+1 to the Party [Igen, Sawachika family]

Whew! It'd been quite a bit since he'd been to the Sawachika family estate! Well no, he did actually check in now and then, but given how busy he'd been very recently with his training and of course being in Squad One, he WAS a little busy helping coordinate and serve as low level supervision for the operations in Africa. Getting used to his Zanpaku'to. Heh... and there was also her.

He gave a little smirk in Ko's direction and felt a little swell of pride in his chest. He couldn't help but be happy with the Zanpaku'to that he'd managed to pull. Ko seemed to be a bit here and there as of late, currently she was in her tiger form and walked casually alongside Igen. He was even a little excited to see how the Sawachikas would react to his progress.

Turning his attention to the path before him, he took just a moment to admire the gate to the Sawachika estate. One that he had once been QUITE intimately familiar with the last time he'd been thrown through the old one. Ah... memories. With a smile still on his face, he reached up and gave a firm knock on the gate. Glancing at Ko as the tigress promptly settled down beside him.

There was a reason Igen loved coming here. There was a sense of ... not quite apprehension or anxiety. But a sense of anticipation that always surrounded the household. And that feeling was rewarded when his knock was answered. The sound catching his attention, the young man's attention snapped up to the woman up at the top of the gate and that sudden whistle of a spear flying through the air immediately let him know what was about to happen. With a sudden burst of energy coursing through his body, Igen's senses suddenly sharpened, using spiirit energy pumped up through his nervous system to sharpen his senses, a technique employed in healers when utilizing Kaido in order to bolster one's reikaku so that they could heal deep inside without having to open the patient up. In this instance, it allowed him to suddenly shift, his body a brief blur as he shifted to the side and reached in, clamping his hand on the flying spear.

There was the briefest sudden spike in friction as he stopped the spear, and it slid the tiniest bit in his grasp before it came to a full stop, bringing heat to his palm, and a sudden WHEW from Igen as the adrenaline caught up with him! A big beaming smile breaking out across his face, glancing up to Lady Ai and promptly offering a salute with the spear. "Good afternoon Lady Sawachika!" He greeted the woman. It was hard not to instantly be happy when he ran into one of the members of Kyo's family. The energy was exactly what he enjoyed the best! And off to the side, Ko couldn't help but put on a proud little smirk. The short tiger-eared woman looking for all the world like a proud teacher after Igen's little maneuver. At least until she cast a glance up to the wall. Offering a silent smile of approval.

Igen couldn't help but smile at the greeting, giving a sheepish look before giving a sheepish shrug of his shoulders. "Ah, ahah, I mean I was really not looking for anyone in particular. If I'm being honest I just realized it's been a while since I was last here. I didn't really have anyone specific in mind when I came here." He admitted with a chuckle. "It's been a bit of a wild couple months. OH!" He probmptly straightened up and gestured toward the Tiger seated beside him. Having almost completely forgotten that they wouldn't be familiar with them.

"I recently managed to learn my Zanpaku'to's name! This is Ko! My Shikai. Ko, you remember Lady Sawachika." He promptly introduced the two of them. The Tiger took only a moment to glance toward Lady Ai before promptly rising up, the motion continuing past what would normally be possible for such an animal before their form simply seemed to melt into a dark shadow, one that soon was replaced by Ko's human form. The short, tiger-eared young woman who offered a bow of respect to the lady of the household, before flashing an impish smirk.

"It's a pleasure to visit your home once again, Lady Sawachika." Ko promptly intoned, a surprising ammount of respect behind the Zanpaku'to's voice as they greeted the woman. Certainly Igen had a relieved expression on. He never really COULD tell how Ko would behave around certain individuals.

Igen couldn't help the big grin that flashed across his face, all too happy that hs presence was actually enjoyed. Perhaps it was his past, but some small part of him always did question that his presence was a welcome one. And so the affirmation went a long way into bolstering his spirits.

Goodness knew he ... needed it these days.

"I'm glad to hear that! And thank you! Honestly, I have you to thank for it." He smiled and offered a deep, appreciative bow toward the woman, earning a raised brow from Ko as Igen expressed his ...appreciation. "During our clash, I truly enjoyed myself. Fighting someone such as yourself, It brought something out in me. And when it did, that was the first time I was able to hear Ko's voice. I'm uh...eheh... not really sure why. But I wanted to thank you anyway." He noted, raising himself back up and smiling appreciatively. All the while Ko simply kept a knowing smirk on her features as she observed the interaction, those bright golden eyes betraying nothing.

"Bye the way.... is everyting...alright? It's awfully quiet around here...."' Igen suddenly paused and canted his head to the side. Curiosity dawning on his features as he glanced around as if to try and sus out any sounds in the distance. After all, there usually was SOME kind of noise going on around the estate.

Igen nodded lightly at that and gave a slight sheepish smile at the explanation, not only of the fact that her murderous intent had been what pushed his zanpaku'to to speak up,. but also the fact that the Sawachika family just not being around sometimes hadn't even occurred to him. That certainly made a lot of sense, he supposed even with how many of them there were, there was bound to be times when there just wasn't much of anyone home. That said he did pause and look to the woman before him and wonder. Did she ever leave the estate? What did she do when she wasn't tending to the home and the kids? Hmmm, thoughts for later.

"Oh I mean, I don't mind. I guess I just kinda got used to all the ruckus. It kinda reminded me of the places I'd hang out when I was younger before I joined the Gotei. Only you know..... a lot less booze everywhere." He murmured thoughtfully. Though when Lady Ai brought up the subject of if he preferred things when they were a bit louder the hint of menace behind her words certainly wasn't lost on him. "I wouldn't mind making a bit of noise. Ko? You up for a bit of a fight?" He glanced to his Zanpaku;'to with a building excitement in his voice.

Ko herself smirked slightly toward Igen before turning that predatory smile toward the lady of the household. "Of course. It's been quite a while since I got to experience you and Lady Ai making a mess of things. If I'm being honest, I was hoping I'd get a chance to get involved this time around." A playful, toothy smirk that showed off her own sharp incisors crossed her features. There certainly were a lot of differences between Ko and Igen. But she certainly seemed to share Igen's enthusiasm for combat.