“Shiba?! See, you turned out fine!”
Kori smirked at his forward words with pride. Early on she’d been bestowed blessing upon blessing when it came to her outward appearance, often becoming a welcome distraction for those around her. There was no way around it, Kori was Hot. With her bouncing breasts and jiggly rump, she had all of the natural advantages that she could handle. It didn’t bother her in the least that he complimented her, in fact she was elated he even managed to recall the precious time they’d spent together in the past and eventually her identity and her connection to him. All semblance of awkwardness was a thing of the past.
“He’s uh, he seems alright too.”
His next sentiment confused her for a moment but the equally drunken lady put two and two together and let out a laugh yet, said nothing to refute or substantiate his implication. Discussions about what Musou and Kori were to one another could wait for now.
“Eating, drinking, you’re my kind of people. This place blows though, let's gonna walk.”
Thus far, Kori’s plan had nearly gone off the rails but due to some quick albeit impaired thinking, she’d managed to get things back on track. Unbeknownst to the trio as they sauntered away, whether they were strolling or stumbling, they were in perfect synch with one another. The bunch were a motley crew maneuvering their way through the streets of the Rukongai with no clue that their meeting was an act of fate soon to set them on a spectacular journey! That’s not exactly true, the Shiba lady knew. She knew for a fact that what she’d been hoping to find for so many centuries had finally been discovered and started to put together an elaborate undertaking but it was gonna take a little more work on her part to see her plan to fruition.
“So, whatch'ya wanna know?”
“Just who is this guy?”
"Only the coolest guy you’re ever gonna meet and He’s the one. Now, just follow my lead!”
Musou appeared apathetic about the situation but that was completely in the norm for the sloth. His sharp whisper inquired as to who Suiyo was grated on Kori’s ears like nails on a chalkboard. With a hushed tone, she sought to ease his suspicions of the drunk while simultaneously letting him in on her connivance and her need for his cooperation moving forward. Kori was up to something and like everything involving her, it was sure to be one hell of an adventure.
"After you get your arms back- You ARE getting them back right?”
The Kenpachi Games had been something that she’d been looking forward to for years. Partly because she was curious about who would end up on top but more importantly, she was able to shamelessly indulge in her most fervent passion.
Gambling. In the bars, roads and stands just about every single person had placed their bets on who was going to win each round and she had been one of the first to toss a hefty sum into the balance. All eyes had been glued to various screens projecting the three monumental matches but there was only one fight that Kori had invested what she considered to be the most valuable of her assets and that was her interest.
“DUH! Of course you are because you’re gonna need them if you’re ever gonna fix that Zanpakuto again.”
The second that she saw Suiyo’s image in the lineup of the competitors was when she started to concoct her game plan. Everywhere she looked, no one knew who he was. The geezer was someone that many hoped would end up dead, trampled like an ant by the clashing of the mighty captains trying their hand at the title of the strongest in the Seireitei. By all accounts, he was a complete stranger to everyone but her. At first, she could not believe her eyes as this no named nomad cut and ran circles around two of arguably the most proficient captains to have ever graced the Gotei Thirteen. The fight was exceptional from start to finish and the white death’s actions had shaken some of the faith that the spectators had in those leaders even though he’d ultimately forfeited. This resulted in apprehensive actions by the Captain of the fifth division and the impact he had on Tenzen Oda had been so great that he’d proceeded with the removal of Suiyo’s perilous limbs. Kori thoroughly hoped that he wouldn’t be without them for long because that’d throw a massive wrench into her machination.
Both she and Musou were seated officers of the eighth division. To be particular, she was the third seat and he was the fourth belonging to the division known for their innate ability to forge and repair Zanpakuto. Naturally, this was a strenuous process that sometimes put the very lives of the smiths in jeopardy and required twenty or more able bodied beings to perform it to perfection. The idea that
one soul could do this with more prowess, expertness and dexterity than a hoard of professional workers was unimaginable yet,
he had. Or he had claimed that he had. For too long, the eighth division had been without a captain and Kori, being the acting president, had been searching for someone worthy to take that mantle. Many had attempted to step up to the plate but were knocked back down the pegs they’d climbed before they could attempt the captain’s test by the stubborn Shiba. Not just anyone would do for the conductor of such an influential position that bore the responsibility of keeping the Shinigami of the Seiretei efficiently armed.
“It was so shitty of that monk to take them like that and right after you offered him a drink!”
Kori had been called a great number of things as she’d grown into the figured young lady that she was but a ‘fool’ was not one of them. Although it had been an extreme amount of time since she’d seen Suiyo, she knew that he wouldn’t be motivated to make such a drastic change by something as paltry as being promised that notability or the opportunity to fashion weapons for the Shinigami that he did not trust. If she went in that direction she figured he’d surely scoff at her and abandon both she and Musou to their own devices while he found something to keep him well inebriated and far away from her notion. It was gonna take a lot more than that but also a lot less. There was no doubt that even if a handful of the audience desired his destruction, a great many more wanted to harness his indisputable power for their own and were going to do their best to corner him with their offers sooner or later. However, Kori was familiar with the drunken bastard which put her in a much better spot than them. On top of that, she may have had in mind one of the only things that could get the lackadaisical Letcher to consider her proposition.
"Captain Oda’s a hard man to get close to. He’s always busy as hell and hardly has time for himself. Even if he wanted to, you’re nobody and there’s no way he’d have time to have a drink with you.”
As they walked, they were moving further and further away from the populated portion of the Rukongai. Soon it was just Suiyo, Musou and Kori free to converse as they pleased with no sign of intrusive eyes or ears to behold them. For now, they were alone besides Suiyo’s medical entourage who she was certain had burned eye-ball shaped holes into every inch of her by now.
"Buuut if you were somebody...you’d be able to meet with him and share those spirits! Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all! Who knows, you could find out. Maybe he’s a seasoned drinker or maybe he’s a total lightweight. Say…”
Here it was. The moment of truth. She was about to suggest something that she didn’t think she’d ever advocate in her lifetime but it went without saying that she did so with every bit of her belief in him. Whether he refused or acquiesced, she felt the twinge of sweet adrenaline coursing through her veins and she knew she was going to get something thrilling out of their interaction. Though, part of her hoped that her question did not sully the relationship that had only begun to be rekindled. With her cheeks flushed red, she lifted her bottle of sake and took a leap of faith.
"You ever thought about being a Captain?”
