Justice [Kanae/Open]

"Huff...huff...huff..."

A man, no older in appearance than an academy student, gasped for every breath as he sprinted down alley after after alley, stumbling over loose pieces of wood or sacks of grain as he went. He was being hunted. Everywhere he went, his hair stood up on end as his very soul told him that monster was nearby. It felt as if a blade was held to his neck, daggers stabbing into his back from eyes he knew not where.

"Dammit, it wasn't supposed to be like this!" the young man hissed quietly, not wanting to give his location away as he ducked behind a large crate. Legends in this District told of a terrible calamity that once rose and fell upon its inhabitants, slaughtering hundreds, even thousands of people. This predator now stalking him reminded him of those scary stories of the night he and friends told each other as children...only now the nightmare was his reality.

A high pitched, cold laugh rang out at the opposite end of the alleyway, causing the man to break back out into a sprint. Despite years of struggle hardening his spirit, tears flowed from the corners of his eyes. He felt helpless, as if his destiny were irreversible; he would die like the others who had been butchered in front of him. For some reason he had been allowed to escape, perhaps it was the Soul King who granted him this one favor, maybe it was just luck--

The man's thoughts were disrupted as he felt something hard and small in front of his foot that hadn't been there a moment ago, causing him to trip and fall to the ground in a heap. He was dazed, his skull having slammed into the unforgiving ground as he came to a halt. The face-down man turned over onto his back, trying to see what happened but once more he was interrupted, this time by a sharp pain in his abdomen and the sensation of warm liquid dampening his clothes.

"Wha...?" A black blade extended from his body, its tip having pierced the ground below, locking him in this position. As his senses fully returned the young man was overwhelmed by the pain but his mind did not leave him, he could feel every inch of steel within stomach. Then, the sensation changed; his abdomen felt hot, as if it were on fire. Wisps of steam rose from where the blade sank into him, and suddenly his horrified screams filled the air.

A woman, beautiful and gentle in appearance, with a stare as cold as ice stood over the screaming man. Her violet eyes and excited smile filled his vision as he reached down and felt where his lower torso had just been. Now only strips of flesh at his hips kept his top and bottom halves connected. "I'm so happy you ran, child. So many in Kusajishi beg for mercy, but you...you thought you might live. How fun."

Kanae Nagoshi, Captain of the Gotei's Death Division, withdrew her sword and pressed her foot to the side of the screaming corpse's head. "Now...be...quiet." His death was guaranteed, but his cries had begun to annoy her; and so, with a bit of pressure, she caved in the man's skull with a Crunch and Squelch, which reminded Kanae of a a watermelon, sending blood out across the dirt road as it burst. She rubbed her sandal across the ground to get some of the man's blood off it, her sword returned back to her hip. What was that now, six kills? A solid effort, she thought.

       

… Last time he decided to visit the outer, outer, outer Rukongai, he intended to confront his parents now that he was a full-fledged member of the Gotei. That was when he stumbled into Armina, and twice… twice did he almost lose his fucking life to her. Now, by some miracle of divinity above, he was in her more tolerable graces – maybe she had no choice but to respect the game after getting on her nerves for so long.

But that also meant he didn’t have to worry about her if he stumbled upon one of her parades out here… so he tried once more to confront his parents. Since last time, he’d also been promoted to 13th Seat of the Eighth Division, so not only was he a literal employee – he was in a high position! Only 10 seats away from Noharu, too – that had to count for something!

My life’s looking brighter by the day… meanwhile, I bet y’all are still rotting away at some corner of the room…

… It was new. Usually, the image of his parents would drive Ranma mad – the years of negligence would be pushed to the forefront of his mind and make his eyes veiny, but… now, he was starting to feel a bit of pity too. Not exactly a pleasant feeling, I can tell you that. Perhaps, it was because of that unsettling feeling that he had gotten so horribly lost that he found himself 8 districts further away from his parents’ place than he should’ve been. At first, he didn’t pay any mind to it – these sad places barely had monuments or signs in good condition to tell him scrap – but-

…

…

…

His throat felt like it was bleeding – not in the actual kind, but more like having drunk too many bottles of fizzy drinks and drying your throat out. Something about the atmosphere made him aware of his own breathing, manually keeping it in check as his heartrate increased. A… disturbing energy hit him as he continued stepping across several roofs, and for some otherworldly reason, he felt forced to land his feet on the ground immediately.

“… Nooooo… no no no no no…” he told himself, deciding that it wasn’t worth visiting his parents for – whatever caused him to feel this uneasy was nearby. That… aura made his cells scream ‘Holy fuck! Something is trying to kill you! Flee! Turn back! Run away!’.

He’d like to believe that the source of this harrowing pressure was something he could avoid, but further down the dirt road, he spotted a taint of red liquid run out of an alleyway. His eyes might’ve been fooling him, but… the air looked like it was forced to rush straight down from that alleyway, burdened by strong gravity. Now, he could feel just how cold his sweat had gotten.

That’s not Armina… that… that’s something worse… he reminded himself, for he could easily tell that this thing was deadly. At least, when he encountered Armina out of nowhere, he could play cool and sort of pass off the difference in strength, but it was impossible right now. He couldn't see the source of the pressure yet, so despite common sense, he wouldn't even know if it was a Shinigami or not before they revealed their form.

"No, please, don't do--"

The desperate cries of a man facing death were interrupted, his voice replaced by a Shing and then two thumps. Kanae, having avoided getting any blood on her Haori or Shihakusho, stepped over the now-split left and right halves of her latest victim. A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she contemplated her afternoon activities. In the past, slaughtering a dozen miscreants would be enough to satiate her thirst for at least a little while, but now it was like a sip of water under the desert Sun; hardly hydrating.

All the little mice and rats had already fled, either into their own houses or down other alleys, anything to escape her blade. Kanae continued walking, side stepping the pool of blood that had grown next to her, ignoring the trail of death she had carved through the Kusajishi District. Not even the Rukongai Police had a strong enough presence here for her to bother with any kind of official formality, and so she simply left the corpses where they lie.

Turning the corner from the alley, Kanae entered back into the street she had stalked her prey along. Her Reiatsu Chikaku and eyes were drawn to the presence of an unknown male cowering nearby, one she immediately recognized as a Shinigami. As her violet eyes bore holes into the man, steam rose from her black bladed Zanpakuto, the blood still freshly dripping from it quickly cleaned off its edge.

"Identify yourself, Shinigami."

       

While the aura alone had almost made him crap himself, Ranma was… for lack of a better term… kind of hopeless in acknowledging intent. The aura was there, but the person that moved around the corner and stepped towards him was clad in a Shihakushō and a very recognizable Captain’s white haori. This was no ordinary Shinigami, and not even a Vice-Captain… but a full-fledged, authority-carrying Captain!

“Oh… hey there! I’m Ranma, from the 8th Division,” he greeted and introduced himself in a direct, linear, formal manner paired with a salute, his guards falling a lot with the familiarity he now felt. She was clearly a Captain of the Gotei United, so there was definitely a reason why she was out here. He didn’t recognize her by appearance, but he felt safe by her… despite her pressure weighing down on his shoulders in a way that not even Ranny could do. “I haven’t met many Captains of the Gotei United up until now, so it’s a real honor.”

Ah, a member of that ostentatious fruit of a Captain's Division. Kanae eyed him up and down as she began walking a slow circle around him, analyzing every square inch of Ranma. Ignoring his apparent awe from meeting a Captain, Kanae spoke as if he hadn't said a thing "Is this how members of the Eighth introduce themselves? No rank, and by your given name? How...quaint." There were traces of venom in her words, as dangerous and deadly as her Reiatsu.

After circling Ranma a couple times, Kanae came to a stop directly in front of him, her gaze boring into his own, her eyes cold and unblinking. "Tell me, Ranma from the Eighth Division, what exactly are you doing all the way out here in the Kusajishi District? Who's authority sent you here?" She couldn't dismiss the possibility he was here to trail her, after all some in the Gotei were apparently still suspicious of her. Then again, he didn't exactly have the...aura...of someone with such a responsibility.

       

He started feeling a bit… exposed? I mean, she circled him like a lion circling its prey, and it felt like her eyes burned through fabric, skin, flesh and bone. Not to mention her disapproval… you loved to see it, huh? Formal disapproval by the higher-ups…

“Well, I don’t… have one- yet,” Ranma elaborated, though something nudged the back of his head that she wasn’t going to listen to any of his excuses anyway. Instead, she immediately demanded to know what and why he was here. “Oh… I’m here to visit my parents, but… I don’t recognize these roads. Not that I’m lost or anything… why would I be lost? That’d be braindead…”

…

“And before you ask, nah, they’re not that important – just a couple no-good losers who could use a reality check. Seeing their son in a Shihakushō should do the trick – I may still technically be Unseated at the moment, but I’m a valuable asset like the rest. Way more than what they can say.” He grabbed the front of his Shihakushō and checked out its black color, contrasting the whiteness of the Captain’s haori.

“Although, I can’t lie – the Captain’s haori kinda rocks, but I can’t see myself wearing that. Least, not yet… but what Squad do you govern, then? With the lockdown going, I might as well get to know the Captains a bit more, 'cuz I feel lackin' behind.” He couldn't exactly see the number on the back of her haori, and though he could just circle around her…

That would be a bad idea. Like going behind a trigger-happy horse.

A vein on Kanae's right temple threatened to burst as it bulged from her skull. The fingers of her sword hand had turned white as she gripped it tighter and tighter while also restraining herself from lopping this creature's head from his shoulders. She stared daggers into him the entire time he rambled on, until finally she broke her silence and angrily interrupted the man as he nearly finished speaking.

"Enough! I am Captain Nagoshi of the Combat Division, and I demand you cease. Speaking." She didn't care about his family, she didn't care about his clothing, and she certainly didn't care about his thoughts on her Captain's haori. Annoyed by his endless talking, Kanae couldn't help herself but to insult Ranma in reply "What makes you think you have the right to "get to know the Captains"? Why would we divulge anything to a lowly unseated foot soldier like yourself? How entitled can you be?"

Loosening her grip on her Zanpakuto, Kanae placed it tip-down in front of herself and rested both hands upon its handle's bottom. The bulging vein and fierce look in her eyes both relaxed a bit as she appeared to calm down, if only on the outside. "Now, succinctly answer my questions and you may not suffer consequences for your blatant disrespect. Do your parents live in the Kusajishi District? Who knows you're here right now?"

       

”!!!”

And just like that, Ranma’s entire form was frozen stiff. Not a single cell dared move for a few seconds after she… confusingly demanded he stopped speaking for some odd reason. What, did he annoy her? Just by speaking? He would’ve mocked her sensitivity if the pressure in the air didn’t almost break his shoulders – but she did reveal to be the Captain of the Combat Division, last name Nagoshi…

… Oh fuck me in the alps, she was Armina’s Captain. And here he genuinely thought that the blue-haired menace was the odd one out – turned out that the rumors were right. The 4th Division had to be a nuthouse if a fucking lunatic like the sensitive, little b- no, stop yourself, stop yourself, Ranma…

“…” Okay, she mockingly wondered why he thought he had the chance to get to know her, but he was a bit too busy trying not to shatter like a glass figurine to answer. She probably didn’t even want an answer out of him – she demanded silence, which… well, kind of made her the entitled one here. With a whitened face and a body frozen in time, figuratively this time, he felt her aura almost choke the words out of his mouth by her command: “No…”

Ah, shit bricks, he was in the wrong fucking district – brilliant.

“Noharu does… and my Vice-Captain.”

…

…

…

No shot she’s not mentally ill… wait, WHO MADE HER CAPTAIN, THEN?! CC, I got a bone to pick with you…

Violet narrowed as Kanae squinted at the man, not enthused or satisfied with his answers. She allowed silence to fill the air for a short time before releasing an annoyed, frankly incredulous, sigh and continuing on to question Ranma's presence there.

"Let me see if I understand the situation in it's totality, Ranma from the Eighth Division. You, a trained member of the Gotei, came here, to one of the most dangerous and infamous Rukongai Districts, by mistake, on a mission to see your parents? Perhaps," all of a sudden the intensity of her Spiritual Pressure multiplied, pressing down on the area like all the weight in the world, it's malevolence like a blade to the neck of all those within range , you are the Kusajishi killer."

In a blink, Kanae stood behind and to the left of Ranma, her voice lowered to barely louder than a whisper and her presence like a creeping predator preparing to go for the Shinigami's neck. "Did you know dead bodies have been found across this District? Some split in twain, others butchered beyond recognition...you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" The cold of steel would suddenly be felt along the side of Ranma's neck as black steel reached into his vision from behind. "Ranma of the Eighth."

       

You know, I fucking hate this place even more now.

As Captain Nagoshi was laying down the situation as it was right now – he being here, in one of the most notorious districts of outer Rukongai, by mistake, to see his parents – Ranma’s face… reddened. It wasn’t fear now – it was blatant fucking embarrassment. Evidence that the situation was legit – but why would he want to admit how tilted he had to be to end up here? If not for the choking aura…

… He did blink a couple times when she speculated if he was the… Kusajishi killer? His head didn’t even begin thinking about what on earth she was on about, before he noticed that she wasn’t in his line of sight anymore. She just disappeared, like a blur… nah, she must’ve been a fever dream, a figment of his imaginati-

*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRZ*

His shoulders felt like sand at the moment. His neck felt oddly hot, somebody was holding a torch right next to it – turned out, it was Captain Nagoshi who stood right behind him, her pressure freezing him solid. He slowly spotted her blade come into view as it touched his neck, so cold and yet so burning. His cells felt like they’d already died right now, but somehow, he was still breathing…

“… I-I-I-“

PLEEEEEEAAAAAAAAASE, STOP STUTTERING!

”… I spotted a f-few… on my way here,” he revealed in earnest, “There’s a Kusajishi killer?”

Why was he questioning her? His first thought was that it was just Rukongai’s outer districts being themselves – goons slitting each other’s throats here and there, but… a deep hunch told him not to question shit. Not right now.

“… Y-You’re right, yes. There is one, isn’t there?” he agreed, not even questioning the blood he saw earlier. Her business was her business. Fuck that. “It’s not… me… I kinda hate these places, honest, but…”

Well, fuck me in the alps, would she believe him or not? He did hate these places, but again – had to confront his parents again if he wanted any peace of mind. Unfortunately, settling the differences led to shit.