as well, she knew he wouldn't let Kouta nor his men die. Soon enough, the medical ward of the main and second family were occupied by surviving Yukihiro men; the rest were laid to rest in the third family's ward, to be buried in the following days to come. Additional healers were requested from the fourth division, and a messenger was quickly dispatched towards the Dojo to inform Akimoto of his son's condition.

The healers did a pretty good job of healing Kouta and, having been given a private room to himself, he was expected to stay until he'd been healed. Yue didn't know whether he was alright or not, as her room was on the other side of the wing. Isao and the elders had called her in several times, making her recollect everything time and again, yet seemingly they heard nothing.

Kouta blacked out soon after Yue began to heal him. The pain he felt wasn't nearly as strong as the fatigue, but rest was mandatory regardless. There were a few times he heard voices of those around him, though he could never fully discern to whom they might belong. He had to assume he was safe considering the fact he hadn't died yet. Rest was the only thing he could focus on now.

Akimoto, however, had lost his most trusted shihan for his Dojo. Of course there were numerous others who ran it during his son's absence, but he was concerned it wasn't going as he knew it should. There were some things his trust would not extend toward.

Yuzuki had taken the roles of Captain for an extended period of time. This was not unusual, but Akimoto's conscience made him regret befalling all the responsibilities he was responsible for upon her. He didn't doubt her abilities, but it was a different reason as to why Kouta's absence affected Akimoto's work.

The Captain only continued to work as he needed. His time spent in the Dojo increased while his work in the Academy remained the same. His Division was the one who missed his presence the most. It took a few weeks for messages from the Captain-Commander and Yuzuki to reach him. Yuzuki only needed permission to execute whatever plans and procedures which required to be performed. The Captain-Commander, however, was looking for more personal favors of which he could not fulfill.

Isao knew that Kouta had responsibilities awaiting him in his family's Dojo but the man wasn't the least inclined to let him leave the compound. Even after Kouta had sufficiently recovered in the care of the Yukihiro house's healers, he hadn't been allowed to leave his room for any reason whatsoever. A while later, the healers had given him the liberty of moving around the house and using the adjoining courtyard for recovery training if he wished. It was more of a garden, really, but there was sufficient space to allow training.

Isao knew keeping Kouta under house arrest was highly inconvenient to others but frankly, he didn't care. It wasn't his problem to deal with; he had other problems of his own, namely his dead family members. Isao was beyond angry but there was no reason to act immaturely about it - there might have been a reasonable cause for them to be killed but he wasn't all too willing to listen to reason. Not even Yue's words impacted him enough to let Kouta go.

It had been close to two weeks and the House was getting ready to bury the dead. Isao himself was constantly busy, though the arrangements were done by others, and had his hands full with attending to the dead's immediate families and making up for the dead's roles within the House. It was a stressful job as he was increasingly on edge considerably more, giving Yue enough incentive to avoid him as much as possible. He'd already dealt with her, banning any more excursions to the Human world and temporarily pulling her out of the Academy, along with confining her to her chambers.

Even so, she wasn't entirely left out of the loop. The maids knew practically everything and through them, Yue knew Kouta was playing prisoner in one of the medical ward's private room that was really more of a living space. Knowing Isao, he would probably be there for a while, but Yue couldn't help but feel sympathetic. The Dojo was most likely suffering through Kouta's absence and she was sure it wasn't pleasant to be confined to a room. Yet she wouldn't leave her room for as Isao's daughter, her chambers were right next to his and his wife's separate house. It made leaving impossible, yet she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling.

Isao, on the other hand, was still busy. Having dealt with the absences of the dead family members, he was partly considering just going down to the Dojo himself but his pride wouldn't allow for it. He'd sent another messenger, requesting Akimoto's presence but word was yet to come back. In the meantime, he readied himself to attend the last of the funerals.

Dressed in elegant robes, a far cry from the usual kimono, and his wife wife quietly accompanying him by his side, Isao made his way down to the farthest point of the Yukihiro compound where, behind an exit framed by ornate double-doors and several fields down lay even more of the Yukihiro House's expansive property. Most of the surrounding land way beyond the reaches of the compound belonged to the Yukihiro Noble House, either rented, used for building various building for their House's use or worked to produce crops. There were several projects in progress as well as several gardens but today Isao's destination was an obscure yet highly decorated corner that served as the Yukihiro House's burial grounds.

On the way, he picked Yue up from her part of one of the houses and escorted her along to the burial grounds, as was customary. Like Setsuna, she had been required to wear a traditional mofuku kimono, usually reserved for immediate family members at funerals and made of plain black silk. Nevertheless, it was heavy and Yue found it hard to walk upright without stumbling, unlike Setsuna's graceful, fluid movements. Upon reaching the field, a hundred or so family members stood in uniform lines, their matching black kimonos standing out against the green of the field. They approached the small shrine-like temple and knelt, spending a good hour or so reciting prayers for the dead. Through a gap in the painted wood, Yue could see dozens of graves littering the field. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight, taking in the massive count of fresh graves. It was sickening, prompting her to once again close her eyes and pray.

After the burial came another similar ceremony exclusive to the Yukihiro House, held at the compound. Upon getting back to her rooms, Yue changed into a furisode kimono as was customary of unmarried women, the overly-long sleeves merely inches from the ground. As she had aged quite a bit since first arriving at the Yukihiro House, Yue wasn't considered a child anymore and was required to wear a furisode kimono.

Seated between Setsuna and Isao, Yue once again prayed for the very men she'd stumbled over moments after they'd died. Some had even been alive. The ceremony extended past noon and well into the afternoon, when Isao finally called the ceremony to an end. The gathering dispersed, men and women in colorful formal kimonos returning to their duties or homes. Yue was ordered back to her room and after bowing deeply to her parents, left towards her designated house.

The house was completely empty, devoid of a single soul. As Yue walked down the darkened hallway, she came across no-one else, not even a maid. Everything was left as it was. It was slightly unsettling, and Yue stopped in the middle of the hallway. The entire house was empty and its residents were only going to arrive in several minutes, allowing her more than enough time to leave if she wished. Furthermore, the maids had also attended the ceremony, making it an ideal time to simply walk out of the house. But was it even a good idea?

Her guilt overrode logic and she walked through the back door, carefully making her way towards the medical wards. She had a few minutes to spare, did she not? Yue felt like she owed Kouta an apology for everything that had happened, as well as thanking him. It wasn't something you'd expect of someone who'd lost more than fifty family members to Kouta but unlike Isao, anger didn't blind her reasoning and judgement.

It was late afternoon by the time Yue reached the medical ward and located the correct room. It was the only private ward currently being occupied at the far end of the building and she slowly walked towards it, her steps quiet despite the heavy kimono weighing her down. There was a tray of food on the floor next to the door, obviously left there by one of the attendants. Her hand came up to lightly knock on the sliding door, alerting Kouta of her presence.

Kouta was performing a few basic exercises when the family left to attend their ceremonies and funerals. He felt no responsibility for their deaths, but he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. He wished to attend the funerals as well but knew not the ask as they were family-oriented events and that he would not be invited to join them. When he heard the knock on the door, he suspected the events to be over and wondered who might have come to visit him. He suspected Yue but expected the worst, Isao.

He rose to his knees and remained bowed for whomever might enter through the door.

Hearing no response, Yue slid the door open wide enough to let her in but she remained outside. "Kouta-san?" She wasn't entirely sure what to call him anymore so she stuck to a general suffix. "Why haven't you eaten?" Yue asked, gesturing to the tray next to her. It was quite possible that he felt unwelcome and had probably missed the attendant so she picked it up and set it on the wall next to the door of his room.

"I wanted to apologize. May I come in?" Even though entering without spoken permission was acceptable, Yue couldn't overlook her manners and it had become something of a second naure. Her hesitancy and formality were tiring to most, if not everyone she conversed with, even herself. It was much more frustrating than one would suspect of her, but her docile nature didn't allow for her to displease Isao and consequently the House.

"Please," he said plainly. "For what do you need to apologize?"

Taking a seat near the door, Yue stared into her lap. "For getting caught up in this mess. And for the way my House has been treating you." She didn't blame herself for what had happened; that was beyond her actions, an accident. While the medics had done a good job of healing him, and Yue was relieved to see he was alright, she wasn't so sure about the attendant nor anybody else. "You saved me several times yet Isao-sama mostly blames you, even though I told him what had happened."

"He may have his opinions," he said again plainly. He didn't look up to see Yue in her mourning garb as he still mourned for them himself.

"They're not fair." she replied, her voice losing some of its airy quality. There was a layer of concern under her words which was rather uncharacteristic from someone who was only considered as an 'acquaintance' of sorts. After a long moment of contemplation, Yue spoke, "Why doesn't it bother you, Kouta-san?"

"It's not for me by which to be bothered," he said simply. "Perhaps he needs me for something," he lied hopingly.

"You do know he's not going to let you out, right?" Yue finally raised her eyes towards him. "I think of you as a brother and I don't know since when, probably after all that happened in the Human World but I tried telling Isao-sama that you and I are practically brother and sister by now, but he would not listen. I know his reasons for keeping you here and I'm afraid they won't do anyone any good."

"Yes, we are close. However, we cannot allow that come between your duties and mine." He was a touch solemn in determining this.

The Dojo echoed with the grunts and gasps of men and women sparring against each other while fighting through fatigue. Kouta was more conscientious of others limits, but it clear Akimoto believed in pushing beyond boundaries. Even the Shihan were having difficulty with keeping up. Perhaps Kouta had become too soft, Akimoto thought a few times to himself.

The numbers had decreased, and Akimoto noted how the Yukihiro house had removed many of their members from the dojo. Akimoto had heard that many of them died during the mission in the World of the Living but only noticed how devastating the losses were when it affected him. Maybe he was taking out his frustration on the class.

What was even more surprising was the amount of time Kouta needed to be healed. It'd been weeks and he'd yet to hear from his son. Of course, he hadn't the mind to reach out to contact him. He didn't worry for the boy's well-being as the Yukihiro healers were enough to heal most any injury. Akimoto also wished to keep focused on whatever work he could accomplish without Kouta.

"Captain Akimoto, Sensei." A Yukihiro member of a higher standing addressed him eventually. The man looked familiar, but coming from such a large house and having trained many of them, he couldn't discern who the man might be. Regardless, the man bowed deeply in respect for the Shinigami.

"Yes..." he replied with a similar bow while indicating he'd forgotten the man's name. "Ito," the man said and Akimoto continued through his lesson while sweating with the profuseness of his usual regiments. "Isao-sama seeks your company immediately. He seems impatient to tell you what happened in the World of the Living."

Akimoto actually stopped to look at the man with a full front. This was entirely unusual in itself. Such a disciplined man was taken aback by what the messenger said. "Isao-sama is impatient? What makes him think he knows better than the Research and Information Divisions?" He was clearly offended but his tone remained neutrual, almost light.

"He can wait until I'm done my lesson for the day," he told the man, resuming his workout that others might consider tortuous and inhumane even by seated-Shinigami standards.

This particular session took hours longer than his usual lessons. He was passively punishing the head without directly coming into an aggressive stance or position. It was mid-evening when Akimoto made his way to the House. He didn't bother changing into his Captain's garb as he wished to make this a conversation amongst equals. His bare torso showed light scarring and some structural damage from years of abuse. Still, his body looked as strong and resilient as always. Perhaps he was unconsciously attempting to intimidate Isao.

The guards outside the Yukihiro gate bowed deeply upon his arrival but looked quizzically upon his informal appearance. They knew their Head wished to speak with the man who'd done so much for their house in particular. Hopefully this wouldn't result in a falling-out for they would, most likely, be in the crossfire.

Akimoto made his way through the long corridors and large chambers which made up the castle within which the Yukihiro House resided. He knocked on Isao's office door twice before opening the door himself to reveal his almost exasperated demeanor. "You wished to see me," he said with a slight bite but the tone was light nonetheless. "I hope my son is doing well. Do your medical professionals know when he might be prepared to return to his duties?"

Isao barely looked up from his calligraphy, being in the middle of a complicated character. It was about time Akimoto showed up, though he was mildly surprised to note how relaxed the man seemed. He himself wasn't in a particularly good mood, the last of the funerals having taken place only an hour or so ago. Not even calligraphy helped, and that usually staved off the worst of his moods.

Eventually, he did look up and gestured to the seat a few feet away from the table, identical to his own. "Please sit, Akimoto-san." Isao spoke in an uncharacteristically polite tone, though that was the only show of politeness he'd offer. "He's perfectly fine, he has been healed back to a healthy condition, and is residing in the medical ward." He made no effort to be diplomatic anymore, his cutting tone suggested what his words did not.

He did not sit. Instead he walked toward the chair offered to him and placed his right arm upon its back. He did not have time to converse freely. "Then why has he not been released? What reasons do you have for keeping him from the duties of the Gotei as well as your personal House?" His voice was still calm but his words were direct as frustration boiled his blood.

Isao looked up at the man, his hard grey eyes boring into him. "Because he is responsible for more than fifty deaths, directly or indirectly. I do not care whether it was partially his fault or not, I now have to deal with their deaths and the deceased's families." He kept his tone formal but his anger was rather obvious. "Most of your own shihan are dead." He still respected the man and his abilities and made an effort to keep his cool. It wouldn't do him any good if his House had a falling-out and he still had to be considerate of his family's opinion, most of who were proud to be a part of his dojo.

So you believe it best to keep a man from important work? Would it not be best to use this experience productively rather than resent the unfortunate events?" The questions were rather antagonistic and mostly rhetorical. He didn't wait for very long for an answer either.

"He did what he deemed necessary at the time. Have you read the reports on the attack from the Research and Information Divisions?" It might have seemed condescending to some, but Akimoto was legitimately curious.

"What is it you needed from me? I'd like to be on my way with my son as soon as possible." He was on the border of threatening with that statement. He didn't do well with mistreating those he cared about. Isao was betraying Akimoto's trust and had done so for an extended period of time. His patience had extinguished.

"I have, as a matter of fact. He could've simply knocked them out, either one way or another." It was hard to keep his tone even and devoid of any emotion. However, he could see this wasn't going anywhere.

"The Gotei have looked into the manner themselves. These events did not go unnoticed. It was revealed that the Hollow responsible for these deaths drained and manipulated Reiryoku itself in a way the Research Division has yet to decipher. They found some kind of hive of dead and diseased Hollow." Akimoto realized this might have gone ignored. "They suspect your men were doomed to die with the death of the Hollow."

"If you believe yourself to be too busy to check on your gravely injured son, or take him back, so be it. Take him and leave but this will not be forgotten by the ones who don't have a father or have buried their children."

"And I don't suspect for it to be forgotten. Such a grave catastrophe deserves to be remembered and learned from." Possibly a jab at Isao, himself.

Nevertheless, he was Head of the House. It had been instilled into him to make the best decisions and remain diplomatic. His House came first, before himself or anyone else. "I apologize if I have taken up your time, Akimoto-san, but it seems you are not aware that you're disrespecting not only me, but my House. I sent a messenger when your son came back from the Human world and it isn't my fault you chose to ignore him. Did you not care why half of your shihan and students are dead? Did you not want to know why your son spent several days passed out cold and in immense pain? This is classified information, Akimoto-san, you wouldn't have known unless you were here." No matter his hard demeanour, Isao didn't believe in ignoring in order to train an individual, much less his family.

Akimoto allowed the senseless man to finish his ranting. He refused to apologize back, knowing he was not disrespectful in any degree, at least he believed himself to possess a lack of fault. "I trusted your House to care for my son as we have both worked to sustain and even improve the conditions of your House. My silence was my grief. My diligence was in their honor. Pain is an indication of life," he recited mostly to himself. Of course he felt some kind of sorrow that his only son was in pain and in a fatal position, but these were conditions of the Gotei and they would do well not to complain about the inevitable.

"Those mean nothing to a grief-stricken family, not in their current position. The least you could've done was come when called. I entrust my family to you, as I have done so for the past centuries, and we consider you family." Few were given the degree of trust of their House; even fewer were offered an 'adoption' of sorts into the House. Akimoto had been granted both of those and Isao considered him family. But it was hard to deal with the man at times, their ideals clashing at the worst of times.

"I shall allow you to greive, Isao, sama. But it might be best to make more sensible and productive decisions in times of crisis and grief. It would only be best for your House as well as your image." This was not the best to speak to the head of a Noble House, but they had known each other for so long that Akimoto declared the privilage to speak as freely as they had. If it would come to blows, then so be it. Honestly, Akimoto believed Isao to be like a brother.

Isao wasn't bothered by Akimoto's informal tone, nor his words. They held no impact on him for he was already dealing with the aftermath well enough to keep the situation under the radar. "I've done everything I could. My House comes before my image, and I intend to keep it so. What are you going to do about your shihan?"

Akimoto believed Isao-sama's image was that of the House, which would mean both of are great importance. But he didn't think it productive or even useful to point out. Instead he nodded slowly and "agreed" with what the man said.

"There is nothing to do. Kouta and I will only have to keep a close eye on everyone ourselves." He didn't care to explain that a lack of shihan need not require the immediate appointment of new shihan. The position came with hard work and determination. Yes, they assisted in much of the teaching, but overall the teaching descended from Akimoto and Kouta themselves.

He gave a shallow bow, another passive sleight at the Head, and said "thank you for your cooperation. Please don't hesitate to ask for assistance."