A Strange Meeting

Izueo never saw it coming.

With all his acute senses focused on finding Mayonaka, he couldn't react in time to dodge or block the kick.

Even for a masochist. That hurt.


The kick sent him sprawling, flinging him into a nearby tree where he smacked his head, hard. Now his head and his jaw hurt. On top of that, he fell to the ground in a heap, hurting his chest as well.

"Ow... fuck." Izueo stated dryly from the ground, sitting up and rubbing his head as his Ziamichi form and shikai faded away, his normal sheathed katana and appearance returning.

"Heh... Guess I needed that." Izueo said, embarassed, still rubbing his head as he looked at Arata.

As the kick hit its target, something inside Arata snapped once more. He hit Izueo, he hit him hard. When Izueo collapsed to the ground with a thud, guilt began to overflow inside Arata. He had not felt guilty in a long time. Normally, he would have stuck the landing like a cat, but the distraction that was his own overpwoering guilt lodged itself deep in the pit of his stomach. He felt nausceous. Within the few seconds his foot made contact with Izueo, Arata fell like a marionette cut from its strings. His body hit the ground and crumpeled like paper. The light around him dimmed quickly and then died out. He closed his eyes. Darkness. Arata changed in the dark, he was now back to his original humanic appearance. His body sprawled like an eagle, he was not unconscious, but just unable to do anything at the moment. The guilt triumphed over Arata. Arata hated guilt. He couldn't even summon a responce for Izueo.

Mayonaka was surprised to see Izueo receive the hit. It would seem Mayonaka had no need to intervene. Even more surprising though, was when Arata fell to the ground afterward. Had He missed something, had Izueo made some sort of last second counter? Sheathing his Zanpacto, it became sealed once again. The Demonic Shadow Mirrors faded away.

Mayonaka turned to Izueo, lying on the ground. "Have you calmed down now Izueo?" he asked. Walking over to Arata, he offered him his hand, wanting to help the man up. Hopefully all this drama was now over. If Izueo calmed down, Mayonaka would not report any of this to Soul Society. No more drama had to be created from any of this.

"Oh my god. That hurt like a bitch." Izueo stated coldly, rubbing the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.

He turned to Arata, seeing the look of guilt on his face, "It's alright, don't feel bad. I needed that. Thank you."

Izueo cracked his neck, turning back to Mayonaka, "Yeah, I'm fine now, sorry... I don't know what came over me..."

Arata slowly opened his eyes and let out a small groan, he had landed awfully hard on his back. he felt so stupid and still filled to the brim with guilt. With some hesitation, he looked up at the man standing before him. It was Mayonaka with his kind eyes and his hand was outstretched towards Arata, he was touched that he offered his help for him. Arata shook his head politely, "It is okay, thank you." He said calmly before forcing himself up with his elbows. Once he was on his feet he glanced down at Izueo. "You should have taken me a bit more seriously. I do not wish to do that again..." Arata said in a firm, but clam tone as his eyes pierced Izueo's. He stood there quietly, not offering his hand or doing virtually anything productive. Finally, he turned his back to both Izueo and Mayonaka and began walking in the opposite direction. He aimed to leave, and hoped to meet them again in due time... Hopefully, on a much more pleasant note.

Arata turned to leave, he seemed rather not content with the series of events that had unfurled here. Mayonaka remembered that he was supposed to report to Soul Society n the Hollow siting. Although he had taken care of the Hollow rather quicker than he had expected, he had stayed with Arata and Izueo, delaying hm and making it seem like something had happened with the Hollow. Turning to Izueo, he spoke in a serious tone.

"I will not talk of anything that happened here today to those in Soul Society, if you do the same. I must be going now though, I have to report back on my earlier assignment. Fair well Arata and Izueo. Hopefully the next time we meet it will be on better terms."

Turning from them both, Mayonaka created a Senkaimon. Walking through the sliding door that appeared in the air into a type of waiting room, Mayonaka turned and smiled to the others before the door slid closed and he was gone.

[Exit Mayonaka]