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| - Zero hadn’t been joking either. When the angle-faced veteran said they would be a few hours tending the wounded and carrying them to tents farther back in the Rukon District, Kentaro hadn’t quite expected for them to remain so long. They were into their fifth hour since he had killed the Adjuchas, though he still felt tired down to his bones. A woman of the 4th Division, with the usual medical pack over her back which marked her as such carried not only bandages and other medical supplies such as salves and cream, but steaming hot food in a tray carried from the hastily prepared fires the older Shinigami had prepared. The scent of the food – probably leathery meat – made his stomach rumble, and that made him aware for the first time that day that he hadn’t eaten since early that morning. “Eat up,” Kenji said, tossing him a length of crusty bread and some cheese. “It ain’t great, but it’ll keep your strength up.” Sitting down beside his son, the hero of the Shinigami scanned the crowd quickly, seeming to weigh everyone before returning that calm gaze to his son. “Half of them are only children,” His voice was quiet, distant, “Your different.” He added when Kentaro looked at his with a slight amount of anger. “You’ve been trained your entire life, enjoyed it and took pride in it. These ones are different, son,” And he meant it. Placing a firm and strong hand on his sons shoulder, Kenji squeezed tightly and smiled. “Zero told you to get some rest, right? See those wounds healed when you can, and don’t give me the crap about others going first. You’re my son, and my concern lies with you. Besides,” he added, almost as an afterthought, “your mother, bless her, would skin my hide and yours to boot.” There was no arguing that point. Ino was always asking after them, sending subtle reminders with the messengers that she expected to be told everything. She was too. If anything, his mother was… commanding. “Father,” Kentaro asked as Kenji stood to leave, “Thanks for leaving out the comparison.” Kenji knew what he meant and smiled as he departed. Out of everyone, it was only his father, Zero and Kusaka who made the conscious attempt not to compare him to his father. Kenji never did in fact, and that alone gave the youngster cause to smile. “Thought I’d find you here,” Kusaka dropped beside him and put him in a tight head-lock, a smile plastered across his face. “Say uncle!” And he released as Kentaro voiced the words. “Damn kid, you look like hell,” A compliment from Kusaka if there ever was one, “and smell like it to boot. How you expect to get anywhere with Harumi if you smell like a wet dog?” There was nothing malicious in it, it was just Kusaka’s way. It was good to know he was there, though. “Is it always so difficult,” Kentaro began, shifting on the stone he sat on. “Watching an ally die, I mean. I thought I could do it without blinking, but I guess I’m still weak...” His tone was distant, his gaze looking out across the battlefield as though searching out the pale-faced Shinigami, and shame settled in for not remembering his name. He'd forgotten one of the people he'd trained with. Kusaka rose and after some shuffling, kneed him hard between the shoulders, driving out whatever air was in his lungs and knocking him forward. “That’s your punishment,” Kusaka said, and Kentaro felt he really should learn to hide his emotions better, “for saying something so stupid! We all mourn, Kentaro, its only natural that we do.” Then he remembered his father’s face at seeing the young dead Shinigami before their last skirmish. “War isn’t pleasant and never will be either. The best we can do is say your farewells and move on. Say them, and move on.” He repeated, before his smile returned. “I’m not sorry for the knee, though,” and with that, he glided away towards Kenji, speaking a few words to those he passed, which brought laughter. Another two hours passed and in the sun was beginning to set, giving way to a full moon which dominated the stars twinkling brightly around it. The smoke had moved on, seemingly blown away by some Kidō spell, so for now, Kentaro enjoyed the view which actually managed to ease his feelings of dread. Footsteps announced a figure approaching but the youngster didn’t need to turn to know the man was his angle-faced mentor, Zero. “Sensei,” He greeted, using the title only when they were alone or in the company of Kenji. “How’s the planning going?” They spoke of war often, but Zero was a well of knowledge and its depths were deep. “I spoke with Kusaka,” he began, voice somewhat sympathetic, “and he is right, son.” Something of a fatherly affection entered his tone. “Don’t dwell on past mistakes, or you’ll never move forward. The plans been agreed on and we leave within the hour. Hoist your belongings and prepare well, because we’ve got a long night ahead of us, lad. Harumi’s close to being exhausted, with the fighting and the healing, so she’ll need you out there. Look after her well,” He turned and walked away, his cloak seemingly causing parts of his body to disappear into the creeping darkness of night. That hour came and went all too quickly, and when Kentaro felt the wind cut through his clothing, mocking the extra woolen cloak he wore, he ground his teeth irritably. He didn’t remember the last time he’d been so bone weary and sought only the comforts of a warm fire and his mothers cooking. “Life with what you cannot change, and focus on changing what you can.” His mother often said, and he found it fitting to the situation. He could make a difference, no matter how small. Zaraki District was the lowest district in the Rukon and the poorest area by far. The area had long since been evacuated and turned into a base for the Rukon Patrol Teams, as were the majority of the outlying districts, but that didn’t stop the hollow trying to force their way through the districts numerically. “They’re trying to destroy everything and leave nothing left.” It was the only conclusion that made sense, and his father and others often agreed with him on the point. Smoke rose in thicker plumes here than it had further out and almost every sizable building had burn marks or large holes in their body work from continued fighting. Towers for extra vantage had been erected by the civilians before the Shinigami arrived but they were mostly untouched and unused. When you could float in the sky using Shunpo, towers weren’t needed except to mark a target for the hollow. Looking out across the horizon, Kentaro found that Zero had been right again. There were a lot of hollow simply waiting a fair distance away, yellow eyes flashing in the night even at this distance. “Why are they just waiting?” Someone asked. “Should we attack? Or defend?” Questions piled atop more questions. “We should be quiet and see what comes of this,” Kentaro said atop them, quieting them. “Obviously, there’s something stopping us from attacking, so all we can do is wait and see.” Nodding, Zero took them into the district, heading straight towards a tent set up in the middle of one of the wider streets. Chat and low murmurs filled the air and anticipation hung like an odor on the wind as those close enough to the tent wondered what they were going to do next. More than a few shifted feat uncomfortably, not liking the hollow standing so close without showing signs of a fight. “Are they some new breed” or “are we going to die” and a hundred other reasons crept up and spread throughout the crowd. To Kentaro the answer was simple as though it were staring him in the face and had just been hit across the cheek with it. "Hollow not acting on instinct?" That meant they were being commanded, either by a good number of Adjuchas... or an Arrancar. Kentaro watched his father walk through the crowd to stand beside him and Zero. “Idiots,” He whispered fiercely. He’d walked from the tent a few moments ago and neither his expression nor his tone disguised his growing anger. “They won’t let the Rukon Patrol Teams leave the district and fight. They fear being flanked, yet we haven’t seen a hollow force except that one anywhere.” Zero looked intent and Kentaro settled in to listen. “Head Captain,” Zero said, and Kenji raised his head, “you could lead us. The Ryu Order answers neither to the Soul Society nor the Central 46. Not even Grand Sovereign Council can command us, Head-Captain. Give the order, and we’ll attack when you say strike.” Intensity laced the veterans tone. The Ryu Order had the skill. No one doubted that. The Academy in Horiwari Village was teaching the new recruits on a higher scale than the Shinō Academy was currently, and a great many of those recruits were the ones digging in and getting the job done. Kenji thought a moment and sighed, letting his smile show. “... Get them ready, Zero. I doubt the Patrol Teams will be fit to help. They seem convinced that there’s gonna be an army of hollow descend on them, and the Central 46 has spoken. Bloody fools, every one of them. Kentaro, you’re with us, son. Stay close to Zero.” His black outfit swished in the wind behind him as he walked away, the crowd opening to allow him past and then closing in behind him when he was passed. Zero led him and the others of his squad towards the districts outskirts, never stopping all the way until men and women under the leadership of Kenji and Kusaka came into view. “Now that we’re all here,” "This is madness!” Between the three groups, they numbered less than fifty! “Kusaka and I are gonna go in and cause some confusion,” The two smiled, no doubt remembering the days they traveled together, “Zero will led you down when the signal – a Sōkatsui fired into the sky – is given. Kusaka lets go.”
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