Karakura Recovery

*She blinks finally as she listens to Kyousuke's words, tears falling quietly down her cheeks as her eyes clear. Nodding, Rizu places a shaking hand on his arm.* Thank you, Kyou-kun. I....it means a lot...I'm...I'm not afraid. I don't really know what I'm feeling...but I'm Captain now...you're right, I need to keep it together...

"I'm right here if you need me," Kyousuke declared, brushing away one of her tears with his thumb. Perhaps, he would have to be strong for her, so she could be strong for herself and others, "What are your orders, my Captain?"

*Rizu blushes softly, shifting her eyes to the ground a moment as she regained her composure. After a short time, she takes a breath and looks back up at Kyousuke.* It's time to see my papa. We need to find out what exactly is going on.

With her answer, Kyousuke rises back to his full height and nods his head, "Let's go pay a visit to Squad 13 then." As they resumed their journey through the Seireitei, Kyousuke slanted a glance toward Rizu. He wondered if perhaps it might help their situation if she began addressing Captain Minamoto by title, instead of by their personal status. However, this is not something he would suggest out loud.

*Rizu nods and smiles slightly, keeping a close stride with Kyousuke as they make their way through the Seireitei towards Squad 13 headquarters.* Papa will know how to approach this, I'm sure. He always does. Plus maybe he can give me a few pointers.

"If there's anyone that was close enough to understand him, it's Captain Minamoto," assured Kyousuke, recalling information he had heard from his Instructors at Shino Academy, "Although, finding out where Koga's gone might be an entirely different matter."

*Rizu nods, staring off thoughtfully ahead of her.* Mm. You may be right. Though knowing Koga-taicho, he went somewhere he could watch everything in some way. Maybe the two events are linked...somehow...

"But what would he want to observe in the world of the living that he couldn't observe here?" inquired Kyousuke after that, "That would be the question. Moreover, why destroy the entire SRDI, rather than simply erase whatever it was he was researching? He blew up years of his own creation and inventions."

*Rizu shakes her head, shrugging slightly.* I am not the person to ask such a thing...but there is no doubt in my mind that he had a reason to do it. His aura was slightly agitated, like he was anticipating something. Beyond that, I haven't a clue. I want to find him...find him, we find our answer. *She smiles half-heartedly, looking up at Kyousuke.* Easier said than done, huh.

"After everything we've sacrificed for him and this squad, I think he owes us an explanation," replied Kyousuke firmly, also slightly irritated that their former Captain abandoned them for some foolish, selfish reason, "Koga is no traitor. I refuse to believe that," he added, mulling over the case, "I respect him. But his intelligence is his weakness. Whatever he found, it must've really scared him. Now, he's decided to respond irrationally to his find."

*Rizu nods absently, humming thoughtfully under her breath.* You're right. The last thing Koga could be is a traitor to the Soul Society. To us. I think we should take it as a warning for what's to come and heed it.

"Already ahead of you there, Captain," Kyousuke replied, "I've been getting a bad feeling ever since we returned from battling those demons."

*Rizu nods again, hugging her arms as if to protect herself. She shudders, thinking back to the sheer exhaustion and helplessness she felt with her battle with Asmodeus.* Mhm. Me too, Kyou-kun. It...it took a lot out of me. I feel like it's still exhausting me sometimes. But it's the past. We just have to learn from it.

Kyousuke listened close to the Captain, for he had been very interested to know what happened between her and that leery-eyed demon which spoke so lecherous to her. Although it had indeed been years since that battle, somehow Kyousuke felt that it wasn't all completely behind them.

'Blagh! Maybe I'm putting too much thought into everything,' thought Kyousuke, feeling a little exhausted from everything, 'It's been a long time since I've had a decent night's sleep.'

*Rizu sighs to herself quietly, pushing the memory into the back of her mind once more the best she could.* Anyways, maybe we're all stronger from it and we just don't know it yet...*She looks distant for a brief moment as she thinks to herself.* -I don't know it yet...-

"I doubt that," stated Kyousuke as they strolled. At first, he admitted he was in denial about everything; that everything they all experienced with the demons was just fleet, and it would pass in time. It had been 7 years since that day, but it was all still very fresh. They needed to fsce the truth; that that battle had left them all damaged - distanced in some form, "I don't think any of us came away from that battle empowered. I'm sure you've sensed it just as I have, haven't you Captain?"

*A shiver going through her spine thinking about it once more, Rizu nods.* Yes. I have. I... *She stops herself from continuing, feeling it may be unwise to speak of the change in her aura that she had noticed growing slowly ever since that battle.* ...Hm. Y-yes.

"Those demons challenged each of us in ways we never anticipated," Kyousuke continued, refusing to shy away from the results of that battle any longer. Someone had to say what needed to be said, "And we can't deny that what we faced awakened feelings we kept hidden from others. They revealed secrets about ourselves that no one else has the right to know. And to top it all off, they were only toying with us."

Kyousuke could feel his blades trembling. He could hear Burakkuhoru calling to him as he walked with his new Captain, trying to deafen himself to the whispers, "Those demons unleashed a battle against us we weren't prepared for. While they may be gone now, they accomplished whatever they set out to achieve."

*Thinking back on the battle was making Rizu's stomach turn and her cheeks pale. She could feel bile burning in her throat, but cleared her throat quietly and distracted herself from the nausea. Looking off to the side anxiously, she shakes her head slowly.* I...I'm not so sure about that. I think there's more to it than that...and we can't do anything but wait helplessly for the result. It...it's ominous.

"We must wait," Kyousuke agreed as his eyes began to burn with passion, "But not helplessly. We must find a way to make ourselves stronger for what happened."

'And I think I know which path I must take...' He thought to himself as he glanced at the blade nestled behind his right shoulder.

*Rizu squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head quickly, trying to shake the feeling off. She looks back over to Kyousuke, masking her anxiety the best she could.* Of course...it just...it almost feels like we're part of a game they created and the outcome is pre-determined.

With the way Rizu continued to speak, noticing the quiver in her voice, he couldn't help but wonder if she were actually ready to accept the position as Captain, or even wanted it. Still, it wasn't his call. He only wanted to be strong for her; to be strong for the Soul Society...

"Even if that's true, I'd rather discover the ending by walking with my own two feet, and not around someone else's fingertips," declared a strong-voiced Kyousuke, "Free will, regardless of circumstance, is not an illusion. Destiny awaits us by depending on the choices we make. We either choose to live as followers, or we die as leaders of ourselves."

*Rizu relaxes slightly, looking forward once more as she nods.* You're right, Kyou-kun. No matter what happens, I intend to stay strong and fight. I have you and our squad to protect now, don't I? *She smiles softly, glancing over at Kyousuke.*

Kyousuke catches eyes with Rizu, and a tender smile plays against his lips. He gave a simple shake of his head in response.

"No," he answered, "You lead us now. We protect you. Captain."

*Rizu's eyes widen and she turns her head to look right at Kyousuke. She had gotten the feeling he was a little uneasy about the change in both of their positions. As was she. Blushing softly, she bows her head.* Thank you, Kyou-kun. That's just what I needed.