Saving the Damsel

The next morning, Kenzo is still asleep, when the spirit of his zanpaku-to visits him in a dream.



Hakutaka: Wake up, you and she. Your lives are in danger.



Kenzo: What are you talking about? What do you mean, danger?



His sleep is interrupted by a violently sharp pain in his shoulder. He opens his eyes to see Mayuri Kurotsuchi standing over him, his Ashisogi Jizo stabbing him in the shoulder. His face looks twisted with anger and hate as he twists the blade in him. He lets out a painful scream. Nemu wakes up and turns to him, wondering what was wrong. When she sees her father, she lets out a startled scream of her own.



Mayuri: You little whore! How dare you defy me!!!



He takes the blade out of Kenzo and stabs Nemu with it. The poison the blade produced kept the both of them from moving an inch, yet they still felt all the pain of being stabbed.



Mayuri: Now, you’re going to watch as I carve this little bastard up.



He stabs Kenzo again, this time in the thigh, and drags the blade down his led to his knee.



Mayuri: It hurts, doesn’t it? You want to fight back, don’t you? That’s the power of my Ashisogi Jizo. It paralyzes you, yet you still feel all the pain.



He lets out a maniacal cackle as he goes to stab him again. Kenzo starts thinking. The poison was in his blood stream, there had to be something he could do to dilute the poison. Maybe if he…



Kenzo: First Limit Release!!!



With that, the tattoo that held back 80% of his rieatsu opened it’s flood gates, and the full strength of his spiritual energy coursed through him. He stands up, grateful he had put pants on before he and Nemu went to bed the night before. Mayuri can’t believe it. Not since that Quincy had someone been able to block the poison of Ashisogi Jizo. The sheer size and power of his rieatsu’s pressure was crushing, suffocating. It actually scared Mayuri. Kenzo draws his zanpaku-to and points it at the mad scientist.



Kenzo: You want to fight? Let’s fight! Spread your wings, Hakutaka!



There is a flash of light as the blade wraps around his arms. When his shikai is finished, his arms are covered in gauntlets up to his elbows, with a blade on each on the underside, extending from the wrists. Mayuri rushes out of the house, with Kenzo in hot pursuit.



Nemu: Kenzo, wait!



But he was too far away to hear her. With the poison from Ashisogi Jizo still effecting her, she was unable to get out of the bed to follow them. Mayuri leads him to the Soukyoku. He turns around and swings his weapon with all his might. Kenzo brings his arm up and easily blocks it with his armored arm. Mayuri was at a distinct disadvantage in the fight. He was no where near as good a fighter as Kenzo was, even though he was a captain. Every movement he made was countered almost as soon as he made it. Even with all the modifications he had made to his body, the extendable arms, all the experimental drugs and serums; all of Kenzo’s battle experience and instinct proved too much for him to handle.



Mayuri: I never thought I would have to use this against a pitiful insect like you. BANKAI!!!!!!!!!!



Kenzo watches in horror as Ashisogi Jizo morphs and changes into a grub-like creature with the head of an infant. A multitude of blades erupt from its midsection and a large ring appears in the sky a few feet over it. Kenzo begins to feel weak and falls to his knees.



Mayuri: What’s wrong? Is the poison from my Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo too much for you to handle? You see, unlike it’s shikai form, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo doesn’t have to cut you to poison you. Hahahahahaha!



Kenzo: More poison? You’re a real one-trick pony, you know that? Well, I guess since you’ve shown me yours, I should show you mine. BANKAI!!!



His gauntlets begin to grow, enveloping his entire body in silver armor. Complete with wings on his back and a facemask.



Kenzo: Great protector Hakutaka.



He uses his wings to take to the air and fight Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo head on. The mask over his nose and mouth filtered out the poisons from the enemy zanpaku-to and the blades on his arms cut through it like a hot knife through butter. He drops to the ground and is about to cut through Kurotsuchi himself, when Captain Kyoraku appears between them. Kenzo pulls his punch just before it connects with his captain.



Capt. Kyoraku: Okay, that’s enough Kenzo. The fight’s over. We’re under orders from Old Man Yama to bring you in.



Kenzo deactivates his bankai, seals most of his rieatsu back up, and sheaths his zanpaku-to before handing it to his captain.



Kenzo: I understand.



He holds out his hands so that Nanao can bind them. He knew this was bound to happen. It was against the law for a member of the Gotei 13 to draw their Zanpaku-to against a captain for ANY reason.



Nanao: Why Kenzo?



Kenzo looks over and sees Nemu standing there with downcast eyes, sorry that this had to happen.



Kenzo: You know me. I was protecting something precious to me.



Mayuri goes to rush over, hoping to get some cheap shots in on the bound man, but a strong hand on his shoulder stops him.



Kenpachi: Don’t even think about it. Besides, you’re not exactly in the clear either.



Kenzo is lead off to a holding cell until he was to be brought before Captain General Yamamoto. He sits there in the cold cell, a member of the 4th division stood outside the cell, sweeping the floor. She was young, if she was human, he would have put her age at around 15. Every now and then, she would look over at him, trying to be inconspicuous, turning her head back quickly if she though he had caught her. Of course her had seen everything. When you were locked in a jail cell, there wasn’t much to do other than watch the others around you.



Kenzo: You know, if you have something you want to say to me, you can just say it.



She winces a little, she wasn’t expecting him to talk and the sound of his voice startled her. He smiles a little, she reminded him a little of Nemu.



Kenzo: So, what’s your name?



Azumi: I’m Azumi Kanemura, 4th division.



Kenzo: Nice to meet you, I’m…



Azumi: You’re Kenzo Yamazaki, 4th seat of 8th division. You’re the guy who fought Capt. Kurotsuchi.



Kenzo: I didn’t know I was that famous already.



Azumi: That story’s all over the Seireitei already. Tell me, did he really attack you for sleeping with his daughter?



Kenzo: No, he attacked me because I was helping Nemu have a life of her own.



Azumi: But they said that he caught you in bed with her.



Kenzo: Never said he didn’t. I just said that’s not why he attacked us. Besides, he could have cut me up as much as he wanted, I wouldn’t have done anything. As soon as he stabbed her, that’s when it became a fight.



He leans back, resting his back against his cell wall and staring off into nothingness. Azumi has stopped sweeping by now and takes a few steps towards his cell.



Azumi: You really are like they say, aren’t you?



Kenzo: Let them say whatever they want, I know how I am. You want to know how I am, ask around 8th division, or the rest of the Bad Company.



Azumi: But…



Kenzo: Just let me sleep. I’m tired right now. If you’re still around by the time I wake up, I’ll answer your questions.



He lets out a large yawn.



Kenzo: I don’t mean to be an ass, I just need some sleep.



Azumi: Okay, I’ll see about getting you a pillow.



Kenzo: You allowed to do that?



Azumi: I think we can make an exception in your case.



She goes and gets a pillow out of a supply closet and hands it to him through the bars.



Kenzo: So, how long have you been cleaning these holding cells?



Azumi: I thought you wanted to sleep.



Kenzo: Yeah, but I did too, but it’s too quiet around here.



Azumi: You can’t sleep because it’s too quiet?



Kenzo: I normally have my radio on when I sleep. I guess I’ve gotten so used to it, I can’t sleep without it.



The two of them let out a small laugh. They talk for about an hour, Kenzo felt it very relaxing to be able to just talk and bare his soul to someone, Azumi sat there and listened, captivated by every word he said. She had heard endless stories about the members of Bad Company, but to have one just sitting here, talking to her like a regular person, they weren’t so much different form her. Finally, Yachiru comes in.



Yachiru: Little Ken! Grandpa Yama told me to come and get you.



Kenzo: Guess this is it. Thanks for listening, Azumi. Hope everything works out.



He looks back at her and smiles sincerely. Yachiru walks into the cell with a pair of handcuffs.



Yachiru: I’m supposed to put these on you, okay?



Kenzo: Sure thing, princess.



Yachiru cuffs him and leads him to General Captain Yamamoto’s chambers. All of the captains are there, on either side of the General Captain, acting as a sort of a corridor to him. Kenzo walked down the corridor, his head held high, showing no fear. He wasn’t ashamed of what he had done, he was willing to accept whatever punishment was handed down to him.



Yamamoto: Kenzo Yamizaki, you’re charged with drawing your zanpaku-to against a captain of a Gotei 13, how do you plea?



Kenzo: Self defense, but since that doesn’t really matter, guilty.



Yamamoto: You’re not afraid. Such confidence is refreshing. We’ve heard testimony from those involved and have deliberated among ourselves. Are you prepared to receive judgment for your crime?



Kenzo: I am.



Yamamoto: You are to be transferred to the Outer Division, lead by captain Kurosaki, until further notice.



Kenzo: Very well.



He wasn’t expecting this, although he would live, he felt disheartened. He was basically sent away from the Seireitei and Nemu, while she was left defenseless, open to whatever tortures her father could devise. He could feel the mad scientist glaring at him with sadistic glee.



Yamamoto: Mayuri Kurotsuchi…



Nobody was expecting this. The captain of the 12th division looks up at his superior, almost frightened.



Yamamoto: It had been brought to my attention that, not only did you instigate this conflict with Yamizaki, but that you constantly and consistently abuse and berate your lieutenant. I am appalled. As a captain, you are supposed to be a model of what it means to be a Shinigami, yet you constantly show little or no regard for the lives of your fellow Shinigami. Therefore, as punishment, and in the interest and safety of the young woman involved, Nemu Kurotsuchi is to be transferred to the 4th division under Captain Unohana until further notice.



Kenzo breathes a sigh of relief. He might not have been able to be there with her, but at least captain Unohana would be able to keep Nemu safe.