High Hangs the Crown [Solo]

Holy fuck.

What a goddamn month. Igen honestly had been pretty busy as it were, just with all the paperwork that was floating around with the changes to the Gotei. The announcements from the newest Captain Commander alone had turned a lot of heads, not just because of the workload, but people all around the division were talking about the opportunities opening up. New Potential Squads. Promotions. New Hires. It was all hot talk, and frankly that was exhausting enough as it were.

But well, that wasn't all that Igen had been up to. His life had been getting all kinds of busy even just with his own personal matters. There were the natural tussles he got into on his own. Training and the like. But now it seemed like that kind of thing just naturally followed him on it's own. From the gauntlet he'd run through in the Sawachika family, to the sudden impromptu ass whooping he'd gotten down on earth AFTER working his way through a bunch of hollows. And when he'd finally gotten home and worked all day on learning how to prepare pickles, his little visit to Kyo's. It was..... shit. It was a LOT.

Laying down on his cot, he couldn't help but feel a slight buzz of fatigue through his whole body. When was the last time he'd been so wiped out?

He glanced to the side and sighed, his eyes snaring on the sight of his own weapon. His Asauchi.

Hadn't he been planning on meeting with Murasaki about that? It was wild.... but somehow, he just ...had never found the time.

"Sorry. I probably should make time for you..." He murmured, his voice soft as he picked up the weapon and held it up overhead. Sighing softly.

He closed his eyes and set the weapon across his chest. He really needed to make that appointment. Otherwise his Zanpaku'to was never gonna talk to him. Would he even have the energy once it did?

"It's not a matter of talking. It's a matter of listening."

The voice.

His eyes snapped open in an instant. That soft, prowling voice suddenly triggered a memory in his head, and Igen SAT up suddenly, as if expecting his Zanpaku'to to be .....uh....rrrright..... there?

This wasn't his room.

The flood of color was almost blinding, and Igen swallowed audibly as he ...looked around. And found himself staring out into bright blue open skies rather than the walls of his home. In an instant, he was ... taking it all in. A Beautiful blue sky hanging over what looked like a vast mountain range. Lush green trees turned those swooping peaks a bright viridian, and he was very aware that he himself was seated at a peak above all the rest. Watching a far-off sun crest between the mountains themselves.

"Holy shit...." He mumured softly. and ...slowly picked himself up off the floor, only to SPIN when he heard a sudden ...snap behind him! But there was nothing there... just the twisting trees that peppered even the summit of the mountain. Wait, could Trees even GROW this high up?

"Uh..... hello?" He called out, looking around and expecting to see.....ssssssssssomething? Someone?

This wasn't right, he was in his inner world, he could tell THAT much. But where ...was his zanpaku'to? His soul wasn't THAT big was it? Did inner worlds get bigger for ...diffeent reasons? WAS this big? Small? He actually didn't know.

"You seem perplexed. You, who have held such vast ambitions. Did you really think it would be small?"

He turned again, and saw... nothing. The voice seemed to always be coming from behind him. What the hell? Was his a STEALTH type Zanpaku'to? "I mean.... cool but uh. Can you come out? I've been really excited to talk to you and uh, I feel kinda rude just shouting into the forest." He chuckled, before something caught the corner of his vision, and he turned to see... a .... uh...

He froze in place, briefly .... confused as he saw..... his ...Zanpaku'to spirit? He expected a person. Or maybe a monster. But no... it was ... a fucking TIGER?! Big, bulky, and slowly prowling towards him.

He .... felt dizzy looking at it. As the animal moved toward him, it's body slogged through the air. Not that it was going slowly, but ... it was ...nauseating to watch, as it's body seemed to twist and split. As if a group of Tigers simperimposed over one another were walking ALMOST as one.

"You don't look so hot, buster. Maybe you should take a seat," That voice crooned. BEHIND HIM?!

He was suddenly MUCH more alert. The voice wasn't coming from this ....tiger... thing? But from the forest. Was the FOREST his Zanpaku'to? How was he supposed to Wield a Forest?

"OH uhm... well, you know... I uh... I'm not that tired, my name's Igen beeteedubs! Nice to meet you uh... what's your name?" He asked cheerfully, reaching out and offering his hand upward to the beast. Causing it to stall for just a moment, it's head cocking in several directions at once to peer almost incredulously at him, a dizzying mess of tails swaying behind the beast.

"You're not afraid." The voice murmured from the trees, and this time, at least, Igen didn't start looking around. Instead his eyes stayed trained on the tiger infront of him. "Uh....well... you know. I was a little worried you'd be a monster or something, so this isn't so bad." He chuckled sheepishly, remembering Katori's own experience. The best SNORTED and promptly moved in, and sniffed his hand. Seeming to consider for a moment, before it licked his palm once. Which....okay ow that hurt. He winced slightly and flexed his fingers, that rough tongue practically felt like a cactus!

"You really should be a bit more afraid. But.... perhaps I like that about you. You're almost cool in that way." The voice mused, all while Igen wiped the saliva off of his palm onto his hakama leg.

"I mean, why would I be scared? After all, you're gonna be my partner right? So I'm gonna have to learn to get along anyway." He reasoned, smiling from ear to ear and reaching up to pat the beast on ....uh....one of it's heads?

The beast stared at him through that myriad of eyes, silent for a few moments even as Igen prepared himself for .... an ...attack or something? But instead, he heard a high, girlish laughter echoing around him.

"Fair enough, Boss. I like you. So many fights you've been in lately~ Always seeking to prove yourself." She chimed.

He blinked. "Well I wouldn't go THAT far. I just do it to have fun, It's not really about impressing someWAH!" He JUMPED back as suddenly a barrage of teeth CLAMPED just inches from his face, leaping back just in time to hear that ringing laughter again!

"You keep talking like I don't already know that. But that's alright Kiddo~ You've done far more proving to me in the last few weeks than I could probably could beat out of you tonight.

Just call me-..."

Holy shit.... how long had he been out?

Staring up at the ceiling of his room, he couldn't help but feel....rested? Had that little excursion taken like...eight hours or something?! He slowly rolled his head to the side. The hell, did someone put a blanket on him? He must have REALLY been out. That sure was the strangest Jinzen he'd ever....accidentally been pulled into. A groan escaped him and he couldn't help but yawn just a little. Was it the morning already?

Slowly, he reached over, to try and grab his phone and figure out how long he'd been asleep. When he realized he couldn't actually turn that far. The fuck? He groaned, slowly glancing up and staring down at whatever blanket someone had put on him. His hand promptly resting on .... thick fur. Of a whole-ass tiger laying across his torso.

Oh.