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This article, Akira's Gambit, is a short one-shot featuring some of the history of Akira Nakamura, Fujimoto Nakamura, Shiori Nakamura and Rosuto Shiba; with the first as the point-of-view character.
Telling Rosuto to go wild may not have been the best idea he’d ever had. It was up there with accusing him of kidnapping Kaede which had, after all, resulted in him getting one of the worst thrashings of his life! It was the reason Akira was now chasing after the former Gotei 13 Captain who, thankfully, had the presence of mind to slow his steps so Akira could catch up and speak to him.
“I need to know what you’re planning.” Akira said.
“I’m going to kill Shuhen.”
“We need to plan Rosuto! If you aren’t careful you’ll drive him underground and we’ll never catch him.”
Rosuto stopped.
“What would you have me do then!?”
“We need a team; we need a plan.”
“… Fine, I see your point.”
Wait, what? That was too easy! Or maybe Kaede had had a helpful word in Rosuto’s ear – or mind? HA! It seemed she had the Shiba whipped.
“So what are you going to do now?”
“Drop the insufferable smile or I’ll beat it off you!” Rosuto roared!
That was a bit more like it! Akira even laughed to which Rosuto grinned in reply.
“I’m going to enlist some old friends who went into hiding in the Human World about sixty years ago.” Rosuto answered.
“You say that like it’ll be easy. Aren’t the folks from Soul Society trying to, you know, kill you!?” Akira reminded, smile vanishing.
“Do you honestly think anyone short of the Captain Commander could actually stop me? Besides,” Rosuto shrugged his shoulders, “the old fart tried to kill me once and he failed. His flames aren’t that powerful.”
Even in Heisekai people had heard of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and his Zanpakutō Ryūjin Jakka. The man was said to have powers beyond anyone else in his generation; enough so that even now no one was capable of equalling the great commander never mind defeating him. The fact Rosuto claimed to have survived a confrontation with this very man with absolutely no shred of a lie that Akira could discern in his words reinforced his belief that Rosuto would be fine no matter who came after him.
“… Good luck.”
“Look after yourself, Akira.”
The former Captain disappeared immediately afterwards in the direction of the Royal Palace, no doubt heading towards the seldom used gateways to the Human World so he could gather his entourage. Akira came to a stop and proceeded to return to his siblings, who had been awaiting his return.
“Well?” Fujimoto asked as Akira touched down.
“What are his intentions?” Shiori asked also.
“He’s gonna bring in some friends; the type that have been living as exiles for the last sixty years.”
That itself suggested they where powerful enough to either be left alone or kill anyone fool enough to challenge them, or resourceful enough to evade capture from an organized and highly disciplined secret operations organization. Or maybe the fact they where friends of Rosuto was enough to stay most peoples hand? Akira himself knew he certainly wouldn’t want to see the poor sod that harmed one of the Shiba clansmen’s close friends. The perpetrator likely wouldn’t survive the reprisal.
“Can they be trusted!?” Fujimoto asked, incredulous!
“I don’t know about them…” Akira whispered. “… But I trust Rosuto. Gods! Do I? I think I do trust him.”
And that surprised him more than anything! The fool just had that air about him; the type that reassured those around him and galvanised your will. But thoughts of Rosuto could wait. Akira had plans to make and people to gather. Because if they failed to kill Shuhen now… the dog would simply go underground and that would drive all his supporters underground with him. An open rebellion was easier dealt with. One you couldn’t find? Not so easy and the longer it dragged on the worse things would become.
“You’ve got that look.” Shiori pointed out. “You’re concerned.”
“There’s a look?”
“You better believe there is!” Fujimoto exclaimed. “You’re scratching your nonexistent beard; a clear sign you’re in deep thought.”
“Well, what can I say? My chin was ticklish. But enough about me! We need to get a move on. Fujimoto I need you to get word to Hiei and Shiro. Shiori, keep an eye on Rosuto’s spiritual pulse, would you? We can’t lose him to the Soul Society. Any repercussions I’ll take responsibility for.”
“What about you?” Fujimoto asked.
Akira only grinned.
“Now now, brother, I can’t tell you that!”
Akira then disappeared which, of course, did nothing to offset his siblings growing concern…