Squad 2's Lieutenant

[Ichi Kuros]

Asphalt enters the barracks early in the morning. No one is around at the time. Asphalt cleans the barracks and made sure the ground was spotless. "The captain will love how clean the floors are"he thought to himself.

[Setoku]

The smell of Sake suddenly permeated the air around the barracks - It was strong, as if just freshly spilled - But that was wasn't all. A strange feeling for the boy would emanate from seemingly everywhere. Someone else was in here, and hiding his reiatsu - But who...? The question would be answered soon, Erik felt, as he stood above in the rafters, his tattered captain's cloak hanging from his obi - This was the boy the Shiba man informed him of - The New Lieutenant of Kisagi's wasteful squad.

[Ichi Kuros]

As asphalt felt like someone is watching he called out "Is someone here? I have a zanpakuto, don't make me use it.". Asphalt draws his zanpakuto and became on guard.

[Setoku]

"Such a fool boy."

The voice echoed, clearly from above - But if the boy would go to look, nothing would be there. Just again, that faint smell of spilled sake. But the shocking part was only to come.

"Tell me, newbie of the Second Squad. Which division is it you are captain of in Kisagi's twisted version of Squad Two? Punishment...? Stealth Corps...? Or could it be..... The Experiment Squad...?"

The voice didn't come from above this time - No, it came from right next to him, where a man stood. Wearing a worn and tattered Second Squad Captain's Haori, yet not looking at Asphalt. His eyes were forward, as if chasing something unseen.

"Well, Asphalt-chan? Which one is it? And make your answer quick, and too my liking... Or you will feel something even your precious Captain couldn't handle without breaking down."

[Ichi Kuros]

"If you're wondering, you do not scare me. I am not afraid of you or your judgement." Asphalt sheathed his zanpakuto as he spoke.

Asphalt turned to fully face this person. "How do you know my name and who are you?" Asphalt questioned.

[Setoku]

"Who I am is of little concern, boy. Let's focus on you. Lieutenant of the defunct Second Squad, high marks in the academy... So a question I pose to you.... Who were the two captain's before.... Your current captain? Any ideas?"

Again, the man merely smiled. Pop Quiz? This man was an intruder, yet he was acting like he was right at home... And that tattered Haori he wore on his person only raised more questions.

"As to how I know who you are, we'll discuss that later. Perhaps."

[Ichi Kuros]

Asphalt moved towards the man. "I don't know the one before you but it pretty much looks like you're the captain before my current captain." Asphalt sheathed his zanpakuto. "So on to the real question, how do you know me?" Asphalt questioned curiously.

[Setoku]

Erik begin to smile slowly, but his eyes suddenly cut to the left a moment, before he looked back to the boy.

"Seems you'll meet the one before I sooner than expected."

Erik bit his lip slowly, with Kurome here sooner than he had hoped, it left him with little recourse. He needed to make this count. His hand dropped to the hilt of his own sword.

"Seems time runs short. I cannot explain how I know you, but I need you to summon your captain here. Or tell me where he is. I have little patience at the moment."

Erik slowly begun to pull his blade from the sheath, keeping his eyes on the boy. There was more he needed to say, but Kurome made that impossible.

"Make it quick, or face the circumstances."

[Ichi Kuros]

"If you're worried about who's watching us, we're alone." Asphalt sits down in a chair behind him. "I don't know where the captain is, he's almost never around." Asphalt sighs then looks up at Erik wondering why he is unsheathing his sword.

[Setoku]

Erik's eyes still darted left to right, clearly the boys Moral Compass was a little to high. He hadn't detected the coming of Kurome, nor his rag-tag army. And he was treating Erik like he was an everyday occurrence. Either this boy was very confident, or just aloof to the urgency. Erik released his sword, and slowly turned to face the boy.

"Listen, Asphalt. Close your eyes, and reach out. Tell me if you notice anything out of the ordinary. And after that, I need you to tell me what you honestly think about your captain. Beyond him being strange. Doesn't he seem a little squad 12ish to you?"

[Ichi Kuros]

"I agree with you, he's not squad 2 material. I wonder what you're doing? We aren't alone, are we?" Asphalt immediately sensed Kurome. Asphalt stands up wielding his zanpakuto.

"Unleash your power, ZEKKEN!" Asphalt commanded as his sword transforms.He readied his sword.

[Setoku]

"I see. I'm quite sure you have it all wrong, Asphalt-kun."

Erik took a single step forward toward the boy. His arms at his sides, his stance neutral. Asphalt wouldn't, no, couldn't of reacted. As soon as Erik's foot touched the ground, Asphalt would feel the octagon-like barrel of a flintlock pistol pressed against the back of his skull, then another one pressed into the small of his back.

"Ichibu no ketsueki akai umi wa, denki shi o Destory wa!(part blood red seas, destroy electric death!)Put your weapon away, Asphalt-kun. None of this concerns us. Sit down, and inform me all the weird things about Kisagi-kun, understand?"

Clearly Erik was not playing around anymore. For good measure, and to enforce his point, Asphalt would hear the triggers pull back slightly.

[Ichi Kuros]

"How can you do this!? You dare cross me? Why? I don't even know the captain like that, he's very distant "

[Setoku]

Erik merely raised an eyebrow, and pressed the barrels of his flintlocks more tightly against his back and skull. Clearly this kid was delusional. Not to mention foolish. Speaking to a rouge former captain, and a criminal no less, like so.

"Betray you? Clearly boy you fail to grasp what is happening right now. Stay calm like I say, and your fine. Keep over reacting to everything like a foolish, self entitled noble, then I'm the least of your problems."

Erik frowned. He was starting to understand how Kisagi recruited his seats. He dominated their intelligence, making them identical to him in terms of self glory, yet not as intelligent as he himself was. Erik sought this boy out to protect him, nothing more. But his patience was running low.

"Do you remember a third seat female that just vanished a few weeks ago? She was killed by the God King of Heuco Mundo. Because your captain used her weak frame to project a message from him. Surgically altering her after drugging her to be of his height and build. He has no mercy or cares for you seats. He is using you all to understand a dead clan of legend. Do you really want to serve a man like that? Because if so..."

Asphalt would suddenly feel his skin crawl, as his hairs would stand on end, and the static electricity around him seemed to suddenly build up high. A faint blue glow would catch the corner of his eye, as a distinct "chirping" like sound emanated from behind his skull.

"I'll be happy to oblige. Or you can calm down, seal your sword, and help me get your captain to come and face me and Kurome-taicho away from the seritei. The choice is yours, boy."

[Ichi Kuros]

"Maybe all you have been seeing today was a charade . Maybe I was acting, maybe you are just as foolish as they come . Do you really think that I care about the captain of the squad, he is never around and the people who get close to him often die. I'm not going to die, you know why? I'm not afraid, and one more thing, I'm not a noble, I am a ROYAL!!!" In a flash, Asphalt disappeared and reappeared elsewhere . "I'm faster than lightning and I will strike you down like the thunder that follows" Asphalt points his sword to guard his position.

[Setoku]

"That's adorable."

The boy gave his speech, and did his flashy steps, but clearly he still wasn't grasping much. Especially just who he was dealing with. Speed of light? Then his sword must of been similar to Erik's. For as soon as the boy re-appeared on his new position, he would find a flintlock pistol, no longer glowing, under his chin.

"Are going to make me begone with the Thunderclap, next? Are will you lose me like the lightning flash? Either way, one free cut before you move again. It may slow me down to Lietunent level."

All pretense on Kisagi was lost. Erik figured this would happen first with the boy anyway - Asphalt seemed honorable like that, and Erik would gladly oblige. As long as Bankai wasn't forced out... Which he hardly saw happening anyway.

"Just remember, one free shot. And the term electric death. Now come."

Asphalt would feel the flintlock slowly pull away from his Chin, as Erik slowly took a few steps back. Just... Who the hell was this man?!

[Ichi Kuros]

"I see, so you think that I am only at lieutenant level, that's being naive. I'm going to be bringing the thunder with my strike." Asphalt yet again disappears and reappears a few spaces behind where he was standing and begin to charge his blade for a punishing blow.

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