Sympathy for the Devil

[Darake Kitoushi]

Beep, beep, beep!

The alarm clock blared loudly again throughout the dark cluttered room, this time finally stirring some movement from the lump of blankets on the ground. A long drawn out groan came from this mound, which any alarm clock of proper intelligence would recognize to be a threat. Unfortunately this alarm clock was either unintelligent or defiant evidenced by making it's demands known once again. A lanky hand emerged from the blankets failing to grasp the source a few times before gathering a firm grip on the most infernal device. With a sharp toss it slammed against the wall, it's gears and guts exploding to join a graveyard of it's broken brethren below. If the alarm could have had a last thought, perhaps it would have been to tell clocks everywhere that persistence is not a good quality if one desires a long life.

A head popped up abruptly from beneath the blankets realizing something was amiss. Graying disheveled hair stood out completely untamed and covering a side of his face with large dark circles under his visible eye followed by an exasperated frown. With hazy contempt the man looked up to see someone standing in the room, seemingly at at attention and clearing their throat. Whipping the blanket back over his head and returning to the ground, he moaned crossly at the bothersome shinigami.

"Th' doctor is not in. Wha' part of, no visitors while I'm sleepin', do ya not understand?"

[Shibata Katashi]

By default, this morning could potentially be a fine morning. A fresh new day, a clean slate, another chance to make things go right. A slight layer of mist had been trailing around since a little while earlier, just before the sun began rearing its head on the horizon. Katashi knew this because he had been awake long enough to see it, he had been on his feet long before he should have. The facts however were that he was quite an early bird, and the rare anxiousness that had set in prevented him from attempting to get more sleep. While he hadn't gotten very adjusted to his new sleeping quarters yet that wasn't what had kept him up. On this day the first order of business was to meet up with his division captain, for a mandatory introduction. Normally this shouldn't have been something to lose sleep over, as this was once again pretty much procedure, nothing too out of the ordinary. However, he too had heard the stories, the rumors and the whispers. The 4th division's head figure, captain Darake, had left a rather "memorable" impression on his subordinates. While Katashi chose to ignore these rumors he could not choose to un-hear them. The fact that he decided to keep his mind unbiased by paying these stories no mind didn't necessarily mean they couldn't float in his subconscious, stewing until it prematurely woke him from his rest. He had seen him passing by, in the hallways, in the operation quarters. He even rode an elevator with him once, which ended up being rather awkward as the captain didn't seem interested in initiating any form of conversation. When he finally decided to approach the captain and introduce himself, the captain left the elevator, leaving Katashi flabbergasted.

Regardless, Katashi had made the best of his newly gained preparation time. He had already put on his uniform, attached his zanpakutou, drank two cups of tea and watched the sun rise before having been standing at attention at the door of his superior's room, well before he even should've been there. Biding his time and simply being patient was his best option, which he did with little reluctance as it would give him more time to wipe this lingering unease from his mind. As the appointed meeting time approached he was prepared, his mental state composed and prepared to make a fair and lasting impression. A clock rang loudly followed by it being cut short shortly after, which seemed to indicate that his captain was not one to wake easily. After the third time this process had repeated itself Katashi had lost count, his expectations had sunk to a rather unpleasant low, the believability of the rumors he had heard were gaining speed quickly. Before long he found himself opening up the door to his commanding officer's room, not as much due to having lost his patience but rather because he finally wanted to put this uneasy curiosity to rest. Was his captain a respectable doctor, suited to fill the position that captain Daichi had left? Or was he exactly the man his fellow shinigami had whispered amongst themselves away from his ears. As Katashi laid eyes on the figure supposedly-representing-a-talented-physician any expectations that remained ceased to exist, by the time the doctor had opened his mouth the latter of the previous two scenarios seemed more likely.

However Katashi was not one to let his emotions entirely cloud his judgment, as facts and reason are also required to do such. It was far too early to reach conclusions just yet anyway, for now he forcefully shelved the preconceptions he might've had and simply went on to introduce himself, bearing a smile and using mild humor to diffuse the situation if needed. Bearing in mind that this was just part of the procedure.

"Good morning. I've been waiting outside for quite a while now, but there wasn't any clear indication of when you were planning to rise, so I assumed that perhaps this was some test of my persistence or patience? A cue my to come introduce myself? Regardless, looking forward to be working with you doctor.

Shibata Katashi, newest addition to your staff, at your service captain sir."

[Darake Kitoushi]

Cheery. The word mulled over with disgust in his head. Lord, please, anything but cheery. Damn morning people. Despite his current displeasure, he acknowledged this was a good thing. He could use a person like that.

With a defeated grunt Kitoushi relented, his hand snaking outward from the blankets and groping for his wooden derby cane. Using it as leverage, he hoisted himself up with some difficulty, partly leaning against the desk next to him likely making it look as if he was recovering from a hangover. His head was free from the blankets now, holding them against his chest to cover himself. Like a limping zombie, and making not dissimilar noises, he made his way across the room into the washroom right next to the man he was seemingly ignoring. At the washroom door he dropped the blanket and tossed the cane aside, not bothering to close the door. Stepping into the shower, he turned it on and leaned against the tiled wall still in a trance and seemingly examining the drain. While he wasn't in there long, the situation still must have seemed painfully awkward given his complete lack of acknowledging the shinigami in the nearby room.

Groggily stepping out of the shower drying himself, he nearly tripped and griped the sink to catch himself. This caused him to look upwards in the mirror, his hair now no longer covering the hole and burn wounds where his left eye used to be. With something of a sigh, he snatched a roll of gauze on at the back of the sink and began wrapping it around his head to cover the wound. Grabbing the cane he walked out of the room naked, still overlooking his guest as he made his way to the back corner of the room and opened the shades. Light filled smoky office and it caused him to wince from it's intensity on his deprived vision. Taking the uniform hung next to him, he dressed himself while looking out at the scenery. Finishing the task with placing the pair of cloaks over his shoulders, he turned and fell into the chair at the desk.

Rotating around and rubbing the back of his neck, he looked around at the oddities that filled the room. All manner of books, files, x-rays were spread around the room. Jars of liquid with organs floating inside, samples of creatures pinned in display cases, and finally what he searched for, the pile of innumerable medication bottles. His hands shook as he attempted to steady them and one by one, he grabbed pills of all shapes and colors. Red round ones, blue oval ones, yellow triangular ones, some with shapes and colors he wondered if anyone could really describe. He threw a cocktail of them into a stone cup, a mortar, and began banging away to crush them with the rounded pestle. Now a fine powder within the cup, he set the pestle aside for a glass tube, bringing it up to his nose and inhaling sharply. It stung sharply causing his eye to widen with a few tears that he then wiped away. He now set it aside and grabbed a small silver case on the desk, which swung open to reveal cigarillos and a lighter. He lit one and took a long drag, exhaling as he finally locked onto the eyes of the man across the room with laser like precision.


"A test... When I say never ta interrupt me, it's not a damn test," said Kitoushi sternly pointing at him with the cigarillo. His tone however lightened as he took another drag and leaned back in his chair, "Good way ta think though. You'll find everythin' I put ya through is a test."

He smirked at the direct contradiction he had just made.

"Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste. Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name." The Captain spoke with some derision and a small mocking bow of his head figuring there was no need for this sort of introductory nonsense to be said. With his free hand he grabbed a handheld object from his desk and tossed it at Shibata. The wooden vice-captain's emblem of their squad emblazoned with the signature bellflower. Simple as that, perhaps annoyingly so after making the shinigami wait so long. Kitoushi gripped the handle of his cane using it to prop himself up and began making his way to the door.

"Unfortunately I don't have time ta play wit ya today. I've got some business ta attend to."

[Shibata Katashi]

The way the events unfolded seemed almost like the setup for a bad joke. The captain waltzed through his room, though a very stumbling waltz, completely ignoring his fair subordinate all the way through. As he carried our his morning routine Katashi remained quiet and patient, despite the general awkwardness that the situation presented. After the captain had finished medicating himself with his varied array of pills (most likely self-prescribed) he finally addressed Katashi, though not in a particular way that he would find enjoyable. The captain's dialect combined with the slight tone of snide in his voice managed to affect Katashi enough that his expression shifted from a mildly forced smile to a more irked one. He wasn't entirely sure whether he should be irritated with the man's crassness or disappointed with the fact the captain turned out to be almost exactly like the rumors described him, the accuracy was almost scary. He could barely fathom what state of mind captain Daichi had been when he considered this man as a possible candidate for captaincy of his division, nevertheless Katashi was still set on finding out what exactly the former captain had seen in him.

His train of thought was abruptly disrupted by something being flung his way, upon catching and examining the item it appeared to be the fourth division's vice-captain badge. The wooden emblem displayed both the division's number and its bellflower symbol with a sense of pride and duty, wearing it would mean one would have to display both of those features at the very least. Regardless of the badge's importance, the reason why the captain had rather casually hurled it towards him did however puzzle him, considering his previous statement Katashi figured this to another one of his "tests". As such he decided to go against the captain's efforts to shoo him away, whether his supposed "business" were genuine or fictitious, Katashi was certain he could very well bring him along for the ride.


"Surely it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to allow me to join you in your business sir? After all I'm certain I can learn a lot from you by assisting you for the day, no?"

Perhaps the polite manner in how he formed his words were a little too much, coming over a bit sarcastic even. But Katashi was adamant about the issue, this wasn't going to turn into another elevator ride, no sir.

[Darake Kitoushi]

As he made his way to the door, Kitoushi could see it. The gears turning, the synapses firing, the temporal lobe at work. The slightest unconscious flicker of Shibata's eye movement to the upper left accessing visual memory and then to the lower left, constructing internal dialogue. He was thinking of the previous Captain, of how could Daichi trust this position to the mess that was before him. Exactly the question that the Captain wanted his new vice-captain to be asking himself. It was so often that people would ask the questions that Kitoushi wanted them to ask. It wasn't a coincidence.

He made his way to the door blowing cigarillo smoke uncomfortably close to the painfully polite shinigami's face as he passed.
“'Fraid it's not your sorta business.”

Shibata seemed clearly discontent with that explanation and soon followed. As Kitoushi limped briskly down the hospital hallway, a young woman stuck her head out of a door and called for the captain with hint of desperation. He bluntly ignored the plea and simply increased his pace. She shouted for him again rushing quickly to cut him off from the elevator.

“So close,” muttered Kitoushi clenching his eye and rubbing his forehead in exasperation. “Yes Miss... whatsherface?” The young woman looked fresh out of the academy, incredibly nervous and clutching a clipboard in front of her as if it would shield her.
“My name is-”
“Unimportant,” he sharply spat out in annoyed tone causing her to meekly shrink back. “Wha do ya need?”
“Uh, this, um, patient..” She glanced down at the clipboard and then down the hallway to a stretcher where a man lay groaning and contorted in pain. Kitoushi snatched the item from her hands causing her to make another small recoil. Lifting a page and glancing over the charts for a mere moment, his gaze returned to her with a piercing glare.
“You're an idiot. Here, you look.” He held the chart up for Shibata to see.
“Well that's just-”
“See, even this idiot can figure it out.”
“I don't know-”
“Of course ya don't. I'd call ya an idiot again, but I'm not sure ya even grasp what it means.” He then shoved the chart back at her. “Keep staring until you figure it out. I'm sure the patient won't mind.” The injured man sharply groaned as if on cue. “If ya can't manage somethin' this simple, rethink your choice of career.”

Kitoushi marched past her to enter the elevator, leaving the young woman standing in shock and on the verge of sobbing. Shibata remained stunned for a moment, unsure of what to do and if he should comfort the fragile recruit. He opened his mouth to say something and normally he may have intervened, but he was pressed for time to make a choice. He quickly decided to grab the elevator just before it closed. It reopened and he stepped inside looking directly at Ktioushi making it clear that he wasn't going to be shrugged off so simply, the Captain relented with a sigh rolling his eye.
“We're headin' to the second floor, room 209.”
The Vice-Captain seemed pleased in his victory wearing a satisfied smile and holding his head high as he pressed the button kicking the elevator into gear. As the door closed he looked to the woman hoping that she would be alright. Upon reaching the designated floor Kitoushi then motioned for him to go first by waving his hand politely, albeit exaggerated.
“After you Shibata-san, lead the way.”
Shibata adjusted his glasses and nodded respectfully before exiting the elevator.
“Yes sir, thank you.”

[Shibata Katashi]

Between being called an idiot and the captain's tendency to fill his words with repulsive snide, Katashi was left flabbergasted. Perhaps it had been fortunate that the both of them hadn't had a proper introduction until now? After all, if this was the way the captain handled his newcomers, then perhaps it would've caused Katashi to rethink his career choice himself. With the captain marching onward towards the elevator, Katashi struggled to follow, standing behind and thinking up some comforting words to give the new recruit so that she possibly wouldn't throw in the towel all together. But in risking the chance of the captain ditching him this early, he decided to save his words for later. Upon entering the elevator, captain Kitoushi announced their destination to be the second floor, room 209 specifically. With one press of a button the hum of the elevator indicated they were on route to their destination, it was only a matter of moments until their arrival. A slight grin surfaced on Katashi's face as he contemplated that he had finally achieved his goal of being able to properly introduce himself to his superior officer, without being ditched in one of the captain's infamous "elevator dodges". No no, this time he was stuck with him and Katashi could only hope that the captain had given up his efforts to get him of his back. As the elevator doors slid open the captain, in a rather surprising turn of politeness, waved his hand signaling that Katashi should go first. Not hesitating to accept any polite behavior the captain displayed, Katashi simply nodded and seemingly slid from the elevator into the hallway. Scanning with his eyes across the hallway, looking for room 209 in the distance, he began to notice something wasn't entirely right. It dawned on him but a moment too late, as he turned around in what seemed like the speed of a flash of lightening, he could only helplessly standby as the elevator's doors closed once more. The captain bidding him farewell with a smug smile on his face, another ditch effort completed.

Suppressing the urge to shout out some form of curse word Katashi jumped into action, instantly heading for the door to the staircase and zipping down towards the ground floor. This time he wasn't going to get off easily, Katashi's mind had seemingly subconsciously prepared for this scenario, as a plan had popped into his head immediately after the event had taken place. With little caution he burst through the doors that led through to the ground floor, marching his way towards the front desk. With some agitation he slammed his both his hands on the counter and loudly proclaimed his demands.


"I want you to announce across every speaker in this damn hospital, that anyone who spots the captain is to delay him as best as possible and relay his position. Immediately!... Please."

As the startled receptionist cleared his throat and picked up the microphone, Katashi could only stand there and grind his teeth together, doing his best to keep his senses sharpened so that this time the captain wouldn't slip from under his slight like a slippery snake.

[Darake Kitoushi]

The slippery snake slithered confidently through the exit to the hospital noting the clueless Shibata dashing around out of the corner of his eye. Just as he was to be free of him, Kitoushi halted in a cringe at demands being made of the receptionist. A small grin grew at the corner of his face as he inwardly clapped in appreciation of the young man's industrious plan. He composed himself simultaneously delighted and annoyed before silently stepping his way back into the hospital and stealthily behind the industrious shinigami. Pinching the back collar of Shibata's kosode, he lightly jerked it and leaned in with a perturbed expression and forced smile.

"Congrats, ya got yer audience." Releasing Shibata's collar he waved off the receptionist to cancel the request. Rubbing his shoulder he motioned with his head and swing of his cane towards the exit. "Comeon then, I've got places ta be an I guess ya are taggin' along."

Kitoushi then headed out the exit with the young man in tow, the recluse recoiling from the harsh light as they headed out into Seireitei's bustling district. Shibata followed with the slightest spring in his step at besting the Captain's attempts to dodge this meeting. He however looked towards the him with suspicion if he'd make another attempt to snake away and launched an inquiry as to where they were going.

"I know a good place to get breakfast around here." Taking a drag of his cigarillo, Kitoushi glanced out of the corner of his eye to his following companion. "Well I suppose what ya want is me to teach ya somethin' right? Well I have a feeling ya don't know how to tip properly... so I'ma teach ya how to tip."