Life and Water

Kenji strode into the district, aware of its shabbiness but uncaring all the same - at least it was civilisation. The shacks surrounding him were desolate and seemed to be made of a mix of metal plates; the most notable metal was iron, notable because of the brown specks of rust that covered it. At least two of the fours walls of every shack was completely brown with flaking rust and creeped around the remaining walls. There still seemed to be no sign of people although the shacks held well-used belongings which were occasionally well-cared for.
Kenji could tell that something was happening in this district although he knew not what. The best way to tell, he presumed, would be to go to the centre of the action and the centre of the action was always the centre of the district. Kenji headed there in a beeline around the buildings and eventually emerged at a non-functional and damaged fountain set in a circular clearing and surrounded by two storey buildings.
Three of them were completely dead but the remaining one was bustling with activity and it was no surprise when Kenji read the sign that named it "Takusan Sake Bar". Kenji entered and instantly, the whole building was silent as all eyes turned to regard him. Kenji could feel the stares keenly as many types of people peered intently trying to pierce the cover of shadow on his face. Kenji put on an act of nonchalance and strode straight to the counter.
The bar was arranged in cubicles that branches off of one path however, each cubicle had only three walls so the view of the path (and door) were clearly visible. In each cubicle, people sat on pillows - arranged on the bamboo-mat floor - over tables that rose a foot off of the bamboo.
"Anywhere free?" Kenji asked the waitress who fidgeted nervously with the tray she was carrying.
She opened her mouth to reply but was cut across by the rumbling voice of a patron, "What 'r' you then, eh? We gots us some wannabe superhero or summat?"
This was greeted by a ripple of chuckling to which Kenji span and faced the man, "Listen, I'm not here for trouble. I just want a drink."
"Well, go ahead," The man said with a shrug, "I ain't stoppin' ya."
"Excuse me, Sir," The waitress whispered before shuffling past him and to an empty cubicle. "This one is free."
Kenji nodded his thanks as he made his way over and just caught the sight of a foot sticking out of a cubicle as he nodded. Kenji thought that it would be best to pretend that he was a normal patron and tripped over the foot but used his hands to stop himself from falling on his face.
The patrons chuckled and Kenji made his way to his seat and whispered a thanks to the waitress who hurried off to fetch a menu.

Kenji was brought a pot of green tea by his request and sipped it tentatively. The flavour of the tea - although meek - flooded his mouth and tingled his taste buds after 400 years of drinking nothing but water from a mountain spring.
Kenji relaxed and proceeded to listen to the chattering as he drank. There was talk about of a long-anticipated fight between two people of the district nicknamed "Rabid Wolf" and "Mad Fox". It seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, just a brawl between scum - it held no interest for Kenji and he proceeded to listen for more news.
"That wannabe is just a wannabe after all! Kehahaha!" Kenji heard the man cackle from his cubicle but decided to ignore him. There were worse things in the world than a drunk, fat man with a case of small-man complex.
Then he heard something that caught his attention. The Captains had changed, the old man was Captain Commander as always but Kenji caught the name Zaraki whom he did not recognise. He had apparently overtaken the 11th squad by victory and, with it, the Kenpachi title.
It was too bad; the previous Kenpachi, although filled with bloodlust in battle, was the kind of man who took care of his squad - or at least, from what Kenji could remember. The details were hazy but Kenji vaguely remembered a time when he walked the grounds of Seireitei with pride, but now, he had not so much as seen one blade of its grass in 400 years.
"KYAAAAA!" Kenji heard the waitress scream followed by the crashing of several cups and pots.
Kenji was instantly peering out into the pathway and could see exactly what had happened from the scene - while clearing the table, someone has decided to harass the waitress and from the way she stood and looked at the fat man, it was most probably him.
"Come onnn," The man babbled drunkly then made grabbing motions with his hands, "You know you want it really."
The man's companions grabbed the waitress and held her. Kenji span and found that no one was doing anything but trying to ignore it, even the owner merely busied himself wiping cups. The waitress struggled in their grasp but was no match for them and the fat man approached her.
"How about she gives us something to eat?" The man licked his lips and his eyes clearly showed his lust.
In an instant, Kenji was beside him with his zanpakutou drawn and resting on the man's neck.
"How about I do that for her?" Kenji whispered threateningly.
The look of shock on everyone's face was apparent and now all of the patrons peeked out of their cubicles to watch the drama unfold. The bar was filled with silence and the stares were just as keen as when Kenji walked in.
"Gedd out uf my way." The man growled at Kenji.
"I wouldn't think that you're in any position to give orders." Kenji replied and drew a shallow cut across the man's neck.
The men holding the waitress laughed nervously as Kenji drew his other zanpakutou and pointed it at them.
"Release her," He commanded, "Now!"
They let her go and took a step back each with fixed glares on Kenji. Kenji expected a thanks from the waitress but instead received a sharp slap across the face. Kenji blinked at her stunned before she ran away into the back room of the bar.
The men laughed at Kenji's expression and he found himself beginning to lose his temper.
"Shut up or I'll make you." His voice dripped with an icy killing intent and the laughter died immediately.
"Tch," Kenji uttered in frustration then strode from the bar and back into the streets of the district...

Kenji strode away from the bar towards the spires of Seireitei, more than slightly annoyed at the way he was thanked. He puzzled it over in his mind, turning the situation in several different directions before establishing for definite that she had nothing to be mad about - he had just stopped three men from harassing her, what was so wrong with that?
Kenji remembered something else then about himself - he had never understood women. Although he did his best to avoid situations like that, he always found himself in a position where he could not stay his hand. It was never a good thing to put your life on the line but Kenji could not stop himself when an innocent life was involved.
The wind blew strongly and Kenji drew his hood tighter while the cape fluttered behind him. Over the wind, Kenji heard a faint voice and span to see the waitress from before running to catch up to him.
"Please wait!" She shouted over the gusting wind. "I never had the chance to thank you," She said as she finally caught up to Kenji.
"Well, no," Kenji replied, "You seemed to think that a slap was more appropriate."
The waitress turned red in the face in embarassment and wordlessly held out a small pouch, tied with string.
"What's this?" Kenji raised an eyebrow at the pouch... Although she couldn't see it anyway.
"It's my 'thank you'," She replied and pushed it at him.
Kenji looked distastefully at it and asked, "Is it money?"
The woman nodded briefly and pushed it at him again.
"I can't take it." Kenji said while shaking his head. "If you can afford to give money to a stranger, use it to buy something nice for yourself. It seems like you could use it with the customers you get."
The woman shook her head furiously and pushed it at him again, "Please, just take it or I'll feel bad."
Kenji closed her hands over the pouch and pushed it back to her then pulled his hood down and smiled at her, "Consider it my gift."
Kenji disappeared from in front of the woman, leaving her staring at empty air. She looked around for him but soon gave up when she realised that he would not be found and left. Overlooking the space where they were, Kenji lay on the roof of a shack - he was surprised it did not give out under his weight, it must have been more sturdy than he thought.
Kenji waited a while until he was sure the woman was gone then shunpoed back onto the road with his hood up and continued on his way to the next district.
Kenji chuckled to himself and thought, I don't think I'll ever understand women.

Kenji, having remembered this much about himself, felt a little more comfortable. He felt less like a stranger in his own skin as his body seemed to gradually accept the consciousness of the man who inhibited it. Kenji sat on a barrel that stood by the side of the path and put his hands over his head as it began to ache.
Suddenly, everything was a blur and Kenji had the feeling of motion and found himself watching a blurry scene. The place he stood had a nostalgic feel about it but Kenji couldn't quite place it. A younger him stood with his right palm out and his left hand grabbing his right forearm. Over his younger self stood an older man who sported a black but greying beard without a moustache and similar hair. He nodded as Kenji's younger self turned and spoke to him but no sound came out, Kenji felt like he was watching a silent film without the music as the man spoke to Kenji's younger self.
The younger him turned to face forwards and a look of intense concentration crossed his face as he spoke some words. All of a sudden, bright blue flames burst forth from his palm and set fire to a straw dummy that was set up on wooden pole. Kenji's younger self turned back to the man with a look of satisfaction on his face and Kenji smiled at his youthfulness.
Kenji suddenly felt as though he was falling and found himself back in the present, still carrying his head in his hands. Kenji remembered now what that scene was.
Kenji heard the scuffing of feet from his right and leapt to his feet just in time to see an incoming kick and sway past it. Kenji punched the assailant in the jaw as he went past him and attacker half-flipped in the air, their neck crashing against the floor.
Kenji looked around him and saw that he had been surrounded by five - no, six - men. The five in the circle parted to allow the sixth person to step through. It was the fat man from the bar.
"You," He snarled, "Apologise to me, the great Mad Fox right now!"
Kenji scoffed involuntarily. "[color=red]You?[color]" Kenji laughed and faced the wall as he tried to control his mirth. Eventually, he turned back and continued, "What part of you is a fox?"
This question was greeted with complete silence on all accounts but the wind. Kenji couldn't help but laugh again as he realised that his henchmen - and even the man himself - didn't know why he was called a fox.
The man turned red in the face. "You shut up! Kill him!" The fat man roared.
The men hesitated but at a repeated shout, they closed in as one...

*From close by, Rizu sees the commotion and jumps to her feet, leaping over the crowd of men to stand beside Kenji* My goodness, need a hand? *Grins and switches to an offensive stance*

Kenji turned to regard the woman who had just sprung over the men and landed beside him. She wore a shihakusho which Kenji instantly recognised but that of a student. She may not have been the strongest-looking fighter Kenji had ever seen but at these odds, any help was appreciated.
"Much obliged." Kenji returned before lowering his hood and drawing his zanpakutou.
She looks young, Kenji thought with a slight frown. I hope her skills make up for it.
Kenji rushed at the nearest man who wielded a steel pipe and struck with both zanpakutou at the man's midriff. The steel pipe clanged as the zanpakutou cut halfway through it when the man dropped it to guard. The guard was blown away and Kenji snuck a right kick into the man's ribs who stumbled away as Kenji span to parry a knife. He punched the knife-wielder in the face then span to see how the woman was faring...

*Smiles calmly and launches herself up above one of the men, drop kicking him in the collar bone and landing in a kneel behind him, holding her hands out towards the next man advancing with a cold glare* Hado #31, shakkaho. *Fires the shakkaho towards them both, glancing over distractedly towards Kenji* Two down over here.

Kenji chuckled to himself as the woman called out the body count. Had she no sense of propriety? Kenji thrust his hand back and the hilt of his zan connected with the solar plexus of a man who was instantly winded and bent over to take a left rear kick in the face.
Kenji found his zanpakutou sheathed and his right hand pointing at the remaining henchmen. What was he doing? Kenji found his mouth moving unconsciously as his left hand gripped his right forearm and he muttered under his breath.
""Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado no 33: Soukatsui!"
Blue flames burst from his right palm and engulfed the men. Kenji stood frozen for a moment, shocked at what he had just done but quickly recovered when the flames died out and left the men burned but not dead. He span to face the fat man from the bar.
"So," Kenji said nonchalantly although his heart was beating out of his chest in surprise and a small fear, "What do you want to do now?"

*Rizu stands up slowly, eying over the damage left and walks over cautiously towards Kenji, mumbling quietly* Full incantation? *smirks* A little overkill if you ask me but whatever works. *Stands a pace or so behind Kenji, tilting her head curiously towards the large man and placing a hand on Kenji's shoulder* Calm down eh? *gestures towards the incapacitated men behind them* Don't want another...mishap.

Kenji didn't say anything as the woman spoke to him. He didn't want to give away the fact that he couldn't control his own body for a second. Instead, he proceeded to glare continuously at the fat man as he sweated and looked around at his fallen men.
"I... I'll get you back for this, Shinigami!" The man roared before turning tail and fleeing at top speed.
"Thanks... I guess." Kenji said to the woman, finally facing her. His lips thinned as many questions sprung to mind but he decided that it was probably more polite not to ask them.
Kenji held his hands beneath his travelling cloak as they began to tremble with the aftereffects of adrenaline and fear. He hadn't wanted to give away that he was a Shinigami unless absolutely necessary but, now that he had used kido, he guessed that there was no helping it.

*Rizu nods slowly; still tilting her head a bit, noticing that he looks shaken up and frowns slightly* Something's bothering you to the bone. Perhaps you need to relax, have a drink or something. *holds her hand out towards him* I'm Rizu by the way.

Kenji shook her hand, "Kenji. Nice to meet you."
The words seemed awkward on his tongue after so long of not using them.
"Yeah, that drink sounds good..."
Kenji frowned to himself and followed the woman.

*Rizu nods again and walks towards the bar, looking back at Kenji and speaks under her breath* That full incantation sokatsui...was unintentional wasn't it? Your aura changed.

Kenji froze as the Shinigami turned back to him. The surprise he felt was most probably evident by his expression - the woman was much sharper than Kenji had first expected, he himself hadn't noticed his aura shift until she mentioned it.
"And what of it?" Kenji shot back in an attempt to brush the topic off. "It got the job done didn't it?"
Kenji strode into the bar without waiting and sat straight down to order some sake. As soon as it arrived, he drank the first cup like a shot and found his shaking subsiding.
He stared into the cup as he spoke, "Perhaps it would be best that I didn't return to Seireitei until I'm sure I can control myself." Kenji looked up at Rizu and asked to comfort himself, "Don't you think so?"

*Rizu sits down next to Kenji and flags the barkeep down for a cup of sake. She shakes her head and chuckles quietly, shrugging* You're right, it did. But the fact is that you were even more shocked by it than the poor fools getting it. *She takes a sip of her sake and gently places it back down on the bar, looking towards Kenji* What you decide to do with this is your choice; however, nothing is ever learned by running from your problems. Tell me, do you like it? Being a shinigami.

Kenji pondered on the question for a while before replying. He chose his words carefully so as not to make an enemy nor a friend of this woman who he had no idea about.
"I wouldn't know. I don't remember most of what being a Shinigami is... Or was." Kenji refilled his cup and offered to pour some more for the woman. "From what I remember, there is nothing wrong with the cause of the Shinigami; cleanse souls, purify hollows and maintain the balance between worlds. But perhaps it would be best that the Shinigami were not so true to their name. There is nothing wrong with governing the passage of souls but when Shinigami begin to dabble in the lives of the living and disturb the natural balance, something will inevitably go wrong."
Kenji wrinkled his brow at the thought - why did it seem like there was something he should remember(?) - then turned to face the woman and look her in the eyes.
"But I'm interested, what about you?" He asked with a lazy wave of a hand.

*She raises an eyebrow slightly, drinking the rest of her sake and looking down* Well my point is, if it feels right, why run from it? You can control that...business with time and perseverance. *Rizu looks up again at Kenji with a fiery look in her eye* I love it. All of it.

Kenji smiled back at her then raised his hood.
"Keep that persistance and spirit of yours and you'll be fine. The business will be tended to, I assure you."
Kenji downed his sake and left the bar completely sober. There were things to be done...