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This article, Kaede's Inspection, is a short one-shot featuring some of the history of Kaede Saitou, Rosuto Shiba and Ranmaru Shibata Sr.; with the first as the point-of-view character.
Ugh. Royal duties sucked! Why couldn’t the Jōren learn to inspect there own lot? It wasn’t as if she had anything to do with the unit outside times of war which, she just had to point out, they where not even in! Heisekai was peaceful as one could hope. Yet here she was! It was maddeningly unfair. All she wanted to do was enjoy the carnival that was in town but that would be far too unreasonable for a Princess when she had her duty to attend to. To hell with the bloody Jouin and their blasted rules!
“You’re scaring them,”
The speaker had trailed her every move since her last runaway. He was a bare-chested man with many a scar on his muscled body. His arms where folded and his black hair was tied up in a tidy ponytail and he looked to be far from in an accommodating mood. In fact he looked thoroughly annoyed. Good! At least she wasn’t the only one. But what was that? Scaring them?
“You haven’t stopped scowling since you came through the door, Princess.” He pointed out, shaking his head.
“Oh, be quiet, Ranmaru.” Kaede replied, huffing.
Sigh. She may as well get this farce over with. The member’s of the Jōren were all standing at full attention in orderly rows, with their backs straight and eyes forward. Except one; he was slouched. They all wore the regulation black coat and trousers finished off with a tidy white shirt. Those who had Zanpakutō had them secured tightly at their waists while those who did not carried a Kidō gun instead. Some of them even carried both. But again one individual did not stand by this tradition. Intrigued Kaede walked towards him and very nearly had her eyes pop out of her head! For the man in front of her was the very person who had earlier introduced himself as Rosuto Shiba; as well as the Suzaku! It was a minor miracle she collected herself before she started to speak.
“And why are you not in uniform, sir?” She asked, somewhat sternly.
“You should know.” He said, smiling. “Or was Akira talking through his asshole when he said that you had a job for me?”
Ranmaru’s movement was a blur even to Kaede’s eyes but the man he aimed to strike was even swifter! He grabbed both Ranmaru’s fist and his forearm and proceeded to throw him bodily over his shoulder; with all the ease a seasoned master would have used to do the same to a child. The larger man collided with the far wall before he managed to slow himself and the look he wore matched the assembled personnel of the Jōren to a tee. Each was as confused as the last!
“Oops.” Rosuto said, grinning like a boy who’d just pulled a prank. “I broke the wall, Kaede.”
What confused the Jōren even more was the fact Kaede was laughing. And not just quietly; she was practically howling! Chances where you would’ve heard her down the street.
“I apologize,” she said at last. “It’s just… I’ve seen Ranmaru train with so many people who can barely touch him.”
Ranmaru had returned at this point but to his credit he didn’t look angry. He merely looked surprised and, if Kaede wasn’t mistaken, jubilant. The man had enjoyed that! He was even nodding his big head as if to say “well done, good move”. What confused the issue further was Rosuto’s own behaviour. He was nodding his head too. Then the penny finally dropped as Kaede realized just what was going on. When did the atmosphere get heavier?
“No way,” she whispered. “Is that their spiritual pressure!?”
The entire squadron lined out for inspection where lying prone with their faces to the floor; unable to move. Some could barely blink let alone move their limbs. The stares of Rosuto and Ranmaru where unnerving, at least until Kaede added her own spiritual power to the mix. Ranmaru backed down immediately and Rosuto lowered his own flaring reiatsu as well only to them slap the big man on the arm.
“No hard feelings big guy. You’ve got a mean swing.”
“You! Keep quiet!” Kaede exclaimed. “Come with me, now.”
In the privacy of an office off the main hall Kaede looked Rosuto up and down before finally motioning for him to take a seat. Ranmaru opted to guard the door; ensuring no one who came by lingered long enough to hear what was going to be said.
“I want to hear your story.” She began, quietly. “Please. But know if you lie-”
“You’ll throw me to the dogs.” Rosuto cut in, sighing heavily and Ranmaru clipped him ‘round the ear for it. “Which hospital are you going to?” The former Captain asked the larger man. “I’ll be sure to send you some pain killers; ‘cause I’ll break your hand if you do that-.”
“Forgive me for interrupting your interruption,” Kaede said, “but your story. Now, please.”
"Right, right, I heard you!"